Rough Silk build up a good reputation as a live-act by suporting bands like Helloween , Deep Purple, Dio, Savatage, Manowar, Fate's Warning, Accept, Whitesnake, Axxis, Europe, Saxon and Vicious Rumors among others.
The founding members were Ferdy Doernberg (keyboards, slide-guitars & vocals), Hilmer Staake (guitars), Jan Barnett (lead vocals, guitars), Ralf Schwertner (bass, vocals) and Herbert Hartmann (drums, vocals) but there have been some changes that created kind of different eras of the band’s history.
The first era contained the albums “Rough Silk” (Vinyl LP only), “Roots of Hate”, “Walls of Never”, “Circle Of Pain” and “Mephisto” followed by a first European tour with Savatage.
The second era started with the 5th album when Barnett left the band and was replaced by Thomas Ludolphy. In this period the band recorded the albums “Beyond the Sundown” and “Symphony of Life” and supported Savatage in Europe once more, on Savatage’s special wish. During this time Rough Silk brought out their first best of album “Wheels of Time”.
In 2002 Ludolphy left the band due to personal reasons and the band decided that they would not look for a new singer. On the band's 7th studio album "End of Infinity", Doernberg, Hartmann and Wunderlich shared the lead-vocals. But unfortunatly it became obvious that the band members had parted minds and had no common vision on this style anymore, so this finally led to the end of the era and Rough Silk was put on ice.
In 2009 Doemberg found the fitting band members for the reincarnation of Rough Silk, and due to the 20th band anniversary now the 3rd era starts – with “A New Beginning”.
Discography:
* Rough Silk – 1991 (no official release, only Vinyl)
* Roots of Hate – 1993
* Walls of Never – 1994
* Circle of Pain – 1996
* Mephisto – 1997
* Beyond the Sundown – 1998,
* Wheels of Time – 1999 (Best Off)
* Symphony of Life – 2001
* End of Infinity – 2003
* A new Beginning – 2009
Line Up:
Ferdy Doernberg - lead vocals, slide-, lead- & rhythm-guitars, keyboards
André Hort - bass, backing vocals
Mike Mandel - lead- & rhythm-guitars, backing vocals
Alex Wenn - drums & percussion, backing vocals
Recall
Rough Silk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
the saints were searching for the holy grail
I drove real slow in the ultrafast way
and the lonely road to mystery bay
well, it's the goddamned truth - no, it ain't no tale
when the bad stay hungry - then the good ones fail
i've seen too much - that's the price you pay
suddenly the radio screamed
it was still switched off but, man, it seemed
like a distant kiss of yesterday
on the lonely road to mystery bay
and when the night is over
and they've swallowed your pride
and there ain't no place to hide:
recall - recall - recall - recall
...on the loney road to mystery bay
...on the loney road to mystery bay
recall - recall - recall - the fall - recall the fall
well, the radio ghost said: "it's time to go
to the reasons why the grace below
it's not the aim - it's just the way
on the loney road to mystery bay"
well, what could I say - what could i do?
lightning flashed and so did you
as i woke up and the light of the day
told me "welcome home at mystery bay"
and when the night is over
and they've swallowed your pride
and there ain't no place to hide:
recall - recall - recall - recall
The lyrics of Rough Silk's "Recall" narrate a journey down a dark and isolated road that leads to a mysterious destination called Mystery Bay. The song's protagonist, who is driving through the lonely road, reflects on his experiences in life, exemplified by phrases such as "I've seen too much - that's the price you pay." As the journey continues, snippets of memories and nostalgia start flashing in the singer's mind, indicated by the radio ghost's voice that says, "recall - recall - recall - the fall - recall the fall."
The song conveys a sense of melancholy and desperation as the singer looks for answers to life's questions, perhaps looking for a ray of hope or a new beginning at Mystery Bay. The lyrics "recalls" not only signify remembering the past but also pondering over the meaning of life and one's existence. The song is a reflection of how painful it can be to look back at life's failures, regrets, and the emotional burden that they bring.
Overall, the song beautifully blends the theme of wandering, loss, and childhood memories, delving deep into the human psyche's complexities while narrating a compelling story.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, the night was dark and the moon was pale
The setting is dark and eerie, as if something ominous is about to happen.
the saints were searching for the holy grail
The mood is set by the reference to a well-known myth, i.e., the quest for the impossible, revealing there's a search for something untouchable, unattainable, and just out of reach.
I drove real slow in the ultrafast way
A paradox is created which highlights that the singer is cruising down the road that leads them towards their ultimate destination at Mystery Bay.
and the lonely road to mystery bay
The path ahead is solitary, and the artiste refers to the setting, i.e., Mystery Bay, as an eerie place that the artist is approaching.
well, it's the goddamned truth - no, it ain't no tale
The song's message flips from metaphorical to direct, stating the realities and the difficulties of life, and the fact that it's not a fairytale or a fable, but the harsh truth.
when the bad stay hungry - then the good ones fail
Society doesn't reward honest efforts or goodness, instead success is often achieved through cunning and ruthless behavior.
i've seen too much - that's the price you pay
The singer has an experience of the misery that results from being caught up in this grueling quest towards Mystery Bay, which is the standard unbearable price one pays for the search.
suddenly the radio screamed
A moment of intense and unexpected emotion is created by the radio suddenly coming to life, implying that something important is about to happen.
it was still switched off but, man, it seemed
Despite not being turned on, the radio seems to have suddenly come to life, stressing the eeriness and unexpected surprises one may face on the way to Mystery Bay.
like a distant kiss of yesterday
The artist experiences an intense longing for the lost time or the moments that are but a distant memory or a hope of the future.
and when the night is over
At the end of the journey, a promise of some hope is in the air, lit by the light of a new day and the comfort that the darkness will end.
and they've swallowed your pride
The trials and tribulations of finding Mystery Bay have taken their toll on the artist, robbing them of their self-confidence and self-respect.
and there ain't no place to hide:
There's nowhere left to go if one loses the pride and dignity that come with the journey.
recall - recall - recall - recall
Tells the listener to remember their reason for embarking on this harrowing journey towards Mystery Bay and to find the inner strength to continue moving forward despite the difficulties faced along the way.
...on the loney road to mystery bay
The solitariness of the journey is being underlined again, as the situation is amplified by the perils encountered on the way towards Mystery Bay.
recall - recall - recall - the fall - recall the fall
Directing the listener to remember their mistakes and learn from them, to become wise enough not to repeat the same past mistakes that led them to fall along the journey.
well, the radio ghost said: "it's time to go
The radio turns back on, communicating a clear and direct message, a calling to proceed with utmost caution on the final ribbon of the road to Mystery Bay.
to the reasons why the grace below
Reasons for the journey become apparent and understandable, giving clarity to the destination ahead.
it's not the aim - it's just the way
The focus should not be on achieving the end goal, but rather, what we learn and gain along the journey, and the experiences and relationships that lead to the destination.
as i woke up and the light of the day
Suddenly, an awakened sense of self leads to the discovery that the journey has ended, and the destination has been reached.
told me "welcome home at mystery bay"
The journey is at an end, and the artiste had reached the destination that he was looking for upon starting out on the journey.
Contributed by Amelia I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.