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Post by muzzleofbees on Dec 4, 2013 2:02:52 GMT -5
Just a quick question regarding Lifter Puller - where does these songs come from?
11th Ave Freezeout - "Soft Rock" compilation, and "Slips Backwards" compilation
The Langelos - "Soft Rock" compilation, and "Slips Backwards" compilation
Mick's Tape - "Soft Rock" compilation, and "Slips Backwards" compilation
The Pirate and the Penpal - "Soft Rock" compilation, and "Slips Backwards" compilation
The list and description is taken from "List of songs Craig Finn has sung on" from the THS Wiki.
The other Lifter Puller tracks are tied to albums, singles or EPs. Were these songs unreleased untill the release of Slips Backwards? And if so, when are they from?
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Post by jz on Dec 4, 2013 13:47:17 GMT -5
I'm pretty certain that Soft Rock had some unreleased material on it. I read an overview of Lifter Puller's albums not too long ago and seem to remember that being mentioned.
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Post by vinyltravis on Dec 4, 2013 18:51:31 GMT -5
Just a quick question regarding Lifter Puller - where does these songs come from? 11th Ave Freezeout - "Soft Rock" compilation, and "Slips Backwards" compilation The Langelos - "Soft Rock" compilation, and "Slips Backwards" compilation Mick's Tape - "Soft Rock" compilation, and "Slips Backwards" compilation The Pirate and the Penpal - "Soft Rock" compilation, and "Slips Backwards" compilation The list and description is taken from "List of songs Craig Finn has sung on" from the THS Wiki. The other Lifter Puller tracks are tied to albums, singles or EPs. Were these songs unreleased untill the release of Slips Backwards? And if so, when are they from? ''The Langelos' is challenging someone to a fight; the song was a demo for the Half Dead and Dynamite album, though never made it on the actual CD along with '11th Avenue Freezout' which was intended to be on the same album. The boys all thought g\thee were not in theme with the rest of the album. I never personally saw The Langelos once played live. But still, this great song is from 1997. '11th Avenue Freezout,' is a take on the Bruce Springsteen song name, 'Tenth Avenue Freezout.' Probably hence the kick-ass sax in the LPs song! I did see this played live a couple times between the first CD and second CD (minus the sax of course!) Recorded 1997. 'Micks Tape' could mean a number of things, such as a play on words regarding the phrase 'Mix Tape', which were very popular in the hardcore scene when Crag Finn was coming up. You have to be a certain type of guy and old enough to know what it was like to give a mix tape to a crush..it's a lot of work! The picking out records, recording records to tape, making sure everything sounded right, making sure the message got across but not too creepily...It's a LOST art! Mix tapes often turned people on to new music or music they would have not otherwise been exposed to; almost thirty years later I run into people that remember the songs on the mix tape I gave them. Don't get it skewed kids, I'm not talking MP3 to CD, I'm talking about taking at least a good part of a day to create a 60-90 minute cassette tape from 7"s and and 12"s...Believe me it takes a while, hence the reason I call it a labor of love. But I digress....It could also be that the main player in the song is simply named Mick or had a nickname of Mick. God knows Craig loved the Stones, maybe he thought having the name Mick in a song would be a shoutout to a hero as he did by using a picture of the Descendents on the 'Mezzanine Gyp/Star Wars Hips' 7" as tribute, or by name checking the Rolling Stones, Bloodline, Bad Brains, Dinosaur JR, The Clash, Dillinger Four, Mountain Goats, Jim Carroll, Shelter, Agnostic Front, Youth of Today, 7 Seconds, Donavan, Devo, Meat Puppets among MANY others. 'The 'Pirate and the Penpal' was a song recorded and was meant to be on Half Dad and Dynamite though it has a Lifter Puller self titled feel to it rather than the direction they were taking their music, so the band didn't feel it warranted inclusion and it was released via a compilation called Twin Town High Music Yearbook Volume - 1998-1999. Mark Mallman had a song on that years Twin Town High Yearbook before he got big after the release of his second album (besides cassette tapes and material with his old band the ODD,) the Freedom Fighters, Katastrophy Wife, Rank Strangers, Accident Clearinghouse and Lillyliver were on there as well as a bunch of other bands that made the 90's for me aside from the punk/hardcore I was primarily into during those years, which I was also ultra into at the time, never missing a show! There were a couple other comp songs but they made it onto Soft Rock, they were 'Back in Blackbird; a take on an AC/DC song. 'Math is Money,' featuring Slug of Atmosphere and '4Dix', the last Lifter Puller song. I don't know if '4Dix' made it to CD or not, I only have the vinyl. Let me know if you have any other questions, I was there at almost every Minneapolis area show since the beginning, I feel I know the band and how they operated pretty well! Travis |
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Post by hoodrat on Dec 5, 2013 15:13:11 GMT -5
Vinyl Travis is my new hero. That is all.
