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.
Sit Down by the Fire
The Veils Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cast out of the shadows by an unknown hand
Warmed by the light of these falling limbs
drunk on the sadness of a universe unmanned
Across the water she clings to me
and in the rising karma I feel her at my side
My father's singing in the fallin' leaves
Sit down by the fire
Sit down by the fire
It's hard to say
but I think you'd better
just Say you don't love me
you don't love me anymore
I been waiting in line
now I know I'll never
Overcome this madness
if I don't know for sure
Across the water she clings to me
and in the light of dawn
I see her at my side
and my father's singing in the fallin' leaves
there's no way out of this old world even if you try
So just sit down by the fire
sit down by the fire
there ain't no way to get what I want
Sit down by the fire
oh, sit down by the fire
There ain't no way to get what I want
Some day
a little rain is bound to fall
Some day
a little rain is bound to fall
Some day
a little rain is bound to fall
Some day
Over my head my heart and my feet
I'm drawn insane
you know I need you now
Over my head my heart and my feet
I'm drawn insane
Sit down by the fire love
sit down by the fire
there ain't no way to get what I want
Sit down by the fire love
sit down by the fire
there ain't no way to get what I want.
Oh, there ain't no way to get what I want.
The Veils's song "Sit Down by the Fire" is a hauntingly beautiful melancholic ballad that explores themes of love, loss, and acceptance. The song's opening lines set the mood and tone of the song, "Born from the night in the roaring wind, Cast out of the shadows by an unknown hand, Warmed by the light of these falling limbs, Drunk on the sadness of a universe unmanned." The imagery created by these lines depicts a world that is dark and mysterious, where the unknown has a power and influence that cannot be denied. The idea of being "drunk on the sadness of a universe unmanned" is particularly poignant, suggesting a sense of hopelessness and despair in the face of an uncaring and indifferent world.
The song then moves to a more personal level, as the singer reflects on his relationship with a lover who he fears may no longer love him. The lines "It's hard to say, but I think you'd better just say you don't love me, you don't love me anymore, I've been waiting in line, now I know I'll never overcome this madness if I don't know for sure" capture the sense of uncertainty and insecurity that can creep into any relationship, no matter how strong it might seem on the surface. The singer's fear of "not knowing for sure" speaks to a deeper fear of being alone and unloved.
The song's chorus - "Sit down by the fire, sit down by the fire, there ain't no way to get what I want" - is a haunting refrain that captures the sense of resignation and acceptance that comes with realizing that one cannot always get what they want. The final lines of the song, "Over my head my heart and my feet I'm drawn insane, you know I need you now, Sit down by the fire love, sit down by the fire, there ain't no way to get what I want" capture the sense of desperation and longing that the singer feels for his lover, even as he knows that he may never have her again.
Overall, "Sit Down by the Fire" is a powerful and emotional song that explores the highs and lows of love and the inevitable disappointments that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Born from the night in the roaring wind
I came into existence in the dark of night amidst a fierce storm
Cast out of the shadows by an unknown hand
Someone or something brought me out of the darkness and into the light
Warmed by the light of these falling limbs
The tree branches falling around me provide the only comfort I have in this desolate place
drunk on the sadness of a universe unmanned
I'm overwhelmed by the emptiness and despair of a world without anyone to care for it
Across the water she clings to me
She's holding onto me from the other side of the water, refusing to let go
and in the rising karma I feel her at my side
As the consequences of my actions catch up with me, I sense her presence beside me
My father's singing in the fallin' leaves
I hear my father's voice in the rustling of the leaves
about the complicated beauty of a river run dry
He's reflecting on the paradoxical beauty of a river that's lost its flow
Sit down by the fire
Take a seat next to the fire
It's hard to say
It's difficult to articulate
but I think you'd better
But I believe it would be wise for you
just Say you don't love me
Just tell me that you don't love me
you don't love me anymore
That your love for me has faded
I been waiting in line
I've been patiently waiting my turn
now I know I'll never
But now I realize that I'll never
Overcome this madness
Conquer this insanity within me
if I don't know for sure
If I'm not certain
and in the light of dawn
As the sun rises
there's no way out of this old world even if you try
It's impossible to escape from this world, no matter how hard you try
So just sit down by the fire
Therefore, just come sit by the fire
there ain't no way to get what I want
There's no way for me to obtain what I desire
Oh, sit down by the fire
Oh, sit next to the fire
Some day
One day
a little rain is bound to fall
It's inevitable that there will be some hardship or sadness
Over my head my heart and my feet
My emotions and my actions are overwhelming me
I'm drawn insane
I'm being driven to insanity
you know I need you now
You're aware that I need you urgently
Sit down by the fire love
Come sit by the fire, my dear
there ain't no way to get what I want
There's no way for me to have what I desire
Oh, there ain't no way to get what I want.
Oh, there's just no possible way for me to get what I want.
Contributed by Mason L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.