Coil (1982–2004) was initially established in London in 1983 as an experime… Read Full Bio ↴Coil (1982–2004) was initially established in London in 1983 as an experimental solo outlet for ex-Psychic TV member John Balance, and became a full-fledged experimental sonic manipulation unit a year later following the arrival of keyboardist / programmer Peter Christopherson (Sleazy), a founder of Psychic TV as well as a member of Throbbing Gristle. After debuting with the 17-minute ritual recording How to Destroy Angels, Balance and Sleazy recruited the aid of Possession’s Stephen Thrower, J.G. “Foetus” Thirlwell, and The Virgin Prunes’ Gavin Friday to record their full-length 1984 bow Scatology, an intense, primal work of sculpted industrial noise thematically devoted to the concepts of alchemy and transmutation.

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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Rosa Decidua
Coil Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Rose, I hear your voice near to me
I've put away the poisoned chalice, for now
And lie down amongst the flowerbeds

Whichever stars we walk among
We both seek out the darkest red
The wine was turned to blood again
Without this blood we'd both be dead

I've wound myself tight into the hedgerows
Let's see which way the winter wind blows

You are my shadow

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Coil's song Rosa Decidua are hauntingly beautiful and reflective of the human experience. The song's lyrics are a contemplative reflection on life and death, symbolized by the Rose. The first line " Rose, I hear your voice near to me" shows a connection the singer has with a rose. The rose symbolizes both life and death, as it is associated with beauty but also with thorns that can cause injury.

The second line, "I've put away the poisoned chalice, for now" is a metaphor for the singer's decision to abstain from something that was once harmful. It's a conscious effort to remove a self-destructive behavior, and the singer is taking the first step in changing their life. The third line, "And lie down amongst the flowerbeds," is a soothing, calming image of embracing the beauty of life and nature in the present.

The next verse speaks of the two people, walking among the stars, seeking out the darkest red, which could be interpreted as the darkest aspects of life or love. The following line, "The wine was turned to blood again," is a reference to the symbolic relationship between wine and blood. The final line, "Without this blood, we'd both be dead," implies that life requires sacrifice and struggle, and without it, we'd be lifeless.

The final verse, "I've wound myself tight into the hedgerows, let's see which way the winter wind blows. You are my shadow," talks about the singer's struggle with his fate, winding himself tightly like the hedgerows. The winter wind is a symbol of the uncertainty that lies ahead, and the singer is searching for a way forward while acknowledging his past.

Line by Line Meaning

Rose, I hear your voice near to me
The singer hears the voice of their beloved Rose near them.

I've put away the poisoned chalice, for now
The singer has stopped engaging in self-destructive behavior.

And lie down amongst the flowerbeds
The singer rests peacefully in nature.

Whichever stars we walk among
The artist and Rose journey through life together, no matter what.

We both seek out the darkest red
They are drawn to intense experiences, even if they are painful.

The wine was turned to blood again
The pleasures of life have turned into something more serious and dangerous.

Without this blood we'd both be dead
Without these intense experiences, they would feel lifeless and without purpose.

I've wound myself tight into the hedgerows
The artist has isolated themselves from the world and entangled themselves in their thoughts.

Let's see which way the winter wind blows
The artist is uncertain of what the future holds.

You are my shadow
Rose is a constant presence in the artist's life, always by their side even if not physically present.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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