Berman was an independent alternative rock band, which originated in Hollyw… Read Full Bio ↴Berman was an independent alternative rock band, which originated in Hollywood, Florida, USA, but for many years was based out of Orlando. Although they never performed outside of their home state, they released three self-produced, full-length albums in their five years together. The band prided itself in being completely self-sufficient and musically diverse within the modern rock genre, as well as providing a very energetic stage performance.

In 2000, brothers Bradd Shapiro and Steve Shapiro performed with high school friends Mike Ferrara and Corey Melton. The band soon added Greg Hejja as a bassist, and began performing under the name Berman in 2001. After playing local gigs a few times a month in South Florida venues the group began taking their music a little more seriously. In 2002, the band began recording tracks for their debut full-length album. It was during this time that singer Corey Melton donned the fictitious name Guy Jettman. As practice and live performance became more important, the band found it necessary to part with rhythm guitarist Ferrara.

In Fall, 2002, Greg and Bradd moved to Orlando in order to attend the University of Central Florida. Although the distance made practice more difficult, they continued to play shows, and finish the album. For The Better was released in January, 2003. The band held a CD release party at the Culture Room. After playing Orlando's Hard Rock Live on August 9, 2003, the band parted with lead singer Corey Melton, and went on an extensive search to find a replacement singer. Greg and Bradd moved back to Hollywood, where Steve was finishing up high school. Brad moved back to Orlando in January 2004.

While the band was on hiatus, they added Greg's brother, Mike Hejja, as an additional guitarist and background vocalist. After graduating Valedictorian of his class, Steve joined his brother, Bradd at The University of Central Florida. After a very frustrating search, the band put hard feelings aside and reunited with singer, Guy Jettman/Corey Melton in August 2004.

Sessions for Berman's second full-length release began as early as 2002 and continued through the band's hiatus. After the singer's return the band finished up the tracks, again at Shapiro's home studio, and released Life In The Stars in December, 2004. The band hosted a CD release party at Bradd and Steve's house near the UCF campus.

The band promoted the album heavily on Podcasts around the world, which boosted online sales, and created much anticipation for the follow-up release. In 2005, the band began recording demos for their third release. As shows increased, and a new album underway, Greg and Jettman moved to Orlando to make practice and songwriting easier. The band hired vocal coach Mark Goff to work with Jettman in an effort to increase his voice's longevity. The album was recorded in January and February, 2006, and later debuted their new recorded material on Jason Evangelho's Insomnia Radio Podcast. Berman officially released their third album, Send Me To The End, on April 14, 2006, at a CD release party at Backbooth in Orlando.

On June 10, 2006, Berman hired local group Flying Dog Films to shoot their first professional music video. The song chosen was the title track of their new album. The video was shot at Summit Church in Orlando, since the building was formerly a movie theater undergoing remodeling. Recent conflicts and frustrations all came to a head under the stress of the 14-hour video shoot. And for the second and final time, the band split up with their singer. The four remaining members employed various singers in order to fulfill their performance obligations. The band played their last performance on September 24, 2006 in Lake Mary, Florida.

Guitarist Bradd Shapiro and bassist Gregg Hejja performed as the chief songwriters of the band. Steve, who recorded most of the bands material, often acted as the arranger. Mike Hejja wrote most of his own guitar parts, which made him an attractive addition to the band in 2004.

In 2007, Greg signed a publishing deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing and began to promote Greg Hejja Music.

Perfect
Berman Lyrics

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The perfect end to a perfect crime,
Just another bad mistake,
I see a dream in the distance,
That's not too far away

I want it to be normal,
I want it to be fair,
I want it to be everything,

I want it to be clear, I want it to be now,
And I want it to be You,
I want it to be perfect,
But I don't know what to do,

This new start seems too familiar,
I can't live it all again,
They say rules are better broken,
But broken hearts can't bend

It's not fair

Overall Meaning

to judge others,

For the things that they have done,

But how can I move forward,

With the weight of guilt weighing a ton?

I want it to be easy,

I want it to be light,

I want it to be beautiful,

But it's hard to see that sight.

The perfect end to a perfect crime,

But the cost is far too high,

The consequences always catch up,

And it's hard not to ask why.

In "Perfect," Berman reflects on the desire for things to be perfect in life, but acknowledges the difficulty in achieving that perfection. The song explores the consequences of mistakes and bad decisions, and the struggle to move on from them. The lyrics touch on themes of guilt, regret, and the desire for a fresh start.

The phrase "perfect crime" in the first line implies a sense of satisfaction or achievement in completing something that technically shouldn't have been possible. However, Berman counters that by acknowledging it as "just another bad mistake," suggesting that even the seemingly perfect things we strive for can end up being wrong.

Throughout the song, Berman wants things to be "normal," "clear," "perfect," but also acknowledges that she doesn't know how to make it happen. This is echoed in the line, "I want it to be You," suggesting that she is looking to someone else to bring about this perfect outcome.

Line by Line Meaning

The perfect end to a perfect crime,
Despite it being an amazing finish to a well-executed plan, it's still a wrongdoing.

Just another bad mistake,
It's just like any other regrettable mess-up.

I see a dream in the distance,
I envision a future that is yet to come.

That's not too far away
It's nearly within reach.

I Want it to be normal,
I just wish for it to be typical.

I want it to be fair,
I hope it to be just and equal.

I want it to be everything,
I want it to include all things.

I want it to be clear,
I desire for it to be simple to understand.

I want it to be now,
I don't want to wait for it.

And I want it to be You,
I desire for you to be a part of it.

I want it to be perfect,
I long for it to be completely free of flaws.