While still teenagers, they formed after guitarist Cole Alexander and bassist Jared Swilley left the Renegades, and guitarist Ben Eberbaugh left the Reruns. Drummer Joe Bradley joined a few months later. They released their first 7" in late 2001/early 2002 on their own Die Slaughterhaus label.
Just days before a tour was to begin in December 2002, Ben Eberbaugh was killed in a car accident after his car was hit by a drunk driver. The band carried on believing that Eberbaugh would want them to continue.
The band's debut full length album was released on Bomp! Records in 2003. Eberbaugh was replaced by Jack Hines, a friend of the band members, but he too was eventually replaced by current guitarist, and former Renegades member, Ian St. Pe , in 2004.
The Black Lips have a reputation for crazy live shows that have included vomiting, urinating, nudity, band members kissing, fireworks, and a chicken. They have slowly built a fanbase that appreciates their energy and style that is a rough mishmash of blues, rock, doo-wop, country, and punk.
They gained national attention in 2006 with features in Spin and Rolling Stone magazines. The band got exposure in the New York Times for being the hardest working band during the 2007 South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas, in which they played a dozen shows over a three-day period.
In September 2007 their most recent album entitled Good Bad Not Evil was released. The Black Lips made their American national television debut in October 2007 on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and played O Katrina.
The band also has songs from previous recording sessions, and they will eventually be released by In The Red Records.
The Black Lips are going to star in a film called Let It Be. They will play musicians in a fictitious '1980s era DIY band called The Renegades. The movie is set for production in 2008.
Cole, Jared and Joe also play in a band called The Spooks, along with members of Deerhunter and The Kiwis. The Spooks have recorded an album which should be released in 2007 or 2008 on the Die Slaughterhaus label. Ian also plays in a blasphemous garage punk band called The Original Three. There is a full length record out on Empty records and a single out on SYA records (Italy). The Original Three will have a new single coming out in December 2007 on Savage records (Sweden). Jared plays in a band called The Gaye Blades. Rob's House Records has released one 7" by The Gaye Blades, and another one should be released before the end of 2007. Cole has also released solo material under the name Old King Cole Younger. There is one split 10" release of his material on Rob's House Records that features Bradford Cox of Deerhunter, under the name of Atlas Sound, on the other side.
In 2009, the band released their fifth album, "200 Million Thousand", on Vice Records.
Band Members
* Cole Alexander (Old King Cole Younger) - Vocals, Guitar (2000 - present)
* Jared Swilley - Vocals, Bass Guitar (2000 - present)
* Joe Bradley - Vocals, Drums (2000 - present)
* Ian St. Pe - Guitar (2005 - 2014)
* Jack Hines - former Guitar (2002 - 2005, 2014 - present)
* Ben Eberbaugh - Guitarz(2000 - 2002) - deceased
Meltdown
Black Lips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wooo
I'm a rag tag fag?
the kind you can not flack (yeahhh)
got the vietcong gone
the kind that dropped the bomb (ohhhhhhh)
Call me Chickenshit
Got my eyes on the prize
And make you realise
Meltdown (i got it up my nose)
Meltdown (i got a fuck you pose)
Meltdown (i got to be a prop)
Meltdown (cos when meltdown baby lose my drop)
When i met feeling fresh
Call me davey crocket
licked osama and obama have fucked the dilah lami
?
Coming from
?
Black lips.com in vietnam
Meltdown (i got it up my nose)
Meltdown (i got a fuck you pose)
Meltdown (i got to be a prop)
Meltdown (cos when meltdown baby lose my drop)
Arrrrrrggghhhh
(Crazy reversed outro, the whole track some bits are ran backwards some forwards, some delay reverb and fuzz are used)
The Black Lips's song "Meltdown" is a chaotic and raw piece of music that begins with a detuned guitar intro. The lyrics themselves are cryptic and seem to touch upon themes of rebellion, war, and drug use. The opening lines "I'm a rag tag fag, the kind you can not flack" are likely a statement of defiance against societal norms and expectations. The line "got the vietcong gone, the kind that dropped the bomb" could be a reference to the Vietnam War and the devastation caused by the bombings.
The chorus of the song, with the repeated phrase "Meltdown," seems to convey a sense of desperation and a desire for release from whatever is causing turmoil in the singer's life. The lines "I got it up my nose, I got a fuck you pose" suggest drug use as a means of escape and a defiant attitude towards authority. The verse about "licked osama and obama have fucked the dilah lami" is perhaps a bizarre reference to the geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
Overall, the lyrics of "Meltdown" are open to interpretation and seem to be intentionally ambiguous. The aggressive and messy sound of the music matches the chaotic tone of the lyrics, making for a high-energy song that's a staple of the Black Lips's repertoire.
Line by Line Meaning
Wooo
The sound of the band detuning their guitar as an intro to the song.
I'm a rag tag fag?
The singer is describing himself as a shabby, unconventional person.
the kind you can not flack (yeahhh)
He is proud of being an individual and not someone who can be easily criticized.
got the vietcong gone
A reference to the end of the Vietnam War.
the kind that dropped the bomb (ohhhhhhh)
The singer is comparing himself to a person who causes destruction.
dont kill the liquid when i split
He is asking for his drink to not be spilled when he leaves.
Call me Chickenshit
The singer is calling himself a coward.
Got my eyes on the prize
He is determined to achieve something valuable.
And make you realise
He wants others to understand his perspective.
Meltdown (i got it up my nose)
The singer is experiencing a meltdown, possibly due to taking drugs.
Meltdown (i got a fuck you pose)
He is feeling confrontational and rebellious.
Meltdown (i got to be a prop)
He feels like he is being used for someone else's benefit.
Meltdown (cos when meltdown baby lose my drop)
The consequences of his meltdown could lead to a loss of his possessions or status.
When i met feeling fresh
He is talking about a past experience when he was feeling good.
Call me davey crocket
A reference to a historical figure known for his individualism and fighting spirit.
licked osama and obama have fucked the dilah lami
These lyrics are nonsensical and unclear, but could imply the singer is making some political statement.
?
This line is unclear due to poor audio quality.
Coming from
This line is unclear due to poor audio quality.
Black lips.com in vietnam
The singer is referencing their band name and the Vietnam War.
Arrrrrrggghhhh
The singer lets out a loud, primal scream as a part of the song.
Contributed by Zoe S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
M Dorian
Hey, like one of the coolest chicks ever who has great taste in pretty much everything turned me on to this. That should tell you something.
freya
oh yeah
Gregory Rawlins
Black Lips - giving zero fucks since 1999.