By being one of the more prominent Indie / Alternative bands from the early… Read Full Bio ↴By being one of the more prominent Indie / Alternative bands from the early / mid 1980's, Skeletal Family enjoyed relatively major national and international success. From topping the National UK Indie Charts for three weeks in Autumn 1984 with debut album "Burning Oil" (above other contemporary northern bands The Smiths & New Order) to recording seven BBC Radio One sessions for John Peel, Janice Long & Kid Jensen.

Their impressive live show at this time brought them to the attention of The Sisters of Mercy front man Andrew Eldritch, who, after seeing a local performance, invited them as special guests on their 1984 Black October tour. The next two years saw the band gracing the stage with acts such as Siouxsie & The Banshees, Spear Of Destiny & The Mission etc..

Undeterred, following vocalist Anne Hurst's sudden departure in 1985 following the release of their second album "Futile Combat, the band enjoyed greater national chart success with the singles 'Restless' & 'Just A Minute' via signing to Chrysalis Records with new vocalist Katrina Phillips (from ex Specials Terry Hall’s band The Colourfield, single 'Thinking Of You')

This line up of the group disbanded in 1987 but due to the advent of the worldwide web, reissues of earlier studio and compilation albums, along with a rapidly growing resurgence of interest in eighties music & culture the band reformed again in 2002.

Now consisting of original members Stan Greenwood, Roger "Trotwood" Nowell and Ian "Karl Heinz" Taylor, i.e. the main songwriters of the band (all of whom were in the original pre cursor to Skeletal Family from 1979 called The Elements) produced two new original studio albums "Sakura" & "Songs Of Love Hope & Despair" alongside a third release on Jungle Records titled "Day Of All Days"

The band continue to play live to this day, headlining alternative European festivals / events which culminated with an extensive month long USA in 2018 coupled with one off appearances in Brazil and Mexico.

2020 / 2021 saw the band utilising the Covid pandemic to their advantage. Alongside vocalist Anneka Latta and drummer Adrian "Ozzy" Osadzenko the band recorded 19 new songs at Paul Weller's Black Barn Studios, Ripley, UK.

Ten of these tracks have been selected for the bands sixth studio album "Light From The Dark" scheduled for release Spring 2023 via Chapter 22 Records.

Skeletal Family 2023 line up:-
Anneka Latta - Vocals
Stan Greenwood - Guitars
Roger "Trotwood" Nowell - Bass
Ian "Karl Heinz" Taylor - Keyboards / Saxophone
Adrian "Ozzy" Osadzenko

only sometimes
Skeletal Family Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Crying
Wanting
Breathing, still
Bleeding
Bruising
Battered, shell

Only sometimes can I tell you

Only sometimes can I feel
Only sometimes, never ending
Only sometimes, never now
Only sometimes can I tell you
Only sometimes can I feel
Only sometimes, hope eternal
Only sometimes, never now

Burning
Falling
Screaming Chill
Heaven
Heresy
Half-life Hell

Chorus:
Lonely
Torment
Eternal Dwell
Safely

Shifting
Seething Spell

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Skeletal Family's song "Only Sometimes" convey a sense of pain and struggle, mixed with moments of hope and survival. The repeated appearance of phrases like "sometimes," "never now," and "eternal dwell" suggest that the singer is grappling with ongoing emotional or physical turmoil, trying to find moments of clarity or peace amidst the chaos.

The use of vivid imagery in lines like "battered shell," "half-life hell," and "seething spell" helps to create a sense of the singer's internal landscape, as if they are describing their own psychological state. The chorus, with its repetition of words like "lonely," "torment," and "seething," reinforces the sense of suffering and unease, while the final word "spell" could be interpreted as either a sinister or an enchanting force.

Ultimately, the song seems to be about the difficulty of living with pain or trauma, but also the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity. The fact that the singer can still feel hope, even if only sometimes, suggests that they are fighting to overcome their struggles and reach a better place.

Line by Line Meaning

Crying
Expressing sadness and pain

Wanting
Desiring for something

Breathing, still
Continuing to live despite troubles

Bleeding
Losing blood and feeling pain

Bruising
Getting hurt and marked

Battered, shell
Feeling broken and worn out

Only sometimes can I tell you
I am not always capable of expressing myself to you

Only sometimes can I feel
My emotions are not always within my grasp

Only sometimes, never ending
It feels like a cycle that never stops, but not always

Only sometimes, never now
I can't act on it at this moment

Only sometimes can I tell you
Reiterating that I can't always express myself to you