Chiodos was an American post-hardcore band from Davison, Michigan, formed i… Read Full Bio ↴Chiodos was an American post-hardcore band from Davison, Michigan, formed in 2001. Originally known as "The Chiodos Bros." the band's name was a tribute to filmmakers Stephen, Charles, and Edward Chiodo, responsible for the movie Killer Klowns from Outer Space. Their second full length album, Bone Palace Ballet, was released in North America on September 4, 2007 and debuted at number 5 on the Billboard 200 and number 1 on Top Independent Albums. Warner Bros. Records released Bone Palace Ballet on January 26, 2009, as part of a new distribution deal in the UK.

Chiodos was formed at the Flint Local 432, a small venue in downtown Flint, Michigan and Olde Jamestowne Hall in Saginaw, Michigan. The band is known for their on-stage performances which include controlled, high-pitched vocals from former lead singer, Craig Owens. Craig Owens has cited lead singer of Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, etc. fame, Mike Patton as one of his greatest influences saying, "I only wish I could be as good as him."

Their debut album, All's Well That Ends Well (Equal Vision Records) was released on July 26, 2005. It reached #3 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart and #164 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. While their sophomore album, Bone Palace Ballet reached the number 5 spot on the Billboard 200. The band's albums and live performances have garnered praise from press outlets.

Chiodos headlined some shows on their own before joining Alternative Press's 2006 "Invisible Sideshow" tour, headlined by Armor for Sleep. Following that tour, they supported Matchbook Romance on the Sub City "Take Action" tour in Spring 2006. That summer, they toured with Fear Before the March of Flames, as well as appearing on the Warped Tour.In fall 2006, Chiodos appeared on Atreyu's World Championship Tour, alongside From First to Last and Every Time I Die, as well as 3 and 36 Crazyfists.

Chiodos has had several scuffs with those in the music industry, most notably Steven Smith of Steven's Untitled Rock Show, Andy Williams of Every Time I Die, and HORSE The Band.

In 2005, Chiodos independently made a video for the song "All Nereids Beware." The video consists of the band playing the rare pre-All's Well That Ends Well version of the song in a parking lot.

In 2006, Chiodos made videos for "One Day Women Will All Become Monsters" and "Baby, You Wouldn't Last a Minute on the Creek". The "Baby, You Wouldn't Last a Minute on the Creek" video was included on the 2006 re-issue of All's Well That Ends Well, which added a DVD and three acoustic tracks to the 2005 release.

A video for "Lexington (Joey Pea-Pot With A Monkey Face)" was made which premiered world wide on April 2, 2008 on the social network MySpace. This was the first single of their sophomore album, "Bone Palace Ballet". Chiodos' drummer, Derrick Frost has stated in an interview that the band was disappointed in the final result of the music video, saying

"Well, usually there are different people who throw out ideas and we go through them and add in our own suggestions but that video definitely didn’t turn out like we wanted it to turn out, like at all. We’re pretty disappointed with it. We never get a video where we’re all like “This is amazing!” And that’s what every band wants, to have an amazing video because that can push your career and your band so far. And we haven’t gotten that yet so it’s kind of frustrating. It’s just like so much money that we spent on this for no reason. No one’s going to play it; it’s not getting played at all."

On September 16, 2008, Chiodos teamed up with acclaimed director Darren Doane and The Crofoot Ballroom to shoot a video for "The Undertaker's Thirst For Revenge Is Unquenchable (The Final Battle)" in downtown Pontiac, MI. The video was released on December 20, 2008.

On September 24, 2010, it was announced that Craig Owens was no longer the singer of Chiodos.

On February 8, 2010, Brandon Bolmer (Yesterdays Rising) was confirmed as the new lead singer for Chiodos; he performed vocals on the band's third studio album, Illuminaudio.

Craig Owens later returned for the band's fourth studio album, Devil, but Chiodos disbanded before recording any more material.

Flagpole Sitta
Chiodos Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I had visions, I was in them,
I was looking into the mirror
To see a little bit clearer
The rottenness and evil in me

Fingertips have memories,
Mine can't forget the curves of your body
And when I feel a bit naughty

I run it up the flagpole and see who salutes
(But no one ever does)

I'm not sick, but I'm not well
and I'm so hot 'cause I'm in hell

Been around the world and found
That only stupid people are breeding
The cretins cloning and feeding
And I don't even own a TV

Put me in the hospital for nerves
And then they had to commit me
You told them all I was crazy
They cut off my legs now I'm an amputee, goddamn you

I'm not sick, but I'm not well
and I'm so hot 'cause I'm in hell

I'm not sick, but I'm not well
And it's a sin, to live so well

I wanna publish 'zines
And rage against machines
I wanna pierce my tongue
It doesn't hurt, it feels fine
The trivial sublime
I'd like to turn off time
And kill my mind
You kill my mind
Mind

Paranoia, paranoia
Everybody's comin' to get me
Just say you never met me
I'm runnin' underground with the moles
Diggin' holes
Hear the voices in my head
I swear to God it sounds like they're snoring
But if you're bored then you're boring
The agony and the irony, they're killing me, whoa!

I'm not sick, but I'm not well
and I'm so hot 'cause I'm in hell

I'm not sick, but I'm not well
And it's a sin to live this well

Overall Meaning

The song "Flagpole Sitta" by Chiodos is a cover of the original song by Harvey Danger. The lyrics explore themes of self-doubt, mental illness, and societal norms. The opening lines depict the singer's inner turmoil and how they struggle to come to terms with their own faults and shortcomings. The reference to looking into the mirror is symbolic of self-reflection and the attempt to better understand oneself.

The next lines describe the singer's memories of a past relationship, and how they use the thought of it to feel alive. The reference to running it up the flagpole is a metaphor for sexual arousal, and the line "And see who salutes" implies that the singer is seeking validation from others, but no one ever does. The chorus "I'm not sick, but I'm not well, and I'm so hot 'cause I'm in hell" suggests that the singer is struggling with their mental health and feels trapped.

The following lines criticize societal norms and the mindless breeding of "stupid people." The singer states that they don't watch TV, perhaps to signify that they don't conform to societal expectations or consume mainstream media. The next verse mentions the singer being committed to a hospital for nerves and having their legs amputated, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for society's attempts to control and restrain individuals who don't fit the norm.

The next lines depict the singer's desire to rebel and create something meaningful through ‘zines and music, and the line "the trivial sublime" could be interpreted as a reference to the power of small things in creating change. The final lines mention paranoia and the singer feeling like they are being pursued by others. The line "if you're bored, then you're boring" could be seen as a criticism of people who conform to societal norms and lack imagination.

Line by Line Meaning

I had visions, I was in them,
I experienced vivid visions and it felt as though I was living in them

I was looking into the mirror
I gazed into the mirror, peering deep within myself

To see a little bit clearer
To gain a better understanding of myself and my innermost thoughts

The rottenness and evil in me
The parts of myself that are wicked and corrupted

Fingertips have memories,
My memories are intertwined with my sense of touch

Mine can't forget the curves of your body
I can vividly recall the shape of your body with my fingertips

And when I feel a bit naughty
When I feel mischievous or playful

I run it up the flagpole and see who salutes
I express my playful nature to see if anyone else is in the same mood as me

(But no one ever does)
However, no one seems to match my level of playfulness

I'm not sick, but I'm not well
I'm not physically ill but I'm not mentally healthy either

and I'm so hot 'cause I'm in hell
I'm experiencing intense discomfort and agony

Been around the world and found
I've traveled far and wide and discovered

That only stupid people are breeding
That unintelligent people are reproducing the most

The cretins cloning and feeding
Idiotic people are replicating themselves and thriving

And I don't even own a TV
I don't possess a television, detaching myself from mainstream culture

Put me in the hospital for nerves
I was placed in the hospital due to my nervous breakdown

And then they had to commit me
I was involuntarily committed to care for my well-being

You told them all I was crazy
You informed others that I was insane

They cut off my legs now I'm an amputee, goddamn you
They removed my ability to stand and move freely, causing me great frustration and anger towards you

And it's a sin, to live so well
It's immoral to be living such a good life when I'm not mentally sound

I wanna publish 'zines
I aspire to write and publish my own underground publications

And rage against machines
I want to revolt against the systematic oppression

I wanna pierce my tongue
I want to have a visible piercing on my tongue

It doesn't hurt, it feels fine
The piercing doesn't cause me any pain and I enjoy it

The trivial sublime
The mundane aspects of life that trigger intense admiration and awe in me

I'd like to turn off time
I wish to halt the flow of time for a while

And kill my mind
I want to escape my thoughts and my own mind

You kill my mind
You, specifically, are responsible for the debilitating state of my mental health

Paranoia, paranoia
A feeling of overwhelming suspicion and anxiety

Everybody's comin' to get me
I believe that everyone is out to harm me

Just say you never met me
Please deny having any association with me