Nine Black Alps are a post-grunge/indie rock quartet from Manchester, Engla… Read Full Bio ↴Nine Black Alps are a post-grunge/indie rock quartet from Manchester, England, named after a line in a Sylvia Plath poem and fronted by Sam Forrest.

From their inception in late 2003, the band's energetic live performances earned them a hardcore fanbase after playing for only a few months on the Manchester music scene. In 2004 the band were signed to Island records and spent the year touring the UK and recording their first studio album with producer Rob Schnapf in Los Angeles. In 2005 Nine Black Alps toured the UK extensively, promoting the release of their debut album, Everything Is on 13th June 2005. Their first U.S. single was Cosmopolitan; their album Everything Is was released in America on February 28, 2006.

The band's second album, again recorded in LA with producer Dave Sardy Love/Hate, was released on 29 October 2007 and heralded a split with Island Records shortly thereafter. However, Nine Black Alps went on to self-finance and record their third full-length album with producer Dave Eringa, entitled 'Locked Out from the Inside'. Only available as a download from the band's own website - http://www.nineblackalps.com, the album was a return to the louder, heavier sounds of the first record.

Nine Black Alps, after a hiatus of almost 2 years, have been back in the studio as a 3-piece recording tracks for a fourth album, with a possible release in 2012.

Away From Me
Nine Black Alps Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Foolin' the words with my pen
Losin' my place on the page
Sickness was my only friend
Help me and sold me again
I don't need a cannon ball
To feel like I'm free
Don't need a miracle, to see

Get them away, away from me
I fallen out of every scene
Stop with the past, starting on me
Get them away, away from me

Torn out of home's where I'd stay
Falling to pieces again
Bruised under alien skies
Endlessly hopelessly high
I don't need a cannon ball
To feel like I'm free
Don't need a miracle, to see

Get them away, away from me
I fallen out of every scene

Stop with the past, starting on me
Get them away, away from me.

Overall Meaning

In Nine Black Alps's song Away From Me, the lyrics describe a sense of isolation and detachment from others. The first verse refers to the act of writing and how the lyrics are deliberately deceptive, as the writer believes they are losing touch with reality. The writer describes sickness as their only friend, which could represent their inner struggle with mental illness or addiction. They feel as though someone has taken advantage of them and then left them to their own devices.

The chorus indicates a desire to escape from those who have hurt the writer. They want to be free from the pain of their past and current circumstances. The second verse speaks of being torn away from home and feeling like they are falling apart. The writer is in a foreign place and feeling helpless, yet there is a glimmer of hope in the image of the alien skies. They go on to repeat the sentiment from the first verse that they don't need anything huge to feel free, but they would like to remove themselves from their current situation.

Overall, the lyrics of Away From Me convey feelings of isolation, struggle, and a desire for a fresh start. There is also a sense of the writer's vulnerability, as they write about their difficulties with addiction or mental health. Ultimately, the message seems to be about finding the power to escape from negative situations and negative people.

Line by Line Meaning

Foolin' the words with my pen
Misleading myself with the words that I write

Losin' my place on the page
Losing my direction when writing

Sickness was my only friend
Being alone and suffering from illness

Help me and sold me again
Seeking help and being taken advantage of again

I don't need a cannon ball To feel like I'm free
I don't need a grand gesture or event to feel liberated

Don't need a miracle, to see
I don't need a miracle to understand the reality of my situation

Get them away, away from me
I want to be away from the people causing me distress

I fallen out of every scene
I feel disconnected from everything and everyone

Stop with the past, starting on me
Stop dwelling on the past and focus on the present

Torn out of home's where I'd stay
Being forcibly removed from the place I called home

Falling to pieces again
Experiencing a breakdown or feeling emotionally unstable