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.
The Greenhouse Effect
Ten Hands Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who think in triplicate and dream in $$$
They are the rule makers, they are the gameplayers
They think that they will be here 'til the end of time
There is a president who has a cabinet
They think defensively and dream of deficits
Till the end of time..
They think that they will be here till the end of time..There are boys and girls in college with two story townhouses
With paid utilities and late model sports cars
There are people in churches with blind religions
Who dictate morals to chosen people
There are men with educations and women with degrees
Who use their brains for money to build a life of ease
There are "sensitive young artists" with high ideals
Who recognize the danger and stuff their ears with fame
(TAKE IT, GARY!!!!)
[There is every kind of person, there is every kind of pain
There's a different life for all of us, it all ends up the same
There are smokestacks belching chemicals into the atmosphere
And God is smiling down on them
The intent was always clear
It turns out that what's important
Is not what it seems to be
'Cus in the end there's still the sun, the moon, the earth, the sky, the sea...]
...the end of time
The lyrics of Ten Hands' song The Greenhouse Effect speak to the disparity between various groups of people and their lifestyles, as well as the impact their actions have on the environment. The song presents a series of contrasts between those who have power and those who don't, and those who have money and those who don't. The chorus repeats the phrase "They think that they will be here till the end of time," suggesting that these groups believe they are invincible and will never face consequences for their actions.
The song also touches on the theme of environmental degradation, particularly through the line "There are smokestacks belching chemicals into the atmosphere." This highlights the damaging effects of industry and the tendency of those in power to prioritize profit over the health of the planet.
The song ultimately presents a bleak outlook on humanity's future, with the suggestion that we are all headed towards the "end of time" regardless of our differences. However, the final lines of the song offer a glimmer of hope, pointing out that there are still natural wonders like the sun, moon, earth, sky, and sea that persist despite human actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Three men in offices with air conditioning
There are powerful, corporate individuals working in comfortable indoor environments.
Who think in triplicate and dream in $$$
They prioritize maximizing profits and minimize liabilities, taking a simplistic and often risk-averse approach to decision-making.
They are the rule makers, they are the gameplayers
These individuals are positioned to impose regulations and shape the market to reflect their own interests.
They think that they will be here 'til the end of time
They take stability and job security for granted and value immediate, tangible results over long-term planning or sustainability.
There is a president who has a cabinet
The most powerful political institutions, as represented by the United States' executive branch, feature similarly minded individuals focused on cautious fiscal policy.
They think defensively and dream of deficits
They prioritize avoiding financial risk and limiting expenditures, even if that approach yields limited results or stifles potential progress.
There are boys and girls in college with two story townhouses
There are privileged young people pursuing higher education who already enjoy a higher standard of living than most individuals elsewhere in the world.
With paid utilities and late model sports cars
Their wealth affords them luxury amenities and a sense of entitlement, often obscuring the ways in which their social status was inherited without earning it.
There are people in churches with blind religions
There are devout individuals who adhere to fundamentalist beliefs without questioning their underlying values or considering other perspectives.
Who dictate morals to chosen people
Despite not having an intrinsic understanding of what it means to be good, they use their religious beliefs as the primary source of guidance for their personal ethics and their interactions with others.
There are men with educations and women with degrees
Some people are highly educated and capable of critical thinking and problem-solving skills but decide to use these skills to increase their financial stability and ease of living.
Who use their brains for money to build a life of ease
Despite being capable of meaningful contributions beyond the confines of their own comfort, they prioritize personal comfort over a more broad scope of professional fulfillment and global betterment.
There are "sensitive young artists" with high ideals
There are creative individuals who have a greater sense of empathy and desire for social change than other members of society.
Who recognize the danger and stuff their ears with fame
They are aware of the pressing social and political issues that confront their communities, but rather than taking action, they prioritize the glamour and personal success that comes with creative work.
There is every kind of person, there is every kind of pain
Diversity is ubiquitous and pain is a part of every human experience.
There's a different life for all of us, it all ends up the same
Each individual and each journey is unique, yet humanity shares a common destination.
There are smokestacks belching chemicals into the atmosphere
The modern world's reliance on industry and production has resulted in serious and long-lasting environmental costs.
And God is smiling down on them
Many religious faiths justify the destruction of the natural world as an inherent right granted by God.
The intent was always clear
Corporations and political leaders have knowingly chosen financial gain over environmental protection and basic ethical guidelines.
It turns out that what's important
The world's priorities need to shift away from short-term profit and individual comfort towards sustainability, cooperative solutions, and a greater sense of global empathy.
Is not what it seems to be
Many of the world's most pervasive beliefs and power structures are steeped in illusions, justification, and exploitation.
'Cus in the end there's still the sun, the moon, the earth, the sky, the sea...
Despite humanity's destructive tendencies, the natural world continues to outlast and overshadow the constructed and ephemeral human world.
...the end of time
Humanity will come to an end eventually, yet the world will move on without us.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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