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)
Total Mash
Scream Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It’s all up front
Where you should be
It’s a total mash
Let me reach out and grab your heart
There’s no reason for you to stand apart
Prefab notions that hold your motions back
It’s a feeling
It’s why we’re a band
It’s just some fun
Some don’t understand
It’s a bash, one big party
It’s all up front
Where you should be
It’s a total mash
It’s a feeling
It’s why we’re a band
It’s just some fun
Some don’t understand
Let me reach out and grab your heart
There’s no reason for you to stand apart
The lyrics of Scream's song Total Mash convey the band's desire to create a sense of unity and excitement among their audience. The song starts by defining the atmosphere as a "bash" or a big party, one that is open for everyone to enjoy. It's all happening right upfront where you should be, indicating that it's a place to be present and engaged in the moment. The phrase "total mash" reinforces this idea of bringing people together and creating a collective feeling of excitement and fun.
The singer then goes on to acknowledge that there may be barriers that prevent people from fully enjoying themselves. "Prefab notions" are societal expectations that limit people's movements and feelings, and "cuts off your head" refers to the way in which these expectations stop people from expressing their true selves. These ideas become internalised and tell you how to act, preventing individuals from letting loose and immersing themselves in the party atmosphere. The song encourages listeners to break free of these confinements and join in the fun, inviting them to be part of something bigger.
Overall, the lyrics of Total Mash depict the power of music in creating an atmosphere of celebration and bringing people together. The song emphasises the importance of breaking out of restrictive societal expectations and embracing the moment with joy and abandon.
Line by Line Meaning
It’s a bash, one big party
This is a celebration, a gathering that is full of energy and excitement
It’s all up front
Everything that is important is right here and now, in your face for you to experience fully
Where you should be
This is where you belong, in the midst of all the action and excitement
It’s a total mash
This is an amalgamation of different experiences and emotions, all coming together to create a unique and fun environment
Let me reach out and grab your heart
Allow me to connect with you on a deep emotional level and draw you into this experience
There’s no reason for you to stand apart
Don't be a spectator, come join in on the fun and be a part of this community
Prefab notions that hold your motions back
Preconceived ideas and attitudes that hinder your ability to express yourself freely
Cuts off your head, and tells you how to act
These ideas and attitudes limit your creativity and individuality, forcing you to conform to a certain way of being
It’s a feeling
This is an emotional experience, one that fills you up and makes you feel alive and connected to others
It’s why we’re a band
This is the reason we created this music, to bring people together and share in this feeling
It’s just some fun
At its core, this is a lighthearted and enjoyable experience, meant to bring joy and entertainment to all involved
Some don’t understand
Some people may not be able to comprehend or appreciate the significance and value of this experience
Contributed by David B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.