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.
Friday Night
Tindersticks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The words just never reach my ears and I
Didn't want to try, just to see that smile
And I feel it drive, I feel it drive
The rails are chattering
Somethings coming this way I know it
The rails are chattering
Somethings coming this way I know it
(Go on and) Wake this heart
if you can take it
Where there's no feeling, there's no pain
And I can't fake it
The rails are chattering
Somethings coming this way I know it
The rails are chattering
Somethings coming this way I know it
Wake this heart, if you can take it
Where there's no feeling there's no pain and I can't fake it
Wake this heart if you can take it
Where there's no feeling, there's no pain, where there's no feeling
there's no pain where there's no feeling where there's no pain
where there's no feeling
I can't read signs
I just took a ride on a Friday night
The lyrics to Tindersticks' song "Friday Night" are emotive and thought-provoking, evoking a sense of emotional detachment and desperation for connection. The singer admits to being unable to read signs and communicate effectively, but still desires the connection that comes with a smile. They describe feeling a driving force inside of them, and express a desire for someone to "wake this heart" and take away the pain of feeling so deeply. There is a sense of impending doom or danger, represented by the chattering rails, but the singer seems to be resigned to whatever fate may come.
The repetition of the line "where there's no feeling, there's no pain" suggests a numbness or detachment from emotion, perhaps as a coping mechanism. The singer seems to be searching for a way to feel again, but is afraid of the pain that comes with it. The song is ultimately a plea for connection and human contact, despite the fear and uncertainty that may come with it.
Overall, "Friday Night" is a powerful exploration of human emotion, loneliness, and connection. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a narrator who is struggling to cope with their own intense feelings and desire for connection, and the sense of danger that looms in the background adds a layer of tension to the song.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't read signs
I am unable to interpret the signs or hints that someone is interested in me
The words just never reach my ears and I
I am oblivious to any attempts made to communicate interest or affection towards me
Didn't want to try, just to see that smile
I didn't want to risk making an effort to approach my crush just to see them smile at me
And I feel it drive, I feel it drive
Despite my reluctance to act on my feelings, I can feel them growing and driving me towards the other person
The rails are chattering
There is a sense of anticipation and foreboding, as if something big is about to happen
Somethings coming this way I know it
I have a gut feeling that my feelings are about to be reciprocated or that there is some important moment approaching
Wake this heart
My heart has been dormant for too long and needs to be awakened to new experiences
if you can take it
However, I am afraid of being hurt and only want to expose myself to the new sensations if they won't cause too much harm
Where there's no feeling, there's no pain
I know that I can't numb myself to avoid being hurt, as that would also prevent me from experiencing any real happiness from a relationship
And I can't fake it
I am not emotionally equipped to pretend or lie about how I feel in order to protect myself
Where there's no feeling there's no pain and I can't fake it
I don't want to shut myself off from any chance of joy, but I am also unwilling to pretend that I am not affected by things in order to avoid being hurt
I just took a ride on a Friday night
Despite my reservations and fears, I took a chance and went out seeking a new experience and hoping for the best outcome
Contributed by Cole G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.