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.
OFFICIAL MYSPACE PRESS RELEASE: http://www.myspace.com/thefixx
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/
Less Cities
The Fixx Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A few old cushions stuffed with pride
A hand is shaking from the rubble
This is spirit still alive
A servant bares his occupation
Breaks his back just growing old
Never mind his views were taken
Less cities, more moving people
Rushing out with pride
Less cities, more moving people
These hands that once were tied
A church bell rang for the occasion
The average man learns what's in store
Now he sees where life was taken
Fighting heat, but growing cold
Less cities, more moving people
Rushing out with pride
Less cities, more moving people
Hands that once were tied
Is this what we call education?
Just watch the wheel of time revolve
But why is this not what I'm thinking?
It's just one mind and the unknown
Less cities, more moving people
Rushing out with pride
Less cities, more moving people
Who just forgot their lives
Less cities, more moving people
Rushing out with pride
Less cities, more moving people
Who just forgot their lives
The Fixx's song "Less Cities More Moving People" seems to be a comment on the rapid growth of cities and the strains it puts on the people who live in them. The opening lines describe a "home" falling by the "wayside," implying it has been abandoned or destroyed, perhaps due to urban renewal or some other urban crisis. The "old cushions stuffed with pride" suggest that the home may have had some sentimental value or history before being torn down.
The second verse introduces a "servant" who has spent his life working hard, but has never had his voice heard. The lyrics seem to suggest that the man's views don't matter in the larger scheme of things, because he has always lived "by the rules of old." The chorus then repeats the idea that there should be "less cities, more moving people," perhaps indicating a need for people to be more mobile and able to adapt to changing circumstances.
The third verse introduces a church bell ringing, likely signifying a moment of reflection or mourning. The "average man learns what's in store" could refer to a realization that life is unpredictable and that those who once had well-established routines must now adapt. The final verse seems to question the value of education, implying that even those who are educated and aware of the "wheel of time" may not fully understand the "unknown." Overall, the song seems to be a commentary on the changing nature of society and the struggle of individuals to adapt to these changes.
Line by Line Meaning
Another home falls by the wayside
Another home is destroyed or ruined and abandoned
A few old cushions stuffed with pride
The remnants of a once proud and comfortable home or lifestyle
A hand is shaking from the rubble
The destruction is still affecting and impacting the people who are left behind
This is spirit still alive
Despite the devastation, people still have a fighting spirit and will to survive
A servant bares his occupation
A person is dedicated to and stuck in their work or job
Breaks his back just growing old
Working hard for years has taken a toll on the servant's body and health
Never mind his views were taken
The servant's own opinions and beliefs were disregarded or not taken into consideration
Just saw by the rules of old
The servant followed traditions and ways of life that were established long ago
Less cities, more moving people
Society needs to focus less on creating and expanding cities and more on encouraging mobility and progress
Rushing out with pride
People should be moving forward with enthusiasm and determination
These hands that once were tied
People who were once restricted or held back are now free to make progress
A church bell rang for the occasion
A significant event or change is occurring
The average man learns what's in store
Ordinary people are beginning to become aware of what their future may hold
Now he sees where life was taken
People are coming to terms with the losses and changes that have occurred in their lives
Fighting heat, but growing cold
People are struggling to survive and make progress, but are simultaneously losing hope or becoming apathetic
Is this what we call education?
The current system of education and learning is being criticized
Just watch the wheel of time revolve
People are simply observing or being swept up by the passage of time
But why is this not what I'm thinking?
The singer is questioning why their thoughts and opinions differ from the norm or expected response
It's just one mind and the unknown
One person's thoughts and ideas may be singular and uncertain, but that doesn't make them invalid or wrong
Who just forgot their lives
People have become so focused on progress and change that they are neglecting their own personal lives and well-being
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ADAM TERENCE WOODS, CYRIL JOHN CURNIN, DANIEL KINGSMILL BROWN, JAMES WEST ORAM, PETER JOHN GREENALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@DrTomoculus
I cannot tell you how much I loved The Fixx in Junior High School and High School. And beyond. I left them somewhere in 1991 with INK, because there were so many outside writers on it, I just felt this wasn't my band anymore. They weren't even their band anymore. And their chart success was good enough that they shouldn't have had to be forced to take that route to please some record company. They were so much better than that, but that's the nature of the biz. When they're done with you, they're done. No matter how much you have shown you are a lucrative investment, and you produce Art that interests the general populace.
I loved The Fixx more than The Police, and they get compared alot. I always felt that was atmospherically, and not musically. Because The Fixx were funky as hell. And EVERY Bass player that played in this band were awesome. Dan K. Brown is their resident and longest lasting one, and I don't mention him enough to be honest. Because he's just so damn good.
THEY'RE ALL GREAT MUSICIANS AND ARTISTS!
I loved Cy Curnin's voice. The delivery. Where he put emphasis on certain words. And his lyrics were these deeply spiritual, pro-Humanity pieces of poetry and observation on behaviour.
Adam Woods, their drummer, plays so untraditionally, that he's actually complicated! He never seems to put a kick or a snare in the place you expect it to be. He's like this odd Grandfather Clock in a parlour, that ticks out random noises but is always on time without err.
He NEVER PLAYS WHAT YOU EXPECT!!!
Rupert Greenall is just a keyboardist who brings in strange sounds, eerie textures, haunting melodies, dystopian soundscapes. Again, not a traditional player in any regards. He's all about SOUND. And I love that approach.
And Jamie West-Oram. Just one of my favourite Guitarists of All Time. Top 10 without question. Everything that dude does fascinates me. He's the reason I bought "Stand Or Fall" when I first heard it! I was at the record store the next day to see if that song was somewhere on their shelves.
AND NOW I KNOW WHAT CHORDS HE'S PLAYING CUZ I HAD TO WATCH A VIDEO OF HIM PLAYING WHAT CHORDS THEY ARE BECAUSE NO GUITAR TABLATURE OR GUITAR COVER VERSION BOTHERED TRANSCRIBING OR PERFORMING THEM!!!
How do you not perform the very part of the song that's it's main focus!!!! What everything is built on! Those two chords!!! Have mercy!
I LOVE THE FIXX. Their first album SHUTTERED ROOM (1982) right through to CALM ANIMALS (1989) are some of my favourite records in my collection. I played them non-stop.
PS - Oh and I returned to them, don't worry. I don't leave forever someone or something I love. I just got disillusioned with INK. But I returned to them and bought anything new they released that I had missed in the gap.
@americanbuffalo7802
I'll fight anyone in the streets who doesn't like The Fixx. One of the best, all time.
@StormLover3
My 25 year old son loves them just like his mama. 😁 These guys sing the truth!
@itsallgoodman4108
I feel blessed to have been given their CD for my 22nd birthday
@scottsargent3614
Hey, a shout out to A.Buffalo, Such-a-Deal, shit you'd kill me. I very crippled anymore...Here I go, theFixx are simply perfect, it cannot even believe anyone with such bad taste, I do not even want to know....worthless to me and mine...A.B. you are one smart Buffalo...have you really been this fanatical about the Fixx? I am and always
wanted to have a real Fixx friend. so don't toy with me(just fuckin' with ya).
anyway YOU ARE MY FRIEND, so there.
Scott, talk to me, will look for it.
@hayman-lx2ze
Hahahahah AWESOME 😎
@davidwright4495
Just tell them that you'll Fix them.
@spaceorbison
What a massively overlooked band this was
@peggyfranzen6159
I agree.
@susannebuchholz785
@@peggyfranzen6159 True.But I heard them in the 80ies.A friend of mine introduced me to this great band!He had all their records and I loved it from the first time!
@paddy6358
Totally agree, and you could sense it even back at the height of their popularity.