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
Hooray
Minus the Bear Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of this no-snow town
And instead of cars
Streets trafficking in sleds
Men become boys again
There's a war on the corner
With no guaranteed winner
Evidence of the winter
And I can feel my hands again
We're almost home
It's 2 PM and our snow is fallin' still
As our good city lay still
And our friends are packed
Around some no smoking bar
Warmin' on alcohol
We step into the silence
Yeah, we step slowly and quiet
All boys come on and girls join up
Just don't grow old
All boys come on and girls join up
We're almost home
this is all we want
Time to be with us
A home to lift the cold
Still cold, the snow's
Turning into rain
And melting away
And all these days slip by us
So let's keep them
All boys come on and girls join up
Just don't grow old
All boys come on and girls join up
We're almost home
We're almost home
The lyrics to Minus the Bear's song Hooray describe a scene of a neighborhood transformed by a snowfall. The singer notes that their town does not typically get snow, but the rare occurrence has turned the streets into a playground for adults and children alike. They remark on the joy of being able to act like a child again in the snow, engaging in a war of snowballs with no guaranteed winner.
As the day wears on and the snow continues to fall, the group of friends seeks refuge from the cold in a nearby bar. They enter the bar quietly, taking in the warmth and comfort that the space provides. Throughout the song, the singer urges listeners to hold onto moments like these, to take joy in the present and to avoid growing old too quickly.
Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of transience and impermanence - the snowfall, the warmth of the bar, and the joy of playing in the snow will all pass, but the memories linger on. Through it all, the singer encourages listeners to savor the moment and to appreciate the beauty of simplicity and connection with others.
Line by Line Meaning
It's cold, and snow's actually on the ground
The cold weather has brought snow to a town that doesn't usually have it.
Of this no-snow town
The town normally doesn't get snow.
And instead of cars
People are using sleds instead of cars because of the snow.
Streets trafficking in sleds
The streets are full of people using sleds instead of cars.
Men become boys again
The joy of playing in the snow is making grown men feel childlike again.
There's a war on the corner
People are having a snowball fight on the street corner.
With no guaranteed winner
The snowball fight doesn't have clear winner.
It's just a snowfall of snowballs
The snowball fight is just a result of the snowfall.
Evidence of the winter
The snowball fight is a sign that winter has arrived.
And I can feel my hands again
The cold weather is making the person feel alive again.
We're almost home
The person and their friends are getting closer to their destination.
It's 2 PM and our snow is fallin' still
It's the middle of the day and the snow is still falling heavily.
As our good city lay still
The city is quiet and still in the snowfall.
And our friends are packed
The person's friends are gathered in a bar.
Around some no smoking bar
The bar they're in doesn't allow smoking.
Warmin' on alcohol
The person and their friends are drinking alcohol to keep warm.
We step into the silence
They leave the bar and step outside into the quiet, snowy night.
Yeah, we step slowly and quiet
They're trying to move quietly as they walk in the snow.
All boys come on and girls join up
The person is inviting everyone to join in the fun of playing in the snow.
Just don't grow old
They're encouraging others to stay young at heart and enjoy life.
This is all we want
The simple joy of playing in the snow with friends is all they need.
Time to be with us
Being with friends in the snow is all they need to feel happy.
A home to lift the cold
Being with friends in a warm place helps them forget about the cold outside.
Still cold, the snow's
It's still cold outside, despite the snow beginning to melt.
Turning into rain
The snow is beginning to turn into rain.
And melting away
The snow is melting and disappearing.
And all these days slip by us
Time is flying by quickly.
So let's keep them
Let's cherish these moments and make them last.
We're almost home
The person and their friends are getting closer to their destination.
All boys come on and girls join up
The person is inviting everyone to join in the fun of playing in the snow.
Just don't grow old
They're encouraging others to stay young at heart and enjoy life.
We're almost home
The person and their friends are getting closer to their destination.
Lyrics © SONGS MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: BAYLES, JOHNSON, KNUDSON, MURCHY, SNIDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Xixu
They were so ahead of their time. This album still sounds brand new
Crimsonspades58
Absolutely
Skitzo Gizzmo
I'm so in love it's stupid. There is no such thing as a shitty Minus the Bear song. I don't understand how anybody could not just fall in love with this. So amazing.
ThirteenDnB
I saw these guys live in Tucson AZ... and holy crap do they do an AMAZING live show. Awesome vibes, they got everyone on their feet.... Amazing band all around.
Lauriston Brewster
These guys got me through so much in my younger days. I was lucky enough to see them back in 2017 when they came to Houston.
Samus5164
I actually listened to this when driving through a blizzard. I got goosebumps
seiph80
Been hooked on this song since last night. Played it again this morning on my way to work.
TPOBWMTYT
This was the first MTB song I ever heard, and it's still my favorite. :)
RandomGenericComment
soooo good. to me, this song takes me back to the best winter ive had in my life ^.^ back when i just played outside with my friends, snow ball fights, snow castles, snow angels, lol. u get it :P tobogganing on the most dangerous hunk of metal i've ever had the displease of riding down a hill... it was great :)
haby ramirez
i'm buying all their cds today...i've known em for a couple years now and i've finally decided that it's totally worth it...don't know what I've been waiting for this whole time.