www.posterchildren.com
Poster Children have also released electronic music albums under the name Salaryman.
Rick Valentin and Rose Marshack met in the mid-eighties at the University of Illinois, forming several start-up bands despite Marshack's lack of experience. In 1987 the two met Shannon Drew and the Poster Children were born. They began selling their demo tape on cassette and playing clubs all over the Midwest. The following year, the band recorded 15 songs that would end up on Flower Plower at the Chicago Recording Company. In 1989, the band met with recording engineer Steve Albini to record five more songs. A vinyl version of Flower Plower was released that year on the Limited Potential label. It was also at this time that Poster Children picked up a second guitarist in to complete the four-piece configuration that they are today.
A major label record deal was inked with Warner Bros. Records subsidiary Reprise Records. (Over the next few albums, Poster Children would be shuffled from imprint to imprint within the Warner organization.) Tracks for Daisychain Reaction were recorded by Steve Albini at the Chicago Recording Company in 1990, but due to financial difficulties at the label, was not released until the following year. (The album included Hum bassist Jeff Dimpsey on guitar.) Marshack and Valentin finally quit their "day jobs" to go on a six-week nation wide tour.
In 1991 Rick's brother, Jim, replaced the guitarist of the time and remains to this day. Tool of the Man was recorded in 1992 at Dreamland Studio in New York with John Herndon (celebrated Tortoise percussionist) on drums. Tool of the Man was also released in the UK on the Creation Records label. The track Clock Street was picked as their only UK single to date. Just Like You (EP) and Junior Citizen followed, with modest but consistent sales. Matt Friscia auditioned for the band in 1993 as a high school student willing to drop out to go on tour, but the band didn't want to contribute to his delinquency, and hired Howie Kantoff instead. Amazingly, Matt was available again in 2001 when the band was searching for its seventh (and current) drummer.
The band was on the second stage for Lollapalooza in 1995. Rick Valentin and Rose Marshack are currently married and hosts of one of the world's longest running podcasts, Radio Zero.
Poster Children usually write their music collectively, leaving Rick to create lyrics after the fact. During the bands formative years, they wrote and recorded with a different drummer for each album. This resulted in a fluctuating style that touched on punk pop, post hardcore, what the band refers to as "post wave", and new wave revival. Their music is made up of angular, overdriven guitar parts, strong basslines, and powerful yet intricate drums. The typical Poster Children song is high-energy and hard, yet melodic, and they often use unusual time signatures. Rick Valentin's lyrics are by turns witty and introspective, often obliquely related to political issues.
Poster Children have not had much commercial success or industry recognition, but critics consistently describe the band as catchy, impressive, and underrated.
King for A Day
Poster Children Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Loaded with all that you said
One false move and bang you're dead
The machine that drove you here
Is getting difficult to steer
In reverse and high gear
From the radio to the grave
From the headlines to the red line
You've been crowned king for a day
Crucified yourself again
All you've got is one free hand
Let us help you nail it in
We all want to see the crash
Slowing down as we drive past
You're not the first, you're not the last
From a leader to a loser
From a master to a slave
From a hero to a zero
You've been crowned king for a day
The song "King For a Day" by Poster Children is a socially and politically charged piece that highlights the fleeting nature of power and fame. The lyrics revolve around the idea of being a king for a day, a metaphor for short-lived success and influence. The first stanza delivers a warning to the listener about the consequences of their actions. The gun aimed at their head is loaded with all they have said, suggesting that their words may come back to haunt them. The second stanza points out the difficulties of maintaining power once it's been attained, as it becomes difficult to steer the machine that got them there.
The third stanza references different types of media, from TV to tabloids, radio to the grave, indicating how society has become obsessed with fame and power. The chorus repeats the phrase "you've been crowned king for a day" and highlights the fleeting nature of success. It suggests that those in power have already crucified themselves, and the audience is just helping them nail it in. The final stanza talks about the inevitability of failure and how even this ephemeral power is ultimately fleeting. From having been a leader, a master, or a hero, everyone at some point becomes a loser, a slave, or a zero.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a gun aimed at your head
Your past words and actions are being used against you, and if you make one wrong move, you'll suffer the consequences.
Loaded with all that you said
Everything you've said in the past is being used as ammunition against you, and it's taking its toll.
One false move and bang you're dead
The pressure is so high that one wrong step could cause everything to collapse, leading to self-destruction.
The machine that drove you here
Your life experiences have lead you to this moment, but the control you had over them is slipping away.
Is getting difficult to steer
You're losing control over your own life, and it's becoming harder to make the right moves.
In reverse and high gear
You're going backwards, trying to undo past mistakes, but the world is still moving too fast for you to keep up.
From the TV to the tabloids
Your life is being exposed for the world to see, from the media to the gossip magazines.
From the radio to the grave
Your story will follow you until the end of your life, as it's broadcasted on the radio and even engraved on your headstone.
From the headlines to the red line
Your story is the talk of the town, from front page headlines to even reaching the danger zone.
You've been crowned king for a day
Your moment in the spotlight has arrived, but it's fleeting and won't last forever.
Crucified yourself again
You're repeating the same mistakes that caused your downfall in the first place, leading to your own demise.
All you've got is one free hand
You're struggling to keep up with everything falling apart around you, with only one shot to make it right.
Let us help you nail it in
Others are eagerly awaiting your downfall and are prepared to aid in it, so be careful who you trust.
We all want to see the crash
People are drawn to the spectacle of your downfall and are secretly rooting for your failure.
Slowing down as we drive past
You're aware of the attention you're receiving, but you're powerless to stop it, as people will continue to slow down and watch the wreckage.
You're not the first, you're not the last
You're not the only one to have fallen from grace, nor will you be the last, as it's a common human experience.
From a leader to a loser
You've gone from being in charge to being a failure, losing everything in between.
From a master to a slave
You've transitioned from being in control of your own life to being at the mercy of outside forces, with no power to change your situation.
From a hero to a zero
You've gone from being admired for your accomplishments to being worth nothing, with people even reveling in your downfall.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: HOWARD KANTOFF, JAMES VALENTIN, RICHARD VALENTIN, ROSEANNE MARSHACK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind