Ambition was never the Pastels' strong suit, and luck was rarely on their side; as the group's members -- now including bassist Martin Hayward and drummer Bernice Simpson -- devoted their primary focus to their studies, new music appeared only sporadically and to little notice, on a seemingly random series of labels. After 1983's "I Wonder Why" was released on Rough Trade, they moved to Creation, where they hit their stride with the 1984 drone-pop gems "Something's Going On" and "A Million Tears." After one further single, 1985's "I'm Alright with You," the Pastels split with Creation, moving to the tiny Glass label. In 1986, their track "Breaking Lines" appeared on the influential C-86 collection assembled by the New Music Express, transforming the anorak movement into an overnight media sensation quickly accompanied by intense critical backlash.
Regardless of prevailing musical trends, however, the Pastels soldiered on: after recruiting one-time Shop Assistants keyboardist Aggi Wright, they recorded the 1986 single "Truck Train Tractor," followed by Crawl Babies and Comin' Through. Finally, in 1987 the group found time to assemble an LP, Up for a Bit with the Pastels, followed in 1988 by Suck on the Pastels, a collection of unreleased Creation-era material. In 1989, former Vaselines frontman Eugene Kelly and ex-Shop Assistant David Keegan joined the fold for Sittin' Pretty, the final LP to include Superstar, Hayward, and Simpson. The remaining duo of Pastel and Wright expanded to include Katrina Mitchell for the 1991 collaboration Jad Fair and the Pastels, followed by the 1994 EP Olympic World of Pastelism. Their third album, Mobile Safari, was released in 1995 by Domino in the U.K. (which began a long-running alliance) and Up Records in the U.S. It featured a lineup including longtime band associates Norman Blake and Gerald Love (both from Teenage Fanclub) and ex-Shop Assistant guitarist David Keegan, and a guest appearance from Luna's Dean Wareham.
Their next album, 1997's Illumination, was issued by the same configuration of record labels and featured a similar lineup, only with the addition of guitarist Jonathan Kilgour and guest shots from Belle & Sebastian's Isobel Campbell and pianist Bill Wells. A remix album, Illuminati, was released in 1998 and featured reworks of tracks by Kevin Shields, Stereolab, Cornelius, and other A-list indie rockers. This burst of recognition and activity was derailed when Wright decided to leave the band in 1998, throwing Mitchell and Pastel into a spin. Instead of jumping back into making music right away, the band went on hiatus while figuring things out. The duo next formed Geographic Records in 2000 as an offshoot of Domino, and began releasing records by friends (Future Pilot AKA, International Airport) and obscure acts (Nagisa Ni Te, Maher Shalal Hash Baz.) The band reappeared at last in 2003 with the mostly instrumental soundtrack for the film The Last Great Wilderness. The album was produced by the Sea and Cake's John McEntire and featured International Airport's Tom Crossley along with a vocal feature for Jarvis Cocker. A friendship with Japanese band Tenniscoats led to their next release, 2009's collaborative effort Two Sunsets. The core band was expanded to include Crossley and Mitchell's sister Alison, with Love still there, too. With the record label slowing its pace and releasing one album a year, the band turned toward recording an album of their own, and in 2013 their fifth record, Slow Summits, was released. McEntire was again in the producer's chair and guitarist John Hogarty had joined the ranks. Also on board as guests were To Rococo Rot's Stefan Schneider and Robert Lippok, as well as Norman Blake (again), and original bandmember Annabel Wright. (c)Jason Ankeny
2) An American 50s pop group formed by Dee Irwin while he was serving in the military. Consisted of DiFosco "Dee" T. Ervin Jr. himself, Richard Travis, Tony Thomas and Jimmy Willingham. They toured widely until splitting up in 1959.
Different Drum
The Pastels Lyrics
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Oh, can't you tell by the way I run
Ev'ry time you make eyes at me. Wo oh.
You cry and you moan and say it will work out.
But honey child I've got my doubts.
You can't see the forest for the trees.
Oh, don't get me wrong. It's not that I'm knockin'.
For a girl who wants to love only me.
Yes, and I ain't sayin' you ain't pretty.
All I'm sayin's I'm not ready for any person,
Place or thing to try and pull the reins in on me.
So Goodbye, I'll be leavin'.
I see no sense in the cryin' and grievin'.
We'll both live a lot longer if you live without me.
Oh, don't get me wrong. It's not that I'm knockin'.
It's just that I'm not in the market
For a girl who wants to love only me.
Yes, and I ain't sayin' you ain't pretty.
All I'm sayin's I'm not ready for any person,
Place or thing to try and pull the reins in on me.
So Goodbye, I'll be leavin'.
I see no sense in the cryin' and grievin'.
We'll both live a lot longer if you live without me.
The Pastels's song Different Drum is a classic example of a breakup song that highlights the need for independence in a relationship. The first verse starts with the lyrics "You and I travel to the beat of a different drum" which illustrates the couple's individuality in the relationship. The singer further explains that every time the other person makes eyes at them, they feel like running away. The second verse explains that the other person is trying to convince them that their love will work out, but they still have their doubts. The singer explains that the other person cannot see the forest for the trees, suggesting that they are lost in the small details and cannot focus on the bigger picture.
In the chorus, the singer clarifies that they are not rejecting the other person because they are not pretty or because they do not love them. Instead, they are not ready for any person or thing to try to control them or pull the reins on their life. The final verse concludes with the singer leaving the other person and tells them that both of them will live a lot longer if they live without each other. In essence, the song highlights the importance of independence and individuality in a relationship and suggests that it can be healthier to part ways when those needs are not being met.
Line by Line Meaning
You and I travel to the beat of a diff'rent drum.
We have different goals and interests, we are not moving at the same pace.
Oh, can't you tell by the way I run
I move differently and with a different rhythm, it should be apparent to you.
Ev'ry time you make eyes at me. Wo oh.
Every time you look at me with affection, it causes me concern.
You cry and you moan and say it will work out.
You express sadness and frustration, hoping things will get better.
But honey child I've got my doubts.
I am skeptical that our differences can be overcome.
You can't see the forest for the trees.
You are too focused on the details, and cannot see the bigger picture.
Oh, don't get me wrong. It's not that I'm knockin'.
I am not criticizing you, just clarifying my own position.
It's just that I'm not in the market
I am not currently interested
For a girl who wants to love only me.
For someone who wants a monogamous relationship with me.
Yes, and I ain't sayin' you ain't pretty.
I am not denying your physical attractiveness.
All I'm sayin's I'm not ready for any person,
What I am saying is that I am not prepared for any individual
Place or thing to try and pull the reins in on me.
To control my actions or limit my freedom.
So Goodbye, I'll be leavin'.
I am saying goodbye and leaving.
I see no sense in the cryin' and grievin'.
I do not see the value in being sad and upset.
We'll both live a lot longer if you live without me.
It would be better for both of us if you moved on without me.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Michael Nesmith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind