Influences of the band cover a wide genre of music; however some of their main influences include Radiohead, Joy Division, Pink Floyd, Jeff Buckley, Sonic Youth, The Pixies, Mogwai, My Bloody Valentine, Galaxie 500, Movietone, Muse, The Cure and much more.
Formed in the summer of 2004, they found their current line-up early in 2005. Within recent months they have been writing and performing increasingly better and more forward thinking music, and the band has been going from strength to strength.
Throughout 2006 the band spent time gigging relentlessly at venues all over the Midlands area, and during that time provided the band with the chance to support Howling Bells twice, the 1990s and the Tiny Dancers and play at ‘Oxjam Festival’ in London.
The band have also been featured three times on BBC Hereford and Worcester’s ‘The Friday Session’, several times on online radio stations in the ‘Monochrome Museum Global Network’, and on MTV ‘Ones to Watch’ (which was shown repeatedly throughout April and May on MTV2).
In recent months the band have been recording their debut album ‘Complications’) with their humble and very portable home studio equipment; the band finally released the album on Friday 13th April.
Dead Letter Office are currently working on writing and recording their second album. This is due to be finished Autumn 2009.
Dead Letter Office Are:
Benjamin Hiorns (Benj) - Lead vocals/ guitarist
Jevon Davies - Bass/ Backing vocals
James Atkins - Guitar
Harry Bourne - Drums/Backing vocals
Ben Allen (Beef) - Keyboards
Unfortunately, after many years loyal service, Ben Foxall left the band. James Atkins stepped in to guitar duties.
In the late part of 2009 Dead Letter Office decided to disband.
Sunshine Gasoline
Dead Letter Office Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tore the book to pieces and wrote your own.
Your heart dissolved.
Into a million pieces you couldn't solve.
You lost the plot.
Your skin got tight and split at the seams.
So you shut the beams,
Sat back and watched the picture in wide screen.
You smell like sunshine gasoline.
You made the first cut clean.
You knew a girl.
Her face was drawn the scars were real.
She carved her own.
Had a fear of being buried of dying alone.
She likes the rain.
Takes medication for the labour pains.
She says our lives are feigned.
And when you're gone all they'll remember is your name.
She smells like sunshine gasoline.
She made the first cut clean.
And now we're older.
And so much better.
I take it back. It's so familiar.
Our limbs are coloured red and black.
You knew a boy.
He had a golden tounge and lips of stone.
Cut from the same bone.
He makes a lonely sound when he's on the phone.
You picked him out.
A clouded mind that's yours to clean.
He looked the part.
He played the part perfectly.
She smells like sunshine gasoline.
She made the first cut clean.
And now we're older.
And so much better.
I take it back. It's so familiar.
Our limbs are coloured red and black.
You get a new skin when the old one flakes.
You get another fresh start as a perfect stranger.
You've never been happier.
I held your hair, you bit your tongue.
You held your breath. I picked my bones.
No spark. No fire. No hope. No desire.
You've got alot left to answer for
The song "Sunshine Gasoline" by Dead Letter Office is a complex song about breaking free from societal expectations and the struggles one might face in doing so. The lyrics describe a person who has broken the mold and tore the book to pieces, refusing to follow the rules set by society. However, in doing so, they have lost their heart, feeling fragmented and unable to solve the pieces of themselves. Their skin becomes tight and splits, forcing them to retreat and simply watch life play out.
The song then switches focus to a girl who also defies the norms of society, carving her own path, but struggling with the fear of being buried or dying alone. She medicates herself for the pain of living and believes that our lives are all feigned, that the only thing that will be remembered is our name. The lyrics then move to a boy who is cut from the same bone as the girl, but with a golden tongue and lips of stone. While he looks the part and plays his role perfectly, he still makes a lonely sound when he is alone.
The chorus repeats throughout the song, saying that they smell like sunshine gasoline and made the first cut clean. The lyrics refer to the scent of gasoline, which has a powerful and dangerous smell, while sunshine can represent both happiness and danger, highlighting the conflict between wanting to break free but also being fearful of the consequences.
The last verse suggests that the person has found a way to shed their old skin and start anew, but must also deal with the consequences of their actions. The lyrics describe a scene where one person holds another's hair while they bite their tongue, signifying the turmoil and struggle that comes with breaking free. The song finishes with the line "You've got a lot left to answer for," suggesting that while breaking the mold might feel liberating, it also comes with a great responsibility.
Line by Line Meaning
You broke the mould.
You did something different and unique.
Tore the book to pieces and wrote your own.
You rewrote the rules and created your own path.
Your heart dissolved.
You experienced an emotional breakdown.
Into a million pieces you couldn't solve.
You felt shattered and couldn't find a solution.
You lost the plot.
You lost your way and became confused.
Your skin got tight and split at the seams.
You were under intense pressure and couldn't take it anymore.
So you shut the beams, Sat back and watched the picture in wide screen.
You stepped back from the situation and watched it all unfold from a distance.
You smell like sunshine gasoline.
You have a vibrant and energetic aura.
You made the first cut clean.
You started something new with precision and skill.
You knew a girl.
You knew a woman who had a distinct personality.
Her face was drawn the scars were real.
She had a tough and difficult life, and it showed on her face.
She carved her own.
She created her own identity.
Had a fear of being buried of dying alone.
She was scared of ending up alone and unloved.
She likes the rain.
She finds peace in the rainy weather.
Takes medication for the labour pains.
She uses medication to cope with physical pain.
She says our lives are feigned.
She believes that our lives are fake and inauthentic.
And when you're gone all they'll remember is your name.
She thinks that being remembered is the only valuable thing in life.
And now we're older.
As time passed, we grew up.
And so much better.
We are wiser and more mature now.
I take it back. It's so familiar.
We feel nostalgic about the past.
Our limbs are coloured red and black.
We have experienced both pain and pleasure in life.
You knew a boy.
You knew a man who had a specific personality.
He had a golden tounge and lips of stone.
He was charming and persuasive, but also stubborn.
Cut from the same bone.
He had similar traits to you.
He makes a lonely sound when he's on the phone.
He sounds sad and lonely when he talks on the phone.
You picked him out.
You chose him specifically.
A clouded mind that's yours to clean.
He is confused and you need to help him.
He looked the part.
He appeared to be what you wanted him to be.
He played the part perfectly.
He acted exactly how you expected him to.
You get a new skin when the old one flakes.
You change yourself when something isn't working anymore.
You get another fresh start as a perfect stranger.
You have the chance to start over with a clean slate.
You've never been happier.
Change can be positive and lead to a happier life.
I held your hair, you bit your tongue.
We were in a situation where we had to stay quiet.
You held your breath. I picked my bones.
We both felt uncomfortable in a tense situation.
No spark. No fire. No hope. No desire.
We've lost our passion and enthusiasm.
You've got alot left to answer for.
You have unresolved issues to solve.
Contributed by Aaron E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.