Their HQ is on the corner of Mott and Broome, on the edge of New York's Chinatown. Push through the graffiti-ed door, clamber up the rotten stairs, past the sweatshops, and you'll find the place. It's where the Bravery have spent the past two years planning operations, obsessively working up their wire-y garage-electronics, and occasionally venturing out into the city to play the results.
Their first gig was in the Stinger Club in Brooklyn in 2003. Twelve months later, their name was plastered all over the Lower East Side to celebrate a sold-out residency at Arlene's Grocery on Stanton. In that time, the Bravery -- singer/guitarist Sam Endicott, guitarist Michael Zakarin, bassist Mike H, keyboardist John Conway, and drummer Anthony Burulcich -- had honed their sound to a dark garage-electro and made sure everyone knew what they were all about.
"We're called the Bravery because that's the mindset I was in when I was writing the songs," explains Sam now. "Everyone in my age group wants to know what they're going to do with their lives. They all think that they're worth nothing and they're heading nowhere. People are drowning in these thoughts and I just got sick of it. I didn't want to be like that."
"The name is also connected with living in New York in this really weird time. People are constantly waiting for something bad to happen. I wrote these songs and formed this band to make sure I didn't get overcome by that sense of fear. That's what this band is about--standing tall and not being afraid."
Sam has no time for excuses. He grew up in Maryland, in the D.C. suburbs, and was heavily influenced by the area's intense post-punk scene. He'd go and see bands like Fugazi and Jawbox and be impressed by their DiY ethic. He quickly adopted it as his own philosophy and it's something that feeds directly into the Bravery. They do everything --they make the records, the artwork, the videos. Everything. They know what they want and how they want to do it.
"I don't really like mainstream music at all," admits Sam. "When I listen to the radio or watch MTV, 99% of it is like listening to an air-conditioner or a hair dryer. Sometimes, though, something comes along that jolts you. When I was growing up, it was bands like Nirvana and Jane's Addiction. Those bands elevate culture. I don't think there's any point in aiming for anything less."
One thing that sometimes puzzles people about the Bravery is why they sound electronic when all the bands they like are punk guitar bands. Sam doesn't know why they sound like they do. He just wanted to do something different. Of course, the circumstances in which they recorded their album (most of which was constructed in a Sam's bedroom with Radio Shack mikes and an old iMac) and the fact that Sam's best friend John Conway is totally obsessed with analog keyboards obviously helped shape their sound.
The Bravery are now signed to Loog in the U.K. and Island Def Jam in America. Their first release arrived in November, 2004 in the form of a brilliant three-track EP. The Bravery have since had success with their self titled debut album, released in 2005, and a top ten hit in the UK with their single 'Honest Mistake'.
In late 2006, the band played a limited number of small shows on the US East Coast and in South America to showcase new material from their upcoming 2nd album. Endicott describes the new album as a departure from the synth-heavy sound of their debut. The Sun and the Moon is currently scheduled for release May. In February, the band uploaded a medley of three new songs onto their official page, with minute long clips of three new tracks due to be included on the forthcoming album. Since then, their newest album 'The Sun and The Moon' has been climbing the charts, with the first single 'Time Won't Let Me Go' receiving praise from critics. its test
After the release of The Sun and The Moon, The Bravery has taken a leave of absence for the members to pursue their own individual projects. An excerpt from The Bravery's official website:
"To answer your many queries, the band has not “broken up,” nothing so dramatic as that. We just aren’t doing anything together and don’t have any plans to for the foreseeable future. There’s been no “falling out,” no bad blood, we all just have different interests now and are involved in our own projects." -Sam Endicott 4-25-14
The Ring Song
The Bravery Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take me off somewhere cold
Gradually just growing old
And someday maybe make of me an honest man
Yeah? Well
I don't see no ring on these fingers
I must've had fun 'cause now I'm broke
Down by the ocean, walk by and see
All of these people - They look so happy to me
What if all I want in this world
Turned out just to be an honest girl?
Turned out just to make of me an honest man?
Oh yeah? Well
Life in this town makes it hard to see
Things that are right in front of me
The lyrics of The Bravery's song, The Ring Song, express the frustration and disillusionment of the singer, who seems to have lost faith in the idea of love and marriage. He rejects the conventional notion that getting married and settling down is the path to a fulfilling life. The line "I don't think it was meant to be" suggests that he sees the traditional expectations of society as constraining and limiting. Instead, he longs for something more free and adventurous, represented by the imagery of a cold and desolate place.
However, the singer's doubts about love and commitment are challenged by what he sees around him. He observes other people enjoying their lives and relationships, which makes him question his own desires. In the end, he wonders if what he truly wants is to be an "honest girl" or "honest man," indicating a desire for authenticity and integrity rather than conformity.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't think so, I don't think it was meant to be
I don't believe that this is how things were supposed to turn out
Take me off somewhere cold
I want to escape to a peaceful and calm place
Gradually just growing old
I am aging slowly over time
And someday maybe make of me an honest man
In the future, I hope to become a truthful and sincere person
I don't see no ring on these fingers
I am not currently married, there is no ring on my finger
Love in this town - It's like a joke
Romantic love is not taken seriously in this town
I must've had fun 'cause now I'm broke
I must have enjoyed myself in the past, because I am now lacking money
Down by the ocean, walk by and see
While walking by the sea, I observe
All of these people - They look so happy to me
I perceive the people around me as appearing joyful
What if all I want in this world
I wonder if my one desire is
Turned out just to be an honest girl?
To become a sincere and truthful woman?
Turned out just to make of me an honest man?
Or if I will become a truthful and sincere person?
Life in this town makes it hard to see
Living in this place makes it difficult to perceive
Things that are right in front of me
The things that are directly in my sight
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: SAMUEL BINGHAM ENDICOTT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind