Early years
The Casualties were formed in 1990, with original members Jorge Herrera (vocals) Hank (guitar), Colin Wolf (vocals), Mark Yoshitomi (bass) and Yureesh Hooker (drums). The members aimed to return to what they viewed as the "golden era" of street punk, embodied by bands such as The Exploited and Charged GBH which they believed had disappeared by 1985.[3] During the early years, the lineup was fluid, with several changes. That first year, Colin stepped out for several months to finish his education while Rachel, TheRivits' singer, took his place.[3]
In 1991, Hank left the band, to be replaced by Fred (last name unknown) on guitar. Colin, Jorge, Yureesh, Hank and Mark put together a demo, titled Political Sin, for the Benefit for Beer compilation.[4] After making this recording, Fred left to go to school and Steve, from Distraught, fills in for a short time, until Fred returns to the band full-time. The 4 song EP, 40 Oz. Casualty was recorded at the end of 1991 and self-released.[3] 1992 saw the band touring and building up a fan base in NYC. In 1993, Mark and Fred left the band and were replaced by Mike (last name unknown) on bass and Jake Kolatis on the guitar, followed by the departure of Yureesh and Colin in 1994, to be replaced on drums by Shawn, while the band went down to a single vocalist.[3][4] 1994 sees the recording of the 4 song EP, Drinking Is Our Way Of Life, however it would not be released. The songs would later appear on the Casualties "early years 1990-1995" CD in 1999.[4] In 1995, the band's second release, the 4 track A Fuckin' Way Of Life E.P. was released on Eyeball Records. After recording A Fuckin' Way of Life, Shawn left the band, and Marc Eggers (nicknamed Meggers) of the Rivits became the regular drummer. The line-up of Jorge, Jake, Mike and Meggers continued until 1997.
In 1996 the Casualties became the first American band to appear at the "Holidays in the Sun" Festival in London. 1997 saw the release of the band's debut album, For the Pun is released on Tribal War Records, and the band embarks on its first American tour with The Varukers. Mike (the bassist) left the band in 1998, to be replaced with Johnny Rosado, from The Krays.[4][5] They released their second LP that year, Underground Army, and begin a world tour. Jon leaves the band during the European leg of the tour, to be temporarily replaced by Dave Punk Core.
Present lineup
After the world tour, Dave would be replaced by Rick Lopez from the band, Manix. The line-up was now solidified for the band and would continue to the present day.[6] The end of the millennium, 1999, saw the band produce a compilation album, Early Years 1990-1995, which included tracks which appeared on earlier ED's, as well as never before released songs, such as the four songs they had recorded on the never released EP Drinking is Our Way of Life back in 1994.
The 2000s have seen the band continue to tour[3][6] and produce albums (an album list can be seen below). They have toured with several other bands, such as The Exploited, GBH, Cockney Rejects, Slaughter & the Dogs,[4] and the English Dogs.[6] In December 2009, The Casualties toured alongside Hatebreed, The Acacia Strain, Crowbar, and Thy Will Be Done as part of the Stillborn Fest.[3] In the summer of 2012, The Casualties co-headlined the Tonight We Unite tour along with Nekromantix, where they played For The Punx in its entirety, the first time they had played the album through since its release in 1997.[3] Later that year, The Casualties released their new album titled Resistance through Season of Mist.[7][8] In 2013, The Casualties played at the largest Punk Rock festival in the world,[9] the Rebellion Festival in Blackpool, England, where they shared the stage with The Exploited, Special Duties, Chron Gen and Anti-Establishment, and others
War Is Business
The Casualties Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
with troops, and bombs, and guns.
From the left and right, people are fighting,
screaming, shooting, fighting, hanging from the ground.
One, two, call the death squad.
War is business, war is business.
Why do our lives have to go with indecisions,
we have permission to take, to decide, to fight!
More and more fighting its making me sick.
We fought with them, the rich don't have to fight.
One two call the death squad,
War is business, war is business.
Death squad, collision, finish this.
As long as we are here you wont need to worry,
just close your eyes, decide, think on your own.
Can you hear bodies their fucking dead in the streets,
just close your eyes, and you will think and see.
One two call the death squad,
War is business, war is business.
Arrogate, fall out, stand in line
The lyrics to The Casualties' song War Is Business describe the chaos and violence of war, and the idea that war is a profitable industry. The first lines focus on the physical intensity of war, with troops, bombs, and guns present. The imagery of people fighting, screaming, and hanging from the ground convey the horror and brutality of war. The line "One, two, call the death squad" highlights the idea that death is a common occurrence in war, and that it becomes almost routine.
The second verse shifts focus to the motivations for war, questioning why people are forced to fight and make decisions that result in loss of life. The line "we fought with them, the rich don't have to fight" highlights the reality that those in power are often insulated from the dangers of war. The chorus reinforces the idea that war is a business, with the repetition of the phrase "War is business."
The final verse draws attention to the toll war takes on individuals, with the line "Can you hear bodies their fucking dead in the streets." The idea that closing one's eyes can reveal the truth of war is a powerful concept, suggesting that those in power often ignore the reality of the situation. Overall, the lyrics to War Is Business capture the horror and tragedy of war, while also critiquing the profit-driven systems that often perpetuate it.
Line by Line Meaning
No time to run, permission to go, times running in,
We have no time to escape, we were given authorization to attack, and time is not on our side.
with troops, and bombs, and guns.
We have armed personnel, explosive devices, and firearms at our disposal.
From the left and right, people are fighting,
People on both sides are engaged in conflict.
screaming, shooting, fighting, hanging from the ground.
There are intense and violent battle cries, gunfire, and hand-to-hand combat, with some individuals falling to the ground.
One, two, call the death squad.
Military personnel are being ordered to summon the group responsible for eliminating individuals.
War is business, war is business.
Combat situations are viewed as financial opportunities.
Arrogate, fall out, stand in line.
Military personnel should assume authority, exit their positions, and assemble in an orderly manner.
Why do our lives have to go with indecisions,
Why must people die as a result of indecisiveness?
we have permission to take, to decide, to fight!
We have legal authorization to seize action, make judgments, and engage in battle!
More and more fighting its making me sick.
The increasing amount of violence is causing me to be physically ill.
We fought with them, the rich don't have to fight.
We were allies with those who are wealthy and influential, they do not have to engage in warfare.
Death squad, collision, finish this.
The group responsible for eliminating individuals is quickly approaching, a clash is imminent, and the conflict must come to an end.
As long as we are here you wont need to worry,
We will ensure that you are safe and free from harm.
just close your eyes, decide, think on your own.
Block out the outside world, make a choice, and use your own judgment.
Can you hear bodies their fucking dead in the streets,
Can you hear the corpses that litter the streets and alleys?
just close your eyes, and you will think and see.
If you close your eyes, you will be able to think more clearly and perceive things more accurately.
Arrogate, fall out, stand in line
Military personnel should take control, leave their positions, and form a lineup in an organized manner.
Contributed by Leah H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.