In 2000, Nathan Nicholson left Tennessee, America after the death of his mother, and came to London. The band formed in 2001 through a chance meeting at London's 12 Bar Club between vocalist Nathan and guitarist Todd. This quickly cemented into a firm friendship which resulted in them living and writing together. College friends Adam and Piers, were soon intrigued, and completed the line-up. All shared common influences, and a passion for epic, escapist music - The Boxer Rebellion was born.
In June 2003, after funding and releasing their own limited edition self-titled EP, they bolstered their way onto Glastonbury's New Bands tent, and were soon snapped up by Alan McGee's Poptones label, who put out first single Watermelon in the same year. Before the enormity of what they were doing had even registered, the Boxers spent months in the studio rehearsing and writing, before disaster struck for Nicholson, and riders and roadies were swapped for a hospital bed and saline drips. A twelve hour operation to remove a life-threatening growth from his stomach was successful. He was lucky. The result was the cancellation of tours with Razorlight and The Killers, among others.
The band was signed by major label Universal Music following Exits, who promised worldwide distribution and a free hand in continuing to create records of longevity and substance. Instead, the deal proved more of a curse than a blessing, as Universal became reluctant to continue to finance the lengthy gestation of the next record. Financial difficulties led Poptones to drop the Boxer Rebellion in early 2007, with Universal following suit soon after; however, both continued to hold rights to the band's catalogue and digital distribution. With the record nearly complete and invitations to tour from Editors and others still open, the band began a lengthy fight to get control back over them, which they eventually won in 2008. In January, an unmixed version of future single Evacuate was released on limited vinyl, but it would be a full year before anything approaching a full release was possible, and some of the band moved to Berlin in 2009.
With the money nearly running out and so a physical self-release impossible, the band entered an exclusive worldwide deal with iTunes to put their new record Union out as well as a re-release of Exits. The album charted highly, reaching #2 on the Alternative chart and #4 on the iTunes UK Top 100, but was ineligible for the official UK Top 40 as it was released when a physical release was required. The CD and vinyl were eventually released in August.
The Cold Still was released in the U.S. on 1 February 2011 on iTunes and is available on CD worldwide through the Boxer Rebellion's own label Absentee Recordings. The album charted on iTunes at #24 with a peak position of #20, spending 9 days on the US iTunes album chart. The band made their network television debut on 2 February 2011 on CBS's Late Show with David Letterman, where they performed the single "Step Out of the Car" live. The Boxer's new song "Both Sides are Even" was featured on ABC's Grey's Anatomy on 3 February 2011. Since the release of The Cold Still, the band have had several music placements including two in the videogame industry. "Step Out Of The Car" from The Cold Still was used in 2011's Rocksmith game and original composition "Losing You" was written exclusively for the Batman: Arkham City game soundtrack. Additionally "Caught By The Light" was used in the serial drama Nikita.
Also in 2011 the band released their first full-length live record Live in Tennessee. It was recorded and mixed by Ben McAmis and featured 16 tracks from a single concert.
On 7 November 2012, the band announced the release of their two volume B-Sides & Rarities Collection, Vol. 1 & 2, which contains tracks that had been previously recorded, but not included on initial releases of any of the studio albums. Volume one focused on material before and around the band's debut, Exits, and volume two included tracks that were released around and after Union, as well as some rarities that didn't make the cut or were included as bonus tracks for The Cold Still.
The band finished recording their fourth studio album, Promises, in the late part of February 2013. The music video for the debut single from the album, "Diamonds," was released on March 26. The band have toured regularly and released further singles, "Keep Moving", and "Promises".
