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.
Tiny Streams
Psychotic Waltz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mothers child has gone away
Locked inside the game that they taught him all to play
Closet city sleeping pretty tired from the day
And if he leaves the tiny porch light dim
He'll keep the dogs at bay
Snotty little brat he plays
Never puts his toys away
Dollies in the playhouse kissing
All their little heads are missing
Chop their tiny hands with this thing
That's what daddy bought them for
Red and White's turned blue today
I laugh to dry the tear away
Sitting in my ceilings face
This boiling rainbow webbing place
Smiles soft anger feeling shapes
Of mouths and hands in sonic scapes
Fingers spanning psychic burning
Black Sabbath record turning
Pools of vision, understanding
Forms absorb to keep from laughing
Climb the walls, half inside them
Other side, air is thin there
Friends inside pull me to them
Cannot keep from laughing, laughing
Ripples from the portholes making contact
Center bending circles
Growing echoes of each other
Float reflections of this covered consciousness
Inside this eggshell
Masterpieces scattered not well spoken
Yet still undertaken
Tiny streams of orchestration
Flow into this fisheye car ride
Leaning close to catch his good side
Tiny streams of orchestration
The lyrics of "Tiny Streams" by Psychotic Waltz are highly interpretive and open to personal interpretation. On a superficial level, they talk about a young boy who is raised in a dysfunctional family and is prone to violent behavior. He plays with his toys in a destructive manner and harms his siblings’ dolls. Meanwhile, the father fuels his son's aggressive tendencies by giving him violent toys. The song's narrator observes this dysfunctional life and contrasts it with his own psychedelic experiences. There are references to "boiling rainbow webbing place" and "fingers spanning psychic burning," conveying a sense of otherworldliness and a break from reality. The final verse refers to "tiny streams of orchestration," which could refer to the small, almost insignificant parts of life that all come together to create a bigger picture or a grander symphony.
However, the song can also be interpreted as a critique of American society, especially its consumerism and violence. The boy's behavior could be seen as the result of his exposure to violent media and toys, while the references to "red and white's turned blue today" suggest a loss of innocence or corruption. The psychedelic imagery in the final verse could be interpreted as a means of escapism from the harsh realities of modern life.
Overall, "Tiny Streams" is a complex and multifaceted song that can be interpreted in many different ways, depending on the listener's perspective.
Line by Line Meaning
Morning sun begins the day
The sun rises, signaling the start of a new day.
Mothers child has gone away
A child has left home, likely without warning or notice.
Locked inside the game that they taught him all to play
The child has been forced to adhere to societal norms and expectations, even if they feel suffocating or inauthentic.
Closet city sleeping pretty tired from the day
The city, though aesthetically pleasing, is exhausted from the daily routines and monotony of life within its boundaries.
And if he leaves the tiny porch light dim
He'll keep the dogs at bay
If the child turns off the porch light, the neighborhood dogs will not bark, potentially alerting parents or authority figures of his absence.
Snotty little brat he plays
Never puts his toys away
Breaks the ones he's used if they don't sparkle anymore
The child is rebellious and disrespectful, refusing to take care of his possessions if they no longer hold his attention or fascination.
Dollies in the playhouse kissing
All their little heads are missing
Chop their tiny hands with this thing
That's what daddy bought them for
The child engages in morbid play and violence, mutilating his toy dolls in a disturbing manner, potentially due to learned behaviors from his father or other male figures.
Red and White's turned blue today
I laugh to dry the tear away
The artist experiences a shift in mood or emotions, causing him to laugh in an attempt to hide or suppress his feelings of sadness or despair.
Sitting in my ceilings face
This boiling rainbow webbing place
The artist is in a psychedelic, trippy state of mind, perceiving his surroundings as melting or morphing in color and texture.
Smiles soft anger feeling shapes
Of mouths and hands in sonic scapes
Fingers spanning psychic burning
Black Sabbath record turning
The artist is overwhelmed by sensory experiences, particularly sound, and is experiencing a range of emotions as a result.
Pools of vision, understanding
Forms absorb to keep from laughing
Climb the walls, half inside them
Other side, air is thin there
The singer is losing touch with reality, experiencing hallucinations or delusions that cause him to dissociate from his environment.
Friends inside pull me to them
Cannot keep from laughing, laughing
The artist is surrounded by similarly unstable individuals, and succumbs to their mania or disorder, laughing uncontrollably.
Ripples from the portholes making contact
Center bending circles
Growing echoes of each other
Float reflections of this covered consciousness
The individual is experiencing a distorted or fragmented perception of themselves, their thought patterns echoing and reflecting upon themselves in an endless loop.
Inside this eggshell
Masterpieces scattered not well spoken
Yet still undertaken
Despite the individual's apparent chaos and instability, creative works and ideas are still being produced, though they may not be fully realized or articulated.
Tiny streams of orchestration
Flow into this fisheye car ride
Leaning close to catch his good side
Tiny streams of orchestration
The individual is being moved along, possibly in a vehicle, feeling small moments of beauty or clarity amidst their mental turmoil.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind