1991 - 2000
Brian, Paul, Dom and Damien Rice form Juniper, having met in school. They go to college, play some weddings, 21st's and Bar Mitzvahs... and for a while have a Sunday night residency in the Kildrought Lounge and Bar, Celbridge. They meet Dave, who weans them off the Neil Diamond and Roxette covers. Band move into house in country, release EP, Manna, and two singles in Ireland. Damien leaves band, the others read about Chuck Yeager and his Right Stuff. They call the new band Bell X1. Bell X1 support Elliott Smith and Bon Jovi in the same 1 week period, leading to severe identity crisis, making small music with big hair. They make their first album, Neither Am I, in the summer/autumn of 1999 with Nick Seymour of Crowded House and release it in Ireland a year later, after much touring and a couple of old singles.
2001
Band take some time to indulge musical differences. Paul records and tours as drummer with Tipperary siren Gemma Hayes, Brian's away with Offaly hearthrob Mundy, and Dave and Dom join Richie Mullen of Lino Richie Carpets, Finglas, in touring cabaret show. Bell X1 regroup in late summer and write songs for what would become Music in Mouth in a house by the sea in Wexford.
2002
Second album recording starts in Ridge Farm studios in Surrey, with producer Jamie Cullum. After 4 weeks they move to the Fallout Shelter, London. The studio has no teapot!! Some moaning. The band take turns to make dinner. Some of it is shit. The world Cup happens. Mixing finishes in July and everyone goes away for a while. Come back and mix it all again. Borrow a friend's house in Kilkenny, record some more songs, play hurling, are laughed at by locals. Music in Mouth finally finished in December, a few days after the birth of Jamie's daughter Ellie, who was both conceived and born during the making of the record.
2003, 2004
The album Music in Mouth is released on July 21st 2003, to tremendous applause, and the band play with all sorts to try to flog it. Tom McRae, Keane, Starsailor, Aqualung and Snow Patrol show them the highways and byways of the UK and continental Europe. Songs from the record appear in many TV series, from Teachers to The OC, and at home the album goes double platinum, with four top 40 singles. In July 2004, the band gather in yet another house in Wexford to write a new record.
2005
Flock is recorded in Dublin and mixed in London, with Roger Becherian producing and Phil Hayes knob twiddling. A shrine to Daniel O' Donnell (Irish singing deity, ref Cliff Richard without ever having had a brush with cool) is created in the green room, Dave creates Pistachio Nut Shell Installation and mustaches are grown. The band take a break from recording and sell out a mini tour in the USA, where they record a live session for Nic Harcourt’s essential show on KCRW in L.A.
Flock is released in Ireland and hits the heights of #1 in the album charts. The band leaves Island Records and sets up its own record label called BellyUp records. A live album called Tour De Flock is released - it is a 2-disc compilation featuring 16 tracks from their sold-out gig at The Point Theatre, Dublin on December 1, 2006.
In 2008, Flock is released in the USA and the band appears on the St. Patrick's Day edition of the Late Show with David Letterman.
On 2nd October, Brian Crosby quits saying "It's been an extraordinary privilege to be in a band with your mates for more than 15 years. I'm really grateful for everything I got to do with Bell X1, for all the adventures we had and for the great support of our fans. It's been particularly wonderful to have connected with so many people and to have got to meet people all over the world doing what I love. I look forward to continue making those connections. At the same time I'll be applauding the boys continued success."
As well as promoting Flock in the USA, the band gets busy recording a new album Blue Lights On The Runway. It finally sees the light of day in 2009, with lead single The Great Defector becoming their biggest hit to date (no. 3 in the Irish charts).
2011
The band will release its newest album Bloodless Coup in stores and online on April 1 in Ireland, April 4 in the UK, April 8 in Germany and Benelux, April 12 in the USA and Canada, and April 26 in France. The album's lead single is “Velcro,” which the band performed on The Rachael Ray Show on St. Patrick's Day.
4 Minute Mile
Bell X1 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And that's OK, most of the time
Never play for Barcelona,
Or sail around the world alone
I'll never be the man on the wire
The time has come to face it and say
That I will never play the Dane
No blowtorch of ambition,
And we will never see this day again
But that's OK, most of the time
I'll never make a sun-powered car
Or build sandcastles on Mars
Get good at secrecy and stealth,
Or redistribute the wealth
No routine on those parallel bars
I'll never have a salad at McDonalds
Or heed the call to monitise
The arts
All those letters to Jim'llFixIt
Lay somewhere in a basket
And the other guy got to play with
Adam and the Ants
But that's OK, most of the time
I'm like Hernandez, he ran away
He wants to see better days
He says this bullfight,
It's not for me
I'm still in play I got family
Hernandez, he ran ran away
He wants to see better days
He says this bullfight,
It's not for me
I gotta half-life, I gotta half-life
I'll never draw anything but
Stickmen
And they will never have any clothes
Be together in the mornings,
Come upstairs to see your etchings
I'll never suck a golfball through
A hose
I'll never run a four minute mile
And that's OK, most of the time
Never launch my own fragrance,
Or be proper famous
I may even wear my trousers rolled
But that's OK, most of the time
The song “4 Minute Mile” by Bell X1 is a reflection on the acceptance of limitations and the liberation of admitting that one cannot do everything. The lyrics, “I’ll never run a four minute mile / And that’s OK, most of the time / Never play for Barcelona, / Or sail around the world alone” express a sense of contentment with the limits of one’s ability and the acceptance that some goals may never be attained. The lines, “No blowtorch of ambition, / It was never part of my mission” further emphasize the idea that striving for success does not have to be the ultimate goal in life. Rather, one can find fulfillment in other areas that may not lead to fame or recognition.
The song also touches on the idea that conforming to societal expectations can lead to a lack of fulfillment. The lyrics, “I’ll never have a salad at McDonald’s / Or heed the call to monetize / The arts” suggest that sometimes not following the crowd can be a freeing experience. The line, “I’ll never suck a golf ball through a hose” seems to be a parody on the pressure to conform to strange and arbitrary expectations. Ultimately, “4 Minute Mile” encourages listeners to find happiness in their own abilities and to reject societal pressures to be something they are not.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll never run a four minute mile
I will never be able to run a mile in less than four minutes.
And that's OK, most of the time
I am okay with not being able to achieve this feat.
Never play for Barcelona,
I will never be good enough to play football for Barcelona.
Or sail around the world alone
I will never be able to circumnavigate the globe alone by myself.
I'll never be the man on the wire
I will never be a daredevil who walks on a tightrope.
The time has come to face it and say
It is time to acknowledge the reality of my limitations.
That I will never play the Dane
I will never be able to play the role of Hamlet in a play.
No blowtorch of ambition,
I do not have an intense drive to succeed.
It was never part of my mission
Success was never something that I actively pursued.
And we will never see this day again
This moment is fleeting, and it will never happen again.
But that's OK, most of the time
I am content with accepting my limitations.
I'll never make a sun-powered car
I will never invent or build a car that runs on solar energy.
Or build sandcastles on Mars
I will never be able to create a sandcastle on the planet Mars.
Get good at secrecy and stealth,
I cannot become proficient in being secretive and stealthy.
Or redistribute the wealth
I cannot bring about a more equitable distribution of wealth.
No routine on those parallel bars
I cannot perform gymnastic routines on parallel bars.
I'll never have a salad at McDonalds
I will never eat a salad from McDonald's fast-food chain.
Or heed the call to monitise
I will not let commercial interests dictate my priorities.
The arts
The different forms of creative expression.
All those letters to Jim'llFixIt
Letters sent to Jim'll Fix It, a BBC TV show that used to make dreams come true for children.
Lay somewhere in a basket
The letters are lying around in a basket, possibly forgotten or ignored.
And the other guy got to play with
Someone else was fortunate enough to fulfill their dream.
Adam and the Ants
Adam and the Ants, an English rock band from the 1980s.
I'm like Hernandez, he ran away
Like Hernandez, I want to escape from the mundanity of everyday life.
He wants to see better days
Hernandez desires a better future for himself.
He says this bullfight,
He recognizes that some aspects of life are not meant for him.
It's not for me
He acknowledges that certain activities or endeavors are not his calling.
I'm still in play I got family
Despite his limitations, he is still an active participant in life and has familial responsibilities.
I gotta half-life, I gotta half-life
He has limited time on this earth, and he has to make the most of it.
I'll never draw anything but
I will never produce any artwork other than stick-figure drawings.
Stickmen
Drawings or figures that represent people, shaped like sticks.
And they will never have any clothes
The stick figures will never wear any clothing items.
Be together in the mornings,
Being romantically involved and waking up next to each other in the morning.
Come upstairs to see your etchings
The phrase is a euphemism for a romantic liaison.
I'll never suck a golfball through
I will never be able to perform a difficult task, involving sucking a golf ball through a garden hose.
A hose
A flexible tube, typically used for conveying water.
Never launch my own fragrance,
I will never create a personal scent or perfume.
Or be proper famous
I will not attain worldwide celebrity status.
I may even wear my trousers rolled
I might do something that is unconventional or unusual.
But that's OK, most of the time
Despite my shortcomings, I am content with my life most of the time.
Contributed by Cole M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
GE0704
Ow! So glad that you guys made a video of this one!! My favorite on the album!
clearlyfoe
Didn't really like this song till I saw them live and they played it, what an addictive riff!
Overheater
great music, awesome band
Shane Daly
every time i hear a new song from bell x 1 i like them even more :)
Adrian Doyle
Brilliant choice for the second Coup single!
MrRobynLover
Love your new style guys!
Danny O Sullivan
One of the best irish bands.... but thats ok, most of the time
nutzerwutzer9
First one to post! Love your sound and really love Velcro. Heard it on the radio and was like what is this?! It moved me. Thanks guys!
Ross Cullen
Best song on the album
Marc Kelly
another massive massive tune! lethal