The band took their name from an episode of The Goon Show. The band were noted for an extremely unusual two bass player line up. Bass player Alex Griffin played melody lines high up on one bass, and Mat cheslin played the regular basslines on the other. This gave the band a tense and highly driven sub-hardcore sound with distorted indie guitars and complicated Baggy drum beats. The band were also noted for their extremely young ages. The band formed while at sixth form college, and recorded their first album while still teenagers. This led to a strong teenage fanbase with a reputation for enjoying stage diving and moshing at their gigs. The band were also noted (and sometimes ridiculed) for their early image which consisted of uniformly crimped hair, short trousers and t shirts. The Neds (as their fans referred to them) were well known for their T shirts and produced over 80 different designs within three years.
The band quickly gathered a strong fanbase after being noticed by local superstars The Wonder Stuff and offered a support slot on a UK tour. A top 50 hit Kill Your Television followed. They recorded their debut album God Fodder shortly afterwards and had top ten hits with "Until You Find Out" and "Happy" in 1991. Several years of hard working touring followed, playing with, amongst others Mega City Four, Senseless Things and Jesus Jones. During this period they recorded their second album Are You Normal in 1992, which was promoted by the singles Not Sleeping Around and Intact.
The band spent the next few years on a worldwide tour before recording their final album Brainbloodvolume. The album had a more adult sound than before (because they were, after all, no longer teenagers), together with a more diverse sound including samplers and keyboards. Their record label released the album in America before the UK, so most fans bought in on import leading to a poor UK chart position when it was eventually released leading to tensions within the band and with the label. The poor chart showing may have also been to do with a changed music scene now fully in the swing of Britpop. The band had one last UK top 40 single with All I Ask of Myself Is That I Hold Together in 1995 following an appearance on The Word. The band split in 1995. Singer Jonn Penney formed a new band, Groundswell who had little success.
The band reformed with a different line up in 2000, for a show in Dudley. The show was a success and the band have done a christmas show every year since then, including a four date tour in 2004 where the band performed several new songs. In 2005 they again played a few late-December gigs, and in June of 2006 their first new single in 11 years, "Hibernation" was released reaching No 23 in the UK Indie Chart. The "NedFest" weekend gigs to coincide with this at Birmingingham Barfly and London Forum were filmed for a DVD "Neds Dont Exist".
In June 2007 the DVD was released and Neds returned to headline the Glastonbury Left Field Stage on the Friday night of the festival following some low key warm up gigs.
On 12 May 2008 the band announced that the original line-up of Jonn, Rat, Mat, Alex, and Dan would be performing live together for the first time since 1995 on 6 December 2008 at the Astoria London.
All I Ask Of Myself Is That I Hold Together
Ned's Atomic Dustbin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
appalled when tarred and feathered.
remarks upon the weather
will just retard endeavour.
this piece of meat is pumping,
poison 'round itself so neatly
about it, pound for pound,
it feeds away and most discreetly.
And all I ask of myself
is that I hold together
Get me divine ascension,
supply my worst intention,
to thrash it out in heave,
our lord - to thick to mention,
this piece of mind is keeping
to itself, if only sleeping.
regard it, freeze it, jar it
assign it all to healing.
And all I ask of myself
is that I hold together
The lyrics of Ned's Atomic Dustbin's song All I Ask Of Myself Is That I Hold Together appear to be about the struggles of keeping oneself intact amidst external pressures and internal conflicts. The first stanza seems to allude to the idea that one must stay level-headed and sober to maintain their wit and not fall victim to public shaming. The lines "this piece of meat is pumping, poison 'round itself so neatly" could represent the human body consuming toxins that harm it. The singer acknowledges that destructive habits can be subtle and easy to overlook. The chorus, "And all I ask of myself is that I hold together," is a plea to maintain a sense of self amidst life's challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
Half as drunk is twice as clever,
Being partially drunk can often make one's thinking and reasoning appear to be better than when fully sober.
appalled when tarred and feathered.
Feeling extreme shock and disgust when shamed and humiliated in front of others.
remarks upon the weather
Casual comments about the climate do not further one's goals or accomplishments in any way.
will just retard endeavour.
Focusing too much on trivial or unimportant matters can hinder one's progress and achievements.
this piece of meat is pumping,
The body, like a machine, is constantly working to sustain and preserve itself.
poison 'round itself so neatly
Toxins and harmful substances can often surround and damage the body without being noticed or detected.
about it, pound for pound,
Taking into account all the factors, the body's ability to maintain itself is quite impressive.
it feeds away and most discreetly.
The body's consumption of resources and energy is gradual and subtle, yet still crucial to its survival.
And all I ask of myself
The artist has a simple, basic expectation for self-sufficiency and self-preservation.
is that I hold together
Despite all the physical and mental challenges, the artist desires to maintain their wholeness and stability.
Get me divine ascension,
The singer seeks a superior, elevated state of being and existence.
supply my worst intention,
Unconsciously or consciously acting upon negative impulses or instincts.
to thrash it out in heave,
To challenge and confront one's demons and inner problems in order to find peace and redemption.
our lord - too thick to mention,
A belief in a higher power or force that is beyond human understanding or comprehension.
this piece of mind is keeping
The mind has the ability to resist and maintain control over one's thoughts and feelings.
to itself, if only sleeping.
Despite its potential and power, the mind can also become dormant and inactive.
regard it, freeze it, jar it
Being mindful and attentive to one's thoughts and emotions and finding ways to preserve and protect one's mental well-being.
assign it all to healing.
Using various methods and strategies to overcome mental and emotional pain and trauma.
And all I ask of myself
The same expectation for self-preservation and wholeness is repeated at the end of the song.
is that I hold together
The artist's desire to maintain their stability and well-being is still a top priority.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ALEXANDER THOMAS GRIFFIN, DANIEL CHARLES WORTON, GARETH JOHN PRING, JOHNATHAN PENNEY, MATTHEW RICHARD CHESLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
kummer45
They must return in full glory. Their talent must become the new standard. These people must make a full comeback.
Elton lovell
I love this song - held me together for years..
Steve Parker
Great band!
Shane bee1976
Rare talent, can't find these type of tunes now!
Rikard Jerner
to this day this is the best that ever happened to pop music... ned head for life.. FOR LIFE!
Keith Owen
God, they were so good, great days indeed.
Richard Harrison
How much fun did you have making this video.....? Love you guys see you soon, xx
Ian Aitken
If seeing this hasn't just improved your day and made your heart soar then there is no hope for you my friend......
Ryan Gossett
I remembering seeing this video one time on MTV (120 minutes???) and I have been wondering about it ever since. Now through the miracle of having pretty much any music video at my fingertips I get to see it again! Teenage Ryan would have not been able to imagine what we are blessed to have at our fingertips now.
tomatoes100
That performance is on YouTube