The first time I met Mike from The Deadly Syndrome, he was throwing up on my couch. He had been out drinking the night before with Will, tore the head off a paper mache dummy, wrestled it across a stranger’s front lawn and then stumbled up to my house (I was living with Will and Jesse, and soon Chris would move into the garage) where he puked all over everything and passed out.
There was a lot of that sort of thing when The Deadly Syndrome first got together. Everyone was running around having fun, working shitty jobs, and writing music all the time. The house was drowning in instruments. There were cheap old organs that somebody picked up off Craigslist. Guitars, pianos, keyboards, violins, all broken down and beat up, just laying around in case somebody needed them.
The weeks started to revolve around shows. You know how whenever someone says, “You should check out my friend’s band?” how your immediate reaction is “are you saying that just because they’re your friend?” I never had that problem. The guys attacked the stage; the audience lost their minds. Their shows were like festivals (with lots of cardboard cut outs). It was a wonderful couple of years.
And then it stopped being fun.
It’s a cliché to say that youth is fleeting. But it’s true. And it’s hard to separate youth from rock and roll. That’s not to say The Deadly Syndrome are a bunch of geriatrics, they aren’t. But after two years of being together they were four guys who loved music, but still weren’t able to do it for a living. Four guys who were getting older and starting to think about things like financial security, maybe starting a family, having a car that didn’t break down all the time, getting health insurance, etc – all the stuff that keeps making more and more noise as the years go by and you start growing up.
And growing up is tricky business in rock and roll. Because the truth is that while age doesn’t stifle creativity, it certainly encourages stagnation. And stagnation leads to a sad and boring road that either ends with too much thinking about The Good Old Days or Fat Elvis.
So after a couple of years I think the guys weren’t sure what to do. If you’ll allow me another cliché, things were starting to feel like an ending, rather than a beginning. At this point they could have very easily broken up. Left on good terms and gone their separate ways. Or they could have written another Ortolan. Similar songs played in the same venues, stretching out the good times as far as they could. Instead they moved all of their stuff into a cabin up in the woods and started over.
There weren’t a lot of updates, no hand wringing or bragging, nothing specific, just the occasional word that things were moving along. And then one day after about nine months had gone by, they let everyone know that they had finished an album and were calling it Nolens Volens.
The songs, the production, it all seems to be the work of a band that has found its strengths, and is busy seeing how far they can push them. You can hear the earlier, younger band throughout all the songs, but there’s something else there as well. A sort of self-assurance that gives each song its own life and space, along with a patience that usually isn’t associated with rock and roll.
More than anything else though, Nolens Volens is about growing up. About the give and take that comes with age and responsibility, about remembering the energy of youth and infusing it into a new, older life.
Or not. Fuck it, maybe I’m over thinking it. Maybe they just made a great record and plan to release it later this year and that’s all there is to it. After all, they’re all still in their 20’s for god’s sake! Why am I talking about growing up? There’s still plenty of time for being young, playing the music too loud, and puking all over everything just before passing out.
–Jason Greene
Creature Creature
The Deadly Syndrome Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dragging waves into the shore
I know you're stuck out on that island
Yeah, we've all been there before
For those who care and want you well
They're only trying hard to help
They say you're really nice and dandy
Though it's not that hard to tell
Your body waving like a flag
Feeding waves into the shore
Your skin is getting red and sandy
But you keep going there for more
I know you're still out on the isle
Better wait, I'll be a while
I'm finding you are not protected
You're still a pretty little child
Are you worth the trouble?
The buried treasure the pirates never want to find
She's going back
She's going back
She's going back
She's going back
Are you worth the trouble?
The buried treasure the pirates never want to find
Are you worth the trouble?
The buried treasure the pirates never want to find
The Deadly Syndrome's song "Creature Creature" may seem like a light-hearted, surf-rock tune on the surface, but upon closer examination, the lyrics reveal a deeper level of concern and caution. The opening lines draw an image of the subject's clothing blowing in the wind like a flag, as if to say that they are easily swayed or influenced by the changing tides of life. The singer acknowledges that the subject is stuck, stranded on an island, and implies that they have been in this position before.
The second verse continues this metaphor, likening the subject's body to a flag and their skin to being sunburnt and covered in sand. Despite the potential dangers of being stranded, the subject keeps going back for more. The singer warns them that they are not protected and are still like a child in their naivete. The repeated question, "Are you worth the trouble?" implies that the singer is considering helping the subject but is unsure if it's even worth it. The final lines, "The buried treasure the pirates never want to find," suggest that the subject may have some hidden potential or value, but it's only worth seeking out if it's worth the risk.
Line by Line Meaning
Your flowing garments are a flag
Your clothes are a signal
Dragging waves into the shore
Causing the water to move towards the land
I know you're stuck out on that island
I understand you are stranded on that landmass
Yeah, we've all been there before
We can relate to your situation
For those who care and want you well
Those who love and care about you
They're only trying hard to help
They are putting in effort to assist you
They say you're really nice and dandy
They share positive feedback about your personality
Though it's not that hard to tell
It's easy to see
Your body waving like a flag
Your physical being is visible and exposed
Feeding waves into the shore
Providing energy to the water's movement
Your skin is getting red and sandy
Your skin is sunburned and gritty
But you keep going there for more
You continue to expose yourself despite the consequences
I know you're still out on the isle
I'm aware you are still stranded
Better wait, I'll be a while
I need more time to reach you
I'm finding you are not protected
I'm noticing that you are vulnerable and need help
You're still a pretty little child
You are still innocent and need guidance
Are you worth the trouble?
Is it worth it to invest in you?
The buried treasure the pirates never want to find
A valuable yet elusive prize
She's going back
She is returning
Are you worth the trouble?
Is it worth it to invest in you?
The buried treasure the pirates never want to find
A valuable but challenging goal
She's going back
She is returning
Are you worth the trouble?
Is it worth it to invest in you?
The buried treasure the pirates never want to find
A precious yet elusive gem
Are you worth the trouble?
Is it worth it to invest in you?
The buried treasure the pirates never want to find
A valuable yet challenging pursuit
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Christopher Richard, Jesse Charles Hoy, Michael Hughes, William Etling
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
lolashelby
These poor guys never took off like they should've :(
zona6calella
really good!!!
Jacob Kenney
huh. i love this. why are there only 60 views??