Their debut album 'Skull and Trombones' was released in 2001 on New Blood Records and tours with The Casualties, Deadline and Roger Miret and The Disasters followed this release. The Filaments gained a reputation for their immense live shows in the UK, and on the European mainland.
Their second album ‘..Whats Next?’ was released in 2004 on Household Name Records. This time the band showed a greater depth in song writing; UK '82 style punk was mixed with a wide range of influences including Dub, 2-tone influenced ska and Psychobilly. Following this release The Filaments went on to tour alongside popular U.S acts such as The Horrorpops and Leftover Crack, as well as playing festivals including Glastonbury, Wasted / Rebellion (Blackpool) , Rude Boys Unity (Geneva) and Punk 'n' Disorderly (Berlin).
In 2005, lead vocalist Jon Fawkes emigrated to America and The Filaments subsequently disbanded. On the 10th July 2005 they played their farewell show at the City Invasion tour at The Astoria, London.
In March 2006 The Filaments played two sold out reunion shows at The Relentless Garage in Highbury, London with punk band Deadline and the Rebellion punk festival in Blackpool Winter gardens August 2007.
In August 2009 they reformed to support Suicide Bid at The Relentless Garage, Highbury London. Jon Fawkes had moved back to the UK permanently at this time and later The Filaments officially announced they had reformed.
The Filaments third record 'Land of Lions' is set for release on the 9th March 2013.
Patricia
The Filaments Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I failed to hear her speak of many things
The eyes I once believed were swimming pools
Now she flaps and blinks like leather wings
Oh, Patricia, have you come to roost
You are the secret
Time has told
I brought her to a place within my arms
Heaven saw me bring her precious fruits
Heaven saw me bring that girl to harm
Oh Patricia, have you come to roost
You are the secret
Time has told
The Filaments’s song Patricia tells a story of a man who reunites with a woman named Patricia after many years. They had a history together, but the man had caused harm to Patricia in the past, causing tension in their meeting. The lyrics describe how the man once saw Patricia as beautiful and full of life, but now she appears worn and tired, like “leather wings” instead of the “swimming pools” he once saw in her eyes. The chorus repeats the line “Oh Patricia, have you come to roost/ You are the secret/ Time has told,” suggesting that Patricia’s return may bring secrets to light and expose the mistakes of the past.
The lyrics are full of powerful imagery that reveals the emotions and thoughts of the singer. The “swimming pools” describe Patricia’s eyes, indicating that she was once vibrant and full of life. The reference to “leather wings” paints a disturbing image of Patricia and implies a sense of decay and corruption. The phrase “bring her precious fruits” suggests that the singer saw Patricia as something to be possessed and controlled, while the line “time has told” implies that the passage of time has revealed the truth about what happened in their past.
Overall, the song is a powerful and evocative exploration of the pain of looking back on past mistakes and trying to make amends. It is a haunting and emotional ballad that uses rich, vivid language to create a vivid picture of a fraught reunion.
Line by Line Meaning
Patricia said, Matt, it's been years
Patricia spoke to Matt after a long time
I failed to hear her speak of many things
The singer did not pay attention to what Patricia said in the past
The eyes I once believed were swimming pools
The singer used to think Patricia's eyes were beautiful and deep
Now she flaps and blinks like leather wings
Patricia's eyes now look tired and worn out
Oh, Patricia, have you come to roost
The artist wonders if Patricia has finally settled down somewhere
You are the secret
Patricia holds some sort of secret
Time has told
The passage of time has revealed something about Patricia
When the sky was brighter years ago
The artist remembers a time when things were better
I brought her to a place within my arms
The artist was once close to Patricia
Heaven saw me bring her precious fruits
The artist did something good for Patricia
Heaven saw me bring that girl to harm
Despite the good intentions, the singer ended up hurting Patricia
Contributed by Adam L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.