On April 29, 2014, Todd Howe announced he was leaving the band to concentrate on production and other interests, leaving the Boxers as a three-piece.
http://www.theboxerrebellion.com
https://www.facebook.com/theboxerrebellion
http://instagram.com/theboxerrebellion#
http://www.youtube.com/user/theboxerrebellion
https://soundcloud.com/theboxerrebellion
Discography
2003 - The Boxer Rebellion EP, Watermelon
2004 - In Pursuit, Code Red
2005 - All You Do Is Talk, Exits LP, World Without End
2007 - Broken Glass, J F K F C
2008 - Evacuate, Don't Drag Your Dirty Feet
2009 - Union LP, Flashing Red Light Means Go, iTunes Live From London
2011 - The Cold Still LP, Step Out Of The Car, The Runner, No Harm, Live in Tennessee
2012 - B Sides & Rarities Vols. 1 & 2
2013 - Diamonds, Promises LP, Keep Moving
2014 - Promises
World Without End
The Boxer Rebellion Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This goes on for miles
Watch it all go by
And in the night the lights went out
The world without end
And in the night the lights went out
The world without end
Easy moves
From higher stakes
Watch as it all goes by
And in the night the lights went out
The world without end
And in the night the lights went out
The world without end
The Boxer Rebellion's song "World Without End" is a contemplative piece that speaks of the fleeting nature of life, and the fact that everything must come to an end at some point. The singer invites us to rest our eyes and watch as the world goes by, like a never-ending movie. The repetition of the phrase "Watch it all go by" hints at the notion that everything in life is transient, and we should embrace the moment while we can.
However, this idyllic state of affairs is abruptly interrupted by the second stanza, in which the lights go out and the world comes to an end. This sudden darkness is symbolic of the unpredictability of life - everything can change in a matter of moments, and we must be prepared for it. The repetition of the phrase "The world without end" suggests that the end of one thing might be the beginning of something else, and we should not fear the darkness but embrace it as another part of our journey.
The final stanza of the song returns to the peacefulness of the opening, with the singer inviting us to watch as life unfolds effortlessly. However, the use of the phrase "Easy moves/From higher stakes" suggests that everything we do has consequences, and we should be mindful of our actions. Overall, "World Without End" is a meditative piece that encourages us to appreciate every moment of our lives, and to be prepared for the unexpected.
Line by Line Meaning
Rest your eyes
Take a moment to relax and stop actively observing your surroundings.
This goes on for miles
The situation being observed seems to stretch out endlessly in all directions.
Watch it all go by
Observe everything happening without actively participating in it.
And in the night the lights went out
Something unexpected and potentially dangerous occurred that disrupted the usual order of things.
The world without end
The situation that has occurred has disrupted the normal flow of time, making everything feel unending and chaotic.
Easy moves
Actions taken without much forethought or hesitation.
From higher stakes
Despite the seemingly casual nature of these actions, there are still consequences at play that could have significant impacts on the future.
Watch as it all goes by
Continue observing events unfold without necessarily taking an active role in them.
And in the night the lights went out
The situation being observed has grown even more chaotic and unpredictable, with potentially dangerous consequences.
The world without end
As the situation continues to unfold, it feels as though time has lost all meaning and events will never resolve themselves.
Contributed by Savannah S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Angeltears295
Whenever I listen to this song and the part of the piano comes up, tears always flill my eyes. That's how beautiful this is. It reflects sentiments perfectly
Zora Z
Was just thinking the same thing - its gorgeous!
Tbrjerry
My World Without The Boxer Rebellion Would End - Thank You for Your Music Its An Honor and Privilege To Hear
meyerable
Awesome song. Amazing band.
RomenJorika
I love this song, it's heartbreaking.
AllRiseForDrEvil
A beautiful song from a very good debut album. They deserve a hell of a lot more credit.
Gremo
A masterpiace. Starting from 2:27 the background piano makes me feel sad but in peace.
MiguelChinchorro
This song is a masterpiece!!! I love the Boxer Rebellion! Listen also to the song ,,We have this place surrounded"! It's also beautiful and melancholic and on of my favorite songs ever!
Pablo C
emotional, evocative... in one word: magic
Mitos y Verdades
hermosa cancion