← Back to Archive

AM Fan Letter • 1998

05-22-98

************************************************************************ The Quote Of The Day: Some magnets attract some magnets repel some magnets just say hey hey what the hell -From Freak Magnet -Get that June issue of CMJ New Music (the one with Garbage on the cover) if you want to hear what this sounds like! ************************************************************************ WHO/WHERE Going to a VF concert? Want to know if anyone else on the list also going? Check here first! Biloxi, MS (May 23) ------------------- Dallas, TX (May 24) ------------------- ************************************************************************ ALL CORRESPONDENCE CONCERNING THIS LETTER SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO ************************************************************************ WEB PAGES: Official: http://www.vfemmes.com Unofficial: http://vf.scopemag.com if this doesn't work, try: http://206.103.163.50 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. ************************************************************************ In Today's Issue: Pensacola Show Jones Beach Info Needed Breakin Up RE: Cover..FM..Birthday Boy A Whole Mess of Stuff Another Mess of Stuff RE: Covers RE: Covers Jugs...Lyrics RE: Fave Lyrics RE: Fave Lyrics RE: Fave Lyrics RE: Fave Lyrics RE: Fave Lyrics RE: Fave Lyrics ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pensacola Show ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Well, the SpringFest show-- The Femmes were great, the audience sucked. .. The Femmes weren't scheduled to go on until 7:30. So, I caught the Cowboy Mouth show that was scheduled just before the Femmes were supposed to go on. Throughout the entire CM show people were moshing and being complete assholes and the band just kind of took it. So, before the Femmes went on, the announcer told the crowd that the Femmes requested that people stop throwing shit at the stage. They were running a little late. I don't think they went on until 8 or so. The show started out great. They played a lot of the more popular songs off of Add It Up (BitS, Gone Daddy Gone, Kiss Off, American Music, Black Girls, Country Death Song, Add It Up, Dance, Motherfucker, Dance!, Out the Window, and 36-24-36) and I noticed they played Freak Magnet. Also, because Frank Sinatra died that Friday, they played a tribute to him-- I think it was My Way. But, in the middle of Gimme the Car some asshole hurled one of those Foster's beer cans at the stage and the can hit Gordon right in the face. He just stopped singing and they said it was over. Well, when they left the stage the crowd started chanting "bullshit!" And after a while the announcer came back out and said that the can had hit Gordon right in the face and that he was bleeding. He said they'd finish if nothing else was thrown. And so the Femmes came back out. Brian told the crowd what he thought. I believe he called them a "generation of spoiled brats" and I couldn't agree more. So, they finished playing and there was an encore of Old Mother Reagan and Kiss Off. There was an article in the Pensacola News Journal titled "You wannabe cool types need to grow up." by Troy Moon. It basically talked about the whole concert... "Still, how does one control a crowd of thousands who show their appreciation for a band like the Violent Femmes by throwing missiles at the band? Lead singer Gordan Gano caught a can or bottle in the face, and walked off stage after chastising the idiots in the crowd. (actually, it was Brian Ritchie) The band came back after a SF official tried to talk some sense into the dimwits, but an occasional shoe or can still flirted with the band member's faces." -------------------------- Lacey G. Johnson -------------------------- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jones Beach Info Needed ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Anyone know the deal with the Femmes and newport folk festival at jones beach-price date ect. please contact me directly Jack ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Breakin Up ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I was browsing through used CDs at a CD store and i found the Breakin Up single import from England with a live version of American Music and She Went to Germany.. has anyone ever even HEARD of this? I haven't... Nevertheless, i bought it for $0.99... pretty good deal if you ask me! (which you didn't.) - ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RE: Cover..FM..Birthday Boy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >Isn't "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" a cover song??? Yep- Culture Club originally did that song, I believe. I talked to my favorite people in the world, those at my local cd store, and the lady told me that she too had heard the rumor about a different label releasing "Freak Magnet" on last Tuesday, but it didn't come, and she thinks it must've been solely rumor. Oh yeah, and BTW today (Wednesday the 20th) is Guy's birthday! I'm not sure how old he is, I read this in the Journal Sentinel this morning. I meant to send it in before school in the hopes it'd be included today, but ran short of time. Anyway, Happy B-Day Guy!!! rob=) ps- thanx to Beky for sending that in for me =) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A Whole Mess of Stuff ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hey guys n femmes. Been awhile eh? Neway. I went to some stupid music store in the mall (RecordTown..the ONLY one in a 3 story mall) and they said that he had no listing of the release of Freak Magnet. He told me to keep checking back tho. Yes, Do You Really Want To Hurt Me is a cover..originally done by the Culture Club (go Boy George). They did a cover of Jerry Lee Lewis at the Charlotte show. Someone metntioned them doing a cover of Frank Sinatra. Apparently they do LOTS of covers. Speaking of which, has anyone found the cover of Kiss off was it done by the Banditos? (oh man it just started POURING rain over here). I called a radio station one day to ask em to play it and they told me I was crazy and there was no such thing in existence. I'm confused about the Harvey Danger cover ....they're doing a cover of the Femmes or wut? (they're a pretty kewl band..."i want to pierce my tongue..it doesn't hurt it feels fine"... i swear to you that's what I say is it doesn't hurt it feels fine). Ok...I agree that the lyrics would make more sense going "we all get late". But, when I first started listening to the Femmes, I thought it was laid. I've listened to that song so many tiems trying to figure it out. I also noticed at the concert that when i was singing "late", it sounded very very very much like Gordon sang "laid". I thought that had corrected me. Anyone else notice if Gordon says late or laid in concert? But neway. -Pat. Says: If they do a lot of covers live, I haven't heard any. But if they did do one live, I wish it were Hey There Little Insect by Jonathan Richman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Another Mess of Stuff ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What's a shakusaki? How fast does it go from 0-60? What does a digeridoo look like and sound like? I know it's from Australia, but that's about it. What brand of washtub and what size makes the best trancephone? And Claire, get over your mono soon. I just got through with it and BOY did it suck. Take lots of vitamins and enjoy laying in bed all day and singing "Never Tell" at the top of your lungs. And yes, "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me," is a Boy George and the Culture Club cover. Poor Boy George. I never wanted to hurt him. Even after he got so fat. I heard that Slash was forcing the Femmes to do more covers on their albums. Those pig-f*ckers didn't stock much F! A! I! T! H!!! What's that spell? FAITH! in the Femmes original work. I don't think that our heros were ever really hot on playing other people's work. -Drew -Pat. Says: I understand a shakusaki is a Japanese flute. Haven't yet had the pleasure of hearing Brian play it. A didgeridoo is a long tube kind of thing. It sounds like...I can't think of anything that sounds like it, maybe some kind of prehistoric coke bottle. No it's really cool, this deep rumbling, and lots of other sounds too. You've probably heard it before but not recognized it for what it was. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RE: Covers ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" was originally done by Culture Club (Boy George's group) in 1982. Gordon changed some of the lyrics for the Femme's version, and of the course the style is different. Regarding the favorite lyrics post, I suppose my favorite (non-VF, I'm assuming) line is: "Why do we still try when all our time is spent in holding on to hope?" from "Still Here" by Information Society. ----- "It's more fun to compute..." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RE: Covers ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >Isn't "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" a cover song??? >I'm sure I remember they playing in on the "Why Do Birds Sing?" tour, >but it's been about six years. So, maybe not. Here in the UK it's most famous as a song by Culture Club - though I don't know if it was originally theirs. It was released in the early- mid eighties and I think (but don't quote me) it went to No. 1. Xav ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jugs...Lyrics ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -Pat. Says: Was it last summer when we had the thread about getting the lyrics wrong? I remember writing that when my son (now 9) was 5, I was worried about his learning the lyrics to some of the songs he hears...until I heard him start singing "Do you have too many jugs? I have too many jugs!". - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I shouldn't be too pleased, Pat - over here, "jugs" are a synonym for female breasts - albeit a less than complementary one. As for favourite lines, I've got a few, but (as a well known cynic in these parts) my all-time favourite has got to be by a British indie band called The Sweeney:- "Whitney, Mariah Carey, Michael Bolton all belong in the circus - acrobatical vocals" Somewhat appropriately, the song this is taken from is called "Shut Up!" Xav ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RE: Fave Lyrics ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Weirdly enough, I've read my favorite lyrics but never actually heard the song-it's by Liz Phair, I think, and goes "your kisses are as wicked as an F-16 and you fuck like a volcano and you're everything to me." Some ex-boyfriend said that to me, that's how I discovered it. Seriously. He said that. Pretty funny, huh? Oh, and another good one is Ani DiFranco's "Gravel"- "let me count the ways that I abhore you you were never a good friend and you never were a good lay but oh, what can I say, I adore you." In case you can't tell, I have some chick rage issues.... just kidding. But even though I thnk this is a fun thread, is it Femmes related enough that we can do it without sinning against The Rules? Just checking. Andrea -Pat. Says: I'll allow this for a little while. It's harmless. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RE: Fave Lyrics ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ well, though there are many, my favorite quotes would be: "You gotta love livin' baby, cause dyings a pain in the ass."-Frank Sinatra "You're perfect, yes it's true, but without me, you're only you."-Faith No More "Mother, should I trust the government?"-Pink Floyd I could go on and on, but I wont bore you. -emilia http://members.aol.com/ArchieEm/fireandice.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RE: Fave Lyrics ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ While we all love the femmes, we all do listen to other music so i think the idea of favorite lyrics is good and it will be fun to read....so, i'd go with some beatles stuff, but it would take me 5 years to write down my favorite lyrics so I'll go with.."...and in your eyes i can see what's on my mind...tonight lets be lovers, tomorrow go back to being friends."--Dave Matthews Band,"Say Goodbye." Oh...I just want everyone to know that today was my last full day of high school..what a nice feeling!!!! Liz ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RE: Fave Lyrics ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hi, One of my very favorite lyrics is: "I can tell that you taste like the sky 'cause you look like rain." from "Look like rain" - Morphine . So earthy and sensual!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RE: Fave Lyrics ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The best song lyrics, in my opinion are simply: If you, twist and, turn away.. If you, tear yourself in two again.. If I could, you know i would, if i could i would.. Let it go.. -U2, Bad - "The Unforgettable Fire" I think that just about any U2 or Dylan song can hold meaning to any emotion you are feeling at the time... Come gather 'round people Wherever you roam And admit that the waters Around you have grown And accept it that soon You'll be drenched to the bone. If your time to you Is worth savin' Then you better start swimmin' Or you'll sink like a stone For the times they are a-changin'. (For he who gets hurt will be he who has stalled) -Sarah ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RE: Fave Lyrics ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Clair, i like the lyric idea, and since you have mono and must be extremely bored, i'll humor you, plus, it's fun. only problem is i don't think i can pick just one, but here goes... "nuthin left to do but smile, smile, smile." grateful dead, 'he's gone' i just love that quote. it works for everything. whenever i'm down i try to think of that because really, that's all there really is left to do. "when i had no wings to fly, you flew to me." grateful dead, 'attics of my life' this is one of those lovey-dovey quotes, but it doesn't have to be and it is the perfect way to tell someone thank you for helping you out when you couldn't do it yourself. "don't you know that you're nothing more than a one night stand? tomorrow i'll be on my way, you better catch me if you can!" janis joplin, 'one night stand' (i think thats it) this describes all of my relationships and it's what i wish i was capable of saying to every guy i've ever been with, cause usually that's all they were. it's just one of those quotes that just describes my life so well. and of course..."good feeling, won't you stay with me, just a little longer? it always seems like you're leaving, when i need you here, just a little longer." femmes, "good feelings" this quote, though not very uplifting, is just one of those beautiful things that fits perfectly when ever you're down. i think of it, and then i smile, smile, smile. there's a whole lot more somewhere in my head, but i'm sure that'll keep the people bored for a least a minute. claire, i hope you get better soon! whitney :) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~