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.
Everything Changes
Tindersticks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't know what I'm doing
I don't know what to say anymore
You take me through it
'Cause we've been changing
We've been changing
If we stop now you can feel it
Yeah, I'm reaching out, I'm holding on
We've been changing
We left our dreams behind
Yeah, we've been changing
In front of my very eyes do we both want the same thing?
See the same thing?
It's moving past us now
We turn around and everything's gone
I'm still holding on
But I'm reaching out, I'm holding on
Yeah, I'm reaching out, I'm holding on
It's a chase
What good are used up dreams?
What good are used up dreams?
It's a chase, chase
I'm sick of running on
It's a chase
Know what it is I am holding, but it's shaking (?)
It scares the life out of me and I don't know what to say anymore
It's a chase
Find out where we are now
It's a chase
What good are used up dreams?
It's a chase
What good are used up dreams?
The opening lines of Tindersticks' song 'Everything Changes' express a sense of confusion and uncertainty. The singer is lost, and they don't know what to say or do anymore. The following lines suggest that the person they are addressing can guide them through their confusion. The repetition of 'we've been changing' emphasizes that change has been happening consistently, and if they stop now, they will feel the weight and disorientation of the changes. The singer is reaching out and holding on, which implies a sense of desperation as they try to make sense of everything that is happening.
The chorus repetition of 'It's a chase' creates a sense of anxiety and urgency. The singer is questioning the purpose of their past dreams, and they are tired of chasing an elusive goal. The dreams may have been used up, and the singer is debating their significance. The line 'I don't know what to say anymore' repeats twice, perhaps indicating that the singer is emotionally exhausted and is struggling to articulate their feelings. The final lines suggest that the singer is still holding on, even though everything else seems to be disappearing.
In conclusion, the song portrays a sense of fear, confusion, and uncertainty through its lyrics. The singer is trying to find their way and adjust to the changes that have been happening. The song suggests that change can be disorienting and difficult to navigate, but holding on to what is important can help to cope with it.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't know what to say anymore
I am at a loss for words and don't know what to communicate anymore.
I don't know what I'm doing
I am uncertain what my actions are leading towards.
You take me through it
I am being guided and supported through this journey.
Cause we've been changing
We have undergone transformations recently.
If we stop now you can feel it
We can sense a significant shift in our lives if we decide to halt our progress now.
But I'm reaching out, I'm holding on
I am extending myself and holding onto something stable for support.
We left our dreams behind
We have abandoned our aspirations and goals.
In front of my very eyes do we both want the same thing?
I am questioning if we share the same desired outcome in life.
See the same thing?
Are we on the same wavelength?
It's moving past us now
The opportunity is slipping away from us.
We turn around and everything's gone
We look back and everything has changed or disappeared.
It's a chase
Life feels like an endless pursuit or race.
What good are used up dreams?
What purpose do abandoned goals serve?
I'm sick of running on
I am tired of living in a constant state of chasing and striving for something.
Know what it is I am holding, but it's shaking (?)
I am aware of what I am grasping onto, but it is unstable or uncertain.
It scares the life out of me and I don't know what to say anymore
This uncertainty terrifies me and I am left speechless.
Find out where we are now
We need to assess our current situation to move forward.
Contributed by Max T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.