User:Grzond/Lifter Puller

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Lifter Puller/LFTR PLLR
Origin Flag of the United States Boston, USA
Genre(s) Alternative Rock
Indie rock
Years active 1994-2000

Lifter Puller (also spelled LFTR PLLR) was an American indie rock band from the Twin Cities, active between 1994 to 2000. Their sound was characterized by angular riffing and a synth-infused atmosphere that predated much of the 80's post-punk revival of the early 2000's. Arguably, however, the band is most known for frontman Craig Finn's elaborate lyrics, which often relied upon a well established universe of drug-addled co-eds, cash-strapped nightclub proprietors, murdered ravers and other nostalgic excursions in Boston, Minneapolis and an unnamed East Coast tourist trap where much of the recurring narrative takes place [1].

The band released three LPs and an EP before breaking up in the summer of 2000, with two brief reunions before the members moved on to other projects. In 2002, the compilation Soft Rock was released, featuring nearly every song in the Lifter Puller catalogue, excluding their final album, Fiestas and Fiascos, and the songs "Prescription Sunglasses", "Emperor", "Slips Backwards" and "Bitchy Christmas," as well as the original version of "Nassau Colisseum," the b-side to the "Slips Backwards" single.

As of 2006, all Lifter Puller records are out of print. The albums are only available for purchase at eMusic.com and the Amazon.com mp3 store. Craig Finn, in an interview, recently expressed interest in putting out an all-encompassing Lifter Puller box set. Singer/guitarist Craig Finn and bassist Tad Kubler are now members of The Hold Steady, which continues to explore some of the lyrical themes established by Lifter Puller while eschewing the art punk sound of the prior band in favor of a sound more akin to classic-rock revivalism.

Slug, of Minneapolis hip-hop group Atmosphere, is a fan of the band. On the group's 2003 album, Seven's Travels, there is a track titled "Lifter Puller". Also, on the track "Reflections", Slug references the line "She came on like she wanted a kiss, and now she's kissing like she already came" from Lifter Puller's song "Roaming the Foam" with the line "You kiss like you already came, and that's a Lifter Puller line for those without any game". Slug also appeared on the Lifter Puller song "Math Is Money." In 2002, when the band reunited in New York City, Slug joined the band on stage to perform the song. In 2003, the band reunited for three sold out shows for the opening of the Triple Rock Social Club in their hometown of Minneapolis.


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Contents

[edit] The Lifter Puller Universe

Lifter Puller folklore consists of a number of stories about the nightlife in a fictional American seaside town as chronicled by the lyrics of the Minnesota indie rock band Lifter Puller. These lyrics are primarily concerned with the activities and interactions of a few principal characters, primarily Craig (the narrator), Nightclub Dwight, Katrina, Juanita, and The Eye-Patch Guy. The songs typically rife with dubious sexual encounters and the use and sale of drugs. The Nice Nice, a nightclub won by Nightclub Dwight in a game of dice, serves as the setting for many of the songs. At the end of Fiestas and Fiascos, Lifter Puller's final album, Juanita is hired by Eye-Patch Guy to burn down the Nice Nice. The fire is referenced in the song "Star Wars Hips" on the first Lifter Puller LP.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Jenny

The lead female protagonist and all-around party girl in Lifter Puller mythology. A friend of Nightclub Dwight's, she is not involved in the fire. She is, however, a witness to debauchery at the Nice Nice and other events in the Lifter Puller story.

[edit] Katrina

Also known as "The Queen of the Clubs", "Special K" or just "K", one of the three female protagonists; acquaintance of Jenny. It can be inferred from her nickname that she recreationally uses Ketamine.

[edit] Juanita

Also known as "LL Cool J", the third female protagonist. Uses heroin. It's implied that she has performed sexual favors in order to score. She is recruited in the Eye-Patch Guy's effort to burn down the Nice Nice.

[edit] Eye-Patch Guy

Loan shark, drug dealer, heroin addict, loaned Dwight money. After Dwight fails to repay a loan, Eye-Patch Guy orders Dwight killed and the Nice Nice burned down.

[edit] Nightclub Dwight

Proprietor of the Nice Nice, smokes crack cocaine, also sells ecstasy; he has a way with words. He is a small-time diamond smuggler and drug dealer, but thinks he is a big-time player.

[edit] Narrator

While some songs are written from the first-person perspective of the above characters, much of the action is reported through a narrator who indicates that he is intricately involved in the lives and events detailed in the Lifter Puller universe. As mentioned on the song "Star Wars Hips," The Narrator apparently ratted out Juanita to the police for starting the nightclub fires.


[edit] Locations

[edit] The Nice Nice

Nightclub Dwight's club.
Located at 15th & Franklin. Dwight may have been given the money for this club by Eye-Patch Guy, either directly through a loan or as a gambling payout. The main activities in the Nice Nice are drinking, drugs, and dancing.

[edit] Fifteenth and Franklin

A reoccurring location, a vacant lot where the burned-down Nice Nice was located. Jenny is mentioned to buy drugs at an apartment near this address Nice, Nice).

[edit] Man Park

A pseudonym for Loring Park, located on the outskirts of downtown Minneapolis. Allegedly a place to have anonymous gay sex. Also known as Penetration Park.

[edit] The City Center

A shopping mall located in the middle of downtown Minneapolis, a common gathering place for thugs, druggies and dealers.

[edit] The Nankin

A Chinese restaurant located in City Center, an indoor mall in downtown Minneapolis. It is now a Brazilian restaurant.

[edit] Plot

Following the lives of Jenny and Katrina from the perspective of an acquainted Narrator. The underground club scene is exposed in a seaside town somewhere on the East Coast, possibly New Jersey. Jenny may be a friend of The Narrator from her college days. We meet Katrina at a beach party where the Narrator shows interest in her, which Katrina ignores while "looking for the steady type". We are given a glimpse of her lifestyle and are introduced to the Eye-Patch Guy. After some heavy drinking, the Narrator is associated with some serious criminals, mostly dealers and addicts, most interestingly, Nightclub Dwight, whom he is eventually asked to kill.

The plot is similar to Thomas Pynchon's novel The Crying of Lot 49.

[edit] Motifs

Heavy drug abuse.

Use of the phrase "Dripping wet with..."

Use of the phrase "Hey My name's ____ but people call me ____" and it's variations

References to stains on white tights, brought out by black lights in night clubs. This could be a parallel to the use of names versus nicknames as mentioned above.

[edit] Allusions

Sharks versus Jets- the two gangs in West Side Story


[edit] Members

Final band line-up:

  • Craig Finn — singer/guitarist
  • Steve Barone — guitar
  • Dan Monick — drummer
  • Tad Kubler — bass (1998-2000)

Past members:

  • Tommy Roach — bass (1994-1998)
  • Dave Gerlach— drummer (1993-1996)

[edit] Discography

[edit] Full-length albums

[edit] Singles

  • "Prescription Sunglasses" — 1995
  • "Slips Backwards" — 1995
  • "The Mezzanine Gypoff" — 1996
  • "Bay City Rolling" — 2001
  • "4-Dix" — 2001

[edit] EPs

[edit] Compilations

[edit] External links

[edit] References