Song: "Bulimic"
Artist: The Used
Album: "The Used"
Year: 2002
Place Of Origin: Orem, Utah
Years Active: 2001 - present
WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:
"Bulimic" appears to be a song about putting your drug habits and abuse behind you. Bert McCracken, vocalist for The Used, did deal with drug issues early on in his life, even before he was in The Used. When The Used was about to break, McCracken was looking forward to all he was going to see and soak in as his band took off and luckily, he left drugs behind. He felt that the drugs were just a waste of time and weighing him down and perhaps holding him back from the journey he was about to embark on. The classic story of how at the beginning, the drugs work for you and eventually, they start working against you. Thankfully, McCracken got a hold of his habit. Others like Kurt Cobain and Layne Staley never could.
THE USED DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):
2002 - The Used (Reprise Records)
2003 - Maybe Memories (Reprise Records)
2004 - In Love And Death (Reprise Records)
2007 - Lies For The Liars (Reprise Records)
2007 - Berth (Reprise Records)
2012 - Vulnerable (Hopeless Records)
2014 - Imaginary Enemy (Hopeless Records)
2016 - Live & Acoustic At The Palace (Hopeless Records)
2017 - The Canyon (Hopeless Records)
CURRENT STATUS OF THE USED:
The Used formed as a band back in 2001, hailing from Orem, Utah. The members of the band were basically homeless at the time they got together. They managed to get their demo in the hands of John Feldman, who was in the ska/punk band Goldfinger. He took a liking to the band and took them to play live shows in Los Angeles where they were eventually signed to Reprise Records. Feldman would produce the band's debut album, 2002's "The Used". This album definitely left a mark, spawning four singles, "A Box Full Of Sharp Objects", "The Taste Of Ink", "Buried Myself Alive" and "Blue And Yellow". Ironically, it was their next release, 2003's "Maybe Memories", that shot the band to fame. Ironic being that "Maybe Memories" was basically a compilation of b-sides and live cuts. This is the band's only platinum album. 2004's "In Love And Death" was mostly written about lead singer Bert McCracken's girlfriend who passed away. The Used finished out their contract with Reprise with the releases "Lies For The Liars", "Artwork" and the live album "Berth". The band moved to Hopeless Records for their 2012 release, "Vulnerable". The band has remained with Hopeless Records as of this date, seeing the release of their 2014 album "Imaginary Enemy" as well as their very first live acoustic album, "Live & Acoustic At The Palace". The band's most recent album is 2017's "The Canyon". The Used are sometimes classified as emo or screamo. They definitely have some pop elements and some punk elements. They can be at times noisy, and at other times mellow. They meld all of these elements very well. In fact, in my mind, they are at the apex of this particular genre. Similar bands you ask? I would say The Used's style is rather similar to bands like My Chemical Romance, From First To Last, Story Of The Year, Silverstein and The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. The Used have been a very active band, squeezing six full length albums, two live albums, a compilation as well as a few EP's in their 17 year career. They also tour extensively. All of their albums have charted on the Billboard 200, in fact four of their albums peaked in the top 10. While I enjoy all of their albums, I think their self-titled debut is a masterpiece. "A Box Full Of Sharp Objects" is just an amazing song, one of my favorites of all time. The whole album is just awesome. If you enjoy good melodies, sometimes good screams and very personal lyrics, then you would definitely be smart to listen to The Used.
TEN THE USED SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:
1. Maybe Memories
2. A Box Full Of Sharp Objects
3. Take It Away
4. The Bird And The Worm
5. Blood On My Hands
6. I Come Alive
7. I Caught Fire
8. Rise Up Lights
9. Cut Up Angels
10. Cry
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