Members of the band were formerly in the bands Botch, Kill Sadie, and Sharks Keep Moving. Their sound involves a mix of pele-esque guitar-taps and electronics, with a Don Caballero-esque sophistication of composition. The name Minus the Bear comes from the famed TV show B.J. and the Bear—minus the bear.
After initially forming in 2001 with guitarist David Knudson, bassist Cory Murchy, and drummer Erin Tate, the trio eventually recruited keyboardist/sequencer Matt Bayles and vocalist/guitarist Jake Snider. They released their debut EP This Is What I Know About Being Gigantic on September 14, 2001 through Suicide Squeeze Records—who would subsequently release the majority of their albums and EPs.
The following year, on August 8, 2002, in preparation for the up-coming album the band was working on, they released the 5 track promo EP Bands Like It When You Yell "Yar!" at Them. On December 2, 2002, the band released their first full-length album, Highly Refined Pirates.
In 2004, the band released their third EP entitled They Make Beer Commercials Like This through Arena Rock Recording Co. on July 13th. The band then contributed the track "Houston, We Have an Uh-Oh" to the Vagrant Records compilation In Honor: A Compilation to Beat Cancer which was released on September 21st.
Their second full-length album, Menos el Oso, was released on August 23, 2005. The title in Spanish translates to "Minus the Bear." The album featured the band's first-ever official music videos, with videos being made for both "The Game Needed Me" and "Pachuca Sunrise". The album signaled the end to the amusing song titles featured on previous releases.
On January 2, 2006 after touring in support of Menos el Oso, keyboardist/sequencer and producer Matt Bayles announced that he was leaving the band in order to focus on record production work. His last performance with the band was on January 28, 2006. Bayles wrote on his homepage that he would be replaced by Alex Rose, an engineer on Menos el Oso.
A remix album of Menos El Oso, entitled Interpretaciones Del Oso, was released on February 20th, 2007. The title in Spanish translates to "Interpretations of the Bear." The album features remixes by Plan B, Morgan Henderson of The Blood Brothers and Jason Clark of Pretty Girls Make Graves, among others.
Minus the Bear's third full-length album, Planet of Ice, was released on August 21, 2007, with a limited vinyl pressing on Suburban Home Records. To date, there have been three official pressings of Planet of Ice on vinyl. All pressings are double LPs. The album was recorded during February and March of 2006. Music videos were made for both "Knights" and "Throwin' Shapes".
On June 3, 2008, Suicide Squeeze Records re-issued the band's third EP They Make Beer Commercials Like This. The EP was remastered and expanded to include the track "Houston, We Have an Uh-Oh".
On October 7, 2008 the band released Acoustics, a 7 track EP featuring acoustic versions of the band's songs including the previously unreleased "Guns & Ammo". The EP was released on Tigre Blanco Records. The EP was released on vinyl on February 17, 2009 through Vinyl Collective.
On October 27, 2009, Minus the Bear released a digital 2 song single for "Into the Mirror", which features the title track and "Broken China". The band released their fourth original studio album Omni on May 4, 2010. Their final live performance was December 16, 2018 at The Showbox in Seattle.
Band members
Dave Knudson - guitar Cory Murchy - bass Alex Rose - synthesizer, drum machine, vocals, electronics, saxophone Jake Snider - lead vocals, guitar Erin Tate - drums
Former members
Matt Bayles - vocals, keyboards/drum machine, electronics
Former bands
Dave Knudson - used to play in botch Jake Snider - used to play in sharks keep moving Erin Tate used to play in kill sadie Cory Murchy used to play in kill sadie
Excuses
Minus the Bear Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shake in my pocket,
They shake like you do.
Steps that you take
Bend and they break,
They break like I do.
When we know what the truth is
I'm into you, I'm into you.
When you hear this song,
You'll say you knew all along
You're into me too, you're into me too.
The love you send
Sets me out my end.
Do you get my vibe too?
You held me on for so long
With what's a lie,
And what is true.
Runnin' out of excuses
When we know what the truth is;
I'm into you, I'm into you.
When you hear this song,
You'll say you knew all along;
You're into me too.
Black and white dress
Puts me into a trance
As I level as you.
First game of chance,
Ends in a loss,
I just lose it to you.
Runnin' out of excuses
When we know what the truth is;
I'm into you, I'm into you.
When you hear this song,
You'll say you knew all along;
You're into me too, you're into me too.
In the song "Excuses" by Minus the Bear, the lyrics suggest a relationship that is plagued with confusion, lies, and mixed signals. The first verse describes the physical and emotional tension between the two parties, with "holes" and "steps" representing the faults and insecurities they carry with them. The repetition of "They shake like you do" emphasizes the connection between the two people and how they are both affected by the instability in their relationship.
The chorus then describes the frustration of being "runnin' out of excuses" and facing the truth of their feelings. The singer admits that they are "into" the other person, and the line "When you hear this song, you'll say you knew all along" implies that the other person may have been aware of the singer's feelings all along. The second verse continues the theme of mixed signals and confusion, with the singer describing how the other person's actions have led them on in the past. The final verse seems to imply that the singer is entranced by the other person, despite the fact that their relationship is not always successful.
Overall, "Excuses" is a song about the complications and struggles of love, particularly when communication is not clear. The repeated use of "into you" and the admission of feelings suggest that the singer is ready to be honest with the other person, but they are still unsure if the other person feels the same way. The song captures the vulnerability and fear that can come with admitting your feelings to someone else.
Line by Line Meaning
Holes I could drop
There are a lot of things I could mess up
Shake in my pocket,
I'm really nervous
They shake like you do.
You're making me nervous
Steps that you take
You're always on the move
Bend and they break,
You're flexible but can't handle everything
They break like I do.
I'm similar, I try to be flexible but sometimes I can't handle everything
Runnin' out of excuses
I can't justify my behavior anymore
When we know what the truth is
We both know what's really going on
I'm into you, I'm into you.
I'm really interested in you
When you hear this song,
When you listen to this, you'll know what the deal is
You'll say you knew all along
You knew that I was interested in you
You're into me too, you're into me too.
You feel the same way about me
The love you send
The way you act towards me
Sets me out my end.
It affects me deeply
Do you get my vibe too?
Do you feel the connection between us as well?
You held me on for so long
You've had a hold on me for a while
With what's a lie,
What's not true
And what is true.
What is true
Black and white dress
Your dress
Puts me into a trance
You have a hypnotic effect on me
As I level as you.
As we connect and get on the same wavelength
First game of chance,
This relationship is a gamble
Ends in a loss,
It's not going well
I just lose it to you.
But I still want to be with you
Lyrics © SONGS MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: ALEXANDER DAVID ROSE, CORY MICHEAL MURCHY, DAVID ERIK KNUDSON, ERIN DAVID JOHNSON, JAKE HENRY SNIDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind