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."
What Happened To Us
Hoobastank Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I found somebody who understands me
Someone who would help me to get through
And fill and emptiness I had inside me
But you kept inside and I just denied some things that we should have both said
I knew it was too good to be true
Cause I'm the only one who understands me
What happened to us? We used to be so perfect, now we're lost and lonely
What happened to us? and deep inside I wonder, did I lose my only?
Remember they thought we were too young
To really know what it takes to make it
But we had survived off what we had done
And we could show them all that they're mistaken
But who could have known, the lies that would grow, until we could see right through them
Remember they knew we were too young
We still don't know what it takes to make it
We could have made it work, we could have found a way
We should have done our best to see another day
But we kept it all inside until it was too late
And now we're both alone, the consequence we pay
For throwing it all away, for throwing it all away
In "What happened to us" by Hoobastank, the singer reflects on a past relationship that has fallen apart. He had thought that he had found someone who understood him and who would help him fill an emptiness inside him. However, there were things left unsaid between them, and eventually, the relationship fell apart. The chorus reflects the singer's frustration as he wonders what went wrong and whether he has lost his only chance at love. The second verse suggests that, perhaps, they were too young to know what it takes to make a relationship work, but they were confident they would prove naysayers wrong. However, as time went on, they could see that a web of lies had grown between them, and it was too late to save the relationship.
The lyrics are deeply emotional and relatable for those who have gone through a breakup. The song captures the feelings of regret, confusion, and longing for what was lost. Through the lyrics, we can sense the pain and ultimately the consequences of not communicating and being vulnerable with the person you love. The song encourages reflection on past relationships to learn from mistakes and take a better approach in future relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
I thought it was too good to be true
I had doubts that things between us would eventually not turn out good
I found somebody who understands me
I met someone who could relate to me and see things from my perspective
Someone who would help me to get through
This person offered support and encouragement when times get tough
And fill and emptiness I had inside me
This person made me feel complete and filled the void I had been feeling
But you kept inside and I just denied some things that we should have both said
We failed to communicate our thoughts and emotions properly and it led to misunderstandings
I knew it was too good to be true
I had a gut feeling that our relationship wasn't meant to last
Cause I'm the only one who understands me
I realized that I am the only one who truly knows and understands myself
What happened to us? We used to be so perfect, now we're lost and lonely
I'm wondering how our relationship fell apart and left us feeling alone and disconnected
and deep inside I wonder, did I lose my only?
I question if I lost the one person who truly understood me and made me feel complete
Remember they thought we were too young
People doubted our ability to maintain a mature and committed relationship at a young age
To really know what it takes to make it
They thought we lacked the experience and knowledge required to make our relationship work
But we had survived off what we had done
Despite the doubts, we had managed to stay together and make things work to some extent
And we could show them all that they're mistaken
We wanted to prove to those who doubted us that we could make our relationship work
But who could have known, the lies that would grow, until we could see right through them
Eventually, we realized that there were underlying issues and lies that had been growing without our knowledge
We still don't know what it takes to make it
We may have made it work for a while, but we still lacked the knowledge and experience necessary to maintain a healthy relationship
We could have made it work, we could have found a way
Looking back, we realize that there were ways we could have saved our relationship
We should have done our best to see another day
We regret not putting in more effort to work through our problems and save our relationship
But we kept it all inside until it was too late
We failed to communicate with each other and work through our problems until it was too late
And now we're both alone, the consequence we pay
The result of our failed relationship is that we are both alone
For throwing it all away, for throwing it all away
We acknowledge that we were responsible for throwing away a relationship that could have worked if we had put in more effort
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRIS HESSE, CHRIS LIGHT HESSE, DANIEL ESTRIN, DANIEL B. ESTRIN, DOUGLAS ROBB, DOUGLAS SEAN ROBB, MARKKU LAPPALAINEN, MARKKU J. LAPPALAINEN
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