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.
East Coast Jones
Ten Hands Lyrics
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Back home it's the same
Things are very slow to change
By the time the news comes in from L.A.
The latest fad is already passe (hey, hey)
The clothes and the music and the latest phrase
Tomorrow has the reek of yesterday
Everybody wants to keep upWith the east coast Jones
And the west coast way to play
Back here it's the same
Everything is up to date
They say
Build it up, buy it up, eat it up fast
It's made for looks
But it ain't made to last
Buy a nice house
Buy a nice car
Junior executives
Born to be a star
If you want to be in fashion
You'll have to pay
The east coast Jones
And the west coast way to play
Out there it's the same
Except there ain't nobody knows your name
'the grass is always greener on the other side'
And 'you can run but you can never hide'
Well you see
All the same rules will still apply
You'll still get low
You know you'll still get high
Everybody runs to keep up
With the east coast Jones
And the west coast way to play
The lyrics of Ten Hands's song "East Coast Jones" describe the pressure of conforming to societal trends, as well as the paradox of constantly seeking novelty while everything is essentially the same. The song contrasts the perceived excitement of living in bigger cities on both coasts of the US with life in the singer's hometown, where change is slow to happen. The chorus highlights the desire to keep up with the "Joneses," or those who set the standards for fashion and lifestyle. The song argues that these standards are not based on functionality or quality but are rather fleeting fads, with tomorrow's trend already carrying the scent of yesterday.
The verses describe the different pressures of living in each location, with people on the East Coast and West Coast both trying to outdo each other in terms of fashion and lifestyle. However, the need to keep up with trends is presented as ultimately meaningless, a cycle of building things up only for them to be discarded because they were not made to last. The song suggests that the pressure to keep up is universal, and even those who move away to escape it will find that they cannot run or hide from it. The repetitive nature of societal trends is emphasized by the repeated refrain in each verse, that everything is essentially the same, regardless of geography.
Line by Line Meaning
Back home it's the same
No matter where you go, things tend to remain consistent
Things are very slow to change
Change is usually a slow process and doesn't happen quickly
By the time the news comes in from L.A.
News travels slowly and can't keep up with the pace of change
The latest fad is already passe (hey, hey)
By the time something new arrives, it is already outdated
The clothes and the music and the latest phrase
Fashion and trends usually have a short lifespan and quickly change
Tomorrow has the reek of yesterday
The future often repeats the past and doesn't feel very different
Everybody wants to keep up
People tend to have a desire to stay current and up-to-date
With the east coast Jones
People are often influenced by cultural trends on the East Coast
And the west coast way to play
People are often influenced by cultural trends on the West Coast
Back here it's the same
Things don't tend to be much different wherever you are
Everything is up to date
Things are current and new
They say
A commonly held belief or expression
Build it up, buy it up, eat it up fast
Society values instant gratification and consumption
It's made for looks
Things are often designed more for style than substance
But it ain't made to last
Things don't tend to have longevity or durability
Buy a nice house
Social status and material possessions are important
Buy a nice car
Social status and material possessions are important
Junior executives
Society values success and importance in the business world
Born to be a star
Society values success and fame in the entertainment industry
If you want to be in fashion
To be trendy and fashionable, you must follow the latest trends
You'll have to pay
Staying trendy and fashionable often requires monetary investment
Out there it's the same
Things don't tend to be much different anywhere else
Except there ain't nobody knows your name
Success and fame are difficult to achieve and are not guaranteed
'the grass is always greener on the other side'
People tend to think that other places or lifestyles are better than their own
And 'you can run but you can never hide'
It is difficult to escape societal pressures and expectations
Well you see
In this way, the world is cyclical and ever-present
All the same rules will still apply
Societal expectations and pressures remain the same no matter where you go
You'll still get low
Life will have its ups and downs no matter where you are
You know you'll still get high
There will still be moments of excitement and joy no matter where you are
Everybody runs to keep up
People tend to have a desire to stay current and up-to-date
With the east coast Jones
People are often influenced by cultural trends on the East Coast
And the west coast way to play
People are often influenced by cultural trends on the West Coast
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind