Yan (Jan Scott Wilkinson) - Vocals, guitar
Noble (Martin Noble) - Guitar
Hamilton (Neil Hamilton Wilkinson) - Bass, vocals, guitar
Wood (Matthew Wood) - Drum
Phil Sumner - Cornet, Keyboards
Abi Fry - Viola
Yan, Hamilton and Wood are school friends from Kendal in Cumbria. They were in a number of bands together while at school, but after finishing his exams Yan moved to study at Reading University, where he met guitarist Noble. A few years later Hamilton and Wood moved down to join them and form a band.
They played some gigs and produced a 4 track demo in Reading as British Air Powers, before relocating to Brighton in search of a more vibrant music scene. "British Sea Power" was actually the name of one of these demo tracks, and was eventually reworked into Carrion. In Brighton, BSP amassed a strong local following, due mainly to their own club night called "Club Sea Power". The club nights featured many different support bands, and other forms of entertainment such as a 1930s fashion show, and were most frequently hosted at the Freebutt and the Lift (the latter has now closed down).
Their debut single, Fear of Drowning, was issued in limited numbers of their own Golden Chariot label. The artwork for the B side "A Wooden Horse" borrows heavily from the dust cover of the 1950 book "The Wooden Horse" that details the escape of Allied POWs during WWII. Geoff Travis of Rough Trade Records saw the band live and in September 2001 signed them to his label. A number of singles were issued on the label, and Eamon (Eamon Hamilton) was recruited to play live keyboards in autumn 2002.
The Decline of British Sea Power, the band's debut album, was released in June 2003 to critical acclaim. A single from the album, "Carrion", became the band's first Top 40 single. The album only charted in the lower reaches of the UK Album Chart, but turned out to be a word of mouth success, shipping well over 60,000 copies over the following two years and allowing them to play sell-out UK tours to venues of over 1,000 people.
The follow-up, Open Season, was released in early April 2005, and also enjoyed wide critical praise. It showcased a more accessible, produced sound and charted at #13 in the UK Albums Chart. Lead single It Ended on an Oily Stage charted at #18 in the UK Singles Chart a week earlier.
British Sea Power have a reputation for elaborate and well-thought out live shows and won the 2004 Time Out London Live Band of the Year award. The stage is often decorated with foliage and plastic birds and sets generally finish with a semi-improvised song called "Rock in A", which sometimes lasts for over 20 minutes. Various members often climb riggings and tear down the foliage, Eamon walks around the audience beating his marching drum, and a ten-foot bear, Ursine Ultra, occasionally makes an appearance - often taking a beating from various band members. This has become one of the signatures of the band. Their tours often include unusual venues such as the Scillonian Club on the Isles of Scilly, Grasmere Village Hall, the St. John Boste Social Club in Kendal, Cumbria and Carnglaze Caverns in Cornwall.
The band have built up an eccentric image in interviews and press releases; some of which is based on fact, other times merely whimsical building of outward personas. This has included giving journalists grid references at which to meet them, and expressing obsessions with Field Marshal Montgomery and bird watching.
The band has a fiercely loyal and devoted hardcore fanbase, sometimes referred to as the Third Battalion.
At the beginning of 2006, it was announced that Eamon had left British Sea Power to concentrate on his own band Brakes. The group spent part of late 2006 working on new material in Montréal, and are preparing a DVD.
In 2007, American Laundromat Records announced that British Sea Power would record a version of the Pixies' "Caribou" for an album called "Dig For Fire - A Tribute To Pixies."
In October 2007, the band went on tour throughout the east coast of America to showcase their new 5-track EP, Krankenhaus EP. In November 2007, they toured a variety of unusual locations in the UK including a seaside cafe in Saltdean, East Sussex; a ferry across the River Mersey, Liverpool; the Tan Hill Inn, the UK's highest inn; All Saints Church in Newcastle-upon-Tyne; and White Mischief, an indoor festival mixing live bands with unusual vaudeville acts.
Their Krankenhaus? EP was released digitally for purchasable download in October 2007 and was released on CD and vinyl on November the 20th. Their third album, Do You Like Rock Music? was released on 14th January 2008 in the U.K. and scheduled for release on 12th February 2008 in the U.S. Prior to their tour in support of Do You Like Rock Music? (visiting Ireland, UK, Belgium, Holland, Germany and US), Wood injured his back and had to be temporarily replaced by Tom White of Electric Soft Parade and Brakes fame.
In January 2008 the keyboard and cornet player ended up in hospital after being knocked unconscious when he attempted a stage dive. The crowd at Leeds Irish Centre failed to catch Phil Sumner, who jumped off a 12-foot PA system landing head first. The press department at Rough Trade Records reported "The impact knocked him out. Thankfully an ambulance was quickly summoned and he was whisked away, bloody and unconscious and despite a concussion, a broken molar and a maze of stitches in his chin, a very groggy Phil is expected to make a full recovery." In spite of this, he returned to the stage with the rest of the band a day later in Kendal.
In February 2008, the band appeared on Later with Jools Holland, playing Waving Flags, Canvey Island and No Lucifer. They were ably accompanied by a small number of the London Bulgarian Choir and a display of Cumbrian wrestling. The band are also scheduled to play at Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds, Latitude, T in the Park and Bestival.
In May 2009, British Sea Power released their fourth album, Man of Aran. Several tracks on this album are remakes of older songs, such as the main riff from North Hanging Rock which features in the new track Boy Vertiginous. The album comes paired with a DVD containing the Robert J. Flaherty film 'Man of Aran', a silent film with music from the album dubbed in.
In October 2010, British Sea Power released the seven track 'Zeus' ep and announced the release of their next album, 'Valhalla Dancehall' in January 2011.
In November 2011, the band started hosting a regular club evening in Brighton called "Krankenhaus" that recalled some of their Club British Sea Power events. DJ sets, friends of the band and general BSP hijinx.
On 9 August 2021, British Sea Power announced they were changing their name to Sea Power. In a statement the band explained:
"In recent times there’s been a rise in a certain kind of nationalism in this world – an isolationist, antagonistic nationalism that we don’t want to run any risk of being confused with. It’s become apparent that it’s possible to misapprehend the name British Sea Power, particularly if someone isn’t familiar with the band or their recordings. We’ve always been internationalist in our mindset, something made clear in songs like Waving Flags, an anthem to pan-European idealism. We always wanted to be an internationalist band but maybe having a specific nation state in our name wasn’t the cleverest way to demonstrate that. We very much hope the band’s audience won’t be affronted by this adjustment to the name. We’d like to make it clear that removing the word “British” does NOT indicate any aversion to the British Isles whatsoever. We all feel immensely fortunate to have grown up in these islands. Several or our songs are filled with love and awe for this place. We do love these lands. We all still live within the British Isles, but we are now just Sea Power. We feel the name change comes in part from the band’s audience – who at a good show will shout out, “Sea Power! Sea Power!” Maybe this name change has been there for years, shouted in our ears. It’s just taken us this long to realise – to hear what was there in front of us… "
International Space Station
British Sea Power Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Demagogues and fading lights
Radiating from the stars
The geometry of satellites
Spinning through the sky at night
This is who you really are
Mr Psychedelic
Mr DIY
Are you no longer asking why?
Oh celestial
You look so beautiful
Between the moon and the stars
Between the moon and the stars
Between the moon and the stars
Between the moon and the stars
Auroral industrial
Super size ethereal
Operating in two worlds
The symmetry of loneliness
Walking in a wilderness
Separated by the years
Lady SOS
Can't you feel the distress?
Mr Speed Freak
Do you find it hard to speak?
