Members of the Lawrence Arms have also played in The Broadways, Slapstick, Tricky Dick and Baxter.
The three musicians came together to form the Lawrence Arms in 1999. Although punk rock bands in their infancy generally start out by releasing EPs and 7" vinyl singles, the band members used their existing relationship with Asian Man Records to immediately begin recording a full-length album, a guided tour of chicago, which was released later that year. A second album, ghost stories, followed in 2000. Both albums focused heavily on the members' own stories of growing up and living in Chicago.
The band's next two releases were split EPs with other bands. The first, a split with Shady View Terrace, was released in 2000 and was their first release to be recorded by Matt Allison, who would continue to record and produce all of their subsequent releases. A second EP, Present Day Memories, was released in 2001 and was a split with The Chinkees.
The band's records and touring schedule had brought them to the attention of Fat Mike of NOFX, who signed them to his label Fat Wreck Chords in late 2001. Their first release on the label was a 7" vinyl single, part of the label's "Fat Club" series of 7" records. This was followed by the full-length album apathy and exhaustion, released in 2002. The album spawned the band's first music video, for the song porno and snuff films and they toured extensively with NOFX and other bands from the label.
Their next album was 2003's the greatest story ever told. Arguably their most ambitious album to date, it demonstrated the band members' continued growth as musicians and songwriters and included extensive footnotes to the lyrics detailing their many references to history, literature and pop culture. It also showed an evolution in the band's vocal style. Kelly had sung most of the vocals on their first album, while on subsequent releases he and McCaughan had split vocal duties almost equally from one song to the next, with Kelly's voice tending to sound more harsh and urgent while McCaughan's sounds more relaxed and melodic. With this release, however, the two began to move towards more of a duet style of singing which would feature prominently on their next album. Extensive touring following the album's release saw the band on the road for much of 2003 and 2004. They also contributed a song to the Fat Wreck Chords Rock Against Bush, Volume 2 compilation, leading up to the 2004 presidential election and became involved with the Punk Voter campaign.
In December of 2004 Kelly and Hennessy joined with fellow Chicago natives Dan Andriano of Alkaline Trio (who had played with Kelly in Slapstick) and Todd Mohney, formerly of Rise Against, to form The Falcon, and released an EP on Red Scare. Meanwhile, with interest in the Lawrence Arms increasing and their EPs out of print, Asian Man Records planned a CD release of the band's EP tracks. The resulting compilation album, Cocktails & Dreams, was released on Asian Man in June of 2005 and included their songs from both EPs along with nearly all of their compilation tracks, rare songs and b-sides.
The Lawrence Arms re-entered the studio in October and November of 2005 and recorded the album oh! calcutta!, which was released on Fat Wreck Chords in March of 2006. It had an overall faster and more urgent feel to it than their previous album, and demonstrated another step in the development of their singing as Kelly and McCaughan shared vocals in a duet style on nearly every song. They filmed a music video for the song the devil's takin' names.
The Lawrence Arms spent most of 2006 touring extensively alongside bands such as NOFX, Alkaline Trio, The Draft, Lagwagon, and A Wilhelm Scream. The full-length debut by the Falcon was released that fall on Red Scare. In December, the Lawrence Arms embarked on their first headlining tour of Australia, also playing supporting shows with Frenzal Rhomb.
In March of 2007, guitarist Chris McCaughan released the debut album from his acoustic side project Sundowner, entitled four one five two.
The band toured again in 2007, with their side projects The Falcon and Sundowner as openers along with the recently reunited American Steel.
The 2010s saw minimal studio activity by the band, but for one album. 2014's Metropole was received well, and marked the band's first full-length in eight years. The band took another extended break in between albums again, taking six years before releasing their seventh album Skeleton Coast in 2020.
Kevin Costner's Casino
The Lawrence Arms Lyrics
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The lyrics to The Lawrence Arms’s song, “Kevin Costner’s Casino,” discuss the exploitation of Native American culture by the entertainment industry, specifically through the example of Kevin Costner’s connection to the casino industry. The song highlights how Costner, a seemingly righteous man, took advantage of vulnerable communities to benefit from the casino industry.
The opening lines use Costner as a metaphor for how exploitation hides behind a perfect disguise, in this case, his “head dress and authentic moccasins,” which represent his connection to Native American culture in his movie “Dances with Wolves” and his investment in a casino. The song then critiques the idea of the “ultimate grand larceny,” which refers to the cultural theft and displacement of Native American tribes.
The song also reflects on how profits from casinos are not enough compensation for the way in which the government has displaced and mistreated Native Americans. Despite frequently citing reservations as compensation, the song calls attention to how ultimately insufficient they are. Furthermore, it questions the way in which the casinos run by corporations often fail to give back to the indigenous communities they claim to support.
Overall, “Kevin Costner’s Casino” presents a scathing critique of the exploitation of Native American culture through the casino industry, and how it disproportionately affects Native American communities.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey kevin, exploitation's nothing new, it's perfect disguise is your head dress and authentic moccasins
Kevin Costner, your exploitation of Native Americans is not a new concept, but you hide behind your costume and pretend to respect their culture and traditions.
You seemed just like a righteous man, exposing our great land for what is, the ultimate grand larceny
You appeared to be a honorable man, but in reality, you were stealing our land and resources, committing the ultimate form of theft.
But who would have thought that when you danced, dollar signs were in your eyes, above and beyond your large share in hollywood
When you performed your Native American dances, you were really just thinking about how much money you could make, despite already being a wealthy Hollywood actor.
You were a wolf in sheeps clothing to a wolf and a people and your bad actions by far outweigh the good
You pretended to care about the Native American people, but really you were just taking advantage of them and your selfish actions far outnumber any good deeds.
The theoretical 'oh, we fucked over native americans' is no match for consciously stuffing your dick in
Justifying the exploitation of Native Americans by claiming that it was done in the past is irrelevant when you are actively participating in it and benefitting from it.
Reservations are already a pathetic compensation as are the 'rights' we grudgingly give them
The small land parcels given to Native Americans as reservations are not enough to make up for the centuries of mistreatment and abuses they have suffered, and the limited 'rights' we allow them are given begrudgingly and do not truly empower them.
A casino could be the only way to rejuvinate collapsed economies of reservation indians
The creation of casinos on reservations may seem like a solution to economic struggles, but it does not address the root causes of poverty and inequality that stem from historical mistreatment and injustices.
But are profits from casinos enough compensation for the fact that we stuffed a huge nation of people into a few tiny towns and raped and murdered their traditions, stole their land and beat them down?
The amount of money generated by casinos does not make up for the immense harm and damage done to the Native American people, including the forced relocation, cultural genocide, land theft, and violence inflicted upon them.
The casinos are fucking corporate run, and initial check for the use of sacred burial grounds and the casino's fucking done giving back to the indian except for janitor jobs and garbage by the ton
The casinos may be owned by Native American tribes, but they are often managed by outside corporations and do not benefit the tribes as much as they claim. The use of sacred burial grounds is also disrespectful and shows a lack of consideration for Native American traditions.
(tough guy eight count) And old kevin is his own conglomerate. exploitation through a movie then through blackjack and roulette
Kevin Costner has built his own empire through exploiting Native American culture in his movies and then profiting from casinos that also exploit Native Americans through gambling.
Don't attend or rent his shitty films, 'cause his killing at the box office is not the only thing he has killed
Do not support Kevin Costner's movies or his business ventures, as he has not only made bad movies, but has also contributed to the continued exploitation and harm of the Native American people.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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