"We have been writing and taking time off to enjoy the more important things in life, our families. We really spent the three years traveling the world and the States and now it's time to focus on home. So, we are going to work on writing new songs, re-connecting with our fans and, like I said, our families."
East West was formed in 1988 by Mike Housen (guitarist, back up vox), Erick Kieselhorst (lead singer) and Ralph Lamagna (Drummer) in the San Fernando Valley. East West played the Sunset Strip (Whisky, Roxy) quite a bit, and opened for well known bands at the time, such as , Mary's Danish and Warrant. The band also had a song in KROQ-FM's rotation called ,"Southern Dawn". Housen later moved to Orange County and in 1991, reformed East West. This version included Housen (lead Vox, guitars), Dave Barrs (guitars), Bob Vergura (Drums), and Dave Detloff (bass). East West had a decidedly U2-influenced sound at this point in time.
In 1992, Housen crossed paths with Mike Tubbs, a friendship evolved, and eventually Housen brought Tubbs in as a guitarist. The two then re-defined East West with a hard metal sound. Other members included Paul "Boomer" Droste (drums) and Paul "Soth" Nasfell (bass, vocals). This version of East West was notable for its mix of hard metal with strong melodies in 3 part harmonies. A 5-song demo was released in 1995. It is of interest to note that Housen provided lead vocals during this period.
After parting ways with Droste and Nasfell, Ben Dacanay (drums) and Ted Su (bass) joined the group in 1995. East West continued evolving musically toward the sound it is known for today. "Rachel's Silence" was released in 1996 and an unreleased studio album was also recorded in 1997. Shortly after, Dacanay and Su left the group. It was around this time that Housen decided to focus more on the guitar and song writing and Tubbs began taking on the lead vocal role and the band re-located to Corona, CA.
Pictures
East West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Turning you away.
Listen to that still small voice,
Fade away.
You see only what you want to,
Close your eyes and sleep.
You hear only what you want to,
(Chorus)
You and I we see things different now
You and I we see things differently.
Close your mouth your words are stolen,
Heard them all before,
Speaking truths you've long forgotten,
Falling to the floor.
You see only what you want to,
Close your eyes and sleep.
You hear only what you want to,
Clinging to your lies.
(Chorus)
I can see everything now that you're so blinded,
I can see everything now thats it's all clear.
I can see everything now that you're so blinded,
I can see everything everything everything everything
(Chorus)
The lyrics of East West's song "Pictures" talk about the differences in perception between two individuals. The singer wonders why the other person turns away whenever he speaks or listens to the still small voice within them. They continue to say that the other person sees and hears only what they want to and cling to their lies, ignoring the truths they have long forgotten. The chorus highlights the difference in the way they see things now, probably indicating that they used to be on the same page earlier but not anymore.
In the second verse, the singer tells the other person to close their mouth, as they have heard all their words before. They ask them to speak the truth they have forgotten and fall to the floor with the weight of the words. The lyrics then repeat the first verse before going into the chorus again.
The song talks about how people can see things differently even when they are looking at the same picture. It touches upon the idea of how we perceive things through our biases and beliefs, leading to different interpretations. The lyrics suggest that the other person is blinded by their own perspective and can't see things as they are.
Line by Line Meaning
What it is I often wonder,
I frequently ponder about the true nature of our situation.
Turning you away.
Causing you to distance yourself from me.
Listen to that still small voice,
Pay attention to your inner thoughts and feelings.
Fade away.
Disappear gradually or become less important over time.
You see only what you want to,
You perceive only the things that align with your wishes and desires.
Close your eyes and sleep.
Avoid facing the truth and pretend everything is fine.
You hear only what you want to,
You listen only to the information that confirms your beliefs.
Clinging to your lies.
Holding onto the falsehoods you've constructed in your mind.
Close your mouth your words are stolen,
You're not contributing anything new or valuable to the conversation.
Heard them all before,
Your words lack originality and substance.
Speaking truths you've long forgotten,
Revealing the facts that you knew but refused to acknowledge before.
Falling to the floor.
Becoming weak and helpless.
I can see everything now that you're so blinded,
I'm able to perceive reality clearly while you're struggling to.
I can see everything now that it's all clear.
I have a complete understanding of the situation now that the truth has been revealed.
I can see everything now that you're so blinded,
Being in denial has prohibited you from gaining the same understanding.
I can see everything everything everything everything
I possess an all-encompassing view of everything, whereas you choose to focus only on what you want to see.
You and I we see things different now
We have contrasting perspectives on the situation.
You and I we see things differently.
Our viewpoints have diverged from each other's over time.
Contributed by Alexander O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
angel kiss
Still one of my favorite albums because it held so many great memories I was that girl sitting on the stage with the back brace at the Sonshine concert and two security gaurds we're flirting with when they probably shouldn't have 😅 I was a minor back then. I wonder if East West remembers me
Mike Markin
Still love!!!
Eric Hornback
Mike Markin same here. These gentlemen were ahead of their time!!
Brad Bradly Life
This song always made me want to slap myself