Add It Up (1981-1993)

ADD IT UP: 1981-1993 contains The Violent Femmes greatest hits, live material, previously unreleased recordings, b-sides, demos and answering machine messages.
The Violent Femmes: Gordon Gano (vocals, guitar); Brian Ritchie (vocals, bass, didgeridoo, jaw harp, xylophone); Victor De Lorenzo (vocals, drums).
Additional personnel: Drake Scott (various instruments); Peter Balestrieri (vocals, tenor & baritone saxophones); Cynthia Gayneau (vocals); Tony Trischka (banjo); Ashwin Batish (sitar); Christina Houghton (autoharp);Bobby Jennings, Caleb Alexander (tenor saxophone); Dominic Placco (trumpet); Drake Scott (cornetto); Sigmund Snopek III (trombone, piano, organ); Mike Kashou (conch); Tom Mandel (keyboards); Michael Beinhorn (organ).

Producers: Glenn Lorbiecki, Mark Van Hecke, Jerry Harrison, Warren Bruleigh, Michael Beinhorn.
Engineers include: The Violent Femmes, John Tanner, Victor De Lorenzo.
Includes liner notes by Elliott Murphy.
The perfect introduction to the world of the Violent Femmes, ADD IT UP is a collection of studio tracks, live versions, and assorted ephemera. It includes some of the band's classics--"Blister in the Sun," "Gone Daddy Gone," and "Jesus Walking on the Water"--as well as a sizable number of previously unreleased songs and demos. Among the latter are a studio version of a live favorite ("Waiting for the Bus"), the horn-section breakdown of "Dance, Motherf*cker, Dance," and "36-24-36," which features the (destined to be immortal) lyrics "36-24-36, I want lots of pretty chicks." "Kiss Off" and "Add It Up" also appear, both in typically charming, ramshackle live versions.
According to the band, ADD IT UP is meant to close the first chapter of the Violent Femmes' history. Considering the band's influence on American music, the record also serves to remind us that the whole generation of "geek-rockers" that follow in the Femmes' footsteps are doing just that: following where their elders have already been.