Tantric is a post-grunge band from Louisville, Kentucky, that was formed by… Read Full Bio ↴Tantric is a post-grunge band from Louisville, Kentucky, that was formed by three former members of Days of the New, Jesse Vest, Todd Whitener, and Matt Taul, with the addition of Merge singer, Hugo Ferreira. They were signed to Maverick Records in 1999, and recorded their self-titled debut with producer, Tobey Wright in 2000. The record was released in February 2001, which debuted at #193 on the Billboard 200. The record eventually went platinum, largely on the strength of the single "Breakdown" and the band's extensive touring with the likes of Kid Rock and Creed. Follow-up singles "Astounded" and a remixed version of "Mourning" also fared well.

The band's sophomore effort, "After We Go", again produced by Wright, was released in February 2004, preceded by the single "Hey Now". Described as heavier than their first record, "After We Go" debuted at #56 on the Billboard 200. Unfortunately, the album did not match the success of their debut, in part due to the poor reception of follow-up singles (the title track "After We Go," and their cover of Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain"). Nevertheless, Tantric soldiered on, touring with Three Doors Down and Shinedown for much of 2004.

In 2005, it was announced that Jesse Vest had left the band to spend time with his family. He was replaced by Bruce LaFrance. For much of that year, Tantric worked on their third record. Some of the songs tracked for the record include "Letting Go", "People", "Worth Waiting For", "Fall Down", "The One", "July", "Locked Out", and "Stay With You". Todd Whitener recorded the bass guitar parts for the album, and also contributed lead vocals to a number of songs.

In January, 2006 Tantric traveled with hard rock group Drowning Pool to Seoul, South Korea to play several shows for U.S. troops currently stationed along the DMZ. Highly appreciative of this, the troops gave members of the band a plaque with actual barbed wire from the 38th parallel barrier.

In March, 2006, Tantric was dropped from Maverick Records, which was collapsing. In 2007, Matt Taul was arrested on drug-related charges, which would further complicate the band's obtaining a new label. Finally, on May 8, 2007, the release of three songs from Tantric III on the band's MySpace was largely overshadowed by Todd Whitener's farewell announcement on the band's website, which cited a feeling of stagnation that caused him to grow tired of the band's struggle to succeed. Ferreira later said in interviews that Whitener, as well as other members of the band had grown frustrated with the band's record label complications. Taul was sent to prison in later months, but has since been released. Bruce LaFrance was replaced.

Hugo Ferreira began searching for a new band, enlisting former Fuel drummer Kevin Miller, Joe Pessia (guitarist Dramagods) through mutual friend Nuno Bettencourt, Erik Leonhardt (bassist), and Marcus Ratzenboeck (electric violin) as new members of the band. Shortly thereafter, Tantric announced their deal with the Silent Majority Group record label, and their new management company, JHMP.

Because Ferreira remained the only original member of Tantric, Tantric III has been shelved for the time being. Ferreira has said the reasoning for this, other than the logical label complications, was he did not want to produce an album under the Tantric name that was partially written by Whitener and Taul. However, in recent interviews, Ferreira's comments increased the likelihood of Tantric III's release. He has stated that although he did not plan to release it in grand style he would have liked to leak it out to the fans as a potential Christmas 2008 gift for their support. With the indefinite shelving of "T3," Ferreira and his new mates recorded 10 new songs, in addition to a totally revamped version of "The One," featuring Kevin Martin of Candlebox, and finally released the band's third album, The End Begins, on April 22, 2008.

On March 9 2009, Tantric announced through MySpace that their new album will be entitled Mind Control and that the band were in the process of recording the album. Produced by Brett Hestla (Creed), they announced a release date of August 4, and it was released in stores, as well as all digital retailers.

Cliche
Tantric Lyrics

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I'm not your average cliché
Crackerjack formula
I never did say I'd be your trick, yeah

So don't you try to fool me
With your pseudo honesty
I never did say I'd be your trick

Oh, there's nothing better than being given the chance
Doesn't this mean I'm changing who I am?
I cannot live with my biased eyes

So put your wallet away
The soul is not a price to pay
I never did say I'd be your trick

So don't you try to fool me
With your pseudo honesty
I know in time you'll see what I mean

Yeah, there's nothing better than being given the chance
Doesn't this mean I'm changing who I am?
I cannot live with my biased eyes
oh, there's nothing better than being given the chance
Doesn't this mean I'm changing who I am?
I cannot live with my biased eyes, yeah

Oh, now now now now

There's nothing better than being given the chance
Doesn't this mean I'm changing who I am?
I cannot live with my biased eyes, woah!
There's nothing better than being given the chance

Doesn't this mean I'm changing who I am?
I cannot live with my biased eyes

Overall Meaning

The song “Cliche” by Tantric is a powerful message about individuality and staying true to oneself in the face of societal pressures. The lyrics open up by stating “I’m not your average cliche,” indicating that the singer is aware of the expectations that society places on individuals and they are not interested in conforming. The use of the term “Crackerjack formula” implies that the singer understands the repetitive nature of cultural norms and resists being a part of the cycle. The repetition of “I never did say I’d be your trick” emphasizes the refusal of the singer to be a puppet of society.

The chorus of the song tackles the idea of change and the possibility of growth. The line “There’s nothing better than being given the chance” highlights the need for opportunity and freedom from constraints. However, the following line “Doesn’t this mean I’m changing who I am?” shows the struggle of maintaining one's identity while exploring new possibilities. The phrase “biased eyes” at the end of the chorus refers to the preconceived notions and prejudices that can limit personal growth. The overall message of the song is to embrace individuality and authenticity, despite the pressure to conform.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm not your average cliché
I don't fit the typical stereotype

Crackerjack formula
I'm unique, not a formulaic product

I never did say I'd be your trick, yeah
I never promised to be someone I'm not

So don't you try to fool me
Don't try to manipulate or deceive me

With your pseudo honesty
Your honesty is fake or insincere

Oh, there's nothing better than being given the chance
Opportunities are valuable and exciting

Doesn't this mean I'm changing who I am?
Taking chances may lead me to growth and transformation

I cannot live with my biased eyes
I don't want to be limited by my own perspectives

So put your wallet away
Don't try to buy my affection or loyalty

The soul is not a price to pay
Authentic connections can't be bought or sold

I know in time you'll see what I mean
You'll eventually understand my point of view