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.
Walk Beside Me
Focused Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's not the promises we make, it's the ones that we keep
And I won't live in darkness, no, only in light
We'll work together not in spite
You say you're a friend, don't walk in front of me
You just walk beside me
I never intend to hurt, only to understand
Look into my eyes 'cause there's not a blank stare
It's obvious, man, it's obvious if you really care
If I'm confused and don't know what to do
An open mind seeing helps me through
Learn from my mistakes and I will learn from yours
Together we'll defeat these pressures
Together we stand, no hatred at all
That's weakness, man, it will make us fall
Bonded by Christ, is how we live
Never to take, only to give
The lyrics of Focused's song "Walk Beside Me" express the importance of friendship that is built on trust, honesty, and mutual support. The song starts by acknowledging that talk is cheap and promises mean nothing without action. It is not enough to say that we are friends, we need to prove it by sticking together through thick and thin. The singer makes it clear that they will choose to live in the light and not in darkness, meaning that they will always strive to do good and be a positive influence on each other.
The chorus of the song, "You say you're a friend, don't walk in front of me, you just walk beside me," emphasizes the need for equal partnership and respect in friendship. The singer values the support of their friend but expects them to walk alongside instead of taking over the lead. The open hand instead of a fist signifies a peaceful, nonviolent approach to conflict resolution. The singer strives to understand their friend's perspective and be a good listener.
The song's message is about the power of friendship and how it can help overcome life's pressures and difficulties. It encourages togetherness rather than division, and mutual support rather than competition. The last verse of the song notes the importance of kindness and generosity as the cornerstones of a successful friendship. Overall, "Walk Beside Me" is a reminder to be a good friend, be willing to support and learn from each other, and share life's ups and downs together.
Line by Line Meaning
Say you're a friend, [Incomprehensible] talk is cheap
If you claim to be a friend, your words need to reflect your actions
It's not the promises we make, it's the ones that we keep
The only promises that matter are the ones that we follow through with
And I won't live in darkness, no, only in light
I choose to live in positivity, not negativity
We'll work together not in spite
Our goal is to collaborate, not to compete or harm each other
You say you're a friend, don't walk in front of me
A true friend walks beside you, not ahead of you
You just walk beside me
We will support each other equally
Never use a fist, only an open hand
Violence is not the answer, kindness is
I never intend to hurt, only to understand
My intent is not to hurt anyone, but to empathize and comprehend
Look into my eyes 'cause there's not a blank stare
I am genuine and sincere in my interactions with you
It's obvious, man, it's obvious if you really care
It's easy to tell if someone truly cares about you
If I'm confused and don't know what to do
I may require guidance to make a decision
An open mind seeing helps me through
Being receptive to different perspectives can help me overcome confusion
Learn from my mistakes and I will learn from yours
We can both benefit from each other's experiences and errors
Together we'll defeat these pressures
We can handle external pressures by supporting each other
Together we stand, no hatred at all
We will stand united against hate
That's weakness, man, it will make us fall
Hate is a sign of weakness and will only bring us down
Bonded by Christ, is how we live
Our bond is based on our faith in Christ
Never to take, only to give
Our mindset is to always give and serve, not to take or demand
Contributed by Sydney I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.