Song Of The Week: 6/19/11

Song: "Needles And Pins"

Artist: Deftones

Album: "Deftones"

Year: 2003



I've been on a bit of a Deftones kick the last couple of weeks, hence the back to back songs of the week! As for this song, "Needles And Pins" appears to be about finding someone who is as talented and gifted as you when it comes to what you do best. The first verse almost seems like a feeling out of the individual, perhaps in a competitive way. By the time the second verse hits, you sense that a collaboration with that person is at hand. By combining the talents of the two people, they feel that they are unstoppable and cannot be touched. The whole scenario kind of reminds me of the Lennon/McCartney relationship with The Beatles. Seperately, they were both very talented singers and songwriters but when they wrote together, they were biggest band ever! Without getting to much into the history of the Deftones which I explained a little bit in my previous blog, i'll just repeat that they formed as a band in 1988 and have releases six studio album in that span. 2003's "Deftones" was their fourth release and may be considered quited possibly their heaviest album to date. This album took a year to complete and cost the band some 2.5 million dollars to produce, some of the cost going to fines from their record label for missing deadlines. When it was all said and done however, "Deftones" would reach as high as number 2 on the Billboard 200 list. Lead singer Chino Moreno said this about the album, "It's all on record. We told motherfuckers not to lump us in with nu metal because when those bands go down we ain't going to be with them." Moreno's comments ring very true when you look at the popular bands at that time. Staind, who were once very heavy on their first couple of albums, had become soft and radio friendly while another band like Linkin Park just totally lacked any bite with it's music. The Deftones remained true to their style and who they were throughout their career, a main reason why they are so well respected amongst their peers. In 2010, the band released their sixth album, "Diamond Eyes" and currently have tours set up in Europe and Australia in support of that album.