Set List

1. Anarcadia: All Horned Animals
2. Amethyst Deceivers (Version 2)
3. Slur
4. A Cold Cell
5. Broccoli (Version 1)
6. Paranoid Inlay
7. A.Y.O.R.
8. Backwards

Following the 2001-09-15 Moscow concert, Coil retired the “Constant Shallowness Leads to Evil” setlist and costumes. They began preparing what would be known as the “Anarcadia” tour. The band had lined up the following series of gigs by September 29:

2001-11-20 Alte Spinnerei, Glauchau, Germany
2001-11-22 Rote Fabrik, Zürich, Switzerland
2001-11-25 Teatro Duse, Bologna, Italy
2001-11-27 Fabrik, Hamburg, Germany

Unfortunately, on October 24, John was rushed to hospital with a suspected heart attack and spent the rest of the year recovering at home. Fortunately, it was not actually serious. Mikǝ Mullǝn shared an email John sent him on January 17, 2002 regarding this matter:

Dear Mike
I am out of hospital and very glad of it too. I was found to have no
abnormal heart problem and no pneumonia as was also suspected.I think
massive stress was the cause.My Father had a very similar episode
around the same time in his life.Thank you for your thoughts and
concern.I am really touched by the way people have been SO
supportive. I’m humbled,truly.
blessed wishes
John Balance

As a result, all live commitments were postponed/re-organized. By October 29, the touring schedule had evolved into:

CONFIRMED
2002-01-09 Fabrik, Hamburg, Germany
2002-01-11 Alte Spinnerei, Glauchau, Germany
TENTATIVE
2002-01-?? T.B.A. Venue, Brussels, Belgium
2002-02-15 T.B.A. Venue, Zürich, Switzerland
2002-02-16 T.B.A. Venue, Bologna, Italy
2002-02-?? T.B.A. Venue, Berlin, Germany
2002-02-?? T.B.A. Venue, T.B.A. City, Holland

By November 26, the touring schedule was more-or-less finalized. According to Jon Whitney in a Brainwashed “News” posting, “Coil have decided to wait for Thighpaulsandra to complete his current commitments with Spiritualized so he can join them for the live dates. The shows are now expected to take place in April, 2002 in Hamburg (Germany), Glauchau (Germany), Bologna (Italy), Zürich (Switzerland) and possibly three other European cities. The tour will be presented by Iron Flame.” The rumored touring schedule, which mostly came true, was published on Brainwashed on January 3, 2002:

2002-03-30 Artooz Festival – John Lennon Municipal, Limoges, France
2002-04-03 T.B.A. Venue, T.B.A. City, The Netherlands
2002-04-04 Rote Fabrik, Zürich, Switzerland
2002-04-06 Teatro delle Celebrazioni, Bologna, Italy
2002-04-07 Muffathalle, München, Germany
2002-04-10 Fabrik, Hamburg, Germany
2002-04-12 Volksbühne, Berlin, Germany
2002-04-13 Alte Spinnerei, Glauchau, Germany

On January 11, the 2002-04-27 Barbican gig was also announced. On February 3, the 2002-04-02 Forum, Bielefeld, Germany gig was tentatively announced, however on February 13, the venue location was moved to the Vooruit, Gent, Belgium. Of these projected gigs, only the mysterious one on April 3 never came to be.

Thus, the “Anarcadia” tour officially lasted nine shows, from 2002-03-30 Limoges to 2002-04-27 Barbican. On March 29, the 2002-06-07 Den Haag gig was also announced; while Coil performed the same material at it, 2002-07-13 Dour, and 2002-07-26 Fano, these shows were not officially a part of the tour.

Being the one who had convinced Coil to play live again after over sixteen years, Thighpaulsandra had played at all Coil concerts since the 2000-04-02 Royal Festival Hall gig. However, he had other musical obligations outside of the group. Following Coil’s 2001-09-15 Moscow gig, he reconvened with English space rock band Spiritualized, with the promise of rejoining the band when they began their “Anarcadia” tour in the spring of 2002. However, Thighpaulsandra reneged on that promise.

On January 19, 2002, John issued the following statement:

Thighpaulsandra has left COIL choosing to work with Spiritualized instead. It’s terrible. We want him back.

He elaborated further in another statement two days later, giving more details on the tour lineup:

We HAD BEEN promised, assured that we had secured the unique and valuable services for our touring band of Thighpaulsandra, Martin Schallard and Tom Edwards, all of whom play with Spiritualized. We checked, and checked, and re-confirmed these delicate corporate operated manoeuvers again and again. Now we hear, having confirmed our COIL European dates, that the three are still waiting to hear from Jason Spaceman/Spiritualized when he would be needing them again, and that they could no longer come with us. What were we to do but seek new touring members. I STILL WANT THIGHPAULSANDRA IN COIL. He has saved both my life and my sanity many times. He is indispensible. He has not been fired. I LOVE HIM and want whatever is best for him. I hope Threshold House will be releasing the new album by him in the future. Once we get over the disappointment of not being able to play with him live we hope to continue to work together in other ways.

Ultimately, Thighpaulsandra missed the “Anarcadia” tour. He wouldn’t rejoin Coil until early May 2002. To compensate for his, Martin Schellard, and Tom Edwards’ absence on the tour, Coil contacted hurdy-gurdy player Cliff Stapleton and multi-instrumentalist Mike York personally to join the band, which they did. Cliff recalls: “I was in Coil for a relatively short time and it was totally different from anything I had done before. Thus I was very naive and ‘green’, which I enjoyed immensely.” This change in the band lineup would veer Coil’s sound away from the “savage electronics” of the “Constant Shallowness Leads to Evil” shows to a more traditional, European sound, distinguishing the “Anarcadia” tour as a new era for the band and setting the precedent that Coil could and would substantially evolve their sound from tour to tour.

Feeling: Reflective

Supporting acts: Pan Sonic, Ah Cama Sotz, Xabec, Ammo; DJ: Octor

This was the first concert of their Spring 2002 tour. “Backwards / The Remote Viewer” phase. Debut performances of all songs.

The setlist contained three songs from the abandoned Backwards sessions: “A Cold Cell,” “A.Y.O.R.” (originally titled “In My Blood,” or “It’s In My Blood”), and “Backwards.” The latter two tracks differ a significant amount from their studio counterparts, especially “Backwards,” which incorporates musical elements and lyrics from “Constant Shallowness Leads to Evil” at the end of every performance. “Anarcadia: All Horned Animals” (originally titled “Queer Wolf”) most closely resembles the song “Remote Viewing 2” off The Remote Viewer, a CDr sold on tour and released widespread in May 2002. “Slur,” like “Blood from the Air,” is a revived song from Horse Rotorvator. “Broccoli” and “Paranoid Inlay” are from Musick to Play in the Dark Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 respectively. At this point, the band implemented a second live version of “Amethyst Deceivers” which mostly resembled the version released on 1998’s Autumn Equinox, as opposed to the more electronic first version played during the “Constant Shallowness” shows.

Cliff played hurdy-gurdy on all songs in the set. Sometimes, he wouldn’t play on “Anarcadia: All Horned Animals” at all, then other times, he’d add a low, bassy rumble to the song. Mike played self-made Border bagpipes on “Amethyst Deceivers,” “Slur,” “Sick Mirrors,” and “Backwards,” bombarde on “Anarcadia: All Horned Animals,” and balalaika on “Broccoli” and “Paranoid Inlay.” He would leave the stage during “A Cold Cell” and “A.Y.O.R.”

With a new setlist came new choreography and costumes for the band. Instead of the semi-glow-in-the-dark boiler suits/undone straight-jackets, John, Peter, and Ossian wore baggier white shirts and white pants with fur-covered mirror medallions hung around their necks. This same garb carried over into the “Live Four” phase of concerts in autumn 2002. However, during “Anarcadia: All Horned Animals,” John and Ossian would initially come on stage wearing white shawls over their heads ringing horse bells, which they’d discard midway through the song. Peter brought two additional projectors to display the backing videos not only on a screen behind the band, but also onto the members themselves, primarily John. By contrast, newcomers Cliff and Mike often dressed all in black and stationed themselves behind the band, mostly staying in the darkness of the stage, away from the stage lights and video projections. Distorted mirrors also flanked either side of the front of the stage.

Massimo Villani and Pierce Wyss of Black Sun Productions would later play at the 2002-04-04 Zurich and 2002-04-06 Bologna gigs, conducting different choreography at each show. Further details can be found in each respective concert listing. The pair would regroup with the band at the 2002-06-07 Den Haag gig.

John, Peter, Ossian, and Cliff were interviewed before the performance. It was Cliff’s only known interview as a member of Coil. He remembers that the others watched him squirm in amusement as he tried to explain the meaning and magic of Coil, despite being brand new to the group.

The crowd was very enthused throughout the gig.

—

Anarcadia: All Horned Animals

For the first of only three times I am aware, Coil reused the metal sheet from the “Constant Shallowness Leads to Evil” era, here. Instead of John banging his head against the sheet, Peter threw cymbals at it. He would do this at the following show in Ghent and Zürich as well.

John moans into the mic towards the end of the song.

Amethyst Deceivers

John: “This next song is ‘Amethyst Deceivers.’”
Audience: *cries of excitement
Audience member: “Amethyst!”
John: “It’s about a sort of bird, about cockatiels who control time and space.”
Audience members: “Yes! Yes! Amethyst.”

Backing audio track: Amethyst deceivers, amethyst deceivers, amethyst deceivers… [repeated]
John: Amethyst deceivers, amethyst deceivers, amethyst deceivers… [repeated]

Pay your respects to the vultures
For they are your future
Our fathers and mothers have
Failed to release us
Into the welcoming arms
Of the amethyst deceivers

Pay your respects to the vultures
For they are your future
Our fathers and mothers have
Failed to release us
Into the welcoming arms of
The amethyst deceivers
Of the amethyst deceivers

John: Amethyst deceivers, amethyst deceivers, amethyst deceivers… [repeated]
Backing audio track: Amethyst deceivers, amethyst deceivers, amethyst deceivers… [repeated]

Slur

John: “Thank you. This next song is ‘Slur.’ It’s about being sodomized in the ruins, in the ruined city of Marrakesh.”
(Backing audio track begins)
Audience members: “Ha! Whoo! Wow! Yeah!”
Audience members: *whistles
Audience member: “Yay!”

Though he used lyric sheets for all the songs at every gig on this tour, John would frequently flub the words to this song in particular. His high notes never match those heard on the Horse Rotorvator original.

Roman lands of Roman sun and Roman sands
Roman sand of Roman sands and Roman sons

As I watch the sun sink down on the blood red edge of the blood red town
There are shadows for sale
On the edge of town
On the edge of the night
Is a darkness seen
From the side of the light
And the winds blow ’round this sleeping town, this sleeping town
Of Roman lands and Roman sands and Roman sons

And the winds blow ’round this sleeping town, this sleeping town
This Roman land of Roman sands and Roman sons

And it seems to me that when I close my eyes
All the lights in the world
Go out
And the night passes by, and he whispers to me a thousand lies
I stare in surprise
Towards the desert’s warm black
And the desert stares
And the desert stares back
With a thousand lies, piercing eyes, piercing eyes, ancient eyes

And I ask my lovers, “Do you know where the desert roses bloom and grow?”
And I ask my lovers, “Do you know where the desert roses bloom and grow?”
And I ask my lovers, “Do you know where the desert roses bloom and grow?”
Where the desert roses bloom and grow

A Cold Cell

John: “Thank you, thank you.”
Audience members: *Speaking in French
Audience members: “Oh! Hey! Oh! Hey!”
John: “This is about, uh, Russian teenagers in prisons, and they really shouldn’t be there in the conditions that they are. It’s not a good situation at all.”
Peter (?): “Now go.”

Oh, Lord, save my sinful soul
From local punishment
From the far away zone
From being frisked
From the tall fence
From the severe prosecutor

From the devil owner
From the devil owner
From small rations
From dirty water
From short haircuts
A cold cell

From the devil owner
Save us from the death penalty
Amen
Amen
Amen
Amen

Oh, Lord, save our sinful souls
From local punishment
From small rations
A cold cell
From dirty water
From the tall fence
Save us from the death penalty
Amen
Amen

A cold cell

Broccoli

John: “Broccoli, broccoli, broccoli, broccoli.”
Audience member: “Hey!”
John: “I urge each and every one of you to start a compost heap. It’s a great leveler. It’s a great leveler.”

Peter on the backing audio track [repeated throughout the song]:
Wise words from the departing
Eat your greens, especially broccoli
Remember to say “thank you” for all the things you haven’t had
By working the soil we cultivate the sky
Hm mm mm mm, we embrace vegetable kingdom
The death of your father, the death of your mother
Is something you prepare for all your life
All their life

John:
Wise words from the departing
Eat your greens, especially broccoli

Wise words from the departing
The death of your mother and the death of your father
Is something you prepare for
For all your life
For all their lives

Wise words from the departing
Eat your greens, especially broccoli
And always wear sensible shoes
And have good manners
Is to say “please” and “thank you”
Especially for the things you haven’t had
Especially for the things you have not had

Wise words from the departing
By cultivating the soil, we guarantee a vegetable kingdom in heaven
By working the soil, we cultivate the sky
And enter the vegetable kingdom of our own heaven
By working the soil, we cultivate good manners
As to say “please” and “thank you”
Especially for the things you haven’t had
You haven’t had
Wise words from the departing

Wise words from the departing
Eat your greens, especially broccoli
By working the soil, you cultivate the sky
And enter the vegetable kingdom of your own making
By working the soil, we cultivate good manners
That is to say “please” and that is to say “thank you”
Especially for the things
Especially for the things you haven’t had

Wise words from the departing
Eat your greens, especially broccoli
By cultivating the sky, you enter the vegetable kingdom of your own making
By working the soil, you cultivate good manners
That is to say “please” and “thank you”
Especially for broccoli
Especially for broccoli

Especially broccoli
Especially broccoli
Especially broccoli

To memory the ancestors, all our ancestors
Spend a little time with them every day
Spend a little time with your ancestors every day

Paranoid Inlay

John: “This is another song from the moon musick, uh, Musick to Play in the Dark 2, ‘Paranoid Inlay.'”
*Peter begins the backing audio track
John: “It’s a modern condition to have a problem with serenity. I certainly do myself. I definitely do myself have a problem with serenity.’”

Cliff and Mike fall out of sync midway through the song and have to restart their playing.

Serenity is a problem when you get this close to heaven
When you really want to see the wonders of the underworld
I caught St. Peter’s disease as he rattled his keys
Serenity is a problem, serenity is a problem

Such a paranoid inlay
Hand-painted, just doin [sic] the dots

Serenity is a problem
Serenity is a problem when you’ve been this close to heaven
When you really want to see the wonders of the underworld
I caught St. Peter’s disease, as he rattled his keys
Serenity is a problem, serenity is a problem

Bloody British bulldozers
Bloody British bulldozers
These vegetables are suicidal
Serenity is a problem, serenity is a problem
Serenity is a problem, serenity is a problem

Dear Diary, these are the things I need to give up
Crystalline ladders, mirrorballs
I used to believe in mirrorballs
Crystalline ladders, shiny things, mirrorballs
I used to believe in mirrorballs
Serenity is a problem when you’ve been this close to heaven
And you really wanted to see the wonders of the underworld
I caught St. Peter’s as he rattled his keys
Now, serenity is a problem, serenity is a problem

On a clear day
On a clear day, I can see forever
I can see forever that the underworld is my oyster
These are the things I should give up
Mirrorballs, mirrorballs, mirrorballs
I used to believe in mirrorballs

Crystalline ladders hanging down from the sky touching me, touching me
And strange backward angels pulling me into sound
Nico herself dead, dead in my kitchen, dead lying on the floor of my kitchen covered in feathers
These things pull themselves into this mirror, the sick, sick, sick, sick mirror
And I’m still there, stuck inside the fucking thing, so serenity is a real problem
Serenity is a problem, serenity is a problem

Nico (born Christa Päffgen) was a German singer, songwriter, musician, model, and actress perhaps best known for her collaboration with The Velvet Underground at the behest of Andy Warhol, appearing on 1967’s The Velvet Underground & Nico LP where she sang three songs. John Balance previously name-checked their Exploding Plastic Inevitable shows in 1966-1967 as a major influence on Coil’s own live concert visual style in the booklet of the Zos Kia/Coil split release Transparent. At the 2002-04-06 Bologna show, Coil would debut “Remote Viewing 2,” later renamed “Sick Mirrors.”

A.Y.O.R.

John: “We proceed now at your own risk-”
Audience member: “Yay!”
John: “-which is a gay term, so if you go cruising in this dangerous area, the guides say, ‘A.Y.O.R., at your own risk.’ It means you might get kicked in, or you might meet somebody gorgeous and deadly, or both.”

John on backing audio track [repeated occasionally throughout the song]
Yow, it’s in my blood

A.Y.O.R. [repeated]
A.Y.R.

It’s in my blood [repeated]

Audience member: “It’s masterful…”

O.A.Y.R.
A.O.Y.R.
A.O.Y.R.
A.O.Y.R.
It’s in my blood
It’s in your blood

It’s in my blood
It’s in our blood
It’s in our blood
It’s in our blood
Your blood, in your blood
Your blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
Your blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
Your blood is my blood, blood is my blood
Your blood is my blood
My blood is your blood, my blood is your blood
My blood is your blood, my blood is your blood
My blood is your blood, my blood is my blood
Your blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
Your blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
Their blood is my blood, there’s blood in my blood

Your blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
Your blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
Your blood is my blood, my blood is your blood
Your blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
Your blood is my blood, my blood is your blood

It’s in my blood
It’s in my blood
It’s in my blood
It’s in your blood
Your blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
Your blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
Our blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
Your blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
My blood is your blood, my blood is your blood
Your blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
Your blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
Your blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
Your blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
Blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
My blood is your blood, your blood is my blood
Your blood is your blood, your blood is my blood
Your blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
Our blood is your blood, blood is our blood
Your blood is your blood, your blood is our blood
My blood is your blood, my blood is our blood
Your blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
My blood is your blood, your blood is our blood
It’s in my blood, it’s in my blood
Your blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
It’s in your blood, it’s in your blood
It’s in my blood in your blood, it’s in my blood
In my blood is your blood, my blood is your blood
Your blood is your blood, your blood is my blood

Your blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
Your blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
Our blood is your blood, my blood is your blood
Your blood is my blood, your blood is our blood
Your blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
Our blood is your blood, my blood is my blood
Your blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
Your blood is my blood, your blood is my blood
Your blood is my blood, your blood is our blood
Our blood is our blood, our blood is your blood
Our blood is our blood, our blood is your blood

John (after the song): “Just never mind all that stuff about exchanging bodily fluids, you know?”

Backwards

John: “This next song is called ‘Backwards.’ From an album that’s properly never gonna come out, so oh well. I stole the lyrics from a book I took from the Pope’s secret library in the Vatican.” I believe John meant to say “probably,” not “properly.”

Backwards, backwards, backwards, backwards
Backwards, backwards, backwards
Backwards in the back woods, backwards
Backwards, backwards, backwards
You’re mine, you’re backwards
Everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards, everything’s backward
Everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards

Fuck me from behind
Fuck me from reverse
Normal is perverse
Everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards,
Backwards, backwards

Fuck me from behind
Fuck me in reverse
Fuck me from behind
Normal is perverse
Everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards
Everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards
Everything’s back woods, everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards
Everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards
Everything’s in reverse
Everything’s gone perverse
The whole world’s gone reverse
Everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards

Fine
I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine
Fucking incapable of normal emotions
Fucking incapable of normal emotions
Fucking incapable of normal emotions
Fucking incapable of normal emotions
Fucking incapable of normal emotions
Fucking incapable of normal emotions
Backwards
Everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards
Everything’s backwards

-wards, backwards, backwards, back woods
Backwards, backwards, backwards, backwards

False evidence appearing real
False evidence appearing real
False evidence appearing real
False evidence appearing real
False evidence appearing real
False evidence appearing real
False evidence appearing real
False evidence appearing real
Everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards
Fuck me from behind, fuck me from behind

Backwards, backwards
Everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards
Everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards
Everything’s backwards, backwards, backwards
Everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards
Everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards, uh!
Everything’s backwards, uh!
Everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards
Everything’s backwards, backwards, backwards, backwards
Backwards, backwards, backwards, backwards

False evidence appearing real
False evidence appearing real
False evidence appearing real
False evidence appearing real
Everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards
Everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards
Everything’s backward, uh, backwards
Fuck me from behind
Fuck me from behind
Fuck me from reverse
Normal is perverse
Everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards
Backward
Backwards in the back woods, backwards in the back woods
Backwards in the back woods, backwards in the back woods
Backwards in the back woods, backwards in the back woods
Backwards in the back woods, backwards in the back woods
Backwards in the back woods, backwards in the back woods
Backwards

Backwards in the back woods, backwards in the back woods
Backwards in the back woods, ah
Backwards in the back woods
Backwards in the back woods
Everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards
Everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards, everything’s backwards

Ah
Ah, ah…
Ah, ah, ah ah…
Aghhh, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah

Hornet, wasp, or hoverfly
Even the birds have their alibi
All hummingbirds must die
In United States of American death
Cross-pollinating sores
And when I reach the heavens
And when I reach the station in the heaven of glass
Say a little prayer for you
Then I’ll cut off the heads of the doves that fly
All hummingbirds must die
All hummingbirds must die
I want you, I need you, but I can’t find you
I need a killer to take my pain away
The United States of American death
I’ll say a little prayer for you
When I reach the station in the heavens of glass
I’ll say a little prayer for you

John’s closing words: “Thank you very much. Thank you for coming. Thank you very, very much. Goodnight.”

John Balance – vocals, sleigh bells on “Anarcadia: All Horned Animals”
Peter “Sleazy” Christopherson – Ableton sequence, video projections, Clavia Nord Modular Synthesizer, cymbals and metal sheet percussion on “Anarcadia: All Horned Animals”
Simon Norris (Ossian Brown) – Clavia Nord Modular Lead Synthesizer, sleigh bells on “Anarcadia: All Horned Animals”
Cliff Stapleton – hurdy-gurdy
Mike York – Breton bagpipes, bombarde on “Anarcadia: All Horned Animals,” balalaika on “Broccoli” and “Paranoid Inlay”

Andy Reynolds – live engineer

Please contact us if you have any ticket stubs from this event: info@live-coil-archive.com

Artooz Festival site
4th Route de Feytiat
John Lennon Municipal Cultural Centre
South Limoges
France

A man named Frédéric Botte claims to have video footage of this concert and the pre-show interview. He has posted online publicly numerous times about releasing DVDs of the Limoges 2002 and Paris 2004 shows, but due to unknown reasons, it appears he’s never quite gotten this project off the ground. (It should be noted that a professional edit of the Paris 2004 concert was already released on Colour Sound Oblivion and the full professionally-shot pre-show surfaced years later.)

Live Coil Archive has contacted Botte in the past, but we have no association or affiliation with him or his projects whatsoever and have no further information to provide here.

If you have any video footage of this show, please contact us.

On the old Wassonii blog, noïzykaa recalls: “YEAH! I had a recording of this live (my personnal recording) but I lost it with the crash of my computer and unfortunetly, I haven’t the original recording (but I know who has it…). So many thanks!”