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.
Skysaw
Brian Eno Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What I've been saying won't say them again
My head's not empty, it's full with my brain
The thoughts I'm thinking
Like piss down a drain
And I feel like a beetle on its back
And there's no way for me to get up
And that's something I don't want to catch
Ought to control what I do to my mind
Nothing in there but sunshades for the blind
Only yesterday I said to myself
The things I'm doing are not good
For my health
Love crops up quite a lot as something to sing about,
'Cause most groups make most of their songs about falling in love
Or how happy they are to be in love,
You occasionally wonder why these groups do sing about it all the time -
It's because these groups think there's something very special about it
Either that or else it's because everybody else sings about it and always has,
You know to burst into song you have to be inspired
And nothing inspires quite like love.
These groups and singers think that they appeal to everyone
By singing about love because apparently everyone has or can love
Or so they would have you believe anyway
But these groups seem to go along with what, the belief
That love is deep in everyone's personality.
I don't think we're saying there's anything wrong with love,
We just don't think that what goes on between two people
Should be shrouded with mystery.
Love'll get you like a case of anthrax
And that's something I don't want to catch
Love'll get you like a case of anthrax
And that's something I don't want to catch
The lyrics to Brian Eno's Skysaw are a reflection on the artist's state of mind. He wakes up in desperation, and he decides that he won't repeat the things he's been saying previously. Eno's head is full, but not with idle thoughts, rather, he thinks deeply about his life and his choices, and he compares these thoughts to piss down the drain. The image of the beetle on its back signifies the feeling of helplessness and vulnerability he experiences, without any means of getting up. The song suggests that love is often a topic of many songs, but the nature of the feeling is elusive, and it can be compared to a disease, like anthrax that one would not want to contract. Eno believes that love is not something that should be shrouded in mystery, but rather, it should be approached directly and with honesty.
Eno's Skysaw is a part of his album Another Green World, which was released in September 1975. The album is known for its innovative and experimental approach to electronic and ambient music. The song itself is an example of Eno's use of synthesizers and different recording techniques, which made the album one of his most influential works.
Line by Line Meaning
Woke up this morning desperation a.m.
I woke up feeling desperate this morning.
What I've been saying won't say them again
I will not repeat what I've already said.
My head's not empty, it's full with my brain
My mind is occupied with thoughts.
The thoughts I'm thinking
Like piss down a drain
The thoughts are fleeting and insignificant.
And I feel like a beetle on its back
And there's no way for me to get up
I feel stuck and helpless.
Love'll get you like a case of anthrax
And that's something I don't want to catch
Love can be dangerous and I do not want any part of it.
Ought to control what I do to my mind
Nothing in there but sunshades for the blind
I need to take care of my mental wellbeing, as there is nothing truly beneficial inside my head.
Only yesterday I said to myself
The things I'm doing are not good
For my health
Yesterday, I acknowledged that my actions are having a negative impact on my health.
Love crops up quite a lot as something to sing about,
'Cause most groups make most of their songs about falling in love
Or how happy they are to be in love,
Many songs are about love, as artists believe it is a popular topic.
You occasionally wonder why these groups do sing about it all the time -
It's because these groups think there's something very special about it
Either that or else it's because everybody else sings about it and always has,
Sometimes I question why artists constantly sing about love. It could be because they personally believe it is truly special, or simply because it's a popular trend in the music industry.
You know to burst into song you have to be inspired
And nothing inspires quite like love.
Love inspires creativity and passion, especially when it comes to music.
These groups and singers think that they appeal to everyone
By singing about love because apparently everyone has or can love
Or so they would have you believe anyway
But these groups seem to go along with what, the belief
That love is deep in everyone's personality.
Artists believe that they can appeal to a wide audience by singing about love, as they assume it is a universal experience. This could be rooted in the belief that love is intrinsic to human nature.
I don't think we're saying there's anything wrong with love,
We just don't think that what goes on between two people
Should be shrouded with mystery.
Love is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is not something that should be kept a secret between two individuals.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRIAN ENO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind