History
Founded by three former members of the groundbreaking Boston band Think Tree, Count Zero recorded their debut CD "Affluenza" in 1996. With the addition of a full-time bassist and keyboardist, they played their first show in March of '96 at The Middle East in Cambridge, MA, and have been entertaining an expanding congregation of devoted fans ever since.
Personnel
Peter Moore: vocals
Will Ragano: guitars
Eric Paull: drums
Izzy Maxwell: bass
Joel Simches: keyboards
Sound
An obsessively creative mashing of many classic and modern styles of popular music are found in any given Count Zero song, from retro-groove to indie-rock to electronic pop to country twang. Raw sounds intermingle with lush Radiohead-esque orchestrations and unexpected sound/sample manipulations, affording a unique listening experience known for grabbing even the most jaded ears. Their distinctive sound combines the flair for melody and complexity of Flaming Lips and later Blur, the brains of Talking Heads/ Brian Eno and the raw power of Zeppelin and Sly Stone.
Why you should care
• They tastefully present inordinately infectious melodies
• They ingeniously engineer durable, socially-observant yet heartfelt lyrics
• They create sophisticated, yet unpretentious arrangements
• Their live performances are vigorous, exuberant and challenging
• They probably won't go away........ever
What they are up to
Count Zero toured North America with The Dresden Dolls for six weeks in the Fall of 2004 to much acclaim. Their most recent release (their 3rd CD) Little Minds is a melody-riddled songfest, with lilting, melancholic lap-steel intermingling with an array of exotic synths, samples, odd turns and intense beats. With songs on both Guitar Hero 1 & 2 (one of the most popular video games in recent history), their fanbase is growing quickly.
Good News
Count Zero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not without evil, or pain.
Well, watch out before your life
Seeps itself right down the drain.
Soon you'll be a bloodless soul
Bitter tears is all you'll sweat
Groaning over what you got;
Sad for what you'll never get.
Kvetch, bitch, and complain all day.
God forbid Life runs it's course!
You can't hope without regret.
You don't dream without remorse.
If you only knew your lot,
How it stands in space and time,
You'd be glad for what you got.
You'd see good news ain't no crime.
Amplify trivial events
Just to win the pity game.
Shape frustrating incidents
So there's someone you can blame.
Call bearers of all offense
Some banal, derisive name.
Hate can make such simple sense:
Those different from you are all the same.
No news is good news no more.
It's all part of their grand plan;
Broadcasting "Killers Roam the Streets!"
Helps you fear your fellow man.
That way you will never dare
Harvesting a common ground,
Joining forces with his flock,
Building louder powers with Love's Sound.
Count Zero's "Good News" is a song that cautions people not to mistake good news for utopian life. It is a reminder of the reality of the world that is made of both good and bad news. The song warns against not appreciating the life that one has and only focusing on the things they do not have. The lyrics speak about not imbuing so much into material gains, that one loses perspective about life. The song states that if people see their position in space and time, they would appreciate what they have instead of what they do not. The song warns of seeing the world through the lens of hate, which paints anyone different as the enemy, calling them derogatory names, and blaming them for everything.
The song advises that to stop the negativity in our lives, we should amplify good news as well, instead of only focusing on trivial frustrating events. It shows how the media runs stories that make us fear others, and we forget that we should be united as human beings. The song advises that we should focus on our fellow man and join forces to build a better future. The lyrics emphasize that we should build louder powers with love's sound, unite with others, both like us and different from us, joining forces to create a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Good news is not news to you,
You've grown accustomed to good news, it doesn't bring you excitement or hope anymore.
Not without evil, or pain.
Good news often comes after or during difficult times.
Well, watch out before your life
Be cautious before you let your life go down a negative path.
Seeps itself right down the drain.
Before your life becomes negative, causing you to spiral out of control.
Soon you'll be a bloodless soul
You'll become a cold and emotionless person.
Bitter tears is all you'll sweat
You'll only feel sadness and sorrow.
Groaning over what you got;
You'll only focus on what you don't have.
Sad for what you'll never get.
You'll be filled with regret because you'll never achieve your dreams.
Kvetch, bitch, and complain all day.
Constantly complaining and being negative all day won't change anything.
God forbid Life runs it's course!
Don't try to control life, let it run its natural course.
You can't hope without regret.
If you hope for something, you'll inevitably feel regret if it doesn't happen.
You don't dream without remorse.
Dreams often come with a sense of longing or disappointment.
If you only knew your lot,
If you only understood your situation in life,
How it stands in space and time,
How it fits in the grand scheme of things,
You'd be glad for what you got.
You would appreciate what you have.
You'd see good news ain't no crime.
You would realize that good news is nothing to be ashamed of.
Amplify trivial events
Blow small issues out of proportion,
Just to win the pity game.
In an effort to gain sympathy from others.
Shape frustrating incidents
Manipulate negative situations,
So there's someone you can blame.
So you have someone to point the finger at.
Call bearers of all offense
Label those who offend you,
Some banal, derisive name.
With a simple and insulting nickname.
Hate can make such simple sense:
Hate can be easy and straightforward.
Those different from you are all the same.
People who are different from you are all lumped together in your mind.
No news is good news no more.
The idea that no news is good news is outdated.
It's all part of their grand plan;
The media has an ulterior motive and controls what news is broadcast.
Broadcasting "Killers Roam the Streets!"
Sensationalizing news to instill fear in viewers.
Helps you fear your fellow man.
Causes you to be afraid of the people around you.
That way you will never dare
By being afraid of others,
Harvesting a common ground,
You'll never be able to find commonalities with other people,
Joining forces with his flock,
Come together with a group of people,
Building louder powers with Love's Sound.
In order to make a positive change using the power of love.
Contributed by Blake F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.