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.
other side
Dispatch Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What's real these days
Am I your friend
I wanna run, run
From all my foes
Hey I'm still, still
So alone
Got news for you boy
I'm on the other side
You don't know
You can't tell
I'm on the other side
I'm all dressed up
In disguise
Well it's easy they say
You just smile the day away
Yeah, yeah, yeah
So push away what hurts
We'll show you a drink
To hold, hold
Yet I hold you in
And you give, give them
All they need
While you choke on
While you choke on
I'm on the other side
You don't know
You can't tell
I'm on the other side
I'm all dressed up
In disguise
Well it's easy they say
You just smile the day away
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Crossing your heart
Won't be easy this time
When you raise your trembling hands
And swear away
Swear away your life, yeah
When will life change for me
Could you answer that
I wanna crawl, crawl on a new shore
And know, know what's on my chest
Rest my heart
Rest my heart
I'm on the other side
You don't know
You can't tell
I'm on the other side
I'm all dressed up
In disguise
I'm on the other side
I'm all dressed up
In disguise
Well it's easy they say
You just smile the day away
Yeah yeah yeah
The other side
The other side
The other side
The other side
The other side
You just smile the day away
Yeah yeah yeah
The lyrics to Dispatch's song "Other Side" are about feeling like an outsider and wearing a mask to fit in with society. The singer questions what is real in the world and wonders if he truly has any friends. He then expresses a desire to run away from his problems and the people who cause them. The chorus then reveals that the singer is on the other side - in other words, he does not fit in with those around him and feels isolated. The singer uses the metaphor of being dressed up in disguise to convey how he hides his true self from the world.
The second verse shifts to the idea of using alcohol to numb the pain of feeling disconnected from others. The line "While you choke on" seems to suggest that the singer is aware that despite using alcohol to cope, it only makes things worse. The bridge talks about the struggle of letting go of past hurts (represented by crossing your heart) and moving on with life. The singer desperately wants things to change and to start over again, hoping to find some relief from feeling so alone.
Dispatch is known for blending different genres of music, including rock, reggae, and folk. "Other Side" is an example of their unique sound and features a mix of acoustic guitar, percussion, and harmonica. The song first appeared on their album "Bang Bang" in 2000 and has since become a fan favorite. The group disbanded for several years but reunited in 2011 and continue to tour and release new music.
Line by Line Meaning
What's real these days
Amidst all the chaos and confusion, what can I trust as truth?
Am I your friend
Can I rely on you for support and companionship?
I wanna run, run
I yearn to escape from my problems and challenges.
From all my foes
To evade all the people and obstacles that cause pain and distress.
Hey I'm still, still
Even though I'm not moving, my mind is racing.
So alone
Feeling disconnected and isolated despite being surrounded by people.
Got news for you boy
Let me tell you something important.
I'm on the other side
I'm experiencing life from another vantage point.
You don't know
You can't comprehend my experience or feelings.
You can't tell
You're not in a position to judge or criticize me.
I'm all dressed up
I'm putting on an act or pretending to be someone I'm not.
In disguise
Hiding my true intentions or identity.
Well it's easy they say
People often oversimplify things that are more complex than they appear.
You just smile the day away
You can mask your pain and struggles by putting on a happy face.
So push away what hurts
Avoid confronting or dealing with anything that causes emotional pain.
We'll show you a drink
We can offer you an escape or temporary relief from reality.
To hold, hold
To grasp onto something to steady yourself or drown out the noise.
Yet I hold you in
Despite my own struggles, I still care about your needs and feelings.
And you give, give them
You sacrifice your own well-being to take care of others.
All they need
Providing the support and attention that others crave or require to function.
While you choke on
Suffocating under the weight of your own problems and burdens.
Crossing your heart
Making a solemn promise or vow with sincerity.
Won't be easy this time
This challenge will be particularly difficult to overcome.
When you raise your trembling hands
When you're vulnerable and afraid to reach out for help.
And swear away
To make a solemn vow and stick to it, no matter what.
Swear away your life, yeah
To make a promise that will have a significant impact on the rest of your life.
When will life change for me
When will I experience some positive progress or growth?
Could you answer that
Do you have any insight or advice to offer?
I wanna crawl, crawl on a new shore
I desire to start fresh and leave my current situation behind.
And know, know what's on my chest
To have a clear understanding of my emotions and feelings.
Rest my heart
To find a sense of peace and calmness amidst the chaos and turmoil.
The other side
A place of escape, change, and new beginnings.
Contributed by Avery N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
BuffaloBill
What's real these days?
MrPorkchops
Am I your friend?