The original lineup, consisting of Šarčević (vocals & bass), Ohlsson (guitar), and Färm (drums), released their first demo tape, Goofy, in early 1993. Soon afterwards, Larzon joined the band to play drums, allowing Färm to perform as the second guitarist. In the summer of 1993, they recorded a second demo tape, Melack. The band sent the tape to Burning Heart Records, a new record label formed earlier that year. They signed Millencolin to do a CD single, which culminated in the release of Use Your Nose in November 1993. Success of the single prompted Burning Heart to sign the band to release a full album. In July 1994, the band released Skauch, initially planned to be a single for their new album. However, the band decided to record four cover songs as well and released it as an EP instead. They put out their first major release, Tiny Tunes, in 1994. The recording and mixing of the album took two weeks. Legal trouble with Warner Brothers over the title and cover artwork of the album led the band to re-release it in 1996 under the name Same Old Tunes.
Millencolin continued to tour and in 1995 brought out their second full-length album Life on a Plate. This coincided with Millencolin beginning to tour outside of Scandinavia. At the end of 1995, the US record company Epitaph wanted to release Life on a Plate in the US, and the band agreed. They then toured further afield, touring Japan, Australia, Brazil and Canada, and played as part of the 1997 Warped Tour.
Further albums For Monkeys and compilation The Melancholy Collection followed, but the band's popularity increased in 2000 with the release of Pennybridge Pioneers, an album with more of a rock influence than the band's previous skate punk/ska punk sound. The recording took six weeks and they started their first major worldwide tour. Millencolin played in Wellington, New Zealand, followed by an Australian tour. This led to an early release of the album in Australia and New Zealand. Millencolin wrote on tour and release Home from Home in 2002. In 2003, the band received the Best Swedish Rock award from the Swedish Hit Awards.
Kingwood, released in March 2005, marked the band's return to a faster and more traditional punk rock sound, collaborating it with their recently founded rock sound, and completed a world tour in follow up of the album. The album debuted at No. 2 in the Swedish chart.
On October 22, 2007 the band entered the studio to start writing and recording songs for their seventh album Machine 15.
The band has hosted a skateboard contest at their own skatepark in Örebro, Sweden named the Millencolin Open. They say they started this annual contest because skateboarding is what brought them together and now they have the chance to make something good of their town and of skateboarding.
Šarčević released his second solo album entitled Roll Roll and Flee, whilst Färm promoted his side-project Franky Lee.
They wrote and released a single dedicated to their hometown football club Örebro SK titled Örebro in 2009. It was played in the stadium for the first time on May 11, 2009 in the home game vs Hammarby Fotboll.
In 2010, they toured in Canada and South America, where they played Pennybridge Pioneers in its entirety. They also played the 2011 Soundwave Festival in Australia.
In 2012 Millencolin celebrated 20 years as a band, they simply put up their own festival. "Millencolin 20 Year Festival" was a 2-day Open Air Festival at Brunnsparken, Örebro, Sweden on the 8th & 9th of June 2012. Millencolin closed both nights by doing two exclusive sets from the band’s entire 20-year long career with different songs each night. In addition to Millencolin, a bunch of international and national bands has played on stage. A temporary festival site was built, including a huge catering tent with food and drinks. Besides this, WESC presented a skate contest with invited pro skaters. There were also a camp just 5 min from the festival and with their own waterpark.
The band announced on facebook a limited "yellow bird" toy would be available in the festival but due on delay in the production the sale was only possible in future tours. Carry You single from the compilation album The Melancholy Connection was released on vinyl limited to 500 copies in this festival.
On April No Fun At All canceled their appear at 20 Years Festival due their disbandment [10]. So then the canadian trio Danko Jones was invited to join it the festival.
A Day To Remember's Jeremy McKinnon has stated that Millencolin has been a big influence on A Day to Remember.
On May 29, 2012, Millencolin released The Melancholy Connection, a follow-up compilation to The Melancholy Collection featuring b-sides from Pennybridge Pioneers onward. The album also features a DVD of a behind-the-scenes look at the previous decade of the band.
In February 2015, Millencolin announced their latest album True Brew would be released in April. The first track "Sense & Sensibility" premiered on YouTube, with a three-part mini documentary about the making of the album being posted leading up to the release. The album was released at different times in different regions; on April 22 in Sweden; April 24 in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands; April 27 in the rest of Europe and on April 28 in the US.
Hard Times
Millencolin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
when you are winning I'm with you.
I'm sun and springing, yeah,
sun and springings what I do.
And I'm your best friend,
I'm your best friend, I pretend,
just like a new trend.
You know this friendship will soon end.
Cause when the hard times are coming
my true colors show.
And what I give you is nothing,
I say you're on your own.
Cause when the hard times are coming,
I'm the first to run.
So for the hard times,
you know you're on your own.
You made a bad stroke.
You made a bad stroke you should have known,
cause I'm all for smalltalk.
If you want smalltalk then pick up the phone
and I'll be your best friend.
Well, at least now for a little while,
but don't go around the bend,
cause I can only stand you when you smile.
Cause when the hard times are coming
my true colors show.
And what I give you is nothing,
I say you're on your own.
Cause when the hard times are coming,
I'm the first to run.
So for the hard times,
you know you're on your own.
Just like a sinking stone.
A friend in need is a friend indeed
that's what I've been told,
but a friend in me lacks that heart of gold.
In Millencolin's song Hard Times, the lyrics speak about the fickle nature of friendships and how they often end during difficult times. The song begins with the singer expressing that they are supportive when their friend is doing well, enjoying the sun and springing into action alongside them. The singer even goes as far as to claim that they are the best friend of the individual, but this is a façade. The second half of the song revolves around the fact that when hard times are coming, the true colors of the singer show, and they become distant and uninvolved. The singer even goes as far as to say that they only stick around for a little while and will only stand the individual when they smile. In the end, the singer admits that while friends are supposed to be there for each other during hard times, they lack the heart of gold necessary to be a dependable friend in need.
The lyrics of Hard Times speak to the truth experienced by many people; everyone has a good friend when times are good, but when times get tough, only a few real friends stick around. The honesty and vulnerability of the lyrics are refreshing and relatable, making the song a hit among many people going through difficult times that need a friend. The song has become a common anthem for those experiencing challenges, and it helps many reconnect with their sense of self-worth and perseverance.
Line by Line Meaning
When you are winning,
when you are winning I'm with you.
I support you when everything is going well for you.
I'm sun and springing, yeah,
sun and springings what I do.
I am cheerful and optimistic.
And I'm your best friend,
I'm your best friend, I pretend,
just like a new trend.
I pretend to be your best friend, but I am actually just following the latest trend.
You know this friendship will soon end.
You know our friendship will not last.
Cause when the hard times are coming
my true colors show.
And what I give you is nothing,
I say you're on your own.
Cause when the hard times are coming,
I'm the first to run.
So for the hard times,
you know you're on your own.
When things become difficult, I abandon you and leave you on your own.
You made a bad stroke.
You made a bad stroke you should have known,
cause I'm all for smalltalk.
You made a mistake that you should have avoided, but I only care about trivial conversations.
If you want smalltalk then pick up the phone
and I'll be your best friend.
If you want to chat, I am happy to talk to you but only for a short time.
Well, at least now for a little while,
but don't go around the bend,
cause I can only stand you when you smile.
I can tolerate you for a short while but only when you are happy.
Just like a sinking stone.
You are alone and unsupported, like a sinking rock in the water.
A friend in need is a friend indeed
that's what I've been told,
but a friend in me lacks that heart of gold.
I have heard that a good friend is supportive in hard times, but I am not that kind of friend since I lack compassion and empathy.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MATHIAS FARM, FREDRIK LARSSON, ERIK OHLSSON, NIKOLA SARCEVIC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
william 85
millencollin is one of the bands i loved from the start. in their hardcore punk days up till now i can only say they matured! instead of what many think ' selling out' even the album machine 15. this band has got me trough every hard times in my life . and i had my share . thanks for all those great songs
Green Kid
Wow these guys are great... I just looked up 4 or 5 songs by them on a whim, and they're all in my favorites... first for Refused, and now, for Millencolin... thank you Sweden!
LOZZOL
Great song i love milencoli ❤️
Shane Jonsson
<3 best band ever, go Millencolin and sweden <3
Laurent Jade
You know what? I discovered Millencolin with their first 4 albums. Back in my punk-rock days (i'm into metal now), when they were by favourite band. To me, it all went downhill for them from Pennybridge Pionneers on. I hate how bands get so commercial after a few albums. This is my first time listening to this song. And it sucks. I love songs like Mystic Reptile, Melack, Mr. Clean, Olympic, Trendy Winds, Buzzer, and so on. I stopped listening to them after the Melancholy Collection. Saw them live for the first time last year, and was very dissapointed. Oh well.
Bili5
I'm very disappointed by your opinion. Hard Times is an excellent track.
ruttnaroger
Millencolin FTW! saw them at Stagedive day out :D!
MakeMeMad31
vlw.tinha esquecido de punk rock por um tempo xD
Ernest #247
means a lot to me
ruttnaroger
YEAH :D MILLENCOLIN FTW!