Anderson also had this to say about the renewed partnership with Bernard Butler: “For years and years after Bernard left Suede it was me running the show, but now the stakes are raised. I feel like we are duelling with each other, in some kind of friendly competition. When we were at our best it was always like that, each trying to better each other.”
The band played their first ever live show on December 14, 2004 at the Oxford Zodiac. Things went as expected for the "new" band, and most new songs were received well by those attending the first set of shows. When asked during a concert by a fan to play the famous Suede song, The Drowners, Anderson replied saying, "Did somebody say they want us to play The Drowners? They came to the wrong gig".
Apart from relatively minor reviews of the first clutch of live shows, The Tears first press, a review of Refugees, interview with Anderson and a poster(!)was in The Sun on 15 April. The next major article was by Alex Petridis in The Guardian, which ended on an extremely optimistic note: "the pair seem artistically reinvigorated by each other's company. Anderson talks excitedly of Tears songs like the ballad Asylum, inspired by his father's struggle with depression, as having moved away from "Suede cliches or Brett Anderson cliches ... it's not, you know, opiated fop territory". There's even a hint of the old provocative flash and arrogance when talk turns to the future: Here Comes the Tears feels like a debut. It will be massively bettered. On this at least there's no hint of disagreement. "This album's like rocking the boat a bit. There's been a few splashes," nods Butler. "Next time, I want to get rid of the sails and see what happens."
From the start, Anderson and Butler were very insistent that the band would not be playing any songs by Suede. Things would change over time, however, as the band ended up playing a b-side of Suede's titled The Living Dead to an enthusiastic reception, during an encore for their show at the Sheffield Leadmill in April. On April 25, 2005, the band's first single, Refugees, was released. The single was very much a success and jumped into the top ten singles chart at number nine.
The band's debut album, Here Come The Tears followed on June 6, 2005. It was released to stellar reviews that helped solidify the duo's comeback, yet it failed to crack the top 10. In late June, the band played a set at the John Peel stage at the Glastonbury Festival. The second single from the debut album, entitled Lovers, was released on June 27. Though a significantly lower charting than the previous single, it still managed a decent spot in the top 25.
More than a month later, singer Anderson announced that he would release his long awaited solo album in between the touring and the release of the band's follow up album. After playing a few festivals and international gigs, the band announced a European tour with dates in October and November. However, to the disappointment of many fans, they later cancelled the tour in favour of beginning work on their second album. Shortly after, the band were dropped from their label most likely due to insufficient touring or low sales.
In late April of 2006, Anderson posted a message on the band's message board announcing the band were on temporary hiatus because "no one ever wanted this thing to get caught up within the drudgery of the whole tour/record/tour cycle anyway". In addition, he announced that he had completed his debut solo album and that it would see light in early 2007, hinting that the second Tears record would most likely come after that, if at all.
By the end of August 2006, their website and forum are officially closed, leaving dimmer hope for the future of the band.
In September of 2006 Butler posted on his website: ".....actually tears are the same as ever....i guess coming from the suede trajectory it would look odd to make a record and not stick to the brand name plugging away endlessly at one thing....but if you take my shocking career line over 12 years its just par for the course....im on top of the world working constantly on terrific records from 1990's the mescalitas on offs, and soon we will be making the Duffy record ....
yes i always loved more than i thought"
2 Creatures
The Tears Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The winters are so very long
And everybody wonders where the light has gone
And Europe has its moving state lines
But Africa has winter sun
And you and me we're just two creatures on the run
And no one laughs at what we wear
The phone might ring
The rain might sting oh but we don't care
We'll fly over the endless ocean
We're heading for the winter sun
Cause you and me we're just two creatures on the run
And Europe has its moving state lines
But Africa has winter sunshine
And you and me we're just two creatures on the run
And we'll go where the crowds don't stare
And no one hates us for our hair
The phone might ring
The rain might sting oh but we don't care
We'll fly over the endless ocean
We're heading for the winter sun
Cause you and me we're just two creatures on the run
America's our supermarket
In India we'll take some stopping
Cause you and me we're just two creatures on the run
In Asia we can mend our breakdown
Cause you and me we must escape now
And you and me we're just two creatures on the run
You and me we're just two creatures on the run
You and me we're just two creatures on the run
You and me we're just two creatures on the run
The Tears' song "2 Creatures" seems to be a commentary on the monotony of modern life and the need to break free from it. The opening line "This country looks like one big car park" evokes a sense of bleakness and conformity. The winters are portrayed as being too long and a sense of ennui pervades everything. The line "And everybody wonders where the light has gone" suggests that people are not only deprived of sunlight but of some sort of inner light or joy as well.
The song then moves on to contrast the rigidity and boundaries of Europe with the freedom and possibilities of Africa, Asia, and America. The repeated phrase "you and me we're just two creatures on the run" suggests that the two protagonists are trying to escape something and are actively seeking adventure and change. The line "The phone might ring, the rain might sting, oh but we don't care" seems to reinforce the idea of total disregard for the world that they are leaving behind.
Line by Line Meaning
This country looks like one big car park
The place they're in resembles a huge parking lot
The winters are so very long
The cold seasons seem endless
And everybody wonders where the light has gone
Everyone is curious and confused about the lack of sunshine
And Europe has its moving state lines
Europe is characterized by its constantly shifting borders
But Africa has winter sun
Africa is known for its sunlight even in winter seasons
And you and me we're just two creatures on the run
The singers are travelers, always on the move
And we'll go where the crowds don't stare
They will only travel to places where they won't be the center of attention
And no one laughs at what we wear
They won't be mocked for their fashion choices
The phone might ring
Their phone might receive a call
The rain might sting oh but we don't care
Even the negative aspects of traveling won't bother them
We'll fly over the endless ocean
They will journey across the vast sea
We're heading for the winter sun
They are traveling towards a warmer climate during the winter season
America's our supermarket
The US is a place where they can purchase many different things
In India we'll take some stopping
India will be a destination that will require them to pause and explore
In Asia we can mend our breakdown
Traveling to Asia will help them heal after a difficult experience
Cause you and me we must escape now
The duo feels the need to leave their current situation
And you and me we're just two creatures on the run
They are constantly traveling without any particular destination in mind
You and me we're just two creatures on the run
Repeating the message that they are travelers on the move
You and me we're just two creatures on the run
Ending the song with a repeated idea that they are always traveling
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BERNARD JOSEPH BUTLER, BRETT ANDERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind