Halliday and Garcia were introduced to each other by Dave Stewart of Eurythmics. Dean Garcia had played bass guitar as part of Eurythmics' live band in 1983–84 and on two of their studio albums, Touch and Be Yourself Tonight. Toni Halliday was signed to Stewart's Anxious Records label as a solo artist. She also sang with The Uncles and Bonk in the early 1980s.
Toni Halliday and Dean Garcia briefly formed the unsuccessful group State of Play in the late 1980s before parting ways. She attempted a solo career, releasing the album Hearts & Handshakes in 1989. The album was produced by Toni Halliday and Alan Moulder, who later got married. Alan Moulder also produced music for artists like Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails and My Bloody Valentine.
In 1991, Halliday reunited with Garcia to form Curve. Their alchemy the second time around created sonically charged music, setting heavy beats and Garcia's densely-layered guitar tracks and feedback against Halliday's airy vocalization of lyrics that frequently explore such topics as alienation, addiction and love on the wane. Curve released three acclaimed EPs throughout 1991 on Stewart's label Anxious Records: Blindfold EP, Frozen and Cherry. These EPs will be included on the compilation Pubic Fruit, issued a year later.
In 1992, Curve released their debut album Doppelgänger. The group also toured extensively during this period, with Halliday and Garcia being supported on stage by the additional guitarists Debbie Smith and Alex Mitchell, plus the drummer Steve Monti. Songs such as "Horror Head", "Coast Is Clear" and "Faît Accompli" brought them critical acclaim and built a solid fanbase for the group.
Their sophomore studio album, Cuckoo, was issued in 1993. The album was a musically more varied but significantly darker release than their debut. On their first two albums, Curve worked with producer Flood (U2, Smashing Pumpkins). Also in 1993, it saw the light of the day the live compilation Radio Sessions.
After nearly a decade and a half of partnership the band split in 1994. During their hiatus, Halliday formed the band Scylla. Their track "Helen's Face" was featured on the Showgirls soundtrack. Garcia began a solo project under the name Headcase.
Toni Halliday also collaborated with other artists, most notably with Leftfield on the track "Original", with Recoil on two songs, "Edge to Life" and "Bloodline" from Bloodline, with The Future Sound of London on the song "Cerebral", with Paul van Dyk on "Words (Curved Headcase Mix)" and with DJ? Acucrack on the song “So To Speak”.
In 1996, the single "Pink Girl With the Blues", marked Curve's official return, followed by the EP Chinese Burn. In 1997, the band released their fourth studio album Come Clean. Curve also contributed the track "Nowhere" to Greg Araki's movie of the same name. Halliday married producer Alan Moulder.
In 2001, the band released on the internet the compilation Open Day at the Hate Fest. This album contained music recorded by Curve since their reformation in 1996. In the same year, the band released the critically acclaimed album Gift. The single "Hell Above Water" has gained the highest public profile as a result of its use in trailers for the 2002 film Spider-Man and the 2008 film Iron Man.
Their final album was 2002's The New Adventures of Curve, released only over the internet. In 2004 The Way of Curve, a best-of compilation was released, featuring their most popular songs and singles, as well as rare B-sides and fan favorites. Halliday announced on their official web site in early 2005 that the group split again.
After the split, Toni Halliday started a solo project entitled Chatelaine and released the album Take a Line For a Walk in 2010.
Dean Garcia founded SPC ECO in 2007 with his daughter Rose Berlin on lead vocals, and guitarist Joey Levenson; and welcomed the addition of guitarist Perry Pelonero in 2011. Garcia is also currently a member of the bands The Black Holes (with Jo Neale; 2007-present), The Chronologic (2006-present), Inkraktare (with Mark Wallbridge aka Vasko The Pig; 2009-present), The Secret Meeting (with kaRIN and Statik of Collide; 2007-present), KGC (with Sascha Konietzko and Lucia Cifarelli of KMFDM; 2006-present) and Morpheme (with Perry Pelonero and Kim Welsh of Bliss.City.East, Skylight and Clenched Fist; 2010-present).
In 2011, SPC ECO released the Big Fat World EP; and the album You Tell Me which includes a track titled Let It Out -- an updated version of Curve's Something Familiar from the album Come Clean. Morpheme released their debut single INFECTION // SINGLE and the RED DOG EP; and Garcia released a solo album entitled How Do You Feel ?, with special guests Mark Wallbridge, Todd Astromass and Jeff Beck.
Official sites:
http://curve.co.uk
http://curve.bandcamp.com
http://on.fb.me/CurveOfficialManagedByDean
2. Starting in the early 2000's, Japanese curve was a two piece for much of their existence, only gaining a third member with their most recent album. They've also had quite a bit of exposure throughout the world, touring through Malysia/Singapore and appearing on a split in the USA.
Official Site
http://www.curve-official.com/
Sandpit
Curve Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Last on these highways, existing to go
Swallowed my pride, gutted me from the inside
Left me in this pool of doubt
Now I don't think I can get out
But you can laugh, you can laugh, you can laugh
'Cause you think that you're better than me
Why do we harmonize then revolutionize our crimes
Down in this sandpit of misbegotten youth
We can show them the songs, the one truth
But you can laugh, you can laugh, you can laugh
'Cause you think that you're better than
You think that you're better than everyone
I'm just trying to do the right thing
I'm just trying to do the right thing
The right thing
Escape to my eyes [Repeat x 5]
The song "Sandpit" by Curve is a contemplation on the human condition and the struggle to find meaning in life. The opening lines ask if we are born as savages with no hope and if our existence is only to travel down endless highways. The singer's pride has been taken away, leaving him in a cycle of doubt and unable to escape. The chorus sarcastically acknowledges that people who think they are "better" than others and can laugh at their misfortunes.
The second verse asks why humanity creates harmony before revolting and committing crimes. The reference to a "sandpit of misbegotten youth" is a metaphor for a society that has lost its way. The last line of the verse speaks of the power of music to convey a message or truth to a generation.
The refrain, "I'm just trying to do the right thing," speaks to the human desire to live a meaningful life and make the world a better place. The repetition of "escape to my eyes" emphasizes the overarching theme of feeling trapped in a senseless existence.
In summary, "Sandpit" by Curve is a complex and layered song that delves into the human psyche and poses challenging questions about our purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
Are we savages, born without hope
Do we have barbaric tendencies and no aspirations right from birth
Last on these highways, existing to go
Feeling insignificant, only here to move from one place to another
Swallowed my pride, gutted me from the inside
Giving up ego but feeling empty inside
Left me in this pool of doubt
Feeling stuck in uncertainty
Now I don't think I can get out
Feeling trapped and helpless
But you can laugh, you can laugh, you can laugh
Others may find it amusing to see me struggle
'Cause you think that you're better than me
Believing that others see themselves as superior to me
If we are the instigators, of our times
Considering that we are the ones who initiate events that shape our era
Why do we harmonize then revolutionize our crimes
Questioning why we conspire first and then act in defiance
Down in this sandpit of misbegotten youth
Referring to a place where misguided youngsters gather
We can show them the songs, the one truth
We can expose them to our beliefs and values
But you can laugh, you can laugh, you can laugh
Though people ridicule us for our efforts
'Cause you think that you're better than
Since others consider themselves superior to us
You think that you're better than everyone
People believe that they are better than everyone else
I'm just trying to do the right thing
Expressing the desire to act responsibly
Escape to my eyes [Repeat x 5]
Crying out for a chance to break free and find refuge from this situation
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DEAN GARCIA, TONY HALLIDAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The Willoughbian
Listening to this and looking back, I can see how ahead of the times this band was. Glad I got to see them live.
Peter Enola
'Cherry', 'Today is not the day', 'Unreadable communication' and this one. Best of Curve. And 'Horror head' of course!
psangoesdown
we need more curve
mayanna
@Zoltan Peter took the words out of my mouth. waking up again and all the voices.
Zoltan Peter
psangoesdown listen to spc-eco they are basically Curve 2.0
dj bigdirty
Thanks for the upload. One of the most underrated bands.
Daniel Delayne
Such a beautifully alien landscape of a song
Alexey Usachov
can a song be more beautiful than this ?
sunflowereye
Saw Curve @ The Masquerade for the Chinese Burn Tour in '98. They definitely didn't play this song. Wish they had though. :[ I have the set list from the soundboard. Only Doppleganger track was 'Horror Head.' They did open w/ "On the Wheel" and played "Unreadable Communication," "Turkey Crossing," "Ten Little Girls" & "Die Like A Dog" as encores. :]
Tresin Forest
They actually played'' on a wheel'' wow I watched them in California sanfran slims I believe the last time they toured in America they did not play on a wheel then damnit