Notes by Nev (Nevilluxury)
This lesser known period of writing in Punishment of Luxury was, in my opinion, the beginning of a fresh approach which challenged the system of things and searched to demystify and demolish the dull roar of safe and cliched thoughts of the day. It was a transitional phase contractually as the original label we were signed to United Artists, was being taken over by EMI and the people who had so much enthusiasm for the band seemed to be disappearing while new and certainly less interested parties began to emerge in their place. Therefore we had a difficult task to present ourselves in our true and unique form to a new and alien ear while hoping for the best actually fearing the worst. And of course worse it was. We seemed to get up the corporate nose of the new record company with songs on the themes of the punishment of gluttony, i.e. “You Eat Too Much”, and topics such as “Revolution By Numbers” along with “Blood Money” and the therapists mystery in “My Wife’s in Love with a Polar Bear”. The Record company decided to remove the band from its books soon after hearing the songs. I’m glad that at last people can have the opportunity to hear some of that material which was hidden from its record buying audience all those years ago. To some people this period seemed like the end but to me it was the beginning of a new adventure.
1 Blood Money
This song relates to concepts in Gigantic Days album. It is not about honour, king and country, but a moneyfestation of greed and politrix. It could be oil, it could be gold but always on someone else’s land, and that land usually belongs to the poor communities who have always lived there. But “money talks money lies” and divides them against one another, while one family defends the homes and the children the other are puppets to the new alien resident, who offers free gifts to supporters and crushed dreams to those who dare to oppose the monster creation which crept into and sucked the fear of nations as it resurrected a barbaric history.
Behind the respectable badge of sales and the acceptable signs of industry, is the shield of deception where all the young may die. Little bundles of bones and heart which now lay crushed and forgotten in the fields where the children once danced with dreams and joy are now flooded with streams of tears and blood. Which cries out from the earth, as the soul survivor says I don’t want to join your army, Fascicult Barbaraclique.
2 Damaging Man
This track continues on from the opposition to warthink and explores the existence of the mercenary and his wife and the inevitable punishment “when money’s your god there’s hell to pay” a classic line from the nifty nib of Brian Bond.
3 Why Don’t You
Tell the truth, be real. An anti obfuscation song.
4 Snowqueen
A cold, cruel, frozen social sausage roll, an ice person to meet a cocktail party, she’ll take your breath away and chill it in her castle of frost hearts.
5 You Eat Too Much
The punishment of gluttony is that inside every fat man is a bigger man with a bigger belly.
6 Revolution By Numbers
“Cast off the glove of doom, no dead philosophy slipping from our lips, we close the coffin lids, now is the time to change, open your mind to range, we can still find the light, Revolution by Numbers“.
7 My Wife’s in Love with a Polar Bear
In the eyes of the world this man was a total success but the attentions of his wife made him lose his bearings.
8 Double Agent
After playing in Berlin we drove out of the city and asked directions from a cheerful general on the road, he pointed us in the direction of a winding country road where we met a similar cheerful general who pointed us in the direction, etc….it was long tour.