Talbot began playing solo, but from 1999 Gravenhurst toured extensively as a band. Gravenhurst's first full-band line up featured Dave Collingwood on drums, who also plays with Azalea City Penis Club, and bassist Paul Nash. Nash soon left to concentrate on his own musical project North Sea Navigator, and was replaced by Huw Cooksley. Later, Robin Allender, and Alex Wilkins joined on bass and guitar respectively.
Talbot initially played all of the instruments on the recordings; Dave Collingwood took on the increasingly complex drum parts on 'Fires in Distant Buildings', and again on 'The Western Lands' (2007). Collingwood played in the live band from 2000, and left in 2008.
Talbot collaborated with Guy Bartell in Bronnt Industries Kapital. He kept a blog, The Police Diver's Notebook and edited an adult web comic, Ultraskull.
His death was announced on the 4th of December 2014.
See My Friends
Gravenhurst Lyrics
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See my friends
Layin' 'cross the river
See my friends
See my friends
Layin' 'cross the river
She is gone and now there's no one left
except my friends
Layin' 'cross the river
She just went
She just went
Went across the river
Now she's gone
Now she's gone
Wish that I'd gone with her
She is gone
She is gone and now there's no one left
except my friends
Layin' 'cross the river
She is gone and now there's no one else to take her place
She is gone and now there's no one else to love
except my friends
Layin' 'cross the river
See my friends
See my friends
Layin' 'cross the river
See my friends
See my friends
Layin' 'cross the river
Gravenhurst's song "See My Friends" tells the story of a man who has lost his beloved partner. The repetition of "see my friends" and "layin' 'cross the river" creates a haunting, melancholic tone that captures the sense of loss and loneliness that the singer is experiencing. The lyrics suggest that the man's friends are the only ones left to console him in the wake of his girlfriend's death, and that their presence serves as a reminder of the fragility of life and the inevitability of death.
The opening lines of the song, "see my friends, see my friends, layin' 'cross the river," set the scene for a funeral or wake, where the man is surrounded by his friends as they pay their respects to the departed. The repetition of "she is gone" only adds to the sense of finality and loss, as the man comes to terms with the fact that his partner is truly gone. The line "wish that I'd gone with her" suggests a sense of regret and guilt, as if the man feels that he should have died with his girlfriend, rather than facing life without her.
Overall, "See My Friends" is a poignant song that explores themes of grief, loss, and the importance of community in times of emotional upheaval. The lyrics are minimalist and straightforward, allowing the haunting melody and atmospheric instrumentation to carry the emotional weight of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
See my friends
I am looking at my friends
See my friends
I am looking at my friends
Layin' 'cross the river
My friends have passed away and are buried on the other side of the river
She is gone
The woman I loved has passed away
She is gone and now there's no one left
except my friends
Layin' 'cross the river
With the woman I loved gone, my friends who have passed away are the only ones left
She just went
The woman I loved just passed away
Went across the river
She has passed away and is now buried on the other side of the river
Now she's gone
The woman I loved has passed away
Wish that I'd gone with her
I wish I had passed away with her
She is gone and now there's no one else to take her place
There is no one who can replace the woman I loved
She is gone and now there's no one else to love
except my friends
Layin' 'cross the river
With the woman I loved gone, my friends who have passed away are the only ones left that I love
See my friends
I am looking at my friends
See my friends
I am looking at my friends
Layin' 'cross the river
My friends have passed away and are buried on the other side of the river
Contributed by Maria B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.