Before forming the Dream Syndicate, Wynn played guitar in the Davis, California-based band The Suspects, whose members included vocalist Kendra Smith (who later played bass in the Dream Syndicate) and Russ Tolman and Gavin Blair (who would form True West (band)); in 1979 they released a single, "It's Up to You" b/w "Talking Loud." Two years later, under the name 15 Minutes, he self-released another single, "Last Chance for You" b/w "That's What You Always Say" (later performed by the Dream Syndicate), which owed much to Joy Division.
Though they were popular with critics, an influence on other musicians, and signed briefly to a major label, The Dream Syndicate were never really commercially successful. They did establish, however, the fan base on which Wynn built his solo career.
Since 1990, Wynn has released a number of albums exploring various musical styles. His first solo album, Kerosene Man, included backing work by bassist Fernando Saunders (a frequent sideman of Lou Reed, to whom Wynn was often compared early in his career), drummer D.J. Bonebrake from the L.A. punk band X, Howe Gelb of Giant Sand and saxophonist Steve Berlin from Los Lobos. Peter Buck, from R.E.M., played on its follow-up, Dazzling Display, and co-wrote the title song. Backing on Melting in the Dark (1996) was provided by the Boston band Come.
Here Come the Miracles (2001) was his best-selling solo album to date, and the best-reviewed, appearing at year's end on numerous critical Top Ten lists.
In 1985, Wynn wrote a collection of songs with Dan Stuart of Green on Red, and recorded and released them as Danny and Dusty. This collaboration was revisited in 2007 for a second Danny & Dusty album. In the '90s he was a part of the indie supergroup Gutterball along with Stephen McCarthy of The Long Ryders and Brian Harvey and Johnny Hott of House of Freaks. In 2008 Wynn and his wife Linda Pitmon collaborated with Scott McCaughey (The Minus 5) and Peter Buck (R.E.M., The Minus 5) for a record with songs about legendary baseball players - this collaboration is known as The Baseball Project.
The double CD From a Man of Mysteries: A Steve Wynn Tribute was released by the German label Blue Rose in 2004 and features Wynn's songs performed by the likes of Concrete Blonde, the Silos, Chuck Prophet, The Minus 5 and others.
Wynn also records as Steve Wynn & The Miracle 3.
Wynn is at present more popular in Europe than in the United States. While domestic tours are rare, he continues to perform regularly overseas.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Wynn_%28songwriter%29
Sustain
Steve Wynn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Which only makes me dare to see
More than I really should
I test myself to show I can endure
Beyond the point of anything that anyone
Has tried to suffer through before
And only the pain remains (sustain, sustain)
Like a debt that I never tried to pay before
And no one's ever gonna take
The fee away from me
I try to clear the books with time
Instead of tangible artifacts
And elements and bits of me that I can't see
And only the pain remains (sustain, sustain)
Nothing that time can explain away
And on and on and on and on
In Steve Wynn's song Sustain, the lyrics depict a curiosity to see more, yet a reluctance to actually witness what is seen. The singer tests their own endurance by pushing themselves to see beyond what anyone else has tried to suffer through before. However, by doing so, the only thing that remains is the pain- something that time cannot erase or explain away.
The lyrics also reference a debt that the singer has never tried to pay before, and nobody can take the fee away. This could be interpreted as the emotional debt or burden that the singer is carrying- something that they have never dealt with before, and nobody can alleviate it for them. Instead, the singer tries to clear the books with time, rather than tangible artifacts or elements that they cannot visually see.
Overall, the song Sustain explores the complexity of emotions and the challenges of dealing with emotional burdens. The singer is testing their endurance and pushing themselves to confront the pain, yet they struggle to find a way to deal with it.
Line by Line Meaning
The more I see, the less I think I want to see
As I continue to witness the world around me, the less I desire to witness. It's a paradox that only drives me to see more.
Which only makes me dare to see
The lack of desire encountered from seeing reveals a sense of adventure and dare to explore even more.
More than I really should
This touch of recklessness leads me to explore beyond the boundaries I should follow, letting me take more than I should when exercising this curiosity.
I test myself to show I can endure
Pushing myself is a test of my own perseverance to survive, and this is what I need to endure the difficulties that lie ahead.
Beyond the point of anything that anyone
Setting the bar beyond what anyone else has been capable of doing takes courage and conviction.
Has tried to suffer through before
It’s a path that no one has traversed, marred by difficulties that have never been explored before.
And only the pain remains (sustain, sustain)
The only thing that persists and stays is the pain that comes with such a challenging journey.
Nothing that time can explain away
Over time, the trauma of the experience does not dissipate or fade off.
Like a debt that I never tried to pay before
It feels like a liability that is yet to be paid off.
And no one's ever gonna take
Nobody can take away the pain or make things alright for me.
The fee away from me
The price to pay is mine alone, and no one else can bear it.
I try to clear the books with time
The only way I can attempt to move past the pain is by letting time heal the wounds and scars left by the journey.
Instead of tangible artifacts
There is nothing physical that can be used to clear such pain, for it is only a feeling.
And elements and bits of me that I can't see
The damage cuts deep beyond what is visible, and it's parts of me that I can't witness that bear this brunt.
And on and on and on and on
This painful cycle goes on, unending and unceasing, leaving me at the mercy of time to heal my wounds.
Contributed by Grayson K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.