The Screaming Jets
Release date August 7th, 1995
| Vocals: | Bass: | Guitar: | Guitar: | Drums: |
| Dave Gleeson | Paul Woseen | Grant Walmsley | Jimi Hocking | Craig Rosevear |
The bands self titled album was actually the bands third major release. The album was produced by Robbie Adams, who had previously worked as engineer on the U2 albums. It was recorded at 48 Volt studios in Sydney. Debuted at number 5 nationally on release. Has reached gold selling status.
Dave writes:
Robbie Adams from Ireland, who had previously worked with U2, was enlisted to produce the Gorilla album. He had a strict drug free policy, so imagine my surprise when I arrived at Darling Harbour studios on that first day, to find no free drugs.
This is the first album we really did get in and treat in a hands on way. We put more of ourselves into this record consciously than the two previously.
Some particular moments of magic for me, were recording ‘Impossible’, and hiding in the closet to smoke bongs.
Dave Henderson, the guy responsible for our live sound over the years, assisted the recording.
We all love this record.
FIGURE IT OUT
Written by Walmsley / Gleeson
Grant writes:
I started writing this when we lived in LA in 93′ It is about finding your thing, your happiness, facing your responsibilities. I ran out of inspiration but Dave quickly filled the void. The middle eight in the song “what I really want” part is my favourite bit. Yowza.
LYRICS:
You never seem to get it right the first time
Oh yeah but you gotta get it right before you due
All around the world of institutions and new religions.
Gotta fear the blinkers from your eyes.
Well it is natural you gotta block out your solution.
Is it your right to refuse your right to care.
Is this one of the things that you refuse to dwell on.
Your just gonna beat around the bush.
Vanish in your lies.
What if it’s the bed you have to lie in
What if they can’t tell that you’ve been fighting.
Figure it out, you can’t fight it
Its dying while you speak.
Figure it out, don’t block it out.
Wrap your mind up in a suitcase and hit the track.
Such a long way down, you’ll never get back.
Build your life a castle not you’re throwing it all away.
That was your life you lived it yesterday.
What it it’s the bed you have to lie in.
What if they cant tell that you’ve been fighting.
Figure it out you can’t fight it
Its dying while you sleep.
Yeah figure it out, don’t block it out.
What I really want, what I really wants you to love me – Do you love me.
What I really want, what I really wants you to hate me.
What I really want is you to help me
What I really want is you to break me.
I said what if its the bed that you gotta lie in.
What if its the very same bed that I’ve gotta die in.
Figure it out, you can’t fight it
Its dying now you’re crying.
Figure it out, don’t block it out
Its your life and the times we’re living in.
SACRIFICE
Written by Woseen / Walmsley / Gleeson
(released as a single April 1996)
Grant writes:
A bit of this a bit of that…. is how this song came together. Paul had the intro riff, I had the chorus riff and Dave and Paul had the lyrics. We don’t get may songs from this method, but whatever works. Heavy as Fuck, I dig it big time. Check out the Rob Taylor remix on the single, It’s bitchin.
LYRICS:
Spinning in a nose dive.
Change my old life, wash my hands.
Up and down, turned around.
Am I ever gonna land.
Dreamin of my new way every day
Is this my shelter. Am I right.
You want me to live like Jesus Christ.
I could never make that sacrifice.
Sinking in this whirlpool and I’m
Drowning in the mire.
Up and down twist me around.
A feather could have knocked me down.
Faces flash before me black.
At my back cut me some slack.
You want me to live like Jesus Christ
You toss your coin but I roll my dice.
I could never make that sacrifice.
Falling through this vacuum in my back
room lost in space
A crack in a face of tone.
I see a king on a tin can throne.
I’ve seen the light from your fallen eyes
While crimson dries
Got so much to learn
Want your money to burn.
You want me to live like Jesus Christ.
I could never make that sacrifice.
You toss your coin, gonna roll my dice
And I could never make that sacrifice.
