The genius is in brevity and this week proves it! Join Damian as he sits down for a brief, but awesome chat with the Hold Steady’s Craig Finn. Listen in as the two discuss hanging’ with the Blind Approach Crew, putting out 45s and guitar lessons with greatness. Also touched on: Being on Skene and AmRep The Rock ’80 Comp Playing tennis with a friend of the Replacements Going into the city Orfolkjokeopus become Treehouse going to see the Violent Femmes Going to the “TIM” release show Getting lessons from Chris… from the Suicide Commandos “Make A Record” Soul Asylum: a tale of two bands Outcry Blind Approach: pre-Madball St. Paul spikey punk Libido Boys: on stage with pogoballs The GBH comes to town with the Cro-Mags and it changes everything Craig’s first band No Pun Intended Boston’s pit’s way more violent Getting out of it and getting into AmRep Halo Of Flies and Tom Hazelmyer Drinking with Tom Dillinger Four: one of the best bands ever Buddy’s with Buddy from Assrash Youth Of Today/ Misery / Blind Approach Releasing your own record AND MORE!!!!!!
There was this amazing band called Lifter Puller from Minneapolis, where I lived in 1998-2001. I was supposed to write a preview about a show they had coming up at The 7th Street Entry. This was a popular 300-capacity venue in downtown Minneapolis whose name was aptly given – the entry to the club was
on 7th Street, but also because it was often a place for entry-level bands to play. When I called band member Craig Finn, he told me the band was done. Here are excerpts from what was published:
The discovery of their break up was sudden. Singer/guitarist Craig Finn gave me the news over the phone, as I was fixing to set up an interview for their now cancelled Seventh Street Entry show. It took me a moment to process what he revealed, and before I could think to say anything more eloquent, I had already blurted out “What?!” The band has had it’s run.
The setting sun was glaring against the Weisman’s shiny aluminum exterior. July 29th’s performance of Lifter Puller’s “Nassau Coliseum” brought a tear to my eye. The band looked exhausted; the crowd’s attention was given wholly to the band. During those last moments panic filled eyes as the mic was breaking up, the room kept growing increasingly humid, and the bodies against the stage were falling against and into another. “Nassau Coliseum” was imperfect; And that in itself was perfect poetry in motion. Expressions on the sea of sweaty faces told a million stories. That moment was something short of saying farewells to a cherished friend moving far away, never to return. It would be the last song. This was a moment of Minneapolis Rock history.
It was five days since that show when I sat down with guitarist/keyboardist Steve Barone and drummer Dan Monick. The overcast day on Lyndale Blvd. fit the mood for a discussion about their break up. I began by asking if it was forseen. Barone sips his iced coffee and explains, “We cancelled the rest (of our shows) because we didn’t want to do the ‘Hey, we’re breaking up at the end of the summer.’ When you decide to break up, you break up. You don’t go on.”
I went on to describe Lifter Puller as The Pixies’ answer to “indie punk” in that Craig is the very definition of a troubador. He is a rich storyteller as Black Francis, maybe even a better one. I was 23 when I wrote this article. It’s since been posted on a couple websites run by fans. Lifter Puller reunited for a three shows in 2003. After this, Craig and Tad formed the band The Hold Steady, and my friend Bobby Drake (also from Minneapolis) joined them on drums. I am a fan of this band too, they currently tour worldwide and have been featured in magazines way bigger than Pulse of the Twin Cities, where my article was originally published.
PS: It’s worth it to note that Dan Monick is now a well-known photographer, who has produced some of my favorite images.
this song, makes me think of the current girl I'm into, cute blondie this one's for you, one day I'll serenade this to you, but I must warn you, I don't have a voice as sweet as yours.
let me lick your windows clean, take a clearer look at me
get up off your lazy eye and look into my brighter side
and i'm not afraid to quit, i'm just used to it so i deal with it
she's takin off her make-up and she knows we'll both be better off without it
let me treat you like a queen, it could boost my self esteem
dig your nails into my hands when i show you to my friends
nitrous oxide laugh at your birthday bash right before you crashed
she's takin off my glasses and i've only seen her once before without em
