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)
Your Wars/killer
Scream Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To find your enemy and shoot ‘em down
Don’t want no part of your wars
Don’t want to hear that silent sound
Dead bodies on the ground
Don’t want no part of your wars
Your ads are just a disguise
Come home, shot between the eyes
Don’t you know, it’s the old sensation
Dog tag identification
Don’t want no part of your registration
To prepare me for the surprise attack
Just die for Ole Big Mac
Now whose turn is to go to bat?
Your ads are just a disguise
Don’t tell me no lies
Come home shot between the eyes
Uncle Sam wants you
The army, the navy, the marines, the air force
1014 is a number like you and me
Mr. Everyday, passerby
He’s, he’s a killer
He grabs his thoughts
He packs his gun
Takes his knife along
Oh, it’s just for fun
He’s, he’s a killer
They say he’s insane
Who is to blame?
Don’t look behind you
It makes me wonder why…
He’s your next-door neighbor
The one you never knew
Who’s thinking what you never thought
Is your number up?
He’ll follow
Through the night
With his eyes
He’s a killer
Why is his mind
Why is his mind
Why is his mind
Not just like mine?
1014 is a number like you and me
Mr. Everyday, passerby
Bye
The lyrics to Scream's song "Your Wars/Killer" depict a rejection of war and violence, with the singer refusing to participate in a battle or even hear about the casualties. They do not want to be a part of any faction and are fed up with the propagandistic veneer presented by recruiters. The singer then questions the sanity of an individual referred to as "1014", who takes pleasure in killing and maybe their presence in society. The song conveys a sense of unease and unwillingness to be manipulated by the government or any ideology that leads to chaos and destruction, with the ultimate message being that no one is safe from the consequences of war or the actions of an individual who is seemingly normal but may harbor darker motives.
Line by Line Meaning
Don’t want to go to your battleground
I refuse to fight in your war and participate in the violence.
To find your enemy and shoot ‘em down
I won't hunt down someone I've never met and commit murder upon instruction.
Don’t want no part of your wars
I don't want to be involved in or responsible for the atrocities of war.
Don’t want to hear that silent sound
I don't want to hear the eerie quiet and see the aftermath of war.
Dead bodies on the ground
I don't want to witness or become a part of senseless carnage.
Your ads are just a disguise
I don't buy into the propaganda and manipulation tactics of recruitment ads.
Don’t tell me no lies
Don't deceive me with untrue information or empty promises.
Come home, shot between the eyes
Spare me the burden of life-long injuries, PTSD, and the possibility of death in combat.
Don’t you know, it’s the old sensation
The feeling of war and death is nothing new, but it's still unacceptable and wrong.
Dog tag identification
I refuse to be reduced to a number and treated as a disposable asset.
Don’t want no part of your registration
I don't want to be drafted or forced to join against my will.
To prepare me for the surprise attack
I don't want to be trained and prepared to execute acts of violence and aggression.
Just die for Ole Big Mac
I don't want to be turned into a pawn of a corrupt establishment or an advocate of imperialism.
Now whose turn is to go to bat?
Who's next to be sent to war and sacrifice their lives for a cause they don't believe in?
Uncle Sam wants you
The government demands that you serve, regardless of your wishes and well-being.
The army, the navy, the marines, the air force
All branches of the military are complicit in the same harmful practices of violence and oppression.
1014 is a number like you and me
The soldier is a human like anyone else, not a machine or a disposable pawn.
Mr. Everyday, passerby
The soldier is an ordinary person who happens to be placed in extraordinary circumstances.
He’s, he’s a killer
The soldier is forced to kill, even if they don't want to or if it goes against their moral code.
He grabs his thoughts
The soldier is burdened with the psychological effects of war and the emotional toll of killing.
He packs his gun
The soldier is equipped with lethal weapons that are designed to kill and cause damage.
Takes his knife along
The soldier is encouraged to use various weapons and methods to kill, which shows the disregard for human life in war.
Oh, it’s just for fun
War is not a game or a source of amusement, but a horrifying reality for millions of people.
They say he’s insane
Society tends to stigmatize and label soldiers who struggle with mental health issues due to war as 'crazy' or 'broken,' which is unfair and unhelpful.
Who is to blame?
War is a complex issue, and it's not easy to pin the blame on specific individuals or groups.
Don’t look behind you
The past and the trauma that comes with it cannot be forgotten or ignored.
It makes me wonder why…
The reasons for going to war and killing other people are dubious and questionable.
He’s your next-door neighbor
Soldiers are ordinary people and can come from anywhere, which makes the consequences of war more personal.
The one you never knew
You can live next to someone for years and never suspect that they might one day become a soldier or a victim of war.
Who’s thinking what you never thought
The soldier's thoughts and experiences are unique and unimaginable to those who have not served in the military or been exposed to combat.
Is your number up?
The prospect of being drafted or dying in war is a possibility that hangs over everyone's head.
He’ll follow
The soldier is trained to follow orders and do whatever it takes to accomplish the mission, which can include unethical or illegal actions.
Through the night
War is relentless and knows no boundaries, which means soldiers must be ready and alert at all times.
With his eyes
The soldier's vision and perception are warped by the violence and trauma of war, which can lead to psychological damage and isolation.
Why is his mind Not just like mine?
The soldier's experience of war is unique and cannot be fully understood or appreciated by those who have not served in the military or experienced combat.
Contributed by Oliver C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.