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.
Tar Pit
Pain Teens Lyrics
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Deep dark secret that you can't live without
Deep dark tar pit, once it's got you it won't let go
Deep dark tar pit, sinking down below
I knew a man, slid right in, slid so far down,
And no one saw him again (2X)
Tar's black as night, and when you fall inside,
To move's like swimming in a dream, and thrashing to survive (2X)
The lyrics to "Tar Pit" by Pain Teens are both haunting and mysterious. The opening lines reveal the existence of a deep, dark secret that is not known to anyone. This secret is all-consuming, and the singer suggests that it is impossible to survive without it. The next lines introduce the tar pit, which is a metaphor for this secret. Once someone falls into this tar pit, they are unable to escape its grip, sinking deeper and deeper. The following verse tells the story of a man who has fallen into the tar pit and who is now lost to the world.
The imagery of the tar pit is striking and vivid. Tar is black and thick, making it difficult to move and breathe. It is a powerful symbol for a secret or a vice that has the power to engulf a person's life. The idea that the tar pit won't let go once it has you is a warning about the dangers of getting caught up in something that is difficult to escape from. The repetition of the phrase "deep dark" emphasizes the sense of darkness and foreboding that surrounds this secret and the tar pit.
Overall, "Tar Pit" is a song that explores the theme of obsession and the danger of getting consumed by something. The metaphor of the tar pit is a powerful symbol for the pull of addiction or fixation, and the haunting lyrics suggest that once someone falls in, it is nearly impossible to escape.
Line by Line Meaning
I got a deep dark secret, that no one knows about
The singer is harboring a secret that they have not shared with anyone.
Deep dark secret that you can't live without
The secret is significant, and without it, the listener's life would be incomplete.
Deep dark tar pit, once it's got you it won't let go
The 'deep dark secret' is metaphorically described as a tar pit that entraps those who fall into it, and doesn't release its grip.
Deep dark tar pit, sinking down below
The person who falls into the 'deep dark secret' tar pit descends further down into its depths.
I knew a man, slid right in, slid so far down,
The artist knows of someone who fell into a similar 'tar pit' and continued to sink further and further down.
And no one saw him again (2X)
The person who fell into the tar pit disappeared from sight and was never seen again, emphasizing the danger and finality of the situation.
Tar's black as night, and when you fall inside,
The tar is described as 'black as night' and continues the comparison to the 'deep dark secret.'
To move's like swimming in a dream, and thrashing to survive (2X)
Once trapped in the tar pit, movement becomes difficult and is likened to attempting to swim in a dream. It is a desperate struggle for survival.
Deep dark secret....
The repetition of the phrase at the end of the song emphasizes the ongoing impact of the 'deep dark secret' and its potential to ensnare and harm those involved.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cidst8
I discovered the Paint Teens from the Melvins. I immediately acquired as much of the Teens catalogue as I could. Fucking dope shit!!!
@semantics99
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