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

The New Shampoo
Electric Six Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The secret ingredient in the new shampoo
Is good enough for me and is good enough for you
You've done Head & Shoulders and you've done Selsun Blue
Now start washing your hair with the new shampoo

I see the pictures of young men just like me
Washing their hair being everything I want to be
I get excited seeing young men just like me

Becoming clean

Suckin' out the juice of the new shampoo
Now there's nothing left for me and there's nothing left for you
They had to do something now there's nothing left to do
It's the remarkable science of the new shampoo

I see the men in the locker rooms with me
Rinsing and toweling with such urgency
I see the men showering next to me
I'm becoming a queen

We've, we've come a long way

Running out of supplies of the new shampoo
They riding in Shanghai in Kalamazoo
So come on over give the Devil his due
'Cause he's the inventor of the new shampoo

Give me a mirror so I can finally see me becoming
Who I want to be

Now my hair is making a mockery
Of me

Overall Meaning

In "The New Shampoo," Electric Six talks about the power of shampoo to transform one's life. The lyrics suggest that shampoo is more than just a cleansing product - it is a way to become the person you want to be. The secret ingredient in the new shampoo is good enough for the singer and is good enough for everyone. The song encourages the listener to start washing their hair with the new shampoo.

The second verse describes the impact of the new shampoo on young men. The lyrics suggest that the singer sees pictures of young men washing their hair and becoming everything he wants to be. He gets excited seeing young men just like him becoming clean. The third verse talks about the amazing science behind the new shampoo. The singer sees men in locker rooms and showering becoming "clean" and "queens" next to him. He mentions running out of the new shampoo and laments the fact that there is nothing left to do.

The song ends on a reflective note where the singer asks for a mirror to see himself becoming the person he wants to be. He mentions that his hair is making a "mockery" of him, suggesting that maybe he has not yet achieved his ideal image. Overall, the lyrics of "The New Shampoo" suggest that the song is about the power of self-transformation and the role that grooming products play in that process.

Line by Line Meaning

The secret ingredient in the new shampoo
The new shampoo has an undisclosed ingredient that makes it special.

Is good enough for me and is good enough for you
The singer believes that the new shampoo is suitable for everyone.

You've done Head & Shoulders and you've done Selsun Blue
The singer assumes that the listener has tried other shampoo brands before.

Now start washing your hair with the new shampoo
The artist recommends that the listener should switch to the new shampoo.

I see the pictures of young men just like me
The artist relates to the images of young men he sees using the new shampoo.

Washing their hair being everything I want to be
The singer desires to achieve the same level of cleanliness as the men he sees.

I get excited seeing young men just like me
The singer feels energized by the idea of young men like him becoming clean with the new shampoo.

Becoming clean
The artist believes that cleanliness is an important aspect of identity and self-improvement.

Suckin' out the juice of the new shampoo
The shampoo is consumed or used up quickly due to its effectiveness.

Now there's nothing left for me and there's nothing left for you
The artists have finished using the new shampoo and are satisfied with the results.

They had to do something now there's nothing left to do
The shampoo's inventors had to create something new and effective, and now that they have done so, there is no need for further improvement.

It's the remarkable science of the new shampoo
The new shampoo's effectiveness is due to its innovative manufacturing process.

I see the men in the locker rooms with me
The singer observes other men using the new shampoo in communal spaces.

Rinsing and toweling with such urgency
The men are eager to rinse off the shampoo to reveal their clean hair.

I see the men showering next to me
The singer is surrounded by other men using the new shampoo in the shower.

I'm becoming a queen
The artist is embracing his femininity while taking care of his hygiene.

We've, we've come a long way
The artist acknowledges the progress that society has made in terms of personal hygiene and grooming.

Running out of supplies of the new shampoo
The singer is concerned that the new shampoo may become scarce or unavailable.

They riding in Shanghai in Kalamazoo
The producers and distributors of the new shampoo are spreading its popularity worldwide.

So come on over give the Devil his due
The artist suggests that listeners should not resist the temptation to try the new shampoo, which is truly remarkable.

'Cause he's the inventor of the new shampoo
The artist is acknowledging the inventor of the new shampoo as a genius.

Give me a mirror so I can finally see me becoming
The artist wants to see the transformation he has undergone after using the new shampoo.

Who I want to be
The singer's vision of his ideal self involves being clean and well-groomed.

Now my hair is making a mockery
The artist's hair used to be a source of embarrassment, but now it accentuates his new and improved appearance.

Of me
The singer believes that his previous self was inadequate in terms of hygiene and personal grooming.

Contributed by Adam S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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