Anaesthetist (song)

"Anaesthetist"
Single by Enter Shikari
from the album The Mindsweep
Released5 January 2015
Recorded2014
Genre
Length2:55
LabelAmbush Reality, Hopeless, PIAS
Composer(s)Enter Shikari
Lyricist(s)Rou Reynolds
Producer(s)Enter Shikari, Dan Weller
Enter Shikari singles chronology
"The Last Garrison"
(2014) 		"Anaesthetist"
(2015) 		"Slipshod (Urbandawn Remix)"
(2015)

"Anaesthetist" is the second single taken from the album The Mindsweep by British rock band Enter Shikari. The song was first played on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show on 5 January 2015.[2][3] An official video for the song directed by Mike Tyler was released on YouTube later the same day.[4]

"Anaesthetist" received the Kerrang! Award for Best Single.[5]

Subject matter

The song "Anaesthetist" is about the privatisation of Britain's National Health Service. On the song, frontman Rou Reynolds stated "We seem to have reached a stage of such capitalistic fervour, that we believe it acceptable to punish people for ill health. By charging for healthcare we act as if illness is nothing but one’s own problem, but what is the purpose and advantage of 'civilisation' if it is not helping the most vulnerable within society? The lottery of birth can offer us a wealth of bad luck when it comes to our health and the safety nets are being pulled in as the desire to boost profit overtakes the desire to help people."[6]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Rou Reynolds; all music is composed by Enter Shikari

No.TitleLength
1."Anaesthetist"2:55
2."Anaesthetist" (Koven Remix)6:45

Band members

  • Roughton "Rou" Reynolds – lead vocals, synthesizer, keyboards, programming
  • Chris Batten – bass guitar, vocals
  • Liam "Rory" Clewlow – guitar, vocals
  • Rob Rolfe – drums, percussion, backing vocals

Chart performance

Chart (2015) Peak
position
UK Rock Chart[7] 9
UK Indie Chart[8] 17

References

  1. ^ a b c "Review: Enter Shikari – the Mindsweep". 16 January 2015.
  2. ^ ""Anaesthetist"". Entershikari.com. 5 January 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-01-06. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  3. ^ "Hottest Record Is New Enter Shikari , Zane Lowe - BBC Radio 1".
  4. ^ "Enter Shikari Unleash New Single/Video, Anaesthetist - Kerrang!". 5 January 2015.
  5. ^ Carter, Emily (11 June 2015). "The Relentless Kerrang! Awards 2015 Winners List". Kerrang!. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  6. ^ "ENTER SHIKARI'S 'ANAESTHETIST'". Rock Sound. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  7. ^ "2015-01-17 Top 40 Rock & Metal Singles Archive". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  8. ^ "2015-01-17 Top 40 Independent Singles Archive". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 January 2015.