Bands like Watchtower, Fates Warning and King Diamond had all approached the point of actually becoming mainstream. Toxik was in that group and had an equal commercial potential or greater but before they had that chance the industry changed. Toxik, originally called Tokyo line up, consisted of Josh Christian (guitar), Lee Erwin (bass), Sal Dadabo (drums), and Michael Sanders (vocals).
With Tad and Brian in place they recorded the Bands debut offering World Circus (RoadRacer 1987) at the now famous Morrisound Studio's in Tampa, Florida with Jim and Tom Morris Producing. The album was well received by industry and fans alike and was voted CMJ's best new Metal album of the year. The following year the band toured Europe and the United States receiving mixed reviews.
Prior to putting out their debut on (RoadRacer) the band were offered a slot on the Metal Blade "Metal Massacre" Series (No#9) with the track: "Wasteland".
While the groups music was highly regarded especially Josh Christian's technical guitar playing, the vocals were a hit and miss with fans. On the second release Think This (RoadRacer 1989) Mike Sanders had been replaced by Charles Sabin who unlike Sanders had a very versatile vocal range. The group also added guitarist John Donnely for a fuller live sound. Think This received even more acclaim than World Circus and was followed by a European Tour and a Tour of the States with label mates King Diamond.
Around 1991 the group disbanded, but Josh and Brian went on to form an instrumental band called Autumn, which featured current drummer Lou Caldarola on drums. Autumn was disbanded around 1992. Although Toxik never broke through to the masses in the United States they enjoyed a very strong following in Europe and Japan. Toxik officially re-united in 2007.
On February 28 2007, Displeased Records will be re-released both albums, including bonus tracks. Both albums have already been re-released in a digipack through the record label Metal Mind. Displeased also released a DVD of Toxik's performance at 1988's Dynamo Open Air festival.
July 2010 Toxik announced the release of their new DVD Think Again. The DVD features a 1989 headlining set at the historic Paramount Theater in Toxik's hometown of Peekskill, NY. Also included a 30 min interview with Josh, Mike & Tad. Bonus materials include a 1986 set of Tokyo ( the Toxik demo lineup) and a huge photo gallery. The DVD is available directly from the band at http://tadleger.net/toxik_dvd
Black And White
Toxik Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
See if you see what I see
Homeless and starving right in our streets
That's where attention should be
The TV and media keep pushin' this shit in our face
Televised coverage of civilized hatred disgraced
Stereotype, it's the same hype, you've heard it all before
We're all victims of the system
Black and white
Martin Luther was a man with a dream
Solutions for all creeds
White bigots like Sharpton act and pretend
That's how the white racists feed
The new KKK and the young Nazis say it's too late
A new generation of racists wanting to hate
Divide and conquer power mongers that's the way it's done
To pit each other against his brother
We're all God's sons!
Black and white
Have you retained one thing that you've heard
Or is it all over your head?
Tension is rising dividing the state
Inhaling lies you are fed
These talk shows are booming where nothing constructive gets done
Lashing out insults tell me now what's to be won?
Politicians, word magicians they've got us fighting ourselves
Simple logic with hands in our pockets
We're all for sale!
Black and white
The lyrics of Toxik's song "Black And White" present a forceful criticism of the social and political order of the United States. The song invites listeners to look beyond the superficial appearances and to confront the social issues that are affecting the most vulnerable members of society. The first verse mentions the plight of the homeless and starving, two groups that are often invisible to the privileged classes. The lyrics condemn the media for promoting hate and for reinforcing stereotypes that perpetuate discrimination and inequality. The second verse mentions two historical figures, Martin Luther King Jr. and Al Sharpton, and makes a comparison between them. The lyrics suggest that, while King had a vision for unity and equality, Sharpton and other activists perpetuate divisive attitudes that only fuel racial tensions. The song also highlights the emergence of new forms of racism, which are represented by groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and the young Nazis. The final verse criticizes the political establishment for its inability to address social issues and for its manipulative tactics. The lyrics suggest that people are being sold out by politicians who are more interested in power games than in solving real problems. Ultimately, the song acknowledges the complexity of racial issues and calls for a collective effort to overcome divisions and work towards justice and equality.
Line by Line Meaning
Take a look at the big picture now
Step back and assess the overall situation
See if you see what I see
Check if you notice the same issues
Homeless and starving right in our streets
There are people suffering poverty in our communities
That's where attention should be
We should focus on addressing these problems
The TV and media keep pushin' this shit in our face
The mass media repeatedly promotes negative news and propaganda
Televised coverage of civilized hatred disgraced
Watching hate speech on TV is shameful and disheartening
Stereotype, it's the same hype, you've heard it all before
Prejudice and bigotry are repetitive and unoriginal
We're all victims of the system
The system oppresses us all in different ways
I'll say no more!
I won't elaborate further on this point
Black and white
The issues are straightforward and need to be acknowledged
Martin Luther was a man with a dream
Martin Luther King Jr. had a vision of equality and peace
Solutions for all creeds
His approach aimed to benefit all communities
White bigots like Sharpton act and pretend
Some people falsely claim to support civil rights while promoting hate themselves
That's how the white racists feed
Such behavior only perpetuates racial tensions
The new KKK and the young Nazis say it's too late
New extremist groups believe it is too late to achieve racial harmony
A new generation of racists wanting to hate
There are young people who still harbor prejudice, despite progress made
Divide and conquer power mongers that's the way it's done
Powerful individuals benefit from keeping the public divided and at odds with each other
To pit each other against his brother
Turning people against each other leads to conflict and chaos
We're all God's sons!
We are all equal in the eyes of a higher power, regardless of race or creed
Have you retained one thing that you've heard
Have you processed and remembered any of this message?
Or is it all over your head?
Is the meaning of this song too complex or difficult for you to grasp?
Tension is rising dividing the state
The tension between different groups is creating a split in society
Inhaling lies you are fed
People are consuming and accepting false information
These talk shows are booming where nothing constructive gets done
Television programs thrive on drama and sensationalism, with little meaningful impact
Lashing out insults tell me now what's to be won?
Aggressively insulting each other has no positive outcomes
Politicians, word magicians they've got us fighting ourselves
Politicians use persuasive language to turn us against each other
Simple logic with hands in our pockets
Common sense and reason can guide us, but we are not taking action
We're all for sale!
We are willing to compromise our values for personal gain
Black and white
The problems are clear and not complicated
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOSH CHRISTIAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MA H
Great voice!
Eugene Bahn
Insane drum-work!
Mr. Vinster Guyster
2:38 Gave me Pokemon vibes