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 Slow Phaseout
Motorpsycho Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wouldn't dare to get near that quicksand
I'm watching your thrills from my home in the hills
To me it seems so bland
I look down from my mountain, see lives passing by
On that four lane deep stir-fry
Seeking sainthood,seeing human driftwood, I feel like an alien spy
Why do you do the things you do, you say...
There's no single reason, it just happened that way
Now my mind is turning into clay
All of my days drift by in a daze while I wish myself away
The blood on my hands will never fully dry,I mislaid my alibi
The grail lost its sheen, now I just feel unclean
Decomposing with a sigh
Why do you do the things you do?
Why do you do the things you do, you say...
Withdraw to where I'm free from doubt
To simmer in this slow phaseout (Beyond the point of caring)
To simmer in this slow phaseout (Awoken from these dreams)
There's nothing I can do to begin to understand
I wouldn't dare to get near that quicksand
I'm watching your thrills from my home in the hills
To me it seems so bland
Why do you do the things you do?
Why do you do the things you do, you say...
Withdraw to where I'm free from doubt
To simmer in this slow phaseout
Why do you do the things you do
Withdraw to where I'm free from doubt
To simmer in this slow phaseout
Why do you do the things you do, you say...
The lyrics to Motorpsycho's song The Slow Phaseout seem to be a contemplation of the singer's distance from the experiences and choices of those around him. He cannot understand what motivates others to live their lives as they do, to seek thrills, and to seek sainthood. The singer observes from his "home in the hills," seemingly removed from the bustling, four-lane highways of life that others travel. The singer is somewhat of an outsider, feeling like an "alien spy," and seemingly detached from what others value.
The chorus, "Why do you do the things you do?" suggests a search for motivation and explanation. The second verse depicts the singer's state of being - in a slow phaseout, feeling his mind turn to clay, and wishing himself away. The mention of blood on his hands could indicate guilt, and a feeling of being unclean could be a metaphor for an internal struggle or perceived moral decay. The song seems to end on a melancholic note with the singer longing to "withdraw to where I'm free from doubt" and to "simmer in this slow phaseout."
Overall, the lyrics seem to be a reflection on society, and how difficult it can be to understand the actions of others. The singer seems to be struggling with his own identity and morality, perhaps feeling isolated from society's expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
There's nothing I can do to begin to understand
I am powerless to comprehend
I wouldn't dare to get near that quicksand
I fear the danger that surrounds you
I'm watching your thrills from my home in the hills, to me it seems so bland
Your excitement doesn't impress me, I observe it from a distance without feeling the same way
I look down from my mountain, see lives passing by, on that four lane deep stir-fry, Seeking sainthood, seeing human driftwood, I feel like an alien spy
From my elevated viewpoint, I see people moving through life as if on a conveyor belt, seeking purpose but drifting aimlessly - I feel like an outsider or observer
Why do you do the things you do?
I question the motives behind your actions
There's no single reason, it just happened that way, Now my mind is turning into clay
I can't identify a specific cause, it just unfolded as it did and now I feel mentally stuck
All of my days drift by in a daze while I wish myself away, The blood on my hands will never fully dry, I mislaid my alibi
I go through life in a fog, wishing I was somewhere else - I am plagued by guilt and regret that won't go away
The grail lost its sheen, now I just feel unclean, Decomposing with a sigh
My once-pure goals have lost their shine, leaving me feeling dirty and decaying
Withdraw to where I'm free from doubt, To simmer in this slow phaseout (Beyond the point of caring), To simmer in this slow phaseout (Awoken from these dreams)
I retreat to a place where I don't second-guess myself, letting my mind and body slow down and disconnect from the world's chaos
Why do you do the things you do?
I still wonder about your motives
Withdraw to where I'm free from doubt, To simmer in this slow phaseout, Why do you do the things you do
Once again, I retreat to my peaceful place and ponder the question of why you live the way you do
Contributed by Zachary S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.