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.
We Have All the Time in the World
Tindersticks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Time enough for life
To unfold all those precious things love has in store
We had all the love in the world
If that's all we had
You'll find we need nothing more
Every step of the way
We'll find out
Far behind us
We had all the time in the world
Just for love
Nothing more
Nothing less
Only love....
The song "We Have All the Time in the World" by Tindersticks embodies the idea of savoring time with the ones we love. The initial lines convey the idea that we had ample time to experience life in all its fullness, and that everything that love has to offer, whether it be happiness, companionship or shared experiences, we had it in abundance. The lyrics further add that if love was the only thing we had, it would suffice as nothing else would be needed. The songwriters emphasize the importance of making the most of the time we have with our loved ones, and cherishing the moments that we have together.
The songwriters also mention that we must leave behind our worries, plans and commitments for the time we are with our loved ones, and focus only on each other. They express that we have all the time in the world to love each other and nothing should stop us from doing so. This song is a reminder of the transience of time and the importance of using our time wisely with the people that mean the most to us.
Line by Line Meaning
We had all the time in the world
We possessed an abundant amount of time, with no restrictions, able to use as we pleased.
Time enough for life
There was sufficient time to experience everything the world has to offer
To unfold all those precious things love has in store
There was enough time for us to unlock all the beautiful moments of love that were waiting for us
We had all the love in the world
Our love for each other was limitless
If that's all we had
Even if love is the only thing we possess
You'll find we need nothing more
We won't require anything else to feel complete as long as we have love
Every step of the way
As we journey through life together
We'll find out put the cares of the world far behind us
We'll leave behind burdens and distractions and exist in our own world without judgment or limitations
We had all the time in the world just for love
All the time we had was spent indulging in the magic of love
Nothing more
We didn't desire anything other than love
Nothing less
But we wouldn't settle for anything less than love
Only love....
Love was the only thing of value that we shared
Contributed by Julia L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Hugh Cansdale
Does Stuart change the first line into past tense, i.e. 'we had all the time in the world...'? Is that a way of showing someone looking back to a time of hope and possibility rather than actually being still in it?
rnr14dors
"...nothing more,nothing less...only love!" Let's all begin our days with these words....:)
2548demolidor
AMAZING!!!
joe squat
love this
10:15 FRENCH FILM BLURRED
On sait qu'il est comme ça Stuart Staples, mais on lui en veut presque de ne pas moduler la phrase du refrain
Patricia The Wisher
Aw. 💕 lovely
cliff edge
she lives in a straightner world where sad muscel men in calvincline shorts will try to impress girls
david hall
whats this on?