(no subject)

[ayelienne]

AMCD: Flop - Whenever You're Ready (Epic, 1993)

Once upon an 80s time in Seattle, there was a band called Pure Joy. They imploded before too long. From the ashes of Pure Joy rose Flop. Flop were one of the lucky (?) bands from Seattle who were signed during the early 90s major label feeding frenzy; Whenever You're Ready was released in '93.

IMO, this album was one of the best to come out of Seattle during that time. It's a power pop gem, and is highly underrated. The lyrics are intelligent yet quirky as hell; the music is just crunchy, dirge-like and foreboding enough. I highly recommend it.

Shortly after the album came out, Flop came to Kent State to perform; they opened for the Lemonheads, if I recall correctly (or was it Cheap Trick?). Because we shared mutual friends and because I knew and loved the album, I decided to see if I could sneak in to meet them. I went on a reconnaisance mission, did a little research and found a way to sneak into the makeshift "green room" that was set up for them. I introduced myself and told them how much I liked the album and mentioned our mutual friends. I think they were thrilled to find someone who knew them so far away from Seattle. I got them to autograph my cd and then left them to perform, they put on a great show. Afterwards, I took a few Floppers out on a grand tour of Kent, Ohio. We hung out and traded stories over beers at various cool Kent hangouts (all four three of them); it was a lot of fun.

It's still a great album, nice to know it's held up over the last ten years (god!)

Comments

[livenolies.livejournal.com]

Interesting. I saw Flop on that same tour (w/ The Lemonheads and Possum Dixon) in Sacramento - they played The Crest Theatre on my birthday. I'd never heard of Flop before, and we all assumed they were a local band that went nowhere. The promoter was/is good at getting a local band to open for touring acts at The Crest, and since none of us never heard another word about Flop, I thought they were high school kids that split up shortly thereafter.

I had no idea Flop have a CD out and that it's any good! I'll have to look into this.

Was there another guy on that tour called "Earth" when you saw them? It was one guy that played nothing but feedback on his guitar for a solid 20+ minutes. No songs, no words, just varying feedback noises. He then got up and left the stage, but first told us all he'd be on tour with The Melvins soon...which I found highly appropriate...I hate The Melvins. :)

[ayelienne]

Nope, no Earth guy. I wasn't a big Melvins fan either.

Yeah, you should check out the album, I think you would really like it. Let me know if you can't find it.

[robotliliput.livejournal.com]

You so rock! I love Flop! The Pure Joy album was pretty good, too, but different. I met the former drummer of Flop in New York in '97 or thereabouts, the weird thing was he had a brother who was a classical viola player who went to the same music school I did. The world is this freakin' big, right? from here to here, <---->, that's how big the world is. At least the world of music.