Born in Suffolk, Eno studied painting and experimental music at the art school of Ipswich Civic College in the mid 1960s, and then at Winchester School of Art. He joined glam rock group Roxy Music as synthesiser player in 1971. After recording two albums with Roxy Music, he departed in 1973 to record a number of solo albums, coining the term "ambient music" to describe his work on releases such as Another Green World (1975), Discreet Music (1975), and Music for Airports (1978). He also collaborated with artists such as Robert Fripp, Cluster, Harold Budd, David Bowie on his "Berlin Trilogy", and David Byrne, and produced albums by artists including John Cale, Jon Hassell, Laraaji, Talking Heads and Devo, and the no wave compilation No New York (1978).
Eno has continued to record solo albums and work with artists including U2, Laurie Anderson, Grace Jones, Slowdive, Coldplay, James Blake, and Damon Albarn. Dating back to his time as a student, he has also worked in media including sound installations and his mid-70s co-development of Oblique Strategies, a deck of cards featuring cryptic aphorisms intended to spur creative thinking. From the 1970s onwards, Eno's installations have included the sails of the Sydney Opera House in 2009 and the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank in 2016. An advocate of a range of humanitarian causes, Eno writes on a variety of subjects and is a founding member of the Long Now Foundation. In 2019, Eno was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Roxy Music.
Eno is frequently referred to as one of popular music's most influential artists. Producer and film composer Jon Brion has said: "I think he's the most influential artist since the Beatles." Critic Jason Ankeny at AllMusic argues that Eno "forever altered the ways in which music is approached, composed, performed, and perceived, and everything from punk to techno to new age bears his unmistakable influence." Eno has spread his techniques and theories primarily through his production; his distinctive style informed a number of projects in which he has been involved, including Bowie's "Berlin Trilogy" (helping to popularize minimalism) and the albums he produced for Talking Heads (incorporating, on Eno's advice, African music and polyrhythms), Devo, and other groups. Eno's first collaboration with David Byrne, 1981's My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, pioneered sampling techniques that would prove to be influential in hip-hop, and broke ground by incorporating world music into popular Western music forms. Eno and Peter Schmidt's Oblique Strategies have been used by many bands, and Eno's production style has proven influential in several general respects: "his recording techniques have helped change the way that modern musicians;– particularly electronic musicians;– view the studio. No longer is it just a passive medium through which they communicate their ideas but itself a new instrument with seemingly endless possibilities."
Whilst inspired by the ideas of minimalist composers including John Cage, Terry Riley and Erik Satie, Eno coined the term ambient music to describe his own work and defined the term. The Ambient Music Guide states that he has brought from "relative obscurity into the popular consciousness" fundamental ideas about ambient music, including "the idea of modern music as subtle atmosphere, as chill-out, as impressionistic, as something that creates space for quiet reflection or relaxation." His groundbreaking work in electronic music has been said to have brought widespread attention to and innovations in the role of electronic technology in recording. Pink Floyd keyboardist Rick Wright said he "often eulogised" Eno's abilities.
Eno's "unconventional studio predilections", in common with those of Peter Gabriel, were an influence on the recording of "In the Air Tonight", the single which launched the solo career of Eno's former drummer Phil Collins. Collins said he "learned a lot" from working with Eno. Both Half Man Half Biscuit (in the song "Eno Collaboration" on the EP of the same name) and MGMT have written songs about Eno. LCD Soundsystem has frequently cited Eno as a key influence. The Icelandic singer Björk also credited Eno as a major influence.
Mora sti Fotia (Babies on Fire), one of the most influential Greek rock bands, was named after Eno's song "Baby's on Fire".
In 2011, Belgian academics from the Royal Museum for Central Africa named a species of Afrotropical spider Pseudocorinna brianeno in his honour.
Here Come the Warm Jets
Brian Eno Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Further] we make claims on [our teas]
[Dawn inner here] for we've nowhere to be
Nowhere to be
Nowhere to be
[Father stains], we're all on our knees
Down on our words and we've nothing to be
Nothing to be
Further down we're all on our [sails]
[Paid to upheed] though we've nothing these days
Nothing these days
Nothing these days
[Further still, their stall in a daze]
We're down on our knees and we've nothing to say
Nothing to say
Nothing to say...
The lyrics of Brian Eno's song Here Come the Warm Jets are open to interpretation, but they seem to convey a sense of meaninglessness and ennui. The repetition of the phrase "nowhere to be" creates a feeling of aimlessness and lack of purpose, which is reinforced by the image of people "down on [their] knees" with "nothing to say." The sense of futility is further underscored by the line "we've nothing these days," which suggests a lack of material or spiritual sustenance.
The song also touches on themes of powerlessness and submission, as suggested by the line "we're all on our knees." This could be interpreted as a reference to social or economic inequality, in which people are forced to defer to those in positions of authority or wealth. The line "paid to upheed" could also be read as an observation on how people's actions are influenced by external forces, whether it be financial incentives or societal norms.
Overall, the lyrics of Here Come the Warm Jets tap into a sense of alienation and frustration that is common to many people. The repetition of certain phrases and images creates a kind of emotional architecture that supports this feeling, while leaving room for individual interpretation.
Line by Line Meaning
[...Inaudible...]
The song begins with an inaudible sound that sets the mood for the music to follow
[Further] we make claims on [our teas]
As we move forward in life, we keep claiming ownership of our possessions like our cups of tea
[Dawn inner here] for we've nowhere to be
Starting a new day, but not having a destination, nowhere to go and nothing to do
Nowhere to be
Repeating the idea of having no specific direction or purpose
[Father stains], we're all on our knees
Acknowledging the imperfections of those before us, and collectively we're in a vulnerable position
Down on our words and we've nothing to be
Feeling powerless and unsure of what we want to communicate
Nothing to be
Nothing to be
Nothing to be
Emphasizing the feeling of helplessness and lack of purpose
Further down we're all on our [sails]
Continuing on our journey through life, but not knowing how to navigate and where we're headed
[Paid to upheed] though we've nothing these days
Compensated for following instructions, but feeling empty and unfulfilled with our lives
Nothing these days
Nothing these days
Nothing these days
Repeating the feeling of emptiness and lack of purpose
[Further still, their stall in a daze]
Moving even further along, and still feeling stuck and lost
We're down on our knees and we've nothing to say
Feeling powerless and speechless, not knowing how to express our inner state
Nothing to say
Nothing to say
Nothing to say...
Ending the song with the same feeling of emptiness and lack of purpose that has been present throughout the lyrics
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRIAN ENO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mikelmart
Listening to these 70's Eno songs is like finding a $100 bill in an old jacket.
@evital0o0o
!!!!
@suzy8track
That's a great way to put it!
@sunnycheba
Fiat currency doesn't matter when you have Eno.
@sunnycheba
I don't smoke weed these days because I want this music to fill up my dreams.
@NormAppleton
Yeah
@johnbeekman1396
Even after almost 50 years, this is still music from the future.
@oddespenjenssen2236
Very well put!
@jeffmilligan7030
Very well put!
@jessica5497
Very well put!