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/
Straight 'Round the Bend
The Fixx Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We define ourselves from the outsides for our friends
Mardi Gras' mask says play pretend
Well, if there's anybody out there
What kind of message do we send?
Straight 'round the bend
Going around it, the bend
Going around it, the bend
We play keep up with the Joneses for effect
We buy fully comp insurance to walk away from the wreck
Where we see the grass is greener, we build a fence
Here, we all claim insanity
That's our best defense
Straight 'round the bend
Going around it, the bend
Straight around the bend
Going around it, the bend
Well, we're all billboards and labels in the end
We define ourselves from the outsides for our friends
Mardi Gras' mask says play pretend
Well, if there's anybody out there
What kind of message do we send?
Straight 'round the bend
Going around it, the bend (Straight 'round the bend)
Straight around the bend
Going around it (Straight 'round the bend)
'Round the bend
Straight 'round the bend
Straight 'round the bend
Straight 'round the bend
Going around it, the bend
Straight around the bend
Going around it, the bend
The song "Straight 'Round the Bend" by The Fixx talks about how people tend to define themselves based on their outward appearance and material possessions. The lyrics suggest that society places a large emphasis on keeping up with the Joneses and trying to appear successful to others. The chorus, "Straight 'round the bend, going around it, the bend," implies that this pattern of behavior is cyclical and never-ending. The line "Mardi Gras' mask says play pretend" refers to the idea that people often put on a false persona to impress others, much like wearing a mask during Carnival celebrations.
The idea of billboards and labels in the first verse can be interpreted as the different ways people present themselves to the world. The second verse references how people often try to protect themselves from failure or hardship by buying insurance and building fences. The lines "Where we see the grass is greener, we build a fence / Here, we all claim insanity, that's our best defense" suggest that people want to keep up with their neighbors so badly that they feel like they are going crazy trying to do so.
In the end, the song asks, "What kind of message do we send?" by focusing on outward appearances and labels rather than the true selves beneath. It suggests that this cycle of comparison and competition is detrimental to our well-being and asks listeners to consider what message they are sending by playing this game.
Line by Line Meaning
We're all billboards and labels in the end
Ultimately, we are all defined by the way we present ourselves to the world
We define ourselves from the outsides for our friends
We create our self-image based on how we think others perceive us
Mardi Gras' mask says play pretend
The masks we wear hide our true selves, allowing us to play a role that we think is expected of us
Well, if there's anybody out there
If anyone is listening or paying attention
What kind of message do we send?
What impression are we giving to those around us?
Straight 'round the bend
We continue to move forward even when it seems we are going in circles
Going around it, the bend
We navigate through life's twists and turns
We play keep up with the Joneses for effect
We try to keep up with our peers just to appear successful
We buy fully comp insurance to walk away from the wreck
We prepare for the worst, hoping that we won't have to deal with the consequences of our actions
Where we see the grass is greener, we build a fence
We create barriers to keep others out, even when we could benefit from connecting with them
Here, we all claim insanity
We justify our actions by pleading craziness or a lack of responsibility
That's our best defense
We believe that denying responsibility is the best way to avoid negative consequences
Contributed by Caroline T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Glenn Page Music
One of the best tracks from "Want That Life"! I think my fav's are "Are You Satisfied?" "Taking the Long Way Home," "Roger and Out," the title track, and this one. Hell, the whole album's pretty damn great!
Deborah Egan
Always are, always will be...my mostest fav. band
lanier1000
Underrated song, unknown song, wonderful song.
rockzulla
@berkana58 THE FIXX IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE BANDS ALSO I ALSO LOVE SUPERTRAMP I LOVE THE SONG CRIME OF THE CENTURY.
Sarah
Hey Deb me too from my college days til now!
progtoeternity
This song seems like it was cut for the Beautiful Friction album....
tony antoine
nice