Taking influences from both early punk rock as well as classic ska bands, Subb has been a mainstay in the Quebec independent music scene. Their first full length release "The Highstep to Hell" came out in 1997 on Underworld Records and received critical acclaim from fans and critics alike. Now jump to March 2000, when Subb released their long awaited follow-up "Until the party ends" on Montreal's Stomp Records. This record was a new chapter in the bands young career with its mix of raw energy of punk rock with sweet stylings of ska and reggae music.
Subb have toured extensively in 2000 to support "Until the party ends". After taking part in the national Vans "State of the Union" Tour with label-mates Reset and Men O' Steel, the band went on to play the Montreal and Toronto stops of the Vans Warped Tour. Also, they have toured a lot in Quebec, Ontario and the Canadian east coast with bands such as Less Than Jake, Suicide Machines, Strung out, No Motiv, Samiam and The Planet Smashers. The videos for the singles "L.A. Beach Bum" & "All About Shane" brought their sound to a wider audience as it was put into heavy rotation on MusiquePlus and has been featured on Much Music as well as being the indie spotlight. The video for "All about Shane" reached #8 on the Top 20 and was, for 6 weeks in a row, part of the daily top 5 on MusiquePlus.
2001 started off well for the band has they played the MusiquePlus "Jam des neiges 2001" alongside Orgy and Crazy Town in front of an audience of 10 000 people. In April, Subb crossed the pond and toured Europe for 3 weeks, playing gigs all across Switzerland and Germany. As soon as they got back from Europe, they were on the road again, this time touring Canada from coast to coast with ska superstars The Planet Smashers. After the two-month tour, Subb played again at the Vans Warped tour on the local Union stage, in front of 8000 crazy fans, in Montreal and Toronto. The launch of the re-released "The Ultimate Highstep to Hell" was played in front of a sold-out crowd at Montreal's The Spectrum.
The year 2002 saw the launch of "Daylight Saving", Subb's second full length original album for STOMP Records. The record was a slight departure from their previous material, delving more into their punk roots and proving that Subb is one of the most versatile bands out there. In terms of touring, Subb headlined the very successful Molson Dry/Musique Plus 123 Punk Tour in April and May. In the summer, the band played the Ramprage event with Pennywise and played 3 dates (Boston, Montreal, Toronto)on the Vans Warped Tour on the Union Stage. Not content to sit still, the band headlined another tour, this time across the country with labelmates Fifty Nutz and then did a regional Quebec and Ontario tour with Big Wig. Subb put out 3 videos from this record, "Daylight Saving", the title track, "Twenty-One" and "Out of the line." "Twenty-One" received airplay on Musique Plus, Much Music and Much Loud. "Out of the Line" was also added into rotation on MuchLoud.
Now jump to April 2006, when the band's latest album "The Motions" came out on STOMP records. Their 4th full length album was recorded at Piccolo studios in Montreal (The Sainte Catherines, Voivod, Simple Plan, etc …) and produced by Frank Joly. With the release of The Motions, Subb is set to raise the bar a lot bit higher, mixing their distinctive brand of melodic punk rock with reggae, ska and even a little hardcore just for good measure. Phehomenal production and insightful songwriting round out what will prove to be their finest album to date.
The band has been working extremely hard over the last months to support this release, and the videos for the single "The Motions" has been added to heavy rotation on MusiquePlus and MuchMusic, while MuchLoud, Edge TV and MTV Canada has featured the video several times.
Subb have also been touring extensively in 2006. The band took part of the national 2006 GRIND tour last May, with Mad Caddies, Satanic Surfers, The Loved ones and label-mates The Resistance. In the summer, they played several dates in Quebec and Ontario to support their new album "The Motions" and will also be playing the Toronto and Montreal stops of the Vans Warped Tour.
For this coming year, Subb will continue touring as much as possible, and will shoot a new video for the next single.
Grey
Subb Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your senseless battle scares me sometimes
Mass racism, driven with terrorism
Who said that's the way to rule the world?
Destroying our lives, destroying ourselves
Destroying the hope that we are building
Don't wanna die waiting for the Grey race
This perfect class of harmony, racism free
How long can my discontentment last?
The song "Grey" by Subb is a reflection on the issues of violence, racism, and terror that continue to plague our world. Throughout the lyrics, there is a sense of urgency and fear as the singer witnesses these destructive forces at work. The opening lines set the stage for the chaos that ensues, as "fights" break out and it becomes unclear who is in the right or wrong. Additionally, there is a sense of helplessness as the singer is "scared" by the situation, suggesting that there is little they can do to stop the violence.
The second verse delves deeper into the impact of these issues, describing how they are "destroying our lives" and "destroying the hope that we are building." The use of repetition emphasizes the seriousness of the issue and the need for change. The chorus then expresses the singer's desire to escape this environment, to not want to wait around for the Grey race or the perfect class of harmony where racism is eradicated. There is a sense of frustration, as the singer wonders how long they can continue to be discontented with the world as it is.
Line by Line Meaning
Pick it up fights, don't know who's wrong or right
Starting fights without knowing the true cause is dangerous and unsettling
Your senseless battle scares me sometimes
Watching others fight without understanding the reason is frightening
Mass racism, driven with terrorism
Terrorism fueled by racism is a terrible way to govern society
Who said that's the way to rule the world?
Questioning the logic behind governing with racism and terrorism
Destroying our lives, destroying ourselves
The negativity we create only serves to harm ourselves and our future
Destroying the hope that we are building
All the progress we make loses its value when we allow negativity and hate to destroy it
I don't wanna stay here, can't take it anymore
Feeling overwhelmed and wanting to escape the negativity and chaos
Don't wanna die waiting for the Grey race
Not wanting to wait for society to change and improve, only to experience more of the same
This perfect class of harmony, racism free
Idealizing a world where everyone lives in harmony without any form of discrimination
How long can my discontentment last?
Wondering how long the dissatisfaction and disappointment with society will persist
Contributed by Matthew R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.