Vocalist Doug Robb met with guitarist Dan Estrin in a high school battle of the bands competition and decided to form a band. They recruited Markku Lappalainen and Chris Hesse to form Hoobastank. In an interview with Yahoo's Launch, Doug Robb said the name had no particular meaning. "You're going to ask me what it means. It doesn't mean anything. And it's really cool, it's one of those old high school inside-joke words that didn't really mean anything." Rob Bourdon of Linkin Park attended the same high school as the members of Hoobastank.
Hoobastank started playing gigs in their local area and, with their unique saxophone section headed by Jeremy Wasser, recorded a self-released album called They Sure Don't Make Basketball Shorts Like They Used To in 1998. By this stage, they had developed a strong reputation in Southern California. This attracted interest from Island Records who signed the band in 2000. The bands reputation grew further on tours with the similar sounding band Incubus who come from the same area of Los Angeles and Alien Ant Farm.
Hoobastank released their self-titled debut in November 2001. The first single was Crawling in the Dark which was a breakthrough hit reaching #68 on the Billboard Hot 100, #3 on the modern rock chart, #8 on the mainstream rock chart and #1 on an MP3.com download chart in early 2002. The second single Running Away was even more successful reaching #44 on the Billboard Hot 100, #2 on the modern rock chart, #9 on the mainstream rock chart and #3 on the MP3.com download chart. The Hoobastank album went platinum on the back of these hits and reached #25 on the Billboard 200 album charts and #1 on the Billboard Heatseeker chart. The album also achieved recognition internationally with the album touring in Europe and Asia in support of the record. Remember Me, the third single, was a moderate hit reaching #23 on the modern rock charts and #9 on the mainstream rock charts.
The band entered the studio in 2003 with producer Howard Benson who has produced records by P.O.D., Cold and The Crystal Method. However, recording was disrupted for a month when Dan Estrin was seriously injured in a freak minibike accident in August. Estrin had recovered by October and the band headed off on a Nokia Unwired Tour with The All-American Rejects and Ozomatli in November.
Their second album The Reason was released in December 2003. The first single Out of Control was made available for download on the band's website. Doug Robb says on the band's website: "A lot of it is about asking questions or questioning all that people see. It's not all about religion. 'Out of Control' is about that and about opening your eyes after being blinded by being devoted to anything." [2] "Out of Control" would reach #9 on the US modern rock chart, #16 on the mainstream rock chart and #16 on a composite world modern rock chart (based on the US, Germany, the UK, Sweden, Finland, Canada and Australia). The Reason initially reached a peak of #45 on the Billboard 200.
The title track was released as a single in the first half of 2004. It became a massive hit reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 (chart proof), #1 on the US and world modern rock charts, #1 on a world airplay chart in May 2004, #10 in Australia and #12 in the UK. The Reason album received a new lease of life on the US album charts reaching #3 on the Billboard 200.
Additionally, on 15 June 2009, the band played a prank on Iranian protesters and their supporters during the 2009 Iranian election protests using the popular Web 2.0 service Twitter and the shock image Goatse, featuring a naked man stretching his anus to a large size with both hands, with the inside of his rectum clearly visible. While thousands of protesters used the Twitter service to rapidly spread information on street level protests and the shocking behavior of pro-government militias and security forces, Hoobastank allegedly spread links to the image disguised as relevant news items and twittered them to thousands of their fans and followers. The punk rockers have since announced their satisfaction with the number of the political enthusiasts having viewed the image unintentionally (over 2 million, according to the site's usage statistics). As of June 2009, Twitter's verification system for celebrities has not officially validated either twitter account.
Seven Amazingly Fascinating Things About Hoobastank
1) Guitarist Dan Estrin has a great story involving brain surgery and a catheter.
In 2003, during the band's tour for its multi-platinum second album The Reason, Estrin made a fateful purchase. "Everyone in the band rides street bikes and motocross bikes," says the guitarist. "I was fucking around on a mini-bike that I just bought. I was riding one around after a show ... and I smashed my head into concrete." The result? "They had to cut my head open. I just remember, before the surgery, I had two fears: they'd have shave my head and I'd wake up with a catheter in me. So I wake up, and lo and behold, my head's shaved and there's a tube in my dick."
2) There are flutes and seven minute songs on the new album (blame Pink Floyd).
If you liked the infectious pop-rock stylings of the last two Hoobastank albums, you'll enjoy Every Man for Himself just as much, if not more. That said, Every Man does offer up some variety, even while maintaining the band's core sound. The epic "More Than a Memory", for example, features flutes, accordion, chimes and trumpets. "I was listening to a lot of Pink Floyd at the time, especially The Wall," remembers Estrin. "I like albums, and songs, that take you on a journey, that almost come across as a movie. And that song definitely does - it's like Floyd, the Beatles, and even tails off like "Sir Psycho Sexy," that old Red Hot Chili Peppers song. I just like applying lessons from bands I admire."
3) Did we mention the Journey influence?
Listen to "Moving Forward" and prepare to recognize a very familiar classic rock refrain. "We wrote that song when Doug was driving one day and heard Journey's 'Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin' on the radio," says Estrin. "We like Journey; we're not huge fans, but I really liked that 'na na na na' part of the song." He laughs. "I don't think it's stealing. We made it our own style."
4) Music critics despise them. The feeling is mutual.
"The album comes out in April. I expect we'll do some shows, meet fans, and have critics ready to tear it apart," says Robb. "Honestly, I want to go 'fuck it, it's not for you, it's for me and the guys in the band.' If we're happy with it, that's what counts. We get a lot of shit because we don't go out of our way to be 'different' ... we're just trying to be who we are. And that's actually the theme of the album - being yourself."
5) Speaking of message boards, you can find a lot of fun, weird stuff about Hoobastank on theirs... and some of it might be true.
* Dan used to be a roadie for Incubus.
* Chris worked in a plant nursery for 5 years.
* Doug and Dan used to be counselors at the YMCA.
* The name of the band? It's the "H" in Jesus H. Christ. At least, that's what Doug will tell you.
6) That's a real drill sergeant on the album. He's there for a reason.
"Born to Lead" features the barking cadence of Sgt. Dale Guy. "I wouldn't want him there all the time, but he was cool," says Robb. "The song was about people wishing and praying for things instead of doing something to accomplish their dreams. It's about getting off your ass, and I think the Sarge added a lot to the song's vibe."
7) They recorded Every Man for Himself in a really backward, inefficient, grueling kind of way.
The band started work on the album during Hooba's last mega-tour. Estrin would come up with musical ideas during sound checks, then record a demo later, hand it off to Doug for melodies and lyrics, and finally, fly home with the whole band to record the finished product during non-tour weekends. "It wasn't an ideal way of doing things," admits Robb. "But I think, strangely, it affected us in a positive way. Maybe it was the energy of being on tour, but I think the results came out far better than our previous two records."
Open Your Eyes
Hoobastank Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
but it's right in front of you
You want something better
than any other
You don't even bother
to figure what it is
that you think you deserve
You'll find it all one day
Open your eyes,
your heart will follow
Open your eyes,
see what you've been missing
Open your eyes,
and find the answer
I can't take anymore,
have you ever asked yourself,
what am I looking for?
You're indesisive
You are just another caught up in all of this
plastic glamerous world
You'll never see
who you could be
Open your eyes,
you're heart will follow
Open your eyes,
see what you've been missing
Open your eyes,
and find the answer
Your world is waiting, anticipating,
your time is fading,
if you never open your eyes
If only you could see,
that there is something you can do,
to make this better
Open your eyes,
your heart will follow
Open your eyes,
see what you've been missing
Open your eyes,
and find the answer
You're world is waiting, anticipating,
but your time is fading,
if you never open your eyes
The lyrics of "Open Your Eyes" by Hoobastank encapsulate the idea of being so caught up in the pursuit of something better and bigger that you fail to notice the things that are present right in front of you. It speaks to the restlessness and dissatisfaction of the human mind, the never-ending search for something else, something more, something different. The song speaks about how people crave for something to improve their lives, to bring meaning into their higher purpose. The lyrics convey a sense of urgency of opening one's eyes and heart to what is around you and what you have already, to not let opportunities miss by looking too far into the future.
Through the words, the singer tries to push someone to stop their aimless search and to try and appreciate what they have in front of them. The repetition of the chorus, "Open your eyes, your heart will follow," signifies that the solution to the singer's problem lies in the act of paying attention to one's surroundings, rather than letting life pass them by in search of vague ideas of self-worth and success.
Overall, "Open Your Eyes" represents the human tendency to overthink and overanalyze, leading to a lack of fulfillment and satisfaction. It encourages people to break free from what they think they want by taking a step back and realizing what they already have in life.
Line by Line Meaning
You want what you deserve
You believe you deserve something good.
but it's right in front of you
Your desired thing is very close to you.
You want something better
You want to improve your current situation.
than any other
You want the best thing that can be obtained.
You don't even bother
You are not bothered to understand or appreciate what you have.
to figure what it is
You have not yet identified what you really want.
that you think you deserve
You think you deserve more than what you have.
You'll find it all one day
You will eventually find what you are looking for.
but not this way.
The way you are doing things now will not get you what you want.
Open your eyes,
You need to see things more clearly and make sound decisions.
your heart will follow
You should trust your feelings as they guide you to what you want.
see what you've been missing
You are unaware of what you have missed due to your ignorance or neglect.
and find the answer
You need to discover a solution to your problem by looking closer.
I can't take anymore,
Enough is enough for me, I cannot tolerate the situation any longer.
have you ever asked yourself,
You need to question your actions and decisions to find the root cause.
what am I looking for?
You need to understand what you are really seeking and what's important to you.
You're indesisive
You have difficulty making firm decisions.
You are just another caught up in all of this
You are just part of the crowd, stuck in a similar situation as others.
plastic glamorous world
Your world is superficial and not genuinely satisfying.
You'll never see
You can't see your true potential.
who you could be
You need to recognize your full potential and capabilities to be the best you can.
Your world is waiting, anticipating,
The world has many opportunities waiting for you.
your time is fading,
Your time is running out to take advantage of opportunities.
if you never open your eyes
If you don't look for opportunities, you will never find them.
If only you could see,
If you could only understand or realize.
that there is something you can do,
There is always something you can do to make things better.
to make this better
To improve your situation.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind