With a career spanning nearly two decades, it is little wonder that Slacker was usually one step ahead of the game; this was more apparent than ever after the introduction of Ableton Live into the marketplace has finally given him the technology to produce the live show he has always wanted. With a back catalogue boasting over 50 original tracks, and in excess of 100 remixes under his various guises as Streets Ahead, Nation 12, Ramp, Live It!, Head Honcho and Slacker, Shem was busy developing a new “laptop live” show which enabled him to make every performance unique, remixing live any element of each track as he chose and giving him the ability to incorporate the many quirky samples and secret riffs that up until now have been locked away in Slacker towers. Throw in a frenzy of scratching and effects from Shem on the CDJ and you have a heady brew indeed.
A DJ for over 16 years, the words “been there, done that!” spring to mind. The world map on his website pinpointing the multitude of cities he has played testifies to his global popularity. Originally as DJ Streets Ahead, Shem was one of the pioneers of the UK Hip Hop scratch scene, playing alongside the likes of Tim Westwood and picking up production and remix credits beside Roxanne Shante and Public Enemy. As a student in Brighton, England he established various sound systems alongside fellow South Coast boys Norman Cook and Carl Cox. Production success followed first as Nation 12 with “Listen to the Drummer”, and then after setting up stall with musician and producer Simon Rogers as Ramp, with the singles “Rock the Discotek” and “Stomp”. Both became international club classics.
Looking to establish himself further, Shem created a hybrid of his own funk roots with more contemporary house sounds under the moniker of Slacker. The first Slacker single, “Feel Space”, a track that sounds as fresh today as when it was made, became an instant club hit. Shem’s third single “Scared” re-wrote the rule book on progressive house, a haunting anthem with enough funk to rock any dance floor. A record deal with XL followed and “Scared” along with follow-up single “Your Face” went top 40 in the UK and achieved major international success.
On the crest of this wave, Slacker established a live show and heavy touring alongside label mates The Prodigy ensued. It was while touring that Shem rediscovered his love of Djing, and in 1998 he hit the road properly again. He has been criss-crossing the globe ever since. In this time he has enjoyed residencies at Groovejet in Miami, Orbit in Lima, Peru, Slinky in Bournemouth and Fierce in Hong Kong, earnings platinum helpings of air miles throughout the world, especially across the U.S and Asia.
During this period Shem successfully juggled his travelling with further productions, ably assisted by studio partner Simon Rogers. A slew of remixes, such as Junkie XL, Trancesetters, Breeder and Bedrock - many still viewed as classics today - made the Slacker sound the most respected in the business. “Essential New Tunes”, dance chart Number Ones and features on top compilations became the norm. Eager to develop their release schedule, the decision was taken to launch Slacker’s own label, Jukebox in the Sky, and the singles have come thick and fast. Alongside their Northern Exposure classic, Head Honcho’s “Walls of Jericho”, came Slacker’s “Looky Thing”, played by a diverse selection of DJs from Seb to Jules to Seaman to Ivan Smagghe (of Black Strobe). Head Honcho’s “Medicine” is still being hammered by DJs, most consistently Sasha, a year after its release. The decision to concentrate on furthering the label has paid huge rewards, setting the imprint up as one of the strongest of its genre and enjoying regular licenses from the likes of Global Underground, Bugged Out! and Ministry of Sound.
The label continues to go from strength to strength with numerous Slacker original productions ready for release in the coming months, in conjunction with the recent launch of the label’s comprehensive website and webshop. Slacker’s next single, “Best Boyfriend”, will be out mid-November, packaged with remixes by The Scumfrog and Steiger. Currently Shem is back on the road and covering the globe with more than ever to offer, not only as a DJ but now also performing one of the most exciting and revolutionary laptop live shows on the market. Slacker? Far from it!
Come Back Home
Slacker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This I'm asking to the stars up above
When will you be cumming home?
'cause I'm afraid to be alone
Long before we met that summer
I was sure I would never love another
Now I know I was wrong so wrong
[Chorus]
Come back baby, come back baby
Come back baby, the joke is done, so come on home
Distance makes a heart grow fonder
But honey you don't have to wander
To make me say those three words
My head is heavy, my heart is all a pain
And I fear that feeling will remain
Go to sleep, go to sleep now I pray you find no harm
And then I'll dream you're in my arms
And I'll keep asking you
[chorus]
The lyrics of Slacker's song "Come Back Home" express the singer's longing for their lover to return. The lyrics begin by addressing the absent partner, asking where they are and when they will come back home. The singer expresses fear of being alone and seems to be desperate for the return of their loved one. They then reflect on their feelings before they met their partner, saying that they were sure they would never love another but now they know they were wrong. There is a deeply emotional and vulnerable tone to the lyrics, suggesting that the singer is feeling lost and devastated without their partner.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the singer's desire for their lover to return, urging them to come back home. They express the idea that distance can make the heart grow fonder, but they don't want their partner to wander too far away. The singer tells their lover that they don't have to go anywhere to make them say "those three words" - presumably "I love you". The lyrics have a wistful, sad quality to them, with references to the singer's heavy head and painful heart.
Overall, Slacker's "Come Back Home" is a heartfelt plea for the return of a lost lover. The lyrics convey a sense of loneliness and despair, but also the hope that the partner will come back and make things right again.
Line by Line Meaning
Where are you tonight my love
As I look up at the stars, I can't help but wonder where you are and when you will come back home to me.
This I'm asking to the stars up above
My deep curiosity about your whereabouts has led me to plead with the stars for an answer.
When will you be cumming home?
I miss you so much and can't bear to be alone. When will you finally return home to me?
'cause I'm afraid to be alone
The thought of being without you scares me and makes me feel so alone.
Long before we met that summer
Even before we met that summer, I was certain that I would never love anyone else.
I was sure I would never love another
My heart belonged to you from the very beginning, and I thought that it always would.
Now I know I was wrong so wrong
But now I see that my previous assumption was incorrect. I was wrong to think that my love for you would never waver.
My honey why you gone so long
I miss you terribly and can't understand why you've been gone for so long.
Come back baby, come back baby
Please come back to me, my love. I miss you too much to bear this separation any longer.
Come back baby, the joke is done, so come on home
Whatever it was that caused you to leave, it's not funny anymore. Please come back home and let's move on together.
Distance makes a heart grow fonder
Although we are separated by distance, my love for you has only grown stronger.
But honey you don't have to wander
But I don't want you to wander any longer. Please come back to me and put an end to my longing.
To make me say those three words
I don't need you to be gone to realize my love for you. I've loved you all along and will keep saying those three words forever.
My head is heavy, my heart is all a pain
Without you here with me, I feel like I'm carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. My heart aches with longing for you.
And I fear that feeling will remain
I'm afraid that this pain will never go away until you come back to me.
Go to sleep, go to sleep now I pray you find no harm
As you sleep, I pray for your safety and well-being. I hope that you are well and happy, wherever you are.
And then I'll dream you're in my arms
In my dreams, I imagine holding you close and feeling your gentle touch, just like we used to. It brings me comfort.
And I'll keep asking you
But when I wake up, you're still gone. So I keep asking you: please come back home to me.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mglenwright09
ive had this one on repeat for the past week or so. euphoria to the max...
@Ruben2290
love