The band’s conception was first shaped in 2001 from an appreciation of their local music scene, and inspiration from bands such as No Knife, Three Mile Pilot, and Inch. Guitarist and vocalist Jaime Solis explains, “The band came together from the remnants of several other defunct local bands. Except for Mike, who grew up outside Philadelphia, San Diego was a total music playground for us.” However, although they’ve obtained success, their earlier years weren’t cut short of painless experiences, and failed endeavors. One illustration of this is the number of line up changes the band has been through, which ironically foreshadowing their name, has kept them in transit.
The original lineup united around current lead singer, guitarist Jim Hughes and bassist Mike Frey, with the addition of guitarist Anthony Levas and drummer Bernie Tiano. When they began recording their first full-length album, Ah Discordia!, with Harbor Records, Levas and Tiano were replaced with present guitarist Jaime Solis and drummer Brad Bohensky. This change has proved to be a success for The Transit War, as Solis clarifies, “It was just like finding that perfect ingredient you never knew was missing. Where the band might have had a couple of drivers and a couple passengers before, we’ve ended up with a connection between four people who really belong behind the wheel.”
The band underwent another change when they switched labels for their most current release, Miss Your Face, from Harbor Records to the comfortable and productive Orange Peel. “Harbor wasn’t really much more than a kiss and a good luck handshake for us. Orange Peal is a place where we can grow and function as a band,” Solis says, as the band has always kept in good spirits about any hardships or changes. “We’ve always said The Transit War motto was, whatever can go wrong will go wrong. We love what we get to do in this life and know we’re lucky to be doing it at all, so all the blood, sweat and tears are given very willingly.”
Miss Your Face was inspired by many elements including alcohol, storytelling, regret, tour, families, shortcomings, and the music from which the band members derive their influence. Recording this record was the first time they were able to be attentive in creating the music, as most was written on the road together as a band. When they were recording Ah Discordia! it was more of an impulsive time, as Brad and Jaime were unsullied to the band. For Miss Your Face they were able to center more on songwriting, different instrumentation, and creating significant melodies and harmonies.
The experience of recording Miss Your Face and being on tour has solidified The Transit War’s current line up, brought its members close together, and has also formed an appreciation for the bigger picture. “I’d say we’ve grown into a family - a family with a ton of branches. We’ve spent so much time on the road together living in our box that it was inevitable really,” Solis remarks. “But it’s the kind of environment we thrive in, to the point where family means our families at home, all of our fans and friends, even the people we work with business-wise. Everyone’s related at this point.”
The Transit War’s valiant efforts, upright attitude, and dedication to their music have earned them many accolades and industry nods which have been beneficial to exposing the band to new fans. One of their more notable honors was winning MTVu’s The Freshman contest for their video “Kerosene.” They’ve also been nominated in the Best Rock category for the San Diego Music Awards, and have been Spin.com’s Artist of the Day.
The band is currently out on the road with Self Against City, doing a stretch of dates throughout the West Coast. Select dates also feature Quietdrive and The Fold. For The Transit War, bringing their songs from the studio to the stage is what they live for. “We enjoy dynamics in music and try to build a set the same way. If you’re coming to a show you can expect a lot of energy, not so much shtick, and some quality harassment from the four of us to check out the new lamp at our merch table.”
This is a band with a positive reception to what’s been thrown at them, the state of flux and transit they’ve endured, and a general respect for the situation they are in.
An additional great quick story is from Rollin Stone online:
http://www.spin.com/articles/transit-war-avoid-tornado-write-track
Loud
The Transit War Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In a life and death experiment
And they cut your thoughts in increments
I could see that you were Heaven-sent
You, you're so loud
I can hear you breathing out
You're so loud
See the world behind your eyes
As they mix up all your parts
I think that you're so beautiful
When you speak from someone else's heart
You, you're so loud
I can hear you breathing out
You're so loud
I can hear you dreaming now
Outside of the daydreams, and how it seems
I see everyone you know
Outside of your worst fears, and the best years
Oh, the places we could go
Outside of the right now, and the right here
All the things you'd wanna know
Outside of the confines of our real lives
I see all the mysteries of you
Outside of the daydreams, and how it seems
I see everyone you know
Outside of your worst fears, and the best years
Oh, the places we could go
Outside of the right now, and the right here
All the things you'd wanna know
Outside of the confines of our real lives
I see all the mysteries
(You, you're so loud)
When you speak
(I can hear you breathing out)
The whole world
(You're so loud)
Can hear you
(I can hear you dreaming)
You, you're so loud
I can hear you breathing
I can hear you breathing
I can hear you breathing out
I can hear you breathing
I can hear you breathing
The lyrics to The Transit War's song "Loud" seem to describe the experience of reconnecting with someone from a past life or a distant memory. The lines "On a chance we meet again / In a life and death experiment / And they cut your thoughts in increments / I could see that you were Heaven-sent" suggest that the encounter is unexpected and potentially dangerous, and that the person's memories or consciousness are being tampered with. However, despite this, the singer is able to recognize the other person as someone special and perhaps even divine, despite their confusion and disorientation.
Throughout the rest of the song, the singer seems to be reflecting on the mysteries of the other person's inner life, describing how they seem to see "the world behind your eyes" and are fascinated by the way they think and dream. The repeated refrain of "You're so loud / I can hear you breathing out / You're so loud / I can hear you dreaming now" suggests that the other person's thoughts and emotions are so intense that they almost feel like they are being physically projected into the world around them. The song ends on a somewhat cryptic note, with the singer seeming to imply that there are endless possibilities for exploration and discovery within this other person's psyche, but ultimately leaving it up to the listener to decide what that might mean.
Overall, "Loud" is a lush and somewhat surreal song that seems to be exploring the boundaries between memory, identity, and interpersonal connection. The lyrics are poetic and often abstract, leaving a lot of room for interpretation, but there is a sense throughout the song that the singer is grappling with something profound and mysterious.
Line by Line Meaning
On a chance we meet again
Meeting unexpectedly in life and death circumstances
In a life and death experiment
Facing a situation where their life is at risk
And they cut your thoughts in increments
Experiencing a loss of control of their thoughts and feelings
I could see that you were Heaven-sent
Noticing a special quality in the other person
You, you're so loud
Expressing admiration for their strong spirit and personality
I can hear you breathing out
Noticing their determination and strength
You're so loud
Their presence and personality are dominant
I can hear you dreaming now
Observing their hopes and aspirations
See the world behind your eyes
Noticing their unique perspective on the world
As they mix up all your parts
Experiencing confusion or feelings of being lost
I think that you're so beautiful
Recognizing and appreciating their inner qualities
When you speak from someone else's heart
Observing their empathy and compassion for others
Outside of the daydreams, and how it seems
Reflecting on the reality of the situation
I see everyone you know
Recognizing the impact they have on others
Outside of your worst fears, and the best years
Acknowledging the range of experiences they have been through
Oh, the places we could go
Imagining the possibilities for their future
Outside of the right now, and the right here
Considering the larger context of their life
All the things you'd wanna know
Showing curiosity and interest in their life
Outside of the confines of our real lives
Imagining a fantasy world where anything is possible
I see all the mysteries of you
Expressing fascination and intrigue for the other person
When you speak
Noticing their power and influence
The whole world
Acknowledging their impact on others
Can hear you
Recognizing their strong personality
I can hear you breathing
Noticing their resilience and determination
Contributed by Nolan B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
matt supertramp
really hope this does not get ripped off! fucking amazing song and riding! i was watching dropin season 3 "best of" episode today and to compare the riding from then too now is just insane! fucking love how far our sport has progressed!