Marc Zamora (Bass Guitar)
Billy Meyer (Guitar)
Marc Zamora (Bass Guitar)
Billy Meyer (Guitar)
Dave Schartoff (Drums)
Adrian Verloop (Guitar)
As competitive as the Southern California rock pool continues to be, one finds that by the time a band verges on national recognition, there is a skill and comfort level that makes them seem as though they were simply born into wider exposure.
Rocking straight out of Riverside, California, The Color Red are inhabitants and inheritors of a rich sub-cultural tradition banging in the West Coast. It’s a torch that needs to be carried proudly and (not so) seriously. So don’t be startled at it if the thick walls of guitar symphonics, gut powerful vocals, and overall feel of The Color Red surprises you with its tight cohesion. These guys have been working hard in a tough field for a few years now.
Formed in 1994, The Color Red have honed their live chops in a competitive market, playing local shows with the likes of No Doubt, Lit, Papa Roach, The Offspring, 311 and the Deftones. This high-level, almost ‘trial by fire’ training has helped The Color Red mature as a band, combining natural, raw talent and straight-up diligence to make it all seem relatively effortless.
The band recorded their first album Below the Under in 1999, working with friend Richard Mouser (Weezer, Corrosion of Conformity). Even then, the band had a positive attitude towards their progress.
"I think we’ve always thought we were a good band," says Jon Zamora, whose strong and edgy voice drives The Color Red’s songs as much as the guitar teamwork. "But when we did the first album we were on a small label that didn’t have distribution. And actually we saw a bigger picture than they did, but we didn’t really know about the industry like we do now. We always felt that we wrote good songs, and as a melodic band, we wanted to touch people in a different way – they didn’t need to be slammed or moving around to get it. Our band kind of opens you up and hits you in a different way."
The limited availability of Below the Under was just more reason to focus on playing live. "Our live show, that’s what we feed off of," says guitarist Billy Meyer. "A lot of the songs that we wrote for this new album were based on experiences playing live. The feeling of playing live, the excitement, the fear, every emotion you can possibly go through, that’s what we feed off of."
One year after Below the Under, Dave Schartoff became their new drummer and kick-started The Color Red into an even stronger phase of development. "With him coming in, it brought a whole new feeling towards music, a whole new vibe towards our songs," remembers Jon. "From the time that he joined the band until now, it seems that the songs have just come one after another." A rebirth of sorts, it is a strong part of the reason why their new album Clear is really to be considered their "proper" debut album.
Clear has a sense of being a cohesive whole, which is also part of an overall goal for the band. "I’m not saying I want all of our songs to sound the same," offers Billy, "but I do want people to be able to listen to our song within the first five seconds and know that it’s us. Before the vocals come in or if it’s a guitar intro – I want people to be able to hear it and say, ‘Oh, that’s the new Color Red song.’ I think the trick is that you can’t try to do it. If you try to be exactly like the styles that are happening on the radio at that moment, I don’t think it’s ever going to happen for you. I think you have to do what you do, and feel what you feel and if it works, it works. If it doesn’t, go back into the machine shop."
"Sore Throat" is a natural choice for the first single, sonically and vocally capturing every ounce of energy they pour into their performances. "It’s about singing on stage," explains Jon. "Because sometimes I have a problem with blowing out my voice because I’m so into it. I don’t give a shit, I’m gonna do it! I do everything 100 percent and I don’t hold back. So that’s what the song is about, just giving it all you’ve got."
Clear was produced by Johnny K (whose acclaimed studio credits include Disturbed, Loudmouth, Soil and Machine Head). His perfectionist work ethic led the band into 14-hour days, seven days a week for two months while they recorded Clear at Ocean Studios in Burbank, CA.
Says Billy, "You could tell he really cared, he wasn’t just there because of a payday, or because he thought the album was gonna do great and he wanted a piece of it. He became one of us and he really pushed us hard to not only make our performances good just for the record but for the rest of our lives. He made it a point to let us know the importance of our abilities."
"I would have to say that he made us even better musicians than we were," Jon observes. "He brought us out to show us a different light. I definitely think he showed everybody a new vision to how to make records, how to write the songs. He had a really good vision towards every individual instrument plus all the vocals, harmonies, everything. I thought he was amazing."
"These songs are definitely better," asserts Jon. "More emotion, more melodic than it was on the last album. We’re a whole new band compared to that time around. It’s nice when you feel as a band that something is missing and when that comes in, everybody loses their stress or their anger or just feeling lost and it’s like you find yourself. If you just let go, all these new feelings come out."
There’s a sense of excitement as The Color Red prepares to make a leap into a bigger arena. They are being encouraged by friends like the band Lit, who tell them to just go for it, and stand behind what they say. Likewise, brothers Jon and Marc Zamora have an even closer confidante capable of dispensing practical and experiential advice. Their youngest brother Tye Zamora is the bassist for Alien Ant Farm, another local band presently enjoying their own transition into wide acclaim. "Watching my brother’s band blow up, we’ve gotten a lot of insight from him about the business; what to do and what not to do," says Jon Zamora, "And also how you go about staying strong towards what you want. I’d definitely say in the last few years we’ve really started to see what it’s like and that it’s totally different from what we ever thought it was going to be like."
"But then again," he adds, in words tinged with hope, "it’s a whole lot better than we ever thought it was going to be."
Taking Me Home
The Color Red Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We always over do it
And it's alright
We always complicate it
We always over do it
Saying nothing
I always over do it
I'm feeling so cold
Taking me home
Feel so lonely
The Color Red's song "Taking Me Home" encapsulates a sense of difficulties in communication and the effects of misunderstanding between two people. The lyrics depict a constant cycle of complications and misunderstandings within a relationship, as the couple always gets into unnecessary arguments and pushes their limits too far. The repetition of the phrase "we always overdo it" emphasizes the excessiveness and impulsive nature of their actions. Despite these constant aggravations, the singer acknowledges that it's alright and that it's just the way things are.
The verse "saying nothing when I should carry out, I always overdo it" highlights the frustration of the singer in the relationship, as they make an effort to communicate their thoughts and concerns but feel like they're not heard. The chorus "I'm feeling so cold, taking me home, feel so lonely" reveals a sense of sadness and isolation from the relationship. The use of the phrase "taking me home" may imply a sense of longing for a place of comfort and solace away from the turmoil of the relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
We always get into it
We often enter into arguments or disagreements with each other
We always over do it
We tend to do things excessively or beyond a reasonable amount
And it's alright
Despite our tendency to overdo things, it's not a big problem and we can still move forward
We always complicate it
We make things more difficult than they need to be
Saying nothing
Choosing to remain silent or not speak up when we should
When I should carry out
When I should follow through or take action
I always over do it
I have a personal tendency to do things in excess or go overboard
I'm feeling so cold
I am experiencing emotional detachment or loneliness
Taking me home
Returning to a place of comfort or familiarity, both physically and emotionally
Feel so lonely
Feeling a sense of isolation or being disconnected from others
Contributed by Benjamin E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.