Post-hardcore band Gray Matter formed in the summer 1983 from the ashes of … Read Full Bio ↴Post-hardcore band Gray Matter formed in the summer 1983 from the ashes of several Washington, D.C., area punk bands, Gray Matter's mix of melody and punk power helped key the 1984-1985 punk resurgence in the nation's capital. Consisting of guitarist Mark Haggerty and drummer Dante Ferrando (both of controversial first wave Dischord band Iron Cross), guitarist and singer Jeff Turner (founder of WGNS cassette label and studio), and bassist Steve Niles, Gray Matter was inspired by British punk bands. The band rehearsed but rarely played out, and it wasn't until the summer of 1984 that they played their first important public gigs, finding alliance with bands like Rites of Spring and Beefeater. The group made their first recordings in November of 1984, going into Dischord's "house" studio, Inner Ear, with Minor Threat's Ian Mackaye assisting with production. The recordings, which revealed the influence of early-D.C. punk ("Gray Matter," "Caffeine Blues"), also warned about the dangers of punk nostalgia ("Retrospect") and featured a surprising cover of the Beatles' "I Am the Walrus" was the first hint of the band's strong pop streak. The record was issued by a small local label, then reissued by Dischord in 1990. The group hit their stride on the August 1985 recordings that became the Take It Back EP. Crashing power chords mixed with pop melodies and rushing rhythms on "Chutes and Ladders" and the title cut, and the record stands as a landmark of the mid-'80s Dischord style. The record was cut during what came to be known as "Revolution Summer" in D.C., a period of punk solidarity that helped turn attentions away from personal concerns to political and social ones, paving the way for latter day heroes like Fugazi. Jon Kirschten replaced Haggerty in the fall of 1985, but the band had nearly run its' course, breaking up in the spring of the following year. Turner and Niles reunited with Haggerty in Three, which included former Minor Threat drummer (and Dischord co-founder) Jeff Nelson while Ferrando went on to play with Ignition. Turner also played with Senator Flux. The band reunited in late 1990, touring and recording Thog, a fine disc that showed the group's grasp of pop punk sensibilities but lacked their former power. They called it quits for good in 1993.

Retrospect
Gray Matter Lyrics

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Seeing things in retrospect
Is something I can never do cause
Images grow dark with age
And make me wish for something new
I can't believe I've been up all night
Thinking nothings wrong but knowing nothings right
Seeing things in retrospect
Is seeing things that never could last

Am I growing up or am I losing touch
With the past as the
Caffeine and nicotine
Are burning out my insides

Are these nasty habits
Or are these just tools to survive

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Gray Matter's song Retrospect are a reflection on the inevitable changes that come with age and how memories can become distorted over time. The singer notes that "images grow dark with age" and therefore looking back on the past is difficult. There is a sense of longing for something new, perhaps a desire for a fresh start. The singer also feels conflicted about their current state, unable to fully grasp if they are maturing or becoming disconnected from their past.

The references to caffeine and nicotine suggest a reliance on unhealthy coping mechanisms to get through difficult times. The lyrics raise the question of whether these habits are a crutch or a form of self-preservation. The song speaks to the universal human experience of grappling with our own mortality and the passing of time.

Line by Line Meaning

Seeing things in retrospect
Reflecting on past events

Is something I can never do cause
I am unable to clearly recall past memories

Images grow dark with age
Memories become distorted and unclear over time

And make me wish for something new
Desiring a fresh, new experience

I can't believe I've been up all night
Surprised at the amount of time spent awake

Thinking nothings wrong but knowing nothings right
Feeling unsure or uncertain about current life circumstances

Seeing things in retrospect
Reflecting on past events

Is seeing things that never could last
Realizing that past memories are unattainable and can never be relived

Am I growing up or am I losing touch
Uncertainty about personal growth and connection to the past

With the past as the
Considering past experiences

Caffeine and nicotine
Substances used to stay awake and cope with stress