Gruta '77 Magazine - June 2008 Issue - Madrid Spain
July 24, 2008
Here is the full Gruta '77 Magazine article (June issue) from
Madrid Spain. It includes an interview with John Freeman. Again the translation of the article from Spanish to English is
bit off.
The Magnolias Power Pop Is Rock'n'Roll
They
say that the time puts the record straight.If true, The Magnolias should savor today the recognition that was
denied them in due course.Any lover of power pop outline a smile when he recalls a disc as "Off the Hook".In 1992, and after eight years of experience, the band from Minnesota reached its summit with a personal album
enviable.But honeys of success are only for a few and they do not iban a flavor. They said goodbye in 1997. Still,
the battle is not over.John Freeman has brought together his old band and plans its first assault on Europe.Perhaps some classics in the shadows begin to see the light.Its
three Spanish dates include Castellon pass through the June 19, Madrid (Gruta'77) on 20 and Granada on 21. (By
Diego RJ)
The
Magnolias were formed in late 1984, in Minneapolis, a city that already had big names in the rock'n'roll such as, the Replacements and
Hüsker Dü. One year after their first gig, the group
rose in the ranks of local twin towns and with a recognized seal next to the groups cited above. Singer, guitarist
and composer John Freeman was the main engine of the group and today is the only original member remaining in the band. From the outset they demonstrated their devotion and influence by groups
like the Undertones, Buzzcocks, Kinks and the Real Kids, influences to which was adding a personal nature that would define
the group. But what might be was not. The history of the band is marked since its inception until the last bolus
offered in 1997 by a series of obstacles and glimpses of bad fortune that, despite the perseverance of Freeman, inevitably
end up drowning. Changes continuous training, incompetent
recordings, unexpected bankruptcies ...even when the fate seemed to smile and called them to act before 1,200
people at the famous South by Southwest festival in Austin, meeting point for major labels in the country, they stopped their
van pulled amid a storm six hours in the city .There came to the event and added another anecdote to the list.After their separation and since 1999 the group has acted sporadically.But recently, and after another unsuccessful
projects, Freeman wanted to pick up the reins and edited "Better Late Than Never", a collection of unreleased songs
drawn from demos and discards study.The first rung of a new staircase, which continues with the first European
tour in the history of the group.
INTERVIEW w/ John Freeman by Diego R.J.
If I am not wrong this next tour is the first time The Magnolias
visit Spain. How do you front these shows?
Yeah, Our first ever tour of Europe. Though a mutual friend,
the Magnolias hooked up with Kill City Booking in Lille France. Our agent there is Francois Boit. Juancho Lopez contacted
me when he got word of our upcoming tour. He wanted to get us into Spain. So he, along with Francois got the ball rolling
in Spain.
You have a new album (first in more than 10 years) that includes
13 unreleased demos and outtakes from the past. Which guidelines have you follow for doing it?
Well, putting together a compilation of tracks that were recorded
over various years, members, studios and producers was a difficult task. We narrowed it down to the years from 1990 to 1996.
We have recorded material that goes back as far as 1985, some of the earlier demos, quality and sonically just didn't hold
up as well as the later recordings. We wanted the strongest recordings and songs. I quess to put it simply, we wanted to include
as many unreleased songs that was strong from first song though to the last. The two live songs, the rocker "Torture Yours"
and slower, moodier "Where Do You Go?" were written shortly before the group originally broke up in 1997. We never had a chance
to record them in the studio. I wanted them on because I think they are great songs.
Are you thinking about recording new songs for a next project?
Have you got material enough in your inkpot?
I have enough songs to choose from that we could record a triple
album. We would need financial backing to go into the studio. Money is a problem right now. Right right now we are doing all
this for fun, and funny thing is that's the reason we all got into music for in the first place, to have fun.
I have seen the European tour line up includes
your old partner Tom Cook (Magnolias’ drummer from 1988 to 1993). Have you been in contact all this time? Would
you say this is the best Magnolias line up for you?
These guys are truly my friends. Tom Cook is the igniter, a
real go getter, and drums like a clock. Johnny O'Halloran has been the longest tenured player in the Magnolias, been with
me since I uprooted him from Boston in 1992. He truly is the essence of rock'n'roll. A James Dean type of character. He also
happens to be one of the best bass players on the planet. Eric Kassel, came into the band in 1995, at that time the band was
on the verge of collapse. I'm pretty sure, that without him having joined the band, we wouldn't even be talking about a tour
at all. I'd say Eric is the smart one in the band. He takes care of all our graphics and has designed pretty much everything
that has the Magnolias name on it. A real quick, ripping lead guitar player too. So yeah, a well rounded line up and great
friends.
I suppose that all the changes the band has had all over the
years must have been a big obstacle for your perfect continuity. Why do you think that you have forced so many times to change
your partners?
Because I'm an asshole. No really, there were issues with drugs,
commitment, you name it. I only ask that the others carry their share of the load. I'm not going to babysit anybody.
The band disbanded in 1997 but since 2000 you have been playing
sporadically. Why do you think this is happening? What would you say that keeps the band’s spirit alive?
Well we don't hate each other. We always feel that when we play
that we could wipe any band off the stage. Nobody in this band wants to go out and flop on stage. I think it's instilled in
us all to be the best every night. As far as the spirit, we would not do it if nobody cared about us.
In these last years you have been working with other solo projects:
The Pushbacks and Action Alert. What can you tell us about these bands? Any future plans for them? Are you working in any
other musical projects besides Magnolias?
I put the Pushbacks together within weeks of the Magnolias breaking
up in April of 1997. At that time, I really was worn down from anything and everything to do with the Magnolias, my spirit
really smashed. I was drinking way too much too. The Pushbacks breathed some new life and energy into me. I started writing
more and more. We released one CD in 1999 called "No Strings Attached". The Pushbacks gigged around the upper midwest of America
mostly, played a couple of SXSW's festivals in Austin Texas. The band broke up in 2000 because I wanted to tour more than
the rest. They had other things going on in their lives that made them unable to commit to the band. the Action Alert, Hmmm,
started out in late 2000, all guys I knew, tight rocking band, it just never got it's footing. Had drummer problems and we
kinda faded out. Never really broke up, just faded away around 2003. No other projects right now, The Magnolias are my baby.
Your first Magnolias’ show was 23 years ago. What do you
see when you look to those years with the eyes of today? How was Minneapolis in 1985 for a kids in love with power pop?
I was 21 then. I'm 44 now. Minneapolis in 1985 was really great.
There were less places to play than there is now, but there were so many great bands around, alot of garage rock, alot that
you probably never heard of. We signed with Twin Tone Records in early 1986. To be able to get signed by them, with the amount
of great bands that were around was a blessing. It enabled us to be a real band, record, tour, and for me to get better as
a songwriter. The crowds in Minneapolis has always loved us. We have a very loyal following even today. We are playing a show
in Minneapolis a few days before we depart for the European tour.
Before forming the band, what records and artists were you listening
and what shows did you see that marked the way you were going to choose?
Oh, even though I was only about 14, in 1977 and 1978 I would
go to most every concert I could. I'd spend my paper route money every weekend down at the local record store, Oarfolkjokepus.
The Jam, Clash, Sex Pistols, Generation X, Buzzcocks, Undertones, Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers I just loved and still
can't get enough of. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers first two albums are fantastic. Cheap Trick. I'd buy all the records
and hunt for the newest singles. Two of the best shows I ever saw were in the summer of 1978, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
and another show that summer, Cheap Trick on the Heaven Tonight tour, simply blew me away.
Everywhere about The Magnolias someone said you were replacement,
Huskewr Du and Soul Asylum little brothers. Weren’t or aren’t you tired of this?
I saw in the local newspaper paper about a month ago that had
a birthday list, It said Dave Pirner, Soul Asylum 44. I had already turned 44 in February, so he's actually my little brother.
We all came from the same scene, at the same time. I played in a band called the Outpatience in 1981-1983. We used to open
for the Replacements alot. I think the fact that we never hit the big time like those bands is the reason we are sometimes
called "little brothers" although we are very close in age. It doesn't really bother me.
Talking about those Minneapolis bands: I think your sound was
not so near to their. Your guitars were sharper and your melodies were stronger. In those new wave sounds I think you were
more near to melodic punk rock than the others. What do you think?
I wasn't a fan of Husker Du, so they were not an influence at
all. I was on the Replacements side of the fence. Soul Asylum I loved live, but I didn't listen to there records much. I was
a big fan of the Buzzcocks and I think alot of people can pick up on that. But I also loved what Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers
did. Kinda of a 70's version of Chuck Berry. Great,great songs, but mostly rhythm and blues based. That's what I was mostly
trying to do when we first started out, mixing those two together. Though the years I developed my own style of writing, and
when you here a Mags song, I think you'll know it's us.
I think that your first years (the mid and late eighties) were
not a good time for power pop bands. The biggest names have had their time between 5 and 10 years ago but I suppose that after
that radios and press, as always happens, lost interest in these sounds. Did you ever feel you were living five years behind
of your time?
No, I never really considered us anything but a Rock'n'Roll
band. It's the media that puts on the tags. I felt perfectly at ease with what we were doing then just as I do now. I try
to stay away from trends. If you can do that, your music becomes timeless. But I do love Power Pop, and if someone calls us
that, I'm ok with it.
You toured all the USA. Which were the best moments in those
years? Which bands you liked did you meet in your tours? How were your first visits to the East Coast?
Oh man, any day on the road was a good day for me, I absolutely
lived for the road. We did better on the East Coast because it was closer and easier for us to tour. Alot of cities in a small
area. Three bands that really stick out to me that I saw and met on the road were, The Voodoo Dolls from Boston, Titanic Love
Affair from Champagne Illinois and the Wannabes from Austin Texas. The first time we played New York, we were so paranoid
that our van was gonna get stolen, that every time we parked it on the street, we pulled out the coil wire from the engine,
so it wouldn't start if someone tried to steal it. We were wide eyed midwest kids who had never been to the big bad cities
of the East Coast. But after awhile, we figured it all out. Still the coil wire idea, in hind site, was pretty smart.
After two good records as "Concrete pillbox" and, specially,
"For rent", in 1989 you left Twin Tone label after recording "Dime store dream", an album that in your own words was not recorded
in the best conditions. It seems your label didn’t want to bet for The Magnolias, did it?
No actually, they pretty much begged us to stay on. I think
that they liked what they heard on the demos that we had recently recorded and were impressed with the songs that would be
on the next album. The main American distributor, Rough Trade, had filed bankruptcy, and we felt it was time to move on because
of that.
But after this record, the incident that impeded you playing
Austin SXSW and Kyle Killorin and your old friend Tom Lischmann leaving the band, The Magnolias recorded the best album in
its trajectory, the amazing "Off the hook". How could you get it???
Going into the studio to record it, we knew that this was gonna
our best yet. It was a great bunch of well developed songs. And we had worked them to the bone before going in. We just needed
a good producer who cared. We went with Tom Herbers, a guy who co-produced "For Rent"and he also had worked on many demos
that we had done over the years. He knew us and our sound very well. We took our time on it. We were all very pleased with
the results, we felt we had made the perfect album.
How did things change after this record?
We embarked on some really lengthy tours, covering all of America.
The first 6 weeks of the tour, we only had Sundays off. We toured everywhere we could, playing every city and college town
you can name. We had a new Manager, a new Booking Agent, a new label in Alias Records. We thought this was gong to be the
one that got us over the edge so to speak. But our bass player, Caleb Palmiter, left after the first half of the tour and
we replaced our guitar player, Kent Militzer as well, bringing Tom Lischmann back. I drove out to Boston and recruited Johnny
O'Halloran to play bass. After all the touring was over, we set about making a demo of our new songs. I'm guessing Alias must
not have liked the songs, but they never told us why they dropped us.We promoted the album by touring ten times that of any
other band on their roster. They told me they were not picking up the option on the contract by phone on Christmas eve 1992.
Same year, 1992, you recorded the "Hung up on" EP. Why did you
stop recording till 1996?
No record label interest, nobody would touch us. EMI called
once, when I called back I left a message, then I never heard from them again. Funny. We were like the plague or something.
"Street date Tuesday" (1996) was another fantastic record. Next
year The Magnolias disbanded. It seems your trajectory was marked by a dark rock’n’roll curse.
Actually, It's lucky the album ever got made at all. I was ready
to hang it up, but my band talked me into giving it one more go. I said I would, but if the tour to support it did not go
well, then I was going to leave. We never did do a proper tour for that album. We played our last show then in April of 1997,
which marked our 12 anniversary of our first ever show. We had a good run, not everybody can be famous.
Thanks for your time John. I’m really waiting to see your
band at Gruta’77, Madrid.
Here's a review from the Castellon show in Spain last
month. The translation is a little off I suspect. If you can read Spanish, here is the original
link.
It was Thursday
and the majority Friday curraba. But he was fiestón tremendous. The Magnolias dispatched with conciertazo in the 15 anniversary of nonTomorrow Record, last night in the Room Four Seasons de Castellón, and Javi, the Rubber, Tommy and Paco Rock songs put the rest remembering of which they
make make kneel touching imaginary guitars to us.
The truth is that it did not seem
Thursday. Still I am recovering. It deserved it to the reason: fifteen years of life of an independent seal, small but soldier,
necessary. After the hugs of courtesy to the perpetrador of everything, Javi Ordo'6nez, raised to that small genie punk who
is John Freeman to the scene of the Four Seasons and the joke finished.
The concert of The Magnolias came
to him like a glove to which it has been the trajectory of the record seal of Castellon de la Plana, touching almost all the
woods that have always characterized to him: punk, to power MGP and surf. Energetic in spite of the speedometers and, unlike
the last disc - recopilatorio `Better barks than never'- with a sound quite loose fruit of up to five different recordings,
the band of Minneapolis sounded powerful, with a tension that does not have the album.
They reviewed the best songs of
`Better barks they than never', as the surfera “Duel” (secondly video of above), but also reviewed classic of
`For rent', `Off the hook' or `Concrete Pillbox', finally to dismiss the concert by all the stop with temazo, “Hello
or goodbye” (first video of above). It goes, that almost 25 years removing discs and kicking scenes give for much.
By the way, The Magnolias tonight
acts in Grotto 77 of Madrid (20.00) - whose Web contains an interesting interview
with the group and tomorrow Saturday Rows in It from Granada to the same hour.
July 15, 2008
THE MAGNOLIAS - MAKING ANOTHER RECORD
!!
The Magnolias are going to go back into the studio this Fall to record a new album. We are putting the feelers
out now to see if there are any European labels who may be interested in this recording project. If so, contact us or send
them our way. Thanks !!!
July 7, 2008
June cover story in Madrid's Gruta '77 monthly magazine.
Interview with John Freeman inside. See May 13 below for English translated interview. Or click here for full Spanish
article and interview. http://www.gruta77.com/revista.php
July 3, 2008
The remaining European tour posters (18"x24") and T-shirts
(with tour dates on back) have been listed in the "FOR SALE" link above.
July 2, 2008
All new live videos from the European tour, the 7th
Street Entry and all promotional videos have now been embedded. The links are at top of this page. "LIVE VIDEOS" and "PROMO VIDEOS"
July 1, 2008
Here's a teaser video of what will be a two plus hour
documentry on the Magnolias European tour. The documentry will include footage from rehearsals, interviews, the send
off show in Minneapolis, the tour itself and the homecoming show in Minneapolis. The documentry will be for sale on DVD sometime
later this year.
Note: If video does not play, system is busy. Try again later.
The Magnolias play their homecoming show tonight at the 7th
Street Entry in downtown Minneapolis.
The MAGNOLIAS
w/ guests
Tim Casey and the Martyers
Ten Ton Bridge
Friday June 27, 2008
7th Street Entry
Minneapolis, MN
doors 8pm
tickets $8:00 adv. $10.00 door
21+
June 25, 2008
The Magnolias have finished their European tour, are back in the States and getting ready for the
Friday June 27th homecoming show at the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis. In the upcoming days there will be alot of photos
and videos added to these pages, so keep a look out. Here is a few videos from the June 17th show at the La Mecanique
Ondulatoire Club in Paris.
The Magnolias show in Montpellier France has been cancelled and tentatively replaced on the itinerary
with Le Kix Kill Club in Bayonne France. Will post when confirmed.
June 2, 2008
Here's three video YouTube links to three songs recorded at
the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis this past Saturday (5/31/08). The gig was the Magnolias send off show for the upcoming
European tour. The band flys to Europe tomorrow morning. A big thanks goes out to lutefiskmn26 for recording it and posting it.
Last nights show in the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis was
a huge success. The band was firing on all cylinders and wishes to thank everyone who attended the show once again for welcoming
the band back to the stage. The Magnolias depart for Europe on Tuesday June 3rd and open the European tour in Nancy France on Thursday June 5th. Last but not least,
The Magnolias are pleased to announce that there will be a homecoming show on Friday June 27 at the 7th Street Entry. Thank
you Minneapolis, see you then.
May 31, 2008
TONIGHT !!! 7th Street Entry Minneapolis, MN
w/ The Hard Left
and Tim Casey and the Martyrs
May 29, 2008
Here's a link to The Magnolias European Tour Rehearsals.
Todays Minneapolis Star & Tribune did a front page cover
story on Minneapolis bands touring Europe this summer. The Magnolias are included in the story and John Freeman
interviewed amongst others. The actual paper had a large photo of the Magnolias European Tour Poster included in
the story but not on the website version. Here's the link, the story is 3 pages long.
Here's an interview by Diego R. J. with John freeman
for the June 20th show in Madrid Spain at the Gruta 77 Club. Part of the upcoming June European tour.
THE MAGNOLIAS – G77 INTERVIEW
If I am not wrong this next tour is the first time The Magnolias
visit Spain. How do you front these shows?
Yeah, Our first ever tour of Europe. Though a mutual friend,
the Magnolias hooked up with Kill City Booking in Lille France. Our agent there is Francois Boit. Juancho Lopez contacted
me when he got word of our upcoming tour. He wanted to get us into Spain. So he, along with Francois got the ball rolling
in Spain.
You have a new album (first in more than 10 years) that includes
13 unreleased demos and outtakes from the past. Which guidelines have you follow for doing it?
Well, putting together a compilation of tracks that were recorded
over various years, members, studios and producers was a difficult task. We narrowed it down to the years from 1990 to 1996.
We have recorded material that goes back as far as 1985, some of the earlier demos, quality and sonically just didn't hold
up as well as the later recordings. We wanted the strongest recordings and songs. I quess to put it simply, we wanted to include
as many unreleased songs that was strong from first song though to the last. The two live songs, the rocker "Torture Yours"
and slower, moodier "Where Do You Go?" were written shortly before the group originally broke up in 1997. We never had a chance
to record them in the studio. I wanted them on because I think they are great songs.
Are you thinking about recording new songs for a next project?
Have you got material enough in your inkpot?
I have enough songs to choose from that we could record a triple
album. We would need financial backing to go into the studio. Money is a problem right now. Right right now we are doing all
this for fun, and funny thing is that's the reason we all got into music for in the first place, to have fun.
I have seen the European tour line up includes
your old partner Tom Cook (Magnolias’ drummer from 1988 to 1993). Have you been in contact all this time? Would
you say this is the best Magnolias line up for you?
These guys are truly my friends. Tom Cook is the igniter, a
real go getter, and drums like a clock. Johnny O'Halloran has been the longest tenured player in the Magnolias, been with
me since I uprooted him from Boston in 1992. He truly is the essence of rock'n'roll. A James Dean type of character. He also
happens to be one of the best bass players on the planet. Eric Kassel, came into the band in 1995, at that time the band was
on the verge of collapse. I'm pretty sure, that without him having joined the band, we wouldn't even be talking about a tour
at all. I'd say Eric is the smart one in the band. He takes care of all our graphics and has designed pretty much everything
that has the Magnolias name on it. A real quick, ripping lead guitar player too. So yeah, a well rounded line up and great
friends.
I suppose that all the changes the band has had all over the
years must have been a big obstacle for your perfect continuity. Why do you think that you have forced so many times to change
your partners?
Because I'm an asshole. No really, there were issues with drugs,
commitment, you name it. I only ask that the others carry their share of the load. I'm not going to babysit anybody.
The band disbanded in 1997 but since 2000 you have been playing
sporadically. Why do you think this is happening? What would you say that keeps the band’s spirit alive?
Well we don't hate each other. We always feel that when we play
that we could wipe any band off the stage. Nobody in this band wants to go out and flop on stage. I think it's instilled in
us all to be the best every night. As far as the spirit, we would not do it if nobody cared about us.
In these last years you have been working with other solo projects:
The Pushbacks and Action Alert. What can you tell us about these bands? Any future plans for them? Are you working in any
other musical projects besides Magnolias?
I put the Pushbacks together within weeks of the Magnolias breaking
up in April of 1997. At that time, I really was worn down from anything and everything to do with the Magnolias, my spirit
really smashed. I was drinking way too much too. The Pushbacks breathed some new life and energy into me. I started writing
more and more. We released one CD in 1999 called "No Strings Attached". The Pushbacks gigged around the upper midwest of America
mostly, played a couple of SXSW's festivals in Austin Texas. The band broke up in 2000 because I wanted to tour more than
the rest. They had other things going on in their lives that made them unable to commit to the band. the Action Alert, Hmmm,
started out in late 2000, all guys I knew, tight rocking band, it just never got it's footing. Had drummer problems and we
kinda faded out. Never really broke up, just faded away around 2003. No other projects right now, The Magnolias are my baby.
Your first Magnolias’ show was 23 years ago. What do you
see when you look to those years with the eyes of today? How was Minneapolis in 1985 for a kids in love with power pop?
I was 21 then. I'm 44 now. Minneapolis in 1985 was really great.
There were less places to play than there is now, but there were so many great bands around, alot of garage rock, alot that
you probably never heard of. We signed with Twin Tone Records in early 1986. To be able to get signed by them, with the amount
of great bands that were around was a blessing. It enabled us to be a real band, record, tour, and for me to get better as
a songwriter. The crowds in Minneapolis has always loved us. We have a very loyal following even today. We are playing a show
in Minneapolis a few days before we depart for the European tour.
Before forming the band, what records and artists were you listening
and what shows did you see that marked the way you were going to choose?
Oh, even though I was only about 14, in 1977 and 1978 I would
go to most every concert I could. I'd spend my paper route money every weekend down at the local record store, Oarfolkjokepus.
The Jam, Clash, Sex Pistols, Generation X, Buzzcocks, Undertones, Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers I just loved and still
can't get enough of. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers first two albums are fantastic. Cheap Trick. I'd buy all the records
and hunt for the newest singles. Two of the best shows I ever saw were in the summer of 1978, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
and another show that summer, Cheap Trick on the Heaven Tonight tour, simply blew me away.
Everywhere about The Magnolias someone said you were replacement,
Huskewr Du and Soul Asylum little brothers. Weren’t or aren’t you tired of this?
I saw in the local newspaper paper about a month ago that had
a birthday list, It said Dave Pirner, Soul Asylum 44. I had already turned 44 in February, so he's actually my little brother.
We all came from the same scene, at the same time. I played in a band called the Outpatience in 1981-1983. We used to open
for the Replacements alot. I think the fact that we never hit the big time like those bands is the reason we are sometimes
called "little brothers" although we are very close in age. It doesn't really bother me.
Talking about those Minneapolis bands: I think your sound was
not so near to their. Your guitars were sharper and your melodies were stronger. In those new wave sounds I think you were
more near to melodic punk rock than the others. What do you think?
I wasn't a fan of Husker Du, so they were not an influence at
all. I was on the Replacements side of the fence. Soul Asylum I loved live, but I didn't listen to there records much. I was
a big fan of the Buzzcocks and I think alot of people can pick up on that. But I also loved what Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers
did. Kinda of a 70's version of Chuck Berry. Great,great songs, but mostly rhythm and blues based. That's what I was mostly
trying to do when we first started out, mixing those two together. Though the years I developed my own style of writing, and
when you here a Mags song, I think you'll know it's us.
I think that your first years (the mid and late eighties) were
not a good time for power pop bands. The biggest names have had their time between 5 and 10 years ago but I suppose that after
that radios and press, as always happens, lost interest in these sounds. Did you ever feel you were living five years behind
of your time?
No, I never really considered us anything but a Rock'n'Roll
band. It's the media that puts on the tags. I felt perfectly at ease with what we were doing then just as I do now. I try
to stay away from trends. If you can do that, your music becomes timeless. But I do love Power Pop, and if someone calls us
that, I'm ok with it.
You toured all the USA. Which were the best moments in those
years? Which bands you liked did you meet in your tours? How were your first visits to the East Coast?
Oh man, any day on the road was a good day for me, I absolutely
lived for the road. We did better on the East Coast because it was closer and easier for us to tour. Alot of cities in a small
area. Three bands that really stick out to me that I saw and met on the road were, The Voodoo Dolls from Boston, Titanic Love
Affair from Champagne Illinois and the Wannabes from Austin Texas. The first time we played New York, we were so paranoid
that our van was gonna get stolen, that every time we parked it on the street, we pulled out the coil wire from the engine,
so it wouldn't start if someone tried to steal it. We were wide eyed midwest kids who had never been to the big bad cities
of the East Coast. But after awhile, we figured it all out. Still the coil wire idea, in hind site, was pretty smart.
After two good records as "Concrete pillbox" and, specially,
"For rent", in 1989 you left Twin Tone label after recording "Dime store dream", an album that in your own words was not recorded
in the best conditions. It seems your label didn’t want to bet for The Magnolias, did it?
No actually, they pretty much begged us to stay on. I think
that they liked what they heard on the demos that we had recently recorded and were impressed with the songs that would be
on the next album. The main American distributor, Rough Trade, had filed bankruptcy, and we felt it was time to move on because
of that.
But after this record, the incident that impeded you playing
Austin SXSW and Kyle Killorin and your old friend Tom Lischmann leaving the band, The Magnolias recorded the best album in
its trajectory, the amazing "Off the hook". How could you get it???
Going into the studio to record it, we knew that this was gonna
our best yet. It was a great bunch of well developed songs. And we had worked them to the bone before going in. We just needed
a good producer who cared. We went with Tom Herbers, a guy who co-produced "For Rent"and he also had worked on many demos
that we had done over the years. He knew us and our sound very well. We took our time on it. We were all very pleased with
the results, we felt we had made the perfect album.
How did things change after this record?
We embarked on some really lengthy tours, covering all of America.
The first 6 weeks of the tour, we only had Sundays off. We toured everywhere we could, playing every city and college town
you can name. We had a new Manager, a new Booking Agent, a new label in Alias Records. We thought this was gong to be the
one that got us over the edge so to speak. But our bass player, Caleb Palmiter, left after the first half of the tour and
we replaced our guitar player, Kent Militzer as well, bringing Tom Lischmann back. I drove out to Boston and recruited Johnny
O'Halloran to play bass. After all the touring was over, we set about making a demo of our new songs. I'm guessing Alias must
not have liked the songs, but they never told us why they dropped us.We promoted the album by touring ten times that of any
other band on their roster. They told me they were not picking up the option on the contract by phone on Christmas eve 1992.
Same year, 1992, you recorded the "Hung up on" EP. Why did you
stop recording till 1996?
No record label interest, nobody would touch us. EMI called
once, when I called back I left a message, then I never heard from them again. Funny. We were like the plague or something.
"Street date Tuesday" (1996) was another fantastic record. Next
year The Magnolias disbanded. It seems your trajectory was marked by a dark rock’n’roll curse.
Actually, It's lucky the album ever got made at all. I was ready
to hang it up, but my band talked me into giving it one more go. I said I would, but if the tour to support it did not go
well, then I was going to leave. We never did do a proper tour for that album. We played our last show then in April of 1997,
which marked our 12 anniversary of our first ever show. We had a good run, not everybody can be famous.
Thanks for your time John. I’m really waiting to see your
band at Gruta’77, Madrid.
THANK YOU !!! SEE YOU SOON !!!
Diego R.J.
G’77 Magazine
May 6, 2008
The Magnolias June European tour t-shirt design is at the
printers.
Here's a mock up of the front and backs. Shirts come in white
with yellow and black with yellow. It reads "Minneapolis MN" x5 around circles edge. Click here to order. "For Sale"
Tour Dates On Back Of Shirt
May 4, 2008
Another show has been added to the June European tour. This
one at La Majorette in Soulangis France. Click here for "Upcoming Shows" and complete itinerary.
April 25, 2008
A correction on the second Paris show date. It will be
June 10th, not the 11th. Click to view "Upcoming Shows".
April 24, 2008
Another show has been confirmed for the June European tour.
A second show in Paris. This one at the L'Etreinte Bar on June 11th. Click here for Itinerary. "Upcoming Shows".
April 18, 2008
Awating word on some possible shows in Italy for the June
European tour. Check back.
T-shirt pre-orders for the June 2008 European tour are
now being taken. Shirts come in black with yellow ink and in white with yellow ink. Tour dates will be listed
on the back. They are 100% cotton and come in sizes, medium, large and extra large.
Here is the promotional poster for the June 2008 European
tour.
2008 European Tour Promo Poster
April 3, 2008
The new CD Better Late Than Never is #3 on the
charts on CJAM radio in Windsor Ontario Canada and #4 on CKXU in Lethbridge Alberta Canada. We Thank those Canucks !!
April 2, 2008
Yesterdays news about a tour of Japan and Australia was an
April Fools joke !!!
April 1, 2008
First Europe, and now a tour of Japan and Australia is in
the works for November. Stay tuned.
March 27, 2008
There is a possibility that there may be a show in London
added to the June European tour. Check back for confirmation on date and venue. Also of note,
Granada Spain has been confirmed. Click here for all confirmed dates so far. "Upcoming Shows"
MARCH 12, 2008
A show in Paris has been confirmed as well as a show
in Castellon Spain. Awaiting confirmation for Granada Spain. Also the opening night of the tour has been moved
up a day, it is now June 5th in Nancy France. To view June European tour itinerary, click on "Upcoming Shows" above. More shows to be confirmed in Berlin & Stuttgart (Germany), Amsterdam (Holland), Basel (Switzerland) and Lille (France). Check back
soon for updates.
FEBRUARY 27, 2008
More shows have been confirmed for the June European tour,
including Madrid Spain. Click on "Upcoming Shows" above for all confirmed shows thus far.
FEBRUARY 4, 2008
The two opening acts for the Saturday May 31, 2008 show at
the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis have been confirmed. The Service Industry, from Austin Texas, featuring members
of Cher UK and The Wannabes, will start things off, followed by fellow local rockers, the Hard Left.
Tickets are $8.00 advance and $10.00 at the door.
You can buy tickets on-line now or from other outlets and
First Avenue's box office. See First Avenue's website for more info.
The June European tour itinerary has been tweaked a little
bit. Click on "Upcoming Shows" above to see changes. Also the opening date of the tour
just happens to be June 6th. That was D-day in 1944, the Allies landed in Normandy France.
JANUARY 24, 2008
The Magnolias new CD "Better Late Than Never" charted
in at #5 on the Top 50 this week on CJSW 90.9 FM in Calgary Canada. Also of note, another date for the European tour in June has been confirmed......June 12th at L'Atabal
Club in Biarritz France, near the border of Spain. Click on "Upcoming Shows" above for
all confirmed shows so far.
JANUARY 16, 2008
Dates for the upcoming June European tour are starting to
trickle in. Click on "Upcoming Shows" above to see.
DECEMBER 17, 2007
The new CD Better Late Than Never is now available
from CD Baby.
You can either purchase the cd from
CD Baby or you can download it too. The CD Is also available here. Click on For Sale tab above.
The promotion listed just below here is still in on.
DECEMBER 12, 2007
GET NEW CD BETTER LATE THAN NEVER FREE
(plus The Pushbacks CD No Strings Attached
as a bonus)
The first 25 people who get 5 of their friends to purchase The
Magnolias new CD Better Late Than Never (SMA Records) will receive a free CD (plus the Pushbacks CD as a bonus)
for themselves. Your friends will have to order the CD through this website (click "FOR SALE" tab above). Simply
have them fill in your email address in the “referred By EMAIL” box in the order placement. If your
email address appears five times I will email you to get your mailing address. Shipping of orders will be by
USPS First Class.
Today is the release date for the new CD, Better Late
Than Never (SMA Records). It will be distributed
in the Upper Midwest (USA) by Electric Fetus Onestop Distribution. Worldwide it will be distributed through
CD Baby. You can order a CD directly from CD Baby, or if you choose you can download it from them too. CD Baby
also distributes through Apple iTunes, Yahoo Music, Best Buy, Rhapsody, Napster, MSN Music and more. If your located in the
Upper Midwest (USA), ask your local record store to order it though Electric Fetus Onestop in advance. You can also purchase
it here on this website, click on "FOR SALE" link above.
(plus The Pushbacks CD No Strings Attached
as a bonus)
The first 25 people who get 5 of their friends to purchase The
Magnolias new CD Better Late Than Neverwill receive a free CD (plus the Pushbacks CD as a bonus)
for themselves. Your friends will have to order the CD through this website (click "FOR SALE tab above). Simply
have them fill in your email address in the “referred By EMAIL” box in the order placement. If your
email address appears five times I will email you to get your mailing address. The release date for the CD is December 11,
2007. You can start placing orders now. Shipping of orders will start on December 7. USPS First Class.
NOVEMBER 19, 2007
The release date for the new CD, Better Late Than Never (SMA
Records),
is December 11, 2007. It will be distributed in the Upper
Midwest (USA) by Electric Fetus Onestop Distribution. Worldwide it will be distributed through CD Baby. You
can order a CD directly from CD Baby, or if you choose you can download it from them too. CD Baby also distributes
through Apple iTunes, Yahoo Music, Best Buy, Rhapsody, Napster, MSN Music and more. If your located in the Upper Midwest (USA),
ask your local record store to order it though Electric Fetus Onestop in advance.
The re-release of the CD "Better Late Than Never" has been
delayed yet again. It will be worth the wait. Better sources for some of the tracks have been found and the artwork, with
the exception of the front cover, is being completely redone by Eric Kassel. I've seen some of the concept ideas for it and
it's gonna look great. There's plenty of eye candy on the pages. The CD should be in stores and available online sometime in late November. Check back for updates.
OCTOBER 1, 2007
The re-release of the CD "Better Late Than Never" which was scheduled
for a September release, has been delayed. Plans are now for it to be released in late October. Check back for a specific
date sometime soon. But hey, it's better late than never !
AUGUST 29, 2007
Here's booking and press contact information for the June
2008 European Tour.
