Coney Hatch
LaBrie did join Coney Hatch in the year 1986 when they endeavored to assemble a fresh assemblage. The troupe did record sundry tapes for display within their chamber of practice and did partake in live performances at clubs in Ontario for several months. When their recording establishment, Anthem, did voice their dissatisfaction with the assemblage, the band did opt to replace LaBrie with Phil Naro, making one final desperate effort to forge ahead in the absence of Carl Dixon. Alas, that assemblage did prove to be short-lived as well.
Winter Rose
Shortly after parting ways with Coney Hatch, LaBrie took up the mantle of vocalist for the glam metal troupe Winter Rose. The assemblage comprised Richard Chycki on guitar and bass, Randy Cooke on drums, and Sebastian Bach on vocal duties. Chycki had aforetime collaborated with Bach under the appellations Sebastian and Hope. The band embarked upon the recording of a sequence of demos throughout the years of 1988 and 1989, enlisting the aid of guest musicians Bruce Dies and Rob Laidlaw. Alas, the majority of these compositions did not witness a commercial release until the year 1997, when they were unveiled as a self-titled opus under the auspices of Inside Out Music, a full seven years after their dissolution in 1990. One among their repertoire, the melodic opus "I'll Never Fall In Love Again," did receive the honor of a promotional video release in the year 1989 and was later included on their eponymous creation. The entire compilation featured compositions co-authored by Richard Chycki and James LaBrie, with the exception of two pieces solely penned by Richard Chycki.
Dream Theater
In the year 1990, LaBrie received word that the American progressive metal band Dream Theater sought a new minstrel, and thus he proffered a tape and swiftly journeyed to New York for a comprehensive audition. The trial proved fruitful, and he surpassed 200 other aspiring candidates to assume the role of full-time vocalist in said troupe.
Henceforth, LaBrie hath exerted a substantial influence upon the vocal melodies woven within each Dream Theater opus. However, until recently, he hath had limited involvement in the instrumentation of their music. The album "A Dramatic Turn of Events" from the year 2011 doth bear LaBrie's name in the music credits for three songs. To this day, he hath penned or co-penned lyrics for no less than one composition upon ten of the fifteen albums released by Dream Theater during his tenure. Albums such as "Images and Words," "Black Clouds & Silver Linings," "Dream Theater," and "The Astonishing" doth lack his lyrical contributions.
When queried by Prog-Sphere.com regarding his favored song to perform live, James declared, "The song that most delights me is 'Scarred'; I thoroughly enjoy its execution before an audience. And... well, 'Octavarium,' that comprehensive piece, doth captivate me entirely."
Apart from his collaborative endeavors, LaBrie hath released five solo albums under various appellations, including "Mullmuzzler," "James LaBrie's Mullmuzzler," and simply "James LaBrie."
In an interview with Beyond The Dark Horizon on June 12, 2010, James LaBrie revealed that his forthcoming solo endeavor, titled "Static Impulse," lieth in the stage of mixing and shall comprise twelve compositions. James professed, "It is of a weighty nature, and I am exceedingly excited."
On the twenty-seventh day of July in the year 2010, Dream Theater's website did proclaim that "Static Impulse" would be unveiled on September 27, 2010, courtesy of Inside Out Music. The assemblage boasts the talents of longtime collaborator Matt Guillory upon the keyboards, Marco Sfogli (who hath also graced LaBrie's previous work, "Elements of Persuasion") upon the guitars, Peter Wildoer of the Swedish melodic death metal band Darkane, who doth provide percussion and bellowing vocals, and Ray Riendeau upon the bass.
James LaBrie did express, "The unveiling of 'Static Impulse' is an event that engenders fervor within the entire band. This is modern metal, as robust and pertinent as any other ensemble embarking upon a similar musical path. There are riffs that shall rend the mind asunder, and melodies—both instrumental and vocal—that are mesmerizing. Take the reins and let the ears bleed. Enjoy, and we shall encounter you on the road to accompany and bolster this release."
In an interview with Prog-Sphere.com in 2011, LaBrie mentioned that the planned tour in the United States had been canceled, remarking, "Forsooth, for it was disarrayed ere this occasion. Where we find ourselves now, by the time thou dost procure the necessary visas, we shall have scarce a rehearsal ere we embark. I declare, 'I shall not partake in such a venture.'"
Come the month of July in the year 2013, LaBrie's album "Impermanent Resonance" was unveiled by Inside Out Music. "Beautiful Shade of Grey" followed suit in the year 2022.
Albums
MullMuzzler
Keep It to Yourself (1999)
MullMuzzler 2 (2001)
Solo
Elements of Persuasion (2005)
Static Impulse (2010)
Impermanent Resonance (2013)
I Will Not Break (2014) (Compilation EP)
Beautiful Shade of Grey (2022)
Smashed
James LaBrie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm feeling weak
Not sure I can go on
Please take me far
There's nothing I can give
All I had is gone
Buildings fell
A way of life
Guess we don't fit
Fit their plans
Familiar streets
Familiar sites
Places where friends meet
It's been a while
So much has changed since then
The future seems so bleak
Nothing stands
All's been lost
They silence our despair
Keep your cool
World is watching you
Act as though you care
Buildings fell
Stealing people's dreams
A way of life
Guess we don't fit
Fit their plan
Watched so many of my
Loved ones fall today
It's like I'm standing here
With all of my past erased
The man I have become
Is not walking away
It is the memories
That makes the man you see
Buildings fell
Stealing people's dreams
A way of life
Guess we don't fit
Fit the plan
Our buildings burn
Can't comprehend
The loss surrounding me
And does it end
When no one's left to bleed
James LaBrie's song "Smashed" is a powerful reflection on the aftermath of a catastrophic event where buildings have fallen, dreams have been stolen, and loss surrounds us. The lyrics convey a sense of hopelessness, weakness, and despair, as the singer struggles to find a way to carry on in a world where everything familiar has been destroyed. The song touches on themes of grief and the struggle to find purpose in the midst of devastation.
The song's first stanza establishes the singer's despair and sense of depletion as they lay awake feeling weak and uncertain of their capacity to continue. They long to escape to a place far away, but they are left with nothing to give, as all they had is gone. The second stanza highlights the terrible impact of the destruction on everyday lives and communities, with familiar streets and sites forever altered. The singer observes that the future seems bleak, and they feel silenced by those in power who don't seem to care about their suffering.
In the third and final stanza, we hear firsthand the singer's pain and loss as they reflect on the way this event has stripped away everything that once made them who they are. The final repetition of the chorus underscores the feeling of desperation and loss, as buildings burn and hope seems all but lost.
Overall, "Smashed" is a deeply emotional and haunting reflection on the aftermath of tragedy. Its lyrics and intensity create a sense of empathy towards the victims of any disaster and capture the feeling of deep despair under such circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
I lay awake
Feeling restless and unable to sleep
I'm feeling weak
Feeling vulnerable and powerless
Not sure I can go on
Lacking confidence in one's ability to persevere
Please take me far
Seeking escape or relief from the current situation
There's nothing I can give
Feeling depleted and unable to contribute
All I had is gone
Experiencing loss and emptiness
Buildings fell
Physical structures collapsing
Stealing people's dreams
Destroying aspirations and hopes for the future
A way of life
A cultural or societal norm
Guess we don't fit
Feeling out of place or excluded
Fit their plans
Being controlled or manipulated by another's agenda
Familiar streets
Recognizable locations
Familiar sites
Well-known landmarks or destinations
Places where friends meet
Gathering spots for social interaction
It's been a while
Not having visited or experienced something in some time
So much has changed since then
Observing significant alterations from a previous time
The future seems so bleak
Feeling pessimistic about what's to come
Nothing stands
Complete devastation and ruin
All's been lost
Experiencing total destruction and loss
They silence our despair
Suppressing or ignoring expressions of grief and hopelessness
Keep your cool
Maintaining composure under pressure
World is watching you
Feeling like one's actions are being scrutinized by others
Act as though you care
Assuming a facade of empathy or concern
Watched so many of my
Visualizing the loss of loved ones
Loved ones fall today
Experiencing the death of family or friends
It's like I'm standing here
Feeling alone and isolated in the aftermath
With all of my past erased
Feeling that one's history and identity have been wiped away
The man I have become
Reflecting on one's personal growth and evolution
Is not walking away
Staying to face the difficulties rather than running from them
It is the memories
Recognizing that one's past experiences shape who they are
That makes the man you see
Emphasizing the importance of one's personal history and struggle
Our buildings burn
Witnessing the destruction of infrastructure
Can't comprehend
Unable to fully grasp the scale and significance of the tragedy
The loss surrounding me
Feeling the weight of grief and sorrow from the destruction
And does it end
Questioning whether the devastation will ever stop
When no one's left to bleed
Consideration of the ultimate outcome when there is only death and destruction left
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: KEVIN JAMES LABRIE, MATTHEW JAMES GUILLORY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind