Bickers left in 1989 and was replaced by Simon Walker, who in turn was replaced by Simon Mawby in 1992. Andrea Heukamp left the band in 1988, returning briefly in 1991.
From the same genus as Echo and the Bunnymen, My Bloody Valentine and Jesus and Mary Chain, The House of Love arrived on the scene in the late 1980s with a psychedelic, textural rock sound. Songwriter Guy Chadwick provided personal, romantic musings over lush layers of 80s studio bliss, enhanced by Terry Bickers' guitar-playing.
The band formed in Camberwell, London, England in 1986, and released a series of singles, leading to their debut untitled album on Creation Records in 1988. They then signed to Fontana in a whirl of publicity and money. Things went off the rails at first as their next two singles flopped and work on their new album progressed slowly. Tensions grew between Chadwick and Bickers, exacerbated by drug use, leading to Bickers's departure in 1989. But the resulting album (again officially untitled but usually referred to as the 'Butterfly' album after its cover design) went top 10; and a remake of their early single Shine On caught the retro guitar-pop fashion in the wake of the Stone Roses and was a moderate hit. Later in 1991 a compilation of B-sides and outtakes was released, usually referred to as A Spy In The House Of Love as a paperback of the Anaïs Nin novel of the same title appears in the cover photo.
The following album Babe Rainbow (1992) failed to follow the success of the Butterfly album: its lush, pristine production rendered hopelessly out of date by the emergence of the rave-influenced Madchester scene and the US grunge invasion. Their final album, Audience With the Mind (1993) barely charted and the group disbanded.
Considering the previous animosity between Guy Chadwick and Terry Bickers, there was some surprise when in 2005 the two reformed The House of Love. Pete Evans returned on drums and Matt Jury handled bass duties. They went on to tour the U.K. and Ireland and release an album Days Run Away to some praise.
In March 2008 House Of Love played in Lima, Peru, for their first South American performance ever. Almost the entire concert is to be seen on YouTube. The gig featured two new songs bringing hope to fans that the band is still working on new material. In September 2008 Guy played solo at the South Pop festival in Isla Cristina, Spain.
After another long hiatus, Guy Chadwick reformed the group with an all-new lineup, and in 2022 released the album "A State of Grace."
Sulphur
The House of Love Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Buried in black coal
I sold you a favour in the dark
Got a salt dream and a red scar
Weak, bending in the wind
To good words and white skin
Metaphors cut ignorance to pieces
Just watch me crawl out of love
Why look back upon love
Steel and sulphur
The city of love
Cities are grey
Nothing is here to stay
Peel, rip away your layers
Hit me and love me babe
Hooks and pins the weapons of a dream
Touch, then fall away
Why look back upon love
Steel and sulphur
The city of love
Cities are grey
Nothing is here to stay
Tell me why
Tell me why
Tell me why
That's the sound of my head
And the texture of gas
And the wolf in skin
And the touch in sheep
In the first verse of The House of Love's song "Sulphur," the lyrics describe a feeling of deep conflict within oneself. The enemy is situated "deep inside," and it feels as though it is buried in coal. The singer has done something in the dark, selling a "favour" to someone else. The result of this act is a "salt dream" and a "red scar," suggesting that the singer has been wounded by this transaction. The metaphor of weakness "bending in the wind" is juxtaposed with the power of "good words and white skin." The final line, "Just watch me crawl out of love," implies that the singer is moving away from a romantic relationship that has not been good for them.
The second verse continues this theme of moving on, suggesting that the singer is dismantling the layers of themselves and inviting pain and passion. The imagery of "hooks and pins" and "weapons of a dream" suggest that love is not always easy or straightforward, but it can be all-consuming. The final lines return to the theme of impermanence, describing the city of love as "grey" and nothing being there to stay.
Overall, the lyrics of "Sulphur" suggest a deep conflict between love and self-preservation, as well as the transient nature of love itself.
Line by Line Meaning
Why is my enemy so deep inside
I am deeply troubled by something unknown, causing me to feel like an enemy is lurking within me
Buried in black coal
This feeling is dark, hidden and oppressive like coal in the ground
I sold you a favour in the dark
I have done something questionable or even dangerous in secret, perhaps to win over someone's favor or trust
Got a salt dream and a red scar
I have conflicting desires or goals (salt vs. red) that have left me with a deep emotional wound
Weak, bending in the wind
I feel vulnerable and unstable, easily swayed by external forces
To good words and white skin
I am drawn to things, people or experiences that appear bright, pure or virtuous on the surface
Metaphors cut ignorance to pieces
Using figurative language can help me break down complex or vague concepts into more tangible pieces
Just watch me crawl out of love
I am trying to detach myself from a romantic or emotional bond that has become poisonous or unsustainable
Why look back upon love
There is no need to dwell on or romanticize love, as it can be a fickle or destructive force
Steel and sulphur
Love can be both strong and corrosive, like metal and sulfuric acid
The city of love
Cities are grey
Nothing is here to stay
Love may seem grand or promising in the grandeur of a city, but ultimately the world is full of transience and mundanity
Peel, rip away your layers
I am challenging someone to reveal themselves, to strip off their defenses and pretenses
Hit me and love me babe
Hooks and pins the weapons of a dream
Touch, then fall away
This relationship may involve pain, danger, or illusion. Despite that, there is a desire to connect, even if it is fleeting
Tell me why
I seek answers or explanations for the confusion, pain, or emptiness that I feel
That's the sound of my head
And the texture of gas
And the wolf in skin
And the touch in sheep
These images reflect the disorienting or surreal nature of my thoughts and feelings. I am unsure whether I am the predator or prey in my own headspace
Contributed by Alexis F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
m b
This first album is still cool!
* nazca *
Uma torrente de emoções incontroláveis. Eterno.
Nothing is here to stay
Tell me why
Brício Coqueiro
The House Love > Perfect Band with perfect songs!
modsheff1
The guitar in this wonderful tune....has big big balls..:))
mrPurple365
a great memory...llaneloc..,. john peel tapes... have a sesh or two of theirs somewhere,.. probably repeats cos I didn't discover them for myself until 1991 or so
opusnone1
The didn't waste a single bar of music.
Emerson Fuzi
My favorite band all time ( Brazil)
F.A.C 1178 CAPONI
aguante house love
Aregentna
Jonathan Himsworth
may 88... london... john peel show... just played extreme noise terror... then this song came on... had no idea who it was always liked it. Then bough H o L anyway only to discover it in there. what a lovely surprised. Could never happen that way again. Then the band came to Vancouver in 92... we screamed them of the stage... totally overwhelmed them with our adoration. Do you remember this night Guy?