They made their first recordings available in late 1979 via the SF Underground 7" compilation series released via Steve Tupper's newly-formed Subterranean Records. In 1981 a 7" followed Love Canal and Ha Ha Ha and the original lineup made 2 full-length studio albums on Subterranean, 1982's Generic and the 1984 followup Gone Fishin'.
Flipper's music was very shambolic and noisy, and oft considered "slow" for a punk band of the time. In many early shows, the band had half the audience on stage with them singing backup vocals, and encouraged horn players to join them for their anthem, Sex Bomb -- and the crowding on stage usually knocked the stringed instruments out of tune. Guitarist Ted Falconi installed spikes in the head of his guitar to help prevent this, but blaring, out-of-tune dissonance became part of the band's signature sound.
Bassist/vocalist Will Shatter died in 1987 of a heroin overdose. The remaining members reformed for the 1993 album American Grafishy on Def American Recordings which re-issued Generic, and a compilation called Sex Bomb Baby on Rick Rubin and Henry Rollins' Infinite Zero label. This relationship soured and the surviving Flipper members allegedly were duped out of their rights to their back catalog. Bassist/vocalist Bruce Loose got in a car accident which severely injured his spine resulting in a crippling injury which requires him to use a cane. Apparently drummer Steve Depace was in the works of writing an autobiography of his Flipper experiences to the irk of his band mates. Bruce most recently performed as Not Flipper at 924 Gilman and reunited as Flipper for a show in SF with surviving members Falconi and Depace. In December 2006, former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic joined the band. On 22 September 2008, due to responsibilities at home, Novoselic announced his departure from the band.
Love Canal
Flipper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Floating down the love canal
We set sailing
Drifting down the love canal
We seem strange
Our bodies are breaking down
We are breeding
Our children look like monsters
Not to children but to monsters
We feel pain
Poison is killing our every cells
We are bitter
Poison is killing our very cells
We are dying
Our common grave is the love canal
We are dying
Our common grave is the love canal
The song "Love Canal" by Flipper is a powerful commentary on the environmental disaster that took place in the small town of Love Canal, New York. The Love Canal was an abandoned landfill that was sold to the Niagara Falls School Board for one dollar in 1953. The hazardous chemicals and waste were buried in the canal, which later led to the development of the townhouses built on top of the landfill. The chemicals leaked into the surrounding land and water, causing severe health problems among the residents, including birth defects, cancers, and nervous system disorders.
The opening lines of the song, "We set sailing, floating down the love canal," describes the journey of the residents who unknowingly moved into the contaminated area, thinking it was a safe and affordable neighborhood. The next lines, "We seem strange, our bodies are breaking down," highlights the physical and emotional toll that the poisonous chemicals had on the residents. The subsequent lines about breeding and looking like monsters reflect the birth defects and deformities that were reported among the children born to the residents of Love Canal.
The final lines of the song, "We are dying, our common grave is the love canal," is a powerful statement about the tragedy that took place in Love Canal. The residents were trapped in a toxic environment, slowly being poisoned by the chemicals that were buried beneath their feet. The song is a poignant reminder of the importance of environmental protection and the devastating consequences that negligence can bring.
Line by Line Meaning
We set sailing
We begin our journey
Floating down the love canal
Traveling through the contaminated Love Canal area
We set sailing
We continue our journey
Drifting down the love canal
Slowly moving through the polluted Love Canal area
We seem strange
We appear different or abnormal
Our bodies are breaking down
Our physical health is declining
We are breeding
We are reproducing
Our children look like monsters
Our offspring have physical deformities due to pollution exposure
We are breeding
We continue to reproduce
Not to children but to monsters
Our offspring are not normal human children, but resemble monsters due to pollution exposure
We feel pain
We experience physical discomfort
Poison is killing our every cells
Toxic chemicals are causing damage at the cellular level in our bodies
We are bitter
We are resentful about the situation
Poison is killing our very cells
Toxic chemicals are causing immediate harm to our bodies
We are dying
We are facing mortality
Our common grave is the love canal
The polluted Love Canal area is where many of us will ultimately die and be buried
We are dying
Our mortality is imminent
Our common grave is the love canal
The polluted Love Canal area is where many of us will ultimately die and be buried
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Bruce Calderwood, Lawrence Falconi, Russell Wilkinson, Stephen Depace
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alistair Boom
Great track, pure classic punk, mixing a messed up situation (the Love Canal - google it if you don't know) with some great riffs and drums. Loved it 30 years ago till now, from a 50 year old geezer (that's me!) ...Flipper Rocks! RIP Will Shatter - still have all your vinyl from the 80s!
Alistair Boom
@Steve McQueen Flipper were a long-time favourite band for me as a youngster. Loved their gritty and honest take on life, yet expressed very eloquently (IMHO). I'm 53 today actually--my birthday! So gonna put my feet up, and play a few Flipper tracks at full blast! Cheers!
Steve McQueen
@Alistair Boom Its also one of my all-time fave singles
Alistair Boom
@Steve McQueen Agreed. "Get Away" is another of my fave Flipper tracks!
Steve McQueen
Get Away still one of my favourite records- 53 from Glasgow!
RRaquello
When I was 20-21 years old, around 1981-82, I went through a phase where I only listened to two bands—Flipper and the Fall. Particularly two albums, "Grotesque" by the Fall and "Generic Flipper". When one ended, I'd put the other back on the turntable and listen to them again. No other groups mattered to me. I still have this song on the original 45, backing "Ha Ha Ha".
Lana Korvin
pure heaven always gorgeous to stick this on since my youth !!
M Mckissack
yes
Jillian Tiedeman
flipper is exactly what I wish I could be as a band. but I also have a black sabbath fascination so I'm mixed between them.
Tyler Heinrichs
@Rickydo Nice! Glad to help. I also recommend Alice Donut, Thinking Fellers Union Local 282, and The Brian Jonestown Massacre. If you want to listen to an album that sounds like a rickety 1800s theme park full of delirious ergot poisoned lunatics, I recommend Caroliner Open Wound Chorale- Rise of the Common Woodpile.