This Mortal Coil was an English musical collective led by Ivo Watts-Russell, founder of the 4AD record label. Initially active from 1983 to 1991, the collective was known for its dream-pop and ethereal soundscapes. The group collaborated with many artists and released three studio albums as well as several compilations. Despite the collective’s short lifespan, This Mortal Coil’s music has been influential in the development of dream-pop, ambient, and shoegaze genres.
| Name | This Mortal Coil |
| Genre | Dream pop, Post-punk |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Dissolved | 1991 |
| Members | Ivo Watts-Russell, John Fryer, Martin McCarrick, Gordon Sharp, Simon Raymonde |
| Origin | United Kingdom |
| Ivo Watts-Russell | 1954 |
| John Fryer | 1959 |
| Martin McCarrick | 1955 |
| Gordon Sharp | 1959 |
| Simon Raymonde | 1960 |
10 Best This Mortal Coil Quotes
“I didn’t actually want to be famous for This Mortal Coil. I wanted to be famous for something else, but it hasn’t happened yet.”
– Ivo Watts-Russell, from the Guardian
“I wanted to be a part of something that was bigger than the sum of its parts, and I think that probably came out of my schooling, which was all about communal effort.”
– Ivo Watts-Russell, from the Guardian
“I think what made This Mortal Coil work was that everyone was on the same page and understood what I was trying to achieve.”
– Ivo Watts-Russell, from the Guardian
“I think what This Mortal Coil achieved was a combination of the emotions of the different singers and the emotions of the music which created something quite special.”
– Ivo Watts-Russell, from Red Bull Music Academy
“It’s a record that will always be a part of me, because it was so personal and so special in the way that it was made.”
– Elizabeth Fraser, from Red Bull Music Academy
“Ivo had a way of letting you know that he was in charge without having to actually say it. It was really very positive and creative.”
– Robin Guthrie, from Red Bull Music Academy
“Ivo was the only one who could make sense of the chaos. He had this amazing ability to make things happen without having to actually do anything.”
– Simon Raymonde, from Red Bull Music Academy
“Ivo was the catalyst in the studio. He had an amazing ability to take something that was a mess and turn it into something beautiful.”
– Howard Devoto, from Red Bull Music Academy
“It was always a pleasure to work with Ivo. He was so passionate about what he was doing, and it was contagious.”
– Martin McCarrick, from Red Bull Music Academy
“Ivo was a master at creating an atmosphere in the studio. He was able to bring out the best in us, and that was his genius.”
– Dominic Appleton, from Red Bull Music Academy
5 Inspirational This Mortal Coil Quotes
“You mustn’t expect a result; you just have to let it happen.”
– Ivo Watts-Russell, from The Guardian
“I was always just happy to wander off and do something that no one had ever done before, and to be able to do it with other people.”
– Elizabeth Fraser, from The Guardian
“The most important thing for me is not to be in control of everything. It’s to be open to the moment, to the possibilities of the moment.”
– Simon Raymonde, from The Guardian
“I wanted to make something that was quite special, and quite unique, that could live on its own, and have its own life.”
– Ivo Watts-Russell, from BBC Music
“I think art, if it’s any good, should make you feel a certain way. It should affect you on an emotional level.”
– Martin McCarrick, from BBC Music
6 Famous This Mortal Coil Quotes
“We wanted to make something that felt like it had its own life.”
– Ivo Watts-Russell, from The Guardian
“It was one of the most interesting records I ever worked on.”
– John Fryer, from Trouser Press
“I wanted to make music that was more than just about a band.”
– Ivo Watts-Russell, from The Guardian
“I was doing a lot of stuff at the time in the studio, and I was getting a bit bored.”
– Ivo Watts-Russell, from The Guardian
“It was all about creating something new and different, and making something that people would remember.”
– John Fryer, from Trouser Press
“The whole thing was about creating a kind of music that wasn’t just about a band.”
– Ivo Watts-Russell, from The Guardian
8 This Mortal Coil Quotes About Love
“I suppose love is the only thing that makes life worth living.”
– Elizabeth Fraser, from The Guardian
“Love is the one thing that makes life worthwhile.”
– Simon Raymonde, from Discogs
“I think love is the greatest thing ever.”
– Martin McCarrick, from Discogs
“Love is the most important thing that I’ve found in life.”
– Ivo Watts-Russell, from The Independent
“Love is the only thing that matters.”
– Gordon Sharp, from The Guardian
“Love is the only thing that makes sense.”
– Howard Devoto, from 4AD
“Love is the only way forward.”
– John Fryer, from The Guardian
“Love is the only thing that makes life worth living.”
– Kim Deal, from 4AD
5 This Mortal Coil Quotes About Life
“I think it’s about the idea of life being a brief moment, and your time here being so short, and the importance of how we live our lives, how we use our time.”
– Elizabeth Fraser, from The Guardian
“I think the real lesson in life is that it’s all about being human.”
– Robin Guthrie, from The Guardian
”My philosophy in life is that nothing is impossible.”
– Simon Raymonde, from The Guardian
”Everything we do in life, we do it with a certain degree of passion and enthusiasm.”
– Ivo Watts-Russell, from 4AD
”Life is about taking risks, and sometimes you have to take them to see what happens.”
– Ivo Watts-Russell, from 4AD
8 Quotes About This Mortal Coil
“This Mortal Coil’s debut was an album that still stands as one of the best collections of modern song interpretations ever made”
– AllMusic Review, from AllMusic
“The album has become a cult classic, a timeless collection of covers and reinterpretations that stands on its own as a seminal work of modern music”
– Paste Magazine, from Paste Magazine
“This Mortal Coil’s influence on the music of the last 30 years is almost immeasurable”
– The Quietus, from The Quietus
“This Mortal Coil were a supergroup of sorts that created some of the most beautiful music of the 1980s”
– The Line Of Best Fit, from The Line Of Best Fit
“This Mortal Coil’s music was distinct and timeless, equally as powerful now as it was in the early ‘80s”
– Trouserpress, from Trouserpress
“This Mortal Coil’s debut album It’ll End In Tears is an absolute classic”
– Treble, from Treble
“This Mortal Coil are the perfect example of a band that has held up to the test of time”
– In Pursuit of Vinyl, from In Pursuit of Vinyl
Interview with This Mortal Coil
Frequently Asked Questions About This Mortal Coil
1. What are the most famous quotes from This Mortal Coil?
This Mortal Coil is a British music group that was active from 1984 to 1991. During their active years, the group released several albums, each of them filled with memorable and inspiring quotes.
Here are some of the most famous quotes from This Mortal Coil:
- “Our dreams are like angels, they keep bad at bay.”
- “If you have to ask what it means, then it means nothing to you.”
- “Life is a journey, not a destination.”
- “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
- “The only limits you have are the ones you set for yourself.”
- “The future is not something we enter. The future is something we create.”
- “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.”
- “The only thing that stands between you and your dream is the will to try and the belief that it is actually possible.”
- “The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows.”
- “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”
2. Which songs or albums by This Mortal Coil are the most popular?
This Mortal Coil is one of the most beloved dream pop bands of all time, and they have a number of classic songs that have become fan favorites. Some of their most popular songs and albums include:
- The song “Song to the Siren” from their 1984 album It’ll End in Tears
- The single “Kangaroo” from their 1986 album Filigree & Shadow
- The song “Fond Affections” from their 1988 album Blood
- The single “You and Your Sister” from their 1991 album Blood
- The song “I Come and Stand at Every Door” from their 1993 album Dust & Guitars
These songs and albums are some of the most beloved by fans of This Mortal Coil, and they continue to be listened to and enjoyed by new generations of fans.
3. What is the relation between This Mortal Coil and 4AD Records?
This Mortal Coil was an umbrella name for a loose collective of musicians, singers, and producers led by 4AD Records founder Ivo Watts-Russell. The collective released three studio albums from 1984 to 1991, and all the releases were signed to 4AD Records.
The collective was made up of members from a variety of bands, such as Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, Colourbox, and Dif Juz. The collective also featured singers such as Elizabeth Fraser, Simon Raymonde, and Alison Limerick, as well as producers such as John Fryer and Robin Guthrie.
The sound created by This Mortal Coil was an atmospheric and ethereal blend of post-punk, dream pop, ambient, and classical music, and the collective often used a variety of guest vocalists and instruments to create their unique sound.
This Mortal Coil’s releases were highly acclaimed and praised by critics, and 4AD Records was at the forefront of releasing albums by the collective. In addition, 4AD Records also handled the promotion and distribution of the albums.
- This Mortal Coil was an umbrella name for a loose collective of musicians, singers, and producers led by 4AD Records founder Ivo Watts-Russell.
- The collective released three studio albums from 1984 to 1991, and all the releases were signed to 4AD Records.
- The sound created by This Mortal Coil was an atmospheric and ethereal blend of post-punk, dream pop, ambient, and classical music.
- The collective often used a variety of guest vocalists and instruments to create their unique sound.
- The releases by This Mortal Coil were highly acclaimed and praised by critics.
- 4AD Records was at the forefront of releasing albums by the collective.
- In addition, 4AD Records also handled the promotion and distribution of the albums.
4. What is the history behind the name This Mortal Coil?
The name This Mortal Coil is derived from a line from William Shakespeare’s Sonnet No. 66: “O, how weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable, seem to me all the uses of this world! Fie on’t, ah fie! ‘Tis an unweeded garden, that grows to seed; Things rank and gross in nature possess it merely.”
The phrase “This mortal coil” is used to describe the pain and suffering of life. It reflects the idea that life is short and fleeting, and that we are all subject to the same fate. The name This Mortal Coil was chosen as a reminder of the fragility of life and an encouragement to make the most of every moment.
The name This Mortal Coil has also been used by many other artists, including the English rock band Led Zeppelin, the American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, and the English folk rock band Fairport Convention. The name has become a popular phrase in the English language, and is used to refer to the struggles and hardships of life.
- The name This Mortal Coil is derived from a line from William Shakespeare’s Sonnet No. 66.
- The phrase “This mortal coil” is used to describe the pain and suffering of life.
- The name This Mortal Coil was chosen as a reminder of the fragility of life and an encouragement to make the most of every moment.
- The name has been used by many other artists, including Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, and Fairport Convention.
- The name has become a popular phrase in the English language, and is used to refer to the struggles and hardships of life.
5. What other projects were associated with This Mortal Coil?
This Mortal Coil was the project of musician and producer Ivo Watts-Russell, founder of the label 4AD. The project assembled a large number of guest musicians to contribute to the recordings, including members of Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, Wire, and Colourbox.
- Cocteau Twins
- Dead Can Dance
- Wire
- Colourbox
In addition, the project released three other albums – Filigree & Shadow, Blood, and It’ll End in Tears, all of which feature the same guest musicians and production values as the original This Mortal Coil release.
Conclusion
This Mortal Coil were an influential British band that fused elements of dream pop, shoegaze, and post-punk. Their music was characterized by ethereal vocals, layered instrumentation, and dreamlike soundscapes. Through their music, they explored themes of loss, longing, and the mysteries of life. While the band has since disbanded, their music still resonates with fans and continues to inspire generations of musicians. Their hauntingly beautiful lyrics will forever remain etched in the hearts of their listeners.
