|
A tribute to the legend that was the: |
| Later Material: 1992-94 (listed in order of composition) |
| Cabbage Farm |
| This was the first song we wrote with Andrew W. The main riff/idea was supplied by Andrew C, and then we all worked out a structure together. I can't remember if I already had the words, or if I wrote them after we started looking at the music. It's a general moan about work really. Probably inspired by my stint as a skivy at Burger King. I only worked on Saturdays, but those eight hours seemed like a life time. Funily enough, I didn't hate it quite as much when it was Wimpy. |
| Is
it a scene from Day of the Dead, Forget yourself, forget yourself, forget who you are. |
| Mediocre |
| This was a strange one to write. In a very short space of time, Andrew C came up with the whole song, and structure. So at the next rehearsal we just ran through it, and it clicked. Everyone instinctively followed Andrew's flow of the song. Adding dynamics and fills, as we went. I'd written the words already, so it was just a case of deciding when I should, and shouldn't sing. By the end of that rehearsal we had it finished. Very self explanatory lyrics, with more than a touch of the Manic's about the chorus. This prayer for something new was soon answered, by the emergence of Nirvana. See some wishes do come true. |
| Hit
single number one, let me tell you how it's done. Funky drums and a soul singer, any old rapper and you're a winner. La la mediocre, na NA NA nothing bands. Ah ha mediocre, to much I can't stand. 5 4 3 3 2 1 produce a hit record you know it's fun. La La, I love you, ah yer, it's got a good beat but who cares. Rave rave rave as high as a kite, bleeping noises sound pure shite. Old men with their amps on low, same songs for 20 years, time to go. Jangley bands with nothing to say, token rabbles you think that's ok. Corporate rock we need more than this, don't tell us who's ass to kiss. |
| Get a Life |
| Same lyrics as Twist of the Knife, but with the "oh get a life" added, instead of the old title/chorus. I was a bit too embarrassed with the original words. Not that the ones I decided to leave in, were much better. The music was also a reworking of the original song, but this time it was a big improvement. This new and improved version had a much more original sound. The recorded version of this still sounds good. |
| Go
get a life. Back stabbing going on messing my life when I'm gone, back stabbing going on messing my life when will it end. |
| Dead Stars |
| This was Andrew W's first composition as a zero. I remember we had to work quite hard, to get the complicated time shifts to sound smooth. There was also a bit of collaborating with this one, as Andrew C supplied the middle/end section. For a while, I had it in my head that these lyrics were really terrible, but after listening to them in the context of the song, they aren't that bad. There are some funny lines in the verses, and it still rings true. I think it would have been better with a less blatant chorus/title. |
| A
star is dead so let's celebrate, |
| Another Day Wasted |
| Again, Andrew C came up with another great set of riffs. It was just the sort of epic track we needed in our set. We took the basic structure, and played it through until we were happy with the way it flowed. Lyrically a rather self reflecting set of words, that tied in with our general life, and that of our friends. Especially one particular good friend. He didn't seem to be making the change from teen to adult very easily. None of us really knew where we wanted to be heading, but at least we seemed to be progressing. Inevitably we all went off to university or got jobs, he never did. Sometimes you have to get away to find yourself. In this case, he stayed and lost himself. Lyrically, and musically, It was our most accomplished song to date. |
| A
good idea attempted is better than a bad one perfected. Years have robbed his will to fit in, reached 19, bruised his own shin. Can't go forward, turning his back, they know he knows what he lacks. Life stands still when you get wasted, wake up ill, another day wasted. Listen hard you might hear the hook, can I spare the effort it took. Try to understand what I think, drink think drink, the missing link. Why does now take hours to come, days weeks months, not deaf but dumb. People know what they expected, pressing stop, cassette ejected. Can't get something for nothing these days, don't worry being young's just a phase, something for nothing, you deserve nothing, you can't get something for nothing these days. |
| This Song Isn't About You |
| I was pushing both Andrew's to write more material, but nothing was quite happening. So I took the law into my own hands, and had a go at writing the music myself. I came up with the basic chords and structure, then told the others to interpret it, in what ever way they wanted. The lyrics were the best of many cringe worthy 'break up' words I'd been writing. These were cool, because they were more humorous than the other 'self indulgent' crap I also had stored up. |
| I
say a colorful metaphor cause I saw them today, but I was thinking I've just got to get away. You smiled at me I smiled at you, and I was thinking you think this song is true. You know I'm thinking, thinking up this song. I'm talking about experience, but this song isn't about you. I'm not looking for deliverance, but this song isn't about. When we're together that's hardly ever, I was thinking, thinking about revenge. Were you thinking about the past, cause I was thinking up these words so fast. Am I trying to hurt your feelings, chorus verse and bridges make this song appealing. She thinks it's about her, he thinks it's about him, do you think it's about you, do you think it's all true. |
| Me Me Me |
| My badgering bore fruit in the shape of this Andrew W rocker. I worked closely with him on the structure, and molded the lyrical flow accordingly. It's only a shame I didn't spend a bit more time on the actual words as well. It was always bit of a strange situation for Andrew W, when it came to song writing. He wrote on his guitar, but in the band he would be playing the bass. This made for some interesting style clashes when it came to Andrew C, interpreting his guitar parts. They had very opposite playing styles, which could have been a problem. Instead these conflicting elements added depth, to the song. |
| In
who's opinion, me me me, in who's opinion ah ah. Paper over the cracks hope they go away, say what you want, who's listening anyway. The morning after the night before, came knocking at my front door, held others views off for so long, what if they were right and I was wrong. In who's opinion, in who's opinion. Ignored and forgotten, mine's top, yours bottom. Stop!, if you think you'll change your mind. You say listen to Me, Me Me...... |
| You Looked Disgusting |
| Competition being the best source of inspiration, Andrew C soon came up with his answer to our recent compositions. These last three songs show, exactly where each of us were at, musically. Mine was indie/punk, Andrew W's was metal/rock, and Andrew C came up with this blues/punk/rock number. At the time we found it hard to settle on a common sound for the band. We each had our own idea's about that. Looking back on it now, it was this mixture of styles that created a sound, and gave us individuality. These words were inspired by, the many nights we would spend going to Exeter's quay side clubs: Boxes, and Volts. Drinking, dancing, and trying to attract members of the opposite sex. |
| When
you've had a bottle of whisky, a snake bite and black. Everyone around you starts looking misty, they can't stop you acting a prat. Faces Faces Faces, who are they? Faces now mere traces, hey hey hey hey. I saw you the other night, you looked disgusting, You've changed such a lot, thanks for nothing. Smoked a splif feeling lucky, chat some one up while you can. Rolling on the dance floor getting mucky, she took one look at you and ran. You looked disgusting, but I was looking in the mirror. |
| No Revs No Maids |
| Finally
we got it. This was the best thing we had written since Another
Day Wasted. Musically it was Andrew C's baby, and what a job
he did with it. Very full on, but still strangely tuneful. Again
showing that the really great tracks just click. In a city like Exeter, there are many different groups of people thrown together, in a relatively small space. This doesn't always make for a harmonious time. Boxes night club was a classic example, upstairs was the 'townie' crowd, and down stairs was the rock/grunge kids. When the two paths crossed, there were the inevitable fights. We would always be taking the piss out of the 'Boy Racers', and their flash cars. This song was a direct piss take of certain people we saw 'burning' about the city. The title was a phrase, our friend Sam came up with. We really could imagine people using it, and they probably did. I wrote the words very quickly, with help from Andrew C, who supplied the second verse. |
| Superficial
life you're the king, in you're car boy racing. Life's
a blur at the speed of light, In
the Red Lady, no skill no survival, No Rev's No Maids. Men
or mice, cheenos, furry dice, |
| We Were Geeks (now everyone wants to talk to us) |
| Out of all our songs, this would be the one labeled 'a classic'. A great tune, and an amusing, well observed set of words. The music was all Andrew C. He had the chorus finished very quickly, but it wasn't until he came up with the main riff, that the song really took off. The title came from a conversation I had with Ed. I think he may have actually said "you know what, we were geeks now everyone wants to talk to us". As soon as I got home, I wrote that one down for later use. It's still one of my favorite set of lyrics. |
| I
don't know what I've done this morning, but it's taken me all day to do. How can you look your self in the face, when you know that everyone hates you. Are we talking or are you just making conversation, You're cooler than me so this talk has no reason. We were geeks, we were geeks, now everyone wants to talk to us. You keep telling me to be a man, well in that case I'll wear a dress. Always telling me to be a man, I can't so come on call me a fag. If you feel you need a different face, erase me now and steal my place, but who want's to be a nothing, no I didn't think so. |
| Self Obsessed So Called Friend |
| This was almost a post Absolute Zeros song. We'd all come to the point in our lives, when we were either thinking of, or already at university. So keeping the band going was getting more and more difficult. We decided to record all our outstanding songs, and then let nature take it's course. It's a shame really because this was probably the point when we would have done very well. This near-final Zeros track was written on guitar by Andew W, and never played live. With the way it had been written, it didn't seem right to record this song in our normal line up. So they swapped. Andrew W played guitar, and Andrew C played bass. I really like the words for this one, and I had a great time shouting the chorus, in the recording session. It basically about the selfishness of self pity, and was definitely at the time, aimed at a certain ex bassist. That was very me at this point, no confrontations, just write a song about it instead. Not that any of that matters now. It's all piss down the plug hole. |
| Just
when you though you were happy, here comes someone to wipe the
smile off your face. I only cut myself just to show you, it
hurt but you know it was meant to. I know the feeling of being
depressed, I get the same feeling when we get undressed. You
are my mirror, I think about me, never you, why can't I see
how you see me. Self Obsessed so called friend, listen to me or I'm going to kill myself. For someone who hates themselves, you think about yourself all the time. For someone who hates themselves, you're the only person that you love. I don't like the way I look, I don't like the way I act, I can't stand my every thought, I even hate the things I bought. Self destructive, so destructive, self destructive, reproductive. You've been good friends to me, but I'll repay you by, screwing you're girlfriend, causing trouble, leave a trail of misery with the shit I shovel. |
A history of the Exeter Punk Scene can be found at: http://welcome.to/hometownatrocities
In association with EPO Records