Early years (1992 - 2000)
In 1993, drummer Trevor Reilly, guitarist John Carvalho and bassist Jonathan Teves formed the band Adam's Crack and recorded a Nirvana-inspired demo cassette. In 1994 Reilly and Carvalho started a side band with Nuno Pereira on vocals, and others. The side band played one show before disbanding. Members from the two bands would merge into one, taking the name Koen. The lineup of Koen consisted of Pereira (vocals), Reilly (drums), Teves (bass), Carvalho (rhythm guitar) and friend Mat Demelo (lead guitar and trumpet). Under the name Koen, the band released one cassette titled "The Big Fall...", this time with their sound evolving more into skate punk and ska. In 1997, the band changed its name again, this time to Smackin' Isaiah, and released a cassette titled "Give Girls More Beer...". Mat Demelo left the band shortly after. During this time, Reilly would switch between drumming and guitar duties, with an unknown drummer playing in the band for a brief amount of time. Nicholas Angelini was eventually tapped to play drums on a permanent basis. In 1998, the band released another demo cassette, titled "Gets Eaten Alive".
Tank Records era (2000 - 2001)
The band's first CD release was on Tank Records, a record label created by Carvalho and Teves. The CD was a split release with the bands Moronique and Merrick, entitled "6:6:6" after the number of tracks each band contributed. Soon after, the band released its debut album, "The Way to a Girl's Heart Is Through Her Boyfriend's Stomach". The band considers this their first "real" release, as all the songs had been written after Angelini joined the band. In retrospect, they consider it their most cheerful record. It was reissued the following year on All About Records, but the band stayed with Tank Records to release its second album, "Benefits Of Thinking Out Loud. During the album's recording, the band members had a strained relationship as they argued over its production. Six outtakes from the album's recording sessions were compiled onto an EP entitled "The Champagne of Bands... We Know Sexy" released by Fork in Hand Records. Following its release, Carvalho left the band. Christopher Levesque quickly replaced him.
Final name change and move to Nitro (2002 - present)
With the band moving to a more serious style with Benefits, they decided to once more change their name, finally settling on A Wilhelm Scream. Signing with new label Jump Start Records, they re-released "Benefits of Thinking Out Loud" under their new name. After touring the United States and Canada a few times, they then began recording their next album, "Mute Print", with Jump Start Records. For the recording of the album, the band decided to put "as much shit as you can possibly fit into a song and pull off live" into the songs, to which they attribute their faster, more aggressive and more technical sound. The album was produced by Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore, whom the band looked up to. Although the album was finished while the band was signed to Jump Start Records, the rights to the album were then bought by Nitro Records, who released it in 2004.
Only a year after "Mute Print", the band released a second record on Nitro Records, again produced by Stevenson and Livermore. The record, entitled "Ruiner", was released on August 16, 2005. Following stress from touring, founding member Jonathan Teves left the band, and was replaced by bassist Curtiss Lopez. They then embarked on their first European tour with Lagwagon, and also toured with Less than Jake. Midway through the latter tour, Lopez abruptly quit the band. This left A Wilhelm Scream without a permanent bassist until Brian J. Robinson joined in April. The band continued to tour throughout 2006. They also released an 7-inch Extended play titled "Diver" on Jump Start Records. This was because the title track was recorded during the "Mute Print" sessions, but left off the album, and thus was not purchased by Nitro Records.
In 2007, the band returned to the studio with Stevenson and Livermore to record their third album with Nitro Records. The record, according to the band, was "very, very fast" and a few songs were dropped for not being fast enough. The record, "Career Suicide", was released on October 9, 2007. However, only two weeks before its street date, long-time guitarist Chris Levesque announced that he was leaving the band, elaborating with the following statement:
"I have maintained for the duration of my time in Smackin' Isaiah/A Wilhelm Scream that when it stopped being fun, I would give it up. The bottom line here is that I just don't enjoy the day-in, day-out grind of being on tour anymore.... There are no personal or creative differences between any of us. None of that bullshit. I still love this band and everything it stands for. The six years that I've spent in SI/AWS have been the best of my life. We've accomplished more than I ever expected, and I take with me with more amazing memories than most people experience in a lifetime."
The band began their tour in support of "Career Suicide" with several rotating guitarists, before Mike Supina, formerly of the Detroit-based band Alucard, was announced as Levesque's permanent replacement. The tour brought the band to over eighteen different countries, finishing in September 2008. Following its conclusion, guitarist Trevor Reilly announced in his blog that the band would take a break for the rest of the year, but implied that they would write new songs soon.
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Pardon Me Thanks A Lot
A Wilhelm Scream Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
servant becomes the master now
the greediest sons of a bitch alive
they came to bleed our city dry
your ashes are dust to us
born to money and fucked it up
the greediest sons of a bitch alive
won't buy us all
backpedaling and preaching
like you're putting out a fire
you practice your pleasantries
while you're draped over the wire:
pardon me, well thanks a lot
we were coming back to life
but brutus couldn't resist the knife
the greediest sons of a bitch alive
shame on us all
but soon we will expose you
for your ignorance and lust
we'll keep our talking dirty
while we drag you through the mud
we'll vilify your slanderings
while you're under the gun
a most hideous thing, denial
pardon me, thanks a lot
thanks a lot
The opening lines of this song, "blood pressure is headed south, servant becomes the master now," indicate a shift in power dynamics. The powerful, greedy individuals who have been bleeding their city dry are now in control, and those who were once able to resist them are succumbing to their influence. The chorus of "Pardon me, thanks a lot" is dripping with sarcasm, as the singer seems to be addressing the very people who have betrayed them. The lines "backpedaling and preaching like you're putting out a fire" followed by "you practice your pleasantries while you're draped over the wire" convey a strong sense of dissatisfaction with the empty gestures of the powerful, who claim to be doing good while their actions speak otherwise.
The verses continue to highlight the injustices perpetrated by those in power, as they are referred to as "the greediest sons of a bitch alive" who were "born to money and fucked it up." The anger and frustration in the singer's voice is palpable as they lament the betrayal of those who were supposed to be on their side. The promise of exposing the greed and ignorance of these individuals is also present, as the singer vows to "keep our talking dirty while we drag you through the mud" and "vilify your slanderings while you're under the gun."
Overall, this song is a powerful reminder of the importance of standing up against corruption and greed, even when it seems like an uphill battle. It is a call to action for those who have been wronged to use their voices and work together to create change.
Line by Line Meaning
blood pressure is headed south
The situation is rapidly becoming worse and more dangerous.
servant becomes the master now
The people in charge are now the most selfish and greedy ones.
the greediest sons of a bitch alive
These people are the epitome of selfishness and greed.
they came to bleed our city dry
They are taking advantage of our city and draining it of its resources.
your ashes are dust to us
We do not care for or respect you and what you represent.
born to money and fucked it up
You were born into a wealthy family but have mismanaged your wealth.
won't buy us all
You cannot buy our loyalty and support.
backpedaling and preaching
You are trying to backtrack and justify your actions by giving speeches.
like you're putting out a fire
You are trying to contain a situation that you have caused.
you practice your pleasantries
You are putting on a fake persona to hide your true intentions.
while you're draped over the wire
You are in a vulnerable position and can be easily taken down.
pardon me, well thanks a lot
You are sarcastically asking for forgiveness while acknowledging that you are not truly sorry.
we were coming back to life
Things were starting to improve for us.
but brutus couldn't resist the knife
Someone close to us betrayed us and ruined our progress.
shame on us all
We all share in the blame for allowing this situation to happen.
but soon we will expose you
We will reveal your true intentions and hold you accountable for your actions.
for your ignorance and lust
Your actions are driven by a combination of selfishness and ignorance.
we'll keep our talking dirty
We will not hold back and will call you out for your misdeeds.
while we drag you through the mud
We will ruin your reputation and hold you accountable for your actions.
we'll vilify your slanderings
We will reveal the lies that you have been spreading.
while you're under the gun
We will put pressure on you to change your ways and make things right.
a most hideous thing, denial
Your refusal to acknowledge your wrongdoing is appalling and unacceptable.
thanks a lot
This is said sarcastically to emphasize the singer's anger and frustration.
Contributed by Kayla G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.