Rooted in the Orange County community of Huntington Beach, California, founding band members Jared Watson and guitarist / vocalist Dustin Bushnell met in 1996 while in high school, embarking on a friendship based on music, as well as their shared passion for surfing, skating and the endless party of the laid-back SoCal lifestyle.
Early on, they spent many late nights jamming in Bushnell’s soundproof garage with a four-track recorder, writing unique acoustic hip-hop songs that featured reggae inflections. Inspired by the rock and reggae sounds of Bob Marley, Sublime, 311 and The Beastie Boys, the band’s music evolved into their distinct Dirty Heads style.
To complete the Dirty Heads’ sound, the duo added percussionist Jon Olazabal and drummer Matt Ochoa, both talented, experienced musicians. With a set of solid material, the Dirty Heads were further motivated to take their craft to the next level, and they began building a loyal fan base throughout the west coast, while performing acoustically at local bars and small music venues. As they started playing in neighboring Los Angeles, the band found it necessary to charter party buses so their fans could make the 30-mile trek to their shows.
Connecting with sought-after producers Steve Fox and Stan Frazier (Sugar Ray / Ashlee Simpson) the band worked long hours to polish their material and further develop their style. The Dirty Heads also recruited mixing engineer Mario Caldato Jr., best known for his work with the Beastie Boys, to add the finishing touches and create just the right blend.
The band’s highly-anticipated first full-length album is entitled, Any Port in the Storm (Released on EMG through Fontana, a division of Universal Music Group Distribution - September 2008). This debut features 14 tracks that are reminiscent of the upbeat, sun-soaked Southern California party energy. The first single is the optimistic, “Stand Tall.”
Any Port in the Storm also features one of the final recordings of the late music industry icon Billy Preston. Frequently referred to as “The Fifth Beatle,” Preston played on three tracks, including “Stand Tall,” “Chelsea,” and “Driftin.’ ” Other special guests on the album are drummer Josh Freese (A Perfect Circle, Sting, The Vandals), and veteran session percussionist Alex Acuna, whose A-list musician resume includes Peter Gabriel, Johnny Clegg, and Jackson Browne, to name only a few.
Recently, the band’s music has been attracting attention throughout the world of entertainment. Their songs have been featured in the movie and soundtrack for Surf’s Up (Sony 2007); and the television drama, Shark staring James Woods (CBS 2007. Actor Matthew McConaughey selected the band’s music to be in his upcoming film, Surfer Dude. In addition, the Dirty Heads can be heard in Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam video game (Activision 2007), and several other music compilations and surf/skate videos. On the marketing side, the Dirty Heads have also been included in campaigns for Etnies Jeans and Vestal Watches.
Dirty Heads vocalist Jared Watson sums up their fun, uncomplicated style, “We want to be positive and entertain,” he says. “We just want to make you feel good.”
And who can’t dig that?
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Driftin'
The Dirty Heads Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And realizing now just in life what I'm missin',
There so much more then just regrets
'Cause if you can't love yourself how can you love next.
Yo me and Dirty we been kickin' it since old school,
We had this dream to rock yo it be so cool.
And I remember just chillin' out in my back yard
It always seemed like such a dream to me it always
Seemed like it was so far from reality but deep inside
I always knew that it would be my path and if I ever got a chance yo
I would make it last but I've been
Driftin' so long, from myself and from the pain.
Driftin' so long, I think I found better way.
(I found a better way and now I strive for better days)
I feel like I've been changing, and I don't like just what I see
I feel like I'm the victim and my own worst enemy.
Well I've been driftin' missin' the times we didn't listen to no one
But ourselves because we knew we were on a mission
No one ever thought it'd happen for two of the boys to get paid for rapping
I got people looking after me the way I go the path I lead
Some say it's not a job but we practice like an athlete
I'm constantly drifting but I finally found what I need
Its passing me in forms of speech every time I pass the beach
Driftin' so long, from myself and from the pain.
Driftin' so long, I think I found better way.
(I found a better way and now I strive for better days)
Well I lost my path but I found my way,
We can all learn from our own mistakes,
Sometimes I'm wrong but l learn that way,
But we won't ever know until we stop
Driftin' so long, from myself and from the pain.
Driftin' so long, I think I found better way.
I've been driftin'
I've been driftin'
I've been driftin'
The Dirty Heads' song "Driftin'" is a reflective piece on the artist's journey to success and personal growth. The song emphasizes how the artists, through their journey, found themselves drifting from their true selves and struggled to find their way back. The lyrics discuss the discovery of a better path in life, one that is not ridden with pain, regrets and self-doubt.
The chorus, "Driftin' so long, from myself and from the pain, I think I found a better way," showcases the artist's acknowledgment about their struggle to find themselves and their journey to self-discovery, leading to a better and healthier life. The song highlights the importance of self-love, accepting personal flaws, and making peace with past mistakes to move forward in life.
The lyrics reveal how the artists held onto their dream of success through their friendship and shared love for music. The emotions expressed through the lyrics are powerful, the artists reflect on how they had to make some hard choices and learn to trust their instincts to fulfill their dream.
Overall, The Dirty Heads' "Driftin'" is a testament to the power of self-reflection and the journey of self-love and growth.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I've been driftin' liftin' my mind with these spliffs
I've been aimlessly wandering and using marijuana to escape reality
And realizing now just in life what I'm missin',
Now I'm realizing what I've been missing out on in life
There so much more then just regrets
Life has more to offer than just regretful experiences
'Cause if you can't love yourself how can you love next.
If you don't love yourself, you can't love others
Yo me and Dirty we been kickin' it since old school,
Dirty Heads and I have been friends since we were young
We had this dream to rock yo it be so cool.
We shared a dream to become successful musicians
And I remember just chillin' out in my back yard
I have fond memories of hanging out in my backyard
Sipping on some 40's writing songs laughing so hard.
We had fun writing and creating music in those moments
It always seemed like such a dream to me it always
Becoming a successful musician always seemed like an unattainable dream to me
Seemed like it was so far from reality but deep inside
Despite that, I always knew that it was my destiny
I always knew that it would be my path and if I ever got a chance yo
I always knew that I would become a musician and I was determined to make it happen
I would make it last but I've been
I would make my success last, but instead
Driftin' so long, from myself and from the pain.
I've been aimlessly wandering, trying to escape from myself and my problems
Driftin' so long, I think I found better way.
But now, I think I've found a better way to cope with life
(I found a better way and now I strive for better days)
Through music, I've found a better way to live and I'm working towards a brighter future
I feel like I've been changing, and I don't like just what I see
I feel like I've undergone changes that I'm not entirely comfortable with
I feel like I'm the victim and my own worst enemy.
I feel like I'm both the victim and the cause of my own struggles
Well I've been driftin' missin' the times we didn't listen to no one
I've been aimlessly wandering, missing the times when Dirty Heads and I ignored other people's opinions
But ourselves because we knew we were on a mission
We only listened to ourselves because we were focused on achieving our dream
No one ever thought it'd happen for two of the boys to get paid for rapping
No one believed that Dirty Heads and I would be successful rappers
I got people looking after me the way I go the path I lead
I have people supporting me on my journey and the path I've chosen
Some say it's not a job but we practice like an athlete
Some people may not see music as a real job, but we treat it with dedication like athletes do with their sport
I'm constantly drifting but I finally found what I need
Despite my aimlessness, I've finally found something that fulfills me
Its passing me in forms of speech every time I pass the beach
Music is what fulfills me and it often comes to me in the form of lyrics or inspiration when I'm near the ocean
Well I lost my path but I found my way,
I may have lost my way, but I eventually rediscovered my path
We can all learn from our own mistakes,
Everyone can learn from their own mistakes
Sometimes I'm wrong but l learn that way,
I may make mistakes, but I always learn from them
But we won't ever know until we stop
We can't make progress until we stop aimlessly drifting and make changes to our lives
I've been driftin'
I've been aimlessly wandering
I've been driftin'
I've been aimlessly wandering
I've been driftin'
I've been aimlessly wandering
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STAN FRAZIER, STEVE FOX, JARED WATSON, DUSTIN BUSHNELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind