The seven piece band – rounded out by Johnny Carey (vocals, guitar), Annie DeTemple (autoharp, vocals), Joey Garibaldi (bass, vocals), Jeff Fuller (drums), Ryan Markley (washboard), John Rosen (banjo, vocals) and Katie Weed (fiddle, vocals) – roared onto the scene in 2010. Their unique blend of punk rock sensibilities, ear for pop melodies and deeply rooted love for bluegrass caught the ear of Fat Wreck Chords, who released OMM’s debut album, Guts n’ Teeth, in 2011. Word quickly spread of the their incredible live shows, and over the next few years the band found themselves scootin boots on stage with the likes of Flogging Molly, Bad Religion, The Reverend Horton Heat, NOFX, The Descendents and Against Me!.
Old Man Markley were quickly embraced by the punk rock community with their incendiary live performances, and at the same time the band were also warmly accepted by bluegrass fans, earning them a #8 debut on the Billboard Bluegrass chart with the release of Guts n’ Teeth. From rivets to rhinestones, even the world of glossy country music embraced OMM, yielding them a slot at California’s country festival mecca, Stagecoach.
After two years of relentless touring and winning over thousands of fans, Old Man Markley returned to the little house in Southern California where it all began to record their follow-up album, Down Side Up.
“We wrote and recorded the new songs last summer, in a studio we built in the house where we have been practicing since the band started,” states Garibaldi.
With Fat Wreck Chords owner and NOFX frontman Fat Mike in the producer’s chair alongside singer/guitarist Johnny Carey, Old Man Markley plucked, bowed, and strummed their way through thirteen galloping new songs.
“With the support of Fat Mike, we went out on a limb with this album,” says Carey. “We didn’t restrict our creativity and can’t wait for the world to hear the variety on our album.”
A more cohesive unit than ever before, Old Man Markley overflows with a passion for their craft and for each other that is both audible and palpable as their instruments dance between seamless harmonies.
“The songs on Down Side Up are the result of touring for two years and waking up together in cities across the world, of discovering new worlds while still missing home, of stories that we’ve wanted to tell for ages, of melodies that permeated our minds and then soundchecks, and of ideas that took shape truly as a collaboration between all seven of us,” adds Weed.
Killing Time
Old Man Markley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is it in the book?
Tell me why we suffer
Now here's an overlook
So take a look
We're paying for our sins
Proving faith is blind
And we're earning jewels on our crowns in heaven
Tell me what we're doing
Are we just killing time?
Now I know you can't tell me why we're here
Just that it's a crime
To ask what's on his mind
Are we supposed to trust them to run our whole lives
They get our time and money and our children's too
While we get boring lives
Killing time
Do your own thinking and living, it ain't killing time
The lyrics of "Killing Time" by Old Man Markley are openly questioning the concept of suffering in relation to religion. The lyrics ask why people suffer and question whether or not it is outlined in religious texts. The song suggests that faith is somewhat lacking in logic and blind in nature. It also suggests that the idea of suffering is not the result of punishment but merely the consequence of human free will. It is further suggested that the idea of accumulating jewels in heaven implies that man's life sacrifices are meant to be rewarded later in the afterlife.
The song then shifts to address the idea of authority, criticizing those in power for taking people's time, money, and even their children's time away, leaving them with unfulfilling lives where they feel as if they are killing time. The song encourages individuality and self-reliance, urging the listeners to live their lives based on their own values and beliefs rather than blindly accepting the decisions of those in power.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell me why we suffer
Questioning the purpose of pain in our lives
Is it in the book?
Is there a clear answer in religious texts?
Tell me why we suffer
Repeating the first question in order to emphasize the confusion and frustration
Now here's an overlook
An attempt to provide an answer, but also acknowledges it's not a complete one
So take a look
Invitation to further thinking and discussion
We're paying for our sins
Pain is a consequence of our actions
Proving faith is blind
Events in life cannot always be reconciled with religious belief
It's just a byproduct of man's free will
Our choices have consequences we cannot always predict
And we're earning jewels on our crowns in heaven
The suffering we endure is seen as a way to earn reward in the afterlife
Tell me what we're doing
Asking about the purpose of our daily lives
Are we just killing time?
Is our existence meaningless?
Now I know you can't tell me why we're here
Acknowledging that the answer is not clear-cut
Just that it's a crime
The act of questioning purpose is often seen as negative or rebellious
To ask what's on his mind
To question the higher power's plan or purpose
Are we supposed to trust them to run our whole lives
Asking about the role of organized religion in directing our lives
They get our time and money and our children's too
The church receives much from its followers
While we get boring lives
Life can seem mundane or uneventful despite religious expectations
Killing time
Living a life without meaning or purpose
Do your own thinking and living, it ain't killing time
Encouraging personal exploration and disregarding societal expectations
Contributed by Vivian N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.