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.
Northern Skies
Sonic Boom Six Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We'll have feelings come what may.
Even as these faces pass by
Fighting but they don't know why.
Oh my, under Northern Skies.
Oh my, under Northern Skies.
A candle on a darkening day.
They say only the strongest survive
But everyone dies, you know that everybody dies
Under Northern Skies.
Is it too late to change our fate with love?
Under Northern Skies.
It's too late to make up? I can see it in my head
But things begin to fall apart instead.
Too late to turn back when you see with your own eyes
That everyone dies, you know that everybody dies
Under Northern Skies.
Your taking apart a piece of puzzle, looking through the lies
Of all the racists and the bigots living in disguise
And understanding all the hatred in their eyes,
Windows to the soul are the weapon of the wise man.
Hey Mr. officer let go me hand,
You don't know me and you don't understand
We are all one people here
Under Northern Skies.
Oh my, under Northern Skies.
It's not too late to change our fate with love?
Oh my, under Northern Skies.
It's not too late to change our fate with love?
Oh my, under Northern Skies.
Hey Mr. officer let go me hand,
You don't know me and you don't understand.
Hey Mr. officer let go me hand,
You don't know me and you don't understand me.
The song "Northern Skies" by Sonic Boom Six talks about the human condition under the occasionally dark and grey skies of Northern England. The lyrics are a commentary on the lives of people trying to make their way through life, trying to fight and overcome the obstacles that come their way, even in the face of uncertainty and ambiguity. The opening lines, "Even if the sky is grey, we'll have feelings come what may" suggest that despite adverse circumstances, people can maintain an emotional connection with others and the world around them.
The song speaks to the need for human connection and the importance of spreading kindness, even in tough times. The line "A smile can go a long, long way, a candle on a darkening day" underlines this sentiment. Through the lyrics, the band is urging people to understand the hatred and bigotry that exist within their society. It evokes a sense of unity among people who struggle to understand each other's unique experiences in life.
In conclusion, "Under Northern Skies" is a song about finding hope even in the face of adversity through human connections, kindness, and love. It is a commentary on the human condition set against the backdrop of the Northern skies.
Line by Line Meaning
Even if the sky is grey
No matter the circumstances of our environment or surroundings
We'll have feelings come what may.
Our emotions and passions will remain strong no matter the difficulty
Even as these faces pass by
Despite the people around us who are fighting for unclear reasons
Fighting but they don't know why.
Battling against one another without a clear understanding of the disagreement
Oh my, under Northern Skies.
The setting for these emotions and actions is under the Northern Skies
A smile can go a long, long way,
Even the smallest acts of kindness can have a great impact
A candle on a darkening day.
A source of hope and light amidst dark and difficult times
They say only the strongest survive
The misconception that only the strongest and toughest people can succeed or make it through tough times
But everyone dies, you know that everybody dies
Ultimate mortality that everyone shares, regardless of strength or resilience
Is it too late to change our fate with love?
Questioning if it's possible to shift the course of our lives with compassion and unity
It's too late to make up? I can see it in my head
Recognizing harmony and solutions in hindsight, but it may be too late to implement them
But things begin to fall apart instead.
Acknowledging that things can and will go wrong at times
Too late to turn back when you see with your own eyes
When we finally come to terms with the reality of a situation or decision, it may be too late to undo it
Your taking apart a piece of puzzle, looking through the lies
Analyzing and uncovering the falsehoods and hate that can exist in some people and society
Of all the racists and the bigots living in disguise
Revealing the truth about those who hide behind a facade of hatred and intolerance
And understanding all the hatred in their eyes,
Recognizing the depth of emotion driving their prejudice and discrimination
Windows to the soul are the weapon of the wise man.
Seeing through people's eyes and into their souls is a powerful tool when used with wisdom
Hey Mr. officer let go me hand,
Addressing police brutality and injustice where officers do not understand the individuals they are handling
You don't know me and you don't understand
Stressing the importance of empathy and understanding for all individuals, regardless of appearances or background
We are all one people here
Emphasizing the shared humanity and commonality of all individuals
It's not too late to change our fate with love?
Reiterating the possibility of altering the course of our lives with compassion and unity
Hey Mr. officer let go me hand,
Repeating the earlier plea for empathy and understanding
You don't know me and you don't understand me.
Emphasizing the importance of truly seeing each individual and understanding their unique experiences
Contributed by Brayden H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.