The roots of Gene lay in a band called Spin, which featured guitarist Steve Mason and drummer Matt James. Spin disbanded after their career was sidetracked by their bassist's injury in a car crash, yet Mason and James continued playing together, recruiting bassist Kevin Miles through a mutual friend. The trio eventually met Welsh native Martin Rossiter, and the quartet formed Gene in 1993. Over the course of the next few months, the band wrote a batch of songs and had performed a number of concerts by the end of the year. A pair of music journalists, Keith Cameron and Roy Wilkinson, formed the Costermonger label in order to release Gene's debut single, "For the Dead," in April 1994. Nearly every copy of the limited-edition release sold out within the first week, and Gene soon became favorites of the British music weeklies. That July, "Be My Light, Be My Guide" became a number one hit on the indie charts, and Gene had emerged as one of the leading new bands of the burgeoning Britpop movement. Major-label interest beckoned, and the group signed with Polydor, who subsidized Costermonger in the U.K. An acclaimed third single, "Sleep Well Tonight," followed in September, and in January of 1995, Gene was named Best New Act at NME's Brat Awards.
Until the release of the group's debut album, Olympian, in the spring of 1995, Gene had continued to build momentum, partially because Martin Rossiter had adopted Morrissey's technique of giving articulate, outrageous and witty interviews. Olympian, however, was greeted with mixed reviews, and although the group had a sizable fan base -- the album debuted in the Top Ten -- they were soon overshadowed by the legions of groups that popped up in the wake of Blur and Oasis' success. Even so, "Haunted by You" and "Olympian" both became Top 20 hits. Early in 1996, To See the Lights, a collection of B-sides and BBC sessions, was released in England. For the remainder of the year, Gene was quiet, preparing their second album, Drawn to the Deep End. "Fighting Fit" was released as a teaser in the fall and became a Top Ten hit, but Drawn to the Deep End didn't follow through on its success. Although it debuted in the Top Ten upon its release in early 1997, it was greeted with decidedly mixed reviews and quickly fell down the charts, although the group's core audience remained loyal. By the new millennium, the band was without a label. They founded Contra and issued the live set Rising for Sunset: Live at the Troubadour in 2000. The album went almost unnoticed among the indie scene, however a true comeback loomed ahead. In mid-summer 2002, Gene emerged with Libertine, their strongest material since Olympian. A late summer/early fall trek across America coincided with the release.
Bibiography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
There is another artist ith the same name:
2) GENE (جين) a Syrian neoprogressive rock band, one of the best acts in the Syrian rock scene, they started under the name ZODIAC playing progressive rock songs for bands such as ( Karmakanic ) later on they changed their name to GENE and decide to use Arabic lyrics with the progressive music creating a very unique style of their own, proving again how flexible Arabic language can be.
They are:
Maen rajab: Guitars
Omar harb: Bass guitar (The Hourglass - Anas & Friends)
Shadi Ali: Vocals (Guest in Anas & Friends)
Sahel Zen Eldien: Drums
Hazem Al-Ani: Piano & Keyboards
Anas Abd al-Moumen: Guitars (Anas & Friends)
GENE released their debut self-titled album in August 2008 .
Town Called Malice
Gene Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cause it's the one we'll never know
And quit running for that runaway bus
Cause those rosy days are few
And, stop apologizing for the things you've never done,
Cause time is short and life is cruel
But it's up to us to change
This town called malice
Stand dying in the dairy yard
And a hundred lonely housewives clutch empty milk
Bottles to their hearts
Hanging out their old love letters on the line to dry
It's enough to make you stop believing when tears come
Fast and furious
In a town called malice
Struggle after struggle, year after year
The atmosphere's a fine blend of ice
I'm almost stone cold dead
In a town called malice
A whole street's belief in Sunday's roast beef
Gets dashed against the Co-op
To either cut down on beer or the kids new gear
It's a big decision in a town called malice
The ghost of a steam train, echoes down my track
It's at the moment bound for nowhere
Just going round and round
Playground kids and creaking swings
Lost laughter in the breeze
I could go on for hours and I probably will
But I'd sooner put some joy back
In this town called malice
The lyrics of Gene's song Town Called Malice describe the struggles of everyday life in a small town called malice. The song starts by stating that there's no point in dreaming of a quiet life because they'll never have it. It then goes on to describe the bleaker aspects of the town - rows and rows of disused milk floats are dying in the dairy yard, and lonely housewives clutch empty milk bottles to their hearts. The lyrics suggest that time is short and life is cruel, but it's up to the townspeople to change their circumstances.
In the next verse, the song describes the struggles of everyday life in malice, where the belief in enjoying a Sunday roast is dashed against the Co-op. The decision to cut down on beer or children's new gear is a big one in this town. The song ends on a more positive note - the ghost of a steam train echoes down the tracks, playground kids laugh in the breeze. The singer could go on talking about the bad things in the town, but he'd rather try to put some joy back into it.
Line by Line Meaning
Better stop dreaming of the quiet life
Stop hoping for a peaceful, serene life because it will never exist.
Cause it's the one we'll never know
The quiet life is something that we can't achieve, no matter how much we want it.
And quit running for that runaway bus
Stop trying to catch up with time because precious moments in life are fleeting and irreplaceable.
Cause those rosy days are few
Happy, optimistic days don't come by often.
And, stop apologizing for the things you've never done,
Do not have any regrets for the missed opportunities in your life.
Cause time is short and life is cruel
Life is unpredictable and doesn't always go our way, so enjoy every moment while it lasts.
But it's up to us to change
It is our responsibility to make a difference in the world.
This town called malice
The dark and gloomy town that we live in.
Rows and rows of disused milk floats
A plethora of abandoned milk delivery vehicles symbolizing both a loss of jobs and a loss of tradition.
Stand dying in the dairy yard
The disused milk floats rotting away and becoming obsolete while reflecting the inevitability of death.
And a hundred lonely housewives clutch empty milk
The empty milk bottles being clung to by the women represent the fact that motherhood is their sole identity although their children have grown up.
Bottles to their hearts
The women's hearts long for what they used to have, the sense of purpose and happiness in motherhood, but now it's empty.
Hanging out their old love letters on the line to dry
The women are reminiscing about their olds loves and regrets from the past, leaving them to yearn for what they lost.
It's enough to make you stop believing when tears come
The situation can be so severe that it can lead to an existential crisis and losing faith in oneself.
Fast and furious
The tears flow without ceasing.
In a town called malice
This all happens in the dark and dreary town called malice.
Struggle after struggle, year after year
Life is a series of repetitive struggles that feels like it will never cease.
The atmosphere's a fine blend of ice
The environment in the town is cold and unforgiving.
I'm almost stone cold dead
The town has almost crushed the spirit of Gene and its citizens, leaving them lifeless and hopeless.
A whole street's belief in Sunday's roast beef
The unfulfilled promise of a comforting Sunday roast beef dinner symbolizes the shattered hopes and dreams of the people living in the town.
Gets dashed against the Co-op
The destruction of hope is met with the harsh reality of stores like Co-op, who do not live up to the expectations of the people.
To either cut down on beer or the kid's new gear
The townspeople have to choose between providing for their families or having a moment of enjoyment for themselves, highlighting the tough decisions and sacrifices they must make.
It's a big decision in a town called malice
In a town where life is hard, making sacrifices could change their livelihood drastically, making every decision an extreme one.
The ghost of a steam train echoes down my track
The lingering memories of stories from the past that no longer exist, symbolizing the end of life in the town.
It's at the moment bound for nowhere
The inevitable demise of life in the town is unstoppable and bound to nowhere.
Just going round and round
Like life in the town, the story of the steam train is just a repetitive, unremarkable loop with no clear end.
Playground kids and creaking swings
The playground seems like the only place that hasn't lost its spirit, but even the kids pass their time creaking, monotonous swings.
Lost laughter in the breeze
There is no longer any laughter in the town, as people have lost their charm and their spirit.
I could go on for hours and I probably will
There is an endless supply of things to say about the dark and gloomy town called malice.
But I'd sooner put some joy back
Regardless of the bleakness of the town, Gene wants to try and bring some happiness and hope back.
In this town called malice
In spite of the dark nature of the town, people still strive for better days that will lighten up their lives in a sense of hope.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Paul Weller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind