The first incarnation of the band was under the name Aslan, after a character in the novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis. With money earned from local shows and T-shirt sales, they recorded a self-titled demo tape in 1986. After discovering another band with the same name, they changed theirs to Psychotic Waltz and recorded a new four-song demo in 1988.
In 1990, they debuted with their independently financed debut A Social Grace, which was released in Europe via a licensing deal with the German label Rising Sun Productions. The album was very well received in Europe, being named album of the month in some European magazines,[citation needed] The situation in US was more difficult, as the album was released under the band's own Sub Sonic Records label. With practically no promotion and minimal distribution, it remained an extremely underground item. In 1991, the band appeared in the Dynamo Festival in Holland.
After the tour, the band's guitarist, Dan Rock, suffered a near-fatal accident after falling off a bridge while rappelling. The band went on to record their second album, Into the Everflow. The album was recorded from August–October, 1992, at Phoenix Studios in Herne, Germany, and was produced by Mekong Delta's main man, Ralph Hubert. After recording the album, but before its release, the band did a small tour while Dan Rock recovered from his accident. The CD was released in Europe on Dream Circle Records, and was very well received, getting album of the month honors in many European magazines.[citation needed] After Rock recovered, the band was nominated as the Best Hard Rock band at the 1992 San Diego Music Awards.
By that time, the band was at the peak of its popularity. They signed with Ralph Hubert's own label, Zardoz Music, for their third album, Mosquito. Recording took place in late 1994 in Record Plant and Madhatter studios in Los Angeles, with the help of the famous metal producer Scott Burns. The initial response for this album was mixed, as the more conventional songwriting that the band followed led some hardcore fans of the band to label it as a sell-out. This was the last album that was recorded with their initial lineup, as bassist Ward Evans left the band after two tours in Europe and was replaced with Phil Cuttino.
They entered the studio once again in 1996, for what proved to be their last studio work together, Bleeding. This time, Scott Burns did the engineering, but the record was mixed by Dan Rock and engineer Woody Barber. Before the band started touring in support for the new album, guitarist Brian McAlpine announced that he would not be able to follow the band due to familial obligations. He was replaced by Steve Cox for the band's final two European tours. Phil Cuttino filmed a promotional video for the track "Faded". This proved to be disastrous for the band, as a crew member sued the band in April 1998, claiming that a light on the set caused him to go blind.
The lengthy court battle that followed, coupled with the different musical interests that the band members had, contributed in the band's demise. Buddy Lackey was the first to leave the band. For a short while, the remaining band members tried to continue with the band, but eventually each went his own way. Rock recorded two instrumental albums with his project Darkstar. Norm Leggio and Steve Cox created the band Teabag, and Buddy Lackey formed the band Deadsoul Tribe, where he performs using his real name, Devon Graves.
Psychotic Waltz reunited in 2010, will tour Europe in support of Nevermore and Symphony X, and are planning to write, record and release a new album.
Freakshow
Psychotic Waltz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Flying in the circus of a freakshow band
My ears are wings
They take me to my dreams
I close my eyes and I'm alone here singing
In this state of mind, I'm more than myself
I could reach up into the sky, color in the sun
In the eyes of my imagination I can roll a bigger stone
And then I tripped away into the void
Lay down the gun that defends me
Cover me with a rose instead
My eyes see the deadland that surrounds me
But I can see the garden in my head
All is well
No wall will stand in my way
If they're too tall, I'll go beneath them
Cut me down, you'll just go through me
Cut me down, you'll just go through me
I am forever
I am forever I
And me you've never really seen
Even when I leave this fade behind
There's got to be another place to find
Where I really belong
Here I do not belong
So I write this song of mine
To soothe my ears and ease my mind
And so another written page
Will turn into the everflow
Will no one ever really know about me
Should they even care
A strange little man
Racing all his bubbles to the surface of the universe
To see if he could swim out of my mind
And as he looked behind, he realized what he had escaped
He thought that alone he would float out in space for awhile
Goddamn mother gonna try to take me down
Take a place in line
Just lead your pigs into the slaughter
Thank you Perry for the idea man
Oh by the way, I want to meet you one day
Thank you for the way you sang to me
The song "Freakshow" by Psychotic Waltz is a psychedelic and introspective journey of self-discovery. The lyrics describe a person who feels disconnected from reality and finds solace in his own imagination. The persona imagines himself as a "tripper man" lost in a circus of a freak show band. He feels free and autonomous in his mind, where he can create and imagine things that are beyond the limitations of the physical world. He has cut ties with the rules and expectations of society and is on a journey to find his true home. The song is a reflection of the desire to escape the mundane and search for a place where he truly belongs.
The lyrics explore the idea of identity and how it can change over time. The persona acknowledges that no one has ever really seen him and wonders if anyone even cares. He sees himself as a strange little man who is racing to the surface of the universe to see if he can swim out of his mind. He realizes that he is forever changing and evolving, and that his true self is yet to be discovered. The song ends with the persona thanking Perry for the idea and expressing a desire to meet him someday.
Overall, the song is a deep and intricate examination of the human psyche and our constant search for meaning and purpose in life.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm a tripper man in a space of jam
I am a man hallucinating in a psychedelic space.
Flying in the circus of a freakshow band
I am navigating through my hallucinations like a performer in a circus, surrounded by other strange characters.
My ears are wings
My senses are heightened and almost feel like I can fly.
They take me to my dreams
My heightened senses allow me to escape reality and enter a dream-like state.
I close my eyes and I'm alone here singing
I am able to lose myself in my hallucinations and sing to myself.
In this state of mind, I'm more than myself
My altered state of mind makes me feel like I am more than just my physical self.
I could reach up into the sky, color in the sun
In my mind, I have the power to manipulate the world around me through my hallucinations.
In the eyes of my imagination I can roll a bigger stone
My imagination allows me to have incredible strength and power.
I've cut the ties that build the rule of lies
I have let go of societal norms and rules that I consider false.
And then I tripped away into the void
I have fully embraced my hallucinations and let them transport me to another state of consciousness.
Lay down the gun that defends me
I let go of any defenses that I had and become vulnerable.
Cover me with a rose instead
I seek beauty and purity in my vulnerable state.
My eyes see the deadland that surrounds me
I am aware of the harsh reality that surrounds me.
But I can see the garden in my head
Despite the harsh reality, I can still imagine a beautiful world in my mind.
All is well
Despite everything, I am content with my altered state of mind.
No wall will stand in my way
I feel unstoppable and invincible in my altered state.
If they're too tall, I'll go beneath them
I am willing to go to great lengths to overcome any obstacles.
Cut me down, you'll just go through me
I feel indestructible and that no one can harm me.
I am forever
I feel like I will be in this state of mind forever.
And me you've never really seen
Despite others being around me, I feel like they have not truly seen me in my altered state.
Even when I leave this fade behind
Even when I snap out of this altered state, I will always carry it with me in some way.
There's got to be another place to find
I am always in search of another reality or experience.
Where I really belong
I feel out of place in reality and am searching for a place where I feel like I truly belong.
Here I do not belong
I feel disconnected from reality and do not feel like I belong here.
So I write this song of mine
I use music to capture and express my altered state of mind.
To soothe my ears and ease my mind
Creating music is a way for me to calm myself and make sense of my hallucinations.
And so another written page
This song is just another way for me to document my experiences.
Will turn into the everflow
This song will become a part of the ongoing flow of my experiences and consciousness.
Will no one ever really know about me
Despite documenting my experiences, others may never truly understand what I am going through.
Should they even care
Even if others knew about my experiences, I wonder if they would even care.
A strange little man
I am aware that others perceive me as strange due to my altered state of mind.
Racing all his bubbles to the surface of the universe
I feel like I am reaching out to the universe and trying to make sense of everything.
To see if he could swim out of my mind
I am attempting to leave my altered state of mind and return to reality, but unsure if it is possible.
And as he looked behind, he realized what he had escaped
As I attempt to leave my altered state, I realize what I am leaving behind and question if it is worth it.
He thought that alone he would float out in space for awhile
I contemplated if leaving my altered state would make me feel even more disconnected from reality.
Goddamn mother gonna try to take me down
Others may try to intervene and bring me back to reality.
Take a place in line
Others may try to force me to conform to societal norms.
Just lead your pigs into the slaughter
I refuse to blindly follow societal expectations.
Thank you Perry for the idea man
I am grateful for the inspiration to create music and express my experiences.
Oh by the way, I want to meet you one day
I have a desire to connect with others who understand my experiences.
Thank you for the way you sang to me
I appreciate how music can bring comfort and solace during my altered state of mind.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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