Back in Dec 2004 my co-writer in Sugarstick sent me this tune, was pretty creepy with a fair bit of dissonance in it, so needed some consideration re subject matter. We agreed it should be dark.
I'd recently watched this documentary about a convicted paedophile who was back out in the community and how this large team of people (police, social workers, psychiatrist etc) had to work to keep him from re-offending. It was tough going and this guy sorta made your skin crawl but like many abusers, he was himself a victim, and his 'friends' were abusers so he was caught in this ghastly cycle.
I had this conflict thing going on because I had young kids and I wanted to condemn and be disgusted but at the same time it was fascinating because I could really see inside this bloke's head and sympathise with his struggles.
So anyway, this song which I originally called "Beasts", and later changed to "Bells" came out of that.
Here's a section of it:
Bells_proc_edit.mp3
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Lyrics:
Did I lose my self-control
On your floor
Coiled
If you see something that crawls
You could crush
If you wanted to
It’s how they made me
And you can’t save me
But my friends give me the love
That I knew
Before I grew
And they can’t save me
And what we call affection
Would really hurt you
I know they’re gonna get me but
Bells are ringing in my Hell.
Do I dare go out the door
Bread and milk
Playground
Dig my nails into my palms
Cos they told me
NO.
A home-grown loser
A true self-abuser
And what we call affection
Would really hurt you
I know they’re gonna get me but
Bells are ringing in my Hell.
After we recorded it and listened back we decided that the melody and song arrangment didn't really do justice to the ideas in the bed track so I agreed to trash it and write another song. Here we are discussing it:

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Jules had been uncomfortable with the subject matter, but still wanted something nasty, so I came up with this 'jealous vengeful lover' scenario and we chopped lots out and added other things and finally got this song which some of you will recognise as Tangled Up.
TU Mstr.mp3
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Eyes scrutinize what is happening
Comfortable clothes are unravelling
Days I wove with you
Tangled up with talking to
Bitterness now my old sweet briar
Tangled up with razor wire
Oh I got to feel that I’m sinking
And overrun by you
Can’t name the thing I will never do
Nothing for me but all over you
Scratch my name on there
Tangled up with red rope hair
Oh I got to feel that I’m sinking
And overrun by you
God I’m sinking...
Tangled Up delivered perhaps the highest writing praise I've ever had, when a Garageband reviewer wrote "The lyrics are thoughtful and serious. The first verse in particular has a very intense subconscious communication".