Biffy, as they are often referred to, utilise a quiet/loud dynamic, constructing songs that can range from a whisper-quiet pick on the guitar, to huge walls of noise with massive distortion and crashing drums. Their sound has simplified somewhat in recent times yet still occasionally contains complex time signatures and heavy riffs. While Simon Neil sings lead, all three members provide vocals. "'Mon the Biffy!" is a well known chant amongst Biffy fans; it is usually shouted in between songs at gigs, or before the band come on stage. Some fans have reacted poorly to the band's recent output.
The first incarnation of what would eventually become Biffy Clyro was formed in 1995 by fifteen-year-old Irvine-born, Ayr-raised guitarist Simon Neil, who recruited Kilmarnock-born Ben Johnston and someone known only as Barry on drums and bass respectively, calling themselves Screwfish. Barry was soon replaced by James Johnston, Ben's twin brother, and the three spent the next two years rehearsing, writing and covering songs. In 1997, they played their first gig as the support for a band called Pink Kross at a local youth centre. The trio then moved to Glasgow, where Neil went to the University of Glasgow and the Johnston twins went to Stow College, studying Electronics with Music and Audio Engineering respectively.They then progressed onto the bigger stage
After playing gigs around Glasgow and receiving positive and enthusiastic reactions from the audiences, the band were spotted by Dee Bahl, who soon became their manager. Bahl offered them a chance to release an independent single on Aereogramme's Babi Yaga record label. "Iname" was released on 28 June 1999, and led to the band being chosen by Stow College's Electric Honey record label to release a record. thekidswhopoptodaywillrocktomorrow... was released on 13 June 2000, and after hearing it, BBC Radio Scotland DJ Vic Galloway gave the band airplay. A few days prior to the release of thekidswho..., the band were spotted at the Unsigned Bands stage at T in the Park 2000 by a Beggars Banquet representative. Soon after, the band was signed to the independent Beggar's Banquet, and on 30 October 2000, they re-recorded and released the single, "27", which became Kerrang!'s Single Of The Week.
On 1 October 2001, one of the songs from thekidswho... was re-recorded and released as a single, "Justboy". This was repeated on 4 February 2002, when the song "57" was released. On 11 March, the band's debut album, Blackened Sky, was released to generally positive reviews. It was around this time that the band began touring extensively, including being the support for Weezer on 20 March at the Barrowlands in Glasgow. On 15 July, the fourth single from the album, "Joy.Discovery.Invention" was released as a double A-side with a newly recorded song, entitled "Toys, Toys, Toys, Choke, Toys, Toys, Toys", which later appeared on The Vertigo of Bliss.
In 2003, the band retreated to the Linford Manor recording studio in Great Linford, Milton Keynes, England to record the follow-up to Blackened Sky. On 24 March, a new single was released entitled, "The Ideal Height", followed by another new single entitled "Questions and Answers" on 28 May. The band's second album, The Vertigo of Bliss was released on 16 June, to positive reviews, which focused on the more experimental style of the album in comparison to Blackened Sky, as well as the introduction of string sections.
In 2004, after touring relentlessly for The Vertigo of Bliss, the band retreated to Monnow Valley Studios in Monmouth, Wales to record a follow-up. As with the previous album, two singles were released before the actual album; "Glitter and Trauma" and "My Recovery Injection" on 9 August and 20 September, respectively. A digital download was also released; "There's No Such Thing As A Jaggy Snake", on 31 May. On 4 October, the band's third album, Infinity Land was released, and on 14 February 2005, the last single from the album, "Only One Word Comes To Mind" was released. On 16 February, the band performed a cover of Franz Ferdinand's "Take Me Out" live from Maida Vale on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show. Simon Neil's side project, Marmaduke Duke, also released an album in 2005, The Magnificent Duke, and toured the UK, along with the Johnston twins accompanying on bass and drums, for it.
In 2006, Biffy Clyro left Beggars Banquet and signed a deal with 14th Floor, an offshoot of Warner Bros. In June, the band contributed a cover of Weezer's "Buddy Holly" to Kerrang!'s High Voltage!: A Brief History of Rock, which came free with Issue #1110 of the magazine. In September, the band moved temporarily to Canada to record their fourth album at The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, and The Farm Studio in Gibsons, which they finished doing in November. The song "Semi-Mental" was released as a digital download on 25 December. In 2007, the song "Saturday Superhouse" was released on 14 May, where it reached #13 on the UK Singles Chart; the band's highest single chart position to date. On 14 May, the song "Living is a Problem Because Everything Dies" was released, reaching #19 on the UK Singles Charts. On 21 May, Biffy were confirmed for T in the Park 2007, as well as being announced as one of the support bands for the 17 June gig at the new Wembley Stadium for Muse. On 1 June, Biffy were confirmed for Glastonbury 2007. On 4 June, Puzzle was released to critical acclaim, and eventually helped the band to reach their highest UK Albums Chart position ever, reaching #2 in the first week of release. On 6 June it was announced that Biffy were to support The Who at Marlay Park in Ireland. On 12 June, it was announced that "Folding Stars" was released as a single on July 16. On the 23rd of August 2007, Biffy Clyro were announced as the support act for the Red Hot Chilli Peppers at Hampden Stadium in Glasgow, for the Stadium Arcadium tour.
Wave Upon Wave Upon Wave
Biffy Clyro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Blame it on the final, phase of your induction
Why bother talking, if nobody's listening
Name it as a first-born, the firstborn is dead
Theres a knife in my hand
Covered in blood, I can't understand
Why, fucker, why
Why bother sitting, I cant stand sitting
Just blame it on someone, it's your own instruction
Why bother talking, if nobody's listening
Name it as a first-born, the firstborn is dead
Theres a knife in my hand
Covered in blood, I can't understand
Why, fucker, why
Why, why, why, why
I've waited so long
I've waited so long
To see what it takes
I can't say no
I can't say no
To see what it takes
Ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah
We're letting it go
Just before time
Sink to the bottom of our lives
We're letting it go
Before our time
Helping us through our sad lives
Do you believe in magic?
Do you believe in magic?
Do you believe in magic?
Do you believe in magic?
Wave upon wave upon wave upon wave
The song "Wave Upon Wave Upon Wave" by Biffy Clyro talks about frustration and the feeling of being unheard. The first lines of the song express the futility of talking when nobody is listening, suggesting that the communication breakdown is linked to the final, unchangeable stage of a particular course of events. The repetition of the line "Why bother talking?" emphasizes this feeling of hopelessness. The reference to the firstborn is an allusion to the biblical story of Cain and Abel, where the first-born (Cain) kills his brother Abel. This suggests that whatever message the singer is trying to communicate has died or been lost, like Abel.
The chorus introduces an element of violence with the line "There's a knife in my hand covered in blood, I can't understand," which could suggest the singer has done something terrible out of desperation or frustration. This feeling is emphasized with the repetition of the lines "Why, fucker, why/ Wave upon wave upon wave upon wave." The shift to first-person pronouns in the second verse ("why bother sitting, I can't stand sitting") suggests a personal reason behind the singer's feelings of powerlessness – he cannot communicate what he wants to say. The repeated chorus emphasizes the repetition and the exacerbating feeling of frustration this brings.
Line by Line Meaning
Why bother talking, if nobody's listening
What's the point of speaking if no one cares to hear?
Blame it on the final, phase of your induction
Attribute your failures to your own absorption into society's norms.
Name it as a first-born, the firstborn is dead
Identify your mistakes as your own offspring, who have passed away due to your actions.
Theres a knife in my hand
I am holding a weapon.
Covered in blood, I can't understand
I am bewildered as to how I ended up in this bloody situation.
Why, fucker, why
Expressing frustration and pain in the face of an unknown situation.
Wave upon wave upon wave upon wave
A recurring cycle of challenging and difficult events without any respite.
Why bother sitting, I cant stand sitting
I'd rather stand up and do something than sit still and do nothing.
Just blame it on someone, it's your own instruction
Make excuses and point the finger at others while ignoring the fact that you're responsible for your own actions.
I've waited so long
I've been patient for an extended duration.
To see what it takes
To finally find out what it would require to succeed or overcome something.
I can't say no
I can't resist or decline what's being offered or expected of me.
We're letting it go
We're releasing our hold on something that's not serving us well.
Just before time
We're doing so just before our chance of making a difference has passed.
Sink to the bottom of our lives
We're giving up and allowing ourselves to be swallowed by the worst aspects of our existence.
Helping us through our sad lives
Acknowledging that some forms of magic, whether real or imaginary, can alleviate our suffering.
Do you believe in magic?
Asking a pointed question aimed at the listener's beliefs.
Contributed by Jeremiah H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.