Lineup includes Spider One (vocals), Evan9 and Velkro (guitar), X51 (bassist), and GFlash (drums).
In 1990, Spider dropped out of art school and bought a cheap 4-track home studio and drum machine. Working under the title "MC Spider", he recorded "Much Evil" with producer Lamar Lowder. Building on local success, he built a band under the name Powerman 5000. Their style was in the nature of rap/metal that had yet to gain popularity. In 1991, longtime guitarist Adam 12 (Adam Williams) joined the band. In 1994 and 1995, Powerman released two independent records, True Force and The Blood Splat Rating System. Both albums were local successes.
In 1997, the band signed to Dreamworks Records and released a re-recording of The Blood Splat Rating System (with two new tracks) titled Mega!! Kung Fu Radio. The band toured and released singles such as "Organizized" and "Tokyo Vigilante #1". In 1999, Guitarist M.33 (Mike Tempesta) joined the band as they got their biggest break. Creating a strange fusion of science fiction (which had always interested Spider) and "Action Rock" (the term for their own high-energy powerful rock), they released Tonight the Stars Revolt!, which contained the hit singles "When Worlds Collide", "Nobody's Real", and "Supernova Goes Pop". The album sold over a million copies and assured the band's success.
A follow-up album titled "Anyone For Doomsday?" was recorded and a single ("Bombshell") had been released to radio stations, but the album was cancelled just before its scheduled release. Due to being heavily downloaded illegally, Anyone For Doomsday? was later released under Spider's own new label, Megatronic Records, but has since gone out of print due to legal issues. Arguments exist as to whether the record was cancelled due to the events of the September 11th terrorist attacks and the negative title, but the album was finished and scheduled to be released in August of 2001, a full month before the attacks. Spider has said in interviews that the album was dropped because it sounded too much like the previous album and that he wanted to release something fresh and different instead of repeating himself. Conflicts thereafter caused longtime members Dorian 27 (Dorian Heartsong) and Al3 (Allen Pahanish) to leave the band. Ad7 (Adrian Ost) and Siggy Sjursen were brought in to replace them. Ironically, "Bombshell" resurfaced, as the entrance music for the (now-formerly WWE) tag-team wrestlers, The Dudley Boyz.
In 2003, the band released "Transform", a more punk-fuelled album, completely dropping the costumes that had been featured throughout the band's "Tonight The Stars Revolt!" era. Containing the hit singles "Free" and "Action", the album sounded much more live and less filled with industrial metal electronics. After the release of Transform, Dreamworks Records was bought out by Interscope Records, and Powerman 5000 decided not to make the move. Undeterred, Spider continued with his own offshoot label Megatronic Records. In 2005, new music was released, both in the form of a rarities album titled The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Vol. 1 and in new music from an upcoming album.
A new tour was also started, but M.33 had left the band and Adam 12, while present on the upcoming album, was not touring. Former Alien Ant Farm guitarist Terry Corso and former Halfcocked (the first band on Spider's label) guitarist Johnny Rock were brought in to round out the live show. The band has recently completed their new album, called "Destroy What You Enjoy". The band has announced that they are signed to DRT Enterainment, who released their album, of which the song "Wild World" is the new single and video.
On May 21, 2007, Powerman 5000 claimed via a MySpace blog post that they will be releasing a new studio album in 2007. The following is taken directly from said post: "Considering the bands track record of putting out cds once every three years it seems hard to believe that, yes we will put out a new disc in 2007!! It's all just beginning to develop and the wheres, whos and whats are to be determined but new rock is on the way!!" However, talk about the record soon simmered, and no new information was released.
Finally, in December 2008, the new track "Super Villain" premiered on the band's Myspace page, showcasing their return to their platinum-selling sound of the late 90s. On January 28, 2009, a preview of tracks from their upcoming 6th studio album were posted on the groups MySpace page, containing clips from the songs "Super Villain", "V is for Vampire", and "Horror Show". Powerman 5000 posted that "Super Villain" would become available for digital purchase on February 10 via iTunes and Amazon.com.
On April 7, 2009, Powerman 5000 released a blog on their MySpace page stating that Anyone For Doomsday? has officially been re-released. The legal battle ended and the album was released under the SKG Music License. The album is available on iTunes as a digital download. On April 21, the band released "V is for Vampire", the second single from their upcoming album, which is planned for a summer release.
On July 7, 2009, Powerman 5000 released a blog on their MySpace page[3] stating that the new album has been finished, and that a release date, track listing, artwork, and additional tour dates was coming soon. On July 27, 2009, Powerman 5000 appeared on Rockline, announcing the title of the new album as "Somewhere on the Other Side of Nowhere". A Tentative release date of October 6 was also announced. Three new songs were also premiered on the show, including "Timebomb", "Make Us Insane", and "Show Me What You Got". On Myspace Spider posted a blog talking about the three new songs filled with comments of the fans liking the music.
On September 6, 2009, Powerman 5000 released the album cover design along with the promotion of their upcoming tour starting on October 24. They also released two new promotional videos on YouTube for their new album, confirming its release date as October 6.
On October 1, the full track "Do Your Thing" was leaked onto YouTube. The song was apparently taken from the Megatronic Records Forum, in which frontman Spider One currently owns. The CD "Somewhere On The Other Side Of Nowhere" was officially released on October 6 in the U.S. and was available in Canada on October 20, two weeks after the reported release date.
The band embarked on a national tour during October and November in support of the album.
On December 7, Spider, the band's lead singer posted links on his Twitter page linking to FearNET.com which is hosting the bands music video for their first single "Super Villain". The video is also available on YouTube and stars Johnathon Schaech as the infamous Super Villain.
