From playing local gigs at ski resorts in exchange for free lift tickets, the band is composed of Michael Kang (acoustic/electric mandolin, electric guitar, and violin), Michael Travis (drums and percussion), Bill Nershi (acoustic guitar, lap steel guitar, and electric slide guitar), Kyle Hollingsworth (piano, organ, Rhodes, and accordion), and Keith Moseley (bass guitar), and, in 2006, Jason Hann (auxiliary percussion).
The String Cheese Incident has been described as a democratic ensemble rather than a band, since all of the members contribute their own original compositions to the group’s burgeoning library and share the vocal burden on a number of cover versions as well as their own songs. If a de facto leader had to be named, such a title would probably fall upon Nershi, who is responsible for the bulk of the group’s original song library.
From their management, Madison House Inc.:
"The String Cheese Incident has emerged as one of America’s most significant independent bands. Born in 1993 in Colorado's Rocky Mountains, SCI has since released 6 albums, 3 DVDs and countless live recordings from their relentless tour schedule. Their 14 year history is packed full of surreal experiences, epic moments, groundbreaking involvement and huge accomplishments. They have been recognized for their commitment to musical creativity and integrity, for their community spirit, philanthropic endeavors, and for their innovative approach to the business of music.
When The String Cheese Incident’s growth first started gaining momentum over a decade ago, when the internet was just beginning to take hold and the major-label business model was failing, the band decided to make music on their own terms.
Since then, The String Cheese Incident has gone on to carve out a completely different approach to the business of music; they are truly pioneers of a new way of “making a band.” With the World Wide Web as their tool, SCI was among the first artists to disseminate information via the internet, such as tour dates, release information, and other news, to their growing fan base. Rather than doing business on such terms as “the bottom line,” The String Cheese Incident put their music and their fans first, opening companies of their own, including a ticketing company, a merchandise company and a fan travel agency, to best serve their community. The band’s record label, SCI Fidelity Records, has always operated under the same ideals. Even early on, SCI Fidelity embraced downloadable music and file sharing, delivering SCI’s “On the Road” series, where every show the band plays is made available for download on the internet. Whether they realized it at the time or not, The String Cheese Incident was inventing grassroots band development. Today, literally hundreds of bands are using some version of this same approach to building a band.
The String Cheese Incident’s commitment goes well beyond their immediate community, and even beyond the music community as a whole. Early on, the band took a serious interest in giving back to the communities that they visited, and they were among the first performers to encourage “Green” shows and tours. SCI’s support has helped give rise to such not-for-profit organizations as Conscious Alliance, Rock the Earth, and Head Count. In 2002, when the band’s right to sell tickets to their own shows became threatened by ticketing giant Ticketmaster, the band stood strong for the independent music community and filed a lawsuit against the company. All the while, The String Cheese Incident has stayed committed to music as a creative endeavor, not just in their recordings but also in their live performances. The list of SCI’s special guests and collaborators is long and diverse. Their annual events such as Horning’s Hideout, and holiday shows such as New Year’s and Halloween, have helped redefine the concert experience and has garnered the band a reputation as live music vibe innovators."
Some side groups are eoto, zilla with Jamie Janover, Zuvuya, Honkytonk Homeslice, Billy nershi's Plue Planet, Pangaea, The Trancident & Keller Williams with Moseley Droll and Sipe
Rollover
The String Cheese Incident Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Seashells at your feet
Ravens rising everywhere
Their crying fills the air
It's so hard to believe
That ten thousand years ago
Could it really be
Where you're standing was the sea?
rising from her core
Now we're looking through that door
Is she going to Rollover?
Rolling over you and me
Rollover
Rolling over could it be?
All the cities are going to be
Two Thousand feet under the sea
Rollover
Rolling over you and me
Walking through the city of Jerusalem
They said it will be washed clean
It's getting pretty dark out there
No one doesn't seem to care
Looking for my submarine
A voyage to the ocean floor
To find a city lost in lore
So many things left unseen
Don't believe
We will have the final say
Cause she will always find her way
She might roll over
Rolling over you and me
Rollover
Rolling over can't you see?
can't you see that we're going to be
Two thousand feet under the sea?
Rollover
Rolling over you and meRollover
Rolling over you and me
Rollover
Rolling over could it be?
All these cities are going to be
Two thousand feet under the sea
Rollover
Rolling over you and me
Rollover
Rolling over you and me
Rollover
Rolling over can't you see?
Can't you see that we're going to be
two thousand feet under the sea?
Rollover
Rolling over you and me
The String Cheese Incident's song "Rollover" is a prophetic anthem about the impending threat of climate change and the potential destruction it can bring. The opening verse describes a serene image of standing on a mountain top in Utah, with seashells at your feet and ravens filling the air with their cries. But the innocence of the scene is broken when the singer asks whether it's possible that where they're standing now was once the sea, ten thousand years ago: the idea being that the world is constantly changing, and it's hard to comprehend the magnitude of the threat that such a change poses. The chorus then speaks of "the rollover," an event where the Earth's tectonic plates shift causing violent earthquakes and tsunamis. The apocalyptic imagery of cities being submerged under two thousand feet of water is meant to convey a sense of an irreparable disaster that can occur if humans do not take climate change more seriously.
The second verse shifts to a modern city, Jerusalem, where the singer is looking for a submarine to dive to the ocean floor and discover the hidden city of lore. The imagery of the city being washed clean harkens to Biblical stories of a great flood, the same concept as in the previous verse. The singer declares that there are many things left unseen, implying that the world is full of hidden beauty and wonders that could be lost if we do not take care of our planet. The bridge of the song reinforces the central theme: "Don't believe/ We will have the final say/ Cause she will always find her way." The "she" is the Earth, implying that no matter how much damage humans inflict on it, the planet will always eventually recover, but at a great cost.
Line by Line Meaning
Imagine standing on a mountain top in Utah
Visualize yourself standing on a peak in Utah
Seashells at your feet
Sea shells scattered on the ground around you
Ravens rising everywhere
Wild birds taking flight in every direction
Their crying fills the air
Their loud cawing sound envelops the environment
It's so hard to believe
Hard to accept what's happening
That ten thousand years ago
A long time ago, about ten thousand years
Could it really be
Is it plausible or true?
Where you're standing was the sea?
Did an ocean exist at this place in the past?
She's cried out before
The earth made sounds before
rising from her core
The earth's movements start from the interior
Now we're looking through that door
Now we understand more about our planet
Is she going to Rollover?
Will the earth undergo a massive change?
Rolling over you and me
It will affect everyone
All the cities are going to be
Entire urban areas will become
Two Thousand feet under the sea
Submerged in deep ocean waters about two thousand feet deep
Walking through the city of Jerusalem
Strolling around the metropolis of Jerusalem
They said it will be washed clean
They have prophesized it will be cleansed
It's getting pretty dark out there
The situation is grim
No one doesn't seem to care
No one appears to be worried
Looking for my submarine
Searching for a submarine vessel
A voyage to the ocean floor
A journey to the seabed
To find a city lost in lore
Seeking an antique city that has been forgotten
So many things left unseen
Numerous things yet to be discovered
Don't believe
Don't accept it as a fact
We will have the final say
Humanity will ultimately decide
Cause she will always find her way
Mother Earth will recuperate regardless
Rolling over can't you see?
Can't you perceive the shift taking place?
can't you see that we're going to be
Can't you realize we'll eventually become
two thousand feet under the sea?
Submerged in deep ocean waters about two thousand feet deep
Contributed by Lincoln D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dana Wright
on Water
“Phosphorescent, luminescent, nature’s show astounds me”
Dana Wright
on Water
“Cicadas, in minor, all sing a melody so inventing” 100% correct.