The Meteors are a psychobilly band from the United Kingdom, who are often credited with giving the genre its distinctive sound. Although the origins of psychobilly are debatable, the Meteors consider themselves the first and only psychobilly band. Fans of the band are known to use the slogan "Only the Meteors are pure psychobilly" (often shortened to just "OTMAPP") as a rallying cry.
The Meteors were started in 1980 by P. Paul Fenech (guitar and vocals), Nigel Lewis (upright bass), and Mark Robertson (drums). Fenech and Lewis had played in rockabilly bands before, but left their former band, Raw Deal, in order to experiment with a new sound that mixed horror and science fiction lyrics with a punk rock-rockabilly crossover. This sound would later be called psychobilly.
The Meteors played their first show during Rockabilly Night at The Sparrow Hawk in north London, but after being heckled due to their punk fashion, decided to begin playing shows beyond just rockabilly clubs. They developed a loyal following known as "the Crazies," who invented their own dance style called "going mental," a cross between dancing and moshing. This would later be renamed "wrecking," and is still a staple of the psychobilly scene to this day. Coupled with Fenech's ritual of spitting blood during performances, many clubs believed they were dangerous and refused to book them. The band began playing at punk rock clubs alongside other UK punk bands such as the Anti-Nowhere League and the UK Subs. However, unlike punk bands, the Meteors would insist that their shows be "a politics and religion free zone" in order to focus on having a good time instead of allowing disputes between fans to break out. Because of their example, there are nearly no political themes in psychobilly today.
Due to their cult following, the Meteors made a film in late 1980 with comedian Keith Allen called Meteor Madness. It was released as a double feature with two-tone ska film Dance Craze in March 1981. The movie featured four songs, which made it onto the band's first vinyl single. In August 1981, the band were signed to Island Records and recorded their first full-length, In Heaven.
The Meteors have gone through numerous line-up changes since, with Fenech being the only original member today. The current line-up includes Mark Burnett on bass and Wolfgang Hordemann on drums. They have 17 official albums, countless singles, and numerous reissues and compilation appearances. They continue to record using their own recording studio, In Heaven, and have extensively toured Japan, America, Europe, and Scandinavia.
P. Paul Fenech has also released many solo albums and plays in a rockabilly side-project, the Legendary Raw Deal, named after his first band. Nigel Lewis and Mark Robertson went on to first play together in the Escalators, a psychedelic rock band, then the Tallboys, a rockabilly band best known for recording the song "Take a Walk" for the Return of the Living Dead soundtrack.
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There's also a dutch band called The Meteors. One of the most wayward Dutch rock groups in the period between the late '70s and early '80s. The Meteors release three records which feature a futuristic sort of 'art' rock which is influenced by Roxy Music and David Bowie. The band formed in 1977 and disbanded in 1982.
Source: www.hollandrocks.com
The Last Bus To Sanity
The Meteors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Winning losing at the same time
I've drunk everything and I'm running out of speed
Even quicker I'm running out of time
The last bus to sanity is waiting for me
Now the last bus has gone
I've missed it again
Charlie's always ready there to help
Living on cigarettes and jet black coffee
I'm a long long way from being well
The last bus to sanity is waiting for me
Now the last bus is gone
Fuck I've missed it again
(middle v111)
Deeper deeper down I go sinking through the ground
No ones here to pull me through start clawing my way out
Got myself a kind of grip it wont last to long
Think I left it a bit to late thinking of this song
The devils all around me smiling in my face
Helping me to kill myself
Nothing to quick it wouldn't be right
I already booked a bed in hell
The last bus to sanity is waiting for me
Now the last bus has gone
Fuck it I've missed it again
(bridge)
Now I'm feeling really good I'm gonna push some more
Now my head is spinning and I'm running for the door
Now the worlds gone milky and the floors gone away
Levitating man what a rush
Gotta find a way to pull it all down
Can't stay gotta catch a bus
The last bus to sanity is waiting for me
Now the last bus has gone
Fuck it I've missed it again
The Meteors' song, "The Last Bus to Sanity," tells the story of a person struggling with addiction and mental health issues. The lyrics imply that the singer has been struggling for some time and has now hit rock bottom. The lines, "Fucked up all night fighting with myself/ Winning losing at the same time," suggest that the singer is battling their inner demons, but isn't making any progress. The use of the phrase "running out of speed," could be interpreted as the singer being addicted to drugs or alcohol, and suggests that they are running out of the substance they depend on to numb their pain.
As the song progresses, the singer realizes that they need to get help, but they are too late. The line, "The last bus to sanity is waiting for me/ Now the last bus has gone/ I've missed it again," implies that there have been opportunities for the singer to get help, but they have missed them due to their addiction. In the third verse, the singer sinks deeper and deeper, and it seems as if they have given up hope. However, they manage to find some resolve and realize they need to catch the last bus to sanity. Unfortunately, it is too late, and they have missed it again.
Overall, The Meteors' song highlights the devastating impact of addiction on mental health and the struggles those who battle addiction face daily. The lyrics express the desperation and hopelessness that people with addiction can experience, as well as the importance of seeking help before it's too late.
Line by Line Meaning
Fucked up all night fighting with my self
I spent the entire night struggling with my own thoughts and emotions.
Winning losing at the same time
I experienced both victories and defeats simultaneously.
I've drunk everything and I'm running out of speed
I've consumed all the alcohol and drugs I have and I'm quickly losing their effects.
Even quicker I'm running out of time
I'm running out of time to find a way to regain control of myself.
The last bus to sanity is waiting for me
There's still a chance for me to get myself together and regain sanity.
Now the last bus has gone
Unfortunately, that chance has passed me by.
I've missed it again
Once again, I failed to take advantage of the opportunity to get help.
Chopping like a demon making nice straight lines
I'm using drugs to cut lines with precision and speed.
Charlie's always ready there to help
My dealer is always available to supply me with drugs.
Living on cigarettes and jet black coffee
I'm barely surviving on cigarettes and strong coffee.
I'm a long long way from being well
I'm in a very bad place and far from recovery.
Deeper deeper down I go sinking through the ground
I'm spiraling further and further into a dark place without anyone to lift me out.
No ones here to pull me through start clawing my way out
No one is around to help me, so I have to try to find a way to help myself.
Got myself a kind of grip it wont last to long
I'm briefly able to gain control of my situation, but it won't last.
Think I left it a bit to late thinking of this song
I realize that I should have taken action sooner to avoid getting to this desperate state.
The devils all around me smiling in my face
I'm surrounded by negative influences and temptations that seem to be leading me toward destruction.
Helping me to kill myself
These influences are encouraging me to continue engaging in harmful behavior.
Nothing to quick it wouldn't be right
I know that I shouldn't take the easy way out by ending my life too quickly.
I already booked a bed in hell
I feel like my choices have condemned me to a life of misery and suffering, similar to what I imagine Hell to be like.
Now I'm feeling really good I'm gonna push some more
Despite the negative consequences, I'm tempted to continue engaging in the behavior that makes me feel good in the moment.
Now my head is spinning and I'm running for the door
The effects of the drugs are becoming overwhelming, and I'm trying to escape the situation.
Now the worlds gone milky and the floors gone away
I'm experiencing intense hallucinations that make the world around me seem distorted and surreal.
Levitating man what a rush
The hallucinations are so intense that I feel like I'm levitating, which gives me a momentary sense of euphoria.
Gotta find a way to pull it all down
I need to find a way to get out of this state and regain my sense of reality.
Can't stay gotta catch a bus
I need to hurry up and get help before it's too late.
Fuck it I've missed it again
Unfortunately, I've missed my chance to get help once more.
Contributed by Gabriel M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
autobot7777777
hell yeah the meteors the first and pure psychobilly band
Franz Wirtzbiki
"...The last bus to sanity is waiting for me. Now the last bus has gone. FUCK! I’ve missed it again..." That never get out of my head since I heard it for the first time, a few years ago, and I think that will never get out.
vvinchnzo R
Chill ass song.........
nennawah
great!
somberwolf1987
Missed it again.
Burnning Biber
4ever OTMAPP
Frank.w. Buchanan
4ever Fenech 😈
Josh Mattingly
ive heard this before O_o now only if i could think of were it was from >:O
Steve Psychocat
OTMAPP666 the purest
Stompin Stan
Sounds like "Crawlin"