Current band members are drummer Tomer Z, bassist Seffy Efrati, and keyboardist Eran Mitelman. Former band members include Chris Maitland (replaced by Tomer Z, 2004) and Daniel Salomon (replaced by Eran Mitelman, 2007).
Collaborative era:
Formed after a meeting in 2000, the partnership blossomed into a cross-cultural collaboration called Blackfield.
Aviv had discovered Porcupine Tree in the mid ‘90s and followed their career development. In 2000 he invited the band to perform some concerts in Israel and met with Steven in London to discuss working together. Before long they had collaborated on the first Blackfield song. In 2001 the two met in a studio in Tel Aviv with the intention of recording a one-off EP.
The results of the session were so impressive however, that the EP was cancelled and the decision was made to continue writing and recording a full length album. Over the next 18 months the pair fitted in Blackfield writing and recording sessions whenever they could between their other commitments and finally in October 2003 the debut album was complete.
The collaborative songs alongside songs written by each separately brought a unique meeting of cultures, which resulted in the self titled album, which was hailed at the time as 'hypnotically effective' (Classic Rock) and ‘another strike of genius from Steven Wilson’ (Eclipsed).
Blackfield II arrived in February 2007. The pair’s return was greeted by an equally enthusiastic media response with Clash describing it as ‘a lush but soulful mix of separate cultures, deep sounds and touching lyrics,’ and CMU proclaiming it as ‘simply another complete triumph from the duo.’
Geffen-led era:
In January 2009, to promote his first English-language European release, Geffen went on a small tour of Europe with the Blackfield live band, including Wilson being billed as a special guest. Half of the set consisted of songs from the then yet to be released first English language solo album by Geffen while the rest was a selection of Blackfield songs. Wilson would also appear on three tracks from the album.
In April 2010, Geffen and Wilson got into studio to begin writing the follow-up to Blackfield II. However, this time, all songs, with the exception of the track "Waving", were written by Geffen, as Wilson had been concentrating on his second solo album, Grace for Drowning, at the same time. Wilson only performed lead vocals on five of the eleven tracks, but provide backing or co-vocals on several other tracks. Their third album, Welcome to my DNA, was released on the 28th of March 2011 and supported by a European and North American tour following a kickoff concert in Israel. However, several concert dates were cancelled due to the death of Wilson's father in May 2011.
After touring for Welcome to my DNA was completed, Wilson confirmed that with Blackfield, like the majority of his other projects, he himself had no particular plans for the future, but the project wasn't necessarily over either. However, in January 2012, Geffen has announced his intentions to release a fourth Blackfield album by May 2012. This prompted Wilson to announce that his role would continue to lessen, with Wilson acting only as a contributor and mixer. Wilson said of the band's future:
"[…] just to clarify news elsewhere of a new Blackfield album coming this year – please note that this time my involvement will be as a contributor rather than a member. I will still be mixing the album, and maybe sing on a couple of Aviv’s songs (there will be other guest singers I understand), but with my complete blessing Blackfield is now under his sole curatorship, a process which really began with Welcome to My DNA."
Wilson later admitted that it was his own idea for Geffen to take over the project, because Wilson wanted to concentrate on his solo career and Porcupine Tree in 2012 and 2013, while Geffen wanted to do another Blackfield album right away in 2012, and Wilson felt guilty about holding him back.
On January 29 and January 30, both Geffen and Wilson were in the studio working on vocals and guitar for the fourth album. Wilson stated that he will contribute lead vocals to only one song, but is also contributing "a bunch of guitar parts" and "arranging backing vocals". Despite his lessened role, he still said that he was "protective of the Blackfield legacy", and that the next album would "still sound like a quintessential Blackfield album." One of the guest vocalists that Wilson had alluded to before, was revealed to be Vincent Cavanagh of the band Anathema, who recorded vocals for a track.
On June 14, 2012, Geffen announced he was in the final mixing stages of the album with Wilson.
In a September 2012 interview with Discord Magazine, Wilson reiterated his stance with Blackfield, stating:
"I won’t say producing [the fourth album], I am only helping [Geffen], a bit of singing, guitar, mixing whatever it takes but I am not going to tour, it’ll be too much, I’ll kill myself, would just run myself to the ground. I won’t tour Blackfield anymore but I will do anything to keep the name going…I just don’t think that writing the kind of style that Blackfield make is where I am at right now."
At the end of November 2012, Geffen stated that he roughly aims for an April 2013 release time frame. Wilson confirmed that he sang and played guitar on several tracks, but "much less than before", that Geffen was able to get "a bunch of great singers to contribute to the record, some of whom are quite well known", and that the album would be the first that Geffen would consent to be mixed for surround sound.
On February 25, 2013, Wilson released his third solo album, The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories), of which some copies contained a compilation sampler disc of music done by artists under record label Kscope; one track was a new track, "Pills", taken from the fourth Blackfield album.
On June 9, 2013, it was announced that the fourth album would officially be titled Blackfield IV, and its release date would be August 26, 2013.
Summer
Blackfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When eyes are closed and days are long' so long
I burned a torch for you but all the while
Somewhere in the haze you lost your smile
Love me as the winter comes
Don't cast your shadow on my soul, please don't
Don't let me sink don't let the darkness in
Heart needs a home
It's a dark and empty road
When you're alone
Heart needs a home
It's a dark and empty road
When you're alone
Love me as the springtime comes
Let your song drift down the stairs to me
Waiting here along the way to blue
Remembering the days I spent with you
Heart needs a home
It's a dark and empty road
When you're alone
The song "Summer" by Blackfield tells a story of a love that has faded away but the memories still linger. The lyrics are filled with imagery of seasons changing, emphasizing the passing of time and the ebb and flow of emotions that come with it. The first verse speaks of a summer love that was once passionate and strong but somehow got lost in the "haze." The singer longs to be loved again like the summer gone, when the days were long and the world was full of possibilities. The second verse is a plea for the person to not bring darkness to their life during the winter season. The singer asks to be held and touched, needing someone to fill the emptiness inside. The final verse yearns for the return of spring, a time of renewal and hope. The singer waits, remembering the days spent together and hoping for a new beginning.
There is a sense of sadness and longing throughout the song, but there is also a sense of hope that things can be repaired or reignited. The metaphor of the heart needing a home is used throughout the song, emphasizing the need for love and human connection. The message is clear - love can disappear, but memories of it can last forever.
Line by Line Meaning
Love me as the summer gone
Please love me the way you did during the summertime.
When eyes are closed and days are long' so long
Reminding of the long summer days where one's eyes would be closed and luxuriating in the sunshine.
I burned a torch for you but all the while
I relentlessly and intensely pursued you, yet somewhere along that journey, you became unhappy.
Somewhere in the haze you lost your smile
Your happiness and cheerfulness for some reason dissipated amidst a haze-like fog.
Love me as the winter comes
Please keep loving me even through the frigid cold winter.
Don't cast your shadow on my soul, please don't
Do not negatively affect my soul or who I am as a person.
Don't let me sink don't let the darkness in
Please help me not feel consumed by sadness and despair.
Let your perfect fingers touch my skin
Stressing the importance of physical touch and intimacy to feel loved and cared for.
Heart needs a home
One's heart requires a place to reside and someone to love.
It's a dark and empty road
Life can feel bleak and forlorn when one is without love.
When you're alone
Being on one's own can be a very lonely experience.
Love me as the springtime comes
Continue to love me when flowers start blooming again in spring.
Let your song drift down the stairs to me
Provide me with music that can lift my spirits and serve as a reminder of you.
Waiting here along the way to blue
Feeling stuck and waiting along a path one doesn't necessarily want to traverse towards sadness or unfulfilled desires.
Remembering the days I spent with you
Reflecting on the happy memories and time spent together, serving as a reminder of why one should continue to love.
Lyrics © ACUM Ltd.
Written by: DAVIDE MARANI, TOM MORGAN, NIC DALTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind