The band is described, along with Low and American Music Club, as one of the linchpins of the slowcore movement, a subgenre of Indie Rock characterized by downbeat melodies, slow tempos, and often minimalist arrangements. The genre was shaped by musical influences like Folk Rock, Contemporary Folk, and later on, Indie Folk, creating a subdued atmosphere that clashed against most of the comparatively brash Alternative Rock that was popular at the time. Kozelek used this group primarily as a vehicle for his very personal and emotional songs of despair, pain and suffering.
While in Atlanta, Kozelek became friends with Anthony Koutsos, a drummer. He then moved to San Francisco, adding guitarist Gorden Mack and bassist Jerry Vessel to complete the line-up for Red House Painters. After forming, the group played the San Francisco scene extensively, and recorded demos from 1989 to 1992, building up an impressive amount of material. Once they were signed to 4AD Records in 1992, they put out five-and-a-half LPs worth of material in two-and-a-half years--between September 1992 and March 1995, they released three LPs, one double LP, and one EP on 4AD.
Their first 4AD release was an album made up of select demos titled Down Colorful Hill. It was a compilation of haunting melodies complemented by Kozelek's eerie yet rich and emotional vocals. In 1993, the group came out with two self-titled records (now commonly referred to as "Red House Painters I" or "Rollercoaster" and "Red House Painters II" or "Bridge" (based on their cover artwork), solidifying Kozelek's reputation as a talented songwriter with their harrowing autobiographical tales of his troubled life and errant living with no punches being pulled. The music, which ran the gamut from beautiful acoustic folk-rock to intense, dissonant, lengthy soundscapes, effectively conveyed the sadness of the lyrics.
In 1994, they released an EP entitled Shock Me and in 1995, the introspective Ocean Beach, which saw Kozelek's songs becoming more acoustic-based and folk influenced, and featured far less of the lengthy, dreamlike epics of the group's first two albums. His lyrics also showed a considerable shift in tone, as he increasingly began to write about the power of memory and the significance of geography, a subject that would become an obsession in his subsequent recordings.
While Kozelek was beginning work on a solo project, he parted ways with 4AD Records after a somewhat tumultuous relationship. Entitled Songs for a Blue Guitar, which was released on Island Records subsidiary Supreme Recordings in 1996. It was more of a guitar-driven rock album that they released under the Red House Painters name to give the album more publicity. A year later, they came up with Old Ramon, arguably their most accessible, optimistic recording to date. However, major label mergers during the late 90's would leave them without a record label, and it wasn't until 2001 that they were able to release the album on Sub Pop.
Prior to the release of Old Ramon, Kozelek released a solo six-song EP entitled Rock 'n' Roll Singer in 2000. The record was comprised of three original acoustic compositions with minor full-band arrangements and three covers: two AC/DC covers from the Bon Scott era and one John Denver cover. Following the release of the first solo EP, Kozelek released his first solo album six months later. The record, entitled What's Next to the Moon, was released in January of 2001, but would greatly surprise fans. What's Next to the Moon was comprised entirely of shimmering, melancholy acoustic AC/DC covers from the Bon Scott era. The record was also greatly uncharacteristic of Kozelek (though he was prone to enjoy covering songs by his favorite artists) in that it is the shortest full length to date clocking in at just over thirty minutes. Even the first Red House Painters album with only six tracks was more than 45 minutes in length. Both solo albums were released by Badman Records.
4AD would release the best-of package, "Retrospective", on a double-disc in 1999. Kozelek subsequently organized and appeared on a John Denver tribute album, played a part in Cameron Crowe's film Almost Famous and also appeared as a rock musician in the Steve Martin vehicle Shopgirl. He contributed to both a benefit album for AIDS and an album of classic rock covers.
In 2003 Kozelek and Koutsos, along with Geoff Stanfield and Tim Mooney, reformed as Sun Kil Moon, releasing the acclaimed album Ghosts of the Great Highway on Jetset Records. In a 2005 interview with The Onion's AV Club, Kozelek confirmed that he considers Sun Kil Moon essentially the Red House Painters, but that he changed the band name to grab the interest of critics who had gotten bored with, or stopped paying attention to, the Painters. The move was successful, as Ghosts of the Great Highway would be his best-selling album yet, while garnering extremely positive reviews.
Uncle Joe
Red House Painters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm looking at the ceiling with
An awful feeling of loss and of loneliness
The after late night television pain
I'm running out of strength
I'm running, running, running out of strength
And it feels so wonderful to swim in our fears
Oh, Uncle Joe
Could you tell me about what you know?
