Before forming the band in December 2005, Alexei played in an act called Panda Love Unit. Kelly, who joined Johnny Foreigner some time later, had previously played with Twist and Baxxter, playing drums for the latter.
Panda Love Unit formed in Winter 2001 and split in Summer 2004. The band featured Alexei alongside Alan Wilson, Susan Ennis & Liz Hamblin. They released a 4 track EP, “fireworks to stick us…together” on Awkward Records.While Liz Hamblin was travelling in 2003, Kelly Southern replaced her on bass for a series of gigs where Panda Love Unit called themselves Superhangon2.
Kelly had previously replaced Twist’s bassist Lisa Lavery in 2001 after the release of Twist’s debut album, Magenta. The band featured vocalist Emma Fox, Vanessa White and Leanne Taylor. Upon her joining the band Emma said of Kelly, “She looks like, smells like, plays like and swears like us…she’s well in!” Soon after Twist released the EP “14,” and then signed a six-song deal with Bug/Library Publishing. Prior to joining Twist, Kelly played drums in another act called Baxxter.
The “prototype” Johnny Foreigner formed as “a country band with pretensions” (according to Alexei) with Kelly’s predecessor Daniel Boyle on bass in December 2005. Boyle left Johnny Foreigner to attend university, and now plays in London-based band Gentle Friendly. Prior to his leaving the original Johnny Foreigner line-up released We Left You Sleeping And Gone Now, a self-produced, 11-track album recorded in 2005 in a hand-made edition of 40 copies. Liz [possibly Hamblin], Rob [surname unknown] and Seb [Lenton] (of Distophia) are also credited on the album.
Johnny Foreigner’s first single, “Sometimes In The Bullring” b/w “Camp Kelly Calm”, was released by Laundrette Recording Company in October 2006; 300 copies were made and sold out in two months. A second single, released May 21, 2007, was a split with fellow Birmingham act Sunset Cinema Club. Johnny Foreigner’s side of the vinyl featured the track “Yes! You Talk Too Fast” as well as a cover of Sunset Cinema Club’s “Ninki vs Dingle.” For its side, Sunset Cinema Club covered Johnny Foreigner’s “Candles”. This release, also issued by Laundrette Recording Company, was packaged with 3D-artwork and 3D-glasses. In addition to the commercially available releases, Johnny Foreigner packaged up 15 demos in July 2007 and made them available for free download under the title I Like You Mostly Late At Never.
Johnny Foreigner entered Channel 4’s battle of the bands competition “Road to V” in early 2007 to win the chance to open V Festival 2007 but lost in the final 14 to The Brightlights and Rosalita.
After signing to Best Before Records in Autumn 2007, the band issued the EP Arcs Across The City November 26. The EP was rated 10/10 by popular online music magazine Drowned In Sound. Best Before released Johnny Foreigner’s third single, “Our Bipolar Friends” b/w “The Houseparty Scene Is Killing You” on March 10 2008, which nearly sold out of its initial issue of 1,000 copies before it was even released.
The fourth single by the band, “Eyes Wide Terrified” b/w “I Heard, He Ties Up Cats” and “What Burlesque Won’t Stand”, was released 18th May 2008. This was followed by “Salt, Peppa and Spinderella”, the video for which was composed of about 70,000 still images. The clip was banned from a host of TV channels due to fears that it may trigger seizures. A 6th single, and the final from Waited Up ‘Til It Was Light, was the double A-side of “DJ’s Get Doubts/Lea Room”, released January 12, 2009. This was a digital-only issue.
On June 2, 2008, Johnny Foreigner released its debut album, Waited Up ‘Til It Was Light, on Best Before Records (distributed in America through Nettwerk). The set was recorded in Hoboken, New Jersey with Grammy award-nominated producer Machine, whose previous credits include work with notable contemporary hard rock acts such as Lamb of God as well as King Crimson. The artwork for the long-player, as with Arcs Across The City, was designed by Lewes Herriot, who has done all the band’s artwork to date. The British release featured seven interchangable covers, each depicting a Birmingham landmark. The song “Cranes and Cranes and Cranes and Cranes” references (but does not sample, as is widely written) the theme to the ’60s American sitcom, I Dream of Jeannie. A track by track guide to the LP was written for Drowned in Sound.
In March 2009 Johnny Foreigner will record their second album in Brooklyn, New York with Alex Newport, best known for producing music for Death Cab For Cutie, Rival Schools & At The Drive-In. This will be done in the 3 weeks between their European tour supporting Sky Larkin and their UK tour supporting Hundred Reasons. Just prior to their tour with Sky Larkin, the band released demos of two songs as free downloads, with Ghost The Festivals and Ohai, Sentinels being released as JohnnyForeginerIsAces. This is available to purchase on the tour, and features 3 other tracks - a previously unheard session version of Suicide Pact, Yeh?, a live version of Cranes and Cranes and Cranes and Cranes taken from New Slang, Kingston in winter 2008, and a lounge version of Sofacore from Sountrack Studios, New York City.
Balance
Johnny Foreigner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So many little shots in the dark
The same records, the same shoes and a smile that almost
Broke your heart
Yeah, I'm all for local history
3 things I'll remember
Her pasta was shit
She left with a CD still playing
You always threw your arms around me in your sleep
Ooh
See that girl?
In the left-hand corner
I said, you see that guy?
Their love story is famous
Break hard
Every breath that showed
Every step I missed
I'm bound to make it brighter
I remember that night clearer now
I turned up, why the hell are we drinking up?
Holding hands and losing touch
I said it, I said it, I said it
Now I'm walking away
The lyrics to Johnny Foreigner's song "Absolute Balance" are deep and intense. The first few lines seem to describe a kind of melancholic nostalgia for a past lover, or perhaps just past memories. The singer mentions "so many little shots in the dark," which could be interpreted as the fleeting moments of joy or regret that make up our lives. The repetition of "the same records, the same shoes" suggests a kind of routine or comfort, while the line "a smile that almost broke your heart" hints at the complexity and unpredictability of human emotion.
The second stanza of the song focuses on two unnamed individuals - a girl in the left-hand corner and a guy whose love story is famous. It's unclear who these people are or what their stories entail, but their presence seems to add to the sense of wistful longing and nostalgia that runs throughout the song. The chorus is particularly poignant, with the singer reflecting on missed chances and lost opportunities. He wants to make things brighter and better, but it's not clear whether he'll be able to do so.
All in all, "Absolute Balance" is a song that captures the fleeting, bittersweet nature of life and love. It's a melancholic meditation on the things we lose and the things we hold onto, told through evocative lyrics and powerful imagery.
Line by Line Meaning
So make of this what you will
Interpret the following lyrics however you choose
So many little shots in the dark
Many attempts were made with uncertain outcomes
The same records, the same shoes and a smile that almost Broke your heart
The subject had a predictable personality and left an emotional impact
Yeah, I'm all for local history
The artist appreciates the culture and traditions of the area
3 things I'll remember Her pasta was shit She left with a CD still playing And you
The subject is distinctive and particularly memorable compared to others encountered that day
You always threw your arms around me in your sleep
At night, the subject displayed affection to the singer even whilst asleep
See that girl? In the left-hand corner
The singer points out a girl's location for an unknown reason
I said, you see that guy? Their love story is famous
The artist notes a couple who are well-known for their relationship
Break hard Every breath that showed Every step I missed I'm bound to make it brighter
The artist will persevere through difficult times and make their future better
I remember that night clearer now I turned up, why the hell are we drinking up? Holding hands and losing touch
The artist recalls a night where they drank and held hands, but somehow ended up growing apart
I said it, I said it, I said it Now I'm walking away
The singer expressed their feelings and is choosing to leave the situation
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ALEXANDER RICHARD BERROW, JUNIOR ELVIS WASHINGTO LAIDLEY, KELLY SOUTHERN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mathew Bongat
So make of this what you will
So many little shots in the dark
The same records, the same shoes and a smile that almost
Broke your heart
Yeah, I'm all for local history
3 things I'll remember
Her pasta was shit
She left with a CD still playing
And you
You always threw your arms around me in your sleep
Ooh
See that girl?
In the left-hand corner
I said, you see that guy?
Their love story is famous
Break hard
Every breath that showed
Every step I missed
I'm bound to make it brighter
I remember that night clearer now
I turned up, why the hell are we drinking up?
Holding hands and losing touch
I said it, I said it, I said it
Now I'm walking away
Ejay Thach
It's been years since that episode & I can't stop coming back to this beautiful song. I'm so glad Shameless shared this song in that scene. Now I'm hooked into their older songs & it's nostalgic af.
Seher Khokhar
I knowww
whoops Hey
They announced they are coming back this year.
Ejay Thach
@whoops Hey !!
Alex E.
Shameless is such an incredibly moving show. It really makes me feel like I could be their family member too. Love it always ❤
alpha
im obsessed with this song im so sad they don't have it on spotify
Nope
Its on spotify now :)
alpha
@Nope thank youuu
Roy
@Nope can you send the link to the song? I'm trying to find it on Spotify but I can't find it
sami
they removed it