The band has a cult following in the United Kingdom and continental Europe, although the eclectic and unique sound Tindersticks possesses never made significant inroads in the mainstream.
Personnel
* Stuart Ashton Staples, born 14 November 1965 - Lead voice, guitar, melodica
* Dickon James Hinchliffe, born 9 July 1967 - violin, guitar, voice, piano, string and brass arrangements
* Neil Timothy Fraser, - born 22 November 1962 - lead guitar, vibraphone
* David Leonard Boulter, born 27 February 1965 - keyboards, percussion
* Alasdair Robert De Villeneuve Macaulay, born 2 August 1965 - drums, percussion, trumpet
* Mark Andrew Colwill, born 12 May 1960 - bass guitar
The band formed in late 1991, Staples, Boulter, Frazer, Macauley and Hinchcliffe having previously been members of Asphalt Ribbons. The final band line-up for the "old horse" mini-LP (1991) was: Stuart Staples (vocals) Dave Boulter (organ & accordion) Neil Fraser (guitar) Dickon Hinchliffe (Guitar & strings) Al Macauley (percussion & drums) John Thompson (bass). Mark Colwill was recruited when John Thompson left the Asphalt Ribbons, but it is not sure if he played any gigs under the Asphalt Ribbons name. Then they changed their name to Tindersticks after Stuart A. Staples discovered a box of German matches on a Greek beach.
Tindersticks started recording demo tapes in 1992, and were signed by Tippy Toe Records who released their first single, "Patchwork".
Their self-titled first and second albums established their signature sound and received widespread critical acclaim. Their live performances, often augmented by large string sections and even, on occasion, a full orchestra, were rapturously received. (The live album Bloomsbury Theatre 12.3.95 is a recording of one such concert.) By the time of the third album, Curtains, however, it was clear that a change of direction was called for. There was a certain ennui to the songs, and the lengthy "Ballad of Tindersticks" was a weary swipe at the pressures of being a touring band.
The fourth album, Simple Pleasure, lived up to its title with a series of snappy, direct songs influenced by soul music. The female backing vocals on several tracks, and the respectful cover of Odyssey's "If You're Looking For A Way Out", signalled the band's wish to move towards lighter, more soulful material. However, the inner sleeve's documentation of the number of takes each track went through was evidence that the band continued to adopt a painstaking approach to recording.
The fifth album, Can Our Love, continued the band's soulful direction, in particular evidence on the tender "Sweet Release" and in the nod to the Chi-Lites in the title of "Chilitetime".
The sixth and most recent album, Waiting For The Moon, was more stripped down and introspective in nature, particularly on the harrowing "4.48 Psychosis" (based on the play of the same name by the British playwright Sarah Kane) and "Sometimes It Hurts". Only the bouncy "Just A Dog" lightened the otherwise melancholy mood of the album.
In 2005 Staples embarked on a solo career and there was resultant speculation that the band had split. Staples has so far produced two solo albums, Lucky Dog Recordings 03-04 and Leaving Songs. The title of the second album, and Staples' notes on it, indicate that Tindersticks may indeed be at an end: "These are songs written on the verge of leaving the things I loved and stepping into a new unknown life, both musically and personally. I was always aware that these songs were the end of something, a kind of closing a circle of a way of writing that I started so long ago and I knew I had to move on from."
In September 2006, the band played a one-off concert at London's Barbican Centre, performing their second album in full with a nine-member string section and two brass players, including former collaborator Terry Edwards on trumpet. This concert brought the band's members back together. A new recording process in 2007 resulted in a new album, The Hungry Saw, which was released on April 28th 2008.
In the meantime, in July 2007, Island Records had released The BBC Sessions, a double CD compilation of the band's sessions for BBC radio programmes. Also in 2007, a stripped-down line-up of three of the original band, Staples, Boulter and Fraser, spent time writing and recording in a newly-equipped studio in Limousin, France. They were joined by Thomas Belhom on drums and Dan McKinna on bass, with Ian Caple engineering. The resulting album, The Hungry Saw, was released on Beggars Banquet in April 2008. Tindersticks played a number of other European dates during the summer festival season and also announced a winter 2008 European tour.
In 2010, the eighth album Falling Down a Mountain was released on 4AD / Constellation Records with a changed band line-up, with Earl Harvin replacing Belhom on drums and David Kitt, a solo artist in his own right, joining the band on guitar and vocals.
The group's ninth album The Something Rain was released in February 2012.
As well as their nine studio albums, the band has produced the soundtracks for four films by the French director Claire Denis: Nenette et Boni,Trouble Every Day, 35 Rhums and White Material
They recorded a cover of the Four Tops song, "What Is A Man", for the theme to the British TV series The Sins.
The Tindersticks song Tiny Tears was featured prominently in the Series 1 episode "Isabella" of HBO's The Sopranos. Additionally, a version of "Running Wild" was played during the ending credits of the penultimate episode of the series, "The Blue Comet". In the Season One Finale of Brotherhood, "El Diablo En El Ojo" is used twice.
* Tindersticks (aka First Album) (This Way Up, 1993)
* Tindersticks (aka Second Album) (This Way Up, 1995)
* Curtains (This Way Up, 1997)
* Simple Pleasure (Island, 1999)
* Can Our Love... (Beggar's Banquet, 2001)
* Waiting for the Moon (Beggar's Banquet, 2003)
* BBC Sessions (2007)
On 17th October 2014, Tindersticks released the commissioned soundscapes from the In Flanders Fields WW1 museum in Ypres, Belgium.
See the band's site at www.tindersticks.co.uk.
Dancing
Tindersticks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I understand everything
Take me in your arms
You knew how I feel
Before I knew, I was up to my neck
First time we danced
So I'll tell what brought you home tonight
Oh, the dancing
Take me in your arms
You knew how I feel
Running home
I couldn't wait to be inside you then
You were all around me then
So, is that what brought you home tonight
Do you know what brought you home tonight?
Was it the dancing?
Before I knew, I was up to my neck
The last toe leaving ground
First time we danced
These lyrics depict a yearning for human connection and understanding, particularly in the context of a romantic relationship. The singer seems to have a deep level of understanding with their partner, conveyed through the repetition of the phrase "I understand everything." This level of understanding seems to transcend words, as the singer ultimately asks to be taken in their partner's arms, indicating a desire for physical closeness and intimacy.
The line "Before I knew, I was up to my neck" suggests that the singer has become fully enveloped in their emotions and feelings for their partner, even before they fully realized it themselves. This sentiment is echoed in the later line "I couldn't wait to be inside you then," which speaks to the singer's intense desire and longing for their partner.
The repeated question of "what brought you home tonight?" suggests a longing and uncertainty on the part of the singer - they are seeking reassurance and confirmation that their partner feels the same way as they do. The final line, "The last toe leaving ground, first time we danced," conjures up images of a passionate and intense dance between the two lovers, with the physical act of dancing serving as a metaphor for their emotional connection.
Line by Line Meaning
I understand everything
I feel fully aware and knowledgeable about my surroundings and experiences.
Take me in your arms
Hold me tight and provide comfort and security.
You knew how I feel
You understood my emotions and inner desires without me having to explicitly state them.
Before I knew, I was up to my neck
I became deeply submerged or invested in something before I even realized what was happening.
First time we danced
The initial occasion on which we moved rhythmically to music together.
So I'll tell what brought you home tonight
Please let me know the reason for your arrival at this moment.
Oh, the dancing
Ah, so it was the act of dancing that led you to me.
Running home
Making a swift and urgent return to my place of residence.
I couldn't wait to be inside you then
I was eagerly anticipating our physical intimacy and closeness at that time.
So, is that what brought you home tonight
Did the prospect of engaging in dance with me influence your decision to come see me?
Do you know what brought you home tonight?
Are you even aware of the underlying motives or triggers that caused you to visit me?
Was it the dancing?
Did the enjoyment and energy of dancing entice you to join me tonight?
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STUART ASHTON STAPLES, DICKON JAMES HINCHLIFFE, DAVID BOULTER, MARK ANTHONY STEPHEN COLWILL, ALASDAIR MACAULAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind