(1) Knife Fight was… Read Full Bio ↴There are two artists using the name Knife Fight
(1) Knife Fight was a fast hardcore band from Southern California. None of the other KF's ever put anything out, so they don't count.
Never one to shy away from wearing their influences on their sleeves, you can hear heisted riffs and lyrics from bands such as Negative Approach, America's Hardcore, Straight Ahead, Rudimentary Peni, Voorhees/Shark Attack/F.U.'s/Deathreat, Battalion of Saints, and apparantly Lack Of Interest. But that's only 7 songs out of like 40.
Members went on to be in such bands as Annihilation Time, Satanic Threat, Crystal Antlers, Broken Patterns, Obliteration, Never Healed, Night Owls, The First Step, Betrayed, Constant Fear, and many many more.
Members came from such bands as Shark Attack, No Reply, Life's Halt, Carry On, Gordon Solie Motherfuckers, Fields of Fire, Uphill Battle, Eat Shit and Die, Puncture Wound, Street Trash, Internal Affairs, Stand and Fight, Out of Vogue, Mugre, Psychotic Reaction, Funeral (NY), and many many more.
Nerds hated them for being jocks, and jocks hated them for being nerds. The English hated them for
not being a proper "hardcore" band who rehearses for 4 hours daily. The Europeans hated them for
not having lots of tattoos and nikes. They were generally liked in the United States (outside of Los Angeles).
Fun facts:
- Knife Fight was named by one Paul Delia. In fact, it was the name that Tear It Up chose between (obviously with TIU winning that battle).
- The very first KF jam session featured Todd Jones (Carry On, Terror, Betrayed) on drums, Matt Smith (Shark Attack, Rain on the Parade, Hands Tied) on bass, and Jon Westbrook (Life's Halt, No Reply) on guitar.
- Originally created to loosely follow Choke's musical career, Knife Fight unfortunately met its demise prior to recording their renditions of Step On It, Sudden Death Overtime and (even more unfortunately) Blast Furnace. At least Negative FX, Last Rights, and Back On the Map were covered. Rumor has it that music had been written for the Step On It album. Perhaps it will see the light of day in some fashion or another.
Discography:
2002 - Demo
2003 - S/T EP
2004 - Burning Bridges EP
2007 - Crisis EP
Comps:
Stab to Kill
Mein Comp
Town of Hardcore
(2) A harsh noise collaboration between JM Ginsberg and Suicidal Tendons.
(3) An Australian garage punk band on Aarght! records. Recently released an EP, "Hobbies".
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Knife Fight Lyrics
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Cause I don't care what you think
You think your opinion has
Any effect on me?
Say what you want and I'm not going to change
Because I play for myself
Won't be a part of your game
Tell me I should progress?
What do even know?
Why do you even care?
Progression/Regression
It's all the same
Progression/Regression
Won't play by your game
The song "Progress" by Knife Fight is about rejecting societal pressure to conform to certain standards or expectations. The lyrics convey a sense of independence and self-empowerment by refusing to be influenced by other people's opinions or judgments. The singer is immune to criticism or negativity and insists on following their own path, even if it means going against the norm. The first verse sets the tone for the song by challenging the listener's assumptions and dismissing their influence: "Don't give me that shit / Cause I don't care what you think / You think your opinion has / Any effect on me?"
The chorus repeats the word "progression/regression" as a mantra, emphasizing the idea that individual progress cannot be measured or judged by external standards. The singer sees through the illusion of "playing the game" and refuses to participate in a society that values conformity over individuality. Instead, they embrace the uncertainty and ambiguity of life, rejecting the false binary of success and failure. The song's message is ultimately one of self-acceptance and perseverance, urging listeners to trust in themselves and their own instincts rather than trying to please others.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't give me that shit
I don't want to hear your opinions or criticism
Cause I don't care what you think
Your opinions or criticism have no effect on me
You think your opinion has
You believe that your opinion matters
Any effect on me?
It doesn't matter what you think, it won't affect me
Say what you want and I'm not going to change
Your words won't lead to any changes on my part
Because I play for myself
I do things for my own benefit or enjoyment
Won't be a part of your game
I won't be influenced or controlled by you
Tell me I should progress?
Are you telling me that I need to improve or move forward?
Well I don't really care
I don't care about your suggestions or what you think I should do
What do even know?
What makes you think you know better than me?
Why do you even care?
Why do you even bother trying to influence me?
Progression/Regression
Moving forward or backward is all the same
It's all the same
There's no difference to me between moving forward or backwards
Won't play by your game
I won't be controlled or influenced by your expectations or rules
Contributed by Lucas V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.