During the eigthies they operated in changing line-ups with Chandler and Dawkins the only permanent members of the band. In 1984 they released their first demo tape, titled Baboon Enquiries. From 1987 untill their spilt in 1989 they were produced by Steve Rothery of Marillion. During that period the band had a formal line-up of Chandler, Dawkins, Pete Salmon on keyboards and Mark Law on drums. After another three demo tapes in 1987 and 1988, the band released an eight-track vynil self-titled record in 1989, mainly comprised of the previously released demos, as well as a video of their concert shot in the Marquee. After the split Salmon and Law started the band Ultraworld.
In June 1990 Chandler reformed the band with Steve Christley on drums, Nick May (ex Dagaband and Tamarisk) on bass and his friend Martin Orford (of IQ) on keyboard and backing vocals. In 1992 Jadis finally released their "first" real album, More Than Meets the Eye. During the recording proccess of the album May was replaced by IQ bass player John Jowitt (ex Ark). Gary Chandler wrote most of the music and lyrics, but the whole group in general is given song-writing credit.
In the mid-nineties, Orford and Jowitt left the band and were replaced by Mike Torr on keyboards and Steve Hunt on bass, but when Torr missed a gig, since it took place without his knowledge, and Hunt wasn't able to stick to the strict rules of Chandler of staying sober during gigs and not taking drugs, they were both replaced by the returning Orford and Jowitt.
Shortly after completing their album Photoplay in 2006 Orford left the band for a second time due to musical differences. Shortly after he quit IQ as well to spend all his time on the record label Giant Electric Pea, creating his own music. He has now left the music business altogether having released two 'solo' albums - these actually featured guest musicians from IQ and Jadis, as well as John Wetton on vocals.
He was replaced by Giulio Risi, who is not a full member but joins the band on a session basis. John Jowitt also left Jadis and was replaced by Andy Marlow. Live the band is accompanied by Steve Thorne on guitar and vocals.
Discography:
1984 - Baboon Enquiries (cassette)
1987 - Out Of Reach / G13 (cassette DEM1)
1988 - Don't Keep Me Waiting / In The Dark (cassette DEM2)
1988 - Live (cassette DEM3)
1989 - Jadis (lp, Back Beat 004/12)
1989 - Live At The Marquee 18-02-1989 (video)
1992 - More Than Meets The Eye (cd)
1993 - Once Upon A Time (cd ep)
1994 - Across The Water (cd)
1996 - Once Or Twice (cd ep)
1997 - Somersault (cd)
1998 - As Daylight Fades (cd)
2000 - Understand (cd)
2001 - Alive Outside (cd)
2003 - Fanatic (cd)
2003 - View From Above (dvd)
2004 - Medium Rare (cd)
2005 - More Than Meets The Eye (cd remastered with bonus cd)
2006 - Photoplay (cd)
2012 - See Right Through You
2016 - No Fear of Looking Down
Sleepwalk
Jadis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I glide through these walls
Make this dream my life
You won't see me fall
But if only they could know that
My heart could beat again
And if only they would believe
All that I explain
A broken heart is a token heart
I will always find my way home
But when will you return
Screams from the hillside
Will frighten your life away
Will you ever be old
Floating down rivers
Or lying on the shore
When the sun is here
I daydream more and more
My heart lies broken
Can anything stop the pain
I could never be told
The same is so of my childhood days
Hearing the laughter in a daydream haze
In Jadis's song Sleepwalk, the singer talks about being lost in a dream world as a way of escaping from the pains and challenges of reality. The lyrics suggest a sense of disconnection with the world, as the singer describes gliding through walls and wanting to make her dream world come to life. The line "if only they could know that my heart could beat again" suggests that the singer feels misunderstood and unappreciated by those around her. She longs for someone to believe her and understand her struggles.
The chorus of the song provides a powerful affirmation of the singer's resilience and determination to keep going despite her broken heart. She declares that she will always find her way home, even though she doesn't know when the person she's waiting for will return. The second verse continues the theme of daydreaming and longing for escape, as the singer imagines floating down rivers and lying on the shore. However, there is also a sense of sadness and longing for something that cannot be regained, as the singer talks about the pain of a broken heart and the memories of childhood days filled with laughter.
Overall, Jadis's song Sleepwalk is a poignant and introspective reflection on the challenges of life and the need to find ways to cope and heal.
Line by Line Meaning
I walk in close my eyes
I shut my eyes and move forward without sight
I glide through these walls
I pass through physical barriers as if they don't exist
Make this dream my life
I desire to live in a constant dream-like state
You won't see me fall
I am confident in myself and my abilities to succeed without faltering
But if only they could know that
I wish others understood the true depth of my feelings
My heart could beat again
I long to feel alive and passionate once more
And if only they would believe
I hope that my words and intentions are taken seriously by others
All that I explain
I have a desire to communicate openly and honestly with others about my experiences and feelings
I'm true to my word
I am reliable and honest in my dealings with others
A broken heart is a token heart
The pain of a broken heart serves as a reminder of what it truly means to love someone
I will always find my way home
No matter what happens, I will always have a place of comfort and belonging to return to
But when will you return
I wonder when or if someone I care about will come back into my life
Screams from the hillside
The sound of terror and despair echoes across the landscape
Will frighten your life away
The fear and panic in these screams can consume and overwhelm anyone who hears them
Will you ever be old
Is there a chance that I will live to see myself grow old and experience life's many changes?
Floating down rivers
Drifting aimlessly, without direction or purpose
Or lying on the shore
Resting and contemplating while viewing life from a distance
When the sun is here
In moments of happiness and warmth, life seems full of possibilities
I daydream more and more
In those moments, I escape into a world of my own creation and imagination
My heart lies broken
The pain of losing someone I loved has left a deep, undeniable ache inside me
Can anything stop the pain
Despite my best efforts, I cannot shake the overwhelming grief I feel
I could never be told
I refuse to accept that anyone else could fully understand what I'm going through
The same is so of my childhood days
Even as a child, I was fiercely independent and reluctant to open up to others
Hearing the laughter in a daydream haze
In my mind, I can still recall moments of pure joy and happiness, but they feel distant and unattainable
Contributed by Blake B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.