SAD SONG
Written by Walmsley
(radio only single release)
Grant writes:
I regard this as one of my best songs (so far). This one was a true gift from God. It was like a lightning bolt that went through my pen onto paper. The extremities of my emotions always bring out my best songs, and my mood when writing this was very dark. However I always look for hope in these songs hence “resurrect my sense of healing/believing”. I’d hate to have written a slit your wrists, no way out of misery type of song.
LYRICS:
How bout a sad song to help me get further down.
So down like I’m drowning so down like I’m dying.
How bout a sad song to pull the rug from under me.
When I was ok when I was sane.
When I found my way.
How bout a warning when the bodys already doused.
And its ready for burning too late to learn
How bout a reunion when everybodys gone away.
They dont want to see you.
They dont want to find out that youre doing ok.
Will you be the first one when things get me down.
Will you be the first one to bring me around.
Resurrect my sense of believing.
Cause I sure could use the feeling.
Gotta get a handle, gotta climb up another rung.
I’m tired of being down,
I dont wanna drown.
I’m gonna walk.
Gonna walk like a walking time bomb.
I dont want to go off but I will if I’m forced to run.
Will you be the first one when things get me down.
Will you be the first one to bring me around.
Resurrect my sense of believing.
Cause I sure could use the feeling.
Something in the way I feel makes me wanna run
And there’s something in the way you lead me
That stops my head from making my body go.
How bout a sad song to help get further down.
Gotta get a handle and climb another rung.
Will you be the first one when things
get me down.
Will you be the first one to bring me around.
Resurrect my sense of healing
Cause I sure could use it.
Will you be the first one when things get me down.
Be the first one to bring me around.
Resurrect my sense of believing cause I sure
Could use the feeling.
HIGH AS A KITE
Written by Walmsley / Gleeson
Grant writes:
This one started life at double the tempo. Luckily Robbie Adams (producer) heard it as a slow blues feel. Dave and I wrote this in New York in 93′ whilst sharing a cheap hotel room with a view of a brick wall. We wrote Refer Madness the same week and were obviously out of it the whole time. I think we met Lyle Lovett that week, the day after watching him from front row seats at Madison Square Garden. Hard Life hey???
Click here to hear the original demo version of “High as a Kite’.
LYRICS:
I’m as high as a kite, my mind sours high above the earth.
Cut me laughin with a childs delight
And as for us these kind of days go
I’ve found worse.
See got me up as high as a kite.
I rule the earth. You wanna touch the sky.
But I could soon fly from your sight.
Yes I could and leave you all to wonder why.
As high as I like and as far as I know
Time is the test so I dont need your blessing each day.
As high as I like and as much as I know.
Time is the test so I dont need your blessing today.
Got me so low that I can see the dirt
My mind it wallows in the gutter.
But I’ll just keep my big mouth shut
And listen to every word that you utter.
Said as high as I like and as far as I know,
Time is the test so I dont need your blessing each day.
Well as high as I like and as much as I know,
Time is the test so I dont need your blessing each day.
Dont need nothin
Yeah well as high as I like and as far as I know
Time is the test so I dont need your blessing each day.
Said as high as I like and as much as I know time is the test.
I’ll take it as high as I like and as far as I go.
Said as high as I like and as much as I know time is the test.
So I dont need your blessing today.
OTHERSIDE
Written by Woseen
Paul writes:
This song was written about 3 or 4 years prior to the recording of this album – another song from the Cooks Hill verandah session. I had the biggest case of the shits with myself and someone else at this stage of the afternoon. I was being lied to and felt like I was living a lie. Loose comments cause the mask to fall.
LYRICS:
Its a cloudy day and the sun is hiding.
I turn away to hide my pain.
Hold my head as my eye explodes nothing to say
No more heavy load n Im gone.
Tree sways in a summer breeze the branches whip me
And they make my skin bleed.
Draining life and a red river flows ocean of pain
Why cant my love grow with me.
Oh no it cant be true Ive seen the other side.
The crystal man is back on my phone calling me up
To see if Im home.
Well Im home in heart and Im home in head.
Sometimes I feel I’d be better off dead goodbye.
Oh no it cant be true Ive seen the other side of you
I dont need the pain, the pain of your lies.
Push it away from me it eats the air that I breathe.
Burning in this jaded light of a thousand dreams
All covered in lies now I leave it all behind.
I saw time as a package of lies first youre born
And then you die.
Take it fast or take it slow the good die young and the wise grow old.
Oh no it cant be true, cause I have seen the other side of you.
I dont kneed the paid the pain of your lies its a losing game.
Gotta stay. I cant go cause Im so scared of what
I dont know.
No No No I cant hide.
Gotta live I cant hide.
Gotta live I cant waste my life
Your broken dreams and your bleeding heart
They dont mean nothing to me at all.
I dont need this pain
I know this has to be true
Cause I have seen the other side of you.
DISAPPEAR
Written by Woseen / Gleeson
LYRICS:
Torn from this haven and held naked to the skies.
Peace of a passed time no love is no surprise
Formal introduction but I see through your thin disguise
I trust in no one no truth is all lies.
In my waking hour I can feel a cold sunrise
Dripping with secrets while communication dies.
Well I cant disappear no more than you can run.
Deep inside my fear I want to disappear.
You justify my hatred as a crying plea for help
Thats the fault of a past line and a feeling never felt
New world disorder.
Please dont try to state your case cause you lie
You cheat you lose.
I’ll rub it in your face.
I cant disappear no more than you can run.
Deep inside my feat I wanna disappear.
I cant disappear no more than you can run.
Deep inside my fear. I wanna disappear.
I wanna disappear. I wanna disappear.
I wanna disappear. I wanna disappear.
BLOODSHED
Written by Walmsley
Grant writes:
This was written in the dressing room of the Hammersmith Apollo famous for the Ziggy Stardust concerts, Thin Lizzy and more. We had just been to Belfast and had our eyes opened to the problems over there. Its obviously an anti-violence song. The “Bootleggin bomber boy” line was inspired by Bootleg merchandise being sold out the front of gigs in Ireland and Italy and the bands having to cop it sweet or face the wrath of the Mafia or “Bomber Boys”.
LYRICS:
To fill your mind up full of views
All you gotta do is watch the news.
Im a stranger so full of doubt and I just cant
seem to work it out.
I dont try to get involved but I cant ignore
All the things Im told.
Grieving faces tell me the score its a body
Count in another war.
All around is bloodshed and people just
wanna be free.
Well we’ve got free misrepresentation.
Leave it all up to me.
Your just another boot leggin bomber boy
Trying to make me see but all I see is
bloodshed.
You never know who makes the rules
Lying deceiving and following fools
Is this a plot without a clue.
Who’s gonna give it up and whos
Gotta choose.
What in the world is their reason or cause
Whats your excuse and the point of it all.
You say your answer is bigger than
My question.
A ballot box for my suggestion.
All around is bloodshed and people just wanna be free
Well we’ve got free misrepresentation
Leave it all up to me.
You’re just another boot-leggin bomber boy.
Trying to make me see but all
I see is bloodshed
Runnin down runnin down yeah.
The system switched to overload and now its
Fading from my screen.
The system has a standard and now
Its going to extremes.
All around is bloodshed and people just
Wanna be free.
We’ve got free misrepresentation
Just leave everything up to me.
You’re just a boot leggin bomber boy
Tryin to make me see but all I see is
Bloodshed in the name of peace.
IMPOSSIBLE
Written by Walmsley
Grant writes:
Was written the day after I wrote Sad Song. It really represents my never say die attitude.
I think that growing up in Newcastle has instilled this attitude in the band as well as most people that live here. It’s a middle finger up to the knockers, sort of song. Newcastle Knights, (Rugby League team), Andrew Johns told me it was his favourite song, and who am I to argue with that.
LYRICS:
You cant do much about the
Governments policies
You cant to much about the heresies
You cant do too much to stop the
Squeeze on society.
When your all out of touch
You cant have much to say.
We can put a man on the moon
But we cant find a cure for starvation
Everybodys passing the buck
And theres no realisation.
Well aint it like being impossible
Ad there aint no harm in tryin
Said aint it like being impossible
But I’m gonna die trying
You cant do much about the birth of a new age
You cant do much about the old days
You cant do much about the equal
And opposite reaction.
You cant do much about that satisfaction.
I dont know much about it I didnt listen too much
There’s no use in denying your piece of luck.
Aint it like being impossible
There aint any use in hiding
And I said hell man
Aint this like being impossible
But Im gonna die trying.
You cant do much about whats gonna
Happen today
And you cant do much about yesterday
You cant say much against some
Angry individual
You cant say much against the majority.
Is there any use shouting about it
Will anybody listen. Will anybody back you up
Is it gonna be your mission
Well aint it like being impossible
But there aint no harm in trying
And I say hell man
Aint this like being impossible.
But I’m gonna die tryin.
FRIEND OF MINE
Written by Woseen
(released as a single October 1995)
Paul writes:
I wrote this in a studio in Sydney before we recorded the “All For One” record, just after we had won the Triple J Battle of the Bands competition. I had finished all my bass bits on a recording that didn’t see the light of day and we were waiting for a guitar solo to be done so I wandered off around the studio. One of the smaller rooms had a grand piano in it – I wrote this song in about 25 minutes. It’s a ‘friends’ song, rather than a ‘love’ song – I like the sentiment of it.
LYRICS:
Dont laugh dont cry dont do anything at all
All of the feelings I once held inside
They have flown away from me.
Dont talk dont walk dont you run away and hide
Just have another drink and wipe your tears away.
We’ll just talk away the night.
Dont worry youll always be a friend of mine.
Dont just sit around. Dont just sit around
All day and cry.
Dont worry, you will always be a friend of mine.
Dont forget, dont relive, dont you think
The worst of me.
Time changes everything we know
And its all turned around its all turned around
Dont worry youll always be a friend of mine
Dont just sit around dont just sit around
All day and cry
Dont worry Yeah you will always be a friend.
Theres so many things and Ive got so little time
No need to complicate and Ive got no time to cry
I realise that its hard but you have to believe.
Dont worry oh you will always be a friend of mine.
Dont worry youll always be a friend of mine
Dont just sit around dont just sit around
All day and cry
Dont worry oh you will always be a friend
I will always have time for you
Year Ill always find or make that time
You will always be a friend of mine.
LIFE & DEATH
Written by Walmsley
Grant writes:
I remember writing this vividly. I was in a hotel room in Kansas City and my wife’s mum had called us to give us the news she had terminal cancer. My wife rushed home and I was left contemplating “Life and Death”.
A real painful song to write.
LYRICS:
A memory aint enough to ease the pain from
the loss of a brother.
A sedative aint enough to clear my brain
I dont wanna live without you.
And they say just take the pain until its over
But I say this aint no game. Its more like
Some kind of torture.
Its like a mirror hanging over me if I dont
Lift my head.
Im never gonna see its not the way
You win or lose
Its how you play.
And things will never be the same.
Experience is that what its all about cause
I’d much prefer the laughter.
Its serious but if life comes after death
Well I guess thats what we’re after.
And they say just take the pain until its over
But I say this aint no game
Its more like some kind of torture.
Its like a mirror hanging over me.
If I dont lift my head Im never gonna see.
Its not the way you win or lose
Its how you play
And things will never be the same, no no no.
I got no idea but I guess Ill have to live
With all the feelings I have for you.
And when tomorrow comes I’ll probably
Make mistakes.
But to new grounds I can venture.
And I hope I’ll be the same when its all over
And I hope Im not insane just kind of
Wrapped up in torture.
Its like a mirror hanging over me
If I dont open my eyes. Ill never see
Its not the way you win or lose
Its how you play
And things will never be the same.
Well Ive always had the feeling that I was
Doing this for you.
And Ive always known youre right beside
Me too.
But theres nothing in this whole damn world
Thats ever
Been one linger ideal its so bizarre
At times its so unreal.
Now you feel so distant like youre
In another world
And Ive gotta get my mind out of this sorrow.
Its like a mirror hanging over me
Its like a mirror hanging over me
If I dont open my eyes. Ill never see
Its not the way you win or lose
Its how you play the game
And things will never be the same.
REEFER MADNESS
Written by Walmsley / Gleeson
Grant writes:
What can I say, Dave and I were holed up in a seedy New York City hotel room for a week doing press and doing the business meeting thing. Needless to say we scored some the filthiest heads ever smoked. It was literally the “pot that killed Elvis” The “Fred Flinstone was the first dead head” line came from a Grateful Dead T-Shirt Dave had bought that week which had Fred blowing a joint on the front saying “Yabba Dabba Doobie” (Doobie means joint in the U.S).
LYRICS:
I’m a drug fucked mother fuckin’ maniac
I’ve just smoked the pot they say killed Elvis.
I’ve got a myriad of colour I love to stare at
And I’m told Fred Flinstone was the very first dead head.
I’m stoned as ten Bob Marleys and my eyes are blazing red.
I can feel the brain cells exploding in my head.
I’m stoned: Reefer Madness
I’m out of my head with marijuana, these buds the buzz I love to taste
So can you tell me what’s so wrong with all these feelings that I’m feeling
While grand ideals lay the world to waste.
I’m stoned as ten Bob Marleys and my eyes are blazing red.
I can feel the brain cells exploding in my head.
I’m stoned
Following behind me in the haze from the setting sun
I don’t know where I’m going but I’m happy to be gone
So happy to be gone I ain’t.
I ain’t never coming back, I’m going all the way
I’m never coming back on and on and on and on and on
The universe is flooding through my
Senses, I don’t need you violent ways or means
All your fighting, sacrificing, loving, murder
The smoke it fills me up now I can see.
I’m stoned as ten Bob Marleys and my eyes are blazing red.
I can feel the brain cells exploding in my head.
I’m stoned again.
Hammond Organ – Jimi
IN A JAM
Written by Walmsley
Grant writes:
I think this is about yet another ex-manager. Hopefully we’ve seen the end of that shit.
LYRICS:
I’m in the thick of it, you’re in the thick of it
We’re in the thick of it always.
I’m in over my head, you’re in over yours
We’re in over our heads always.
I don’t wanna lick it up and I don’t
Wanna pick it up.
Said I don’t wanna stick it up your veins.
It’s always a problem but it’s never mine.
I don’t want to hear you complaining.
I think I’m in a jam man, I think I
Need another plan
I think I’m in a jam man now.
Well I’m always sick of it, and you’re
always sick of it.
We’re both sick of the same old shit.
I’ve had it to here with you standing there,
Don’t know where you’re going”n”
I don’t even care.
You once were my friend but now just a fiend.
You’ll never make it to where I’ve been
I wanna do right , you wanna incite
I’m gonna stand and fight
I think I’m in a jam man, I need another plan
I think I’m in a jam man now.
Said I think I’m in a jam
Yeah I’m gonna need another plan,
I think I’m in a jam man now
That’s why everyday you burn the light
Out of my eyes.
Lead me like some mongrel dog that’s walking
By your side.
You don’t have to see me freaking out
Just to understand
That I’m sick to death of breaking down and
Showing you my hand.
I think I’m in a jam. yeah, I’m gonna
need another plan.
I think I’m in a jam man now
Said I think I’m in a jam
Yeah, I’ve gotta find another plan,
I think I’m in a jam man now.