The band's debut full-length album Casually Dressed and Deep in Conversation was released in October 2003. Various singles were lifted off this, including Bullet Theory, Juneau (Juno on previous EPs), She Drove Me To Daytime TV and Escape Artists Never Die. After a B-side to Escape Artists Never Die was released as a single, this was called You Want Romance? the video was sequal to Bullet Theory
A DVD named Spilling Blood In 8MM was released only a year after, documenting every music video, including the two from the EPs 10:45 Amsterdam Conversations and This Year's Most Open Heartbreak, live footage, and the first album's promotion tour, discography, chronology and an exclusive video for Juneau acoustic
In the United States, the EP Seven Ways To Scream Your Name was released instead. It featured three of the tracks from Four Ways To Scream Your Name, three from Between Order And Model and a further unreleased track. The debut was released later.
The second album Hours was released in 2005. Streetcar, Monsters, History and Roses for the Dead have been released as singles.
Funeral For A Friend released the first single, off their 3rd album, Into Oblivion (Reunion) on May 7th 2007 and the album Tales Don't Tell Themselves was released on May 14th 2007. The album caused much controversy with fans of their earlier albums, especially with fans of their EPs and 'Casually Dressed and Deep in Conversation', due to a major change in their sound to a more melodic version of their earlier post-hardcore. The band then released the ninth track on Tales Don't Tell Themselves Walk Away. Then the release of The Great Wide Open came in a form of an EP highlighting the bands earlier part of their career containing not only the single The Great Wide Open but live versions of most of their older EP songs.
FFAF released a new album in 2008 via their newly formed label Join Us, after leaving Atlantic. On the 27th August 2008, it was announced that the band had licensed their new record to Victory Records for the U.S. and Canadian releases. The album was released via the label on October 28, 2008. It was also released via Roadrunner Records in the rest of the world, apart from the UK, where it was released through the band's own label, Join Us.
On September 4, 2008, it was announced via a MySpace blog post that Gareth Davies had left the band, to be replaced by Gavin Burrough (Hondo Maclean, Ghostlines, The Future). "As some of you may know, Gareth has been living in America for the past couple of years, and recently got married. Ultimately, the strain of travelling between continents has taken it's toll and Gareth made the decision that it would be in the best interests of himself, his family and Funeral to leave the band. We totally respect and understand his choice, wish him all the best in his future and we thank him for being part of our lives for the past 6 years."
On June 24, 2009 it was revealed in Kerrang! magazine that the band were to release a greatest hits album, entitled Your History Is Mine: 2002-2009, on September 28, 2009. The compilation is to also contain four brand new tracks, which will be the first new material released by the band since the arrival of Burrough.
On April 26, 2010, Funeral for a Friend wrote on their forum about their lineup change, paying homage to the departure of their friend Darran Smith, but also announcing the new member. Gavin Burrough changed instrument from bass to guitar, taking over Darran's place as guitarist, and Richard Boucher became the new bassist of Funeral for a Friend.
On May 3, 2010 the band announced that they will be releasing a special new EP to fans who "pledged" through website pledgemusic.com, the "pledge" options include the EP, a signed EP and even an acoustic performance by the band at a fan's residence.[12] On July 1, 2010 the band revealed that the EP will be titled "The Young and Defenseless" and also revealed the cover art. The EP was subsequently released for download on September 6, 2010 and physical release was a week later. Towards the end of October 2010 they finished a session of recording for a new album for which a name and date were yet to be announced. On 2 November, they played two new songs, confirmed to be on this album (which was announced as due for release in March 2011), called "Man Alive" and "Front Row Seats to the End of the World". Another song title was confirmed as "Spinning Over the Island."
On 10 January 2011, the band released the official video for the album's leading single "Front Row Seats to the End of the World" and announced their fifth studio album would be called Welcome Home Armageddon. On 24 January, it was announced that the album was to be released by Good Fight Music, a move that would reconnect the band with the original label team that released Seven Ways to Scream Your Name and Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation. Welcome Home Armageddon was released 14 March 2011 in Britain through Distiller Records and 15 March in the United States through Good Fight and later on distributed through Roadrunner to the rest of the world.
On 22 May 2012, Ryan Richards announced that he was leaving the band. He cited his family as the reason, saying: “I’ve always put music first in my life – but the time has come now for my family to take the top spot”. It was the band's initial intention that Richards would not be replaced instantly and that the band would only look for a touring member to play for the band. However, it was announced on that Pat Lundy would be joining the band as Richards' replacement. Lundy is the former drummer of London-based heavy metal band Rise to Remain, having left the band in January 2012. Funeral for a Friend spent all of 2012, bar their brief festival appearances writing and recording for their sixth studio album. Over the year they released several studio updates showing the band members tracking different instruments for the album.
On 4 October of that year the band confirmed the title and release date of their sixth album Conduit for a 28 January 2013 release in the United Kingdom and on 5 February 2013 through The End Records In the United States.
On 28 September 2014, Funeral for a Friend debuted the lead single from their forthcoming album Chapter and Verse, titled "You've Got a Bad Case of the Religions" on the Rock Show on BBC Radio 1. The band then announced the album's release date of January 19, 2015 as well as a UK/European Tour in support of the album.
On 14 September 2015, Funeral for a Friend announced their breakup and the 'Last Chance to Dance' final tour across Australia, Germany and the UK, which spanned from February to April 2016; they played two subsequent nights on each stop of the tour, performing Hours and Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation in their entirety (alongside other songs) on the first and second night respectively.
In August 2019, Funeral for a Friend announced two special reunion concerts, with the proceedings going to the family of a terminally ill friend of the band. The two shows were set to be on 28 and 29 October at The Globe in Cardiff and O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire in London. As well as members Matt Davies-Kreye, Kris Coombs-Roberts, Gav Burrough, and Richard Boucher, the band will be joined by former guitarist Darran Smith and drummer/screamer Ryan Richards. After the initial two dates sold out quickly, the Cardiff show was upgraded from The Globe to the Cardiff Student Union, and a second Cardiff date was added for 27 October.
On 27 January 2020, Download festival announced their upcoming performance as part of the 2020 lineup. The festival would be cancelled in April, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. In September 2021, the band were a late addition to Slam Dunk festival. In July 2020, the band announced that they would be touring the UK in April 2021 playing songs from Casually-dressed & deep in Conversation, Hours, and Tales don't tell themselves, also due to COVID-19 the tour dates were postponed, taking place in early March 2022. After the initial dates sold out, the band added two additional dates in Cardiff and London and upgraded the venues for Manchester and Glasgow, which was then followed up with four additional dates in Leeds, Bristol, and Bournemouth alongside a third London date at Shepherd's Bush Empire. Due to illness, Richard Boucher was replaced on bass for the last 4 shows by the band's guitar-tech Steve Nash.
Official site
Brazilian fansite
Drive.
Funeral for a Friend Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The taste of your mouth
Because right now, it hurts too much to be
Closer than this
And with one hard look
I can tell
That you've had enough of these useless sunsets
This could be a movie
And this could be our final act
We don't need these happy endings
This could be a movie
And this could be our final act
We don't need these happy endings
So tell your father that
That you're mine
And I'll swear we'll run away
And I'll make a plan and save
Everyone from themselves
And put them in the ground
And put them in the ground
[Chorus]
Sitting in the car
With the radio
Turned to static
Feeling quite tragic
And with one strategic blow
And you find yourself
Back in the hold
That you used to sit so comfortably in
Sitting in the car
With the radio
Turned to static
Feeling quite tragic
And with one strategic blow
And you find yourself
Back in the hold
You used to sit so comfortably in
[Chorus]
Sitting in the car
With the radio
Turned to static
Feeling quite tragic
And with one strategic blow
And you find yourself
Back in the hold
That you used to sit so comfortably in
Sitting in the car
With the radio
Turned to static
Feeling quite tragic
And with one strategic blow
And you find yourself
Back in the hold
That you used to sit so comfortably, comfortably in
The song "Drive" by Funeral for a Friend is a melancholic and introspective piece that touches on the themes of heartbreak, disillusionment, and the drive to escape from the problems of reality. The first verse sets a hauntingly emotional tone with the lyrics "And I wish it was sweeter, the taste of your mouth. Because right now it hurts too much to be closer than this." The singer of the song seems to be struggling emotionally and physically with the idea of being near the one they love due to the pain that comes with it. There is a sense of reluctance and resignation that permeates through the song.
The chorus of the song suggests that the singer is looking for a way to escape from their problems and is willing to go to extremes to achieve it. "This could be a movie, and this could be our final act. We don't need these happy endings." This line suggests that the singer is viewing their life as a movie and they are willing to accept the possibility of a tragic ending. The second verse continues with the imagery of being stuck in a car with the radio on static, "feeling quite tragic", and the sense of being trapped in the same familiar routine.
Overall, "Drive" is a poignant and thought-provoking song that captures the feelings of sadness and hopelessness that come with heartbreak and the desire to escape. The song's verses are filled with vivid imagery, and its chorus is filled with existential themes that are magnified by its haunting melody.
Line by Line Meaning
And I wish it was sweeter
I wish things were better in our relationship
The taste of your mouth
The connection we have
Because right now, it hurts too much to be
Our pain is too intense to deal with at the moment
Closer than this
We cannot get any closer than we are
And with one hard look
I can see that you are unhappy
I can tell
I can see it in your eyes
That you've had enough of these useless sunsets
You are tired of pretending everything is okay and are ready to face reality
This could be a movie
Our situation is dramatic and intense
And this could be our final act
Our relationship may be coming to an end
We don't need these happy endings
We do not have to end things perfectly
So tell your father that
We need to make a decision about our relationship
That you're mine
We belong to each other
And I'll swear we'll run away
We will escape our current situation
And I'll make a plan and save
I will come up with a solution to our problems
Everyone from themselves
We will move past our individual issues
And put them in the ground
We will bury our problems
Sitting in the car
Being together, but not really connecting
With the radio
Trying to fill the silence
Turned to static
The music is not bringing us together
Feeling quite tragic
The situation is sad and unhappy
And with one strategic blow
One event changes everything
And you find yourself
You realize you are back where you started
Back in the hold
Back in the familiar, but unfulfilling lifestyle
That you used to sit so comfortably in
Where you were before but where you no longer belong
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Peermusic Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Walt Disney Music Company, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MATTHEW JAMES GUTTERIDGE, DANIEL GEORGE HAYES, ADAM THOMAS MASON, STEPHEN JOHN EVANS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Breathingspace
I listened to this album 5hrs straight every day for 6 months. I was 22 back then, straightened hair, very popular with girls but too shy to approach them and very complacent in what I felt 'my misery' back then. Deep within I knew I was identifying with my sadness and thought I would laugh at it later on if I hadn't killed myself.
32 now and the straightened hair has made way for a retreating front line, I'm working very long hours for a Japanese corporation, I don't think of myself as beautiful anymore, have never had a girlfriend, not because I'm still shy but because I fear to corrupt them. The only thing that gives me hope is meditation and the idea to destroy my ego.
To my surprise, I still like this song a lot. But now, I don't feel like it's writen for me, an embittered young and lonely man making waves in a corporate soul-killing environment.
Miga Dametto
Came here looking for a comment to see myself in but was surprised how clear the reflection was. Straightened hair, feeling complacent in misery, unconfident but popular with girls and propped up by a feeling of 'beauty' - gone in a decade with the time and a receeding hairline. Difference is that a few years ago I got whacked by a debilitating illness which landed me in bed with a 6% chance of recovery. I think a lot about the opportunities I missed and how my tendency to lean towards sadness stole so many good experiences from me. You didn't ask for advice but: what you have can be taken from you by karoshi, stroke or random illness in a second. You're clearly intelligent and have a good soul, J work culture is notoriously unforgiving, please employ your strengths/skills elsewhere. Take the plunge and either shave your head+start lifting or get FUE (this is more affordable and natural than ever these days). Anyone can corrupt anyone but let go of pre-emptive guilt if you can regarding relationships. Don't be left with the same regrets I have. We're the same age and I only realised how much time I had left when it was gone. Strangely things have begun to work out in other ways for me, from the confines of bed I've been able to make some music-related dreams come true. It's never too late for anything, and not too late for you to move from complacency. Good luck and you're not alone
Funny and Smart Animals
You are a beautiful man, and you deserve all the best, keep that in mind! :)
ShadowzZ91
This breaks my heart every time I listen to it. Always has done since I was a teenager.
Juan Mancera
Your comment makes me sad every time i read it.
Josue Rios
Amo esta canción, de mis favoritas! 😌 Ya perdi la cuenta de cuantas veces la he escuchado!
Desolate Soul
Woke up with this song in my head this morning. It hits home right about now. :(
Kitten Blossom 2
Incredible song!!
Drive - Funeral for a friend.
Matheus Rocha
Muito boa. Thanks for the upload
Charlene Johnson
Great band, this song is good for the soul and