Scared Straigh… Read Full Bio ↴Ten Foot Pole was founded in 1983 as Scared Straight.
Scared Straight was a punk band from Simi Valley, California. The band was formed in 1983 by a group of friends and was originally called S.O.F. Original members were Scott Radinsky, Mike Thompson, Gary Gallanes and Dennis Jagard, who started the band to enter a "Battle of the Bands" competition at a local skate rink. After going through several members and name changes, they began playing with some "Nardcore" bands from nearby Oxnard, California, which helped them gain recognition. All of the Scared Straight records were released by Mystic Records.
In the early 1990s they changed their name to Ten Foot Pole. One of the reasons for the name change was to move away from the "straight-edge" reputation that followed the band with a name like Scared Straight. In the beginning, Ten Foot Pole had a reputation of being a more aggressive, hardcore punk band that likes to party and have fun. The band released two albums under their new name with the old lineup: Swill and Rev. After the release of Rev and a split EP with Sweden's Satanic Surfers, Radinsky was forced to leave the band due to his professional baseball commitments and Ten Foot Pole's desire to be a full-time touring band. From then on Dennis Jagard took over lead vocals for the band.
The next albums, Unleashed and Insider, developed a new fan base but lost some old time fans who preferred Scott's voice. This included decision makers at Epitaph Records, and the next album, Bad Mother Trucker, was released on Victory Records, followed by Subliminable Messages on Go-Kart Records. The band toured Europe to promote the album, along with Phinius Gage. Various musicians joined and left along the way as the band toured heavily in the US and Canada. Various members included Glen "Vegas" Murray Eric Cody, Kris Kwiatkowski, John Chapman, Dan Kelly, Chris Dalley, Keith Divel, Chris Del Rio, and Mike Levy who is a teacher in California, along with Kevin Ruggeri, who is an English teacher for Conestoga High School in Berwyn, Pennsylvania. Lead singer Dennis is a sound engineer, who has mixed for artists including Prince, Beck, AFI and Jimmy Eat World.
On 4 April 2009, the band ended a three-year hiatus with a show at the Riorock festival in Belgium, followed by some shows in California in late 2011 and a short tour in Australia in November 2012.
They were also featured 2000 in the Punk Goes Metal compilations performing a cover of "Love Song" by Tesla.
Do It Again
Ten Foot Pole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
surprise a musician down on his luck
I could use a hand to pay the rent
"son you could
A doctor, a lawyer, not a bum
have you learned you lesson? half your life is spent!"
If I could turn back
time
hit rewind
If I could start all over again....id do it again
I followed a dodgy path
Playing songs not chasing
cash
Shivering in a van in prague
I won't call my lyrics art
but some kids know the words by heart
bond
I like to think we share a
If I could turn back time
Hit rewind
If I could start all over.......id do it again
In Ten Foot Pole's song Do It Again, the singer speaks about an interaction with his father. The singer asks his father for $50 to help out a musician who is struggling to make ends meet. The father responds by asking if the singer has learned his lesson and suggests that the singer could have been a doctor or lawyer instead of a bum. The singer then reflects on his life where he has followed a dodgy path, playing songs rather than chasing money. The singer shares a bond with his fans who know the lyrics to his songs by heart. The singer wishes he could turn back time and start over again, but he would do it again, following the same path he took before.
The song speaks to the struggles of musicians who often face financial difficulties while trying to pursue their passion. The singer's father's response also highlights the societal pressures to pursue certain careers, such as being a doctor or lawyer, instead of following a less conventional path. The singer's reflection on his life suggests that despite the challenges he has faced, he still finds value in his chosen path and the connection he has with his fans.
Line by Line Meaning
Dad can you spare $50
Asking for a favour from somebody who is in dire straits
surprise a musician down on his luck
Use the money to uplift an artist who is going through a rough period
I could use a hand to pay the rent
Expressing vulnerability and financial instability, leading to a need for assistance
"son you could
Have been someone
A doctor, a lawyer, not a bum
have you learned you lesson? half your life is spent!"
A parental figure admonishing someone for their choices, highlighting paths that could have been taken and questioning whether they've learnt their lesson as a result of it.
If I could turn back
Expressing a desire to go back to a certain point in time
time
The concept of the past and how it is impossible to change it
hit rewind
A metaphorical use of rewinding to evoke the idea of wanting to go back in time and change events that happened in the past
If I could start all over again....id do it again
Expressing a wish to have a fresh start, with the implication that despite knowing the challenges and risks, one would still pursue their passions.
I followed a dodgy path
Playing songs not chasing
cash
A confession that the path chosen was perhaps not the most secure or financially stable, with the focus being the desire to play music as opposed to making money from it.
Shivering in a van in prague
I won't call my lyrics art
but some kids know the words by heart
Despite not considering themselves an artist, the fact that there are people who connect deeply with their lyrics is a testament to the power and universality of music.
bond
I like to think we share a
The connection formed between people through music, a feeling of camaraderie that transcends regular social interactions.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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