Tom, Kieran, 'Fish', Ben, Jon and Didz released 3 studio albums and a number of EPs and singles during their 9 year existence, of which 'Blind Pilots' was the most successful charting. with members going on to join Dirty Pretty Things, Rhysmix, and other projects.
The band first got together in 1998. Using a farmhouse turned into a studio on the outskirts of Wokingham, United Kingdom, it took the Cooper Temple Clause almost two years to record their debut album ‘See This Through And Leave’. An intense rock record, unafraid of challenging listeners and genres, it ignored scenes and fashion.
By the release of second album ‘Kick Up The Fire, Let The Flames Break Loose’ in 2003 - named after a Philip Larkin poem, again recorded reclusively in Reading, and with the minimum of record company interference - Team Cooper had become an army capable of breaking into the Top Twenty without the need for crossover radio support or heavy rotation videos. Gigs were riotous devotionals, particularly those on the UK tour with The Libertines. They played one triumphant US headline tour and a second set of arena dates in support of The Cure.
Then 2004 saw a shake-up at RCA leaving TCTC without an A&R man and with a new, unfamiliar set of faces and ears in charge who hadn’t grown up with, and therefore didn’t quite ‘get’, their isolationist methods and slash and burn musical direction. So, as the ‘Kick Up The Fire…’ campaign wound to a close there began a period of uncertainty and miscommunication between band and label. The Coopers once more holed up in their Reading pig farm to record demos for third album ‘Make This Your Own’ with long-term producer Dan Austin. After 12 uncertain months, eventually RCA re-signed the band and sent TCTC into the studio with ex-Adam & The Ants man Chris Hughes at the desk. He encouraged the band to return to their roots, when all six would swap instruments for each song and also share singing duties.
The final result 'Make This Your Own' was intended as both a commercial hit and a chance to bring ideas touched on in early B-sides and demos to fruition. Opening in familiar dancefloor rock territory with the anti-music industry rant ‘Damage’, it soon swerves into unmapped musical sectors often utterly unrecognisable as a Cooper Temple Clause record.
Gone was the majority of the electronic bells and whistles in the background, relegated to B-sides. There’s radio-friendly emo pop (mostly Fisher-sung songs ‘What Have You Gone And Done’ and ‘Waiting Game’), soulful Dears-gone-Erasure tunes (mostly Tom-sung tracks ‘Connect’ and ‘Isn’t It Strange’), Lilac Time cool folk (‘Take Comfort’), laptop blip-rock (‘Once More With Feeling’) and dark 80s krautonica (‘Head’) on here. Inevitably, many fans and indeed RCA were not quite sure what to make of the Nu Coopers realm. At the same time TCTC were still reeling from the unexpected departure of bassist, new dad and mental crowd-surfing nutjob Didz Hammond to join Carl Barât’s new band Dirty Pretty Things, whose contributions to 'Damage', 'Homo Sapiens', and 'Once More With Feeling' were still used 2 years after his departure.
After two years with no new material, the fanbase were enthusiastic for an internet-only release of ‘Damage’ in summer 2005. Some months later the band were signed to Sanctuary Records; 'Make This Your Own' finally appeared 2 years late in early 2007, preceded by Homo Sapiens and nearly a year after it had leaked to fans. The album and its singles flopped in comparison to the chart storming and arguably more challengingly creative KUTFALTFBL.
The band announced they would be going their separate ways on 24th April 2007, with Tom continuing his DJing side projects Rhysmix and Losers.
Tom Bellamy - Guitar, Bass, Synthesizer, Keyboard, Trumpet, Programming, Samples, Melodica, Harmonica, Percussion, Toy Piano, Bow, Decks, FX/Beats, Vocals & Lyrics.
Daniel Fisher - Guitar, Bass, Vocals & Lyrics.
Ben Gautrey - Guitar, Bass, Keyboards & Vocals.
Jon Harper - Drums, Gretsch Drums, DW Snares, Sabian Cymbals, Percussion & Backing vocals.
Kieran Mahon - Keyboard, Piano, Synthesizer, Organ, Hammond Organ, Farfisa, Guitar, Bass & Backing vocals.
Didz Hammond - Bass, Synthesizer, Samples, Vocoder, Guitar & Vocals. (Left 2005)
Film Maker
The Cooper Temple Clause Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It would've made a mess
I'd have lit the fires but I'd have pulled you out
Take a shot from every angle
I'd have shot you down
I'd have made you look fucking beautiful
Don't think 'cause you can't see me that I'm not watching
He got car
Well me got channels on cctv
This movie would've killed us
We'd have cut a deal
I'd have set the traps but I'd have pulled you out
Lend a hand make all the right moves
I'd have helped you out
I'd have made it perfect just for you
This movie would've killed us
To shit and it's because of you
But hey, you didn't want to make it
Instead you made it with him
Guess I just didn't make the final cut
Yeah this movie's gonna kill me
But it'll kill you first
We could've made it you but oh, it's just too late now
I'd have made us a killer movie
The Cooper Temple Clause's song "Film Maker" is quite complex and challenging to interpret. The lyrics seem to depict a story of a relationship that could have been turned into a beautiful movie, but the female counterpart decided to make the movie with someone else. The male protagonist is angry and feels betrayed, but he emphasizes throughout the song that he would have made a fantastic film with her.
The lyrics, "This movie would've killed us, it would've made a mess," could be a metaphor for the relationship that could have destroyed them. The line, "I'd have lit the fires but I'd have pulled you out," expresses the singer's feeling that he would have done anything to save the relationship, even if it endangered him.
The lyrics "Don't think 'cause you can't see me that I'm not watching" could be a dig at his ex-partner's behaviour, and the line "me got channels on cctv" might mean that he is now able to observe her from afar. The words "we'd have cut a deal, I'd have set the traps but I'd have pulled you out" seem to indicate that the singer would have risked everything for her and saved her from any potential danger. Overall, the lyrics depict the anger and hurt that arise when a relationship ends.
Line by Line Meaning
This movie would've killed us
The idea and production of this film is dangerous and could have caused major problems for us.
It would've made a mess
The production of this film would have caused chaos and destruction.
I'd have lit the fires but I'd have pulled you out
I would have taken risks to make this film successful, but at the same time, I would have been responsible for getting you out of danger.
Take a shot from every angle
I would have used various camera angles to create an artistic and intriguing film.
I'd have shot you down
I would have criticized and judged your performance to make it better.
I'd have made you look fucking beautiful
I would have enhanced your appearance to make you shine and stand out in the film.
Don't think 'cause you can't see me that I'm not watching
Even though you can't physically see me, I am still monitoring and observing your actions.
He got leather
The other filmmaker has stylish and expensive equipment and resources.
He got car
The other filmmaker has luxury vehicles and transportation for the production of the film.
Well me got channels on cctv
I have surveillance resources to keep an eye on the other filmmaker's activities and progress.
We'd have cut a deal
We would have made an agreement to work together to make this film successful.
I'd have set the traps but I'd have pulled you out
I would have taken risks and made deceptions to create an exciting and thrilling film, but at the same time, I would have ensured your safety.
Lend a hand make all the right moves
I would have assisted and supported you to make the correct decisions during the film production process.
I'd have helped you out
I would have provided aid and support to make the film successful.
I'd have made it perfect just for you
I would have put in extra effort and care to ensure that every aspect of the film production was tailored to your liking.
To shit and it's because of you
The film project failed miserably, and it was due to your lack of effort or cooperation.
But hey, you didn't want to make it
You were not interested or motivated to collaborate on the film project.
Instead you made it with him
You chose to work with the other filmmaker rather than me.
Guess I just didn't make the final cut
I was not chosen or included in the final version of the film, even though I was willing to contribute and collaborate.
Yeah this movie's gonna kill me
The emotional and physical toll of the failed film project is overwhelming and unbearable for me.
But it'll kill you first
However, the negative consequences and effects of the failed film project will impact and harm you more than me.
We could've made it you but oh, it's just too late now
If we had worked together and collaborated, we could have made the successful film. However, the opportunity has passed and it is now too late to make it happen.
I'd have made us a killer movie
If given the opportunity, I would have created an amazing and unforgettable film that would have been a hit and a success.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Benedict Gautrey, Daniel Fisher, David Hammond, Jonathan Harper, Kieran Mahon, Thomas Bellamy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind