Formed in 1995, the original members were singer/guitarist and Seattle native, John Atkins from Hush Harbor and drummer Polly Johnson from Bell Jar. The band released two 7" records, the full-length album Salt Sinks, Sugar Floats and the EP We’re Solids in quick succession. With just two members 764-HERO were able to create a national following with their unique sound and powerful live shows.
The two members released their debut album Salt Sinks Sugar Floats in 1996. Known locally for their powerful live preformances the duo quickly garnered a national audience. For their second full length album, Get Here And Stay, James Bertram,(Lync, Red Stars Theory) played bass guitar. The third album, Weekends of Sound (considered by many to be the band's swan song) included Bertram as well, and the band also added a keyboard player. Bertram left soon after, but was replaced by another bassist, and the band remained a four-member act.
In 1998, the band was set to perform live on the radio and thought they'd mix it up a bit. They called their old friend James Bertram from Red Stars Theory (ex-Lync and Beck) and asked him to play bass. The session went so well they decided to make it permanent. With the new line up in place they recorded "Get Here and Stay". While "Salt Sinks" was undoubtedly a great record, "Get Here and Stay" was in a whole other realm, a fully realized sound with amazing songwriting and outstanding musicianship.
After several full tours and the "Whenever You See Fit" EP with Modest Mouse, the band got to work on "Weekends of Sound". Recorded in early 2000 with Phil Ek (who also produced "Get Here and Stay" as well as most of Built to Spill's releases) the band hasn't strayed to far from the sounds of "Get Here and Stay".
Following the release of "Weekends" the band embarked on a tour of the U.S. with pals Modest Mouse. Shortly after the tour, citing creative differences, James Bertram parted ways with 764-HERO. But it didn't take long before Robin P. stepped in to strap on the four stringed beast and bring 764 back up to speed. John and Polly met Robin while he played second guitar for Modest Mouse on tour. He started as a temporary replacement so the band could tour but quickly turned into a permanent member of the band.
Around 2001, John Atkins got together with friend Joe Plummer to release songs he felt woudn't fit under the 764-Hero title, and thusly, The Magic Magicians were born. In 2001, they released their debut album "Girls".
The band moved over to Tiger Style for their latest release "Nobody Knows This is Everywhere" and they headed out on tour in March 2002.
The band broke up in 2002
The Magic Magicians have continued on, though, with the latest release being their self-titled album in 2003.
Oceanbound
764-HERO Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Set off every single night,
Reflections in your car you said yourself that you're leaving,
Inflections in your voice you said yourself that you're leaving.
But you took a bow, turned around, that never really phased you,
Plastic crown, oceanbound, and you don't have a single thing to say.
Destroyed what you thought was the real thing,
The notes a scam a dark you said yourself that you're leaving,
To contact a long-lost friend you said yourself that you're leaving.
But you took a bow, turned around, that never really phased you,
Plastic crown, oceanbound, and you don't have a single thing to say.
Caught in the act of wanting it back, but still you never meant all that,
Heard about you what you do if everything you heard was true.
Have you ever all right?
Set off every single night,
But you took a bow, turned around, that never really phased you,
Plastic crown, oceanbound, and you don't have a single thing to say.
Caught in the act of wanting it back, but still you never meant all that,
Heard about you what you do if everything you heard was true.
Caught in the act of wanting it back, but still you never meant all that,
Heard about you what you say if everything you heard was true.
The lyrics of "Oceanbound" by 764-HERO tell the story of someone who has reached a breaking point in their relationship and is ready to leave. The first verse describes the person leaving after setting off every single night, possibly referring to arguments or fights. They are reflective in their car, but have made up their mind, as indicated by the inflections in their voice. However, even though they have made the decision to leave, the person retains a sense of detachment, almost as if they are performing the act of leaving. They take a bow and turn around, as if to acknowledge their exit, but never show any real emotion.
The second verse continues the theme of leaving and suggests that the person has been hurt in the relationship. They have destroyed what they thought was the real thing and believe that the notes they received were a scam. They are seeking solace in a long-lost friend, but again, retain a sense of detachment. The final chorus repeats the idea of being caught in the act of wanting it back but realizing that the relationship wasn't genuine. The plastic crown refers to a superficial sense of power or control, which ultimately doesn't mean anything when faced with the reality of the situation. The ocean symbolizes the vastness and unknown - the person is now heading into the unknown future without any ties to the past.
Line by Line Meaning
Have you ever all right?
Have you ever been alright?
Set off every single night,
Leaving every night
Reflections in your car you said yourself that you're leaving,
You looked in the mirror in your car and said you were leaving
Inflections in your voice you said yourself that you're leaving.
You spoke with a certain tone that indicated you were leaving
But you took a bow, turned around, that never really phased you,
You left with confidence and without looking back
Plastic crown, oceanbound, and you don't have a single thing to say.
You feel like royalty, free as the ocean, and don't feel the need to explain yourself
Have you taken it all in?
Have you fully comprehended it?
Destroyed what you thought was the real thing,
Destroyed what you believed to be true
The notes a scam a dark you said yourself that you're leaving,
The information you received was false and made you want to leave
To contact a long-lost friend you said yourself that you're leaving.
To reach out to an old friend, you said you were leaving
Caught in the act of wanting it back, but still you never meant all that,
You were caught wanting to go back to what you left, but you didn't truly mean it
Heard about you what you do if everything you heard was true.
Heard rumors about you and what you might do if they were true
Caught in the act of wanting it back, but still you never meant all that,
You were caught wanting to go back to what you left, but you didn't truly mean it
Heard about you what you say if everything you heard was true.
Heard rumors about what you would say if everything that was heard was true
Contributed by Madelyn E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.