This Mortal Coil » Biography
This Mortal Coil is a project of Ivo Watts-Russell (from Northamptonshire, England), president of the British 4AD record label, which began in 1983 and lasted until 1991. This Mortal Coil (TMC) is an example of a supergroup, and performers include members from bands on 4AD’s roster, such as Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, Colourbox, The Wolfgang Press, Dif Juz, X Mal Deutschland and Modern English.
The records consist mostly of dark and moody interpretative cover versions of a wide variety of artists ranging from Big Star and Talking Heads to The Apartments and Tim Buckley. The group recorded three albums; It’ll End in Tears, Filigree & Shadow and Blood.
The group takes its name from Shakespeare. In particular Hamlet’s soliloquy To be, or not to be, where it refers to dying; “coil” is used in its archaic sense of “disturbance, trouble”:
“What dreams may come, when we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must give us pause.”
Hamlet, Act III, Scene 1, line 67.
The group takes its name from Shakespeare. In particular Hamlet’s soliloquy To be, or not to be, where it refers to dying; “coil” is used in its archaic sense of “disturbance, trouble”:
“What dreams may come, when we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must give us pause.”
Hamlet, Act III, Scene 1, line 67.
Last edited by Lucyfier on 9 Mar 2013, 09:53
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