Oh celestial
You look so beautiful
Between the moon and the stars
Between the moon and the stars
Between the moon and the stars
Between the moon and the stars
Between the M.O.O.N. A.N.D. S.T.A.R.S
Between the M.O.O.N. A.N.D. S.T.A.R.S
Between the M.O.O.N. A.N.D. S.T.A.R.S
Between the M.O.O.N. A.N.D. S.T.A.R.S
S.T.A.R.S
Oh celestial
You look so beautiful
Between the moon and the stars
Between the moon and the stars
Oh celestial
You look so beautiful
Between the moon and the stars
Between the moon and the stars
Between the moon and the stars
Between the moon and the stars
Between the moon and the stars
Between the moon and the stars
Between the moon and the stars
Between the moon and the stars
In "International Space Station," British Sea Power references the cosmic as a way to explore the inner turmoil of modern society. The song is about the confusion and loneliness that many people feel. The verses mention different archetypes of modern society, alluding to the idea that we are all lost in a system that we don't fully understand. The lyrics describe "punk prayers, city riots, demagogues, and fading lights" – all things that suggest a lack of control or purpose. These chaotic themes are contrasted with the majestic beauty of the celestial – "the geometry of satellites, spinning through the sky at night." The chorus repeats the phrase "Between the moon and the stars" to emphasize the vastness of the universe and our small place in it.
The song's clever use of imagery and wordplay is typical of British Sea Power's lyricism, which often mixes the political and the poetic. The song's title is a reference to the International Space Station, a symbol of humanity's collective scientific achievement and ambition. The lyrics play with the idea of reaching for the stars but feeling disconnected from the world below. The lyrics' reference to "the symmetry of loneliness" speaks to the sense of isolation that can come with modern urban life. While the song feels melancholic, there is also a sense of awe and wonder that permeates the imagery of the celestial.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh punk prayers, city riots
This line refers to the chaos and disorder present in cities where people are struggling and rebelling.
Demagogues and fading lights
This line suggests that corrupt leaders and vanishing hope are also present in these places.
Radiating from the stars
This line implies that the beauty and possibility of space and the universe is still within reach, even amidst the turmoil of life.
The geometry of satellites
This line refers to the precise and calculated movements of satellites as they orbit the earth, which could be seen as a metaphor for finding order and stability in a chaotic world.
Spinning through the sky at night
This line describes the movement of the stars and satellites at night, which seems peaceful and orderly amidst the chaos of the world below.
This is who you really are
This line could suggest that despite the chaos and disorder of the world and its inhabitants, there is a deeper, truer identity that is connected to space and the wider universe.
Mr Psychedelic
This line could be referring to someone who is eccentric or has altered their perception of reality through the use of drugs.
You're a loveable relic
This line describes the person addressed in the previous line as someone who is old-fashioned or outdated, yet still charming.
Mr DIY
This line could be referring to someone who is self-sufficient or hands-on when it comes to fixing problems.
Are you no longer asking why?
This line implies that the person addressed in the previous line has stopped seeking deeper meaning or purpose behind their actions or choices.
Oh celestial
This line refers to the beauty and mystery of space and the universe.
You look so beautiful
This line expresses admiration for the wonders of space and its vastness.
Between the moon and the stars
This phrase describes the vast expanse of space between two celestial objects, highlighting the scale of the universe.
Auroral industrial
This phrase could be describing the contrast between the natural beauty of space (as seen in the aurora borealis) and the artificial, man-made structures that also occupy it.
Super size ethereal
This phrase is describing the massive, otherworldly quality of space and the universe.
Operating in two worlds
This line could describe the human experience of existing both on earth and being able to observe and experience space and the wider universe.
The symmetry of loneliness
This line suggests that despite the vastness of space and the multitude of objects within it, there is still a sense of solitude and isolation.
Walking in a wilderness
This line could describe the feeling of being lost or adrift in space, or perhaps feeling lost in life without a clear sense of purpose.
Separated by the years
This line could refer to the vast distances between celestial objects, which are often measured in light years.
Lady SOS
This line could be referring to someone who is in distress or needs help, using the metaphor of a rescue signal.
Can't you feel the distress?
This line is asking the person addressed in the previous line to become aware of the pain and difficulty in the world.
Mr Speed Freak
This line could be referring to someone who is obsessed with speed or constantly on the move.
Do you find it hard to speak?
This line suggests that the person addressed in the previous line may struggle to communicate or express themselves effectively.
Between the M.O.O.N. A.N.D. S.T.A.R.S
This line is a repetition of an earlier phrase, emphasizing the vast scale and beauty of the universe.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ABIGAIL HELEN FRY, MARTIN RICHARD NOBLE, PHILLIP HARRY SUMNER, JAN SCOTT WILKINSON, NEIL HAMILTON WILKINSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind