Their debut album, It's Five O'Clock Somewhere, was released in 1995. For the supporting tour, Slash enlisted James LoMenzo and Brian Tichy, of Pride & Glory, in place of Inez and Sorum, who had other commitments. They played shows in the US, Europe, Japan and Australia before Geffen Records pulled their financial support for the tour, with Slash returning to Guns N' Roses and Slash's Snakepit disbanding.
Following his departure from Guns N' Roses in 1996, Slash formed the cover band Slash's Blues Ball. After a tour in 1997, Slash approached Blues Ball bassist Johnny Griparic about forming a new lineup of Slash's Snakepit. The new lineup consisted of Slash, Griparic, singer Rod Jackson, guitarist Ryan Roxie, and drummer Matt Laug (Roxie and Laug were both former members of Alice Cooper's solo band). They recorded and released their second album, entitled Ain't Life Grand, in 2000, which was preceded by a tour supporting AC/DC and followed by their own headlining tour. For the tour, Keri Kelli joined the group in place of Ryan Roxie, who departed following the completion of the album. However, after the final show, Slash disbanded Snakepit due to a lack of commitment from his band members. Shortly after, Slash formed Velvet Revolver in 2002, along with drummer and fellow Guns N' Roses member Matt Sorum.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slash's_Snakepit
Studio albums
It's Five O'Clock Somewhere (1995)
Ain't Life Grand (2000)
Soma City Ward
Slash's Snakepit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A prissy little thing with a tan
Was an outcast in the basement
Tryin' anything he can
The skirts spit words like razor blades
To keep him off their trail
He keeps a chant of silence
For a mom
he can't afford
He leaves his misery to play
In the Soma City Ward
Some City Ward
Pieces of the son-of-a-bitch
Float around the crow
He wears his bad intentions
like a cape or a shroud
Then he blew his mind on Drano
From his third story hotel room
Yeah he missed the pool by inches
So he won't be walkin' soon
The dirty rat is seein' thing
he can't ignore
He left is body for a day
In the Soma City Ward
Soma City Ward
All these people in his head
Sayin' to jump out and you'll be free
Come sleep in my demon bed
Hope that you want it as bad as me
The dirty rat is seein' things
he can't ignore
He leaves his misery to play
In the Soma City Ward
Soma City Ward
Some City Ward
"Soma City Ward" by Slash's Snakepit tells the story of a young, skinny outcast who is trying to fit in but is constantly being rejected by the popular kids. He keeps to himself and remains silent most of the time. The lyrics highlight the bullying he experiences; the popular girls spit words like razor blades to keep him off their trail. The song also refers to a dirty rat who sells things he can't afford; he is interested in taking advantage of others' misery. He is eventually driven to madness, as he sees things that he cannot ignore, leading him to jump out of a hotel window.
The song paints a vivid picture of how society treats people who don't quite fit the mold. The lyrics suggest that the outcast might eventually go crazy if he continues to be marginalized and excluded from the rest of society. They also depict how people who are driven to insanity may become unaware of their surroundings and may see things that aren't there. The Soma City Ward itself is a mental institution where people who are driven to madness are sent for treatment.
Line by Line Meaning
Skinny kid flippin' out
A thin and agitated person losing control
A prissy little thing with a tan
A person who appears fussy and vain but with sun-kissed skin
Was an outcast in the basement
A person who was alienated and isolated, likely from living in a basement
Tryin' anything he can
Attempting everything to fit in or achieve his desires
The skirts spit words like razor blades
Women verbally attacking him with sharp words
To keep him off their trail
The women are actively trying to keep their distance from him
He keeps a chant of silence
He remains quiet and reserved
For a moment in his cell
This is his small sanctuary where he can be himself
The dirty rat is sellin' things he can't afford
A shady figure is trying to make money by selling things he cannot afford
He leaves his misery to play
He escapes his problems and finds solace (or recklessness) elsewhere
In the Soma City Ward
This place is where he goes for his release
Pieces of the son-of-a-bitch
This is referring to the remnants of the bad person who once existed in him
Float around the crowd
The chaotic pieces have become atmospheric and are visible in the environment
He wears his bad intentions like a cape or a shroud
He is unapologetic about his ill will and it permeates through everything he does
Then he blew his mind on Drano
He violently went insane
From his third story hotel room
This is likely where he committed his act of insanity
Yeah he missed the pool by inches
He almost killed himself in the process
So he won't be walkin' soon
He's so injured that he'll be unable to walk
All these people in his head
These are his thoughts and memories
Sayin' to jump out and you'll be free
The thoughts in his head are encouraging him to do something drastic
Come sleep in my demon bed
Harmful thoughts and memories are taking control
Hope that you want it as bad as me
His thoughts are entrenching themselves within him, and he refuses to let go
The dirty rat is seein' things he can't ignore
The same shady figure is now under immense pressure and they are unable to ignore things any longer
He leaves his misery to play
Escaping reality has become commonplace
In the Soma City Ward
He goes to the same path of recklessness
Soma City Ward
The place that he goes to is named Soma City Ward
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERIC J. DOVER, MATT SORUM, MICHAEL A. INEZ, SAUL HUDSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind