Alex Davies - vocals, lead guitar, keyboards, violin, stri… Read Full Bio ↴Band Members:
Alex Davies - vocals, lead guitar, keyboards, violin, strings/choral/orchestral arrangements
Ed Minton - vocals, rhythm guitar, violin
Dan Hetherton - drums, backing vocals
Ed Hetherton - bass guitar, cello
Former Band Members:
Ali Paul - keyboards
Elliot Minor are a classically influenced rock band from York, England. The group originally started off as an acoustic duo between Alex Davies and Ed Minton. The two met at Uppingham School and in 2005 , they took a gap year to focus on their music. It was during this time that Alex bumped into childhood friend Dan Hetherton and invited him to a band practice. Dan later joined as the band's drummer and his brother, Ed Hetherton, was recruited shortly after to play bass. Alex then brought in another childhood friend, Ali Paul, to join as their keyboardist. They named themselves The Academy (later changed due to legal reasons) and got to work recording songs in a recording studio called Mavehole Studios that Alex built in his home.
Collectively, the members of Elliot Minor play a wide variety of musical instruments including violin, piano, clarinet, cello, double bass, saxophone, guitar and drums. Among their influences they cite Jack's Mannequin, Green Day, Something Corporate, The Used, Muse, Queen, Anberlin, The Beach Boys, John Williams, James Horner, Tom Newman, Hans Zimmer and Simon & Garfunkel.
Their music is described as "symphonic rock" or "pop/rock with a lot of classical harmonies" and is known for being rich in minor and dissonant chords. Many of their songs are characterized by stunning vocal harmonies. Their recorded songs are rich in complex string and choral arrangements, all of which are written by Alex Davies. Unfortunately, these prove difficult to replicate live without a proper orchestra; Thus, their live shows are a stripped-down version of their songs with a more rock edge than classical. However, they have been known in the past to include Alex Davies' violin solo during "Jessica," Ed Hetherton's cello parts during "The Liar Is You" and even a rock version of Johann Sebastian Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D minor."
To date, Elliot Minor have released three studio albums. The first, Elliot Minor (2008), was supported by the singles, "Parallel Worlds," "Jessica," "The White One Is Evil" and "Still Figuring Out" -- all of which reached the top 30 in the UK charts, with the exception of "Parallel Worlds" which peaked at #31. These were followed by a re-issue of "Parallel Worlds" and the single release of "Time After Time" in early 2009.
In writing their follow up album, Solaris (2009), Alex Davies drew from the experiences and changes in his life over the years since Elliot Minor had been formed. They have described this second album as a proper album with a beginning, middle and end, as opposed to their first album which they feel was a collection of singles. With help of the singles - "Electric High," "Discover (Why The Love Hurts)" and a special version of "Solaris" which was featured in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics BBC coverage - the album reached #9 in the UK Indie chart.
The band then released a stripped down version of their second album in the form of Solaris Acoustic (2010). It was released in a CD/DVD format exclusive to their online store and accompanied by an acoustic tour in late 2010 with only Alex Davies and Ed Minton performing.
Elliot Minor are known for strong fan interaction and often post updates and video blogs to their MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube accounts. You can find a list of official links and additional information regarding the band on www.elliotminor.com.
Running Away
Elliot Minor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't joke anymore
You treat me like a friend
I'm starting to feel
You're staying for real
But you're leaving now I'm
Drowning out
The music's louder now
So you can see
Stop running away
Stop running away
Can you see
Can you see
That I've fallen too deep
Fallen too deep
Please, come back where you belong
Stop running away
Stop running away
Can you see
Can you see
That I've fallen too deep
Fallen too deep
Please, come back where you belong
Escape with a smile
It took you a while
You're bored and lost I'm sure
You said move along
And you hate all our songs
You're gone and now I'm
Drowning out
I feel I'm passing out
The music's louder now
So you can see
Stop running away
Stop running away
Can you see
Can you see
That I've fallen too deep
Fallen too deep
Please, come back where you belong
Stop running away
Stop running away
Can you see
Can you see
That I've fallen too deep
Fallen too deep
Please, come back where you belong
Drowning out
I feel I'm passing out
The music's louder now
So you can see
So you can see
Stop running away
Stop running away
Can you see
Can you see
That I've fallen too deep
Fallen too deep
Please, come back where you belong
Stop running away
Stop running away
Can you see
Can you see
That I've fallen too deep
Fallen too deep
Please, come back where you belong
The lyrics of Elliot Minor's "Running Away" depict the story of the singer who is heartbroken from a relationship that seemed to be more than just a friendship. As he's trying to decipher his feelings, he realizes that the person he's been involved with is no longer interested in him and is leaving. As a result, the singer feels lost and drowned out, seeking refuge in music, hoping that, through it, he might be able to make a connection.
Elliot Minor has masterfully captured the confusion and heartbreak of unrequited love in the song. The chorus specifically pleads to the person to stop running away and come back to where they belong. The singer is hoping that they will realize what they've left behind and see that they've hurt the singer deeply.
Overall, the song is a cry for love, a request for both recognition and healing. It is about undergoing the pain that is a result of the loss of a relationship and then holding onto hope that it may still flourish.
Line by Line Meaning
My stomach is sore
I am feeling sick and uneasy, possibly due to my emotional distress
Don't joke anymore
I am no longer finding humor in your teasing or joking around
You treat me like a friend
I have feelings for you that go beyond friendship, but perhaps you do not reciprocate those feelings or are not aware of them
I'm starting to feel
I am beginning to sense that there may be something more going on between us
You're staying for real
I feel like you might be more invested in our relationship than I originally thought
But you're leaving now I'm
However, now you are leaving and I am left feeling confused and hurt
Escape with a smile
You appeared to be happy and carefree when you left
It took you a while
It seemed like you were hesitant or unsure about leaving
You're bored and lost I'm sure
You seem to have grown tired of our relationship and are uncertain about your path forward
You said move along
You urged me to move on from our relationship and let you go
And you hate all our songs
You no longer connect with the things that we used to share, including our memories and music
You're gone and now I'm
You have left me and I am now alone and hurting
Stop running away
Please stop avoiding me and our relationship issues
Can you see
Do you understand or recognize what is happening between us?
That I've fallen too deep
I have become emotionally invested in you to a point where it is difficult to let go
Please, come back where you belong
I am asking you to return to our relationship and be with me where you once belonged
Drowning out
I am feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope with my emotions
I feel I'm passing out
I feel like I am losing control of myself and my feelings
The music's louder now
As I am losing control, the music seems to be growing louder and more intense
So you can see
I want you to understand the depth of my emotions and the pain I am experiencing
Fallen too deep
I am so deeply invested in you that it has become painful to let go
Contributed by Vivian B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.