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
Hurricane Baby
All Star United Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And that's when
I found my sweetie pie
Chorus
You're my
hurricane baby (hurricane)
My hurricane baby (hurricane) I love you in the wind
I love you in the rain
You're my hurricane
Now my hurricane,
you're quite the kid
When I found you I flipped my
lid
(Chorus)
The storms may come, the
storms may go
But there's one thing you'll always
know
When I hear this song, I imagine a man who is in love with a woman who is a force of nature. She is wild, unpredictable, and brings with her both destruction and excitement. The man sings about how he first met her when a breeze from the south passed by, and he fell for her immediately. He calls her his "sweetie pie," but also refers to her as a hurricane, acknowledging her unpredictable nature.
The chorus repeats the phrase "hurricane baby" multiple times, emphasizing the woman's power and the man's devotion to her. He loves her in the wind and rain, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for loving her through both the good and bad times.
In the second verse, the man calls his lover "quite the kid" and admits that he was caught off guard when he first met her. This could imply that she is younger than him, or that she has a youthful, carefree spirit. Regardless, he is smitten with her and willing to weather any storm as long as she is by his side.
The final line of the song, "But there's one thing you'll always know," implies that the man is steadfast in his love for his "hurricane baby," even if others may find her too unpredictable or difficult to handle.
Line by Line Meaning
A breeze from the south came passing by
A gentle wind blew in from the south direction
And that's when
At that moment
I found my sweetie pie
I met the love of my life
You're my hurricane baby (hurricane)
I refer to you as my 'hurricane baby'
My hurricane baby (hurricane)
My love for you is as strong as a hurricane
I love you in the wind
I love you no matter what the situation
I love you in the rain
Even in difficult times, my love for you does not lessen
You're my hurricane
You are a force to be reckoned with, just like a hurricane
Now my hurricane, you're quite the kid
You are an amazing person, full of energy and joy
When I found you I flipped my lid
When I met you, I was so excited and happy
The storms may come, the storms may go
Difficult times may come and go
But there's one thing you'll always know
But one thing that will never change is my love for you
Contributed by Alexander K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.