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.
Dick
Tindersticks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've gotta fall with a clear head
Don't tell me of those mirrors
I'll show you what you want to see
Pay no mind to those voices
I'll show you what you want to hear
Of course, it doesn't matter what you see
It doesn't matter what they say
I want you anyway
So we live in the city Come over here
No, leave on the light
Beautiful things get run down
There's no more to say To let you know it's alright
There's a fine door that you open
There's no door
There's no option
You knew this from the start
You made a fist around your heart
I don't need to know
But she must want to show me
It's just for yourself
I can't forgive you anything
It doesn't matter what you see
You're beautiful to me
It doesn't matter what they say
I want you anyway
Don't bring that stuff to bed I'll touch you here
Gotta fall with a clear head Does it make you cry?
Don't bring that stuff to bed Don't hide those tears
Gotta fall with a clear head You know they're alright
Get closer now...
The lyrics of Tindersticks' "Dick's Slow Song" can be interpreted as a conversation between two lovers. The singer is asking their partner not to bring any emotional baggage into their relationship, to let go of their insecurities and let themselves be loved. They want to see what their partner wants them to see and hear what they want to hear, ignoring any outside opinions or judgments. The lines "It doesn't matter what you see, you're beautiful to me" and "It doesn't matter what they say, I want you anyway" reinforce the singer's love and acceptance for their partner regardless of appearances or societal expectations.
The singer also acknowledges the harsh realities of living in the city, referencing how beautiful things can get run down. They want their partner to know that it's okay to show vulnerability and be emotional with them. The final lines of the song, "Get closer now..." suggest that the singer wants to physically and emotionally connect with their partner in a deeper way.
Overall, "Dick's Slow Song" presents a message of love and acceptance, urging listeners to let go of their insecurities and allow themselves to be loved.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't bring that stuff to bed
Please don't bring emotional baggage and past conflicts to our bed.
I've gotta fall with a clear head
I want to be emotionally present and free from distractions in bed.
Don't tell me of those mirrors
Don't show me distorted reflections of yourself that don't reflect your true self.
I'll show you what you want to see
I'll reveal the best version of yourself, and not the one you think I want to see.
Pay no mind to those voices
Ignore the negative voices in your head that prevent you from enjoying the moment.
I'll show you what you want to hear
I'll say the right things that resonate with your emotions and make you feel loved and understood.
Of course, it doesn't matter what you see
In my eyes, your beauty is not limited to what you see in the mirror.
You're beautiful to me
Your beauty transcends physical appearance, and I appreciate you for who you are as a person.
It doesn't matter what they say
I don't value the opinions and judgments of others when it comes to our relationship.
I want you anyway
Despite whatever flaws or challenges we may face, I still choose you and want to be with you.
So we live in the city Come over here
Despite living in a crowded and noisy urban environment, let's take some time to be intimate with each other.
No, leave on the light
Let's not hide or obscure anything between us, and be open and honest with each other.
Beautiful things get run down
The challenges of life and time may take a toll on us, but I'll still cherish and love you just as much.
There's no more to say To let you know it's alright
I want to reassure you that everything is okay, and there's no need to say anything more about our relationship.
There's a fine door that you open
You have the power to open up and let me into your heart and mind.
There's no door
However, there are no barriers or obstacles between us that prevent us from being close.
There's no option
I don't see any alternative or possibility that doesn't involve being with you.
You knew this from the start
I've made it clear from the beginning that I'm dedicated to our relationship.
You made a fist around your heart
You've guarded your heart and emotions from being hurt or betrayed in the past, but I'm slowly gaining your trust and opening you up to me.
I don't need to know
You don't have to explain or justify your emotions to me - I accept and respect them.
But she must want to show me
However, deep down, you must want to reveal your true self and emotions to me.
It's just for yourself
Taking off your emotional mask and being honest is only for your own mental and emotional health and well-being.
I can't forgive you anything
Our relationship is not about forgiveness, as you haven't done anything wrong or hurtful that needs to be forgiven.
Get closer now...
Let's get physically and emotionally closer to each other now that we've established trust and honesty in our relationship.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STUART ASHTON STAPLES, DICKON JAMES HINCHLIFFE, DAVID BOULTER, NEIL TIMOTHY FRASER, MARK ANTHONY STEPHEN COLWILL, ALASDAIR MACAULAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind