Scream was formed in Northern Virginia in 1981 by singer Peter Stahl, his brother Franz Stahl on guitar, bassist Skeeter Thompson and drummer Kent Stax. They are considered one of the benchmark bands in the history of the Washington, D.C. hardcore music movement. Along with bands such as Minor Threat and Government Issue, Scream ultimately merged the attributes of the movement, which were blinding speed, heavy political and social connotations in the lyrics, unpretentiousness of attitude, and shunning of commercialism. Their music is faithful to the roots of rock, but spun itself into other genres by employing sounds that predate the raunchiness of grunge, while saluting reggae and speed metal. Scream hated the classification of bands into certain types and considered what they played as simply 'music.' Recording their music in the basement of the now legendary Inner Ear Studios in Arlington, Virginia, Scream became the first band on the Dischord label to release a whole album, Still Screaming, as opposed to singles or 12 inch EPs. Like the hardcore band Bad Brains, they could play clearly at breakneck speed, but also played mid-tempo songs like "American Justice" and "Hygiene," which were metal-tinged reggae.
For their second album Scream added another guitarist to their line-up, Robert Lee "Harley" Davidson, to thicken up the sound in the studio and in their live performances. In turn this eventually led to a powerful dual-lead guitar style, with complex guitar tracking, a more powerful live sound and an over-all crunchier sound for their third album. For a few compilation efforts and some live shows they added a keyboard player, Bobby Madden, who was a colleague of Davidson's from the same metal scene.
After the third album Banging the Drum, Kent Stax left the band for personal reasons and was replaced by local drummer Dave Grohl, who then played on Scream's 4th album No More Censorship. The band then toured Europe; with their May 4, 1990 show in Alzey, Germany being released by Tobby Holzinger as Your Choice Live Series Vol.10. Scream then recorded their fifth and final studio album Fumble, (which was much later released in 1993 on Dischord Records) and then called it quits in late 1990. Pete and Franz moved to North Hollywood and started rock band Wool, while Grohl joined Grunge band Nirvana. In 1997, Franz Stahl joined Dave Grohl's newly formed group, the commercially successful Foo Fighters, for a two year stint. During this time Pete Stahl worked as a road manager for both the Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age, while continuing to record albums with several bands, including the Earthlings? and Goatsnake. Skeeter Thompson remained in the D.C. area and continued to work in bands, as did Kent Stax with the Skinhead/Oi! -tinged bands: the Suspects, United 121, Spitfires United, and Alleged Bricks. Stax has also committed himself to a family life. Davidson continued in the band Angelstorm, (in Huntsville, Alabama), from 1993–1995 and created the new bands Orangahead, Festival of Fools, (with Madden in 1998) and two different bands both named God Is Dead, (one in D.C. and one in Huntsville, Alabama) from 2002-2005.
The original line-up of the band played a reunion show on December 20, 2009 at the Black Cat nightclub in Washington, D.C.
On February 7, 2011, the band supported Foo Fighters on a special show at the Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles, when the Foo Fighters showcased their new album Wasting Light for the first time from beginning to end.
Current members
Peter Stahl – lead vocals (1981–1990, 2009–present)
Franz Stahl – guitar, backing vocals (1981–1990, 2009–present)
Skeeter Thompson – bass, backing vocals (1981–1990, 2009–present)
Kent Stax – drums, percussion (1981–1986, 2009–present)
Former members
Dave Grohl – drums, percussion (1986–1990)
Robert Lee Davidson – guitar, backing vocals (1984–1989)
Bet You Never Thought
Scream Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I stopped to see it that day
When the sun went down on our holiday
And there’s pictures though that confirm the surprise that’s realized
When beneath the paint
You see it’s all love/hate
Even though you found your way back home
Taste’s so bittersweet, it’s just the cost
Of being everyone’s stepping, stepping stone
Bet you never thought
Bet you never thought
Bet you never thought
Bet you never thought
Ain’t it funny how you feel lost
Even though you found your way back home
And taste so bittersweet, it’s just the cost
Of being everyone’s stepping, stepping stone
I’m not your stepping stone
I’ve got a hole in my back
I've got a hole in my back
I’ve got a hole in my back
I've got a hole in my back
I’ve got a hole in my back
I've got a hole in my back
I’ve got a hole in my back
I've got a hole in my back
I’ve got a hole in my back
I've got a hole in my back
I got a hole in my back that I can see out
The lyrics of Scream's song "Bet You Never Thought" convey a sense of disillusionment and resentment towards being used as a "stepping stone" by others. The opening lines "I stepped up to get stepped on, I stopped to see it that day" suggest that the singer willingly put themselves in a vulnerable position, perhaps to help others, but was ultimately hurt by this choice. The lines "When the sun went down on our holiday, and there’s pictures though that confirm the surprise that’s realized, when beneath the paint you see it’s all love/hate" imply that this experience happened during a time of celebration or relaxation, suggesting that the singer was trying to let their guard down and enjoy themselves.
The chorus repeats the line "Ain’t it funny how you feel lost even though you found your way back home," which suggests the idea of feeling disconnected from oneself and one's own identity, even though they are physically present in familiar surroundings. The following line "Taste’s so bittersweet, it’s just the cost of being everyone’s stepping, stepping stone" reinforces the idea that the singer feels used and undervalued by others. The repetition of the phrase "Bet you never thought" throughout the song could be interpreted as a bitter reflection on the fact that those who used the singer did not expect them to fight back or speak up for themselves.
The closing lines "I’ve got a hole in my back" repeated multiple times, including the line "I got a hole in my back that I can see out," suggest a physical injury, perhaps from being stabbed in the back metaphorically by those who the singer trusted. Overall, the lyrics of "Bet You Never Thought" convey a sense of hurt, betrayal, and a desire to reclaim one's own identity and agency.
Line by Line Meaning
I stepped up to get stepped on
I willingly put myself in a situation where I knew I would be taken advantage of or hurt.
I stopped to see it that day
I took a moment to observe what was happening and reflect on the situation.
When the sun went down on our holiday
The end of a fun and carefree time brought a realization of the underlying issues or problems.
And there’s pictures though that confirm the surprise that’s realized
There is visual evidence that validates the unexpected discovery.
When beneath the paint
After stripping away the surface layer or facade.
You see it’s all love/hate
The relationship or situation is a mixture of both love and hate, with no clear balance between the two.
Ain’t it funny how you feel lost
It's ironic how one can feel directionless or unsure even after finding their way home or back to what's familiar.
Even though you found your way back home
Despite returning to a place of comfort, the emotions or circumstances make it difficult to feel settled.
Taste’s so bittersweet, it’s just the cost
Although there is some sweetness to the situation, the overall experience leaves a sour taste and comes at a price.
Of being everyone’s stepping, stepping stone
Of being used or taken advantage of by others as a means to further their own interests or goals.
Bet you never thought
Expressing surprise at the sudden realization or unexpected twist in the situation.
I’m not your stepping stone
Declaring that one will no longer allow themselves to be taken advantage of or used by others in this way.
I’ve got a hole in my back
Feeling vulnerable or exposed, with a sense of emptiness or pain.
That I can see out
Despite the pain and vulnerability, there is also a newfound clarity or perspective on the situation.
Contributed by Jeremiah H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.