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.
Want Me
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A man like me, so irresponsible
A man like me is dead in places
Other men feel liberated
I can't love, shot full of holes
Don't feel nothing, I just feel cold
Don't feel nothing, just old scars
But I want love, just a different kind
I want love, won't break me down
Won't brick me up, won't fence me in
I want a love, that don't mean a thing
That's the love I want, I want love
I want love on my own terms
After everything I've ever learned
Me, I carry too much baggage
Oh man I've seen so much traffic
But I want love, just a different kind
I want love, won't break me down
Won't brick me up, won't fence me in
I want a love, that don't mean a thing
That's the love I want, I want love
So bring it on, I've been bruised
Don't give me love that's clean and smooth
I'm ready for the rougher stuff
No sweet romance, I've had enough
A man like me is dead in places
Other men feel liberated
But I want love, just a different kind
I want love, won't break me down
Won't brick me up, won't fence me in
I want a love, that don't mean a thing
That's the love I want, I want love
I want love, just a different kind
I want love, won't break me down
Won't brick me up, won't fence me in
I want a love, that don't mean a thing
That's the love I want, I want love
The lyrics to Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti's song "Want Me" are a reflection of the singer's struggle with love and relationships. He wants love, but feels that it's impossible for someone like him, who is irresponsible and has been wounded in the past. He has been shot full of holes, and although he is toughening up around his heart, he still longs for love.
The singer wants a different kind of love, one that won't break him down or fence him in. He doesn't want sweet romance, but rather the rougher stuff. He has been bruised but is ready for the challenge. He recognizes that he carries too much baggage but still desires love on his own terms.
The lyrics suggest that the singer has been through a lot in his life, and because of this, he wants a love that is different from what he has experienced in the past. He wants a love that is freeing, unencumbered by the usual expectations and responsibilities that come with romantic relationships. The main message of the song is that the singer wants a love that is authentic, honest, and real.
Line by Line Meaning
I want love, but it's impossible
Despite my desire for love, I believe it is unattainable.
A man like me, so irresponsible
I recognize that I do not possess the qualities necessary to be a responsible partner in a relationship.
A man like me is dead in places
I acknowledge that my past experiences have left me emotionally scarred and closed off to certain aspects of love.
Other men feel liberated
Despite my own reservations, I observe that other men who may have similar experiences have found freedom and happiness in love.
I can't love, shot full of holes
My past wounds have left me incapable of forming or maintaining loving relationships.
Don't feel nothing, I just feel cold
Although I may not experience love or other emotions, I am not numb - I simply feel a sense of detachment.
Don't feel nothing, just old scars
My wounds have healed over time, but the scars remain as a reminder of my past experiences.
Toughening up around my heart
In response to my past pain, I have developed emotional barriers around my heart to protect myself from further hurt.
But I want love, just a different kind
Despite my reservations and barriers, I still long for a unique and non-traditional type of love.
I want love, won't break me down
I desire a type of love that will not emotionally destroy me like my past experiences have done.
Won't brick me up, won't fence me in
I desire a type of love that will not trap me or limit my freedom and independence.
I want a love, that don't mean a thing
I desire a type of love that is not necessarily rooted in traditional expectations or obligations.
That's the love I want, I want love
Overall, I desire a type of love that is unique, free, and not bound by tradition or expectations.
So bring it on, I've been bruised
Despite my past experiences and emotional wounds, I am ready and willing to take on the challenge of a unique type of love.
Don't give me love that's clean and smooth
I am not interested in a type of love that is predictable or easy - I want something that is rough and challenging.
I'm ready for the rougher stuff
I am prepared to face the complications and challenges that may come with a unique and non-traditional type of love.
No sweet romance, I've had enough
I am not interested in a romanticized version of love - I have had enough of that in the past.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BERNARD J.P. TAUPIN, BERNIE TAUPIN, ELTON JOHN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind