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.
House Of God
The Monochrome Set Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But it did not seem quite right
Piano wire cut her neck in two
I was crying all through the night
And she's in the sod
And I live in her house of God
But I did not feel alone
In the attic, found a ouija beneath
Set of letters and a heart-shaped stone
And she's in the sod
And I live in her house of God
Heart-shaped stone, oh, heart-shaped stone
Sliding across the floor
Lead me to a room I know
Lead me to your door
And she's in the sod
And I live in her house of God
The Monochrome Set's "House of God" is a hauntingly beautiful track that explores the aftermath of a gruesome murder. The singer of the song tells the story of killing their lover, depicted through the vivid and visceral image, "Piano wire cut her neck in two." In the aftermath of the murder, the singer is haunted by their actions and appears to be searching for salvation. The line, "Hanged man was the card I drew, but it did not seem quite right" suggests that the singer is conflicted and they may have thought about seeking redemption but ultimately chose a path of destruction.
The song's title, House of God, may symbolize the singer's search for redemption and forgiveness. However, instead of finding redemption, the singer seems to be living through their lover's memory, as a symbol of eternal haunting. In the lines, "And she's in the sod, and I live in her house of God," the singer may be suggesting that their lover is buried and they are left to live with the memory and guilt of the murder. The heart-shaped stone mentioned in the lyrics seemingly represents a token of love, which is also a reminder of the love they lost and the guilt they feel.
Overall, House of God is a complex and emotionally charged song that delves deep into the complexities of love and death, leaving listeners with a sense of unease and sorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
Hanged man was the card I drew
I encountered bad luck represented by the tarot card ‘hanged man’
But it did not seem quite right
The situation did not feel natural or just
Piano wire cut her neck in two
I killed a woman by slicing her neck with sharp piano wire
I was crying all through the night
I was overwhelmed with sadness and regret for my actions
And she's in the sod
The woman I killed is now buried underground
And I live in her house of God
I live in the same space where she once worshipped, perhaps out of guilt or as a way to feel closer to her
Burnt her clothes and I pawned her teeth
I got rid of her belongings and personal details to distance myself from what I had done
But I did not feel alone
Despite trying to isolate myself, I still feel a strong connection to her
In the attic, found a ouija beneath
I discovered a spirit board hidden in the attic
Set of letters and a heart-shaped stone
There were letters and a heart-shaped stone included with the board
Heart-shaped stone, oh, heart-shaped stone
The heart-shaped stone stands out as a significant item
Sliding across the floor
The stone is moving on its own or being moved by a supernatural force
Lead me to a room I know
The stone is directing me toward a specific location
Lead me to your door
The stone is guiding me to the afterlife or the woman I killed
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GANESH SESHADRI, LESTER SQUARE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ZZZ
Dante's casino album, was removed, fucking Copyright!
Keith Norris
It’s about the human perception of the relationship between the drug L S D and God mediated by faith and / or beliefs on the one hand and knowing ( seeing a sign or something like that ) on the other .
lurjus
@Keith Norris what is this song about
Keith Norris
Sad but better removed for copyright than because they actually understand what is being said and what it means.