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
Don't Forget To Remember
Puressence Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And after all this time coming here's strange
There's still no paper hanging in the hall
And if there's (copy down) I'd be amazed
As I immerse myself in alcohol
She's still walking on eggshells
Oh, and love is like a warning
How we both used to feel
And when we used to smile at the camera
None of those pictures were real
So you're selling my things off with no regrets
I'm sorry now those scenarios are dead
The person that I need I haven't met
The people that I met I didn't need
So as I preserve our love in ethanol
Well, is she still casting those death spells
Oh, and loving's like a warning
Don't forget to remember
How we both used to feel
And when we used to smile at the camera
None of those pictures were real
None of that s**t was ever real
You make a choice, I hope you stick with it
....
Say what you say but some things remain
And it's always the same, don't forget to remember
Fight for your right, I hope you stick with it
....
Say what you say but some things remain
And you may as well-
Don't forget to remember
How we both used to feel
And when we used to smile at the camera
None of those pictures were real
None of that s**t was ever real
La la la la la la la...
Don't forget to remember
Don't forget to remember
Please don't forget to remember
How we both used to feel
These lyrics reflect the singer's feelings of sadness and regret about a past relationship that has ended. The first verse describes the physical surroundings of the place where he is, perhaps the home he once shared with his ex-partner. The lack of decoration or personal touches (no paper hanging in the hall) suggests that the place feels empty and lifeless without her. As he drinks alcohol to numb his emotions, he reflects on his ex-partner's behavior towards him during the relationship - he describes her as "walking on eggshells", which suggests that she was often nervous or anxious around him.
The chorus urges the listener not to forget the positive feelings that we experience in loving relationships - "Don't forget to remember how we both used to feel" - implying that it is easy to focus on the negative aspects of a break-up and forget the happy times. He also reminds us that the images presented to the world, such as photos taken of the couple, may not truly reflect the reality of the relationship.
The last verse reflects his acceptance of the situation and his desire for his ex-partner to be happy, even if that means being without him. He acknowledges that "some things remain" - perhaps memories, love, and affection - which should not be forgotten.
Line by Line Meaning
You're standing in the half-light...
You are standing in the semidarkness or dimly lit area, feeling a bit strange after all these times of coming here.
And after all this time coming here's strange
Even after coming here many times, it still feels strange.
There's still no paper hanging in the hall
There is no wallpaper or any decoration in the hall.
And if there's (copy down) I'd be amazed
If there is any decoration, it would be surprising.
As I immerse myself in alcohol
As I am drowning myself in alcohol.
She's still walking on eggshells
She is still being very cautious and delicate around me.
Oh, and love is like a warning
Love is a cautionary tale that reminds us to be careful.
Don't forget to remember
Do not forget to recall.
How we both used to feel
How we felt in the past.
And when we used to smile at the camera
When we used to pose and smile for the camera.
None of those pictures were real
Those photographs did not depict reality.
So you're selling my things off with no regrets
You are selling my belongings without any remorse.
I'm sorry now those scenarios are dead
I regret that those scenarios can no longer happen.
The person that I need I haven't met
I have not met the person I am looking for.
The people that I met I didn't need
The people I met were not what I needed.
So as I preserve our love in ethanol
As I keep our love preserved in alcohol.
Well, is she still casting those death spells
Is she still trying to kill me with her actions and words.
You make a choice, I hope you stick with it
You made a decision, and I hope you stick with it.
Say what you say but some things remain
You can say whatever you want, but some things will not change.
And it's always the same, don't forget to remember
Things always stay the same, remember to recall.
Fight for your right, I hope you stick with it
Stand up for your rights, and I hope you stay committed to it.
And you may as well-
You might as well–
La la la la la la la...
Vocals without any particular meaning.
Please don't forget to remember
Please remember to remember.
How we both used to feel
How we felt in the past.
Contributed by Brody E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.