1) breakbeat, alias of Illian … Read Full Bio ↴Ils is the name of more than one artists:
1) breakbeat, alias of Illian Walker
2) noise rock band
1) Illian Walker was born and raised in London. From the age of 14 he played guitar in funk groups. Not wanting to be tied down by band members, he invested in a sampler and began taking matters into his own hands. A chance meeting in a pub with some Scottish sound engineers led to with sampling and MIDI techniques, and at the age of 19 he secured a grant to set up his own studio.
This studio – based in Lime Grove, Shepherd’s Bush – was visited by LTJ Bukem and some drum and bass DJs, who would use the facilities to put their own tunes together. The Bukem connection led to four singles being released on Good Lookin’ Records in conjunction with some of these artists.
Ils was invited to work for Mo’Wax as an engineer, and he worked with for instance James Lavelle, Derek Dahlarge and Tipper. Following the demise of the Mo’Wax label Tipper suggested that Ils put some of his ideas into an album for breaks label Fuel – the result, 'Idiots Behind the Wheel', was called a nu-skool breaks album. With tracks pulled out for compilations and mixes like Adam Freeland’s 'Coastal Breaks 2 album, Ils’ success grew. 'Idiots Behind the Wheel blended cinematic funk, beats and string and jazz elements.
The next few years saw Ils paired up with Marine Parade for the release of his second album 'Soul Trader' – the single, '6 Space/Next Level', was chosen to soundtrack an Orange ad. (The b-side of this single, Music, was remixed and released by the Brighton imprint. More advertising work, continued support from Freeland in DJ sets and mix albums, and extensive touring around Europe and the US followed.
'Bohemia' , Ils third studio album is out on Distinctive Records. It has a much harder and more lush dance floor edge. Strings and sub-bass combine with vocals from Bulgarian singers Desi and Roni, and with production support from Wizard and long time breaks collaborator Donna Dee. Further vocals come courtesy of Wonda and Rhalia.
--
2) Disaster chic rock from Portland, Oregon, band members: Tom Glose (Black Elk, Knight Badger, Cougar), Tim Steiner (Microtia, These Things, Fortune Club), Nathan Abner (The Days The Nights), Adam Pike (White Orange, The Mediam, Red Fang)
No Money on Trees
Ils Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothin aint free...
Have to earn every penny, every pound.
Every city, every sound...
Hard work pays off!
Every city, every sound.
till we get paid.
Money on trees don't happen in the real life.
So we make beats,
till the next grade.
Sometimes people never act—we don't feel right.
But we don't mind,
so we do targets,
so we here bringing up after new markets...
Nothin' aint free,
till' we get paid.
Or we make grade, lovin that real life.
We track. We bend.
Gettin krunk with the tracks then we stack again.
We track, then we bend.
Every city...
Nothing aint free,
till we get paid.
Money on trees don't happen in the real life.
So we make beats,
till the next grade.
Sometimes people never act—we don't feel right.
But we don't mind,
so we do targets,
so we here bringing up after new markets...
Nothin' aint free,
till' we get paid.
Or we make peace. Start screamin' "I feel that."
Yeah.
Every city, every sound...
We track. We bend.
We scrub with the tracks then we stack again.
We track. We bend.
We scrub with the tracks then we stack again.
We track. We bend.
We scrub with the tracks then we stack again.
We track. We bend.
We stack! We spend!
Nothing aint free,
till we get paid.
Money on trees don't happen in the real life.
So we make beats,
till the next grade.
Sometimes people never act—we don't feel right.
But we don't mind,
so we do targets,
so we here bringing up after new markets...
Nothin' aint free,
till' we get paid.
Or we make peace. Start screamin' "I feel that."
We track. We bend.
We track. We bend.
Gettin krunk with the tracks then we stack again.
We track. We bend.
We track. We bend.
Gettin krunk with the tracks then we stack again.
Every city every sound.
Hard work pays off.
Nothing aint free,
till we get paid.
Money on trees don't happen in the real life.
So we make beats,
till the next grade.
Sometimes people never act—we don't feel right.
But we don't mind,
so we do targets,
so we here bringing up after new markets...
Nothin' aint free,
till' we get paid.
Or we make peace. Start screamin' "I feel that."
Yeah.
Every city, every sound.
Yeah.
So we do targets...
We track. We bend.
We scrub with the tracks then we stack again.
We track. We bend.
We scrub with the tracks then we stack again.
We track. We bend.
We scrub with the tracks then we stack again.
We track. We bend.
We stack. We spend.
Every city...
Every city, every sound.
Yeah.
The song, "No Money on Trees" by Ils, is an anthem for hard work and determination. The repeated chorus emphasizes that money isn't easy to come by and that one must earn every penny, pound, and dollar. The verses talk about the realities of the music industry and how success isn't just about talent but also about putting in the hard work to make your mark. The lyrics "Money on trees don't happen in the real life. So we make beats, till the next grade" reflect the idea that success doesn't come easy and that you have to continually strive to improve and grow.
The song emphasizes the importance of setting goals and targets to achieve success, saying "so we do targets, so we here bringing up after new markets." The repetition of the phrase "We track, we bend" emphasizes that success requires not only hard work but also flexibility and adaptability; you have to be willing to change your approach and strategies as you go along. The final lines "Every city, every sound. Hard work pays off" emphasizes that no matter where you are or what industry you're in, hard work is the key to success.
Overall, "No Money on Trees" is a motivational anthem that encourages perseverance and hard work in pursuit of success. It acknowledges that it's not easy and that many people will never make it, but also emphasizes that success can be achieved with the right mindset and approach.
Line by Line Meaning
Nothing aint free, till we get paid.
You don't get anything for free in life, you have to work hard to earn money.
Money on trees don't happen in the real life.
Money doesn't grow on trees – it's not easy to come by.
So we make beats, till the next grade.
They work hard on making music until they reach their goals.
Sometimes people never act—we don't feel right.
When others don't put any effort, they feel uncomfortable and unsatisfied.
But we don't mind, so we do targets, so we here bringing up after new markets...
They are willing to work hard and set targets to explore and bring their music to new markets.
We track. We bend. Gettin krunk with the tracks then we stack again.
They work tirelessly to create, produce and stack new music tracks.
Every city, every sound...
They create and produce music that caters to every city and every sound.
Hard work pays off!
Their hard work and efforts eventually pay off.
Contributed by Addison H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Erik Veles
such a masterpiece with only 135 views