2) A British rock band from Liverpool in the mid 70's. They released two albums, Rush and Back to Thunder.
Strife were formed by Paul Ellson in 1969 with Peter Trotman on guitar, Peter Hobbs on bass , and Ellson on drums. Within a few gigs, Gordon Rowley had replaced Hobbs on bass and also became chief vocalist. Around that time, Graham Kin also joined on keyboards and vocals, leaving within a year to return to studies.
Soon (1971), the band were joined by John Reid, ex The Klubbs, on guitar and vocals. They recorded a demo - 'Preparation' c/w 'Jerafter' as a four peice but soon after, Peter Trotman left the band and they were joined by singer Paddy Breen also ex The Klubbs. Breen's sojourn, however, was short-lived.
In '72, John Reid was badly injured whilst Stock Car racing. Peter Trotman stepped in temporarily but, at a Liverpool Club, Gordon Rowley was electrocuted and almost died on stage, being resuscitated by medics from the stunned audience.
Back together again, the 3 piece record "Magic of the Dawn" a demo recording organised by soul singer Edwin Starr who had seen the band at the Mardi Gras club in Liverpool. (Whist gigging nationally, Strife also often played local, Merseyside venues, sometimes playing Liverpool's Cavern Club, two or even three nights in a week.)
In 1973 Strife went to Los Angeles, they had an invitation to contact Mal Evans, Apple executive and former Beatles road manager. They had met Mal on a film set, 'Little Malcolm'. Although their act was considered too wild and attention-grabbing for the film's club scenes (some audience members spontaneously jumped on the tables, thus spoiling the shots) it's possible that the band may be seen as extras (has anyone out there checked?). Mal Evans was working in L.A. with John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. However, the media frenzy at this get-together was so intense that, a few hours prior to the arranged meeting, the ex-Beatles and their entourage had left the city for a secret destination where they could continue their work in peace. No-one, including Strife, were told of the departure or the destination.
As the band walked away from the abandoned meeting place, a pink Cadillac did a U-turn and pulled alongside. It was Edwin Starr. Through Starr they soon met up with R.Dean Taylor and recorded a demo album, both in L.A. and in San Francisco, with Taylor as producer. One of these songs, 'Better Man than I' turned up on the album 'Rush'. These sessions also resulted in the acetate 'Worry', believed to be now owned by renown Liverpool DJ, Billy Butler. Whist on a second trip to the US that year, Strife were offered a deal by the William Morris Agency to replace Grand Funk Railroad on their roster. For some reason, the band were unimpressed and returned to the UK to tour; gigs included the last night of the original Cavern Club.
Strife signed with Chrysalis Records in the UK in '74 and recorded 'Rush'. It was released in early '75 with a strong appearance in the Virgin chart (at the time, the main barometer of UK rock music). As the album was released, Strife toured with Ginger Baker led outfit, The Baker Gurvitz Army. Shortly after this tour, they were joined by guitarist Vic Pappaleo but, despite Vic being an amazing guitarist, the format didn't work out. Strife continued as a three piece, working solidly and increasing their fan-base. However, despite the band's popularity, Chrysalis, whilst going through a corporate identity crisis, refused to release any further material - yet they held Strife to their contract. Regardless of the legal situation, Strife were determined to keep recording and recorded the EP 'School', releasing it on their own label, Outlaw. (Their agent, Paul King was later to take the name 'Outlaw' for his highly successful concert promotions company). After Strife eased out of the Chrysalis contract, 'School' was quickly picked up and released by EMI .
During this mid-70s period the gigging figures showed that Strife were the most in-demand rock band in Britain. No band was safe from being blown offstage. Procol Harum paid Strife off, Judas Priest pulled out, The Average White Band turned plain nasty and Slade's manager, Chas. Chandler, gave instructions that his band should never have to appear with Strife again. Moving from support, from '73 onwards, the band headlined in major venues as well as famous rock clubs such as the London's Marquee and Frankfurt's Zoom.
On New Year's Eve 1977, Paul Ellson left the band to be replaced by David Williams, his former drum roadie. With Williams in the driving seat, the album 'Back to Thunder' was recorded and released on the Gull label. By now though, Punk dominated the scene and, within a year or so, following an illness' of Gordon Rowley, the band split.
3) Dungeon synth. https://strifeofficial.bandcamp.com/
To an End
Strife Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who choose to refuse self-destructive points of view
And with each day spent in self-perseverance
My voice is strong against what's wrong forcing it to end
Forcing it to end
Standing in this defiance and wearing the mark of those
We chose to refuse our system's defective views
Our voices strong against what's wrong
We're forcing it to end
We're forcing it to an end
The lyrics of Strife's song "To an End" speaks of defiance against self-destructive views and the system's defective views. The song emphasizes how by standing in this defiance and refusing to give in to these negative thoughts and beliefs, one can wear the mark of those who choose to resist such views. The song talks about how every day spent in self-perseverance strengthens one's voice against what's wrong and eventually forces it to end. It's almost as though the song is encouraging the listener to stay strong and persevere through the hardships and struggles they might face and keep fighting against what they believe is wrong.
The song is essentially about standing up for what you believe in and being defiant regardless of the obstacles that might come your way. In a society that's filled with negativity and self-destructive views, the song strives to empower the listener to resist these notions and have a voice against what's wrong. It's a positive message of perseverance, hope and being resolute in the belief that things can change, and you can be part of that change.
Line by Line Meaning
Because I stand in this defiance I wear the mark of those
I am proud to stand up against what is wrong and fight for what is right, alongside others who share the same beliefs and values.
Who choose to refuse self-destructive points of view
We reject harmful beliefs and attitudes that only lead to our own destruction and instead choose to pursue positive and healthy ways of thinking and acting.
And with each day spent in self-perseverance
Through steady and determined efforts to stay true to our values and resist negative influences, we become stronger and more resilient in our convictions.
My voice is strong against what's wrong forcing it to end
I use my words and actions to speak out against injustice and oppression, pushing them towards their eventual defeat and cessation.
Forcing it to end
We refuse to allow harmful and negative forces to continue unchallenged and unchecked- we will fight to put an end to them for good.
Standing in this defiance and wearing the mark of those
By refusing to give in to harmful or oppressive forces, we join forces with others who share our beliefs and values, and wear our strength and conviction as a badge of honor.
We chose to refuse our system's defective views
We reject the perverse and destructive views promoted by our society and its institutions, knowing that they only lead to harm and suffering for all.
And with each day spent in our self-perseverance
Through our ongoing commitment to stand up for what is right, not just when it's easy but every day, we grow stronger in our ability to resist the negative influences around us.
Our voices strong against what's wrong
Uniting our voices together, we make clear our opposition to the harmful and oppressive forces at work in society, and push for positive change and transformation.
We're forcing it to end
Together, we will exert our collective strength and willpower to put an end to the destructive and harmful forces around us, creating a better and more just world for all.
We're forcing it to an end
Through our tireless efforts and unbreakable commitment to what is right, we are driving towards an eventual end to the oppressive and unjust systems that currently plague our society.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ANDREW E. KLINE, CHAD JEREMY PETERSON, RICK MYRON RODNEY, SIDNEY A. NIESEN, TODD RYAN TURNHAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind