Folding Stars Explained

Folding Stars
Cover:Folding Stars CD.jpg
Caption:CD cover
Type:single
Artist:Biffy Clyro
Album:Puzzle
Released:16 July 2007 (UK)
Recorded:The Warehouse Studio
Vancouver, British Columbia

The Farm Studios
Gibsons, British Columbia
Genre:Alternative rock, emo
Length:
  • 4:15 (Album version)
  • 3:56 (Single version)
Label:14th Floor
Producer:Garth Richardson
Biffy Clyro
Prev Title:Living Is a Problem Because Everything Dies
Prev Year:2007
Next Title:Machines
Next Year:2007

"Folding Stars" is a song by Scottish band Biffy Clyro from their 2007 album, Puzzle. It was released as the third physical single from Puzzle, on 16 July 2007[1] and reached number 18 on the UK Singles Chart.

Overview

"Folding Stars" was inspired by the death of Simon Neil's mother, Eleanor, in March 2004.[2] The song has been described as a "huge, hands-in-the-air anthem",[3] "the album’s finest heart-on-sleeve moment" and "raw, honest and breathtaking".[4]

Simon Neil has commented on the song, saying:

The song was first performed live on 8 July 2007, at the Radio 1/NME Stage at T in the Park 2007. Mike Vennart of Oceansize, a long-time friend of the band, provided second guitar for this performance. On 26 August 2007, the band played at Leeds Festival and stated that it was the last time that Folding Stars would be played live.[5] They however reneged on this decision when the song was played live at Brixton Academy on 21 November 2007.[6] An acoustic version of this song was performed by Simon on his own at their Wembley Arena show in 2010. It was played again by the band on BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge on 19 August 2013, and later as part of the band's headline performances at Reading and Leeds festivals, 25 and 23 August, respectively.[7] [8] Simon Neil later played the song on 3 April 2020 as part of a Facebook live session in the coronavirus lockdown.[9]

The physical release of the single topped the UK Physical Singles Chart, while the single overall peaked at number 18 on the UK Singles Chart.

Music video

The song's official music video was directed by Howard Greenhalgh and filmed at Painshill, a landscape park in Surrey. It features the band playing at various locations in the park, including the Gothic Temple, Abbey and Crystal Grotto.

Track listing

Music and lyrics by Simon Neil.

  1. "Folding Stars" – 4:15
  2. "Asexual Meat Kitchen" - 3:29
  1. "Folding Stars" – 4:15
  2. "Coward" - 3:40
  1. "Folding Stars" – 4:15
  2. "A Headline" - 3:39
  1. "Folding Stars" – 3:56
  1. "Folding Stars (Demo)" - 4:30

Personnel

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://www.nme.com/news/biffy-clyro/28885 Biffy Clyro Article on NME
  2. Kerrang! #1159, p. 22
  3. Rock Sound #96, p.49
  4. http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Music-Review/biffy-clyro-puzzle IndieLondon review of Puzzle
  5. Web site: Biffy Clyro . 2007-11-24 . 26 August 2007 . Mike Sterry . NME.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20071118200509/http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=80&title=biffy_clyrp&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1 . 2007-11-18 . dead .
  6. Web site: Biffy Clyro un-ban song at Brixton . 2007-11-24 . 22 November 2007 . NME.com.
  7. Web site: Biffy Clyro Setlist at Leeds Festival 2013. setlist.fm .
  8. Web site: Biffy Clyro Setlist at Reading Festival 2013. setlist.fm .
  9. Web site: Biffy Clyro Live Session April 3 2020. 6 April 2020. YouTube.