>From GORDONKA@ctrvax.Vanderbilt.Edu Sun Jun 6 12:01:47 1993 @CLS@@NOPAUSE@@NOSTOP@ ELECTRONIC ZDDDDDDDDDD? ZDDDDDDDD? ZDDDDDDDDD? ZDD? MKM @? ZDDD? 3 3 ZDD? 3 @? ZDDD? @? 3 3 MONDO : 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 : @TIME@ : 3 @DDDY 3 3 @DDY 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 LMMMMMMMMM; : 3 Z? ZDDY 3 ZDD? 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 : : : 3 3@? @? 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 @DDY : : ZY @?@? @D? ZD? ZY @?ZY @? ZD? ZY @DDDY ZY ZDD? : : @DDDDY @DDDY @DY @DDDDY@DDDDY @DY @DDDDDDDDDY @DDY : : (REVIEW & DISCUSSION OF ROCK & ROLL CULTURE) : : : : R.A.D! is published monthly by CONSPIRACY M.E.D.I.A, P.O. Box 158324, : : Nashville, TN 37215 and is copyright 1993 by Keith A. Gordon. Reprint : : freely but give us credit (a copy of the reprint would be nice, also). : : : : Hard copies of R.A.D! can be found at LUCY'S RECORD SHOP at 1707 : : Church St, Nashville or mail two stamps to the address above. : : : : ELECTRONIC R.A.D! is a service of MONDO GORDO! BBS, 615.791.8050 and : : can be downloaded from the "Gordon's Stuff" file area as RAD*.arj. : HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM< ELECTRONIC R.A.D! 1.1 R.A.D! Volume 2, Number 4 April 1st, 1993 Contents: File No. 1 / _BUY SST!_ (An Editorial) File No. 2 / _RHINO RECORDS DID IT THEIR WAY!_ (A Review) File No. 3 / _SCATTERLINGS..._ (Rock & Roll News) File No. 4 / _KOOL KUTS_ (Record Reviews) File No. 5 / _7" & 45 RPM_ (Singles Reviews) File No. 6 / _ZINE REVIEWS_ ======================================================================== File No. 1 / _BUY SST!_ (An Editorial) Satire and parody in any form -- whether it be literature, music, art -- are supposed to be protected under the First Amendment as free speech. Sadly, as SST Records and the band Negativeland have found out, this is not the case. Negativeland are cultural guerillas, mind pirates who perform their work with satire. Their recorded work consists of cut-ups, found vocals and samples, random noise and often-times rambling "skits" which lampoon themselves, the "counter-culture" and society at large. When they parodied musical sacred cows U2, however, the proverbial shit hit the fan. The band's label, Island Records, and their music publisher, Warner- Chappell Music, sued the independent SST label, who had released Negativeland's offending parody of a U2 song, and were awarded over $90,000 in damages by the court. We see this as a case of the big boys pushing around the little guys. SST has remained true to its vision and purpose as a label, releasing the best records they can and refusing to sell out to the majors who have come knocking at the door. As an indie, though, they didn't have nearly enough cash to fight this legal battle. Now they have sued the band to try and recoup some of their losses. Yes, we recognize that property rights are all important, especially in the music business. Usually, however, it's the labels and the publishers who own the rights, not the creators. As for U2, who could have stopped the suit with the clout they hold, their image as self-righteous warriors for social justice stands revealed as just more greed-head hypocrisy, a stance taken to move product. We won't call for a boycott of Island or U2. Instead, let's all buy SST! This fine indie has a deep catalog of talent, including Black Flag, Husker Du, the Minutemen and Negativeland. Buy an SST CD or tape and support the label, or send them a couple of dollars for a catalog: SST Records, Box 1, Lawndale, CA 90260 --- Keith A. Gordon ======================================================================== File No. 2 / _RHINO RECORDS DID IT THEMSELVES!_ (A review) We've been used to getting good things from the folks at Rhino Records. As the undisputed "King of Reissues," the little label has brought us compilations of Pop, Rock and Soul classics and obscurities which are well-researched, wonderfully chosen and of fine quality. Their novelty records have been unique and funny, and their recent undertaking in the Blues field is admirable to be certain. It is with their 9 volume "Do It Yourself" series, though, that I feel they have really outdone themselves... Rhino's D.I.Y. series documents the brief history of the late seventies/early eighties Punk/New Wave explosion by gathering together some of the era's best known and least known performers on a set of nine discs. Although some impor- tant figures from this time period are M.I.A. due to licensing conflicts -- The Clash, Elvis Costello and the Talking Heads perhaps the most glaring omissions -- D.I.Y. does a fine job of outlining this eight year period of music whose influence can still be felt on the charts today. Our current predominant commercial music forms (Country successes notwithstanding) -- Rap, Metal, Hard Rock, so-called "Alternative" & Grunge -- all owe an artistic debt to the musical barriers broken down by the likes of the Sex Pistols and The Ramones. The mid-seventies was a period of vacuous Disco dreck, glossy superstar bands such as The Eagles and, in general, musical blandness. Punk, with its attitude that anybody could be a Rock star if they just did it themselves, would change all of that.. _Anarchy In The U.K._ kicks off with a demo of the Sex Pistols' song of the same name, arguably the catalyst which set off the entire English D.I.Y. trend (although the Pistols, and many other English Punks, took their cue from the New York scene, more about which later). This 19 cut volume spotlights 1976 and '77, including material from some of the best who decided to pick up a guitar and write angry songs in defiance of current Rock industry conventions. Although only a handful of the artists represented here would go on to some sort of mainstream stardom, either here or abroad -- Generation X's Billy Idol and The Boomtown Rats come to mind -- many of them would be quite influential during the decade to follow. You'll find The Damned here (with 2 cuts), as well as The Jam, Buzzcocks, the Sex Pistols (also with 2 cuts) and The Stranglers, all notorious in their own right. A whole slew of wonderful "one-hit-wonders" are here, including Eddie & The Hot Rods' "Teenage Depression", The Vibrators' "Baby, Baby" and The Saints' "(I'm) Stranded." Cult favorites such as The Adverts, Penetration and Wire round out this excellent collection. It was the New York scene which inspired the English Punk explosion in the first place. Early seventies "Big Apple" artists such as the infamous New York Dolls, the Velvet Underground's Lou Reed and poets Elliott Murphy and Patti Smith brought a gritty urban realism to their dark tales of the city's mean streets. The reckless abandon with which they infused their work showcased a seriousness, a zeal and a passion which were lacking in commercial Rock & Roll at the time. _Blank Generation_ picks up in 1975, when the New York scene was bursting at the seams with great bands frequenting dives like C.B.G.B.'s and Max's Kansas City. This volume provides an excellent overview of the scene at the time. Blank Generation showcases the musical diversity of the New York scene at the time, from the sentimental R & B soulfulness of Mink DeVille to the art school experimentation of Television, from the cheerful Pop of Blondie to the outrageous Punk attitude of Johnny Thunders' Heartbreakers or the Dead Boys. Cuts from the Ramones, the Dictators, Richard Hell & the Voidoids, Suicide, Tuff Darts and Wayne County all close out this inspired collection of New York artists, illustrating their influence on the U.K. scene to follow. _The Modern World_ serves as the second volume of U.K. Punk, showcasing the turgid 1977 and '78 period in England which produced such heavyweights as the Jam, Sham 69, Magazine, the Fall, the Soft Boys and Siouxie & the Banshees. Along with _Starry Eyes_, the second volume of U.K. Pop music, includes 1979 and cuts from Joe Jackson, Buzzcocks, XTC, the Tourists, the Undertones and Squeeze; these two discs serve to lay the groundwork for much of the decade of "Alternative" music which would follow. This period would also produce some of the genre's most popular and respected artists (such as Paul Weller, Robyn Hitchcock and Eurythmics). _The Teenage Kicks_ volumes illustrates the more mainstream English Pop establishment, which would become a major influence on a similar Pop explosion in the United States. Artists found on this disc include songwriter extraordinaire Nick Lowe, the Tom Robinson Band, Eddie & The Hot Rods, Squeeze, XTC, Yachts, the Motors and the Undertones. Although it stands as one of the weaker discs in the set, interesting obscurities such as the Boys' "Brickfield Nights" and Kursaal Flyers' "Television Generation" bolster the disc's quality. The two discs of American "Power Pop" showcase a regional, grass-roots phenomena which seldom reflected on the Billboard charts. _Come Out And Play_ covers the 1975 to 1978 period and includes such Pop masterpieces as the legendary Flamin' Groovies' "Shake Some Action," Cheap Trick's "Southern Girls," the Nerves' "Hanging On The Telephone" and Chris Bell's "I Am The Cosmos." Regional hits by such favorites as Chris Stamey, the Scruffs, the Paley Brothers, Pezband and Artful Dodger also make their way onto the disc. _Shake It Up!_ brings Power Pop into the eighties, MTV and its eventual evolution into musical fodder for college radio. There are a lot of great cuts here, such as the Romantics' "Tell It To Carrie" and "What I Like About You," Holly & The Italians' "Tell That Girl To Shut Up" and the Rubinoos' "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend." The youthful energy and innocence of such pop funsters as the dB's, 20/20, the Plimsouls, Shoes and the Beat would soon give way to the crass commercialism of "Music Television" and the corruption of "Alternative" Rock. The final two volumes of the series showcase two more important and influential local scenes of the era: Los Angeles and Boston. Of the two, the L.A. scene is much more interesting and exciting to these ears, with _We're Desperate_ bringing such talents as the Germs, the Plugz, the Motels, X, the Weirdos and the Dickies to your CD player. This is the music which would influence the commercial mainstream as well as lay the groundwork for the hardcore scene which would follow. _Mass. Ave_ documents Boston's thriving and diverse local scene, circa 1976 to 1983. Although there are some strong cuts here -- including material from the Del Fuegos, the Lyres, Nervous Eaters, Robin Lane and the Neighborhoods -- for the most part, this is the weakest disc of the series, attractive mostly to those who were there at the time. The entire D.I.Y. series is carefully crafted, painstakingly researched and includes detailed liner notes by writers who observed the phenomena first hand. We can only hope that Rhino carries the series out, adding volumes through the years. Why not a West Coast hardcore disc (Flipper, the Dead Kennedys, X, Black Flag), a Southern Rock disc (R.E.M., Jason & The Scorchers, The B52s) or a East Coast disc (the Del Lords, Fugazi, Smithereens)? The possibilities are endless... ======================================================================== File No. 3 / _SCATTERLINGS..._ (Rock & Roll News) NOW HERE'S A BOX SET YOU CAN really sink your teeth into! Last Christmas was a little thin on these items, but this Spring is really shaping up. On May 4th, Hannibal/Rykodisc will be releasing a 3-CD RICHARD THOMPSON compilation titled _WATCHING THE DARK: THE HISTORY OF RICHARD THOMPSON_. Tracing 25 years of this talented artist's work, the set will include 47 tracks, with 23 of these rarities or previously unreleased cuts. The set will include material from Thompson's Fairport Convention days through his critically-acclaimed collaborations with wife Linda and up to his recent solo material. Thompson is one of Rock's true gems, underrated though one of the most talented artists in the history of the genre. OTHER UPCOMING COMPILATIONS include a 2-CD Rhino Records DAVE EDMUNDS anthology which will include material dating from his Love Sculpture days through Rockpile and to the present. Rhino will also be releasing a double disc anthology of JERRY LEE LEWIS material cutting across almost four decades and many record labels. THOSE BUSY FOLKS AT RAZOR & TIE are working on several projects for this Spring. They'll be reissuing the star-studded _SUN CITY_ CD, which features performances by U2, Peter Gabriel, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Miles Davis, George Clinton and many others. Issued under the ARTISTS UNITED AGAINST APARTHEID name in 1985, the project was the brainchild of LITTLE STEVEN to raise money for and con- sciousness of the anti-apartheid movement. Royalties from this reissue (which includes a bonus remix of the title cut and updated liner notes from Steve Van Zandt) will be donated to the Africa Fund. RAZOR & TIE MUSIC HAS ALSO signed acclaimed singer/songwriter ELLIOTT MURPHY and will be releasing his _UNREAL CITY_ LP on March 23rd. Murphy was a leading light of the early seventies New York music scene, a street-smart poet with highly- literate lyrics and a Rock edge. He has lived in Paris for the past decade, where his recorded work has been quite successful. Also on the Razor & Tie release list is _LOOKIN' FOR A LOVE_, a BOBBY WOMACK "Best Of" compilation documenting the Soul Man's 35 year career. THOSE HARD ROCKIN', HARD-WORK- ing Atlanta boys DRIVIN-N-CRYIN have released their fifth album, _SMOKE_ on Island Records. Produced by Geoff Workman (Queen, Ron Wood) and mixed by Ron St. Germain (Living Colour, Bad Brains), the disc is the band's tuffest yet. Formed in 1985, constant touring has earned the band a loyal following with their "take-no-prisoners" Rock & Roll and highly personal lyrics. R.A.D! predicts a hit for Kevn Kinney and the guys with this one. THOSE 7" DISCS WITH THE BIG HOLE in the middle are making a big comeback! TVT Records recently launched Fuel Records, a singles-only label whose first release is from Holland's CORDS. The band will also be releasing a full-length LP in May... HOT OFF OF TOURS OF EUROPE AND the United States (with Helmet and Sepultura), MINISTRY have seen their _PSALM 69_ certified gold in sales (their first). Not content with his already heavy workload, Ministry front-man Al Jourgensen is already hard at work in the studio with bandmate Paul Barker, percussionist Bill Reiflin and vocalist Chris Connelly under the REVOLTING COCKS moniker recording their next disc. Guests include Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor and Mind Funk guitarist Lou Svitek. fIREHOSE BEGAN A 48 STATE TOUR of the U.S. on March 25th, in support of their latest Columbia Records release, _mr. machinery operator_, produced by j mascis (of Dinosaur Jr.). Mid-South stops along the way on this "48 state 'cuda bake tour '93" include May 1st in Louisville; May 4th in Nashville; May 5th in Birmingham and May 7th in Fayetteville. WHERE HAS THE UNDERGROUND gone? Def American Visuals will be releasing SURVIVAL RESEARCH LABORATORIES' "The Will To Provoke" on video this Spring. The tape documents S.R.L. shows in Amsterdam and Copenhagen from July 1988. Founded in 1978 by industrial artist Mark Pauline, S.R.L. have staged over 40 shows in the U.S. and Europe. The shows, which consist of "ritualized interact- ions between robots and special effects devices" really must be seen to be believed... MECHANIC RECORDS RECENTLY announced a joint venture with major player RCA/BMG under which they will work together to market and promote artists under the Mechanic imprint. The first releases will be a reissue of the MURDER, INC. album which was released last year by Invisible, and TAD, signed by Mechanic in a deal with Seattle's Sub Pop label. Murder, Inc. includes most of the former Killing Joke line-up and Revolting Cocks/Ministry vocalist Chris Connelly. THE SMITHS' 1984 SECOND LP _HATFUL OF HOLLOW_ will be released for the first time in the United States by Sire Records in late March. Featuring vocalist/ songwriter Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr, the disc features 16 classic Smiths' tracks, including the original LP cuts and various other Bsides and rarities. Sire has also recently issued two "Best Of" discs of these cult favorites... HERE'S A REAL MUTHA FOR YA! The Belfast trio THERAPY? will be hitting the old club circuit in support of their recent A & M release _NURSE_ during April and May. They'll be joined during this assault on North America by Helmet and Jesus Lizard. Yikes! MIDNIGHT OIL WILL BE RELEASING their first studio album in more than three years in April. Titled _EARTH AND SUN AND MOON_ the disc, their ninth, was recorded in their hometown of Sydney, Australia on a 24 track analog deck in order to capture a more spontaneous and live sound. It was produced by Nick Launay, whom the Oils worked with on their _10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1_ and _RED SAILS IN THE SUNSET_ albums. Expect a monster performance from this talented and relevant band. GRAMMY AWARD WINNING ARTIST TERRENCE TRENT D'ARBY has completed work on his long-awaited third album, titled _SYMPHONY OR DAMN (EXPLORING THE TENSION INSIDE THE SWEETNESS)_. Written, arranged and produced by the talented D'arby, the disc is said to be a musical departure from his first two efforts. The Pop/R & B phenomena's acclaimed debut, _INTRODUCING THE HARDLINE ACCORDING TO TERRENCE TRENT D'ARBY_, sold almost 4 million copies worldwide. GIFTED CANADIAN ARTIST BRUCE COCKBURN has begun recording his next Columbia Records' album in Woodstock and L.A., with T-Bone Burnett producing. This follow up to his critically-acclaimed _NOTHING BUT A BURNING