When Chris Vrenna left Trent Reznor's influential industrial/alternative ro… Read Full Bio ↴When Chris Vrenna left Trent Reznor's influential industrial/alternative rock powerhouse Nine Inch Nails in 1996, it certainly wasn't the end of the line for the drummer/producer/songwriter--far from it. Vrenna kept busy with a variety of musical activities. In addition to producing or co-producing various artists (including Marilyn Manson, Rasputina, Xzibit, Red Delicious, Lords of Acid and Cold) and providing remixes for U2, Nelly Furtado, Dir en grey and Weezer (among others), Vrenna got into soundtracks. In 2001, for example, Vrenna composed the dark, eerie instrumental soundtrack of American McGee's Alice, a video game that is based on Alice in Wonderland. And it was also in 2001 that Vrenna unveiled his Tweaker project. Best described as a blend of alternative pop-rock and electronica, Tweaker was inevitably compared to Vrenna's former band, Nine Inch Nails--as many years as Vrenna spent in Reznor's employ (eight, to be exact), people were bound to point out the similarities between Tweaker and Nine Inch Nails. And, to be sure, many of the adjectives that have been used to describe Reznor's band have also been used to describe Tweaker--adjectives like dark, moody, eerie and shadowy. Like Nine Inch Nails, Tweaker is aggressive yet melodic and very musical; Nine Inch Nails was never the sort of industrial band that lived on brute force alone. But Vrenna is his own man, and Tweaker is far from a carbon copy of Nine Inch Nails. While Reznor's outfit is industrial-oriented, Tweaker's alternative pop-rock/electronica blend isn't industrial per se (although Vrenna does incorporate elements of both industrial and goth-rock). If Nine Inch Nails has inevitably influenced Tweaker, so have a variety of other artists (who range from David Bowie and Roxy Music to Marilyn Manson, Stabbing Westward and Depeche Mode). Even some of U2's post-‘80s work has had a bit of an influence on Tweaker.

Vrenna wore many different hats when, in 2001, he recorded Tweaker's The Attraction to All Things Uncertain for the San Francisco-based Six Degrees label. In addition to producing most of the album, he was among the engineers and did most of the writing. It would almost be safe to describe Tweaker as a one-man band--Vrenna was certainly in the driver's seat on The Attraction to All Things Uncertain. However, he did enlist the help of a few others, including violinist Petra Haden, Shudder to Think's Craig Wedren, David Sylvian, Will Oldham and various guitarists. Reflecting Vrenna's interest in abstract art, the album's title was inspired by a Joe Sorren painting called Elliot's Attraction to All Things Uncertain. In fact, the conceptual material that Vrenna wrote or co-wrote for Tweaker's album was mindful of Elliot, the affably bookish character in Sorren's painting. Six Degrees released The Attraction to All Things Uncertain in September 2001.

2002 was mostly dedicated to other projects, but in January of 2003, Vrenna signed a deal with Waxploitation and iMUSIC to release the next Tweaker album. He stepped back into the studio around the same time to work on new material, and set up an in-progress page on his website to keep fans updated on the latest developments for Tweaker.

In 2004 the band recorded the theme song for the id Software game Doom 3.

Ruby
Tweaker Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

"it isn't always i am well
for sometimes i am ailing
and yet in steaming night i smile
to downplay this my failing
and make a noise to bury all
of your weeping and your wailing

and then in bed by little light

and closed off from it all
i must try and bring a conscious end to night
and hope that dreams begin to fall

the color of my dreams, they would be you...ruby
oh if i could close my eyes and bring you to me
push your head into
make you not you not you not you but me

and then in dreams i wander free
and see some things i'm meant to see
and sometimes even i see thee

and would the night go on and on
and not tomorrow end at dawn
and whatever mat i lay upon
dissolve

the color of my dreams, if i had dreams, they would be you...ruby
everything i do is done to bring you closer to me
when you sleep your breath it blows right on through me

the color of my dreams, if i had dreams, they would be you...ruby
the color of my dreams, they would be you...ruby

and illness be or wellness thrive
my dream proves i am yet alive"

Overall Meaning

In "Ruby" by Tweaker, the lyrics start off with the singer acknowledging that they are not always well and sometimes are struggling. Despite this, they put on a brave face and smile through the night to hide their struggles. They try to mask any feelings of sadness or despair with noise so as not to bring attention to themselves. Once they are alone in bed, they try to consciously end the night and hope for pleasant dreams.

The color of their dreams, according to the singer, would be Ruby - someone they are deeply attracted to and desire. They long to be able to close their eyes and have Ruby appear to them. They want to consume their beloved and become one with them in a dreamlike state that frees them from their struggles.

The singer seems to be grappling with their emotions and trying to escape from their reality into a dream world where they can be with their beloved. However, even in these dreams, they may not find the solace they seek. Despite this, the singer believes that their dream proves that they are still alive.

Line by Line Meaning

it isn't always i am well
I am not always in good health

for sometimes i am ailing
At times, I experience physical sickness

and yet in steaming night i smile
Even during difficult times, I try to maintain a positive attitude

to downplay this my failing
To minimize my weakness

and make a noise to bury all
To distract from your own sadness and sorrow

of your weeping and your wailing
To drown out your crying and misery

and then in bed by little light
Alone in the darkness of my bedroom

and closed off from it all
Isolated and withdrawn from the outside world

i must try and bring a conscious end to night
I try to consciously fall asleep and end the night

and hope that dreams begin to fall
Hoping for pleasant dreams to take over

the color of my dreams, they would be you...ruby
The person I dream about is the color of the gemstone ruby

oh if i could close my eyes and bring you to me
If only I could have this person with me

push your head into
Replace you with myself

make you not you not you not you but me
Transform you into me

and then in dreams i wander free
In my dreams, I experience freedom and escape

and see some things i'm meant to see
Visions and insights meant for me

and sometimes even i see thee
Occasionally I even envision you in my dreams

and would the night go on and on
I wish the night would continue endlessly

and not tomorrow end at dawn
I wish the day wouldn't come and the night would continue

and whatever mat i lay upon
Regardless of where I lay down to sleep

dissolve
Disappear

the color of my dreams, if i had dreams, they would be you...ruby
If I were to dream, the person I dream about would be the color of ruby

everything i do is done to bring you closer to me
All my actions are aimed at bringing you closer to me

when you sleep your breath it blows right on through me
I feel your presence when you breathe in your sleep

and illness be or wellness thrive
Regardless of my health status

my dream proves i am yet alive
My dreams give me hope and help me feel alive

Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HEINZ ROEMHELD, MITCHELL PARISH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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