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.
Set In Motion
Sloan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With the movie version of my life
Based on the novel
That shouldn't have been written either
I called them up
And asked to meet the director
To see who would play me
And he said "We talked about actors but thought instead
All this time
I'm trying to halt the production
Apparently one day, long ago
I gave them all my permission
If that's the case
Let's hammer out some details
Remember I already told them once
I don't do nude scenes or my own stunts
This feature's a failure on all fronts
Just accept that these things are going to happen
Everything is set in motion
It will happen anywhere
And on and on we argued after all that
The thing was bad
To try and drum up popular demand
Asked the director, "Where do I stand?"
Just accept that these things are going to happen
Everything is set in motion
It will happen anyway
Just accept that these things are going to happen
Everything is set in motion
It will happen anyway
Just accept that these things are going to happen
Everything is set in motion
In Sloan's song "Set In Motion," the band tells the story of a protagonist who discovers that a movie is being made based on their life story. Although they initially express excitement at the prospect of meeting the director and figuring out who will play them in the movie, they soon realize that they never should have given permission for the movie to be made in the first place. The singer tries to halt the production, but it's too late - everything is set in motion. They argue with the director and express frustration at the fact that their life story is being turned into a feature film.
The lyrics in this song seem to touch on themes of control - or, more specifically, lack thereof. The singer feels powerless in the face of their life story being used for someone else's gain. The line "Remember I already told them once / I don't do nude scenes or my own stunts" suggests that the singer is attempting to maintain some degree of control over how their story is told through the movie. But ultimately, the message is one of resignation. The singer gives in to the fact that "these things are going to happen" and that their life story will be turned into a movie, whether they like it or not.
Overall, "Set In Motion" is a thoughtful exploration of what it means to have control over one's own life story. Through its lyrics, the song encourages listeners to consider the ways in which events and circumstances beyond our control can shape our personal narratives.
Line by Line Meaning
They're coming out
The movie adaptation of my life story is being released.
With the movie version of my life
The movie adaptation of my life story is being released.
Based on the novel
The movie adaptation of my life story is based on a novel.
That shouldn't have been written either
The novel shouldn't have been written because it contains personal details.
I called them up
I contacted the filmmakers.
And asked to meet the director
I requested a meeting with the director.
To see who would play me
I wanted to know which actor would portray me.
And he said 'We talked about actors but thought instead
That playing yourself might lend some cred'
The director suggested that I should play myself in the movie for authenticity.
All this time
I'm trying to halt the production
I've been trying to stop the movie from being made.
Apparently one day, long ago
I gave them all my permission
I had given the filmmakers permission to adapt my life story.
If that's the case
Let's hammer out some details
Remember I already told them once
I don't do nude scenes or my own stunts
If I did give them permission, I want to establish some ground rules such as no nude scenes or dangerous stunts.
This feature's a failure on all fronts
The movie, in my opinion, is a complete failure from every aspect.
'Where do I stand?'
I asked the director for clarification on my involvement in the movie.
Just accept that these things are going to happen
Everything is set in motion
It will happen anywhere
And on and on we argued after all that
I slowly came to terms with the fact that the movie is going to be made no matter what, and even after arguing about it, it's out of my control.
The thing was bad
To try and drum up popular demand
The filmmakers tried to create buzz for the movie even if the finished result wasn't good.
Just accept that these things are going to happen
Everything is set in motion
It will happen anyway
I've come to accept that the movie will be released whether I like it or not.
Just accept that these things are going to happen
Everything is set in motion
There's nothing I can do to stop this movie from being released.
Contributed by Keira M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Thelma
on Everything You've Done Wrong
Thelma I like the title