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 Two singles from this album, She's a Vision and We Are the Beautiful, were relatively successful, but the album was withdrawn due to a sample-related lawsuit.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.
Guilt
Chapterhouse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wakes to find your conscience weeping
Shame
Time recalls the distant voices
Ancient memories leave no choice
Tormenting guilt like wreaths of hatred
Different skin of different places
Feed their sweat and taste their breath
Deceive yourself 'til nothing's left
At its core, Guilt is a song about the weight of our actions and the burden of our own conscience. The opening stanza sets the tone for the rest of the song by painting a picture of someone who has been ignoring their own moral compass for so long that they are only now beginning to feel the full extent of their transgressions. The second stanza takes this a step further by suggesting that this guilt is not just a product of recent events, but is rooted in the past and has been waiting to surface for some time. The final stanza of the song is particularly impactful, as it describes the way in which guilt can consume us entirely, taking over our thoughts and actions until we are nothing but a shell of our former selves, completely disconnected from reality.
One of the interesting things about Guilt is the way in which Chapterhouse blends elements of different genres to create a unique, layered sound. The use of distorted guitars and heavy drum beats give the song a grungy, alternative vibe, while the dreamy, almost psychedelic vocals convey a sense of introspection and contemplation. Additionally, the song's lyrics are quite poetic, with each line flowing seamlessly into the next to create a sense of fluidity and movement.
Line by Line Meaning
Silent sin of endless sleeping
A secret wrong committed in the past, seemingly forgotten but still lingering and causing guilt.
Wakes to find your conscience weeping
The guilt resurfaces, making one's conscience troubled and upset.
Shame
The emotion felt when realizing the wrongdoing and its consequences.
Time recalls the distant voices
Memories of those who have been wronged in the past come flooding back.
Ancient memories leave no choice
The feelings of guilt and regret are so strong that they compel one to take action.
Tormenting guilt like wreaths of hatred
The feeling of guilt is so intense and persistent that it feels like a suffocating, hateful force.
Different skin of different places
Despite physical differences, all humans experience guilt and shame in similar ways.
Pain
The emotional pain of guilt and regret can be overwhelming and consuming.
Feed their sweat and taste their breath
The guilty person is haunted by memories of those they have wronged, imagining their physical presence.
Deceive yourself 'til nothing's left
The guilt is so strong that it can lead one to self-destructive behaviors, trying to escape the feeling through denial or lies.
Contributed by Camden H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.