Norm Arenas (guitar), guitarist for the hardcore Hare Krishna band Shelter, formed Texas Is the Reason with friend and then fellow Hare Krishna devotee Chris Daly (drums), formerly of the band 108, which played music of a similar kind to Shelter's, some time in the early 1990s in New York City. They both desired to leave the macho attitude and religious preaching of their former projects. With former Fountainhead bassist Scott Winegard (bass), the three recruited one-time bassist for Buffalo's Copper, Garrett Klahn (guitar/vocals), to round out the quartet.
The name "Texas Is the Reason" is lifted from a Misfits song, entitled "Bullet". It also makes reference to a conspiracy theory about the assassination of John F. Kennedy, in which the president was killed in a plot arranged by Texas Democrats in order to give Lyndon B. Johnson control of the White House. Releasing three songs on an EP, Texas Is the Reason became an underground smash and helped usher in an era of similarly motivated and styled emo bands. They then released a split single with The Promise Ring through Jade Tree Records. The following year (1995) they released another split single with Samuel through British record label Simba.
What followed was their first and only full-length album, Do You Know Who You Are?, named after the last statement John Lennon supposedly heard. Produced by Jawbox's J.Robbins and released on Revelation Records , Do You Know Who You Are? brought a lot of major-label courtship to Texas Is the Reason, who were being hailed as the "next big thing" in the growing punk explosion on MTV. Song titles from the album, such as "The Magic Bullet Theory" and "Back and to the Left", continued the allusion to one of the Kennedy assassination theories.
In 1997, on the eve of signing with Capitol Records, the band flew overseas for a European tour. Ongoing intra-band tensions arising from the major label attention reached their apex. The night of the final stop of the tour in Bielefeld, Germany, Daly and Arenas agreed before the show that if the show was "awesome", it would be their last. Arenas later related, "I walked on stage and we opened with 'Antique' and when Garrett started singing, there were eight hundred Germans singing along with us. I looked at Daly and knew that this was over."
The members headed to various different musical projects, with Klahn to New Rising Sons and Daly to indie outfit Jets to Brazil. Winegard started putting out other bands' records through an imprint he co-owns called GrapeOS, while playing with other musicians in a band called the Americans. The only member to go inactive in the world of indie rock was guitarist Norm Arenas, living in Chicago and DJing for almost three years.
Winegard and Arenas joined Charlie Walker of Chamberlain and Jonah Matranga of Far and Onelinedrawing to form the band New End Original, which lasted from 2000 to 2003. Klahn's New Rising Sons released two EPs through GrapeOS, were dropped by Virgin Records, and then disbanded; he now plays in the band Solea. Daly left the now-defunct Jets to Brazil sometime after their 2002 release, Perfecting Loneliness.
Klahn now plays in Solea, with members of Samiam and Sense Field.
After nine years apart, the band decided to reunite to mark the tenth anniversary of the release of Do You Know Who You Are. A single show was scheduled for New York City's Irving Plaza on November 25, but a second show was added for the following night due to an unexpectedly quick sell-out of the first show. In interviews leading up to the reunion, the band noted their long-time disappointment at not playing a final show in their home city. The band also insisted that the reunion shows were a one-time event, and that they had no plans for further shows: "While we empathize with everyone who wants to come to the show, but can't come for any reason, this will not become a tour and we are not reforming the band. That is as clear a statement as anyone can make."
In January 2012, it was announced that Revelation Records would be holding a 25th anniversary celebration at The Glass House in Pomona, California in July of the same year. The band was approached to reunite once more, but ultimately refused the opportunity. Daly, however, traveled to California for the show, featuring a reunited Quicksand, and returned excited about the prospect of another reunion for Texas is the Reason. The band then agreed to headline the opening night of Revelation's east coast event in October 2012 at New York's Irving Plaza. The show sold out immediately upon going on sale, and the band announced a second night held at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. Daly was quoted as saying, "It's like we have this really cool old car that's in really great shape…it's not built for, like, a cross-country trip, but it's good to take out and drive around the neighborhood."
After high demand, the band decided to embark on a brief 8-date 2013 North American tour in that began in Chicago and ended in Los Angeles. That April, the band announced a European tour that they called their "final shows ever," that were to begin in Germany in the summer.
Paying homage to their past, the band decided in July 2013 to play a one-off show at the legendary venue of Maxwell's in Hoboken, New Jersey to celebrate the club's legacy before its closing at the end of that month. Tickets went on sale three days after the initial announcement and were sold out instantly.
On Sunday August 4th, 2013, the band played their "Grand Finale" at London's Electric Ballroom. A post on their official Facebook mentioned that "It is never happening again."
Back and to the Left
Texas Is the Reason Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I dare you to give one reason to stay
And maybe I won't go away
So far you only dared me once
And I think we know that's not even close enough
Not enough for me to stay
But I guess I need to know
What it would have felt like to be right
But I'm getting tired all over again
So hurry up and get here because
I'm still waiting...
Just like I've always been
I'm getting tired of standing around
Just sitting here and waiting to be found
Same old shit just a different day
I'll wait around for one more day
But I know that's what I will always say
Will this ever be O.K.?
I will always worry about you
I will always stick up for you
The song "Back and to the Left" by Texas Is the Reason is a reflection on the difficulty of holding onto hope while living in a town that was built on the idea of it. The opening line, "This town was built on miles of hope," suggests that the town was founded on the idea that anyone could achieve anything if they just worked hard enough. However, the singer challenges this notion by daring someone to give them a reason to stay. They are tired of waiting for something to happen, and they need a good reason to keep holding on. The singer is questioning their current situation and is considering leaving.
As the song continues, the singer becomes more frustrated with their situation. They state that they have been dared before, but it was not enough to make them stay. They want to know what it would have felt like to be right, indicating that there may have been a sense of false hope in the past. However, the cost of staying and waiting for something to change is also acknowledged. The singer is tired of waiting and is still "waiting...just like I've always been."
The final stanza introduces a sense of concern for someone else, stating that "I will always worry about you/I will always stick up for you." It is unclear who this person may be, but their presence in the song adds another layer of emotional complexity. Overall, the song explores the struggle of holding onto hope when there is little reason to keep believing.
Line by Line Meaning
This town was built on miles of hope
The town was established with high aspirations for prosperity and success.
And I dare you to give one reason to stay
Challenging someone to provide a compelling reason to remain in this town.
And maybe I won't go away
I might be convinced to stick around if a valid argument is made.
So far you only dared me once
Your hypothetical enticement to remain has only occurred once.
And I think we know that's not even close enough
That offer was patently insufficient in persuading me to stay.
Not enough for me to stay
Despite your unsatisfactory proposition, I still intend to leave.
It costs so much I know
I am aware of the high price associated with this decision.
But I guess I need to know
Even with the known expense, I feel it necessary to follow through with my plan.
What it would have felt like to be right
I am curious to discover what satisfying the desire to be correct might have been like.
But I'm getting tired all over again
Despite my curiosity, I am fatigued by the constant indecisiveness and contemplation.
So hurry up and get here because
I implore you to expedite your arrival.
I'm still waiting...
I am still persisting in my expectation for your arrival.
Just like I've always been
This isn't the first time that I've waited like this.
I'm getting tired of standing around
My patience is wearing thin, and I am becoming increasingly frustrated.
Just sitting here and waiting to be found
I am feeling lonely and forgotten, hoping someone will come to my aid.
Same old shit just a different day
The monotony of the daily routine and environment bores and depresses me.
I'll wait around for one more day
I'll stick around for a short bit longer, but after that, I'm done.
But I know that's what I will always say
Despite my vow to leave after one more day, I understand that I'll likely keep delaying my departure.
Will this ever be O.K.?
I am doubtful that this situation will ever improve or become satisfactory.
I will always worry about you
I will always have concern for your well-being and safety.
I will always stick up for you
I will consistently defend and support you, no matter what.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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