Blank & Jones is a trance trio based in Cologne, Germany, consisting of Pie… Read Full Bio ↴Blank & Jones is a trance trio based in Cologne, Germany, consisting of Piet Blank (Jan Pieter Blank), Jaspa Jones (Rene Runge) & Co-producer Andy Kaufhold (Andreas Kaufhold). They have released nine albums and more than 16 singles since their first single release "Sunrise" in 1997.

It started in 1997 with their debut single Sunrise, the first step towards producing their own tracks. Nowadays, one cannot imagine the electronic elite without BLANK & JONES. 13 of their singles made it into the German Top 50, and three into the Top 20. Each and every album hit the Top 50, including two which climbed into the Top 10. They also scored a spectacular triple whammy by occupying the Top Ten album, singles and compilation charts simultaneously with Substance, Desire and The Mix respectively.

BLANK & JONES have teamed up with a number of top international stars in their career to date. The Cure mastermind Robert Smith, Bernard Sumner (New Order), Anne Clark, Sarah McLachlan and Claudia Brücken (Propaganda) have been immortalized on BLANK & JONES tracks, giving them a certain credibility way beyond the boundaries of dance music. Further evidence of their versatility can be seen in their contributions to the Café del Mar compilation series and their own chill-out albums, Relax and Relax (Edition 2). Next up, the people behind the Buddha Bar series have also made enquiries..

The release of the A Forest single and the accompanying album Monument in the USA last year also laid the foundations for BLANK & JONES to create a solid fanbase across the Atlantic.

Seven albums, 3 mix albums (The Mix 1-3) and 15 singles later, BLANK & JONES and their longstanding production colleague Andy Kaufhold have chosen this moment to collate their finest material on one release - The Singles. Comprising the best tracks and greatest successes of BLANK & JONES plus two brand new tracks, recorded exclusively for this album. “We felt the time had come to put all our singles together on one CD, “ Piet and Jaspa explain. “We prefer to see it as one step along the way, rather than a mere retrospective. A little breather before we move on to pastures new.“

Over 20 tracks were in the reckoning for The Singles collection, most of them penned by BLANK & JONES themselves. From the first single Sunrise via chart smashes such as Desire, DJ Culture and Beyond Time all the way to entrancing collaborations with the like of Elles DeGraaf on Mind Of The Wonderful, Claudia Brücken on Unknown Treasure and Steve Kilbey (The Church) on Revealed, the album is packed with original material. One of the few covers is, of course, A Forest with Robert Smith of The Cure on vocals.

An absolute must for fans is the all new WMC Retouch version of Nightfly, direct from the Miami Winter Music Conference (WMC), where BLANK & JONES headlined in March of this year. So new, the track was hot to the touch as it made its way onto the album, having been premiered to rave reactions at the dance convention. BLANK & JONES’ Nightfly WMC Retouch was the talk of the town the following morning on various online sites and blogs.

The album also features two completely new tracks. One is Somebody and the other is Catch, the newest single, based on Kosheen’s 1998 tune. Vocals supplied once again by the fantastic Elles DeGraaf.

BLANK & JONES have taken the utmost care in getting the sound right. Tracks have been remastered but not remixed. “Our aim was to retain the flair of each original track“ Piet and Jaspa elucidate. “We wanted them to sound just as they did when we made them, but clearer, in the same way as one restores a painting. You don’t paint it from scratch, you just bring out the colours again.“ Such loving attention to detail is typical of BLANK & JONES, making them the artists they are today, ready and able to see the bigger picture.

The album is also being released in Limited Edition format, in which The Singles are complemented by an additional DVD, bringing together all BLANK & JONES videos on one disc for the first time. The BLANK & JONES clips are something worth seeing, with a artistic quality rarely seen in such a genre. BLANK & JONES’ dramatic credentials are matched by their sense of humour. Numerous famous names have featured in their videos, including Estella Warren and Til Schweiger in Beyond Time, the latter having also directed the clip.

The DVD was produced and designed by Thomas Jahn, renowned as scriptwriter and director of “Knocking On Heaven’s Door“ and also the man responsible for The Hardest Heart, Mind Of The Wonderful, Perfect Silence and Desire.

The video for the latest single, Catch, was directed by Conchita Soares and Toni Froschhammer and features the thespian talents of TV actress Nadine. The piece will not only be presented on the music channels, but will also be shown at short film festivals over the summer.

BLANK & JONES’ roots are firmly placed in DJ culture. Year after year, millions of ravers around the globe feel the heat of their sensational sets at major events like Mayday, Nature One and Love Parade as well as in clubs all over the world. BLANK & JONES mix DJ and live, making the most of today’s technology. “We do everything digitally, on the basis of Final Scratch, which allows us to use our own edits and mixes, nothing comes straight from tape. Every set we play is unique, not only sound-wise but also in terms of what we play and how we play it. Roughly 60% of our set consists of our own repertoire, as where better to present our own material than via the DJ decks.“

BLANK & JONES are global players in the best sense of the word, with a worldwide reputation to match. They are more than welcome guests at the major festivals and raves in Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and Russia. At the beginning of the year, they played to 15,000 fans in St. Petersburg! They also travel further afield on a regular basis, to Canada, Mexico, South America and Australia.

2005 saw BLANK & JONES spend a lot of time in the USA, where A Forest proved to be a big success. Electronic music is growing and growing Stateside, so BLANK & JONES will return to LA, San Diego, San Francisco and many more cities in North America this year. Overwhelmingly positive reactions to Catch on the initial installment of the BLANK & JONES tour mean that the American fans can hardly wait for The Singles to be released. This will be the third BLANK & JONES US album.

Not content to rest on their laurels, Piet and Jaspa are already preparing an exciting, new and unusual project. On May 26th, BLANK & JONES will perform together with the Robert Schumann Kammerorchester conducted by Alexander Shelly in the Tonhalle Düsseldorf. The definitive electro-classical crossover extravaganza!

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4 Ever
Blank & Jones Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Take a good look at the person next to you
Knew em’ since a child been together for a while
But
What happens when you start to level up a few
Smiles turn to frowns and them jokes turn to clowns
Homeboy you tripping
Thought that we was on the same team
We been through the same things

Now you acting crazy
Can’t get no likes on my pictures no mo’
But I see your name in my story
Thought this was for ho’s
Games that you playing
I see them from a mile away
We used to get turnt
Smoke a blunt
And a drink a pint a day
Now you so shifty
When I call you so icky
Like I’m irritating you
You must be a...
Hater in disguise
Hater in disguise
Hater in disguise
Hater in disguise
Used to be friends
Now you a hater
Used to be friends
What turned you into a hater
Used to be friends
Now you a hater
Used to be friends
What turned you into a hater
I just want what’s best
I just want success
I’m so futuristic but I don’t know what’s next
RIP my homie that was holding up the set
He was holding on for dear life with the hole inside his chest
Thought you were my nigga
But you were just a hater
Thought we had plans
To go and get this paper
Moved outta the hood
You turned into my neighbor
Sooner turned into later
Friendship turned into favors
My ex girl was a crazy fuck
All the lies she was making up
I swear on you I can’t make this up
I fucked every girl except Lady Luck
Counting money as I’m waking up
When I was down I got my paper up
Grandma told me to straighten up
But that’s the only time I ever gave a fuck
I’m in my mind
I’m trapped inside
If they say we’re not the best
Oh that’s a lie
You’re catching feelings
We’re just catching vibes
Lamar and Alvah Jones
Bitch it’s family ties
You know
Hater in disguise
Hater in disguise
Hater in disguise
Hater in disguise
Used to be friends
Now you a hater
Used to be friends
What turned you into a hater
Used to be friends
Now you a hater

Used to be friends
What turned you into a hater

Overall Meaning

"4 Ever" by Blank & Jones is a song that delves into the concept of friendship and the betrayal that can arise within that bond. The lyrics open with a reflection on how long-term friendships can suffer when one person begins to evolve and level up, while the other remains stagnant. The imagery of "smiles turn to frowns" and "jokes turn to clowns" reinforces the idea that as people change and grow, their friendships may not be able to withstand the strain. The singer expresses confusion and hurt about this transition: "Thought that we was on the same team / We been through the same things / Now you acting crazy."

The verses go on to describe how the singer's friend has become increasingly distant and unsupportive, particularly when it comes to the singer's pursuit of success. The friend's behavior has turned from supportive to hostile, causing the singer to feel uncertain and insecure: "Can't get no likes on my pictures no mo' / But I see your name in my story / Thought this was for ho's." The chorus crystalizes the song's message, with the repeated refrain of "Hater in disguise" driving home the idea that sometimes even our closest friends can turn on us and reveal their true, envious nature.

Overall, "4 Ever" is a song that confronts the uncomfortable reality that sometimes friendships don't last forever, and that even the people we trust the most can harbor secret resentments or insecurities. It's a poignant and relatable take on the messy, complicated nature of human connection.

Line by Line Meaning

Take a good look at the person next to you
Observe the person next to you carefully

Knew em’ since a child been together for a while
Have known each other since childhood and spent a long time together

But What happens when you start to level up a few
But, what happens when you start to succeed

Smiles turn to frowns and them jokes turn to clowns Homeboy you tripping
The happy moments and jokes are turning into negativity, and the person is acting irrational

Thought that we was on the same team We been through the same things
Thought we were on the same page since we have gone through the same experiences

Now you acting crazy
Now you're behaving in a crazy or unpredictable manner

Can’t get no likes on my pictures no mo’ But I see your name in my story
I don't receive any likes on my pictures anymore, but I see your presence in my story

Thought this was for ho’s Games that you playing
Initially thought it was simple friendliness, but it was just a game you played

I see them from a mile away
I can see through your intentions from far away

We used to get turnt Smoke a blunt And a drink a pint a day
We used to party a lot, smoke weed, and drink heavily

Now you so shifty When I call you so icky Like I’m irritating you You must be a...
Now you are unreliable and avoid me, you seem disgusted by my presence, you must be a...

Hater in disguise Used to be friends Now you a hater What turned you into a hater
You were my friend, but now you're secretly hating on me, what caused you to become a hater?

I just want what’s best I just want success I’m so futuristic but I don’t know what’s next
I just want to be the best and achieve success, I am progressive, but I am uncertain about what's to come

RIP my homie that was holding up the set He was holding on for dear life with the hole inside his chest
Rest in peace to my friend who was trying to hold on to life with a gunshot wound in his chest

Thought you were my nigga But you were just a hater
I thought you were my close friend, but you were actually a hater

Thought we had plans To go and get this paper Moved outta the hood You turned into my neighbor
We had plans to make money together, and now that I moved away from the hood, you're living near me

Sooner turned into later Friendship turned into favors
Quickly our friendship turned into a situation where you started asking me to do things for you

My ex girl was a crazy fuck All the lies she was making up I swear on you I can’t make this up I fucked every girl except Lady Luck
My ex-girlfriend was extremely problematic, she made up lies about me, and I swear that this is all true, but I have had sex with everyone except for Lady Luck

Counting money as I’m waking up When I was down I got my paper up Grandma told me to straighten up But that’s the only time I ever gave a fuck
I count money right after waking up, I worked hard to gain wealth when I was broke, even though my grandma told me to fix my life, I only cared about money

I’m in my mind I’m trapped inside If they say we’re not the best Oh that’s a lie
I am trapped within my thoughts, and I believe that we are the best in our field, anyone who says otherwise is lying

You’re catching feelings We’re just catching vibes Lamar and Alvah Jones Bitch it’s family ties
You're getting emotional, but we're just interested in the good energy, Lamar and Alvah Jones are family

Hater in disguise Used to be friends Now you a hater What turned you into a hater
You were my friend, now you secretly hate me, what caused you to become a hater?

Used to be friends What turned you into a hater Used to be friends Now you a hater
We used to be close friends, but now you're a hater, what caused this change?

Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Alvah Jones

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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