1) American industrial… Read Full Bio ↴Vast or VAST is the name of more than one artist:
1) American industrial rock band
2) trance, alias of Bernie Eller
3) Drum n Bass
1) VAST stands for Visual Audio Sensory Theater, and is the brainchild of Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter and musician Jon Crosby.
VAST's sound is identifiable as ambient electro-rock with considerable industrial and acoustic influences, usually made with Crosby's traditional acoustic guitar, electronic instruments and processing, drum-driven tracks, and heavy bass. In recent years, however, VAST's sound has been more identifiable with acoustic rock in releases such as April and Me and You.
The musical outfit began in rather minimalist fashion when Jon was only sixteen, with the other members of the outfit being a drum machine and a bass player.
Their real rise to fame began when a local radio station granted consistent air-time to their demo tape, after which Crosby sent demo tapes to New York City recording companies, eventually signing with Elektra Records. Thomas Froggatt, Steve Clark, and Rowan Robertson made up the hastily-assembled band along with Crosby. After touring America and releasing their first album named simply Visual Audio Sensory Theater (1998), they began work on a second album, entitled Music for People (2000). Before it was finished, Robertson left in pursuit of a solo career. After auditioning, Justin Cotta was chosen to replace him. The new quartet began another US tour. In 2001, Cotta and Clark decided to leave the band to form their own.
VAST's next album, Nude, was preceded by the online release of the unmastered demo tracks, which were grouped into separate downloads known as Turquoise and Crimson . Some of the feedback from the fans regarding the demo tracks was taken into account when choosing the tracks for Nude, which was released on February 24, 2004. Two months after the release, the band began the new tour with a new lineup. Towards the end of 2004 when it became clear working with other labels was a bad idea, Crosby started his own label, 2Blossoms Records & Media, and began selling a double CD of the Turquoise and Crimson download albums from the VAST website, mastered and with new artwork, simply entitled Turquoise & Crimson. Strong online sales indicated that a retail release would be well received, and Turquoise and Crimson was officially released May 30th, 2006.
Crosby's model of selling cheap downloads of demo tracks before the completion of the recording process was repeated with the next album, April, which was available in an 'online version' before the album was finished. The final version included five new tracks and alternate (finished) versions of the tracks carried over from the online version. The release version of April is now available as a download from the VAST site, and they plan to release a limited collectors edition CD over the summer of 2007 before the retail release date is scheduled.
http://www.realvast.com
The Niles Edge
Vast Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't remember darkness
Except a dream
You saved my life
Do you wonder what you saw
Floating softly at the Niles edge
Wandering eyes
Commitments never can last
To know our name
I've never known you
And I never will
What difference
Does indifference takes
Do you regret what you saw
Floating softly at the Niles edge
Alone
Do you regret
Regret what you did
Running softly
Softly from the Niles edge
Alone
SOMEWHERE ELSE TO BE
every time that I cry out
No one ever comes to me
Every time that I reach out
No one ever rescues me
I wish I could hide from
Everyone
Is there somewhere else to be
Is there somewhere else to be
Take me in
I want out
That's all I need
I wish I could run from
Everything
The lyrics to VAST's song The Niles Edge offer a mix of emotions ranging from joy to regret and loneliness. The opening line "My name spells joy" could be interpreted as the singer finding joy in life and being content with their identity. The next line "I can't remember darkness except a dream" could refer to a past traumatic experience that the singer has tried to block out. The following lines "You saved my life" suggest that the singer found someone who helped them overcome that darkness.
The song goes on to talk about the uncertainty of relationships, with a hint of regret and indifference. "Commitments never can last" implies that the singer has had a difficult time committing to anything, perhaps due to past hurt or trauma. The line "It feels so cold to know our name" suggests a sense of detachment from their identity and the relationships they have formed.
The chorus of the song ("Do you regret what you saw...Take me in, I want out") seems to speak to the feeling of being alone and wishing for some kind of support or refuge. The final line "I wish I could run from everything" echoes that sentiment, indicating a desire to escape the turmoil of the world around them. The song's title "The Niles Edge" could be interpreted as a metaphor for the edge of a dangerous or tumultuous situation, with the singer trying to navigate their way through it.
Line by Line Meaning
My name spells joy
I have found happiness and contentment, my name now represents the positivity I feel
I can't remember darkness
Through my newfound joy, the pain and negativity of my past has been forgotten
Except a dream
However, there is still a faint memory of a distant dream, perhaps a reminder of the struggle I overcame
You saved my life
Someone, whose identity is unknown, played a significant role in helping me through the difficult time and potentially saved my life
Do you wonder what you saw
There is a sense of curiosity and wonder towards the individual who provided the necessary support during my dark times
Floating softly at the Niles edge
The memory of the mysterious savior is associated with a peaceful and gentle place on the river Nile
Wandering eyes
Despite being content with life, the eyes still wander, perhaps indicating an unsatisfied curiosity towards the possibilities of other experiences
Commitments never can last
Despite the potential for joy and happiness, nothing lasts forever, and commitment will always have an expiration date
It feels so cold
The realization that everything is temporary and will inevitably come to an end can be sobering and discouraging
To know our name
To know or remember the identity of the person who helped me through tough times would bring an increased sense of closure
I've never known you
Despite having been saved by an unknown individual, there is still no knowledge or interaction with that person
And I never will
Due to the anonymity, despite the desire to know the person, it is unlikely that I ever will
What difference
What difference could have been made if there was no intervention from the mysterious savior?
Does indifference takes
The question of whether this indifference towards the situation would have led to different circumstances
Do you regret what you saw
A hypothetical question to the unknown savior regarding whether they regret getting involved and providing support
Alone
Despite the joy and contentment found, there is still a sense of isolation and loneliness due to certain unresolved aspects of the past
Do you regret
Continuing with the hypothetical scenario, the question posed to the savior is whether they regret getting involved due to the current state of loneliness
Regret what you did
Asking whether the savior regrets providing support and making a significant impact in the life of another person
Running softly
There is a sense of running away from the memories and experiences associated with the Nile River
Softly from the Niles edge
The same peaceful and gentle location is now associated with memories of regret and unfinished business
every time that I cry out
Voicing distress or discomfort yields no response or help from others
No one ever comes to me
The distress is handled alone, without the aid of others, creating a sense of abandonment and isolation
Every time that I reach out
Attempts to connect or find support from external sources have been unsuccessful
No one ever rescues me
Finding someone to help seems impossible, leading to a sense of despair and hopelessness
I wish I could hide from
There is a desire to escape from the overwhelming negative emotions and experiences
Everyone
All external sources, including individuals and situations, contribute to the distress and sense of despair
Is there somewhere else to be
A hypothetical question regarding the availability of alternate situations or environments that are more accommodating and less distressful
Take me in
There is a longing to find refuge or sanctuary from the negative experiences of the present
I want out
A strong feeling of wanting to escape and leave behind the negative situations and emotions
That's all I need
The only desire or need that is felt is the need to be released from the current negative experiences
I wish I could run from
A strong desire to escape and find an alternative to the negative experiences
Everything
A complete and utter dissatisfaction with every aspect of the present, leading to an all-encompassing desire to escape
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Insidius 666
My name spells joy
I can't remember darkness
Except a dream
You saved my life
Do you wonder what you saw
Floating softly at the Niles edge
Wandering eyes
Commitments never can last
It feels so cold
To know our name
I've never known you
And I never will
What difference
Does indifference takes
Do you regret what you saw
Floating softly at the Niles edge
Alone
Do you regret
Regret what you did
Running softly
Softly from the Niles edge
Alone
Insidius 666
My name spells joy
I can't remember darkness
Except a dream
You saved my life
Do you wonder what you saw
Floating softly at the Niles edge
Wandering eyes
Commitments never can last
It feels so cold
To know our name
I've never known you
And I never will
What difference
Does indifference takes
Do you regret what you saw
Floating softly at the Niles edge
Alone
Do you regret
Regret what you did
Running softly
Softly from the Niles edge
Alone
lightningsprinter
i won this cd at a small concert from a local radio station way back when it came out, The guy told me to check it out it was pretty cool, I had never heard of them,, i had it in my car for 6 months before i opened it and put it in and man o man ,I was blown away,, been a fan ever since and have waited patiently (or not so patiently. for new music to come out over the years,, Thank god for Jon Crosby
Sim SEven
I remember once had this song on repeat for 8 hours, this song is so magical and great
DTC
One of the best records of all time! Nile's Edge is stunning!
john nahodil
this whole disc is stellar ...i enjoy vast music, ive got a couple of their cds and i have heard they still are doin stuff...
standardbearer
Amazing. I dont even remember when this record came out, it still sounds just as shockingly amazing.
Beardhawk
standardbearer - April of '98.
Riley Bowman
@Beardhawk ha I was born April ‘98
Kevin Apple
Vast and The Tea Party are two of favourite bands ever. You can hear some of the similarities In this song
Traine Lavalais
Another amazing song on this album.