The last four years the Blind Passengers took part in more than 70 big european rock festivals (such as Rock am Ring, Rock im Park, Wacken-Open Air, Arvika-Festivalen, Zillo-Open Air, Dynamo - North Power Jam, Go Bang and much more) and played on one stage with David Bowie, The Prodigy, Sisters Of Mercy, Type O Negative, Dog Eat Dog, Front 242, Skunk Anansie, Clawfinger and many more. In sept. and oct. 99 the Blind Passengers supported very successful the last Kid Rock-tour through Germany.
For more information on the ideological background of Blind Passengers and the lyrics of Nik Page read the following: MODERN FAUST STORY (taken from TEAR MAGAZIN, New York)
the false gods have died
taking their laws with them.
Human flesh living in hypocritical harmony with the machine
has merged into an immaculate organism.
The army of maniacs
the dragons
and the "faceless"
drooling over the wager
looking for the kick of the perfect simulation
in order to flee
this plastic world as often as possible
where weakness and failures are never forgiven.
(from the introduction of Neosapiens, the novel, a science fiction epic by Nik Page)
Growing up behind the Iron Curtain, in a suburb of East Berlin, amidst the haze of a Marxist-Leninist education, Nik Page discovered his purpose in life, relatively late. Along this path, meeting Rayner Schirner was a key experience. At age 13, Schirner was transferred to Page´s class at school, where three years later, he planted the idea in Page´s head to start the electric rock group Blind Passengers, together. "Blind Passengers symbolizes the modern society zombies, who prefer to close their eyes and ears, in order to comfortably and smoothly swim along, with everyone else in the river of society, never painfully bumping into anything along the way, trained by the fear of seeing their own blood," according to Page. This smarmy tendency remains in our collective subconscious, today, and we recognize it in all of Page´s work as an author, visionary, painter, designer and musician.
"In Berlin," the setting of Page´s cyber-epic, Neosapiens, Page says, "this way of life has not changed. It´s just as common today, at the beginning of the 21st century, in a world thirsting for globalization and populated by the last generations of innocent, mortal, narcissistic and disabled people, as it was for the blind - and deaf passengers in the Soviet-controlled sector, during the 1980s." The potential of creating a powerful overall statement by combining different art forms inspired Page to record a rock CD and write a cyber-novel with the same title, on the same topic. Adding an additional facet to his brand of crossover art allowed him to more fully lose himself in his vision of an uncertain nightmare future. (it´s a nightmare for common people reading his epic, but not for Page) "More than anything else, it will be the deeply human feeling of motherly love, that will act as the largest driving force behind a gradual purging of modern man´s human roots. What parents doesn´t want to give her children the best possible start in life? In a world where only the successful, the strong and the beatiful are granted a place in the sun, a person´s genetic profile is a decisive factor in the battle for a job that garantees prosperity and recognition.Who could stand by and watch quietly as their child is run over and trampled down by all the other perfect service-cyborgs, as they march to the rhythm of a merciless, elbowing meritocracy?
We are racing towards a world in which it would almost be considered child abuse if parents did not meet with their DNA designer of choice, to ensure that their child will get the optimum out of his hereditary disposition and that all kinds of genetic defects and potential illnesses have been excluded. It makes no difference, if one demonizes this development, or how many upholders of moral standarts try to stop this modern Frankenstein. It is the predestined evolution of humanity." Neosapiens, the new Blind Passengers CD, has been released simultaneously with the Neosapiens book (the final installment of a trilogy of this subject, begun in 1997). The CD provides the perfect soundtrack for the birth of the semi-synthetic human masterrace. Violent metal riffs, gloomy synthesizer, and powerful heavy drums feed the strength of perfection and immortality into the fragile body of the still natural homo sapiens. The strains of charming pop melodies blast open the path through angry, puffing walls of cold steel.
Page is currently working on his first much more Gothic-Electro-Rock-orientated soloalbum (the story was released in Tear Magazin in Summer 2002 before the recordings for Sacrifight were finished). For the first time in more than six years, he has chosen a subject unrelated to the cyber-cosmos of the hybrid age. The Nik Page-CD will contain guest vocalist contributions by German music-scene heavies like Jürgen Engler (die Krupps) and Dirk Scheuber (Project Pitchfork).
Page is astonished and feels misunderstood when people say the vision in his work are unbelievably gloomy. "People in earlier times were no different- the fear of the future that also led our ancestors to demonize technology. However, I believe that people in future generations would never want to switch places with us. Thanks to DNA design, people will live significantly longer and healthier lives. They will enjoy an incredible wealth of consumer goods, and virtual entertainment will enable people to have unbelievable experiences in the borderless world of cyberspace. Unfortunately, this particular "opiat of the masses" will be very tempting. I fear that only a very few will have a problem with the price that humankind will have to pay."
In this irony of destiny, Page sees a modern Faust story: "When mephisto gave mankind the strength of machines and the power of technology, it was not without self-interest. He prepared the way for us to enter the lusty, colorful consumer-state that is full of greasy hot dogs, toilett deodorizers and electric razors. However, along with the technology, he also handed humankind the weapon with which it will one day murder its creator. After many laps around the path leading to immortality by DNA-styling and isolation of aging hormones, one day when humankind has finally, totally conquered death, thereby canceling the last of God´s laws of creation, Lucifer will personally show up to kick God´s ass. Although it may take another several centuries before technology will make it possible to save a person´s entire personality on silicon, enabling a post-mortem to a fresh new body, ordered a la carte, Mephisto waits patiently in the expectation of a final victory". Those who think now the Neosapiens-epic contains 120 pages of heavy philosophical material is completly wrong. The story centers on the life of an unstabile industrial punk living in a iridescent subculture, filled with the crassest virtual neuro-trips and chaotic, orgiastic rock parties.
Without affecting the flow of the story, Page has cleverly woven his notorious visions into the plot and included a couple of delicate sexual fantasies. Without a doubt, these aestetic, pornographic passages confirm the rumors of Page´s enormous sexual appetite, as well as his preference for role-playing and fetish. He admits, "I do not believe that Lucifer is a man. It is my opinion that Lucifer would be inside the body of a beautiful, sensuous, libidinous woman, coming down to earth. She is the one that brings our blood to the boiling point, making us feel that we are more than a smoothly operating machine."
While their videos air continously on all of the relevant european video channels from London to Moscow, in the USA, Nik Page and the Blind Passengers remain a black pearl that have not yet been discovered by the American music industry.
According to wikipedia they disbanded in 2005.
Official site: http://www.blindpassengers.com/
Still Alive
Blind Passengers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That you're a ruffian now
You blame the school
That you're stupid still
You blame your job
Hating people now
You are to blame
That you are still alive
You blame your friends
That you are stealing now
You blame the girls
You're a virgin still
You blame your rage
For hurting people now
You are to blame
That you are still alive
You're still alive
The lyrics of "Still Alive" by Blind Passengers are a frank and thought-provoking reflection on personal responsibility. The first stanza of the song strikes an accusatory tone, with the singer addressing someone who appears to blame the various circumstances of their life for their negative qualities. Whether it's blaming their dad for being a "ruffian," their school for being "stupid," or their job for making them hate people, the singer suggests that the person in question is avoiding taking responsibility for their own actions and emotions. The refrain "You are to blame / That you are still alive" is a powerful condemnation of this attitude, suggesting that the person's very existence is a burden on others because of their refusal to take ownership of their life.
The second stanza continues in a similar vein, with the singer highlighting other areas where the person tries to shift the blame. They blame their friends for their criminal behavior, the girls in their life for their virginity, and their own rage for hurting people. Once again, the refrain reminds the listener that they are responsible for their own life even if they don't want to admit it. The repetition of "You're still alive" at the end of the song underscores the message, suggesting that despite all their attempts to avoid responsibility, the person is still here and still accountable.
Overall, "Still Alive" is a powerful rebuke of victim mentality and an encouragement to take control of one's own life. The blunt language and direct delivery make it a song that sticks with the listener long after the last chord has faded away.
Line by Line Meaning
You blame your dad
You hold your father responsible for your current state
That you're a ruffian now
That you have turned into a lawbreaker
You blame the school
You hold the education system accountable
That you're stupid still
For your lack of intelligence, even after attending school
You blame your job
You attribute your hatred towards people to your profession
Hating people now
Your animosity towards people
You are to blame
You are responsible for your fate
That you are still alive
That you haven't succumbed to your self-destructive tendencies
You blame your friends
You hold your companions responsible
That you are stealing now
For indulging in theft
You blame the girls
You attribute your virginity to women
You're a virgin still
You haven't had sexual intercourse yet
You blame your rage
You hold your anger accountable
For hurting people now
For causing harm to others
You are to blame
You are responsible for your fate
That you are still alive
That you haven't succumbed to your self-destructive tendencies
You're still alive
You have managed to survive despite the consequences of your actions
Contributed by Alice P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@franklottar
You still alive...There's hope....Do not complain....You still alive...Abandon life or stay.....You still alive.....Seize the moment...You still alive...
@franklottar
love it the first day I listened to it. What happened guys? Why to abandon?