The band formed in December of 1996, originally consisting of Skiba, Rob Doran (bass/vocals), and Glenn Porter (drums/vocals). 1997 saw the release of the band's first EP, Sundials. This was followed shortly after by the departure of Doran. He was replaced by Andriano, who had been the singer for Tuesday and bassist for the ska band Slapstick. The band released their second EP, entitled For Your Lungs Only, in 1998, which began to build them a sizable fan base in the American Midwest. Later that year, they released their first full-length album, Goddamnit, followed by Maybe I'll Catch Fire in 2000. Both were released on Asian Man Records. Also in 2000, the band released a collection of their previously-released EPs on a self-titled album.
Following the success of their Asian Man releases, Alkaline Trio signed to Vagrant. Joined by new drummer Mike Felumlee (previously of the Smoking Popes), From Here to Infirmary was released in 2001. It was their first album to see any interest from alternative radio and the mainstream media, with the semi-hit punk single "Stupid Kid" and the inclusion of the song "Armageddon" on the Tony Hawk's Underground as well as Tony Hawks American Wasteland video games. Their cover of "Over at the Frankenstein Place" was included in the compilation The Rocky Horror Punk Rock Show, an album made to pay tribute to the movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
After the release, Felumlee left the band too and was replaced by Grant, previously of The Suicide Machines.
Their next full-length album was Good Mourning, released in 2003, with the album's launch single "We've Had Enough" seeing a considerable amount of commercial success. The album was a significant departure from earlier works, featuring greater production value and a noticeable move toward a more mainstream sound.
The band has also appeared on various compilation albums, notably Plea for Peace Vol. 1 and Rock Against Bush Vol. 1. Skiba and Andriano have both independently recorded split records, Skiba with Kevin Seconds on Asian Man Records and Andriano with Mike Felumlee on Double Zero Records, as well as jointly performing backing vocal duties on the album This is Unity Music by Common Rider. They have also recorded two split EPs with bands who are no longer together: one with Hot Water Music in 2000 and the other with One Man Army in 2004.
Alkaline Trio released their fifth studio album on Vagrant Records, entitled Crimson, on May 24, 2005, which featured the single "Time to Waste." The single for this song also included bonus tracks produced by Mass Giorgini. The tracks "Mercy Me" and "Burn" have also been released as singles from the album.
In 2004 Andriano became a member of The Falcon, a super-group of consisting of The Lawrence Arms' bassist/co-vocalist Brendan Kelly (with who he had played with in Slapstick), and Neil Hennessy, drummer from The Lawrence Arms. The band released a 5-song EP in 2004, and its first full-length Unicornography in September of 2006.
In 2006 Matt Skiba collaborated with Josiah Steinbrick for the band Heavens.
In 2008 Alkaline Trio released Agony & Irony on Epic Records. The album charted at #13 on the Billboard 200.
Alkaline Trio's 7th studio album, This Addiction,was released on February 23rd 2010. This was their first album under their own label, Heart & Skull, an offshoot of Epitaph, and the album debuted at #11 on the Billboard 200, making it the highest the band has ever charted to date.
Alkaline Trio's eighth studio album, Damnesia,, was released July 12, 2011. Consisting of "a selection of beloved fan favorites selected from the group's extensive catalogue and presented in an intimate semi-unplugged format", the album also included two new songs, "Olde English 800" and "I Remember a Rooftop", as well as a cover version of the Violent Femmes' "I Held Her in My Arms".
On April 2nd, 2013, Alkaline Trio released "My Shame Is True".
On August 31st, 2013, Alkaline Trio released "Is This Thing Cursed?".
On June 8th, 2023, longtime drummer Derek Grant left the band due to mental health reasons and intentions to pursue music production as well as graphic design. He was replaced by Atom Willard, formerly of bands such as Rocket from the Crypt and Against Me!. The band then released the single, "Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs" on October 17th, 2023, and announced an album of the same name due for a release date of January 26th, 2024.
Blue In The Face
Alkaline Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm no longer fine, I'm no longer running smooth
I thought that I'd found myself onto something new
Just one more line I repeat over and over again
'Til I'm blue in the face with a choking regret
As I talk in circles 'round you on my bed
Can't say I blamed you one bit when you kept it all inside
It's about time that you got sick of me
No longer fun and so far from interesting
I thought that I found me a cure for feeling old
Just one more line to keep me sleeping loudly and cold
In disgrace with a shameful regret
As I speak in tongues to myself in my bed
Can't say I blamed you one bit when you kept it all inside
When you left that night
And all that followed fell like mercury to hell
Somehow we lost our heads for the last time
And all that followed fell like mercury to hell
Somehow we lost our heads for the last time
And I don't dream since I quit sleeping
No I haven't slept since I met you
And you can't breathe without coughing at daytime
Neither can I so what do you say?
Your coffin or mine?
The song "Blue In The Face" by Alkaline Trio is a raw and emotional reflection on addiction, regret, and the impact it has on relationships. The singer confesses to their partner that they are struggling with addiction and are no longer in control of their life. The repetition of "just one more line" emphasizes the compulsive and destructive nature of addiction, and the regret that follows. The singer's "disgrace with a shameful regret" and "choking regret" convey the pain and guilt that come with addiction.
The chorus shifts to the aftermath of the addiction, where the partner has left and the singer is left to deal with the consequences. They acknowledge their responsibility in the relationship falling apart, stating that they can't blame their partner for keeping everything inside. The repetition of "and all that followed fell like mercury to hell somehow we lost our heads for the last time" emphasizes the feeling of everything falling apart.
The final lines, "And I don't dream since I quit sleeping, no I haven't slept since I met you, and you can't breathe without coughing at daytime, neither can I so what do you say? Your coffin or mine?" suggest that the singer is at their wits' end and contemplating suicide. The parallel between the singer's breathing troubles and their partner's implies that they are both suffering, and the grim offer of "your coffin or mine" suggests that they see death as the only way out of their pain.
Line by Line Meaning
It's about time that I came clean with you
I need to be honest with you
I'm no longer fine, I'm no longer running smooth
I'm not doing well
I thought that I'd found myself onto something new
I thought I had discovered something better
Just one more line I repeat over and over again
I keep going back to the same thing
'Til I'm blue in the face with a choking regret
I keep repeating the same mistake until I feel terrible
As I talk in circles 'round you on my bed
I keep going over the same things without making progress
Can't say I blamed you one bit when you kept it all inside
I understand why you didn't tell me how you felt
When you left that night
When you decided to end things
It's about time that you got sick of me
You finally had enough of me
No longer fun and so far from interesting
I became boring and unappealing
I thought that I found me a cure for feeling old
I tried to fix my problems with something that ended up hurting me
Just one more line to keep me sleeping loudly and cold
I kept going back to the same thing to help me sleep
In disgrace with a shameful regret
I feel ashamed for what I did
As I speak in tongues to myself in my bed
I talk to myself incoherently
And all that followed fell like mercury to hell
Everything after that went downhill quickly
Somehow we lost our heads for the last time
We made a big mistake that we can't fix
And I don't dream since I quit sleeping
I don't have good experiences anymore
No I haven't slept since I met you
You keep me up at night
And you can't breathe without coughing at daytime
You have a problem that affects you during the day
Neither can I so what do you say?
I have the same problem, what should we do?
Your coffin or mine?
Should we die together?
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DANIEL ANDRIANO, DEREK GRANT, MATT SKIBA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind