Vasoli has lately been focusing on his side project, known as Person L. Tom has been recording with his new band, Cheap Seats, with Matt as their manager. Mike also has a side project, called The Traded Series. The origins of the group that would become The Starting Line go back to 1999, via an AOL instant message from Churchville, Pennsylvania guitarist Matt Watts to vocalist/bassist Kenny Vasoli. It asked if the then fourteen-year-old Vasoli, who was at that time in a band called Smash Adams, was interested in "Jamming and shit", as the message title read.
Only a few weeks later, Vasoli found himself rehearsing with his future bandmates Watts, guitarist Mike Golla and drummer Tom Gryskewicz. Soon, the band started touring under the name Sunday Drive, selling out home-made merchandise and a self-recorded demo cassette that the guys titled 'Four Songs'. Their first official release was a three-way split with The Jimmy Tuesday Band and The Commercials contributing three songs each, the work released on KickStart Audio in 2000.
Sunday Drive was soon approached by We the People Records and asked to produce a recording session (the infamous We the People Records Sessions). Set for a release in December 2000, the twelve songs were initially planned to become the band's debut full-length With Hopes of Starting Over on We the People Records, but they ended up serving only as demos for tracks on future releases, as the band signed with Drive-Thru Records in April 2001. On Drive-Thru, they soon released their debut EP With Hopes of Starting Over. Yet, as the name Sunday Drive was already taken by a Christian rock band, they went on as The Starting Line.
On July 16, 2002, almost exactly one year after the release of their EP, the full-length Say It Like You Mean It followed. The songs ranged from energetic and fast-paced to melancholy and calm, dealing with performing on stage ("Given the Chance"), feeling homesick ("Left Coast Envy") and getting even with Vasoli's ex-girlfriend Karina ("Up & Go", "Hello Houston", among others). The hit single "The Best of Me" and its two music videos, as well as the second single "Leaving", received heavy radio and TV airplay, securing The Starting Line a spot on the Warped Tour.
Due to their desire to put out new material, the band decided to release an all-unplugged EP, recorded in three sessions over the following year. The first three songs (recorded in The Prize Fight's Bob Jones' bedroom in August 2002), the second session (recorded in Vasoli's basement in March 2003) and the last track (recorded on the band's touring bus in April 2003) became The Make Yourself at Home EP, released on November 25, 2003. The CD and the DVD version issued simultaneously, featuring an acoustic set performed live at Skate & Surf 2003 in Asbury Park, New Jersey, would be their last releases put out solely on Drive-Thru Records, as The Starting Line was signed by Geffen Records soon afterwards.
Their major label debut, Based on a True Story, came out in May 2005. Lyrically, the band dissociated themselves from the post-relationship formula that was predominant on their previous records. On this album, a lot of the songs (e.g. "Inspired By the $", "Autography" and "The B-List") were explicitly inspired by the band's disdain for their record label Geffen and its executives. The album was far more successful than the band's 2002 effort and sold 42,000 copies within its first week, as opposed to its predecessor's 11,000. The release was followed by the semi-headlining Nintendo Fusion Tour with Fall Out Boy, kicking off in September 2005. A few dates into the tour, The Starting Line were — at their request — released from their record deal with Geffen, and became free agents. In early January 2006, their signing with Virgin Records was announced.
On March 5, 2008 the band announced in an e-mail and on Absolutepunk.net they would be going on a break in order for Ken and Brian to explore Person L, Matt and Tom to explore The Seventy Six, and Mike to spend time with his two daughters and explore The Traded Series. The band had been playing with the idea of coming back in 2011, but in a chat with absolutepunk.net, Kenny Vasoli said, ""it's looking good, may even be earlier. I hung with Matt and Tom the other day, we all are still in love with one another.
On November 10, 2009, The Starting Line released their first-ever live concert CD, film and documentary DVD titled "Somebody's Gonna Miss Us" via Image Entertainment on a 2-disc set. Through intimate and honest interviews with the band, friends and family fans will get a glimpse into the inner workings of the group and a career that spanned nearly a decade, five releases, and thousands of shows.
On December 29, 2009, The Starting Line had a reunion concert at the Theater of Living Arts. Starting Line guitarist Matt Watts stated on the website AbsolutePunk that "this doesn't mean that TSL are back together....It simply means that we're taking a break from our break, and wanted to play a fun show in Philadelphia and continue to focus on our lives outside of TSL"
The Starting Line added a second holiday show on December 30, 2009 in Philadelphia at the Trocadero Theater. This was added due to the fact that the first holiday show scheduled for December 29, 2009 sold out in a little over an hour and the band would like to give their local fans a better chance to see them. Towards the end of their set, Kenny Vasoli announced the band's reunion. However, the group has only toured intermittently since then.
Main Website: http://www.startinglinerock.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/thestartingline
I'm Real (Jennifer Lopez Cove
The Starting Line Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
R-U-L-E,
Blowing back on mary jane,
And analyzin the game,
The game done chose me,
To bring the words I can't say, it's one in the same,
Ever since you told me,
Theres only room for two, I'll be makin less room for you,
Judge me, the only man that help is above me, holla,
I met so many men and,
It's like their all the same,
My appetite for lovin,
Is now my hunger pain,
And when I'm feelin sexy,
Who's gonna comfort me?
My only problem is,
Their insecurities,
Tired being alone... yeah, yeah
Sick of arguin on the phone... yeah, yeah
Tellin all your friends... yeah, yeah
But you men don't understand... my love
Cause I'm real,
(the way you walk, the way you move, the way you talk)
Cause I'm real,
(the way you stare, the way you look, style your hair)
Cause I'm real,
(the way you smile, the way you smell, it drives me wild)
Cause I'm real,
And I cant go on without you,
Now I've been thinkin bout this relationship, and I wanna know,
Is this as good as it gets,
Cause we've been through the worst times,
And the best times,
But it was our time,
Even if it was part time,
Now they be lookin at me, smilin at me,
Laughin like we wasn't happy,
But not knowin, that we're growin, and we're gettin married,
Hard lovin, straight thuggin,
Bitch i ain't doin this for nothing,
Hoppin, poppin,
Lets ride up in the benz,
Hair blowin in the wind,
Sun glistenin off my skin, hey!
And im nasty, and you know me,
So you don't mess with your baby,
Cause I'm real,
(the way you walk, the way you move, the way you talk)
Cause I'm real,
(the way you stare, the way you look, style your hair)
Cause I'm real,
(the way you smile, the way you smell, it drives me wild)
Cause I'm real,
And I can't go on without you,
Now people loving me and hating me and treating me ungratefully,
But not knowin' that they ain't makin or breakin me,
My life I live it to the limit and I love it,
Now I can breath again, baby I can breath again,
Now people screaming what's the deal with you and so and so,
I tell them bitches mind your biz but they don't hear me though,
I live my life to the limit and I love it,
Now I can breath again, baby I can breath again,
Tired being alone... yeah, yeah
Sick of arguin on the phone... yeah, yeah
Tellin all your friends... yeah, yeah
But you men dont understand... my love
Cause I'm real,
(the way you walk, the way you move, the way you talk)
Cause I'm real,
(the way you stare, the way you look, your style, your hair)
Cause I'm real,
(the way you smile, the way you smell, it drives me wild)
Cause I'm real,
And i cant go on without you,
And i cant go on without you...
The Starting Line's cover of Jennifer Lopez's "I'm Real" is a song about a woman who is looking for love and feeling frustrated with the men she has encountered. In the first verse, the singer talks about how the game of love has chosen her to bring words that she can't say. She feels like she's been through the worst and best times with someone and wonders if this is the best she can get.
In the chorus, the singer asserts that she is real, not just in terms of physical appearance but in her emotions and intentions. She wants her partner to understand her love and what she needs. She also mentions her distaste for being alone, arguing on the phone, and telling her friends about her relationship problems.
In the second verse, the singer reflects on how people love and hate her but that doesn't affect her as much. She lives life to the fullest and loves it, and she is tired of people prying into her relationship with someone. She wants to breathe again, and not having the love of her partner makes it hard to do so.
Overall, the lyrics are about love, relationships, and asserting one's values and emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
What's my name,
I want to know if you remember my name and who I am.
R-U-L-E,
I am spelling out my name and reminding you of who I am.
Blowing back on mary jane,
I am smoking marijuana and enjoying it.
And analyzing the game,
I am studying the game and trying to figure out how to be successful.
The game done chose me,
I have been chosen by the game to be successful.
To bring the words I can't say, it's one in the same,
I have been chosen to express through music the things I couldn't say otherwise.
Ever since you told me, there's only room for two, I'll be making less room for you,
Since you said that you only have room for two in your life, I am cutting down on how much space I give you in my life.
Only God can hold me, judge me, the only man that help is above me, holla,
Only God can judge me, and I believe that only God can help me when I need help.
I met so many men and,
I have met many men in my life.
It's like their all the same,
All of the men I have met seem to be the same and offer nothing new.
My appetite for lovin,
I have a strong desire for love and affection.
Is now my hunger pain,
My desire for love has become a painful hunger that I cannot ignore.
And when I'm feeling sexy, who's gonna comfort me?
When I am feeling attractive and want attention, who will be there to give me the affection I crave?
My only problem is, their insecurities,
My problem is that the men I meet usually have their own personal issues and insecurities that get in the way of building a relationship.
Tired being alone... yeah, yeah
I am tired of being alone and want to be with someone.
Sick of arguing on the phone... yeah, yeah
I am tired of arguing with my significant other on the phone.
Telling all your friends... yeah, yeah
My significant other is sharing our relationship problems with their friends.
But you men don't understand... my love
Men do not understand the love and affection I have to offer.
Cause I'm real, (the way you walk, the way you move, the way you talk)
I am real and genuine, and it shows in the way I carry myself.
Cause I'm real, (the way you stare, the way you look, style your hair)
I am real and confident in how I present myself, including the way I style my hair.
Cause I'm real, (the way you smile, the way you smell, it drives me wild)
I am real and my natural smile and scent elicit strong emotions.
Cause I'm real, and I can't go on without you,
I am being honest about my love for you and cannot imagine life without you.
Now I've been thinking bout this relationship, and I wanna know,
I am contemplating where our relationship currently stands.
Is this as good as it gets,
I am questioning if our relationship has reached its peak.
Cause we've been through the worst times, and the best times,
We have experienced both the toughest and happiest moments.
But it was our time, even if it was part time,
Regardless of how much time we spent together, it was an important part of our lives.
Now they be looking at me, smiling at me, laughing like we wasn't happy,
People are looking at me and laughing, making me feel like our love was never genuine.
But not knowing, that we're growing, and we're getting married,
They do not know that we are growing as a couple and preparing to get married.
Hard lovin, straight thuggin,
We love each other fiercely and are rough around the edges.
Bitch I ain't doing this for nothing,
I am committed to this relationship and will not end it for any reason.
Hopping, popping, let's ride up in the benz,
Let's go for a drive in the car and enjoy each other's company.
Hair blowing in the wind, sun glistening off my skin, hey!
We are enjoying the open road and my hair is blowing in the wind, and the sun is shining on my skin.
And I'm nasty, and you know me,
I have a wild side, and my significant other knows that about me.
So you don't mess with your baby,
My significant other respects my boundaries and knows not to push me too far.
Now people loving me and hating me and treating me ungratefully,
People have mixed feelings about me and do not show appreciation for me.
But not knowing' that they ain't making or breaking me,
They do not realize that their opinions are not affecting me in a significant way.
My life I live it to the limit and I love it,
I live my life to the fullest and enjoy every moment of it.
Now I can breath again, baby I can breath again,
After surviving a tough period, I am feeling free and alive once again.
Now people screaming what's the deal with you and so and so,
People are curious about my relationship and what is happening with us.
I tell them bitches mind your biz but they don't hear me though,
I ask them to mind their own business, but they are not listening to me.
I live my life to the limit and I love it,
I continue to live life to the fullest and am loving every moment of it.
And I can't go on without you,
Life without my significant other is not something I can bear to imagine.
And I can't go on without you...
Repeating myself to emphasize how much I cannot live without my significant other.
Contributed by Zoe P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Giulliana Eugui
We need a sitcom, with these two, and those characters puerto rican Bronx and Italian Brooklyn
Dyn Jarren
That would be interesting and I’d watch that. They would be like two sides of the same coin. They would be rivals but they’d end up respecting each other. It could be good!
Juliana Rey
daddyrichten she would if it made her money
ragejinraver
It would be weird for me since am a Puerto Rican from Brooklyn
Mallory
@daddyrichten What exactly does acting Puerto Rican consist of?
Echo Walker
Yes you are so right. Love em both. So funny.
Maria Santos
you can tell they're TRUE friends, hold each other's hands, finish each other's sentences i love it! And I especially love when Leah goes for the hair and Jennifer gives her the "look" b**ch don't touch my hair - lol
someone somewhere
The holding hands...❤. It was so sweet. Love to see friendships like this.
Kate Ealer
Jen got Leah out of Scientology. They are besties for life.
MiamiTheGreatest
Kate Ealer No she didn’t.