The group initially sent a demo to Equal Vision Records and a representative from the label flew out immediately to sign the group. Since the release of Right Now You're in the Best of Hands..., the band has toured the United States extensively headlining & opening for other major acts such as Coheed and Cambria. The group quickly gained attention from fans and fellow musicians as well. The group is also known for their high-energy stage show most notably by Marc Paffi (Vocals), who is known to move around the stage frantically during performances. Most of the band members also switched playing instruments during their sets, which was a regular occasion. The group is named after the Chris Bachelder book and also the old hypothetical "who would win in a fight between a bear and a shark?" though it has also been circulated that the band's name comes from the shape of Michigan; colloquially, it is said to look like a bear fighting a shark.
On December 21, 2005 the band posted on their website that they decided to call it quits. Although the band didn't cite any specific reason for the break up John Gaviglio was featured in the December issue of Alternative Press where he did an op-ed piece on the hardships of touring extensively. The band has also been very vocal that they didn't like their touring conditions.
Members
* Marc Paffi – vocals, guitar, keyboards
* Derek Kiesgen – guitar, bass
* Mike Muldoon – guitar, bass, keyboards
* John Gaviglio – guitar, bass, vocals
* Ashley Horak – drums
Former members
* Brandon Moss – drums
* David "Spitsticks" – drums
Mike Muldoon and John Gaviglio together with help of Mark Maynard have started a new band project called Cannons, centralized in Brooklyn.
Right Now, You're in the Best of Hands... and Terrorhawk were released on vinyl by Friction Records, with Right Now, You're in the Best of Hands included two previously unreleased tracks, California Hot Seat (originally heard on the (1653 EP) and June 7. Also, a special picture disc version of Terrorhawk was released, with artwork by Jeff VandenBerg.
Marc Paffi recorded vocals for the song 1999 on the band If He Dies He Dies release Conquistador on Friction Records.
Marc Paffi, Mike Muldoon, and Brandon Moss have started a new band together called Champions of History.
Brandon Moss is also a member of the band Bars of Gold and Wildcatting. In addition to Wildcatting, Brandon Moss also plays horns in Don't Stand So Close To Me, a jazz/fusion ensemble that mixes solid hits from The Police.
John Gaviglio currently plays in Matthew Dear's Big Hands.
Marc Paffi is also lead singer of Bars Of Gold.
The Employee Is Not Afraid
Bear vs. Shark Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And bonded cell ties
And write up these letters
To question your reasons
For coming and leaving
To carry the summer
In allies and basements
You washed yourself clean
My sockets are empty
The claim that
Wire had covered your heart
And the claim that
Water had entered your lungs
They called you a martyr
And they cut off your ties to the city
They called you a traitor
And they cut off your ties to the south
Came to me in paintings
That highlight the sun
It branded the concept
Of living and lying
To forgive the layout
And rewrite the history
A four sided story
A moundbuilders dream
My sockets are swimming
My sockets are empty
Bear Vs. Shark's song "The Employee is Not Afraid" is a heartfelt song that touches on the themes of isolation and broken relationships. The song opens with the lines "Came to me on icebergs, and bonded cell ties," which speak to the singer's feelings of loneliness and their desperate attempts to cling to anything that will connect them with the outside world. The mention of "writing up these letters" implies a sense of distance between the singer and some other individual in their life, one who they question the reasons of "coming and leaving" repeatedly.
The second verse of the song touches on themes of betrayal, with the mention of a "traitor" who is cut off from ties to both the city and the south. The song implies that this is the singer's former friend or partner, who is viewed as a martyr by those who have cut them off. The third verse of the song is more uplifting, suggesting that there is still hope for healing and forgiveness. The singer is approached by memories that "highlight the sun" and slowly begins to forgive and rewrite the history of their life.
The song's chorus repeats the line "My sockets are swimming, my sockets are empty," which can be interpreted as a metaphor for the singer's emotional state. They are overwhelmed and exhausted from constantly searching for connections and meaning in their life.
Line by Line Meaning
Came to me on icebergs
You arrived in my life unexpectedly, like an iceberg that suddenly appears in the middle of the sea.
And bonded cell ties
You forged connections with me that were strong and unbreakable, like the bonds between cells.
And write up these letters
You wrote me letters to express your thoughts and feelings.
To question your reasons
You asked me to explain the reasons behind my actions.
For coming and leaving
You were trying to understand why I came into your life and then left.
To carry the summer
You wanted to hold onto the warmth and happiness of summer.
In allies and basements
You sought refuge and comfort in unlikely places, like the basements of buildings or with unlikely allies.
You washed yourself clean
You cleansed yourself of negative thoughts and feelings to start anew.
My sockets are swimming
My eyes are overwhelmed with emotion and I am struggling to process it all.
My sockets are empty
Despite all the emotion I'm feeling, I'm not sure what to make of it.
The claim that Wire had covered your heart
There was a rumor that you had become cold and unfeeling, like wire that corrodes over time.
And the claim that Water had entered your lungs
There was also a rumor that you were drowning in your emotions and couldn't escape them.
They called you a martyr
Some people saw you as a martyr, someone who sacrificed themselves for a greater cause.
And they cut off your ties to the city
Others cut off their connections with you because they felt you had betrayed them or the city.
They called you a traitor
Some people viewed you as a traitor, who had betrayed their trust.
And they cut off your ties to the south
As a result, they also ended their relationships with people and places in the south, where you had connections.
Came to me in paintings
You appeared to me as a metaphor or a figment of my imagination.
That highlight the sun
You symbolized warmth and positivity for me, like the sun.
It branded the concept
This idea became imprinted on my mind.
Of living and lying
The concept was about the truth and how we live and interact with it.
To forgive the layout
To let go of preconceived notions and ideas about how things should be.
And rewrite the history
To rethink how we view the past and the stories we tell about it.
A four sided story
There are multiple perspectives to every story, and this one has at least four sides.
A moundbuilders dream
The story is complex and multi-layered, like a dream or a riddle.
My sockets are swimming
The emotions and thoughts I'm experiencing are still overwhelming me.
My sockets are empty
Despite everything, I'm still not sure what this all means or what I should do next.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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R.I.P. BEAR VS SHARK!! <3