Violent Femmes (album)
Encyclopedia
Violent Femmes is the debut album by Violent Femmes
. Mostly recorded in July 1982, the album was released by Slash Records
on vinyl
and on cassette
in April 1983, and on CD
in 1987 with two extra tracks "Ugly" and "Gimme the Car".
In 2002, Rhino Records remastered the album, filled out the disc's length with demos
, and added another disc of live tracks and a radio interview for a 20th anniversary special edition, with liner notes by Michael Azerrad
.
Violent Femmes is the band's most successful album to date and went platinum eight years after its release.
, was still in high school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
. Violent Femmes peaked at #171 on Billboard's Top 200 album chart.
The cover photograph is by Ron Hugo and the little girl on the cover is Billie Jo Campbell.
and the tense, jittery, hyperactive feel of new wave in an unlikely context: raw, amateurish acoustic folk-rock. The music also owes something to the The Modern Lovers
' minimalism, but powered by Brian Ritchie
's busy acoustic bass riffing and the urgency and wild abandon of punk rock, the Femmes forged a sound all their own."
, except as noted.
Side one
Side two
Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes were an American alternative rock band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, initially active between 1980 and 1987 and again from 1988 to 2009...
. Mostly recorded in July 1982, the album was released by Slash Records
Slash Records
Slash Records is a record label in Los Angeles, originally specializing in local and punk rock bands.The label was formed in 1978 by Bob Biggs as an outgrowth of the Los Angeles-based fanzine, Slash. Biggs, a painter, initiated the label with a seven-inch single from The Germs in 1978. A full album...
on vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
and on cassette
Compact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
in April 1983, and on CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
in 1987 with two extra tracks "Ugly" and "Gimme the Car".
In 2002, Rhino Records remastered the album, filled out the disc's length with demos
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
, and added another disc of live tracks and a radio interview for a 20th anniversary special edition, with liner notes by Michael Azerrad
Michael Azerrad
Michael Azerrad is an American author, journalist and musician. He grew up in the New York City area and received his BA degree from Columbia College in 1983...
.
Violent Femmes is the band's most successful album to date and went platinum eight years after its release.
Album
Most of the songs on the album were written when the songwriter, Gordon GanoGordon Gano
Gordon James Gano is an American musician. He is best known for being the singer, guitarist and songwriter of American alternative rock band Violent Femmes.-Early life:...
, was still in high school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
. Violent Femmes peaked at #171 on Billboard's Top 200 album chart.
The cover photograph is by Ron Hugo and the little girl on the cover is Billie Jo Campbell.
Reception
Violent Femmes has received mostly positive reviews. The Allmusic review by Steve Huey awards the album 5 stars and states: "One of the most distinctive records of the early alternative movement and an enduring cult classic, Violent Femmes weds the geeky, child-man persona of Jonathan RichmanJonathan Richman
Jonathan Michael Richman is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. In 1970 he founded The Modern Lovers, an influential proto-punk band. Since the mid-1970s, Richman has worked either solo or with low-key, generally acoustic backing...
and the tense, jittery, hyperactive feel of new wave in an unlikely context: raw, amateurish acoustic folk-rock. The music also owes something to the The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers were an American rock band led by Jonathan Richman in the 1970s and 1980s. The original band existed from 1970–74 but their recordings were not released until 1976 or later. It featured Richman and bassist Ernie Brooks with drummer David Robinson and keyboardist Jerry Harrison...
' minimalism, but powered by Brian Ritchie
Brian Ritchie
Brian Ritchie was the bass guitarist for the alternative rock band Violent Femmes.In addition to his bass playing, Ritchie is proficient at the shakuhachi, a Japanese bamboo flute...
's busy acoustic bass riffing and the urgency and wild abandon of punk rock, the Femmes forged a sound all their own."
Track listing
All songs written by Gordon GanoGordon Gano
Gordon James Gano is an American musician. He is best known for being the singer, guitarist and songwriter of American alternative rock band Violent Femmes.-Early life:...
, except as noted.
Side one
- "Blister in the SunBlister in the Sun"Blister in the Sun" is a song by the American alternative rock band Violent Femmes, originally released on their 1983 self-titled debut album. It has also been covered by Nouvelle Vague, on their 2009 album 3. This version was used in an episode Gossip Girl.In August 2007, Gordon Gano was the...
" – 2:25 - "Kiss Off" – 2:56
- "Please Do Not Go" – 4:15
- "Add It UpAdd It Up"Add It Up" is a song by American rock band Violent Femmes, released on their 1983 debut album Violent Femmes.It contains the lyrics:Some radio stations substitute a guitar note for the swear word for airplay.-Use in film:...
" – 4:44 - "Confessions" – 5:32
Side two
- "Prove My Love" – 2:39
- "Promise" – 2:49
- "To the Kill" – 4:01
- "Gone Daddy GoneGone Daddy Gone"Gone Daddy Gone" is a song written by Gordon Gano and originally recorded by his group Violent Femmes for their 1983 eponymous debut album....
" (Gano, Willie DixonWillie DixonWilliam James "Willie" Dixon was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. A Grammy Award winner who was proficient on both the Upright bass and the guitar, as well as his own singing voice, Dixon is arguably best known as one of the most prolific songwriters...
) – 3:06 - "Good Feeling" – 3:52
20th Anniversary Edition bonus tracks
- "Girl Trouble" (demo) - 3:07
- "Breakin' Up" (demo) - 5:17
- "Waiting for the Bus" (demo) - 2:08
- "Blister in the Sun" (demo) - 2:35
- "Kiss Off" (demo) - 2:49
- "Please Do Not Go" (demo) - 4:18
- "Add It Up" (demo) - 4:35
- "Confessions" (demo) - 5:20
- "Prove My Love" (demo) - 2:50
- "Ugly" (UK single) - 2:22
- "Gimme the Car" (UK single) - 5:07
20th Anniversary Edition bonus live disc
- "Special" (live) - 4:27
- "Country Death Song" (live) - 5:25
- "To the Kill" (live) - 4:19
- "Never Tell" (live) - 7:17
- "Break Song" (live) - 0:41
- "Her Television" (live) - 2:28
- "How Do You Say Goodbye" (live) - 2:43
- "Theme and Variations" (live) - 0:54
- "Prove My Love" (live) - 3:19
- "Gone Daddy Gone" (live) - 3:32 (Gano, Willie Dixon)
- "Promise" (live) - 3:09
- "In Style" (live) - 3:43
- "Add It Up" (live) - 6:15
- Michael Feldman Interview from WHA-FM - 4:09
- "Kiss Off" (live on WHA-FM) - 3:31
Personnel
- Gordon GanoGordon GanoGordon James Gano is an American musician. He is best known for being the singer, guitarist and songwriter of American alternative rock band Violent Femmes.-Early life:...
- guitar, violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, lead vocals - Brian RitchieBrian RitchieBrian Ritchie was the bass guitarist for the alternative rock band Violent Femmes.In addition to his bass playing, Ritchie is proficient at the shakuhachi, a Japanese bamboo flute...
- acoustic bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, electric bass guitar, xylophoneXylophoneThe xylophone is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets...
, vocals - Victor DeLorenzoVictor DeLorenzoVictor DeLorenzo was born on October 25, 1954, and is best known as the drummer for the folk-punk band the Violent Femmes.He grew up in Racine, Wisconsin and has lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, since. He has been a drummer since the age of sixteen, but an actor since the age of five...
- drum set, Scotch marching bass drumBass drumBass drums are percussion instruments that can vary in size and are used in several musical genres. Three major types of bass drums can be distinguished. The type usually seen or heard in orchestral, ensemble or concert band music is the orchestral, or concert bass drum . It is the largest drum of...
, snare drumSnare drumThe snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...
and tranceaphone, vocals - Mark Van Hecke - pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
on 'Good Feeling' - Luke W. Midkiff - percussion on 'Kiss Off'
Influence
- "Good Feeling" is featured in the movie and the on the soundtrack to I WAS A TEENAGE ZOMBIEI Was a Teenage ZombieI Was a Teenage Zombie is a 1987 film. Though it had a very low budget and unknown actors, it attracted a cult following.-Plot:The film begins like a '80s comedy with teens looking to purchase some marijuana but turns into comedy/horror genre when a drug dealer is pushed into the river and becomes...
(1987) - Ethan HawkeEthan HawkeEthan Green Hawke is an American actor, writer and director. He made his feature film debut in 1985 with the science fiction movie Explorers, before making a supporting appearance in the 1989 drama Dead Poets Society which is considered his breakthrough role...
