Chapterhouse was a British shoegaze band of the early 1990s, originally fro… Read Full Bio ↴Chapterhouse was a British shoegaze band of the early 1990s, originally from Reading, England. Formed in 1987 by Andrew Sherriff and Stephen Patman, the band began performing alongside Spacemen 3. The band reunited for a few shows in 2008-2010.

The band comprised of Andrew Sherriff (guitar/vocals), Stephen Patman (guitar/vocals), Simon Rowe (guitar), Jon Curtis (bass) and Ashley Bates (drums).

Chapterhouse took the unusual step of rehearsing and gigging for well over a year before recording even a demo tape. They were initially lumped in with the British acid rock scene, a mistake hardly rectified by the band's early performances supporting the rather laid-back Spacemen 3. Chapterhouse eventually escaped from that genre only to find themselves thrust amongst the shoegaze groups of 1991 (with the likes of Lush, Ride, Moose and Slowdive), so called because of the bands' static live shows and insular music.

Bassist Jon Curtis left early on to study, being replaced by Russell Barrett, who also fronted his own garage band, the Bikinis. Chapterhouse eventually signed to the newly formed Dedicated label, releasing a series of lavishly acclaimed singles, including Pearl, which reached the UK Top 75, and which revelled in distorted melodies and attracted a healthy following.

Their first LP Whirlpool, released in 1991, has been cited as one of the genre's high points, but failed to capture a wider market. In the same year, Chapterhouse also appeared to muted reaction at Reading Festival immediately following Nirvana's UK debut, an event which was seen to sound the death knell for shoegazing.

Blood Music, stylistically different, was released in 1993. Two singles from this album, She's a Vision and We Are the Beautiful, were relatively successful, but the album was withdrawn due to a sample-related lawsuit. Global Communication reworked Blood Music for their album Pentamerous Metamorphosis. Spooky remixed We Are Beautiful: We Are the Beautiful (Spooky's Ugly as Sin mix) / We Are the Beautiful (Spooky's Extravaganja dub mix).

The band split in 1994 and released no further new material other than a double CD in 1996 called Rownderbout, compiling their singles, various B-sides, rarities and unreleased demos. Sherriff went on to form Bio.com, Bates formed Cuba and Rowe went on to play guitar for Mojave 3.

The music of Chapterhouse was mostly out of print on CD until March 2006, when Cherry Red Records reissued the album Whirlpool with bonus tracks, and for the first time, lyrics.

The band played a version of Love Forever with Ulrich Schnauss on the Barn Stage at the 2008 edition of Truck Festival. In response to requests over the years, Chapterhouse played live at Club AC30's Reverence show at the ICA on 26 November 2009 along with Ulrich Schnauss and Kirsty Hawkshaw.

This was preceded on 23 November by a warm up show at the Luminaire in Kilburn. The band also played at The Scala in London on 18 March 2010, and undertook short tours of Japan in April 2010 and North America in May 2010. The North American tour had to be postponed due to the Icelandic ash cloud cancelling flights, stranding Patman in Japan. Chapterhouse rescheduled the North American tour for September and October 2010.

The band has yet to continue touring beyond 2010.

Everytime
Chapterhouse Lyrics

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Every time
You turn your eyes
Reach for me
Come inside
And every time
You change your mind

Reach for me

Every time
You lose your way

I'll be there
Never fade

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Chapterhouse's song Everytime seem to focus on the idea of being there for someone consistently, regardless of how many times they may change their mind or lose their way. The repetition of the phrase "every time" suggests a steadfastness and dependability in the singer's feelings towards the subject of the song. The opening lines, "Every time / You turn your eyes / Reach for me / Come inside" could be interpreted in a romantic sense, with the singer encouraging the subject to seek comfort in their relationship whenever they need it. Similarly, the line "Every time / You lose your way / I'll be there / Never fade" implies a sense of loyalty and commitment to helping the subject find their way again whenever they may falter.

Overall, the lyrics to Everytime seem to convey a message of unconditional love and support, with the singer pledging to always be there for the subject of the song no matter what happens. It's a powerful message of reassurance and comfort that could apply to any kind of relationship - romantic, platonic, or even a parent/child bond.

Line by Line Meaning

Every time
Whenever a certain occasion takes place

You turn your eyes
When you look in my direction

Reach for me
Extend your hands towards me

Come inside
Enter the intimate space that I have created

And every time
On every single occasion

You change your mind
When you alter your thoughts or decisions

Reach for me
Extend your hands towards me

Every time
Whenever a particular moment arrives

You lose your way
When you become uncertain or lost

I'll be there
I will support and guide you

Never fade
My presence will remain constant and steadfast