The band was formed in 1991, when Chris Murphy and Andrew Scott met at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD) in Halifax. Patrick Pentland and Jay Ferguson joined soon after. In 1992, the band created their own record label, called Murderecords, for themselves and other Halifax area bands, and the outfit released the 'Peppermint EP' (the release also known as just 'Peppermint').
According to Sloan's official website, the band's name refers to a friend's nickname. Their friend, Jason Larsen, was called 'Slow One' by his French-speaking boss, which with the French accent sounded more like 'Sloan'. The original agreement was that they could name the band after their friend's nickname as long as he was on the cover of their first album. As a result, it is Larsen who appears on the cover of the 'Peppermint EP'.
Later in 1992, Sloan released their full-length debut, titled 'Smeared', on Geffen Records. Like many indie rock groups before them, the band found that major label dealings were basically as much trouble as they were worth. In 1994, Geffen did not promote their second album, called 'Twice Removed', due to artistic disputes, although it sold well in Canada. Spin named the album one of the "Best Albums You Didn't Hear" in 1994. A 1996 reader poll by Canadian music magazine Chart! ranked it as the best Canadian album of all time only two years after its release. The same poll in 2000 ranked the album third, behind Joni Mitchell's 'Blue' and Neil Young's 'Harvest', while the 2005 poll once again ranked the album first.
After the release of Twice Removed, the band went on hiatus and were rumoured to have broken up, as they had rejected Geffen's offer for their next album. In 1996, however, they released the widely praised One Chord to Another on their own Murderecords label. Following 1998's Navy Blues album, Sloan released their first live album 4 Nights at the Palais Royale in 1999. Those albums were followed by Between the Bridges in 1999, and Pretty Together in 2001.
Sloan made a concerted effort to break into the US market on their 2003 release Action Pact. Songs were recorded in L.A. with Tom Rothrock producing. The glossier, radio-ready sound failed to raise Sloan's profile in the US, though they continued to be highly popular in Canada.
Sloan's first compilation album A Sides Win: Singles 1992-2005, included two new songs, "All Used Up" and "Try to Make It". The Japanese release included two additional new tracks.
Now signed to Yep Roc Records for their US releases, they put out their eighth disc, Never Hear the End of It in 2006. The album contained 30 tracks with all the members of the band contributing new songs. It was met with widespread critical acclaim and became the highest charting Sloan album in the US up to that point.
In 2008, Sloan followed up their longest album with their shortest release Parallel Play.
In November 2009 Sloan added a digital music store to their website. The band released an online-only EP called Hit & Run to promote the store. The EP featured two songs by Chris Murphy, and one by each of the other band members. Murphy's Take It Upon Yourself was released as a free single. In February 2010, the band released another online exclusive, the compilation album B-Sides Win: Extras, Bonus Tracks and B-Sides 1992 - 2008.
In 2013, the band revealed plans for a double album, with each of the four sides featuring a solo suite by a different band member. In May 2014, it was announced that the new album would be titled "Commonwealth" and would be released in September 2014. On July 14, 2014, the band announced the official release date for the album (September 9, which turned out to be accurate) and the release of the album's first single, "Keep Swinging (Downtown)". The album cover portrays the band members as four-of-a-kind kings. The suits of these playing cards correspond to the titles of their solo sides: Jay Ferguson's side is called Diamond, Chris Murphy's is Heart, Patrick Pentland's is Shamrock, and Andrew Scott's is Spade.
I Hate My Generation
Sloan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Other than the color of your hair?
Sean said, "We both play guitar"
Never even have to say a word
That's the best thing that I ever heard
You have left a fingerprint on me
Just dust and then you'll surely see
I've got my reservations
And I hate my generation
If I was born in the forties, I'd be a teen in the fifties
And maybe I watch too much TV
Maybe, maybe it's my fault
I should take it with a grain of salt
I've got my hesitations
Wait on your generation
'S' 'E' 'A' 'N' 'S' 'A' 'I' 'D'
'P' 'L' 'A' 'why' yeah yeah yeah yeah
'S' 'E' 'A' 'N' 'S' 'A' 'I' 'D'
'P' 'L' 'A' 'why' yeah yeah yeah yeah
Maybe, maybe it's my fault
I should take it with a grain of salt
What could you both possibly share?
Other than the color of your hair?
Sean said, "We both play guitar"
Never even have to say a word
That's the best thing that I ever heard
I have got my reservations
As I skate by my generation
The song "I Hate My Generation" by Sloan is a critique of youth culture and the mores of Generation X. The opening lines raise the question of what two people of the same generation could possibly have in common, other than superficial traits like hair color. Sean, a guitarist, offers a shared interest as a possible point of connection, but the singer of the song remains skeptical. The lack of communication that comes with shared experience is celebrated as "the best thing" imaginable.
The chorus, "I hate my generation," reveals the underlying theme of disappointment and disillusionment with contemporary culture. The singer is haunted by the idea that if they had been born in a different era, perhaps they would feel more contented. The lyrics suggest that the constant barrage of media is partly to blame for this sense of dissatisfaction, with the line "maybe I watch too much TV" acknowledging the overwhelming presence of popular culture in modern life.
The repetition of the name Sean and the letters of the word "play" form an almost musical motif in the song, underlining the importance of art and creativity as a means of escaping the mundane preoccupations of daily life. Despite their reservations, the singer acknowledges a certain bond with their own generation, expressed most powerfully in the act of skating. The metaphor of skating offers a way of moving beyond the limitations of both language and society, a way of finding a transcendent freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
What could you both possibly share?
There seems to be nothing in common between them except hair color.
Other than the color of your hair?
The only similarity is hair color.
Sean said, "We both play guitar"
They're guitar players.
Never even have to say a word
They have an unspoken understanding.
That's the best thing that I ever heard
The unspoken understanding is wonderful.
You have left a fingerprint on me
They've had an impact on one another.
Just dust and then you'll surely see
Their impact will be more clear with time.
I've got my reservations
I'm hesitant about this.
And I hate my generation
I'm not fond of my peers.
If I was born in the forties, I'd be a teen in the fifties
The artist is interested in a different era.
And maybe I watch too much TV
TV might be influencing their perspective.
Maybe, maybe it's my fault
Perhaps the artist is to blame.
I should take it with a grain of salt
I shouldn't take it too seriously.
Wait on your generation
The singer is hesitant to embrace their peers.
'S' 'E' 'A' 'N' 'S' 'A' 'I' 'D'
Spelling out Sean's name.
'P' 'L' 'A' 'why' yeah yeah yeah yeah
Playing guitar.
As I skate by my generation
The artist is skating by their peers.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDREW SCOTT, CHRIS MURPHY, JAY FERGUSON, PATRICK PENTLAND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Thelma
on Everything You've Done Wrong
Thelma I like the title