1. Dark Electro/Harsh EBM/Industrial arti… Read Full Bio ↴At least 2 bands by This Name
1. Dark Electro/Harsh EBM/Industrial artist named Against I which is re-directed to I Against I.
2. Punk Band
2.The story of I Against I is a classic Punk Rock tale. Born and raised in Smalltown Holland, Ronald van Maren and Jasper Blazer were bored senseless by the time they reached puberty. There were no gigs, no record stores, and they were too young (again) to go drinking in the local bar. With nothing else to do, classmates Ronald and Jasper met up every Friday after school to play along to their Iron Maiden records ( Hey, they were young, okay?). Ronald owned a beat up acoustic guitar, while Jasper thrashed away on a plastic bucket. They couldn't play, nor did they have the ambition to, who cared, no one was listening anyway. That all changed when a friend brought them a Dead Kennedys tape. Blown away by Jello's anger energy, they burned their Iron Maiden records and started collecting Punk Rock records of all sorts, from The Clash to Bad Religion, from No Means No to Down By Law, from Fugazi to the Descendents. Listening to all these great records came the notion that they could actually form a band; I against I was born. Through a mutual friend, Ronald and Jasper met up with bass player Bob, and after getting rid of the bucket and the acoustic guitar they started rehearsing. One and a half year later, they were the first band to be signed by Epitaph. So far, this is the story a lot of people are familiar with; I against I becomes the first European band to ink a deal with Epitaph and in the summer of '97 they release their first EP called "Top of the world". They play tons of shows in Holland and Belgium (on their own, and with the likes of Bad Religion, Down By Law, Pennywise and Blink 182) and by the end of the year they fly over to the infamous Blasting Room studio, owned by ALL/Descendents members Bill Stevenson and Stephen Egerton to release their debut album "Headcleaner". Again, this release is backed with more live shows, in Holland, Belgium, Germany and the USA, but it isn't until spring 1999 that the boys go on their first real European tour, as support act for ALL. A few months after this tour, their inspired titled second album "I'm A F***ed Up Dancer But My Moods Are Swinging" was released. This piece of plastic sees the band crossing the boundaries of melodic Punk more than once. Looking for a different angle, the band experimented and came up with a sound no one had expected from them: samples, drumloops, screaming vocals and clean sounding guitars. Other boundaries were crossed spring 2000 when they undertook their second tour of Europe, this time in the company of Down By Law. The band is now a four piece (introducing Robin Baard on second guitar) and played shows in Holland, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Italy, England and France. They lose a few pair of pants (don't ask!) and of course some equipment, but they gain a lot of new fans with their energetic and hard rockin' live show. It isn't until June 2002 before another release sees the light of day. I against I's contribution to the Split Competition Vol. 2 of Ammonia Records (distributed by V2 Italy) was intended as a demo only, but the label liked the five songs enough to officially release them and send the band on tour in Italy, Germany and Belgium. In a review, leading Dutch magazine "Aardschok" remarks I against I sure sound dirtier and angrier after leaving Epitaph. And now, there's a new, self-titled record just waiting to be released. Recorded in their hometown and mixed once again by Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore this is a record from a band coming into their own. Finally, I against I blended all the separate aspects of their sound into a coherent set of songs. Of course there's the strong focus on melody. Try getting ''Once again'', ''Serve and protect'' or ''Calm down'' out of your head! However, the occasional shifting into overdrive isn't forgotten either with "Nowhere else but here" and "I could be wrong for instance." The band ventures into new directions with the spine chilling "Gone" and "Defeated", which starts off almost like an Irish folk song but bursts into an orgy of loud guitars, just when you were getting comfy! The intro to hard-rocking anthem "The first element" probably describes this record best: we started on the corner, and finished on the square. Backed by the amazing mixing job done by Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore, I against I truly "finishes on the square" with this record.
Look Inside
I Against I Lyrics
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The lyrics to I Against I's song Look Inside speak to the theme of self-reflection, honesty, and the dangers of hypocrisy. The song urges listeners to take a hard look at themselves and to acknowledge that they too have flaws and failures. The lyrics highlight the necessity of embracing one’s imperfections, instead of turning a blind eye to them. Many people often fail to recognize their shortcomings because they have never been through a particularly difficult time, so the song encourages self-reflection, prompting the question of whether we are what we despise.
The lyrics further highlight the dangers of hypocrisy, irony, and hate, arguing that they are significant players in the way society functions. While hate can be a powerful tool, the song suggests that it should not be the go-to emotion, nor should it be used just for fun. Instead, listeners are urged to treat others with the same respect and consideration they would expect themselves.
In short, the song Look Inside emphasizes the need for integrity, self-reflection, and self-awareness, calling on listeners to acknowledge their flaws and failures, to avoid hypocrisy and hate, and to treat others with respect.
Line by Line Meaning
Why don't you take a look at yourself? stop acting like you don't need help.
You should reflect on yourself and not pretend like you're invincible.
'cause you have got your failures too. so look inside of you.
You have weaknesses as well that you need to address on a personal level.
a lot of people don't' know themselves. because they never have been through hell.
Many don't understand their own identity because they haven't encountered difficult situations.
so ask this question if you think you're wise. "am I not what I despise?"
If you believe you're knowledgeable, then evaluate whether your actions don't match your values.
...a lot of people just don't see that what they hate they'll come to be.
Many fail to recognize that their hatred towards a particular matter can cause them to eventually become it.
and now you may feel better because you laugh about them. but they will laugh harder in the end...
Humiliating others may temporarily make you feel superior, but eventually they'll have the last laugh.
hypocrisy, irony and hate. a big part of what runs this state.
Deception, absurdity, and malice are integral parts of governance.
though hate is the most powerful one. don't use it just to have fun.
While hate can be tempting to promote, avoid utilizing it just for pleasure.
we've all got problems of our own. don't fuck around you'll be left alone.
Everyone has their own issues, so don't play around with others otherwise you'll end up by yourself.
that's what integrity is all about. and hypocrisy's not allowed.
Integrity involves self-evaluation and hypocrisy isn't acceptable.
why don't I take a look at myself? stop acting like I don't need help. 'cause I have got my failures too. but look inside of you.
I should also assess my own shortcomings and not behave like I don't require aid. I'm not faultless, so I should analyze myself in the same manner.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GRETCHEN CRYER, NANCY FORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind