There were at least three bands that have recorded under the name The Impos… Read Full Bio ↴There were at least three bands that have recorded under the name The Impossibles. They are, chronologically:

1) a well known Thai funk/pop band active in the 1970s.
2) an indie band active in the UK in the early 90s.
3) an alternative/ska band from Austin, Texas

1) The Impossibles (Thailand) composed their own hits but were also known for their covers of Western rock songs. They were among the first Thai pop bands to cover English language songs and were the first Thai rock band to record an English language album overseas during a tour of Europe. The band broke up in 1977, but they have frequently performed at reunions over the years, and its members remain active in music in Thailand.

2) The Impossibles (UK) were short-lived UK band consisting of Lucy Dallas and Mags Grundy. They had three releases on Fontana, with their first single "How do you do it?" produced by Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine and giving them some success after featuring in the NME.

3) The Impossibles (US) sprang from the ashes of the tragically named Austin, Texas band 'thefatgirls' in April of 1994 when fatgirls members Rory Phillips (vocals, guitar), Craig Tweedy (bass), and Pat Elliott (drums) found themselves looking for a new singer and a less embarrassing name. Within weeks they were practicing with Gabe Hascall, at that point also a bass player for the Austin hardcore band loophole. Gabe sang one song in Loophole's set, a cover of the Avail anthem 'March', and it was this shining moment that caught Rory’s eye and convinced the future Impossibles they had found their singer.

Acting as a stand-alone singer for the Impossibles first official show, Gabe soon also took on second guitar playing duties, a move that would prove critical to the future direction of the band. Writing songs with dual vocals and dueling walls of guitar sound, the Impossibles began to forge a sound reminiscent of their main influences at the time bringing together the alternative rock pop of bands like Weezer and The Pixies with the punk pop sound of bay area bands Green Day and Operation Ivy. After a short run of demo tapes the band recorded a full length self titled album, which they initially released on local label Red 5 Records and was soon picked up by Florida label Fueled by Ramen.

After a summer of touring on their first full length the Impossibles once again headed into the studio to record a follow up EP, ’Back 4 the Attack’. By this point the four members of the Impossibles were unsure of their futures, with several members wishing to pursue scholastic goals. The band decided to call it quits shortly after the release of their new EP, and would play their final show early the next year never to be heard from again...

Cut to winter, 1999. The first two Impossibles records on Fueled by Ramen along with the first demo recordings were collected into one CD, the Impossibles Anthology 94-97. After two years of playing in Imbroco and The Stereo, Rory found himself back in Austin and looking for a place to live. Although their contact was sporadic, Gabe and Rory somehow kept in contact enough to end up living together in a one-bedroom apartment in Austin’s Hyde Park district. Although the idea had come up from time to time, an Impossibles reunion wasn’t really feasible at any point until then, and somehow to everyone involved, it made perfect sense. Craig had been playing with Austin band Cruiserweight, but after much coaxing and convincing came back to the band solidifying the original lineup once again.

The following springs the Impossibles wrote and recorded 'Return’, their second full length and a noticeable departure from the original formula of ska meets pop rock. With two years apart and a lot of changes in musical influence, the Impossibles were now also incorporating influences from bands like Elliott Smith, Spiritualized, and Fugazi. At its core, however, the sound could still be found in the lyrical hooks and signature big rock guitars that had powered the bands earlier efforts.

The Impossibles hit the road and hit it hard in 2000, supporting acts like Less Than Jake and new found glory and headlining tours with Ultimate Fakebook and Cadillac Blindside, busting their chops and learning how to give their audience the same energy they received, pushing themselves every night to the point of breaking (sometimes literally) only to do it all over again the next night.

In spring of 2001 a new EP was recorded with hardcore super producer Brian McTernan entitled ’Brick Bomb’. The bands fourth effort broke even more new ground (much to the dismay of the third wave ska set, sorry kids) and honed their pop rock skills to a razor point. The songs are at times their most aggressive and their most subdued, but the sound is unmistakable.

After a 6 week US tour with the likes of grade and the movie life, the band found themselves at another impasse with the departure of their original drummer Pat Elliott and gearing up for 6 more months of touring, with their scheduled first tour of Europe in November 2001. Afterwards, being talked into a mini tour of Florida, the Impossibles retired to Austin, where they broke up shortly after.

On June, 2nd 2001 the Impossibles played their farewell concert at home in Austin to a packed house. A copy of their final moments were avalible on a DVD from Fueled By Ramen, and are sold out indeffinitly as no future pressings are planned.

The Impossibles will live on in the hearts and minds of the countless souls they touched with their music.

Enter/Return
The Impossibles Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Held our breath for a long time
Never thought these days would come to end
And then we'd have to let them go
Force fed and sleepless
Never thought we'd learn love the road, the ride, the time it took away
But here's our return
One more chance to push each other down

Tested our limits
Pushed so hard that we broke in two
And you are broken to this day
Double-crossed and lied to
I still lack parts that have clung to you
And through it all I've ignored the pain
But here's our return
One more chance of sharing the rest of our

Days move slowly
Weeks spent lonely
Years waiting for your return

We have come so far in years
A part of me will always be a part of you

Overall Meaning

The above lyrics from The Impossibles’s song Enter/Return is a reflection on the journey of two people in a relationship. The song starts by painting a picture of a couple who have been together for a long time and have faced challenges, but have held onto each other through it all. The first few lines indicate a sense of longing and a reluctance to let go of the past. The lyrics highlight the struggle of being separated from a loved one, but the return means there is one more chance to rekindle the flame of love.

Moving forward, the song talks about how the relationship was tested to its limit, but instead of breaking, it created a deeper bond between the two people. The line “Pushed so hard that we broke in two, and you are broken to this day” indicates that although the couple has been through tough times, they are willing to come together and start afresh. There is a reference to betrayal in “Double-crossed and lied to,” but the singer has decided to ignore the pain and move forward. As the song progresses, it conveys the idea that despite the struggles and setbacks, the couple has come a long way over the years and will forever be connected.

Overall, the lyrics of Enter/Return convey a theme of perseverance and the willingness to overcome any obstacle if you have to be with someone. The song reflects how love can survive the ups and downs and come out stronger at the end.

Line by Line Meaning

Held our breath for a long time
We waited in anticipation for what felt like an eternity.

Never thought these days would come to end
We couldn't imagine that the good times would ever inevitably end.

And then we'd have to let them go
Eventually, we had to say goodbye to those memories.

Force fed and sleepless
We were forced to endure and struggle, unable to rest.

Never thought we'd learn love the road, the ride, the time it took away
We didn't realize that we'd learn to love the hardships, the journey, and the time that was taken from us.

But here's our return
But now, we are back.

One more chance to push each other down
We have another opportunity to challenge each other.

Tested our limits
We pushed ourselves to the edge.

Pushed so hard that we broke in two
We pushed ourselves so hard that we couldn't hold together anymore.

And you are broken to this day
You still carry the scars from those times.

Double-crossed and lied to
We were betrayed and lied to.

I still lack parts that have clung to you
I still can't let go of the pieces of you that remain with me.

And through it all I've ignored the pain
Despite all the suffering, I've pushed past the pain.

But here's our return
But now, we are back.

One more chance of sharing the rest of our
One last opportunity to spend the remainder of our time together.

Days move slowly
Time seems to drag on.

Weeks spent lonely
We feel isolated and alone for weeks on end.