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
The Return of the Ultragravy
Thieves' Kitchen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Time is slipping by, they’re losing touch of where they’re from
Reality surrounds them but it blocks the way ahead
It’s as if the time has come to take them from this path they tread
Sometimes there’s someone there to knock you down
Before too long you find what you’ve become
They take the task that they’ve been set to ease their minds
It’ll take them forty years but they could still get left behind
Night and day it goes on, there’s no end to the grind
But one day the time will come for them to unwind
Hitch a ride on a magic wave to take you away
Set your sights for hopes and dreams to stay
Too late to go back to the place they call home…
The people queue up one by one to see if their luck’s in
Six times for luck they hope to see if their dreams could begin
Twice a week time drifts on by, and still nothing there
All they can do is wait and see if next time they’ll be set free
There’s a road far up ahead
Taking people to their dreams
Drive on, it’ll take you there
Won’t be long, you’ll soon find the chair
Sit right back, relax and smile
Realise you haven’t known this for a while…
Can you feel the air tonight, bringing on the rain
There’s a chance that it has come to take away the pain
Hassle free it sets you free, bridge the gap of sanity
Hell’s the place you call hope, wears away like a rope…
Now you find they have you in their hands
There’s no way you could spoil their plans
Too late to go back to the place they call home…
You spend your days working hard
You realise it’s just a facade
But your duty draws you in
Knowing another day must begin
Before too long you start to shout
But no-one cares what it’s all about
They’re tied up too, just like you
With no hope to see their life through
The lyrics of Thieves' Kitchen's song "The Return of the Ultragravy" depict a sense of detachment from reality and self-reflection. The opening lines of the song suggest that the singer is losing touch with their roots and the world around them, which is blocking their path to progress. The phrase "It’s as if the time has come to take them from this path they tread" suggests that life has taken a direction of its own, and the singer feels like a passive observer, unable to take corrective measures.
The second stanza hints at external forces that are adding to the singer's disillusionment. The phrase "Sometimes there’s someone there to knock you down" implies that people around them are not very supportive. With time, the singer realizes that they have become someone they never intended to be, and it's too late to go back to the place they call home.
The song's central message is about living in the present moment and following your heart. The chorus urges the listener to "hitch a ride on a magic wave" and set their "sights for hopes and dreams to stay." The final lines of the song suggest that everyone around us is living a life of compromise, and the sooner we realize this, the better.
Line by Line Meaning
Stepping out to see another day has gone
Starting a new day, but realizing time is slipping away
Time is slipping by, they’re losing touch of where they’re from
Time is passing and they are forgetting their roots
Reality surrounds them but it blocks the way ahead
The real world is becoming a barrier to their future
It’s as if the time has come to take them from this path they tread
It's time for a change, to move away from their current path
Sometimes there’s someone there to knock you down
People can bring others down
Before too long you find what you’ve become
Over time, you realize who you are
Too late to go back to the place they call home…
It's too late to return to a place where they once belonged
They take the task that they’ve been set to ease their minds
They take on a task to distract themselves from their problems
It’ll take them forty years but they could still get left behind
The task will take a long time and they may still not succeed
Night and day it goes on, there’s no end to the grind
The task is never-ending, a constant grind
But one day the time will come for them to unwind
Eventually, they will have time to relax
Hitch a ride on a magic wave to take you away
Escape reality by daydreaming
Set your sights for hopes and dreams to stay
Focus on your dreams to keep hope alive
The people queue up one by one to see if their luck’s in
People hope for their chance at success
Six times for luck they hope to see if their dreams could begin
They try repeatedly, hoping for success
Twice a week time drifts on by, and still nothing there
Time passes, but nothing changes
All they can do is wait and see if next time they’ll be set free
They wait and hope for a better future
There’s a road far up ahead
There is a path to success
Taking people to their dreams
It leads people to their goals
Drive on, it’ll take you there
Keep moving forward to reach your destination
Won’t be long, you’ll soon find the chair
You'll soon achieve your goal and be able to relax
Sit right back, relax and smile
Enjoy your success and feel happy
Realise you haven’t known this for a while…
You haven't experienced happiness in a while
Can you feel the air tonight, bringing on the rain
A change is coming
There’s a chance that it has come to take away the pain
The change may bring relief from suffering
Hassle free it sets you free, bridge the gap of sanity
The change is freeing and helps restore mental well-being
Hell’s the place you call hope, wears away like a rope…
False hope eventually fades away
Now you find they have you in their hands
You are now under someone's control
There’s no way you could spoil their plans
You cannot disrupt their goals
You spend your days working hard
You work tirelessly
You realise it’s just a facade
You realize the superficiality of your work
But your duty draws you in
Your responsibility keeps you going
Knowing another day must begin
You know that there will always be another day of work
Before too long you start to shout
Eventually, you become frustrated
But no-one cares what it’s all about
No one else understands your frustration
They’re tied up too, just like you
Everyone is tied to their responsibilities
With no hope to see their life through
They feel hopeless about their future
Contributed by Lincoln J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.