I'm suprised no one got this yet, I thought this song was pretty obviously about Epic, Ugly Casanova was Isaac's "out" with Epic, he said the contract stated he could leave Modest Mouse anytime, for as long as he wants for "Eperimental" side projects with UC, saying he intentionally made it so vague, they couldn't hold him to anything as long as he was in UC. He talks about his experience with Epic in the Onion AV interview saying he made more money after the release of The Lonesome Crowded West because his expenses were so much smaller. The song is about Epic promising him "everything", "diamonds and all that", then they didn't do anything at all, didn't help him sell records, and made his touring much more expensive, basically not making him any more money THEN on top of that, taking half of what he earned for their work. Now he runs Glacial Pace Studios out of a "logging town near Eugene, Or." as a subsidiary of Epic where he can record what he wants as well as other bands and act as a buffer for Epic to keep their hands off of the bands he signs, they only deal with Isaac, not Epic employees.
"Sharpen your teeth, or lay flat" means man up or play dead, you can fight for what is right or you can play dead, and basically let them do whatever they want
I'm suprised no one got this yet, I thought this song was pretty obviously about Epic, Ugly Casanova was Isaac's "out" with Epic, he said the contract stated he could leave Modest Mouse anytime, for as long as he wants for "Eperimental" side projects with UC, saying he intentionally made it so vague, they couldn't hold him to anything as long as he was in UC. He talks about his experience with Epic in the Onion AV interview saying he made more money after the release of The Lonesome Crowded West because his expenses were so much smaller. The song is about Epic promising him "everything", "diamonds and all that", then they didn't do anything at all, didn't help him sell records, and made his touring much more expensive, basically not making him any more money THEN on top of that, taking half of what he earned for their work. Now he runs Glacial Pace Studios out of a "logging town near Eugene, Or." as a subsidiary of Epic where he can record what he wants as well as other bands and act as a buffer for Epic to keep their hands off of the bands he signs, they only deal with Isaac, not Epic employees.
"Sharpen your teeth, or lay flat" means man up or play dead, you can fight for what is right or you can play dead, and basically let them do whatever they want