Members:
Jaap van Duijvenbode (Guitar), Ruben Bandstra (Drums), Daniel de Jongh (Vocals), Wiebe van den Ende (Raps/Vocals), Jeroen Bax (Bass), Arno Dreef (Guitar).
Winner of a much-coveted Essent Award and triumphant shows at internationally renowned festivals such as Ozzfest and Lowlands – these are just some of the achievements of Dutch Xplocore band Smogus. In May they will release No Matter What The Outcome, which could very well be the band’s big break.
Smogus was founded in 1995 by Jaap, Ruben, Daniel and Jeroen. During the recording of their debut album Everybody’s Fucked Up Twice the four school friends met with Arno and Wiebe. The six of them hit it off immediately and quickly after the release of the debut album, both Arno and Wiebe decided to complete the band’s line-up. They released two tracks on a split EP (also featuring the band Griffin from Leiden, NL) on vinyl on the WOTNXT label, the SmoguS/Griffin EP. Then, Smogus started to conquer all the major Dutch venues, soon establishing themselves as one of the most popular Dutch live-acts.
Besides performing relentlessly – as headliner, as support act (Ill Nino, Disturbed) and at festivals (Ozzfest, Lowlands) – Smogus continuously worked very hard on writing new songs. In 2002, the band signed a deal with BMG and released a 6-track Smogus EP. The band seemed to have finally found their niche with a sound of their own: Xplocore. A fusion of explosive (nu)metal, hiphop and funk, combined with a large dose of energy and humour. Songs with heavy guitars, groovy rhythms, cool rhymes and catchy choruses that have their roots in bands like Anthrax, Faith No More and Cypress Hill.
Unfortunately, the cooperation with BMG came to an end when the band found themselves competing with Idols, the nation-wide craze that conquered The Netherlands in 2003. Smogus refused to sit at the sidelines and see how other, more commercial artists from the Idols TV-show got priority over them, so they decided to start working on their new album without the help of a record label. In March 2003 the band entered the studio and guitarist Arnd-H was appointed as producer. He is mainly responsible for the heavy sound on the new album, significantly titled No Matter What The Outcome. The band has clearly matured in two years time, both musically and personally. Singer Wiebe emphasizes that the band regards this album as their real debut: “We are very proud of the album’s incredible sound, especially since we have done everything ourselves, from the recording to the final mixing. It is an album to be proud of, particularly for a Dutch production.”
The songs on the album are well-structured and characterized by powerful dynamics, an impressive, well-balanced mix of melodic vocals and heavy rap, and a wide range of styles. Smogus is both in-your-face and melodic, aggressive and happy, heavy and commercial, but always extremely energetic. The opening track Don’t Care immediately sets the tone for what’s to come. Other highlights include the groovy and lyrically uplifting Just For Me, the sensitive semi-ballad The Game, the uncompromising and personal Changing Fate and the complex Good Intentions. The highly contagious hiphop bonus track Flush Your Life again has that typical Smogus humour. However, it is not all laughing matters on the album. The lyrics cover a wide range of emotions, as Wiebe explains: “The lyrics are very much about ourselves, about things we go through in life. We sing about love, but also about the need to be free and strained relationships.”
On May 15, 2004 the album was released in the Melkweg, Amsterdam. It has been distributed by a small Dutch oriented label, The Electric Co. which has ties with Universal Records. Although the single and video of Don't Care were fairly popular on vote-based music channel The Box, it turned out that, mainly because the Nu-Metal hype blew over, the album wasn't the big break they had hoped for. This led to Mojo cancelling the contract with the band for the live acts.
Smogus then decided to take a completely different direction with an acoustic tour. A DVD named Live & Unplugged was released in 2005 covering the tour. It turned out to be the last recorded achievement. In 2006 the band decided to split up and on July 7, 2006 they played their last gig on their home stage of Fascinus in Sassenheim.
