PAIN TEENS is distinguished from other rock groups mainly by Scott Ayer's guitar playing- a unique sound that combined swamplike psychedelia and twisted, effects-laden sounds. Bliss Blood's disturbing lyrics and icy delivery helped the PAIN TEENS sound like no other band on earth.
Beginning in 1987, PAIN TEENS released nine out-of-print cassette tapes and two LPs on their own Anomie Records label. Soon after, they released four LPs for Trance Records, an Austin, Texas label run by King Coffee of the band Butthole Surfers.
The live version of the band went through several lineups, including Steve Cook on bass, Ralf Armin on guitar, David Parker and Bart Enoch on drums in 1988, followed by Kirk Carr on bass and Frank Garymartin on drums. They ceased performing live in 1993, after touring with the Boredoms, Fudge Tunnel, Brutal Truth & Season to Risk in that year.
Bliss Blood moved to New York City in 1995 after the release of their sixth full length release, "Beast of Dreams", and formed The Moonlighters with Henry Bogdan from Helmet; Delta Dreambox, a 1920's style blues band; Voodoo Suite, a 1950's exotica lounge jazz group, the "crime jazz"-style Nightcall with Stu Spasm from Lubricated Goat, and many other projects. She currently lives in Brooklyn.
Scott Ayers and Frank Garymartin continued playing together in their new band Walking Timebombs, releasing several cds, Culturcide, Truth Decay, and Anarchitex. In 2009 Scott Ayers began performing solo under the name GelTab, which has been described as "ambient/country", and later started the band Dead Links, which has a heavy progressive rock sound and one album release so far. Other projects include the Electric Knives (psych/punk/noise) and Dead Cowboys (country/folk/blues/americana)
Kirk Carr died of cancer in May 2008.
Shallow Hole
Pain Teens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A powerless loveless outsider, wanting to be in control
To dominate and destroy beauty, put himself in the master's role
The power ends when death sighs, the victor digs a shallow hole
The fear of failure ever-present, he is so afraid to lose
That he never attempts the game, until he's lost the power to choose
A slave to sadistic thoughts, the handcuff and the noose
The loser's only love--control, now he plays the game to lose
It can't be taken, must be given, it evades him when they die
Addiction to power consumes him, he continues to try and try
Watching the energy dissipate, as he stares death in the eye
Pain Teens' song "Shallow Hole" depicts the dark and twisted mind of an individual who is searching for control and power. The lyrics reveal that this person is an outsider who feels powerless and unlovable. They only feel alive when they are dominating and destroying beautiful things. They long to be in the master's role, and their only love is control.
The fear of failure pushes this individual to the brink, causing them to become a slave to sadistic thoughts. They crave an orgasmic power that cannot be supplied through rape or other means of violence. This craving for power consumes them, and they continue to try and try until they are staring death in the face.
In the end, the victor digs a shallow hole, and their power ends when death sighs. The lyrics imply that power is ultimately meaningless in the face of mortality. This song offers a disturbing glimpse into the mind of someone who is consumed by their desire for control.
Line by Line Meaning
The fantasy is about power, it is really about control
This person's fantasy is to be in control of situations because they feel powerless
A powerless loveless outsider, wanting to be in control
The person feels like they don't belong and want to have control to feel better
To dominate and destroy beauty, put himself in the master's role
The person wants to be in charge and wants to destroy what they see as beautiful to gain power
The power ends when death sighs, the victor digs a shallow hole
When the person dies, their power ends and they will be forgotten, represented by a shallow grave
The fear of failure ever-present, he is so afraid to lose
The person is afraid of failing and losing control of situations
That he never attempts the game, until he's lost the power to choose
The person never tries to take control until they are forced to
A slave to sadistic thoughts, the handcuff and the noose
The person is addicted to their sadistic tendencies and is trapped by their own thoughts
The loser's only love--control, now he plays the game to lose
The person's only satisfaction now comes from trying to regain control even if they know they will lose
He is craving orgasmic power that rape can never supply
The person wants power that only comes from having control over others, but rape isn't it
It can't be taken, must be given, it evades him when they die
The person can't take control, it must be given willingly, and they lose that control when the other person dies
Addiction to power consumes him, he continues to try and try
The person is addicted to having control and wants to keep trying to gain it in every situation
Watching the energy dissipate, as he stares death in the eye
As death approaches, the person's power fades and they are forced to confront their own mortality
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nora Smith
Love every thing they ever did. Especially Stimulation Festival, Born in Blood, and Destroy Me Lover albums.
MaiaShardik
Oh geez, I just found a mix tape I made over 20 years ago with this on it. The first song on the tape is "Living Hell" by the Pain Teens, and I put "Shallow Hole" as the last song. So freaking good; I'm soooooooo glad I found that tape today!
Plaintiff's Ex
MaiaShardik Know how you feel. Currently trying to superglue a treasure back together. Thank goodness for YouTube right?!
Plaintiff's Ex
Few songs do it for me like this does.
Dan McKinney
Came across this band in middle school. That was almost 30 years ago. A good friend sent me a picture of a mixtape I sent her and this song was on it. I could remember the song in my head. Then I YouTubed it!
John Peel
A brilliant song I may add :)
Bliss Blood
All releases by Pain Teens are now available to download from Bliss Blood at Bandcamp, including 9 cassette only releases. https://blissblood.bandcamp.com/music
tigerboy1966
If I was a wrestler, this would be my music.
Plaintiff's Ex
That'd actually make me watch wrestling! I could be your opponent, walking in to PT,s "Bannoy". 🐕⚙
Paula Rhodes
i had this 7inch...don't remember the other side though...so badass