TISM (an acronym of This Is Serious Mum) was an Australian alternative rock… Read Full Bio ↴TISM (an acronym of This Is Serious Mum) was an Australian alternative rock band from Melbourne. The band was formed in 1982 and broke up in 2004.

The true identities of the members of TISM have been kept secret. For this reason, the band often appear in balaclavas when they play concerts, although they have also been known to indulge in ridiculously complex costumery to the same end. They have been thought to have been influenced by The Residents in this regard. However, the true identities of the members are common knowledge among fans of the band.

Numerous rumours have arisen as to why the members of TISM do not reveal their identities. One of which is that due to the highly controversial nature of their lyrics, if people were to know their true identities they could risk legal action. Another is that they are all, in fact, school teachers and need to keep their reputation in check. The latter theory is supported by the fact that the band's tour dates virtually always coincide with school holidays.

The band members have created pseudonyms for themselves.
Current known members include:
* Ron Hitler-Barassi: Vocals
* Humphrey B. Flaubert: Vocals
* Jock Cheese: Bass
* Eugene de la Hot-Croix Bun: Keyboards and samples
* Jon St. Peenis: Saxophone
* Les Miserables: Dancing

Past members are:
Tokin' Blackman (R.I.P. 2008)
Genre B. Goode
Leak Van Vlalen
Tony Coitus
Steak and Charles Kidney

Hits include:

(He'll Never Be An) Ol' Man River
Greg! The Stop Sign!!
Everyone Else Has Had More Sex Than Me
All Homeboys Are Dickheads
Whatareya
Thunderbirds Are Coming Out

On the 9th April 2008 James "Tokin' Blackman" Paull died after a 15 month battle with lung cancer. Jock was the guitarist with the Aussie legends for 16 years. He was 50 years old.

Garbage
TISM Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I met a member of Generation NEXT
"Hey, what's in with you kids these days?
I'm so old I'll probably never have heard of it"
And he replied "Purple Haze."

"Purple Haze"
"Purple Haze"

Now I know that we should seperate our garbage
The enviroment 'll give us thanks
It's going too far when teenagers recycle
Their parents adolescent angst.

Do you want to save the world?
Well don't recycle, don't recycle
Do you want to save the world?
Well don't recycle, don't recycle

Monday night is 50's night;
Tuesday night is 60's night;
Wednesday night is 70's night;
Friday night is Thursday night.

Paul McCartney once said the Sex Pistols
Were another band playin' Chuck Berry;
At the time I thought, "You boring old wanker",
Now I think it's down right scary.

Do you want to save the world?
Well don't recycle, cycle, cycle
Do you want to save the world?
Well don't recycle, cycle, cycle

Garbage!
Don't recycle, cycle, cycle

Garbage!
Don't recycle, cycle, cycle

Overall Meaning

The TISM song "Garbage" highlights the irony in the act of recycling. The song starts with a conversation between the singer and a member of the younger generation, where the latter responds that "Purple Haze" is what's in with them. The song later moves on to discuss the concept of recycling and how it has become a trend amongst teenagers, driven by their parent's adolescent angst rather than a conscious effort towards saving the environment. The song portrays the idea that the environment thanks individuals who separate their garbage, but when teenagers recycle, it's going too far, and it's more of a rebellion against their parents' values, rather than a concern for the planet.

The song also delves into Paul McCartney's famous statement about the Sex Pistols being like Chuck Berry, which the singer initially found boring, but now finds downright scary. The song's lyrics suggest that recycling has become too mainstream and trendy, leading the younger generation to recycle without truly understanding its environmental benefits. The song ends with the repeated chorus of "Garbage! Don't recycle, cycle, cycle," echoing the song's overall message of irony.

Line by Line Meaning

I met a member of Generation NEXT
I came across a young person from the next generation

"Hey, what's in with you kids these days? I'm so old I'll probably never have heard of it" And he replied "Purple Haze."
I asked the person what their generation is into, and they replied with a song from the past, specifically 'Purple Haze' by Jimi Hendrix.

Now I know that we should seperate our garbage The enviroment 'll give us thanks It's going too far when teenagers recycle Their parents adolescent angst.
I have come to understand that it's important to separate our garbage for the good of the environment, but it's absurd when teenagers start recycling their parents' previous generation's angst and frustrations.

Do you want to save the world? Well don't recycle, don't recycle Do you want to save the world? Well don't recycle, don't recycle
Are you interested in saving the world? Well forget about recycling because it's not going to make a difference. Don't recycle, don't recycle.

Monday night is 50's night; Tuesday night is 60's night; Wednesday night is 70's night; Friday night is Thursday night.
Different nights of the week are dedicated to various musical decades, starting from the 50s and going through to the 70s, with Friday being a repeat of Thursday.

Paul McCartney once said the Sex Pistols Were another band playin' Chuck Berry; At the time I thought, "You boring old wanker", Now I think it's down right scary.
Paul McCartney said that the Sex Pistols were simply copying Chuck Berry's style of music. At first, I thought that McCartney was just a boring old man, but now I find it alarming and frightening.

Garbage! Don't recycle, cycle, cycle Garbage! Don't recycle, cycle, cycle
Garbage! Stop recycling and start cycling, cycling, cycling instead.

Contributed by Evan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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