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 Two singles from this album, She's a Vision and We Are the Beautiful, were relatively successful, but the album was withdrawn due to a sample-related lawsuit.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.
Treasure
Chapterhouse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Feel it in me
Don't speak
Smothered jewel
Dazzle
Shadow
Blind me
I'm in heaven
Oh, I'm in hell
You are in heaven
Oh, I'm in hell
Treasure
Wasted
Twisted
Drifting
I know
I see
Treasure
In me
Treasure
Feel it in me
Don't speak
The song "Treasure" by Chapterhouse is a profound and emotional piece that draws the listener in with its haunting melodies and poetic lyrics. The song speaks of the complex emotions that arise from the experience of feeling deeply and passionately in love, while also acknowledging the potential for pain and heartbreak that accompanies such intense emotions.
The opening lines, "Treasure, feel it in me, don't speak," capture the sense of overwhelming emotion that the singer is feeling. It is as though the depth of their feelings is so intense that words are insufficient to express them. The line "smothered jewel, dazzle, shadow, blind me," further emphasizes this idea of being consumed by emotion. The jewel represents the beauty and value of their love, but it is smothered, perhaps by fear or doubt. And yet, the love continues to dazzle and blind them, even in the midst of uncertainty.
The chorus of the song highlights the conflict between the joy and pain of love. "Just for you, I'm in heaven, oh, I'm in hell, you are in heaven, oh, I'm in hell," expresses the paradoxical nature of love. The singer is willing to endure the pain of love because of the joy it brings, but the experience of love is always fraught with emotional highs and lows.
Line by Line Meaning
Treasure
Something very valuable that is owned and cherished
Feel it in me
Sensing the preciousness of treasure within oneself
Don't speak
There are some things that are better left unsaid, and the feeling of treasure within oneself is one of them
Smothered jewel
Like a precious gemstone that is covered to protect it, so too is the treasure within oneself
Dazzle
The feeling of treasure within oneself is so bright and shiny that it can be blinding
Shadow
Despite its brightness, the treasure within oneself can be obscured by darkness
Blind me
The brilliance of the treasure within oneself can be so intense that it is blinding
Just for you
The treasure within oneself is something that is kept hidden and cherished privately, only to be shared with someone special
I'm in heaven
Sharing the treasure within oneself with someone special can feel like living in paradise
Oh, I'm in hell
But if that someone special is out of reach or unattainable, the feeling of treasure within oneself can be torturous
You are in heaven
The person with whom the treasure within oneself is shared can also feel like they are living in paradise
Treasure
The theme of the song is the feeling of the treasure within oneself
Wasted
If the treasure within oneself is not appreciated or shared with someone special, it is a waste
Twisted
But the feeling of the treasure within oneself can also be distorted or perverted, leading to negative emotions such as envy or greed
Drifting
The feeling of the treasure within oneself can also be fleeting, like a sailboat on the ocean
I know
The singer is aware of the value and importance of the treasure within oneself
I see
The singer can also see the treasure within oneself in others
Treasure
The theme of the song is the feeling of the treasure within oneself
In me
The singer is referring to the treasure within oneself that they feel
Contributed by Jake V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.