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.
War Profiteering Is Killing Us All
The Suicide Machines Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Capitalistic intent gone wild,
How much further down will we alive?
Death of 1000 we have mourned,
Capitalist scumbag, you've been warned.
We'll do what we gotta do to take our country back.
Cause
War profiteering (is killing us all!)
Revolution's in the air,
Our government's in need of repair.
Raise your voice, it's a call to arms,
Preemptive though ends further harm.
It's what you do, what you think, what you say,
What you do, what you think, what you say, let's change it.
There's no antidote?
That's a fucking joke,
A shock to the head that'll cure the problem.
The Suicide Machines's song "War Profiteering Is Killing Us All" is a commentary on the negative effects of war profiteering and the capitalist system that drives it. The lyrics express frustration with the death and destruction caused by these forces, as well as a call to action to reclaim the country and promote change.
The opening lines of the song ("Capitalistic intent gone wild, How much further down will we alive?") set the tone for the rest of the lyrics. The band is pointing out that capitalism, and specifically the pursuit of profit, is driving war profiteering and causing widespread harm. The next lines ("Death of 1000 we have mourned, Capitalist scumbag, you've been warned.") directly address those profiting from war, calling them out for their actions and the loss of life that has resulted.
The chorus ("War profiteering is killing us all!") drives home the point that this is not just a problem for those directly involved in war, but for everyone. The lyrics also suggest that the only way to fight back is through revolution ("Revolution's in the air, Our government's in need of repair"). The band is urging listeners to take action and raise their voices in protest against the current system.
In the final verse, the lyrics challenge the idea that there is no solution to the problem ("There's no antidote? That's a fucking joke, A shock to the head that'll cure the problem."). The band seems to be saying that even though the situation may seem bleak, there is still hope for change if people are willing to take drastic measures.
Overall, The Suicide Machines's "War Profiteering Is Killing Us All" is a powerful anthem of protest against war and capitalism. The lyrics are a call to action for listeners to take a stand against these forces and fight for a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
War profiteering (is killing us all!)
The act of making money from war is destroying us all.
Capitalistic intent gone wild,
The capitalist motive has become excessive and dangerous.
How much further down will we alive?
How much worse can things get for us?
Death of 1000 we have mourned,
We have already mourned the loss of many lives.
Capitalist scumbag, you've been warned.
We are warning those who make their profits from war.
We'll do what we gotta do to take our country back.
We will take back our country by any means necessary.
By any means necessary, we'll take our country back
We are willing to do whatever it takes to reclaim our country.
Revolution's in the air,
There is a sense of revolution among us.
Our government's in need of repair.
Our government needs to be fixed and improved.
Raise your voice, it's a call to arms,
We are calling for people to take a stand and fight with us.
Preemptive though ends further harm.
Taking action before harm is done can prevent further harm.
It's what you do, what you think, what you say,
Our actions, thoughts, and words are what define us.
What you do, what you think, what you say, let's change it.
We need to change our actions, thoughts, and words to make a difference.
There's no antidote?
There is no cure or solution?
That's a fucking joke,
That idea is ridiculous.
A shock to the head that'll cure the problem.
A drastic action may be necessary to solve the problem.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@shawndonovan1182
This is over 15 years old.. still stands true 🤘
@AstroMonsterOh6
Yes! Thank you. This system is broken, we need a new one. The only problem is most people aren't even willing to seriously talk about it, and of those willing to talk, not everybody is willing to act.
@jackwillis680
The Nihilism Dance Machine I am, let’s burn down the World Bank motherfuckers!!
@xtenthfloorx
Havoc TV. 16yrs old. My life was changed.
@mitchellcb
the commercial leading into this song was for Call of Duty... that makes sense
@Morgan-mk2db
I would love to hear some new tunes from the suicide machines
@amazonguitar22
Morgan Roose they said recently they’re guna put out new music soon. Sadly dan lives in japan now and hasn’t played with them since they broke up in ‘06(it’s clear he had some kind of falling out with the band he posted something to punknews about their 2009 reunion and why he wasn’t involved. I’m pretty sure the guitarist from hellmouth replaced him on guitar for all the reunion shows they’ve done since then. The band was quoted as saying their new sound is heavily inpired by the band the refused so i don’t really know what to think. Also apparently they recorded a holiday cover a couple years back that ended up on a comp
@Xladimiriy
Navarro confirmed new album for 2019/2020 on Fat Wreck.
@DjDreamcastle
It's still killing our brothers and sisters. Up the peace! Punx 4 Paul.
@steveorwhoever1505
Anyone else pull this video up right after hearing about the start of yet another for-profit proxy war?