Three gigs later, desperate to play somewhere other than the Dublin Castle public house, the threesome recruited expatriate Scot and sometime Falcon barperson Roxanne, principally because the promoter at The Falcon had promised them a gig just so he could see her sing. They dropped the 'e'. Joe later claimed it had been stolen by Thee Hypnotics, and a legend was born.
Amongst the crowd at these primitive gigs were Richard Roberts and Paul Cox, the most implausible record company executives imaginable, who had decided to set up their own label in order to 'go public' with some of the emergent talent they'd been putting on stage at their Sausage Machine Club in Hampstead's White Horse basement. Too Pure Records' maiden release was a compilation, Now That's Disgusting Music, that put new bands alongside the more established likes of Mega City Four and Silverfish. Th' Faith Healers contributed 'Jesus Freak', and soon afterwards accepted the invitation to become Too Pure's first signing.
In mid-1990, Th' Healers recorded their first 12", 'Pop Song', 'Delores' and 'Slag', which was released following a nationwide tour supporting Lush. Suddenly, alongside Silverfish, Th' Faith Healers were touted by the press as prime movers in the Camden Scene: a loose aggregation of North London-based grunge/noise merchants whose followers indulged in a dance known as The Lurch and frequented gigs at The White Horse, The Falcon and The Bull & Gate. The Lurch (as both the scene and everyone involved in it became collectively known) convened for its Biggest Night Out in November at the L.S.E., where Th' Healers played a headline gig of such alcohol-fuelled proportions that Tom doesn't remember it happening at all.
'91 brought forth the Picture of Health EP, featuring the lead track, 'Gorgeous Blue Flower In My Garden', which the band regard as their most accessible moment. The EP gained them even more glowing press, and their first headline tour was pretty successful until Birmingham, where Ben's bass amp gave up the ghost and a bemused audience were treated to a bass-less 35-minute version of 'Slag'.
Just as the fame and fortune beckoned, Th' absurdly perverse Healers decided to take a six month holiday, finally returning to the studio in the autumn. The resulting In Love EP was fraught by technical problems and is seen as an underachievement by the band. Nevertheless, 'Reptile Smile' and company followed the first two twelves into the upper regions of the indie chart and completed a trilogy of bizarre sleeve designs that gave a whole new meaning to the word 'tasteless'.
After a Christmas party at the Camden Palace where even the Christmas tree was too pissed to stand up, Th' Faith Healers set about recording their debut LP Lido whilst Too Pure became the most talked about independent record label in Europe. Th' Healers singles were compiled on a CD, L', for overseas consumption, and the band's first John Peel session was released by Strange Fruit Records on an LP of sessions by Too Pure artists. The band split in 1994.
Slag
Th' Faith Healers Lyrics
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slag slag slag
Interpreting the lyrics of "Slag" by Th' Faith Healers could prove difficult as it consists of only two words - "slag" - repeated several times. In this case, the interpretation of the lyrics should not be solely based on the words but rather the rhythm and the overall atmosphere created by the song. The song is known for its peculiar style which combines elements of psychedelic rock, noise rock, and shoegaze. The repetition of the word "slag" in different variations creates a hypnotic and trance-like effect that gradually engulfs the listener.
The energy and intensity of the song, coupled with the repetitive lyrics, could be interpreted as a manifestation of frustration or anger, without a clear target or aim. It's possible that the lyrics are an expression of the band's feelings about society or culture at large, and the meaningless repetitions, a symbol of how many people feel overwhelmed by the weight of modern-day society.
Overall, "Slag" by Th' Faith Healers is a unique and experimental piece of music that encourages the listener to experience the song's atmosphere without trying to make sense of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Slag slag
Repeating the word "slag" as an onomatopoeic expression conveying a sense of dullness or weightiness.
slag slag slag
Repeating the word "slag" three times to emphasize its dullness or heaviness.
Contributed by Charlie G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.