So I’ve decided to go the solo record route with this week’s 7-inch corner. This week, we focus on late-90s emo favorites The Get Up Kids. I am an unabashed fan of the band and will defend every record in their catalog, at the risk of being called the evil “e” word. But seriously, the boys did put out some quality records during their stretch. For now, we’ll focus on two of their earliest songs.

The Get Up Kids-”A Newfound Interest in Massachusetts” b/ “Off The Wagon” (Contrast Records)

TGUK are a quintessential mix tape band. “I’ll Catch You,” “I’m a Loner Dottie, a Rebel,” “Don’t Hate Me”; any of those songs and a handful of others would be perfect for that girl/boy bagging mix. But probably the best song for such occasion would be “A Newfound Interest In Massachusetts.” This song could be placed in a time capsule as a perfect representation of what the band was all about. Although, I personally favor all the James Dewees-era TGUK, this song is their best before he joined the band. This is the song that inspired a legion of kids to let go and rock the dark frame glasses and Sauconys for quite some time in the late 90s. The b-side “Off The Wagon,” is yet another great early song by the band. Two of their best, most definitely.

There was always something different about this band in my mind. I, for the most part, shunned the rest of the new school emo bands that came along with them (i.e. Saves the Day, The Anniversary) but I always connected with the Get Up Kids. I must say though, their fan base was very shaky and temperamental, as seen with the experimental follow-up to Something To Write Home About, On A Wire. I remember seeing these guys right after that album came out in Philly at the Electric Factory with Hot Rod Circuit and Superchunk and the crowd was absolutely frozen during the new songs, even though they had been out for a few months. It was probably one of the weirdest crowds I have ever witnessed. There was even moshing at parts. I remember thinking to myself, “what is this? An Eagles concert? Why won’t people atleast bob their head.” The band had weird fans. I like On A Wire, and I really think Guilt Show is a terribly underrated indie pop record.

So they might all be off doing different projects now. Matt Pryor is still going strong with the New Amsterdams and sometimes writing songs about pizza and chocolate milk; Rob Pope is blowing up with Spoon; James Dewees is touring with My Chemical Romance; Jim Suptic is in Blackpool Lights; Ryan Pope is in Cavaliers. But, no matter what they do, they will always be the Get Up Kids to me.

Tags: 7-Inch Corner, Album Review, The Get Up Kids //