Oops, I thought there would be interest in this. Sorry, my bad. I should have realized that Pearl Jam fans would rather discuss Dave Matthews and the fucking Offspring.

This is a band I always wanted to check out, where to start??

Oh, fuck.

Dennis Flemion, one half of the Milwaukee duo known as The Frogs, was identified earlier today as the missing swimmer from a Saturday afternoon disappearance on Racine, WI’s Wind Lake.

With their recordings for the Matador, Homestead, Four Alarm and Scratchie labels, but most importantly thru their exhaustive ‘Made Up Songs’ cassettes (and later compact discs), Dennis and brother Jimmy were one of the most crucial, if not one of the strangest American bands of the last quarter century. Though best known (and not universally beloved) for the explicit subject matter found on ‘It’s Only Right & Natural’, as well as for their associations with a number of celebrity patrons, the Frogs’ comedic gifts have occasionally (and I’d say unfairly) overshadowed their musical depth. Much as ‘It’s Only Right & Natural’ was a huge conceptual departure from their self-issued debut, subsequent works like 1997′s grunge-baiting ‘Star Job’ were a world away from from the DIY folk affectations of ‘IOR&N’. With the possible exception of Bob Pollard, it’s hard to think of anyone nearly as prolific as the Flemions, and you could certainly make a case for their catalog being every bit as impressive.

While I’d hate to put too much focus on just one part of the Frogs oeuvre, the initial ‘Made Up Songs’ cassettes (the first couple of which constituted the bulk of ‘It’s Only Right & Natural’ as well as the subsequent Matador LP, ‘My Daughter The Broad’) were probably played in my home, car, head, as much as any music recorded before or since. There was certainly a stretch of my life in the late 1980′s in which you were not leaving my apartment if you hadn’t heard “I’ve Done Drugs (Out Of The Mist)” at least once. I suspect there’s others who have similar stories. There are few “what the fuck was that?” moments in music that quite compare to someone’s reaction the first time you play them The Frogs.

Dennis was without question, one of the funniest persons I’ve ever encountered. Painfully so. It would not be an exaggeration to say there were several times in which his verbal evisceration chops were almost impossible to keep up with (those who’ve attended Frogs shows over the years know exactly what I’m talking about).

There’s a couple of new Frogs albums that came out last week on iTunes ; ‘Squirrel Bunny Juniper Deluxe’ and ‘Count Yer Blessingz’. The Dennis that we saw onstage would’ve recognized this tragic event as a huge opportunity to plug some new recordings. Sans wig, drum sticks, etc. he might’ve preferred I’d not even mention it. The fantastic output and fleeting moments of near-fame aside, I hope he’s remembered as a really sweet guy first, and a hugely talented artist second. Our thoughts go out to Jimmy, the rest of the Flemion family, their friends and everyone who was lucky enough to know Dennis. Simply saying, “he’ll be missed” doesn’t come close to covering it.

Pearl Jam
Oslo Spektrum
Oslo, NW
July 09, 2012

Set List:
(Ed greets audience in Norwegian)
01. Long Road
02. Animal
03. Hail, Hail
04. Given To Fly
05. Interstellar Overdrive-(Barrett, Mason, Waters, Wright)
06. Corduroy
Ed thanks the audience for coming and comments that Pearl Jam hasn't been here in while. He also says he could use all the help he can get with singing. "I didn't think I was going to have to say anything but my throat is really rough. I must have caught something from kissing a sick Swedish boy." He says "Mike McCready is going to be taking over with a lot of guitar playing." The crowd chants "Let Stone Sing". Ed says that is a good idea. He then tells the crowd they "can start singing with this one."
07. Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town
08. Low Light
09. Severed Hand
10. Even Flow (during the guitar solo Ed walks over to the stage left subs he waves at the audience. He has security pass him a fan's cardboard sign request for "Smile")
11. Green Disease
(Ed says, "This is request from Moscow. You know who you are.")
12. Red Mosquito
13. Daughter/It's OK-(Cole)
14. Immortality
15. Leatherman
16. The Fixer
17. Black
18. Why Go

Encore Break
19. Inside Job
Ed apologizes to the audience for not being able to speak Norwegian and hopes they can understand him. He also expresses his frustration at feeling sick and knowing they haven't been to Norway in 12 years he didn't want to disappoint anyone. He also mentions that he received an early morning phone call letting him know a friend had died suddenly and unexpectedly. He tells the audience he hadn't spoken to the person in too long. He encouraged the audience to not feel the way he feels and to tell people they know that they love them as often as they can.
20. Just Breathe
21. Breath
(Ed says we are gonna turn the mic over to Stone. Stone says "Let's all thank Ed for just being so great. He doesn't get thanked enough so make some noise." Stone then says I am going to sing Mankind which is a rarity. So enjoy it on that level." This caused Ed and Stone to both laugh.)
22. Mankind
23. Do The Evolution
24. Porch

Encore Break 2
25. Once
Ed says "This next song is fulfilling a request by a young couple down in front that look to be about 22 combined. It says a lot about what how great you are taking of each other that young people can be down in front in such a big crowd. And thanks to the parents for having such great taste, in each other."
26. Smile
27. Mother-(Waters)
28. Alive
29. Rockin' In The Free World w/ John Doe & DJ Bonebrak and Krissy-(Young)
30. Yellow Ledbetter

Oops, I thought there would be interest in this. Sorry, my bad. I should have realized that Pearl Jam fans would rather discuss Dave Matthews and the fucking Offspring.