The first Violent Femmes record, LIKE WHOA. I can't remember exactly where I was when I first
heard it, but I can certainly remember it was the summer of 1988 when I was 14 and everything
in life started to IMMEDIATELY happen. I remember Greg Hovanec or Jay Leidel singing the lyrics
to Please Do Not Go, drinking vodka in a bathtub to Good Feeling and fumbling with Stacey Cooper's
chest to Please Do Not Go. I have to imagine I've heard this record well over 1,000 times and a huge
poster version of the front cover was one of the first things that I ever bought on eBay. Gordon Gano
somehow pegged every single teen emotion on one record and they never made another record like
it. So, I got to wondering, if it made such a big impact on me and a lot of my friends, are "the kids"
today still taking notice?

All grammar and spelling left AS-IS:

What's your name?
Rebekka Eileen Federle
How old are you?
17.5
Where do you live?
In Budapest, but just for 10 more days. (Chicago)
Are you familiar with the first Violent Femmes records called Violent Femmes?
Hell yes.
When did you discover this record?
I bought it two years ago from you!
Can you remember when you first heard it?
The first time I heard it all the way through I was sitting in the kitchen at my
stepmom's apartment. I took it out of the kitchen stereo and took it down to
my bedroom. I had already heard Blister, Kiss Off, and Add It Up about a
thousand times on the radio.
Can you please relay any story or time of your life that reminds you of this record?
The first time I heard this album all the way through I got wildly excited. I
remember hearing "Prove My Love" and thinking it was the greatest thing I has
heard in a long time. When I hit "To The Kill" I got really uncomfortable. "Gone
Daddy Gone" escalated that discomfort, but in a good way. The lines "Beautiful
girl, lovely dress, high school smiles, oh yes. Beautiful girl, lovely dress, high
school smiles, where she is now I can only guess." seemed so terribly sad. I think
this album has the greatest opening and closing songs almost ever. It's a
wonderfully fluid album. For me, this album spells the summer between freshman
and sophmore year, which was a most excellent summer...
Do you have a favorite song on this record? Why is it your favorite song?
It is difficult to pick a favorite, considering I pretty much know all the words to
each. I think "Add It Up" must be my favorite, it's had the most plays on my
itunes. It perfectly describes the tone of the past few years of my life. It's so
frustrated and, just, I don't know, relentless? Restless?
My other favorite is "Kiss Off". I just really enjoy singing along to it. The tone
is pretty much identical to "Add It Up." The bridge is absolutely awesome.

What's your name?
Madeleine Kuhns
How old are you?
22
Where do you live?
Chicago, IL (Lakeview)
Are you familiar with the first Violent Femmes record called Violent Femmes?
yes
When did you discover this record?
around 1999/2000
Can you remember where you first heard it?
I first heard "Blister in the Sun" at my seventh grade 'social' at St. Joseph Middle
School. I didn't actually get the full record until my freshman year of high school.
Can you relay any story, memory or time of your life that reminds you of this record?
It reminds me of being incredibly, incredibly awkward (i.e. middle school). It was
also the time I stopped listening to commercial radio and started actively
searching out music.
Do you have a favorite song on this record? Why is it your favorite song?
I haven't listened to it in awhile but I like "Kiss Off" its simultaneously angsty
and catchy especially the chorus - I like the part where it says ' I hope you know
this will go down on your permanent record' I was big school nerd so I found that
hilarious. For some reason.
Did you ever seek out any other music by this band?
yes

(no photo)
1)Emma Marisol Dylan
2)21
3)Clevo
4)Of Course
5)when I was 11, hanging out in my stepbrother's room. I remember seeing it
laying next to his pornography.
6)I first remember really connecting with it when I was 13 and it quickly became
the anthem of my adolescence.
7)I recall getting finger fucked for the first time to "gimme the car" and thinking
it was a really great song.
8)"Gimme the car" see above.
9)no
You can use my name, but no pictures please.

What's your name?
Lauren B.
How old are you?
19
Where do you live?
Chicago suburbs.
Are you familiar with the first Violent Femmes record called Violent Femmes?
Quite.
When did you discover this record?
I think when I was 16.
Can you remember where you first heard it?
My friend's older cousin's car.
Can you relay any story, memory or time of your life that reminds you of this record?
Driving around in the summer, headed nowhere, hotboxing.
Do you have a favorite song on this record? Why is it your favorite song?
I like "Blister in the Sun". It's a song that both my dad and I enjoy, and I like spending
time with my dad and listening to music with him. Pretty simple.
Did you ever seek out any other music by this band?
Yes I did.

What's your name?
andrew hall
How old are you?
19
Where do you live?
strongsville ohio
Are you familiar with the first Violent Femmes record called Violent Femmes?
yes very well
When did you discover this record?
my brother turned me on to it
Can you remember where you first heard it?
probably between the age of 12 and 15
Can you relay any story, memory or time of your life that reminds you of this record?
yes, blister in the sun was covered by the youth group at my parents church, but they
werent allowed to play it in the chapel because the pastor said it wasnt a "holy" song
the paster went on to say that his oldest son said that the cd was the most terrifying
twisted lyrics ever...?
Do you have a favorite song on this record? Why is it your favorite song?
gimmie the car, i played it for me and my girlfriend at the time, and she said how come
you dont do that stuff for me. the next week i lost my virginity
Did you ever seek out any other music by this band?
i was about to buy another cd of theirs but my brother who was with me told me not to,
he said it sucked

What's your name?
Molly Brank
How old are you?
20
Where do you live?
Bucktown, Chicago
Are you familiar with the first Violent Femmes record called Violent Femmes?
yeah
When did you discover this record?
i was young, my older sister listened to it. by the time i was in high school i had all my sisters
old tapes and played them for my friends who didnt have older siblings and thus didnt know shit
about shit, especially music.
Can you remember where you first heard it?
it was probably playing at home from my sister's room, we lived in massachusetts at the time.
Can you relay any story, memory or time of your life that reminds you of this record?
the smell of coconut milk lotion, garlic, and body odor comes to mind. my sister was a hippie
and had hippie friends that would listen to it and sing a long.
my mom would sing blister in the sun, we all thought "big hands" was pretty funny.
Do you have a favorite song on this record? Why is it your favorite song?
"blister in the sun" is a song i guess i have to like because its funny and fun to listen to every
once in a while and i like remembering my sister when she was young and a hippie and all that.
but i think i unfortunately started picking up negative connotations to it as it became some weird
kind of anthem for the fake hippie prepster assholes that went to my high school. (this was between
the years 2000 and 2006, so you can imagine how things have changed from listening to the
violent femmes as a high schooler in the '80s)
anyway, they were the ones that smoked a lot of pot out of ridiculously expensive bongs and were
frat boys about it. i dont know why they were into the violent femmes...
i dont really remember the other songs on the album except for "please do not go" which is a good
one, albeit kind of annoying and repetitive.
Did you ever seek out any other music by this band?
no.

What's your name? Jodi Faye Bullock
How old are you? 22
Where do you live? Brooklyn, NY
Are you familiar with the first Violent Femmes records called Violent Femmes? Yep.
When did you discover this record? My sister had the tape when we were little
(she's four years older than I), so I would guess around age 8 or 9.
Can you remember when you first heard it? I was lounging on my bed, probably playing
with a Polly Pocket, and my sister was listening to it on her tape player in our room that
was painted green (an homage to Green Day). I really liked the drum parts in the
beginning of "Blister in the Sun," the ones that sound like claps. I hardly understood
what they were saying except for "Big hands I know you're the one" which I thought
was hilarious. I still do.
Can you please relay any story or time of your life that reminds you of this record?
When I first listened to it, we rarely went past the first song---"Blister in the Sun"---
but later, when I was 16, I rediscovered it, and it reminds me of driving home from
school in my '88 Ford Bronco II. It only had a tape player. Same tape as before.
She also passed down RETURN OF THE RENTALS to me. She listens to Lil' Wayne, now.
Do you have a favorite song on this record? Why is it your favorite song? Yeah, "Please
Do Not Go". It reminds me of Buddy Holly or something.

What's your name?
Julie Russell
How old are you?
19
Where do you live?
Seattle, WA
Are you familiar with the first Violent Femmes record called Violent Femmes?
Yes
When did you discover this record?
Sometime during high school I think, probably around 2003 or so.
Can you remember where you first heard it?
In my friend Amy's car.
Can you relay any story, memory or time of your life that reminds you of this record?
My friend Amy had just gotten her driver's license so we decided to drive around, even though
she wasn't technically allowed to drive with anyone else until 6 months after getting her license.
She put this cd in the stereo and we rolled down the windows since it was hot out and the air
conditioning did not work and blasted the music. I thought it was great until the car started to
overheat and we freaked out. Still had the music playing the whole time.
Do you have a favorite song on this record? Why is it your favorite song?
"Gone Daddy Gone" I like the beat, it sounds great really loud and makes me want to dance.
Did you ever seek out any other music by this band?
Nope, I was happy with what I had.

"Lex"
Age: 18
Ohio

Are you familiar with the first Violent Femmes record called Violent Femmes?
Fuck yeah!
Kiss off is a total orgasim waiting to happen!
When did you discover this record?
My dad has always been a super big stoner
So, ive grown up with this shit
Can you remember where you first heard it?
Who ever remembers the first time they hear a song.
It's always the second because you recognize from the previous listening.
Can you relay any story, memory or time of your life that reminds you of this record?
Being really fucking baked in the summer taking photos of my friends while they were skating.
Do you have a favorite song on this record? Why is it your favorite song?
Well, like I said Kiss Off.
Man that songs the shit...deffinatly an explosion on the ear drums.
Kiss Off is more of a slow song by Femmes.
The bass is so simple but yet so fucking feirce!
It's like a punch in the face of reality.
A great song to listen to when you are pissed and like man fuck the world!
Did you ever seek out any other music by this band?
Meaning other albums? Of course!
I like more of Femmes raunchy stuff.

What's your name?
Maya.
How old are you?
17 years and 360 days.
Where do you live?
Right now, Chicago IL and Amherst MA.
Are you familiar with the first Violent Femmes record called Violent Femmes?
Yup. Own it.
When did you discover this record?
When I was 15 at a local record store.
Can you remember where you first heard it?
I had heard the song Blister in the Sun before. See above for the rest of the album.
Can you relay any story, memory or time of your life that reminds you of this record?
Ha.
Do you have a favorite song on this record? Why is it your favorite song?
Gone Daddy Gone. Because I like it the most?
Did you ever seek out any other music by this band?
I saw them live at Lollapalooza. I don't own any other albums by them.

What's your name?
lex
How old are you?
21
Where do you live?
pilsen chicago
Are you familiar with the first Violent Femmes record called Violent Femmes?
yes, they re-released it some years back
When did you discover this record?
seventh grade in the public library
Can you remember where you first heard it?
in the car on the way back from the library
Can you relay any story, memory or time of your life that reminds you of this record?
my friends were in a shoegaze band at the end of high school and covered -what else,
but "blister in the sun"
Do you have a favorite song on this record? Why is it your favorite song?
ADD IT UP
Did you ever seek out any other music by this band?
of course-- that next week after 'discovering' them i went back to the library with longing.
currently, "at your feet" has over a hundred plays on my iTunes.
Addendum 1:
i forgot,
second part of favorite song question-
i like "add it up" because of the wonderful way the lyrics will make me feel like a dirty
little teenager for eternity.
Addendum 2:
oh my mother
in a really, really demented way

What's your name?
bob peck
How old are you?
25
Where do you live?
lakeview, chicago
Are you familiar with the first Violent Femmes record called Violent Femmes?
yes
When did you discover this record?
fifth or sixth grade
Can you remember where you first heard it?
first time i heard add it up was on the q101 retro flashback thing they had back then.
q101 was an alternative music radio station. i think that was the year that q101
was put on the air 91 or 92.
the first time i heard the whole record was at a friend of mines house. he is 2
years older than me so had a lot more music.
Can you relay any story, memory or time of your life that reminds you of this record?
yes, sort of...! for some reason whenever i hear the song blister in the sun, i always
have a flash back of walking up a hill in my hometown. i always visualize all of the
things in that song happening on that little hill.
but the record itself, the whole thing, i remember vaguely what the cover looks like,
i remember it being black and white and there was a girl in it, and i think that she's
standing in like a really old alley? whenever i think about the record i think about that
guy (the older guy i was friends with) and the stuff we would do for fun, which was mostly
sawing golf balls in half, and dousing toys with wd40 and then lighting them on fire.
essentially this album reminds me of, fireworks, handsaws, melted plastic, burned skin,
and the little oil filled ball you get when you saw a golf ball in half.
Do you have a favorite song on this record? Why is it your favorite song?
i loved add it up... i identified to the lyrics because growing up i was interested in girls,
but never had the guts to try to beep them, and by beep i mean talk to.
Did you ever seek out any other music by this band?
yes, i bought one that had a sort of circular saw blade thing on it. i gave that one away.
i think i listened to it once. I didnt like IT.

I think one of the people above is Scott Boehner .

What's your name? Scott Boehner
How old are you? 23
Where do you live? South Bend, IN
Are you familiar with the first Violent Femmes record called Violent Femmes? Yes.
When did you discover this record? Freshman year in high school
Can you remember where you first heard it? On the local skatepark's sound system
Can you relay any story, memory or time of your life that reminds you of this record? Listening to
my friend Jason's rendition of "Kiss Off". Specifically the part where he numbers things off. Haha.
Do you have a favorite song on this record? Why is it your favorite song? Add It Up. I love the
beginning, and the "oh my ma-ma-ma-ma-mo-ma-mother" part.
Did you ever seek out any other music by this band? No, but I always wanted to listen to "Freak
Magnet" because of the cover.

What's your name?
Tawnee
How old are you?
19
Where do you live?
Northern suburbs, Illinois (about an hour away from Chicago)
Are you familiar with the first Violent Femmes record called Violent Femmes?
I certainly am
When did you discover this record?
About 5 years ago
Can you remember where you first heard it?
I was in the car with my first serious boyfriend. I didn't really like any of his other
music, but I was immediately into the Violent Femmes.
Can you relay any story, memory or time of your life that reminds you of this record?
Whenever I hear "Blister in the Sun" I think about us being in the car with the
top down.
Do you have a favorite song on this record? Why is it your favorite song?
"Add It Up"!! Sexual frustration at it's best!
Did you ever seek out any other music by this band?
Yep, I also have "Surfer Rosa"