Originally, the duo consisted of Anders Hagström and Yasmine Uhlin. However, she announced her surprise departure from the band in Hamburg at the last concert of the Out Of line festival tour 2008.
Anders and Yazmine met in November 2005 and, upon discovering that they shared the same musical vision, decided to form a band. Their collaboration soon came to fruition with the release of a 9 track demo entitled "Angora Overdrive" after a very intensive month in the studio.
The second four track demo, "Parliament of Rooks", which was finished in February 2006, had a more refined sound compared to their first offering. They decided to send it to a few select labels because the reaction they got to the first demo was quite overwhelming. Having sent the demos on Monday, Ashbury Heights was contacted and contracted by German Out of Line records on Wednesday, only an hour after the label had received the CD. This probably makes Ashbury Heights one of the fastest signings in history. Several other labels expressed an interest in the band, but there was no bidding war as Out of Line moved so quickly.
Although having signed the famous German act "And One" at about the same time as Ashbury Heights, which ate a lot of the labels' resources, Out of Line wasted no time. The legendary producer John Fryer was brought on board to produce the promotional single "Cry Havoc" in April 2006, something quite unheard of in the world of the electronic underground. Very few bands in the synth-genre get to release promo-CDs (if any), and certainly no other band in modern synth-history has released a promo-CD produced by a celebrity of the likes of Fryer.
John Fryer would eventually mix their first album "Three cheers for the newlydeads". Released in october 2007, the debut album was recieved with overwhelming optimism from press and audience alike proving once and for all that Ashbury Heights truly is a force to be reckoned with.
In 2008 Ashbury Heights returned with the "Morningstar in a Black Car" EP, containing five new songs and four remixes. The EP received good reviews and helped keep up interest for the band. A video was made for the track "Spiders", a low budget affair which nevertheless managed to project some of the bands unique flair.
Ashbury Heights, with brand-new female vocalist Kari Berg, released their new album 'Take Cair paramour' on the 2nd of july 2010. In 2010, following a long running dispute between Hagström and the record label Out Of Line the band disbanded. This dispute was settled in 2011, whereupon Hagstöm and Out of Line renewed their collaboration. However, it took until 2013 for Hagström to find a new singer. The new singer is Tea F. Thimé, the first female to co-write lyrics for Ashbury Heights.
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Swansong
Ashbury Heights Lyrics
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He wants to hear a song by Ashbury Heights
Just one more time before he dies
The DJ knows he's helpless and thus he cries
Here's a swansong coming
A swansong coming for you
Flowing through the dark
A dying man mustn't be denied
His voice is one that you should hark
He can hear the whistle blow
He knows all he needs to know
The train plays another song
He smiles and sings along
Here's a swansong coming
A swansong coming for you
And the music plays
Flowing through the dark
A dying man mustn't be denied
His voice is one that you should hark
The lyrics to "Swansong" by Ashbury Heights are deeply emotive and touching. The song is about a dying man who calls the DJ in the middle of the night and asks to hear a song by Ashbury Heights one last time before he dies. The DJ is moved to tears by the man's plea, understanding that this is his last wish, and therefore plays the song. The music flows through the dark, providing the man with a sense of peace and comfort as he listens to his favorite song one final time.
The swansong in the lyrics refers to the ancient belief that a swan sings a beautiful song just before it dies. The song has a melancholic quality, evoking sadness and feelings of loss. Yet there is also a sense of grace and acceptance that comes with letting go, understanding that everything has its time and place, and that life must eventually come to an end. The dying man is not to be denied his final request, and the lyrics urge us to harken to his voice, to listen closely to his story and the meaning he brings to our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Phone rings in the middle of the night
The phone rings late at night, it's urgent.
He wants to hear a song by Ashbury Heights
The caller on the phone needs to hear a specific song by the band Ashbury Heights.
Just one more time before he dies
This might be the last chance for the caller to listen to his favorite song before he dies.
The DJ knows he's helpless and thus he cries
The DJ is aware that he can't do anything to help the caller, and he's in sorrow for him.
Here's a swansong coming
The last song, the final tribute.
A swansong coming for you
The song is specifically for the dying caller.
And the music plays
The song starts playing.
Flowing through the dark
The music accompanies the caller through the dark and lonely night.
A dying man mustn't be denied
The caller's wish to hear his favorite song must be granted because he's near his end.
His voice is one that you should hark
The caller is important, and his request should be taken seriously.
He can hear the whistle blow
The caller acknowledges that the end is near.
He knows all he needs to know
He's content with what he has and does not ask for more.
The train plays another song
The caller hears another song with a metaphorical reference to the train at the station.
He smiles and sings along
The caller just enjoys the music and sings along.
Here's a swansong coming
The last song, the final tribute.
A swansong coming for you
The song is specifically for the dying caller.
And the music plays
The song continues.
Flowing through the dark
The music accompanies the caller through the dark and lonely night.
A dying man mustn't be denied
The caller's wish to hear his favorite song must be granted because he's near his end.
His voice is one that you should hark
The caller is important, and his request should be taken seriously.
Contributed by Zachary J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.