In the years since the band sprang out of the University of Pennsylvania party scene in the mid-'90s, the Disco Biscuits have brought together the worlds of jam bands and electronic music with its "trance-fusion" sound that mixes the free-form improvisations of jazz with the hypnotic rhythms which provided the soundtrack for rave culture.
In the process, the band has garnered critical acclaim and a loyal fanbase. Its 2002 effort, Senor Boombox, was named the "best studio record of 2002" by Relix magazine and one of the "10 best Jam band records of all-time" by Guitar Player. The band closed out 2003 by selling out New York City's Hammerstein Ballroom on New Year's Eve, capping a holiday season run in which more than 12,000 tickets were sold.
But in the midst of such heady success, the quartet hit the wall, with each realizing it was time to take stock and reconsider where their lives were headed. "I think there was The Window in the band where we all sort of woke up and realized that we were no longer college students, that we've been a rock band for a number of years. It just sort of sneaks up on you," says guitarist/vocalist Jon "The Barber" Gutwillig. That's when founding member and drummer Sam Altman realized he wanted to do other things with his life. Bassist Marc Brownstein had already weathered his own crisis, leaving the band temporarily, but he returned to the fold. Gutwillig and keyboardist Aron Magner each faced their own issues as well, but ultimately realized there was nothing that they'd rather be doing than playing music together as the Disco Biscuits.
Altman broke the news to his band mates in late 2003, when the band was mixing its cover of "Give Me Three Steps," its contribution to Under the Influence: A Jam Band Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd, but stayed with the band for another 18 months, marking one of the most bittersweet periods in the Disco Biscuits' career.
It was during this phase in which The Wind at Four to Fly was recorded. Although Altman ended up playing more than a dozen more shows with his old college chums before hanging up his drumsticks, at the time he believed he was playing his final shows with the Biscuits and he played as if his life depended on it. "For those shows," Gutwillig says, "his head was in the game. He played at his best."
The title of the double-CD live set is taken from "Morph Dusseldorf," the Biscuits' classic that closes the first disc with 12 minutes-plus of psychedelic weirdness. "It's a colorful lyric from that song that illustrates the kinds of changes that are the theme of the album," Gutwillig says. "Although it's sort of a nonsensical line, we felt it suited the album."
The 11-track set manages to span the band's career, although the bulk of the material has never been officially released. While the Biscuits continue to offer downloads of nearly all their shows on their website, www.discobiscuits.com, The Wind at Four to Fly is something different. "When you get something off of our download site, it's an awesome version of the show, but it's not produced in the same way the album is produced," Gutwillig says. "We know that The Wind at Four to Fly sounds great. We put it in the studio, we've taken all the tracks apart, we've tweaked it out, and it sounds as good a live album as any live album in the world sounds."
Don't, however, think that for a second that The Wind at Four to Fly is the quintessential Disco Biscuits performance or their swan song. "A guy like Peter Frampton can make one seminal live album, because he pretty much plays the same set every night," Gutwillig says. "But our stuff is so different from night to night. We get bored doing the same thing so we always do things with different keys and different rhythms."
The Biscuits continue to evolve with some new blood. Although the band was sad to see Altman go, it's re-energized thanks to the addition of drummer Allen Aucoin, who in true Disco Biscuits fashion landed the gig after a live "drum-off" gig in November 2005 in Atlantic City. By that time, Aucoin had already quit his job selling Harley Davidson motorcycles to devote all his waking hours to honing his skill for the Biscuits.
With the new blood also comes a new home base. The Biscuits have regrouped in their own studio, formerly owned by fellow Philly homeboy DJ Jazzy Jeff, and the band is reaching creative heights it hasn't hit since it shared a house together in the late '90s, practicing up to 10 hours a day and writing new material for their next studio effort.
Aucoin played his first shows as an official member of the band over the 2005 holiday season at the Tower Theatre in Philadelphia and the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, where it sold more than 10,000 tickets. According to many on the scene, the Biscuits have never sounded better and the band plans to tour heavily in 2006.
