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.
Safer Than Love
Bell X1 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's unravelling
If you're not careful you'll
Have nothing left on
You keep checking your dam
And your barriers
Smartarse and your taser-tongue
I hate to see you close all
You cut and run when push comes
To shove
You say I'm not being facetious
But it's safer than love
What could be safer,
Safer than love?
You get the fear after two
Weeks of squeezing
Remember, breathe in and breathe out
You say a girl eats two kilos
Of lipstick
In her lifetime, and for what?
What could be safer,
Safer than love?
I'll be the gin in your cistern
I'll be whatever you need
I know you never believed
Those Sisters
When they told you about
Those patent shoes
I hope someday you catch
Your reflection
And see how beautiful you are
What could be safer,
Safer than love?
The lyrics of Bell X1's song "Safer Than Love" paint a picture of someone who is afraid to fully commit to a relationship. The person seems to be trying to maintain control and protect themselves from any potential pain or hurt. The opening line, "You wanna snap every thread that's unravelling," suggests that this person is trying to control every aspect of the relationship to avoid any surprises or complications. The fear of losing control is evident in the line "If you're not careful you'll have nothing left on." This person is so concerned with maintaining control that they risk losing all connection with their partner.
The chorus of the song reiterates the idea that this person believes that avoiding love altogether is the safest option. The line "You say I'm not being facetious, but it's safer than love" reveals that this person has convinced themselves that avoiding love is the only way to avoid getting hurt. The fear of being vulnerable is further emphasized in the line "What could be safer, safer than love?" This person believes that nothing is safer than avoiding love altogether.
The second verse of the song talks about the irrational fears this person has in the relationship. The line "You get the fear after two weeks of squeezing" suggests that this person is afraid of being too close to their partner for fear of losing control. They are so consumed by their fear that they forget to simply enjoy being with their partner, as seen in the lines "Remember, breathe in and breathe out." This person also seems to have a cynical outlook on relationships, as demonstrated by the line "A girl eats two kilos of lipstick in her lifetime, and for what?" They seem to believe that love is pointless, hence the recurring question "What could be safer, safer than love?"
Line by Line Meaning
You wanna snap every thread That's unravelling
You want to fix every problem that arises, before it escalates and causes more damage.
If you're not careful you'll Have nothing left on
If you're not careful with your actions and decisions, you'll end up with nothing.
You keep checking your dam And your barriers
You constantly check and reinforce your emotional barriers in order to prevent anyone from getting too close to you.
Smartarse and your taser-tongue
You have an attitude and a sharp tongue that can be quite hurtful.
I hate to see you close all These avenues
I don't want to see you shut off all possible avenues to love and connection.
You cut and run when push comes To shove
You tend to bail out of situations, even when things get tough.
You say I'm not being facetious But it's safer than love
You claim that you're not being sarcastic, but you believe that avoiding love and emotional attachment is much safer in the long run.
What could be safer, Safer than love?
You wonder what could be more comforting and safer than avoiding the uncertainty and vulnerability of love.
You get the fear after two Weeks of squeezing
After being in a relationship for two weeks, you become overwhelmed with anxiety and panic.
Remember, breathe in and breathe out
Try to calm down and take deep breaths to alleviate your fears and anxieties.
You say a girl eats two kilos Of lipstick In her lifetime, and for what?
You believe that some people go to great lengths to impress others and conform to societal norms, without truly understanding why.
I'll be the gin in your cistern I'll be whatever you need
I'll be there for you in any way you need me to be.
I know you never believed Those Sisters When they told you about Those patent shoes
You've never been one to believe in old wives' tales and outdated beliefs about love and relationships.
I hope someday you catch Your reflection And see how beautiful you are
I hope you can one day realize how amazing and wonderful you truly are.
What could be safer, Safer than love?
You continue to question what could be more secure than avoiding the risks and vulnerabilities that come with love.
Contributed by Nolan S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.