Audio artist Barry Adamson started out as bass player for British punk band… Read Full Bio ↴Audio artist Barry Adamson started out as bass player for British punk band Magazine, however, he's since carved more of a name for himself equally for being a founding member of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and also for composing a large chunk of the score of David Lynch's Lost Highway. Adamson's solo work varies heavily between Film Noir and classic to industrial rock, whilst taking in everything in between, making him almost impossible to pigeonhole.

Adamson left school and shifted into graphic design attending Stockport Art College[3] but quit shortly after, favouring to venture into the exploding punk rock scene of the late 1970s. He joined ex-Buzzcocks singer Howard Devoto's band Magazine, playing bass guitar, scoring one chart single, "Shot by Both Sides"; in late 1977, he also joined Buzzcocks, as a short-time replacement of Garth Smith. He played on all of Magazine's albums, and contributed to Devoto's solo album and his next band, Luxuria. He also contributed to the studio-based band Visage, playing on the ensemble's first two albums, Visage and The Anvil.

After Magazine broke up, Adamson worked with another ex-Buzzcock, Pete Shelley, before joining Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. He appeared on five of that band's albums: From Her to Eternity; The Firstborn Is Dead; Kicking Against the Pricks; Your Funeral, My Trial; and Tender Prey. After his stint in the band, he went solo, releasing an EP, The Man with the Golden Arm in 1988, and his first solo album, Moss Side Story, the following year, the soundtrack to a non-existent film noir.[4] The album incorporated newscasts and sampled sound effects and featured guest musicians Marcia Schofield (of The Fall), Diamanda Galas, Roland S. Howard, and former colleagues from the Bad Seeds.[4] Adamson's second solo album was the soundtrack to a real film this time - Carl Colpaert's Delusion, and he would go on to provide sountracks for several other films.[4]

Adamson's third album, Soul Murder, was shortlisted for the Mercury Music Prize in 1992.[4][5]
His solo work is influenced by John Barry, Elmer Bernstein and Ennio Morricone. Later works have included jazz, electronica, soul, funk, and dub styles.
In 2002, Adamson left his long-term label, Mute Records, and started his own 'production home', Central Control International. In 2006, he released Stranger on the Sofa, first for his Central Control International imprint, to critical acclaim. Back To The Cat, his second album for the label, was released in March 2008.[1]

In 2007 it was announced that Magazine would reform for concerts in 2008. Adamson will be part of this and the same line up that recorded Secondhand Daylight will reform, with the exception of the late John McGeoch. McGeoch will be replaced by Luxuria/Apollo 440 member Noko.

Here In The Hole
Barry Adamson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You see, that's the way the world is
Not a lot you can do about it
Except to accept
There was a time I thought about it
Plenty of time I thought about it
Then decided not to
Here in the hole; I'm surrounded by fools
Degenerates and phonies

I suffer a constant bombardment of nonesence from all sides
When central control rendered me surplus to requirements
My imprinters relocated to the ruins of Paris, where I regenerate
My new face accepting me immediately without the usual problems
I operate a program of self denial
Yet languish in polymorphous perversity as is my want
Each day, although I believe I'm free;
Something pulls me back into a past made real only by their understanding
And all the while the calls come in, and keep coming in (and keep coming and keep coming...)
And still;
I'm hunted for my flesh
I'm hounded for my beauty
In a world turned on its head
I steady myself, ready to enter (ready to enter)
They believe I know everything, but if my master's memory serves me well
In fact I know nothing
And so they will find me;
And in the middle of a cold afternoon, they will ask:
"What is it exactly that you know?" (exactly exactly exactly...)
And then, they will take me outside

And they will kill me
That much I do know

Overall Meaning

The song "Here In The Hole" by Barry Adamson speaks about the realities of the world and how accepting them is the only thing one could do. The singer of the song is surrounded by fools, degenerates and phonies. The oppressiveness of life is predominant in the lyrics. The singer speaks about how he used to think about changing circumstances but ultimately decided that there isn't much to do. He is located somewhere in the hole, possibly a metaphor for isolation and despair.

The singer is implied to be a victim of a dystopian world by referring to central control rendered me surplus to requirements. This line suggests that he was useless in the hierarchy of the dystopian world and was relocated to Paris, which has turned to ruins. He operates a program of self-denial but is still bound to his desires. Every day, he is pushed back into the past by the people around him. The singer is hunted and hounded for his flesh and beauty in a world turned on its head. The line "They believe I know everything, but if my master's memory serves me well, in fact, I know nothing" signifies that the singer is a mere pawn in the dystopian world's game, supposed to know everything, but in reality, he doesn't. The song ends with the singer's fate, which is to be killed by the oppressors.

Line by Line Meaning

You see, that's the way the world is
This is just how things are and there's nothing that can be done about it

Not a lot you can do about it
There's really no solution to the problems of the world

Except to accept
The only way is to acknowledge and live with it

There was a time I thought about it
There was a moment when I considered changing things

Plenty of time I thought about it
I had ample opportunity to ponder on it

Then decided not to
Ultimately, I chose not to

Here in the hole; I'm surrounded by fools
I find myself trapped, surrounded by people who lack intellect and authenticity

Degenerates and phonies
The people around me are lacking in moral values and sincerity

I suffer a constant bombardment of nonesence from all sides
I'm constantly subjected to a meaningless influx of information

When central control rendered me surplus to requirements
When I was deemed redundant to the system's needs

My imprinters relocated to the ruins of Paris, where I regenerate
My creators rebuilt me in the abandoned remains of Paris, where I slowly healed

My new face accepting me immediately without the usual problems
My prosthetic is completely comfortable and fully functioning

I operate a program of self denial
I consciously abstain from my desires and wants

Yet languish in polymorphous perversity as is my want
Although I desire to be open to many experiences, I am still trapped

Each day, although I believe I'm free;
Every day, despite feeling unrestricted

Something pulls me back into a past made real only by their understanding
The people around me confine my reality to their own comprehension of the past

And all the while the calls come in, and keep coming in (and keep coming and keep coming...)
Non-stop demands for my presence and services

And still;
Nevertheless

I'm hunted for my flesh
I'm wanted only for my physical being

I'm hounded for my beauty
I'm targeted solely for my aesthetical appeal

In a world turned on its head
In a world of chaos and confusion

I steady myself, ready to enter (ready to enter)
I prepare myself for the upcoming situation

They believe I know everything, but if my master's memory serves me well
They assume I possess all the knowledge, which is not entirely true

In fact I know nothing
In reality, I know very little

And so they will find me;
Consequently, they'll catch me

And in the middle of a cold afternoon, they will ask:
At a dreary daytime, they'll inquire

"What is it exactly that you know?" (exactly exactly exactly...)
"What's your depth of knowledge?" (repeatedly)

And then, they will take me outside
And after that, they'll drag me out