Following an unsuccessful spell in the mid-1990s as part of a band called Spoonful, in 1998 Hoge began touring the American south with guitarist Dan Baird (former of The Georgia Satellites). Hoge independently released his first CD, Live At The Exit/In, a live set recorded at the Nashville club. This drew some attention and that, and constant touring, led to the release Hodge's first studio album, Carousel. A record deal followed in early 2002 and his major label debut, Blackbird On A Lonely Wire, in 2003.
Hoge was involved in a scooter accident on August 20, 2008 after leaving a studio session for what would be his next album, "The Wreckage". Following numerous surgical procedures (mainly on his shattered femur/leg), Hoge made a full recovery.
His album "Number Seven" was released in 2011.
Hoge has made a career of writing and singing powerful songs about life’s cruel and dark turns. Not long ago, he fell victim to one such turn. As Hoge rode his scooter home from the studio, he was struck by an oncoming van that had veered into his lane. There were no skid marks. Launched off his bike, Hoge ended up bloodied, broken-boned, temporarily blinded, and near death. “[The accident] was like stopping a record as it spins,” says Hoge, who had been halfway through recording material for his new record before getting derailed. “It was like taking the needle and pushing it off the turntable.” For ten months, the accident sidelined Hoge. For ten months, it made him do something he hadn’t done in 18 years: stop the music. Larger matters dominated his life, like physical recovery and the well-being of his family. “People would say, ‘I bet you’re ready to get back to playing and writing.’ I’m thinking, ‘Playing or singing is not the issue right now. I’m ready to get back to walking.’”
His previous album, Draw the Curtains, had been a unanimous high-water mark in his career, a magnificent collection of rock, country, soul, blues, and folk. With a great band, good vibes, and clear skies overhead, Hoge felt like he was building something real as a career artist. Eight months after the incident he re-entered the studio in pursuit of that mission.. “Making The Wreckage opened me up in a different way,” says Hoge. “I felt a calmness, a purpose. Right now it feels like I’m getting to the core of what I want to do and why.”
The Wreckage listens like a record with a purpose. Having stared down his own mortality, Hoge has now rediscovered the simple joys of making good music. “It’s hard to explain, but I felt a certain serenity making this album,” he says. “It doesn’t come through in the songs, but the process has become easier, and I believe the songs flow with more confidence.”
When Hoge’s fans hear these songs, they’ll feel that resolve too. The Wreckage both curses life’s wrong turns and celebrates its triumphs. “I’ve always tried to make albums that have a good reason for every song, and for the sequence of those songs. On this album you get 40:18 of music, and hopefully you’ll want to hear the whole thing start to finish.”
The album was crafted with a depth of sound and musicality that breaks new ground for Hoge. Rugged, pulsating rock fuels “Just Like Me.” Spirited melody characterizes tunes like “Highway Wings” and “Even If It Breaks Your Heart.” The gruff ghosts of the barroom return on Hoge’s “Hard to Love,” as does the searing country roots rock of “Long Gone.” Ballads like “What Could I Do” and “The Wreckage” are rife with the sort of brooding melancholy you’d expect from a guy who has been to the edge and back. “‘The Wreckage’ is one of the favorite songs I’ve ever sung,” Hoge admits. “I couldn’t have sung this physically before the accident, because my voice just wasn’t suited to how quiet it is.”
“Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” his paean to rock and roll as life’s true calling, is another tune Hoge admires. “The minute we started recording it, it was one of those songs that drove itself. Everyone in the room understood the sentiment. There was magic in that moment you don’t get very often.”
Even though half of The Wreckage was written and most of it recorded after the crash, images of the episode are only discreetly woven into the fabric of the album, like streaks of red on a dark surface. That’s because Hoge would rather leave those lines, words, and phrases to interpretation.
Released one year almost to the day of his accident, The Wreckage is not, song by song, a celebration of life. The sentiments are too dark, his lyrics too biting, his voice brimming with moodiness. Risen from the ashes of Hoge’s own “wreckage,” the recording is an incredible achievement, hands-down his best work to date. And that is as good a cause as any for real celebration.
www.willhoge.com
Welcome to the big show
Will Hoge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Breakdown, turn it around
Don't stand up cause you might get knocked down
Its all over the set
Then they give you a smile let you watch anyway
I've see it all over the news
Everybody's been talking with a face full of shoes
Tv and your radio are all on the blink
[Chorus:]
Tonight tonight we'll hold on tight
Get your ticket it's time to go
Welcome to the big show
Big money bottle of dreams
Got your cold laced fingers with your cocaine rings
Want to see the dark side of town
So make a deal with the devil and he'll show you around
Champagne parties with phone call girls
Ashtray babies with dimestore pearls
Nickelback jewelry and a velvet chain
Hollywood hollowfaced down in the rain
[Chorus:]
(repeat first verse)
[Chorus:]
Welcome to the big show (x3)
In Will Hoge's song Welcome to the big show, the lyrics depict a world of glitz and glamour that is fueled by fame, money, and power. The lines "breakdown, turn it around," and "don't stand up cause you might get knocked down" suggests that the singer is thrown into a world that is chaotic and unpredictable. The phrase "it's all over the set" further adds to the sense of disorder and confusion. Despite all of this, the singer is allowed to watch nonetheless, as suggested by the line "then they give you a smile and let you watch anyway." The lines "TV and your radio are all on the blink, so get yourself a pistol to learn what to think" means that media is in a state of disarray, and individual thinking is necessary to make sense of the world.
The chorus, "tonight tonight we'll hold on tight, get your ticket it's time to go, welcome to the big show" highlights the invitation to join this world of fame and fortune. There's an urgency to the lyrics, which suggests that the singer should hurry and be a part of it before it's too late. The second verse describes the parties with call girls, dimestore pearls, and Hollywood's hollow faces. The lines, "make a deal with the devil and he'll show you around" means that in this world, the devil is the master of ceremonies, and people are willing to sell their souls to be a part of it.
Overall, Welcome to the big show suggests that success and fame come at a cost. It's a world of chaos, confusion, and disorder, and one has to be willing to leave their morals, sell their soul, and play by the rules of the devil to be a part of it.
Line by Line Meaning
Breakdown, turn it around
Take a step back and reassess your situation
Don't stand up cause you might get knocked down
Don't be too confident or you may face consequences
Its all over the set
People are everywhere and things are chaotic
Then they give you a smile let you watch anyway
Despite the chaos, you are still allowed to observe and enjoy
I've see it all over the news
The events of the big show are covered extensively by the media
Everybody's been talking with a face full of shoes
People are guilty and ashamed of their actions
Tv and your radio are all on the blink
The big show is so overwhelming that it's interfering with technology
So get yourself a pistol to learn what to think
People resort to violence to find guidance in the madness
Tonight tonight we'll hold on tight
Get ready for a wild ride
Get your ticket it's time to go
Join the big show and experience it for yourself
Welcome to the big show
You are officially a part of the spectacle
Big money bottle of dreams
The allure of wealth and success draws people in
Got your cold laced fingers with your cocaine rings
People have become numb and addicted to the high life
Want to see the dark side of town
Curiosity leads people to explore the seedy underbelly
So make a deal with the devil and he'll show you around
People will go to great lengths just to experience the thrill
Champagne parties with phone call girls
Extravagant and immoral behavior is commonplace
Ashtray babies with dimestore pearls
People's standards have drastically lowered
Nickelback jewelry and a velvet chain
Cheap and flashy accessories are used to flaunt wealth
Hollywood hollowfaced down in the rain
Even the most glamorous and successful people are miserable
Welcome to the big show (x3)
The ultimate experience that is both thrilling and devastating
Contributed by Julian N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.