Eyeless in Gaza is a post-punk/new wave musical duo of Martyn Bates and Pet… Read Full Bio ↴Eyeless in Gaza is a post-punk/new wave musical duo of Martyn Bates and Peter Becker, based in Nuneaton, United Kingdom. They have described their music as "veer[ing] crazily from filmic ambiance to rock and pop, industrial funk to avant-folk styles." Formed in 1980, the group went into hiatus in 1987 as Martyn Bates pursued a number of solo projects and collaborations, re-emerging in 1993.

Becker, a laboratory technician, had played in a covers band before buying and experimenting with a Wasp synthesizer (he released a solo cassette-album in June 1980 and a second a year later). Bates, a hospital worker, had previously been a member of Reluctant Stereotypes, and released a cassette of experimental electronic music in January 1980. Shortly afterwards they met and together they formed Eyeless in Gaza, both contributing vocals and several instruments. The band name is a reference to the novel Eyeless in Gaza by Aldous Huxley. Bates has said he chose the name "for the sound of it... I was reading the Huxley book when I met Pete... It sounded perfectly nice." But Bates has also acknowledged an allusion to the "biblical myth" of Samson, saying, "I feel attracted by religion. I feel that people don't pay enough attention to the spiritual side of their life; it is a very interesting side of the human psychism and it fascinates me."

After a self-released single, they signed to Cherry Red Records, releasing debut album Photographs as Memories in February 1981. After three further albums for Cherry Red and an album for Norwegian label Uniton, they added Aztec Camera drummer Dave Ruffy for single Welcome Now (1985), recruiting former Sinatras/In Embrace drummer Joby Palmer for the next album, Back from the Rains.

The group then went on hiatus after Becker married and relocated to Spain, with Bates concentrating on solo work. They reunited in 1990 to collaborate with Anne Clark on her album The Law Is an Anagram of Wealth. In 1991 Bates formed Hungry I with former Primitives drummer Steve Dullahan.

They returned in 1993 with singer Elizabeth S for the Fabulous Library album and continued as a duo since. Bates also recorded between 1994 and 1998 with M.J. Harris (Napalm Death/Scorn) under the name Drift, and in the early 2000s with keyboardist Alan Trench in Twelve Thousand Days. He has also continued to release solo material. In 2012, Martyn Bates and Peter Becker appeared on Right North, the eleventh album, a double digipack, of the international collective 48 Cameras.

http://www.eyelessingaza.com

Evening Music
Eyeless in Gaza Lyrics

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oh, and I feel for you
here, near you
so beautiful lazy
driving you crazy way home.

Evening is where you appear
oh, you'll shake
and amaze me

knowing your attitudes all wrong.

and I'm frightened to follow our fear,
for fear we'll fall...

So like a lie
that something
that you are never telling
so like a lie
a stab in the back
oh, I know you well,
you're never still
the evening music
that you make.

oh, and I feel for you,

here near you,
knowing you attitudes all wrong.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song Evening Music by Eyeless In Gaza describe an intimate moment between two people, where one person feels a strong connection to the other, but is also afraid to follow their feelings. The opening lines "oh, and I feel for you, here, near you, so beautiful lazy, driving you crazy way home" suggest that the singer is quite taken with the other person, perhaps even in love with them. The phrase "beautiful lazy" indicates a sense of comfort and ease, as if the other person is someone the singer feels completely at home with. However, the line "driving you crazy way home" also suggests that there may be some tension or conflict between them.

The next lines "evening is where you appear, oh, you'll shake and amaze me, knowing your attitudes all wrong" suggest that the other person may be unpredictable or even volatile in some way. The singer knows them well enough to expect this behavior, but is still for some reason drawn to them. The line "and I'm frightened to follow our fear, for fear we'll fall" suggests that the singer is hesitant to take their relationship to the next level, perhaps because they fear that it will end badly.

The repeated phrase "so like a lie" suggests that there may be some deception or unspoken feelings between them. The singer seems to know the other person well, but also acknowledges that there are parts of them that are hidden or withheld. The final line "the evening music that you make" implies that this moment is like a beautiful, fleeting song, something that is perfect in its imperfection but cannot last forever.

Line by Line Meaning

oh, and I feel for you
I empathize with you

here, near you
I am physically close to you at this moment

so beautiful lazy
You have a laziness that is attractive

driving you crazy way home.
Your behavior on the way home is driving someone crazy

Evening is where you appear
You are only seen in the evening

oh, you'll shake
You will cause me to feel emotional and uncertain

and amaze me
And simultaneously impress me

knowing your attitudes all wrong.
Knowing that your beliefs and opinions are misguided

and I'm frightened to follow our fear,
I am scared to follow the anxiety we have about something

for fear we'll fall...
Because I am scared that we will fail or suffer

So like a lie
So similar to a falsehood