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.
Rollercoaster
Spacemen 3 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
His eyes were clear to see
He showed me things in my own mind
That I wish all the world could see
He stopped me from living so insane
I can be just what I wanna be
Things appear as they really are
I can see just what I want to see
Well come on, and let it happen to you
Well come on, and let it happen to you
You gotta open up your mind and let everything come through
Well it starts like a rollercoaster ride
So real it takes your breath away
It slides you through your point of view
You look back to where you thought you'd stay
When your ride changes you
Exactly like a neon ray
You don't have to search for words anymore
There's nothing you need to say
Well come on, and let it happen to you
Well come on, and let it happen to you
You gotta open up your mind and let everything come through
After your trip, life opens up
You start doing what you wanna do
You find out that the world that you once feared
Gets what it has from you
No-one can ever hurt you
Because now you know more than you thought you knew
You're looking at the world with brand new eyes
And no-one can ever spoil the view
Well come on, and let it happen to you
Hey, hey, hey well come on, you gotta let it happen to you
You gotta open up your mind and let everything come through
Just open up your mind
And let everything come through
The song "Rollercoaster" by Spacemen 3 is a true psychedelic masterpiece that blends emotions, visuals, and sensations in a single musical piece. The lyrics describe the story of the singer meeting someone that awakens their spirituality and changes their perspective on life. Through this journey with this person, the singer learns to see things as they really are and gains control over their thoughts and fears. The chorus, "Come on and let it happen to you, you gotta open up your mind and let everything come through", invites the listener to embark on the same journey of discovery and realization.
The verses in "Rollercoaster" describe the emotional ups and downs of the journey. The comparison to a rollercoaster ride is fitting, as it symbolizes the unpredictability of life and the constant changes in our perspectives. The singer experiences a state of euphoria that takes their breath away, yet they are constantly sliding in and out of their own point of view. However, the overall message of the song is one of hope and freedom. The final lines assert that, "No-one can ever hurt you, because now you know more than you thought you knew", implying a newfound sense of inner strength and resilience.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I met someone some time ago
I met someone who had a profound impact on me at some point in the past
His eyes were clear to see
I could see that this person was genuine and sincere
He showed me things in my own mind
He helped me understand my own thoughts and feelings better
That I wish all the world could see
I wish everyone could experience this same level of clarity and understanding
He stopped me from living so insane
He helped me break free from destructive, unhealthy patterns of behavior
I can be just what I wanna be
I now have the freedom to pursue my goals and dreams without being held back by self-doubt or negativity
Things appear as they really are
I see the world more clearly and objectively now
I can see just what I want to see
I have the power to focus on the positive and choose my own perspective on things
Well come on, and let it happen to you
I urge others to embrace this same transformative experience
You gotta open up your mind and let everything come through
You need to be receptive to new ideas and experiences in order to fully benefit from them
Well it starts like a rollercoaster ride
The process of transformation can be exciting and thrilling, like riding a rollercoaster
So real it takes your breath away
The experience is so intense and vivid that it's overwhelming
It slides you through your point of view
It allows you to see things from a new perspective and shift your worldview
You look back to where you thought you'd stay
You realize that your old way of thinking was limiting and that you're capable of so much more
When your ride changes you
The experience changes you and shapes who you are
Exactly like a neon ray
The changes are bright, bold, and impossible to ignore
You don't have to search for words anymore
You no longer struggle to articulate your thoughts or express yourself
There's nothing you need to say
The experience speaks for itself and is self-evident
After your trip, life opens up
After undergoing this transformation, life becomes full of possibilities and opportunities
You start doing what you wanna do
You feel empowered to pursue your goals and live life on your own terms
You find out that the world that you once feared
You realize that the things that used to intimidate or scare you are no longer a threat
Gets what it has from you
You are able to contribute to the world in a positive way and make a difference
No-one can ever hurt you
You have developed a newfound resilience and confidence that protects you from harm
Because now you know more than you thought you knew
You have gained knowledge and insight that gives you a greater sense of control and understanding
You're looking at the world with brand new eyes
You have a fresh perspective on the world and see its beauty and potential
And no-one can ever spoil the view
Nothing can take away or diminish the positive outlook you have gained
Just open up your mind
I implore people to be receptive and open-minded
And let everything come through
To embrace new ideas and experiences with a willingness to learn, grow and change
Contributed by Sebastian K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
KiTiTy
i love this version <3
m c
Fantastic music
Justin Marino
Somebody made an insane unofficial music video for this that seems to have gotten taken down. Does anyone have any information on how I can find this?
9 lettere
@Justin Marino copyright ?
Matteo Fumanti
Google, sound of confusion spaceman 3
VomeinsamenMädchen Sophie
@Justin Marino Ohhh, I hope so too...^•^
Justin Marino
@VomeinsamenMädchen Sophie I think it was removed over a copyright issue. Who knew that Spacemen 3 had such a diligent legal team!? This thing has gotta be sitting on someone's computer somewhere, and I sure hope it will see the light of day again sometime soon.
VomeinsamenMädchen Sophie
It seems it's gone because it was in my favourite list, and I was looking for it, and when I saw your comments am realising it's gone....why... I don't understand 😣
Kevin Coffey
At there best!
Rodrigo Trujillo vilchis
Al guíen que me recomiende otra canción de ellos.....?