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
Some Never Come Home
Brad Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who knows where the course will tell you?
You've got many fortunate beliefs,
Like love your girl, and love your mother.
Don't wait until a cold December.
Who knows when a brother's goin' down?
Something every girl should know.
Don't count on some to make it home.
All the lights were shining, and the
Light was always more than one could use.
And you were once a shining ocean,
Giving light to those that wanted
Something more to hold, than just the air.
So give me something to remember;
A diamond ring upon a finger.
Something every girl should know.
Don't count on some to make it home.
You don't have to do what you're told.
I guess I'm kinda used to the cold.
The lyrics to Brad's song Some Never Come Home tell a story of holding out during difficult times and not taking anything for granted. The first line "Holding out for troubled waters" sets a determined tone for anyone going through a difficult situation. It suggests that the singer is willing to stay the course despite the challenges ahead. The following line "Who knows where the course will take you?" highlights the uncertainty of life, and that one never knows exactly where things are going to end up.
The second verse of the song talks about the important things in life, like loving one's family and not waiting until it's too late to show them love. The line "Don't wait until a cold December" implies that one should not wait for tragedy to strike before showing love to the important people in their life. The chorus of the song emphasizes the message that one cannot count on everyone to make it home, suggesting that there will be casualties along the way. The final verse talks about the importance of memories and preserving them, even if they are just objects like a diamond ring. The line "You don't have to do what you're told. I guess I'm kinda used to the cold" suggests that the singer has learned to deal with difficult situations and is not always going to be led by others.
Overall, the song is encouraging in nature and encourages the listener to stay focused and keep moving forward regardless of what happens.
Line by Line Meaning
Holding out for troubled waters.
Waiting for difficult situations where one's true character will be tested.
Who knows where the course will tell you?
Unpredictability of life and the paths it takes.
You've got many fortunate beliefs,
One has several opinions they choose to stand by.
Like love your girl, and love your mother.
Having love as a fundamental value instilled by family.
Don't wait until a cold December.
Not waiting for the worst to happen before taking action.
Who knows when a brother's goin' down?
Uncertainty surrounding when someone might experience misfortune or fail.
Something every girl should know.
Universal advice applicable to all young women.
Don't count on some to make it home.
Not relying on certain individuals to return alive from risky situations.
'Cause that reminds me of a time when
Reflecting on a past experience that relates to the present.
All the lights were shining, and the
A time in the past where hope and joy were abundant.
Light was always more than one could use.
There used to be an excess of positivity in situations.
And you were once a shining ocean,
Comparing oneself to a bright and radiant force.
Giving light to those that wanted
The positive and inspiring impact one once had on others.
Something more to hold, than just the air.
Providing people with emotional substance and stability.
So give me something to remember;
Asking for something memorable to hold onto.
A diamond ring upon a finger.
A precious possession that represents a significant moment or memory.
You don't have to do what you're told.
Encouraging self-determination and independence.
I guess I'm kinda used to the cold.
Having experienced adversity and challenging situations in the past.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JEREMY DAVID TOBACK, REGAN W HAGAR, SHAWN SMITH, STONE C GOSSARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind