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.
Ready or Not
Go Radio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cause i know somethings that we need to know about here
And we pretend that we both got wings
And both of us sing
So we'll sing till we fly out of here
Oh maybe then we'll come back down
Ya maybe then we'll come back down
Can we believe in things we cant see
Without them we seem to disappear like we evaporate
And when we leave untraceable seams
That tear and we bleed we need a martyr that wont hesitate
Oh maybe then we'll come back down
Ya maybe then we'll come back down
And i was hoping things were better
Something we could write in letters singing
This is where we are. here and counting scars
The fight for something greater left us dead and barely breathing singing
This is where we are. cut out for shooting stars
And i miss the way we lived in our dreams
When trust had meaning
When we were young and we were proud of this
When we defined ourselves by our screams
Cause life by no means seemed to give us both the best of it
But i guess maybe we can come back down
And even maybe we can come back down
And i was hoping things were better
Something we could write in letters singing
This is where we are. here and counting scars
The fight for something greater left us dead and barely breathing singing
This is where we are. cut out for shooting stars
Ready or not, we're changing the world
We've got to be strong, we've got to hold on
Ready or not
, we're changing the world. These lyrics speak of a deep longing to return to a time when life was simpler and more innocent, when dreams were pure and trust was strong. The singers seem to be looking back on their lives and acknowledging how difficult it has been, how they've been through struggles and faced challenges. There seems to be a sense of hopelessness interwoven in these lyrics, as if the singers have lost something that they can never regain.
The lines "Can we believe in things we can't see / Without them we seem to disappear like we evaporate" are particularly poignant, speaking to the importance of faith and belief in something greater than oneself. This theme is echoed in the chorus, where the singers say that they are "changing the world" and that they "have to be strong" and "hold on" in order to make a difference.
Overall, these lyrics are a meditation on life and the human experience, on the search for meaning and purpose, and on the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
I must assume you're looking at me
I am aware of your attention because there are things that we need to address
Cause i know somethings that we need to know about here
I am aware of important facts that we must understand
And we pretend that we both got wings
We imagine ourselves as flying, free beings
And both of us sing
We sing together in harmony
So we'll sing till we fly out of here
We will continue singing until we escape this place
Oh maybe then we'll come back down
Perhaps we will eventually return to reality
Can we believe in things we cant see
Is it possible to have faith in something intangible?
Without them we seem to disappear like we evaporate
We feel as though we fade away without these beliefs
And when we leave untraceable seams
Our departures leave no evidence behind
That tear and we bleed we need a martyr that wont hesitate
We experience pain and require a sacrificial figure to assist us
And i was hoping things were better
I wished for a more favorable outcome
Something we could write in letters singing
Something we could express in song or writing
This is where we are. here and counting scars
We are in this place and taking account of our wounds
The fight for something greater left us dead and barely breathing singing
Our struggle for a higher cause brought us close to death
This is where we are. cut out for shooting stars
We are meant for great things, like shooting stars
And i miss the way we lived in our dreams
I long for the way we lived in our imagination
When trust had meaning
When we had faith in one another
When we were young and we were proud of this
When we were inexperienced and boasted about our beliefs
When we defined ourselves by our screams
When we expressed ourselves through vocal protest
Cause life by no means seemed to give us both the best of it
Life has not been kind to either of us
But i guess maybe we can come back down
Perhaps we can return to reality
Ready or not, we're changing the world
We are making an impact, whether or not we are prepared
We've got to be strong, we've got to hold on
We must exhibit resilience and perseverance
Ready or not
Whether we are ready or not, we must tackle the challenges ahead
Contributed by Amelia K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.