LIGHT_ disc is scheduled for late summer release. Cockburn has sustained an admirable career as a Folk/Rock performer for two decades, his sharp, politically-oriented lyrics often times bring heat upon him. Columbia has been working during the past couple of years to reissue the artist's catalog here in the U.S., making a dozen Cockburn recordings available, including 1984's wonderful _STEALING FIRE_, 1979's _DANCING IN THE DRAGON'S JAWS_ and 1986's magnificent _WORLD OF WONDERS_. UNDERGROUND ICON & ARTIST HENRY ROLLINS is teaming with Def American label head honcho Rick Rubin to found start One, a new indie label which will concentrate on reissuing overlooked and unavailable albums (with an emphasis on seminal Punk releases). To a lesser extent, the label will also sign carefully selected new acts. Knowing Rollins' integrity and intelligence, we look for good things to come out of this pairing. POET JOHN GIORNO HAS TEAMED UP with East Side Digital to reissue the cream of his Giorno Poetry Systems discs from the mid-eighties. _YOU'RE THE GUY I WANT TO SHARE MY MONEY WITH_ will be the first, featuring performances from Giorno, William Burroughs and Laurie Anderson. _CASH COW_ will follow, with exclusive music and poetry from the likes of Husker Du, Debbie Harry, Patti Smith, Frank Zappa and Tom Waits. ======================================================================== File No. 4 / _KOOL KUTS_ (Record Reviews) Slaughterhouse 5 _Wide Open_ (I.R.S. Records) It's 1993 and Rhino Records incredible D.I.Y. series is helping to revive the foggy memory of great bands like the Buzzcocks and The Undertones. Now there's Slaughterhouse 5 come along to claim the long vacant "Kings Of Power Pop" crown (abdicated some time ago is the face of vacuous commercial trends). With _Wide Open_, Slaughterhouse 5 pound away like a musical Maserati, hitting 95 mph from a dead start in a few mere seconds. This collection of fourteen fast and furious love songs redefines "power pop" for the nineties with its tasty lyrics, lilting harmonies and melodic, yet super-fuel-injected Rock & Roll wall of sound. Sunscreem _O3_ (Columbia) Rave is a music of many faces, from bland, boring house retreads to electrified dance trax, from speeding techno-pop to industrial noise. The worst of it is extremely repetitious and annoying as hell, the best carries its own weight with rhythm and a certain grace. Sunscreem are one of the better rave outfits, though by no means superstars of the genre as of yet. Their hypnotic, pulsating music pounds like a dancer's heartbeat, the many layers of complex sound punctuated by the beautiful Lucia Holm's sultry vocals. Cuts such as "Pressure," the bass-driven instrumental "Doved Up" and their provocative cover of Marianne Faithful's "Broken English" pierce the senses with an ease beyond many of their musical contemporaries. In what may well become a short-lived musical trend, Sunscreem seem to have the goods to live beyond it. Goo Goo Dolls _SuperStar Carwash_ (Metal Blade Records) They may well be the best-known Buffalo, New York exports outside of that city's maligned professional football team and, like their athletic snow-bound neighbors, the Goo Goo Dolls don't get nearly the respect that they deserve. One of the few remaining bands to emerge from the shadow of the nearly-legendary Replacements, the Dolls tread much of the same ground, musically, as their aforementioned major influence. Whereas the former are long gone into solo deals and history, the latter (like soul-mates Soul Asylum) are still alive and well. _SuperStar Carwash_, the Dolls' fourth LP, also represents their best work to date. All meat and potatoes Rock & Roll with no frills, this powerful trio can get noisy with the best of them. With plenty of jangling guitars, throbbing bass lines and loudly pounding drums propelling their lyrical fare of youthful frustration, heartache and abandoned joy, the Goo Goo Dolls have picked up the legacy handed them and done well by it. Forget about all those grunge-metal wanna-bees, this is the cold Rock stuff right here. Take a cruise through the _SuperStar Car Wash_. Nuclear Assault _Something Wicked_ (I.R.S. Records) As the hardcore/thrash scene seems to be slipping back into the musical underground (after barely showing its face above the commercial surface), many of its most faithful practitioners are falling out and disappearing. Not so, Nuclear Assault, who, along with Nashville's Intruder, made the best albums of the genre during its brief hey-day (1988-1992). _Something Wicked_ is typical Nuclear Assault, all musical muscle and balls made of steel. No quarter is given the listener, no wimpy pretentious ballads included on the disc to try and show "depth" and "sensitivity" -- just shear sonic guitar riffs, shouted vocals and monster percussion smashing your skull like a musical sledgehammer. The band's strong suit has always been in its political awareness and their lyrical expression of it, _Something Wicked_ is no exception. Cuts like "Chaos," "No Time" and "Poetic Justice" offer an insightful (if, at times, tongue-in-cheek) view of society and its absurdities. Nuclear Assault have always stood tall, musically and lyrically, among all hard rocking bands, thrash or not. _Something Wicked_ continues to build upon this well-earned reputation. Phish _Rift_ (Elektra Records) Like their musical brethren Widespread Panic or Blues Traveler, Phish began as a Grateful Dead-influenced outfit with a tendency towards extended instrum- ental jams and an emphasis on musical integrity. Also like those others, Phish have been busy building an entirely new musical genre, gathering a loyal cult following in the process. With the release of _Rift_, Phish continue along this familiar path, growing slightly as a band in the process but never once turning their backs on what their fans have come to expect. Recorded in Burlington, Vermont with additional recording done locally at the Castle in Franklin, Tennessee and produced by Barry Beckett, _Rift_ carries a curious air of both of these rural locations. The music created for _Rift_ is true Phish: punchy, hippie-styled Rock and Roll with extended guitar-driven instrumental passages and intriguing, poetic lyrics. There is more than a trace of Country influence, especially on the album's opening title cut, and interspersed throughout the 15 cuts found here. The result is an enjoyable listening experience for fans of many musical styles; not ground-breaking or earth-shaking, just good music. Various Artists _Marijuana's Greatest Hits Revisited_ (Re-Hash Records) Here's an idea I'm surprised nobody has come up with before: a compilation of the many songs about marijuana, a great creative force in Rock & Roll. Well, Re-Hash Records has, and it's a scream. With a variety of regional and lesser- known national artists, _Marijuana's Greatest Hits Revisited_ includes inspired covers of such tunes as Black Sabbath's "Sweat Leaf" (given appropriate treatment by Storm Orphans), Dr. Hooks' "I Got Stoned And I Missed It" (by Nashville's Freedom of Expression) and David Peel's "I Like Marijuana" (by the one and only Mojo Nixon). Other notable guests include The Bushmen, Murphy's Law and The Dickens. There's 16 cuts in all and every one's a winner! ($13 CD/ $10 Tape from P.O. Box 23855, Nashville, TN 37202) 311 _Music_ (Capricorn Records) Since its rise, Phoenix-like, from the ashes of obscurity a couple of years back, the Nashville-based Capricorn Records label has presented us with some fine talent, offering up energetic and essential discs from the likes of Colonel Bruce Hampton and Widespread Panic, as well as welcome reissues such as the Elmore James box set. With the signing of the Omaha, Nebraska quintet 311 and the subsequent release of _Music_, the band's fierce Capricorn debut, the label proves that it also has its finger on the pulse of contemporary alternative Rock. _Music_ is an electric and an eclectic album. 311 mixes musical styles so effortlessly (and seamless) on top of their bedrock Reggae rhythms that every spin of the disc is an aural adventure, uncovering some hidden musical facet the listener missed the first few times through. Vocally, Music is a Rap-oriented disc, the lyrics often times recited as much as sung. Musically, 311 blends Hard Rock, Hardcore and disparate elements of Jazz and the Blues with their own trademark Reggae sound and an undeniable punkish attitude. Comparisons may be made with other similar bands such as Bad Brains or the Beastie Boys, but such would be unfair; 311 stand on their own, rising above the one-dimensional aspects of those artists with a complex and multi-layered sound that is as fresh and invigorating as it is familiar. Not since Living Colour blew away the artificial barriers that had been erected between musical genres with their debut disc have I heard an album as exciting as 