Focused was a hardcore punk band that w… Read Full Bio ↴Spirit-filled hardcore band.
Focused was a hardcore punk band that was based out of Long Beach, California in the United States. The band formed in 1990 with the lineup of Tim Mann on Vocals, John Schoettler on Guitars, Jeff Boetto on Guitars, Matt Archuleta on Bass and Al Christensen on Drums. Over the years, the lineup shifted several times, with Mann being the only constant.
Origins and Bow (1990-1993)
Focused began in 1990 with the lineup of Vocalist Tim Mann, Guitarists John Schoettler and Jeff Boetto, and Bassist Matt Archuleta. David Shoemaker filled in on Drums for the first show the band played before Al Christensen took over the position. Early on the band recorded two different demos, including Situation Within and Eternity's Gate.[1] In 1992, Boetto and Archuleta departed from the band, being replaced by Mike Merryman and Dirk Lemmenes respectively.
In 1993, Jason Parker joined the band as a fill-in Guitarist for Merryman, who was unable to make it to the show. Schoettler departed pretty soon afterward, with Parker joining alongside Merryman. The lineup consisting of Mann, Merryman, Parker, Lemmenes, and Christensen wrote and recorded their debut album, Bow, which came out through Tooth & Nail Records.
The Hope That Lies Within and breakup (1994-1996)
In 1994, the band again saw lineup changes, with Parker and Christensen both departing from the band. Andrew Reizuch joined the band as a Guitarist and Chris Bowden joined on Drums.[2] Now, in addition to Reizuch and Bowden, the band - along with Mann, Merryman, and Lemmenes - who had already grown to a high status in the scene, began to work on their sophomore release.
In 1995, the band recorded and released The Hope That Lies Within, which also came out through Tooth & Nail Records. In 1996, the band disbanded and went their separate ways.[2] Lemmenes went on to perform with a project called Stavesacre alongside former members of The Crucified, Chatterbox, Scaterd Few and The Blamed, while most of the others remained musically inactive.
Reunion EP, Second Reunion, and shows (2000-2009)
In 2000, Focused reunited with the best-known lineup of Mann, Merryman, Lemmenes, another former member as well as new Drummer Adam Valles. With the lineup, the band recorded an EP, which featured three tracks - "War", "Angels and Demons", and "Grace". The band broke up a year later in 2001. The EP was later released in 2008 through Indie Vision Music as a free MP3 download[3] and later again in 2016.[4] In 2009, the band reunited again with Mann, Merryman, Parker, Lemmenes, and former Project 86 Drummer Alex Albert to perform on a couple shows with Living Sacrifice and Demon Hunter.[5] Following the shows, there was a debate as to whether the band would play more shows or not, which were addressed in 2014. In 2019, Steadfast Records re-released Eternity's Gate as At Eternity's Gate, as well as a music video of old footage being released.
Strain
Focused Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cold sweat, eleven a.m.
Here I am, cruising again
Tonight's the night of god's lonely men
Break up stains and heavy strain
Bad luck, two p.m.
Here I am, cruising again
Forget your name, baby
forget your name, buddy
forget your name, daddy
forget your name, lordy
forget your name
relieve the strain
Forget your name, baby
forget your name, buddy
forget your name, daddy
forget your name, lordy
And everything will be the same
Make up stains and stomach pain
Cold sweat, eleven a.m.
Here I am, cruising again
Talking alone, shaking in vain
Tonight I'm waiting for the rain
to clear my thoughts, wash away the stain
Wash everything down the drain
Forget your name, relieve the strain
Forget your name, baby
forget your name, buddy
forget your name, daddy
forget your name, lordy
forget your name
relieve the strain
Forget your name, baby
forget your name, buddy
forget your name, daddy
forget your name, lordy
And everything will be the same
The song "Strain" by Focused is a raw and introspective look into the struggles of addiction. The lyrics depict the physical and emotional turmoil that comes with addiction, with lines like "make up stains and stomach pain" and "talking alone, shaking in vain." The repetition of "forget your name" serves to symbolize the desperation to escape the pain and misery of addiction. The use of the phrase "god's lonely men" also suggests the isolation and alienation that comes with addiction.
The second half of the song offers some hope, with the singer waiting for the rain to clear his thoughts and wash away the stains of addiction. The repetition of "relieve the strain" reinforces the idea that the singer is seeking relief from the burdens of addiction.
Overall, "Strain" is a somber and powerful portrayal of addiction and the struggle to overcome it.
Line by Line Meaning
Make up stains and stomach pain
Fabricating reasons to feel ill or discomfort in order to avoid facing reality
Cold sweat, eleven a.m.
Physical manifestation of anxiety, occurring at an exact time due to habitual worry
Here I am, cruising again
Returning to a state of self-destructive behavior, despite knowing the consequences
Tonight's the night of god's lonely men
Feeling isolated and disconnected from others, especially during vulnerable times
Break up stains and heavy strain
Creating unnecessary conflict and stress in relationships, leading to turmoil
Bad luck, two p.m.
Self-pity and blaming external circumstances for personal problems
Talking alone, shaking in vain
Internal struggle and desperation for someone or something to provide comfort and guidance
Forget your name, baby
Letting go of past attachments and focusing on moving forward
forget your name, buddy
Releasing past associations and choosing a new path
forget your name, daddy
Breaking free from familial expectations and discovering one's own identity
forget your name, lordy
Rejecting religious or societal pressure and finding personal truth
forget your name
Letting go of all external identifiers and finding inner peace
relieve the strain
Eliminating the emotional and mental burden of past experiences
And everything will be the same
Achieving a sense of calm and contentment by disconnecting from external expectations
Tonight I'm waiting for the rain
Finding solace in the natural world and its ability to cleanse and renew
to clear my thoughts, wash away the stain
Seeking mental clarity and relief from past trauma or negativity
Wash everything down the drain
Ridding oneself of all emotional baggage and starting anew
Contributed by Nolan V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jonathan Barnes
Times I've spent I've spent searching,
looking, wanting answers but so scared,
so frightened it won't be what I want.
Then i realize my conscious effort to filter out the imperfection in my life.
To seek the guidance for the truth and remove the time spent wasted, the time lost.
Straining to achieve.
Facing reality.
I'm not apart from my eternity.
Recovered from afar a past of unbroken dreams only wanting for myself.
So dark to what I see.
Strain.
Reaching toward a higher place to save me from this pain.
What to gain a life of strain a race to run.
Standing up to no other one but the true God
Four Walls Music
I'm 5 yrs late, but good call. Thanks for typing out the lyrics. Do you have the cd booklet still?!