The… Read Full Bio ↴Fucked Up is a hardcore punk band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The band formed and played their first shows in early 2001. The initial practicing lineup consisted of 10,000 Marbles (Guitar), Concentration Camp (Vocals), and Mustard Gas (Bass Guitar). Just prior to recording their demo tape, Concentration Camp moved to guitar and vocal duties were taken over by Pink Eyes (also known as Mr. Damian). Drums are played by Mr. Jo (also credited as G. Beat or J. Falco) and Young Governor was added as a third guitarist in 2007.
Following the release of the demo, the band embarked on a long series of 7" vinyl 45 rpms. Unlike many of their contemporaries, the band shunned full length LP or CD formats, preferring to output their music two songs at a time. While some record distributors refused to carry the singles, they were generally released to broad appeal, receiving glowing reviews in many punk fanzines. The artwork and feel of the records was a tribute to the Dangerhouse Records era of punk vinyl.
The band released the "No Pasaran" 7" in May of 2002. The records aesthetic and philosophy was greatly influenced by anarchism and the participation of anarchists in the Spanish Civil War in particular. The cover and insert featured anarchist propaganda posters and portraits of Spanish farmers and peasant soldiers.
The Police 7" was released on March of 2003, quickly followed by what is considered the bands most significant recording, the Baiting the Public 7" in May of 2003. This single was in tribute to the Viennese Actionism, a far left art movement during the 1960s, and the Situationist International. The record featured one song spread over two sides, and illegible liner notes, meant to shock and annoy the buyer.
Two more 7"'s followed in 2004, the Dance of Death single, and the Litany 4-song EP. The vinyl releases to this point were collected on 2004's Epics in Minutes CD.
The band's use of imagery and symbolism took a decided turn after the release of Epics in Minutes, as it was followed by two obscure and limited 12"s, the Looking for Gold 12", and the live Let Likes be Cured by Likes 12". Many felt at this point the band's message became esoteric to the point of confusion, while others felt the turn towards a more convoluted approach was ultimately more rewarding. The Looking for Gold 12" contained no liner notes or credits, no song titles, and a hidden track. It was self-released by the band in 2004 in a limited run of 600 copies and immediately became one of the most infamous and sought-after modern hardcore punk releases, selling for over $100 on internet auction sites like ebay. The title track was 17 minutes long, used 19 guitar tracks, had a three minute drum solo and contained 4 minutes of whistling, all unconventional by punk rock song-writing standards.
Following a lengthy and rumoured self-written interview in Maximum Rock and Roll, that discussed some of the band's politics and identity, many people became suspicious of the band's intentions, based on their allusions to mind control, fascism, early 20th centruy occultism, and Nazi mysticism. The release of a split 7" in 2004 with the band Haymaker did little to allay these concerns as it contained a picture of Hitler addressing a Hitler Youth Rally in 1938. A public clarification followed in late 2004 after the band was attacked onstage at a concert in Toronto.
In the summer of 2004 the band returned to form with the release of the Generation 7" and 12" EPs. The record contained the trademark sound the band had developed with their earlier releases. The record would go onto sell more than 6000 copies in that year and would represent the definitive Fucked Up release of the later period. The live performance of "Generation" had at this point become a focal point of most shows and saw hundreds of people dance and mosh in a mad frenzy of violence and aggression, and would result in many injuries.
After touring for most of 2005 the band took on David Eliade as a quasi-full time manager/promoter, and released a new UK-only 7", Triumph of Life, on VICE records. The band is currently signed to Jade Tree, on which they released the double album Hidden World in 2006. Hidden World was generally well received in the music community, although many traditional punk fans who once glorified Fucked Up for their "short and fast" older songs couldn't quite grasp Hidden World, which was 74 minutes long. Owen Pallett (commonly known as Final Fantasy) did the strings for the album, and Alexisonfire's vocalist George Pettit made an appearance as a guest vocalist on the final track. The album served as Fucked Up's "major label debut", receiving positive reviews from Pitchfork Media, SPIN magazine, and NOW magazine. The albums was also picked as "#1 punk album of the year" by the Canadian magazine Exclaim!.
After Hidden World, Fucked Up began their yearly record series based off of the Chinese calendar. They released the Year of the Dog 12" in late 2006. Fucked Up also appeared on MTV Live Canada in January 2007. Fans in attendance reportedly caused $2000 worth of damages during the recording. After a European tour in the spring and an early summer U.S Tour that took the band to the U.S Southeast for the first time ever, Fucked Up proceeded to play several major music festivals including South by Southwest, Tales of the Jackalope, Oshesga Fest, and POP Montreal. In July of 2007, the band released the second album in the Chinese calendar series "Year of the Pig". The 12" is technically a single, featuring the song Year of the Pig and it's b-side Black Hats. Year of the Pig is over 18 minutes long, and is about the treatment of sex workers in Canada.
Currently, the band has made comments about several different projects, including a follow up full length to Hidden World, and a musical based off the song 'David Comes to Life' from the Hidden World album.
Black Albino Bones
Fucked Up Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rubbing stones together until the magic comes out,
Embracing the purity, the purity of obscurity,
Try to capture the name as it spins in your mind,
Follow it with our eyes,
The dizzy epiphany discovered an artifact of my own,
It's the little things that get us through life,
Squishing flesh together until the magic comes out,
Until we both ejaculate ride the wave
As a little dies, the orgasmic of the fantastic,
We well up, and then we explode!
It's the little things that get us through life,
I need a little escape
Burning plants together until the magic comes out,
Take it in the inhalate, inhalate what escalates,
Hold the vapor deep down inside the toxic fumes,
Initiate the levitate,
We slowly start to drift off,
It's the little things that get us through life
In the song "Black Albino Bones" by Fucked Up, the lyrics describe a need for escape from reality and the pursuit of something magical. The first stanza begins with the inability to sleep due to contemplation and the act of rubbing stones together to create something mystical. The singer embraces obscurity and tries to capture something that spins in their mind; they appear to be seeking a tangible manifestation of their thoughts. The realization of this artifact and finding joy in the small things is a recurring motif in the song.
The second stanza's imagery is more visceral, using metaphors of squishing flesh together and ejaculation to describe finding pleasure in something fantastical. This again leads to the idea of experiencing joy from the smallest of things in life. The last stanza describes burning plants together to inhale the toxic fumes and initiating a levitate, potentially implying drug use or a transcendent experience. It ends with the notion that these small escapes are what make life worth living.
Overall, the song is about the pursuit of something beyond the mundane and finding joy in life's small pleasures. It touches on the desire for escape through different methods, whether it be contemplation, physical pleasure, or substance use.
Line by Line Meaning
Can't sleep thinking about it
Unable to sleep due to preoccupation with a particular thing in mind
Rubbing stones together until the magic comes out
Trying to create something magical or extraordinary by blending different things together
Embracing the purity, the purity of obscurity
Finding value in things that are not commonly known or popular
Try to capture the name as it spins in your mind
Trying to grasp an idea or thought that is constantly shifting or evolving
Follow it with our eyes
Keeping a close watch on something that is interesting or intriguing
The dizzy epiphany discovered an artifact of my own
Having a sudden realization or understanding of something that results in discovering something new or unique
It's the little things that get us through life
Finding joy and satisfaction in everyday, small things
Squishing flesh together until the magic comes out
Engaging in pleasure-seeking activities that involve physical contact and intimacy
Until we both ejaculate ride the wave
Continuing to engage in sexual activity until both partners reach orgasm
As a little dies, the orgasmic of the fantastic
Experiencing pleasure and ecstasy as something comes to an end
We well up, and then we explode!
Feeling intense emotions that eventually lead to a powerful release
I need a little escape
Feeling the need to temporarily step away from reality or daily life
Burning plants together until the magic comes out
Using substances or drugs to induce a feeling of euphoria or altered state of mind
Take it in the inhalate, inhalate what escalates
Inhaling a substance that causes sensations or experiences to intensify
Hold the vapor deep down inside the toxic fumes
Retaining a substance in the body, even if it is potentially dangerous or harmful
Initiate the levitate
Starting to feel weightless or unburdened
We slowly start to drift off
Beginning to feel lethargic or sleepy
It's the little things that get us through life
Finding comfort in small pleasures or experiences during difficult or challenging times
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: DAMIAN ABRAHAM, JOSHUA ELLIOT ZUCKER, MICHAEL IAN HALIECHUK, PAUL JONAH FALCO, SANDY MIRANDA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@carsonrunyon6099
Such an underrated band.
@geoffkrasowski4635
Such an under rated Canadian band. Met you guys at the Edmonton show this year and made a lifetime fan super happy!
@rastafett
True beauty and boldness in this song. There is no band that sounds like this and it brings me such joy that I get to be present for it. Fucked Up is artistic expression at its finest
@pandemyshow8790
Thank you for your art.
@lextalonis839
2007, watched them start a Riot at a Festival. Incredible.
@welkinalderman269
so happy this exists
@tomasz6446
Super bones.