The band has 11 releases through Fat Wreck Chords: eight studio albums, one EP, one live album and a collection of B-sides, compilation tracks and demos. Lagwagon has never had, nor have they seemed to pursue, strong mainstream success, but they do have a devoted underground following in North America, Europe and Asia. Their moderate success reflected a growing interest in punk rock during the 1990s, along with fellow California bands Rancid, Green Day and The Offspring. Their song 'May 16' was also featured in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2.
The story about the name Lagwagon is that Joeyās mom was often late picking him and his brother up from school. She drove a station wagon, which his brother dubbed the "lagwagon". After signing to Fat Mike's label Fat Wreck Chords, Lagwagon released their debut album for the label, Duh, in 1992. Frontman Joey Cape commented on how the album was made, "Back then, we were inexperienced in the studio. It was less about the recording process and more about rehearsing. We recorded and mixed Duh in 4 days. There's something to be said for a budget. You have to have your shit together before you go into the studio and the end result is a record that better reflects the band's sound at the time." Two years later, Lagwagon released Trashed, their second record on Fat, which turned out to be highly successful, leading to the eventual production of a video for "Island of Shame." During this time, a number of punk bands, such as Green Day, The Offspring and Rancid, had hit the mainstream and Lagwagon turned down offers to join several major labels. Hoss, the third Lagwagon album, was released on November 21, 1995. After the release of that album and an extensive tour in Europe, Australia, and Japan, both guitarist Shawn Dewey and drummer Derrick Plourde would leave the band and be replaced temporarily by Ken Stringfellow (The Posies) on guitar, and permanently by Dave Raun (RKL) on drums. Shawn Dewey, already in the side project band Buck Wild on Lobster Records would go on to release two full-length LPs Beat Me Silly and Full Metal Overdrive and do two European tours with Good Riddance and Ten Foot Pole.
After two more albums, Double Plaidinum and Let's Talk About Feelings, the band went on indefinite hiatus in 2000, due to all members working on side projects. Lagwagon resurfaced in 2002, and released their sixth album Blaze the following year. In 2004, frontman Joey Cape released a split album with No Use for a Name vocalist Tony Sly featuring acoustic versions of songs by both bands. On November 1, 2005, Lagwagon released Resolve, which is a homage to the life of Derrick Plourde, original drummer for Lagwagon and Bad Astronaut.
In 2008, Lagwagon released an EP titled I Think My Older Brother Used to Listen to Lagwagon. Despite earlier reports that the band would begin recording their next full-length studio album by 2009, Lagwagon had gone on hiatus from touring and writing again, due to Cape launching a solo career, releasing Bridge in 2008 and Doesn't Play Well with Others in 2010.
In January 2010, Joey Cape announced during an interview with Canada's Exclaim! magazine[4] that Jesse Buglione had left Lagwagon, having been with the band since its foundation in 1990. However, Cape dismissed rumors of Lagwagon breaking up. While he was not sure if Lagwagon would record a new album or embark on another full-scale tour, he said that he was open to playing shows and possibly recording and releasing new Lagwagon songs sporadically. Jesse Buglione confirmed his departure on Lagwagon's official message board himself, as reported by sputnikmusic.com and punknews.org. Lagwagon toured with No Use for a Name that summer. In an interview with fasterlouder.com.au Joey Cape, revealed former RKL bassist Joe Raposo is Lagwagon's new bassist. In a June 2011 interview with ExploreMusic however, Joey Cape said that things didn't work out with Raposo, and the band is testing a new bassist. After first announcing Patrick Solem as the new bass player in August 2011, the band decided that Raposo would remain in the band permanently.
On September 22, 2011, Fat Wreck announced they would be re-issuing expanded editions of the first 5 albums on CD, vinyl, and digital download. The albums were available both separately and in a box set titled Putting Music In Its Place. The reissues were released November 22, 2011, with a short line-up of concerts in the USA played in December and January, and a European tour following in April 2012. As of October 2012, Lagwagon is headlining a full U.S. tour titled The Fat Tour 2012, with Dead To Me, The Flatliners, and Useless ID as support.
In October 2012, Joey Cape stated that there will be a new Lagwagon album, which will be their first since 2005's Resolve. While details and release dates are not yet known, the band announced on its Twitter feed that songs are being written for a new album. The September 22 Tweet reads, "Writing, writing, writing. New album... It's gonna happen!"
The band recorded their eighth album, Hang, with Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore at The Blasting Room, Ft Collins, CO. The album was released on October 28, 2014, and debuted at #95 on the Billboard 200.
On October 4, 2019, the band released their ninth studio album Railer.
Heartbreaking Music
Lagwagon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With bridges I have burned
We all make mistakes
Keep preparing for the worst
So it won't seem adverse
Just like we rehearsed
So close to loss we use it
How much honesty's healthy
Say what's on your mind
The only way to be
The drugs are only for dessert
Do your homework first
We don't administer the cure for that thirst
'Cause it's always been heartbreaking music
So close to death we use it
Killing
Writing this over and over
It will never mend
I am the jest malignant cell
Playwright to your hell
I think I knew you well
But I wish I were as smart as you
I could I have changed your mind
Would of, should of, the question 'til I die
But it's always been heartbreaking music
So close to life we abuse it Killing
The lyrics of Lagwagon's song Heartbreaking Music tackle the themes of mistakes, honesty, and death. The opening lines "I've already come to terms, With bridges I have burned, We all make mistakes," set the tone for the song which is about self-reflection and regret. The singer is acknowledging that they have made mistakes and burned bridges in the past, and they have come to terms with it. The lines "Keep preparing for the worst, So it won't seem adverse, Just like we rehearsed" suggest the singer has learned from their past mistakes and is trying to prevent any negative outcomes by preparing.
The chorus "Click, two, three, heartbreaking music, So close to loss we use it, How much honesty's healthy" is a reflection of the difficult nature of honesty. The singer is questioning how much honesty is healthy and suggests that we use it instead of avoiding it. The line "The drugs are only for dessert," is a metaphor for avoiding the pain of honesty with the use of substances. In the bridge, the song becomes more personal with the lines "I am the jest malignant cell, Playwright to your hell, I think I knew you well, But I wish I were as smart as you, I could have changed your mind." The singer is reminiscing about someone they knew and appears to regret not being able to change their mind about something.
Line by Line Meaning
I've already come to terms
I have already accepted the reality of the situation
With bridges I have burned
With the relationships I have damaged beyond repair
We all make mistakes
We are all prone to error
Keep preparing for the worst
Always be ready for the worst-case scenario
So it won't seem adverse
So that the situation won't appear worse
Just like we rehearsed
Just like we practiced beforehand
Click, two, three, heartbreaking music
The sound of the reality hitting hard
So close to loss we use it
We are so close to experiencing a loss that we use the music to cope with it
How much honesty's healthy
What is the right amount of honesty that won't hurt others or ourselves?
