Ariel Pink (born Ariel Marcus Rosenberg on June 24, 1978) is a Los Angeles … Read Full Bio ↴Ariel Pink (born Ariel Marcus Rosenberg on June 24, 1978) is a Los Angeles based experimental/pop musician. Pink boasts a cult following and endorsements from more widely known artists such as fellow founding Paw Tracks group Animal Collective.

After years of recording in relative seclusion in the hills of Los Angeles, Ariel Pink (the first non-Animal Collective member on the Paw Tracks roster) made his official Paw Tracks debut with The Doldrums. Recording at home with a guitar, bass, keyboard, and 8-track (the drum sounds were created with his mouth).

Ariel Pink blends Lite FM and warped lo-fi pop into something by turns beautiful and confusing. Some may find his personal yet detached approach highly addictive, while others may be instantly turned off by the obvious lo-fi production and the vocal drumtracks.

In the summer of 2003, Pink passed a CD-R on to New York based band Animal Collective after being introduced by mutual friend Jimi Hey (of All Night Radio and Beachwood Sparks) at one of their shows. Unbeknownst to Pink, Animal Collective had recently started their own record label, Paw Tracks, and several weeks later they contacted him expressing an interest in releasing his music. Pink became the first musician on the label aside from the members of Animal Collective. The next year, the label reissued The Doldrums, an album which had been originally recorded in 1999. Since then, Paw Tracks (now co-owned by Carpark Records) has released two other reissues of Pink's previous recordings, Worn Copy and House Arrest.

Pink has gradually caught the attention of media sources around the United States as well as internationally. As most of his albums are self-made, many of them have never been heard by fans. Almost all of Pink's albums which have been commercially released come from his yet-unfinished "Haunted Graffiti" series and are thus the best known.

Pink's tours have generally been met with much negativity, primarily because his music was never intended to be performed live for commercial audiences. As he explained to LA Weekly:
“People boo me everywhere...They don't even hide their contempt. I'm used to it now...Hey, I'm giving audiences the real thing...For better or worse, I'm out there, and those are the circumstances. People don't like it when it seems like you don't know what's happening, or I'm getting bummed out with certain aspects and I can't hide it. I think people feel that pain and just think it's bad.”

Initially playing shows alone with pre-recorded music, Pink has since employed the efforts of keyboardist Kenny Gilmore, bassist Tim Koh (White Magic), drummer Jimi Hey, and guitarist Cole M. Greif-Neill (Ethnik Klensr) as Haunted Graffiti. However, even with a backing band unfamiliar audiences are generally hostile towards the unrehearsed nature of the live compositions.

In July, the band embarked on Pink's "Thanks Mom, I'm Dead" tour.

One genre that may interestingly define Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti is one known as Hauntology.

Bobby's On The Phone
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(braindead?) for so many days
Trying to change all my old ways
... dropped out anytime
(and i can't stop?) listen to the news of my mind
...
.... concentrate
... tell myself its the only time
Before i fall or before...

Bobby's on the phone
Bob is on the phone
Bob is always stoned
Bob is on the phone

All i need is someone to hold!
But first i need something like a soul
For just one minuet i will be
I lose my (misfortune?) ....you and me
Frustration (is the worst?) in me
.......Every one i meat
.....
.....
.....

Bobbys on the phone
Bobbys kinda home
Bobbys always stoned
Bobbys on the phone

(.....
..... Here me say)
Bobbys on his phone
Bobbys always home

Bobbys on the phone
Yeah Bob is on the phone

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti's "Bobby's On The Phone" explores the singer's state of mind and his struggles to cope with the pressure of daily life. He seems to be feeling braindead for days and is attempting to change his old ways. However, he feels that he is dropping out anytime and can't stop listening to his mind. The singer is having difficulty concentrating and is trying to tell himself that it is his only chance before falling.

The song's chorus introduces the character of Bobby, who is always on the phone and is always stoned. The singer seems to be yearning for someone to hold, but before that, he needs something like a soul. He understands that his misfortunes are not only his but also others'. Frustration seems to be the worst thing in him, and he feels that everyone he meets has it too. The song ends with a repetition of Bobby being on his phone and always at home.

Overall, "Bobby's On The Phone" appears to be a reflection of the singer's mental struggles and the pressure of everyday life, with the character of Bobby serving as a symbol of escape from the harsh reality.

Line by Line Meaning

(braindead?) for so many days
Feeling like I'm not using my brain for a long time

Trying to change all my old ways
Putting efforts to reform myself

... dropped out anytime
I could disengage from anything I do at any moment

(and i can't stop?) listen to the news of my mind
Unable to stop the flow of my inner thoughts which are like news to me

.... concentrate
Finding it difficult to focus

... tell myself its the only time
Telling myself that this moment is the only chance I have

Before i fall or before...
Before I fail or before something else happens

All i need is someone to hold!
Craving for a loving touch

But first i need something like a soul
But before that, I need to have a feeling of spirituality

For just one minuet i will be
For just one minute, I'll feel alive

I lose my (misfortune?) ....you and me
I lose my sense of misfortune when we are together