Coil spent the next period of its existence exploring visual media. In late 1984 they recorded a rendition of Tainted Love (originally recorded by Gloria Jones, but made popular by Soft Cell in the 80s), producing a widely banned, hallucinogenic video clip featuring Marc Almond as the Angel of Death; despite considerable controversy at home, the video ultimately found its way to the archives of the Museum of Modern Art. After spending several years working with filmmaker Derek Jarman on the feature The Angelic Conversation, Coil issued a remixed edition of their soundtrack. Following 1986’s Nightmare Culture, a collaboration with Boyd Rice produced as split release with Current 93, Christopherson and Balance invited Stephen Thrower to join the group in a full-time capacity. As a trio, they recorded 1986’s LP Horse Rotorvator, introducing orchestral, jazz, and middle Eastern textures into the mix; this album included The Anal Staircase.
In 1987, Coil issued The Unreleased Themes for Hellraiser, a collection of atmospheric gothic instrumentals commissioned for but ultimately cut from the Clive Barker horror film, followed by compilation album Gold Is the Metal (With the Broadest Shoulders), a remixed history of the group’s first several years of work. Unnatural History, another career overview, effectively ended the first phase of the band’s career in 1990; when Coil resurfaced a year later with Love’s Secret Domain, their music reflected the strong influence of the acid house culture. Another long layoff brought on by financial difficulties ended in 1995, when the group - now consisting of Sleazy, Balance, and Drew McDowell - signed to Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor’s Nothing Records to release Backwards, an album which was never officially released, although it is available in a number of bootleg versions. Additionally, they recorded the LP Worship the Glitch, issued under the name ELpH, and in 1996 cut A Thousand Lights in a Darkened Room as Black Light District.
1998 marked a significant stylistic shift for Coil, as the group moved away from the industrial dance sound they pioneered in the first half of their career towards what Balance referred to as "Moon Musick". This began with the release of four seasonal EPs throughout that year, coinciding with the equinoxes and solstices; this marked the group making further forays into ambient and neoclassical styles. Lyrically, there was a push towards naturalistic, pagan imagery, and an emphasis on free form, improvisatory chants. All four of these releases were later collected and released as Moons Milk (in Four Phases) in 2002. Coil also put out a purely drone based project, Time Machines, under that alias the same year.
In 1999 Coil started to work with Thighpaulsandra, and with him released the chilling Musick to Play in the Dark, a dark, meditative work featuring mostly intoned vocals from Balance, and exploring deeper electronic textures and pitches. A second volume followed in 2000. After years of refusal to do so, Coil started to perform live again in 1999. They released a number of albums containing the various shows they did in the period 2000 - 2004. Coil have released a lot of material in very limited editions, and have distributed certain records only at concerts. In 2003 they started a project to re-issue these tracks. Amidst their sporadic touring, and growing internal tensions within the group, Black Antlers was released in 2004, consisting of many of the songs played in concert at the time. This would prove to be the last studio recording put out in Balance's lifetime.
Jhonn Balance’s long-time struggle with alcoholism led to his death on 13th November, 2004. He fell from the second floor window at his home, while drunk, and died a short time after. Coil’s last live performance took place at Dublin’s City Hall on 23 October 2004 and is expected to appear on the forthcoming DVD box set “Colour Sound Oblivion”. A number of songs that were (as good as) ready were released in autumn 2005 as a last farewell to Jhonn.
Peter Christopherson passed away peacefully in his sleep on November 25, 2010. Instead of sending flowers in memory of Peter Christopherson, people were asked to donate money to help children affected by AIDS in Thailand, the country he loved and died in.
http://www.thresholdhouse.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coil_(band)
Enochian Calling II
Coil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
to the weary night?Dost thou desire my slumbers should
be broken,While shadows like to thee do mock my sight?Is
it thy spirit that thou send'st from theeSo far from
home into my deeds to pry,
To find out shames and idle hours in me,
The scope and tenor of thy jealousy?
O, no! thy love, though much,
own true love that doth my rest defeat,
To play the watchman ever for thy sake: For thee
watch I whilst thou dost wake elsewhere,
From me far off, with others all too near.
In the lyrics of "Enochian Calling II" by Coil, the singer is addressing a higher power, potentially a divine being or a lover, questioning their intentions and desires. The opening lines suggest that the singer is questioning whether it is the will of this entity for them to keep their eyes open, depriving themselves of rest during the weary night. They wonder if this higher power desires for their sleep to be interrupted by shadows that resemble them, mocking their sight.
The singer then contemplates if it is the spirit of this being that is sent far from its home to intrude upon their actions, seeking out their faults and wasted moments. They question if this is driven by their lover's jealousy, searching for evidence of transgressions. However, the singer asserts that their lover's love is not as strong as their own, stating that it is their own love that keeps them awake. They acknowledge that it is their own true love that defeats their rest, willingly acting as a watchman for the sake of their lover.
These lyrics evoke a sense of longing and dedication, as the singer willingly sacrifices their own sleep and rest to demonstrate their love and commitment. It reflects a complex relationship dynamic, questioning the intentions and motives of the other person while asserting their own love and devotion.
Line by Line Meaning
Is it thy will thy image should keep open
Are you requesting that your presence remain constantly visible and accessible
My heavy eyelids to the weary night?
Preventing me from finding solace and rest in the darkness of the night?
Dost thou desire my slumbers should be broken,
Do you wish for my sleep to be disturbed
While shadows like to thee do mock my sight?
As deceptive shapes reminiscent of you play tricks on my vision?
Is it thy spirit that thou send'st from thee
Is it your essence that you send forth
So far from home into my deeds to pry,
Venturing away from its comfort to scrutinize my actions
To find out shames and idle hours in me,
In search of my moments of disgrace and wasted time
The scope and tenor of thy jealousy?
Examining the extent and nature of your jealousy
O, no! thy love, though much, is not so great:
Oh, no! Your love, although substantial, is not as intense as you believe
It is my love that keeps mine eye awake;
Rather, it is my own love that prevents me from sleeping
Mine own true love that doth my rest defeat,
My genuine love for you that disrupts my rest
To play the watchman ever for thy sake:
Taking on the role of a constant guardian for your benefit
For thee watch I whilst thou dost wake elsewhere,
I keep watch for you while you are awake in a different place
From me far off, with others all too near.
Separated from me, distant, while in the company of others who are too close
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind