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 Joey’s 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.
Rust
Lagwagon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Long ago they fought and died for faith - what's changed ?
It's said that we've acquired tolerance to build more bridges
Cross those rivers, yet modern man enslaves his conscious
And the undertow of blame still flows between
Give it birth to the machine - hostilities of ancestry
Slow to understand the variance - quick to judge on one aspect - rust
We call them fools today - they will call us fools in days to come -
In any age it's ignorance
He that he's not with me is against me
The river of pride swells to high, washing those bridges out to sea
Give it birth to the machine
Too proud to love - Too proud
Soaking in your fears - rusting away
Never comprehending - always condescending
Slow to understand the variance - quick to judge - quick to condem
Carried them for years - stones that they once cast
Place the blame on them as if it were their past
Yesterdays distrust
Resent, Regret, disgust
Still we pay for their living - pay for their mistakes
Who will cast the latest stones of hate
Pay for their misgivings - pay for their living - still we find that
On the surface there
Is rust
The lyrics of Lagwagon's Rust explore the theme of prejudice and intolerance, highlighting the fact that these attitudes have been present throughout history and continue to be a problem in modern-day society. The opening lyrics suggest that society has not progressed as much as we might have hoped, with soldiers fighting and dying for faith long ago, and yet we continue to judge and condemn others who do not share our beliefs. The reference to "the machine" and "hostilities of ancestry" suggest that these attitudes are deeply ingrained and perpetuated over generations.
The lyrics continue to explore the idea that people are slow to understand and appreciate variance, and are quick to judge and condemn. The river of pride is a metaphor for the destructive force of intolerance, and the bridges that are washed out represent the breakdown in communication between different groups of people. The chorus serves as a warning that these attitudes will continue into the future, with people calling each other fools in the same way as those who came before them.
The lyrics paint a bleak picture of a society where people are too proud to love and too quick to condemn others. The reference to "yesterday's distrust" highlights the fact that these attitudes are deep-rooted and difficult to eradicate. The final line, "still we find that on the surface there is rust," suggests that these attitudes are pervasive and even if we made progress, there is still a long way to go.
Line by Line Meaning
They make your bed, don't they
Referring to the past generations who fought for faith, we are now lying in their comfortable bed and enjoying the fruits of their labor.
Long ago they fought and died for faith - what's changed ?
Questioning the change that the present generation has brought after the sacrifices made by previous generations for their faith.
It's said that we've acquired tolerance to build more bridges
It is believed that we have become more tolerant, accepting and are trying to create stronger bonds and understanding between people.
Cross those rivers, yet modern man enslaves his conscious
Though we have built bridges to cross the rivers of differences, the modern man has enslaved his conscience with prejudices and biases.
And the undertow of blame still flows between
Despite progress, there is still an underlying current of blame game going on between different sections of society.
Give it birth to the machine - hostilities of ancestry
The birth of machines represents the bitterness and anger towards the past grievances of ancestors which has passed on through generations.
Slow to understand the variance - quick to judge on one aspect - rust
We are slow to understand and appreciate differences and diversity, but quick to judge and condemn based on just one aspect leading to rusting and erosion of society.
We call them fools today - they will call us fools in days to come - Always
We insult previous generations today, but they will not retaliate, and the same cycle will continue with future generations calling us the fools.
In any age it's ignorance
Throughout history, ignorance has been the main reason for conflicts, misunderstandings, and prejudice among different communities.
He that he's not with me is against me
The mentality of 'us against them' where anyone not on our side is automatically considered an opponent leading to division and lack of understanding.
The river of pride swells too high, washing those bridges out to sea
Excessive pride and ego wash away the bridges of understanding built over time, leading to a breakdown in communication and relationships.
Too proud to love - Too proud
Pride leads to arrogance and self-centeredness, making it difficult to love and understand others.
Soaking in your fears - rusting away
Living in fear leads to a gradual decay, and erosion of our beliefs, values and relationships.
Never comprehending - always condescending
Lack of understanding and empathy leads to a condescending attitude towards those with different beliefs or lifestyles, further deepening the divide between people.
Slow to understand the variance - quick to judge - quick to condem
We are slow to comprehend and appreciate differences but quick to judge and criticize, further fueling the rusting of society.
Carried them for years - stones that they once cast
We carry around the burden of the past, the grudges and prejudices of our ancestors while forgetting that they too were once guilty of the same behavior.
Place the blame on them as if it were their past
We tend to blame previous generations for their mistakes, even if it's now part of our present, and their wrongdoings are being repeated by us.
Yesterdays distrust
The effects of past mistrust and ignorance continue to linger and have an impact on future generations.
Resent, Regret, disgust
Feelings of anger, regret, and disgust towards the past and the present continue to simmer and corrode society's values and relationships.
Still we pay for their living - pay for their mistakes
The impacts of past generational mistakes are still being felt today, and we continue to pay the price for them.
Who will cast the latest stones of hate
The cycle of animosity and conflict will continue into the future. The question is, who will be the next group to start the cycle of hate?
Pay for their misgivings - pay for their living - still we find that
On the surface there
Is rust
The rusting of society is a reflection of the inheritance of past mistakes and histories that continue to repeat themselves, leading to an erosion of values, relationships, and trust.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dylan Imperi
love lagwagon
HazelnutPohl
brilliant!
FreeHumanDon
Great stuff!
Estambar2
Amo esto .... stgo Chile
JJ Ramone
Carry them for years ...
Rodger Murphy
Best part of song
Mikros Voudas
SIFNOS