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.
Lights Go Up
Fucked Up Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But like the end of a book when there are no pages left,
You can only look back at the time that you spent,
Not the life that you wanted but the life that you led.
I've seen it all but I don't know what's next.
Ours wasn't a love for an audience.
The pictures we take don't resolve, they only reflect.
Stood on this stage, walked through the door.
There are still so many things that I will never know,
After the lights go up and the curtains close.
I've seen it all but I don't know what's next.
Ours wasn't a love for an audience.
The pictures we take don't resolve, they only reflect.
I'm still in love with you, after all of this time.
The best days of my life were when you were mine.
They'll be the branches I always use to climb through my life.
Sometimes life is so empty, sometimes life is so cold,
I wanted to grow old with you but I put that on hold.
I'll see you again when the story gets retold.
And I've been here before. I've been here before.
I've been here before.
Cast a seed to the sky as my valediction,
That you could be the vine to grow a truth from the fiction.
Empty the theater, rush the door,
Start living the life you never could before.
It's the morning again at the factory,
Someone will meet me there and rip me out of my dream.
Warm my blood before I say goodbye,
A new sun in the sky and love will never die.
The lyrics of the song "Lights Go Up" by Fucked Up convey a sense of nostalgia and longing for the past. The first stanza suggests that despite being old, the singer wants to relive their youth again. However, the past cannot be undone, and all that remains are memories of the life they led. The line "Not the life that you wanted but the life that you led" implies that the singer may have had dreams or ambitions that never materialized. They have seen it all, but they do not know what the future holds, and they are uncertain about what comes next.
The second stanza begins with the repetition of "Feeling like I've been here before," indicating that the singer has already experienced similar situations. They have stood on stages and walked through doors, but there are still many things they do not know. The line "After the lights go up and the curtains close" suggests that the moment of truth has arrived, and the singer must confront what lies beyond the performance.
The chorus conveys a sense of enduring love, as the singer declares their continued affection for someone even after all these years. The best days of their life were when this person was around, and they will always remember them as the branches they use to climb through their life. However, life can also be empty and cold, and the singer regrets putting their dreams of growing old with this person on hold. They hope to see them again when the story gets retold.
The final stanza is a bit cryptic but seems to suggest a sense of closure and a new beginning. The singer casts a seed to the sky as their valediction, hoping that this person can be the vine to grow a truth from the fiction. They urge themselves to start living the life they never could before and leave behind their past dreams and regrets. It is a new morning at the factory, and someone will rip them out of their dream, but they will warm their blood before saying goodbye, and a new sun will rise.
Overall, the song seems to be about the bittersweet nature of life, where dreams and ambitions can be left unfulfilled, but love and memories endure. The singer yearns to relive their youth, but they also recognize the inevitability of aging and the need to move on.
Line by Line Meaning
I am old but I want to do it again.
Despite my age, I long to relive the past and experience it once more.
But like the end of a book when there are no pages left,
Just like the end of a book without pages, there's no going back to change the past.
You can only look back at the time that you spent,
One can only reminisce on the time they spent, not the life they desired but the life they lived.
Not the life that you wanted but the life that you led.
Life often doesn't go according to plan and one may end up living a life they didn't dream of.
I've seen it all but I don't know what's next.
I've experienced much in life, but I'm unsure of what's to come next.
Ours wasn't a love for an audience.
Our love wasn't put on for others to see and admire.
The pictures we take don't resolve, they only reflect.
The pictures we capture don't provide resolution or closure, they simply reflect the past.
Feeling like I've been here before.
Experiencing a sense of deja vu, as if I've gone through this situation previously.
Stood on this stage, walked through the door.
Being on this stage, entering through the same door, experiencing similar events again.
There are still so many things that I will never know,
There are limitless aspects of life I'm unaware of and may never understand.
After the lights go up and the curtains close.
After the show, when everything comes to an end and the audience disperses.
I'm still in love with you, after all of this time.
Even after years, my love for you still burns strongly.
The best days of my life were when you were mine.
The most cherished moments of my life were when you were with me.
They'll be the branches I always use to climb through my life.
The memories with you will provide a foundation that I'll build on for the rest of my life.
Sometimes life is so empty, sometimes life is so cold,
Life can often feel vacant and bleak, lacking in warmth and comfort.
I wanted to grow old with you but I put that on hold.
I once wished to age alongside you, but I delayed that desire.
I'll see you again when the story gets retold.
We'll meet once more when our story is recounted and revisited.
Cast a seed to the sky as my valediction,
I toss a seed to the heavens as my farewell.
That you could be the vine to grow a truth from the fiction.
May our love help create something genuine out of the unreal.
Empty the theater, rush the door,
Let's leave the theater quickly, move on from this act.
Start living the life you never could before.
Begin living a life you've always dreamed of but never attempted.
It's the morning again at the factory,
A new workday's starting at the factory once more.
Someone will meet me there and rip me out of my dream.
Someone will disrupt my aspirations and pull me out of my sleep.
Warm my blood before I say goodbye,
Bring some warmth to my cold heart before I take my leave.
A new sun in the sky and love will never die.
With a fresh start and renewed love, that affection will live on indefinitely.
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