John Vanderslice (born May 22, 1967 in Gainesville, Florida) is an American… Read Full Bio ↴John Vanderslice (born May 22, 1967 in Gainesville, Florida) is an American musician, formerly of mk Ultra but now performing with his own band.

After mk Ultra broke up in 1999, Vanderslice wasted little time building a solo reputation. In 2000, he gained national media attention over his single Bill Gates Must Die after concocting an elaborate hoax in which Microsoft supposedly threatened legal action over supposed trademark violations (the disc had a similar etching to a Windows installation disc).

Subsequent albums, Time Travel is Lonely, Life and Death of an American Fourtracker, Cellar Door, Pixel Revolt and Emerald City have gained critical acclaim for their melodic quality and sophisticated narrative lyrical content. Vanderslice has spent much of the last few years on tour across North America, Europe, and Japan.

Vanderslice also founded a recording studio in 1997 called Tiny Telephone. Located in the Mission District of San Francisco, Tiny Telephone has carved out a niche as the last all-analog recording studio in the Bay Area, and has a policy of setting recording rates under market prices. Bands who have used Vanderslice's studio include Beulah, Death Cab for Cutie, Okkervil River and Spoon.

Vanderslice is a proponent of using analog instruments and recording equipment to produce a richer, more raw sound which he has sometimes called "dirty hi-fi". He has collaborated closely with Scott Solter in the production of his recent albums, with Pixel Revolt being notably shaped by Solter.

Vanderslice was a contributing producer on the Spoon album, Gimme Fiction, and has collaborated and toured with The Mountain Goats. He is strongly influenced by film and is a fan of David Lynch, whose work is referenced in his song "Promising Actress". His declared musical influences are diverse, ranging from Neutral Milk Hotel to Public Enemy. He is an avid photography hobbyist. He has incorporated the poetry of William Blake and Robert Lowell into his music.

Several songs on the album Pixel Revolt referenced the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent global political situation. This is also true of Vanderslice's most recent album, Emerald City.

Me and My 424
John Vanderslice Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You know it's the time
So goodbye for now
I crudely descend
The stairway to defend
Me and my 424

I piss you off in slanted rhyme
Walk away in 3/4 time

And the nude descends
The stairway once again
Basement living always mends
I'll come to you then
Shell shocked pale gray
A box of T-D-K's
And me and my 424

You can ask my 424
For guidance and for help
As it pulled me through
Number five and number twelve
Say goodbye to model two
Cause the discontinued you
I got parts and I got spares
Unlimited repairs
For my 424

It's not really four tracks
You can add and you can subtract

Unlimited sky above you and
Me and my 424

Overall Meaning

The song "Me and My 424" by John Vanderslice is a reflection on the importance of music and how it can provide solace in difficult times. The 424 refers to a Tascam Portastudio 424, a four-track cassette recorder that was popular in the 1980s and 1990s for home-based recording. The lyrics suggest that the singer is going through a tough time and turns to music, specifically his 424, for comfort and guidance. The staircase mentioned in the first verse could be a reference to the physical or metaphorical steps that the singer takes to retreat into his own personal space where he can be surrounded by his music. The second verse suggests that, although the singer may have caused conflict in his personal life, music provides a means of escape and healing. The song ends with the reassuring realization that the sky is the limit in terms of creative expression when armed with a 424 and a passion for music.

Overall, the song serves as an ode to the healing power of music, as well as a tribute to the DIY spirit of home recording. By celebrating the versatility and reliability of the 424, it speaks to the importance of finding your own tools and means of expression in order to persevere through difficult times.

Line by Line Meaning

You know it's the time
I am aware that it's time to leave

So goodbye for now
I am saying farewell for now

I crudely descend
I descend the stairs clumsily

The stairway to defend
I go downstairs to protect something

Me and my 424
I am going downstairs with my 424 recorder

I piss you off in slanted rhyme
My unconventional rhyming annoys you

Walk away in 3/4 time
I walk away rhythmically in a waltz-like beat

And the nude descends
Someone naked is going down the stairs

The stairway once again
The stairs are being used again

Basement living always mends
Living in the basement helps me recover

I'll come to you then
I'll go to you later