When the WA box set came out, a few people wrote me saying they loved the live disc. They also remembered us rockin' harder. "Weren't you guys loud?" they'd ask. True, we were. But not during "Screen Kiss." They are thinking of later tours, when the band changed from suits and polish to guitars and attitude.

"Fadeout 1994" is me agreeing to show that side of the band, too, if only for posterity. I dug through my live tapes from 1994 and 1995 and found this show.

It's a really, really rough recording. However, because this is a live mic in the room of a small Chicago club, it reminded me of TELEVISION's "This Case Is Closed," a brilliant set from 1978 NYC that really measures up to anything TELEVISION ever did in the studio. This performance has that same fuzzy quality, that same energy. The audience is a little quiet, but, I'm assuming because of the date (1994, pre-"Valhalla" release, and the people calling for "Rocketship") that all the new material threw the paying customers for a loop. I think they expected something from "Screen Kiss," but, aside from "Rocketship," it was all new stuff.

I have to say it's a remarkable transition. After listening to the "Screen Kiss" tour for the box set, and getting used to that, this sounds like a completely different band. It's only 12 months later, too. This kind of career change (inspired by Mr. Bowie) I would continue to do for the next decade. The show works, but I can tell the audience is confused. But maybe I like that.

There are 3 covers in this set. "My Insatiable One" is a LONDON SUEDE song that Nick wanted to sing. "Cracked Actor" is a Bowie song that we learned to replaced "Breaking Glass," a crowd fave that we were burnt out on. "Hot Freaks" was a GUIDED BY VOICES cover to make Nick Kizirnis laugh, purely an "in" joke.