- Bryon Harris
Karl Meyer -'Career Ending Move'
Review by Ionas Finser & Staff
A heavy guitar enters “Career Ending Move” with passion and vigor, while dominant drums provide a steady, violent backdrop for the mix. In true punk fashion, Karl Meyer comes in with lyrics that are delivered in an irate, angsty spoken word. “Career Ending Move” is one of those songs that speaks to real, everyday problems and fuels one’s emotions and desires.
The artist’s lyrics highlight the life of an individual who is trapped in the abyss of corporate life. This lifestyle is familiar to many people, and Karl Meyer does a fantastic job capturing the rage and frustration that most keep bottled up inside. Meyer delivers line after line of genius wordplay that gets to the heart of the corporate pawn’s thought process.
“Why kick yourself when the problem ain’t you? Why just sit there and get screwed? Why try to stop them when there’s no end? Why mourn a death when there’s revenge?”
There is a good reason why many call the music of Karl Meyer ‘punk for adults.’ The artist has successfully transformed the Punk every teenager listens to in their basement into a sound and motive that resonates with the adult mind. The systems that we work for never go away as we grow up, and “Career Ending Move” reminds us that the fight for individuality and equality is an ongoing one.
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About Karl Meyer
As a sophomore in high school, Karl co-founded the hardcore punk outfit Sluggo, whose 8-song Contradiction E.P. is still regarded as a genuine article of DIY Midwestern thrash. Despite his young age, Karl earned a local reputation as a solid, fast bassist and was soon sought after by established bands SS-20 and The Edge who were looking to upgrade their sound. By the time he left town for college in 1986, Karl had performed dozens of gigs at the legendary Jockey Club in Newport, Kentucky, recorded six records, and co-founded the notorious Human Zoo.
After moving to Chicago in the 1990’s, Karl started his second musical career as a hustling, bass-playing sideman in the local blues scene, performing with many legendary artists including Little Mac Simmons, Eddie Taylor, Jr., Tail Dragger, Little Arthur Duncan, Alex “Easy Baby” Randle, Willie Buck, and many others. Along the way, Karl developed an interest in authentic blues harmonica and produced three harmonica blues CDs for established labels Random Chance Records and Wolf Records.
In 2015 Karl responded to an advertisement for a punk rock bass player. Within a few months he found himself writing a fresh batch of songs to perform with his new band-mates Sabrina, Ted, and Nicole. They named the band LC/50, and in 2017, released their first E.P. “Lovebirds and Lies.” At 50 Karl returned to punk and songwriting and decided to fulfill his lifelong dream of making his own album, on his own terms, with concessions to no one.
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