Poetic Justice was their most successful album, which hit the streets in January of 1992. Fueled by the hit single, "True Believer" and followed by their cover of the Badfinger classic, "No Matter What", Poetic Justice reached the upper 100 of the Billboard album charts. The bands first album, on MCA Records, was produced by Ratts's Robbin Crosby in 1988.
The band disbanded in 1995, and re-united in 1999. However, Fall 2004 brought the resignation of vocalist Ron Taylor and the introduction of new vocalist Derrick LeFevre. In May 2006 Darrin DeLatte decided to leave and commit himself full-time to his band Lowside. Replacing him was bassist Eric Morris.
After several line-up changes, the band recruited as lead vocalist Derrick LeFevre, who appeared on Waters Rising (2007), Sad Day on Planet Earth (2009) and Deep Red Shadows (2010). On June 23, 2010, Ronny Munroe, formerly of Metal Church, replaced LeFevre, but he departed four months later before recording any material with the band. On March 7, 2011 Munroe was replaced by Brian C. Jones, who can be heard on the album XI The Days Before Tomorrow (2012).
In 2010, Lillian Axe was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, as the first hard rock band to be inducted. In 2011 it was announced that the original lineup of Steve Blaze, Johnny Vines, Danny King and Michael "Maxx" Darby would reunite to record an album of classic unreleased songs from the band's early days. The project, entitled Circle of Light, was named for one those early songs. The album was released in 2012. Lillian Axe released One Night in the Temple, an acoustic live album, early in 2014.
On November 29, 2014, former guitarist Jon Ster died from heart failure at the age of 52.
On January 12, 2017 Lillian Axe received the 2017 Jackson Indie Music Week Icon Award at Duling Hall in Jackson, Mississippi. On June 4, 2017, Steve Blaze announced that the band was recording a new song entitled "The Weeping Moon", which was to be featured on the album The Forgotten Art of Melancholy. According to Blaze, the album would feature "the best of the epic ballads" and was scheduled to be released in the fall of 2017.
On November 30, 2018 Steve Blaze announced the next Lillian Axe album is in the works, tentatively entitled From Womb to Tomb, and it will be in large part an autobiographical work. Blaze also states the album will feature "strings, piano, big vocals" and describes it as a "celebration type record - of life - good and bad." The album, however, was not released until August 19, 2022.
On February 13, 2020, Steve Blaze announced that Lillian Axe were amicably parting ways with lead vocalist Brian Jones. The announcement also stated that Jones would still be a part of the Lillian Axe family in many capacities, and Blaze wished Jones luck in his solo career. On February 21, 2020, Blaze announced the new singer would be Brent Graham. Graham was the original vocalist for Blaze's side project "Sledgehammer," and vocalist of the New Orleans-based band Supercharger.
In September 2021, Lillian Axe announced that they had signed to the newly-formed label Global Rock Records, and had started recording their first studio album in nearly a decade, entitled From Womb to Tomb. In October 2021, the entire Lillian Axe catalogue (with the exception of the first 2 records on MCA) were re-released on all digital formats worldwide by Global Rock. On November5, 2021 Steve Blaze was inducted for the second time into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame for his contributions as a guitarist and songwriter.
August of 2022 saw new horizons for Lillian Axe and an influx of fans old and new. The band performed and continues to perform at many huge festivals across the Unites States and embarked on their first UK tour in decades. The band currently consists of Steve Blaze - band founder, songwriter and lead guitarist, Brent Graham - lead vocals, Sam Poitevent - guitar, Michael Maxx Darby - Bass, and Wayne Stokley - drums.
Steve describes the band's latest effort, "From Womb to Tomb" as his personal opus. Stating the effort would be best listened to in one sitting, as it brings you on a journey through life - from birth to ascention - and is based on life lessons he has experienced. The band recorded a video for "I Am Beyond" and is currently on tour.
Discography
1988 Lillian Axe — MCA
1989 Love + War — MCA
1992 Poetic Justice - I.R.S. Records
1993 Psychoschizophrenia - I.R.S. Records
1999 Fields of Yesterday - Z Records
2007 Waters Rising — Locomotive Records
2009 Sad Day on Planet Earth — Blistering Records
2010 Deep Red Shadows — Love and War Records
2012 XI The Days Before Tomorrow - AFM Records
2022 From Womb to Tomb - Global Rock Records
Voices In My Walls
Lillian Axe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Then they laughed away
Sit, relax, stay calm
Now they control me
They rule my day
Everybody needs someone to talk to
With a fire and a body that can touch you
Don't think that I could ever have my time alone
[Chorus: ]
'Cause I'm a captive soul
To the voices of my walls
Fear has settled in, my room commands me
Keeps me warm inside
Sleep exists no more, a living zombie
I'm mystified
'Cause I'm a captive soul
Listen in wonder, the secret I've been told
By the voices in my walls
"Come with us give us control, and we'll possess your heart and soul
You'll see new colors, you can't describe, and feel strange things you've never tried
Candlelight for me, a fading sunset
Take me away
I'm a captive soul
Living in wonder the secrets I've been told
By the voices in my walls
You gotta believe me
The secrets amaze and confuse me with no self-control
The voices are calling me now
I'm a captive soul
The lyrics of Lillian Axe's Voices In My Walls explore the theme of surrendering control to something outside of oneself. From the beginning of the song, the singer hears voices that tell him they are not there to hurt him. However, they take control of his day and leave him as a captive soul, living in fear and confusion. He acknowledges that everyone needs someone to talk to and longs for human connection, but he cannot have his time alone because he has become a living zombie controlled by the voices in his walls. They speak to him seductively, promising new experiences and sensations that he cannot describe, but it is clear that they have possession of his heart and soul.
The chorus emphasizes the singer's helpless state as a captive soul, repeating the phrase three times. The bridge further emphasizes this point, as he pleads with the listener to believe him and describes how the secrets the voices have told him amaze and confuse him, leaving him with no self-control. The song ends with the voices once again calling out to him, subsuming his will and leaving him a captive once more.
Overall, the song's lyrics can be interpreted as a metaphor for addiction, mental illness, or any other force that takes control of a person's life. The singer is unable to escape the hold of the voices, suggesting that there may not be a simple solution to his struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
Where not here to hurt you, the voices told me
The voices in my mind claim to be friendly and reassuring, but I am starting to doubt their true intentions.
Then they laughed away
Despite their claim to be harmless, the voices show a sinister side by laughing as if amused by my distress.
Sit, relax, stay calm
The voices urge me to remain passive and submissive while they take control of my thoughts and actions.
Now they control me
I have become completely dependent on the voices, who rule my thoughts and dictate my behavior.
They rule my day
The voices dominate my waking hours, leaving me no respite from their insistent demands.
Everybody needs someone to talk to
I yearn for companionship and meaningful communication, but the voices offer only the illusion of connection.
With a fire and a body that can touch you
Despite my longing for physical contact with another person, I am trapped in a world of disembodied voices that offer no comfort or intimacy.
Even now I think I need somebody
As much as I am beholden to the voices, I recognize the hollowness of their promises and crave genuine human connection.
Don't think that I could ever have my time alone
The voices have infiltrated every aspect of my life to the point that I cannot imagine being free of their influence even for a moment.
'Cause I'm a captive soul
I am a prisoner of my own mind, held captive by the relentless voices that torment and manipulate me.
To the voices of my walls
The voices seem to emanate from the very structure of my environment, as if they are a part of the physical world around me.
Fear has settled in, my room commands me
The paranoia and anxiety that the voices provoke have taken root in my psyche, and I feel as if my surroundings are conspiring against me.
Keeps me warm inside
Despite the discomfort and fear that the voices cause, they are also strangely comforting, providing a sense of security and familiarity.
Sleep exists no more, a living zombie
The voices have robbed me of rest and relaxation, leaving me exhausted and disconnected from my own body and emotions.
I'm mystified
Despite my fear and confusion, I am also intrigued and drawn to the strange and otherworldly experiences that the voices offer.
Listen in wonder, the secret I've been told
The voices promise to reveal profound truths or hidden knowledge, but I constantly doubt their veracity and motives.
By the voices in my walls
The voices remain a pervasive presence in my life, always reminding me of their power and presence.
Candlelight for me, a fading sunset
The imagery of light and darkness suggests a contrast between beauty and desolation, hope and despair, that mirrors my own conflicted emotions.
Take me away
I long to escape the grasp of the voices and find peace and solace in a world beyond my own mind.
You'll see new colors, you can't describe, and feel strange things you've never tried
The voices dangle the tantalizing possibility of new experiences and sensations, but their vagueness and ambiguity makes me suspicious of their true nature and intent.
You gotta believe me
The desperation of my plea for validation underscores my isolation and the uncertainty of my own reality.
The secrets amaze and confuse me with no self-control
The voices' constant barrage of information and suggestions leaves me overwhelmed and helpless, unable to assert my own agency or make sense of my thoughts.
The voices are calling me now
The ceaseless pull of the voices and their demands creates a sense of urgency and obligation that I cannot ignore.
I'm a captive soul
The repetition of this refrain throughout the song underscores the essential theme of my entrapment and subjugation to the voices' will.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVIE BLAZE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind