THE EARLY MATS

This disc contains tracks from various shows recorded during the Mats' first two years, including some of their very first shows in 1980. There is an emphasis on covers and on Westerberg songs which were never recorded in the studio. It includes Mats' originals like live "Juniors's Got a Gun," "Drugs," and "Staples in Her Stomach." The disc also features 2 Quicktime videos, performances of "Kids Don't Follow" and "Customer" from the September 5, 1981 show.

1. I Wanna Be Loved    2. More Cigarettes    3. Hey, Little Girl    4. So Long    5. Get off the Phone    6. Get on the Stick    7. All Day and All of the Night    8. All By Myself
(July 17, 1980 at the Longhorn Bar, Minneapolis)

9. Trouble Boys    10. Like You    11. Off Your Pants    12. Get Lost    13. Excuse Me, Use Me    14. I Made a Mistake    15. My Town    16. Shiftless When Idle    17. Oh, Baby    18. I'm in Trouble
(January 30, 1981 at the 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis)

19. Skip it    20. Drugs    21. Don't Turn it Down    22. I'm Cryin'    23. Substitute
(April 23, 1981 at Zoogie's, Minneapolis)

24. Staples in Her Stomach    25. Junior's Got a Gun    26. Dead    27. Maybelline    28. Slow Down    29. Hey, Good Lookin'   
 (September 5, 1981 at the 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis)

30. Lookin' for Ya    31. Ace of Spades
(July 1982 at Saint's Roller Rink, Duluth)

SOUND QUALITY: This disc comes from professionally-recorded tapes (not audience recordings) and most of it is in stereo, however some of the tapes are a few generations down from the originals. I would rank the sound quality as follows: Tracks 9-18 are stereo and rank an eight. Tracks 1-8 (stereo) and Tracks 24-29 (mono) rank about a seven. Tracks 19-23 (stereo) and 30-31 (mono) I would rate a six...