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.
Drill
Wire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do you rotate, eddy, or spin?
Are you game? What's your trick?
Do you vibrate, bounce, or tick?
What's your cut? Are you correct?
Do you detour, bend, or stretch?
We're milling through the grinder, grinding through the mill
How's it with you? What's your form?
Your outline, shape, or form
How's your price? What do you cost?
Your value, profit, or loss
How's your skull? Does it fit?
Is your mind free, empty, or split?
Drill drill drill
Dugga dugga dugga
The lyrics of Wire's song "Drill" could be interpreted in a number of ways, but ultimately, seem to be a series of questions aimed at challenging the listener as to their level of conformity and willingness to engage in the societal norm. The opening lines ask about the listener's ability to conform to the expectations of society. The second verse delves into the listener's worth in monetary terms, and finally, the last verse asks about the listener's ability to think independently.
The repeated phrase "drill, drill, drill" could be interpreted in a few different ways. It could refer to the military exercise of drilling, which involves performing drills and routines repetitively in order to make them second nature. This could be seen as a metaphor for the way society attempts to "drill" certain expectations and ideals into individuals in order to make them conform without question. On the other hand, "drill" could also be interpreted as a literal drilling, as in a physical process of making a hole or creating something. This could represent the way in which society tries to "drill" people into certain roles or molds, in order to create something that fits in with the greater whole.
As for the music itself, Wire was known for their experimental and innovative approach to punk rock, and "Drill" is no exception. The song features choppy, jarring guitars played with delay effects, giving the song a disorienting feel. The repetitive drumbeat adds to the intense, driving feel of the song, which clocks in at just over two minutes long. The song has been praised for its brevity and intensity, as well as its willingness to challenge listener expectations of what punk rock should sound like.
Line by Line Meaning
Are you level? How's your trim?
Are you on par with the standard level, or are you off-kilter? How are you functioning, are you properly maintaining your balance or drifting away?
Do you rotate, eddy, or spin?
What's your mode of operation, are you revolving, turning unpredictably or spiralling?
Are you game? What's your trick?
Are you up for the challenge? What do you have up your sleeve, what's your strategy or specialty?
Do you vibrate, bounce, or tick?
What's your energy level, are you active, lively or are you restless?
What's your cut? Are you correct?
What's your role, are you following the right procedure, or are you mistaken, making errors?
Do you detour, bend, or stretch?
What do you do when you hit a roadblock, are you innovative or do you bend the rules or stretch beyond boundaries?
We're milling through the grinder, grinding through the mill
We're going through hard times, struggling through challenging situations.
If this is not an exercise, could it be a drill?
If this situation is not a mere workout, are we being trained to handle tough situations?
How's it with you? What's your form?
How are you feeling, what's your condition?
Your outline, shape, or form
How do you appear to others, what's your state or build?
How's your price? What do you cost?
What's your worth, what price-tag do you carry along with you?
Your value, profit, or loss
What's your importance or significance, are you contributing or draining resources?
How's your skull? Does it fit?
How's your understanding, does it align with what's around you?
Is your mind free, empty, or split?
Do you have control over your thoughts, are you devoid of any bias, or do you have a divided mindset?
Drill drill drill
Repeatedly train and equip ourselves mentally and emotionally in preparation to handle difficult situations.
Dugga dugga dugga
The sound of the drill is reminding us to remain alert, attentive and focused while training ourselves to adapt and overcome challenging situations.
Contributed by Claire T. 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