Playing With Fire (1989) expanded on the psychedelic and drone themes of the earlier albums; its second single, "Revolution" reached #1 on the UK indie charts. But soon after, a combination of personnel changes, drug problems and intra-band tension (especially between Kember and Pierce) began to break the band apart. Recurring, released in 1991, was their last proper album, though its recording reflected the split between Pierce and Kember as each recorded their own side of the album in different studios, with a cover of Mudhoney's 'When Tomorrow Hits' to separate them (Mudhoney would later return the favour with a cover of Spacemen 3's 'Revolution'). It was their most popular record, but by its release Kember and Pierce had already formed new bands, Spectrum,were self described "noise experimentation" and Spiritualized, respectively. The final conflict that contributed to the split was Pierce's decision to release a cover of The Troggs' 'Any Way That You Want Me', as the first Spiritualized single, which Kember had been wanting to cover for years.
From the outset Spacemen 3 had a very defined set of aesthetic principles. They based almost their entire sound on their own concept of minimalism—droning guitars, feedback, as few chords as possible, pounding drums—with their motto “Taking drugs to make music to take drugs to”. Their minimalism bled into their stage show as well. Sitting down to play their guitars and covered in the spinning colours of a cheap psychedelic light show, their stage “act” was very anti-performance. Another striking aspect of Spacemen 3 was their willingness to cover and share their influences. Song titles, lyrics and interviews were peppered with references to bands and artists they believed shared their “minimal is maximal” aesthetic. The Velvet Underground, the Rolling Stones, The Stooges, MC5, early Captain Beefheart, out-there jazz legend Sun Ra, Silver Apples, garage punk of the 1960s such as the 13th Floor Elevators, Red Krayola, and the Electric Prunes; the Beach Boys, Jan and Dean and other surf bands; ’80s rockabilly groups The Cramps, the Gun Club, Tav Falco; blues and gospel acts like Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, the Staple Singers and John Lee Hooker; and the production techniques of Joe Meek, Brian Wilson and Delia Derbyshire were just some of the names mentioned by the band.
Since the break-up there have been a stream of semi-legitimate albums, early demos and live recordings, many of which have been issued by the Kember-affiliated Space Age Recordings. Highlights include Dreamweapon: An Evening of Contemporary Sitar Music, a 45 minute drone piece performed in front of a live audience, Forged Prescriptions, a collection of Perfect Prescription demos and alternate versions (Kember claims in the liner notes that the alternate versions reproduce the layers of guitars they recorded but later removed because they felt they'd never be able to reproduce them live), and the band's singles compilation, which is perhaps the best introduction to the breadth of their work.
In 1998, a tribute album was released on Rocket Girl, which included tracks by Mogwai and Low. Kember’s Spectrum has toured under the banner “Songs the Spacemen Taught Us”, while Pierce routinely includes their songs in his Spiritualized set. In 2004, US journalist Erik Morse published his account of the band’s life and work, Dreamweapon: Spacemen 3 and the Birth of Spiritualized.
Members of the band went on to form Spiritualized, the Darkside and Spectrum (AKA Sonic Boom). Spiritualized carry on, to critical acclaim, though they have largely discarded the dark psychedelic edge. Sonic has also been on the road, playing gigs in London and occasional tours in the US as E.A.R. (Experimental Audio Research), which features synthesizers heavily. The Darkside split, while Rosco (AKA Sterling Roswell) went on to form the Sterling Roswell Blues Band and now is currently in The Gimps.
Feelin' Just Fine
Spacemen 3 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh babe, put your hand into mine
Oh babe, it feels like floatin’ down a river, honey
Babe, I’m feelin’ just fine
Oh babe, I got a head full of shit
Oh babe, I got a heart full of soul
Oh babe, wrap your soft hands around me
Head full of shit
Heart full of soul
Oh babe, I got a heart full of soul
Oh babe, wrap your soft hands around me, darling
Feelin’ just fine
Got a head full of shit
Heart full of soul
Goin’ down, and I should know
Gonna feel it soon, but it’s comin’ on slow
Love is the way when it’s my turn to go
The lyrics to Spacemen 3's song Feelin' Just Fine express a sense of peace and contentment amidst the chaos and confusion of life. The first verse describes feeling lost and disoriented, but finding comfort and stability in the touch of a loved one. The second verse continues this theme, with the singer acknowledging the turmoil inside them, but ultimately finding solace in the embrace of their partner. The repetition of the phrases "head full of shit" and "heart full of soul" creates a sense of duality and contradiction within the singer's experience, capturing the complex and often conflicting emotions that we all experience.
Overall, the song is about finding comfort and meaning in the midst of life's struggles. The image of floating down a river creates a sense of both surrender and buoyancy, as if the singer has given themselves over to the flow of life and found a sense of peace in that surrender. The final line about love being the way when it's time to go suggests a sense of acceptance and even joy in facing mortality, recognizing that love is the ultimate meaning and purpose of our existence.
Line by Line Meaning
I feel blown, I got my head on my shoulder
Feeling overwhelmed and disoriented, but still keeping it together and carrying on.
Oh babe, put your hand into mine
Asking for comfort and support from a loved one.
Oh babe, it feels like floatin’ down a river, honey
Enjoying a sense of ease and relaxation in the company of a loved one.
Babe, I’m feelin’ just fine
Expressing contentment despite previous feelings of being overwhelmed.
Oh babe, I got a head full of shit
Acknowledging a cluttered and disorganized mind.
Oh babe, I got a heart full of soul
Feeling a deep emotional connection with oneself and others.
Oh babe, wrap your soft hands around me
Seeking physical comfort and support from a loved one.
Gotta head full of shit
Repeating the acknowledgment of a cluttered and disorganized mind.
Heart full of soul
Repeating the feeling of a deep emotional connection with oneself and others.
Goin’ down, and I should know
Acknowledging that the artist is heading towards a difficult or challenging situation.
Gonna feel it soon, but it’s comin’ on slow
Anticipating a difficult situation that is slowly approaching.
Love is the way when it’s my turn to go
Believing that love is the ultimate guiding force in life and death.
Contributed by James O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.