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
Fulfill the Dream
Minus the Bear Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
she's not mine and she'll never be by my side walkin downtown
i've only met her once before
she was alone in a back booth
a drink and a cigarette
smoking like she was waiting for someone
me stealing glances as she stole my breath
may i take this seat
the rest of the bar reciedes
we talked on traveling back roads overseas
"Girl, a change sounds good to me"
she said,
"who can find that kind of time?"
i'd only met her once before
she was alone in a back booth
a drink and a cigarette
drinking like she was waiting for someone
me stealing glances as she stole my breath
the next one's on me
and after it's done
the sun comes up and she's gone
after it's done
you just move on
a night can show what's made plain by the sun
i'd only met her once before
she was alone in a back booth
a drink and a cigarette
smoking like she was waiting for someone
me stealing glances as she stole my breath
The song Fulfill the Dream by Minus the Bear is a narrative about the fleeting and unlikely connection between two strangers in a bar. The song starts with the singer seeing the woman he met before walking around with another man downtown, implicitly conveying a sense of longing that won't be fulfilled. The tragic inevitability of this situation serves as the backdrop for the rest of the song as the singer reminisces about when he met her at the back booth, alone with a drink and a cigarette. They strike up a conversation, and she talks about the change, but he can't find time for traveling back roads overseas. The song then explores their mutual attraction, with him stealing glances as she steals his breath while smoking her cigarette and drinking her drink.
The chorus of the song "after it's done, the sun comes up, and she's gone, after it's done, you just move on" is a resigned expression of the fleeting nature of such encounters. The song suggests that this brief interaction is just that, and that we must endure the discomfort and pain of moving on, even if the memory stays with us. This narrative is captured and elevated by the smooth, easy melody that echoes the sense of missed connection and wistful longing in its every note.
Line by Line Meaning
i saw her with another man walkin downtown
I witnessed her with some other guy while we were in downtown area; this confirms that she doesn't belong to me and will never walk beside me in that area.
she's not mine and she'll never be by my side walkin downtown
It's evident that she is not my companion and it is unlikely that she'll ever join me for a stroll in the downtown area.
i've only met her once before
I've come across her only one time in the past.
she was alone in a back booth
She was sitting by herself in a booth at the back of the room.
a drink and a cigarette
She was having a beverage and smoking a cigarette.
smoking like she was waiting for someone
She appeared to be smoking as she anticipated someone to arrive.
me stealing glances as she stole my breath
As I kept shooting quick looks at her, she completely captivated me.
the next one's on me
I offered to get the next round of drinks.
may i take this seat
I politely requested if I could sit beside her.
the rest of the bar reciedes
The rest of the pub fell away as we started to talk.
we talked on traveling back roads overseas
We discussed the possibility of exploring foreign places through the countryside routes.
"Girl, a change sounds good to me"
I said it might be great to encounter a fresh start, and she agreed.
she said, "who can find that kind of time?"
She responded by questioning whether anyone could possibly have the time to spare for such an undertaking.
and after it's done
After the night has passed.
the sun comes up and she's gone
By the time the sun rises, she has vanished.
after it's done
Once our encounter is over.
you just move on
I need to move on from this situation.
a night can show what's made plain by the sun
When nightfall arrives, it makes clear what is evident during daylight hours.
Lyrics © SONGS MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: BAYLES, JOHNSON, KNUDSON, MURCHY, SNIDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind