1. A Swedish alternative metal band including members of In
Flames. Now filed under Passenger (SWE).
2. A Brighton (UK) based alternative folk band.
3. A San José, Costa Rica hardcore/screamo band.
4. A Mesa, Arizona based acoustic rock band.
5. A rap artist from Texas.
6. An old alias of DJ Tiësto.
7. A Chicago-based instrumental rock band.
8. A psytrance project of MFG's Guy Zukrel.
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Passenger was formed in 1995 by Sten and Engelin. Both members wanted to do something that was not Thrash metal or Melodic death metal unlike the bands they played in. At its early stages the band was originally called "Cliff". Under the name Cliff they recorded two demos in Studio Fredman that were never released. After a break in the band and after Engelin was hired as a session guitarist for In Flames' Whoracle tour, Anders Fridén, the vocalist of In Flames showed interest in Passenger and joined the band.
In the year 2000 the band came back from its break and went on to record a demo. In 2001 the band recorded another demo in which early versions of the songs "Used", "In My Head", "Circus" and "Drowning City" were recorded. After a third demo the band finally recorded and released their debut album entitled Passenger. A video for "In Reverse" was also released.
Sten noted in February 2004 on their official website that they were in the process of recording their second album. However, since then, Fridén, lead vocalist of both Passenger and In Flames has been noted saying that he has very little time for the project, due to other commitments, and the group is currently on hold. In an interview with Fridén he stated that as soon as he gets a break from In Flames, he wants to get all the group together to record a second album for early 2010. This did however not happen as Anders continued touring with In Flames until October 2010 when they entered their studio to record their next album.
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The brainchild of 26-year-old Brighton born singer/songwriter Mike Rosenberg, Passenger is redefining the troubadour for the 21st century. Formerly a five-piece band, Passenger has now pared back to basics, quite literally bringing music to the streets on a series of lengthy busking journeys across Australia, America and the United Kingdom. A classic journeyman musician, cut from the same mould as Van Morrison, Neil Young and John Prine, Passenger has the unique ability to move from the humorous to heartbreaking with every song.
After a year spent crisscrossing the UK and US with his debut album Wicked Man’s Rest, Passenger’s markedly stripped down and soulful second album Wide Eyes Blind Love was brought to the public as it was created: on the road. Setting up on street corners across the UK and Australia, Passenger halted passers by in their hundreds; all connecting to the mellifluous tones and powerfully hewn lyrics emanating from this lone figure and his guitar. This is music as Passenger means it to be, unvarnished and honest, just pure talent and powerful tunes that tap straight into the heart of the crowd.
Struck by the dynamic freedom of the troubadour life, Passenger developed the grass roots method of Wide Eyes Blind Love into the germ of a new album. Impressively and entirely self funded through busking income, Passenger set about recording a series of collaborations with musical friends met along the way. Flight Of The Crow is the remarkable result of Passenger’s intrepid journey, with Australian artists Lior, Josh Pyke, Katie Noonan, Boy & Bear, Kate Miller Heidke, Philadelphia Grand Jury, Brian Campeau and Elana Stone, Matt Corby, Jess Chalker and Dead Letter Chorus all lending their voices to this serendipitous creative venture. Flight Of The Crow was recorded in Sydney’s famous BJB studios over February and March of 2010, and co-produced by Berkfinger (AKA Simon Berkleman from Philadelphia Grand Jury).
As a second album born of the road, Flight Of The Crow speaks to the compelling quality of Passenger’s music and the striking sincerity of his lyrics, both of which are matched by his dedication to this grass roots style of craftsmanship and collaboration. How utterly remarkable that a lone musician can travel the globe, and literally from the street, connect with some of Australia’s finest musical talents to produce a self-funded album. This is the stuff of legend, with Passenger clearly evoking the humble, hardworking creativity of the troubadours of old.
www.myspace.com/passengerofficial
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Passenger or PSNGR is an active hardcore/screamo band formed in San José, Costa Rica born in 2004. Their EP "Get OFF the Rails!" (tentative title) will be out in 20/01/09. Band members: Alejandro Pacheco (vocals & guitar), Grego Rojas (guitar), Andres Moraga (bass), Jose Vargas (drums). www.myspace.com/passenger
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Passenger the acoustic rock band was formed in late 2000. They have a large archive of both original music and cover songs. They released their first pressed album, entitled "Four Letter Word", in September 2004 on indie label Crop Circle Records.
