Talking To Ourselves

Album: Nowhere Generation (2021)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Rise Against aren't aren't here to entertain. They're here to provoke, to question, to drive change. But sometimes, especially during festivals when they're the only punk rock act on the bill, they feel like their message is getting lost, like they're just talking to themselves.

    "This song was an accidental way of not only talking about Rise Against, but also anybody that does something like we do, anyone who feels like they're standing in a crowd, trying to get everyone to pay attention and no-one's doing it," lead singer Tim McIlrath told Kerrang!. "Either they're not doing it, or they're just placating you, like, ?'Oh, how adorable, he's angry!' Sometimes you end up just feeling like an entertainer, like, ?'Oh, I guess this is just a transaction - this is your Friday night.' When it feels like that, it's so sad, it's like, ?'That's not why I got into this, this isn't punk rock - why didn't I just become a magician or juggler? This is supposed to be something more.'"
  • The video was directed by Brian Roettinger, who did the visuals for the Nowhere Generation album. The videos and album art use the same look: black and white with banks of monitors to imply both surveillance and an overload of mindless entertainment.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Chris Fehn of Slipknot

Chris Fehn of SlipknotSongwriter Interviews

A drummer for one of the most successful metal bands of the last decade, Chris talks about what it's like writing and performing with Slipknot. Metal-neck is a factor.

Todd Rundgren

Todd RundgrenSongwriter Interviews

Todd Rundgren explains why he avoids "Hello It's Me," and what it was like producing Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell album.

Steve Cropper (Booker T & the MG's, Blues Brothers)

Steve Cropper (Booker T & the MG's, Blues Brothers)Songwriter Interviews

Steve Cropper on the making of "In the Midnight Hour," the chicken-wire scene in The Blues Brothers, and his 2021 album, Fire It Up.

Corey Hart

Corey HartSongwriter Interviews

The Canadian superstar talks about his sudden rise to fame, and tells the stories behind his hits "Sunglasses At Night," "Boy In The Box" and "Never Surrender."

Have Mercy! It's Wolfman Jack

Have Mercy! It's Wolfman JackSong Writing

The story of the legendary lupine DJ through the songs he inspired.

Producer Ron Nevison

Producer Ron NevisonSong Writing

Ron Nevison explains in very clear terms the Quadrophenia concept and how Heart staged their resurgence after being dropped by their record company.