Born from the Dallas suburb of Denton, TX, in the mid-'80s, Ten Hands brief… Read Full Bio ↴Born from the Dallas suburb of Denton, TX, in the mid-'80s, Ten Hands briefly enjoyed heaps of acclaim and an impressive following in their home state. Their music tended to be high in energy, syncopated and funky. Matched with Paul Slavens]' charismatic vocal stylings and political assertions that denigrated the ruling elite, the complacent middle class, and environmental evils, Ten Hands was one of the more politically oriented Texas bands of the era. They rarely forgot to be fun, however, and their musical playfulness and frequent lyrical absurdism belied any pretensions they may have had.

Sometime in late 1986, Mike Dillon, Gary Muller, and Matt Chamberlain were playing in Dallas-based band Zane Grey, who actually appeared on Star Search. They did not win, but Muller did get to touch Ed McMahon (specifically, his hand). Meanwhile, Steve Brand and Slavens were playing in a Denton band called the Gonemen. Dillon, Muller, and Chamberlain lived in the same Denton house as other members of the Gonemen, and when dissatisfaction with both groups began to appear, the idea for a new band was spawned.

The first Ten Hands rehearsal (documented on videotape) took place late 1986 in Denton. Shortly thereafter, Zane Grey's manager, Tony Johnson, accepted an offer to manage the fledgling band. For the first year, Ten Hands played mostly small venues in Denton and performed a weekly gig at the Prophet Bar, a seminal Deep Ellum club in Dallas. During this time, a studio recording was made and handmade cassettes were sold and distributed in and around the Dallas, Ft. Worth, and Denton area.

Chamberlain and Dillon were already well-known in Denton as top players in the University of North Texas Jazz program, and interest in the band soon grew. It was also during this time that the New Bohemians were becoming a major draw in Dallas. It happened that several members of that band were friends with a few Ten Hands members, and ultimately, New Bohemians finagled some opening slots for Ten Hands at Deep Ellum's celebrated Club Dada. The Club Dada shows helped expose the band to a much wider audience, and the venue would later host many of Ten Hands' most memorable performances.

In late 1988, Earl Harvin joined the band as drummer after the Matt left to play with the New Bohemians. The band went into the studio to record Kung Fu...That's What I Like. As New Bohemians vacated Dallas for bigger and better things, Ten Hands stepped in to fill the void and began what would be a three or four year run as one of the region's most popular draws. The band won numerous Dallas Observer Awards in 1988-1989, and shortly after the release of their first live CD, The Big One Is Coming, and sold over 20,000 copies. Joe Cripps joined the band to replace Dillon on percussion.

Earl left the band to play with Mike Dillon's Billy Goat and "Big" Al Emert became drummer. Ten Hands started to tour heavily and built a large following with college audiences.

At a SXSW performance, the band was offered a record deal by an independent producer in L.A. Desperate to release an album after two years of inactivity, the band agreed and began work on Be My Guru in late 1991. While the album contained some of the band's best songs, the recording itself was a disappointment and the relationship with the label grew stormy. By the time the band left the label, much of their earlier momentum was lost.

As the band's popularity began to wane, a friend of the band, Byron Wilson, offered to produce a CD. Jazz for Jerks was recorded in early 1993 with the assistance of the band's friend and longtime collaborative producer, Dave Castell.

Steve Brand left the band in 1993. New guitarists, Chris Claridy and Chad Rueffer joined and the band wrote some new songs and continued to gig around the area. In the next incarnation, guitarist, Ed McMahon (in a strange twist of fate), and drummer Greg Beck were hired. A demo record was recorded with the brand new lineup, but the album was never mixed or released.

Ten Hands continues to play, with various lineups, several times a year in the Dallas area.

