Formed in Berkshire in 1998 by guitarist Phil Mercy and bassist Paul Beecham, the band quickly acquired singer Simon Boys and drummer Mark Robotham, but the search for a suitably talented keyboard player was to take nearly two years, with the intervening time spent writing and rehearsing with sequencing software. Recording for their independently released debut album Head (2000) began just six weeks after the arrival of Wolfgang Kindl on keyboards.
Writing began almost immediately for the next CD, but a few months later Paul Beecham announced his departure due to family commitments and the band recruited bassist Andy Bonham. Andy introduced some fretless bass playing for variation and the less pressured Beecham was able to contribute some oboe playing to the second album, Argot (2001).
The next lineup change came with Simon Boys leaving for nearly identical reasons as Paul Beecham. Never ones to miss an opportunity, the remaining members decided to shake things up a bit and persuaded Amy Darby to join on lead vocals and woodwind. Shibboleth, the third album, was released in 2003.
After some touring and appearances at various prog friendly festivals in the USA and Europe, Wolfgang Kindl decided to return to his native Germany and start a family. This kicked the band into a period of hibernation. Without knowing the palette of sounds and influences that a new keyboard player would bring, Phil Mercy found himself uninspired to write new material and he instead concentrated on updating his recording studio and ironing out the many problems that the process uncovered.
Eventually, when it looked like the studio update would become a never ending saga, It was discovered that Anglagard alumnus Thomas Johnson was living and working in Oxford. A few emails and a pub meeting later and Thieves' Kitchen had a new keyboard player.
Phil, Amy and Thomas quickly forged a blissful writing team and soon had much of the material written that was to become The Water Road. Thomas had brought with him a darker and more symphonic approach which blended well with Phil's Canterburyesque fusion stylings. Amy's folk influences were also highlighted with the introduction of her harp playing. With the richness that was starting to become apparent in the sound of the new material it was decided to go all the way to achieve a more orchestral and organic sound. Ironically, considering the extensive update of Phil's studio, this involved the band recording the backing tracks live without a clicktrack as an ensemble in Aubitt Studios. This allowed the tempo to ebb and flow naturally as the mood required. Mark Robotham also set aside his hitherto ubiquitous electronic kit and used acoustic drums for greater sensitivity. Additional instruments were added, with Anna Holmgren of Anglagard on flute, Stina Peterssen on cello and Paul Beecham making a reappearance on oboe and soprano sax.
The Water Road was released in 2008 to critical acclaim.
While work continued on new material, during delays caused by various factors, including Thomas Johnson's relocation back to Sweden and his work on the new Anglagard release (all with everyone's full blessing and encouragement), it became apparent that Thieves' Kitchen was not destined to be the busy live act that both Andy Bonham and Mark Robotham would wish for, so they and Thieves' Kitchen amicably parted company.
Their places have been taken for the recording sessions by the rhythm section from Sanquine Hum, Paul Mallyon on drums and Brad Waissman on bass.
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www.thieveskitchen.co.uk
Spiral Bound
Thieves' Kitchen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Strip myself raw
Flayed to the bones
Just to see what I look like inside;
Rotten, untempered, volatile
I've watched your eyes
Seen them weeping fire
The pulse of desire
Forgive me for feeling my way round before
I just wasn't sure if you knew yourself
How can you enrapture me with a glance,
Trapped in the spiral of the dance?
You show me a scientist,
I'll show you my mirror
You show me your future,
I'll rase you an honest man
The lyrics to Thieves' Kitchen's song Spiral Bound explore the desire for self-discovery through the reflection of another's soul. The singer seeks to confront themselves by exposing their vulnerabilities and stripping away their outer layers to see what lies beneath. They are fascinated by the raw, untempered, and unpredictable nature of their own being, and they want to understand how this reflects in the other person's soul.
The song takes on an intimate and contemplative tone as the singer reflects on the other person's fiery passion and desire, marveling at the beauty and complexity of their spirit. They acknowledge the power of the other person's gaze, which draws them into a spiral dance of mutual discovery. In this dance, they find each other's reflections and can learn from each other's experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to confront myself with your soul
I desire to expose my true self, stripped of all pretense, to the depths of your being
Strip myself raw
To remove all superficiality and defences, exposing my vulnerability and essence
Flayed to the bones
To deconstruct myself, shedding all layers of identity and facade
Just to see what I look like inside;
To confront my innermost essence and nature, to see it reflected by the intimacy of our interaction
Rotten, untempered, volatile
An appraisal of one’s own unfiltered, raw humanity, flawed and inconstant
I've watched your eyes
I observe the depths and intensity of your emotions
Seen them weeping fire
Reading the force and power of your passions, through your physical expression
With passion and outrage,
The intense and authentic feeling of deep concern and anger
The pulse of desire
The rhythmic throbbing of fervor and craving, inextricably tied to each breath
Forgive me for feeling my way round before
I ask for your pardon for I need to explore and grasp your sensibilities before approaching deeply
I just wasn't sure if you knew yourself
I was hesitant, as it may be that you are not self-aware of your true nature and I don’t want to judge or upset you
How can you enrapture me with a glance,
The way in which your gaze charm me, captivates and mesmerizes my senses
Trapped in the spiral of the dance?
Ensnared and imprisoned within the circular movements of this mesmerizing encounter
You show me a scientist,
If you introduce me to somebody who can rationalize and dissect
I'll show you my mirror
I will reflect back the deeper dimensions of myself, beyond the superficial image
You show me your future,
If you reveal to me the outcome of your aspirations
I'll rase you an honest man
I will display my virtues, and how I adhere to the principles of candor and ethics, regardless of a favorable or unfavorable future outcome
Contributed by Aubrey W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.