The band released their self-titled debut EP in 1989 (they were on Nettwerk in North America and Zoth Ommog in Europe). Centered on two mixes of the industrial-rap "Consolidated!", the EP is a statement of purpose, a foreshadowing of the bands' ideas and politics. While embracing rap and sampling, its jerky rhythms aren't far from late-period Devo.
Their first full-length record, The Myth of Rock, is also aggressively political, but its complex and intricate instrumental backing--recalling, at once, Tackhead, Public Enemy, late-80s sampledelica, and the brutal industrial of Test Dept.--would impress even the most conservative listeners. Sherburne does more speaking on the record than rapping or singing, but his anger and conviction come through on every track. Not as heavy-handed as it could be, this is an underrated dance record.
Friendly Fascism is more stripped-down and less compelling, relying less on heavy sampling and Bomb-Squad-esque production. Jack Dangers of Meat Beat Manifesto mixed the album, which does stylistically recall MBM's 99%. This foregrounds the politics--and Sherborne's gruff vocalizations--a bit more.
Play More Music returns a bit to the sonic aggression of Myth of Rock. The record, like Friendly Fa$cism, features spoken-work snippets from the group's concerts--the band would end shows by having a dialogue with their audience, which (the records demonstrate) sometimes became contentious. "Tool and Die", an pro-gun control song, is one of the band's most powerful (look for the MBM remix on the CD single), and "You Suck"--which strongly resembles Lords of Acid--remains a club favourite.
Consolidated signed to a major label, London/Polygram Records, and released Business of Punishment (their tribulations with the record industry are recalled in on of the record's standout tracks, "Dog & Pony Show"). The band mostly abandoned their rap and industrial influences in favor of a guitar-oriented, grunge sound, much to the album's detriment. Only the pro-choice anthem, "Butyric Acid", retains the punch and energy of earlier efforts.
London/Polygram dropped the band, Pistel (who had become an in-demand producer and remixer) left soon afterwards, but Consolidated continued recording. A recently released compilation, More Music Please: The Best of Consolidated, 1988-1993, contains most of the singles from their Nettwerk years and is an excellent introduction to the group.
Impermanence
Consolidated Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I never used to think of all
You'd sacrifice for everyone else
I never realized how high you climbed
I never learned my lessons
Still you picked me up every time I fell
I want you to know how much I love you
I want you to know there's so much of you
And I still believe you'll be here with me
In the spring but now it's wintertime
So I call you on the phone
You never made me feel alone
And I'll never say goodbye
Because in my mind you're always in my heart
Always validated everything I feel
Never say goodbye
Cause it's only time that's keeping us apart
Shouldn't have to answer any questions
Shouldn't have to put up with all those headaches
That you really don't need
This should be a time of your reflection
You don't need doctors don't need lawyers
Telling you what you need
You finally climbed the mountain
You should get to enjoy the view of the other side
And if you should leave me that's okay
This world's all impermanence anyway
Did some things that made you cry
I never thought I'd live to see you die
I'll never say goodbye
Never down with superficial scenes
They'll never hook you up to their machines
Lived you life with so much dignity
You were always there for me
I'll never say goodbye
The lyrics of Impermanence by Consolidated speak about love and gratitude for the sacrifices made by a special someone. The singer is addressing this person and expressing their love and how they did not realize the extent of their sacrifices until later. This person has been a constant presence in the singer's life, picking them up after every fall. The singer is aware of the impermanence of life and wishes that they could spend more time with this person. They speak of calling them on the phone and never making them feel alone. In the end, the singer is ready to accept the loss of this person, knowing that they have lived their life with dignity and have always been there for them.
The song highlights the importance of love and relationships in our lives, and how we often take people for granted until it is too late. The theme of impermanence is woven throughout the lyrics, reminding the listener of the transience of life and how we should cherish the time we have with the people we love. The song also suggests that we should allow people to enjoy the fruits of their labor and not burden them with unnecessary stress or problems.
Line by Line Meaning
I never used to think of all the time
I didn't used to think about how much time you spent helping others
I never used to think of all
I didn't used to think about all the sacrifices you made for others
You'd sacrifice for everyone else
You would give up things for the sake of others
I never realized how high you climbed
I didn't realize the struggles you went through to achieve what you did
I never learned my lessons
I didn't learn from your experiences and mistakes
Still you picked me up every time I fell
You were always there to help me when I needed it
I want you to know how much I love you
I want you to understand the depth of my feelings for you
I want you to know there's so much of you
I want you to know how much of who I am is because of you
In everything that I am
You are a part of everything that makes me who I am
And I still believe you'll be here with me
I still believe that you'll always be there for me
In the spring but now it's wintertime
Things used to be good, but now they're not so great
So I call you on the phone
I try to reach out to you and stay in touch
You never made me feel alone
You always made me feel loved and supported
Because in my mind you're always in my heart
I always carry you with me, even when we're apart
Always validated everything I feel
You always listened and acknowledged my feelings
Cause it's only time that's keeping us apart
The only thing keeping us apart is the passage of time
Shouldn't have to answer any questions
You shouldn't have to put up with unnecessary scrutiny and questioning
Shouldn't have to put up with all those headaches
You shouldn't have to deal with unnecessary problems and stress
That you really don't need
Things that don't add value to your life and well-being
This should be a time of your reflection
You should be taking this time to reflect on your life and experiences
You don't need doctors don't need lawyers
You don't need people interfering in your life and making things complicated
Telling you what you need
Telling you what to do and what you need isn't helpful
You finally climbed the mountain
You finally achieved a significant accomplishment
You should get to enjoy the view of the other side
You should be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor and accomplishments
And if you should leave me that's okay
Even if you're not here with me, I'll be okay
This world's all impermanence anyway
Everything in this world is temporary and constantly changing
Did some things that made you cry
I did some things that upset you and made you cry
I never thought I'd live to see you die
I never expected you to pass away
Never down with superficial scenes
I'm not interested in shallow or meaningless experiences
They'll never hook you up to their machines
I don't want you to be hooked up to machines to keep you alive
Lived you life with so much dignity
You lived your life with grace and respect
You were always there for me
You were always there to support and help me
I'll never say goodbye
I'll never truly say goodbye to you, because you'll always be with me
Contributed by Annabelle Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.