An End Has a Start is officially 10 years old today
Speaking for myself, there was a lingering fear about E2. Sometimes a band can hit you with a debut that affects you so much, everything they do afterwards seems to fall just short of the mark. Either that or they become victims of the sophomore slump, where creatively it all just unravels because they blew all their best material on their first record. I feel like slapping myself around the head now for even considering this, but in the interests of maintaining a true narrative I have to say it.
(deep breath)
There was a time in early 2007 when the temptation to surrender time, money and sanity wholeheartedly to Editors was still tempered by the possibility of them delivering a crap follow-up to The Back Room. They were still a new group that you didn't know well enough to accurately predict what their second record would sound like, and if you've been into music for a while then chances are you'll have experienced the disappointment of falling for a group, only to change your mind quicker than you thought you would. Luckily, I was able to have all my Editors questions answered about a month prior to the record officially coming out.
(deep breath)
There was a time in early 2007 when the temptation to surrender time, money and sanity wholeheartedly to Editors was still tempered by the possibility of them delivering a crap follow-up to The Back Room. They were still a new group that you didn't know well enough to accurately predict what their second record would sound like, and if you've been into music for a while then chances are you'll have experienced the disappointment of falling for a group, only to change your mind quicker than you thought you would. Luckily, I was able to have all my Editors questions answered about a month prior to the record officially coming out.
A group of fans were having secret meetings via private messages on the band's official web forum in May, when news was shared that a promo copy of An End Has a Start was being auctioned on ebay. The plan was that they'd all chip in and bid as a group, secure a copy and then distribute it out to all the truly obsessed folks that haunted the message board. That is exactly what happened, but only after they'd paid way, way over the odds. I got my digital copy from a very wonderful soul on the forum, with the instructions that I should listen in secret and tell absolutely nobody. So I did. A year later I had 4 copies of the album; the bog standard shop edition, the gatefold one, the Japanese imported disc and the rip of the promo that circulated behind the scenes on the forum. Clearly, I liked what I'd heard (even if they did trim out the extra "Retreats" from Bones. Boooo!).
Prior to the plumbing issues surrounding its release, we'd already heard a couple of the songs from it, Bones and The Weight of the World. Both underwent slight changes in their structure for the final recording. Just one month before it made its way into the world, however, we were formally introduced to both Smokers and The Racing Rats as part of the QOOB webcast. Smokers was the first single and it was another example of Mr Smith's pop subversion; tying upbeat tunes to lyrics that seem a little harrowing when they're read in isolation. Even now when I watch a festival show, for example, there's still something perversely satisfying about seeing large groups of otherwise happy people singing along to:-
"Say goodbye to everyone you have ever known
You are not going to see them
Ever again"
or
"We've all been changed from what we were
Our broken hearts left smashed on the floor"
In comparison to The Back Room, it felt as though the band were composing songs for larger stages than The Flapper this time around. Tom has said since that the Weight of The World was actually written for a festival style setting, suggesting that he'd set his mind on bigger things for the band. As was also the case with its predecessor, An End Has a Start actually becomes an even better record when it's played live. All those subtle embellishments like the beautiful intro of When Anger Shows, the speed of Bones, the crowd baiting of Smokers and the "Red Rain" refrain on Spiders.
All of the instruments on AEHAS sound louder and more expansive, as opposed to the slightly more closed-in feel of their debut. Of course, there's some irony in the fact that it was possibly the abundance of guitars and traditional recording methods on this record that caused them to change direction, and start exploring more electronic sounds for E3. Never ones to repeat themselves, those gloomy cats.
or
"We've all been changed from what we were
Our broken hearts left smashed on the floor"
All of the instruments on AEHAS sound louder and more expansive, as opposed to the slightly more closed-in feel of their debut. Of course, there's some irony in the fact that it was possibly the abundance of guitars and traditional recording methods on this record that caused them to change direction, and start exploring more electronic sounds for E3. Never ones to repeat themselves, those gloomy cats.
Speaking only for myself, and y'all may disagree with me on this one, the only thing I didn't like about Editors second album was that it seemed to end on such an utter downer. There's this kinetic energy that runs all the way through it, and then it just hits a wall in the worst way imaginable. If what Tom has said in interviews about Well Worn Hand is true, then the subject matter that informs the song is hideous. A truly horrific act of human cruelty. While I admire the bravery involved in expressing the obvious disgust and grief in confronting that indecency, I just feel like it was an odd way to sign off on everything that came before it. I know that death permeates the entire album at regular intervals but this seemed like such a final, blunt conclusion to an otherwise adrenaline fuelled ride. To have the lyrics "I'm so sorry about what we've all become" following these amazing songs, and acting as the last footnote for An End Has a Start just felt totally out of step. I don't dislike WWH, in fact I love the emotionally raw quality that it has but I feel like it just doesn't represent An End Has a Start in the same way that the title track or Escape the Nest does, for example.
What I remember most about An End Has a Start were the live shows, which were just incredible. Having spent 18 months slowly burning out on the road during the Back Room campaign, they had a very clear idea of how to deliver their material, and it showed when they played. Also, there was a newness and excitement surrounding everything that they did. And let's not forget that moment of finally exhaling after the confirmation that Editors were this special, amazing band that would probably be occupying a lot more of my time/headspace than is healthy. They are, and they still do.
Before I sign off, here are 4 of my favourite short films from the beginning of the AEHAS campaign:-
Short Promo Film for the release of AEHAS
Short Film of Live Rehearsals for AEHAS Tour
Promo Film of Editors Recording AEHAS
Prague, Photoshoots and Airports
Before I sign off, here are 4 of my favourite short films from the beginning of the AEHAS campaign:-
Short Promo Film for the release of AEHAS
Short Film of Live Rehearsals for AEHAS Tour
Promo Film of Editors Recording AEHAS
Prague, Photoshoots and Airports
To Tom, Russell, Ed and Chris and the good people in Team Editors, thank you. Congratulations on making music that still stands up 10 years later and for contributing to the soundtrack of our lives.
brought to you with lots and lots of lemming-love :) x
