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.
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Montecute
Coil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You never can be old.
For as you were, when first your eye,
I eyed,
Such seems you beuaty still.
Three winters cold have full forrests shook three summers pride.
Three beautious springs to yellow autumn turned.
In process of the seasons have I seen,
Since first I saw you fresh which later waned.
Ahh, yet doth beauty like a dour hand
Steal from his figure, only pace percieved.
So your sweet hue, which me thinks still doth stand
Hath motion and mine eye may be decieved.
For fear of which, hear this thou age unbread
Air you were born was beatious summer dead.
The lyrics to Coil's "Montecute" are a poetic tribute to the timeless beauty of a beloved individual. The singer addresses this person as a "fair friend" who never grows old in their eyes, because their beauty remains as captivating as it was when first beheld. The passing of seasons is evoked, with three years of winters, summers, and springs having been witnessed, each with its own unique scents and sights.
Despite the inevitability of time and its effects on physical form, the singer affirms that the beauty of this person endures even as it transforms. The metaphor of a thief stealing away form and pace is introduced, suggesting that beauty may fade but never entirely vanish. The final lines speak of fear that the person's beauty may only appear to persist, and that time has overtaken them unseen, as "Air you were born was beatious summer dead."
The lyrics of "Montecute" reflect on the transient nature of life and the power of beauty to transcend it. The song is a somber meditation on the fleetingness of existence, as well as a celebration of the enduring presence of love and admiration. Through its rich language and striking imagery, the song speaks to the heart of what it means to be human.
Line by Line Meaning
To me, fair friend,
Addressing a beautiful and beloved friend
You never can be old.
You will always be beautiful and never age in my eyes.
For as you were, when first your eye, I eyed,
From the moment I saw you, you were beautiful.
Such seems you beuaty still.
Your beauty has endured over time.
Three winters cold have full forrests shook three summers pride.
I have witnessed three harsh winters take down the pride of three summers.
Three beautious springs to yellow autumn turned.
Three beautiful springs have turned into a yellow autumn.
In process of the seasons have I seen,
Over time, I have seen the seasons change.
Three April perfumes in three hot junes burned.
I have seen three April perfumes burn in three hot Junes.
Since first I saw you fresh which later waned.
Since I first saw you, you have lost some of your freshness.
Ahh, yet doth beauty like a dour hand
But beauty fades like a wilted flower.
Steal from his figure, only pace percieved.
It steals from the overall appearance, only noticeable over time.
So your sweet hue, which me thinks still doth stand
Your beautiful appearance, which I still see.
Hath motion and mine eye may be decieved.
But it changes, and I may be deceived by that change.
For fear of which, hear this thou age unbread
Because of that fear, listen to me, you who are young
Air you were born was beatious summer dead.
The beautiful summer was dead before you were born.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@douglasbusic4527
This is absolutely underappreciated. I was in love with this album first time I heard it.