AMERICAN MUSIC: THE VIOLENT FEMMES MAILING LIST
currently run by Pat. Wary

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TOUR DATES: (NEW DATES MARKED WITH A **)

September 12-Greening of Mackay, Concordia University,Montreal, QUE (P,O)
September 13-Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountainview, CA (O,P)
September 14-Doheny State Beach, Dana Point, CA (O,P)
September 16-The Palace, Hollywood, CA (T,P,O)
September 17-The Palace, Hollywood, CA (P,O)
September 18-Canes, San Diego, CA (T,O,P)
September 19-The Glass House, Pomona, CA (T,O,P)
September 21-The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA (O,P)
September 22-Luther Burbank Center, Santa Rosa, CA (O,P)
September 23-The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA (O,P)
September 24-The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA (O) TENTATIVE
September 26-Carolina Music Fest, The World Mardi Gras,
Charlotte, NC (O,P)
for more info call 704-333-2263
September 27-Smokey Mountain Jamboree,Knoxville,TN (P)
October 9-Benedictine University, Lisle, IL (O)
October 10-East Stroudsburg University, Abeloff Convocation Center,
East Stroudsburg, PA (O,P)
October 15-MontClair State University, Montclair, NJ (O)

**October 31-Sports Hall at Coimbra University, Coimbra, PORTUGAL (O)**

I SEE AT LEAST 5 SUBSCRIBERS FROM PORTUGAL. HERE’S YOUR
CHANCE TO FINALLY SEE THE BAND! COIMBRA IS IN WEST CENTRAL
PORTUGAL. MAYBE SOME OF YOU SPANISH SUBSCRIBERS CAN GO, TOO,
AND ANY OF YOU FROM THE SOUTH OF FRANCE.

NOTA BENE: ‘O’ stands for the Official homepage
‘P’ stands for Pollstar
‘T’ stands for Ticketmaster
‘I’ stands for Insider Info
All other references are subscribers

ALSO: THE INSECT AND WESTERN PARTY

September 10-Lunar Cabaret, Chicago, IL

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The Quote Of The Day:

She said to me oh I love it when you’re mean
Don’t you it’s boring when it’s quiet and serene
-From Life is a Scream

send your quotes to
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WHO/WHERE
Going to a VF concert? Want to know if anyone
else on the list also going? Check here first!

Montreal, Que, Canada
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Mountainview, CA
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Santa Cruz, CA
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San Francisco (Sept. 23)
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Charlotte, NC
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Knoxville, TN
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East Stroudsburg, PA
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ANY SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO IMPROVE THIS LETTER SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO

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WEB PAGES:

Official: http://www.vfemmes.com
Unofficial: http://www.gl.umbc.edu/~mmerry2/femmes.html
Guitar: http://www.bucknell.edu/~wtorres/violent_femmes/

Mat would like to start up a digest for people interested in
trading info on tabs and chords. All interested parties
should contact Mat at:

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In Today’s Issue:

Retrospective
RE: Cover This
Name..Bass..Nerd Rock
RE: Name..True Fans
RE: Name
Need a Ride?..Democracy
Who Was That Band?.. Sabrina
Help Me Find Tonight
Want to Meet?
Want to Meet?
RE: Ages
RE: Ages
RE: Ages..Cincinnati..Stickers
Request for Discography..Come to St. Louis
Another Vote
RE: Grosse Point Blank
Insect and Western Party

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A friend of mine, Sid Griffin (ex-Long Ryder and current Coal Porter) is
working with Polygram Records, Europe on ther reissue programme. One
of the upcoming projects is a 2CD Violent Femmes retrospective.

We would like the Femmes fans to pass on any suggestions of tracks to
be included, by email to me at:
I will collate the information and pass it on to Sid.

Please don’t suggest anything too obscure, the only tracks available are
those which were released on albums or singles through Slash Records’
licensing deal with London Records/Polygram in Europe.

Regards,

Phil.
—
Phil Dennison

Pat. says- Please send all responses to this post to

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<>

HAHAHAHAHAH! Couldn’t help but get a mental pic of the boys with
boufants and pea green peddle pushers (only they were singing my fave –
Quiche Lorraine!:) But seriously … I find this idea vewwwy
intewesting. And after much thought I decided on the song I would most
like to hear the Femmes cover – Marquee Moon by Television (Rhyme was a
VERY close second.) On another note I met someone over the Labor Day
weekend who offered an interesting tidbit on the origin of Johnny from
Add it Up – he said the subject, Johnny, is non other than John Lennon.
I’m not totally convinced he knew what he was talking about but also
found this vewwwy intewesting! Anyone else intrigued?

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Don’t mean to whale on you there, Beky, but it seems to me like you’d
have something me intelligent to say about the name change. ‘Rock’ was
cool, ‘AM’ is cool too. And maybe someone does care- they obviously went
to some trouble to change it. I’m not some college guy trying to prove
something here- I’m 14, too.
I guess I should put something Femmes related into here so it’s not a
TOTAL flame- um, I was messing around on my bass and figured out a cool
new way to play the bass linr to “Please Do Not Go”. If anybody plays,
and they want to try something kind of cool, drop me a note. It sounds a
little bit like the solo, but it’s sort of understated. You’ll hear.
Also- anyone here into Pavement? I mention this because I’ve always
considered Femmes nerd rock (along with TMBG, Devo, Pink Floyd), and
Pavement is very cool stuff. You may have heard “Stereo” on the radio.
If you like Blister 2000, some of there stuff is similar, although less
melodic than the Femmes. Their musicaly talent pales in comparison to
Brian, Gordo, Vic and Guy, but they’re interesting to listen to.
I guess my nerd rock statement could use some backing up- seems to me
like all the bands I mentioned fit the alternative genre, EXCEPT- their
lyrics/musical style/general attitude has something that really set them
apart, make them almost unaccesible to nonfans. There are exceptions-
Soul Coughing, for instance, and the teenage Pink Floyd revival (of
which I’m part of), but a good portion of it appeals to a nerd-type
population. I mean, come on, it’s not like PEARL JAM or something we’re
listening to. I’m probably going to get flamed left and right for this,
but you have to admit it- we’re a different audience than most others,
and unless you’re one of those BITS-only Femmes fans, you’re in it for
something other than pure pop appeal.
Don’t take this the wrong way- you don’t HAVE to be a nerd to be into
Femmes, but you’ve got to realize that to really get deep into the
lyrics, you’ve got to analyize, and once you’ve done that, you are
looking for deeper meaning in song lyrics, which is a characteristic of
a nerd. I’m willing to admit it- WHY DON’T YOU?
—
Paul

—
“Freeze. Don’t move. You’ve been chosen
as an extra in the movie adaptation of
the sequel to your life…………….”

-Pavement, “Shady Lane”
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Hello! I just subscribed to this thing and the name is fine with me- who
reads it for the name anyway?! It’s the content and that rocks! I’m a
17yr. old (soon to be 18) college freshman that is patiently waiting for
a Femmes concert in VA!! (me too Brian Kelly!!) Keep up the good work Pat
& company!

🙂 Jade

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First of all it really doesn’t matter what the name of this newsletter
is, no matter what it’s called it’s still the same thing…A newsletter
where people talk about the Femmes. Besides that it was a democratic vote,
get up off it.
Second of all I do think that there is a difference between a TRUE
Femmes fan and a Femmes fan. The only reason I say this is because I can
recall many Femmes concerts that I have been to where a bunch of annoying
people stood around talking for the whole concert until they played BITS,
then they all went crazy. I can also remember when I saw Femmes at
SummerFest in Milwaukee. I was walking around the beer gardens before the
concert when I heard someone say “Dude the Femmes are walking around”.
Calmly I looked around and looked right at Gordon. We passed each other
and casually I said hey Gordon how’s it going. This idiot heard me say
Gordon and went nuts looking around trying to find him, the whole time
saying “Dude I gotta meet him, they’re my favorite band”. Whatever, Gordon
was standing right next to this guy and he didn’t even know it.
Sorry to write so much but it’s been awhile
Stacy

****I didn’t know that you could use the word “LIKE” that much in one
paragraph****

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I suggest a name Change…… on the beginning of Add it up they have the
opening of ….. The Violent Femmes , they bring all of their equipment
and you can’t fuck with the Violent Femmes You can not fuck with this
band…….take something out of there
or just simply change it to ….Ladies and gentlemen the Violent Femmes!

-Pat. says: AAARRRGGGHHH! No more name changes! No more PLEASE! I’m
begging you! 🙂

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Hey there, all you crazy kiddos…Am also going to hop on over to the S.F.
show this September if anyone’s near Reno and would like to co-travel? Am
19/F, will be travelling with my b/f, so would love to have some extra
company! (smile)
Wanted to interject about some things that have transpired in the
newsletter lately… Democracy, however corrupt some of you may think it
to be, prevails. Hence: American Music. I agree with whomever it was who
said so in the earlier issue. If ya didn’t vote, don’t gripe. If ya did,
ya also knew other people would too. Can’t win ’em all, right? But
remember, that just means that when you do win, the taste of victory is
oh-so-much sweeter!
As for the issue of the brain-stimulating conversation…I’m all for it.
Anyone for a good brain-game? I hope we can come up with some good
topics. Perhaps some analysis of some song meanings or something
intriguing like that? (Am looking forward to some killer responses to
this one.)!!!
Well, all, that’s it for now…
Tiptoeing in the tulips all alone,
Danielle

