Matthew Sweet "Girlfriend"

I was never a huge autograph hound, but I really wanted to meet Matthew Sweet.

We'd traveled from Virginia down to Winston-Salem's "Ziggy's," where more than a few of our favorite acts would come through.

It had been a hell of a night for Power Pop, as the opening band, Boston's The Gigolo Aunts killed it, and even tossed the crowd a jangle-pop nugget---a cover of "Feel" by Big Star.

And Matthew Sweet was in fine form, referencing the fact that he had recorded the "Girlfriend" album right in the general neighborhood with altern-Pop Producer/Guru/Guitar-star Mitch Easter.

Gilding the lily was the fact that Sweet's band was made up of two key members of another personal favorite at the time, Velvet Crush.

Now at that time, and hell, if you still ask me today, "PJ, What's Your Favorite Song?" I'll probably stammer for a second, to see which answer pops out of my mouth that day.

Some days, it's "Train In Vain" by The Clash.

And other days, it's "Girlfriend" by Matthew Sweet.

I can't quite remember how I scored it, but somehow, via a record company person, I owned a vinyl 45 of "Girlfiend."  I still have it.

Not only is it a happening shade of Red vinyl, but it contains some interesting b-side stuff, including the demo, which was called "Good Friend."  It even came with liner notes.  What 45 has liner notes?  But it was interesting to know that Sweet only changed the name (from "Good Friend" to "Girlfriend") because that's what his friends thought the song was called.  But he couldn't remember why the swinging piano part found in the demo, had not been a part of the final recording.

So, armed with my precious 45, I patiently waited in line after the show, to climb on Sweet's tour bus, to get a few seconds to say, "Thanks" and have him Sharpie-up my vinyl.

He was gracious and efficient, but you could detect that he'd rather be on to the next part of his night.  Goofing around behind him in the belly of the bus, was the hot, sweaty band, drinking and laughing.

But he did get a sweet and bemused smile on his face, when I pulled out my copy of "Teenage Symphonies To God," a Velvet Crush CD.

I didn't even have to ask, Sweet just turned around and called out, "Paul!  Hey, a kiss on the cheek for you . . ."

Paul  (the singer from Velvet Crush who provided much the additional vocal beauty in Sweet's set) looked a little sheepish, but also pleased, as he signed my CD, and the other band members called out to him, "A kiss on the cheek!  A kiss on the cheek . . ."

It's funny, I'd never heard the expression "kiss on the cheek" in that kind of context before.  But I knew what it meant, right away.  And funny, I've never heard that expression again, in that kind of context.  I don't know if it was made up on the spot, or if "kiss on the cheek" really is a thing, when a musician gets some secondary attention.



Hear the song on Youtube.


Hear "Good Friend" on Youtube.


Hear Velvet Crush on Youtube.  Featuring Mitch Easter!