O.L.D. dispensed with Ralph's services,(replacing him with a drum machine, programmed by Jim) and embarked on a handful of low key New York shows, but as a 2- piece with drum machine, they never caught the imagination of the predominately metal crowds they played to. For the next album, 1991's "Lo Flux Tube" , the band recruited Jason Everman on bass - before joining O.L.D. , Jason was briefly in an up n coming Seattle band called Nirvana, and is in fact pictured on the front sleeve of their debut "Bleach" on Sub Pop. Jason quickly moved on, this time to Soundgarden and Mindfunk, and was replaced for the 3rd O.L.D. album, "The Musical Dimensions Of Sleastak" by Herschel Gaer. By this time O.L.D. were evolving into a 2 person studio-only project, the line up problems ensuring that live shows were non existent.
Open minded Metal and Alternative fans began to embrace the band - much like fellow Earache artist Godflesh, the drum machine was too much for traditional metallers to accept in the early 90's - however, the uniquely shimmering effects-laden guitars of Plotkin along with the intricately programmed beats found many admirers who were bored with the generic scene at the time, and even attracted attention from the more arty crowd including noted saxophonist and genre magpie, John Zorn. Plotkin became further immersed in studio technology and embarked on numerous collaborations of an Ambient nature, many with fellow Earache artist Mick Harris (Scorn, Napalm Death) whom he joined on a UK touring stint as guitarist.
Always out to challenge their audience, the band broke new ground with 1993's "Hold Onto Your Face" - Plotkin decided it would be a Remix album, which was something that only happened in dance music at the time, not rock bands, and several up and coming producers from the Hardcore Techno scene were duly let loose on the O.L.D. material. The results were nothing short of shocking .The record has historical importance, as Brooklyn's gabba-king Rob Gee and the UK's Ultraviolence, both as unknowns, made their official debut remixes on this release. Mick Harris' debut remixes is included also.
Having alienated all but the most open minded of their fans, the band returned to spectacular form for 1995's supreme "Formula" album, as O.L.D.'s final swansong on Earache, it is a true undiscovered classic, with superbly crafted trademark multi-layered guitars and mellower vocals adding up to a timeless piece of work that rewards listeners discovering it, even many years after.
Post Earache, O.L.D. fell apart but the talented Jim Plotkin continues to collaborate on countless projects, most notably Flux, Atomsmasher and doom project Khanate.
Supermarket Monstrosity
O.L.D. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lurkin in the frozen foods was something that made me cry
A disfigured "being", limping down the aisle
Reached down, patted my head and greeted me with a smile...
MOMMY, MOMMY, MOMMY, MOMMY, MOMMY, MOMMY, MOMMY!
MOMMMYYYYYYYYYYYY!
The song "Supermarket Monstrosity" by the band O.L.D. describes a terrifying scene in a supermarket. The singer of the story is at the supermarket with their mother when they notice something chilling. They see a disfigured "being" with a limp wandering down the aisle. The experience is so unnerving that it makes the singer cry. However, to their surprise, this being pats them on the head and greets them with a smile. The singer then screams for their mother over and over again.
At first listen, the song may seem like a simple horror story, but it's actually a commentary on society's tendency to judge people based on their looks. The word "monstrosity" in the title refers to society's tendency to view people who look different as monstrous. The disfigured being in the song is not an actual monster, but just a person who doesn't fit society's beauty standards. The lyrics of the song demonstrate the fear and anxiety that society's cruel treatment of people who look different can cause.
Overall, "Supermarket Monstrosity" is a thought-provoking song that urges listeners to examine their prejudices and treat people with kindness and compassion, regardless of how they look.
Line by Line Meaning
In the supermarket with my mother at my side
I was shopping with my mom in the supermarket.
Lurkin in the frozen foods was something that made me cry
I saw something in the frozen food section that scared me and made me cry.
A disfigured "being", limping down the aisle
I saw a person who looked very different, and they were limping as they walked down the aisle.
Reached down, patted my head and greeted me with a smile...
The person reached out to me, touched my head, and smiled at me in a friendly way.
MOMMY, MOMMY, MOMMY, MOMMY, MOMMY, MOMMY, MOMMY!
I was calling out to my mom multiple times, probably because I was scared or upset.
MOMMMYYYYYYYYYYYY!
I was really scared or upset and calling out to my mom in desperation.
Contributed by Andrew J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.