The band was formed in 1989 by bassist Mark Clayden with guitarist and programmer Johnny Carter, later joined by vocalist JS Clayden and Stuart Toolin. During this time, the band played with local bands and soon gained attention of the Peaceville Records. During this time, JS went to live in France to sell paintings.
During 1990, the band started recording their début album, Industrial, with the main vocalist being Mark Clayden instead of JS, who contributed with backing vocals. The band later went on a small tour with bands like Napalm Death.
Their first few releases had a distinctive industrial sound where the influential gaze of Godflesh was abundantly apparent.
The simplified 808 style drum tracks and sluggish drone guitars evolved over the next decade to produce some of the most intense loop based crunching metal/punk riffs and hard floor dance rhythm sections.
Throughout their highly acclaimed career although often commercially overlooked, Pitchshifter were often heralded with founding the Electro Punk genre with JS Claydon's 'sex pistols' barrages on the current state of the UK, simplistic chord driven guitar lines and the inclusion of more and more elaborate sampling and synth based elements.
Similar to previous attempts at this meld of minds such as Pop Will Eat Itself (PWEI) Pitchshifter created an intense and dedicated fan-base who still work hard to promote the outfit.
Although the band officially ceased to be after releasing the album PSI, they have continued to reform for the occasional festival appearance or one-off event each of which is accompanied by one-off releases for ticket holders.
Since shutting down the PSI-political propaganda machine, members have gone on to work on various projects together and solo, including This is Menace, a super group comprising of members of Amen, Hundred Reasons, Funeral For a Friend and Earthone9.
Mark Claydon is now a regular tutor at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music (BIMM), and runs a regular advice column for bands just starting out in the UK-based Total Guitar magazine (available through Future Publishing).
Eight Days
Pitchshifter Lyrics
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Insurrection in the streets, so we stay inside
Go, it's coming
Eight days of the week we're dead on our feet
Take me aside just shoot me
No black and white, black and white
Tired of wishing things were different, I can sympathise
Lately things don't seem so easy, there's no black and white
Go, it's coming
Eight days of the week we're dead on our feet
Take me aside just shoot me
No black and white, black and white
Wish we could drive right through you
Go! Go!
The lyrics of Pitchshifter's song "Eight Days" discuss the feeling of being trapped and hopeless in an oppressive society. The opening line "Eight days of the week, can't believe my eyes" suggests a feeling of being overwhelmed and lost in time. The phrase "insurrection in the streets, so we stay inside" implies that society is in chaos and it's not safe to go out. The song continues to express the wish for things to be different and the frustration at the way things are.
The repetition of the phrase "no black and white, black and white" suggests a struggle to find clarity and certainty in a world that is murky and unclear. The desire to "drive right through you" indicates a desire to escape from the oppressive forces.
In the chorus, the line "Eight days of the week we're dead on our feet, take me aside just shoot me" expresses a feeling of defeat and exhaustion. The repetition of the phrase "Go, it's coming" adds a sense of urgency and impending doom.
Overall, the song conveys a sense of hopelessness and frustration at the state of society. Through its powerful lyrics and driving music, "Eight Days" speaks to the struggle of those who feel trapped in a world they can't escape.
Line by Line Meaning
Eight days of the week, can't believe my eyes
The current state of the world is so chaotic that it feels like there are now eight days in a week and it's too much to handle.
Insurrection in the streets, so we stay inside
There's so much rebellion happening outside that it's safer to stay indoors to avoid getting caught in the middle of it.
Go, it's coming
There's a sense of impending doom and it's coming fast, so we should prepare ourselves.
Eight days of the week we're dead on our feet
The constant chaos and turmoil has left us all exhausted and drained, with no energy left to keep going.
Take me aside just shoot me
The situation feels so dire that some people would rather be put out of their misery than continue to live through it.
No black and white, black and white
Everything feels ambiguous now, with no clear right or wrong, no good or bad, no moral compass to guide us.
Wish we could drive right through you
There's such a strong desire to escape the chaos that people wish they could just drive past it all and leave it behind.
Tired of wishing things were different, I can sympathise
The constant struggle and disappointment has made it hard to hold onto hope, and it's understandable to feel that way.
Lately things don't seem so easy, there's no black and white
The current state of the world has made things feel much harder to navigate, with no clear answers or solutions.
Go! Go!
The sense of impending doom is becoming more urgent, and we need to act fast to prepare ourselves for what's to come.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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