Teenage schoolmates Loz Hardy and Myles Howell formed the group during their year off after school. They placed an advertisement for a drummer, and eventually recruited the significantly older John Andrew. Andrew was an ex-travelling puppeteer. The band began playing and touring, before making their recording debut with The Celebrated Working Man EP. After this they signed up to Chrysalis Records and released a second EP, entitled Idiots at the Wheel in January 1992. They were also immediately courted by the music press, and they invented a niche category for the band, which they dubbed "New Cool Rock".
With a fan following building up, and lyrical austerity in their melodic music, they were tipped by some as the "next big thing". Their debut album, Eat Yourself Whole was well received, and spent three weeks in the UK Album Chart, reaching a high of number twenty-nine in October 1991. In addition, the single release of the album's title track, "Eat Yourself Whole", reached the U.K. Top Twenty.
They then landed an American record deal with Chrysalis. Kingmaker's second album, Sleepwalking was released in 1993, to general acclaim. Hardy's songwriting prowess seemed to have grown in inverse proportion to their stature. Certainly the songs on Sleepwalking, primarily located in Hardy's bitter world, far surpassed anything on the debut album, and outshone the early singles that had won them most attention. The album starts off with "Playground Brutality", a sad, emotional song about bullying in schools. This sets the tone for the songs to follow, which cover a broad range of subjects such as death, anarchy and injustice.
However, despite their promising debut, the band rapidly fell out of favour. Paul Heaton of local stars The Beautiful South heavily criticised them as being middle class pretenders, and the rot set in thereafter.
Their final album, In the Best Possible Taste emerged in 1995, within one month of the death of the disc jockey Kenny Everett, who had popularised the phrase. Whilst tracks such as "One False Move" revealed a subtle shift towards urban rockabilly, the band called it quits after touring later the same year.
2. Kingmaker is a 5 piece hardcore band from Lake County IL. With members ranging from 17 to 19, it’s hard to believe that such a pissed off heavy sound could come out of some teenagers. Debuting their 6 song EP “Catacomb” recorded in guitarist Andy Eclov’s basement, the band not only shows that it’s possible for the youth of modern times to go against the grain of cookie cutter bullshit bands the suburbs spawns, but that hardcore is still alive and well today. Being the first EP any of them has recorded, there is still much room for improvement, but having only been a band for 2 months and putting out music of this quality speaks for itself. My favorite thing about this band thus far is the fact that they can put out music that makes you want to kill the person next to you, but they do it with a smile on their faces because they integrate what most bands fail to into the music, having fun. Get ready for Kingmaker kiddies, these boys are out for blood. - grizzly
Playground Brutality
Kingmaker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was the best environmental news
We've had in years
'round here
Everything looks vulgar... sometimes
I'll write THAT out
A hundred times
I wonder why
Unhappy hour
Begins at twelve
And my punishment doesn't just stop
With the final bell
Is anybody there?
Is anybody out there?
Is anybody there?
Is anybody out there?
Is anybody there?
Does anybody care?
Is anybody there?
Nobody in the whole world seems to care
The lyrics to Kingmaker's "Playground Brutality" have a somewhat cryptic and abstract quality to them, but upon closer examination, they seem to be commenting on the state of society and the environment. The line "The falling of your tears was the best environmental news we've had in years" suggests that there is a deep sense of apathy towards environmental issues, and that it often takes a personal tragedy to awaken people's sense of empathy and concern.
The following lines, "Everything looks vulgar... sometimes, I'll write THAT out a hundred times, coughing up the chalk dust, I wonder why" seem to be a commentary on the way in which society - or perhaps the educational system - fails to inspire creativity and independent thinking. The reference to "coughing up the chalk dust" suggests a sense of frustration and disillusionment with the process of learning, and the repetition of the phrase "I wonder why" perhaps suggests a sense of confusion and anger at the state of things.
Line by Line Meaning
The falling of your tears
The expression of your sadness and pain is refreshing and hopeful because it means there is still some emotion and caring left in this dreary world.
Was the best environmental news
Your tears are so rare and positive that they bring a much needed natural balance and life to the otherwise polluted and sterile emotional environment around here.
We've had in years
It has been so long since we have experienced the purity of true emotions that your tears come as a relief and a reminder of what we have been lacking for so long.
'round here
In this bleak and grey place where everything and everyone seems to be devoid of any color and joy.
Everything looks vulgar... sometimes
The world around us often appears crude, ordinary, and devoid of any beauty or meaning, but it is only sometimes as we can still find those rare and precious moments of true significance and value.
I'll write THAT out
I will take the time and effort to express my thoughts and feelings in a clear and precise way so that they are not lost or distorted by the chaos and noise around us.
A hundred times
I will repeat this process again and again until I have found the right words and the right way to convey my message with clarity and impact.
Coughing up the chalk dust
Struggling to express myself and communicate my ideas in a world that is dominated by stale and static language that suffocates creativity and originality.
I wonder why
I am constantly questioning and reflecting on the reasons why the world is the way it is, and why it seems so difficult to change and improve it in any meaningful way.
Unhappy hour
The time of day when my mood and outlook on life take a nosedive and I become overwhelmed by a sense of despair, isolation, and hopelessness.
Begins at twelve
This emotional downturn starts at noon, when the realities and pressures of life start to weigh down on me and my spirits start to sink.
And my punishment doesn't just stop
This negative emotional state is not something that can be easily controlled or mitigated, but rather it persists and becomes a form of self-punishment that amplifies my negative thoughts and feelings.
With the final bell
Even when the school day is over and I am supposed to be free from the stresses and obligations of academic life, my negative emotions continue to linger and affect me long after the bell has rung.
Is anybody there?
I am reaching out to anyone who might be listening or paying attention to my struggles, hoping that there is still some sense of empathy and solidarity in this world of cold detachment and indifference.
Is anybody out there?
I am searching for any signs of life or hope in this desolate and empty landscape, hoping that there is still some potential for positive change and transformation, no matter how small or fleeting.
Does anybody care?
I am questioning the fundamental worth and meaning of my existence, wondering if there is anyone out there who truly sees me and understands my pain, or if I am truly alone in this world.
Nobody in the whole world seems to care
Despite my best efforts and hopes, I am left with the crushing realization that there truly is no one in this world who cares about me or my struggles, and that I must find a way to cope and survive on my own.
Contributed by Emma H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.