He is. If you have the chance to meet him after a show, do so. I had that opportunity and he's exactly as he seems here. It was during the Family Album tour.
I liked the song when it came out. It was a huge hit in the 90's partially because it had abortion and suicide in it, which were huge topics in the 90s. I actually appreciate the song more today because of the line "For the life of me, I can not remember, what made us think we were wise and we'd never compromise." That line totally reminds me of myself when I was younger, and for me, that is really what the song is about. It is about the naivette of youth. How when you are young you think you know everything, and then when you are older you just look back and cringe.
I honestly think Villians is one of the best albums of the 90s. This is a great song and it takes you on an emotional journey, but the entire album was just a great piece of art and lyrically full of some great ideas and concepts. I feel like people sleep on how good this entire album is.
@@Strangehistoryhomeschoolis this artist gay. Because on the video of the song, he looks like thar guy from the band The Calling, with the song Adrian, which should be a closet queen anthem. Love this song forever. But didnt like the interview. 😢
@@heyjarrod Adam is indeed a master interviewer, and his encyclopedic knowledge of, and love for the genre is always a joy. He and Rick Beato are my favorite YT music related channels.
What a fantastic breakdown on an iconic song of the 90s, this was one the best interviews in my opinion. The depth of his remembrance of how it all came together, blown away by this one!
Brian is one of the nicest, most down-to-earth musicians/songwriters I’ve encountered - and he’s the lead singer making it even more impressive. Such a great interview. Thanks, Adam.
I love that he says 'once someone hears this song, it's no longer "my song" it's "their song" - So Powerful! And, true! This song still moves me today as much as it did when I first heard it. It speaks volumes about things that everyone can relate to - that moment in your life when you knew you kinda f'ed up but you just gotta keep moving forward. Keep pushing on. Great video & interview!
I love how, to me, he isn't explaining the song rather just talking about it with a friend. So matter of fact and coming from his heart. Sharing the feelings not just the meaning. I feel like I was with him as he wrote it and felt his feelings.
Wow, that was an incredible episode - 40 minutes! One of the most powerful and memorable songs of my youth, great to hear the backstory on it. As for other songs, how about Lightning Crashes by Live? That was a song that was massive on radio right through the 90s...
What a standup guy, Brian is. Saw him at a backyard concert once and I'll never forget it. He did Freshmen and a more soul/grunge take on The Boxer and it was incredible- everyone at the party just stopped what they were doing and listened. It was an honor to meet him in person.
BVA is such a great dude. Super nice, very kind. I've been lucky enough to see him a few times for his "Lawn Chairs & Living Rooms" shows. First time I met him, he was hanging out after his performance, just chatting, signing autographs, etc...and I mentioned that I was bummed that he didn't perform "Photograph" in his show - and he immediately went and grabbed his guitar and played it right there in the living room.
I grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Verve Pipe have been massive in G.R. for nearly 30 years. The version of "The Freshman" recorded before Villains was played regularly on local radio station WGRD. Villains was released almost a good year before the rest of the country discovered "The Freshman". I have vivid memories being 16, going to free concerts in downtown Grand Rapids in the Summer of 1996, during events like the Celebration on the Grand (a former annual festival celebrating the close of summer around this time of year) at the Gerald R. Ford Museum, and seeing The Verve Pipe play with Sponge. The Verve Pipe championed Michigan music big time in the 90's, and played often with Mustard Plug, Papa Vegas (who Brian discovered), and many other local and mid 90's up and coming alternative bands (like Our Lady Peace). Every teenager in Grand Rapids had that album. We took great pride when The Verve Pipe became big for that period of time. I've seen The Verve Pipe live at least 10 times. I think they still play a Christmas show every year. Grand Rapids is a very, very conservative place, among the most conservative in the country. There's a church for every 22 residents. Most of the schools are faith based. The largest company, Amway, is faith based. You were an outsider if you listened to alternative music. I didn't know anybody who listened to Depeche Mode growing up. Abortion is a very big deal there. And it's a big small town, if that makes sense. So, albums like this, from a town like mine, was a breath of fresh air. Grand Rapids is underrated for musical talent. Many great musicians were born there, or have lived there for a time. Anthony Kiedis, Maynard James Keenan, Al Green, the DeBarge family, and Del Shannon, among others. But for a time, no one there was bigger than The Verve Pipe. They're still beloved in G.R. Favorite songs on Villains: "Ominous Man", "Villains" (it still pumps me up to this day), "Veneer", "Photograph", and "Reverend Girl". It's a very good album front to back. There's so much more than the big #1 hit. I truly enjoyed this interview with the hometown legend. Thank you so much, Professor! Cheers!
Wow!!! I haven't thought about WGRD and the summer celebrations in years. Nice to hear from someone else from GR. I remember seeing these guys so many times at Club Soda in Kalamazoo. I sure miss those days. I remember my brother knew Brian from going to school with him in Middleville.
@@gonzo1724 I haven't thought about Club Soda in years! That's a cool memory. I did not know/forgotten that Brian went to TK! That's cool. I went to school in Caledonia. Those were the days, for sure! Cheers.
Man, what a bunch of memories you bring up. I played in a few bands from GR…Jawbone, The Chronicles and The Tower Blocks, played Club Soda and Rick’s every month. Some of the best memories of my youth. I got to hang out with all the Verve Pipe guys quite often, and they were just building and building their fan base month over month. Still one of the best bands for 3 and 4 part vocal harmonies I have ever seen live. Brian and I painted houses for a summer to make an extra buck when money was tight. He is a genuinely great dude and an epic song writer.
I remember buying this album and thinking The Freshman wasn't the same Freshman that was on the radio. I then went and bought the single. This song made you feel as if he was talking about your life of someone close to you. The Freshman defined 1997 radio for me. This was sort of the end of 90's alternative radio. Everything that followed the next few years were bad boy band songs. Brian is a great guy. So humble and gracious. The Freshman will live on for another 25 years and beyond. Thanks for another great video my friend. I always look forward to my off day so I can play catch up with The Professor of Rock.
