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.
Internal Exile
Wire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The weight of proof brings little pleasure
The trick's the thing, a cereal measure
Mao sifts the shit from trash to treasure
Marching! Marching!
Primed and armed, a loose projectile
Forced into internal exile
In Apple light, the laptop lackeys
Software pedlars rake the readies
Backstab sermons sitting pretty
Bankrupt, cynics leave the city
Marching! Marching
His cupboard bare; his vision hardwired
Roving tamer; empty larder
Hearts of gold; no pot to piss in
Join the queue of future has-beens
A worker's thirst to be at leisure
Dissatisfied without measure
The opening lines describe an indifferent attitude towards the terror that exists in the world, possibly referring to political oppression or societal inequality. The weight of proof - perhaps referring to evidence of these issues - brings little pleasure, suggesting a sense of resignation or apathy. The line "the trick's the thing, a cereal measure" could be interpreted as a commentary on how society commodifies and trivializes serious issues, reducing them to marketable goods like a box of cereal on a supermarket shelf. The reference to Mao "sifting the shit from trash to treasure" may be making a broader point about the idea of the ruling class repurposing the refuse of the masses for their own gain.
The chorus of "Marching! Marching!" suggests a march or demonstration, yet the following line "primed and armed, a loose projectile forced into internal exile" confounds the notion of organized protest. The singer may be describing an individual who is ready to act but isolated from society, pushed into a state of internal exile. The Apple references in the second verse track technology and software companies profiting from people's dependency on technology. The image of bankrupt cynics leaving the city seems to suggest a rejection of conventional success and achievement, as well as a kind of resignation that seems to be pervading the song.
The final verse describes individuals with "hearts of gold" being relegated to a position of future has-beens, a status they find dissatisfying. The desire for leisure becomes a "worker's thirst", perhaps a reference to the "rat race" mentality of modern work-life, work being considered as a burden rather than a source of satisfaction. The notion of having no pot to piss in reinforces the idea of societal disenfranchisement, a reflection of being ostracized from mainstream society.
Line by Line Meaning
An idle glance absorbs the terror
A casual look at the world can reveal deep-seated fears
The weight of proof brings little pleasure
Being right isn't always satisfying
The trick's the thing, a cereal measure
The key is to find a way to game the system and make it work for you
Mao sifts the shit from trash to treasure
Revolutionary leaders can turn anything into something valuable
Marching! Marching!
The relentless march of progress and change
Primed and armed, a loose projectile
Ready for action, but unsure of where to go or what to do
Forced into internal exile
Feeling isolated and cut off from the world
In Apple light, the laptop lackeys
Tech workers under the spell of a corporate giant
Software pedlars rake the readies
Profiting from the endless stream of new technologies and upgrades
Backstab sermons sitting pretty
Cynical leaders who use manipulation and deceit to maintain their power
Bankrupt, cynics leave the city
Those who can no longer keep up with the changing times - or don't want to - are left behind
His cupboard bare; his vision hardwired
Stripped of material possessions, but still fiercely committed to his beliefs
Roving tamer; empty larder
On the move and surviving with very little
Hearts of gold; no pot to piss in
Good intentions, but no means of support
Join the queue of future has-beens
The line of people who once had great aspirations, but never quite made it
A worker's thirst to be at leisure
The desire to enjoy the fruits of one's labor and live a life of ease
Dissatisfied without measure
Feeling deeply unhappy and unfulfilled
Writer(s): graham lewis, wire, colin newman
Contributed by Mason B. 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