Early years
Days of the New began as an experimental rock/metal trio called Dead Reckoning, with Meeks, Matt Taul, and Jesse Vest. When they turned to an acoustic sound, they changed the name of the band, as well as added guitarist Todd Whitener.
A demo version of the song "Freak" appeared on the Harvest Showcase Volume 3, a compilation of Louisville area artists. This recording features a solo performance by Travis Meeks but is credited to Days of the New. Jesse Vest and Matt Taul are listed as band members in the liner notes; although, they do not appear on this recording.
Producer Scott Litt signed the band after their third live show.
1996-1998
The band recorded their debut album in October and November 1996. The first Days of the New release, an eponymous album frequently called "Orange" or "Yellow" after the color of the disc and liner notes, was released in 1997, selling 1.5 million copies worldwide. Three songs from this album were hits: "Touch, Peel and Stand," "The Down Town," and "Shelf in the Room." The former was #1 on Billboard's Rock Chart for 17 weeks; "The Down Town" and "Shelf in the Room" were each top 40 hits.
Internal problems of the band were evident early on. Shortly after releasing their debut album, Days of the New began touring for small shows. MTV reported that, after missing a Florida concert in April, the band members appeared physically black-eyed and beaten the following day after what sources claimed to be a band brawl. They then toured with Metallica and Jerry Cantrell starting in West Palm Beach, Florida on June 24, 1998. Meeks later criticized this billing, stating that, due to their acoustic sound, Days of the New should have toured with a group like Dave Matthews Band.
Just before starting this summer tour, however, Meeks had already told interviewers that all of his fellow band members were holding him back and, consequently, were being released from the group. He also said that they were disappointed by this decision but that he thought they would remain friends. An Outpost spokesperson, however, claimed that "Travis just talks" and that nothing was official. Before they could fulfill club touring duties with Finger 11 and Flight 16 in December, without citing reason, Meeks canceled in early November. Various explanations were given by band members and a label spokesperson including poor tour scheduling, band fighting, and even Meeks being physically ill. It was finally confirmed in February 1999 that the band indeed split up. Todd Whitener, Matt Taul, and Jesse Vest would go on to form C14, soon renamed Tantric, while Meeks formed a new band under the Days of the New name.
Over the years, two somewhat contradictory versions of the original Days of the New breakup have developed. It was widely reported in 1998 and still believed that Travis Meeks fired his fellow musicians, aided largely by his personal comments; however, he has since said that this is not true and that they left out of jealousy due to the fact that he wrote virtually all of the songs and received all royalty checks. When Meeks first announced their departure months prior to its conceiving, and without label confirmation, he gave a less than positive remark, stating "It's like a journey in the wilderness - you know with like the struggle and stuff. I made it through, I survived, but the other guys didn't." Meeks also posted comments on a fan message board: "It wasn't truly a band format. It is my fault for leading you on and setting you up to get attached to the prior members." However, the following year during a live online chat, he seemed quite comfortable with the circumstance and treated it as though it were more mutual between them. Meeks has since said to have empathy toward their supposed choice to leave and claims to understand their viewpoint.
1999-2001
Just one year after the original band's breakup, Meeks had assembled a new Days of the New and recorded a second album. Titled Days of the New, and often referred to as "Green." The album was released August 31, 1999 and introduced a variety of different styles. Many of the album's songs contained intros and codas to seamlessly carry into the next song. Meeks debuted his new band on September 4, 1999 at the Ear Xtacy store in Louisville.
Critics were fairly enthusiastic of "Green," but the album sold poorly compared to the first, selling around 450,000 copies. The lead single, "Enemy," was a major hit while its follow up single, "Weapon and the Wound" met with marginal success. After touring to support the album, Meeks contributed to the Doors tribute album Stoned Immaculate: The Music of the Doors as lead vocalist on a cover of "The End" and "L.A. Woman."
In February 2000, Meeks returned to the studio with a new band and was finished by July. Still using the Days of the New name, the third album incorporated aspects of the previous two - much of the energy from the first album had returned, combined with orchestral interludes similar to the second album. In keeping with the previous albums' names, the third album is also called Days of the New, or "Red."
The first single "Hang On to This" charted fairly and was the most added song on rock radio the week it was released. However, the album was released two weeks after the 9/11 attacks and, with very little promotion, only sold 90,000 copies. The band maintained a profile touring with the likes of Creed and 3 Doors Down.
2002-present
After touring for "Red," the band went through a period of inactivity, when they parted ways with Interscope. In the later half of 2003, Travis Meeks embarked on a solo tour performing at small venues. He continued to suffer from drug addiction and, in early 2005, appeared on A&E's Intervention, where his family and friends convinced him to enter rehab and battle his addiction to methamphetamine.
In September 2005, Meeks declared sobriety, and resumed writing for a fourth Days of the New record, with the tentative color being Purple. After relocating to New York to reunite with Ray Rizzo, they began touring. In October 2007, the band entered a studio in New York to begin work on Purple. It has been hinted that the record may be recorded and released independently, giving the band artistic freedom and less pressure to be commercially successful. The record is said to have a theatrical sound, with the incorporation of upright bass, koto, hammered dulcimer and cello. Some of the songs tracked for the record include "Superhero," "Touch of Anger," and "Where It Ends." The album will be financed through fan pre-orders and donations via Paypal.
On March 4, 2008, Days of the New released their first compilation disc, Days of the New: The Definitive Collection.
In an interview with LEO Weekly, an alternative magazine out of Louisville, Kentucky, Travis stated that the upcoming record will be called Days of the New Presents Tree Colors.
August 2011. Days of New has cancelled their current tour and according to their manager Travis Meeks has entered rehab for an extended period of time.
L.A. Woman
Days of the New Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Took a look around see which way the wind blow
Where the little girls in their Hollywood bungalows
Are you a lucky little lady in The City of Light
Or just another lost angel, City of Night
City of Night, City of Night, yeah, City of Night
I said L.A. woman, L.A. woman
L.A. woman Sunday afternoon
Drive through your suburbs
Into your blues, into your blues
Into your blue-blue blues
Into your blues
I see your hair is burnin'
The hills are filled with fire, yeah
And if they say I never loved you (loved you, loved you)
You know they are a liar
Yeah, I'm drivin' down your freeways
Midnight alleys roam
Yeah the cops in cars, the topless bars
Never saw a woman, yeah
So alone, so alone, yeah
So alone-lone-lone
So alone, hey
Motel money ya murder madness
Let's change your mood from glad to sadness
Mr. Mojo Risin'
Ya got to keep on risin'
Mr. Mojo Risin'
I'm goin' ridin' ridin'
Yeah
Well I just got into town about an hour ago
I took a look around, see which way the wind blow
Where the little girls in their Hollywood bungalows
Are you a lucky little lady in The City of Light
Or just another lost angel, yeah, City of Night, oh
City of Night, yeah, City of Night, woah, City of Night, yeah
Said L.A. woman, you're my woman
L.A. woman Sunday afternoon
The lyrics to Days of the New's song L.A. Woman appear to be about the singer's arrival in Los Angeles and his observation of the different lifestyles and environments that he sees around him. He seems to be questioning whether the women he encounters are lucky to be living in the City of Light, or if they are lost angels in the City of Night. The repetition of this phrase creates a sense of duality and contrast, reinforcing the idea that Los Angeles is a city of extremes. The singer comments on the burning hills and the police presence, further emphasizing the potentially dangerous nature of the city. The narration is followed by an interlude featuring Mr. Mojo Risin', a nickname for the iconic rock musician Jim Morrison, leading to a shift in tone and mood of the song. The interlude highlights the unpredictable, wild, and rebellious spirit that Morrison embodied.
The lyrics of L.A. Woman suggest that the song is possibly a commentary on the contradictory nature of Los Angeles - a city known for its glamour and entertainment industry, but also for its crime and corruption. The repeated mentions of the City of Night and the potential dangers that come with it serve to create a sense of unease and tension throughout the song. It seems to be discussing the dark side of the city and the social hierarchy that exists within it.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I just got into town about an hour ago
I recently arrived in Los Angeles
Took a look around see which way the wind blow
I'm trying to get a sense of the city
Where the little girls in their Hollywood bungalows
I notice the young women living in the glamorous neighborhoods of Hollywood
Are you a lucky little lady in The City of Light
Are you one of the fortunate, beautiful women living in Los Angeles?
Or just another lost angel, City of Night
Or are you one of the many people who come to Los Angeles looking for something they can't find?
City of Night, City of Night, yeah, City of Night
Los Angeles is a city that comes alive at night
I said L.A. woman, L.A. woman
I'm addressing the women of Los Angeles
L.A. woman Sunday afternoon, yeah
It's a lazy Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles
Drive through your suburbs
I am driving around the suburban neighborhoods of Los Angeles
Into your blues, into your blues
I am becoming aware of the melancholic nature of the city
Into your blue-blue blues
The city's sadness is overwhelming
I see your hair is burnin'
Your passion for life is apparent
The hills are filled with fire, yeah
The city's energy is explosive and intense
And if they say I never loved you (loved you, loved you)
If anyone tries to claim that I did not appreciate your beauty and power
You know they are a liar
They are not telling the truth
Yeah, I'm drivin' down your freeways
I'm cruising down the city's highways
Midnight alleys roam
I explore the dark corners of the city
Yeah the cops in cars, the topless bars
I encounter the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles
Never saw a woman, yeah
I have never seen women like those in Los Angeles
So alone, so alone, yeah
The city can make you feel lonely
So alone-lone-lone
Loneliness echoes through the city
So alone, hey
It's a lonely place to be
Motel money ya murder madness
Crime and poverty are prevalent in the cheap motels of Los Angeles
Let's change your mood from glad to sadness
We need to address the city's problems and shift the mood towards solving them
Mr. Mojo Risin'
I'm invoking the spirit of Morrison and his love for Los Angeles
Ya got to keep on risin'
We need to keep fighting to make Los Angeles a better place
Mr. Mojo Risin'
I repeat Morrison's call to action
I'm goin' ridin' ridin'
I'm hitting the road and exploring the city
Yeah
Well I just got into town about an hour ago
I circle back to my arrival in Los Angeles, and the exploration begins anew
I took a look around, see which way the wind blow
I am charting a course through the city
Where the little girls in their Hollywood bungalows
I am still fascinated by the young women in their glamorous homes
Are you a lucky little lady in The City of Light
Are you one of the fortunate, beautiful women living in Los Angeles?
Or just another lost angel, yeah, City of Night, oh
Or are you one of the many people who come to Los Angeles looking for something they can't find?
City of Night, yeah, City of Night, woah, City of Night, yeah
Los Angeles is an enigmatic city that comes alive at night
Said L.A. woman, you're my woman
I declare my love for the women of Los Angeles
L.A. woman Sunday afternoon
It's a lazy Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles, full of possibility and adventure
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Soulshit
best cover of this record by far
@TheChef470
Fantastic version......
@ccsg1313
Love the way Meeks made it his own ❤
@everydayelite1778
straight up beast mode
@JohnBuck41
Great cover. Lotsa passion.
@cynthiagavins6167
Not too bad!
@sherriever2026
good morning music***
@BugraCil
Don't lynch me, better than original.
@kimble647
Not gonna lynch, but C'mon. :-)
@TheChef470
So much better : )