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.
Hey That's Right!
Powerman 5000 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not that you really care
I'm the one that sends all messages
The ones that help you survive
And make you feel so alive
The ones that sound like the voices in your head!
Hey!
Hey!
That's right!
Hey!
That's right!
Hey!
Sent to you from above
With the lies that you love
With a voice that can tell you anything
Now the message is clear
Put your hands in the air
It's time to take on the world one last time
You like it louder
A little louder
You can't stop (can't stop)
And it's not up to you
You need it louder
A little louder
You can't stop (can't stop)
And it's not up to you!
Let's go!
Hey!
That's right!
Hey!
That's right!
Hey!
That's right!
The sound that they give you ain't the sound of the nation!
Ten songs in a row
And this is all you should know
I really hope I can become one of them
Fix it up like a hit
In stereo make it fit
But can you really tell one from the other
You want it louder
A little louder
You can't stop (can't stop)
And it's not up to you
You made it louder
A little louder
You won't stop (can't stop)
And there's nothing you can do!
Let's go!
Hey!
That's right!
Hey!
That's right!
Hey!
That's right!
The sound that they give you ain't the sound of the nation!
The lyrics of "Hey That's Right!" by Powerman 5000 speak about the power of music and its ability to influence individuals. The lead singer claims to be the "king of the air," who sends messages through music to help people survive and feel alive. He urges his listeners to put their hands in the air and take on the world with a message delivered from above. The voice he uses is one that can tell listeners anything they want to hear, even if it is lies. Despite this, the song argues that the sound of the music provided by others is not truly representative of the nation. Finally, the song implies that, while music can be addictive, it remains an essential, transformative part of life.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm the king of the air
I hold a position of great power and authority in the world of music
Not that you really care
Despite my status, you may not be interested in or impressed by me
I'm the one that sends all messages
I am responsible for creating and conveying the themes and messages of my music
The ones that help you survive
My music serves as a source of support and inspiration that can get you through tough times
And make you feel so alive
My music has the power to energize and invigorate you to live your best life
The ones that sound like the voices in your head!
My music may resonate with you on a deeply personal level, as though you hear the thoughts and feelings inside your own mind expressed through my lyrics
Hey!
Attention grabber
That's right!
Confirmation or agreement
Sent to you from above
My music comes from a higher power or plane of existence, imbuing it with a sense of spiritual significance or divine inspiration
With the lies that you love
My lyrics may contain elements of exaggeration or fabrication that nevertheless resonate with you because they reflect your own experiences or desires
With a voice that can tell you anything
As the singer, my voice has the power to convey emotions, ideas, and stories to you in a way that is compelling and engaging
Now the message is clear
I have conveyed my intended message to you in a way that is unmistakable and easy to understand
Put your hands in the air
A call to action, encouraging the audience to become more actively engaged with the music
It's time to take on the world one last time
A rallying cry, urging listeners to summon their courage and face the challenges of the world head-on
You like it louder
The audience enjoys the music more when it is played at a higher volume
A little louder
Slightly more loudly than it is currently being played
You can't stop (can't stop)
You are unable to resist the urge to keep listening to and engaging with the music
And it's not up to you
The power of the music is not under your control, but rather a force that exerts itself upon you
You need it louder
The audience craves even more volume and intensity from the music
You made it louder
By turning up the volume, the audience has taken control of the music experience to some extent
You won't stop (can't stop)
Despite any reservations or hesitations you may have, you cannot cease engaging with the music
And there's nothing you can do!
The power of the music continues to dominate and influence you, and there is no way to resist or fight back against it
The sound that they give you ain't the sound of the nation!
My music is unique and idiosyncratic, and differs in key ways from the standard, mainstream sounds that dominate popular culture
Ten songs in a row
A boast about my ability to create a wealth of high-quality music consistently
And this is all you should know
My music and its message are distilled into these ten songs, which embody my vision and speak to my audience
I really hope I can become one of them
A humble admission that I aspire to be recognized as a major player in the music industry alongside other great artists
Fix it up like a hit
Taking an existing song and enhancing it for maximum appeal to a mainstream audience
In stereo make it fit
Making sure the mix of the song is perfect so it can broadcast effectively through stereo systems
But can you really tell one from the other
Despite the many hits out there, there is something special about my music that sets it apart from the rest
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind