E1. I keep hearing about an Everclear album called Pure White Evil. Why can't I find it?

Honestly? You can't find it because it doesn't exist.

"Pure White Evil" was the tentative title to So Much for the Afterglow. In various interviews in 1996, Art talked about the future release, and noted a handful of songs that he thought would make the record.

From that info, Brent Fusco, the webmaster of Nehalem, added an entry for the new album to Nehalem's Everclear Discography. Sadly, Brent died in October of 1996, long before the album was released, so the listing remained in its "tentative" form.

Everclear finished the album in the spring of 1997, but Art wasn't happy with it. He felt it was a little too similar in sound to Sparkle and Fade. So he spent a couple of months writing new songs, including "So Much for the Afterglow", "One Hit Wonder", and "El Distorto de Melodica". The new material replaced songs like "The Swing" and "Otis Redding" from the original Pure White Evil tracklist.

Normally, the scrapped title would have dropped into ancient history. But many online websites (including RollingStone.com, for example) saw the listing on Nehalem's Discography, and repeated it on their Everclear discographies. (The same is true for the Capitol re-issue of the Colorfinger album and the Cheap Trick tribute album, which were also in "tentative" form in 1996, but were never released.)

Most of the outtakes that would have been on Pure White Evil were eventually released elsewhere. "The Swing" came out on the Scream 2 soundtrack, and "Otis Redding" was later released on Learning How to Smile.

E2. What's the deal with Colorfinger's Deep in the Heart of the Beast in the Sun? How can I get a copy?

Unfortunately, this album (as well as all other Colorfinger material) is currently out of print.

There were only 1000 copies of the Colorfinger CD produced. That was all that the record company, Shindig, could afford. During Colorfinger's 1990 tour, Shindig sold every copy they could - including Art's copy. (Brent Fusco commented that they had already sold out by the time he saw them at a 1990 show in Arkansas.)

Shindig subsequently went out of business when their distributor, Rough Trade, went bankrupt.

As Everclear has grown in popularity, copies of this album have become more and more scarce. Two or three popped up at one store in 1997, and were auctioned off for big bucks. As one rumored story goes, Art bid on one copy in a different auction in 1996, but dropped out when the bid topped $100.

Be careful if you decide to buy the CD off of Ebay. With only 1000 copies in existence, and most of them already in the hands of Everclear fans, the vast majority of the ones auctioned on Ebay are CD-R's, not the real thing. Make sure you clarify with the seller exactly what you're purchasing before placing a bid.

For many years, Art has said that he wants to re-release the Colorfinger CD, and in interviews for his 2002 solo tour, he said that such a release was in progress. However, at this point, all plans are off the table.

Art has implied that he would prefer people download the album than pay $100 or more for it.

E3. What's the deal with Everclear's Nervous and Weird EP? How can I get a copy?

Unfortunately, this CD is also out of print.

It was manufactured in 1993 by Tim Kerr Records, prior to Everclear's signing with Capitol. When Everclear signed with Capitol, they requested that T/K stop pressing the CD.

Some fans have had success finding it at their local used CD store. However, that's happening less and less often, considering Everclear's increasing popularity. (More people looking to buy, less people looking to sell.) The safest bet is to see if someone will make you a copy.

HOWEVER!

Until recently, T/K continued pressing the Nervous and Weird 7". IT IS NOT RARE!

Don't be fooled into paying a high price for the vinyl. There is still an ample supply of them floating around.

Additionally, the 7" does not contain all of the rare songs found on the EP. The 7" contains only two songs, "Nervous and Weird" and "Electra Made Me Blind (Demo)". The EP contains those two songs, plus "Drunk Again", "Connection", "Slow Motion Genius", and "Lame".

"Lame" and "Connection" are available on the Fire Maple Song UK Maxi-Single. "Slow Motion Genius" and "Drunk Again" have not been made available elsewhere.

Rumor has it that the EP was taken out of print due to Art's dissatisfaction with the song "Drunk Again". He said in an interview that a re-release of the EP would probably not contain the song.

E4. What's the difference between the Fire Maple Song EP and the Fire Maple Song Maxi-Single? Which one is rare?

Yes, there is a difference.

The FMS Maxi-Single is a UK import, pressed by Fire Records. It is still in print, and is available via import. It contains four songs, "Fire Maple Song", "Loser Makes Good", "Connection", and "Lame".

The FMS EP was released by Tim/Kerr, and re-released by Capitol. It is currently out of print. It contains five songs, "Fire Maple Song", "Detroit", "1975", "Blondes", "Pacific Wonderland", and "Fire Maple Song (Acoustic Version)". This CD would be considered "rare", but the songs on it are not "rare". All six of these songs are currently available on the White Trash Hell EP on Fire Records.

E5. Is World of Noise out of print?

Nope. Capitol has been slow in recent years to repress it, since they don't own the masters, but new copies are still available. And many stores don't carry it, since some consider Sparkle and Fade to be their "first" record.

In 2003, Fire Records in the UK released a "new" version of World of Noise. However, their re-release was simply a re-issue of their original version, save that they added a new slipcover.

E6. What are Confusion, Highly Abrasive, Strawberry Valentine, and Invoking the Mantra? Are they official releases?

No. These are bootleg CD's, released by bootleg companies without the band's permission. All of them contain shows that were broadcast over FM radio: Strawberry Valentine from the 2/14/96 show in Toronto, and Highly Abrasive and Confusion from the March 1996 show in Amsterdam. Invoking the Mantra is the complete version of the radio show featured on Everclear's Live from Toronto EP.

The band makes no money off of these discs, and Art has stated publicly that he is strongly against bootleg companies. Don't buy these discs at your local store or off Ebay - ask around, and you should be able to find people willing to make a CD-R copy for you.