Nautical Mile exploded into the Denver music scene with instant recognition by Denver's Channel 93.3 (KTCL), the station many claim to be responsible for the record label successes of Colorado acts including The Fray, Meese, Single File, and Tickle Me Pink. After only a few months of their existence, Nautical Mile was nominated as one of the top ten pop acts in Colorado (Westword), as well as being selected to play Channel 93.3’s Big Gig at Fiddlers Green with The All American Rejects, Goldfinger, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, and Spill Canvas.
The band was conceived in the Fall of 2008 by James Anderson and Austin Rosen who had been playing music together since high school. After cycling through a number of members the band did not truly find it's soul until Janaya Spink, a classically trained singer, brought an entirely new quality many modern rock bands lack. Strongly influenced by The Lawrence Arms, The Strokes, Hopesfall and Rise Against among others, Nautical Mile's sound ascended into a blend of Alternative Rock, Punk, and Indie music. Since the band's creation, the final additions of bassist, Justin Maul and guitarist Jake Putnicki have allowed Nautical Mile to record their first EP "Chasing Shadows" with Andrew Berlin and Christopher Jak at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado. “Wayward” was recently selected for Channel 93.3’s Hometown for the Holidays competition and “quickly garnered radio airplay.”
The band is looking forward to begin touring to expand their fan base outside of Colorado, as well beginning the recording of a second EP. “We are all very excited with how things have gone so far and are excited for our future. Music is our life and always will be.”
Bad Influence
Nautical Mile Lyrics
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10 years on down the track the same old song
I hold my finger up, I hold it proud
I scream my voice and I scream it loud
Well they expect too much from me
Why can't they just fucking let me be
They'll never, they'll never see it coming
Don't chase me down where my thoughts tend to walk
The bitter taste still lingers when I talk
Don't copy me and do exactly as I did
You'll never know how fucked up my life is
I swear and spit when I talk
My minds a haze and I'm high on the luck
There's nothing you can say or do
The funny thing is I'm a bad influence on you
I'll never grovel or pretend to bow
They try to fit me in but don't know how
I won't conform to society
I'll never be what they want me to be
Well they expect too much from me
But nothing in their life comes for free
They'll never, they'll never see it coming
The opening lines of Nautical Mile’s song “Bad Influence” speaks to the idea of returning to one’s roots or the place where they started. The lyrics,“ We'll take it back to where I'm coming from, 10 years on down the track the same old song,” talk about an unmoving conviction to the past, a belief that some aspects of one’s life should not change, and that old values should be held sacred. The artist seems to have a guiding principle, a compass, that's fixed and always points back to where they came from. They are proud of their roots and will go back to that place even after a decade has passed.
The next two lines, “I hold my finger up, I hold it proud, I scream my voice and I scream it loud,” comes off as a declaration that the artist is not ashamed of where they come from, and they are determined to make themselves heard in this world. They hold their finger up to symbolize a readiness to stand up for what they believe in and scream their voice loud to communicate their message to the rest of the world.
The song moves towards the idea of rebellion, a refusal to conform to societal norms or bend to the expectations placed on them. The lines, “I won't conform to society, I'll never be what they want me to be”, talk about the desire to be one’s own person and the fervent need to be accepted for who they are. The lyrics “There's nothing you can say or do, The funny thing is I'm a bad influence on you” show the artist's acceptance of the idea that not everyone might like what they stand for, yet still, cling to the pride of being a non-conformist.
Line by Line Meaning
We'll take it back to where I'm coming from
Let me show you where I'm from and how it influenced me
10 years on down the track the same old song
I haven't changed, I'm still the same person I was 10 years ago
I hold my finger up, I hold it proud
I have confidence in myself and my beliefs
I scream my voice and I scream it loud
I want to be heard and I'm not afraid to speak my mind
Well they expect too much from me
People have high expectations of me, which I find overwhelming
Why can't they just fucking let me be
I wish people would stop trying to control or change me
They'll never, they'll never see it coming
Others won't be able to understand or anticipate my actions
Don't chase me down where my thoughts tend to walk
Don't try to follow me down my thought process
The bitter taste still lingers when I talk
My past experiences and mistakes still affect me
Don't copy me and do exactly as I did
Don't emulate my behavior, it's caused me problems
You'll never know how fucked up my life is
My life is chaotic and difficult, and you can't understand it fully
I swear and spit when I talk
I use vulgar language to express myself
My minds a haze and I'm high on the luck
I'm lost and uncertain, relying on luck to get through life
There's nothing you can say or do
You can't change me or my behavior
The funny thing is I'm a bad influence on you
I'm aware that my actions can be negative and affect others
I'll never grovel or pretend to bow
I won't submit to authority or pretend to agree with someone
They try to fit me in but don't know how
People try to mold me into someone they want me to be, but it's not successful
I won't conform to society
I refuse to change myself to fit societal norms
I'll never be what they want me to be
I won't let others dictate who I am or who I become
But nothing in their life comes for free
Others may have expectations of me, but they won't offer me anything in return
They'll never, they'll never see it coming
Others won't be able to understand or predict my behavior
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Brodi Owen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind