The Virginmarys are not part of the Curtis club. Their music blends the dynamics of platinum class ‘grunge’ (basically Nirvana, Mudhoney and Screaming Trees) with the spikiness of punk and the attention to detail and honesty of prime British rock of the early 1970’s, before the wizards and capes overcame the attack and dynamic. Their belief system begins with a devotion to the idea of playing. Live or in rehearsals, the three are at their most comfortable instruments in hand. Whether this is cool or not in a world where we sometimes seem to want our bands to devote themselves to studiously not playing is of no consequence to them. So, the debut album, ‘King Of Conflict’, was recorded live in the studio with Toby Jepson producing and Chris Sheldon (Pixies, Foo Fighters, Biffy Clyro, etc) at the mixing controls to capture the band at their thrilling best.
But this is not ‘muso’ territory. Whilst Ally may have learnt his playing via a local blues maestro and lived in a house sound tracked by the likes of Fleetwood Mac, Free and The Allman Bros courtesy of his dad, the revelation of Nirvana and the digging backwards to punk and forwards to the diverse likes of Elbow and Arcade Fire meant that when Ally, Matt and Danny set out to write rock songs, those were never likely to be dumb, despite being a hell of a lot of fun. Further, Ally’s nature and his position as lyricist pretty much guaranteed that The Virginmarys would share much in common with those bands who eschewed the brainless cartoons of metal to create a rock music that used its words to deal with real life, real feelings and serious subjects. So a typical song from the trio rocks as hard as anything you are likely to hear but can talk about making the wrong calls despite yourself (‘Dead Man’s Shoes), domestic violence from the less thought out position of male as victim (‘Portrait Of Red’) and anti-capitalism (‘You’ve Got Your Money’).
It’s that blend of rock schooling and intelligence that makes The Virginmarys such a thrilling proposition. Unlike so many contemporaries, the three are unlikely to fall into any of the obvious traps that bedevil young bands in their world. Having spent three years touring and playing alongside a series of self-released EP’s the band have built a fan base that encompasses the likes of Slash (a regular VM’s T shirt wearer), We Are Scientists, Eagles Of Death Metal and Ash, all of whom have invited the band to support them and thousands of devoted fans across the globe. In the process they have featured on BBC Breakfast, scored an iTunes single of the week both in the UK and US, had a track featured on Rockband 3 and sold out London’s Garage at a canter as part of HMV’s Next Big Thing series of shows at the close of 2011.
Those beginnings have fostered a band that are ambitious without being arrogant, Ally claims that honesty is at the heart of everything he does, Danny wants The Virginmarys to be a catalyst for new bands to form and create great new music and Matt sees success as blowing away the dross that currently populates daytime radio and creating a world in which their music, and that like it, makes the music world an exciting place to be once more.
In a world crying out for a band with substance, The Virginmarys could well prove to be the answer to all our prayers.
Lewis Jamieson
Bang Bang Bang
The Virginmarys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The clocks stop dead and the sky explodes,
I’m bloodshot red, I’m feeling fine
Take that gun girl and blow my mind.
Boredom shaking idol hands,
Making friends with the high demands,
Brainwashed minds to slave in hell,
TV teach me all I know,
To live in fear, to stay at home,
Baby save me no more time,
Take that gun and blow my mind.
Bang bang bang
Stripped down life in my stripped down home,
The corporate stones broke my home grown bones.
Baby save me no more time,
Take that gun girl and blow my mind.
The Virginmarys's song "Bang Bang Bang" is a powerful critique on modern society, particularly on the control that corporations and the media have over our lives. The song starts with sun setting on a dirty road, signaling the end of the day, while the clocks stop dead and the sky explodes. The singer in the song is bloodshot red and feeling fine, imploring the girl to take the gun and blow his mind. These lyrics suggest a sense of hopelessness, and perhaps the desire to escape from reality.
The next verses refer to the boredom of everyday life, the way people are forced to make friends with high demands, and how brainwashing makes us slaves in our own minds. The lyrics also reference how television teaches us to live in fear and stay at home, suggesting that we are being held captive by media, social norms, and consumerism. The singer is tired of these lies and wants to be free from the suffocating hold of society. Hence, he implores the girl to take the gun and blow his mind.
The final verse mentions how the corporate world has broken the singer's bones, and he urges the girl to take the gun and save him no more time. These lines highlight the futility of life in the modern world, where we are trapped in a routine and have lost touch with the essential aspects of living. Overall, "Bang Bang Bang" is a thought-provoking song that encourages us to question the status quo and seek out ways to live authentically.
· The Virginmarys's song "Bang Bang Bang" is from the album "King of Conflict" released in 2013.
· The song was written by Ally Dickaty and Danny Dolan and produced by Toby Jepson.
· In an interview, Dickaty stated that the song was inspired by the riots that occurred in Manchester, UK, in 2011.
· The music video for the song features scenes from the 1967 cult movie "The Trip."
· "Bang Bang Bang" was used in the trailer for the 2019 movie "The Kitchen."
· The Virginmarys were one of the opening acts for the legendary band Guns N' Roses on their "Not In This Lifetime" tour in 2019.
· The band hails from Macclesfield, England, and was formed in 2009.
· The Virginmarys have been compared to bands like Nirvana, Foo Fighters, and Queens of the Stone Age.
· The band's name refers to the Virgin Mary and the idea of purity and rebellion.
· "Bang Bang Bang" was one of the band's most successful singles, peaking at number 36 on the UK Rock Chart.
Chords:
Verse: E B A E
Chorus: C G A E
Line by Line Meaning
Sunset rests on the dirty road
The day is ending and everything is looking bleak and desolate
The clocks stop dead and the sky explodes
Time seems to stand still and chaos is everywhere
I’m bloodshot red, I’m feeling fine
The singer is exhausted but happy regardless
Take that gun girl and blow my mind
The singer is asking for a release, a metaphorical death
Boredom shaking idol hands
The singer is tired of feeling unfulfilled and is desperately seeking more
Making friends with the high demands
The singer is compromising their values in order to fit in and succeed
Brainwashed minds to slave in hell
The singer is aware that they are being controlled and manipulated by a system they despise
I’ve got them blues when you play me well
The singer is easily affected by negative influences
TV teach me all I know
The singer feels that society's values and expectations are dictated by the media
To live in fear, to stay at home
The singer sees that people are too scared to challenge the status quo and stay within their comfort zones
Baby save me no more time
The singer is asking someone to help them escape the monotony of their life
Bang bang bang
A powerful, cathartic release of emotion and frustration
Stripped down life in my stripped down home
The singer is living a simple, minimalist lifestyle
The corporate stones broke my home grown bones
The singer has been oppressed and dominated by the corporate world
Take that gun girl and blow my mind
The singer wants to escape their oppressive existence through death, a metaphorical release
Contributed by Vivian N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@stevefromuk6727
Saw them backing Massive Wagons B’Ham 2023. What a Great Show!
@stevecorbett7230
Saw them supporting Ugly Kid Joe last night. Excellent band (Happy Birthday Danny).
@linettebritt1823
Now that I have experienced the epitome of substantial and relevant rock and roll music, there's no substitute!!
@sizzlewackosnap
Definitely one of my favorite Virginmarys tracks. Saw them perform it live once - so sick. Hoping they play this again at the Triple Rock on the 10th!
@112steinway
I saw them a few days ago in Providence RI. This was the song they opened with and my God was it awesome!
@TheSuuzzzzzzzz
I saw them live on appelpop and i didn't even realise how fucking awesome they are omg
@rebel32degrees
I just picked up Dead Man's Shoes for free off their website. Seen them live twice and I cannot wait for the third!
@MernasMillions
i too happened up on this song, a suggested track and I LOVE IT and will keep passing it on...keep forging ahead. Fan here for life...
@mark230971
performing live at Club KIVA in Macclesfield this Saturday (21/12/13)
@lucycarin
'got to see them in Austin Tx at SXSW and they are on tour fronting for IAMDYNAMITE in April, will be coming back to Austin, I can't wait!!