In 1991, taking the name derived from the Philip K. Dick sci-fi novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (later to become the movie Bladerunner) they were influenced by the films dark,futuristic and other worldly themes and formed Big Electric Cat.
Following several changes in the bands line-up,it was not until 1993 they were joined by local bassist David Block and that the current band was born.Their live drummer was dropped in favour of a drum machine "Dr Ruth" named after the famous US sex therapist.
After sell out gigs across Australia the band recorded their 4 track demo "Suspira". After a chance meeting with the owner of Phantom Records in Sydney, he suggested sending their demo to the newly formed Goth label Cleopatra Records in Los Angeles.
They were offered a three album deal.
The band's first full album was titled "Dreams of a Mad King" and was released in 1994. Recorded at Damien Gerrard Studios in Sydney it contains the songs "Christabel", "Orchid Dreaming", "Paris Skyes" and "Red Roses" which defined their sound and since its release, has become a classic across the USA and Europe.
On the suggestion of Cleopatra label boss Brian Pereira the second release by the band was the seven track remix EP Burning Embers overseen by electronic guru Uberzone and was released in October 1995.
In 1997 the band embarked on the massive Congregation Tour of the USA with labelmates Christian Death and Switchblade Symphony.
On their return to Australia Deborah Denton left the band and Paul and David continued to record the second full length album "Eyelash".
Released in August 1997,the songs took a darker,electronic journey-the classic title track was dedicated to the recent death of Paul's father.
With more live commitments and increasing popularity William Jackson was recruited for keyboard duties, and when David Block quit unexpectedly later that year, he was replaced by maven Damien Gillette on bass.
Big Electric Cat were among one of the first handful Australian Gothic bands to break through to the USA.
Big Electric Cat's music continues to be released to a new generation of fans.
Transience
Big Electric Cat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Into an endless sea
Turning in the circles
To find insanity
Darker than a thousand days
A thousand ways to leave
And you cut them into fragile shapes
Of wasted luxury
Do you still remember
The passing of your soul?
Carve the name eternity
For everyone to hold
And she comes to me in innocence
She's screaming like a dove
Opium and memories to her are only love
The lyrics to Big Electric Cat's song Transience suggest a feeling of being lost and overwhelmed. The imagery of chasing drowning horses into an endless sea represents a sense of futility - trying to accomplish something impossible. Turning in circles, looking for insanity, suggests a kind of madness that comes with feeling trapped and unable to find a way out. The lyric "darker than a thousand days" evokes a sense of despair that seems to be all-consuming. Cutting things into fragile shapes of wasted luxury suggests a kind of destruction or loss that is both beautiful and tragic.
The second verse takes on a more philosophical tone, questioning the nature of eternity and memory. It speaks to a sense of mortality, a feeling that we are all destined to die and that we must make our mark on the world before we leave it. The final line "opium and memories to her are only love" suggests that the singer is using drugs and memories to numb her pain and create a sense of comfort. Despite the dark themes of the song, there's a kind of haunting beauty to the lyrics that make them memorable.
Line by Line Meaning
And you chase the drowning horses
You relentlessly pursue hopeless causes
Into an endless sea
With no sign of escape or resolution
Turning in the circles
Repeating futile actions
To find insanity
Searching for madness
Darker than a thousand days
Gloomier than an eternity of misery
A thousand ways to leave
Innumerable options to escape
And you cut them into fragile shapes
And you manipulate them to your own selfish ends
Of wasted luxury
Of extravagance that serves no purpose
Do you still remember
Do you recall
The passing of your soul?
The moment when you lost your true self
Carve the name eternity
Inscribe the concept of everlastingness
For everyone to hold
For all to possess
And she comes to me in innocence
She approaches me with purity
She's screaming like a dove
She expresses her pain loudly and desperately
Opium and memories to her are only love
She mistakes her addiction and reminiscences for affection
Contributed by Sydney E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Gary Cotugno
funny... sounds like a cross between... PIL and