While being in a post-hardcore band may not be extraordinarily unique, Greeley Estates pushes to the front of the pack as one of the few young bands putting the relationship with their fans above all else. Greeley Estates live shows go unparalleled. With a dynamic style reflecting numerous musical backgrounds, Greeley captures the audience and sears a lasting impression. Stripped to its core, the musical foundation reflects catchy melody and pop sensibility infinitely amplified by a hardcore edge and intense vocals.
Although Greeley Estates calls Arizona home, they are more often found navigating the pages of an atlas. In addition to performing nightly, Greeley emphasizes getting to know fans on a personal level, providing the human identity that is clearly evident in their lyrics and presence. Though Greeley Estates' journey has just begun, they've already achieved unparalleled significance among their peers. They've completed 3 national tours including every date of Vans Warped Tour 2005. They've self-released a full length album Outside of This and a full length DVD The Death of Greeley Estates - both of which have garnered a top-five spot on SmartPunk's overall sales rankings.
Celebrating their recent signing to Record Collection and the release of their second album, the EP Caveat Emptor, Greeley Estates co-headlined the MySpace Fall Tour 2005 . They returned to the studio in January 2006 to record their second full-length album and then continued touring on Taste of Chaos 2006. In a world of fabricated celebrity, people are finding honest authenticity in Greeley Estates - not only in their music and performance, but in their efforts, their character, and lives that serve as the foundation for their music.
On January 31, 2007, bassist Josh Applebach announced that he would leave Greeley Estates for a teaching career in Arizona. Bradley Murray (previously with Versus the Mirror) from Tucson, Arizona became their touring bassist. His first live appearance with the band was on February 3, 2007 in Safford, Arizona.
On June 3, 2007, guitarist Dallas Smith announced that he would be leaving the band in order to start up a family with his wife and expected twin daughters (he and his wife were to subsequently lose the pregnancy). He made this announcement via a MySpace bulletin and announced that his last show would be June 20, 2007 at the Clubhouse in Tempe, Arizona.
After their Mexican tour with Silverstein, Brad Murray left the band for personal reasons.
On September 4, 2007, Greeley Estates recorded their new album. The two new members of Greeley Estates include Alex Torres (previously with Eyes Set to Kill) and Joshua Ferguson (previously with Glory Nights)
After the band finished recording their new album Go West Young Man, Let the Evil Go East, Joshua Ferguson left to complete his apprenticeship as a hair stylist at BLACK MARKET HAIR in Calgary, Alberta, Canada; personal reasons seem to be why he left.
Greeley Estates had announced Tyler "Telle" Smith as their new bassist, who was formerly of In Fear and Faith. Telle played his first show with the band on February 9, 2008, at the Clubhouse in Tempe, Arizona.
In 2003 Greeley Estates had a track, entitled "Let the Evil Go East", on the Warped Tour 2008 compilation album.
Their latest album titled Go West Young Man, Let the Evil Go East was released May 6, 2008. For the track "Blue Morning" on their new album, Greeley Estates hired music video director Daniel Chesnut to create a high energy, intense video, to match the band's new persona.
On Friday, November 14, 2008, Greeley Estates announced that Smith, found within the course of the same year, had left the band to join The Word Alive.
A song from the fourth album, entitled "Seven Hours" along with "Jealousy Breeds Killing Sprees", which features guest vocals Craig Mabbitt from Escape the Fate, were streamed online during November 2009. Another new song from album "No Rain, No Rainbow" entitled "Friends Are Friends for Never" was also streamed online.
As of June 12, 2010, guitarist Alex Torres announced his departure from the band via MySpace. In the blog, he stated; "Im not exactly sure how to say this, but as of a month ago, I let the guys know that I would be leaving the band.. and the "Oh, Sleeper" tour would be my last tour in Greeley Estates... To clear things up early, NO there is NO bad blood, and everyone is on good terms. Greeley has been my family since 2007, and that will NOT change."
Greeley Estates has been touring around the world, headlining many of these tours with bands including Vanna, Tides of Man, A Bullet For Pretty Boy and The Crimson Armada.
Greeley Estates began work on their fifth studio album in 2010, originally expecting for an April or May release date.
When asked of the band's fifth full-length album before its release, Zimmerman told AMP Magazine, "We’re thinking of kind of combining the last two records, Go West and No Rain, to kind of bring back some singing and have a little bit of melody but still have the heavy. I’m not sure yet on the lyrical direction."
The fifth album was aimed for a summer release (which it met with an August release date), with producer Cory Spotts, who also produced the band's very first album "Outside of This" in 2004. The name of the album was revealed to be "The Death of Greeley Estates".
On June 1, 2011 the first single to the new album was released on the band's Facebook page, titled "The Last Dance". On June 7, another song from the record was leaked, titled "Friendly Neighborhood Visit" through Alternative Press.
Greeley Estates explained that the album they intend to release this fall will in fact come in two parts, each with seven songs: "The Narrow Road", on November 20, 2012, and "Devil Son", on April 9, 2013. They are releasing both albums entirely independently without a record label. They released a single, "Lot Lizards," from "The Narrow Road" on October 25. On October 30 they released another new song from "The Narrow Road" online for one day only called, "Die." On November 13, another new song from "The Narrow Road" was released entitled, "Head Underwater" which will be the first official single, and will see an upcoming music video. The music video for the song "Head Underwater" premiered on Alternative Press on February 12, 2013. The first song to appear from "Devil Son" was "Turn The Night Away" released on April 2, 2013. On April 5, 2013 the music video for the song "Marionette" premiered on YouTube.
Current members:
Ryan Zimmerman - vocals (2002–present)
Brandon Hackenson - lead guitar (2002–present)
David Ludlow - rhythm guitar (2009–present)
Kyle Koelsch - bass (2010–present)
Chris Julian - drums (2009–present)
Former members:
Dallas Smith - rhythm guitar (2002-2007)
Alex Torres - rhythm guitar (2007-2010)
Jared Wallace - bass (2002-2004)
Josh Applebach - bass (2004-2007)
Tyler "Telle" Smith - bass (2008)
Mike Coburn - drums (2002-2003)
David Hubbard - drums (2003)
Brian Champ - drums (2004-2009)
Go West Young Man
Greeley Estates Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maybe I'll be brave but just not today
Call me scared, but that's who I really am
I could be just like you
Excuse me, gentlemen
What exactly does it mean to be a man?
Excuse me, kind gentlemen
Call me sad but how would you ever know?
Maybe you'll be there, but just not today
Pretend I'm dead, so you can go on living
I could be just like you
Excuse me, gentlemen
What exactly does it mean to be a man?
Excuse me, kind gentlemen
Can you tell me what it means to be a man?
Man, man, man, man, man
I just wanna be a man
A real grown up cowboy
'Cause this is what you made me be
A straight up gunslinger
I won't be back, baby
A real grown up cowboy
'Cause this is what you made me be
A straight up gunslinger
I won't be back, baby
Yeah, you know it
I won't be back again
Yeah, you know it
I won't be back again
Yeah, you know it
I won't be back again
Yeah, you know it
I won't be back again
Excuse me, gentlemen
What exactly does it mean to be a man?
Excuse me, kind gentlemen
Can you tell me what it means to be a man?
Excuse me, excuse me
Can you tell me, can you tell me what it means to be?
Should I be just like you?
Should I be just like you?
Should I be just like you?
Should I be just like you?
Should I be just like you?
Should I be just like you?
Should I be just like you?
To be a man
The lyrics of Greeley Estates's song "Go West Young Man" deal with themes of masculinity, identity, and self-discovery. The singer acknowledges that they have weaknesses, yet they are willing to learn from others. They also question what it truly means to be a man and seek guidance from "kind gentlemen" for answers. Despite this vulnerability, there is a sense of resentment towards the expectations placed on them to become a "real grown up cowboy" or a "straight up gunslinger" which they attribute to the influence of those they have learned from.
The repeated questioning of "Excuse me, gentlemen / Can you tell me what it means to be a man?" harkens back to societal pressures placed on men to fit certain standards of masculinity. The lyrics suggest that these ideals are often forced upon individuals rather than discovered through personal experience. The singer seems to be grappling with the conflicting desires to conform and to rebel against expectations, culminating in the declaration: "I won't be back, baby."
Overall, "Go West Young Man" is a poignant reflection on the struggles of masculinity and the search for identity. The lyrics showcase a raw and emotional journey of self-discovery and defiance, while also painting an all-too-familiar picture of societal expectations placed on men.
Line by Line Meaning
Call me weak but I will learn from you
Although I may appear weak, I am willing to learn from you as a mentor or role model.
Maybe I'll be brave but just not today
While I may have the potential for bravery, I am not yet ready to exhibit it in this moment.
Call me scared, but that’s who I really am
I admit that fear is a part of me and that it affects my actions and decisions.
I could be just like you
I have the capacity to emulate or model myself after you.
Excuse me, gentlemen
What exactly does it mean to be a man?
I am seeking clarity and understanding about what qualities or traits are essential to being a man.
Call me sad but how would you ever know?
Maybe you'll be there, but just not today
I may be experiencing sadness, but I don't believe you would necessarily be aware of it. Perhaps you could be a source of comfort, but not necessarily at this moment.
Pretend I'm dead, so you can go on living
In order for others to continue on, they may need to distance themselves emotionally or psychologically from me.
A real grown-up cowboy
'Cause this is what you made me be
A straight-up gunslinger
I won't be back, baby
I have adopted or become the type of persona or image you have projected onto me, but I will not return or revert to that state.
Yeah, you know it
I won't be back again
You understand that I have made a final decision not to return or revisit my previous state or persona.
Excuse me, excuse me
Can you tell me, can you tell me what it means to be?
Should I be just like you?
I am continuing to seek clarity and understanding about what it means to be a man, and questioning whether I should model myself after you.
To be a man
I am specifically trying to define and understand the qualities and attributes that make a person a man.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALEX TORRES, BRANDON HACKENSON, BRIAN CHAMP, RYAN DONALD ZIMMERMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind