Their sound has been compared to artists as diverse as Jeff Buckley, The Birthday Party, The Smiths, and Joy Division. Their live shows have become famed for their emotional intensity and Finn's often scarily possessed stage presence and his unique singing voice.
They released their debut album, The Runaway Found, in Spain late in 2003. The first single from the album, Lavinia, was released through Rough Trade on November 24, 2003. They released the album globally in January 2004 with a different track listing. It went gold worldwide the following year.
The original lineup of The Veils (which included Oli Drake, Ben Woollacott and Adam Kinsella) disbanded in late 2004, and Andrews returned to New Zealand in order to find a new lineup. He spent the New Zealand summer rehearsing with high school classmates Liam Gerrard (keyboards) and Sophia Burn (bass), and the trio returned to London early 2005. There they got connected to Dan Raishbrook (Guitar) and Henning Dietz (drums). However Liam Gerrard left the band half way into their American tour in 2007.
The group recorded their second album Nux Vomica at Underbelly Studios in Los Angeles, with producer Nick Launay, and the album was released September 18, 2006. The album features string arrangements by ex-Lounge Lizard and long time Lou Reed collaborator Jane Scarpontoni. Nux Vomica featured on 9 critics' Best Of The Year lists in 2006.
In the 16 months following the release of Nux Vomica The Veils played over 250 shows across 15 countries and during the U.S. leg of the tour it was announced that keyboardist Liam Gerrard would leave the band to return home to New Zealand due to personal reasons. The Veils carried on as a four piece and, whilst living out of a classic car garage in Oklahoma City, started recording new demos between playing shows on the east and west coasts of the America. By mid-2008 they were back to London to begin work on their third album with producer Graham Sutton. The recording sessions at West Point Studios lasted only three weeks and at the end of the summer the album was done and ready to be mixed. In March 2009 they began touring the new songs in Europe and America with new drummer Raife Burchell (of Jetplane Landing), after Henning Dietz' defection. Sun Gangs was released on April 6 2009 and was featured in many websites top albums of 2009.
The band spent the summer of 2010 working on new material. On December 6 it was announced that a new 7 song EP entitled Troubles of the Brain is set to be released on January 24, and that the band had left Rough Trade after almost 9 years and started their own label, Pitch Beast Records. The EP is produced by Finn Andrews and Bernard Butler and was recorded at Finn's home studio in London.
In mid 2012 The Veils threatened legal action on UK hardcore band Veils due to the similarity in name. This forced Veils to alter the spelling of their name to Vales.
The Veils released their next album in april 2013 titled , ‘Time Stays, We Go’ in April 2013. Three years later Total Depravity (2016) saw the daylight.
In 2016 David Lynch revealed that Finn would appear in the new series of Twin Peaks due to air early 2017.
In 2023 The Veils released ...And Out of the Void Came Love after a long struggle with songwriting that only came together after the birth of Andrews' first child. The COVID pandemic had seen the departure of longtime members Dietz and Burn (who had been the longest continuous presence in the band after Andrews) and the arrival of Tiny Ruins bassist Cass Basil.
A Birthday Present
The Veils Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Right until the devil drinks it
O, li, o
Everything's fate and spinning wheels
Everybody wants their princes
No sense in waiting for a swift completion to come
That invitation is all I'm waiting on
The tedious thoughts of the head of state
Are seldom ever worth revealing
O, li, o
Indelible stains on the human race
You hideous fakes and murderers
No sense in waiting for a swift completion to come
That invitation is all I'm waiting on
Everybody thinks the end in near
How am I to tell the difference?
O li o
Wish everybody a happy new year
There are varying results predicted
No sense in waiting for a swift completion to come
That invitation is all I'm waiting on
In The Veils's song "A Birthday Present," the lyrics depict a sense of helplessness and frustration towards the unavoidable fate of life. The first stanza, "Everybody thinks it's something real, right until the devil drinks it," suggests that although people may try to believe in something meaningful, it can all be taken away unexpectedly. The following lines, "Everything's fate and spinning wheels, everybody wants their princes," convey the idea that life is predetermined, and everyone desires a peaceful and idyllic existence. However, the reality is that fate can be cruel and unpredictable.
The second stanza portrays a cynical attitude towards the leaders of society. The line, "The tedious thoughts of the head of state are seldom ever worth revealing," implies that those in power may not have the best interests of the people in mind. The lyrics, "Indelible stains on the human race, you hideous fakes and murderers," suggest that these figures may have committed atrocities and are not deserving of their positions. The repetition of the line, "That invitation is all I'm waiting on," suggests that the only hope for change is through some form of invitation or intervention.
The final stanza takes a more whimsical tone, as the lyrics question the value of predicting the future. The line, "Everybody thinks the end is near, how am I to tell the difference?" implies that people may spend too much time worrying about the end of the world rather than focusing on the present. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the lyric "Wish everybody a happy new year, there are varying results predicted," suggesting that despite the uncertainty of life, it is essential to keep a positive outlook and hope for the best.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody thinks it's something real
People tend to believe what they want to believe, even if it's not true
Right until the devil drinks it
But eventually reality sets in and their illusions are shattered
O, li, o
A nonsensical refrain, possibly to represent the chaotic and confusing nature of life
Everything's fate and spinning wheels
Life is often unpredictable and feels like a series of random events
Everybody wants their princes
People desire someone or something to come and rescue them from their problems
No sense in waiting for a swift completion to come
There's no point in waiting for something to magically solve all your problems
That invitation is all I'm waiting on
The singer is waiting for something specific to happen, perhaps an opportunity or a sign to move forward
The tedious thoughts of the head of state
The artist is critical of politicians and their bureaucratic decision-making
Are seldom ever worth revealing
Their thought process is often opaque and not transparent to the public
Indelible stains on the human race
The artist is commenting on humanity's dark past and the irreversible harm we have caused
You hideous fakes and murderers
The singer is enraged with those who have caused harm and pretenders who mask their true nature
Everybody thinks the end in near
Many people have a pessimistic view of the future and feel that the world is coming to an end
How am I to tell the difference?
The singer is struggling to differentiate between reality and the apocalyptic visions that are being presented
Wish everybody a happy new year
Despite the gloomy outlook, the singer is hoping for a better future and wishes everyone well
There are varying results predicted
The outcome of the future is uncertain and there are many different possibilities
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: FINN ANDREWS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind