In 2000, Nathan Nicholson left Tennessee, America after the death of his mother, and came to London. The band formed in 2001 through a chance meeting at London's 12 Bar Club between vocalist Nathan and guitarist Todd. This quickly cemented into a firm friendship which resulted in them living and writing together. College friends Adam and Piers, were soon intrigued, and completed the line-up. All shared common influences, and a passion for epic, escapist music - The Boxer Rebellion was born.
In June 2003, after funding and releasing their own limited edition self-titled EP, they bolstered their way onto Glastonbury's New Bands tent, and were soon snapped up by Alan McGee's Poptones label, who put out first single Watermelon in the same year. Before the enormity of what they were doing had even registered, the Boxers spent months in the studio rehearsing and writing, before disaster struck for Nicholson, and riders and roadies were swapped for a hospital bed and saline drips. A twelve hour operation to remove a life-threatening growth from his stomach was successful. He was lucky. The result was the cancellation of tours with Razorlight and The Killers, among others.
The band was signed by major label Universal Music following Exits, who promised worldwide distribution and a free hand in continuing to create records of longevity and substance. Instead, the deal proved more of a curse than a blessing, as Universal became reluctant to continue to finance the lengthy gestation of the next record. Financial difficulties led Poptones to drop the Boxer Rebellion in early 2007, with Universal following suit soon after; however, both continued to hold rights to the band's catalogue and digital distribution. With the record nearly complete and invitations to tour from Editors and others still open, the band began a lengthy fight to get control back over them, which they eventually won in 2008. In January, an unmixed version of future single Evacuate was released on limited vinyl, but it would be a full year before anything approaching a full release was possible, and some of the band moved to Berlin in 2009.
With the money nearly running out and so a physical self-release impossible, the band entered an exclusive worldwide deal with iTunes to put their new record Union out as well as a re-release of Exits. The album charted highly, reaching #2 on the Alternative chart and #4 on the iTunes UK Top 100, but was ineligible for the official UK Top 40 as it was released when a physical release was required. The CD and vinyl were eventually released in August.
The Cold Still was released in the U.S. on 1 February 2011 on iTunes and is available on CD worldwide through the Boxer Rebellion's own label Absentee Recordings. The album charted on iTunes at #24 with a peak position of #20, spending 9 days on the US iTunes album chart. The band made their network television debut on 2 February 2011 on CBS's Late Show with David Letterman, where they performed the single "Step Out of the Car" live. The Boxer's new song "Both Sides are Even" was featured on ABC's Grey's Anatomy on 3 February 2011. Since the release of The Cold Still, the band have had several music placements including two in the videogame industry. "Step Out Of The Car" from The Cold Still was used in 2011's Rocksmith game and original composition "Losing You" was written exclusively for the Batman: Arkham City game soundtrack. Additionally "Caught By The Light" was used in the serial drama Nikita.
Also in 2011 the band released their first full-length live record Live in Tennessee. It was recorded and mixed by Ben McAmis and featured 16 tracks from a single concert.
On 7 November 2012, the band announced the release of their two volume B-Sides & Rarities Collection, Vol. 1 & 2, which contains tracks that had been previously recorded, but not included on initial releases of any of the studio albums. Volume one focused on material before and around the band's debut, Exits, and volume two included tracks that were released around and after Union, as well as some rarities that didn't make the cut or were included as bonus tracks for The Cold Still.
The band finished recording their fourth studio album, Promises, in the late part of February 2013. The music video for the debut single from the album, "Diamonds," was released on March 26. The band have toured regularly and released further singles, "Keep Moving", and "Promises".
On April 29, 2014, Todd Howe announced he was leaving the band to concentrate on production and other interests, leaving the Boxers as a three-piece.
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Discography
2003 - The Boxer Rebellion EP, Watermelon
2004 - In Pursuit, Code Red
2005 - All You Do Is Talk, Exits LP, World Without End
2007 - Broken Glass, J F K F C
2008 - Evacuate, Don't Drag Your Dirty Feet
2009 - Union LP, Flashing Red Light Means Go, iTunes Live From London
2011 - The Cold Still LP, Step Out Of The Car, The Runner, No Harm, Live in Tennessee
2012 - B Sides & Rarities Vols. 1 & 2
2013 - Diamonds, Promises LP, Keep Moving
2014 - Promises
Evacuate
The Boxer Rebellion Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If it goes away
And I don't wanna try
You don't have to lie
And I don't think I said
What I should have said
I never caught you out
Wait
When there's nothing left to waste
On a promise I can make
You don't want no one this way
Wait
And I don't see inside
Where you try to hide
And I don't wanna do
What you asked me to
Wait
When there's nothing left to waste
On a promise I can make
You don't want no one this way
Wait
We see each other from the corners of the room
I think that when this mess is over
Never make a move
When all I see is broken down to every size
I will remember how I got here
Love in every eye
I don't remember if the rest are ever good enough
And I don't remember if the rest will ever mean as much
And I don't wanna say
If it goes away
And I don't wanna try
You don't have to lie
The Boxer Rebellion's song "Evacuate" begins with the singer expressing his fear of losing something important to him. He hesitates to speak his heart out, perhaps because he knows that it might end up going unnoticed or cause the loss of what he has. The lines "I don't wanna say/If it goes away/And I don't wanna try/You don't have to lie" express this fear of being let down. The singer wants to hold onto what he has, but he is afraid that it might be taken away from him.
The lyrics continue with the singer expressing his doubts about his relationship. He doesn't feel like he has completely understood his partner or expressed himself as he should have. He hasn't caught them out, but he has his doubts. He doesn't think he has understood them completely. He doesn't want to do what his partner has asked him to do, but he is unsure if he can hold onto what they have without doing it. The lines "I don't wanna do/What you asked me to" reflect this.
As the song progresses, the singer realizes that he needs to wait it out. He needs to give time to both himself and his partner to understand each other before making any hasty decisions. The lines "When there's nothing left to waste/On a promise I can make/You don't want no one this way/Wait" reflect this realization. The song ends on a note of uncertainty as the singer questions whether the relationship is worth holding onto or not.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't wanna say
I am afraid to verbalize my thoughts
If it goes away
Because then I might lose it
And I don't wanna try
I am not sure if the effort is worth it
You don't have to lie
Please be truthful with me
And I don't think I said
I may not have communicated effectively
What I should have said
I wish I had expressed my true feelings
I never caught you out
I never accused you of anything
Though I had my doubts
But I had suspicions
Wait
Please hold on
When there's nothing left to waste
When everything seems meaningless
On a promise I can make
I will make a commitment to you
You don't want no one this way
You do not want someone who is not fully invested
We see each other from the corners of the room
We are aware of each other's presence
I think that when this mess is over
I believe that when everything is resolved
Never make a move
I will not take action
When all I see is broken down to every size
When everything appears completely shattered and small
I will remember how I got here
I will recall my journey to this point
Love in every eye
Despite everything, I see love in your eyes
I don't remember if the rest are ever good enough
I am uncertain if anything else can compare
And I don't remember if the rest will ever mean as much
I question if anything else will hold as much significance
And I don't wanna try
I am not sure if the effort is worth it
You don't have to lie
Please be truthful with me
Contributed by Kylie N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@epiik16
Heard this back in college days..2009? Its a banger. Here in 2024.
@masedgod1544
looking at my 2009 ipod finding gens like this i havent heard in 11 years
@adamw5788
Why are these guys so underrated? No-one has used them for soundtrack. Perfect music for a film.
@CuzzieGaming
they did for a movie going the distence was amazing movie and how i got addicted 2 this song :,D
@cqualif
This song was the ending song for The Dead Outside
@michellemoore1649
Also, The Art of Getting By, mediocre movie but they use "Spitting Fire" to great effect
@alecunsinn2725
it does appears in GOING THE DISTANCE (2010)
@KyleTheLEGOMaster
I haven't seen grey's anatomy but i've heard they've been on there a couple times
@randypaddock6506
Still watching and listening in 2023
@fannamici2876
after all these years... still love you, soooo much🥰