Veruca Salt was formed alongside the friendship of Louise Post and Nina Gordon. Introduced by Gordon's good friend, actress Lili Taylor, Gordon and Post quickly bonded and formed what is now known as Veruca Salt. Originally, the band was an Indigo Girls-inspired acoustic act, but the women quickly realized this wasn't their sound. They quickly enlisted bass player Steve Lack and eventually Gordon's brother Jim Shapiro joined as a drummer, even though he originally was just drumming as a favor to his sister.
Veruca Salt released a self-funded demo tape and shopped it to labels, and began to play a handful of small club shows. The buzz around the band grew furiously, and after only a few live gigs, the band was signed to Minty Fresh Records and began recording with producer Brad Wood. At the time Brad was popular due to having recently produced Liz Phair's critically acclaimed Exile in Guyville.
The band released an orange 7" single for the song "Seether" to radio. "Seether" was a bratty, distorted alt-rocker about an angry and misunderstood woman. Compared to the rest of Veruca Salt's material, "Seether" was very pop, so much so that Gordon said that when she wrote it, she didn't think the rest of the band would like it. They sent "Seether" to radio, as it was the most radio-friendly song they had written and the reaction was unexpectedly positive. Unfortunately, the album wasn't complete and they found themselves rushing to complete the album, before "Seether" lost its radio momentum. It ended up peaking at #8 on the Modern Rock charts.
Geffen Records signed the band after an intense label bidding war and American Thighs was released October 25, 1994. It peaked on the Billboard Top 100 at 69 and was certified Gold. The follow-up single "All Hail Me" failed to chart Top 40 on Modern Rock, and the last single from the album, "Number One Blind", written by Gordon, did better than the previous single at 20 on Modern Rock chart, but nowhere near as well as "Seether". Gordon and Post were unhappy with the song's video, and it was pulled after airing fewer than five times on MTV.
To support this album, Veruca Salt opened for such acts as Hole, Live and PJ Harvey, as well as their own headlining club tour.
The band released an EP in 1996 titled Blow It Out Your Ass It's Veruca Salt to tide fans over until their next album.
After touring for American Thighs, Gordon and Post entered the studio with Bob Rock to record their second album. They were inspired to work with Bob after hearing Metallica's "Enter Sandman" on the loud-system before a Veruca Salt concert at an outdoor music festival.
Eight Arms to Hold You, which was released February 11, 1997 on Geffen Records, proved to be a difficult and dividing album. Some fans of American Thighs were disappointed by the polished, hard-rock and distinctively Bob Rock production, in comparison to the laidback indie buzz-bin vibe of American Thighs. The new album garnered mixed reviews from music critics as well. Band members have since admitted that this album was difficult for the band, and the recording process was extremely tense. However, Eight Arms to Hold You sold well due to the success of the first single "Volcano Girls", written by Gordon. It was a catchy, power-pop tantrum that matched "Seether"'s success, peaking at #8 on the Modern Rock charts. This album, however, didn't have longevity, and despite peaking higher (Billboard Top 100 at 55) than American Thighs, sales dropped off drastically when the second single "Shutterbug" failed to chart despite a high budget video and Saturday Night Live performance, as well as other promotion. Three more singles were sent to radio ("The Morning Sad", "Straight" and "Benjamin") but none of them did well enough to warrant a video. However, the Gordon-penned "Benjamin" was released internationally as the third and last commercial single from the album despite having no video and no promotion. "Benjamin" also failed to chart. Shapiro left the band soon after the release of Eight Arms and was replaced by Stacy Jones (of Letters to Cleo and now American Hi-Fi). Jones toured with the band on the Eight Arms tour, but never recorded with them.
Veruca Salt toured extensively for Eight Arms to Hold You, opening for Bush as well as a lengthy international headlining club tour.
Nina Gordon left Veruca Salt in early 1998 amid rumors of stolen boyfriends and physical altercations with bandmate Louise Post. Post, now the only original band member, recruited a new band, consisting of Stephen Fitzpatrick (guitar), Suzanne Sokol (bass) and Jimmy Madla (drums), and continued to record and perform under the Veruca Salt moniker. The new band signed with Beyond Records. The first album with the new lineup was 2000's Resolver.
December 2002 saw the release of both Resolver and lead single "Born Entertainer", in Australia through Embryo Records / MGM. Following the release of "Born Entertainer" Embryo Records / MGM released the single "Officially Dead" which contained newly recorded tracks as well as a remix of 'the Same Person. The band toured Australia, including the "Splendour in the Grass" festival alongside bands such as Placebo and Coldplay. 'Yeah Man' was released as a radio only single.
After planning to take some time to step away from the music industry the band once again toured and performed at some festival shows in Australia. The tour took in the capital cities as well as performances at both the "Falls Festival" and the newly created Southbound festival in Perth. The band completed the 2 week tour and upon arrival back in the United States performed a show at the iconic "Viper Room". The band debuted the tracks 'Blissful Queen' and 'Circular Trend' live, both would end up on the album "IV"
2005 saw another couple of line-up changes with Sokol and Madla leaving, being replaced by Solomon Snyder on bass and Michael Miley on drums for the recording of the EP Lords of Sounds and Lesser Things (LOSALT). The band then went on tour as Post, Fitzpatrick, drummer Kellii Scott and bassist Nicole Fiorentino. LOSALT was released and sold independently at the bands shows and via the website and included six new songs. The title of the EP is an extract from Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. This preluded the full length album, "IV", released September 2006 and accompanied by a US tour. The lead single "So Weird" was released to radio at the end of October 2006.
They recorded a cover of Neil Young's song "Burned" for a 2007 Breast Cancer Benefit album due for release in October 2007. The band became inactive sometime after that, announcing in 2012 that they had entered an indefinite hiatus.
In 2013, the original lineup of the band reunited. In 2014, the band released the single "The Museum of Broken Relationships." and went on a tour of the United States and Australia. The band's first album in nine years, "Ghost Notes", was released in July 2015.
Number One Blind
Veruca Salt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Be it all the time.
Be it night or day,
Take my sun away, away.
Levolor, which of us is blind?
Levolor, left me in the dark.
Levolor, I can't see a thing but you,
Blind me please, I am on my hands and knees.
I can only pray
Take my sun away, away.
Levolor, which of us is blind?
Levolor, left me in the dark.
Levolor, I can't see a thing but you,
Is it morning?
It is time.
It is time (oh-oh).
Levolor, which of us is blind?
Levolor, left me in the dark.
Levolor, I can't see a thing but you,
Is it morning?
Levolor, which of us is blind?
Levolor, left me in the dark.
Levolor, I can't see a thing but you,
Is it morning?
Levolor, Levolor, Levolor, Levolor...
The lyrics of Veruca Salt's song Number One Blind suggest a sense of dependency and surrender to someone or something that takes away the light or positivity in one's life. The repetition of the phrase "Take my sun away, away" symbolizes the desire to relinquish control and allow this external force to dominate their life. The usage of the name "Levolor" adds a mysterious element to the song and could be interpreted as a representation of an unknown entity or even a metaphor for a mental or emotional state of being.
The line "Be my blind" can be seen as a request to be blinded from the harsh realities of life, to be protected from negativity and the world's ugliness. This theme is further emphasized by the repetition of the question "Which of us is blind?" which implies confusion and uncertainty.
The line "Blind me please, I am on my hands and knees" further emphasizes the sense of submission and vulnerability, as the singer is begging to be controlled and left in the dark.
Overall, the lyrics of Number One Blind suggest a desire to relinquish control and submit to an external force that takes away the light and positivity in one's life. The repetition of the name "Levolor" and the imagery of blindness symbolize a sense of confusion and surrender.
Line by Line Meaning
Be my blind.
I want you to be the only thing I see
Be it all the time.
I want you to be my sole focus no matter what
Be it night or day,
I want you to be with me all the time, no matter the hour
Take my sun away, away.
I want you to dim the brightness of the world so you're all I can see
Levolor, which of us is blind?
I'm asking if you're as unaware of your feelings towards me as I am of mine towards you
Levolor, left me in the dark.
You're causing confusion and uncertainty for me
Levolor, I can't see a thing but you,
You're the only thing I'm focusing on
Is it morning?
I'm unsure of the time of day because my focus is solely on you
Blind me please, I am on my hands and knees.
I'm begging for you to take complete control over me and my sight
I can only pray
I have no control over my emotions and put everything in your hands
It is time.
Something needs to change between us
Levolor, which of us is blind?
My feelings of uncertainty towards you still persist
Levolor, Levolor, Levolor, Levolor...
Repetition of your name to emphasize your impact on me
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: INNES, LENNON, MCCARTNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
James Daniels
I was a teen in the 90s (literally--I turned 13 in 1990), so my memories are rather bittersweet:
80s music is from my childhood--when all was right with the world, and I lived without cares of any sort...so I find it comforting.
90s music is from the misery that was my adolescence 😜
But still, there were bands and songs like this...and you're right--it WAS a good time for female rockers:
L7, Lush, Blake Babies, Concrete Blonde, Throwing Muses, Voice of the Beehive, The Sundays, The Primitives, Shakespeare's Sister, and my beloved Shonen Knife all came into prominence (or relative prominence) during that decade.
M.A. H.C.
Be my blind.
Be it all the time.
Be it night or day,
Take my sun away, away.
Levolor, which of us is blind?
Levolor, left me in the dark.
Levolor, I can't see a thing but you,
Is it morning?
Blind me please,
I am on my hands and knees.
I can only pray
Take my sun away, away.
Levolor, which of us is blind?
Levolor, left me in the dark.
Levolor, I can't see a thing but you,
Is it morning?
It is time.
It is time (oh-oh).
Levolor, which of us is blind?
Levolor, left me in the…
Lee Olson
I listened to Veruca Salt everyday with one earbud doing patrols around Baghdad as a medic in the 82nd airborne in 2011. Seems sappy to thank them but those girls were my secret weapon to smiling and jamming my way through that tour.
Jon Magers
Awesome.
Dana Coleman
It doesn't seem sappy at all. And thank you for your service!
Kris Mckusick
Lol. Lots of tall tales being shared me thinks. Lol ❤😜🎅☝️🇺🇸
Lee Olson
@MKIVSupra that’s awesome! I never imagined that would be a shared experience lol.
MKIVSupra
Lol, 100% relate. Same year 2011, AFSOC medic, but Afghanistan while convoying regularly slipped a single earbud beneath my truck's Bose headset comms in the VC/TC seat. Pretty sure I did a call for fire and 9-line to the theme of Levelor. Nam war boys had Fortunate Son, but I had 2 hot chick's rocking window blinds. Beat that.
buzzcrushtrendkill
I love this band, two girls who are not afraid of distorted guitar sound but yet have great harmonies singing. Heavy and beautiful. Thank god I was born in 1970, the music of the 90's was glorious for person in their 20's.
Bolts a Bendin’ Full Steam Ahead
@Chuckee Cheeze Wat?
Chuckee Cheeze
@Bolts a Bendin’ Full Steam Ahead go straight to the def Leppard song
Chuckee Cheeze
Two ladies who don't care for diamonds and gold
Who love the boys when they young or they old
Who always got something to say for themselves
Who put the high heels back on the shelf