Their uncompromising, dissonant sound spanned punk, free jazz, funk and dub music. Their lyrics were, more often than not, politically charged. In '79 they issued their debut single, "She is Beyond Good and Evil" on the Radar label.
The band reformed in 2010 for a reunion tour. In November 2014, the Pop Group announced that they would release an album of new material titled "Citizen Zombie" on 23 February 2015. The album was produced by Paul Epworth.
Their debut album Y, was produced by reggae veteran Dennis Bovell to critical acclaim but low sales figures. Although it did not chart, the album's success was sufficient to convince Rough Trade to sign the band, but not before more line-up changes, with Dan Katsis, formerly a guitarist in the Glaxo Babies, replacing Underwood on bass.
The band's career with Rough Trade commenced with what is possibly their best-known single "We Are All Prostitutes", which featuring a guest appearance by free improviser Tristan Honsinger on cello. This was followed the release of their second album, For How Much Longer Do We Tolerate Mass Murder? in 1980, which included a contribution from US proto-rappers The Last Poets.
Shortly afterwards The Pop Group released a split single, "Where There's a Will There's A Way", with The Slits, a band with whom they now shared a drummer and managers (Christine Robertson and Dick O'Dell), as well as a growing interest in exploring dub and funk rhythms.
The band split in 1981, after legal wranglings and internal disagreements. Members of the group went on to form bands including Pigbag, Maximum Joy, Head and Rip Rig & Panic, the latter notable for the involvement of Neneh Cherry.
Singer Mark Stewart, meanwhile, collaborated with Adrian Sherwood and the On-U Sound posse, issuing records firstly as Mark Stewart and Maffia, then as a solo artist.
The Pop Group and associated bands started a Bristol 'scene' that would later spawn trip-hop.
It was reported on 24 May 2010 that the Pop Group would be reuniting. Stewart announced the first two dates of a reunion tour. Three members of the original line up were part of the reunion with two gigs in London and two in Italy initially confirmed. The band played live in Paris (for the first time) on 6 September 2010, at La Machine Du Moulin Rouge venue as part of "L'Etrange Festival" Film Festival which served as a kick off to their five date tour through Europe which included a London gig on New Year's Eve with Sonic Youth and Shellac.
In a 2010 interview, Stewart said that the reformed Pop Group was recording a new album, to be titled The Alternate. However, this album never materialized. The band were chosen to perform at the ATP I'll Be Your Mirror festival curated by ATP & Portishead in September 2011 in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
They have been cited as an important influence in the development of alternative music in the 1980s; Mike Watt, of Minutemen and, more recently, Nick Cave , have cited the Pop Group as an important source of inspiration on their own work. In November 2013, the band played the final holiday camp edition of the All Tomorrow's Parties festival in Camber Sands, England.
The Pop Group's 1980 LP We Are Time saw its first reissue worldwide (ex. Japan) on October 20, 2014. The band also released a brand new compilation of rarities titled Cabinet of Curiosities. In support of the reissues the band undertook a 7 day UK tour starting on October 20 in Edinburgh and ending on October 26 at the Islington Assembly Hall in London. Richard Williams - who championed the band and featured them on the front of Melody Maker on 24 March 1979 - wrote in his review of the London show: 'one of the most important British bands of the 1970s, the gig provided evidence of their continuing relevance'
Blood Money
The Pop Group Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who says guns speak louder?
Who says guns speak louder?
(Money's a weapon of) terror
(Money's a weapon of) terror
Spiders I can trust, open my chest
An order is an order
An order is an order
Even when
An order is an order
An order is an order
Spiders I can trust open
Teeth beckon you
Man trap
Skulls teeth shine
Skulls teeth
We want you here
Skulls teeth shine (iron maiden)
We are hungry and cold
Spiders I can trust open my chest
Boil my heart
Alive
Alive
Alive
Alive
Money's a weapon of terror
(Who says guns speak louder?)
Who says guns speak louder?
Who says guns speak louder?
What does it feel like to kill a man?
How can you wash the blood off your hands?
(Mercenary, missionary)
(Mercenary, missionary)
Missionary
What does it feel like to kill a man?
(What does it feel like?)
(What does it feel like to kill?)
(What does it feel like to kill?)
The Pop Group's song "Blood Money" contains intense and thought-provoking lyrics that comment on the nature of violence and the corrupting influence of wealth. The opening lines "Teeth beckon you / Who says guns speak louder?" immediately challenge the idea that violence is the most powerful force in the world. The repeated refrain "Money's a weapon of terror" implies that money, and the power it brings, can be just as destructive as physical force.
The song also touches on the idea of blindly following orders, even when they are senseless or immoral. The repetition of "An order is an order" underscores the idea that people will follow authority even if it results in violence or harm. The lines "What does it feel like to kill a man? / How can you wash the blood off your hands?" raise questions about the psychological toll of violence and the difficulty of living with the consequences.
Line by Line Meaning
Teeth beckon you
The lure of violence is hard to resist
Who says guns speak louder?
Challenging the notion that violence is the best solution
(Money's a weapon of) terror
Money can be used to control and manipulate people
Spiders I can trust, open my chest
Trusting dangerous things/people is easier than being vulnerable
An order is an order
Blindly following orders even if they are illogical
Skulls teeth shine
The allure of violence and death is tempting
We are hungry and cold
Desperate times call for desperate measures
Boil my heart, Alive (x4)
The physical and emotional toll of violence
What does it feel like to kill a man?
Questioning the morality and consequences of violence
How can you wash the blood off your hands?
The lingering guilt and consequences of violence
(Mercenary, missionary)
The blurred line between using violence for personal gain vs. for a perceived greater good
Missionary
Justifying violence as a means to an end
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Gareth Sager, Bruce Neil Smith, Mark Stewart, Simon Underwood, John Waddington
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind