The name Silversun Pickups refers to a liquor store across the road L.A. rock-scene hang Silverlake Lounge. One of the band’s friends would often arrive at the store late at night to buy liquor, and would be as such making the "Silversun Pickup".
The band is signed to Dangerbird Records. They released their debut EP "Pikul" in July of 2005. The band has released four albums, 2006's "Carnavas", 2009's "Swoon", 2012's "Neck of the Woods" and 2015's "Better Nature". The band managed two Top 10 singles on Billboard's Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart in 2007: "Lazy Eye" (#5) and "Well Thought Out Twinkles" (#9). In 2009, they managed their third top 10 on the chart, "Panic Switch" (#1) and a fourth song "Substitution" was also on that chart (#23).
Silversun Pickups have been compared to The Smashing Pumpkins (possibly due in part to Brian Aubert's vocal style) and 90's shoegazing bands like My Bloody Valentine, Lush, Ride, and Slowdive. Silversun Pickups claim they have been heavily influenced by Modest Mouse and The Velvet Underground as well as other lesser-known acts.
Their first break came when a friend mailed a boombox demo to CMJ and they were accepted. They got their start in many of the most important L.A. clubs and began to draw a strong following upon the release of the Pikul EP. This culminated in frequent touring, including a co-headlining stint with Viva Voce.
The band finished a three-week tour opening for Australian rockers Wolfmother on December 9, 2006, and have toured with OK Go and Snow Patrol on their U.S. spring tour, which ended on April 10, 2007. The Pickups played at the Coachella Music Festival in Indio, California on April 27, 2007.
The band supported Foo Fighters, along with Nine Inch Nails on August 21st 2007 as part of the 'T on the Fringe' music festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, and then on the 22nd in Marley Park, Dublin, Ireland. They also performed at the Carling Reading and Leeds festivals on the 25th/26th August 2007 and supported Kaiser Chiefs on their Autumn European tour and Snow Patrol on their tour of Australia (with Paolo from Snow Patrol joining them regularly to play guitar on Lazy Eye and Nikki guesting on vocals for Snow Patrol's Set The Fire To The Third Bar onstage). On some of these dates the band have been covering Joy Division's Shadowplay and Bjork's Big Time Sensuality, both of which have been recorded for web or radio sessions.
The second full studio album, entitled "Swoon", was released 14th April 2009 in both the US and UK.
The band was also part of Lollapalooza 2009 in Chicago, IL, Voodoo Fest 2009 and 2012 in New Orleans, and the 2009 Sasquatch! Festival.
In early 2010, they supported the UK anthem-rock superstars Muse for several of their North American dates for The Resistance tour.
Growing Old Is Getting Old
Silversun Pickups Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Are growing old
And it's getting old
Pressure on
Our hollow bones
And the (varicose)
We decompose
But we're not alone
So we all
Are growing old
Maybe we're sealed in silence
And maybe we feel a guidance
Maybe your own devices
Will keep you afraid and cold
But I
Memorized
Your smile lines
From left to right
(Candlelight)
And childlike
Reaction time
We're allowed
To expire
?
So we all
Are growing old
Pull out the fear of silence
And put out the need for guidance
And put out your own devices
And don't be afraid of the cold
And we sing, sing, sing.
Fight, we fight, fight.
We cry, cry, cry.
We slide, slide, we slide into the light.
We sing, fight, we cry.
We slide, slide, we slide into the light.
Maybe we're sealed in silence
And maybe we feel a guidance
Maybe your own devices
Will keep you afraid and cold, well.
Pull out the fear of silence
Put out the need for guidance
Put out your own devices
And don't be afraid of the cold
Afraid of the cold
Afraid of the time
You've got no where to go but here.
The song "Growing Old Is Getting Old" by Silversun Pickups is a contemplative meditation on the inevitability of aging and the associated physical and emotional challenges that come with it. The band reflects on the slow and steady march of time, noting how it takes its toll on our bodies and, more broadly, our spirits. Throughout the verses, there is a sense of melancholy and resignation, as if the band is acknowledging that aging is a fact of life, that we are all powerless to stop it, and that this realization is, in a sense, "getting old" in and of itself.
However, as the song progresses, there is a shift in tone towards greater acceptance and even a celebration of aging. The band recognizes that we are not alone in our shared experiences of getting older, and that there is a beauty in the wear and tear of life. The lyrics mention the importance of memories, specifically the act of memorizing someone's smile lines, as a way of cherishing the present moment and honoring the past. There is a sense that even as we age and our bodies change, we still have the power to live meaningfully and to find joy in life.
Overall, "Growing Old Is Getting Old" is a poignant and introspective song that invites listeners to reflect on their own experiences of aging and mortality. It acknowledges the challenges that come with these processes, but also finds hope and even beauty in them.
Line by Line Meaning
So we all
Every one of us
Are growing old
Is aging
And it's getting old
Becoming tiresome
Pressure on
Stress placed upon
Our hollow bones
Our fragile bodies
And the (varicose)
And the visible signs of damage
Suddenly
Unexpectedly
We decompose
Our bodies decay
But we're not alone
Others experience the same
Maybe we're sealed in silence
Perhaps we feel isolated
And maybe we feel a guidance
Or we feel a sense of direction
Maybe your own devices
Maybe your own actions
Will keep you afraid and cold
Will make you fearful and distant
But I
But I, the singer
Memorized
Committed to memory
Your smile lines
The wrinkles around your mouth when you smile
From left to right
The order in which they appear
(Candlelight)
The flicker of a candle
And childlike
Innocent
Reaction time
The speed at which you respond emotionally
We're allowed
We have permission
To expire
To die
?
Unknown
Pull out the fear of silence
Eliminate your anxiety about quietness
And put out the need for guidance
Ignore your dependence on direction from others
And put out your own devices
Stop relying on your own actions
And don't be afraid of the cold
And don't be scared of being distant
We sing, fight, we cry.
We express ourselves through singing, fighting, and crying
We slide, slide, we slide into the light.
We gradually move towards death
Afraid of the time
Fearful of the passing of time
You've got no where to go but here.
You have no other option than to accept the present
Lyrics © Word Collections Publishing
Written by: Brian Nolan Kalei Aubert, Christopher Andrew Guanlao, Joseph C Lester, Nicole Lynn Webber
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind