The band released their self-titled debut album in 2000 on Ultimatum Records. The album can be difficult to obtain, but can often be found on eBay. Many fans of the band have described this album as perhaps The Exies' best work.
Afterwards the band signed to Virgin Records and in January 2003 they released their second album, Inertia. The album received wide distribution, and their first single, "My Goddess", received a fair amount of radio play.
After touring for over a year in support of 2003's Inertia, the Exies returned to Los Angeles and wasted no time beginning work on new material. But rather than take a more-of-the-same or stick-to-what-works approach, the band set out to carve a new sound, one with more impact and intensity. The next album had to be fueled by the live energy of their shows, showcasing the band's presence on stage. On their latest release, Head For The Door, the Exies deliver.
"We really wanted to get back to basics on this album," says vocalist Scott Stevens. "We had experimented quite a bit with programming, complex arrangements, and exorbitant amounts of tracks on Inertia, and just felt like this one should be more stripped down, more organic."
So the band recruited the talents of Grammy-winning rock producer Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Velvet Revolver) to help hone the new songs. "We're all huge Foo Fighters fans," recounts drummer Dennis Wolfe. "He produced their last record, and that album was really blowing up big while we were out touring. We thought, 'Man, that's the sound we want--big drums and punchy, tight guitars, and obviously this guy knows how to get 'em.'" The band clicked immediately with Nick at their first meeting, and went straight into pre-production in Los Angeles.
Crafting a more aggressive, more forceful sound was a notion shared by all, but a concept that was largely born on the road. Fans would frequently comment on how the live show gave the music so much more power and energy, and the band set out to capture that in the studio. "We learned a lot from that year on the road," says Stevens. "We just felt we could simplify things and make them hit a little harder."
The twelve tracks which comprise "Head For The Door" feature the band at its edgiest, loudest, and most explosive. Big riffs and guitar solos abound, but nothing gets in the way of the melody or the message. Their first single "Ugly" showcases Stevens' dynamic vocal range as it moves from a whisper to a snarl, and contemplates both the ugliness within and all around us. "It's partly about feeling ugly yourself and being unsettled inside," Stevens says. "But the song is also about how we turn a blind eye to the unpleasant things we see every day, things that are disturbing yet so easy to ignore."
"What You Deserve" charges out of the gate with bitter self-loathing and karmic retribution as the primary themes, while "Hey You" recalls an old friend bent on self-destruction. But it's not all doom and gloom for the Exies. The soaring, melodic chorus in "Tired Of You" makes everything seem right, and "F.S.O.S." grooves with attitude and swagger. From start to finish, the album delivers sharp hooks, passionate performances, and a sense that the band has found its sound.
"We had a blast making this record," says guitarist David Walsh. "We had a very clear idea of what we wanted going in, and Nick had the production chops to get it done. Now we just have to get it out there."
The Exies formed in the summer of 1997 in Los Angeles, the product of mutual friends and former members of various local bands who shared the same musical sensibilities. The first batch of songs came quickly and soon Stevens was shopping their demo around town, hoping for some label interest. Little did he know, it would be all about the shoes.
"I was working as a runner for a studio in L.A., and there was an industry guy there that I wanted to listen to our stuff," recalls the frontman. "As I'm handing him the demo, he comments on how cool my shoes are, saying, 'Well, this demo's gotta be good, coming from someone with such good taste in shoes.' And sure enough, he passed it along to some friends and things just started taking off. Those shoes cost me a buck at a thrift store. Seriously."
As the A&R community started swirling around the band, they knew they were on to something, and eventually signed with independent Ultimatum Records. Their eponymous debut hit shelves in the spring of 2000, driven by the radio-friendly single "Baby's Got A New Revelation." That's when things started getting difficult.
"Well, we had two big problems," says bassist Freddy Herrera. "One, the label did not have a huge budget for touring or promotion, so the songs weren't taking off like they should, and we didn't get any major tours. Two, things with our original drummer weren't working out." It was during one of their lowest points on the road that the most unlikely of circumstances proved to be the turning point.
"Worst gig ever," recounts Stevens. "We were playing this wretched club in Miami, with nothing but a few drunks and addicts hanging around. No soundman, and a dinky P.A. which we had to run ourselves from the stage. I mean, it was awful. So we did like six songs, and said 'Screw this.' As we were packing up, this guy comes up to us and says, 'I really like your band. You got a CD? I want to send it to somebody.'"
That somebody was Grammy-winning producer and label head Matt Serletic. From that point on, things just got better and better for the Exies.
As soon as the band got back from the road, they set out to find a new drummer. A want-ad in the local music magazine caught Stevens' eye, and sure enough, it was for current drummer Dennis Wolfe. "He was the first guy we called," says Walsh. "Scott brought him a demo of 'My Goddess,' which sold him on the band. One phone call, one audition, one new drummer. That never happens."
The new lineup began rehearsing and writing relentlessly, yielding the body of work that would become Inertia. By the spring of 2001, the Exies had a new album's worth of material and a new record deal on a major label. "What a difference a year makes," laughs Herrera. The band holed up in various L.A. studios for the rest of 2001 with Serletic at the console.
Released in January of 2003, Inertia launched the band into the mainstream with their break-through hit "My Goddess." The song drew major rotation at rock radio nationwide, and the video careened to the top 10 at MTV2. Performances on David Letterman and Last Call With Carson Daly helped spread the word, and the Exies found themselves on the road for a year, sharing the stage with some of the biggest bands at the time. "That year was nuts", recalls Wolfe. "You really start to appreciate a little quiet time at home once you've been on tour for a year. But I'm stoked to get back out there."
Final band members:
Scott Stevens - lead vocals, guitar (1997 - 2011)
Freddy Herrera - bass, backing vocals (1997 - 2011)
Chris Skane - guitar, backing vocals (1997, 2006 - 2011)
Hoss Wright - Drums (? - 2011)
Past members:
David Walsh - guitar (1997 - 2006)
Dennis Wolfe - drums (1997 - 2006)
Once in a Lifetime
The Exies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you may find yourself in another part of the world
And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife
And you may ask yourself, well, how did I get here?
Well, how did I get here?
Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by, water flowing underground
Once in a lifetime, water flowing underground
And you may ask yourself
How do I work this?
And you may ask yourself
Where is that large automobile?
And you may tell yourself
This is not my beautiful house
And you may tell yourself
This is not my beautiful wife
Not my beautiful wife
Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by, water flowing underground
Into the blue again, after the money's gone
Once in a lifetime, water flowing underground
The same as it ever was
The same as it ever was
The same as it ever was
And you may ask yourself
What is that beautiful house?
And you may ask yourself
Where does that highway go to?
And you may ask yourself
Am I right? Or am I wrong?
And you may say to yourself
My god, what have I done?
What have I done?
Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by, water flowing underground
Into the blue again, after the money's gone
Once in a lifetime
Once in a lifetime
Once in a lifetime
The Exies's song Once In A Lifetime is primarily about self-reflection and the passage of time. The lyrics speak to how we can find ourselves moving through different phases of life, sometimes feeling like we are going through the motions and not truly experiencing each moment. The opening lines, "And you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack / And you may find yourself in another part of the world," show the unexpected turns life can take and how we may end up somewhere we never imagined. The repetition of the line "letting the days go by" emphasizes the fleeting nature of time and the importance of making the most of every moment.
As the song progresses, the lyrics take on a more introspective tone. The lines, "And you may ask yourself, how do I work this? / And you may ask yourself, where is that large automobile?" show how we can become disillusioned when we are not fully present in our own lives. The final lines, "And you may say to yourself, my god, what have I done? / What have I done?" speak to the realization that our actions (or inactions) have consequences, and that we must take responsibility for our choices.
Overall, Once In A Lifetime is a powerful reminder to live in the present moment and embrace all the different stages of our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
And you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack
You might end up living in a small, cramped place.
And you may find yourself in another part of the world
You might find yourself in a completely different place.
And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife
You could end up in a picturesque home with a lovely partner.
And you may ask yourself, well, how did I get here?
You could wonder how your current situation came to be.
Well, how did I get here?
Seriously, how did all of this happen?
Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down
Allowing time to pass and feeling trapped, unmoving.
Letting the days go by, water flowing underground
The passage of time can feel like water constantly moving beneath my feet.
Into the blue again, after the money's gone
Once the funds are depleted, life can feel uncertain and overwhelming.
Once in a lifetime, water flowing underground
This kind of life cycle happens rarely or only once in a lifetime.
And you may ask yourself
How do I work this?
How do I make sense of this or figure out how to control this situation?
And you may tell yourself
This is not my beautiful house
Feeling disconnected from one's surroundings or life situation.
And you may tell yourself
This is not my beautiful wife
Disconnected or disillusioned with one's relationships.
The same as it ever was
The same as it ever was
The same as it ever was
Life can feel repetitive or monotonous, with no real change or progress.
And you may ask yourself
What is that beautiful house?
Questioning what a truly desirable or fulfilling life looks like.
And you may ask yourself
Where does that highway go to?
Curiosity about what lies ahead or where one is headed.
And you may ask yourself
Am I right? Or am I wrong?
Wondering if one's current perspective or choices are correct, or if they need to be reassessed.
And you may say to yourself
My god, what have I done?
Regret or disbelief at the decisions that led to one's current situation.
Once in a lifetime
Once in a lifetime
Once in a lifetime
Emphasizing the rarity or infrequency of experiencing certain life events or emotions.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Brian Eno, Christopher Frantz, David Byrne, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dark Starr
This band brought power and emotion to an already amazing song
Karim Vidal
una canción tan hermosa y llena de sentimiento, como me gustaría que esta banda se hubiera dado más a conocer.
Mandrack
pienso igual
Mandrack
Oh JODER... Que banda infravalorada
星空の下で黒ずんだ救いーBlackened Salvation
I wouldn't mind being prostrated for saying this song is far more symbolic as it is performed here.. the original just feels more like a gag. However, The Exies genuinely brought out all the deep rooted emotion and demonstrated just how important and serious these lyrics are. Going full circle, this rendition just blows its out of the water. And I far more enjoy what they were going for here, it has bespoke merits and a distinctly mature construction. Allowing it to blossom into this sort of spirit evoking tune, eye opening, awareness stricken, back seating you for a drift down a river.. something, or put simply it is given far greater meaning. Just a simple progression, that speaks a lifetime. It makes me feel as if I didn't look back enough, as though I don't deserve what I have, time wasted, reminding me of how little time we actually have to cherish the people and things around us, how far we've come. It triggers this reflection.. making me want to see my parents, wanting to get up and feel something not as it could be, but what it is, right now. That doesn't last, it exists for a moment. The days go by and you begin to forget what that feeling was, you'd grow to long for it to be brought back. Not ever truly being able to recollect what significance it actually had to you. It's just a slough of reminiscent wonder. I want to grasp it between my fingers, and take it with me.
Shawn Robinson
You could not be more correct.
Shawn Robinson
I've never wanted to drown in a song more.
senormedia
Never a great fan of the original (much preferred the early TH albums) - this is a great take on it. Probably just the youtube compression, but the smashed audio is a bit annoying, though. I'll need to find a better version and give it some airplay.
Shreyak Manandhar
Sounds like kurt cobain wow and he looks like him too wowow