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.
School
Ten Foot Pole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
About what I did all day
The story's about my old school
And there's not too much to say
I came from a school surrounded by fences
The unbearable stench dulling my senses
Walkie talkie ladies guared the grounds
I wrote my name on the bathroom wall
Six teachers walked me down the hall
The principal's office is where I sat
He beat me over the head with a baseball bat
Got to get away
Glad I got away
Ten Foot Pole's song "School" is a commentary on the experience of attending a particularly oppressive and controlling institutional education system. The lyrics describe the strict, conformist environment of the school, its fencing, and its intimidating security personnel, along with a host of peers who maintain the status quo. The singer describes the school as dull, joyless, and oppressive. The teachers are shown to be overbearing and excessive in their discipline, even going so far as to physically assault students. The singer, however, eventually escapes this bleak, restrictive environment and is grateful for the opportunity to leave.
The song is a notable example of punk rock protest music, using aggressive, fast-paced music to match the lyrics' frustrated and restless tone. One possible interpretation of the song is that it reflects the larger societal issue of over-controlling institutions that limit individual freedom and creativity. The song's success is also partially due to its relatability, with many people having endured challenging experiences in their own school.
Interestingly, "School" was the first single released by Ten Foot Pole's new lead singer, Denis Jagard. He joined the band in 1993, and the song was featured on their debut album, "Swill." The song was later re-recorded and included on the band's 1997 album, "Unleashed." It is widely regarded as one of the band's most popular songs and is still played regularly during live performances.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm going to tell you a story
The singer plans to explain their experience at school.
About what I did all day
The story will be a summary of the singer's usual school day.
The story's about my old school
The singer is describing a past educational institution.
And there's not too much to say
The school did not make a productive or positive impression on the artist.
I came from a school surrounded by fences
The school campuses were enclosed by barriers.
The unbearable stench dulling my senses
The odors were overpowering and influenced the singer's ability to think clearly.
Walkie talkie ladies guarded the grounds
Female security officers patrolled the area.
Stupid jocks and preppies ran all around
Athletic individuals and privileged students dominated the school.
I wrote my name on the bathroom wall
The artist engaged in vandalizing the property.
Six teachers walked me down the hall
The artist was being escorted by several educators.
The principal's office is where I sat
The singer was present in the head administrator's office.
He beat me over the head with a baseball bat
The principal inflicted violence against the artist with a sports object.
Got to get away
The singer's only option was to escape the negative environment.
Glad I got away
The singer feels relieved about fleeing the detrimental setting.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
FillorynFurther
sick as shit