Amphetamine Reptile and Duluth

Paul Lundgren Aug 25, 2010 11 Comments

City Pages published a story today about Minneapolis’ Amphetamine Reptile record label celebrating its 25th anniversary.

Amphetamine Reptile label turns 25

A handful of Duluth bands recorded at AmRep back in the 1990s. Specifically, Puddle Wonderful and Swivelhead. Anyone have any Duluth-related AmRep stories to share?

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11 Comments

greg cougar conley

about 14 years ago 

I remember that the guy that recorded our CD (Tim Mac) was a real curmudgeon about us actually doing any kind of production. He basically just recorded us live and then overdubbed the vocals. It also cost a lot of money to do.  Happy anniversary, Am Rep!

tony

about 14 years ago 

Did you guys actually record at the AmRep building?

I have a dollar bill signed by Dale Crover that came from that building. Never was actually in it, though.

tony

about 14 years ago 

By the way, Tim Mac, yeah. I remember wanting to put some one-note piano on something, and he was all "nah." It was frustrating. And we never released the sessions.

mat

about 14 years ago 

Yeah ... Mac ... 

Was a really nice guy, but didn't really seem too interested in actually putting much effort into recording.

The last Voodoo Love Mint album he did sounded fucking awful ... which is too bad, because the songs are fantastic.

mrashley

about 14 years ago 

I think Tim Mac was doing every band he could back then to make a buck.  I don't recall it being too over the top in cost for the time, duplication was a bigger cost I thought.  I felt we were treated fairly, but it was more of a well recorded demo.  But what else can you get out of two sessions in 48 hours?  I think there was a big difference between recording FOR am rep and recording AT am rep.  It was a much cleaner recording than Puddle's work at Inland Seas.


Swivelhead's disc sounded muddier and more subdued to me than their live show, although it was way better than People Are Funny.  Their best recording was the demo they did as Sourpus.  A lot more raw.  Wish I still had a copy of that.

Ray237

about 14 years ago 

Anyone know where I can obtain copies of Swivelhead and Puddle Wonderful albums? I actually had the self-titled Swivelhead album and Puddle Wonderful's Sweetly Unnecessary, but unfortunately have misplaced them in the move to the cities.

Paul Lundgren

about 14 years ago 

I think Puddle Wonderful eventually sold out Sweetly Unnecessary, but Swivelhead broke up right after its CD came out, so Bob Olson probably still has hundreds of them in his attic.

deafyet

about 14 years ago 

Ahh yes Tim Mac, we recorded with him at the AmRep bldg ... he let my guitar scratch tracks bleed into the recording, then told me I was done. I hadn't tuned my guitar, voiced my amp or plugged in my effects yet! He was definitely there for the buck, and couldn't have cared less about some lame-ass band from Duluth. 

We were there because of his reputation for recording bands who were great before he tracked them, and would have sounded better without him. If I wanted some bitter fuck to hang two microphones and sulk behind the board I would just call yer old man.

Oh yeah, "People Are Funny" sounded way better recorded on 4track and tranferred directly to cassette. It is out of print now, as is "The Bastard EP." I have buried the disc we did at AmRep, and will not allow it out. It's sad, but it just plain sucks. (Bob)

Brett K Molitor

about 14 years ago 

I like this thread. It's got Ed Fitz written all over it.

Ray

about 14 years ago 

Any chance of still getting the Swivelhead self-titled CD?

Paul Lundgren

about 14 years ago 

You'll probably have to wait for Bob's next yard sale to get the Swivelhead CD.

A compilation of Puddle Wonderful tracks, including some from Sweetly Unnecessary, was recently released for free download on the Virgin Marcus' Bandcamp page. Puddle, of course, is reuniting at Homegrown this year.

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