04-08-98 -

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TOUR DATES: See complete listing every Monday.

May 15- 8:15 pm, Chocolate Fest, FestGrounds, Hwy 36 N. Burlington, WI
(O,P, now confirmed by Ticketmaster)
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The Quote Of The Day:

I know that it’s true and I’m sorry to say…

PLEASE send your VF quotes to
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ALL CORRESPONDENCE CONCERNING THIS LETTER SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO

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WEB PAGES:

Official: http://www.vfemmes.com
Unofficial: http://vf.scopemag.com
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palladium/6918
Past Tour
Dates: http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Lounge/1725/femmes.html
Guitar: http://www.bucknell.edu/~wtorres/violent_femmes
http://www.olga.net
Une banane:Send in your top five faves each week to:

HERE I AM: Tell me where you live for the Here I Am list.

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In Today’s Issue:

Mail Help Needed
Away Friday
NO FREAK MAGNET-Two Part Post
The Alliance Show
The Alliance Show
The Louisville Show
OK Info Needed
Going to Burlington
Freak Magnet Tracklist
Freak Magnet Boot?
Freak Magnet Boot?
BR Solos..Taping Questions
Come To NY

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Mail Help Needed
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I need a good mail program which is easy enough for my husband to use
and which will send out 900 BCC’s. I could handle sending out 500 two
times. I’ve just tried out Eudora light, and it blocks up after about
20. Puts it in Q and just sits there. Any suggestions would be
appreciated, but I would prefer to find one to download free before I
commit to a purchase. Right now, my program is self-destructing; I have
to break the subscriber list into 14 parts before I can send it out.
In case you’re wondering why the classifieds didn’t go out Monday,
that’s why. I wasn’t in the mood to send out 28 times.

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Away Friday
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I’m going to be at my father in law’s on Friday, so there probably won’t
be an issue on Friday. I’ll try to get it out on Saturday. And if that
weren’t bad news enough, read the next post….

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NO FREAK MAGNET-Two Part Post
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Oh my GOD!!!!! I just started this note to you, and the rock news came
on the radio–they said that the VF were getting ready to release their
new album in May, and their record company dropped them! They then put
out a call to people who work in record cos. with *HALF A BRAIN* to pick
up a great band from Milwaukee and finish putting out the release. I am
so bummed & my heart really goes out to them, although I’m almost not
surprised. I’ve been happy that they were finally putting out some new
music, but also thinking, it’s not out till the fat lady sings, knowing
what problems they have had with Interscope. I want you all to know, If
I win the $70+ million California lottery tomorrow, I will personally
put out the release!!!

Really Sad & Mad,
Cheryl

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Apparently, last Thursday “Interscope and Violent Femmes mutually agreed
to part ways.” No decision yet on whether the band will try to get
another label, or just put the record out themselves.
The frustrating part is that the record is finished and ready to be
released! And it’s a great record!!

BOOOOHOOOOOOOO!!!Talk to you later….

Cheryl

-Pat. Says: Guess we should have seen it coming..Interscope never even
put the VF on their band list on their homepage. Rotten
bastards. Well, I for one plan on making sure none of my
hard earned money winds up in the pockets of Interscope
executives. If I must, I’ll buy their CD’s used so that
they never make a penny of profit from me. I suppose lots
of people will say they should just put the album out
themselves, but the problem with that is promotion. It’s a
sad fact of life that for the most part, well known labels
are better at pushing a product than indies. On the flip
side of course, indie overhead is lower. I just hope that
however they release it, that it makes millions, and that
someone rubs Interscope’s nose in it.

