10,000 Maniacs have gone through a variety of musicians throughout the history of the band. Here is a partial list of the past, present, and touring musicians:
Jerry Augustyniak - Jerry has been the drummer of 10,000 Maniacs since 1983. He's also played with the bands The Stains, Only Humen, League of Blind Women, The Michael Lee Jackson Band, Buffalo Rising, The Damn Straights, etc. He has been the band's main backing vocalist since 1994.
Rob Buck - Rob was the lead guitar player from 1981 to 1999. He co-wrote many of the band's most popular songs. Rob died December 19, 2000 of liver failure at the age of 42.
Duane Calhoun - Duane played lead guitar for 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 while Rob Buck was officially in the band, but not performing with them.
Chet Cardinale - Chet was an early drummer for the band. He left to pursue a career in acupuncture.
Jim Colavito - Jim played saxophone with the band in 1981.
Dennis Drew - Dennis has been the keyboard player in the band since 1981. He's also played with The Mighty Wallop!, where he co-wrote much of the band's material, played keyboards, and had lead and harmony vocal duties.
Jeff Erickson - Jeff took over lead guitar after his friend and guitar teacher Rob Buck died, beginning by playing a short set during the band's only 2001 appearance. The first time he played with the band was December 12, 1998 on the song "These Are Days", while Buck was away from the band. Jeff was a lead singer/guitar player in the short-lived band The Mighty Wallop!.
Tim Edborg - Tim played drums with 10,000 Maniacs in 1981.
Morgan Fichter - Morgan was a touring musician with the band in 1992-1993, playing violin and singing backing vocals. She's also played with Camper Van Beethoven and Phish among others.
Jim Foti - Jim was the studio drummer for the band's 1982 EP Human Conflict Number Five.
Steve Gustafson - Steve has been the band's bass player since 1981. He has also been one of the band's backing vocalists in their live performances since 1994. He was also the bass player in The Mighty Wallop!.
Debbie Heverly - Debbie played piano with the band in 1981.
Michael Lee Jackson - Michael replaced Rob Buck as the touring lead guitar player on December 11, 1998 and stayed in that spot until the summer of 1999, when Buck returned. Michael has played in Animal Planet and The Michael Lee Jackson Band.
Amanda Kramer - Amanda was a touring musician with 10,000 Maniacs in 1992 and 1993 as a second keyboard player, also lending her harmony vocals to some of the songs. Occasionally, she'd back Rob up on guitar, picking up an acoustic on several songs. She was formerly the Keyboardist for the 80's New Wave band Information Society
John Lombardo - John, the band's rhythm guitar player and occasional odd vocalist, co-wrote most of the early Maniacs songs, but left the band in 1986, right before the band "made it big." He returned in 1994 with his duo partner Mary Ramsey, and picked up right where he left off by writing and shaping the band's music. He left the band again in 2002 after the first rehearsal before the "hits" tour.
Natalie Merchant - Natalie was the voice of 10,000 Maniacs from 1981 until she decided to embark on a solo career in 1993. In her later years with the band, she played piano as well.
Terry Newhouse - Born February 19, 1957 in Corry, Pennsylvania, Terry was a keyboard player and vocalist in the band "Still Life", which was the band's name before they began calling themselves "10,000 Maniacs." At one time, she was married to Rob Buck. Newhouse died June 8, 2005 at WCA Hospital in Jamestown, New York at the age of 48.
Mary Ramsey - Mary opened up shows with John Lombardo as John & Mary in 1990 and would play viola and sing backing vocals with the band on a few songs in 1990-1991. She a touring musician with the band in 1992-1993, playing viola and singing backing vocals. When Natalie Merchant left the band in 1993, Mary replaced her on lead vocals and added the viola as a main instrument of the band, starting with live shows in 1994 and continuing on until 2001. Oskar Saville replaced her as lead singer in 2002, but Mary agreed to become a touring musician with the band in 2006, singing backing vocals and playing viola on select songs. Mary agreed to be the lead singer for the band again for their final show of 2007 after Oskar Saville left the band.
Oskar Saville - Oskar took over lead vocals from Mary Ramsey in 2002. She occasionally plays acoustic guitar during live performances. May 8, 2003 was her first live performance with the band. During the song "Stockton Gala Days", she pulled the band's webmaster (at the time) Adam Zeitz on stage to share lead vocals. Oskar was the former lead singer of Rubygrass and also has a solo career. She left the band in late Summer, 2007 and was replaced by the woman she replaced, Mary Ramsey.
Few and Far Between
10000 Maniacs Lyrics
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Of all the things I have done, you think I'm proud of everyone without exception?
'Till you make your peace with yesterday, you'll never build a future
I swear by what I say
Whatever penance you do, decide what it's worth to you and then respect it
However long it will take to weather your mistakes, why not accept it?
My hands, for now, are tied
I'm a body frozen
I'm a will that's paralyzed
When will you ever set aside your pain and misery?
No matter how I beg, no matter how I wish or plead, you'll never be more than alive
You'll never do more than survive until you expect it
Do you want to build a world with our lives?
You better soon decide or you can forget it
My hands, for now, are tied
I'm a body frozen
I'm a will that's paralyzed
'Till you drop that heavy baggage you're dragging behind,
there won't be room for us to both go this ride
The song "Few and Far Between" by 10,000 Maniacs reflects on the regrets we carry and the importance of making peace with our past to move forward. The lyrics suggest that moments of clarity are fleeting and rare, and that we often struggle to let go of our past mistakes. The first verse illustrates this by saying that few and far between are the times when we can look at our lives without regret. The second verse suggests that we need to find peace with our past to build a better future. This sentiment is emphasized by the repeated line, "Until you make your peace with yesterday, you'll never build a future."
The chorus talks about the feeling of being trapped and restricted by our pain and regrets. The singer feels "a body frozen" and "a will that's paralyzed." These feelings are further emphasized with the line, "My hands, for now, are tied." The lyrics suggest that until we let go of this heavy burden, we won't be able to move forward with someone else. As the song closes, the singer tries to persuade their partner to let go of the past, saying that if they continue to drag it around, it will prevent both of them from "going on this ride."
Overall, "Few and Far Between" is a reflective song about the importance of self-forgiveness and moving beyond our past regrets in order to build a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Times are far between, and few I bet, when we can look upon our lives without regret
There are only a few instances in life when we are able to reflect upon our past without feeling any remorse
Of all the things I have done, you think I'm proud of everyone without exception?
Just because I have done things, it doesn't mean I'm proud of everything I have done
'Till you make your peace with yesterday, you'll never build a future
It's impossible to build a future until you have made peace with the events of the past
I swear by what I say
I am being truthful and sincere about what I am saying
Whatever penance you do, decide what it's worth to you and then respect it
Choose a punishment that you find deserving and respect it as an act of atonement
However long it will take to weather your mistakes, why not accept it?
Instead of fighting it, accept that it takes time to recover from past mistakes
My hands, for now, are tied, I'm a body frozen, I'm a will that's paralyzed
I am currently unable to take action or make decisions due to feeling stuck and helpless
When will you ever set aside your pain and misery?
When will you be able to move on from your pain and misery?
No matter how I beg, no matter how I wish or plead, you'll never be more than alive
No matter what I do, you will not be fully living until you choose to move on from the past
You'll never do more than survive until you expect it
You will not thrive in life until you expect and believe that you can do more than just survive
Do you want to build a world with our lives?
Do you want to create a meaningful life together?
You better soon decide or you can forget it
If you don't make a decision soon, then it may be too late to create a meaningful life together
'Till you drop that heavy baggage you're dragging behind, there won't be room for us to both go this ride
Until you are able to let go of your past baggage, there won't be enough space for both of us to move forward together
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: NATALIE MERCHANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind