INTRO

       It seems to take me longer and longer to get these things out these days. In the first four years of this mag�s existence, it was a monthly. Of course, it was only four, six, then eight pages each of those months, but it came out regularly. This one issue, once it�s out, will have taken me just under a year. Odd, considering I�d originally planned to have it done in time for Cave Stomp. Later, that became February... then April, May, June, and now the end of July. Yeesh!
       This also means the thing�s half again as long as its predecessor. In some ways, that seems pretty cool. Until I realize that it means I�m probably going to lose money as a result. No, it�s not cheap to print these up.That should explain the sticker shock. Keep in mind that the ads are what�s brought the cost down to that level. Thank them by buying their stuff.
       This may be a labor of love, but between this and the on-line programming class I�m taking, I�ve been working about 10 hours per day on average (and that includes most weekends.) The only difference is that, since it�s summer, I�m off. That means that those ten hours are put in whenever I�m up for it. So if a few of my friends feel like grabbing a bite at Jim Dandy�s, or if they�re up for bowling, I�m ready to go. I�ll just wake up early or stay up later to get my stuff done. But the hours are being put in. I don�t mind because I�m doing something I enjoy. At the same time, however, I realize that I�ve spent nearly half my summer trying to get this mag out. That�s a major time investment, especially considering I know that - because it�s taken me so long to get it together - I stand a good chance of losing money on it.
       What can I do about this? Well, the easy answer is to just put this out more regularly. I�m fairly sure I can obtain enough advertising to put this out three or four times a year and maybe even show a small profit. The only solution is to give myself a schedule and stick to it. I�m not sure I can do that. What I really need is a co-editor who can keep me on track. Unfortunately, I�ve never liked outside authority all that much, so I�m not sure I�ll be willing to listen to someone - even a close friend - trying to tell me when to put my own �zine out. Well, maybe I can set myself a pace. Guess you�ll know when you see the next issue or two, huh?
       Enough of the whining. Really, my life�s not bad. Well, beyond the fact that Midas wrecked my car and only gave me book value for it. But you can read my vitriolic spew elsewhere in this mag.
       Congratulations to my brother Glenn and his beautiful bride, Vicki, on their recent marriage. It was an incredible weekend. It was great seeing all his friends again, of course, as well as old family friends. Plus, the photographer turned out to be an old high school friend of mine; she�s one of those truly fun people in this world. I was also happy to be in the wedding party this time out, �cuz not only were the rest of the guys in it a bunch of cool people, but the gals in the bridal party were all nice, sweet, and beautiful. So, thank you to Glenn and Vicki for letting me be a part of your special day. And best wishes for a wonderful life together.
       That�s enough news about my life for now. After all, you�ll be reading enough about that when you hit the live sections of this �zine. After all, that is how I spend a good chunk of my time.
       Rather than tell you about what�s inside, I�ll assume each of you can read the Directory of Delights. I will say that the Fuzzfest was an absolute blast and I�m looking forward to returning this year. I�m bummed that I�m missing out on Treble Fest, but... well, it�s a bit expensive for me to get out there and stay there by myself, so I�ll forego it this year. In the meantime, I�ll just hope Cave Stomp takes place again this fall.
       Cheers!
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DIRECTORY OF DELIGHTS

The Diaboliks, Finest Girl Garage Punk - an interview by Steve Coleman
Fuzzfest, �97 - it was Labor Day weekend and the fuzz was flying high
Fuzzfest Bands On Record -  recordings by a few of the bands
The Golliwogs - a look at their recordings, plus a bit of history
Cave Stomp - garage fest wildness in New York City, October �97
The Captivating Sounds of ? & the Mysterians - their Cave Stomp set on disc
Pirate Love, The Subsonics - an interview by Bob Kondrak
Follow Me Down - the latest disc by The Subsonics
The Bethlehem Beat - rockinroll in the Christmas City, focusing on the Creatures & Original Sins
Suburban Primitive - the final (?) studio disc from The Original Sins
Neko Case - Roberta Schiffer takes a look at Neko live and on disc
Skeletons In The Garage - a collection of rarities and unreleased material by The Original Sins
The Greek Garage Scene: 1964 - 1967 - Dinos Mekios tells the story
Teenage Shutdown - the new high-water mark in the 60s garage/punk comp world
Life Could Be A Dream, sh-BOOM! - I brought my car in for a brake job and Midas introduced it to a tree
An Untamed Whirl - the Untamed Youth summer �tour� of 1997
Youth Runs Wild - the latest offering from the Barons of the Beer Bust Beat
They Can�t Call It Beer - an Untamed Youth photo page; all pics by Roberta Schiffer
The Outsiders - the Dutch legends reunite for a tour; Sander Van Malsson reports
The Chesterfield Kings On A Surfin� Rampage - a long disc chock full of surf & hot rod goodies, and more
The Morlocks - a live disc bubbles up from below
Head and the Hares - they�ve got a new disc out after six years; meanwhile, that first one�s been re-ished on CD
Livin� It Up Down Under - live reviews of Aussie happenings by Michael Seman
The Makers - their new disc seems to have bunched up more than a few panties
For Your Eyes Only - a bunch of �zine reviews
Live & Outtasite - nearly a year�s worth of live reviews
Seven Nights To Super Rock - Eric Fusco reports on the Fleshtones� January jamboree
The Evaporators - Nardwuar and his merry men came to NYC
Singled Out - 45s by The King Normals, Ray-Ons, Seculars, No Talents, MTX, Junior Varsity, Razzels, Flashback V, Down�n�Outs, Insect, Mondo Topless, Godzillas, Fortune & Maltese, Church Keys, Untamed Youth, Deke Dickerson, Dictators, Deep Reduction, Hellacopters, Nashville Pussy, Royal Pendletons, Frigg A-Go-Go, Primate 5, Mount McKinleys, and the Von Zippers
Step On My Big 10 Inch... Record - Thee Headcoats, Woggles, Titans, Rocket 455, Maharajas, and Slow Slushy Boys
Diameter - One Foot - albums by the Vendettas, Insect, Evaporators, and Demolition Doll Rods
Bubbling Up Down Under - recordings from the Land of Oz, including the DM3, Summer Suns, You Am I, Challenger 7, Pyramidiacs, Hekawis, and Crusaders
Digital Derring-Do - discs by The Hectics, Element 79, Hate Bombs, Frigg A-Go-Go, Satelliters, Swingin� Neckbreakers, Aquamen, Smugglers, Groovie Ghoulies, MTX, Decibels, Tonics, Johnny Chan & New Dynasty Six, Autumn Leaves, Michael Mazzarella, Frenchy, Stool Pigeons, Donnas, Dead Boys, and the Mullens
Vinyl Parties - think of this as the vinyl �various artists� section
Six Sides of the Mants - one of the coolest Canadian combos around.........
The Splinters - some swingin� sounds from this French group
Strummin� Mental - instro madness from The Fathoms, Space Cossacks, Penetrators, Del-Vamps, Los Mel-Tones, Switch Trout, Boss Martians, I Cosmonauti, and Thee Phantom 5ive
CD Comps - various artists from now and then, plus now paying tribute to then
CD Anthologies - collections of tracks by Cub, the Green Pajamas, the Lears, and Donovan�s Brain
Unearthed & Re-ished - digging into dusty vaults to find the Mystics, Gene Summers, Group $oall, & Peter & the Blizzards
Even More Music - here you�ll find more reviews in all forms
The Sovereign Sounds of The Sires - now here�s some rock�n�roll royalty
Some Recordings by The Others - the Italian boys burst forth with a bevy of big ones
Where To Get �Em - addresses for most of the labels (some of �em don�t put their address on!)
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SEND GIFTS TO:
The Teen Scene
34 Highland Cross #2
Rutherford, NJ  07070
-OR-
[email protected]
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WHO�S TO BLAME
Blair Buscareno - everything without somebody else�s name.  Nothing anyone else wrote, however, has been changed, barring grammar and spell-checking. In other words... Blame ME!
Steve Coleman - interview with The Diaboliks, as well as the live report that goes with it
Bill Jones - editing assistance on the Mosquitos and Secret Service portions of the Cave Stomp piece
Bob Kondrak - interview with The Subsonics
Wiebo de Wit - pre-Creedence history
Roberta Schiffer - Neko case article (not the 7� review; that�s my fault)
Dinos Mekios - on the mid-60s  Greek Garage Scene
Sander Van Malsson - reporting on the Outsiders reunion
Michael Seman - The Hoodoo Gurus and The Stems live reports
Eric Fusco - checks out The Fleshtones
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PHOTOS (print version only):

Bob Kondrak - most of the cover, large Diaboliks shots, Fuzzfest, and Subsonics
Josh Lewis - cover photo of The Untamed Youth
Steve Coleman - pint-size pics of The Diaboliks
Chris Egan - Creatures of the Golden Dawn
Tom Bessoir - JT/Original Sins
Roberta Schiffer - Untamed Youth, except cover
Michael Seman - Stems shots
(All other photos have been provided by the bands without listing a photographer. Apologies to those who took them. But thanks!)
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Pete Ciccone - layout and printing advice and assistance
Bill Jones - for editorial assistance
Wiebo de Wit - major thanks for allowing me to reprint his pre-Creedence history (check out http://www.xs4all.nl/~wdw/)
       Thanks also go to all the great people who wrote articles and/or provided pics. In addition, thank you to everyone who sent records, discs, and �zines.
       BIG thanks to the advertisers (print version).
        NO thanks to Midas.
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THE DIABOLIKS: FINEST GIRL GARAGE PUNK
Interview and Small Photos
by Steve Coleman

       The following interview was taped with the  Diaboliks after the UK Premier of �Perverella� at  the Dirty Water Club last September.  The film,  a low budget pastiche of fifties Sci-Fi and  cheap exploitation B movies, was filmed in  London during 1996 and contains the celluloid  debut of Bruce Brand (Thee Headcoats�  drummer), Sexton Ming (Medway Poet) and  several musicians from the garage scene in  London.  Sexton and Bruce both take superbly  funny roles and are obviously accomplished  actors.  �Perverella� also contains a fantastic  clip of Thee Headcoats miming �Beach Bums  Must Die� on the British south coast  surrounded by a wild partying crowd.  In  addition, you�ll discover the Diaboliks during the  harem scene, sat down and cross legged,  playing psychedelic eastern music for the  Caliph�s pleasure.  After the film had finished  the Diaboliks took to the DWC stage,  resplendent in silver bikinis �cept for Dan of  course, for one of the best sets I�ve seen them  play all year.  Over the last twelve months the  band have become much tighter and have  placed the emphasis on performing original  material.   So, after waiting by the stage door  for them to change back into street clothes,  they agreed to run the interview in the early  hours of a warm Friday morning.

TEEN SCENE : Could you introduce yourselves?
I�m Sophie the drummer.
I�m Babz and I�m the singer.
I�m Anja the bass player.  That�s A-N-J-A.
You might recognize my voice, I�m Dan the guitar player.

TS : You were all regulars at the Wild Boston  Room for years.  How did the Diaboliks start?
ANJA : Over to Babz...
BABZ : It was so long ago I can�t remember now!
SOPHIE : Well you wanted to get a band together and I remember you came up to me.
BABZ : Yeah, I went up to Sophie.  I was in the Slingbacks and when we split up I really wanted to carry on and I heard that Sophie was a dab  hand with the sticks so I asked her if she  wanted to drum.  Then I asked Anja, who I didn�t  know at all, and asked her if she wanted to join.
ANJA : Imported from Germany.
BABZ : We had a French guy playing guitar at  the very beginning for a few rehearsals and  then we roped Dan in.

TS : You bill yourselves as �Finest Girl Garage  Punk�.  So why didn�t you get a female guitar  player?
BABZ : It wasn�t really meant to be an all girl  band.  It was partly and unfortunately, no  offence but... (general laughter),  lack of  availability �cause it would have been nice, not  to be a �girl band� but it�s nice when you can  find a girl that can play guitar.
SOPHIE : Besides we need to have someone  who can lug all the gear, as well!

TS : How do feel about that, Dan?
DAN : What having to lug a lot of gear?
BABZ : Oh, we help... I carry the microphone.

TS : Apart from not wearing a bikini on-stage, Dan...
BABZ : We tried one on him, hey come to the show next Friday?

TS : The Diaboliks always look good on-stage.  Where do all the outfits come from?
ANJA : Over to Babz again...
BABZ : I run a clothing label called Babzotica.   I�ve got my own shop and I make all the clothes and the costumes for us as well.

TS : The Diaboliks are doing pretty well at the  moment.  You�ve an album on Dionysus and  have recently visited California.  How did the  American tour go?
SOPHIE : It went really, really well.  For us it  was a real pleasure to do because, number one,  we were in America. Also, we had time off  between some of the gigs, so we had time to  spend shopping...

TS : How long were you out there for?
ANJA :  Twelve days, but we got to do a bit of  shopping, see some friends and go out for dinner and stuff like that.
DAN : Buy Hawaiian shirts!
ANJA : Yes, buy lots of Hawaiian shirts.  How many did you come back with?
DAN : TEN.
BABZ : The joy of it was that obviously we  couldn�t take any stuff with us, we did one  sound check the whole time we were there, the  guy said �I think you�ll find it�s OK as it is� and  it was.
SOPHIE : We just turned up and played, everything was already set up for us.
DAN : It was great for me �cause I got to use a Mosrite, a Gretsch, and a Jaguar.
ANJA : Dan didn�t have to lug any gear either.
DAN : Hey, I did take a plectrum with me.
BABZ : We really felt like stars for once, just turning up and playing and not having to go through setting everything up and carrying it.

TS : How did the audiences react?
ANJA : Very good, people seemed to really enjoy it.
BABZ : The bands we played with, I must say, they were great.  For example, the Loons were fantastic and they were supporting us which was just incredible.
ANJA : We saw so many excellent bands in America which you never get to see anywhere in Europe.
BABZ : At one time we started the ball rolling  to do a garage festival in the UK but it�s so incredibly hard to get bands over �cause  promoters aren�t willing to give enough money  to people.

TS : Back to the Loons and San Diego.  A friend  said �Ask Sophie about her first night in San  Diego?�
SOPHIE : Aargh... No! Haaa...
ANJA : Huh, news travels fast.
SOPHIE : Who was that?

TS : I�m sorry but I MUST protect my journalistic sources.  No names I�m afraid.
SOPHIE : It was jet lag (everyone laughs).
DAN : And Tequila...
BABZ : And wine...
ANJA : And Newcastle Brown...
SOPHIE : I got spectacularly but gloriously plastered.
ANJA : I�ve never seen you like this ever.

TS : Were you playing that night?
SOPHIE : No.  Suffice to say that I passed out on the bathroom floor and Dan had to come and pick carrots out of my hair.
DAN : Vegetables are so much better second time around.
SOPHIE : I wasn�t feeling very good the next day.  Apparently I crashed out in the flower bed first of all, then Dan picked me up and got me  through the front door, I then went splat on  the floor and that�s where I woke up the next morning.
BABZ : Our first gig in San Diego was in a shop  with the Loons.  Sophie was asleep in the car  until the very last moment, then she crawled  out and came on-stage, did the set, and then crawled back into the car.
SOPHIE : Oh no - hideous (everyone laughs).

TS : Would you like to play the East Coast?
Everyone : Oh yeah!
SOPHIE : CBGBs.
TS : So what�s happening with getting the Diaboliks back to America?
ANJA : Well, the promoter from Tiger Mask offered to do a cross country thing with us.
BABZ : I think it would be good to release a few  more records.  We�ve got a 10� coming out on Dionysus, hopefully at the end of this year, and  a single coming out next week.  So if we get a few more records out we�ll chase it up.

TS : Are you doing well in Europe?
ANJA : We�ve played in Germany three times.  Also in Belgium, Spain...
DAN : Scotland (everyone laughs again).

TS : Sometimes when people come to The Dirty  Water Club they say �You English people are so  reserved, if this band was playing in New York  or Paris people would be going bananas at the  front of the stage�.  How do the crowds differ  in the US, Europe and the UK?
BABZ : It�s not so much the UK even...
SOPHIE : It�s London.
BABZ : �Cause if you play outside of London  people really go for it.  I think that London  people are just so spoilt.  There is so much  going on every night.
ANJA : People are very fashion conscious.
BABZ : It�s subdued here.  Everyone�s got a face and wants to keep it...
DAN : Uurh!
SOPHIE : Was that a burp?
DAN : No it wasn�t it was a gurgle.
ANJA : It was a fart.
SOPHIE : Dan�s first ever recorded burp.
ANJA : The first.
SOPHIE : That was definitely a burp.
DAN : It was NOT a fucking burp (everyone laughs).

TS : On Danger: Diaboliks (Dionysus) there are  some excellent cover versions.  �Willy the Wild  One�, �He�s Got Everything� and �You�re Too Much� by the Eyes.  Who chooses the covers?
DAN : It depends.
BABZ : It�s just a mixture of our diverse influences.
SOPHIE : I always pick a really impossible one.
ANJA : We�re all into garage rock but everyone has their own special little thing as well.

TS : Talking of �own special things� you are all  involved with different projects.  You mentioned  Babzotica, and Anja, aren�t you in the Dirty  Burds?
ANJA : No I�m �in� Babzotica as well.
TS : Well I know that Dan plays guitar with The  Charles Napiers.  Do you want to talk about  that?
DAN : Well, you�ve got to keep your fingers in a few pies.
BABZ : Yeah, definitely.  We also do the Frat  Shack as well - Sophie and I Go-Go dance  there. (The Frat Shack is a bi-monthly garage- trash-soul-club run by Babz and her boyfriend  Josh - SC.)

TS : The garage scene in London is very  incestuous.  Doesn�t Paul, the sound man at  the Dirty Water Club, DJ at the Frat Shack?
BABZ : Yeah, and he also runs another club, a joint club, with us as well.
TS : How would you compare the Dirty Water Club to the Frat Shack?
SOPHIE : The Dirty Water Club is a gig night really.
BABZ : The Frat Shack is a one-off event with  a different theme each time.  We completely  redecorate the whole place, wherever the venue  is �cause we move round quite a lot.  We have  Go-Go dancers and it�s an all night event.
TS : Your themes have ranged from Mexican  Wrestling to Gerry Anderson TB Shows.  Do  you get a different crowd compared to the  Dirty Water Club?
SOPHIE : It�s the Dirty Water Plus isn�t it?
BABZ : Yeah, we get a different crowd.  There�s  a good crossover between the garage scene,  the rockin� scene and even the Mod scene.  It�s  really quite diverse.
SOPHIE : But they all come back, that�s the thing, they don�t just come once.

TS : That sounds healthy.  To see rockers dancing to Northern Soul is very refreshing.
ANJA : It�s just in Europe that the scenes don�t mix like they do over here.
SOPHIE : Mind you, I think that it�s a new thing with the scenes mixing.
ANJA : Yeah, it�s happened over the last couple of years.  There wasn�t anywhere for this to happen before.

TS : I wonder if this was due to the fact that, a few years ago, the Sonics began to get played in the Rockin� clubs?
Everyone : Oh Yeah!
ANJA : Well now you get Gene Vincent played  at a Mod club �cause he did some really good  beat records.  �Bird Doggin� is often played at  the sixties clubs.

TS : Do you think the trash/garage scene in the UK is healthy at the moment?
SOPHIE : Well, it�s as healthy as it�s been in a  long time.  I don�t know if it will ever be really,  really healthy but it would be nice if it was.
BABZ : We could do with a few more bands.

TS : Well we have lots of great bands, perhaps we just need more people to get interested in the music.
BABZ : A few more people AND a few more bands.
SOPHIE : But the time is right at the moment.   With all the retro stuff going on, people  are looking back and exploring a little bit, so  there are a few more new faces coming along  which is good.
BABZ : We could do with a few more bands from abroad coming over.
SOPHIE : Definitely.  Europe is so much smaller now that it�s a shame that more don�t come over as it�s so easy to do.
ANJA : It�s all down to money in the end �cause  the garage scene is so poor.  There is no big  promoter, no big publicity, and how are you  going to pay all these people?

TS : Maybe it doesn�t help that Thee  Headcoats get a hard time in our national  music press.  They are often termed an old-fart  retro band by the NME.
ANJA : Well, that isn�t a bad thing.
BABZ : The music press is like two newspapers  in England.  There are so many fanzines, I mean  I don�t even read the music press, it�s just  bollocks really (laughs).

TS : What other UK bands do the Diaboliks rate?
DAN : Thee Headcoats.
SOPHIE : Sir Bald Diddley, in all of his incarnations, god bless them.
BABZ : The Green Hornets.
DAN : The Cybermen, they�re damn fine.
ANJA : Not forgetting Stewed from Folkestone.

TS : That�s about it for questions.  Thanks for your time and good luck with the new 10� on Dionysus.

Tel : 0171 739 8098
Fax : 0171 278 1074

For further information contact
Dan �Diabolik� at:
[email protected]

Recommended Listening
CD - Danger : Diaboliks  (Dionysus)

Recommended Clothing
The Babzotica Boutique
Exotic Clothing For The Swinging Set
4 French Place
Shoreditch
London E1 6JB
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The Diaboliks
La Brasserie de l�Union
Bruxelles - 24 May

       Hell, that PA is a bit loud, turn it down a touch please?  This was a late Sunday afternoon  show in possibly the best bar in Bruxelles (Buzzcocks, Flamin� Groovies and Zombies on  the Jukebox) and with around one hundred people pushing the Diaboliks into a very tight  corner.  It reminded me a little of some of the long disappeared bars in Camden Town  where students, writers and artists created a real counter culture ambience. In fact there  was a great little crowd at this show and one, rather like the VUB Green Hornet�s gig,  which appeared to have very few clued-up garage rock fans among it.  Despite the crush I  managed to take half a dozen shots of a relaxed and dressed-down band who were  enjoying the good time atmosphere.  Wow, not only were people stood on tables but even  more were stood outside and peering through the windows.  A scenario quite funny in  retrospect.  Apparently this was the last date of a short Euro blast for the Diaboliks which  had been organized to promote their new mini album on Dionysus.  A platter which  incidentally includes a neat spin through �Crawling Back To Me� - an old Tell-Tale Hearts  rave - which was fun to hear after the Loons gig the previous weekend. Would you  believe that the infamous Green Hornets arrived halfway through the set after driving since  breakfast all the way from Hamburg?  Actually it was a great pity they didn�t have the time  or the opportunity to set-up as the audience were ready for another thirty minutes once  the Diaboliks had finished.  In short a great performance stimulated by a very enthusiastic  crowd in a fantastic bar.
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FUZZFEST �97
       I didn�t get much sleep the night before Fuzzfest began.  I packed that evening in plenty of time, but... I just couldn�t drop off.  I woke up around 4 AM, after less than four hours of z�s.  A quick shower and a last minute check for my stuff led into putting out a ton of food and water for our cat, Bugger (a.k.a The Little Boo), since Roberta was also away.  (Thanks be to Andy for lookin� in him while we were away.)
       I had an early flight, so I was getting into Atlanta long before the doors would even open for the afternoon hangout session. I got my rental car, made some wrong turns, and eventually found my way to the hotel. I tried to catch a little shut-eye, but... I was just too excited. I ended up picking up a map in the lobby (not a real one, just one of those little cartoonish ones that have become so popular in the last decade or so. ) Turned out it was a pretty easy drive from the hotel over to the club, so I parked and explored the Little Five Points area, eventually finding a place to grab some good greasy food.
       Eventually, people slowly started showing up at the club, as I ran into members of The Boss Martians (including Joel Trueblood of the Untamed Youth, who�d just joined the BMs), Richard & Glynis, Bob Kondrak, and soon some of my hometown pals, The Insomniacs, as well as The Fleshtones. Not long before it was time for the bar to close to all but the bands, The Bluesman pulled in. We hung out for a bit, then hightailed it back to the hotel to drop his crap off and grab a quick bite before heading back to the club.

Friday Night:
       One of the truly lousy things about New York City is that clubs don�t have their own parking lots. On the rare occasion there�s one nearby, you�ll probably go broke paying for it (unless you�re lucky and the place doesn�t have an attendant at night, the way the Dive was back in the mid-80s.) The Star Bar is wonderful... there�s a nice big parking lot in the back. The only requirement for parking there is that you�re at one of the establishments in that little block of shops (like the club, for instance.)
       Leading off were Thee Flypped Whigs, the first of the weekend�s home teams. Rich Ward led the band through a cool set of mid-60s styled rock�n�roll. Lots of cool originals, ably abetted by covers of stuff like �Nuthin�,� �Rosalyn� and �We�re Pretty Quick.� There�s nothing like a combo organ to ratchet up the cool factor. As it turned out, this weekend would be chock full of Vox, Farfisa, and a couple others.
       The Subsonics (home team #2) were next to the plate. As you can see from the picture, I was completely blown away. They were probably the most different band of any playing this whole fest and, well, they also ended up being one of my top picks. Their music balances on the edge of a gleaming blade, whether they�re skittering on an amphetamine-fueled speed trip or dreamwalking on the highwire. It�s dangerous and overwhelmingly beautiful at the same time. Coming back down to earth, then... Craig Moore of Gonn is rumored to have said, �I�ve never lusted after a rhythm section before.�
       Next it was time for a group from my own state, the Insomniacs. As most will attest, these guys are one of the best bands going right now. They acquitted themselves nicely this evening, doing tracks from both discs, including the crowd-pleasing �Jump & Dance,� as well as �Already Down,� �Don�t Turn Away,� and the Gaunga Dyns� �Stick With Her.� That�s two three-member bands in a row that completely amaze me.
       Moving across the river from NJ on into the Big Town, it was time for the Standard Bearers of Super Rock, The Fleshtones. Yeah, let me have a Power Stance! And �Let The Doorbell Ring.� And it did, �God Damn It.� After all, not a one of these guys is a �Sissy.� So, �Dig In,� then, to �Marjoe.� �I Wanna Feel Something,� sings the Z-Man, giving way to Keith Streng, paying tribute to the locale as he took us �Way Down South.�  Next, we went �Inside.� Who brought us there? The �Love Machine� collectively known as The Fleshtones. These guys can take us through �Burning Hell� (with the help of �The Ghoulman,� that is). Sure, we�ll see a �Screaming Skull� and come in �Dead Stick,� but once we hit the �Kingsmen-like Medley,� all that matters is �How I Feel...�
       Well... wasn�t that hokey as all get-out? (I take it you agree.) Such is life. Seriously, The Fleshtones are one of the all-time great bands. They know how to make a party happen. Tonight was no different.
       As tonight only featured five bands, The Others had a chance to stretch it out. Imported for the Fuzztival from Italy, they were thrilled to embrace an American audience with their brand of 60s inspired rock�n�roll. Much of their set was spent in the folk-punk realm. For those who�re unfamiliar with their records, their cover of The Outsiders� �Lying All The Time,� should give you some idea what I�m talking about. Admittedly, the set was a bit long, however, and I believe people were a little too tired to hear this much folk stuff at this time of the evening. It was a good thing, then, that they later hit some more rockin� stuff, like �Same All Over� and �That�s Your Problem.� Overall, however, they did a fine job.

       On the way back to the hotel, the Bluesman and I stopped to pick up some munchables. We ended up not getting much sleep, either, as we watched a ton of crappy TV and crammed our selves full of junk food. Let the good times roll!

Saturday:
       The next afternoon�s trip over to the Star Bar was a big party. Just about everyone was there by that time. The record tables were set up and people were ready to spend, spend, spend. Of course, many were also ready to drink, drink, drink. (Which they did, did, did.) I met lots of cool people that afternoon, including Ritchie from Screaming Apple, as well as the Amazing Larry (of Captain Cook & the Nootka Sound) and Rocky Serkowney (whose 40th b-day was this weekend.) I also ran into Bruce from Au Go-Go, as well as having a chance to chat with Bernie Kugel of Mystic Eyes, who gave me a copy of his old 70s �zine, Big Star. It was especially great hanging out with the Amazing Larry and Rocky. Bluesman and I ended up having a great time with those guys throughout the fest, including a few stops at a really cool eatery on the way back to the hotel both Saturday and Sunday nights. Truly great guys, I gotta say.

Saturday Night:
       The second night began with a set by the only all-girl bunch of the weekend, Toronto, Ontario�s Girl Bombs. They worked their way through a set of both originals and covers, including such favorites as �Fortune Teller,� �What A Way To Die� and the always-classic �Melvin� (for the uninitiated, that�s �Gloria� sung from the female POV) as the closer.
       Buffi Aguero of The Subsonics had invited me to come see her other band, The Vendettas, play just down the block this evening, but... well, there was no way I was willing to chance missing the Mystic Eyes. These guys don�t play very much in any location. I know Bernie Kugel lives in Brooklyn, but I believe the others still reside up in Buffalo, NY. Their �My Time To Leave� is one of the great singles to ever appear on Get Hip (and one of my favorite 45s, as it happens.) They kicked it off with a cover of �No Reason To Complain� (find it on Our Time To Leave (Get Hip)), following with �Lost My World� (which, if memory serves, can be found on the ROIR cassette, Garage Sale). They also hit favorites like �Little Girl,� �Enough of What I Need,� �I Can Only Give You Everything,� �From Above� (the flip of the first 45), and �I�m A Nothin�,� before bringing the house down with a blast through �My Time To Leave.� While it�s true that I�ve only seen the Mystic Eyes a handful of times, this was easily the best of those. They were truly phenomenal.
       I don�t think anyone whose seen The Hate Bombs would argue that they�re easily one of the absolute best live bands going.  Their Fuzzfest appearance served only to bolster that reputation, as they got everyone dancing like mad (and soaking in glorious sweat!) with stuff like �Stop & Listen,� �She�s No Good,� �She�s The Girl� and �Know About You.� Their energy is about as close to infinite as any of us are ever likely to see.  I wish they�d just hurry up and come play NYC again soon. It�s been far too long.
       The Boss Martians were up next. Unsurprisingly, Joel Trueblood is an excellent addition. He�s an excellent drummer and has a real love for the kind of thing leader Evan Foster specializes in. This was actually the first time I�ve seen the BMs and I was quite happy with their mix of both surf vocals and instrumentals.
       I�ve been wanting to see Mike Stax play for years. I�m still PO�d that the Tell Tale Hearts never came to the East Coast. Later, he formed The Hoods, yet another group that I flipped over. Sadly, they never made it to my side of the country, either. Neither did the Evil Eyes. These days, though, Mike has handed the bass duties off to ex-Bombora Action Andy so as to free himself up to concentrate on being front & center. In addition, he�s got TTH guitarist Eric Bacher playing with him again, not to mention his Hoods� bandmate, John Chilson. With a lineup like this, you know these guys have to be good. The surprise came in just how good. When you talk to these guys, they�re all nice as can be; pleasant and unassuming, even. Put them together on a stage, however, and they wear their collective name better than anyone has a right to expect. The band builds up a charge of snarling rage that�s flung out the lungs and personage of Mike Stax. What a friggin� WILDMAN! (Yeah, a �wildman, wildman, wildman.�) �Future Tense,� �In The Past,� etc., just building the whole time. This was the evening that the Princess Di crash broke on the news and Mike, an Englishman, spewed out �Filthy Rich� to mark the occasion. �Bad Little Woman� came soon after. They climaxed with an absolutely insane version of �Knock, Knock.� I�d just experienced The Loons. Looking back on it now, they may have been the absolute best act of the whole fest. I hear they went to Europe recently. I wish they would�ve done like the Donnas and done a stopover in New York.  Forget that, let�s just get �em to the Northeast already.
       The second night closed with one of the two original 60s garage groups playing the fest, Gonn. They did a looooong set that gave a good glimpse into what many of the bands must�ve been like in the mid-60s. In other words, it was a time when many bands did a good number of covers in their set. Gonn�s included stuff like �When I Was Young,� �Sometimes Good Guys Don�t Wear White,� and The Kinks� �You�re Lookin� Fine,� along with four Doors� tracks (�Take It As It Comes,� �Soul Kitchen,� �Back Door Man,� and �Break On Through�), which got kinda tired (and I really like the Doors), plus a couple Love tracks (�Signed DC� and �Seven & Seven Is.�) Of course, they also hit their two bona fide classics, �Doin� Me In� and �Blackout of Gretely.� The latter was easily the highlight for me, as bassist Craig Moore intoned, �The universe is permeated with the odor of kerosene.� After which they launched into my absolute favorite 60s punkers.  They went on a bit long, but I�m glad I got to see them.

       Bluesman, Rocky, the Amazing Larry, and I piled into the rental and headed back to the hotel, but not before stopping for munchies at the stupidmarket once again. Gotta have munchies. Which, of course, means �gotta forget to sleep.�

Sunday:
       Sunday afternoon was basically a repeat of Saturday. More hanging out at the bar talking to people and buying records. This time I got to spend more time hanging out with Freddy Fortune & Mike Maltese. I also had a chance to talk to Mike Hurtt of The Royal Pendletons for a good chunk of time. I found out that Brian Hurtt of  Agent Raygun is, indeed, his younger brother. I only wish my younger brothers could be into cool music.

Sunday Night:
       I first saw the Royal Pendletons at Garage Rage in NYC in �95. I believe I�d heard them on a 7� and really loved �em. Francis (who had booked that fest) had asked me what bands would be good and I�d recommended Fortune & Maltese. He asked me for other names and I said that if he was getting them, he should get their pals, The Royal Pendletons, as well. I hadn�t seen either band at that point, but I did like their records a ton. That weekend saw me even more nuts about both groups than I�d been before.
       For some reason, however, the Pendletons haven�t been back up. So this was my chance to see them again. Unfortunately, this also turned out to be the night that the organs had huge problems. Sad, too, �cuz this was a big organ night. Still, the Pendletons did a fine set, hitting some of my favorites, like �Sheep Suit,� �Hot Rod Dissertation,� and �Sore Loser� before whipping us into a frenzy with a version of �Double Shot (Of My Baby�s Love).�
       While I�d heard of The Trouble Makers, I�d never heard a note by them before. As it turns out, that was my distinct loss. However, I�m happy to say I got to see this, their final show. (The guitarist was moving to Wisconsin or something.) Simply put, they absolutely bowled me over with a psychotic rage of shredded guitar chords. Sacramento, CA should be in mourning now that these guys are gone. WOW!  After they were done (and I was again wringing out my t-shirt and suffering through sweat-soaked jeans), I practically vaulted over the railing to buy their 7� EP.
       Later, while downing cup after cup of the water that was thoughtfully mounted in one of the back corners, I got a chance to talk with the guitarist, a guy in his late 40s who�s gotta have around 15 years on the rest of the band, something I found beyond cool. Turns out he�s originally a bassist and had played in surf groups in the early-mid 60s. He�d originally planned to play bass and just show one of the other guys a few guitar chords, but they told him he might as well just play them himself. They made the right choice, �cuz he�s just one of those amazing guys who really knows how to take a bunch of chords and throw them in a blender to shake �em up and come out with something truly tasty. I can only hope he hooks up with another bunch of guys of like minds in his new home, �cuz this is someone we need to hear more from. Well, the Fuzzguide says the band�s supposed to have an LP coming out on Screaming Apple. (I assume it�s out by now.) I�ll have to look for it.
       Les Incapables, from Montreal, were up next. They wowed the crowd with lotsa great French fuzz-punkers. I can�t remember what kind of organ the guy was using, but it was ultra-cool looking. Best of all, it was one of the few combo organs that was working perfectly this final night of Fuzzfest.  They hit �Jezebel� in there, but mainly did a bunch of French-language tracks with titles like (please keep in mind that I don�t know how my current word processor deals with accents, OK?) �Tu N�est Pas Sincere� (which I assume means �You�re Not Sincere�), �Pourquoi� (�Why�), and �Vivre Avec Toi.� (Is that �Live With Me?�  Sorry, but I haven�t taken French since early �86.) They were pretty cool and I ended up picking up their 7�er.
       I don�t think anyone out there will deny that The Woggles are one of the most fun bands on today�s scene. It quickly became apparent that this crowd agreed, heaping accolades of sweaty applause upon them. Manfred Jones did his thing and the rest of the band was right in step, with numbers like �Get Tough,� �Do Just What I Say,� fan-favorite �Mule-Lipped,� �I Got Your Number,� �My Baby Likes To Boogaloo,� �Push,� and �Carnivore.� (Yeah, �What I like is Vitamin You!�) And, as always, I went nuts to their regular-set closer of The Creeps� �Hi Hi Pretty Girl.� It was a special treat to see these guys on their home turf.
       I�m always psyched to see Fortune & Maltese. So, by the way, was Johnny Bartlett, who (at that point) had recently put out an LP by them on Hillsdale, but had never seen them. I was disappointed that there were major problems with the organ (and I�m sure Mike Maltese must�ve been frustrated as all hell), but they played it quite well. And, of course, their pals in the Royal Pendletons occasionally would jump in to either urge them on or taunt them, so as to make �em reach that much higher. They hit such favorites as �Wig Wam,� �She�s A Blow Out,� �Fools Gold,� �Girls Ruin Everything,� �Bamboozled Again,� �Low Man On The Totem Pole,� and �Dirty Old Man.� They also managed to work in a cover of an old favorite of mine, �Chewy Chewy.� Ooooohhhhhh, Chewy! What a treat!
       These fests never last long enough. Never. Before we knew it, ? & the Mysterians were taking the stage. This is the group that flipped me out so mightily in my late teens, when I first got to hear the 96 Tears LP at our college radio station. An argument could easily be made that rock�n�roll has never gotten better than that album. Here they were, over 30 years later... the original lineup! They took the stage and proceeded to work their way through a good long set of Mysterians� favorites. Yeah, �it�s 10 O�Clock and it�s too late, bay-beh!� �18,� �Girl, You Captivate Me,� etc. Little Frank spent a bit more time on the modern keys than I would�ve liked, but I attributed that to the organ problems. When they hit �96 Tears,� who could help but go absolutely nuts? Eventually, it was encore time, culminating in a reprise of their #1 hit.
       This was the first time I got to see ? & the Mysterians. They�d be better a couple months later at Cave Stomp in NYC, but this was still a ton of fun.

       Everybody spent the time remaining (actually, I think the bar was supposed to be closed by this point) picking up merchandise (I got the ? t-shirt, of course) and frantically jotting down addresses, etc. to stay in touch. Of course, leaving the bar didn�t exactly end anything. Everyone just moved the party outside. By this point, my lack of sleep was catching up with me and I was starting to feel kinda sick. I had an early AM plane flight to catch. As a result, I declined the offer to continue the party at one of the local grease pits, much as I would�ve loved to. Bluesman and I said our good-byes and went back to the hotel once more. I chose not to sleep, since I had to get up early.
       I got a bit of sleep on the plane flight, but not nearly enough. I was happy to be home early, tho�. It meant that my final day of summer vacation wasn�t spent getting home. Instead, I had nearly a full day to enjoy before launching myself headlong into another crazed year of teaching. (It�s a great job, but it takes a ton out of you!)

The Wrap-Up
       Garage fests are great not only for the fantastic bands you get to see, but for all the cool people you end up hanging out with. It�s basically a huge party that runs for three days straight. You see some great rock�n�roll, meet new people, and hang out with friends from all over the place. This is the kind of thing that puts me on top of the world.
       While I enjoyed just about everybody, there were some bands who really blew me away. I�m not going to try and pick a winner. Rather, here are my nominations for �Best of Fest�: The Trouble Makers, The Subsonics, The Loons, The Woggles, & The Hate Bombs. Some of the bands suffered due to the organ problems, but still managed to put on great sets. Unfortunately, those problems did mar the performances a bit. A couple other bands, well... I�ve seen them so many times at this point that they�d have to eclipse some of their best performances to get nominated by me. This is hardly fair, I know, but when you�ve seen some bands on the order of 50-100 times, it means you�ve probably seen them do some tremendous shows. Anything that doesn�t rank in that group�s Top 5% means they probably won�t register in a case like this. Like I said, it�s unfair. As to the two 60s outfits playing, well... the Mysterians were excellent, but I think that modern keyboard sound put me off just enough to keep them from being nominated. (Keep reading this mag, tho�, and you�ll find some raves about them.) Gonn? Well, I think I explained that above. A few of the other groups don�t fit into any of these categories, I know. I actually did enjoy them, just not as much as the nominated groups. Who knows what�d happen if everything was done over again?
       It was a great weekend. Best of all, it was the absolute PERFECT way to end my summer break. Of course, it meant that I was barely functioning for my first day of work (thankfully, the kids weren�t back till the Wednesday). Bluesman was so completely shot that he missed two days of work!
       Yeah, we had fun.  Thank you to Richard & Glynis.
       You�re damn right we�ll be at Fuzzfest �98!
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FUZZFEST BANDS ON RECORD

The Girl Bombs Blow Up With... (Misty Lane)
       These Canadian gals greet the garage world with their version of The Belles� �Come Back�, showing their love for mid-60s garage pop and keeping it endearingly simple.  They continue the trend with an original in the same style, entitled �To Be Mine.�  It moves more towards the primitive side of the �Girls in the Garage� sound, although Suzanne occasionally throws in a hot blast on the guitar (not to mention some cool twang lead-ins).  Down on the bottom, we get their eponymous theme song, as they throw some screams together with a few favored chords.  They finish with an instro creeper called �The Bombshell.�  A fine debut.

Les Incapables �Mon Pere Est Millionaire�/�Orage A La Plage� (Primitive)
       Over in the province of Quebec, we meet a bunch of guys who�ve decided that far too much music is sung in English.  And so they lay down all their garage groove vocals en francais.  (Sorry, I have no idea where the accent things are on this keyboard.)  The A-side�s filled with attitude, bebe, at-ti-tude!  This one�s full-on garage with the fuzztone set way up.  Flip it over and they�ve turned off the vocal mic (meaning the only French is in the title) for a cool organ-based spy-fi instro.

The Troublemakers EP (Swingline)
       YEOW!!!  Just like the guy on the back of the sleeve, I didn�t think these guys could set down their sound on vinyl.  And, again like said sleeve note guy, I was wrong.  Dead wrong!  They crank it up with a revved-up version of The Haunted�s classic �1-2-5.�  The vocal keeps it from sounding like the original (which may throw a few off to start), but it moves.  Yeah... MOVES!  With �Get Out Of My Head� they start slinging chunks of snot chords around like an Animal House food fight.  In the instro break, those self-same guitar chunks get shredded like one of Oliver North�s secret documents.  Man, that guy can rip!  Flip it over and you�ll get tons of cool harp and garage fun on �That�s Funny, All Right.�  They finish with �Cursed Again,� which is kinda Diddley-based, but it�s absolutely drowned in wild garage sauce. Once again, the secret weapon is that guitar, tearing like mad with incisors bared and sharpened.  Wish they had more...

Gonn �Blackout of Gretely�/�Pain In My Heart� (Emir)
       �The Universe Is Permeated With The Odor Of Kerosene!�
       Now that is a line that any garage fan worth their weight in fuzz should know by heart.  So, why did bassist Craig Moore re-ish it.  Well, according to the liner notes, he was never able to get the original masters on this one from the guy who recorded them.  However, when the band did a partial reunion in the early 90s, a young guy came up to them and said that the recording engineer had since died and this guy had rescued these masters.  Although Craig had re-issued the 45 from a copy back in �88, he decided to do it again now that he had the masters.  Well, it sounds great, so I won�t belabor the point.  This one�s a classic that I�m glad to own.  Underneath, they take on �Pain In My Heart,� basing it on the version from The Rolling Stones Now!  Craig Moore writes that this was used as a way to pick up girls.  It�s got all those elements, too... lotsa soul and pain.  Wonder if it worked...

The Loons
�In The Past�/�Face Out of Phase�/�Knock Knock� (Thermionic)
�16 Story Reflection�/�Future Tense� (Screaming Apple)
�Paradise�/�I Drain The Dregs� (Time Bomb)
       The Loons are turning into one of the wildest bands on today�s scene.  A good portion of that reputation comes from their live show.  Still, their records do more than just hint at the group�s mastery.  Their version of We The People�s �In The Past� is powerful and rough, as Eric Bacher�s guitar burbles its way back thru time.  �Face Out of Phase� is dark, dominating number with a pop melody struggling to get out.  The killer track on this EP, however, is �Knock Knock,� recorded live to give the live-Loon-deprived a taste of just what the band is capable of, shows them in various phases.  In fact, it becomes quite clear that, while this band can rave up better than almost anyone, they also know the strength and majesty of moving at a more deliberate tempo.  The contrasting sections of this track pulled into one are what make it one of the band�s best.
       On �16 Story Reflection� they move more towards the raving Dutch Beat sound that a few people have tried to shoehorn them into.  As with all the rest of their material, these guys do it with style.  This one features a truly dangerous full-bodied fuzz bass from Action Andy, while vocalist Mike Stax does his thing (which includes some truly boneshattering screaming, along with some murderous maracas).  The chords swagger fluidly on �Future Tense� as they storm forward once again.
       �Paradise� is generally faster than most of the group�s material, but my favorite parts are easily the rumbling bass sections, as they give the group the feel of an avalanche ready to wipe out this �paradise.�  Just as the up-side was among the group�s quickest, underneath, �I Drain The Dregs� is among their most measured, working as a sort of bad-weather ballad.
..............................................................................
THE GOLLIWOGS
by Blair Buscareno

       Many garage fans have a high opinion of Creedence Clearwater Revival, despite the fact that the group had their heyday during the height of hippiedom.  Perhaps this is because CCR were never a Flower Power act.  Their music had more weight, not to mention thick, deep roots in a more traditional sort of rock�n�roll.  The historically inclined will already know that, in addition to their famous recording as CCR, these four were also the originators of �Fight Fire� under the moniker The Golliwogs.  A recent discussion on Bomp list brought to light the fact that, while some of the group�s seven singles under that name are available on some comps, they have yet to be thrown together on one CD.  That�s how I found myself taping my copy of the Pre-Creedence LP for a friend of mine.  And how I came to write this look at that fantastic record I picked up for five bucks (on sale from $6.99) some seven or eight years ago.

�In the spring of 1964, four high school friends from El Cerrito, California (a small town across the Bay from San Francisco) who had been playing together since 1959 and touring the California county fairs with their rock �n� roll band representing the El Cerrito Boys Club, saw a TV documentary on educational television.  It was Anatomy of a Hit, a three-part film chronicling the development of Vince Guaraldi�s hit disc, �Cast Your Fate to the Wind� on Fantasy.  The young band, then known as The Blue Velvets, made the trip across the Bay to the Fantasy offices in San Francisco and eventually signed with the company.  Their first records were released that winter as singles under a new group name, The Golliwogs.  The rest is history.  This collection of that material shows the roots of a concept which the world now knows as Creedence Clearwater Revival.  John, Tom, Doug, and Stu went on to tour the world and make innumerable hit discs, but these records remain a fascinating example of the birth of a band.�

       Such are the liner notes on the back of Pre-Creedence (F-9474), an LP released by Fantasy in 1975 compiling seven singles made by CCR in the years before they hit it big.  Of course, by 1975 the boys in the band had gone their separate ways.  While John Fogerty had released The Blue Ridge Rangers LP on Fantasy two years earlier, in �75 he released John Fogerty on Asylum.  Put this together with the fact that some ten years later, on Centerfield, he�d release a song directed at Fantasy label head Saul Zaentz entitled �Zanz Kant Danz� (later changed to �Vanz...� when Zaentz sued) and it seems rather obvious that Fantasy released Pre-Creedence as a way to cash in on the Creedence legacy (as they�d done only a couple years earlier with not one, but two hits collections).  Indeed, the fact that The Blue Ridge Rangers is an LP of all country covers (albeit an excellent one and a must-have for any Fogerty fan) seems to bear out the fact that John Fogerty, at least, had some serious disagreements with Fantasy.  (And, if memory serves, when he made his �comeback� in the mid-80s it was a long time before he�d play CCR songs, just because he didn�t want Saul Zaentz making any more money off of him.)
       This feeling evidently didn�t hold true for John�s brother and band mate, Tom, who actually sings lead on eight of the fourteen tracks on Pre-Creedence.  Tom recorded an LP for Fantasy in 1981, entitled Deal It Out.  Now, while Tom co-wrote all of the tracks on Pre-Creedence and even sang lead on favorites like �Fight Fire,� either John exerted a major influence on Tom in those early years or the intervening time period had a deleterious effect of the sort seen in many other 60s rock�n�roll stalwarts.  Simply put, Deal It Out is just not up to snuff.  It�s not an awful attempt, but it has none of the magic of CCR or John�s records from �73, �75, and �85.  (Sorry, I didn�t much care for the one after that and, while I�ve heard excellent reports of his latest material, I don�t have it... I do accept gifts, tho�.)
       But I�ve digressed, haven�t I?  The point is, while John evidently had a bone to pick with Fantasy, Tom apparently did not.  (He even thanks Paul and Saul Zaentz on the back of Deal It Out.)  Of course, just having one of the Fogerty brothers didn�t make for CCR in 1975 and, as I said, releasing Pre-Creedence must have seemed an excellent way to cash in.

       Before we get to the actual record, it might be helpful to fill in a few gaps.  As you can see by looking at the timeline (see sidebar - ed.), John, Stu, and Doug had formed The Blue Velvets in 1959, when they were still in junior high.  Not too long thereafter, Tom joined the ranks.  (For those of you keeping score at home, that means the original CCR lineup was playing together nearly nine years before anything came out with the Creedence name!)  The group changed its name to Tommy Fogerty and the Blue Velvets, probably to draw a crowd, since Tom had become popular around El Cerrito in 1958 singing first with The Playboys, then with Spider Webb & the Insects.  The group would record three singles for the Orchestra label in the early 60s, but these went nowhere.  (I�ve never heard them, but I�m told they�re somewhat like Ritchie Valens, with �Bonita� being the best of the lot.)  The liner notes on the Pre-Creedence  LP, together with the timeline sidebar, should fill you in on dates of importance through the signing of the contract with Fantasy.
       At this point the band was still called The Blue Velvets.  So why change the name?  Well, Fantasy put two conditions on their signing the group.  Firstly, a name change was in order.  �The Blue Velvets� was just too Fifties.  (I�ve gotta agree.)  So the band decided they�d be called The Visions.  The second condition stated that they needed to get away from the instrumental stuff and move towards something more modern, maybe become a Beat group.
       �Uhh... hold on, buddy, you said they were gonna be called �The Visions�...�
       Yeah, I did.  And it was all set for that to happen, too.  Thing is, between the time they recorded the first 45 and when it actually came out, the British Invasion had hit the US full-force.  Fantasy figured that getting some English group on their roster would be much harder than changing the name of their newest group to something more English-sounding:  The Golliwogs.
       OK. Now let�s get to it.

       The Golliwogs� first three singles all featured rhythm guitarist Tom singing lead.  Most likely this was a combination of Tom�s being four years older than the other guys and that he�d been singing with the band beforehand, anyway.  Regardless, �Don�t Tell Me No Lies� (Fantasy 590) features some solid 60s punk-chording backing a smoother vocal.  While it can hardly be called a raver, it�s a solid start and definitely shows that these guys had been playing for some time already.  Its flip, �Little Girl (Does Your Mama Know?),� is a ballad that has some of the same feel as The Beach Boys� �Little Surfer Girl,� but with some lead guitar bursts that sound something like Mickey Baker, though not as accomplished.
       The follow-up, �Where You Been� (Fantasy 597), worked the same territory as �Little Girl� had, but with the guitar jangling more than anything else.  The band still appeared to be in its infancy.  That is, until you flipped that one over to find �You Came Walking,� 1:49 of the still-teen sounding vocals (though by this time Tom was nearing 23), but with some way-out screeching guitar blasts between verses and even some heavy backing all the way through, punctuated by some tasteful piano plunking.
       It was �You Can�t Be True� (Fantasy 599) that really showed the group coming into their own.  This one rocks it up more, with a heavy backbeat and some nice harp-blowing. (I�m guessing that�s John, as he�d mastered several instruments while still in high school, but evidently Tom could play quite a few, as well.)  This is the kind of track that should have been covered over and over by every flippin� garage band in the land.  It�s even got a bit of a Pretty Things feel to it.  Man, someone cover this one NOW!  This has to rank as one of the group�s best 45s, and certainly the best one they�d done to this point.  The flip �You Got Nothin� On Me� is a tremendous track that�ll remind you a bit of a punkier Beatles doing Chuck Berry�s �Roll Over Beethoven.�  While it doesn�t have the harp of the A-side, it has some great guitar whangin� and shows the band really knows how to move.
       It wasn�t until �Brown-Eyed Girl� (Scorpio 404) that brother John got a chance at the mic.  (Modern-day garage fans know this one from The Swingin� Neckbreakers� second disc, Shake Break.  So at least some of you are familiar with this tune.)  It�s amazing the differences between John and Tom�s voices.  John�s is deeper and rougher, the voice we came to know with CCR.  The maturity in the vocal suggests that John had probably been doing lead vocals in their live shows for quite some time before they got around to recording this.  Sources say John developed his vocal style during a down period in the band, when he was up in Oregon playing some solo gigs at clubs with no real amplification for the vocals, leaving him to scream them out.  �Brown-Eyed Girl� is a slow, powerful track that�ll knock the wind out of you if you�re not paying attention.  The flip, �You Better Be Careful,� features Tom back in front of the mic.  This one�s still not a raver, but it�s faster than the A-side, yet it plays it on the dangerous side, with a real warning feel.  Extra points for being able to really hear the organ.  This would end up being the group�s most popular 45, selling over 10,000 copies.
       Finally we come across the track The Golliwogs are best known for, �Fight Fire� (Scorpio 405), which would turn out to be Tom�s last lead vocal track.  There�s a good reason this one�s so �popular�; simply put, it�s a killer.  There�ve been other versions over the years, including a pretty decent one in the 60s by The Fantastic Dee-Jays, but this is the best of �em all.  It features a beautiful ringing guitar riff that works its way to a major rave-up.  All I can say is, �Wow!�  Thing is, the flip, �Fragile Child� (with John back on vox), is just as good, albeit for completely different reasons.  This one�s not as fast, but the guitar - while showing the beginnings of the swamp-rock sound the band would later be known for - has some pretty jangling hiding in there.  �I walked right up... and I knocked on her door / I asked her for a date... could I see you some more,� each line punctuated with the backing vox, �I wouldn�t do that, I wouldn�t do that.�  Only on the choruses, ��Cuz she�s a fragile child / Oh, she�s a fragile child / Yeah, she�s a fragile child, better leave her alone� do we get a real feel for the Creedence to come.  Best of all, this track�s got some truly pretty organ playing along with the main theme of the song.  This is the one I�d most like to hear John re-cut, although I�d be on top of the world if he played �Fight Fire� live.
       �Walking On The Water� (Scorpio 408) gets more of a dark psych feel thrown in, with a clear guitar shining through as an electric piano plays along below.  In the middle we find a nasty fuzz solo running along almost an Indian-like feel.  This one definitely brings them closer to the Creedence sound, although it doesn�t have quite the same oomph to it.  Indeed, that sound still had yet to be perfected.  I�m not sure I would have bought this one at the time if this was the only track I�d heard.  On the other hand, if the guy down at the local record shop had played �You Better Get It Before It Gets You� for me, I would�ve been sold.  This is nice pop that starts out as a ballad with some more of that Mickey Baker-styled singing guitar and is a definite foreshadowing of greatness to come.  Heck, it�s great all by its lonesome.  Tom�s rhythm chording is soft and easy and makes the perfect backdrop, as the backing vocals add to the effect.  Then, 2/3 of the way through, Stu Cook just lets his bass play it nice and easy and a fuzz guitar starts to take over the same riff they had before and soon Doug Clifford is urging the pace on and things start to really pick up.
       The last single under The Golliwogs� moniker featured two full-group compositions.  First was �Porterville� (Scorpio 412), a track that would soon be found on the self-titled LP, Creedence Clearwater Revival.  John�s vocals were definitely all the way into what would soon be known world-wide as the signature Creedence sound.  His lead guitar sings out and the band rumbles down below, adding burst-styled backing vocals of �I Don�t Care.�  Finally, they finish it up with �Call It Pretending� which looks as much back to the 50s as it does forward towards the group�s future. (Not too much of a surprise, considering that many CCR albums included covers of 50s rock�n�roll, soul, and R&B favorites, a trend that John would hold onto even later in his career.)  It�s fair, but doesn�t measure up to the A-side.  Indeed, it doesn�t help any that the production buries the background vocals under a ton of rubble.

       OK, let�s bring our story to the point most people know...      Towards the end of 1967, a Fantasy Records salesman named Saul Zaentz bought the company from his bosses, who wanted out of the business.  He knew John from his job as a Fantasy packing and shipping clerk and thought the Golliwogs had potential.  But not with that name.  Zaentz saw what was happening in music.  (Let�s face it, all he had to do was look around town.)  He convinced the band to �go pro.�  Early in 1968, Fantasy re-released the �Porterville� 45 under the tag of Creedence Clearwater Revival.  Some months later, the group cut its first LP (which included �Porterville,� along with a live favorite, a cover of Dale Hawkins� �Suzy Q.�)  It went gold.

       Overall, Pre-Creedence is a fantastic look at the early stages of what would become one of the world�s most popular groups of the late 60s/early 70s.  It shows a band developing from their late teens, moving from a smoother sound to a rougher one.  All the way through, however, you can hear their love for the roots of rock�n�roll, something that would stick with them throughout their career as CCR.  Even as the musical world around them moved from overblown solos and self-indulgent �musicianship� on into the beginnings of the ill-named �progressive� rock movement (but that�d require a whole diatribe), Creedence Clearwater Revival maintained their love for a more basic style, albeit done their own way.
       Sadly, the packaging on this LP is absolutely horrid.  The fact that anyone would actually be willing to take credit for art direction on this (his name was Phil Carroll, while the photo was taken by Phil Bray) is beyond me.  I mean, we see a cracked egg in the foreground, with some weeds in back, then an absolutely laughable ROCK-style logo up top.  What the heck is THAT?  Liner notes? Just what I quoted up near the top of this article.  The only other info (besides the bragging done by the Phils) are track listings, songwriting credits, who plays what, and catalog numbers for the original singles.  YEESH!  I mean, these guys don�t even give you release dates... or even a picture of the band!  To quote Suzie Wong, �For Goodness Sake!�

       Having said all that, it�s not like you have too much of a choice if you want the complete releases by The Golliwogs.  This stuff still hasn�t all made it onto one CD and it can�t be found on any other LPs I know of, either.  Personally, I wish some label like Norton or Sundazed would take it upon themselves to do a killer retrospective on these guys.  Who knows, maybe they could even dig up some other gems from the vaults?  Maybe even include the three Blue Velvets 45s.  Unfortunately, the way I understand it, such a disc may be extremely hard to do, what with all the legal entanglements surrounding John Fogerty�s music.  Well, dreaming is free.
..............................................................................
TIMELINE OF EVENTS (courtesy of Wiebo de Wit; see Acknowledgements)
Note: �???� means the month(s) are unknown.
�1958
???: Tom Fogerty plays in �The Playboys�.
�1959
???: Tom Fogerty plays in another band: �Spider Webb and The Insects�
September: John, Doug and Stu begin performing as �Blue Velvets�.
November: Tom Fogerty joins the band changing the name into �Tommy Fogerty And The Blue Velvets�.
�1961
October: TF&BV single �Come On Baby�/�Oh My Love� released.
November: Second single �Have You Ever Been Lonely�/�Bonita� released.
�1962
January: Copyright registration for the unreleased song �Sandy Lou� by Tom Fogerty.
June: Third single �Yes You Did�/�Now You�re Not Mine� released.
October: Copyright registration for the unreleased song �In My Memories� by John Fogerty.
�1963
???: John Fogerty gets a job as picking and shopping clerk at Fantasy Records, while Tom works at Pacific Gas and Electric Co., and Stu and Doug are still at San Jose State College.
�1964
???: After auditioning as an instrumental band, TF&BV are signed by Fantasy records, providing they change their name into �The Golliwogs� and play beat music.
November: The Golliwogs single �Don�t Tell Me No Lies�/�Little Girl� released.
�1965
April: The Golliwogs single �You Came Walking�/�Where You Been� released.
July: Third Golliwogs single �You Can�t Be True�/�You Got Nothin� On Me� released.
�1966
March: The Golliwogs single �Brown-Eyed Girl�/�You Better Be Careful� released.
April: The Golliwogs single �Fight Fire�/�Fragile Child� released.  John and Doug are drafted into the army.
December: The Golliwogs single �Walking On The Water�/�You Better Get It...� released.
�1967
???: John and Doug return from the army.
November: The Golliwogs single �Porterville�/�Call It Pretending� released.
Later that year Saul Zaentz buys Fantasy Records. After discussions with The Golliwogs, they turn professional and change their name to Creedence Clearwater Revival

The Creedence Years
�1967
December 24: �Creedence Clearwater Revival� formed by John Fogerty, Tom Fogerty, Stu Cook and Doug Clifford.
�1968
January : Creedence signs a recording contract with Fantasy Records in San Francisco.
???: �Porterville�/�Call It Pretending� single re-released under the CCR name.
..............................................................................
CAVE STOMP

Prologue:
       In mid-May, �97, I came home to find a message on my answering machine from ex-Vipers� vocalist Jon Weiss.  (Some of you may also recognize him as one of the sax players on The Fleshtones� Roman Gods LP.) He asked that I give him a call. When I got in touch, I found out he wanted to put on a garage fest in NYC. The last time that had been done was the three-night Garage Rage at Coney Island High in December, �95.  Before that? Probably the Bad Music Seminar at Shelter Studios in early November, �88.
       Jon had decided to call it Cave Stomp, after the Thursday night shows that The Vipers headlined at The Dive (NYC 80s garage scene HQ) each week.  He wanted some suggestions and recommendations. Now,  I really wanted to help out, but the last month and a half of the school year tends to be pretty hectic, so I never got a chance to go in for an actual meeting with Jon. We did talk on the phone a few times, tho�.  It became clear that he wanted to have a sort of new-meets-old thing happen. That is, bring back a couple of the old 80s groups and mix them in with the 90s, plus put on some who�d been together the whole time. As time went on, he also added a couple of 60s acts.
       My main suggestion for the 80s groups were The Vipers, The Mosquitos, and The Secret Service. The Vipers, Jon told me, were out of the question. (Definitely too bad, �cuz I think those guys would still blow the doors off the place.)  The Mosquitos were a different sort of problem. It wasn�t that it�d be hard to get them. In fact, Jon Weiss is still pretty friendly with lead singer Vance Brescia. Vance was up for doing it without a doubt. The problem was on the fan side of things. A few of us found out that Vance was planning on doing this as a three-piece - him, Tony Formosa on bass, and Pete Bross on drums. This was the threesome that had played every Wednesday night at Gunther�s in Northport and Desans in East Northport in the mid-80s. It was a fun time, but it wasn�t the Mosquitos. Now, Pete and Tony are excellent musicians - and Pete was actually in the Mosquitos twice, for about 3 months each stint. But the Mosquitos were a five-piece... two guitars, bass, organ, and drums. And they�d been known for their excellent vocals. I can�t verify it, but around �85 or so, I remember them telling me they rehearsed five nights a week, one of which was vocal only.  (And the only guy who didn�t sing in the group was the drummer.) The idea of hearing the Mosquitos without the incredible vocal arrangements and the full instrumentation just seemed wrong.
       There was also the emotional attachment to what most fans thought of as the �lineup of record.� While it�s true that the original lineup was Vance (vocals/guitar), Steve Prisco (lead guitar/vocals), Iain Morrison (bass/vocals), Pat Bischau (drums), and (almost immediately) Tony Millions (organ/vocals), Pat was gone within a year or so to be replaced by temporary drummer Pete Bross.  But Pete was temporary and Mitch Towse soon took his place behind the kit and stayed there for nearly three full years. It wasn�t till the end of �86 that Pete came back... and that was only for the final couple months of the band�s existence. The Mosquitos that most fans had gone nuts for was the lineup with Mitch on drums. This was the bunch that achieved the greatest success: playing a WNEW-hosted show in Tompkins Square Park; winning Best New Band at the New York Music Awards; having the Monkees cover �That Was Then, This Is Now�; and being broadcast live on WNEW on St. Patrick�s Day, �86.
       Unfortunately, Vance wasn�t interested in a reunion with his old bandmates. He says he�s pretty busy these days, doing all sorts of music stuff which doesn�t leave him too much time to rehearse with the guys that he hadn�t played with in over a decade. As a result, it just seemed like it would take too much of a time investment to get everybody else up and running. While Steve is doing pretty well with his rock steady outfit, The Blue Beats, and I�m told Mitch is still drumming around the Huntington area, I don�t think Iain has been playing bass much for quite some time, and Tony actually sold his Farfisa a couple years ago. (To think I could�ve bought that thing some 10 years ago, but didn�t have the dough! Come to think of it, I also had a chance to buy the Chesterfield Kings� Vox Continental, but they wanted a ton of green for that one!  But I digress...) I understood Vance�s reasoning, especially considering that he, Tony, and Pete were still good friends and, more importantly, had been playing together for years. However, with all the factors mentioned, it just didn�t feel right. After all, Steve, Tony, and Iain all indicated a willingness to go for it, but Vance made the decision to do it without them. To be fair, Vance wanted to be billed as �Vance Brescia of the Mosquitos,� but the organizers decided that wouldn�t look right.
       Out on Long Island in the mid-80s, the Mosquitos ruled the roost. But they were somewhat apart from the crowd, probably because most of us were in our late teens/early 20s. Vance was the only one in our age bracket; Mitch was 5 years older than that and the other guys were 10 to 12 years older than I was. They were nice guys, but we just didn�t really hang out together.
       The Secret Service were different - they were part of the crowd.  Their sound was based more on energy than anything else.  Rob Normandin�s windmills and Rickenbashing (and style!) made him an essential element of the band.  Jim Gange played what seemed like a lead bass, fluid runs flying low.  And Steve Peper bashed his kit like nobody�s business.  Fronting it all was Wayne Manor, with perhaps the best set of pipes of any vocalist around.  As a unit, they were far, far more than the sum of their parts.  They were Power & Volume!  And their version of �Biff Bang Pow� defined it all.  The break would come, things�d be taken down... way down, the band back from the mics.  Suddenly, Jim would materialize at the mic, �Let me hear a little BIFF!� and the band would nail it hard once.  Then Rob, �Let me hear a little BANG!�  And harder.  Then... Wayne would come up, wait just a split second, and... �LET ME HEAR A LITTLE POOOOOOWWW!�  And they blasted in harder than before, harder than the whole killer set, escape velocity reached and surpassed... with sweat drenching everyone in earshot.
       Booking The Secret Service for Cave Stomp, of course, posed a whole different set of problems than The Mosquitos �issue.� Jim Gange wasn�t interested in doing a reunion show. Plus, it seemed Wayne Manor would be unavailable. As the summer drew to an end, we found out that he�d be able to do it, after all. What to do about the bass problem, then? Well, the original lead singer of the Secret Service (for the first few months of their existence) was Dave Long, who�d played with  Gange in The Convertibles immediately before. In his time in the Secret Service, Dave had been the second guitarist and keyboard player. After leaving the group, he formed The Fugitives. He was interested in starting a band with Wayne, anyway, so he volunteered his services as bassist and immediately began rehearsing to old tapes of The Secret Service. So these guys were in.
       In the meantime, there were other bands Jon was asking about.  What had I heard about ? & the Mysterians?  (Nothing but great things from my friends in Michigan.) What were the Hentchmen like? (A ton of fun.) How were the Nomads all these years later? (I�d seen them at GarageShock, �95 after waiting for 11 years or so and been absolutely blown away.)
       Also, as August waned and the new school year loomed large, I ran into John Carlucci on-line. He informed me that the first LA version of The Fuzztones was back together and would be playing their first show in a month or so. I told him about Cave Stomp and he said they might be into it. I also mentioned it to Jon Weiss, who flipped when I mentioned it. He said they were a must. Jon got in touch with them and The Fuzztones were a go.

Night One:
       Things were revving up right from the start as Richard & Glynis Ward arrived from DC with my friend LJ and another friend of their�s. We made a bee-line for NYC and actually got there early enough to just hang out a bit. The first band, while set for 8, really wouldn�t go on for awhile after that, so we got a chance to let the night build around us. As is normal for NYC, the crowds didn�t really start hitting for a couple hours.  Let�s face it, when there�s a ton of bands on a bill here, most people don�t want to show up at 8. It�s just not the NY way.
       Pretty soon, tho�, MC Peter Zaremba of The Fleshtones was taking the stage as a big drum-beat boomed out behind him, �from Portland, Maine... The Brood!� Now, I should probably let you know that, while I respect the fact that these gals have been at it ever since the mid-80s, I�ve never really been into them. They just never really clicked with me. But tonight I was primed, so hearing them do old classics like �And I Know� and �Come On, Come On� got the ball rolling.

       Next it was time for The Cheepskates.  While I ran across the Mosquitos during my senior year of high school, I didn�t stumble across the rest of the NYC scene till the Summer of Fuzz, 1984.  One Saturday afternoon, my cousins were down from Rochester and hanging at my grandparents in Queens, so my brothers and I took them into the city and we walked around.  That�s when I stopped into Venus and picked up The Cheepskates LP. It was the first record I�d seen by one of the NY scene bands, so I bought it, even tho� I hadn�t actually seen them live yet.  As it turned out, Run Better Run with its bubblegum pop/garage style, remains one of my favorite records of the 80s garage scene.  The title track stands as the classic, but I have fond memories of singing �Drive-In Movie� when driving around Long Island with my pal Bill Jones.  And of doing a video for it with some friends from my college radio station in the frozen wasteland that is Rochester, NY in the winter. Then there�s �Xtra Collestrial,� the wild garage/noise instro penned by guitarist Dave Herrera. That one has been part of my theme music whenever I�ve had a radio show.  First, The Creation�s �Biff Bang Pow,� then �Xtra Collestrial.�  I think some of today�s garage combos might find this one pretty wild if they�d just give it a listen.
       This night was originally to have been the original lineup. Dave was in town, and organist Shane Faubert (who handled most of the vocals) was there, as was one of the other guys, but... one couldn�t make it, so an ex-Cynic filled in.  The set was filled with mostly the first LP (tho� there might�ve been a track or two from the Second & Last disc, too.) I have to admit, I was pretty impressed. When I�d finally gotten to see the Cheepskates in the mid-80s, I�d been rather disappointed; they just didn�t move me the way the LP did. But in 1997, it was something special. Those songs really are pretty great. No, they were never a bunch of stomping cave-teens, but rather some solid musicians who knew how to write good songs. (The first LP features songs written by all four band members.) It wasn�t just me who enjoyed them this time out, either, �cuz they actually did get brought back for an encore (something I�m not sure they were really expecting) and did a Donovan number. (The passage of time suggests it was probably �Sunshine Superman.�)

       As Vance, Pete and Tony took their positions on stage, Brother Scotto (Mosquitos� manager Scott Savitt) took his place at the mic, struck a pose, and uttered some familiar words that hadn�t been heard in years...
WATCH THE HANDS!!                               <CRASH>
WATCH THE HANDS!!                               <CRASH>
IT�S TIME FOR.... THEEEEEEEEE MOSQUITOS!!!!
       As Scotto finished his intro, the drums kicked in and Vance approached the microphone, �This Then Is The Cave Stomp!� And they launched into the cover that used to get everybody going nuts, �Let�s Stomp.�
       Yeah, many of us had had our misgivings about it. I�ll be brutally honest, too... it just wasn�t the same. Three guys just cannot do the work of five. The Mosquitos always had a full sound to them, thanks to the instrumentation.  As a result, the arrangements just didn�t happen.  And the vocals, well... besides Vance�s incredible voice, The Mosquitos used to have Tony Millions� equally stellar vocals, not to mention some pretty strong ones from Steve and Iain. (Heck, Tony regularly sang lead on one or two songs; Steve had one on occasion; and I even recall Iain doing one or two over the years! And this in a band that truly valued vocals, rather than merely letting them happen.)
       It wasn�t the same.  But it was fun. I mean, the Mosquitos� songs will forever be etched in my brain. I still consider them one of the premier pop bands of the time. In fact, they�re still one of my favorite bands (despite their rather tepid EP.) I�m lucky in that I still have a bunch of live tapes. Hearing songs like �Hang,� �Put Your Foot Down� and �I Know A Secret� made me truly happy. A bunch of the old Long Island gang was there for it, too. These were the people with whom I�d first gone crazy over live rock�n�roll. These songs meant as much to some of them as they did to me. My buddy Bill Jones had come up from Maryland and Barbara Stuart Normandin was down from New Hampshire. In 1985, I�d see those guys (and many others who were bopping around during this set, like Cliff Gardiner and Pam Dolan Allen) almost every night of the week. Memories kept popping into my mind of Barbara and I walking down Main St. in Northport singing The Cramps� version of �Goo Goo Muck� to the tremendous annoyance of one of the local policemen.  Or me and Bill trying (unsuccessfully) to write songs together. Cliff dragging me into the mass of wild dancers at an early Mosquitos� show and making me go absolutely nuts. People using each others� shoulders as a launching pad for the downbeat in �Hang.� �You were only seven-TE-EE-EE-EEN!� So, no, it wasn�t nearly as good as it could�ve been, but it brought people together again and we gloried in singing along with songs that had made us feel so alive and on top of the world once upon a time. Come to think of it, the songs themselves still have that effect on me.
       I wish some label out there would take a bunch of the band�s demos and live tapes and release them. Maybe then the people who never got to enjoy The Mosquitos in their heyday would understand what we loved about them.  I�m sure many people who saw them that night weren�t convinced - I only wish they could�ve heard The Mosquitos as they were.  Still, some people have told me they were blown away by the 3-piece version that night. To them, all I can say is, �Let me make you a tape.� (But be prepared to wait awhile... I�m slow with those.)

       The Swingin� Neckbreakers.  To paraphrase their latest album title, they �kicked our ass.� All the hits, all the time. While I know there are some out there who aren�t into these guys, they�re all about rock�n�roll power. Tom�s vocals are nothing short of spectacular, with that rough leather-lung sound; John slams out the beat like nobody�s business; & Jeff just cranks up his guitar and lets fly.

       Then came The Shadows of Knight.  Yeah, �GEE-EL-OH-ARE-I-AYE!� Those guys.  Well, actually, only the lead singer is an original member. It was pretty pathetic. I�d had some warning on these guys beforehand, so I kinda stuck back by the bar, so I could escape upstairs that much quicker. I don�t think these guys really knew what to expect with this audience.  This was not the Oldies circuit that they must�ve been used to. Rather, it was mainly a bunch of people in their 20s & 30s that wanted maximum garage action. Instead, we got a 50 year old guy taking his shirt off, singing stuff like �Red Hot American Girl.� BLECH!  Yeah, I went upstairs.

       After that abomination was done, it was time for another band that had never done much for me - The Smithereens. Originally, the organizers had said The Makers were going to play. As it turns out, however, that was never firmed up on both ends, so it didn�t happen. In the final month or so before the show, Jon Weiss was looking for another band. As it happened, the Smithereens were available. Now, like I said, I didn�t much like these guys in the mid-80s. I remember seeing them open for the Mosquitos at the Lone Star. The club had this policy where the openers played a set, then the headliners, then the openers again, and finally the headliners one more time. The club would be kinda empty during the Smithereens� sets then, as we�d look in the window and wait for them to finish. Then we�d go nuts to the Mosquitos... and then return outside till the Smithereens were done. Then go nuts to the Mosquitos again. I do remember being upstairs in the dressing room of the Lone Star one night, tho�, when Pat DiNizio handed his Walkman to Vance and gave him a listen to what would be the Smithereens� first major label record. Vance was blown away. Me? I heard it a couple months later on the radio. These guys actually ended up hitting the charts. But they still left me cold.
       Some people have criticized the placement of the Smithereens on a garage fest bill. That�s completely unfair. At the time, they played on many bills with more of the �core� bands. Their sound owed a distinct debt to 60s pop, just like The Mosquitos and other bands on the scene. While I wasn�t a fan, I couldn�t help but agree that they weren�t really out of place on this bill. Regardless of what I (or anybody else) thought, a bunch of people were pretty nuts about seeing them and they launched into a set that I actually enjoyed, doing tracks like �Behind the Wall of Sleep,� �Beauty & Sadness,� �Only A Memory,� and �Now & Then.� OK, not enough to go up front, but I did enjoy it!
       Early on in their set, I was hanging with Bill Jones and he said, �Is that Ray Davies?� And it was! Ray had played just over the bridge in Englewood that night. I�d known about that from the Kinks listserv and had mentioned about this show (and the Smithereens� involvement) to those on it. Some (including supreme Kink-o-phile Frank Lima, who I�ve still yet to meet) said they�d try and get Ray to go down, since he�s evidently a Smithereens� fan. Well, word got to the stage that Ray was there and Pat DiNizio tried to get him up there. �C�mon, Ray!  Are you a man or a mouse?� The prophet was unyielding, however, and the Smithereens were left to their own devices until they brought Peter Zaremba (�That�s the difference between an American and an Englishman!�) up to sing �Time Won�t Let Me� with them.
       Before Ray left, he stopped to talk to Jon Weiss.  He told him that he couldn�t be at Night #2 as he had to play Boston, but he asked Jon to relay a message to Question Mark. �Tell ? that �96 Tears� is one of the Top 10 Rock�n�Roll songs of the 60s.� Jon, of course, asked what the others were. Ray replied with a wry smile, �Do you have to ask?�

       Closing Night #1 were The Fuzztones. As this was in NYC, I think many of the old crowd would�ve liked it if it could�ve been the NYC lineup, with Rudi Protrudi flanked by Deb O�Nair, Ira Elliott, Michael Jay, and Elan Portnoy. But that would�ve been almost impossible, due to geography, so this just fine. While the actual Fuzztones together now are the first California lineup, the organist couldn�t do it, so another ex-Fuzztone stepped in - you know him as Jake from the Bomboras. I was pretty blown away. I�d wondered if The Fuzztones could still be worth seeing in 1997, but those fears were completely without basis. These guys rocked like hell. With all the mayhem going on around, it was still easy to see why Rudi Protrudi is the center of attention. That guy just oozes the kind of sexual magnetism that girls go nuts for. Just listen to him sing stuff like �Bad News Travels Fast� or some of the Sonics� stuff they did. I�ve heard what seems like a million bands cover the Sonics over time; only a few can do them as well as The Fuzztones. Fewer still can put their own stamp on them. The Fuzztones NYC chapter was pretty much closed sometime around �86 and not long thereafter, Rudi left for LA. The band was together for years after that, in one form or another, but Rudi never came back to New York. This was the homecoming. Actually, most of the guys in the lineup are transplanted New Yorkers, so this was just as much a homecoming for them, and Rudi said so. Maybe it seems hokey reading about it, but, as he said, �The Fuzztones are a New York band.� That�s all there is to it. This is a group that made its name in this city. I don�t believe they could�ve ever started in LA and been successful with that sound. Not without establishing themselves here first. Yeah, they held down the final slot with gusto.

Night Two:
       �STOMPERS!� cried MC Zaremba. �Stompers, are you ready to Stomp?�
       �The Secret Service!�
       Tonight, as I mentioned, they were minus Jim Gange and his legendary bass, but they had Dave Long, which meant even stronger backing vocals than in the past. They kicked it off with the title track of their EP, It�s All Happening Here (Invader) and they were off to a running start. The Long Island crowd was back again, this time to see the other band that had drawn them in caravans to NYC a decade before, braving the perils of the Long Island Expressway just to see their favorite bands. The LI bunch wasn�t the only crew getting off on these guys, either. No wonder, �cuz they were o-n, ON! Who�d�ve thought it possible after only three rehearsals. (Guitarist Rob Normandin lives with his wife and three kids up in New Hampshire, while the rest of the guys are still out on Long Island.) The most amazing thing, to my ears, was how damn GREAT Rob sounded. He seemed far more confident and comfortable than he ever did in the band�s heyday, whipping out the windmills and slashing chords with gusto.
       The Secret Service were having FUN! At one point, Wayne Manor said, �You�re gonna have to fight us to get us off this stage!� Hearing them able to do it again put us all on top of the world. As much as we�d enjoyed hearing the Mosquitos� songs the previous evening, this was a far superior performance. These guys had started out as a straight-up Mod/R&B/Soul act, letting the energy speak volumes. As time went on, they tightened up as a unit and learned pop songcraft. With some bands, that kind of thing means the shows get kinda boring. With these guys, it simply meant more weapons in their sonic arsenal. Tonight, they used all of them, playing earlier Mod-based originals like �What�s Goin� On� along with some of their later, more pop-tinged material (�Buy A Little Time.�) As they�d only had three rehearsals, it was decided to do a set that was around half covers. As a result, the audience was also treated to favorites like �Too Much Monkey Business� and �Shakin� All Over,� both of which these guys do better than just about anyone else I�ve ever seen. Better than those two, however, is their version of �Lovin� Machine.� I get chills when these guys really hit this one (like they did at this show). It�s one of those build-up songs that drops down then BLASTS back in and completely freaks out. (There�s that Power & Volume again!) If anyone hadn�t yet been convinced, this one had to have done it.
       A special bonus to having Dave Long in the group came when they did �Without You.� This one was a Secret Service staple in the last year or so of their existence. In fact, it became a fan favorite, partially due to the vocal arrangement, which called for Jim to take lead vocals, then hand them off to Wayne Manor and vice versa. But this one wasn�t an SS original. Rather, it was penned by Dave for The Fugitives, who subsequently broke up before they could get it moving. Hearing it done with Dave taking the Gange part was a treat, not because he wrote the song (although that seemed to bring things full circle), but due to the fact that he�s got such a great voice himself. It gave the song that much more power.
       For the last song of the regular set, they did an early favorite, a cover of The Creation�s �Biff Bang Pow.� Sure enough, people went wild. They were the opening band of night #2 and they actually got called back for an encore! Not bad for a bunch of guys who hadn�t played together in nine years! Thing is, they really hadn�t expected it (and certainly hadn�t prepared for it!) So they blasted back into �It�s All Happening Here� all over again. And we loved it just the same.
       This performance ended up leading to the band playing a few more shows (as you�ll read about in the live section of this mag.) There was talk of recording again, but things didn�t work out. (Or they haven�t to date. One never knows with these guys.) The only true bummer about this performance was that they were on so early that not everybody got to hear them. Hopefully, they�ll do it again. In the meantime, keep your eye out for the excellent Secret Service retrospective disc, Power & Volume, due out soon on Snap! Records.

       Due up next were The Hentchmen. Trouble was, they were nowhere in sight. As a result, Jon Weiss asked The Insomniacs to take the stage. They did so, delivering a crowd-pleasing set (as always.) Interestingly, I�ve heard since that the band wasn�t satisfied with their performance. Such is the way of rock�n�roll.

       Sometime during the Insomniacs� set, The Hentchmen finally showed up. Turns out their van was experiencing major oil leaks. They�d been stopping every 30 miles or so to put more in. When they finally did take the stage, they asked if anyone had three or four cases of oil they could have for the trip back. Their set was the usual trashy Hentchmen fun. This is a band that loves to sing about girls (�So Many Girls,� �20 Girls,� etc.) That�s good, �cuz I love to hear songs about girls. I guess this was a bit sloppier than usual (due to the hell they�d gone thru to show up), but it just didn�t matter; they still served up a solid good time.

       The Nomads. What can I say about the Nomads. I mean, here�s a band I flipped out over as a freshman in college in around �83/�84. One listen to Outburst and I was hooked. These guys were just pure rock�n�roll. Many at the time labeled them as part of the garage scene. After all, they were doing a ton of incredible garage covers. But they were into the Dictators as much as The Sonics. Tonight they powered their way through what might be termed a �greatest hits� set stretching from �The Way You Touch My Hand� (urgently requested by my pal LJ, who didn�t even know till he got to my house that weekend that these guys, one of his favorite bands, were on the bill!) all the way up through �Primordial Ooze.� They also hit �Bangkok,� �Fire & Brimstone,� and their incredible burning instro, �Rat Fink A-Boo-Boo.� Since they were in New York for the first time in their 15-year career (and Andy Shernoff was in the house), they made sure they did their version of The Dictators� �16 Forever� to the best of their awesome abilities. They also stopped in for a couple of tracks from their mini-LP of Canadian garage numbers, including The Ugly Ducklings �Nuthin��. One down moment came in the middle of their Teenage Head cover, when they hit an equipment failure. No matter, tho�, �cuz they picked up the pieces and just kept blazing along, even hitting old faves like �Five Years Ahead Of My Time.� Easily one of my favorites of the weekend.

       Up until the Chesterfield Kings, everyone had been using the same back line. This meant no more than about 15 minutes between bands. Unfortunately, the Kings had different ideas. They wanted their own lighting, as well as their own equipment. As a result, a crowd that had been dancing around through four bands, was packed like sardines and had three bands to go (many of whom had also rocked the whole previous night) had to wait 45 minutes (and it took a nice chunk of time to change back, too). For many, this was intolerable. (Believe me, I heard the complaints and I agreed.) Now, I�ve been a Chesterfield Kings fan for about 15 years and I know just how great they can be. And I understand why a band would want things just they way they like them (especially since the Kings hardly ever make it down here at this point.) But they weren�t the only great band playing this weekend. It was hard to blame people who said they were behaving like prima donnas.
       Once they took the stage, though, The Chesterfield Kings showed just how they earned their reputation as one of the best bands on the 80s scene. They tore through some of their best material, hitting the 60s punk hard. �Yeah, Craw-dad-dy!� Yeah. Well, OK, so they did a couple more psych type songs that I could�ve done without, as well, but that�s my problem. When they were hitting the hard stuff, I was in heaven, as was my old Long Island pal, Cliff, who�d also been a big fan. One special treat came when the band called out for Peppy from the Blues Magoos. �Peppy Magoo!� He got up there and they rocketed thru �We Ain�t Got Nothin� Yet.� The set change thing may have bummed me out, but the band did deliver a strong performance.

       Like the Chesterfield Kings, The Lyres have been around since the late 70s. The difference between them is that The Lyres have played regularly that whole time. (It seems like the Chesterfield Kings wait for a few years before they come down to the NYC area; once upon a time, they were here every few months!) By the time the Lyres got on-stage, it must�ve been around 1:45 AM. Most of us were dead tired. But Jeff Conolly & Co. worked their way through a set of mainly their classic stuff, �How Do You Know,� �Don�t Give It Up Now,� �Help You Ann,� etc., as well as �Seven� and some others. My only complaint was when they did some of the slower pop covers. I love that stuff, but at 2:30 AM, it�s just not working for me. They did bring it back up, tho�, ending nice and hard.

       Zaremba took the stage. �Stompers... THE MYSTERIANS!�
       I�d seen �em a couple months before at Fuzzfest, but this was something else again. This was my hometown crowd ready to hear the legends for the first time. Too bad the Shadows of Knight hadn�t stuck around. If they had, they might�ve had the good sense to apply for Social Security. ? & the Mysterians showed everybody what it was about. Rather than whip through the set song by song (there�s a review of the CD in this very �zine, so you can read about it there), I�ll just tell you how damn much the crowd dug it.
       It�s a good thing this was the night that the clocks got set back, �cuz The Mysterians were on long past what would have been 4 AM (but was now only 3!) People would�ve been extremely PO�d if these guys had been shut down! But instead, they were up there for about an hour and a half. As completely drained as this crowd was, the Mysterians gave them a whole new life. NYC was seeing one of the all-time greats and eating it up. The band was on top of the world, especially bassist Frank Lugo, who wore a huge grin the entire set. They must�ve loved it, �cuz over the next 8 months, they were back in town four times (with another trip set for August.)
       Simply put... phenomenal!

Epilogue:
       While escaping the horror that was the Shadows of Knight, I ran into my friend John. He�s in his mid-20s, so I wasn�t too surprised when he said, �This really seems like an 80s garage fest.�  Well, umm... yeah! I suppose it could be construed that way. After all, of the 14 bands, 9 were part of the garage scene in that decade. Of the three bands who�ve mainly existed in the 90s, the members of two (the Neckbreakers and Insomniacs) had their roots in that scene, going to shows, playing in bands, or trying to start them. As far as I�m concerned, there were some killer bands playing the scene in the 80s (just as there are now), some of whom we saw at Cave Stomp �97. I only wish that more were still around. (What I wouldn�t give to see The Vipers, The Tryfles, The Outta Place, or The Raunch Hands again!)
       Regardless, it was a tremendous weekend. Look for the live recording out on Dionysus this fall.
..............................................................................
THE CAPTIVATING SOUNDS OF
? & the Mysterians

       I have absolutely no idea when I first heard �96 Tears.�  It�s just one of those songs that seems to have blasted into my personal pantheon without my ever having realized it.  An interesting note is that it�s one of only two songs I�ve ever actually sung on-stage.  (A karaoke-like thing at something called �Fun Day� at my old job.  I was the only one on my team who was willing to get up and sing something.  Pretty amazing, considering my voice is only slightly better than my handwriting.  Ask Pat Lozito about that one!  For those of you who aren�t lucky enough to know Hot Foot Lozito, I�ll just say I�m the kid who couldn�t color inside the lines.  Still can�t.)
       We had a copy of the 96 Tears LP at my college station, WRUR.  Unfortunately, I�m the honest sort, so I didn�t rip it off.  (Of course, I would�ve been caught less than an hour after it was discovered to be missing, anyway, since I was probably the only guy at the station who was so crazed about garage/60s stuff.)  I did get lucky while I was up in Rochester, though, scoring a copy of the �18�/�I Need Somebody� 45 on the cheap.  Put those two vinyl delights together and I was hooked.  And I was damn glad when The Projectiles decided to wax their version of �I Need Somebody.�
       Some years later, I got a Vox Continental and started picking out the signature riff of �18.�  Whatta friggin� monster!  I swore that if I ever started a band, that was gonna be the first damn song we ever performed live.  Fortunately for all of you, I never got around to disgracing a stage.  And now there�d be absolutely no reason for me to get up there and do �18� �cuz one of the best damn bands ever is back.
       Do You Feel It Baby? (Norton) is here to help you, the music lover, live a better life.  You probably didn�t know it, but the reason things just weren�t right was �cuz you didn�t have ? & the Mysterians in your life.  Sure, you could probably hear �96 Tears� on the local oldies station, but that was about it.  Of course, you may be one of those incredible geniuses who�s been listening to the Mysterians lo these many years.  But if you�re one of those, then you already know damn well you have to have this live document in your collection.
       �STOMPERS!� yells Fleshtones� frontman Peter Zaremba, Cave Stomp MC.  �Stompers say Yeah!  STOMPERS!  The Mysterians!!!�
       And the Michigan legends kick into the instro intro, Frank Rodriguez� organ putting the Genuine Seal of The Mysterians on top, as Bobby Balderrama lets fly with some of the wildest rock�n�roll guitar imaginable.  About two and a half minutes down the line, ? himself dances onto the stage to get the crowd moving with the disc�s title track.
       On, then, to �Smokes.�  If you haven�t already picked up on it, here�s reason #2 as to why ? & the Mysterians are one of the best friggin� bands ever.  Period.  You throw me a name and I�ll throw the Mysterians right back at you.  This is a band that has its own flippin� style.  Yeah, and �Attitude, Bay-beh!�  These guys rock it like mad... They�re not another bunch of idiots wallowing in mediocrity, either (tho�, if they had the tunes, that wouldn�t bother me in the least.)  These guys can PLAY!
       As I mentioned in the Cave Stomp article, these guys blew away the crowd this night at Coney Island High.  Pretty incredible, considering how damn many bands we�d all been through and what time it was when they went on.  The Mysterians, like any band with sense, knows enough to mix up their pitches.  �Make You Mine� goes more for the pop side of things, but still rocks enough to keep the crowd (not to mention you, listening in at home) moving.  They start bringing it up again with �Can�t Get Enough of You, Baby,� a number that lifts part of the signature organ riff from �96 Tears.�  Then it�s time for one of my old faves, �I Need Somebody,� a power-pumped organ cycling all the way, urging everything along.  This one�s a dance-floor favorite for good reason.  Change-up time, then, with the almost bubble-gum �Do Something To Me.�  Surprise, then, as the fork ball is delivered with another mid-tempo pop number, �Why Me,� from the group�s first LP.
       �Right now, we�re gonna do this song.  We�re gonna get down with it now.  We�re gonna get real down.  Do whatever your body calls for... but put your clothes back on after this song,� chuckles ?. ��Cuz this song we�re gonna tear up a little bit.  Y�know, it�s got everything, it�s got all the moooves.  And bay-beh, right now, we�re just gonna groooooove.  It�s a little thing called �Got To.��  Robert Martinez lays down the beat, then Frank Lugo sets down a slow groove on his bass before the organ comes in.  Things stay this way for awhile, the energy pent-in, building up as ? teases and tempts.  Then the solid smack into the chorus, almost letting it loose, but reining it in quickly and letting that pressure get that much more intense.  (After all, this one lasts nearly six minutes.  So much for the idea that a song can�t last over two and a half minutes.  The rules don�t apply to ? & the Mysterians, buddy-boy.)  They finally let it loose about four minutes in, and it is one looong period of intense... errrr, enjoyment... before it finally subsides.  WOW!
       Things get a little darker with �Girl (You Captivate Me).�  It�s time for the delights of the night, flesh and all.  While this one rocks nicely, I couldn�t help but wish that there was more of an explosion in sound with the �GIRL� parts.  I guess that�s one of those things you just don�t notice live all the time, especially when you�re in the midst of a truly rockin� tune.
       While the previous track merely rocked, �Ten O�Clock� just plain blasted off.  Just a few chords slamming into the night.  Little Frank�s organ leads the way on �Don�t Tease Me,� but the band soon catches up to join in on the fun, rockin� out with a big smile.  Even Mysterians can get mushy, of course.  �Love Me Baby (Cherry July)� shows the band�s �tender� side.  The organ comes to the fore while ? wears his heart on his (orange) sleeve.  �Midnight Hour� isn�t the Wilson Pickett track everyone knows, but rather a band original that oozes cool, the organ playing the scene at the local hot-spot while the bass lets us know that our man is on the make.
       Then they slide into one of the greatest songs ever... �96 Tears!!!�  Hot DAMN!  If you haven�t figured it out from reading this whole thing, these boys are sounding just like they did some thirty years ago.
       It sounds like that�s the end, but the band knows damn well they�ve gotta do an encore, so we end up with �I�ll Be Back,� followed by the ultimate in cool, my old favorite, �8 Teen.�  This is just as great live as it is on that 45 I bought over a decade back.  The rave-up at the end is completely frenzified and you get the sense these guys understand just why their music makes so much sense even now to a crowd that, in many cases, wasn�t even born when they first made it.
       �Ain�t It A Shame� may not appeal to garage fans, as it�s tinged with something that seems to bend the wrong way.  The organ�s there, and Bobby Balderrama�s guitar  buzzes nicely, but the vocal line seems bent.  It�s not ?�s voice, but rather the actual vocal line of the song itself.  The backing vocals only emphasize the point.  The best parts of this are where Bobby�s guitar whangs itself around.
       The last two are �Don�t Break This Heart of Mine� and �Up Side� both get things moving again.  The former track brings slight thoughts of �She�s About A Mover� to mind, while the latter suggests Booker T. & the MG�s, possibly due to the cool guitar sound.
       Overall, this is one helluva disc.  There are one or two weaker moments, but none that have me reaching for the remote.  These guys are the real deal.  It�s good to hear one of the original garage groups getting back together and getting some respect.  It also pleases me that they�ve gotten so much respect of late by the garage world.  I�m hoping they�ll be at it for quite some time to come.
       ? claims he�s from Mars.  That must be one swingin� planet.
..............................................................................
PIRATE LOVE
THE SUBSONICS
photos and text by Bob Kondrak

       Fuzzfest had this meager crowd front & center on opening night for the third act. At 11 PM I�m standing beside Blair, looking forward to  my first Subsonics set.  Blair tells me they�re one of his favorite bands and I mumble something about how Clay looks more like Moe Tucker than Lou Reed.  Clay Reed plays lead guitar and sings in the Atlanta-based Subsonics.  Other audience members have a cool reaction you might expect, given that they had seen the band a few times, but I�m taking it all in for the first time and maybe the last.  Clay�s body seems pencil  thin, a body fit to be an extra in that 60s French production of �Barbarella�. Recall how thin and sensual Jane looked, and how glamorous the futuristic sets were. Maybe it was the heat and humidity of Atlanta in late August.  Still, Clay looks waifish in a silver spacesuit.  Thin hips, no belt, I set my wide angle lense for a distorted record of some naked revelation.  Yet most of the crowd is more intent on watching the bathroom door and smoking a fag than watching Clay disrobe on stage. See the interview for Clay�s reasoning regarding his attempted titillation. I hope I�ve captured some of their radiated sex appeal in the few images presented here. Despite the link to glam rock the sound they make surprised me.  It had a soft, sensual tone one often hears in folk rock, the same blue thread that lies exposed in �GLORIA�.  See the shots, read the remarks, then buy the records.  A new single is out on Get Hip.  The interview took place late one night outside The Star Bar in Atlanta. And Clay, if your band tours the west coast again, I won�t miss the show you do in Seattle.

Bob:  Who�s in the band and for how long?
Clay: Me and Buffi for five years and Christy�s been playing bass for a year and half.  She�s our fifth bass player; they wear out.

B: Based in Atlanta all that time?
C: Yeah.

B: Did you and Buffi come together in the beginning?  If so, how did that happen?
C: I�d been here a while, trying to get the music thing together and I had come up from Florida, Buffi�s also from Florida.  It was just a matter of time since both of us had been looking for the same thing at the same time.

B: Did the meeting happen by accident or was it a case of other bands falling apart?
C: We met at the dentist, we were both getting our teeth fixed.

B: What was the conversation, do you recall?
C: Yeah, I said I busted my front tooth on a microphone.  She said, �Ah, you sing?�  And she told me she plays drums.

B: Did it take long for you to jell into the sound you have now?  You have a confident style and I found your act entertaining as theater as well as rock. The R-n-R influence, some fun and some pretention; did you fall into this approach or does the act reflect your personality as the band�s leader? Or how has your act evolved?
C: Initially, we didn�t do so much of what everybody would call �The Glam Thing� because we wanted to glom on to the grunge thing since we thought that would make us popular.  That�s why we are called The Sub-Sonics.  We thought we would be associated with Sub Pop and The Sonics.  The Seattle thing was happening at that time.

B: No shit!  That association didn�t occur to me.
C: I thought it would make the band more popular and it didn�t work at all. There were lots of groups doing �The Glam Thing� so I didn�t want to be associated with that.

B: Like who?
C: I don�t know, Motley Crue or Chrome Daddy Disco?

B: Funny, when I saw you perform a few days ago, you looked glamorous like The NY Dolls.
C: Yeah, The NY Dolls.

B: But you don�t have Johnny Thunders or Sylvain Sylvain on stage.
C: There are certain limitations with being a three piece.

B: So you don�t just rip off the Dolls?
C: We like them and I would say to some degree we are ripping them off, sure.

B: Oh, did you make any recordings back when you sounded like a grunge band?
C: It didn�t sound like a grunge band.  It sounded the same as we do now.  We just tried to bamboozle everyone. It was a trick.

B: The local music paper here in Atlanta wrote that people who like many different genres of rock music like The Subsonics.  I polled people at the fest about their favorites on night one and your band got high numbers.  Different people rated a band on the extremes and they both gave you high marks.  Why is that?
C: I guess we cover a lot of bases; we like lots of different things.

B: Yeah, lo-fi, garage, scumrock.
C: That�s the way we play, we didn�t have a concept.  In a sense, trying to appeal to the grunge thing and trying to be popular was, but I don�t have a problem with trying to be popular.

B: How popular is that?  Are your records selling?
C: Not very well.  I don�t think we sell many records at all, but I don�t know. I would be surprised if we did.

B: What label are you on?
C: Get Hip.

B: Maybe that�s the reason!  If there�s a sound people associate with a label, what have they got that�s similar to your band?
C: Nobody is similar to us.  The kind of music we do just ain�t gonna be popular, that�s the long and short of it.  Kids today, you can pack a disco with 800 kids.  They come to see a DJ and it�s like in the 70s when people didn�t go out to see a live band, they went out to dance to disco music.

B: That�s what�s happening now.
C: That�s the reason no one is selling records right now.  Record sales are down 1/3 from 5 years ago.  Now they go to hear disc jockeys spin records.  They don�t buy the records and play them at home.  In that way it�s like it was back in the 70s.

B: I think your band can find a home on college radio these days.
C: Yeah, but I�m not gonna hold my breath.  Lots of the stuff we are into was never real popular. I mean people say we sound like the NY Dolls or the Ramones or the Velvet Underground, but none of those bands ever had much of an audience.  They were cult bands and it�s hard to imagine anything like that ever becoming popular.

B: Have you made money on any of your tours?
C: We break even. In the beginning it wasn�t like that.  We�ve been doing tours since 1993.  Now we break even; before, we lost money.  We used to have to shop lift and siphon gas. In fact we almost had to get day jobs and stuff when we were on tour.  We played some spots on the west coast and made only $10 or $20 per show.

B: Have you gone to Europe yet?
C: We did two weeks in Spain in the spring of this year.  That was great.  Everybody over there goes nuts, very enthusiastic.  They seem to get what we are doing.  Over here lots of people that we wouldn�t expect to, get what we�re doing, but more people scratch their heads.  People don�t dance at our shows.  They stand there and look at us.  I guess they are into the more freaky visual aspects of the band or something.

B: That makes me wonder about why the indie scene is so successful.  I notice that people at those shows listen and it reminds me of an audience for folk music.  Indie stemming out of folk rock and folk rock drawing a sit down crowd.  Your band�s sound is danceable, I was attracted to the way you play the guitar, performance art with upbeat music, what do you write about?
C: I write songs about the usual art stuff - death, disease and car crashes.  (We talk the day after Princess Di�s car crash.)  Mostly about unfortunate things.  For my part I can say it�s my sadism directed toward the audience, really... I�m not kidding.  I have reasons for not liking people and then I find myself in a room full of people that just payed $5 a head so I can insult and berate them.

B: That�s certainly a New York State of Mind.  You ain�t from NYC are you?
C: I�m from Florida.

B: Which of your songs have sadistic themes? Attacking people is taking a personal relationship toward the audience.  (The guy on the motorcycle parked on the street in front of us revs up the engine, and peels out into traffic.)  You could say he was being sadistic, but I enjoyed the moment.
C: That�s the thing, there are a fair amount of masochists out there that will pay and that makes it more gratifying to me.

B: It may be harder to find a larger crowd of masochists.
C: I don�t think so, since we�ve got something going that nobody else does.  My experience is that there are lots of them out there that get a kick out of payin� for the privilege of takin� it, so I continue to dish it out.

B: That�s a mission statement of a band if I�ve ever heard one.  And before I forget, you better identify yourself, I might not have all your names on that one single I have.
C: Yeah, cause we always have a different bass player.

B: Who is your current bass player?
C: Christi Montero is our bass player and my name is Clay Reed.  Buffi Aguero plays the drums.

B: Isn�t she in another band, The Vendettas?
C: Yeah, and they are really good.

B: They played across the street last night, but I really wanted to see The Hatebombs.
C: The Hatebombs are good too.  A lot of those guys are our pals, we connect with many of the disturbed, dispirited and disparented groups of people.

B: I�ll have to think some more about why I like your band. Anyway, the bands you mentioned before as influences -  Dolls, Ramones, VU - were ones I checked out, but still dug The Stones �Some Girls.�
C: We love The Rolling Stones too.

B: Yeah, I dug the look for sure.  Your bass player�s�s thighs are so fat and round and she was poured into those black leather pants, awesome!
C: I�ve heard that before. That�s such an easy button to push, especially in guys. It�s so easy to get people ticked off.

B: Funny... I think performers should be attractive on stage.  You guys are attractive.  Fuck bands that don�t have a look; they really have to get to do something strange to get me started.  (Christi walks over to us.  She�s wearing a leopard print mini summer dress.  And a costume tiara graces her short blond curls. I look down her thighs to her black calf length boots, fine, fine, fine!)
C: Hey, you wanna talk in the tape recorder?

B: Go on, step on my feet, I enjoy pain.  What�s that thing you have in your hair?
Christy: That�s my Princess Diana Memorial crown.

B: Glad you mentioned that, we should pay some homage to her tonight.  You look like Di a little, but as I was just telling Clay, Di�s thighs were not as swell as yours are!
Ch: �Aw, you know!�  (Mae West impersonation)

B: You looked great in those black leather pants the other night.
Ch: PVC, they were vegan. (laughs)

B: OK, I don�t know the terminology these days at the S&M shop where you picked those up. (laughs)
Ch: They are vinyl.

B: That�s good. Now, tell me, do you have good domestic habits?  And do you design the band�s costumes?
C: We like to think of ourselves as machines. Prrrrrr.

B: Were did you dig up the outfits at?  I like the things you all wore and I thought those pants you wore would fall off your ass.  I could see pubic hair!
C: Well, Yeah!!

B: That was as close as any band during this fest came to showing some skin. In a way, all that boogaloo stuff The Woggles do is quite wholesome.
Ch: I know, it�s a little too white bread.
C: White and stiff.  I like to get the audience white and stiff, so I drop the trousers a little bit.

B: I�m sure the girls appreciate it.
C: They seem to and so do some of the gentlemen.  I�ve gotten a lot of positive attention, they stick it out and I step on it.

B:  Uh oh, here she comes, You are the drummer in the band?
BU: No, or I would have been here!  (She walks away in a huff)

B: Aw shit, we hurt her feelings.
C: Let�s go get the drummer.

       (Buffi holds pat to her refusal saying she would have gotten Clay and Christy before doing any interview.  I try to take some blame by saying that I pushed him in a corner with flattery..  So it ends there.)
..............................................................................
�Frankenstein�/�Mary Ann� (Get Hip)
       Every time I listen to The Subsonics it�s a whole new thrill, no matter how many times I�ve heard it.  Somehow, though, I always want more.  (Call me greedy.)  It�s been more than a year now since Everything�s Falling Apart (one of my absolute favorite discs of the 90s, to date).  While we wait for their next disc, we�ve got their teaser, �Frankenstein�.  Recorded on Hallowe�en, �96 while they were in Pittsburgh hanging with Gregg Kostelich of The Cynics, this is another in a long line of Subsonics� smash hits.  An eerie tension pulses out of the speakers, with Clay�s voice trickling out a flypaper melody, grabbing you and holding you whether you want to be caught or not.  Solo time and he let�s loose with one of his patented funhouse mirror lights-off careening in the dark guitar bits.  This is the kinda track I�d like to spin at a club around 4:30 AM when the crowd�s gotten to know each other well enough to... get a little friendlier.  It�s got that kinda pulsing deliberateness going - not to mention the freaked-out solos that just tell the listener to completely let go.  Flip it over and they take on Ray Charles� �Mary Ann.�  The Subsonics are one of those few bands that can take just about anybody else�s song and make it their own.  They�ve got the kind of unique style and approach that allows them to take the meat of a song and dress it up so you still recognize it, but admire the fresh approach so much that you keep coming back.  In short, this 45 is a must-have.
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Follow Me Down
(Get Hip)
       Last week I wore my latest Subsonics t-shirt out to see the Splash 4.  Early on in the night, I ran into a guy I know.  He said he liked the shirt and he�d heard of them, but didn�t really know what they sounded like.  I told him that they�re one of my absolute favorite bands, partially because they sound like nobody else.  He replied that he heard they sounded like The Velvet Underground.  Well, OK, there�s definitely that element.  However, many of their songs would�ve required VU to be on speed full-time.  But even a fast VU comparison would be slighting the Subsonics mightily.  They�re far more than that.  They threaten, warn, express disdain, and even, occasionally, invite.  They play it fast, slow, mean, nice, bright, dark, you name it. Is it pop?  I guess that depends on your definition. Is it rock�n�roll? Definitely one form.  Is it punk? I suppose some might use that word.  Is it garage?  Maybe at times. Personally, I think it�s all of them put together and thrown in a blender. When it comes out, though, it�s unmistakably The Subsonics. This is a band that without - at least to my ears - rewriting the same damn song over and over, manages to have a definitive sound. I suppose that�s due in large part to the vision of Clay Reed, who writes the group�s material, as well as singing lead and playing guitar.  Of course, Buffi Aguero�s drumming and backing vocals help mold things into place.  Bassist Christi Montero is also making her presence felt more and more.
       The more you listen to The Subsonics, the more you start paying attention to the lyrics.   Clay doesn�t write �I love you, baby� lyrics.  If he writes a �get out of my life� song, you can be damn sure, it�s going to be done in an interesting way.  His lyrics are truly poetic.  Now, keep in mind that you just heard that from somebody that has a hard time reading poetry.  I�m not saying I can�t relate to poetry; I�m saying that most poetry that I�ve come across just doesn�t speak to me.  Maybe that�s why music means so much to me... emotions, thoughts, feelings can come to me in a more direct way. My brain doesn�t actually have to do any interpretation of language.  But words have their place, too.  So when I run across songs where the music and lyrics work so well together, the sum of the two creates something much more interesting than one or the other alone.
       The Subsonics new disc, Follow Me Down is the perfect follow-up to Everything�s Falling Apart.  There are the fast ones, like �Pistol,� the shaky sound to the music letting you know that the subject was set to blow.  �He was a man / with a pistol in his hand.�  �I Think You Like It� raves, goading the listener into admitting the truth. Of course, the whole thing started out at a good tempo, displaying more of the trademark Subsonics� wobbly wildness, giving you the sense of some truly frayed nerve endings from those �Pretty Pills.�
       The group�s melodic tendencies begin to step out on the second track, �You�re Gonna Get A Big Surprise.� They�re explored in a different fashion later on with �Iceman.� While upbeat, this one also serves as a warning. �Don�t let the iceman touch you / he�ll freeze you up inside /yeah, you better check your pulse sometime / to see if you�re alive.�  As it turns out, though, it�s warning the subject away from the song�s voice.  �Yeah, baby it�s cold inside / baby, it�s cold inside / my heart.� The idea is explored in another dimension later on in �Cruel Is the night� as Clay sings, �Cruel is the night... and I am, too.� The melody the guitar sings in the break low-rides up the avenue, enticing with the glories of the night.
       The Subsonics are one of the few bands that seem to truly understand that fast songs only work if there�s some sort of contrast.  �Follow Me Down� is a late night invitation, played with the quiet ease that the hour demands, revving up briefly to describe what could happen, but easing off and back to the enticement. �Wee Wee Hours� is more of that late-nite stuff they do so well, but about 20 seconds in they kick into gear, not all the way, but enough to tell you they�re gonna make it thru to that high point of the evening.
       My two favorite tracks on the disc are, tempo-wise, complete opposites. �Ten Dollars� is another of the slower Subsonics� melodies, with Clay expressing disgust with a person who�ll do just about anything for ten George Washingtons.  �It makes me laugh, you�re so pathetic and cheap (...) roll over and beg for ten dollars / Ten dollars for everything.�  Throughout, we hear a click-click-click-click as Buffi hits the top of the bass drum. This one just gets me every time.
       On the other side of things, there�s �Disintegrate,� a real kiss-off. They�re charged up and they�re sick of hearing about you all the time, singing �Why don�t you Shut Up! / and just evaporate / why don�t you Shut Up! / and just disintegrate.  No �get lost, get outta my life� sentiments. Rather, he wants them to become absolute nothingness.  It moves fast and the emotion comes thru loud and clear.
       With Follow Me Down, we�ve gotten 16 tracks in 29 minutes.  (That�s right, genius, it�s less than 2:00 per track.)  The Subsonics don�t waste their time, saying what they�ve come to say and not dragging it out.  Every track is direct and to the point, be it said slow or fast, no matter the emotion.  Folks, we have a winner.
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THE BETHLEHEM BEAT

       Please note that this is not meant as a definitive history of the Bethlehem, PA scene in any way. Rather, it�s a brief sketch of some of my own experiences/thoughts about it. To be complete would require not only a good amount of work (the horror!), but many, many pages. (Perhaps if a whole bunch of people beg me. Yeah, so much for that!)

In the beginning (well, for our purposes, anyway), there were The Creatures.  This would be about the mid-80s, a time labeled by the Mad Violet Blacklight Chameleon Dino Sorbello as the �Second Garagic Era� in these very pages a few spins round the primary ago.  I was still an undergraduate up in Rochester, NY at the home (itself a pretty hip-swingin� town at the time, playing home to The Chesterfield Kings, The Projectiles, The Swing Set, and the Absolute Grey, among others.)  My home, however, was back in Suffolk County, Long Island.  That�s where I met my pal Bill Jones.  At the time, Bill was attending Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA.  He�s the guy who first clued me in to just what kinda wildness was brewing in the Christmas City.  It was through Bill that I first remember hearing The Creatures.  I can�t remember, unfortunately, whether he�s the one who suggested I see them.  (That favor may well have been bestowed upon me by one Tom Bessoir, who ran Chaos Records, the label the group would do their first 45 on.)
       Whatever... I eventually saw them - Mark Smith at the mic, Mike Smitreski on guitar, JT ejaculating bursts of lead guitar, Ken Bussiere laying down the bottom end, and Dave Ferrara banging away behind the kit.  Unfortunately, this lineup was not to last much longer.  In late �86, JT decided to release a second single by his side project, The Original Sins.  Of course, the Sins weren�t actually a band at the time, just a couple guys JT had help him out to do some non-Creatures material.  The first 45, released about a year earlier, was bittersweet pop material.  This time out, though, JT was riding a twister.
       �Just 14� was released on Bar None to great critical acclaim (one of the major English music mags called it the best punk single of the decade so far.)  This was way out of the garage mode of the Creatures and about as far from the first O. Sins� single as one might get.  It was nasty, untamed punk rock.  And it was incredible.  The lyrics, while not explicit, held implications that upset some people for years to come.  But this one went beyond breathing fire; it caused nuclear explosions to well up inside.  Some have tried to call it a �searing punk blast.�  It is one.  Unfortunately, that phrase is insufficient, since other tracks that have received the same accolades sound like a trip to the kiddie carnival by comparison.  So many garage acts now throw punk into their sound.  And that�s cool.  But I listen to �Just 14� and hear how damn crazed JT sounds and wonder why so few of today�s garage-punks don�t absolutely friggin� worship the guy.  On one side of a single, he defined everything so many of those people want in their rock�n�roll.        If �Just 14� wasn�t enough, there was also the flip, a complete reworking of �Sugar Sugar� that went in the opposite direction, slowing way down and getting caught in the sticky melted areas, stretching time before your eyes. Where the A-side was frenzied, dark, driving insanity, this was a weird scene of slow-churning madness.  The tempo was way down and somehow this bubblegum track turned in on itself.

       Not long after the �Just 14� single, it became apparent that The Creatures as they�d been could no longer co-exist.  JT left the band.  Various explanations have been offered up over the years, especially since bad blood existed for quite some time thereafter.  I suppose a more responsible journalist would probably map out the rocky road that runs over the decade spanning from the breakup of the original band in 1987 to the almost-complete reunion at the end of last year.  Personally, I don�t see how dredging up the �X said/Y said� crap of the past can possibly do anything but destroy the current situation.  (Note that I�m not just talking about the current configuration of the Creatures, but of the interpersonal relationships of the people involved.) In point of fact, the Sins had a record deal with Bar/None, while the Creatures did not.
       And so JT left.  Well, shortly after that, both Ken and Dave decided to join him.  That left the Creatures with only two of the original five members.  Mark went out and found a bunch of new Creatures, including guitarist Steve Schlack, who turned out to be a strong songwriter, as well.  JT, for his part, picked up organist Dan McKinney, and so was born the first real lineup of The Original Sins.
       With a solid lineup intact, the Sins released Big Soul (Bar/None) to critical acclaim. This was a one-two punch of garage-punk blasts and bittersweet soulful pop.  Songs like �Possession� and �Inside Out� grabbed, twisted, and shook the listener, while tracks like �Why Don�t You Smile Joan� and �Read Your Mind� took a subtler, introspective tack. To this day, it remains one of my favorite LPs.

       I�m not absolutely positive when I first saw The Original Sins.  On the other hand, I do remember when I first started seeing them often.  It was Summer, 1988.  Just above Houston, at 622 Broadway, there was a club then known as The Big Kahuna.  It had just opened up and admission was free all through July and August, no matter who was playing.  The guy booking it, I think, had been in The Nails (�88 Lines About 44 Women.�)  He had remarkably good taste, booking The Lyres, The Fleshtones, Barrence Whitfield & The Savages, The Optic Nerve, and many others.  But it was The Original Sins who seemed to play there the most in that couple month span.  They were, it seemed, almost like the house band.  I even remember yelling that out one night.  JT caught that comment and kinda tossed it around in his head, ending up with a sort of chuckle.
       I�d like to say something like, �Who knew I�d be seeing them ten years later?�  Thing is, even then I think I had enough of a sense of myself to understand that this is what it was about for me.  The idea of there not being an Original Sins was foreign to my mind.  Something this great just shouldn�t go away.  Of course, I really wasn�t thinking about what I�d be doing ten years into the future.
       But let�s get back to the first year or so of the Sins� existence.  The band was rocking it up like mad every time they played.  It hadn�t really hit my conscious mind yet, but they were everything I wanted in a rock�n�roll band.  As much as I loved (and still do) the pure �66 garage sound, after having been into that for five years I wanted something that would take it that much further.  I wanted music that was very gut level, but smart in some way.  I wanted a band that would spend some time sucker-punching me, another chunk contemplating various things worth contemplating, and another block simply setting me up with a good pop hook.  And then mix and match as needed.  It turned out The Original Sins were all that and more. Organist Dan McKinney was added and the group gelled.  Kenny and Dave became a killer rhythm section, one that could pummel you through 30 feet of concrete like it was vacuum.  Dan, meanwhile, alternately melded his organ sound into JT�s guitar and let it dance around.  No matter what, it was sheer perfection.
       I�d already started going out to Bethlehem a few months earlier.  However, many of those shows were to see the The Creatures.  Pretty soon, though, I was heading out for Sins� shows, too.  Heck, I think I was actually out there at least two or three times a month.  Why not?  It was only 85 miles each way.  The Funhouse was my favorite place out there, but over the years there were a few other places, too, including Wally�s and The 4 G�s.

       In 1988, my friend Martin Spichal (of the Watch Children) and I were driving out to Bethlehem on a pretty regular basis (at least once a month) to see The Creatures.  Occasionally, we�d have other friends along, but Martin was the biggest Creatures� fan I knew.  The band was still a potent force, although not everyone seemed to realize it. Our first trip was early on in the year, to a club called Second Avenue.  In the third and final set, Mark dedicated �Mister, You�re A Better Man Than I� to the club owner, who�d pissed him off earlier on in the evening.  Oddly, I don�t think I ever saw the Creatures there again.
       Detractors have often said that the only reason they didn�t like the Creatures was Mark�s voice.  It�s been said he sings in a near-monotone.  Maybe.  However, Mark�s voice is also quite powerful.  This became clearest when the guys who backed him through early December of �97 split to form The Sonic Mood Set. With Mark, they�d turned themselves into a powerful Pretty Things R&B-styled combo, with quite a few stellar originals. In fact, a tape I got in mid-�97 trumpeted the approach of a whole new era for The Creatures. The songs had bite, buzz, and power, not to mention melody. Unfortunately, it turned out that there was unrest within the ranks and in mid-Fall they informed Mark of their intention to leave.
       Their first gig as the Sonic Mood Set came at the Melody Bar down in New Brunswick, NJ. In essence, they were playing the same numbers they�d done with Mark. In fact, the music still sounded excellent. The only problem was that neither lead vocalist had enough force behind his voice to truly carry the band. Don�t get me wrong, these guys can hit the notes without a problem; it�s just that a lead singer needs dimension to truly capture the audience. Perhaps with time the Sonic Mood Set might have developed this. As it turned out, they broke up after a few short months.

       Mark Smith has gone through quite a few lineup changes over the years. When JT, Ken, and Dave left, only rhythm guitarist Mike Smitreski was still around from the original lineup. Over the years, these two went through a good number of different musicians, including a few that left only to return a year or three later (like Steve Schlack and Kevin Groler.) The band even had to suffer the injustice of a name change when Siouxsie Sioux and Budgie decided to re-activate their own old band. (Never mind that bands called the Creatures were also around in the 60s and none of them were consulted about the use of the name by the Banshee-Bird.) So, from an Aleister Crowley book came the name The Creatures of the Golden Dawn. A few years later, Smitreski, too, was gone, due to some disagreements with other band-members about what direction the group should take.

       Throughout the late 80s and into the early 90s, Bethlehem was an interesting place for rock�n�roll. The Original Sins hooked up with manager Dave Stein, who started a label called Psonik to release the group�s records. They put out a number under that banner as Stein worked them to high heaven with the press and major labels. Some in the industry complained that Stein tried too hard, pressing when perhaps he should have eased off. However, it cannot be denied that the Sins got the best shows while still under Stein�s guidance, opening for the likes of The Buzzcocks and The Hoodoo Gurus, among many other notables. Perhaps another manager might have gotten the same shows and even managed a major label deal. We�ll never know, however, as the Sins managed themselves once they�d split with Stein.
       They followed up Big Soul with their first release for Psonik, The Hardest Way, which still ranks as my favorite Sins� recording. There were some stellar pop songs (�Tearing Me In Two�), as well as some savage blasts of pure energy (�Out of My Mind,� a track The Makers have covered) and perfect marriages of garage-punk and pop (�Now�s the Time� and �Why You Love Me So,� among others.)
       In the meantime, Stein was working to inject some life into the Bethlehem scene, putting on shows at more than just the Funhouse (on 4th St.) Wally�s, down on 3rd St., became the venue for some of the bigger shows (including one in late �88 with The Cynics, The Vipers, and the Sins, as well as a later one with The Sins, All, and the Fiends.) Indeed, Stein even put on a two-night rock�n�roll fest at one club.
       The 4G�s, right near Wally�s on 3rd St., also became popular for a couple years. Along with the local bands, they�d have some out of town acts, like The Deviators, The Vacant Lot, and The Voodoo Dolls. And the Yardarm Tavern (a couple blocks down 3rd from Wally�s) occasionally booked shows. A few more bands were playing, too, including Several Species and a reformed version of St. John�s Alliance (a local 60s-influenced pop group with excellent vocals, they�d done a single in �83). A couple local gals started a folk-pop duo called The Eaves, often backed by some friends from the local scene.  Nick DeBellis also was a constant.  And then there were The Rebeltones.  This was basically The Sins minus Dan plus a good friend of their�s on lead vocals doing some cool rockabilly. Indeed, things were pretty good.

       Most scenes tend to cycle. People get older, get married, move away, have families, etc. The question is whether the people still left will like the old stuff. For that matter, the musicians themselves are subject to the same tides of time as anyone else, and are occasionally deposited on different shores. As the years went on, the only constants ended up being The Original Sins and The Creatures, each of whom kept a monthly Friday night slot at the town�s most supportive venue, The Funhouse. That locale has also been the one constant on the venue front. Although a small club, the price (both for admission and refreshments) is right and they book good acts. (Some of the out-of-town groups who�ve played there include The Swingin� Neckbreakers, The Insomniacs, The A-Bones, The Friggs, The Secret Service, and The Untamed Youth. And those bands always returned.) The Funhouse, of course, has gone through a fair amount of employees over the years, although the ownership remains constant.  Just as the Creatures have gone through lineup changes, so have the Sins, with Dave Ferrara being replaced briefly by Kevin Groler, then Seth Baer. As fate would have it, towards the end, Dave was playing as many gigs with the band as Seth was, due to Seth�s pursuit of his own personal goals. (See... cycles.)  Heck, by the end of the Sins� tenure, they�d once again built up a nice following in their hometown.
       The Sins were the most prolific, putting out a ton of albums, as well as some 6 or 7 song EP�s, a number of singles, and various cuts on comps. Picking favorites remains tough, but as I said earlier, The Hardest Way is probably mine, with Big Soul and the double-LP 4th album, Move (Psonik), vying for second. A few people dismissed the group after that and, while I�d agree that the next couple weren�t as strong as that excellent effort, they were solid releases that many groups would be lucky to achieve. In fact, the group�s final two studio discs, Bethlehem and Suburban Primitive were quite strong, albeit in completely different ways than the earlier works. The former was a re-done full-band version of the solo, more introspective album JT had cut in the early 90s and never released.  The latter... well, read the sidebar.
       The Creatures never did as much recording, with only three full-length discs out to date (plus a couple 45s). Their records were more solidly in the 60s garage style. In fact, they were pretty damned good, too. They also released some material on Collectables that was taken from the time when JT, Kenny, and Dave were in the band. At the end of the day, it�s Smith and The Creatures who�re still plugging away.
       Kenny moved down to Florida, where he now lives near one of his old bandmates from St. John�s Alliance. (In fact, Ken may soon release some old SJA material on disc.) As a result, it seemed time for JT to lay the Sins to rest this past January. This was extremely sad for me, as they�ll always be one of my favorite groups. JT also has his other stuff, Brother JT & Vibrolux, which has evidently been fairly successful (certainly more so than The Sins). Dan McKinney is concentrating on his studio and playing keys in a local blues group.
       Is it possible for JT to let the Sins material rest? Well, he�s said that he�d like to put together a new group (probably called The Losers) that would do some of the old Sins� stuff, as well as new stuff in that same style. I can�t help but wonder if that wouldn�t give it a new lease on life. For some reason, being able to say ex- of some band in an ad or on a record tends to make people sit up and take notice. Suddenly, they matter again. Never mind that these same people hadn�t been supporting the group for the last few years of their time together; now they�re all hyped to see the guys play again! Yeesh!
       As I mentioned elsewhere in this mag, at the end of December, 4/5 of the original Creatures came together to play a show. This was supposed to be temporary, but JT and Dave have stuck around and are still playing with Mark. Also pitching in is  original Swingin� Neckbreakers� guitarist Shaggy. The bass part has most recently been played by Danny, ex-Creeping Pumpkins, although I�m not sure how long he�ll be involved, seeing as he lives nearly two hours away from B�hem.
       The new lineup is slowly starting to spawn some new songs, with JT writing the music for some lyrics Mark came up with in a depressed state in Chicago, entitled �25 Floors Below.�  Indeed, the group is even planning on recording some new material together. And their live shows have been strong, hearkening back to the sound that the group had over a decade back - a darker, twisted, more feral tale of the garage.

       And so the Creatures remain.

       There�s far more to say about the Bethlehem scene than I�ve presented here. Mike Smitreski has started a group with Steve Schlack and at least one ex-member of Several Species. Over time, I should have more information on what�s up in the Christmas City.  For now, I�m quite excited about the prospect of JT starting up The Losers.
       I encourage any and all to check out the Funhouse when any of the above-mentioned folks are presiding over the festivities.
       In the meantime, though, I�m just dreaming of the wings and potato logs at 3rd St. Chicken, my first stop every time I pull into town.
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SUBURBAN PRIMITIVE (Blood Red)
       If you�ve been reading this �zine for any length of time, you know I�m nuts about The Original Sins.  On the other hand, I definitely have my favorites when it comes to the band.  I don�t think they�ve ever done a bad record, but I like certain recordings intensely and others sort of just float by me, good without achieving greatness.  Suburban Primitive falls somewhere in between.  The leadoff track, �Kill The Buddah� has a great fuzz riff running throughout that sets me burning, but the melody line doesn�t have the same amount of punch.  Together, however, it�s a pretty compelling track; one that works quite well live.
       �Ain�t Got Me Down� is a highlight for me.  It has that broken-down vocal feel that JT�s been utilizing the past few years, yet it sings of hope.  �I offer you my open heart, you crush it like a cigarette,� but �You ain�t got me down yet.�  He asks �Miss Universe� if she�s really done her worst, �cuz he�s still kicking.  And to complement this chorus, Dan�s organ sings hope and redemption.  This one strikes a chord with me, that feeling that just �cuz you�ve kicked me when I was down, I�m still here and I�m gonna make it.
       There are tracks that don�t do as much for me, as well, such as �Constellation.�  It�s not that this (or the one or two others that I might throw into the same basket) are bad.  It�s just that the light touch doesn�t do as much for me.  Still, they�re interesting and remind me that JT�s a guy with quite the diverse palette to pick from.  Just because I don�t personally like a certain track doesn�t mean it�s bad.  Heck, on this one, he grounds the airy feel with some cool noise underneath at times.  Sorta like reminding the balloonist that eventually he�s gotta come down.
       �Wonderbra� is one of those tracks where JT�s taking a nice swipe at some portion of our society.  It starts with a repeated line that almost sounds chanted, �Less to the picture / Less to the picture / Less to the picture / Than meets the eye!�  Then �She�s got a Wonderbra / Just like her ma.�  The music is hypnotic but with enough of a beat to keep it interesting.  I�ve always enjoyed JT�s commentary.  (Check out �Coca-Cola (Sweet),� which appeared on the CD version of their 3rd full-length, as well as on a Get Hip 45 with �Juicy Fruit,� if you want to see what I�m talking about.)  You may also want to seek out some of the pamphlets he�s done over time.
       �Song With No Words� is an interesting one.  It�s not actually an instrumental; rather, it�s an �almost-instro.�  For the first 1:40, it�s a slow instro that seems as if it�s almost improvised around a skeleton frame.  Dan sends his organ into some cool psych-jazz type bursts and JT works it along on guitar.  When the words finally come in, they state that the song doesn�t have words, telling you what it�s not about.  Eventually, the vocals melt to become just another instrument, one singing �Na-na-na�s.�  The music returns to the same feel it had before, with JT throwing in some lazy fuzz.  No, it�s not a raver, but it makes for some cool mood music.
       �Go Dan!� is nastier and harsher.  Organist Dan McKinney provides the furnishings as the rhythm section builds a foundation and JT puts together the rest.  It�s Dan who�s making this one happen.  Eventually, it�s time for the housewarming party and Dan takes off, flying from group to group as the host.  Occasionally, JT throws the party lights on to set a new mood, but most of the time it�s Dan who runs the show.
       One of my favorite tracks on this one is �Wanna Be You.�  Content-wise, the lyrics remind me a bit of �Read Your Mind� from the group�s first LP a decade back.  Back then, JT sang, �I wish that I could read your mind / �cuz you don�t take the time to read mine.�  On this one, we get,
�If I were you, I�d stop and look at myself / If I were you / I�d love the world like myself / If I were you / I would but I�m not. / I wanna be you / So you can see /Yourself in me.�
The music is gentle until the chorus jumps in and the fuzz hits.  Still, it returns once it�s time for another verse.  It�s pretty, but wanting.

       Is this one of the great Original Sins� records?  Not for me.  My top three Sins� discs are probably The Hardest Way, Big Soul, and Move.  Still, it�s a good one.  O. Sins� fanatics need it; those who are unfamiliar with the band should, in my mind, probably start with The Hardest Way and move through the others in my top three.  Personally, I have a hard time understanding why anyone who�s ever heard The Hardest Way wouldn�t be nuts about them.  At least, not if that person truly loves rock�n�roll. - BB
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NEKO CASE
by Roberta Schiffer

�...Maybe tonight your vagina will be turned into wizard pudding.�
       So sayeth Neko Case at the opening of her show June 27th, 1998 at Under Acme.  I�m not really sure I know what that means or if I�d like it; I do know however, that I like Neko in all of her incarnations. ( ex- drummer for Cub, and  singer for her other band Maow, an all female punk/rockabilly band out of Vancouver.)  Her most recent accomplishment is as a country singer backed by �Her Boyfriends� on The Virginian CD (Mint/Bloodshot).
       Neko is not your usual country singer.  She humped the guitarist mid-song, and says things like �vagina� on stage.   She also steers clear of the traditional sappy country outfits,  opting instead for clunky stomping shoes and regular clothes.  But when she opens her mouth to sing, out comes the sweetest and most unmistakably country sound you�d ever be lucky enough to hear live. It pours out of her so easily you�d think she was just breathing song.  You can hear this on �Jettison� and �Bowling Green,� where you just want to cry as her voice evokes that traditional sad sentimental country sound. When I closed my eyes during songs like these at the show, I imagined I was at the Grand Ole Opry, with a country  angel center-stage, instead of a sweaty club where the lights burned a hot hole on the musicians.  The crowd loved Neko. They swayed to her crooning and smiled to her songs.  She was backed this time by Local Rabbits, a tight band of musicians that sounded like they�d been playing with Neko for years.
       Neko strolls and struts around the stage languidly, like a tiger pacing in its cage after it�s been fed.   But then she feeds you with songs that rip out of her: there�s �Caroline,� where  she barks out her �lalala LA�s� with a vengeance, singing �I want to be your slave�; and  �High on Cruel,� as she sings to some unlucky ex-lover, �Crawling on the floor like a fool, and I�m so high on cruel /You�ll drown in my light and I�ll burn like a star, your tears are gonna give me fuel!� Here you realize that this is no normal sweet country sound, and that you really need to listen to the lyrics.
       I�m not claiming to know all there is to know about country. I wouldn�t know if Neko was covering a Loretta Lynn ballad or a Tammy Wynette song. I do know that I  like the sound of the mandolin, love watching someone play  a steel guitar, and I cry when I hear Patsy Cline.  If you appreciate a band that has a good clear sound fronted by a  singer with versatile talent,  then I highly recommend The Virginian.  If you just want to stick to the harder stuff and are afraid of swaying in public go out and get yourself a Maow CD.  But while you might be getting something equally as good, you�ll be missing out on something truly special.
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NEKO CASE & THE SADIES
Make Your Bed (Bloodshot)

       After Neko�s performance, we stuck around so I could pick up her latest single.  As it turns out, only one side actually features her vocals, while the other includes two songs by the band that backed her up top.  Neko�s �Make Your Bed� (co-written with The Sadies� Dallas Good) is not some mother telling her child to pick up after him/herself.  Rather, it�s in the classic murder-ballad mold.  Some guy must have dumped the lead in this story, �cuz she�s murdered him.  Now, the girl that he ran off with has returned and she�s going to meet the same fate, although it�s not going to be pretty.  She says �May the murky black water grind your bones into sand / and the catfish strip off your skin.�  (Or something like that.)  Then, �I know you can�t swim, but I�ll tuck you in / Make your bed the river, young girl.�  Yipes!
       The Sadies� side brought some unexpected pleasures.  �Gunspeaks� is a cool fast-moving western instro with a light galloping beat.  �Little Sadie� is a fine western vocal number. - BB
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THE ORIGINAL SINS - Skeletons in the Garage (Spare Me)

       �Acid is groovy, Kill the Pigs!�
       So starts a favorite of Original Sins� audiences, �Possession.�  This version, though, is an outtake from the session that yielded the �Just 14� 45 back in late 1986.  It�s live in the studio and, consequently, reminds me far more of those early shows by the band.  This track is from before even bassist Ken Bussiere joined up.  Remember, the Sins didn�t even truly exist as a live unit at that point.  Somehow that makes this recording even more impressive, these guys pummel and punish throughout, turning in one of the best renditions you�re likely to hear of this one.  JT sounds truly possessed and the band locks in and lets the music take over.  Blast this one and you�re locked in and set for takeoff.  The G-forces won�t even register while this plays, you�ll be so blown to bits.
       �Possession� is merely the first track of eighteen on Skeletons In The Garage  (Spare Me).  The next track is a version of �Can�t Feel A Thing� from the same session.  This is another of my favorite Sinsongs.  It continues in the same mold, bare-fanged defiance and a �piss-off, �cuz I�m living it my way� attitude.  Follow that with the �Atom Bomb Song,� a track that was released on a comp of recordings done at Swiftwater Sound.  Actually, on that comp this track was billed as being by The Jesus Freeks.  It�s a six and a half minute doomsday epic that�s almost completely instrumental.  It starts out building and building towards chaos and becomes more and more chaotic as time goes on, hitting brief lulls before the storm slams in full-force all over again.  Some might call it a psychedelic free-form freakout and they�d probably be right.  Why�d they tag themselves as The Jesus Freeks?  Hmm... the only words (about 4:40 into the track) are something like �Everybody�s talking about atomic bombs / but nobody�s worryin� that day my Lord will come.�  This happens in one of those lulls, as Dave�s hitting his drums enough so you know he�s there, but not overshadowing JT; meanwhile, the guitar just hits occasional notes for a stark backdrop, letting JT say his piece.   After that, it really gets freaky.
       The JT-only acoustic version of �Can�t Get Over You� (an Aussie B-side) provides a good counterpoint, with its gentle beauty.  Back to the wildness after that with the song the band provided for the Here Ain�t The Sonics comp PopLlama put out about 7-8 years back.  Their take on �Like No Other Man� is a heavy, fuzz-and-organ, thick syrup take on this one.  Instead of trying to sound exactly like The Sonics, the guys make it a Sins� number.  For my money, it was one of the best tracks on that comp, with tons of power and fury.  They not only made the song sound good, but conveyed the message perfectly, as well.  This is followed with a more upbeat track, their version of �Help Me Rhonda� from the Brian Wilson tribute that Venus Records put out, Smiles, Vibes, & Harmony.  Over time, this became a favorite of audiences with good reason.  It�s not as smooth as The Beach Boys, but that�s probably not a revelation.  Again, they bring the Sins-style in.  It�s got a heavier feel, but Dan�s organ provides the needed lift and somehow this one rocks enough for a modern audience not to just lump it into a �covers bin.�  Instead, it became a song that audiences knew, but could really work up a sweat to.
       The next four tracks are from the Afternoon Jam Session EP that Radiation Records put out.  The first of these is a cover of The Creation�s �Making Time.�  I don�t know if I�m responsible for this one or not.  About a year or two before that, JT had asked me to make him a tape of some stuff by The Creation.  So I put together about an hour�s worth of material from various comps of the group�s recordings.  In the end, he ended up picking what�s probably the most-covered Creation number.  In a way, that disappointed me; on the other hand, it�s also the track that fits the group�s style best.  It rocks like mad as they strip away any Mod touches that were previously felt and substituting their own signature sound, pounding it for all it�s worth.  Their version of �Don�t Blow Your Mind� is a heavy psych-punker that�s guaranteed to, umm... blow your mind.   OUCH!  The flip side of the EP features a couple of group originals, �Wanna Make You,� a psychedelic heavy groove number, and �Vanishing Point,� one of the few instrumentals the band recorded.  There are certainly surf elements here, but there are just as many nods to spy sounds, plus - as always - the Sins� personal seal.
       About five years ago or so, Chaos Records released a 45 by the band.  As is Chaos� practice, it was released in mono.  For this release, JT has remixed �Get You There� and �Come On Up� in stereo.  Since I�m too lazy to head downstairs and pull out the single to do a side-by-side comparison, I�ll just note that this is really full.  �Get You There� is probably one of the best tracks from the last five or six years of the Sins� existence.  It became another live favorite.  There�s a killer crescendo part that comes in about 2:10 or so and builds to a climax about 40 seconds later.  Part of the beauty of this whole thing is the part just before the crescendo, where Ken lays down his bass groove.  Just in case you�d forgotten how damned great Kenny was.  Their reading of the track on the flip keeps the basic rock�n�roll underpinnings and decorates it with Dan�s driving organ and some cool guitar leads by JT.
       �The Other Day� is a track that never got released.  Evidently it was supposed to be a B-side, but the 45 never happened.  JT plays guitar and sings and Maria Stoiancheff provides second vocal.  This reminds me of another Sins� song from the Two Sides comp (where they actually did bill themselves under their regular moniker), �Little Mistakes,� which I once saw JT & Maria perform together at a place down at the bottom of Avenue B near Houston called The Gas Station.  (Basically, it had been a gas station and the garage portion was used for performances.)  It also works as a partner to the JT-only track from earlier on, �Can�t Get Over You.�
       The next four all come from a �96 EP, American Cheese Product.  �Ego� and �Get Right Back� were probably the biggest �hits� off this one.  They�re the most upbeat and the best dance numbers.  The disc ends with a remix of their version of �Evil Hoodoo,� done for a Seeds� tribute.  It�s dark and twisted with JT�s vocal buried under his thick, snaking guitar line.
       Skeletons In The Garage probably isn�t the comp I would�ve done.  I�d have probably wanted more stuff like the first three tracks, either unreleased mayhem or stuff that almost nobody probably got their hands on.  I can understand the point of making vinyl-only 7�ers available on disc, it�s just that I�d like to hear more unreleased Sins� material.  I happen to know that there�s a TON of it.  (In fact, back before Move came out, JT gave me a tape of all the tracks done for both the double-LP and the CD versions, along with a few more tracks by the band that still haven�t seen the light of day.  They were incredible.  One of them, the name of which is buried in a tape box right now, is a track that any garage bunch would die for.)  I�m also wondering if JT has a demo version of �Girl Power,� a song he wrote for The Friggs.  I�d love to hear that one come out some time.
       OK, having said that this isn�t the comp I would�ve done, I should tell you what I think of it overall.  Simply put, this is great material.  If you�re a Sins� neophyte and want an overview of what the band�s done over its whole existence, this is a nice cross-section. If you�re an old fan, you�ll be glad to add some rarities to your collection. - BB
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THE GREEK GARAGE SCENE: 1964-1967
by Dinos Mekios
       By the mid 60�s a rock�n�roll teen scene was already flourishing all  over the US.  Hundreds of bands appeared even in the most remote regions  of the country.  Their music blended influences from rock�n�roll,  blues, folk rock, and the pop/beat sound of the British Invasion groups.  But what really pervaded the music was the pure punk spirit and energy  of those bands. They practiced in garages (hence the term �garage punk�,  appropriately coined to describe them)  and played in high school dances  and parties. Usually short lived and perfectly happy to just get the  opportunity to cut a single, most of those bands � with the exception  of a few that made it big � eventually remained in obscurity despite  often attaining some local status: writing a song that made it to the  local hit charts, appearing to local radio or TV shows, and establishing  an audience of  fans in their town.
   At the same time, a similar musical explosion was taking place in  Europe, and certainly not just in the UK.  In countries like Holland,  Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, France and Belgium � in Western  and Central Europe, in general � strong and unique local scenes  developed, mirroring what was happening both in England and in the  garages of the US.  The classic beat/garage scenes of Western and  Central Europe have been exhaustively documented by compilations  covering the best and most obscure bands/songs from those regions. Of  course, the same is true for the American garage sound and even for 60�s  scenes in New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and South America.
   And what about the sixties scene in Greece? It seems that so far it  has been very poorly explored and represented. But the fact is that  teens in Athens, and in several other Greek cities, were twisting and  shaking during the three year period between 1964 and 1967. Only two  recently released compilations present some of the bands of the 60�s  Greek scene to today�s garage fans. The first one, entitled �Greek  Garage Bands of the 60�s� ,  was put out in 1990 by a major Greek label,  Music Box International, and a second volume, with some different  tracks, was released this year by the same label. Sound Stories, a small  label based on Evanston, Illinois, put together the second one of those  compilations, �Shakin� In Athens�. It contains several tracks from Greek  bands of the 60�s era and includes carefully researched and detailed liner  notes with information about the scene, and pictures of some of the bands  that were part of it.
   Unlike what was going on in the rest of Europe where the R&B  influences predominated, in Greece and Italy the stirring sounds of  rock�n�roll were embraced. Songs like �Shake, Rattle and Roll� and  �Shakin� All Over� became very popular and produced the �shake�, a dance  like the Twist. So popular was the �shake� that it found a place in many  Greek movies of the time. Moreover, as we read in the liner notes of  Shakin� in Athens, the huge local popularity of  the �shake� among  teenagers alarmed parents who �feared that their darling children might  go and �shake at the disco� or �shake at the club�, instead of studying  to become doctors, lawyers, or architects�.
   The scene really established itself after the commercial success of  the Forminx, also known as �the Beatles of Athens�, who featured future  superstars Vangelis Papathanasiou and Demis Roussos. But despite the fact  that a few bands quickly became really big (Forminx, Charms, Juniors,  Olympians, Idols), the scene was in essence an underground phenomenon.  Most of the bands didn�t play together for long and only few of them  managed to record a single (usually very limited pressings; 100-200  copies) before disappearing. The recording facilities and techniques  were usually primitive (cardboard egg holders nailed to the walls for  acoustic panels etc.). The only studios available were those used by  traditional Greek bouzouki music artists. But it was the enthusiasm  of those young bands that kept them going. It is also the enthusiasm,  simplicity, and naivete evoked by their music that makes it captivating  and powerful despite � or perhaps, in addition to � an occasionally  obvious musical ineptitude of some of those bands� members.
   Combining influences from traditional and popular Greek music with  the garage sounds coming from abroad, the local garage bands managed to  produce a unique, though still derivative sound. Characteristic of it,  apart from the rawness resulting from the primitive recording techniques,  are the ubiquitous presence of Farfisa organ in many songs and the  emotional delivery of lyrics, which were usually sung in English  (frequently with a goofy accent), but also in Italian and, of course, in  Greek.      Unfortunately the Greek rock�n�roll music scene abruptly collapsed  after April 21, 1967 when a military junta took over the government.  During the 7 years of dictatorship, rock�n�roll concerts were prohibited  since they were seen as a threat to the �law and order� imposed by the  junta. Nevertheless, even during that period some musical gems were  created.
   Here is a list of several of the bands that comprised the scene and  some additional info (most of it taken from the Shakin� In Athens and  Greek Garage Bands of the 60�s liner notes) for each one of them:

�Juniors: Formed in 1962 and best known for the moody �Miss Blue Jeans�,  the best and probably rarest of their 4 singles. By 1965 they had become  the most popular band in Greece along with the Forminx. In October of  1965, Thanos Sougioul, the band leader and songwriter of the Juniors,  was killed in a tragic car accident, just one week before the legendary  performance of the remaining members of the Juniors with Eric Clapton at  the Terpsithea Theatre.
�Charms: One of the most well known bands of this era and perhaps the  only pure mod/beat band of the scene. They went through many lineup  changes and managed  to put out an impressive 3 albums and several  singles. Some of their performances were captured in popular Greek  movies.
�Zoo: Not much information is available about them. They included some  American members (students at the US college in Athens), a fact that can  explain their superb US mid 60�s garage sound. The Zoo cut  4 singles  that brought them minor success, before disappearing from the scene.
�Rabbits: The first Greek band from the countryside to record a single  on a major label. Those true garage punks from the island of Rhodes  struggled to pronounce the English lyrics of their songs and could  barely play their instruments.
�Girls: The only all girl Greek garage band from the 60�s. The Girls,  created in 1966 by four 16 year olds: Bessy, Julie, Efie, and Marie,  played many live shows and recorded their sole single �Hello  Beethoven/ Rocket for Girls� just before breaking up. The B Side of this  single can be found on Vol. 5 of the Girls in the Garage compilation.
�Bluebirds: One of the most prolific and skilled Greek garage bands.  They cut thirteen singles before making their only LP (released in the  70�s). Contrary to most other bands, the Bluebirds never played in  clubs. They only performed in some festivals and devoted their energy in  the studio.
�Persons: Hailing from Piraeus, the biggest Greek port which is located  very close to Athens, the Persons put out 3 singles and later changed  their name to Socrates Drunk the Conium (quite well known in Greece).  They wrote �Drive My Mustang� which is regarded by some as one of the  most representative songs of the Greek garage scene.
�Loubogg: The song �She�s Cool� by the Loubogg is a standard cover for  some of the contemporary Greek garage bands. A version of this song by  the Frantic V is included in the Trans World Garage Scene Vol. 1  compilation (Misty Lane Records; Italy).
�Knacks: The members of the Knacks were teenagers from Athens. They  recorded some songs in 1966. Among those were the fuzzed out �Theme of  the Day�, �Devil Girl�, and a cover of the Beatles �With A Little Help  From My Friends�. They got the inspiration for their name from the  British film The Knack.
�Olympians: Another very popular group of the 60�s. They were not from  Athens but from Thessaloniki, the second largest city of the country.  Their sound was more on the pop side and sung most of their songs in  Greek (one of the main reasons for their enormous success). However,  their best songs were in English. The acid punker �Hopeless Endless  Ways� stands out and has been covered by the Sound Explosion, one of the  best contemporary garage punk bands from Athens.
�Vikings: The first single of this band from Athens was pressed in 1966  under the name the 5 Vikings. It was to be released on the small Recor  record label but the Vikings had already signed to RCA. So the Recor  owner was asked to destroy all 100 copies pressed. He saved 5 or 6 of  which only two are known to exist. The Vikings� first single on RCA was  put out on 1968 (under the repressive junta regime!) and included the  excellent �I�m Trying�.
�Idols: One more of the bigger names of the scene. Not all of their  releases are worth checking out but their first singles on the  Parlophone label are include some very good beat rockers. �Wanted by the  Law� and He�s the One� are outstanding.
�Crowns: An obscure band from Vyronas, a neighborhood in the city of  Athens that had more than forty active teen garage bands in 1966. The  Crowns recorded only one single on colorful psychedelic vinyl. It came  out in October of 1966.
�Teenagers: From Athens. They used to play  many live shows, the most  memorable of which were their performances for the festivals organized  and sponsored by the company that produced the popular soft drink  TAM-TAM (the equivalent of Coke...) . Their drummer was 11 years old!

       Also part of the scene were bands like the Stormies, Phoenix, Ariones,  Uptight, MGC, and the New Hopes.



       Nowadays, a lively teen scene still exists in Greece. Contemporary bands  like the Sound Explosion, the Cardinals, the Frantic V, and the Walking  Screams, follow with the same enthusiasm in the footsteps of their  predecessors from the 60�s. They also have to face similar difficulties  when it comes to recording, finding spaces to rehearse and clubs to  play. But regardless of these obstacles and despite the fact that the  scene is significantly smaller than in the 60�s, there are several  dedicated garage fans and some very good fanzines (Psychedelic Gew Gaw,  Wake Up It�s �66, Optical Sound, Girls in the Garage etc.) that support  the music and the bands.
       A more extensive presentation of the contemporary garage scene in Greece  will be featured in an upcoming issue
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TEENAGE SHUTDOWN

       Yeah! YeaH! YEAH!  Holy fuckin� shit!
       If the first five volumes (of a planned 30) are any indication, Teenage Shutdown is gonna be one of the premier comp series ever.  These things are jam-packed with both rarities and old favorites, the sound is excellent, and there are good liner notes to boot.  This bunch is gonna spoil you for all others.
       A quick word on the fact that there are a bunch of songs included that you�ve seen before.  It seems to me there are two good reasons for this.  Firstly, I know that there was a good amount of controversy over the press releases for this series, but... well, they really do sound great.  The liner notes to the first volume state that they were mastered off the original singles using a $30,000 turntable and $3,500 mono needle.  Who woulda thunk such things existed?  Whatever... this stuff sounds incredible.
       Reason #2, however, is aimed at those of you who don�t have all the old comps, etc. It could be that you�ve only recently gotten into garage. You�re in luck, �cuz these�ll be some of your first experiences. Personally, I�m happy I discovered many of these things back in the mid-80s. In fact, I think the series that first got me into everything was Pebbles.  Heck, I�m glad those existed, �cuz I don�t think I�d have been turned on to these sounds without them.  Having said that, if you�re just now getting into garage rockin� cool, then look no further than Teenage Shutdown. No, I�m not saying don�t buy the other stuff.  Rather, I�m saying this stuff is possibly the greatest starting point you�ll ever have a chance at.

Jump, Jive, & Harmonize
       This one�s chock full of raw dance-floor garage ravers.  Before we go any further, I�m gonna state unequivocally that there�s not one loser in this whole bunch.  I have no idea how many of these have been comped before (or even if there�s any unreleased ones); I do know that I�ve heard many of them before, including (tho� not limited to) The Five American�s �Slippin & Slidin�,� Us Four�s �The Alligator,� The Twiliters� �Rollerland,� The Preachers� �Who Do You Love,� Mr. Lucky & the Gamblers� �Take A Look At Me,� and the Groupies� �Hog.�  In fact, I heard most of those via Pebblesor one of the associated comps. The difference is that the sound jumps right out at you on here.  I�m not slighting the earlier series... they made the music available way back when.  Were it not for those, I don�t know if I�d be into the same stuff I am now.  My point is that these sound phenomenal.  Besides, I love those friggin� songs, especially The Twiliters and Gamblers� offerings.
       I�m not a comp fiend. I�m not a collector, either. I offer that as the reason I didn�t know the title track of this volume, by Thee Midniters.  If ever there was a track The Fleshtones should be covering, it�s this one. (Last minute note - �Tones bassist Ken Fox says they�ve actually done it live; in fact, he thinks they may have done it on French TV.) A slightly buzzed riff grabs you right off, soon joined by an organ playing the same part (doubling itself soon after, but a couple octaves up), with the vocal making the party complete, occasionally letting the guitar loose to spike the punch. I just listen to this and think how great it�d be to have seen these guys (remember, they had over 20 45s to their credit, many of which were also pretty damn great). Since I doubt I�ll ever get that chance, I�d love to hear it covered... maybe we can convince the Fleshtones to do it again.
       There are tons more I didn�t know, either.  Everyone�s heard of Del Shannon, thanks to his �61 hit �Runaway.� But �Move It On Over� came out in �65 and is raw and wild, with some excellent female backing vocals and a rippin� guitar burst. Check out Baby Huey & the Baby Sitters swingin�-from-the-trees �Monkey Man.�  I can just see �em playin� this in some club with a bunch of drunken kids going nuts.  Then one of the bright boys jumps up on the battens and starts swingin�.  Total chaos as the band plays on.
       There are also tracks that people will recognize best from covers they�ve heard, like The Jolly Green Giants� �Busy Body� (done by The Lyres early on), The Cobras� �I Wanna Be Your Love� (Supersnazz screamed this one out in the early 90s), and The Esquires� �Come On, Come On� (done live in the 80s by the Secret Service and recently done at Cave Stomp by The Brood). There�s also a version of The Novas� �The Crusher� redone by a Peruvian combo here as �El Monstruo.�
       Just listening to this comp makes me want to get a band together and cover some of these... �Jump, Jive, and Harmonize,� �Rollerland,� �Take A Look At Me� and The Centurys� �83� are all on my hit list.
       I could listen to this all day long, but then we�d never get around to...

You Treated Me Bad
       Things get toned down a notch or two for this second volume.  Having said that, I should also say it�s cool in its own right.  My point is that the excitement level just isn�t as high.  Of course, there are exceptions.  The Gremlins �Wait� - the first track - would�ve sounded just dandy on the first track. It�s an upbeat mover that�s guaranteed to get all the teens out on the floor to do their thing. However, it fits in with this volume�s theme via the subject matter - girls: wanting them, chasing them, losing them, being hurt by them, etc.  Yeah, all the stuff that made rock�n�roll great.   �I�m Cryin�� by Monday�s Mondos is another in this camp, turning it into a party, rather than a whine session.  Also in the swingin� set, we can throw in the Sound Extraction�s �I Feel Like Cryin�,� a track that�s got that same fun 1-4-5 party fun sound.
       There are some killer titles on here.  �Why Did God Make Girls?� by NJ�s JD Rogues is a perfect example.  This is the kinda bummed-out �love stinks� kinda track that I like.  They manage to take their feelings and channel them into a decent mid-tempo track. On the same pile, we�ll also find The Midknights� �Pain� with a jangly 12-string.  The pain must�ve been pretty intense, �cuz they didn�t want to sing about it for more than a minute and a half.
       I know there are people out there who can�t stand amateurish covers, but... well, I�m not one of �em.  Terry Davidson & the Barracudas appear with a version of �Hooray For Hazel� that breathes new life into the song.  Now, I�ll admit to being a Tommy Roe fan (not just �Sheila� and �Sweet Pea,� but some others, too), but, somehow, hearing what sounds to be a 14 year-old singing this really does, to quote the liner notes, �sound more believable� than the original.  Somehow the ineptitude and lower-fidelity production gives it more life.  When I first heard �The Girl From Liverpool,� by The Twiliters (yeah, the �Rollerland� wildmen), I actually thought I was listening to an actual Tommy Roe track, mainly �cuz the vocals had the same smooth feel. Funny thing is, the story of the song is pretty closely related to Roe�s �The Folk Singer.� Dig in on the guitar solo, which toughens the whole thing up beyond anything the �Sheila� star would�ve released.
       The Plagues� �I�ve Been Through It Before� starts out perilously close to self-pity and then kicks in with some fuzz�n�pound that proves these guys can take a beating and bounce back.  The whole thing ends with a classic that first appeared on Pebbles Vol. I, the title track of this disc, The JuJu�s �You Treat Me Bad,� another one that�s bummin� out about some girl, but fights back as best it can.

Things Been Bad
       Rougher ground is covered on the third volume. However, when all is said and done, I find this the most varied of the volumes ished so far, mainly concentrating on some cool punk stuff, but also wandering off the track for some semi-novelties, as well as a few numbers that reside in the outlying territories of GarageLand.
       Some of the tracks are completely off the beaten path, such as the leadoff number, The Pagans� �Baba Yaga,� basically telling the story of the famed Russian witch with a teen garage soundtrack.   If those guys are off the beaten path, Thee Midnighters are bushwacking around in the middle of nowhere with �I Found A Peanut.�  For awhile it�s goin� along in classic Midnighters mode, swingin� East LA with lotsa fun organ on top and a solid beat underneath,  �and the-en� (to quote the lead singer about 35 seconds in) it suddenly mutates into a rewritten version of �Found A Peanut.� (Yeah, that song you sang as a kid to the tune of �My Darling Clementine.� OK, for the slower readers out there, we�re talkin� about Huckleberry Hound�s fave tune.) And now the lead singer starts sounding downright SICK! At first I thought maybe he was tryin� to sing like he had peanut butter in his mouth.  Nope... �I got sick, I got sick!� This is absolutely demented.  I love it.
       Right smack in the middle of Garage Central Station, we run into The Choab and �Why Am I Alone?� (who we�ll meet again as The Chob on Vol. 4), getting things rollicking right off with a swinging Farfisa up top, the verses moving it on, while the chorus takes a breather for some decent vocal sounds.  They rev it up for one last go in the last 30 seconds or so.  Definitely one of the pick hits on this volume.
       This volume also boasts one of the genuine garage classics, Ognir & the Nite People�s �I Found A New Love.�  For those of you who�ve never heard this one, you�re in for a major treat, �cuz it�s fulla fuzz and the vocalist has the snot thing down perfect.  These guys aren�t crying over some chick dumping them.  Nope, things are much better... they�ve found a new gal and the other one can go scratch.  (Maybe they stole a girlfriend from one of the whiners.)
       Like I said, this one�s got some variety to it.  There�s the moodiness of The Other Half�s �The Girl With the Long Black Hair;� the garage-with-a-little-bit-o-soul sounds of The Pilgrimage�s �Bad Apple.�  (Always cool to hear a bunch of Long Island boys made good.  Wonder if there�s any chance they named themselves after Pilgrim State Psych Center.)
       But it�s the punk pounders that push all the right buttons with me.  Check out The Yo-Yo�s cool �Gotta Find A New Love,� especially the organ smashes and the corresponding guitar smacks. Or, even better, The Roamin� Togas� �Bar the Door,� a frat fuzz�n�Farfisa freakout that even manages a melody!  Peter & the Wolves chip in in this category with a version of �I Can Only Give You Everything� that�s filled with AT-TI-TUDE!  And who�d�a believed that a track like �Now And Then� could come from a bunch of Yale students?  Yet, we get some cool party chunk sounds courtesy of The Stains, who were being educated at that Ivy-covered locale in New Haven, CT.  Wonder if the administration knew about this?

I�m A No-Count
       WOW!
       This one starts off with �Bad Woman� (The Fallen Angels) and never lets up.  Some of you probably know this one from The Chesterfield Kings� version of it. Well, they did an excellent job, but if you�ve never heard this track, you�re gonna be jumping around right away.  Heck, as soon as this one blasted off, I cranked up the volume. The rhythm cranks it up, the lead whangs out the lead note, and they just rock it up. The chorus has everyone chiming in and having a good time. The lead break is a crazed snarl and the whole thing rips off a Diddley shuffle and revs it up.  Love the drum breaks, too.
       Next up are... whoops, gotta go play �Bad Woman� a few more times.
       The Jolly Green Giants have that rough NorthWest sound bequeathed by the genius of The Sonics and The Wailers, among others.   Dale Gregory & the Shouters go wild on �Did Ya Need To Know,� throwing in some very cool electric piano to give it an extra special flavor. Another wild one many of you may already know is The Plague�s �Go Away.�  I�ve loved these lyrics since I first heard �em about 15 years ago, �Go away, �cuz I hate you / Go away, I won�t date you / Go away, I don�t want you no more.� Need more be said?
       Another of my long-time favorites is another track I remember hearing the Chesterfield Kings do in the mid-80s or so, �Stop It, Baby� by The Heard. Chunks of guitar meat are overlaid with the band singing, �Aaa-ooooh... YEAH!� This one�s got one of those dead-stop endings that kills any DJ that doesn�t have the sense to listen to the end of the record first.
       The Continentals offer up some primo Texas garage-punk sounds with �I�m Gone,� appropriating and mutating the �I�m Cryin�� riff off the Animals. Some more killer pounding, coupled with a savage lead vocal, comes in the form of �If You Don�t Come Back,� by The Gents, a group that the label owner says were from Bermuda. Dig the cold organ sound of Byron & the Mortals� �Do You Believe Me.�
       Next, it�s time for a couple classics.  First, there�s the out of this world wildness of San Antonio�s Outcasts on �1523 Blair.� There are those that scoff at calling any of this 60s stuff punk, but a listen to the frenzied pain of this one might just convince these morons otherwise. Next up�s another old favorite, �We�re Pretty Quick,� by the Chob (also known as The Chob).  I seem to remember the Fuzztones doing this one, but I also have fond memories of The Outta Place doing it as �We�re Outta Place.� After the beautiful boasting of this one ends, you can hear the spaced out sounds of a Farfisa being turned off.  (For those who don�t know what I�m talking about, find a friend with an old 60s Combo Compact, hold down a note or chord, then hit the off switch.)
       Al�s Untouchables continue things with some regular salvos of full-band buckshot and some truly psychotic lead guitar.  And then it�s time for the title track of this volume by Ty Wagner with the Scotchmen. This guy had that garage vocal thing down perfectly, sayin� things like �yee-ahs,� etc. You can just picture the shades and aloof attitude this guy musta put down on stage.  This one�s just pure rockinroll with a bit of a �Little Latin Lupe Lu� feel to the verses. The liner notes say Ty�s �still irked� about the fact that nobody could get the record at the time.  Can�t blame him. As if it wasn�t enough to be a no-count, The Magic Plants follow Ty with �I�m A Nothing.� A couple of guys from this NYC band later ended up in the Left Banke. Dig the fuzz.
       While MG & the Escorts do a fine job on �A Someday Fool,� I�m not sure I agree with the liner notes in calling it a �MONSTER,� even if it was a local hit up in their hometown of Montreal. Way down on the bottom of the East Coast - Key West, FL - however, The Cave Men came forth with the crazed �It�s Trash.� Their parents must never have seen them, �cuz if they had, they probably would�ve sent them someplace with padded walls.
       The Passions� �Lively One� is a mid-tempo number with a smirk. Yeah, what do you think they meant by �lively one?� �I�ll Be Gone� by The Opposite Six is quicker and more teen-sounding.  �I�m Gonna Get In That Girl�s Mind.� I tend to think The Reddlemen were more interested in staying somewhere else �all the time.� Once again, we meet up with a group that knew the value of a disturbed guitar break. The hand claps are a nice touch, too.
       It all come to an end with The Barking Spyders �I Want Your Love.� More of that teen cool vocal sound.  �C�mon, little girl... dance with me� like there�s absolutely no way she could say no.  You kinda picture him singin� this one up on-stage, inviting the most swingin� gal in the place to get up there with him, despite the fact that her square boyfriend is dancing with her.  She, of course, knows that this guy is it and takes his hand to join him. He keeps singing, but he�s got her and they both know it.  As does her (now ex-) boyfriend, who�s probably the only one bummed out by it.  Pretty soon, he�ll buy a clue and start his own band.  Hopefully, that clue will come with a free package of teen snot.

Nobody To Love
       There are those who think Tim Warren�s only about garage-punk spew.  Not true, Magoo.  This final volume is jam-packed with pop melodies.  In other words, I�m a happy camper.  There�s just some really pretty stuff on here.
       The Intruders (wonder how many bands used that name?) offer up the sunny smiles of �Now That You Know.�  They�re followed by The Illusions (oh yeah, another original name!), who ask their girl to �Wait Till The Summer.� This one�s more on the ringing folk side, with some excellent harmonies on the choruses. The Shandels �Shades of Blue� appears to mine the same territory, but... is that an accordion playing lead?  Nope... it�s a cordovox. The sound is similar, however, since air is used to make the sounds.  But what�s completely absent is guitar!
       Eventually, however, some folks might start falling into a kinda folk-punk/pop coma, so the smart folks who put this series together stuck The Answers� �Fool Turn Around� in the midst of it all. It�s still in the realm, but they kickstart the tempo and rough things up a bit. This leads nicely into The Jades� �Surface World,� a stronger track with a good beat, albeit a slightly smoother sound that owes a tiny beat to surf/hot rod vocals. Love the organ and drums bit that leads into a short break before diving back in. A real teen sound comes in on The Twilights� �It Couldn�t Be True.�  However, the ringing guitars, while rather inept, actually sound quite nice. And, like the previous two tracks, it�s still keeping up the tempo. The beat�s still there on The Viscount V�s �She Doesn�t Know� with a nice sharp drum sound, but it�s the vocal work that really shines.  Overall, a top-notch job.
       One track that everybody probably knows on this one is �Abba� by the Paragons.  If you don�t know the original, then you probably know The Woggles� version from TeenDanceParty. This is the track Roberta always asks those guys to play live. Who can blame her? This is one of those killer melodies that everybody should know. Chiming and ringing all the way through, �Lemme hear ya say Yeah - YEAH!�
       Another track that some folks probably know is �Outside Chance,� done here by Sounds Like Us, but originated by The Turtles.  (In my mind, probably the best thing those guys ever did.) 80s garage fans may know it from the Chesterfield Kings� version on their first LP. Whatever, these Duluth boys did a fine job with it.
       The Rogues� �You Better Look Now� is another ringing folk-punker that I originally heard via The Chesterfield Kings first LP. Simply put, it�s just a damn pretty song. The guitar rings and there are some cool backing vocals, too. The Go-Betweens �Have You For My Own� features a chiming guitar and some cool screaming in addition to the �I wanna-wannna-wanna� vocals.  Finishing this one off are The Plagues (who appear earlier with a version of �I�m Free�) and their take on Love�s �Can�t Explain.�


       How do they stack up? Personally, I have a tough time picking between volumes 1 & 4 for the first spot, with #3 taking 3rd and 2 & 5 splitting the last two.  They�re all excellent comps, tho�. Of course, there�s been quite a bit of discussion on Bomp list about these and many people have different opinions.  If you�re looking for the best dance material, Jump, Jive, & Harmonize can�t be beat. If you want for the most raucous garage pounders, then I�m A No-Count is an absolute must, although you�re probably gonna want Things Been Bad, as well.  For the �lost love� side of things, well... look no further than You Treated Me Bad. Of course, those more into the poppier/folk-punk stuff will find Nobody To Love irresistible.

       When Pebbles came out, bands started using that as a great place to grab covers from as they discovered all this great music.  Back From the Grave did its share, as well (as did comps like What A Way to Die and others.) Teenage Shutdown (thanks to both its excellent sound and high availability) has the potential to do the same for a (to quote the Trashmen) �brand new generation.�
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Life Could Be A Dream, Sh-BOOM!

�Taking your car in for service should not be a hair-raising experience. For more than 50 years Midas has built customer relationships based on reliability. We know that quality parts and services are important to our customers. That�s why we stand behind them with our guarantees. You�ll find more detailed information about our guarantees under the system services listed to the left.

We may be a company on the move - but we will never leave behind the values that have made us a success: trust, service and reliability.�
- from the front page of Midas website - http://www.midas.com

Friday 4/10
       It�s the first day of my Spring Break and I head over to Jim Dandy�s for some wings.  On my way, I realize that when I hit my brakes, it sounds a bit like a plane taking off... sort of metal-on-metal.  (Somehow, The Donnas� �Leather On Leather� pops into my mind and I start singing it with �Metal On Metal� subbed in.)

Saturday 4/11
       I�ve realized that my brakes must be in need of repair.  Usually, I head up to the Midas on Route 46, but I recently realized there�s one much closer, in North Arlington, right next to Jim Dandy�s.  (The only place in Bergen County that can make decent wings, JD�s has a Lionel train setup running about four feet above the customer�s heads, going around the perimeter of the eating area.  Very cool.  Wish the service was a bit faster, tho�.  Ask Untamed Youth organ-meister Steve Rager.)
       So I head to Midas in North Arlington.  It�s 10:30 AM on the day before Easter and they�ve only got two mechanics.  They ask if I really want to wait, since the earliest they�re going to even look at my car is probably noon, with 12:30 more likely.  �No problem,� I tell them, �I�ve got a book, plus my girlfriend�s PowerBook, so I�m all set.�  OK, then.
       Around 12:30 or so, they go in to take a look at the Blair-mobile.  The brakes needed work (that much I had figured out.)  They also said something else could use work in about 3-4 months and they could do it now, but that�d be an extra $317 on top of the $290 I already had on my plate.  (Thanks, see you in the summer.)
       They got to work and finished up around 2:15 or so, I guess.  The mechanic went out for a test drive.  About fifteen minutes later, I�m wondering when I�ll be able to leave.  I�ve done all the reading and writing I want and have even gotten kind of bored playing Bubble Trouble on the PowerBook.
       Sometime around 2:45 the manager comes to me and says there�s a problem.  �You�re going to have to do that extra thing now, after all?� I ask him.
       �No... it�s worse than that,� he says with a grim face.
       �?�
       �The mechanic was test driving your car when he got run off the road by a girl who tried to turn without looking.  He hit a tree.�

       Now, at this point, I don�t know what to say.  So I don�t for a couple minutes.  Finally I ask what happens next.  He tells me that their insurance will take care of it.  This worries me because the car is a �91 Mazda 323 hatchback.  It was bottom of the line then and we�re seven years down the road.  But the car was going to last me at least another four or five years.  That vehicle has treated me far better than I deserved over those years.  I was afraid they might tell me book value was 500 bucks and then tell me to get stuffed.  But Mr. Midas Manager assured me they were a great company, far better than ones people can get on their own.  He gave me some examples (which, of course, sounded great, but...)
       I see the tow truck bringing my car back.  The guy tows it to the back and lowers the car.  He then puts the key in the ignition, turns it, and drives it into a parking spot.  (That, at least, gave me some hope.)  Looking at the car, though, I see the bumper is badly dented and falling off.  The hood has a medium-sized tree dent smack in the middle, causing the sides to turn up like wings.  The car has almost no grille, so I don�t notice it.  The windshield, however, is smashed up pretty badly.  The mechanic smacked his head into it.  He went to the hospital, although he insisted he was fine.  The only thing I don�t know about is what might have been damaged inside.  (I�m especially wondering about that thing that they said I could wait a few months on.)
       In the meantime, he�s trying to get me a rental.  Unfortunately, it�s about 3 PM and these places seem to shut down very early.  The only place that had one was about a half hour drive.  He wasn�t in the mood to do it and I wasn�t in the mood to force him.  I didn�t really need a car till Monday, anyway.  (I�d be on break, it�s true, but there were things I needed to do.)  So he gave me a lift home, handed me his card, and told me how to deal with getting a rental (which his insurance company would cover.)

Monday 4/13
       I call for the rental people to come get me.  They can�t get me till mid-afternoon, but that�s OK, since I�m not planning to do much except hit the library to get some info, and that�s a 3 minute walk.
       Around 3 PM, they set me up with a Neon.  Just as I get home, I realize the horn does nada.  I call them up and tell them.  They say they�re busy, but they�ll get me something by the end of the day.
       I get a call from Midas� insurance company; to be specific, it�s the claims handler.  I pepper him with questions, basically finding out that they�re not going to do anything more than either (a) fix my car or (b) give me the book value, whichever is cheaper.  This displeased me and I let him know it.  (Amazingly, I manage to be civil about it.)  This seems unfair.  If my car�s only worth $500, I�m going to be royally screwed.  A vehicle that was paid off and would�ve lasted me for quite awhile would be gone and I�d be plunking down a couple grand, not to mention making monthly payments again.  That sucks.  The guy agrees, but says that�s the way it works.
       I head to the library to find the NADA book.  Interestingly, the trade-in value on my car is $2375.  The retail is around $3525.  That doesn�t figure in my options, either.  The librarian is quite helpful, giving me a web address for the Kelley Blue Book (http:// www.kbb.com).  This turns out to be really cool.  You can configure your car exactly as it is - year, model, make, options, mileage, and even zip code (since that figures into the calculation).  The trade-in comes out five hundred bucks lower on the Kelley Blue Book, but the retail is $4600.  Unfortunately, I don�t know which value is used.  I think they should be giving me the retail, since that�s what it�s going to cost to replace the car.
       I call the claims handler and find out that he doesn�t know.  He just gets a number from the adjuster, but he promises to send all the materials when they�re done.  Thanks for your help, pal.
       I let a couple friends know about the situation via e-mail.  My old roomie, Andy, passes the message on to his brother, who�s a mechanic.  He tells me to never go to Midas.  (Wish I�d known that beforehand.)  He tells me that Penske Auto has bought customers new cars when they�ve done things of this nature.  I also ask Andy what value is used, trade-in or retail.  Since he�d totalled his Saturn (via a lake that formed in the middle of Route 17 South) a few years ago, he had some idea.  He said they used the retail value.  I�m keeping my fingers crossed.

Tuesday 4/14
       Late afternoon and I still haven�t heard from the rental place about giving me a car with a working horn.  I call them up and they say they�ll try and make it before the end of the day.
       Back on the phone with the claims handler, I try and get a feel for how things are going.  He tells me that, if the car is totalled, I�ll get an offer, have one day to make up my mind, then (assuming I take it) they�ll send me the offer.  I�ll then have to sign it, send them my title (notarized), and then they�ll cut the check.  So, once an offer is made, there�ll be about a week and a half that I�ll have the rental.  (In addition, he gives me an example of �let�s say I make an offer on Friday; then you�ll have to give me your answer on Monday.)  He tells me I should start shopping.  I�m wondering if that�s worth my time, since I now have a better idea of the car�s worth than he does.  I do start paying closer attention to car ads on TV and in print.  In addition, I start checking out AutoVantage (http://www.autovantage.com) and even get some information.
       I also start looking for my title.  I figure I�d better find it �cuz I might have to have it by Monday.
       The rental still hasn�t been replaced.

Wednesday 4/15
       I call up about the rental and they apologize profusely.  The guy brings me a Cavalier that morning.  The first thing I do is check the horn.  I like the Cavalier better, although it�s scratched up a bit.  This car has a tape deck.
       No word on my car.
       I look for my title and can�t find it.  I get some lunch and head to the DMV in Rutherford.  I�m amazed by the lack of cars parked nearby.  Then I get out and see the sign on the front; this DMV location has been moved to Wallington.  Back in the car and over to an old shopping center that hasn�t had any real business in ages because of a lousy location.  That, however, turns out to be a wonderful thing.  Almost nobody is there.  I�m in and out in less than fifteen minutes, all told.  It�s the only wonderful experience I�ve ever had with the DMV.

Friday 4/17
       The expected call from Midas� insurance does not come.

(I�ll skip the boring details and mention that they still haven�t called by the following Wednesday.  I try to call them and get disconnected)

Thursday 4/23
       I get through this time, but the guy�s not there.  I leave a message, polite yet upset that he hasn�t given me any information.  I ask him to return my call.
       He doesn�t return my call.

Friday 4/24
       The Bomboras play Acme Underground and I take the bus in, but you can read more about that in the live shows section.

Saturday 4/25
       I leave another message for the wonder boy.  He�s not in, so I won�t hear anything before Monday.  Yes, I�m PO�d.  I not only don�t know whether my car is totalled, but I want to know how I can be sure the car is in good shape again after they repair it (if that�s the course they end up taking.)

Monday 4/27
       He leaves a message on my machine telling me we�ve got some things to discuss.  Unfortunately, he doesn�t bother telling me the deal.  He finishes up by saying he doesn�t have my work number.  Uh... gave it to you that first day, pal.
       I leave a message back, letting him know that he should tell me in his next message what the deal is.

Tuesday 4/28
       This time I get home to hear the guy�s voice coming out of my machine to let me know it�s totalled.  My blinkin� car is effin� TOTALLED!  What are they gonna do?  Give me friggin� BOOK VALUE!!!  Now, granted, it�s more than I originally thought, but when I finally find out what kinda cash we�re talking, it�s far lower than what I�d found in the books.  First off, my car has many more miles than they �allow.�  Second, there is �pre-existing damage.�  Piss Off!  Those things didn�t affect the car�s performance.  That flippin� car was worth FAR more to me than the $2300 he ended up telling me I could have.

Wednesday 4/29
       He calls me on the phone at work and says he�ll have the papers faxed to me so I can sign them and get this over with.  Gee, thanks.

Thursday 4/30
       I get the papers and look them over.  The stupid adjusters never even figured in the cost of replacing the windshield (which was cracked beautifully by the mechanic�s forehead.  Never heard of putting the seatbelt on, huh?)  Of course, that would�ve just put the repair costs that much higher.
       On my way home, I stop at the Midas location where my car was murdered.  Time to get all my stuff out.  I picked the thing clean, taking every last thing out, right down to the final pennies.  (You wouldn�t believe how much change that car had accumulated!)  Tons of tapes were hidden in there, too.
       The manager of the shop asked how things turned out.  I let him know... LOUSY!  He said he didn�t see what else he could do.  I told him I could!
       �What?�
       Yeah, like that is a real tough question.  Buy me a new friggin� car, genius.  Or at least pay me enough to make up for what the car was worth to ME!
       He says it�s not his responsibility; he doesn�t own the place.  He feels bad, so he gives me a phone number to call for a Midas rep in NJ.

Friday 5/1
       I leave the NJ guy a message the next morning and he puts me in touch with a guy named Jim Crum at Midas HQ in Chicago.
       Crum gets back to me and says that Midas isn�t gonna give me a friggin� penny over what the law specifies.  He�ll call the insurance guy to see if he can get more for me, but he�s not hopeful.  He tells me to fax over the Kelley Blue Book info I have on my car (which is about twice as much as I�m getting.)  Just in case, he tells me to e-mail it to him, too.  I do both right away.  However, he lets me know there�s little hope.  Gee... thanks.

Saturday 5/2
       It�s obviously time to start shopping for a car, �cuz as soon as I get the check from Midas (which�ll happen after I sign the papers), I�ll be out of a rental.  Luckily, I�ve been doing tons of research on cars.  My choices are: (1) lease, (2) buy a used car, or (3) get a new one.
       Leasing isn�t high on my list.  I tend to beat the fecal matter out of my vehicles. I take them to places they�re likely to end up getting damaged, at least on the outside.  If I lease the car, I end up with absolutely jack at the end.  Plus I�ll probably end up paying a mileage penalty, as well as having to lay out the long green for any cosmetic damage.  Then I�ll end up either going thru the same thing again for a new lease or I�ll have to buy that set of wheels.  Somehow this doesn�t sound too appealing to me.
       Buying a used car means either (a) buying an old piece of crap for the lousy amount of money Midas is giving me or (b) spending lotsa extra cash for a good used car.  With the first choice, I feel I�m gonna get screwed paying through the nose for repairs.  The latter choice isn�t much better.  I keep wondering why I�m going to lay out ten thousand bucks for a used car when I could probably get a new one for that kind of cash.
       So, for me, a new car seems right this time out.  I�ve spent a ton of time researching this in the past couple weeks.  Some of my research has come via the library, but much is via the internet.  (Surprise, surprise.)  Somehow, I�m still in the same financial boat I was in seven years back.  (That�s my fault, though, since I did change careers in mid �94.)  So I�m still looking at cars around the bottom of the food chain.  Some sites list �cars that are in competition with� the vehicle you�re looking at.  Through these, I get a good idea what I want.  I used the �Auto By Tel� service to have some dealers get in touch with me.
       So I set out this morning to start looking, going to about four different dealerships.  By afternoon, I am the proud owner of a new Kia Sephia.
       Of course, I�m paranoid about driving my new vehicle into Manhattan, so I take the bus into town that night for the ? & the Mysterians� show.

Monday 5/4
       I get the papers notarized by someone I work with.  I call the Midas insurance guy, who lets me know that I�m not gonna get a dime more, but I can keep my old car and sell it to salvage.  What a sport.  All that means is that I�m saving him some time.
       He has the nerve to say that, �at least it�s all over.�  I tell him I�m far from satisfied.  He asks why and I tell him that I feel like I�ve been ripped off. I had a perfectly functional car that would have lasted me another four or five years and now I�m being forced to spend my own money to get something else.  I feel I�ve been cheated.  I don�t think Midas has done right by me as a customer.  Sure, they�ve satisfied the letter of the law, but  that �trust, service, and reliability� thing that they talk about on their web page is absolute crap.  I can�t trust these guys; the service they performed included ruining my car (sure, it was an accident, but they didn�t go out of their way to make me feel better about it, so I can�t exactly feel charitable towards them); and the only thing I could rely on the whole way through was that I was getting poorer in the process.

Monday 5/11
       The check came.  I stared at it blankly.  Sure, I want the money, but I�d prefer Midas actually do something to make me a happy customer.  I�m pissed and will probably remain that way.

       My plans?  Well, you�re reading this now, so you know what happened.  I�m hoping none of you will even consider going to Midas in the future.  The reason I took my car there was because they�d done a good job on brakes and mufflers for me in the past.  I should have just taken it to one of my favorite local mechanics - guys who�ve done well by me.  But I figured that Midas is a big company and I�d have more backing me up if something went wrong.  Boy, was I wrong!      No, I�m never going there again.  I�m telling all my family, friends, and acquaintances to stay away, too, simply because of the way Midas treated me.  Midas is getting a copy of this article.  They�re also going to see this story become a web page.  I�m looking to find any other bad experiences customers have had with Midas.  I�d like to put them up on the web page, too.  I will only tell the truth as to what happened in my own case.  I�ll ask others to do the same.  In fact, I won�t print their stories without written assurance that they�re completely liable for what they�ve told me.  However, I do want Midas to make this incident up to me.

       I keep thinking, �I drove this car for over seven years and never had an accident.  A Midas mechanic takes it out for a few minutes and I end up paying for it!
..............................................................................
AN UNTAMED WHIRL
Untamed Youth East Coast �Tour� Summer �97
Text: Blair Buscareno, Photos: Roberta Schiffer

       Sometime in the middle of Spring �97, I heard from Derek Dickerson that The Untamed Youth were once again planning to come to NYC.  Now, for me, that�s reason to get excited.  The only hitch was, Derek didn�t seem to know when they�d be around.  As far as I could tell, nothing was really booked.  Derek waved his virtual hands at me via e-mail, saying it�d be sometime in August.  But summer was fast approaching.
       A month later and gigs still hadn�t been confirmed.  I�d begun to wonder if they�d actually make it here.  In May, I heard from organist Steve Rager, telling me that if they did it, the shows would probably be in early-mid August.  Soon, Derek was saying the same.  Unfortunately, I still wasn�t seeing any hard gig dates.
       Finally, as summer began, dates began to materialize.  First, I heard about one at Under Acme.  Then one at Coney Island.  Then another down at the Court Tavern in New Brunswick.  Then I heard about one on a Monday evening at Coney Island High.  And then a Thursday night unannounced at the Lakeside Lounge.  Well, OK, these were the NYC metro area gigs; what about out of town?  Well... they were booked for Providence, Rhode Island.  And that was it.  As Derek put it, �so much for our East Coast tour, huh?�  But, hey, that�s six gigs in eight days.  OK, they were almost all in one area, but... who the hell cared?  It was gonna be fun.  Still, I suggested to Derek that they try and get gigs in Boston, Philly, or even Bethlehem, PA.  He tried, but I guess it was too late by that time.  Remember, they had to have confirmed NYC dates first, since that�s really where the group�s strongest East Coast fan base is.  (It certainly should be after all those wild nights in the late 80s!)

       OK, so the dates were booked.  Now it was time for logistics:  where to stay, who�d drive them around, equipment, etc.?  Well, the guys are always welcome at my place and Rager and I spent some phone time getting some of that straightened out for him and Joel.  The main reason he and I were on the phone, however, was that he needed an organ.  Sure, he could ship an organ out here, but the choices are (a) FedEx, etc. or (b) baggage.  The problem with (a) is the cost would be prohibitive.  As for (b), well... first off, a Farfisa isn�t going to work as a carry-on; and secondly, I wouldn�t have high hopes for it being playable once it finished being in a plane�s cargo hold.  So, Rager needed an organ.
       Now, it�s true that I have a bunch of combo organs.  Unfortunately, most of mine (and especially my Farfisa Combo Compacts) are not in what I�d call stage-worthy condition.  Rager did once use my Farfisa Fast 3 for a weekend, but I was none too pleased with the sound of the thing.  Yeah, OK, it�s a Farfisa.  But it�s not the right Farfisa.  Not at all.  Too... thin, maybe.  Sort of like an awkward adolescent version of its big brother, the Combo Compact.
       What about the organ they used last time?  Well, then they were only here for a weekend.  And the guy who lent them that one was probably lending it to them as much �cuz I�d asked him to do it as because they needed it.  Thing is, keyboards are his business.  This time they needed it for a week; if they wanted it, the guys would have to rent it.  Quite honestly, though, they just don�t have that kind of budget.  This is a band that was flying in from three separate locations:  LA, Seattle, and Columbia, MO.  The band would be happy to break even as it was.  Nope, they needed another solution.
       Well, I asked friends all over the NYC/NJ metro area.  I even talked to friends in Pennsylvania.  Thing is, everyone I know that has a combo organ seems to have them in the same condition mine�s in.  Let�s face it, few bands are still using these things these days.
       So, it came down to my Fast 3, after all.  Thing is, Rager needed it for rehearsal on Friday night at Coyote in Brooklyn.  I live in New Jersey.  And I hate driving around Brooklyn.  However, Rager happened to be in luck.  The week they were coming to town was the same week I needed to print out TS 57.  And, luckily, Pete Ciccone said he�d print it out for me.  I called up Billy & Miriam at Norton Records HQ and asked if I could drop the organ over before going to Pete�s.  Billy asked why I didn�t just bring it over to Coyote?  Well, while I kinda know some people over there, I felt kinda weird about the idea of stopping by and saying, �Here�s an organ for the Untamed Youth to use at their rehearsal later this week.  Thanks.  Bye.�  Billy sorta laughed at that and said he knew what I meant.  Sure, I could drop it off there.
       That got me to thinking.  I had one other organ I�d always wanted Rager to try.  However, it had been over at my friend Rory�s for the past three years, since the last time we�d tried to play together.  I�d kept meaning to pick it up, but... it had never happened.  This seemed like the perfect opportunity.  This thing is just called �Combo Organ.�  There�s no other name.  I�d gotten it some five or six years ago at Robby�s Music on Rt. 46 in Wayne, NJ, when Dave Amels came across them.  These things were still in their original leather carrying cases, with the volume pedals and wires sealed in their original plastic, never opened.  They looked to be about 20 years old at the time, obviously left over from when Robby�s had been a distributor for the things.  I took one for $125.  Honestly, it�s one of my favorites.  It doesn�t have an exact Farfisa sound, but it�s fairly close and it plays wonderfully.  I wondered what Rager would think of it.

Saturday August 9th
Under Acme, NYC
       FINALLY!
       Mike Sin showed up at my place about 9 PM and we took off about 15 minutes later.  We found parking fairly easily (tho� not as close as my lazy ass might prefer) and walked over to the club.  We actually found ourselves there before even The Sea Monkeys (the first of the three acts of the evening) hit the stage.  Not too many people around yet, but we spied Youth drummer Joel Trueblood and the mighty Mace of Bass and caught up with each other�s lives.  Turns out Sir Mace and I share a common love for Xena:  Warrior Princess.
       The Sea Monkeys took the stage decked out like major swami/genie types.  Joel likened the outfits to those of The Galaxy Trio, but the latter bunch tends to be far neater at it.  Still, the SMs were playing dang good fun, melodic punk, tho� you could also hear some real raging in the guitar sounds.  I tend to think that - if they wanted to - they could turn the Ferocity Meter way up.  But they�re just havin� a good time.  Thing was, I wanted more hangout time and... well, it was kinda hot down there.  So we went to the other room (where it was still kinda hot, I guess) and slowly the crowd built up and jabbered away about this and that.
       Soon enough, �twas time for The Church Keys.  This bunch just keeps getting better and better.  Every one of �em handles vocals at one point or another and each one manages ably.  They�ve somehow found a way that each one does stuff perfectly suited to their own personal styles, yet it all comes together beautifully.  Even tho� each (�cept Lars on sax) does damned well on vocals, it�s drummer Bill Paitch that really shines at the mic, especially when he just goes into something that seems completely off-the-cuff.  Fantastic.  This bunch is always having a blast and they communicate that feeling well.  It�s easy-sleazy at one point, then inviting and friendly the next.  (Remember, �from 6 to 8 you get 2 for 1.�)  Me, I�m hoping they take the suggestion for a cover I gave �em that night:  change �I�d Rather Go To Jail� to �I�d Rather Drink An Ale.�  Ale Up!
       By the time the Untamed Youth hit the stage it was jam-packed.  They got themselves set up and I soon found out that Rager had chosen the Farfisa.  (Not, as he explained later, that he didn�t like the other one, just that he didn�t immediately know where the tuning thingamabobs were on it.)  Actually, it sounded pretty decent, if not great.  But that might�ve just been �cuz the amp wasn�t powerful enough.
       They began the proceedings with �Ain�t Got A Thing� and already a bunch of us were singin� along.  Guess more than a few people had already picked up their latest disc.  I didn�t get the set list for some reason, but I�m pretty sure that �F.U.J.I.M.O.� was next up.  Gotta love that title.  Now, even tho� this is only two nights later, I can�t remember the whole list.  They spent a good chunk of time on the new LP, tho�, but it didn�t matter one whit, �cuz people were pretty nuts about it.  An obvious highlight was Mace singing �Mailbox Jamboree� and �Beer Bust Blues Pt. 2� (about, Derek said, being losers without real jobs some ten years after they�d first covered the original.)  Any lingering doubts about the subject of �I�m More Punk Than You� were probably dispelled when Derek said, �Anyone who asks me what Trent Mummy�s up to is gonna get his ass kicked.�  Whatta great number, tho�.  And Bluesman was brilliant during this one, over on the right with his shades on, makin� with the ultra-cool.  Let�s face it gang, Bluesman IS more punk than you.  And in a GOOD way.  After �Scrambler,� Derek said to the band, �See?  Surf music just puts �em to sleep.�  I yelled out, �So what�s wrong with sleep?�  Many Youth faves also made the set list this night, including their version of �She�s So Satisfyin�,� �Make You Mine,� and �Go Go Ferrari,� as well as other new hits like their Trashmen-inspired take on �Whistle Bait� (found on Planet Mace).  Still, the biggest smash of the night was probably when they hit my fave number from that same LP, �Life Of The Party.�  This one�s a show-stopper and belongs in everybody�s Top 10.  Once the set ended, they were (obviously) brought back on for an encore.  It looked like that was it, since the boys were tired, but The Platterpuss grabbed the mic and brought �em back in that way that only he can, �Whaddaya say, Folks.  You wanna hear some more?  Let�s hear it for THE UNTAMED YOUTH!!!�  And they acquiesced, laying us out all over again.  By the end of this one, I was completely drenhed in sweat, yet happier than my students on the last day of school.  (Heck, happier than MYSELF on the last day of school.  And that is saying something!)
       Slowly the crowd dissipated, as people bought tons of merchandise and said their good-byes.  Of course, for many of us, the night still had a few hours to go, as we hit the Lakeside.  Whatta night!  We showed up and within minutes we were hearing Eddie Cochran doing �Summertime Blues,� to which it seemed like half the bar was singin� along with.  There may be �No Dancing� signs littering the place (thanks to Mayor Giuliani), but for awhile there it seemed like people were spinning each other round and round like the night�d never end.  Still, the highlight had to be when Church Keys� drummer Bill Paitch heard a tune he particularly enjoyed.  Upon feeling the beat, Bill felt moved to climb up on the bar, boots and all, and stomp till he�d gotten rid of any imperfections in its surface.  �Viva, Viva Rock�n�Roll.�

Monday August 11th
Coney Island High, NYC:
       Barely recovered from Saturday�s wildness, I made my way into Manhattan this evening, thanking my lucky stars that I�d decided to become a teacher.  Heck, how else would I have been able to stay out for this one without worrying about waking up in the AM?
       I showed up sometime around 10 PM to find the place still fairly empty.  I was worried that this was gonna be it.  I shouldn�t have... by the time they hit the stage, the place was fairly crowded; pretty good, considering what night of the week it was.
       I stood right up front, just a bit to Deke�s left.  That, however, meant that I caught the full effect of his giganto amp.  Whatta friggin� behemoth!  The kicked off with �Brown Paper Sack� and I wasn�t sure I was hearing Rager at all.  Eventually, I ascertained that he was actually playing at a decent volume; it was just that I couldn�t tell that well �cuz Deke�s amp was so flippin� loud.  Still, something wasn�t quite right about the sound.  After the first song, my suspicions were confirmed when Deke told Mace to turn up.  But he was already playing as loudly as his borrowed amp would allow.  Sir Dekus told him the amp could take more.  Mace of Bass disagreed, asking if Deke was gonna pay $150 if the speaker got blown.  Deke tried cajoling the God of Thunder.  Mace boomed out, �No!�  The soundman came to the rescue, although it took a couple songs, as he patched Mace into the PA directly.  I still don�t think he was loud enough, but maybe that�s just me.
       This first set rocked like mad, as they went through faves like �Alright,� �KAPO,� �Girl & A Hot Rod,� and �Ain�t Got A Thing� and finally finished up with pal Joe Bargman getting completely psycho on, well... umm, �Psycho� for one.  And there was still the second set to go.
       Between sets it was time to hang out, dance a bit, and hand out the TS.  It was then that I learned that Jennie the K was planning to split.  Now, it�d been some time since I�d actually really tried Ye Olde Guilt Trip on anyone.  While I understood why Jennie wanted to head home (a wild weekend, work in the morning and work-related duties the next evening), I also knew she was extremely into the Untamed Youth.  So I just started in with the old, �You�re leaving???� bit, moving into shaking the head in disappointment and then enlisting the help of other friends.  Soon enough, Jennie was saying, �You�re making me feel really bad.�  (That meant it was working.  Can�t let up now.)  Eventually, Ms. Jennie had agreed to stay �for a few songs.�  Yeah, like there was any way she�d leave now.  Yup, the winner and still champ.
       The next set was looser, as they pulled out the master list and went from there.  At one point Deke was looking at it kinda shaking his head.  Mace said, �Aw, you just wanna do the new stuff.�  Deke said, �Nah, I�m just thinking about how many thousands of times I�ve played some of these songs.�  Eventually, he looked at the audience, saying �I know just about everybody in this room by first and last name, so why don�t you just yell out what you wanna hear.�  I�m not sure what came next, but they soon hit �Angel Face,� then one of my requests, �Dance Franny Dance,� which sounded great, even though Rager says he�d never played it.  The set also included �Don�t Look Back,� which got people pretty damn psyched.  Bargman took the stage again, too, with versions of �Strychnine� and his signature tune, �Surfin� Bird,� which found him tripping over the monitors and flying into the audience face first... TWICE!  Another highlight had to be them pulling out the Dictators� classic, �I Live For Cars & Girls.�  Too bad Andy Shernoff had had to leave after the first set.
       All in all, this was a pretty wild night and it left me looking forward to Thursday at the Lakeside.  In the meantime, tho�, Rager & Jet came back to my place to spend a couple nights.  Joel slept straight thru to 1:30 PM, at which point the three of us hit Jim Dandy�s for a fine lunch.  Poor Rager made the mistake of ordering a special, which meant he had to wait for what seemed like forever.  By the time he got his food, Joel and I were ready to start on dessert.  A slow afternoon of laundry and spinning records and discs led to an evening of Chinese food and Howard Stern�s Private Parts, enjoyed by Rager and Joel, as well as Roberta and me, not to mention ex-roomie Andy, who�d come to pick up his cats.


Thursday August 14th
The Lakeside Lounge, NYC:
       Evidently, the Providence, RI newspaper promo blurb on the Untamed Youth had described them as �feel-good punk rock.�  Huh?  Anyway, that�s the first thing Bluesman and I heard upon our arrival at the Lakeside.  Billy Miller handed me a couple 45s to review for this ish (including the extra-cool debut seven-incher by The Church Keys) and we all yapped for a bit.  But this was an early show, so we quickly scooted inside.
       Miriam had said 9:30 would be kick-off time, 9:45 the latest.  Turns out she was right.  No fanfare, no nothing, the boys just started playing.  This time out you could hear Mace just fine, probably due to the fact that Derek couldn�t play too loud �cuz of the size of this place.  Of course, it took a while before we were able to hear Rager this time out.  Once we could, tho�, things were great.  Best of all, the crowd was a good mix of the regular gang and others who either just dig The Lakeside (with good reason!) or were brought down by friends for a freebie gig.
       The band chose to mix in a bunch of favored covers this night, including �Come On Down To My Boat� which always puts a smile on my face.  I spent about the first half of the show over on the side, but when I heard them going into this one, I managed to squeeze my way into the tiny section in front of the stage.  Of course, this meant more beer landing on my person, but that�s perfectly OK.  It also put me closer to the table that Deke climbed on top of a few times.  (Which is how some of the beer ended up on me, I guess.)  You shoulda seen the reaction of the Avenue B locals when they saw this frat/surf/garage stuff being blasted out right there in their neighborhood.  Especially when Deke took to playing the guitar in back of his head.  This one guy started dancing in the street.  Actually, come to think of it, a number of people passing by stopped to listen to the Youth... some stayed on the street and danced, while others made their way inside to get a better listen.  (Of course, there was also the nut in the window who was waggling his tongue at some of the gals in go-go outfits, but they just kinda laughed.)  The highlight of the set for most people (and possibly the guys themselves) was when they invited Andy Shernoff of The Dictators (who produced their first couple LPs) up to sing a song he wrote over 20 years earlier.  Deke said Andy claimed not to know the words any longer, but Mr. Shernoff was game to try, so he came up.  Well, Andy didn�t remember �em all, but Deke helped out and they got through a rousing rendition of �I Live For Cars & Girls� which had much of the crowd singing along.  The set ended far earlier than anyone would have preferred, but they�d actually been on for a nice chunk of time (especially considering they were playing for tips and whatever they could make on merch.)

Friday August 15th
Sideshows By The Seashore, Coney Island:
       I hadn�t been out to Coney Island for a few years at least.  I was really looking forward to it.  I woke up when my principal called for some info that morning around 10.  Rager left about 45 minutes later to meet the rest of the guys down on Ridge St. to record words (dealing with The Dukes of Hazzard) to �F.U.J.I.M.O.� for a Gearhead magazine record.  Kind of a slow day, but I got a few things done, anyway.  Bluesman came over later on and we made for Coney Island with some excellent directions from WFMU air personality Dave the Spazz (who was presenting tonight�s show, �SpazzStock.�)
       Suddenly we were on Surf Ave, in the midst of the beautiful neon and trash that is Coney Island.  We found a $5 all-night parking lot close by and walked towards the beckoning sounds, smells, and blinking lights.  I live for this kind of stuff.   Sure, I may not appreciate the hip-hop blasting out of some of the rides, but it�s still kinda cool that they�ve got a DJ spinning at a friggin� amusement park ride.  The atmosphere at Coney is just so alive, even if it�s obviously at least 50 years past its heyday.  (Many would say 70, but I�ll be kind.)  We were pretty early, but we figured we�d show up at the club first, then maybe I could find someone to hit the Cyclone with.  (Last time Bluesman went on that thing, his back was acting up for a month.)
       One problem... it wasn�t where it used to be.  Last time I saw a show at Sideshows, it was right up on the boardwalk at the corner of 12th Street in Coney Island.  We showed up and it was absolutely nothing. We wandered east... nope, that brings you to Astroland Park.  (A great place, but not what we were after at that particular moment.)  Back west, past the old location again, past the food/bar/whatever next door... Wait!  Hey, there�s Bill & Susan from The Church Keys along with some other pals.  So we started yapping.  Pretty soon we ran into Frank Giordano and Greg Clark from The Pleasantries, too.  I asked where the heck the new location was.  Turns out Sideshows is no longer right By the Seashore.  Instead, it�s on Surf Ave. on the 2nd floor, only a couple blocks east of Nathan�s.
       Up we went... And way too early at that.  It was HOT up there.  The only fan was blowing at the stage.  Not a bad idea, considering that�s where the lights were shining, but those same lights were also reflecting off the gel paper in front of them and onto the audience.  Windows?  Well, there was one semi-open way towards the back of the room, a few feet from the funhouse mirrors and the Steeplechase horse.  But that didn�t do much for the crowd, which was considerably further up.
       Rot Gut were on when we arrived.  I can�t say they were bad, really, but at the same time I wouldn�t go out of my way to see them.  The Plungers were next.  Two Japanese gals backed by a biker-looking guy.  They pummeled their way through a lo-fi garage/punk set, occasionally hitting a nice melody.  Covers included �Bobby�s Girl,� �Come On Let�s Go,� and even Supercharger�s �It�s Alright.�  Pretty cool.  I�d even see them again.  (I kept wondering, tho�, if the name had been picked before the events of the past week, when some NYC cops rammed a plunger up an immigrant�s anal orifice.  Yeah, NY�s Finest.)  Then Dave The Spazz�s group, The Sea Monkeys.  Well, to be honest, by this time, I was sweating my petooties off and I�d barely even danced yet.  I needed to cool down.  I found my way to the stairs leading down to the roof next door, where I found a whole bunch of other like-minded folks.  We could hear the sounds from within, but we could also talk, hang out, etc... in the semi-cool night air.  The only thing I remember of the band�s set was when someone said they were doing �Him Or Me� by Paul Revere & The Raiders.
       Well, since The Candy Snatchers had cancelled, it was time for the last band of the night, the one most of us had come for, The Untamed Youth.  Considering that it had to be at least 1:15, I�m rather glad this was it for the evening.
       Just about everyone who was outside came in and grabbed a spot as close to the front as they could.  As hot as it was, people did not refrain from dancing.  Rather, they blasted out another intense set of Youth�n�Roll, making everybody sweat up a storm.  Glad I didn�t have to do the laundry for this crowd.

Saturday August 16th
The Court Tavern, New Brunswick, NJ:
       Another killer bill... The Insomniacs, The Swingin� Neckbreakers, and the Untamed Youth.  Seeing as we hit The Insomniacs and the Neckbreakers in numerous other spots in this mag, we�ll skip them this time.
       Although I don�t remember this show well enough (possibly �cuz I�m finishing this up way past the event itself), I do recall it was the best show of the five outstanding performances they�d done over the week they were in town. Perhaps it was having to compete with two other great bands.  Whatever it was, the Youth were nothing short of astounding this night.  Throw in that they were joined on assorted songs by Billy Miller (A-Bones), The Great Gaylord, and Tom Jorgenson of the Neckbreakers and you�ll see that this was just a huge party.  And, since it was the last show of the �tour,� it was blow-out time.  They pulled out all the stops... and so did the audience.
       Yep, we�d just had a close encounter of the Untamed kind - a visitation from Planet Mace, a place where Youth Runs Wild. (OUCH!)

�It�s Mace�s Planet... We just live on it.�
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THE UNTAMED YOUTH - YOUTH RUNS WILD  (Norton)
       It�s a good thing it�s taken me so damn long to get this mag out.  If I hadn�t, I wouldn�t have had an Untamed Youth record to review. Timing is everything.  (And they say procrastination is bad?)

       For those who�ve gotten tired of my rambling ways, I�ll cut to the quick.  Youth Runs Wild (Norton) is yet another excellent effort from one of the finest bands I�ve ever had the pleasure to see.  This is Grade A, 100% American rock�n�roll.  The sound is sweet and pure; the vocals are excellent; and Deke�s guitar playing is nothing short of phenomenal.  Having said all that, I should also warn narrow-minded fuzz-freaks and punknik purists that the Youth don�t spew chunk chords or spout a bunch of pointless �piss-off� platitudes. No, the Untamed Youth can actually play their instruments. And they can sing, too. Yeah - imagine that! - a band that thinks vocals are important! (In fact, this time they brought in Davie �Blues Theme� Allan to do backing vox. It�s true, he�s best known as the �King of Fuzz,� but evidently he also used to be a session vocalist and worked with such greats as The Hondells!) Of course, the #1 consideration for the Youth has always been F-U-N!  (That spells �fun.�)
       There�s a certain magic when the Untamed Youth play together. This particular lineup is my favorite of all. My only regret is that they don�t all live in the same place, which means that Youth gigs are few and far between. Luckily, we�ve got this record to hold us till the next time the boys play in our particular area.
       As is their custom, the group treats us to some excellent instrumentals.  In fact, the disc starts off with one, �Haunted Castle Party,� where they alternate between the big party sound and the cruising-the-castle sound. Of course, I�m not sure if the castle�s really haunted or the guys are just tryin� to get the chicks scared so they�ll cling tight. Which do you believe?  Yeah, I thought so. You�ll also hear �Red Line� and �Lightnin� Louie.�  On the latter, Deke not only pitches in with a truly wild guitar solo, but he also pitches in on electric piano.
       Two car songs appear on the disc. �Full Blown 426 Hemi� is in full, bragging hot-rod vocal mode and provides a fine time. As cool as it is, the automotive-themed track that will most likely capture your attention is �Mace Has Got A Hot Rod Dart.�  This has got just as sweet a sound as the other one, but it�s makin� fun of Mace�s wheels.  The first new car I remember my family buying was a �69 Dart Swinger.  I loved that car. But this is just plain funny, as Deke sings �Rusted / Busted / Looks weak / Roof leaks / Backfires / Bald Tires.�  Mace puffs out his chest and claims, �It drives the ladies Wild!� Deke launches into another one of his stellar solos as the vocals sing, �It�s Junk� over and over again.  At the end, Mace is telling the Dart detractors to �Shut up... Goddammit, Shut UP!�  I was all set to feel bad for poor old Mace and his Hot Rod Dart, but then he blew it... I could swear I heard him shout back, during the fadeout, �You drive a Kia for God�s sake!�  HEY!  I have a Hot Rod Kia!
       Mace also gets in a couple of lead vocals. Last one first... You�ll recall that one of the best known Radio Birdman songs is their tribute to Hawaii Five-O, �Aloha Steve And Danno.�  Well, as it turns out, the Youth are getting the final word in on that great show with �Where Did Kono Go?� His big hit this time, however, will be �You Can�t Call It Beer,� in which His Baldness takes issue with all those exotic beer things that are going on.  He questions the existence of oatmeal in ale (me, I only accept it in cookies), and points to Pabst for the real deal. My brother is into microbrewing. I think I�m gonna put this track on a tape for him (first track of course.) The whole thing will have you bursting at the seams, but here�s a favorite of mine, �Tutti Frutti brew by any name / It�s the biggst sham since Bartles & Jaymes.�
       Youth Runs Wild  is jam-packed with hits. �Girl Happy� is packed with the joy of a guy who�s truly nuts about the opposite sex. I�m with �em completely. The song smiles throughout as the organ splashes on the bright colors as Deke sings it out proud. When the whole thing comes to an end, Joel hits the accents nice and hard. On �Iron Cross� we hear the heartbreaking tale of the generation gap.  Dad is repulsed by what his son claims is his �surfer�s badge of honor� due to the symbolism that his own dad risked his life against.  The son says, �things don�t mean what they did yesterday.� The son pleads with his pop not to make him get rid of it, as it�s his way of being free of hassles, of saying, �Don�t mess with me.� To find out the result of this sad tale, you�ll have to buy the disc.

       Now for my pick hits. Who needs Franny?  We�ve got �Dance Sammy Dance.� This one�ll soon be a dance floor favorite in all the cool places around town, as Rager gets a chance to show off his fancy footwork.  Do it, Sammy, Do It!  It�s a Hit!        Best of all, however, is �F-olding Money,� where Deke throws in some outrageous Trashmen-like vocalizations, not to mention some more killer guitar.  GENIUS!
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THE OUTSIDERS
Reunion Tour �97
by Sander Van Malsson

In June 1996 Albert `Appie� Rammers turned 50. ``What about it?�� I hear you cry, and ``who�s that guy anyway?��
Appie Rammers was the bass player of the kings of Dutch mid-sixties *nederbiet*, The Outsiders. And this 50th birthday of his was important for us, because it was at this occasion that his old mates from the band joined up with him for a bit of a musical get-together. It must have proven an enjoyable occasion, since the lads decided to play together more often, and by 1997 plans for an actual reunion tour were underway.
As it happened that year a Dutch TV broadcaster was making a series about ``classic albums��, and they decided to do one about The Outsiders. A gig was arranged at a club called Het Paard van Troje in The Hague for May 11th of that year, and the programme was aired on TV about a month later. My heart skipped a beat or two when I read about that in the TV guide. . . not just a TV programme about The Outsiders, but talk about a reunion, too! No way I was gonna miss out on this!
I managed to see the band on three occasions during their reunion tour. The first time was at the official opening of the tour in Paradiso, Amsterdam on October 10th. Next I saw them in De Oosterpoort, Groningen on November 29th, which originally was the final date planned for the tour. But the boys proved to be unstoppable, and more dates were added for December and January, and so the final time I saw them was in Tivoli, Utrecht on January 8th.


The first gig of the official reunion tour, then, was on October 10th 1997 in Paradiso, which is the Mecca of non-mainstream rock in this country, and a lovely place it is too, being an old converted church. Since I don�t drive I had to go by train, which would mean leaving early to catch the last train back home, but I figured what the hell, just an hour or so worth�s Outsiders is better than nothing.
When your correspondent arrived at Paradiso at about ten to nine then, the support act for the evening was already underway. Alas, I thought, I really ought to have arrived half an hour later. Bland generic rock with a lead singer who thinks he�s so hip because he has a neck-tie hanging loose from his collar, and a bass player who thinks that running around a lot is a worthy substitute for stage presence. Can�t remember what they were called now. Of course, with that last train to catch of mine, every minute I had to listen to them meant a minute less of The Outsiders, which didn�t do much to improve my mood. Well, never mind.
Then, after much ado by the stage hands and surreptitious glancing at his watch by your reporter, the main treat of the evening came on stage. If you know The Outsiders, you know the routine: it was a condensed version of their *Story 16*: ``On drums. . . Leendert Busch!�� �- drums starting to pound away �- ``bass guitar. . . Appie Rrrrammers!�� �- bass tones starting to roll up and down the fretboard, and on to the next guy, except that the MC had forgotten the name of the new rhythm guitarist (Tom Krabbendam, the original one, wasn�t part of the reunion), but then, so has your loyal correspondent. ``Lead guitar. . . Ronald Splinter!�� (yeah!) and finally, ``Vocals. . . Wally Tax! The Outsiders!!�� �- the lot of them bursting into a crescendo of accelerating drums, bass, guitars and harmonica amidst much enthusiastic screaming from the audience. Well, sort of. It took a few songs for Tax to sort his harmonica out, but do read on.
The first few songs, I must say, did ramble a bit. Ronald Splinter�s guitar had a breakdown in the second song, but Ronnie bravely struggled on through to the end, although it appeared for the first few numbers that he had forgotten that all this continuous distortion stuff on your rhythm guitar is something for seventies hard rock, not sixties *nederbiet*. With some mis-communication, and with a small spot of confusion during one song, some embarrassed giggling already started to emanate from the audience, and your correspondent was starting to wonder whether the guys on stage had lost it after all (a risk you�re always running with oldies bands), until, after a few songs, this seeming nervousness, or insecurity perhaps, or whatever, of the band members started to subside (this was, after all, their first real gig for their Amsterdam home audience in three decades) and, like magic, what was on stage transformed from a bunch of guys holding instruments into a band �- a five-membered organism working as one mind to deliver a sound, a rhythm, a BEAT �- this was The Outsiders! Yea, this was the band I�d come for. This was the blistering-maniacal guitar style that your unworthy servant ineptly tries to emulate in his own musical endeavors. This was it.
These guys are still really, really good. Yes, I know what I said above, but that was just by way of warming up (by them I mean, not me). It�s not important that they took a few songs to get up to speed, it�s important that they *did* get up to speed, and my goodness they did. Fast, and very, very tight.
``Well then,�� as you might well ask, ``what did they play?�� All their old stuff, of course. I have it from reliable sources that they even did a newly written song at the end of the show (although it was dropped again from later performances). The ones that I managed to catch before my untimely forced exit included, perhaps even in approximately correct order, �Story 16,� �Monkey on Your Back,� �If You Don�t Treat Me Right,� �Touch,� a beautiful �What�s Wrong with You,� �Thinking About Today,� and �Filthy Rich�. Not bad for just the first forty minutes.
And then, just as the heavenly intertwined wailing of Splinter�s guitar and Tax�s voice on �Sun�s Going Down� started to sweep over the stage and into the audience, your humble servant had to step out into the drizzle to catch that last train home. Oh well, with a dozen more dates awaiting on this tour, I�d just have to catch a few of the ones nearer to home.

The second time I saw the band was in the town of Groningen in the far North-East of the country, where I'd never been before. I went there together with TJ O'Brien, who had come over from the US specially to catch a few of the Outsiders' shows. We joined up in Utrecht where we first went to plunder almost any and all Outsiders goodies from the Da Capo record store (the best beat/garage store this side of the Atlantic, the address is Oudegracht 10 in Utrecht, can�t miss it, tell �em I sent you), then took the train to Groningen, where we checked in at our hotel. This time there would be no leaving early (which probably would have meant leaving before the gig had started in this case anyway). We had a look around town, had dinner in what turned out to be a kind of cowboy restaurant (which makes it �ethnic food� in this part of the world, ahahaha), and finally went out to find out where this place ``De Oosterpoort,�� tonight�s venue, was, exactly. My ticket said ``concert at 8:30,� so I�d figured that would mean the support act starting around nine-ish, and the main act starting around, let�s say, between ten and ten-thirty. Huh. Not so. It turned out that De Oosterpoort is a big theatre/concert hall, with an old geezer dressed up like a lackey dude at the door showing you the way, and if these guys say ``8:30�� they *mean* ``8:30��. By the time we sauntered in around ten past nine the Outsiders had already been playing for about forty minutes. Good grief. Well, at least I could more or less pick things up at the point I had left them in Amsterdam. The concert itself was pretty good again, the band was obviously much more at ease than at their Amsterdam gig, though the early time and   the odd location (a small cinema-shaped theatre hall off the side of the main building) prevented the gig from getting into a proper swing.

Having failed to see a complete set twice now, I was determined to have one final go. I found out that the band would be doing an extra gig on January 8th, and although I didn�t have enough money left by now to stay for the night as we did in Groningen, this gig was in Tivoli in Utrecht which is only about 20 minutes by train from where I live, so I figured that this time it would be possible to catch the last train home without having to leave early. I arrived with Martine, an old friend of mine, at about nine. Opening for The Outsiders was The Dexels, a local band with whom my band had shared its first vinyl back in 1994, playing not a bad selection of numbers, including a favorite of mine, *Action Woman*.
First surprise of the evening was that Appie was missing on bass. I mean, his replacement was pretty good, but they were down to only three original members now out of five. Still, this was an impressive gig. Absolute pure energy, perfect playing, and yet very friendly and relaxed, as you could tell from the broad smile (as opposed to a mean sturdy looking roadie) that Wally sent to a fan who jumped on stage to dance around a bit with the band. At the end Wally introduced the other members to the audience, each receiving their round of applause, and the applause that Ronnie got was noticably louder, which made him look very, very proud. His smile at that point must be my best memory of that evening.

There�s three types of audience you might expect at gigs like these. There are the original fans, now in their late forties or early fifties, who probably all saw The Outsiders first thirty years ago. Then there are the young kids, who�re just going out for the night, or who�ve just recently discovered The Outsiders. And in between you�d expect the kids of the �Eighties Garage Explosion,� now probably in their late twenties or early thirties, but surprisingly (and much to the annoyance of yours truly, who happens to belong to this generation himself), these folks were mostly absent. It�s my guess that they�re probably too busy having careers or kids or something (I�m happy to admit I suffer from neither of these afflictions) to attend gigs anymore. Oh well, their loss, not mine. It was great to see that The Outsiders were still very much able to put up a solid performance, and that there are still plenty of people around who�re able to recognize The Outsiders for what they were in the sixties and again now �- the best neder-biet show in town.
Rumors abound that there will be a new live LP drawn from recordings made of this tour. No news about a possible continuation of The Outsiders has reached your correspondent, but is has emerged that Ronnie is now playing in a new band with ex-Kliek member Marcel Kruup. Can�t wait to check �em out, myself.
       Sander Van Malssen is a member of The 1-2-5.  Check out their home page at: http:// svm.www.cistron.nl/music/
       For more info, check out Filippo Dulio�s Outsiders� web page at http://www.geocities.com/ SunsetStrip/Alley/3486.
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THE CHESTERFIELD KINGS ON A SURFIN� RAMPAGE

       About 12 years ago, I was hanging out at a club in Rochester and I got to talking to Andy Babiuk and Rick Cona of The Chesterfield Kings.  Andy mentioned that they really wanted to do a surf record, plus maybe a folk one, as well.  Well, in 1997, Rick is long gone (as are two other original band members, Ori Guran and Doug Meech), but Andy�s still there with singer Greg Prevost.  After all these years, the Kings have finally gotten around to the surf record.  Surfin� Rampage is a drop-dead perfect take on the early-mid 60s LA surf vocal sound presided over by Brian Wilson with pals Roger Christian and Gary Usher.  There�re only four group originals on this 73-minute, 32-track monster, kind of recalling the band�s first LP, which was completely garage covers.  It doesn�t matter, though, as surf vocal stuff is something that really hasn�t been mined at all.  I have no problem with bands doing familiar covers, actually, as long as they do them well.  It�s just that hearing the Kings do this stuff is a reminder of just how damn great this kinda stuff is.  The 90s have seen a huge resurgence in instrumental surf music, something that�s usually credited to/blamed on Pulp Fiction, even though many of the bands were doing it before the movie came out.  (But that�s a whole column unto itself now, isn�t it?)
       According to press materials, the Kings spent about a year learning how to really sing so they could do this style justice.  The backing vocals are nailed beautifully, while Greg�s lead still features his distinctive edge.  Personally, I think they�ve done a remarkable job and their work really shows.
       I think the guys would agree that their take on The Beach Boys� �Surfin�� isn�t as great as the original, but it�s a strong take.  I listen to this track and the rest of the disc and somehow I see the guys heading over to Vic & Irv�s for a burger up by the shores of Lake Ontario.  The cars are driving up and the kids are out for a good time.  No matter if they�re doing a slow one like �Ballad of Bonneville� (featuring some sax sounds that fit perfectly) or takin� on �Little Honda� and revvin� up for a ride, the Kings are once again proving just why they�re such a damned great band.
       There are also instrumentals.  �Beat �65� works beautifully as it fits in perfectly with the vocal stylings happening on most of the disc.  One of the other instros found is an original by bassist Andy Babiuk, �Double O Surf.�  It�s a slow, moody track with, as the title suggests, a definite spy feel.  Also included is the well-named �Echo,� giving the guitar a chance to strut its stuff, surf-wise, stepping out for a wild time.
       The majority of the tracks on the disc are written by Brian Wilson, Gary Usher, and Roger Christian in various combinations, but there are also a few Sloan/Barri tracks like �Anywhere The Girls Are,� �Summer Means Fun,� and �Tell �Em I�m Surfin�.�  Like the rest, these get stellar care and you�re transported back to �64 and a big convertible with the AM radio blasting and your best gal on your arm.
       It�s also worthwhile to talk about the originals the group have written for this disc.  Besides the excellent instro �Double O Surf� (mentioned earlier), they�ve whipped up three vocal numbers.  �Shelby GT 356� is my favorite of these, sounding like it could�ve been a hit back in �64 along with some of the originals of other tracks on this disc.  The lead guitar bursts through leading the charge while the vocals are all right on and a Vox organ keeps it going underneath.  (Evidently, the guys put together a video of this one; gotta get a copy of that.)  �Surf Side Steady� takes a different tack, going for the ballad side of things.  Again, they�ve managed to recreate it perfectly.  They leave me wondering why this kind of thing ever died out, �cuz it�s just such a great feeling hearing it.  The triangle sounds on this one are absolutely perfect.  They close out the disc with the title track, a frenzied surf instro with swingin� Vox organ sounds running out front for a nice portion of the track, all alone at one point except for a wild bongo beat.  Throw in a bit of a �Wipeout� touch and this one�s truly gone!  YEOW!
       There�s a reason all those early Beach Boys records still sound so great and this disc brings that flying right to the fore.  This is the kind of music that just makes everything alright.  It may have been a long time coming, but Surfin� Rampage was well worth the wait.  All I can say is THANK YOU!!!

       Along with Misty Lane #15 came a 45 by The Chesterfield Kings.  What was the featured side?  Yeesh... you really are slow, aren�t you?  It was a cover of �Misty Lane,� of course.  It�s fantastic to hear the Kings doing the stuff that they first flipped fans out with some 15-20 years ago.  Both this and the flip, a cover of �Little Girl,� are right on, reminding us that the Kings can still do pure 60s garage punk with the best of �em.

       Unfortunately, I didn�t get a chance to pick up Trippin� Out, the band�s 10�er for Imposible, released last year.  (It�s got six of the band�s fave covers on it, including a version of one of my all-time favorites, �1-2-5.�)   I plead cash deprivation.  In addition, the band will soon be releasing an LP called The Mind Bending Sounds of...  Writing collaborations and guest performances on this one will come from members of the Jefferson Airplane (Jorma Kaukonen), the Beau Brummels, Paul Revere & the Raiders, the Music Machine, The Chocolate Watch Band, the Blues Magoos and many more.  The group will also be releasing some new 45s on the Living Eye label, the first of which will include a new original called �Wrong From Right� backed with a cover of the Lyrics� �So What.�  Another of the 45s will feature the Kings and The Lyres doing one of each other�s best-known tracks.  The Kings rampage through �Help You Ann� while the Lyres work it on out with �She Told Me Lies.�

       (The upcoming releases info on the Kings was derived from visits to the group�s web-site:  http://home.att.net/~c.kings/  Stop in there and find news on what�s new with them, any live shows coming up, as well as various other projects they have going, along with ordering info for some of their records.)
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THE MORLOCKS - Uglier Than You�ll Ever Be
       A shout from an enthused (and probably well-lubricated) cave teen ready for a fuzz injection by his fave group... �MORLOCKS!�
       Then a creepy, horror-show semi-English voice intrudes on the pre-show calm,
�Ladies & Gentlemen,
It�s time to hang out in your brain
With the Sons of Sound
Around the icy waters underground...
The Morlocks.�

       And a chord sears in, burning meat as it chunks down to a second... and then The Morlocks are kicking into The Kinks� klassik, �I Need You,� treating it better than Ray and Dave were by that point.  This is October of 1985 and The Morlocks are playing a show in San Francisco and all is right with the garage world.  This is Uglier Than You�ll Ever Be, from a tape brought to Voxx Records by guitarist Ted Friedman.
       Back in 1984, I was an 18 year-old just getting into the Sound of �66.  Sometime towards the end of that year, I picked up All Black & Hairy, an LP by a bunch of San Diego high school kids called The Gravedigger V.  Sadly, the liner notes (by 99th Floor �zine editor Ron Rimsite) informed me that the Five were no more; they�d split soon after the LP was recorded.  However, guitarist Friedman had joined up with vocalist Leighton Koizumi and a few other guys to form The Morlocks.  I finally heard them sometime in �85, when Midnight released their mini-LP, Emerge. Unfortunate-ly, the production was piss-poor, as far as I was concerned.  Somehow, I didn�t like it as much as The Gravedigger V.  So I filed the record away.
       Time went on and The Morlocks moved to San Francisco.  I remember them doing a second LP (I think for Epitaph), but they were getting heavier and that wasn�t where I wanted to be.  I stuck to my Gravedigger V album.
       Well, as always, time passed.  By the end of the 80s, San Francisco had birthed The Mummies.  While The Mummies style was far more Sonics/Wailers + Billy Childish, I sensed some sort of common thread.  I went back and listened to Emerge.  Pretty decent stuff, but it wasn�t where my head was at by then, even if it was starting to make sense.
       A few weeks ago, I got Uglier Than You�ll Ever Be.  Damn if that Mummies-connection didn�t come back to my mind.  I kept wondering if Russell or any of the Wrapped Ones were regulars at Morlocks shows.  It certainly seemed likely.  The Morlocks had real garage attitude and spirit.  Unlike many modern garage acts, they knew you didn�t need speed to sell a garage number.  Speed had its place, just like fuzz.  Choose your weapons wisely, �cuz one size does not fit all.
       This disc has a healthy dollop of covers, including �Leavin� Here,� �Your Body Not Your Soul� and �Get Out of My Life Woman.�  (Not to mention a host of others.)  But it�s the band�s interpretation that makes it work.  These guys weren�t painting a pretty picture; like their namesakes, they lived underground and it showed through in everything they did.  A perennial darkness shows through, bitter at times and exultant in others.  Sure, not being allowed to roam free is gonna bug us, but it also breeds an uncontrollable lust that gets its fulfillment from all possible sources.  Drink deep and fast.  Let it overflow.  Tear into animal flesh with everything you�ve got.  Let passions overwhelm.  That�s the true wildness of The Morlocks.  There are similarities to The Cynics at their most primitive, as well as some vocal bits that remind you of Greg Prevost of the Chesterfield Kings, but The Morlocks pre-dated The Cynics and... well, they were no Chesterfield Kings� clones.
       A couple weeks after getting this disc, I heard about Leighton�s death.  It prompted a night of playing this CD, along with the Gravedigger V disc Voxx released a few years ago, as well as putting Emerge back on the turntable for the first time in five or six years.  And the power of Leighton�s vocals and the untamed wildness of The Morlocks flattened me.
       Turn the lights way down, turn your hi-fi up, and let The Morlocks drag you down to their lair for consumption.
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HEAD & THE HARES

       If you�ve heard the story about how I first heard Head & The Hares, you can skip down to the next paragraph.  (I wouldn�t want to waste any of your precious bowl time.)  Back in 1992, I was working at 2 Penn Plaza, above Penn Station and right in front of Madison Square Garden in NYC.  The commute was a painus-in-the-anus, but there were some positives:  first, The Platterpuss worked a block and a half down, Eric Fuzzco was about a block or two to the west, and Chaos/Black Eye label-meister Tom Bessoir was a block up; secondly, there were some fun spots for lunch, including our favorite diner down on West 27th for �Friday Fishcakes� (which looked more like potatoes when you opened them up), as well as Pinky�s Drive-In; and, thirdly, Midnight Records was within walking distance.  So one day the Platterpuss and I walked down to Midnight at lunchtime.  Coming over the sound system was this really cool New England 60s garage/folk.  The Puss asked who it was.  From one step up, the answer came down - �Head & The Hares.�  We were hooked.  We both bought the LP.  Ever since then, I�ve had �I Saw Erica� ringing in my mind.
       Head & The Hares were (and are) from Rome.  The LP, released by Pennsylvania�s Moulty Records, said that �Head & The Hares attend Lasagna Prep.�  I appreciated that, somehow.  Now, six years later, just as Stanton Park is about to release the group�s follow-up LP, Get Hip has seen fit to re-ish the first one on CD for the digital generation.
       The first track, �Try To Forget,� leads off with a jangly guitar bit that�s quite reminiscent of The Outsiders� �Lying All The Time,� a personal favorite of mine.  While that line lingers throughout the song, the vocal melody line is quite different, sadder and wistful, with only a muted crash to signal the transition to chorus.
       �1-2-3 GO!� and they�re into the more up-tempo �Tomorrow Never Ends.�  This one has a smooth organ dominating the mix and falls further into garage territory.  They follow with cool cover of The 24 Karat Five�s �Get You� which moves a bit back towards the folk side, but remains on the garage side of the fence.  The guitars jangle again and I can hear The Optic Nerve at their more upbeat.  In fact, many people often refer to Bobby Belfiore, Tony Matura, & Co. when talking about Head & The Hares.  There are certainly similarities, but Head & The Hares are no Optic Nerve clones.
       �Love If You Can� has thin harmonica strains popping up throughout to fade away only a few measures later.  Follow it with their cover of �A Message To Pretty,� which slowly sets an atmosphere, letting the harmonica choose the direction before giving way to the vocal.  It does so by evoking the Beau Brummels whenever it comes to the fore.  This may be one of the slowest tracks on the LP, but it�s also quite beautiful.
       �How She Was Good For Me� contrasts nicely with its predecessor.  It picks up the pace and provides a some nice chunk chords throughout most, only occasionally giving way to the jangle.  This one�s a definite favorite of mine, but it�s almost like it�s the 3rd batter in the lineup, �cuz next up is my absolute favorite in the clean-up spot.
        �I Saw Erica� has stayed with me for over six years, even when I haven�t played the LP for extended periods, popping into my mind unexpectedly and staying there to put a smile on my face.  Again, it�s upbeat and uplifting.  While I wouldn�t call it quite driving, the chiming guitars keep moving and wanting the whole way.  Maybe it�s that it gives the listener the feeling of wanting to keep reaching for something truly wonderful.  It gongs in with a crash and keeps things going.  This guy�s seen this girl and he just wants to find her again.  The riff keeps ringing on in my mind and I can listen to the thing all day.  It ends up by getting more and more chaotic towards the finish.
       They adroitly change course after that, moving into the sad psychedelic feel of �I Don�t Know.�  It builds up at points in the song, but most of it are quite down.  Later, it features a cold organ solo on top.  They follow with the quicker �From My Window� and then on to the punkier �One Against The World.�  On the latter track, they sound more garage/punk than on the whole rest of the disc.  It�s a good change of pace, with the secondary vocals offsetting the lead nicely.  It seems a strange choice for a band that spends most of its time jangling, but that�s why it works so well.
       It�s back to the ringing folk-rock on �I�ve Been Told.�  Backing vocals fall beautifully, but its the return from chorus to verse that really sends me, the guitar rings back in a circle to bring us back in... and repeats it to end the song, too.
       �Sorry� is a long, sad garage/folk dirge.  It just screams from the pain of lost love of the worst kind - love lost because you messed up.
       I mentioned that The Optic Nerve often come up in reviews of these guys.  Well, obviously, The Byrds should, too.  They bring that home with a bonus track on the CD, a cover of �Feel A Whole Lot Better.�  The sound quality, like most of this disc, is kind of primitive, but this is quite good.

       Here we are six years later and the guys have finally released their follow-up, Autumn Songbook (Stanton Park). Here we find that the band has more fully developed their already keen sense of the New England sound.  Most of these songs are folk-punk, with some dark psychedelic flourishes.  Now, I�m not art critic, but they put me in mind of the style Bobby Belfiore (of the Optic Nerve) was painting in back in the mid-late 80s.  The colors were somewhat muted and somber, even when the scene wasn�t somehow sad or longing, there was a tinge of regret.  So, too, with this record.  Musically, you�ll find a few covers thrown in, but most of the tracks are either group originals or are written by one of the members, Roberto Sarais.
       �I�m Gonna Kill You� begins things with the same feel as �Misty Lane.�  The song is fully alive, yet without the pounding savagery so many associate with such tracks.
       The track that hit me hardest of all of them was �Never Be Happy.� Until the afternoon of July 5th, I�d only had this record on as background music, trying to absorb it without actually concentrating on it.  Then, that fateful Sunday, I put it on to really grind it into my cranium before starting to write.  And I hear this... �I know / I�ll never be happy without you.�  I need to hear this on the day my girlfriend of seven years has just left to spend two months in Costa Rica?!? Especially when we�ve officially broken up as of her departure from Newark Airport? Sorry, but the love�s still there and hearing this just drove a spike through my heart. I think this song is going to be playing in my mind for a long time. Due to the circumstances in my own life, this may become this LP�s equivalent of �I Saw Erica.� I�m not saying it�s the best track on here (although it is damn good), just that it really hit home.  If Misty Lane does a second volume of Love Is A Sad Song, I seriously suggest they try a modern version.  A song like this one could serve as the new title track.
       I�m happy to report that not all of the songs on Autumn Songbook bummed me out that much. Sure, there are others that recall lost love, or something along those lines.  The harder, more urgent �You Cursed Me� seems positively PO�d about it.  At one point, everything clears up and the guitar rings with crystalline insight, but  then it�s back to the shadows of self-doubt, with shades of �Shakin� All Over� intruding upon the conscious mind via the guitar. There�s also �Why Must You Fade Away,� with the organ supplying the sad tone.  However, the music also seems to recall just why it�s sad that she�s fading away... simply because things were so good.  The lament exists because there was once great happiness.  This one recalls some of the celebration in the grieving process.
       �I Think I�m Going Insane� is a dark, psychedelic buzz that whirls around, unsure of what�s happening in the mind. The accents hit and wound simply because the mind is not altogether focused.
       Some of the best tracks feature a wavering fuzz guitar sound at all the right spots.  �Tomorrow So Far� starts on one, lets a bass line play through underneath, then KICKS IN!  Up on top, we get the vocal riding out the storm.  When it subsides, another wavering chord kicks us good-bye.
       I�m happy to report that Head & the Hares have produced another fine LP.  Here�s hoping we don�t have to wait six years till the next one.
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LIVIN� IT UP DOWN UNDER
by Michael Seman

The Stems
January 4, 1998
Murdoch University
       Mudslinger is the local summer rock festival, probably named because the ground near the stage turns to mud after the crowd is hosed down by the security.  This year it was run as 18+ on the first day so you could get booze (and maybe allow any performers to strip naked).  The second day was an alcohol-free all-ages show.  I choose that day because it would be the last time The Stems played.  On the bill were Beck, Swervedriver, three local bands, and six from the eastern states of Australia.

       The first local band were Beaverloop.  They have maintained a DIY independent attitude for about four years.  They�ve finally got national radio and television exposure, but have probably hit a glass ceiling, and will be like Fugazi in terms of success, but perhaps they sound more like Tool and Helmet.  Still, their home town, they are very popular with the teenagers. There was much crowd surfing until singer Loon X-Wing begged them to stop, and they did.

       Then there was Jebediah.  They are one of the most successful bands ever from Perth.  Coca-Cola even wanted to use one of their songs in a commercial, but they refused, probably not wanting to appear as selling out.  When they began, it was amazing: thousands of kids moshing up front.  Their singer has a sort of fake English punk accent, but their sound is more poppy.  They certainly know the value of a good melody.  I imagine they will get released in other countries eventually, and sell enough T-shirts to record a second album.  Just seems a shame that they have become too big to play in pubs any more.

       There were two bands making reunion appearances here.  First was the Hard Ons, a punk band of some note who split three years ago.  I found them a little disappointing.  They seemed like just another loud fast trio.  But at least there were enough kids who remembered them to go wild up front, very much like a bunch of drunk adults they played to in a club on New Year�s Eve.

       Well at last I saw The Stems again.  Although their March 1 gig last year was supposed to be the �farewell�, somebody had persuaded them to play again. I was just glad to the chance to see them one more time.  After their �final� show last year, I got out the Bam Balaam compilation with the quote �The Stems were, are, and always will be the best�, and thought it was utterly true.  So what can I say about this show?  Well, it was good, but it wasn�t their best.  They played really well, like they had never been away, but had some things working against them.  There was no psychedelic light show from Laurie Mariani (they had the light of the setting sun on stage that prevented it).  Then they were limited to fifty five minutes.  Last year, they played just about their whole repertoire, but this time it was just thirteen songs.  But the main problem was the completely different atmosphere with crowd of youngsters who hardly knew them.  Sure there were some having a good time, but many sat down exhausted after dancing for hours in the heat, and more drifted off to the other stage to wait for Beck. Dom began with a joke �some of you were sperm when we were around�, and finished with another, introducing At First Sight as �our new single, hope it does well�.  It was so sad hearing one of my favorite songs live for the last time.  I can only hope they break their word that that was their final show, as I really would like to see them again playing before a bunch of the old fans.

The
Hoodoo Gurus
January 7, 1998
Metropolis, Perth
Newport Hotel

       I was feeling sick this day, but forced myself to go.  After all, this was the last performance by the Hoodoo Gurus in Perth.  I think it was their ninth show in this state in about three months, but it sold out rapidly, being the ultimate. It was supposed to be the last ever.  Some people even booked flights from interstate to be there.  They must have been disappointed to find that some Melbourne gigs got postponed to after this one.
       First on were the Dumb Angels.  They all dressed in metallic purple mini skirts (even the male drummer).  When they formed, they were in the �so bad it�s good� category.  Two years on, they became more proficient, but haven�t lost the sense of fun.  Musically they are inspired by Red Kross and the Ramones, but it�s the posing, the smiling, and the screaming that makes them stand out. Most of the lyrics would be scornful to ex-boyfriends, so hecklers should expect vitriolic put downs from a band like this.  Unfortunately, there were not many who know them in the crowd, so they got the odd heckler, even though they were firing on all cylinders.
       Then came the trio Flanders.  They used to be one of the Perth power pop bands, but have changed their sound slightly for attempt at the American market. No really, they are taking the ambitious step of organizing a tour of the USA, even quitting their day jobs.  Somebody has reasoned that a �college radio band� can still sell many thousands of CDs in the huge North American market, but in their home town, being big fish in a small pond is as good as starving.  Like the first band, they were doing the half-hour slot. But here, the Hoodoo Gurus fans are a mainstream bunch, and only seemed to know one of their songs �Anky Fremp�.  The old songs that I liked went right over their heads.
       During the break, people migrated down from the upper levels of the club, packing the floor like sardines and waiting for the Gurus.  It had been a very hot day in Perth, and the air conditioning didn�t seem to be coping with 1500 bodies well, so I looked for a less crowded balcony. This was an occasion when you came to see the audience as well as the band. When the �Spit The Dummy� banner was finally lowered, eager cheering broke out, then faded away.  Dave, Brad, Mark and Rick walked on, and the audience cheered even louder.  They began with an instrumental, then �Tojo�.  The crowd sang along, and it seemed like people were singing along to every song thereafter, even the newer ones.  I don�t think I�ve seen that before, it was astonishing.  Soon we had the song that begins with the line �I wish this night could last forever...� and I reckon lots there were wishing just that.  A bit later they took requests. Again I was amazed that these guys seem to know every song they�ve ever played.  To my joy, they did �Television Addict� from one of Dave�s old Perth bands, the Victims.  One of the highlights of the night, for me. Then we got more of the hits: �Death Defying�, �Bittersweet�, �What�s My Scene�, etc. with more happy punters singing along.  A bit past midnight it was �Miss Freelove� and they got the Dumb Angels back as go-go dancers. Another highlight - I hope somebody recorded a video of this gig. Then they walked off, and off course got called back for an encore.  Two more songs, then �Like Wow Wipeout� before they said good-bye again.  They got the loudest standing ovation I have ever heard, so had to come back for one more song. It really was a special event, that I won�t forget in a hurry.

Poptopia Perth
DM3, Jack & the Beanstalk, & the Dumb Angels
February 8, 1998

       The Poptopia festival invited DM3 and Jack and the Beanstalk to Los Angeles, but the cost of the airline tickets was something of a problem. So they organized an Australian chapter of Poptopia instead, featuring Perth�s best geetar popsters.  Even without that connection, it would have been a special event for some:this was DM3�s first gig for fifteen months.
       Starting the show were the Dumb Angels.  They began their career this way, opening for DM3 at this same venue.  Their twenty five minute set probably got them marked as a joke by some pundits, but a few years later they are still at it. Since then they�ve changed drummers a few times, learnt some more chords, and got a wah-wah pedal, but remain one of the best �girl garage noise� groups around. They made a few mistakes, and the PA was too loud, but this is a band for whom criticizing technical proficiency would be sheer pedantic nit-picking. The Dumb Angels are simply loads of fun.  Most people stayed out in the beer garden (where you could still hear it, so loud were they), but a small bunch of fans got up there to take in the true spirit of rock�n�roll.  I am sure had they played in Los Angeles, some talent scout would have signed them up.
       Jack and the Beanstalk faced a bigger crowd by the time they came on. Early in the set they did two songs called �Gram Parsons� and �Ray Davies�, both of them being something of an inspiration to Mister Joe Algeri, the singer of J&TB. Although Ray Davies� lyrics are actually about adultery with the next door neighbor. They used to be pretty much a sixties power pop band, but later on they did some newer songs, which were more towards a seventies bogan rock sound. For example, �Raspberry Jam� reminds one of the Ted Mulry Gang. Like the first band, they had the occasional imperfection, but it was a satisfying live performance, plenty of dance worthy songs and hummable tunes. They have almost a standard finish: the Beat�s �Walking Out On Love�, then Joe kissed his guitar before hurling it at the wall.  I am surprised it still functions after those repeated assaults.  Perhaps the guitar manufacturer should use him in an advertisement boasting how tough their instrument is.
       At last DM3 appeared, with new bass player Julian Mathews, who just four weeks earlier had played alongside Dom Mariani in the Stems reunion.  It seemed like ages since DM3 had played in public, and we wondered what difference Jules would make, and what new songs Dom had been composing last year, while drummer Pas was studying at the conservatorium. And the answer is that it was quite different to any DM3 gig before.  Typically they used to do a song from the Stems and one from the Someloves, but none of this time. They only did six recorded songs.  There were three old songs that didn�t appear on their albums, and five new songs.  The new songs were mellow and laid back compared to the �explosive power pop� as DM3 described themselves in the band database. In part due to Julian�s bass being too loud, whereas Dom�s guitar was dominant in the olden days.  But there is also a shift in style: now it sounds like Big Star and the Raspberries are influences more than the Beatles, Who, Stones, Kinks, CCR and bubblegum bands. The opened with the song �Hold On�, which hinted at the direction they were heading in.  Right in the middle of the set came their first single �Foolish�, which got the greatest crowd reaction.  The song that followed this was the best of the newies, Mariani hasn�t forgotten about melodies. Dom dedicated a song to Carl Wilson.  I was expecting that, seeing as DM3 recorded a song for the Beach Boys tribute album. They played for an hour; before they doing sets of about seventy five minutes, but I suppose Julian hasn�t learned everything yet.  I would hope they do a few more old favorites next time.  This show got something of a mixed response.  A long time fan who accompanied me described it as depressing.  Somebody else thought it was great to hear more variety in the repertoire.  These new songs may sell on CD, but I don�t feel they will attract youngsters to their live shows, which is what they need, since their fans are mostly the older generation who rarely go out to pubs anymore to hear rock�nroll bands.
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THE MAKERS - Psychopathia Sexualis

       The Makers have made a name for themselves as out-and-out garage punks. Their basic building blocks have often seemed to be the raw sides created by the early Kinks, Animals, and Them, filtered through a love of cool mid-60s punkery and the attitude of some of the 70s snot. (Why �seemed?� Quite simply, nobody can say for sure what made an artist create something.  In fact, often the artist isn�t sure, either. My point is that I am the one stating what I believe.) If these are their raw materials, then the unseen forces that guide the group�s hands in shaping those materials into their creations must be the environment around them. I�m one of those people that refuses to believe that anything in this world exists in a vacuum. Perhaps the Makers have often been reacting to their own hometown of Spokane. Later, their vision began to encompass the world they�d taken a giant step into with Howl. It is to their credit that, while evolving somewhat in the making of All Night Riot and subsequent releases, the band has stayed true to themselves. This should be the most important part of anyone�s creations.
       With Psychopathia Sexualis (Estrus), the Makers are being accused of selling out. I don�t personally believe this is what�s going on.  I also don�t think The Makers would mind being popular.  In fact, I see nothing wrong with any band wanting to be able to make money from their labors.  Sure, they like what they�re doing. They�d better; I have it on good authority that the band has never sold more than 10,000 copies of any of their records.  You don�t get rich that way.
       This disc is a major step in the band�s evolution.  The first four discs (and even the two 10-inchers) showed growth, it�s true, but it�s not hard to see how the same fans would enjoy most of the material on them.  A common thread plays the lead role in each of those tapestries.  That thread is still a part of Psychopathia Sexualis; it�s just that it doesn�t dominate the whole thing on this one.  The Makers have made a leap.  They�ve taken a risk.  They had to know when they did this that it might alienate many of their old fans.
       A deliberate choice had to be made. Do you play the same thing for the next ten years till it numbs your mind or do you try something different? This is a question that other bands have faced over the years. Two prominent examples are The Pandoras and The Chesterfield Kings.  The former went from the garage-pop of Stop Pretending to something akin to hard rock. It bombed and Kim Shattuck and Melanie Vammen ended up forming The Muffs.  (A good choice, in my opinion.)
       The Chesterfield Kings are a closer match for the situation The Makers faced. The Kings, like the Makers, had been doing their thing for about a decade before they unleashed The Berlin Wall of Sound. In fact, like the Makers, a quick listen to their previous recordings will show a distinct evolution. However, each of these records still appealed to most of their fans.  Unfortunately, these same records had such a common thread that the band itself was probably getting tired of doing it.  So the Kings tried something else. OK, it bombed. In fact, in recent interviews, Greg Prevost has said he�s unhappy with it himself.
       If you�re stuck playing one sound for the rest of your life, it can drive you crazy and make you just want to chuck it all.  Maybe this is why so many of the mid-60s bands got into psych (well, OK, that and the drugs). Unfortunately, far too few figured how to develop the rock�n�roll sound into something new and worthwhile. This is probably because few can come up with something of their own; far fewer can do that and make it palatable. Don�t get me wrong, I love it when a band wants to keep playing the same thing that I�ve always liked. On the other hand, I can understand if they want to try and break free of a role they�ve been typecast into.
       The question that remains is, �Can The Makers make it work?� I think they have. Yes, they�re taking a chance on losing their audience. But if keeping your audience means going through the motions for the next decade and doing nothing that stimulates you, then is it worth it? In other words, the Makers have been a band since their late teens. Perhaps the same things aren�t moving them to the degree that they once did. If that�s the case, then why bother doing it again? It�s not making you happy and you�re not making any money at it. No, this does not mean that the new disc is about making money. Rather, it means that there was no reason to keep doing what they�d been doing. If taking this chance means losing their audience, well... at least they will have tried. A band should only do what they need to feel good about themselves. If it pisses off anyone else, so be it.
       Some people have already called this record �college rock.�  Others have said this is the Makers bid for popularity. At this point, I don�t think anyone can really tell what�s going to get commercial airplay (except hits by established artists and their soundalikes... and maybe some extremely bland crap that offends nobody.) Will this record be played on major rock radio? That�s hard to predict. Some of the songs are still too raw for me to imagine that happening. On the other hand, I think some might catch some new ears.
       It�d be easy to argue that much of the Makers� previous output was quite same-y. I�d disagree, saying a closer listen would reveal many different ideas, but I at least would understand where the argument was coming from. This new disc is more of a departure for the band - a group that probably never wanted to be considered straight 60s garage in the first place. Fans will be glad to note, however, that the garage influence is still there... it�s just mixed in with other ideas this time.
       Psychopathia Sexualis is one of those discs that will take repeated listens before it can be fully appreciated. Jack Endino�s studio ideas are not the same as Tim Kerr�s.  This fits in nicely, of course, with where the band�s head was probably at when they started contemplating what to do with this new release.
       This record features far more variety than anything we�ve heard before from The Makers. In fact, �Lover Lover� eases us in with a fairly standard Makers� guitar riff. It�s not until Mike starts singing that we realize that this isn�t going to be the same old feral wolf ready to sink his teeth in at the first opportunity.  Rather, he�s going to play with us, tease us.  But it rocks, especially on Jamie�s guitar leads. This one actually isn�t that much different than the band�s old sound, not at the core, anyway; what�s different is the paint job and the frame. �Sharp Leather Walking Shoes� continues on the same path as the first track. It�s a bit fiercer, but it�s just as strong.
       �Pants� starts a bit slower, like some of the warier tracks on Howl. It kicks in with a bit more power and then SLAMS into the chorus before easing back down into a sexual groove and going for it all over again. �Love That Is Strange� is one of the disc�s ballads. It reminds me of walking home just as a November rain lets up. It�s downcast, but full of puzzlement.  �How can I draw the line, between passion and pain?� The melancholy beauty of it impresses me beyond measure.
       A swirling mass of noise twists us into �Turn Up The Century,� a track that might have fit well on the first or third LP by The Original Sins.  It swirls with psychedelic snarls, but rocks hard at the same time. �Whiskey Dog Mind� keeps some of the same elements, but leads us into a darker corner.
       �Vic�s Mood� features manager Mostly doing a cool spoken word bit that�ll probably freak out a few, especially since there are often a few tracks playing at the same time, which�ll throw people off.  However, it�s nice to hear a group throwing some sort of spoken thing on that�s not another damned sound-bite.
       �Sicko Sexual� blasts right back in, with some cool echo on the end of one or two words.  The band rages, but it�s once again Jamie�s guitar that really takes off. �God in the Palm of My Hand� drops the tempo down a bit, relying on a brighter riff that even gets just slightly funky.  Mike occasionally lets his voice slide down to a husky sexual invitation.  The title... hmm, can�t help but smirk at what a few of my students would probably think.
       One of my favorite tracks is �The Mystery,� another of the slower tracks on the disc, reminding me of a late 60s Kinks� song with a 90s production job. �Hotel 17� has Michael moving for that seductive sound again, the band dipping down for those parts, then both coming back full force for the choruses. �Psychotropic Supergirl� is another one of the soft ballads, with some truly beautiful backing vocals, some swelling organ from Tim Maker, and some gentle twinkling guitar from Jamie. �Deliver Your Disease� hammers it home hard with Jamie urging his guitar further and further into the same sonic whirlpool that JT bathes in on a regular basis.  It�s the perfect closer.
       Many of the songs on Psychopathia Sexualis are, if you listen for a bit, not that far removed from those on Hunger. However, the variety is greater and the presentation is different. As a result, people are talking about it.  It�s a strong record. It may not immediately grab people like previous outings did, but that doesn�t mean it�s not a worth listening to; rather, you�ll need to give it some time before it settles in. This one isn�t going to go down easy. And I don�t think they�re going to be stopping here.
..............................................................................
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY

       First up is a mini-zine from the Tailspins gang, called Trash Times.  No. 1 includes an interview with Mike Stax (editor of Ugly Things and a member of The Crawdaddys, Telltale Hearts, Hoods, Evil Eyes and now the singer for The Loons).  Unfortunately, it�s FAR too brief.  I tend to think, however, that this might have been better handled by Tailspins.  On the other hand, I�m just glad to get a chance to read it.  Also included is a kinda weird, ill-advised anti-monkey thing.  On the other hand, their �Sgt. Pepper Curse� piece is rather enjoyable, pointing out how that movie killed the careers of just about everyone who participated.  Send $1 and 2 stamps to Trash Times, POB 248, Glenview, IL  60025 or e-mail them for more info at [email protected].

       Glynis Ward has certainly been working hard.  She got Feline Frenzy #11 out PDQ.  In addition to the usual �Dear Miss Paisley� and �That�s The Bag I�m In� columns, there are interviews with The Cardinals, The Boss Martians, The Saturn V, The Royal Pendletons, Platon Et les Caves, and The Girl Bombs.  In addition, Christina Kattuah hips you to Japanese gal group The Pebbles.  Now, I�ve gotta stop for a second, �cuz I heard said group�s �We�re Going Shopping� seven-incher a couple years back and I though (and still think!) it�s complete crap.  I�m hoping they�ve improved.  Checking out the FF �Top 10 Tunes,� I noticed in their �Fave 60s Garage List� (�mostly,� it says, �from recently acquired 45s�) that they mentioned The Scepters �Little Girls Were Made To Love,� a 45 I picked up in Rochester years ago on the cheap.  It�s great garage pop with genius lyrics, �Little girl, little girl lookin� good / Put your arms around me like you know you should (...) / Like a head to a hat, a hand to a glove / Girls Were Made To Love.�  As usual, FF has full page pin-ups of many of the groups mentioned between the covers.  And, of course, there are a ton of reviews.
       The only thing I really wanted to take issue with was something The Cardinals said about the 80s garage groups in their interview.  �The 80s bands just imitated the 60s.  But there were some cool groups like The Crawdaddys, The Tell-Tale Hearts, The Chesterfield Kings...�  I�ll agree, many 80s bands did imitate the 60s far more than groups do now.  However, I think that had to happen.  Bands needed some direction to go in after punk.  After all, that road had forked in two major directions:  New Wave and Hardcore.  The latter tended to forsake melody for speed, energy, and mayhem, while the former, although often embracing melody, often just got... silly.  Yeesh!  I mean, I�m damn GLAD that those 80s groups picked up on Pebbles, etc. and blazed a new trail.  Sure, many of �em sounded far more like 60s stuff than today�s garage groups.  I�ve always felt they had to go back to the last time rock�n�roll was unpolluted before anyone could move on.  The funny thing is, the bands that this particular member of The Cardinals praises are ones that really dug themselves into the 60s sound without any real desire to move beyond it.  I mean, The Chesterfield Kings didn�t even do one original number until they�d been together for five years.  And I�m not faulting them for that, either, since few others were doing that music at the time.  Rather, I�m questioning The Cardinals� position here.  If anyone was imitating the 60s, it was The Chesterfield Kings.  Later they moved on, but... And The Crawdaddys did the same sort of thing with R&B.  And the Tell-Tale Hearts were somewhere in the middle, but still extremely into the 60s thing.  I just don�t get this comment at all.  Still, one of the other guys in the band says, �I dig the groups that first started the revival in very hard and difficult times and circumstances.�  That I can respect, but yet another member says, �The revival bands were just New Wave bands that covered songs from Pebbles.�  HUH?  Sure, in some cases there were bands with members who�d been in punk groupsbefore, or even New Wave stuff, but many of the groups were younger, just catching on to something very cool.  How the hell were they New Wave groups?  OK, enough already... this has nothing to do with FF.
       The other thing I wanted to heap praise upon was FF�s �Getting Organized:  Finding The Keys To The Garage.�  As I�ve mentioned from time to time, I play organ.  Granted, I don�t play it all that well, but... well, I�ve got a bunch of �em, anyway.  (Who knows, now that I�ve got one of my faves back at my place after three long years, maybe I�ll even start a band up with The Bluesman.  Heck, Uli Shitbirdsky, drummer for The Shitbirds, just moved to Rutherford and is only a half mile away from my place.  I can just see the three of us playing in the bandshell in the park on the corner near my house on a summer evening.)  I appreciate the vote of confidence in the organ sound that FF has offered up here.  I agree that The Chesterfield Kings, The Cynics, and Miracle Workers all sounded better when they had keys in the lineup.  (However, I�ve gotta say that (a) The Fleshtones are using the organ on a regular basis again and (b) I think they sound just as good when they�re not using it.  With those guys, they employ whatever means necessary to achieve their superb SuperRock sound.)  One more thing... this article has given me an idea for a recurring TS feature on organs.  We�ll see what direction it takes... some of it could be heavy research, some could just be dealing with favored organ tracks, maybe something with organ players like Susan Mackey of The Omega Men, Sam Steinig of Mondo Topless, Nick Contento of The Boss Martians, Mike Maltese of Fortune & Maltese, Jeff Conolly of The Lyres, etc.  We�ll see.  Kinda reminds me of when Dave Amels (of Voce, Inc., but better known for contributing organ tracks to The Insomniacs, Swingin� Neckbreakers, his own group The Stepford Husbands in the 80s, and various others on the Turban Renewal tribute to Sam the Sham) and I talked about starting up an organ newsletter.  Hmm... possibly still a good idea.  Well, thanks to FF for giving me the impetus to get moving on this again.  We�ll see what happens over time.  For now, send $6 from the US & Canada, or $8 for surface mail to urope and Japan, over to Feline Frenzy, 2605 39th St NW #1, Washington, DC 20007.

       Many months later now and I�m jumping back into the �zine arena (hmm... mash those two together and you get �zinarena), this time with Shindig #3.  This one�s 84 solid pages of garage rockin� action, executively edited by Mojo of The Nuthins (and �subedited� by Paul Crittenden).  There are lots of interviews and articles to catch your interest, including Davie Allan, The Perverts, Wayne Proctor (We The People), The Poets, Cops�n�Robbers, The Embrooks, and more.  There�s also an all-too-short article on The Pleasure Seekers that came about as the result of what was obviously all-too-short a chat with Suzi Quatro.  The most interesting bit I found out here was that in 1967 the group was in New York and needed a replacement drummer.  Who�d they pick up but future Heartbreaker/New York Doll Jerry Nolan!  He was only with them a few weeks before they got another girl, but... WOW!  Wish I could lay hands on a tape of that!
       A long interview by mail with The  Chesterfield Kings Greg Prevost may leave long-time fans with a sour taste in their mouths, as Greg spends quite a bit of time putting down ex-members of the band.  He tells how he and Andy were into much of the same stuff and they put the band together.  Doug Meech was also into the music, he says, but they told Ori and Rick what to look like and what to play.  Considering that the Kings started around �78 or so and almost nobody was into garage stuff then, that seems probable.  But the next paragraph finds Greg saying, �You know, we put it together that way and it worked out for awhile and then guys quit.  Ori and Rick left (...)�   Awhile?  Ori lasted 7-8 years and Rick another year after that!  That�s longer than most bands stay together!  Heck, many of the bands we all love only lasted about three or four years. Next, he says, �they got less interested in music and the things we were doing.�  Well, I�m pretty sure they were less interested in what the Kings were doing.  I talked to Rick Cona a year or two after he left the band and he basically said he was unhappy with the way things were working out.  He said he and Walt O�Brien (Ori Guran�s replacement) would bring song ideas to the band and they�d either be laughed down or distorted beyond imagination.  Walt, of course, left about a year or so after Rick.  Greg says Walt only wanted to do Beatles� songs.  It�s true Walt had a pop ear; before joining the Kings he was in the Swing Set (who did an excellent 60s pop-oriented 45 on Peppermint Records in 1985), The BBB�s, and The Insiders.  After leaving the Kings, he ended up in a few bands, including a wild bunch called The Pawns.  I tend to think Walt left not only because he didn�t have songwriting input and didn�t like the band�s direction, but because he didn�t get to sing lead at all.  Of course, this shouldn�t have come as a surprise.  Still, I always felt that Walt�s voice (which was fantastic) was underutilized in the Chesterfield Kings.
       OK, I do feel a bit put off by some of what Greg has to say in his interview.  It hurts me to read this kind of stuff about a band that seemed so incredible every time I saw them in the mid-80s.  I mean, these guys just blew me away.  Having said that, I should mention that the article does fill you in on Greg�s feelings about a bunch of this stuff.  Personally, I disagree with some of what he says.  And I agree with him that it�s annoying when a 20 year-old raves about the Chocolate Watchband, but puts down a group like The Rolling Stones, just �cuz everybody knows the Stones.  He�s right, the fact of the matter is that those guys were responsible for a ton of the garage stuff that happened.  Not only that, but Mick and Keith wrote some truly great songs.  On the other hand, I can understand why around the time of records like Berlin Wall of Sound, many fans were turned off.  Personally, I never would�ve called them a metal band, but they certainly weren�t doing �66 garage any longer, something Greg claimed (in an interview in the early-mid 80s) they�d be doing long after any �scene� was dead.  But a group needs to change somewhat, especially considering they�ve now been around for twenty flippin� years!  And Greg does say, �I don�t like it [Berlin Wall of Sound] either.�
       My own favorite Kings� LP is actually Don�t Open Till Doomsday, which saw the group modifying what they�d been doing and turning it into something uniquely their own.  What I find interesting is that Greg calls that a �turmoil record.�  Weird to think that my favorite album by the band was one that came out of a time when the band was being ripped apart.
       OK, but we�re getting off-topic.  There�s tons more stuff in here.  The diary of the Nuthins in Italy wore a bit on me, as I didn�t hear enough (for my tastes) about the shows and the other bands.  (There�s some of that, but more later than earlier.)  Tons of records in here, too, plus some cool columns and even more articles/interviews than the ones I mentioned (including a history of The Thanes!)  Shindig!  Pine View, Lyndhurst Road, Landford, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP5 2AP.

       Misty Lane is known as one of the coolest garage labels in Europe, releasing records by mainly pure 60s garage groups from that side of the Atlantic, although they also throw in some surf and even put out some North American groups on occasion (e.g. The Girlbombs and The Chesterfield Kings.)  Besides being a record label, tho�, they�ve got a killer fanzine of the same name.

       Next we meet up with a new �zine from Larry Grogan, whose previous efforts have included Incognito and The Evil Eye.  (Actually, Larry has told me that the latter may be revived at some point in the future.)  Gone deals with jazz, a genre I have absolutely no expertise in.  However, once again, Larry�s writing is superb, getting me interested in his subject matter, even if I�m not a major fan of the music.  (Though I�m certainly more open to it now than I was some ten years ago.)  The features in #2 are on Anita O�Day and Teddy Charles, as well as an in-depth piece on hard bop, featuring Clifford Brown.  Also included is a page on John Cassavettes� film, Shadows.  For your money, you�ll also get some fantastic reviews.  Send a dollar to Larry Grogan, 45 Gordon St., South River, NJ  08882.  E-mail him at [email protected].

       Another non-garage �zine is Jersey Beat.  Jim T. is up to ish #60 and is far more organized than I think I can ever even hope to be.  Like I said, this isn�t a garage �zine; Jim covers more punk than anything else, but he has columnists dealing with TV (Ben Weasel�s �TV Eye� is pretty dang good), electronica (written by Mick Hale, ex-Mod Fun), ska, and, yes, garage.  The main one in our favored category is �Garage Disease,� by David Brock, but long-time TS contributor The Platterpuss also gets his own column, dealing with the same kinda stuff he�s often written about in these pages.  The �Puss says he�s in �semi-retirement� at this point, but I�ve a feeling he�ll pop up here and there.  Anyway, ish #60 of JB also includes a ton of interviews, my favorite of which is with Moe Tucker.  Tons of reviews, but none of 7�ers.  Why?  �Cuz Jim�s got a whole �zine dedicated to just that topic, entitled Glut.
       Months later, I run into Jim at Brownies.  After watching the incredible Mooney Suzuki, we get to talking and he hands me JB #62.  I�ll tell ya, I wish I had the kind of stick-to-it-iveness that Jim does, keeping things rolling out on a regular schedule and all.  Jersey Beat is an excellent �zine, even if its focus isn�t right in my own personal 1-3 pocket.  Lots of interviews, a Jersey scene report, and tons of reviews, but my favorite part has to be the �Farewell to Maxwells.�  (Of course, with Steve & Todd taking over the club again, I guess Jim may end up having to put together a follow-up.)  Reading the record reviews was interesting for me, as I found one guy who I could almost use as a perfect barometer of what I�d like and what I wouldn�t.  If he hated it, I�d probably love it.  For instance, in his review of All Punk Rods, he wrote �Sure there are some good bands on here (...), but they are all playing some stupid ass songs about cars and shit.�  SOLD!  Another guy, on the other hand, was pretty much in step with me in many of his reviews.  Of course, these guys both betrayed my trust on one review each.  The first guy came around to my way of thinking with his review of The Donnas.  Of course, in one of his two reasons for you to buy it is �if you (do), maybe one of the four hot girls will talk to you!�  Couple that one with the comp review quoted above and I kept hoping that this guy was desperately trying to mess around with the reader�s mind.  Still and all, I really enjoyed this ish of Jersey Beat.  The mag�s been around for 16 years no and I�m hoping that Jim Testa keeps it up for at least that much longer.  You can buy each of these for $2 in the magazine racks, but if you�re planning on sending money, I�d send an extra dollar for postage.  Jersey Beat, 418 Gregory Avenue, Weehawken, NJ  07087.  E-mail [email protected] or check out http://www.jerseybeat.com

       Now for Tail Spins #29.  This mag�s always interesting, as they�ve got a bunch of articles that not only have zilch to do with music, but are almost always interesting as all get-out.  The music stuff this time includes interviews with Los Straitjackets and The Spiderbabies, but it�s the article on �The Wild Boy� and �Stalked In England Pt. II� that�ll really hold your interest.  While I�m not into everything they review, I�ve found that one writer, Suzy Nabors, tends to be into the garage stuff.  So if you pick this up, look for her name in the reviews.  A sample copy is $3 to Tail Spins, POB 1860, Evanston, IL  60204.

       A totally new �zine graced my mail slot today.  Brain Transplant is a product of Roger Mah, out in LA, a man I know to be extremely into Aussie rock, as well as many cool punk sounds.  This first issue is 46 pages long, with a reprint of a piece on Heartwork Records, along with two extended interviews.  The first of these, by Roger, must have made his long distance company extremely happy, as it was done via phone from LA to Miami, where the members of The Eat are still located.  This one�s quite an interesting story.  Evidently, they were Miami�s first real punk band and ran into all the problems that�s likely to cause.  Breaking up in �83, they didn�t play together again for five years, when they started doing one or two gigs yearly thru �92.  Then they figured it just wasn�t working, so they called it a day.  Then the Killed By Death comps started bringing them greater and greater notoriety, with even young punk kids coming up to them and saying stuff like, �You were in The Eat!!!�  Now they�re back in action again, showin� the young-uns how it was done.  Excellent interview.  The second interview is with Deniz Tek of Radio Birdman.  This one comes from various pieces done by both Roger as well as Steve Gardner of Noise For Heroes.  Some interesting facts emerge in here, as well, although I�d still like to see it last even longer.  Then of course you�ve got a bunch of reviews.  One thing I don�t get, though, is the obsession with The Fells.  I mean, there�s a whole page of reviews of stuff by these guys or with them on it.  I started to wonder if some Fells� groupie died and left Roger his/her collection.  I was glad to see that some are distinctly critical of the band, although I didn�t much like reading that some of it was, �Like some of the duller moments on the Real Kids 1st LP.�  Umm... What dull moments?  That�s one record that kicks from start to finish.  But that just illustrates the fact that everyone�s got their own opinions.  Roger and I may not always agree, but we�re both OK with that.  There�s n price listed on the cover, but I�d say sending $3 here in the US would be just fine.  Brain Transplant, POB 24310, LA, CA  90024-0310.  Or write to [email protected].

       Various personal reasons forced me into a brief debate with myself as to whether I should mention Lo-Fi magazine.  I won�t waste your time with these, though, since I finally decided that the purpose of this particular column happens to be to point you in the direction of �zines that may be of interest to you, the reader.  Straight-up garage/60s fans will find little of interest in ish #9, as that stuff only appears in the form of a few reviews and an interview by yours truly with Insomniacs� drummer Mike Sin.  (Sometime this summer, I�ll probably make that available on the WWW.)  However, if you�re into swing, ska, and cocktail/lounge, there are some pretty good interviews with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, the Blues Jumpers, Cocktail Angst, and Metro Stylee (as well as one with a West Village barber who evidently gives the best 50s-styled haircuts.)  This one�s $3.95 in the US and $6.95 for our Canadian cousins.  (It�s got a glossy color cover, but many of you may not want to shell this kind of dough out for a mag that�s only about 34 pages, including a good number of ads.)  Lo-Fi Entertainment, Ltd., PO Box 42, Old Chelsea Station, NY, NY 10113-0042.  (http://www .postfun.com/lofi)

       Once again, we run up against a mag in Spanish; this time it�s Snap #3.  Unfortunately (for me), I can�t read the language.  Roberta can, but I hesitate to ask her to read through 50 pages of garage, Mod, and power pop just so I can write a longer paragraph extolling the virtues of what appears to be a �zine with great taste.  Their feature is on Los Brincos, with pieces on The Shambles, The Mockers, The Mop Tops, The Chevelles, The Others, The Slow Slushy Boys, Jack & the Beanstalk, the Surfin� Lungs, and a bunch of cool labels, to boot.  This one also came with a cassette featuring a bunch of bands the mag is into, with many tracks coming from releases on Twang Records.  In addition, there�s a CD tribute to Los Brincos that was also an option to get.  (I got lucky, the whole set was brought to me by The Mockers from their last trip to Spain.)  Price?  Well, it says that the �fanzine + cassette� will run you 850 ptas, while the �fanzine + cassette + CD� together cost 2200 ptas.  (Does ptas stand for pesetas?)  Thing is, I don�t know what the current exchange rate is for ptas.  Not only that, but I don�t think this figures in postage.  My best advice is to write to Snap!! Fanzine, Aptdo. 2303, 28080 Madrid SPAIN.

       Mike Stax has evidently been working pretty hard on getting Ugly Things out on a more regular basis, �cuz he�s already got #16 out.  The major feature this time out is on Union Carbide Productions, a fact that is bound to upset a whole bunch of UT readers (far more, I�d think, than the Misfits� feature a few years back).  There�s about 40 pages worth of UCP coverage, including a huge interview by Mike that happens to be rather interesting, despite the fact that I didn�t much care for the group when they were around.  (For that matter, I still don�t now.)  My only complaint is that it�s so long.  However, most major features in UT tend to be all-encompassing and go on for quite some time, so it�s hard to fault Mike for doing so in this case.  Hey, it is his mag, after all.  Lots of other cool stuff in here, including the usual Pretties� page, info from Don Craine of the Downliners Sect, the Bonzo Dog Band, The Black Cat Bones, about 15 pages of interviews with The Outsiders, plus a cool thing by Alec Palao on his experience as putting together the Zombies� box.  One of the most enjoyable parts of the mag this time out would have to be the memories of one Ms. June Clark, who spent her teenage years hopping about Swinging London.  A nice reprint of Paul Williams� piece on the Buffalo Springfield from Crawdaddy #8 (March, �67) appears, as well.  Of course, you�ll also run across some excellent reviews, as always.  This issue ($5.95 in the US) comes with a free CD by Soundtrack Of Our Lives (a post-UCP group).  Ugly Things, 3707 Fifth Avenue #145, San Diego, CA  92103.

       On Saturday May 30th, Nardwuar and I spent some time hitting record stores and other cool places.  One spot he had on his checklist was See Hear, so we stopped in there to search for some �zines.  As always, they had tons of cool ones.  The only one I picked up, tho�, was Eye Deal a local glossy cover/newsprint pages mag that has some pretty good coverage of garage acts (although they�re a bit thin on reviews of all sorts for my particular tastes.)  The cover story this time is an interview (by ex-Friggs� bassist Petula Wilde and Friggs� guitarist Palmyra Delran) with the Chrome Cranks.  That�s not what I bought it for.  Nope, I got it for the stuff on The Swingin� Neckbreakers, The Oblivians, Los Straitjackets, and the Mr. T. Experience.  OK, that�s not completely true... what sold me was that they had a review of Cave Stomp in there and I wanted to hear their take on it.  Of course, that ended up being the one place I really had a bone to pick with this bunch.  First off, they say there were �too many bands that sucked.�  Well, I won�t say that every band was great, but the only group that actually sucked was The Shadows of Knight.  But this one�s a personal opinion.  And, really, if you didn�t like certain bands, that�s probably �cuz this fest wasn�t geared towards today�s garage scene.  Sure, some newer bands were involved, but this was far more geared towards the 80s garage scene.  (Read the Cave Stomp article in this ish for a better understanding of that.)  The thing that really ticked me off, tho�, actually makes me laugh at myself.  Why?  Well... it deals with the friggin� Smithereens, a band that I was never much of a fan of back in the mid-80s.  Reviewer Chris Larry writes, �it was disgusting that when Pat DiNizio was told that Ray Davies (...) was in attendance, he begged like a dog for him to go do a song with the band.  A pathetic move that quickly forced Davies to exit quickly.�  Now, I can�t completely blame Larry for getting this impression, but there�s more to the story.  Ray actually showed upat this thing because The Smithereens were playing.  He knows and likes those guys.  I could be wrong, but I believe they may have played together before.  (I�m pretty sure that The Smithereens have played with Dave, at least.)  So, in my mind, Pat�s call to Ray was hardly pathetic.  One man�s opinion.  The other reviewer (Moonie) said he �didn�t want to see �em (...) in almost any context.�  Before this night, I would�ve agreed; afterwards, I�m at odds with him.  As to the Smithereens replacing The Makers, well... yeah, it did seem odd.  Unfortunately, it was a last minute call that needed to be made.  It just so happens that the �Reens have been getting it together again and were, once upon a time, at least a peripheral part of the NYC garage scene.  It also kinda bothered me that neither of these guys mentioned a damn thing about The Secret Service or The Insomniacs.  I�m sure they�ve seen the latter before (that or they�ve been missing out on some incredible rock�n�roll) and if they didn�t enjoy the SS that night, then they either didn�t bother showing up on time or they were chained to a friggin� rock.  Having made my complaints, I�ll mention that this is actually a pretty good mag. There are also pieces on Congo Norvell, HiFi & the Roadburners, and the Royal Crown Revue.  This one�s $3 in the US, to Eye Deal, 355 E. 4th St. #18 NY, NY  10009.  [email protected]

       Finally, a quick plug for my favorite e-zine.  I realize that not all of you are on-line right now, but Jeroen Vedder�s Orgie Newsletter is just about one of the coolest things to pop into my e-box, musically speaking.  Granted, there�s no set publication schedule, but he gets it out pretty damn often.  Heck, we don�t even agree about many things, but he�s got tons of current news and reviews and it�s always an interesting read. Tons of cool garage and punk reading.  Just e-mail him at [email protected] and tell him you want to subscribe.
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LIVE & OUTTASITE

       I shut down the writing on Teen Scene #57 sometime during the week The Muffs were in town.  From July 22nd thru August 21st, the only shows I remember seeing were those three Muffs� gigs and the five Untamed Youth shows.  Actually, inside The Muffs� week, I�d also managed to squeeze in a Hi-Fives� set at Coney Island High, but my memory on that one is kinda weak right now.  I do remember that it was quite entertaining and they really did remind me a ton of The Smugglers (right down to them mentioning when Grant had done some shows on crutches.)  Oh yeah, I also remember these well-dressed gents wearing exceptionally wrinkled suits (except for the bass player.)  And refusing to engage in vulgar discussions.  �We are not a vulgar band.�
       Anyway, it�s not that the summer was all that slow, it�s just that I made my choices.  Usually, I�m all for shows being held on weekends.  Thing is, during the summer, I�d be perfectly OK going out during the week.  Unfortunately, weeknight shows don�t draw as well.  And, as any real rock�n�roll nut knows, shows are just that much better when there�s a crowd going apeshit for the bands.  Everyone just gets spurred on to greater and greater heights and things explode.  (Sorta like Spinal Tap�s drummers spontaneously combusting.  But different.)  Now, as a native of Long Island�s North Shore (yeah, yeah, yeah... I know, The Devil Dogs� �North Shore Bitch,� blah-blah-blah), I grew up spending my summers at the beach.  Sadly, my adult life has seen my bodysurfing time cut drastically.  This summer I got more in than the one before, but it was still nowhere near as much as I�d like.  That�s my fault, though.  I could�ve been going out to hang with my brother at the beach he lifeguards at in East Hampton, but I chose to hang out and spend time with Roberta.  My choice.  Now, while Roberta is now working four ten-hour days a week (leaving her with Fridays off), that still means that going to the beach is essentially reduced to a weekend exercise.  So, unless a weekend show was something I really had to see, I chose to hit the beach when I could.  That meant a reduction in rock�n�roll time.
       Having said all that... it was a good rock�n�roll summer for me.  Sure, I didn�t catch every flippin� show, but I did get to see The Muffs three times and The Untamed Youth five times.  And each of those things happened within a week�s time.  So, in that one month time slice I mentioned before, I may only have seen nine shows, but those were jammed into two action-packed one week slots.  The other two weeks were left for the beach and getting stuff done.  Yeah, I missed some good stuff (most notably Ronnie Dawson at the Louisiana Community Bar & Grill on Wednesday August 20th and The Church Keys record release shindig at the Lakeside the following evening), but I still saw a whole crapload of cool, so who�s to complain?
       Alright, then... Let�s Go!

       A few days before it happened, Bill Luther hipped me to the fact that The Omega Men were playing (extremely) early over at Coney Island high on Friday August 22nd.  Now, the fact that it was early meant that I could make that show and then head around the corner for the gig I�d originally slated in for the night�s entertainment.  So I was set.
       I called the Bluesman around 7:30, asking him if he�d be up for making the scene.  He said sure.  However, around 8:20 or so, Roberta yelled up that Bluesman was wussing out.  If I hadn�t been intent on catching The Omega Men, I might�ve grabbed the phone and tried to guilt him into heading down (gotta see if I�ve still got the touch), but time was short and... I kinda like flying solo sometimes.  Parking wasn�t the best, but eventually I lucked into a space on the finally-completed portion of East 9th Street between 2nd & 3rd.  I had no idea what the heck the dang parking sign said �cuz it was so faded.  I looked for another one up the block tho� and everything seemed cool so I took off.  (I won�t keep you in suspense... my car was still there later on that night and it didn�t even have a ticket.  If it had, I would�ve raised holy hell with the NYC Parking Authority.)
       I walked into Coney Island High to find... almost NOBODY there.  Sure, there was the bartender, the coat check gals, the sound person, etc., but other than that it was the band and me.  I made my way towards the stage, as they got things set up.  Organist Susan was the first to see me and was extremely glad I�d made it down.  (At least there was one person there.)  Really, tho�, this was a show I wish they hadn�t bothered with - for their sake.  (I mean, sure I enjoyed it, but they drove some three hours or so to play a gig to hardly anyone.  What�s the point?)  Firstly, they were playing at 9 PM, a time when many NYers are still either napping so they can stay out all night or grabbing dinner.  Many people don�t show up till 11.  Still, about five minutes after I got there, our pals Ingrid and Eric Chamberlin made their appearance.  Soon after that, Hotfoot Lozito and his friend Nancy.  Then, as The Omega Men blasted into their first track, �Mania For Blondes,� I noticed another guy I�ve been running into these past couple years, Joaquin, grooving over on the other side of the room.
       The first chord crash into the opening number practically popped my eardrums.  Then I noticed I could barely hear Jonathan Sipes spewing out the words to this raver... and then he was suddenly way too loud.  Finally, about halfway through, he was at a decent level.  Now, normally I�d just say, �OK, so they didn�t get a soundcheck.�  But that�s still no excuse for the incredible jumps and falls in levels that were happening.  It was like this person had let a cat loose on the soundboard.  Then I started realizing that Ed Abolins� bass was really booming through... more than it�s supposed to.  Sorry, Sound Lady, this was NOT a rap group.  Funny, the only thing she seemed to get right the whole way through the set was Susan�s organ.  Now, that at least is a plus, �cuz that�s a huge part of the band�s sound.
       I�ve spent a ton of time telling you what went wrong.  Let�s get to the other side of it... the band played pretty dang well.  They did the normal faves off their debut disc, including �Susan Goes To Work,� (a personal fave of mine), �Cat Robot,� and �My Favorite Dean Martian� as well as moving into some newer material, plus a cool cover of The Small Faces� �Don�t Burst My Bubble.�  It was a fine set and I kept wishing more people had known they were playing.  Later on, I ran into some people who wanted to know why I�d missed The Lowbrows.  I told them where I�d been and they were saying, �DAMN!  I wish I�d known.�  Well, they�d have their chances the following month (on a night where the O-Men had to go up against The Lyres... this band just can�t get a break!)
       The final insult to The Omega Men came again from the soundperson.  A few songs before the end, I suddenly started hearing the kick drum above everything else.  And I wasn�t the only one who noticed either.  The band started looking around wondering what the heck was going on.  This was NUTS!  Ah, well... you can�t win �em all.  This is a great band, but they�re gonna run up against bad conditions once in awhile.  Over time they�re gonna start getting noticed (at least if I have anything to say about it) and they�ll start building up a following.  And people are gonna wonder how they missed out on some of these early shows.  Catch �em NOW, folks.
       Next up was a band called Echo Drive.  I wasn�t really planning on staying, but Hotfoot said he was going to check them out.  He really didn�t want to see The Oblivians later on, anyway, so he had time to hang out.  I was gonna go, anyway, since The Lowbrows (who�re pals of mine) were going on soon around the corner at Continental.  Then this gal walks up to me and asks if I�d be willing to stick around, since her band was up next.  Well, normally I would�ve just pleaded previous plans and headed out, but this gal was someone I used to hang out with many years back when she was one of The Assassinettes, the three gals who sang with The Soul Assassins.  So, since there weren�t many people there, I told Lucy I�d stick for a bit.
       They took forever to finally get going.  There must�ve been some sort of problems, but I had places to be.  Still, I stuck �cuz I told Lucy I would.  They started out with only the three guys on-stage, doing a kinda cool echo-y instro.  I kept thinking they�d be better off with a second guitar to beef up the sound.  Still, the guy was getting some pretty cool sounds out of his Gretsch.
       Lucy came up after that.  While the music was still fairly decent, it turned out that her powerful vocal was a bit too much for the band�s sound.  It just didn�t mesh well.  The songs weren�t bad (they weren�t great, either... or maybe just not my style), but the chemistry didn�t seem to be there.  About 25 minutes into their set, I realized that people had started to show up.  I also realized that my time was running out.  Much as I wanted to stick around to support Lucy, I had plans.  And at least now the room wasn�t so empty.  Pat had gone towards the bar himself, so I just kinda made my way out.
       I went over to Continental and asked how much time before The Prissteens took the stage.  I was told I had five minutes, so I did a quick car check around the corner.  I was paranoid.  (Can you blame me after my towing debacle in Brooklyn a year ago?)  But everything was cool, so I stuck my copy of the New York Press in my hatch and headed back to the club.
       I walked in just as The Prissteens kicked into their set with �The Hound.�  I made my way up front and got with the up-front bunch, who were starting to get things moving.  On into �You�re Gonna Lose� and then a personal fave of mine, �Beat You Up.�  (Gotta love that tough girl-group sound, with the lyrics, �He�s my baby, and he�ll beat you up.�)  It�d been some time since I�d last seen these gals and they hit me hard with �Staten Island Queen� as they revved things up pretty nicely.  Leslie was blasting away on her Epiphone and I was quite enthused.  Later on, �Party Girl� (written on Lori�s set list as �Potty Girl�... must be from Boston), one of those tunes that always hits me hard.  Yeah, another one of those tough chick things that I go nuts for.  I still don�t think their cover of The Undertones� �Teenage Kicks� will ever rank with the original, but I still love hearing �em play it, as do many other fans, evidently, many of whom were singing along and bouncing delightedly.  They finished out with �Going Out,� one of their out and out ravers, charging things up and letting go.  This one�s the perfect set-closer, leaving the audience begging desperately for more.  Whew!
       I�ve seen The Oblivians a bunch of times now.  I always enjoy them, but I�d come to realize that they�re at their best when the room is full and the crowd is ready to let loose.  Well, I didn�t really have to look around to notice that it was pretty packed, so all we had left to find out was if the crowd was well-oiled.
       Yup.  More than I would�ve believed possible.
       It took a few songs before the forward guard started moving, but not too many.  �No Reason To Live� pummeled through and more people got going.  By the time Eric Oblivian picked up the sticks and Jack Oblivian came out to sing a bunch, Greg had already gotten the crowd to the boiling point.  All Jack had to do was keep fanning the flames.  Instead, he chose to crank up the gas, and everything spilled over beautifully.  Flesh hit flesh, smiles and grins flew across the room (along with bodies, hurled happily in random directions), and The Oblivians rocked the roll in a way only they seem to know how to do.  I found myself about five or six rows back when I suddenly heard a familiar creeping guitar riff slinking into my head.  �I know this bugger.�  Then it hit me... just as they sang out, �Let Him Try,� one of the best tracks off The Makers� Howl LP.  (Still my number one record by those boys.)
       This may have been the best I�ve seen The Oblivians.  (It�s between this and GarageShock, �94.)  A fantastic set as they fed off the crowd feeding off them.  One incredible frenzied churning spiral erupting through the roof and blasting out the windows.

       Fuzzfest left me completely worn down.  I started the school year with my voice hovering just above the 50% mark and a strength level a nice chunk below it.  So I ended up blowing off the Lookout CMJ showcase that Thursday night.  No way, tho�, was I gonna miss Ms. Neko Case down at the Luna Lounge that Friday night.  Her solo disc had blown Roberta and me away from the first play.  (Plus we figured it�d be nice to hang out with her again, as we�d had a good time driving around together back when she was the tour drummer for Cub on the �95 tour with The Muffs & The Queers.)    I got home from work on Friday the fourth to hear a message from Mike Sansone on the machine telling us to make sure we made it down to the Neko Case show that night... with Neko in the background saying, �It�s the Corn Sisters.�  As it turned out, Neko was not doing an actual Neko Case & Her Boyfriends show.  Rather, it was a Corn Sisters� gig - Neko on vocals and sparse drum kit and one of the Vinaigrettes� gals on guitar and vocals.  As a result, I didn�t know as many of the song as I�d originally expected to.  (Although they did do �Timber� and �High on Cruel.�)  I got the feeling a bunch of these were covers, but my knowledge of cool old country material is woefully deficient.  I did recognize a few of the songs, including the one they finished up with, �This Little Light Of Mine,� more of a gospel/spiritual number,  I guess.  Just one of those songs I remember from growing up, done in a reverent, spirited fashion by two ladies who can really sing.  Actually, that�s what really made the set work - excellent material performed with strong vocals.  I�m still hoping Neko will make it down here with Maow, or do a Neko Case & Her Boyfriends tour around here, but this was definitely enough to put a gigantic smile on my face.
       Afterwards there was time to catch Brenda Kahn up at Sidewalk and then head to Irving Plaza for Man Or Astro-Man?  (where one or two of my students were), but... well, Neko had played so early that Roberta and I hadn�t gotten to chow down yet.  First we drove towards Sixth Street in search of Indian, but parking spots were impossible to find.  We ended up at Down the Hatch getting wings to go.  An early night, but we�d had enough to make us smile.  So, no, we didn�t catch the other shows that night.  Such, as they say, is life.
       The next day was a big one, rock�n�roll-wise, especially the afternoon over at Coney Island High - Sit N�Spin, the 5,6,7,8�s, The Woggles, The Fleshtones, and The Swingin� Neckbreakers.  Following that, the Neckbreakers were crossing the street to play an in-store at Kim�s and then people had their choice of a major Joey Ramone-hosted shindig back at CI High OR going to Brownies for Satan�s Pilgrims.
       So, you ask, �How was it?�
       �GREAT!�
       Or so I�m told.  See, Roberta and I had a wedding to catch that afternoon and on into the evening, out on Long Island.  Yeah, we were bumming big-time that we had to miss a day like this.  However, once we got to the reception that evening (traffic on the LIE caused us to get to the ceremony as people streamed out the doors), we had a GREAT time!  A bunch of old friends from high school all brought together for the wedding of our old friend Pam Dolan to Mr. Tommy Allen.  CONGRATULATIONS!!!  We were honored to be there and it was worth missing one of the premiere days of the NYC rock�n�roll year. (And, as Pam knows quite well, I�m not one to say that lightly.)

       I�d been looking forward to Friday the 11th for about a month or so - since Bill Luther told me The Autumn Leaves were gonna be over at Fez.  Excellent!  Their 45, �The Ballad of Plum Tucker� was the best slice of ringing folk-rock with a country tinge since The Byrds took their turn.  Plus Mr. Keith Patterson (O� He of The Funseekers and The Spectors) was laying down the bass line.  It was to be quite the rock�n�roll weekend, too, so Glynis & Richard Ward (she the editrix of the most excellent Feline Frenzy and he the organmeister/vocalizer of Thee Flypped Whigs) were heading up with cub reporter LJ Cunningham in tow for some rockin� fun.
       Now, that Tuesday Mr. Luther had kindly informed me that for some reason this was to be some sort of industry event �cuz of one of the other bands on the bill, so I had to make reservations (not buy tix, just make reservations by phone.)  So I called up the same evening I got the advice and found myself punching through menus, all of which led to me leaving a message of how big my party was (I shoulda said 100 just to keep a buncha stupid industry types out; or at least made the call about 10 times with a large party for each... I hate crap like this).  I said five �cuz I figured me, Richard, Glynis, and maybe two others.
       I got a message from Luther early that afternoon that the band was going on at 8:30.  Uh-Oh!  I knew Richard, Glynis, and LJ weren�t planning on leaving DC before 3:30 or so.  I tried contacting them via e-mail to let them know, but it was too late.  Phoning might�ve worked, but I didn�t have their number at work with me.  Oh well.
       They arrived at about 8:15.  I soon told them what was up.  Glynis immediately went upstairs to change.  Well, we got lucky and found a parking spot close by in record time.  Even so, we only got to see the last three songs.  But they were three DAMN good songs.  However, the next band (The Orange Peels?) turned out to be at least as bad/boring as one post on the Audities list had proclaimed.  We soon split for the Lakeside.  But at least I�d gotten to see The Autumn Leaves a little bit.  Live, they were every bit as good as on record.  And I bought the CD immediately after they finished.

       The next day started early.  The Omega Men were doing an in-store at the Tower Records up by Lincoln Center at 3 PM.  Geez... I hadn�t even known there was a Tower up there until I�d seen the group�s manager post abut the gig on Bomp list early that week.  Regardless, we got up and made our way into town, again getting lucky, parking-wise.  We got into the store and were immediately bombarded by a huge cardboard cut-out of the group attached to a rack filled with their CD.  Made �em look pretty important.  I asked the staff where they�d be playing.  A rather rude counter clerk said �over by the stage.� (Well, OK, thanks, but... WHERE�S THAT!?!)  I asked, as politely as I could, just what part of the store that was in.  �The corner.�  Now, even if this place had been merely a square, there�d be four corners.  And it wasn�t a square.  Not to mention that it had a second level.  I decided this was getting us nowhere and decided to mosey around till I either found it or started to hear some sound.  Soon enough I stumbled across rhythm guitarist Mark Ebeling sitting on a small, low stage, only sort-of in a corner.  (There were racks behind the stage, so...)
       Pretty soon we ran into a few friends, too, who�d shown up for the afternoon�s festivities.  I soon noticed there was no mic stand.  Hmm... guess that meant Jonathan wouldn�t be doing any vocalizing this afternoon.  Considering, however, that their set tends to be 2/3 to 3/4 instrumental, anyway, that wasn�t likely to be a problem.
       They started up and a crowd began to gather.  As they did, the Tower clerks (including the rude one from earlier) pushed the display rack into easy access for those diggin� on the band.  Over to the left, a little black kid about ten years old worriedly asked one of us (Glynis, maybe?) if this was one of those bands that broke their instruments.  He got a friendly smile, with an encouraging �No,� for an answer.  He seemed happy.  And he really was enjoying them.  It made me think that all it takes to get a kid to like good music is to expose them to it early on.  Unfortunately, that�s much tougher that it sounds.
       But I digress.
       As I said, this was an all-instro show.  And that meant Susan�s organ got to take center stage even more than usual.  That made me extremely happy.  OK, so I wasn�t getting to hear the killer garage raging of blasts like �Mania For Blondes,� but it just wasn�t gonna matter.  The group was swinging.  Best of all, they weren�t just playing to the normal crowd - they were reaching new ears who�d never hear them otherwise.  While I doubt they sold that many of the discs right then, I�m pretty sure they opened some new ears and garnered a few new fans.
       There wasn�t all that much dancing going on in the store during the show.  Why?  Well, I think people felt weird dancing in a record store.  Some people did go for it, tho�.  I kept wondering if that was legal at a record store.  I mean, you�re not allowed to dance at most bars in town �cuz Hizzoner hath decreed that it destroys the quality of life in the city.  (To quote Plasticland, I�m �sipping the bitterness,� once again.)
       After the show, we hung out for a bit then drove down to Midnight Records.  We�d meant to also hit Kim�s, but by that time we needed to get dinner.  See, LJ�s reason for coming up was to see The Mekons at the Mercury.  Unfortunately, you can only get tix for that place at the club.  And I hadn�t had a chance to do that of late.  I tried the night before, but the door guy told me the Saturday night gig was sold out (even tho� the girl on the phone had assured me that I�d have no problem getting tix for it if I just stopped by Friday evening.)  The only way, he told me, I�d get in is if I showed up around 8:30.  He told me they let five people in if they�re there early.  We decided to make it by 8.  That meant we had to have dinner at a reasonable hour.  So we decided on Indian down on Sixth Street.  WOW!   I�d almost forgotten how much I love going down there.  And the rest of the gang did, too.
       Over then to the Mercury.  The girl there didn�t know  anything about this five people thing.  She suggested we wait outside.  So I went outside with Richard while LJ, Roberta, and Glynis had a drink at the bar.  We only needed two tix, tho�, since Glynis, Richard, and I were headed over to Fez at 10.  LJ soon came out and, about fifteen minutes later, a guy came by who had a ticket for himself, but not for his new gal.  He sold his to LJ for face value.  Now we just needed one for Roberta.  Well, as it turned out, that happened, too, about 8:45.  So we told them to have a good time and decided to find a way to waste some time.  We decided to hit a new record/collectible store up on East Seventh called, I think, Strange Cargo.  As it turns out, we ran into our pal Dylan there.  The place was owned by his buddy and bandmate.  The subject of their band, The Defilers (yeah, I know there�s a band in the Midwest with the name already), came up and they said they�d just recorded a tape.  I said to throw it on.  Then, WOW!!!  Some beautifully nasty garage tones torched our cilia and cleared the wax out of our lobes.  I can�t wait for this bunch to start playing live.
       We told Dylan where we were headed that night.  We actually had two gigs on our agenda.  He hadn�t known about either one.  Turns out few people did, especially about the second one.  After Glynis found some cool 60s teen mags and other stuff, we split for Fez, where Lo-Fi Lee was presenting Spy-Fi Night.  Now, the fliers had all had The Omega Men at the top, so most people figured they were the headliners.  The fact that the �Spy-Fi� term came straight from the title of their CD, The Spy-Fi Sounds Of The Omega Men (MuSick), sure made that seem pretty likely, too.  Well, luckily, we�d caught them that afternoon and knew the true score.  I don�t think they were pleased.  (Not only about this, but for other reasons, as well, which I won�t go into here.)
       For those of you who�ve never been to Fez, it�s a two-level place.  The upper level has its entrance inside the Time Cafe at street level.  It�s the kind of place that non-East Village types show up at to pretend they�re in the East Village, but with none of the true East Village type atmosphere.  Just the way the patrons like.  Go into the Fez, through late-20/early-30 something Wall Street types slick in their suits and dresses, then towards the back and finally a staircase with a door person ready to sock you for ten bucks so you can go downstairs where you�ll have a two-drink minimum at the tables.  (I always wonder what they�ll do to you if you nurse it and never get around to that second drink; or if you just leave.)  Well, we�d just paid ten bucks to see what we knew was gonna just be one band.  No blinkin� way we were buying overpriced alcohol, too.  (Or, in my case, what would most likely be a $3 Coke with a ton of ice in an 8 ounce glass.)  Call us cheap, but we�d been spending money all day and had another show still to hit.  Handing over ten bucks at the door to see one band (who we knew would be getting a very small amount of the evening�s take) was kind of galling.  The place is filled with tables from front to back and even along one side.  We chose to stand off to the left near the bar.  Eventually, I moved over towards the back where I�d have more of a straight-ahead view.  There was one spot I figured I could get away with standing - near the band�s manager and his little merch table.
       The group started off with a ton of their more garage and soul-oriented stuff.  They blasted through �Mania For Blondes� and some of their best vocal stuff, still playing more instros than anything else, but it almost seemed like they were waiting to unleash their most quote-unquote �spy-fi� stuff until they were good and ready.  The promoter even came up to their manager, asking worriedly if the band would be doing any spy stuff, since that was the theme of the evening and all.  The manager assured him they would.  I thought it was kinda funny, seeing as how the promoter had taken the �spy-fi� term straight from the group�s disc.  He knew what it sounded like... and everything they�d done so far was from that thing.  Guess they just weren�t playing it in the right order for him.  Well, that�s how the cookie crumbles when you stomp on it.  (Maybe I�m being too harsh towards the guy, but I really felt the band was getting a raw deal.)
       Once they finished their second killer set of the day (giving me double-proof of just why they�re one of my absolute fave bands these days), I gathered the troops... Glynis, Richard, Dylan, and now Dinos, as well.  And I soon ran into my friend Kelly, too.  We told her where we were headed and she asked if there was room.  Well, I�ve got a little Smurfmobile (a Mazda hatchback), so there wasn�t, really.  I mean, I�m probably the smallest of the guys and I was driving.  Dinos is one TALL guy, so he�d be in the front passenger seat.  The back fits two comfortably, three if you squeeze.  And Glynis is a tall girl.  Richard and Dylan are decent-sized guys, too.  Was there room for Kelly?  If she was into coming, we�d find a way.  She did.  So we found one.  Simply put, we spread her across the laps of people in the back.
       We got to Maxwells over in Hoboken just as Mondo Topless hit their last chord.  Ah, well.  We still had The Lyres to go.  What was amazing was the extreme lack of a crowd.  Sure, there were maybe 50-60 people there, but that�s not much considering how well these guys used to do there.  Of course, the fact that few people knew that they were playing might�ve had something to do with it.  This, in turn, had more than a little to do with the lack of any advertising.  Which, when you boil it all down, is caused by the fact that the new management has all but completely ruined what was once the best club I�d ever hung out at.
       The Lyres started off kinda shaky, but picked up about midway and started really making things work.  Things soon started to fall apart and Jeff went back to cracking the whip, with little effect.  I�ve seen The Lyres a ton of times over the years.  This was among the weakest.  (And certainly the worst of the 90s.)  I can�t help but think the lack of a crowd had more than a little to do with it.  It was sad.  That said, there really were some stellar moments.  Unfortunately, they weren�t sustained throughout the set.
       There are some who�ll be ready to predict doom for The Lyres.  Idiots.  One unworthy gig does not an end make.  I�m betting that they blow the doors down at Cave Stomp in October.
       Once this gig was over, Kelly split for her place in Jersey City and Dinos and Dylan caught a lift back to Manhattan.  Glynis, Richard, and I had to go park near the PATH and wait for Roberta and LJ to arrive from Manhattan.  We ended up parked in front of some meat market Hoboken club.  AAAUUUGGHHH!  Eventually, we couldn�t take watching some of these people and went to sit by the exit from the trains and just wait.

       Well, the DC contingent departed late the next afternoon, but I still had some rockin� out left to do for the weekend.  The Parisian pariahs, Steve & The Jerks were gigging at the Lakeside Lounge.  To be honest, I was tired and in no mood to go out again.  Once I got there, though, I knew I was where I needed to be.  A bunch of the gang was there already, meaning we had some hangout time.  Eventually, the night�s attractions took their places.  They jumped right in, assaulting the audience with everything in their considerable arsenal.  Jagged edges abounded, thrusting wildly, and twisting in for maximum effect.  These guys were ALIVE!

       A couple weeks later I found myself at Tramps on a Friday night, getting ready to check out Southern Culture on The Skids.  Opening the show were The Exotics, who�d impressed me when they�d played Don Hill�s this past Spring.  As a result, I wanted to see them.  So I made sure Roberta and I were there early.  Somehow, that meant we got there even before the flippin� doors opened.  You�d think, after all these years, that I would�ve learned.  Oh well... so we hung out against the building, across the sidewalk from the big tour bus SCOTS were employing for this trek.  Rick came out and we chatted for a bit... Mary followed some time later.  So at least we got a chance to chat before the proceedings.
       The Exotics sounded great.  I mean, definitely a great time.  Mostly instro, with a nice sprinkling of cool vocal numbers (including some old favorites).  They got a bunch of us dancing and in the mood to keep things moving.  Unfortunately, the next band up (whose name my mind has blissfully blanked out) was one of those sorta hippy-dippy pseudo-Dead things that drives me nuts.  As a result, I ended up spending most of their set cruising around the crowd chatting with various friends.
       Somehow I still managed to make it up front for Southern Culture, although the place was jam-packed.  I hadn�t heard the new songs till this night, but some (and I forget the names, at this point) of them were pretty incredible.  The notable difference this time out was the addition of an extra musician, who played a utility role with keys seeming to be the main position.  A nice touch, I thought, especially when they hit an old soul number.  The rest of the band was playing well, but once again the club left me with a disconnected feeling.  I just don�t feel right when there�s a separation of a few feet between the stage and the crowd.  The unified feeling is gone.  Of course, there�s also the fact that the crowd is no longer just the old gang, who�ve been fans for a bunch of years, but instead a whole crop of new folks who just got into the band when they got signed to DGC.  And there�s nothing wrong with that... heck, it helps the band make the music they want and support themselves doing it, rather than having to work some crappy job, hit the road and live hand-to-mouth, then head home to find another lousy minimum wage thing.  Maybe it wouldn�t be as much of a problem if the show was at a cooler place (although NYC is woefully low on places that SCOTS could be booked into that I�d be happy to see them at.  Guess that�s my problem.)
       The show was fun... just not the wildness of years past.  Maybe it�s time I started catching them out of town again.  Anyway, afterwards, we went downstairs to say good night, but didn�t stick around �cuz it seemed like there were a ton of people and it seemed like they might be a bit tired (and, quite honestly, so was I).

       Wednesday October 1st marked the first dance by the Hub City Soul Club, spearheaded by Mod Man Bill Luther down at the Melody Bar in New Brunswick.  I had off from school the next couple days, so I figured I�d head down.  Well, as it turned out, the day was long and I was beat.  So I stayed in.  (Sorry, Bill.)
       Then came my two days off - both spent working on installing Mac OS 8.  (Read about that whole bit in the Days In The Life bit. - ed.)  I�d already e-mailed Fleshtones Fan Numero Uno, Steve Coleman, that I was planning on catching this one.  I was pretty excited, too... I�d never seen the boys at CBGB�s.  In fact, in all the time I�d been seeing them (about 12-13 years by this point), I didn�t ever remember them being booked there.  The Church Keys were on the bill, too, so I figured this�d be a pretty cool night.  As afternoon turned to evening, and evening to night, however, I started feeling like maybe I didn�t want to go out.  I�d called Bluesman earlier in the evening to see if he was up for some Super Rock, but he hemmed and hawed, saying he�d call me back.  In Blues-speak, that usually means he�s baggin�.  Sure �nuff, I never did hear back from him.  Roberta tried giving him a ring, but his dad said he was out shopping.  That meant Blues was a definite no-go.  As to Mike Sin, well... I�d both e-mailed him and left a message on his machine.  But I didn�t hear from him, either.  So, by 9:45 I was seriously contemplating blowing it all off myself.  Thing is, I kept saying to myself, �The Fleshtones!  Come ON!�  I kept thinking I needed this one.  And I did, too.
       I got a parking spot on East 4th, just off the Bowery.  And pretty quickly, too.  Passed Eric Fusco coming up from the club.  He told me that, for some unknown reason, it was no re-entry tonight... and that the Church Keys had already played - at 9 O�Clock!  Yeesh.
       Before I went into the club proper, off to the left I saw stairs leading downstairs.  Since I�d had waaay too much cola with the dinner I�d just scarfed down, I needed a bathroom but quick.  Even if it was at CBGB�s.  So I figured there just might be one down this flight of stairs.  What did I find down there but a whole lounge.  Very cool.  Couches, comfy chairs, coffee tables, end tables,  One room has a big screen.  The other is a long room, with a bar and a small stage at the end, tonight inhabited by a DJ that was evidently going out live over the Net.    I just kept going till I found the bathrooms towards the back.  They were clean!
       I headed back the way I�d come and ran into Danny, Price, and Pat at the end of the bar.  I asked how long this lounge had been open.  �Two months,� Danny told me.  (I�m cutting this whole bit short, �cuz the conversation took a turn, via Pat, towards The Beastie Boys, with him saying they were �Pat Boones� and me disagreeing.)
       After awhile, we headed upstairs.  Can�t remember who the band was, but the lead singer sorta reminded me, looks-wise, of a cross between John Felice of The Real Kids and John from The Hentchmen.  His movements, however, were kinda like a minimalist David Byrne.  The same sorta herky-jerky bits, but like Rick Moranis had pointed his thingamajig from Honey I Shrunk The Kids at them or something.  Easy to see in a small club, but I kept thinking this guy�d be in severe trouble in a larger venue.  Not only that, but the rest of the band just kinda stood there doing nothing.  For some bands it works, but, except for a dang good cover of �Six Days On The Road,� these guys just weren�t exciting me.
       Stab City did (potentially, anyway).  They were next.  I was right up front and ready to see what all the fuss was about.  A bunch of people I hang with were on the floor, getting set to check these guys out.  I figured the Farfisa Compact on stage was a good sign.  The first song, however, failed to do anything to me except get me wishing it�d end, so we could get to the good stuff.  I figured I�d go for my old three-song rule.  Sure enough, the second song got me.  Got me to move to the back of the club that is.  To me it just sounded like boring early-mid 80s rock, going nowhere and taking its time getting there.  It was lingering like a bad cold stuffing up your sinuses.  I was going nuts.  The worst thing was that, after they finished that interminable set, a couple friends came back and said they were great!  ACK!  One even said they sounded like Television, Richard Hell & The Voidoids, and The Doors all thrown together.  Well, first off, I was never into Television.  So sue me.  As to the Voidoids, I still think the best thing they ever did was �Love Comes In Spurts� with �Blank Generation� a close second.  Some of the rest is cool, but if I was going out to colonize some distant planet and could never come back to Earth, and was told I had a certain budget to spend on records to add to my collection before I left... well, I can�t guarantee The Voidoids would make the cut.  I�ve already got the two songs I want on either tapes or comps, anyway, so what�s the difference?  As to The Doors... I like most of their stuff.  But these guys did NOT sound anything like �em - not to my ears.  I just thought Stab City sucked.  I�m not trying to be mean; I just couldn�t stand these guys.  I was practically crawling up the walls the entire set.  No, sorry, it wasn�t that �you had to be up front,� �cuz I had been.  That�s why I moved to the back.  I apologize to anyone whose feelings are hurt by this.  Musical taste is personal.  I�m sure I like a ton of stuff other people think is complete crap.  Of course, I don�t muh care.  To me, Stab City sucked.  Live with it.
       Time, at long last, for some true vindication via the American Beat of The Fleshtones.  They blasted right off with �Dig In,� kicking it out and letting fly with the Super Rock sound that any true rock�n�roller will go absolutely hog wild for.  They even managed to turn my mood around.  (And it was pretty piss-poor after Stab City.)  They were alive, they moved, they all sang, playing with exuberance.  In other words, they were The Fleshtones.
       �We�re Back!� declared Zaremba.  �Last time we played here was in 1980.  Hilly said he�d call us.�  And they launched right back in, playing a set of mostly recent material, including current faves like �Laugh It Off� and �Goddamn It.�  Much of the set was punctuated by Zaremba blowing some pretty wild harmonica, raving things up big-time.  �1980,� he said again. To which somebody responded with a request for �Shadowline.�
       �We didn�t play it then, either.�
       Keith took the mic for �Comin� In Dead Stick,� one of the few oldies they hit this night.  And it sounded great as always.  �Let�s Go� followed it and the entire audience was dancing it down.  A couple more and it was time for the encore, led off by �Let The Doorbell Ring,� always a great stompin� blowout.
       Then it was time for true Vindication... Keith�s guitar led it off and The Fleshtones did themselves proud.  �Men,� said Zaremba before the encore, �Men who play Rock�n�Roll.�

       Friday the 10th and Eric the F is holding a combined b-day/new digs party.  He says it�ll be 6-10ish, after which we�ll all cruise down to Coney Island High for the live entertainment portion of the evening.  Well... first off, there was no way I was gonna be able to get into the city before 8 without quite a bit of hassle - and that�s talkin� about a normal week where I haven�t been working average days of 11 hours.  I needed down time.  Even if I couldn�t sleep, I just needed a few hours with as little human contact and synapse-firing as possible.  In short, I needed to veg.  Which I did... and quite well, too.
       Well, I got to Coney Island High just on the dot of 10 PM.  And, sure enough, nobody from the party was there.  Why wasn�t this a surprise?  Duh... it was obviously a damn good time; who was gonna wanna leave?  (Nobody from the party ever did make it, either - not even later on.)
       As it turned out, I�d gotten there just in time for The Bobbyteens to take the stage.  While this trip was their first to the Big Worm-home, it wasn�t their first gig here; that honor had been bestowed upon the Lakeside Lounge the previous evening.  School night; count me out, call me a wuss, whatever - just remember that I know the Pledge of Allegiance again (thanks to homeroom every AM).  Yeah, there�s something in my favor.  On the other hand, it does set me apart... how many other �zine editors can say that?  (And, no, I�m not talking about those of you who are still in high school.)
       I�ll be honest - the only stuff I knew by this bunch before this was the �Hey Roxy� single (reviewed in TS 57 - ed.).  Didn�t matter a bit.  They jumped on the set like it was some unbroken horse and proceeded to take the audience on one heckuva wild ride.  Yeah, they did hit the 45 I knew, but the rest of the set was just as great, and I found myself singing along with choruses rather often... not bad, considering I didn�t even know most of the stuff.  Call it punk, garage, glam, or whatever... they just trashed up their rock�n�roll beautifully.  The only downside was that Tina seemed to be losing her voice.  I don�t think it bothered the audience at all, tho� I think it might�ve bummed her out.
       It wasn�t long before the 5,6,7,8s took their turn.  They launched right in, too, with Yoshiko spitting out a constant stream of sizzling guitar bursts as they burned through the smoke with �Jayne Mansfield.�  She kept it up the whole way, too, even Diddleying around for a bit to mix up the pitches.  The set was coming to a close with �Ah-So� and �Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow,� but they went for one more, closing it with the one the whole crowd seemed to have been waiting for, �Bomb The Twist.�  WOW!  These girls have improved mightily in the last few years. (Yeah, I was impressed.)
       This was shaping up to be a damn fine night to be out rockin� and rollin�.  Could The Prissteens match the others� performances?  Wonder no longer - they SLAMMED their way through the best set I�ve seen �em do yet.  (A damn good thing, too, considering how much time there was between the 5,6,7,8�s and them.  But, like I said, they quickly got that annoying bit out of our minds.)  Mighty Joe was laying down the Big Beat this night and keeping the band thundering into the night.  Leslie�s leads were right on.  Simply put, this was The Prissteens showing just why they were billed above two out-of-town groups, at least one of which has a pretty big name, garage-wise.  Some older songs mixed with some newer ones, some slow with fast, some happy, some sad.  And the set closed out with my current fave Prissteens pounder, �Runnin� Wild.�   YEAH!  This one moves and gets me stomping every time.  Now that is rock�n�roll.
       Speedball Baby were next.  Some friends asked me my opinion of them and I gave it, based on the last time I�d seen them, a couple years back.  Simply put, I didn�t like them.  However, the first couple songs of the set had me starting to reevaluate - they were sounding like a harder version of Gun Club.  Then the next couple songs came.  Ah, well... Just not my thing.

       I didn�t get much sleep that Friday night.  I didn�t hit the hay till after five and it wasn�t much past nine when the telemarketers started in full-force.  I did get a ton of stuff done that day, tho�, before I had to try and nap.  Unfortunately that, too, was interrupted by a bunch of phone calls.
       At 8:15 it was time to leave.  The Bobbyteens had told me they were going on at 9 over at the Continental.  Well, I was on time.  Unfortunately, as it turned out, they had the 10 PM slot.  Opening were a band calling themselves Bad-Ass Franklin.  They started out the set with some guy with no shirt, clad in a towel taking the mic and proclaiming, �This is a song about tits.�  The first line?  �This is a song about tits / What�re you gonna do about that?�
       Nothing, pal.  Nothing at all.  Except tell you just how bad you SUCK.  (Badly.)  I was quite glad when I found out he was actually the drummer.  Unfortunately, the two �real� vocalists weren�t much better.  As Hotfoot Lozito put it when he showed up, �I think we�ve hit a new low.�  Somehow I knew their set would end up with the drummer back in front.  I was even afraid we might get a reprise of his big hit.  Thankfully, that was not to be.  Instead, we got his falsetto vocal singing out �Where are you, Tina?�  Meanwhile, the gals from the Bobbyteens were dying of laughter, since their lead gal�s name is Tina.  Man, these guys SUCKED!
       The whole time they were playing, I kept thinking, �How are they gonna look back on this in ten years?�  I can�t see how they�d be proud of it, so that leaves either looking back in disgust or laughing at just how damn horrible they were.  Or the horrible alternative:  telling their kids how �cool� they were.
       At 10, almost on the button, The Bobbyteens took the stage.  As it turned out, they were much better this time.  Tina�s voice was completely there and the band was knocking it out full-on.  Russell was banging the big beat, Danielle�s bass was booming, and the guitar was slashing out good-time bubble-glam punk�n�roll chordings.  Just about every song was another guaranteed good time.  My favorites were probably �Almost 17,� �Hot City Boy,� and �Why Do I Hang Around With You Boy?�  Great sing-along choruses and good-time backing vocals.  NYC could use a band like this.

       Snuka were next at Continental, but I was off to the Lakeside Lounge to check out The Church Keys.  First, however, a stop at Coney Island High to pick up my tix for Cave Stomp.  Once that errand was taken care of, tho�, I beat a hasty path over to Avenue B.  I somehow thought I might�ve missed a bit.  As it turned out, things were late getting started, which meant I got a chance to flap my gums a bit.  Ms. Lori let me know that it wasn�t The Prissteens fault they�d taken so long to go on - the soundwoman had just taken a long time �cuz, evidently, The 5,6,7,8�s had blown some fuses or something.
       The CKs started off with �Chicken Baby,� featuring Bill on vocals.  On song #3, Susan told us it was time for the national anthem, so we had to stand up.  She was serious, too.  So everybody did - for �Viva Rock�n�Roll.�  Later on, Lars took the mic for what the band explained was his first time ever singing lead on a rock�n�roll number.  Of course, during this and the next few, my attention was divided between the band and the goings-on outside.  As best I could figure, some gal had gotten into it with one of the guys from the neighborhood.  Somehow, her boyfriend or something came out to stand up for her.  She soon gave it up and stormed off.  But her guy, who was at least 18 inches shorter than the other guy, well... he was getting steadily madder.  Good thing for him a couple of his buddies (none of whom would�ve seemed imposing without a couple others around) were standing by, �cuz the other guy would�ve torn him apart for the crap he was pulling.
       Meanwhile, back on the stage...
       Was that Lori, �Cryin� Ruth?�  The rest of the set reeled and rocked, aled up, and hit some highs.  Only one encore, tho�... can�t win �em all.  As Lars said, �you got dough we�ll play all night.�

       I missed out on The Upper Crust on Hallowe�en.  Why?  �Cuz I was sick, Goddammit!  I�d missed two and a half days of work that week, only going in that Friday �cuz quarterly grades were due the next week and I wanted the kids to have one last chance to make things up.  But going out on Friday night just wasn�t gonna happen.  A major bummer, but not much I could do.

       Friday the 7th saw my friend Rose catching a bus to Rutherford so we could drive out to Bethlehem, PA to see The Original Sins at The Funhouse.  As always, I made sure we got to town early enough so I could get my wings and logs down at 3rd Street Chicken.  We got to the club probably about a half hour before they took the stage, so we hung out with some of the guys, plus one or two other friends from out there.  I needed to be here this night... it was the first Funhouse gig by the band since I�d found out that it looked like they were going to be disbanding, so I wanted to make sure I got at least one more Sins� gig at their hometown club in.
       It turned out to be a great night... much of the first set was just JT asking for requests.  Very nice for me that many of these turned out to be ones that I yelled out for.  (One of the advantages to seeing a band so many times for about a decade.)  And the second set was even better, as they just kept blasting out those fantastic sounds that have kept me enthralled all these years.
       Perhaps the most interesting part of the night for me, though, was listening to Kenny Bussiere on bass.  The band is calling it quits (or something of that nature, at least)

       The next night found us all at Brownies for a 1-2-3-4 count of straight-up rock�n�roll.  Kicking it off were The Church Keys.  Unfortunately, for me, they actually went on pretty close to schedule.  We ended up missing the first few minutes, but they did their thing in fine style once again.  The Botswanas were up next, keeping the ball rolling with one surprise:  guitarist Price Harrison�s brother Mark (of Snake Hips) was guesting on second guitar.  A nice treat.  The highlight of the night came with The Insomniacs� set.  As one young lady who�d never seen them before said to me, �These guys are PHENOMENAL!�  They kept up the chatter the whole night with references to a recent discussion on Bomp list that referred to their GarageShock, �97 performance, where they allegedly said to the audience, �You motherfuckers better buy some of our shit.�  (Or something like that.  If true, it must�ve worked, �cuz their stuff evidently sold like hotcakes in Paul Bunyan�s logging camp.)  Anyway, so this night they spent saying �motherfucker� quite a bit.
       The night closed with The Full Time Men.  It was weird looking around the room and noticing that there were three men in the room who�d filled the bass slot for The Fleshtones at one time or another - Ken Fox (the current bottom end for �The Tones) up on-stage; Andy Shernoff of The Dictators; and Fred Smith of Television.
       This night SHOULD have been an all-out ragin� party.  Unfortunately, it was competing with two other shows that had the potential to draw a like crowd.  I can�t remember who was at Continental (Nashville Pussy, maybe?), but The Creatures were over at the Lakeside.  Now, NYC�s a pretty big place, but the garage crowd still isn�t as large as it was back in the days of The Dive.  More diversified, certainly, but population-wise, it just doesn�t have enough to support three shows in one night.  As a result, the energy level in the audience didn�t reach the fever pitch I was hoping for.  I�m still glad I went out, but I didn�t go home drained with happiness the way I was expecting.

       I rarely make it out on a week night these days.  Teaching high school means waking up at 6 AM.  And I�m just not good at that.  My body still prefers to sleep till noon.  Going out late in the middle of the week means I�m gonna miss out on some beauty sleep.  (That�s bad.)  The
solution, then, is to only do it when its absolutely necessary when there�s something special going on.  Well, usually that means some touring act is coming through and I cant catch em on a weekend.  Tuesday November 11th, however, was another story.  A couple friends of mine had started a band called The Defilers.  (Yeah, yeah I know there�s already one in the Midwest with that name, but I didn�t name em.)  I actually got to hear their demo a couple months ago, while at Strange Cargo hanging out with Rich & Glynis Ward.  (All three of us were mighty impressed.)
       So when they told me they�d be doing their first gig on a Tuesday night, I figured Id catch the show.  Roberta and I showed up at Nightingales (a club I�ve successfully avoided for the past few years) about 9:15, since they�d said show-time was 9:30.  Silly us, thinking that a weeknight would keep em close to schedule.  (Well, at least we parked right in front of the bar.)  We ended up waiting till past ten.  Such is life, I guess.  Good move on their part, tho, �cuz a whole bunch of their friends came down and got the place pretty crowded for a Tuesday.
       They came on with an instrumental simply denoted on the set list as �Intro.�  The organ groaned, the guitar creaked, and the rhythm section held it all in place while the front guy shook some maracas.  Then they launched into some garage of the beauteous 60s primal sort, kinda like a dirtier version of The Gravedigger V.  Indeed, singer Dylan�s voice sounds a bit like Leighton from said 80s San Diego garage stalwarts.  Some very cool originals along with some cool garage classics, including �One Ugly Child.�  A garage-punk take on �Little Queenie� was also much appreciated.  The set ended with a sort of �Intro Revisited,� titled (rather appropriately), �Outro.�  No encore, mainly ��cuz, as they�d already explained to their friends, they just didn�t have any more songs.  We�ll just have to wait till  next time.

       On my birthday (November 15th; mark it down and send me some exotic gifts... or cash), I had a choice between The Cramps/Guitar Wolf/Demolition Doll Rods or The Secret Service and The Lyres.  Well, most of you would choose the former, but no way was I gonna take a chance on missing The Secret Service (even if it was billed as a post-Cramps� party).  So I ended up at Coney Island High.  Heck, after the incredible show the SS played at Cave Stomp, this seemed the right choice.  Well, the band itself was playing fairly well, but the band�s upstairs set at about 11:15 was fatally marred by Wayne Manor�s falling off the stage many times.  This bummed me out more than most of you can possibly know, since I remember just how great this band truly was.  All this did was make people wonder why so many of us still rave about them.  Worse yet, the gal booking the show asked them to do another set after The Lyres played downstairs.  I had to wonder if she�d even seen the first one.  Yeesh!  The Lyres did a fine set, but then it was time for the SS again.  The best song was easily a new one called �The Shuffle,� which really is great.  And this set Wayne only fell down twice.
       I hate giving a bad review to a band I love, but this was not a good indication of the band�s talent.  In fact, it caused them to cancel out on the New Year�s Eve show they were booked to play at Acme Underground.  Who could blame them?  I thought that was it, but they ended up deciding to try again a few weeks after New Year�s... but you�ll read about that later.

       I saw a number of shows in December.  First was a mid-week show by Dave Davies up at Toad�s Place in New Haven, with The Botswanas opening.  The latter did a strong set and then it was on to one of my all-time fave guitarists.  The solo shows by the Brothers Davies are an excellent indication of their personalities.  Ray plays with quiet support from one other guitarist, occasionally reading from his book and launching into various tales, then falling into song.  It�s quiet enjoyment.  Dave, on the other hand, has a full band and just rocks out.  In fact, he even laughed about Ray�s pulling out his book.  That aside, the set was wonderful, as Dave whipped through some of the best of the early Kinks, but also pulled out a few later gems.  Of course, he also did stuff like his hit, �Death of a Clown,� as well as a fantastic new song he�s got called �Fortis Green,� which is scheduled for a new record of his.  This one is quite reminiscent of some of Ray�s best Village Green material, bringing to mind their childhood and the neighborhood they grew up in.  Dave also did some Ray songs, all of which sounded great.  Of course, one of my favorite moments came on a cover of �Milk Cow Blues,� in which they raved up something wild.  Without going into detail, I�ll just say that this was well worth a Tuesday night trip up to Connecticut.  I�m quite glad I chose to see Dave play in a venue where you could stand up and rock out, rather than at a place like the Bottom Line where you�re usually forced to sit.  Sitting is fine for Ray�s shows, but Dave deserves an audience that�s ready to let loose.  He got one this night.

       About seven or eight days later, I again found myself out on a school night, this time for a barely publicized show by The Subsonics.  As anyone who�s been reading this mag for the past few years knows, this group is among my personal favorites.  They sound like nobody else around these days and it�s extremely refreshing.  They played a bunch of newer material, as well as a couple older tracks.  Even so, my favorite was the encore, where Christi unstrapped her bass and played merch model, as Buffi & Clay played �10 Dollars.�  �She�ll do anything for 10 dollars, 10 dollars...�  Heck, it must�ve worked, �cuz I ended up buying 30 bucks worth of stuff that night.
       Later, in the downstairs dressing room, Clay wanted people to leave or turn around while he changed.  I looked at him and said, �Clay... why?  We�ve already seen just about everything tonight.�  (Quite true, since those silvery pants of his come way down.)

       Down at the Hub City Soul Club at the Melody Bar on Dec. 13th, I caught my first look at The Sonic Mood Set, the group starring all the recently-departed Creatures.  They were doing most of the same songs they�d done with Mark Smith, but with other band members doing lead vocals.  The material still sounded great, but it felt like they could use a more powerful lead vocalist.  But this is early in their tenure as a band, so I�m hopeful they�ll gather more steam.

       Once upon a time, a trip to Maxwells was always a pleasure.  These days, it�s often like looking at a bad car accident.  Still, I was willing to stomach it for The Spaceshits/Dirtys/Mondo Topless/Seculars show on December 19th.  Of course, when I arrived, I found out that Mondo Topless�s van had broken down, the Dirtys had quit their tour, and the Spaceshits� lead guitarist was no longer with them.  Ah, rock�n�roll.  Having said that, The Seculars didn�t let the fact that there were only about 15 people in the crowd stop them from letting fly with their no-fi madness.  Neither did The Spaceshits.  In fact, I liked them better with the one guitarist than two.  This guy played a frenzied stutter-step rhythm that absolutely blew me away.  Now I can�t wait to see them again.

       On December 6th, the 1997 edition of The Creatures of the Golden Dawn played their last show together.  What, then, was lead singer Mark Smith to do about the group�s monthly appearance at their home club, The Funhouse, in Bethlehem, PA?  After all, that�s really not much time to get a new group rehearsed and ready.  Well, as it happens, there�s not exactly a dearth of ex-members of the group.  For this night, Mark called up the original group.  That is to say, he got JT, Kenny Bussiere, and Dave Ferrara of The Original Sins to come down and lend their talents to the evenings festivities.
       I know, I know... for a long, long time it looked like Smith just didn�t want to have anything to do with JT.  Maybe it�s just that it�s been over a decade since the split.  Or maybe Mark just needed JT�s help enough that he was finally ready to bury the hatchet.  Whatever.  They got along fine this night.
       Now, I mentioned three guys joining forces with Mark.  That�s not exactly the original lineup of The Creatures.  Where was rhythm guitarist Mike Smitreski, I wondered in an e-mail to Mark.  Mark replied that Mike was busy that evening with a pinochle tournament.
       The night of December 26th actually began with the fourth show by The Defilers (and their first trip out of town.)  Their organ player was, like the previous week, still out with a couple broken digits.  However, a pal of their�s sat in and did his thing on the Vox Jaguar.  Pretty well, too.  While The Funhouse is probably bigger than the venue they�ve played half their shows at (Nightingale�s), the main viewing area is far smaller.  Also, very few of the people here knew what to expect, so when Dylan would burst into the audience like Godzilla in 3D, he definitely got a reaction.  Pretty cool.  Personally, I�m beginning to think that their version of �One Ugly Child� is their best number, with �Love Don�t Last Forever� running second.
       Eventually, the reunited original Creatures took the stage.  The place was pretty packed.  Lots of old Bethlehem faces were making themselves seen, including some of Kenny�s mates from his pre-Creatures� bunch, St. John�s Alliance.  And they started out by hammering away at some of their old favorites (stuff like �Hemlock Row� and �I Can�t Find You�), along with some covers (�Crazy Date,� �Last Time Around� and JT taking lead vocals on one he �learned while [he] was in The Creatures,� The Sonics� �Like No Other Man,� which The Original Sins did for the Here Ain�t The Sonics comp so many years ago).  The only complaint I had was that it wasn�t a constant energy.  This was not as good as some of the shows they�d done while they were still a group.  Even so, it was pretty cool.  It did help me understand what it is, exactly, that Mark Smith has.  After all, there are many people out there who just don�t likes voice.  Honestly, I�ve never really had a problem with it.  No, he�s not gonna win any singing contests.  But, as one Bethlehem scenester said to me recently,  you don�t really need  much of a voice to sing this stuff.  Mark has two things going for him.  Firstly, while he�s got a restricted range, his voice thas power in it.  He projects well and those lungs can pump sound waves with the force of a blacksmith�s bellows.  Secondly, he�s got a presence as the band�s focal point.  These things, along with Mark�s perseverance, help explain why the myriad lineup changes the group has gone through haven�t stopped him.
       The second set was a bit better, with Steve Schlack coming on to play second guitar.  (Steve joined on lead guitar when JT, Kenny, and Dave left to form the Original Sins as a full-time group.  He proved to be a smart replacement, as he wrote some of the group�s best songs of that period.)  The band seemed to be having a good time and the audience was certainly primed.  One of my favorite old Bethlehem dance partners, Ms. Danielle Lubene, was in attendance this night and we had a grand old time at this show.  The band continued to hammer out the hits and ended it all with a wild version of �Gloria.�  The perfect ending.
       As it stands, JT says he may do a couple more of these shows with Mark, since the next version of The Creatures isn�t completely put together yet.

       The next night was to be the final NYC appearance by The Original Sins.  This one was upstairs at Coney Island High and Sit N�Spin were opening up.  They were sounding pretty good, but somehow I just wasn�t really in the mood to hear them.  Maybe some part of me knew I�d need my energy for later.  So I picked up a pack of cinnamon Tic-Tacs at the Coney Island High store and hung back there reading Howie Pyro�s interview with Rancid in the Coney Island High Times.  (Damn crappy ink smeared all over my hands.)  Eventually some friends came back and we hung out.  I ended up spending most of Yang Dust�s set doing the same thing.  A couple of members of this group used to be in The Half Breeds.  I dunno, the songs just didn�t do that much for me.  Still, Francis was sounding pretty sonic on guitar.
       Up through this point, the highlight of the night for me was Howie Pyro spinning some primo slabs of garage wax.  Some of my all-time faves, including �Why� and �What A Way To Die.�  Personally, I think Howie�s my fave club DJ of all time.  The guy�s just got damn good taste (and not just in the garage vein, either).
       At 1 AM by the clock behind the bar, The Sins took the stage to a pretty crowded venue.  (The 20-odd Bethlehem-sters who�d chartered a bus for the occasion certainly helped beef things up, but there was a goodly chunk of NYC types there, too.)  The group presented to us was the original bunch of Sins.  (I mean after they became a regular band... the lineup on the first two 45s - �Cross My Heart� and �Just 14� -  are somewhat different.) That is to say, JT, Kenny and Dan, plus Dave Ferrara on drums.  There was no set list at all.  JT just asked for requests.  I kicked it off with �She�s On My Side� and they obliged.  Actually, I ended up getting in my choices for the first five numbers, including �Can�t Feel A Thing,� �Beast In Me,� �Let�s Have A Party,� and �The Party�s Over.�  Yeah, the power approach.  Eventually, I decided I ought to let someone else have a turn and the band got into �Juicyfruit� and various others favored SinSongs.  The first 75 minutes or so were mainly spent with various tracks from the group�s first four or five discs, since those were the ones Dave had played on.
       The next segment featured Seth Baer behind the kit.  As JT explained, it was a pretty even split, time-wise, as Dave had been with the group through about �92 and Seth had taken over not long after that.  (No mention was made of Kevin Groler, who�s now with The Sonic Mood Set.)  Of course, in the past year or two, Dave�s been pinch-hitting more and more since Seth�s had other things to do.  Seth probably played about 45 minutes and then Dave came back to finish the set.
       How long was this �set,� anyway?  Umm... three hours.  They did selections from just about every record they ever put out, including the new one, Suburban Primitive.  There were a ton of covers, but far more originals.  Basically, it was the Sins kicking it out and having fun.  Yeah, JT took his shoes off.  And then his pants.  And finally, towards the end of the set, his shirt, too, leaving him in his bikini briefs.  Yeah, he went on about how it makes him feel free and stuff, but that was cool, too.  I enjoy when JT starts spouting whatever comes into his head.  During �Mary Mary� he actually handed his guitar to one of his friends and let the guy play the song so he could go into the audience (clad, you�ll remember, only in those black bikini briefs).  He actually did a back roll on the floor.  (Yeah, you could see the grime on his back when he got back on-stage.)  And, yeah, they did �Just 14� with all the savagery you�d expect, even though they�d been playing for so damn long.
       Now this was the way a band should say good-bye.  Yeah, I�ll be at the Funhouse on January 9th for their final hometown performance.  (And I may even have to make some apologies to some other friends the next evening so I can see the band�s final - as in �That�s All, Folks!� - performance at the Khyber Pass in Philly.  However, as JT sort of said that night, this may just be it �till next time.�  Sure, Kenny�s moving to Florida, but... he�ll be back to visit.  No reason they can�t plan a few gigs around those times.  (Heck, he�s already said he�s willing to come up and record new Sins� records if JT wants him to.)

       For New Year�s Eve, I wasn�t sure what I wanted to do.  Roberta left for San Francisco on an 8 AM flight that morning (not to return till 5:40 AM on the 11th), so the decision was completely mine.  It was either The Church Keys and The Prissteens at Brownies, opening for Chavez and some other groups I can�t remember OR Shake Appeal, The Swingin� Neckbreakers, and The Fleshtones at Under Acme.  Both were fifteen bucks, so it didn�t much look like I�d be seeing two shows this evening, even though the timing looked like it might work out.  Of course, the fact that it was flippin� COLD out didn�t exactly help matters.  Heck, I was tempted to just stay in and watch a movie or something with a couple friends.  (Now that would be a new experience for me on New Year�s.)  But that rock�n�roll soul of mine screamed for action.  (Flashback to junior high and the Middleville JHS cheerleaders going �A-C-T... I-O-N!�)
       Five years ago, parking in the East Village was often tough; these days it occasionally qualifies for Major Pain In The Ass honors.  And this carries through to even such areas as Avenues A & B, where I used to be able to park as a last resort without a problem.  (These days, I can sometimes try and hit the Lakeside Lounge at 3 AM and have a bitch of a time finding a spot.)  New Year�s Eve is usually worse.
       Tonight came as a pleasant surprise.  We came down 3rd Ave, made the right onto Great Jones and started looking.  For awhile, it looked like we were gonna have a problem.  But once we got to the actual block the club was on, we ended up with a perfect spot right across the street from the club... no going around the block over and over, nothing.
       We got to the door and our pal Ken was being bugged for ID.  Being a city dweller, Ken has no real need for a license.  And, being (as he told them) 37, he�s just not asked for ID.  They still didn�t want to let him in.  I looked at the guys and said, �Look, he�s older than I am.  And I�m 32.�  (And showed them my license.)  So they asked him if he was a cop (a question which the police supposedly have to answer honestly.)  He said no.  They let him in.
       We got downstairs and Shake Appeal were already up there.  Pretty good power pop, with shades of Cheap Trick and Redd Kross.  Good, but I doubt I�d follow them around.
       The Fleshtones then came up for some Super Rock.  True vindication, indeed.  The selections tended towards material from the past couple years, with only the  occasional dip back for such favorites as �The World Has Changed� and �Comin� In Dead Stick.�  (And a brief jump into �Shadowline� right before the midnight countdown.)  The Fleshtones had fun.  So�d the rest of us.  Keith was in the audience more than a few times with his guitar.  And Peter even dove off the stage to be supported by the crowd.  These guys have been around for two decades.  Weird to think about, considering how vital they are.
       Finally, The Swingin� Neckbreakers took the stage.  They were on fire for New Year�s Eve.  Evidently, they�d been given a choice of doing the countdown slot (second) or going on last.  They chose the latter �cuz they so rarely get to play a long set in Manhattan.  They must�ve done 30 or 40 songs in this set.  WOW!  They did selections from every one of their three LPs, plus some singles.  I could�ve done without this one big guy pushing some of the girls around.  Tom Jorgenson put him in his place, tho�, from stage, telling �Muscles� to cool down.  �Thinking Man�s Girl� sounded as great as ever, as did all the old favorites.  But it was �Can�t Explain� (sounding to me like The Byrds with balls) and �Super Stuff� that got me really psyched.  The latter was played nice and late and there was room to move.  I danced around with a big smile on my face.  At one point, the band brought Peter Zaremba on up to sing �On The Road Again� and  it sounded fantastic.  The melody was just right and Peter was the perfect candidate for vocals on this one.  I�d love to see them record it together.  Various audience members found their way onto the stage this night, but my favorite was when Bibi Farber (currently of Glow) got up with Bill Tupper (Mr. Awesome Majesticity himself) to do backing vox for �Shake It Some More.�  Oh yeah, one last word... Jeff was just sizzling on guitar.
       A long set that was well worth staying all the way through for.  A good New Year�s.

       On Friday January 9th I found myself heading out to Bethlehem again.  The Original Sins were doing their final hometown show.  They had one more gig left after this one (in Philly the following night), but I wasn�t gonna make that one.  Besides, The Funhouse was the group�s home, the place they played at least once a month for a decade or more.  True, it�s a small club, but that means you�re probably gonna be able to see from wherever you happen to be standing.  Besides, admission�s cheap (as is the beer).  I always feel at home at the Funhouse.
       As always, I arrived early.  Once in, I ran into bassist Ken Bussiere and ended up talking for awhile.  It really bums me out that Ken�s moved to Florida.  The fact that the Sins are no longer a working entity is part of that, of course, but only part.  See, besides being one of my absolute favorite bass players, he�s a truly great guy.  He�s always fun to hang out with.  One of the few people I know on the music scene that I constantly look forward to having in-depth conversations with.  The gang in Orlando are lucky to have him.
       Well, soon the Sins were ready to play and they launched into two sets of blissful rock�n�roll music.  It was sad as hell for me to realize that this night might be the last time I heard these songs performed live.  (On the other hand, Kenny�s already expressed a willingness to come up and record a new Sins disc once a year, so I tend to think gigs are a possibility, too.)  But that sadness winked out of existence the minute the band played its first note.  For the next few hours, The Original Sins would be alive as they ever were for me.  They blasted through most of their catalog, including their latest, Suburban Primitive (Blood Red Vinyl.)  I think their second LP, The Hardest Way (Psonik), will always be my favorite of all their stuff; they played the heck out of it this night.  Best of all, they did what might be my all-time favorite SinSong, �Now�s The Time.�  I was standing over by the bathroom at the time and suddenly I heard that primal blast of joy that launches it off.  My mind went into overdrive, a huge smile spreading all over me.  Sure, they did tons of other great stuff on this final night (yeah, including that killer version they�ve always pulled off of �Let�s Have A Party�), but somehow �Now�s The Time� said it all for me.  So if the crowd had only a few of the same people in it that were there when I first went to the Funhouse ten years ago, that was OK; what mattered was that the enthusiasm was still there.  The crowd was still nuts about this band.  Who could blame them?
       I made sure I was front and center for the entire second set.  It occurred to me that it�s where I belonged.  So I danced along with everyone else up there.  No, I didn�t know most of them.  It didn�t matter... we were all smiles.  Nobody was going to cry any tears over the fact that they were losing their favorite band; rather, they were going to exult in this show.  �Now�s The Time.�  If The Original Sins played every song they�ve ever released, they could have probably been on-stage for a couple more hours, at least.  (They must have at least eight full CD�s, not to mention singles, comp cuts, etc.)  Heck, throw in all the covers they know and it could go even longer.  Oh yeah, and let�s not forget the gazillion originals that they either (a) never got around to recording or (b) never released (some of which I�ve got on tape; trust me, there are bands out there that are fairly popular on the garage scene that can�t come close to this stuff.)  What I�m trying to say, though, is that there�s no way this group could ever play everything they�ve ever done.  Sure, that meant there were some songs I would�ve liked to have heard, but didn�t; but who could complain with this show?  It was past closing-time when the barmaid said that�s it, but... well, none of us wanted them to quit.  Sure, they�d just played some incredible stuff, but there was one more song I, personally, needed to hear.  And since the rest of the crowd obviously needed something more... that last, final release... well, I yelled it out.
       �PSYCHO!!!�
       JT heard me.  The barmaid was none too pleased.  She wanted to go home.  It was late.
       �Whoa, Baby!!!! / You�re drivin� me Crazy... PSYCHO!!!�
       One last time, I got to hear JT crunch his guitar through it, with Kenny pounding along on bass, Dan hitting the keys, and Dave Ferrara crashing through on the drums.  Pandemonium.
       And I was happy.

       Saturday January 10th was a pretty wild one for Northeast garage fans. Up in Providence, RI, ? & the Mysterians were playing with the Itchies. In NYC, The Fleshtones were at Nightingales for the second of their January Saturday night appearances. Down in TriBeCa, Rob Merchandez was debuting the NYC lineup of his group, The Baskervilles. Meanwhile, at the Khyber Pass down in Philly, The Original Sins were playing their final show together. (Not that anyone really believes it, but...) Me? Well, I chose to go to New Brunswick, NJ.
       First stop was The Melody Bar, where Mod Man Bill Luther was hosting the fourth monthly installment of the Hub City Soul Club,  this time featuring The Insomniacs.  As always, the boys did a fine show, debuting those wild-looking guitars they got in an endorsement deal - along with a cool new song or two.  It�d been a long time since they�d played the Melody and this was an excellent return.  Somehow, that small room, with its Egyptian theme, provided the perfect atmosphere.
       Once they finished, I hung around for only a brief while, as I had to make my way over to the Court Tavern for The Upper Crust.  This was the first time I�d seen them since they�d gone down to a four man lineup, so I was rather interested in seeing if it�d matter.  Nope.  These guys were playing their first show in New Brunswick and it was jam-packed.  They rose to the occasion, delivering their show in style with many of their favorites.

       One week later I was in Manhattan for one of the major events of the newborn year � ? & The Mysterians.  It�s amazing to me just how much thinking about that band really still gets me revved.  I picture that LP with �96 Tears� and just how damned COOL those guys look.  And once you throw it on the hi-fi things just get better.  Getting to see the original lineup of this legendary bunch is a treat, plain and simple.  Sure, many 30 year-old rock�n�roll bands just plain suck, but... well, we�ve covered this already, haven�t we?
       The Secret Service led it off.  Their previous show had been uneven, so many of us were wondering what would happen this time.  Before the set, I had a chance to talk to vocalist Wayne Manor.  He told me how nervous he�d been at their Cave Stomp show - he�d never before done a show without having something to drink beforehand.  As a result, their next show he obliterated himself.  This time, though, he had his O�Douls and was ready to give it a go, nervous as he was.  As it turned out, the band was a little shaky to start, but they soon got it moving and things really started to fly.  They even had some new songs - something that really amazed me, considering they can only practice when guitarist Rob Normandin is down from New Hampshire (which mean holidays and weekends they�ve got gigs.)  The best of the new ones is called �The Shuffle,� which features Rob on a monster guitar riff, leading on to a frenzied chorus with call-and-response �Yeah-YEAH!� stuff sending things flying.  I�m hoping they�ll get a chance to take this into the studio.
       The Prissteens were up next and got things running wild as always.  One of their fathers was in the audience, but Lori kept slipping up and embarrassing her with things you just don�t mention in front of Dear Ol� Dad.  All of this made for an entertaining evening.  The band rocked it up and all was well with the world.
       The Lyres took the stage next.  The set didn�t vary much from what they�ve been up to of late, but it was a good time.  I think Jeff was once again quite thrilled to be sharing a stage with the Mysterians.
       This gig (and ones in New England a week earlier) was taking place because ? & the Mysterians were in town recording at Krispy Kreme Studios with ex-Viper Jon Weiss overseeing the proceedings.  (Keep your fingers crossed for an LP to come out.)  The band came on and, if anything, they were better than last time.  �Can�t Get Enough Of You Baby,� �18,� �Girl You Captivate Me,� and �96 Tears� (twice, of course) had the crowd going nuts.  I was pressed right up against the front with a huge smile on my face (almost as big as the bassist�s).  Yeah, �It�s 10 O�Clock and It�s Too Late, Baby!�
       Afterwards, I had a chance to talk a bit to them and mentioned how excited some friends were about the trip the band was making out west.  They said they were up for it, too, but they promised to come back to New York again soon.  (And on May 2nd, they�ll be here.)

       February?  Who remembers February?  I do recall that it didn�t snow.

       I really sure if I felt like driving down to Asbury Park on Friday March 6th.  I was tired.  I�d tried napping, but somehow the phone kept ringing just as I was about to drop into blissful sleep.  And the Bluesman didn�t seem like he was completely up for a night of rock�n�roll wildness, either.  Somehow, though, we pulled it together.  I�m still thanking myself for that.
       We ended up with a parking spot just outside the door of The Saint.  Good thing, too, �cuz The Donnas were already on.  That was a bummer, but we caught at least half the set and were more than happy we did, too, �cuz they were absolutely GREAT!  Some people seem to prefer their earlier Radio X/Super*Teem incarnation, but I�m more into this stuff.  More power, more rock, more fun.  And, OK, I do like Donna A�s twist-y moves up there.  There�s something charming about her lack of any kind of polished act.  It gives the songs more of a smiling innocence.
       Flatus came on and did a solid set of punk-pop, including, I believe, a strong version of �Rockaway Beach.�  Following them, The Groovie Ghoulies came up to do their thing.  Since I�m now writing three months down the line, I�ll just mention that this was their usual fun set.  Somehow I really enjoy seeing bands in places out of NYC.  Sure, I have a great time in town, too, but it�s nice to get out and see bands with a smaller crowd.

       Still... the next night�s shindig at Coney Island High was pretty damn great.  Roberta and I showed up very early, meaning we sat through a horrid band called the Primadonnas.  Sorry, but they sucked.
       The Donnas were up next. Roberta hadn�t seen them yet, but she, too, ended up loving them.  The only disappointment for her was the shortness of the set, which couldn�t have been more than half an hour.  What was nice was seeing how many kids were there really getting into these gals.
       The only reason we stayed up front during The PeeChees was �cuz we wanted to be up front for The Groovie Ghoulies.  I didn�t much like the PeeChees; Roberta was less tolerant - she absolutely HATED them.  The GG�s, tho�, she had a great time with.
       After that, Bluesman drove her home.  Me, I headed up to Downtime, where The Creatures of the Golden Dawn were just finishing up.  Next was a local surf act doing an interminable set of too many covers.  They were good musicians, but it got kinda boring.  And it meant that The Insomniacs didn�t go on till some extremely late time.  AAAUUUUUGGGHHH!  But they played for quite awhile, even though there weren�t many people there.  They pulled out some of the really old faves for this one, since they were gonna be on for quite some time.  I really enjoy it when they do this, �cuz it means we get to hear stuff I normally only get to enjoy when they play out at the Funhouse in Bethlehem (when they do a couple long sets.)


       Nearly two weeks after my car had a chance encounter with a tree whilst driven by a Midas mechanic, Acme Underground was the site of a show of shows, including The Vendettas, The Vacant Lot, and The Bomboras.  I e-mailed Mike Sin that morning to find out if he was going.  He thought he was and asked about my car.  I responded that its fate was still unclear, but that I�d either take the bus or drive the rental to Hoboken, then catch the PATH train.  By day�s end, I hadn�t heard from him.  I left a couple messages that night, but I guess me ol� pal Mike was out.  So I caught a bus and a subway, getting some reading in on the way.  To be honest, I kind of enjoyed the experience, if only because I felt really alive doing it.  True, there was a trek ahead of me on the way back, but the great thing about living in Rutherford is that in the middle of the night buses run every hour on the half hour (well, they do on weekends; weekdays they miss an hour somewhere.  During rush hour, they arrive every six minutes!)  So getting home is not a problem.  And I had some reading material.
       Later on that night I found out that The High School Sweethearts were supposedly on earlier, but nobody�d let me know, so I missed �em.  The Vendettas were the first group I saw.  I knew them from their debut 45, as well as the fact that one of their guitarist/singers happens to be Ms. Buffi Aguero, drummer of one of my favorite bands, The Subsonics.  I�d thought the group had four members, but there were only three this night - Buffi and another gal (on drums), plus a guy on guitar and vocals.  They came across as a sort of garage/punkabilly.  Pretty cool stuff, occasionally very ragged and rough, Buffi back to the crowd, shakin� her hips�n�stuff at the crowd.  (Something more than a few guys were quite happy with.)  She and the guy (John?) traded lead vox song after song, which worked pretty well; you never tired of a vocal style, yet neither really outshone the other, meaning you didn�t want one to stop vocalizing so as to give the other the mic.  At one point his hand started seizing up, so he couldn�t really pick anymore.  As a result, he ended up strumming up a frenzy, practically shredding strings.  That kind of frenetic thing whips me around like mad.  I got a huge grin on my face.  At one point, they did a song for people to slow dance to.  (Not that anyone did.)  Well, the whole thing wasn�t slow, but on those parts, Buffi sounded downright sweet.  Her voice had that plaintive feel that some of the best Patsy Cline stuff does.  WOW!  I wish they�d do some more like that.  It worked well �cuz it went from the slow parts to a real rocker and back, Suzanne building those drums up to fever pitch and then letting them die down.  Another highlight came when they put the vocals together, something they ought to do far more often, as it really works well for them.  Talk about a double-shot!
       Afterwards, I went for a t-shirt, but they were all out.  The bowling shirts didn�t fit (they were women�s shirts), but I bought one anyway, figuring I�d give it to Roberta.  Heck, I got a very cool Vendettas sticker, too, so why not?  Plus bands can always use the money when they�re on the road.
       The Vacant Lot wasted no time, slipping right into gear with �Good As Gone.�  Right away, it was plain to see they were really ON!  They blew into the Boyce & Hart classic, �I Wonder What She�s Doing Tonight� and things were definitely moving.  Pete then introduced the next song by saying, �We�re finally playing this at the right time of year,� an easy clue that they were about to launch into �Almost Summer,� another early Vacant Lot favorite.  I found myself singing along quite a bit this night.
       A new one was next, currently untitled, introduced as ��A� Song Fast.�  I leaned over to Church Key skin-pounder Bill and said, �Or, as the Raunch Hands would�ve said, �Pussyface in �A�.�
       The next set of sluggers included their Estrus Gearbox hot rod favorite, �Cheater Cheater,� along with their excellent take on The Dictators� �Loyola,� �All Because of You,� and a fast version of �One Fine Day� that gets me every time.  Hmm... that one might fit in well with The What IV�s sets.  I sense a rumble.
       Later on they hit �Nobody Loves The Hulk.�  I can�t remember exactly when it was, but somewhere in there I noticed a certain drunken guy from South America (who doesn�t want to be named and threatens lawsuits when I oh-so-journalistically report on his doings) picking up my beloved jean jacket (strategically placed between the two monitors).  I went to grab it away from him, but he kept hangin� on.  I ripped it out of his hands, so he gets in my face.  I stiff-armed him away and he kept saying something completely unintelligible.  I basically told him to go to hell.  He must not have understood �cuz he kept talking.  I�d put up my hand and turn away.  Meanwhile, tons of my friends are just kinda gearing up.  It was nice of them to want to stick up for me, but this is a guy I�m quite happy to take care of myself if it ever comes to that.  To be fair, he�s not a bad guy when he�s unsauced.  Thing is, that�s all too rare.  Happy now, guy?  I didn�t mention your friggin� name.  Pissant.
       Meanwhile, back on the stage...
       The Vacant Lot are onto �Something To Believe In,� followed by their version of �Why.�  I enjoy hearing them play this, but I miss the backing vocals revving it up.  I still recall the time The Voodoo Dolls had played somewhere else the same night the Vacant Lot were at Continental.  Since the VD�s were staying at my place we�d driven the equipment back there, then headed to Continental to catch the last half of the Vacant Lot.  Not long after we got in, the guys called VD vocalist Cam Ackland up for �Why,� not telling him what the hell it was gonna be.  I think he must�ve started singing �Louie Louie,� which fit fine, actually.  Ah, memories.
       They finished off by flying from their signature version of The Real Kids� �All Kindsa Girls� into �I Won�t Say I�m Sorry.�  They sounded incredible tonight.  Everything was perfectly on target; the sound was full and Mike�s guitar leapt out at all the right places.  They promised a single soon, so I�ll be looking forward to it.  They left off by inviting us all down to Williamsburg the following Friday to see The What IV.

       Eventually, it was time for The Bomboras.  The lights went down and they took the stage clad all in black with blacklight painted skeletons, plus blacklight painted sombreros.  Quite the outfits.  Must�ve been sweaty as hell.  Intead of going song by song for these guys, I�ll merely say they�ve gotten even better, if that�s possible.  Throw swingin� surf sounds in with Jake�s flaming (well, not tonight) Farfisa antics and add a dose of snotty garage punk and you�ve got one killer show.  The go-go gal was missed, of course, but the boys more than made up for it with their show.  Well, it�s true that Jake couldn�t set his organ aflame (�cuz he�d ripped the foil by standing on it too much), but the cymbals got lit (as did, I believe, the tom for a brief moment.)  I watched Jake playing his organ behind his head, through his legs, on the floor, etc. and thought, �and people thought Hendrix was doing something special?�  Hell, Jake does this stuff with a band that�s really moving, not crawling through a drug-hazed hippie hell.
       �What time is it?�
       Friggin� crowd looks at their watches.
       �It�s CHUNKY Time!�  Right they were, and they chunked it up but good.  Slowly people started dancing.  When they hit the �Bombora Stomp� (can you say, �Com-Man-Che�  I knew y�could) people raved pretty well.  The �Crusher� got people revved and the band came back on for an encore which was presented as �a new song, but it�s good.�  And then �She�ll Do Ya Wrong,� the garage raver that gets you stomping and shouting along.  Damn!
       Before the show, I�d asked Jake about them signing on with DGC (actually Rob Zombie�s imprint on DGC, Zombie-A-Go-Go).  He said, �maybe we can do some good for the scene.�  If they keep putting on shows like this, I wouldn�t doubt it.  That or the general public are zombies.  Um... well, at least they�ll get some kids who are still willing to listen.  I know I�ve got a few students who fit into that camp.  Guess it�s time to start playing more Bomboras for �em.

       On the Monday before the May 2nd Coney Island High appearance of ? & the Mysterians, I got an e-mail message from a Bomp-list pal in Australia.  Evidently, his band was going to be doing some showcases in NYC the following Monday and Tuesday nights, but they�d be in town a few days early.  Was the Mysterians show still on?  Yup.  So we made plans to meet up at the pre-show hang-out session sponsored by Norton.  I�ll skip the details and just mention that we got a chance to hang out, get a slice, and talk music.  Who could ask for anything more?
       The Hentchmen were up first.  They went full-steam ahead, sounding far better than they did their last trip through (which was sort of ragged due to their mishaps on the road.)  Some new songs, some old ones and, at the end, my favorite part of their repertoire, �Red River Rock,� a number I always want to sing the words to.  (OK, yeah, I know it�s an instro, but it�s based on �Red River Valley.�)
       The Demolition Doll Rods were up next and Chet was up there in his usual get-up as their go-go boy, slapping his butt cheeks (shorts riding way up) as he bent towards the crowd.  Now, with most bands out there, this might seem somewhat odd; with the Doll Rods it just makes perfect sense.  The DDR have come a long way since their first area show some years back.  These days, their greasy stripped-down R&B stew is among the tastiest on the planet.
       If it weren�t for The Prissteens, this would�ve been a night of all-Michigan rockinroll.  (Heck, Andre Williams and Co. were even in the audience, since their gig had been cancelled at the last minute.)  I was way up front for the hometown hellcats, ready to bounce-and-shout-and-let-it-all-out.  Of course, so was another couple.  As I stood up front, waiting for the band and talking to my friend Nancy, I got distracted by what was going on behind her back.  See, there was this couple getting frisky.  �OK,� I thought, �Maybe they�re just going through the motions.�  Well, he pulled a bit away some time later and it became obvious that this was no dry run.  �Nuff said.
       The Prissteens came on and got us all runnin� wild.  All the hits, all the time.  I love hearing �em play Wreckless Eric�s �Whole Wide World,� even if they mess with the lyrics, changing �girl� to �boy� and all that nonsense.  C�mon, gals, we wanna hear �bout you lookin� all over for that girl.  Maybe she is in Tahiti.  Anyway, the kids were hot tonight (�so hot tonight.�)  Runnin� wild, indeed.
       Finally, it was time for the main attraction.  I�ll cut this short and say they played yet another fantastic show.  The set list read almost completely the same way as it has the past few times I�ve seen them, except they added a few they�d recorded at Krispy Kreme in January.  �What?� you ask.  Well, think The Lyres� �Don�t Give It Up Now� and Suicide�s �Cherie Cherie.�  Of these, the latter sounded best to my ears, soft and sweet and bubble-gum chewy.  They sounded good on the Lyres� number, but I�m just too damned used to seeing The Lyres do this one themselves.  Anyway, the place went crazy as always.  Can you blame us?  This is ? & the Mysterians!  Can�t wait to see �em in Central Park on the 4th of July!

       Still paranoid about bringing my new car into Manhattan, I headed down to the bus stop around 8:15 PM on Friday May 15th.  According to the schedule, that meant I�d be on a bus within 5 minutes, since they come pretty damn often.  Except tonight... friggin� thing didn�t show till after 9!  By that time, about 7 of �em had passed heading in the opposite direction.  When I finally boarded, I asked the driver what was up.  �Delays.�  Thanks.  That helped.
       So now you know why I didn�t make it till near the end of The Defilers opening slot at Acme Underground that night.  At least I showed up in time for �Cave Girl Love,� as the band banged the rocks together hard enough to turn �em into powder.  Puerile garage-punk action is the Defilers� stock-in-trade; beautifully primitive.  Finally, they finished out with �Love Don�t Last Forever,� their, uh... �hit.�  Glad I at least made it for these two.
       It�d been a looooong time since I last saw Johnny Chan & the New Dynasty Six.  In fact, they may have still been doing predominantly covers at that point.  But at this point I was looking forward to checking �em out again, partially due to the raves of a few friends with taste and partially �cuz I really like their debut disc.  They got into gear with a version of �Blues Theme,� giving way to their own �Hey!�  When they lit into an old fave of mine, �A Girl As Sweet As You,� I found myself singing along till Johnny changed the title lyric.  HEY!  They bounded through a set of mainly originals (many from the disc), stopping for a few covers (including an old fave, �Going All The Way�) along the way.  When they did �I�m Right,� I couldn�t help but think of a Dictators� song with those same sentiments (�I Am Right�), although these are two completely different tracks.  These boys not only dress well, but they also happen to play some mighty good rock�n�roll.
       I�d been waiting for about 3-4 months for my chance to see The Master Plan, a group that includes Fleshtones Keith Streng and Bill Milhizer, along with The Dictators� Andy Shernoff.  Unfortunately, most of their previous gigs have been on school nights.   They started off with Andy singing one of his originals, �What�s Up Wit Dat.�  WOW!!!  This is pure Shernoff!  This song deserves to be a hit single.  Pure rock�n�roll fun all the way through, this is a song that had me singing along by the second chorus.  Other standout tracks included �Kickin� It Old School,� Keith�s vocal on their version of �Tin Soldier� and �Find Something Beautiful,� not to mention a version of �Way Down South� with Pete Linzell on sax.  Still, the only other number that measured up to the first one was when they brought a pal up to the mic for the absolute BEST reading of �Movin� On Up� (yeah, the theme from The Jeffersons) that I�ve ever heard!  This one was transformed into a punk/soul shouter of the highest order.  If these guys want to do a fantastic 45, they�ll take �What�s Up Wit Dat� and put it up top and then back it with �Movin� On Up.�
       The Swingin� Neckbreakers have been ruling the NYC metro area garage scene for the past four or five years now. You�d think people would be sick of them.  It�s true that many of the old faces aren�t around any longer, but somehow they�ve attracted new ones.  Call it staying power if you like, but what it comes down to is balls-out rock�n�roll done with absolutely no frills.  This is a band that keeps it simple, letting the music stand for itself.  This time out, they picked and chose from most of their recordings to provide yet another extended set of sweat-filled fun.  Me, I got lucky... my friend Kelly was in the mood to dance it down, so dance we did.  Life is, occasionally, quite good.

       My memory of Saturday May 23rd at the Continental is rather jumbled.  No, sorry to disappoint you all, but there were no foreign substances in my bloodstream at the time.  (Like Jonathan Richman once wrote, �I�m Straight / not like... Hippy Johnny.�)  It�s just one of those nights that ran together for me.  I got home from Long Island around 8:30 and called Johnny Bluesman (this issue�s cover model), who said he�d be at my place in an hour.  We missed Snuka, which didn�t bother me too much as previous performances haven�t done much for me.  We did manage to catch The Cash Registers.  Here�s a band that did absolutely zero for me a couple years ago, but have come on with a vengeance.  What you�re getting is punk rock with enough melody to sweeten the pot, but enough blowziness to keep an edge on things.  The sax adds texture as Mitro�s guitar punctuates things with short bursts of punk-rock cool.  The group�s lead vocalist comes off kinda like a slothful Johnny Thunders, shirt mostly undone, with the closed buttons resting on his belly.  Thing is, it seems completely unaffected... and it works.  These guys are a band to watch.
       The Lazy Cowgirls (the main reason we came out) took the stage in front of a pretty crowded club and proceeded to do their thing.  They were hard and fast and got a few people revved up, at the least.  The crowd didn�t really go as wild for them, tho�, as the Candy Snatchers.  Nothing against those guys, but their records do nothing for me.  Still, seeing them in a setting like this is kinda fun as long as I�m already there.  I like to just kinda let the atmosphere overwhelm me and become part of that mass of bodies.  Still, for me, the best band of the night by far was The Cash Registers, with the Cowgirls finishing not far behind.

       I didn�t know about The Woggles� Friday night (June 5th) gig at the Court Tavern in New Brunswick till two days beforehand, when I received an e-mail message about the show from Sit N�Spin.  I arrived early that night - well, early for The Court, anyway - 10:30 PM.  (While NYC clubs are hell-bent on early start times, this favored venue rarely gets the first of three bands on before 11:15.  Heck, they even keep the door to downstairs closed.)  I ran into Montague upon my arrival, and we chatted amiably until he went to get dressed for the show.  I soon ran into Palmyra Delran of The Friggs, the other act on tonight�s bill.  We caught up on each other�s lives till she, too, had to go do band stuff.
       Somehow, The Woggles had ended up first on the bill.  This alone could get me going for a few paragraphs (no insult meant to anybody), but we�ve got better things to do, especially since I don�t really have too much to say about this show, anyway.  The Woggles did their usual stellar performance, despite being pushed on to a relatively small crowd.  They kicked it off with a cover of The Fleshtones� �Theme from The Vindicators,� doing quite well by it.  I later remarked to Manfred that I�d really enjoyed it.  What surprised me was that he really didn�t think it was a good opening number.   (I think he may find it trite to start with an instro.) Heck, I thought it worked perfectly.
       The Friggs went on next.  Having been somewhat disappointed when I�d seen them last (May, �97), I was hoping things had gotten better.  Unfortunately, I still have a problem with Lexi up there singing songs that Ms. Jezebel did.  Nothing against Lexi, but I find her interpretations to be a bit over the top.  Maybe it�s just that I don�t want to hear these songs done differently.  Or maybe it�d work better for me if the group wasn�t called The Friggs.  (Very few bands can successfully replace the lead singer.)  I actually thought newer numbers (ie. ones I didn�t recognize) sounded OK.  Perhaps the group should move in that direction.  I will say that I enjoyed Palmyra singing �On The Scene,� not to mention Sue Stanley�s always excellent backing vocals.
       Walking around that night, I saw a face that I never expected to see.  Later, we chatted, and the gal said, �Guess what?  I joined Sit N�Spin on bass.�
       �Yeah,� I replied, �I kinda figured that... I couldn�t think of any other reason you�d be down in New Brunswick.�
       So, who�s the mystery gal?  None other than Ms. Monica, ex-bassist for Our American Cousins.  She provided a real shot of energy for them this night, too, really getting into the show.  The surprise cover of the evening?  Sit N�Spin doing �Pills.�  And it worked.
       After the show, Dan Electro and Buzz Hagstrom took off for NYC, while the Professor and Montague followed me back to ritzy Rutherford.  (Aaaah... Shaddap!)  No sooner had we arrived than they announced that it was time for food.  OK, sure it was 3:45 AM, but they were hungry.  Well, that meant a trip to Tommy�s.  I only wished that the boys could�ve seen it back in its days of gloried chrome, before it exploded.  As it turned out, they�d been to this place with me before.  Heck, we even remembered where we sat!

       The next day, we met up with their pal Jenny, from Illinois, who I�d met the previous evening at the Court.  (We�d talked about some great Aussie 80s rock�n�roll, since she�s spent a whole bunch of time living in Adelaide back then.  Lucky gal!  She got to see the Stems!)  Where�s we meet?  A diner, of course... this time the Claremont on Rt. 3.  (Next time, boys, it�ll be the Tick Tock.)  This is when Manfred told us the �Cole Slaw� story.  I don�t pretend to have a tenth of Manfred�s storytelling ability, so I�ll just stick to what I remember.  (However, if you put a cheeseburger in your mouth and picture Manfred telling a story, you�ll get a better idea.)
       A few weeks earlier, the band had been opening for Southern Culture in Boston.  They�d been on tour with them for a bit and this was another stop on the way.  They found themselves in Boston, at a club run by some guy named Buddy.  (�In the South,� Manfred opined, �he probably would�ve been called �Bubba.��)  He got a hold of Manfred before the show to talk to him about how long the set should be.
       �Thirty minutes,� proclaimed Bubba... err, Buddy.  �You guys are like the Cole Slaw.  Nobody ordered you.  You just came with the platter.�
       I showed up early that night, once again catching the bus in, taking the A-train down to West 4th and walking over to Acme.  I�m getting very used to this routine.  First up for the evening were The Bernie Kugel Syndrome.  Many of you will remember Bernie as the singer for The Mystic Eyes.  Also in his band this night was ex-Splat Cat Yod Crewsy (also of the Dark Marbles) on bass.  Most of their set consisted of covers. Mainly well known stuff along the lines of �Little Girl,� �My Little Red Book,� a couple Sonics� numbers, �Taste of the Same,� and �Shake Some Action� (done as a tribute to that evening�s star, Mr. Roy Loney), but also some lesser known (to many) numbers like �Love For A Price,� done a bit slow for my taste (probably �cuz I�m used to the Projectiles� version.)  Of course, they ripped Gene Vincent�s �Say Mama� to shreds, spitting out the pieces like a rabid dog.  Can�t wait to hear that one at 45 RPM (evidently upcoming).  It wasn�t until about the fifth song that things really kicked into gear, when they hit a new original by Bernie, entitled �I Pay The Rent.�  WOW!!!  Now that one needs to be a single, guys.
       You know it has to be a really killer show if The Woggles are relegated to second out of four.  They launched in with �I Got Your Number,� and within minutes Montague was in the crowd and on the ground, getting everyone all geared up.  The audience was dancing right from the get-go.  The set consisted in large part of tracks from Get Tough and their latest disc, along with a few new tracks, like �Doin� the Montague.�  (Evidently, they�re working up theme songs for each member of the band.)  My current favorite is �Ramadan Romance� (but I�ll talk about that more in the disc reviews.)  Of course, they also hit some old favorites, like �Carnivore� and �My Baby Likes To Boogaloo.�  There�s a reason The Woggles are one of the top live bands today; simply put, they know how to put on a truly great show.  This was one of them.
       Third on tonight�s dance card was the act most of the crowd had evidently come to see, Roy Loney, ex- of the Flamin� Groovies.  Backing him - The Bitter Hearts, including members of The Headless Horsemen and The Waittresses.  Before I go any further, it needs to be said that this was the absolute PERFECT band to back Roy up.  Why? Well, bassist/guitarist Peter Stuart is probably one of the biggest Groovies� fans to ever walk the planet.  AND he happens to be an extremely talented musician.  This night he played a variety of roles.  Even better, Roy seemed incredibly happy to have Peter and the rest of the band backing him.  I think he felt almost as honored by their sincere love for his music as they did to be playing it with him.  They did a ton of tracks from Teenage Head, wowing the crowd at every turn.  The place was jammed and I heard they were turning people away!  (Maybe Roy should come back more often.  I don�t think he�s played New York since the live record he did here around 1990 or so.)  One of my favorite moments in the show came when Roy did little more than add some backing vocals.  They did �Whiskey Woman,� with Peter saying, �This is where I get to do my Cyril Jordan impression.�  Now, this has never been one of my favorite Groovies� tracks; it just spends a bit too much time on the slow end.  Tonight, however, as the band got further into it, things really started moving, like a locomotive picking up speed and breaking loose, momentum carrying it ever faster.  I just let myself listen and be absolutely blown away by The Bitter Hearts.  (This is why I was so bummed when I found out a week later that they had to cancel their opening slot for The Neanderthals and The Kaisers.)  But it was Roy�s show.  Earlier on, he�d brought up Lenny (the) Kaye to join in on guitar.  For the last half of the set, he brought up one of his fellow Phantom Movers to get in on the fun.  Truly, this was a great set of rock�n�roll.  I only wish Roy would play here more often.
       I admit I was somewhat PO�d that a bunch of audience members left before seeing The Fleshtones, especially since they did one of their best sets in awhile.  What�s great about the �Tones is that they keep themselves so current, rather than relying on their old favorites.  Sure, they play some of them (�World Has Changed� and �Comin� In Dead Stick,� for instance), but a good portion of their set comes from recent discs.  Of course, most bands that have been around for over twenty years simply don�t have enough good new material to do that;  The Fleshtones do.  �God Damn It,� �Laugh It Off� and �Sissy� are just as good as hearing the �Kingsmen-Like Medley� (which, admittedly, was great to hear them play again.)  A highlight of the show came in the encore, when they brought The Woggles up for a rousing rendition of �Theme from the Vindicators.�  Me, I danced wildly the whole way thru with one of my favorite dance partners, Ms. Kelly, who�s always up for cutting loose on the floor, provided the band moves her.  (And if it moves her, you can be sure it�s damn good rock�n�roll, �cuz this gal has high standards.)
       The next afternoon, I played another version of �Theme from The Vindicators� for Manfred, done by a Long Island band from the 80s called The Vindicators, a group that included Rob Normandin of The Secret Service and Chris Xefos (then of The Plastic Device, but later of King Missile.)  It really bummed Manfred out that the single appeared to have the whole a little off-center, completely killing any enjoyment one could get from it.  (Well, at least the other side sounds OK.)  Such is life.

       On Saturday June 13th, it was back to the Acme Underground.  We hit the road around 9, figuring that, with 3 bands, the first would go on around ten.  Well, after a quick Happy Birthday to the Platterpuss, I headed downstairs to see what was up.  At 9:45, The Crusaders had evidently been on for a half an hour.  DAMN!  Their Fat, Drunk, & Stupid disc is a current favorite of mine and I�d missed most of their set.  Well, at least I still got to see a few songs.  Damn, they were great... lotsa fuzz and they looked great in their purple Crusaders outfits with the cross on the front and the eye-masks.  And this was the kinda garage that any fan of the genre should love, a few chords, some words thrown on top, and a bunch of guys who want to have a great time. After their set, I got a chance to talk to them, and it turned out that they, too, were major Stems� fans.  (One of the guys had even seen them play 27 times.  Lucky!)
       The Neanderthals were next up, once again sporting their masks and leopard-print skins (not to mention the black canvas hi-tops.)  A few people in the audience found them a bit slow.  I suppose it�s a valid criticism, although one I don�t particularly subscribe to.  True, they don�t play too fast, but they do keep things moving.  The caveman schtick works pretty well, with �Arula-Mata-Gali� coming in as my usual favorite.  Still, the whole set was a good time, with another highlight being their version of �Girl & A Hot Rod� (known to many via The Untamed Youth version... or, for New Yorkers, The Church Keys rewrite as �Girl & A Hot Dog�).  They came back for an encore and did a truly swingin� version of �Double Shot (of My Baby�s Love)� by The Swingin� Medallions.  It turned out to be the perfect closer, with everyone smiling a huge smile and dancing around.
       The Kaisers were the headliners and, as far as I�m concerned, there�s a damn good reason.  These guys are one bunch of killer Mersey-men.  You just don�t get to hear Beat music enough these days.  Many fans were somewhat disappointed that they didn�t hit the new LP, but since I didn�t have that when I saw them, it didn�t bother me one bit.  They hit a few Hollies� tracks, as well as many other covers, but the absolute best song they did had to be a new one called �Shakin� and Screamin�.�  WOW!  Melody, a beat, and killer backing vocals.  It�s still dancing around inside my head a week later.
       After the show, I spoke to Chris Cush of The Bitter Hearts, telling him I was looking forward to seeing them the next night.  Mr. Cush proceeded to bum me out, telling me that they�d had to pull out �cuz their drummer was in Europe.  AAAAUUUUUGGGHHH!
       On the way up the stairs, I ran into promoter Todd A.  I asked what time the next night�s show would begin.  He said that since the Bitter Hearts had cancelled, probably around 10.  I replied that, as long as he was without an opening act, why not get The Crusaders to do it again, since they didn�t have a show?  Evidently, he liked the idea (heck, maybe he�d already been thinking it!), �cuz a few moments later The Crusaders came up to me to inform me that they were doing the show.  I promised to show up extra early.  No way was I gonna miss out on a whole set by them twice!

       On Sunday, Mike Sin and I arrived extremely early.  I was probably at the club no later than 9.  I spent a bit of time chatting outside with a couple of The Crusaders, as well as Johnny Chan and a few others.  About fifteen minutes later, I was downstairs thinking how much people would bum out if they knew just how damn good these guys were... and then found out they�d completely missed them.  Seriously, I wish they�d come back at least once a year and that they�d get to play second out of three, so more people would show up and see them.  I know few of you out there have probably heard them, but you owe it to yourselves to check them out.  Their recordings are definitely worth picking up, but (as with most good rock�n�roll acts) they�re far better live.  Chunks of fuzz were flying around as these guys traded off the lead vocals, ripping it up for the few of us who�d known enough to show up to see these Aussie wildmen.  As if the rest of the set wasn�t enough, they finished up by hitting a few chords that sounded really familiar to me.  Could it be?  Yup, a truly rippin� version of �Television Addict� by Hoodoo Guru leader Dave Faulkner�s late 70s Perth punk act, The Victims.  And The Crusaders did it magnificently, proving how close garage and punk truly are.  Now that was the way to leave me wanting more!
       The Neanderthals were up next, once again, doing much the same set as they had the previous evening, right down to the encore.  But, hey, it�s not like we get to see them very often, so it was a good time.
       Of course, it was The Kaisers that were bringing in the crowd, although not as much of one as the previous evening.  (That�s the problem with Sundays.  But, heck, I didn�t care, it was the last week of school coming up and I didn�t have to face students the next day.  Finals week is a great thing.)  They varied the set a bit, still hitting a couple Hollies� tunes and that new favorite of mine, �Shakin� & Screamin�,� but they also played a few new ones that went over really well.  Eventually, a few people moved out of my way and I was right up front, shakin� and screamin� myself.  They eventually let loose with one of my all-time faves, �Let�s Stomp� to which I did exactly that, stomping like a sweat-drench idiot, with a big grin the whole time.  Beat It Up!

       My main goal on Friday June 19th was to see The Nines, since I haven�t seen Evan Shore play in quite some time.  As Bluesman�s car had broken down, I�d once again caught the 190 bus into Manhattan, this time taking the N train down to 8th Street, since I was heading over to Brownies.  I walked in to find Mooney Suzuki on-stage, looking incredibly cool in black pants and black band tees, with the singer coming across as a VU-era Lou Reed, shades and all.  I rushed up front, even though I�d never seen them before; their music was magnetic, drawing me straight up.  Somewhere between garage and psych/punk, these guys put on a show.  I�m told they started out far more into the indie rock thing; if so, they�ve come a long way.  They were truly riveting.  At one point, the bassist and drummer just walked off the stage, leaving the two guitarists to work it out for themselves.  And so they did.  It was like some kinda freak-out jam without being a stupid hippie thing.  (Nothing against all you stupid hippies.  Yeesh, lighten up.)  These guys were so attuned to each other... I couldn�t even tell if they had any kind of guidelines, but it all made sense and was pure rock�n�roll.  Eventually, the rhythm section sauntered back on-stage and they all kicked right back in.  WOW!  Yeah, you could say I want to see these guys again.  When one of �em asked if I wanted to be on their mailing list, I jumped at the chance.
       The Quadrajets were up next.  Yawn.  I�ve got a couple of their 45s, which are actually fairly decent, but this was just too rock-ist.  It seemed very early 70s and didn�t thrill me at all.  Who knows, maybe in a more packed crowd, it might�ve flown with me, so I�ll check �em out at Treblefest.  This time, tho�, I spent most of the time catching up with Evan Shore.
       By the time The Nines went on, there was almost nobody left. Too bad, too, �cuz they sounded pretty good.  At this point, they�re a trio, so there�s not quite as much sound coming out.  The vocals tend to work best when they�re shared, since I don�t find that either Evan or the bassist have strong voices... Solid voices, yes, but not great ones.  When they sing dual leads, tho�, it adds up to far more than the two together.  A fair smattering of old Voodoo Dolls� tracks made their way into the set, as well as some favored covers.  It was actually a pretty good set, and I�ll be seeing them again.
       Afterwards, I wandered around the East Village.  School had ended for me that day, so I felt free and decided to just wander around... Lakeside, Niagara, Two Boots, Arlene Grocery, Baby Jupiter, etc.  Yup, life was good.

       I tried Bluesman a bunch of times on Saturday, but didn�t manage to get him till about 8:30.  45 minutes later, he was at my place and we were making tracks for The Bowery Ballroom, a new place down on Delancey, just east of the Bowery.  We were seeking the Savage Beat of The Dictators.
       According to other friends who�d arrived early, we were lucky to have missed the opening act, Honky Toast.  With a name like that, they should�ve known.  The New Bomb Turks were next up.  These guys have never thrilled me, but I figured I�d give �em another chance.  (Yeah, I know, a bunch of you seem to think they�re the hottest thing since Atomic Fireballs, but in my book they�ve usually ranked in the same category as the deservedly short-lived 7-Up Gold.)  They weren�t bad, I guess, but except for a couple more power-pop oriented numbers midway thru, I just don�t see what all the fuss is about.
       Eventually, it was time for the night�s main attraction... The Dictators - Adny Shernoff, Top Ten, Ross the Boss, Handsome Dick Manitoba, and JP �Thunderbolt� Patterson.  They started with �New York, New York� and never looked back.  I had only two complaints:  first, Ross�s guitar wasn�t loud enough; second, the whole band wasn�t loud enough.  Remember, Dear Soundman, it�s �Faster AND Louder!�  The set included both sides of the new 45, �Who Will Save Rock�n�Roll?�/ �Savage Beat� (Imposible in Spain, Norton in the US), as well as a new instrumental, which I believe is called �Channel Surfing.�  Top 10 took the lead on this, playing a low-end surf guitar sound.  Speaking of the new stuff, the Handsome One said they�d do a new record this year, as �The Genius� (that�s Shernoff, by the way) has been writing new Dictators� material.
       The set also included old favorites like �Stay With Me,� �Two Tub Man,� �Master Race Rock,� �Weekend,� and �Science Gone Too Far,� along with some of the Manitoba�s Wild Kingdom hits (�Party Starts Now� and �Haircut & Attitude�), as well as the 45 from last year, �I Am Right.�  As always, HDM was King of Men, beautiful NY attitude and style.  Of course, although he claims that he is always right, he did seem to slip up during one of the encores.  He started talking about what a god Brian Wilson is.  OK, so far we�re in agreement... just one thing, everyone knew they were gonna play The Rivieras� �California Sun.�  And Andy�s just kinda lookin� and wondering just what could possibly be going on in the mind of the Handsome One.  What the BLEEP does Brian Wilson have to do with �California Sun?�
       The whole thing finished with Handsome Dick dedicating the final song to Chris Cush (guitarist for The Bitter Hearts, ex-Headless Horsemen, and the proprietor of Mojo Guitars), for bringing Roy Loney into HDM�s bar one night.  As a result, the �Taters finished up with �Slow Death.�  The perfect end to another great Dictators� show.  Yeah, these guys in their mid-40s can rock the roll better than most kids half their age.  Why?  �Cuz they�re the friggin� DICTATORS!

       It wasn�t until the afternoon of the Dictators� show that I happened to pick up the Voice and notice that The Subsonics were slated to play Continental on a Tuesday night.  Needless to say, I was somewhat displeased.  This is one of my absolute favorite groups.  Why the heck are they playing on a Tuesday night.  I asked this question of the good folks on the Bomp list.  The main answer coming back seemed to be that this is just the way their booking agent set things up.  Well, I�d kinda figured that.  Honestly, the only reason I was upset was �cuz it meant many people I know would miss the group �cuz Tuesdays are tough for them.  And I understand that completely.  This wasn�t a problem for me, thanks to my being on summer vacation now, but I�d gone six months earlier when they had a mid-week show, as well.  That, of course, is because I rate this trio as one of the few bands worth losing a ton of sleep over and feeling like hell the next day.
       Well, Johnny Blues and I arrived to find a pretty well-attended show.  Of course, there weren�t as many as you�d expect for the group on a Friday or Saturday night, but I�ve seen far fewer attendees for weekend shows by other bands.  However, I�m still not sure how many of these people were there specifically because of the Subsonics.  After all, there were quite a few people watching the previous act (Little Pork or Little Pork Chop.)  To be honest, they weren�t bad.  They mainly did a sweet country thing, but every once in awhile they burst into a down and dirty garage/blues number.  There was also a good-sized crowd for the post-Subsonics� act (name unknown), so my questions were never answered.  Still, the crowd seemed quite appreciative of the group, so I can�t complain.  I only wish more of the usual gang could�ve witnessed just how damned great they were.
       I was right up front straight from the start.  The Subsonics swing it out sans set list, just yelling �em out and letting fly.  This set drew heavily from the most recent disc, including a few of my favorites, like �Frankenstein� and �Ten Dollars.�  A bunch more came from Everything�s Falling Apart, most notably one of my favorites, �I Made You A Clown.� The show ranged from the slow, pretty melodic numbers to out and out mayhem, with stops at solid rock�n�roll.  No matter what, though, everything was pure Subsonics.  That is to say, everything was pure perfection... in the most chaotically beautiful sense of the word.
       This is a band primed for bigger things.  There was Buffi, looking for all the world like the Catwoman, standing up and pounding along, sometimes seeming like she was off, till you understood that the effect created added so much more than somebody just playing along.  Christy, up there with a big blonde wig and a glittery silvery top, looking better than ever, thumping that bass like nobody�s business, anchoring it all.  And Clay... silver, glittery shirt and black shiny pants, spending half the set with the mic stand tilted, held by his knees, somehow seeming like he was jumping out of a picture like an early 3D movie, fracturing those frets like a madman.
       The Subsonics are unique.  The sound vibrates straight on through, reverberating into all those hard to reach places, leaving you scrubbed raw and baptized into the truth of rock�n�roll.

       For about one year now, drummer Uli Shitbirdsky (aka Stuli Stool Pigeon) has been living in Rutherford, NJ.  Somehow, tho�, we�ve rarely run into each other.  However, on Friday June 26th, both of us were psyched for the big show at Acme Underground.  So we headed down to Station Square and caught an 8:30 bus into Manhattan, then the A-train down to West 4th.  We got to Acme about 1/3 of the way thru The Sea Monkeys� set, just as they were powering into Paul Revere & The Raiders� �Him Or Me.�  From the first note, I could tell these guys were on.  In fact, this may very well be the best I�ve ever seen them.  Every song they played was absolutely top-notch energy, lots of melody, and quite alive.
       The Spaceshits were doing their first NYC appearance with their new lead guitar player.  Seeing as they had to have a minimum of equipment so as to cross the border, they were borrowing a ton of equipment from the Sea Monkeys.  Unfortunately, there was a problem with the tuner and the rhythm guitar was off for awhile.  Still, they played a damn good set.  The first couple numbers were pretty much on the order of what we�ve come to know them for.  However, they spent most of the set on newer songs.  What amazed me is how damn good they were without rehashing the same stuff they�d been doing.  One or two were power-pop/punk, revved and gone.  Another bunch veered closer to garage territory, but my favorite sounded a bit like �Teenage Head,� with the bass flying low and mean.  Perfection.  One thing I didn�t understand... how the hell the lead singer, on the most humid night of the year so far, could not only where a jacket with a hood, but also another hood underneath it (which completely covered his face)!  Yipes.  You�d sweat less in a sauna.
       The Beautys were next.  They weren�t bad, but I just wasn�t all that into them.
       Finally, it was time for The Splash 4.  I have a fair amount of stuff by them (as, I�m assuming, do many of you), but records and live shows are two different animals.  The thing that really knocked me out during the set was Lili�s guitar playing.  OK, beyond the fact that she was loud as FUCK, she did things that just kept bringing the attention back to her.  The song�s just careening along and then she throws in these little blasts of guitar genius... WOW!  (Oh yeah, and that red guitar she plays is incredibly cool-looking... some Italian thing called a Zodiac.)  My only complaint was that they didn�t play longer.
       Electric Frankenstein?  Well, yeah, they were next... besides the fact that The Who at Wembley probably didn�t seem this loud, I just don�t care for their stuff.
       I bought a Spaceshits� shirt from Blacksnake, then Uli and I struck out for Port Authority, with �Him or Me� still on our minds.

       The next day, I hit the road around 11:15, stopping at the start to tank up both on gas and some caffeinated-and-carbonated refreshments.   About two hours later, I was out at SUNY Stony Brook in Stony Brook, Long Island, a place I hadn�t been since �88, when I�d gone out for a Secret Service show.  (A night Mike Sin will remember best for getting onto a boat tied up in Northport Harbor later on and getting the inside scoop on the demographics of selling the nickel/dime bag in the local environs.  And, of course, for changing out of his work clothes into his going-out duds only to have me look at him when he came downstairs - at the house of Martin �Psych-Out� Spichal�s parents - and say, �What took so long?  You look the same.�  And have Martin�s parents cracking up in agreement.  Poor Mod.)  But I digress.  (Surprise, surprise.)
       Anyway, Michael, host of WUSB�s Dead End Radio (90.1 FM on Tuesday nights) was recording a live set by The Splash 4 for broadcast the following week.  The given time was 2, but... well, sometime around then the station got a call that they�d be an hour and a half late.  (I think the people driving them had been up quite late the night before and rounding up the troops took longer than expected.)  It didn�t matter much to me... I had nowhere to go.
       As it turned out, I�m glad I stuck around.  The band set up in a classroom across the hall from the station�s studio.  Watching them was an audience of six (myself included), all of whom were quite thrilled, even if this wasn�t exactly a room that was conducive to goin� nuts.  (Of course, all of us were probably too out of it still from the previous night to contemplate that.)  Rather, we just hung in and let the band blow us away.  This, of course, started right off as Lili plugged in.  Talk about LOUD!  I�d thought the previous night was something, but now she was in a smaller room and the two of us had lifted Michael�s guitar amp onto a chair, tilting slightly up, so it was pointed straight at the ears.  Lili hit another chord... �I like this amp.  It�s loud!� Now, I�m a guy who almost never wears earplugs.  I went to get some toilet paper to wad up and stuff in my ears.  (Not that it helped much.)
       Their set was much the same as the previous evening... �Trudie,� �Filth City,� a cover of �Keep Your Hands Off My Babe,� etc.  What really struck me here, tho�, far more than the previous evening, was how deep the band�s roots are in rock�n�roll.  Sure, they play some pretty abrasive punk rock with more power than a runaway train, but listening to them in this context, I realized how much a part of their sound older garage stuff (and even some soul and R&B) really is.  I was able to hear things that I hadn�t before... certain things about Jack�s vocal, some elements of the rhythm, but most especially Lili�s guitar sound.  It�s just the way that they�ll be powering thru a song and suddenly she lets fly with some little burst up the neck.   I�d be looking somewhere else and suddenly I�d hear her sally forth with another one of those bits of pure rock�n�roll and I�d immediately turn to look.  WOW!  I�ve never found my attention drawn so much to a guitar player before.  Yeah, OK, you�re all saying, �Sure, you�re just looking at her �cuz she�s an incredibly attractive female.�  Well, it�s true... she is quite attractive.  But it�s her guitar that gives the Splash 4 their shape and color more than anything else.  This isn�t to take anything away from the guys, who do a killer job, as well; it�s just an acknowledgment of how damn incredible Lili is on guitar.

       I ended up back at our place around 7:45.  Roberta had convinced me to drive in (she hates the bus) by saying she�d split the cost of parking with me.  (I�m still not ready to park it on the street.)  Of course, I�m still paranoid and I watched the guy park my car.  We were heading over to Acme to see Neko Case.  The first act, Jennie Mae, wasn�t bad (nice voice), but her music just wasn�t my style.  To be honest, I later realized that many of the people in attendance were more of the alt.country crowd.  There were a few people I knew, but this was hardly the bunch I usually see at shows.
       Roberta and I went back inside the main room early enough so we still got up front for Neko.  Later, I turned around and noticed that the place was packed.  Now that blew me away.  But we�ll skip back a bit.
       Neko is one of those truly alive people.  It�s something I really love her for.  While setting up on-stage, she was dancing around to the tape that was being played over the PA.  As she came off to go get something from the dressing room, she came by Roberta and me and danced with us for a bit.  On her way back, she did the same thing, with a HUGE smile on her face.  These are the things that put a smile on my face.
       She got up and proceeded to deliver a wonderful show.  From the moment she began to sing, the audience was in heaven.  The woman has a bee-yoo-ti-ful voice.  But she�s still pure Neko, with no pretensions of doing things any way but her own.  She doesn�t stand there like some delicate flower; nor does Neko Case make those weird arty, singer/songwriter moves that seem so contrived; and she doesn�t act like a cowgirl, either.  Nope, Neko does exactly what she feels like doing at that given moment.  That might mean just singing and moving her body a bit; or standing on an amp and belting it out; or jumping up and down with a huge smile on her face, happy to be up there playing; or even humping the guitar player�s leg.  But whatever she�s doing, it�s because it�s what she feels like doing.  In fact, her attitude still seems extremely punk.  The music, however, was pure country.  Beautifully, old-style country - some heartbreaking, some smiling, some joyous - all great.  Perhaps the biggest thrill of the night for me, however, came when they broke into a version of John Fogerty�s �Almost Saturday Night� (on his self-titled 1975 LP for Asylum).  That�s always been a big favorite of mine and I�ve never heard anyone else play it live.  (Thank you, Neko!)
       The crowd applauded Neko�s performance enthusiastically.  Unfortunately, we didn�t get an encore.  Ah well... always leave them wanting more.

       Saturday the 4th of July and it�s bus-time again.  Why? �Cuz ? & the Mysterians were playing in effin� Central Park! I showed up about 20 minutes before showtime, walking into the Summerstage area only to feel an Insomniacs� frisbee whizzing by my legs. It took me a minute, but then I realized that Mr. Evan Davies (web-meister for The Upper Crust, Swingin� Neckbreakers, and The Untamed Youth) had tossed it my way. Moving on...
       As time drew near, Evan, Justina, Jahna, and a bunch more of the usual crowd made our way forward.  This was a rare experience... Like the Pretty Things sang, �I never see / the people I know / In the bright light of day.� So much for never, huh?  Crazier, tho�, was the fact that we were gonna see The Mysterians in daylight.  Heck, ? would have a reason for the sunglasses.
       As is their custom, manager Luvern came up and intro�d the group as they eased into �Do You Feel It?�  (And we did.) They went through all the songs that we all love by now (those who didn�t know them last October certainly do by now, thanks to both their live appearances in town, as well as the live disc), along with a few newer tracks they�ve recently laid down, including covers of songs by The Lyres and It�s All Meat. Actually, ? has rewritten the lyrics to �Don�t Give It Up Now� (I think it has something to do with the state of employment in the auto industry in Michigan.) Instead of �Take what you need,� ? is singing, �Take all you can get.� Rather than skedaddling off the stage after �96 Tears,� they just stayed on and did the encore, �Beware Joe� followed by the one I�d been yelling for, �8 Teen.� Whatta monster that one is.  Throw in the beach balls that were going throughout the set and it was quite a time.
       Rocket From the Crypt?  Well... they�ve improved. It was cool seeing Holly Golightly get up to sing a song with them. And they certainly had energy. I still don�t see myself buying one of their records, but I�m glad I stuck around.
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SEVEN NIGHTS TO SUPER ROCK
by Eric Fusco

       In the past six weeks I have been lucky enough to see the Fleshtones seven times and the Full Time Men once.  How could this be, you may very well ask.  Did I join the band as their roadie? Not that lucky.  Have I become some sort of Fleshtones/Dead Head who followed them around from city to city, selling live tapes and T-shirts of teddy bears doing the Power Stance ?  No way, Jose.   Then how?

       This past January The Fleshtones did an �Artist In Residency� at Nightingales Bar, 13th & 2nd Ave., in New York City.  They also played Nightingales on Dec. 27th and Under Acme for New Year�s Eve, with the Full Time Men logging in a gig on Jan. 16th at the Continental.  And as far as I can tell, besides Ken, Keith & Bill, I was the only person to make every show.
       The New Year�s Eve gig was great.  I was finally paid back for the New Year�s Eve show seven years ago that was canceled because the club was shut down that afternoon.  It was worth the wait.  They blasted through an amazing set and were on stage for midnight.  The place was so cheap, they did not even include a champagne toast.  The Fleshtones had brought their own bottle (BYOB) and those of us up front who had glasses, got to share in the booze.  Every time Peter Zaremba would head to the side of the stage for a re-fill, he�d also refill mine.  Then I�d spill some on Ken Fox�s shoes.  Oh well, it was New Year�s Eve, after all...
       That Saturday started the January Nightingales Stand.  Each week they opened the show with the chestnut �Soul City�.  The reason for this was that filmmaker Henry Jones would bring down the original film of the video of the song.  Legend has it that Henry and Peter were school mates at the School Of Visual Arts, Henry had a film project and Peter suggested he make a video of his band.  In honor of the homestand at Nightingales, Henry would show the film as the Fleshtones provided the audio.  Some nights the two were even in sync!
       The first night of the month it was the core band, no horns.  They did their new material off of �More Than Skin Deep� like �Sissy�, �Love Machine� and �God Damn It� and some OLD stuff, �Comin� In Deadstick�, �Atom Spies�, and some Roman Gods-era material.
       The third night saw the triumphant return of Gordon Spaeth as the Wheelman, along with Steve Greenfield also on sax.  This night�s material was split between their new stuff, More Than Skin Deep, and Hexbreaker songs.  For the finale, Peter tried to get the band to do a medley of �Burning Hell� and �The Endless Tunnel�.  Sounds like it would work doesn�t it? They are both in the same vein of R&B/Bluesy sound. Well, they are both covers, too. Sadly, the Z-Man had not informed his band mates that he was going to do this and well, they are not really in same key and the tempos are different.  I am not saying it sounded bad, but I will always remember the confused look on Keith Streng�s face while he was trying to figure some way to segue from one to the other.
       The fourth night was the most packed. Sax man  Steve Greenfield was joined by  trumpet player Joe Loposky.  The band seemed to concentrate on the �vs. Reality� songs, �Way Down South�, �Whatever Makes You Happy� and �Got A Line On You�.  The show was a blow out.
       The fifth night was my favorite.  The barmaid asked me if I was with the band.  I said yes.  I got drinks cheep !!!  I got too drunk.  I danced my ass off.  The song choices ranged all over their catalog.  Peter pulled out his guitar (!) for �Marjoe�,  something I had only seen once before.  During a break, the six Fleshtones hooked into a Super Power Stance.  (The SPS is when you link elbows with the guy next to you.) Again, something I�d seen them do only once before.
       My favorite moment in show was during �Get Down With It�.  For those who don�t know, the song instructs the crowd to �Get Down With It� by getting down on the floor.  The lyrics of the song during a break says that �There�s a girl over there/She ain�t doing it right�.  Invariably there will be a girl, usually seeing the Fleshtones for the first time, who ain�t doing it right.  Peter will point her out, and refuse to continue the song, until she gets down with it.  This time the chick in question, an English girl no less, refused to get down with it.  The crowd was chanting:
       �She ain�t doing it right/ She ain�t doing it right/There�s a girl over there/She ain�t doing it right/ She ain�t doing it right/ There�s a girl over there/etc...�
       All the time pointing, in unison, at the girl.  She was screaming for it to stop and got very embarrassed.  And all she had to do was get down with it.  Will the English never learn ???
       There were so many great songs, it�s hard to say which was the best, when they happened and what happened around them.  I do remember  Peter, Keith & Ken playing on the bar, them exiting out the door singing �We�ll Never Forget�.  I held the mic stand over my head so Peter could sing into it from on top of the speaker stack.  On the last night, I got to call the band back on stage for the encore.  I took a page from the Nature Boy, Ric Flair (13 time World Championship Wrestling Heavyweight Champion!) and said,
       �The best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be, The Fleshtones!  And remember, it�s not being the band that counts. It�s staying the band!  And the Fleshtones are that band ! Whooooo!�
       It didn�t take much after that to get them back on stage...

       One night I spoke to Peter�s wife about the scheme behind the Nightingales stand.  I said that it was turning out how I expected and I thought that the band�s plan for doing this was to build up word of mouth.  I�d spoken to Bill Milhizer some years ago, and he said that part of their early success was due to the fact that they would have parties with free beer and everyone would come for that, but stay for the music.  This month long gig seemed like a great opportunity to get people to come back again next week, with their friends.  And then their friends would come back with friends and so on and so.  Mrs. Z was just shaking her at me the entire time.  �There is no scheme behind this, Eric.� she said, �These guys just do stuff and sometimes it works.�

       So was there a planned progression that each week mimicked the evolution of the band from album to album?  I doubt it.  It was just that magical chaos we like to call Super Rock.
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THE EVAPORATORS (plus The Goblins & Skablins)

Nearly four weeks after buying my new car, I�m still paranoid about bringing it into Manhattan, so I�m once again catching the 190 into town.  It�s pouring out, so I�ve got my trusty umbrella (which does a fair, tho� far from perfect job.)  Once in town, I stand on another long line for a token, then catch the A train down to West 4th, managing to come out at the 3rd St. side and then walking across to the club.
I�m so early that the doors aren�t open yet.  So I sit there with a recent issue of Fantasy & Science Fiction.  Unfortunately, it�s far from their best (some kinda theme issue dealing with movies that ends up being mostly pointless unless you�re familiar with a large majority of the books, movies, and performers... and I�m not); too many lists and not enough stories.  This is not making me want to re-subscribe.  So my attention wanders, catching snatches of conversation, absolutely none of which is actually interesting.
Around 9:30 or so the doors open.  I get stamped and head downstairs, where The Evaporators are soundchecking.  I say hi to Dave Carswell (guitarist for The Smugglers, as well as many others) and then to Nardwuar.  We briefly catch up with each other, then I let them take care of business.
I sit along the wall and look to the back.  There I see Gary �Pig� Gold, a guy I probably haven�t run into for a couple years.  These days he�s involved in various projects, including The Ghost Rockets.  He introduces me to his wife and we all get to talking about a subject dear to our hearts - pop music.  He fills me in on what some old friends are up to and I tell him about some of my current faves.  We also spend some time talking about The Swing Set, a group from Rochester, NY that put out one 45 in 1985.  (Two of the members later formed The Tonebenders in NYC, while another replaced Ori Guran in the Chesterfield Kings.)
The crowd is sparse, but some friends are there.  In fact, some of the people who�ve shown up are actually more people I rarely see, including ex-Shitbirds� drummer Uli Shitbirdsky, who lives about a half mile down the road from me in Rutherford (yet we never run into each other.)  There are also some faces I recognize, but don�t know.  And I�m glad to see them, too.
The evening begins with a set by The Goblins (The Evaporators minus guitar and bass.)  Nardwuar gets into it right away.  In no time at all, any uninitiated audience members are soon aware that this set is more about having fun than anything else.  Nardwuar leads the crowd into learning the second song, saying that here in New York, we had a governor named Mario Cuomo.  In Canada, on the other hand, he says they have some kinda gas station/convenience store called the... �What, Gary?� (Nardwuar is speaking to Gary Gold, a fellow Canadian.)  Turns out it�s the Domo.  So this song is called, �Mario Cuomo works at the...�  (Yeah, we�re too dense to guess.)  Finally, some bright person figures it out... �The Domo!�  �Mario Cuomo works at the Domo.�  This becomes a chant.  Now, in many cases, this just wouldn�t work.  But Nardwuar makes the crowd get into it.  He doesn�t let up until he�s got participation... and we�re not talking about one or two of us.  The same thing happens with �Uhh!� as he spends more time off the stage than on, letting Scott bang the drums and running to an audience member to stand and make them say, �Uhh!� whenever it�s time.
The Skablins are now on-stage and they hammer out a couple more before making way for The Evaporators (a quick costume change.)  Now, I won�t pretend to be an expert on Evaporators� songs, so telling you song names would not only be meaningless to most of you, but to me, as well.  (OK, I�ve got the set list, but that doesn�t mean too much when you only know a few of �em... don�t worry, tho�, I�ll mention those.)
By the end of The Evaporators� set, I think only one person hasn�t thoroughly enjoyed himself... turns out it�s a guy from the next band, The Blowpops.  But we�ll get to them.  Now, it seems kinda obvious that not everyone in here knows who the hell these Vancouver nutjobs are.  It also becomes apparent that they don�t really care �cuz they�re having FUN!  Imagine that... FUN at a rock�n�roll show.  Wonder of wigged-out wonders.
Nardwuar doesn�t do much asking in getting the audience to participate.  Rather, he just kind of grabs you and motions what he wants you to do, in some (most?) cases dragging you into place.  The sane part of you wonders why you�re going along with it; the fun-loving part bashes its boring brother on the noggin and gets you moving. In one case, this merely meant that one guy was made to act as a human mic stand.  (Somehow I kept getting flashes of my cousin Jeremy having to hold up the crown or something over his brother Marc�s head during the latter�s Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony.  Ouch.)  I�m luckier... Nardwuar grabs me and this attractive young lady that I�ve seen around at a fair amount of shows of late and brings us up on-stage, positioning one of us on each side of him behind his Acetone organ.  He holds one of our hands each in the air as he plays.  Then he heads off to the audience and pantomimes that we should play the thing.  So I start bashing out some chords, while the lovely lady beside me starts hitting some thirds.  (Yeah, see... I did take music lessons once upon a time.  I�ll spare you the details... for now.)  Nardwuar eventually finds his way back to the stage with a couple of bigger guys.  He puts each of them on one side of the organ, facing each other.  He motions for them to put their hands underneath, and for me and my partner to do the same.  He then takes his seat on the top of the Acetone.  We are made to understand that it is now our task to lift him.  We do... and he starts playing the thing.  Nice work, �Wuar!
Various other wonderful things happen (including getting us to go round in circles together, dancing with various members of the crowd... including one attractive young lady who really knows how to shake it down) and soon everybody�s got big smiles on their face.  They go through a few tracks I know (including �I�m Going To France�) and a couple that sound familiar (like a French version of what sounds like a Beatles� song.)  When they get to �United Empire Loyalists,� Nardwuar gets to talking about history.  This throws a few people for all of thirty seconds and they�re back with him even more than before.
They finish up without playing �Welcome To My Castle,� a disappointment to a few members of the crowd, I suppose.  However, they more than make up for it with �Happy Day,� in which Nardwuar seats the audience in a few rows and has us jump up at various points.  Somehow, the set ends with everybody deliriously happy.  I just wish more bands could do that.
Time for past tense.
Afterwards, The Evaporators sold their merchandise and made way for The Blowpops.  Who sucked.  Big-time.  Hey, just one man�s opinion.  As far as I know, this wasn�t the same bunch that did something on Get Hip a few years back.  �Cuz these guys blew chunks.  One of �em looked like he was in Loverboy.  Which would�ve been OK if they�d sounded good.  But they didn�t.  They sounded HORRIBLE!  (Get the point yet?)  It gets worse, tho�... all the pretty girls skedaddled but quick!  And who could blame them?
I ended up going downstairs to hang out with Dave Carswell and Evaporators� bassist John Collins, along with their pal Sean, who was down from Hamilton, Ontario for the weekend.  We all caught up with each other�s lives, universes, and everything, telling stories and laughing.  Soon, Dave from Jack Black ended up down there, too.  His stories had us in stitches... mainly about some really odd people who stayed at his house one weekend.  The spice of life.
After a decent set from Jack Black, I jumped in the van with The Evaporators, who were staying at my place the next couple nights.  We drove up 6th Ave and came upon Limelight.  Some kinda video thing was going on and Nardwuar pulled out his own vid cam, asking me to open my window and narrate the scene, which I did gladly.  (A chance to have my voice in a Nardwuar video?  Damn right I�m gonna take it!)  But we were searching for a place that Nardwuar could grab a soda with ice in it.  He wasn�t into the idea of McDonald�s, so that pretty much left the pizza places.  Nobody wanted to go for pizza itself, tho�, so they�d nixed the idea of St. Mark�s.  That meant we were driving up 6th Ave. looking for pizza.  We finally found one somewhere around 27th St.  Whaddaya know... we found the ONE pizza place in NYC that doesn�t serve Coca-Cola in a cup!  Life in the big city.
Upon returning to Rutherford, I set the guys up in various spots upstairs and then came down.  Nardwuar looked at some of my records and we chatted till Roberta yelled to Nardwuar that he didn�t have to stay up politely listening to me if he was tired.  Actually, it was a pretty mutual conversation thing... Nardwuar asked me questions, I answered and asked him some.  Fun.  So, Ms. Roberta, don�t you be making me and Nardwuar feel like we can�t be talkin� (unless you�re tellin� us we�re being too loud, that is.) HARRUMPH!
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SINGLED OUT

       All the glory these days seems to be going to The Kaisers.  They deserve the accolades, too.  Unfortunately, The King Normals are somehow managing to evade all notice.  That�s a shame because it means many Beat fans are missing out on something special.  With their new EP, Colors (Hillsdale), the boys have apparently added a fifth member.  This has not served to diminish them one iota, but instead has just added to the beautiful racket they specialize in creating.  I have only one criticism of the group (albeit one that some garage fiends will probably laugh at):  I�d prefer them to work on the sound quality of their recordings.  Having gotten past that, Colors is yet another installment in the King Normals Book of Beat.  On this one, they reach back a bit and remind us that Beat groups had a real jones for American 50s sounds.  It�s on �So Natural� that this comes furthest to the fore as they reach to the heart of the Sun rockabilly sound and step it up a few paces, without removing it from its natural environment.  Their version of �Please Don�t Fight It� is another reminder of this, although it steps just barely over the line into the Beat era.  �Colors (Dress In Black)� starts out slow and soulful in a big lonely cavern and builds to a fever pitch before dropping back down.  �Merry-Go-Round� is more straight-up rock�n�roll with the feel of a train making its way down the tracks between stations, not quite full-steam, but certainly moving.  Overall, the King Normals still have that killer Milkshakes� sound that I love them for, but they�re definitely coming further into their own.  I just wish they�d do a full LP.

       One tasty slice of Estrus Crust this time came courtesy of The Ray-Ons, out of Denver.  These guys appear to be a fairly unknown quantity amongst those I�m in contact with, but Lipstick Pickup Lines shows a band that�s bound to turn some heads.  �24K Leather� has them sounding like the Saints, but more clipped.  The tones on sustained, choosing instead to slash around in all directions at once.  �Brakes Are For Pussies� steals some chording from Radio Birdman�s �Aloha Steve & Danno,� but - while certainly pretty good - doesn�t quite capture the immediate thrill of either that or the first track on the side.  I get the feeling that there are gonna be a bunch of people raving about these guys pretty soon.  Thing is, I�m still not sure if I�m gonna be one of them.  Part of me is ready to bounce off the walls, while another part of me isn�t as thrilled.  What to do?  Well, personally, I believe rock�n�roll is at its best in the live context.  Live music tends to be loud (especially when you stand up front the way I do.)  So, the solution is to turn this the ____ UP!!!  Do that and suddenly it�s much easier to get into this stuff.  It�s still not gonna put them in the running for 7� of the year in my personal book, but now I�m thinking they just might be a pretty decent live act.

       While critics may write off The Seculars Social Skills (360 Twist) 5-songer as being a bit �same-y,� it might be smart to consider that most of these are just short, wild blasts of no-fi punk/garage madness.  In fact, considering the incredibly short intervals between tracks, I�m wondering if this was simply a live recording (it says it was recorded at KIVA, Fort Collins) that was transferred straight to tape.  It certainly sounds like there was no real studio stuff applied later on.  The title track claims �I ain�t got no social skills� and, upon listening, you�re a firm believer... listen too many times and you start realizing you probably don�t either, leading you to start screaming along with the chorus.  The same kind of thing happens with �I Believe In Dr. Rokkett.� As the vocal chants the title over and over during the chorus, it starts clinging to your cranium and you join in.  What will these Seculars do next?
       It�d be easy as hell to simply write off The No-Talents as just one more lo-fi punk band.  Thing is, as with anything else, there�s good lo-fi punk and bad lo-fi punk.  Personally, I think that there�s way too high a crap-to-cool ratio in that particular subgenre.  Way too many bands have foisted complete manure upon a public that seems to be throwing themselves on the ground asking to be buried in dung.  The No-Talents, though, manage to rise above it, with Lili�s slashing guitar ably abetting Cecilia�s get-off-MY-road vocals (which have definitely improved over their first 7�.)  �Easy Girl� (Incognito) feels like a blind cab ride on a pothole-heavy NYC street.  As cool as that one is, my pick is the last of the four tracks �You�re Guilty Too,� probably due to the pounding drums backing some slurred, meaty guitar with the tone set all the way on Nasty.

       There�s a damn good reason so many people go completely nuts over The Mr. T. Experience:  they play incredibly catchy pop tunes with tons of energy.  Their latest 45, �And I Will Be With You� (Lookout) is filled with an irresistible bounce and a nice big fat production.  The first track down finds MTX�s Dr. Frank duetting with Kim Shattuck of The Muffs on the Elton John track �Don�t Go Breaking My Heart.�  It�s not bad, but it�s also nowhere near as good as I would�ve hoped.  Maybe it�s the choice of material or maybe their voices just don�t sound right together.  I get the feeling many people are gonna rave about this, but it�s just not working for me.  Weird, too, �cuz I love just about everything I�ve heard by these two individually.  I wouldn�t turn this off if I heard it on the radio (oh yeah, like that�s likely!), but the only reason I�ll probably be throwing this on the turntable at home is �cuz it comes right before the final track on this 45, �You Alone� which is easily the best offering on this seven-incher.  The melody soars as the band�s right in their best groove, with killer dual-vocal bits diving in and out as the band careens around with a huge smile.  This one�ll give happy feet to everyone on the dance floor.  (Yeah, you could say I like it.)
       It�s been some time now since Junior Varsity�s first 7�er and they�ve done nothing but get better.  Pep Rally Rock (Twist Like This) finds them moving in on the �Be True To Your School� crowd, urging the listener on with fun, Super Sugar Crisp garage rockin� pop music.  They know how to have a good time, too; just check out the beatnik jazz breakdown on �Bobby the Beatnik.�  �That�s Our Name� is one of the few themes I�ve heard a band do in recent times that doesn�t drop their name right in the title.  (Instead, they get to it in the song.  Smart.)  More pure, peppy, poppin� and great for the cheerleaders to get going on.  Flip it over for �Friday Afternoon Pep Rally� (OK, I think I got �em backwards, but that�s life).  This one just got me wishing the pep rallies were this fun where I teach.  (Of course, when I was in junior high, I�d often cut out of them since I walked home and nobody would know I was gone.)  Maybe I need to convince the powers-that-be to import Junior Varsity from Texas this September.  For those who want a check on what this one�s like, think �63/�64 surf vocal good times.  As great as the rest of this is, it�s �One X One� that really touched me.  It�s just really sweet.  The spoken mid-section is the best, �I saw you at the drive-in with another girl, sharing popcorn (...) I cried in my Slurpee. (...) But I know that someday I�ll be One X One with you.�  Sigh.  (OK, so I�m a sucker for that teenage heartache stuff.)

       I was pretty pleased with The Razzels� �Can�t Forget About You� EP (Get Hip), since I was unfamiliar with them.  Herein lies some excellent power-pop, ranging from the ringing slow-mid tempo love-sickness of the title track (think The Shoes with more smiles and a good kick in the pants) to the punkier �Excuse Me,� which will probably appeal to more fans.  I�d like to hear more.
       The Flashback V called it a day some time ago, but Misty Lane convinced them to dig into the vaults for a few unreleased gems.  They came up with four.  �Where is Wally?� is a tribute to Wally Tax that definitely recalls the frenetic insistence of some of my favorite Outsiders� material, although this would benefit from a better production job.  (Of course, these tracks were never meant for release.)  The group�s version of The Red Squares� �You Can Be My Baby� is fairly faithful to the original, but I prefer The Insomniacs� version, although the organ on this sounds great.  The other tracks (a cover of �It Takes A Long Time Comin�� and an original called �I Have Seen Her�) are also worthy, although not as wild as those on side 1.
       Like many of you, I was extremely bummed when The Element 79 broke up.  Well, Michael Daboll has emerged with a new trio called The Down-n-Outs, who are screaming out their arrival with The Low-Down Sounds of... (Hipsville).  With �Can�t Go On� the band goes full-on into some wild-ass garage rockin�, nasty and mean, combining all the best elements of 60s, 80s, and 90s garage sounds.  �I Saw A Girl� is a virtual snot-fest, with hail-stone sized chunks spewing forth all over.  I�m starting to be glad I�m not female, �cuz I don�t know if I�d want to be a girl these guys saw, not with that kind of attitude, nosirree!  Underneath, the rock is turned over for �How Many Times� and we find these guys have a gentler side.  The guitar both rings and buzzes, mainly sounding pretty, but occasionally revealing the other side.  As it turns out, these guys are pretty damn sick of being treated like crap by some girl (might explain the attitude on the other side, huh?), so  they�re asking the question we all must ask at one time or another, �Why, Baby!?!�  And they�re understanding that it�s been good, but it�s just about time to blow up the bridges.  I�m guessing this will satisfy both the modern crowd looking for punk-styled garage, but still appeal to the more purist types.

       I first heard about The Insect thru Feline Frenzy.  This Ohio bunch sallies forth with a 3-songer on 360 Twist, starting with a cover of the Northwest Company�s �Hard To Cry.�  While I prefer the recent Nomads� version, this one is solid with a strong guitar lead.  Underneath is the best track, �The Styler,� an instro killer that is, indeed, quite stylin� rave-up R&B with the harmonica taking the lead.  I get shivers thinking how great this must be live and loud.

       Like his hero Jeff Conolly, Sam Steinig of Mondo Topless has weathered a number of lineup changes.  Somehow, though, Sam�s stew just keeps getting tastier.  His Vox Continental leads the charge into the jungle to meet the �Amazon Queen� (GI Productions) and the band sings it out with garage-rockin� glee.  This is one trip they�ll never forget.  Side the second adds another solid original, �Leave Me Alone,� and a Creeps� cover entitled �Just What I Need.�  They�ve revved this one up nicely, but keep the elements that made it great in the first place.  It�s nice to hear another band covering one of the great mid-80s garage combos.  (The Woggles paid tribute to these Swedes a couple years back with �Hi Hi Pretty Girl� while the Soul Assassins used to do �Down at the Nightclub� as a regular part of their set.)
       Last ish, I introduced you to the swingin� sounds of a bunch of French gals called The Godzillas.  Well, now it�s time for Th e Return of The Godzillas (Larsen).  As if you weren�t expecting that title.  This is another EP chock full o�covers, starting with �Go Godzilla Go.�  If this rewrite of everyone�s favorite gorilla anthem had been playing in the commercials for the megabudget new Godzilla flick, I just might have gone.  On �For My Man� they again remind me of The Del Monas.  Flip it over and they try their hand at �Telepathic.�  It�s not as stark as The Gories� original, so it loses a bit of the power, but it�s kinda cool to hear it done with a bit more sound in there.  �Get Off My Life� gets perhaps the most drastic rewrite, as it�s both slowed down and brightened (although only a tad).  As a result, this old garage-punk rant is transformed into almost an intimate dance of seduction.  The �take off� lyric is coupled with body language that says �you are gonna be sooooo sorry� as it undulates and mesmerizes.  I get the feeling that any guy getting this earful is gonna think twice before messing up.

       In the past few years, Fortune & Maltese have vaulted themselves into my personal pantheon of rock�n�roll coolsters.  These guys have played some great frat-rock, cool folk, and various kinds of garage.  Their latest 7� for Larsen Recordz, �Bewitched� (co-written by Mike Maltese and Royal Pendletons� wildman Mike Hurtt), finds them getting back to the raving garage-punk snot sound.  The drums are battered to pieces, the guitar�s on overdrive, and the whole band is turbocharged.  Down below, �Don�t Wanna Cry� is more of the same.
       Man!  Talk about a smokin� debut slab o� wax.  The Church Keys musta aled up but good with a case or three of Ballantine before staggering down to Big Plate Studio to set down these three tracks �cuz this snack platter finds �em at the top of their form.  �Viva Viva Rock And Roll� (Norton) sees the Lakeside Lounge�s number one customers lettin� loose with a down-and-dirty, pure-as-pissed-in-snow take on the Chuck Berry classic, makin� it all their own.  Heck, they�ve turned this one inside out and back again, somehow shaking out all the dust that had accumulated, breathing a real rockin� joy into it.  The fun doesn�t end there, tho�, as they start off the flip with a live favorite, �Peephole.�  On this one, they�re still in Chuck territory, but this time it�s not a track written by Mr. Berry, but, instead, a look into what it must�ve been like when the police knocked and those doors flew back a few years ago at the Berry homestead... you know, when Ol� Chuck got caught with those videos from the women�s bathroom.  They set the stage musically by playin� it low and sleazy, with drummer Bill Paitch takin� the mic, in a spoken narrator style.  Warning:  this one�s not for the easily disgusted.  Lastly, we get a boozy instro entitled �Staggerin�� with ex-A-Bones� saxman Lars blowin� it hard and loose while one guitar grinds on the bottom and the other staggers, happily inebriated, in search of a bar stool.  This one�s gonna be high on my Hit List for some time to come.

       The Untamed Youth�s Planet Mace sessions produced a couple extra tracks, two of which made it back to NYC, where the moguls at Norton Records whooped with delight (then settled down and pressed up a 45.)  �Go Girl Go� is a mid-tempo upbeat pop rocker solidly in Youth Central that tells the sad story of a guy whose best gal goes away to New York to become a go-go girl on TV.  He asks her to come back where she can be herself, but... well, he may have taught her everything she knows, but she�s dang happy bein� just that.  A heartbreaking tale, but quite a pretty little tune, with Rager�s organ providing just the right amount of color underneath.  Flip this flapjack over and the boys take on Herbie Duncan�s �Hot Lips Baby� with Derek letting out a Trashmen-like wha-ha-ha demonic�n�demented yowl.  This one�s considerably wilder than the upside, rockin� things out from the get-go.  Another (Show Me) blowout from one of the best bands of the past ten years.

       From Untamed Youth guitarist Deke Dickerson comes the Solid Sender EP (EccoFonic), wherein he comes closest to the sounds he was making with his old bunch The Dave & Deke Combo, musically.... mostly.  First up is �Sparkin�,� as Old Deke plays the light-hearted r�billy nice �n� pretty while he and his baby go sparkin�.  Sounds like the voltage was way up.  Next Deke offers a change-up, �Double Zombie,� an instro where he handles all the instruments.  Link Wray in parts, swingin� jazzy Les Paul guitar in others, this Zombie�s either Double, like Deke declares, or he�s got a split personality.  Either way, I�d suggest staying out of his way and just listening as he goes about a night�s work.  Flip this snack pack over and you�ll find Deke paying tribute to the Travelin� Texans with their �Beatin� On The Bars.�  Here he�s further into the country/r�billy style with a splash of �Who Shot Sam?� thrown in.  It�s all about meetin� some gal in the bars and, well, it ends with, �Oh, man, you don�t understand... she said she was 20!�  Things finish off with the EP�s title track, another nice pure rock�n�roll track.  Deke�s vocals on this whole EP are just plain fine, clear as a mountain stream and flowing steadily the whole way thru.  Deke�s best solo record to date.
       Last summer, Imposible released a new 45 by The Dictators.  As Spring �98 draws to a close, Norton has released it (with better sound) in the US of A.  �Who Will Save Rock�n�Roll?� is easily my favorite Dictators� track since the stint a few of �em did as Manitoba�s Wild Kingdom.  OK, so they haven�t released much in that time, so let me amend that:  this is one of my fave 45s this issue.  �Murray the K / Is not here today / (...) I saw the Stooges / Covered in bruises / (...) My generation / Is not the salvation / Who Will Save Rock�n�Roll?�  All this over a great melody line that would�ve been right at home on Go Girl Crazy.  That�s right, Adny can still write �em and the boys can still play �em.  This one deserves commercial airplay.  Of course, those stations probably threw away their turntables at the start of the decade.  Besides, how many of �em would be willing to play a record with the line, �I wish Sgt. Pepper had never taught the band to play!�  Ross The Boss flies on this one, while Top Ten crashes out the chords.  This blinkin� thing effin� screams!  Down on the bottom, they let fly with the �Savage Beat,� for everyone who goes for primitive pounding.  The verses are just that, �Bangin� rocks together / Howlin� at the moon / Brontosaurus burgers / On the barbeque.�  Meanwhile, the choruses are pure Stoneage Romeos-era Hoodoo Gurus.  It�s a Hit!

       For those who�ve been unimpressed with some of Deniz Tek�s recent recordings, Get Hip presents Deep Reduction, the Stump Wizards backing Sir Deniz.  �Black Tulip� is deep inside the Birdman maelstrom, sounding like ominous thunder on the way, somewhere between �Snake� and �Hand of Law,� although that�s an admittedly poor comparison.  Simply put, this has many of the best Birdman elements in it and the vocal phrasing is much like Rob Younger�s.  Unfortunately, the mic gets handed over for the flip and we end up with a far weaker track as a result, even if the guitars do still slash and burn.

       Just in case you�ve been wondering why everyone�s been raving about The Hellacopters, Get Hip has reished their 1995 EP.  This is for those looking for the hardened rock side of garage-punk, with nods to the Nomads, MC5, Birdman, and The Dictators.    They meet their influences head on and come out with something all their own.  This one is raw power, maximum volume, balls out, fierce rockinroll.

       I�ll admit that I prefer Blaine�s old band, 9 Lb. Hammer, to his current confabulation, Nashville Pussy.  I also realize that some of you out there are gonna call me a wimp as a result.  If that�s what it takes to make you feel better, so be it.  Having said all that, I was surprised how much I liked �Go Motherfucker Go� (Get Hip).  This is easily the beset recording I�ve heard from the group.  Up top you get wild rockin� with the whole band steamrolling their way straight towards whatever kind of oblivion they�re currently craving.  Down below, they throw a ton of Go JuiceTM into their collective engine and rev �Milk Cow Blues� faster than I�d like (I�m partial to The Kinks� version), but it works pretty well, especially with the heavy guitar sounds they slam in.

       I�ve been a fan of The Royal Pendletons from the first time I heard them.  They take a bunch of styles and make them all their own, sometimes combining them, sometimes letting them stand on their own.  Their latest seven-incher appears courtesy of Blood Red Vinyl.  �You Can Always Love Again� is a nasty-ass garage pounder that only a truly tunnel-visioned garage purist won�t go absolutely ape over.  Throw in �Keg Tapper� for the instro crowd, wild and woolly with a driving surf feel.  Their cover of ? & the Mysterians� �Hangin� On A String� is faithful, yet pure Pendletons.  Oh yeah, and it�s insanely irresistible.  �Game of Love� finishes it out back in the trashy garage fun department, with Mike Hurtt grabbing the mic and letting fly.

       Frigg A-Go-Go blew me away with their first seven-incher and kept up the onslaught with their full-length.  They keep right on coming with the primal garage/blues of the Frigg-A-LiciousEP (360 Twist).  �Jenny Walker� is what some of the 60s British R&B bands probably wished they could manage, with a real fuzz beat providing a swagger-march with tons of snot.  Just to make it a bit more palatable, the keys add a nice flavor-enhancing riff on top.  Special mention should also go to �The Beat of My Heart,� as everybody frantically dives in and pummels toward a common goal, eventually gelling into a triple-team fighting force wiping out anything that even dreams of wandering into their path.

       It�s been awhile since I heard a new one from The Primate 5, so I was pretty happy to see the Nova EP (GI Productions).  It�s good to see they�ve kept with their original idea, laying down low garage grit replete with organ on the title track.  They also provide a bit of �horror-garage� (think a faster version of The Worst) on �Goin� To A Graveyard.�  �Haki Tai� provides an instro break just on the garage side of the surf fence, while �Tzunuikwa� heads back into the fray with a nice bright organ sound leading the way, mating the 80s and 90s garage sounds quite well.  Another slice, please.

       Some weird stuff going on in the liner notes to The Mount McKinleys� Genius In Modern Music Vol. 2 (360 Twist).  OK, maybe not so weird, but they seem to be dissin� Get Hip something bad.  Or maybe it�s all in fun?  Anyway, this is another solid release for the group, although it didn�t quite fuel my fire the way their Get Hip disc did.  �No Come Down� and �Blue Spell� are raw, freakout garage�n�roll numbers with a slightly drawn-out quality to the vocals.  �Here Comes Last Summer� is my pick of the platter, an instro rundown with enough fuzz lying low to trip up the unsuspecting and the tremelo waver to finish the job.

       In the past year or so, The Von Zippers have become one of my favorite groups. �Hot Rod Monkey� (Screaming Apple) is just one more reason, with a good time garage-rockin� sound mixing it up with some basic hot-rod melodies.  The combo organ cheeses along throughout, ably abetting the slightly distorted vocals.  In short, it�s just plain fun.  The flip, �You Destroy Me,� isn�t quite as great, but it more than holds its own in a chunkier garage fashion.
..............................................................................
STEP ON MY BIG TEN INCH... RECORD

       Oh yeah, like I could possibly resist that headline!  How many chances am I likely to get to do a whole column of reviews of fairly recent ten-inchers, anyway?  Hmm... maybe I should revisit old ones and have this kinda column every time?  The first 10-inch EP I ever picked up was Cheap Trick�s Found All The Parts.  Honestly, I�m not sure I got another one before I found one by Whirlwind.  Or maybe I got The A-Bones� Tempo Tantrum first?  Not that it matters.  Really, I guess The Loyal Order of Ten Inch Record Nuts should send out a long-distance dedication to Get Hip this time out, since they�re the ones that sent me a bunch of �em all at once.

       We�ll kick this off with Thee Headcoats, a group that should need absolutely no introduction to the readership of this mag.  Their contribution is The Jimmy Reed Experience (Get Hip), an eight-song tribute to the master.  Put simply, this is a Blues disc by a band that knows its roots.  Too many people seem to forget how much the blues meant to groups like The Yardbirds, The Pretty Things, and the early Rolling Stones.  Those were bands that built upon the foundation of their influences.  On this disc, Thee Headcoats remind us that they, too, share a love for that sound; here they let it shine through.  With Holly Golightly adding backing vocals on many tracks, the band takes on six Jimmy Reed numbers, including extremely well-known tracks like �Bright Lights, Big City� and �Ain�t That Lovin� You Baby� along with slightly lesser-known tracks on the order of �Upside Your Head.�  While they sound excellent on all of these, it�s �Honest I Do� on which they completely outdo themselves.  Johnny Johnson�s harp cries out plaintively  as the rhythm sketches a backdrop to be painted in by the lead guitar.  While none of the others deserves the term �mindblowing,� this one surely does.  For this alone, I�d recommend grabbing the EP.  However, besides strong covers of the other Reed tracks, the group tacks on a couple of Childish compositions, �I Remember� and �I Got Everything Indeed.�  Both have heavy Reed influences (which, I suppose, is why they�re on this collection), but they show a definite Childish stamp on them.  In other words, Billy the C. and the gang have done just what some of my fave British acts of the early-mid 60s were in the process of doing - molding their influences into something of their own.  It�s true that Thee Headcoats are much further along in their musical timeline than were the Pretty Things or the Rolling Stones when they did this.  However, Thee Headcoats have certainly done their own thing over the years, as well.  Here they do something that groups like The Stones could never manage to getright some 20 years into their careers - make a record that hearkens back to some of their earliest influences... and make it sound good!  (Let�s face it, the Stones would overproduce the hell out of it.  Maybe they should ask Childish to produce.  Now that would be interesting.)  Anyway, of the two Childish compositions, I prefer �I Got Everything Indeed,� in which Childish proclaims �I�ll take what�s mine / Now gimme yours.�  I�m hoping he does material from this platter when he does those poetry/blues performances this summer.

       Flying thru the rapidly shutting elevator doors known as the deadline of this esteemed publication comes Wailin� With... The Woggles (One Louder).  Just in case you happen to be among the crowd that judges a disc based on song numero uno, the boys in the band sock it to you from note numero one of track the first, �Ramadan Romance.�  This is one of those garage grabbers that takes hold right from the get-go and never lets up.  Yeah, it�s a dance party favorite.  The big beat continues on with �Tear Me Down� as they stomp like mad.  After the guitar lead, the bass gets to walk out on its own for a bit before the Professor comes in with an ?-like talking section.  �I�m The Green Fly� is a number I keep wondering about.  Just what the hell does it mean to be the �Green Fly on [somebody�s] shit?�  OK, sure, that might bother the guy, but on the other hand you could also be reducing yourself to being a pest on somebody�s long-forgotten excrement.  That�s not exactly an exalted position in my book.  Sure, I know which way they meant it... I�m just not sure the guy on the other side of the statement is gonna be bothered by it.  Well, except for the fact that he�s probably gonna be scratching his head for awhile trying to figure it out.  Not that it matters, �cuz this one�s yet another wild shouter.  �Sweet Tea� is the group�s instro ode to the homemade version of the band�s non-alcoholic refreshment of choice.  In the liner notes, Montague claims we Northerners have no idea how to manage, substituting instead the awful instant stuff.  Now, while I�m with �em on the hell that is instant tea, I should mention that Grandma B. has made me some pretty damn good sweet tea over the years.  (My friend Lisa also recently handled this chore for me quite well the other day.) However, I should also mention that I personal prefer unsweetened iced tea.  (And am quite proud of my own version of this.)  (Note:  This one�s also available in the currently popular CD format.  OK, OK, that�s the version I have.... I just liked it in this pot better.  More exposure.)   Throw in the seductive vibes of �Play Pretty,� the out-and-out garage grit of �Do Me Wrong� (\kinda reminding me of Gonn�s �Doin� Me In�), the crazed wildness of �I Don�t Need Your Love,� and finally a cover of Arthur Lee�s �Feathered Fish� and you, too, will soon be Wailin� With The Woggles.  Consider yourself lucky.

       On Wild Guy (Get Hip), The Titans let loose some more of that rockabilly/punk mix they�re becoming known for.  Although I can�t call any of the tracks weak, it�s not too hard to pick the winners here.  �Long Gone My Baby� is more rockabilly than punk, featuring more melody than most of the tracks on here.  The guitar solo�s pure rockabilly happiness, but the whole song�s chock full of tasty morsels.  �Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde� is a rock�n�roll raver, keeping the beat simple and up-tempo, ready to flip, flop, and fly at a moment�s notice.  It�s the guitar solo, again, however that really hollers.  While this is a solid release, I�d recommend those just checking them out to try their  Instant Disasters CD first.  Of course, this ten-incher is likely to be cheaper, so if you�re on a budget, this�ll be your ticket.

       One of my favorite new discoveries in the past year or so would have to be Rocket 455, blasting off a launchpad somewhere in the dirt and grime of the Motor City.  Their Sees All-Knows All-Tells All (Get Hip) deserves all the Stooges/MC 5 accolades it gets, but, as welcome as those might be, that�s just not enough.  As I�m sure most of you know, those descriptions have been so overused this decade (usually for bad heavy rock/punk outfits) that it�s ceased to mean anything.  Consequently, when a band like Rocket 455 come around that truly deserve to inherit the crowns of the almighty, the crown has been turned (via the reverse-alchemy of reviewers everywhere) to tin.  So, picture if you will, the raw intensity that both those legends must have had way back in their early days.  Run that thru a nice powerful fuel injection system and you�re on the right track.  �Sister Fuchsia Jane� fires a garage salvo to announce the attack, soon joined by a barrage of artillery to wage this war right.  The guitars shoot flame and shells like a messed-up cross between the Heartbreakers and The Stones.  Rachel Nagy performs guest duet vocals on �Motor Oil� as the two vocals spew their own verbiages into some kind of makeshift Molotov cocktail, set to explode like a trashy Sonny & Cher as the drums thump a demented Diddley further distorted by the rest of the gang.  They also take on The Flamin� Groovies� �Dog Meat,� running it through a grinder so it comes out like a grittier NY Dolls.  Respect, too, is due for �Queen Cobra� (written maybe for she who rules the Detroit Cobras?) and �Johnny Lawless.�  However, they go supernova at the end with �Gleason Rocket.�  (Maybe this is the way Ralph was gonna send Alice to the moon?)  This thing�s overflowing with everything that�s great about sleazy punk�n�roll.  There�s a certain Birdman feel at points, not to mention some outer-space guitar effects to set it apart, but it�s the way the bile just comes tumbling out that makes this so damn good.  �D�ja think I was a rocket scientist / Lik YOU?!?�

       The Maharajas are of two minds, as is shown on Something Moody... & Groovy (Teen Sound).  The moody side certainly is.  Three of the four tracks on this side tend to be a bit too despondent for my tastes.  �It Has Happened To Me Before� is lonely and dark with a brooding organ.  Don�t get me wrong, some of the best garage tracks deal with love gone wrong.  But too much moping�s just not good.  I would have preferred maybe two tracks in this vein.  Still, I kinda like �I Still Believe� which almost reaches Beau Brummel-Land.  The track that works best for me is �I Tried For A While,� with some fuzz force adding power to this downcast piece.  �Seems nothing ever goes my way� is a sentiment that just about everyone has probably had run through their mind at one point or another.  The �Groovy� side is more my speed, with the thumping cool or �I Need to Know� providing a nice big stomping beat.  However, it�s �I�m The Greatest Lover� that does the most for me.  After all the bumming out they did on Side One, it�s nice to hear some cool braggadocio in here.  Besides, this one really kicks it into gear.  I�m hoping these guys will sally forth with a full LP sometime soon, hopefully concentrating on their wild side.

       The Slow Slushy Boys 10 Fabulous Hits (Larsen) has been playing around my place and in my car for quite some time now.  This is probably the best material I�ve heard from the group as Denis & Co. have managed to add some of the best elements of 50s rockin� pop and 40s arrangements to their 60s influenced sound to create something of their own.  The color and decor of most of these is provided quite ably by a Hammond organ, with some smooth horn sounds adding an excellent flair.  The guitar itself works well to add both structure and rock�n�roll cool to this establishment.  In fact, the only flaw is probably the drum sound, which doesn�t come through with quite as solid a foundation as one might hope.  Still, this is an essential release for anyone looking for some excellent pop�n�soul�n�rock�n�roll.  Many of these tracks include a certain Motown feel (in fact, �Welfare Cheese� has a Gordy writing credit), not to mention some excellent vocal arrangements.  On �What�s the Matter With Me?� they even throw in some short a capella sections that work beautifully.  If only more bands would work on vocals!  On �Pretty Baby� they move a big band feel into the 50s with horns rolling in and announcing themselves oh-so-smoothly.  They finish up with a more rocking guitar sound on �How Can You Love Me?�  The chorus is a sing-along with the drums keeping the beat and everybody else just joining in the vocal.  As the song nears its end, the old lounge favorite, �Delicious� plays under the instruments.  This is one helluva cool party platter, sounding different than just about everything else out there.  Congrats to the Slow Slushy Boys on a fine effort.
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DIAMETER = ONE FOOT

       OK, I know it seems like there�s precious few of these this time out, but that�s largely �cuz many of the LP reviews are in other sections... mostly dealing with comps, but also in places like the Untamed Youth and Head & The Hares sections.

       The first I heard of The Vendettas was via some pieces of news about The Subsonics.  As it turned out, Ms. Buffi Aguero was playing guitar and singing in this group.  Down at Fuzzfest last year, Buffi invited me to come see them play, almost across the street from the Star Bar.  Unfortunately, the way I figured it, that was the time Mystic Eyes would be on.  Such is life.  Well, anyway, within a couple months, I�d picked up their self-released 45, �Can�t Stop�/�Gasoline.�  Some months later, I learned that 360 Twist had re-issued that single.  And now the group has a self-titled debut LP out.  This happens to be book-ended by the tracks from the seven-incher.  �Can�t Stop� just so happens to make the perfect introduction to the group, combining all the jagged edges of garage, punk, and rockabilly.  The group actually features two lead vocalists (both of whom also handle guitar duties), one female (Buffi) and one male (Johnny Vigneault).  Having two vocalists sometimes gives a group a split identity, especially when they�re of different genders.  However, these two both attack their songs with the same sort of aggression.  The LP is not without its change-ups.  �I Die Inside� is a ballad that has Buffi sounding sweet as hell in a country lost-my-love kinda way.  I just wish she sang more songs like this.  Even so, the wild caterwauling that�s found on most of the record is pretty damn great.  I guess I�d just prefer one or two more along these lines.  �Rosalyn� ends side one by stompin�, shoutin�, and workin� on-outin�.  Whack it good!
       Side the Second features more of the same.  �You�re So Cheap� comes across like a Jonathan Richman track in its simplicity, but it�s revved and spattered with mud.  �Please Kill Me� is this side�s trick pitch, working the red light district directly opposite �Earth Angel.�  The album comes to a close with the flip of the single, �Gasoline,� sounding for all the world like a scream�n�shout version of �Blank Generation.�  As good as this LP is, though, I far prefer them live.  There�s just something about hearing this kind of madness blasting through your ears...

       While The Insect�s 3-song 7�er was a nice introduction to the band, it didn�t come close to preparing me for The Detroit Sessions (360 Twist).  This is filled with some truly tremendous garage whomping (the psycho guitar of �Scene Maker� or the Diddley-overdrive �Hyena�)  mixed together with some blistering blues-harp wails (�Talk About Me� and �Mule Train,� the latter of which also features a couple of the Hentchmen).  �It�s Another Day� includes shades of �Fluctuation,� but it rubs harder and faster, creating the friction necessary to melt and fuse it.  Listening to the vocals, I wonder if this guy stuffed some marbles in his mouth beforehand; it doesn�t sound bad... I just can�t make out more than a few words.  The dual vocal on �People Show� is an excellent effect, especially since one of these guys sounds like he�s half-talking his way through.  Meanwhile, the guitar says something all its own.  The group also knows enough to throw in a change of pace once in awhile.  To that end, they include a cover of The Dantes� �Can�t Get Enough Of Your Love�, as well as �It�s Alright,� both nice slices of garage-pop.  The power of good folk-punk comes through with the closer, �Magnetic Mary Jane.�  Another track with dual lead vocals, this one�ll ring thru your mind for quite some time after the needle lets go.

       I suppose the Evaporators� I Gotta Rash / Goblins� (and some Skablins) We Are Thee �Goblins� From Canada split LP (Nardwuar) could easily be throw into the comps area.  However, considering that the Goblins are two of The Evaporators and, I believe, The Skablins are all of the Evaporators, it seems kinda silly to think of it as any sort of comp/various artists thing.  Besides, there are few enough reviews in this section!  When Nardwuar was here a month ago, he was telling me about some of the travails of booking a tour. One time, he called up a club and was asked by the booker just what kind of stuff The Evaporators played.  He replied that they did �fun rock.� In fact, that�s exactly what both The Evaporators and the Goblins/Skablins are all about. Now, it�s true that it�s even more fun live than on record, but I�m finding that I�m truly enjoying this record. All too many bands out there are just way too serious about what they�re doing; Nardwuar & Co., however, just want to have a good time. Better yet, they�re dedicated to ensuring that you do, too.  So, OK, some of the songs may seem silly to you, but if you�ll just loosen up, you�ll find out that this whole LP is chock full of fun music.  Some of this is punky (�Slap-Ham�), other parts are kinda garage (�Pouvatel,� aka The Hollies� �Come On Back�), yet other sections are truly poppy (�Mercury Outboards Have Plastic Propellers�)
       The Goblins/Skablins side is also fun, with even more emphasis on having a good time.  In fact, none of the songs on this side are above 2:11 (with the exception of the interview bit). Who can resist �Uhhh?�  A simple keyboard riff repeated with drums behind it and the lyric, �Uhhh� thrown in at various points.  Better yet, of course, is Nardwuar encouraging you to grunt along at the live show.  What�s this with the Skablins?  Simply a ska version of the Goblins. And, quite honestly, it�s rather fun.
       As with each of his releases, there are a couple of �Nardwuar vs.� interviews. This time Nardwuar encounters Prime Minister Jean Chretien, bringing up the subject of protesting (with some hilarious results... good to see the PM has a bit of a sense of humor).  However, far more interesting are the eight and a half minutes Nardwuar spends chatting with Iggy Pop, bringing up various moments in Iggy�s history. It�s great to see that Iggy still likes to have fun, too.
       Once again, Nardwuar has thrown a free CD version of this release into the LP.  No extra charge, gang.  Kinda makes you wonder how the hell the majors get off with such high prices on their CD releases, doesn�t it? (By the way, the CD ends with Le District Ouest�s original version of �I�m Your Buddy,� done as �Je Suis Ton Copain.�) By the way, for those who don�t want the CD or the LP, but are incurable Nardwuar fanatics, for $6 post-paid you can also get this on 8-track.  Just write to the address listed in that particular section of this mag.

       �This... is the sound... of Sexxxxx.�  Well, OK, there�s not actually a voice saying that on the Demolition Doll Rods (In The Red) LP, but there might as well be.  �Cuz no matter what the lyrics are, every single one of these evokes the image of unbridled lust. Sure, there are songs about drag racing (�Motor City Dragway� is about the closest they come to a pop song, with a nice melody augmented by some well-arranged and executed backing vox; �Queen Bee Drag Racing� just rips and rides hard), but most of this stuff either has lyrics that suggest the sexual intent or the sound itself practically screams it out as a certain peak is reached.  The Doll Rods are the most logical Gories� progession of anything the ex-band members have done. No, it�s not as sparse as the Gories, but it�s not exactly fleshy, either.  But there�s meat on those bones... nice, supple meat.  It�s raw R&B with an occasional deep blues.  And it�s pure rock�n�roll.
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BUBBLING UP DOWN UNDER

       Most of the people I hang out with would probably say that the Aussie scene reached its peak in the 80s.  I�d agree.  However, there�s still some fantastic stuff going on in the Land of Oz, from pop to punk to garage.

       The DM3 have long been one of my favorite bands.  I bought their first one sight unseen, ordering with the Platterpuss from an on-line record store based in Australia.  It ended up costing me about $25 for the one disc, but I didn�t care.  I�m a long-time Dom Mariani fan, back from the time of the Stems and right up through The SomeLoves (and a lucky owner of the StoneFish 6-songer, too).  This is a guy who writes some of the absolute best pop-rockers you�re ever likely to hear.  Until now, the only US releases the DM3 have seen are, I believe, on 45s or comps.  Bomp has taken some of the best tracks from the group�s Australian discs and put them together on the 20-track Dig It The Most.  (And you will.)  This is Power Pop the way it should sound - like pop music with rock�n�roll power.  Yeah, that�s right, like The Who singing �Pictures of Lily� or �The Kids Are Alright.�  Throw in �Shake Some Action� era Flamin� Groovies, some Beatles �66, or combine the best Kinks� rockers with their most beautiful pop tracks and you�ll get an idea of how damn great the DM3 are.  The only thing that pisses me off is that these songs aren�t hits.  They certainly have the right production and enough of a radio-friendly sound.  All my favorites are on here, including the incredible �1x, 2x, Devastated.�  This may be one of the absolute best power pop tracks of all time.  By the second chorus you�ll be singing along and ready to throw it right back on as soon as it�s done.  Of course, you�ll be doing yourself a major disservice if that�s all you listen to (but, OOOOHHHH, that guitar solo just soars!), as �TV Sound� (credited only to Mariani on this disc, but co-credited to his SomeLoves� partner, ex-Lime Spider Daryl Mather, on the Road to Rome disc) is another killer pop track with one of those choruses that�ll be echoing in your head all day long. That�s a specialty of Dom Mariani�s.  Of course, he also manages to write lyrics that sound like some thought went into them, which helps.  And then there�s the arrangements, with allthe right touches, including perfect backing vocals.  Listen to �Pleaze You,� as the guitars run and ring, chiming in all the right places, Mariani singing, �I�ll do my very best for you now / And do it over if you want me to.�  That�s right, pop perfection.  Heck, there�s even a killer instrumental, �Roman Around,� that manages to throw an almost-Hoodoo Gurus� drum bit in with the usual great Mariani guitar sound (and a cool organ playing along) to create a track that would�ve fit perfectly in a Stems� set around 1986.  Today it sounds even better.  Everything I�ve ever heard by Dom Mariani has blown me away.  Unfortunately, far too much of that has only been available in this country via import.  Many thanks to Bomp for making the DM3 available domestically, so my friends can now tune in to the DM3 and understand what I�m talking about.

       Somewhere between The Stems and The SomeLoves lie The Summer Suns, a group that - not coincidentally - included the nominal leader of the former two, Dom Mariani (currently lauded by those in the know for fronting The DM3).  The EP that Get Hip has released was originally meant for band members only, featuring the 1986 lineup that had been playing together regularly for some time by then.  Fan demand caused the group to make a couple hundred copies, which sold out almost immediately (well, according to the press materials, anyway.)  This was a time when The Stems were still flying high, a garage-pop act that few (if any) could match.  It also happened to be about a year after (what I believe was) the first SomeLoves� 45 was released.  (Fans should note that, at the time, the SL�s hadn�t yet become Dom�s main group.)  Mariani must have been a pretty busy guy, �cuz �86 was also the time of the 6-songer he did with an instro surf outfit, The Stonefish (well worth seeking out, by the way.)  Dom Mariani�s various projects, however, have little to do with the Summer Suns, beyond the fact that he was a member of the band.  Why?  Well, quite honestly, one Kim Williams was responsible for all the songwriting, as well as lead vocals.  In the Summer Suns, Dom Mariani played lead guitar and sang backing vocals (something he does beautifully, by the way).  Listening to this 8-songer, it�s tempting to compare them to The Rooks, thanks to excellent melodies and some fine playing (as well as strong vocals).  However, The Summer Suns tend to have a brighter disposition to their sound; there�s more of a warm, inviting smile here... a happier heart, if you will.  Most of the tracks on here are nothing short of excellent.  �She�s My Kinda Girl� filters mid-60s pop through the lens of the mid-80s without falling headlong into the tritenesses being offered up by many of the group�s American contemporaries (who, nevertheless, were heard constantly all over college radio at the time.)  This one doesn�t wait, but makes things happen, no basking in the sun, but playing in the warmth of Spring.  �Angel Angeline� is darker than the rest, but retains great power, sounding somewhat like The Shambles in their harder moments.  The only peeks at the sun come when the chorus parts the cloud for the song�s titular angel.  Occasionally, Mariani�s backing vocal helps Williams create a �feathered� sound to the vocal, layering things so they�re gentle and soft, as on �Brighter Than The Sun.�  Here the guitars play with just enough strength to warm things up without burning, jangling beautifully in all the right places.  Dom�s vocals have much the same effect on �All Away,� where they foreshadow some of the sounds that would later be heard when The SomeLoves reached full bloom.  Notable, too, on this one is the way Williams� lead vocal sounds stunningly like the Jazz Butcher.  This one ends with �Girl In A Mexican Restaurant� conveying that feeling you get when you see someone when you�re out somewhere that somehow strikes that chord inside that immediately lights you up. You want to meet her/him, but know that it has to be now or never.  Some are blessed with the courage to go right ahead and say something; the rest of us bemoan what could have been.  But for those moments when your paths have crossed, everything in the world is perfect.  This one has the melody and tempo that capture that to a T.

       I think I first came across You Am I via a link on the Tomboy Records �Scene Report� page (http://www.ar.com.au/~tomboy/scene.htm).  The description was interesting, so I wrote to the PR address and asked them for more info. They went one better, sending me a copy of Hourly, Daily (Sire).  (Having just dropped Roberta at the airport this AM, I have to wonder if this title has anything to do with parking rates.) I found it to be an interesting aural experience.  Some of it moves towards the power-pop end of the scale; while other parts feature beautiful baroque orchestration (�Heavy Comfort�); a nice folky track in �Please Don�t Ask Me To Smile� (with an occasional pretty-picking acoustic lead); yet other tracks remind me of what someone once called the �psychedelic salad days� of The Kinks.  Granted, this has a more modern sound to it, but it�s truly fine music. While I tend to doubt that it�ll appeal to the hardcore garage crowd, this will make some major fans of the power pop crowd.
       As I read the band�s press kit, I learned that these guys are pretty popular in Australia. Then, while reading Bomp-list one day, I ran into a post from a guy Down Under who mentioned that he played drums in a band that plays many big festivals (like Big Day Out, sort of the Aussie Lollapalooza).  Seeing his initials, I thought he just might be the drummer of You Am I.  I e-mailed him and asked. He responded, �Is that a bad thing?� No, of course not.  I told him I�d enjoyed Hourly, Daily.  He said that live they cover stuff like The Kinks and The Creation, and listen to it quite often while touring. In fact, he told me, I�d probably like their next one much more.
       As it turns out, these guys (especially Rusty, I guess) are big garage fans. In fact, when The Crusaders were here, they mentioned how helpful You Am I are to the garage groups in Australia, having them open shows and such.
       The group�s #4 Record (Warner Brothers) features guest appearances by Benmont Tench of Tom Petty�s band, The Memphis Horns, plus Kim Shattuck (Muffs) and Lisa Marr (ex-Cub). This disc has some harder rockers than the last one. In fact, the sound shows the group is still evolving. However, there are songs that probably would have been just as comfortable on the previous effort �Top of the Morn� and Slip of the Day�).  Of course, there are also some truly cool power pop numbers (the very alive �Billy�).  The most fun song for me was �Radio Rumble� (which, oddly enough, is the one with Kim & Lisa singing backing vox).  It�s a fun, upbeat poppy number with great �R-A-D-I-O� backing vocals that, at one point, become �Ronnie James D-I-O.�
       It�s nice to see a bunch of guys with good taste and some real talent are doing well in the music biz. OK, it�s not garage stuff they�re playing, but they�ve got some excellent melodies and cool harmonies.  I hope they break through in the US.  How refreshing it would be to hear something like this become a hit.

       On The Great Slump Forward EP (Tomboy), The Challenger 7 (featuring ex-Kryptonics� Ian Underwood) prove themselves worthy successors to some fine Hoodoo Gurus� sounds.  Much of this 7� is sun-drenched mid-tempo material that takes the listener a bit of time to dig into.  However, once you do, you�ll feel amply rewarded.  �Because We Can� features some sonic swellings that bring to mind a huge font of potential energy, eventually bursting through the dam and carrying everything away before dissipating.  There are also prettier tracks, such as �Blot,� but the power is still there.  On all of them, they maintain a strong beat and excellent harmonies (one of the strong points of the band.)
       They appear again on a split 7�, first with a number called �Where�s the Playground, Suzi?,� more of the same as the EP, although here they let it go down, pick up slowly, hit just hard enough at the chorus, etc.  The melody is what sells this one, though.  Their other track, �Candelabra� is the most upbeat track I�ve heard from them, with a bit of a chunkier punk feeling, as well as a Birdman influence making it fly high.  The best part of all is the imagery brought to mind by the line, �You�ve been holding up a candle to the sun.�
       The other side of this split is handled by The Pyramidiacs, who�ve been around for quite some time now.  These guys, too, have some nice harmonies, as well as definite 60s influences.  Their�s is a more straight up brand of rock�n�roll, with �Call You Round� just on the quicker side of mid-tempo.  �Sober,� on the other hand, is ballad-type pop, even radio-friendly (in a good way).  The guitar sound at one point sounds like they�ve even thrown in some cool tremelo.  Very nice.

       I first heard of The Hekawis via a Telstar 7�er from a year or two back.  I�m not sure of the release date of �Flowers In The Night�/�On This Day� (Wild Eagle), but this is a damned fine slab of garage-ian wax.  Somehow, the hole on mine was too small, so it wouldn�t spin till I managed to hollow it out a bit better.  Even then, it�d occasionally pause, but one must overcome obstacles in order to achieve true vindication.  Or something like that.  Up top, you get an upbeat organ-fueled slice of garage cool, with the guitar occasionally checking in with a more basic/50s rock�n�roll feel.  However, it�s the slower, more deliberate, �On This Day� that emerges as the more powerful of the two tracks.  The organ slices into the night as the guitar roams the vacant streets.  Throw in some cool harp blowin� towards the end and you�ve got one killer 45.

       The discerning film viewer will note that the title of The Crusaders� Fat, Drunk, and Stupid (Dionysus) is the beginning of a quote from one of the truly great artistic achievements of the 20th Century.  (And if you don�t know which one it was, you need to hit the video store and ask the fat, drunk, stupid guy with the remote in his right hand and the chips halfway between his lap and the gaping maw that passes for his mouth.)  The music found on this disc just so happens to be possessed of the same sort of love for trash of all kinds,  manifested by the band in a fuzztone demolition derby.  These guys assault your ears with the kind of trash every garage-nik can�t help but start jumping up and down, banging rocks (or those that make up his head) against his cave wall.  They jump right in with �She�s My Woman,� sporting the sort of intensity that would drive weaker persons to a padded cell.  �One Eyed Bikini Monster� may be devoid of lyrics, but there�s just some things that need no explanation.  This one�s got his shades on, navigating the maze of towels on the beach pretending to be lost, when in reality he�s a wolfhound on the prowl, using those cool 60s sunglasses to hide his true purpose.  Ya dirty dog, ya!  Titles like �I Dig Your Holes,� �Fishermans Basket,� and �She Wants More� may irk some of the more excitable female fans, but anyone who�s willing to just let the fuzz pound through their brains (�No Brain, No Pain� sayeth the final title) is gonna get a damn good pounding of it.
       As my pal Ognir would say, �It�s Primitive!�
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DIGITAL DERRING-DO

       Before I even get into this, I need to apologize to 360 Twist.  The first few reviews you see here are of discs they sent me sometime early this year.  I wrote these reviews sometime during the Spring of �97, intending them to be in TS #57.  It wasn�t till I got the final copies back that I found these weren�t in there.  �How could that have happened?� I wondered.  Then I remembered.  I�d written these reviews after school one day, on the PCs, intending to put them on disc and bring them home to my Mac.  Well, simply put, I forgot.  So, to 360 Twist, I truly am sorry about this.  Here they are then, three excellent releases.

       The first time I saw The Hectics was last year out at Treblefest.  Quite simply, they blew me away and I�ve been a fan ever since.  Even so, I wasn�t expecting such a killer debut CD.  Everything I Need (360 Twist) is filled with some of the best things about rock�n�roll:  it�s frenetic; it�s got melody; and it just plain rocks.  They kick it off with their �Theme Song,� with a guitar that rides in that dark, choppy surf kinda way while they hit it straight on.  �Everything I Need� keeps the energy up and throws in some more melody and punks things out a bit more.  I couldn�t help but chuckle when I heard �Jesse�s Guy,� as the title reminded me of �Jesse�s Girl,� a teenybopper hit by, I think, Rick Springfield when I was in high school.  The title (and the sentiment, �I wish that I had �Jesse�s Guy�) are pretty much where the similarity ends, tho�.  Some are gonna quickly jump and say this trio�s Supercharger-in-reverse (two girls and a guy in this group), but - while there�s definitely a shared attitude and a love of some of the same music - this group records better and gets both more melodic and more hardcore (�Bathmat� slashes the chords pretty nicely and gets harsh when necessary) than the SF bunch.  (Don�t worry, O� Purists, I�m not sayin� The Hectics are better or worse than Supercharger; I�m just pointing out that the Denver bunch are not rippin� off the Radio X gang.)  Not only a keeper, but one that�ll get repeated plays here at the homestead.

       Each night of Treblefest, �96 opened with one of Denver�s hometown combos.  My favorite of these was The Element 79, not because I didn�t like The Hectics or Boss 302 (�cuz I dug both of �em in a big way), but simply �cuz these boys played the music that was closest to my heart:  molasses-thick garage soup that hearkened back to the pure cave-teen sounds of �66, with maybe a stop along the way for The Miracle Workers around �84.  And that�s exactly why I�m ravin� like mad about Dig Out! (360 Twist).  Starting with the heavy vibrato instro sounds of �The Creeper� (a guy I�d stay away from if he�s half as creepy as this tune makes him sound) and then stomping, double-time into �Walk On By,� these guys are really givin� it out both barrels.  They downshift into �Leave It All,� with the Rickenbackers ringing sadly as Michael Daboll tells the object of his affections that she�s gonna end up without him if she keeps it up.  It�s not done in a mean, malicious way, but almost as if he pities the girl �cuz she just can�t seem to do what  she needs to be happy.  Then it�s time to blast off again, with �Mystreat Me,� a solid raver that owes a debt to The Telltale Hearts.  Looking for a good old-fashioned snot-cruncher?  �Same Old Thing� will do you nicely.  The disc closes with �Every Night,� the tune I�m betting will win �Most Likely To Be Mistaken For The Makers.�  I mean, this one has the attitude, power, and confidence (not to mention the sound) to fit in any set by Spokane�s finest.  Not only that, but it�s the perfect way for the Element 79 to leave you.  This one�s a monster.
       I still say The Hate Bombs are best experienced live, but you can say that about most great bands.  Their first full-length effort, Here Comes Treble (360 Twist), is a damn good step in the right direction for their discography.  Their previous efforts (all 45s) were more than simply worthy, but this one has some truly stellar moments, the first of which is track two, �She�s No Good,� which jumps out of the speakers thanks to an aggressive guitar track.  (It also benefits, like much of this disc, from well-placed backing vocals.)  More points are gained for some killer organ playing; and I dig that bubble-sound.  I can easily picture The Woggles� Manfred Jones jumping on-stage to take guest lead vox for �Shake,� as it�s completely in that style.  (In fact, the two bands complement each other tremendously.)  Now, it�d be easy as hell to go track by track on this one, but what�s the sense?  I�d be wasting time you�d be better off spending running down to your local music emporium to grab this bugger (then running home and cranking it up.  Then thanking me.)  It crunches, it rages, it swings, it moves; just buy it.

       While I didn�t get The Penetrating Sounds Of... Frigg-A-Go-Go disc in time for last issue, it�s yet another killer disc brought to you by the boys at 360 Twist.  This thing is one SCHMOKIN� garage rager.  People have compared the singer�s voice to Mike Maker, which is definitely a decent description, but these guys have a sound of their own, with fantastic organ and electric piano sounds abounding.  They�ve got a freaky frenetic sound that they occasionally drop just to set you back up for another thrashing.  There are also similarities to DMZ on here and that�s yet more high praise.  This is a band I�m dying to see, especially if it could be at a garage fest with tons of screamin� garage/punk crazies ready to get sweaty and wild.  I just listen to the frenzied rhythms, the nasty, snarling guitar lines and killer keys and I�m ready for action.  There�s absolutely no reason to start talking about songs with this bunch �cuz every single effin� one of �em rocks like the dickens.  A Teen Scene Top Pick!

       Well, I guess it�s been about a year or so since the last disc by The Satelliters, so here they are, back with their follow-up, Wylde Knights of Action (Dionysus).  Before I go on, I want to say that this is certainly a worthy disc.  Having said that, I�ve gotta tell you that it�s not as good as their debut, Hi Karate.  It just doesn�t rage forward with the same steam-blast as that one did.  OK, now let�s get into why you�re gonna want this disc, regardless.  This one sneaks in with a creep-tone Vox organ and swamp-moss fuzz instro, kinda reminding you what it might be like to spend Hallowe�en with The Addams Family.  The second track, �Fuzz-Out� picks up the pace, but stays pretty much in the same territory.  It�s not till �Four Steps To Her� that they turn the mic on.  And then suddenly they�re reminding me of The Makers, albeit in their earlier days.  Gotta love the way the guitar bubbles like hot lava.  Wish this one hadn�t ended so quickly, �cuz it�s definitely a highlight.  Come to think of it, there�s a few other tracks on here that call The Makers to mind, albeit with a healthy appreciation for The Gravedigger V (especially on �Why,� where the singer reminds me a ton of the Five�s �singer� Leighton Koizumi.)  The covers on this disc (The Standells� �Riot On The Sunset Strip,� Holland-Dozier-Holland�s �Leaving Here,� and Murphy & the Mob�s �Born Loser�) are a nice touchstone, but I might�ve preferred more originals.  Their version of �Riot...� sounds like it�s using a Farfisa for an organ part that originally called for Vox.  (Yeah, I know, stupid criticism, maybe, but I�m pretty nuts about organ sounds.)  �Leave Your Mind At Home� is an obvious (but welcome!) tribute to The Fuzztones (the mid-80s NYC version), hammering at all the same areas and even stealing a few musical phrases from tracks on the �Tones LP of the same name.  �Downliner� hits the �66 punk sound with a nice �84 touch.  �Thrill Me� tends a bit too much into psych-fuzz territory for my tastes, but that�s a personal thing.  Many out there ay dig this kinda thing.  One of the highlights for me is �Hometown Ways,� as it slows things down to move towards the garage-punk semi-ballad that tugs at the heartstrings so well.  This sucker wah-wahs the chord answers to the lyrical lines and pulls that much harder.  (I get the feeling this one�s gonna be getting repeated plays here at TS HQ.)  Before I mentioned that I would�ve preferred more originals rather than the covers.  Let me amend that:  the version of �Born Loser� is pretty dang great.  The guitar is fat and chunky and the vocals get spat out like a baseball player�s chewing tobacco when he�s pissed off.  Attitude all the way.  �Driveby �65� has a title that reminds me of Zebra Stripes� �Intro �66� for obvious reasons, but the similarities pretty much end there.  This one dances along on a high-tension wire with the organ controlling the action.  The disc closes with �Trip To Your Soul,� slow and deliberate, almost into psych territory, but with just enough garage-rockin� attitude so that you�re not gonna miss the snot-nosed punks perpetrating this assault.  And they�re gonna take their time, too, �cuz that way you know who�s just put you through that ringer.  Yeah, that trip to your soul wasn�t as pleasant as you might�ve wanted it to be.  Ah, crap.  Maybe I was wrong... this disc may just be better than the debut.

       YEAH!  The 3rd disc from Trenton�s own - The Swingin� Neckbreakers.  Oh No, that wasn�t a complete sentence!  (Yeesh, you oughta see what happens when I run a grammar checker over this.  I�m lucky the machine doesn�t explode.)  No matter, �cuz the boys are here to Kick Your Ass, courtesy of Telstar Records.  They�ve thrown together ten originals this time, with only four covers checking in, perhaps to prove to themselves that, if they just put their minds to it, they really can come up with a bunch of great rock�n�roll.  (I don�t think their fans needed the proof, but we�re damn happy to hear these tracks, anyway.)  �Pool Hoppin�� reminisces about that favored suburban summertime pursuit, given the power treatment here, but with melody intact.  �Wild Wild� ratchets the Sweat-O-Meter up past the breaking point and keeps right on burning.  �Better Times� features minor-key discord with excellent vocals, driving, throwing in a couple lines from The Kinks� �I�m Not Like Everybody Else� for good measure.  The group also throws in a bunch of stuff dealing with their lives, including one about Tom�s day-job, �I�m The Mailman.�  More interesting to me, however, are the tracks that deal with the idea of family.  This is something that is often ignored in garage/punk (or even most pop, for that matter).  With �Creation,� they manage to combine garage power with a proposal for creating something with a loved one (maybe a relationship, maybe - gasp! - a child.)  Yeah, that�s right, it really is possible for garage rockers to marry and have kids and lead �normal� lives.  This song glories in how good something like that can be.  Later, in �Daddy�s Little Girl,� Tom warns his daughter�s future suitors to watch their step.  The group also checks in with a couple new �dance numbers.�  The first of these, �Do The Stand,� is a nasty, flying flip-off to audience members who do their best statue imitations. The guitar rips like mad, daring these idiots to break outta their crusty mold.  Later on, you graduate to �The Flop.�  All for of the covers send me reeling, starting out with �This Must Be The Place� as drummer John Jorgenson seems to drink a couple of Jolt Colas with Mountain Dew to cool him off, �cuz they absolutely fly through this one.  The first time I heard them do �Super Stuff� (at Maxwells, I believe) I was incredibly psyched, �cuz I�d first dug into the Rock Garden�s original on Pebbles 13  back around 1984; I couldn�t believe anyone was covering it!  �Can�t Explain� has become one of my favorite parts of the band�s set.  Evidently, it�s a Love song that the boys have really made into their own, while keeping the ringing beauty and the Byrds-like quality of the chorus.  Their version of �Rip It, Rip It Up� does just that.  The studio version has, amazingly, truly done justice to its live counterpart.  Sweat flies in every direction with the only disappointment coming when the band has the nerve to stop playing it.  The Swingin� Neckbreakers have done it again.  Their sound is completely intact, as they keep rocking like nobody else.  There�s a reason these guys are considered one of the best garage-rockin� combos.  Simply put, they�re just on a much higher level than most of the bands out there.
       Just a glance at the track listing of Do The Alkeehol! (Aquatone) will give the impression that The Aquamen are true connoisseurs of liquid spirits.  Or maybe they�re just willing to guzzle whatever the hell ends up in their immediate vicinity.  This is a group that spends a goodly amount of time away from the mic (drinking and singing at the same time can get messy and is a waste of spirits), spending a bit of time in the surf camp, a bit more on other instrumental efforts, and their recovery time belching out some pretty good garage stompers.  As it turns out, the straight-up surf stuff (�Gin & Tonic� and �Beans & Rice,� for example) didn�t really do much for me; I�ve heard better.  However, when they venture outside those boundaries, their instros can be pretty cool. �Wild Turkey� finds the guitars barely clinging to the rails, pausing briefly, accelerating again, but easing slightly off the throttle.  �Blue Hawaii� is an interesting collision of the Bomboras doing something like �She�ll Do Ya Wrong� with a laid-back Hawaiian thing complete with chimes.  They even throw in a nice surf guitar solo at one point.  �Rioja� is more on the spaghetti western side of Instro Country.  Wild and untamed, speaking to the gunslinging wildman in all of us. Some of the best of the instro insanity comes in �On The Rocks,� although it�s hardly surf.  The organ doesn�t dominate, but plays a crucial role in defining the songs slightly alien feel.  Either these guys are from some party planet, or they�re playing host to some crash-landed aliens in need of a quick pick-me-up.  My favorite tracks are those with more garage stylings, such as the title track, which is easily one of my favorites on the disc, throwing some buried-alive distorto-vocal in and whomping it  on. You�ll find more mischievous garage-rockin� fun on �Panty Raid.�  They even throw on some backing vocals (tho� they�re a bit too far in the background).  Just pure pounding fun.  (Getcher mind outta the gutter, pally.)  Finally, for bonus tracks, they include four ongs from a previous EP.  This stuff is fair, but unlikely to set your world on fire. The best of these is the closer, �The Godfather.� Taking the movie theme as its jump-off point, they expand upon it and leave it in the dust, occasionally shooting at its feet to see how it�ll dance.  I�d like to see these guys cut down on the surf stuff and build up more of the garage and non-surf instro material.

       It�s been quite some time since The Smugglers came out with Selling The Sizzle.  And we�re still waiting for a new full-length, but in the meantime there�s the Buddy Holly Convention 6-song CD-EP (also available as a 4-song 7�) on Lookout/Mint.  The whole thing kicks off with �Melee In Madrid,� a rollicking party number.  They crash and bang all over and it�s time to kick down the doors and invite everyone in town to come out and play.  They ease up a bit and let some more melody shine through on �Cans of Love,� sweetening the pot with some tasty little call-and-response guitar bits, giving way to a nice guitar break mid-way through.  �I Want/Need/Demand Action� is the first of the two non-vinyl tracks.  All I can say is, I�m glad I�m not anti-CD (the way I was at the turn of this decade) �cuz this revs it up in pure Schmugs� style.  Yeah, no way you can call it garage, but it isn�t quite punk-pop, either.  Let�s face it, these boys are just plain-old rock�n�roll.  This one bops around with a smile, upbeat and ready to fly.  The EP�s title cut refers to the group�s choice of eyewear.  (Inside the CD package, you�ll find the perimeter decorated with pics of the group and their friends decked out in said specs.  See how many you can name.)  �She�s A Machine� is distinguished by some ultra-cool Hammond organ sounds topping the group�s standard sound with some cool jazzy/soul stylings.  Things finish with the other non-vinyl track, �I Love Spoons,� a ballad that fits beautifully as a sort of goad-night kiss on the steps.  (That transference of energies that leaves the other in your thoughts into Dreamland and straight on till morning.)  Nice job, guys... now get your tails in gear and give us a full album�s worth.
       What can you say about a band that starts out their latest disc with a lyric like, �I met her at the Haunted Mansion / She said I look like Charles Manson.�  Don�t worry, though, after she tells him he looks just like ET, it turns out they end up together.  So goeth the story of �Tunnel Of Love� by The Groovie Ghoulies on Re-Animation Festival (Lookout).  Quite honestly, though, as I tell my Bob Dylan-loving student, Scott, lyrics don�t matter one bit to me if the song doesn�t do something for me.  So, yeah, the Ghoulies� lyrics are fun, but it�s their sound that makes me want to listen in.  Heck, I can�t just listen when the Groovie Ghoulies are playing (be it live or on my Hi-Fi); I�ve gotta MOVE!!!  Be it jumping up and down, bobbing around in my seat, or boppin� about the room, this bunch just has it.  I played this one for my brother Glenn when he was over recently and he went nuts for it (and we don�t usually agree on music).  Most of the stuff on here is upbeat rock�n�roll that some are probably gonna call punk-pop.  Personally, I don�t give two brown ploppy things what you call it - it�s FUN!  And that goes for the slower stuff, too.  OK, �School Is Out� isn�t really slow, but it�s got a pretty melody and doesn�t move at the speed of, say, �Chupacabra� (which is a particular favorite of mine live �cuz it just gets people stirred and shakin�.)  �Zombie Crush� is a complete tempo-turnaround, slower and creepy.  Next track, �Graceland� and you hear Kepi doin� a parody imitation, sayin�, �Now, HOLD IT, fellas.  That don�t move me.  Let�s get real gone!� The guitar kicks it into gear and they�re on a wild ride towards Elvis-land, the rhythm steady as she goes, the bass always keeping the hint of the title, while the guitar goes lead-foot on the gas pedal and lets it loose on the wide-open road, top down and on their way.  �It�s a HIT!�  (Well, it should be, anyway.)  Cool vocal effect on �Maze Effect,� whirling into your mind like a 3D maze in DayGlo green and purple.  Some great chunky chording comes in for  cool garage sound on �Satisfy Me,� even sounding a bit at times like certain parts of Radio Birdman�s �Aloha Steve and Danno� (not the song, just that particular section of guitar banging.)  Perfect, too.  As the finish line moves into sight, Roach lets her guitar sing the melody to intro �To Go Home� and everything seems right with the world.  I get the feeling this one�s the closer and the final track is sort of the bonus.  Yeah, that final number, �If You Need Me�... That�s right, the writing credit to Wilson Pickett, but most people are probably far more used to hearing Mick and Keith lead their bunch through it.  That�s something I�ve always loved about The Groovie Ghoulies - their taste in covers - be it Billy Bragg�s �A New England� or their live take on �2000 Man.�  And they always manage to make it work.  Why do I love the Groovie Ghoulies?  �Cuz they make me feel good.  Yeah, most of the time it�s a jump-around, big-smile-on-the-face type thing, but then there�s those slower, more heartfelt times that hit me just as hard and mean so much to me.  Thank you... I really do appreciate it.  (Those of you who can�t take sincerity can, in the words of Grandma B., �Go scratch!�)

       For more pop-punk pleasure, I throw on Revenge Is Sweet, and So Are You (Lookout) by the Mr. T. Experience.  These guys somehow seem to be able to do it disc after disc.  More bounce to the ounce, or something like that.  Every single track on here is Chock Full O�Melody.  Not just melody, but that juicy stuff that bursts out as soon as the band tears into it.  This is one of those discs that I can keep playing all day long and keep feeling happy about it, a big, stupid grin stretched right across my face.  Yeah, that�s right, the kind you�d like to just punch off me (but can�t, �cuz this damn disc�ll put it right back on).  Even the slower tracks, like �Hell of Dumb� (with a cool country guitar solo in the middle), sprinkle happy dust on me.  Some great titles on here, too, like �The Weather Is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful,� �Who Needs Happiness (I�d Rather Have You)� and �Swiss Army Girlfriend.�   While there are definitely some interesting lyrics on here, it�s the music that�ll rocket you out of your chair and onto whatever passes for a dance floor.  �...And I Will Be With You� has a cool beat to it and would probably slow down the rabid pace of the sweating maniacs in the front, but it�ll also be time to just catch their breath.  Perfect, really, �cuz it means a chance for them (uh, OK, me) to smile as the sweat pours down, realizing that it just doesn�t get any better than this.

       If their debut 7� EP last year told me The Decibels were worth watching, then their first foray into full-length form, Create Action (GI Productions), vaults them to the top echelons of my power pop pantheon, along with the DM3 and The Yum-Yums.  These guys play Mod-influenced pop with tons of energy, but lose absolutely NONE of the melody.  Picking highlights off this one is nearly impossible.  The whole disc is filled with perfect pop moments, be they slow (�Change�), mid-tempo (�She Cries�), or upbeat (�So You�re In Love Again�).  From the circular ringing start of �Good� right through the final Mod-pop call-to-arms of the title cut at the end, this one�s a winner.  The Bluesman and I have spent numerous rides into Manhattan singing this disc at the top of our lungs, desperately trying to recreate the vocal nuances of such genius gems as �Some People� (�Some people want to go to heaven... Without Dying!�), a track that I can easily hear The Mockers doing.  (It�s eerie how similar in style this track is to some of their stuff.)  I thought these guys were something else when I heard their 7�er a year or two back, but even that could never have prepared me for how great this disc would be.  I�m cutting this review short,� cuz I�d rather listen to this than flail around trying to tell you how great it is.  (Yeah, that means you should buy it.)
       Bom-Bom-Bom-Bomp!  Bom-Bom-Bom-Bomp!
       That�s the drums and organ leading the charge into �The Lido� at the start of The Tonics� Looking For the Good Times CD (Lance Rock).  This one came in just after I put out the last ish, so it�s been out awhile.  Doesn�t matter, tho�, �cuz it�s gonna drive you wild.  �The Lido� alone is enough of a raver to have you scrambling for your action gear.  While Vancouver scenesters probably know everyone in the band, the one I know is Smugglers� guitarist Nick Thomas, who handles drums and vocals in this combo.  This one�s a major dance number that should get any decent crowd jumping around with happy feet.  It makes me wonder if the Vancouver crowd is more upbeat than the NYC bunch.  If so, maybe it�s time to move.  There�s nothing like an audience in the mood to hear some great rock�n�roll and let themselves loose.  �Another Piece of Me� is another cool one, with some good backing vocals adding flavor and the organ underneath providing color.  �How Do You Like Me Now� features one of the gals (I assume Alexandra Morris, since she�s listed as the primary writer on this) singing and it comes across a bit too much like The Brentwoods with higher fidelity recording.  Some will probably like that aspect, but it left me flat.  Things pick up immediately after, however, with �Scooter Girl.�  �Any day now scooter girl / You�re gonna be my scooter girl.�  OK, so it�s not like we�re talking superb poetry, but that�s not what rock�n�roll means to me.  This is just one of those songs pining for that cool-lookin� girl and saying you�re gonna get her.  There�s also a part with some spoken vocals coming behind the music, which plays a good beat throughout and lets the organ lead without leaving behind the rest.  The disc features four instrumentals (all different, all good), including my personal favorite, �Battlestar Galactica.�  It�s possible that these guys completely wrote it from scratch, but I�m guessing the main theme is taken from the show (my mind�s fuzzy, since it�s been eons since I last saw that stellar show... and las year�s book by actor Richard Hatch, who portrayed Apollo, didn�t have the theme playing inside.)  It has that majestic feel of the rag-tag fleet making their way across the galaxy, fleeing the Cylons and the traitor Baltar.  The Blue Squadron launches to protect the fleet, with Apollo and Starbuck in the lead.  Cassiopeia and Athena do their thing and Commander Adama leads them all.  Come to think of it, they did a damn good job with this.  Next up, of course, is their big hit single, �Get It In Your Feet.�  Hear this and you will.  I�ve written about it before, but you�ll go nuts listening to this.  One of the great garage dance numbers recorded in the last year or two, without a doubt.  The final track is a version of Billy Childish�s �Best Things In Life� done in style.  The vocal ends up sounding much like Billy and the only real difference is that they�ve thrown the organ nice and high up in the mix.  Since this is one of the best songs Billy the C. ever penned, I�m pretty damned glad the Tonics have brought it back for people to go nuts to.  I can�t wait to hear the next Tonics� record.
       The first time I saw Johnny Chan & the New Dynasty Six was at Garage Rage, held at Coney Island High in December of �95.  Freddy Fortune of Fortune and Maltese had mentioned that Johnny Chan was a former bandmate of his from a group called The Covingtons.  Unfortunately, it was early on in the band�s time together and they were doing almost completely covers, and doing them without great distinction.  I saw them again about a year later and they�d improved somewhat, but not to the point where I needed to see them.   Recently, some friends have mentioned that the group has improved mightily.  Unfortunately, they haven�t played any shows I�ve been able to make.  (Note... I saw them about a month after I wrote this review and they really have improved!)  Then I heard that they had a new CD out on Dionysus, So... You Want Action.  I�ll cut to the chase - the band�s gotten better.  Much better.  They�ve turned themselves into a garage-pop force to be reckoned with.  They blast off with shouts of �Hey!� (which just happens to be the title), grabbing your attention straight off as the guitar line just goes over the line to drag you in for the party.  That�s right, Couch Clutcher, you�re gonna have FUN, this time!  They move more in the pop direction with one of my favorite nuggets, �A Girl As Sweet As You,� then head on to the first of the two tracks Chan wrote with Freddy Fortune, �Baby What Ya Tryin� Ta Do?�  This one�s more on the raging side of things and lets fly with some monster sounds.  The instrumental �Aw Shucks!� has a guitar line that�ll remind you a bit of �You Ain�t Seen Nothin� Yet.�  It�s the garage/folk-pop of �I Need You� (the first of two group originals to share a title with a Kinks� song) that provides a nice change of page, slowing things down and letting the Rickenbacker ring.  Flip forward to �Good Girl� for a �She�s About A Mover� feel, albeit faster.  The second of the Chan/Fortune collaborations is a folk-popper called �Time Has Gone� which most likely pre-dates the penning of Fortune & Maltee�s �Leave No Stone Unturned.�  Lots more garage stompers on here, including �You,� �Over It,� �My Baby,� and �I�m Right.�  Of course, I�m nuts about the pop ones, too, like �Till the End of the Day,� starting slow, with the guitar starting to sing a lonely tune before the rest pick it up and fill it out.  They do some more cool covers, too, like �Be A Caveman� and �Little Black Egg� (titled �Shiao Hei Dan� here, which is supposedly Mandarin Chinese; sorry, I took French).  They close out with �It Don�t Stop You,� blasting into the rhythms of �Tobacco Road� until the chorus.  So, yeah, this bunch has no problems lifting some favored musical moments where necessary, but they�ve put together a solid first effort.  It�s good to know that there�s one more band for me to see in town.
       My first experience with The Autumn Leaves came with their excellent �You Didn�t Say A Word� 45.  Now they�re back with a full disc�s worth of sometimes lonely, occasionally dark, sporadically uplifting, but always excellent psychedelia.  These guys can truly play (not to mention sing!)  They start with the �Theme to the Autumn Leaves,� evoking such thoughts nicely with low-end vocals and a trail mix western beat driving it home for the season.  The song is restless and beautiful, adorned with occasional high backing vocals.  They follow by downshifting into a beautiful Byrdsong type thing called �Everynight� that chimes, rings, occasionally slides, sings out, and even hits a full organ washover.  WOW!  For a truly haunting number, check out �Phantom Girl Blues,� which does occasionally break out of the murky depths to stomp a bit before being sucked back into the delicious depths.  �A Place Called Somewhere� is another standout, picking up the pace and getting you moving in a nice country-slide kinda way.  Things wind up with �Summer�s Gone� (interesting how I picked up this disc at the band�s NYC show just as the school year started.)  More ringing guitars with harmonies working throughout, this one captures its title perfectly.  (Oh yeah, both tracks from the 45 are also included.)

       I�m a pretty big fan of The Rooks.  I don�t see them too often for some reason, but they play some of the prettiest pop music I�ve ever been fortunate enough to hear.  The songwriting is fantastic and the band�s arrangements are superb.  With Methods of a Mad Rook, Not Lame gives us a chance to peek into the songwriting mind of lead Rook Michael Mazzarella.  Only a couple of these songs have appeared in any form before, and those only with different arrangements.  These are all demos, some of which either have already become Rooks� songs or may someday get that chance.  They�re kind of like a painter�s sketches; the outlines of beauty are there, but color has yet to be added.  In fact, Michael acknowledges the other Rooks� contributions to the band in a note in the CD booklet.  This one-time only limited edition of 500 disc is a wonderful look into a songwriter�s mind, but it�s also heartening to realize - simply by listening - that the rest of the band plays a large part in making the songs come out so beautifully.  Don�t get me wrong, these songs have their own fragile beauty.  This disc shows off Michael�s incredible talent to the utmost.  This is definitely something any true Rooks� fan (or any lover of excellent songcraft) needs.

       I missed out on Frenchy�s first disc, but their latest, Che�s Lounge (Dionysus), has been playing the part of change-up in my pitcher�s repertoire of late.  After playing with garage-rock fastballs, psych-pop curves, and power-pop sliders, this one throws me off-balance.  Hmm... that�s not quite true.  I mean, yeah, it�s completely unlike tons of other stuff I listen to, that�s true, but it has the interesting effect of settling me down and opening me up to new sounds.  Time for another metaphor then: it cleanses my palette while at the same time offering up delectable appetizers of its own.  First up is �Rocket Machine,� with a swingin� r�billy thing happening, horns punctuating things to give it a smooth, smilin� feel while jumping around the whole way.  But track two, �Jailbird Blue,� is a sultry lounge-y blues lament.  I love the vibes that enter about ten seconds into �Tag On Your Toe,� with a nod to the intro to �Strychnine� playing a cameo in a picture you�d never expect to spot it in.  It�s kinda obvious I�m going track by track right now and I will stop right after mentioning the next selection, a cover of Mickey & Sylvia�s classic, �Love Is Strange.�  When I first got the disc, it was the first track I played - I had to hear what they�d do with it.  Maybe that�s �cuz I�ve been on a major Mickey & Sylvia kick of late (which, in turn, has made me realize just how damn great �Love Is Strange� really is.)  So, uh... how do Frenchy sound doing it?  Well, they stay fairly faithful to the original.  While I like the female vocal here, I don�t think the male counterpart is quite as cool-sounding as Mickey Baker (nor for that matter, is the guitar player sounding as cool as Mickey, although he does a fine job).  Thankfully, they didn�t try and ape the spoken (�How do you call your Lover-boy?�) bit.  Rather, they insert their own to fit - �Hey, Toots... How do you see your Lover-boy?� �Tall, rich, and handsome...�  (For the rest, you�re gonna have to let go of some long green.)  Extra points, by the way, for thearrangement of the other instruments.  Nicely done.  How about the rest?  Well, �Cat In A Bag� is a nice, upbeat one that shines not only because of the bright feeling, but some nice trumpet work; �White Sands� gives me that 1930s/40s Hollywood feel for Egypt/Siam, a real mood piece; �When I Get Low� is another mover, albeit with a sort of �Puttin� On The Ritz� mask, and I like the sax on it, not to mention the vocal stylings... To be honest, there�s nothing on this disc I don�t like.  Vocalist Carla Lease does an excellent job of conveying the many moods the music calls for, but so does the rest of the band.  Perhaps what I find most intriguing is how well they arrange the music.  No, they�re not garage, nor surf, certainly not power pop or mod, or even psych.  Heck, not even really rockabilly (although they touch on that, at least)...  Doesn�t matter, gang.  Good music is good music.  I advise some of you to check out your parents� and grandparents� record collections sometime.  If you listen with an open mind (something notoriously hard for human beings, it seems), you�ll probably find something wonderful.  (Hmm... somehow I find it hard to imagine someone 50 years from now recommending that their readers check out something like Michael Bolton or Puff Daddy.  And if I find �em doing that, I�m gonna have to... well, do something, anyway.)  To finish this one up, then... I found this refreshing.  In fact, I liked it better the second time I listened than the first.  And the third and fourth listens saw it growing on me even more.  Now I want their first disc.

       In the first installment of their �British Inversion� series, The Stool Pigeons swallowed their Herman�s Hermits records and then let them flow out the exit chute.  This time out, they�ve exhumed Gerry & The Pacemakers for Gerry Cross The Mersey (SFTRI).  �I�m The One� is also available as a single.  It�s flip, �The Way You Look Tonight� is a gentle instro that recalls a night in the tropics.  (Heck, it even got me thinking of South Pacific.)  But we were talking about the disc.  Herein, you�ll find all your favorite Gerry & Co. songs... �Hello Little Girl,� �I Like It,� �How Do You Do It,� �Don�t Let The Sun Catch You Crying,� and, yes, the retitled �Gerry Cross The Mersey� (subtitled �Inversion Theme no. 2).  Now, obviously, there�d be little point in redoing a bunch of Pacemakers melodies if you were going to play them exactly the way Gerry & the Boys did over 30 years ago.  So The Stool Pigeons have reworked many of them into light-hearted pop-punk fun.  What�s interesting is that you soon realize just how damn good these songs really are.  I know a few people who never really liked Gerry�s vocal style.  (They said it was sort of like he �rounded the words� too much.) They�ll be happy to hear that Lisa Jenio (ex-Pussywillows) has done a superb job with the songs herein (no, umm... rounding errors.)  Perhaps the songs that work best for me are the ballads, like �Away From You� and �Don�t Let The Sun Catch You Crying.� It just blows me away how pretty these are.  The emotion just flows out of these like a torrent of tears.  Kudos to The Stool Pigeons for reminding us just how many great songs Gerry & the Pacemakers had.  Extra points for managing to rework them so they sound fresh to modern ears.

       People on the West Coast have been raving about The Donnas for a couple years now.  Personally, the only stuff I�d heard by them was on the radio and a sound clip on a Donnas� web page.  It was about what I�d expected from what I�d heard - lo-fi Ramones� type stuff.  It was good fun, but didn�t send me running back to the record player over and over again.  In the last 8-10 months, though, I�d been hearing that the group was doing more of a Runaways/Kiss styled thing.  Some were pissed about it.  (Yeesh, gimme a friggin� break!  They were still in flippin� HIGH SCHOOL!)  Well, The Donnas graduated last year and this year Lookout released the group�s second disc.  (I�m told they�ll be re-ishing the first LP on Super*Teem this summer.)  This one�s exactly what recent comments led me to expect - except much better.  Yeah, it�s definitely not Ramones� style at this point.  Yeah, it�s 70s.  But it ROCKS!!!  American Teenage Rock�n�Roll Machine is pure rock�n�roll, all ten cuts of it.  The guitar plays the riff and the drums start whacking along.  Everything comes together and Donna A. steps in, �Don�t do this, don�t do that / I�ll grow up when I�m ready / I don�t wanna be just a weekend kid / I wanna party whenever I can.�  Definitely a rock�n�roll machine.  Want proof?  Listen to that mean-ass guitar solo!  The drums start off �You Make Me Hot,� 1-2-3-and-4, 1-2-3-and-4.  Obviously, there�s sexuality in their sound and many people are probably gonna get all pissy about this, but it�s a strong sexuality.  The Donnas are directing the action, taking everything firmly in hand and doing what they damn well please.  Song after song, this is pure rock�n�roll.  Check out �Gimme My Radio,� as they yell out, �Radio, Radio!  Radio, Radio!� to kick it off, then lead with �They took away my TV set / and my cheeba cigarette / I wanna be like Nikki Corvette.�  Very cool.  �Looking For Blood� is probably the most metal-sounding.  So, yeah, there�s a metal feel to the band, but The Dictators have some metal tones to �em, too.  LikeThe Dictators, The Donnas know how to put it together.  Songwriting is the key and they manage to make seemingly dumb rock�n�roll lyrics work.  �I�m lookin� for blood / I got revenge on my mi-i-ind.�  It�s about the sound!  And what a friggin� sound.  I keep getting these pictures in my mind of cool JD movies with the kids doin� what they damn well please, �cuz that�s exactly what The Donnas� records sound like.  Check out the fade-in and out of crowd noise throughout �Wanna Get Some Stuff.�  Somehow this really is the kinda band that I can see playing an arena.  (Though of course that means standing right up against the stage won�t be quite as do-able, any longer.)  The Donnas have a sound that�s part pop, a bit metal, and some punk, too.  It all comes together in a perfect package on this disc and all I can do is hang on tight.  The Runaways, Kiss, and the NY Dolls come to mind (and maybe a bit of Suzi Quatro, to).  They don�t sound like the Ramones at this point, but there�s still a bit of that band�s pop sense shining through.  Don�t dismiss the Donnas as some image group, either, �cuz this bunch can truly play.  ROCK-ROCK-ROCK�N�ROLL!

       In the past five years or so, we�ve seen live documents and repackagings of old 70s punk outfits rise up like the zombies in Return of the Living Dead.  A bunch of them have even been documents of group reunions ten years (or more) later.  Some have even tried to clean up the sound and ended up sounding like this resurrection was happening in a sterile white lab, completely antiseptic and out of context.  Here then are The Dead Boys, Twistin� On The Devil�s Fork (Hell Yeah/Bacchus Archives) live at CBGB�s in �77/�78.  Just to let you know exactly what you�re getting to start with, the back cover says:  �Warning: Low-Fidelity Raw Live Document of The Dead Boys During Their Heyday, No Reunions, No Overdubs!�  That out of the way, we dig in.  Well, as it turns out, they�re quite right... the sound isn�t cleaned up (the inner sleeve informs us that these tracks came from �disintegrating cassettes.�)  Quite honestly, though, I kind of prefer it this way.  Most of the live tapes I�ve got of groups I�ve seen over the years are noisy, too.  On the other hand, most shows I see at clubs the size of CB�s aren�t giving me hi-fi sound at the show, either.  The fact that I stand right up front probably doesn�t improve matters (not that I care).  The sound of this disc actually gives me more of a live feel.
       As to what�s on it, well... Dead Boys� stuff, obviously.  (Sorry, couldn�t resist.)  Thing is, if you�re reading this mag, you probably know the Dead Boys� catalog; and if you don�t, my mentioning song titles isn�t gonna do a damn bit of good.  �Son of Sam� is intro�d as a new song and they�re not quite sure they�ve got it down yet, but it comes across pretty well.  Evidently, some joker threw a bottle during that one, �cuz Stiv challenges him to throw one now, while he�s not singing.  No bottles are forthcoming and Stiv asks why the guy�s afraid to throw one now.  Unfortunately, we don�t find out what happens �cuz they go into  what happens �cuz the disc switches to the �78 show as Stiv declares, �This is for Pope John Paul George Ringo the First� and launches into �(I Don�t Wanna Be No) Catholic Boy.�  And before �Hey Little Girl,� he says, �Hey, I just wanna tell ya, there�s a lotta rock stars here tonight,� in a voice that reminds me a bit of The Chesterfield Kings� Greg Prevost.  Personally, I�ve always loved the Dead Boys� version of the Syndicate of Sound�s classic.  Anyway, even though it�s true that the sound�s not all that great on this disc, you can still hear the intense guitar heat burning like a huge magnifying glass through everyone�s skin and ripping away at their guts.  There�s a reason people still love The Dead Boys.
       In the spirit of said Dead Boys, we�ve got The Mullens.  All I can say is WOW!!!  This stuff blazes all over and it really does owe a debt to everyone�s favorite sonic reducers, but there�s also a garage snarl to it. Whatever... their self-titled debut for Get Hip is one of the absolute best things I�ve heard in the past six months.  Every time I throw it on, I get an urge to supercharge and leave the air burning in my way.  From the kickoff of �Step On The Gas� on into the follow-up, �That Lip� (which gets a bit more chunky and even throws a hint of the Heartbreakers into the background), this one keeps up the energy throughout.  I�m desperately hoping they�ll leave their Dallas, TX stomping grounds and hit the Northeast this summer sometime.  There�s something truly on fire about The Mullens, a burning heat that has them drinking sand and spewing it in every direction just for fun.  Choppy rhythm and sizzling guitar, thrown together with a snotty vocal and it comes together beautiful.  �I Stink� is another favorite, frenetic in its pace it reminds me of The Boyfriends� �I Don�t Want Nobody (I Want You)� to some extent.  Then there�s �Not So Nice� that sees them further towards early Saints� sounds than anything else, except that they�re moving much faster.  It just has me dreaming of what it�d be like to see these guys with the right audience, one that was primed to explode, �cuz I can�t imagine anything less being worthy of them.  I almost blew out a pair of speakers cranking this one out... it�s just the kind of thing that screams for attention, practically biting you the whole way.  �All Fours� moves back to the slow side of mid-tempo, wavering in and out with some majestic chord-banging, just slow enough to ring in your mind and have a real effect.   (At least for the verses)  The more I listen to this, the more I realize it�s the kind of stuff that should�ve changed the face of rock�n�roll twenty years ago.  Unfortunately, things went wrong then.  Happily for us, then, The Mullens have updated it for toda and are playing with enough energy and passion that we can hear it and maybe even see them.  This is what rock�n�roll is all about.  I�m desperately hoping they�ll come up here and burn my ears.
..............................................................................
VINYL PARTIES

Size 7:
       First on our list is a 6-song EP from Larsen whose name I�m completely unaware of.  (Sorry, I don�t have a cover for it.)  The most gratifying thing about this comp is how into the 60s garage styles these bands are.  While each has its own take on the matter, they work well together.  Of course, I have my own picks.   The Waistcoats� �On My Way� goes for the measured side of garage R&B, recalling a bit of the Pretty Things.  At the same time, they don�t try to take it too easy, letting the punk snot flow freely in the guitar�s revelation that they see the truth.  On the other hand, I found The Stupid Baboons� take on �I Just Wanna Make Love To You� to be too freaky and fast. By now, you�ve probably already found out how much I�m into The Splinters.  Their track, �Love Is Not Everlasting� is the most garage-y of anything I�ve heard from them, mainly due to the clanging guitar sound.  Once again, the high female backing vocal adds an extra dimension.  The Coyotemen�s �You Can�t Be My Love� is filled with energetic garage-pounding, with the 60s influences ripped into the now by the collar.  The other tracks - The Roadrunners� �I�m Crying� and The Hermits� �What�s the Word� - are worthy additions, but the latter (also known as �Thunderbird�) suffers in comparison to that of The Raunch Hands about 12 years ago.
       Misty Lane presents Web of Mystery Vol. 2, with one band from each of four countries.  The Fiends represent Canada with the haunted garage of �Blinded By Love,� a fast oozing curdle that�s reminiscent of The Morlocks.  The US contestants are Thee Flypped Whigs, giving us �Preacher�s Daughter.�  The song itself is pretty cool, but unfortunately, it sounds like this was recorded in the practice space with the bass amp next to the recorder and everything else on the other side of the room.  It�s too bad, �cuz the organ, especially, sounds like it would otherwise be pretty cool.  Australia�s entry comes from The Breadmakers, doing an instro, �Stormville Groove,� that says its by the Stormville Shakers.  (Heck, for all I know, they made it up.)  Whatever, it�s swingin� 60s running for the psych line with the organ running the show, ending up somewhat reminiscent of the better sides by the James Taylor Quartet.  Finally, Misty Lane�s hometown favorites, The Others, check in with some true folk punk on �That�s All She Wrote,� with ringing guitar and a nice shove into the chorus to bring things to a boil.
       The fine folks at Solamente Records have teamed The Woggles with their pals in Hillbilly Frankenstein for a nice doubleheader.  The Woggles lead off with a live favorite, their version of Leiber & Stoller�s �Saved,� a throw-your-hands-up-and-shout-Hallelujah R&B shouter with low fuzz bass.  They finish off their end with a version of The Pretty Things� �Buzz the Jerk� that�s been soaking in the Professor�s secret sauce just long enough so all the juices have sunk in.  For their part, Hillbilly Frankenstein have contributed a couple of originals, �Raw Bone� and �Satan�s Circus.�  On the former, the guitar drives it hard, while it burns like mad in the latter.  It took me awhile to get used to the vocals, but eventually they fell into place.  I was quite thankful, as the instrumental track is just plain amazing on this one.

Size 10:
       Somehow, the record execs over at Middle Class Pig have teamed up The Hefners with a group called Schwarz for the label�s initial outing.  I first came across the Hefners while perusing alt.music.banana-truffle.  I suppose it was one of the band members (or maybe it was one of their friends), but a link to their web page came up in the sig.  I promptly filed it in my 60 Second Swinger folder for a glimpse back for the subsequent edition of said e-zine.  Once it was time to do it, I went over and checked out a couple sound clips.  As soon as I heard �Dance,� I was hooked.  The boys have a definite Childish influence, but they�ve molded it into something all their own.  They start struttin� right off with �The Walkin� Song,� describing both musically and vocally the way they�re styling their way down the street, practically having to push the girls out of their way.  Next, they proclaim their obsession with �Short Haired Girls,� singing that they �drive me wi-i-ild.�  Tell me �bout it, Buddy-Boy.  (Of course, I�m all for long-haired ladies, as well.  No discrimination here at the top of the TS hierarchy, Nosirree!)  I�m always a sucker for songs that start with some kinda spoken thing.  So when I heard them state, �Before you came along / I sang these sad, sad songs / Now that you are here / There�s just one more thing I want you to hear.�  What, you ask, does that turn out to be, �Love.�  That spoken bit kinda reminds me of The Contours� resolve in the beginning bit of �Do You Love Me?�  Like those guys, The Hefners don�t sit around mooning about their love; rather, they choose to celebrate it by rockin� out.  As I mentioned earlier, �Dance� captured me immediately.  Better yet, however, is hearing it straight through on the record, with the party noises adding to the effect of this instro playing the mood of a dance.  Just to get the vibe right, tho�, they�ve spiked the punch with some tremolo organ.  They finish off their side with �Fun (at the Playboy Mansion.�  Here�s something most guys have only dreamt of,  night at Hugh�s Heaven.  Love the lyrics, too, �Hugh�s a great host / Yeah, we go there all the time.�  Obviously, these guys are major wheels.  And they let this party rip, with some cool broken guitar type breaks.  C�mon boys, bring on the Bunnies and rip it up some more!
       What I don�t get is how the hell Schwarz took the other side?  Was there some kind of nepotism involved?  Were the only two bands this label had ever heard of The Hefners and Schwarz?  Did nobody else like the name of their label?  Where the Hefners gave forth with eight - that�s right, eight! - tracks, Schwarz manage a measly three.  This wouldn�t bother me at all, but they tend to be somewhere in that nebulous prog/psych/jazz area.  �Panamanic Sunset & Armenian Moon� (yeesh, if you�re gonna have a title like that, at least change it to something more science fiction-oriented!) reminds me of the free-form sections of The Doors� �The End.�  Unfortunately, there�s nothing that snaps the spine inside, neither musically nor lyrically.  In other words, it made me yawn.  What�s scary is that it�s probably the best track on their side.

Size 12:
       After hearing Volumes I & II of Motor City�s Burning (Total Energy), I�m not sure I want to hear more.  Sure, there�re some good tracks on each one.  However, there�s also a heavy dose of early 70s rock that does nothing more than remind me of how lousy a period that was for rock�n�roll.  A good many of the tracks on these comps were previously unreleased; in the case of, say The Up�s �71 �Come On� (interminable guitar wanking) and the boogie-rock of Uprising�s �73 �Long Hard Road� on Volume I, I certainly wish they�d stayed in the vaults.  They can take Bootsey X & the Lovemasters� �87 skronker, �Pusherman of Love,� with them.  The MC5 fare a bit better with �Looking At You� from �68.  This is decent power-psych, but nowhere near as cool as �Kick Out the Jams� or �Rambling Rose.�  Iggy & the Stooges� �Death Trip,� from �73, moves us back into the pocket.  Stee-rike!  Of course, if you�ve already got Year of the Iguana, this�ll be a repeat for you.  Things pick up on side 2 with Sonic�s Rendezvous Band�s �Electrophonic Tonic�, a �78 blast of real rock�n�roll, bringing to mind the MC5 translated straight into punkdom.  In other words, in the midst of punk, these guys have injected a shot of straight-up rock, hold the water.  The Ramrods� �I�m A Ramrod� is a �78 punker with a definite Iggy fixation, seeing as there�s more than a shade of �I Got A Right� makin� it work.  The Dirties close the first volume with �Asshole Boogie,� giving us some more of their screeching, pounding, craziness.
       The second volume starts with Iggy Pop & James Williamson doing �Consolation Prizes� from �77.  It�s a pretty nice look at the lighter side of Iggy, a pop track with a solid backbone, but, again, you may have it already on Jesus Loves the Stooges.  Most of the rest of side 1 is pure early 70s stuff that nobody I hang out with probably wants to listen to.  Detroit with Mitch Ryder is just proof that, while Mitch still had the voice, it was the Detroit Wheels that kept him rolling.  Obviously, these guys broke down in a bad part of town and had their car stripped.    And that�s one of the better of the non-Iggy tracks on side 1.  Of the other three, the one that truly galls me is �After Your Heart,� a 1972 track from SRC�s Lost Masters LP.  Listening to this, I kept thinking, �Maybe if they�d truly lost the masters on this, then Styx would never have happened.�  Yeah, this isn�t quite that bad, but just take one or two more illogical steps and you�ll find your way to �Come Sail Away.�  Blech.  The saving grace of this LP (of both volumes, in fact) is the second side of this one, with ? & the Mysterians, The Hentchmen, The Gories, 10 High, and The Silencers.  What�s sad is that the weakest track is the Mysterians� �Love Says.�  It�s not bad, but it is lightweight pop that doesn�t show off the band�s abilities.  For instance, the sax on here could�ve easily been cut out and Bobby Balderrama�s guitar cranked up (to make it audible.)  The Gories� �Queenie� was done in their rehearsal space and, consequently, suffers in sound quality, but it does make me wish I could�ve been there.  I�m reminded of just how great a band they actually were.  The other tracks are just as strong as you�d expect from these groups.
       I have to wonder at the choice to only hand over ten tracks on each LP.  Personally, I would�ve cut out some of the early 70s junk and subbed in more punk, plus some better recent material, like the Demolition Doll Rods, Rocket 455, The Detroit Cobras, and the Dirtbombs.  Need 80s stuff, instead of Bootsey X, how about throwing in the Hysteric Narcotics! For now, however, if you�re going to pick one of these up, definitely make it Volume II. Of course, I hear they also released these on disc with 5 extra songs, so your mileage may vary.

       One segment of the French rock�n�roll Mafia has banded together to produce We Are A Happy Family? (Bloodbrother).  The eight bands included not only have been in previous acts together, but in many cases are doing at least double-duty.  Most of the groups on here appear to still be together.  My French is extremely rusty (in fact, I�d be embarrassed to try and speak it at this point), but I believe only Les Godzillas are among the dearly departed.  (And even that could be wrong; I only took French to satisfy my language requirement, anyway.  Nothing against them, it�s just that it didn�t interest me at the time.  Now, of course, I regret that.) As long as we�ve pulled Jacko�s old bunch out of the hat, let�s stick with them.  For their part, they give us �Tu Perds Ton Temp� and �Lisa, Lisa,� a couple shots of trashed-out 60s Beat a la The Downliners Sect and The Pretty Things.  The Loud Mufflers (featuring No-Talents� singer Cecilia Maneau banging the kit) are more into the wild 50s side of things, with an instro called �Battery Explosion� and a cool version of �309�.  Los Kogars are the surf/instro act to watch on here, with a version of Link Wray�s �Ace of Spades� and their own �Ape Rape.�  For the Mods in the audience, meet Bang.  On �Another Sickness� they sound like the lighter side of the early Who, with the falsetto vocal singing over the lead.  On �Straight Shooter� they dig the fuzz without sacrificing their identity.  Les Teckels, the only group to have three tracks on here, are also the only act I don�t much like.  Of course, I�m not into the Oi! thing.  Fans will also be happy to note that this LP includes two tracks each from Steve & The Jerks, The No Talents, and The Splash Four.  I hear there were only about 500 of these printed up, so you�ll have to keep your eyes peeled.

       From the fine folks at Misty Lane comes Love Is A Sad Song, a collection of mid-60s tracks that have a common theme: the guy�s been dumped.  In other words, most of these are �cry-in-your-beer� laments/pleas/whiners.  (Well, OK, in many cases it�s more like �cry-in-your-Coke� since they were probably zit-faced teens.)  My only complaint with this comp is that so many of them are just plain old ballads.  I mean, nothing against ballads, but throwing them all together can be kind of wearing.  I kept wanting to tell these guys to get a grip and turn that sadness to rage.. it�s just so much more satisfying!  That said, there are some excellent tracks on here.  The Mor-Loks �There Goes Life� has a nice ringing folk-punk sound with a pleasant melody.  �Don�t Walk Away� comes from The Cherry Slush, the same bunch who gave us �I Cannot Stop You.�  Funny thing is, I like this one even more.  It�s got a pretty sound and enough of a beat to set it apart.  I kept wondering what the hell was wrong with The Trips.  These guys have just been tossed in the trash and left in the gutter and all they can do is sing, �At Least She�s Happy.�  Yeesh, you got it bad, pal!  Who the hell cares how she feels, buddy?  She�s obviously erased you from her mind, you might consider yourself for a bit.  Yell!  Scream!  What, you really thought singing about it, putting it on a record, and then playing it at shows was gonna get it out of your system?  Hell, NO... it�s not even like you�re gonna get a break when you�re older.  Some label�s gonna come along and comp it and some old high school numbnuts friend of yours will bring it to your 30th high school reunion and show you.  Then you�re gonna bum out all over again, �cuz you�ve just been thru a friggin� divorce and there�s the damn girl you wrote the song about, sitting right over THERE with the guy she dumped you for.  And you, loser, are probably gonna play your damn 45 over and over again.  Let this be a lesson to all you youngsters out there.  The LP ends up with the title track by The Grdes.  Now here�s the theme done to perfection. Sure, it�s a bummer, but these guys were masters of the form.  Personally, I think they should�ve started with this one, just in case someone committed suicide before they got to it.
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SIX SIDES OF THE MANTS

       The Mants are coming on strong as one of the bands to watch on today�s garage scene.  These guys are wild and raw and they prove it all over again on The Mant From U.N.C.L.E. (Lance Rock).  First up is �Friends To None,� an instro explosion that just keeps on spewing chunks rapid-fire thru the noggins of whatever chump chances to blunder into its way.  Crank the stereo way up and your ears�ll start bleeding with pleasure from the pummeling they�re gonna get.  It�s like these guys are going after you with spiked gloves.  The guitars are serrated and each one�s on fire.  Down below they command you to �Bow To Your Masters.�  These guys come on like The Rip-Offs with a more garage bent.  It�s kind of what you�d get if you crossed those guys with their pals, The Mummies, then stole Man or Astro-Man?�s collection of SF/spy samples.  They finish off this one with a quickie instro called �Fuzz From Planet X� with a heavy-handed guitar spitting out chunks of nasty throughout.
       Now, my copy of the above 45 came with a special bonus second slab packed in.  Up top�s another shot of cool called �The Red Monkey,� again minus vocals except for some crazed yelping here and there.  This one�s got a cleaner (but hardly scrubbed) guitar sound and falls more on the garage side of the fence than punk.  Next is another one, heavier and meaner, called �Creeper,� no words at all.  Yeah, these guys do a ton of instros and it�s like... instead of merely saying, �Let us demonstrate to you that all instrumental rock be not surf,� they decide to shove their punked out version of Davie Allan & The Arrows down your throat and thru the other end.  �So, uh... what�s on the other side of this here bonus disc?�  Same stuff, McGuff.  Here comes that squeakin� Red Monkey all over again, finishing off with that �Run Chicken Run�-styled guitar bit at the end, then on into �Creeper� just to ram it all home.  Personally, I think this goes the one-sided 45 concept one better.  (�Specially since you�re gonna be spinnin� it so much that you�re bound to wear one side all the way down.)

       Meanwhile, the band�s also put out I Smell Woman on Estrus.  The feature track manages to combine dirty garage and good-time fun.  It�s sorta like a guy whose tongue�s practically at his knees �cuz of the particularly curvaceous hottie across the room... then she turns around and catches his eye and - just when he�s about to break eye contact and turn lobster-red - she hits him with a dazzling smile that says that no harm�s done.  Everything�s cool and they both walk away happy.  On the flip, you�ll find a couple of instrumentals.  The first, �Countdown to Mant Attack� isn�t surf, but it does occasionally catch sight of a wave, albeit one of a ferocious Mant attack heading right this way.  Finally, the band provides you with a sample bottle of �Insecticide� to ward off whatever pests are, umm... pestering you.  Be they nosy neighbors, ne�er-do-well no-goodniks, or nasty nincompoops, just give �em a blast of this one and thank the Mants for setting you free.
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THE SPLINTERS

       From France we meet The Splinters.  According to Denis (who�s also in the Slow Slushy Boys), they played together for six months, doing some shows and laying down nine tracks in the Larsen studio. Basically, says Thee Slushy Ruin, �I wanted to play with two friends of mine (Jyle, drummer of the Juanitos and Joe Tequila, ex-bassist of the Vindicators and ex-singer of the Santa Cassine Kids) and record new songs. And we did it.�
       Is That You? (Wiped Out) is a collection of three different types of 60s-sounding tracks, all modernized (in a good way), partially with some weird kind of distorto effect on the vocal.  This is especially apparent on the girl-group inspired title track.  This is my fave cut, with a real longing/wanting feel played just right.  �Old Crock� is more upbeat, adding a garage-pop feel, yet with the vocal still slightly bent.  The high backing vocals on here add a nice feel.  �Prozac Stomp� could have been killed by the near-unintelligible vocals (of course, that might be the point).  However, this call-and-response dance number revs it up nicely past the �Don�t You Just Know It� batch into the passing lane.
       The group also handed over a few songs to Larsen.  In general, there�s not as much vocal effect on them, making the lyrics more intelligible (so it�s easier to sing along, should you so desire.)  �Caroline� is more on the pop side of 60s garage, with a little bit of soul.  �Nobody Knows� begins with a cool bass groove, soon joined by an organ.  Throw in some excellent response-style backing vox and you�re almost in Soul Central.  The whole thing is suddenly shaken up, though, by a guitar wrenching it towards the garage.  Both this one and �Motherly Mum� (whose special guest organist is Denis� 12 year-old son, Axel) are strongly reminiscent of The Slow Slushy Boys� 10� also reviewed this ish.  That final number is again on the soul R&B side, albeit with a bit more of a 50s hint.  Fans of the Kravin� A�s may also hear some of that group�s sweeter sides popping up in this one.  Extra points for the pretty backing vocals.
       For now, The Splinters are inactive.  But Denis says it�s quite possible they�ll play together again sometime in the future.  However, for the past two months he�s been playing with a new trio called Stompin� Harvey & The Fast Wreckers (two guitars and drums.)  As for The Splinters, they�ll have a track on a Mahoi Records EP with The Early Hours, The Satelliters, and Dollybird, as well as another one on the second volume in a French garage comp series that Denis is putting out.
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STRUMMIN� MENTAL

       MuSick Recordings is making a name for itself in instrumental rock�n�roll circles.  Besides the Eddie Angel and Omega Men material discussed last issue, they�ve got the Evening In Nivram Shadows� tribute out (see Comped! � ed.) as well as a couple new discs by The Fathoms and The Space Cossacks.
       The Fathoms jump Overboard on their disc.  The band�s sax definitely helps define their sound, which has heaps of straight-on surf, but also throws in some delicious spicy snacks.  �The Haunted Shore� is truly well-defined, musically speaking.  The guitars play an eerie emptiness that manages to define a hidden cove that�s bound to be filled with the ghosts of pirate ships past.  The sleazy sax on the slow, low-down �Cruisin� The Zone� somehow brings to mind a Quentin Tarantino character driving a big old convertible down 11th Avenue around 1 AM on a Friday night, looking over the goods.  �Turquoise Blue (and Primer Gray)� picks up the tempo with a �Tequila� background and a sax out for a rooftop all-nighter after picking up his date for the evening at a local bar.  �Tracking Bigfoot� has more of a clip-clop Western feel, although it�s a bit faster than you might expect.  Just about everything on here�s worth your time, but more high marks are due �Git My Goat� and their version of �The Hearse.�
       Also in the MuSick stable are The Space Cossacks.  Their new one is called Interstellar Stomp and most of the titles found on it are science fiction based.  First is a version of �Third Star to the Left,� a track that actually sets the tone for much of the disc - space themed, but more cold, hard Gregory Benford-style SF compared to MOAM?�s Lucky Starr, Space Ranger style.  Tracks like �Red Sunrise� (slightly quicker than its predecessor) fit into this mold.  Personally, I don�t find �Solaris Stomp� to be spirited enough for the second word of its title, but it is a well-executed, mid-tempo clean picker.  Rattled around in the wrong hands, �Neutron Sabre� could be mighty dangerous.  Here it is wielded by the masters and an exhibition of austere beauty and grace is the result, as it twinkles and darts in its deadly dance.  On a distant planet in a remote, as yet unspoiled corner of the galaxy, there is a planet made of thousands of small islands with beautiful shores.  Of these, �Black Sand� is the most beautiful, with it�s distinctive coloring and gentle tropical breezes.  �The Cossack� is one of the non-space themed tracks, it goes for the other half of their name and is quite the lively surf screamer, taking chances with every wave, but riding somewhere on the Black Sea.  The last track I�d like to mention is �Transatlantic Orbit.�  Now this one cooks!  It�s got a wild western gallop feel to it, kind of what you might expect from an OK Corral showdown out in the Asteroids.  I�ll be looking forward to gigs by this bunch.

       OK... let�s go trippin�.  The gang down at Solamente Records HQ in Brooklyn, USA sent their talent scouts in search of some of the swingin�est surf sounds of the South and those inebriated wastrels actually did the job, bringing back a pair of tracks each from The Penetrators (Tuscaloosa, Alabama) and The Space Cossacks (Fairfax, Virginia).  The home office head honchos, believing they�d finally have a good reason to trim some excess fat from the employee roster (and thereby cut the costs to the corporate health plan) were rather taken aback when these two losers actually returned to town and were suspicious when told the two had actually found the goods.  Still, they figured they had to give a listen, so they took the tapes and gave �em a listen (while the talent scouts surreptitiously went thru the liquor cabinet).  Surprise!  This stuff turned out to be just what the company needed.  So, the mucky-mucks called down to marketing and gave �em the scoop, asking for advice on just how to package this.  The only guy left down there (hey, it was a Friday afternoon in the summer) was the guy from the mailroom delivering the latest ish of Skin Is In, a, umm... trade journal.  So this pimply guy answers in squeak-tone, �Uh... howzabout, The Penetrators meet The Space Cossacks?�  And so it came to be, with The Penetrators winning the coin toss and opting for first ride.  Their opening shot is �Redlined� and they do just that, catching the biggest one in sight and riding it hard all the way, getting every bit of force that sucker has and sucking every erg of energy out of it.  Their second ride is �The Truant,� an instrumental storyboard letting you know just what the antihero is doing with his day off (filling up the cooler with some cold ones, then hitting the surf till the crowd hits, when he�ll take up residence in the coolster�s spot in the dunes.)  His rides aren�t as wild as those in �Redlined,� but they�re still pretty revved, anyway, even if it�s kinda cloudy out.  (Heck, what could be bad about a day out of scool, impressing the gals on the beach?)
       The Space Cossacks choose the �Neutron Sabre� as their number one weapon.  They let things sing out, slowing things down here and there to let the melody have its way, showing you the beauty of their chosen method of destruction.  On the other hand, they pick things up, guitars screaming to let you feel the sabre�s point when you�ve got too much of a smile on your face.  Next, they exit the water and let the opposition have a ride while they cue some aquatic pals for a �Shark Attack.�  They sit there on the beach drinking a cold one with a huge smile on their faces, singing joyfully about what the opposition is encountering.  Cold-blooded, these Space Cossacks.  My kinda people.

       Those Space Cossacks just can�t stop, can they?  They team up with label-mates The Fathoms to bring us yet another split seven-incher.  The two tracks here are solidly in the SF instro camp.  The guitar on �Red Sunrise� shoots forward into the sunrise of this planet�s red giant primary.  On �Space Probe� they move at mid-tempo like a marshal in the Badlands riding his territory.  The guitar sings of the loneliness of space that the brave hero must encounter.  Roberta says he combats some of his loneliness with Tri-D vids like �Barbarella Does The Badlands.�  Sure, it�s confiscated contraband, but a man�s gotta do what a man�s gotta do.
       The Fathoms bring us back to Earth with a theme called �Fathomized.�  There�s lots happening, musically speaking, on both this and �Commanche.�  The latter is the truly astounding contribution, with some really great jazzy/Latin parts.  A drunken sax spews happiness into a smoky bar; the percussion breaks heat up the dance floor with the sound of sex; the guitar joins in with some jazzy fun; the bass plays the heartbeat.  This split may be the best instro release I�ve heard this ish.

       The first non-MuSick release on the CD side comes courtesy of Continental Records, another fairly young label.  For their first full-length outing, they�ve brought us The Del-Vamps� Play With Fire.  Like The Omega Men, they do some vocals in addition to their instro numbers, although these tracks are a distinct minority.  Four Fireballs� tracks kick it into gear.  Of these, �Yacky Doo� and �Rik-A-Tik� are the best.  The former starts out moody, but soon picks up steam and makes way for a sprightly little guitar-picker.  The second is more good-natured stuff that�ll remind you a bit of a bit of Buddy Holly without vocals, something that shouldn�t come as a surprise, since the Fireballs recorded with Norman Petty.  The first original, �Drag Strip,� begins a pattern that appears on many of the tracks, wherein the guitar�s mixed way too far down when it really ought to be taking precedence.  The drums, on the other hand, dominate while everything else is buried.  This one does pick up the pace, even if the recording drags it down.  Too bad, �cuz I think this one would really fly, otherwise.  Somehow, though, it leaves me wondering if they used a studio or just put one mic in the room (and too close to the drums at that.)  �You�ve Got Me By The Brain� and �About Me� are the vocal numbers, both trashy garage, with cool fuzz and leering snarls at the mic.  Most of the instro originals are full-on surf tracks.  �Mister Lou� is the strongest, with the guitar nice and big and flying around with double-picked madness.  I don�t know the origins of �Faraway Places� (the credit says the band arranged it), but the guitar line sings kinda like part of �Sloop John B.�  I wonder if they�ve got the same grandparents.  The two hidden tracks include a short spoken Simpsons� goof, as well as a �live� track.  Except for the sound quality objections I noted earlier, this is a nice debut.
       Los Mel-tones� Surf Before Sunrise (Halakahiki) has acted as the soundtrack for my internet sessions for the past week or so here at TS HQ.  (Nothing like surf music for surfin�.  OUCH!)  The title cut checks in as the first wave and its obvious these guys don�t let the day creep over them, but rather go for a sprightly ride right off.  No time for grogginess, either, as they must then fend off the �Return of the Surfin� Headhunters.�  (Yeah, I know... you thought those buggers woulda known when they were beat after the major drubbing they took last time out.)  Evidently, these guys also like to let their guitars sing about their wheels, as on �Custom Cruiser,� which sounds like just the rod to go hunting for honeys in, as it creeps along the seashore, top down for maximum girl-watching action.  �Fault Line� is noteworthy for the ethereal, wordless female vocal that pops up once or twice, kinda like some Star Trek theme with a more inviting smile.  One thing that always floats my personal tote-boat is a slow, night-time melodic instro number.  These guys do themselves proud on �Sands Go Vermilion,� reminding me just why I�m planning on spending more time this summer out at the beach my brother lifeguards at.  This track brings those evening BBQ�s readily to mind - time to recall an excellent day in the sun, hang out with some good friends and your best gals, and plan for the next one as if it�ll never end.  There�s more to Los Mel-tones� collective life than cars, girls, and surfin�.  No, we�re not really talking beer, but fermentation of sorts does find its way in, as they wax instrumental �In Praise of the Lime,� that key ingredient in many exotic beverages, played here by a swingin�, yet altogether cool, combo organ.  Squeeze on, my green-skinned friend!  As it turns out, the boys also dig the spy vibe, as is shown on tracks like �Special Assignment,� �Infrared,� and �Villa of Mysteries.�  Of course, they�re also into luaus and all associated with them, as seen in �Polynesian Adventure� and �Breakers at Hanali.�  They finish, quite rightly, with an upbeat, straight-up double-picked reverb killer entitled �The Last Papaya.�  So many readings are possible so as to boggle a misbegotten English prof�s mind. Me, I like simplification - this one�s a ravin� good time, as is the whole disc.  All hail the surfin� sultans of the St. Lawrence - Los Mel-tones!

       Ten years ago there were few, if any, instro bands out there.  In the past five or so, however, it seems like you can�t flush the toilet without someone starting up a surf outfit.  (Yeesh!  Talk about lack of privacy!)  Now, the thing is, as with any musical style, the more there is of it, the lower the percentage of quality.  In fact, after awhile, I start getting downright bored with it.  Too many bands seem to just catch a wave and let it carry then in toward shore, forgetting that you�ve gotta DO something with it to get those style points.  Worse yet, so many people think that the only kind of instro rock that can possibly exist is surf.  Not so, folks... try listening to Link Wray, will ya?  Thing is, few out there can do Link justice.  (Rick Miller of Southern Culture is one.)  When I first read the description of The Switch Trout I wasn�t as excited as I might�ve been five or six years back, when the idea of an instro act was something somewhat new.  But then came my next helping of Estrus Crust with the group�s Rod Action EP.  Up top was �Shake Some Rod Action,� writhing and twisting with an amphetamine shakin� fit.  This guitar was workin� to drive the devil out.  �Jack Pot� took over, letting up a bit, but putting on a more dangerous air, then jamming the gears for a bit before downshifting... then blasting off yet again.  Flippin� it over, I found �In The Kitchen,� which must be a reference to the meatier taste of this stew.  Nice and filling, but hot, Hot, HOT!  �Cyclone� finishes it off, guaranteed to pick up Dorothy and Toto and fling �em to kingdom come, leaving said Kansans with extremely bad hair after they�re forced to wiggle their respective butts off.  Now this is an instro record I�ll be playing for quite some time to come.

       The Boss Martians� first recordings with new drummer Joel �Jet� Trueblood (of Untamed Youth fame) come on The Intoxicating Sounds EP (Continental).  On the �Continental Theme,� they drive their woody straight up Surf Ave. on a beautiful morning; time to get trippin�.  After a fine day in the sun, it�s time to hit the lounge for liquid refreshments.  They call out for �More Booze, Less Ice,� musically recalling a day of excellent rides, some near spills, and that incredible wave that was just barely out of reach.  The problem with the �More Booze� theory is what begat the one vocal track on here, �Rob Roy�s Revenge.�  That�s right, this track fondly warns that the in-hatch must sometimes do double-duty for out-flow.  And somehow it just doesn�t taste quite as good going backwards.  They finish up the night by going for a �Highball At Hatty�s,� their favorite libation at every good surfer�s favorite watering hole.  By now, everyone�s well-lubed and a staccato-guitar picks its way around the floor, singing of the eternal moment.
       The Italian combo I Cosmonauti have the right idea, but their Sea Storm EP (Misty Lane) ends up sounding fairly pedestrian.  The version of �Hawaii Five-O� seems unnecessary, as does �The Cossack.�  However, �(Death of a) Matador� is a nice depiction of bullfighting that moves the group a bit more towards the spaghetti western sound.
       Evidently, The Phantom 5ive suffer from Road Rage (Misprint).  The title track, especially, is filled with a nice big fat production that makes this pop nicely.  They run fast and wild on this road, flipping off whoever gets in their way, resulting in the inevitable CRASH!  On the flip they make a powerful run through The Ventures� �Ginza Lights� before reaching deep down for the best of the lot.  �Jeopardized� is a hyperdriven version of the �Jeopardy� theme fed thru a hot rodblower on the way to the beach.  Bright and fun.
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CD COMPS

THE NOW:
       (You�re Only As Good As)  The Last Great Thing You Did is Lookout�s �Artist Exhibit 1997.�  Listening to this one, you�ll soon realize just how damn much these guys have to be proud of.  I won�t lie and say I love everything here, but with releases by The Hi-Fives, Mr. T. Experience (who managed two Lookout releases in �97), Auntie Christ, The Smugglers, Squirtgun (quirky pop-ska with occasional punk thrashing), The Phantom Surfers, The Groovie Ghoulies (like MTX, appearing twice), The Go-Nuts (for those who missed their Robert Earl Hughes release, their �Snik Snak Skaduliak� is an absolute must), The Crumbs, the Bomb Bassets, The Parasites, and The Queers (with one of my favorite song titles of the year, �This Sandal Shit Has Got To Stop.�  It�s true that not everything on here�s absolutely great, but it�s a damned great comp and... Geez, as I write this, they�ve got it listed on their web-site for four bucks.  Yeah, FOUR BUCKS!!!  Yeesh, what more do you want?
       Nothing Beats A Royal Flush, subtitled �18 Classic Canadian Crap-Outs� not only features some incredible rockinroll, but also the band choices for their royal flush. The Shinolas (who use American Standard), with syrupy organ, swirl down with �Aqua Vulva� and get the seat nice and warm.  Maow get the honor of second squat (using a hole in the floor) with �Rebecca Lash� playing it up in female r�billy style with that same punk-spunk they showed on their debut disc.  (Hey, when are they gonna get around to another one?  Bad enough that you didn�t make it here on tour last year, gals, but don�t leave me hangin�, huh?)  Ever since I heard the demo cassette by The Knurlings a couple years back I�ve been hoping to get some more stuff by �em.  �Cemetary Stomp� is a nice monster-garage rewrite of �Devil Dance.�  Extra points for the creep-tone organ.  Huevos Rancheros chime in with �Trouble a-Brewin�,� a solid instro trip through the badlands.  I know quite a few people who�d thrill to see a title like �Skeleton Hill 90210,� thereby giving Curse of Horseflesh a listen when they might otherwise just not bother; good thing   they deliver the instro goods once again.  Things turn straight down the dirty back alley when The Fiends turn on the fuzz for �Just In Case You Wonder,� nasal snot vocals, dancing keys and all.  And then The Mants dive into the dumpster and come up with a �Brass Knuckle Sandwich,� emerging dirty and smelling like, well... last Tuesday�s lunch, but the sound�s just what you�d expect from a bunch of guys who dove deep and found a treasure such as this.  The Tonics chip in with �Mindbender,� a garage instro that completely switches gears about 30 seconds in, then shifts back about 20 seconds later.  Cool and stretching out, without giving an inch.  The Von Zippers take on �Betty Lou Got A New Tattoo� and trash it up like nobody�s business.  This bunch is becoming one of my favorites.  The Irritations punk it up in a sorta r�billy hiccough way, but more frenzied.  I was real psyched to find the good folk at Roto-Flex also got The Spaceshits involved with this project, �cuz they�re another of my current fave groups, playing a part somewhere between The Devil Dogs and Teengenerate.  Their �Backseat Boogie� is another highlight of this disc.  Things finish off with Chixdiggit�s �2000 Flushes Yellow.�  This may be the best track I�ve heard from them (although I shudder to think about being anywhere near that particular bowl.)
       Staying in the same geographic area, we�ll move back a little bit in time for On Guard For Thee (Au-go-go).  First on the battlefield are The Von Zippers with �Mega Volt� and they certainly fire their energy weapons with gusto.  The Stand GT handle the second wave, preferring to beguile their enemy with melody while still keeping the beat.  Cub stand up and the enemy thinks they�ve got everything figured - after all, these gals are s�posed to be nice.  Too bad, suckers, �cuz the gals tell �em to �Get Off The Road� (otherwise you�ll be consumed.)  The Smugglers appear with a real raver named �Babe,� not quite in whatever passes for normal territory for them, but definitely a potent shot.  Crash 13 were an unknown quantity and the enemy tried general defenses.  Sorry, suckers, but �Maybelline� is filled with a delightful melody, upbeat rhythm, and excellent backing vocals in all the right places.  The stakes get raised with, �Does anybody give a SHIT? / Does anybody give a Flying Fuck!?!?�  Yeah, the enemy started feeling bad for poor Maybelline.  I�ve been pretty psyched about The Tonics of late, probably �cuz I love that damn organ so much.  Here they chip in with an instro called �Astro Turf� that gives the enemy some nasty-ass rugburns.  OK, so maybe it�s not deadly, but... that HURTS!  Like anyone else with any musical taste a couple years back, I was a big Bum fan.  Here they remind their opponents about �Mrs. Rock�n�Roll.�  Some time later The Stinkies get their turn and use �Whipped Cream & The Lonely Bull,� a mix of instro guitar tripping that practically has their enemy applauding.  Who wants to fight when you�ve got guys like this on the other side?  It all ends when The Evaporators bring on the �Grouse Mountain Scenic Railway.�  At this point, it�s obvious to the other side that it�s time to leave town, what�s left of their tails tucked between their legs.
       Some of the liner notes to Fuzzy Logic (RPM USA) suggest that this is a modern garage comp.  I disagree.  I think it�s quite true that garage is represented on here.  Listen, for instance, to the killer sounds presented by The Walking Screams on �And I Know.�  The Letdowns �Hot Topic� certainly qualifies, too, with the organ dancing around as guitar chunks fly out the windows till the chorus, when they lean out the window and all hang a big moon at whatever they happen to be passing.  The Bent Sceptres do a solid job with �All Around The World,� too.  The Dweebs might also be lumped into the garage camp, too, although their track, �Girl Called Maybe� isn�t all that close to Garage Central.  Still, it�s in the neighborhood, anyway.  Garage Sale finish up the disc with �One More Time� and they�re definitely crunching it up in the style their name might suggest.  Somehow, tho�, the vocal sounds like Tim �The Toolman� Taylor when he starts going into that macho-guy voice thing.  Anyway, what I�m saying is that I wouldn�t call this a garage comp.  That�s OK, though, �cuz there�s some other cool stuff.  For those who haven�t heard The Botswanas, this�ll give you a chance to hear �Soul Kiss,� one of their absolute best numbers.    Their labelmates, The Big Bad Johns also appear, donating their �hit,� �Double Wide.�  Serene Dominic & the Semi-Finalists sound better here than I remember them on a 45 a year or two back.  �$100 Weekend� is pretty solid gritty rock�n�pop.  There�s also some nice power pop with hints of The Replacements, courtesy of Max Mueller on �Right Time.�  Then there�s The Beltways, chipping in with �West Virginia Bound,� enjoying the rockin� side of country-rock.  No, it�s not country, and it�s not wimpy.  Hmm... maybe The WFBJ�s term, �Rig Rock� is better for this one.  Overall, Fuzzy Logic is a solid comp.  If you�re only looking for one particular genre, though, you�re not going to get what you�re looking for.  On the other hand, somebody looking to hear some sounds they�ve yet to experience might ruly enjoy being turned on to some cool stuff.
       Unsound is envisioned by its creators as a series designed to �make great home-recorded music available to the general public.�  The debut offering is Volume 1: Pop (To M�Lou) which features 24 tracks by 18 different acts.  Perhaps the most interesting thing to me is that many of these tracks sound better than many regular studio recordings.  First up is Jeremy Morris, who appears with �The Actor,� a number that sounds quite close to The Beatles� �A Day In The Life� at various points.  His other contribution, �Where Were You?� reminds me of a mellower version of the lazy side of early Cheap Trick, kind of dreamy with the vocals kind of flowing over your ears like a gentle stream.  Ed James shows up with a truly infectious number called �Party At Joe�s.�  Personally, this would�ve been my choice to lead off this collection, as it�s an upbeat pop number that kinda reminds me of being under 10 in the early 70s and listening to WABC.  I�ve been finding myself singing this one quite a bit when my mind�s on a completely different track.  Ed�s other offering, �Turn It Around,� is also a nice piece of 70s AM pop, but beyond the sweet-sounding vocal, it doesn�t appeal to me, perhaps because it�s simply �too 70s� for my own personal tastes.  Ed also appears as part of Pet The Pig! (the group members are denoted as Grunt, Squeal, and Oink) with a track called �Talk Show.�  Personally, I�d place it musically right between Ed�s two solo tracks on here, with a slight nod to Joe Jackson�s �Is She Really Going Out With Him?� in the bass part at the beginning.  (The lyrics are kinda fun, tho�.... �Injections of silicone and hip reductions / when she travels it�s by alien abduction.�)  The Welcomats start �Tattered & Frayed� with a descending bit that reminded me of �Waterloo Sunset� but gave way to a sort of nouveau rockabilly kick.  The energy on this one puts it in line for one of my fave tracks on the disc.  These guys show up twice more on the disc, first with �She Gets Around� (atmospheric twangin�) and then �Emerald City,�which gets into a sort of end-of-the-world bit, with the keys eventually coming in for a sort of redemption at the end, leaving you hanging out to wonder where the story goes from there.  The Joe Ward Trio features a woman named Liz Corrigan singing a song called �To The Kiss� that reminds me a bit of the slower, more introspective moments of the early Pretenders.  While Ms. Corrigan�s voice is a bit higher than Chrissy Hynde�s, the same feeling comes about as some of the more tender moments of Pretenders I or Pretenders II.  Aaron Skye offers up �Susie�s Song,� a dreamy, sometimes shimmering, melody that, even after the first listen, I found was already imprinted on my grey matter.  Lane Steinberg, according to the liner notes, has recently been recording as Noel Coward�s Ghost, but I seem to remember him being in The Wind around 1984.  �Frustration� is a pop-rocker that bangs nicely, yet offers the kind of chorus that�ll capture an audience completely unfamiliar with the band on-stage.  Lane�s other offering, �Living In A New World,� is one of the few actual scratchy entries on this disc.  On the other hand, it�s also a nice bouncy number that keeps it up with a big smile and even hits a carnival-type organ sound at various points.  When I was first listening to this, I was kind of letting it just sort of wash into me.  So when I heard �This Girl Of Mine� I jerked up in my seat.  HUH?  This was an old Tonebenders� song.  Well, a look at the track listing and I soon found out that the artist in question was ex-Tonebenders� bassist Mick Hargreaves appearing with The Ghost Rockets on a rearrangement of this old favorite of mine.  A 60s folk-rock melody with a slight pop bit going on is arranged with just enough twang to sound a bit different than Mick�s old band used to manage it.  I�m glad it�s included �cuz the only recording I have of this song is on a rapidly decaying tape the Tonebenders used to sell.  (I�d almost forgotten how much I loved those guys.)  I wasn�t sure how long I was going to be able to wait fr �Hurts� by Robin Stanley to get to the vocal.  A gentle acoustic strummed its way a bit longer than I felt was necessary.  However, when they got to it, the simple guitar melody chimed its way into my heart.  The surface noise on Ray Carmen�s �Save My Soul� is supposedly courtesy of an old Five Americans� 45.  The track itself is a toe-tapping pop number with the happy organ thrown high into the mix.  I first saw Shane Faubert play around 1984 with The Cheepskates, when they were a slightly different kinda thing on the NY garage scene.  Since then, Shane�s done a ton of records and has become a respected recording artist.  Here he appears with The Skyecats on a track called �Anybody Like You� that comes across as typically excellent Shane.  It�d be easy to just say this is more pretty just-past-mid-tempo pop, but that�s not good enough... if you know what Shane sounds like, well... that�s the only way I can get this across to you.  Oddly, Shane�s track is followed by Scott Finter�s �Outside Looking In� which reminds me a bit of The Cheepskates� �Christmastime With You� from one of the Midnight Christmas Mess comps.  The Breetles contribute �Restaurant Scene� and �Betsy Jean.�  The latter, while being a pretty basic-sounding production, is the one that appeals the most to me, with a nice touch of �Act Naturally� style Beatles.  While not the last track on the disc, the last artist to make an appearance on this disc is Gary and the Portastudio, also known as Gary �Pig� Gold.  Gary�s done tons of stuff over the years, so I won�t even try and catalog it (although I will tell you to look for his music writing, �cuz it�s some of my favorite).  �Goodbye To Greatness� is a simple pop number that owes something to both the Beatles and The Kinks, but is unmistakably Gary The Pig.  Overall, an excellent comp; one that reminds me that I should really be going to see some of these people play once in awhile.  I look forward to more volumes in this series.
       For some solid Garage-Punk action, you need look no further than Invasion of the Insectoids (GI Productions).  The Satelliters jump you in the alley and force you to listen to �I�m Crawling� as they pound it out primitive-style.  Super-snot vocals and an organ that plays the main riff throughout the chorus, but at other times pounds the same monotonous note till your skull disintegrates.  (Ah, Beauteous Noise!)  Mondo Topless contribute one of their best tracks to date with �Stomp.�  It�s taken quite awhile (not to mention numerous band members), but Sam and the boys are starting to put Philly back on the garage map.  Sam�s Vox dances and swirls throughout as the band romps around.  �I�ll Do Anything� has The Decibels, one of my favorite bands right now, sounding lots like one of my fave bands of the 80s, The Stems, in their early, straight-up garage period.  The Perverts contribution is a title that�s sure to piss off some activist types - �I�m Gonna Set Your Beautiful Body On Fire.�  Of course, if they�d just listen to it, they�d find out the boys aren�t trying to hurt anybody.  Au Contraire!  They�re just your normal lustful garage-niks, letting the fuzz reign, the guitar rip it up, and their hormones rage.  The Primate 5 join the fray with �The Devil Dance,� once one of the most potent weapons in the A-Bones� arsenal.  This one�s a bit trashier, but it�s still a damn good time.  A �Primitive Man� is what Lightning Beat Man claims to be.  Listen to this one and you may just agree.  I�m guessing he recorded this one at home.  Kinda reminds me of The Dootz on the Train to Disaster comp some years back.  All hell breaks loose when The Monsters break out of their cage.  Fast and furious, they assault everything in their path on �Out of My Life.�  A true garage barrage.  Wild and woolly, these guys are gonna get you whether your asleep or awake.  The Spider Babies are the perfect follow-up, moving a bit further into the punk direction.  The Neumans continue in the punk area, but they lighten the mood without losin the tempo.  The Silverkings, on the other hand, not only smash the lightbulbs and throw a cement block through the sliding glass doors, but they�re moving back towards the garage (probably to get a tire iron for some more fun vandalizing the neighborhood.  Can�t help but wondering if the house they started with was their parents.)  I gotta wonder if Beyond Lickin�s parents know about their moniker.  They say they �Don�t wanna wear a �Butt Plug,�� sounding kinda garage creepy, with a sort of Billy Childish-type vocal.  �Last Damn Pin� - that�s what The Gnats were after before their demise.  Sloppy and wild, these guys slid across into their neighbor�s lanes.  I�ve no idea if they managed to get their own �Last Damn Pin� in the end, but I�m sure they managed to swipe a couple beers from people in the next couple lanes over.
       Tiger Mask Trash Au Go-Go (Dionysus) came as an incredibly welcome surprise, seeing as I had no idea the concept had even been thrown together.  (I guess that�s gonna stun the bands, considering this has evidently been in the works for three years.)  Anyway, Tiger Mask is a club in LA that plays home to some of our fave rockin� combos when they swing thru Hollywoodland.  As it happens, it�s a pretty damn fine list, too.  The Neanderthals get things cracking from the get-go as the drums bash out �Too Many Nights In A Gin Mill� crisp and quick, soon to be followed by a band looking forward to yet another wild night of crazed fun.  WOW!  The Countdowns  bend the guitar riff to �Hey Mama Keep Your Big Mouth Shut� on �Pussy Stank� just enough to keep from getting the lawyers on their collective ass, playin� it over and over as a semi-instro as they occasionally declare, �Pussy Stank... and so do Marijuana!� before the guitar again lets it rip in true garage-punk/R&B style.  This one blows away most of what�s on their own disc.  I�d like to hear �em sounding more like this.  The Bomboras tell us about �Ilene� in perfect Untamed Youth style.  Heck, except for the vocal, I probably would�ve guessed this was the Youth bunch; the guitar sings out nice and clear and the organ sings along underneath as they party it up.  Excellent.  The Loons keep the party going, as Mike Stax raves on up top, letting the band do their own stomping the whole way through.  They bang it out in a cool British R&B style, something like a couple early Milkshakes tracks taken down & dirty.  I think I could go on about these guys all day.  I was pretty surprised to suddenly hear �Steppin� Out� steppin� outta my speakers.  Who was taking on one of my old Paul Revere faves?  The Boss Martians!  Somehow they sound a bit different here, probably due to the vocal adopting a lean and mean swagger.  Pretty cool hearing the BM�s gettin� scrappy.  I keep my Kap�n Korn Nut button in my desk at work and occasionally wear it.  Mr. Dietze, the business teacher once asked me about it.  Now I never stop hearing about it. This from a guy who collects casino chips.  (Next time, I�m gonna ask him how his buffalo chip collection is doing.  Seriously, tho�, he�s a great guy.  He even knew who Rat Fink was when he saw him on another button of mine.)  On this disc, The Go-Nuts provide us with a tale of the snacking habits of the animal kingdom, �Watering Hole,� which may just be their rockin�est track yet.  There�s far less horsing around on this (tho� it�s still present in abundance) and far more rock�n�roll fun.  Yeah, that�s right, they�re really letting it rip this time out.  The Bobbyteens and The Foxations are among my least favorite groups on this disc.  It�s not that they�re bad, it�s just that they�re up against some pretty hefty competition on this.  I have a feeling I�d probably be in rock�n�roll heaven seeing either of these groups at the club in question; it�s just that if they shared a bill with some of the other groups on here, they�d be outclassed in my mind.  The former bunch bring things outta the 50s and 60s and up to an updated version of the 70s punk/glam thing, with �I Did Not Love You/Gimmie Gimmie,� sounding kinda like a lower budget version of early Joan Jett, but a bit faster.  The latter bunch keep some of the punk spirit while the guitar plays a garage/R&B line (with an occasional nod to Cheap Trick�s �She�s Tight�).  Unfortunately, the vocal is a bit too scrunched to excite me.  The liner notes mention that The Saturn V Featuring Orbit�s contribution, �Long Time Ago� has a Coasters� feel to it. Can�t argue with that one, since there�s a definite storyline with bass vocal spoken interjections (kinda like on �Yakety-Yak.�)  This bunch gives forth with a truly enjoyable take on the late 50s/early 60s rock�n�roll good times sound.  I can�t help but be glad these guys exist.  We need more bands like this in our lives.  A real surprise to me was hearing The Untamed Youth do �Fight Fire.�  I mean, I�ve seen these boys play more than most people I know.  Hck, they�re easily one of my favorite bands in existence.  This song happens to be a long-time favorite of mine, going straight back to when I was about 19 and the song was immensely popular among the 80s garage set.  At first, it didn�t seem like the boys had a handle on it... but about 30-40 seconds in I suddenly realized they were getting a hold of it.  When they hit the instrumental break about halfway through, they suddenly reached escape velocity and rocketed straight out of the atmosphere.  After that, there was no turning back.  Now it�s the Thursday night before Memorial Day and I�m wishing I took Kelso up on her offer to drive out to Chicago to see the Youth play with SCOTS tomorrow night.  DAMN!  The Tiger Mask must be popular with the r�billy/swing crowd, too. Yeah, swing�s getting pretty damn popular these days, but... well, that doesn�t bother me in the least.  It just so happens to be fun music.  Rumble King�s �Musta Been Drinkin�� is a good time roller that�ll get anyone with a pulse itching to get out on the dance floor.  Psychobilly is often taken too far to the psychotic extreme.  �Vampire Love,� by The Phantom Rockers, isn�t that bad, but it�s also nothing special.  13 Kats are - with members of The Stray Cats, Rockats, and Polecats - sort of a rockabilly supergroup.  In fact, they sound quite like the better moments of their previous bands.  Many people I know say these guys� previous groups were complete crap.  It�s hard for me to agree with that.  Sure, I know The Stray Cats weren�t as authentic as some might have liked... or maybe they sounded too �put on� to be real.  But they were popular when I was in high school and, if it wasn�t for them, I might not have ever gotten into some of the cool 50s stuff that I did.  (Sure, I already had a love for some of it beforehand, but The Stray Cats - and, to a lesser extent, the Polecats and Rockats - made me dig deeper.)  Either way, these guys sound like they�re having a damn good time on �Hell Bop.�  Deadbolt�s �Magimbu� clocks in as a sort of �hrror-billy�/R&B; cool, but not essential.  The Huntington Cads play the surf straight up on �Ann Isabel,� providing the perfect set-closer.  Of course, that just sets the stage for the encore - one of the absolute BEST bands on today�s scene, The Hate Bombs, doing a killer take on �Cry Into The Night� (Q65).  What�s amazing is that, as good as their recordings are, the group�s live sets are umpteen times as great.  Putting it all together, Tiger Mask Trash Au Go-Go is a damn good collection of rock�n�roll.  A few tracks are weaker than the overall top-notch quality, but even those are better than bad.  (They�re good.)

THE THEN:
       Kim Fowley is one of those music biz enigmas.  Most garage fans know him from �The Trip� and for putting together The Runaways.  Now you can check out Outlaw Superman (Bacchus Archives), a collection of singles he either played on or produced from �62 - �77.  This is a wonderful collection of both oddities and real rockers.  It leads off with what Kim terms in the liner notes as a ��65 production of a �Sliver Sixties� Teenage Soap Opera,� although somehow it sounds to me as if it would�ve made more sense happening a couple years before that.  Basically, Debbie & Tommy are this high school couple that�ve been going steady for a couple years.  Debbie falls into La-La Land and we get an aural dream balloon wherein she dreams that she had Tommy want to tie the knot.  Well, her mom and dad are away for the weekend, so they call her sister to get her to help them out.  Well, she freaks and they start looking for friends who�ll help �em out.  Of course, all think they�re nuts.  Eventually, Debbie wakes up and has seen the light - she should wait till she graduates and she�s sure.  Ah, such are the �Memories of a High School Bride.�  Also credited to The Players (a Fowley confabulation) is �The Rebel,� another teen drama.  Next up are The Memories with �Little Bitty Girl� doing a cool �62 R&B raver.  The US Rockets present a �63 instro called �Bodacious� that chugs along nicely with some sax blowing hard over the top for awhile.  Johnny C. & The Blazes drop in for a couple instro tracks written by Fowley called �Inferno� and �Ebony.�  The first is notable for its instrumentation... there�s tons of it all over, with organ washes and lots of cool kitchen-sink quirks.  The second track looks more towards the basics, although there are still some interesting parts added.  A basic rock�n�roll rhythm augmented by some hipster-cool guitar sounds ably abetted by an organ sidekick.
       One of the coolest things about this disc is how beautifully Kim and Co. rip other tracks off.  My favorite of these is �Big Fat Alaskan� by Donnie and the Outcasts.  �I�m a big fat Alaskan / I ride a white polar bear.�  Ten Blubber Points to the genius who can figure out (without music) just what song�s being aped here.  The best part, however, is the semi-spoken interjections.  The first time you hear this one you�ll be rolling.  As if that wasn�t enough, however, Kim appears with Bo & Peep, doing �The Rise of the Brighton Surf.�
�There is a town called Brighton / It�s by the deep blue sea / Leather jackets and Bill Haley records (Oh yes) / That�s all that the eye, it can see / There was a Mod named Tony / Who had a Bird named Jill / He used to ride her on his scooter / And this used to give her a very deadly thrill.�
Uh, OK, so I�ve overdone it quoting the lyrics.  Sorry, but this is just too damned funny.  Is the source tougher to figure out from just the rewritten lyrics?  OK, then, 25 Mocker points to anyone guessing the answer on this one.  By the way, you don�t have to worry too much about what happens with the clash at Brighton, �cuz Kim has brought in the Martians to bring Peace, Love, and Rainbows.  (And if that wasn�t enough, you�ll get a real kick out of all the stuff he just throws in at the end.)
       Things really start raving, though, when The Grains of Sand show up with �Goin� Away Baby.�  Long-time garage fans already know this one, but it�s pretty wild hearing this in this context.  The organ plays the defining role as this rages all over the effin� place.  Sure, the guitar sets the rhythm, but the organ�s got the point and makes this one ride like a tilt-a-whirl.  Kim writes that �Golden Apples of the Sun� is the flip of that classic and that weirds me out.  This one�s pretty damn psychedelic for 1965, in a dark, anti-Paradise kind of way.
       The Laughing Wind pull in with �John Works Hard,� described by Fowley as a �garage Mersey treasure.�  It really does sound like it could be a Freakbeat treasure.  Working well as the follow-up for that is �Secret Police� by The Belfast Gypsies (also known as Them.)  Also dark, but this time further into the paranoid/desperate sound, frantically trying to hide.
       A few more psych selections follow, but I�ll pick it up with �Man Without A Country� by King Lizard, a Fowley composition that has a sound close to CCR.  The next track is the only one on the comp actually credited under Fowley�s own name.  Somehow, however, �Hound Dog Savage� is one of the weaker tracks of the package, a late 60s boogie psych-Blues that just seems forced.
       Moving to 1972, Kim becomes Jimmy Jukebox for �25 Hours A Day� and �Motorboat.�  These are both incredibly Bowie circa Ziggy Stardust.  OK, not exactly what every reader here�s looking for, but I enjoyed them, especially the latter track which picks up the pace a bit.   By the next year, he�s Lance Romance and is sounding like Tim Curry in Rocky Horror on �Hollywood Nights.�
       Kim writes that he wanted The Orchids to �become a female Ramones.�  While �(What) If Boys Got Pregnant?� is an interesting novelty, it�s just not that great, musically speaking.  Kim notes that a later version of the band signed to MCA and failed.  It got me wondering what he thought this particular version actually accomplished.
       The collection finishes up back in �64 with �The Worst Record Ever Made� by Aletha & The Memories.  �Do you know how hard it is to yell into a microphone for two and a half minutes?  It�s pretty hard.  Shows you how desperate we all are.  And shows you how desperate you are for listening to this.�  Yeesh.  Sorry, Kim, this isn�t the worst record ever made... it beats the hell out of most of what I hear on commercial radio when I walk into some store with lousy taste in music.  OK, it�s silly and stupid, but... it�s still kinda fun.  But as he says at the end, �Maybe it wasn�t the worst record after all.�
       Is everything here excellent?  Far from it.  Is it all interesting?  Well... no.  But most of it is either interesting, fun, funny, or actually rocks in some sort of cool way.  Perhaps not an essential disc, but well worth your money.

       Pebbles may be the most famous of all garage comp series.  Sure, Nuggets led things off, but that was just one comp.  Pebbles played a large part in the garage resurgence that came of age around 1984 or so.  By that point, the series was around five years old and many of the tracks found therein became the inspiration for not only the groups creating the new scene, but for the audience members.  So here we are, roughly 20 years after those first Pebbles comps came out and AIP has released The Essential Pebbles Collection.  It might be argued that this is somewhat of a misnomer; after all, �essential� would seem to indicate that these are the absolute must-have tracks.  As it happens, this double-disc collection does include one disc of what have, indeed, become classics to garage-hounds the world over.  On the other hand, the second disc includes what are termed as �Insanely Rare Bonus Tracks.�  What does that mean?  According to the notes, all but two of them are previously unreissued.  Obviously then, referring to them as essential may be a bit premature... personally, I think they need to stand the test of time before being called essential.  On the other hand, there are some dynamite tracks on here.  But we�ll get to that in a bit.  We�ll start with disc one.
       A couple dyed-in-the-wool garage fiend friends of mine have wondered just what the point is of �Disc One - The Best of Pebbles Vol. 1 - 10.�  After all, long-time garage fans have heard all this stuff already.  Rather than list what tracks are thrown on, I�ll merely mention that the Surf volume (Pebbles 4)  is not represented, although the psychedelic one (#3) is.  (Personally, that wouldn�t have been my choice, as I far prefer surf to hearing Teddy & The Patches doing �Suzy Creamcheese.�)  A 10th disc is represented, though, that being the Ear-Piercing Punk LP that was recently re-ished on CD.    The question remains... what�s the point?  Well, if you�re gonna ask that, you might as well ask why anyone ever puts out a Best Of LP by any artist, or why people buy soundtracks and comps of oldies material.  There are two easy answers:  first, it�s nice having collections of your favorite sounds; and second, there�s a whole new generation of fuzz-fans out there.  This gives them a chance to check out some great stuff without having to go buy every volume.  Personally, I like having this disc �cuz it�s like hearing all the songs in a different context.  There are some truly stellar tracks on here - The Grains of Sand with �Going Away Baby�; The Lyrics and their snotty defiance on �So What�; The Tree with the primal pounding rant of �No Good Woman�; The Gentlemen with their fierce lament on �It�s A Crying Shame�; the superfuzz stand of �One Girl Man� by The Lost Agency; The Trolls with one of my all-time faves, �Every Day & Every Night�; the slow, organ-led �Do Like Me� by The Uncalled For, which still echoes between my ears some 14 years after I first heard it; and Gonn�s �Doin� Me In,� which need not be elaborated upon in this mag.
       The only major thing I can find wrong with Disc Two is that there are no liner notes to tell me about the bands.  I don�t collect every comp in existence and I don�t have any of the reference books that have been written over time, so I can�t tell you what other tracks some of these bands might have done.  The Motifs start it all off with �Someday,� a solid mid-60s track with occasional moments of the drums pushing things to the next level.  �Sinnerisme� is, I assume (since the liner notes leave out the article), by Les Sinners, considering that (according to the liner notes of Pebbles 13) those guys had two LPs by that name.  And, of course, being that this is in French, it�d make sense for this to be the French Canadian group.  A fairly mellow beginning gives way to a good mid-tempo number that thumps hard on the base note of each chord.  The Thunderbolts ratchet things up a bit with �Heart So Cold,� starting things moving a bit faster and with some nice spirit.  The Strangers� �What A Life� prepares us for take-off, as the guitar steps out front for some good-time fun and the vocalist tells it like it is.  Peter & The Wolves version of �I Can Only Give You Everything� is listed merely as �Only Everything� (it seems just to save space.)  While I don�t think anyone will ever match Them�s version, this one�s got good snotty vocal and a cool organ solo in it.  The Thorns� �I�m In Love� is a nice piece of garage-blues, although some might argue it goes on a bit long at 3:26.  I used to love hearing The A-Bones playing �I�ve Had It,� so it was cool hearing a version here by The Banshees, even if the fidelity was truly low.  Extremely cool here as a fuzz guitar spits venom, giving way to a relatively clean solo before jumping back into the fuzz freakout.  The noise that flies forth on this one makes it one of the best tracks on the disc.  The last track, �Go Go Girl� is credited to �unknown artist� (as are two other tracks on this disc.)  I could swear I�ve heard The Untamed Youth doing this one recently.  Guess I�l have to ask Deke.

       As long as we�re checking in with the AIP gang, let�s move over to English Freakbeat Vol. 3.  The Sons of Fred can hardly be called spectacular, but their December �65 single, �I, I, I Want Your Lovin�� is a pleasant enough pop number, with decent backing vocals and a nice lead midway through.  The flip side, �She Only Wants A Friend,� is darker on the verses, but comes back with a bit of a smile on the choruses before fading back to grayscale.  And, yes, like the liner notes suggest, there�s a definite Hollies� feel.  Not long after recording �Why Must They Criticise?�, The In Crowd became Tomorrow.  At this point, though, they were sounding a bit like Sonny & Cher with a nod to the Stones.  Thee present �There You Go,� one of my favorites herein.  It�s a mid-tempo number with a good melody and a feel for the DC 5.  (And the guitar break�s pretty damned wild, too.)  The UK�s give us �Your Love Is All I Want,� a track that reminds me a bit of some of my favorite Tonebenders� numbers from about 10 years ago.  (Obviously, the UK�s had the sound first.  On the other hand, they were hardly original.)  Good mid-60s pop-rockin�, with simple �who-needs-money� lyrics.  Bryan & The Brunelles� �Jacqueline� is a moody ballad with a pleasing melody and an organ that plays just barely loud enough to suggest a sense of longing.  The Ways & Means are another group with a darker mood, at least on their contribution to this disc, �Breaking Up A Dream.�  Some excellent vocal arrangements on here contribute to the overall effect that reminds me a bit of parts of The Action�s version of �The Place.�  The Answers� �It�s Just A Fear� comes on with the vocal attack of The Zombies� �Woman.�  They keep it up with a relentless insistence.  I get the feeling this one might�ve been something special in the live setting.
       Moving on now to the �Bonus Tracks.�  (Why, on Track 13, are we at the bonus tracks?  I mean, the cover says �16 British Beat-Pop Pounders,� and there are 25 tracks.  I�m confused!)  I know some people may get off on the novelty of finding an English group covering �Surf City,� but I�m not one of them.  The Raving Savages were evidently Screaming Lord Sutch�s backing group and supposedly includes both Nicky Hopkins and Ritchie Blackmore.  I only wish I�d known about this 15 years ago when said Ritchie Rainbow would show up to Sparks in Huntington, Long Island to jam with Guitar Pete & The Asphalt Rockers.  I get the feeling playing this one might�ve made him leave.  And if someone told Guitar Pete about it, maybe we would�ve been lucky enough that it would�ve embarrassed him so much that he�d�ve hung up his own �axe.�  (Yes, they were called the Asphalt Rockers.  And this was way before Pavement, Tar, Gravel, and Dusty Dirt Road In The Heat Of Southwestern Summer.)  If only we could�ve found some way to dump Miss Pink.  (Now that we�re done with that tangent...)
       I suppose some are going to be drawn to this comp for the three tracks credited to The Ravens.  That band happens to be the name of The Kinks before they were rechristened.  As fans know, brother Dave was the band�s founder, although Ray ended up writing most of the group�s songs.  The back cover claims the tracks presented are from early demos, supposedly before Ray even joined up.    �I�m A Hog For You Baby� is the stompin� classic we all know and love, a bit lo-fidelity here, but - they are supposed to be demos (and rather old ones, at that.)    �I Believed You� is a nice enough tune, but I�d say there�s a good reason The Kinks never did anything with it.  �This I Know� sounds unmistakably Ray, despite any claims to the contrary.  It�s a lonely acoustic ballad that even has Ray�s lyrical feel.  The participants of the Kinks� mailing list have generally agreed that this is actually a �65 demo by Ray and has nothing to do with The Ravens.  Regardless, Kinks� fans will want to have these three songs just because... well, it�s the friggin� Kinks!
       Next we meet up with The Quakers, an R&B outfit hailing from Leicester.  Both sides of their first single appear here.  �She�s All Right� rips it up nicely and is another track that bears the stamp of a live raver.  �Talk To Me� is a fair number, as well, heading a bit closer to the blues and not tearing it up as much as its partner.  Things pick up a bit around the 45 second mark and the break moves pretty well.  The Frays appear with a heavy hitter in �Keep Me Covered.�  The attitude comes on tough and hard in this R&B blast, with some cool harp-blowing, occasionally abetted by a hard-ass guitar sidekick.  The Favourite Sons have a bit of a Mod feel to them on �Walking Walking Walking.�  The music�s not much more than four chords played repetitively (kinda like �Empty Heart�), but I get the feeling I�d like to hear this one spinning at a dance party some night.  Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich are hardly an unknown quantity.  They appear here with �He�s A Raver� and come in with a decent effort, notable mostly for an organ break leading to a nice guitar shot.  Interesting also to listen in and here the thick accents at a time when so many English groups were doing their damnedest to dump it to sound American.  The disc closes with the second track by The Talismen (who appeared earlier with �You Break My Heart�), �What Kind Of Boy.�  This one�s a fair sight better than the other track and moves nicely, if not well enough to truly get me moving.  Overall, I�d say the comp is decent, although not an absolute must.

       On the other hand, there�s English Freakbeat Vol. 4.  This one�s flippin� CRAZED!!!  It gets right into the action with a nicely rocked up version of Otis Redding�s �Security� by Thane Russell & Three.  This one reminds me a bit of the version The Lyres have been known to do over the past decade or so, although harder and a bit less soulful.  An excellent job.  The track listing seems to have mixed up the numbers by Cops & Robbers, a band profiled in the most recent edition of Shindig!  (See the �Zines section. � ed.)  First up is �You�ll Never Do It Baby,� a pretty fair example of English bluesy R&B.  A far more atmospheric track is �I�ve Found Out,� which comes on with a bit of an Animals� �House of the Rising Sun� feel.  Personally, I prefer the former track.  Another group mentioned in the recent Shindig! is The Clique.  Their track here, �She Ain�t No Good,� is a mid-tempo groove-punker that The Vipers probably could�ve done proud had they tried their hand at it.  I�m still blown away to think that �Things She Says� could possibly be by the same In Crowd as the bunch that gave us �Why Must They Criticise� on Vol. 3.  I mean this thing rages along with tons of adrenaline-fueled passion.  Give me more like this!  I get the feeling Ms. Roberta would quite enjoy Mal Rider & the Spirits� �Forget It,� mainly �cuz she�s such a major fan of Manfred �The Professor� Jones of The Woggles.  The vocal�s rather similar and Mal & Co. also know how to smoke it.  Evidently, the Upper Crust weren�t the first cool rockin� combo to don 17th century garb, �cuz the liner notes of this comp tell us that The Snobs were doing it 30 years earlier.  Their �Ding Dong� is a cool romper that gallops nicely, sort of on top of a �Walk, Don�t Run� type background in parts.  The Sons of Fred return for another three tracks on this volume.  Their version of �Baby What You Want Me To Do� gets a nice groove going, with the guitar stepping lively at various points walking then flying.  �Sweet Love� is more of that minor Animals thing, but doesnt quite work, with the vocal sounding a bit too pinched for my tastes.  That vocal thing is still evident on �I�ll Be There,� but the tempo on this one is way up and they�re movin�, so it happens to work.  The guitar fires off some rapid-fire cover bursts and this thing smokes.  The liner notes on The Soul Agents indicate that their family tree eventually saw them growing into Elton John�s backing band.  So, while I don�t think �Don�t Break It Up Now� is all that impressive, it turns out that they had far worse in their future.  I�m not saying this is bad, just that it�s sort of tepid compared to much of the rest of this disc.  Their next track, �Mean Woman Blues,� is better, but still just seems like a bunch of guys trying to be something they�re not.  It�s got a cool Diddley shuffle, but it doesn�t have enough conviction.  Their last track on here is �I Just Wanna Make Love To You,� which is the best of the lot, but still suffers from the lack of real feeling.  When they sing the title line, they could just as well be saying, �I Just Wanna Watch Barney Rip Off The �Knick-Knack PaddyWack� Man With You.�  OK, maybe not quite that bad.  The Syndicats, on the other hand, knew where it was at.  �Crawdaddy Simone� is beautiful British 60s R&B at its most feral.  This ranks up there with The Pretty Things.  The organ and guitar both show what they�re made up and the whole band really raves up at the break.  I�d love to see somebody give this one a live treatment now.  PHEW!  Tony Dangerfield somehow throws some rockabilly into the mix here, with �She�s Too Way Out.�  It�s decent, but nothing special.  The Wheels definitely disappoint me on �Call My Name,� which somehow keeps bringing �Midnight Confessions� to my  mind.  And that song never appealed to me.  Mickey Finn & the Blue Men present us with an organ-dominated take on �Reelin� & Rockin�� which picks up the pace a bit, but we still haven�t gotten back anywhere in the neighborhood of The Syndicats.  That has to wait till The Others take on Bo Diddley�s �Oh Yeah!� The shuffle�s right on, the guitar belts out its challenge, the band pummels forward, and - unlike The Soul Agents - they really seem to mean it.  Especially cool is the low-down part which culminates in just the kind of explosion you need.  The Primitives present us with an Italian-language track, �Johnny Noooo,� which is OK, but didn�t really get me reelin�, being just short of the wildness level necessary.  Shorty & Them come forth with a passable rendition of �Dimples,� that sounds like it might�ve worked quite well when you�re surrounded by a bunch of screaming kids ready to shake it some more.  Four Degrees let fly with a version of �Too Much Monkey Business,� a song I�ve always enjoyed.  Personally, I like the Secret Service�s take on it much more, but there�re numerous reasons for that (not the least of which is Wayne Manor�s voice), but this has a good spirit to it.  �I�ve Got My Brand On You� is a slower blues number with a sad old piano lament behind it.  In fact, the piano solo is what sets this apart and makes you sit up and take notice.  It all ends with Stovepipe No. 4 and their strong take on �Pretty Thing.�  Granted, it�s nowhere near as powerful as that of the band that took it for their name, but it�s still pretty cool.
       Overall, if you�ve gotta choose between Volumes 3 and 4, it�s an easy choice:  Volume 4 wins hands down.  Why?  It just rocks more.

       Perhaps the biggest surprise, comp-wise, that came my way this time out is Surfbeat Behind The Iron Curtain (AIP).  A text box on the back says, �All tracks recorded behind the Iron Curtain, 1963-1966.�  Of course, the country icons shown next to the track listings list groups from Japan, Italy, the UK, and the Netherlands, in addition to those from the DDR, Poland, Germany, Romany, and the CSSR.  This kinda left me wondering exactly how that damn curtain was hanging, but I�m more interested in the music than some lines drawn on a map, so I�ll stuff that into a gopher hole somewhere.  A Romanian combo called Sincron start it off with one titled, �Pe Linga Plopii Fara Sot.�  Good thing it�s an instro �cuz I�d�ve never gotten the lyrics straight.  Anyway, it�s fairly standard surf material, with a slight ethnic accent found in the phrasing; enjoyable, if not excellent.  The Capras come from Germany (the icon on the back for Germany is of a VW Bug) and give us a slower surf track entitled �Beginning of Autumn.�  I wouldn�t call it sad, but more of a look back at the joys of summer, knowing they�re gone for another year.  A long flight and you�re in Japan for T. Terauchi & the Bunnys, a group that�s been getting its due in the past few years.  Here they present �Theme From an Unfinished Symphony,� with some excellent guitar leads sparking the passion into overdrive.  This is one of the disc�s standouts, as it also falls back to a rather mild passage with a clip-clop feel and some organ, as well as smooth guitar passages.  Still, it�s those driving, wild guitar races that�ll thrill you.  OK, how does a British group end up on a comp with this title?  OK, OK... I�m stuffing that complaint back into the gopher�s pad I mentioned before.  (Maybe Bill Murray�ll catch the damn thing this time.)  Whatever.  The Eliminators� track, �The Saint,� from a �66 LP on Pye called Guitars & Percussion is almost completely what the LP�s title suggests, except for a jazzy organ section.  This one moves on the slow range of mid-tempo an is notable for the cool timpani sound.  They also appear later on with a fuzzed-out reading of �Wipe-Out� that still relies on the timpani.  (I wonder if the guy�s mom had given it to him for Christmas and it became his favorite toy.)  The liner notes call Mefisto �one of the great mid-60s Czech bands.�  Not knowing any others, I can neither confirm nor deny.  Either way, �Return of Gemini� is a nice instro partially due to its excellent use of piano to set a mood.  There are some backing vocals, but no words, giving a rather majestic affect when added to the piano.  The next track that really appeals to me is the cool �Nocny Alarm� by The Alarm out of Poland.  It�ll remind you a bit of The Mar-Keys in its organ sound, but the guitar first plays mainly a slightly sustained chunk-chord progression (which, quite honestly, would�ve been better off if it were a little further down in the mix, �cuz it starts to wear on you), then flies into a sort of biker-psych solo.  There�s even a slight horn touch in parts!  The Boomerangs� �Crazy Guitars� are just that.  There�s a cool shuffle feel underneath, but the guitars play a few distinct passages: a swingin� upbeat dance thing; a slightly psyched out lead; and even something with a Shadows� feel to it.   One of my faves from this disc comes from the DDR�s Trocadero Sextett who had one album �which is 85% awful �Gypsy Jazz� and 15% pure R&R.�  �Leicht Verdreht� is of the latter variety and has a lowdown Link Wray feel, although without as much swagger and grit; still cool, tho�.  �The Bumble Beat� is a kinda fuzzy thing by Orchester Charles Blackwell.  It�s got about the sound you�d expect for a song with this title, although the sax throws an Eastern European stamp on it.  The Klaus Lenz Sextett�s �Corso� starts with a low bass line,joined a couple measures later by a modest organ, then a guitar, then percussion, and finally the lead guitar arrives to give the orders.  Personally, I�d�ve been happier if the organ had kept the dominant position, but this still works well,with the lead occasionally firing out directions.  One of the most fun tracks on this bit is the Slava Kunst Orchestra�s �Lucifer in Coelis.�  This one acts as almost a novelty track.  The sax plays the lead most of the time with an almost oom-pah backing, but the vocal lines are the hilarious part.  �Lucifer... in Coelis.�  A real �Happy Organ� thing also takes over for awhile.  And then some cool high backing female vocals.  I can�t tell you what she�s saying.  Of course, I can�t tell you any of the other words that are spoken either.  There�s a great part where she�s basically going �Dom dooby-dooby,� etc.  She also loses the high thing for a faux-sexy throat thing.  But the backing chorus �d�da-da dai-dai-dai� is great.  And then there�s the Three Stooges vocal part... This thing�s fantastic!  (And it�s gonna make it onto some tapes in the near future, I can assure you.)  The Thunderbirds� �Twistin� Safari� has a sort of rockabilly background, but throws in a surf guitar sound (no doubt to get the swimsuit sweeties to show up at their gigs).  The Black �N� Whites appear with �Take Blya Moja,� an interesting track that pairs a cool Beat backing with some clean low guitar lines, moving in the direction of The Shadows, but with a slight surf-tone to it.  The Javalins blast out of The Netherlands with �Javalins Rock.�  (And they do.)  This one quick-steps all the way, no matter who�s at the helm, be it the guitar, sax, or piano.  Quite the toe-tapper.  It all comes to a finish with Czechoslovakia�s Karel Duba & His Guitar Men and �The Coach,� a number that seems like it might be great for a western soundtrack for awhile, then seems to fly off the track into some sounds that are just off for that.  No soundtrack work for you boys, you�re too damned HAPPY!  Still, it�s a cool track.

NOW TIPS ITS HAT TO THEN:
       The only stuff I�ve ever owned by Los Brincos are a couple tracks on mix tapes friends have made over time.  To be honest, I don�t even know where those tapes are right now.  (Anyone who�s ever been inside my car knows its like dumpster with an engine.  And at home I�ve got tapes in about five different places.)  Anyway, a friend went to Spain and brought back Get Ready To The Brincosis (Snap!), a tribute to Los Brincos.  What�s especially cool to me is most of the groups are Spanish.  The disc begins with Los Imposibles taking on �Lo Que Yo Quiero,� with chiming guitars and pretty harmonies, ringing and beautiful.  From San Diego, CA, then, comes The Shambles with �Nadie Te Quiere Ya.�  This one�s a bit more haunting than its predecessor, but succeeds admirably.  After this, I was expecting most of the material to be just like it.  Then came The Stupid Baboons with �I Try To Find,� the first English language number on the disc, which comes across with a swingin� R&B garage sound.  Personally, I�d like to hear some more stuff by these guys, who reminded me here of The Telltale Hearts to some extent.  La Ruta�s contribution, �I�m Not Bad,� isn�t quite as wild as the previous track, but it�s got a solid beat and features a nice Merseybeat-oriented sound.  The Mockingbyrds take us straight into the garage homeland with �Baila La Pulga.�  Whew, what a ride!  The organ dashes all over and gets all riled up as everyone else hangs on tight.  The guitar briefly wrests the wheel away, but the organ�s the real swinger.  Los Buges give us �So Good To Dance� a solid mid-tempo garage number that features some cool noise underneath.  The organ plays support and gives the number color.  Quite honestly, most of the stuff on here is more than worthy of your ear-time.  The Gravestones actually appear twice, with the second one (the �extra track�) being the one I prefer, �No Puedo.�  A solid 60s Beat number with some organ flavoring and a good melody.  I didn�t know many of these groups (not being as knowledgeable about the curren crop of European acts as perhaps I should be) and this was a welcome treat.

       In Europe, The Shadows were huge.  Here we are now, forty years since they began and their sound lives on.  Sure, they never broke in the US, but some of the cream of today�s instro crop are here to turn you on to some of the sweet sounds of Hank Marvin and the boys.  An Evening In Nivram (MuSick) features contributions from The Omega Men, The Huntington Cads, The Fathoms, The Space Cossacks, The Boss Martians, Davie Allan & The Arrows, Satan�s Pilgrims, and Teisco Del Rey, as well as a bunch more.  The Omega Men have been doing �Main Theme� for quite some time now in their live shows, so fans will be pleased to get their hands on a recording of it.  Many people know �Apache,� so its nice to hear The Falcons take it on.  The lone vocal track on here is The Boss Martians� contribution, �Don�t It Make You Feel Good,� a nice smooth pop number from �64.  It�s not going to appeal to all the rockin� ravers out there who need everything to be ragged and rough, but for those who appreciate a nice number for dancing cheek-to-cheek with that special someone, well... this is perfect.  �Tales of a Raggy Tramline� sees Davie Allan applying his trademark fuzz sound to bring out the inherent wildness of the number.  (When�s Davie gonna come play NYC, anyway?)
       One thing that keeps getting caught in my pal Pat�s craw is how so many music writers seem to consider all instrumental rock�n�roll to be surf.  Well, that happens to be part of the reason The Shadows never made it in the US in the first place, according to the liner notes.  In 1963, Atlantic titled a Shadows� release  Surfing With The Shadows, hoping to cash in on the big craze.  What they didn�t get was that rock�n�roll without words played by Fender guitars is not necessarily surf.  And that meant it didn�t wash with the DJ�s of the time.  Hopefully this tribute will not only entertain you, the listener, but also help you to understand this basic fact.  Long Live The Shadows!

       Two shots are fired, piercing the deserted dusty road that serves as the town�s center.  An ultra-fuzzed guitar plays an overture, �Outlaw Kill,� by Hank Ray & Thee Executioners.   Our hero reflects for a moment on what he�s had to do, reholsters his gun and slowly walks to his horse, saddles up and rides.  Another guitar gives a howl as he rides off alone into the distance.
       Not being possessed of encyclopedic knowledge, I can�t say how many of the tracks on Spaghetti Vol. 1: Duck You Suckers (One Million Dollar Records) are originals and how many are covers.  That means I can�t really call it a tribute to any particular �group.�  Still, the spaghetti western sound is definitely a genre thing that many associate with a certain era, so I�ll throw it in here.  The Hellbenders let us in on what�s happening back in town with �Have A Good Funeral.�  The bad seed has been put to rest, but he was some mother�s son, so the job is done.  Sad, it�s true, but even she can�t help but be glad that he won�t be around to cause trouble any longer.
       Later on, we catch up with our hero as the best of the genre�s current practitioners, Death Valley, play their �Larry Storch Trilogy.�  The hero is riding through the hills, in search of some other members of the ruthless gang that killed his fiancee and everyone but a lone child in the poor border town that had taken him in when he was orphaned as his family journeyed west. (Now that is what they call laying it on THICK!)  He�s eating �Baked Beans & Chicken,� courtesy of The Daytonas, who somehow don�t seem to fit my own particular idea of spaghetti western sounds, probably because the vocals sound too beach-y.
       The Charles Napiers bring us back to reality, providing our hero with �A Fistful of Pasta.�  Night has fallen and dinner is cooked over an open fire.  He�s alone and the wind blows.  He hears the sound of a distant town�s bell ring, but prefers to camp on his own, as he won�t have to tell his tale this way.  He hears shots and horses and moves to investigate.  He realizes he�ll have to head into town now.  There he finds out where the gang is headed.
       �40 Miles To Vengeance,� say the local lawmen, The Penetrators.  They tell our hero that it�s their sworn duty to take this gang.  Whether he wants company or not, they�ll be taking on the same enemy.  They�d like to ride with him.  He accepts, understanding they are kindred spirits.  Time is of the essence, so they saddle up and go.
       The Plantronics let us know that �Los Diablos� are out there.  More shots are fired and our hero and his friends now spur their mounts to greater speed.  Vengeance is at hand.  The 40 miles are a hard ride, but eventually they run into �El Loco de la Sierra� as The Satelliters have named the group�s leader.  Unfortunately, they�re holed up in dangerous country and the battle is bloody.  The bad guys are gone, but we have many wounded.
       �There�s A Pale Moon� as Hank Ray plays the outro.  Our hero has triumphed, with the help of those who rode with him.  It�s a victory, but only in that a scourge has been defeated.  Many lives have been lost and he knows life can never be the same.  He rides slowly on, bidding the others good-bye and good luck.  Alone again... moreso than ever.
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CD ANTHOLOGIES

       If you�ve been reading along at home with me over the past bunch of years, you know I�m a huge cub fan.  Considering that they broke up some time ago now, I didn�t think I�d get another chance to really write about the group that first blew me away some five years ago.  WRONG!  One of my absolute favorite Aussie labels, Au-go-go, has released Mauler, subtitled �A Collection of Oddities.�  What you�re getting is mainly comp cuts, alternate takes, and B-sides from singles or CD-EP�s you might have missed out on.  Just to keep completists on their toes, there�s one unreleased track, too, �Pregnant.�
       I�d love to know why this was unreleased till now, �cuz it truly shows the group at the top of their game.  True, it�s not as innocent and playful as the group�s early material, but it�s melodic and alive, really moving at a good clip.  Like all of Cub�s best tracks, it�ll put a smile not only on your face, but in your heart, just from the sound.  Huge fans probably have the single and EP tracks (and anything that came off an LP), but there�s a chance you�ve missed out on some of the comp appearances, like the band�s take on �You Know He Did,� from Sing Hollies In Reverse.  Still, many of you have most of the tracks on here, so it�s a toss-up if you�re going to want to pick it up just to get a few tracks.  On the other hand, it�s a nice way to hear the songs in a different setting.  Let�s face it, all too often we get used to hearing tracks in the same setting (this also happens when you make mix tapes)... kinda like we�re used to seeing the same people in the same places.  Hearing those tracks in a different setting sometimes brings them alive in new ways; new things come out about them.  Personally, I�m thankful that Au-go-go put this out �cuz it means I�ve got that much more Cub in my life.

       It�s weird how some music just works its way into your head.  I mean, I listened to The Green Pajamas Indian Winter (Get Hip) that first time through and it seemed unremarkable; it�s not that it was bad, just... well, it didn�t really reach out and grab me.  That, however, is not grounds for writing a bad review.  Something like that means that I need to keep trying.  I ended up leaving it in the CD-ROM drive of my computer; that way it starts up when I power on.  Wouldn�t you know... in a few days it had slowly started growing on me, kind of like the ivy on old colleges.  It was comfortable, too, starting with �Kim The Waitress,� a song that I seem to remember from when I was in college.  This collection is filled with 45s and unreleased stuff the band did from �85 till �96.  Most of it is sort of mellow psychedelic folk-rock/pop.  Roberta passed by, hearing it for the first time, and said the guy�s voice was too whiny alternative for her.  If she�d said that the first time I listened, I might�ve agreed; by that point, though, I was too far gone - I�d already become enthralled by the soft comfort of it.  �I Have Touched Madness� seems like Syd Barrett should have written it.  The guitars hit a moody psychedelic drone and a broken-down melody leads to the chorus of the title as a sax finds a way to make itself known yet unobtrusive.  �Streets of London� is more �67 Beatles with a bit of XTC as the Dukes of Stratosphear.  Throw in a more up-to-date, yet fitting, guitar solo and the track is truly something special.  I keep listening to this, trying to pick out certain tracks as better than others, but different moods bring me to different songs.  This disc works quite well for me as relaxation, especially while I�m working on a project.  It�s not party music and it won�t get you raging or even in a particularly happy mood; on the other hand, if you�re into gently trippy psychedelia with a dark-side flirtation, this is for you.

       For a good portion of The Story So Far... (Get Hip), a collection of �89 - �94 recordings by The Lears, you�ll be swearing you�re listening to a bunch of undiscovered vintage Byrds� recordings.  Of course, at times they sound a bit closer to other jangly folk-rockers.  This is most apparent on �Coming Home Today� which sounds incredibly like The Optic Nerve on some of the tracks that Tony Matura sang.  The acoustic �Someone Else�s War� is my favorite track, hearkening back to the Byrds� �65.  It rings with a gentle melody and an actual - GASP! - statement, �Propaganda fuels the war machine / Mr. Politician, it�s time to come clean  (...) Whatever happened to our ideals? / Freedom, truth, and brotherhood (...) We won�t fight in someone else�s war.�  During the Gulf War, there were more than a few local folkies who had songs offering their thoughts on the matter; this song outdoes them all.  �Poor Mr. Greedy� is darker (as it should be, given its subject matter), yet it rings true.  �Thee Iguana Theme� finds the band on an instrumental psych-out, showing another facet of their personality.  �Well He Knows� runs to the garage side of the 60s folk-pop realm, with the guitars kicking up with a smile and the vocal occasionally moving into the spoken realm.  Again, I find myself reminded of some Optic Nerve material.  The disc ends with the trippy �Electric Mushroom Voyage,� at 5:05, it�s nearly two minutes longer than anything else on here.  However, with a name like that, you�d probably expect no less.

       Donovan�s Brain turns out to be the musical meanderings of one Ron Sanchez, a guy I�m almost positive I met at GarageShock, �94 on the first night.  Ron does just about everything on Carelessly Restored Art (Get Hip) except play drums on this collection of material he�s put together over the past four years.  While this appears to be one man�s psychedelic vision, he�s taken some friends along for the trip, including all of the Young Fresh Fellows.    I�m not what you�d call an expert in psychedelia, so I�ll stick to what I know.  This disc often plays like a sun-drenched Sgt. Pepper with a blotter full of early Pink Floyd.  I especially enjoyed the simple keyboard lines on �Everything I Know Is Wrong,� most of which is a note hit over and over till it bores a hole into your mind, kind of like if you stared at the sun too long.  Throughout this disc, the languorous melodies stretch themselves out with a lazy, satisfied smile.  A couple tracks stray from this path (�Dandelions Are Back� comes to mind), but only slightly, picking up the tiniest bit of steam while retaining the flavor.  If you�re looking to jump up and down, you�ve got the wrong disc; of course, if you just want to relax in the sun, you�ve come to the right place.
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UNEARTHED & RE-ISHED

       Any true garage fan is familiar with the incredible sounds that emanated from the Pacific Northwest in the early-mid 60s, thanks to bands like The Sonics, The Wailers, and The Kingsmen, among many others.  Every once in awhile, though, a new nugget is unearthed.  Thanks to Hillsdale, the Northwest has yet another couple gems to show off, thanks to a group from Spokane, Washington called The Mystics.  In 1965, they recorded a couple tracks that somehow never got released.  Well, it took more than 30 years, but at least we can hear now just how damn great these guys were.  �I�m In Love� is right up with the best of �em, sounding something like Don & the Goodtimes with certain elements of The Wailers.  The organ is an essential element of both tracks, but it�s on the toe-tapping instrumental �Check Point� that it really plays a major part.  Throw in an eager guitar and you�ve got what should�ve been a hit.
       The fine folks at Norton Records have dug deep into dusty Dallas vaults and come up with another winner.  This time it�s Gene Summers, backed by his group, The Rebels and the result is a four-songer entitled A Gene Summers Record Date.  The material features unissued demos from 1958, three of which are alternate versions of sides released by the Jan label.  These, however, include Gene�s backing group rather than the studio musicians found on the actual 45s.  Also found is �Fancy Dan,� released here for the first time.  This one�s an up-tempo raw r�billy raver that�ll have your toes tappin� and your fingers snappin� in no time flat.  On �Nervous,� the group is joined by vocalists The Five Masks, as they throttle down a bit and Gene let�s his vocal wobble oh-so-good, lettin� that gal know just what she does to him.  Couple these with two more wild rockers, �Gotta Lotta That� and �Twixteen,� and you�ve just enjoyed four tasty Texas treats.
       If I understand correctly, Platenclub Utrecht is a group of record collectors over in Holland who�ve banded together to put out EP�s by old Dutch Beat groups.  To my knowledge, they�ve released three thus far.  From Group $oall, we get the Stephanie 3-songer from recordings made in �67.  The title track is an excellent slow blues reminiscence with soulful vocals.  Underneath, we find an alternate take of �Will You Teach Me How To Love,� as well as another unreleased gem, �Well I�m A Boy,� another strong, soulful beat number with a moderate tempo.
       Another one of Platenclub Utrecht�s releases is a 4-songer from Peter & the Blizzards.  I must admit that the tracks here came as something of a surprise to me.  The other tracks I have from these guys are on Transworld Punk, one of them being the excellent punker, �Bye Bye Baby,� later covered by The Telltale Hearts.  On here, we find four unreleased tunes from �66 that show the band in a far more pop mode.  My favorite of these, �A Picture of You,� shows the mid-60s pop being overlaid with an almost 50s rock�n�roll/pop vocal melody.  It�s actually quite good, but quite a departure from what I would have expected.
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EVEN MORE MUSIC

DISCS:
       Let�s start it off with The Tiki Tones and their latest, Suburban Savage (Dionysus).  Can�t say as I know much about tiki sounds, so I can�t exactly say whether they�re doing that or not (tho� all the tiki-related stuff mentioned in the insert sure seems to point that way.)  Everything here�s instrumental, although not quite surf.  Some of the guitar sounds will be familiar, although they�re more laid-back for the most part (although they occasionally do check the surf.)  What appeals to me is the luxurious organ backdrop that sets the mood for the guitar to laze about in.  This disc appeals to me in some of the same ways as the Frenchy disc mentioned elsewhere, although this isn�t as musically varied.  Maybe what I like is that I don�t find it intrusive.  There are times when I want music merely to be on, without demanding my attention.  It can simply set a mood or fill in the empty spaces, putting you at ease... I�m of two minds when it comes to The Delstars.  When they�re playing their cards close to their body (�Look Ma, No Vocals!�), they�re a pretty decent hot rod instro outfit.  Unfortunately, when they plug the microphone in, things take a turn for the worse.  This attitude actually applies both to their live show (I saw them about a year ago) and their recorded material.  Perfect evidence comes in the form of the first two tracks on The Sound Of Power (Revco/Swizzle).  �Tantor� revs the engine and lets it rip, with the only words being the inspired shout of the title, and the lead guitar burning its way around the curves.  Then comes �Oldsmobeetle� and a vocal that somehow reminds me of bad bar band blues / southern boogie.  �Musta got a hold of some bad weed / Paranoia plants a king-size seed.�  But not only is the vocal annoying me, but the instrumental backing is swirling down the old crapper, too.  Or maybe it�s just the lead guitar, �cuz if you listen to the rhythm backing on most of the vocal tracks, it�s pretty decent.  Unfortunately, the lead is mixed up high and the rhythm sounds like it got let in the trunk.  OK, I�ll stop accentuating the negative and bring out the positive (after all, there are seven instros to six vocals).  The non-vocal stuff is solid and worth a listen.  Guess when I want to listen to these, I�ll have to program the old disc player... Taking a look at the cover of Blower Explosion (Skunk), the latest from Del Noah & the Mt. Ararat Finks, you�d figure this was gonna be a solid set of hot rod tunes, most likely of the instro variety.  Those are certainly there (check out the kickoff title track, with exactly the guitar and drum sounds you�d expect - and the obvious title shout - but there�s also a sax adding an extra flavor.  In fact, that�s the group�s secret weapon.  I�m guessing �Del Noah� is meant to be their theme, a tribute to the biblical wonder who survived an ancient El Nino.  In this case, tho�, he�s turned into a heroic surfer.  It kinda makes it on the surf vocal level, but doesn�t completely capture me, possibly due to some vocals that are a bit too put-on for my liking.  Their take on �The Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow� hints at their love for more than just regular rock�n�roll sounds as this starts moving into cool cartoon soundtrack territory, that sound that still owes a debt to the swingin� sounds of the 40s.  Their version of �Chicken� throws in some more varied instrumentation, as well (flute, for instance); a nice touch in my mind. The disc throws in lots of soundbites, including some that sound like they were created by the band. Would you believe Dan �Grizzly Adams� Haggerty actually appears on backing vox on a couple tracks on here?  Yup.  One of these, �Sasquatch on a Snowmobile� is a pretty fun rip (although more so on the verses than the chorus), with a wild party sound going down. On �Theme From �The Big Payroll Caper�� they get into the crime soundtrack bit, with the sax assuming center stage for a majority of the tune. While I find that I prefer their instro stylings to the vocal tracks, I really enjoyed their version of �Spinout,� although it doesn�t measre up to the original (possibly because the lead vocal just isn�t strong enough). Still, the sax makes it all work.  I find �Re-Satch-A-Go-Go� (a semi-instrumental, meaning there�s some vocals thrown in, but only briefly) to be one of their best tracks, possibly because it not only tastes great, but it�s less filling, thanks to a sprightly alto sax blowing the melody. �The Enchanted Dragstrip� ends it all on a lounge tone.  I wouldn�t call this one an absolute must, but few will be sorry they bought it.  Extra points for having a guy named Blair in the band... The New Salem Witch Hunters have been around for quite some time now.  Funny thing is, I almost never hear anyone in the garage crowd mention them.  I�m not saying these guys are anything ultra-special, but they�re far from horrible.  (Yeah, there�s a quotable.)  Perhaps the lack of acclaim has something to do with their style being so far from what most people on the scene seem to be most into.  Their latest, Colonial Root Cellar (Get Hip) finds them spending most of their time mixing garage sensibilities with pretty psychedelic melodies (�Run Run Run�).  They do pick up the tempo a bit further, as well, with my favorite being �12 Many Girls,� wherein the band spices things up with a flavor that sound equal parts World Famous Blue Jays and Nine Pound Hammer.  The organ  renders the whole thing that much more flavorful and they end up with a winner.  On a couple tracks, the lead vocal sounds like Sky Saxon with a bit of Roky Erickson.  At first it�s a bit disconcerting, as it seems that everything�s being changed around.  Pretty soon, though, it really starts to work � especially on �Any More Than I Do,� where the chorus really sells the song.  Probably my favorite track is �Bye Bye Baby� in which they�re definitely in the garage camp, yet without merely chunking a bunch of chords together or ranting their way along; rather, it�s upbeat and bound to get you moving.  Again, this disc probably won�t see them making regular rotation at my place, but they�ll cetainly get the occasional spin... The Countdowns Right On Sound (Scooch Pooch) has some great basic rock�n�roll sounds on it, but they�re buried under the noisy rubble of a building that�s just been imploded.  Yeah, exactly the kind of thing some folks on the garage scene go absolutely nuts for.  This isn�t completely my thing, but it sure has some great moments.  The instrumental �Wray Gunn� is a real cooker, lowdown and cool, eyes peeled for any action that might come its way.  Some of their tracks are more rockabilly than garage, like �On & On & On� which definitely has a real 50s feel to it (or would without the feedback and assorted noises)... The same label hands over The Hookers� Satan�s Highway.  The promo schtuff says they�d be quite happy to be labeled a �punk AC/DC.�  Early on in the disc, I figured that description was fair, if not perfectly accurate; midway through, though, it�s just gotten too close to speed metal to do a damn thing for me.  Evidently, the singer played drums with 9 Lb. Hammer for awhile and was a founding member of Nashville Pussy.  I can hear the latter, but the former don�t show up as much.  The guitar-playing�s pretty wild and the band really rips through every track (kinda like a big jagged-edge knife through the skin of an unsuspecting horror-movie victim), but I doubt I�ll ever listen to it again...  Maybe I�m just a wuss, but The Motards are just too damned messy for my personal tastes.  Maybe I�d like �em better if I�d seen �em, but... well, I never have.  I don�t hate �em; I just don�t particularly care for their abrasive, punk-with-a-nod-to-garage sound.  As a result, you won�t be surprised to hear that Saturday Night Special Ed. (eMpTy) doesn�t exactly get my wings flapping.  On the other hand, it sounds pretty much like the last Motards� disc, at least to my ears.  So if you�re into them, you�ll probably go nuts for this... Right up front I�m gonna let you know that the only thing I ever really liked about The Sinister Six was the album cover with the 60s-chick type gal on the front.  So don�t be surprised when I let you in on the fact that Sinisteria (Get Hip) doesn�t exactly get me saluting the flag.  That said, it�s actually OK.  That�s not exactly a rave review, I know, but that�s about the best I can do on this one.  Elements poke their little green heads out of the noisy punk scum here and again, showing that these guys have some cool garage leanings.  At their best, I hear some really cool 9 Lb. Hammer-meets-garage-crash influences (�Seen Better Days�).  At their worst, there�s lots of pointless cussin� and yellin�.  I have no problem with that kinda crap if it seems appropriate, but on tracks like �Stompin�,� it just seems like it�s in there �cuz there�s absolutely nothing else to put over the music.  (Of course, if the music wasn�t the instrumental equivalent of the lyrics, I wouldn�t give a rat�s petootie.)  I�ll finish up by focusing in on the best track on here, �Little Miss Go-Go Boots,� the one track that had me flippin� over the jewel case for the title upon the first listen.  Besides having a cool chorus, this one really flies hard, kinda like Sator on �Pigvalley Beach,� but with more garage and just the right sprinkling of pop...  Hot Damn! are back with Big Fat Lover (Hell Yeah).  I�m still not a big fan (still a bit too harsh and brassy for my particular tastes), but I do like this one better.  The title track has a vocal that sounds like a semi-spoken, petulant Debbie Harry, at least on the chorus and features some pretty rockin� lead guitar (although I wish that were brought a bit further up front in the mix).   My favorite is easily their take on �Beavershot,�  featuring a thicker mix than you might be used to for this one, made all the better by the excellent sax and piano sounds thrown in.  The vocal shouts, exhortations and exultations make it all come alive.  The guitar solo just brings it on home. �Hot Head� ranks in the meat of the order for me, probably due to the guitar singing a duet with the vocals.    Overall, this one�s got a stronger sense of ongwriting than the group�s first disc.  There are still some tracks that don�t light me up, but this is a band that�s definitely into the sexual side of rock�n�roll, be it lyrically or musically.  How many others delve this deeply?... I�ll come right out and say that Dead Moon are a group I�ve never been able to acquire a taste for.  As a result, Hard Wired In Ljubljana (eMpTy) means little to me.  However, it�s not a bad live record.  The sound is decent and you get a pretty good idea what the group sounds like at a show.  The atmosphere translates pretty well, if you turn it up and turn the lights down and let the sound reverberate through your flesh.  The version of �Milk Cow Blues� doesn�t work for me, though, especially after having just listened to a live Dave Davies� tape.  Their take on �Play With Fire� is slightly better, with Toody taking the mic and Fred�s guitar making it sound that much more fragile.  I�d still rather listen to the Stones, tho�.  They recapture my interest by ending up with the wildness of �Diamonds in the Rough,� at its best a frenzied interpretation of the 13th Floor Elevators� sound.  The middle, where they take it down, doesn�t do too much for me, although I can see where it�d work pretty well live.  No, I�m not a Dead Moon fan, but this isn�t bad.  I�m guessing that those who actually like this bunch would probably want to own this... I get the feeling The Titans are a killer live band.  The tracks on Instant Disasters (Lance Rock) seem like they were written for that setting rather than the recording studio.  That�s not to say that �No Way Out,� �Drink-Drive,� et al don�t absolutely �Rip Off The Road Map,� �cuz they most certainly do, with a guitar sound that�s a bit like a slightly more punked-out Raunch Hands.  That is to say that these guys and gal aren�t just another Japanese punk band, as they have some cool r�billy/greasy R&B influences that get chucked in with some chunks of garage stew.  That done, they throw some punk sauce in for fun.  Their version of �Mainline� is haken up to the point where �Diddy Wah Diddy� is about to fall out.  Nice take on �Motel Room In My Bed,� as the dual vocals sound great (Akane�s got a real nice voice; the band should bring her to the mic more often.)  �Do Anything� finds them closer to a punk Mighty Caesars.  Pretty damn cool stuff... I didn�t flip out over rock�n�roll till my grandparents took me to see Grease on Broadway for my 10th birthday.  (Well, yeah, OK, I�d obviously listened to WABC and stuff from time to time, but music just wasn�t all that important to me yet.)  Before 1975 was out, I�d picked up re-ish 45s like �Splish Splash� and �At The Hop,� as well as an LP entitled Elvis� Gold Records Vol. 1.  For Christmas, my brothers and I got Dick Clark�s 20 Years of Rock�n�Roll.  So, uh, what the hell does this have to do with Highway 13�s Been Up To The Devil�s Business (Get Hip)?  You had to ask.    What I�m trying to say is that I developed a love of 50s-styled rock�n�roll long before I ever got into 60s stuff (or, for that matter, punk or anything else.)  I won�t say I became a rockabilly expert or anything, but I certainly knew who Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, and Carl Perkins were by the time I reached high school.  And that was more than I could say for most other kids my age.  (For that matter, I wouldn�t be surprised to find out my parents didn�t know, either.  Mom had been a big Pat Boone fan � and she was the hipper of my two parents; the closest Dad got to rock�n�roll was The Four Freshmen.)  Back to Highway 13.  One thing I noticed immediately upon opening this disc up is that there�s a guy with my name in the band.  Believe me, there aren�t that many guys named Blair out there, so when you see one mentioned it�s kinda mindblowing. Funny thing is, there�s another group reviewed in this same ish with a guy with my name.  Wonder of wonders.  Betcha you�re wondering when I�m gonna get to the music.  (That�s right, gang, this is my flippin� fanzine and I�ll get to the point when I damn well please.)  Scary thing is that this is gnna be pitifully short compared to all my yappin�.  For that I apologize to the boys.  Thing is, this is just a real nice rockabilly disc. It doesn�t blow all my corks to kingdom come, but it presses most of the worthwhile buttons, with solid songwriting and fine musicianship. More importantly, they sound like they�re enjoying themselves.  I can�t see myself throwing it on every day, but that�s probably got more than a little to do with the fact that this just isn�t where my musical head�s at these days.  �Dirt Nap� is a pretty cool lowdown instrumental, changing the pace a bit by moving to the dark side.  It makes a perfect lead-in for �Kachunga,� which comes across as �Ubangi Stomp� getting dunked in a swamp.  Oddly appealing.  Occasionally the lyrics seem a bit obvious to me on various tracks on the disc, but I think most of you know me well enough by now to realize that this kinda thing doesn�t exactly play a big role in my assessment of a disc.  Speaking of which - this comes across as a decent rockabilly disc, although not an absolute must... Before Not Too Cool (Dino) came in the mail, I�d never heard of Foreign Objects.  Believe it or not, the rock�n�roll scene of late 70s/early 80s Western Massachusetts does not happen to be an area I�m well versed in.  When I first got this, I listened a couple times and then put it back on the shelf.  Well, here I am months later sitting down to review this stuff (or, in some cases, see if I really want to waste paper, ink, and hard drive space), not really expecting to care all that much about this disc.  I�ll be totally honest and say that it seems unlikely that I�ll whip this out more than once or twice a year.  On the other hand, there�s some cool Dictators� sounding material popping up here and there.  Besides sounding a bit like the �Taters with Shernoff on vocals, they share their love for junk culture, especially wrestling (�Wrestling Is Real,� �It�s A Jay,� �Rock�n�Wrestling Roll,� �I Hate Strongbow,� and �Genius of Lou Albano� should tell you that.)  You can lso hear that they probably weren�t all that popular with the punk crowd of the time, since their sound is far more indebted to plain old rock�n�roll than any desire to tear things apart.  The band also had an affection for 60s garage classics, covering such tracks as �Hey Little Girl� and �Strychnine� (the latter of which is the first part of a two-song medley that ends up in �There�s A Kind Of Hush,� something I would never have believed possible.)  I get the feeling that, had I been around at the time, I probably would�ve been pretty passionate about this bunch, as much for their sense of humor as anything else.  OK, it�s not a spectacular disc, but this comp is definitely a good time... Hovorka is the group; John Hovorka is the driving force - songs, voice, and all instruments except for drums and percussion (well, and harmonica on one track) - on Drive All Night (Metal Snowball).  John�s best-known for having written �Wah-Hey� (some know the A-Bones� version) and probably for his time in The Turbines with Jack Hickey (who did a few hitches as guitarist for The Lyres), as well.  (I personally remember The Turbines as being one of the many great Boston bands of the mid-80s that set my neurons popping whenever I contemplated just how much rock�n�roll coolness was bursting out of that city.)  This is a decent effort, although I�d recommend it to fans before those unfamiliar with what Hovorka�s done before.  I�d have preferred the disc to sting more; I kept waiting for a sharp thwack.  The songs are solidly structured mid-tempo rock�n�roll.  �Dirt Road� probably ranks highest in my own mind, thanks to a chorus that will eventually wear a path in your mind, just like the �Dirt Road� itself.  I haven�t seen John recently enough to ask if �Big Motor Man� is a holdover from The Turbines, but the songwriting credit suggests it might be.  This one is one of the leaner/hungrier tracks on the disc, In Search Of (without the once-pointy-eared guy).  Throw in a fair version of �Route 66� and you�ve got a pretty fair record  Thing is, I�d still like to see The Turbines again... The first time I listened to The Montgomery Cliffs Andiamo! (115 Records), I was less than thrilled; it seemed a bit generic.  When I came back to it a couple months later, however, I realized these guys could make a pretty good pop/rockin� racket when they so chose.  There seems to be a bit of an Elvis Costello influence, which would bother me if their vocals or playing sounded like him.  (Yeah, that�s right, I don�t like Elvis Costello.  Lump it.)  However, these guys merely have a similar feel to their songs.  Of course, I also hear a heavy dose of Smithereens and a bit of Squeeze.  Maybe that�s why it works for me.  They hit harder than I�d originally realized and I�m glad I gave them a second listen.  Good vocals, solid songwriting, and powerful playing combine for something special.  Now I�m sorry I couldn�t stick around to see them a few weeks back.  Bill Jones, I bow to you; you were right...  I never liked The Smiths.  Musically, they were OK, but Morrissey�s voice was one of the most irritating things I�d ever heard.  Unfortunately, Lawrence Hayes of The Potatomen often sounds like Morrissey.  Too bad, too, �cuz the guitar on parts of Iceland  (Lookout) owes a debt to the surf sound, which is a definite positive in my book.  �In A Different World� minimizes the Morrissey sound, probably due to the fact that the vocal is kept to shorter notes.  As a result, it ends up working pretty well for me.  �Drown In My Beer� was probably my favorite, with a really great barroom piano tinkling playing the atmosphere throughout.  (Cub fans will be pleased to find out that duet vocals on the choruses are delivered by Ms. Lisa Marr)...       It�d be pretty easy to dismiss The Cretins as generic pop punk.  Listening to We�re Gonna Get So Laid (Melted), you get a pretty good idea that they�re probably fans of The Queers.  (In fact, B-Face plays bass on two of the tracks on this disc.)  They actually come in sounding a bit like a cross between that bunch and Flatus.  Is i generic?  Well, possibly.  Personally, I don�t think any of these are about to give me the same feelings I get when I listen to groups like The Queers, Mr. T. Experience, or the Groovie Ghoulies.  On the other hand, when I turn it up and let myself go, this rocks pretty damn well and I find myself singing along, letting the short guitar lead on tracks like �Mason� snap, crackle, and pop a few synapses for a bit of fun.  They don�t have quite the melodic sense of my favorite pop-punk acts; at least, not on most of �em.  �Agoria� is a fantastic counter-example, what with a great upbeat attitude and a melody that starts singing it�s way into my brain, sticking around long enough that it gets some semi-permanent storage space, so as to be recalled quickly.  This one�s not perfect, but it�s fun...  A Secret History of... The C*nts (Disturbing) is a comp of selected cuts from the group�s five LPs. The letter I got from C*nts� vocalist Mike Pocius called them noise-garage punk and that�s an excellent description. Evidently, these guys formed in �77 in the midst of the punk aesthetic. I can�t say everything here appeals to me, although there are obvious garage elements running throughout. I guess it just doesn�t come together for me. However, there are some I like. �Hey Little Girl� (not the Syndicate of Sound song) is actually a pretty good Romantics� type garage-pop number. On the more punk side, �My Baby�s An Atomic Bomb� is pretty raging, especially the guitar (which sounds a bit like JT in one of his psycho solos). Other notables include �Brian�s Got An Axe� and the �C*nts Theme� (the Farfisa�s too far back in the mix, but I like the part).

VINYL:
       Yeah, vinyl�s a cool format, but that doesn�t mean any sounds appearing on said material are guaranteed cool.  Electric Frankenstein�s Sick Songs (Get Hip) 10-incher is offered as Exhibit A.  This NJ bunch offers a pretty straight-up interpretation of non-commercial 90s punk rock.  They�ve got some of the elements I like (guitars that singe your eyebrows when they�re in the mood, some attitude to the sound, etc.), but somehow it doesn�t come together, possibly because the vocal is just too obviously punk rock for my tastes.  This kinda thing sounds best loud, but I�ve got no inclination to hear it... One of the more recent Estrus releases I�ve picked up was a three-songer by The Goners.  In general, these guys remind me a fair amount of The Beguiled, who also plumbed the murky depths of the garage.  There are hints of the Gun Club on here, as well as some Childish references.  The three tracks presented show a band that actually has more than one speed (bugs the hell outta me when a band�s stuck in high and can�t come down), with the mid-tempo �Down the Road� reminding me a bit of a buried �Hidden Charms�... Some friends tell me that The Frantic V are known as one of the top bands on the Greek scene, but I was somewhat disappointed in Play The Quinta (Teen Sound).  It�s actually a decent release, but it just never seemed to hit its stride.  Most of it is cool organ-dominated garage fare, but it�s average at best.  In fact, my favorite track was �Quinta,� an instro that I believe is supposed to recreate the cool scene of this hipster hangout in Athens circa �66.  Basically, it�s Nite Klub Theme Music �66.  Personally, I would�ve preferred a more combo organ/go-go style to the sprinkled-keys effect on this, but it�s fairly cool nonetheless... While I can�t say I found The Cab vs. The Jekylls (Larsen) to be an actual disappointment, I can�t exactly call it an overwhelming success, either.  On �Daisy�s Day,� The Cab come across as sort of Mod-Lite (think The Style Council with a slight bit of cool).  While �Piss Off is the same genre, there�s a bit more melody and it�s engaging enough to grow on you, albeit a bit slower than I might like.  There are elements of the Shambles here, with a very slight pinch of The Decibels melodic sense.  However, I think The Cab could take major lessons from both those groups.  I had higher hopes for The Jekylls, since I�ve got another single or two by them that I liked more.  �Waiting For The Bus� is standard garagey fare, pretty energetic and enhanced by organ slashes.  I�m trying to figure out the point of �Italian Song,� a psych instro.  Perhaps it�s acting as a soundtrack for a cheesy Italian porn flick?... Kek �66 present us with their �Land of Dreams� (Larsen), some pretty folk rock straight in the 60s mold, with ringing guitars, warm harmonies, and a gentle melody.  Flip it over, tho�, and they�ve thrown off the granny glasses to get into the upbeat swing of things.  They�re still in the 60s mold, but this time they�re solidly inside garage territories, although they�re still wearing some pretty pop smiles... Everyone seems to be raving about The Quadrajets.  The Real Fucked Up Blues (360 Twist) is probably the best I�ve heard them, but I�m still not convinced.  I found their version of �Hidden Charms� faster than I�d like.  I�ve always believed that song�s power is in its growl, something that needs time to really have an effect.  This one works, just not as well as it could.  They saved the best for last with �Crawl,� with a sparse arrangement that gives it more of a home recording feel.  This gives you the impression of some guys just sitting around and playing for their own enjoyment, inviting you in for a cold one and some good company...     I had a feeling Th� Lunkheads were gonna be some kinda drunken-fun rock�n�roll stupidity.  As it turns out, Swingin� Sinners (360 Twist) has proven me right.  This is likely to make a decent party platter, but it�s hard to pick any standouts.  This isn�t a bad LP, just not a great one.  They do get points, however, for managing to make The Soupreens� version of �Like A Rolling Stone� look proficient.
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THE SOVEREIGN SOUNDS OF... THE SIRES

       Recently, I received a couple Sires� EPs courtesy of TS contributor Steve Coleman.  From 1996 was High & Mighty (Twist).  It took me awhile to get used to the powerful low-end female fierceness of Ms. Domi, but after throwing it on a tape that got me to and from work for a few weeks, I started really digging in.  This one�s filled with lots of garage snot, fuzztone abounding.  �About Time I Put Her Down� finds them in heavily into chunky snot-punk, just the way I like it, somewhere around the nastiest sides of Pebbles.  The mainline of �Baby Makes It Hard� is a bit like �Same All Over� without quite being on it.  The groove created is excellent and the rhythm booms.
       On Rule! ...Okay! (Twist, �97), they provide more of the same.  On �It�s Only Words� they add more backing vocals into the mix and brighten up the tone.  Perhaps my favorite track, however, is their cover of �You Weren�t Using Your Head,� probably because it varies the normal sound by having Andy Sire take over the mic.  As a result, they go out of their own heads with the kind of simple chords that first drew me into the garage scene way back when.
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SOME RECORDINGS BY... THE OTHERS

       The Others hail from Rome, Italy.  Their main songwriter, Massimo Del Pozzo a/k/a Brian �66, is also known as the editor of Misty Lane fanzine.  In addition, he runs Misty Lane Records, as well as a newer label called Teen Sound. The only time I�ve seen The Others was at Fuzzfest, �97, but it was quite memorable.  The band actually has a slew of releases to their credit and even had a few there with them.  Rather than trying to detail their discography, I figured I�d check in with the ones I got at Fuzzfest, as well as their latest LP.
       In 1995, the group released a 7� EP called Going Around With... on Misty Lane.  This one sets the tone for most of what you�ll read about in this column.  The group concentrates on ringing 60s folk-punk with definite pop sensibilities.  This particular waxing features three originals, along with a cover of The Love-Ins� �That�s All She Wrote.�  A cloudburst of fuzz fury announces the start of �Love & Care,� soon clearing away for a cool morning�s stroll in a wooded glen.  While the fuzz occasionally blots the sun from the sky, it�s a momentary blip on the screen.
       In �96, the band recorded Dreams - The Woody Pad Recordings (Psych-Out).  This collects 14 of the band�s favorite covers, reminding one perhaps of the folk-rock LP Andy Babiuk told me The Chesterfield Kings wanted to make about ten years earlier.  It�s true that not everything here is pure folk-punk, but this certainly does represent the majority.  However, I found that I liked the changes of pace that much more as a result.  We�re treated to a version of The Satans� �Lines & Squares� which falls into light Beat-pop territory;  a version of �Enough of What I Need� doesn�t quite measure up to the original, coming out a bit undercooked, yet still tasty; and �I Don�t Mind� features a hefty helping of Farfisa cheese, even raving up into �Gloria� territory for awhile.
       Last year, the group released a 4-songer for 360 Twist.  This one�s almost completely filled with more of their pretty folk-rockers, including the folk-punk of �Can�t Help But Cry� (which moves a more than a few clicks past mid-tempo), a cover of Gene Clark�s �Elevator Operator� and �You�ll Never Know.�  As a result, the pure Pebbles-punk of �Do You Believe What I Say� is a stand-out, all without thrusting the beat past where it belongs.
       Recently, the group released Everything�s There, a new LP for Teen Sound.  Unlike Dreams, this one only has four covers, compared to ten original compositions.  This one showcases a bit of diversity, although they never lose sight of the jangle.  �Come To Tell,� the first number, turned out to be my favorite.  The group kicks it in slow, but it�s definitely in gear.  However, it�s as if all the parts are working separately toward a common goal, rather than in concert.  While it all meshes well together, it also creates the fantastic effect of being able to see the machinations of each, in addition to the whole.
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END NOTES

       Untamed Youth guitarist Deke Dickerson�s new rockabilly group, Deke Dickerson and the Ecco-Fonics have recorded an LP for Hightone.  Keep an eye out for it.
       Crypt is hoping to release the next Revelators album this fall. Around the same time, Enormous Horsepower is looking to release a garage/punk comp put together by Jeff Kopp with some �unissued Revelators cuts, as well as [material by] The Cripplers, Geargrinders, Thee Lordly Serpents, Trip Daddys, etc.
       This September marks the eighth anniversary of the �zine you�re reading right now. Of course, you�re probably far more interested in the fact that it�s also the ten year anniversary of the birth of The Smugglers, who will be releasing Growing Up Smuggler: A Ten Year Anniversary Live Album (Mint/Lookout) to commemorate the occasion. Personally, I think they should�ve used the title I suggested, They Slept With The Bluesman (And Everybody).
       There�s tons more to talk about, but I�ve run out of room. To keep a bit more up to date, check out http://shell. idt.net/~blairb1/60second. html. I�ll even try and re-do it every two months or so from now on.
       G�bye.
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WHERE TO GET �EM

115 Records
6 Spring Lane
Plymouth, MA  02360

360 Twist
PO Box 9367
Denver, CO  80209

Au Go-Go
GPO 5420
Melbourne, Victoria
AUSTRALIA 3001

Aquatone
205 Bartlett
San Francisco, CA  94110

Blood Red Vinyl
2134 NE 25th
Portland, OR 97212

Bomp/Alive/Marilyn/Total Energy
PO Box 7112
Burbank, CA  91510

Continental Records
PO Box 4336
Bellingham, WA  98227-4336

Dino
PO Box 802
Northampton, MA  01060

Dionysus/Hell Yeah/Bacchus Archives
PO Box 1975
Burbank, CA  91507

Disturbed
3238 S. Racine Ave.
Chicago, IL  60608

EccoFonic
PO Box 304
Hollywood, CA  90078

eMpTy
PO Box 12034
Seattle, WA  98152

Estrus
PO Box 2125
Bellingham, WA  98227
http://www.estrus.com

Get Hip
PO Box 666
Canonsburg, PA  15233

Gin-O-Sonic
205 Bartlett
Sn Francisco, CA 94110
http://www.aquamen.com

GI Productions
PO Box 6948
San Jose, CA 95150

Grimsey Records
PO Box 541
Stillwater, MN  55082

Halakahiki
PO Box 1674
Plattsburgh, NY  12901

Hillsdale
PO Box 641592
San Francisco, CA  94164

Hipsville
2020 S. Lowell Blvd.
Denver, CO 80219

Incognito Records
Senefelder Str. 37A
70176 Stuttgart
GERMANY

In The Red
2627 E. Strong Pl.
Anaheim, CA  92806

Lance Rock
1223 College Drive
Nanaimo, BC
CANADA  V9R 5Z5
[email protected]

Larsen Recordz
116 Rue Du Crey
73230 St. Alban Leysse
FRANCE

Lookout
PO Box 11374
Berkeley, CA  94712-2374

Melted Records
21-41 34th Ave. Suite 10A
Astoria, NY  11106

Metal Snowball
Suite 159
163 3rd Ave.
NY, NY  10003

Mint
PO Box 3613
Vancouver, BC
CANADA  V6B 3Y6

Middle Class Pig
Pfitzerstrasse 32
72070 Tuebingen
GERMANY

Misprint
PO Box 8189
Murfreesboro, TN  37133

Misty Lane / Teen Sound
L.A. Pascucci
66 00168 ROMA
AG. Post 97
ITALY

MuSick
202 W. Essex Ave.
Lansdowne, PA  19050

Nardwuar
PO Box 27021
1395 Marine Drive
West Vancouver, BC
CANADA V7T 2X8
[email protected]

Norton Records
Box 646
Cooper Station
New York, NY  10003

One Million Dollar
Kefernweg 5
25462 Rellingen
GERMANY

Platenclub Utrecht
c/o Rob Kopp
Appelgaarde 16
NL-3436 GZ NIEUWEGEIN
THE NETHERLANDS

Roto-Flex
PO Box 64252
Calgary, AB
CANADA T2K 6J1

RPM
PO Box 10216
Baltimore, MD  21234

Scooch Pooch
323 Broadway E. #405
Seattle, WA  98102

Screaming Apple
Dustemichstr. 14
50939 Koln
GERMANY

SFTRI
4450 California Place #303
Long Beach, CA  90807

Skunk
203 Argonne #202
Long Beach, CA 90603

Solamente
124 St. Mark�s Place #2
Brooklyn, NY  11217-2015

Swizzle
PO Box 684586
Austin, TX  78768
Telstar
PO Box 1123
Hoboken, NJ  07030

Tomboy Records
596 King St.
Newtown, NSW
AUSTRALIA 2042

To M�Lou
168-B2 Kinderkamack Rd
Suite 138
Park Ridge, NJ  07656

Twist
6 Le Petit Close
Rue de Marais
Vale, Guernsey
GY6 8AZ
CHANNEL ISLANDS

Twist Like This
PO Box 540995
Houston, TX  77254

Wild Eagle
POB 171
Sherwood, Queensland
AUSTRALIA  4075

Wiped Out
72 Rue Ernest Grangeat
73000 Chambery
FRANCE

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