Spiritualized are an English rock band formed in 1990 in Rugby, Warwickshir… Read Full Bio ↴Spiritualized are an English rock band formed in 1990 in Rugby, Warwickshire, United Kingdom by Jason Pierce, who often goes by the alias J. Spaceman, after the spectacular demise of the Spacemen 3 outfit. The membership of Spiritualized changes from album to album, with Pierce being the only constant factor.

The first Spiritualized release was a space rock-esque cover of Any Way That You Want Me in 1990, a record which heralded the official split of Spacemen 3 following contractual wrangles over the band's name. Of the final Spacemen 3 line up, bassist Will Carruthers, drummer Jonny Mattock and session guitarist Mark Refoy joined Pierce in the first phase of Spiritualized (for the debut LP, Lazer Guided Melodies), alongside his then girlfriend Kate Radley. None of the original line up remains - Carruthers tried for a solo career, Mattock played for a spell in The Breeders (and later Lupine Howl), Refoy formed Slipstream(his replacement was John Coxon) and Radley married Richard Ashcroft of The Verve. A later cohort of Spiritualized backing musicians - Sean Cook, Damon Reece and Michael Mooney - formed Lupine Howl following summary dismissal by Pierce.

Sax player Ray 'Moonshake' Dickaty was added to the lineup in 1997, and Gregg Hale (guitar) also augmented the band in 1997 and 1998.

Retaining only keyboardist Thighpaulsandra (keyboards)a replacement for Kate Radley, Jason Pierce then debuted a new (and current) line up of Spiritualized, introducing classical percussionist Tom Edwards and former Julian Cope string arranger Martin Schellard on bass guitar. Completing the new Spiritualized line-up were guitarist Doggen of Brain Donor and the Julian Cope band, and drummer Kevin 'Kevlar' Bales who is also ex-Julian Cope band. Ray Dickaty departed in 2003, quitting to play in the free-jazz Solar Fire Trio. The remaining line-up finished recording the album Songs In A&E in Nottingham and London.

The musical style of Spiritualized can perhaps be best described as psychedelic rock, especially earlier albums like Lazer Guided Melodies and Pure Phase, which also incorporated elements of the shoegazing style made popular by influential 1991 album Loveless. The landmark Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space showed influences from African-American gospel and blues beginning to creep in, and wall of sound influences from Phil Spector and Brian Wilson began to predominate, which came to a head on Let It Come Down. Amazing Grace favoured a more stripped down sound with the gospel, blues, and soul influences heavier than ever.

For several years (ending in or about 1999), Spiritualized were the only active artist signed to Dedicated Records, a British independent label which had, by then, been acquired by Spiritualized's then-label, Arista Records.

On 15 June 1997, Spiritualized became the last band to play at Factory Records' Manchester nightclub The Haçienda.

After several years of work and Pierce's serious illness in July 2005,the album, Songs in A&E was released on 26 May 2008 in the UK, and on 27 May 2008 in the US. The first single from the 18-track album was "Soul On Fire". The release was backed by an Electric Mainlines UK tour which began in May. Pierce has also scored Harmony Korine's 2008 film Mister Lonely.

In October and December 2009 the band performed 1997's Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space live in its entirety as part of the All Tomorrow's Parties-curated Don't Look Back series.

After more than two years in the making, while Pierce was undergoing experimental chemotherapy for a liver disease, and including a year long period of mixing, Sweet Heart Sweet Light was released in April 2012, on Double Six Records. The band had already played some of this new material over the past 3 years but not much else was known about the content of the album. The album cover, an octagon surrounding the word "Huh?" on a plain white background, is a reference to the working title of the album. In an interview regarding the new release it was revealed that the album would "embrace" more poppy songs compared to previous albums. In the same interview, Jason Pierce also said that the album was partly inspired by the experiences of performing Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space live in its entirety.

Home of the Brave
Spiritualized Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I don't even feel it
But Lord how I need it
When I'm not with her
I'm not all myself

Sometimes have my breakfast right
Off of a mirror
And sometimes I have it

Right out of a bottle
Come on

I'm gonna rip it up
Tear it out
Gotta get it off of my soul

I don't even miss you
But that's 'cause I'm fucked up
And sure when it wears off
Then I will be hurting

And just 'cause the sun shines
When you're out of my time
And just 'cause I feel bad
And feel good to fly high

Come on
Come on

I'm gonna rip it up

Tear it out
Gotta get you off of my soul

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Spiritualized's song Home of the Brave describe a person who is addicted to drugs and using them to fill a void in their life. The singer describes how they do not even feel the drugs anymore, but they still need them. The drugs are the only way they feel like their true self, and without them, they are incomplete. The mention of having breakfast off a mirror or out of a bottle indicates drug use in the morning, which is a sign of a severe addiction.

The chorus then takes on a more intense and desperate tone, with the singer admitting that they need to "rip it up" and "tear it out" to get the drugs off their soul. This suggests that the singer knows the drugs are harming them but is having difficulty breaking free from their addiction. The second verse is more explicit in describing the pain and hurt that the singer feels when they are not using drugs. They admit that they do not miss the person they are singing about (presumably, a romantic partner) because they are too "fucked up." They know that the high they get from drugs will eventually wear off, and they will be left hurting again.

Overall, the lyrics to Home of the Brave powerfully convey the grip that addiction can have on a person's life. The song's haunting melody and intense vocals add to the sense of desperation, making it a highly affecting and moving track.

Line by Line Meaning

I don't even feel it
I am numb to the pain

But Lord how I need it
Despite the numbness, I crave the sensation

When I'm not with her
The source of my addiction is a person

I'm not all myself
Without her, I am incomplete

Sometimes have my breakfast right
I indulge in self-destructive behavior

Off of a mirror
I use drugs to cope

And sometimes I have it
I am addicted to alcohol

Right out of a bottle
Alcohol is my crutch

I'm gonna rip it up
I must break free from my addiction

Tear it out
I will do whatever it takes to get sober

Gotta get it off of my soul
I need to heal the damage caused by my addiction