Sea Power, previously known as British Sea Power, are a six-piece indie roc… Read Full Bio ↴Sea Power, previously known as British Sea Power, are a six-piece indie rock band based in Brighton, England, although three of the band hail originally from Kendal in Cumbria. Their style encompasses sweeping and often epic guitar pop with more visceral, angular and esoteric noises and instruments. Critics have likened their sound to a variety of groups, from The Cure to Pixies. They have released five albums and a number of EPs (most on Rough Trade) since they formed in 2000. The band is currently comprised of:

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… "

Open the Door
British Sea Power Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Are you gonna live or die?
Are you gonna live or die?
Are you gonna be all right?
Are you gonna live or die?
Are you gonna be all right?

Five young men went for a walk
Sat on a tree stump and had a talk

It takes something to be a man these days
Nobody's scared, but we hide anyway

We're almost there
And now it's coming back to me
Ah, we're almost there
So are you coming back to me?

Are you gonna live or die?
Are you gonna live or die?
Are you gonna be all right?

Shatter your vases, settle your loans
Get on a slow boat to Mexico
Talking of rabies, you need it, lad
Take her, hold her, but don't go mad

Open the door
You've gotta see just what it's for
Now we're almost there
So are you coming back to me?

I'm not afraid of the big black bear
Only humans make me scared
I'm not afraid of misery
My life is a vapour, and you can't break her

Ah

No taste or understanding of the working
In her microbes
Let it show
In our bathrobes
Let her know
Let it rip

Whoo

Five young men went for a walk
Sat on a tree stump and had a talk
It takes something to be a man these days
Nobody cares but everyone's caring

Ah, these days, ah
Are we almost there?
It is just how you imagine

Are you gonna live or die?
Are you gonna live or die?
Are you gonna be all right?
Are you gonna live or die?
Are you gonna live or die?
Are you gonna be all right?

Whoo
Are you gonna
Are you gonna
Are

Are you gonna
Are you gonna live or die?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to British Sea Power's song "Open The Door" are packed with ambiguous meanings and references, challenging listeners to engage with the song on a deeper level. At its core, the song seems to be about making choices and facing the consequences of those choices, even when they are difficult. The repeated line, "Are you gonna live or die? Are you gonna be all right?" drives this message home, emphasizing the gravity of life's decisions.

The first verse paints a picture of a group of young men sitting in nature, reflecting on what it means to be a man in modern society. The line "Nobody's scared, but we hide anyway" suggests a sense of shame or insecurity that many people feel, even when they appear confident on the surface. The lines "We're almost there / And now it's coming back to me" are particularly intriguing, as they could refer to a feeling of nearing a goal or a memory resurfacing after being forgotten.

The second verse takes a more surreal turn, encouraging the listener to "shatter your vases" and "get on a slow boat to Mexico." These lines may be metaphorical or literal, but either way they suggest a desire to escape or break free from something. The references to rabies and holding someone back could be interpreted in a number of ways, but overall the message seems to be about taking risks and refusing to be held back by fear.

Overall, "Open The Door" is a complex and thought-provoking song that rewards careful listening and interpretation. Its themes of courage, choice, and uncertainty are relevant to anyone grappling with the challenges of modern life.

Line by Line Meaning

Are you gonna live or die?
The uncertainty of life and mortality weighs heavily on the singer's mind and is a recurring question throughout the song.

Are you gonna be all right?
Amidst the looming threat of death, the singer also wonders if everything will be okay in the end.

Five young men went for a walk
The song starts with a depiction of five young men going for a stroll, before transitioning to the larger themes of life and death.

It takes something to be a man these days
The idea of masculinity and what it means to be a man in contemporary society is alluded to, possibly as a factor contributing to the uncertainty of life and mortality.

We're almost there
The artist senses that something significant is about to happen or be revealed.

So are you coming back to me?
The singer asks someone if they will return after a significant event takes place, possibly suggesting that something needs to be resolved between them.

Shatter your vases, settle your loans
The singer suggests breaking possessions and resolving financial obligations, possibly as a means of freeing oneself from material possessions and their associated burdens.

Get on a slow boat to Mexico
The idea of escaping somewhere far away is presented, possibly as a means of escaping from the fears and uncertainties of everyday life.

Talking of rabies, you need it, lad
The line here is somewhat cryptic, but possibly suggests the idea of embracing something dangerous or unpredictable in life rather than being overly cautious.

Take her, hold her, but don't go mad
The artist advises the listener to cherish someone or something, but to also keep a level head and not give in to irrational impulses or emotions.

Open the door
A metaphorical call to action to take a chance or embrace something new or unexpected in life.

You've gotta see just what it's for
The artist encourages the listener to embrace change or something new in life in order to discover its true purpose or value.

I'm not afraid of the big black bear
The singer is not afraid of literal physical danger, but rather the more abstract fears and uncertainties of life that cannot be easily beaten down or confronted.

Only humans make me scared
It is the actions and intentions of other people that frighten the singer the most, possibly hinting at themes of betrayal or distrust.

My life is a vapour, and you can't break her
The transient and ephemeral nature of life is recognized here, but the singer asserts that no one else can control or dictate their life.

No taste or understanding of the working in her microbes
Another cryptic line, but possibly suggests a lack of understanding or appreciation of the complexity of life and the natural world.

Let it show, in our bathrobes
The idea of being exposed or vulnerable is presented here, perhaps suggesting that true authenticity can only be achieved through embracing one's own human imperfections.

Let her know, let it rip
A call to be honest and genuine, even if it may not be comfortable or easy.

Nobody cares but everyone's caring
A paradoxical statement about the state of modern society, where individuals may feel neglected or indifferent but ultimately still have a sense of communal empathy or obligation towards one another.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAN WILKINSON, JAN SCOTT WILKINSON, MARTIN NOBLE, MATTHEW WOOD, MATTHEW JAMES WOOD, NEIL WILKINSON, NEIL HAMILTON WILKINSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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