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.
Now Was
Wire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The nawab of no, with no place to go
A grandmaster crashed, whose future has past
The wazir of fear, now: Seer of the year
Used up and broken, fucked up, bespoken
The wear and the tear are easy to behold
Where once was a diamond, now hides a sly man
Archduke of rebuke, the pharaoh of fluke
The Lear of sneer, once pick of his peers
Charming and hazy, the Llama of lazy
You sit on your hands, 'til the trouble has passed
Eyes that impressed, now idly, undress
Trust once shared, is beyond repair
Pledges sound hollow, which promised tomorrows
They float to the floor, forming lakes of dead skin
A new broom is coming, I hear it close, humming
So near and so loud, drowning out my last words
The song "Now Was" by Wire is a melancholic reflection on a person whose past glory has faded away and is now left with nothing but regrets, decay, and despair. The track's first verse introduces the singer, who is described as the "wizard of was," meaning that they were once very good at something but are now stuck in the past. The line, "The nawab of no, with no place to go" conveys the idea that the person has no direction or purpose in life anymore. The phrase "a grandmaster crashed, whose future has past" further emphasizes how the person's potential is wasted, and they are stuck in an endless cycle of regretting the past.
The second verse continues the theme of decay and loss. "Used up and broken, fucked up, bespoken" suggest that the person has been struggling for a long time and is now at their lowest point. The line, "Where once was a diamond, now hides a sly man" reflects how the person has lost their shine, and their current self is a far cry from who they once were. Moreover, the phrase "A corpse of corruption, in rancid decay" creates a vivid image of how the person is a shell of their former selves, and their corruption and decay are apparent.
The chorus of the song goes on to describe this person further. The following lines, "Archduke of rebuke, the pharaoh of fluke, The Lear of sneer, once pick of his peers" paint a picture of a person who is now a subject of ridicule and mockery, someone who once held great power and influence, but now people sneer at them. The phrase "Llama of lazy" highlights how the person has given up on their dreams and ambitions and is now just wasting away their days. The final line, "You sit on your hands, 'til the trouble has passed," suggests that the person is not taking any action to change their situation and is just waiting for things to get better on their own.
Line by Line Meaning
You're the wizard of was, becalmed in because
You have a great mastery of the past, but you are stuck in an unchanging present.
The nawab of no, with no place to go
You are a ruler of nothing, directionless and lost.
A grandmaster crashed, whose future has past
You were once a master of your domain, but your relevance has already faded.
The wazir of fear, now: Seer of the year
You used to instill fear, but now you can see more clearly.
Used up and broken, fucked up, bespoken
You are depleted and damaged, with no voice of your own.
The wear and the tear are easy to behold
Your physical and emotional damage is readily apparent.
Where once was a diamond, now hides a sly man
You used to be precious and valuable, but now are deceitful.
A corpse of corruption, in rancid decay
You are a lifeless, decaying embodiment of dishonesty.
Archduke of rebuke, the pharaoh of fluke
You are a powerful critic, but your success is a fluke.
The Lear of sneer, once pick of his peers
You used to be a respected leader, but now your sneering has turned others away.
Charming and hazy, the Llama of lazy
You have a captivating personality, but you are also lazy and unfocused.
You sit on your hands, 'til the trouble has passed
You remain inactive and unwilling to face problems.
Eyes that impressed, now idly, undress
Your once impressive eyes now lack direction and purpose.
Trust once shared, is beyond repair
You have irreparably broken trust that was once shared.
Pledges sound hollow, which promised tomorrows
Your promises for a better future now ring hollow.
They float to the floor, forming lakes of dead skin
Your unfulfilled promises accumulate like dead skin, weighing you down.
A new broom is coming, I hear it close, humming
A new, powerful force for change is approaching, and it is getting closer and louder.
So near and so loud, drowning out my last words
The change is so close and overwhelming that it is drowning out any final words or influence you may have.
Contributed by Jacob G. 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