Ugh. Yeah, I can't honestly say that "Blister in the Sun" was anywhere on my radar in the '80s - the Violent Femmes were a band on the T-shirts of the alt-music kids whose tastes I secretly envied in high school, and it's a great fucking song, but it's not really 80sCore to me.
It's a damn shame either of these songs have to go home. I did wonder, did Violent Femmes songs become hits in Argentina at any point? Do you have familiarity with "Blister in the Sun," et al.?
"Blister in the Sun" will forever be Claire Danes (as Angela Chase) dancing around her bedroom on My So-Called Life when she decides she's over Jordan Catalano. I thought that was just because I'm baby Gen X-er (or a decrepit Millennial) but it sounds like I'm not the only one who was introduced to the Violent Femmes in the 90's instead of the 80's. It's the way cooler song, but had to vote for Always Something There to Remind me.
Aside from that -- "Love Changes Everything" isn't Richard Marx?? Today I Learned.
I'm going to leave my comment here before I listen to the podcast, so maybe you address my argument and maybe not. But ever since you named Blister in the Sun on this I was like, "no, no, no."
Here are my reasons. I discovered that album when I was 14, in 1984. (Even though I did grow up in suburban hellscape, I did at least have access to college radio out of Georgia State that saved my life) At the time almost NOBODY was listening to that record except for us few weird kids. I couldn't turn Violent Femmes on to anybody. Weird band, weird music. People were like, "what the fuck is that?" I ADORE this band and have gone to see them several times, but they resonated with almost no one in that actual decade.
It wasn't a hit at all. For one, it wasn't even released as a single. It did not chart at all until 1991, when it hit number 171 on the Hot 200. The album finally charted as well the same year.
Blister in the Sun (the only reason this is the well known song form the album is because Add It Up couldn't be played on the radio) became a popular song in the next decade. It hit most people's radar in the 90s. Suddenly the world caught up with Violent Femmes music, if even only that one song.
Timeline-wise it may be a song from the 80s, but culturally it is from the 90s. Almost anyone our age (again, except for us few weird kids), when they hear this song it takes them back to their college years in the 90s, not their high school years when they never heard it.
And it can't be the -est from the 80s when it stands alone in its sound. There is nothing about the Femmes that sounds like anything else from the 80s.
Yeah, as we mention in the episode, neither of us had this anywhere near our radar in the 80s. Just, it's such a big Gen-X touchstone, we couldn't not include it.
I heard it in high school, ('86-'87ish) but like 3 or 4 years after release...so it is very much a part of my 80s, but my LATE 80s, which is why I thought it would go on side B, until we realized how much earlier it came out. I think we hit most of the points in your comment, at least partially...though your final point about them not representing the sound of the 80s at all is an excellent one. Then there's the part where I confuse the name of one musician with normal hair, Elliot Smith, with crazy-haired ROBERT Smith of the Cure. Made myself cringe on the listen-back to that.
Great songs, tough choice, but "Always Something There to Remind Me" did transcend decades - hence Naked Eyes remaking it with all the blue eye shadow one could slather on the song. Loved Violent Femmes from the start, and while super minimalist, it is quintessential 80s punk/indie rock. Since Go-Gos made the bracket, I will argue for this on the same reasoning 😀
Dr. Janet, I love your comments, and would, just out of total curiosity, love to know how you found out about cool bands before Joe and I did! hahaha! I guess I wasn't really actively out seeking music back then, just let it come to me from radio or friends. Not having a car nor any money, nor parents who wanted to drive me 20 minutes to a record store probably contributed to that entirely. ;)
A subscription to Rolling Stone magazine, getting music from Columbia House stocked my vinyl collection, a love for the 2nd British Wave - Eurythmics are still my favorite, and I was friends with Kerry Turner 😀
That's an excellent response! Joe, how did we not think of ROLLING STONE? Duh!! Or Billboard, or ANY music periodical? And of course, Kerry was/is undeniably cool in those ways! Thanks for keeping up with the 'cast!
Ugh. Yeah, I can't honestly say that "Blister in the Sun" was anywhere on my radar in the '80s - the Violent Femmes were a band on the T-shirts of the alt-music kids whose tastes I secretly envied in high school, and it's a great fucking song, but it's not really 80sCore to me.
I completely agree. Blister was popular with a different crowd back then, but it seemed sort of fringe until it became more prominent in the 90s.
Anything Violent Femmes has my vote! (PS- how can I get just one kiss? ...... Put that on the next episode!)
Awwww, sorry, every artist gets only one song in the bracket. But that song is badass! Thanks for listening and voting!
--Keith
You guys are always there to remind me of what a cool 80s song sounds like... so my vote goes for the Naked Eyes' classic synth pop etravaganza!
It's a damn shame either of these songs have to go home. I did wonder, did Violent Femmes songs become hits in Argentina at any point? Do you have familiarity with "Blister in the Sun," et al.?
I know the band, ut it was iknd of a niche band here in South America.... "Blister in the sun" was not popular at all, though it's a rgeat song!
Blister is a great song, love it. Found myself voting with my preferences, which I have been trying not to do, but failing. #80segostruggle
Glad to have someone on board with me, despite the fact it appears to be a losing cause! Thanks, Wax!
--Keith
Viva el Blister manque pierda! 😆
"Blister in the Sun" will forever be Claire Danes (as Angela Chase) dancing around her bedroom on My So-Called Life when she decides she's over Jordan Catalano. I thought that was just because I'm baby Gen X-er (or a decrepit Millennial) but it sounds like I'm not the only one who was introduced to the Violent Femmes in the 90's instead of the 80's. It's the way cooler song, but had to vote for Always Something There to Remind me.
Aside from that -- "Love Changes Everything" isn't Richard Marx?? Today I Learned.
Climie Fisher is to blame for that one. But hey, Richard Marx did some damage...which we may see on Side B!
And regarding "Blister," you can't really go wrong with the other choice here, so don't lose any sleep over it!
--Keith
I'm going to leave my comment here before I listen to the podcast, so maybe you address my argument and maybe not. But ever since you named Blister in the Sun on this I was like, "no, no, no."
Here are my reasons. I discovered that album when I was 14, in 1984. (Even though I did grow up in suburban hellscape, I did at least have access to college radio out of Georgia State that saved my life) At the time almost NOBODY was listening to that record except for us few weird kids. I couldn't turn Violent Femmes on to anybody. Weird band, weird music. People were like, "what the fuck is that?" I ADORE this band and have gone to see them several times, but they resonated with almost no one in that actual decade.
It wasn't a hit at all. For one, it wasn't even released as a single. It did not chart at all until 1991, when it hit number 171 on the Hot 200. The album finally charted as well the same year.
Blister in the Sun (the only reason this is the well known song form the album is because Add It Up couldn't be played on the radio) became a popular song in the next decade. It hit most people's radar in the 90s. Suddenly the world caught up with Violent Femmes music, if even only that one song.
Timeline-wise it may be a song from the 80s, but culturally it is from the 90s. Almost anyone our age (again, except for us few weird kids), when they hear this song it takes them back to their college years in the 90s, not their high school years when they never heard it.
And it can't be the -est from the 80s when it stands alone in its sound. There is nothing about the Femmes that sounds like anything else from the 80s.
Yeah, as we mention in the episode, neither of us had this anywhere near our radar in the 80s. Just, it's such a big Gen-X touchstone, we couldn't not include it.
--Joe
I heard it in high school, ('86-'87ish) but like 3 or 4 years after release...so it is very much a part of my 80s, but my LATE 80s, which is why I thought it would go on side B, until we realized how much earlier it came out. I think we hit most of the points in your comment, at least partially...though your final point about them not representing the sound of the 80s at all is an excellent one. Then there's the part where I confuse the name of one musician with normal hair, Elliot Smith, with crazy-haired ROBERT Smith of the Cure. Made myself cringe on the listen-back to that.
--Keith
Great songs, tough choice, but "Always Something There to Remind Me" did transcend decades - hence Naked Eyes remaking it with all the blue eye shadow one could slather on the song. Loved Violent Femmes from the start, and while super minimalist, it is quintessential 80s punk/indie rock. Since Go-Gos made the bracket, I will argue for this on the same reasoning 😀
Dr. Janet, I love your comments, and would, just out of total curiosity, love to know how you found out about cool bands before Joe and I did! hahaha! I guess I wasn't really actively out seeking music back then, just let it come to me from radio or friends. Not having a car nor any money, nor parents who wanted to drive me 20 minutes to a record store probably contributed to that entirely. ;)
--Keith
A subscription to Rolling Stone magazine, getting music from Columbia House stocked my vinyl collection, a love for the 2nd British Wave - Eurythmics are still my favorite, and I was friends with Kerry Turner 😀
That's an excellent response! Joe, how did we not think of ROLLING STONE? Duh!! Or Billboard, or ANY music periodical? And of course, Kerry was/is undeniably cool in those ways! Thanks for keeping up with the 'cast!
--Keith
Kerry was so much cooler than our high school. I didn't discover ROLLING STONE until I'd graduated.
--Joe