Alligator Brain
Ten Hands Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(Slavens, Muller)
Taste of blood
On my lips
Cold spot in my heart
Man of action
Plan of action
No reaction
Cold spot in my heart

There's a cold spot in my heart
If I love you
I can hurt you
Cold spot in my heart
Everything that you say can be used
In a cold spot in my heart
I've got a cold spot in my heart
The knife cuts
My heart bleeds
Please don't push me baby,
There's a cold spot in my heart
Just can't be responsible
For tearing you apart
When I'm in my alligator brain
I see my chance
I make my move
Got a cold spot
I've got a cold spot in my heart
Once I'm in motion
There is no devotion
Just one cold emotion

Cold spot in my heart
I've got a cold spot in my heart

Overall Meaning

The song "Alligator Brain" by Ten Hands is about the singer's struggles with their cold and impulsive nature. The lyrics talk about the "cold spot" in their heart that prevents them from feeling emotions like love and empathy. The song starts with the singer describing the taste of blood on their lips, painting a picture of someone who is accustomed to violence. The lyrics explain that when the singer is in their "alligator brain", they're ruthless and only focused on their own desires, without any regard for the consequences of their actions.

The chorus takes a more introspective tone, as the singer admits that their alligator brain is harmful to those they love. They express a fear of hurting their partner and acknowledge that the things their partner says can trigger their coldness. The second verse emphasizes the singer's inability to control their impulses; once they've made a move, they can't turn back or show any sort of loyalty or devotion. The final line emphasizes that the cold spot in the singer's heart is permanent and not something they can easily overcome.

Overall, "Alligator Brain" is a dark and chilling portrayal of someone struggling with their own violent nature, acknowledging their negative impact on others and the potential harm they can cause.

Line by Line Meaning

Taste of blood
The singer has experienced violence or aggression, possibly caused by themselves.

On my lips
Their violent experience was recent and still fresh in their memory.

Cold spot in my heart
The singer is experiencing emotional detachment and a lack of empathy towards others.

Man of action
The artist presents themselves as someone who takes action and is not afraid to act on their desires.

Plan of action
The artist has thought out and possibly strategized their actions towards a particular goal.

No reaction
The singer is emotionless and unresponsive to the reactions of others towards their actions.

There's a cold spot in my heart
Reiterating the singer's emotional detachment, likely a defense mechanism against vulnerability.

If I love you
The artist acknowledges the existence of love in their life.

I can hurt you
The artist is warning their loved one that their emotional detachment may lead to hurting them.

Everything that you say can be used
The artist may use their loved one's words against them for their own gain or advantage.

In a cold spot in my heart
Reiterating the singer's emotional detachment and lack of empathy, particularly towards their loved one.

I've got a cold spot in my heart
Emphasis on the artist's emotional detachment, possibly as a result of past emotional trauma.

The knife cuts
The singer has caused and may continue to cause emotional harm to others.

My heart bleeds
The singer feels guilty or remorseful for the harm they have caused, but not enough to change their behavior.

Please don't push me baby,
The singer is hinting at their eventual violent reaction if pushed too far.

Just can't be responsible
The artist acknowledges their lack of responsibility for their actions towards others and may refuse to take accountability.

For tearing you apart
The artist knows that their actions may have severe emotional consequences for their loved one.

When I'm in my alligator brain
The singer is describing a specific state of mind where their primal urges and instincts take over, making them potentially dangerous.

I see my chance
The singer is opportunistic and may take advantage of a situation or person for their own gain.

I make my move
The artist takes action towards their goal, regardless of the consequences for others.

Got a cold spot
Reiterating the artist's emotional detachment and lack of empathy in this state of mind.

Once I'm in motion
Once the artist has started taking action towards their goal, they will not stop or deviate from it.

There is no devotion
The singer does not feel any sense of loyalty or commitment towards others when they are in this state of mind.

Just one cold emotion
When the artist is in their alligator brain, they only feel one emotion, likely a primal and selfish one.

Cold spot in my heart
Reiterating the singer's emotional detachment, particularly in this state of mind.

I've got a cold spot in my heart
Emphasis on the singer's emotional detachment, particularly when they are in their alligator brain and acting on their primal urges.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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