The introduction of bands like S.O.A. and Minor Threat signaled a change in the mood of the DC hardcore scene. Early hardcore acts like the Teen Idles and the Untouchables had a light-hearted vibe. Songs were often goofy and humorous and few ever approached any sort of serious subject. The new crop of bands that formed, though, like S.O.A., Minor Threat and Youth Brigade, were angrier and projected a tougher image. S.O.A. was a perfect example of this. Musically not as strong as their peers in Minor Threat, their style was simple thrash with Henry's monotone bark on top of the mix. The songs were usually about things that made Henry mad, like girls and cops, or his love of fighting. Despite their rudimentary style and limited musical ability, S.O.A.'s live performances were reportedly exhilarating.
After several shows, Simon left the band to attend college. He was replaced by Ivor Hanson. Dischord Records wanted to put out an S.O.A. release, but the infant label also wanted to put out a record by Minor Threat and there was not enough money to do both. The band had already recorded while Simon was in the group, so Henry solved the problem by paying for pressing of the record himself with money he saved while working as a manager at an ice cream store.
While things were looking up for S.O.A., fate would soon intervene. Henry was offered a chance to audition for LA's Black Flag. After practicing with the band in New York, he was asked to join as their singer. Word of Henry's new gig soon filtered back to Henry's friends in DC, who had mixed feelings about his imminent departure for the west coast. The rest of S.O.A. was particularly disillusioned, as it would likely mean the end of the band. S.O.A.'s last gig was in Philadelphia opening for Black Flag, after which Henry left town with that band.
Henry had approached Ian MacKaye's younger brother Alec about taking over for him in S.O.A., but Alec didn't want to sing Henry's words. Instead, he, along with Michael Hampton and Ivor Hanson, formed the Faith, while Wendel Blow joined proto-skinhead act Iron Cross and later co-founded Lethal Intent. Henry, after changing his last name to Rollins, went on to sing for Black Flag until their demise in 1986.
Gate Crashers
State of Alert Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your red hot temper has grown cold
You guard the scene you struggle to own
You think it's a restricted zone
[Chorus:]
Been around so long don't know your name
Your head is swollen with all that fame
Your loving fans are growing few
With tunes so old they're sick of you
Your hair's too long and so's your set
It won't be too hard to forget
[Chorus]
The lyrics of Gate Crashers by State of Alert talks about a person who is so involved in their own fame and success that they have lost touch with reality. The song starts with the line "You wanna die before you get old," which suggests that the person is so caught up in their own ego that they believe that dying young is preferable to growing old and losing their fame. As the song continues, it becomes clear that the person's once hot temper has grown cold as they struggle to hold onto the scene they believe they own. Their sense of entitlement is reflected in their belief that the scene is a restricted zone and that they are the sole gatekeepers.
The chorus of the song further emphasizes the person's disconnection from reality. They have been around for so long that people don't know their name anymore. Their head has swollen with all that fame, but their loving fans are growing few. Their tunes are old, and people are sick of them. Their hair is too long, and their set is too drawn out, making it all too easy to forget them. The song ends with a repeat of the chorus, bringing home the message that the person's success is rapidly fading away.
Line by Line Meaning
You wanna die before you get old
You desire to quit the scene at your peak, and not become irrelevant or antiquated.
Your red hot temper has grown cold
Your formerly fiery and rebellious spirit has now been subdued.
You guard the scene you struggle to own
You're protective of the music scene you helped create, but are still struggling to maintain your hold on it.
You think it's a restricted zone
You believe that your style of music and cultural influence should only be accessible to a select few.
Been around so long don't know your name
Despite your lengthy time in the industry, your notoriety is declining, and people are forgetting who you are.
Your head is swollen with all that fame
Your ego has been inflated by your previous successes, and you are struggling to maintain your former status.
Your loving fans are growing few
Your loyal fanbase is dwindling, and you are struggling to attract new ones.
With tunes so old they're sick of you
Your music catalogue consists of outdated and repetitive songs that are no longer appealing to your audience.
Your hair's too long and so's your set
Your signature appearance and performance style have become outdated and are considered undesirable.
It won't be too hard to forget
It will not take much effort for people to forget about you and move on to newer, fresher acts.
Been around so long don't know your name
Despite your lengthy time in the industry, your notoriety is declining, and people are forgetting who you are.
Your head is swollen with all that fame
Your ego has been inflated by your previous successes, and you are struggling to maintain your former status.
Contributed by Kaelyn A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.