The trio's first two gigs were at San Francisco's On Broadway in late 1983. The band put out a demo in 1984, then broke up in 1985, with band members moving on to other projects.
When two songs from X-tal's demo were included on the 1987 SF Unscene compilation and attracted some attention, Neo and Freeman reformed the band, eventually settling on a lineup with Mitzi Waltz on bass and Jimmy (Demetrius) Broustis on guitar. (Broustis hails from Libertyville, Illinois, a small town that produced a number of alternative music figures; Broustis was in the same class at Libertyville High School as Adam Jones of Tool.)
This lineup played frequently at San Francisco's Albion, and released X-tal's first album, Reason is 6/7 of Treason, in 1990. The CMJ New Music Report (March 30, 1990) said the record "scoops up the morning-dew innocence of the least embarrassing Haight-Ashbury petal-babies of the `60s with the world-bleary wisdom of all those SF/LA punk-worn people who turned their matured underground gaze upon gentler, more introspective directions."
With Allison Moseley replacing Waltz on bass, X-tal recorded Die Monster Die, released in 1991. This second album was called "wiser and angrier" by CMJ (March 29, 1991), which deemed it "first-class world punk music." The disc's more political songs included "An Old Colonial's Hard Luck Story" (the band's first and only single), about the self-pity of Rhodesian exiles, and "Domino's Theory," a six-minute protest song tying together Domino's Pizza's labor policies and food quality to CEO Tom Monaghan's alleged support for the Nicaraguan Contras and Operation Rescue:
A fortune made on cardboard crust
Is a gun pointed at our subversive lust
And a Midwest multi-millionaire
Can finance right-wing guerrilla warfare
Anywhere
The same band members, with guest Carrie Bradley of Ed's Redeeming Qualities, produced 1992's Everything Crash, which Allmusic called "an excellent album that makes the brain dance." After this release, Broustis left the group, eventually replaced by Mark Zanandrea. The two albums recorded with Zanandrea were released in Germany, where the band had a considerable following. In 1996, the last incarnation of X-tal broke up. In 2006, they played a well-attended reunion concert in San Francisco.
What Now?
X-tal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When did it turn into the poison that burns out and drains you?
Confront yourself at night, you lie in bed awake alone
What do you really want to be? Man, you're not even close
What now?
You played your party trick
Pulled out the rug and left me standing So I'll shake your hand one last time
As I slip into the quicksand
What now?
In X-Tal's song "What Now," the artist explores the concept of self-reflection and identity. The first two lines allude to the idea that sometimes the things that once helped us may turn into something that harms us. This could reference an addiction, a toxic relationship, or even a negative mindset. The third line hints at the discomfort and vulnerability that can come with looking inward and questioning our own desires and motivations. The final line "Man, you're not even close" suggests a disappointment in oneself or a realization that we are not living up to our potential.
The chorus "What now?" speaks to the uncertainty and questioning that comes with this process of self-reflection. It is an acknowledgement that there is no easy answer or quick fix to these existential and internal struggles. In the second verse, the lyrics become more personal, as the singer addresses an individual who has caused them harm. The line "You played your party trick, pulled out the rug and left me standing" suggests an act of betrayal or deception. The following lines are a farewell, as the singer acknowledges that they are moving on and leaving the other person behind. The final chorus "What now?" could be interpreted as a challenge or a declaration of independence, as the singer faces the future with uncertainty but also a newfound sense of agency.
Line by Line Meaning
All of the medicine that used to nurture and sustain you
The things that once made you feel better and helped you cope with life
When did it turn into the poison that burns out and drains you?
When did those same things become the root of your problems and make you feel worse?
Confront yourself at night, you lie in bed awake alone
You struggle with self-reflection and often feel lonely with your thoughts
What do you really want to be? Man, you're not even close
You feel lost and unsure of your purpose or identity
What now?
What do you do with these doubts and unanswered questions?
You played your party trick
You fooled or deceived someone, likely for personal gain
Pulled out the rug and left me standing
You caused someone to be unprepared or vulnerable, possibly causing harm
So I'll shake your hand one last time
I will seemingly forgive or move on, but not forget your actions
As I slip into the quicksand
Despite my efforts, I feel like I am sinking or losing control
What now?
What do I do next in response to your actions and my situation?
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: John Bassham
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Foukez
@@NightDawnDusk Do you throw it in the well
Wishing you had someone to tell
What it was that you wished for
So it couldn't come true anymore
I've thrown so much away
These times die and stay alive
I've gone and i've stayed
And though both happened
At the same time
I know which one i like
And which one i hate
You never change to fire if you're ice
Even if you melt on a table and dry
And that table is burned
I'll tell you why
'Cuz you stayed by going away
And life changes not you
Every time is contained in now
Now is only time anything happens
Though one moments shot
In infinity's rounds
Now is the one time
Anything happens here
@nzmk99
this feels like swimming inside an empty indoor public pool at 5am, with the blue lightning inside the pool
@tacocatpoopracecarpooptacocat
so accurate
@96graces
yessss!!!
@eyerolling
I think lighting is the most misspelled word in English.
@eyerolling
Nonetheless youre awesome
@shay2396
kind of like that one part in life is strange
@wizardcoolio
I can already tell this song is gonna be with me for the rest of my life isn’t it?
@michaelh.1262
yes
@Trench303
literally
@dmandaman9009
forever