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
Vengeance and Fashion
Electric Six Lyrics
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Woaho, I saw, the devil dressed up in disguise,
Woaho, and you know it gets hotter than a microwave oven,
When you and I commence the lovin',
And you like what I'm doin', and I like what I'm doin' to you,
And everybody's happy, happy tonight.
I'm a man, and I'm torn between vengeance and fashion,
Woaho, and you know that my suit cost more than your house,
I'm a scoundrel, a lover, a murderous mouse,
And that looked good in your bed, and you think that I'm lookin' good,
And everybody's happy, happy tonight.
She's a girl, and she's got so many crazy ideas, man,
Woaho, she wants to push the button, and execute this innocent man,
Woaho, and you know she's depressed in her wedding dress,
She's gonna have her rings removed, and I like the way she's lookin',
Yeah she's lookin' like a hundred dollars,
And everybody's happy, happy tonight.
In Electric Six's song "Vengeance and Fashion", the lyrics paint a picture of someone torn between two opposing forces within themselves. The first verse describes a passionate, albeit slightly dangerous, sexual encounter where "fire" is seen in the lover's eyes and the "devil" is dressed up in disguise. Despite the heat of the moment, the singer seems to enjoy what they're doing with their partner and everyone is happy.
However, the chorus shifts the focus to the singer's internal conflict. He describes himself as a "man torn between vengeance and fashion" and tries hard not to get caught up in passion; yet, he revels in the fact that his expensive suit looks good on him, even flirting with the idea of being a "lover, a murderous mouse". Meanwhile, the female character is depicted as wild and unpredictable. She has "crazy ideas" such as wanting to execute an innocent man and is depressed in her wedding dress, planning to have her rings removed. However, despite all of this, she still looks like a million bucks.
The song highlights the tension between pleasure-seeking and self-control, with both characters struggling to reconcile the two. Ultimately, it showcases the idea that we all have different sides to ourselves that we have to navigate and reconcile.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw fire, when I looked in my lover's eyes,
I felt an intense passion when I gazed into the eyes of the person I love.
Woaho, I saw, the devil dressed up in disguise,
I had a feeling of fear and danger when I saw a hidden evil within my lover.
Woaho, and you know it gets hotter than a microwave oven,
The sexual interactions between my lover and I are very intense and arousing.
When you and I commence the lovin',
Intimacy and physical pleasure occurs when my lover and I start engage in sexual activity.
And you like what I'm doin', and I like what I'm doin' to you,
Both my lover and I are content with the sexual acts being performed on each other.
And everybody's happy, happy tonight.
The pleasure being experienced by my lover and I is resulting in a joyous environment.
I'm a man, and I'm torn between vengeance and fashion,
As a male, I am conflicted between enacting revenge and maintaining my personal style.
Woaho, and I'm tryin' so hard not to get caught up in the passion,
Despite my emotions being strong, I am attempting to avoid the overpowering passion controlling my actions.
Woaho, and you know that my suit cost more than your house,
My outfit is very expensive and luxurious, perhaps more so than your living space.
I'm a scoundrel, a lover, a murderous mouse,
I possess traits of both good and evil, of love and maliciousness.
And that looked good in your bed, and you think that I'm lookin' good,
My physical presence is appealing to you and you are enjoying the pleasure I provide in bed.
And everybody's happy, happy tonight.
Once again, the present atmosphere is full of cheer due to the pleasure being experienced.
She's a girl, and she's got so many crazy ideas, man,
My partner possesses a rather large amount of eccentric and sometimes questionable thoughts and plans.
Woaho, she wants to push the button, and execute this innocent man,
Specifically, one of her recent ideas involves killing an innocent man by pressing a button.
Woaho, and you know she's depressed in her wedding dress,
Despite being in her wedding dress, my partner appears sad and unhappy.
She's gonna have her rings removed, and I like the way she's lookin',
She is planning on taking off her wedding rings and I am enjoying how she looks without them.
Yeah she's lookin' like a hundred dollars,
My partner looks stunning and attractive.
And everybody's happy, happy tonight.
Once again, the surroundings are filled with happiness and satisfaction.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANTHONY SELPH, CORY MARTIN, JOSEPH FREZZA, STEPHEN NAWARA, TYLER SPENCER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind