That single has been included in numerous multi-artist compilation albums and continues to receive major airplay to this day. Other hits include "Red Skies" (also known as "Red Skies (at Night)"), "Stand or Fall", "Saved by Zero", and "Are We Ourselves?". Interestingly, the group is one of the few British artists to have enjoyed significant success outside their country of origin while remaining mostly unknown in their home land, a trait which the Fixx shares with fellow new wave rockers The Outfield and Naked Eyes.
The Fixx regularly tour the U.S., they and recently celebrated a solid twenty-five years of making music together. Curnin, West-Oram, Greenall and Woods are now joined by bassist Gary Tibbs (formerly of Roxy Music, The Vibrators, Adam & The Ants). Cy Curnin can often be found on stage with a glass of wine in his right hand and an egg shaker in the left.
England's the Fixx has always been heralded as one of the most innovative and unique bands to come out of the MTV era. The group's lyrics and melodies are artistic statements of darkness and light, painting aural soundscapes that are cerebral, yet touch the heart. The Fixx's themes are complex, often introspective and thought-provoking, and yet the band's musical legacy has appealed to the masses with three No. 1 hits, five Top-5 hits, a dozen Top-10 hits, millions of albums sold worldwide, and countless sold-out tours.
The Fixx's sound is instantly recognizable. Songs like "One Thing Leads to Another" and "Red Skies (at Night)" remain staples, not just with classic rock radio stations, but on modern-rock formats that have helped break new wave-inspired acts a quarter of a century later.
It is rare for audiences to experience a band that has been together for 25 years. The Fixx were - and still are - Cy Curnin on lead vocals, guitarist Jamie West-Oram, keyboardist Rupert Greenall and drummer Adam Woods, and they bring this unique experience and perspective into the studio and on the road as the Fixx continue making innovative music.
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The band has retained their original lineup since first signing with MCA Records in 1981 and releasing their debut album, Shuttered Room, a few months later. It was the first of five MCA albums containing some of the most original and defining music of the decade. The LP produced two huge hits, "Red Skies" and "Stand Or Fall." Audiences connected with a band that had both style AND substance. The album spent an entire year on the Billboard Hot 100, earning the band their first Gold record.
In 1983, the band released Reach The Beach, their ground-breaking, double-platinum album which included the smash hits "One Thing Leads To Another" and "Saved by Zero." An extensive North American tour opening for The Police earned the Fixx critical acclaim and lifelong fans for their captivating performances.
The band continued with a string of top-selling albums. Phantoms, in 1984, included the hit song "Are We Ourselves," and in 1986, Walkabout produced the hit single "Secret Separation." Another hit on Billboard Magazine's Hot Club Play chart was "Deeper and Deeper" from the soundtrack to the Walter Hill film Streets of Fire.
In 1987 the band departed MCA for RCA Records and Calm Animals, showcased their second No. 1 rock track, "Driven Out," which became Billboard's ..4 Most Played Rock Track of the Year.
At the end of the decade, MCA released a greatest hits package titled One Thing Leads To Another, which has sold more than two million copies.
The '90s represented a turning point in music, and in the Fixx. Ink, released in 1991, showcased themes of struggle, and the song "How Much is Enough?" climbed to No. 10 on the Modern Rock chart. But other melodic and introspective ballads failed to find a place in the then-burgeoning grunge scene.
The band members spent some time apart, to raise families, pursue other interests, and to let the musical world decide where it was going. But there was never any thought of retirement. After the band's hiatus, The Ultimate Fixx Collection was released, showcasing the trademark FIXX sound - ethereal keyboards, an inventive rhythm section, passionate vocals and shattering guitar work - a sound that has produced a variety of memorable hits which remain significant today.
The band returned to the studio for CMC International Records. Elemental, released in 1998, marked a new, contemporary evolution in the group's history, blending the familiar FIXX sound with a fresh, modern feel. It showcased the band's signature rock sound with songs such as "Two Different Views" and "We Once Held Hands." With Elemental, the Fixx reclaimed their place in pop culture. Their creative energy and spirit renewed, the recording sessions yielded too many songs for just one CD, and later a second collection was released entitled Happy Landings and Lost Tracks, including "Mayfly" and "Freeman."
The wonderful acoustic 1011 Woodland, from 1999, was the other CMC release, and featured many of the band's favorite tunes, including "Woman on a Train" and "Cameras in Paris."
The group's unstoppable creative drive bore the 2003 release Want That Life on Rainman Records. Produced by their late collaborator and motivator Martin Rex, and with bassist Gary Tibbs, completing the line-up, it became The Fixx's eighth studio album and featured the haunting and thought-provoking "Touch" and "Are You Satisfied?"
It is the band's unmistakable sound and relevant, accessible songs that keep the Fixx unique among the thousands of artists that fill the airwaves. In concert, the band delivers that same sonic authenticity because they are the genuine article, the real deal. Concert-goers, whether Fixxtures (longtime fans) or those experiencing the Fixx for the first time, are thrilled by the band's dynamic stage presence and trademark sound.
Having celebrated their 25th anniversary with a DVD made by fans, and the imminent release of new songs, the band once again proves that they are constantly evolving, seeking new heights. In March of this year, the band reconvened in London with bassist Dan K. Brown, much to the delight of long-time Fixxtures.
The Fixx, with their combination of classic hits and innovative new music, continues to excite and inspire - both live and on record.
See: http://www.thefixx.com/
Beautiful Friction
The Fixx Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was a beautiful friction
All I ever felt was a loving contradiction
As life waits to begin
Born by an act of rejection
Lost to time, forgotten lives
Return to our connection
Never indifferent to it
And here we struggle with a compromise
Only to realize
It's a beautiful friction
Beautiful friction
Beautiful friction
Beautiful friction
As the deck swayed side to side
Caught sight of the ship's reflection
Lonely mast in a perfect storm
Clings on to its direction
I've been pulled apart, washed aside
Never indifferent to it
And here we struggle with a compromise
Only to realize
If I could listen to
Let you in
Tell you its alright
Staring at a changing sky
Only to empathize
With a beautiful friction
With a beautiful friction
Beautiful friction
Beautiful friction
Beautiful friction
All I ever wanted from those eyes
Beautiful friction
All I've ever felt was
Beautiful friction
Dying waits to begin
Beautiful friction
Beautiful friction
Beautiful friction
Beautiful friction
The Fixx's song Beautiful Friction reflects on the complexities and contradictions of human emotions and relationships. The lyrics suggest a desire for a connection that is both passionate and challenging, describing it as a "beautiful friction". The singer acknowledges the difficulties of compromise and the pain of being washed aside, but ultimately recognizes that this tension is what makes the connection beautiful.
The first stanza sets up the theme of the song, with the singer describing their desire for "a beautiful friction" from their lover's eyes. They acknowledge the contradiction of feeling both love and struggle in the relationship, and reflect on the fact that our lives are often shaped by rejection and loss. The second stanza takes on a more physical metaphor, describing a ship in a storm and the lone mast clinging to its direction. This can be interpreted as a metaphor for the singer's own struggles with direction in their life and relationships.
The chorus repeats the theme of "beautiful friction", suggesting that it is something to be celebrated rather than feared. The singer admits to being pulled apart and struggling with compromise, but ultimately suggests that listening and empathy can help to bridge the gap between two conflicting forces. The song's overall message seems to be that while relationships can be challenging, it is the tension between individuals that ultimately makes them beautiful.
Line by Line Meaning
All I ever wanted from those eyes
The singer desired a passionate tension from the gaze of their partner
Was a beautiful friction
This tension brought them closer and heightened their passion
All I ever felt was a loving contradiction
Despite the confusion and contradictions of love, the singer remained devoted to their partner
As life waits to begin
Life and love remain undefined and waiting for discovery
Born by an act of rejection
The singer was brought into the world through the pain of their parents' rejection
Lost to time, forgotten lives
The past struggles and stories of previous generations have been lost over time
Return to our connection
The singer seeks to reconnect with their past and the experiences of their ancestors
I've been thrown apart, washed aside
The singer has experienced rejection and isolation
Never indifferent to it
Despite this, they have remained emotionally affected by these experiences
And here we struggle with a compromise
The singer and their partner strive to find a balance in their relationship
Only to realize
However, they soon come to the realization that
It's a beautiful friction
Their conflicts and contradictions ultimately enhance the passion in their relationship
As the deck swayed side to side
Metaphor for the ups and downs of life
Caught sight of the ship's reflection
In the midst of chaos, the singer reflects on their own experiences
Lonely mast in a perfect storm
Individuals can weather life's storms on their own
Clings on to its direction
But it's important to remain focused on one's goals and values
If I could listen to
The singer longs to communicate
Let you in
And open up to their partner
Tell you its alright
Assuring them that everything will be okay
Staring at a changing sky
The world and people around us are constantly evolving
Only to empathize
But through these changes, we can still find common ground and connect with others
With a beautiful friction
Even the tensions and contradictions in a relationship can be a thing of beauty
Contributed by Penelope F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.