Within months the band’s arrival on the L.A. music scene PMM had signed with Geffen Records and began recording their self-titled debut. Wasting no time, PMM teamed up with renowned rock producer Josh Abraham (KORN, Staind) and invited such guests as Dave Ogilvie (Skinny Puppy) and Troy Van Leeuwen (A Perfect Circle) to assist with the record. With this major release, PMM was put on the road to support it with like-minded acts as Marilyn Manson, Staind, Cold, Powerman 5000 and Kid Rock. PMM also played to an onslaught of die-hard fans at the Tattoo the Earth Festival with the likes of Slipknot, Sevendust and Slayer. The video for their first single “Slow” went into rotation on MTV, MTV2 and MTVX and inspired MTV to use the song as a music bed for a behind the scenes bit on Eminem. “Slow”, “Fall Again”, and The Cure remake “A Night Like This” were used on several soundtracks including Ginger Snaps, Valentine and the platinum selling End of Days. “All Lost Things” and “Start Again” from PMM’s 2003 release Looking Through have been featured on several productions including MTV’s “The Real World”. PMM’s music continues to be a soundtrack favourite and is also frequently used by The Howard Stern Show in advertising and promotional spots.
LOOKING THROUGH (2003)
After the release of Professional Murder Music in 2001, the band’s creators began to feel increasingly dissatisfied with the direction of their career at the hands of management and label personnel who no longer seemed to share the same vision. During the recording process of what was to become
Looking Through, the band also saw the departure of guitarist Brian Harrah and (subsequently) drummer Justin Bennett who left the band to pursue other personal interests. Meanwhile, Roman Marisak simply assumed all guitar duties and continued work on the recording. Looking Through features 10 songs, each with a specific message and a carefully mastered sound. Like their debut record, Looking Through features a few good friends such as Tommy Lee (Mötley Crüe) on drums on “Disconnect”, Jason Miller
of Godhead doing backing vocals on “Don’t Stop“ and Buzz McCoy of Thrill Kill Kult performing remix duties on “Something New”.
Rather than going down the road of major label disaster again, the band decided to release Looking Through independently, leaving them with more control. PMM created Wormhole Records and acquired national distribution through Underground, Inc./Caroline.
In support of their new release, Professional Murder Music joined 2003’s United II Tour featuring Dope and Pigface. In 2004, PMM embarked on it’s first ever headlining U.S. Tour, This time featuring new guitarist Tom Hatziemanouel (Graves) and temporarily enlisting drummer ]Josh Memolo of The Union Underground.
FROM THE DEPTHS
Upon returning home from the “All Lost Things” tour in 2004, the members of PMM were eager to use their downtime wisely. Long-time fans of artists such as Radiohead, U2, The Cure, and Oasis and inspired by the timeless quality of a great song, the band wanted to present a more stripped down interpretation of their material and highlight the melodic nature of their own songs sometimes overlooked by the high production values of the band’s recordings and performances. The concept was to record an “acoustic” EP. Further development led the band to record a “dual-sided” EP of 5 cover songs and 5 acoustic revisions of previous material, now titled “De Profundis”.
The closing of 2004 also brought to the band new drummer Chris Olivas (Berlin), a long time friend of Marisak’s.
THE FUTURE
Professional Murder Music continue to evolve and develop their unique sound, incorporating all of their eclectic influences with a sharp focus on what matters most – a great song.
Roman Marisak- vocals, guitar
Jeff Schartoff- bass
Tom Hatziemanouel- guitar
Chris Olivas- drums
Clear
Professional Murder Music Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can't tell what I am becoming
Twisted in memories of
A world that would last forever
But it's not ever the same
And the days seem so much colder
Now I don't feel anything else
You make me see this place so different
I do things now I know I shouldn't
There was a time that we cared
And we're looking at the pieces
Because it's never enough
And I'm leaving all their troubles
Now I don't feel anything else
But you do seem perfect here tonight
Now I don't feel anything else
But you do seem perfect here tonight
And now I won't ever stand still
Ant thought of you and I'm spinning
Now it seems that everything has changed
And it will not ever be the same
Every dream I've ever had is clear
And it seems so perfect here tonight
The lyrics to Professional Murder Music's song "Clear" seem to be about the journey of a person who has been twisted by their memories of a world that they thought would last forever. The opening line "You're shining right in front of me now" could refer to someone who is present and trying to help the singer through their difficult time. However, the singer seems to be struggling to come to terms with what has happened in the past and feels like they're becoming a different person. The line "But it's not ever the same, And the days seem so much colder" may suggest that the singer's perception of the world around them has changed, and it's now a harsher, less forgiving place.
The singer seems to be drawn towards the person who is present, and they feel like the only perfect thing in their life right now. The line "Now I don't feel anything else, But you do seem perfect here tonight" could suggest that the singer is finding comfort in their presence. However, the singer is also aware that the relationship is not healthy, and they are doing things they know they shouldn't. The line "I do things now I know I shouldn't" could be interpreted as the singer engaging in self-destructive behaviors, but they can't help themselves.
As the song progresses, the singer seems to be leaving behind their troubles and breaking away from the toxic relationship. The line "And I'm leaving all their troubles" suggests that the singer is taking responsibility for their actions and wants to move towards a better future. The closing lines "Every dream I've ever had is clear, And it seems so perfect here tonight" could be interpreted as the singer holding onto hope that their dreams will come true and that they will find a way to heal from the past.
Line by Line Meaning
You're shining right in front of me now
I see you clearly and you have my attention.
You can't tell what I am becoming
You do not know the person I am becoming due to my present state of mind.
Twisted in memories of
My memories have been distorted by time and circumstance.
A world that would last forever
I used to believe that the world was permanent and unchanging.
But it's not ever the same
The world is constantly changing.
And the days seem so much colder
This change has left me feeling unsettled and alone.
Now I don't feel anything else
My focus is solely on you and nothing else matters.
But you do seem perfect here tonight
You appear flawless to me in this moment.
You make me see this place so different
You have changed my perspective on this place.
I do things now I know I shouldn't
I am making choices that I know are wrong.
There was a time that we cared
We used to value each other and our relationship.
And we're looking at the pieces
Now we are examining the fragments of our broken relationship.
Because it's never enough
We always wanted more from each other than we could give.
And I'm leaving all their troubles
I am moving on from the issues that held me back in the past.
And now I won't ever stand still
I will always be in motion, never stopping.
Ant thought of you and I'm spinning
Just thinking of you is enough to make me feel dizzy and disoriented.
Now it seems that everything has changed
The world looks different to me now.
And it will not ever be the same
Things will never go back to how they were before.
Every dream I've ever had is clear
I can now see my goals and aspirations more vividly.
And it seems so perfect here tonight
In this moment, everything feels just right.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
John M
Great main riff, reminiscent of their "Night Like This" cover.
Sheena MacDonald
Perfection <3