The band's second album 'Take Them On, On Your Own' featured several songs ('Generation' and 'US Government') which were critical of the United States' foreign policy and George Bush in particular.
After conflict with their label (Virgin Records), the band was dropped in 2004. Nick Jago left the band at the end of their summer tour in the same year due to "internal conflict".
Following Jago's departure Peter Hayes and Robert Levon Been regrouped and recorded the band's third album. With their third record Howl, they added blues, folk and gospel, a la Spiritualized.
In 2005 the band inked a new deal with Echo in the UK, and RCA in the US. Nick Jago also returned to the fold. The band's third album "Howl" was released that same year to widespread critical acclaim. Jago returned after most of the album was recorded but played on "Promise".
"Baby 81" the band's fourth album was released on May 1st, 2007. In June 2008 Nick Jago once again left the touring line-up of the band being replaced by The Raveonettes' touring drummer Leah Shapiro. Nick stated that "...I am fired again and to be honest with you I respect their decision".
However Hayes and Been released a conflicting joint statement that read "Nick won't be joining us for the upcoming European tour, but it's not true that he is fired. We just feel Nick needs time to sort out exactly what he wants right now. His heart and all his energy and attention is on his own solo project and he needs to see that through".
Current:
On January 9, 2013, the band announced via Facebook the name of their seventh album called Specter at the Feast which was released on March 18 in the UK and Europe and on March 19 in USA, Canada and worldwide. It is considered a tribute to Michael Been (The Call), Robert Levon Been's father who died suddenly on tour with BRMC in August 2010.
It received mostly positive reviews; many critics noting that despite the band having been together for some time the album showed a mellower and moodier side with songs such as opener `Firewalker'.
The band made the first single from the record available, a cover of The Call's 1989 hit "Let the Day Begin", for free download on their official website. The decision to record the song was a tribute to Robert's father Michael, who used his experience from The Call to help BRMC before his death in the last couple of years. The single became Q Magazine's track of the day.[6] The band have also released the Let the Day Begin EP for free, consisting of the single and the album track "Returning", made available for streaming on the official website.[7]
On April 8, 2013 it was announced that the band would play at Rock Werchter, the largest rock festival in Belgium.
The band continues to show a willingness to tour despite the obstacles. During the 2013 tour, the organisers of the Harvest festival in Australia decided to abandon the multi-city event, of which BRMC were one of the lead acts, only a few months ahead of the performances. BRMC was the first band to announce it would still visit the country and play its own shows.
Many shows on the 2013/2014 tour have sold out.
BRMC's music/songs have been featured in many films, television programs and video games.
Visit blackrebelmotorcycleclub.com for tour/CD and merchandise info.
Discography:
2001 - B.R.M.C.
2001 - Screaming Gun (EP)
2002 - Spread Your Love (EP)
2003 - Take Them On, On Your Own
2005 - Howl
2006 - Howl Sessions Vol.1 (EP)
2006 - Howl Sessions Vol. 2 (EP)
2007 - Baby 81
2007 - Napster Live Session (EP)
2007 - American X: Baby 81 Sessions (EP)
2008 - The Effects Of 333 (Download)
2010 - Beat the Devil's Tattoo
2013 - Specter At The Feast
2018 - Wrong Creatures
Fail Safe
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just like you told me you'd do
And now you live for the star that you reflected to use
I never noticed the time, but now it's start to unwind
The few who know me for nothing
Well why did you lie?
As you blacken my name
Heaven's never gonna cry
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
I watched you look for the days that I don't want you to see
I've only failed in the ways that I don't want to believe
And now the day has begun
And it will burn like the sun
'cause I can see underneath your sacred hands are for none
I, I
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
Heaven's never gonna cry
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
It feels like, nowhere
It feels like, nothing
I never wanted to go
But now it's harder to close
Are we hearing our bodies or are we hearing our souls?
I watched you dead in a box
But since I'd rather you rot
There's nothing left to discuss
So why we lie on the turf
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
Heaven's never gonna cry
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein.
The lyrics of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's song "Fail Safe" seem to be addressing a person who has betrayed and deceived the singer. The singer watched this person look through a few things, just as they had said they would, but now the person lives for the reflected glory of a star, ignoring the singer's presence. The singer never noticed the time passing, but now realizes it is starting to unwind. Those who know the singer only for nothing, for their name and reputation, have lied about them, blackening their name and poisoning their vein.
The second half of the song sees the singer admitting their own failures but also recognizing that this person is not seeing them for who they really are. The day has started and it will burn, exposing what is underneath the person's sacred hands, revealing that they are not for anyone. The lyrics suggest that both the singer and this person are lying, but there is nothing left to discuss. The singer would rather watch this person rot than lie alongside them.
Overall, "Fail Safe" seems to be a reflection on betrayal, deception, and disillusionment. It suggests that people can be consumed by fame and status, ignoring those around them and perpetuating falsehoods about others. The song also acknowledges the singer's own shortcomings and the difficulty of being heard or understood.
