Ray met Tony Griscti (Drums) in Malta, who previously played with Alternative band 'The Faith' and decided to continue 'The Characters' with Gino in Malta. After a couple of gigs the band teamed up with Antoine Faure (Piano/Hummond/synth) player and took the music to a higher level. In 1993 the band had their first break when they where invited to perform and tour in Austria and record their first Album (CD) called 'Destination Red' in Vienna produced by 'Leo Bei'. After some gigs and concerts, some tracks from the Album became hits in Malta, especially the tracks 'Destination Red' and 'Which way does the wind blow'.
After a short break and with the help of the band's management under the direction of Mr. Mike Williams (RIP) and Steve Urpani the band where already in the Studio in Malta to record the second Album (CD). The Album (CD) was finished and launched in 1994 and called 'The Truth' produced by 'David Vella', this Album was the big break the band worked so hard for and the band was rewarded with many Malta Music Awards for Best Band, Best Album (CD) plus other Awards from Maltese Radio Stations for the single 'Down by the Water' which is still today a popular radio song. In 1995 talented guitarist Adam Bonello just back from Hollywood Los Angeles after a 3 year USA tour joined the band.
The Album 'The Truth' followed with more gigs and a large scale concert of 6,000 people at the Luxol football grounds (1996), After another break the band started to create new songs for the third Album which came into fruition in (1998) with the title name 'Face to Face' produced by 'Paul Zammit Cutajar and Ray Mercieca' again this ablum got the Characters another Malta Music Award for Best Band in 1998.
The Album followed with another big concert at Luxol grounds. It was another magical night for the band, exactly as the concert held there 2 years before.
After a couple of months the band decided to have a long break...with some gigs here and there but in 2000 the band decided to call it quits for personal reasons. By this time all the Characters had projects with other musicians and Adam left for Australia and New Zealand. In 2005 the band had met to see if there was a possibility to start creating music together once again. The discussions started but took their time, finally in January 2007 the band started to rehearse again.
The band is now performing live once again. 2007 has been a busy year for the band apart from taking part in 'The Malta Jazz & Rock Festival' supporting the legandary reggae band 'The Wailers', plus loads of smaller scale gigs, a small tour in Belgium and Holland and the release of 2 singles 'So Alive' and 'One in a million' both reaching No.2 on two major Maltese radio stations charts and being awarded a Bay Radio 'ICON award'. The band will now focus on writing and recording a new album which is scheduled to be released sometime in 2008.
Face to Face
The Characters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But you don't see the faces in the street
That connects you to your lunchmeat
You seen the virgin mary in a grilled cheese sammich
But you don't see the faces in the web
As they fall silent into a suicide net
Or get stalked by a death squad
So you can drive a hot rod
Listen to the word of God on your iPod
Yeh you don't see the faces
Of the invisible cases
But you sure as shit see the face of christ in a potato chip
You argue the logic
But the kid who made your shoes has got colic
Maybe it's just genetic
Maybe it's your own filth that makes you so pathetic
And greedy
And needy
You got a Hefty bag full of your bullshit fucking feelings
To dump out on your analyst's couch
While a Honduran at the border has her children taken by government agents
And given to a White couple at your church
And you don't see their faces
No you don't see their faces
But you see a man in the moon
And he is sure as shit smiling down on you
The lyrics of The Characters' song "Face to Face" delve deep into themes of perception, ignorance, and societal issues. The opening lines discuss the human brain's tendency to find patterns in random stimuli, such as seeing faces in clouds or objects. However, the lyrics highlight the irony of people failing to recognize the faces of those around them in society, especially those less fortunate or marginalized. This disconnect between perceiving random faces and overlooking real human faces on the streets is a reflection on the lack of empathy and awareness in our society.
The mention of seeing the Virgin Mary in a grilled cheese sandwich serves as a satirical example of how people often elevate trivial or superstitious sightings while turning a blind eye to more pressing issues. The contrast between recognizing religious figures in mundane objects and ignoring the struggles of others emphasizes the skewed priorities and values prevalent in modern society. The reference to falling silent into a suicide net and facing death squads juxtaposed with the pursuit of materialistic comforts like driving a hot rod or vacationing in Cape Cod highlights the stark disparities and injustices present in the world.
Further, the lyrics touch upon the exploitation and suffering behind consumer goods, as hinted at by the mention of a child laborer with colic making shoes. This line brings attention to the harsh realities of the global supply chain and challenges the listener to consider the human cost of their everyday conveniences. The critique extends to the selfishness and emotional baggage individuals carry, contrasting with the plight of migrant families separated at the border and subjected to unjust treatment. The sharp contrast between personal trivialities and systemic injustices underscores the skewed priorities and lack of awareness in society.
The song's conclusion brings the focus to the celestial imagery of a smiling man in the moon, perhaps representing a higher power or a symbol of ironic cosmic observation. The juxtaposition of this benevolent image with the indifference and neglect displayed towards real human faces throughout the lyrics serves as a poignant commentary on the hypocrisy and selective empathy prevalent in society. By highlighting the disconnect between recognizing abstract symbols and failing to see the suffering of others, the song challenges listeners to confront their biases, prioritize compassion, and truly see the faces of those often overlooked or marginalized in our world.
Line by Line Meaning
Your brain makes faces out of random patterns
Your mind creates images out of chaos and randomness
But you don't see the faces in the street
You overlook the faces of real people in everyday life
That connects you to your lunchmeat
Who have their own struggles and experiences that you ignore
You seen the virgin mary in a grilled cheese sammich
You may see miraculous images in mundane objects
But you don't see the faces in the web
But fail to see the suffering of others online
As they fall silent into a suicide net
As people struggle and face immense pain alone
Or get stalked by a death squad
Or are targeted by violence and persecution
So you can drive a hot rod
While you enjoy materialistic pleasures and luxury
And vacation in Cape Cod
Taking vacations in privileged locations
Listen to the word of God on your iPod
Engaging with spirituality in convenient, modern ways
Yeh you don't see the faces
You continue to ignore the pain and struggles of others
Of the invisible cases
Those who suffer silently and are unseen by society
But you sure as shit see the face of christ in a potato chip
But focus on trivial, superficial miracles instead
You argue the logic
You try to rationalize your actions and beliefs
But the kid who made your shoes has got colic
While those who produce your goods suffer and struggle
Maybe it's just genetic
You may attribute social injustices to inherent traits
Maybe it's your own filth that makes you so pathetic
Perhaps it is your own ignorance and apathy that is disgraceful
And greedy
Driven by selfish desires and materialism
And needy
Constantly seeking fulfillment and validation
You got a Hefty bag full of your bullshit fucking feelings
You carry a heavy load of misguided emotions and thoughts
To dump out on your analyst's couch
Which you unload onto a therapist instead of addressing deeper issues
While a Honduran at the border has her children taken by government agents
While a mother faces the trauma of family separation and injustice
And given to a White couple at your church
Her children are placed in the care of strangers with more privilege
But you see a man in the moon
Despite your blindness to real suffering
And he is sure as shit smiling down on you
You find comfort in imagined symbols of positivity
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Matt Griffin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@yuah2497
You talkin to me?
@stuntmanbob90
No raging Bull?
@K-OnTheCase
Wonderful ❤!
@leshaundouglas2945
what type of shot is this?
@paulod27
the mirror shot
@littlewolfie4097
What's the movie at 1.16 ?
@TheShumoby
1:16 = Black Swan