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
What Happens Now?
Kitchens of Distinction Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Connecting what we did to what happens now.
I don't understand how we changed
Not sure I'll ever know.
It's all circles, colliding spheres,
I closed off, chaos appears.
And dressing up to go
Playing outside playing cars,
Now it's all been tamed I yell.
Don't stop. Don't leave me here.
Don't stop. Won't get caught again.
You can't go. There's no sense anymore.
A tap of tears and a veil of guilt taunt me now.
Growing growing growing gone,
Years pick up speed again.
Throw me pointers, no more jibes.
There's this ancient knot inside my chest,
It works its way into my throat,
Will not let these stories out.
Refusal works it always wins,
Too much thought, too few grins.
Free you say, free to roam,
but down below Father, Mother, always guiding,
pointing out a world I refuse to know.
Don't stop. Don't stop, say it's all OK.
You say, "Where's the ache of freedom?
Where's the devil's whispers?
This is the sweetest pain, run and run.
Jump up as far as you can,
shake your head and breathe."
The Kitchens Of Distinction's song "What Happens Now" tells the story of nostalgia and regret for what has been lost over time. The singer is reflecting on their past, attempting to connect what they did then to what is happening in their present. The first line, "Draw me something, draw a line connecting what we did to what happens now," sets the tone for the entire song. It reflects on the idea of how life is but a series of circles, and how we often find ourselves back where we began.
The singer expresses confusion and an inability to understand how things have changed so much. The line "Not sure I'll ever know" highlights their frustration. They remind us of the happy times, when they were all smiles and full of plans, playing outside with cars. But now, something has changed, and the world has become tamed, which makes them angry. They want to hold on to the past, but it seems to be slipping away from them.
The narrative in the song reflects a deep sense of regret for lost opportunities, and it's clear that the singer is haunted by what might have been. The line "The tap of tears and a veil of guilt taunt me now" emphasizes their feelings of loss and of guilt, and perhaps even regret for not having done more to prevent the changes that have occurred. Overall, "What Happens Now" is a bittersweet reflection on life, and the importance of appreciating what we have in the present moment.
Line by Line Meaning
Draw me something, draw a line
Create a connection between our past actions and present situation.
Connecting what we did to what happens now.
Understanding how our previous behavior affects current scenarios.
I don't understand how we changed
Unable to comprehend the changes that have occurred.
Not sure I'll ever know.
Remaining unsure of the reasons behind the transformation.
It's all circles, colliding spheres,
The situation is nothing but an intersection of circular patterns.
I closed off, chaos appears.
Avoiding communication led to a chaotic environment.
Once we were all smiles and plans,
Earlier, life was filled with happiness and future aspirations.
And dressing up to go
Getting ready to face the world with optimism.
Playing outside playing cars,
Innocent games and activities make up childhood memories.
Now it's all been tamed I yell.
Feeling suffocated in the present regulated environment.
Don't stop. Don't leave me here.
Requesting not to abandon in the current situation.
Don't stop. Won't get caught again.
Not wanting to be restricted or controlled any further.
You can't go. There's no sense anymore.
Expressing the feeling that things have lost meaning and direction.
A tap of tears and a veil of guilt taunt me now.
Feeling sad and guilty, and constantly reminded of it.
Growing growing growing gone,
Time has moved on and childhood memories fade away.
Years pick up speed again.
Time flies faster as the years go by.
Throw me pointers, no more jibes.
Asking for constructive inputs instead of sarcastic remarks.
There's this ancient knot inside my chest,
Deep-seated anxiety and stress that's hard to shake off.
It works its way into my throat,
The tension and apprehension is difficult to express verbally.
Will not let these stories out.
Refusing to share the pain and struggles with others.
Refusal works it always wins,
Avoiding situations and emotions generally leads to fewer problems.
Too much thought, too few grins.
Overthinking leads to less happiness and laughter.
Free you say, free to roam,
Others may say they are free, but there are still restrictions to be faced.
but down below Father, Mother, always guiding,
Despite the desire for freedom, there is a strong sense of parental judgment and advice.
pointing out a world I refuse to know.
There are aspects of reality that are hard to accept or comprehend.
Don't stop. Don't stop, say it's all OK.
Asking to be reassured that everything is fine and stable.
You say, "Where's the ache of freedom?
Questioning whether true freedom is devoid of pain and struggle.
Where's the devil's whispers?
Wondering if there is no temptation or negativity in a free world.
This is the sweetest pain, run and run.
Accepting that even freedom comes with its own struggles and difficulties.
Jump up as far as you can,
Exaggerating the idea of reaching for one's goals and aspirations.
shake your head and breathe."
Clearing one's head and taking a deep breath to relieve stress and anxiety.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DAN GOODWIN, JULIAN SWALES, PATRICK FITZGERALD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@eikestolze9109
I saw KOD 1992 live in Hamburg. I visited a lot of concerts (Tears For Fears, Saga, Tool, Oceansize, Porcupine Tree etc.) but this was the best concert of all. I never expected only three people being able to produce such a dense wall of sound. It was mind blowing. I was so happy when they started to play this song (my favourite KOD song). I was very curious about Swales if he can manage to play the guitar part from 2:34 to 2:46 live because it sounds like a two layer recording - but he was able to do that live too. I have no idea how he did it.
@BluePedal
From Wiki...
Lead singer Patrick Fitzgerald said this of the album:
People didn't understand the album...and it sold half of Strange Free World. It was too dark and gloomy and questioning, this being the height of Madchester and E. You had "...Tooting Broadway" and the queer-bashing scenario of "Breathing Fear," the AIDS death song of "When in Heaven"...perhaps a little challenging for its time...
I understand it. It's a brilliant masterpiece.
@CruceEntertainment
I was a freshman in high school in 1989, and I remember there being only 1 or 2 other kids there who were hip to the Kitchens. Such great music.
@peachy1804
Singular amd perfect. Songwriting masterpiece. Favorite song EVER.
@Crambo90ify
I remember when I bought this album. Thy're so underrated it's not funny.
@freddiewoolf6987
I was completely unaware of this album until my band "death of cool" started getting somewhere. Always been defiantly reluctant to listen as the name was in no way a tribute to the band, more the antithesis of Miles Davis "birth of..." in concept
It ain't bad, some weird similarities in the loose imperfections
@briancox9357
I'd never heard of them until I saw them at Glastonbury in 92. They were brilliant live then I bought the album and have been listening to them since then. Great band.
@celiaayneto9232
Superb song - Immaculate band <3
@mathwizz75
es dificil expresar unm sentimiento resécto a esta genialidad de cancion agradezco sea parte de mi vida
@peachy1804
I was 15. I was on drugs and abandoned. Sleeping on the floor with my 5 uear old brother at 3 am home hungry alone THIS COMeS ON 107.5. I WAS SURE I MET GOD THAT NIGHT.