MATT “BURNS” POULOS - Bass
S… Read Full Bio ↴JASON LANCASTER - Vocals, Guitars, Piano
MATT “BURNS” POULOS - Bass
STEVEN KOPACZ - Drums
ALEX REED - Guitar
It’s a truly rare occasion when a debut by a band is met with the kind of feverish fan anticipation that has encircled LUCKY STREET, the full-length debut by Tallahassee, Florida melodic rockers GO RADIO. But then again, none of those other groups have JASON LANCASTER at the helm.
The GO RADIO singer/songwriter, who’s been crafting unflinchingly honest, breathtakingly beautiful music since venturing out on his own in 2007, boasts arguably the most goosebump-inducing combination of raw vocal talent and songwriting prowess in rock today. Backed by a gifted band with two stellar EPs under their belts, LANCASTER and GO RADIO are only just beginning to explore the seemingly endless potential for their mind-blowing creations.
The band--which also includes bassist MATT “BURNS” POULOS, drummer STEVEN KOPACZ and guitarist ALEX REED--immediately turned heads with the release of their self-released EP Welcome To Life in 2008, which bowled over listeners with its poignant, heartfelt lyrics and irresistible melodies. Attracting the attention of Fearless Records, the band inked a deal with the label, releasing the band’s second EP, Do Overs And Second Chances, in 2010. The EP, which featured the stunning ballad “Goodnight Moon,” landed at #8 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart, going on to sell more than 15,000 copies in the U.S. In that span the group has toured extensively, heading out on high-profile runs with A Day To Remember, Secondhand Serenade and the Fearless Friends Tour with Mayday Parade among others. Despite the early success, 2011 promises to be the band’s most pivotal moment to date.
Tapping the legendary Tim O’Heir (The All-American Rejects, Hot Rod Circuit, The Starting Line, Say Anything) to man the console for LUCKY STREET, the 13 tracks showcases the producer’s knack for crafting inherently addicting ear candy. The production, and the awe-inspiring musicianship underpinning the songs, serves as an unmatched springboard for LANCASTER’s impassioned writing.
Mortality is not an unknown theme in GO RADIO’s music--the passing of LANCASTER’s father in August 2007 has inspired some of his most heart-rending compositions. But on LUCKY STREET the songwriter expands his scope on the subject with brilliant results, as on “Singing With The King,” which even goes on in its second verse to compile an “all-star band” in heaven complete with friends, family and long-lost legends Elvis, Johnny Cash, Keith Moon and Freddie Mercury.
Fans will also recognize a re-recorded version of “Forever My Father,” the tearful ballad that closed the Welcome To Life EP. Originally penned and recorded along with LANCASTER’s siblings Erin and Daniel shortly after their father’s passing, it’s one of the most personal, emotionally vulnerable works ever recorded in popular music.
Inspired by the moment and desiring to leave a copy of the song with his father before his burial, LANCASTER enlisted a friend with a recording studio to help track the composition immediately, resulting in the stirring performance heard on Welcome To Life. Approaching the song again for LUCKY STREET, LANCASTER says GO RADIO attempted to focus on the heart of the composition, instead of bogging the meaning down in heavy production gloss and arrangements.
Known for their kinetic live performances and intimate interaction with fans, a packed slate of touring in support of LUCKY STREET--including a full run on the 2011 Vans Warped Tour and an opening spot on the "On Your Side" tour with A Rocket To The Moon, Anarbor, Valencia, and RunnerRunner -- is the other crucial ingredient in bringing such vital art to the masses. GO RADIO aim to recruit a bonafide army of listeners, from multiple genres, as diverse as the band’s inimitable sound.
GO RADIO’s new album LUCKY STREET is out now on Fearless Records.
Kill The Beast
Go Radio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And built your wounds to cover spite
So I can't be the man that martyrs you tonight
'Cause we're all paying heavy costs
So leave your speeches with your soapbox
We might be patient but we're still lost
Spitting blood and bleeding all of us
Just look what you've become
And if I could leave this place a memory locked up with my darkest secrets
I'd be alright it's what we need but especially me
So cover sins with rhythms beating tell the ones who once retreated
We killed the beast, we're all home free
If home is where they wanna be
Count this emotion as a scar
Just a healed but dark reminder
A long and steady marker of the holes you dug in me
And if I could leave this place a memory locked up with my darkest secrets
I'd be alright it's what we need but especially me
So cover sins with rhythms beating tell the ones who once retreated
We killed the beast, we're all home free
If home is where they wanna be
If home is where they wanna be
So cover sins with rhythms beating tell the ones who once retreated
We killed the beast, we killed the beast
And if I could leave this place a memory locked up with my darkest secrets
I'd be alright it's what we need but especially me
So cover sins with rhythms beating tell the ones who once retreated
We killed the beast, we're all home free
If home is where they wanna be
But is home where we wanna to be
In the lyrics of the Go Radio song "Kill The Beast", the singer is addressing someone who has put themselves up on a pedestal, essentially portraying themselves as a martyr. The person has built their wounds up to cover up their spite, making it impossible for the singer to take on the role of the martyr. The singer suggests that everyone is paying heavily through this sort of behavior. The person is asked to put away their speeches and soap-boxes and realize that whoever they have become is not good. There is a call to answer to those who are found and hopeless.
The singer then talks about the importance of leaving the past behind and not carrying past baggage with us. They seem to want to remember the past as a locked up memory with their darkest secrets. There is a strong suggestion that this is what they all need, but especially the singer. The mention of the beast that they have killed suggests that they have overcome a severe obstacle. There is a feeling of freedom that comes with killing the beast, and going home is what they all want. The mention of covering up sins with the rhythm of beating suggests that the singer and the others have a way of dealing with their past sins and moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
And you put yourself onto the cross
You made yourself a martyr, sacrificing your own well-being for others.
And built your wounds to cover spite
You use your pain to justify your anger and resentment towards others.
So I can't be the man that martyrs you tonight
I can't let you drag me down with you by making me feel guilty for your pain.
'Cause we're all paying heavy costs
All of us are struggling and suffering in our own ways.
So leave your speeches with your soapbox
Stop preaching to us from your pedestal and start listening to our struggles.
We might be patient but we're still lost
We're all trying to be understanding, but that doesn't mean we have all the answers.
Spitting blood and bleeding all of us
We're hurting each other with our words and actions.
Just look what you've become
Take a good look at yourself and the negative impact you're having on others.
Will you answer now to the found and to the hopeless
Will you start taking responsibility for your actions and help those who are struggling?
Count this emotion as a scar
This feeling is a reminder of the pain and hurt that's been inflicted.
Just a healed but dark reminder
We may have moved on, but the memory still lingers.
A long and steady marker of the holes you dug in me
These scars are a testament to the emotional wounds you've caused me.
If home is where they wanna be
If people find comfort and safety in their current situation.
But is home where we wanna to be
But is it really where we truly belong and feel happy?
So cover sins with rhythms beating tell the ones who once retreated
Let music serve as a way to express our struggles and reach out to those who feel alone.
We killed the beast, we're all home free
We've overcome our demons and found freedom in overcoming our struggles together.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: MATTHEW POULOS, ALEXANDER REED, JASON ALAN LANCASTER, STEVEN KOPACZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind