Gatsbys began with the disbanding of two bands called One Point Two and Good For Nothing. Bobby Darling was a guitarist for One Point Two and met up with Nic Newsham and Ryan Van Wieringen who were the lead singer and guitarist from Good For Nothing. The completion of Gatsbys didn't come until they recruited Kirk Huffman (formerly of K Through Six) to play bass and Dustin McGhye as their drummer, to make them a five piece band.
When Kaylan Cloyd from the band Acceptance got his hands on a Gatsbys demo, he handed it off to record label Rocketstar Recordings owner Darrick Bourgeois. Shortly after this, they were signed by the local record label and worked with producer Aaron Sprinkle to record their 2002 debut album Why We Fight. Their first show after being signed drew in a crowd of 500+, which was largely due in part to the extensive promoting by Rocketstar.
After Why We Fight came out, the band regrouped dropping drummer McGhye and picked up the Waxwing and Bugs in Amber drummer Rudy Gajadhar. Then in 2003, the band released their second album titled Ribbons & Sugar. Ribbons & Sugar was a concept album loosely based around George Orwell's fable Animal Farm. It became apparent to critics and fans alike after this release of Ribbons & Sugar that literary references in their lyrics were a thing to be expected. It also found them exploring ambitious experimental pop, opting for strange time signatures and tempo changes.
Gatsbys signed a two record deal with Rocketstar, and with Ribbons & Sugar being their second album, their Rocketstar contract ended and both parties decided that neither wanted to renew the contract, and both decided to go their separate ways.
Following its release, the band started to field numerous offers from other, bigger record labels. Slightly embittered by the receiving, the band signed a one-record deal with Chicago-based LLR Records (formerly Little League Records) in 2004. Their contractual record, the more mellow and subdued In the Land of Lost Monsters EP, was in part a response to the post-Ribbons record label attention the band received. Just about all of the labels that approached them thought they were excellent musicians, but wanted the band to write choruses for the next record, a normal songwriting technique the band had up to that point, seemed to avoid. Gatsbys, feeling uncomfortable about forgoing their integrity in order to get a record contract, continued writing music that they liked and in the way they wanted to write it. Doing so simply brought them more acclaim as a progressive rock band.
Several months after the EP's release, the band settled on Fearless Records, home of such acts as the now-defunct post-hardcore/indie rock legends At The Drive-In. With their 2005 album Volcano, it became clear that, as a band, the group had progressed to further musical heights, and was highly capable of writing music that is different from other bands that are usually clumped into the same category as Gatsbys.
Volcano having its central theme revolving around, what else but a volcano (particularly Pompeii, which becomes clear after seeing the title of the second song on the album) had yet once again literary references through out it, ranging from Pee Wee's Big Adventure, to Lord of the Flies, Lord of the Rings, Jurassic Park, Enders Game, and Speaker for the Dead.
During the touring that followed the release of Volcano, Gatsby's added a new member, Kyle O'Quin who is also a member of the band Surrounded By Lions.
During the tour that followed the release of Volcano, Gatsbys added Kyle O'Quin (also a member of the band Surrounded By Lions). A few months after O'Quin was added to the band, Ryan Van Wieringen met up with the band in Arizona while they were on tour there and rejoined the line up. Since then, he has been touring and performing live as part of the band.
Van Wieringen did not, however, participate in writing any guitar parts for their self-titled fourth full-length album, released August 8th, 2006. The album bears all the hallmarks of a Gatsbys record: an album of musical experimentation in a pop context, peppered with numerous pop culture and literary references, which appear in both the lyrics and song titles, ranging from works by Philip K. Dick to the television show Lost. The album is, however, noticeably bitter towards the music industry, even compared to previous Gatsbys releases, scalding both current "trend" bands and greedy record labels.
The band has been relatively inactive since the release of the self-titled album. The band has played a handful of shows in and around the Seattle area, and on April 27, 2007, they played their first out-of-state show since the self-titled album's release at Colgate University. In a forum post at Gatsbys fansite Snicker At The Swine, Bobby stated the following on the band's decision to ever go on tour again or write another album:
“ If i find I have more to say with Gatsbys I will write more music. We're not gonna just play to play. The only way I'll do more Gatsbys is if we are making new music. Which I am totally open to. I really have been working on new Gatsbys music. I'll probably lay down some demo shit the next time I'm at Casey's.”
During the hiatus, most of the members have started side projects.
Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground.
Wild Orchid Children.
Redredblue.
Keith Ledger.
Search/Rescue.
Zero Cool.
Rudy also played all of the drum parts for Forgive Durden's release "Razia's Shadow".
A Manifesto of Tangible Wealth
Gatsby's American Dream Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
a mundane pace offers no struggle
denny holds tight
chrome death kiss on a platter
he enters like raid to a hive
what/who do you want to be
or would you rather die here tonight
this is just an empty, sickening mural of cubicles and apparel
a stethoscope can hear the faint ticks of a nine to five
have you ever seen a life much sadder
but still you climb
The lyrics of Gatsby's American Dream's song A Manifesto of Tangible Wealth seem to describe the monotony and emptiness of working a corporate job, as well as the illusion of luxury and success that comes with it. The opening lines "Eloise sits, this privileged corpse" paint a picture of a woman who is financially comfortable, but perhaps dead inside due to the lack of any real challenges in her life. The line "chrome death kiss on a platter" suggests that Denny is offering something dangerous and potentially deadly, but still enticing to Eloise.
The chorus of the song asks a pointed question: "What/who do you want to be, or would you rather die here tonight?" This line highlights the existential crisis that can come with working a job that doesn't align with one's values or desires. The line "draw business with syringes" suggests that success in this world comes from injecting oneself with the right chemicals or playing a game that is ultimately harmful to oneself. The final line "but still you climb" suggests that despite the bleakness depicted in the rest of the song, the singer is still motivated to try and succeed in this world.
Line by Line Meaning
eloise sits, this privileged corpse
Eloise is sitting there but not actively participating in the pursuit of the American Dream. She has a privileged life but is still lifeless.
a mundane pace offers no struggle
The ease of life doesn't offer any opportunity to push oneself to achieve more.
denny holds tight
Denny is determined and holds onto his ambition.
chrome death kiss on a platter
The pursuit of material wealth can lead to a destruction of oneself, but it is still being offered, like a deathly temptation.
he enters like raid to a hive
Denny is determined and enters the competition with aggression, like a pesticide entering a bee colony.
what/who do you want to be
This is a question posed to the listener about their personal goals and aspirations.
or would you rather die here tonight
The alternative to pursuing the American Dream is to give up and die without having accomplished anything.
this is just an empty, sickening mural of cubicles and apparel
The working world is bleak and lacking in meaningful substance, with people just going through the motions and working to buy things they don't really need.
draw business with syringes
Business practices can be seen as poisonous and addictive, luring people in like a drug.
a stethoscope can hear the faint ticks of a nine to five
The monotonous workday is like a constant heartbeat that is barely noticeable.
have you ever seen a life much sadder
Referring to the lives of those who have not achieved the American Dream, the question is asked if anyone has seen a more depressing existence.
but still you climb
Despite the bleak reality, the desire for success and wealth drives people forward to continue their pursuit of the American Dream.
Contributed by Elijah L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.