05-27-98

************************************************************************ The Quote Of The Day: We are the salt of the earth If you're not salted, What are you worth? -From Rejoice and Be Happy -Submitted by Rob has sent a bunch of quotes from Freak Magnet, and they will appear over the next few issues. ************************************************************************ WHO/WHERE Going to a VF concert? Want to know if anyone else on the list also going? Check here first! Philadelphia, PA ---------------- ************************************************************************ 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: The Biloxi Show The Biloxi Show Milwaukee..Freak Magnet..Summerfest RE: Newport Folk Fest Some Summerfest Info New Rock Fest Video? MAX 95.7..Lyrics RE: Fave Lyrics RE: Fave Lyrics RE: About That Quote RE: About That Quote Welcome..Thanks for Review Freak Magnet RE: Freak Magnet ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Biloxi Show ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If any of you have a sister go hug her! Because all sisters are great! And on that note I'll tell you what an awesome time my sister and I had this weekend going to see the femmes in Biloxi. The femmes rock... as always... and after an extremely long hot day they graced the stage to once again treat all of their fans to a wonderful time! Since the set list was posted on Monday I wont bore you with such details, but I will give you my opinion which I know you are just dying to hear. It was good to see them again so soon after the Atlanta show... I am not usually so lucky... and they sounded great. During the show we got to see Brian play the baby sax on Black Girls... the horn of dilemma I guess you could call it. I was glad to also see the return of the awesome drum solo in that song as well. The crowd also got to hear three new ones off of Freak Magnet... and for all of those who have heard the new album we know that only three is not nearly enough. And let me just say one more thing... if you haven't seen the femmes in a while... consider a road trip... a few hours in a car is a small price to pay to see the femmes :O) Carrie ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Biloxi Show ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My sister and I (& about 12,000 other folks) celebrated a milestone with VF on Saturday evening in Biloxi MS! The Femmes have now played in all 50 states! Pretty amazing for some cheeseheads from Milwaukee, eh? Kinda makes me get all misty eyed... The set was short & sweet, the crowd was nice and neat, and the evening was haze and heat! It was just one of those performances that you just ride like a wave... until the wave came crashing down during Black Girls! Brian donned the Dylan neckbrace to fill in for the missing Horns of Dilemma and then turned up the volume a bit more with a blast from the sax - (never noticed him doing circular breathing on the sax before!) THEN - Johnny joined Mr. Hoffman on the drums and they proceeded to KICK SOME ASS all over the place! Don't you just love it when you can FEEL the beats ricochet from your toes to your heart?!? Oooooo..... I guess the drum kings left the vibe too stoked for a shakuhachi performance though- dammit! Guess that's reason enough for me to go see 'em again - soon.... "I know this summer's gonna be the best ... if I don't die from lack of rest..." Deana ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Milwaukee..Freak Magnet..Summerfest ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I never read long messages, but this will be, so I have titled each section so you can read what you want... Milwaukee Show It was the New Rock Fest 98 and there were a ton of youngsters as a previous subscriber mentioned. The set was great but short. It had been awhile for 36-24-36 and Gimmie the Car. I had not heard them for at least 4 concerts. Anyway, I knew all the lyrics to every song! Finally! They always seem to slip a song I have not heard or did not know all the lyrics to! Lucky I listen to Sinatra's "My Way", or I'd a been screwed. But I know "I'm Bad" and "Freak Magnet" and "Rejoice and Be Happy" because I bought the promo...At the end of the concert I ran on stage and yelled in the microphone "Fuck Interscope Records!". Ray, the new road help that tunes the instruments, asked who I was and said "Pretty cool comment." Freak Magnet "I'm Bad" (2:42) - Great song. Heard it in concert for a year now. "Freak Magnet" (2:37) - Title Track. "calling all the freaks from the freak, freak planet, I'm a FREAK MAGNET! "All I Want" (4:09) - Good slower song. Classic Gano. "Rejoice and Be Happy" (2:11) - One of the Best songs. Kudos in concert. "I Wanna See You Again" (2:43) - Redone from Rock!!!!!, but still great "I'm Nothing" (2:24) - Redone. It took me awhile to catch that cuz it sounded the same, but it is redone. "Positively 4th Street" (2:52) - Bob Dylan Femmes style. Redone well! "A Story (featuring Pierre Henry)" (4:58) - Funny and weird. "Happiness Is" (4:20) - Simple song, but full of deep thoughts. "Forbidden" (2:55) - Reminds me of many songs, but is unique and good. "Mosh Pit" (2:13) - Waiting for this one at a Gen Adm concert! "Yes Oh Yes" (3:22) - Great slow song. But not a "making out" song. "When You Died" (3:48) - Femmes in minor keys. Very good song "Reckless Songs" (4:41) - instrumental. Didgeridoo! I really like this album. I can't wait to buy it when it comes out. A promo has no art and the band gets no $$ for it. So I will also buy it when released. Summerfest Anyone know when they are releasing what stage the Femmes will be on? MBlack -Pat. Says: Read on to Tom's second submission... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RE: Newport Folk Fest ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Anyone know who else is playing the Newport Folk fest? I haven't heard anything about Dylan showing up... -Boxofrain3 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Some Summerfest Info ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ According to this morning's Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal, the VF will be playing the Miller Oasis stage at Summerfest on June 26th. This means that it's "free" in that you only have to pay for Summerfest admission (usually about $7-$9, but they often have promotions where you can bring in cans or pins or Brewers ticket stubs or Cedar Crest ice cream tops or something to get in free at a certain time of day), and you don't need any kind of handstamp. So just come down the day of the show. The time they play was not specified yet...it could be early afternoon, or it could be as late as 10pm...but it'll probably be around 7pm or something like that (I can post the exact time as soon as I find out if anyone wants to know). For those who've never been to Summerfest, you may have a hard time trying not to get lost in the crowd, the heat, and the beer vendors...it's a pretty big grounds. The Miller Oasis is pretty much in the middle of the summerfest grounds & right by one of the biggest outdoor bars on the grounds. This being Milwaukee and all, you'll run into quite a few drunks...but we Milwaukeeans are very nice people... just ask Gordon & the boys! Be sure to enjoying the rides, booths, comedians, & bands while there. The day before is opening day for Summerfest and at dusk we'll be treated to the coolest fireworks display ever to shine over Lake Michigan, and Wisconsin's 2nd greatest hometown band, the BoDeans will be headlining at the Marcus Amphitheatre (not a free stage). Hope to see you there! -Tom -Boxofrain3 PS- as usual, if anyone's taping this show please let me know! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ New Rock Fest Video? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I'm just wondering if anybody out there has a video of the May 25th show at the New Rock Fest in Milwaukee. All my friends were up on the video screen and have been asking me if I can get a copy. So if anyone has a copy, let me know. Thanks. kevin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MAX 95.7..Lyrics ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hi there...I wass just listening to MAX 95.7 here in philly. they had the top 300 songs of summer on. Guess who was numero uno???? Violent Femmes "Blister in the Sun", this was extremely surprising to me. I have a fav lyric to through into the vat. BLoodhound Gang "I wish that I were queer so i could get chicks" Dan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RE: Fave Lyrics ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "this is the place where I save face, this is the spot where I jump off, this is the part where I lose heart, over the pain and I'm past the bleeding, it's not the tracks, it's where they're leading" - The Lemonheads or "A ship without a rudder's like a ship without a rudder's like a ship without a rudder's like a ship without a rudder's like a ship without a rudder's like a ship without a rudder's like ahip without a rudder" - The Lemonheads right now at least +=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+ | Wesley Torres | | | | http://www.students.bucknell.edu/~wtorres/ | +=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RE: About That Quote ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ <<<>>> This really is a sarcastic comment, RIGHT? If you're serious, let me take you back to a few songs...such as Blister in the Sun "When I'm out walking, I strut my stuff and i'm so strung out" (referring to being strung out on drugs) "I'm high as a kite, I just might, stop to check you out" High as a kite is a term I've used many times as a stoner..I have a feeling they didn't mean high as in high altitude. And in American Music he uses the lyrics "I did too many drugs..did you do too many drugs too" (This was one line that in concert I pointed to myself and then to Gordon..hehehe). Also there's the lyrics from Gimme The Car "I'm gonna pick her up, I'm gonna get her drunk, I'm gonna make her cry, I'm gonna get her high" Even though this is not a self-narrative, the idea is there. I'm not sure of in any other songs..I'd have to listen to them and tell you. And you say they're against drug use however, (technicalities technicalities) cigars contain tobacco and my understanding is that all 3 of them like to drink alchy-hol. And I'd be more than willing to bet you that Gordon's taken more than one "toke" ..off of anything. But neway (no, this is not a flame) just trying to set the record straight...Femmes can't be completely gung ho about not using drugs since they make reference to it and use some of them their selves. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RE: About That Quote ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ joshua wrote: <> ---------- "American Music": "Did you do too many drugs? I did too many drugs." "Gimme the Car": "I'm gonna get her drunk. I'm gonna get her high." "Tonight": "Tonight I wanna get high, high, high." ---------- Check your lyrics! -Pat. Says: Dear people: I'm sure Josh was being facetious. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome..Thanks for Review ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This is a little note that's pretty much pointless, other than sending out a GREAT BIG WELCOME to my friend Josh/Jish who I was completely surprised to see posting here. (I'm especially glad to see you 'round since I can't see you on IRC anymore. Hugs and kisses... blah blah...) Also, thanks for the Dallas review, Marie. It almost took some of the sting out of missing the concert. No, that's a big lie... but at least I feel like I have some idea what went on, eh? Eh. Maybe someone bought me a sticker or something. Please shoot me now. (formerly MaisyDae) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Freak Magnet ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ First off, I'd like to say that I have acquired the Freak Magnet album, and believe me, I'll still be first in line here in Albuquerque to buy the official CD when it comes out. Josh's review was pretty right on, except I believe the new version of "I wanna see you again" is superior to the original. My noted picks from the album are.... Bad-----this song just kicks ass. All I Want-----Perfect in every manner. A slower song, and it just makes you want to listen to it over and over again. I Wanna See you again and I'm Nothin------They were great before, and they're great again. A Story----Very weird, but the more you listen to it, the better it gets. Forbidden-----Sounds like it was made for a five year old, but very catchy. Yes oh Yes-----Didn't like it the first time I hear it, but now I love it and find myself fast forwarding to it. Positively 4th Street-----Expecting a carbon copy of this Dylan masterpiece? Think again. It sounds nothing like the original and in fact only contains a few of the original lyrics, but it's still great. I'm extremely happy to see the femmes didn't just rip off a great song!!!! The rest of the songs are really good too, EXCEPT "HAPPINESS IS"! What the hell were the femmes thinking. This is only the second femmes song from all their albums that I find myself dreading when it's about to come on. The first, "Life is a Scream". Rumor has it that the boys wrote a lot of songs for their upcoming album. Hopefully on the final release this will be replaced by something else. Been good talking to you all, and remember, those of you who were fortunate enough to get Freak Magnet early, you better buy the album because..... a) If the hardcore femmes fans don't buy the album, there will be less of a chance for a future album b) If you don't, You'll never get to see the great cover art that always accompanies the liner notes, and c) I will make it my personal mission to find everyone on this list who doesn't buy the album, steal fifteen dollars from them, and then buy the record for them. I'll do it, don't test me. See ya'll later, have a good summer. Matt ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RE: Freak Magnet ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My humble opinions in response to Joshua( Heyzeus) post: >>This album goes in all sorts of nice directions, but each of these >>comes away sounding a bit reminiscent of something someone else >>has done. I agree completely with the "all sorts of directions" part. Although I think it's more reminiscent of the mood of each of the albums THEY have done. Ex. Forbidden & All I Want kinda remind me of the mood of Why do Birds Sing. Bad & A Story have a New Times-y mood. Requiem & Rejoice have a Hallowed Ground-y mood. Mosh Pit & Pos 4th Street - undoubtedly ROCK!!! Happiness Is & Freak Magnet - self titled. Yes O Yes & When you died - 3. I'm NOT saying they are repeating old music. I'm saying they've taken this older music - the best of the best if you will - and have taken it further. >>You've Got a Lot of Nerve (?) - decent, unremarkable Yep! I must admit I was offended by this too. And while I still haven't completely convinced myself of this - it would kind of go along with my theory of taking the original music further ? - well maybe... >>All I Want - sounds ever so much like "Jane Says" by Jane's Addiction. >>A nice slow lovey sort of song. I think it woulda been the first >>single. Nice. Definitely a FINE single! Would be my pick for first release also! >>A Story - psychotic. Odd indeed! One of my favorites though. Definitely ONLY for the seasoned VF listener. Must be accepted just as it says - a story! Someone could hurt themselves delving too deeply into the meaning of this one... (CMJ journalists perhaps?) >>Happiness is - contains the lyric, "When I eat a chocolate turtle, I'm >>happy, when the box is empty, I'm unhappy." Well, at least it sounds >>nice. Name one other band who uses the word spasmodically in a lyric - dare ya'!? Double dare - name one other band's fans who would know the meaning of the word or even its spelling... >>Forbidden - another great and intriguing femmes tune, and has an odd >>literary feel almost like Hey Nonny Nonny. I don't know if this is a >>poem or anything. Great song. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! Yes much like Nonny & the Shakuhachi too! I can imagine a wonderful live version of this song!! >Mosh Pit - we all know the Femmes just love teenage moshing. This >makes fun of lame 90's punk by sounding like lame 90's punk. Gordon >has some funny lyrics about being a dork for not wanting to do his >homework. Another odd choice. Oh NO! This one is priceless! This one has Ritchie-tude written all over it! I wanna be clutching the barrier but this is another candidate for extreme live performance! >And i'm missing the names for the last 4 songs. One is an interesting >version of that prayer "and now i lay me down to sleep..." REQUIEM! REQUIEM! REQUIEM! Have you listened to it with headphones yet? oooooooo... It's as if Gordy is walking around in your head! I guess it was engineered this way. Powerful - powerful song! It's the one on this album I go back to over and over and over... >last song on the album is this great instrumental that starts off with >the didgerido (or maybe the shakahuchi??) and adds all of these >interesting organic sounds in layers, like vancouver . Reckless Stones... beautiful - great description Joshua - organic sounds in layers.... (it's also a "hidden" track) My first thought was WOW! This album sounds so..... mature! I can't say that it's better than anything they've done because I can't compare this effort to something like the self-titled that was recorded 15 years ago. I guess I would put it this way - they've evolved and improved as musicians- just as we do as people. Or do you think they'd mind if I just said they're getting better and better in their old age! :o) -ddearry -Pat. Says: OLD AGE??????????????????????????AAARRRRGGGGHHHHHH Brian and I are the same age, and that ain't old! Wait, I'm going to save this post and send it back to you in about 10 years :) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~