“Lifting Weights with Ken” is just about the most moving song I’ve ever heard about male solidarity. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like permission to arrange it as a marching song for the U of M marching band for the next time they play Ohio State. I think it’s got “Blue Moon” beat a mile.
Thanks for yet another shout-out Dan, much appreciated. I can see why someone went home singing this song, the chorus is already stuck in my head and I only heard it once! So maybe in an alternate universe you'd have recorded this song and had a hit. And maybe you'd have been tainted like Weezer or Fountains of Wayne, as a band that was too clever to be sincere. But I believe it's John Belushi who was once told, there's a thin line between 'clever' and 'stupid' - and some of the greatest power-pop songs straddle it perfectly!
I suspect that’s another reason we didn’t record it in Lava Sutra; “sense of humor” wasn’t really considered a credible selling point in the early ‘90s!
Hi Dan, A shout out from the very far, distant-past. This is Karen Scanlan from Chicago, a friend of your sister, Becs. I don't know if you remember me, but I met you once or twice when Becs was still living in Chicago (I think I met you at Medusa's when Lava Sutra was performing). This would probably be around, oh, the late '80s I think. Anyway, I came across your article by such weird chance. I'm working on a project and was looking for vintage exercise images. So I clicked on one of the images and there your article was. What a blast from the past! It's so great to see you're still creating and performing! Anyway, with such a random occurrence, I was compelled to reach out and say hello. I hope you and your sister are doing well. Wishing you all the best as you continue to create. Best, Karen
Wow, a blast from the past, indeed! Lovely to hear from you, Karen — and thank you for subscribing to JTL. Hope you're well! (Oh, and Lava Sutra played Medusa's a handful of times in '90 and '91; it must have been one of those shows that my sister dragged you to.)
Oh, no dragging involved - it was great to see you guys perform. Medusa's was my old haunt by then - having hung out there in the early days when it first opened in 1983 when I was 16. I had my cousin's fake ID for Neo and Berlin, sometimes Exit or Club 950, and then after hours to Medusa's from 2am to often 6 or 7am. I remember walking out of there with the sun up!
Fantastic story.....and enjoyed hearing the 1990s and 2020s versions of this tune.
Please CONFIRM with me once again that there really was a Nick Gilder tribute band!
It's all true! Here we are in December 1996: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0f31d6HBM9M
What were the other Gilder songs in your set?
This one went to #1 in Canada…yet I’ve never heard of it?!?!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roxy_Roller
Oh yeah, killer tune!
Off the top of my head, our set included:
Roxy Roller
Got to Get Out
Electric Love
She's One of the Boys
Hot Child in the City
You Really Rock Me
Into the 80s
Worlds Collide
Backstreet Noise
We'll Work It Out
...and maybe one or two others.
Nick's first three LPs are absolutely killer if you dig stuff like The Sweet and Cheap Trick!
Another fantastic piece, Dan. I just shared it on Facebook.
Thank you!
LMAO
I look forward to the story of the Nick Gilder tribute band. And I'm always on board for the record shop stories. Thanks, Dan. Very enjoyable.
“Lifting Weights with Ken” is just about the most moving song I’ve ever heard about male solidarity. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like permission to arrange it as a marching song for the U of M marching band for the next time they play Ohio State. I think it’s got “Blue Moon” beat a mile.
Be my guest! :)
Thanks for yet another shout-out Dan, much appreciated. I can see why someone went home singing this song, the chorus is already stuck in my head and I only heard it once! So maybe in an alternate universe you'd have recorded this song and had a hit. And maybe you'd have been tainted like Weezer or Fountains of Wayne, as a band that was too clever to be sincere. But I believe it's John Belushi who was once told, there's a thin line between 'clever' and 'stupid' - and some of the greatest power-pop songs straddle it perfectly!
I suspect that’s another reason we didn’t record it in Lava Sutra; “sense of humor” wasn’t really considered a credible selling point in the early ‘90s!
Hi Dan, A shout out from the very far, distant-past. This is Karen Scanlan from Chicago, a friend of your sister, Becs. I don't know if you remember me, but I met you once or twice when Becs was still living in Chicago (I think I met you at Medusa's when Lava Sutra was performing). This would probably be around, oh, the late '80s I think. Anyway, I came across your article by such weird chance. I'm working on a project and was looking for vintage exercise images. So I clicked on one of the images and there your article was. What a blast from the past! It's so great to see you're still creating and performing! Anyway, with such a random occurrence, I was compelled to reach out and say hello. I hope you and your sister are doing well. Wishing you all the best as you continue to create. Best, Karen
Wow, a blast from the past, indeed! Lovely to hear from you, Karen — and thank you for subscribing to JTL. Hope you're well! (Oh, and Lava Sutra played Medusa's a handful of times in '90 and '91; it must have been one of those shows that my sister dragged you to.)
Oh, no dragging involved - it was great to see you guys perform. Medusa's was my old haunt by then - having hung out there in the early days when it first opened in 1983 when I was 16. I had my cousin's fake ID for Neo and Berlin, sometimes Exit or Club 950, and then after hours to Medusa's from 2am to often 6 or 7am. I remember walking out of there with the sun up!