Catching onto the then-noteworthy idea of touring , the band gained notereity through repeated exposure in the skateboarding world, which helped on tour, and which helped create a national fanbase. Thrasher Magazine's MoFo compiled the first Skate rock tape, which featured several Faction songs, as well as songs by JFA and the Big Boys, the two other most established skate punk bands. Other bands included were Riot .303, Minus One, Los Olvidados, Skoundrelz, featuring Tony Alva, Anvil Chorus, Free Beer, featuring San Francisco's Tony and Tommy Guerrero, and others.
The Faction recorded two 7" records, an LP, an EP, and a posthumous EP, and contributed songs to a 7" compilation single, From The Valley Within. Their song Skate and Destroy was also featured in the first skateboarding video, Powell-Peralta's "Bones Brigade Video Show." Except for the Thrasher Skate Rock tapes and the posthumous "Epitaph" EP, which was released on Mystic Records, all the Faction's music was released on IM Records. This label was owned by guitarist Adam Segal, and financed by Arly. Primarily due to musical evolutional differences in the band, they broke up in 1985. In 1989 they reformed with pro skateboarder Jeff Kendall on guitar instead of Adam Bomb. They played two shows, recorded "Accelerate" (used in the "Stoked: The Gator Story") and for whatever reason it didn't go any further.
In 1994, Mark Waters, of Goldenrod Records, approached the band with the idea to compile the Faction's musical history into one complete CD package. The resulting "Collection" gathered most of the band's studio recordings along with some live and radio recordings, along with Gavin's complete list of every show the band ever played, complete lyrics, and what most of the band called their first good artwork. In 2001, the band started playing shows here and there, with original guitarist Russ Wright on guitar. One show led to more, and between 2001 and 2005 the band played a handful of shows, including gigs in Dortmund and Munster Germany, Vancouver B.C., Aberdeen Scotland, Seattle (with X), San Diego and Anaheim with the Adolescents and Strung Out, Sacramento, and numerous San Jose and San Francisco shows.
The Faction's song 'Skate And Destroy" is featured in the Tony Hawk Pro Skater 4 video game.
Bullets Are Faster Than Words
The Faction Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You'll never go to war
Peace in our time is thrilling
But your reality door is closed
If you should decide to resist the draft
That's you God given choice
Why go thousands of miles away to kill someone with no voice
But think about this as it's said
Bullets are faster than words
Home defense to keep our peace seems logical in our times
Keep what's yours, it wasn't free
Or be subjected to a foreign crime.
The Faction's song Bullets Are Faster Than Words is a politically charged song that addresses issues of war, pacifism, and individual freedom. The lyrics suggest that while the idea of peace is appealing, it may come at the cost of individual freedom and the ability to defend oneself. The singer acknowledges the tension between pacifism and self-defense, but ultimately seems to come down on the side of self-preservation, arguing that bullets are faster than words.
The opening lines of the song establish the singer's stance against killing and war. However, they quickly pivot to question the feasibility of total pacifism in the face of potential attacks or invasion. The line "Peace in our time is thrilling, but your reality door is closed" suggests that while pacifism may be desirable in theory, it may not be practical or realistic in a world where violence is a possibility. The singer goes on to criticize the idea of mandatory military service ("resist the draft") as a violation of individual choice, but also acknowledges the potential consequences of not being able to defend oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
You're dead set against killing
You strongly oppose taking another's life
You'll never go to war
You refuse to engage in armed conflict
Peace in our time is thrilling
You find great joy in the idea of peace prevailing
But your reality door is closed
You are not open to seeing the harsh realities of the world
If you should decide to resist the draft
If you choose not to participate in mandatory military service
That's your God-given choice
You have the right to make decisions based on your beliefs
Why go thousands of miles away to kill someone with no voice
Why travel so far to harm those who cannot speak up for themselves
But think about this as it's said
Consider this perspective
If their soldiers came here, you'd be dead
If the enemy invaded, you would not survive
Bullets are faster than words
Violence can occur more swiftly than diplomacy
Home defense to keep our peace seems logical in our times
Protecting our own land seems reasonable to maintain peace
Keep what's yours, it wasn't free
We must defend what we have acquired, it was not earned easily
Or be subjected to a foreign crime
Alternatively, we could fall victim to a crime committed by outsiders
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
GNARGNARHEAD
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Face palm death