"We were definitely out of control on our first tour, Ozzfest 2001," Mr. Banks admits. "It wasn't enough to just play our music; we also had to fire shotguns on stage and throw pigheads at the crowd. Chalk it up to a desperate bid for attention." The Head Charge rap sheet - which also includes getting into bloody brawls with their fans, smashing equipment they couldn't afford to replace, reacquainting themselves with hard drugs and occasionally being locked up by the enraged fuzz - has served to obscure the fact that these free spirits play the shit out of their instruments and make brutally powerful music of uncommon distinction.
But this distorted (though hardly inaccurate) perception of the band will likely change with the release of The Feeding, a seething mass of avant metal, nightmare grindcore and moshpit rock that alternates between pummeling ferocity and passages of all-out grandeur. It's a stunning display of primally extreme music that's guaranteed to scare the hell out of your parents.
The album had its genesis during the limbo in which AHC found themselves after touring intensively behind their acclaimed 2001 debut, The War of Art, two years of prolonged exile from the road and ongoing internal tumult that found several band members in a virtual death match with their personal demons. Three guys in the band jumped into the chemical deep end and two of them went back to rehab, guitarist Bryan Ottoson ruefully recounts. "It got so bad I was nearly checked into a psychiatric unit for suicidal behavior."
Inevitably, their struggles begat rage, and that could've paralyzed them. But what sets Head Charge apart is an almost alchemical ability to transform their rage - at the world, each other and (perhaps most of all) themselves - into dark art. Hence, the worse their situation got, the more inspired they became, as singer Cock and bassist/guitarist Mr. Banks - now collaborating with Ottoson and keyboard manipulator Justin Fowler - stirred up a cauldron of new songs and brought them to seething life with drummer Christopher Emery. While the band's old label turned a deaf ear to their bold sonic forays, emerging producer Greg Fidelman, who'd engineered the Rick Rubin-produced first album, embraced the band's new material. The band managed to get out of their deal, and sign with Nitrus/DRT. "Rick Rubin was gracious enough to let us leave American Recordings without hassle. It could have been a litigious nightmare" adds Mr. Banks.
With Fidelman at the helm, Head Charge spent four months on the album, and it evidences an unlikely, previously dormant self-discipline. Tellingly, whereas the sprawling The War of Art ran well over an hour, as if they could barely control their wild-eyed impulses, The Feeding clocks in at a dense 41 minutes, the compression serving to intensify their fury. The opener and first single "Loyalty" sets the record's brutal tone, as Cock spews recriminations with frightful conviction while also revealing a scarred humanity in his natural voice, a captivating tenor that sounds like the troubled emanations of some fallen angel. "Dirty" would be an infectious, balls-out rocker were it not for Cock's Satanic howling, which transforms it into the soundtrack to an exorcism. "Walk Away" delivers a hyper-melodic, gloriously anthemic chorus, then proceeds to hack it to pieces in characteristically deranged fashion. Easy listening this ain't. And yet the closing "To Be Me" achieves something close to serenity, like the eerie calm after a thunderstorm - or a nuclear holocaust. "It's almost hopeful" Mr. Banks acknowledges, sounding like he can hardly believe it himself.
There's a line in "Walk Away" that perfectly encapsulates this tormented but inspired band: "We're dirty and hungry and bitter and tired and broke and bruised and battered," Cock shrieks in agony and defiance, adding, with all due irony, "so happy." Although Cock is the band's primary lyricist, it was Mr. Banks who came up with the words (he admits, quite unnecessarily, that he was in a bad state at the time). Mr. Banks recited the line his partner, who knew right away that it would drop right into the hole he was looking to fill in the song's crucial bridge section. "For a while," Mr. Banks says, "that's what we wanted to call the album - with no spaces between the words. It just says it all."
Also in the cosmic coincidence department is the filigreed, intertwined guitar figure that opens and closes the boldly provocative "Ridiculed," The Feeding's roiling centerpiece. The part is actually two guitars, and the parts were conjured up simultaneously by Ottoson and Cock - in two separate parts of the studio, out of hearing of each other. At the same moment, each of them entered the main room eager to play their new creations to the other band members and Fidelman. Only then did everyone realize that the two parts magically interlocked. Divine intervention. With this crew, that's highly unlikely - unless God has a truly twisted sense of humor (and with AHC there's plenty of circumstantial evidence to support that hypothesis).
Mr. Banks describes his band's dynamic as "a constant battle between Order and Chaos," and that's an apt description of the corrosive yet savagely beautiful sonic onslaught AHC delivers on The Feeding. In the end, Order prevails - if just barely - which is a good thing for American Head Charge and their ever-growing legion of fans. If Chaos had come out on top, this dangerously self-destructive but supremely talented band would've surely imploded, leaving nothing but wrecked gear, lost souls and mangled body parts. Instead, with all their limbs still attached and pulsing with the endorphins of catharsis, AHC will spend 2005 on the road - and this time, hopefully, not the road to perdition.
Bryan Ottoson passed away on April 19th, 2005 in his sleep on the band's tour bus while supporting Mudvayne. Many reports concluded it to be the result of an accidental prescription drug overdose. After being diagnosed with a severe case of strep throat, he was prescribed penicillin and an unknown pain killer. He, unknowingly, developed pneumonia and the strep throat got worse. He was found in his bunk after members of the band attempted to wake him before a performance.
Also, Christopher Emery was fired from American Head Charge onstage on the 11th of February 2006. So who is to say that Chaos isn't prevailing in the long run?
On April 3rd, 2007 American Head Charge will release a CD/DVD combo titled "Can't Stop The Machine". The DVD will feature a complete retrospective of the bands career from the early days signing to Rick Rubin's American recordings, interviews with all band member, performing live on Ozzfest 2001, worldwide tours with Slipknot, Mudvayne, Static-X, and more.
Also a look behind the scene at making both "The War of Art" and "The Feeding" Albums. It will also include all of the bands videos and a special tribute to late guitarist Bryan Daniel Ottoson. The CD will feature live recordings, remixes, and other unreleased material.
Unfortunately, due to lead singer Cameron Heacock's “inability to continue on a musical career path,” the band disbanded August 11th, 2009.
In June 2011 There were tweets on bassist Chad Hanks' twitter regarding American Head Charge reforming with a new drummer. Hanks also stated that there is a new Facebook page called American Head Charge (Official).
Rock 'n' Roll N*gger
American Head Charge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Baby got big and baby get bigger.
Baby get something. Baby get more.
Baby, baby, baby was a rock-and-roll nigger.
Oh, look around you, all around you,
riding on a copper wave.
Do you like the world around you?
Are you ready to behave?
Outside of society, they're waitin' for me.
Outside of society, that's where I want to be.
(Lenny!)
Baby was a black sheep. Baby was a whore.
You know she got big. Well, she's gonna get bigger.
Baby got a hand; got a finger on the trigger.
Baby, baby, baby is a rock-and-roll nigger.
Outside of society, that's where I want to be.
Outside of society, they're waitin' for me.
(those who have suffered, understand suffering,
and thereby extend their hand
the storm that brings harm
also makes fertile
blessed is the grass
and herb and the true thorn and light)
I was lost in a valley of pleasure.
I was lost in the infinite sea.
I was lost, and measure for measure,
love spewed from the heart of me.
I was lost, and the cost,
and the cost didn't matter to me.
I was lost, and the cost
was to be outside society.
Jimi Hendrix was a nigger.
Jesus Christ and Grandma, too.
Jackson Pollock was a nigger.
Nigger, nigger, nigger, nigger,
nigger, nigger, nigger.
Outside of society, they're waitin' for me.
Outside of society, if you're looking,
that's where you'll find me.
Outside of society, they're waitin' for me.
Outside of society. (Repeat)
The controversial song, Rock 'n' Roll N*gger, by American Head Charge is a provocative piece of art that aims to challenge societal norms and expectations. The song starts by referring to Baby, who is portrayed as a black sheep and a whore, but grows and gets bigger, making it in the rock and roll world as a n*gger. The reference to Baby as a black sheep could symbolize rejection or nonconformity to the norm, while the term whore could be an allusion to the oppression and exploitation of women. The repetition of Baby's name and the epithet used could be interpreted as a form of rebellion against societal standards.
The chorus of the song asks the listener to reflect on their surroundings and whether they are happy with the world they live in. It questions whether they are ready to follow society's norms and conform to its expectations. The lyrics may be suggesting that living outside of society's expectations is the only way to find one's true identity and purpose. This is reflected in the repeated phrase "Outside of society, they're waiting for me. Outside of society, that's where I want to be."
The lyrics go on to make controversial references to famous figures such as Jimi Hendrix, Jesus Christ, and Jackson Pollock, all referred to as n*ggers. It is unclear exactly what the meaning behind these references is, but it is possible that they are used to connect successful individuals who lived on the fringes of society. In this way, the song could be seen as advocating for nonconformity and rebellion against societal norms in order to find one's true identity.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby was a black sheep. Baby was a whore.
Baby was someone who was viewed as an outcast by society and possibly sold their body for money.
Baby got big and baby get bigger.
Baby continued to grow and develop as a person.
Baby get something. Baby get more.
Baby has acquired something and wants to acquire more.
Baby, baby, baby was a rock-and-roll nigger.
Baby wasn't actually black, but their behavior as a rock-and-roller is seen as being rebellious and outside the norms of society.
Oh, look around you, all around you, riding on a copper wave.
The artist is asking the listener to observe their surroundings, they may see things in a different way than they are used to.
Do you like the world around you? Are you ready to behave?
The singer is challenging the listener to evaluate their place in society and whether they agree with the norms.
Outside of society, they're waitin' for me.
The singer feels ostracized and seeks to be somewhere outside of mainstream society where they will be accepted and understood.
Outside of society, that's where I want to be.
This line is repeated to emphasize the artist's desire to be outside society.
(Lenny!)
This line is a break in the song without a specific meaning.
Baby was a black sheep. Baby was a whore.
This line is repeated to hammer home Baby's status as an outsider.
You know she got big. Well, she's gonna get bigger.
Baby is again stated to have grown and developed.
Baby got a hand; got a finger on the trigger.
Baby is capable of inflicting harm on others.
Baby, baby, baby is a rock-and-roll nigger.
This line is repeated to emphasize Baby's rebellious nature.
Outside of society, that's where I want to be.
Again, the singer is expressing their desire to be outside of mainstream society.
Outside of society, they're waitin' for me.
Others outside of society are waiting for the singer to join them.
(those who have suffered, understand suffering, and thereby extend their hand the storm that brings harm also makes fertile blessed is the grass and herb and the true thorn and light)
This line is a tribute to those who have suffered, with the artist using a variety of natural metaphors to express their admiration.
I was lost in a valley of pleasure.
The artist is referencing their past experience of being lost in pleasure.
I was lost in the infinite sea.
The singer was once lost in the endless possibilities the world provided.
I was lost, and measure for measure, love spewed from the heart of me.
Despite feeling lost, the singer was still able to give love to others.
I was lost, and the cost, and the cost didn't matter to me.
The artist was willing to pay any price to be outside of society.
I was lost, and the cost was to be outside society.
Again, the artist emphasizes their rejection of society's norms.
Jimi Hendrix was a nigger.
The artist is referencing the fact that, despite being black, Jimi Hendrix was a pioneer in rock and considered a countercultural figure.
Jesus Christ and Grandma, too.
The singer is referencing other cultural icons who were considered outcasts, either for religious or social reasons.
Jackson Pollock was a nigger.
Jackson Pollock was considered a non-traditional artist and, like Jimi Hendrix, helped break down societal norms.
Nigger, nigger, nigger, nigger, nigger, nigger, nigger.
This line is repeated as a way of further emphasizing the idea of countercultural figures who exist outside of societal norms.
Outside of society, they're waitin' for me.
The song ends with a repetition of the earlier line, emphasizing the singer's desire to be outside of mainstream society and find a community of like-minded individuals.
Outside of society, if you're looking, that's where you'll find me.
The song ends with a repetition of the earlier line, emphasizing the singer's desire to be outside of mainstream society and find a community of like-minded individuals.
Outside of society, they're waitin' for me.
The song ends with a repetition of the earlier line, emphasizing the artist's desire to be outside of mainstream society and find a community of like-minded individuals.
Outside of society.
The song ends with a repetition of the earlier line, emphasizing the artist's desire to be outside of mainstream society and find a community of like-minded individuals.
Contributed by Madison F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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