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
These Waves
The String Cheese Incident Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maybe so, it just gets harder when you're older
To the coffin from the nipple
From the cradle to the grave
Once a pond discovers ripples
Could it ever forget these waves?
Chorus
Between pleasure and pain
These waves
Come and rock me once again
These waves
Will I ever stop riding these waves?
Like I always do, I found the Dew Drop Inn
What an excellent place to once again begin
But the kindnesses of strangers
Make a haven for fools
You get tired of the dangers
But it's hard to beat the rules of
These waves
[chorus]
So I grow old, is it true that I'll grow wiser?
I don't know, seems that fortune is a miser
But there's one thing that's for certain,
It's that life is fair, you will have your days of triumph
You will always get your share of
[chorus]
These waves have got me
Caught between the joy and the bottom below
These waves have brought me
Down to the point
Where there's nothing that I'm certain I know
So rides the world, between freedom and fear
We long for love, though it's perfectly clear
That it takes a lot of courage
To keep an open heart
Though your love may seem well nourished
It will always be a part
Of these waves
[chorus]
In the song "These Waves," The String Cheese Incident explores the constant turbulence and uncertainty of life through the metaphor of waves. The lyrics suggest that from birth to death, we are always riding these waves that bring us to pleasure and pain, joy and sorrow, love and fear. The first verse implies that as we grow older, it becomes harder to handle the ups and downs of life. The lyrics say that a pond may forget the ripples once it settles, but people never forget the waves that they have experienced.
The second verse talks about how seeking refuge in places like the Dew Drop Inn is only a temporary solution to deal with the difficulties of life. It suggests that strangers' kindness may bring temporary respite but cannot erase life's dangers completely. The third verse talks about growing old where we are supposed to grow wiser, but in reality, fortune can be a miser. Life will have its fair share of triumph and tragedy, and we always end up riding these waves.
The recurring chorus "These Waves" highlights the contrast between pleasure and pain, and the ups and downs of life. It shows the cyclical nature of life, and no one can escape the waves of life. Despite the constant turbulence, the last verse suggests that we still long for love and must have the courage to keep an open heart, even though it might seem easier to close ourselves off from the world. In the end, love is also a part of these waves we ride.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was born, I suppose that I was sober
When I was born, I wasn't under the influence of any substances.
Maybe so, it just gets harder when you're older
Even if that's true, sobriety gets harder as you age.
To the coffin from the nipple
From birth to death.
From the cradle to the grave
From birth to death.
Once a pond discovers ripples
After something is disturbed, the consequences cannot be undone.
Could it ever forget these waves?
It's impossible for the pond to forget the ripples that resulted from the disturbance.
Chorus
Repeated refrain.
Between pleasure and pain
Caught between good and bad experiences.
Come and rock me once again
The cycles of life bring both joy and sorrow.
Will I ever stop riding these waves?
Is it possible to avoid the ups and downs of life?
Like I always do, I found the Dew Drop Inn
Returning to a familiar place to find a fresh start.
What an excellent place to once again begin
A positive outlook, even after experiencing hardship.
But the kindnesses of strangers
Random acts of kindness can provide refuge.
Make a haven for fools
A safe space can lure people into danger.
You get tired of the dangers
The consequences of being foolish can wear on you.
But it's hard to beat the rules of
It's difficult to escape the patterns of life.
So I grow old, is it true that I'll grow wiser?
Is growing old synonymous with growing wise?
I don't know, seems that fortune is a miser
I'm not sure, but it feels like luck is against me.
But there's one thing that's for certain,
One thing that's absolutely true.
It's that life is fair, you will have your days of triumph
There will be moments of victory in life.
You will always get your share of
Good and bad experiences are guaranteed in life.
These waves have got me
Life's ups and downs have me caught in their cycle.
Caught between the joy and the bottom below
Experiencing both positive and negative emotions in close proximity.
These waves have brought me
Life's cycles have brought me down.
Down to the point
At the lowest level of experience.
Where there's nothing that I'm certain I know
When despair hits, everything is uncertain.
So rides the world, between freedom and fear
The world oscillates between security and chaos.
We long for love, though it's perfectly clear
We all want love, even though it can bring pain.
That it takes a lot of courage
It takes bravery to love and be vulnerable.
To keep an open heart
To remain receptive to love and connection.
Though your love may seem well nourished
Even when love seems healthy and vibrant.
It will always be a part
Love will always be intertwined with the cycles of life.
Of these waves
The ups and downs of life.
Contributed by Maya W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bee
Great words of wisdom from John Perry Barlow. Be well wherever you are now. His words were sung and played beautifully.
Rose Rosenhauer
I listened to this song every day when I was living in India. So beautiful. Thanks for the nice video
Z_Sloathe
This is one of my favorite Cheese originals.
Bryan Palmer
Me 2. Kang is the best!
thsewaves1
thanx man, been waitin for this to come up on the tube!
Ryan LaCourse
Good quality. Thanks!
Curtis Snellings
Let’s ride them together y’all