These gifts translated onto the stage where, from the outset, Big Scary proved themselves a remarkably fluid and compelling live act, capable of not only bringing their songs to life, but also of adapting their set to suit the moment.
In late 2008, the band headed into the studio for the first time, laying down six live tracks in a single day. Another quick-fire recording session soon after resulted in a four-track mini-EP, led by the towering single ‘This Weight’. Featuring Iansek’s huge distorted guitar and high-wire vocals backed by Syme’s thumping drums, ‘This Weight’ quickly caught the ears of the press, who hailed this ‘talented and fearless’ new duo.
Inspired by a wave of severe weather that hit the country, Big Scary went on to release the six-track ‘At The Mercy of The Elements’ ep. Ranging from rousing, piano-led ballads (‘Falling Away’), to thumping, distorted numbers (‘Hey Somebody’) and intricate, sonorous instrumentals (‘At The Mercy of the Elements’), the ep was a full-to-bursting showcase of the duo’s vital, dexterous sound. ‘Thoroughly excellent,’ raved The Australian. ‘Packed with anxiety and bravado,’ Beat said.
With a growing national profile, Big Scary embarked on a period of heavy touring, with a diverse list of supports that reflected the duo’s eclectic output: The Vasco Era, Florence and the Machine, Midlake, Little Red, Editors. Soon enough the duo began headlining their own shows, first in their hometown of Melbourne and then all over the country.
Big Scary remain endlessly fascinated by the natural world. In 2010, the duo released four seasonally themed, limited-edition eps, which were eventually collected as The Big Scary Four Seasons. A rich, thrillingly diverse set of songs, The Four Seasons showcased Iansek and Syme’s uncanny ability to translate the vagaries and glories of the elements into utterly compelling music.
‘Four Seasons proves to be the defining turning point for Big Scary, for they are no longer the next best thing in Australian music, they are the best thing,' Beat Magazine said of the lp, while the AU Review hailed ‘the versatility and obscene… talent of the players.’
A national tour followed, with the band playing to packed houses all over the country. Several months later, as the band began to ready their new album, ‘Autumn’, one of the standout tracks from the Four Seasons, was placed in a high-profile AT&T ad in the US, introducing the band to American audiences for the first time.
The vision for the new record came together on a small island farm, where Iansek and Syme holed up for several weeks after a run of successful summer festival shows, writing and demoing songs. ‘We knew we had a lot of songs that we liked, but they were all so far from each other on the genre scale—super bratty garage, really poppy piano stuff, epic guitar songs, folky acoustic stuff,’ Syme says. ‘The album will still have elements of all that, but we've got some really strong tracks that we think tie it all together.’
Instead of painting themselves into a corner, on the new album Big Scary celebrate the diversity of their songwriting. ‘We write songs with completely different feels and vibes,’ Iansek says. ‘In the studio, we thought that we should try not suppress this too much, and just roll with it.’
By their own admission, the two worked ‘a lot harder’ in putting together the new album material than they had before, re-writing parts and lyrics until they were satisfied. This process continued into the studio, where every sound was carefully considered and experimented with—often for hours at a time. Layers were added to some songs, while parts were culled from others, as Iansek and Syme sought to make each song ‘as strong as it could possibly be.’
The new album, which is due in October, promises to be another startling document from a band whose only constant seems to be their capacity for invention, their desire to keep moving forward.
www.bigscary.net
Label page: Pieater
Gladiator
Big Scary Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
it's been twenty-four, it's too long I feel.
I'm watching movies, reading books,
still can't figure out which wrong turn I took.
But I know, I ain't no gladiator.
But you know, do you know what's in my head?
What i do, it's makes no difference anyway.
I'm trading Franny's funny faces,
I am hanging with the smash hits.
Still growing up, growing up,
even though I stopped believing day six.
I'm lacking girls, lacking money and these jerks,
they make me feel funny.
I can quote my favourite line,
I can calculate the distance in time.
But I know, I ain't no gladiator.
But you know, do you know what's in my head?
What i do, it's makes no difference anyway.
What i do.
I can feel it slipping,
I can, I can feel it slipping,
I can. (times 10)
I ain't no gladiator!
Do you know whats in my head?
It makes no difference anyway.
It makes no difference anyway!
The lyrics of Big Scary’s Gladiator offer insight into the confusion and frustration that come with feeling stuck in life. The singer is at a point where they feel lost and unable to determine where they made a wrong turn. They have tried to distract themselves with movies, books, and spending time with different people, but none of it seems to help. The repeated line “I ain’t no gladiator” indicates that the singer is not equipped to handle the challenges they are facing in life. They are not strong enough to fight their way through and are struggling to understand what is going on in their head.
The song also highlights the singer’s sense of detachment from the world around them. They feel like they are lacking in different areas of their life, such as love and money, and are surrounded by people who make them feel uncomfortable. However, they also acknowledge that the things they do or don’t do won’t make much of a difference in the end. The last line “It makes no difference anyway!” reveals a sense of resignation, as if the singer has accepted that they are simply a passive observer in their own life.
Overall, Gladiator paints a picture of someone grappling with feelings of inadequacy and disconnection. The lyrics speak to the universal experience of feeling lost and directionless, and the sense that there’s no clear way out.
Line by Line Meaning
Take my hand, take the wheel,
Please guide me through life, take control because I'm feeling lost.
it's been twenty-four, it's too long I feel.
I've been alive for twenty-four years and I'm still unsure about my life.
I'm watching movies, reading books,
I'm trying to find answers by consuming media.
still can't figure out which wrong turn I took.
I'm not sure where I went wrong in life.
But I know, I ain't no gladiator.
I don't feel strong enough to face life's challenges.
But you know, do you know what's in my head?
Do you understand my thoughts and feelings?
What i do, it's makes no difference anyway.
My actions don't seem to change anything.
I'm trading Franny's funny faces,
I'm wasting my time on trivial things.
I am hanging with the smash hits.
I'm trying to fit in with popular people.
Still growing up, growing up,
I'm still maturing and learning about life.
even though I stopped believing day six.
I've lost faith in something important to me.
I'm lacking girls, lacking money and these jerks,
I feel like I'm missing out on important things and people in life.
they make me feel funny.
I feel uncomfortable around them.
I can quote my favourite line,
I know what I like, but I don't have direction in life.
I can calculate the distance in time.
I have knowledge, but it doesn't seem to help me in life.
I can feel it slipping,
I'm losing control of my life.
I ain't no gladiator!
I'm not strong enough to face life's challenges.
Do you know whats in my head?
Do you understand my thoughts and feelings?
It makes no difference anyway.
Nothing seems to change no matter what I do.
Contributed by Ruby V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jilara
Soundtrack to my week. Cannot stop listening! In fact, can't stop listening to Big Scary full stop.
Daniel Charles
I love this types of low budget vids, cheesy, home made, not afraid to take the piss out of themselves, reminds me of dress ups and muck up day. Please have a another show in Melbourne. ASAP!
Michael
Another Great one guys, you always deliver something different while retaining that charm and style that we all love about you :)
beaudjangles
This video is great. I'd never heard this band before seeing this, but it's good to see the guitarist is very self aware. Perfect song.
Tom Reid
Awesome stuff! These guys are so much fun!
Kieran494
'I can quote my favorite line, I can calculate the distance in time'. I LOVE this SONG, thanks JJJ :)
andrea leal
love your music guys!
rad kid
I'm actually laughing so hard this is so funny you guys are seriously the best
BexTromeo
That's the Australian coming out in them haha makes me bloody proud to be an Aussie!
Chema Zarz
From México 2020: I love your songs you remind me of my teenage years. I met you in 2013.