Sonic Reducer

The lyrics to this song were actually written by David Thomas of Pere Ubu when he was in the band Rocket From the Tombs with most of the future Dead Boys. Several songs from this band would go on to be played by both the factioning bands in their early years. Interesting note, in either the Pere Ubu song Final Solution(I think) there's a line about a sonic reduction. I believe both of these songs were in the Rocket From the Tombs set list.

*snifflle that is so beautiful. I love the "then i'll be 10 ft tall and you'll be nothing at all." line.
But yah. what the hell is a sonic reducer? whats a sonic in the 1st place??

The Dead Boys were one of the great underrated punk bands of the late 70's and this is one of my favorite songs of all time. I love the misery and angst it invokes, the desperate dream of someday obtaining great power and respect that all kids who have been picked on and abused (and that includes more of us than we'll admit) have felt at one point or another.

The 4th line is definitely "human race" but the third is pretty ambigious. It can be either pretty face or good advice, at least from what I can hear on the Young, Loud, and Snotty album. I'll have to watch the DVD of the band at CBGB's (a great buy IMO) again and see if that clears anything up.

As for the nature of the sonic reducer, I always thought it was some kind of time travel device. In fact, I always heard the line as "I've got my time machine, got my electronic dream!" This goes along well with the whole becoming a pharaoh bit. Also if the character traveled back to ancient Egypt, we would be nothing at all from his perspective wouldn't we?

Just a bit of trivia but Stiv Bators did not write the song (though I always picture the character in the song being him), it was done by Cheetah Chrome.

I saw Pere Ubu perform this song live yesterday! To Octopuseyes, yeah, both Final Sollution and Sonic Reducer was first performed by Rocket from the Tombs.

In Rocket from the Tombs version of this song they sing human race and pretty face.

a sonic reducer? something that makes this lowly, downed teenager a 'somebody', maybe he is (probably a he) imagining or wishing he had it. i don't recognise the lines with 'no pretty face' and 'no human race', i always thought it was 'no good advice' and 'no human rights'.

nihilistic boredom, the dead boys calling card. its about sitting up in your room, blaring your stereo (being stiv it wwas probbly iggy) and hating everything. dreaming of the day when you will no longer be beaten and hurt and teasted, dreaming of teh day it all ends

i heard 'pretty face'.

ok this is about a beat up, brused, picked on kid whos sick of it. he is sitting in his room imagining himself becoming all powerful with his "devil machine". and MorayEel, i always heard "time machine, too.

I think this song is about making music. A sonic reducer is a person who makes stripped down punk rock music. His 'devil machine' is his electric guitar, and his 'electronic dream' is the music he dreams and wants to play. That's how he'll become like a pharoah, and ten feet tall - he'll be up on stage, playing music, he will have all the power, and the attention. HE AINT NO LOSER BABY.

Good song. But does it remind you Hawkwind - Silver Machine? I think one of the band has been inspired by another. Dont know wich one.