The Suicide Machines were a band formed in 1991 in Detroit, Michigan under … Read Full Bio ↴The Suicide Machines were a band formed in 1991 in Detroit, Michigan under the original name Jack Kevorkian and the Suicide Machines. The band's original lineup consisted of Jason Navarro on vocals, Dan Lukacinsky on guitar, Jason Brake on bass, and Stefan Rairigh on drums. This lineup lasted a year until Bill Jennings replaced Rairigh, but he was himself soon replaced by Derek Grant. They recorded the band's first demos The Essential Kevorkian and Green World in 1993 and 1994, both released through their own label Sluggo's Old Skool Records. They also released the "Vans Song" 7" single on Youth Rendition Records. Brake left the group in 1994 and was briefly replaced by Dave Smith until Royce Nunley joined as the new permanent bass player. The lineup of Navarro, Lukacinsky, Nunley, and Grant would last for the next four years. This lineup reduced the band's name to The Suicide Machines and recorded the Skank for Brains split album with The Rudiments.

1996-2001: Hollywood Records years

In 1995 the band signed to Hollywood Records, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. 1996 saw the release of their first album, Destruction by Definition. Its blend of punk rock and ska brought the national attention in the midst of the mid-1990s punk rock mainstream revival. The single "No Face" became a minor hit on modern rock radio stations and the album was supported through extensive touring across the United States. They released a follow-up in 1998 entitled Battle Hymns, which continued their ska punk style while incorporating more aggressive elements of hardcore punk, with nearly all of its songs lasting under two minutes in length.

Following the release of Battle Hymns Grant left the band. He went on to play with numerous groups including Thoughts of Ionesco, The Vandals, face to face, and Telegraph before finding a permanent position in the Alkaline Trio. He was replaced by Erin Pitman for some touring before new permanent drummer Ryan Vandeberghe joined. In 2000 this lineup released The Suicide Machines, a more pop rock oriented effort that moved away from the ska influences of their earlier releases. They received some radio and video play for the single "Sometimes I Don't Mind" and performed on the Warped Tour that Summer. In 2001 they released Steal This Record, which continued their exploration of pop punk style while mixing in elements of their earlier ska punk and hardcore albums.

2002-2005: Side One Dummy years

Following touring in support of Steal This Record bassist Nunley left The Suicide Machines to start his own band, Blueprint 76, and was replaced by Rich Tschirhart. The band also ended their contract with Hollywood Records, fulfilling their contractual obligations by releasing the compilation album The Least Worst of the Suicide Machines. They then moved to the independent label Side One Dummy Records. Their next album A Match and Some Gasoline, released in 2003, found the band abandoning the pop experimentations of their previous two albums and returning more to the ska punk and hardcore styles of their earlier years. They also began to explore sociopolitical themes in songs such as "Did You Ever Get a Feeling of Dread?" and "Your Silence," which were critical of President George W. Bush's administration, its response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. They toured internationally in support of the album and again performed on the Warped Tour.

In 2005 the band released the album War Profiteering is Killing Us All, which continued their political themes by openly attacking the Bush White House, the continuation of the Iraq War, and conservative Republicanism. Navarro also launched his own record label, Noise Riot Records, and released On the Eve of Destruction: 1991-1995, a compilation of the band's early EPs, singles, and demos.

2006: Breakup and post-Suicide Machines activity

In 2006, while touring in support of War Profiteering is Killing Us All, the band abruptly broke up. Explanations given by the band members for this included Vandeberghe's desire to take a break from touring, which he did while friend Steve McCrumb filled for a performance at the Troubadour in Los Angeles on May 11. A tour of Mexico had been planned to follow this, and Navarro had suggested that the band perform its final shows that Christmas. However, interpersonal tensions came to a head after the Troubadour show when Lukacinsky refused to finish the tour. Lukacinsky himself further elaborated that the band had been planning to break up for some time.

Following the band's breakup, Navarro and Vandeberghe continued working with Left in Ruin, a band they had started as a Suicide Machines side project and had worked on and off with for almost 6 years. Vandeberghe also joined the new band Hifi Handgrenades. Lukacinsky, meanwhile, started his own band Bayonetting the Wounded. Navarro is currently fronting Hellmouth. Tschirhart is in The A-Gang.

Hope
The Suicide Machines Lyrics

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I'm trying to find my way home to you
I'm gonna wipe all your tears away
Ignorance and hate are killing this world
So where's the change?
It'll happen someday

Oh- I try not to give up hope
That one day things will get better

We're all gonna be together -
May not be sunny weather

Don't give up hope

Its never been a question of "this is alright"
'Cause we're not gonna have it
All that I can do is hope against hope
We'll set it right
'Cause we're killing each other

Oh- I try not to give up hope
That one day things will get better.
We're all gonna be together -
May not be sunny weather

Don't give up hope

Well I don't know what to say,
But you've turned
Me inside and out
And I don't know what to do
But I'm young and so are you so,

Oh- I try ;not to give up hope
That one day things wil get better
We're all gonna be together-
May not be sunny weather

Don't give up hope

Overall Meaning

The Suicide Machines's song "Hope" is a powerful message about the struggle to find a way home to a loved one, while acknowledging the pain and sadness in the world. The lyrics speak to the need for change and peace, and the hope that it will happen someday. The song's chorus urges listeners to not give up hope, even when it feels like there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

The verses describe the current state of the world, with ignorance and hate causing harm to people and the planet. The singer acknowledges that it has never been okay to hurt others, and the only thing left to do is hope that someday things will get better. The bridge of the song speaks to the impact that a loved one can have in difficult times, and how even though things may be uncertain, with youth on their side, there is still hope for a better future.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm trying to find my way home to you
I am struggling to navigate my way back to you, as being with you gives me a sense of direction.

I'm gonna wipe all your tears away
I will do everything in my power to bring you joy and remove any obstacle causing you sadness.

Ignorance and hate are killing this world
The overwhelming presence of unawareness and negativity are destroying society beyond repair.

So where's the change?
We must recognize the need to transform our ways of thinking and acting to attain progress.

It'll happen someday
Eventually, reform and improvement will come to fruition if we continue to believe and work towards it.

Oh- I try not to give up hope
Amidst all the obstacles, I am striving to maintain my faith in the possibility of a better future.

That one day things will get better.
The day will arrive when our circumstances will improve and we will be free from strife.

We're all gonna be together -
We have to unite and collaborate to make significant progress.

May not be sunny weather
The path to improvement will be arduous and full of challenges, and we must be prepared to face them head-on.

Don't give up hope
Keep your faith alive and continue striving for change despite the obstacles.

Its never been a question of "this is alright"
We cannot settle and assume that our current state is adequate since it is far from it.

'Cause we're not gonna have it
We will not accept the current state of things when a better future is attainable.

All that I can do is hope against hope
Despite the odds, I will keep my hopes high and believe in the possibility of progress.

We'll set it right
We must reconcile the errors of our past and ensure we take the right steps towards a better tomorrow.

'Cause we're killing each other
We must make a conscious effort to stop engaging in harmful acts against one another, which will ultimately bring us down.

Well I don't know what to say,
I am lost for words as I think about the perils that we are currently facing.

But you've turned me inside and out
You've made a significant impact on me, forcing me to rethink my values and my outlook on life.

And I don't know what to do
I am currently struggling to determine the best course of action to bring about progress and equality.

But I'm young and so are you so,
We still have significant room to grow and learn, allowing us to work together towards a brighter future.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JONATHAN DAVID GRANT, PAAVO SILJAMAKI, ANTHONY PATRICK JAMES MCGUINNESS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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