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The Alliance Show
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I am still in the best mood I’ve been in in years. I swear I had more
fun at the Alliance show than I’ve ever had at any other concert in my
life (including the other two times i saw the femmes). It was so
crowded that i was like a sardine, and i was getting shoved into a rail
half the time (my ribs are bruised beyond belief), but that’s only cuz
i was in the very very front. I wasnt five feet in front of Brian. I
know he saw me. He seemed to be frowning about the crowd surfers (my
friend got kicked out for it, but i warned her, and she did get back in
eventually), but every time he looked down at the front few people (me
included) he smiled, cuz we were just having a grand ole time and we
were behaving. I fought like hell, but i couldnt get closer to the
middle of the stage, so i was extremely happy when gordon came over and
played a guitar solo right in front of me…the trip up was a lot longer
than we expected (three hours) so we had to leave early, but i almost
think it was better for that, because i had been kicked in the head as
the bouncers dragged down crowd surfers quite a few times, and i was
losing my voice, and i think there is such a thing as too much of a
good thing…so as it is, i left extremely happy after only about an
hour and a half of actual femmes playing, wanting more, but not letting
it ruin my extremely good mood.
I think my favorite part of the evening was when Brian stopped after
the first few songs and said, “i hope you enjoy the new lighting scheme
for our show…no lights…yes, we’re having technical difficulties…
all we have is plain white light, but we will not let the music suffer!”
and it got fixed eventually anyways, or if it didnt, i didnt notice…
ok…enough babbling. but i just have to once again restate the obvious
…YOU CANNOT FUCK WITH THIS BAND!!!!!!!!!!!

Juliana

“I’m not scared. A little terrified maybe.”
-Alex (Ewan McGreggor)
Shallow Grave

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The Alliance Show
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The Alliance show was incredible!! It was my first Femmes show and they
did not disappoint me. At first it seemed like Gordon didn’t want to be
there, then he got into it and looked like he was having a good time.
They played a couple songs from the new album inluding the new version
of “I’m Nothing” I crowed-surfed for the first time and it was one of
the most fun things I have done in a while. After the show Amber took
me and my friends back stage and I got to hold Gordon’s guitar, Brian’s
bass, and Guy’s drums (I know, I am pathetic). We had volunteered to
help take down the set. Also, Ray (from the road crew) told us that
next time they’ll give us back stage passes!!!!!!! Amber, thank you so
much. Don’t forget to tell the band hi for me (even though they have
no clue who I am).

1djek3

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The Louisville Show
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I talked to the guys after the show and Brian told me that it wouldn’t
be until September for “Freak Magnet!” That kind of surprised me, after
hearing about the May relese. Gordon was kool as ever, I gave him a
picture from a show in Philly with a note on the back, and my friend
gave him this film he made which is basically about “Johnny”— it’s
kinda like a video, but more of a narrative story with the whole song.
I decided not to talk to Guy, he was busy trying to get hugs from girls,
any one else notice how he’s always tryin’ to do that—- Guy’s just a
weird mo fo. But he rocks—–
ON TO THE SHOW——————-
Sweet Merciful Crap!— what a frekin’ awsome kickin’ show!!! I was
loving every moment of it. I don’t have the set list, but they
covered most of the usual stuff, the boyz played Don’t start me–and
I’m Nothin’ which was sweet as a mother. And to top it off, something
I never would have expected– they played SWEET Misery Blues– O’ Baby
that was wonderful! Some stupid security mo mo took my camera and said
i wasn’t gettin’ it back– I had a few good pics, but i talked to this
big Kentucky Police man with a large hat and he got it back for me.
FOR Dance MFD Brian told a story about the Kentucky Derby- it was cool.
I was sad to hear no Freak Magnet– Brian played a special tune on the
Jaw HARP and dedicated it to his parents who were there— I think they
live a few min. away from me (Bloomington IN)….
I got Gordy to sign my hat and had a few min. to talk with him, but the
Femmes were in a hurry, because Brian’s Mom and Pops had to drive home.
It looked like guy decided what to play a few times, Gordon and Brian
started jamin’ what sounded like Damsel, and Guy busted into something
else– I love the strange looks they give each other. Another cool
thing that Gordon said “You’ll never know how truly human this band
is.” During Rejoice Gordon messed up and said his mind was somewhere
else, and silence took over for a long time, but then they got back
into it.
Over all this show was great, there were no seats which always makes for
a better time- moshin’ and crowd surffing wasn’t too big, so thats cool.
After we’d left we passed the little maroon van that the femmes were in
on the highway. Sorry this message is so random, but I love to hear
about shows and I know you guys do to.
It was my 7th, and my one of my friend’s 1st shows. It was great to
have a first-timer along, it gave me back the thrill from my first show..
WOW-

Later Freaks—
ROB-

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OK Info Needed
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This is my first post, and being from Denton, TX, I am not so sure IF
the Femmes will even come this way (anyone who knows the story will
understand what I mean). I would love to go to one of the OK shows, but
I need to know more info. Anyone who can get more info, please write
to me. I’ve been a fan of the Femmes since 1984 and I still haven’t seen
them in concert (insert long story here). So this is my one and only
opprotunity to do this…
(I tried to get info, but I was stonewalled. Now what?)

Marie

—-“Children are the only ones who blush”—
—Velvet Underground—–

-Pat. Says: I wrote to KMYZ in Tulsa, and was told that as far as
they know, this show is not yet definite, and so they don’t
have any info to give. Guess it’s another one of those
unofficially official dates. Didn’t even try to get info on
the OK City show, because even the Official Homepage lists
that as tentative. Give it a week or so, and try again. If
they both become definite, all you Texans should consider
spending the entire weekend in OK.

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Going to Burlington
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Put us down for the Burlington show. We’d be going to both
Wisconsin shows, but there’s a really cheap Brewer game the same day
as the Point show. And if anyone has a problem with my priorities
they can bite me. I like the Femmes, but they can’t compete with
dollar bleacher seats and dollar hot dogs.
Go Brewers!

Peace,
Jim Neist

oh yeah, and Greg Pepper too.

-Pat. Says: Wouldn’t be surprised if the VF fullly agreed with your
priorities. I normally don’t print entire posts dealing
with who/where, but I got a chuckle out of this one. Please,
as soon as anyone finds anything about the Burlington show,
write in and share it with the rest of us.

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Freak Magnet Tracklist
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Hello everyone! I just wanted to let you know what’s on the Freak
Magnet CD, so here’s a list of the songs:
1. I’m Bad
2. Freak Magnet
3. All I Want
4. Rejoice And Be Happy
5. I Wanna See You Again
6. I’m Nothing
7. Positively 4th Street
8. A Story (featuring Pierre Henry)
9. Happiness Is
10. Forbidden
11. Mosh Pit
12. Yes Oh Yes
13. When You Died
14. Requiem
15. Reckless Stones

The cover art is very plain, a white background, with the group name,
and the name of the album. (But really, does it matter? It’s the
Femmes.)
I am not disappointed at all in the album. It has defiantly lived up
to my expectations.

Kendra

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Freak Magnet Boot?
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I was just wondering if the disc that Kendra has is a promo disc rather
than a bootleg, and if she could tell us where her friend got it (so
maybe some of us could find it too).

Chris

stay even

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BR Solos..Taping Questions
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Just wanted to say two things. First i picked up some of Brian’s old
stuff through http://www.musikweb.com. Thank you Deanna for showing me
the way. The place is pretty great. Cheap plus it came in about 2-3
days!!!! I picked up “The Blend”, “Sonic Temple..”, and two mini-cd
singles with Sun-Ra and Nuclear War. The total was about $16-$17 for
the four CDs.
Also, I am going to the two upcoming Wisconsin shows at SP and
Burlington (lucky me.. I live in Madison!). I am planning on taping
them..my question is: I have only taped one show before (Waukesha
County Fair ’97)…it turned out pretty good for what I was using. But
my question is, What is the best type of tapes, recorder, etc to use?
Also, has anyone else run into the problem of taping concerts, but
wanting to go jump in the mosh pit or crowd the stage?? Do you just
make a friend hold the recorder or what?

later
Alden

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Come To NY
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does anyone know if the violent femmes will be coming to new york??
my parents won’t let me go to a show in nyc, and they said it’s very
improbable for me to go to a show out of state. it seems they’re
touring all around but no where near me. anybody know if there’s a
chance they’ll come near albany, ny??

–bran

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