History
Early years
Their origins sprung from Oxford, United Kingdom in 1984 with the formation of a group called Shake Appeal, named after a song from one of their main influences, The Stooges. Consisting of vocalist/guitarists Adam Franklin and Jimmy Hartridge, lead vocalist Graham Franklin (Adam's brother), bassist Adi Vines, and drummer Paddy Pulzer; Shake Appeal went ahead reproducing the sounds of American garage rock of the late 60's and early 70's. The group wrote what would become Swervedriver's first classic "Son of Mustang Ford," however after a few years the band began to fall apart when both Graham and Paddy left.
The remaining three members drafted drummer Graham Bonnar, but by this time the group's sound mutated significantly under the influence of re-invented guitar music by American bands like Dinosaur Jr., and Sonic Youth. So with a new lineup and new sound came a new name, Swervedriver. Their hometown colleagues from fellow shoegazing group Ride passed their re-recorded demo of "Son of Mustang Ford" to Alan McGee of Creation Records; who, as legend has it, played the tape for the first time while cruising the inner streets of Los Angeles in a limo. The experience caused him sign the band immediately.
First album and possible breakup
Merging the whirling qualities of the shoegazer genre with heavy distorted guitars, and lyrics often featuring cars and escapism, the group debuted with a series of EPs; "Son of Mustang Ford," "Rave Down" and "Sandblasted," before issuing their full-length album debut "Raise" in 1991. Then after a U.S. tour in support of Soundgarden, Bonner left the band; the departure of Vines followed shortly afterwards. Bonner and Vines would eventually go on to form a new group called Skyscraper. Swervedriver's final release with the original lineup, 1992's "Never Lose That Feeling" EP, appeared to be the group's last.
Release of Mezcal Head
But in 1993, Swervedriver re-emerged with the core of Franklin and Hartridge along with newly recruited drummer Jez, and released their landmark album "Mezcal Head." If "Raise" was a product featuring a love of Americana, escapism and the open highway, then "Mezcal Head" was all that, but broadcast in IMAX with Dolby surround sound. Production and sound were greatly improved, and the album gave them their most successful single "Duel," hailed as one of the premier songs of the shoegazer genre. The album clearly forged a permanent link with their American fans, and made them more popular there than in their own native Britain. During this era, the fabled b-side "The Hitcher" found a release on the "Last Train to Satansville" EP. "The Hitcher" is widely considered to be a fan favorite.
Ejector Seat Reservation & Britpop
1994 found the band adding new bassist Steve George, along with extensive touring of the U.S. (supporting The Smashing Pumpkins), Japan and Europe. However by then the shoegazing genre in Britain was dead, replaced by the more mainstream Britpop movement hi-lighted by bands such as Oasis and Blur. The massive rise of Britpop caused Creation Records to drop the band just one week after the U.K. release of 1995 album "Ejector Seat Reservation." It was never released in the U.S. where they could have capitalized on the momentum of "Mezcal Head." ESR was another leap forward for the band, incorporating a wider number of influences from Elvis Costello to Bob Dylan. It saw the group grow into rebel visionaries and received the highest critical acclaim; however without any record company support it was doomed to be their poorest selling venture. This began a period of protracted record label problems for the band which fans dubbed the Swervedriver label curse.
Final years
In 1996, Swervedriver signed on with Geffen Records with a multi-record deal, and promptly began recording their fourth album. However their contract was terminated when their A&R (Artists & Repertoire) representative was fired in a corporate downsizing. Once the legal dust settled the band was awarded their own recording studio along with the finished album, however it was still a major setback. Their fourth and final album "99th Dream" was finally released in 1998 after signing on with Zero Hour Records of the U.S., and it continued the evolution that began with "Ejector Seat Reservation." Drawing less from their earlier ‘grunge' sound, the band never the less maintained their swerving, pyschedelic guitar rifts coupled with Franklin's magical lyrics and droning vocals, and was another brilliant body of work. The group continued to draw on a broader range of musical influences; for example the title track "99th Dream" was written as a prequel to Bob Dylan's song "115th Dream." Despite this album easily containing a half dozen possible hit singles, and a successful tour of the U.S., Britain and Australia; they did not break out beyond their traditional cult following. The "Wrong Treats" EP released in 1999 would become the bands last body of work as an extant group; they announced a hiatus later that year that persists to this day. Adam Franklin continues to release albums under his new band Toshack Highway.
In 2005, Castle Music released a Swervedriver anthology album titled "Juggernaut Rides" which brought together 33 songs; including many only available on rare EPs, and four that were previously unreleased..
In Late 2007 the Creation Records web site confirmed Swervedriver was reuniting for a 2008 tour.
Origins of name
How Swervedriver settled on their name has been the subject of debate among their fans for many years. During interviews whenever questioned on this topic, the band would simply respond that it was just a name; as The Beatles were just a name (in reference to that band's simple response in many early interviews). However Adam Franklin had once mentioned the band liked the connotation of a speeding driver, swerving and ultimately losing control of their car.
Discography
Full length albums
* Raise (1991)
* Mezcal Head (1993)
* Ejector Seat Reservation (1995)
* 99th Dream (1998)
* Juggernaut Rides 1989-1998 (2005) - 2 CD set
*I Wasn't Born to Lose You(2015)
*Future Ruins(2019)
Singles/EPs
* Son of Mustang Ford (1991)
* Rave Down (1991)
* Sandblasted (1991)
* Reel To Real (1991)
* Never Lose That Feeling (1993)
* Duel (1993)
* Last Train To Satansville (1993)
* My Zephyr (1994)
* Magic Bus (1994) - from Day Tripper movie soundtrack
* Last Day on Earth (1995)
* Swervedriver / Sophia Split (1996)
* 93 Million Miles From the Sun ... and Counting (1997)
* Space Travel Rock 'n' Roll (1998)
* Wrong Treats (1999)
Neon Lights Glow
Swervedriver Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You took the best in my life and turned it around
I've seen it all before, it's going nowhere
You take the best from my life and turn it away
I got adrenochrome in my vein but nothing flows
I got adrenochrome in my vein but nothing flows
I've seen your face before, it's going nowhere
Watch the neon lights softly glow
Watch the neon lights softly glow
What I said before, it's going nowhere
Watch the neon lights softly glow
You take the best in my life
And I concede this life ain't killing me
And I confess this death ain't killing me
Perhaps after all this love is killing me
You take the best from my life and turn it away
Look out Joe I think I'm falling now
Look out Joe I think I'm falling now
I can't unfold my arms, it's going nowhere
You take the best in my life and turn it away
I've seen it all before, it's going nowhere
You take the best of my life and turn it away
My soul belongs to the dealer now
My soul belongs to the dealer now
He keeps my mind as well, it's going nowhere
You take the best from my life and turn it away
Watch the neon lights softly glow
Watch the neon lights softly glow
(Watch) Seen it all before it's going nowhere
Watch the neon lights softly glow
Watch the neon lights softly glow
The song "Neon Lights Glow" by Swervedriver is a melancholic commentary on a relationship that has taken away the best from the singer. The repetitive chorus, "You take the best from my life and turn it away," is an expression of frustration and despair at the constant cycle of giving and taking in the relationship. The lyrics also touch on the theme of drug use and addiction, with the mention of "adrenochrome in my vein but nothing flows" and "my soul belongs to the dealer now."
The second verse introduces the idea of familiarity and predictability, with the singer recognizing that they have "seen it all before, it's going nowhere." The chorus is repeated again, followed by a bridge where the singer ponders whether it's the love that's killing them, rather than the aforementioned drug use or death. The song concludes with a repetition of the chorus and a final line about watching the neon lights softly glow.
Overall, the lyrics paint a bleak picture of a relationship that has drained the singer of their energy and left them feeling hopeless and trapped. The use of vivid imagery, such as the neon lights and the mention of adrenochrome, adds to the haunting and atmospheric feel of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
You took the best in my life and turned it around
You took the most valuable things in my life and completely changed them for the worse.
I've seen it all before, it's going nowhere
I've experienced this before, and it never leads anywhere positive or constructive.
You take the best from my life and turn it away
You consistently take the things that mean the most to me and dispose of them, leaving me feeling empty and hopeless.
I got adrenochrome in my vein but nothing flows
I feel high on this drug, but it doesn't actually give me any satisfaction or pleasure.
Watch the neon lights softly glow
Take a moment to observe these lights, perhaps there is some beauty or comfort to be found in them.
And I concede this life ain't killing me
I acknowledge that my life isn't necessarily causing me physical harm, but it still feels like it's killing me emotionally.
Perhaps after all this love is killing me
It's possible that the love and affection that I'm seeking is actually causing me more pain than happiness.
Look out Joe I think I'm falling now
I'm losing my grip and falling into a state of despair and confusion, and I need your help to stay afloat.
My soul belongs to the dealer now
I've become dependent on this dealer for my sense of well-being, and they have taken control of my life and my soul.
Contributed by Dylan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.