In 2009, they toured Europe and the USA and spent a lot of time in the studio, with producer Gareth Jones. At Glastonbury they won "Emerging Talent Competition 2009" & now, hoping to prove the critics correct, with their début album, "WHB" (Apr 2010). A new album "Movements" (28 Apr 2014) is planned, produced by band member Thomas and co-produced and mixed by Tim Goldsworthy (DFA Records, LCD Soundsystem, Unkle, Mo'Wax).
Drawing from a well of influences that include ESG, Animal Collective and The Rapture, the band created their own sound - a 21st Century mixtape that defies categorisation or pigeonholing. With the prime focus on making people dance, they quickly took the big step of taking their music to the stage, despite having little to no previous experience between them. “We learnt quickly” says Dede, “I never thought I’d be in a band, I definitely didn’t ever see myself on a stage! But after the first few shows you get over the scary bit and the buzz just took over – there was no looking back.”
‘The snowball effect’ is a fitting description for the band’s first year; play a few shows in London, play a few more outside of London, start getting a lot more hits on MySpace, NME and Dazed & Confused get in touch about doing ‘ones to watch’ features, label’s start calling and before you know it they have their first release. Early singles like the vibrating punk funk monsters 'Oh!' (released on 50 Bones records) and ‘You Came Out’ (released on Kill Em All) as well as the fuzzy, descending disco of 'Hear It In The Cans' (available on the sixth Kitsuné Maison compilation) showed the trio's playful, disco side but those looking for 12 identical tracks on ‘WHB’ may be in for a surprise.
"The singles are poppy, danceable and catchy but there's another side to us," says Thomas. Indeed tracks like 'Buffet' and 'Piano' hint at a rougher, more complex element to the discoball dream. "We like a lot of dark music. Joy Division, early OMD, and Talking Heads are just some of the things that we listen to,” adds Darren. "The three of us have lots of different influences and they’ve all come out on ‘WHB’."
The DIY ethos of the band has meant that they've succeeded without being tied to a record label. "We didn't want to focus on getting a deal, we went out and did everything ourselves. We got on with existing as a band on our own terms," says Darren. This has meant the freedom to tour extensively around the world. "If we were signed to a label, the record company wouldn't have allowed us to tour as much as we have," says Thomas. "I was looking at my passport today and I thought that I needed to get a new one soon, it's nearly run out of pages!" Thanks to this, Dede says, the band have a large international fan-base. "When you go to France or Russia and fans who don't necessarily know English are singing your songs back to you word for word, that's an amazing feeling. You just think 'how do they know the songs?!'"
From the humble beginnings of 'WHB', the trio wrote the rest of the 11 sonically diverse songs that make up their brilliantly eclectic album in between touring, over the course of 2009. The final product is much bigger than their singles and beloved MySpace songs suggest. Beat heavy, yes, but also warm, organic and much more complex, melody driven and beautiful than you would expect.
So here you have it, ‘WHB’, the debut album from We Have Band that really is the full story of everything they’ve achieved as a band, from the very beginning up until now.
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Visionary
We Have Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
People achieving things through any means
Made of fear and insecurities
We understand but we're confused
A pale faced redhead on the social scene
Sickly looking teenager with American dreams
Limelight living lots of giving
A visionary, you are not absent minded, you forgot
Rolled up screwed up torn apart to fit inside a melting pot
An hour glass turned upside down
Empty heart turned inside out
Pick a story make it yours to tell
And on your knees you tell so very well
All your feeling we're receiving
Break the spell a change will come
A visionary, you are not absent minded, you forgot
Rolled up screwed up torn apart to fit inside a melting pot
An hour glass turned upside down
Empty heart turn inside out
Hands, they break as they bind you
You create while we define you
Desperate to leave something behind you
If I don't will they find me?
If I don't will they find me?
If I don't will they find me? If I don't they won't
(A visionary, you are not absent minded, you forgot)
The opening lyrics of We Have Band's song "Visionary" describe a town marked by its extremes and individuals who achieve their goals through any means necessary, often motivated by fear and insecurities. Despite this, the song's narrator remains confused about the nature of success and what it takes to attain it. The second verse paints a picture of a pale-faced redhead and a sickly-looking teenager with American dreams, both living in the limelight and giving their all despite their physical and emotional bruises. The chorus repeats the image of a visionary, someone who doesn't forget but is rolled up, screwed up, and torn apart to fit into society's demands.
The third verse offers a glimmer of hope, encouraging listeners to pick their own story to tell and to break the spell that has been cast upon them. The song ends with a refrain that suggests the fear of being forgotten, of not making a mark on the world, and a final reminder that visionaries are not absent-minded, but rather have had to sacrifice parts of themselves to fit into society's expectations.
Overall, "Visionary" is a song that explores the tension between individuality and conformity, between achievement and sacrifice. It suggests that success often requires a certain amount of trauma and pain, but also urges listeners to find their own voice and to strive for change in the face of societal pressure.
Line by Line Meaning
Even in a town known for its extremes
Despite being in a place famous for extremes
People achieving things through any means
Individuals are attaining success through various methods
Made of fear and insecurities
Consist of apprehension and lack of confidence
We understand but we're confused
We comprehend the situation, but we're uncertain
A pale faced redhead on the social scene
A fair-skinned red-haired person in the public eye
Sickly looking teenager with American dreams
An unhealthy appearing youth with aspirations for America
Limelight living lots of giving
Famous lifestyle with lots of charitable actions
A tender touch on a body bruised
A soft caress on a physically injured body
A visionary, you are not absent minded, you forgot
A creative thinker who is not forgetful, but underestimated
Rolled up screwed up torn apart to fit inside a melting pot
Compacted, damaged, disheveled to assimilate to a diverse culture
An hour glass turned upside down
An inverted timepiece
Empty heart turned inside out
A forlorn soul being exposed
Pick a story make it yours to tell
Choose a tale and personalize it as your own
And on your knees you tell so very well
Humbly sharing the story in a captivating manner
All your feeling we're receiving
We are receiving all your emotions
Break the spell a change will come
End the negative influence and progress can begin
Hands, they break as they bind you
Constricting associations can be harmful
You create while we define you
You innovate while society categorizes you
Desperate to leave something behind you
Urgently wanting to make a lasting impact
If I don't will they find me?
Will I fade away if I do not leave a legacy?
If I don't will they find me?
Will I disappear if I do not leave a mark?
If I don't will they find me? If I don't they won't
If I do not impact others, the world will not remember me
(A visionary, you are not absent minded, you forgot)
You are a forward thinker, not forgetful, but misunderstood
Contributed by Adalyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@benrausch
Lovely! The end part is just beautiful. Can't wait for the album!
@danzer0
Really liked!! WHB was in my Top 10 2010 albuns... As for what I'm hearing here, this new album will be one of best of 2012. You've really set my expectations high after this one!
@allsopdo
Love it! Didn't expect it but played it 3 times in a row already. Pleasantly surprised!
@misssbelinda
interesting departure. sometimes i feel like their lyrics get too literal but they're still my favorite band right now.
@JD96
i like it :D
@CiszHelion
Very New Order/Joy Visionesque. Me like. :)
@VISIONARYMTL
dope animation
@csdesmons
tv on radio ?