Initially, they played at night clubs in the greater London area and recorded some demos under the name of Fleeing New York before changing their name to Band of Skulls in November 2008. Their debut album Baby Darling Dollface Honey, distributed by Shangri-La Music, was released exclusively on the iTunes Store on 6 March 2009, followed by a general release on 20 March. The track I Know What I Am was chosen as iTunes' free Single of the Week to coincide with the digital release. The song was also featured in the soundtrack for TV series Friday Night Lights, Volume 2, which was released on 4 May 2010. The song also appeared in Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock. Another track that was not actually on the album, "Friends", was included on The Twilight Saga: New Moon soundtrack in November 2009.
On 23 March 2010, Band of Skulls released Friends EP, which includes the studio-recorded version of "Friends", a live version, and a music video of the song.
Band of Skulls played at the SXSW Festival in early 2010 and toured the Midwest in March in support of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. The band appeared on the French TV show Taratata broadcast in March 2010, where they covered the song "Sympathy for the Devil" by The Rolling Stones with the band John & Jehn.[4] In April 2010, they toured the U.S. and Canada followed by England in May 2010, including a sold-out show at the London Electric Ballroom. On 28 June 2010, Band of Skulls supported The Dead Weather at The Roundhouse in London. In July 2010, the band covered Goldfrapp's "Strict Machine" for Australian radio. They were also one of three bands who opened for Muse on 4 September 2010 at Lancashire County Cricket Ground. In October 2010 they also toured to South Africa to play at the annual Rocking The Daisies festival.
On 26 October 2010, Band of Skulls released a live album called Live on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic.
On 5 October 2011, the band released "The Devil Takes Care of His Own"—the first single to be taken from the new album—with an accompanying music video. The second studio album Sweet Sour was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales. It is produced by Ian Davenport (Supergrass, Badly Drawn Boy), who also produced their debut album, and was released on February 21, 2012 in the US, and February 20, 2012 in the UK and Europe.
On 12 April 2012, Channel 4 broadcast a short documentary starring the band. They discuss the formation of Band Of Skulls through to going from working the bars of their hometown to playing music in front of expansive crowds of adoring fans across the globe. It is a rare and intimate insight into the world of Band Of Skulls, focusing of their success and achievements over the years.
On 13 October 2012, Band of Skulls played the 11th Annual Austin City Limits Music Festival. The show was briefly interrupted by a rainstorm that soaked the front of the stage, including Russell's pedal board, prompting the band to leave the stage while crews dried and moved the affected equipment. The band was able to return and complete their set after about a 10-minute delay.
On 2nd December 2013, the band released the video for "Asleep At The Wheel" - the first track to be shared from their yet unreleased album 'Himalayan'.
In January 2017, it was announced via social media that Hayward had left the band.
Death by Diamonds and Pearls
Band of Skulls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But it didn't do her no good
'Cause she's just a sum of her influence
Hell, and I can't tell you the difference
By the cracked windscreen on her car
Something is telling you don't know how lucky you are
You're just like the rest of those girls
Death by diamonds and
Death by diamonds and
Death by diamonds and pearls
Death by diamonds and pearls
You got your figure all nice
But the heart stays colder than ice
You got twenty-five grand on the bubble
And you're the one telling me that you don't think you're in trouble
I might be a fan of your insolence
But that don't make you the innocent
You're just like the rest of those girls
They're all death by diamonds and
Death by diamonds and
Death by diamonds and
Death by diamonds and pearls
The lyrics to "Death by Diamonds and Pearls" by Band of Skulls describe a girl who grew up in a nice neighborhood but it didn't do any good for her. She is influenced by her surroundings and peers, and the singer can't differentiate the difference between her and others in terms of the materialistic life they live. The cracked windscreen on her car is symbolic of something going wrong in her life, but she doesn't see it. The chorus "death by diamonds and pearls" repeats itself multiple times which highlights the idea of death by materialistic desires.
In the second verse, the singer talks about how the girl has a nice figure, however, her heart is cold as ice. She has 25 grand on the bubble but still thinks she's not in trouble, which shows how blinded she is by her wealth. The singer admires her for her insolence, but that doesn't mean she's innocent.
The song "Death by Diamonds and Pearls" is a commentary on the idea that wealth and materialistic desires are not always beneficial. Although the girl in the song has all the possessions she could want, it has made her shallow and heartless. The chorus is repeated multiple times because it highlights the message in the song that wealth and materialistic desires can lead to one's downfall.
Line by Line Meaning
She grew up in a nice neighborhood
She came from a privileged upbringing
But it didn't do her no good
However, it did not lead to a positive outcome for her
'Cause she's just a sum of her influence
Her identity is solely based on those who have influenced her
Hell, and I can't tell you the difference
It's difficult to differentiate her from others
By the cracked windscreen on her car
One can tell from the damage on her vehicle that she has been through tough times
Something is telling you don't know how lucky you are
You have not yet fully realized your fortunate situation
You're just like the rest of those girls
You do not stand out from the crowd
They're all death by diamonds and
All those girls are victims of materialistic desires
Death by diamonds and
Their obsession with diamonds is a root cause of their eventual downfall
Death by diamonds and
Even though they know it is harmful, they are still driven by their desires
Death by diamonds and pearls
Their lust for luxury is taking a toll on their life
You got your figure all nice
Your physique is attractive
But the heart stays colder than ice
But your character is distant and callous
You got twenty-five grand on the bubble
You are on the verge of losing a large sum of money
And you're the one telling me that you don't think you're in trouble
Despite the looming danger, you are seemingly unfazed
I might be a fan of your insolence
I may admire your boldness in the face of adversity
But that don't make you the innocent
However, that does not absolve you of any wrongdoing
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: EMMA RICHARDSON, MATT HAYWARD, RUSSELL MARSDEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tudor Miller
OMG! I know I'm 10 years late, but I love this song. I'll slap it straight on my playlist. Watching from London.
isfbuster
You ain't the only one!
Also late from London 😂
Adisha Kristy
such a shame that this 5 years of masterpiece still has to be undiscovered.
Ruby Webb
i'd love to see them live my only chance was when they played with the dead weather a couple of years ago....THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN AMAZING
palliard
I listen to their entire album every day when I'm driving, they can't help but ROCK.
Stella Delirium
Hanno un repertorio musicale tutto rivisitato dagli spot pubblicitari in Italia, ma questo non li rende meno fantastici. Tocca che passano anche qui, che diamine. LOOOOOOOOVE IT.
Lilly Ehrlich
First time listening to this band, definitely not my last.
Nergal_Slayer
Was it?
Herv
On the one hand, England has produced so many great bands but there’s also still so many underrated English bands that somehow didn’t blow up. It’s a strange industry.
Findless Seeker
I was blessed to see them last night, this was the end of the encore. What a tremendous show! Thanks Jack Daniels, The Wombats & Band of Skulls!!! xo =0) ox