Line by Line Meaning
I watched you look through the few
I observed you inspecting only a small number of things.
Just like you told me you'd do
This was in line with what you informed me earlier.
And now you live for the star that you reflected to use
Currently, you are thriving on the success that you obtained from someone else.
I never noticed the time, but now it's start to unwind
Initially, I did not keep track of the time but now it appears to be running out of my control.
The few who know me for nothing
People who have scanty knowledge about me.
Well why did you lie?
Why did you deceive me?
As you blacken my name
As you tarnish my reputation.
As you poison my vein
As you infect my bloodstream with negativity.
Heaven's never gonna cry
Heaven - a place of eternal peace - will not be affected by our earthly woes.
I watched you look for the days that I don't want you to see
I saw you searching for the events that I preferred to keep hidden from you.
I've only failed in the ways that I don't want to believe
I failed in areas that I never imagined to be possible.
And now the day has begun
A new day has started.
And it will burn like the sun
It will be exceptionally heated and intense.
'cause I can see underneath your sacred hands are for none
I can sense the falseness behind your supposed generous acts of helping others.
It feels like, nowhere
I have a sense of being lost with no direction.
It feels like, nothing
Life seems empty and purposeless.
I never wanted to go
I was never eager to leave.
But now it's harder to close
But currently, it is quite challenging to return.
Are we hearing our bodies or are we hearing our souls?
Are our physical needs or spiritual needs prevailing?
I watched you dead in a box
I saw you lifeless in a coffin.
But since I'd rather you rot
But, personally, I would prefer you to decompose.
There's nothing left to discuss
There is nothing else to debate or converse about.
So why we lie on the turf
Then why should we keep lying down on the ground?
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NICHOLAS JAGO, PETER HAYES, PETER B. HAYES, ROBERT BEEN, ROBERT TURNER, ROBERT L. BEEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Zachary Pfeiff
Love this song, I've heard it got left off the album because they thought the base line was too similar to Stop. lyrics on BRMC's site are a bit different than shown here:
I watched you move through the few just like you tore me in two
And now you look for the scar that you inflicted to use
I never noticed in time, but now I start to unwind
If you did owe me for nothin lord, why did you hide
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
Heaven’s never gonna cry
As you blacken my name
As you poisen my vein
I watched you come from the daze, but I don’t want you to see
I’ve only failed in ways that I don’t want to believe
Another day has begun and it will burn like the sun
Inside my skin, underneath you’re safe but never for long
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
Heaven’s never gonna cry
As you blacken my name
As you poisen my vein
It feels like you’re nowhere
It feels like you’re nothing
I never wanted to go
But now it’s harder to close
So are we here in our bodies or are we led in our souls
I want you dead in a box
And since I’d rather you rot
There’s nothin’ left to discuss
So why rely on the tongue
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
Heaven’s never gonna cry
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
Night Mike
Heavily bluesy great stuff that these guys always manage to come out with, BRMC are one of those bands that knows how to make memorable riffs, this is one of many reasons why this band rocks.
Marco Palomba
The band with the best B-sides EVER.
They could literally publish a double feature album out of gems like this.
Sérgio Costa
Along with The Jesus and Mary Chain
Lee
I love all there stuff but the production on these early ones was magical, that rough sheen over the vocals and the guitar sound ! Perfect rock and roll with a ambient phycadelic edge
Zachary Pfeiff
Love this song, I've heard it got left off the album because they thought the base line was too similar to Stop. lyrics on BRMC's site are a bit different than shown here:
I watched you move through the few just like you tore me in two
And now you look for the scar that you inflicted to use
I never noticed in time, but now I start to unwind
If you did owe me for nothin lord, why did you hide
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
Heaven’s never gonna cry
As you blacken my name
As you poisen my vein
I watched you come from the daze, but I don’t want you to see
I’ve only failed in ways that I don’t want to believe
Another day has begun and it will burn like the sun
Inside my skin, underneath you’re safe but never for long
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
Heaven’s never gonna cry
As you blacken my name
As you poisen my vein
It feels like you’re nowhere
It feels like you’re nothing
I never wanted to go
But now it’s harder to close
So are we here in our bodies or are we led in our souls
I want you dead in a box
And since I’d rather you rot
There’s nothin’ left to discuss
So why rely on the tongue
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
Heaven’s never gonna cry
As you blacken my name
As you poison my vein
Deedee 60
Terrific song from a great band! Big love for BRMC.
Spin Al-Fluid
I think a little of Peter's BJM days come through on this song, and it totally works! This song rocks!
R. Ann
I remember this song was on a cd that came with a " alternative " magazine that I bought long long ago.
kjtuckley
Yep. Q Rocks. I saw them at Kentish Town not long after and they played this. Same night they played Leave Them All Behind with Mark Gardner
John Hopes
Jackson yep! This was where I heard it! Q rocks :)