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The Reddmen Anthology 1995​-​2010 Boxset

by The Reddmen

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CRGB
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CRGB The most successful garage punks from South Dakota, the Reddmen. So glad for this boxset collection. J Waylon Miller has written a ton of material over the years. Check out his latest stuff: Friends of Cesar Romero on Bandcamp too! Favorite track: Sister Tumbleweed.
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  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    ANTHOLOGY shows the progression of The Reddmen spanning from 1995 to 2010 and also uncovers a trove of previously unreleased demos, live tracks, alternate versions of songs, 88 tracks in all.

    Disc 1 - Tracks 1-28 (1995-2000)

    Disc 2 - Tracks 29-58 (2001-2005)

    Disc 3 - Tracks 59-88 (2006-2010)
    Purchasable with gift card

      $17 USD  or more

     

  • Full Digital Discography

    Get all 6 The Reddmen releases available on Bandcamp and save 50%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Reddthology Bonus Material, The Reddmen Anthology 1995-2010 Boxset, White Omega, Split w/ Eyes & Ears, Arsenic Ballads, and Sons of the Morning Star. , and , .

    Purchasable with gift card

      $22 USD or more (50% OFF)

     

1.
Do You Think About Me Too? another night another long and pointless fight are you still there? the past is something we couldn't bear but you insist making comments i can't resist the night goes on i fell and now i'm really gone i belonged to you and you don't know what you do to me but i was wrong for you and those are things we could not see when we were young, did you think we'd come undone? yeah i'm still here sharing you is my biggest fear we fought the past and now we know it will never last the night goes on and on i belonged to you and you don't know what you do to me i was wrong for you and those are things we could not see
2.
Flash in the Pan i know a thing or two about her i know a thing or two about her she's not the girl that you leave alone she not the kind of girl you bring on home i know a thing or two about her i try so hard to be her man but some say i'm just a flash in the pan
3.
Lo-Fi Hi-Fi 02:06
Lo-fi Hi-fi you've got no choice so turn up your radio and shake your hips to the hits on the stereo the speakers* speak your language- static sound the audio moves this city so don't stop know lo fi, hi fi come on lo fi, hi fi let's go
4.
Sad If I Lost You i remember the guitar you bought me when i turned 19 i took good care of it and then you decided to leave me and i would be sad if i lost you i need you so so sad i want you please don't go i cherish the days we spent watching the ducks on the duck pond every night we used to get it on where did those days happen to go? it was like high school i remember everything you said you used to sing The Promise Ring and now you're going to east coast why, i don't know and i would be sad if i lost you i need you so so sad i want you please don't go
5.
Four Word Fourteen Letters i've tried so hard to get close to you but you turn me away so what am i suppose to do? time after time i walk the line i know i can't complain do you feel the same? would you hate me if i said i loved you? girl don't hate me just because i love you
6.
7.
8.
Kansas Kiss 02:49
Summer crushes never seem to last long in this town not at least when i come around but you held me here heart taped to your mirror
9.
The Songs Don't Write Themselves i'm selling out all bummed out on a stellar scene i'm showing off my moves to people who don't like me but these songs don't write themselves and no one's helping me out these songs don't write themselves i'll tell you what they're really about i'm losing it why did becky have to leave? and i'm quite cross i've got nothing up my sleeve these songs don't write themselves i'll help you figure them out these songs don't write themselves or make the people freak out as sure as the grin upon my face i know that we will be replaced by people who behave the same way but these song don't write themselves and no one's helping me out these songs don't write themselves i'll tell you what they're really about these songs don't write themselves i'll help you figure them out these songs don't write themselves or make the people freak out
10.
she's on a recourse action she is the main attraction so she says she'll find a new reaction addition and subtraction i'm obsessed she can be temperamental and sometimes very gentle so depressed she says she's going to die young nothing last forever, nobody lives forever
11.
if i die tonight scatter my ashes with the bridges i've burned no it's not alright lord knows i've waited for my turn i know you fold you always do what you're told pardon me as i find a cure for eternity "i can't afford to lose you now" if i live tonight rename my children cause it's all in vain are we losing sight? tripped and fell but i felt no pain i know you always fold you do what you're told pardon me as i find a cure for eternity
12.
One Time 02:36
been running too long so i won't stop just hope i won't get caught i'm out of time i'm out of touch never thought you meant this much i'm out of breath i'm out of hope and i'm at the end of the rope just to hear your voice just to hear your laugh makes me wish i could go back just to see your face just to see your smile makes it all worthwhile i love all my girls only one time i love all my girls only one time i love all my girls only sometimes i love all my girls only one time
13.
there are times when i feel i have felt i loved her there are times when i want to wake up without her why won't you slow down there are time when i feel i have felt i love her there are times when i wish i had left her for better there are times when i want to wake up without her there are times when i feel i have felt i love her why won't you slow down
14.
i've been walking down this lonely road always waiting for what's coming to me i've been to so many places you may never go some i remember some i don't need please don't ask me where i have been just love me with your open arms and don't you worry i'll be home again just as long as you keep my heart and i've been chasing this ol' pot of gold but maybe it's time to wake up from this dream
15.
No Exit 00:53
16.
17.
you'll feel my teenage punch out come hear me scream and shout come watch my dirty moves coming back to haunt you get back, get back i said you can't come through
18.
Up Your Sleeve and i wonder falling under is this a spell i just can't tell it's new years eve we don't know what is up your sleeve
19.
20.
Up Vs. Down 02:26
when you look up i'll still look down with nothing to wear all but this three week frown you look so pretty now it shouldn't matter anyhow i've watched you melt and mold this solid heart of gold to clay the city skylights paint the night an untold script we can't rewrite your memory still haunt these streets you're everywhere but beside me you look so pretty now it shouldn't matter anyhow i watched you melt and mold this solid heart of gold to clay
21.
summertime is all you waited for and now it's time for fall to close the door won't you run- come my way if you hide- it's ok you draw the line for what behind those eyes it's no surprise you keep terror by you side if you leave come monday i'll be sad til wednesday then on friday you're the one that keeps me close when i want to run you keep close don't let go
22.
is this all you waited for? time is so blind to what in store i wait the day that you want me to stay i can't feel legs or find my heart the trust i taste has now left me tart i wait the day that you want me to stay that you let me walk away
23.
24.
25.
so this is how it ends or can we still be friend? i can't apologize unless i'm hypnotized at last the ship is going land home to miss havisham won't it feel nice to be released from her vice are you still my friend or did you have fend? i can't apologize i'm still being hypnotized home to miss havisham
26.
27.
Osuna 02:54
i guess there's no one left but me to blame cause honey we don't feel the same you need your privacy i need some sanity if this is how we fake then this is how we break so close to the end now i hope we can still be friends somehow
28.
girl you know i can't wait (to hang out with you everyday) every waking moment (like a dream i want to know it) to hold your heart in my hand (and make you tapes of my favorite bands) something tells me i should surrender and let you be my main offender hearts torn are reborn in november something tells me i should surrender and let you be my main offender hearts torn are reborn in november
29.
going on to waste your time maybe more of him tonight keep it slow or you'll be alone you weren't sent in here to roam now i know what's on your mind lost hopes and harder times read you book and now i'm through i can go out here i knew
30.
31.
32.
I'm feeling nausea and my heart is heavy I'd pull the trigger but my hands aren't steady We'll dine and dance another year forsaken Our fragile minds, memories mistaken Who's on your mind now honey? Who's taking all your time? If it's not me, i don't want to know The champion tears I've cried are all but counted The days doubled and weeks have mounted I'm feeling haunted and your ghost is looming I'd try to run if you weren't so assuming Who's on your mind now honey? Who's taking all your time? If it's not me, i don't want to know The vacancy in me is only in your mind...
33.
Two For Flinching (free) 02:50
the fight in me has somehow lost it's glow two for flinching and it's starting to show i must confess i deserve less i must declare i do not care halfway to hell and heaven returned my call if you could make me yours I'd have it all i must confess i deserve less i must declare i do not care if you were offering all that you're promising I'd be under your spell again (you would be too)
34.
Bang Machine 03:03
tip of the iceburg sank and now i'm doomed to be kicked in the teeth i was lying to you through cause you've got a lot to pull right now you've got an anchor in your heart and if you're not sure then i don't care at all bang machine i'm running out all the right word to say and i can't win at a game i don't know how to play you've got an anchor in your heart and if you're not sure then i don't care at all bang machine..... i'm not enough but you brought it up bang machine i'm not in love but you brought it up it's more than rain that falls on your parade and i won't fix mistakes i haven't made cause you've got a lot to pull right now you've got a sliver in your heart and if you're not sure then i don't care at all
35.
Four Alarm Fire feel my pulse, feel my tempeture rise fever pitch, sonic boom*, sooprize* and you know i'll never calm down some say i'm lost but i've rebound and if you want i'll be around take my advice and lose control stop, drop, shiver and shake your soul
36.
Pinky Swear 02:27
Pinky Swear you leave me breathless when you call my name since our first kiss i've never been the same and i'll part the sea just so we can make dream come true and i'll make the grade to serenade and steal a kiss or two and if you love me like you say you do then i know that our love will be true my heart's been waiting so long to be claimed i was such a mess before you came and i'll move the earth for what it's worth to be in your arms and i'll hold the line because you're mine and keep you from harm and if you love me like you say you do then i know that our love will be true your every movement satisfys my soul and makes me whole i promise to never let you go til you say so pinky swear and if you love me like you say you do then i know that our love will be true
37.
she was a girl in a stolen dress an alibi and nonetheless and one day she fell out of love machine gun tears from her jet set eyes she didn't mean to leave him behind and always she waited for him and then she ran away from true love, they say her red shaped hour glass how long could it last? how will you go on? a russian spider in a tangled mess a magazine and she'd kill for less to be with the one that she loves just ten more nights and one more kill is all she thought from a window sill and always she'll be there for him
38.
you've got a way to blow my mind my vision was blurred but now i'm blind i used to worry in way in the dark when i'm with you i feel the spark you've got those feelings deep inside yeah girl you can run but you can't hide but you can try you've got a way to blow my fuse i'll always be there if you choose now i know what we have is real i had it stored but you broke the seal
39.
some girls are lovers others are friends some girls are taken and others pretend good girls go bad girls never say no some girls like flowers most girls like wine all girls love money i guess that's fine
40.
Yr Heart 01:51
i fell in love once it was divine when she said forever i knew she'd be mine each night i hope and pray you'll always feel this way until next time keep me in yr heart i'll keep my promise and remain true but if you should leave me i'll still love you
41.
i've got a little habit that i'm trying to break when little white lies turn to big mistakes i'm getting really bad about letting her know i love her just a little then i let her go i feel so bad but i just can't help it all my friends say i'm being selfish she might be the one but i don't really know i won't be around long to let her know she tries so very hard not to look my way it doesn't take much to make her say i feel so bad but i just can't help it all my friends say i'm being selfish i'm the chance you never had who would ever want a love like that and when i look inside those tearful eyes it's a thin disguise i guess this is for better
42.
Heaven Above 01:31
43.
got all dressed up to see you tonight to be let down i hold my tongue but you rip it out and leave me speechless i don't want to cause any fights i'm not saying you're wrong you're just not right i guess i'm just the jealous type i'd rather not know what you do it makes things complicated i said my piece and now we're through i just get jaded the blank look on my face should say all of the words i'm trying to convey
44.
Song 22 02:40
the first night on your couch was my favorite time six days later you'd finally ask you to be mine do you remember what movie we watched? i do do you remember how you looked at me that night? i remember we went ice skating in the park you fell i picked you up, we were off to a good start and then one day you find that you're in love and you always want to stay there
45.
Gemini Lipstick (free) 01:56
my heart is beating faster than ever before i had my doubts about you but now i'm for sure please kiss me on the lips and i'm forever yours kiss me just like you did before you say those things that i could never ignore give me the chance and only you i'll adore
46.
Him Or Me 01:54
well i'm not always so sure have you found a new (old) allure? and if so who will it be is it him or is it me? 'cause i know he's on your mind there's a look deep in his (your) eye you've got the look of a girl in love when we're out he's always there and i know you've caught his stare even though you always say that your love has seen it's day
47.
i don't know why she gets me high all i know is that don't want to come down sky is gray, sun won't stay help me reach the heavens clouds brought rain, smile through pain together we'll drift far apart and when she went away my life was disarray we hold these things to be true when the present turned to past i knew it wouldn't last we all fall down i don't know why she gets me high all i know is that don't want to come down
48.
here comes that new "now" sound it starts to shake the ground it's got you throwing fits you'll feel how hard it hits you want it, you got it you had it, you lost it you want it? i got now! come feel my sassy thunder you won't be left in wonder it's got you shaking hips you'll want to kiss my lips you want it, you got it you sold, i bought you want it? i got it now!
49.
She Lifts 01:38
shake it out and let the new one in my story's the same and it's always been town to town i'm knocking on your door let me in and i'll sleep on the floor when she lifts i'm going to set her down when she lifts she never makes a sound all dressed up to see her and she won't come passing out in every evening gown there's too many lines and not enough nouns back and forth your growing older again the worst part is, is that never ends
50.
sometimes when the stars align the moon is right you'll know up above in the dotted sky the crumbs of white i suppose could you wait for me? now that you know think of all the times your eyes have told your mind don't close blurred visions of a satellite it's out of sight i know could you wait for me? now that you know
51.
52.
Take It Greasy i'm growing bored with my life i grease my hair up just right peeled out in style on my bike trouble might find me tonight i tame the asphalt it's time for last call secure my freefall called all my friends and they're right i should have known you're uptight
53.
Love (that's what i want!) i know what i want there is no need to flaunt so show me, show me, show me love that's what i want i know what i need there's no need for greed so show me, show me, show me love i've searched below and i've searched above so show me, show me, show me love that's what i want love comes and love goes i'll take it anyway it flows
54.
Pillowcase 02:12
Pillowcase i don't know what i've been chasing all i know it's better than waiting for you for you if i get closer you always seem farther i don't know why i even bother it's for you are you mad at me? is it jealousy? i never meant to be so cruel can we try again? and will you not pretend? it's all i can ask of you
55.
Passive Elixirs i found a drug to make you happy i called it love, it turned you sappy your heart is hurt, i've got the cure cause you know my thoughts are pure i wrote all my friend a prescription it cured The Pox and The Egyptian your heart is hurt, i've got the cure cause you know my thought are pure so if your new heartache keeps you up way too late i've got your remedy your heart is hurt, i've got the cure cause you know my thought are pure don't let it hide so deep inside cause you know it's just a lie so if your new heartache keeps you up way too late i've got your remedy i found a drug to make you happy i did some pills to make you happy i did a line to make you happy i found a drug to make us happy i found a love to make us happy
56.
The Continuing Saga of Ms. Carefree Arizona she was a small town girl stuck on the high plains her single mom raised her to never behave she's ready to leave, she packed her bags with a bee on her knee and boy on her mind she can't help but think she'll escape this time/town she's ready to leave, she waved goodbye it's hard not to say i feel the same way maybe we'll meet or maybe we'll stray you never know she's now a bold city girl* stuck in a high rise she single mom told her- well that's no surprise i was just like you, i packed my things too tired to roam i came on home i had a little girl to call my own and it was you
57.
Stolen 01:45
58.
Last Rights at the Knife Fight a tale of The Can't Be's from the high seas a sailors hiss could make me miss your latitude would it be so wrong to hang on to you? last rights at the knife fight are due i just passed the turn for the point of no return i guess i need direction just like a mirrors reflection would it be so wrong to hang on to you? last rights at the knife fight are due
59.
60.

about

“My friends, only stones stay on earth forever. Use your best ability.”
– Cheyenne Warrior Song

Winter Count: Rapid City, 1995. State of the Union are Profane Existence’s crowned dark princes, Resin is spreading their gospel of power violence throughout the nation, every westside Rapid Citian is gushing over the latest Drive Like Jehu LP, trying to figure out how to make our fair city the next emo hotspot since San Diego and, of course, there is us, The Reddmen. After surviving life on three different Indian Reservations, our parents moved us to the sacred Black Hills of South Dakota, “The Center of the Universe” according to fabled Sioux holy man Black Elk. It is here, in the shadow of the holy mountain Bear Butte, where Cheyenne culture hero Sweet Medicine accepted the Sacred Arrows from the Creator himself. Along Rapid Creek, where Chief Crazy Horse was born, is where we decided to join the ranks of the rock n' roll scene. At 15, head-banging and shouting at the devil was fine and all, but I felt I needed something more, something tangible. And so began our decade-and-a-half trek.
Nirvana did to us what The Beatles did for the 60’s. We wanted to be Crimpshrine. I began writing songs about girls I had crushes on in high school. We took our cues from The Who – high kicks, windmills, cymbal grabs, etc. The drums were always way too loud like The Sonics. We always played too fast, out of tune, and broke our shit afterwards; no one was impressed. There was no way Rapid City was ready to accept this business. So we took our act on the road trying our best to reach the sacred Four Persons who dwell at cardinal points of the universe, criss-crossing Grandmother Earth. Cities near and far dug it, so why change the course? But little did we know the alienation from the sparse yet primitive city we loved was boiling over to a scene much larger than the confines of our town. The garage purists frowned upon us; we were too pop for the punks, too punk for the power poppers, the mods weren’t having it, too loud for the indie kids, too fucking real for the hipsters.
Before the century turned, our longtime bro Ramon Bear Runner’s departure started a domino effect of bass players until a few years later a young upstart named Trevor Leo became one of us as a permanent fixture in the Reddmembership. One Arrow found his stardom in the world of Native American Powwow singing; the band was always his side deal. I stayed hungry in the basement of the Reddquarters by building a studio dubbed the Orchid Room, which consisted of a cassette four-track (later an eight-track) and one old garage sale microphone. We acknowledged the fact that we had to be self-reliant; we started honing our craft in the studio and on the road. Along the way we recorded a fuckton of songs, most of which you will hear here for the first time. During our stint we had moments of victorious joy, the sadness of loss, and, most of all, the yearning of what we could have been. My friends, it is a good day to die.
We’ve accepted oblivion, for now.

