1993 - 2003
After majoring in Instrumental Jazz Performance at the University of South Florida, he was hired as guitarist/keyboardist for Atlantic recording artist Savatage. In October 1993, after a full US and European tour, his stint with Savatage was ended abruptly when founding member/guitarist, Criss Oliva, was killed by a drunk driver. Shortly after Oliva's death, Wes recorded a self-titled instrumental acoustic guitar album (using his birth name Wesley Charlton Garren) dedicated to Criss's memory.
In 1994, Wes won first place in the Best of the Bay guitar competition, in which the prize was a Gibson Les Paul that became his main guitar. In addition to running his own recording studio, giving music lessons, and playing in cover bands, Wes also formed several original bands, including Skunkworks, Ouch, Ramona Ramonster, and Surely T & the Saints of Pain.
In 1999, he was runner-up in Tommy Hilfiger's Unsigned Artist of the Millennium contest. He also briefly played guitar in a rock band that was managed by Orlando bigwigs, Johnny Wright and Lou Pearlman. Before moving to California, he finished production on the first Wes Styles album, Pop Culture Poison, in which he played most of the instruments himself.
2003 - Present
Soon after moving to North Hollywood, Wes played keyboards with Ty Taylor. He got signed to an indie label, called Jecarco Entertainment, but left shortly after creative differences with the label CEO, and consequently finished his second Wes Styles album, the Betamax Collection, on his own and released it independently. Wes later played guitar in many acclaimed LA bands such as Sextus, Fantastic Black, J Davey, The Fuxedos, Jeff Fowler, AM/FM and Keram Malicki-Sánchez.
In 2007, Wes started touring full time as the keyboardist for Columbia recording artist, Coheed and Cambria. He can be seen on Coheed's live Neverender DVD, and heard on their 2010 studio album, Year of the Black Rainbow. He also acted as their substitute bassist in 2011 when Michael Todd was arrested for attempted armed robbery during their tour with Soundgarden.
In 2008, while touring with Coheed and Cambria, Styles became endorsed by Moog Music.
In January 2009, he played in the Neil Sedaka play, Breaking Up is Hard to Do, in which Sedaka made a guest appearance and performed "Love Will Keep Us Together."
Occupied
Wes Styles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
1-2-3
Come on, yeah
Oh yeah
Any time you come around, you send me so high
Can't keep my feet on the ground, no
But every time you run away, it hurts me so bad
Any time I'm going crazy for your negative energy
You are my peace of mind, yes you are
But every time I've fallen down, you
You keep that hope alive, girl
The song "Occupied" by Wes Styles is about a tumultuous relationship where the singer is deeply in love with the subject but constantly struggles to keep themselves together when they are around. The song opens with the singer asking for a moment to tune their instrument, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for taking a moment to get themselves grounded before interacting with the subject. From there, the singer sings about how the subject sends them soaring with love but also causes them a great deal of pain when they leave. Despite the hurt, the singer can't seem to let go and feels like they are going to die without the subject in their life. The lyrics suggest that there is an intense back and forth between the singer and the subject, with moments of great joy mixed with deep despair.
The second verse of the song further illustrates the complex nature of the relationship. The singer sings about how the subject's negative energy can sometimes drive them insane, but at the same time, the subject is also the singer's "peace of mind." The singer also describes a moment of falling down, where the subject keeps their hope alive. Overall, the song can be read as an ode to the intense and sometimes painful nature of love, especially when that love is not reciprocated in a healthy way.
Line by Line Meaning
Before beginning, let's tune our instrument
Let's prepare ourselves mentally for what's to come
1-2-3
Counting down to signal the start of the performance
Come on, yeah
Encouraging the audience to participate and enjoy the show
Oh yeah
Expressing excitement and enthusiasm
Any time you come around, you send me so high
Your presence brings me intense happiness
Can't keep my feet on the ground, no
Your effect on me is so powerful that I feel like I'm floating
But every time you run away, it hurts me so bad
When you leave, it causes me emotional pain
I think I'm gonna die, girl
I feel like I can't live without you
Any time I'm going crazy for your negative energy
Even when you bring negativity into my life, I still can't help but be drawn to you
You are my peace of mind, yes you are
Despite the chaos you may bring, you are still a source of calm in my life
But every time I've fallen down, you
Every time I've been at my lowest,
You keep that hope alive, girl
You give me hope and help me keep going
Contributed by Kaelyn A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.