Carmen and band mates Bryan Gibson (lead guitar, cello) and Matt Heath (bass) previously played together in a local band that broke up in 2004. Shortly thereafter, they hooked up with fellow musician Brian Whitman (guitar), who had known Carmen and her family growing up. "I usually played guitar by myself but when their band broke up, the wheels in my head started turning," remembers Whitman, who was a regular at their shows. "They were just too good not to be playing anymore."
The songs came fast and furious during their first session. "We just clicked," says Whitman, and within a few weeks, they had written a dozen songs. The band played shows mostly in nearby Columbia, South Carolina and it was clear that their heartfelt rock sound was too large to be contained by such small geography. In a quandary faced by many in small-towns, the four had to decide whether to stay in Columbia or move to another, larger town for a real shot at pursuing their passion. "We knew we had something there, the chemistry was clear," says Carmen. "It was really a do or die moment."
The four quit their day jobs and moved a couple of hours west to Atlanta, living in, what Carmen describes, "as a one-bedroom dump that was home to the best and worst times of our lives." It was in Atlanta, over the last three years, where the majority of the songs on their debut were written and recorded. However, keen observers may recognize I Nine from the soundtrack of Cameron Crowe's whimsical love story, Elizabethtown, performing the song "Same In Any Language," written by Crowe and his wife, Nancy Wilson (of Heart). It was a serendipitous discovery by the director, who heard I Nine demos on a mutual friend's iPod and asked the band if they would perform the song for his movie. "I freaked out when he called us," remembers Carmen. "I thought it was amazing to be talking to him but he's such a cool guy and has such respect for music that he thought it was amazing to be talking to us."
Crowe isn’t the only fan of the band; producer Brian Howe (Hinder, Daughtry) worked with the band on two songs including the lead single “Seven Days of Lonely” and the emotionally charged single “Get Out.” Nickelback front man Chad Kroeger also produced two songs, including the passionate “Black Hole” and the fiery “If This Room Could Move.”
With a striking look and a poet's eye, Carmen makes a comely front woman. She was influenced by records of the 1970s that her father had given her – Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin, Styx, ELO and others. She also had a background in musical theater while in school, with grand ambitions. "I used to get mad at my parents for having given birth to me in Orangeburg, because all I wanted to do was sing on Broadway when I was younger," she laughs. Now, however, Carmen is the artistic fulcrum of the band.
"Carmen is a firecracker," says Whitman. "She's the type of person who, when you're at a brick wall while writing, will come in and spit out a lyric or sing a little melody that just clears everything up and opens up the gates."
Together the four members carry influences of traditional rock 'n roll, emotive singer-songwriters, and, of course, southern rock. However, there's a dichotomy to the songs of I Nine that veers between pop and more artsy, moody tunes – the result of having four people in a band who are all gifted songwriters. "We all have different tastes and influences, some are musical and some are emotional, so it's really anything goes in the studio," says Gibson.
That interaction can be magical, as on "Seven Days Of Lonely," the group's first single from Heavy Weighs The King. It is quickly opening people's ears up to the sound of the band. "It's a song that's open to interpretation," she says. "I realized that everyone goes through different emotional trials and this is a song about releasing those feelings."
The group dynamic has a profound effect on the songs on the album. "The songs come from a melodic foundation," explains Carmen. "I will add the words and then stylistically it changes constantly, and sometimes we'll try it one way and find that a totally different way works better."
The creation of such songs is aided by Gibson's use of the cello in the band. "In middle school, Matt taught me how to play guitar and when I first played, I understood it on a level that I never understood anything else in the world. It was like falling in love. Learning the cello was an extension of that, even though I discovered it accidentally. Something about the fascination I have between emotion and music spoke to me. The cello actually sings, so you have to treat it like a separate voice, and I think it works in our music, like on the song 'Get Out.'"
Another standout track is "Change Nothing," a song Carmen wrote before the band had known they would be releasing an album on a proper label. "We were all crammed in a hotel room one night a while back and it was early morning. I couldn't sleep and was watching the sun rise and watching the boys sleep and it was the most amazing night. We had a great show the night before, saw a lot of our friends. It was a magical night, and it was the kind of moment you want to last forever. That's where the song came from."
"It's a special song for all of us," adds Whitman. "It's a song that fits the whole experience of everything we've been through, from Orangeburg to Columbia to Atlanta and back again. It's very affirming to know we made the decision to do this and make our own opportunity to pursue music. It's a lucky thing. And that feeling, when it hits you, hits you like a ton of bricks. When a song captures that moment, it's a pretty special thing."
They broke up in late 2008.
After the band split up in '08, Whitman, Gibson, and Heath moved on to another project called Tent Revival around March of 2009. They're style is much darker than their previous material with I Nine, consisting of a blend of Alternative and Folk Rock. Tent Revival's myspace link is: http://www.myspace.com/tentrevival
Black Hole
I Nine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is the fury of life.
I do not respect the handless.
I won't respond their calls.
Are you fucking deaf
Too many things to do.
Your mission is completed,
Are you fucking deaf
Why do you turn your back to me
Are you gonna be dead
Now take the gun and fight with me!
Exhausted by this life, I'm trying to go on.
You are blocking my way, you are blocking my way.
Too many dead ends I've seen, too many people crawling
on their knees and begging for mercy, begging for mercy.
I want to teach you a lesson,
to make you understand how to live the life.
Now can you stand this pressure
Can you manage to live your life!
Are you fucking deaf
Why do you turn your back to me
Exhausted by this life, I'm trying to go on.
You are blocking my way, you are blocking my way.
Too many dead ends I've seen, too many people crawling
on their knees and begging for mercy, begging for mercy.
I try to understand my deeds, trying to feel rush in my veins.
From flesh to bone those maggots drill trough me...
...those fucking maggots try to save me.
Never. Not today. Never. Not today.
This is the voice for the nations.
This is the call to fight back the enemy.
Why do you try to retreat
Get back to the line and fight with me.
Are you fucking deaf
Why do you turn your back to me!
Are you fucking deaf
Now take the sword and fight with me.
Exhausted by these lives, I'm trying to go on.
Who's blocking my way Who's blocking my way!
Too many dead ends I've seen, too many people crawling
on their knees and begging for mercy, begging for mercy.
The lyrics to I Nine's song Black Hole are intense and passionate, with a call to action for the listener to wake up and fight against the obstacles that life may throw their way. The song starts off with a declaration that it is for the people and an expression of the fury of life. The singer does not respect those who are handless, or those who do not take action towards their goals. She challenges the listener, asking if they are deaf to the struggle and if they are willing to take up arms and fight alongside her.
The chorus repeats the phrase "Are you fucking deaf" as a way to grab the listener's attention and emphasize the urgency of the message. The singer expresses her exhaustion with life and how others have blocked her path, but also acknowledges that she needs to understand her own deeds and learn to find the rush in her veins. The song ends with a call to fight back against the enemy and a challenge to the listener to take up a sword and join the battle.
Overall, the lyrics of Black Hole are an anthem of empowerment and resilience, urging the listener to stand up and fight against the obstacles in their life to achieve their goals and dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
This is song for the people.
The song is meant to be a unifying message for humanity.
This is the fury of life.
The song is an expression of intense emotion and passion about the challenges of existence.
I do not respect the handless.
The singer does not have respect for those who do not take action or are passive in their lives.
I won't respond their calls.
The singer will not be influenced or persuaded by those who are inactive.
Are you fucking deaf
The singer is expressing frustration at someone who is not listening or paying attention.
Too many things to do.
There are too many tasks or responsibilities to handle all at once.
Your mission is completed, when you stand by my side with the sword.
The mission or task is complete only when someone has actively joined the singer in the fight for a better life.
Why do you turn your back to me
The singer is questioning someone who has abandoned their cause or belief.
Are you gonna be dead
The singer is asking if the person will give up or let themselves be defeated.
Now take the gun and fight with me!
The singer is urging the person to take action and join them in their cause.
Exhausted by this life, I'm trying to go on.
The singer is expressing exhaustion from life's difficulties but is still trying to persevere.
You are blocking my way, you are blocking my way.
Someone or something is preventing the singer from moving forward in their life.
Too many dead ends I've seen, too many people crawling on their knees and begging for mercy, begging for mercy.
The singer has seen many people struggle and fail, and is urging listeners to take a more active role in their own lives.
I want to teach you a lesson, to make you understand how to live the life.
The singer wants to impart their knowledge and experience to others to help them lead better lives.
Can you stand this pressure, can you manage to live your life!
The singer is challenging listeners to rise to the occasion and handle life's difficult moments.
I try to understand my deeds, trying to feel rush in my veins.
The singer is reflecting on their own actions and desires to feel alive and energized.
From flesh to bone those maggots drill trough me... those fucking maggots try to save me.
The singer expresses a sense of being consumed or attacked by negative thoughts or emotions, but recognizes that others are trying to help.
Never. Not today. Never. Not today.
The singer is rejecting defeat or giving up in the face of adversity.
This is the voice for the nations.
The song's message is intended to be heard and acted upon by people from various countries and backgrounds.
This is the call to fight back the enemy.
The song is urging listeners to take action against anything that is preventing them from living a fulfilling life.
Why do you try to retreat? Get back to the line and fight with me.
The singer is challenging someone who is trying to give up or back down from a challenge, urging them to stay and fight.
Contributed by Kennedy N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Srikanth Raman
Powerful and a very catchy melody to accompany with. Wish we could see I-Nine more.
Kyle McCall
Lindsay Lohan Cover!
Nathan Clark
Superb.......just....superb.
Kurushi
It's not on spotify though, which pains me greatly.
Kyle McCall
yeah its why I uploaded it here. Wish whatever rights owner would put it somewhere we can at least support