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 Nerve Tattoo
Motorpsycho Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't get it out or seal it in
I can't dislodge the need to scratch it
Screaming from it's root
It's an echo inside my head
A need to say what can't be said
It's the nerve tattoo, such a bad rash
But thats OK
It doesn't matter anyway
It's still those with the least to say
That will be heard
Ah, the elloquence of trash
The persuasiveness of cash
Rings true like the whispered lies
Of half-forgotten lullabyes
Designed to please
Designed to soothe
Designed to shift amillion units or two
Designed to mean nothing at all for anyone
But thats OK
It doesn't matter anyway
It's still those with the least to say
That will be heard
It's no misunderstanding
It's all emptiness and words
I'd cut my veins to paint it as
Beautifully meaningless
Picturesque and absurd
It's a masterpiece I heard.
The song "The Nerve Tattoo" by Motorpsycho is a commentary on the modern music industry and the way it operates. The lyrics describe an itch that the singer can't scratch, a persistent need that won't go away. This "nerve tattoo" is an echo in the singer's head, a need to say something that can't be said. It's described as both "spiteful and divine," suggesting that it's a powerful force that the singer can't ignore.
The second verse of the song makes it clear that the nerve tattoo is related to the music industry. The lyrics describe the "eloquence of trash" and the "persuasiveness of cash." The singer suggests that these are the things that determine what music will sell, not necessarily the quality of the music itself. The song suggests that the music industry is designed to please, soothe and shift units, not to create anything meaningful.
The final verse of the song suggests that the nerve tattoo, for all its flaws, is still a work of art. The singer describes it as "picturesque and absurd," and suggests that it's a masterpiece despite its emptiness and meaningless.
Overall, the song is a criticism of the commercialization of music and the way that the industry places more value on image and marketing than on the quality of the music itself.
Line by Line Meaning
It's just an itch beneath the skin
There's an underlying discomfort that I can't ignore
I can't get it out or seal it in
I can't escape or hide from this feeling
I can't dislodge the need to scratch it
I can't resist the urge to try and relieve this discomfort
Screaming from its root
This feeling is rooted deep within me and hard to ignore
It's an echo inside my head
I hear this feeling echoing in my mind
A need to say what can't be said
I feel compelled to express something that is difficult to put into words
It's the nerve tattoo, such a bad rash
This feeling is like a persistent and irritating skin condition
Spiteful and divine
It has a contradictory nature that is both vengeful and transcendent
But that's OK
I've come to accept this feeling as a part of me
It doesn't matter anyway
Even if I can't fully explain or express this feeling, it still has value
It's still those with the least to say
Often the most profound and insightful things come from unexpected sources
That will be heard
Their words will resonate and have an impact, despite their perceived lack of importance
Ah, the eloquence of trash
There's a strange beauty in the seemingly meaningless and mundane
The persuasiveness of cash
Money has a powerful influence on people's actions and opinions
Rings true like the whispered lies
Sometimes falsehoods can resonate more than the truth
Of half-forgotten lullabies
These lies can be comforting and lull us into complacency
Designed to please
Products and ideas are crafted to appeal to a specific audience
Designed to soothe
These creations are meant to provide comfort and alleviate discomfort
Designed to shift a million units or two
Ultimately, the goal is to sell as many units as possible
Designed to mean nothing at all for anyone
The actual content or meaning of these creations is often irrelevant
It's no misunderstanding
I understand the nature of this feeling clearly
It's all emptiness and words
Despite this understanding, there's a sense that this feeling is ultimately meaningless
I'd cut my veins to paint it as beautifully meaningless
I'm willing to suffer to express the beauty in this seemingly worthless feeling
Picturesque and absurd
There's a striking visual quality to this feeling, despite its nonsensical nature
It's a masterpiece I heard
This feeling is like a work of art, with its own inherent beauty and complexity
Contributed by Anna B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Alvin Sekkingstad
Words can’t explain how great this song is
Floris Verweij
Words can't explain how great this band is
lasteye 80
It's a masterpiece I heard... ❤️
ramonster1972
The intro was originally not included on the album. It's a part of the build-up later in the song (from 2:45 )- one of the highlights of this album.
Torso VoyEx
I´m sorry Ram but i read your comment and had to ask myself what would Bent,Hans&Geb say? Thats your opinion, for example?!
daniele genchi
Great SONG🤘🏻
Kafkaruli kaharuli
Terima kasih Motorpsycho untuk karya luar biasa.
Jerry
Fantastic !
Marten de Vries
This one is as great as Notthing to Say!