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Did anyone go to the Femmes show at Georgetown University in D.C. this
past spring? If so, do you remember the name of the opening band? I met
the Femmes that night, went on their tour bus and chilled with them all,
but I can’t for the life of me remember the name of the opening band. I
do know that they are from CA.
Another thing-is there anyone out ther who could get me copies of
there videos and Sabrina episode (they sang Please Do Not Go, right?)? I
was out of town for Sabrina and never get a chance to watch tv. I will
pay any necessary expenses. I would be SOOOOOO grateful.
i luv brian!
-danica

-Pat. says: That band might have been Phil Cody. They are from CA (well,
originally from Ohio I think) and were touring with the Femmes
for a while this past spring. They will again be with the band
for some of the CA shows. You can find out about them by going
to the Interscope Records homepage.

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You can either add this into the newsletter or not, it don’t matter
to me. The only thing I have to ask is if you or anyone you or anyone in
the letter may be able to tell me is where I can find the “Tonight”
single. This may have been covered in previous mailings at some point,
but I was unaware. I am desperate to find this CD, so any help is
appreciated. Thanks ahead of time bro!

“Long live the legend”

-Jason

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I’m going to be at the Violent Femmes concert at the filmore on
september 23rd Nora. I don’t think anyone likes me anymore here so you
don’t have to meet up with me or anything, no pressure.

Humdrum

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Hey!!
I’m going to the concert at East Stroudsberg. I saw
the Femmes when they played in Scranton (I’m from
Scranton PA). The opening band, Angry Salad was
great. I have faith in the Femmes that they will
get an even better opening act. They deserve the
best.
If anyone else is going to be at the ESU concert,
get a hold of me.
Kt.
e-mail:
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I’m soon to be 28. I’ve been listening to the Femmes since I was 17.
It’s been a pretty good decade.

Laurel

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i thought i was the youngest person on here, but there is a girl who
is a few weeks younger than me. i am 14, turning 15 on october 27.
some of you may think that i am not a violent femmes fan because i
only own one album and havent been to one of their concerts YET…..
but who the hell cares. i can still be a fan of their music. i will
admit that they’re not my fav band, but i still love them.
____
-ReBEccA*

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Okay, first of all why anyone cares about how old everyone is, I don’t
know; but for those inquiring minds, I am 17. Now, why do the Femmes
have like 20 tours in California and not a single date booked in
Cincinnati, a city that plays Femmes songs all the times, and has a
devoted fan base. It makes me sad. Also, does anyone have any cool VF
bumper stickers/stickers? The only store here that carried them has
ceased to exist.

“Someday, I am going change, but not today”- Adam Duritz

Pat. says: Keep watching the tour dates. Y’never know…

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I have recently been getting your VF newsletter. I am from St. Louis
and i am a huge huge fan of the Femmsters. I own 8 of their cd’s and know
of more, but I have no idea where to get them. Any store I have asked for
them kinda looks at me like “you LIKe the violent femmes?1?” or they want
a record company and a title, which i do not have, could you print a lost
sorry a list of all their cd’s and compilations they have taken part in?
I would greatly appreciate it. and to the age of readers issue, age is a

only a number, relative to time and if the older femme fans were going the
speed of light, they would be young too. so who cares, there’s enough
Gordon Brian and Guy to go around
also, how would I go about getting the femmes to play here in St. Louis?
we would love it ever so much!!! thanks
a avid VF fan

Pat. says-Time didn’t allow me to compile a discography. I’ll try for
Friday, unless anyone here has one ready made. Or you could
check out the Official and Unofficial Homepages. As far as
getting the band to come to St. Louis, take it up with your
Student Activity People. That’s all you can do I guess.

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<>

now I agree that it is great for anyone to start listening to the femmes
at anytime, but I think here is a great oppertunity for a vote.

which femmes album does this guy have? I say either the first one or
“Add it up” If it’s anything else I’ll be surprised, anyone else have
an opinion?

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In a message dated 97-09-08 09:43:39 EDT, you write:

<< listening to the grosse pointe blank soundtrack. ok, here’s my first
question- what was that version of BITS on it? Im NOT talking about
blister 2000. Its different then the one on Violent Femmes and Add it
up. It sounds so, well, WHINY! >>

I heard they (the record company) some how lost the original recording of
BITS and had to re-record it for the album.

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Just a note to ANY femmes fans that the insect and western party is
amazing. All the shows seem to be in relatively small, intimate
venues(the one in my city of Windsor Ontario was only about 30-40
people. Although I had never heard Eugene CHadbourne he turned out to be
an amazing guitarist and avant garde experimentalist (which Brian Ritchie
complimented nicely) Anyhow check out this unbelieveable event if you get
the chance.

Ken in Windsor

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