While often considered simply a side-project of Stone's, Brad had a sound all their own, due to the wide variety of influences brought to the band by its members. The distinctive vocals of Shawn Smith are a major factor in this sound.
Shawn Smith contributed on the title-track for the Belgian group Arsenal on their album Lotuk. He spent his 2008 summer touring along with the band.
Origin Seattle, Washington, USA
Genre(s) Alternative rock, neo-psychedelia
Years active 1992–present
Label(s) Epic, Redline
Associated acts Malfunkshun, Pearl Jam, Satchel, Pigeonhed
Website www.bradcorporation.com
Members
Stone Gossard
Regan Hagar
Shawn Smith
Jeremy Toback
Mike Berg
* History
Brad formed officially in 1992, although the band members had been playing together for a long time before that. The band's line-up was composed of vocalist Shawn Smith, guitarist Stone Gossard, bassist Jeremy Toback, and drummer Regan Hagar. The band originally wanted to go by the name Shame, however the band found that the name was already taken by a band featuring musician Brad Wilson.[1] Instead, the band took the name Brad and decided to name its debut album Shame. Shame, released on April 27, 1993, was recorded in roughly 20 days, with many tracks taken from in-studio jam sessions. Shame, featuring a raw sound and an eclectic mix of styles, was released to mixed reviews and moderate sales.[2] The track "20th Century" was a minor hit in the UK.
The band's follow-up album, Interiors, released on June 24, 1997, was much more polished. Interiors was met with poor sales, however the band saw its cult audience expand.[2] The single from Interiors, "The Day Brings", features Mike McCready from Pearl Jam on lead guitar. The album was accompanied by a tour in the United States that same year, as well as a small tour in Australia and New Zealand in 1998.
A third album, Welcome to Discovery Park, was released on August 13, 2002. The recording of Welcome to Discovery Park saw contributions from Mike Berg, who had taken over as the touring bassist for Toback.[2] The album mixes the rawness of Shame and the polished, produced sound of Interiors. In July 2005, the band released an album of unreleased and incomplete Brad and Satchel tracks called Brad vs Satchel.
As of January 2006, the band's fourth studio album, tentatively titled Best Friends, had been recorded and was being pared down to a 13-track release.[3] As of September 2007, the album was still awaiting release as the band reunited for a small series of live performances, starting in October 2007, with Kevin Wood (of Malfunkshun) joining the band as an additional guitarist. To date, there has been no indication as to whether this is a permanent personnel move or just a temporary addition. Songs from the forthcoming Best Friends album were played at the 2007 and 2008 performances, but there was no announcement as to when the album would be released.
Shawn Smith unfortunately passed away on April 3rd, 2019.
Current members
* Stone Gossard – guitar
* Regan Hagar – drums
* Shawn Smith – keyboard, vocals
* Jeremy Toback – bass guitar
* Mike Berg – bass guitar (1997–present)
Additional personnel
* James Hall – guitar, keyboard (1997)
* Matt Brown – guitar, keyboard (1997)
* Elizabeth Pupo-Walker – percussion (2001–2002)
* Thaddeus Turner – guitars, bass (2001–2002)
* Kevin Wood – guitar (2007–present)
Studio albums
Year Album details
1993 Shame
* Released: April 27, 1993
* Label: Epic
* Format: CD, cassette (CS)
1997 Interiors
* Released: June 24, 1997
* Label: Epic
* Format: CD, CS
2002 Welcome to Discovery Park
* Released: August 13, 2002
* Label: Redline
* Format: CD
Compilations
Year Album details
2005 Brad vs Satchel
* Released: July 26, 2005
* Label: The Establishment Store
* Format: CD
Singles
Year Single UK peak
chart position
[4] Album
1993 "Screen"/"Buttercup" — Shame
"20th Century" 64
1997 "The Day Brings" — Interiors
"Secret Girl" —
2003 "La, La, La" — Welcome to Discovery Park
"Shinin'" —
"Revolution" —
"—" denotes singles that did not chart.
Notes and references
1. ^ Gumbuoy. "Hang Out In Discovery Park With Brad". fasterlouder.com.au. September 27, 2005.
2. ^ a b c Erlewine, Stephen Thomas and Torreano, Bradley. "Brad". Allmusic. Retrieved on January 31, 2009.
3. ^ Prato, Greg. "Brad Finishing Up Fourth Album". Billboard. January 18, 2006.
4. ^ "UK Singles & Albums Chart Archive — Brad". http://www.chartstats.com/artistinfo.php?id=6825. Retrieved on 2007-12-08.
External links
* Brad's official website
* Brad at MySpace
* Brad at Allmusic
* Brad at Last.fm
Good News
Brad Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Choose the fare
All these weapons are free
Carrying armor
Gather round sister
And change for us all
'cause I'm no better
Then I'll lay my hands on the ground
And out of this urge I
Crumble down
Rollin' the girls for you
And I don't know nothin'
When I don't understand
Gather round sister
A change for us all
'cause I'm no better
Then I'll lay my hands on the ground
Chorus: it's never been news to me
Gather up and rise around
There's a circus in town
I'll tell you it ain't free
Freakshow orders and
I don't understand
Gather round sisters
And lay down your arms
'cause I wanna show
There's a reason for getting me mine
The lyrics in Brad's song Good News address the idea of unity and the need for change. The song speaks to the idea that people must come together and change their ways if they hope to see any real progress or improvement. The message seems to be directed to a group of people, urging them to put their weapons down and make an effort to understand each other. The lines, "All these weapons are free, Carrying armor 'til I can't feel my hands" suggest a futile and ultimately harmful cycle of violence.
The idea that the singer is "no better" also speaks to the need for humility and understanding. The singer is willing to lay their hands on the ground as a sign of submission, acknowledging that they are not superior to anyone else. The lines about not knowing anything when the singer does not understand speak to the importance of education, empathy, and curiosity. The chorus, "It's never been news to me," suggests that the idea of change and unity is not a new one, but rather one that has been recognized for a long time.
Overall, the song seems to be a call to action, urging people to come together and make a change. It's a reminder that progress can only be made when we work together, set aside our differences, and strive for a common goal.
Line by Line Meaning
Gather around and
Come together and join me
Choose the fare
Pick your path or options
All these weapons are free
There's no catch or payment
Carrying armor
Holding onto my protective gear
'til I can't feel my hands
I've been carrying it for so long that I can barely feel my hands
Gather round sister
Come together, my fellow female
And change for us all
Let's improve things for everyone
'cause I'm no better
I'm not superior, I'm also one of you
Then I'll lay my hands on the ground
I'll surrender or submit to make peace
And out of this urge I
This feeling inside of me
Crumble down
Collapse or breakdown
Rollin' the girls for you
Doing tasks or favors for someone
And I don't know nothin'
I have no knowledge or information
When I don't understand
When things are unclear or confusing
Gather round sister
Come together, my fellow female
A change for us all
Something that will benefit everyone
Chorus: it's never been news to me
I've always known about this, it's not new information
Gather up and rise around
Unite and stand up for something
There's a circus in town
Something unusual or chaotic is happening
I'll tell you it ain't free
It comes at a cost or price
Freakshow orders and
Bizarre instructions or expectations
I don't understand
I'm confused and don't comprehend
Gather round sisters
Come together, my fellow females
And lay down your arms
Surrender or end the conflict
'cause I wanna show
Because I want to make it clear
There's a reason for getting me mine
I have a purpose or justification for what I do
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: ALFRED 'FRED' JAMES, KEN N SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind