Volume - II Issue - III May 31st, 1989 Network AAA U U DDDD IIIII OOO A A U U D D I O O AAAAA U U D D I O O A A U U D D I O O A A UUU DDDD IIIII OOO BBBB IIIII TTTTT SSS B B I T S BBBB I T SSS B B I T S BBBB IIIII T SSS & Audio Software Review (c) Copyright 1989 by Michael A. Murphy All original materials Copyright by the Author ======================================================================== Please send all suggestions/comments/requests concerning Network Audio Bits & Audio Software Review via E-Mail to: Michael A. Murphy - Anyone wishing to send U.S. Snail mail may write to: Network Audio Bits P.O. Box 328 Orono, Maine 04473 ======================================================================== CONTENTS Editorial Compact Disc Reviews 1) So Good - Mica Paris 2) Tin Star 3) "fROMOHIO" - fIREHOSE 4) Root Hog Or Die - Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper 5) The Buck Pets 6) State Of Euphoria - Anthrax 7) Island - David Arkenstone with Andrew White 8) One By One - Peter Buffett 9) New Blue - Mosaic 10) Moonstone - Stairway Record Reviews 1) Hope And Ashes - Crayon Rubbings 2) Liquid Love - Napalm Beach 3) Secretly Happy - CattleProd 4) Roger Manning 5) Blue Hand Johnnie - Johnnie Johnson 6) Nauseous And Cranky - The Wishniaks 7) Here Come The Snakes - Green On Red 8) Agent Double O Soul - The Untouchables 9) Rhesus Pieces - Guerilla Welfare 10) Fun & Games - The Connells 11) Zamfir Ain't No Guru - The Cowpokes 12) Fun, Faith & Fairplay - Big Bam Boo Bits and Pieces - mini/capsule reviews of: 1) Easy Action - Alice Cooper (CD reissue) 2) Pretties For You - Alice Cooper (CD reissue) 3) Sound-On-Sound - Bill Nelson's Red Noise (CD reissue) 4) Map Of Dreams - Bill Nelson (CD reissue) 5) Musik For Insomniaks Vols 1 & 2 - Mark Mothersbaugh 6) Second Coming - The Dickies 7) From The Eerie Shore - Various Artists 8) The Great Fire of London - Various Artists 9) Oasis - Robert Flack New and Upcoming Release Announcements ======================================================================== EDITORIAL Welcome to the fourteenth issue of Network AUDIO BITS & Software Review! Over the past several issues I've gotten away from rating records and CDs on the 1-10 scale. I've given a lot of thought to the pros and cons of different methods of rating records and have decided that I like the five star (*) system a little better than the 1-10 system and I'm going to try it out in this issue. Based on the system used in Rolling Stone (yea, I know some of you can't stand that magazine..., but the system is as good as any other) I've rated the recordings reviewed in this issue according to the following: ***** Indispensable **** Merely excellent *** Solid ** So-so, but worthwhile * Don't bother This issue also features a return to the independent scene, though not as clearly as in previous issues. Several of the albums reviewed in this issue are from small labels or independent groups putting out their own records. These reviews are interspersed (since they are primarily LP reviews) with the rest of the regular reviews. Watch for more cassette-only (I know I've said it before!) reviews in future issues. You might note that this issue is just a shade overdue. With all of the things that have been piling up near my turntable/CD player recently I've found more and more things that I want to write about. Unfortunately, this also means it takes me more time to get it all done. At the moment I'm still going to try to squeeze a few more reviews into this issue before mailing it out tonight. Unfortunately, I'll probably have to leave a few things until the next issue. I hope you will all enjoy this issue! Should you wish to order an album from any of the smaller labels found within Network Audio Bits, please include with your order request a small note letting the company know that you learned of their product through reading Network Audio Bits. I have been in contact with several record companies in order to provide a variety of music for these 'pages', and I know these record companies will take the magazine and its readership much more seriously once they have an indication that word of their product is being spread and being heard. Thanks! ======================================================================== So Good Like Dreamers Do Mica Paris My One Temptation Producer: L'Equipe T Nothing Hits Your Heart Like Soul Music Engineer: Lee Hamblin R Sway (Dance the Blues Away) Island 90970-2 A Don't Give Me Up Released: 1989 C Breathe Life Into Me Total Time: 41:48 K I'd Hate to Love You Source - CD (AAD) S Great Impersonation Where is the Love Rating ***1/2 So Good Mica (pronounced Mee-sha) Paris is a 19 year old Brit whose vocal talents are immediately evident on _So Good_. At a time when record labels are making stars out of teenagers (Tiffany, Debbie Gibson, Tanita Tikaram) Mica's age comes as no surprise. Age aside, _So Good_ should be judged on its own merits and Mica's merits as a singer, not a 19 year old. Mica has been performing since she was seven when her grandmother put her up to her first public performance, in front of a church group, after hearing her sing along with gospel records. Mica sang in churches around London from age seven to 13. She then left the church circuit and soon began to sing backup on albums for U.K. pop groups like Shakatak and Hollywood Beyond. At 16 she toured with Hollywood Beyond and began writing her own songs. _So Good_ is Mica's debut album and it has already been certified gold in Britain. It contains only one of her own compositions, featuring mostly songs by Peter Vale and Miles Waters (aka L'Equipe). _So Good_ has garnered Mica a substantial amount of attention with comparisons to Anita Baker and Dionne Warwick. Her voice and style remind me of Canadian Shirley Eikhard (whose excellent _Taking Charge_ album is available on Cypress Records). Mick Jagger has asked Mica to record with him, though she chose to continue to tour and promote her own record. At Prince's post-London Wembley party/performance Mica took up the microphone for a chorus of the Temptations "Just My Imagination". Prince, duly impressed, promised to write a new song especially for her. _So Good_, musically, is similar to Anita Baker's recordings with a little more emphasis on rhythms. This is a very solid debut recording from an artist who will definitely be heard from again. I'm looking forward to hearing more of her original material. Her tune "Don't Give Me Up" is one of the best on _So Good_. Also notable are the cover of "Where is the Love" which shows that Mica and Will Downing are, perhaps, the equals of Roberta Flack and Donnie Hathaway, and the two top ten British singles "My One Temptation" and "Like Dreamers Do". The title cut brings the album to a slowly burning close, leaving me looking forward to Mica's next recording. ======================================================================== Tin Star Northern Border Tin Star Memory Producer: Dan Fredman T Brighter Than the Moon Engineer: Joe Borja R Wasn't That Something Rhino R2 70843 A If I Was Sober Released: 1989 C Another You Total Time: 35:11 K Someone Got Lucky Source - CD (AAD) S Yesterday Tomorrow Happy Hour Rating - *** