Zilch is the title of two different artistic groups.

The first is a … Read Full Bio ↴Zilch is the title of two different artistic groups.

The first is a project founded by Hideto "hide" Matsumoto in 1995 during a stay in Los Angeles.

Zilch was intended to launch an English-speaking market for hide. At its core, hide was joined by two English musicians; guitarist Ray McVeigh who had previously played with members of the Sex Pistols in a band called The Professionals, and bassist Paul Raven of Killing Joke. To complete the line-up American drummer Joey Castillo (now of Queens of the Stone Age fame) and I.N.A, a good friend of hide and member of his solo band hide with Spread Beaver in Japan joined the group.

The band was first mentioned in hide's personal online blog in January 1998 when the video for "Electric Cucumber" was released on Japanese music television. hide said that the band had recorded the particular song and video in 1996 but its release was delayed due to the adult nature of the themes it dealt with. hide said that the he planned to release an album with the band which had already been completed the previous year as well as concentrate on live work with the group. It has now transpired that the band were set to tour with American alternative act Marilyn Manson, the lead singer of which hide was friends with and gave a special "thanks" to in the album notes for his "Psyence" CD.

It was not to be; hide died on May 2, 1998.

The album was released on schedual and is regarded as being close to how it was originally intended with only post production work been contributed after hide's passing. The band released an album of remixed songs the following year and another original album in 2002 before officially disbanding. The band took on numerous members in their post-hide era such as Dave Kushner (now of Velvet Revolver) and had guest performers such as Duff McKagan (Guns n' Roses, Velvet Revolver), J (Luna Sea) and Steve Jones (Sex Pistols).

The second is a Christian pop group formed out of the backup artists for another Christian group named dcTalk.

Zilch was arranged in the fall of 1996 from members of dcTalk's backing band while on tour of Europe in support of their album "Jesus Freak". They use the word "arranged" because none of the members had much in common as far as musical taste or background, which is not the optimal way to form a band.

Guitarist and frontman, Mark Lee Townsend, found influences in everything from 60's pop to alternative. Keyboardist [Jason Halbert preferred synth pop. Bassist Otto Price was everything R & B but loved The Smiths. Drummer Rick May had roots in power pop.

In any case, the four locked themselves in the studio after the New Year and wrote the material which would make up the songs on the 1997 release "Platinum" (Gotee Records). The name Zilch was suggested by Mark, possibly to indicate what kind of impact the band would have on the world, which was a somewhat harsh assessment. Probably closer to the truth is that the name was taken from a cut on The Monkees' 1967 album "Headquarters" (ironically, another band that was "arranged").

The original lineup was a strong one musically, but with such disparate tastes, the band struggled on the road and ultimately retired when dcTalk resumed touring in 1998.

Fast forward to the present where Mark Lee Townsend, the principle visionary in original Zilch, is back to writing new Zilch music. Mark is joined in the studio by Dan Gartley on bass and drummer Mark Graalman (both in the EMI band, Sanctus Real) to finish a new Zilch album, some 10 years after the original release. In keeping with tradition, the new Zilch promises quirky power pop guaranteed to bring a smile.

(Material for the second Zilch entry taken from their website http://www.zilchonline.com/)

Good
Zilch Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Wash-n-wear, simplest of things
What can make your heart want to sing
Like the day - dc came to town
You were standing there - didn't care
That the rain was pouring down
Things are better than they seem
There's no ending to the dream
We all know that god is good

Everything will turn out right
As we walk into the light
We all know that god is good
Nevermind - if it seems surreal
Don't get hung up on what you feel
In my head - I can hear a tune
So much sweeter than a lullaby
Sleep tight kids 'cause god is good
And

Things are better than they seem
There's no ending to the dream
We all know that god is good
Everything will turn out right
As we walk into the light
We all know that god is good
I should choose the words I say
And the message I convey
I'll make it clear - so don't get me wrong
Things are better than they seem
There's no ending to the dream
We all know that god is good
Everything will turn out right

As we walk into the light
We all know that god is good

Overall Meaning

The song "Good" by Zilch speaks about the comfort and hope that comes from believing in a higher power no matter the circumstances. The song begins by referencing the simplicity of wash-n-wear and how even the smallest things can bring joy to one's heart. The mention of dc coming to town creates a nostalgic and warm feeling, despite the pouring rain. This sets up the theme of the song: things are better than they may seem.

As the chorus comes in, the message becomes clear. There is no ending to the dream, and God is good. The lyrics express that no matter how hard life may seem, trusting in God will lead to things turning out right as we walk into the light. The song conveys a positive and optimistic outlook on life that is rooted in faith and belief.

The final verse emphasizes the importance of choosing one's words and message carefully, recognizing the power they hold. Overall, the song encourages the listener to have hope in the goodness of the world.

Line by Line Meaning

Wash-n-wear, simplest of things
Sometimes the simplest things in life can bring the most joy

What can make your heart want to sing
Those simple things can bring happiness and excitement

Like the day - dc came to town
A day when something or someone special arrived and made an impact

You were standing there - didn't care
Being so caught up in the moment that nothing else mattered

That the rain was pouring down
Even when things seem bad or uncomfortable, they can still be good

Things are better than they seem
The world can be a beautiful place, even in difficult times

There's no ending to the dream
Hope and optimism can be never-ending

We all know that god is good
Believing in a higher power can bring comfort and reassurance

Everything will turn out right
Trusting in the good of the world can lead to positive outcomes

As we walk into the light
Moving towards a brighter future and leaving negativity behind

Nevermind - if it seems surreal
Don't let the unusual or unexpected things distract from the good

Don't get hung up on what you feel
Don't let emotions cloud the bigger picture

In my head - I can hear a tune
Feeling happy and carefree, like music in your head

So much sweeter than a lullaby
Experiencing something even better than deep relaxation

Sleep tight kids 'cause god is good
Everything will be alright as long as there's faith

I should choose the words I say
Being careful to communicate effectively and accurately

And the message I convey
Being aware of the meaning behind the words and how they'll be received

I'll make it clear - so don't get me wrong
Communicating the message clearly to avoid misunderstanding

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JASON D. HALBERT, MARK L. TOWNSEND, OTTO MONTGOMERY PRICE JR., RICHARD D. MAY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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