The Get Up Kids Guilt Show Vagrant/Heroes & Villains/BMG 2004, 2016 Reissue

The Get Up Kids Guilt Show Vagrant/Heroes & Villains/BMG 2004, 2016 Reissue CAT #VR4397

Man, so much to say about the final Get Up Kids album. First story that I have is that years ago, when I first started thinking I should start a vinyl blog based on local music I realized there were huge holes in my Get Up Kids collection. I had everything on CD at least and some scattered vinyl, but mostly everything I had was on CD. So, I called my friend in the band and asked if he had some stuff laying around and since I'm sure EVERYONE asks him the same, I offered to give up some choice LPs in exchange. He was agreeable and got what was available to him, even a member of the band doesn't have the ultra-rare limited stuff anymore. I got most of my holes filled, but asked, "Dude, where's Guilt Show?" The answer was he didn't have anymore, but gave me a CD copy. What's funny, as I was visiting another time and looking over records, there was multiple copies of this LP mixed into the collection. Basically, I don't think certain members of the band remember this one too fondly. If any of that is true (which it's probably not) I assume most of it would be from the fact they disbanded shortly after it's release.

It is a bit Matt Pryor heavy, the LP seems pretty focused around his type of tracks, introspective Superchunk-esque indie-pop. But, they are strong songs, although the energy could have been higher throughout the whole album. They don't have the teenage heartbreak and angst that early albums had, but, the band was older, full-fledged adults by this point. When you compare it to their 2002 album, On A Wire, it's certainly more of a Get Up Kids album, they ditched the roots rock and went back to their indie-rock roots, but found a lot of room for clever harmonies, clever lyrics, and jangly rhythms. It's not an album to be ashamed of, it's very enjoyable and easier to dance and shake to than On A Wire, was.

The other question is what would have happened if this came out in 2002 instead of On A Wire? It's difficult to say, but following the success of Something to Write Home About, the band was on the verge of something big, all they had to do was make Something to Write Home About Mach II and they may have become MTV indie darlings for a year or two. I don't sense a huge hit single here, but, it may have fit into 2002 better. And, had it been made following Something to Write Home About, it probably would have been a lot snappier. Either way, it would have been better received than On A Wire, fans would have been ready for this LP in 2002.

For what it is now, the first track, 'Man of Conviction' should be considered a Get Up Kid classic, equally as good as their most cherished songs. Next to last song, 'Is There A Way Out' is a deep cut by the group highlighting that these guys had soul and ideas that could have led to something amazing had they kept it together.

Man Of Conviction
Is There a Way Out

The Get Up Kids Woodson B/W Second Place Doghouse 1997

The Get Up Kids Woodson B/W Second Place Doghouse CAT #DOG-045

The fans now refer to this early release as 'All Stars' or the 'Woodson EP', however I believe it's just a self-titled 7". The artwork appears on a CD EP that also featured two extra tracks that are found on the 'Love Teller' 7".

On CD is the way the tunes first came to me. I had the early 7", but was in my senior year of high school when this was released. This was a big deal, the band's first release for a record label that wasn't their own. Friends of the band had been waiting forever for the real-deal. I remember the day it came out, I was working at Schnucks on Murlen in Olathe, Kansas, as an after school job. My friend Donald busted into the backroom with it screaming at me, "It's here! I got your copy!"

As soon as we could, Donald and I ran out to a car to put it in the CD player. It was so fucking great... There wasn't any pre-conceived notions of what emo should sound like, what the Get Up Kids were or should be, there was no expectations other than we wanted to hear what our friends had done.

It didn't disappoint. And I still won't take my blinders off for it. It's still fucking great. I could listen to it everyday for the rest of my life. It's that good.

Second Place

Get Up Kids Red Letter Day Doghouse 1999

Get Up Kids Red Letter Day Doghouse 1999 DOG 063

Pretty sure this was a contractual thing the Get Up Kids had to do to move onto Vagrant Records from Doghouse.  It features the track "Red Letter Day" which was featured on the full length LP, Something to Write Home About.  If you look closely enough at the back cover, the song "Forgive and Forget" was to be featured on the Write Home album, but was scraped by the band at a later date.

Initially it was 10" only release, but, later a CD came out that combined this and the Woodson EP.  Overall, it's a satisfying 5 song set.  At the time, it was a great way to hear all these tunes.  Now, every tune has been repackaged in some way, shape or form.  All tracks are easy to locate.  This EP doesn't hold the "special" appeal it once had.

The thing I love about it most; the cover.  It's simple and poignant, a wheat stalk.  Because, the band is from the Wheat State, Kansas.  For years, everyone always assumed the Get Up Kids were somehow embarrassed of their Kansas/Missouri background.  And for years, the Get Up Kids paid homage to home by doing clever things like this.  They never hated on Kansas in anyway, they were always proud of it (or accepting), just slightly confused by the occasional local backlash they sometimes received.

Mass Pike

Get Up Kids Simple Science SimplePsyence Recordings/CR Japan 2010

Get Up Kids Simple Science SimplePsyence Recordings/CR Japan 2010 CAT #

Because I was late on the Get Up Kids reunion, I had to beg for one of these and this is a Japanese press that was limited to 500, my copy came on green vinyl.  Very glad I did swallow my pride and beg for it, though.  As stated previously, the 4 songs here are the reason I gave the full length There Are Rules another chance.

The four tunes are solid.  Despite that the looped spoken word William Burroughs intro makes me want to puke every time I hear it, "Your Petty Pretty Things" is a solid tune.  Feels dark and hurtful, like the guys were sick of their image (they probably were).  "Keith Case" was previously talked about as it appears on the There Are Rules album.  The flip side is "Tommy Gentle" and "How You're Bound".  They're both solid pop tunes.  I'm willing to call "Tommy Gentle" vintage Get Up Kids even, similar feel to the tunes found on Something to Write Home About.  "How You're Bound" is sparse, feels like it'll break and it almost does when they drop a chunky moog riff on top of programmed beats and atmospheric sounds.

As a whole, the release is a little schizophrenic, but it shows the band were still great songwriters.  I'm glad I started spinning it as a quick fix, because it led me to a solid album in There Are Rules.

How You're Bound
Acoustic Your Petty Pretty Things

Cole Hunter Capone B/W New Frontier Read Badge Music 2009

Cole Hunter Capone B/W New Frontier Read Badge Music 2009 NO CAT#

Don't know who this guy is, what he represents, or even who his friends are.  I do know you can buy his 7" for $3.00 at an Olathe antique mall and there's a sign indicating he's local.

When I got it home, I looked all over and only found the dudes self-produced rock video.  He plays a Flying V, pretty hard rock right there, if not metal.  The website for Real Badge Music is pretty awful.  I mean, 1992 AOL Welcomes You to the Internet- bad.  There's pages, with no actual information, just a bunch of cryptic filler. It's strange.

After listening to Cole Hunter's 7", one thing is clear, Cole Hunter loves him some guitar.  The first side, "Capone", is surprisingly adept and kind of enjoyable.  Albeit a bunch of guitar masturbation and it's trapped in 60's and 70's hard rock.  But, considering the website and the lack of any information, I braced myself for the worse but, found it to be a pleasant surprise.  "New Frontier" is the B-Side, it's acoustic and obvious...gotta have a panty-dropper if you rock a Flying-V.

Capone
Website (or lack thereof)

The Get Up Kids Love Teller Contrast 1996

The Get Up Kids Love Teller Contrast 1996 CAT# CNTRST 3

Man, I love this little 7", it's so fucking emo.  These guys were just barely removed from high school when they did it, in fact, the drummer still was.  I love the band's early stuff because it was always filled with such a sense of urgency.  Like they were dying to share the songs with anyone who wanted to listen, sleep on anybody's floor who would allow them, and play anywhere.

The two songs featured, "A Newfound Interest in Massachusetts" and "Off the Wagon" that were both released later by Doghouse on the Woodson EP.  The tunes are lovesick and riddled with teenage emotions.  The songs cemented them into the emo scene and paired them to the likes of Promise Ring and Sense Field.

They are really great songs.  Two of the band's strongest.  Cool bits about the 7", the A-Side run off reads, "I'd Do Anything For You".  The B-Side reads, "I'd Give You the World if I Could."  Both lyrics from the tracks, but so fucking emo to do that.  It's also often mistaken for the first release by the band, which it is not.  That was discussed previously, but there was a self released 7" that did not feature Ryan Pope on drums prior to this.   However, this was the first widely available release from the band and provided them the exposure that led them to a label deal with Doghouse.

Terrible Live Recording, but when they were still "kids"
A Newfound Interest in Massachusetts

Various Artists Eccentric Soul The Forte Label Numero Group 2013

Various Artists Eccentric Soul The Forte Label Numero Group 2013 Cat # 047

This is my favorite release of 2013.  The archivist label, Numero Group, has collected 28 tracks from the Kansas City soul label Forte and threw them onto a two LP set.  It's complete with an amazing and well researched booklet.

Kansas City has it's rich tradition for jazz and blues.  We even have claim to some nice indie-rock.  But as far as soul music, we never developed a famous sound.  The Forte label attempted to capture some of Kansas City's talent in terms of soul music.  Most the performers featured here were around town doing Motown style revues.  But, when the artist got the chance to do their own thing in a local studio on  a regional label, there are some amazing moments.

Now-a-days, these records are nearly impossible to locate.  They likely enjoyed forms of regional success and sold decent, the label stayed active from the mid-60's into the 70's, but the 45's seem to only be available on-line for high prices.  Collectors started gravitating to rare soul side in the 80's.  People wanted regional and unheard sides, the label's output is now blanketed into the term "Northern Soul," which is a reference to all night dance raves taking place in England, but today just means rare soul.

The most popular of these Forte artists is Kansas City, KS' Marva Whitney.  The collection features two selections from Forte output.  She sustained a fairly successful career after leaving Kansas City.  After Forte, she cut some sides for the famed Federal label.  Then, she was featured as a member of the James Brown touring show and recorded for King.  Her King singles and one studio LP are revered by funk collectors as the some of the dirtiest and raw funk recorded by a female.  In the 80's she found herself recording for number of other labels never catching on in one spot.  Her tracks on this collection are representative of her work, she belts out a song like no other, it's like you're being yelled at, and while the talent around her isn't anywhere near the level she had with King, her tunes here are still stunners.

The collection does showcase what could be termed a Kansas City soul style.  However, lots of obscure, regional soul sounds just as raw as what's featured here.  It's not as clean and crisp (and well, as white) as what Motown was doing.  It's not as earthy and blues oriented as what Stax was doing.  It's not as funky as James Brown, but tries awful hard to be.  The main purpose is to get people out to the dance floor, so it's up-tempo, sock-to-me style soul.  Shouters and screamers that would make you think of Sam & Dave or Dyke and the Blazers.  During the 70's the label did allow for more experimentation, Olathe, KS' Everyday People Life reach into prog-rock realms while trying to conjure a Sly & Family Stone feel.  There's also some Willie Mitchell/Al Green style slickness attempted, some of great, some of it only decent. Overall a highly recommended release filled with obscure, but amazing Kansas City musicians.

Marva Whitney Daddy Don't Know About Sugar Bears
The Fantasticks-Cry Night and Day

The Get Up Kids/Rocket From the Crypt Split 7" Heroes & Villains/Vagrant 2000

The Get Up Kids/Rocket From the Crypt Split 7" Heroes & Villains/Vagrant 2000 Cat # VR351, HV 009

This band cracked Billboard charts as an independent recording artist from Kansas City.  They toured with big timers like Weezer and Green Day.  But, what I find the coolest, they did a release with Rocket From the Crypt.  To me, Rocket From the Crypt represents the last great Rock N' Roll band.  The last band that you could play loud and piss off your parents with.  They used nicknames, had a horn section, didn't hide behind punk agendas and alternative fashions, they just played fast and loud.  But, they're not from Kansas City, so it's probably best to stop there.

The song featured here, "Up on the Roof", was recorded on the road in Hollywood, CA.  The band utilized their sound guy and local legend, Alex Brahl, to produce the track.  It's a decent track, considering that they were splitting the time with Rocket From the Crypt, you would have thought they would opt for something a bit more up tempo.  But, in 2000, it represents the first steps the Get Up Kids took in trying to get away from themselves and the Emo Pop genre they unintentionally spawned with the release of 'Something to Write Home About'.  Albeit the song is bit sappy, it does feature a more organic sound that would find it's way onto the 'On A Wire' album.  Dewees' keyboards are set on piano rather than synth, they dump all the pick slides and woo-hooing for a subtle groove centered around the Pope brothers.  The lyrics also feel heavier and more adult than previous work.  Decent track, but still, they were following Rocket From the Crypt, the pick slides and woo-hooing probably would have been fine.

Up on the Roof

The Get Up Kids Something To Write Home About Vagrant 1999

The Get Up Kids Something To Write Home About Doghouse/Vagrant/Heroes & Villians 1999 CAT #DOG 066

There's not much I can say about this album that hasn't already been discussed.  It was breakthrough album for the band.  It edged them ever so close to the mainstream by making it to the Billboard charts, putting them on tour with the likes of Weezer and Green Day, and the CD made it into the hands of countless high school students.  As time has gone on, it's proved to be a highly influential album.

Unfortunately, the highly influential part isn't such a good thing.  This album created a blue print for a number of bands.  All of which, became much more successful than the Get Up Kids.  Which is a shame, because Something to Write Home About is a solid album and the band deserves the same success.

To preface the dilemma, the Get Up's teenage aggression was replaced for pop hooks and keyboards on this LP.  It worked to great affect, there's even ballads on the LP - it's nice.  Much of the pop tendencies are owed to the addition of James Dewees on keyboards.  This is odd, because prior to joining the Get Up Kids, James Dewees was playing drums for Coalesce; a legitimate Heavy Metal band.  Regardless of his background, he's somewhat of a musical genius and folks around town were saying he "fixed" the Get Up Kids shortly after joining.  Rumor being that the band had come into a bit of writer's block, Dewees supposedly brought in a keyboard and started finding what was needed to finish the tunes.  There are great songs on the LP.  There are tunes that could be huge radio hits, it didn't happen, but the songs are there nonetheless.

But, man, the aftermath of this album.  Fall Out Boy is quoted as saying, "There would be no Fall Out Boy without the Get Up Kids."  And, sure, maybe people can call Fall Out Boy fun, cute, catchy or whatever.  But, there's a whole list of others,  Motion City Soundtrack, The Academy Is..., Say Anything, Taking Back Sunday, and many others that all suck.  Worst, these teen punk bands came to define the term "Emo" in relation to pop music.  The Get Up Kids seemed to be trying to escape the whiny confines of the underground Emo scene with this album.  They wanted something more than Sunny Day Real Estate fans putting them 2nd best, so they created a pop album.  These other bands, they just took the album as a blue print and wrote crappy pop-punk tunes with a few ballads thrown in so they could get laid on tour.  It's a shame.

A song about how Jim Suptic's girlfriend wouldn't drive 10 minutes to downtown to see him while at KCAI
Action & Action Video

The Get Up Kids Eudora Vagrant/Heroes & Villains 2001

The Get Up Kids Eudora Vagrant/Heroes & Villains 2001 CAT #VR357/HV010

For those not local, the album's namesake is an actual Kansas town that lies between Kansas City and Lawrence, Kansas.  It's where Red House Recording studios is located.  During the peak of the Get Up Kids popularity, the band purchased the local studio and turned it into one of the finest studios in the Midwest.  They saved it, proving once again to all naysayers, they always supported their local community and scene.

Personally, I love the compilation, can't say the same for Eudora the town as it's boring and nothing spectacular.  There is the old tale about how a Shawnee Indian named Pelathe attempted to warn Lawrence, Kansas about the infamous 1863 attack on Lawrence by Quantrill and his Raiders.  The legend goes that Pelathe overheard of the attack in Kansas City, Missouri the day before.  Quantrill was in route to Lawrence, so Pelathe would need to arrive in Lawrence before dawn.  He mounted the fastest horse he could find and began the ride.  Nearing Lawrence, the horse had run hard and by most estimates near 40 miles, the horse was staggering.  Pelathe allowed the horse to catch his breath, but knowing he could save innocent lives, he cut the horse in the leg and emptied gunpowder into the wound in attempts to spur the horse further.  The horse was able to make it a few more miles, but collapsed shortly after.  People from Eudora will tell you that Pelathe's horse died in their town.  Of course, every neighboring town to Lawrence lays the same claim.

So yeah, good story, but back to the comp.  I love these types of rarities collections, all the hard to find 7"s and one off comp appearances are presented and while not a retrospective of a band, you hear what the band actually sounded like.  The band's not so shining moments, the cover songs, and the moments of brilliance.  The proper albums by bands are generally a focused effort to impress you, these types of releases are just a collection of songs detailing a career.

I remember when the original stuff came out.  When Ryan Pope told me they were covering "Beer for Breakfast" by the Replacements I literally yelled at him and asked, "What the hell is wrong with you guys?  That song was a Replacements throw away that just showed up on stupid Best Of comps to make you giggle, why didn't you cover something good?"  The Pixies cover of  "Alec Eiffel" they did and played for days straight.  When they said they were covering a shitty Motley Crue song, I rolled my eyes, but still enjoyed the cover.  Then there's the stuff I missed; the amazingly good Cure cover and the horrible rendition of "Suffragette City" by Bowie.

The band has always been just some guys from the Kansas City area.  They weren't elitists, they were literally just some kids that discovered Fugazi, Superchunk, and Pavement in high school and made a band of it.  This collection showcases that aspect of their career and sound.

Alec Eiffel
Newfound Mass (2000)
Close to Me

Travis Millard Occumm Pucky Vol. 1 Lost Broadcast Records 2013

Travis Millard Occumm Pucky Vol. 1 Lost Broadcast Records 2013 CAT# LB00107

I think at this point, it's safe to say that Travis Millard is the coolest artist from Olathe, Kansas, ever.  In fact, I think it's safe to say Travis Millard is the coolest Olathe, Kansas native, ever.  He's a well established artist.  He does his Fudge Factory Comics, he's done of album covers (Get Up Kids, Dinosaur Jr., and others), his artwork appears on skateboards, and he's done cartoons-something of his appears on Sanjay & Craig on Nickelodeon which my kids and I love.  Finally, he's a legitimate artist supporting himself through artwork, that's tough to do and rad.

He's an Olathe South graduate, which is also the high school Alma Mater of 3/5 of the Get Up Kids and myself.  He was a few years ahead of me and we were part of a Junior High system, so we were never in the same building, I can't consider him anything other than an acquaintance.  Second, I wasn't an "art" kid.  Always wanted to be, always loved looking at it, just couldn't do it myself.  Friends and I always admired him from a far--he's a legend in Olathe.  He played in a band, made incredible drawings and if you ever talked to him he was always incredibly nice.  When I got to college at KU and worked for KJHK, he did stuff for the station all the time.  T-Shirt art, this incredible show poster that I can't for the life of me find, so again, the nicest guy ever and he did that stuff at no charge to the station if memory serves.

This 7" release represents the stuff he did in college.  They are entertaining little demos he did in around Lawrence, KS with various bands/friends.  5 songs on a 45 RPM record, so some of the tunes are really just ideas.  Also, it features some pretty well known players.  Most notably, Kori Gardner of Mates of State plays guitar on the song "All Your Friends", but it also features Josh Cobra Baruth on "Little Home" and "Crush", who played drums for Appleseed Cast.  Every tune is incredibly raw.  But, like his artwork, the music is very imaginative.  I get a Syd Barrett feel from some of it, out of key pop songs, very clever and picturesque rhymes, but not acid damaged, just the cleverness and guitar effects.  There's also a good amount of Northwest influence on the tracks, kind of K Records, Built to Spill-ish, which could be more due to the demo style recordings than it is Travis Millard.  The song "Little Home" is a legitimate gem, raw, but would be worth polishing up and redoing.  "Crush" is decent, it gets a bit too adventurous and seems to forget it's a pop song.

Overall, I'm stoked this exists and even more stoked it's only Vol. 1.  Is Vol. 2 going to be more college-era demos?  Maybe the high school stuff he did, which I was pretty sure as a Junior High-er was the coolest thing I'd ever heard from someone in my hometown.  Maybe some brand new stuff?  Should be solid no matter what.

http://lostbroadcastrecords.com/

The Get Up Kids There Are Rules Quality Hill Records 2010

The Get Up Kids There Are Rules Quality Hill Records 2010 CAT# QUAL - 003

Yeah, outside of the first 7" this band put out, this is the only thing I've ever paid for by the Get Up Kids.  Not that it matters, I just wish I had bought more because members weren't always around to give me free shit back in the day and I have some holes I'd still like to fill.

Truthfully, I bought this album, listened to it once, and shelved it.  Threw it aside as the band attempting to be something they weren't.  I listened to to the album, waiting for Jimmy Suptic to do a pick slide and Matt Pryor to yelp about a girl and it never happened.  It's filled with a lot of electronic accompaniment and finds the band going to the early DC scene that was the epitome of cool when they first started.  It felt like they were trying to be angry which doesn't suit the band.

Then, as something to throw on for a quick fix I started spinning the 10" that came out previous to this LP, Simple Science.  And, while I still scoff at the use of a William Burroughs sample every time I play it, I've started to enjoy the four tracks it offers up.  So, next logical step, give There Are Rules another try.

After giving it another try, it's pretty fucking good.  It doesn't sound like the Get Up Kids, though.  But, had another band produced something similar to this, it would have been met with rave reviews.  Instead, it gave another reason for Pitchfork to call Kansas City boring and blast the Kids at least one more time.  But, hey, There Are Rules review does say the hatred the band got within the indie-community was a bit over the top.  Which might be a failed attempt to apologize because anyone can  read the previous Pitchfork reviews and realize Pitchfork was the the ring leader and trendsetter for Get Up Kids bashing.

Moving along, there are some great ideas here and an amazing Side 1.  Again, I stress it sounds nothing like the Get Up Kids, but it's good.  To go in order, "Tithe" and "Regen't Court" go back to the Fuguazi/DC sound the band discovered in high school.  "Shatter Your Lungs" is a brilliant little post-modern pop song.  "Automatic" and "Pararelevant" are high energy.  "Rally Round the Fool" is probably the weakest of side 1, mid tempo, experimental-ism that uses echo effects and programmed beats because Portishead apparently is still cool.  Side 2, not quite as strong, but has it's moments as well.  "Better Lie" starts with it's Strokes-esque vocal effect to get Pryor's voice down an octave so the band can be a bit darker.  "Keith Case" is featured on the Simple Science EP and features about the only chorus that resembles something you'd find on previous work.  "The Widow Paris" feels a bit programmed, a bit 80's goth, not executed as good as it could have been.  The band throws a nod to the early British post-punk scene with "Birmingham" before things get a bit wishy-washy with the sentimental tackiness of "When It Dies."  The album ends with "Rememorable," which is a stupid ending song title but, it's got a lot of crunchy guitars so it's enjoyable.

Overall, it's an album filled with all the influences they felt they couldn't touch as Get Up Kids Mach I.  Their previous success pigeonholed them to a specific sound.  Their career took them all over the world where they discovered albums, bands, influences that were previously off limits.  I mean crap, Pyror had to create the New Amsterdams after discovering Elvis Costello, it had no room in the Get Up Kids sound.  The Pope brothers did rhythm for Koufax just to sound retro.  In the end, it doesn't sound like a band trying to reestablish a career, it sounds like a band finally allowed to get some things off their chest, a one last hurrah type event.

Shatter Your Lungs
Regent's Court

The Get Up Kids On A Wire Picture Disc Vagrant/Heroes & Villians 2002

The Get Up Kids On A Wire Picture Disc Vagrant/Heroes & Villians 2002 NO CAT#

The career killer.  At least that's what a member of the band once told me.  There's an element of truth to it.  It wasn't a well received LP and afterwards, the band made one more attempt  on the Guilt Show album, but that seemed disingenuous.  The band had changed, grown up, members got married, had kids--they were too old to be Get Up Kids.

Over time, I've come to enjoy the album.  It's got some of the best songs they ever wrote as a group.  Problem I've always had with it was the production.  And, I'll address it, just a bit of a back story.

Prior to On A Wire's release, the Get Up Kids were in a position to break out of the indie-scene and become relevant as a mainstream artists.  They toured Something to Write Home About relentlessly.  They'd become fairly well known outside of their .emo confines by touring with the likes of Green Day and Weezer.  They were now outside of college music/indie rock scene and on that somewhat hip highschool/sorority girl level of popularity.  All they had to do was write Something To Write Home About part II.

Instead, they tried to grow up before their fan base did.  They wrote their most competent and adult themed songs to date and hired a big time producer to get them to the next level.  Scott Litt was put in place.  It made sense for what the Get Up Kids wanted.  They didn't just want to be popular, they wanted to be respected and have a substantial career should they reach commercial success.  If you look at Litt's work with R.E.M. the move made sense.  Litt's production put that band into the mainstream without making the band compromise their individuality.

For whatever reason, Litt sucked out any energy of these songs.  It sounds as if the band is shooting for adult contemporary radio, not modern rock.  I heard the songs live, when they were new, still had energy and a groove.  Litt didn't allow it.  The production mirrors the placid early Matthew Sweet stuff he did, or the bore-a-thon that was the first Indigo Girls album.  It bears no resemblance  to All Shook Down by the Replacements, which he should have referenced.  And there is some blame on the Get Up Kids, the songs distance themselves from their previous work.  But, listen to "Grunge Pig" (terrible title), "Stay Gone", or "Wish You Were Here", there's a rock song trying to escape, there's a groove that was ignored, shelved for the notion that housewives in Middle America like things subdued and boring.

It's an album that should have been great, but offers disappointment.  Again, I stress, great songwriting, great ideas, just poor execution.  To it's benefit, it's not the fucking travesty Jimmy Eat World carried out during the same time.  I mean, that band sold out.  They went from relevant Emo band to writing songs for 14 year old girls.  And, it does sound grown up.  Better than the band's long time nemsis, the Promise Ring, who tried to stay young well into their mid-30's before giving up.  And, despite trying to go big time, they stayed local.  They utilized long time friends and producers Ed Rose and Alex Brahl on some tracks.  They hired Olathe, Kansas native, Travis Millard, to do the artwork and even create a video.  Most local band ever.

Overdue Video with Travis Millard's amazing artwork

The Get Up Kids Shorty B/W Breathing Method Huey Proudhon 1996

The Get Up Kids Shorty B/W Breathing Method Huey Proudhon 1996 CAT #HP016

True story: Ryan Pope, the known drummer of this band, offered this to me 1st Period in our Student Naturalist class.  He said to me, "Hey, you need this."
I looked at it and said, "Ryan, why don't you just give it to me?"
"I'm not on it, [he isn't] and we need money for the tour, otherwise I would."
"Ryan, did you bring a bunch of records to school?"  I replied.
"Yeah," as he showed me a backpack full of the 7"s.  "Dude, I'm like the one here that owns a record player, who the hell is going to buy these off of you?"  "Friends," he replied.
Fuck.  He had me there.  I had $5 in my pocket and it was for lunch, but there was my friend, trying to get money for an upcoming tour.  What the hell was I supposed to do?  "How much?"  I replied grudgingly.
"Three dollars."
"I have a five, do you have change?"
"No, not yet, but I'll sell some more and get you your change."

I never got my change.  But, I'm glad I purchased the record.  At the time I bought it, the first Get Up Kids E.P. Woodson had already been released.  I wasn't too excited to own this at the time, Ryan wasn't on it, it wasn't like I was too deep into vinyl.  But, now I kind of wish I bought a couple of them.

Interesting tid-bits about this single...As stated, it doesn't feature Ryan Pope the longtime and current drummer of the band.  It features Nathan (I forgot his last name) who was studying at the Kansas City Art Institute with Robby Pope and Jimmy Suptic.  I don't think he ever got canned in favor of Ryan or anything.  I think he just wanted to pursue art instead of music.

Also, the band recorded this in Lincoln, NE by the Mogis brothers who are now legendary for the whole Omaha scene and recording Cursive and Bright Eyes among a ton of other stuff.

It was also a self issued, private press release.  The Get Up Kids footed the bill on all expenses and promotion of it.  Played shows on it, paid for it, folded all the sleeves, sent it to Zines for review, the whole nine.  Funny, because at the time, they would do interviews and try to talk up Huey Proudhon as an actual label that signed them.  I mean, they even went as far as to catalog it as HP016, as in the sixteenth release by Huey Proudhon records.  Funny, because people have always thought DIY was cool.  Nobody hates Fugazi for being DIY.  I didn't get why in those early days they weren't proud of it.

Get Up Kids Four Minute Mile Blue Vinyl Repress Doghouse 1997

Get Up Kids Four Minute Mile
Blue Vinyl
Doghouse America Records
CAT #DOG047 1997 Repress

The singer is from KC and the rest of the Get Up Kids are from Olathe, Kansas.  If you've been to Olathe, KS, this doesn't make any sense.  I grew up in Olathe, KS.  In junior high and high school I attended school with members of this band and despite that, this album makes no sense to me.

Olathe, KS is fucking blackhole.  People get lost in it and forget the rest of the world exists.  Sure, it's a great place raise your family and most parts of the city are safe, but why does it need so many strip malls?  Why is there nowhere cool to hang out?  Why is everyone so into Nascar?  And, why does everybody park their car on the street and not in their garage?  What are Olathians hiding thier garages?

In high school, I was in the backseat of Jimmy Suptic's VW Bug on the way to a parking lot.  (Because, that's what you did in Olathe on the weekends as a teenager, you hung out in 711 parking lots until the police moved you along to the next place you weren't allowed to hang out).  I had been feeding the drummer of this band stuff by the Dead Milkmen and the Red Hot Chili Peppers (pre- Blood Sex Sugar Magic, mind you) thinking I was hot indie rock shit.  This obviously got back to Jimmy who turned to me and asked, "Have you ever heard Fugazi?"  "Yes," I replied which was a total lie to sound cool.  He puts in the tape and on comes the song 'Repeater.'  My mind is racing, I can't keep up with the song, my mouth is wide open while the rest of the car is chanting, "1, 2, 3.  Repeater!"  The song ends and I ask Jimmy, "Where did you get that?"  "Recycled Sounds" he replies.  Recycled Sounds was a record store in downtown Kansas City.  That's how bad Olathe is.  You had to drive 45 minutes to get a fucking Fugazi tape.

Yet, Olathe, Kansas is where most of this band is from.  The album cover, that's the Olathe South track, those runners, Olathe South Grads.  And from that, comes this album.  The late 90's scene .emo darlings (along with Promise Ring) are from a boring suburb.  The band that the now Mighty Pitchfork e-zine MADE THEIR NAME TRASHING, is from Olathe, Kansas.  That's equivalent to Lester Bangs making his name bashing James Taylor and the whole California soft rock scene.  (Kicker being, no one remembers a bad review, but they'll still pay money for the albums that were scorned).

It would make sense then that this album is about girls, right?  Teenage kids from suburbia, what else do they have to write about?  Well, it's about being a teenager, but it's not all about girls.  The theme of this album is about moving on.  The Four Minute Mile is about achieving something that no one thought possible.  The Get Up Kids were literally just kids at the time, the drummer was still in high school when their first release came out.  All four members were at an age prime for parental expectations and other pressures.  They are from the suburbs, they lived in fairly affluent neighborhoods and had good parents.  Rather than continue in college, they took a chance and dropped out to be in a rock n' roll band.  Don't believe me?  Let's talk about some of these tunes.

Track 1. Coming Clean - 18 year old kids don't feel this way about girls, yet.  They do feel the disappoint though when they tell their parents, "I hope you'll forgive me but what you want from me is killing me."
Track 2. Don't Hate Me - Amy is not a girl, she's a metaphor for college, parents, religion.  Try it, it's the fear of failure, running back to Amy is giving up on a dream.
Track 3. Fall Semster - Oh fuck, this is obvious.  "If I tried, would you still call me a son?"
Track 4. Stay Gold, Ponyboy? - The Outsiders reference is priceless.  I will cut you if you disagree.  But, yeah, pretty emo.
Track 6. Washington Square Park - "Though that ring again, through that sick machine doesn't that make you any stronger than you or anything choose."  I feel this is the teenage role-reversal--this the coming of age child dismissing the life their parent's want to choose for them.  The 9-5 Monday through Friday doesn't seem all that great.
Track 7. Last Place You Look - This one is kind of heartbreaker.  I like to think it is a son hoping, despite the arguments, his parents will still support the choices he makes and trust him.  But, more likely about a girl.
Track 8. Better Half - A little of a mish-mosh, mostly about a girl.  But there is the line, "I saw my baby boy digging his own hole, keeping alive family traditions."

I've listened to this album countless times, multiple formats, over the last 15 years now, and every time it's the same: Brilliant.  It's recorded like shit, the band sounds like teenagers (they were), it's a bit pitch-y and the tempos are too fast, but it's bursting at the seams with nerves and energy.  It's exciting and loud, there are pick slides and yelps, it never tries to be "underground" and was never trying to be "emo."  The band just wanted you to hear what they created.  I put this album right next to other debuts like the Police's 'Outlandos d'Amour', the Talking Heads '77' album and R.E.M.'s 'Chronic Town' E.P., because it's that type of debut, raw and nervous, all energy.  It's a band dying to get the fuck out of Olathe and discover the rest of America.

Get Up Kids/Anniversary Split 7" 1999

The Get Up Kids/The Anniversary split 7"
Central Standard Time B/W Vasic + Bluey
Vagrant Records Heroes & Villains
CAT# VR341/HV002 1999

For a good chunk of time, the Get Up Kids and the Anniversary were freakin' besties around Lawrence. The bands did everything together, toured, put out records together, married one another.  It was kind of weird.  However, both had similar backgrounds,  both bands were primarily made up of suburban kids, ditching college for the life as a rock n' roll band (thus, they could relate to upset parent syndrome).  Difference though, Get Up Kids did things on their own, it took a lot of work to get to the point they were at at the time of this release.  To an outsider, the Anniversary's success seemed to be that of association.  Hang out with the Get Up Kids enough and they'll find you a spot on a tour and their record label.

You can listen to the Anniversary and know that they're talented and a lot of the admiration from the Get Up Kids came from the band's talent.  Their B-side to this 7" Vasic + Bluey is solid.  At this time they were still young and sounded a lot like the Rentals.  Best, they utilized their secret weapon Adrianne Verhoeven a lot.  Her voice cuts over the chorus, her synth drives the song.  She's the middle of the band and the best part of the song.

The Get Up Kids A-side seems a bit of a throw-a-way in all honesty.  A bit over the top with it's emo-ness. The band was/is at it's best when it's all angry teenager emo and not so f'n adult about stuff.  Keyboards add nice little touch, but the energy just isn't there on this track.  Seems obvious, one member wrote the song, the rest just didn't feel the same way about the song, so it ended up on this 7". No pick slides, mid-tempo, no excitement, blah.

Central Standard Time