The Magnets music is founded on the sounds they can make from their mouths alone. Genius vocal percussionist Andy provides the groove. From bass drum to high hat, he produces entire drum tracks with his mouth. Fraser adds the bass, while James, Michael, Nic and Steve provide the layers of harmony and lead vocals on top.
Born in London out of an amalgamation of friendships, college shows and luck, the band released their debut album Giving It All That' on EMI in 2001, an independent second album Another Place followed, and the group are currently negotiating a major German distribution deal for their forthcoming third album. Both albums were recognised at the a cappella 'Grammies', the CARAs (Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards), winning the awards for best song in 2001 and 2003, alongside several other nominations.
In their element live, a Magnets concert presents a unique combination of musical sophistication, showmanship and soul. Performing for up to two hours, the show is a synthesis of the bands award winning original material, and their a cappella take on classic songs by artists such as Elvis, The Turtles, and the Jackson 5. However, The Magnets are not too cool to party, and the songs are spiced with humour, dancing, audience participation, and of course Andy Lips Frosts house destroying vocal drum solo.
Performing 160 shows a year in 2003 and 2004, the group have enjoyed support tours with Tom Jones, West End star Michael Ball, Lisa Stansfield and Geri Halliwell. They receive frequent invitations to play prestigious events in the UK and Europe, including the Queen's Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace and the BBC Proms in Hyde Park.
Other career highlights include a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2004, and official functions for Prime Minister Tony Blair, and German Chancellor Gerhardt Schroeder. The group have also become a favourite party band for the rich and famous, such as super model Elle Macpherson, Liz Hurley, Billionaire Phillip Green, media mogul Richard Desmond, and Hugh Grant.
The Magnets make regular TV and radio appearances in the UK, including peak time shows such as Parkinson, GMTV, Blue Peter, the Generation Game, Songs of Praise, MTV, Star For A Night, The Kelly Show, and Open House, as well as Loose Ends on Radio 4, and sessions on Radio 2. The band also play several charity and schools concerts every year, supporting causes such as the Teenage Cancer Trust and Children In Need, and promoting live music in education.
In Europe, and particularly Germany, The Magnets are well known as accomplished headliners at arts festivals and theatres, and made a breakthrough into the mainstream with several national TV appearances in the second half of 2003. In recent months the group have also broadened their horizons to Moscow, Israel, Singapore and China.
There was also a short lived Japanese punk rock band called the Magnets who only released one CD in 1989, entitled "Searching for Truth"
A Winter's Tale
The Magnets Lyrics
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Maybe I should close the door
And anyway the snow has covered all your footsteps
And I can follow you no more
The fire still burns at night
My memories are warm and clear
But everybody knows It's hard to be alone at this time of year
It was only a winter's tale
And why should the world take notice
Of one more love that's failed
(It's)a love that can never be
Though we meant to love to
You and me
On a worldwide scale
We're just another winter's tale
Why I stand alone
A bell is ringing far away I wonder if you hear
I wonder if you listening
I wonder where you are today
Good luck, I wish you well
For all that wishes may be worth
I hope that love and strength
are with you for the length of your time on earth
In The Magnets' song A Winter's Tale, the singer reminisces over a past love that has long come to an end. The nights are now colder, and the snow has covered all traces of the loved one's footsteps, rendering it impossible for the singer to follow them any longer. Love here is treated in a melancholic manner – the fire still burns, but the memories are warm and clear. It is hard to be alone during the festive season. The singer accepts the fact that the love between them was "just another winter's tale" – a love that can never be more. Even though they were meant to love each other, it never worked out, and they have to face the truth that they are just another failed love, on a worldwide scale.
The singer wonders if the old lover is listening, as a bell rings far away. They wish the ex-partner well and hope that love and strength accompany them for the rest of their life. The song concludes with a sad but beautiful message that genuine love, whether it ends well or not, is worth something and will always carry some value, even if we are "just another winter's tale."
Line by Line Meaning
The nights are colder now
As the season changes, the nights become colder and lonely.
Maybe I should close the door
To keep the warmth inside, it's suggested to close the door.
And anyway the snow has covered all your footsteps
The snows of winter have covered all evidence of the past, leaving no clue of where the loved one has gone.
And I can follow you no more
Unable to track the path of the one that's gone, the artist is left aimless and lost.
The fire still burns at night
The hearth of the home is still lit, but the warmth and comfort it brings is not enough to fill the void left by the loved one.
My memories are warm and clear
To battle against the cold of the winter, the singer holds on to the warm memories of the past.
But everybody knows It's hard to be alone at this time of year
The season of winter emphasizes and highlights the loneliness associated with being alone.
It was only a winter's tale
The story of the failed love is just one of many that occur and are forgotten over the cold season.
Just another winter's tale
Among other failures, the love story is not unique or special, just one more tale of winter heartbreak.
And why should the world take notice
The story is insignificant and not worth the world's attention.
Of one more love that's failed
Failed love is common and unimportant, but the individuals involved still feel the impact.
(It's)a love that can never be
Despite best intentions, the love between the artist and the lost one is not meant to be.
Though we meant to love to
Both of them intended to love and be loved, but the relationship just didn't work out.
You and me, on a worldwide scale
In the grand scheme of things, the singer and the lost one's failed love story is just one of billions on this planet.
We're just another winter's tale
The failed love story, while painful to both, is not unique or significant in comparison to others.
Why I stand alone
The artist stands alone, questioning what caused the love between them to fall apart.
A bell is ringing far away I wonder if you hear
The ringing of the distant bell represents the gap between the artist and the lost one, the uncertainty of whether or not they hear each other's call.
I wonder if you listening
The singer questions if the lost one is listening, if there is any hope of reaching them and reconnecting the love lost.
I wonder where you are today
Unable to trace their path, the singer wonders where the lost one is and what they might be doing.
Good luck, I wish you well
Despite the heartbreak, the artist still holds good will towards the lost one.
For all that wishes may be worth, I hope that love and strength are with you for the length of your time on earth
Although the love story between them ended, the artist still wishes for the lost one to have a life full of love and strength.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANTHONY CHRISTOPHER DUHIG, JON FIELD, GLYN HARVARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind