Erik started making music at a young age, but it wasn’t until age 16 that he started playing shows with his punk band, The Orphans. Influenced by “Fresh Fruit”-era Dead Kennedys and “Worlds Apart”-era Subhumans, the band had released a 7” (“Anthems for Doomed Youth,” 1996) before half of them were even old enough to drive. They officially disbanded in 2000 and Erik continued to make music…digging into the past for a more traditional sound to mix with punk ideals. The result was “Mirth,” a demo of acoustic punk influenced by medieval danses and raucous Romany dust-raising ditties (2000). The tape was rough and scratchy - yet it was clear that there were solid anthems buried under that hiss, which was evident by the scope of the tape, spanning city and state. Logically, a live show was expected – and despite the drums and extra instrumentation on the tape (all layered on a four-track recorder), there was no band. Over the years, seeing “Mischief Brew” on a flyer meant you were just seeing Erik Petersen with an acoustic guitar or mandolin. There was no PA in the beginning, just a roomful of West Philly’s finest rabble-rousers singing along to the “Mirth” songs. And for quite some time, this is how things stayed until it was necessary to deliver a proper recording.
“Bellingham & Philadelphia” (2003) is a split LP/CD with Washington state’s roving songcrafter Robert Blake. Meanwhile, Fistolo Records (the label Erik co-founded and runs with his wife Denise) released the “Bakenal” CDep. It was hard to believe that all the songs were recorded in the same session and split between two releases, as they were completely different experiences soundwise. “Bellingham” was more Phil Ochs/Bob Dylan-style political folk, while “Bakenal” delivered gypsy-punk swing, Poguesy drinking songs, and even a drunken tango. Two years of touring followed, from punk bars to basement shows. Meanwhile, Erik visited the studio here and there to record a few acoustic tracks for the Orphans discography (“Raise the Youth,” 2004), and the Mischief Brew “Oh Sweet Misery b/w All About the Class War” single (2005).
For an official full-length, Mischief Brew needed a non-traditional studio (by punk standards), since the songs required a more varied instrumentation to bring forth the gypsy melodies and circus beats. Impressed by the work of Israeli producer Tamir Muskat (Balkan Beat Box, Firewater, Big Lazy…), Erik visited the Brooklyn studio that he runs. Vibromonk has produced records by such festive acts as Gogol Bordello, World/Inferno Friendship Society, Firewater and more…the kind of place that knows how to mic a marimba. For this record, a backing band was assembled consisting of bass, drums, accordion, clarinet, and junk percussion. Guest appearances by Sturgeon (Leftover Crack), Peter Hess (Guignol), and Franz Nicolay (World/Inferno, The Hold Steady) bring the album even more character. “Smash the Windows” (2005) includes the folk-punk anthems “Nomads Revolt” and “Roll Me Through the Gates of Hell” – but also the epic tale “The Gypsy, The Punk, and The Fool” and the klez/ska rendition of “A Liquor Never Brewed.” The album closes with “Departure Arrival,” a sweet folk lament about leaving the comforts of home for uncharted cities and towns. “Departure” was also featured on “Up the Stairs and Through the Hall,” a 2xCD compilation of independent artists and bands from Philadelphia.
But wait, there’s more! Meanwhile, Mischief Brew released a split 7” with David Dondero (an influence on Bright Eyes) and another with -Bread & Roses (Boston-based labor folk at its best). The newest recording, “Songs from Under the Sink,” is a batch of anarcho-folk songs written between 1997-2002…finally put on LP and CD once and for all. If it had to all fit under one banner, it would read, "Carnivalesque!"
Coffee God And Cigarettes
Mischief Brew Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I take my coffee, cream and seven sugars
Before we meet we stand out on the sidewalk as it pours
Swappin' one addiction for another
Coffee, God and cigarettes are all that I need
It's all that I need just to break this routine
Coffee, God and cigarettes are all that you need
When I run into my old friends still drinkin' from that cup
I never stay too long as I've been tempted
I say you know drink the devils brew, you know it's just a crutch
No longer must you live your life dependant
Coffee, God and cigarettes are all that I need
It's all that I need just to break this routine
Coffee, God and cigarettes are all that you need
It's all that you need just to be as free as me
Now what made me give, turn off the road that ends at the cliff
Took the car out for a spin, crashed the party, blood runs thin
Was it wakin up with fiftey stitches in my gourd
Was it dreamin' about bourban in the trama ward
Well I knew I was surely gonna end up dead
If I didn't embrace coffee, God and cigarettes
Coffee, God and cigarettes are all that I need
It's all that I need just to break this routine
Coffee, God and cigarettes are all that you need
It's all that you need just to be as free as me
The lyrics of Mischief Brew’s song “Coffee, God and Cigarettes” talk about someone’s journey towards finding a healthier and more fulfilling way of living. The song starts by acknowledging the singer's past addiction to whiskey and how they have replaced it with an addiction to coffee, which they refer to as “the lord.” The singer admits swapping one addiction for another, but this time it's a more positive one. The song suggests that this is a healthier addiction to have and that they seek comfort in the routine of coffee, cigarettes, and faith in something greater than oneself.
The chorus repeats the phrase “Coffee, God and cigarettes are all that I need”, emphasizing that these three things are essential to breaking the routine and regaining control of life. The singer talked about how they used to hang out with old friends who were still drinking whiskey, but they no longer stay long and encourage their friends to break their addiction as well. The verses are somewhat ambiguous, with references to a car crash and waking up with stitches, possibly suggesting a turning point in the singer's life, which led them to find a better way of living.
Overall, the lyrics of “Coffee, God and Cigarettes” seem to be an ode to the power of routine, faith, and simple pleasures, as opposed to harmful addictions that can destroy one’s life. The song speaks to the idea that addictions can be replaced by positive ones if one can find something that brings them joy and peace without hurting themselves or others.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to worship whiskey, now I only drink the lord
I used to have a severe alcohol addiction, but I have replaced it with a belief in God.
And I take my coffee, cream and seven sugars
I drink my coffee with a lot of cream and sugar added to it.
Before we meet we stand out on the sidewalk as it pours
Before I meet with someone, we stand outside while it's raining heavily.
Swappin' one addiction for another
I have replaced one addiction with another.
Coffee, God and cigarettes are all that I need
I only need coffee, belief in God, and cigarettes to break my routine.
It's all that I need just to break this routine
These three things are enough to break my monotony and addiction.
Coffee, God and cigarettes are all that you need
All you need is coffee, belief in God, and cigarettes to be as free as me.
It's all that you need just to be as free as me
If you have these three things, you can also break free and be like me.
When I run into my old friends still drinkin' from that cup
When I meet my old friends who still have an alcohol addiction.
I never stay too long as I've been tempted
I don't stay with them for too long as I may get tempted to drink.
I say you know drink the devils brew, you know it's just a crutch
I tell them that alcohol is a harmful addiction and just a temporary relief.
No longer must you live your life dependant
You don't have to depend on alcohol for living a good life.
Now what made me give, turn off the road that ends at the cliff
What made me change my life direction and avoid a potentially fatal end?
Took the car out for a spin, crashed the party, blood runs thin
I took my car for a drive, went to a party, and got into a severe accident.
Was it wakin up with fiftey stitches in my gourd
Was it the experience of waking up with fifty stitches in my head?
Was it dreamin' about bourban in the trama ward
Was it the experience of dreaming about alcohol while in the hospital?
Well I knew I was surely gonna end up dead
I knew that I was going to die if I didn't make a change in my life.
If I didn't embrace coffee, God and cigarettes
If I didn't embrace these three things, I would not have been able to break free from my addiction.
Contributed by Kennedy J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.