Polyvinyl is having a garage sale! I finally picked up Kicker, Problems, and the There Are Rules (Deluxe Edition). Kicker EP on vinyl for $13 Problems on vinyl for $15 There Are Rules (Deluxe Edition) for $25 Kicker EP on CD for $2 Problems on CD for $3
Better than both On A Wire and Guilt Show, especially if the Deluxe Edition bonus tracks are considered as part of the album.
I was not around for 2002 and 2004. Get Up Kids were still really hip during that time, and not as hip in 2011. I wonder if people like On A Wire and Guilt Show more than There Are Rules in large part due to nostalgic reasons I became a diehard fan the year leading up to the band's 20th anniversary tour, so around 2014. On A Wire's three best songs (Overdue, Campfire Kansas, and Walking On A Wire) are better than all songs on Guilt Show and There Are Rules. The rest of On A Wire is ok. Guilt Show has some moments, but listening to the demos made it feel like some lyrics were forced and didn't come naturally. Also, Jim not getting to sing on any of the album is a bit of a let down too, and I don't know how much shine they really let him have on the guitar parts. There Are Rules I love more each year. My biggest regret as a fan is not getting to see the band during this era and gotten to enjoy them performing a lot of the album with Dustin.
To answer your question - no! (unabashed, and obviously unbiased as well hahh). But I'm so glad you find There Are Rules to be your favorite, cause it's a really good/underrated album, and I'll always stick by that too. Ps. Guilt Show used to be my favorite, but then I started feeling so guilty about not really noticing all of the songs bypassed Jim on vocals (but if that's how we got that Blackpool Lights material later on, I say bring it on)
Dustin Kinsey He is the current keyboardist and 5th member of The Get Up Kids, replacing James Dewees He was a touring member for The Get Up Kids during the There Are Rules tour cycle when James had touring obligations with My Chemical Romance He was a member of The New Amsterdams
According to Jim on a podcast, TGUK's manager suggested for Blackpool Lights' "Blue Skies" to be the 1st single on Guilt Show. The rest of the band basically said no.
Well, the vibe in the band must have been lovely then. I'll still have so much love for that record though (for both of those, counting BL too)
I gotta find the podcast, it's on Spotify Jim wasn't that involved during Guilt Show and he was really unhappy, but stuck it out because the band was still making a lot of money during that time.
Listen to their whole album if you haven't already, it's really good, and I for one didn't appreciate it at all when it came out. On constant rotation now. Plus the artwork was really cool too, reminded me of "Catalyst" in a way
Listening party and chat with the Get Up Kids at bandcamp starts at 2pm EDT today Wednesday August 21st Something to Write Home About (25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) Listening Party from The Get Up Kids
The four track demos on the 25th anniversary edition of STWHA are really cool. Lots of different lyrics and melodies. Not sure if these were available before, but I definitely hadn't heard them.
The band is really firing on all cylinders right now. They feel like one of very few bands left who don't need "tracks", "samples", a laptop on stage, or anything of the sort just to perform live. Just old fashioned amplifiers mic'd up for their instruments and pedal boards.
seein them tonight for 20 yr annv of STWHA and i am stoked to hear it again ten years later, time has surely flown!
thanks for the thread bump. i saw the band last month in Denver. they sounded great, and so did the Smoking Popes. i picked up a tour poster and the signed version of the live album. couldn't resist indulging during such a nostalgic show. the material they performed after the album playthrough was just chef's kiss.
Happy early birthday. I’m glad tonight is not sold out so it won’t be that packed. I saw tomorrow is sold out