While The Wind at Four to Fly marks the end of the band's chapter with Altman behind the kit, the future of the Disco Biscuits is still being written. Don't miss it.
The Tunnel
Disco Biscuits Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And stone to stone,
It's what I do
When I'm alone.
With all the time,
Such a place.
And now it seems,
Laugh and mock
They don't believe,
I smile only
As they leave
Know I feel
A bit confused.
Its like the dream
Where I can't move.
Alone at last,
The tide is low,
A greater pitch
In which to go.
The ocean swells,
I move away.
It follows me
As if to play.
Now I rest
In nature's own,
She holds me tight
And free from home.
In a different
World of mine,
There comes a voice
To tell the time.
Tell the time.
Tell the time.
Tell the time.
Does something else exist beyond the sky?
Will the angels walk or will they fly?
A familiar voice I haven't heard in years.
Tell me what to do in seven years.
And if its not my time can I come back?
Found myself in the tunnel of light,
And I didn't have the urge to fight.
Found myself in the tunnel of light,
And I didn't have the urge to fight.
Found myself in the tunnel of light,
And I didn't have the urge to fight.
Found myself in the tunnel of light,
And I didn't have the urge to fight.
A storm rolls in
But still I'm safe.
I find myself
Within a cave.
The lightning strikes
Like a spiderweb.
I catch my breath
On a concrete bed.
I can't remember
Certain things,
Like when and where
I got these wings.
The storm had passed
And the day was bright,
And each step
Seemed aflight.
Now I've met
My guardian,
My lease on life
Renewed again.
Peace has
Overwhelmed my soul,
And the toll collector
Takes its toll.
Can I have
A few more days,
To take in
Just a few more rays?
Live the life
That I'd always hoped.
And tend the plants
That I meant to grow.
Meant to grow.
Meant to grow.
Meant to grow.
Does something else exist beyond the sky?
Will the angels walk or will they fly?
A familiar voice I haven't heard in years.
Tell me what to do in seven years.
And if its not my time can I come back?
Found myself in the tunnel of light,
And I didn't have the urge to fight.
Found myself in the tunnel of light,
And I didn't have the urge to fight.
Found myself in the tunnel of light,
And I didn't have the urge to fight.
Found myself in the tunnel of light,
And I didn't have the urge to fight.
The lyrics of Disco Biscuits’s song “The Tunnel” can be interpreted as a journey of self-discovery and questioning the existence of an afterlife. The first verse sets the tone of the song with the singer moving from “rock to rock” and “stone to stone” which can symbolize a feeling of restlessness and lack of direction. The second verse suggests that the singer is seeking solitude and finding it in nature, however, the absence of a face suggests a feeling of disconnect with the world around them. The third verse displays the singer’s frustration with being misunderstood and mocked, but he chooses to smile and let them leave rather than confront them. The fourth verse describes a dream or feeling of paralysis, and the singer’s confusion adds to the feeling of uncertainty and doubt.
The chorus shifts the tone of the song with the introduction of a mysterious voice questioning the existence of an afterlife and the nature of angels. This voice suggests that time is finite with the line, “Tell me what to do in seven years.” The repetition of the line “Found myself in the tunnel of light, and I didn’t have the urge to fight” could refer to near-death experiences or the acceptance of death, as the singer doesn’t feel the need to struggle. The subsequent verses display a sense of gratitude and appreciation for life and the desire for more time to enjoy it.
The song’s lyrics suggest that the journey towards meaning and fulfillment involves questioning the nature of life and the existence of an afterlife. It encourages introspection and finding solace in nature, as the singer does in the second verse. The repetition of lines throughout the song reinforces the feeling of uncertainty and questioning the nature of existence.
Line by Line Meaning
From rock to rock
I wander from one place to another aimlessly.
And stone to stone,
I move without purpose or direction, just trying to pass the time.
It's what I do
This is how I spend my time when I am alone.
When I'm alone.
Being alone is a common occurrence for me.
With all the time,
I have an endless amount of time to spend wandering.
Such a place.
I am in a place where time seems to stand still.
And now it seems,
But something feels different now.
Without a face.
I am without a clear sense of identity or direction.
Laugh and mock
Others make fun of me for my aimlessness.
They don't believe,
They do not understand my predicament.
I smile only
But I do not let this bother me and keep smiling.
As they leave
As they go, I remain in my aimless wandering.
Know I feel
Despite this, I feel a certain way.
A bit confused.
I am lost and unsure of what to do next.
Its like the dream
I feel like I am in a dream-like state.
Where I can't move.
But I feel stuck in this dream and cannot break free.
Alone at last,
Eventually, I find myself physically alone.
The tide is low,
I am on a beach with low tide.
A greater pitch
I sense that there is something bigger out there for me.
In which to go.
And it feels like it is calling my name and wants me to come closer.
The ocean swells,
The water starts to move and get bigger.
I move away.
But I back away from the beckoning voice of the unknown.
It follows me
But the feeling of something greater continues to follow me.
As if to play.
Almost like it is teasing me to take a leap of faith.
Now I rest
I eventually stop to take a break.
In nature's own,
I find myself surrounded by the beauty of nature.
She holds me tight
And it feels like nature is embracing me, making me feel secure.
And free from home.
As if I am away from the constraints of society.
In a different
I suddenly find myself in another world.
World of mine,
And it feels like it is my own world where I can finally belong.
There comes a voice
And in this world, I hear a voice calling out to me.
To tell the time.
This voice is telling me that time is moving and changing without me.
Tell the time.
But I struggle to understand what this voice is trying to tell me.
Tell the time.
The call to action becomes more urgent and persistent.
Does something else exist beyond the sky?
I start to question the limits of the natural world and contemplate the existence of a higher power.
Will the angels walk or will they fly?
I wonder about the nature of divine beings, and whether they exist in the physical world or beyond.
A familiar voice I haven't heard in years.
Suddenly, I hear a voice that I have not heard in a long time.
Tell me what to do in seven years.
This voice is urging me to take action and make the most of my time in the next seven years.
And if its not my time can I come back?
I am scared of what might happen if I don't make the most of my time and wonder if there is another chance.
Found myself in the tunnel of light,
I suddenly find myself in a tunnel of light.
And I didn't have the urge to fight.
Despite my initial fears, I feel calm and at peace in the tunnel.
A storm rolls in
But then, a storm approaches.
But still I'm safe.
Despite the danger, I feel like I will be okay.
I find myself
I discover something new about myself.
Within a cave.
I am deep within the earth, surrounded by darkness.
The lightning strikes
Suddenly, lightning strikes around me.
Like a spiderweb.
It feels like I am caught up in a web of some sort.
I catch my breath
This experience takes my breath away.
On a concrete bed.
As I try and process what's happening to me, I find myself lying on a concrete slab.
I can't remember
My memory starts to fade and I struggle to remember the past.
Certain things,
Specific memories or moments elude me.
Like when and where
I struggle to remember the specific details of certain events.
I got these wings.
But I realize that I have grown new wings, a symbol of personal transformation.
The storm had passed
But eventually, the storm passes.
And the day was bright,
The storm is over and the sun is shining again.
And each step
As I move forward, step by step,
Seemed aflight.
It feels like my steps are light as a feather, and full of hope.
Now I've met
Suddenly, I am faced with a new presence.
My guardian,
And it feels like this presence is a divine protector.
My lease on life
This protector has given me a renewed lease on my life.
Renewed again.
My spirit is renewed and I feel like I can move forward with purpose.
Peace has
I have found inner peace within myself.
Overwhelmed my soul,
That peace has completely taken over my soul and become a part of who I am.
And the toll collector
But there is still a price to pay.
Takes its toll.
And I must face the consequences of my choices and actions.
Can I have
Despite this, I ask for more time.
A few more days,
Just a little more time before I must face reality again.
To take in
I want to soak up the beauty of the world before me.
Just a few more rays?
And enjoy the very last moments of my time here.
Live the life
Ultimately, my goal is to live the life I always dreamed of.
That I'd always hoped.
One full of happiness, purpose and freedom to pursue my own passions.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JERRALD K. GOLDSMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Snorkel Dawg
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