<… 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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Looking Back
Link 80 Lyrics
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But the puddles still remain,
The one thing I know,
Is it'll never be the same again.
Your way of expressing your friendship with me,
Is a shotgun blast in my head.
All this bullshit, leaving me out,
It makes me wish that you were dead.
But the puddles still remain,
The one thing I know,
Is it'll never be the same again.
Looking back now at the stupid things we did,
And all those things that I wish I never said
Now we're stuck in a situation that's irreversible.
I wish we could go back in time,
But that's impossible
The rain has left now,
But the puddles still remain,
The one thing I know,
Is it'll never be the same again.
Looking back now at the stupid things we did,
And all those things that I wish I never said
Link 80’s “Looking Back” is a song of reflection about a broken friendship. The rain has come and gone, but the residue of the friendship still remains, like a puddle. The singer is expressing how the noxious the friendship has become, that their friend’s actions are like a “shotgun blast in [their] head.” Being excluded from their friend’s life leaves them with the thought of wanting their friend dead. The song continues to reminisce about past events and things said that they regretted. They’re now stuck in a situation that is beyond repair, wishing that they could time travel and change things. The chorus repeats, highlighting that the two can never return to the way they once were.
“Looking Back” is a raw and cathartic song, depicting a toxic friendship that has reached its bitter end. The lyrics are relatable to listeners who have experienced a broken friendship. The song conveys the intense emotional experience of burying something that was once important. The chorus resonates, emphasizing that we can’t change the past, and we’re left with the pain of what we wish we could have done.
Line by Line Meaning
The rain has left now,
The problem is no longer present.
But the puddles still remain,
The aftermath of the problem still affects me even though the problem is gone.
The one thing I know,
I am certain of one thing.
Is it'll never be the same again.
The problem has changed things between us permanently.
Your way of expressing your friendship with me,
I interpret your actions towards me as how you express your friendship.
Is a shotgun blast in my head.
Your actions towards me are hurting me deeply and suddenly.
All this bullshit, leaving me out,
All the lies and deceit are making me feel excluded.
It makes me wish that you were dead.
Your actions are making me wish you were no longer a part of my life.
Looking back now at the stupid things we did,
When I reflect on our past actions, I see them as foolish and regrettable.
And all those things that I wish I never said
I regret saying things that I can't take back.
Now we're stuck in a situation that's irreversible.
Our current situation cannot be changed or fixed.
I wish we could go back in time,
I desire to change things in the past.
But that's impossible
It's not possible to change the past and fix our current situation.
The rain has left now,
The problem is no longer present.
But the puddles still remain,
The aftermath of the problem still affects me even though the problem is gone.
The one thing I know,
I am certain of one thing.
Is it'll never be the same again.
The problem has changed things between us permanently.
Looking back now at the stupid things we did,
When I reflect on our past actions, I see them as foolish and regrettable.
And all those things that I wish I never said
I regret saying things that I can't take back.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CLYDE OTIS, BROOK BENTON, BELFORD C. HENDRICKS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind