The band originated in the early 1990s as One Fell Swoop, but changed their name to Dispatch in 1996. Chad Urmston, Braddigan, and Pete (Francis) Heimbold, who were all attending Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont comprised the band's lineup throughout their entire career. Their music has drawn on several influences, such as acoustic folk-rock, reggae, and funk.
Dispatch gained much recognition outside of New England, without any help from a label, and stuck together long enough to release seven albums, three of which were live performances. During concerts, the band had been known to improvise upon their album releases, often resulting in a song ending in twice the length of the original. The group was also fond of switching instruments and vocal duties when playing live.
Upon the announcement of its break-up in 2002, the band scheduled one final concert. The free show was performed at the Hatch Shell in Boston on July 31, 2004. "The Last Dispatch," as it was referred, is said to be the largest concert in independent music history; roughly 110,000 fans from over 20 different countries attended the show. Parts of the performance were released as a CD/DVD two-disc set later that year, entitled All Points Bulletin, along with an earlier show in Somerville, Massachusetts.
All three of the band's members are currently still in the music industry. Urmston is now the frontman of State Radio, while Corrigan (now credited as Braddigan, a nickname by which he was known since his time with Dispatch) and Heimbold (now credited as Pete Francis, his middle name) are succesfully pursuing solo efforts.
After the song Elias, written by Urmston after his experience living and teaching in Zimbabwe, the "Elias Fund" was formed to send children from the ravaged country to college.
Dispatch came out with a movie entitled "Last Dispatch" in July 2005, which documents their final 12 days together as a band and tells the story of how they became "the band that redefined independent music history". The film was released and previewed in Boston. Chad, Brad, and Pete attended the showing and celebrated throughout the weekend with their fans.
On December 22, 2005, Corrigan helped to organize a benefit concert, known as the Relief Project, at Irving Plaza in New York, New York. Along with several other performers, Corrigan invited Heimbold and State Radio to play. The three reunited very briefly, playing the song Here We Go as an encore. Corrigan stated there that he plans further Relief Project concerts featuring all three and perhaps sometime in 2007, a major Dispatch reunion concert.
Entitled "Dispatch: Zimbabwe", Dispatch arranged for one show in Madison Square Garden, with all the money sent towards relief efforts in Zimbabwe. Originally billed as a one show deal on July 14, Dispatch was surprised how quickly this first show sold out and set two more shows for the 13 and 15. After all three shows sold out, Dispatch announced another smaller show on July 11th at Webster Hall in New York, where they made their comeback debut to great success.
Dispatch had a second set of reunion concerts beginning at Red Rocks amphitheater in Denver, Colorado on June 3, 4, and 5th, 2011. These performances launched a reunion tour around the US and the release of their Dispatch EP on May 17th.
In 2017, the band released the song, "Only The Wild Ones" from their album, America, Location 12.
Curse + Crush
Dispatch Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The right to life like fire to the arson
You got it right at last, but then the world
Had a different plan and it took it all away
Years and years you fought
To try to light your darkness with a reason
Maybe a woman someday, maybe even a child
And we run and we gun and we die young
And we curse and we crush and we hide
And we fight and we fuck and we make up
And we love and we shove it aside
Years and years you fought
To try to light your darkness with a reason
Maybe a woman someday, maybe even a child
To hold and help and start over again
And we run and we gun and we die young
And we curse and we crush and we hide
And we fight and we fuck and we make up
And we love and we shove it aside
Your eyes they shine, they shine from somewhere else
I’m going in and out, I gotta lie down
Never seen a light like that myself
And we run and we gun and we die young
And we curse and we crush and we hide
And we fight and we fuck and we make up
And we love and we shove it aside
Your eyes they shine, they shine from somewhere else
I’m going in and out, I got to lie down
Never seen a light like that myself
Your eyes they shine, they shine from somewhere else
In these poignant lyrics of Dispatch's song "Curse + Crush," the band delves into themes of struggle, loss, hope, and resilience. The opening lines, "We try to understand / The right to life like fire to the arson," suggest a deep yearning for meaning and purpose amidst chaos and destruction. The comparison of life to fire igniting arson conveys the powerful and often uncontrollable nature of existence. Despite finally feeling like one has gained clarity and direction, the unpredictable nature of the world intervenes, snatching away everything that was held dear.
The recurring motif of fighting to illuminate one's personal darkness with reason reflects the enduring human quest for understanding and enlightenment. The desire for companionship and the prospect of a new beginning through the nurturing presence of a woman or a child symbolize the yearning for connection and renewal. These lyrics evoke a sense of vulnerability and the universal longing for emotional support and a fresh start.
The chorus, with its repetitive, almost mantra-like structure, captures the cyclical nature of human experiences. The rapid succession of actions - running, gunning, dying young, cursing, crushing, hiding, fighting, making up, loving, and ultimately burying emotions - reflects the tumultuous and often contradictory aspects of life. The juxtaposition of intense emotions and actions highlights the complexities and contradictions inherent in human relationships and interactions.
The mention of shining eyes that seem to emanate from a different realm adds a mystical and transcendent element to the lyrics. The singer's admission of feeling both drawn to and overwhelmed by this otherworldly light suggests a profound sense of wonder and awe. The repeated phrases reinforce the idea of a profound, ineffable connection or experience that transcends the mundane. The poignant repetition of the line "Your eyes they shine, they shine from somewhere else" underscores the profound impact of encountering something or someone truly extraordinary and beyond comprehension.
Line by Line Meaning
We try to understand
Attempting to comprehend and make sense of things
The right to life like fire to the arson
The importance of life is like a fire to someone who sets fires intentionally
You got it right at last, but then the world
Achieving clarity, but then facing unexpected challenges
Had a different plan and it took it all away
Facing obstacles that take away what was gained
And we run and we gun and we die young
Acting impulsively and meeting a premature end
And we curse and we crush and we hide
Expressing anger and hurt while concealing emotions
And we fight and we fuck and we make up
Engaging in conflict, intimacy, and reconciliation
And we love and we shove it aside
Experiencing love but pushing it away
Your eyes they shine, they shine from somewhere else
Your eyes have a brightness that comes from a different place
I’m going in and out, I gotta lie down
Feeling a sense of confusion and needing to rest
Never seen a light like that myself
Never witnessed a brightness like yours before
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Bradley Corrigan, Chad Urmston, Peter Heimbold
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
DISPATCH
"Curse + Crush" is one of the last songs that we demoed for America, Location 12. We remember so specifically when Chad called us saying he had another song that had really just come into focus, and that it carried a particularly special weight and energy. We were excited to give it a listen and agreed that it felt like it had a really unique energy and emotion behind it. Shortly thereafter Chad mentioned that he had written it to honor his cousin Matt.
Matt died last summer while working road crew in Arizona. He’d spent most of his adult life out west and always met up with us whenever we'd tour out there. He was incredibly strong and could carry a Fender Twin like it was a lunch box. The verse speaks about his life. From the get go, life was not easy for Matt; but he overcame so much and worked so hard to get it on track. It hurts so bad to not have him around anymore. if you loved him, you felt it doubled in return. When he died he left a crater in this world.
Like many of you who’ve gone through loss, we’re struggling to come to terms with a new reality. There are holes in our hearts that can’t be filled and dreams we dreamed that can no longer happen, but we try to live as Matt would want us to, with the courage that he taught us. We’ll visit with him every time we work our way through this tune - especially at Red Rocks in the land and mountains that he loved.
Everyone who's pre-ordered the album from our web store should have a "Curse + Crush" MP3 waiting for them in their inbox right now. Let us know if you don't and we'll fix that right away. Everyone else can download it on iTunes, Amazon.com, Bandcamp or stream it on Apple Music and Spotify.
David Phillips
"if you loved him, you felt it doubled in return." We need more THIS in the world. Thank you for a beautiful tribute to what sounds like another beautiful human gone far too soon.
CM G
DISPATCH I am sorry for your pain and our collective loss, Be well.
glad to add to your success as I purchase yet more of your stuff, hoping Matt would be shining somewhere.
lily evans
beautiful, thank you
Ptuffgong
DISPATCH This is absolutely beautiful. As an amateur songwriter, this is an inspiration to me, and I thank you.
Kim Steinke
DISPATCH cool thanks for sharing
Steve Fletcher
This album is shapin' up to be one of Dispatch's greatest ever...
martin püreschitz
not impossilbe but will be very hard to top !!
Justin Kluge
Steve Fletcher it is pretty much impossible to top Bang Bang and Silent Steepless!!!!
Evan Frazier
I don't know about that, but definitely a good one