Avail was a punk band from Richmond, Virginia. Originally from Northern Vir… Read Full Bio ↴Avail was a punk band from Richmond, Virginia. Originally from Northern Virginia, the band formed in 1987, its members included Joe Banks, Doug Crosby, Brian Stewart and Mikey Warstler. The only original remaining member, guitar player Joe Banks, teamed up with rival band LDK's (Learning Disabled Kids) Tim Barry. They moved to Richmond in 1990, and soon, after numerous line up changes, put together a solid lineup to release their first album in 1992. Many of their lyrics center around Richmond.
Avail is on 'permanent standby' as per Tim Barry's interview on Dope Sick Radio #40. Tim mentions in the interview "let's just say it's a thing of the past"

Versus
Avail Lyrics

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Silence, silence all sides
Raw with indecision
Without the mind to congregate
In fault the line extends
To further burden divided friends
Silence all sides
Why bother to defy when we still can't unite
So put your fist down until sanity can be contained

We burn out before we fade away
Losing time and not changing anything
Burn out we isolate,
Rather stand alone than divided

Stuck on lines deplete
Chant slogans timed one step off beat
Full loss of common sense
When passion becomes status end
Silence, silence all sides
Why bother to defy when we still can't unite
So put your fist down until sanity can be contained
What's been said has spread like fire to all
It takes no strength to pass blame
We burn out before we fade away
Losing time and not changing anything

Burn out we isolate
Rather stand alone than divided

Overall Meaning

The song "Versus" by Avail speaks of the futility of conflict and division within a community. The first verse sets the tone with the line "Silence, silence all sides" highlighting the lack of communication and unity. The lyrics speak of people being "Raw with indecision" and "Without the mind to congregate" indicating that people feel stuck and unable to come together.

The second verse laments the fact that people are burdening each other by creating fault lines and further dividing friends. The lyrics urge people to put their fists down and wait for sanity to prevail before taking any action. The chorus repeats the message that nothing can be achieved if people remain divided and that it's better to stand alone than to be a part of a divided community.

The bridge of the song talks about slogans and how chanting them one step off beat is a sign of people losing their common sense. The lyrics suggest that passion can become the end in itself, leading to a loss of perspective and a focus on status rather than finding solutions that can unite people.

In conclusion, "Versus" by Avail is a powerful commentary on the futility of conflict and division. The song urges people to come together and find common ground rather than creating fault lines and further dividing friends.

Line by Line Meaning

Silence, silence all sides
Quiet all opposing parties

Raw with indecision
Undecided with high emotions

Without the mind to congregate
Unable to mentally come together

In fault the line extends
Blame prolongs the issue

To further burden divided friends
Causing more strain on friendships that are already divided

Why bother to defy when we still can't unite
What's the point of opposing when we can't come together?

So put your fist down until sanity can be contained
Pause and calm down before acting irrationally

We burn out before we fade away
We exhaust ourselves before achieving any actual change

Losing time and not changing anything
Wasting effort and not making any difference

Burn out we isolate,
We withdraw and become isolated

Rather stand alone than divided
Prefer to be alone than with divided groups