News 2003

29 December 2003 - Live review

Jane (MyrnaLoy at the Forum) was at 'the Minus 5' show on saterday at the 'crocodile cafe', this is her little review

We got to Seattle and decided to have dinner at the crocodile, then go back to our hotel so I could take a nap. I had been up since 4am, worked a full 8 hour shift, and then started driving. Jason didn't drive at all, so I took a quickie 30 minute power nap at a rest stop and that's ALL the sleep I had.

We were standing at the corner of 3rd & Blanchard and I saw this skinny guy, all in black, with stringy hair and thought "Is that Kurt Bloch?" The light turned to walk and the man took off trotting down the street. I asked jason who it was and he hadn't noticed the man. As he got to the corner by the crocodile he said something and had Kurt bloch's really distinctive voice. We knew we were in for something special.

We ate dinner, searched out earplugs (the crocodile is LOUD) and went back to the hotel for my nap. At 10pm we walked the 3 blocks to the club, paid cover (since the guest list wasn't up yet) and walked inside.

"Black Panties" were onstage and man did they ever rawk. Total strightforward balls out rawk. A guy on a bass, one on guitar, one on drums, and the singer gripping the microphone for dear life. They were loud, but really damn good. They even covered the Young Fresh Fellows "Rotation." The name "Black Panty" sounds a lot like "Black Betty" a song the fellows did... so all through the night people called out "Play Black Betty again" which I thought was funny.

After a quick set change (all the bands used the same drums and amps) Holy Ghost Revival came on. Hot damn were they ever good. I saw them setting up a keyboard and I was instantly afraid that they'd sound like mercury Rev (sorry, I hate them). The music started and it was majestic, sweeping, sad, and wonderful. Each song sounded like something you'd end a show with. The band (guitar, bass, keyboards, and drums) was exellent but the centerpiece was the lead singer. They all looked barely old enough to be there. The lead singer was in tight jeans, had straight chin-length blonde hair and a sport coat on. He danced like a combination of Michael Stipe, Freddy Mercury, and Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes. Jason made the comment "The theater kids got into the band room" 'cause that's what it seemed like. I can't wait to see them again.

Next up was Sgt. Major. Featuring Kurt Bloch on Guitar and Jim Sangster (also of the fellows) on bass. A chick singer and a drummer. The band was good, the singer really wasn't all that great. I noticed they worked the "Do You Care" theme by the YFF into one of their songs. Highlight of the set: When John Ramberg joined them for "Cheaters" which was either a Model Rockets or a Stumpy Joe song... either way, it was one he wrote.

The Eddie Sphagetti took the stage. I love the Supersuckers and he really kinda needed them behind him. He did a few songs from his new record "The Sauce" including one called "Killer Weed" which went "Killer weed, its exactly what we need" and he made the audience sing with him. He closed with the Supersuckers songs "Born With A Tail" (Which I love) and "doublewide"

Once For Kicks were next. This time, Kurt Bloch played bass and everyone wore ruffly tuxedo shirts. They rawked. Nuff Said

Then, at 12:30 my beloved Minus 5 took the stage. This evening they consisted of Scott McCaughey, John Ramberg, Bill Rieflin, Jim Talstra, and Mike Clark who are both members of the Jicks.

Here's the setlist:

Find A Finger / Dear My Inspiration / Little Black Egg / Courage Is The Smallest Bird / The Town That Lost Its Groove Supply / I Don't Want To Fuck Off Anymore / The Night Chicago Died (again) / Mary Lou / Days Of Wine And Booze / Cracked / Ghost Tarts Of Stockholm / Lies Of The Living Dead

I'm not bitter was also on the setlist, but is written in a way that indicates it was an alternate choice.

Find a Finger was awesome, and I think Dear My Inspiration is a love song to a bottle of whiskey. Little black egg was dedicated to the man who wrote it. Scott said he lived in Seattle and scott had never met the man. But he hoped to someday so he could find out just what the fuck the song was about. Bill did a false start to Courage is the Smallest Bird, and let's face it... they'll never ruin that song. I think scott may have gotten the verses mixed up, but that's okay... what counts is that they played it (have I ever mentioned my Courage Is The Smallest Bird Tattoo?). The Town that Lost Its Groove Supply was prefaced with "This is for Janey" which made me soooo happy. I've recorded a version of Groove Supply, and gave it to scott... I"m still hoping to be able to play it with the band someday. Afterward, someone aked what the song was about and Scott said it was about a little bird that got caught in the cold (and I thought he was going to do So Much Wine after that speech, but they didn't)

I don't want to fuck off was great, the band really learned it well. I managed to sorta write down the chords to YOu Don't Mean it and hope to make that my next "Single"... I shall call my album "Down With The Minus 5" Scott forgot part of the Night Chicago Died, the verse about the band Chicago... and he admitted to it... Kirt Bloch was very vocal in trying to get the band to do it over again, and right this time... I just loved the fact that they played it since I hate the city of chicago.

John Ramber ripped his lungs out doing mary lou and both he and Scott broke Guitar strings. While Ramberg's B-Bender Telecaster was being restrung, the band did The Days Of Wine and Booze. Then a song listed as "Cracked" on the setlist. It was really good, really catchy, and sounded a lot like Ghost Tarts.

John's Telecaster was back in working order and the band launched into Ghost Tarts (my second favorite song of theirs). And the band finished with Lies of the living dead.

So: onto the "Busted 40's" as Natalie and I call them. I spoke with John and Kelly Ramberg early in the evening. I asked John about his band and he said they had only practiced 3 times and didn't know any songs. So they werent' going to be playing that night. I told him I drove all the way from portland just to see his band (jokingly). I told him the woes of my band breaking up. He remembered I gave him a button the last time I saw him and he said he couldn't wear it anymore.. I told him to hang onto it as it would be a collector's item some day.

I (literally) bumped into Scott and told him about my lack of sleep and working too much. he said it sucked. I asked him to write a note to my boss saying she had to do a better job scheduling me. He said he'd do it, but didn't know how much pull he'd have.

later in the evening, he came to say him to jason and we talked a bit about things and the Holy Ghost Revival. He said Kurt had recently produced an album by them. I can't really remember much else about that part of the evening since I really had to use the restroom.

At the end of the night we talked to scott while he was onstage. We told him how much we enjoyed the show and he said he couldn't believe we drove all that way for that. I gave him a hug from ya'll and we talked about the site... he said he always wanted to do one but couldn't get his shit together. I said I wanted to do one, but didn't want to have to do two sites at once. He said the site was really flattering and he really didn't know what to say. So, he likes ya'll.

We started talking about how Jason and I are collecting the YFF singles and how we just got the hello ep. Scott told us to not spend anymore money on that kind of stuff, that he more than likely has copies of them at home and will give them to us if we tell him what we want.
-Jane McDonald

26 December 2003 - 'In Rock' and 'I don't Know who I Am'

- This is what Bilboard had to say about the upcoming 'In Rock' re-release

Peter Buck's Minus 5 Brings Forth the 'Rock'
Wed December 24, 2003 09:19 PM ET

By Troy Carpenter
NEW YORK (Billboard) - Seattle-based indie-rock supergroup the Minus 5 will rerelease the little-known album "In Rock," featuring R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck, early next year.

The set, which was previously available only at Minus 5 concerts and through the R.E.M. fanclub, has been reworked into a "deluxe version" due Feb. 24 on Yep Roc Records.

"In Rock" was recorded in one day, March 13, 2000, at Seattle's Jupiter Studios, with principals Buck and R.E.M. sideman Scott McCaughey joined by guests John Ramberg, Bill Rieflin, Chris Ballew, John Wesley Harding, Kurt Bloch and Ben Gibbard. A mere 1,000 copies of the album were originally pressed on the Book Records label.

For the Yep Roc edition, the original material was remastered and four new songs -- "Bambi Molester," "The Forgotten Fridays," "Where the Wire Meet the Skies" and "Cosmic Jive" -- were recorded in November. As McCaughey says in a statement, the new version "dropped two wildly worthy songs and added four new complimentary numbers and a barcode."

Those two other songs from the original release, "Myrna Loy (#2)" and a cover of the Nightcrawlers' nugget "The Little Black Egg," will be available on a vinyl version from Yep Roc.

Reuters/Billboard

- And 'I don't Know who I Am' is one of the ten CD's of 2003 from under the radar from acording to 'Rollingstone Magazine'

The Minus 5 I Don't Know Who I Am (Return to Sender/Normal)

It is time to stop thinking of this mischievous combo as an R.E.M. side project. Yes, singer-guitarist Scott McCaughey is a veteran R.E.M. sideman. Yes, he co-founded this loose aggregate of singers and players with R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck. But McCaughey, also the longtime wit and voice of the Young Fresh Fellows, is a smart, sharp songwriter with an encyclopedic grip on rock & roll classicism. Indeed, his bigger problem may be that some people mistake his cunning for mere cleverness. This special German release should fix that. Recorded for but not used on the Minus 5's 2001 album, Let the War on Music Begin, these songs are about civil war -- the internal kind -- and McCaughey sings them with magnetic candor inside music (played by various Minus 5 friends including Jeff Tweedy of Wilco) that is spidery, spectral and not just for R.E.M. completists.

21 December 2003 - KEXP radio show + Exclusive Download

- On December 19th Scott dropped in the KEXP radio studio in Seattle and joined Amanda Wilde for his annual Christmas appearance. In the one hour and 30 minute he co-hosted the show, he answered several questions from the listeners, talked about various stuff from the last year, spun some records (including a preview of "Bambi Molester" from the forthcoming Minus 5 release "In Rock" on YepRoc) and at the end played a live song. The song called "So Much Wine" and is a cover; the original is by the "The Handsome Family" and can be found on the album "In the Air".
And as a Christmas present you can now download this track exclusively at this site. The track has a little skip that was in the original recording, so sorry for that, for the rest is it a great tune.
Scott McCaughey - So Much Wine (live KEXP) (right click and save to download)

19 December 2003 - More Scott performing

- Scott and some other musicians from Seattle will perform under the name "Experience McKeag Project " all songs from "The Beatles" White Album this Saturday(12/20) at the Sunset Tavern in Seattle entrance $10

16 December 2003 - The town that lost its groove supply

- Not much news this week, but here(right click, save as) is a nice video file of Scott performing and talking about "the town that lost its groove supply" at the "South By SouthWest Festival" in march of 2003. The file is in the MPEG-4 format and needs Quicktime to play.

10 December 2003 - Sunset McNew Years

- On New Years Eve Scott will play a gig at the Sunset Tavern(Seattle). Others include Scott's wife Christy McWilson, DJ MF McCake and DJ Mc Taco Supreme. $10

9 December 2003 - More re-release news

- The 'In Rock' CD will be released in Europe also by Yep Roc records, so it will not come out on another label. The new tracks on the CD are all written by Scott except 'Bambi Molester' which is written by McCaughey/Ramberg/Rieflin. Peter Buck couldn't be at the sessions, as he was still too ill, so Scott had to double on bass. The LP will have a limited run of 500 copies. Also 'Down with Wilco' might be re-released on LP (also 500 copies).
And in the fall of next year, there might be an EP of more Minus 5/Wilco sessions.
The next real Minus 5 album is probably for 2005.
Thanks to Ole and Scott for the info.

8 December - Petition

- Dunja has set up a petition to ask Scott if he could take his 'Minus 5' to europe someday, to view and sign the petition you go here.
If you want to discuss this matter, got to this forum topic

7 December 2003 - Site news

- We now have a forum as well, go and let your self be heared here.

6 December 2003 - Peter Buck

- Today Peter Buck, one of the minus 5 members celebrates his 47th birthday
So happy Birthday Peter, may you play for lots of years to come.

5 December 2003 - Lyrics

- 'Down with wilco' and 'I dont know who I am' lyrics are now availble in the lyric section of the site.
Thanks to Dunja and Lesley for the help.

3 December 2003 - New(old) Minus 5 release coming next year

- 'The minus 5 in rock', the album that was only availble at live minus 5 shows, will now also be availble for a larger audience.
YepRoc records will re-release this album in an expanded form on Febuary 24 2004. The album will have some extra tracks. And to make it even better, it will also be released on vinyl, wich will have 2 extra cuts.
The new tracklist will be as follows

The Minus 5 - In Rock
1.Bambi Molester
2.Dear My Inspiration
3.In A Lonely Coffin
4.The Forgotten Fridays
5.Courage Is The Smallest Bird
6.The Girl I Never Met
7.The Night Chicago Died Again
8.Where The Wires Meet The Skies
9.Lies Of The Living Dead
10.Dr. Evil: Doctor Of Evil
11.Cosmic Jive
12.Over The Sea

30 November 2003 - Site news

- Redid the site a bit, new header and as you can see their is now also a lyric section.
most of the lyrics aren't their so don't bother with it yet :)

27 November 2003 - Review, Upcoming Gig

- Check out the review for 'I Don't Know Who I Am (Let the War Against Music Begin Vol.2)' in the review section

- Upcoming show at the croc:

Saterday december 27 $7
POST CHRISTMAS BASH w/ Scott McCaughey, Sgt Major, Eddie Spaghetti, Once for Kicks, Andrew McKeag, John Ramberg, & Mark Hoyt This is just a list - not the order - check back for more info

26 November 2003 - Site Launched

- Launch date of the site. Most of the sections are still under construction.

November 2003 - New Album

- New Minus 5 Album out: 'I Don't Know Who I Am (Let the War Against Music Begin Vol.2)'.
The songs on this album where recorded during the recording of 'Let the war against music begin'. It contains new versions of 'Myrna Loy' and 'Dear Employer' and also a new version of the song 'I dont wanna fuck off anymore', which has been circulalting on the Internet. The album is out on the 'Return to sender' label and is limited to 2.000 copies. You can order it online from 'Gliterhouse' (europe) and 'Amazon' (worldwide)

21 October 2003 - New Track

- Minus 5 Team up with Cyndi Lauper on the track 'Midnight Radio' for the charity album '..+ Wig in a Box +.. - The Songs from Hedwig and the Angry Inch'. Go over to the 'Off Records' site to see what else is on the album and check out the preview of the song.
And while you are on that site, you might wanna check out the media section, as you can download the track 'The Great Divider (My Ruffled Sleeve)' by The Minus 5, fromt the 2001 concept album 'Colonel Jeffrey Pumpernickel'

September 2003 - New Track

- Last June when Scott McCaughey was in Utrecht with R.E.M. in preperation for their European tour he met a band (Maqtewék Moween) and late in the evening he recorded a song with them at the ID-Q studios. Scott took care of the vocals of the song "Move on" while the band took care of the instruments.
And now 'Maqtewék Moween' has put this song online, you can download it here, along with the rest of their album.

5 May 2003 - Performance

- Solo performance from scott at CBC Radio 3 in Vancouver, Canada. 6 songs played: Barky's Spiritual Store[Young Fresh Fellows] / Hillbilly Drummer Girl[Young Fresh Fellows] / I'm Not Bitter[Minus 5] / With A Gun / Days of Wine and Booze[Minus 5] / What I Don't Believe[Minus 5]. Misten to this performance here.