Zammuto and de Jong met through a friend in New York City. Sharing similar interests but different backgrounds in acoustic music and found sound, Zammuto and de Jong took their sonic experiments to the studio. Eventually, with some urging by Tom Steinle of Tomlab Records, they created what would become their debut record, 'Thought for Food', in 2002. Within a year, the Books relocated to Hot Springs, NC, and recorded and released 'The Lemon of Pink'. With a lot of favorable word of mouth and critical buzz from the first two records, the Books relocated again in winter of 2004 and recorded in an old Victorian home in North Adams, MA. With the release of 'Lost and Safe' in April of 2005, the Books prepared to tour with their unique blend of samples and acoustic music. All three Books albums were released on Tomlab Records.
One of the most unique aspects of the band was the video compositions which play during their live performances. Video was synched with the music and provide visuals to coincide with the many found-sounds the band employs. According to the band, much of the video was pulled from home movies and ephemeral films bought from thrift stores. For example, on the track entitled 'A Cold Freezin' Night', the many audio samples were pulled from Tiger Electronics Talkboy tapes also acquired from thrift stores.
In the late 2000s, The Books announced the addition of a third member of the band, who plays violin, guitar, and electronics. In August 2010, their final album entitled 'The Way Out' was released on Temporary Residence. 2012 saw a compilation release 'A Dot in Time.'
In early 2012, Nick Zammuto announced the end of the duo and the beginning of his solo project Zammuto. Subsequently, Paul de Jong released two solo albums.
All Bad Ends All
The Books Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're with me
Where's my instrument?
Europe is to be saved from infinite misery and indeed from final doom. There must be this act of faith in the European family
The opening lines of The Books's song All Bad Ends All seem enigmatic and disconnected from each other, but they set the stage for the track's intricacies. The opening vocal line is a cry of sorts and could be interpreted as a longing for the presence of a significant other. The line "Where's my instrument?" implies that the singer is a musician, and perhaps in the company of other musicians, searching for their instrument to play. The next line, "Europe is to be saved from infinite misery and indeed from final doom," is a quote attributed to Winston Churchill, which appears to be a non-sequitur, and adds to the sense of confusion. However, Churchill made the statement in 1946, in the aftermath of World War II, and it was a call for European nations to come together and work towards peace and unity in the face of the devastation wrought by the war.
The Books use this line as a backdrop against which they paint a picture of a metaphorical journey that takes the listener through a range of emotions, from frustration and confusion to joy and transcendence. The track builds up gradually, layering samples of musical instruments, field recordings, and snippets of spoken word over a rhythmic bassline. Near the end of the track, the vocalist repeats the opening lines, but infused with a sense of urgency and hope, as if to say that despite the challenges and setbacks, there is still a chance to make something beautiful out of the chaos.
Line by Line Meaning
You're with me
I am not alone, I have someone by my side.
Where's my instrument?
I need my tool or mechanism to express myself or communicate properly.
Europe is to be saved from infinite misery and indeed from final doom.
There is a need to prevent Europe from facing an endless cycle of suffering or even complete destruction.
There must be this act of faith in the European family
There needs to be a strong belief in the unity and cooperation among all Europeans.
Contributed by Mila C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.