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Post by muzzleofbees on Dec 5, 2013 16:20:20 GMT -5
Let me know if you have any other questions, I was there at almost every Minneapolis area show since the beginning, I feel I know the band and how they operated pretty well! Travis Thank you so much! The Langelos is one of my all time Lifter Puller favourites, and I'm really found of The Pirate and the Penpal (not so sure about the s/t feel of it - I think it would have fitted great in on the last two albums, or maybe even asa a THS b-side) as well. And when you bring in 4 Dix, you've almost mentioned half of my top ten list. That's why i watned to know where in the story they fit in. Especially The Langelos sounds like such a perfect and complete tale in itself. That's why I had a feeling it was written and recorded pretty late, kind of like a summary of the entire feeling of the last two albums. Interesting that it wasn't. I've listened a hell of a lot to Lifter Puller the past three or four years, and since my first meeting with the catalouge was through Soft Rock, the chronology is a bit messed up to me. That's sort of nice today, when the entire output feels like a breathing whole, opposed to clearly defined albums/EPs, or specific eras or time periods. Again, thanks for a great walkthrough! |
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TKalltheTime
Sniffling Indie Kid
Blotto / Blacked Out / Cracked Out / Caved In
Posts: 194 
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Post by TKalltheTime on Dec 9, 2013 18:05:54 GMT -5
Just a quick question regarding Lifter Puller - where does these songs come from? 11th Ave Freezeout - "Soft Rock" compilation, and "Slips Backwards" compilation The Langelos - "Soft Rock" compilation, and "Slips Backwards" compilation Mick's Tape - "Soft Rock" compilation, and "Slips Backwards" compilation The Pirate and the Penpal - "Soft Rock" compilation, and "Slips Backwards" compilation The list and description is taken from "List of songs Craig Finn has sung on" from the THS Wiki. The other Lifter Puller tracks are tied to albums, singles or EPs. Were these songs unreleased untill the release of Slips Backwards? And if so, when are they from? ''The Langelos' is challenging someone to a fight; the song was a demo for the Half Dead and Dynamite album, though never made it on the actual CD along with '11th Avenue Freezout' which was intended to be on the same album. The boys all thought g\thee were not in theme with the rest of the album. I never personally saw The Langelos once played live. But still, this great song is from 1997. '11th Avenue Freezout,' is a take on the Bruce Springsteen song name, 'Tenth Avenue Freezout.' Probably hence the kick-ass sax in the LPs song! I did see this played live a couple times between the first CD and second CD (minus the sax of course!) Recorded 1997. 'Micks Tape' could mean a number of things, such as a play on words regarding the phrase 'Mix Tape', which were very popular in the hardcore scene when Crag Finn was coming up. You have to be a certain type of guy and old enough to know what it was like to give a mix tape to a crush..it's a lot of work! The picking out records, recording records to tape, making sure everything sounded right, making sure the message got across but not too creepily...It's a LOST art! Mix tapes often turned people on to new music or music they would have not otherwise been exposed to; almost thirty years later I run into people that remember the songs on the mix tape I gave them. Don't get it skewed kids, I'm not talking MP3 to CD, I'm talking about taking at least a good part of a day to create a 60-90 minute cassette tape from 7"s and and 12"s...Believe me it takes a while, hence the reason I call it a labor of love. But I digress....It could also be that the main player in the song is simply named Mick or had a nickname of Mick. God knows Craig loved the Stones, maybe he thought having the name Mick in a song would be a shoutout to a hero as he did by using a picture of the Descendents on the 'Mezzanine Gyp/Star Wars Hips' 7" as tribute, or by name checking the Rolling Stones, Bloodline, Bad Brains, Dinosaur JR, The Clash, Dillinger Four, Mountain Goats, Jim Carroll, Shelter, Agnostic Front, Youth of Today, 7 Seconds, Donavan, Devo, Meat Puppets among MANY others. 