The original group consisted of Stefan Cush (Vocals, Guitar), Paul Simmonds (Guitar, Bouzouki, Mandolin, Keyboards), Phil "Swill" Odgers (Vocals, Guitar, Tin Whistle, Melodica), Jon Odgers (Drums, Percussion) and Shanne Bradley (Bass, Flute).
Their first single, "The Green Fields of France", was released in 1984. Written by Eric Bogle (of 'The Band Played Waltzing Matilda' fame), the song's protagonist imagined having a conversation with one of the fallen soldiers of World War I whilst sitting by his graveside. The song received considerable airplay on the John Peel show on BBC Radio 1 and finished at No.3 in Peel's Festive 50 for that year.
The following year came TMTCH's debut album, 'The Night of a Thousand Candles' and its accompanying single "Ironmasters" - this time a self-penned number by main songwriter Simmonds, linking the Industrial Revolution to the present-day treatment of the working class. The original final line of the song - "and oh, that iron bastard, she still gets her way" (a reference to the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher) had to be removed for the single version to ensure radio airplay.
In 1985 the band signed for MCA records and released "How Green Is The Valley". The record included "Ghosts Of Cable Street" a political number concerning The Battle of Cable Street in 1936 and "Shirt Of Blue" which regarded the miners' strike of 1984-5 . At the end of promotion for the album Shanne Bradley was replaced on bass by Ricky McGuire (ex UK Subs ).
In 1987 the band switched to Magnet Records and the new record released was, what may fans consider their best "Waiting For Bonaparte". Once again the strongest songs were stories of historical origin. "The Colours" told of an English mutineer sailor during the Napoleonic War and "The Crest" a stretcher bearer during World War II. Sadly whilst "The Colours" was at no.61 in the British top 75 it was blacklisted by Radio 1 due to the line "You've Come Here To Watch Me Hang", which echoed the events happening in South African townships at the time.
In 1988 the band were on the move again and signed for new label Silvertone (who later put out The Stone Roses debut release). Highlights of "Silvertown" included "Rain, Steam and Speed", "A Place In The Sun" and "A Map Of Morocco". They followed this up in 1990 with "The Domino Club" , which had a more conventional rock sound dispensing with much of the folk element in their sound.
Surprisingly the band split in 1991 after releasing a live set "Alive, Alive-0". Paul Simmonds and "Swill" Odgers then formed Liberty Cage who released an album "Sleep Of The Just" in 1994 and an EP "I'll Keep It With Mine" in 1995.
To the delight of their fans the band reformed (minus drummer Jon Odgers who had become Therapy? drum technician). Their new cd was "Never Born To Follow", released on the Demon label in 1996. The following year the band released the mini-album "Six Pack". Two "Best Of" collections followed "Majestic Grill" and "The Mud, The Blood And The Beer" both 1998.
The band again withdrew into semi retirement during which Odgers and Simmonds again relased new material together, "Baby Fishlips" in 1999 and "Folk At The Fortress" in 2002.
The band released a brand new cd in 2003 "The Cherry Red Jukebox", which most fans agreed was a real return to form. In 2005 the band released a DVD to celebrate 21 years together "21 Years Of Love And Hate". This was later released as a live double CD "Smugglers and Bounty Hunters". The band continue to play occasional live concerts. Their next planned release is an acoustic folk orientated cd, including reworking of several popular old songs from their back catalogue.
During breaks from the band "Swill" Odgers has released two Cd's with his band "The Swaggerband" which includes Ricky McGuire and Jon Odgers plus lyrical contribution from Paul Simmonds. They are "The Day After" in 2004 and "Elvis Lives Here" on Irregular Records in 2006.
Official Website http://www.tmtch.net/
Kingdom Of The Blind
The Men They Couldn't Hang Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Moved to Southern town
Took the job six years ago
When there wasn't any work around
Judy made the bargain,
I'd pay of the housing loan
She'd bring up the kid
While I was away
She Said:
Careful when you're keeping
With the times
Because the things we believe
Will soon get left behind
If you fall in love
But don't fall in love
It's the Kingdom of the Blind
First two years were a struggle,
Telephone calls were long
Second two years were easier,
Maybe things were going wrong
Well I met somebody
When my guard was down
It went from serious to bad
In six short weeks I turned
My back on everything we had
She said:
(Chorus)
Sold off the bricks and mortar,
Judy took away the kid
Only time will let me know
If it's the right thing I did
Now I'm in a relationship
We call no strings attached
Sometimes I think it's a brand new me
Sometimes every single thing
Looks smashed...
She said:
(Chorus)
The Men They Couldn't Hang's song Kingdom Of The Blind tells a story of a man who left his Northern city to move to a Southern town for work. He took a job six years ago when there wasn't any work around, and his wife Judy made the bargain that she would bring up the child while he was working away, and he would pay off the housing loan. The first two years were a struggle, and the telephone calls were long, but it got easier for the second two years, and maybe things were going wrong. He met somebody when his guard was down, and it went from serious to bad quickly. In six short weeks, he turned his back on everything they had, leaving his wife and child behind.
The song's message is to be careful when keeping up with the times because the things people believe will soon get left behind. If people fall in love, but don't fall in love, it's the Kingdom of the Blind. It's a society or system in which people who are ignorant, uninformed, or uninterested in certain topics hold power over those who are knowledgeable or experienced in those matters. The man sold off the bricks and mortar, and his wife Judy took away their child. He's now in a relationship where they call it no strings attached, and sometimes he thinks it's a brand new him, and sometimes every single thing looks smashed.
Line by Line Meaning
Came from a Northern city,
The singer of the song initially lived in a city situated in the Northern region of the country
Moved to Southern town
They moved to a town located in the Southern part of the country
Took the job six years ago
The singer took up their current job six years back
When there wasn't any work around
The unemployment rate was high at the time, thus there was scarcity of job opportunities
Judy made the bargain,
Judy proposed an agreement to the artist
I'd pay of the housing loan
As per the agreement, the singer was to pay off the housing loan
She'd bring up the kid
Judy agreed to take care of the child
While I was away
The artist had to be away from home for work
At the weekend I'd come home
The artist would come home during the weekends
Careful when you're keeping
Judy warned the artist to be cautious of their association with things around them
With the times
She advised the singer to adapt to the changing world
Because the things we believe
Judy opined that our beliefs and values might be outdated and thus not accepted by society anymore
Will soon get left behind
People and society would soon move past it
If you fall in love
Judy particularly warned the singer about falling in love
But don't fall in love
Although love is beautiful, Judy cautioned against too much emotional investment in a relationship
It's the Kingdom of the Blind
Judy meant that it's a world where everyone is blind to the potential harm they may inflict on someone
First two years were a struggle,
The artist stated that the first two years in their new town were hard
Telephone calls were long
The singer relied on long phone calls to communicate with their partner
Second two years were easier,
The next two years were comparatively simpler
Maybe things were going wrong
The artist had a sense that things were not going as planned
Well I met somebody
The artist met someone new
When my guard was down
They were not cautious and allowed themselves to be vulnerable
It went from serious to bad
Their involvement changed from a proper relationship to one with negative consequences
In six short weeks I turned
Within just a matter of six weeks, the artist's life took an unexpected turn
My back on everything we had
The singer left behind everything they had, including their previous partner and child
Sold off the bricks and mortar,
The singer separately sold off the house they lived in
Judy took away the kid
The child was given custody to Judy
Only time will let me know
The artist is uncertain of the rightness or wrongness of their actions
If it's the right thing I did
They wonder if what they did was the right decision
Now I'm in a relationship
The singer is currently involved in another relationship
We call no strings attached
The current relationship is devoid of an emotional attachment or commitment
Sometimes I think it's a brand new me
They feel like they're a completely different person now
Sometimes every single thing
At other times, everything reminds them of their past
Looks smashed...
The artist sees their previous life as ruined or broken beyond repair
Contributed by Bentley B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Paul Smeenis
on Ironmasters
Dunno what track 6 is but it sure isn't Ironmasters