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… "
South Sound
British Sea Power Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Straight down the line with hate
I never felt so good
I never felt so great
It all looks so familiar
Its so very [Incomprehensible] tough
Cross the military ground
Sunshine, gunfire [Incomprehensible] at me
I wont be getting hurt today
Fifteen miles without a break
Just for one more month of grace
I said romance is dead
Created destruction in my head
But right in my heart is a torture so [Incomprehensible]
But I never felt so good
Straight down the line with blood
Straight down the line with hate
I never felt so good today
I never felt so great
He made me a meal out of the scraps
Then he talked to a photograph
He would rather take your pain
Than see you get hurt this way
Cause you cant make it alone
You cant make it alone
And you can never know
You can never know
Don't go any further
Don't go any further
I never knew that it could feel so good
I never knew that it could feel so good
I never knew that it could feel so good
I never knew that it could feel so good
Cause it feels Ive known
Cause its all just so point blank
But you never felt so good
Straight down the line with blood
Straight down the line with hate
I never felt so good
I never felt so great
Straight down the line, straight down the field
Straight down the line nothing is real
Imploding, combusting
Better yet settling
And you cant make it alone
You cant make it alone
The lyrics of British Sea Power's song South Sound are enigmatic and open to interpretation. The song seems to convey a feeling of exhilaration and even ecstasy in the face of violence and destruction. The repeated lines "Straight down the line with blood, straight down the line with hate, I never felt so good, I never felt so great" suggest a euphoric feeling emerging from violence and hatred. The singer seems to be lost on military ground, but this does not deter their feeling of elation. The imagery of "sunshine, gunfire" further emphasizes the theme of violence and contrasts it with the sense of optimism the singer feels in spite of it.
The following lines take a different turn: "I said romance is dead, created destruction in my head, but right in my heart is a torture so [incomprehensible]". Here, the singer seems to express a sense of inner turmoil and a contradiction at the heart of their being. They bemoan the death of romance and yet allude to a darker passion that they cannot describe. The final lines of the song, "Straight down the line, straight down the field, straight down the line nothing is real, imploding, combusting, better yet settling", add to the confusion. Here the singer seems to suggest that violent destruction and a sense of being lost are ultimately settling and preferable to the mundane "real" world.
Overall, it seems that British Sea Power created a layered and ambiguous song with South Sound. The lyrics are open to interpretation and leave the listener with a sense of both euphoria and unease.
Line by Line Meaning
Straight down the line with blood
I am being direct in my approach to this situation, and I am willing to go to great lengths to achieve my goal.
Straight down the line with hate
I am filled with anger towards my enemies, and my hatred is giving me the strength to persevere.
I never felt so good
Despite the difficulties I am facing, I am filled with a sense of purpose that is making me feel alive.
I never felt so great
My determination is leading me towards success, and the feeling of accomplishment is amazing.
It all looks so familiar
Even though this terrain is new to me, it feels like I have been here before.
Its so very [Incomprehensible] tough
This is an incredibly challenging situation, and I am struggling to get through it.
Cross the military ground
I am pushing through a heavily guarded area, which is making my journey more difficult.
I am lost but Ill be found
Even though I am unsure of where I am going, I know that I will eventually find my way.
Sunshine, gunfire [Incomprehensible] at me
The sun is shining down on me while bullets fly past my head. It's a surreal experience.
I wont be getting hurt today
I am confident in my abilities to avoid injury, and I am not afraid of the danger I am facing.
Fifteen miles without a break
I have been walking for a long time without a rest, but I am determined to keep going.
Just for one more month of grace
I am continuing on this journey for one more month, hoping that something good will come of it.
I said romance is dead
I have given up on the idea of love, believing that it no longer exists.
Created destruction in my head
My negative thoughts are leading me towards self-destructive behavior.
But right in my heart is a torture so [Incomprehensible]
Despite my negative outlook, I am still feeling an intense emotional pain within me.
But I never felt so good
Even though I am emotionally struggling, I am still pushing through and doing what needs to be done, which makes me feel proud.
He made me a meal out of the scraps
Someone else was kind enough to feed me with very limited resources.
Then he talked to a photograph
After feeding me, he became sentimental and began speaking to a picture.
He would rather take your pain
This person is selfless and does not want others to suffer.
Than see you get hurt this way
The thought of causing someone pain is unbearable to them.
Cause you cant make it alone
No one can succeed without the help and support of others.
And you can never know
We can never be fully aware of the thoughts and feelings of others.
Don't go any further
It is not safe to continue in this direction.
I never knew that it could feel so good
I am proud of myself for what I have accomplished and feel that I have grown from this experience.
Straight down the line, straight down the field
I am continuing to move forward with my plans, not letting anything stand in my way.
Straight down the line nothing is real
I am so focused on my goal that nothing else matters to me right now.
Imploding, combusting
This situation is putting me under immense pressure.
Better yet settling
Despite the pressure, I am starting to feel at ease with this difficult situation.
You cant make it alone
Once again, it is important to have a support system when trying to achieve your goals.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ABIGAIL FRY, JAN WILKINSON, MARTIN NOBLE, MATTHEW WOOD, NEIL WILKINSON, PHILLIP SUMNER, MATTHEW JAMES WOOD, NEIL HAMILTON WILKINSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind