The group was founded by Richard 23 and Luc Van Acker with Al Jourgensen as their producer. According to Jourgensen, the band got their name after a fight in a Chicago bar in 1983. Jourgensen, Richard 23 and Luc Van Acker celebrated the formation of the new band with a few drinks. The evening then ended up in a brawl, with bar stools being thrown through the establishment's windows. As he was throwing the trio out, the owner, a man Jourgensen recalls was named Dess, shouted, "I'm calling the police! You guys are a bunch of revolting cocks!" The trio subsequently decided to use the name for their band.
Their first release was No Devotion on Wax Trax! Records in 1985. The single was quickly followed by an album, Big Sexy Land (1986), featuring a mix of industrial, hard rock, and EBM with dominating sampling and strong synthesized beats.
Losing Richard 23 due to creative differences, the group's remaining two members were augmented by a rapidly changing set of musicians centered on Chris Connelly (Cocksure, Bells Into Machines, Murder Inc., and Damage Manual), Paul Barker (Ministry, Lead Into Gold, Flowering Blight, and Bells Into Machines), and Bill Rieflin (Ministry, Pigface, R.E.M., and King Crimson), with around twenty others as irregular contributors or guest artists.
The following live album, You Goddamned Son of a Bitch (1988), featured a return to Ministry-like industrial rock - the Big Sexy Land tracks embedded in shouting and noise. This trend continued on Beers, Steers, and Queers (1990), layering sample over sample and pushing ever further into distortion. Linger Ficken' Good (1993) was released by Sire Records and was a tamer affair, most tracks returning to the less layered material. Included was a cover of Rod Stewart's "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?," also released as a single. A tour was planned but cancelled, and the band quietly came to an end in 1994.
In 2004, Jourgensen and Phildo Owens (Skatenigs, Snow Black) revived the group. They released an album entitled Cocked and Loaded (2006). Caliente (Dark Entries), a cover of sorts of Dark Entries by Bauhaus, with vocalist Gibby Haynes (Butthole Surfers), was featured on the soundtrack to Saw II in 2005.
After assembling a touring line up to open for Ministry on the MasterBaTour of 2006, Jourgensen chose vocalist Josh Bradford (Stayte, Simple Shelter, V.H.S.), keyboardist Clayton Worbeck (Stayte, Simple Shelter), and guitarist Sin Quirin (Society 1, Ministry and ReVamp) as the new full-time members for the Revolting Cocks, now simply being called RevCo. The group recorded Sex-O Olympic-O and officially released the album on March 3, 2009. It was followed up by the last RevCo album Got Cock?, released on April 13, 2010.
In celebration of Wax Trax! Records, the "Wax Trax! Records Retrospectacle: 33 1/3 Year Anniversary" was held from April 15-17, 2011 at the Metro in Chicago, Illinois, United States. As a part of the lineup, Chris Connelly, Paul Barker and Luc Van Acker performed Revolting Cocks songs with various guests. For their performance on the 17th, Richard 23 joined them on stage to sing lead vocals on No Devotion.
In 2014, Chris Connelly and Jason Novak (Acumen Nation, DJ? Acucrack, Iron Lung Corp) formed Cocksure, a project that bridges the gap between Wax Trax! era industrial dance music and the future sounds of mass corruption. The project is very influenced by the early RevCo sound, and has been described as "where the Revolting Cocks left off in 1994."
Previous Members:
Al Jourgensen - production, programming, and various instruments (1985–1993, 2004–2010)
Luc Van Acker - vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards (1985–1991, 2006)
Richard 23 - vocals, programming (1985–1986)
Bill Rieflin - drums, keyboards, programming (1986–1993)
Paul Barker - bass, keyboards, programming (1987–1993)
Chris Connelly - vocals, programming (1987–1993)
Phildo Owen - vocals, programming (1989–1991, 2004–2006)
Duane Buford - keyboards (1993)
Josh Bradford - vocals (2006–2010)
Sin Quirin - guitars, bass, keyboards (2006–2010)
Clayton Worbeck - keyboards, bass (2006–2010)
Live Lineups:
--------- 1987 ---------
Al Jourgensen - keyboards, vocals, guitar
Paul Barker - bass, keyboards
Luc Van Acker - guitar, bass, vocals, keyboards
Chris Connelly - vocals, keyboards
Bill Rieflin - drums
--------- 1988 ---------
Al Jourgensen - keyboards, vocals, guitar
Paul Barker - bass, keyboards
Luc Van Acker - guitar, bass, vocals, keyboards
Chris Connelly - vocals, keyboards
Bill Rieflin - drums
Nivek Ogre - vocals
--------- 1990 ---------
Al Jourgensen - guitar, backing vocals
Paul Barker - bass
Chris Connelly - vocals
Phildo Owen - vocals
Jeff Ward - drums
Mark Durante - guitar, backing vocals
Michael Balch - keyboards
Kevin "Doc" Sullivan - keyboards, backing vocals
Trent Reznor - vocals
--------- 1991 ---------
Al Jourgensen - guitar, backing vocals
Paul Barker - bass
Chris Connelly - vocals
Phildo Owen - vocals
Bill Rieflin - drums
Mark Durante - guitar, backing vocals
Michael Balch - keyboards
Luc Van Acker - vocals
--------- 2006 (Ministry's MasterBaTour) ---------
Al Jourgensen - guitar, backing vocals
Phildo Owen - vocals
Luc Van Acker - vocals
Josh Bradford - vocals
Sin Quirin - guitar
Clayton Worbeck - keyboards
Anna K - bass
Seven Antonopoulos - drums
--------- 2009 (Ministry's LubricaTour) ---------
Josh Bradford - vocals
Sin Quirin - guitar
Clayton Worbeck - keyboards, guitar
Murv Douglas - bass
Aaron Rossi - drums
Mike Scaccia - guitar (selected dates)
Al Jourgensen - guitar, backing vocals
--------- 2011 (Wax Trax! Retrospectacle - April 15-17) ---------
Luc Van Acker - vocals
Paul Barker - bass
Chris Connelly - vocals, keyboards
Duane Buford - keyboards
Jamie Duffy - guitar
Dan Brill - drums
Richard 23 - vocals
Discography:
1985 - No Devotion (single)
1986 - Big Sexy Land (LP)
1986 - You Often Forget (single)
1988 - You Goddamned Son of a Bitch (live)
1989 - Stainless Steel Providers (single)
1989 - (Let’s Get) Physical (single)
1990 - Beers, Steers, and Queers (LP)
1991 - Beers, Steers, and Queers (The Remixes) (single)
1993 - Linger Ficken' Good (LP)
1993 - Do Ya Think I’m Sexy? (single)
1994 - Crackin’ Up (single)
2006 - Cocked and Loaded (LP)
2007 - Cocktail Mixxx (remix)
2009 - Sex-O Olympic-O (LP)
2009 - Sex-O Mixxx-O (remix)
2010 - Got Cock? (LP)
2011 - Got Mixxx (remix)
38
Revolting Cocks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A day like everyday
38 38 there were 38
There were 38
38 38 there were 38
There were 38
Who watch, who watch
? tribes like everywhere
Fighting for your pleasure
So why do you cry?
When it happens everyday
38 38 there were 38
38 38 there were 38
I don´t need amounts of meetings
Decisions? conversations
To know from worse coming this...You know, to know
I don´t need a amounts of meetings
You know from worse coming this responsibility
38 38 there were 38
38 38 there were 38
38 38 there were 38
38 38 ah! there were 38
38 38 there were 38
There were 38
38 38 there were 38
There were 38
38 38
38 38
38 38
There were 38
38 38 there were 38
Don´t be ashamed, don´t be ashamed
You´re living in this world
38 38 there were 38
It happens everywhere
The song "38" by Revolting Cocks paints a bleak picture of society on the 29th of May, 1985, a day like any other, filled with violence and tribalism. The repeated refrain of "38" refers to the number of victims of violence that day, highlighting the brutal reality of everyday life. The lyrics urge the listener not to be ashamed of living in this world, where violence is commonplace and people fight for pleasure. The lines "I don´t need amounts of meetings / Decisions? Conversations / To know from worse coming this...You know, to know" suggest a sense of resignation and hopelessness in the face of such violence, with the singer acknowledging that they already know the worst is coming.
The lyrics of "38" by Revolting Cocks offer a harsh critique of society and its tendency towards violence and tribalism. The song's sparse instrumentation and repetitive lyrics reflect the monotony and brutality of daily life in a world where violence is all too common. Despite the bleakness of its message, the song offers a sense of acceptance and defiance, urging the listener not to be ashamed of living in a world where violence is common but to acknowledge it and continue to strive for better.
Line by Line Meaning
Twenty ninth of May, 1985
This day is not significant, just like any other day.
A day like everyday
This day is not significant, just like any other day.
38 38 there were 38
There were 38 people who were involved in something.
There were 38
There were 38 people who were involved in something.
38 38 there were 38
There were 38 people who were involved in something.
There were 38
There were 38 people who were involved in something.
Use a tape-recorder and remember
Record everything and keep it in memory.
Who watch, who watch
Who is watching you and your actions.
? tribes like everywhere
This kind of thing happens in various groups, not just in one specific group.
Fighting for your pleasure
People are competing or fighting for something that brings pleasure or enjoyment.
So why do you cry?
Why are you upset or complaining when it happens all the time?
When it happens everyday
This kind of thing happens often, so don't be surprised or upset when it does.
I don´t need amounts of meetings
I don't need to attend many meetings to understand something.
Decisions? conversations
I can make decisions based on conversations, without having to formally meet about it.
To know from worse coming this...You know, to know
I can anticipate something negative happening without having to be told about it directly.
I don´t need a amounts of meetings
I don't need to attend many meetings to understand something.
You know from worse coming this responsibility
I am responsible for knowing the potential negative outcomes without needing too much information.
38 38 there were 38
There were 38 people who were involved in something.
38 38 there were 38
There were 38 people who were involved in something.
38 38 there were 38
There were 38 people who were involved in something.
38 38 ah! there were 38
An excited confirmation that there were, in fact, 38 people involved.
38 38 there were 38
There were 38 people who were involved in something.
There were 38
There were 38 people who were involved in something.
38 38 there were 38
There were 38 people who were involved in something.
There were 38
There were 38 people who were involved in something.
38 38
Confirmation that there were indeed 38 people involved in something.
38 38
Confirmation that there were indeed 38 people involved in something.
38 38
Confirmation that there were indeed 38 people involved in something.
There were 38
There were 38 people who were involved in something.
38 38 there were 38
There were 38 people who were involved in something.
Don´t be ashamed, don´t be ashamed
Don't feel embarrassed or guilty about being involved in something.
You´re living in this world
This is the way the world works, so there's nothing to be ashamed of or surprised about.
38 38 there were 38
There were 38 people who were involved in something.
It happens everywhere
This kind of thing happens in various places and situations.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Allen D Jourgensen, Luc Jozef Eric Van-Acker, Richard Jonckheere
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind