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.
Dethbed
Alkaline Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And anybody else receiving this, the west coast is far from clear
Like a time bomb, a sudden death
It's gonna find you when you least expect
It's gonna leave you the emptiest feeling inside
They found me face down in the street
On the night you left to find another place to sleep
They said they tried everything but it was no use
Yeah, they tried everything and everyone but you
Falling like stars into the ocean black, we're gonna disappear
And anything left recognisable is swept away with fear
We got our hearts dipped in time release
We got the know-how and the elbow grease
We got our victim all cut up down here on the floor
They found me face down in the street
On the night you left to find another place to sleep
In rain and regret
They said they tried everything but it was no use
Yeah, they tried everything and everyone but you
... One but you
... One but you
They found me face down in the street
On the night you left to find another place to sleep
In rain and regret
They said they tried everything but it was no use
Yeah, they tried everything and everyone but you
The song "Deathbed" by Alkaline Trio is a reflection on a failed relationship and the aftermath of heartbreak. The first verse sets up a scene of emergency, with the singer calling for help, but ultimately, it is too late for the person who has died. The west coast being "far from clear" could be a reference to the chaos and confusion in the aftermath of this loss. The chorus delves deeper into the emotions experienced by the person left behind. The metaphor of a time bomb and sudden death represents the inevitability of heartbreak, how it always seems to come when it's least expected. The singer describes their own feelings of emptiness and numbness in the aftermath.
The second verse goes further into the singer's personal experience. They were found face down in the street on the night that their partner left them. The rain and regret add to the melancholic atmosphere of the song. The use of the phrase "they tried everything and everyone but you" is a way of expressing the futility of seeking help or trying to move on when the person you love is no longer there.
Overall, "Deathbed" is a heartbreaking exploration of loss and grief. Its vivid imagery and raw lyrics make it a powerful and relatable song for anyone who has experienced the pain of heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
Calling all cars, all coroners, we got a dead one here
Urgent call for authorities as somebody has died
And anybody else receiving this, the west coast is far from clear
Important message to be passed along that the situation is not good and danger may still be present
Like a time bomb, a sudden death
Death happened quickly and unexpectedly, like a time bomb explosion
It's gonna find you when you least expect
Death can strike at any moment, even when one is least prepared
It's gonna leave you the emptiest feeling inside
Death leaves behind a sense of profound emptiness and loss
They found me face down in the street
The singer suffered a tragic fate and was found dead on the street
On the night you left to find another place to sleep
The singer's death occurred on the same night their partner left them to sleep elsewhere
In rain and regret
The scene was made gloomier by the dismal weather and a sense of remorse
They said they tried everything but it was no use
Despite best efforts, nobody could save the artist from their fatal end
Yeah, they tried everything and everyone but you
Everyone except the partner who abandoned the artist tried to help, but to no avail
Falling like stars into the ocean black, we're gonna disappear
The reference to stars falling and disappearing into the ocean symbolizes the inevitability of death and how it eventually claims us all
And anything left recognisable is swept away with fear
Fear is a force that can obliterate any remaining traces of familiarity or comfort in the wake of death
We got our hearts dipped in time release
The singers describe themselves as having a delayed reaction to their emotions
We got the know-how and the elbow grease
The singers believe they have the necessary skills and effort to cope with difficult situations
We got our victim all cut up down here on the floor
The tragic victim suffered violent harm and is now lifeless on the ground
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DANIEL MICHAEL ANDRIANO, DEREK R. GRANT, MATTHEW THOMAS SKIBA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind