Seventy-Four, Seventy-Five, 2015
November 15, 2015 4:31 PM Subscribe
In 1993, alt-rock band The Connells released the single "74-75" from their fifth studio album Ring. The accompanying music video was shot at Needham B. Broughton High School in the band's hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina, and it featured members of the Class of 1975, juxtaposing yearbook pictures with footage of the same people as they appeared in 1993. The band has now updated the video, with footage of the surviving classmates from the original video.
I had seen or heard the original but I love this sort of "checking back in with the same group" thing. Sorta like the 7 Up series. This hits me in the same place.
posted by downtohisturtles at 4:55 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by downtohisturtles at 4:55 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
Oh whoa, The Connells. Now that takes me back.
posted by Kitteh at 4:55 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Kitteh at 4:55 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
The Connells formed the soundtrack of my high school and college life, and Broughton is my high school. Go Capitols!
posted by Shotgun Shakespeare at 5:01 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Shotgun Shakespeare at 5:01 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
I love this album!!
posted by masquesoporfavor at 5:07 PM on November 15, 2015
posted by masquesoporfavor at 5:07 PM on November 15, 2015
The Connells played at my small college campus around the time Ring came out. We had just lost our second student in as many years in a tragic accident, and they could not have been nicer people. Really friendly, hung out after the show and talked to people.
posted by 4ster at 5:08 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by 4ster at 5:08 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
You know you're old when there's a post about a really old album by a really old band and you get excited but then realize the album is "the new one" that you never got into.
posted by escabeche at 5:27 PM on November 15, 2015 [10 favorites]
posted by escabeche at 5:27 PM on November 15, 2015 [10 favorites]
"Slackjawed" was a highly underrated song.
posted by SisterHavana at 5:27 PM on November 15, 2015 [7 favorites]
posted by SisterHavana at 5:27 PM on November 15, 2015 [7 favorites]
Reminds me a bit of The Oxford Project, which I love a lot, despite Stephen Bloom being an asshole.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 5:36 PM on November 15, 2015
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 5:36 PM on November 15, 2015
That is profoundly moving and I can't quite put my finger on why. Thank you for sharing this.
posted by Joey Michaels at 5:43 PM on November 15, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Joey Michaels at 5:43 PM on November 15, 2015 [2 favorites]
(Oh, and my Connells song has always been and will always be "Something to Say")
posted by Joey Michaels at 5:45 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Joey Michaels at 5:45 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
You know you're old when ...
... you've never heard of this band
... they're singing about the class of '75 which is YOUR class
posted by pyramid termite at 5:45 PM on November 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
... you've never heard of this band
... they're singing about the class of '75 which is YOUR class
posted by pyramid termite at 5:45 PM on November 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
Oh, dear lord. I had a cassette copy of Ring that I played to death when I was a senior in high school in rural North Carolina. When I first discovered the video for "'74-'75", it floored me. Thanks for the post.
posted by Token Meme at 5:51 PM on November 15, 2015
posted by Token Meme at 5:51 PM on November 15, 2015
Wow, how is it that that song is twenty twenty-two years old? Or more precisely, how the hell did '93 get to be twenty-two years ago?
posted by octothorpe at 5:53 PM on November 15, 2015 [10 favorites]
posted by octothorpe at 5:53 PM on November 15, 2015 [10 favorites]
"Slackjawed" was a highly underrated song.
posted by SisterHavana at 7:27 PM on November 15
Eponysterical.
posted by themanwho at 6:59 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by SisterHavana at 7:27 PM on November 15
Eponysterical.
posted by themanwho at 6:59 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
Even 20 years ago when I was 20 this video and song sledgehammered me square in the feels.
To the point that I don't know if I have the stones to watch the update.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 7:09 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
To the point that I don't know if I have the stones to watch the update.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 7:09 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
This song hits me square in the Game Theory/Loud Family spot, thank you. Came for the melancholy, stayed for the melancholy.
posted by thesmallmachine at 7:15 PM on November 15, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by thesmallmachine at 7:15 PM on November 15, 2015 [4 favorites]
In my shitty little hometown, all there was on the radio was country and classic rock. Suddenly, one day, they played "Slackjawed" on the classic rock station between bouts of Ted Nugent and Led Zeppelin--I guess because they thought the guitar rawked, or something. But that song was a window into a new world.
posted by goatdog at 7:22 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by goatdog at 7:22 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
Peak Connells as far as I'm concerned: "I Suppose."
posted by escabeche at 7:53 PM on November 15, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by escabeche at 7:53 PM on November 15, 2015 [4 favorites]
Huh, Weird. I have never heard of this band, and don't recognize the sound of a single song of theirs on YouTube. 1993 was prime "I know every band" time for me. I was really into music. Listening now, I'm sure I would have liked these songs then. Not sure how I completely was not even aware of their existence. *shrug* Thanks for posting it.
posted by ctmf at 8:06 PM on November 15, 2015
posted by ctmf at 8:06 PM on November 15, 2015
Depends where you're from. My sense is that Connells fandom was very concentrated in the southeast; I'd never heard of them in 1989 when I went to college, but learned about them from my roommate, who was from Virginia Beach, where they were popular. I don't think there was ever a point where people at Harvard except me and my first-year roommate were listening to the Connells. I heard "Stone Cold Yesterday" and "Slackjawed" a LITTLE bit on mainstream alt-rock radio, but not much.
posted by escabeche at 8:14 PM on November 15, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by escabeche at 8:14 PM on November 15, 2015 [2 favorites]
I lived in Chicago in 1993 and this album got a lot of support from Lin Brehmer at WXRT, but I never heard of The Connells outside of that. He was particularly fond of "Slackjawed," but occasionally would play "Carry My Picture."
posted by OneOliveShort at 8:23 PM on November 15, 2015
posted by OneOliveShort at 8:23 PM on November 15, 2015
Huh, Weird. I have never heard of this band, and don't recognize the sound of a single song of theirs on YouTube. 1993 was prime "I know every band" time for me. I was really into music. Listening now, I'm sure I would have liked these songs then. Not sure how I completely was not even aware of their existence. *shrug* Thanks for posting it.
Ditto.
posted by ashbury at 8:31 PM on November 15, 2015
Ditto.
posted by ashbury at 8:31 PM on November 15, 2015
"Boylan Heights," always and forever. Such a good album.
posted by old_growler at 8:45 PM on November 15, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by old_growler at 8:45 PM on November 15, 2015 [6 favorites]
Glad to see the Connells making a little bit of a resurgence. It wasn't that many years ago that I stopped, slackjawed (sorry), on a street in Raleigh when I saw a flyer on a telephone pole. It was advertising a show featuring the Connells. Opening for a Dave Matthews cover band.
No matter what happened in the time between their heyday and that night, they never deserved to sink that low. And yes, "Boylan Heights" is the Connells album for those of us in my age and regional cohort.
posted by Shotgun Shakespeare at 8:57 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
No matter what happened in the time between their heyday and that night, they never deserved to sink that low. And yes, "Boylan Heights" is the Connells album for those of us in my age and regional cohort.
posted by Shotgun Shakespeare at 8:57 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
It was advertising a show featuring the Connells. Opening for a Dave Matthews cover band.
My fantasy is that, after the Connells played, the headliners realized they'd been wasting their lives and re-invented themselves as a Connells cover band on the spot.
posted by escabeche at 9:11 PM on November 15, 2015 [7 favorites]
My fantasy is that, after the Connells played, the headliners realized they'd been wasting their lives and re-invented themselves as a Connells cover band on the spot.
posted by escabeche at 9:11 PM on November 15, 2015 [7 favorites]
By the way, thanks to you guys I've been listening to "Fun and Games" all night. Boy this is good.
posted by escabeche at 9:11 PM on November 15, 2015
posted by escabeche at 9:11 PM on November 15, 2015
Oh wow. This takes me back. The Connells did make it out west. I saw them on their 'One Simple Word,' and 'Ring' tour. The alt rock station where I lived played there song a bunch.
Some things are getting lost, even by the internet. I googled a picture of their cool t-shirt they sold during the 'One Simple Word' tour. I'm not finding it. I wore that thing to shreds.
On the front was a silhouette of each band member with a number.
On the back it had
1. Mike
2. George
3. Doug
4. David
5. Peele
I think my memory is correct... lemme check!
Ha! I remembered.
The Connells have an R.E.M. vibe but... more meloncholy.
The other band that I like at the time had a similar vibe, The Origin.
They couldn't keep it together for more than two albums. :(
Definitely check out The Connells. Great music.
posted by hot_monster at 10:03 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
Some things are getting lost, even by the internet. I googled a picture of their cool t-shirt they sold during the 'One Simple Word' tour. I'm not finding it. I wore that thing to shreds.
On the front was a silhouette of each band member with a number.
On the back it had
1. Mike
2. George
3. Doug
4. David
5. Peele
I think my memory is correct... lemme check!
Ha! I remembered.
The Connells have an R.E.M. vibe but... more meloncholy.
The other band that I like at the time had a similar vibe, The Origin.
They couldn't keep it together for more than two albums. :(
Definitely check out The Connells. Great music.
posted by hot_monster at 10:03 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
I got to know The Connells when I lived in Chapel Hill in the early '90s.
My buddy and I went to see them long ago at Slim's in San Francisco. Before the show we stopped by the since-closed and long-lamented 20 Tank brewpub across the street and saw drummer Peele Wimberley and some roadies sitting at a table and we bought them a pitcher.
During the show we stood up front and did dumbass longtime fan things like calling for "1934" (little-known and not-that-great song from their first album). After the show the roadies asked us backstage and we got to meet the band. They were very nice and I talked to one of the Connells brothers for a while about bookstores in Chapel Hill. It was the greatest brush-with-celebrity moment of my life and I can't think of any bands I'd have rather met.
The next year we saw them at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. The layout there is a U-shaped balcony on the second floor wrapped around the stage and standing area on the bottom. My buddy and I were on the second floor next to the stage with our usual fan goober antics and singer Doug MacMillan pointed us out and said "give it up for those guys." We were dorks.
* owns both versions of Darker Days *
* broke up with a girl in Boylan Heights *
posted by kirkaracha at 10:23 PM on November 15, 2015 [8 favorites]
My buddy and I went to see them long ago at Slim's in San Francisco. Before the show we stopped by the since-closed and long-lamented 20 Tank brewpub across the street and saw drummer Peele Wimberley and some roadies sitting at a table and we bought them a pitcher.
During the show we stood up front and did dumbass longtime fan things like calling for "1934" (little-known and not-that-great song from their first album). After the show the roadies asked us backstage and we got to meet the band. They were very nice and I talked to one of the Connells brothers for a while about bookstores in Chapel Hill. It was the greatest brush-with-celebrity moment of my life and I can't think of any bands I'd have rather met.
The next year we saw them at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. The layout there is a U-shaped balcony on the second floor wrapped around the stage and standing area on the bottom. My buddy and I were on the second floor next to the stage with our usual fan goober antics and singer Doug MacMillan pointed us out and said "give it up for those guys." We were dorks.
* owns both versions of Darker Days *
* broke up with a girl in Boylan Heights *
posted by kirkaracha at 10:23 PM on November 15, 2015 [8 favorites]
I've never heard anything by the Connells but this song. As the article mentions, this was a huge hit over here in Europe in 93-94 and inescapable in the Netherlands that year, as was the video, to the point of nausea.
Revisiting it after so long brings back its virtues. A really nice feeling of melancholy here.
posted by MartinWisse at 10:37 PM on November 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
Revisiting it after so long brings back its virtues. A really nice feeling of melancholy here.
posted by MartinWisse at 10:37 PM on November 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
That is profoundly moving and I can't quite put my finger on why. Thank you for sharing this.
I am like MartinWisse, this was the one hit from these wonders. But it made me wistful then and it makes me cry now.
Any musicians want to deconstruct what it is about this song that makes me tear up so?
posted by Meatbomb at 2:31 AM on November 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
I am like MartinWisse, this was the one hit from these wonders. But it made me wistful then and it makes me cry now.
Any musicians want to deconstruct what it is about this song that makes me tear up so?
posted by Meatbomb at 2:31 AM on November 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
When I saw this, I was like Oh the Connells!! I totally forgot about them! And then I spectacularly failed to recognise any of the songs people are mentioning other than Stone Cold Yesterday.
Lots to dig into. Excellent post, thanks!
posted by you must supply a verb at 4:08 AM on November 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
Lots to dig into. Excellent post, thanks!
posted by you must supply a verb at 4:08 AM on November 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
There's also this incredibly beautiful French Cover of 74-75 from this post back in October.
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 6:58 AM on November 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Fuzzy Monster at 6:58 AM on November 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
Yeah, I grew up in South Carolina, so there were a lot of bands like The Connells that felt very Southeast-centric to me. Follow for Now, Uncle Green, Jump Little Children, Drivin'n'Cryin', SCOTS...
posted by Kitteh at 7:18 AM on November 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Kitteh at 7:18 AM on November 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
I like the fact that the band members are shown older, not just the "kids": it feels less like gawking that way.
And I was almost out of college (in Boston) that year, and way into music, and I remember their name but only barely remember the music.
posted by wenestvedt at 7:38 AM on November 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
And I was almost out of college (in Boston) that year, and way into music, and I remember their name but only barely remember the music.
posted by wenestvedt at 7:38 AM on November 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
Ring was my least favorite album of theirs – I just never got into it – but I will dig out the CD and give it another go. My CDs of Boylan Heights, Fun & Games, and One Simple Word all have ticket stubs jammed in the cases. Three years in a row I saw them at Hammerjack's in Balto (the original, by the freeway) and dragged different friends with me each time, trying to spread the gospel as it were. As my 80s love of REM faded in the early 90s, these guys stepped into the gap.
posted by The Nutmeg of Consolation at 7:44 AM on November 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by The Nutmeg of Consolation at 7:44 AM on November 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
Depends where you're from. My sense is that Connells fandom was very concentrated in the southeast
I think they at least made it onto alt-rock radio or 120 Minutes or something, because I picked up Ring in a secondhand CD store* as a teen in California based on having heard Slackjawed and (I think) '74-75 before. I love this post with all my too-young-for-nostalgia heart.
*One of the great things about living somewhere uncool in the '90s is that there was reeeeeally no threat of the RIAA ever bothering to notice the monument to wild, wild copyright infringement going on in our town.
there were a lot of bands like The Connells that felt very Southeast-centric to me. Follow for Now, Uncle Green, Jump Little Children, Drivin'n'Cryin', SCOTS...
Oh, memories! I moved to SC in 2000 and immediately learned that Jump Little Children and Cowboy Mouth(!) were Really Big Deals there despite never having heard of them out West. Regional music scenes FTW.
posted by psoas at 10:46 AM on November 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
I think they at least made it onto alt-rock radio or 120 Minutes or something, because I picked up Ring in a secondhand CD store* as a teen in California based on having heard Slackjawed and (I think) '74-75 before. I love this post with all my too-young-for-nostalgia heart.
*One of the great things about living somewhere uncool in the '90s is that there was reeeeeally no threat of the RIAA ever bothering to notice the monument to wild, wild copyright infringement going on in our town.
there were a lot of bands like The Connells that felt very Southeast-centric to me. Follow for Now, Uncle Green, Jump Little Children, Drivin'n'Cryin', SCOTS...
Oh, memories! I moved to SC in 2000 and immediately learned that Jump Little Children and Cowboy Mouth(!) were Really Big Deals there despite never having heard of them out West. Regional music scenes FTW.
posted by psoas at 10:46 AM on November 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
I knew the Connells well back in the day, they seemed pretty well known in Utah. I saw them in concert twice and they did a great live show.
posted by mmoncur at 12:55 PM on November 16, 2015
posted by mmoncur at 12:55 PM on November 16, 2015
Huh, Weird. I have never heard of this band, and don't recognize the sound of a single song of theirs on YouTube. 1993 was prime "I know every band" time for me. I was really into music. Listening now, I'm sure I would have liked these songs then. Not sure how I completely was not even aware of their existence. *shrug* Thanks for posting it.
Ditto.
I've been waiting for somebody to say "but Commodore! It's the WEEKEND!" and give away the game
posted by prize bull octorok at 1:13 PM on November 16, 2015
Ditto.
I've been waiting for somebody to say "but Commodore! It's the WEEKEND!" and give away the game
posted by prize bull octorok at 1:13 PM on November 16, 2015
I went there, too! And a really good friend of mine was on the cheerleading team when they were doing the video. She was super psyched to be in it, but I think they ended up cutting that scene. My nearly 15 minutes. And !!!Connells!!
posted by Snowishberlin at 3:11 PM on November 16, 2015
posted by Snowishberlin at 3:11 PM on November 16, 2015
Holy shit, 4ster! There she is! Thank you tons! Also, needs more David Sedaris for those of us from Raleigh.
posted by Snowishberlin at 3:18 PM on November 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Snowishberlin at 3:18 PM on November 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
"74-75" is a great song (and even better with the video), but I've always thought it was odd that it was their most recognized song. It's not very typical of their sound and isn't even the best song on Ring (I'd go maybe "Slackjawed" or "New Boy"). And I'd nominate "Get a Gun" from One Simple Word if you're looking for melancholy.
And it's not the best song or video, but "Maybe" is a parody of Deliverance.
Me, too! With Greenberry Woods opening. So many hooks!
posted by kirkaracha at 4:10 PM on November 16, 2015
And it's not the best song or video, but "Maybe" is a parody of Deliverance.
I saw them at Hammerjack's in Balto (the original, by the freeway)
Me, too! With Greenberry Woods opening. So many hooks!
posted by kirkaracha at 4:10 PM on November 16, 2015
My college housemate Jeff (from DC) was super into the Connells and took us to Columbus, OH to see a show (must've been '93 or '94). Great band live and yes, highly underrated!
posted by bitter-girl.com at 8:44 PM on November 16, 2015
posted by bitter-girl.com at 8:44 PM on November 16, 2015
« Older 25 years of Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1 | "a deeper analytical language for transsexual... Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by OneOliveShort at 4:54 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]