PARAMORE Brand New Eyes Lyrics 2009

Careful
Lyrics
I settled down
A twisted up frown disguised as a smile
Well you would've never known
I had it all but not what I wanted
'Cause hope for me was a place uncharted and overgrown

You'd make your way in
I'd resist you just like this you can't tell me to feel
The truth never set me free so I did it myself

You can't be too careful anymore
When all that is waiting for you won't come any closer
You've got to reach out a little more

Open your eyes like I opened mine
It's only the real world:
A life you will never know
Shifting your weight to throw off the pain
Well you can ignore it but only for so long

You look like I did
“You resist me just like this you can't tell me to heal!”
And it hurts remembering how it felt to shut down

You can't be too careful anymore
When all that is waiting for you won't come any closer
You've got to reach out a little more

The truth never set me free so I'll do it myself

You can't be too careful anymore
When all that is waiting for you won't come any closer
You've got to reach out a little more

Ignorance
Lyrics
If I'm a bad person
You don't like me
Well I guess I'll make my own way
It's a circle
A mean cycle
I can't excite you anymore

Where's your gavel
Your jury
What's my offense this time
You're not a judge but if you're gonna judge me
Sentence me to another life

Don't wanna hear your sad songs
I don't wanna feel your pain
When you swear it's all my fault 'cause you know we're not the same
We're not the same
The friends who stuck together
We wrote our names in blood
But I guess you can't accept that the change is good
It's good

You treat me just like another stranger
Well it's nice to meet you sir I guess I'll go
I best be on my way out

Ignorance is your new best friend

This is the best thing that could've happened
Any longer and I wouldn't have made it
It's not a war no it's not a rapture
I'm just a person but you can't take it
The same tricks that once fooled me they won't get you anywhere
I'm not the same kid from your memory
Now I can fend for myself

Don't wanna hear your sad songs
I don't wanna feel your pain
When you swear it's all my fault 'cause you know we're not the same
We're not the same
Yeah we used to stick together
We wrote our names in blood
But I guess you can't accept that the change is good
It's good

You treat me just like another stranger
Well it's nice to meet you sir I guess I'll go
I best be on my way out

Ignorance is your new best friend

Playing God
Lyrics
I can't make my own decisions or make any with precision
Well maybe you should tie me up so I don't go where you don't want me
You say that I've been changing
That I'm not just simply aging
Yeah how could that be logical
Just keep on cramming ideas down my throat

You don't have to believe me but the way the way I see it
Next time you point a finger I might have to bend it back or break it break it off
Next time you point a finger I'll point you to the mirror

If God's the game that you're playing well we must get more acquainted because it has to be so lonely to be the Only one who's holy
It's just my humble opinion but it's one that I believe in
You don't deserve a point of view if the only thing you see is you

You don't have to believe me but the way the way I see it
Next time you point a finger I might have to bend it back or break it break it off
Next time you point a finger I'll point you to the mirror

This is the last second chance
I'm half as good as it gets
I'm on both sides of the fence
Without a hint of regret I'll hold you to it

I know don't believe me but the way the way I see it
Next time you point a finger I might have to bend it back or break it break it off
Next time you point a finger I'll point you to the mirror

Brick By Boring Brick
Lyrics
She lives in a fairy tale somewhere too far for us to find
Forgotten the taste and smell of a world that She's left behind
It's all about the exposure
The lens
I told Her the angles were all wrong
Now She's ripping wings off of butterflies

Keep your feet on the ground
When your head's in the clouds

Go get your shovel
And we'll dig a deep hole
To bury the castle

So one day he found Her crying coiled up on the dirty ground
Her prince finally came to save her and the rest you can figure out
But it was a trick and the clock struck 12
Well make sure to build your home brick by boring brick or the wolf's gonna blow it down

Keep your feet on the ground
When your head's in the clouds

Go get your shovel
And we'll dig a deep hole
To bury the castle

You built up a world of magic
Because your real life is tragic

If it's not real you can't hold it in your hands
You can't feel it with your heart
And I won't believe it
But if it's true you can see it with your eyes
Even in the dark
And that's where I want to be

Go get your shovel
And we'll dig a deep hole
To bury the castle

Turn It Off
Lyrics
I scraped my knees while I was praying and found a demon in my safest haven
Seems like it's getting harder to believe in anything than just to get lost in all my selfish thoughts
I wanna know what it'd be like to find perfection in my pride
To see nothing in the light
Or turn it off in all my spite
In all my spite I'll turn it off

And the worst part is before it gets any better we're headed for a cliff
And in the free fall I will realize I'm better off when I hit the bottom

The tragedy it seems unending
I'm watching everyone I looked up to breaking, bending
Taking shortcuts and false solutions just to come out the hero
Well I can see behind the curtain
The wheels are cranking turning
It's all wrong the way we're working towards a goal that's nonexistent
It's nonexistent but we just keep believing

The worst part is before it gets any better we're headed for a cliff
And in the free fall I will realize I'm better off when I hit the bottom

I wanna know what it'd be like to find perfection in my pride
To see nothing in the light
And turn it off in all my spite
In all my spite I'll turn it off
Just turn it off
Again

The Only Exception
Lyrics
When I was younger I saw my daddy cry and curse at the wind
Broke his own heart and I watched as he tried to reassemble it
And my momma swore that she would never let herself forget
And that was the day that I promised I'd never sing of love if it does not exist

But darling you are the only exception

Maybe I know somewhere deep in my soul that love never lasts
And we've got to find other ways to make it alone
Keep a straight face
I've always lived like this
Keeping a comfortable distance
And up until now I had sworn to myself that I'm content with loneliness
Because none of it was ever worth the risk

Well you are the only exception

I've got a tight grip on reality but I can't let go of what's in front of me here
I know you're leaving in the morning when you wake up
Leave me with some kind of proof it's not a dream

You are the only exception

I'm on my way to believing

Feeling Sorry
Lyrics
We still live in the same town well don't we
But I don't see you around anymore
I go to all the same places
Not even a trace of you
Your days are numbered at 24

And I'm getting bored waiting around for you
We're not getting any younger and I won't look back cause there's no use
It's time to move forward

I feel no sympathy
You live inside a cave
You barely get by the rest of us are trying
No need to apologize I've got no time for feeling sorry

I try not to think of what might happen when your reality it finally cuts through
Well as for me I got out and I'm on the road and the worst part is that this could be you

You know it too
Can't run from your shame
You're not getting any younger
And time keeps passing by but you wave it away
It's time to roll over

I feel no sympathy
You live inside a cave
You barely get by the rest of us are trying
There's no need to apologize I've got no time for feeling sorry

All the best lies
They are told with fingers tied
So cross them tight
Won't you promise me tonight
If it's the last thing you do you'll get out

I feel no sympathy
You live inside a cave
You barely get by the rest of us are trying
There's no need to apologize I've got no time for feeling sorry

Looking Up
Lyrics
Things are looking up oh finally
I thought I'd never see the day when you'd smile at me
We always pull through oh when we try
I'm always wrong but you're never right you're never right

Honestly can you believe we cross the world while it's asleep?
I'll never trade it in cause I've always wanted this
And it's not a dream anymore
No
It's not a dream anymore
It's worth fighting for

Could've given up so easily
I was a few cheap shots away from the end of me
Taking for granted most everything that I would've died for just yesterday
Just yesterday

Honestly can you believe we cross the world while it's asleep?
I'll never trade it in cause I've always wanted this
And it's not a dream anymore
No
It's not a dream anymore
It's worth fighting for

God knows the world doesn't need another band
But what a waste it would've been
I can't believe we almost hung it up
We're just getting started!

Where The Lines Overlap
Lyrics
Give me attention
I need it now
Too much distance
To measure it out
Out loud
Tracing patterns across a personal map
And making pictures where the lines overlap

No one is as lucky as us
We're not at the end but oh we already won
No one is as lucky as us

Call me over
Tell me how
You got so far
Never making
A single sound
I'm not used to it but I can learn
Nothing to it
I've never been happier

No one is as lucky as us
We're not at the end but oh we already won
No one is as lucky as us

Now I've got a feeling if I sang this loud enough you would sing it back to me

No one is as lucky as us
We're not at the end but oh we already won
No one is as lucky as us

Misguided Ghosts
Lyrics
I am going away for a while but I'll be back don't try and follow me
'Cause I'll return as soon as possible
See I'm trying to find my place and it might not be here where I feel safe
We all learn to make mistakes and run from them

With no direction
We'll run from them
With no conviction

'Cause I'm just one of those ghosts
Traveling endlessly
Don't need no roads
In fact they follow me
And we just go in circles

Now I'm told that this is life and pain is just a simple compromise
So we can get what we want out of it
Would someone care to classify our broken hearts and twisted minds
So I can find someone to rely on and run to them

Full speed ahead
Oh you are not useless
We are just

Misguided ghosts
Traveling endlessly
The ones we trusted the most pushed us far away

And there's no one road
We should not be the same
But I'm just a ghost and still they echo me

They echo me in circles

All I Wanted
Lyrics
Think of me when you're out
When you're out there
I'll beg you nice from my knees
And when the world treats you way too fairly
It's a shame I'm a dream

All I wanted was you

I think I'll pace my apartment a few times
And fall asleep on the couch
And wake up early to black and white reruns
That escape from my mouth

All I wanted was you

I could follow you to the beginning
Just to relive the start
Maybe then we'd remember to slow down
At all of our favorite parts

All I wanted was you

Source : paramore

DREAM THEATER LYRICS Black Clouds and Silver Linings (2009)

1. A Nightmare To Remember

[Music by Petrucci, Portnoy, Rudess and Myung, Lyrics by John Petrucci]

A nightmare to remember
I'd never be the same.
What began as laughter
So soon would turn to pain.
The sky was clear and frigid
The air was thick and still
Now I'm not one to soon forget
And I bet I never will

Picture for a moment
The perfect irony
A flawless new beginning
Eclipsed by tragedy.
The uninvited stranger
Started dancing on his own
So we said goodbye
To the glowing bride
And we made our way back home.

Life was so simple then
We were so innocent.
Father and mother
Holding each other.

Without warning
Out of nowhere
Like a bullet
From the night
Crushing Glass
Rubber and steel
Scorching fire
Glowing lights
Screams of terror
Pain and Fear
Sounds of sirens
Smoke in my eyes
Sudden stillness
Blackened silence
No more screaming
No more cries

Stunned and bewildered
Cold and afraid
Torn up and broken
Frightened and dazed

Stunned and bewildered
Cold and afraid
Torn up and broken
Frightened and dazed

Lying on the table
In this unfamiliar place
I'm greeted by a stranger
A man without a face
He said, "Son, do you remember?
Do you even know your name?"
Then he shined a light into my eyes
And said, "take this for the pain."

Hopelessly drifting,
Bathing in beautiful agony.
I am endlessly falling,
Lost in this wonderful misery.
In peaceful sedation, I lay half awake
And all of the panic inside starts to fade.
Hopelessly drifting,
Bathing in beautiful agony.

"Tell me does this hurt you?"
Said the faceless man.
"Can you move all of your fingers?
Can you try your best to stand?"
I asked about the others
Is everyone OK?
He told me not to worry
As he turned and looked away.

Hopelessly drifting,
Bathing in beautiful agony.
I am endlessly falling,
Lost in this wonderful misery.
In peaceful sedation, I lay half awake
And all of the panic inside starts to fade.
Hopelessly drifting,
Bathing in beautiful agony.

Day after day
And night after night
Replaying the events
Did they ever see the red light?

Over and over
Scene by scene
Like a recurring nightmare haunting my dreams.
How can you prepare for what would happen next?
No son should ever have to see his father such a mess
It's a miracle he lived
It's a blessing no one died
By the Grace of God above
Everyone survived

Life was so simple then
We were so innocent.
It will stay with us forever
A nightmare to remember


2. A Rite Of Passage

[Music by Petrucci, Portnoy, Rudess and Myung, Lyrics by John Petrucci]

Since the new world order
Played upon our fears
Spreading accusations
Of radical ideas

The brotherhood of wisdom
Strength and dignity
Its rituals and secrets
Remain a mystery

Beneath an ever watchful eye
The angels of the temple fly

Turn the key
Walk through the gate
The great ascent
To reach a higher state
A rite of passage

The final stage
A sacred home
Unlock the door
And lay the corner stone
A rite of passage

Men of wealth and power
Influence and fame
Philosophers and leaders
All members of the trade

Bound by oath and honor
Like the rose and cross
An enigmatic union
Of esoteric thought

Beneath an ever watchful eye
The angels of the temple fly

Turn the key
Walk through the gate
The great ascent
To reach a higher state
A rite of passage

The final stage
A sacred home
Unlock the door
And lay the corner stone
A rite of passage

Turn the key
Walk through the gate
The great ascent
To reach a higher state
A rite of passage

The seven stars
The rising sun
A perfect world
Where new life has begun
A rite of passage

3. Wither

[Music & Lyrics by John Petrucci]

Let it out, let it out
Feel the empty space
So insecure
Find the words
And let it out

Staring down, staring down
Nothing comes to mind
Find the place
Turn the water into wine

But I feel I'm getting nowhere
And I'll never see the end

So I wither
And render myself helpless
I give in
And everything is clear
I breakdown
And let the story guide me

Turn it on
Turn it on
Let the feelings flow
Close your eyes
See the ones you used to know

Open up open up
Don't struggle to relate
Lure it out
Help the memory escape
Still this barrenness consumes me
And I feel like giving up

So I wither
And render myself helpless
I give in
And everything is clear
I breakdown
And let the story guide me

I wither
And give myself away

Like reflections on the page
The world's what you create

I drown in hesitation
My words come crashing down
And all my best creations
Burning to the ground
The thought of starting over
Leaves me paralyzed

Tear it out again
Another one that got away

I wither
And render myself helpless
I give in
And everything is clear

I wither
And render myself helpless
I give in
And everything is clear
I breakdown
And let the story guide me
I wither
And give myself away

Like reflections on the page
The world's what you create


4. The Shattered Fortress

[Music by Petrucci, Portnoy, Rudess and Myung, Lyrics by Mike Portnoy]

[X. Restraint]

Freedom calls my name
Serenity keeps me sane
Happiness -- it dulls the pain

Honest to see my place
Open to other ways
Willingness to understand

Justice but do not judge
Courtesy for others' flaws
Kindness -- it's not that hard

Self-restraint of tongue and pen
Inventory -- my daily friend
Analysis let down your guard

Look in the mirror
What do you see?
The shattered fortress
That once bound me

Faithful ascent, through darkest fires
I've found the path to take me higher

You're smart enough for me to trust go live your life now
Just keep these steps in your life and you'll know how
If you're not sure, ask yourself,
"Have I done to them as I would have them do to me?"

Look in the mirror
What's that you see?
The shattered fortress
Fly now be free

Faithful ascent, through darkest fires
I've found the path to take me higher

I once thought it better to be right
But now I have finally seen the light
Sometimes you've got to be wrong
And learn from mistakes
I live with serenity now
Not self-righteous hate

[XI. Receive]

(Help me be a channel of Thy peace
That where there is hatred, I may bring love;
That where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness;
That where there is discord, I may bring harmony;
That where there is error, I may bring truth;
That where there is doubt, I may bring faith)

Now that you can see all you have done
(That where there is despair, I may bring hope;
That where there are shadows, I may bring light)

It's time to take that step into the kingdom
(That where there is sadness, I may bring joy)

All your sins will help to make you strong
(That I may seek rather to comfort, than to be comforted.
That I may seek to understand than to be understood)

And help you break right through the prison wall
(That I may seek to love, rather than to be loved,
for it is by self-forgetting that one finds,
it is by forgiving that one is forgiven)

Keep all of me,
The desires that once burned me deep inside
Help me live today
And help to give me grace
To carry out your way

I am ready, help me be all I can be
I am ready, help guide me and keep me free

[XII. Responsible]

I am responsible when anyone, anywhere
Reaches out for help, I want my hand to be there
I am responsible when anyone, anywhere
Reaches out for help, I want my hand to be there

[Dedicated to Bill W. and all of his friends]


5. The Best Of Times

[Music by Petrucci, Portnoy, Rudess and Myung, Lyrics by Mike Portnoy]

Remember days of yesterday
How it flew so fast
The two score and a year we had,
I thought it would always last
Those summer days and west coast dreams
I wished would never end
A young boy and his father,
Idol and best friend

I'll always remember
Those were the best of times
A lifetime together
I'll never forget

The morning shows on the radio
The case of the missing dog
Lying on the pillows at the old 812
Watching Harold and Maude
The record shops, the stickball fields
My home away from home
And when we weren't together
The hours on the phone

I'll always remember
Those were the best of times
I'll cherish them forever
The best of times

But then came the call
Our lives changed forever more
"You can pray for a change
But prepare for the end..."

The fleeting winds of time
Flying through each day
All the things I should've done
But time just slipped away
Remember seize the day
Life goes by in the blink of an eye
With so much left to say

These were the best of times
I'll miss these days
Your spirit lit my life each day

Thank you for the inspiration
Thank you for the smiles
All the unconditional love
That carried me for miles
It carried me for miles
But most of all thank you for my life

These were the best of times
I'll miss these days
Your spirit lit my life each day
My heart is bleeding bad
But I'll be OK
Your spirit guides my life each day

[In Loving Memory of Howard Portnoy 1940-2009]


6. The Count Of Tuscany

[Music by Petrucci, Portnoy, Rudess and Myung, Lyrics by John Petrucci]

Several years ago
In a foreign town
Far away from home
I met the Count of Tuscany

A young eccentric man
Bred from royal blood
Took me for a ride
Across the open countryside

Get into my car
Let's go for a drive
Along the way
I'll be your guide
Just step inside

Maybe you recall
A cannibal curator
A character inspired by my brother's life

Winding through the hills
The city far behind
On and on we drove
Down narrow streets and dusty roads

At last we came upon
A picturesque estate
On sprawling emerald fields
An ancient world of times gone by

Let me introduce
My brother
A bearded gentleman
Historian
Sucking on his pipe
Distinguished accent
Making me uptight
No accident

I want to stay alive
Everything about this place
Just doesn't feel right
I
I don't want to die

Suddenly I'm frightened for my life

I want to say goodbye
This could be the last time
You see me alive

I-
I may not survive
Knew it from the moment we arrived

Would you like to see
Our secret holy place?
I come here late at night
To pray to him by candle light

Then peering through the glass
I saw with belief
Still dressed in royal clothes
The saint behind the altar

History recalls
During times of war
Legend has been traced
Back inside these castle walls

Where soldiers came to hide
In barrels filled with wine
Never to escape
These tombs of oak are where they died

Down the cellar stairs
I disappear
Like the angel's share
The end is near

Come and have a taste
A rare vintage
All the finest wines
Improve with age

I want to stay alive
Everything about this place
Just doesn't feel right
I
I don't want to die
Suddenly I'm frightened for my life

I want to say goodbye
This could be the last time
You see me alive

I
I may not survive
Knew it from the moment we arrived

Could this be the end?
Is this the way I die?
Sitting here alone
No one by my side

I don't understand
I don't feel that I deserve this
What did I do wrong?
I just don't understand

Give me one more chance
Let me please explain
It's all been circumstance
I'll tell you once again

You took me for a ride
Promising a vast adventure
Next thing that I know
I'm frightened for my life

Now wait a minute man
That's not how it is
You must be confused
That isn't who I am

Please don't be afraid
I would never try to hurt you
This is how we live
Strange although it seems
Please try to forgive

The chapel and the saint
The soldiers and the wine
The fables and the tales
All handed down through time

Of course you're free to go
Go and tell the world my story
Tell about my brother
Tell them about me
The Count of Tuscany...

Source : darklyrics

"Dig Out Your Soul" Lyrics Album by Oasis

Bag It Up
GOLD AND SILVER AND SUNSHINE IS RISING UP
POUR YOURSELF ANOTHER CUP OF LADY GREY
TAKE MY HAND IN THE MEANTIME
WHEN YOU’VE HAD ENOUGH
YOU’LL FIND ME ON THE END OF THE RUNWAY, BABE

TELL THE WORLD THAT YOU LOVE THEM
IN A MELODY
SEND MY OLD PIANO AND A TELEGRAM
GOTTA GET ME A DOCTOR
WITH A REMEDY
I’M GONNA TAKE A WALK
WITH THE MONKEY MAN!

SOMEONE TELL ME I’M DREAMING
THE FREAKS ARE RISING UP THROUGH THE FLOOR
BUT EVERYTHING I BELIEVE IN
IS TELLING ME THAT I WANT
MORE…MORE…MORE

LAY YOUR LOVE ON THE FIRE
WHEN YOU COME ON IN
I GOT MY HEE-BEE-JEE-BIES
HIDDEN IN A BAG
TELL ME WHAT YOU DESIRE
AND WE’LL BAG IT UP…

The Turning
EYES OVER THE CITY
RISE UP FROM YOUR SOUL
THEY HANG OVER THE STREETS AT NIGHT
BROUGHT ON BY THE COLD
WE LIVE WITH THE NUMBERS
MINING A DREAM
FOR THE SAME OLD SONG
WHAT HOPE FOR THE TURNING
IF EVERTHING YOU KNOW IS WRONG

SO COME ON SHAKE YOUR RAG DOLL, BABY
BEFORE YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND
COME ON WHEN THE RAPTURE TAKES ME
BE THE FALLEN ANGEL BY MY SIDE

IF YOU CARRY THE LANTERN
I’LL CARRY YOU HOME
IF YOU SEARCH FOR THE DISAPPEARED
I’LL BURY THE COLD
YOURS IS A MESSIAH
MINE IS A DREAM AND IT WON’T BE LONG
NO HOPE FOR THE JOURNEY
IF NO-ONE EVER SEES THE DAWN

Waiting For The Rapture
I STILL DON’T KNOW WHAT I WAS WAITING FOR
BIG LOVE TO FALL DOWN FROM THE SKY?
SHE TOOK MY HAND AND PICKED ME UP OFF THE FLOOR
SHE PUT AN APPLE IN MY EYE

I SAID I’M TIRED – COME GET ME OFF THE MERRY-GO-ROUND
I’M WIRED – COME FEED ME AND THEN BRING ME DOWN

SHE COME UP TO ME – CAN’T REMEMBER WHAT SHE SAID
‘COS I WAS IN A TRANCE AND I FORGOT IT ALL
BANGING ON ABOUT ALL THAT REVOLUTION IN HER HEAD
MAKING LOVE SEEM SO MAGICAL

SHE SAID I’M TIRED – COME GET ME OFF THE MERRY-GO-ROUND
I’M WIRED - WELL HEAVEN MUST’VE SENT YOU
TO SAVE ME FOR THE RAPTURE

The Shock Of The Lightning
I’M ALL OVER MY HEART’S DESIRE
I FEEL COLD BUT I’M BACK IN THE FIRE
I’M OUT OF CONTROL BUT I’M TIED UP TIGHT
COME IN – COME OUT – TONIGHT

I’M COMING UP IN THE EARLY MORNING
I FEEL LOVE IN THE SHOCK OF THE LIGHTNING
I FALL INTO THE BLINDING LIGHT
COME IN – COME OUT – COME IN - COME OUT – TONIGHT

LOVE IS A TIME MACHINE… UP ON THE SILVER SCREEN
IT’S ALL IN MY MIND…
LOVE IS A LITANY… A MAGICAL MYSTERY
ALL IN GOOD TIME… ALL IN GOOD TIME… ALL IN GOOD TIME

I GOT MY FEET ON THE STREET BUT I CAN’T STOP FLYING
MY HEAD’S IN THE CLOUDS BUT AT LEAST I’M TRYING
I’M OUT OF CONTROL BUT I’M TIED UP TIGHT.
COME IN – COME OUT – TONIGHT

THERE’S A HOLE IN THE GROUND INTO WHICH I’M FALLING
GOD SPEED TO THE SOUND OF THE POUNDING
I’M ALL INTO THE BLINDING LIGHT
COME IN – COME OUT – COME IN – COME OUT - TONIGHT


I`m Outta Time
HERE’S A SONG
IT REMINDS ME OF WHEN WE WERE YOUNG
LOOKING BACK AT ALL THE THINGS WE’VE DONE
YOU GOTTA KEEP ON KEEPING ON

OUT TO SEA
IT’S THE ONLY PLACE I HONESTLY
CAN GET MYSELF SOME PEACE OF MIND
YOU KNOW IT’S GETTING HARD TO FLY

IF I’M TO FALL
WOULD YOU BE THERE TO APPLAUD
OR WOULD YOU HIDE BEHIND THEM ALL
COS IF I HAVE TO GO
IN MY HEART YOU GROW
THAT’S WHERE YOU BELONG

IF I’M TO FALL
WOULD YOU BE THERE TO APPLAUD
OR WOULD YOU HIDE BEHIND THEM ALL
‘COS IF I HAVE TO GO
IN MY HEART YOU GROW
THAT’S WHERE YOU BELONG

I’M OUTTA TIME
I’M OUTTA TIME
I’M OUTTA TIME
I’M OUTTA TIME
I’M OUTTA TIME

(Get Off Your) High Horse
GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE LADY
I DON’T NEED A RIDE TONIGHT
GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE LADY
I DON’T NEED A RIDE TONIGHT
LAY DOWN

I HEAR YOUR SOUL SONG SINGING
FROM A FIRE IN THE SKY
I HEAR YOUR SOUL SONG SINGING
FROM A FIRE IN THE SKY
RAIN DOWN

Falling Down
THE SUMMER SUN THAT BLOWS MY MIND
IS FALLIN’ DOWN ON ALL THAT I’VE EVER KNOWN
IN TIME WE’LL KISS THE WORLD GOODBYE
FALLIN’ DOWN ON ALL THAT I’VE EVER KNOWN…
IS ALL THAT I’VE EVER KNOWN

A DYING SCREAM MAKES NO SOUND
CALLIN’ OUT TO ALL THAT HAVE EVER KNOWN
HERE AM I, LOST AND FOUND…
CALLIN’ OUT TO ALL

WE LIVE A DYING DREAM…
IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN…
IT’S ALL THAT I’VE EVER KNOWN…
IT’S ALL THAT I’VE EVER KNOWN

CATCH THE WHEEL THAT BREAKS A BUTTERFLY
CRY THE RAIN THAT FILLS THE OCEAN WIDE
I TRIED TO TALK WITH GOD TO NO AVAIL
I CALLED HIM UP IN-AND-OUT OF NOWHERE
I SAID IF YOU WON’T SAVE ME
PLEASE DON’T WASTE MY TIME

To Be Where There`s Life
DAYS, TURNING TO NIGHT
PRAY, FOR THE LIGHT
LET ME COME THROUGH
LET ME TAKE YOU
WAY OVER THE LINE

EVERYONE FALL IN, EVERYONE FALL IN,
JAILERS COME CRAWLING
NEIGHBOURS JUMP WALLING,
LET ME COME THROUGH
LET ME TAKE YOU
WAY, OVER THE LINE, OVER THE LINE
OVER THE LINE, OVER THE LINE.

AND WE’LL WAKE
TO BE WHERE THERE’S LIFE
SHAKE, THE WILL TO COMPLY.
FEARS DON’T TRY ME
TEARS DON’T CRY ME
AND WE’LL WAKE,
TO BE WHERE THERE’S LIFE.

WHEN WE COME CALL OUT
EVERYTHING’S SOLD OUT
TV JUST CLOSED DOWN
NOTHING ON THE NEWS NOW
FEARS DON’T TRY ME
TEARS DON’T CRY ME
AND WE’LL WAKE.
TO BE WHERE THERE’S LIFE, BE WHERE THERE’S LIFE
BE WHERE THERE’S LIFE, BE WHERE THERE’S LIFE.

DIG OUT YOUR SOUL
‘COS HERE WE GO
WE GOTTA MOVE
IT’S WHAT WE DO

LET ME COME THROUGH
LET ME TAKE YOU
AND WE’LL WAKE.
TO BE WHERE THERE’S LIFE
BE WHERE THERE’S LIFE
BE WHERE THERE’S LIFE

TAKE YOU OVER THE LINE
UNDER THE SIGNS
IN THROUGH LOCKED DOORS
UP TO SECRET FLOORS
WHERE WE’VE ALL STOOD BEFORE.

Ain`t Got Nothin
THEY GOT NOTHING FOR ME ANYMORE
THEY GOT NOTHING FOR YOU
I DON’T CARE WHAT THEY SAY ANYMORE
ALL I WANT IS THE TRUTH

OUT ON BAIL
TO UNVEIL
HERE’S A SONG
SING ALONG
WATCH MY STYLE
PICK UP PACE
WIPE THAT SMILE
FROM YOUR FACE

OUT ON BAIL
TO UNVEIL
HERE’S A SONG
SING ALONG
WATCH MY STYLE
PICK A PACE
WIPE THAT SMILE
FROM YOUR FACE

THEY GOT NOTHING ON ME ANYMORE
THEY GOT NOTHING ON YOU
I DON’T CARE WHAT THEY SAY ANYMORE
ALL I WANT IS THE TRUTH

The Nature Of Reality
THE NATURE OF REALITY
IS PURE SUBJECTIVE FANTASY
SPACE AND TIME AND HERE AND NOW
ARE ONLY IN YOUR MIND

I SEEN OFF GOD AND DEVIL TOO
WITH NO WEAPON, JUST THE TRUTH
BELIEF DOES NOT EXISTENCE MAKE
IT’S ONLY IN YOUR MIND

THE NATURE OF REALITY
IS ONLY IN YOUR MIND

Soldier On
HOLD THE LINE
FRIEND OF MINE
SING A SONG
SOLDIER ON

SHINE A LIGHT
FOR ME TONIGHT
DON’T BE LONG
SOLDIER ON

WHO’S TO SAY
YOU WERE RIGHT
AND I WAS WRONG
SOLDIER ON

COME THE DAY
COME THE NIGHT
I’LL BE GONE
SOLDIER ON

Source : oasisinet

Lostprophets

Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins and guitarist Mike Lewis grew up together in the Cardiff satellite town of Pontypridd. They began blending musical genres as members of the band Public Disturbance. Watkins was a drummer at the time, but he moved to vocals when the pair first started experimenting as Lozt Prophetz. Watkins and Lewis flirted with ska and hip-hop at first, then came to an aggressive style of rock that mixed together their longtime love of metal and pop. They also changed the spelling to Lostprophets and added Lee Gaze (guitar), Stuart Richardson (bass), and Mike Chiplin (drums) to the lineup.

After Lostprophets' demo was featured in Kerrang! magazine, U.K. independent label Visible Noise offered them an album deal in 2000. That year's The Fake Sound of Progress was recorded over the course of a week for roughly $4,000. Hitting the road to promote the album, the band played support slots with Linea 77, Taproot, Pitchshifter, Linkin Park, and the Deftones, and a huge show at the 2001 Reading Festival helped the fan base grow. Keyboardist Jamie Oliver joined the band to expand its sound, and Sony signed the band in the U.S., releasing a different version of The Fake Sound of Progress in 2001, one that had been remixed and "retooled" by famed producer Michael Barbiero. A North American tour followed.

The album's successor, 2004's Start Something, proved that all the gigging had paid off. It debuted at number five on the U.K. charts and reached number 33 on the Billboard Top 200 despite having been leaked early on the Internet. More touring followed, including a sold-out show at the giant Cardiff International Arena and a main-stage performance at the 2004 Reading Festival. In 2005 the bandmembers were considering different producers for their third effort before deciding on Bob Rock, the man responsible for Metallica's self-titled "Black Album." Drummer Chiplin departed so Rock and the band recruited drummer Josh Freese -- who had worked with A Perfect Circle, Rob Zombie, and many others -- for recording sessions. The completed album, Liberation Transmission, was released at the beginning of summer 2006. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide

Source : mtv

Alanis Morissette

Alanis Morissette was one of the most unlikely stars of the mid-'90s. A former child actress turned dance-pop diva, Morissette later transformed herself into a confessional alternative singer/songwriter in the vein of Liz Phair and Tori Amos. However, she bolstered that formula with enough pop sensibility, slight hip-hop flourishes, and marketing savvy to become a superstar with her third album, Jagged Little Pill.

Morissette was born in Ottawa, Canada, and began playing piano and writing songs during her childhood years. She also joined the cast of You Can't Do That on Television, a children's television program. Using money that she earned on the show, Morissette recorded an independent single, "Fate Stay with Me," which was released when she was only ten years old. Morissette then concentrated on a musical career after leaving the show's cast, signing a music publishing contract when she was 14. The publishing contract led to a record deal with MCA Canada, and Morissette moved to Toronto before releasing her debut album, Alanis, in 1991.

Alanis was a collection of pop-oriented dance numbers and ballads that found success in Canada, selling over 100,000 copies and earning the singer a Juno Award for Most Promising Female Artist. However, no other country paid much attention to the record. In 1992, Morissette released Now Is the Time, an album that closely resembled her debut. Like its predecessor, it was a success in Canada, even if its sales did not match those of Alanis. Following the release of Now Is the Time, Morissette relocated to Los Angeles, where she met veteran producer Glen Ballard in early 1994. Ballard had previously written Michael Jackson's hit single "Man in the Mirror," produced Wilson Phillips' hit debut album, and worked with actor/musician David Hasselhoff. The two decided to work together, and despite their shared experience with mainstream pop, they opted instead to pursue an edgier, alternative rock-oriented direction. The result was Jagged Little Pill, which was released in 1995 on Madonna's label, Maverick Records.

On the strength of the angst-ridden single "You Oughta Know," Jagged Little Pill gained attention upon its release in the summer of 1995. The song soon received heavy airplay from alternative radio outlets and MTV, sending the album into the Top Ten and helping it achieve multi-platinum status. Jagged Little Pill's subsequent singles -- "Hand in My Pocket," "All I Really Want," "You Learn," "Ironic," and "All I Really Want" -- kept the album in the Top Ten for an astounding 69 weeks, and Alanis Morissette was nominated for six Grammys in early 1996. She won several of those awards, including Album of the Year and Song of the Year.

While she never managed to replicate the success of Jagged Little Pill, Morissette continued to release well-received albums into the 21st century. Her much-anticipated follow-up, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, was released in the autumn of 1998, setting a record for the highest first-week sales by a female artist. An Unplugged set appeared a year later and featured a cover of the Police's "King of Pain," while 2002's Under Rug Swept saw Morissette writing and producing without the help of collaborators. So-Called Chaos followed in 2004. A year later, she took Jagged Little Pill on the road as an acoustic tour. Those tour dates led to the release of Jagged Little Pill Acoustic, an album originally (and tellingly) sold exclusively through Starbucks outlets. Morissette and her fans had grown up, and Collection -- an 18-track retrospective of her work -- followed in November 2005. But Morissette wasn't done, returning in 2008 with her seventh studio effort (and fifth international release), Flavors of Entanglement. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Source : mtv

My Chemical Romance

With their emo-punk songcraft, theatrical vocals, and stylized neo-goth appearance, My Chemical Romance rose from the East Coast underground to the forefront of modern rock talent during the mid-2000s. In keeping with the tragic element of the group's best-known singles -- including "Helena,", "I'm Not OK (I Promise)," "Famous Last Words," and "Welcome to the Black Parade" -- My Chemical Romance has roots in catastrophe, as frontman Gerard Way decided to form the band after watching New York's Twin Towers collapse on September 11th, 2001. Drummer Matt Pelissier joined the project one week later, while Way dealt with his growing anxiety by penning the group's first song,"Skylines and Turnstiles". Guitarist Ray Toro climbed aboard soon after, and the quintet's ranks solidified with the addition of bassist Mikey Way (Gerard's younger brother) and guitarist Frank Iero. With their lineup in place, the bandmates began playing shows along the Northeast Corridor and made plans to start work on an album.

My Chemical Romance's debut effort, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love, appeared in 2002 courtesy of New York's Eyeball Records. Comparisons to Thursday were frequent; both bands hailed from New Jersey, both had recorded for Eyeball, and both combined punk-pop's musical aggression with introspective, confessional lyrics. The album attracted a modest underground following, and My Chemical Romance jumped to the big leagues in 2003 by signing with Reprise Records. The following year, they released the aggressively slick Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, a platinum-selling album that featured cover art by Way himself. Proving to be hugely popular, the album produced several radio singles and popular MTV videos, including "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)," "Helena," and "The Ghost of You."

Amid this growing popularity, Pelissier departed in mid-2004 and was replaced by drummer Bob Bryar, who had previously met the band while running sound for the Used (with whom the band had toured several years prior). Relentless touring followed, with My Chemical Romance headlining dates with Alkaline Trio, scoring an opening slot on Green Day's American Idiot tour, and sharing bills with Story of the Year and Taking Back Sunday. As My Chemical Romance prepared to enter the studio for their third album, they issued a stop-gap recording, Life on the Murder Scene, in March 2006. The CD/double-DVD package offered an extensive combination of demos, music videos, live footage, interviews, and more; it sufficiently tied fans over until My Chemical Romance (now boasting a sober and bleach-haired Gerard Way) issued the darkly conceptual and highly ambitious The Black Parade that October. Anticipation for the album reached its apex upon the release of its grandiose first single, "Welcome to the Black Parade," whose elaborate music video looked and sounded like the result of Tim Burton directing Queen. The record acheived platinum status by early 2007 and was followed by a live recording, Black Parade Is Dead!, in 2008. ~ Andrew Leahey & Alex Henderson, All Music Guide

Source : mtv

Dire Straits

Dire Straits was a british rock band, formed in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (guitar and vocals), his brother David Knopfler (guitar), John Illsley (bass), and Pick Withers (drums), and subsequently managed by Ed Bicknell. Dire Straits emerged during the post-punk era of the late ’70s, and while their sound was minimalistic and stripped down, they owed little to punk. If anything, the band was a direct outgrowth of the roots revivalism of pub rock, but where pub rock celebrated good times, Dire Straits were melancholy. Led by guitarist/vocalist Mark Knopfler, the group built their sound upon the laid-back blues-rock of J.J. Cale, but they also had jazz and country inflections, occasionally dipping into the epic song structures of progressive rock. The band’s music was offset by Knopfler’s lyrics, which approximated the winding, stream-of-conscious narratives of Bob Dylan. As their career progressed, Dire Straits became more refined and their new maturity happened to coincide with the rise of MTV and the compact disc. These two musical revolutions from the mid-’80s helped make Dire Straits’ sixth album, Brothers in Arms, an international blockbuster. The band - along with Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, and Steve Winwood - become one of the leaders of a group of self-consciously mature veteran rock & rollers in the late ’80s that designed their music to appeal to aging baby boomers. Despite the band’s international success, they couldn’t sustain their stardom, waiting a full six years to deliver a follow-up to Brothers in Arms, by which time their audience had shrunk significantly.

Knopfler (born August 12, 1949) was always the main force behind Dire Straits. The son of an architect, Knopfler studied English literature at Leeds University and worked briefly as a rock critic for the Yorkshire Evening Post while at college. He began teaching English after his graduation, leading a pub rock band called “Brewer’s Droop” at night. By 1977, Mark was playing with his brother David (guitar) and his roommate John Illsley (bass). During the summer of 1977, the trio cut a demo with drummer Pick Withers. A London DJ named Charlie Gillett heard the demo and began playing “Sultans of Swing” on his BBC show Honky Tonkin’. Following a tour opening for Talking Heads, the band began recording their debut for Vertigo Records with producer Muff Winwood in early 1978. By the summer, they had signed with Warner in America, releasing their eponymous debut in the fall. Thanks to the Top Ten hit “Sultans of Swing”, Dire Straits was a major success in both Britain and America, with the single and album climbing into the Top Ten on both sides of the Atlantic.

The LP “Dire Straits” established Dire Straits as a major force on album-oriented radio in America, and their second album, “Communiqué” (1979), consolidated their audience, selling three million copies worldwide. As the group was recording its third album, David Knopfler left the band to pursue a solo career; he was replaced by former Darling member Hal Lindes. Like its predecessor, “Making Movies” was a sizable hit in America and Britain, even though the band was criticized for musically treading water. Nevertheless, the record went gold on the strength of the radio and MTV hits “Romeo and Juliet” and “Skateaway”. Dire Straits followed the album two years later with “Love Over Gold”, an album filled with long, experimental passages, plus the single “Private Investigations”, which became a number two hit in the United Kingdom. The album went gold in America and spent four weeks at number one in Britain. Shortly after the release of “Love Over Gold”, former Rockpile drummer Terry Williams replaced Withers.

During 1982, Knopfler began exploring musical avenues outside of Dire Straits, scoring the Bill Forsyth film “Local Hero” and playing on Van Morrison’s “Beautiful Vision”. Apart from releasing the “Twisting by the Pool” EP early in 1983, Dire Straits were quiet for the majority of 1983 and 1984, as Knopfler produced Bob Dylan’s “Infidels”, as well as Aztec Camera and Willy DeVille; he also wrote “Private Dancer” for Tina Turner’s comeback album of the same name.

In the spring of 1984, the band released the double album “Alchemy: Dire Straits Live” and by the end of the year, they had begun recording their fifth studio album with their new keyboardist, Guy Fletcher.

Released in the summer of 1985, “Brothers in Arms” was Dire Straits’ breakthrough album, making the band international stars. Supported by the groundbreaking computer-animated video for “Money for Nothing”, a song which mocked music videos, the album became a blockbuster, spending nine weeks at the top of the American charts and selling over nine million copies; in England, the album became the biggest-selling album of the ’80s. “Walk of Life” and “So Far Away” kept “Brothers in Arms” in the charts through 1986, and Dire Straits played over 200 dates in support of the album.

Once the tour was completed, Dire Straits went on hiatus for several years, as Knopfler produced records by Randy Newman and Joan Armatrading, scored films, toured with Eric Clapton, and recorded a duet album with Chet Atkins: “Neck and Neck” (1990). In 1989, he formed the country-rock group Notting Hillbillies, whose sole album, “Missing…Presumed Having a Good Time”, became a British hit upon its spring 1990 release. During the extended time off, John Illsley recorded his second album; the first appeared in 1984.

In 1990, Knopfler reconvened Dire Straits, which now featured Illsley, Clark, Fletcher, and various session musicians. The band released “On Every Street” in autumn 1991 to great anticipation. However, the album failed to meet expectations - it only went platinum in America but went to number one in the UK charts and most of Europe - it failed to generate a hit single in the UK. The tour embarked on was massive but may have been a bit of a disappointment, with many tickets going unsold in both the U.S. and Europe. Once the tour was completed, the live album “On the Night” was released in the spring of 1993 and the band again went on hiatus.

Dire Straits released one last album in 1995, Live at the BBC, as a contractual album release to Vertigo Records. That same year, Knopfler disbanded the group.

In 1996, Knopfler launched his solo career with Golden Heart.This followed the highly acclaimed album Sailing to Philadelphia with various known musicians, including James Taylor and Van Morrison, making appearances on what is probably Knopfler’s best solo lp to date.

Source : last.fm

Tenacious D

Tenacious D (often referred to as “The D” and sometimes introduced as “The Greatest Band in the world. Period.”) is an American satirical rock duo formed by musicians and actors Kyle Gass and Jack Black in Los Angeles, California in 1994. Their music fuses vulgar absurdist comedy with rock music in a style that critics have described as “mock rock”. The band first gained reputation in 1999, starring in a self-titled HBO TV series. The drumming on both of their albums and the devils voice on the track Beelzeboss (also the one who plays Satan in The Pick of Destiny movie) was performed by Dave Grohl (of Nirvana, Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age fame).

Tenacious D’s music showcases Black’s theatrical vocal delivery and Gass’ acoustic guitar playing abilities. Their songs discuss the duo’s purported musical and sexual prowess, as well as their friendship and cannabis usage. Their debut self-titled album features absurd and humorous sketches. Music critics have compared the storyteller-style lyrics of their songs to lyrics of rock opera. In addition, they have since recorded two albums, and starred in their own movie, Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny.

Black and Gass, at the time respectively aged 16 and 24, met in Edinburgh, Scotland during the Edinburgh Fringe of 1989. Both were members of the Los Angeles-based theatre troupe, The Actors’ Gang which was performing Tim Robbins and Adam Simon’s play Carnage. Initially Black and Gass did not get on as Gass felt threatened by Black - as he was the main musician for the Actor’s gang - but they eventually worked out their differences, and agreed to form a band. Gass taught Black to play guitar, in exchange for Black’s helping him with his acting.

Initially, Black and Kyle covered songs by Bobby McFerrin. Later they chose the name “Tenacious D” - a name derived from a term used by sports commentator Marv Albert about the tenacious defense of the NBA’s New York Knicks - decided by the audience of the band’s first live show, in 1994 at the now defunct Al’s Bar. Other possibilities had included “Pets or Meat”, “Balboa’s Biblical Theatre” and “The Axe Lords Featuring Gorgazon’s Mischief”, which Gass described as being his personal favorite. In attendance was David Cross who later cast Tenacious D in his sketch comedy television series, Mr. Show.

TV series:

David Cross, with the writer Bob Odenkirk from Mr Show, continued his involvement with Tenacious D by producing three half-hour shows based on the band. The series, entitled Tenacious D, premiered in 1997, immediately following an episode of Mr. Show. While a total of three episodes consisting of two shorts, ten to twelve minutes in length, were produced, only the first was aired that year; the final two episodes did not air until the summer of 2000. The series was canceled after, according to Gass, HBO offered Tenacious D ten episodes, but in doing so, they would have to relinquish their role as executive producers. Gass and Black decided to make a movie instead. Many songs that eventually were included on the band’s first album were first featured on the show, though the episodes also contain songs that remain unreleased.

The six shorts were titled “The Search for Inspirado”, “Angel in Disguise”, “Death of a Dream”, “The Greatest Song in the World”, “The Fan”, and “Road Gig”. After the series aired, the band continued to perform. At a show at the Viper Room in Los Angeles, they met Dave Grohl, who remarked that he was impressed with their performance; this led to their cameo in the Foo Fighters’ “Learn to Fly” music video. The popularity of Tenacious D further increased as they began to open for high profile acts, including Beck, Pearl Jam, and Foo Fighters.


Lyrics and themes:

The Devil CardSatire and comedy are a major aspect of Tenacious D’s lyrical content. Gass said of their approach: “I’d love to do the straight music thing, but that’s kind of against our mission, which is to rebel against the serious singer-songwriter mentality.” Their songs evoke heavy metal clichés of bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. In particular, the song “Dio” pokes fun at the idea of a torch being passed “Now it’s time for him to pass the torch” Songs like “Friendship” parody the lack of real friendship in rock groups with the lyric “As long as there’s a record deal, we’ll always be friends” Other songs cover the topic of sex; “Kielbasa” discusses anal sex, while “Double Team” boasts of the duos sexual prowess. Tenacious D also employs the technique of deliberate backmasking on “Karate”, a technique synonymous with bands like Slayer, who recorded a message in Hell Awaits… The band’s imagery also continues the theme of evil. The front cover of Tenacious D features Black and Gass standing naked below the Devil. Black described it as he and Gass being “schooled by Satan”. The pose is similar to that shown on the Devil tarot card. The Devil card signifies sexual desire, uncontrolled energy, vice and addiction.

Tenacious D’s music has been criticized for its frequent use of profanity. In addition, other critics have described the band as having exhausted the joke of “cock rock”.

Influences:

Black has said that the first song he enjoyed was ABBA’s “Take a Chance on Me”. He attributes influences from Dio, Black Sabbath, Meat Loaf and Bobby McFerrin. Gass describes their influences as being derived from “big dinosaurs of rock” such as Led Zeppelin. In addition, Gass lists his influences as being Tom Waits, Tony Hawk and Tony Robbins. The band claimed that the inspiration for the song “Tribute” came after Black played Metallica’s “One” for Gass, describing it as “the best song in the world”, leading to a failed attempt to themselves write an even better song.

Gass has described Tenacious D’s comic assertion that they are the best band as being “ridiculous because it’s a matter of opinion”. Black characterizes Tenacious D’s comic nature as an antidote to “the masculinity of rock”, adding “There’s also something funny about the macho-ness of rock. Like the bands that are the fucking hardest rocking are like, ‘We’ll fucking kick your ass, dude… with our rock.’”

Tenacious D is featured in the highly anticipated video game “Guitar Hero III”. `The Metal’ is prominently featured in the game’s trailer released at E3 2007.

Tenacious D also did backing vocals on the Styx song “Kiss Your Ass Goodbye”. It can be found on the album “Cyclorama” from 2003.

They were included in Rock Band 2 with their song “Master Exploder”.

In October of 2009 Jack Black starred as roadie Eddie Riggs in the open world video game Brütal Legend by Double Fine Productions on the XBOX 360 and Playstation 3.

Source : last.fm

Pixies

Pixies are an American alternative rock band which formed in Boston, Massachusetts, United States in 1986 . They consist of Charles (Black Francis) Thompson IV (vocals, guitar; also known as ‘’Frank Black’‘), Kim Deal (bass, vocals), Joey Santiago (guitar) and David Lovering (drums). The band officially split in 1993 and reunited in 2004. They went on hiatus in 2007, with each band member pursuing projects of their own, only to reunite in 2009, with the announcement of a new tour commencing in Europe that summer.

Although quite popular on alternative rock radio in the United States due to heavy airplay of the singles “Monkey Gone to Heaven” and “Here Comes Your Man”, they were never widely popular there, but found success in Europe, especially in the UK where they managed three top 40 singles (“Velouria”, “Planet of Sound” and a re-release of “Debaser”).

In 1993, during an interview with BBC Radio 5, Black Francis announced that the band had split - something he had not told his bandmates. After the interview, he called Santiago, who in turn faxed Deal and Lovering the news the next morning. After the split, Black Francis inverted his stage name to Frank Black and embarked on a successful solo career, while Deal resumed her role in The Breeders with her identical twin sister Kelley. In 2004, the band reunited for a tour - documented in the film loudQUIETloud - and released a new single, “Bam Thwok” that summer. In 2007, Black Francis (now going by that name again) stated in an interview that the reunion was “done” even though the members remain in good terms with each other. In later interviews however, he began to mention that he might be willing to record another Pixies album. Nonetheless, Francis has returned to his solo career and Deal to the Breeders, both of which released albums and toured in 2008. Lovering and Santiago, meanwhile, set up their own project, a band called Everybody.

Recently, it has been announced that the band will perform at the Isle of Wight Festival, supporting the main headliner, Neil Young.

Source : last.fm

Weezer

As one of the most popular groups to emerge in the post-grunge alternative rock aftermath, Weezer received equal amounts of criticism and praise for their hook-heavy guitar pop. Drawing from the heavy power pop of arena rockers like Cheap Trick and the angular guitar leads of the Pixies, Weezer leavened their melodies with doses of '70s metal learned from bands like Kiss. What truly set the band apart, though, was their geekiness. None of the members of Weezer, especially leader Rivers Cuomo, were conventional rockers -- they were kids that holed up in their garage, playing along with their favorite records when they weren't studying or watching TV. As a result, their music was infused with a quirky sense of humor and an endearing awkwardness that made songs like "Undone (The Sweater Song)," "Buddy Holly," and "Say It Ain't So" into big modern rock hits during the mid-'90s. All the singles were helped immeasurably by clever videos, which may have made the songs into hits, but they also made many critics believe that the band was a one-hit wonder. Perversely, Cuomo began to feel the same way, and decided that the band would not rely on any visual gimmicks for its second album, 1996's Pinkerton. Simultaneously, Cuomo took control of the band, making it into a vehicle for his songwriting. While the album didn't sell as well as their 1994 eponymous debut, it did earn stronger reviews than its predecessor and paved the way for Weezer's long career. Cuomo's assumption of Weezer's leadership wasn't entirely a surprise, since he had been the band's primary songwriter since its inception in 1993. Raised in Massachusetts, Cuomo moved to Los Angeles to attend college in the late '80s. During high school, he had played with a number of metal bands, but his interests broadened to include alternative and post-punk music upon his move out west. By 1993, he had fused such interests together and formed Weezer with bassist Matt Sharp and drummer Patrick Wilson. Over the course of the next year, the group played in the competitive Los Angeles club scene, eventually landing a deal with DGC during the post-Nirvana alternative signing boom. Three days before Weezer began recording a debut album with producer Ric Ocasek, they added guitarist Brian Bell to the mix. Upon completing the record, Weezer went on hiatus temporarily -- Cuomo was studying at Harvard when their eponymous debut record came out. With the support of DGC and a striking, Spike Jonze-directed video, "Undone (The Sweater Song)" became a modern rock hit in the fall of 1994, but what made Weezer a crossover hit was "Buddy Holly." Jonze created an innovative video that spliced the group into old footage from the sitcom Happy Days and the single quickly became a hit, making the album a multi-platinum success as well. By the time the album's final single, "Say It Ain't So," was released in the summer of 1995, the group had gone on hiatus once again, with Cuomo returning to Harvard. During the time off, Sharp and Wilson formed the new wave revival band the Rentals, who had a hit later that year with "Friends of P." During the hiatus, Cuomo became a recluse, disappearing at Harvard and suffering writer's block. When Weezer reconvened in the spring of 1996 to record their second album, he had written a loose concept album that featured far more introspective material than their debut. Ironically, the band sounded tighter on the resulting album, Pinkerton. Released in the fall to generally strong reviews, the album failed to become a hit, partially because Cuomo did not want the band to record another series of clever videos. Grudgingly, the remainder of the band contented themselves to be a supporting group for Cuomo, largely because each member had his own solo project scheduled for release within the next year. DGC, however, had the band make one last chance at a hit with "The Good Life," but by the time the single was released, MTV and modern rock radio had withdrawn their support not only from Weezer, but their style of guitar-driven punk-pop in general. Shortly after the tour in support of Pinkerton was completed in 1997, it appeared as though Weezer had fallen off the face of the planet. Stung by the public's initial reaction to their sophomore effort (Rolling Stone even named Pinkerton the Worst Album of 1996), the band took time off to regroup and plan its next move. Unhappy with the sluggish rate of the reassessment period, Sharp left the group to concentrate more fully on the Rentals, fueling rumors that Weezer had broken up. But a funny thing happened during Weezer's self-imposed exile -- while their copycat offspring were falling by the wayside (Nerf Herder, Nada Surf), a whole new generation of emocore enthusiasts discovered Weezer's diamond-in-the-rough sophomore effort for the first time, and their audience grew despite not having a new album in the stores. Once Weezer's members wrapped up work on their side projects (Bell: Space Twins; Wilson: the Special Goodness), the band recruited former Juliana Hatfield bassist Mikey Welsh to take the place of Sharp and began working on new material. Before they could enter the recording studio to record their third release, however, Weezer tested the waters by landing a spot on the 2000 edition of the Warped Tour, where they were consistently the day's highlight. Hooking up again with the producer of their 1994 debut, Ric Ocasek, Weezer recorded what would be known as "The Green Album" (an informal title given by fans, since it was actually their second self-titled release). The album was an immediate hit, debuting at number four in May 2001 and camping out in the upper reaches of the charts for much of the spring/summer, during which such songs like "Hash Pipe" and "Island in the Sun" became radio and MTV staples, reestablishing Weezer as one of alt-rock's top dogs. During their tour that summer, Welsh fell ill and was replaced by Scott Shriner, also of the band Broken. That fall and winter, the group busied itself with touring alongside bands like Tenacious D and recording its next album, Maladroit, which arrived a year after The Green Album's release. Just before Maladroit's release, former bassist Matt Sharp sued Weezer, seeking compensation and songwriting credit for songs such as "Undone (The Sweater Song)," "El Scorcho," and "The Good Life." The band eventually reconciled with Sharp, though he didn't rejoin, and Weezer continued on with the lineup of Cuomo, Bell, Wilson, and Shriner. The limited-edition live EP Lion and the Witch appeared in May 2002, and Maladroit's "Keep Fishin'" was released as a single. Most of 2003 was spent on side projects; Cuomo did some hired-gun songwriting, Bell's band the Space Twins put out End of Imagining, and Wilson's Special Goodness project issued Land Air Sea. Weezer returned to the studio in 2004, working with Rick Rubin on their fifth full-length album. Make Believe appeared in May 2005, prepped by the single "Beverly Hills," and eventually went platinum in multiple countries. Weezer (Red Album) followed in 2008 and featured a more collaborative approach, with several bandmembers contributing songwriting ideas and lead vocals to the tracks. One year later, the band returned with Raditude. Stephen Thomas Erlewine & Greg Prato, All Music Guide

Source : starpulse

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds was originally formed in 1983 in Melbourne, Victoria by two former members of the Australian band The Birthday Party: Nick Cave (vocals, songwriter, keyboards, harmonica) and multi-instrumentalist Mick Harvey. They were joined by Einstürzende Neubauten member Blixa Bargeld (guitar), Hugo Race (guitar), and former Magazine member Barry Adamson (bass, piano). Cave’s former girlfriend Anita Lane was also a creative influence and occasional lyricist. This line-up recorded their debut album, From Her To Eternity, released in 1984. During their initial Australian tour, Birthday Party bass guitarist Tracy Pew also performed with the band.

The name of the new project indicated the shift in Cave’s role from band member, as in The Birthday Party, to band leader, and coincided with his shift in songwriting style from expressionism to detailed lyrical narrative. The group has been through many personnel changes, with Cave and Harvey remaining the constants.

Cave separated from Lane in the mid-1980s and began a relationship with Elisabeth Recker. While in Berlin, he released four albums with the Bad Seeds: The Firstborn Is Dead; Kicking Against the Pricks; Your Funeral… My Trial; and Tender Prey. Kicking Against the Pricks was the first album to feature the drumming of Swiss Thomas Wydler, who is the longest serving member in the band beside Cave and Mick Harvey.

In 1987, the Bad Seeds made an appearance in the Wim Wenders film, Wings of Desire. In 1990, the band collectively eliminated hard drugs from its diet, relocated to Brazil, and released The Good Son. Their next record, 1992’s Henry’s Dream, was the first to feature current members Martyn P. Casey and Conway Savage. Following it came 1994’s Let Love In.

In 1996, Cave and the Bad Seeds released Murder Ballads. It includes Henry Lee, a duet with British rock singer PJ Harvey (with whom Cave had a brief relationship), and PlayWhere the Wild Roses Grow, a duet with Australian pop idol Kylie Minogue. The latter was a mainstream hit in the UK and in Australia, winning three ARIA Awards including “Song of the Year”.

Their next album, The Boatman’s Call (1997), is marked by a radical shift away from archetypal and violent narratives to biographical and confessional songs about his relationships with Carneiro and Harvey. It was also his first full album to be centered around his own piano playing.

Cave then took a short break to rehabilitate from his 20 years of heroin and alcohol abuse, during which time he married. The band resurfaced with No More Shall We Part in 2001.

After the release of the 2003 album Nocturama, which failed to excite reviewers, Bargeld announced he was leaving the Bad Seeds to devote more time to Einstürzende Neubauten, leaving Mick Harvey as the only original member still in the band, other than Cave himself. The next year Cave released his first double record - the acclaimed two-disc set Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus.

In 2005, Cave and the Seeds released B-Sides and Rarities, a three-disc, 56-track collection of B-sides, rarities and tracks that had appeared on film soundtracks.

In October 2007 Cave was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame. During his acceptance speech he cheekily took it upon himself to also induct the Australian members of the Bad Seeds (excluding Hugo Race), plus the members of The Birthday Party (excluding Phill Calvert).

In March 2008, the band released their 14th studio album, titled Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!, inspired by the Biblical story of the resurrection of Lazarus of Bethany by Jesus Christ.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds also released an exclusive “Live Session” EP through iTunes in April 2008, recorded at the legendary Air studios on 2nd March as part of iTunes’ “Live From London” series.

Despite initial reports that the Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!! tour would exclude North American venues, it was reported on April 29, 2008 that the band will be playing dates across the United States and Canada in Fall of 2008.

On the 22nd of January 2009, Mick Harvey announced on the band’s web page that he will now longer be part of The Bad Seeds.

Besides his performances with the Bad Seeds, Nick Cave also leads a side-project called Grinderman. Grinderman performs live and records albums with Cave on piano, Ellis on violin and a fluctuating bass/drums line-up. The current quartet includes Bad Seeds’ Martyn P. Casey, Jim Sclavunos and Warren Ellis; as the project includes so many Bad Seeds members it is therefore sometimes referred to as “Mini-Seeds”.

Current line-up is:
Nick Cave - vocals, piano, organ, harmonica, percussion, electric guitar, string arrangements (1984-)
Thomas Wydler - drums, percussion, vocals (1987—)
Martyn P. Casey - bass, vocals (1991—)
Conway Savage - piano, organ, vocals (1991—)
Warren Ellis - violin, fender mandocaster, loops, mandolin, tenor guitar, viola, bouzouki, accordion, flute, lute, piano, programming, percussion, string arrangements, vocals (1994—)
Jim Sclavunos - percussion, drums, organ, melodica, vocals (1996—)
James Johnston - organ, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals (2003—)

Past members, guest and touring musicians:
Mick Harvey - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, drums, organ, percussion, piano, loops, string arrangements, vocals (1984-2009)
Blixa Bargeld - electric guitar, slide guitar, pedal steel guitar, vocals (1984–2003); original member who quit after almost 20 years
Anita Lane - lyrics (1984)
Barry Adamson - bass, electric guitar, drums, organ, piano, percussion, vocals (1984-1986)
Hugo Race - electric guitar, vocals (1984)
Rowland S. Howard - electric guitar, organ, vocals
Tracy Pew (deceased) - bass
Kid Congo Powers - electric guitar, slide guitar (1986-1989)
Roland Wolf (deceased) - piano, organ, electric guitar, vocals (1986-1989)

Source : last.fm

The Doors

From their beginnings during the summer of 1965 at Venice Beach, California, The Doors were truly aband, a remarkable fusion of creative energies, a lot of attention has been focused on Jim Morrison which his looks and talents clearly justify. However, Jim was well aware that the magic of The Doors could never havehappened without the fortunate forging of John Densmore, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek and Jim Morrison into a single creative whole. It is no mystery why Jim Morrison never went solo; so sympathetic were the three other musicians to Jim's mission that such a consideration was out of the question. Robby Krieger, or example, was able to write lyrics and music that sounded more like Morrison than Morrison himself-- among them "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times,"and "Love Her Madly." Without Krieger, Manzarek and Densmore there is a strong chance that Jim's songs would never have made it off the page, into rehearsal, onto the stage, into the recording studio and, in defiance of all odds, to successive g
enerations who have since discovered The Doors as a "new" group.

Ray Manzarek, a classically trained pianist, raised in Chicago with a deep love for the blues, wrote the themes for many of the songs and played not only the keyboard parts but simultaneously (with his left hand) propelled the band with melodic driving bass lines. John Densmore, a jazz drummer with an unbeatable knack for shamanic rhythm and theatrical timing... the band's tireless engine. Robby Krieger, a songwriting secret weapon who could play any guitar, from classic flamenco to bottle-neck blues, to creating styles and sounds previously unheard on this planet. And Jim Morrison, the baritone, eclectic/electric poet with an innate compositional gift and the soul of a mystic. Together these men brought The Doors' songs to life, they were equal points of a musical diamond.

The band took its name from the poet-visionary-artist William Blake, who had written, "When the doors of perception are cleansed, things will appear to man as they truly are...infinite." English author Aldous Huxley was sufficiently inspired by Blake's quote to title his book on mescaline experiences The Doors of Perception. Morrison was so connected to both works that he proposed, The Doors, to his bandmates. Everyone agreed that the name, as well as the inspiration from which it sprang, was perfect to convey who they were and clearly representive for what they stood for. The group was signed to Elektra Records, then a small folk-music record company, in July of 1966 by Jac Holzman, Elektra's founder.

By April 1971, The Doors had recorded six landmark studio LP's and a two -record set of live performances, the first seven discs with producer Paul A. Rothchild and the last one co-produced by The Doors and their career-long engineer Bruce Botnick... both The Doors and Elektra had grown into world famed institutions. The band's unstated goal was to accomplish musical alchemy, to fuse rock music with both existential poetry and improvisational theater. Jim was greatly influenced by the nineteenth century poet Arthur Rimbaud and he dutifully imparted Rimbaud's philosophy to the group. Rimbaud advocated a systematic "rational derangement of all the senses in order to achieve the unknown."

Morrison was a man who would not, could not, and did not know how to compromise himself or his art. He was driven to go all the way or die trying, the ultimate ecstatic risk taker. Manzarek, Krieger and Densmore's contribution to this state of creative ecstasy cannot be underestimated. In order for the musical spell to be successfully cast they gave willingly and generously, the power of improvisation that drove Morrison onstage required the other three Doors to not merely play arrangements but to follow Jim's unplanned creative arc perfectly in one of the music's classic and most difficult feats, the art of intuitive accompaniment. Statement to the press, "For me, it was never really an act, those so-called performances.

It was a life-and-death thing, an attempt to communicate, to involve many people in a private world of thought." During the late 1960's bands sang of love and peace while acid was passed out. But for The Doors it was different. The nights belonged to Pan and Dionysus, the gods of revelry and rebirth, and the songs invoked their potent passions, the Oedipal nightmare of "The End," the breathless gallop of "Not to Touch the Earth," the doom of "Hyacinth House," the ecstasy of "Light My Fire," the dark uneasy undertones of "Can't See Your Face in My Mind," and the alluring loss of Consciousness in "Crystal Ship." And as with Dionysus, The Doors willingly offered themselves as a sacrifice to be torn apart, to bleed, to die, to be reborn for yet another night in another town. To be a poet meant more to Morrison than writing poems. It meant embracing the tragedy fate has chosen for you and fulfilling that destiny with gusto and nobility.

In the end, after conquering America, after being shackled by the courts and laws of the land that he loved, he escaped to Paris, traditional home of so many expatriate artists, to pursue his life as a poet. But his body was too worn down, his heart too weak; he had already seen and done and drunk too much. He had lived life on his own terms, had reaped the rewards, and now the bill was due. His spirit was tired. Death was simply closer and easier than returning to America, to the endless succession of stages it demanded. Jim Morrison passed away in Paris on July 3, 1971. His dying wish was to be remembered as a poet.

Pamela Morrison used to tell a story from the very earliest day of The Doors. They were playing their first club, The London Fog. It was their last set of the night and there were only three people in the club, two drunks and Pamela. The band was incandescent. Jim raged and exploded with super-human passion, a transcendent performance. Pam was stunned. In the car she could say nothing...long after arriving home she was still speechless. Jim asked, "What's wrong baby?" Pam said, "There were three people in the club during the last set. But you burned like you were performing for thousands of people. Why did you go so far, risk so much for a tiny audience that was barely aware of your presence?" Jim looked at her and said slowly, "You never know when you're doing your last set." Considering the force of energy generated by The Doors over 25 years ago, that "last set" could well be several generations away.

Source : sing365

Dave Matthews Band

Dave Matthews Band was formed in Charlottesville, VA in 1991 by South African native singer and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, the late LeRoi Moore, who played a wide variety of instruments from the saxophone to the flute, violin player Boyd Tinsley, drummer Carter Beauford, and keyboardist Peter Griesar (who left the band in 1993), all of whom Dave met in Charlottesville. In 1998, the band played shows with keyboardist Butch Taylor, although he is not officially a member of the band. Taylor played with the band for the stadium runs of the 1999 and 2000 summer tours. From May 18th, 2001 on, Taylor was a permanent fixture on stage, and in 2003 was no longer listed as “special guest”. Even though he was never officially part of the lineup, the band recently announced that Butch was leaving the band via their website, and the 2008 summer tour had some of the first shows without Taylor in years. Rashawn Ross has performed at every normal show from 12.13.05 until the present, leading some to believe that he has joined the band, at least semi-permanently. It is also confirmed that Ross was in the studio with the band during the recent sessions. As of early 2009, Ross, long time collaborator Tim Reynolds, and new saxophonist Jeff Coffin are listed as “Touring Members”.

Early 1990s

In the early 1990s, the band established a cult following through relentless touring with weekly stops at Virginia clubs known as Trax and Floodzone, an active taping community, and an independent LP, Remember Two Things. (Keyboardist Griesar left the band in 1993, shortly before the release of “Remember Two Things”.) After signing to RCA Records, Dave Matthews Band, under the direction of producer Steve Lillywhite, released Under the Table and Dreaming in 1994, a critical and popular smash that firmly established the band’s style of pop-rock with improvisational leanings. Under the Table and Dreaming would be the first of three albums released under Lillywhite’s direction. This was followed by Crash (1996). For most of America, Crash was the record that put the Dave Matthews Band on the map. Featuring the hit single “Crash Into Me”, as well as fan-favorites such as “Two Step”, “Tripping Billies”, and the Grammy-winning “So Much to Say”, Crash would go on to be the band’s best selling album.

History

David John Matthews was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1967. Two years later, his family moved to Westchester County, NY. His father was a physicist and worked for IBM at the time. He has two sisters (Anne and Jane) and a brother (Peter). After living in New York, his family moved to Cambridge, England in the early ’70s. The family returned to New York where his father died in 1977. In 1980, the family moved to South Africa where the young Matthews went to several schools and “got more wise about the evils of government, there and in general.” He first played at a club in Charlottesville (Miller’s) where he worked as a bartender. He admitted to Playboy magazine that he was really never that good at bartending, but loved getting customers…well…”drunk as hell!” He was first discovered in a demo tape that he recorded with a couple of current band members. This all came about when he decided to put together a demo tape and decided that he needed some musical accompaniment; which ended up as the Dave Matthews Band. In 1994, his sister Anne died in a domestic tragedy at her home in South Africa. The Grammy nominated album “Under The Table and Dreaming” is dedicated to her.

Community

Dave Matthews Band is highly involved in giving a helping hand. In 2003, the Band held a concert entitled, “The Central Park Concert” which was held in New York City’s Central Park. The concert helped New York City Public Schools, the band is a big supporter of education.

The band also held a concert that helped victims of Katrina.

Sadly, Leroi Moore passed away in 2008. After being seriously injured in an ATV accident in Virginia, Moore succumbed to his injuries on August 19, 2008. He was replaced by Jeff Coffin, famous for his work with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones.

Source : last.fm

Lenny Kravitz

Leonard Albert “Lenny” Kravitz (born May 26, 1964. New York, USA) is an american singer-songwriter, record producer, and guitarist whose retro amalgam of rock, pop, funk, and even techno is inspired by such music icons as Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon. Like Prince and Sly Stone before him, Kravitz uses a multi-ethnic, mixed-gender backing band.

Kravitz plays guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, percussion, and sitar. He often plays these instruments on each recorded track, but frequently collaborates with other musicians as well when recording.

His 1989 debut album Let Love Rule was a moderate success. In 1991 he released his second album, Mama Said, which reached the top 40 of the Billboard album charts. In 1993, the album Are You Gonna Go My Way was released, reaching #12 on the Billboard 200 and Kravitz earned a Brit Award for best international male artist in 1994. He released the Circus album in 1995, which reached number 10 on the Billboard chart on the back of his past achievement. With 5 (1999), Kravitz embraced digital technology such as Pro Tools and samplers for the first time. He would win the first of his four consecutive Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards of 1999.

His cover version of The Guess Who’s hit “American Woman” won him another Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards of 2000. Kravitz released a Greatest Hits compilation in 2000. It proved to be his most successful album. The single “Again” would earn him his third consecutive Grammy for the Best Male Rock Vocal in the Grammy Awards of 2001. Kravitz released his sixth album Lenny in October 2001. He won his fourth consecutive Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal at the Grammy Awards of 2002. Kravitz’s seventh album Baptism was released in May 2004. His lastest album, It Is Time For A Love Revolution was released in 2008. He has always edited his albums on Virgin Records America

He is the son of Ukrainian-Jewish American NBC television news producer Sy Kravitz, and Bahamian American actress Roxie Roker, best known as her character Helen Willis on the hit 1970s television sitcom The Jeffersons.

Source : last.fm

Kings of Leon

Only By The Night

Caleb Followill - lead vocals, rhythm guitar / Jared Followill - bass / Matthew Followill - lead guitar / Nathan Followill - drums

When Kings of Leon released their third album Because Of The Times in April 2007, Entertainment Weekly called it their "crowning achievement," while Rolling Stone wondered: "How good can the Kings of Leon get? They've already gone further than anybody could have guessed."

Coming as it did on the heels of 2003's rowdy Youth and Young Manhood and 2005's brawny Aha Shake Heartbreak, the expansive Because of The Times was indeed a pivotal and game-changing album. It led the Followills - Tennessee-bred Caleb, Nathan, and Jared, and their cousin Matthew - to astonishing success around the world. In the U.S., the band has sold out New York City's fabled Radio City Music Hall and The Greek Theatre in Hollywood. In the U.K., Kings of Leon headlined this summer's legendary Glastonbury Festival, as well as the Oxygen Festival in Ireland, and sold out their upcoming December show at London's 20,000-seat 02 Arena (where Led Zeppelin held its reunion concert) in less than an hour.

But if critics thought that Because of The Times was the work of a band "at the peak of its powers" (as the Los Angeles Times put it), they may want to reconsider that assessment after hearing Kings of Leon's new album Only By The Night, due from RCA Records on September 23rd. Only By The Night picks up where Because of The Times left off, continuing Kings of Leon's shape-shifting evolution and cementing their status as a world-class rock band.

"After three records and touring for five years straight, we knew what we were capable of," says the band's drummer Nathan, "we just had to put our money where our mouths were. We had to take it to the next level. You always want your next record to be better than your last." Adds frontman and lyricist Caleb: "There's never a time that we'll make a record and won't attempt to do something better than what came before."

With its stunning melodies, ringing guitars, and razor-sharp grooves, Only By The Night delivers on the promise Kings of Leon have shown throughout their career. From the desolate atmospherics of the opening track "Closer" (which Caleb says is about a lovesick vampire) to the emotional intensity of the closing ballad "Cold Desert" ("about a man at the end of his rope who picks himself back up"), Only By The Night is all heart from start to finish.

Album highlights include the insistently chugging first single "Sex on Fire" ("there's always been an element of sex in our music, so I thought I'd just wrap it all up in one song and be done with the sex for the rest of the record," Caleb jokes), the throbbing, propulsive "Crawl" (about relationships of all kinds and taking them for granted), and the sonically sweeping "Use Somebody," which Caleb wrote while feeling lonely on the road. "It's about being far from home." Then there's the soaring uplift of "Manhattan," which is partly about dancing and enjoying life and partly about the struggles of Native Americans. "'Manhattan' is actually a Native American word that means 'island of many hills,'" says Caleb, who adds that his family has Native American blood. Finally there's the driving, forceful "Notion," which finds the singer pushing back against anyone who says anything against anyone in his band.

Caleb's instinct for insularity is not surprising given that the band is made up of family members. The familial vibe extended to the recording process when Kings of Leon returned to Nashville's Blackbird Studio in April 2008 with their long-time producer Angelo Petraglia and Nashville-based producer/engineer Jacquire King, who also mixed Aha Shake Heartbreak. "Angelo keeps it fun and youthful," Nathan says. "He and Jacquire were cool enough to tell us when we really needed to stop playing Wall Ball and get serious, rather than being stern and scaring the shit out of us. It kind of took the pressure off."

Petraglia and King also encouraged the experimental process the Followills first engaged in when making Because Of The Times, giving the band the freedom to explore all of their ideas. "We had the opportunity to really get in there and be more hands-on as far as the production goes," Caleb says. "We wanted to prove ourselves a bit more. We got to kick our heels up, have drinks, and relax while recording." Adds Nathan: "You can tell from the music that we're definitely comfortable."

"To me it sounds like the Kings of Leon are back not only as a band, but as friends," Caleb says. "Every night after recording we'd go to a bar together, hang out and talk about what we were going to do the next day, rather than all of us going to our separate homes. It was really a big family vibe. That's where the title comes from. It's also a reference to a poem by Edgar Allan Poe, and it has five syllables, like all of our album titles."

Caleb had written most of the lyrics and melodies for Only By The Night during some downtime at home recovering from shoulder surgery. "I think the pain pills inspired him a little more than he realized," Nathan says with a laugh. "He would play us a song and we'd say, 'When did you write that?' and he'd say, 'I don't really remember writing it. I just woke up with an empty bottle of wine and my songbook open and these words written down.'" Says Caleb: "Those pills can make you feel so nice. I think a lot of the pretty melodies came from that and from me just opening more."

Another influence could be their experiences playing arenas, not only in support of Because Of The Times, but while opening for U2 in 2005 and Bob Dylan and Pearl Jam in 2006 and 2008. "We definitely wanted the songs to sound good in a 15,000-seat venue, but we also wanted them to have the kind of intimacy that would get the point across at a club show for 300 kids," Nathan says.

Overall, the Followills knew it was time to be honest about their ambitions and prove what they could really do. Caleb, for one, unleashes some of the most righteous, anguished singing he's ever recorded. "I knew it was a risk for me to go in there and really open up and belt the way that I know that I can; the way that I used to when I was younger," he says. "I just hid my singing for so long because I was nervous that people would listen to my lyrics, assume I wasn't intelligent because I'm from Tennessee, and pick me apart, so that's why I sang the way I did. But going into this, I knew these melodies that we were playing were too beautiful for me to fuck it up. I had to go for it."

"Basically we got the point where we realized that we can be known as a band that hit it hard for three records and disappeared, or be a band that was smart enough to realize that not very many bands get to make four records, so let's make the most of this," Nathan says. "Because honestly, we were horrible housepainters and that's what we'd be doing if we weren't doing this!"

Source : kingsofleon