So far, TBM have released eight studio albums: Nothing and Nowhere (2002), Violet (2005), Walking With Strangers (2007), Pins and Needles (2010), Hide and Seek (2012), Superstition (2014), Under Your Spell (2017), and Diamonds (2020). They have also issued the DVD Blue (2005), the live album/DVD Show and Tell (2009), and the EPs Violet (2004), Looking Glass (2008), Imaginary Monsters (2011), and Imagica (2016).
The group originated in London, Ontario under the name Imagica, inspired from the novel "Imajica" by Clive Barker. The band's original lineup consisted of: Chibi, Rainbow, Michael Falcore, and Aslan (bass). Dank played live keyboards and O.E. joined the group on live drums. A seven-song limited edition demo was released.
In 2001, Dank left the group, and the others relocated from London to Toronto, Ontario, to begin recording. There, they recorded another limited edition demo, this time with five songs. In 2002, the band adopted the name The Birthday Massacre in order to avoid confusion with a metal band. They chose the name "The Birthday Massacre" since people were already familiar with the song of the same title. The song was later retitled as "Happy Birthday".
In July of 2002, The Birthday Massacre independently released their debut album entitled Nothing and Nowhere. In 2003, Adm joined the band on live keyboards and Rhim on drums.
On 20 July 2004, The Birthday Massacre released a nine song EP entitled Violet and at the end of the year, re-released Nothing and Nowhere with new sleeve artwork. Adm soon left thereafter to explore his own projects.
In the fall of 2004, the band was signed to Repo Records in Germany, and released a remastered and expanded version of Violet in Europe. The expanded version of Violet included four re-recorded and slightly reworked tracks from Nothing and Nowhere.
In 2005 the band signed to Metropolis Records and released Violet in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and most of South America. Owen joined on live keyboards and in August, the band began a series of international tours taking them to Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Belgium.
Also in August 2005, a DVD consisting of a video for the song "Blue" was released. It also included behind-the-scenes footage, interviews, a studio performance of "Nevermind" as well as live performances of "Violet" and "Video Kid". The centerpiece of the DVD was the Dan Ouellette-directed video for "Blue".
In early 2006, the Birthday Massacre toured North America, playing across Canada, the United States, and Mexico on their "Broken Minds" tour. They also played Europe in the summer of 2006.
In June 2007, it was announced that the band was working on a new record with Canadian producer/engineer Dave "Rave" Ogilvie (producer of many industrial acts such as Skinny Puppy), and that bass player Aslan had left the band for his own project named Aslan Osiris. Aslan was replaced on bass by former drummer O.E. .
On 11 September 2007 the band released their third album Walking With Strangers in North America, entering at #10 on the Billboard "Top Heatseekers" chart for 29 September. The album was released in Europe on 21 September and in the UK on 22 October. Walking With Strangers included the singles "Kill the Lights" and "Looking Glass". An EP, Looking Glass followed in 2008.
In spring 2009, The Birthday Massacre issued their first live album, Show and Tell. It was recorded in Hamburg, Germany in Autumn 2007. A DVD with the Hamburg show and extra video content was released later in Europe (2009) and North America (2010).
The band's fourth studio album, Pins and Needles was issued on 14 September 2010 in North America, debuting at #152 on the Billboard 200, #6 on the heatseekers, and #34 on independent. O.E. left the group and was replaced by Nate Manor.
On 9 August 2011 the band released the EP Imaginary Monsters. In 9 October 2012, TBM released the fifth studio album, Hide and Seek.
Superstition is the sixth studio album by Canadian electronic rock band The Birthday Massacre, released on November 11, 2014 through Metropolis Records. The album was funded through PledgeMusic. To promote the album, a subsequent North America tour and music video for "Beyond" followed the album's release.
Under Your Spell is the seventh studio album by Canadian electronic rock band The Birthday Massacre, released on June 9, 2017 through Metropolis Records. The album was funded, once again, through PledgeMusic.
Official site: www.thebirthdaymassacre.com
Walking With Strangers
The Birthday Massacre Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can't remember the places or names that she mentions
My words are falling apart in spite of me
I'm stepping out of the light so she can't see
Don't think I'll miss her but I want to take her picture
When I've found a place where she can't find me
Talking cheap as the flies on the wall entertain her
Her world is falling apart in front of me
She's stepping into the light but she can't see
It's hard to miss her when she's posing for a picture
But I've found a place where she can't find me
My words are falling apart in spite of me
I'm stepping out of the light so she can't see
Don't think I'll miss her but I want to take her picture
When I've found a place where she can't find me
The lyrics of Walking with Strangers by The Birthday Massacre present a complex narrative, one of personal isolation and disconnectedness from a person with whom the singer has a strained relationship. The lines "Look around for a means to dissuade her attention/Can't remember the places or names that she mentions" introduce the idea that the singer is making a conscious effort to escape from someone who they once felt a deep connection with. However, this is complicated by the line, "Don't think I'll miss her but I want to take her picture," which suggests that their attachment to the person is not entirely gone.
The chorus, "And she's falling asleep as she's walking with strangers/Talking cheap as the flies on the wall entertain her" creates a nuanced picture of the person whom the singer is avoiding. They give the impression that this person is slowly losing touch with reality and may even be delusional. The line "Her world is falling apart in front of me" suggests that they are witnessing this person's decline but are powerless to help. Despite their efforts to distance themselves from this person, they acknowledge that they will never fully be able to let go of their connection, particularly as they sing, "It's hard to miss her when she's posing for a picture." The final repetition of "My words are falling apart in spite of me/I'm stepping out of the light so she can't see/Don't think I'll miss her but I want to take her picture/When I've found a place where she can't find me" encapsulates the song's message of deep emotional conflict.
Line by Line Meaning
Look around for a means to dissuade her attention
I am trying to find something that will distract her from paying attention to me
Can't remember the places or names that she mentions
I am unable to recall the locations or names that she talks about
My words are falling apart in spite of me
I am struggling to articulate myself effectively
I'm stepping out of the light so she can't see
I am avoiding her gaze by moving out of the spotlight
Don't think I'll miss her but I want to take her picture
I don't believe I will miss her but I want a memento of her
When I've found a place where she can't find me
Once I have discovered a location where she is unable to locate me
And she's falling asleep as she's walking with strangers
She is so lost and disconnected that she is barely conscious while interacting with unfamiliar people
Talking cheap as the flies on the wall entertain her
She is engaging in meaningless conversation while passively being entertained by her surroundings
Her world is falling apart in front of me
I am witnessing her life unraveling right before my eyes
She's stepping into the light but she can't see
She is moving towards prominence but is still unable to perceive reality clearly
It's hard to miss her when she's posing for a picture
It is challenging to overlook her when she is striking a pose
But I've found a place where she can't find me
I have discovered a hiding spot where she cannot locate me
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MICHAEL HANMER, MICHAEL RAINBOW, SARA TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind