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'
We Are Time
The Pop Group Lyrics
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No searching behind
I will break you time
I will break your mind
Waiting
Is a crime
All will be now, dreams are too fast
Last, last
We are last
No sequence to follow
No fear of tomorrow
Kiss of neverness
Life of timelessness
We'll break the speed of change
We'll tame eternity
Time is within you
Shines through your eyes
We'll kill the word
Black letter lies
Lies, lies, lies, lies, lies
Your world is built on lies
Time, time
Catch up on your bill
You got the works, so
But what to do now?
I, you, we
Are time
I, you, we are
Time
Break
Tame
Eternity
Time trinity shines through your eyes
Oh, we'll kill the word, black letter lies
Black letter lies
Black letter lies
How it's in your uncertainty
I'll break your mind
To climb
All will be now, dreams are too fast
You are the first
We are the last
Are the last
Don't let time
Catch up on your bill
You got the works, so
But what to do now?
I, you, we
Are time
I, you, we
Are time
I will break you time
It's a crime
Always we are, we are, we are, we are, we are, we are
We are time
We are, are, we are, we are, we are
We are, we are, we are, we are, we are, we are
We are time
We are, we are, we are, we are, we are, we are
We are time
We are time
The Pop Group's song "We Are Time" can be interpreted as a commentary on the human experience of time and our relationship with it. The lyrics suggest that the idea of "waiting" is a crime, potentially referring to the notion that time is a limited resource that should not be wasted. The repeated line "I will break your time, I will break your mind" suggests a desire to control time, as if it is a force that can be manipulated or overcome.
The lyrics also seem to imply that human beings have the power to transcend time through our own actions and beliefs. The line "All will be now, dreams are too fast" suggests that the present moment is the only reality, and that the future is merely a dream or a fantasy. The repeated phrase "We are time" reinforces this idea, suggesting that we are not separate from time, but rather an integral part of it.
Overall, the song suggests a deep fascination with the concept of time and its role in shaping our lives. It is a powerful and thought-provoking commentary on the mysteries of existence and the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
No waiting, No running
There is no need to hurry or run, we don't have to wait for anything here.
No searching behind
We don't need to look for anything behind us. It's all about living in the present and moving forward.
I will break you time
We will break the limits of time.
I will break your mind
We will challenge conventional thinking and push boundaries.
Waiting
Is a crime
Waiting around for something to happen is a waste of time. We should be taking action and making things happen ourselves.
All will be now, dreams are too fast
We must live in the present moment, as our dreams may flash by too quickly if we don't seize the day.
You are the first, we are the last
We dare to be different, we innovate, we lead, and we will be remembered.
No sequence to follow
We do not follow any specific rules or patterns, but create our own path.
No fear of tomorrow
We are not afraid of what the future holds or of taking risks to get there.
Kiss of neverness
We welcome the idea of infinity and that some things may never come to an end, like our ideas.
Life of timelessness
We aspire to live in the moment beyond time, in the ever-lasting spaces of ideas and creativity.
We'll break the speed of change
We will challenge the established pace of change and progress, by setting a new rhythm.
We'll tame eternity
We will master the unquenchable desire for everlastingness and live in the present moment.
Time is within you
Shines through your eyes
Time is not an external force, but an internal one deeply ingrained in our being that transpires through our eyes.
We'll kill the word
Black letter lies
We want to rid ourselves of the constraints of language and the words that define us, we want to go beyond it.
Your world is built on lies
The world as we know it is a fabrication, a collection of falsities and distortions that do not truly represent the complexity of our reality.
Time, time
Catch up on your bill
The time has come to make up for what has been lost and truly live in the moment.
You got the works, so
But what to do now?
We have all the resources and capabilities to achieve greatness, but we must figure out where to aim them.
I, you, we
Are time
We are all part of time and time is a construct of our consciousness.
Break
Tame
Eternity
We want to break free from the shackles of time, tame it and master it, to live outside the boundaries of mortality.
Time trinity shines through your eyes
The concept of time can be broken down into three distinct stages, and we embody them all.
Oh, we'll kill the word, black letter lies
Black letter lies
Black letter lies
We want to move beyond language and its limitations, to a world free of the constraints of black letter lies.
How it's in your uncertainty
I'll break your mind
To climb
We believe in not being certain and setting ourselves free of the preconceived notions that hold us back, pushing ourselves to climb higher than before.
Don't let time
Catch up on your bill
We must not allow time to slip away, and we must make sure we do all we need to while we still can.
Always we are, we are, we are, we are, we are, we are
We are time
We are, are, we are, we are, we are
We embody that which is truly never-ending, the idea of time.
We are, we are, we are, we are, we are, we are
We are time
We are part of a bigger, infinite construct that is time.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GARETH SAGER, BRUCE NEIL SMITH, MARK STEWART, SIMON UNDERWOOD, JOHN WADDINGTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind