The Shamen were preceded by Alone Again Or, the Love-inspired name under which they recorded their first singles. After their name change, further singles picked up airplay from John Peel. Released in June 1987, The Shamen's first album Drop illustrated their love of 60s psychedelia, with influences such as Love, Pink Floyd and the 13th Floor Elevators.
By mid-1987, frontman Colin Angus was discovering the sounds of early house music pioneers such as S-Express and M/A/R/R/S and increasing his knowledge of the latest studio gadgetry. By September 1987, the Shamen were applying these techniques to their own music, mixing rock guitars, techno and hip-hop rhythms and sampled radio voices to create the prototype rock-dance sound which was to prove so influential to other indie dance groups like Pop Will Eat Itself, Jesus Jones and EMF. However, the newfound sound proved too radical for co-founder and vocalist Derek McKenzie, who the left the band in late 1987 to study at university. The Shamen were suddenly one crucial player short. Help was at hand in the charismatic form of Will Sinnott (23 December, 1960 - 23 May, 1991), who joined the group in October 1987, on bass and keyboards, freeing up Colin Angus to handle vocal and guitar chores.
Knature of a Girl was the first record by the Shamen to feature Sinnott, but it wasn't until June's Jesus Loves Amerika single that the techno influence began to show. By this stage, Angus and Sinnott had become hooked on the acid house movement taking place in London, and its music and clubs were to exert a massive influence on the pair. Keith McKenzie and Peter Stephenson were less impressed by these new developments, and left the group the following summer, after the January 1989 release of the In Gorbachev We Trust album, which saw the group further enhancing their sound.
Angus and Sinnott relocated to London, allowing them to start afresh, and plunge headfirst into the emerging rave scene. 1989 was to be a busy year. They set out on their legendary Synergy tour, a nightclub experience combined with live music from The Shamen and others and DJing from the likes of Mixmaster Morris. The tour was to last nearly two years. They also released the Phorward mini album, a genre-defining release in the history of the acid house movement.
Their third album, En-Tact, was released in 1990, and it spawned the hit singles Move Any Mountain, Hyperreal and Make It Mine. Also notable was the appearance of rapper and DJ Mr.C (real name Richard West). The transformation into a successful rave act was complete.
In May 1991, The Shamen headed to Tenerife to film a video for Move Any Mountain. On May 23, Sinnott drowned in an accident off coast of La Gomera. However, with the Sinnott family's encouragement, the group decided to continue.
With Mr C now a full member of The Shamen, and Jhelisa Anderson providing guest vocals, the Boss Drum album followed in 1992. The LP featured a noted spoken-word collaboration, Re:Evolution with Terence McKenna, and The Shamen's biggest and most controversial hit: Ebeneezer Goode. Ebeneezer Goode was accused of promoting drug use owing to the refrain "Ezer Goode, Ezer Goode" - homophonic with "E's are good" ("E" being slang for the dance drug ecstasy) - and to double entendre drug references throughout the song. This echoed similar references in previous songs such as Synergy's "M D M A-zing... we are together in ecstasy". Despite - or maybe because of - the subsequent storm of publicity, the song stayed at the top of the UK charts for 4 weeks.
Although the single was a commercial hit, it was considered a 'novelty record' and severely impacted on the 'underground' credibility of the band. Subsequent singles such as Boss Drum and Phorever People were chart hits, but some long term fans believed they paled in comparison to earlier singles.
However, The Shamen's new mainstream popularity enabled them to release an unusually large number of remix singles, EPs, and LPs during the Boss Drum era, including the Face EP, the S.O.S. EP, and the On Air and Different Drum albums. On Air featured a series of popular tracks from En-Tact and Boss Drum as performed live on BBC radio; Different Drum was a remix album containing alternate versions of every track from Boss Drum. The tracks Boss Drum, LSI (Love Sex Intelligence), Phorever People, Ebeneezer Goode, and Re:Evolution were all released as singles in their own right.
Axis Mutatis in 1995, with new vocalist Victoria Wilson James replacing Jhelisa Anderson, did not make as much of an impact. Early special editions of this album featured a bonus disk, Arbor Bona Arbor Mala, a bizarre ambient album. The Shamen continued recording into the late 1990s, releasing two additional LPs with an increasingly experimental bent. Their penultimate studio album, the instrumental Hempton Manor, followed an acrimonious split with their label One Little Indian. It is alleged to have been recorded in seven days to conclude the recording contract with One Little Indian, and the first letter of each track spell out F**k Birket, referring to label founder Derek Birket, who wanted the group to move back into more commercial territory. UV, in 1998, was their last album. UV was released independently and marked a return to form with both modern techno production and classic Shamen song structures. Mr C. has since continued as an inspiring house DJ and become a successful night-club owner.
Moment
The Shamen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For the gift of the present we owe it to the moment
Heyawunaho as above so let it be below
For the grace of the presence we owe it to the moment
No reason no rhyme
Not even to be grateful
No reason to be here at all
I am reminded
Each new belief is a limit itself to be transcended
Many signals many signs
Appear in sure succession,leaving such impression
So many signals many cycles many constellations
Signs of the times align in infinite progression
Take a slice out of life
Everybodys got to own their own little piece of it
Well hell I've got mine
And now its true I wonder could I really ever do without it?