Act It
Smogus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You did your job right
You want a major deal
You've a fistfight
But I think you've misjudged me
You're the wrong side
Any last regrets you're going down tonight
Think about us just a few years ago
Am I the only one who's using his brain
Using sanity to reason without getting insane
Well fuck you
I'm throwing you a hitch bitch
You think running over my back could make you rich
And I even thought you's my friend
I picked you off the street
Helped you pay the fucking rent
Well I gave you a choice and I guess I was wrong
To even gave you on
'S going on to long
For way to long you've been sucking the bong
Hooking the pills too wasted to move your tongue
Well you said that you're at it
Then why the fuck I think you act it
Now what was that
You want me to forgive you
Well I already forgave you one time
I want nothing to do with you
So now you think me evil say the devil is playing me
I don't believe in a god
So he must be inside of me
I ain't no good Christian so forgiving ain't my game
You want abso(fucking) lution try asking a saint
You fucked me over
Time after time
Saying you 's done with that shit
You were a friend of mine
You've fucked bad enough so I could write this rhyme
Yeah, bad enough, and just a waste of time
When I look in your eyes I feel nothing
I won't even get cold when you're shivering
I gave you up long, long ago
I gave you a choice but you've just said no
I'm going home, leave you alone
This is the last time that you have fucked me
I'm staying strong, let you go on
Pretending you're dead would be best for me
Now all serious, what do you expect from us
That we would roll on our backs
Let her fuck us like dogs
We let her go no revenge and still you're calling us smugs
My inside is screaming knowing what to do
When I get my hands upon her she would be trough
'Cause I would take a needle and staple her eyes
Make her blind but let the ears remain fine
But I'm a reasonable man, so I let my inside my inside
Forget her live on keep my dignity aside
With no more hard feelings for a junky who's through
Nothing but misery for me and you so
The Smogus song "Act It" is a powerful take-down of a former friend who has done the singer wrong. The opening lines are sarcastic and cutting, as the singer thanks the ex-friend for doing their job as an asshole perfectly. The friend is accused of wanting a major deal and being willing to fight dirty to get it. The singer feels misjudged, and the friend is told they're on the wrong side and going down.
The song then reflects on the past, with the singer acknowledging that they had once thought of the friend as a friend. They had even helped them financially, but now they're done with them. The friend is accused of being a pill-addled waste of time, and the singer no longer feels anything for them.
The song is a blistering attack on a former friend who has broken the singer's trust. It expresses anger, but also a sense of finality in the decision to cut ties. It is a powerful reminder that even strong friendships can crumble under pressure and betrayal.
Line by Line Meaning
Thanks for calling me an asshole
I appreciate you doing your job and insulting me, as that's exactly what you were tasked to do.
You did your job right
You were successful at intentionally offending me.
You want a major deal
You're eager to make a significant agreement or transaction.
You've a fistfight
You're willing to engage in physical violence to attain your goals.
But I think you've misjudged me
I believe you have incorrectly perceived or evaluated my character and abilities.
You're the wrong side
You're on the opposing team or group.
Any last regrets you're going down tonight
If you have any lingering remorse, you're about to suffer the consequences tonight.
Think about us just a few years ago
Consider our past relationship and interactions from a few years ago.
Who would've thought you're gonna get this low
It's surprising how far you've fallen, considering your former position or status.
Am I the only one who's using his brain
Is it just me, or am I the only person who is exercising logical and rational thought?
Using sanity to reason without getting insane
I'm relying on my sanity and rationality to make decisions, instead of succumbing to madness or irrationality.
Well fuck you
I'm expressing my anger and frustration towards you.
I'm throwing you a hitch bitch
I'm throwing you a problem or obstacle, especially if it's a female dog.
You think running over my back could make you rich
You think you can exploit or betray me for your own gain.
And I even thought you's my friend
I foolishly believed that we were friends.
I picked you off the street
I gave you a chance or opportunity when you were in a difficult situation or place.
Helped you pay the fucking rent
I assisted you with paying your housing expenses.
Well I gave you a choice and I guess I was wrong
I offered you a decision or option, but I realize now that it was a mistake.
To even gave you on
To even give you a chance or opportunity.
'S going on to long
This situation or conflict has been ongoing for too long.
For way to long you've been sucking the bong
You've been excessively using drugs or indulging in vices for an extended period of time.
Hooking the pills too wasted to move your tongue
You're too high or intoxicated to the point where you can't even speak or function properly.
Well you said that you're at it
You claimed that you were dealing with something successfully.
Then why the fuck I think you act it
If that's the case, why do I feel like you're pretending or lying?
Now what was that
What was your intention or motive behind that statement?
You want me to forgive you
You're requesting my forgiveness or absolution.
Well I already forgave you one time
I already granted you forgiveness once before.
I want nothing to do with you
I don't desire any further association or involvement with you.
So now you think me evil say the devil is playing me
You're accusing me of being immoral or malicious, and suggesting that I'm influenced by the devil.
I don't believe in a god
I don't have a religious belief in a deity or divine power.
So he must be inside of me
If the devil exists and isn't responsible for my actions, then I must be responsible for my own actions.
I ain't no good Christian so forgiving ain't my game
I don't adhere to Christian beliefs or values, so forgiving others isn't one of my priorities.
You want abso(fucking) lution try asking a saint
If you want complete and total forgiveness, you should seek the absolution of a saint, not me.
You fucked me over
You betrayed or deceived me in a significant way.
Time after time
Repeatedly or frequently.
Saying you 's done with that shit
Claiming that you're no longer engaging in detrimental behavior.
You were a friend of mine
You used to be my friend.
You've fucked bad enough so I could write this rhyme
You've hurt me enough to the point where I've created a song about it.
When I look in your eyes I feel nothing
I feel no emotional connection or empathy towards you when I look into your eyes.
I won't even get cold when you're shivering
I won't feel sorry or sympathetic towards you, even if you're in a vulnerable or desperate state.
I gave you up long, long ago
I abandoned or ceased my relationship with you a considerable amount of time ago.
I gave you a choice but you've just said no
I presented you with options, but you rejected them and refused to make a decision.
I'm going home, leave you alone
I'm returning to my own residence and departing from your presence.
This is the last time that you have fucked me
You've crossed me for the final time.
I'm staying strong, let you go on
I'm maintaining my emotional fortitude and allowing you to continue your negative behavior.
Pretending you're dead would be best for me
It would be most beneficial for my well-being if I treated you as if you were nonexistent.
Now all serious, what do you expect from us
Now that we're engaged in a serious conversation, what are your realistic expectations?
That we would roll on our backs
That we would acquiesce or submit to your demands or requests without questioning them.
Let her fuck us like dogs
Allowing someone to exploit or mistreat us to the extent that they would treat us like dogs.
We let her go no revenge and still you're calling us smugs
We chose not to seek retribution, yet you're still labeling us as arrogant or conceited individuals.
My inside is screaming knowing what to do
My inner voice or intuition is strongly suggesting a certain course of action.
When I get my hands upon her she would be trough
If I were to physically confront or engage with this person, they would suffer severe repercussions.
'Cause I would take a needle and staple her eyes
As a form of punishment, I would inflict extreme physical harm upon this person by using a needle to stitch shut their eyes.
Make her blind but let the ears remain fine
I would deprive them of their sight, but intentionally spare their ability to hear.
But I'm a reasonable man, so I let my inside my inside
However, I am a rational individual, so I will listen to my inner voice or intuition.
Forget her live on keep my dignity aside
I will move on and forget about this individual, even if it means neglecting my dignity or pride.
With no more hard feelings for a junky who's through
I have no lingering negative emotions or resentment towards a person who is no longer relevant or important in my life.
Nothing but misery for me and you so
All that remains in our relationship is distress and discomfort.
Contributed by Maria S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Neon Mushroom
Singer from Textures. Dope. Love this Dutch nu-metal band
Владимир Супраненков
Cool!!!