Taking their name from the '80s sitcom, Belvedere began in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in 1995 as the three-piece of Steve Rawles (guitar/vocals), Brock (bass), and Dan Hrynuik (drums).
As the years progressed along with their revolving lineup, Belvedere remained with their melodic pop-punk sound that looked up to the likes of Bad Religion and NOFX. Eventually recruiting second guitarist Scott Solo, replacement drummer Jay Hollywood, and a replacement bassist Jaison Synclair, the quartet released their debut album, "Because No One Stopped Us", in 1998 through Hourglass and 206 Records. After spending most of 1999 on the road, along with Bad Religion and Strung Out, for a stint -- 206 Records put out Belvedere's follow-up album, "Angels Live in My Town", in early 2000. In 2001, the Montreal imprint Union 2112 released "Twas Hell Said Former Child", Belvedere's proper second album that coincided their first ever European tour. A split release with Downway, "Hometown Advantage", was issued in 2003. When it came time to recovene for another studio album, Belvedere joined producer Blair Calibaba (Sum 41) in Calgary for the recording of "Fast Forward Eats the Tape". Shared dates with Death by Stereo, Tsunami Bomb and Misconduct followed in Spring 2004. The band broke up in late 2005, playing their last show to their hometown Calgary crowd in November.
On November 2011, the band's official Facebook page announced that the band was going to get together again for a couple of shows the next year, wich included two shows in Europe (playing their first show in Paris and appearing again at GroezRock after seven years), then five in Canada, three in Brazil and one again in Canada, in Vancouver, on June 16th. Being at first that their final show, it was later announced that they'll appear in another final event in Guelph, Canada, on September the 1st 2012, with fellow punkrockers The Fullblast, also reuniting for the ocasion, Grade and Moneen.
http://www.myspace.com/belvedere
Transmissions
Belvedere Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But where the hell were you?
Send a response into the heavens
Didn't have a clue
We boldly came where we had been
Don′t think we haven't seen
Your plagues, your wars, your comedies
Your world's analogies
I don′t believe that′s rich
Our carbon base we fit
The wow signal it never quits
You're not the only one
Rotating ′round the sun
Finality's begun
You called and we came at peace
To show we′re civilized
You fired weapons, spread disease
You caused your own demise
10.000 years compounded
You let your species down
Erased yourselves from history
Your civilization drowned
I don't believe that′s rich
Our carbon base we fit
The wow signal it never quits
You're not the only one
Rotating 'round the sun
Finality′s begun
Finality it has begun
Belvedere's song Transmissions is a social commentary on humanity's tendency to ignore the warnings and signs of impending doom that surround them. The song opens with the plea of an extraterrestrial race who sent a message to planet Earth in 1977, but got no response. The lyrics lament Earth's inability to hear the call of the unknown, and how the human race has left a trail of destruction with their wars, diseases, and apathy towards climate change.
The lyrics suggest that the call for change has finally come, and "finality has begun". It is a warning that humanity's time may be running out, and that the choices made now will determine the future of the planet. The song concludes with a call for humanity to acknowledge that they are not the only ones "rotating 'round the sun", and to recognize that there may be consequences to their actions that they cannot ignore.
This song is more than just a warning about earthly problems. It's a wakeup call for the kind of collective attention that is necessary in order to face the challenges that threaten our future as a species. The lyrics may be interpreted to suggest that while it is easy to become comfortable in our small, terrestrial context, we must always be looking beyond and preparing for the unforeseen.
Line by Line Meaning
Got our word at ′77
We received a message in 1977
But where the hell were you?
However, we did not receive any messages from you
Send a response into the heavens
We sent a reply to the original message into space
Didn't have a clue
We were not aware of any other intelligent life in the universe until we received the original message
We boldly came where we had been
We arrived at the location from where the original message was sent
Don′t think we haven't seen
We have observed and studied your planet and its history
Your plagues, your wars, your comedies
We have observed and studied the diseases, conflicts, and culture of your civilization
Your world's analogies
We have analyzed the similarities and parallels in your society with our own
I don′t believe that′s rich
I find it hard to believe
Our carbon base we fit
We are composed of the same carbon-based molecules as your species
The wow signal it never quits
Our signal continues to persist and has not been terminated
You're not the only one
There are other alien civilizations in the universe
Rotating ′round the sun
We are also orbiting a star
Finality's begun
This is the end of your civilization as we know it
You called and we came at peace
We arrived on Earth in response to an attempt at peaceful contact
To show we′re civilized
We wanted to demonstrate that we are a civilized species
You fired weapons, spread disease
However, your civilization responded with violence and disease
You caused your own demise
Your own actions led to the downfall of your civilization
10.000 years compounded
Your civilization existed for approximately ten thousand years
You let your species down
Your species failed to live up to its potential
Erased yourselves from history
Your civilization is now extinct and forgotten
Finality it has begun
This is the end of your civilization and the beginning of a new era in the universe
Writer(s): scott davison marshall, casey james lewis, steven robert rawles, jason michael sinclair
Contributed by Elijah P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.