Journey To The End Of The East Bay

Album: ...And Out Come The Wolves. (1995)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song was written by Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong and is about the days he and bass player Matt Freeman spent in their previous band, Operation Ivy (1987-1989). Operation Ivy actually disbanded because they were becoming too popular, hence the lyric, "Too much attention unavoidably destroyed us." >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Kieran - Mount Gambier, Australia
  • The East Bay is in San Francisco, where punk rock flourished. Most of the bands that played there in the '80s stayed underground, but in the '90s, acts like Rancid, Green Day and The Offspring emerged from the scene to go mainstream.
  • This song was part of Rancid's third album, ...And Out Come The Wolves, which made them far too popular for the tiny clubs of their come-up. Tim Armstrong had mixed feelings about their success; he didn't like the idea of backstage passes and press parties.

Comments: 1

  • Styro from CaliforniaEast Bay actually refers to the side of the Bay that isn’t San Francisco. This means cities like Oakland and Berkeley, the latter is where Rancid was formed.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Petula Clark

Petula ClarkSongwriter Interviews

Petula talks about her hits "Downtown" and "Don't Sleep In The Subway," and explains her Michael Jackson connection.

Kim Thayil of Soundgarden

Kim Thayil of SoundgardenSongwriter Interviews

Their frontman (Chris Cornell) started out as their drummer, so Soundgarden takes a linear approach when it comes to songwriting. Kim explains how they do it.

Muhammad Ali: His Musical Legacy and the Songs he Inspired

Muhammad Ali: His Musical Legacy and the Songs he InspiredSong Writing

Before he was the champ, Ali released an album called I Am The Greatest!, but his musical influence is best heard in the songs he inspired.

Brenda Russell

Brenda RussellSongwriter Interviews

Brenda talks about the inspiration that drove her to write hit songs like "Get Here" and "Piano in the Dark," and why a lack of formal music training can be a songwriter's best asset.

Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde

Johnette Napolitano of Concrete BlondeSongwriter Interviews

The singer/bassist for Concrete Blonde talks about how her songs come from clairvoyance, and takes us through the making of their hit "Joey."

Dave Edmunds

Dave EdmundsSongwriter Interviews

A renowned guitarist and rock revivalist, Dave took "I Hear You Knocking" to the top of the UK charts and was the first to record Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk."