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
Screen
Brad Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll do my best to justify
All of my actions
The way you do your hair and
And hold on to nothing
To lay out a bed
Of the lords favorite rings
Hold on minds, be real
And you'll never know just dark
This screen could be
The reason I'm living high at the moment
Is probably hard to understand
Lay back and never let the wanderer
Get away and run till that's all that I can do
And you'll never know just dark
This screen could be
Will you ever know just dark
This screen could be?
Here is the best thing
That I ever wanted
And I'll do my best to justify
All of my actions, so be real
Sha na na...
The opening lines of Brad's song "Screen" describe a desire for something that is the best and the most important thing that the singer ever wanted. He feels like he needs to justify his actions towards this desire, and he is willing to do his best to do so. The lyrics also mention the way someone does their hair and the concept of truth. The phrase "hold on to nothing" suggests the importance of being in the present moment and letting go of attachment to things that don't matter. The line "To lay out a bed of the lord's favorite rings" might potentially refer to the idea that every struggle we end up going through is something that will bear great fruit, even if it is not clear to us at the time.
The chorus of "Screen" warns that we don't know the depths of the darkness that the screen, or the world represented through it, can hold. We may never really understand just how "dark" this screen can be. The reason for living "high at the moment" may be difficult to comprehend, suggesting that the singer is in a state of mind that is difficult to explain, and he is trying to hold onto it as long as he can.
Line by Line Meaning
Here is the best thing that I ever wanted
The singer has attained their greatest desire
I'll do my best to justify all of my actions
The singer will attempt to explain and rationalize their behavior
The way you do your hair
The singer admires the addressee's hairstyle
and the clearing of the truth as I see
The artist appreciates when the truth is transparent and obvious
And hold on to nothing
The artist advises against attachment to material or emotional possessions
To lay out a bed of the lord's favorite rings
The singer suggests creating a unique and divine living space
Hold on minds, be real
The singer implores the listener to stay grounded and true
And you'll never know just dark this screen could be
The artist warns of the unknown dangers and negativity present in the digital world
The reason I'm living high at the moment is probably hard to understand
The artist acknowledges their success may be opaque to others
Lay back and never let the wanderer get away and run till that's all that I can do
The artist advises embracing relaxation and pursuing passion to the fullest
Will you ever know just dark this screen could be?
The singer repeats their warning about potential darkness in the digital realm
Sha na na...
Non-lyrical transition to end the song
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@JKparody
I'm so glad I heard this song on Elementary. It's fantastic.
@arikat9529
I'm not the only one here from Elementary then. 🤘✨
@phoenixplayz1325
@@arikat9529 not even close to the only one
@ATMNS
It took me a while to find this song 😂 had to watch the episode while listening to the lyrics, ended up typing "but you never know how just dark this day can be"
@crispybits3765
30 years on and still as fresh as when I first heard it. Stone's solo is heartbreaking and that 'sha na na' in the outro is mindblowing. What a voice and talent. RIP Shawn.
@BigGroovyFunker66
utterly heartbroken.
R.I.P. Shawn
@FragileNest
;(
@lisapinedo8910
I missed the news until I saw your comment and I’m gutted :(
@ledbetter414
This was the opening song of a late-night alternative rock charts radio show called "The Sound and the Fury". This song always brings back great memories.
@angrytwxgaming8423
still is my dude