The band, originally called Luglo Slugs, was founded by guitarist/vocalist Alix Plain (real name Alex Johnson) and bassist Danny Hampson, later joined by drummer Dave Hardbattle. The Luglo Slugs lineup recorded "Benched Down/70s Sixties" at Open Eye Studios in Liverpool. Soon after the recording, Hardbattle left. Guitarist Ged Allen and drummer Joey McKechnie joined, and the band eventually decided on the name Modern Eon. The Open Eye recording was released under the name Modern Eon in late 1978 on the compilation album Street to Street: A Liverpool Album.
After one self-released EP, Pieces, released on Eon Records in 1979, they recorded the single "Euthenics" for Inevitable Records in 1980. Allen and McKechnie left the band in 1980, prior to the recording of their debut album, and were replaced by Bob Wakelin (strings, vocals, percussion) and Tim Lever (guitar, saxophone), with Cliff Hewitt (drums) joining shortly thereafter.
In early 1981, a rerecorded version of "Euthenics" was released as a single on Dindisc followed by two more singles, "Child's Play" and "Mechanic". Fiction Tales was released in mid 1981 to lukewarm reviews, citing disappointment at six of the twelve songs on the album already being released as singles or B sides. Later reviews were more positive. After a tour was arranged that year, drummer Hewitt critically injured his wrist, forcing them to go on tour using Hewitt's drum playing on a tape machine. Modern Eon dissolved by the end of 1981 while working on demos for a second album, which was never released.
Lever later played with Dead or Alive, while Hewitt was a member of Apollo 440. Alex pursued an electronic/dub music project under the name Che/St. Che. Bob Wakelin had a career as an illustrator for video game covers, notably for Ocean Software. He died in January 2018.
In 2021, both Alex Johnson and Cliff Hewitt were featured on the album "Guano Junction" by The Gong Farmers.
- Fan website
- Facebook group where some of the band members are active
Mechanic
Modern Eon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The Face Has Been Exposed To Teardrops
The Kind You Can't Erase, Erase, Erase
Mechanic
To Mend You're Broken Heart
(I Talked Bout Jean This Morning?)
The Kind That Screams (To Them?), You've Been, You've Been
Mechanic
To Mend You're Broken Heart
He Loves The (Talk about?) Brutal Girls And Boys
To Touched To Grow And Shatter Joys
To Laugh And Cry And Tear Apart
To Walk Away A Broken Heart
Mechanic
To Mend You're Broken Heart
Mechanic
To Mend You're Broken Heart
The lyrics to Modern Eon's song Mechanic are slightly cryptic and open to interpretation. However, it seems to be a song about someone whose heart has been broken and they are in need of a mechanic, someone to fix it. The first verse describes how this person's face has been exposed to teardrops that they can't erase, indicating they've been crying a lot. The chorus repeats the message that they need a mechanic to mend their broken heart.
The second verse is a bit harder to decipher, but it seems to be referencing someone named Jean who may have something to hide. The line "the kind that screams you've been, you've been" could mean that Jean is trying to cover something up or that the singer is trying to convince Jean that they need help. The third verse talks about someone who loves "the brutal girls and boys," suggesting they may have a pattern of destructive relationships. This person is "too touched to grow" and they "laugh and cry and tear apart," ultimately leaving with a broken heart. The chorus repeats twice, emphasizing the need for a mechanic to mend their heart.
Overall, the song presents a theme of heartbreak and the need for someone to fix things. The use of the word "mechanic" adds a sense of automation or technicality to the process of fixing emotions, suggesting that it may not be an easy or natural thing to do. The repetition of the chorus creates a sense of urgency, highlighting just how much this person needs help to mend their broken heart.
Line by Line Meaning
Somebody's Broken Heart
Someone is suffering from a heartbreak.
The Face Has Been Exposed To Teardrops
The person's face has been wet with tears due to crying.
The Kind You Can't Erase, Erase, Erase
The kind of tears that are so strong and emotionally charged that they cannot be easily forgotten or erased from memory.
Mechanic
A person or process to fix or repair something.
To Mend You're Broken Heart
To restore the emotional wellness of a person who's experienced heartbreak by repairing their emotional state and outlook.
(I Talked Bout Jean This Morning?)
A reference to a conversation that occurred earlier about someone named Jean.
(Who Probably Has A Mess To Hide The String?)
Jean may have something to hide or conceal.
The Kind That Screams (To Them?), You've Been, You've Been
The kind of secrets that seem to shout or scream out that someone has been hiding something.
He Loves The (Talk about?) Brutal Girls And Boys
The artist is describing someone who has a preference for rough, unpolished types of people with an edge.
To Touched To Grow And Shatter Joys
This person is too vulnerable or sensitive to grow or handle the complexities of relationships and consequently, their attempts to find love has left them hurt and disappointed (shattering their joy).
To Laugh And Cry And Tear Apart
This person is very emotional and extreme in their reactions to things, both good and bad.
To Walk Away A Broken Heart
This person tends to leave their relationships with emotional scars and is unable to find love successfully.
Mechanic
A person or process to fix or repair something.
To Mend You're Broken Heart
To restore the emotional wellness of a person who's experienced heartbreak by repairing their emotional state and outlook.
Contributed by Eva R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mark Ritchie
Modern Eon - Mechanic
Somebody's broken heart
The face has been exposed to teardrops
The kind you can’t erase
Erase
Erase
Mechanic
To mend your broken heart
I talked ‘bout Jean this morning
Who probably has a mask to hide the strain
The kind that screams, you’ve been
You’ve been
You’ve been
Mechanic
To mend your broken heart
He loves the talk about brutal girls and boys
To touch, to grow and shatter joys
To laugh and cry and tear apart
To walk away a broken heart
Mechanic
To mend your broken heart
Mechanic
To mend your broken heart
Mark Ritchie
Modern Eon - Mechanic
Somebody's broken heart
The face has been exposed to teardrops
The kind you can’t erase
Erase
Erase
Mechanic
To mend your broken heart
I talked ‘bout Jean this morning
Who probably has a mask to hide the strain
The kind that screams, you’ve been
You’ve been
You’ve been
Mechanic
To mend your broken heart
He loves the talk about brutal girls and boys
To touch, to grow and shatter joys
To laugh and cry and tear apart
To walk away a broken heart
Mechanic
To mend your broken heart
Mechanic
To mend your broken heart
Andy B
TY FOR WORDS
scarecrow955
Not long ago I found an old cassette with this song. I recorded it in 1981. It was from BBC World service on short wave. Do you remember short wave radio stations? The fadings, air disturbance and other stations flowing in? That didn't matter at that time because this was the only source from behind the iron curtain. We knew these songs, but we were few. Thanks for giving me joy through listening this song.
Jeff Wilson
What a great song. And what an atmospheric voice Alex had.
alveo maledictus
Yo Thais mahh uncle!!!!!!
Ray Hewitt
lovelovelove modern eon...have the vinyl I bought on release. Their sound never tired for me.
Darrell Shoub
One of best mixed and mastered track of the 80s. Up there with Modern English
Gathering dust 7"
phil kelly
i bought this album at the time and loved it.
DIEWELTMusicChannel
...it hit all the right spots in my brain...
Hermmdawgg
Ahhhh...the feeling of early eighties hopeless melancholy.