'The 'Pirate and the Penpal' was a song recorded and was meant to be on Half Dad and Dynamite though it has a Lifter Puller self titled feel to it rather than the direction they were taking their music, so the band didn't feel it warranted inclusion and it was released via a compilation called Twin Town High Music Yearbook Volume - 1998-1999. Mark Mallman had a song on that years Twin Town High Yearbook before he got big after the release of his second album (besides cassette tapes and material with his old band the ODD,) the Freedom Fighters, Katastrophy Wife, Rank Strangers, Accident Clearinghouse and Lillyliver were on there as well as a bunch of other bands that made the 90's for me aside from the punk/hardcore I was primarily into during those years, which I was also ultra into at the time, never missing a show! There were a couple other comp songs but they made it onto Soft Rock, they were 'Back in Blackbird; a take on an AC/DC song. 'Math is Money,' featuring Slug of Atmosphere and '4Dix', the last Lifter Puller song. I don't know if '4Dix' made it to CD or not, I only have the vinyl. Let me know if you have any other questions, I was there at almost every Minneapolis area show since the beginning, I feel I know the band and how they operated pretty well! Travis Awesome stuff man, one thing I still have yet to ask or talk to Craig about is the line in the song "Lifter Puller Vs. The End of the Evening" Craig sings... "fallin off the flatbed wasted and dancin holdin hands and speedin into scranton..." I am originally from NEPA (North East Pennsylvania) and I assume he is talking about the city of Scranton?! Am I correct in thinking this or is there another area/city of Scraton in the Minny area or whats the deal?! Just though it was kinda crazy and fun he name drops a city from around my home town! |
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Post by vinyltravis on Dec 22, 2013 14:25:20 GMT -5
There's no other Scranton that I know of! Certainly not in MN.
Towards the end Lifter Puller was obviously on Frenchkiss Records and very close to and felt a major kinship with Les Savy Fav which/who had some connection to PA. If Frenchkiss Records didn't the Self-Starter Foundation did...Didn't Les Savy Fav start in PA?!
Anyway, I'm a Minneapolis guy and when I think of the East Coast, I think of Boston, NY, CT, NJ, PA..All areas Craig name-checked at some point in Lifter Puller, he went to college in Boston, quasi started Lifter Puller there and obviously moved to Brooklyn within a couple years after the recording of the last LP album.
I remember the line being switched to 'Rolling in Scranton,' pretty often live which fit the rest of the rave references that were frequent in Lifter Puller.
Travis
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Post by doctoracula on Dec 22, 2013 19:10:43 GMT -5
i always enjoyed that one song references LBI, which is hands down the best jersey shore destination
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Post by vinyltravis on Dec 23, 2013 0:09:33 GMT -5
Well there's two LBI songs as far as I remember. 'To Live and Die in LBI,' off Half Dead and Dynamite that introduces the eye patch guy and then the line from a song on the last record, 'Nightclub Dwight' maybe (drawing a blank) that states that they 'haven't seen the eye patch guy since the LBI.'
