Wednesday, April 25, 2012

V is for Violent Femmes


       
       I hear “Blister in the Sun” by the Violent Femmes so often, I wonder if people in their teens and 20s think the song is more recent.  The song came out in 1983, but the album (which also had “Gone Daddy Gone”) didn’t go platinum until 9 years later. 


Here they are live in the early years.  Cute lead singer:



And here’s Angela from the TV show “My So Called Life” (in 1995) thinking she’s over her crush, Jordan Catalano.  What does one do after such an epiphany?  Dance to “Blister in the Sun” of course:




This “Blister in the Sun” video shows clips from Grosse Point Blank, which came out in 1997 (I’ve loved John Cusack since “16 Candles”, but especially since “Better off Dead”):



       The band pretty much lasted until 2007 when there was a lawsuit between band members over selling the song for a Wendy’s commercial. 

Yeah, I don’t think it works either:




FYI: ABNA Quarter Finals were announced yesterday.  YA started at 5k.  The last round was 250.  But I got cut when it just went to 50.  The NE-SCBWI conference was just this past weekend.  It was the best yet.  I got a request for two partials and I received some feedback from my critique partners the novel academy and the ABNA reviewer at Publishers Weekly, which should make my novel Naked Eye stronger.  I’ll edit the manuscript again, and will query soon.  

25 comments:

  1. I need to go revisit these bands! They'd slipped from my memory.

    Congrats on the quarter finals and requests!

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  2. Hey, I heard that song not long ago. Can't remember where though.

    Congrads, pal. I am so happy for you. You made it 250. That nis huge. And so are the partials. What a great conference. Our conference isn't until September. One day you'll be speaking at SCBWICarolinas. :-)

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  3. Congrats on making it so far in the competition. That is awesome!!!

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  4. OH Theresa Milstein!! You made it so closely!! That's brilliant!! Yay for you!!! And requests!! Happy happy dance! Take care
    x

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  5. You do brilliantly for making it so far in ABNA! Well done!

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  6. I got cut at 50 yesterday too. But it was a fun ride while it lasted.

    BTW, on my blogs I tagged you this morning in the Lucky Seven meme. (I hope you haven't already been tagged.)

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  7. Nope, sorry - this whole post has gone straight over my head.

    Except for your great news - I got that! Well done, hope the submissions go well.

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  8. Nicely done in getting to 250 Theresa.

    You got me with this band--I don't remember them.

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  10. As soon as I saw Violent Femmes I thought of Gross Point Blank and John Cusack. I love that movie and I've been a total Cusack fanatic since the 80s. I can't hear Blister in the Sun without thinking of that movie.

    Huge congratulations on the ABNA placing and requests!! That's awesome!

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  11. Never heard of them before, but they're pretty awesome! Thanks for sharing :)

    Sarah Allen
    (my creative writing blog)

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  12. Your choices of music to feature in the A to Z Challenge have been very interesting. Some I loved and some I'd never heard before. Always nice to learn about something new, so thanks.

    Seems like the A to Z hasn't hindered your writing progress. Good luck with those requests!

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  13. The Violent Femmes were so central to my college experience--especially that one album. I adored them--still do. Thank you for the reminder!

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  14. awesome song! and my so called life didnt last long enough. loved it. thx for all the fun facts!

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  15. I've never of them, but I do love their band name!
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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  16. Ah yes, the Violent Femmes. I remember them well.

    I'm glad your book is coming along. I look forward to seeing it published.

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  17. I know I've mentioned it on Facebook, but once again, well done for getting so far in ABNA! That means there's definitely something in your novel that works well! Now all it needs is a bit of tweak and polish!

    J.C. Martin
    A to Z Blogger

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  18. They had a unique and distinct sound with some songs still played on the radio. And good luck with the querying!

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  19. I had a heart cath a few years ago and before they put me under the surgeon asked me if I liked Violent Femmes. I told him that I liked "Blister in the Sun" because it was their only song that I really knew but I love the song. When the cath was over, before they took me to recovery he said, "Heather, this is for you" and he blasted it in the operating room. It was awesome, especially paired with some great drugs :)

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  20. Congrats for your ABNA success. I know how much blood, sweat and tears goes into that submission.

    I'm more into the delicious U2 (my fave band) than the Violent Femmes.

    Denise

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  21. Great song! I don't remember this scene in My So Called Life, but I'm glad you shared this. Jordan Catalano was so dreamy!!! I'm also writing about music for the A to Z Challenge. :)

    Ana

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  22. Congratulations on being in the finals and receiving requests.

    I love this band. I didn't know about the Wendy's issue.

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  23. Congrats again on getting so close with your manuscript.

    I knew the song, but not the band, lol.

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  24. I used to be a big Violent Femmes fan. My ex-wife and I went to see them in concert at the beautiful old Wiltern Theater in downtown L.A. in 1992. She fell asleep during the concert--I think she was on drugs or something cause she'd been acting pretty weird. It was a great concert though. We got divorced the following year but it wasn't because she fell asleep at a great concert.


    Lee
    An A to Z Co-Host
    Tossing It Out

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