311's _Music_. This is an original and creative debut from a promising young band, an enormous find for a fledgling label like Capricorn, and a shoo-in for every critic's year end "Best Of" list. Vigilantes Of Love _Killing Floor_ (Fingerprint Records) V.O.L. are the multi-talented duo of Bill Mallonee, who pens all of the tunes, sings and plays guitar, and Billy Holmes, who adds all of the rest. Together, they put together and perform a sort of Folk/Rock mutation that is as uniquely original as it is eclectic and eccentric. _Killing Floor_ is Vigilantes Of Love's second album, a roots-oriented disc with its feet firmly in the lyrical Folk tradition and its soul filled with Rock & Roll. Mallonee's lyrics are, at their best, poetry rich in vision, symbolism and expression; at its worst, they are merely oblique and distracting. The musical accompaniment is acoustic-based, quite complex, yet refreshingly gentle. Holme's subtle touch with a piano or mandolin adds a dimension to the material, perfectly complementing Mallonee's lyrical prowess and passionate vocals with a masterfully performed musical mix which draws equally from Rock, Country, Folk and the Blues. _Killing Floor_ is a solid disc, an excellent diversion from the typical "alternative" fare of jangling guitars and pretentious lyrics. Dave Mallet _This Town_ (Vanguard) I've long contended that the best talent floating around the "Music City" wasn't necessarily in the Country arena. Aside from the many talented Rockers plying their trade in pursuit of the brass ring, there's a slew of performers who can't be labeled with any sort of adjective albatross. Steve Earle, Nancy Griffith, John Hiatt and Mary Chapin-Carpenter, to name a few, have all found varying degrees of success in Nashville, Country or no. Now the city needs to make room for Dave Mallett. Mallett is an old-fashioned tunesmith, with equal parts Folk, Country and Rock entering into his songwriting equation. He is an extremely gifted lyricist, spinning beautiful story-songs out of the threads of memory, romance and tradition. His deep, fluid vocals are perfectly suited to the material he creates. Songs like "Main Street," which commemorates that vanishing American phenomena, "Take Time," in which a father passes a generation of wisdom onto his son, and "Change Of The Seasons," a tale of the inevitable passing of the years (and, with them, friends dear) showcase the storytelling skills which Mallett brings to his craft. _This Town_ is a thoroughly enjoyable album, made all the more so by Mallett's ability, in song, to evoke memories and emotions. We could use a few more writers of Mallett's abilities here in the "Music City," in the meantime we'll enjoy those we do have...here in _This Town_. Izzy Stradlin & The Ju Ju Hounds _Izzy Stradlin & The Ju Ju Hounds_ (Geffen Records) Far too often it is easy for a critic to dismiss solo efforts from artists who have left a band for one reason or another. The resulting discs are often haphazard retreads of the sound which made the ex-member's band famous in the first place, or, worse yet, a pretentious artistic statement made by someone who shouldn't have even tried. A perfect example is former Guns 'N' Roses' second-string axeman Izzy Stradlin, who, after exiting that multi-platinum success story, slapped together a makeshift band, was handed a contract and shuffled into the studio to piece together that "solo" project. Though I didn't really hold much hope for Izzy Stradlin & The Ju Ju Hounds, the album, I stand happily surprised. Izzy's solo debut is a real poop-punting, hell-raising Rocker with its musical roots firmly planted in the Stones/Faces/ Who tradition which less-talented revisionist artists appreciate but can't really understand (are you listening Mr. Robinson?). Stradlin has a firm grasp on what made that music so great and draws from it, rather than mimicing it. With a band which includes distinguished Georgia Satellites' guitarist Rick Richards (whose musical tastes compliment well those of Stradlin) and with a host of various famous Rock & Roll alumni such as Ian McLagan, Ron Wood and Nicky Hopkins, Stradlin kicks out the jams on a collection which far surpasses anything to be found on G'N'R's double disc disaster. Izzy's voice is appropriately gritty and strained, if a bit slight at times; the self-penned songs strong in focus and a real joy to listen to. The result is a strong debut which really allows Stradlin to step out of the minor-role he was ill-suited to serve in G'N'R and show the world his chops. I, for one, look forward to hearing more from Izzy Stradlin & The Ju Ju Hounds. ======================================================================== File No. 5 / 7" & 45 RPM (singles reviews) Chords "Eat Your Heart Out" B/W "The Mirror" (Fuel Records) Side one, "Eat Your Heart Out" is a real crunching number, complete with fuzzy, distorted guitars; hoarse, shouted vocals and appropriately venomous lyrics. "The Mirror" begins with disquieting found noise and threatening guitar riffs, exploding into white noise on a grand scale. Both cuts toss more slag metal at ya than a steel foundry. Let's hear an LP, guys. (23 East 4th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10003). The Fixtures "Entartete Kunst" EP (House O' Pain Records) Hard-core fun from Encino has The Fixtures waxing poetic on cuts like "Pornhogwrathe" (with wonderful dirge-ish vocals and throbbing beat), the upbeat "International Know" (well-written political commentary on the "New World Order"), "Quit Your Job" (a "Take This Job And Shove It" for the nineties) and "Warning:." Sharp-edged lyrics complemented by tasty, fast-paced musical mayhem. (From HOUSE O' PAIN, Box 120861, Nashville, TN 37212). The Go-Figures "Reputation" B/W "Phantom Pains" (Self-Rising Records) "Reputation" is a funky, energetic piss-off styled song with soulful vocals and heavy drumming that's straight in the groove. "Phantom Pains" is a guitar- driven, rollicking number that's radio-ready and ready to roll. The Go-Figures are real up-and-comers, self-assured, with a fresh, original sound and musically, they're as tight as a fist. I'd be watching for 'em to go places... (Self Rising Records, 244 Elizabeth St, Athens, GA 30601) ======================================================================== File No. 6 / _ZINE REVIEWS_ _Sub-Conscious Soup_ (Vol. 2 No. 4 -- Winter '92) Subtitled "The Magazine of Free Thought & The Counter Culture," this ambitious little 'zine tries hard to live up to its aspirations and, in many instances, succeeds. This Winter '92 issue includes short, yet thought-provoking pieces on racist language and racism in general, hemp and the Hemp Tour '92 and Black Liberation Radio, poetry and comix and the prerequisite zine and record reviews. The only problem I have with the zine is in its size and attention. Greater space should be given to some pieces in order to expand upon their ideas, less space to artistic meandering. Nonetheless, _Sub-Conscious Soup_ is an important and interesting voice from the cultural wilderness. ($2 and 2 stamps from Scott Clark, P.O. Box 421272, Kissimmee, FL 34742) _House O' Pain_, published 3 times a year, has grown into an underground institution here in the Music City. The latest issue, their ninth, is their biggest and best ever. Featuring pieces on They Might Be Giants, Babes In Toyland, the Melvins and L7, among others, HO'P also offers record and show reviews, poetry, local news and an inspired, energetic "punkature" styled lay- out. Publisher Donnie Kendall and the zine also promote weekly all-ages shows with local and regional bands, held at Lucy's Record Shop and appropriately called "Migraine Matinees." _House O' Pain_ has become an important focal point for the local underground music community, and they fill the role well. ($2 ppd from P.O. Box 120861, Nashville, 37212) ======================================================================== LEGAL TYPE STUFF AT THE END R.A.D! and ELECTRONIC R.A.D! are published by CONSPIRACY M.E.D.I.A, P.O. Box 158324, Nashville, TN 37215 and are copyright 1993 by Keith A. Gordon. Reprinting is okay as long as you give us credit and send us copies of your publication with the reprint. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS are welcome and encouraged, as are letters of commentary. Indie labels and bands are asked to send tapes, CDs, etc for review; labels are also encouraged to send in press releases, artist biographies, and so on for our use. Sorry, nothing can be returned... ELECTRONIC R.A.D! is the on-line version of the publication and is available for D/L from MONDO GORDO! BBS (615.791.8050) as RAD*.ARJ in the "Gordon's Stuff" file area... Keith A. Gordon, EDITOR & PUBLISHER Tracey L. Dooling, ASSOCIATE EDITOR ======================================================================== ***** End of ELECTRONIC R.A.D! 1.1 *****