Sunday, April 24, 2016

Song Of The Week: 4/24/16







Song: "The Cog In The Machine"

Artist: Lagwagon

Album: "Hang"

Year: 2014

Place Of Origin: Goleta, California

Years Active: 1990-present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"The Cog In The Machine" appears to be about corporate greed and it's hold on it's citizens. The money making machine is so powerful and so monopolistic that it's hard for people to stand against what they sell or what they stand for. It's kind of like a raging river and it's easy to get swept in. But, you can go against the tide if you put your mind to it and you seek alternative choices. Sometimes the hardest path is the most gratifying personally. It's like the David and Goliath story only pitting the consumer citizen against the corporate giants.

LAGWAGON DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

1992 - Duh (Fat Wreck Chords)
1994 - Trashed (Fat Wreck Chords)
1995 - Hoss (Fat Wreck Chords)
1997 - Double Plaidinum (Fat Wreck Chords)
1998 - Let's Talk About Feelings (Fat Wreck Chords)
2000 - Let's Talk About Leftovers (My Records)
2003 - Blaze (Fat Wreck Chords)
2005 - Resolve (Fat Wreck Chords)
2005 - Live In A Dive (Fat Wreck Chords)
2008 - I Think My Older Brother Used To Listen To Lagwagon (Fat Wreck Chords)
2014 - Hang (Fat Wreck Chords)

CURRENT STATUS OF LAGWAGON:

Lagwagon formed as a band back in 1990, hailing from Goleta, California. Bringing a 1990's skate punk sound, Lagwagon was one of the very first and most pivotal bands to come off legendary punk rock label Fat Wreck Chords. After the grunge explosion of the early 90's, a punk rock revival of sorts began to erupt in the mid 90's with bands like The Offspring, Rancid, Bad Religion and Green Day selling millions of albums leading to major label deals. Lagwagon, however, refused to sign with a major label, though they did receive offers, and stayed with Fat Wreck and they still are to this very day. Loyalty means everything and though Lagwagon never really received huge commercial success, they have built a loyal fanbase by lurking in the underground of the punk rock scene. From 1992 to 2005, Lagwagon ripped off 7 studio albums and they were a mainstay on the main stage of several Warped Tours. They along with NOFX, No Use For A Name, Good Riddance and the Swingin' Utters established the Fat Wreck sound and were the roots of that label's legacy in punk rock circles. After 2005, the band went on a bit of a hiatus as vocalist and chief songwriter, Joey Cape began working on several side projects, most notably Bad Astronaut, with original Lagwagon drummer, the late Derrick Plourde, and the punk rock super cover band, Me First & The Gimme Gimmes. Cape also began doing the now popular "punk rock singer goes acoustic" thing, releasing solo albums as well as split releases with No Use For A Name's Tony Sly. By 2012, there was movement in the Lagwagon camp again. After Fat Wreck released a Lagwagon box set called "Putting Music In It's Place", which featured expanded editions of the band's first 5 albums, the band went on a headlining U.S. tour supported by fellow Fat acts Dead To Me, The Flatliners and Useless ID. Most recently, the band released it's latest album, "Hang", in 2014. This album debuted at #95 on the Billboard 200 charts upon it's release. Currently, the band recently finished up a South American tour in early 2016 and are set to appear on the bill of Canada's Amnesia Rockfest in June of 2016. Lagwagon just tops the list when it comes to California skate punk. Their sound is catchy, melodic and at the same time very raw. Though lead vocalist Joey Cape can be quite the jokester on and off stage, Lagwagon's lyrical content can get political at times and Cape is not afraid to speak on various issues he holds personal to him through Lagwagon's music. It's quite good to see Lagwagon, at least lately, becoming the main focus of Cape's time again too. There was a time between 2008 and 2014 when it didn't seem quite sure that the band would re-emerge on the punk rock scene. Thankfully, with the 2014 release of "Hang", Lagwagon has reclaimed it's spot in punk rock music and that is nothing short of a great thing for fans of this type of music.

TEN LAGWAGON SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. May 16
2. Violins
3. E Dagger
4. Island Of Shame
5. Know It All
6. Making Friends
7. Heartbreaking Music
8. After You My Friend
9. Alien 8
10. Never Stops

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