blackboxanthem

Back in tenth or eleventh grade, I went to a Black Box Theater to see a series of plays. I had just started playing guitar, and for some reason, the name "black box theater" really struck a chord with me. I told my friend that if I ever started a band, I wanted to name it black box theater. I began writing songs and the name kinda took on a meaning of its own for me. Instead of a band, I just wrote and recorded music in my bedroom and kinda put it under the blackboxtheater umbrella. The things I wrote and played weren't Jason Liles... they were blackboxtheater.

The idea kinda went in several different directions. I liked the Black Box Theater because it was simple... just that, a black box. Very few (if any) props, just a black stage, a black background, and an artist. That kinda felt like me... nothing special, just me, a guitar, and my simple songs. Everything else was stripped away. From there, though, it caught the black box recorder from an airplane, the only thing that survives a crash - again, when all else is stripped away. I also took it to mean a television... a black box that entertained children when their parents were too busy to look after them. After my initial leather bound journal and first "cow" composition notebook, I started writing in solid black art books... black boxes... and I would scribble in the first page "in every book, a theater." Just a lot of little things that I thought about that I didn't think would ever make it out beyond my own mind.

In all of those meanings is something lonely, though, and I think this song might have felt a little lonely. This is blackboxanthem...

A plane crash coming
a last prayer, but nothing
a blackboxhero
a riot. nothing's wrong.

a bleeding of meaning
it all hits the ceiling
here's to that plane crash
nothing that can satisfy, nothing that will satisfy me

a revolution, a revolution

a blackbox coming
they don't know where i'm from
but they can feel it in my eyes that
this box right here is just my size

a constant rhythm is weary
a tired radio station makes me sleepy
from nothing i will hide
something that can satisfy, something that will satisfy me

a revolution, a revolution

but me, yes i know
i know i will not stand alone, i won't be held by catacombs, no
oh, no
please god don't make them think, there has to be something that
will rile that, that will rile them
and stir the stars that will not shine, those lost in a dark place with four sides
their soul, their role...
to be cynically amused and start a revolution

a revolution, a revolution

the mp3 should follow in the next couple of days. And if you're reading this, please comment... I like comments... just a simple "cool" or "ok" will suffice... just want a little feedback and to see who's out there. :-) Go ahead... the comment button is riiiiight there!