Crackout were a pop-punk / rock / jazz-influenced trio who formed in Oxford… Read Full Bio ↴Crackout were a pop-punk / rock / jazz-influenced trio who formed in Oxford, UK in 1997. As well as releasing two albums and a handful of singles, they toured with artists such as Seafood, Haven and Span before disbanding in late 2005. One notable aspect of the band's live shows was drummer Nick Millard's insistence on wearing a suit for every show. Steven and Jack later adopted the suited look when touring the Oh No! album.

The band, Steven Eagles (guitar, vocals), Nicholas Millard (drums) and Rachel Lavelle (bass), were all just 16 years old when they signed to Shifty Disco after playing just eight gigs as Crackout (named after Brian Krakow, a character in American TV teen drama My So-Called Life). Within four weeks of the label first seeing the band live, they had recorded and released their debut Chuck single. An album was also recorded around this time but was never released. Lavelle was shortly replaced on bass by Jack Dunkley.

Crackout toured with Sick Of It All / 28 Days in late December 2000, where they sold a self-released tape containing early recordings of Breakout and Joey Lost His Mind (both later re-recorded and included on debut album This Is Really Neat). EP1, a 500-limited edition CD with four songs showing early promise, and EP2 shortly followed in 2001. Both EPs came with a free sticker and in a hand-numbered cardboard sleeve, finished with a wax seal (red on EP1, green on EP2). Their debut album, This Is Really Neat, was released that October featuring artwork by Jane Wooster-Scott.

In 2002, plans to release old favourite Volume (the b-side to their first single, later re-recorded and featured on This Is Really Neat) were scrapped when I Am The One was used in an advert for Salomon Sports. Volume was therefore the only Crackout song not released as a single with it's own music video.

After long delays, the band's follow up to This Is Really Neat was released in March 2004. However, the promotion for Oh No! was ended abruptly due to EMI deciding to close down Hut Recordings shortly after the album's release. Whilst making plans for a third album, their producer friend Clive Langer asked them if they were interested in playing on a film soundtrack which he was scoring, which ended up with them being cast for small roles in Brothers of the Head, the 2006 mockumentary based on the 1977 novel by Brian Aldiss.

In 2005, Crackout toyed with the idea of adding an extra member to provide them with options with guitars, keyboards and backing vocals live. This lead to a few low-key gigs with additional member Simon in October that year. After playing these gigs, however, they felt like too much time had passed since their last shows and decided to disband Crackout.

However, 2006 saw Steven, Nick, Jack and Simon now playing in a new group called Blackholes, who released The Alcohol EP themselves through their MySpace profile, featuring a couple of tracks played at their last few Crackout gigs.

Eagles, Millard and Dunkley have also played in French pop act Vanessa & The O's on a few of their live shows.

It was announced in 2007 that Dunkley had left due to 'creative differences', with Alex Szrok replacing him on bass. In September, it was announced that Blackholes had decided to regroup, renaming the band 'Out Of The Afternoon' and that they had brought in Anna Sales on keyboard and vocals. The newest project at present has a more jazzy sound than previously, with "Alcohol," a slow jazz song being the only 'Blackholes' track used on their myspace profile.

In March 2008 the band signed to Leeds Label 'Tip Toe Records' and released there first EP in April

I Am the One
Crackout Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Who isn't on this trip for fun
Who wastes himself on every one

I am the one
Who comes undone
Who falls apart when things are gone

Who works for nothing real at all

Who runs back up around a call

[Chorus]
I am the one who comes undone
Who falls apart when things are gone
I can't believe its over me
I am the one who comes undone

You never knew this, it isn't like me
I'm gonna do this and the it might be
Work me out and I'll be
Every one around me
If you really want that
Then you better tell me

I'm full up to the brim on blood
I don't know what I'm thinking of

[Chorus]

Work me out and I'll be
Every one around me
If you really want that
Then you better tell me

[Chorus: x2]

I can't believe it's over me
I am the one who comes undone

Overall Meaning

These lyrics speak to someone who feels lost and overwhelmed. The opening lines question the motivations of those around the singer, wondering who is really striving for something meaningful and who is just going through the motions. The lyrics then turn inward, describing the singer's own struggles with feeling like they are falling apart when things get difficult or uncertain. The following verse highlights the confusion and lack of direction the singer is feeling, as they describe themselves as someone who "works for nothing real at all" and runs around without purpose. The chorus repeats the previous lines, emphasizing the singer's sense of unraveling, and the final verse speaks to a desire to connect with others and potentially find a way out of this chaotic state of being.

Overall, the song seems to be about the feeling of being overwhelmed and struggling to find a sense of purpose or direction in life. The repetition of the chorus underscores the idea of coming undone or falling apart, and there is an urgency in the desire to be worked out or understood by others. It's a relatable sentiment that many people can likely identify with, especially during times of stress or change.

Line by Line Meaning

Who isn't on this trip for fun
Who is not here to enjoy themselves

Who wastes himself on every one
Who doesn't really care about anyone and gives himself away too easily

I am the one
I am talking about myself now

Who comes undone
Who falls apart easily when things go wrong

Who falls apart when things are gone
Who finds it hard to cope when things are gone or lost

Who works for nothing real at all
Who spends time doing things that are not meaningful or worthwhile

Who runs back up around a call
Who keeps coming back even if they know it's not good for them

I can't believe its over me
I can't believe this is happening to me

You never knew this, it isn't like me
You don't know this side of me, it's not my usual behavior

I'm gonna do this and then it might be
I'm going to do something and see how it turns out

Work me out and I'll be
Figure me out and I'll be