-John Waylon Porcupine
Black Hills of SD, Summer 2010

So you wanna know about The Reddmen, huh? Solid grooves, tasteful moves? How J. Waylon goes about constructing those shoulda‐been‐introduced‐by‐Kasey‐Kasem pop hits? How, at the end of a song, Miyo can silence not just his cymbals, but awe the whole room into shocked quietude? How Trevor can simultaneously look like the Hebrew Hammer and Jason Schwartzmann at the same time? (Yeah, I said “simultaneously” and “the same” simultaneously in the same sentence—back the hell off, jack, I’m just a writer, not a journalist). You wanna know what the funk makes this boys club tick??... Too bad suckers. As I learned as a 6‐month‐tenured touring member of said band, The Reddmen are a fraternity of many unspoken secrets. You always get the feeling there’s more to every story‐ hell, every conversation‐ than they are going to reveal. Hidden motives? Dark pasts? Plots + plans abound, but you won’t get the lowdown outta them‐ you just have to wait patiently and piece things together yourself... And outta me? I’ve got a story too. There’s more than I might let on, but if you wait, and if you read between the lines, you might find a secret or two revealed.
I met the boys when they toured (as they often did) through my town in central Montana. An Eagles’ basement – the mic had a grounding issue and kept shocking Johnny. There was a mod target on the bass drum. They were as catchy as pop-rock, but rocked harder than any plain ol’ pop – windmills and scissor kicks a flyin’! Despite the fact that the vocals were nearly inaudible, it was evident that this was not your typical suck band from Whocareston, USA. We shot the shit and it turned out we had very similar musical taste and background (minus the 80's glam and 60's country/rock crossover). They gave me “Sons of the Morning Star” and “Another Tale of the Trippy Counterculture High‐End Prissy Designers”, which was a CD‐R of unreleased tracks (heard by the general public for the first time right now, as disc 2 of the set you just received) … Consider me blown away.
Over the next few months, we traded late-night calls, set up shows for each others’ bands, ate pizza together, watched rock documentaries, got to be buds, and Johnny offered to record some songs for my group. We traveled back and forth to Rapid quite a bit, working on our stuff in increments, gradually understanding the recording process better, learning about the guys’ relationships with one another, and meeting the Reddfriends (not a poorly named team of superheroes, but the band’s large circle of pals who could essentially be considered extended family, since many of them had played in the band or one of the boys’ many side‐projects at one point or another (“Reddfriends”, by the way, is my term, not the bands’)). At one point, when I was down on my luck and had nothing happening for me in my city, I somehow landed an invitation to a rhythm guitar slot. Excited, and happy to leave my troubles behind, I packed and headed for The Star of the West... and when I got there, it was shocking. These guys actually knew how to play their instruments! I’d been messing around in bands for 10 years, but none of the people I’d started groups with knew much more than the names of the strings (and of course, drummers didn’t even know that (though it’s worth noting no one is surprised when a drummer doesn’t know something)). And really, saying that they knew how to play their instruments is an understatement‐‐ the boys weren’t just great musicians, they fully understood writing and arrangement: the power of purposeful restraint, how to add complexity through texture, how to articulate lead notes with delicacy or ferocity, and they had an ear for tone...and then, of course, the vocals‐ one minute it’s a Smokey Robinson‐Diana Ross hybrid, the next a big‐lunged garage scream that could unwind your cochlea. Added to this, in the Reddquarters sub‐level (known to the layjerk as The Orchid Room), Johnny made terrific (be)lo‐fi recordings that would wow friends n’ followers. Maybe most importantly though, what the Reddmen had was vision. They were their own band with their own sound, who took a side against genre‐boxification; and even if you could pick apart some particular song to find its origins of inspiration and dilute it to some composite fragments, there’s no way that you could ever mistake a Reddmen song for someone else’s. Bits + pieces cut up and rearranged, laminated by true students of rock n' roll.
Even though this impressed me to no end, it really only makes sense. Rapid City, SD is smack dab in the middle of nowheresville. ...Not just isolated, but unbelievably isolated to anyone who’s never been familiarized with the dull yellow color of prairie grass in a dry August (and they are all dry Augusts). Nothing but hay fever and boredom...ample time to perfect your craft...what else are ya gonna do – taxidermy?
So for 6 months I did my best to keep up. Walked the walk and rocked the rock, roomed in Johnny’s velvet palace of sin, joked with their extended family (blood-related and band-related), rode shotgun in the wee hours in the Reddvan, drove Vanzig, wrecked Vanzig, drove Vanzig again, fell into amps, ate green chile breakfast burritos, partook of free Innes gear and lobster (thanks to friends and label honchos), slept on floors and in vehicles, took the blame for things that were my fault, took the blame for things that weren’t my fault (part of your job as the new guy), threw guitars, kicked high, got a taste for horchata, Listened to R. and GG, and inhaled my percent lifetime value of secondhand smoke; and, three tours later, my time was up...had to hit the trail for an equally isolated burg in a neighboring state. ...But not before catching onto some of those aforementioned secrets. You wanna find out about the deep shit? Not gonna happen, guy; but I’ll slide you some crumbs... Here’s some observations I picked up that have served me well:

· Nighttime driving is always preferable to daytime driving.
· Regional food and drink is one of the best parts of touring (see: Ale-8-One).
· When your feet are cold, take off your shoes and sit on them (your feet, not your shoes, dumbshit).
·Home recording is fairly affordable and more fun/challenging/convenient/better-sounding than going to some bad local studio.
· Plotting your own tours is best done through friends...’cause you never have to shake down your buddies (see: Peoria, IL).
· Buttons on a suit jacket, from top to bottom: sometimes, always, never.

‐Kelly La Croix/Kelly Ell/Our Kelly/Meatknife
Reddmember # ________(fill in the blank here, Johnny...dunno what number I ended up being)

The Reddmen: 10,000 Broken Drum Stick and Bass Players
I was thirteen when I went to my first show – it was at one of Rapid City’s many short lived all-ages venues called the Twilight Zone, and I had come to see my friend Doug’s band, Nixon Conspiracy. Their set consisted mostly of covers of popular alternative and punk songs but with a heavy emphasis on b-sides and hidden gems (they played songs from Incesticide!). There were a handful of really great originals in there as well, most of which are lost to the ages now (thank you John for unearthing “Had a Chance” for this collection). Watching them bang out those songs on off-brand guitars convinced me that starting bands with your friends is the best thing anybody could do with their time and made me an instant lifelong fan. Within a couple of months Doug had introduced me to John and Miyo; they had renamed themselves The Reddmen and had begun playing out at proper punk shows.
Even from their earliest show, The Reddmen set themselves apart from other Rapid City bands. While other bands in town had original songs, many of them seemed to exist solely for the purpose of facilitating that band’s desire to play out. John, on the other hand, had actual compositions with honest-to-god choruses. They had songs that you could sing along with and rally around and be proud that they came out of your crappy town. The Reddmen may be known for their live shows, with guitar-slinging acrobatics and Miyo’s simultaneously precise and apeshit drumming, but for me they will always be a song band. Disc One of this collection includes many of early songs born from John’s one million teenage crushes. Standouts for me include “Nikkia,” “Elysia Braun” (with the hilarious preceding skit) and “Can’t Afford To Lose You.”
As good as the songs on the first disc are, it’s the second disc that, to me, best represent the lightspeed evolution of John’s songwriting going into this new century. The Reddmen had been playing out of town as far as the Reddvan Mark I would allow, and John was getting exposed to new influences and moving out of the pop-punk genre (not to diss on pop punk, as the disc opens with a great one-two punch from the 8 Houses Down demo). John started to spend an impressive amount of time in his basement in the (should be) world famous Orchid Room learning to harmonize (“Brazilian Ballet Encore”, “Running Around”) flip tapes for Beatles-brand backwards guitar (“Home to Ms. Havisham”) and generally flip out (“Funk You”, “No Exit”). These songs are among John’s best, but (most) have not appeared on proper Reddmen albums.
On disc three, we get a mix of unreleased songs, covers and alternate takes and demos of songs that have appeared on Reddmen albums. “Bang Machine” by Trevor and the hopeless romantic hit “Pinky Swear” are good enough for any record and I’m sure were only omitted for reasons unrelated to their quality. I’ve had the benefit of being John’s friend for many years and because of this I’ve had the advantage of hearing his demo versions of songs before they go and record them altogether. I’m glad that he’s included so many of them on the 'Extras' disc as they give everyone else a more intimate view of the songs, like the (somehow!) even sadder version of “Ed, X and Me,” and the British Invasion version of “You’re the First.”
It wasn’t even a year into The Reddmen’s existence that I asked John that if I could write the liner notes if he were ever to release a boxed set or a greatest hits record. It’s nearly fifteen years later and John has done well on his promise. I only hope I have fulfilled my end of the bargain by doing one of my favorite bands justice.

Love,
David Copeland

You’re holding a history of what is arguably the longest running and most influential underground band to ever come out of Rapid City.
I've been fortunate to watch this band grow. One of their first shows was in my parents' front yard in the mid-1990's. I remember being blown away by the talent The Reddmen exhibited even in their pre-teens. As young musicians they held nothing back, sacrificing all – full of power, energy and drive. What's even more impressive is that over the years this band never lost a bit of its youthful vigor and enthusiasm.
You can hear this unyielding force throughout the progression of these discs. The first installment, The Volume Suit, represents early years - some of the songs were recorded on a boombox in a Lakota Homes basement, others on a four-track recorder with a single Shure SM58. Considering this, the recording quality is quite impressive. But anyone who dismisses the early work based on the rough edges of these recordings would miss the point entirely. There is a beauty here in the sheer rawness of these songs. It's the unbridled sound of youth, the sound of a sweaty summer mosh pit, the sound of dancing your heart out, the sound of new love, and the angst of heartbreak.
The second CD begins with an explosion of sound. “Do You Think About Me Too?” is an awesome example of how much fun The Reddmen can put into two minutes and fifty six seconds. The first tracks on this CD require a decent sized stereo with the volume turned way up. They will make you get up and fucking dance. The first songs bring to mind spectacular sets that would end with J. Waylon smashing his guitar, One Arrow kicking over the drums, the trio walking off the stage with the crowd screaming, sweaty and spent. This CD is titled "Another Tale of the Trippy Counterculture High End Prissy Designers," the name appears to be derived from the more acoustic tracks near the end. They are mellower and very fun. These tracks feature some cool experimentation with synthesizers and a relaxed reverb on the layered vocals over 60's Wall of Sound. In the end this CD will leave you smiling and satisfied.
In the first track of the third CD The Reddmen come home again to their rock roots. The sound and recording quality is much more mature and refined on this CD, titled "More Superstitious Sure Fire Tricks." The full potential of the band is achieved in these later recordings; they successfully integrate the slower sounds on some songs with the pure rock power of others. Track seven, "The Continuing Saga of Ms. Carefree Arizona" has a solid country music influence and a fun storyline. These are b-sides and several previously unreleased recordings. But they are not at all second rate or reject songs – there are some serious gems here, each worth a serious listen. In "Bang Machine," Trevor, the longest-running bassist of the band, has a cameo on the mic. His quieter stage presence does nothing to hide his sheer talent. This song is a personal favorite.
There are 90 songs on these three CDs. The volume of music here testifies to how prolific The Reddmen have been over the years. Yet this is a not a case of quantity over quality, and this three CD set is not a full discography. This box set is not everything you need for the definitive collection – there is much, much more. This collection is the sweet icing on the cake, some of the best songs over the career of this band. For me it brings out an ever greater love and respect for the talent of these local favorites. The Reddmen are talking about breaking up. Word is their last show will hit the stage post X-mas 2010. I'll be in the crowd, a bit sad to lose such a powerful force, but with a hope of hearing a few of these songs.
Charles Michael Ray

credits

released July 12, 2011

_________________________
Reddmembership:
Miyo One Arrow- drums, vocals
J. Waylon Porcupine- vocals, guitars, bass, drums, keys, percussion, drum machine
with:
Ramon Bear Runner Jr.- bass
Doug Two Bulls- guitar, bass,
Trevor Leo- bass, vocals
Kelly La Croix- guitar, back up vocals
Mike Schwiegman Two Bulls- guitars, bass, drums, keys
Tyrone Schock- guitar, hand claps
Jason Ward- keyboards, bass guitar
Chuck Ommen - guitar
Kris Schmidt- bass guitar
Sam French- bass guitar

This compilation © 2011 Fluorescent Brown Publishing (BMI)
*except track number: 28 originally performed by Houseboy, 37 written by David Copeland (BMI), 62 written by Trevor Leo, 69 & 71 co-written by Trevor Leo/ J. Waylon, 72 written by Zach Hollander - Silver Fox (ASCAP), 85 written by Kelly LaCroix - Spit At The Stars (BMI) All rights reserved.

This is Kit Fox 319-5
in conjunction with Not Bad World Industries
NBR-032

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We Shall Never Sell Our Sacred Black Hills.

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