They released their first self-titled album, and played several major European festivals; namely the Aardschock Festival (with Venom & Metallica) and headlining the Earthquake Festival. They started writing and recording a new album, what was to become their most popular, Night of the Blade, but after it was finished, Alan Marsh was forced out of the band by the Management and Record Company, who wanted a more commercially viable vocalist.
Vic Wright was recruited, and re-recorded Alan's vocals on the new album. This was released, and followed by another string of festivals, in which they released a third album, Blackhearts and Jaded Spades. This album was more Americanised than their previous offerings, possibly due to the vocalist switch. Many fans disliked the album, and Vic soon left. The band then split up, with several members joining Alan Marsh in his other project, Shogun, and Andy Boulton continuing with the Tokyo Blade name, but not in the Tokyo Blade style.
In the early 1990's, many of the band found themselves together in Mr. Ice, and, due to the strong European support for Tokyo Blade, the management felt as if the band should revert back to the Tokyo Blade moniker. Boulton left the band, however, after more disagreements with the management.
The remainder of the band hooked up with Jez Lee and formed Pumphouse, and recorded an album, but, due to record company politics, it was not released for six years, and, when it was released, it was released under the Tokyo Blade name in order to cash in.
Eventually, the "true" Tokyo Blade put out another album, true in that they were called Tokyo Blade, and didn't have the name forced upon it. The album was Burning Down Paradise, released in 1995.
Discography
Tokyo Blade - 1983
Night Of The Blade- 1984
Midnight Rendezvous- 1984
Madame Guillotine- 1985
Blackhearts & Jaded Spades- 1985
Ain't Misbehavin'- 1987
No Remorse- 1989
Burning Down Paradise- 1995
Night Of The Blade - The Night Before- 1997
Mr Ice- 1998
Pumphouse- 1998
Live In Germany- 2009
Thousand Men Strong- 2011
Genghis Khan Killers- 2011
Unbroken- 2018
Dark Revolution- 2020
Fury- 2022
Death On Main Street
Tokyo Blade Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the heat of the night, in the light of the morning
Take my hand, I'll lead you there, the streets of fear
In the shadow of the sun, dark and empty streets
No ones safe, no one laughs, the message is clear
[Bridge]
Better run for your life
Somebody's screaming
Running with a knife
[Chorus]
Death On Main Street, no good screaming
The lyrics to Tokyo Blade's song "Death On Main Street" describe a sense of danger and unease present in a city at night. The opening lines suggest a juxtaposition between the darkness of night and the brightness of morning, foreshadowing the duality of the song's impending conflict. The singer of the song, perhaps addressing the listener or a potential companion, urges them to be cautious as they navigate the dangerous "streets of fear." The second stanza furthers this sense of dread, describing the "dark and empty streets" where "no one's safe" and "the message is clear."
The bridge of the song proclaims that when one is walking alone in this environment, they should "run for their life" due to an individual "screaming/running with a knife." This urgency builds into the chorus, where the singer declares that there is "Death On Main Street" and that "no good screaming" will make a difference.
Overall, the lyrics suggest a sense of paranoia and danger, heightening the tension that is present throughout the song. The clear message is that these streets are not to be taken lightly, and caution should be exercised when traversing them.
Line by Line Meaning
In the heat of the night, in the light of the morning
Amidst the night's darkness and the eventual sunrise's brightness
Take my hand, I'll lead you there, the streets of fear
I'll guide you through the fearful streets
In the shadow of the sun, dark and empty streets
Even with the sun, the streets are dark and deserted
No ones safe, no one laughs, the message is clear
The message is crystal clear: no one is safe, and no one finds it amusing
When you're walking alone
If you're on your own
Better run for your life
It's best to flee for your safety
Somebody's screaming
You can hear someone yelling
Running with a knife
They might be carrying a deadly weapon
Death On Main Street, no good screaming
It's pointless to yell for help because death hangs over the main street
Contributed by Alice P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nunya Midiosa
Can't beat the classics better then any music.