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.
Haze One
Psychotic Waltz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The freeze is coming on
Everyone is sleeping now
The first on to bed, but the last to leave my head
So I burn another number down
And as I'm laying down I'm wondering
Where are all the people now
Where is all the screaming crowd
I know it's quite a dream
Burn the candles down
As we're pulling out of town
Pass the haze around
Talk about the show
Got another less to go
Hey,what did you think about the sound ?
Cold November's got me burning down
Cold November's got me ember burning down
Now my ears are ringing
I don't mind the sound
Concerned about my singing
Cause the cold can bring it down
East Berlin to Austria
How much further now ?
I hope it is a long way
I have to sleep before the day
The first verse of "Haze One" by Psychotic Waltz describes a band on tour, traveling on the road and facing colder weather as they move forward. The band members are tired and ready to rest, but one person seems to struggle to fall asleep. This person decides to light up another joint to help them relax. As they lie there, they think about the crowd they just performed for and how nobody is around them now. The lyrics suggest that this person may feel a bit isolated or disconnected from others, which could explain why they are having trouble sleeping. The second verse introduces new elements to the story, including the singer's concern about the quality of their singing and how the cold weather can impact their performance. They also mention their destination, Austria, and express a desire to get there soon so they can rest before their next show.
Overall, "Haze One" touches on themes of travel, exhaustion, loneliness, and the challenges of performing on the road. The title of the song suggests a hazy, dreamlike quality, which could be both a reference to the use of drugs on tour and a metaphor for the disorienting experience of being constantly on the move.
Line by Line Meaning
Now we're on the road
We are traveling on a road
The freeze is coming on
Winter is coming upon us
Everyone is sleeping now
Everyone is currently in a state of sleep
The first on to bed, but the last to leave my head
Although others are asleep, my mind is still active and racing
So I burn another number down
I light up another cigarette or joint
And as I'm laying down I'm wondering
As I lay down, I begin to ponder
Where are all the people now
I question the whereabouts of others
Where is all the screaming crowd
I miss the energy and noise of a lively crowd
And as I bring on what's inside of me
As I express what is within me
I know it's quite a dream
I understand that it may be unrealistic
Burn the candles down
Let's use up all of the candles
As we're pulling out of town
As we are leaving the area
Pass the haze around
Let's share and smoke some marijuana
Talk about the show
Let's discuss the performance
Got another less to go
We still have another performance left to do
Hey,what did you think about the sound ?
Let's hear everyone's thoughts on the quality of the sound
Cold November's got me burning down
The chill of November is causing me to smoke excessively
Cold November's got me ember burning down
The cold is causing the embers to quickly burn out
Now my ears are ringing
My ears are currently experiencing a ringing sensation
I don't mind the sound
I am not bothered by the ringing sound
Concerned about my singing
I am worried about the quality of my singing
Cause the cold can bring it down
The cold weather can negatively impact my singing ability
East Berlin to Austria
We are traveling from East Berlin to Austria
How much further now ?
I am curious about how much distance is left to cover
I hope it is a long way
I would like the journey to continue for a longer period of time
I have to sleep before the day
I need to get some sleep before the upcoming day
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRIAN RODGER MC ALPIN, BUDDY HOWARD LACKEY, DANIEL WAYNE ROCK, NORMAN GAETANO LEGGIO, WARD EVANS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind