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.
Inside A Frame
Fucked Up Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The feathers fall next, they're dancing around.
Such a graceful decent, so unlike his own.
Crashing down to earth, destruction in his wake he caused.
There I go again, trying to narrate so I could hide my role.
Have to own up, have to concede, they used me like you.
We all have our jobs, markers of our fate, that dictate our place.
But now I know it's not his fault.
So wrought by what I've done, I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
So what of the man with the wooden god?
Never did him good, but never steered him wrong.
Can't claim the same, the blood on my hands marks my guilt, exposes my crimes.
I've played with lives, like the Gods of old.
But I'm no God I'm just a fool.
The leader of the mob, king of the swayed, culpable.
The moms and dads who turned to me now clutch their torches at my door.
Try to alleviate the burden of my guilt.
I never really had agency.
I'm just a false prophet, just a heretic, powerless without your belief.
But now I know it's not his fault.
How could I hold him responsible?
So wrought by what I've done, I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
A young couple meets and falls in love and live so happily ever after, it's a platitude.
But it's a lie, affections unrequited.
The presence of someone else will complicate
The best laid plans of invertebrates made evil by love.
But now I know it's not his fault.
How could I hold him responsible?
So wrought by what I've done, I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
Trapped inside a frame not of my design.
Simply follow the story and remember the lines.
I had no choice, this is how I was cast, this is how I was cast, I had no choice.
Trapped inside a frame, not of my design, follow what is destined and tow the line.
There is no escape, that's why they call it fate.
There is no escape, that's why they call it fate.
There is no escape, that's why they call it fate.
There is no escape
The song "Inside A Frame" by Fucked Up is a contemplation on fate, guilt, and the sense of being trapped within a predetermined role. The opening lines allude to the myth of Icarus, with the vengeful angel playing the role of a fallen hero, whose waxen wings melt as he flies too close to the sun. The subsequent lines draw a parallel to the singer's own descent, as they acknowledge their complicit role in the harm caused to others. The line "Have to own up, have to concede, they used me like you" highlights the idea that individuals are often used as pawns in larger systems of power.
The second verse shifts focus to the role of religion and the concept of divine justice. The wooden god here seems to signify a religious symbol to which the singer adhered, but which ultimately failed to steer them towards doing good. The lines "I've played with lives, like the Gods of old. But I'm no God I'm just a fool" suggest that individuals have agency and can exercise it to either cause harm or benefit others. The final lines of the verse again allude to the notion of collective responsibility, as the singer faces the repercussions of their actions.
Line by Line Meaning
A vengeful angel flies around the sun, dripping his wax down on those that watch.
A powerful force is wreaking havoc on innocent observers.
The feathers fall next, they're dancing around.
Evidence of the destruction is scattered around.
Such a graceful decent, so unlike his own.
The destructive force had a beautiful entrance.
Crashing down to earth, destruction in his wake he caused.
The destructive force caused destruction upon landing.
There I go again, trying to narrate so I could hide my role.
The artist is attempting to deflect blame by telling a story.
Have to own up, have to concede, they used me like you.
The singer admits to being manipulated and used like others.
We all have our jobs, markers of our fate, that dictate our place.
Everyone has a role to play in the world.
But now I know it's not his fault.
The artist realizes the previous destructive force may not have been at fault.
How could I hold him responsible?
The artist questions their previous blame towards the destructive force.
So wrought by what I've done, I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
The artist is experiencing intense guilt and wouldn't wish it upon anyone else.
So what of the man with the wooden god?
The singer is introducing a character with a wooden god.
Never did him good, but never steered him wrong.
The wooden god had no positive effect but also didn't cause harm.
Can't claim the same, the blood on my hands marks my guilt, exposes my crimes.
The singer acknowledges their guilt and the harm they caused.
I've played with lives, like the Gods of old.
The singer has taken on the role of a divine figure with power over life.
But I'm no God I'm just a fool.
The singer dismisses their own divinity and power.
The leader of the mob, king of the swayed, culpable.
The artist was a leader who influenced others to cause harm.
The moms and dads who turned to me now clutch their torches at my door.
The families who previously trusted the artist are now angry and hostile.
Try to alleviate the burden of my guilt.
The singer seeks to ease their guilt and remorse.
I never really had agency.
The singer feels they were powerless to avoid their role.
I'm just a false prophet, just a heretic, powerless without your belief.
The artist acknowledges their lack of actual divine power and influence.
A young couple meets and falls in love and live so happily ever after, it's a platitude.
The artist describes a clichéd romantic story.
But it's a lie, affections unrequited.
The happy ending of the story is false, with unreturned feelings.
The presence of someone else will complicate, The best laid plans of invertebrates made evil by love.
The introduction of another person complicates a previously simple romantic situation.
Trapped inside a frame not of my design.
The artist feels stuck and limited by circumstances outside of their control.
Simply follow the story and remember the lines.
The singer feels they must follow a predetermined script.
I had no choice, this is how I was cast, this is how I was cast, I had no choice.
The singer believes they had no agency in their role.
Trapped inside a frame, not of my design, follow what is destined and tow the line.
The singer acknowledges the lack of control over their circumstances and must follow fate.
There is no escape, that's why they call it fate.
The artist believes fate is inescapable.
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Joshua Elliot Zucker, Sandy Miranda, Michael Ian Haliechuk, Paul Jonah Falco, Benjamin Peter Warden Cook, Damian Abraham
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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David is still alive
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Always has been
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He’s still there