The first album in 1989 combining the squall of bands like The Birthday Party with elements of free jazz and musique concrète from Oxbow, Fuckfest, met with international success and created a small but loyal following that has grown ever since.
Followed in 1992 by King of the Jews. The menacing The Balls in the Great Meat Grinder Collection also appeared in 1992, and after 1995's Steve Albini-produced Let Me Be a Woman Oxbow signed to the SST label for 1997's Serenade in Red, which featured guest vocals from Marianne Faithfull.
They released a split EP with the Italian band White Tornado in 1999, followed by An Evil Heat in 2002. The compilation Love That's Last: A Wholly Hypnographic and Disturbing Work Regarding Oxbow arrived in 2006.
Wenner has also played with God and Swell.
The original lineup:
Eugene S. Robinson - vocals;
Niko Wenner - guitars, keyboards;
Dan Adams - bass guitar, keyboards;
Greg Davis - drums, percussion.
Former members:
Tom Dobrov - drums.
http://www.theoxbow.com
30 miles
Oxbow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
stood a crooked house
broken stairs
over grown with moss
ragged teeth
in a mouth that never smiled
30 dirty miles
to the house of blues
I saved to squander
and squandered what I spent
you know they'll always give losers room
and there are plenty of rooms to rent
in the house of blues
From above
wrought iron bars
nailed me to and from the floor
and don't you know
that love is always hard hard hard
Gave you some silver
and gave you some gold
gave you some silver
and all that I owned
and through the heart breaks
things just never got better
but hard hard hard times
will make a monkey eat red pepper
The lyrics of Oxbow's song, "30 Miles," detail the struggles and hardships of a character who is faced with a difficult journey to reach a destination that is supposed to provide solace and hope: the house of blues. The house of blues serves as a metaphor for a place of redemption, a place to escape from the trials and tribulations of life. However, the journey to such a place is full of difficulties; as described in the lyrics, the house is located "30 dirty miles" away, and the journey is further complicated by "broken stairs" and a "crooked house" that embodies the unpredictability and lack of structure one often faces in life.
The song's narrator is frank about his own failings; he "saved to squander and squandered what [he] spent," alluding to his own inability to make wise decisions in life. However, the lyrics also depict a sense of camaraderie and shared struggle with other "losers" who find themselves at the house of blues. The wrought iron bars that imprison the singer suggest that even once he has reached his destination, hardship does not necessarily end; love is always "hard hard hard."
Line by Line Meaning
Way down
Deep in the distance
stood a crooked house
There was an old and dilapidated house
broken stairs
The stairs leading up to the house were damaged
over grown with moss
The stairs were covered with moss and overgrown plants
ragged teeth
The house had a rough and unattractive appearance
in a mouth that never smiled
The house never looked welcoming
30 dirty miles
The house was located 30 miles away and the journey was difficult
to the house of blues
The name of the destination was the house of blues
I saved to squander
I saved money to spend it foolishly
and squandered what I spent
I wasted money that I had already spent
you know they'll always give losers room
The house of blues will always have space for those who have lost their way
and there are plenty of rooms to rent
The house had many available rooms for rent
in the house of blues
The destination was the house of blues
From above
Looking up
wrought iron bars
Bars made of iron
nailed me to and from the floor
I was trapped or held down by the iron bars
and don't you know
And you should know
that love is always hard hard hard
Love is always difficult
Gave you some silver
I gave you some money
and gave you some gold
I gave you some valuable possessions
and through the heart breaks
Despite the emotional pain
things just never got better
Things did not improve
but hard hard hard times
Difficult times
will make a monkey eat red pepper
Will cause even the most unpleasant things to be endured
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Eugene S. Robinson, Niko Wenner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind