SHARKO
Indie rock-pop from Belgium with great songs.
Stadium chants (… Read Full Bio ↴SHARKO
Indie rock-pop from Belgium with great songs.
Stadium chants ("Excellent", "Spotlite"), phony storytelling ("Rip off a phone call"), epic hit-single ("I went down"), one clean uppercut ("Motels"), witty funny titles ("Bootleg of AC/DC"), moody retro stuff ("Love is a bug"), cartoonish tunes ("Clash P"), intense songwriting ("President"), power emo rock ("Sweet protection"), tear-jerking melodies ("I need someone") and many more.

"Meeuws2 isn't the life and soul of the party, but the guy sitting in the corner with a wry smile and a nice line in dry put-downs. Amiable Belgian's UK debut." 7/10 NME April 2003

David Bartholomé: vocals, bass, guitars, keyboards?Teuk Henri: guitars?Julien Paschal: drums??1999: "FEUDED" - the first album is released in Belgium. ?A "one-man-band" then, Bartholomé plays almost all instruments and gets help from engineer Rudy Coclet to produce most of his songs. "Such a bone" which is included, gets noticed much due to its weird sexy lyrics.?The album is also released in Netherlands and France to positive reviews all over.??2000: Single "Wake up" released in January. With the help of guitar player Teuk Henri, Sharko tours as much as they possibly can. Supporting Paul Weller and Muse in France, Netherlands and Belgium, the two men develop a growing live reputation based on bizarre humorous performances by Bartholomé shrouded with wild guitar sounds by Teuk.??2001: "MEEUWS2" - the second album released in march in Belgium, France and Netherlands. Produced by U.S. producer Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes - whose reputation grows in the U.S.), "MEEUWS2" gets wild reviews. Built around Teuk's guitar playing and intense songwriting by Bartholomé, it includes crowd favorites such as "Bootleg of AC/DC", "Clash P" and "Queen is coming".?Video "I went down" gets airplays on MCM, MTV and other local music stations.?Single "Minute" is released in France and catches airplays.
Feeling it's time to get stronger on stage, Julien Paschal joins on drums.?A tour of more than 75 concerts is scheduled.?
2003: "MEEUWS2" released in Switzerland, Italy, Greece and Canada. ?In the springtime, "MEEUWS2" also gets a release in the U.K. and receives more than warm reviews from the press (The “NME” rates it to a fine 7/10, “The Independent” raises up to an 8/10). ?Sharko then tours in july with English band Black Nielson thoughout England and Scotland. The tour ends at the Metro club in London (regarded as "concert-of-the-week" for “Time Out” magazine). During that tour, UK magazine “The Face” notices "that crazy promising belgian band" and writes an article.?"Meeuws2 isn't the life and soul of the party, but the guy sitting in the corner with a wry smile and a nice line in dry put-downs. Amiable Belgian's UK debut." ?NME April 2003??2004: "III", Sharko's third album is out in Benelux and France. ?This new album reveals a much more mature songwriting.?Mixed by Ben Findlay (Peter Gabriel), it includes epic songwriting ("President"), phony storytelling ("Rip off a phone call"), funny songs “à la Prince-Beck” (“Luv Mix”), intense alienation (“Bath”), lynchian colours (“Car Was”) and crowd sing-alongs such as “Excellent”.
Lucent single "Spotlite" is released and gets heavy radio airplays in France.?A massive tour is scheduled.

2006: After a one-year hiatus, Sharko returns. Having dealt with a severe breakdown, Bartholomé comes back reluctantly with uncertain feelings.
Sensing an urgency to reach a new (if not higher) level, Sharko contacts and convinces London-based producer Dimitri Tikovoi (Placebo, Goldfrapp, The Horrors) to take control. Songs are heavy and dark, expressing issues Bartholomé no longer wants to hide, Tikovoi pushes them even further.
He dares the band to love the idea of vertigo before guiding them towards breath-taking heights.

2007: Brutal, profound, moody, but definitely sincere, fourth album "MOLECULE" is released in Belgium in january.
Single "Motels" is embraced by radios all over their home-country.
Praising the strong production and the straighter songwriting, "MOLECULE" gets wild reviews from convinced critics.
After having sold out the mythical "Ancienne Belgique" in Brussels, they embark on a massive tour to promote the album.
March 2007 sees the release of "MOLECULE" in France and Switzerland.
Soon followed by Australia and New Zealand in may 2007.

Rise Up
Sharko Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Stay away from me I said to a friend
Won't you ever hey come back again
Stay out of there, stay out of there
There has to be a way
Rise on instead Rise up instead
Try me, I will do it the very best I can!

Takes you by the hand to get a new chance

When you are lost in the dark
It makes you big a bigger man
You try to understand

Rise up instead
Rise up instead and try me
You will get the very chance to stay on my side

Stay on my side and fly me to the very high
Highest ground I can

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Rise UP" by Sharko convey a message of standing up against negative thoughts and emotions. The singer asks his friend to stay away from him as he confronts his inner demons but at the same time, he offers hope and support by assuring that he will try his best. The repetition of the phrase "Stay out of there" emphasizes the need to distance oneself from negativity and seek a better way. The lyrics inspire a sense of resilience and determination to overcome challenges and find a way forward.

The song also talks about the power of companionship in difficult times. The line "takes you by the hand to get a new chance" suggests that there is someone who can help you find a way out of the darkness. The phrase "makes you big a bigger man" indicates that facing challenges can not only make you stronger but can also change your perspective on life. The overall message of the song is one of hope and encouragement to rise above adversity and embrace life.

Line by Line Meaning

Stay away from me I said to a friend
I asked my friend to keep distance from me

Won't you ever hey come back again
I don't want my friend to come back

Stay out of there, stay out of there
I want my friend to stay away from a specific place

There has to be a way
I believe there is a solution to the problem

Rise on instead Rise up instead
Let's move forward instead of giving up

Try me, I will do it the very best I can!
I am confident that I can handle the situation to the best of my abilities

Takes you by the hand to get a new chance
I will guide you to a new opportunity

When you are lost in the dark
When you are going through a tough time

It makes you big a bigger man
Dealing with challenges will make you stronger

You try to understand
You try to make sense of the situation

Rise up instead
Let's stay strong instead of giving up