The band formed when vocalist Chris Volz answered an ad in a local paper placed by guitarist Jason Daunt, looking for a singer for an alternative/industrial band. The band's rhythm section progressed through several line-ups but solidified with the addition of bassist Ryan Jurhs in 1996. That same year the band recorded their first independent record American Arrogance.
Because they were low on money, the band ordered everything they needed to record from the Musician's Friend catalog, then returned it using the 30-day return policy. Their album gave them the opportunity to open for acts including Fear Factory and Econoline Crush. A local radio station, The Fox, broadcast the songs from Flaw's indie disc, giving them further notoriety.
Two more independent records, 1998's self titled album Flaw and 2000's Drama were later produced.
Flaw signed to Universal/Republic Records in 2000, and proceeded to release their debut album, Through the Eyes in 2001. The album eventually topped the Billboard Heatseekers Chart, due to moderate rotation of their music videos "Payback" and "Whole" on MTV2 and rock radio stations. In 2002, the band played at Ozzfest.
In 2004, after three years without releasing a new album, Flaw returned to the studio to begin recording their second studio album, Endangered Species. The band had parted ways with guitarist Jason Daunt and drummer Chris Ballinger and added Micah Havertape as their new drummer. The only single released from Endangered Species was "Recognize" and it received little amount of radio play. A music video was supposed to be filmed for the single but it never happened.
Endangered Species debuted at #42 on the Billboard Top 200, selling 27,527[citation needed] copies in its first week.
Flaw was dropped by their label Universal Records in late 2004 and eventually broke up. The band's final days left many people angry. The band had scheduled a few shows within their surrounding states, and when the break-up news began to circulate, no one from the band stepped forward to confirm or deny it. Some reportedly drove hundreds of miles to see the shows only to be told by club managers that the band unexpectedly canceled without notice. The group's website had, at the time, still displayed a notice which read "Flaw is still playing".
After Flaw broke up, Chris Volz eventually started up an entirely new band with drummer Ivan Arnold who had played with Flaw from 1998 to 2000. The new band, Five Bolt Main, signed with Rock Ridge Records and released a studio album and a live album before disbanding.
After leaving Flaw, Jason Daunt played in another Louisville band called Into Another, as well as going back to school for a law degree. Chris Ballinger played in a few bands and Lance Arny began playing guitar for a band called Nailgun Strategy in Louisville.
Micah Havertape went on to play with Black Market Hero alongside past 40 Below Summer members. Ryan Jurhs was also temporarily played them as well.
In 2006, Flaw reunited with four of the founding members: Chris Volz, Jason Daunt, Lance Arny, and Chris Ballinger. The band recruited bassist Alex Cando, formerly of Five.Bolt.Main, on bass. On March 11, 2007, at Headliner's Music Hall in Louisville, Kentucky, the band played its first show since their breakup, sharing the stage with Powerman 5000 before heading out on their own reunion tour with Arny's other band, Nailgun Strategy. On this tour, Flaw announced that they hoped to release an album in 2007 and were trying to find the right record company to sign with. Neither of those things ultimately happened that year.
The band went on to have numerous line-up changes and internal problems throughout 2007 and 2008. Daunt was only been able to make a couple of the shows due to his work as a full-time lawyer. For all the shows Daunt was unable to make, Andy Russ from Arny's other band, Nailgun Strategy, performed in Daunt's place. Eventually, Daunt left the band and was replaced full-time by Russ. Alex Cando also left, and was replaced by past member Ryan Juhrs.
Internal strife continued, with Volz and Daunt leaving to form a new band called Foundation. At this point the other three members of Flaw. Ballinger, Arny, and Juhrs, tried to carry on as Flaw, but Daunt and Volz reclaimed the name Flaw and applied it to their new band.
In December 2008 a MySpace bulletin was posted by Flaw stating that all future concert dates had been canceled due to conflicts between Volz and current members of the band.
However, in 2009, the band later came forward claiming that former "hired guns" in Flaw hacked the official MySpace and wrote this false information. They revealed that they were still working on a new album, and had a new drummer Sean Rued. Their third album, Home Grown Studio Sessions was later independently released for digital download via the website DiGiSTATION on November 16. 2009, and at all concerts since its release.
The band continued to tour into 2010, with Chris Marple filling in on bass until Ryan Jurhs could return due to work/scheduling conflict. However, in early july of 2010, signs of internal problems arose with Russ leaving for "health and personal reasons". In Mid July of 2010 Arny once again brought Chris Marple (Caldera & Kentucky Death Wish) back into the picture. This time Marple would be playing guitar, along with Arny, Jurhs, Volz & Rued to complete the full line up once again.
Flaw tour dates were scheduled immediately & posted from July through October of 2010. During the course of each run, these tours were with TANTRIC/BURN HALO/SATURATE. Unfortunately, somewhere during the course of these 3 tours, there was animosity between certain members & Flaw canceled all remaining tour dates with no explanation, on November 2, 2010.
Members
Current members
Chris Volz - vocals (1995–2004, 2006–present)
Lance Arny - guitar (1998–2004, 2006–2007, 2008–present)
Chris Marple - guitar (2010–present)
Ryan Jurhs - bass, backing vocals (1995–2004, 2008–present)
Sean Rued - drums (2009–present)
Former members
Jason Daunt - guitar (1995–2002, 2006–2008)
Ivan Arnold - drums (1995–1998)
Nick Haupt - drums (1998)
Dave Wathen - drums (1998–99)
Chris Ballinger - drums (1999–2003, 2006–2007)
Micah Havertape - drums (2003–2004)
Alex Cando - bass (2006–2007)
Nathan McDaniel - guitar (2007–2008)
Tyler Mathews - bass (2007–2008)
Terry Harper - drums (2008–2009)
Andy Russ - guitar (2008–2010)
Voices
Flaw Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How has it come to this
Don't know if I can make it out
So much that I have missed
The cold and broken soul
It seems to bring me down
Because I long to still be whole
Take away all the other hurt around
(chorus)
The hurt around
It brings me down
So far now, don't know if I will make out
Feel the wind blow
And I hear the voices in the air
I know you're there
What I didn't know, was all the things you did
Because you really care
I don't know if I can make it out (x2)
I wish I could see you there
Same person that I use to know
It's too much for a soul to bear
Come to terms with why you had to go
(Guitar Solo)
(Chorus)
The lyrics to Flaw's song "Voices" speak to the pain and struggle of being in a dark place emotionally, feeling broken and alone, but hearing the voices of loved ones who care and want to help. The opening lines express a sense of being stuck in this state for a long time and questioning how it got to this point. The persona is uncertain about whether they can overcome what they're going through and move beyond it. Then they describe feeling weighed down by their cold and broken soul, which only exacerbates the feeling of being incomplete. They long to be whole again, and to have the other sources of hurt taken away.
The chorus repeats and reinforces the themes introduced in the verses - the hurt around them bringing them down and feeling unsure that they can make it out. But amidst the wind blowing and general chaos of life, the persona hears the voices of people who care about them. They didn't know about all the things their loved ones had done for them, but now they understand that it's because those people really care about them.
The second verse speaks more directly to the pain of loss, and wishing that things could be the way they were before. The persona references someone who they once knew, but who is no longer around - this could be interpreted as a friend or family member who has passed away, or a relationship that ended. Either way, the loss is hard to bear, and the persona must grapple with coming to terms with the reasons why the other person had to go.
Overall, the song "Voices" is a powerful exploration of the struggle of mental health, the importance of support from loved ones, and the pain of loss. It recognizes the pain and darkness of the human experience but ultimately offers hope and the reminder that even in the midst of chaos, people are there who care about us and want to see us thrive.
Line by Line Meaning
Been down for so long now
I have been in a poor state for a long time
How has it come to this
I am confused about how I ended up in this situation
Don't know if I can make it out
I am unsure if I am able to escape this situation
So much that I have missed
I have missed out on much while in this situation
The cold and broken soul
My depressed and damaged spirit
It seems to bring me down
It appears to hinder my progress
Because I long to still be whole
Because I desire to be whole again
Take away all the other hurt around
Remove all sorrow around me
The hurt around
The grief around
It brings me down
It brings me down emotionally
So far now, don't know if I will make out
I am unsure if I will be able to recover from this point
Feel the wind blow
I sense the wind flow
And I hear the voices in the air
I hear voices carried by the wind
I know you're there
I understand that you are present
What I didn't know, was all the things you did
I didn't realize everything you did
Because you really care
Because you actually care for me
I don't know if I can make it out (x2)
I am unsure of my ability to escape from this situation (repeated)
I wish I could see you there
I wish I could see you again
Same person that I use to know
The same person that I was familiar with
It's too much for a soul to bear
It is too heavy for my spirit to carry on its own
Come to terms with why you had to go
Accept why you had to leave
(Guitar Solo)
Instrumental break
(Chorus)
Refrain or repeat of the chorus
Contributed by Chloe S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Natasha Archuleta
i cant stop listening to this song.........
Mike RealUndergroundMusic
I hope we all be listenining this great band forever...to you and everyone all around the world.. i've been a FLAW fan since 2005 and im'not from america but this music is my childhood veterans my heroes of my music that i loved for real... i always linstened to undergroundound real bands that speak to my soul and the first was always FLAW................
Señor Peñor
I miss it when my dad was touring with flaw... he was the drummer...
webbertools
Chris Ballinger?
Joey Noyes
good song. love flaw
BASS IMPROV JAMS
I fucking love this album so.much!! Way to underrated
813lynch
Love this band.Such beauty in our flaws
Mike RealUndergroundMusic
Voices in my head all my f@ckin life.... i relate to every lyric of this song no matter what people think or say it's difficult to understand things only by your own prospective...............also people can't understand you by their own... that's what's the worst part of life........
Dustin Dunbar
FLAW IS SO ORIGINAL.
Rowdy Keri
Can't wait to see these guys along with Despite The Fallen June 8th in Indiana !!! So excited !!!! 8D