Tim Rogers formed the first version of the band in Sydney, Australia, with his school friend Nick Tischler and his older brother Jaimme in December 1989. This initial line-up was short lived and by the end of 1990 both Nick and Jaimme had left the band. They were replaced by the group's one-time sound mixer Andy Kent on bass and Mark Tunaley on drums.
The band released several EPs and singles in the early 90s, though the real breakthrough came when Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth caught the band performing at 1993's Big Day Out festival and was impressed enough to produce their fourth EP, Coprolalia, and later the debut album, Sound as Ever, which went on to win the 1993 ARIA Award for Best Alternative Release.
After the release of their first album, Mark and the band parted company. He was replaced by the charismatic Russell Hopkinson (formerly of Nursery Crimes) creating the core line-up to this day. Since then, the band has been augmented by Davey Lane of The Pictures on guitar.
You Am I had toured the US extensively during the mid 90s, including playing with Soundgarden on the Lollapalooza festival, Red Kross, The Strokes and Smoking Popes to name a few. Despite little success overseas, the band became well known throughout Australia for their Pete Townshend-esque guitar windmills and their upbeat "ponce and thuggery" take on Rock 'n' Roll.
Further success came with the albums Hi Fi Way and Hourly Daily, with both picking up ARIA Awards. Hourly Daily was the first album released on the Shock label to go to number one in the ARIA charts upon launch. For many, the suburban inspired, 60s bop and folky 12 string melodies were a welcome departure from ever pervasive 70s rock sounds, or even grunge rock.
Subtle country influences became apparent on their 1998 Number 4 Record, which included the poignant Heavy Heart. A heart wrenching, almost karaoke inspired ballad about being 'dropped' by your girlfriend. Evidently each subsequent album has had a few countryish twang which have polarised some fans, who idolise the band's earlier warts and all rock beginnings.
1999 saw frontman Tim Rogers release his first solo album What Rhymes With Cars And Girls, followed up in 2004 by the record Spit Polish. In 2005 he released the critically acclaimed double-LP 'Ghost Songs' and 'Dirty Ron'.
After an album absence prolonged by touring and record label interference, Dress Me Slowly was released April 2001. Arguably containing some of the bands' best work including Damage and Kick a Hole in the Sky there were also some stellar b-Sides on the commercial singles that accompanied the album. These include a song called Older Guys which is track 2 on the Get Up single. Older Guys was one of the stand out songs on Gram Parsons' group The Flying Burrito Brothers album Burrito Deluxe and although the You Am I b-side is an original, Rogers is recognised as a keen student of music history and some connection can be assumed.
Dress Me Slowly was second guitarist, Davey Lane's first bona fide appearance on a studio record. Lane had come to the band's attention from his own work with The Pictures and transcribing, with almost scary accuracy, the band's guitar tabs on the You Am I web site. The band's last collective studio effort was Deliverance in 2002.
The likes of Nic Cester of Jet have mentioned that You Am I, at the very least, reminded them that you don't have to be American to be a successful rock band. Iconic references to Australian everyday suburban life remain a constant theme of Roger's material. The Vines also credit You Am I as a major influence and Silverchair take their name, in part, from You Am I's song Berlin Chair.
Their seventh album "Convicts" was released in May 2006. An about face on the previous two albums, Convicts rocks hard all of the way through with much more straight forward production and higher energy that makes you jump.
Their eighth album "Dilettantes" was released in September 2008.
Tuesday
You Am I Lyrics
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Last week's papers and a pack of darts
That got me through 'til ten.
The ten fifteen's five minutes late.
I really should just get out more these days.
Next door is coughing up his lungs.
Two A.M. I'm sure she said
She's gonna get herself a gun.
You should hear what's going on outside.
As the morning bread goes hard
On the corner shop they're waiting
Just for rush hour to start.
And I'm wondering why his kids are late
I really should just get out more these days.
Days, and each one shows
There's so much I'll never know
If I don't ever get
If I never get home, home.
And old Ryan's still his rust
And Tuesday comes and goes
Like any late night bus.
I could do a lot more with my time
But you should hear what's going on outside.
The lyrics of You Am I's song "Tuesday" beautifully capture the mundane and monotonous routine of a person's daily life, while also touching on the darker aspects of living in a city. The song starts with the singer watching the sunrise again, tiredly smoking a pack of cigarettes from the day before. The reference to "last week's papers" emphasizes how nothing changes in his life; it's the same old routine every day. He feels trapped in his own routine and guilty for not venturing out more often.
The song takes a darker turn when he hears his neighbor coughing up his lungs and mentions that he overheard his neighbor saying that she's "gonna get herself a gun." As the day progresses, he notices little things that are out of place, such as a father waiting for his kids at the corner shop, who seem to be late. The singer obviously feels disconnected from everything around him and the world outside, which he describes with a somber tone. He is clearly aware that he is missing out on life, but is too tired and lethargic to change.
The chorus of the song is particularly poignant, as it represents the singer's longing for something more in life. The lines "Days, and each one shows / There's so much I'll never know / If I don't ever get / If I never get home, home" reflect the singer's profound sadness and regret for not taking more risks and exploring the world around him.
Line by Line Meaning
Saw the sun come up again.
I woke up early in the morning and saw the sunrise.
Last week's papers and a pack of darts
That got me through 'til ten.
I read last week's newspapers and smoked cigarettes until 10 o'clock.
The ten fifteen's five minutes late.
The train that was supposed to arrive at 10:15 is five minutes late.
I really should just get out more these days.
I need to leave my house and be more social.
Next door is coughing up his lungs.
My neighbor is coughing uncontrollably.
Two A.M. I'm sure she said
She's gonna get herself a gun.
At 2 AM, I think I heard my neighbor say she is going to buy a gun.
I blacked out from three to five.
I cannot remember what happened between 3 and 5 in the morning.
You should hear what's going on outside.
The noises outside are very loud and interesting.
As the morning bread goes hard
On the corner shop they're waiting
Just for rush hour to start.
The bread at the store is getting stale as the workers wait for the morning rush hour to start.
And I'm wondering why his kids are late
I really should just get out more these days.
I am curious why my neighbor's kids are not at school yet, and I need to be more active and involved in the world.
Days, and each one shows
There's so much I'll never know
If I don't ever get
If I never get home, home.
Each day reveals new things I might never learn if I never leave my house.
And old Ryan's still his rust
And Tuesday comes and goes
Like any late night bus.
Ryan's old car is still rusty, and Tuesday passes like any other ordinary day.
I could do a lot more with my time
But you should hear what's going on outside.
I could be more productive, but the noise outside is too captivating to ignore.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: TIM ADRIAN ROGERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alex Black
Late night Rage memories and it sounds just as fresh today! What an epic song.
Marian Miskovic
...super album/song...my best / favorite australian band
John Doe
I used to be a atheist but then I discovered You Am I when the released Hi Fi Way and now believe there is a god and his name is Tim
blabby102
Amen!