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Better Days

Dialing In

Piece of Me

Piece of Me (Cigar Box)

Take me back

Afterlife

Virgin

Man Of The Year

Rejects

Television Love

Nothing Lasts Forever

The Weather

Hunting Season

The Whistler

Shine On You

"Escape" was this weird departure from all my other high school stuff. While I was writing love songs and heartbreak ballads, this thing came out of nowhere - pure horror movie madness. I was probably watching way too many slasher flicks at the time.

It's basically about being stuck in some sick game where something's hunting you down. That opening line "You play the game, but you don't know it well" - I was imagining this scenario where you're thrown into a nightmare and don't even know the rules, but if you lose, you're dead.

I went through this phase where I couldn't get enough psychological thrillers. All that imagery about rusted doors and shadows that move and stare back at you from the void - that came from this recurring dream I had about being trapped in an endless maze. Scared the hell out of me, but made for good lyrics.

The whole "Escape" chorus repeating over and over was supposed to feel frantic, like someone running around banging on walls looking for a way out. When I wrote "there's no damned doors in sight," I could feel that panic when you realize every exit has vanished.

That third verse gets really trippy - "when you wake up, you'll find yourself on the ground." I wasn't even sure if I meant it was all a dream or if that's the moment you realize the game's over and you lost. Maybe both.

This was probably my most cinematic song from that era. I could see it as the soundtrack to some 80s horror flick. When AI helped me bring it to life, I made sure it had that driving, relentless energy that never lets up - just like the fear the lyrics describe.

Looking back, it's interesting how even as a teenager I was exploring themes way beyond teenage romance. Sometimes your brain just goes to dark places and demands a soundtrack.

Escape

Better Days

Yellowcard

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