The band consisted of three members, Robin Proper-Sheppard (born Gary Sheppard) (guitar/vocals), Jimmy Fernandez (bass) and Ronald Austin (drums), and they first performed officially under the name The God Machine in 1991. They released an EP, Purity with the record label Eve, and were later given contracts with the label Fiction. They released two albums in their career, both with their trademark dark and industrial-sounding alternative rock, before Jimmy Fernandez suddenly died from a cancerous brain tumor in 1994. Robin went on to form The Flower Shop Recordings label, and bands Sophia and The May Queens.
The first full-length album, Scenes from the second storey, was released in 1993.
Their second album, One Last Laugh in a Place of Dying, was recognized by Alternative Press as one of the "90 greatest albums of the 90s" (#88) in their December 1998 issue.
Their San Diego incarnation was called Society Line and also featured guitarist Albert Amman, who left the band before its move to London.
The Tremelo Song
The God Machine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Feel myself 'cause I can't see the light
Tell myself that I do not deserve this
Tell myself that I do not deserve this
I'm just a simple man
But I'm just a simple man
Tell myself the bad things are
Safe in a place where they'll do no harm
That all the bad things, that all the bad things are
In my mind
Are in my mind
But I'm just a simple man
I'm just a simple man
The God Machine's song "The Tremelo Song" is a melancholic reflection on the internal struggles that can occur within one's own mind. The lyrics seem to communicate a sense of desperation and a desire to escape from negative thoughts and emotions. The singer says that he has "cut himself" in an attempt to see the "beauty" that exists around him, but he still cannot find inner peace. He feels trapped in his own mind, unable to see the light, and constantly telling himself that he is not worthy of happiness.
The singer eventually recognizes that these "bad things" are merely illusions that exist only in his mind, and that they cannot harm him as long as he is willing to see them for what they are. The song expresses a sense of catharsis as the singer begins to accept his limitations and acknowledges that he is just a simple man. Overall, the song seems to offer a message of hope to those who might be struggling with their own internal demons, encouraging them to look within themselves for the strength to face their fears and overcome their difficulties.
Line by Line Meaning
Cut myself 'cause I can't see the beauty
I harm myself physically because I can't recognize the good in me or around me
Feel myself 'cause I can't see the light
I isolate myself emotionally because I can't see a bright future or positive possibilities
Tell myself that I do not deserve this
I convince myself that I am not worthy of happiness or success
I'm just a simple man
I have a humble opinion of myself and don't see myself as significant or special
Tell myself the bad things are
I rationalize that negative thoughts and experiences are contained and won't affect me
Safe in a place where they'll do no harm
I believe that my negative thoughts can be controlled and kept away from affecting me or others
It's easier to see when I open my eyes
I recognize that it's easier to understand reality and perceive goodness when I have a clear mind
That all the bad things, that all the bad things are
The negative thoughts or experiences that exist are prominent in my perception and thoughts
In my mind
The bad thoughts and emotions are confined to my own thinking and internal perception
But I'm just a simple man
Despite the complexities of my thoughts, perceptions and experiences, I continue to see myself as ordinary and plain
Contributed by Samuel N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.