<… Read Full Bio ↴Link 80 was a punk rock/ska punk band from the San Francisco Bay Area.
Link 80 started in early 1994 in the famous East Bay of California. In the beginning, original members (guitarist Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, drummer Joey Bustos, bassist Adam Pereria and singer Jeff Acree) played around town as Drano, The Rag-Tags, and Mr. Slave-Unit, before settling on Link 80.
The name came from the interstate highway I-80 which they used to get to the drummer's garage for band practice and connected the band members' homes.
In July 1995, Nick Traina joined the band after meeting Adam at a show in San Francisco's Mission District. Nick's passion and voice combined with the rest of the band to make them different from most ska bands and gave Link 80 the "against the rest" attitude they display throughout their lyrics. Far more punk than ska and with an energy and a sense of immediacy lacking in pop-oriented ska bands, Link 80 was able to avoid the clichés of ska-punk characterized by their peers. As Asian Man Records describes them, they are an energetic blend of ska, punk rock, and hardcore.
After some demos, split EPs, complilation releases, "17 Reasons" and "Killing Katie" (both on Asian Man Records) Nick left Link 80 and started another band called Knowledge. Knowledge released one record on Asian Man Records named "A Gift Before I Go". Shortly thereafter Nick Traina committed suicide, at the age of 19... Ryan Noble took over as lead singer of Link 80 and released "The Struggle Continues," as well as some split EPs.
In 2002, the band consisting of Adam Davis, Aaron Nagel, Steve Borth, Joey Bustos, Barry Krippene, and singer Ryan Noble went on hiatus. Steve Borth would join Rx Bandits, before forming his own band Satori in 2006. The remaining Link 80 members would form DESA. They have since maintained that Link 80 would return, but for now they are focused on their respective projects.
Joey and Ryan are now in The Soft White Sixties. Matt formed a band called Dolores (with Nick's brother Todd Traina) and is a member of the comedy trio Chad, Matt & Rob. Aaron runs Two Twenty Two Design Studio and is an artist whose work can be seen on the covers of The Resignation and ...And the Battle Begun. Adam Pereria played with Thought Crime after leaving Link 80.
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Addiction
Link 80 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Two faces of
Addiction
It's always an addiction that makes your life an all out race
Addiction
So face your addiction,
You'll always end up in second place.
They can't save you forever,
Doesn't matter what you think,
Addiction finds a way to make you not understand
The reason why you seem to be stuck without a plan,
Fact of the matter is that it's against you,
Until your number gets pulled,
The cradle fell because the bough broke and now
The piper wants his payment in full.
Addiction
Two faces of
Addiction
It's always an addiction that makes your life an all out race
Addiction
So face your addiction,
You'll always end up in second place.
It seems to me that you're addicted to pain,
You're used to everything not going your way,
You're searching high and low for a better way to think,
But it always leads you back to the drug and the drink,
You say that it's your saviour but both you and I know,
That that's a bunch of fucking bull,
You bit the hand that feeds you,
Now you got no place to go,
And the piper wants his payment in full.
Addiction
Two faces of
Addiction
It's always an addiction that makes your life an all out race
Addiction
So face your addiction,
You'll always end up in second place
Link 80's song "Addiction" is a commentary on the dangers of addiction and the consequences that come along with it. The song speaks to the two faces of addiction, which can seem like a life-saving savior but ultimately lead to a destructive end. The lyrics warn against relying on substances as a crutch because they cannot save you forever, no matter what you might tell yourself. Addiction is portrayed as a force that blinds people from the reason they are stuck, leading them to feel like they don't have a plan.
The song suggests that addiction is always a race, one that you cannot win as long as you are in a cycle of dependency. The line "face your addiction, you'll always end up in second place" suggests that even if you think you're in control, addiction has a way of undermining your efforts. The lyrics suggest that addiction is not always about drugs and alcohol but can also manifest as a negative mindset, such as being addicted to pain or the idea that everything is against you. In the end, the "piper wants his payment in full" suggests that addiction will always take its toll, and there will be a price to pay.
Line by Line Meaning
Addiction
referring to the concept of addiction
Two faces of
addiction represents both a positive and negative aspect
Addiction
referring to the concept of addiction
It's always an addiction that makes your life an all out race
addiction causes a constant struggle and challenge in life
Addiction
referring to the concept of addiction
So face your addiction,
acknowledge and confront your addiction
You'll always end up in second place.
addiction will always hinder your success
You cannot rely on the drug of the drink,
addiction cannot be a reliable source of comfort or escape
They can't save you forever,
addiction will eventually cause harm and not provide a solution
Doesn't matter what you think,
even if you believe addiction is helping you, it still harms you
Addiction finds a way to make you not understand
addiction clouds judgment and rational thinking
The reason why you seem to be stuck without a plan,
addiction prevents one from mapping out their future
Fact of the matter is that it's against you,
addiction is not helpful or supportive
Until your number gets pulled,
addiction has negative consequences that eventually catch up to you
The cradle fell because the bough broke and now
an analogy for addiction as something that was once comfortable but now is broken
The piper wants his payment in full.
addiction has a cost that must be paid
It seems to me that you're addicted to pain,
suggesting a cycle of self-sabotage and negative emotions
You're used to everything not going your way,
suggesting a negative outlook on life
You're searching high and low for a better way to think,
desiring a change in mindset but struggling to find it
But it always leads you back to the drug and the drink,
addiction is a recurring issue
You say that it's your saviour but both you and I know,
even if one claims addiction helps them, it only harms them
That that's a bunch of fucking bull,
rejecting the notion that addiction is beneficial
You bit the hand that feeds you,
an idiom suggesting harm caused to oneself through their actions
Now you got no place to go,
addiction can leave one feeling lost and out of options
And the piper wants his payment in full.
reiterating the cost and consequences of addiction
Addiction
referring to the concept of addiction
Two faces of
addiction represents both a positive and negative aspect
Addiction
referring to the concept of addiction
It's always an addiction that makes your life an all out race
addiction causes a constant struggle and challenge in life
Addiction
referring to the concept of addiction
So face your addiction,
acknowledge and confront your addiction
You'll always end up in second place.
addiction will always hinder your success
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: KANYE WEST, KANYE OMARI WEST, LORENZ HART, RICHARD RODGERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind