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 Two singles from this album, She's a Vision and We Are the Beautiful, were relatively successful, but the album was withdrawn due to a sample-related lawsuit.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.
Satin Safe
Chapterhouse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The senseless thoughts are hiding what I see in you
Unquestioned doubt is eluding me
Show me something real that only I can see
Come on closer to my maiden flesh
Make me feel it in my bones
Caress the softness of my breathing frame
Deceive in me, I see the fear in you
Keep inside the part of you that's true
Satin safe from reality
Satin safe, but satin safe from me
Suck the living death out of me
Devour the being of my soul
Claw my back and let the feeling flow
Peel my skin and let it show
Endless scenes are passing over me
Worthless time of drifting days
Sugar friendly lay beside of me
Take this emptiness away
The song Satin Safe by Chapterhouse consists of two main themes: the first is about perception and the second is about passion. The lyrics speak of a desire for something real, and a distrust for the superficial nature of things around. This can be seen through the line "The senseless thoughts are hiding what I see in you". The singer has a desire to see through the superficialities of the world and grasp something genuine. The next verse talks about passion as the singer longs for love and intimacy. The lines "Come on closer to my maiden flesh, make me feel it in my bones" show the yearning for physical intimacy.
The middle section of the song discusses the darker aspects of intimacy, with lyrics such as "Suck the living death out of me, Devour the being of my soul". This could refer to a darker side of sexual desire, or perhaps a need to feel something more intense than the mundane. The following lines "Claw my back and let the feeling flow, Peel my skin and let it show" emphasize the desire for a raw and passionate connection. Towards the end of the song, the lyrics have a melancholy feel to them, with the lines "Endless scenes are passing over me, Worthless time of drifting days". The singer longs for someone to take away the emptiness in their life.
Line by Line Meaning
Believe in me, I can see what you do
Trust me, I can see through your actions
The senseless thoughts are hiding what I see in you
Your meaningless thoughts are obscuring your true nature
Unquestioned doubt is eluding me
I cannot understand your doubts that are left unasked
Show me something real that only I can see
Reveal to me something genuine which is invisible to others
Come on closer to my maiden flesh
Approach me and come close to my innocent body
Make me feel it in my bones
Let me experience this feeling intensely
Caress the softness of my breathing frame
Touch and appreciate the gentle movements of my body while I breathe
Invade my beauty with your love
Overwhelm and surround my physical and emotional being with your affection
Deceive in me, I see the fear in you
Lie to me, but I can see the anxiety within you
Keep inside the part of you that's true
Retain within yourself the aspects of who you truly are
Satin safe from reality
Protected from harsh reality with a soft and smooth surface
Satin safe, but satin safe from me
Protected from everyone else, but not from me
Suck the living death out of me
Drain the vitality from my existence
Devour the being of my soul
Consume the essence of my spirit
Claw my back and let the feeling flow
Scratch my back and allow the emotions to be freely expressed
Peel my skin and let it show
Strip away my exterior and reveal the rawness underneath
Endless scenes are passing over me
A multitude of images and experiences constantly flow through me
Worthless time of drifting days
A period of meaningless, aimless days
Sugar friendly lay beside of me
A sweet, affectionate companion laying next to me
Take this emptiness away
Remove the void that exists within me
Contributed by Arianna N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.