After recording a 7-track demo in 1995, the band signed to Murmur Records, a subsidiary of Sony. In 1996, they released the 7-track EP The Answer to Both Your Questions, recorded and mixed by Greg Atkinson of Sydney band Big Heavy Stuff.
In November of 1996, the 3-track single "Dean Martin" was released. Early in 1997, the band released a 5-track EP titled Intermission as they recorded their first album, Elsewhere for Eight Minutes, in New Zealand and mixed and mastered it in New York with U.S. producer Brian Paulson. (Brian had previously produced albums for Wilco, Archers of Loaf, Superchunk and Slint, amongst others.) Something for Kate's first full-length album was released in July of 1997. Bass player Julian Carroll was then replaced by Toby Ralph, who toured with the band for the release of the album.
Four singles were released from Elsewhere for Eight Minutes: "Captain (Million miles an hour)", "Prick", "Working Against Me" and "Roll Credit". Bass player Toby Ralph was replaced by Stephanie Ashworth (of Melbourne outfit Sandpit) in March 1998. The band then wrote their second album, Beautiful Sharks, which was released in April of 1999. Beautiful Sharks was recorded in Melbourne, once again by producer Brian Paulson.
Four singles were released from Beautiful Sharks: "Electricity", "Hallways", "Whatever You Want" and "The Astronaut". When the band went on the road with this album they took on an extra touring musician, Wally Gunn, to play the incidental guitar and keyboard parts.
In 2000, as the band were writing for their third album, Murmur released Q & A With Dean Martin, a re-release of the sold-out first EP and single. Also released in 2000 was Big Screen Television, a video collection of 12 of the band's music videos along with some bonus footage.
In June of 2001, the third album, Echolalia, was released. Produced by the band and Trina Shoemaker (whose other recording credits include Queens of the Stone Age, REM, Whiskeytown and Sheryl Crow), Echolalia was recorded at INXS bass-player Garry Gary Beers' Mangrove studio in the Central Coast of NSW.
Four singles were released from Echolalia: "Monsters", "Three Dimensions", "Twenty Years" and "Say Something". When touring this album, the band took on two touring musicians, Pip Branson (ex Sydney band Sidewinder) and Simon Bourke, again, to play the increasing amount of keyboards and extra guitar parts featured on the album.
In 2002 the band released their first DVD, A Diversion, which is a document of the writing, recording and touring of the Echolalia album.
In 2003 the band recorded and released their fourth album, The Official Fiction. Produced once again by the band and Trina Shoemaker at Mangrove studios, it spawned the singles "Deja Vu", "Song for a Sleepwalker", "Best Weapon" and "Moving Right Along".
After supporting David Bowie on the Australian leg of his Reality Tour, the band toured Europe in 2004, taking in Germany, France, Denmark, Scotland, Ireland and the UK, before returned to Australia to release Phantom Limbs, a double album of the band members' and their fans' favourite b-side tracks from over the years.
On the 30th of June 2006, Something for Kate released their fifth album, Desert Lights. Since then, Something for Kate has released 2 singles, Cigarettes and Suitcases which was released on the 5th of May 2006, just under 2 months before the second EP, Oh Kamikaze which was released on the 1st of September 2006.
Best Weapon
Something for Kate Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
By the time they're done there is only rust
And the official language of fucked up and static
And before he speaks
His machines all agree lets wind them up and march them out
History repeated and read out loud
This could be our best weapon now
Stripes and suits pushing the numbers through
They treat them like they don't exist
And they count them up like they're matchsticks
And they don't recognize until spoken in a headline
They're just more words
They're just more words that I can't wait to unlearn
I can't wait
This could be our best weapon now
Better keep your head down
Said, this could be our best weapon now
Said, hey don't look now
Our best weapon now
The lyrics of Something for Kate's "Best Weapon" are a commentary on the way in which technology and bureaucracy dehumanize us, reducing us to numbers and stripping us of our individuality. The song starts with a metaphorical allusion to how the slow walk of progress can turn into a rapid run towards destruction, leaving nothing but rust behind. The "official language of fucked up and static" constitutes a sort of social and political noise, a default setting that hides the potential for positive change. However, before we can speak up and fight back, we must "wind up" our own "machines," that is, muster our will and determination to push back against the tide of history which continues to repeat itself.
The second verse elaborates on this concept of dehumanization, with "stripes and suits" counting people "like they're matchsticks" and ignoring them until they become a headline. The chorus of the song is a call to action, with the idea being that the best weapon we have against this dehumanization is our own consciousness, our own refusal to be counted and treated like things rather than people. The final repetition of "our best weapon now" is almost a manifesto, an assertion that only by recognizing our own humanity and refusing to be reduced to numbers can we hope to change the world for the better.
Line by Line Meaning
From a walk to a run
Things escalate quickly from calm to chaos
By the time they're done there is only rust
Everything eventually fades away and becomes obsolete
And the official language of fucked up and static
The messed up and poorly functioning systems are the norm
And before he speaks
Before he takes action or makes a decision
His machines all agree lets wind them up and march them out
The automated machines are ready to take over and work in unison
History repeated and read out loud
The same patterns of mistakes and failures keep happening and being acknowledged
Stripes and suits pushing the numbers through
The people in charge prioritize statistics and figures over actual people
They treat them like they don't exist
The individuals affected by the decisions are ignored
And they count them up like they're matchsticks
People are just seen as numbers and easily replaceable
And they don't recognize until spoken in a headline
Issues are only noticed when they become public news
They're just more words
The promises and excuses are meaningless
They're just more words that I can't wait to unlearn
I want to forget and move on from the lies and false hope
This could be our best weapon now
The current situation could be our chance to make a difference
Better keep your head down
Stay aware and cautious
Said, hey don't look now
Don't be distracted by the chaos, focus on the opportunity
Our best weapon now
We have the power to create change and make a difference
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: STEPHANIE ASHWORTH, PAUL ANTHONY DEMPSEY, CLINT WESLEY HYNDMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
yurii_abs
It hurts to see the crowd doesn't know the lyrics. So sad. Can't wait to be back in Aus so I can see u guys!
Ryan L
What a tune !
Peter Rob
Still playing barefoot and being awesome, love ya something for kate!
Juliano mengue
That's not live, that's the album version guys
Nicko
What’s with the crowd they look bored af, why aren’t they moving round more or singing along!!?
Bradley Thomas
The gig was in Sydney. They'd probably never heard good music before.
hawaiian robot
that's how SKF crowds always are haha