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Passenger is an Austin, Texas based MC. Born in Massachusetts, he spent most of his younger days growing up in New York and Houston, Tx eventually moving to Austin, Tx in 1996 attending college to try his hand as a sound engineer. During these years, his musical versatility had him playing bass in an alternative rock band, singing in another side project, DJing house, jungle and hip hop music at various venues in Austin. Eventually he became a full time DJ for the reggae/ska/hiphop/punk band, Indofin, which he was a member for years touring the country. His love for hip hop provoked him to purchase an MPC and has been making beats and rhyming ever since. "The Brick In A Glass House", his debut album, contains production from Nozebleed, Lazerbeak (Doomtree), amongst others as well as his own and has guests from Austin's own Emcee, Justin Cook, Weezel, as well as a few others. Currently, you can find him playing shows around the Austin area and will begin to venturing out to other Texas cities. He is also working on putting together a live band to back him at shows and working on new material.
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Passenger is also an old alias of DJ Tiësto. Tiësto only produced 2 tracks under his old Passenger-alias: "Blackspin" and "F.A.H.", both appearing on a record released on Momentum Records in 1996.
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Passenger began winter of 2002 when guitarist dustin covert and bassist/vocalist david mata collaborated on the bands first full length "alive" an 8 song full length about a disoriented and dark but intriguing view of love and romance. the album explored dissonant melodies and agonizingly slow chord progressions with the use of mark sampson on drums and sam billen on piano. in 2003 passenger progressed to a four person line up with michael oberlin on drums and james demis on keyboards and sound and began to play various rock venues in chicago, illinois and used silent film to accompany their live performance. numerous line-up changes took effect during the next year and a half, but in 2005 the concrete line-up of Dustin Covert and David D'Antonio on guitars, David Mata on Bass and Samuel Vincent on drums was achieved. In winter of 2005 Passenger recorded "The Owls are Restless", a 2 hour and 40 minute concept record about an ancient war between owls and rabbits and was recorded and engineered by Steve Whitney in a warehouse in Aurora, Illinois. Shortly after the recording drummer Samuel Vincent tragically passed away. Without his talent and with the grief of losing a dear, dear friend the band decided it was impossible to continue performing the material or anything that involved Passenger. These unfortunate events occurred before "The Owls are Restless" was able to achieve any sort of record label attention, and when it finally did it was too late. The remaining musicians have continued creating in their band White Devil, named after the vintage moog synth/organ that Sam would play in collaboration with his drums in Passenger.
myspace.com/whitedevilchicago
David
Passenger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He said I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours
I know you think it's shifty for a man in his fifties
To be sleeping in a hostel dorm
But I used to be a welder by trade
Used to work by the water where the ships get made
But no ship yard will take me now
Hands are too shaky now
And I said: David, don't you think it's strange
While you were in your dark room
How the world went and changed
Looking in your eyes, I think you know
That David, we lost you, lost you a long time ago
Ohh-oh, Oh-oh
Ohh-oh, Oh-oh
Ohh-oh, Oh-oh
He leans his head against the hostel wall
Said I have an ex-wife that doesn't hear me
And a kid that doesn't call
And every month I'm caught short
With my fucking child support
And the court says that I'm reckless and irresponsible
Cause it was never part of the plan
To be a middle aged man
To be sat outside a hostel, shaking strangers hands
But I've drunk away my wealth
I'm a picture of bad health
And I'm a shadow of a shadow of a former self
And I said: David, don't you think it's strange
For years you were walking and how the world went and changed
I hear it in your voice
I think you know
That David we lost you, lost you a long time ago
Ohh-oh, Oh-oh
Ohh-oh, Oh-oh
Ohh-oh, Oh-oh
And Ohh-oh, Oh-oh
Ohh-oh, Oh-oh
Ohh-oh, Oh-oh
I said David, don't you think that it's strange
While you where sleeping
How the world went and changed
Looking in your eyes
I think you know
David, we lost you
Lost you a long time ago
Passenger's song "David" tells the story of a man in his fifties named David, who the singer meets outside a hostel. David is open about his struggles with alcohol, being a former welder who is now unable to work due to the shakiness in his hands. He's fallen on hard times and doesn't have a permanent home. Throughout the song, David shares his story with the singer, who remarks on how he has changed and the world has changed around him, seemingly without his notice.
The song touches on themes of aging, change, and loss. David is a man who has lost everything - his job, his family, his wealth, and ultimately, himself. The singer recognizes this and tries to connect with David on a deeper level, to show him that he is seen and heard. The repetition of the chorus reinforces the idea that David has been lost for a long time and will likely continue to be lost. Yet, there's a sense of hope in the song, in the act of listening and being present for someone in need.
Overall, "David" is a poignant reflection on how we often overlook the struggles of others, particularly those who are aging and homeless. It's a reminder to be compassionate and to see people for who they are, beyond their circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
I met him outside a hostel door
I encountered David right outside of a place where travelers stay temporarily.
He said I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours
David offered to share some personal information with me in exchange for learning about myself.
I know you think it's shifty for a man in his fifties to be sleeping in a hostel dorm
David acknowledged that it might seem strange for someone his age to be staying in temporary accommodations for travelers.
But I used to be a welder by trade
David used to work as a person who fuses metal together.
Used to work by the water where the ships get made
David used to work by the ocean where large watercrafts are assembled.
But no ship yard will take me now
David can no longer find work at the shipyards.
Hands are too shaky now
David can no longer perform his welding job due to physical tremors.
And I've spend all my money before I get paid
David has already used up all of his financial resources before receiving additional income.
And I said: David, don't you think it's strange while you were in your dark room how the world went and changed
I couldn't help but wonder if David found it unusual that the world continued to evolve and move forward while David stayed stagnant in his own dark place.
Looking in your eyes, I think you know that David, we lost you, lost you a long time ago
Through observing David's demeanor, I got the impression that he had been estranged from his former self for a significant amount of time.
He leans his head against the hostel wall
David rested his head against the wall of the hostel.
Said I have an ex-wife that doesn't hear me and a kid that doesn't call
David's former spouse is not communicating with him, and his child is not keeping in touch with him either.
And every month I'm caught short with my fucking child support
David has difficulty affording his regular payment that goes towards supporting his child.
And the court says that I'm reckless and irresponsible
David has received negative feedback from the legal system, with judges characterizing him as careless and unreliable.
Cause it was never part of the plan to be a middle aged man to be sat outside a hostel, shaking strangers hands
David never intended to be in his current situation where he is middle-aged and spending time outside of temporary housing, meeting people he doesn't know.
But I've drunk away my wealth
David has squandered his financial resources on alcohol.
I'm a picture of bad health
David is experiencing poor health.
And I'm a shadow of a shadow of a former self
David feels he is just a small fraction of what he used to be in the past.
For years you were walking and how the world went and changed
I pointed out that for a long time, David was living his life without noticing the various changes that were happening in the world around him.
I hear it in your voice, I think you know that David we lost you, lost you a long time ago
I sense in David's words and tone that he recognizes his disconnection from himself and his past self from a while ago.
Contributed by Carson B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@matthewclifford7217
I wonder if David knew that just another ordinary face in the crowd that talked to him for a few minutes immortalised and graced him with a song that told the world of his life.
@gogogamerzz
I wish he knew. He deserves it
@Miniiglatze619
Passengers second name is David ;)
@travisniles6800
I heard Mike talking about David once and he said that he got to know him over the course of a couple of weeks...
@johnmiller2951
Thank you for your insightful comment. It is such a powerful song.
@romantanner3056
Here I am an adult man crying over a song that I hear for the first time. Can't stop listening to it. Thank you Mike for your work and sharing your songs with us. You touch my heart.
@karengebhard1759
Sweet :)
@lovergurl454
Beautiful lyrics from a great artist. Whenever people say this generation doesn't have good music I laugh and listen to your songs.
@dove5990
He sings from the heart & its the truth, all of his songs hit home.
I am a truck driver and listen to his songs going down the road.
Thanks for making the long miles shorter......Donna
@jaxirraywhisper741
This song makes me sad. I believe there are many Davids out there. People who drink a lot but not alcoholics. People who have various reasons to be unhappy but not enough for others to help them. People who are not homeless but still not having a home. People who are sitting on very bottom of the society while still not being outcasts. People who survive and not living, people who have no hope because they lost illusions and dreams. And there is no help for this sort of people. They are not criminals or bad yet their closest ones hate them anyway. Society helping mentally ill, homeless, imigrants and gods know who else but nobody cares or helps people who earn just enough to pay tax, rent and child support, leaving almost nothing for themselves. This society can be fucked up sometimes.