Live Bootlegs and Rarities

Live Bootlegs and Rarities

Below are a number of live recordings and various out-takes that may or may not be interesting. Just click the play button below each song to play. Have fun.

The first three recordings are from the first real concert I ever did. I was lucky enough to have someone record it well. It contained about half original and half cover songs. Of these, only one has ever emerged again, and that was "Only Teasing." "Paladins" was written for a friend of mine in college named Mike who was a fantastic finger picker, and someone who fundamentally changed my style. "It Doesn't Matter" was written about a friend of mine who said that he never really loved his girlfriend, he was just in it for the physical fun. He was just confused and unable to admit his real feelings. This song was written from the point of view of the girl dumping him, and him pretending it doesn't matter to him because he never loved her.

"Paladins"

Words and Music by Stephen Berg

Recorded live at Bemidji State University

Stephen Berg: guitar and vocals

Beaux Arts Ballroom

March 23, 1986

I've got a friend who plays guitar

And he plays so much better than me

I see him play and I wonder why

That music can't flow out of me

He does more than play guitar

He writes songs that are so much better than mine

His words, they flow so effortlessly

As he paints his world in rhyme

You know I think my friend's all right

My friend thinks that I'm okay

Even though I don't play as well as him

I've learned that we can learn from all

Within us we find our own paladins

"Only Teasing"
Words and Music by Stephen Berg

Recorded live at Bemidji State University

Stephen Berg: guitar, vocals

Tracey Rhen: piano

Beaux Arts Ballroom

March 23, 1986

"It Doesn't Matter"
Words and Music by Stephen Berg

Recorded live at Bemidji State University

Stephen Berg: vocals

Tracey Rhen: piano

Beaux Arts Ballroom

March 23, 1986

You know I never loved you

I only told you all the time

And all the crazy things we did

Were only meant to fill up time

You know I never needed you

Like I know you need me

And now you want something from me

You know just cannot be

It doesn't matter now

Life is only day to day

And there's no way

You can ever make me love

Ever make me change

So you went with him to make me care

But it doesn't hurt at all

Nothing you can do will touch me

You'll never see me fall

And now you come all teary eyed

To tell me what you've done

How you never really loved him

And I'm the only one

These next two songs are a couple of studio tracks that just weren't as "together" as I wanted in the case of "Angry White Man," or probably a little to controversial as in the case of "Nothing But A Killer." "Angry White Man" is my reaction to the Rush Limbaughs of the world, the well to white guy with a lot of money who still whines. In the Minneapolis are we have Jason Lewis, who is kind of a poor mans Rush Limbaugh. Facts mean very little to these guys, and listening to them just makes me angry.

"Nothing But A Killer" is about George Bush's record on capital punishment. It pretty much sums up on how I feel about the guy. I may re-record this one day, but here you go, a controversial and rare out take.

"Angry White Man"

Words and Music by Stephen Berg

Recorded Winter 1999 at Victorian Studios, Champlin MN

Stephen Berg: all instruments and vocals

There's nothing I hate more than an angry white man

A.M. dials filled with whining and sleaze

Lives in his world of victimization

He's able to do anything he pleases

Angry White Man

Got everything he needs

Angry White Man

On the poor he feeds

He cites the Reverand King and the Constitution

The he twists around a Bible verse or two

Then he says it's survival of the fittest

Well, that ain't the way to run the world for me and you

Angry White Man

Got everything he needs

Angry White Man

On the poor he feeds

Angry White Man

All he ever does is grab grab grab

Angry White Man

Grabs until there is no more

Come a little closer, now

Let me tell you a little story

Racism lives

And if we do not love each other

How do we get close

Gotta lose the

Angry White Man

Got everything he needs

Angry White Man

On the poor he feeds

Angry White Man

All he does is grab, grab, grab

Angry White Man

Grabs until there is no more

It's all about money

It's about what I have and you don't

It's all about money

Let's lose the Angry White Man

"Nothing But A Killer"

Words and Music by Stephen Berg

Recorded March 10-12, 2000 at Victorian Studios, Champlin MN

Stephen Berg: all instruments and vocals

The next song, "I Don't Believe You," was from my Guns 'n Roses phase, at least that's what comes to mind when I think about this. the bass and drums were added nearly 10 years after the original tracks were done on 4 track.

"I Don't Believe You"

Words and Music by Stephen Berg

Guitars and vocals recorded Summer 1989

Drums and bass recorded 1998

Unreleased

Stephen Berg: All instruments and vocals

Click the guitar to go home!