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.

http://www.thresholdhouse.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coil_(band)

Windowpane
Coil Lyrics

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In the sky and in the eye and
In the sky and in the eye and..
If you want to touch the sky
Just put a window in your eye
See the sun and
See the rain
See the window
See the pain

See the sun and
See the rain
See the birds eye
See the brain
Ancient cities
Rise again
See microscopic
See world view
See the future
Leaking through
See the person
Who once was you
See the seashore and
See the sand
See the windows
In your hand
See the Lie.
Gold is the sky
In concentrate
Power in its purest state
Power surge
Power will rise
Through the windows and
Through the skies
Misrule is kind.
See the sky and
See the eye and
See the sky and
In your hand in the sky
And in your eye
See the sky in your hand
See the sky and understand
Gold is the sky
In concentrate
Power in its purest state
Power will rise
Power will fly
Through the window
Through your eye
Gold is the sky
Riches, treasures, riches
Richard's treasures
Riches, treasures, riches
Gold is the sky
In concentrate
Power in its purest state
Power will rise
Power will fly
Through the window and

Through your eye
Gold is the sky.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Coil's song Windowpane are about the power of perception, and the way that a change in our perspective can change the way we see ourselves and the world around us. The repeated phrase "In the sky and in the eye" suggests a connection between the external world and our inner selves, and the idea that we can see the entire universe reflected in our own perceptions.

The next lines, "If you want to touch the sky / Just put a window in your eye," suggest that we can expand our vision and our understanding of the world by opening ourselves up to new ways of seeing. This is reinforced by the imagery of rain, microscopic views, and ancient cities rising again, all of which suggest that there is more to the world than we can see with our naked eye.

The middle verses of the song suggest that this expanded vision can bring pain as well as pleasure, and that looking deeply within ourselves can be a difficult and sometimes painful process. However, it also suggests that this process can lead to a greater understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

Finally, the song's chorus repeats the idea that "gold is the sky," and that power and riches are available to us if we only open ourselves up to new possibilities.

Line by Line Meaning

In the sky and in the eye and
This line invokes an image of how the sky and the viewer's eye seem to overlap and are connected.

If you want to touch the sky Just put a window in your eye
The song suggests that if someone wishes to connect even more intimately with the sky, they should imagine that they have a window installed in their eye.

See the sun and See the rain See the window See the pain
The viewer is encouraged to observe various natural phenomena and objects, but also includes the painful aspects of life that may be associated with them.

See the birds eye See the brain
This line references anatomical parts present in the observer themselves; it is a metaphorical way of saying that one should look upon the world through one's own perspective.

Ancient cities Rise again
This line references the cyclical nature of human history, as cities and civilizations rise and fall in a predictable pattern.

See microscopic See world view See the future Leaking through
This series of lines encourages the viewer to consider various perspectives and scales, from the diminutive to the grandiose--even extending into the future.

See the person Who once was you
This line evokes a melancholy nostalgia for the observer's past self, and encourages the observer to remember and honor their own history.

See the seashore and See the sand See the windows In your hand
This line invokes the image of an observer holding onto the world in the palms of their hands, or perhaps having complete control over their environment.

See the Lie.
This line is intentionally cryptic, perhaps asking the viewer to remain vigilant about the forces around them that may be operating outside of truth and honesty.

Gold is the sky In concentrate Power in its purest state Power surge Power will rise
This series of lines suggests that the sky may hold immense power or value, akin to gold, and the energy or potential from this could be harnessed or tapped into.

Misrule is kind.
This line is difficult to interpret in isolation and seems to suggest that something disruptive or chaotic may have its own kind of value or purpose.

See the sky in your hand See the sky and understand
This line seems to remind the viewer to keep the universe and the powers of the natural world in perspective, and to remember that it is something to be admired and respected.

Riches, treasures, riches Richard's treasures Gold is the sky In concentrate Power in its purest state
Again referencing the value of the sky and its worth, this line also seems to obliquely reference royalty or a wealthy figure named Richard.

Power will rise Power will fly Through the window Through your eye
This series of lines repeats the idea that the power and potential of the sky is something that can be harnessed or acted upon; it is portrayed as an active force that can transform or enrich one's life.

Gold is the sky.
This repeated line can be interpreted in different ways, and its meaning may be subjective to the individual listener. It embodies many of the ideas explored throughout the song--the beauty, value, and potential of the natural world.

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