There are two artists that have used the name Electric Six
1. An alterna… Read Full Bio ↴There are two artists that have used the name Electric Six
1. An alternative rock band from the United States
2. A musical group from South Africa

1. Electric Six is a six-piece Detroit-based rock band consisting of Dick Valentine (vocals), Tait Nucleus? (synthesizers), Johhny Na$hinal (guitar), Da Ve (guitar), Percussion World (drums), and Smorgasboard (bass) who play a mix of rock, funk and disco.

The band's first notorious formation comprised Valentine, Rock and Roll Indian (guitar), Surge Joebot (guitar), Disco (bass, former member of Detroit Cobras), and M (drums). Dick Valentine (real name Tyler Spencer) has always been the primary songwriter (both music and lyrics) of Electric Six, currently and under their former incarnation, when they were known as the Wildbunch. During the band's temporary split at the end of the 1990s, Spencer formed his own band called The Dirty Shame and released one CD entitled Smog Cutter Love Story which featured, among other tracks, a first version of Fire track "Vengeance and Fashion". The band reformed by 2001 to record and release the first release of 'Danger! High Voltage' and record the track 'Dealin' With Death N' Stealin' In The Name Of The Lord' with Troy Gregory for his Sybil album.

Electric Six fuses rock and punk with the laid-back funky rhythms and falsetto vocals of disco, and a distinctly comic touch. However, they tend to reject such genre classifications as disco-metal and disco punk. They formed the band in 1996 and were initially known as The Wildbunch, eventually dropping that name due to pressure from the Bristol trip-hop collection of the same name. Throughout the latter half of the '90s, they played about once a month at the Magic Bag in Ferndale, Magic Stick, and the now-defunct Gold Dollar in Detroit, the center of a scene that produced breakout acts like the White Stripes.

Electric Six's 2002 breakout single "Danger! High Voltage" was an infectious dance-rock number, and Jack White from The White Stripes helped sing back up vocals to this track. White has denied this, though Spencer has confirmed it in several interviews. The single reached number 2 on the UK singles chart, and they enjoy icon status in that nation.

Their second single, "Gay Bar", released in 2003, became a hit as well in the UK, reaching #5 in the charts and further aided the group's growth. Curiously, in the American Radio Edit of this track, The words "Nuclear War" are censored with whip-crack sound effects. After fulfilling their recording duties (namely their debut album) three members left in June, leaving Dick Valentine, Tait Nucleus? (synthesizer), and M.

The Colonel (Zach Shipps, guitar, ex-member of Brendan Benson and Mood Elevator), John R Dequindre (guitar and whose stage name is a combination of two Detroit streets) and Frank Lloyd Bonaventure (bass) subsequently joined the group, though they had all been credited on the album and most had been associated with the group for some time. At that time, they were touring in the UK, and they managed to seamlessly replace the members without interrupting the gigs. In time, Johnny Na$hinal joined the group on guitar, Dequindre switched to bass, and Bonaventure switched to law school.

The band's sophomore album, Señor Smoke, was released in the UK on February 14, 2005. Percussion World replaced M on drums around the same time.

The first single from the album put the band at the center of controversy, especially with Queen fans following a cover of the Queen hit song "Radio Ga Ga". The controversial music video shows lead singer Dick Valentine as the ghost of Queen's flamboyant lead singer Freddie Mercury and a backing band of poodles. Queen drummer Roger Taylor, who wrote the song, said that he was "unimpressed" with the video; however, Queen guitarist Brian May reportedly liked it. Electric Six claims they were contractually obligated to commit the song to the album. Issues with Warner Brothers caused a switch to Metropolis Records, who released Señor Smoke in the US.

Switzerland was released in September 2006. A plethora of videos have also been released, and a fan contribution contest led to the video for the single "I Buy the Drugs."

I Shall Exterminate Everything Around Me That Restricts Me From Being the Master was released in October 2007. Their next album, titled Flashy, was released in October 2008. In October 2009, their sixth album, KILL, was released. The 7th album, Zodiac was released on September 28, 2010, with one tour-exclusive single ("Jam it in the Hole") and the 8th, Heartbeats and Brainwaves, on October 11th 2011.

A double live album is set for release in 2012.

2. Electric Six was a Soweto-based South African combo active in the 1960s and 1970s

Gimme the Eyes
Electric Six Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴

[Spoken]
My mama used to say
There are two type of eye
The kind that tell the truth
And the kind that tell a lie
And these days
It's getting harder
To similize

Which eyes tell the lie
Now when you see that pyramid
Lookin' up at that big ol' eye in the sky
You gonna think of money
And that money is mine
Ha-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah

I will be Mike
And you will be Steve
We both think alike
And we both believe
In a closed society
Formed with perilous blight
It flies in the face
Of your wrongs and rights

We are here
By some crazy coincidence
The happiest of accidents
If we may get word to the wise
Let's get austere
And dot the T's and cross the I's
When love turns into lies
It dies, so gimme
Gimme the eyes
Don't gimme the eyes

When a dog begins to walk and sing we re-prioritize
We re-prioritize
Hey!
Hey!
Hey!
Hey!
Hey!

I'm incomplete
And you're just like me
We're both indiscreet
And we both agree
That we're going nowhere
And we like it that way
So take your shot you blew away
Save it for another day

And we drink beer
And masticate the beef we carve
While the little children starve
You know that we're those guys
Look in the mirror
See the result of all those fries
And lack of exercise
Exercise so gimme
Gimme the eyes
Don't gimme the eyes

When you come to New York
See what your money buys
See what your money buys
Hey!
Hey!
Hey!
Hey!

One of us prays
While the other chooses darker ways
But we both get what we came for
And these are days
We really should really put our hate away

Why are you still fighting in the same war
Hey!

Overall Meaning

The song "Gimme the Eyes" by Electric Six is a surreal commentary on society and the human condition. It begins with a spoken intro where the singer talks about the two types of eyes: those that tell the truth and those that tell a lie. He mentions that it's becoming harder to distinguish between them. The mention of a pyramid and an eye in the sky suggests a reference to the Illuminati or conspiracies involving secret powerful groups. The reference to money being the driving force behind it all is a cynical commentary on the corrupt nature of society.

The song then shifts to two characters, Mike and Steve, who are portrayed as being similar in their beliefs and worldview. They believe in a closed society, which goes against traditional ideas of right and wrong. The lyrics suggest that they are both incomplete and indecisive in their lives. They are content with going nowhere and living a simple life of drinking beer and eating meat while ignoring the plight of others. The contrast between their lives and that of the starving children is a suggestion that we can't ignore the problems of the world forever.

The chorus repeats the phrase "gimme the eyes, don't gimme the eyes" over and over again. The meaning of this is somewhat ambiguous but it could be interpreted as a reference to wanting clarity and honesty in the world. The surrealism of the song and its vague allusions to conspiracy theories and societal corruption makes it a thought-provoking piece of art.

Contributed by Jordyn H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS