Tribe 8 has had some turnover of personnel, but Lynn Breedlove, Flipper (Silas Howard), and Leslie Mah (formerly of Anti Scrunti Faction), and Slade Bellum were consistent members. In concert, lead singer Lynn frequently performed shirtless, wearing a strap-on dildo, and encouraged audience members to interact with it. Their songs often deal with subjects such as S/M and the band was the subject of controversy because of this, nudity, fellation, and transgender issues.
Tribe 8 toured throughout the U.S., playing at venues such as DUMBA and 924 Gilman Street; they also played in Europe and Canada, and released a number of recordings on independent record labels.
Outside of the band, Lynn Breedlove is also the author of a novel, Godspeed, published in 2002, now tranlated into German "Goetterspeed". Leslie Mah has appeared in various films including The Yo-Yo Gang by G.B. Jones; Shut Up White Boy, co-directed by Vu T. and Thu Ha; and produced her own film, Estrofemme, in 1998, as well as appearing in movies with Tribe 8.
In 1996, the band made its screen debut in A Gun For Jennifer, directed by Todd Morris. The band performs live in the documentary film She's Real, Worse Than Queer by Lucy Thane, released in 1997. As well, members of the band are interviewed, speaking about a range of topics including the development of the queercore music scene. In 2003 the film Rise Above: A Tribe 8 Documentary, by director Tracy Flannigan, was released, documenting not only performances by the band but, as well, the motivations and reasons behind the band and the part it plays in their lives. The movie has won many awards at film festivals throughout the U.S. and created a new audience for Tribe 8.
Lynn Breedlove wrote, co-directed, co-produced, and starred in a short film "Godspeed" based on his novel by the same name debuting in festivals in 2007 to garner attention for the feature length screenplay, now looking for a producer. It features Jillian Lauren, Adam Horowitz, and Leslie Mah. His comedy solo show, 'Lynnee Breedlove's One freak Show", continues to tour.
Queen of The Scene
Tribe 8 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can always find me lyin' on the floor
Just to see her perfection from underneath
She's so sweet, her intellect superior
Makes me want to reach into the interior of her skull
Open it with a skill saw
Fondle her brain, warm and real raw
All of her thoughts are
Would make other girls act kinda mean
Just knowin' they're smarter, but not her
Just makes her try harder not to intimidate
Just to improve the state of the world
She's a saintly girl
You think she's evil, a bad seed.
Well I try to tell her I'm under her spell
A good witch spell, not a cold bitch hell
Her heart's solid gold, but she ain't sold
It bugs me when she says she's boring, no talent, too fat, too ugly
When she's the only girl with whom I wanna get snuggly
Baby got back, what's wrong with that?
Looks at her ass in the looking glass
All she sees is Jabba the Hut, not a young Liz Taylor's big round butt
Baby got brains, put mine to shame
Trying to follow her, gives me a migraine
She's a poetalitician, a master musician,
A theoretician, high priestess gone fishin'
A culture architect,
She builds lives in ancient blue flies through the ages
She writes pages of choral symphonies, paints what she sees
There's no brighter place than the
Mind that shines from behind her face
So, why can't she see herself through my eyes?
I'll tell you why.
All I ever taught the girl was suicide,
Brainwash, self destruction, fate,
Taught her how to hate what's inside
How can I prove? How can I show? Will she ever know?
I'll never lie. I never lie.
I'm on her side, she's her own pride and joy.
"Queen of the Scene" by Tribe 8 is a song about the admiration and reverence that the singer feels towards a woman who is confident, intelligent and talented. The first verse describes the physical and intellectual allure of this woman, who is so stunning and smart that it makes the singer want to reach deep into her mind and experience the brilliance that lies within. The second verse is a rebuttal to those who may criticize her or perceive her as "evil" or "bad". The singer sees her as a confident and talented woman who is worth their admiration.
The chorus of the song is an ode to the many amazing qualities of this woman, from her intellect to her creative talents, to her kind heart. The singer feels frustrated because despite being so amazing, the woman remains insecure about her body and talent, something which has been reinforced by the singer's past actions, which have been negative and self-destructive. The singer wishes for the woman to see herself through their eyes and experience the same admiration and love that they feel for her.
The song is essentially about the importance of building up the people around us, rather than tearing them down, and the damage that negative attitudes can cause. The singer is coming to terms with their own past behavior, which has been toxic and harmful to the people around them, and is looking to make amends by acknowledging the beauty and worth of this woman they admire.
Line by Line Meaning
Serving up fineness, she's so gorgeous
She is extremely attractive and flawless in every way
You can always find me lyin' on the floor
I am always in awe of her perfection
Just to see her perfection from underneath
I am so enamored with her that I want to view her from every angle
She's so sweet, her intellect superior
She is not only beautiful, but also intelligent and remarkable
Makes me want to reach into the interior of her skull
I want to delve deeper into her mind and understand her brilliance
Open it with a skill saw
I want to explore her mind with precision and care
Fondle her brain, warm and real raw
I want to intimately understand her mind and absorb her knowledge
All of her thoughts are
Every one of her ideas is
Complicated, brilliant, sheer genius
Complex, intelligent, pure genius
Would make other girls act kinda mean
Other girls might respond with envy or bitterness due to her greatness
Just knowin' they're smarter, but not her
She is smarter than those who envy and resent her
Just makes her try harder not to intimidate
She intentionally tries to avoid making others feel inferior or intimidated by her abilities
Just to improve the state of the world
She wants to use her intelligence to better the world
She's a saintly girl
She is a pure and virtuous person
You think she's evil, a bad seed.
Some might view her as a bad influence
Well I try to tell her I'm under her spell
I am so entranced by her that I feel powerless to resist her
A good witch spell, not a cold bitch hell
She has a positive, enchanting effect on me
Her heart's solid gold, but she ain't sold
She is a person of great integrity who is not swayed by external influences
It bugs me when she says she's boring, no talent, too fat, too ugly
I am deeply bothered when she criticizes herself and fails to see her own beauty and talent
When she's the only girl with whom I wanna get snuggly
Despite her shortcomings (in her own mind), I am still deeply drawn to her
Baby got back, what's wrong with that?
Her curves are beautiful and nothing to be ashamed of
Looks at her ass in the looking glass
She admires her own curves
All she sees is Jabba the Hut, not a young Liz Taylor's big round butt
She has a negative body image and fails to see how beautiful she truly is
Baby got brains, put mine to shame
She is far more intelligent than me and puts me to shame
Trying to follow her, gives me a migraine
She is so intelligent that trying to keep up with her gives me a headache
She's a poetalitician, a master musician,
She is a talented poet and musician
A theoretician, high priestess gone fishin'
She is a deep thinker and a wise leader
A culture architect,
She is a visionary who shapes and builds culture
She builds lives in ancient blue flies through the ages
Her work will have a lasting impact on society
She writes pages of choral symphonies, paints what she sees
Her creative output is vast and varied across different mediums
There's no brighter place than the
There is no brighter or more beautiful thing than
Mind that shines from behind her face
The brilliance of her mind emanates from her physical appearance
So, why can't she see herself through my eyes?
I am deeply frustrated that she fails to see herself as I see her
I'll tell you why.
All I ever taught the girl was suicide,
I have unintentionally taught her negative and self-destructive behaviors
Brainwash, self destruction, fate,
I have instilled a mindset that has led her to self-destruction
Taught her how to hate what's inside
I have perpetuated a self-loathing and negative self-image in her
How can I prove? How can I show? Will she ever know?
I am unsure how to convince her of her own beauty and greatness
I'll never lie. I never lie.
I am genuine in my concern for her and my appraisal of her character
I'm on her side, she's her own pride and joy.
I am deeply supportive of her, and she should recognize herself as a source of pride and joy
Writer(s): Leslie Mah
Contributed by Charlotte L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
clover
on Neanderthal Dyke [Explicit]
I think the lyric is "feminist theory" not just feminist.