Originally called the Rock Springs Six, Free Salamander Exhibit makes no bones about being influenced by the early work of Sleepytime Gorilla Museum. “Yeah, we all have that first record,” they mutter nonchalantly. Their new name is taken from the Sleepytime Gorilla Press’s 1916 leaflet distributed by Pentecostal snake-handler George Went Hensley of Tennessee, wherein the gospel dictum “They shall take up serpents and salamanders” was treated to more or less literal interpretation. “Yeah, we all handle them, salamanders that is,” they confess. Yes, they have renounced their snake handling ways in favor of the modern hair-shirt, i.e. the burlap gown. Certainly their outfits are uncomfortable and make playing difficult, especially for the non-rock instruments they sometimes employ, but what price beauty?
It seems the past is something this band of burlap brothers would rather put to rest. Free Salamander Exhibit gained some notoriety in the early 2000s by impersonating the members of Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, even going so far as insinuating themselves into the SGM members’ households. When it was announced in 2010 that SGM had been “subsumed” into the very bodies of Free Salamander Exhibit, the music press understood this to figuratively refer to a simple regrouping. Boy, were they wrong.
Currently based in Oakland, CA, Free Salamander Exhibit continues to shed its dead skin cells, casting off an accumulated detritus of metal, prog-rock, and art-rock influences. Nils, Dan, Michael, David, and Drew (at least these are the names they claim) meet regularly in an underground concrete shelter. Here they sit at an oval-shaped table in a spirit of constructive argumentation, poring over the nature of memory and the illusory promise of free will. Eventually they emerge, ready again to absorb the environmental stimuli that nourish their world-view. Through this circular process of absorption and molting, Free Salamander Exhibit hopes to augment the mass of your own pillow as well.
Shed some skin with Free Salamander Exhibit in your town soon!
-taken from http://freesalamanderexhibit.com
FREE SALAMANDER EXHIBIT is:
Nils Frykdahl – vocals, guitar, flute
Dan Rathbun – bass, sledgehammer dulcimer, vocals
Michael Mellender – guitar, trumpet, baritone, tangularium, spleen, double-bladed cat sneeze, percussion-guitar, vocals
David Shamrock – drums, glockenspiel
Drew Wheeler – guitar, glockenspiel, theremin, waterphone, vocals
Undestroyed
Free Salamander Exhibit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Slur the buds
Slur the buds
Slur the buds
Slur the buds
Slur the buds
Here, locked in my own shadow for almost 40 years
And touched the heart of the world
Here in the shadowed night
Walls, bars, gratings dissolve into light
(And I unloose my soul)
Into light
(And fly through the inner darkness of my being)
Into light
(I become transparent)
Into light
(A bright shadow)
Into light
(A bird of dreams singing from the tree of life)
I am undestroyed
My life is my sundance
I am undestroyed
My life is my sundance
I am undestroyed
My life is my sundance
I am undestroyed
My life is my sundance
A man who has hung from the tree of life
Has a special compact with pain
He'll be hard to break
Sundance takes place inside, not outside of me
Hard to break
To give your flesh is to give your life
And what you have given you can no longer lose
Pain explodes into bright white light
Of wordless vision, revelation
Of what it is to be in touch with all being and all beings
Every time a pin pricks your finger from then on
The small pain will be a reminder of that larger pain
And a still greater realm beyond reach of all pain
I am undestroyed
My life is my sundance
Slur the buds
Slur the buds
Slur the buds
Slur the buds
Slur the buds
Slur the buds
Slur the buds
Slur the buds
Slur the buds
Slur the buds
(And if the stars have a meaning)
(Then my life has a meaning)
The opening lines of the song "Undestroyed" by Free Salamander Exhibit do not seem to have any clear meaning. They simply repeat the phrase "Slur the buds" several times in succession. However, the rest of the lyrics contain powerful and meaningful language that speaks to themes of imprisonment, inner transformation, and spiritual transcendence.
The singer of the song is someone who has been locked away for nearly four decades. They describe reaching through the walls and touching the "heart of the world." This suggests an inner journey of self-discovery and connection to something larger than oneself. The singer then describes a process of transformation in which walls and barriers dissolve, and they become transparent and weightless like a bird. This transformation is internal and is characterized by a deep connection to the self and the universe.
The repeated refrain "I am undestroyed, my life is my sundance" speaks to the singer's resilience and inner strength. They have endured great pain and hardship and have emerged on the other side, transformed and unbroken. The idea of a "sundance" suggests celebration and movement, a joyful expression of life in the face of adversity. The final lines of the song suggest that the singer has found meaning and purpose in their life, despite their difficult circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
Slur the buds
Repeated phrase with unclear meaning, possibly referencing the act of using or abusing drugs
Here, locked in my own shadow for almost 40 years
The singer has been trapped in a metaphorical shadow, possibly referencing imprisonment or some other form of long-term confinement
I have reached my hand through stone and steel and razor wire
Despite physical barriers, the singer has managed to connect with the world beyond their confinement
And touched the heart of the world
The artist has had a profound and meaningful experience, possibly spiritual or philosophical in nature
Here in the shadowed night
The artist is reflecting on their inner world, possibly during a quiet and introspective moment
Walls, bars, gratings dissolve into light
The physical barriers of the singer's confinement seem to disappear as they focus on something more abstract and transcendent
(And I unloose my soul)
The singer feels a sense of release, possibly associated with spiritual liberation or enlightenment
Into light
The artist is overcome with a feeling of brightness or warmth that seems to represent something important to them
(And fly through the inner darkness of my being)
The artist is exploring their innermost self, possibly searching for deeper meaning or understanding
(I become transparent)
The artist seems to have achieved a state of clarity, where their true self is more visible
(A bright shadow)
The singer is both bright and shadowy, possessing qualities that are both visible and hidden
(A bird of dreams singing from the tree of life)
The artist feels elevated and inspired, as if they are part of a larger and more meaningful existence
I am undestroyed
The singer has had a difficult life, but they remain resilient and unbroken
My life is my sundance
The singer seems to have found meaning and purpose in their life, perhaps through a personal ritual or philosophical outlook
A man who has hung from the tree of life
The singer is referencing a symbolic, mythological image of suffering and transcendence
Has a special compact with pain
The artist has endured significant pain, and has developed a relationship with that suffering that is unique and meaningful
He'll be hard to break
The artist is confident in their ability to endure and overcome further difficulties
Sundance takes place inside, not outside of me
The singer believes that their personal ritual, or their way of finding meaning, is not something that is visible or evident to others
To give your flesh is to give your life
The singer values the idea of sacrifice, and believes that true commitment requires a willingness to suffer
And what you have given you can no longer lose
The artist believes that their endurance and sacrifice have given them something that is permanent and cannot be taken away
Pain explodes into bright white light
The artist is describing a transformative experience of pain, where it becomes something illuminating and profound
Of wordless vision, revelation
The artist is suggesting that their encounter with pain has given them new insights or understandings that cannot be put into words
Of what it is to be in touch with all being and all beings
The singer seems to have had a life-changing experience of interconnectedness and empathy
Every time a pin pricks your finger from then on
The artist is reflecting on the lasting impact of their experiences, and suggesting that their way of seeing the world has been permanently altered
The small pain will be a reminder of that larger pain
The singer seems to believe that even minor discomforts will be meaningful to them, because of the larger pains they have endured
And a still greater realm beyond reach of all pain
The singer believes that there exists some form of existence that transcends pain or suffering, and that this is a goal to strive for
If the stars have a meaning
The singer is using a poetic image to suggest that the universe might have a sense of purpose or direction
Then my life has a meaning
The artist sees themselves as part of that universe, and suggests that their own life must have some purpose or significance as a result
Contributed by Alice F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
3 legged shark kicks surfer in balls
Imma buy this at my earliest convenience. Just discovered Sleepytime, Idiot Flesh, Book Of Knots, etc. Jesus Christ and two triplets on a trike am I late to the party! This lot of musicians are outfuckinstanding. I'm honestly pretty poor atm, but have been purchasing as much of their stuff as I can. I'll be damned if I'm gonna go without all this glorious music. Also been sharing with anyone and everyone that I think might be interested but haven't yet had the honour of having this beautiful stuff in their earholes. <3!
House Music Catalog
Got to see these guys in a small venue on the same night Ween was in town. The crowd was pretty small, and they walked on and off the stage all playing horns and ended the show in the middle of the crowd. It was a joy to see these guys in such an intimate setting compared to the big venue show I saw SGM play with SC3 It should be noted these guys are all very talented multi-instrumentalist, constantly changing roles with each song. Unforgettable experience.
3 legged shark kicks surfer in balls
So I ordered this album from WoM and it arrived to me here in Aus already! How exciting. Thanks for giving us a "taste test" here. I know bands have mixed feelings about their music being posted online, and i totally understand, but the last 4 albums I bought are due to the fact that I stumbled upon them here on YT. Otherwise I might not have ever heard of any of them. Sad but true. So THANK YOU for introducing me and others to these sounds. I'll continue buying as much music as i can for the rest of my life. Music is life 🎶🤘🎶
d walsh BrokenMuseum #zer0fix
this stuff is great, followed idiot flesh and sleepytime but in glorious times had to be the end.
it was time to get HEAVY AGAIN
Derek Waugh
O. My. I truly thought there would never be another musical project comparable to SGM. How fantastic to be wrong!
Mr Jingles
First listen last night of this album, really nice love the prog and the textures. Wow what a listen!
ふぁみ
didnt even know this band existed. my night just got way better ngl.
ReplicantSeven
This is my favorite stuff of theirs since Acid Rain, honestly. Catchy as fuck, groovable, and completely fucking bent and hilarious.
bop517
Okay, never heard of this before until my cousin told me about her brother's bands. Prog isn't really in my wheelhouse but man, I'm digging the shit out of this.
Eric mcKay
@Matthew Pumphrey yes! And idiot flesh (also same vocalist composer)