By 2000, Archer and Lynch were moving the project in a darker electronic/dance direction, resulting in a self-released full length album entitled ‘Dragonfly’.
After a short hiatus from recording and a lengthy period of trial, error, and revision, and many regional live performances, Ego Likeness signed with Dancing Ferret Discs/ Noir Records for the release of 2004’s ‘Water to the Dead’. This album featured the band’s electronic roots while exploring a bit of a heavier rock
sound.
2005 saw the band tour Germany, Luxembourg, and the continental US with label mates The Cruxshadows, as well as performing at several festivals on the east and west coast, including Convergence 11 (San Diego CA), Dracula’s Ball (Philadelphia PA), Black Sun Festival I (New Haven CT), Freaks United (DC), Eccentrik Festival I (Raleigh NC), and others.
Their first album ‘Dragonfly’ was re-released on Dancing Ferret Discs in 2005.
In addition to The Cruxshadows, they have had the honour to share the stage with Voltaire, The Damned, Chris Connelly, Collide, Razed in Black, Bella Morte, Das Ich, Rasputina, The Start, Iris, Decoded Feedback, The Azoic, More Machine Than Man, In Strict Confidence, Combichrist, and many others.
They have also appeared on numerous compilation CDs, including several Asleep by Dawn releases and 'Where's Neil When You Need Him?' (a tribute to the work of author Neil Gaiman, DFD July 2006); released remixes for The Cruxshadows (Cassandra-Fortress in Flames), The Last Dance (Terribly When- Reflections of Rage), Thou Shalt Not (Inside of You, In Spite of You- The Projectionist), and Black Tape for a Blue
Girl (Tarnished- Scarecrow); and appeared on Voltaire's album Then and Again. EL has also been featured in publications such as Gothic Beauty, Outburn, ABD, Sideline and Sonic Seducer, to name a few.
Their third full length album, ‘The Order of the Reptile' (release date July 4th 2006, Dancing Ferret Discs) ventures back into the realms of heavy electronica, a bit of trip hop, and darkwave.
Archer and Lynch have been married since October of 1999 and currently live in Baltimore. Steven is also the creator of the atmospheric electronica project Hopeful Machines, and performs with the industrial/ power noise act Blind Till Now. All three members of EL, along with Alexx Lackey of echomatrix make up the experimental/ spoken word outfit The Trinity Project.
Former band mate Justin ‘Dingo’ Sabe also lives in Baltimore with a lovely belly dancer and some rather large cats. When not performing with EL, he spends his time on fire and robots and knitting, and can often be found at festivals that involve fire, robots, and/or knitting. He also plays the tuba and hopes to form a marching band in the very near future.
Current line up:
Steven Archer - Guitar/ Programming/ Music & Words/ Vocals
Donna Lynch - Vocals/ Piano/ Words & Music
Mike K. Johnson - Drums
Former members:
Justin 'Dingo' Sabe - Keytar/ Synths/ Noise
Official Site: www.egolikeness.com/
Steven also works on a solo project at www.hopefulmachines.net
16 Miles
Ego Likeness Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
While you still can
While it's still dark outside
Before he's cold.
Lawmen coming to your broken home
Hide the hammer
Draw the blinds
Chorus:
You've 16 miles of wasteland left to go.
Hike up your skirt now
You better run, girl, run.
Hike up your skirt now
You better run, girl, run.
Before they find out what you've done.
Before they find out what you've done.
You better run, girl, run.
Truth smashed into your face
Like his big, hard, hand.
Ripped up your heart
Ripped up your dress.
This was your empire
O Queen of all that's pure
Until he broke your crown
Burned your kingdom down.
Chorus:
You've 16 miles of wasteland left to go.
Hike up your skirt now
You better run, girl, run.
Hike up your skirt now
You better run, girl, run.
Before they find out what you've done.
Before they find out what you've done.
You better run, girl, run.
You've got 16 miles of wasteland left to go
Before the morning comes
You've got 16 miles of wasteland left to go
Hike up your skirt now
You better run, girl, run.
Hike up your skirt now
You better run, girl, run.
Before they find out what you've done.
Before they find out what you've done.
You better run, girl, run.
You better run, girl, run.
You better run, girl, run.
You better run, girl, run.
The lyrics of Ego Likeness’s song “16 Miles” depict a woman’s desperate struggle to break free from an abusive relationship. The opening lines are a plea for the woman to take what belongs to her and leave before it’s too late. The use of the present tense - “while it’s still dark outside”- suggests that the woman is in imminent danger, and must act quickly to escape her tormentor. The lines “before he’s cold” may allude to the idea that the abuser may become violent and even kill her if she lingers, and that the woman must seize the opportunity to leave while he is still unconscious.
The next verse is equally urgent, with the woman being advised to take her child and flee while there is still time. The imagery of the “lawmen” coming to her “broken home” suggests that the woman has reached a breaking point and is no longer able to live with her abuser. The lines “hide the hammer” and “draw the blinds” imply that she is preparing for a dangerous encounter, and that she may resort to violence to defend herself.
In the chorus, we see the central message of the song: the woman has “16 miles of wasteland left to go” before she can truly escape her abuser and find safety. The lines “hike up your skirt now” and “you better run, girl, run” are powerful admonitions to the woman to use every ounce of strength she has to escape, and to do so quickly before she is caught. The repetition of the phrase “before they find out what you’ve done” underscores the feeling of urgency and danger.
Line by Line Meaning
Take what's yours and go
Take whatever belongs to you and leave the place
While you still can
Leave before it's too late
While it's still dark outside
Take advantage of the darkness to leave secretly
Before he's cold.
Leave before the person you wronged dies
Lawmen coming to your broken home
Authorities are coming to your destroyed house
Hide the hammer
Conceal the evidence of the attack
Draw the blinds
Close the curtains to avoid being seen
Grab the little one and go.
Take your child and leave immediately
Truth smashed into your face
Realization hits hard
Like his big, hard, hand.
Like a physical assault
Ripped up your heart
Destroyed your emotions
Ripped up your dress.
Destroyed your dignity
This was your empire
This used to be your kingdom
O Queen of all that's pure
You used to be someone who was highly respected
Until he broke your crown
Until you were defeated by someone else
Burned your kingdom down.
Destroyed everything you had
You've got 16 miles of wasteland left to go
You have a long, harsh journey ahead
Before the morning comes
Reach the destination before daylight
Hike up your skirt now
Move quickly
Before they find out what you've done.
Don't get caught
You better run, girl, run.
Run as fast as you can
You better run, girl, run.
Run as fast as you can
Contributed by Joseph L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.