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.
SOS
The Suicide Machines Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A bunch of people who don't know shit about Unity
I see right through your skin, you say you see through mine
Then please explain to me why we fight all the time
I can't take it anymore, this is bothering me
Got people killing each other
Why does this have to be?
I wish I knew, I really wish I knew
It's a bomb with a short fuse
And I know it seems like no use
The tension's building a reaction
This is a call to actionÂ
S.O.S. we need help [Repeat x4]
Man's inhumanity towards another man
It's man's insanity and ignorance again
And now the time had come to stop what's going on
The hatred's building up, exploding like a bomb
It's a bomb with a short fuse
And I know it seems like no use
The tension's building a reaction
This is a call to actionÂ
S.O.S. we need help [Repeat x4]
The bomb is gotta stop Âthe bomb is gonna pop! [Repeat x4]
It's a bomb, it's a bomb!
It's a bomb with a short fuse
And I know it seems like no use
The tension's building a reaction
This is a call to actionÂ
S.O.S. we need help [Repeat x4]
Drop, drop, drop, drop, drop, drop, drop, drop!
The Suicide Machines’ song SOS is an energetic and passionate statement about the need for unity and the dangers of division. The opening lines set the stage for the rest of the song, as lead singer Jason Navarro takes a critical look around and sees a world where people don’t understand the importance of working together. He calls out those who claim to see through his skin, but still fight with him all the same. The frustration in his voice is palpable as he asks why people are still killing each other, and wishes he knew how to convince everyone that there’s no real difference between any of us.
The chorus is a rousing plea for help, with Navarro shouting “S.O.S. we need help” over and over again. He recognizes that the tension in the world is building, and that there’s a real danger that it will explode like a bomb. He calls for action, urging people to come together and stop the hatred and violence that threaten to tear us apart.
Overall, SOS is a powerful song that speaks to the need for empathy and connection in a world that often seems divided and hostile. The catchy chorus and intense energy of the music make it a memorable anthem that’s sure to resonate with anyone who’s ever felt like the world is against them.
Line by Line Meaning
I take a look around, I don't like what I see
Observing the world around, I am unhappy with what I perceive
A bunch of people who don't know shit about Unity
People lack understanding of a fundamental principle: Unity
I see right through your skin, you say you see through mine
Even though you claim to see me, I clearly see through you
Then please explain to me why we fight all the time
If we understand each other, why do we constantly engage in conflict?
I can't take it anymore, this is bothering me
The state of affairs is taking a toll on me and I cannot endure it any longer
Got people killing each other
Individuals are committing acts of murder
Why does this have to be?
I am questioning the rationale behind such senseless violence
I wish I knew, I really wish I knew
I struggle to comprehend why people are unable to perceive our shared similarity
How people can see there's no real difference between me and you
It is hard for me to fathom why people do not recognize our intrinsic sameness
It's a bomb with a short fuse
The circumstances resemble an explosive device with a brief detonation delay
And I know it seems like no use
It appears futile to hope for an impactful change
The tension's building a reaction
The tension is rising and a reaction is brewing
This is a call to action
This is an appeal for action to remedy the situation
S.O.S. we need help [Repeat x4]
This is an urgent request for assistance
Man's inhumanity towards another man
Humans have an inclination to treat others cruelly
It's man's insanity and ignorance again
Once again, ignorance and insane behaviors are the cause of the problem
And now the time had come to stop what's going on
The moment has arrived to put an end to the current situation
The hatred's building up, exploding like a bomb
Hatred is amassing, and it feels like an imminent explosion
The bomb is gotta stop Âthe bomb is gonna pop! [Repeat x4]
It is imperative to prevent disaster from happening
It's a bomb, it's a bomb!
The situation is as explosive and deadly as a bomb
Drop, drop, drop, drop, drop, drop, drop, drop!
Repeated urgent pleas for aggressive action
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SYDNEY ROY CROOKS, RUDOLPH DONALD GRANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@doggish412r
Lyrics for da homiez
I take a look around, I don't like what I see
A bunch of people who don't know shit about Unity
I see right through your skin, you say you see through mine
Then please explain to me why we fight all the time
I can't take it anymore, this is bothering me
Got people killing each other
Why does this have to be?
I wish I knew, I really wish I knew
How people can see there's no real difference between me and you
It's a bomb with a short fuse
And I know it seems like no use
The tension's building a reaction
This is a call to action…
S.O.S. we need help
Man's inhumanity towards another man
It's man's insanity and ignorance again
And now the time had come to stop what's going on
The hatred's building up, exploding like a bomb
It's a bomb with a short fuse
And I know it seems like no use
The tension's building a reaction
This is a call to action…
S.O.S. we need help
The bomb is gotta stop…the bomb is gonna pop!
It's a bomb, it's a bomb!
It's a bomb with a short fuse
And I know it seems like no use
The tension's building a reaction
This is a call to action…
S.O.S. we need help
Drop, drop, drop, drop, drop, drop, drop, drop!
@ep1873
Whenever I grew sick of the world around me, I jam to this. Such a cracking tune
@seraffimospang9239
We've got a bomb with a short fuse!
@gretchen5446
Me too!
@ComradeStanimir
This album is seriously amazing. Every song. Solid all the way through.
@deeweb35
Bluecoat
Agreed
@RigidEvo08
Bring me back to my younger days! I love this album!!!!!!
@jnerdsblog
This whole album was fire. Is fire. Holy hell I loved this cd.
@icedearthaholic100
My childhood...
@michaelwaknine1238
same lol
@dasnookking4682
Older brother and sister both played this CD, and lots of other great punk bands as well.. I was introduced very young.. and loved punk music! still do!