For generations of great American songwriters, the music and the message have been inextricably linked. Word and deed are one in the same, and the only thing more moving than the rousing call to action is the evocative melody that transports the words like a shell casing. These are fire-breathing poets of justice who sing about ordinary people in extraordinary ways, and can turn the world inside out with three chords and the truth. These are the tenets by which STATE RADIO’s Chad Stokes Urmston, Chuck Fay, and Mike “Mad Dog” Najarian are driven, and they once again flex that strength and sense of purpose on their third album, LET IT GO. But this is no soapbox symposium.
“It’s the only way I know how to do it,” says singer/guitarist Stokes about the band’s impassioned social consciousness. “It’s the only way State Radio has done it. This has always been an organic, grassroots thing. It’s about trying to be true to what we do.”
Like Rage Against The Machine and System Of A Down before them, State Radio roll up their sleeves as they practice what they preach, whether it’s riding bikes to gigs to support Bikes Not Bombs, hosting food drives in conjunction with Rock For A Remedy, or playing shows to raise money for the Learning Center for the Deaf. How’s Your News?, a film project created by Stokes while working at a camp for adults with disabilities, where the campers are the reporters, was just a way for Stokes and company to flip the standard interview format on its head with a different viewpoint before it was picked up by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for a run on HBO and MTV.
Action is hardly a new concept for all the members of State Radio. Before the band, Mad Dog volunteered as mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters, while Fay was and continues to be a powerful voice for Instant Runoff Voting and comprehensive election reform across the country. On tour, State Radio has joined with Amnesty International to expose the injustices and improprieties of the legal system by protesting the death penalty for Georgia’s Troy Davis. They’ve worked to minimize wildfire danger by removing invasive plants from areas in California, and have partnered with Oxfam America to organize home run derbies and 5K road races to raise money and awareness to help protect women against violence in Sudan. Most bands have touring schedules. State Radio have an Action Calendar.
During their sold out, 25-city tour this past February, the band performed service projects in every town they visited, from serving lunch at a homeless shelter in Houston to building a community garden at an inner city elementary school in Washington, D.C. Calling All Crows (callingallcrows.org), the group’s platform for social action started by Stokes and State Radio tour manager Sybil Gallagher, is committed to continuing the group’s socio-political dialogue once the music ends and the lights come up. In less than a year, State Radio and their fans have amassed over 1,800 hours of community service through projects that have local, national, and global impact.
“There are times when there’s a service project every morning at 9am—and we’d had a late night the night before—where it’s like, ‘Are we a service group that plays music, or are we a band that does service projects?’” Stokes laughs. “There’s a balance between the two things because they feed each other. I want to experience the stuff I’m writing about.”
That same mindset held true for Stokes’ previous band, the roots rock outfit Dispatch, who formed while Stokes was a student at Middlebury College in Vermont. Though the group disbanded in 2002, they’ve reunited three times, the most notable being a three-night, sold out run at Madison Square Garden in 2007 to raise funds and awareness for poverty-stricken Zimbabwe. It marked the first time in history an unsigned band had headlined the Garden, let alone sold it out.
“It was a progression,” says Stokes’ of the shift from Dispatch to State Radio, who formed in 2002. “I think had Dispatch stayed together, all these State Radio songs would have been Dispatch songs.”
State Radio’s first album, Us Against The Crown, introduced listeners to the band’s raw, pop-punk sound. Tracks like “Mr. Larkin” and “Black Cab Motorcade” had all the boundless energy of a vigorous protest, while “Right Me Up,” a personal account of a friend with a disability, showcased Stokes’ reggae harmonies.
Their second album, Year Of The Crow, was recorded in the UK and produced by Tchad Blake (Peter Gabriel, Pearl Jam, Soul Coughing). Featuring songs like “Sudan,” “Guantanamo,” and “Gang Of Thieves,” the album pushed the group’s socio-political motivations even further into the forefront. It also broadened their sonic palette with bigger guitars (“CIA”) and more diverse instrumentation (“The Story Of Benjamin Darling, Part 1”). But the bridge between both records has always been Stokes’ transcendental storytelling, which continues to mature and evolve on Let It Go.
The album kicks off with “Mansin Humanity,” a gripping song about the Armenian genocide, then slides into “Calling All Crows,” a one-drop groove that calls the band’s legion of fans to attention as Stokes beckons, “It’s gonna be a showdown, said the rebel to the revolutionary, come with me!” Elsewhere, State Radio invoke the spirit of the Clash on “Doctor Ron The Actor” and “Knights Of Bostonia,” a raise-yer-pints anthem to the band’s hometown. (After all, Stokes did meet Mad Dog while he was drumming on a bucket outside of the home of the Red Sox Fenway Park.) Another track, “Held Up By The Wires,” mixes classic Boston references and Civil War tales with nods to Jack London’s “The Road,” sailing pioneer Irving Johnson, and Stokes’ own time spent in Zimbabwe. The track has been in the band’s repertoire since the early days, but it wasn’t until now that it found it’s way onto an album, a fact Stokes attributes to the way in which Let It Go was recorded.
While touring Year Of The Crow, State Radio enlisted Tchad Blake’s assistant, Dom Monks, as their front-of-house engineer; a critical position for a band with such a large live audience. When it came time to seek out producers for Let It Go, Monks threw his hat in the ring. He also suggested that the band record the songs in the same manner as they were performed: live off the floor, with all the instruments buzzing and howling at once.
“He has a great ear and he’s worked with the best guy,” says Stokes of his producer and friend. “He knew all our songs and he did an amazing job.”
Two-thirds of the album were recorded at Q-Division in Boston, while the remaining parts were tracked at the famous Long View Farm Studio, the preferred practice space of the Rolling Stones before all their US tours, and a location that houses just as much livestock as it does vintage pre-amps. The rustic setting provided the perfect atmosphere with which to coalesce the band’s trademark live energy, while recording straight to tape with limited tracks allowed them to be more succinct with the musical message they wanted to convey.
“We’ll take the long way around, we gather on the wall on the wrong side of town. We’ll surprise them all,” sings Stokes on “Evolution.” After years of social action and political awareness—not to mention playing in front of thousands upon thousands of fans with very little support by the mainstream—the 33-year-old Stokes knows a thing or two about how to serve up lighting in a bottle. Sometimes quiet persistence is the best way. Like when he and 15 other peers spent 28 days walking a headstone 433 miles from Sherborn, Massachusetts to Arlington National Cemetery to honor unknown civilians killed in war. (Alas, they were stopped at the bridge and not allowed to enter.) But after you’ve done the backstroke in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and shaken hands with the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, what do you do next?
“I think the dream would be to jump freights to each city,” says Stokes of their upcoming tour to support Let It Go. “Going out to the Democratic National Convention last year, my brother and I jumped freights from Massachusetts to Denver, then from Denver to California, opening up for Rage in the middle there.”
And have someone drive the gear?
“Or just get back line everywhere we go,” Stokes smiles, “and hit the rails that night.”
State Radio’s Let It Go is out September 29, 2009.
Black Cab Motorcade
State Radio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On the south side of where you live
Heard the call and had to leave
Boarded up windows burned out brick
Oh please don't you get
A little know fact about the place you set
It's always an empty plate
It's just there so we don't
Forget your loss and your history
Well indeed you found your friend
On the south side of where you live
All curled around his knees
Was it worse then you fret
The punishment you get
Hollow points in the concrete
Have you wailed for the likes of the walls and hunger strikes
Are you more than what you hate
Your fear will not fade the lines
That paint your face
It's a black cab motorcade
Black cab motorcade
Well this one must be lost
At this ungodly time of day
A broken curfew has a cost
A tidy sum you'll pay
Teacher won't you teach your lesson
Though the young are hard to break
Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson
And the cost of school these days
Well indeed you found your friend
On the south side of where you live
He was up and walking again
And have you heard what's happened since
Oh please don't you get
Is there any honor outside of revenge
Don't let her set another empty place
We swear that we won't
Forget your loss and your history
Forget your cross and your history
Have you wailed for the likes of the walls and hunger strikes
Are you more than what you hate
Well your fear will not fade the lines
That paint your face
It's a black cab motorcade
Black cab motorcade
Black cab motorcade
The song "Black Cab Motorcade" by State Radio is a reflection of the ongoing gang wars in different parts of the world. The lyrics talk about a friend who gets lost on the south side of the singer's home. The place is notorious for its high crime rate, and the boarded-up windows and burnt-out brick create an eerie atmosphere. The singer urges his friend not to forget the loss and the history of the area, as it's essential to keep such things alive as a reminder to fight against the prevailing conditions.
Later, the friend is found again on the south side of town but is curled up in pain. The punishment they've received is evident in the hollow points in the concrete, a reminder of the violence surrounding the area. The song questions whether we are more than what we hate and whether we can rise above our fears and prejudices to see the world as it is. The black cab motorcade is a symbol of the power and influence that gangs have in such areas.
The song addresses relevant themes such as crime, gang wars, loss, and history, and encourages us not to forget the past, but to learn from it. The lyrics challenge us to look beyond our differences and to try and build a better world. The song's powerful message, coupled with an energetic melody, makes it an essential track that resonates with audiences worldwide.
Line by Line Meaning
Well indeed you lost your friend
You have experienced the loss of a friend.
On the south side of where you live
It happened in a certain location, specifically the south side of where you live.
Heard the call and had to leave
Your friend was pulled away from you by some kind of external obligation.
Boarded up windows burned out brick
The surroundings of your loss are bleak and/or abandoned.
Oh please don't you get
There is a fact you should know, but may not be aware of.
A little know fact about the place you set
There is something important about the place you are in right now.
It's always an empty plate
The place you are in is always emotionally barren or unfulfilling.
It's just there so we don't
The place exists to serve a specific purpose.
Forget your loss and your history
The place exists to help you cope with and remember your past.
Well indeed you found your friend
You have been reunited with your friend.
All curled around his knees
Your friend was in a vulnerable or emotionally distraught position when you found him.
Was it worse then you fret
You may be worried that things are worse than they seem.
The punishment you get
There are negative consequences for your actions or circumstances.
Hollow points in the concrete
There is physical evidence of violence or aggression.
Have you wailed for the likes of the walls and hunger strikes
Have you expressed your emotions in a way that reflects the conditions around you?
Are you more than what you hate
Do your thoughts or actions define you purely by what you oppose?
Your fear will not fade the lines
Your fear will not erase evidence of what you have gone through.
That paint your face
This experience has left a mark on you that is visible and emotional.
It's a black cab motorcade
A powerful, ominous force is headed your way.
Well this one must be lost
Someone or something is lost or out of place.
At this ungodly time of day
It is an inconvenient, late hour.
A broken curfew has a cost
There are risks and penalties associated with breaking curfew.
A tidy sum you'll pay
The cost of breaking curfew is significant.
Teacher won't you teach your lesson
There is a need for guidance or instruction in order to improve understanding of the situation.
Though the young are hard to break
Even if someone is young, they may be resistant to new ideas or ways of thinking.
Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson
The threat of violence is present.
And the cost of school these days
The education system is expensive and may contribute to social inequality.
He was up and walking again
Your friend has recovered from their previous state of vulnerability.
And have you heard what's happened since
There have been developments or events that you may not be aware of.
Is there any honor outside of revenge
Is there a way to respond to grief or injustice that doesn't involve seeking revenge?
Don't let her set another empty place
Do not allow someone else to suffer the same loss or pain that you have experienced.
We swear that we won't
An affirmation of commitment or solidarity.
Forget your loss and your history
Remember the past and the specific events or people that have shaped it.
Forget your cross and your history
Do not forget the challenges you have faced and overcome or the lessons they have taught you.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Dai3eb
This band has the best endings to their songs, they really know how to rock out.
@TheJroll007
This is my Favorite song by State Radio. Very good =D
@grayzbeardz
so good.
@maerzirulez
this definitely deserves more views
@Feral_gatr
I'm actually glad that in windows movie maker u made the effort (unlike most) to make the text something other then the default 'fade in - fade out white text on blue'
@braunbaerjunges
@Tahkwa radio state in your head, you know ;)
@Knatterbart
this some becomes a sticky .. ouch