Formed in 1992 in Edinburgh, Scotland, the original Kaisers were Matt Armstrong (guitar), John Gibbs (bass), Johnny Maben (drums), and George Miller (lead guitar), the latter two of which were the only constant members of the group. The Kaisers were influenced by lesser known beat groups such as Bern Elliott & The Fenmen, The Big Three, and The Undertakers, among others. The Kaisers quickly gained a sizable fan following owing to their raucous, energetic live act, all the while fully developing their sound and building an ever-growing library of original compositions. Eventually, they were signed to the London label No Hit Records.
The Kaisers recorded their first album, Squarehead Stomp! (1993), at Toe Rag Studios, a now-legendary recording facility in Hackney, London, also used by fellow garage rock revivalists such as The Bishops, The Datsuns, and The Ettes. The original pressings of a majority of Kaisers albums were released on the No Hit imprint Imperial Wireless, which dealt exclusively in Kaisers records. To promote their first album, as well as the Alligator Twist EP released concurrently, The Kaisers appeared on an edition of BBC Scotland radio show The Usual Suspects; here, Miller stated that "...We're not The Beatles, we're not Gerry & The Pacemakers, we're The Kaisers."
It was after the release of their second album, In Step with The Kaisers (1994), that the first of many line-up changes occurred; bassist Gibbs was replaced by Matt Curtis (informally known as Kaiser Matt 2 to avoid confusion with Armstrong). With the release of Beat It Up! (1995), likely their most popular and well-regarded album, they further enhanced their burgeoning popularity, enabling them to depart on their first ever U.S. tour, where they played legendary punk venue CBGB. Upon their return to the UK, founding member Armstrong -- whose particular style of playing was essential to their sound -- left on sabbatical, leading them to hire Keith Warwick just before leaving for a tour of The Netherlands. Curtis also quit the band shortly thereafter, to be replaced by Mark Ferrie.
This cemented The Kaisers' line-up for the better part of four years, when Warwick was replaced by Angus McIntyre in 1999, whose tenure was short-lived; later that same year he was replaced by a returning Matt Armstrong, however briefly. The sixth and final line-up included Dean Micetich and a returning Ferrie. Although the band had been exceedingly productive in their early days--having once recorded three full-length albums, two EPs, and a single within the span of three years--from 1996 on, their level of productivity slowed considerably, releasing only two studio albums in the span of six years.
One of these albums, however, was Wishing Street (1997), their most critically lauded album. It included only two cover songs and instead favored originals; this was done intentionally in response to media criticism that their earlier records contained a perceived over-abundance of covers, despite the fact that said albums had contained a progressively increased number for each new record (a majority of which had been composed by Miller). Wishing Street was also recorded in higher fidelity than previous installments, as the group had become wary of contemporary acts recording at lo-fi as a way to disguise mistakes.
The Kaisers never officially disbanded; after the conclusion of the recording sessions for what turned out to be their last studio album, Shake Me! (2001) -- their focus having shifted to other musical projects, or due to real-life reasons -- The Kaisers quietly parted ways in 2002, and have not worked together under that name since.
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I Can Tell
The Kaisers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I only live so I can die
I only live so I can die
I hate that death will take its time
I only live so I can die
I only live so I can die
I only live so I can die
I want to die a thousand deaths
There's only pain there's nothing left
So take this blade and cut my neck
And though this blood I will atone
Cause in this world I'm so alone
An endless void nowhere to go
So fuck this world and fuck my soul
I want to die a thousand deaths
Cause living life is just regret
There's only pain there's nothing left
So take this blade and cut my neck
And though this blood I will atone
Cause in this world I'm so alone
An endless void nowhere to go
So fuck this world and fuck my soul
I hate that death will take its time
I only live so I can die
I only live so I can die
I only live so I can die
I hate that death will take its time
I only live so I can die
I only live so I can die
I only live so I can die
The lyrics of The Kaisers's song, I Can Tell, are quite thought-provoking. The singer is expressing a sense of being overwhelmed by their circumstances. They are in a dark place where they cannot see any light, and the silence around them is so profound that it is like they are deaf. The singer is experiencing an intense emotional response to their situation, and they cannot believe what is happening to them.
The darkness and silence in the lyrics can be interpreted as a metaphor for the feelings that the singer is experiencing. The metaphor suggests that the singer is in a place where they feel hopeless and alone. The silence can be seen as a representation of the singer's isolation, while the darkness symbolizes the singer's feelings of confusion and disorientation. The fact that the singer can't believe what is happening to them suggests that they are experiencing a sense of disbelief that their situation has become so dire.
Overall, the lyrics of I Can Tell speak to the experience of feeling overwhelmed by life's challenges. The singer is grappling with intense emotions, and the metaphor of darkness and silence serves as a powerful representation of the difficult emotions they are experiencing.
Line by Line Meaning
The darkness is blinding me
I am consumed by a feeling of despair and hopelessness, as if I am surrounded by a thick veil of darkness that prevents me from seeing any light or hope in my current situation.
The silence is deafening
The lack of sound or communication in this moment is overwhelming, emphasizing the emptiness and loneliness that I feel.
I can't believe it
I am expressing disbelief and shock at whatever has caused these feelings of darkness and silence, as if I am struggling to process or accept what has happened.
I can't believe it
I repeat this phrase, emphasizing my disbelief and confusion over the situation at hand.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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@Nkforster
One of the best gigs I ever went to. Great night.