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.
Never Look Back
Ten Foot Pole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Before the wind, before the snow
Lived an old and aging man who lost his friend He carried by his side
All the things he had in life
Left all the things that troubled him behind
And he was once in a desperate
Need for attention and so much more
No more feeling sorry
And no more getting mad
Yeah right! You got the answer
Through the years he came to know
Sometimes its better to let it go
And never look back no matter what they said
And then the ones he learned to ignore
The ones who always asked for
More secretly respect the life that he led
And he was once in a desperate
Need for attention and so much more
Living his life with the question of conception There is no more...
No more feeling sorry
And no more getting mad
Yeah right! You got the answer
The lyrics to Ten Foot Pole's "Never Look Back" is a reflection about a man who used to be consumed by his bitter past but has learned to move on and transcend his hardship. The first stanza describes the man as an old and aging individual who had experienced loss and found solace in letting go of his troubles. He is portrayed to have left everything behind and carried only what he needed, symbolizing a shedding of emotional baggage that he has learned to manage. The second stanza talks about how the man used to be in a desperate need for validation and attention, always seeking more but has come to realize that there is no more point in feeling sorry or getting angry. He answers his own question of conception and through the years, came to learn that it's better to let go of negativity and never look back no matter what they said. The man has learned to ignore the frivolous things and focus more on living his life in a way that gains respect from others, showing an evolution in character.
The song is a great reminder to live life fully without dwelling on the past. It reminds us that everybody has their own struggles and we should learn to let go, shed our own burdens, and live life the way we want it to be. The lyrics also highlight the point that validation and attention from others should never be the main goal in life as it only adds more pressure and stress. On a more general context, the song serves as an inspiration to persevere through life and face it head-on with positivity and optimism.
Line by Line Meaning
Long long time ago, Before the wind, before the snow
Many years ago, during a peaceful time
Lived an old and aging man who lost his friend He carried by his side
There was an elderly man who carried the memory of his deceased friend with him
All the things he had in life Left all the things that troubled him behind
The man left behind everything that caused him stress and worry and only kept the important things
And he was once in a desperate Need for attention and so much more Living his life with the question of conception There is no more...
At one time, the man was desperate for attention and acceptance, always questioning whether or not he was good enough. He has since overcome these insecurities.
No more feeling sorry And no more getting mad Yeah right! You got the answer
He no longer feels sorry for himself or gets angry because he has found the answer to his problems.
Through the years he came to know Sometimes its better to let it go And never look back no matter what they said
Over time, he learned to move on from difficult situations and never dwell on other people's negative opinions.
And then the ones he learned to ignore The ones who always asked for More secretly respect the life that he led
He learned to ignore those who always wanted more from him and discovered that they secretly admired the lifestyle he created for himself.
And he was once in a desperate Need for attention and so much more Living his life with the question of conception There is no more...
This stanza is repeated from earlier in the song to emphasize the man's transformation and newfound confidence.
No more feeling sorry And no more getting mad Yeah right! You got the answer
Again, this stanza is repeated to emphasize his progress.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DENNIS STEVEN JAGARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind