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.
Lovestone Blind
Psychotic Waltz Lyrics
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Circling the atmosphere in California clear ?
Where does the time go when today turns into long ago ?
Where are all the colors when a rainbow disappear ?
Someone's singing today I really don't know, I will never
Light the night to make it like the day, it really won't glow
It really won't
Make a line to make it mind the time, they really won't go
I stand surrounded here, imaginary interfere
Supersonic architecture Spanish castle cream
Press my hands against my ears to try to make the voices clear
An acrobatic, symphonic helicopter scream
All that shines will come in time
Never mind all that's left behind
Lovestone blind, well still is mine
Here I find my piece of mind
Now they look into the eyes of a silver screen can of lies
The city streets are the golden cage of the sleeping flies
Wings pounding to the concrete dance of stamping shoes
Gold seeping from the hand of the unamused
Down though the smoke to the trash scattered to the ground
Cut through the smell of the sirens screaming through the town
Kneeling down to the healing fix of a hypodermic crucifix
Hanging from the choking throats of giant stack of broken bricks
"LoveStone Blind" by Psychotic Waltz is a song that navigates through various themes such as the passage of time, loss of innocence, drug addiction, and the ironic nature of societal expectations. The song begins with the singer questioning the nature of time and how we perceive it, asking "Where does the weather go? Where does the time go?". The singer also touches on the impermanence of things such as colors and rainbows that seem to disappear. It seems as if the singer is trying to make sense of the world around him, perhaps feeling lost or disillusioned.
The second verse explores the theme of societal expectations and the pressures of conforming. The singer describes the city streets as "the golden cage of the sleeping flies," suggesting that society can be oppressive and limiting. The image of the "unamused" individual with gold seeping from their hand further emphasizes the corrupt nature of societal expectations. The third and final verse delves into drug addiction, with the singer describing the "healing fix" of a hypodermic needle and the image of a "choking throat" surrounded by broken bricks.
Overall, the song paints a picture of a world that can be difficult to navigate, with pressures to conform and the temptation to turn to vices for relief. The title "LoveStone Blind" could be interpreted as a commentary on the ways in which love, or our perceptions of love, can blind us to the realities of the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Where does the weather go when I see blue around the gold
What causes the change in weather from sunny skies to a blue tint around the sun?
Circling the atmosphere in California clear ?
Is this phenomenon specific to California, where the atmosphere is clear?
Where does the time go when today turns into long ago ?
What causes the passage of time from the present into the distant past?
Where are all the colors when a rainbow disappear ?
Why do all the colors of a rainbow vanish when the rainbow disappears?
Someone's singing today I really don't know, I will never
I don't recognize the song someone is singing today and probably never will.
Light the night to make it like the day, it really won't glow
Attempting to light up the night to be like the day is pointless because it won't have the same radiance.
It really won't
Make a line to make it mind the time, they really won't go
Where they ever ?
Drawing a line to indicate the passage of time is futile because time does not obey or follow set rules.
I stand surrounded here, imaginary interfere
I find myself in a place where imagination and reality converge and intersect.
Supersonic architecture Spanish castle cream
The architecture around me is built with such amazing speed and intricacy, reminiscent of the aesthetics of a Spanish castle.
Press my hands against my ears to try to make the voices clear
I am attempting to block out surrounding sounds to hear a specific voice more clearly.
An acrobatic, symphonic helicopter scream
I hear the sound of a helicopter, its propellers whirring and giving off a high-pitched, metallic shriek.
All that shines will come in time
Never mind all that's left behind
Regardless of what is left behind or forgotten, all that sparkles or shines will eventually come to light and be seen.
Lovestone blind, well still is mine
Here I find my piece of mind
Although I may be blinded by love, I find solace and peace of mind in it.
Now they look into the eyes of a silver screen can of lies
People nowadays are transfixed by the falsehoods they watch on TV and are caught up in their illusions.
The city streets are the golden cage of the sleeping flies
The streets of the city are like a golden cage that ensnares those who are asleep or unaware of their surroundings.
Wings pounding to the concrete dance of stamping shoes
The sound of feet hitting the pavement is like the pounding wings of a bird doing a dance on a hard surface.
Gold seeping from the hand of the unamused
Even those who are unimpressed or unmoved by something can still have precious things or qualities within them that emanate outward.
Down though the smoke to the trash scattered to the ground
Descending through the smog and debris, one can see the garbage strewn across the earth.
Cut through the smell of the sirens screaming through the town
The smell of an ambulance's siren as it races through the city is overpowering and cuts through the other sounds of the town.
Kneeling down to the healing fix of a hypodermic crucifix
Hanging from the choking throats of giant stack of broken bricks
People who are addicted to drugs use them as a healing remedy, causing them to be subservient to the drugs which they use to cope, swallowing them within an environment of decay.
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