After several personnel changes, Kano and Brown recorded an eight song EP in 1995 with bassist Alex McKinney and lead guitarist Grey Brewster. The "Green Album," as it is widely known, sold about 10,000 copies.
In 1996 the band was signed by Atlantic Records. They released their major label debut, Radiance, in 1998. The first single, "What I Didn't Know," was a minor hit. During the recording phase for their next album, Brown left the band to attend college. He was replaced by Jeremy Vogt, who performed with the likes of Tonic and The Connells. Brewster also dissolved his membership with the group and was replaced by Mike Garrigan, the lead singer and songwriter of Collapsis.
This new line up played their first show on March 31, 2001, at Ziggy's in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The new set included Garrigan's Collapsis anthem, "October". [correction they actually played their first show with this lineup in Boone, NC]
Athenaeum's sophomore album Athenaeum was released on September 18, 2001. However, it received little promotion in the wake of the September 11th attacks.
Athenaeum was eventually dropped by Atlantic Records. They toured for an additional three years and released their final record, Hourglass, a collection of rare outtakes and demos, before performing their last show at Ziggy's in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on December 28, 2004.
Kano and Garrigan subsequently formed the band mg4 (with Alex McKinney, the original bassist for Athenaeum and Jeremy Vogt), who released an EP in the summer of 2004 titled Gravity Affects Me. "mg4" continues touring to date and information on shows can be found at Mike Garrigan's official website.
Discography and stand-out tracks :
- Radiance (1998): "What I Didnt know", "Flat Tire", "Radiance"
- Athenaeum (2001) : "Comfort", "Frozen in time", "Suddenly"
- Hourglass (2002) : "On Her Way", "Family Tree", "One Day at a time"
Mistake
Athenaeum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I thought they'd have much more to say
But on with my knowledge they sent me through college
I never had much of a say
But when i go
It's a big mistake
Cause they can't teach me anything
Listening to teachers won't turn me around
They fill me with things i won't use
When they have the power to turn us into
Whatever kind of people they choose
But when i go
It's a big mistake
Cause they can't teach me anything
I won't learn anyway
It's a big mistake
The lyrics to Athenaeum's "Mistake" express the artist's disillusionment with the educational system. The first verse laments the fact that teachers aren't imparting useful knowledge and offers the suggestion that the prospectus of a college education is as much a trap as it is an opportunity. The second verse elaborates on this theme, stating a belief that teachers have a responsibility to guide the personal development of their pupils, rather than merely instructing them with memorization, facts and figures.
The chorus emphasizes the idea that the singer believes his choice to attend college to have been a big mistake, because he does not feel that he is actually learning anything from the experience. Instead, he feels as though he's being cajoled into pursuing a path that is detrimental, either personally, or socially. The repeated refrain is indicative of the strong feelings of frustration and disappointment that are embodied in the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Listening to teachers is bringing me down
It’s a big mistake to think that I can learn everything from teachers
I thought they'd have much more to say
Their teachings don't fit me and they don't have any sway
But on with my knowledge they sent me through college
I thought I could gain a lot from university college
I never had much of a say
But I didn't have any control
But when i go
It's a big mistake
Cause they can't teach me anything
I won't learn anyway
Even if I go, it's a huge blunder because they can't offer anything worth my bother
Listening to teachers won't turn me around
There is no point in listening to them; they just make me cram and cram
They fill me with things i won't use
Their teachings don't fit me
When they have the power to turn us into
Whatever kind of people they choose
They have the authority to mould us into the types of people they want us to be
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARK KANO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind