Although the Walkabouts started in Seattle, US their main base of popularity was Europe. Their blend of folk idioms and noisy experimental rock has won them lots of devoted fans; however, even with twelve studio albums and another 15 EPs, live albums and compilations released, they still remain below the radar of the public at large.
The band drew inspiration from folk and country music, particularly Townes Van Zandt, Neil Young and Johnny Cash, but also from other types of artists and musical styles such as Scott Walker, Leonard Cohen, French chanson and Jacques Brel. Their sound is typically rich, with string arrangements and keyboards in addition to the standard rock instruments. In reviews the band's music is often described as melancholic or mellow, while Eckman's lyrics, concerning such themes as human relations, loneliness and restlessness, are often emphasized as poetic.
The Walkabouts achieved commercial success and a strong fanbase in Europe, where they have done promotion and extensive touring since early 1990s. They have occasionally even made it high on the record charts in countries such as Greece and Norway.
Carla Torgerson and Chris Eckman met in 1983 when they were both working at an Alaskan fish cannery as a summer break from Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. In 1984 they moved to Seattle, and the band was born when they joined forces with Chris' two younger brothers, drummer Grant and bassist Curt. The Eckman brothers had been playing in various punk rock and pop groups during their college years, and Carla came from a folk and street singing background. The band took their name from the cult Nicolas Roeg film, Walkabout. [1]
They released their first EP, 22 Disasters, in early 1985. Curt Eckman then left the band, to be replaced by Michael Wells. Their second EP, Linda Evans/Cyclone, was released in 1987. The following year they released their first album, See Beautiful Rattlesnake Gardens, on the PopLlama label, before being signed by Sub Pop as that label's first non-grunge band. Adding keyboard player and multi-instrumentalist Glenn Slater, they released three albums on Sub Pop over the next few years - Cataract (1989), Rag & Bone (1990), and Scavenger (1991). They also toured extensively, particularly in Europe. In 1992 they left Sub Pop Seattle, but remained with Sub Pop Europe who issued three more albums, New West Motel (1993), Satisfied Mind (1993), and Setting The Woods On Fire (1994). Drummer Terri Moeller replaced Grant Eckman in 1992, when he left to care for his new born son, Dakota Eckman.[1]
Satisfied Mind was their first of several albums largely or wholly comprising songs originally written and recorded by an eclectic variety of other artists, including Nick Cave, Charlie Rich, Johnny Rivers, Patti Smith, Mary Margaret O'Hara, and Gene Clark. Their 1996 collection of unreleased songs, Death Valley Days, also included songs by Neil Young, Nick Drake and Bob Dylan, and in 2000 they issued Train Leaves At Eight, which broadened the approach further by including songs by European artists including Mikis Theodorakis, Goran Bregović, Jacques Brel and Neu!.[1]
In 1995 the band signed with Virgin Records in Germany and released Devil's Road (1996) - recorded in part with the Warsaw Philharmonic - and Nighttown (1997), leading to new levels of success in Europe. Michael Wells left the band for several years in 1996, rejoining in 2003. In 1999 they moved to the German record label, Glitterhouse Records (the successor to Sub Pop Europe), and released Trail of Stars (1999), Train Leaves At Eight (2000), Ended Up A Stranger (2001), Slow Days With Nina (2003) - an EP tribute to Nina Simone - and Acetylene (2005).
Eckman and Torgerson have also released albums as side projects under the name Chris & Carla and as solo artists. Eckman has worked with Willard Grant Conspiracy in recent years, on the albums Regard The End and Let It Roll, as well as with The Bambi Molesters.
Terri Moeller has also formed The Transmissionary Six with Paul Austin, formerly of Willard Grant Conspiracy.
Kalashnikov
The Walkabouts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Closed circuit silence
I know I test your nerves
When I watch the watchers
They say the deserts bare
The forbidden zone
But I feel somethin' breathin' out there
Feel it in my bones
When we're out there in the zone
Your gonna have to trust me
When it's just us two alone
Love will be our only history
The commando squad
Is bored and poorly fed
Surveillance is their dog
And it's hounding us to death
I heard their gonna move us
To another transit camp
They're bulldozing the suburbs down
Putting up a razor fence
Bought an beat-up short wave
From a black market trader
But it's all just a high, shrill tone
That's why they call it thin air
I guess I'm getting ahead of myself
But we can't be both inside and out
I guess I'm getting, ahead of myself
But we can't be both inside and out
Inside and out, inside and out!
The Walkabouts’s song “Kalashnikov” seems to be about a person who is being monitored by a surveillance team in a forbidden zone. The person is observant of the surveillance team's behavior and how they're becoming more and more invasive to the point of becoming a nuisance. Despite the restriction and discomfort that the person is facing, the song reveals an impression that the person has a deep sense of what's beyond the forbidden zone. The person can sense something is out there, that something is alive, and it's exhilarating. But the person is not alone in the zone, and they are only free when they are together with the one they love.
The lyricist uses the image of Kalashnikov, a type of rifle, as a symbol for power and resistance. It appears that the song uses the rifle symbol to indicate an epic battle of survival, of taking one's fate into their own hands. The person knows that the surveillance team will not stop watching them until they're out of the zone. However, through the imagery of being both inside and out, the person is aware that their situation could only be resolved by an act of defying their captors' boundaries. Chances are they will become part of the forbidden zones themselves. In essence, the song's message is about reclaiming one's agency and freedom, even if it means facing the risk and the unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
Kalashnikov
Referring to the AK-47 gun invented by Mikhail Kalashnikov, the opening line sets the tone for the song by invoking an image of violence or conflict.
Closed circuit silence
The silence is oppressive and all-encompassing, like a surveillance state, where every move is monitored.
I know I test your nerves
The singer is aware that their behavior may be provocative, but feels compelled to monitor those who watch over them to understand more about their situation.
When I watch the watchers
The artist takes an outsider perspective, examining the systems of power that govern their lives in the forbidden zone.
They say the deserts bare
Official narratives suggest that the area is uninhabited and lifeless, but the artist senses something living and breathing beyond what's visible.
The forbidden zone
The area in question is off-limits, but the singer is drawn to it anyway despite the dangers.
But I feel somethin' breathin' out there
The singer senses an unseen presence beyond what human eyes can perceive, something vast and alive out in the wilderness.
Feel it in my bones
The feeling is a physical sensation that penetrates deep within the artist's psyche and affects them profoundly.
When we're out there in the zone
The artist addresses a companion who will join them on their journey into the dangerous area.
Your gonna have to trust me
The artist will act as the guide on this journey, and the companion will need to rely on them for their survival.
When it's just us two alone
The singer and their companion will be isolated in a confined space, where romantic feelings might emerge between them.
Love will be our only history
The only thing that will matter in the end will be the love they have for each other, rather than anything they accomplish or achieve.
The commando squad
The group in charge of guarding the zone and keeping out intruders.
Is bored and poorly fed
The soldiers are underpaid and unsatisfied with their jobs, making them more susceptible to corruption and temptation.
Surveillance is their dog
Just like a loyal hound, the surveillance equipment is always on the alert, ready to detect any sign of danger or intrusion.
And it's hounding us to death
The surveillance is so intensive that the artist feels suffocated and trapped, unable to enjoy any modicum of freedom.
I heard their gonna move us
The artist has gained intel about an upcoming relocation of the squad members, which presents a window of opportunity for the artist and their companion to attempt to breach the forbidden zone.
To another transit camp
The soldiers will be relocated to a new base of operations, which might be easier or harder to infiltrate depending on its location.
They're bulldozing the suburbs down
The militaristic regime is aggressively expanding its territory and demolishing the homes and lives of ordinary citizens to achieve that goal.
Putting up a razor fence
The authorities are constructing a fence with sharp edges to deter any attempts at crossing it illegally.
Bought a beat-up short wave
The artist has obtained a radio transmitter/receiver that is unreliable and in poor condition.
From a black market trader
The artist had to resort to illegal black market channels to obtain the device.
But it's all just a high, shrill tone
The device is not working properly, and the only thing that comes through the singers is a piercing noise.
That's why they call it thin air
The device is ineffective due to the low quality of the connection, making it near impossible to receive or transmit any clear messages.
I guess I'm getting ahead of myself
The singer recognizes that they might be obsessing over the idea of infiltrating the forbidden zone and imagining the many possibilities and challenges they might face.
But we can't be both inside and out
The singer acknowledges that they'll have to commit to their decision to attempt to trespass and either succeed or perish.
Inside and out, inside and out!
The repetition of this phrase heightens the sense of urgency and underlines how there's no turning back from this point on.
Contributed by Jake D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Edgar Marcus
i can't find their music in any web site! they are music gods!
JimmyLeBrown
That's why they it call it feeling
auschwitzu
kris.ssssssssssssssssssss