The first ASU incarnation came together in 1996 when founding member Ian Eskelin decided to broaden his solo act and take a bunch of mates out on the road. The good old rock 'n' roll and notorious stage antics won them immediate acclaim.
Heady days ensued. The boys were signed to a leading record label, and after five No. 1 singles, watched their American youth group following grow into a legion of loyal fans. Over the past six years ASU has played more than 1000 shows. And only recently, during a rare yearlong break from the road in 2000, Ian took time to properly court and wed his new bride Peggy. The couple lives in Nashville, Tennessee, as do the newest faces in the ASU line-up.
Brothers Matt and Mike Payne, originally from Rockford, Illinois, have joined Ian on drums and guitar respectively, and Jeremy Hunter, a Seattle-native, is bassist and Revolution recording engineer. While the four-piece ASU team worked on the new album they took the time to rethink the ASU platform. Ian wanted to communicate something more personal. "I've written all kinds of songs, but the thing I really love and get most excited about is when I write songs that express my faith in three minutes in new and creative ways. That for me is an outpouring of my faith, my calling."
Certainly Ian's savvy use of metaphor, imagery and twisted cliché could charm a literature student for hours. His song-writing skills are clearly illustrated throughout the new record and particularly in songs like the Lennonesque "We Are The Future" and title track "Revolution". "Sweet Jesus" and the worshipful "Making It Beautiful" are perhaps more obvious in their spiritual message, but the common thread of all the tracks is the one thought-provoking challenge that Ian claims has never been more pertinent. "There are several songs on this new record that talk about change, the idea that we can make our lives better by helping to make the world better. Each of us, individually through Christ can make small differences. More than ever, I feel these songs are relevant — no matter what the circumstances of the day."
Revolution was two-and-a-half years in the writing and is the result of an artist honing his craft while personally living the themes of exploration, change, discovery and challenge. Ian has remained very "hands-on" in the production and long-term friend Mark Freegard (Manic Street Preachers, Del Amitri, and The Breeders) has mixed Revolution and ASU's self-titled debut album. Ian is not shy to express his satisfaction. "It's a ten song record and I really tried hard to trim the fat. I wanted the album to have a strong message and for people to be able to enjoy listening to every song. The guys are extremely talented musicians and really helped me with a fresh perspective on these songs."
Musically, Ian, Matt, Mike and Jeremy promise more emphasis on solid rock 'n' roll fundamentals without loosing the fun elements fans have come to love. "It's been easy to perform the songs on Revolution with the same excitement we had when we first started. The new material is written from the heart, and I feel extremely passionate about it. I want the music to be as important to the listener as it is for me. Whether in a car, living room or concert hall, I want people to leave an ASU experience reflective, energized and uplifted."
From http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/artists/allstarunited.html
Good Times
All Star United Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My muscle tee with the Union Jack
I wanna party like it's 1999
Pump it up in the fast lane
Pop the cork on the champagne
Don't need nothing but a good time to feel alright
Don't let the sunshine fade away
Give me the good times everyday
Do you feel a little so so?
Have you forgotten how to disco?
Don't let Bono tell you what you should or should not do
Learn how to drown out the bad news
Are you down with the summertime blues?
Ask your doctor if the good times are good for you
Everybody say, hey, give me the good times
Don't let the sunshine fade away
Give me the good times everyday
Side effects of the good times include dizziness
Blurred vision, shallow personality, mediocrity
Depression, a general feeling of malaise
And a haunting sense that one might be wasting one's life
In the event that happiness lasts longer than four hours
Seek medical attention immediately
Hey, give me the good times
Don't let the sunshine fade away
Hey, give me the good times
Don't let the sunshine fade away
Give me the good times
Give me the good times everyday
Hey, give me the good times
Don't let the sunshine fade away
Give me the good times
Give me the good times everyday
The lyrics to All Star United's song Good Times are all about partying and having fun. The first stanza sets the scene as the singer requests the keys to a Cadillac and dons a muscle tee with the Union Jack. He then declares his desire to party like it's 1999, which is a reference to the Prince song of the same name that was released in 1982 but became popular in 1999 due to the approaching new millennium. The chorus then follows as the singer asks for the "good times" to continue and not let the sunshine fade away.
The second verse encourages listeners to not feel "so so" or forget how to "disco." The mention of Bono further adds to the theme of not letting others dictate one's actions. The singer then suggests drowning out the bad news and embracing the summertime blues. The pre-chorus warns of potential side effects of the "good times" such as dizziness, blurred vision, shallowness, mediocrity, depression, and a general feeling of malaise. The final chorus repeats the request for the "good times" to continue daily.
Overall, the lyrics to Good Times are a fun and lighthearted celebration of living in the moment and enjoying life's pleasures.
Line by Line Meaning
Gimme the keys to the Cadillac
I want to experience luxury and be in control of my own life.
My muscle tee with the Union Jack
I want to express my patriotism and my strong physique.
I wanna party like it's 1999
I want to experience the excitement and carefree partying of the past.
Pump it up in the fast lane
I want to feel the adrenaline rush of speeding through life.
Pop the cork on the champagne
I want to celebrate and enjoy the finer things in life.
Don't need nothing but a good time to feel alright
I don't need material possessions or worries to feel content, just a positive experience.
Singing, hey, give me the good times
I am requesting or beckoning for enjoyable experiences.
Do you feel a little so so?
Are you feeling unfulfilled or unsatisfied?
Have you forgotten how to disco?
Have you lost the ability or opportunity to have fun and let loose?
Don't let Bono tell you what you should or should not do
Don't allow someone else to dictate how you should live your life or have fun.
Learn how to drown out the bad news
Find a way to ignore or avoid negative information and focus on positivity and enjoyment.
Are you down with the summertime blues?
Are you feeling uninspired or unexcited by the seemingly uneventful summer season?
Ask your doctor if the good times are good for you
Suggesting that enjoyment and happiness may have unanticipated negative impacts on one's health and life.
Everybody say, hey, give me the good times
Everyone is requesting or beckoning for enjoyable experiences.
Side effects of the good times include dizziness
Humorous nod towards the potential negative outcomes of seeking enjoyment and happiness.
Blurred vision, shallow personality, mediocrity
Continuation of the potential negative consequences of seeking enjoyment and happiness.
Depression, a general feeling of malaise
Further humorously negative examples of the downsides of seeking positivity and enjoyment.
And a haunting sense that one might be wasting one's life
A more serious interpretation of how seeking enjoyment and happiness could lead to feelings of emptiness or regret.
In the event that happiness lasts longer than four hours
Another humorous reference to the potentially negative outcomes of seeking enjoyment and happiness.
Seek medical attention immediately
Taking the humor even further by suggesting the need for medical intervention if one experiences happiness for too long.
Hey, give me the good times
Repeat of the initial request for enjoyable experiences.
Give me the good times everyday
Further emphasis on the desire for ongoing experiences of positivity and enjoyment.
Don't let the sunshine fade away
A plea to maintain positivity and enjoyment, instead of allowing it to dwindle or disappear.
Writer(s): Ian Ashley Eskelin Copyright: Designer Music, Honest And Popular Songs
Contributed by Maria H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.