Brave New World
Powerman 5000 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One day you'll get next
One day you'll untie the lies inside and get some respect
One day you'll be captain
All hands on the deck
But now the crowd is loud and wanting to grab you by the neck
The future's unwritten
Good thing we can't read
Watching em bleed
You getting so empty
With all that you need
Don't let the animals out and don't ever doubt they're ready to feed
Welcome to the brave new world
The same as the old scared world
You bank on the system
The system ain't real
Roll of the dice now just for a slice
Yeah man, now fuck how you feel
Now this is a warning
Not only a test
Run for your life not just for the light
And spray the spray for the pests
Welcome to the brave new world
The same as the old scared world
The more we change the more we stay the same
Looking for someone new to blame
Everything they said is coming true
Science fiction became science truth
The leaders of the pack will turn around
Digging through the holes of lost and found
You thinking about it but don't ever shout it now wishing that you were the threat
The future's a scene but that doesn't mean that you get to live in it yet
Learn from the past but that never lasts
Cause fools they rerun it all
Trying to run
Gun setting to stun
But they ain't ready to crawl
The lyrics of Brave New World by Powerman 5000 speak about the uncertainty of the future and the danger of blindly trusting in the system. The first stanza talks about the potential for growth and success, but emphasizes the difficulty of achieving it due to the chaotic and aggressive nature of society. The second verse is a warning against relying on the system, because it can be unpredictable and often does not prioritize the individual. The chorus references the idea that even though society is constantly changing, it somehow remains stagnant and full of fear and blame.
The overall message of the song seems to be a call to action to the listener, urging them to be proactive and aware of the flaws in the system, in order to avoid being consumed by the chaos and uncertainty of the world. The lyrics are delivered in a fast-paced, energetic style, with a heavy use of electric guitar and drums to amplify the intensity of the message.
Line by Line Meaning
One day you'll be savage
At some point, you'll need to fight to survive
One day you'll get next
Someday you'll be on top
One day you'll untie the lies inside and get some respect
In the future, you'll break free from falsehoods and gain respect as a result
One day you'll be captain
Eventually, you'll be in charge
All hands on the deck
Everyone needs to be ready to work together
But now the crowd is loud and wanting to grab you by the neck
Right now, everyone is clamoring for attention and trying to bring you down
The future's unwritten
No one knows what's going to happen
Good thing we can't read
It's fortunate that we can't see the future because it would be overwhelming
You cutting across thinking you're boss
You're trying to assert dominance and run the show
Watching em bleed
You're okay with others suffering if it means you get ahead
You getting so empty
You're becoming hollow and losing yourself in the pursuit of power
With all that you need
Despite having everything, you're still unsatisfied
Don't let the animals out and don't ever doubt they're ready to feed
Don't let your own animalistic tendencies override your better judgement
Welcome to the brave new world
This is a new world full of challenges
The same as the old scared world
Despite being new, this world is still full of fear
You bank on the system
You're relying on the established order to support you
The system ain't real
The established order is an illusion that could collapse at any moment
Roll of the dice now just for a slice
Everything is hinging on luck and chance
Yeah man, now fuck how you feel
Feelings are irrelevant and not worth considering
Now this is a warning
Pay attention to what's about to be said
Not only a test
This isn't just a practice run
Run for your life not just for the light
You need to be running for your life, not just for momentary success
And spray the spray for the pests
Take measures to rid yourself of those that would bring you down
The more we change the more we stay the same
Despite our efforts to change, fundamental patterns still persist
Looking for someone new to blame
We're always searching for someone else to be responsible for our problems
Everything they said is coming true
The predictions of the past are becoming reality
Science fiction became science truth
The impossible has become real and the fantastical has become our new reality
The leaders of the pack will turn around
Those in charge will eventually realize their mistakes and try to fix things
Digging through the holes of lost and found
We're all searching for answers and trying to discover what's been lost
You thinking about it but don't ever shout it now wishing that you were the threat
You're considering becoming powerful and feared, but you're not sure if it's worth it
The future's a scene but that doesn't mean that you get to live in it yet
The future is constantly unfolding, but it's not guaranteed that you'll be a part of it
Learn from the past but that never lasts
The lessons of the past are frequently ignored
Cause fools they rerun it all
Foolish people keep repeating past mistakes
Trying to run
You're striving to get ahead
Gun setting to stun
You're prepared to fight back if necessary
But they ain't ready to crawl
Your opponents aren't ready to give in or admit defeat
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SCOTT JOHNSON, WILLIAM O'RIORDAN, JOE P. RICK, JOHN IGNATIUS TRAPAGA, MICHAEL LETHO VIDALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Powerman 5000
Hope you all dig this one! Getting close to the release of The Noble Rot and I think you can get a sense, from the first two singles, how diverse and adventurous the album is!
Lee Bruner
Works for me, man! Cleopatra is heating up it seems. If you guys have run into Danzig in the studio, I'm gonna be jealous.
Cleopatra Records
🔥🔥🔥
chewy token
The last two CDs and this new stuff are my favorite you've ever done excited to hear the rest of it
AVJR
I like the song. I can't wait for your new album. I only see you live 3 times. I was looking forward for your show in October until it got postponed. I am still looking forward to it. Congratulations for being around for 30 years!
Daniel G Frost
Am excited to see the band in concert! Already have my ticket! New album sounds like a very political record!
Poker Mitten
This song is a helluva mix. The rap styling is almost cringe but then the deep voice comes in to contrast it and I love it. Fun tones all around.
Nick930
Looking forward to hearing "When Worlds Collide" in the new THPS remake. Glad to see these guys are still delivering new music
Dustin Beyette
Remake????
T E
THPS?