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
Michio's Death Drive
Minus the Bear Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And walk foot follows foot into the sea
Watch your step, read the sign
Learn to swim or learn to sink
Or stand with the ocean to your neck and sunken feet
You're the mask on my face
At the masquerade painted black
Feel the earth and dig it up and put yourself in the hole
When the tide comes in you'll never feel anything again
You know how a finger folds
And you know what you need to breathe
Our hands catch on everything
When we're not asleep
I drive too fast at night
Because accidents happen to other men
And not me
Walk into the sea
The lyrics to Minus the Bear's "Michio's Death Drive" speak to the inevitability of death and the ways in which we try to avoid it. The first stanza sets the scene of standing at the edge of the sea, with the choice to either learn to swim or sink, or stand in the ocean until submerged. This can be interpreted as a metaphor for life - we can either learn to navigate the challenges we face or succumb to them. The second stanza introduces the theme of masks and masquerades, perhaps alluding to the idea of hiding our true selves as we navigate life. The line "You can take a place and a table if they even let you in" can be read as a reminder that we must earn our place in the world and not simply expect it to be given to us.
The third stanza takes a darker turn, with the imagery of digging oneself into a hole and being consumed by the tide. This can be seen as a representation of the fear of death and the desire to escape it - if we bury ourselves deep enough, perhaps we can avoid the inevitable. The final lines bring the focus back to the present, with the singer admitting to driving too fast because they believe accidents will not happen to them. The song as a whole can be seen as a meditation on mortality and the ways humans try to confront or avoid it.
Line by Line Meaning
Feel the earth under your feet
Get grounded and rooted in existence
And walk foot follows foot into the sea
Follow the path of life, let it lead you to the unknown
Watch your step, read the sign
Be aware and conscious of the signs and dangers ahead
Learn to swim or learn to sink
Either adapt to the situation or succumb to it
Or stand with the ocean to your neck and sunken feet
Accept and embrace the unknown, even if it means losing yourself
You're the mask on my face
You're the facade that I present to the world
At the masquerade painted black
In a world of deceit and darkness
You can take a place and a table if they even let you in
You can try to fit in, but acceptance is never guaranteed
Feel the earth and dig it up and put yourself in the hole
Go deep within and confront your fears and doubts
When the tide comes in you'll never feel anything again
When the end comes, all you'll feel is the emptiness
You know how a finger folds
You know the intricacies of the human form
And you know what you need to breathe
You know your basic necessities to survive
Our hands catch on everything
We're bound to make mistakes and stumble along the way
When we're not asleep
When we're conscious and aware of our surroundings
I drive too fast at night
I take risks and live dangerously
Because accidents happen to other men
I'm invincible and immune to harm
And not me
I'm the exception to the rule
Walk into the sea
Embrace the unknown and venture into the depths
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: BAYLES, JOHNSON, KNUDSON, MURCHY, SNIDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind