blinder's Journal: Texas Is The Reason

i need to start this off by saying that texas is the reason is quite possibly one of my all time favorite bands. period. if someone told me i had to choose, it would be a three way tie between jawbreaker, texas is the reason and samiam (pronounced "sam i am")

don't know who they are? well if you listen to independent rock, emo, post-hardcore (btw, emo and post-hardcore are NOT the same thing), then you know who they are (or at least their sound) because they've influenced damn near every act that's followed them. they formed in the early nineties, recorded a couple 7"'s (which i have) then in '96 came out with their lp.

its tough to say this about any band's lp, but there isn't a single bad song on the record, "do you know who you are?" not a single dull or lack-luster moment on the entire record which ends way too quickly. 9 songs of brilliance.

they toured the us and europe and then called it quits. their absence has been felt, and they left a big huge gaping hole in the post-hardcore world when they departed the scene. well, this past week saw a reunion show (actually two) in their hometown, and while sadly i wasn't there, there are some decent write-ups here and here.

let me say, that this band is not for those who like glamor or spectical, or shredding. they aren't for the cynical starving for clever irony. no, texas is the reason is, i hate to say it, pure, simple, all emotion, naked, nothing hiding, what you see is what you get.

the first time i saw them, i was awe struck. my junior year in college. i don't remember who else was playing that sunday afternoon, but when texas took the stage and started playing, the crowd just surged... not a dry eye in the place by the end of their set. it was one of those rare (very rare) events where a hardcore show on a sunday afternoon was more like a mass group therapy session being led by the band. i remember after the set, because i was a writer for a few well-known zines of the time, i'd wander around to the back to grab some quick interviews with the bands... i had originally wanted to get an interview with texas, but all i could muster was a "thank you" and a hand shake with the singer garrett. i snapped a few pictures (long since lost) and went on my way.

having went through all this, if you have the time, do check them out. do i think they'll be doing a real reunion? recording another record? i really don't think so. part of me wishes they would, but another part of me is thankful for what they produced and we'll leave it at that.
 

Oh, that Texas...

[BWJones]

I thought you were talking about this band [wikipedia.org] at first until clicking through.

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[blinder]

heh, for fun and for profit, google the lyrics for the misfits song "bullet."

this is where texas is the reason got their name from.

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[subgeek]

there goes the only thing i would have had to contribute to this discussion. yet i posted anyway.