No victim no crime
So how come they can still call we criminal
So many people doing time
It's easy to get cynical
When there just is not enough justice
There will be those who try to deny and oppose you
There will be others still whose aim is but to use you
Don't let them bring you down, don't let them disappoint thee
Their eyes shall never see the coming of the glory
Sunrise no surprise another spectral morning
Open my eyes to find a brand new day is dawning
Must be the season or the silence
That gives my lovers whispered words the innocence of song birds
The Shamen's song Moment is a contemplative and reflective piece about the fleeting nature of time and the importance of living in the present. The opening lyrics, "Heyawunaho energy flows where attention goes, For the gift of the present we owe it to the moment" suggest that what we focus on determines the energy we attract and that we have a responsibility to appreciate and live in the present moment. The use of the phrase "heyawunaho" is a nod to Native American spirituality and the idea of interconnectedness within the universe.
The next set of lyrics, "No reason no rhyme, Not even to be grateful, No reason to be here at all, The more I learn the less I know for sure" continue to explore the idea that life may not have a set purpose and that our understanding of it is constantly evolving. The line "Each new belief is a limit itself to be transcended" refers to the idea that our beliefs, even those we hold dear, may ultimately prove to be limiting and may need to be challenged and transcended.
The final verse of the song touches on the struggle for justice and the potential for others to both oppose and use us. The lyrics, "Their eyes shall never see the coming of the glory" suggest that those who oppose us are unable to see the long-term benefits of our actions or the positive change that may result from them. The song ends on a hopeful note with the imagery of a new day dawning and the innocence of songbirds.
Line by Line Meaning
Heyawunaho energy flows where attention goes
Energy flows where attention is focused
For the gift of the present we owe it to the moment
We owe gratitude for the present moment
Heyawunaho as above so let it be below
As above, so below
For the grace of the presence we owe it to the moment
We owe gratitude for the grace of the present moment
No reason no rhyme
No logical explanation
Not even to be grateful
Not even to express gratitude
No reason to be here at all
No purpose for existence
The more I learn the less I know for sure
Increasing knowledge leads to uncertainty
I am reminded
I recall
Each new belief is a limit itself to be transcended
New beliefs impose limitations that must be surpassed
Many signals many signs
Numerous indications
Appear in sure succession, leaving such impression
Appear in a definite sequence, making an impact
So many signals many cycles many constellations
Countless indications, sequences, and arrangements
Signs of the times align in infinite progression
Indicators of the era align in endless succession
Take a slice out of life
Take a portion of existence
Everybodys got to own their own little piece of it
Everyone has to possess their own part of it
Well hell I've got mine
I have obtained mine
And now its true I wonder could I really ever do without it?
I reflect on whether I could exist without it
No victim no crime
No wrongdoing or offense
So how come they can still call we criminal
Why are we still labeled as criminals?
So many people doing time
Numerous individuals imprisoned
It's easy to get cynical
It is simple to become skeptical
When there just is not enough justice
When justice is insufficient
There will be those who try to deny and oppose you
There will always be individuals who reject and resist you
There will be others still whose aim is but to use you
Others will attempt to exploit you
Don't let them bring you down, don't let them disappoint thee
Do not permit them to bring you despair
Their eyes shall never see the coming of the glory
They will never witness greatness arriving
Sunrise no surprise another spectral morning
Another beautiful morning
Open my eyes to find a brand new day is dawning
Wake up to a fresh start
Must be the season or the silence
Possibly due to time or calmness
That gives my lovers whispered words the innocence of song birds
That makes my partner's soft words sound pure as birdsong
Contributed by Scarlett J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
funk4america
There will be those who try to deny and oppose you There will be others still whose aim is but to use you Don't let them bring you down Don't let them disappoint thee Their eyes will never see the coming of the glory Sunrise, no surprise another spectral morning Open my eyes to find a brand new day is dawning Must be the season or the silence That gives my lover's whispered words The innocence of songbird
Bootlebat
This my favorite verse.
Shamanix76
Axis Mutatis has just gotten better with age, and this is still one of my faves from the album...
2Signal2
I still play it. It's mostly Colin singing I love it
Jesper Larsson
Maybe the best Shamen track ever. Pure beauty.
Adam Watson
He sings that chorus so beautifully…
Flavio Faucetta
Such a track!!!!!! A hit no doubt
baby huber
I ALWAYS LOVE THE COLIN ANGUS VOICE I STILL LOVE HIM!!!
funk4america
No reason, no rhyme Not even to be grateful No reason to be here at all The more I learn the less I know for sure I am reminded Each new belief is a limit itself to be transcended No victim, no crime So how come they can still call me criminal? So many people doing time It's easy to get cynical When there just is not enough justic
funk4america
Heyawunaho, energy flows where attention goes For the gift of the present, we owe it to the moment We owe it to the moment Heyawunaho, energy flows where attention goes For the grace of the presence, we owe it to the moment