The original line-up consisted of Indian born lead singer and principal songwriter Bid (real name Ganesh Seshadri), Canadian guitarist Lester Square (real name Thomas W.B. Hardy), drummer John D. Haney, and bassist Charlie Harper. The band went through several bassists in the next few years, including Jeremy Harrington, and Andy Warren of the Ants, a childhood friend of Bid.
Experimental filmmaker Tony Potts began collaborating with the band in 1979, designing lighting and stage sets with film projections for their live appearances. The band's early persona was defined by the shadowy, uncertain stage images created by the films to such an extent he is often described as being the band's "fifth member."
They released several singles for the Rough Trade label before recording their debut album, "Strange Boutique", produced by Bob Sargeant, for Virgin Records' imprint DinDisc in 1980, as well as their follow-up effort, Love Zombies, produced by Alvin Clark and the band later that same year. John Haney left the band in 1981 and was replaced by Lexington Crane.
In 1982, the band switched labels to Cherry Red to release their third full-length album, Eligible Bachelors, produced by Tim Hart. Lester Square and Lexington Crane left soon afterwards, and were replaced by keyboardist Carrie Booth and drummer Nicholas Weslowski. This line-up recorded 1982 single Cast a Long Shadow, for Cherry Red before Booth was in turn replaced by new lead guitarist James 'Foz' Foster.
In 1983, Cherry Red released Volume, Contrast, Brilliance... sessions & singles vol. 1, a retrospective of the band's early Rough Trade singles, BBC and Capital Radio sessions, and other unreleased early sessions.
In 1985, with the same line-up as on Cast a Long Shadow, The Monochrome Set recorded the relatively mainstream album The Lost Weekend for major label Warner Bros. Records. The Lost Weekend failed commercially, and after a few singles, the band officially broke up, though they served as Jessica Griffin's backing band on the first album by the Would-Be-Goods, The Camera Loves Me.
In early 1990, Bid, Lester Square and Andy Warren reformed the band, with the addition of keyboardist Orson Presence and drummer Mike Slocombe (who was quickly replaced by Trevor Ready). The new band toured extensively--especially in Japan, where Bid had become a major star.
The band released several low-key albums for Cherry Red Records during the 1990s, and went on hiatus from 1998 to 2008 though during that off time Bid recorded a number of albums with another band, Scarlet's Well.
The band reunited on 8 October 2008 for a one-off performance at Cherry Red's 30th Anniversary party at Dingwalls, London. It also marked the 30th year of The Monochrome Set. Bid, Andy Warren and Lester Square were joined by Jennifer Denitto (drums) and Sian Dada (keyboards) of Scarlet's Well, and performed 13 songs.
Band reformed in 2010.
Closing Time
The Monochrome Set Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And no one has called
It's not that I'm alone
And why all these questions
Don't read me like a book
Mistake me for another
Your kind of help worries me
The kettle is boiling
In my once understandable heart
There's some talk
But I think it's gonna be a fight
There's an army without a face
Closing down my better points
The Monochrome Set's song "Closing Time" is a melancholic and introspective tune that talks about the feeling of loneliness and the struggle of understanding one's own emotions. The opening lines "No one is at home And no one has called" sets the mood for the song, hinting at the lack of communication and intimacy in the singer's life. The lines "It's not that I'm alone, and why all these questions" further emphasizes the struggle of the singer to fully comprehend their emotions.
The next two lines "Don't read me like a book, mistake me for another" suggest the singer's fear of being misunderstood or misinterpreted by others. The line "Your kind of help worries me" could indicate that the singer is wary of accepting help from others or that they do not want to rely on others.
The line "The kettle is boiling" is a metaphorical reference to the singer's state of mind. The phrase "Boiling kettle" is often used to describe someone who is at the brink of losing their temper or feeling overwhelmed, and in this case, it could refer to the emotional conflict that the singer is experiencing. The line "In my once understandable heart" suggest that the singer feels like they have lost their sense of self-awareness and control over their emotions.
Overall, Closing Time by The Monochrome Set is a melancholic yet introspective song that talks about the struggle of understanding one's own emotions and the lack of communication and intimacy in one's life.
Line by Line Meaning
No one is at home
There is no one else here with me.
And no one has called
I have not received any phone calls or messages.
It's not that I'm alone
I am not feeling lonely, despite being by myself.
And why all these questions
I am curious about why you are asking so many questions.
Don't read me like a book
Please do not assume you know everything about me.
Mistake me for another
You might be confusing me with someone else.
Your kind of help worries me
I am concerned about the type of assistance you are offering me.
The kettle is boiling
The situation is starting to heat up.
In my once understandable heart
My emotions used to be manageable, but now they are chaotic.
There's some talk
Rumors are circulating about me or my situation.
But I think it's gonna be a fight
I believe there will be conflict or confrontation soon.
There's an army without a face
I feel like I am being attacked or opposed by an elusive, unknown force.
Closing down my better points
This unseen opposition is impeding my positive qualities or traits.
Contributed by Allison C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
sonicsnap117
"Cosmonaut" is an awesome album!
EdwardsOperation
Great song from a GREAT band! Still going strong.....
Fishponds Fox
Sounds good ! Similar to the original stuff , which I think is a wise move !
kittensoxxy
LOVE The Monochrome Set!!!!!!
feliperaurich
muy bueno ¡ Gracias !
Amarillo O
Buenìsimo!!!
juveale29
Great to see the boys down the road in Putney last night. On top form as ever
Bambi Project
A new album!!! What a pleasure and joy. CU live in Cologne
Defective Nation
Great to hear some new material :-D
swampdodger
this is really good, what more do you want than that?