Of being having mental problems
And their solutions too
I'll give anything a try once
I'll try anything three times
I don't care, I don't care
I don't care, I don't care
But there's no company
That can stand to be with me
So my dependency on you grows
And I am not very well read
And consider I will lose my heart
And can you spare me of my pain?
Can't you spare me of my tears?
Oh, Uncle Joe, Uncle Joe
Uncle Joe, Uncle Joe
And suicide's intentional when I spin in your fear
I am over-influenced by movies
And you should've gone to the fear
To my hope, the darkest hope
Did you know? Lies become the sky
That's all gone to the fear
To my hope, the darkest hope
Do you know? Lies become the sky
The lyrics of Red House Painters’ “Uncle Joe” are cryptic, but they appear to be a conversation between the singer and his Uncle Joe, who may be a therapist of some sort. The singer seems to be struggling with feelings of loneliness and loss, as evidenced by the opening lines: “Where have all the people gone in my life / I'm looking at the ceiling with / An awful feeling of loss and of loneliness.” Late-night TV seems to exacerbate these feelings, as the singer refers to “the after late night television pain.”
The singer is running out of strength and asks Uncle Joe for help with his “mental problems.” He’s willing to try anything, even if he doesn’t care about the outcome: “I'll give anything a try once / I'll try anything three times / I don't care, I don't care / I don't care, I don't care.” But he has no company, and his dependence on his uncle seems to be growing. He’s not well-read, and he fears losing his heart, his hope, and living with unbearable pain and tears.
The song appears to deal with themes of depression, suicide, fear, and hopelessness. However, it’s also possible that the lyrics are more abstract and don’t reflect the singers’ exact situation or feelings. Nevertheless, Uncle Joe seems to be the one character who can uplift the singer’s spirits, providing him with guidance, reassurance, and knowledge that he can’t find elsewhere.
Line by Line Meaning
Where have all the people gone in my life
I am feeling lonely and noticing that many people I used to know have disappeared from my life.
I'm looking at the ceiling with
I am feeling empty and disconnected.
An awful feeling of loss and of loneliness
I am experiencing intense feelings of grief and isolation.
The after late night television pain
The pain I am feeling is a result of watching late night TV and being reminded of my loneliness.
I'm running out of strength
I am feeling exhausted and unable to cope.
I'm running, running, running out of strength
I am desperately trying to find the energy to keep going but am struggling.
And it feels so wonderful to swim in our fears
There is a strange comfort in allowing ourselves to feel afraid.
And divide inseparable, the awakening of life
We are caught between two opposing forces that cannot be separated – life and death, joy and sorrow.
Oh, Uncle Joe
The artist is addressing Uncle Joe, seeking advice and guidance.
Could you tell me about what you know?
The artist is asking Uncle Joe to share his wisdom and experience.
Of being having mental problems
The singer is acknowledging that they are struggling with mental health issues.
And their solutions too
The artist is hoping that Uncle Joe can offer some solutions or guidance to help them cope.
I'll give anything a try once
The singer is willing to try any solution that Uncle Joe might suggest.
I'll try anything three times
The singer is willing to give any solution multiple attempts before giving up on it.
I don't care, I don't care
The singer is expressing a sense of hopelessness and lack of concern.
But there's no company
The artist is feeling alone and isolated.
That can stand to be with me
The artist feels that their mental health issues make them difficult to be around.
So my dependency on you grows
The singer is becoming increasingly reliant on Uncle Joe for emotional support.
And I am not very well read
The singer is acknowledging that they lack knowledge or education on how to cope with their mental health issues.
And consider I will lose my heart
The artist is afraid that they will lose hope or their ability to feel happy.
And can you spare me of my pain?
The artist is asking Uncle Joe if he can help them avoid or lessen their emotional pain.
Can't you spare me of my tears?
The artist is pleading with Uncle Joe to help them avoid crying or feeling emotional distress.
And suicide's intentional when I spin in your fear
The singer is acknowledging that suicidal thoughts are a result of feeling overwhelmed by fear and uncertainty.
I am over-influenced by movies
The artist is admitting to being influenced or affected by movies or other forms of media.
And you should've gone to the fear
The singer is suggesting that Uncle Joe should have faced his own fears and mental health issues.
To my hope, the darkest hope
The singer is holding on to the possibility that things will get better, even though it feels unlikely.
Did you know? Lies become the sky
The singer is suggesting that it can be hard to discern truth from falsehood, and that reality may be distorted.
That's all gone to the fear
The artist is acknowledging that their fears have colored their perception of reality.
To my hope, the darkest hope
The artist is holding onto hope, even in difficult and uncertain times.
Do you know? Lies become the sky
The singer is repeating the earlier line, emphasizing the idea that reality can be blurred or distorted.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Mark Edward Kozelek
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind