Motorpsycho is a band from Trondheim in Norway, formed in 1989. Their music… Read Full Bio ↴Motorpsycho is a band from Trondheim in Norway, formed in 1989. Their music can generally be defined as psychedelic rock, but they also mix in elements from metal, jazz, rock, noise, pop and many other musical styles. The members of the band are Bent Sæther (bass/vocals) and Hans Magnus Ryan (guitar/vocals). Håkon Gebhardt (drums) left the band in March 2005 to concentrate on solo projects (as Gebhardt) and his other band HGH.
Drummer Kenneth Kapstad joined Motorpsycho as a full member late in 2007.

Their new double-CD "Black Hole / Blank Canvas" was released 17th/20th march 2006 in Europe. The album has been getting generally positive reviews, proving the skills of the arguably most innovative Norwegian band of the last decade. Bent Sæther plays drums on this record, except on the track "You Loose", which is played by Jacco van Rooij who also played drums for the band on a short tour in spring 2006.

In activity since 1990, Motorpsycho have released 10 full length albums, as well as a number of EPs, a couple of live albums, and some side-project releases. Over the years, they moved from their initial mixture of metal, grunge and hardcore music, playing almost any kind of musical genre: indie, pop, psych rock, lo-fi, stoner, avantgarde, classic hard rock, acoustic, fusion, jazz rock and country rock as part of the The International Tussler Society.

2008 saw the release of the album, "Little Lucid Moments", containing 4 songs lasting between 11-21 minutes. The release was followed by a European tour in April and May 2008.

Early 2009, Motorpsycho recorded the Patrik Fitzgerald cover Punch with Jello Biafra from Dead Kennedys on vocals. Jello Biafra have, according to Norwegian broadcaster NRK been a fan of Motorpsycho for 16-17 years.

In the autumn of 2009 they released a vinyl-only record, Child of the Future and in January 2010 they released Heavy Metal Fruit, their first album with an outside producer.

On May 23 2016 it was announced on the band's website that Kenneth Kapstad will be leaving Motorpsycho after nine years with the band. The band did not announce a replacement, with supposed upcoming gigs in Brazil and a 40 show stint as the houseband in writer Carl Frode Tiller's play "Begynnelser" at Trøndelag Teater in Trondheim from September 2 2016.

However, on the second day of 2017 the fans could greet the long-awaited news of a replacement with delight. Swedish Trondheim resident Tomas Järmyr who has also played in acts such as Zu, Yodok, Yodok lll, Sunswitch and with Aidan Baker. He also studies at the music conservatory at NTNU – like Kapstad, Ståle Storløkken, Ola Kvernberg, Ketil Møster "and just about every decent musician we’ve worked with over the last decade before him" (quote Bent Sæther, January 2 2017). This piece of news was also supplemented with hints of an upcoming album in the fall of 2017. The album, titled "The Tower" was released on September 8th 2017.

The Mirror and the Lie
Motorpsycho Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Dance for me,ballerina of my dreams
I feel so lost, but I don't know why
Hold me close, I'm afraid I will disappear
Into the mirror and the lie

And I will promise to go on as long as you want me to
And I will dream along and help to make it real for you too

Make me shine,you can change me in your eye
I have been there before
Hide my bags and help me believe again
I can't take this anymore

And I will promise to go on as long as you want me to
And I will dream along and help to make it real for you too

Give me words to catch your heart
Golden chords to set my song apart
The key that keeps that door ajar
Is hidden right beneath my lucky star

Just a shiver and a sigh

Left to the dice
The mirror and the lies

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Motorpsycho's song, The Mirror and the Lie, are quite metaphorical and can be interpreted in various ways. The opening line, "Dance for me, ballerina of my dreams," could be seen as a call to an imaginary or idealized partner, a personification of the singer's lost love, or perhaps even a reference to abstract or spiritual entities. The following lines, "I feel so lost, but I don't know why. Hold me close, I'm afraid I will disappear," suggest a feeling of confusion, disorientation, and insecurity. The singer is seeking comfort and connection with the ballerina, who may represent a source of stability or inspiration.

The line "Into the mirror and the lie" suggests that the singer is struggling with self-deception, possibly seeing himself as something he is not or hiding behind a false persona. This theme is further developed as the song progresses, with lines like "Make me shine, you can change me in your eye," implying a desire to be seen in a flattering light, rather than as he truly is. The chorus, repeating the lines "And I will promise to go on as long as you want me to, And I will dream along and help to make it real for you too," suggest a willingness to compromise and conform to the ballerina's desires and expectations, even if it means sacrificing his own identity.

The second verse continues this theme, with the line "Hide my bags and help me believe again, I can't take this anymore," hinting at a desire to escape from some past traumas or burdens. The final verse introduces some more concrete images and metaphors, with lines like "Give me words to catch your heart, Golden chords to set my song apart," suggesting a creative undertaking, such as songwriting, where the singer is hoping to succeed with the ballerina's help. The song ends with the lines "Just a shiver and a sigh, Left to the dice, The mirror and the lies," implying a sense of uncertainty, ambivalence, and resignation.

Line by Line Meaning

Dance for me, ballerina of my dreams
I want to watch you dance gracefully, as I am entranced by you in my dreams.

I feel so lost, but I don't know why
I am feeling extremely confused and disoriented, but I cannot pinpoint the exact reason behind it.

Hold me close, I'm afraid I will disappear
Please embrace me tightly, as I fear that I might vanish into thin air in this vast world.

Into the mirror and the lie
I might get swallowed up into the false reality portrayed by the mirror.

And I will promise to go on as long as you want me to And I will dream along and help to make it real for you too
I will keep moving forward as long as you desire, and I will also assist you in realizing your dreams.

Make me shine, you can change me in your eye
Through your perception, you can make me appear more radiant and also help shape my personality.

I have been there before Hide my bags and help me believe again
I have encountered this undesirable situation previously, please assist me in forgetting about it and regaining my faith.

I can't take this anymore
I have reached my breaking point and cannot bear this any longer.

Give me words to catch your heart Golden chords to set my song apart The key that keeps that door ajar Is hidden right beneath my lucky star
Please provide me with the perfect words to capture your heart, chords that distinguish my music, and the key to unlock the door that leads to my luck, which is located near my lucky star.

Just a shiver and a sigh Left to the dice The mirror and the lies
Given the unpredictability of fate, my emotions only result in a brief tremble and sigh, and yet I am unable to see through the illusions created by the mirror.

Contributed by Peyton A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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