Without jobs, without a way to make end’s meet, Facing New York began writing and rehearsing material for their first full length record. They found themselves with no freedom other than to write about what was on their minds: survival. As the year went on, the record began to chronicle their own travels more and more.
To ensure this recording would accurately display every tiny detail the band was beginning to obsess over, they took an advised-against, risk-taking, decisive step to engineer and produce their own album. It was a conscious decision to make a record that would comfortably find it’s own sound, and it’s own feel. The group also decided to track the album in a live fashion, with all the members standing in one room, smiling, laughing, and making music all at once.
Now complete, the album stands as a testament to the entire last year of their lives. It can also be considered a tribute to the masses of 20-somethings, trying to find themselves, trying to find love, and trying to find enough change in the couch to make rent.
The original five members formed from mutual bands from the Bay Area scene. Omar Cuellar and Matt Fazzi left their band, Tragedy Andy, to pursue a new musical direction, while Eric Frederic and Rene Carranza's band, Locale A.M., had recently disbanded. Eric continued to write music and along with Rene, the two began to jam with Matt Fazzi. Omar was then invited into the project and the four then began Facing New York.
Brandon Canchola was the first bass player auditioned and was soon added, completing the line up.
The band then immediately began to tour extensively over the next year, gaining a reputation for their inventive sound and style with intense and energetic live performances.
In early 2004, the group participated in the Vans Warped Tour 2004 on select dates. There, they went on to sell more than 5000 copies of the self-released EP, Swimming Not Treading, pushing around 500 copies a day. The band not only gained a wide new fan base from amongst concert goers, but from also the headliners that they shared the stage with.[1]
After the final tours were over, the members returned to San Francisco in late 2004, out of work. So they immediately began to write their first full-length and self-titled album, which was released on August 30, 2005.[2]
The band then set out on another tour to promote their new album. In March 2006, the band did a tour with fellow label mates, Eastern Youth, and then with Taking Back Sunday in the Western United States in April of the same year. The tour then lead them traveling as far as Japan, in early June 2006, to do a series of shows again with Eastern Youth and the Japanese indie rock group, toe. [3]
Then in July 2006, Rene Carranza stated he would be leaving the band to go back to school:
“ A message from Rene Carranza:
Ladies, gents, lovely friends, I've been looking all over the place for some intangible thing called balance, and I haven't found it. End vagueness now: I'm going back to UC Berkeley on August 22nd and the Facing New Yorks will proceed without me. The tour we're embarking on this week will be my last with the dudes, so if you miss these shows, you're missing a farewell of sorts (aside from the .peace-out, Rene. show tba).
It's a bitter-sweet departure, needless to say. We are on great terms, I love them and I'm pretty sure they love me, and we'd make it out if Matt didn't have a girlfriend. Or if Eric liked guys. I've had the privilege of playing with four phenomenally talented musicians and in the course of our comradeship we've grown together like a beard on a face and the hot-sauce that drips into it. Omar is the hot-sauce. Brandon's the solid. Matt's the love and Eric is my guy. I'm sad to leave the baby-Frankenstein I helped birth together, but I'm ecstatic about the possibilities of my new life. I will keep writing and playing music and will surely collaborate with one or two of four or five of the New Brunswicks (FNYs).
To the lovely homies who have come into my life via our touring (the Minnesotans, the Arizonians, Washingtonians, New Yorkers, Japanese, San Diegahns, and every Canadian who was ever born), I truly hope to see you again and I cherish the memories that have stuck; come hang out with me in Berkeley. Thanks for the support. F*** the world bank.
* Rene.[4]
”
Rene Carranza played his last show on September 1 in San Francisco, and the remaining members finished off the remainder of 2006 with a headling tour throughout the U.S., with friend and label mate, Gavin Castleton filling in.
In March 2007, the band participated in the [South by Southwest] music festival and has begun to write new material which they debut at the festival.
Matthew Fazzi played his final show with the band on April 19th, 2008 at San Francisco's Bottom of the Hill. The encore featured ex-bandmate Rene Carranza back again on keyboards for a dramatic finale. It was revealed on May 5th that Matt had joined Taking Back Sunday, after the departure of Fred Mascherino.
Currently, the band will release their second full-length release "Get Hot" which will be released October 14 2008. They have also decided to stay as a three piece group during the process.
OnMarch 2, 2009, Brandon left the group. Despite this, the remaining two fifths of FNY are continuing on.
The band has cited their influences as: Do Make Say Think, The Dismemberment Plan, Yes, Fela Kuti, The Police, Led Zeppelin, Steely Dan, The Beatles, Can, Gentle Giant, Sly and the Family Stone, Parliament/Funkadelic, anticon., The Neptunes, and My Morning Jacket.
Nó
Facing New York Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You don't get all the money I make just cause you own real estate
You don't get forty hours a week from me
You don't get to make my choices for me
You are only your own authority
You don't get possession of me cuz you got something I need
You don't get to abuse me at all just cuz you're big and you think that I'm small
You don't get possession of me just cuz you got something I need
The above lyrics are from Facing New York's song "No" which is a powerful anthem about standing up for oneself against people and institutions that try to control and manipulate us. The singer starts off by saying that they learned a new word today, which is "No", and goes on to list the various things that they are no longer willing to tolerate from others.
The first verse talks about how just because someone owns real estate doesn't mean they automatically get to control the singer's earnings. The second verse talks about how the singer is no longer willing to submit to someone else's demands, i.e., working 40 hours a week for them. The third and fourth verses assert that the singer is their own authority, and nobody else has the right to make decisions for them or abuse them.
The chorus repeats, "You don't get possession of me just cause you got something I need", which can be interpreted in different ways. It could be a metaphor about not letting others have power over our lives, or it could be a direct reference to someone trying to bribe or blackmail the singer into doing something they don't want to do.
Overall, "No" is a song about taking back control over our lives and not letting others dictate our choices. It's a powerful message that resonates with anyone who has ever felt oppressed, exploited or manipulated.
Line by Line Meaning
I learned a new word today, that word is NO
I have discovered the power of refusal and will not be taken advantage of by anyone
You don't get all the money I make just cause you own real estate
You cannot demand a portion of my earnings simply because you are the owner of the property I work on
You don't get forty hours a week from me
I will not blindly submit to a rigid work schedule dictated by someone else
You don't get to make my choices for me
I am the only one who has the right and responsibility to choose my own path in life
You are only your own authority
Your power and control is limited to your own self and you cannot impose it on others
You don't get possession of me cuz you got something I need
I will not allow myself to become a possession or be controlled by someone just because they have something I require
You don't get to abuse me at all just cuz you're big and you think that I'm small
Your strength, size or status does not give you the right to mistreat me in any way
You don't get possession of me just cuz you got something I need
I will not let myself be taken into someone else's possession or control just because I need something they have
Contributed by Sebastian A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@SummerGale13
I miss this band!! ♥♥♥
@deftones420
I miss you guys