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TheWho
Sniffling Indie Kid
U.S. # ∞
Posts: 218
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Post by TheWho on Dec 23, 2013 19:30:37 GMT -5
Well there's two LBI songs as far as I remember. 'To Live and Die in LBI,' off Half Dead and Dynamite that introduces the eye patch guy and then the line from a song on the last record, 'Nightclub Dwight' maybe (drawing a blank) that states that they 'haven't seen the eye patch guy since the LBI.' Copied from previous site: I talked to Steve before the release of the book and he mentioned that his parents had a place at the end of the island. Its a cool place to visit if you are in NJ. |
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Post by doctoracula on Dec 23, 2013 21:17:54 GMT -5
the lighthouse and rock jetty at the end of the island is my favorite place
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TKalltheTime
Sniffling Indie Kid
Blotto / Blacked Out / Cracked Out / Caved In
Posts: 194
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Post by TKalltheTime on Dec 24, 2013 1:16:20 GMT -5
There's no other Scranton that I know of! Certainly not in MN. Towards the end Lifter Puller was obviously on Frenchkiss Records and very close to and felt a major kinship with Les Savy Fav which/who had some connection to PA. If Frenchkiss Records didn't the Self-Starter Foundation did...Didn't Les Savy Fav start in PA?! Anyway, I'm a Minneapolis guy and when I think of the East Coast, I think of Boston, NY, CT, NJ, PA..All areas Craig name-checked at some point in Lifter Puller, he went to college in Boston, quasi started Lifter Puller there and obviously moved to Brooklyn within a couple years after the recording of the last LP album. I remember the line being switched to 'Rolling in Scranton,' pretty often live which fit the rest of the rave references that were frequent in Lifter Puller. Travis Awesome thanks for the heads up and the little bit of insight, I'll ask Craig about it the next time if I get a chance to chat with him. |
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Post by muzzleofbees on Dec 24, 2013 4:44:40 GMT -5
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Post by muzzleofbees on Jan 12, 2014 4:26:15 GMT -5
Just a couple of more questions.
When was the Perscription Sunglasses 7'' released? Wikipedia and Rateyourmusic says 1995, but Discogs says 1993. I can't find any year on my physical copy, so I was just wondering.
And even though I've been on this board for almost seven years, I can't remember this. But have there been any talk of a Kickstarter (or anything like it) fundded re-release of the Lifter Puller catalog? I'm aware of the digital releases from 2009, but there seem to be quite a hunger for the albums on either vinyl or CD. I guess someone has suggested it, but are there any reason why this hasn't materialzed (besides the band somehow don't want it)? Are there any label and/or rights issues?
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Post by vinyltravis on Jan 16, 2014 15:21:31 GMT -5
RX Sunglasses was 1994 or 1995, I think.
I don't know why the LP stuff hasn't been re-released except that's just the way it is. They were involved at different points over the last 15 years in releasing it as the Soft Rock CD (Self-Starter, right?), online as albums and then with that book project.
Some of it, perhaps, has to do with legalities or rights issues but I doubt that's the case with most of it; at the very least the Entertainment and the Arts EP was self-released on a label they created and were using on t-shirts in 1998. RX Sunglasses was a self-release on a CF created label. The first album and the Slips Backwards 7" were on Skene! which was started as a hardcore label in the late 80's, run by a dude from St. Paul who was a good friend of the band, maybe even a roommate of CF at some point, and released some really good 'indie rock' starting in the mid-90's; the label hasn't existed since the lateish 90's. Runt Records (in Italy) released the Descendents cover 7" and co-released the first full length. No Alternative, originally a branch of Twin/Tone Records, released Half Dead and Dynamite, was local and seems to be at least quasi-doing-stuff at least as of a few years ago. Entertainment and Arts was definitely self-released. Frenchkiss/Self Starter did the vinyl and CD for the last album, I know it wasn't included on a digital release they did but it was possibly still in print at that time and orderable through Frenchkiss (obviously not anymore)/possibly some issues with ownership or releasability of that material? Bay City Rolling was on a small Minneapolis label not operating currently but was run by Dan Cote from Treehouse Records. 4 Dix was released as a one sided 7" by Amphetamine Reptile.
Even here (MPLS) when an album (CD) pops up used at a record store, it's going for $20.00-$30.00. I'm a big fan of collectability and always get pissed when something I was there for originally or really went out of my way to get is re-released. Green Day with their first 7" (interestingly was originally on Skene! records)Jawbreaker did it with Etc (Their first 7" was also a Skene! release), Flaming Lips with pretty much everything, Husker Du re-released the first 7" as a record store day thing, but I also get that if I wasn't from Minneapolis and around at that time and was a current CF/THS fan, I'd surely want the back catalogue.
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Post by vinyltravis on Jan 23, 2014 22:12:07 GMT -5
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Post by muzzleofbees on Jan 25, 2014 9:09:33 GMT -5
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Post by muzzleofbees on Jan 26, 2014 4:58:09 GMT -5
Since we're allready deep into the unimportant details...
I just recieved The Entertainment and Arts in the mail. When I open the booklet, I find "lyrics", or more precisely the lyrics of the songs rewritten in a phonetic similar language, but with different words. It doesn't have to, eh, mean anything, but do anyone know why it was done?
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Post by gettinincredible on Jan 27, 2014 4:42:15 GMT -5
Since we're allready deep into the unimportant details... I just recieved The Entertainment and Arts in the mail. When I open the booklet, I find "lyrics", or more precisely the lyrics of the songs rewritten in a phonetic similar language, but with different words. It doesn't have to, eh, mean anything, but do anyone know why it was done? I don't have an answer as for why, but the insert for the Nassau Coliseum 7" does the same thing. |
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Post by muzzleofbees on Jan 28, 2014 2:38:08 GMT -5
Since we're allready deep into the unimportant details... I just recieved The Entertainment and Arts in the mail. When I open the booklet, I find "lyrics", or more precisely the lyrics of the songs rewritten in a phonetic similar language, but with different words. It doesn't have to, eh, mean anything, but do anyone know why it was done? I don't have an answer as for why, but the insert for the Nassau Coliseum 7" does the same thing. Yeah, you're right! I forgot that. Just a heads up to those who would like some Lifter Puller stuff on a physcial piece of plastic: Soft Rock for $25 is not a bad deal - www.discogs.com/Lifter-Puller-Soft-Rock/release/2519455?ev=wh |
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Post by vinyltravis on Jan 29, 2014 21:12:28 GMT -5
Just alternate lyrics/name checks that are actually pretty good. I initially got into Lifter Puller because the Slips Backwards 7" lyrics referenced the Grifters, making them pretty clever in my book, at that time (twenty years later Craig does a Those Bastard Souls cover, bringing it all full circle!)
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Post by soniclovenoize on Mar 6, 2014 20:55:54 GMT -5
Just a couple of more questions. When was the Perscription Sunglasses 7'' released? Wikipedia and Rateyourmusic says 1995, but Discogs says 1993. I can't find any year on my physical copy, so I was just wondering. Recorded in 1994 at Amphetamine Reptile; released in 1995 on Crisp Recording Co Just a quick question regarding Lifter Puller - where does these songs come from? 11th Ave Freezeout - "Soft Rock" compilation, and "Slips Backwards" compilation The Langelos - "Soft Rock" compilation, and "Slips Backwards" compilation Mick's Tape - "Soft Rock" compilation, and "Slips Backwards" compilation The Pirate and the Penpal - "Soft Rock" compilation, and "Slips Backwards" compilation The list and description is taken from "List of songs Craig Finn has sung on" from the THS Wiki. The other Lifter Puller tracks are tied to albums, singles or EPs. Were these songs unreleased untill the release of Slips Backwards? And if so, when are they from? Those four songs are called the "Half Dead Demos" because they were, as the title hints at, demos for the 2nd album Half Dead & Dynamite. Pirate & The Penpal was eventually released on the Twin Tone comp as Travis says but the other three were unreleased until Slips Backwards. Note that live soundboard bootlegs of both Mick's Tape and 11th Avenue Freezeout were making the rounds before that, as Micks Tape was on the Universal Buzz Radio promo, and 11th Ave Freezeout was played live and broadcasted live on KVSC's Monday Night Live. Langlos was completely unheard to my knowledge. Also of note, Secret Santa Cruz, La Quereria, Math is $$$, 4 Dix and Back in Blackbeard were all recorded in 2000 for Lifter Puller's 4th album that never happened. Instead those five tracks got spread across comps and 7"s throughout that year. The album was supposed to close the Nightclub Nice Nice storyline. Also the album was supposed to be more laid back, in the vein of 4 Dix, so it would set up the band to make the following 5th album really ROCK in comparison. The only thing not on Soft Rock are the early 7"s recorded before the s/t, Prescription Sunglasses, Emperor, Slips Backwards and Nassau Coliseum (an unreleased version of Rental was also recorded at this time). The band was only Craig and a drummer named Dave Gerlach at this time, so I'm sure they thought it was just simply too old to be Lifter Puller to be included on Soft Rock... There was also a Mezzanine Gyp/Star Wars Hips 7", but i can't remember if it's the same versions as on s/t. I haven't listened to it in like 10 years. Just alternate lyrics/name checks that are actually pretty good. I initially got into Lifter Puller because the Slips Backwards 7" lyrics referenced the Grifters, making them pretty clever in my book, at that time (twenty years later Craig does a Those Bastard Souls cover, bringing it all full circle!) Hello Travis!! |
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Post by muzzleofbees on Mar 12, 2014 5:24:26 GMT -5
Thank you! Interesting (and nice) to know that the two group of songs belong togehter. Especially Back In Blackbeard and so on, sounds like a focused and coherent work who was supposed to be sequenced in that order.
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Post by soniclovenoize on Mar 13, 2014 11:02:08 GMT -5
Thank you! Interesting (and nice) to know that the two group of songs belong togehter. Especially Back In Blackbeard and so on, sounds like a focused and coherent work who was supposed to be sequenced in that order. Well here's the interesting thing: Some of those songs from the Bay City Rolling sessions actually leaked as mp3s on Napster before they were even released... It was in 2000 so it was a year before the 7" was released and obviously long before it was released on Soft Rock. But here's the thing: they were different mixes. I don't know the source of those mp3s, had to have been someone close to the band. Possibly someone from Dillinger Four. The individual was also sharing the live Mick's Tape from the Universal Buzz Radio show, long before I knew what that even was or where to find it. My point is that the end of Math Is $$$ was different so that in my opinion, it could flow seamlessly from Math is $$ into Secret Santa Cruz. It ended with a similar guitar sound and/or figure on top of the drum machine as on Secret Santa Cruz, unlike the Soft Rock version which is just the drum machine looped (presumably) endlessly. I really want to say that this orignal mix of Math is $$$ was released on this compilation called Hanging From The Devil's Tree in 2000 but I don't remember exactly. So anyways, long before Soft Rock was released, I had collected those Bay City Rolling songs and sequenced them like this: Math is $$$ Secret Santa Cruz Back In Blackbeard 4Dix La Quereria That always made sense to me as sort of a final EP... |
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Post by muzzleofbees on Jan 17, 2021 1:46:05 GMT -5
Thank you! Interesting (and nice) to know that the two group of songs belong togehter. Especially Back In Blackbeard and so on, sounds like a focused and coherent work who was supposed to be sequenced in that order. Well here's the interesting thing: Some of those songs from the Bay City Rolling sessions actually leaked as mp3s on Napster before they were even released... It was in 2000 so it was a year before the 7" was released and obviously long before it was released on Soft Rock. But here's the thing: they were different mixes. I don't know the source of those mp3s, had to have been someone close to the band. Possibly someone from Dillinger Four. The individual was also sharing the live Mick's Tape from the Universal Buzz Radio show, long before I knew what that even was or where to find it. My point is that the end of Math Is $$$ was different so that in my opinion, it could flow seamlessly from Math is $$ into Secret Santa Cruz. It ended with a similar guitar sound and/or figure on top of the drum machine as on Secret Santa Cruz, unlike the Soft Rock version which is just the drum machine looped (presumably) endlessly. I really want to say that this orignal mix of Math is $$$ was released on this compilation called Hanging From The Devil's Tree in 2000 but I don't remember exactly. So anyways, long before Soft Rock was released, I had collected those Bay City Rolling songs and sequenced them like this: Math is $$$ Secret Santa Cruz Back In Blackbeard 4Dix La Quereria That always made sense to me as sort of a final EP... I missed this post back in the day! Would love to hear those mixes. |
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