Capricorn (A Brand New Name)
Encyclopedia
"Capricorn" is the debut song by American rock
band 30 Seconds to Mars
. The song was released by Immortal Records
on July 23, 2002, as the lead single from the band's self-titled debut album
. The song was written by Jared Leto
and was produced by Bob Ezrin
, Brian Virtue and 30 Seconds to Mars. According to Jared Leto, the song is about a desire for renewal. "Capricorn (A Brand New Name)" first appearance was on the compilation Rock Tune Up #249 released by The Album Network on April 5, 2002.
"Capricorn (A Brand New Name)" has been critically appreciated, with reviewers complimenting its fusion
of different genres. The song reached number 31 on the Billboard
' s Mainstream Rock Tracks and topped the Heatseekers Songs chart. The accompanying music video takes place in the California
desert where band is playing in a ditch. It aired on August 6, 2002, and received airplay at MTV
, MTV2
, Brand New
and MuchMusic USA
.
On November 18, 2002, 30 Seconds to Mars performed “Capricorn (A Brand New Name)” for the first time on television on Last Call with Carson Daly
, which aired on November 27, 2002.
explained that the song is "less about reinventing yourself and more about finding out who you really are, your true self. That's a pretty important thing. That feeling of if you could just go back, knowing what you know now." Leto told "In a general sense, it is about a desire for renewal. But I'd rather let people take their own understanding and meaning from the song. I think that is one of the exciting things about music, the interpretation, from individual to individual and how it can change so much."
. The single released in the United Kingdom was pressed with the B-side "Phase 1: Fortification". In early 2002, the song was released on the promo "Songs From 30 Seconds to Mars," which also included "End of the Beginning." The song was released on the compilation Rock Tune Up #249, which its cover features 30 Seconds to Mars as the featured artist.
The song entered the Billboard
Mainstream Rock Tracks at number 40 on September 7, and reached the peak position of 31 on October 5, 2002, remaining eight weeks on the chart. The song also reached number one on the Heatseekers Songs chart. The song peaked at number 12 on the WNYU-FM chart of April 19, 2002.
praised the song, saying "30 Seconds to Mars approaches songs like 'Capricorn (A Brand New Name)' and 'Welcome to the Universe' in a unique way, considering their time." Kenny Hammond of 411mania praised the song, writing that "Capricorn (A Brand New Name)" "is a dynamically high energy rock song. This song does not only explore the musical boundaries of 30 Seconds to Mars, but also the vocal range of Leto. 'Capricorn' overall is the strongest track on the CD, the riffs are catchy and the song's post production is above stellar. 'Capricorn' should not only impress rock fans, but also fans of many different musical styles." Smiley Ben of BBC
commented that "with titles such as 'Capricorn (A Brand New Name)', 'Echelon', and 'Welcome to the Universe', they knowingly push boundaries and produce great music with an edge." Megan O'Toole of The Gazette
praised the song, stating that "'Capricorn' launches an arrow of alienation toward the hearts of today's youth; yet, instead of being bleak, the track is poignantly resonant." Jay Gordon
praised the song and described it as "an interesting fusion
of nu metal
, techno
, new wave
, synthetics
, and hints of popish undertone." He also listed the song as one of the top tracks from the album. Johan Wippsson of Melodic.net
wrote a similar review, saying that "'Capricorn' is a marvelous tune where their mix of styles just presses out energy and edge."
's show Oven Fresh, which highlights new videos. The video was shot in the California
desert on May 23, 2002. Jared Leto had an idea about kids hearing something from the ground, about mud. Fedor explained that was difficult shot the video, and commented "this video was my hey day.... my apex.... the day I went Erich von Stroheim." The music video features the band members in a desert-mud based set where people are digging in mud pits. The band are playing in a ditch where others are watching them. Near the end of the video, what appears to be a SWAT
team arrives and begins taking control of the area, hosing down the diggers. The band's logos are shown different times on a stone-based plate.
Throughout the video Jared Leto's face is rarely shown, because during the production of the video, Leto was accidentally hit by guitarist Solon Bixler
in the forehead, causing a huge lump with severe swelling. This can be seen if the video is carefully viewed.
.
UK CD single
US CD single
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band 30 Seconds to Mars
30 Seconds to Mars
30 Seconds to Mars is an American rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1998. Since 2007, the band has consisted of actor Jared Leto , Shannon Leto and Tomo Miličević...
. The song was released by Immortal Records
Immortal Records
Immortal Records is an independent record label out of Los Angeles, California. Founded by Happy Walters in 1994, the label had helped launched the careers of such influential acts as Korn, 30 Seconds to Mars, and Incubus over the years. The label had also released soundtracks, including Judgment...
on July 23, 2002, as the lead single from the band's self-titled debut album
30 Seconds to Mars (album)
30 Seconds to Mars is the debut studio album by American rock band 30 Seconds to Mars, released on August 21, 2002. The album was produced by Bob Ezrin, Brian Virtue and 30 Seconds to Mars, and was recorded in Los Angeles during 2001 and early 2002...
. The song was written by Jared Leto
Jared Leto
Jared Joseph Leto is an American actor, director, producer, occasional model and musician. Leto has appeared in both big budget Hollywood films and smaller projects from independent producers and art houses. He rose to prominence for playing Jordan Catalano in the teenage drama My So-Called Life...
and was produced by Bob Ezrin
Bob Ezrin
Robert Alan "Bob" Ezrin is a Canadian music producer and keyboardist, known for his work with artists including Alice Cooper, Kiss and Pink Floyd. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2004.-Biography:...
, Brian Virtue and 30 Seconds to Mars. According to Jared Leto, the song is about a desire for renewal. "Capricorn (A Brand New Name)" first appearance was on the compilation Rock Tune Up #249 released by The Album Network on April 5, 2002.
"Capricorn (A Brand New Name)" has been critically appreciated, with reviewers complimenting its fusion
Fusion (music)
A fusion genre is music that combines two or more styles. For example, rock and roll originally developed as a fusion of blues, gospel and country music. The main characteristics of fusion genres are variations in tempo, rhythm, i a sometimes the use of long musical "journeys" that can be divided...
of different genres. The song reached number 31 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
desert where band is playing in a ditch. It aired on August 6, 2002, and received airplay at MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
, Brand New
MTV Brand New (Italy)
MTV brand:new was an Italian television channel and plays mainly Indie music videos with many music-related themed zones and some productions from MTV USA like Beavis and Butt-head subtitled in Italian....
and MuchMusic USA
Fuse TV
Fuse is an American national television network dedicated exclusively to music. It features original series and specials, exclusive interviews, live concerts and video blocks....
.
On November 18, 2002, 30 Seconds to Mars performed “Capricorn (A Brand New Name)” for the first time on television on Last Call with Carson Daly
Last Call with Carson Daly
Last Call with Carson Daly is an American late night talk show that is broadcast on NBC. The show is hosted by Carson Daly, the half-hour show featuring celebrity interviews, documentary-style coverage of a topic, and musical performances. Last Call airs weeknights at 1:35 a.m. Eastern / 12:35 a.m....
, which aired on November 27, 2002.
Background
During an interview of The Album Network, Jared LetoJared Leto
Jared Joseph Leto is an American actor, director, producer, occasional model and musician. Leto has appeared in both big budget Hollywood films and smaller projects from independent producers and art houses. He rose to prominence for playing Jordan Catalano in the teenage drama My So-Called Life...
explained that the song is "less about reinventing yourself and more about finding out who you really are, your true self. That's a pretty important thing. That feeling of if you could just go back, knowing what you know now." Leto told "In a general sense, it is about a desire for renewal. But I'd rather let people take their own understanding and meaning from the song. I think that is one of the exciting things about music, the interpretation, from individual to individual and how it can change so much."
Release
30 Seconds to Mars released "Capricorn (A Brand New Name)" in April 2002 as the album's lead singleLead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
. The single released in the United Kingdom was pressed with the B-side "Phase 1: Fortification". In early 2002, the song was released on the promo "Songs From 30 Seconds to Mars," which also included "End of the Beginning." The song was released on the compilation Rock Tune Up #249, which its cover features 30 Seconds to Mars as the featured artist.
The song entered the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Mainstream Rock Tracks at number 40 on September 7, and reached the peak position of 31 on October 5, 2002, remaining eight weeks on the chart. The song also reached number one on the Heatseekers Songs chart. The song peaked at number 12 on the WNYU-FM chart of April 19, 2002.
Critical reception
"Capricorn (A Brand New Name)" has been given mostly positive reviews from critics. Amber Authier from Exclaim!Exclaim!
Exclaim! is a monthly Canadian music magazine that features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with special focus on Canadian and cutting-edge artists...
praised the song, saying "30 Seconds to Mars approaches songs like 'Capricorn (A Brand New Name)' and 'Welcome to the Universe' in a unique way, considering their time." Kenny Hammond of 411mania praised the song, writing that "Capricorn (A Brand New Name)" "is a dynamically high energy rock song. This song does not only explore the musical boundaries of 30 Seconds to Mars, but also the vocal range of Leto. 'Capricorn' overall is the strongest track on the CD, the riffs are catchy and the song's post production is above stellar. 'Capricorn' should not only impress rock fans, but also fans of many different musical styles." Smiley Ben of BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
commented that "with titles such as 'Capricorn (A Brand New Name)', 'Echelon', and 'Welcome to the Universe', they knowingly push boundaries and produce great music with an edge." Megan O'Toole of The Gazette
UWO Gazette
The Gazette is the student newspaper at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada. The Gazette is the only daily student newspaper in Canada, publishing Tuesday through Friday. It is owned and published by the University Students' Council.- History :The Gazette began in 1906 as a...
praised the song, stating that "'Capricorn' launches an arrow of alienation toward the hearts of today's youth; yet, instead of being bleak, the track is poignantly resonant." Jay Gordon
Jay Gordon
Jay Paul Gordon is a producer, journalist and lead singer of rock alternative band Orgy- Early life :Originally from the Excelsior District of San Francisco, California, Gordon is the vocalist in the synth-industrial band Orgy, which rose to prominence through their signing to Korn's fledgling...
praised the song and described it as "an interesting fusion
Fusion (music)
A fusion genre is music that combines two or more styles. For example, rock and roll originally developed as a fusion of blues, gospel and country music. The main characteristics of fusion genres are variations in tempo, rhythm, i a sometimes the use of long musical "journeys" that can be divided...
of nu metal
Nu metal
Nu metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It is a fusion genre which combines elements of heavy metal with other genres, including grunge and hip hop...
, techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
, new wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
, synthetics
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, and hints of popish undertone." He also listed the song as one of the top tracks from the album. Johan Wippsson of Melodic.net
Melodic.net
Melodic.net is a Swedish daily Internet publication devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on rock music. However, the range of musical genres covered extends to pop, classical, folk, electronic, jazz, metal, and experimental music...
wrote a similar review, saying that "'Capricorn' is a marvelous tune where their mix of styles just presses out energy and edge."
Music video
The music video was directed by Paul Fedor and it premiered on August 6, 2002, on MuchMusic USAFuse TV
Fuse is an American national television network dedicated exclusively to music. It features original series and specials, exclusive interviews, live concerts and video blocks....
's show Oven Fresh, which highlights new videos. The video was shot in the California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
desert on May 23, 2002. Jared Leto had an idea about kids hearing something from the ground, about mud. Fedor explained that was difficult shot the video, and commented "this video was my hey day.... my apex.... the day I went Erich von Stroheim." The music video features the band members in a desert-mud based set where people are digging in mud pits. The band are playing in a ditch where others are watching them. Near the end of the video, what appears to be a SWAT
SWAT
A SWAT team is an elite tactical unit in various national law enforcement departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers...
team arrives and begins taking control of the area, hosing down the diggers. The band's logos are shown different times on a stone-based plate.
Throughout the video Jared Leto's face is rarely shown, because during the production of the video, Leto was accidentally hit by guitarist Solon Bixler
Solon Bixler
Solon Bixler is a rock–indie musician from Fresno, California. He is a former guitarist for the bands 30 Seconds to Mars and Earlimart...
in the forehead, causing a huge lump with severe swelling. This can be seen if the video is carefully viewed.
Track listing
All songs written by Jared LetoJared Leto
Jared Joseph Leto is an American actor, director, producer, occasional model and musician. Leto has appeared in both big budget Hollywood films and smaller projects from independent producers and art houses. He rose to prominence for playing Jordan Catalano in the teenage drama My So-Called Life...
.
UK CD single
- "Capricorn (A Brand New Name)" (Album version) – 3:52
- "Phase 1: Fortification" – 5:00
US CD single
- "Capricorn (A Brand New Name)" (Radio edit) – 3:37
- "Capricorn (A Brand New Name)" (Album version) – 3:52
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from 30 Seconds to Mars booklet.- Performed by 30 Seconds to Mars
- Jared LetoJared LetoJared Joseph Leto is an American actor, director, producer, occasional model and musician. Leto has appeared in both big budget Hollywood films and smaller projects from independent producers and art houses. He rose to prominence for playing Jordan Catalano in the teenage drama My So-Called Life...
— vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock... - Shannon LetoShannon LetoShannon Leto is an American drummer and an occasional actor. He is the older brother of musician and actor Jared Leto; both are part of the rock band 30 Seconds to Mars. -Career:...
— drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Jared Leto
- Additional synthesizer by Dr. Nner TesyRenn HawkeyRenn Macdonnel Hawkey , also known by the stage name Dr. Nner, was the synthesizer player for the band Deadsy. He was the third member to join after frontman Elijah Blue Allman sent him a Juno-106 synth and a demo tape made by Allman and drummer Alec Puro...
of DreamWorks RecordsDreamWorks RecordsDreamWorks Records was an American record label. Founded in 1996 by David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg as a subsidiary of DreamWorks SKG, the label operated until 2005 when it was shut down... - WrittenSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
by Jared Leto - Published by Apocraphex Music (ASCAP)
- ProducedRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by Bob EzrinBob EzrinRobert Alan "Bob" Ezrin is a Canadian music producer and keyboardist, known for his work with artists including Alice Cooper, Kiss and Pink Floyd. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2004.-Biography:...
with Brian Virtue and 30 Seconds to Mars - RecordedSound recording and reproductionSound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
at Cherokee StudiosCherokee StudiosCherokee Studios was a recording facility in Hollywood, founded in 1972 and closed in August 2007 to make way for a new building, after 35 years of operation under the Cherokee name as a well-renowned studio...
, Sunset SoundSunset Sound RecordersSunset Sound Recorders is a recording studio in Hollywood, California, located at 6650 Sunset Boulevard.The Sunset Sound Recorders complex was converted in 1962 by Walt Disney's Director of Recording, Tutti Camarata, from a collection of old commercial and residential buildings - some built more...
, Los Angeles and The Center for the Advancement of the Arts and Sciences of Sound - EngineeredAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
by Brian Virtue - MasteredAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
by Tom Baker, Precision Mastering, Hollywood, CA
External links
- 30 Seconds to Mars at Virgin RecordsVirgin RecordsVirgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...