In 1981 Ebbot Lundberg met Patrik Caganis at a U.K. Subs gig. They shared a common musical taste in hardcore music, and the friendship that followed produced the forming of a punk band - "Sure Tråkings Trio". During the years that followed, "Sure Tråkings Trio" was disbanded and Patrik Caganis spent a year as an exchange student in Minneapolis, USA. Going to gigs with bands like Hüsker Dü, Replacements and Soul Asylum, he claims to have been heavily musically inspired. In 1986, Ebbot Lundbergs friend Emrik had tried out as a singer for a band called Heartbeat City. Emrik, (who was also the singer of the domestically famous Swedish funkrockband Stonefunkers), didn't want to stay in the band, and instead suggested that Ebbot Lundberg should audition. Patrik Caganis, a Heartbeat City fan, decided to team up with Lundberg and they went to the audition together.
Heartbeat City then consisted of Björn Olsson on the guitars and Henrik Rylander on the drums. The audition and jams that followed proved to work out well - fitting in Caganis' guitars with Olssons' and adding Lundbergs' improvised lyrics and melodies.[citation needed] After a while Lundberg brought in long time friend Per Helm on bass - an addition that also proved to add to the groups evolving sound. This composition formed Union Carbide Productions. They started writing songs, and on June the 14th 1986 they had their live debut. It took place at the "Save the Forest" festival in Gothenburg. The gig resulted in an amplifier hitting someone's head, and a crowd of skate punk friends creating chaos - a phenomenon that would set the key for many of their gigs to come.
At the end of 1986 the band recorded three songs at Music-a-Matic Studio in Gothenburg: "Financial Declaration", "Summer Holiday Camp" and "So Long". Since they had no record deal, the band paid for the sessions themselves. They sent a demotape to Carl Abrahamsson, the then editor of underground fanzine Lollipop, who liked the band so much that he got Financial Declaration distributed on a flexi-disc that was sold along with the fanzine. In the spring of 1987, the band managed to get a record deal with the small label Radium 226.5, which released their first album "In The Air Tonight". Later the same year, they played at the Swedish festival Hultsfredsfestivalen. In 1988, UCP continued touring in Sweden and also did some gigs abroad. One of the more notable venues being CBGB's in New York where they were the opening act for another band. Before going to USA, Per Helm (bass) was replaced by Adam Wladis (bass) - a former bandmate of Henrik Rylander. During the tour, UCP continued to build on their reputation as a crazy live-act. Before recording their next record, Financially Dissatisfied, Philosophically Trying, Adam Wladis quit and was replaced by returning member Per Helm.
During the years, the band changed its members a lot, but in 1989 they settled and appeared in their final incarnation, consisting of: Ebbot Lundberg, Patrik Caganis, Henrik Rylander, Jan Skoglund, Ian Persson and Christian Martinius. Some of the band's material was produced by Henryk Lipp - a Swedish producer who has worked with Millencolin, Thåström, Håkan Hellström and Sator. The band recorded their last album - "Swing" - in 1992 in Chicago, and it was produced by Steve Albini. The band broke up in 1993. Ebbot Lundberg and Ian Persson later went on to form the successful rockband The Soundtrack of Our Lives, of which also Björn Olsson has been involved both as a musician and as a producer. In 2003, they made a temporary reunion and returned to Hultsfredsfestivalen, sixteen years after their first appearance there.
Circles
Union Carbide Productions Lyrics
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There's a band in a cellar trying to keep uptight
There's a man from the inside waiting to get old
He tries to write a story that has never been told
There's somebody on the phone who won't let me be
And the people next door they are watching tv
Well, I think they're talking about the middle east
I've been moving round in circles
Try to find a way back home
Moving in a circus trying to find my way back home
But it's always the same
Wherever I may roam
And it makes me feel like a dog
Looking for his bone
Hey my little friend, have you got time to waste
Hey my little friend can you show me my place
Guess there is no relief for a person like me
'Cause I'm the one who's cheated by the things I see
I've been moving round in circles
Try to find a way back home
Moving in a circus trying to find my way back home
But it's always the same wherever I may roam
It's always the same wherever I may roamit's always the same wherever I may roam
And it makes me feel like sometimes
I wish I'd never been born
There are some alley cats running down the streets tonight
And a band in a cellar trying to keep uptight
There's a man who's standing on a yellow brick road
And he tries to tell a story that has never been told
He tries to tell a story that has never been told
Tries to tell a story that has never been told
The song "Circles" by Union Carbide Productions is a melancholic reflection on the monotony and aimlessness of modern life. Through vivid imagery and a memorable chorus, the song paints a picture of a world in which people are disconnected and searching for meaning. The opening stanza sets the tone by describing various scenes of activity in a city at night, but suggesting that none of it really matters: the cats, the band, and the man all might as well be going in circles. The second stanza delves deeper into the singer's own struggles: he is harassed by someone on the phone, he can hear his neighbors talking about world events, and he feels lost and alone. He addresses a "little friend" who might be able to help him find his way, but ultimately the song ends on a bitter note: no matter where he goes, he feels trapped and unfulfilled.
The lyrics of "Circles" speak to a universal feeling of dissatisfaction with modern life, but they are also littered with specific details that make the song feel grounded and real. The references to alley cats, band rehearsals, and yellow brick roads all evoke a sense of place and time. Meanwhile, the repeated refrain of "moving round in circles" gives the song a hypnotic quality that reinforces its message of feeling trapped.
Line by Line Meaning
There are some alley cats running down the streets tonight
The streets are busy with people and activity
There's a band in a cellar trying to keep uptight
A band is trying to stay alert and focused in their practice space
There's a man from the inside waiting to get old
A man is waiting for time to pass, hoping to gain wisdom and experience with age
He tries to write a story that has never been told
He wants to create something truly original and unique in his writing
There's somebody on the phone who won't let me be
Someone is bothering me with constant calls and messages
And the people next door they are watching tv
Neighbors are passing time by watching television
Well, I think they're talking about the middle east
The neighbors are discussing news and events from the Middle East
And it sounds just like a movie waiting for it's release
The events sound staged and scripted, like a pre-released movie preview
I've been moving round in circles
I feel like I'm going nowhere and stuck in a repetitive routine
Try to find a way back home
Trying to regain a sense of comfort, familiarity, and belonging
Moving in a circus trying to find my way back home
Feeling like I'm lost in a chaotic and unpredictable environment
But it's always the same wherever I may roam
No matter where I go, everything seems to be the same and unchanging
And it makes me feel like a dog
Looking for his bone
Feeling like I'm aimlessly searching for something that I may never find
Hey my little friend, have you got time to waste
Asking someone if they have time to spare
Hey my little friend can you show me my place
Asking for help in finding one's place or purpose
Guess there is no relief for a person like me
Feeling like there is no escape or relaxation for someone like me
'Cause I'm the one who's cheated by the things I see
Feeling let down and disappointed by the reality of things in the world
It's always the same wherever I may roam
Again, no matter where I go, everything seems to be the same and unchanging
And it makes me feel like sometimes
I wish I'd never been born
Feeling deep despair and questioning one's existence
There's a man who's standing on a yellow brick road
A man is on a path towards an unknown destination or goal
And he tries to tell a story that has never been told
He wants to create something truly original and unique in his story
Tries to tell a story that has never been told
Reiterating the desire to tell a one-of-a-kind story
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PATRIK CAGANIS, JAN KRISTER SKOGLUND, CHRISTIAN JAN PERSON, HENRIK CARL RYLANDER, TORBJOERN LUNDBERG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind