Sonic Boom Six first appeared on the Manchester punk scene in April 2002. Some of their members were previously in the band Grimace. Their self-titled demo, recorded with Jerry Melchers, was self-released in October 2002. To promote the CD, they toured the UK with third wave ska veterans The Toasters and London ska punk/hip hop band King Prawn. They also toured with Coolie Ranx and performed as his backing band. In September 2003, they released The Turbo EP, their first release for Moon Ska Europe. This was produced by Ace (of Skunk Anansie) and Christophe. After a series of good reviews, Sonic Boom Six were invited to perform a session on BBC Radio One's The Lock Up.
After further touring with Catch 22, as well as on the Moon Ska Launchpad Tour 2004 (alongside Zen Baseballbat, Graveltrap, Babar Luck and Dumpster Pop), the band re-united with Ace and Christophe to record their second EP. Sounds to Consume was released on Moon Ska Europe in August 2004, and include the Turbo EP as bonus tracks. After tour dates with Leftöver Crack and The Suicide Machines, the band appeared on BBC2's Asian arts programme Desi DNA performing in a scrapyard, as well as being interviewed by Adil Ray for his show on the BBC Asian Network.
Sonic Boom Six performing "All In" with Itch of The King Blues. Leeds Festival, Bramham Park, 27 August 2006
In early February 2005, Sonic Boom Six replaced guitarist Dave "Hellfire" Kelly with guitarist Ben, who used to play sax, thus making SB6 a four-piece. Ben's old sax parts are now played through a sampler when performing live, or by musicians from other bands, such as Grown at Home and The Flaming Tsunamis. In 2005, the band opened the Love Music Hate Racism event on the Leftfield Stage at the Glastonbury Festival, played Belgium's Sortie 23 festival and performed at the premier of the Rock Against Racism film Who Shot the Sheriff? with HARD-Fi and Roll Deep. 2005 also saw the release of the Champion Edition of Sounds to Consume, which featured four of their original demo tracks (remixed by Tim G), three remixes, an acoustic track and a video. They also embarked on several dates on the inaugural Good To Go Tour alongside The Aquabats and Never Heard of It.
In 2006, the band recorded their second session for BBC Radio 1's The Lock Up, which was broadcast on 27 June. They were joined by Pete and Tucker from Jesse James and Itch from The King Blues. Their debut full-length album, The Ruff Guide to Genre-Terrorism, was released on 10 July 2006 on Deck Cheese Records, and in August 2006 the band played the Reading and Leeds Festivals as a last minute replacement for Paramore. They were joined again by Itch of The King Blues for a performance of "All In" (singing the parts of the song written by Coolie Ranx) and Nick 'The Blade' Horne of Howards Alias, partner of vocalist Laila, who played trombone on the songs "Bigger Than Punk Rock" and "Until the Sunlight Comes".
In May 2007, they played at the Slam Dunk Festival at Leeds University Union with Paramore and Reel Big Fish. During Reel Big Fish's set, Laila joined the band on stage to sing parts of "She Has a Girlfriend Now" alongside Aaron Barrett. She joined them again during Reel Big Fish's Monkeys for Nothin' winter tour in 2008. They played the Reading and Leeds Festivals again in 2007, on the Lock Up stage, playing not only their own material but covering the song "Sound System" by Operation Ivy. During this song, Itch from the King Blues once again joined them on stage to sing it. November 2007 saw the release of the band's second full-length CD, Arcade Perfect, on their own Rebel Alliance Recordings.
In May 2008, the band embarked on the Rude Awakening 2008 tour, alongside Big D and the Kids Table and Random Hand. 2008 also saw a second Ruff and Ready tour. This was followed by the release of a remixes, b-sides and rarities album entitled Play On: Rare, Rejected and Arcade Perfected, which the band toured in support of in late 2008. Nick Horne also joined the band as a full time member, now playing guitar and bass live as well as trombone. They played at the Hevy Music Festival on 1 August 2009.
In May 2009 Sonic Boom Six released their third album City of Thieves, once again on Rebel Alliance Recordings. August 2009 saw Sonic Boom Six open the Main Stage at the Reading and Leeds Festival.
On 8 October 2009, it was announced on the band's official website that Ben Childs would be leaving the band after the forthcoming "Boom or Bust" tour and that he would be temporarily replaced by Matthew Reynolds – current vocalist and guitarist with rock band Drawings and also formerly of Howards Alias. In February 2010 new permanent member James "Jimmy T Boom" Routh, formerly of Myth of Unity, joined the band on guitar.
Bigger than Punk Rock
Sonic Boom Six Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A couple a years ago when I saw an MC.
He ripped the mic then he passed it to me,
I learned a little lesson, he helped me to see.
It's not about choosing guitar or the decks;
It's doing it yourself that gets the respect.
Stuck like a sign, now was the time
I was ready for the beat, ready for the bassline and boom!
Now we're mixing the sound for the show
So punks say Oi! B-Boys say Bo!
We've seen them come and I've watched the bands go,
I'd better get a dedicated outlook yo.
And that's the reason that we came and add a twist.
I thought that punk was all about the freedom mister!
Don't want to be the sound to tick off your list,
We're bigger than this punk rock.
Well anything we call 'punk rock',
In a category called 'punk rock'.
'Punk rock' is only ever going to be punk rock.
Some things are bigger than punk rock.
Look around,
No, we aren't unified by guitars crashing down.
Revolution is more than sound.
We're better together and still we're going nowhere,
Can't see the wood for the scene.
But in the spaces between lies the truth that we've got
And it's bigger than punk rock.
Anyway, never going to never pin us down,
Any style, play it from a squat to a stage,
Strike Anywhere, spread it about like shareware.
Anyone far beyond little pond, respond,
Yet, this mindset;
Preach the converted, yet we forget
It's just Minor Threats and fanzines are
Empty of meaning if we're not being UK.
Stop pretending that it's not UK.
Not America we're in UK.
Got to sing it like we're from UK
And maybe then we'll find a way.
Look around,
Do we have all the unity we sing of in this crowd?
Revolution is more than sound.
We're better together and still we're going nowhere,
Can't see the wood for the scene.
But in the spaces between lies the truth that we've got
And it's bigger than punk rock.
Round in circles. I can't see this. Revolution.
More than just a sound.
We're better together and still we're going nowhere,
Can't see the wood for the scene.
But in the spaces between lies the truth that we've got
And it's bigger than punk rock.
But in the spaces between lies the truth that we've got
And it's bigger than punk rock.
The lyrics to Sonic Boom Six's song "Bigger than Punk Rock" is a commentary on the rock and punk scene and the attitudes that surround it. In the first verse, the singer recalls a moment at a party when he saw an MC take command of the microphone and pass it on to him. He learned a lesson that playing music is not about choosing between playing guitar or operating turntables. The key to gaining respect is by doing it yourself. In the chorus, the singer highlights that the band's mission is to add a twist to punk rock by using its principles of freedom and uniqueness but standing for something greater. They refuse to be classified as just another band on a list, and their movement is much more significant than punk rock.
The second verse talks about the lack of unity within the punk rock scene, highlighting that not everything in life can be categorized. The term "Punk Rock" can define a great deal of music; however, it is limited if it defines a sound or a genre. The pre-chorus then shifts attention to how the band credits the great punk bands of the past such as Minor Threat and the power of self-publishing 'zines, but at the same time, they must credit their locality-UK.
The bridge brings even more emphasis to the focus of the song in claiming that they cannot keep going around in circles, and there must be more to music than just a sound. Real change must come from within. The song ultimately concludes that there is something more significant going on than any particular genre or style of music. There is a truth within the spaces between that music occupies. That is more meaningful than any label or membership in a scene.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I remember at a party
The singer recalls a memory of a party.
A couple a years ago when I saw an MC.
The event took place a couple of years ago, when the singer saw an MC perform.
He ripped the mic then he passed it to me,
The MC performed well and then gave the singer a chance to perform.
I learned a little lesson, he helped me to see.
The singer learned a lesson from the MC's performance.
It's not about choosing guitar or the decks;
The singer realizes that it's not about choosing between playing guitar or DJing.
It's doing it yourself that gets the respect.
The singer believes that doing things on your own is what earns respect.
Stuck like a sign, now was the time
The singer felt limited before, but is now ready to perform.
I was ready for the beat, ready for the bassline and boom!
The singer is ready to perform with confidence.
Now we're mixing the sound for the show
The group is preparing the sound for their show.
So punks say Oi! B-Boys say Bo!
The audience has different reactions and expressions.
We've seen them come and I've watched the bands go,
The group has witnessed different bands perform.
I'd better get a dedicated outlook yo.
The singer understands the need for a dedicated outlook.
And that's the reason that we came and add a twist.
The group adds their own twist and reason for performing.
I thought that punk was all about the freedom mister!
The singer used to think that punk was all about freedom.
Don't want to be the sound to tick off your list,
The group doesn't want to be just another sound on someone's list.
We're bigger than this punk rock.
The group believes they are bigger than the category of 'punk rock'.
Well anything we call 'punk rock',
The group questions the label 'punk rock'.
In a category called 'punk rock'.
Punk rock is just a category.
'Punk rock' is only ever going to be punk rock.
Punk rock can never be anything more than punk rock.
Some things are bigger than punk rock.
The group believes that some things are bigger than punk rock.
Look around,
The singer encourages the audience to look around.
No, we aren't unified by guitars crashing down.
The group believes that they aren't unified by just the sound of guitars.
Revolution is more than sound.
The group believes that revolution is more than just a sound.
We're better together and still we're going nowhere,
The group believes that they are better together, but are still not moving forward.
Can't see the wood for the scene.
The group is having trouble seeing the bigger picture beyond their scene.
But in the spaces between lies the truth that we've got
The group believes that the truth lies somewhere beyond their scene.
And it's bigger than punk rock.
The truth they discovered is bigger than punk rock.
Anyway, never going to never pin us down,
The group proclaims that they cannot be pinned down.
Any style, play it from a squat to a stage,
The group is willing to play their music at any venue.
Strike Anywhere, spread it about like shareware.
The group wants to spread their music like shareware.
Anyone far beyond little pond, respond,
The group is reaching out to others beyond their local scene.
Yet, this mindset;
The group acknowledges their own mindset.
Preach the converted, yet we forget
The group realizes that they are preaching to those who are already converted but sometimes forgets that.
It's just Minor Threats and fanzines are
The group is making a comparison to Minor Threat and fanzines.
Empty of meaning if we're not being UK.
The group believes that their music loses meaning if they aren't being true to the UK.
Stop pretending that it's not UK.
The group urges others to stop pretending that they are not from the UK.
Not America we're in UK.
The group clarifies that they are not in America, but rather in the UK.
Got to sing it like we're from UK
The group wants to perform like they are from the UK.
And maybe then we'll find a way.
The group hopes that performing like they are from the UK will help them find their way.
Round in circles. I can't see this. Revolution.
The group feels like they're stuck in a cycle and can't see how to start a revolution.
More than just a sound.
The group believes that a revolution is more than just a sound.
But in the spaces between lies the truth that we've got
The group believes that the truth lies somewhere unexpected.
And it's bigger than punk rock.
The truth they discovered is bigger than punk rock.
We're better together and still we're going nowhere,
The group believes they are better when they perform together, but they are still not making progress.
Can't see the wood for the scene.
The group is having trouble seeing the bigger picture beyond their scene.
But in the spaces between lies the truth that we've got
The group believes that the truth lies somewhere unexpected.
And it's bigger than punk rock.
The truth they discovered is bigger than punk rock.
But in the spaces between lies the truth that we've got
The group believes that the truth lies somewhere unexpected.
And it's bigger than punk rock.
The truth they discovered is bigger than punk rock.
Contributed by Violet H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.