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
Remember Me?
Kitchens of Distinction Lyrics
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Didn't I tell you I wouldn't hold you down
Take good care of yourself, y'hear
Don't let me hear about you shedding a tear
You're gonna make it
You're gonna take it
Remember me as a sunny day
Didn't I inspire you a little higher
Remember me as a funny clown
That made you laugh when you were down
Didn't I boy, didn't I boy
Remember me as a big balloon
At a carnaval that ended too soon
Remember me as a breath of spring
Remember me as a good thing
Bye baby, see you around
I already know about the new love you've found
What can I do but wish you well
What we had was really swell
I won't forget it, I have no regrets
Remember me as a sound of laughter
And my face the morning after
Didn't the sky beckon us to fly?
Yes, you'l remember the times we fought
But don't forget me in your tender thoughts
Please darlin' oh yeah
Remember me when you drink the wine
Of sweet succes and I gave you my best
Remember me every song you sing
Remember me as a good thing
Remember me as a sunny day
Please darling, remember me as a good thing
Remember me when you drink the wine
Remember me as a good thing
Remember me as a big balloon
Don't forget me darling
The song "Remember Me" by Kitchens of Distinction appears to be a bittersweet goodbye to a former lover. The first verse sets the tone with the singer bidding farewell and expressing hopes for the other's future success. The chorus asks the listener to remember the singer in various ways, from an uplifting presence to a source of laughter, even in moments of hardship. The second verse continues with a lighter tone, recalling shared memories and again asking for remembrance in happy times.
The song is essentially a request to not be forgotten, to have the good memories outweigh any negative ones, and to be remembered for the positive impact made on the listener's life. The lyrics suggest that the singer understands the relationship is over and has moved on, but still wants a place in the other's thoughts.
Overall, "Remember Me" is a poignant reflection on the emotions present when parting ways, and a reminder of the power of memory to keep connections alive despite physical distance or time passed.
Line by Line Meaning
Bye baby, see you around
Farewell my love, we're going separate ways
Didn't I tell you I wouldn't hold you down
I promised not to restrain you
Take good care of yourself, y'hear
Please prioritize your own well-being
Don't let me hear about you shedding a tear
I don't want to know if you cry
You're gonna make it
I have faith in your ability to succeed
You're gonna take it
You will achieve your goals
Remember me as a sunny day
Associate my memory with happiness and warmth
That you once had, along the way
I was a temporary part of your life journey
Didn't I inspire you a little higher
I motivated you to achieve more
Remember me as a funny clown
Think of me as someone who brought you joy and laughter
That made you laugh when you were down
I helped you through tough times with humor
Remember me as a big balloon
Envision me as something that lifted your spirits
At a carnival that ended too soon
Our time together was brief and fleeting
Remember me as a breath of spring
Think of me as a symbol of renewal and freshness
Remember me as a good thing
Hold onto the positive memories of me
I already know about the new love you've found
I am aware that you have moved on
What can I do but wish you well
I can only hope for your happiness
What we had was really swell
Our relationship was great
I won't forget it, I have no regrets
I will cherish our time together and bear no ill feelings
Remember me as a sound of laughter
Think of me as someone who made you laugh
And my face the morning after
Remember me even after the good times had passed
Didn't the sky beckon us to fly?
We were once so full of potential and optimism
Yes, you'll remember the times we fought
Our conflicts will not be the only memories of our time together
But don't forget me in your tender thoughts
Please hold onto the kinder moments of our relationship
Remember me when you drink the wine
Think of me when you celebrate your success
Of sweet success and I gave you my best
Remember how I supported you and contributed to your achievements
Remember me every song you sing
Associate the songs you sing with positive memories of me
Please darling, remember me as a good thing
I hope you think of me fondly
Don't forget me darling
Please hold onto memories of me
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: LAMAR EDWARDS, LARRANCE DOPSON, TEDDY RILEY, LONNIE BURRELL, JAMES FAUNTLEROY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind