Brett Admire (Guitar)
Bryson Phillips (Vox)
Michael… Read Full Bio ↴Capital Lights
Brett Admire (Guitar)
Bryson Phillips (Vox)
Michael Paul Phillips(Drums)
Jonathan Williams(Guitars)
There comes a time in every band’s life when abandoning commercial expectations in favor of heartfelt musical expressions and relatable lyrics takes center stage. For the Tulsa, Oklahoma-based pop/rock foursome Capital Lights, that realization came remarkably early in its already impressive career, following a name change and stylistic shift from members’ days in locally acclaimed screamo act afterEIGHT.
“We had a couple people leave the other band’s line-up, I stepped up from bass to singing, rewrote our material and we changed styles completely,” says front man Bryson Phillips of Capital Lights’ debut disc This Is An Outrage. “The main thing we’ve learned personally is to really focus the writing on what you like rather than trying to be like all the other bands around. When we were doing the screamo thing, we were seeing other bands and trying to be just like them. But in Capital Lights, I started writing on an acoustic guitar without trying to plug into any particular formula, just being ourselves and playing 100 percent exactly what we wanted.”
By breaking down the walls of familiar formulas and shooting straight from each player’s personal artistic compasses, the results not only resonated with a steadily expanding audience, but yielded an intense bidding war from Nashville to Seattle (with just about every city in between). Linking up with manager Jason Fowler (Red, Pillar) and joining the roster of Third Coast Artist Agency brought about additional prominence, eventually resulting in a deal with Tooth & Nail (a long time dream for the band after youthful obsessions with MXPX).
“Before we got signed, we would constantly send out new songs to A&R reps at various labels and managers, so often that we got to know the FedEX lady by name,” he offers, laughing at the sentiment of always rushing to make the day’s last drop off deadline. “We were sending songs to Aaron Sprinkle and he always responded saying he liked what he heard, but to keep him updated on any new songs. About a year ago, we wrote ‘Worth As Much As A Counterfeit Dollar’ and he responded back saying how much he loved it. Six or seven labels stared sending interest our way as well, but Tooth & Nail wound up flying us to their offices for an acoustic set in front of the staff. Two weeks later, they sent us a contract and that was without even seeing us play an official live show!”
Outside of being drawn in by the band’s vibrant blend of Relient K and Jimmy Eat World, there was an underlying originality to Capital Light’s peppy surge of power chords and relevant writing subjects. Those ideas were soon fleshed out in a Seattle studio stationed within the illustrious Capitol Hill neighborhood (hence its slightly tweaked moniker) alongside producer extraordinaire Aaron Sprinkle (Pedro the Lion, Anberlin, The Almost).
“Going into the studio was different than we expected, mostly because we’d never worked with a producer before,” admits Bryson. “We were expecting it to be a really stressful thing with him on top of us all the time, but we went in really prepared and he was seriously the most laid back and coolest guy. He made a lot of notes on our bridges and choruses and helped cut them down in length, but he was much more a friend who made it very comfortable to talk and hang out with.”
The resulting dozen tracks throughout This Is An Outrage range from pure bred alternative pop to assertive modern rock, wrapped around a topical plane that spans the palette of meaningful, whimsical and satirical. The scalding “Kick It Off” is sure to be a fierce concert classic and the aforementioned “Worth As Much As a Counterfeit Dollar” possesses one of the most contagious choruses in recent memory. “Night of Your Life Is When You Die” is an anthem for anyone who embraces the straight-edge scene, suggesting the party hearty mentality isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. The energy escalating “Return” is amongst the disc’s most inspirational, while the historically slanted “Frank Morris” provides a fictional account of the famed Alcatraz prison escape.
“We’re really big proponents of writing about the experiences we deal with on a day to day basis,” Bryson verifies of that varied songwriting swath. “My vocals are very fast paced in the way they present what we have to say and we’re hoping people take away something positive from this project because there’s already enough negativity out there.”
Thus far fans old and new alike have been flocking to the material, thanks to extensive touring, including headlining dates and time supporting Hawk Nelson and Run Kid Run. No matter with the format, Capital Lights’ fan base continues to expand like lightening, as evidenced by feverish MySpace activity, downloads and CD sales at shows.
“Even though we’re a brand new band on our debut album, we’ve had the chance to meet so many amazing new listeners all across America and we’re hoping the word keeps on spreading,” sums up Bryson. “We’ve always dreamt of going out on the road and we absolutely love it so far. From here on out, the goal is just to stay steady on the road, get these songs in front of people and hopefully continue to write songs that mean something to us and those who check them out. This is something we want to turn into a long term career for as long as we possibly can, and of course, we’re here to have fun and bring as many people as we can along for the ride.”
Capital Lights broke up in the summer of 2009. This is the message they posted on Myspace:
Hello everyone,
I just signed on the myspace for the first time in forever and I realized that it's been a long time since we have given our friends and fans an update on whats going on with Capital Lights. I know there are rumors, and a lot of people have come to us asking whether or not it's true that the band has broken up. The truth is that yes, with a whole lot of prayer, we have decided to call it quits. All of us in Capital Lights discussed and prayed about this for a few months before we mutually agreed on the decision. Although it's sad to see something that meant so much to us come to an end, it's with complete confidence when I say it's for the better. We all felt God had different plans for our lives, and it would have been impossible to pursue those plans while continuing with the band. I know that's the same thing you have heard time and time again with so many bands. I've always hated when bands break up because members feel themselves being pulled different directions... but the truth is, you never really understand it until your at that point yourself. Words can not stress how thankful we are for everyone who supported us over the past couple years. We loved playing music for all of you and thank God for providing us with that oppourtunity. Without our fans, we wouldn't have ever done anything more than just jammed in a garage somehwere. We had a blast touring the country for the past year and a half and feel lucky that we were able to meet so many new people. To everyone who ever bought a cd, shirt, sticker, or even dropped change into the tip box at our merch table, thank you so much... without realizing it, you were a blessing that helped get us from one town to the next. Maybe somehow we will see you all again one day. We also want to thank the Hill family, and everyone who ever gave us a home to sleep in. You all made us feel very welcome and ANYTHING beat the van!
It's crazy to reflect on the last year and a half and realize how much has happened. We signed with Tooth & Nail, recorded an album in Seattle, then toured the country. It was something we all wanted to do and once again, we appreciate you all for helping us live our dream. All of us in Capital Lights are back in school and as of last night, Brett is now engaged. So message him and tell him his life is over.
just kidding.
God Bless you all and thanks again!
-Bryson, Brett, Michael, Jonny, Jon, and Justin.
ps- As of right now our cd's are still being sold in Best Buy, Fye, Indies, Hastings, etc... so go and buy a copy if you havent already!!!
Kick It Off
Capital Lights Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
By then you'll sing it, can you sing it?
Hopes galore in 1985, before the starting line
But now we bring it, can you bring it?
I thought I could write about anything
But you cut me off forbidding using your name
Your letter?s full of code I haven't figured out
You spent uninviting, you could hold a candle to the city
I'm watching all your bridges burn
Bad timing, either better pull yourself together
Or fall apart while waiting your turn
So turn me off when the lights go down
Sing me a song that will put me to sleep
Nightly routine, dream your night on the town
Hold in all your thoughts, I don't talk when I'm out
Kick it off with a record time, tie breaking lullabies
By then you'll sing it, can you sing it?
Hopes galore in 1985, before the starting line
But now we bring it, can you bring it to life?
Kick it off with a record time, tie breaking lullabies
By then you'll sing it, can you sing it?
Hopes galore in 1985, before the starting line
But now we bring it, can you bring it?
All I ever wanted was to keep you to myself
But you're the talk of the town
A clever story, so long, farewell
I'll leave you living a lonely night and
You could hold a candle to the city
I'm watching all your bridges burn
Bad timing, either better pull yourself together
Or fall apart while waiting your turn
Turns out we didn't go down
I'll sing you a song, make you wish it was deep
Typical girl in a typical town
Lesson of the day is what I'm really about
I was only under the impression
We were waiting for nothing but nothing turned out to be
A better life and nothing less than
What I'm leaving behind and what I'm putting behind me
I thought I could write about anything
I thought I could write about anything
You could only hold me for a number of days
But we're over, now, that I'm on my way
Kick it off with a record time, tie breaking lullabies
By then you'll sing it, can you sing it?
Hopes galore in 1985, before the starting line
But now we bring it, can you bring it to life?
Kick it off with a record time, tie breaking lullabies
By then you'll sing it, can you sing it?
Hopes galore in 1985, before the starting line
But now we bring it, can you bring it to life, to life?
Life, to life
The song 'Kick It Off' by Capital Lights is a catchy, upbeat tune that seems to be about lost love and failed relationships. The lyrics contain a lot of contradictory lines, which can make interpretation a bit tricky. In the first verse, the singer talks about the hope and promise of the past, and encourages the listener to 'bring it' and live up to those early ideals. However, in the second verse, the tone changes as the singer laments losing their love interest, and talks about watching bridges burn.
The chorus is where the 'kick it off' phrase comes in, and seems to be a call to action to start something new, despite the setbacks and disappointments of the past. The third verse adds to the confusion by introducing the idea of waiting for something that never comes, and leaving things behind that the singer once wanted.
Overall, the lyrics create a sense of someone who is disillusioned with love and relationships, yet still hopeful and looking for a fresh start. The use of contradictory phrases and clever wordplay makes the song quite entertaining and memorable.
Line by Line Meaning
Kick it off with a record time, tie breaking lullabies
Let's start this off with a bang and make it memorable
By then you'll sing it, can you sing it?
Can you keep up with the pace and be a part of this experience?
Hopes galore in 1985, before the starting line
There was a lot of optimism and potential before everything began
But now we bring it, can you bring it?
Can we live up to our earlier hopes and make it a success?
I thought I could write about anything
I thought I had the freedom to express myself creatively
But you cut me off forbidding using your name
You stopped me from speaking my truth and using your identity in my work
Your letter's full of code I haven't figured out
Your message is confusing and obscure, and I don't understand what you're trying to say
And what you heard about isn't adding up to the amount
What you've heard or been told doesn't match up with the reality of the situation
You spent uninviting, you could hold a candle to the city
You were unwelcoming and distant, but also had a lot of potential and talent
I'm watching all your bridges burn
I'm witnessing you push away all of your opportunities and connections
Bad timing, either better pull yourself together
This is not the right time for negative behaviors or attitudes; you need to get yourself in order
Or fall apart while waiting your turn
If you don't get it together, you risk losing your opportunity and falling apart
So turn me off when the lights go down
Let me fade away into the background when the excitement is over
Sing me a song that will put me to sleep
Give me something peaceful and calming to lull me into rest
Nightly routine, dream your night on the town
Go ahead and have your fun and excitement, while I stick to my usual routine
Hold in all your thoughts, I don't talk when I'm out
I'm staying quiet and reserved while you let loose and express yourself
All I ever wanted was to keep you to myself
I wanted all of your attention and affection for myself
But you're the talk of the town
But everyone else is only interested in you, and you've become the subject of gossip and attention
A clever story, so long, farewell
You're moving on to the next chapter, leaving behind the old story and all who were a part of it
I'll leave you living a lonely night and
I'm letting you go and leaving you alone to face the consequences of your actions
Turns out we didn't go down
It turns out that we didn't fail or fall apart, despite the odds against us
I'll sing you a song, make you wish it was deep
I'll entertain you with a shallow song, but you'll secretly long for deeper and more meaningful content
Typical girl in a typical town
Everything about me is normal and unremarkable
Lesson of the day is what I'm really about
I'm here to give a valuable lesson or insight that is more important than my own personal story
I was only under the impression
I was only assuming, without really knowing the truth
We were waiting for nothing but nothing turned out to be
We expected nothing from this situation, but it turned out to be something valuable and worthwhile
A better life and nothing less than
We deserved something great and fulfilling, and we achieved it
What I'm leaving behind and what I'm putting behind me
I'm moving on from the past and leaving behind everything that no longer serves me
Kick it off with a record time, tie breaking lullabies
Let's start this off with a bang and make it memorable
By then you'll sing it, can you sing it?
Can you keep up with the pace and be a part of this experience?
Hopes galore in 1985, before the starting line
There was a lot of optimism and potential before everything began
But now we bring it, can you bring it?
Can we live up to our earlier hopes and make it a success?
Kick it off with a record time, tie breaking lullabies
Let's start this off with a bang and make it memorable
By then you'll sing it, can you sing it?
Can you keep up with the pace and be a part of this experience?
Hopes galore in 1985, before the starting line
There was a lot of optimism and potential before everything began
But now we bring it, can you bring it to life?
Can we turn our hopes into reality and make it a success?
Kick it off with a record time, tie breaking lullabies
Let's start this off with a bang and make it memorable
By then you'll sing it, can you sing it?
Can you keep up with the pace and be a part of this experience?
Hopes galore in 1985, before the starting line
There was a lot of optimism and potential before everything began
But now we bring it, can you bring it to life, to life?
Can we turn our hopes into reality and make it a success?
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, Capitol CMG Publishing
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind