The band played a series of gigs at Manchester's In The City festival. James Mudriczki, Neil McDonald, Anthony Szuminski and Kevin Matthews met on a bus on their way to watch the Stone Roses play at Spike Island. Matthews watched the Stone Roses' Gary Mounfield play bass and Matthews bought himself a bass guitar.[citation needed] The rest of the members followed suit and bought the necessary equipment to complete a band, although they had little to no musical experience or training.
Through much practice their music developed and they decided on the name Puressence, a name instantly identified by most Mancunians for the paper letters 'P'-'U'-'R'-'E'-'S'-'S'-'E'-'N'-'C'-'E', which were plastered around Manchester city centre, on derelict buildings, and on bridges (the most notable being the railway bridge opposite the Haçienda).Manchester independent record label 2 Damn Loud released two singles and there was a further single with Rough Trade Singles Club.
The big breakthrough came a couple of years later, when the band signed to Island Records.
In August 2003, after more than ten years with Puressence, guitarist and founder member McDonald left the band. He was replaced by Lowell Killen, who is originally from the Isle of Man. He has played in other bands and left Manchester band Dry Riser to join Puressence.
In 2004, the band played at The Witchwood in Ashton-under-Lyne.
In 2006, the band released a single titled "Palisades" on new Manchester label Reaction, followed by an album, Don't Forget To Remember, in September 2007.
On 10 and 11 September 2008 Puressence played their first shows in the US. The first was at the Mercury Lounge in New York City. The next night they played the Apple Store in SoHo. The opening song at the Mercury Lounge was "I Suppose". They passed out free CD singles of "Don't Know Any Better" to many fans around the United States.
The band split in late 2013.
The band currently consisted of:
James Mudriczki: Vocals
Lowell Killen: Guitar
Kevin Matthews: Bass guitar
Tony Szuminski: Drums / percussion
Comfort When You Smile
Puressence Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why should I even care?
All alone inside my head
Watch the walls close in instead
I'm not supposed to bring you down
Your not supposed to turn me round
What are dreams if not made real?
How am I supposed to feel?
What's your love without some hate?
Should I act or hesitate?
It's a comfort when you
It's a comfort when you
It's a comfort when you smile
I'm not supposed to bring you down
The lyrics to Puressence's song Comfort When You Smile speak of the emptiness and isolation one feels when separated from the person they love. The first two lines set the tone for the rest of the song, lamenting the futility of life without the presence of the special someone. The third and fourth lines describe the singer's state of mind, being alone and feeling suffocated by their own thoughts.
The chorus of the song is where the singer finds solace in the smile of their beloved. The line "It's a comfort when you smile" expresses how the simple act of smiling can bring joy and ease the pain of loneliness. The second verse of the song asks philosophical questions about life, love, and the co-existence of positive and negative emotions. The lines "What are dreams if not made real? How am I supposed to feel? What's your love without some hate? Should I act or hesitate?" show the internal conflict of the singer, who is unsure whether to take a chance on love or let go of it altogether.
The last two lines of both verses, "I'm not supposed to bring you down, Your not supposed to turn me round," express the singer's reluctance to burden their loved one with their own troubles, while also setting boundaries for the relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
What is life if your not there?
Life loses its meaning without you in it.
Why should I even care?
I'm struggling to find a reason to care about anything without you.
All alone inside my head
I feel isolated and trapped in my own thoughts.
Watch the walls close in instead
I feel like I'm being suffocated by the weight of my emotions.
I'm not supposed to bring you down
I'm aware that my sadness affects you negatively and I don't want to do that to you.
Your not supposed to turn me round
I don't want you to feel responsible for my well-being, but sometimes your love helps me get through tough times.
What are dreams if not made real?
What's the point of dreaming if it never comes true?
How am I supposed to feel?
I'm struggling to process my emotions and figure out how to move forward.
What's your love without some hate?
Love can't exist without challenges and disagreements, but that doesn't make it less valuable.
Should I act or hesitate?
I don't know whether to take action or wait for things to happen on their own.
It's a comfort when you
Your presence and love are a source of comfort for me.
It's a comfort when you
Knowing you're there for me brings me peace.
It's a comfort when you smile
Your smile is a reminder of the good things in life and gives me hope for the future.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Anthony Szuminski, James Mudriczki, Kevin Matthews, Neil Mcdonald
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind