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********** R.A.D! ON-LINE **********
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********** March / April 1994 **********
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Published monthly by CONSPIRACY M.E.D.I.A, Box 158324, Nashville, TN 37215
Review And Discussion of Rock & Roll is copyright 1994 by Keith A. Gordon
and CONSPIRACY M.E.D.I.A. Items herein may be reproduced, providing credit
is given to the writer and publisher and a copy sent to the address above.
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Alt.Music.Alternative, Alt.Music.Hardcore and Alt.Zines. Current issues of
R.A.D! ON-LINE can also be found in the zines section of the gopher at
Gophe.Well.Sf.Ca.Us
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With this issue of R.A.D! ON-LINE, we're happy to begin taking Email subs
for all of you who find it difficult to track down our monthly issues in
the Usenet newsgroups. Here's how it works: send Email to the R.A.D! mailbox:
[email protected] with the words "R.A.D! subscribe" as the
subject header, and your Email address as the message. The March issue will
be the first we send out under this new system, so please be patient. Thanks!
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CONTENTS ISSUE #1.10
File No. 1 > three walls down "building our house" (Interview)
File No. 2 > A Statuesque Scam: The Grammys (Commentary)
File No. 3 > Scatterlings (Rock & Roll News)
File No. 4 > Upcoming CD Releases (Info)
File No. 5 > CyberZines: Slack In Publishing With Generation X (Reviews)
File No. 6 > International Pop Overthrow By Jesse Garon (Column)
File No. 7 > Re/Issues (Reviews)
File No. 8 > CD DU JOUR: The Ramones' _Acid Eaters_ (Review)
File No. 9 > Kool Kuts (Reviews)
File No. 10 > The Singles Scene (Reviews)
CDs reviewed this month include: The Ramones, Depeche Mode, Psychick TV,
Luscious Jackson, Steve Taylor, Didjits, Indian Rope Burn & many more!
File No. 1 ===============================================================
THREE WALLS DOWN "BUILDING OUR HOUSE"
Remember this name: three walls down. You'll be hearing a lot more from
them. One of the more interesting and creative outfits to rise up out of
the growing Athens / Atlanta Rock scene, this talented quintet is garnering
a following the old fashioned way, by touring from one end of the country
to the other. Their debut album, titled _Building Our House_, was released
a year ago on the band's own Rust Records; they've been on the road ever
since. The response of audiences and the industry alike have been
encouraging, and deals licensing the album in England, South America and
Scandinavia only spread the band's musical reputation. We caught up with
three walls down member Mitch Mills, brother of REM's Mike Mills (who also
produced _Building Our House_) somewhere on the road just before last
Christmas and asked him a few questions.
.................. Keith A. Gordon
KG: How did three walls down come together?
MM: Marc English and Mike Callahan, the two main songwriters of the band,
used to play together in Corning, New York. Marc decided that he wanted a
band, so he moved to Atlanta. We both worked at the same place, which is
how I met him. I joined his other band, called The War Pony, but it didn't
go in the direction that we wanted to, so we broke up. Mike moved to
Atlanta and the three of us started playing together.
KG: How did you get hooked up with your label, Rust Records?
MM: We had an offer from an independent for a record deal and had actually
started recording the album when we decided that that label wasn't what we
wanted to be on. We canceled the contract in the middle of recording and
our manager, Donnie Graves, decided that we should just form our own label.
We had national distribution worked out, and we were being booked through
Monterey, so we had pretty much everything we needed to make it work
without signing with another independent.
KG: How was working in the studio with John Keane and your brother Mike?
MM: It was pretty cool. I had actually recorded there a few times before
this band, I had done some of my own stuff there, so I was already real
comfortable working with John, who is a fantastic engineer.
I had never done anything with Mike, we had not worked together
before. We learned a lot from him. He really knew what he was doing in the
studio and he had some great ideas for the album. he just did a fantastic
job...it was very laid back and we had a great time doing it.
KG: What kind of sound did you want to get on _Building Our House_?
MM: At that point, we were doing a lot of acoustic stuff. We really weren't
looking for a particular sound, we just took the songs and played them the
way they felt to us. Whatever came out is the way it came out.
Since the album was recorded, we've become a much more electric
band. We're not playing acoustics on stage anymore, using electric
guitars...it's not heavy, by any means, but it's heavier than the album.
KG: With a distinct similarity in sound, and your relation to Mike, how do
you handle the questions about the REM connection?
MM: The thing is that even though I'm related to Mike, I don't write any of
the music. I write my own parts to the music, and I help with the arrange-
ments. The stuff that I write, though, is very different from REM, so the
similarity in the music doesn't come from me. Mike and Marc, who do the
songwriting in the band, grew up listening to "alternative music," and they
were naturally influenced by REM...just like anyone else who writes in an
alternative vein.
I would say that their influences are a cross between Neil Young
and Bob Dylan, and some of the more modern bands like The Church or The
Cure or REM. We were bound to sound like them some, because of their
influence on the songwriting and then, with Mike producing the album,
adding what he personally likes. Some of his personal tastes went into the
music in the studio. So that's really where the musical connection comes in.
As for people noticing that I'm Mike's brother, that's okay, it
doesn't bother me. I'm proud of Mike, he's worked hard for what he's gotten
and I'm glad that he's happy. If people come out and see us because there's
REM relations in the band, that's great. I want people to like us for who
we are, and that's what usually happens.
KG: Do you have any major label interest in three walls down, and do you
want any?
MM: We shopped the album to the majors, and most of them were interested,
but the deal was that we had not toured at the time, and most of the labels
wanted us to get some touring under our belts...and they were interested in
us putting out a product on our own and seeing what happened with it. We'll
have toured for eight months by Christmas, we'll have done over 200 shows
by then. We'll see what happens after that.
KG: Any plans for your next album?
MM: We're definitely going to record another album and we'll have to see if
we have any offers from the majors by the time that we're ready to do it.
If not, we'll release another record on Rust, probably recording in May or
June of 1994.
(Rust Records, 9255 Sunset Blvd., #920, Los Angeles, CA 90069)
File No. 2 ===============================================================
A STATUESQUE SCAM: THE GRAMMYS
I remember seeing the most amazing thing as a young rocker in the
early seventies. During the 1972 Rolling Stones tour of the U.S., they chose
a relatively young unknown (at that time), Stevie Wonder, as one of their
opening acts. Martha Reeves & The Vandelas were the other opening act,
getting booed off the stage at Nashville's Municipal Auditorium a mere two
songs into their set.
Wonder came onto the stage to a similarly ignorant reception, but
the man had been a pro since an early age, and it didn't phase him. He
proceeded to deliver an hour-long set of the most amazing Soul, R & B and
Rock music that I had ever seen, a set that saw him play several instruments
as he roamed the stage, blind but not bashful. By comparison, the Stones
seemed tired and bored.
After that tour, Wonder went on to become a star of major propor-
tions, basking in critical acclaim while supping at the table of commercial
success. He garnered a fair share of awards, as well, and I remember
watching the annual music industry awards program, the Grammys, cheering
Stevie on as he captured statue after statue. He was the lone shining star
of Pop music to gain such acclaim during the Grammys, which have tradition-
ally ignored Rock and Pop music in favor of more conservative fare.
Sadly, after twenty years, the Grammy Awards have not gotten any
better. In fact, as this year's edition shows, the awards committee knows
even less about the currents of Rock and Pop than they did back in my youth.
The criticisms are valid, and many have been heard before: the Grammys
award mediocrity, they know so little about the artists they're rating that
they can't even categorize them properly, they're too conservative, etc.
There are several travesties among this year's awards, but we'll
touch on just a few. The Grammys have embraced Country music as the choice
of mainstream America, focusing on it with numerable nominations and several
awards categories. True, Country has gained in popularity, but it still
accounts for less than half the sales that does Rock music, according to
industry figureheads, the R.I.A.A. Why doesn't Rock get the same attention
as Country? Because the Grammy folks just don't understand it....
Which is why we get U2's _Zooropa_ as the "Best Alternative Music
Album." Which is why, several years ago, we had Milli Vanilli as the "Best
New Artists" above real artists like the Indigo Girls. Which is why we have
artists nominated in categories they don't belong in and artists winning
awards they're not entitled to. Rock & Roll has dominated the popular
landscape for almost four decades now, but like Rodney Dangerfield, it gets
no respect. For Rock, the Grammys are another slight, a statuesque scam.
How to bring some reality to the Grammy Awards' treatment of Rock?
Simple...first get some people on the nominating committee who know
something about the art form. There are dozens of commercial music
magazines that focus on Rock, most with at least a few critics knowledgeable
about the music. There are hundreds of deejays across the country with at
least a passing familiarity with the current musical trends, as well as
zine editors, video producers, promoters...a wellspring of ideas and
information from which the Grammys could draw.
Secondly, let's revamp the categories: Best Rock Male Vocalist,
Best Female Rock Vocalist, Best Rock Band, Best New Rock Artist, Best
Alternative Rock Band, Best Hard Rock Band, Best Metal Band, Best Rock Song
(Songwriter)....eight categories, in keeping with the music's impact and
importance. With our new, informed screening committee, we won't have bands
with regular platinum level sales winning "Best Alternative Music Album."
The Grammy Awards will be much more representative of popular culture, and
as fun to watch as they were when Stevie was grabbing the glory.
File No. 3 ===============================================================
SCATTERLINGS
COMPILED BY THE R.A.D! STAFF & FRIENDS...
Valentine Saloon, longtime Nashville faves, are in the studio working on
their next album with new drummer Keith Brogdon and guitarist Eliot Wilcox,
word from Pipeline Records has it. Also from Pipeline comes news of Martin
Newell and Andy Partridge's sojourn into the studio to record the follow-up
to their wonderful _The Greatest Living Englishman_ LP. Both discs are
expected this summer....
MARCH WILL SEE the Watermelon Records' release of _Susan Across the Water_,
The Silos' first album in over three years. The critically-acclaimed band's
1987 gem, _Cuba_, will also be reissued at the same time, bolstered by
their upcoming appearance at the South By Southwest conference in Austin.
FROM THE GOOD FOLKS at Red Light Records we received the following news:
the label recently signed the outrageous outfit Skatenigs, with that band's
_What A Mangled Web We Leave_ disc scheduled for spring release. The label
also recently released the infamous El Duce's _Slave To Thy Master_,
_Boneless Christian_ from Coven and Post Mortem's _Destined For Failure_,
all of which can be found at a music emporium near you.
IN OTHER "DEATH METAL" news, a pair of Britain's most talented and hardcore
bands hit the U.S. concert trail this month. Carcass begin their tour in
Berkeley, California on March 15th and will take their devastating sound to
stops in Phoenix, Dallas, Austin, Atlanta, Detroit, Chicago and Washington
D.C. Leaving a trail of destruction behind them as they roll from city to
city, the band is touring in support of their recent Earache/Columbia
release _Heartwork_.
Entombed will be tearing it up in L.A., San Diego, Phoenix, Tulsa,
St. Louis, Milwaukee and Chicago, among other sites, as they tour for their
latest, the monstrous _Wolverine Blues_. The album has been dominating the
metal charts and is unique in that it is packaged with a 12-page, CD-sized
comic book created by Marvel Comics and featuring their perpetually-popular
Wolverine superhero. Matador recording artists Unsane will be along for
several of the dates. Finally, here's a show we wish we could be at: RIP
Magazine's Seventh Anniversary Party at the Palladium will feature
performances by Entombed, Pantera, White Zombie, Prong, Strip Mind and The
Obsessed. Talk about tearing the roof off the mutha....
METAL MANIA is what the following gold and platinum record recipients are
feeling. Belly grabbed a gold disc for their Reprise / Sire debut, _Star_,
its sales fueled by the success of the single releases "Feed The Tree" and
"Slow Dog." Capitol recording artists DRS took their rap anthem "Gangsta
Lean" and its like titled album to the top of the charts and a gold record,
which signifies 500,000 plus units in sales. DRS may also be part of a
possible Rap supertour this summer, which would feature superstar Hammer,
the beautiful Salt & Pepa and the funky fresh Snoop Doggy Dog.
U.K. INDIE CREATION RECORDS has inked a deal with TriStar Music, a Sony
label, for the historic stateside release of over 50 albums never before
available in the United States. Special U.S. only artist compilations, new
recordings and import reissues will be the focus of their efforts, which
will see initial releases from The Telescopes, the magnificent Jazz Butcher,
Biff Bang Pow! and Weather Prophets. A British national treasure, Creation
recently celebrated the label's tenth anniversary with a reputation for
quality releases.
HERE'S A STRANGE ONE FOR YA! Windham Hill Records is well known as a classy
label featuring new age, jazz and instrumental music that sometimes defies
description. Imagine their surprise when one of their most respected
artists, bassist Michael Manring, hit the Hard Report's metal chart.
Manring's "Thonk," engineered by John Cuniberti (Dead Kennedys, Joe
Satriani) and which features guitar gods Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs) and Alex
Skolnick (formerly of Testament) and drummers Tim "Herb" Alexander from
Primus, and Steve Smith, debuted in the #46 slot on that journal's afore-
mentioned chart. It's not the first time that Manring has been mistaken for
a metalhead: during his recent performance at the Gavin Convention,
management of the St. Francis Hotel pulled the plug on his Presidential
Suite performance for being "too loud!"
******************************************************
Official Press Release Type Thingie:
Jesse Garon, contributing writer for R.A.D!, is "moving" his office in
cyberspace! Illuminati Online, a BBS run by Steve Jackson Games out of
Austin, TX, has among its many features a MOO called the Metaverse (named
after the virtual reality of Neal Stephenson's supercool SF novel _Snow
Crash_) which combines the fantasy elements of traditional MUDding with the
installation of "virtual offices" for such businesses and publications as
Wired, boing boing, and Fringeware Review. Jesse's own fledgling enterprise,
Ostranenie Unltd, has a small office suite in the Willis Fanzine Centre,
and he hopes to unveil a variety of zine-oriented projects from that site
in the months ahead. His new email address is
[email protected], and you can
check out the Metaverse for yourself at metaverse.io.com 7777. Feel free to
contact him with comments on reviews, to find out how to submit your own
records or zines for review, or even to give him a "job" offer - as he's
always glad to help out fellow zinesters as best he can.
******************************************************
File No. 4 ===============================================================
UPCOMING CD RELEASES: MARCH 1994
Sass Jordan / RATS (Impact/MCA)
Nine Inch Nails / THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL (Interscope)
Elvis Costello / BRUTAL YOUTH (Warner Brothers)
Soundgarden / SUPERUNKNOWN (A & M Records)
Sam Phillips / MARTINIS & BIKINIS (Virgin)
Material Issue / FREAK CITY SOUNDRTRACK (Mercury)
Inspiral Carpets / DEVIL HOPPING (Elektra)
Gil Scott-Heron / SPIRITS (TVT Records)
Pantera / FAR BEYOND DRIVEN (East West)
The Charlatans / UP TO OUR HIPS (Beggar's Banquet)
The Church / SOMETIME ANYWHERE (Arista)
Phish / HOIST (Elektra)
Bill Lloyd / SET TO POP (East Side Digital)
SCHEDULED FOR APRIL: discs from Sonic Youth, David Byrne, The Stone Roses,
Violent Femmes, Adrian Belew, Frank Black & The Smithereens....
File No. 5 ===============================================================
CYBERZINES: SLACK IN PUBLISHING WITH GENERATION X
They've already been tagged with a number of media-inspired labels, from
"Generation X" to "slackers," the twenty-something demographic. This legion
of 18 to 30 year olds are forging their own identity, creating their own
films, music, fashion and, yes, even magazines. The development of "X-zines"
tends to parallel that of the first generation of freedom seekers, the beat-
inspired youth of the fifties. Wired is this generation's Time magazine,
Bikini its GQ.
This listing is representative of just a small part of the current
crop of zines that can be found at your neighborhood newsstand. All are
attempting to appeal to and define the culture of Generation X. If there is
one overwhelming theme that we discovered in reviewing the following zines,
it is that all are somewhat "cyber" oriented. This age group is much more
familiar with technology, more comfortable with it than even the generation
preceding them (who actually created much of it). This cyber-sense
permeates most all aspects of the demographic: electronic shamanism and
modern primitivism, tribal tattoos, techno rave, odd art, grunge, virtual
reality and computer graphics are all a part of the culture of slack.
As usual, the R.A.D! rating system works like this: Out of a
possible score of 100 total points, each of the following categories scores
up to the number of points listed. Editorial Diversity, 25 points;
Editorial Substance, 25 points; Style, 20 points; Relevance, 10 points; and
Value, 20 points...and the score table follows below.
R.A.D! ZINE SCORE TABLE
90 to 100 points:
A great mag, worth subscribing to immediately.
80 to 89 points:
Flawed in some way, but still a solid publication.
60 to 79 points:
Mediocre, feeble...good for an issue now and then.
40 to 59 points:
For the illiterate or intoxicated only.
Below 40 points:
Aunt May wouldn�t line her bird cage with it!
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Axcess
(P.O. Box 9309, San Diego, CA 92169)
Subtitled "Music-Cyberculture-Style," Axcess is perhaps the most
blatant of all of these in its appeal to the so-called "13th generation."
What they do, however, they do well. Axcess is a slick journal of guerrilla
thought, reaching beyond the predictable to expose its readers to some
truly dangerous, thought-provoking material.
The second issue of Axcess features a fascinating two-page spread
on the virtual art of Glen Grillo, an informative and comprehensive overview
of San Diego's growing music scene, a picturesque guide to "future fetish
fashion" and interviews with Julianna Hatfield, Stereo MCs and performance
artist Jennifer Moon. There are profiles of young entrepreneurs, book and
CD reviews and a look at the art of underground misanthrope Joe Coleman.
The graphics are slick and colorful, generated by a host of high-tech
gizmos and accompanying software, but they are anything but cluttered. It's
a clean read, as visually exciting as it is cerebrally entertaining.
(Email:
[email protected])
Editorial Diversity: 21 points; Editorial Substance: 23 points;
Style: 20 points; Relevance: 9 points; Value: 18 points
TOTAL SCORE: 91 points
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Bikini
(807 Navy Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405)
Brought to you by the same folks who brought you the Ray Gun music
mag, Bikini is yin to its sister publication's yang. The basic lay-out is
just as graphic as its predecessor, but far easier to read and visually
less confusing. Ray Gun looks like some pretentious little wanker playing
with his new Mac, Bikini has some true style to it.
Bikini's premiere issue offered pieces on Luscious Jackson,
filmaker/actor Alex Winter and Lemonhead Evan Dando as well as a delicious
photo spread on actress Alyssa Milano. Obligatory CD reviews, some
interesting newsbites and plenty of photos round out an encouraging debut.
Issue deaux gets even better, with features on actress Nicole
Eggbert, Ren & Stimpy creator John Kricfalusi and comedian Adam Sandler. An
interview with and photo shoot on the always-beautiful Traci Lords and a
special section on interactive software, games and other such facets of the
"information highway" stand out in another superb issue. Bikini wants to
become this generation's G.Q. and with its editorial focus on cars,
entertainment, girls and gadgets, it may well become what it wishes to.
(MCI Mail:
[email protected])
Editorial Diversity: 18 points; Editorial Substance: 21 points;
Style: 20 points; Relevance: 8 points; Value: 15 points
TOTAL SCORE: 82 points
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Might (544 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107)
An editorial mixed bag of politics, culture and style, Might's
accomplishments are also mixed. Their debut issues offers several
highlights: Stephen Bloom's look at ticket surcharges, pieces on activist
rap and the Burning Man Festival and a pirate radio primer are original and
interesting works. The 18 year timeline is just plain pretentious, the ass-
kissing capsule bios of "The Might Index" useless and self-serving and the
wage slavery feature anything but clever (ya want info on wage slavery?
Talk to anti-work icon Bob Black....). Graphically, the zine is lifeless
and unexciting, taking few chances. Might seems to be a zine in search of
an identity, a whitebread, plain vanilla cultural document. Hopefully its
few good points will eventually out shadow its few negative aspects.
Editorial Diversity: 17 points; Editorial Substance: 18 points;
Style: 10 points; Relevance: 9 points; Value: 15 points
TOTAL SCORE: 69 points
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Hypno (624 Broadway, 3rd Floor, San Diego, CA 92101)
My personal fave from among the zines listed here, Hypno offers
more of what I'm looking for. This first issue to be nationally-distributed
features musical pieces on Genitorturers, the Psyclone Rangers, Verve and
Machines of Loving Grace. A rant on the omnipresent cult of Manson is well-
done if somewhat missing the mark, while Hypno's profile of the late comic
artist Jack Kirby has become an unfortunately timely tribute to the man's
genius (with a cool Kirby center spread that is suitable for framing). A
graphic feature on artist Mark Landman, a "selective" history of industrial
music by Caberet Voltaire's Richard Kirk and the usual CD, video and print
media reviews close out this cool issue.
For their second issue, Hypno brought out interviews with Perry
Farrell and his original band, Psi Com, rockers Green Day, Pennywise and
Type O Negative, an overview of the mondo art of Kalynn Campbell, some
colorful Graphiti art, a fascinating look at the fetish-oriented photo-
graphic work of the legendary Charles Gatewood, the second part of Kirk's
industrial music history and the usual cool media reviews and such
(including a sordid and detailed reciew of a live perfornace by the
gorgeous Duchess DeSade!). Graphically, Hypno borrows heavily from the
skateboard and rave cultures, but isn't afraid to try some new things as
well, which makes for an entertaining and highly visual literary sojourn.
Editorial Diversity: 24 points; Editorial Substance: 24 points;
Style: 18 points; Relevance: 9 points; Value: 20 points
TOTAL SCORE: 95 points
File No. 6 ===============================================================
INTERNATIONAL POP OVERTHROW BY JESSE GARON
What makes a good pop song? What is it about some songs that make them
stand out in the middle of a radio sequence, or grabs your attention while
you're watching MTV, or makes you listen to your CD / tape player (or even,
if you have one, a turntable) that much harder? There's no definite answer,
of course, because pop music affects everybody differently. It's about
emotional resonances, and the songs that sum up your life the instant you
hear them. So the songs that make up the soundtrack of one person's soul
might mean absolutely nothing to somebody else. But the principles involved
are the same from person to person, so I'd like to talk a bit about three
songs that have been near the core of my pop music experience the last
month or so.
"Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" by the Crash Test Dummies has a deceivingly
simple melody that is well put together and seems whole, complete. But when
you actually listen to the lyrics, it becomes a song about the things that
just don't fit. It's not just that the verses don't rhyme - they aren't
really connected to each other in any sensible way. Each verse presents an
extremely sharp, well-defined image of a misfit. From the boy who got in
the accident, to the girl with birthmarks all over her body, to the boy who
goes to church, I get odd little details that make each character stand out
in my mind. And I always find myself asking what it is about these details -
what do they say about their characters? Why does the boy's hair change
from black to white? Why does the girl's refusal to change in the changing
room seem so poignant? The song lets the listener in on certain details of
the characters, but they are the kind of ambiguous details that leave more
questions unanswered, even as the images linger in my subconscious.
"Mr. Jones" by Counting Crows is another song whose writer had an
eye for arresting detail. From the opening line, "I was down at the New
Amsterdam / staring at this yellow-haired girl," I feel as if I can see
the 'narrator' of the song, hanging around in nightclubs, bars and clubs
with his compadre Mr. Jones. They "stare at the beautiful women" and wish
that they had the nerve to approach them. And all the while, the character
who is telling us all this, who seems unable to connect with one woman,
wishes that he could transcend himself and become so famous that "when I
look at the television, I...see me staring right back at me." When he's an
image that everybody knows and loves, he dreams, he'll never be lonely
again. In the meantime, he keeps looking at women and wondering if one will
ever come along that will be right for him. I suspect that if I went into
much detail about my personal resonances with this song, this article could
generate into maudlin self-pity, but the great thing about this song is
that, in my opinion, you never get disgusted with how sorry the character
feels for himself. He always remains interesting, probably because we can
all recognize how each of us, at one time or another, has watched TV or
movies, or listened to the radio, and thought to ourselves, "God, I wish I
was there." We live in a world where what's "real," what is often considered
to be most substantial, is what the media makes ubiquitous. Never mind
whether or not we actually have any real emotional connection to Nancy
Kerrigan or the Menendez brothers or the celebrity of your choice; we always
see them, so they are always on our mind, even when we don�t WANT to think
about them. And sometimes, when making a genuine emotional connection with
another soul just doesn't seem to work, it's easy to think about being
connected to everything and everybody and imagine that it actually might
mean something, even if it would really reduce you to nothing.
As for the Smashing Pumpkins� "Disarm," it's just the whole Phil
Spector aural overload effect, which automatically conveys a sense of
emotional urgency, of some primal feeling which the singer is letting
loose - from the low strings (bass or cello?) to the timpani drum and the
"church bells," the song _sounds_ urgent and compelling. Combine that with
the lyrics, which seem to portray a tortured young soul on the edge of
existence (not so coincidentally, another element of classic Spector
material - think "River Deep Mountain High" and you understand where
"Disarm" is aiming for), and something in me just clicks. The chorus line,
"the killer in me is the killer in you," suggests of course Jim Thompson's
novel _The Killer Inside Me_, but even more than that, it suggests the
streak of fatalism verging on nihilism that runs throughout Thompson's
work, and so much of our popular culture. The character "used to be a little
boy," and then things went horribly wrong, and now "what's a boy supposed to
do?" It's a haunting image that runs through, among other places, Elvis
songs like "In the Ghetto" and "Kentucky Rain," _Catcher in the Rye_, Rebel
Without A Cause, hardboiled detectives, Pink Floyd's _The Wall_ (album and
film), even in the Hong Kong action thrillers of John Woo. The abyss calls
to each of us, and we are simultaneously attracted to and repulsed by it,
and when we are unable to admit this to ourselves, we revel in watching
other people, especially the fictional, dealing with this crisis. And if,
in identifying with these texts, we temporarily blow our lives out of
proportion, well isn't that what great pop music is all about - taking the
ordinary and making it sublime, just for a few minutes?
File No. 7 ===============================================================
RE/ISSUES: WEBB WILDER, KIM WILDE, TOM PETTY & JOHN CALE
Often relegated to the shadows of his infamous Velvet Underground cohort
Lou Reed, the many impressive artistic accomplishments of John Cale have
often gone largely unnoticed. A classically trained musician with a poet's
eye for lyrical detail, Cale's musical experimentations and creations
during the early to mid-seventies were a precursor to punk, an aesthetic
forebear of the sort of techno-shamanism popularized by his contemporary
Brian Eno, and an influential element of the British Folk movement.
The Warner Archives reissues of Cale's _The Academy In Peril_ and
_Paris 1919_ showcase the classical and folksy sides, respectively, of this
underrated artist. _The Academy In Peril_ is quite a musically progressive
album for 1972. Recorded in collaboration with the Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra, Cale accepts the role of alchemist by mixing snatches of
instrumentation, odd tonal inflections and pure avant garde experimentalism
with classical composition in creating an invigorating, maddening work.
Capable of moving from a whisper to a scream within the realm of a 4 minute
song, _The Academy In Peril_ provides a glimpse of genius, foreshadowing
much of the so-called Progressive Rock that would follow.
By comparison, _Paris 1919_, released merely a year later, is a
subdued and much more mellow work. Much of the album is made up of wistful,
wan poetic tales, such as the beautiful opening cut, "Child's Christmas In
Wales," or the baroque-tinged title cut. The entire album has a very
European feel to it, not surprising given its overall thematic slant. It is
a deep, thoughtful effort, appealing to the intellect rather than the
emotions of the listener. It is amazing in that it is one of the calmest
works created by Cale, heavily influencing the British Folk scene that
would follow its 1973 release, as well as predicting the stylistic
direction of the English New Romantic movement that would pass through
popular consciousness a few short years later.
Some performers are best suited to displaying their talents via the
proverbial "hit single." That's the format that their art best fits into,
and even if they never make a great album, they'll produce a number of
great songs. Such an artist is England's Kim Wilde. One of the first of
many early eighties MTV babies, Wilde came to the charts through video fame,
a teenage vixen creating a sensation, belting out pop smashes like "Kids In
America," "Chequered Love" and "Water On Glass." Although her star has long
since dimmed stateside, Wilde has managed to retain a modicum of success in
her native U.K., where tunes like the throbbing dance cut "The Second Time,"
the rocking, rollicking "Rage To Love" or Wilde's soulful cover of the
Holland/Dozier/Holland treasure "You Keep Me Hanging On" have consistently
graced the charts. Ably assisted by songwriting siblings Ricki and Marty,
the beautiful Ms. Wilde keeps her finger on the pulse of pop with her radio-
ready musical gems. You'll find all of the above mentioned and more
collected on _Kim Wilde, The Singles Collection 1981-1993_ (MCA Records), a
must for any true lover of the genre.
Almost two decades have passed since the release of the _Tom Petty &
The Heartbreakers_ album in 1976. The album yielded a pair of radio staples
in "American Girl" and "Breakdown," catapulting a young artist from Florida
named Petty into the Rock spotlight. Over eighteen years and many career ups
and downs later, we have the first collection of hits from Petty and crew,
the worthy _Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Greatest Hits_ (MCA Records).
The keys to Petty's longevity have been his consistency - he seldom
strays far, stylistically, from his Rock & Roll roots - and a top notch band
in The Heartbreakers. Guitarist Mike Campbell, keyboardist Benmont Tench,
drummer Stan Lynch and bassist Howie Epstein have proven to be the perfect
musical foils for Petty's Southern-fried, working class Rock. Petty is
another artist who has largely been successful working in a singles format,
and along the way he's created some memorable songs. Along with a pair of
new songs prepared just for this collection, all of Petty's best-known
material is here: from the aforementioned cuts from the debut disc to
"Refugee," "The Waiting" and "You Got Lucky" to "I Won�t Back Down" and
"Free Fallin'" from Petty's solo effort. If street-smart, roots Rock is
what you crave, then look no further than the eighteen cuts presented here
which document the work of an enduring future Rock & Roll legend.
Webb Wilder is the thinking man's Rock star, a larger-than-life
figure who confesses to loving both kinds of music, Rock and Roll. Thanks
to the kind folks at Watermelon Records (P.O. Box 402088, Austin, Texas
78704), fans of the big man frantically searching for a rare copy of
Wilder's obscure 1986 debut can now grab a copy of _It Came From Nashville_
on compact disc. A manic musical blending of rockabilly, R & B and reckless
country abandon, the album is the product of B-movie culture where women
still wear stockings with garters and the men always pack heat. Offering
such musical treats as the wild instrumental "Horror Hayride," Steve Earle's
wonderful "The Devil�s Right Hand," "It Gets In Your Blood," and the summer-
time classic "Poolside," Webb Wilder and the Beatnecks' _It Came From
Nashville_ offers two-fisted, hard-drinking music for mad daddys.
File No. 8 ===============================================================
CD DU JOUR: THE RAMONES' _ACID EATERS_
When the generally useless Guns 'N' Roses went to the well to draw forth an
album of covers to record, they turned mostly to seventies punk and metal
in illustrating their somewhat shallow roots. Even though bands like The
Damned, Fear and The Germs produced some great music, the first rule in
remaking a song is to improve upon it; failing that, honor it by playing it
as close to the original as possible. G'N'R did neither, instead merely
coming across as tired poseurs cranking out an album to meet contractual
obligations.
Now along comes _Acid Eaters_ (Radioactive/MCA), The Ramones' entry
into this covers circus. That the foursome from Queens should do an album
of cover tunes should really come as no surprise to longtime fans of the
band. It certainly came as no surprise to this critic -- the handful of
brief interviews that I've had with frontman Joey Ramone have always
degenerated into drunken discussions of old records. That Joey, et al
should reach into their record collections and pull out such a handful of
musical gems is a testimony not only to their collective tastes, but also
to the hidden talents of a band most often dismissed as 'one dimensional.'
Whereas the aforementioned chart idols predictably championed the
seventies as their main musical influence, The Ramones turn to the sixties
godfathers and forebears of punk for their cover selections, including on
_Acid Eaters_ a number of expected choices and more than a few pleasant
surprises. There's really not a bad cut to be found on _Acid Eaters_, as
The Ramones provide their typical edge and three-chord manic energy to such
oldies as The Who's "Substitute," the Stones' obscurity "Out Of Time," or
Love's "7 And 7 Is." Quite surprising is the inclusion of John Fogerty's
CCR classic, "Have You Ever Seen The Rain," a Byrds-influenced rendition of
Dylan's "My Back Pages," and an inspired nod to The Animals with Eric
Burdon's "When I Was Young." Covers of The Yardbirds, The Amboy Dukes (the
seventeen-year-old Ted Nugent's first band), The Beach Boys, Jefferson
Airplane, The Troggs and Sky Saxon round out Acid Eaters.
At its best, recording an album of other people's songs should
showcase an artist's roots, the influences that served in creating his or
her own work. At its worst, an album of covers still managed to introduce
young fans to the work of older artists. With _Acid Eaters_, The Ramones
accomplish both, and do it well, opening new musical doors for its young
listeners even while the band pays their respects to their elders and
peers. No higher praise could be given....
File No. 9 ===============================================================
KOOL KUTS : MARCH 1994
The Earthmen / _TEEN SENSATIONS_ (Seed Records)
Tumbleweed / _SUNDIAL_ (Seed Records)
Another pair of records from New York City indie Seed records,
featuring two bands from Australia. The Earthmen have a cool, airy sound
which, at its best, approaches American power pop. You can hear the
plaintiveness in the lead singer's voice as he sings lines like, "I don't
understand how you talk the way you do." And the aptly-named cut "Momentum"
starts out very softly, with some very basic beats, then eventually
explodes in a mass of guitar work and drums that just blew me away.
Tumbleweed is a much less interesting band. Their EP is filled with
the same kind of sludgy noises that you can hear from a hundred other bands.
Nothing about it particularly stood out. In the press release packet that
came with the records, it was claimed that this disc, produced by Mr.
Colson (who has worked with Smashing Pumpkins and My Sister�s Machine), "so
far has been met with rave reviews." I'm afraid I'm going to have to rain
on the parade and put in a vote for ambivalence. But the Earthmen are
definitely worth checking out.
(Seed Records, 19 W. 21 St., Suite 501, New York, NY 10010)
..... Review By Jesse Garon
------------------------------------------------------
Luscious Jackson / _IN SEARCH OF MANNY_ (Grand Royal / Capitol)
The first group to release an album on the Beastie Boys' label
shows that Grand Royal is going to be far more than an exercise in vanity.
The beats are sharp, and the rap delivery is strong. Yes, they do sort of
cover some of the same musical territory as their labelmates / bosses, but
their take on it, including the aggressive sexuality of "Let Yourself Get
Down" and the anarchistic violent streak running through "Daughters of the
Kaos," make the seven songs on this EP sound fresh and different enough so
that it doesn't matter who their friends are. Luscious Jackson is good;
accept that now or deal with it later on.
..... Review By Jesse Garon
------------------------------------------------------
Psychic TV / _HEX SEX_ (Cleopatra Records)
By now, all of you certainly know the story -- Throbbing Gristle,
the artistic progenitors of Psychic TV, created the genre of industrial
music back during the seventies punk era. Since their subsequent founding
in 1982, Psychic TV has further supported and influenced the industrial
style, infusing it with elements of Crowley and the occult, primitive
ritual and ancient mythology and an anarchistic spirit. Fifteen years down
the road, however, and look where it's got us...the original focus of
industrial music has been lost as apocalyptic pop stars grace the Top 40.
Lost among the many musical achievements of PTV is one startling
truth, however, that you may not know, or don't realize: Psychic TV may be
a lot of things, but first and foremost, they're a great pop band. That
said, let's move on to the proof: _Hex Sex_, the first of two discs
collecting the cream of PTV's prolific output of 7" and 12" singles.
Relegated to cult status on this side of the pond, PTV has nonetheless had
a healthy ride upon the British charts, and most of those hits can be found
here. From the band's energetic reworking of the Beach Boys' "Good
Vibrations" to their passionate ode to the late Rolling Stone Brian Jones,
"Godstar;" from the brutal exclamation of "Eve Of Destruction" to their
orgasmic rendering of "Je T'aime" or original, more experimental cuts like
"Supermale" or "Magick Defends Itself," Psychic TV have defined the cutting
edge of creativity.
At their best, Psychic TV will make you rethink what you know and
believe about music, society and yourself; at their worst, PTV is still
artistically exciting. _Hex Sex_ is a fine documentary of some of the band's
more accessible moments...which is not to say that these cuts won't draw
blood. This is 21st century pop for those unafraid to look into the abyss,
and should be treated as such.
(Cleopatra Records, 8726 S. Sepulveda, Suite D-82, Los Angeles, CA 90045)
------------------------------------------------------
Rocket From the Crypt / _CIRCA NOW_ (Interscope/Atlantic)
Amidst the colored streaky lines on the back of the jewel box, the
motto "Crank It or Spank It" can be clearly read. Rocket From the Crypt
cranks it. Highlights for me included "Ditch Digger," "Killy Kill," and the
song that closes out the album "Take That," which is sort of a semi-secret
bonus track; it isn't mentioned in the track listing, but it does get a
songwriting credit in the liner notes. It's like the tail end of the Tubes
classic "White Punks on Dope," only faster, and with a lot more feedback.
This band is apparently so popular in their native San Diego that loyal
fans get the band's logo tattooed on their body - the way I was led to
understand the deal is that if you have the tattoo, you can get into Rocket
shows for free until you die. I don't know if I think they are that good,
but they certainly can rock hard, and I think I can see why some people
would be willing to go that distance for them.
..... Review By Jesse Garon
------------------------------------------------------
Didjits / _QUE SIRHAN SIRHAN_ (Touch and Go Records)
In the words of Burl Ives, "play me a nice song about kissing and
killing." No really, Burl Ives said that once, in a film called Wind Across
The Everglades which you will probably never see on account of how truly
bizarre and beautiful it is. Of course, the Didjits play a LOT faster than
Burl would have liked, but even if they've never seen that film, they've
comprehended the one commandment that he lays out about life --"eat or be
'et." So these are songs about getting shit done before shit gets done to
you, and they are hard and they are fast and they are great.
(Touch And Go Records, PO Box 25520-J, Chicago IL 60625)
..... Review By Jesse Garon
------------------------------------------------------
Indian Rope Burn / _SEX PARTY_ (GGE Records)
At their worst, Ohio's Indian Rope Burn still put the present-era
My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult material to shame, taking that outfit's
early ground-breaking mix of industrial dance, hardcore punk and
controversial lyrical fascination to its logical extremes. _Sex Party_ is a
frantic, energetic collection of material that delves into the genre's
musical topical direction of sex, drugs and the occult without coming
across as tired or cliched. An inspired use of samples and found vocals is
supported by a forceful soundtrack while singer Clay Animation's coarse
vocals are a taut, effective tool. Axeman Mike Crooker's six-string work is
delightfully wicked, whereas the rhythm section keeps the beat in all the
right places. All in all, _Sex Party_ is a fine effort from a young,
independent band.
(GGE Records, P.O. Box 1784, Kent, OH 44240)
------------------------------------------------------
Gearhead / _UP ON BLOCKS_ (Wild Boar Records)
Starting with the familiar bells of an ice cream truck and its
vendor's somewhat desparate cries of "ice cream, ice cream," _Up On
Blocks_ -- a five song EP from an outfit called Gearhead -- has a way of
getting under your skin. A ballsy, sludge-like mix of grunge, industrial
and metal music, _Up On Blocks_ works in spite of uneven, mediocre
production, Gearhead's charisma shining through the mix as the band offers
up a solid 30 minutes of the unexpected, the unusual and the unexplainable.
Heady stuff, this, and well worth going out of your way to track down.
(Wild Boar Records, 103 Pleasant Avenue, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458)
------------------------------------------------------
Steve Taylor / _SQUINT_ (Warner / Alliance)
There are some phrases that a rock critic (which, when I am feeling
especially generous about my writing the snippets that I write here and
elsewhere, is what I allow myself to call myself, even though I'm just an
opinionated snotnose punk with media access) should not write, or be placed
in a situation where s/he feels it might be appropriate to write. Among
these is "pseudo-Marxist prog rock." And yet it fits so damn well when I
listen to _Squint_.
The first two songs are somewhat promising. They are slightly over-
written lyrically, but both of them sound extremely competent, and "Banner-
man" is actually not only catchy, but has some excellent imagery, as it
presents a profile of the sort of guy who waves "John 3:16" banners at
sporting events (the classic example being the Rainbow Man, currently
serving time for his saboteuring activities). From there, however, the
album goes downhill. While the musicianship never slacks, the songs are
overblown and frequently border on the pompous and pretentious. They are
extremely didactic, and try to cram far too much social commentary along
the lines of "religion is the opiate of the masses" and "capitalist society
produces greedy, self-serving bastards" into densely written lyrics that
expound agendas more than they present clear images. The whole thing ends
with "Cash Cow," which is labelled a "rock opera in three acts." Never mind
that technically, it's far too short to be an actual rock opera - the genre
itself has been essentially bloated and useless after the original lineup
of Pink Floyd broke up. Think of the "concept albums" of the 80's - we're
talking the level of _Kilroy Is Here_. Taylor sounds like he can do much
better, and if he spends more time on giving his songs emotional resonance,
and less time on making them planks in a quasi-political platform, his next
album may well be an improvement.
..... Review By Jesse Garon
------------------------------------------------------
The Vandals / _SWEATIN' TO THE OLDIES_ (Triple X Records)
There's been a resurgence of interest in everything punk these past
couple of years, and that's good, with young fans discovering some
important and influential music from the late seventies. Among the bands
lost to that era were The Vandals, who evolved from an anarchistic hardcore
outfit into a country punk posse. They've emerged once again as authentic
dead boys with _Sweatin' To The Oldies_.
Although the lineup on this live set bears but a scant resemblance
to the original Vandals, much of that early spirit remains as the guys runs
through such classics as "Anarchy Burger (Hold The Government)," "The
Legend Of Pat Brown," and "Urban Struggle." The Orange County audience is
appropriately raucous, the band loose, hard and fast...and if it's not
quite like it once was, well...we're all older and not a whit wiser. Check
out _Sweatin' To The Oldies_ and catch a glimpse (or for you fellow geezers,
a memory) of 1981....
(Triple X Records, P.O. Box 862529, Los Angeles, CA 90086)
------------------------------------------------------
Fudge Factory Inc. / _FUDGE FACTORY INC._ (Mongrel Music)
Torrid guitars open "Locust Mind," the first cut from Fudge
Factory, Inc.'s self-titled disc, the axeman waxing electric in a primal
battle for aural domination. It only improves from here, as Fudge Factory,
Inc. crank up the Marshal stacks and kick out a set of seventies-styled
tunes long on entrancing six-string work, pounding drums and psychedelic
flourishes and short on pretension. It's not really fair to term them
retro, the band takes their cue from the "Me" decade; but _Fudge Factory,
Inc._, the album, is more of an exercise in new musical attitude rather
than torn and frayed cliches.
(Mongrel Music, c/o Caroline Records, 114 W. 26th St, New York, NY 10001
------------------------------------------------------
Penal Colony / _PUT YOUR HANDS DOWN_ (Cleopatra Records)
There's a new kind of musical mutant being developed these days, a
sort of inspired insanity that is a hybrid of industrial angst, metallic
fury and technological overkill. It's no surprise that such a frightening
style should rear its ugly head on the cusp of a new century, documenting
the decay of modern society. I'd call it "cyberpunk," but that term is
already taken, and somewhat cliche by now. Instead, I'll call it "cyber-
crush" and count among its practitioners Tool, This God's Machine and Penal
Colony.
_Put Your Hand's Down_ is an uncompromising illustration of cyber-
crush, Penal Colony delving deep into the human psyche to pull out a
collection of nightmarish songs. Oblique lyrics speaking of man's condition
are matched by bludgeoning guitars, foundry-like rhythms and hollow, painful
vocals. Music by the visionary, created for the damned, cybercrush...and
_Put Your Hands Down_ in particular...may well be the face of new pop music.
Get used to it, 'cause the future's every bit as grim as it seems to be.
(Cleopatra, 8726 S. Sepulveda, Suite D-82, Los Angeles, CA 90045)
------------------------------------------------------
Depeche Mode / _SONGS OF FAITH AND DEVOTION_ (Sire/Reprise)
The Sealand Poets / _WELCOME TO THE HEATHEN RESERVE_ (Reprise)
The paragraph devoted to the new Depeche Mode album in the March
issue of Details claims that this live album exactly duplicates the order
of the band's last album and, apart from the addition of screaming teenage
girls in the background, sounds almost exactly like that album. I wouldn't
know, because I've never bought a Depeche Mode album.
There are only two DM songs that I find even remotely worthwhile:
"Blasphemous Rumours" and "Personal Jesus." Every other Depeche Mode song I
have ever heard is crap, from their early hits like "People Are People"
(surely the most insipid and banal song about racism ever written) to the
songs on this album, with the possible exception of their cover of "Get Your
Kicks On Route 66" which they didn't write. The songs that they do write are
extremely dull. I find them uninspiring musically, and filled with a really
obnoxious posed cynicism. They seem to exude this attitude that could be
summed up by saying, "Pop songs are really melodramatic shit, so let's go
through the motions of singing about how angst-ridden and tortured our
lives are, but we'll be very ironic about it and not put any emotion into
the performance, and people will be able to relate to it even more because
it sounds so alienated." If they even have the sensibility to be that
calculated about it.
At least when Brian Ferry pulled the same inversion stunts on his
solo albums in the 70s, you could tell that deep down, he respected the pop
song. In a campy way, perhaps, but he clearly acknowledged the power of
popular music. Depeche Mode sounds clinical and detached by contrast, as if
they couldn't bother to become personally involved with their material. The
two songs that I like, in fact, I actually find enjoyable despite themselves
- both of them have the same annoying qualities as other DM songs, but they
go so far with them ("Blasphemous Rumours" with its ho-hum attitude towards
teen angst and suicide, "Personal Jesus" with its unemotional equation of
spiritual and sensual devotion) that I hear them as parodies of the Depeche
Mode sound. If I didn't know better, I'd suspect them of a deep streak of
black humor and genuine irony (the kind which actually comprehends what it
is putting down).
So, as far as this live album is concerned, maybe it's the same
order of songs as from the last album, and maybe it isn't. Either way,
Details is right: apart from the screaming girls in the background, this
tape sounds exactly like every other piece of crap this band has put out.
Near the end of their new album, the Sealand Poet's female vocalist
declares "We've Got a Sound Now." The problem is, that sound is about as
close to the Depeche Mode sound as six Scandinavians could be expected to
get. Droning instrumentals with very little variance, simplistic lyrics
delivered in a mostly deadpan manner (alternating between a female and a
male lead vocalist), and in general just a rather boring and uninvolving
presentation. Take, for example, the closing song, "She's Liz Taylor And
I'm Dick Burton." Behind background ocean noises and a repetitive riff, the
lead singer says things like "She's Liz Taylor and I�m Dick Burton/And it
ain't exactly Shack Town Shantyland/It's so Caribbean so very Caribbean..."
Now, I don't claim to be the world's greatest expert on either Taylor or
Burton, but I have no idea what ANY of these images have to do with each
other, and the song does nothing to make its imagery clear to the listener.
And if you can't understand why this guy singing about this woman he
observes from a distance thinks of him and her in terms of Burton and
Taylor - if the images don't connect in your mind - the song falls flat. I
mean, "Candle in the Wind" is a really dumb song, in my opinion, but at
least I knew why Elton John was singing about Marilyn Monroe, and what he
meant when he invoked her image.
The Sealand Poets' songs simply don't go anywhere; in their own way,
they are as cold and emotionless as Depeche Mode, though it surely isn't as
intentional. The album isn't a total washout: of the twelve songs, one
("Somebody") is actually vaguely catchy in a repetitive pop way. The riff
they use is okay to listen to, and makes it easier to deal with the minimal
lyrics. But on the whole, the album is pretty boring.
..... REVIEWS BY JESSE GARON
File No. 10 ==============================================================
THE SINGLES SCENE
I.C.U.
"Play Dead" b/w "Ludicrous"
(Radical Records, 77 Bleecker Street, #C221, New York, NY 10012)
Intensive Care Unit is the name behind the acronym, and if this
hot 7" slab o' vinyl isn't handled carefully, that's where you'll end up,
bunkie! "Play Dead" is a dirge-like rocker replete with many scorching
guitars and a pounding rhythm. "Ludicrous" gets even heavier, with Sabbath-
like guitar mania courtesy of Marc Laramee backing up singer Perry Masco's
dark, hoarse vocals. The six strings scream, the vocals soar and the entire
disc is not unlike an aural aneurysm. Get ready to check into the I.C.U.
------------------------------------------------------
The Halfbreeds
_The Halfbreeds_ EP
(Spuyten Duyvil, 509 E. 88th Street, #3C, New York, NY 10128)
Halfbreeds' vocalist Holly Troy sings like a good girl gone bad,
the sort of trashy, pouting, sultry vocals that characterize the best in
aural cheese. I think I'm in love! The rest of The Halfbreeds' lineup ain't
half bad, either, the evidence lying in the grooves of this 3-song, self-
titled EP. The constant beat behind cuts like "Aliens," "Daddy's Home" and
"I Want You" highlights the six string ethics of axemen Francis Cricket and
S. Frog, who kick out a nasty, twangy groove. Played at the proper volume
(loud!), The Halfbreeds EP provides all of the thrills and chills of that
drive-in movie where you got your first kiss.
------------------------------------------------------
Tim Elder
"Everything" b/w "Crucified"
(Sublime Carnage, P.O. Box 80684, Minneapolis, MN 55408)
Tim Elder is the picture of the true rocker, as this self-produced
7" illustrates. Elder wrote the songs, engineered the session, played all
of the instruments and probably mopped the studio floor somewhere along the
line. As for the outcome, it's quite tasty. "Everything" is an eighty-mile-
a-minute raver, a clever, tongue-in-cheek ego fantasy. The B-Side,
"Crucified," is the guitar-driven tale of a "stranger in a strange land."
All in all, an encouraging outing, a classic Rock effort from an artist who
obviously still believes in the power of Rock & Roll.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
LEGALESE, E-MAIL ADDRESSES, INFORMATION, ETC....
R.A.D! and R.A.D! On-Line Copyright 1994 by Keith A. Gordon and CONSPIRACY
M.E.D.I.A, a non-profit anarchist collective working towards the gradual
improvement of popular culture through thought, words and deed, believing
in the virus of ideas and the concept of creative and individual freedom.
------------------------------------------------------
Keith A. Gordon / PUBLISHER & EDITOR
Tracey L. Dooling / ASSOCIATE EDITOR
CONTRIBUTORS /
Jeremy Dickens:
[email protected]
Jesse Garon:
[email protected]
Dru Myers:
[email protected]
Letters of Commentary, Submission of editorial material such as interviews,
reviews, etc may be sent to R.A.D! at P.O. Box 158324, Nashville, TN 37215
Items for review, such as CDs, artist bios and photos, Zines, Video or
whatever should be sent to 826 Old Charlotte Pike East, Franklin, TN 37064
------------------------------------------------------
THANX this issue go out to Randy Ford, Dru 'j.a.' Myers, Pam Cross
("Hiya Pam!"), Steve Kares, Lisa Gottheil, Lisa Markowitz, Ron Hogan,
Michelle Roche, Mary Mancini @ LUCY'S RECORD SHOP, R. Seth Friedman &
Jerod Pore & FACTSHEET FIVE, Jim Testa @ JERSEY BEAT, Donnie & April & the
HOUSE O' PAIN gang, Tom Cording, Lisa Shively, Brian M. @ CLEOPATRA,
Scott P. @ ENERGY RECORDS, Max Vague & Brad Smith, Paul S. @ UNIVERSITY OF
MICHIGAN & anyone we forgot!
------------------------------------------------------
THE NEXT LIVER-QUIVERING ISSUE OF R.A.D! ON-LINE will be a double-size issue
with King's X, more commentary from Keith A. Gordon, Jesse Garon's
International Pop Overthrow column, reviews of new discs from Barefoot
Servants, Richard Thompson and Kristin Hersh & much more! Watch for it on
May 5th!
>** End Ov File, End Ov Transmission **<
