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)
Viagra Culture
Revolting Cocks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I must win
At everything I do, I my win
My car must win
My money must win
My house must win
My hair must win
My kids must win
My wife must win
My mistress must win
Wy trip to the bunny ranch must win
I must win in business
I must win when I mow the lawn
If I do not win, I am not in control
So I must win
Again and again
I don't need more
But I must have it
More more
Or the game gets old
I must win
I must win
Everyone else must lose
Because I must win
We have me the weapon of mass destruction...
And it is us
First in war
First in guns
First in beauty
First in fun
First in waste, first to first base
First in bloody aftertaste
First in waste, first to first base
First in bloody aftertaste
This is Viagraculture
This is the USA
Me: Arnold
You: Girls gone wild
This is how life must be
To keep the sheep asleep
Viagra stars
Viagra cars
Viagra bars
Viagra scars
This is Viagraculture
This is the USA
This is what you get x4
This is Viagraculture
This is the USA
This is what you get x4
Ah nothing is ever enough
We get bored when we can't get stuff
We like our leaders to be stupid and violent
Regular guys like us
What's so bad about the fall of Rome
When we're the ones who got all the gold
Never share anything with anyone else
Or you're a bunch of girly men
This is Viagraculture
This is the USA
The opening lyrics of Revolting Cocks’s “Viagra Culture” reveal a fixation with winning – there’s a narcissistic, all-consuming obsession with being the best at everything. The lyrics suggest that winning is a constant goal and the need for more material possessions to achieve total control (e.g. win at “business” and “wife” and “mistress”) is never ending. The repetition of the words “I must win” reiterates the point of just how ingrained this need for total control is.
The song uses satire to criticize American culture, highlighting the impact of consumerism on everyday life. The lyrics indirectly criticize America’s over-reliance on capitalism and the rigged culture of competition, with a “me first” ethos of survival emphasized through the repeated use of the word “must”. The song also mocks society’s obsession with youthfulness, virility and grandeur, making a play on the word ‘viagra’ and how it is linked to the idea of ‘winning’ in life. The lines “This is Viagraculture – This is the USA” sums up the message behind the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Every day, my thoughts are consumed by winning
My entire existence revolves around winning at every possible aspect of life.
I must win
It is essential for me to emerge victorious in all situations.
At everything I do, I must win
No matter what task I undertake, winning is the only acceptable outcome.
My car must win
My vehicle must be superior to every other car on the road.
My money must win
My financial situation must always be better than that of others.
My house must win
My residence must be more grand and luxurious than others' abodes.
My hair must win
My hair should be more stylish and attractive than others' hairdos.
My kids must win
My children must outperform their peers in all aspects of life.
My weiner must win
Even my genitalia must be superior in some way.
My wife must win
My spouse must be more beautiful, talented and successful than other people's partners.
My mistress must win
My extramarital partner must be more alluring and exciting than those of other individuals.
Wy trip to the bunny ranch must win
Even my trip to a brothel must be more satisfying than other people's similar experiences.
I must win in business
In my professional endeavors, it is absolutely necessary to emerge victorious.
I must win when I mow the lawn
Even household chores must be done better than how others do them.
If I do not win, I am not in control
Losing would make me feel powerless and defeated.
So I must win
For the sake of my own self-respect and image, winning is a must.
Again and again
Repeatedly, with increasing frequency if possible.
I don't need more
I already have more than enough, but I still strive to acquire more.
But I must have it
I am driven by an insatiable desire to accumulate more, regardless of my comforts or needs.
More more
The hunger for more must only increase over time.
Or the game gets old
If I cannot keep accumulating, life would lose its excitement and sense of purpose.
Everyone else must lose
I would rather have others lose if it means I get to win.
Because I must win
It is my basic nature and belief to be at the top and win at all costs.
We have me the weapon of mass destruction...
We ourselves, our culture and lifestyle are the true danger and destructive force causing chaos and destruction.
And it is us
We are the ones responsible for this destructive and unhealthy culture.
First in war
The USA always tries to come out victorious in any conflict.
First in guns
The country holds a strong belief in the right to own weapons.
First in beauty
The country places a lot of importance on physical appearance and presentation.
First in fun
The society wants to enjoy and entertain itself at any cost.
First in waste, first to first base
The country is a pioneer in creating tons of garbage and indulging in sexual activities.
First in bloody aftertaste
The country is always involved in wars and conflicts, leading to a trail of bloody aftermaths.
This is Viagraculture
The toxic, addictive and pleasure-seeking lifestyle that has taken over our society represents ViagraCulture.
This is the USA
This is what the country has become in modern times with its all-conquering attitude.
Me: Arnold
The ideal American male role model must be like Arnold Schwarzenegger, a famous actor and former governor.
You: Girls gone wild
The ideal female role model is someone like Girls gone wild, hedonistic party girls that men can objectify.
This is how life must be
This is the standard way of life nowadays.
To keep the sheep asleep
To keep the people ignorant, in a state of perpetual slumber and blinded to the societal issues that plague us.
Viagra stars
Celebrities who always appear virile, energetic and full of life, and who lead a lifestyle that can only be achieved with the help of the drug Viagra.
Viagra cars
Lavish and expensive cars that look powerful, virile and masculine, like the effect Viagra has on its users.
Viagra bars
Places where people come to indulge and escape reality, the societal pressure and their own sense of powerlessness, which can be equated to the effect of Viagra.
Viagra scars
The harm and damage that this culture can cause to the society and the people's psyche, which can be compared to the negative side effects of Viagra.
Ah nothing is ever enough
In this culture, the only life purpose is to continuously strive for and accumulate more, no matter how much we already have.
We get bored when we can't get stuff
We feel unfulfilled and empty when we are unable to accumulate more or get what we desire.
We like our leaders to be stupid and violent
The society prefers the leaders or the ones in power to be rigid, aggressive and non-intellectual, rather than calm, intelligent and thoughtful.
Regular guys like us
The common people who are part of this culture and can't think beyond it.
What's so bad about the fall of Rome
The societal collapse of Ancient Rome is not necessarily bad or unwarranted, it can be a sign of a new beginning.
When we're the ones who got all the gold
In any societal collapse or downfall, the individual who is still wealthy and powerful still has something they can use to their advantage.
Never share anything with anyone else
The greedy and self-centered mindset of constantly accumulating and striving for more while not sharing with others anything we possess.
Or you're a bunch of girly men
Sharing or being empathetic to other people's feelings is equivalent to being weak and effeminate.
Contributed by Lily E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.