I had the opportunity to ask Jimmer a few questions recently regarding the Rave-Ups. In case you're interested, here's what Jimmer had to say. My questions in italics.

Where do you primarily draw inspiration for your songs?

    I don't draw inspiration from the daily things but from some small part of my brain and my heart that pockets the stuff that I've thought about since I was a kid. Maybe certain events might help trigger a flood of crap but in the end it's the same issues and basically the same crap. I still write songs about relationships from years ago merely because I never figured them out and so I write about them and it helps me to confront the reasons or at least to confront what I think are the reasons. All in all, it's a good system.

Can you comment on what forces led to the break-up of the Rave-Ups? Was it due to record sales/money problems? Or differences in the band (IE What direction to take)? or something else?

    There were a variety of forces that led to the end of the band. Most of them had to do with my being a father and wanting to be near my son all of the time. Musically, I think that I was feeling a little bit exasperated by the whole industry scene and didn't live up to the expectations or the sales that so many people imagined would happen for the band. I thought that we were damn good at what we did and that the labels we made records for didn't quite get that we were just a band that played good songs the best we could. That was it. Nothing more and nothing less. The proverbial promotional ball always gets dropped when times get tough. So when the label that signed you drops the ball and you see a little boy at your feet wanting to play ball--the decision was as clear as could be. I never stopped writing or playing around the house-- I just had reached a crossroads with the band--musically speaking, and I also just wanted to be a dad and be the best dad that I could be. I still see Terry and Tom occasionally.

I happend to come across a cassette of Rave-Ups demos with the following titles:
    Flipside (of my Dream), Too Hot, Baby's Got, Something's Cookin'
    In My Night, Babyland, A Girl For Me (original version)
Any comments on these tunes?

    Honestly, it's hard for me to even remember some of the songs I recorded early on with the Rave-Ups. There were lots of demos and some of these demos were recorded with different line-ups and went back as far as the Pittsburgh line-up. I don't have any of the demos from the original Pittsburgh days--although I know more than a few people have them. That's the music biz. I do know that "Flipside (of My Dreams)" is really called "See You". "Too Hot" is really called "Boy of Wax." "Baby's Got" is called "Baby's Got No Rhythm." You nailed the titles of the rest. Most of what's on your list I have in master form.
    There was one song called "Molotov Moon" that was one of the last recorded by the Rave-Ups. One version appeared as a bonus track on the CD single of "She Says (Come Around)." Another, and more sound-friendly has never been released, The version that Epic released was recorded in a hotel room while on the road. You can actually hear the toilet flushing at the end of the track. There are tons of demos recorded in my apartment with Terry, Tim, and Tom, but we never ended up recording them in a better studio. The songs and the playing are pretty typical Rave-Ups and yet, some of the songs that I wrote during that period I play now with the Lovin' Miserys.
    I have all the original Fun Stuff crap on reel-to-reel. I'd love to re-master and re-release the songs from this period, since I have the original two-inch masters. Maybe someday.

Which songs were videos ever filmed for?

    The only songs ever really done FOR videos were "Merry Xmas (Hey Baby)"--a rare and funny little demo. Next came "Respectfully King of Rain." Then "She Says (Come Around)." We did make a video to "The Best I Can't" but it was never released by Epic. In fact, it was never really completed. Only Tom Blatnik and I have the tapes and complete takes of the video. It kinda sucks, though I thought that the videos to the other songs were great and they were all done by the same guy--Andrew Doucette.

In the tray liner notes for the "Chance Conversation..." CD, you mention that in 1985, prior to appearing in Pretty in Pink, you made a movie. Was wondering what the movie was?

    Never made a movie before "Pretty in Pink." I think that the band had a song in some grade B flick and I think the song was an early version of "In My Gremlin."

The song "Train to Nowhere" is credited to K. Rogers. Just curious who this was?

    Kimm Rogers is a great songwriter from LA although I don't think she lives here anymore. We were close when she lived here and I played alot with her when she recorded and when she played live. She had a couple records on Island. I think that she lives in Idaho or something now.

Do you buy or listen to much music? If so, what are your primary influences and/or current likes? What's your take on the current "alternative" (for lack of a better word) music scene?

    I listen to everything and I usually end up hearing everything that comes out at some point. I don't know what alternative music is. I didn't really even when the band I was in was labeled alternative. I was never quite sure what we were the alternative to.

Hope all of this was helpful. Thanks

Jimmer