The Monochrome Set are an English post-punk band originally formed in 1978 … Read Full Bio ↴The Monochrome Set are an English post-punk band originally formed in 1978 from the remnants of a college group called The B-Sides (whose members had included Stuart Goddard, a.k.a. Adam Ant). The band is notable for its witty lyrics, the laconic delivery of lead singer Bid, and the idiosyncratically retrogressive playing style of original lead guitarist Lester Square.

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.

RSVP
The Monochrome Set Lyrics

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Pas de deux, cordon bleu
Quel dommage, à la plage
Laisser faire, tête-à-tête
Mal de mer, vinaigrette
Sans souci
Ma chérie

Mélange et blanc mange

Raison d'être, et kilomètre
Savoir faire, négligée
Au contraire, consommée
Vis-à-vis
Ma chérie

Promenade, à la carte
Nom de guerre, vin ordinaire
Quelque chose, coup d'état
Mon repos, petits pois
Jeux d'esprit
Ma chérie

Je ne sais pas, pâté de fois gras
Corps de ballet, tout-à-fait
Rendez-vous, femme de cilambre
Entre nous, tous ensemble

Lingerie
Ma chérie

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Monochrome Set's song R.S.V.P. read like a list of French phrases and familiar food items - "Pas de deux, cordon bleu," "Mal de mer, vinaigrette," "Mélange et blanc mange." The words in each line seem disconnected at first, but on closer inspection, there's a pattern to what's being described - each line pairs two contrasting ideas that somehow belong together. The title of the song, R.S.V.P., suggests that its lyrics might be about party invitations, and the disjointed, whimsical lines of the song almost read like a response to a strange, formal function.

The repeated line "Ma chérie" ties the song together and adds a layer of intimacy to an otherwise haphazard collection of phrases. The chorus includes lines like "Mélange et blanc mange/Raison d'être, et kilomètre," where the words might not parse as anything related at all, but the rhyme and rhythm of the French phrasing gives a musical coherence to the song's structure. Overall, the lyrics to R.S.V.P. are deconstructed, pithy, and whimsical, creating a feeling of casual nonchalance that fits with the song's overall vibe.

Line by Line Meaning

Pas de deux, cordon bleu
Performing a dance for two, a dish made of high-quality and skillfully prepared food

Quel dommage, à la plage
What a pity, at the beach

Laisser faire, tête-à-tête
Let it be, one-on-one conversation

Mal de mer, vinaigrette
Motion sickness, dressing for salads

Sans souci
Without worry

Ma chérie
My dear

Mélange et blanc mange
Mixture and a dish made with coconut milk and gelatin

Raison d'être, et kilomètre
Reason for being, and measurement of distance

Savoir faire, négligée
Skillful execution, negligee clothing item

Au contraire, consommée
On the contrary, consumed

Vis-à-vis
Face-to-face