's character in the 1994 film Reality BitesReality BitesReality Bites is a 1994 American romantic comedy-drama film written by Helen Childress and featuring the directorial debut of Ben Stiller. It stars Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke and Stiller, with major supporting roles played by Janeane Garofalo and Steve Zahn. The film was shot on location in Austin...
, plays a cover of "Add It Up" with his band Hey That's My Bike. - In the How I Met Your MotherHow I Met Your MotherHow I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays.As a framing device, the main character, Ted Mosby with narration by Bob Saget, in the year 2030 recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting...
episode "Best Prom Ever", an engaged couple, Marshall and Lily, try to sneak into a high schoolHigh schoolHigh school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
promPromIn the United States and Canada, a prom, short for promenade, is a formal dance, or gathering of high school students. It is typically held near the end of the senior year. It figures greatly in popular culture and is a major event among high school students...
to see if the band, The 88The 88The 88 is a four-piece indie rock band based in Los Angeles, California. They have released five full length albums as of 2010, and are the backing band for the Ray Davies Fall 2011 US Tour.- Members :Members of the band are:...
, who Marshall had tentatively booked for the wedding, could play the couple's song, which was "Good Feeling." - Gnarls BarkleyGnarls BarkleyGnarls Barkley is an American soul duo comprising Danger Mouse and Cee Lo Green. Their first studio album St. Elsewhere was released in 2006; along with its first single "Crazy". Both single and album were a major commercial success and have been noted for their large sales by download...
's 2006 debut album St. ElsewhereSt. Elsewhere (album)St. Elsewhere is the debut album by United States hip hop soul duo Gnarls Barkley. It was released on April 24, 2006 in the United Kingdom, where it debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, and on May 9, 2006 in the United States, although it was available for purchase one week earlier as a...
featured a cover versionCover versionIn popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "Gone Daddy Gone." In 2008, Violent Femmes covered Gnarls Barkley's hit single "CrazyCrazy (Gnarls Barkley song)"Crazy" is the debut single from Gnarls Barkley, a musical collaboration between Danger Mouse and Cee Lo Green, and is taken from their 2006 debut album St. Elsewhere...
". - "Add It Up" was used as a track in the video game Tony Hawk's Underground 2Tony Hawk's Underground 2Tony Hawk's Underground 2, also known as THUG 2, is the sixth installment in Neversoft's Tony Hawk's Series and sequel to Tony Hawk's Underground. Tony Hawk's Underground 2 was released on October 4, 2004 for the PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, PC, and Game Boy Advance platforms...
. - The film, Lost and DeliriousLost and DeliriousLost and Delirious is a 2001 Canadian drama film directed by Léa Pool and loosely based on the novel The Wives of Bath by Susan Swan. Lost and Delirious is filmed from the perspective of Mary , who observes the changing love between her two teenage friends, Pauline and Victoria...
features "Add It Up" in a scene. - Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the MachineRichard Cheese and Lounge Against the MachineMark Jonathan Davis , known by his stage name Richard Cheese, is an American musician and comedian. He was born in New York...
covered the song "Add It UpAdd It Up"Add It Up" is a song by American rock band Violent Femmes, released on their 1983 debut album Violent Femmes.It contains the lyrics:Some radio stations substitute a guitar note for the swear word for airplay.-Use in film:...
" into a LoungeLounge musicLounge music is a retrospective description of music popular in the 1950s and 1960s. It is a type of mood music meant to evoke in the listeners the feeling of being in a place — a jungle, an island paradise, outer space, et cetera — other than where they are listening to it...
style on their 2005 album "Aperitif for DestructionAperitif for DestructionAperitif for Destruction is the fourth album from Richard Cheese, released May 24, 2005. The album title and artwork are take-offs of Guns N' Roses' 1987 album, Appetite for Destruction.-Track listing:# "Me So Horny" – 2:15...
". - "Gone Daddy Gone" borrows a complete verse from Willie DixonWillie DixonWilliam James "Willie" Dixon was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. A Grammy Award winner who was proficient on both the Upright bass and the guitar, as well as his own singing voice, Dixon is arguably best known as one of the most prolific songwriters...
's 1954 song "I Just Want to Make Love to YouI Just Want to Make Love to YouIn 1961, Etta James recorded the song for her debut album At Last!. Her rendition also served as the b-side to her hit "At Last." In 1996, Etta James' version became popular in the UK after featuring in a Diet Coke ad campaign. As a result, the single was re-released there...
". Violent Femmes give proper credit for this in the liner notes of their debut album. - The song "Blister in the Sun" plays at the beginning of the My So-Called LifeMy So-Called LifeMy So-Called Life is an American teen drama television series created by Winnie Holzman and produced by Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz. It originally aired on ABC from August 25, 1994, to January 26, 1995 and was distributed by The Bedford Falls Company with ABC Productions. Set at the...
episode entitled "Betrayal," originally aired January 12, 1995. - "Blister in the Sun" appears in the movie Grosse Pointe BlankGrosse Pointe BlankGrosse Pointe Blank is a 1997 American Black comedy film, directed by George Armitage, and starring John Cusack and Minnie Driver.In 2000, readers of Total Film magazine voted Grosse Pointe Blank the 21st greatest comedy film of all time. The film's soundtrack features mainly independent music hits...
as part of a radio retrospective on the '80s. - "Gone Daddy Gone" also features in the seminal '90's Italian film Jack Frusciante è uscito dal gruppo.
- Songs from this album were covered by GusterGusterGuster is an American alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 1991, the group is known for its live performances and humor, founding members Adam Gardner, Ryan Miller, and Brian Rosenworcel came about to begin practice sessions while attending Tufts University in Medford,...
(with some assistance from its creators) on an episode of MTV2MTV2MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
's short-lived Album Covers series in 20042004 in musicSee also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol....
. - The song "Blister in the Sun" is played as the background music in a 2007 Wendy'sWendy'sWendy's is an international fast food chain restaurant founded by Dave Thomas on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio, United States. The company decided to move its headquarters to Dublin, Ohio, on January 29, 2006. It has been owned by Triarc since 2008...
commercial. This was seen as a point of contention by bassist Brian Ritchie, who filed suit against Gordon Gano in August 2007. - "Kiss Off" and "Blister in the SunBlister in the Sun"Blister in the Sun" is a song by the American alternative rock band Violent Femmes, originally released on their 1983 self-titled debut album. It has also been covered by Nouvelle Vague, on their 2009 album 3. This version was used in an episode Gossip Girl.In August 2007, Gordon Gano was the...
" appear in the 2007 movie Rocket ScienceRocket Science (film)Rocket Science is a 2007 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Jeffrey Blitz, and starring Reece Thompson, Anna Kendrick, Nicholas D'Agosto, Vincent Piazza, and Aaron Yoo...
. - In the pivotal scene of the movie SurveillanceSurveillance (2008 film)Surveillance is an independent thriller set in the Nebraska plains directed by Jennifer Lynch and starring Julia Ormond, Bill Pullman, Michael Ironside, and French Stewart. The film premiered out of competition and at a midnight slot at 2008 Cannes Film Festival...
the victims sing along to "Add It Up" playing on the car stereo. - "Blister in the Sun" appears in the 2009 movie Adventureland.
- In Audrey NiffeneggerAudrey NiffeneggerAudrey Niffenegger is an American writer, artist and academic.-Writing:A film version of Niffenegger's debut novel, The Time Traveler's Wife , starring Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams, was released in August 2009.She has also written a graphic novel, or "novel in pictures" as Niffenegger calls it,...
's novel The Time Traveler's WifeThe Time Traveler's WifeOnce their timelines converge "naturally" at the library—their first meeting in his chronology—Henry starts to travel to Clare's childhood and adolescence in South Haven, Michigan, beginning in 1977 when she is six years old...
Clare and Henry go to a Violent Femmes concert at the Aragon Ballroom, and many lyrics are quoted. - The song "Please Do Not Go" is featured in the final scene of the CommunityCommunity (TV series)Community is an American television comedy series created by Dan Harmon that airs on NBC. The series is about a group of students at a community college in the fictional locale of Greendale, Colorado. The series heavily uses meta-humor and pop culture references, often parodying film and television...
episode "Football, Feminism and You."
Charts
Album| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | The Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
171 |
Certifications
| Organization | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| RIAA – USA | Gold | December 8, 1987 |
| Platinum | February 1, 1991 |