The band formed iteratively around Sweeney between '92-'94. They released Gone Glimmering in '95 followed by Ride The Fader in '96, both on Matador.
Sweeney, a longtime friend of Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan, has also played in Corgan's side-project, Zwan, and more recently in a duo with Will Oldham on their Superwolf album.
Pitchfork recently reviewed the new Chavez compilation which also contains some nice observations about their sound and its context.
After a lengthy hiatus between 1999 and 2006 they have recently begun playing extensively around the New York area.
Nailed to the Blank Spot
Chavez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stayed up just to sleep straight through it
Who threw out what I collected?
Nailed to the blank spot where it got lost
When I paid attention
Hearing what I've never seen before
Thinking nothing more
And I won't find it
Where were you when it just left? (yeah)
Nailed to the blank spot where it got lost
I can't buy attention, I can't pay
And knowing that it's here
All this time we knew you were onto something
That you were onto something
The lyrics of Chavez's song Nailed to the Blank Spot talk about the feeling of losing something important, or missing out on something that could have been significant. The song starts with a question, asking about the cause of the situation, and expressing confusion about what happened. The lines "Played out what was the cause? Stayed up just to sleep straight through it" depict the frustration and helplessness of the situation. It seems like the singer is trying to figure out what went wrong, but they can't seem to make sense of it.
The phrase "Nailed to the blank spot where it got lost" is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the feeling of being stuck and unable to move forward. The use of the word "nailed" suggests a sense of permanence or finality, like whatever was lost is gone for good. The "blank spot" could refer to a memory or a feeling, but whatever it is, it seems to be something important that the singer can't forget about.
Line by Line Meaning
Played out what was the cause?
Did you go through what led to this outcome?
Stayed up just to sleep straight through it
Did you try to stay awake despite being too tired to function?
Who threw out what I collected?
Someone got rid of items I gathered, but who was it?
Nailed to the blank spot where it got lost
The missing item has been tied to a place where it vanished.
When I paid attention
Once I closely observed my surroundings
Hearing what I've never seen before
Listening to sounds previously unknown to me
Thinking nothing more
Without any further thoughts or analysis.
And I won't find it
I have no hope of locating the item.
It's a holy ghost
The missing object is a sign, but an elusive one.
Where were you when it just left? (yeah)
Were you present, and did you observe when the item disappeared?
Nailed to the blank spot where it got lost
The place where the item vanished has been marked and remembered.
I can't buy attention, I can't pay
I lack the resources to acquire the attention necessary to find the lost item.
And knowing that it's here
Despite its disappearance, I'm certain the item still exists.
All this time we knew you were onto something
We were always aware that you were pursuing something worth pursuing.
That you were onto something
That you were making significant progress; that finding the item was not in vain.
Contributed by Brody R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.