Say what's on your mind
Express what you are truly thinking
The only way to be
The only way to truly exist
The drugs are only for dessert
Substances won't solve the problem but are just an indulgence
Do your homework first
Research and prepare before taking any action
We don't administer the cure for that thirst
We don't have what it takes to satisfy that craving
'Cause it's always been heartbreaking music
This is the song of our lives that always hurts
So close to death we use it
We use music to cope when we are close to death
Killing
Emotionally agonizing
Writing this over and over
Repeating the same emotional cycle over and over
It will never mend
It will never heal
I am the jest malignant cell
I am the worst part in a dysfunctional situation
Playwright to your hell
I am the one who created or participated in your misery
I think I knew you well
I thought I understood you
But I wish I were as smart as you
I wish I had your wisdom to handle the situation better
I could I have changed your mind
I could have influenced your decision if I had acted differently
Would of, should of, the question 'til I die
Wondering what would have happened if I had acted differently will haunt me forever
But it's always been heartbreaking music
This is the song of our lives that hurts with every note
So close to life we abuse it
We use the music to cope when we are close to life
Killing
Emotionally agonizing
Lyrics Ā© O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The Medallo Storyteller
I've already come to termsĀ
With bridges I have burnedĀ
We all make mistakesĀ
We keep preparing for the worstĀ
So it won't seem adverseĀ
Just like we rehearsedĀ
Click, two, three, heartbreaking musicĀ
So close to loss we use itĀ
How much honesty's healthyĀ
Say what's on your mindĀ
The only way to beĀ
The drugs are only for dessertĀ
Do your homework firstĀ
We don't administer the cure for that thirstĀ
'Cause it's always been heartbreaking musicĀ
So close to death we use itĀ
KillingĀ
Writing this over and overĀ
It will never mend
I am the jest malignant cellĀ
Playwright to your hellĀ
I think I knew you wellĀ
But I wish I were as smart as youĀ
I could I have changed your mindĀ
Would've, should've, the question 'til I dieĀ
But it's always been heartbreaking musicĀ
So close to life we abuse itĀ
Killing
0 8 T W 1 C 3
I've already come to terms
With bridges I have burned
We all make mistakes
We keep preparing for the worst
So it won't seem adverse
Just like we rehearsed
Click, two, three, heartbreaking music
So close to loss we use it
How much honesty's healthy
Say what's on your mind
The only way to be
The drugs are only for dessert
Do your homework first
We don't administer the cure for that thirst
'Cause it's always been heartbreaking music
So close to death we use it
Killing
Writing this over and over
It will never mend
I am the jest malignant cell
Playwright to your hell
I think I knew you well
But I wish I were as smart as you
I could I have changed your mind
Would of, should of, the question 'til I die
But it's always been heartbreaking music
So close to life we abuse it
Killing
patbrown911
R.I.P Derrick, Jason, Bomer, Tony, and many other punk legends that made my life way more entertaining. Thank you.
shawn robson
Love love love Lagwagon. The combination of Joey's lyrical tallents and melodic tendencies, combined with the heavy metal tendencies of some other band members, comes together for unforgettable punk for the ages.
I remember going to a show once, and taking to Chris Flippin after, and how he told me he thought Lagwagon was on the edge of break up, with joey going in a more poetic/lighter-type of music between Bad Astronaut, and the beginning of his doing some more solo and acoustic stuff, and how, he, Chris, was more into heavy metal (and always had been). It at the same time made me realize the components that i loved so much about Lagwagon, but also made me see it for it's individual contributions. Without the combination, it wouldn't have been what it was and is.
UndergroundPunkGuy
R.I.P Derrick. The best Punk Rock drummer of all time.
Sacred Anarchy
UndergroundPunkGuy ššš
Gazzy Burns
Such a talented guy. RIP.
ado fonconi
No, man, don't tell me that...I'm really sorry, I didn't know...
SaltpeterTaffy
alright look
i don't mean to piss on a grave, Lagwagon put out my all-time favorite punk album, Hang, I listen to Resolve almost daily, and May 16 inspired me to take up drumming myself
but John Wright of NoMeansNo is on another level from all other punk drummers
kanye shrug, passes the mic
sbounty3
@SaltpeterTaffy You're using post Derrick Ploured, as examples for Lagwagon. I grew up with and have met a few amazing drummers, one a very close personal friend (The Bled, My Chemical Romance), even they admit Derrick was the best, no one can touch his skill.
The Me Me's - Punksters of Pop
As a band, we have listened to and loved this song for year's. Sadly, our bassist took his own life at the weekend, and this has been on repeat ever since. RIP all of the greats.
The X Nyles
Absolutely incredible tribute to Derrick. Love that ending drum roll finish, simple but a great nod to D. P.