Quasi is an indie rock band formed in Portland, Oregon in 1993, consisting … Read Full Bio ↴Quasi is an indie rock band formed in Portland, Oregon in 1993, consisting of the ex-husband and wife team of Sam Coomes (vocals, guitar, roxichord, various keyboards) and Janet Weiss (vocals and drums). In 2007, bassist Joanna Bolme, of Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, who had toured with Quasi in 2006, became an official member of the band; she left the band in 2011.

In 1990, Coomes, Weiss, and Brad Pedinov formed the band Motorgoat. The band released two self-released cassettes and one 7" single before dissolving in 1993. Quasi started recording as a duo in 1993. They played with various additional musicians in early live appearances, but eventually settled on playing live as a duo as well. They self-recorded and self-released a cassette and a CD in 1993. They recorded R&B Transmogrification in the Portland band Pond's basement recording studio and released it on Up Records in 1997. They released two more albums with Up: Featuring "Birds" in 1998 and Field Studies in 1999; both albums were recorded at Jackpot Studios in Portland, Oregon.

In 1998 and 1999 they toured the U.S., Europe, Australia, and Japan opening for and serving as the backup band for Elliott Smith (who Coomes had played with in Heatmiser) as well as touring on their own in the U.S. and Europe. In 2001 They home-recorded The Sword of God and released it on Touch & Go. Quasi had been somewhat political since its inception, but their opposition to the 2003 Invasion of Iraq showed through in a straight-forward way with the release of Hot Shit! in 2003, particularly in the songs "White Devil's Dream" and "Master and Dog." When the Going Gets Dark followed in 2006, released on Touch & Go in the U.S. and Domino Records in Europe, as with Hot Shit!.

In Spring 2009, the band announced that they had signed to the Kill Rock Stars label, and were due to release their already recorded next album in the latter half of the year. That album, entitled American Gong, was released February 23, 2010 to generally favorable reviews. It was their first and only album to feature third member Joanna Bolme. Following a tour of Japan, Europe, and the United States in support of the full length, Bolme left the band. A duo again, Sam and Janet are recording material for a new album.

Death Culture Blues
Quasi Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Wizard's kiss, dragon's breath
Pot of gold payable on death

You think you're on the winning team
But it's no game, though it just might be a dream

Highest hill to lowest pit
If you ain't got love, you ain't got shit

'cause it's your life to live or to lose
I'm tired of singing the death culture blues!

Now we're told just to get in line
And bowo down the almighty dollar sign
Battle turns from left to right
But I'm not going down without a fight

I've done my time, I took my bath
I'm back on track down the shining pathy

'cause it's your life to live or to lose
I've tired of singing the death culture blues!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Quasi's song Death Culture Blues communicate a sense of disillusionment with society and its focus on materialistic values. In the first verse, the references to Wizard's kiss and dragon's breath suggest the idea of a mythical and magical world, but the line "Pot of gold payable on death" brings the listener back to reality and highlights the importance of money in our lives. The second verse continues to criticize society for prioritizing money over love, stating that "If you ain't got love, you ain't got shit." The chorus declares that the singer is tired of singing about the "death culture," or a system that values money and material possessions over personal fulfillment and happiness.

The third verse speaks directly to the pressure to conform to societal norms and the idea that success is measured by financial gain. The line "bow down to the almighty dollar sign" suggests the idea of worshiping money and the power it holds. The final verse speaks to the singer's personal journey towards rejecting this pressure and finding their own path towards fulfillment. The line "I'm back on track down the shining path" suggests a sense of hope and optimism in the face of a society that values materialism over personal growth.

Line by Line Meaning

Wizard's kiss, dragon's breath
Enchanting things that are unpleasant, like a kiss of death and a breath of fire

Pot of gold payable on death
Wealth meant to be inherited after someone's death, making it synonymous with death

You think you're on the winning team
A false sense of security in believing one is unbeatable

But it's no game, though it just might be a dream
Life shouldn't be treated like a game, but it feels like a nightmare at times

Highest hill to lowest pit
The ups and downs of life

If you ain't got love, you ain't got shit
Without love, life is meaningless

'cause it's your life to live or to lose
You are responsible for your own life

I'm tired of singing the death culture blues!
Fed up with society's glorification of death

Now we're told just to get in line
The societal pressure to conform and obey

And bow down to the almighty dollar sign
Money rules all

Battle turns from left to right
The political struggle from one side to the other