This is a weekly blog to let you in on what song and/or band that i've been feeling for that particular week. Music will always be a very important part of my life. I see it as the soundtrack for memories that bring you back to a certain place and time and new songs help to create new memories. Hope you enjoy!! :)
"Start Walking" appears to be about someone who's depression has taken full control of him. He has shut down basically, succumbing to the depression. He no longer feels that he can go back to who he once was and he no longer feels anyone can have love for him as they once did. He talks of the awful feelings he has deep inside that are basically guiding him, perhaps they are leading him to suicide. Perhaps that will take him to a place where he can finally feel comfortable in his own skin. The vocalist in this song seems as though life has defeated him and perhaps the afterlife is his only answer to get out of his depressive situation.
OFF WITH THEIR HEADS' DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):
2006 - "Hospitals" (Rock Bottom Records)
2007 - "All Things Move Toward Their End" (No Idea Records)
2008 - "From The Bottom" (No Idea Records)
2010 - "In Desolation" (Epitaph Records)
2013 - "Home" (Epitaph Records)
CURRENT STATUS OF OFF WITH THEIR HEADS:
Off With Their Heads is very much the baby of vocalist/guitarist Ryan Young. He is the one constant member of the band and the chief songwriter. Other members, Justin Francis (drums) and Zack Gontard (guitar) no longer tour with the band, but they do still record on the albums. Despite the revolving door of touring musicians, Off With Their Heads continues to try to establish themselves as a punk band to be wreckoned with. The strength of their songs and their high energy live shows earned them a spot on the roster of famed punk rock label, Epitaph Records. Ryan Young's lyrics are often very personal and often peel away the layers to show the open scars of a painful existence. He's not afraid to express himself by any means. Their style is kind of that "gruffy" punk where the vocals are hoarse and scratchy and their songs are energetic and anthemic. Along with their full length releases, the band has also put out a slew of EP's and splits, many of which were released together on the compilation record, "All Things Move Toward Their End". The band wanted to put out a second compilation featuring more of their EP and split songs but did not due to a conflict with their then label No Idea Records. Most recently the band had to cancel several tour dates in Europe due to some issues back home in the States. That being said, look for Off With Their Heads to continue to be Ryan Young's mouthpiece in the years to come. Solid, solid band!
TEN OFF WITH THEIR HEADS SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:
1. Fuck This, I'm Out
2. Keep Falling Down
3. Drive
4. Clear The Air
5. Nightlife
6. Seek Advice Elsewhere
7. Start Walking
8. Don't Make Me Go
9. Janie
10. Die Today
The word "warm" in this song appears to be a metaphor for comfort or what is more comfortable. In the song the vocalist talks of a poor man who spends what little money he has on booze instead of food, not because it is better for him, but because he finds comfort in it. It makes him feel warm. Second verse is about a business man who lies and cheats to protect his image. It's the easy way out and the convienient way but not the right way. Third verse is about the vocalist himself, sleeping in someone else's bed. It feels warm, or it's comfortable for him. Warm and cold are metaphors in this song and sometimes what makes you cold and uncomfortable are actually the honest and truthful things or choices to make. Sometimes they are the harder choices but they are the right choices. This is about three people who decided to take the warm/easy way out.
THE RIOT BEFORE DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):
2005 - "Horseshoes And Hand Grenades" (Fall Of The West Records)
2009 - "Fists Buried In Pockets" (Say 10 Records)
2010 - "Rebellion" (Paper + Plastick Records)
2011 - "Acoustic" (Gunner Records)
2012 - "2005-2007" (Say 10 Records)
CURRENT STATUS OF THE RIOT BEFORE:
Founder and lead songwriter and vocalist Brett Adams formed The Riot Before back in 2003, hailing from Richmond, Virginia. Through the years, it was difficult to keep a stable line-up, with as many as 13 different band members being in and out of the line-up. This lack of stability eventually led to The Riot Before ultimately calling it quits in 2011. While The Riot Before can be labeled as a punk band, they are not afraid to draw on other genres of influence. They kind of remind me of Polar Bear Club and even The Gaslight Anthem at times. They can be aggressive, but they also show they can handle playing acoustically as well. Their strength is in their songs and lyrics. Adams evokes emotion in his vocals and his lyrics and meanings are strong and passionate. It's really a shame that this band disbanded. They were a very promising band and their musical catalog is strong. Adams does perform acoustically and tours solo at times. Not sure if he has another band in the works or if he is going to do the solo acoustic stuff that so many punk rock singers are doing now. I say he would fit right in on the Revival tours that Hot Water Music's Chuck Ragan embarks on every year. Either way, The Riot Before was a rock solid band who I hope has a change of heart and reunite!
TEN THE RIOT BEFORE SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:
1. The Oregon Trail
2. To Live How We Believe
3. Tinnitus
4. What I've Missed
5. Words Written Over Coffee
6. You Can't Sexy Dance To Punk Rock
7. We Are Wild Stallions
8. Redneckties
9. Really Good Reasons To Swear
10. Take That, The Government
"Cross Tie", to me, appears to be a song about a drifter. Someone who hitches rides on cargo trains to new destinations to basically experience life or the atmosphere of somewhere new. He stays long enough to get a feel for the place then hops the train again to the next random destination. Not sure he's searching for something particular, it seems he's just not content with staying in one place for too long. The themes of railroad tracks, drifting from town to town and being a loner are themes that Avail vocalist Tim Barry would really capture as a solo performer later on. Avail formed as a band back in 1987, hailing from Richmond, Virginia. Originally, the band consisted of Joe Banks, Doug Crosby, Brian Stewart and Mikey Warstler and they recorded two demos. Eventually, only guitarist Joe Banks would remain but he hooked up with LDK's Tim Barry to continue on with Avail. Barry actually played drums on the band's first EP, but shortly moved to lead vocals. In 1992, Avail signed on with Lookout! Records and released their debut album "Satiate". In 1994, "Dixie" was released featuring a cover of John Mellencamp's "Pink Houses". 1996 saw the band release "4AM Friday" which featured one of the band's signature songs, "Simple Song". In 1998, Avail released the album "Over The James". In 2000, Avail hooked on with infamous punk label Fat Wreck Chords who released and distributed the band's 5th album, "One Wrench". Fat Wreck would also release Avail's next album, "Front Porch Step" in 2002. This album featured a music video for the song "West Wye". During the course of 11 years, Avail released 6 full length albums, several EP's and three live albums. The band's catalogue with Lookout! Records was later re-released through Jade Tree Records, featuring bonus content. Currently, although Avail never officially disbanded, their last release was in 2002 and the last time the band performed live was in 2007. Vocalist Tim Barry has focused most of his time on his solo career which is basically acoustic, folksy, roots music and he's released several solo albums. Guitarist Joe Banks has played in a band called The Ghost Run since 2009. Avail is a well respected hardcore punk band and in their hometown of Richmond, Virginia, the band is iconic. They are as blue collar as blue collar can get and they represent the hard workers and the physical laborers of their close knit community.
"Sarah, Send Your Driver" is a song that appears to be about severing ties with someone who you thought had your best interests in heart, but you found out that they were literally trying to sabotage everything you were trying to attain. The vocalist feels that his goals are to important to him to throw away and he is more confident than ever to keep moving forward to see his dream through. Those who are with him, be prepared to jump on board and move forward. Those who are not, get out of the way and get left behind. Timeshares formed as a band back in 2009, hailing from New York. The band self released a three song EP in 2009, all three songs would later appear on their debut album with slight changes. In 2010, Timeshares released a split 7" with Captain, We're Sinking. 2011 saw the band release their debut full length "Bearable" through Kiss Of Death Records". This album featured the songs "From An Admirer Not Daryl" and "Oh No Not That". In 2012, Timeshares released another split EP, this time with the band Dividers. The next few years were spent touring and trying to get their name out there with the fans. Finally, in 2015, the band released a split with the band Luther, then signed on with punk rock label SideOneDummy Records and released their second full length album, "Already Dead", featuring the songs "Heavy Hangs", "Spend The Night" and "The Bad Parts". Currently, Timeshares is touring in support of their new album "Already Dead". Though the album will be released digitally on April 28, 2015, people can get the cd version starting on May 28th. Timeshares is a young band that is still growing into it's sound. If you're a fan of bands such as The Flatliners or Off With Their Heads or Four Year Strong, you would probably be a fan of Timeshares as they play a similar brand of melodic punk rock with gruffy vocals. This is definitely a band to keep an eye out for.
"Unconditional" is a song that appears to be a typical break-up song. The vocalist sees the relationship as something that should be salvaged, that he and her should work together to overcome their differences and imperfections. His love for her is unconditional. Unfortunately, she does not see it the same way and is ready to end the relationship. She cannot deal with his imperfections and is not willing to continue on without him being who she wants him to be. H2O formed as a band back in 1994, hailing from Manhatten, New York. Lead vocalist, Toby Morse worked as a roadie for legendary New York hardcore band Sick Of It All before deciding to put his own band together. After earning opening spots on tours with Rancid and No Doubt, H2O released their debut album, "H2O", in 1996. This album featured the single "Family Tree". In 1997, the band released "Thicker Than Water", featuring the tracks "Everready" and "Thicker Than Water". The next few years saw the band open for a who's who in the world of punk music, bands such as Murphy's Law, Social Distortion, Misfits, Pennywise, Sick Of It All, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and also earning slots on the Warped Tours. 1999 saw the band drop "F.T.T.W.", spawning the single "One Life One Chance". In 2000, H2O signed with major label MCA Records and in 2001 they released "Go". "Go" featured the songs "Memory Lane" and "Role Model", the latter which is one of the band's most signature songs. 2002 saw the release of the "All We Want" EP. Over the next 6 years, the band did little more than tour but finally, in 2008, they released "Nothing To Prove" through Bridge 9 Records. The band made videos for the songs "What Happened" and "Nothing To Prove". In 2011, H2O released "Don't Forget Your Roots". This was a 15 song album of covers of bands that H2O looked up to such as Rancid, Sick Of It All, Social Distortion and Bad Brains to name a few. Currently, Toby Morse tweeted that H2O will have a new album out called "Was Here". It is going to be distributed by Bridge 9 Records and should be released in 2015. H2O is very much an underground band. They came out around the same time as the west coast skate punk bands like Lagwagon and No Use For A Name but they always seemed to be a tier down from bands like that. They have moments of hardcore punk sound but they also blend in some melodic punk as well, almost like a band such as 7 Seconds does. They dropped 4 albums in a 5 year span, then only 1 from 2002 till present day 2015, not counting their covers album. They're a band that is well respected in punk circles, especially in the New York punk scene, maybe just not as heralded as other bands from that era.
"Quick Chek Girl" is a silly, teenage romance type of song. It's about a guy who drops the papers off to the Quick Chek store and strikes up a relationship with the girl who works there. When he decides to ask her to go on a date with him via a letter, all of a sudden, she doesn't respond and eventually quits the job much to the guy's dismay. The Bouncing Souls formed as a band back in 1988, hailing from New Jersey. After years of performing in the underground scene of New Brunswick, New Jersey, the band's first full length release was 1994's "The Good, The Bad & The Argyle". This album was basically a compilation of the band's EP's they had released up to that point. In 1996, the band released "Maniacal Laughter", featuring classic Bouncing Souls songs such as "The Ballad Of Johnny X" and "Here We Go". In 1997, the Souls caught the ear of famous punk label Epitaph Records who signed the band and released "The Bouncing Souls". Though this album features some classic Bouncing Souls songs such as "Kate Is Great", "Cracked" and "East Coast Fuck You", singer Greg Attonito has basically called it an album of unfinished songs. 1999 was the year where the Bouncing Souls really began to find themselves and their sound with the release of "Hopeless Romantic", featuring concert staples like "Kid" and "Ole!". 2001 saw the band release "How I Spent My Summer Vacation" featuring the tracks "True Believers" and "Manthem". In 2002, the band released the b-sides compilation "The Bad, The Worse And The Out Of Print" and in 2003, the band released my personal favorite album by them, "Anchors Aweigh", featuring punk rock anthems like "Apartment 5F", "Kids And Heroes" and "Sing Along Forever". 2005 saw the band release the double disc live album simply titled "Live". In 2006, the Souls dropped "The Gold Record" featuring the songs "The Pizza Song" and "Lean On Sheena", which was an Avoid One Thing cover. In 2009, to celebrate the band's 20th anniversary, they decided to release four 7" EP's. Most of these songs went on to be compiled on one album, 2010's "Ghosts On The Boardwalk". In 2012, the band released the album "Comet" through Rise Records. This album featured the tracks "Static", "Coin Toss Girl" and "Ship In A Bottle". Currently, there is no news as of yet about a new album in the works but seeing how consistent the band is, I would not be surprised to see something new by the end of this year or definitely by next year. The Souls are a hard working, constantly touring type of band and their influence on punk rock music runs deep. They write infectious, sing-a-long, pogo hop punk rock anthems that fans can't get enough of and that other bands try to emulate, sometimes imitate. A truly great punk rock band and "Kids And Heroes"? Come on, man!! That is one of the best punk rock songs of all time!!!
Album: No Album, performed live at PJ20 Festival, 9/4/11
Year: 2011
"PJ20 Song/Improv" is a song that Eddie Vedder wrote backstage at the band's 20th anniversary Labor Day weekend festival concerts at Alpine Valley Music Theater in East Troy, Wisconsin. It's a folksy song, much like Vedder's solo material and it celebrates the fact that they made it through the tough times and the long years and that they are glad they made it when the times got good. Clearly it's about a band that is in a very good place and it's a rare treat for PJ fans. The song was never properly recorded or ever played again. Pearl Jam formed as a band back in 1990, hailing from Seattle, Washington. Bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Stone Gossard were still reeling from the untimely death of Andrew Wood, who fronted their previous band Mother Love Bone. Soon Gossard and guitarist Mike McCready began jamming and invited Ament to the sessions. Dave Krusen was brought in on drums and a demo tape was given to former Red Hot Chilli Peppers' drummer Jack Irons, who intern gave the demo to San Diego surfer Eddie Vedder. The rest is history! Vedder laid vocals to songs which would become "Alive", "Once" and "Footsteps" and Pearl Jam was born! The band was quickly signed by Epic Records and in 1991 released their debut album "Ten". One of the most influential hard rock records of all time, "Ten" has gone on to achieve 13x Platinum status! It spawned PJ staples such as "Alive", "Evenflow", "Jeremy", "Black" and "Release". Krusen soon departed the band, replaced by the short lived Matt Chamberlain and eventually Dave Abbruzzese. Pearl Jam made a name for themselves at this time as a live band, something that they are noted for to this very day. In 1993, PJ released "VS". This album sold 950,378 copies in it's 1st week, a record that was held until 1998. The album featured the singles "Go", "Daughter", "Animal" and "Dissident". The band was on top of the world at this time, at the forefront of the Seattle/grunge musical movement alongside bands like Alice In Chains, Soundgarden and Nirvana. A lengthy battle with Ticketmaster would almost consume the band however. 1994 saw the band release "Vitalogy". Abbruzzese was fired from the band at this time and replaced by Jack Irons. "Vitalogy" became the 2nd fastest selling album in history, moving 877,000 copies in it's first week of sales. The album featured the songs "Spin The Black Circle", "Not For You", "Corduroy", "Better Man" and "Immortality". The Ticketmaster battle was still going on, limiting the venues with which PJ could play and ultimately killing their tour. Pearl Jam was not happy about the service fees Ticketmaster was charging fans and tried to boycott their venues. It was a battle that almost destroyed the band as their live shows were so much of what they were about. In 1996, the band scaled back their sound and got a little experimental with their new release "No Code". This album featured the singles "Who You Are", "Hail Hail" and "Off He Goes". In 1998, the band dropped "Yield". This album marked a return to form for the band and it also marked a return to the entire band contributing material to a record. "Vitalogy" and "No Code" were essentially Eddie Vedder albums with little contributions from the rest of the band. "Yield" was a full band effort and a breath of fresh air for Pearl Jam. The album featured the songs "Given To Fly", "Wishlist" and "Do The Evolution". Irons left the band at this time and was replaced by Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron, who is still the band's current drummer as well as still playing with Soundgarden. The band released their very first live album "Live On Two Legs" this year as well. They also covered the old J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers song "Last Kiss" and released it as a single. "Last Kiss" became the band's highest charting single. 2000 saw the band release "Binaural". Featuring the songs "Nothing As It Seems" and "Light Years", "Binaural" became the first Pearl Jam album not to achieve platinum status. Pearl Jam also recorded each and every concert during their "Binaural" tour and sold them marking the first time that one band had that many albums debut on the Billboard charts at one time, a world record. The band's bootleg series continues to this very day but they tweaked the process by making shows available on their website, either in cd or digital form. 2000 also saw the band endure a tragedy. As headliners of the Roskilde Festival, 9 fans got trampled to death during their live set. This tragedy affected the band very much and made them even question whether or not to go on. Thankfully they did go on. In 2002, the band released "Riot Act". This album featured the songs "I Am Mine", "Save You" and "Love Boat Captain" and was the first album to feature Boom Gaspar on B3 organ. Gaspar is an old friend of Eddie's from Hawaii and has since been on all of Pearl Jam's tours. In 2003, PJ decided not to re-up with Epic Records and decided not to sign with any major label. To fulfill their contractual obligations to Epic, PJ released the b-sides album "Lost Dogs" and a 2004 greatest hits package, "rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 1991-2003). 2006 saw the band release "Live At Easy Street", released exclusively to independent record stores and they also released the self titled "Pearl Jam" through J Records. "Pearl Jam" was an intense record, a product of society at the time, the Bush administration and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan contributed to an aggressive, political record. The album featured the singles "World Wide Suicide", "Life Wasted" and "Gone". This time also marked the first time PJ headlined festivals since the Roskilde Festival. In 2009, Pearl Jam released "Backspacer" through their own label, Monkeywrench Records. An upbeat album by Pearl Jam standards, it featured the songs "The Fixer" and "Just Breathe". 2011 saw the release of the live album, "Live On Ten Legs". It also marked the year that Pearl Jam celebrated their 20th anniversary as a band. They released a documentary directed by Cameron Crowe called PJ20 which also featured a soundtrack. The band also played a Labor Day weekend festival in East Troy, Wisconsin. The PJ20 festival featured Pearl Jam headlining with bands such as Queens Of The Stone Age, The Strokes, Liam Finn, Star Anna and Chris Cornell joined the band for an impromptu reunion of Temple Of The Dog. In 2013, the band released "Lightning Bolt". Featuring the singles "Mind Your Manners", "Sirens" and "Lightning Bolt", this became Pearl Jam's 5th album to reach #1 on the Billboard 200 charts. Currently, the band is slated to do a tour of Latin America in the fall of 2015. Pearl Jam is one of the most influential American bands of all time. Their live shows are legendary and their music has inspired several bands to follow. The band is a lot more judicious with their time now a days, mostly because the members all have growing families, but they always find the time to record new music and perform live concerts. Where they used to release new albums 2 years apart, now it's more like 4 years so perhaps a new album may surface in 2016 or 2017, hopefully sooner! They are not afraid to delve into personal subject matter or political and social topics in their songs and are still going strong as they reach their 25th year anniversary!
