Over the course of their career, the band has released five studio albums - "Love is Hell" (1989), "Strange Free World" (1991), "The Death of Cool" (1992), "Cowboys and Aliens" (1994), and "Folly" (2013).
Dan Goodwin (drums) met Julian Swales (guitar) at college in 1980, and Swales met Patrick Fitzgerald (vocals/bass guitar) at a party in 1985.The trio began rehearsing together that same year, taking their name from a company of the same name that specialised in home decor and kitchen and plumbing fixtures after Swales spotted one of their advertisements on the side of a bus while riding his bike. The Kitchens' first single, "The Last Gasp Death Shuffle" (which featured Swales on lead vocals and bass, as well as guitar) was recorded in just one day on an eight-track in a Kennington basement, and was released in December 1987 on the band's own Gold Rush Records. It was named a single of the week in the NME, and led to the band signing with the British indie label One Little Indian Records; it was around this time that Fitzgerald, a medical doctor, put his career on hold to devote himself fully to the band. Their first singles for One Little Indian, 1988's "Prize" and 1989's "The 3rd Time We Opened the Capsule", made it onto the "NME Writers' 100 Best Indie Singles Ever" list, published 25 July 1992.
Their first full-length album, Love Is Hell, was released in April 1989. Fitzgerald's impassioned, wordy, often bluntly personal vocals careened over what sounded like a mass of swirling guitars, though the band only had one guitarist. Swales' chiming, effects-laden style of playing drew him comparisons to the guitarists of The Chameleons, Cocteau Twins, and A.R. Kane. KOD's melodic yet abstract sound was a precursor to the shoegazing scene of the late 1980s/early 1990s.
Despite the promising start, the band faced a subdued reception from the mainstream music industry, generally due to their lyrical content. For instance, "Margaret's Injection", on the 1989 Elephantine EP, was a fantasy about killing then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Also, Fitzgerald was openly gay, and his lyrics were unapologetic, especially on tracks like "Prize" and "Within the Daze of Passion". Even the more indie-focused television programs like Snub TV and Rapido failed to give them much coverage, although Snub TV played the video for their 1991 single "Drive That Fast". Likewise, they were not offered a John Peel radio session, although they eventually did get one after asking Peel personally, following a Glastonbury performance which he appreciated.
Kitchens of Distinction sometimes performed "secret" gigs under the alter ego Toilets of Destruction.[2][6] An example was at The Bull & Gate in Kentish Town on 6 August 1990, where the band appeared in drag and played ABBA, David Bowie, and Bauhaus covers.
In 1990, they signed with A&M Records in the US, and went into the studio with producer Hugh Jones (Simple Minds, Echo & the Bunnymen, The Undertones). Their second album, Strange Free World, was released in February 1991, and spawned some moderately successful singles in "Drive That Fast" and "Quick as Rainbows", both of which were very well received by college radio in the US. The band went back into the studio in 1992, again with Jones at the helm, and their third album The Death of Cool came out in August that year; it was named in honour of the passing of Miles Davis, who had released an influential album titled The Birth of the Cool in 1950. A&M balked at the band's choice of "Breathing Fear" for the first single, due to its touchy subject matter (gay bashing), so "Smiling" became the album's initial single in the US. The band toured extensively, including a high-profile slot opening for their US labelmate Suzanne Vega, whose album 99.9F° came out within a few weeks of theirs.
Later in 1993, KOD began work on their fourth album, co-producing it themselves with engineer Pete Bartlett. One Little Indian rejected the album twice, and eventually, both label and band agreed to bring in up-and-coming producer Pascal Gabriel to work on a couple of tracks. One of the label's complaints about the album as the band originally submitted it was that they felt it lacked a potential hit single, so Gabriel produced a new song ("Come on Now") that the band had written after the rest of the album had already been recorded; Gabriel also remixed two of the album's other tracks (the opener "Sand on Fire" and first single "Now It's Time to Say Goodbye"). The resulting album, Cowboys and Aliens, was released in the UK in October 1994, and although the band admitted that they enjoyed working with Gabriel, the changes did nothing to help the album's dismal sales. When the album saw its US release in early 1995, it was largely ignored by the same alternative rock radio and media that had championed them just a few years before. By the end of 1995, both A&M and OLI had dropped the band.
Shortening their name to Kitchens O.D. and signing to the London-based indie label Fierce Panda Records, they issued a single, "Feel My Genie" in May 1996, which was named "Single of the Week" by Melody Maker, but they officially disbanded that summer after a farewell gig at London's Kings Cross.
In September 2012, Fitzgerald announced that he and Swales had recorded and were in the process of editing ten new songs. The reunited trio of Fitzgerald, Swales, and Goodwin released their fifth studio album Folly, their first new album in 19 years, on 30 September 2013
Elephantine
Kitchens of Distinction Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yesterday a wide-eyed stabbing,
Tonight a crowbar fight, desperate fight,
A desperate fight.
Sleeping alone and drugged, frightened, fat and wet.
I swear I'm chasing sanity,
Lost easy laughter and forgetting.
(Chorus)
I'm going south
To feed the animals.
I'm going south
Elephantine.
Elephant in drought-struck shock is trumpeting her grief,
Stays with her dying baby, trunk-stroking, dry and pursued,
She dies too.
How can I justify wailing at these walls?
Every great nation ends up deserving war.
The lyrics of Kitchens of Distinction's song Elephantine paint a vivid picture of urban despair and the turmoil of the mind. The verses describe a city night filled with violence and desperation, with the singer feeling lost and isolated. The first part of the first verse, "Sharpen your stunted tusks in this city night", can be interpreted as a call to arms or a metaphor for feeling underprepared and vulnerable in a dangerous situation. The reference to a "wide-eyed stabbing" in the previous night suggests that the singer has been a victim of violence before.
The second verse continues with the theme of inner turmoil, describing the singer as "Sleeping alone and drugged, frightened, fat and wet". The use of these specific adjectives seems to convey a sense of helplessness and self-loathing. The singer then laments the loss of their sanity and their ability to laugh easily and forget their troubles.
The chorus, "I'm going south, To feed the animals, I'm going south, Elephantine", is enigmatic and could be interpreted in different ways. It suggests a journey towards a place or a state of mind where one can find solace or redemption. The reference to Elephantine, the island on the Nile river where Egyptians used to worship the god Khnum represented with a ram's head and take care of elephants, adds a layer of symbolism to the lyrics.
The final verse shifts to a more global perspective, criticizing the idea of national greatness that leads to war and suffering. The reference to an elephant grieving for her dying baby and then dying too is a poignant metaphor for the futility of violence and the loss of innocence.
Overall, Elephantine is a powerful and evocative song that conveys a sense of alienation and disenchantment with the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Sharpen your stunted tusks in this city night.
Prepare yourself for the harshness and difficulties of urban life.
Yesterday a wide-eyed stabbing,
A violent and traumatic event occured recently.
Tonight a crowbar fight, desperate fight,
Current situation involves a fight, and that fight is intense and desperate.
A desperate fight.
The current fight is driven by desperation.
Sleeping alone and drugged, frightened, fat and wet.
Feeling isolated, scared, sick, and vulnerable.
I swear I'm chasing sanity,
Trying to regain a sense of mental stability and clarity.
Lost easy laughter and forgetting.
Unable to enjoy the simpler things in life and struggling to forget past traumas.
I'm going south
Heading in a new direction.
To feed the animals.
To provide for and care for others.
Elephantine.
Referring to the image of an elephant - a symbol of strength, but also of sadness and loss.
Elephant in drought-struck shock is trumpeting her grief,
An elephant is mourning the loss of her child during a time of great hardship and drought.
Stays with her dying baby, trunk-stroking, dry and pursued,
The elephant stays with her dying child, comforting it even during a time of great difficulty and personal danger.
She dies too.
The elephant eventually succumbs to the same environment which killed her child.
How can I justify wailing at these walls?
How can I complain about minor issues when there is so much suffering and tragedy in the world?
Every great nation ends up deserving war.
Large and powerful nations often must resort to war to maintain their position of influence and to secure resources.
Contributed by Elena R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
The Octopus Ride
Such a good song, real shame that it’s not up on spotify.
eamonius
what a debut single. if there's justice in this world then this criminally underappreciated band will get their recognition with the reissue of their back catalog
John Chatwin
Great tune from hugely underrated dream-poppers.
phoneyphoneful
Remember seeing this for 1st time in one of those Beechwood VHS tapes, Indie top 20 pt. XX. In the pre-internet era, looking for this record where i live literally took years. Still have a CD copy of the Elephantine EP. Fantastic band.
Jez Francis
Same here mate musta been around 89’
Nicholas Romig
I have it on the Love is Hell CD, this is my favourite KoD track, so good.
JJ skyflyer
AWESOME, thanks for sharing. can't wait to check out new album. hope they don't get all "mature" and lose the effects. julian swales is a master guitarist, him, robin guthrie, the guitarists from secret shine, lush and chapterhouse had it DOWN.
XxXchinatigerXxX
Echoing all your thoughts guys! Is there really gonna be a new album? Am currently giving 'On Tooting Broadway Station' a thorough going over as the Kitchens are one of my personal faves! I'd love to hear new material. Julian is right up there with Robin and the rest (Although I do feel that Miki Berenyi and Emma Anderson need a mention here!) Ya know what I could just go on and on, Slowdive, My Bloody Valentine, Oh Goddess! Stop the madness!!! I love it, suffice to say.
Ian Andrew
The most brilliant band .KITCHENS OF DISTINCTION....Embrace them
Moon Child
Too underrated, amazing guitar