Before Underworld, Hyde and Smith started out in 1979 on The Screen Gemz band while working together in a diner in the city of Cardiff, where both had been studying. In 1983 they recorded two albums for CBS Records with a new wave synthpop band whose name was a graphic squiggle, later entitled Freur.
In 1986 Hyde and Smith formed Underworld, after disbanding of Freur. They tried a more guitar-oriented funky electropop sound on their two albums released on Sire Records: Underneath the Radar (1987) and Change the Weather (1989). This initial lineup (also called Underworld Mk1) consisted of Karl Hyde, Rick Smith, Alfie Thomas, Bryn Burrows, Baz Allen and Pascal Consoli before sinking back into obscurity and disbanding in 1990.
British DJ Darren Emerson hooked up with Hyde and Smith in 1992 and helped them refine their sound into something more sleek and beat-oriented, yet still shot through with tinges of blues, rock and spoken-word streams of consciousness. After several releases on Junior Boy's Own as Lemon Interupt, the trio re-adopted the Underworld name in 1992. Two songs from this era are Rez and Spikee.
In addition to their music, Hyde and Smith are members of Tomato, a graphic design company which has done high-profile work for clients around the world as well as art for all of Underworld's releases. Hyde, along with former Freur keyboardist John Warwicker, has also published two typographic journals, Mmm... Skyscraper, I Love You (1994) and In The Belly Of Saint Paul (2003).
Their first full-length, dubnobasswithmyheadman, was released in 1994 to rave reviews and is still considered a landmark. It spawned several hit singles (Dark & Long, Cowgirl, Dirty Epic) and was followed a couple years later by the Born Slippy single.
The sophomore album Second Toughest in the Infants was released in 1996. This album showed Underworld maturing as a trio, mixing elements of techno, house, drum and bass and pop music to spectacular effect. The first track Juanita/Kiteless/To Dream of Love (three parts) is one of the longest songs recorded by Underworld, with a length of over 16 minutes.
In the same year they issued an EP Pearl's Girl, containing various mixes of the song Pearl's Girl and five new tracks (one of them is Cherry Pie, an early version of Rowla). Underworld's much-praised remixography also grew, including Björk, Saint Etienne, Simply Red, Massive Attack and Leftfield.
After licensing out a remix of Born Slippy (entitled Born Slippy .NUXX) for the 1996 cult classic film Trainspotting, Underworld gained instant worldwide fame and found themselves touring the world. Their fame continued to run high into the release of Beaucoup Fish in 1999. Five singles were released: Moaner, Push Upstairs, Jumbo, King of Snake, and Bruce Lee.
Underworld issued a live set and a DVD named Everything, Everything in 2000, after which Emerson left the group to concentrate more on his DJ career. The mellower album A Hundred Days Off followed in 2002. It was promoted by two singles: Two Months Off and Dinosaur Adventure 3D.
In 2003 Underworld released a 2 CD compilation entitled 1992-2002, comprising some of their best songs. Also since 2003 the group has been trickling out new music on their official website www.underworldlive.com via a series of downloadable mp3s dubbed "The Riverrun Project". Each mp3 bundle features 25-or-so-minute of mixed new material, hundreds of photographs and traditional album art.
In 2005 the band issued another live album, Live in Tokyo 25th November 2005, a recording of Underworld's live performance at the Electraglide festival in Tokyo on 25 November 2005. There were apparently only 7000 copies of the album made.
Oblivion with Bells, their fifth studio album was released in October 2007, the first with additional collaboration with Darren Price who joined the band's live setup in 2005. It spawned four singles: Crocodile, Boy, Boy, Boy, Beautiful Burnout, and Ring Road.
On 13 May 2010, Underworld released a new single Scribble (Radio Edit), available for free download on their official site. This single was followed by a new album later that year, called Barking, which is still in the process of releasing singles, beginning with the aforementioned Scribble, Always Loved a Film and finally Diamond Jigsaw. Also released on a beatport remix contest was Bird 1 where amateur producers were able to put their take on Underworld's collaboration with Dubfire. As of 2011, the duo can also attach to their resumes soundtracking a live stage play. Frankenstein, produced and directed by Danny Boyle, starring both Johnny Lee Miller & Benedict Cumberbatch who are, on alternating nights, both Frankenstein, or the Creature. The Soundtrack is available through Underworld's Website.
January 2016 saw the release of I Exhale, in advance of Barbara Barbara, we face a shining future, released in March 2016.
In April 2018, Underworld released a standalone single, Brilliant Yes That Would Be, an ambient piece with its accompanying video inspired by the Icelandic landscape and their first performance in Reykjavík since 1994.
In May 2018, Underworld unveiled the World of Underworld project, which focuses on reflecting and re-imagining their nearly 30 year body of work. It also serves as an outlet for experimentation, new releases and spontaneous creativity. Brilliant Yes That Would Be was the first track to be released through the World of Underworld, which was recorded and mixed just days before it was released.
Later in that same month, Underworld debuted a new collaboration with Iggy Pop titled Bells & Circles, live at the BBC Biggest Weekend 2018. Shortly after, a four-track collaborative EP with the two artists was released, Teatime Dub Encounters.
On November 1st, 2018, Underworld announced the Drift project, an ongoing music-and-video experiment that publishes new Underworld material on their official website every week. The first instalment began with Another Silent Way, also released on the same day.
On November 1st, 2019, Underworld released Drift Series 1, their tenth studio album. It is the conclusion of the first year of the band's year-long music-and-video experiment Drift. Underworld announced the Drift project will continue on for another year. The now-renamed Drift Series 1, was released exactly one year after the launch of the series, as a box set featuring 7 CDs, a Blu-ray, and an 80-page book documenting the creative process around Drift. A single-disc Drift Series 1 Sampler Edition was also released simultaneously.
Fever
Underworld Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thumbs hi, hi, hi, hi no, no, no, no he comes to spread a little fever
Then away he blows when the main man talk everybody know his name one
Man with a mission and a taste for pain hi, hi, hi, hi no, no, no, no he
Injects a little fever then away he blows he get busy in the mornin'
Before the world turns on a man inspired by a vision he sell to everyone
Hi, hi, hi, hi no, no, no, no he come to spread a little fever then away
He blows he went down to the water got to bless the mob he gonna lead us
Gonna spread a little fever an' away we blow, blow, blow, blow, blow
The lyrics of Underworld’s “Fever” describe a mysterious and dangerous figure, referred to as the “main man” or “one man with a mission and a taste for pain,” who arrives to “spread a little fever.” The fever could be interpreted as a symbol of chaos, disruption, or even violence, as the main man injects it into others before making his escape. He is described as being highly skilled (“no fingers and thumbs”) and well-known (“everybody knows his name”) for his abilities.
The main man seems to operate on a mission, inspired by a vision that he sells to others. He is a charismatic figure who can convince others to follow him, even as he leads them towards danger (“he went down to the water got to bless the mob he gonna lead us to the slaughter”). The fever he spreads is like a contagion that can infect and spread rapidly, causing chaos and destruction in its wake.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody run when the main man come he ain't no novice no fingers an' Thumbs hi, hi, hi, hi no, no, no, no he comes to spread a little fever
People flee and fear when the main man arrives, he's experienced and skilled without any flaws. He shares a contagious emotional state that causes excitement, fear, or anxiety.
Then away he blows when the main man talk everybody know his name one Man with a mission and a taste for pain hi, hi, hi, hi no, no, no, no he Injects a little fever then away he blows
After he talks, he leaves, and everyone is aware of who he is. He has a purpose that needs to be fulfilled, even if it means causing suffering. He creates an emotional response that spreads quickly and leaves just as fast as it came.
he get busy in the mornin' Before the world turns on a man inspired by a vision he sell to everyone Hi, hi, hi, hi no, no, no, no he come to spread a little fever then away He blows
He starts his work before most people are awake. He's motivated by his beliefs and shares them with everyone. He creates an emotional response that spreads quickly and leaves just as fast as it came.
he went down to the water got to bless the mob he gonna lead us To the slaughter can you guess his job? hi, hi, hi, hi no, no, no, no Gonna spread a little fever an' away we blow, blow, blow, blow, blow
He goes to the water to bless a crowd that he will later lead to their destruction. His purpose is unknown but he creates an emotional response that spreads quickly and leaves just as fast as it came.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: NICHOLAS EDWARD JAMES HALLAM, ROBERT BIRCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind