The Vincent Black Shadow have the moxie to awaken the retro heart and pump it full of new school blood. Their throwback 1940’s cabaret sound has been twisted and contorted forming a modern hybrid. Combining hook laden riffs, gain stained guitar, hypnotic rhythms, classical piano and unpredictable lyrics that take you on a disturbing journey to a world you clamor to revisit.
This Vancouver based quintet is comprised of Cassandra Ford (Vocals), the brothers’ Kirkham. Robbie (Guitar/Vocals), Chris (Bass/Vocals), Anthony (Drums) and Mary Ancheta (Keyboards). In 2000 Rob and Cassandra met while ordering the same obscure martini at a local hot spot this spawned the friendship that then turned into musical collaboration. Cassandra’s talents were called upon in the South Pacific when Universal Philippines invited her down for a record deal. With their discarding of music she and Rob had created she realized they were not interested in her talents, they just wanted to turn her into an Asian pop star. Cassandra quickly booked herself a ticket back to Vancouver where her and Rob reunited. The two started feverishly writing. Continuously expanding their project they called upon the other Kirkham brothers to join in their endeavor. The Kirkhams - Robbie, Chris, and Anthony's have been musically raised by their father, a trumpet player for The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra for nearly 40 years. It was dad’s fervent work ethic and broad basis of musical knowledge that nurtured the three’s talents and fed their quest for personal musicianship. Rounding out the equation is Mary Ancheta. When Mary Arrived on the scene she brought with her a very distinguished past filled with guest appearances on albums by Default and Bocephus King as well as award winning movie scores and featured music on network tv shows. With a band in tact, the five collaborated to create a new sound drawing influence from an eclectic variety, such as film soundtracks (Ennio Morricone, Angelo Badelamenti, Danny Elfman), Faith No More, No Doubt, Chris Isaak, Blondie, Danzig, Megadeth, Burt Bacharach, and classical music. The five piece took their name from a mysterious motorcycle in the Hunter S. Thompson novels. The bike was referred to as “The Vincent Black Shadow”. The name is the perfect match for the band. Cassandra is an artist first and foremost, her art can be found in their albums and music videos.
First playing live in 2003 they set out to take Vancouver by storm. Acquiring a cult following because of their no holds barred stage show.
TVBS’s recordings are just the soundtrack to their completely mesmerizing stage performance. Each individual presenting their own undeniable stories. Rob’s fiery passion and action packed guitar performance is intensified by his fancy foot work and zoot suit garb. Balanced by a rhythm section of brothers, bassist Chris lays down thick pocketed riffs with his bold, hold it down swagger, and driving sonic undertones. Leaving way for the popping and flying of sticks brought to you by the third Kirkham in the troupe, Anthony. His relentless breakdowns and crushing fills bring the percussive pop punk twinge that set TVBS in their own category. Mary’s body rocks the boards as she thrashes her long locks through the air while providing the eerie notes and mysterious tones on the keys creating a whirlwind of sounds for the others to dance around. It is this explosive high energy the acts as the complete spectral opposite when juxtaposed to Cassandra’s icy demeanor. The emotional intensity that is vacant from the contemptuous eyes of Miss Ford is malicious, murderous, yet addictive and captivating. She hypnotizes audiences with powerful glass shattering vocalizations of lyrics that twist and turn. It is the undisturbed vacancy and belting bravado that has crowds wondering what incredible angst lies within the black heart of this diminutive beauty.
The Vincent Black Shadow signed with Bodog Music in 2006 and promptly recorded their premier CD entitled Fear’s In The Water, this album is unapologetic, unyielding, and is one of the few truly original new alternatives to the world of music. Scheduled for release July 11, 2006. Put on your dancing shoes and get your Prozac prescription filled.
As of 2010, Nikki Hurst replaced Ford as lead vocalist when Ford expressed interest in taking a break to go to school. The new line up however remained the same and Ford decided to work on other musical projects minus the Kirkham brothers. Their latest creation, an EP entitled "The Finest Crime" will be released via iTunes on Valentine's Day 2011.
In A Row
The Vincent Black Shadow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you’re on the run.
You’re out there stranded,
You only got your gun.
For peace and planet,
You know it’s not for fun.
You never planned it,
This is not an old war story
Like they always told:
This is a nightmare to behold!
So in a row they line up to die,
Breathe in the air
For just one last time,
And try to be strong
While their mothers cry.
So in a row they line up to die!
It seemed so easy,
Cause life was hard.
With hope so fleeting,
You let down your guard,
When you were younger,
With hope and pride -
Now in a place where
It’s kill or die.
This is not an old war story
Like they always told:
This is a nightmare to behold!
So in a row they line up to die,
Breathe in the air
For just one last time,
And try to be strong
While their mothers cry.
So in a row they line up to die!
Looking through my lens,
I see him looking back at me.
We both have no choice:
It’s our destiny.
Cause we both came to fight,
And now we live in fear -
Life will be cut short,
Death is creeping near.
This is not an old war story
Like they always told:
This is a nightmare to behold!
So in a row they line up to die,
Breathe in the air
For just one last time,
And try to be strong
While their mothers cry.
So in a row they line up to die!
The Vincent Black Shadow's song "In A Row" speaks of the horrors of war and being caught in the middle of it. The first lines of the song speak of soldiers being caught in an unfavourable situation and forced to fight for peace and their planet. The lyrics are quite emotional, describing the hopelessness of the situation where soldiers are lined up in a row and left to die, while their mothers cry. The song highlights the mental anguish, hopelessness and the despair that soldiers face when caught up in war, and how it can affect them for the rest of their lives.
The song also speaks of the naivety of youth, how it is easy to get caught up in a life of fighting, and that one can never be sure of what their true destiny is until it is too late. The lyrics express the fear and uncertainty which the soldiers feel as they fight hard for their lives, their families and their planet.
Overall, The Vincent Black Shadow's song "In A Row" highlights the true cost of war, beyond just the material loses, and stresses the impact it has on everyone involved.
Line by Line Meaning
Your troop has landed,
You and your fellow soldiers have been deployed to a new area.
And you’re on the run.
You are constantly in motion and avoid staying in one place for too long.
You’re out there stranded,
You feel isolated and left behind, far from the support and comfort of home.
You only got your gun.
A firearm is your only means of protection, and your life depends on it.
For peace and planet,
Your mission is not only about protecting your own country, but also about ensuring the safety of others.
You know it’s not for fun.
You understand the gravity of the situation and the risks involved, and you take it seriously.
You never planned it,
Your involvement in the war was not intentional or expected.
You were not the one.
You were not the instigator of the conflict, nor were you the one who caused it.
This is not an old war story
This is not the typical war story that has been told many times before.
Like they always told:
This is not the traditional narrative that people are accustomed to hearing about war.
This is a nightmare to behold!
The reality of being in a war is much more brutal and horrific than people can imagine.
So in a row they line up to die,
The soldiers bravely take their positions, even though they know it may lead to their death.
Breathe in the air
They take a deep breath, trying to make the most of the last few moments of their lives.
For just one last time,
They are attempting to experience life for one last precious moment.
And try to be strong
In the face of death, they attempt to remain stoic and composed.
While their mothers cry.
The soldiers' loved ones are heartbroken and devastated by the potential loss of their child.
It seemed so easy,
At the beginning, the war seemed like something that could be overcome easily.
Cause life was hard.
Life before the war was already challenging, making people more susceptible to joining in.
With hope so fleeting,
Hope for a better future felt fragile and short-lived.
You let down your guard,
The soldiers underestimated how dangerous the situation would become and were not as vigilant as they should have been.
When you were younger,
Before enlisting in the military, the soldiers were likely naive and inexperienced.
With hope and pride -
They had a sense of duty and were proud to serve the country, but that has been replaced with grim reality.
Now in a place where
The circumstances have taken a turn for the worse, and they find themselves in a dire situation.
It’s kill or die.
They must do whatever it takes to survive and protect themselves and their fellow soldiers.
Looking through my lens,
The singer is referring to their camera lens, as they document the horror that unfolds before them.
I see him looking back at me.
The soldier notices the photographer observing them and may wonder about their motivations.
We both have no choice:
The soldier and photographer have been thrown into the situation and have no control over what happens next.
It’s our destiny.
The future is uncertain, but they recognize that what happens next is beyond their control.
Cause we both came to fight,
Both the soldier and photographer entered into the war with their own individual intentions, but now they are both involved in the same conflict.
And now we live in fear -
They are both aware of the constant threat of danger that surrounds them.
Life will be cut short,
They understand that their time on earth may be brief and they may not get to experience all that life has to offer.
Death is creeping near.
The soldier and photographer sense the imminent danger of death and feel it creeping closer every day.
Contributed by Jordan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.