The band released their debut EP A Bomb on a Laramie communal label, One Legged Pup, in 2002 and soon after on October 31st 2003 the band released their first album, Another Way, on vinyl only through that same label.
After touring through 2004, they set to work on their next release, Total, which was released in April 2005 through Red Scare. After more touring in support of Total, and a spot on the warped tour, they recorded their next LP for Red Scare, Warning Device, which was released on January 8, 2008. A video was released for the song "In the Basement" on December 28, 2007.
On February 10th 2009, Teenage Bottlerocket signed with punk label Fat Wreck Chords, later releasing They Came From The Shadows, their fourth album, on the 15th of September.
The band's most recent album, Tales From Wyoming was released in the spring of 2015 through Rise Records.
On November 7th, 2015 drummer Brandon Carlisle passed away after being hospitalized and comatose for a few days prior. Following the news of his passing, the band was initially ambiguous as to whether or not they would continue on but announced shortly thereafter that, with the addition of Darren Chewka formerly of Old Wives, Teenage Bottlerocket would indeed continue as a band.
Skate or Die
Teenage Bottlerocket Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We're gonna win,
We're making skate a fucking threat again.
We're on the prowl,
For something cool,
We're gonna shred your empty swimming pool.
We're doing slappy's at the Circle K,
And I did gnarly boneless while my walkman blasts out JFA
[Chorus:]
Don't be a pussy,
there's no need to cry,
So shut up and get rad,
cuz' now it's time to skate or die.
Yeah you don't even need to know the reason why,
Just shut up and get rad,
cuz' now it's time to skate or die.
Go!
Mullen's my god,
He brings me joy,
The second coming of skate and destroy.
Brian was brave,
He hit a cop,
He won a trip down at the donut shop.
We're waging war against the posers of the day,
If we play our cards right someday,
we might be in the Bones Brigade.
[Chorus]
Skate!
The lyrics to "Skate or Die" by Teenage Bottlerocket represent a punk rock attitude towards skateboarding, which was a cultural phenomenon that emerged in the 1980s. The song is an anthem for skaters, encouraging them to skate with a sense of rebellion and toughness. The opening lines, "We're gonna fight, we're gonna win, we're making skate a fucking threat again," suggest that skating is more than just a hobby, but a form of resistance against authority and conformity.
The lyrics also reference some famous skaters, such as Rodney Mullen and Brian Smith, who were known for pushing the limits of the sport. Mullen is described as a "god" who brings joy, while Smith is celebrated for hitting a cop and winning a trip to a donut shop. These references add to the song's celebration of skateboarding as an act of defiance.
The chorus, "Don't be a pussy, there's no need to cry, so shut up and get rad, cuz' now it's time to skate or die," reinforces the idea that skating is not for the faint of heart. The song encourages skaters to be bold and fearless, even if they don't fully understand why. Overall, "Skate or Die" is a rallying cry for skateboarding as a subculture that values independence, creativity, and a willingness to take risks.
Line by Line Meaning
We're gonna fight,
We're going to make our mark by standing up for ourselves and what we believe in.
We're gonna win,
We're determined to come out victorious in our pursuits.
We're making skate a fucking threat again.
We're reclaiming the skateboarding culture and showing how significant it is.
We're on the prowl,
We're looking for something exciting and interesting to do.
For something cool,
We want to find something that is trendy and fun to do.
We're gonna shred your empty swimming pool.
We will use anything to skate on including an abandoned swimming pool.
We're doing slappy's at the Circle K,
We're skating on the curbs at Circle K convenience stores.
And I did gnarly boneless while my walkman blasts out JFA
I was doing an impressive move while my portable cassette player was playing music by Jody Foster's Army.
[Chorus:]
Chorus begins.
Don't be a pussy,
Don't be afraid or hesitant.
there's no need to cry,
There's no reason to be upset or emotional about this.
So shut up and get rad,
Stop talking and start being cool/exciting.
cuz' now it's time to skate or die.
This is the moment to prove ourselves or fail trying.
Yeah you don't even need to know the reason why,
It doesn't matter why we're doing this; we just know we have to do it.
Just shut up and get rad,
Stop being negative and start being awesome.
cuz' now it's time to skate or die.
This is our chance to show what we're made of or suffer the consequences.
Go!
Go for it!
Mullen's my god,
Rodney Mullen is my hero and inspiration.
He brings me joy,
Watching Rodney Mullen skate gives me happiness and pleasure.
The second coming of skate and destroy.
Rodney Mullen is the new generation's 'Skate and Destroy' legend, continuing to push the limits of what can be accomplished on a skateboard.
Brian was brave,
Brian was courageous.
He hit a cop,
He skated into a police officer.
He won a trip down at the donut shop.
As a result, he was injured and had to go to the hospital.
We're waging war against the posers of the day,
We're fighting against those who pretend to be skaters but aren't really passionate about it.
If we play our cards right someday,
If we are careful and strategic in our actions, there's a chance we could be successful.
we might be in the Bones Brigade.
We might join the esteemed team of professional skateboarders known as the Bones Brigade.
[Chorus]
Chorus repeats.
Skate!
Skating is our passion!
Contributed by Luke A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.