Formed in 1987 by Stephen Lawr… Read Full Bio ↴'beyond the realm of natural vision'
Formed in 1987 by Stephen Lawrie, The Telescopes have been mining a unique anti-myopian seam of drone/dream noise & psych for over 20 years. Their first release was a split flexi disc with Loop on the Cheree label in 1988, followed by the snarling 7 inch "Kick the Wall", and the pounding "7th# Disaster" EP.
They moved to What Goes On Records in 1989 and stormed the independent charts with stream of output, including a livid debut LP "Taste" and "The Perfect Needle" EP, which captured the hearts of a grateful nation. A live album appeared on Fierce Records and after signing to Creation Records, a more psyche induced sound followed with singles like "Flying", and their "#Untitled Second" album. Now perceived by many as a lost classic, the record was a commercial failure at the time and in 1994 the band disappeared from the public eye.
After an 8-year void The Telescopes returned as an 11 piece featuring core members Stephen Lawrie & Jo Doran with a new album "Third Wave" on NYC label Double Agent. John Peel, who said he was both "amazed and glad they were still practicing their mysterious art", championed the album.
In 2003 the group scaled down to four and toured the UK and Italy improvising free drone noise pieces, culminating in the Winter EP on Hungry Audio, regarded by many as one of the groups finest.
At the Audioscope festival in 2004 The Telescopes finished their set by drilling through gtr pickups. The Fourier Transform label released a recording of the event as a ltd edition, hand numbered, blue vinyl split 10" single, with Vibracathedral Orchestra on the flipside.
Re-issues of early material followed, on great labels like Rev-ola, Spaceage, Midsummer Madness and The Committee To Keep Music Evil, bringing their sound to a new generation of ears, and prompting the NME to declare 'the genius of The Telescopes'.
The Telescopes 4th album was released on their own Antenna label in 2005: "in another universe altogether... incredible" (Nat Cramp NME); "Sublimely present music, knowingly spontaneous". (Frances May Morgan, Plan B). They embarked on a UK tour with support from Experimental Audio Research. And despite incarceration, deportation and escape from a burning car wreck, made it back to the studio to record a mesmerizing acoustic session for Double Agent entitled 'Auditory Illusions', featuring a video by Dan Hopkins.
After a second tour of Italy and a handful of UK appearances came The Telescopes Hungry Audio Tapes, a fabulous mini album for Hungry Audio, and the alluring Night Terrors EP. The first in a series of ltd edition 7"s for the Trensmat label: "it has a very real & crazy originality that carries fat tons of wallop" (The Wire); "check out the telescopes' excellent 7", which contains two epic funereal dirges". (Julian Cope). During this period the line up disintegrated.
In 2006 Bridget Hayden joined. An artist in her own right, Bridget was also a co founder of Vibracathedral Orchestra. Both Hayden and Lawrie were shocked by the intensity of their first jam, and the collaboration continues to confuse and electrify: "Together they harness a primeval drone, rich in texture, and build it beautifully in unison with soaring feedback, guitar manipulation & viola which forever spiral outward, fractal and hypnotic - a bed of noise percolating at the edges of audition."
As a volcanic two piece they toured Europe, Scandinavia, the West Coast of America and released two 7"s for Trensmat. The Wire magazine described "Psychic Viewfinder" as "A great feedback symphony and "Another Whip" as "Another amazing single by the revived Telescopes; the new version of this outfit has been consistently spectacular". Both records sold out within an hour of pre-release.
In 2008 they unleashed "Infinite Suns" on the Textile label. The Telescopes 6th album is a selection of analogue tape recordings taken in a room used for seances, with a multi directional microphone used to capture environmental response. Recording levels were set close to saturation, allowing for chance interaction with the tape machine. Side one closes with an improvisation anchored on a lock-groove from the final throes of "Taste". It is locked again to play endlessly.
Bridget & Stephen continue to play together sporadically, either as The Telescopes or Infinite Suns. A new single "Landing Shadows" is scheduled for release on the Champion Version label in March. All copies have sold out in advance.
The Telescopes live experience is currently Stephen Lawrie and members of either The Fauns, or One Unique Signal. The live album "Live. Aftertaste" is scheduled for release in March, on the Static Charge label. It is a livid document, recorded in past/present/future tense; a rare and memorable glimpse into the waves beyond the realm of natural vision that first inspired Lawrie to write the original back in 1988.
Most recently, "Taste" has been reissued by BOMP! along with the tracks from The Perfect Needle EP. Trensmat has issued the Black Eyed Dog 7" (2012), and Neon Sigh has issued the 7th LP from The Telescopes, entitled "HARM", in late 2013. The Telescopes project is currently performing shows internationally and more singles are scheduled to follow in 2014.
Never Hurt You
The Telescopes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh but as we are, soft and turning, turns away from you
I'll never hurt you, now
Her faint breath, in a trance her sixth sense
Sleep cold sleep, please don't sleep
Just close your eyes for just a while
I'll never hurt you, now
Restless now, oh restless you for restless me
Away from here, to be with you for just a while
The Telescopes's song "Never Hurt You" is a haunting and enigmatic piece that speaks to the complexities of relationships and human emotions. The lyrics are cryptic and open to interpretation, but there seems to be a sense of longing and vulnerability that pervades the song. The opening lines "Touch self touch, sometimes I think like you" suggest a deep sense of empathy and understanding between the two individuals, but also a certain level of distance or separation. The next line, "Oh but as we are, soft and turning, turns away from you" further emphasizes this feeling of disconnection, as if they are unable to fully connect despite their shared thoughts and feelings.
The chorus, which repeats the lines "I'll never hurt you, now" several times, is both reassuring and somewhat ominous. It's as if the singer is trying to convince themselves and their partner that they'll never do anything to harm them, but there's a sense of uncertainty or doubt that lingers in the air. The second verse paints a picture of someone sleeping, possibly dreaming or lost in thought, and the singer is urging them to stay in this state for just a little while longer. There's a tenderness and intimacy to these lines, as if the singer is trying to hold onto a fleeting moment of closeness.
Overall, "Never Hurt You" is a song that speaks to the complexities of human relationships and the yearning for connection and understanding. Its dreamy, almost ephemeral quality leaves a lasting impression, even as the meaning remains somewhat elusive.
Line by Line Meaning
Touch self touch, sometimes I think like you
I understand you so well that sometimes it feels like we are the same person
Oh but as we are, soft and turning, turns away from you
Despite our similarities, we are both constantly changing, and sometimes that means growing apart
I'll never hurt you, now
I promise to never cause you pain, at least for the present moment
Her faint breath, in a trance her sixth sense
I observe her subtle movements and can see that she is in tune with something beyond the physical realm
Sleep cold sleep, please don't sleep
Although I want her to rest, I am afraid of what may happen if she falls too deeply into slumber
Just close your eyes for just a while
Take a moment to relax but please don't let yourself get lost in unconsciousness
Restless now, oh restless you for restless me
We are both filled with a sense of unease, a desire for something more
Away from here, to be with you for just a while
I long to escape this current reality and spend time with her, even if it's just temporary
Contributed by Kennedy Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
NewOrder586
Numero uno!
Ken Kovar
asi es