After relocating to Atlanta, the band recorded a single, "Holes" b/w "Heaven", and two independent records, Get It Together and 15 Dryden, for New Vision Records. Personality clashes had led to Giordano's ouster after the first LP. The band then met an ascendant Brendan O'Brien, near the beginning of his producing career, with whom they recorded the albums You and What An Experiment His Head Was for DB Records. After establishing themselves as a well-known regional college-rock band, they signed a contract with Atlantic Records in the early 1990s and recorded Book of Bad Thoughts. Like all of their efforts, the album was lauded by critics, but establishing commercial viability proved more difficult. Subsequent tours supporting The Reivers, Semisonic, The Black Crowes, Matthew Sweet, Robyn Hitchcock and the Ben Folds Five helped increased their visibility.
In 1994, the band took part in an Indigo Girls project called Jesus Christ Superstar: A Resurrection and appear (credited individually) on the studio cast album. In 1995 part of a solo Matt Brown set, recorded at Eddie's Attic in Decatur, Georgia, was included on the album Solo, Volume I, released by the independent label Sister Ruby. The album included original songs that do not appear on any of the group's albums, as well as a cover of Big Star's "Nighttime". The same year, Uncle Green contributed a version of "Ballad of a Thin Man" to A Tribute to Bob Dylan, Vol. 2, also on the Sister Ruby label.
Disappointed with their limited commercial success, the band renamed themselves 3 lb. Thrill (the weight of the human brain) and recorded the harder-edged Vulture for O'Brien's new vanity label, 57 Records, a subsidiary of Epic Records. This spawned a minor radio hit, "Diana", which examined the uncomfortable subject of child molestation and suffered commercially as a result. A video was recorded for the single "Something Will Come", directed by Peter Christopherson. One compilation album purports to include an otherwise unavailable 3 lb. Thrill track called "Threnody", but due to a mastering error the track is actually "Bad Seed" from the Vulture album. The real "Threnody" remains unreleased. 3 lb. Thrill's second album, Rycopa, was recorded in 1997 with engineer Caram Costanzo, but has never been officially released. Matt Brown's solo album Medicine Show, recorded with producer Rick Neigher, drummers Pete Thomas and Dan McCarroll, and keyboardist Rami Jaffee, suffered a similar fate in 1999. These unreleased projects, as well as numerous outtakes, circulate among fans.
Brown toured as a musician for Brad in 1997, and produced an album for indie-rock band Amphibian Skin in 2003, which also featured McDade and Jensen as musicians. McDade's drums can also be heard on Atlanta musician Paul Melançon's album Camera Obscura, released by Daemon Records in 2002.
In 2005 as 3 lb. Thrill, and in 2006 as Uncle Green, the band reunited for special performances at Smith's Olde Bar in Atlanta and Eddie's Attic in Decatur, Georgia, respectively.
Collide
3 lb. Thrill Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's putting on her clothes
Because it's either/or until the door is closed
And nothing is confused
You're stuck with what you choose
But there's still a tie that you will never quite undo
And when you go, I'll go for a ride
Drive to the edge, and peer off the side
And when you go, I'll take a ride
Something is dead, but something's alive
Watching the stone and water collide
This wasn't in the plan
So you can't understand
How it's come to be a catastrophe again
Now all these lingering dobuts
They will pull and thrash about
And they'll hang around until you finally drown them out
The lyrics of 3 lb. Thrill's song "Collide" explore the complexities of a relationship and the consequences of one's choices. The lines "She's putting on her clothes/Because it's either/or until the door is closed" suggest that one partner is leaving the other and the decision has been made. The lyrics express that once a choice is made, one has to live with the consequences, even if there are unresolved feelings or a sense of loss.
The lines "But there's still a tie that you will never quite undo" suggest that even though some things may seem to be resolved, there will always be a connection or tie between the two individuals involved. The subsequent lines paint a vivid picture of the aftermath of a relationship, with the singer watching "the stone and water collide" as a way of processing the emotions and confusion that come with the end of a relationship.
The final lines, "Now all these lingering dobuts/They will pull and thrash about/And they'll hang around until you finally drown them out," suggest that even after a relationship ends, doubts and questions may continue to linger. They may continue to pull at one's emotions and affect one's ability to move on, until one is able to "drown them out" and find some sense of closure.
Line by Line Meaning
That's the way it goes
This is how things happen and there's no changing it.
She's putting on her clothes
She's getting dressed to leave, indicating the conclusion of a romantic encounter.
Because it's either/or until the door is closed
Until someone leaves, it can't be decided what this encounter truly meant or will ultimately become.
And nothing is confused
Although the situation is complex, the things involved in it are clear and certain.
You're stuck with what you choose
Once a decision is made, you have to live with the consequences.
But there's still a tie that you will never quite undo
Even if the relationship is over, there will always be a bond that can't be completely broken.
And when you go, I'll go for a ride
When she leaves, he'll take a drive to clear his head.
Drive to the edge, and peer off the side
He wants to be on the brink, at the edge of something new, looking out at the unknown.
Watching the stone and water collide
The beauty of nature is a welcome escape from the turmoil of his emotions.
And when you go, I'll take a ride
He needs to find a way to cope with the aftermath of their relationship ending.
Something is dead, but something's alive
Their relationship may be over, but he's still alive and will eventually move on.
Watching the stone and water collide
The beauty of nature is a welcome escape from the turmoil of his emotions.
This wasn't in the plan
Things didn't go the way he envisioned them.
So you can't understand
Others may not be able to fully comprehend the pain he's feeling.
How it's come to be a catastrophe again
This wasn't the first time something like this happened, and it's turning into a disaster once again.
Now all these lingering dobuts
He's plagued by doubts and uncertainties.
They will pull and thrash about
These doubts will continue to torment him, causing him to struggle with his emotions.
And they'll hang around until you finally drown them out
It's on him to overcome these doubts and accept the reality of the situation in order to move on with his life.
Contributed by Thomas K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mike Porchia
watching the stone and water collide. Love this album.
Scott Williamson
an amazing album