<… 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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Verbal Kint
Link 80 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He talks a lot
He lies a lot
He walks with a bad limp
But no one really knows him, no one takes the hint
A mastermind in fool's disguise his name is Verbal Kint
Chorus:
You could call him the devil the reason being this
A devil in disguise, a wolf dressed as a lamb, just when you think he's gonna
Fold he's got 4 aces in his hand.
He runs the underworld and no one sees his face,
He's killed 1000 men he's got a million different names
He's the baddest mother fucker that I have ever known,
He works hard for what he's got
He's got a heart that's made of stone
Chorus:
He'll make you doubt yourself
He'll play tricks with your brain
Does he steal or does he kill
It doesn't matter,
It's all the same
He may seem a petty crook,
But he's no ordinary man
His name is Verbal Kint he's got the whole world in his hands
Chorus:
The song Verbal Kint by Link 80 is a tribute to the character Verbal Kint from the movie The Usual Suspects. At first glance, Verbal Kint appears to be a helpless gimp who talks and lies a lot while walking with a bad limp. However, as the song reveals, he is a mastermind in fool's disguise, with a million different names and a heart made of stone. He runs the underworld and has killed thousands of men but no one has ever seen his face.
The chorus of the song draws a parallel to the classic saying that the best trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist. Verbal Kint is portrayed as a devil in disguise, a wolf dressed as a lamb who always has four aces in his hand. He makes people doubt themselves and plays tricks with their brain. He seems like a petty crook, but he's no ordinary man. He's got the whole world in his hands.
Overall, the song is a powerful tribute to the character of Verbal Kint, who is both brilliant and terrifying in equal measure. It captures the essence of his character perfectly and serves as a reminder of his unforgettable presence on screen.
Line by Line Meaning
At first look you would say that this man is just a gimp
On first appearance, this man seems disabled and weak
He talks a lot
He speaks frequently
He lies a lot
He frequently tells falsehoods
He walks with a bad limp
His gait is affected by his disability
But no one really knows him, no one takes the hint
Despite his appearance, no one truly understands him
A mastermind in fool's disguise his name is Verbal Kint
This man is actually a brilliant criminal mastermind named Verbal Kint
You could call him the devil the reason being this
This man can be compared to the devil in his deceitful nature
The best trick the devil pulled, convinced the world he didn't exist
The devil's greatest trick was making people believe he doesn't exist
A devil in disguise, a wolf dressed as a lamb, just when you think he's gonna Fold he's got 4 aces in his hand.
Verbal Kint may seem harmless, but he is actually a wolf in sheep's clothing and always has the upper hand
He runs the underworld and no one sees his face,
Verbal Kint is a powerful figure in the criminal underworld and remains anonymous
He's killed 1000 men he's got a million different names
Verbal Kint has a long history of violence and operates under many aliases
He's the baddest mother fucker that I have ever known,
Verbal Kint is the most dangerous and intimidating person known to the artist
He works hard for what he's got
Verbal Kint puts in a lot of effort to maintain his power and reputation
He's got a heart that's made of stone
Verbal Kint is emotionally detached and lacks empathy
He'll make you doubt yourself
Verbal Kint will manipulate and confuse you
He'll play tricks with your brain
Verbal Kint will mess with your mind
Does he steal or does he kill
It's unclear if Verbal Kint is a thief or a murderer
It doesn't matter,
Either crime would be equally plausible for him
He may seem a petty crook,
Verbal Kint may appear to be a small-time criminal
But he's no ordinary man
He is actually a dangerous and powerful criminal
His name is Verbal Kint he's got the whole world in his hands
Verbal Kint has complete control over the criminal underworld and wields immense power
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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