Former Treepeople frontman Doug Martsch formed Built to Spill in 1992 with Brett Netson and Ralf Youtz as the band's original members. In an interview with Spin magazine, Martsch stated that he intended to change the band's lineup for every album, with Martsch being the only permanent member. After the band's first album, Ultimate Alternative Wavers (1993), the lineup changing idea held true, as both Netson and Youtz were replaced by Brett Nelson (not Netson) and Andy Capps for 1994's There's Nothing Wrong With Love. A compilation album called The Normal Years, consisting of recordings by both the first and second trios, was released in 1996. Between recording albums in 1995, the band gained notoriety by playing on the Lollapalooza tour.
Martsch signed Built To Spill to the Warner Brothers label in 1995. Unlike many artists signed to major labels, however, the deal the band brokered with Warner allowed it to retain a large degree of creative control over future albums. Built to Spill produced its first major label release in 1997 with Perfect From Now On. By this time, the band consisted of Martsch, Nelson, Netson, and Scott Plouf. Perfect From Now On met with critical success and caused Built To Spill to become one of the United States' most recognizable indie rock bands. Before releasing another album, Martsch made Nelson and Plouf permanent members of the band. In 1999, the band released Keep It Like a Secret to continued critical success, and for the first time, significant commercial success. In response to fan requests, the Live album was released in 2000. The band's fifth studio album, Ancient Melodies of the Future, was released in 2001. Martsch also released Now You Know, a solo album with both blues and folk elements, in 2002. After 2002, Warner Bros. records signed the band to another album.
Built To Spill did not tour as a band in 2002 although Doug Martsch performed numerous solo concerts in support of his solo album. From 2003 to 2005, Built To Spill toured extensively with over 150 live performances, playing new songs live as early as 2004. In 2004, the band confirmed rumors that they had recorded another studio album in Portland, OR, titled You In Reverse. The album was not released in 2005 due to difficulties associated with the use of a new recording facility, inefficiencies associated with self-producing the album and time constraints. You In Reverse, the first studio album in five years, was released on April 11, 2006. The band's official lineup for the album featured Martsch, Nelson, Plouf, and Jim Roth, who was formerly a touring guitarist only. Former band member Brett Netson provided guitar work on several songs, Quasi's Sam Coomes provided keyboard work and Steve Lobdell, the owner of the Portland studio, plays on almost every song for the album including guitar, piano, vibes and percussion. Netson rejoined Built To Spill as an official member in 2006 after touring with the band in 2005.
The band announced an April/May 2006 tour in February 2006 in support of the new album. In late March 2006, however, frontman Doug Martsch suffered a detached retina that required surgery, causing the band to cancel its appearance at the South by Southwest music festival and postpone several of their tour dates. The band rescheduled the April and May tour dates in the fall, but most June dates on the West were not postponed. At their June 3, 2006 show, their first of the 2006 tour, Built to Spill played four unreleased songs that were not included on You In Reverse. This show also included the dedication of the song "Car" to former band member Andy Capps who had passed away a few weeks earlier that would continue throughout the tour.
In July 2007, Built To Spill released a new 12" vinyl single with two reggae-esque tracks, "They Got Away" and "Re-Arrange". According to Doug Martsch, BTS is not becoming a reggae band, they just "love to play it".
In 2009 Nelson replayed and recorded one song off of each full length Built To Spill album in ""New Wave circa 1982" style with analogue synthesizers and a drum machine having Martsch resing all of the songs and released it July 2010 through CDBABY,Itunes and Junketboy as The Electronic Anthology Project.Nelson's son (Nicholas) did the art/layout with the titles reworked as anagrams by his wife (Stephanie) he plans on future projects under the same moniker redoing other bands music.
Doug Martsch and original BTS drummer Ralf Youtz are also founding members of the much-loved, but short-lived, band the Halo Benders, with Calvin Johnson.
Youtz and Martsch are also brothers-in-law. (Martsch is married to Youtz's sister).
Ralf Youtz was leader of the Portland, Oregon band Ape Shape. He went on to pursue a Ph.D. in Mathematics.
Bret Netson is leader of the influential art/metal Boise band Caustic Resin, which put out a split 10" with BTS in 1995. That album has two different cover photos because a found photo was used without permission for the original version, but the photographer later found out and objected.
By the Way
Built to Spill Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wanna say that I think you're great
And I know what people say
I'm on my breaker it's just my way
But you know how those rumors last
Always judged by what's in your past
But their not true
That wasn't you
I want you
Could it be that simple?
I tried to only ask before
I was thinking this one
This place
This dream
So sure
And I often wonder
About this time of mine
Oh I get your answer
Inside your shiny eyes
It's you and by the way
I've never been this happy before
You turning on my way
When I get out the words
I adore you
I look at you
Your eyes are wet
You tell me you're not ready yet
To give it all
Feel my heart fall
I want you
It truly is that simple
But you want to go back
It makes my whole world
Crash down just feel so black
And I often wonder
About this time of mine
But it seems your answers
Just a few behind
Cause I want you
It truly is that simple
But you want to go back
It makes my whole world
Crash down just feel so black
And I often wonder
About this time of mine
It seems my eyes just flew by
The lies behind your eyes
The song "By the Way" by Built to Spill is a beautiful expression of a man's love for someone he is unsure about. The song is written in an intimate and vulnerable manner. The opening lines of the song seem to address a rumor that is going around about the subject of the song, and the singer's desire to reassure her that he does not believe it. He lets her know that despite what other people might be saying, he appreciates her and thinks that she is great.
The chorus is a simple declaration of his love for her. He says that he wants her, and he wonders if it could really be that simple. He has asked her before, but he is still unsure if she feels the same way.
In the second verse, the singer's emotions become more tumultuous. He talks about his dreams and how sure he was about them, but he wonders if things will change when he finally gets what he wants. He wonders if he is ready for the relationship to move forward, and if she is, too. When he looks at her, he can see that she is not sure if she is ready to commit fully to him. The song ends with him singing about how he still wants her, but he can see that there are lies behind her eyes.
Line by Line Meaning
OK and by the way
Starting the conversation with the listener
I wanna say that I think you're great
Expressing admiration for the listener
And I know what people say
Acknowledging negative rumors surrounding the listener
I'm on my breaker it's just my way
Admitting to being emotionally guarded
But you know how those rumors last
Recognizing the lasting impact of rumors
Always judged by what's in your past
Commenting on the tendency to judge people based on their past
But their not true
Refuting the rumors and acknowledging their inaccuracy
That wasn't you
Asserting that the listener is not defined by their past
I want you
Expressing desire for the listener
Could it be that simple?
Reflecting on the possibility of a straightforward romantic relationship
I tried to only ask before
Hinting at previous attempts to pursue the listener
I was thinking this one
Considering the current romantic interest
This place
Referring to the current setting
This dream
Referring to the romantic ideal
So sure
Feeling confident about the romantic feelings
And I often wonder
Reflecting on personal thoughts and feelings
About this time of mine
Pondering one's current state of mind
Oh I get your answer
Anticipating a response from the listener
Inside your shiny eyes
Interpreting the listener's body language
It's you and by the way
Declaring the listener as the romantic interest
I've never been this happy before
Expressing extreme happiness
You turning on my way
Noticing the listener's romantic interest
When I get out the words
Struggling to articulate one's feelings
I adore you
Reiterating romantic feelings
I look at you
Observing the listener
Your eyes are wet
Noticing the listener's emotional state
You tell me you're not ready yet
Learning that the listener is not ready for a relationship
To give it all
Committing to a relationship
Feel my heart fall
Experiencing heartbreak
It truly is that simple
Reiterating the simplicity of one's desires
But you want to go back
Learning that the listener wants to return to a previous state
It makes my whole world
Expressing emotional devastation
Crash down just feel so black
Describing the depth of emotional pain
It seems your answers
Acknowledging the listener's prior confessions
Just a few behind
Realizing the listener's reluctance to commit
It seems my eyes just flew by
Expressing surprise at the revelation
The lies behind your eyes
Doubting the listener's sincerity
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CATHY MAJESKI, STEPHONY SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
gummybearcavity Rockwell
Such a beautiful song! It's a Heavenly cover.
raptor crasher
Love doug’s voice in this
Erik Salinas
Could’ve have been the closer(or somewhere in the album) to there’s nothing wrong with love easily👌👌
snakez3
thanks for posting the rare bts stuff man :D
George Zsebe
Thank you for sharing!^_^
gummybearcavity Rockwell
@tapaddtiiiii Somebody else uploaded the flip side that has Marine Research (Heavenly) covering Built To Spills Sick and Wrong. It was a 7inch single of each band doing a cover each other.
tapaddtiiiii
@gummybearcavity Thanks a lot! :D
tapaddtiiiii
@gummybearcavity who's the original by? :)
gummybearcavity Rockwell
@tapaddtiiiii Heavenly