Wire's debut album, Pink Flag (1977), contains songs which are diverse in mood and style, but most use a minimalist punk approach, unorthodox structures, and several songs are under a minute in length; "Field Day For The Sundays" is only 28 seconds long.
Chairs Missing followed in 1978, and found Wire stepping back from the stark minimalism of Pink Flag, with longer, more atmospheric songs and synthesizer parts added by producer Mike Thorne. The experimentation was even more prominent on 154 (1979). Many of the songs had bassist Graham Lewis on lead vocals.
In 1979, creative differences pulled the band in different directions, leading to the Document and Eyewitness LP (1981), a recording of a performance that featured, almost exclusively, new material. The LP came packaged with an EP of a different performance of more new material. Some of these songs, along with others performed but not included on the album, were included on Colin Newman's post-Wire solo albums ("5/10", "We Meet Under Tables"), while others were released by Gilbert and Lewis' primary post-Wire outlet Dome ("And Then...", "Ritual View"). The band disbanded for the first time in 1980
Between 1981-85 Wire ceased recording and performing in favour of solo and non-Wire collaborative projects such as Dome, Cupol, Duet Emmo, and several Colin Newman solo efforts. In 1985, the group reformed as a "beat combo" (a joking reference to early 1960s beat music or even possibly beatniks), with greater use of electronic musical instruments. It released It's Beginning To And Back Again (IBTABA) in 1989, a "live" album of mostly re-worked versions of songs from The Ideal Copy and A Bell Is a Cup...Until It Is Struck, heavily re-arranged, edited, and remixed. A new song from the album, "Eardrum Buzz", became the band's biggest charting single.
Gotobed left the band in 1990, after the release of the album Manscape. After his departure, the band dropped one letter from its name, becoming "Wir" (still pronounced "wire"), and released The First Letter in 1991. Once again, the band disbanded in 1992 There followed a further period of solo recordings, during which Newman founded the Swim ~ label, and later Githead with his wife (ex-Minimal Compact bassist Malka Spigel), while Wire remained an occasional collaboration. It was not until 1999 that Wire again became a full-time entity.
With Gotobed back in the line-up (now using his birth name, Robert Grey), the group initially reworked much of their back catalogue for a performance at Royal Festival Hall on 26 February 2000. Wire's reception during a short tour of the US, and a number of UK gigs, convinced the band to continue. Two EPs and an album Send (2003) followed, as well as collaborations with stage designer Es Devlin and artists Jake and Dinos Chapman. In 2004 the band split once more.
In 2006, Wire's 1970s albums were re-released with original vinyl track listings. Rumours abounded of a renewal of activity to mark the 30th anniversary of the band's debut as a 4 piece and the re-release of Pink Flag in 2007. A third Read & Burn EP was released in November, 2007.
A full-length album of new material entitled Object 47 was released in July 2008. Bruce Gilbert was not involved in this recording, although according to Colin Newman, he did feature in a minimal capacity on the third Read and Burn EP. 2011 saw the release of the band's twelfth studio album Red Barked Tree.
A Question of Degree
Wire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now circumstances corner me
Demanding my attention
Leaving little choice
Posing several questions
Distilling in one voice
Confusion not in words
I didn't want a problem
I didn't simply fall out
I was thrown at great speed
From a passing car
I didn't touch the ground
Till I landed at your door
Oh don't touch my luggage
I can easily (surely) manage
To struggle inside
I hide my shaking
Thus protect my pride
I can surely manage
To tremble inside
Gathering myself
And spreading it around
Rivers are submerging
Flowing underground
Can I really manage
To survive outside?
Can I really manage
To survive outside?
Can I?
Can I?
Can I?
Can I?
The lyrics of Wire's song A Question of Degree explore the feelings of being overwhelmed and trapped by circumstances beyond one's control. The first stanza sets the stage with the idea that what once may have seemed like a small issue has now escalated into something that is demanding attention and leaving little room for choice. The second stanza conveys the confusion and complexity of the situation that is difficult to articulate in words. The third stanza introduces a metaphor of being thrown at great speed from a passing car, providing a visceral sense of the suddenness and lack of control in the situation. The final stanza poses a series of four questions, each repetition of "Can I?" increasing in urgency and desperation.
Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of being trapped and overwhelmed, yet still trying to maintain a facade of composure and competence. The metaphor of gathering oneself and spreading it around suggests a need to maintain control and appear put-together, even as the situation threatens to drown everything.
Line by Line Meaning
Once a question of degree
It used to be a matter of small significance
Now circumstances corner me
Now I am forced to confront difficult situations
Demanding my attention
Requiring my full focus
Leaving little choice
Offering few options
Posing several questions
Raising multiple inquiries
Distilling in one voice
Reducing to one clear message
Confusion not in words
The confusion is not expressed in language
I didn't want a problem
I did not intend for an issue to arise
I didn't simply fall out
It was not a simple matter of happening accidentally
I was thrown at great speed
I was hurled with great velocity
From a passing car
By an entity passing by
I didn't touch the ground
I did not make physical contact with the earth
Till I landed at your door
Until I arrived at your doorstep
Oh don't touch my luggage
Please do not disturb my emotional baggage
I can easily (surely) manage
I confidently believe I can handle it
To struggle inside
To battle within oneself
I hide my shaking
I conceal my trembling
Thus protect my pride
And thereby safeguard my dignity
Gathering myself
Compiling my thoughts and emotions
And spreading it around
And communicating it to others
Rivers are submerging
Large bodies of water are engulfing
Flowing underground
Proceeding beneath the surface
Can I really manage
Do I truly have the capability to handle
To survive outside?
To thrive in the external world?
Can I?
Am I able?
Can I?
Am I capable?
Can I?
Can I truly?
Can I?
Do I have the fortitude?
Contributed by Avery F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Pierre Clary
on Champs
i believe this song is about amphetamine abuse, endemic on the punk scene...Speed, "more speed than before ,less time than before (tolerance build up)........
Pierre Clary
on Champs
The song "Champs" by Wire is an intense and fast-paced track that addresses themes of competitiveness, the desire for success, and the sacrifices one must make in order to achieve their goals. The repeated phrases "The taste of champions, the pace, the pace, the speed, the need, the need to seed, the chance to die" suggest that the speaker is wholly dedicated to winning and will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. The subsequent line "Another dead don't cry" implies that the speaker has seen others perish in their pursuit of victory and is not phased by it. The stanza "You've still got speed, you'll maybe bleed, there's less time" highlights the idea that time is running out and that one must act quickly if they wish to be successful.
The next stanza begins with the phrase "More speed than before, you've done it before, there is no for, what are you doing it for?" which suggests that the speaker is no longer satisfied with their previous achievements and is compelled to push themselves even harder. The line "Want more, want more" is a clear indication that the speaker is never satisfied with what they have and will always strive for more. The repetition of "Another dead don't cry" throughout the song serves as a haunting reminder that the pursuit of success often has a cost, and that cost can be the lives of others.i think this so,
Pierre Clary
on Champs
YOU'RE RICH NOT POOR