Throughout the band's existence, the duo toured and recorded with a revolving door of musicians, and as of 2007, the band consisted of guitarists Mike Schey and Mark Buzard, bassist Don Raymond, drummer Adam Boyd, and its principal members, singer Nate Ruess and multi-instrumentalist Sam Means. The band chose their name to make fun of the music industry's inclination towards a cookie-cutter "format" for a hit. Despite this critique of the music industry, the band's aptly-titled first single--"The First Single" (from their five-song debut EP on Western Tread)--became popular in the Southwest music scene. This success led to The Format's signing with Elektra Records in 2002. Their first major label release and full-length album Interventions and Lullabies was released in October 2003. However, Elektra began to fold into a merger just as the album was rolling out its promotion, leaving the band as merely an afterthought as label restructuring began. The band toured North America for about two years while making plans for a new album and waiting out industry red tape.
The Format released a second EP on Atlantic (which had absorbed much of Elektra's roster after the label folded) titled Snails in April 2005. Although the EP was not a conventional mass release, it could be purchased at any of the band's performances, from their online merch store, and on iTunes. Not long after the release of the Snails EP, The Format was dropped from Atlantic. Due to their frustrating experiences with major labels, the band chose to record and release their second full-length album Dog Problems independently on The Vanity Label. The July 11, 2006 release of Dog Problems came two months after the band released the album for download on their website, in a move to combat an early leak.
On February 4, 2008, The Format announced that they will putting the band on hiatus because of creative differences. Nate Ruess already has plans to release a solo album which is scheduled to come out later this year.
Nate Ruess, the band's singer and lyricist, left the following message on the band's website:
"We have just put out word that we will not be making a new Format album. Please understand this was a tough decision and we're both upset about it. While we accept there will be false speculation as to why, understand that Sam and I remain extremely close and in fact are still passing the twin peaks box set back and forth in an attempt to figure out who REALLY killed Laura Palmer. We also want to thank everyone with and within the Format, particularly Mike, Don, and Marko, whom without, none of this would have ever even been fully realized. We both suggest you support their musical talents and whatever they decide to do. And lastly we want to thank the fans who made this the best 5 years of our lives."
Ruess announced August 11, 2008 that he is starting a new project called fun. with Andrew Dost formerly of Anathallo and Jack Antonof of Steel Train.
The Vanity Label, an imprint of major label Nettwerk, is managed by the band.
Since the end of The Format, Sam has continued designing merchandise. He converted theformatmerch.com into hellomerch.com where he features his newest work.
On February 4, 2020, the band announced a return from their hiatus for a tour of special shows.
Dead END
The Format Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everyone can see right through me
It goes all the way to the waves
Where my love she tried to wash it away
see we break for the summers
So she can find lovers
She treats them like a bottle of wine
And they sing you to sleep
But by the morning find the bottle is empty
'Cause she never gives it the time
Every bottle she finds
They don't compare
To the ones she left behind
There is never a note
So she waits for me to come back home
I'm looking for a dead end song
You wish that smoke
Could change its color
I love it when you talk so much
And act like nothing went wrong
I'm looking for a dead end song
While we sit and find flaws in everyone
I want to keep you by my side
Holding off tidal waves
"Mint car" is keeping us warm
She lays crossed upon the bed
We are puzzles making shapes
With our hands
I take my finger, turn into a pen
Then I run my hand down your spine
You guess I wrote something profound
Something like:
"Our love will last 'till we die"
I say "you're good at this game"
But what I really wrote is
"How I've yet to be saved"
The lyrics to The Format's song Dead End explore the pain of heartbreak and the search for solace in a world that can feel devoid of hope. The opening lines convey a sense of vulnerability, as the singer admits to having a hole in their heart that is visible to everyone. This hole is a metaphor for the emotional wound left by a failed relationship, one that reaches all the way to the sea where the singer's former love tried to wash away the pain.
The song then delves into the singer's experiences with love and relationships. They describe how they and their former partner would break up for the summer, allowing the partner to explore other romantic interests. The partners were treated as temporary distractions, like a bottle of wine that was consumed and then discarded when empty. The singer comments on the futility of this behavior, noting that no one can compare to the love they left behind. In the absence of a note, the singer becomes a source of comfort and consistency for their partner, who waits for their return.
The song's chorus expresses a desire for a "dead end song," a metaphor for an ending that is final and complete. Despite the pain and insecurity of the singer's situation, they hold onto their connection with their current partner as a way of weathering the storm of life's uncertainties. The song concludes with a tender moment between the singer and their love, as they explore each other's bodies and minds in the hope of finding something that will make it all worthwhile.
Line by Line Meaning
Hold on, there's a hole in my heart
I'm feeling broken and incomplete
Everyone can see right through me
I have no emotional barriers or walls
It goes all the way to the waves
My vulnerability extends beyond what's visible to the eye
Where my love she tried to wash it away
My attempt at starting a new relationship did not help heal my heart
see we break for the summers
We take a break in our relationship during the summer months
So she can find lovers
My partner seeks out other relationships during our break
She treats them like a bottle of wine
She consumes other relationships until they're no longer fulfilling
They make you dinner
Her new relationships tend to create an initial sense of excitement
And they sing you to sleep
She may feel comforted within the security of a new relationship
But by the morning find the bottle is empty
However, those feelings disappear once the excitement is over
'Cause she never gives it the time
My partner struggles to maintain long-term, committed relationships
Every bottle she finds
Each relationship she pursues
They don't compare
None of them are as fulfilling as previous relationships
To the ones she left behind
Compared to the comfort and security of an established relationship
There is never a note
She never leaves an explanation or closure in previous relationships
So she waits for me to come back home
She waits for me to return to her and our relationship
I'm looking for a dead end song
I know that our relationship is doomed and I'm looking for a way for it to end
You wish that smoke
You wish we could hide or escape from our issues
Could change its color
But no amount of distraction will truly fix our problems
I love it when you talk so much
I appreciate the effort you put into our conversations
And act like nothing went wrong
But ignoring our problems won't make them go away
While we sit and find flaws in everyone
We criticize others to avoid addressing our own issues
I want to keep you by my side
I desire to maintain our relationship
Holding off tidal waves
Even though our relationship may be unstable and uncertain
"Mint car" is keeping us warm
We listen to The Cure's song "Mint Car" as a way to feel better
She lays crossed upon the bed
My partner lays in bed, maybe feeling alone or upset
We are puzzles making shapes
We are trying to fit the pieces of our relationship together
With our hands
Through touch and intimacy
I take my finger, turn into a pen
I use my finger as a makeshift pen
Then I run my hand down your spine
I write romantic messages on your back
You guess I wrote something profound
You assume that my messages are meaningful and romantic
Something like: "Our love will last 'till we die"
You imagine that I wrote something optimistic about our future together
I say "you're good at this game"
I acknowledge that you appreciate romantic gestures and messages
But what I really wrote is
In reality
"How I've yet to be saved"
I feel lost and uncertain in our relationship despite our romance
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LINDA PERRY, NATE RUES, SAM MEANS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind