The best song ever with the name 'Valerie' in the title. Fight me. Material Issue blazed briefly but brightly during the grunge era, but were more in thrall to the power-pop sound, with a dash of college indie for good measure.
A spiky - and spiteful - tale of unrequited longing, this is Material Issue's greatest three minutes. Sadly, frontman Jim Ellison is no longer with us, taking his own life a mere five years after the release of this single.
I remember when this song first hit around 1991. They made the big time when they went on the show The Party Machine, a show produced by Arsenio Hall. Kinda like TOTP or Club MTV. When I called WHTG, THE station for "alternative" (catch all/umbrella term) to let them know that MI was on that nite, the dj was puzzled. All she could say was "The Party Machine??". I'm sure that she watched it though. The kids on the show danced and pogoed to the tune. I always hope that it wasn't done mockingly. #RIP
ReplyDelete