photo by Ted Schlaebitz
[Editor's note: This Music Exam column previews The Millions' reunion show at The Bourbon Theatre on Saturday night. Doors are at 8 p.m. for all ages. Tickets are $10 advance, and $12 day of show.]
After I press the button to stop recording our interview, Lori Allison considers the possibility: Could she be a witch?
Another one of her forte, singers-only laughs punctuates this self-examination, and my mental notes strike a fifth tally through her first four mentions of secret messages to herself. The evidence of potential supernatural powers, Allison says, lies in the lyrics she wrote for The Millions' early work in 1989. Now as her band's previously unearthed debut album, Poison Fish, celebrates its above-ground release Saturday evening at The Bourbon Theatre, she's beginning to believe a bit in the magic of her musical youth.
"We have always said we never want to do a reunion show," she says while sipping on hot chocolate at Lincoln's Meadowlark cafe. "I consider this more like a chance for these songs to be secret messages from the past."
Allison then settles on a word to describe the past few months: synchronicity. Everything seems to have come together. In the early 2000s, amateur archivist Malcom Miles pieced together as many Millions songs as he could, and Randy LeMasters took over the reins that eventually led to this first volume of songs. Read through the extensive Q&A to learn more about the history of this important Nebraska band, hear Miles' take on the song "In Generations," and learn the chord structure, albeit simplified, further below:
Q&A
Hear Nebraska: Is there a reason why you chose to cover "In Generations" over the others?
Lori Allison: I think it's a good representation of all of the songs that kind of go towards ecological concerns. I mean, I was young, right. Maybe 23 or something like that. So of course there's the love song type item also involved in that. I especially write those anymore these days.
But a lot of them have to do with thoughtfulness toward your fellow and toward your planet. I guess I really like that one a lot. I think it's powerful and I like it.
HN: A song like this and others about ecological concerns are looking forward into the future a little bit.
LA: I feel like they're messages. I mean, obviously when I was in high school, everyone was scared about nuclear war. We're crying to pay attention. They used to say, "Give a hoot, don't pollute." They used to say, "Conserve, drive 55." They don't say that now.
It was the atmosphere I think I grew up in combined with what was going on and being young in that time. I've always thought it was important, I suppose, and that more people should pay attention. And I was a little more sassy and crying about it then than I am now. I try not to be not as judgmental.
But I think they are like messages from then. I just talked to Randy LeMasters who's the guy putting this out. I sent him some weird little YouTube about windows. He's like, "You know what, thank you for sending that." It's been a long time coming, if you read those liner notes. Long time coming. And it's like he's saying it wouldn't have been right two years ago or three years ago. Maybe the reunion wouldn't have happened.
I think now is the time for these. And that's why I want to do it. We have always said we never want to do a reunion show. I consider this more like a chance for these songs to be secret messages from the past. It's weird, and I like it.
HN: It is interesting to look back to those years and see if anything has changed from what you wanted things to change to.
LA: People still didn't listen. It's worse. Granted, there's more openness in some directions. But I think people just take a lot more for granted in a way. I don't know, it's a neat time to be alive. I think I have a good span, and I enjoy my time, all the things I've got to see, and what's going on now. It's very exciting.
HN: Sure. Do you work next door then?
LA: Yeah, I'm a manager at Open Harvest.
HN: OK, makes sense. Are there any particular lines of lyrics in the song you want to tear apart?
LA: I think that little bridge, "In some places, it's so hard to breathe." That's a pretty powerful point in the song, I think. Back then I was thinking more along the lines of my 23-old self, about pollution and things like that.
And now when I consider it, I consider it vague enough to be specific to many more people. It can be about oppression, it can be about pollution, it can be about individuals, communities or countries. That's what I like about the whole thing. It can mean a lot of different things in the climate in which everyone is living.
HN: For sure. You said this song is about 23 years old?
I think was was 1989 or '90 when this song was penned. We started in the spring of '89 with just me, the bass player and the guitar player. Well, Marty (Amsler) and Harry (Dingman), the other two original members that are doing this show, started first and then invited me in the band.
And I feel like it was a neat thing to explore. We were just exploring each other's musical… well, just it was free. There were no designs. There were no plans. Then you get going and things go good and you start making all these plans and all these rules and all these goals. Anyway, this is about the early Millions, this whole thing. All these songs are from around this time.
HN: Is that the time you like looking back to when it comes to the band's entire career?
LA: I like looking back on the whole thing. I can't say it wasn't a really great trip. It was a six-year deal, and we made a record, got to go to Chicago and Canada to record it and tour around. We just had a super great time.
Youth is wasted on the young (laughs). I worried a lot then. I worried why do I get to do this, something that's fun and creative while my mom's home being a waitress. I didn't feel worthy. But I had a lot of energy, and I am glad to have had the outlet. It was a good thing to just power it out and have that abandon.
I still want to do the same thing. I want people to know they can do what they want. You at least gotta consider stuff and don't think you can't do what you want, even though there I was feeling unworthy. But I also knew that I did stuff that made people feel good and consider things and think about things and move them.
I don't think it's a generation gap. I just don't know what people are moved by now. I think people are so overwhelmed and bombarded with so many things and worries and gadgets. If I ask you, "What do you want?" what would you want? I don't want very much except to be true. And I thought I was doing that then, and I think I was for whoever I was then.
HN: For someone like me, who is 23 years old and is exploring these songs for the first time, what do you want someone like me to take from your music?
LA: Whatever you want. I feel like they have enough leeway. Obviously, they have a general direction of ecological concerns or paying attention.
I've thought a lot of things over the years, and I do a lot of things, but I have this idea called Earth Embassy. It's a hub, a place, a network, a thing that saves the planet by saving the human, making them utilize creative outlets. Do something with your hands, do something with your voice, do something creative. You don't have to be a master. If you just do it, it is good for a person.
There is no Earth Embassy. In my mind, there is. But the slogan is, "Truth in tone, intention and expression." So for example, jokes are not funny if they're detrimental in any way. And I'm not saying everything's happy, happy, just be happy. Gratitude is where it's at. Happy is important, but that doesn't mean ignoring responsibilities but rather the opposite.
So I want people to take from that, that it's important to be true to yourself, and that will help you, and that will help everyone. I've been learning a lot from gratitude and letting go of worry. And it's beautiful. It's taken me a long time, though, so you can be ahead of the game if you figure it out now.
HN: All right (laughs). Now, tell me about the reunion, when it came together and what practices have been like.
LA: I love seeing Marty again. We made a second record, and Marty was part of that, and then we opened for Sheryl Crow for two and a half weeks in Europe for some reason. I don't know how that happened, but it was before her Leaving Las Vegas record was big, so they'd check it out over there first then come back here.
After that, though, Marty kind of had to go into real life with his wife, and he's an executive at Bailey Lauerman. So he gets to do creative things in a different way. And we kept going after that with Mike Keeling from Ideal Cleaners, and we added a second guitar player later, Benji Kushner, for the second album. So Mike was part of the tours for that album, Raquel.
Reconnecting with Marty, we started practicing probably in the beginning of September. At the end of August was when it all came up. Randy's like, "OK, people. I know this is a long time coming, but it's coming out. Would you consider reuniting to promote it?" And we're all like, "Hmm."
I felt so excited. I had already been thinking that these were secret messages from the past that I'd made for myself as a young person for now. And then this happened. It was really a neat opportunity and a chance to give people an opportunity to be someone else, including myself.
I don't know if you have seen yourself reacting to different situations where you're like, "Wow, I might have reacted differently even last year or something." I've noticed that in myself, in my friends. (Quickly changing subjects to the musician playing open mic.) Oh, I just don't know if I can take this. Do you want to go somewhere else?
HN: We could. Is there somewhere close we could go? I would guess he plays just one or two more songs.
LA: Oh really? Have you been before when he's doing this?
HN: Yeah, he plays open mics regularly. I think here 15 minutes is the recommended time on stage. No one is lined up to play, though, it looks like.
LA: I would if I had a guitar (laughs). I guess my dad liked this song. This is the fourth anniversary of his passing. OK, my pops liked this tune.
HN: What song is it?
LA: "All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth" (laughs).
HN: Ah, I wasn't actively listening.
LA: I can't help it (laughs). Also, he really liked "Grandma Got Ran Over By a Reindeer."
HN: Is it too early for Christmas songs?
LA: I'm such a non-consumer anymore, and I feel so on the fringe of society that I just try to be gentle. But I like '40s stuff. I'll take some Elvis or some cool tunes of Christmas. There's some beautiful songs. But I skipped out last year, I think I'll skip out again. It was great. I loved it.
But what was that question you asked earlier? It was a good question.
HN: I asked what you would want a 23-year-old now to take from the songs you wrote as a 23-year-old. Is that the one you're thinking of?
LA: Yeah, the "Truth in tone, intention and expression." That's what I wanted for young women or young men. Don't think you have to do something because that's what you're supposed to do next. Don't believe that. It's true, there's a little more angst when you're 23 than when you're 46. (Slight pause.) Oh my gosh, it's twice away (her age). I didn't realize that.
Are these words in another language? (The musician was playing "Silent Night" in various languages including Klingon.)
HN: I think so (laughs). (Turning to the handwritten lyrics Allison brought.) Are these your original lyrics from 1989?
LA: When we decided to do this, we weren't sure all of the ones we'd do. So I sat down, I listened to them all, and I wrote out all of the stuff for all of them. It didn't take long. At first, it was like being a cover band, but I'm like, "Wait, that was our stuff."
photo by Ted Schlaebitz
So I didn't really need to work very long on remembering the words. They were somehow buried in there. We were such a hard-working group, practicing multiple times a week and touring regionally tons and tons. Marty was just talking the other day, and he said, "When people talk about remembering music it's like athletes, but it's tiny muscles instead of big muscles. It's muscle memory."
But I learned in madrigal singers in high school, when we had to learn 19 songs without looking for our madrigal feast, I'm like, "Crap, how am I going to do this?" Then it's like, "Oh my God, my brain expands." You can remember so much stuff, and it can be activated. So this is just from me writing them out in September, listening and writing it down.
But yeah, you know Alex (Houchin) of Black Cohosh, I think of her with this verse, "The things we know now will be lost / It's always been this way / But we're leaving less and less." Because of her work that she does with herbs and remembering the wise ones who did this and knew this and had a whole different way of living.
People need to know that. Things can be so simple and beautiful, and people are caught up in convenience and just so many things that make you lose sight. But then I'm like, "Gosh darn it, people, would you please pay attention?" So I really yell it out.
That's the other thing. From then till now, I sang like that (yelling it out). I don't like that show American Idol. I don't like how they're just yelling. Then when I listen to me, I'm like, "Whoa." I think, "I've been singing all along, I can do this reunion, I can do these songs." Then when we're singing them, I realize this is so physical. I'm going to have to take some walks or something.
But I've been focusing on tone and different things in my life. We've tuned everything down. I sing a lot lower now. Not a lot, but a little bit matters. When you're young, you think you have to do the next thing you're supposed to do. Maybe when you're older, you're like, "OK, I guess I'm not supposed to do that kind of stuff anymore." Not so much like that, but combining how I sang then with how I sing now, at first I was like, "Wow, I don't know." Then I'm like, "Oh, it's just energy."
I'm really interested in energies and the way you can guide your intention. So I'm like, "OK, I can still do that." I can still belt those things out, but I can add tone. I can add a depth that I didn't have then because you're raw and you're wild when you're 23. You're just like, "Blagh!" Now I feel like I want to do that, but I want to wrap people up in the powerful energy and give something.
I like that I can still sing like that, but it's not distasteful to me in the way that a lot of people are pushy singers. I don't care for that. I've always liked singers with tone: Bowie and Crosby and The Carpenters. Music means something without even having words. Tone and sound, it can do things, probably in your molecular structure (laughs).
HN: Probably (laughs). Since we promote Nebraska music, for you and the rest of the band, it seems, you've stuck around Lincoln. Is there a reason for that?
LA: There wasn't a reason to leave. We went all kinds of places, but wherever you are is where you are. You're not going to run away and find something better. Maybe you need to explore, but I never thought, "I gotta get outta here." It never was a concern of mine ever.
But you can travel and go places. We were mostly regionally midwestern. A little east sometimes, a little south sometimes. And that was fine. I had family here at the time. There's still family here, but I guess I was closer to some people that aren't here anymore. But I never had the bug.
HN: For the rest of the band, what was their experience remembering the songs you're playing? Do you think it's easier to remember lyrics or music?
LA: I find the lyrics and the melodies to be a map, but of course I do: I'm a singer. Harry's a guitar teacher, and he has a lot of time to go over stuff. With some of the solos, I think he had to go, "What? How did I do that?" He's got so much more in his bag of tricks now that maybe he wouldn't have done it that way.
But we've worked it out. I don't think it's been too much trouble. Marty at first thought, "Well, I think I could do about five songs." But look, he's gotten it all under his belt, and he's kicking ass. I love hanging out with Marty again. He's a really nice guy. No matter what he says, he's a great bass player (laughs). And I'm glad that he's doing this again because you connect with a part of yourself.
I feel blessed that I'm a musician and that I can pick up a guitar and that I can enjoy myself and use that as an outlet. I have many hobbies considered creative that I like, and I wish that for everyone like I was saying.
Marty thought it was going to be a lot harder. So Harry with his little tricks, he's like here's the basic setup of the song, and Marty is really diligent. He was a UNL swimmer, and I love his no-nonsense approach, how he gets it under his belt.
Brandon McKenzie is doing great filling in for our drummer. Him and Marty have really locked it down. It's neat to see that, too, and everybody is having a blast. It's fascinating and wonderful. I'm enjoying every note. It's easy, it's not an effort. It's an effort to remember and combine the different ways of me singing.
But I'm glad. How did I get so timid? Just because I'm half as older again. I still have the gifts or whatever. You naturally modify, I suppose, but that's an important part I forgot. It's an interesting psychological and emotional trip. I don't think we realized the things it would unlock. Right when everything's going to change, right?
I'm glad that you will get to be a part of this. I think it's important in many ways, I don't know.
HN: For a final question, where do you see this going? Will there be more after Saturday's show?
LA: I think all of us have considered it. We'll have friends coming from faraway places because we did it a lot. We have people that remember us in a lot of different places. So I don't think any of us are opposed if it would work out to do something somewhere else.
But I'm excited to return to my own musical group and continue with that with my newfound untimidness. I don't want to play guitar in it. I want my former bass player to become my guitar player, and my keyboard player to be the bass player. I just want to sing and see what happens.
But I'll do whatever wherever it goes because it is my pleasure completely. I'm glad that people are taking an interest. I hope they get out of it what we're putting into it because it's joy.
MALCOM MILES' TAKE
"In Generations" is a straight-forward but powerful appeal to environmental awareness. I was always drawn in by the line "we're leaving less and less," which is eventually followed by Lori's singing a mournful "ah ah" and then the punch-to-the-gut fact, "In some places it's so hard to breathe."
All this supported by the music: Harry Dingman's soaring guitar, Marty Amsler's smart bass playing and especially Greg Hill's drumming. He starts the song with an asymmetrical beat and alternates that with a straight, solid beat throughout the song, keeping you off-kilter and unsure, just like the future of the earth. Unfortunately, we are in a more dire situation than we were 20-plus years ago.
The Poison Fish CD release is long overdue. I have always thought that The Millions' earlier, darker sounding recordings needed to be heard, and I'm thrilled to see them come to light. These are the songs I heard at the early shows, the songs that made me love this band so much.
CHORDS
Note: Chords are simplified.
Am – C – Am – C
Am – C – Am – C
Am C Am C
Watch out what you do to this world
Am C Am C
Watch out what you bring to this world
Em D Em
In generations soon to come
D Em
The stars will be dimmer
D Em D
In generations soon to come
Am – C – Am – C
Am – C – Am – C
Am C Am C
Watch out what you bring to this world
Am C Am C
Watch out what you do to this world
Em D Em
In generations soon to come
D Em
The things we know now will be lost
D Em
It’s always been this way
D Em
But now we’re leaving less and less
Bm – G
A Em
We’re leaving less and less
Bm – G – A
Em – Bm – G – A
Em – Bm – G – A
Em Bm G
In generations soon to come
A Em
The stars will be dimmer
Bm G
In generations soon to come
A Em
The things we know now will be lost
Bm G
It’s always been this way but now
A Am
We're leaving less and less
G – D/F# – G
Am – G – D/F# – G
Am – G – D/F# – G
Am G D/F# G Em
In some places, it’s so hard to breathe
D Em
In generations soon to come
D Em
The things we know now will be lost
D Em
It’s always been this way
D Em
But now we’re leaving less and less
Bm – G
A Em
We’re leaving less and less
Bm – G – A
Em Bm G
In generations soon to come
A Em
The stars will be dimmer
Bm – G
A Em
The stars will be dimmer
Bm – G
A Em
The stars will be dimmer
Bm – G – Em
Michael Todd is Hear Nebraska's managing editor. These taglines are messages he writes mostly to himself. Reach him at michaeltodd@hearnebraska.org.