Swell Maps were a British experimental rock group of the 1970s from Birmin… Read Full Bio ↴Swell Maps were a British experimental rock group of the 1970s from Birmingham, that foreshadowed the birth of post-punk.

Influenced by the disparate likes of T. Rex and the German progressive outfit Can, they created a new soundscape that would be heavily mined by others in the post-punk era. Despite existing in various forms since 1972, Swell Maps only really came together as a musical entity after the birth of British punk rock.

Consisting of brothers Epic Soundtracks (real name Kevin Godfrey) and Nikki Sudden (real name Nicholas Godfrey) two Solihull based teenagers, plus Richard Earl, David Barrington, John Cockrill and Jowe Head, the band cut the single "Read About Seymour" as their debut in 1977, soon after the brothers left Solihull School (also home of Spizzenergi). It is widely considered one of the classic punk era singles. Epic's drumming mixed with Nikki's unique melodies crafted over the assorted threads cast by the six musicians set the band apart from the others. After recording their first John Peel session Swell Maps went into WMRS studio to record their first album A Trip to Marineville, which was released in 1979. With hard rocking punk numbers like "H.S. Art" interspersed by ambient instrumentals and other experimental interludes like "Gunboats", the album marked the band out as innovative non-musicians. The album went #1 on the new Independent chart.

The band cut one more album, The Swell Maps in 'Jane From Occupied Europe', in 1980, which pushed further into post-punk territory. They displayed their ingenuity for creating everything from industrial surf instrumentals like the opener "Robot Factory" to perverse ballads like "Cake Shop Girl". Even while they were falling apart during these sessions they were pushing the musical boundaries beyond what punk originally had to offer. They sought to release much of their early forays in lo-fi experimenation in the compilation, Whatever Happens Next..., before splitting up.

Since their split the legend of the Swell Maps has grown, through their influence on the C86 bands, lo-fi, and other pioneers like Sonic Youth and Pavement. Individual members of the band (especially Nikki Sudden, Epic Soundtracks and Jowe Head) went on to solo careers. The band's catalogue has recently been remastered and reissued and further dips into their archives can be expected. An EP of especially zany tracks was released under the name of the Phones Sportsman Band in 1980. After an interval of over 25 years away from music, the Phones Sportsman Band has now reformed in January 2008.

Epic Soundtracks died of unknown causes at the age of 37 in 1997 and Nikki Sudden died in March 2006.

Another Song
Swell Maps Lyrics

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I wanna spend some time with you
Not now, but just another day
It's much more fun just playing games
With someone else's face

No one waiting for my show
It's still the second game
No commitment, token drifting

Round and round, still E-T-C

I wanna live my life with you
Not really, just sounds good
A word to say to pass the time
'Til all the trains have gone

Just to spend some time with you
Not now, but just another day
No more waiting, you can't control it
But everything is really great

This is just another song
I guess, it's rather long

This is just another song
And now it's gonna stop

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Swell Maps's song "Another Song" describe the desire to spend time with someone, but not necessarily in the present moment. The singer seems content to play games with "someone else's face" rather than waiting for their own show to start. They express a desire to live their life with this person, but it's unclear whether this is a serious wish or just something that sounds good. The singer acknowledges that time passes, indicated by the reference to waiting for the trains to leave, but still seems to enjoy the moment.

The repetition of the phrase "not now, but just another day" and the use of words like "token" and "drifting" suggest a lack of commitment or urgency in the singer's desires. They seem to be content just to "pass the time" without any real expectations or obligations. The chorus itself suggests that the song is just another in a long line of similar compositions, without any special meaning or purpose.

Overall, the lyrics can be seen as a commentary on the nature of modern life, where people are constantly bombarded with media and distractions but often feel disconnected from each other. The desire to spend time with someone, but only on our own terms, is a common theme that resonates with many people.

Line by Line Meaning

I wanna spend some time with you
I desire to spend some time with you.

Not now, but just another day
Not presently, but some other day.

It's much more fun just playing games
It's more amusing to play games.

With someone else's face
With an unfamiliar person.

No one waiting for my show
No one anticipates my performance.

It's still the second game
It's still just the beginning.

No commitment, token drifting
No dedication, just aimless wandering.

Round and round, still E-T-C
Continuously going round in circles, et cetera.

I wanna live my life with you
I aspire to share my life with you.

Not really, just sounds good
Not actually, it just sounds appealing.

A word to say to pass the time
Just a word to kill time.