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
Curse
Oxbow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
on a stone white scooter
1000 cud-chewing dynamos
gold rings in their noses
Metal skeleton scuttling
through spine of stone
and days of forgetting now
Nestled in the wet curve
sky spilling wine
and the time is about forever
and you'll always be mine
Eyebeam of headlight
and hoot owl craving
driving sense out of sight
this is the only way to die
Pounding down the pavement
screaming through your basement
I'm here for your eyes
and whatever else I can find
The song “Curse” by Oxbow is an intense and complicated piece that seems to be exploring themes of chaos, destruction, and desire. The first verse sets the scene with some surreal, almost hallucinogenic imagery. The singer seems to be watching a group of animals (perhaps cows) with gold rings in their noses tearing through a Buddha statue on a white scooter. This is a striking image that speaks to themes of destruction and perhaps the idea that spirituality and tradition are being disrupted by the modern world.
The second verse is even more abstract, describing what seems to be some sort of machine (a “metal skeleton”) moving through a landscape of stone. The reference to “days of forgetting now” suggests a kind of amnesia or disorientation, as if the world is being ripped apart or remade. The final lines of the verse speak to the idea that the world is both scary and exciting, as the singer describes being “nestled in the wet curve” with the “sky spilling wine.”
Line by Line Meaning
Tearing through Buddha
Rushing through life without regard for spiritual values or enlightenment
on a stone white scooter
Moving quickly and efficiently, but without grace or elegance
1000 cud-chewing dynamos
A horde of mindless, consumerist individuals with a constant need for material possessions
gold rings in their noses
Their obsession with status and wealth is visible and all-consuming
Metal skeleton scuttling
Moving mechanically and without humanity or warmth
through spine of stone
Breaking through barriers and obstacles, but doing so with force rather than finesse
and days of forgetting now
Ignoring the past and living in the present, without concern for the consequences or memories
they ain't spent alone
There are others like them, equally as lost and misguided
Nestled in the wet curve
Finding comfort in the unknown and mysterious
sky spilling wine
Experiencing the beauty and wonder of life, but also the chaos and uncertainty
and the time is about forever
Embracing the moment and recklessness, without thought for future consequences
and you'll always be mine
Believing that they have control over their own lives and destiny, despite evidence to the contrary
Eyebeam of headlight
A sudden, blinding realization of their own mortality
and hoot owl craving
Feeling a sense of longing or desire, but unable to find fulfillment or purpose
driving sense out of sight
Losing control and clarity, with no clear purpose or direction
this is the only way to die
Believing that the only way to truly experience life is to live recklessly and dangerously
Pounding down the pavement
Moving quickly and forcefully, without concern for others or the environment
screaming through your basement
Disturbing others with their loud and aggressive behavior
I'm here for your eyes
Taking what they want, without concern for the consequences or impact on others
and whatever else I can find
Acting without restraint or morality, finding satisfaction in power and possessions over people
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Eugene S. Robinson, Niko Wenner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind