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.
On the Way
Built to Spill Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We can reminisce a lot
Let's talk about the darkness and the stars
Talk about the people we might miss on earth
Untethered Moon
Now is all that matters
But that's alright
We can see the stars in all directions
Now we see a tangled blur of white
Maltesian riot, Maltesian riot
Maltesian riot, Maltesian riot
Maltesian riot, Maltesian riot
Maltesian riot, Maltesian riot, riot, riot, riot
Now I'm just a fantasy
The kind the comets cannot bring
I got so tired of going round and round
When it falls down it'll never bring me down
The lyrics to Built to Spill's song "On the Way" may seem perplexing at first, but upon closer examination, they reveal messages of mortality, temporality, and introspection. The song begins by evoking a journey to Mars, but rather than focusing on the destination, the singer reflects on the people and experiences they'll miss on Earth. The mention of darkness and stars suggests a juxtaposition of light and dark, life and death, highlighting the beauty of life and the inevitability of its end.
The chorus, "Maltesian riot, Maltesian riot," is a repeated mantra that adds to the song's atmospheric quality, a hypnotic rhythm that echoes the singer's sense of floating in space. The lines "Now is all that matters / There's nothing in the past / But that's alright" emphasize the importance of being present, focusing on the moment, rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. The tangled blur of stars can be interpreted as a metaphor for life's infinite possibilities and paths, too vast for humans to fully comprehend.
The final lines, "Now I'm just a fantasy / The kind the comets cannot bring / I got so tired of going round and round / When it falls down, it'll never bring me down" are powerful declarations of liberation and acceptance. The singer acknowledges the transience of life and the insignificance of their problems in the grand scheme of the universe, asserting that they will not be brought down by the eventual end of their existence. The comets, too, are transient and will eventually disappear into the abyss of the infinite universe.
Line by Line Meaning
On the way to Mars
As we embark on our journey to Mars, we acknowledge the distance we are covering.
We can reminisce a lot
We can look back and reflect on the past, taking note of the experiences and memories we've accumulated.
Let's talk about the darkness and the stars
While we journey through the vastness of space, we can converse about the different wonders that the universe holds.
Talk about the people we might miss on earth
We can also speak about the individuals we are fond of and may miss during our expedition.
Now is all that matters
The present moment is what holds the most importance since no other time is guaranteed.
There's nothing in the past
The past can no longer be altered, and therefore, it cannot affect our current situation.
But that's alright
We accept and acknowledge that even though we cannot change the past, we can learn from it.
We can see the stars in all directions
In the current moment, we have the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the universe from every perspective.
Now we see a tangled blur of white
As we move forward, we see the stars blurring together, creating a new image with each passing moment.
Maltesian riot, Maltesian riot
This repeated phrase could be interpreted as a metaphor for the chaotic and unpredictable nature of life.
Now I'm just a fantasy
In this moment of realization, the singer acknowledges that they are an illusion, not fully living in reality.
The kind the comets cannot bring
This line could signify that even though the artist is a figment of imagination, they cannot be destroyed by something as powerful as a comet.
I got so tired of going round and round
The singer has grown weary of the constant cycle of life and is ready to break free from it.
When it falls down it'll never bring me down
Even if the singer experiences defeat, they will not allow it to discourage or defeat them for good.
Contributed by Jayden C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Roiy Benkel
On the way to Mars
We can reminisce a lot
Let's talk about the darkness and the stars
Talk about the people we might miss on earth
Untethered Moon
Now is all that matters
There's nothing in the past
But that's alright
We can see the stars in all directions
Now we see a tangled blur of white
Maltesian riot, Maltesian riot
Maltesian riot, Maltesian riot
Maltesian riot, Maltesian riot
Maltesian riot, Maltesian riot, riot, riot, riot
Now I guess I'll finally see
The kind of calmness chaos brings
I got so tired of going round and round
Waiting for gravity to bring me down
Knut Kniffte
Nice album. Very underrated. Keep it like a secret...
Matthew Ryan
You're funny Hayley
Matthew Ryan
@Hayley B lmao
Hayley B
@Matthew Ryan shhhhh ;)
stirgy
2:29 - that build, then into the crescendo... Chills everytime i hear it. God Bless the BTS.
XAV GRUO
I love this song!! thank you, my favorite rock band!!!
Havis Stepp
Such a great album, but this song is on repeat!
Now is all that matters. There's nothing in the past but that's alright.
Roiy Benkel
On the way to Mars
We can reminisce a lot
Let's talk about the darkness and the stars
Talk about the people we might miss on earth
Untethered Moon
Now is all that matters
There's nothing in the past
But that's alright
We can see the stars in all directions
Now we see a tangled blur of white
Maltesian riot, Maltesian riot
Maltesian riot, Maltesian riot
Maltesian riot, Maltesian riot
Maltesian riot, Maltesian riot, riot, riot, riot
Now I guess I'll finally see
The kind of calmness chaos brings
I got so tired of going round and round
Waiting for gravity to bring me down
Grant Frazer
wow, great song. 2:55 gives me goosebumps. can't wait to see them back to back in colorado
MrGEK444
Agree - Built to Spill's build / tension / resolution moments will always keep me coming back!! Like the 1-min mark of Some Other Song on this album, or Good Ol' Boredom and Life's a Dream (both also in 2-3 min mark) on album There Is No Enemy