Their first release, Livin' in the '80s, was a 7" EP released by the band on their home-brew Z-Disc label. Their debut full length album, Vicious Circle, was released in 1982 with its distinctively ugly bright yellow cover on the local label Nimrod Records. Many punk fans nationwide were surprised to find a band like the Zero Boys coming out of the Midwest rather than from the larger and more established scenes in and around Los Angeles, Washington DC, New York City and elsewhere. Vicious Circle was reissued on Toxic Shock later in the 1980s, with added bonus tracks taken from the Affirmation Records compilations LPs The Master Tape and The Master Tapes 2. It was reissued again in 2000 by Lookout! Records, without the Master Tape tracks, but with two additional songs from the original album sessions, "She Said Goodbye" and "Slam and Worm", which had been given limited release on a 7" single.
It has occasionally been reported that the band never recorded further material after this. This is true only in the sense that the lineup of the band that made Vicious Circle never recorded new material. After David Clough left the band to join Toxic Reasons, the Zero Boys did manage to record a handful of tracks intended for a second LP, but broke up before the album could be finished. These tracks were released on the History of the Zero Boys cassette on Affirmation, along with the above mentioned compilation tracks and other demo tracks and outtakes.
Around 1990, Selfless released a 7" single featuring the Zero Boys on one side and Toxic Reasons on the other. The Zero Boys then reformed with a new bass player and guitarist and recorded two further albums, Make It Stop (released on Germany's Bitzcore label in 1992) and The Heimlich Maneuver (released on Skyclad in 1993.)
In the last couple of years, the band has reunited for the occasional show, such as one of a series of shows at CBGB's designed to raise money to help keep the club open, and a series of shows in the spring and summer of 2006 where they performed the entire Vicious Circle album.
Paul Mahern went on to form the power pop band the Datura Seeds and has since become a producer. He also owns the Affirmation Records label.
Tufty owns a punk clothing store in Indianapolis called future Shock as well as a progressive music bar named Radio Radio.
A Piece Of Me
Zero Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Miscellaneous
What a Piece of Work Is Man
What a piece of work is man
How noble in reason
How infinite in faculties
In form and moving
How express and admirable
In apprehension how like a god
The beauty of the world
The paragon of animals
I have of late
But wherefore I know not
Lost all my mirth
This goodly frame
The earth
Seems to me a sterile promontory
This most excellent canopy
The air-- look you!
This brave o'erhanging firmament
This majestical roof
Fretted with golden fire
Why it appears no other thing to me
Than a foul and pestilent congregation
Of vapors
What a piece of work is man
How noble in reason
How dare they try to end this beauty?
How dare they try to end this beauty?
Walking in space
We find the purpose of peace
The beauty of life
You can no longer hide
Our eyes are open
Our eyes are open
Our eyes are open
Our eyes are open
Wide wide wide!
The lyrics to "A Piece of Me" by Zero Boys are not included in the given passage. The lyrics provided are from the "Hair" soundtrack and the song "What a Piece of Work Is Man."
Line by Line Meaning
What a piece of work is man
Despite all of man's flaws and shortcomings, there is still something beautiful and amazing about the human race.
How noble in reason
Man has the capacity to reason and make decisions based on logic and moral principles.
How infinite in faculties
Man has unlimited potential and is capable of achieving great things.
In form and moving
The physical structure of man and his movements are both beautiful and admirable.
How express and admirable
Man is capable of expressing his emotions and creating art, which is something to be admired.
In action how like an angel
Man has the ability to perform good deeds and act like an angelic being.
In apprehension how like a god
Man has the intelligence and foresight to anticipate and plan for the future, much like a divine being.
The beauty of the world
The world is a beautiful and wondrous place.
The paragon of animals
Out of all the creatures on Earth, man is the most admirable and excellent.
How dare they try to end this beauty?
The artist is angry at those who would destroy the beauty and perfection of the world and of humanity.
Walking in space
When we look at the vastness of the universe, we gain perspective on our place in the world and our purpose.
We find the purpose of peace
By contemplating the grandeur of the universe, we can find inner peace and a sense of purpose.
The beauty of life
Life is a beautiful and precious thing that should be cherished.
You can no longer hide
The singer is urging someone to stop denying the truth about the beauty and value of life.
Our eyes are open
The singer and those who share their views are awake and aware of the world around them.
Wide wide wide!
Their perspective and understanding of the world is vast and all-encompassing.
Contributed by Jasmine M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Felicia Ramirez
Love them! Punk rock til death!