They were founded in 1990 by songwriters Tim Gane (guitar, keyboards), formerly of the band McCarthy, and Laetitia Sadier (sometimes credited as Seaya Sadier; vocals, keyboards, trombone, guitar), who is from France and sings in both English and French.
Over the years, Gane and Sadier have enlisted a large number of other musicians to accompany them on stage and on record. The initial line-up featured Martin Kean, formerly of The Chills, on bass, and Joe Dilworth (from their Too Pure label-mates Th’ Faith Healers) on drums, with Russell Yates (of Moose) and Mick Conroy (ex-Modern English) also appearing at early live shows. In 1993 they recruited Andy Ramsay (drums), who has remained in the group line-up ever since, and Mary Hansen (vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion). Hansen’s distinctive backing vocals became an important aspect of the Stereolab sound, and she remained a regular feature of the line-up until her death in a cycling accident on December 9, 2002. Multi-instrumentalist Sean O’Hagan of The High Llamas has also been a frequent contributor, particularly with string, brass and keyboard arrangements to the band’s studio albums. John McEntire (Tortoise) has also contributed keyboard, electronic effects and studio help over the years. Other members have come and (in some cases) gone over the years, including Duncan Brown, Dave Pajo (from Tortoise), Richard Harrison and Simon Johns (all bass); Gina Morris (vocals); and Katharine Gifford and Morgane Lhote (both on keyboards).
Early Stereolab material displayed a heavy influence of krautrock sounds, particularly Neu! and Faust, characteristically relying on droning, repetitive guitar or keyboard riffs, with or without vocals. Early heavy use of distorted Farfisa combo-organ sounds were also reminiscent of early recordings by The Modern Lovers. As the band developed, they incorporated new instrumentation, and an increasingly complex sense of rhythm and structure, frequently making use of irregular time signatures as well as unorthodox chord progressions and melodic intervals. The band has often made copious use of female backing vocal lines.
Lyrically, Stereolab’s music is quirky (song titles evoke memories of 1950s science fiction stories, and are often borrowed directly from old films and records of the period, but have nothing to do with the song’s content), but highly politically and philosophically charged, sometimes with a decidedly Surrealist or Situationist bent. (Sadier notes the libertarian Marxist theoretician Cornelius Castoriadis as a particular inspiration.) Sadier’s lyrics, in both French and English, often read like highly condensed sociological texts, standing in deliberate and distinct counterpoint to the lush hedonic pop sound of the band. A prime example would be “Ping Pong” from Mars Audiac Quintet, which is an explicit restating of Marxist theory concerning the relationship between economic cycles and war cycles.
Stereolab earned a minor place in the Britpop movement, with their sound proving influential to bands like Blur: occasional keyboard-driven b-sides and singer Damon Albarn’s love of retro keyboards showed the influence, and in recognition Laetitia Sadier was invited to provide vocals on “To The End” from Parklife.
Despite the band’s fan base and critical acclaim, Stereolab has not achieved high levels of financial or popular success. On June 7, 2004, suits at the Warner Music label (to whom the band was signed in the U.S.) announced they were dropping Stereolab in response to the poor sales (40,000 to that date) of Margerine Eclipse. This was part of an ongoing effort by Warner to cut costs; The Breeders and Third Eye Blind were also dropped from the label for this reason. Laetitia Sadier is now also a member of Monade, which is essentially expressive of her own singular musical goals.
Eye Of The Volcano
Stereolab Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Those who may cast it...forward
It's not different language
It's full of riches
To reveal what's real and concrete
His connection
His true life, the spirit
Beware the...
Reality has been diverted
Unscrupulously manipulated
Unbridled exercise of power
The fascists urge to control all
On what we bring to our intimacy
Our bodies turn to commodities
Hypocrisy of our time
So in love with freedom
Who really was to...
Your "sigh object" to be made an object
No sight for your deflection of power
Hypocrisy of our time
So in love with freedom
Who really was to...
We treat our bodies like machines,
Fascism winning
We treat our bodies like machines,
Fascism winning
The lyrics of "Eye of the Volcano" by Stereolab focuses on the theme of reality and how it has been manipulated by those in power. The opening lines, "Express reality was... Those who may cast it...forward" sets the tone for the song, suggesting that reality is something that can be manipulated and controlled. The lyrics suggest that people have lost touch with what is real and concrete and that we have become disconnected from our true selves and spirits.
The song's lyrics also criticize the unbridled exercise of power by fascist regimes who seek to control everything, including the intimacy of people's lives. The lyrics "Our bodies turn to commodities, Hypocrisy of our time, So in love with freedom" reveal the manner in which people's bodies have become objectified and turned into mere tools for others' pleasure. The song concludes with the line "We treat our bodies like machines, Fascism winning," indicating that the current state of affairs is leading to a loss of individuality and the triumph of fascist ideology.
Overall, "Eye of the Volcano" is a powerful commentary on the current state of the world and the manner in which our reality is being manipulated and controlled by those in power. It suggests that people need to be more connected to their true selves and resist the forces that attempt to objectify and control us.
Line by Line Meaning
Express reality was...
The way people lived their lives used to reflect the truth of the world around them.
Those who may cast it... forward
Some people try to predict the future by interpreting current events.
It's not different language
The message being conveyed is not difficult to understand.
It's full of riches
The truth contains a wealth of knowledge and understanding.
To reveal what's real and concrete
The purpose of seeking truth is to uncover what is genuine and tangible.
His connection
The relationship between individuals and the world around them.
His true life, the spirit
One's authentic self, which is connected to the spiritual essence of the universe.
Beware the...
Be cautious of those who seek to manipulate reality for their own gain.
These are real to create
People have the ability to shape their own reality.
Reality has been diverted
The true nature of the world has been distorted and manipulated.
Unscrupulously manipulated
The manipulation of reality has been done without regard for morality or ethics.
Unbridled exercise of power
Those in power are using it without restraint or limitation.
The fascists urge to control all
Fascism seeks to dominate and control all aspects of society.
On what we bring to our intimacy
The way we approach intimacy reflects our understanding of the world around us.
Our bodies turn to commodities
In modern society, people often treat their bodies as objects to be bought and sold.
Hypocrisy of our time
There is a contradiction between what people say they believe and how they actually behave.
So in love with freedom
People place a high value on freedom and autonomy.
Who really was to...
It is unclear who or what is responsible for the current state of affairs.
Your "sigh object" to be made an object
Even our emotions and desires are turned into commodities in modern society.
No sight for your deflection of power
Those in power do not want anyone to challenge or undermine their authority.
We treat our bodies like machines,
People often view their bodies as tools to be used and exploited for their own benefit.
Fascism winning
The forces of fascism are gaining ground in society.
We treat our bodies like machines,
People often view their bodies as tools to be used and exploited for their own benefit.
Fascism winning
The forces of fascism are gaining ground in society.
Contributed by Bailey D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.