I'm glad I found this video. Brian Vander Ark is one of my all time favorite song writers and The Verve Pipe one of my favorite bands of the 90's and really any decade. This was a fantastic interview. He's right, he does have better songs and probably a whole bunch. That says a lot, because The Freshman is an exceptionally good song. One thing I love about his songwriting is the way he phrases things. His solo work is excellent too, so no one should ignore all those solo albums. I got to meet him and the band after a show at a small theater where they have a bar and a lot of bands come out after a show for a drink to mingle with the fans. He's one of the nicest rock stars you could meet.
I was just tuning 18!!! I remember it in every restaurant playing every store at the mall! It was hit.! It had that haunting mysterious effects on the soul.! Sadness.! Many feeling but all downing.! It feels good to visit this side I just can’t stay to long because I’ll sink in to deep
Still love this song and this band. And massive crush in Brian then...and he has just continued to age like fine wine. Handsome, talented, intelligent. I really need to go back and dig through their catalog and re-discover other songs that I forgot I loved
Man, I've been watching your vids for years now, and I've gotta say, this one is one of the best ones yet! Great song, great description of what it takes to produce a song, great story of how the title came to be, great description of how the song belongs to the writer until someone else hears it, then it becomes THEIR song, great story of working with Puig, I never knew there were 2 published versions, etc. I mean you've talked to some of the most iconic musicians of all time and you've talked to some "one hit wonders" and they are all interesting and enjoyable in their own way, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Nice job, guys!
This song always felt very much like "Brick" by Ben Folds Five to me. I always got the abortion message and even the suicide of the girl but I never put together that there were two friends who hooked up with the same girl. I heard it in my mind as there being two separate girls and two friends having the same experience. So, I was somewhat close to the real meaning lol. 🤷🏽♀️ Great interview, Professor. I love getting the true message from the artists. 👍🏽
Brick’s abortion vibe kicked me in the gut. Anybody that went thru anything close to that instantly resonated with that song. I’m an super shallow person so for anything to resonate with me is stunning. i like this guys attitude. between that and his exceptional older hair i think i am gonna check out this band. i love how he referred to a line “aw. that’s a throw away line..” i’m still captivated how he has more older yet debonair, exceptional hair now.
I was in New Orleans in musicians village at a friend's house. He walked outside with his guitar and started playing the song in the middle of the busy street. Before the first verse finished there were probably 60-80 people in the street singing every word of that song. It was the most beautiful moment. I couldn't stop crying how beautiful it was that that song and a guy with a guitar brought so many people together in the most perfect moment.
The 90’s kinda tried to pulled me in different directions musically but the one thing that kept me grounded was really good songwriting. Great melody, lyrics, structure, and soul (to name a few) tend to transcend genre and this song is a great example. I remember hearing it for the 1st time and immediately wanting to learn the lyrics so I could sing along. So very few songs do that to me anymore. Thanks for this one Prof!
That's why I love and appreciate this channel ...not only do we get behind the scenes meanings on great music and I absolutely loved this song back in the day but had no idea who sang it. Thanks Prof....the best ❣️
I first heard “The Freshman” live in 1991-92. I was attending College in Grand Rapids MI and The Verve Pipe played a lot of local shows. My buddies and I probably saw them a half dozen times in a couple year span. We were so into them. They used to play this small bar/club called The Intersection. We’d get there a couple of hours before show time and start drinking. Before the end of the show, we’d end up jumping on stage and dancing. They were cool about it too. So many great memories of those shows when I was young and crazy. They were a ton of fun live. I have their first CD “I’ve suffered a head injury” from 1992. It contains the original (and I think better) version of “The freshman.”
I was at track practice, and a girl named Morgan, who was a year older than me, was talking to me about music, because she knew I loved it. And she asked if I’d heard it. She was teasing me because at the time, I was a freshman in high school. After practice we found my friend Sean, because he always had the newest stuff musically. So, we all sat in his convertible, and listened to it together. I could take you to the exact parking stall we were in, 24 years later.
Mr. Vander Ark's comments about being the song owner yet relinquishing ownership upon delivery.... goddamn I needed to hear that. What a kind and beautiful mindset.
I cant guve any higher praise to both the interviewer AND interviewee than to say: after listening to this interview, i want to go see them live. I bought that album for that song back in college. I love it still. This interview puts that song , for me, in a whole new light. Thank you both for the time and thought that went into the video.
In the soundtrack of my life this would land in my high school life of 1997. I love the Title " The Freshman" because you swap out whatever grade you're in. My interpretation was always as a break up song. Sometimes your the dumped or the dumper. At this point in highschool I broke up with a girl that basically had our future set and when I broke up with her I felt bad but she just wasn't the one. So for the song you can swap out Freshman for what ever grade your in. So I said " we were only juniors" Great song, 90s rule! Thank you Professor.
Amazing job of breaking down this 90s classic. I had no idea it involved two guys and one girl. I always thought it was just a young couple grappling with a tough decision. Btw, nice timing PoR. with this new law in Texas -- no matter where people come down on the law itself. I will now listen to this song with a whole new insight. I used play this song in the background as I played video games with my young sons. Now, I see they both still have this song on various playlists so I know it means something to them. great job, PoR! Thank you so much for making these great videos. I always feel better after watching and I come away with a fresh perspective, even on a 20+ year old song!
I was 26 when this came out. I even saw you guys in Atlanta with Collective Soul and it was amazing. What resonated with me was that 10 years earlier, my girlfriend got pregnant and we were set to go for it. She ended up miscarrying, which broke us both. When I heard the song for the first time, that's what I remembered. So, I was kinda right. Now, at 52, it means all kinds of things. That's the beauty of music. We come back to these things so many years later and they get more and more amazing. Regardless of the "creative license", I'm sure this song has helped millions of folks get through some shit. This will be one of the modern classics.
Love this song! It came out at a time in the '90s when story songs were making a comeback, like "The Way" by Fastball, "Push" and "3AM" by Matchbox 20 (before it became Twenty), and "Semi-Charmed Life" and "Jumper" by Third Eye Blind.
I was actually a freshman in high school when the song was released. It defined that year for me. Such a well written song with so much emotion. Brian's voice is what made that song what it is.
Love this!!! My boyfriend at the time introduced me to this band at a new years eve concert...we were at the front, will NEVER forget it!!! One of my favorite concerts i have ever been to!!! Detroit was so fun at that time. And i will always be grateful for my old boyfriend introducing them to me. Absolutely fantastic interview. Thank you, prof!!! Villians is one of my favorite albums of the 90s. Epic!!!❤
Wow, just wow!!! Great interview & review of the song! I was mid 20's, just meeting my now husband when this came out, we were still stuck in the 80's with our fave bands & I heard this, haunting but refreshing song. It made me stop & listen to music of the day not just of the past. I think more because like many, I was trying to figure out what it meant. Very thought provoking!!! Thank you Adam, PoR, for bringing us all these interviews & a way to look back & get a history lesson of our past! ❤️
Came a little late to this video. I was a freshman at Michigan State University when this was playing on the radio in 1994, so this song will always stay with me. Of course it was the original version that I had grown to love. Glad I got to see The Verve Pipe live and sing the words to The Freshmen along with them (from the crowd of course). Glad I had a fake I.D., because I especially remember watching them at Rick's in East Lansing and literally bumped into Brian, realizing that he was like a foot taller than me. I wish I remember what I said to him, probably "ope" or "excuse me, sorry." I also saw them play either at the Small Planet or in the street near there. Great interview. I really enjoyed it!
OMG, Prof!! The Verve Pipe was a fantastic band, and the Villians album was awesome. The title track remains one of my faves, and we used to cover it in my band years ago. I always dug the drama of performing it. Thanks for this, I was always intrigued by the melancholy lyric.
He’s from my town of Grand Rapids, Michigan! The Verve Pipe are well known around here. The Villians album was big my senior year in high school. Had the chance to hang with Brian about 10 years ago when he played an acoustic set at a friend’s house party. Nice guy. Very tall too. He’s like 6’6”. I look like a little kid in a photo I got with him.
This song was HUGE on local Michigan Stations at the time. I remember it being in HEAVY ROTATION on Q106FM specifically. Still an all time rocker of a song.
What a great interview, I've always admired his writing... Bullies on Vacation was another great lyrical journey that took awhile to get your head around what was happening. But for me personally and I'll say this first... Villians is a great album. Wore it out. But Pop Smear was a masterpiece. That is an utterly brilliant album from start to finish. Its an all time top ten for me. And we always covered the real version of The Freshman, the 1st one! Ha.
Loved this song back in the 90s and was so easy to sing too. That's what I remember most about it is singing to it at my steering wheel with friends as we drive along. Was probably one of the easiest songs to harmonize and carry a melody with friends
I interpreted the song the same way you did, and had similar questions about the lyrics “she was touching her face” …. What a great interview and man I really love this format getting the artist’s direct meaning behind the song and the lyrics. Keep up the great work Professor!
Never delved into The Verve Pipe other than listening to a few of their songs. Brian is incredible articulate and interesting to listen to. He does a fantastic job of explaining his creative process!
This song hit when I was about 16 or 17 and I'll never forget how it just kinda slapped me upside the head. I was very much a metal head at the time and something inside me just snapped when I first heard this. It's still one of my favorites to this day.
Great interview! It was sometime in 1993. I lived about 30 minutes from Lansing Michigan. I remember being in an instrument store on the south side of Lansing after work, Ib worked in the area at the time. I was perusing guitars and amps, basically alone in the store. Next thing I know this guy with a long goatee came in, bought some drum sticks and visited with the employees for a bit. They were giving him all the attention like he's some celebrity. He leaves and I asked one of the people in the store who that was. "That's Donny Brown the drummer for The Verve Pipe. They're a band from East Lansing, they'll be big!" I kind of shrugged, thought cool and left. Fast forward to The Freshman and I see Donny in the video and I'm like good lord I was within inches of this guy. 😂
As a teenager coming out of the early 90s and being completely wrapped up in the early grunge scene, I never really could get into this song. Back in 97 I viewed it as one of the signs that grunge was fizzling out. Even years later I just couldn't get into it. I absolutely love the interviews and hearing the story behind the music, however. It can completely change my perception towards it and I always walk away with a better appreciation for the song. That is a wonderful thing.
I have a multitude of fond memories of listening to this particular song/album. I was able to see them live and they closed out the show playing this crazy version of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. This video was great and loved it.
I was in middle school when this song came out and I do not remember. I'm playing it now as I watch your video, Adam. Thank you for putting me on to it. Take care, brother!
I had forgotten about this great song. I remember hearing it enough that I had started to sing along with it. I had also figured out the meaning to after a few listens. Thank Professor!
I was reminded of The Verve and then made my way to The Verve Pipe and Freshman and thought dang this is a song we need to get Professor of Rock to cover and then bang! Here I am. Glad to have found this and great job as always.
This really is just one of those songs that is so relatable that it goes straight to the heart. I was only 12 when it came out and I surely didn't get all of the references, but some of the lines were pretty obvious. The most prominent lines are "for the life of me, I cannot remember what made us think that we were wise and we'd never compromise". So even at that age I knew it was about being young and having that realization that you don't know as much as you think you do and the problems that come with being naive and careless. I have far more appreciation for it as the years have gone by. Awesome of Brian to give us some more insight, here.
For some of us, ESL nations in far away continents, it was the Melody alone... It sounded very remorseful and yet comforting. No one even cared to know what it meant. Base on this interview though, you can assume the artist is so gay and for 19 minutes of the interview it was a cringe festival. I ❤ this song so much. But if I listen to this interview for another 30 seconds, id lose all respect i have for this song. So i dont get to know what this song is about. But it is probably the story of a gay dude who fell in love with a straight and he wish the girlfriend would die.
The song came out at a time when me and my friend had dated the same girl. She didn't get pregnant but it really came between us and ruined out friendship. We were doing drugs and fooled around with being in a band. I thought I would live forever when I was young and these bad choices would have no consequences. I also entered into rehab in 1997 and had time to reflect. I loved the song because it hit so close to home and I could relate to it. The Villians album turned out to be one of my favorites. I still listen to Verve Pipe to this day. I shared The Freshmen video with my mom and she loved it. She is now 72.
got my license in 99. this song is the most memorable from my times driving that little mitsubishi truck around that summer. before I even had internet at home.
Great interview. Saw this song being played live in the early 90s in GR when I was in college. Always catch shows when they play in the Detroit area. Incredible band and BVA is as good as it gets with song writing and vocals.
@professor of rock , after listening to/watching this interview, I went back, for another reason all together & looked at a ticket stub for a concert I attended in '95. & I actually saw *Verve Pipe* at that concert, *PLANET FEST* . Which had *Duran Duran* as the headliner. Also, *The Ramones* *Bush* *Letters to Cleo* And *No Use For a Name* . Now I don't remember the last band so I'll have to go & listen to some of the songs from *¡Leche con Carne!* & See what they were about.
Wow that was awesome! That interview is the reason why music has been such a huge part of my life. My favorite part of music is the story and hearing him go into detail about a song that was a part of my early/mid 20’s and having friends with these problems was a good listen, and he seems like a cool dude on top of that. Very nice, keep up the good work!
As an author of 5 books, I have to say his description of writing is right on. We are surrounded by writing material, but we just have to pay attention to what is happening around us.
The music and lyrics create such an emotional vibe that really sucks you in. It causes you reflect on your own past deeds and consider the consequences. Such a powerful song.
Never would have discovered "Jellyfish" (being a big Sloan fan) if it hadn't been for this interview. Thank you Brain Vander Ark and Professor of Rock!
It's weird hearing now how the song came out in 1997. I had always associated the song with my high school years, but I was already in college by 1997. Fascinating interview.
This is awesome to hear from Brian. I am live in Michigan in the area that The Verve Pipe is from. They were a huge local band in my area. I was kinda young when they were popular to appreciate them then.
This song came out towards the end of my freshman year of high school so it got played to death at partys that summer for me. That CD is still collecting dust on my shelf.
I was in my mid thirties when I heard it in Trinidad. Loved it then still love it now. I pulled out my guitar just this week and decided I wanted to learn to play along to it. The guitar accompaniment is pretty simple, catchy and interesting. Great song.
Just taking my lunch break and literally this is the last song on the station before I came back to check my phone.... The 90s girl in me is fangirl sqeeeeeeeing!
Poll: Favorite radio hit post Nirvana "Smells Like Teen Spirit"?
The first song that popped in my head is "One Headlight" by the Wallflowers.
“Interstate Love Song” by STP
Not the best metric, but "Unbreak My Heart" is, if not the best song, damn close.
“Smooth” Santana/Rob Thomas. (Runner-ups “Hold My Hand” Hootie&The Blowfish
“I’m The Only One” Melissa Etheridge)
AIC - No Excuses
Iconic 90s song. The artist seems like a genuinely good dude, very down to earth
He is. If you have the chance to meet him after a show, do so. I had that opportunity and he's exactly as he seems here. It was during the Family Album tour.
I liked the song when it came out. It was a huge hit in the 90's partially because it had abortion and suicide in it, which were huge topics in the 90s. I actually appreciate the song more today because of the line "For the life of me, I can not remember, what made us think we were wise and we'd never compromise." That line totally reminds me of myself when I was younger, and for me, that is really what the song is about. It is about the naivette of youth. How when you are young you think you know everything, and then when you are older you just look back and cringe.
I honestly think Villians is one of the best albums of the 90s. This is a great song and it takes you on an emotional journey, but the entire album was just a great piece of art and lyrically full of some great ideas and concepts. I feel like people sleep on how good this entire album is.
Precisely
@@daviidhopper7875Agreed!!!
Pretty sure those are still pretty big topics 🤣
@@Strangehistoryhomeschoolis this artist gay. Because on the video of the song, he looks like thar guy from the band The Calling, with the song Adrian, which should be a closet queen anthem. Love this song forever. But didnt like the interview. 😢
I love what he says about not being his song. Once someone else hears it, it becomes THEIR song!
That was my favorite part! Thanks for watching.
@@ProfessorofRock Yes, very thoughtful guy! Great interview Professor!!! 👍🏻
@@heyjarrod Adam is indeed a master interviewer, and his encyclopedic knowledge of, and love for the genre is always a joy. He and Rick Beato are my favorite YT music related channels.
YES!! That was the part I just quoted when I texted this video to my bff! ❤
“The death of the artist”…
This song is 1000% 90’s and it still gives me that beautiful, eerie vibe.
Same! Thanks for watching.
What a fantastic breakdown on an iconic song of the 90s, this was one the best interviews in my opinion. The depth of his remembrance of how it all came together, blown away by this one!
Very cool. Thanks for your support!
"We were merely freshman." That line says it all. And we all were, at one time, freshmen.
At that age, everyone is too damned stupid to realize that they aren't as smart as they think they are.
Yeppers
So glad I was able to help you get into contact with Brian. He truly is an awesome dude to talk to. Plus his music eve today is still awesome.
Brian is one of the nicest, most down-to-earth musicians/songwriters I’ve encountered - and he’s the lead singer making it even more impressive. Such a great interview. Thanks, Adam.
I love that he says 'once someone hears this song, it's no longer "my song" it's "their song" - So Powerful! And, true! This song still moves me today as much as it did when I first heard it. It speaks volumes about things that everyone can relate to - that moment in your life when you knew you kinda f'ed up but you just gotta keep moving forward. Keep pushing on. Great video & interview!
Artists have been saying that for years, just saying....
@@BB.halo_heir The chill ones have. I’ve never heard Morrissey say it , odd…
"Hero" is my favorite song of theirs. Still randomly gets stuck in my head to this day.
I love how, to me, he isn't explaining the song rather just talking about it with a friend. So matter of fact and coming from his heart. Sharing the feelings not just the meaning. I feel like I was with him as he wrote it and felt his feelings.
Wow, that was an incredible episode - 40 minutes! One of the most powerful and memorable songs of my youth, great to hear the backstory on it. As for other songs, how about Lightning Crashes by Live? That was a song that was massive on radio right through the 90s...
What a standup guy, Brian is. Saw him at a backyard concert once and I'll never forget it. He did Freshmen and a more soul/grunge take on The Boxer and it was incredible- everyone at the party just stopped what they were doing and listened. It was an honor to meet him in person.
BVA is such a great dude. Super nice, very kind. I've been lucky enough to see him a few times for his "Lawn Chairs & Living Rooms" shows. First time I met him, he was hanging out after his performance, just chatting, signing autographs, etc...and I mentioned that I was bummed that he didn't perform "Photograph" in his show - and he immediately went and grabbed his guitar and played it right there in the living room.
That is so very cool. Doesn't surprise me. He is a great dude.
Now that was just awesome of him if only more artist were like him
I grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Verve Pipe have been massive in G.R. for nearly 30 years. The version of "The Freshman" recorded before Villains was played regularly on local radio station WGRD. Villains was released almost a good year before the rest of the country discovered "The Freshman". I have vivid memories being 16, going to free concerts in downtown Grand Rapids in the Summer of 1996, during events like the Celebration on the Grand (a former annual festival celebrating the close of summer around this time of year) at the Gerald R. Ford Museum, and seeing The Verve Pipe play with Sponge. The Verve Pipe championed Michigan music big time in the 90's, and played often with Mustard Plug, Papa Vegas (who Brian discovered), and many other local and mid 90's up and coming alternative bands (like Our Lady Peace). Every teenager in Grand Rapids had that album. We took great pride when The Verve Pipe became big for that period of time. I've seen The Verve Pipe live at least 10 times. I think they still play a Christmas show every year.
Grand Rapids is a very, very conservative place, among the most conservative in the country. There's a church for every 22 residents. Most of the schools are faith based. The largest company, Amway, is faith based. You were an outsider if you listened to alternative music. I didn't know anybody who listened to Depeche Mode growing up. Abortion is a very big deal there. And it's a big small town, if that makes sense. So, albums like this, from a town like mine, was a breath of fresh air.
Grand Rapids is underrated for musical talent. Many great musicians were born there, or have lived there for a time. Anthony Kiedis, Maynard James Keenan, Al Green, the DeBarge family, and Del Shannon, among others. But for a time, no one there was bigger than The Verve Pipe. They're still beloved in G.R.
Favorite songs on Villains: "Ominous Man", "Villains" (it still pumps me up to this day), "Veneer", "Photograph", and "Reverend Girl". It's a very good album front to back. There's so much more than the big #1 hit.
I truly enjoyed this interview with the hometown legend. Thank you so much, Professor! Cheers!
Wow!!! I haven't thought about WGRD and the summer celebrations in years. Nice to hear from someone else from GR. I remember seeing these guys so many times at Club Soda in Kalamazoo. I sure miss those days. I remember my brother knew Brian from going to school with him in Middleville.
@@gonzo1724 I haven't thought about Club Soda in years! That's a cool memory. I did not know/forgotten that Brian went to TK! That's cool. I went to school in Caledonia.
Those were the days, for sure! Cheers.
@@gonzo1724 Brings back memories from when I was at Western
This explains why the song is so gay. It came from Madonnaland. It took more than 17 minutes, before he started talking about the song meant.
Man, what a bunch of memories you bring up. I played in a few bands from GR…Jawbone, The Chronicles and The Tower Blocks, played Club Soda and Rick’s every month. Some of the best memories of my youth. I got to hang out with all the Verve Pipe guys quite often, and they were just building and building their fan base month over month. Still one of the best bands for 3 and 4 part vocal harmonies I have ever seen live. Brian and I painted houses for a summer to make an extra buck when money was tight. He is a genuinely great dude and an epic song writer.
I remember buying this album and thinking The Freshman wasn't the same Freshman that was on the radio. I then went and bought the single. This song made you feel as if he was talking about your life of someone close to you. The Freshman defined 1997 radio for me. This was sort of the end of 90's alternative radio. Everything that followed the next few years were bad boy band songs. Brian is a great guy. So humble and gracious. The Freshman will live on for another 25 years and beyond. Thanks for another great video my friend. I always look forward to my off day so I can play catch up with The Professor of Rock.
Very cool! Thank you for watching.
I'm glad I found this video. Brian Vander Ark is one of my all time favorite song writers and The Verve Pipe one of my favorite bands of the 90's and really any decade. This was a fantastic interview. He's right, he does have better songs and probably a whole bunch. That says a lot, because The Freshman is an exceptionally good song. One thing I love about his songwriting is the way he phrases things. His solo work is excellent too, so no one should ignore all those solo albums. I got to meet him and the band after a show at a small theater where they have a bar and a lot of bands come out after a show for a drink to mingle with the fans. He's one of the nicest rock stars you could meet.
I was just tuning 18!!! I remember it in every restaurant playing every store at the mall! It was hit.! It had that haunting mysterious effects on the soul.! Sadness.! Many feeling but all downing.! It feels good to visit this side I just can’t stay to long because I’ll sink in to deep
Still love this song and this band. And massive crush in Brian then...and he has just continued to age like fine wine. Handsome, talented, intelligent. I really need to go back and dig through their catalog and re-discover other songs that I forgot I loved
I said the SAME THING!....in fact he might actually look better now.
Man, I've been watching your vids for years now, and I've gotta say, this one is one of the best ones yet! Great song, great description of what it takes to produce a song, great story of how the title came to be, great description of how the song belongs to the writer until someone else hears it, then it becomes THEIR song, great story of working with Puig, I never knew there were 2 published versions, etc. I mean you've talked to some of the most iconic musicians of all time and you've talked to some "one hit wonders" and they are all interesting and enjoyable in their own way, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Nice job, guys!
This song always felt very much like "Brick" by Ben Folds Five to me.
I always got the abortion message and even the suicide of the girl but I never put together that there were two friends who hooked up with the same girl. I heard it in my mind as there being two separate girls and two friends having the same experience. So, I was somewhat close to the real meaning lol. 🤷🏽♀️
Great interview, Professor. I love getting the true message from the artists. 👍🏽
Brick is one of my favorite Ben Folds Five songs. Amazing song and when you listen to the lyrics your'e like wow. lol
Brick’s abortion vibe kicked me in the gut. Anybody that went thru anything close to that instantly resonated with that song. I’m an super shallow person so for anything to resonate with me is stunning.
i like this guys attitude. between that and his exceptional older hair i think i am gonna check out this band.
i love how he referred to a line “aw. that’s a throw away line..”
i’m still captivated how he has more older yet debonair, exceptional hair now.
I had those 2 song in my playlist.. brick and this one.. i thought I was the only who had that feeling man
Yup "brick" and "if you could only see" reminds me of "the freshman "
Yay!! More 90s! Really enjoyed this one. Thanks!
I was in New Orleans in musicians village at a friend's house. He walked outside with his guitar and started playing the song in the middle of the busy street. Before the first verse finished there were probably 60-80 people in the street singing every word of that song. It was the most beautiful moment. I couldn't stop crying how beautiful it was that that song and a guy with a guitar brought so many people together in the most perfect moment.
Love this song, the melody and tone are perfect, his vocal is raw.
Lovely interview with Brian. Great tune well written and performed. Keep the Gold coming Professor
The 90’s kinda tried to pulled me in different directions musically but the one thing that kept me grounded was really good songwriting. Great melody, lyrics, structure, and soul (to name a few) tend to transcend genre and this song is a great example. I remember hearing it for the 1st time and immediately wanting to learn the lyrics so I could sing along. So very few songs do that to me anymore. Thanks for this one Prof!
Ditto.
That's why I love and appreciate this channel ...not only do we get behind the scenes meanings on great music and I absolutely loved this song back in the day but had no idea who sang it. Thanks Prof....the best ❣️
I first heard “The Freshman” live in 1991-92. I was attending College in Grand Rapids MI and The Verve Pipe played a lot of local shows. My buddies and I probably saw them a half dozen times in a couple year span. We were so into them. They used to play this small bar/club called The Intersection. We’d get there a couple of hours before show time and start drinking. Before the end of the show, we’d end up jumping on stage and dancing. They were cool about it too. So many great memories of those shows when I was young and crazy. They were a ton of fun live. I have their first CD “I’ve suffered a head injury” from 1992. It contains the original (and I think better) version of “The freshman.”
I love "the freshman"! Great song. I had no idea what it was actually about, but I loved it.
I was at track practice, and a girl named Morgan, who was a year older than me, was talking to me about music, because she knew I loved it. And she asked if I’d heard it. She was teasing me because at the time, I was a freshman in high school. After practice we found my friend Sean, because he always had the newest stuff musically. So, we all sat in his convertible, and listened to it together. I could take you to the exact parking stall we were in, 24 years later.
Mr. Vander Ark's comments about being the song owner yet relinquishing ownership upon delivery.... goddamn I needed to hear that. What a kind and beautiful mindset.
This interview was SO informative! What a break down of a great song. I loved how he came to the "We were only Freshmen" ❤
I cant guve any higher praise to both the interviewer AND interviewee than to say: after listening to this interview, i want to go see them live. I bought that album for that song back in college. I love it still. This interview puts that song , for me, in a whole new light. Thank you both for the time and thought that went into the video.
The muse for this song is one of the things that makes me very thankful that I have chosen the path that I've been on in my adult life.
In the soundtrack of my life this would land in my high school life of 1997. I love the Title " The Freshman" because you swap out whatever grade you're in. My interpretation was always as a break up song. Sometimes your the dumped or the dumper. At this point in highschool I broke up with a girl that basically had our future set and when I broke up with her I felt bad but she just wasn't the one. So for the song you can swap out Freshman for what ever grade your in. So I said " we were only juniors" Great song, 90s rule! Thank you Professor.
Thanks for sharing your memory.
I was a "freshman" in high school
Amazing job of breaking down this 90s classic. I had no idea it involved two guys and one girl. I always thought it was just a young couple grappling with a tough decision. Btw, nice timing PoR. with this new law in Texas -- no matter where people come down on the law itself. I will now listen to this song with a whole new insight. I used play this song in the background as I played video games with my young sons. Now, I see they both still have this song on various playlists so I know it means something to them. great job, PoR! Thank you so much for making these great videos. I always feel better after watching and I come away with a fresh perspective, even on a 20+ year old song!
Colorful is my favorite song from them and hugely underrated. Never understood why that one wasn't bigger.
I was 26 when this came out. I even saw you guys in Atlanta with Collective Soul and it was amazing. What resonated with me was that 10 years earlier, my girlfriend got pregnant and we were set to go for it. She ended up miscarrying, which broke us both. When I heard the song for the first time, that's what I remembered. So, I was kinda right. Now, at 52, it means all kinds of things. That's the beauty of music. We come back to these things so many years later and they get more and more amazing. Regardless of the "creative license", I'm sure this song has helped millions of folks get through some shit. This will be one of the modern classics.
Love this song! It came out at a time in the '90s when story songs were making a comeback, like "The Way" by Fastball, "Push" and "3AM" by Matchbox 20 (before it became Twenty), and "Semi-Charmed Life" and "Jumper" by Third Eye Blind.
Yep, this was the last great run before radio took a turn for the worse. In my opinion, it never recovered.
You forgot "I'll Be"
Third eye blind 🩷🩷
Awesome interview Professor! I really enjoyed hearing the story behind this song! Thanks for sharing it with us!
I was actually a freshman in high school when the song was released. It defined that year for me. Such a well written song with so much emotion. Brian's voice is what made that song what it is.
Love this!!! My boyfriend at the time introduced me to this band at a new years eve concert...we were at the front, will NEVER forget it!!! One of my favorite concerts i have ever been to!!! Detroit was so fun at that time. And i will always be grateful for my old boyfriend introducing them to me. Absolutely fantastic interview. Thank you, prof!!! Villians is one of my favorite albums of the 90s. Epic!!!❤
Brian is the most underrated songwriter of our time.
Wow, just wow!!! Great interview & review of the song!
I was mid 20's, just meeting my now husband when this came out, we were still stuck in the 80's with our fave bands & I heard this, haunting but refreshing song. It made me stop & listen to music of the day not just of the past. I think more because like many, I was trying to figure out what it meant. Very thought provoking!!! Thank you Adam, PoR, for bringing us all these interviews & a way to look back & get a history lesson of our past! ❤️
Came a little late to this video. I was a freshman at Michigan State University when this was playing on the radio in 1994, so this song will always stay with me. Of course it was the original version that I had grown to love. Glad I got to see The Verve Pipe live and sing the words to The Freshmen along with them (from the crowd of course). Glad I had a fake I.D., because I especially remember watching them at Rick's in East Lansing and literally bumped into Brian, realizing that he was like a foot taller than me. I wish I remember what I said to him, probably "ope" or "excuse me, sorry." I also saw them play either at the Small Planet or in the street near there. Great interview. I really enjoyed it!
OMG, Prof!! The Verve Pipe was a fantastic band, and the Villians album was awesome. The title track remains one of my faves, and we used to cover it in my band years ago. I always dug the drama of performing it. Thanks for this, I was always intrigued by the melancholy lyric.
Excellent interview and 40mins wow! I love getting the backstory of these songs that shaped my high school years. Thanks Adam!
He’s from my town of Grand Rapids, Michigan! The Verve Pipe are well known around here. The Villians album was big my senior year in high school.
Had the chance to hang with Brian about 10 years ago when he played an acoustic set at a friend’s house party. Nice guy. Very tall too. He’s like 6’6”. I look like a little kid in a photo I got with him.
This song was HUGE on local Michigan Stations at the time. I remember it being in HEAVY ROTATION on Q106FM specifically. Still an all time rocker of a song.
What a great interview, I've always admired his writing... Bullies on Vacation was another great lyrical journey that took awhile to get your head around what was happening. But for me personally and I'll say this first... Villians is a great album. Wore it out. But Pop Smear was a masterpiece. That is an utterly brilliant album from start to finish. Its an all time top ten for me. And we always covered the real version of The Freshman, the 1st one! Ha.
Loved this song back in the 90s and was so easy to sing too. That's what I remember most about it is singing to it at my steering wheel with friends as we drive along. Was probably one of the easiest songs to harmonize and carry a melody with friends
I interpreted the song the same way you did, and had similar questions about the lyrics “she was touching her face” …. What a great interview and man I really love this format getting the artist’s direct meaning behind the song and the lyrics. Keep up the great work Professor!
Now I’d like to know more about Brick and Lithium
97 a year out of high school this song was part of my life
Never delved into The Verve Pipe other than listening to a few of their songs. Brian is incredible articulate and interesting to listen to. He does a fantastic job of explaining his creative process!
The Freshmen is one of my all time favorite songs.
Is was in my mid 20s then (25/26) Trippy to be 50 now and to feel like i heard this song only yesterday.
This was a such a great episode Professor. Thanks for doing it 🎉
I gotta say your interview style is top notch.
This song hit when I was about 16 or 17 and I'll never forget how it just kinda slapped me upside the head. I was very much a metal head at the time and something inside me just snapped when I first heard this. It's still one of my favorites to this day.
Great interview!
It was sometime in 1993. I lived about 30 minutes from Lansing Michigan. I remember being in an instrument store on the south side of Lansing after work, Ib worked in the area at the time. I was perusing guitars and amps, basically alone in the store. Next thing I know this guy with a long goatee came in, bought some drum sticks and visited with the employees for a bit. They were giving him all the attention like he's some celebrity. He leaves and I asked one of the people in the store who that was. "That's Donny Brown the drummer for The Verve Pipe. They're a band from East Lansing, they'll be big!" I kind of shrugged, thought cool and left. Fast forward to The Freshman and I see Donny in the video and I'm like good lord I was within inches of this guy. 😂
Amazing, he just leveled the question and let the guy speak! Bravo!!!
As a teenager coming out of the early 90s and being completely wrapped up in the early grunge scene, I never really could get into this song. Back in 97 I viewed it as one of the signs that grunge was fizzling out. Even years later I just couldn't get into it. I absolutely love the interviews and hearing the story behind the music, however. It can completely change my perception towards it and I always walk away with a better appreciation for the song. That is a wonderful thing.
Great interview. Brian has always seemed like a sincere, down to earth guy. His guitar tutorials are awesome!
I have a multitude of fond memories of listening to this particular song/album. I was able to see them live and they closed out the show playing this crazy version of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. This video was great and loved it.
awesome interview with Brian, Jack Joseph Puig looks like Has Gruber in that photo.
Great interview! So cool to hear the real story behind such an iconic song!!
I was in middle school when this song came out and I do not remember.
I'm playing it now as I watch your video, Adam.
Thank you for putting me on to it.
Take care, brother!
Enjoy! Have a great holiday weekend.
I had forgotten about this great song. I remember hearing it enough that I had started to sing along with it. I had also figured out the meaning to after a few listens. Thank Professor!
I was reminded of The Verve and then made my way to The Verve Pipe and Freshman and thought dang this is a song we need to get Professor of Rock to cover and then bang! Here I am. Glad to have found this and great job as always.
I always get "the verve" mixed up with "the verve pipe" ...ones " bitter sweet symphony" -cruel intentions
This really is just one of those songs that is so relatable that it goes straight to the heart. I was only 12 when it came out and I surely didn't get all of the references, but some of the lines were pretty obvious. The most prominent lines are "for the life of me, I cannot remember what made us think that we were wise and we'd never compromise". So even at that age I knew it was about being young and having that realization that you don't know as much as you think you do and the problems that come with being naive and careless. I have far more appreciation for it as the years have gone by. Awesome of Brian to give us some more insight, here.
For some of us, ESL nations in far away continents, it was the Melody alone... It sounded very remorseful and yet comforting. No one even cared to know what it meant. Base on this interview though, you can assume the artist is so gay and for 19 minutes of the interview it was a cringe festival. I ❤ this song so much. But if I listen to this interview for another 30 seconds, id lose all respect i have for this song. So i dont get to know what this song is about. But it is probably the story of a gay dude who fell in love with a straight and he wish the girlfriend would die.
The song came out at a time when me and my friend had dated the same girl. She didn't get pregnant but it really came between us and ruined out friendship. We were doing drugs and fooled around with being in a band. I thought I would live forever when I was young and these bad choices would have no consequences. I also entered into rehab in 1997 and had time to reflect. I loved the song because it hit so close to home and I could relate to it. The Villians album turned out to be one of my favorites. I still listen to Verve Pipe to this day. I shared The Freshmen video with my mom and she loved it. She is now 72.
I have never heard the song but i will listen to it. What a great in depth interview, absolutely brilliant!!!
Keep up the good work
I love that he referenced Harry Chapin when telling stories in song.
Thanks, Professor! HUGE fan of TVP, and Brian is one of the nicest guys you'd ever meet!
got my license in 99. this song is the most memorable from my times driving that little mitsubishi truck around that summer. before I even had internet at home.
Thank you for this in-depth look at VP. I've only heard one or two of their songs. Now I'm going to have to go by the collection and listen to it all.
Great interview. Saw this song being played live in the early 90s in GR when I was in college. Always catch shows when they play in the Detroit area. Incredible band and BVA is as good as it gets with song writing and vocals.
Best interview I’ve seen in a long time
Very insightful interview. Thank you Professor and Brian
@professor of rock , after listening to/watching this interview, I went back, for another reason all together & looked at a ticket stub for a concert I attended in '95.
& I actually saw *Verve Pipe* at that concert, *PLANET FEST* . Which had
*Duran Duran* as the headliner.
Also, *The Ramones*
*Bush*
*Letters to Cleo*
And *No Use For a Name* .
Now I don't remember the last band so I'll have to go & listen to some of the songs from
*¡Leche con Carne!* & See what they were about.
Wow that was awesome! That interview is the reason why music has been such a huge part of my life. My favorite part of music is the story and hearing him go into detail about a song that was a part of my early/mid 20’s and having friends with these problems was a good listen, and he seems like a cool dude on top of that. Very nice, keep up the good work!
Thank you!
Wow! What an Incredible Interview!
Thank for this. I have been puzzling over it for 25 years.
Just saw Verve Pipe live. Loved the show and their vibe.
As an author of 5 books, I have to say his description of writing is right on. We are surrounded by writing material, but we just have to pay attention to what is happening around us.
The music and lyrics create such an emotional vibe that really sucks you in. It causes you reflect on your own past deeds and consider the consequences. Such a powerful song.
Never would have discovered "Jellyfish" (being a big Sloan fan) if it hadn't been for this interview. Thank you Brain Vander Ark and Professor of Rock!
It's weird hearing now how the song came out in 1997. I had always associated the song with my high school years, but I was already in college by 1997. Fascinating interview.
I was 16 in 1997. That was one of those rare times in history. We were freshman. We had no idea what would happen 20+ years later.
This is awesome to hear from Brian. I am live in Michigan in the area that The Verve Pipe is from. They were a huge local band in my area. I was kinda young when they were popular to appreciate them then.
Thanks for doing this one. One of my fav 90s songs. Do more late 90s!
This song came out towards the end of my freshman year of high school so it got played to death at partys that summer for me. That CD is still collecting dust on my shelf.
Love the song I remember it well it’s in my playlist. Will never leave it.
"Come As You Are" is my favorite Nirvana song.
I was in my mid thirties when I heard it in Trinidad. Loved it then still love it now. I pulled out my guitar just this week and decided I wanted to learn to play along to it. The guitar accompaniment is pretty simple, catchy and interesting. Great song.
Great interview. I love this song.
My 2nd favorite song of all time! 97' was the Year!
Just taking my lunch break and literally this is the last song on the station before I came back to check my phone.... The 90s girl in me is fangirl sqeeeeeeeing!
Very cool. Enjoy.
i still love this song. really love the original version.