The group recorded two studio albums and a live album before dissolving in 1992, when Bowie returned to his solo career. The group was generally reviled, often receiving scathing critical reviews.
David Bowie’s Never Let Me Down album (already a move into slightly "harder" rock territory) and subsequent "Glass Spider Tour" had been savaged by critics, and the singer was aware of his low stock. Eager to return to making music for himself rather than the mainstream audience he had acquired following the Let's Dance album, Bowie began collaborating with Reeves Gabrels (who pushed the singer to rediscover his experimental side and went on to work closely with Bowie for much of the next decade) and multi-instrumentalist Erdal Kizilcay on new material in 1988. The first fruits of this came with a new version of Bowie’s 1979 song "Look Back in Anger", performed at the "Intruders At The Palace" benefit concert on 1 July 1988. They then began to plan a concept album based on Steven Berkoff's play East as a Bowie solo album, but this idea was scrapped. Bowie and Gabrels began working with producer Tim Palmer on new material. Bowie then recruited brothers Hunt Sales and Tony Sales (the sons of comedian Soupy Sales) as a rhythm section. Bowie had worked with them on Iggy Pop’s Lust for Life album and ran into them at a party in Los Angeles around this time.
The Sales brothers moved the tone of the sessions in Nassau away from art-rock and more towards hard rock, and Bowie looked to one of his favorite bands at the time, Pixies, for inspiration. The Sales brothers heckled Bowie into greater spontaneity, with most songs recorded in one take, and lyrics left unpolished, thus giving the band a ragged, punk rock edge similar to the Pixies.
The group chose the name Tin Machine after one of the songs they had written (Gabrels would later credit the Sales brothers with this choice). The group set up allowed Bowie a certain level of anonymity, much needed after his 1980s overexposure, and he was happy to let the rest of the band (notably Hunt Sales) take the lead in interviews.
The band’s self-titled first album (Tin Machine) produced mixed but generally positive reviews on release in May 1989, picking up favorable comparisons with Bowie’s three more recent solo albums. However, many critics were scornful of Bowie’s latest attempt to reinvent himself as a bearded band-member. Commercially, the album initially sold well, reaching #3 in the UK charts, but sales quickly tailed off. The band undertook a low-key tour in small venues between 14 June and 3 July 1989, before further recording sessions in Sydney, Australia. During these sessions Tin Machine contributed to a surfing compilation album called Beyond the Beach, with a new instrumental song titled "Needles on the Beach.
The group then went on hiatus while Bowie conducted his solo "Sound+Vision Tour." In December 1990, Bowie split from EMI. Both parties stated that the split was amicable, although it is believed EMI refused to release another Tin Machine album in an exasperated attempt to secure another album similar to Let's Dance. In March 1991, the group signed to Victory Music, a new label launched by JVC and distributed worldwide by London Records and Polygram, and recorded more new material. This was combined with tracks from the Sydney sessions to form Tin Machine II album. This time the commercial success was even more fleeting, and Bowie was already tired of being shackled to a group set-up. From 5 October 1991 to 17 February 1992, the group undertook a larger tour, known as the "It's My Life Tour". The band was joined on this tour by guitarist Eric Schermerhorn, who would go on to play with Bowie's friend Iggy Pop.
Tracks from this tour were released on the July 1992 album Tin Machine Live - Oy Vey, Baby. Shortly afterwards, Bowie returned to solo recording with his single “Real Cool World” and the band dissolved.
Bowie promised Tin Machine III or at the very least a boxed-set of unreleased material in the mid-1990s, but his solo career had taken precedence, making him reluctant to dedicate energy to an old project. He continued to work with Gabrels, spanning four albums after Tin Machine: Black Tie White Noise (Gabrels contributed to only one track), Outside, Earthling, and Hours. After the last album, Gabrels felt that Bowie was moving in a softer, gentler direction that he did not want to travel in, so the two parted ways professionally. In some interviews he has also indicated his disappointment in the retrospective projects Bowie was planning at the time (the Toy album, which never surfaced, as well as the Ziggy 2002 project) played a part in his parting with Bowie.
Betty Wrong
Tin Machine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And every lamb ceases to graze
When the kiss of the comb
Tears my face from the bone
I'll be your light
When the shadows fall down the wall
Then life will be doneAnd it just won't matter at all
I was carved from a hand
Nurtured on grime, goodwill and screams
Now your breath fills my step
Now there is you till life is gone
I'll be your light
When the shadows fall down the wall
Then life will be done
And it just won't matter at all
I'll roll your ball
Till the stars can't make me cry
Then life will be done
And it just won't matter at all
Not at all
When the kiss of the comb
Tears my face
The lyrics of Tin Machine's song Betty Wrong are open to interpretation, but they seem to be about a loyal and devoted lover who promises to be there for their partner through thick and thin, even when the world comes to an end. The first two lines create a sense of apocalyptic doom, with the sun blistering and lambs ceasing to graze. However, the singer promises to be there for their lover till the end, even when their face is torn apart by the "kiss of the comb". Despite the darkness, the singer promises to be the light and offer comfort when the shadows fall down the wall. Ultimately, when life is done and nothing matters at all, the singer will still be there.
The second verse seems to hint at the singer's troubled past, being "carved from a hand" and "nurtured on grime, goodwill and screams." But now, with their lover's breath filling their step, they feel complete and ready to do anything for that person. The final verse promises to roll their lover's ball, a reference that is open to interpretation, but may suggest that the singer is willing to take on any challenge and face any hardship for their partner's sake.
Overall, the song seems to be about the undying love and loyalty between two people who have been through difficult times together. It's a promise to be there for each other no matter what.
Line by Line Meaning
Till the sun blisters and sprays
Even when times get tough and chaotic
And every lamb ceases to graze
Even when things seem bleak and hopeless
When the kiss of the comb
When faced with a difficult challenge
Tears my face from the bone
That is painful and damaging
I'll be your light
I will be your supporter and guide
When the shadows fall down the wall
During the darkest times
Then life will be done
When life is over
And it just won't matter at all
All the struggles and worries will cease
I was carved from a hand
I was made by someone else
Nurtured on grime, goodwill and screams
I was raised in a difficult environment
Now your breath fills my step
But now you give me the energy to keep going
Now there is you till life is gone
And I will be here for you until the end
I'll roll your ball
I will take care of you and be your support
Till the stars can't make me cry
Until I am no longer affected by the hardships of life
Not at all
None of it will matter in the end
When the kiss of the comb
Even when faced with difficult challenges
Tears my face
Which are painful and damaging
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVID BOWIE, REEVES GABRELS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ciocanflavius3690
Till the sun blisters and sprays
And every lamb ceases to graze
When the kiss of the comb
Tears my face from the bone
I'll be your light
When the shadows fall down the walls
Then life will be done
And it just won't matter at all
I was caught from a hand
Nurtured on grime, goodwill and screams
Now your breath fills my step
Now there is you till life is gone
I'll be your light
When the shadows fall down the walls
Then life will be done
And it just won't matter at all
I'll roll your ball
Till the stars can't make me cry
Then life will be done
And it just won't matter at all
Not at all
When the kiss of the comb
Tears my face
@ciocanflavius3690
Till the sun blisters and sprays
And every lamb ceases to graze
When the kiss of the comb
Tears my face from the bone
I'll be your light
When the shadows fall down the walls
Then life will be done
And it just won't matter at all
I was caught from a hand
Nurtured on grime, goodwill and screams
Now your breath fills my step
Now there is you till life is gone
I'll be your light
When the shadows fall down the walls
Then life will be done
And it just won't matter at all
I'll roll your ball
Till the stars can't make me cry
Then life will be done
And it just won't matter at all
Not at all
When the kiss of the comb
Tears my face
@luismoraless7133
You hero
@BishopJoansie
Tin Machine was so good they made a Tin Machine II😍
@Thunderchild-gz4gc
So nice they named it twice
@thelastperfectman4139
This song has such an epic powerful chorus.
@darthvader3465
Wow. This is a great album
@TheodorusRex
Brilliant.
@anzatzi
If you include the Iggy albums, Bowie did some of his best work with the Sales Brothers
@leonakita
for some reason Bowie got along with Tony and Hunt. Hunt, the drummer was a real mess though with Heroin. I think Tony, the bassist, had a good repoire with Bowie.
@anzatzi
@@leonakita I really like the back up singing and playing on these albums.