1. Summer 20… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two bands with the name True Colors:
1. Summer 2004: former JUSTICE-guitarplayer Dunk had been without a band for a while when things started to itch, so he started a Straight Edge band that would sound like YOUTH OF TODAY’s ‘Break down the Walls’ and the TURNING POINT demo, with maybe a small hint of IN MY EYES… Dunk remembered Packo from his days of fronting BUILDING and figured the guy had everything this newfound band needed: a strong Edge, band-experience, outspokenness and most important of all: too much energy! Packo was down right away, so Dunk started looking for a drummer, which he soon found in Peers. The three-piece started rehearsing for a while and wrote the first couple of songs. Soon after they asked their friend and Hardcore-enthousiast Hingie to join on bass and the very first time they rehearsed with the complete line-up, it just clicked: the chemistry was there so they didn’t sit around and just booked some studio time right away!
A couple of months later they jumped on during JUSTICE’s set to play three songs and right away the word got spread and people already got their hopes up for TRUE COLORS’ (as they decided the bandname would be, right before entering the stage) first official show and the demo! That first show soon followed in March 2005 and the ‘Get Em’ demo was released about a month later. TRUE COLORS started intensively playing shows, surprising hardcore kids all over Europe with their tight and energetic performances. In January 2006 TRUE COLORS recorded 6 songs for their self-titled EP, which was released not much later on Not Just Words Records. They didn’t wait for things to calm down and in between playing shows they quickly sneaked into the studio again to record some songs for the Light The Fuse and Hustler Compilations.
August 2006 found TRUE COLORS still playing shows all over the place and writing, re-writing and perfecting the songs for their first LP to be released by their longtime friends of Powered Records.
The debut full-length entitled ‘Focus On The Light’ was released on CD and vinyl format with a extensive release party, held on March 10th 2007 in a sold-out Lintfabriek. Barely three months later the entire first press of ‘Focus On The Light’ is almost sold out and Powered Records is getting ready for a second press.
2. True Colors were a New York hardcore band that existed from 1987 to 1989 and featured members of Citizens Arrest and Our Gang. The lineup was Chuck Gomez (guitar), Daryl Kahan (vocals), Lewis Dimmick (bass) and Patrick Winter (drums).
Daryl Kahan talking about True Colors (excerpt from an interview with the blog You Breed Like Rats):
"True Colors was a band I formed after meeting several guys in a band called Our Gang. I used to hang out and rehearse at a great place on 14th street in New York City called Giant Studios. Many well-known NYHC bands used to rehearse there including Lifesblood, Sick Of It All, Side By Side, YDL, Krakdown, Breakdown, Mental Abuse, Warzone, Death Before Dishonor, NY Hoods etc. There were rooms A through Z so you could just walk in and hang out and listen to each band rehearse. Through this process I ran into a band my age called Our Gang. They had a friend named Chuck who attended these rehearsals (which were more like small shows complete with a pit and sing alongs etc..- great times!). Chuck and I became friends and decided to form our own band, True Colors. Lou Dimmick of Our Gang joined along with Pat Winter. I originally was the drummer of True Colors until our singer quit and Pat joined. We recorded two demos at Don Fury's studio and played two shows, one in Connecticut with our friends Pressure Release and another with Underdog in Albany, NY. We recorded one song called "No Way To Live" at Don Fury's which appeared on Freddy Alva's New Breed Compilation. Fred Alva later formed Wardance which later signed Citizens Arrest for our first EP and album. After a while I lost interest in True Colors and started looking for members to form a new band which became Citizens Arrest."
Strong Minds
True Colors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Learn, yes learn about the things we say
Run, don't run, accept that you were wrong
I'll to the same, so we can move along
Words have been said
A thousand fucking times
And I'm sick and tired Of telling them over and over again
Times were hard but so were we
Nothing mattered, we were free
Then we played those stupid games
Words like bullets, words of hate
Stories here and stories there
It surrounds me everywhere
Once so strong, but now we're lost
We had to pay the fucking cost
Times have changed, rearrange
With strong minds
With strong minds
These lyrics from True Colors's song Strong Minds speak about learning from our mistakes and moving on, accepting when we are wrong and choosing to not run from it. The song reflects on how words can hurt so much and how we can get tired of hearing them over and over again. It also delves into the concept of how times were hard but we were strong and free, but because of the words we spoke and the games we played, we ended up losing our strength and had to pay the cost for it. The lyrics encourage us to maintain strong minds so that we can continue to push through difficult times and not let them overcome us.
Line by Line Meaning
Mistakes, mistakes, we make em every day
We are prone to errors and we commit them constantly.
Learn, yes learn about the things we say
We need to be aware of the impact of our words and learn from them.
Run, don't run, accept that you were wrong
Acknowledging our mistake is better than evading or ignoring them.
I'll to the same, so we can move along
The artist will also take accountability for their mistakes to move forward.
Words have been said
There has been an abundance of repetitive talking.
A thousand fucking times
The excessive talking has become overwhelming and frustrating for the singer.
And I'm sick and tired
The singer is fed up with the situation and wants it to end.
Of telling them over and over again
The artist is repeatedly saying the same thing with no noticeable change.
Times were hard but so were we
The artist and their group faced challenging times.
Nothing mattered, we were free
The group felt liberated, and nothing else mattered at that moment.
Then we played those stupid games
The group began engaging in foolish actions or behaviors.
Words like bullets, words of hate
Their words became weapons, hurtful and aggressive.
Stories here and stories there
Gossip and rumors are everywhere.
It surrounds me everywhere
The negativity is everywhere and can be suffocating for the singer.
Once so strong, but now we're lost
The group used to be united and strong, but now they are fragmented.
We had to pay the fucking cost
The group suffered consequences because of their actions and harmful words.
Times have changed, rearrange
The past cannot be undone, and it's time for change and progress.
With strong minds
The group needs to be mentally strong to move forward positively.
With strong minds
Repeated to emphasize the importance of having a strong mentality.
Contributed by Gavin R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.