Founded in Christchurch, New Zealand, and currently based in Wellington, Nick Harte has played in many New Zealand bands such as the CM Ensemble, Hiatus, The Incisions, Montessouri, Laudanum, Luxor Dance Ensemble, Urinator, Solaa, The Brunettes, and Pig Out.
Released in 2004, New Zealand’s Shocking Pinks, AKA Nick Harte, burst onto the scene in 2004 with the seminal dance pop record Dance the Dance Electric (originally released on Pinacolada Records), which shared with the world Harte’s peculiar brand of uncomfortable dance punk intimacy. With dirty lo-fi production, sweet melodies, and unexpected aggression, Harte channels the demons of obsession and emptiness into darkly lyrical art. Managing to conduit James Murphy, Fleetwood Mac, and My Bloody Valentine through the swagger of Scott Walker, Shocking Pinks have perfected the sound of bittersweet melancholia that teeters on the edge of self-destruction.
On October 5th, Dance The Dance Electric will be re-released via E/D/I/L/S Records in the UK; Spiral Jetta Recordings in France; Geertruida in The Netherlands; and via A Low Hum throughout the rest of the world. This new remastered release marks the first time the album will be available on vinyl, and nine previously unreleased tracks from the original sessions will be included with the digital release. In addition, Harte (and band) will embark on a three month Dance the Dance Electric World Tour, which includes performances in China, Europe, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.
After releasing Dance The Dance Electric in 2004 (which earned an 8.2 on Pitchfork) Harte was quickly signed to New Zealand’s historic Flying Nun label, which released Mathematical Warfare and Infinity Land in 2005. Shortly thereafter, Shocking Pinks landed an international deal with New York’s DFA label, first releasing a series of limited-edition vinyl 7” with remixes by The Glimmers, Deerhunter, and Eluvium, and then issuing the full-length album Shocking Pinks in 2007. Harte’s self-titled DFA debut compiled some of the best songs from Harte’s previous albums, and showcased his ability to carve out a raw and intense emotional space, that served as a stark counterpart to the party anthems of DFA electroclash label-mates.
While Harte did not formally release any music after 2007, they were years of great productivity; he toured, wrote for magazines, and collaborated on films. Then in 2014, after living through a devastating magnitude 6.3 earthquake tore through his come city of Christchurch, Harte released his sprawling, haunting, beautiful, and at times violent and alienating Guilt Mirrors trilogy via Stars & Letters Records.
The Dance The Dance Electric World Tour begins September 8th at BigSound festival in Brisbane. www.shockingpinks.com.
The Shocking Pinks gigging lineup has featured a large number of local New Zealand musicians over the years, including members of New Zealand bands such as The Brunettes, Secret Knives, Over The Atlantic, The D4, Leper Ballet, Pig Out, The Enright House, and the Tiger Tones.
End of the World
Shocking Pinks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got to find a way to make it all make sense again
Cuz the first time is always the hardest don't you know
Don't you go
Don't you know
I got to find a way to make it all make sense again
I got to find a way to make it all make sense again
Don't go
I want to take you like its the end of the world
End of the world
Don't you know
Don't you go
The lyrics to Shocking Pinks' "End of the World" convey a sense of desperation and urgency, as the singer pleads with someone not to leave and expresses a desire to make sense of their world again. The repetition of the phrase "I got to find a way to make it all make sense again" emphasizes the singer's struggle to find meaning in their life and relationships. The line "Cuz the first time is always the hardest don't you know" suggests that the singer is dealing with a difficult situation for the first time and may not know how to handle it.
Line by Line Meaning
I got to find a way to make it all make sense again
The singer is expressing a need to understand and make sense of their current situation.
Cuz the first time is always the hardest don't you know
The singer believes that the first time experiencing something can be particularly difficult.
Don't you go
The singer is imploring the listener to stay with them and not leave.
I want to take you like its the end of the world
The artist wants to cherish the listener and their time together as if it were the last moments of their lives.
End of the world
A reminder of the limited time we have on this earth and the importance of making the most of it.
Don't you know
The singer is asking the listener if they understand the gravity and significance of the situation.
Contributed by Daniel S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sam Koh
one of my favorite bands... just saw them at the smell in LA. they are at a different level... psychotically yet beautifully different
Elysium 702
Beautiful song.. Shocking Pinks<3
Jun Lim
Eversince I've heard a song from them, I've known from the start that he's doing that kind of vocal style on purpose ^_^... It's all about how you listen to the music itself ^_^.
Nico
I like this it hits a nerve somehow
FriedGold8942
The thing that I like about Nick Harte is that he's a minimalist. He doesn't want to give the people the best vocal performance out there, he doesn't want the recording quality to be the clearest ever, all he really wants to do is to recapture the English post-punk, Rough Trade sound and mix it up with today's newer alt./indie styles, which in my mind is quite brilliant. I could bitch about the emo hair if I wanted to, but I won't.
fishingrhod
anyone thinking Joy Division/early New Order? works for me - nicely understated, cool vid
PeruoscuroTV
Saludos desde Lima Peru
c-buck
This is nice. But it really makes me think of The Jesus & Mary Chain...
John Henry Roenigk
nods pretty heavily towards bark psychosis vox.
obedientwaves
not lame- you just don't get it. neither do I. just kidding.