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.
Hating Every Minute
Alkaline Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I might need some time
To dance around what I need to say,
I love you to death, I think I need a break.
I spend my days worried out loud,
I gag in my head, I choke it back down.
It hurts me inside to save your insides,
This is the way we disappear.
It's easy if you burnout like a star.
This is the way we disappear.
It's easy like a fifty foot fall.
And I'm waiting, for whatever better time...
To evict these words that have rented out my mind.
And I'm hating every minute that I don't speak out loud,
Like a year laying down
Like a year laying down
Like a year laying down
Relax on this bed of nails, on this plastic sheet,
Your blood leaves a trail right back to me.
A problem you see.
Would you please allow a moment to think?
The lyrics to Alkaline Trio's song "Hating Every Minute" are a depiction of a troubled relationship. The singer in the song is struggling to express their feelings to their partner, choosing to dance around the subject instead. The first few lines of the song express the singer's unease and suggest that they're hesitant to speak their thoughts out loud. The lyrics "I might need some time" imply that the singer is trying to work through their emotions before revealing them to their partner.
As the song continues, the lyrics reveal the singer's inner turmoil. They describe spending their days "worried out loud" and choking back their feelings. The line "It hurts me inside to save your insides" suggests that the singer is trying to protect their partner in some way, possibly by not revealing their own feelings. The lyrics "So close my lips tight, move eyes to the side" indicate that the singer is purposefully avoiding eye contact and keeping their thoughts to themselves.
The repeated line "And I'm hating every minute that I don't speak out loud" suggests that the singer is slowly becoming consumed by their hesitancy to speak up. They liken their feelings to "a year laying down," implying that their emotions have grown stale and stagnant over time. The end of the song features a metaphorical comparison of the relationship to a bed of nails, with the singer feeling the sharpness of their emotional turmoil and the resulting trail of blood leading back to them.
Line by Line Meaning
Sit down, please make yourself comfortable...
Let's start this conversation in a comfortable way
I might need some time
I need to think before I speak
To dance around what I need to say,
I'm finding it difficult to articulate my thoughts
I love you to death, I think I need a break.
I care for you deeply, but I need space
I spend my days worried out loud,
I constantly verbalize my concerns
I gag in my head, I choke it back down.
I suppress my true feelings
It hurts me inside to save your insides,
It's painful to hide my emotions for your benefit
So close my lips tight, move eyes to the side.
I'm physically trying to prevent myself from speaking
This is the way we disappear.
Our relationship is falling apart
It's easy if you burnout like a star.
It's easier to end things dramatically
It's easy like a fifty foot fall.
It's easier to end things suddenly
And I'm waiting, for whatever better time...
I'm holding back until I feel it's the right moment
To evict these words that have rented out my mind.
I need to express my thoughts that have been occupying my mind
And I'm hating every minute that I don't speak out loud,
I'm frustrated with myself for not speaking up
Like a year laying down
Time is passing slowly
Like a year laying down
Time is passing slowly
Like a year laying down
Time is passing slowly
Relax on this bed of nails, on this plastic sheet,
Our relationship is rough and uncomfortable
Your blood leaves a trail right back to me.
Our problems always lead back to us
A problem you see.
Our issues are evident
Would you please allow a moment to think?
Please give me some time to consider my thoughts
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DANIEL MICHAEL ANDRIANO, DEREK R. GRANT, MATTHEW THOMAS SKIBA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind