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.
No Man in the World
Tindersticks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I can still remember those feelings
Of being left alone with myself
Sitting in the garden
Watching our house burn
Knowing I couldn't help it
It always had to end in a big statement like that
We were always so intense
We never understood what we had
Never knew how to deal with it
Always tearing at each other
The violence and the shame
Banging my head against the wall
Wanting to explode
And it was my idea
And I put you there
I lied and said I didn't want you
You were running to someone else
Breaking the spell
Being able to see me for what I really was
And then the flames
Wanted you
Make me feel like no man in the world wanted you
Still feel the flame
Still feel the cold
Still feel the flame
Gets so cold around the stove
They still reach for me
Where you gonna go now
They still reach for me
Where you gonna go now
Made you feel like no man in the world wanted you
Made me feel like no woman in the world wanted me
Still feel the flame
Some days it seems I've left those feelings so far behind
Still feel the cold
But they're always there, waiting
Still feel the flame
Tempting, trying to release you
It's so cold around the stove
Don't believe, don't cherish your pretence
They still reach for me
You strike a match
Where you gonna go now
The thrill of having nothing
They still reach for me
The smell of the flames
Where you gonna go now
Made me feel like no man in the world wanted you
Made me feel like no woman in the world wanted me
The lyrics of the Tindersticks song "No Man in the World" describe a past relationship, and the feelings of loneliness, regret, and longing for what was lost. The singer reminisces on a time when they were left alone with themselves, watching their house burn down, and feeling powerless to stop it. The relationship was intense and out of control, with neither person able to fully understand or deal with their emotions. They tore each other apart with violence and shame, and the singer even admits to lying about not wanting their partner who ultimately left them for someone else.
The chorus repeats the phrase "made me feel like no man/woman in the world wanted me" as the singer describes the lingering pain and temptation of their past relationship. The flame and cold motifs run throughout the song, symbolizing the passion and warmth of love, as well as the loneliness and emptiness when it's gone. Despite the passing of time, the singer still feels the pull of the flame, and they ask where their former partner will go now that they've left.
Line by Line Meaning
Seems like so long ago now
Looking back, it feels like it's been a very long time
But I can still remember those feelings
However, I still remember how I felt
Of being left alone with myself
Feeling abandoned and alone with my thoughts
Sitting in the garden
Sitting outside, surrounded by nature
Watching our house burn
Seeing our home burn down
Knowing I couldn't help it
Feeling helpless and unable to do anything
It always had to end in a big statement like that
Our arguments and disagreements always escalated to a dramatic conclusion
We were always so intense
Our relationship was always passionate and intense
Out of control
But we were never able to control our emotions or actions
We never understood what we had
We never fully appreciated or recognized the value of our relationship
Never knew how to deal with it
We were never equipped to manage our emotions or relationship
Always tearing at each other
We constantly fought and attacked one another
The violence and the shame
Our fights often became physical, and we both felt ashamed afterward
Banging my head against the wall
Feeling frustrated and unable to think clearly
Wanting to explode
Feeling so overwhelmed that I wanted to lash out or break down
And it was my idea
I was the one who suggested something
And I put you there
I'm the reason you ended up in that situation
I lied and said I didn't want you
I was dishonest about my feelings
You were running to someone else
You were seeking comfort or love from someone else
Breaking the spell
Realizing or acknowledging the truth about our relationship
Being able to see me for what I really was
Recognizing my true nature or character
And then the flames
And then our relationship ended dramatically
Wanted you
I desired you and your attention
Make me feel like no man in the world wanted you
When you were with me, I felt like no other man wanted you
Still feel the flame
The passion and intensity of our relationship still feels present
Still feel the cold
But at the same time, there is a sense of emptiness or loneliness
Gets so cold around the stove
Trying to rekindle our relationship feels lonely and isolated
They still reach for me
Despite everything, I still feel a connection to you
Where you gonna go now
Wondering where you will turn to now that our relationship has ended
Made you feel like no man in the world wanted you
I made you feel like you were unwanted or unloved by other men
Made me feel like no woman in the world wanted me
You made me feel unwanted or unattractive to other women
Some days it seems I've left those feelings so far behind
Sometimes it seems like I've moved on from those emotions entirely
But they're always there, waiting
But the emotions and memories are always present, just below the surface
Tempting, trying to release you
Feeling the temptation to let go of our past and move on
Don't believe, don't cherish your pretence
Don't hold onto false hope or lies
You strike a match
Igniting a spark or conflict
The thrill of having nothing
Finding excitement or pleasure in emptiness or chaos
The smell of the flames
The memory or sensation of our dramatic breakup
Where you gonna go now
Feeling unsure about what your future holds, post-breakup
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STUART ASHTON STAPLES, DICKON JAMES HINCHLIFFE, DAVID BOULTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind