HWM recorded an album with their good friends and mentors Leatherface for the first volume of the BYO split series. They also recorded with Alkaline Trio for a split LP on Jade Tree shortly thereafter.
In 2001, Hot Water Music signed with Epitaph Records and released the record A Flight and A Crash, and went on to release two more records with Epitaph, Caution and The New What Next.
In addition to their full length albums and the two aforementioned split releases, Hot Water Music have also released 5 other EPs and split albums: Push for Coin (1995 - demo tape), Eating the Filler (1995- Toybox Records), Hot Water Music vs. Discount (New American Dreams) and Colors, Words, and Dreams (2002 - split with The Casket Lottery, Second Nature Recordings).
In 2005 the band took a hiatus as vocalist Chuck Ragan wanted to spend more time with his family. Soon after, the rest of the band formed The Draft, and released their debut record, In A Million Pieces, September 12, 2006 on Epitaph Records, along with various 7" vinyl records on No Idea. Ragan has opted for a solo-acoustic act with No Idea records, releasing a monthly vinyl to prelude a full studio album, as well as two live discs. As for Hot Water Music, No Idea is getting ready to release a b-sides disc later this year.
Members of Hot Water Music have been in various side projects, including Crows/artist], Rumbleseat and Blacktop Cadence
On October 22, 2007, music website Punknews.org reported that a reunion of the band is currently in the works.
The band kicked off their reunion tour with a "secret show" at Common Grounds in their hometown of Gainesville, Florida on January 18, 2008 to be followed by shows in Orlando, Florida, Sayerville, New Jersey and two sold out shows in Chicago, Illinois.
After that, they played at the Groezrock festival in Meerhout, Belgium in May 2008.
During 2009 Hot Water Music played a bunch of concerts in the U.S. plus a short German tour in November.
Since 2010, the band has continued to tour, write and record new music including 2012's album Exister and 2017's Light It Up. In November 2017 Chris Wollard announced that he was taking a break from the band to focus on his health. The band continued to play previously booked shows with The Flatliners' Chris Cresswell and Chris DeMakes of Less Than Jake filling in for Wollard at several dates.
As of their 2019 25th anniversary tour, Cresswell was still filling in for Wollard on guitar and vocals. Cresswell also played guitar and backing vocals on their 2019 Shake Up The Shadows EP.
Russian Roulette
Hot Water Music Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lyrics of Hot Water Music's song "Russian Roulette" paint a picture of a person who is living their life like a game of Russian roulette. Every move they make is risky, and they are always on edge, waiting for something to go wrong. They try to distract themselves from the pain and the sickness that they feel inside by indulging in special things that provide temporary relief. But in the end, nothing seems to last, and the darkness always strikes when they least expect it. The delicate balance that they have created in their life is unable to survive the turbulence that is constantly threatening to destroy them.
As the song progresses, we see the singer realizing that something is fundamentally wrong inside of them. They try to escape from everything that they have created, but they know that they cannot outrun the darkness that is inside of them. The self-destruction that they have been courting all along finally catches up with them, and they go down in flames, leaving nothing but a tail of destruction in their wake. In this moment, though, the simplicity of life becomes beautiful. Even as they are blinded by the cold wind of their own destruction, they recognize that there is beauty in the simple things that they were unable to see before.
Overall, "Russian Roulette" is a powerful song that speaks to the destructive tendencies that lie within all of us. It is a warning against living your life on the edge, always pushing the limits, and taking risky actions that are sure to lead to self-destruction.
Line by Line Meaning
(She lives like russian roulette. Barrel up to the head. Where every sweet young move is belonging to a sickness.)
She lives recklessly, taking chances with her life like playing a game of Russian Roulette with a gun barrel pointed at her head. She indulges in things that may bring temporary pleasure but ultimately lead to self-destruction.
Now enter special things to detour all the pain, like a brand new, solid mess.
To cope with the pain and suffering, she turns to substances or other distractions to numb the pain, like using drugs or alcohol to escape reality.
But nothing seems to last... It strikes when you've thought you won. It's self destruction. It strikes when you've thought you won.
Even though temporary distractions may provide relief, the destructive cycle will inevitably return, causing her to spiral even further. Winning a temporary reprieve leads to an ultimate downfall.
And the delicate balance won't survive the turbulence. Now, enter the escape from everything you've made.
A delicate balance between temporary relief and long-term avoidance of problems can't withstand the turmoil of life. She must escape the life she has made for herself to find a way out of the cycle of pain and self-destruction.
Cause something wrong inside won't let you live your life. It strikes when you've thought you won. It's self destruction. It strikes when you've thought you won.
There is something within her that won't allow her to live a fulfilling life. The cycle of self-destruction will continue to strike, even when it seems like things are going well.
And down you will go, with a tail of flames stretched out behind you. The cold wind will blind you. And in all that you can't see.
The inevitable downfall will be destructive and catastrophic, leaving a trail of destruction behind. The aftermath will be painful and disorienting, with nothing clear in sight.
The simplicity is beautiful.
Despite the chaos and turmoil, simplicity is still present, and it has its own beauty to offer amidst the chaos.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: EDWIN COLE MC CAIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jason Tracey
best fuckin split ever.. the simplicity, its beautiful
FTWorWTF
I always really loved that semi-acoustic intro. Dunno why.
Stevie Stevie
Can't stop listening to this song haha 😂
Greasy Magruff
love it <3
crispytg
godamnit. I really thought this was an alkaline trio song. My brother had this song on an old mp3 player and track read alkaline trio- Russian roulette and all this time it was because the track was on a split cd. I can't believe that after all this time!
Joel00123
Favourite song off this split. Even the AT tracks they covered sounded better.