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.
West Of Her Spine
Bell X1 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now I've been at that
Coalface some time
I've been trying to untie that knot
I'm trying to work it to a soft spot
And lie there a while
Just south of her shoulder
And west of her spine
Now you'd think that I could
Untie that knot
I'm the one who put it there in
The first place
But it's like trying to remember
Where you've buried treasure
Well I've a vague idea
But it was under the pale moon light
And I was south of her shoulder
And west of her spine
Sometimes early in the morning
I watch her breathing rise and fall
I've spilled in drunk beside her
In the stillness of dawn
See how her hair spills over
Like frayed ends of twine
All wild and wrapped around her
Like these wandering arms of mine
Well I hope they find a soft spot
Where I can lie for a while
Just south of her shoulder
And west of her spine
Now careful not to wake her
I trace back along the twine
To where her never endings sing
Of too much of my time
It's here I'll rest my chin
And breathe her deep and smile
For I think I've found a soft spot
And I'll lie here a while
It's here I'll raise my flag
And claim this land as mine
Just south of her shoulder
And west of her spine
The song "West Of Her Spine" by Bell X1, is a love song that expresses the singer's deep affection and devotion to his partner. The lyrics tell the story of the singer's attempts to undo a knot that he had created, describing it as trying to remember where he has buried treasure. He explains that he has been at the "coalface" for some time working on the knot, trying to work it to a soft spot, and lie there for a while just south of her shoulder and west of her spine.
It's a touching and intimate picture of the singer's tender love, and the line "I watch her breathing rise and fall" evokes a sense of deep calm and tranquility. There's a sense of reverence and awe in his love, and in the image of her hair frayed like the ends of twine, we witness how the singer sees her as wild and free as the natural world. His "wandering arms" encompass her, and he hopes to find a soft spot where he can lie beside her for a while south of her shoulder and west of her spine.
Line by Line Meaning
She asked me to work on that knot
She asked me to help her sort out her emotional troubles
Now I've been at that
Coalface some time
I have been working on helping her for a significant amount of time
I've been trying to untie that knot
I have been attempting to help her overcome her emotional entanglements
I'm trying to work it to a soft spot
I want to help her find a comfortable, peaceful resolution
And lie there a while
Just south of her shoulder
And west of her spine
And be there to offer emotional support and comfort, close to her but not overwhelming
Now you'd think that I could
Untie that knot
I'm the one who put it there in
The first place
It would seem that I should be able to help, as I may be responsible for the situation
But it's like trying to remember
Where you've buried treasure
Well I've a vague idea
But it was under the pale moon light
And I was south of her shoulder
And west of her spine
It is as difficult as trying to recall a memory of buried treasure. I have a general idea but it's difficult to pinpoint, and the memory is associated with being close to her but separate from her
Sometimes early in the morning
I watch her breathing rise and fall
I've spilled in drunk beside her
In the stillness of dawn
Sometimes in the quiet hours of the morning, she is asleep beside me and I watch her breathing while enjoying her company
See how her hair spills over
Like frayed ends of twine
All wild and wrapped around her
Like these wandering arms of mine
I notice how beautiful she is, with her hair spread out and tangled, and I feel as though I want to hold her in my arms
Well I hope they find a soft spot
Where I can lie for a while
Just south of her shoulder
And west of her spine
I hope I can find a comfortable spot beside her where I can rest and enjoy being near her
Now careful not to wake her
I trace back along the twine
To where her never endings sing
Of too much of my time
Quietly and carefully, I remember the details of our relationship and how comfortable it is, while at the same time, questioning whether I am being overly intrusive or demanding
It's here I'll rest my chin
And breathe her deep and smile
For I think I've found a soft spot
And I'll lie here a while
I take in a deep breath, relax, and enjoy being close to her, feeling as though I have found comfort and safety beside her
It's here I'll raise my flag
And claim this land as mine
Just south of her shoulder
And west of her spine
I feel that I have found a permanent spot close to her where I belong and can claim to be mine, close to her but not overpowering her
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BRIAN PATRICK CROSBY, DAVE BRIAN GERAGHTY, DOMINIC MICHAEL PHILLIPS, PAUL ANTHONY NOONAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind