Every You Every Me

Top/ Sleeping With Ghosts (Astralwerks, 2003) is the fourth album released by European alternative rock band Placebo. The album has several songs based on a theme of relationships, whether in relationships that end badly as in "The Bitter End", power struggles in relationships ("Special Needs") or the idea that some are meant to be eternal soulmates (the title track, which may suggest that soulmates live forever). Singer-lyricist Brian Molko told Kerrang! magazine that he was trying to 'exorcise' the 'ghosts' of the past. Molko, who is known to favor Sonic Youth was notably influenced by the album Sister while writing the lyrics for Sleeping with Ghosts; at least two of the songs – "Sleeping with Ghosts" and "Plasticine" – feature reference to Sister lyrics. Bottom/ Placebo are best known for hit songs such as "Nancy Boy", "Pure Morning", "Every You Every Me", "Protect Me From What I Want", "Infra-Red", and "For What It's Worth". Their style has varied greatly. The band's first album featured a raw sound and a fairly minimalistic instrumental lineup, but proceeding albums have had a slower, more melancholic tone and they started experimenting with synthesizers and other, less traditional, forms of sound production (particularly after Black Market Music). When addressing Placebo's second album, Without You I'm Nothing, Molko said: "I'm cutting open a vein and letting it bleed for you." Molko has stated that the album Battle For The Sun (2009) is more optimistic than its predecessors. Due to their penchant for androgynous attire/makeup and raw guitar riffs, Placebo have been described by some as a glam version of Nirvana. The multi-national band were influenced by the likes of the Pixies, Depeche Mode, Nirvana, and Radiohead. During their concert in Sofia on 12 September 2003, the band dedicated the song "Centrefolds" to Johnny Cash who had died the same day, with Molko citing Cash as a key influence on the band. Art Direction & photography by Jean-Baptiste Mondino.