The band's first record, Fatboy (1992), established the band as a favorite of the same 1990s scene that became popular through bands such as the Dave Matthews Band, Phish, and Widespread Panic. moe. has toured with the 1997 Furthur Festival, appeared at Woodstock '99, have played in Central Park, were the opening band for The Allman Brothers and The Who, and performed at Radio City Music Hall on New Years Eve 2006 and 2007.
They also host the annual festival moe.down at Snow Ridge Ski Area in Turin, NY. Started in 2000, the festival runs for three days and occurs every Labor Day weekend. The festival has attracted a wide variety of musical talent. Acts range from newer bands just emerging onto the scene (such as Tea Leaf Green, Nellie McKay and Raq) to big name acts and jam rock staples, such as Les Claypool, Blues Traveler, and Mike Gordon (of Phish fame); to pop rock icons, such as Leo Kottke, The Flaming Lips, The Violent Femmes; and most recently, Perry Farrell. Each year, the amount of moe.down attendees has steadily increased. moe.down I attracted around 3,000 people while moe.down VI in 2005, had attracted close to 7,000.
During an interview, guitarist Al Schnier was asked to describe moe. for those who have never heard their music: "It's an amalgamation of a wide variety of the history of rock, all regurgitated and recycled through the eyes, ears, hands, whatever of the guys in our band and all of that with a sense of adventure, a sense of humor, also a constant desire to push the envelope. All in this arena of taking chances, improvising live, and making things up on the spot."
Their official site can be found at www.moe.org
Brent Black
moe. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know it's true
I made it up myself
And I impart it to you
It's not the bait
At the end of your line
It's the fishing hole
Where all the fish is blind
Here's the whole truth
I know it's true
I made it up myself
And I impart it to you
It's not the driver
Of the speedy fast car
It's the engine proper
That helps you get where you are
Time will show you who you are
We're all just hapless victims
Of knowledge and learning and such
The man you thought you licked 'em
But you choked in the clutch
Brent Black, you said it yourself
It's an ethereal kind of flu
A Mac virus reveals the plot
Of the fiendish Fu Man Chu
Here's the whole truth
I know it's true
Made it up myself
And I impart it to you
(You!)
It's not the drinking
Of the suds you partake
It's more the clinking
And the toast that you make
Time will show you where you are
Brent Black
Where did you go?
They stole your face
And you missed the show
[Repeat: x2]
We're all just hapless victims
Of knowledge and learning and such
The man you thought you licked 'em
But you choked in the clutch
Brent Black, you said it yourself
It's an ethereal kind of flu
A Mac virus reveals the plot
Of the fiendish Fu Man Chu
The lyrics of moe.'s song "Brent Black" present a series of paradoxical and enigmatic statements, building up to the titular character who seems to embody these contradictions. The opening lines claim that the whole truth is both true and self-made, setting up a theme of subjective perception and authority. This is further developed in the lines "It's not the bait / At the end of your line / It's the fishing hole / Where all the fish is blind", which suggest that success or failure depends less on the tangible objects or goals we pursue and more on the larger context and circumstances of our endeavors.
The chorus appears to address Brent Black directly, using his name to evoke a sense of identity and presence despite his apparent absence or disappearance. The lyrics suggest that Black has some kind of insight or understanding about the nature of reality or existence, described as an ethereal kind of flu, yet his absence or silence also contributes to a sense of confusion or uncertainty. The song seems to circle around the idea that knowledge and learning can both empower and ensnare us, as expressed in the line "We're all just hapless victims / Of knowledge and learning and such".
The song's final lines blend pop culture references and surreal imagery, with Brent Black's "stolen face" and the villainous Fu Man Chu plotting behind a Mac virus. This further reinforces the sense that the truth and reality are elusive and subjective, and that even those who claim to understand it may still fall victim to its traps and illusions.
Line by Line Meaning
Here's the whole truth
I have a statement of undeniable fact
I know it's true
I am absolutely sure of this
I made it up myself
This is a fabrication of my own mind
And I impart it to you
I am sharing it with you now
It's not the bait
The enticing thing is not the key element
At the end of your line
At the conclusion of your search
It's the fishing hole
The location where your success is found
Where all the fish is blind
Where those you seek are unaware of your intentions
It's not the driver
The person in control is not the most important thing
Of the speedy fast car
Of the fast-moving vehicle
It's the engine proper
The essential component that propels you forward
That helps you get where you are
That enables you to reach your intended destination
Time will show you who you are
With time, your true identity will become clear
We're all just hapless victims
We are all powerless against
Of knowledge and learning and such
The forces of knowledge and education and similar things
The man you thought you licked 'em
The enemy you believed you had defeated
But you choked in the clutch
But your triumph was not as certain as you thought
Brent Black, you said it yourself
You once spoke these words, Brent Black
It's an ethereal kind of flu
It's a type of illness that is hard to pin down
A Mac virus reveals the plot
A computer virus exposes the scheme
Of the fiendish Fu Man Chu
Of the evil mastermind known as Fu Manchu
It's not the drinking
The act of consuming a beverage is not the key
Of the suds you partake
Of the beer you ingest
It's more the clinking
It's the sound of the glasses touching
And the toast that you make
And the words of celebration you offer
Where did you go?
Where have you vanished to?
They stole your face
Someone has taken your identity
And you missed the show
You were unable to see what happened
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: AL SCHNIER, CHUCK GARVEY, ROB DERHAK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind