Shriekback is an alternative rock band that was formed in the early 80s by … Read Full Bio ↴Shriekback is an alternative rock band that was formed in the early 80s by Barry Andrews, formerly of XTC and The League of Gentlemen (keyboards/synthesizers/vocals), Carl Marsh, formerly of Out on Blue Six (guitars/vocals), and Dave Allen, formerly of the Gang of Four (bass). Though perhaps short lived, the group is known today for the evergreen left-of-the-dial track "Nemesis", which came out in 1985. Influenced by many styles from post-punk to dark ambient music and more. their songs also were featured in the cult thriller film 'Manhunter'.

At first, they enjoyed some success on the dance charts on their original Y Records label, releasing material such as 1983's 'Care', but the guys left for the big time on Arista Records for 1984's 'Jam Science'. Finding little success there, they switched to Island Records for the next year's breakout, 'Oil & Gold'. This album signaled a shift for the band, with Carl Marsh leaving the group and rockers Martyn Barker and Lu Edmonds joining what was now Andrews' vehicle. Indeed, Allen left the band after the followup, 'Big Night Music', came about, and Shriekback remained a collaborative around Andrews.

Dave Allen would go on to play in King Swamp, The Elastic Purejoy, and most recently in the reformed Gang of Four. Carl Marsh went on to serve in the band Happyhead. Both Allen and Marsh did return to the studio to contribute to the recording of Shriekback's 2003 release, titled 'Having a Moment'. Shriekback's material has essentially been an outlet for Andrews' personal work for many years now, also including collaborations with alternative music artists such as Wendy & Sarah Partridge (formerly of Electric Guitars) and Finn Andrews (Barry's son who is also of The Veils).

The band's best-known song is "Nemesis", which has received wide airplay on the indie/college circuit. The new wave song was notable among the rock tracks of its day for its use of unusual imagery and lyrics, including the use of the word "parthenogenesis" in the chorus. Shriekback is also known for having their dark, dramatic songs used in the Hannibal Lecter film 'Manhunter', their work being influenced by previous horror soundtrack music.

My Spine Is The Bassline
Shriekback Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

No Guts, No Blood: No Brains At All
(repeat 4X)

My spine is the bassline, and the top line
Could be broken glass
All amusing views of those better men
Dirty habits' hand on the purses' strings

Quiet fear of the passing time
Gently magnify the dividing line
All this history could be blown away on a breath of lust

Trajectory, synchronicity, how the choice is made with a fresh resolve
Jamming tight up to the barrier
Down a string of nerves so these feelings go

My spine is the bassline and the top line is the distant past
All that history, all those books have gone
They've been blown away on a breath of lust

No Guts, No Blood: No Brains At All
(repeat 4X)

(spoken)
He can rip out the chassis and gearbox, could replace it with the neck and the chest
He can feel it in the back of the ribcage, he can kick it 'til it gets in the sense
He's been thinking about dying in public, he's been tensing up his arms and his legs
He can have you home in a heap in a heartbeat, He'll go messing with the Civil Defense
There's no joy in the squander of resource, there's more passion in the pump of a plug,

He can leave you at the club with the cashbox, he can push you at the pressure above
(repeat, and fade)

Overall Meaning

The song "My Spine is the Bassline" by Shriekback talks about the power of music and its ability to move people emotionally and physically. The singer asserts that his spine is the bassline, which means that the beat of the song resonates deep within him and affects him profoundly. The top line of the song, which could be broken glass, is a metaphor for the sharp and unexpected sounds that can accompany the bassline and make the music more interesting.

The lyrics also touch on themes of history, fear, and lust. The singer suggests that all the history and books of the past could be blown away by a breath of lust, meaning that people's passions and desires could override and potentially erase the importance of past events. The passing time is also a source of quiet fear, as it can magnify the dividing lines between people and events. The choice to move forward with fresh resolve is made through synchronicity and trajectory, which means that the path forward is determined by the interplay of multiple factors.

The spoken section of the song talks about a person who can tear apart cars and replace them with body parts. This person is dangerous and unpredictable, capable of leaving someone in a heap with one swift move. The lyrics suggest that there is no joy in squandering resources, but there is passion in the pump of the plug, meaning that there is power in taking decisive action. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, "No Guts, No Blood: No Brains At All," emphasizing the importance of having courage and taking risks.

Line by Line Meaning

My spine is the bassline, and the top line
The backbone of the song is the bassline, while the top line could be seen as jagged broken glass.

Could be broken glass
The top line could be seen as jagged broken glass.

All amusing views of those better men
The opinions of esteemed men are often seen as amusing.

Dirty habits' hand on the purses' strings
Corrupt behavior has the power to control finances.

Quiet fear of the passing time
A subtle fear of time slipping away.

Gently magnify the dividing line
To slowly increase the gap between two opposing things.

All this history could be blown away on a breath of lust
History can be easily erased by one's momentary desires.

Trajectory, synchronicity, how the choice is made with a fresh resolve
The path and timing of one's decisions are synced up, and made with a newfound determination.

Jamming tight up to the barrier
To push oneself to the edge, coming up against a barrier.

Down a string of nerves so these feelings go
Tracing the feelings down a string of nerves, they can be released and let go.

My spine is the bassline and the top line is the distant past
The bassline is the foundation of the song, while the top line is reminiscent of the past.

All that history, all those books have gone
All the records of history are easily erased or forgotten.

They've been blown away on a breath of lust
Historical records can be wiped away so easily by our desires and impulses.

He can rip out the chassis and gearbox, could replace it with the neck and the chest
He can painfully tear apart and replace the inner workings of a machine with human body parts.

He can feel it in the back of the ribcage, he can kick it 'til it gets in the sense
He has a deep and visceral sense of things, and will push it until it's felt and understood.

He's been thinking about dying in public, he's been tensing up his arms and his legs
He has pondered the thought of a public death, and in anticipation he tenses his body up.

He can have you home in a heap in a heartbeat, He'll go messing with the Civil Defense
He can easily and quickly bring you to a state of disarray, and he has no worries about tampering with official emergency resources.

There's no joy in the squander of resource, there's more passion in the pump of a plug,
There's no satisfaction in wasting resources, but there is fervor in taking control of the situation.

He can leave you at the club with the cashbox, he can push you at the pressure above
He could easily rob you and leave you behind, and has the ability to push you further than you thought you could go.

Contributed by Blake H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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