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
Prize
Kitchens of Distinction Lyrics
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Letting the fat flow go
And we were asking and we were thinking
In the belly of a bar
It was easy almost indifferent
Until my heckles rise
What's that you're asking if I remember?
The guilt was thin then, his hair long
Brown to match his eyes
It's none of your business what his name was
Would I even get a prize?
There's been a hundred and that's not boasting
Just the ways of this world
How dare he even ask this?
These pub walls are drowning
Your glass is empty just like your heard
It's these times I don't know you
And how about you can you remember?
You shake your head and say drunk
It's a small thing why am I angry?
These words are signs of warning
Because behind them there's the implication
The pub is burning down
So do I get a prize for remembering that first time
Do I get a prize for remembering his name?
The song "Prize" by Kitchens Of Distinction is a melancholic and reflective piece about a conversation that takes place between two friends in a pub. The lyrics describe a casual chat about past relationships and conquests, but the mood quickly turns sour when one friend asks the other if they remember the name of a former lover. Initially, the singer is defensive and dismissive, refusing to indulge in the request for information. However, the more the conversation progresses, the more agitated and emotional the singer becomes. The guilt and sadness of past experiences come bubbling up to the surface, and the pub's walls seem to dissolve around him. The song's title "Prize" is ironically used to describe the male ego's need for validation and recognition, even for past sexual conquests.
One of the most distinctive features of the song is its somber and atmospheric music, which perfectly complements the introspective and melancholic themes of the lyrics. The use of jangling guitars and synths creates a haunting and eerie soundscape, blending shoegaze and dream-pop elements seamlessly. The lyrics themselves are poetic and metaphorical, creating vivid images of crumbling pub walls and burning emotions. The delivery of the vocals is raw and emotional, with the singer's voice wavering and breaking in places, adding a sense of vulnerability and honesty to the song.
Overall, "Prize" is a poignant and thought-provoking song that delves deep into the complexities of human emotions, relationships, and the need for validation. It's a reminder that even in the most casual, seemingly insignificant conversations, there can be a depth of emotion and meaning that is worth exploring.
Line by Line Meaning
Well we were talking and we were drinking
Casually conversing and imbibing
Letting the fat flow go
Relaxing, letting go of inhibitions
And we were asking and we were thinking
Discussing and contemplating
In the belly of a bar
Inside a pub
It was easy almost indifferent
Casual and nonchalant
Until my heckles rise
Until I felt offended
What's that you're asking if I remember?
Questioning my memory
The pub walls are dissolving
Feeling intoxicated
The guilt was thin then, his hair long
Feeling a slight sense of guilt, describing the man
Brown to match his eyes
The color of his hair matches his eyes
It's none of your business what his name was
His name is not relevant to the conversation
Would I even get a prize?
Is there a reward for remembering?
There's been a hundred and that's not boasting
Recalling many instances
Just the ways of this world
Common occurrences
How dare he even ask this?
Feeling offended by the question
These pub walls are drowning
Feeling extremely intoxicated
Your glass is empty just like your head
Your drink is finished, and so is your attention
It's these times I don't know you
Feeling disconnected from the person
And how about you can you remember?
Questioning the other person's memory
You shake your head and say drunk
The other person admits to being drunk and unable to remember
It's a small thing why am I angry?
The topic seems insignificant, so why am I upset?
These words are signs of warning
The conversation has deeper implications
Because behind them there's the implication
The conversation implies something more
The pub is burning down
A metaphor for the situation spiraling out of control
So do I get a prize for remembering that first time
Questioning if there is a reward for reminiscing
Do I get a prize for remembering his name?
Questioning if there is a reward for remembering someone's name
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GAVIN RICHARD HARRISON, RICARDO A. BYER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind