Echo and Miller formed the band in the fall of 1998, citing a mutual love of old-school new wave, dance-punk energy and dark pop, with bassist Jeff Jaeger, drummer Scott Ellis (Mellowdrone, She Wants Revenge) and guitarist Mike Smith. The latter left during the recording of their debut album, Shakedown!, which was released on The Label, a sub-label of Geffen Records.
After returning from touring, the band found the label was closing its doors, and, after Scott Ellis' departure, released The 1234 EP independently. Following a 2002 summer tour supporting Scarling., the band gathered enough money to release theSTART EP on Smallstone Records. After a tour supporting AFI, the band was signed to Nitro Records. Stabilizing a new line-up with Erick Sanger and Billy Brimblecom, Jr., they recorded their next album, Initiation. In the meantime, theSTART EP was re-released on Nitro Records under the title Death Via Satellite. Unfortunately, on the day of Initiation's release, Brimblecom announced his departure. The band proceeded to tour with artists such as The Offspring, Auf Der Maur and Garbage with a number of fill-in drummers. Sanger was let go in 2006 for unclear reasons, paving the way for current rhythm section Lance Webber and Chelsea Davis. The band also parted ways with Nitro Records, and signed with Metropolis Records later that year, releasing Ciao, Baby in 2007.
Fix
theSTART Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do you want me to be?
I'm not new
I have never been clean
I need you to purify my endless sin
Wash away the poison
Buried in this skin
I couldn't do it my way
You're no good
You're not new,
You have never been
I need you, oh yeah
I need you to fix this mess I'm in
No control
Keep repeating the lie
One more time
I could never deny
It seems as if these limbs belong to someone else
If I could only keep this all inside myself
This'll be the last time
It's what I said the last time
you're no good
you're not new,
you have never been
I need you, oh yeah
I need you to fix this
You're no good
You're not new,
You have never been
I need you, oh yeah
I need you to fix this mess I'm in
My heart, it beats so hard
It beats so hard
It beats for you
My heart, it beats so hard
It beats so hard
It beats for you
My heart, it beats so hard
It beats so hard
It beats for you
My heart, it beats so hard
It beats so hard
It beats so hard
You're no good
You're not new,
You have never been
I need you, oh yeah
I need you to fix this
You're no good
You're not new,
You have never been
I need you, oh yeah
I need you to fix this mess I'm in
The lyrics of theSTART's song 'Fix' convey a sense of desperation and a cry for help. The singer acknowledges their flaws and inherent sinfulness and requests the person they're addressing to purify and cleanse them from their mistakes. There is a sense of guilt and shame that underlies the lyrics as the singer feels out of control and unable to stop repeating their mistakes. They seem to be aware of the futility of their past behaviors and are willing to take a different approach by seeking help from someone who can help them make a change.
The chorus expresses that the singer views their life as a mess and they need the person they're addressing to fix it. They emphasize their need for this person by repeating the statement, 'I need you, oh yeah'. The singer's heart beats hard for this person, indicating a deep emotional connection and dependence.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm no good
I lack self-worth and doubt my capability to make the right decisions.
Do you want me to be?
Do you prefer me to continue doubting myself rather than taking control of my life?
I'm not new
I'm not a new person, I'm still the same old me.
I have never been clean
I have never been free from my flaws and imperfections.
I need you to purify my endless sin
I need your help to cleanse me from my constant mistakes and bad decisions.
Wash away the poison
Remove the harmful influences that have corrupted my thinking and emotions.
Buried in this skin
Beneath my physical exterior lies deep-seated issues that I need help with.
I learned the hard way
I gained an understanding through direct experience and mistakes.
I couldn't do it my way
I was unable to solve my problems on my own.
You're no good
You're not perfect and have your own flaws.
You're not new,
You're not a perfect stranger.
I need you, oh yeah
I require your assistance and support.
I need you to fix this mess I'm in
I'm in a difficult situation and need your guidance to get out of it.
No control
I don't have the power to change or manage the situation.
Keep repeating the lie
I continue to deceive myself about the reality of the situation.
One more time
I continue to repeat the same mistakes.
I could never deny
I cannot ignore or repress my emotions or inner thoughts anymore.
It seems as if these limbs belong to someone else
I don't feel in control of my own body or actions.
If I could only keep this all inside myself
If I could keep all my struggles and emotions bottled inside, I wouldn't have to deal with them.
This'll be the last time
I hope this will be the last time I make this mistake.
My heart, it beats so hard
I feel strongly about you and my desire for your help.
It beats for you
My emotions and feelings are directed solely towards you.
Contributed by Keira O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.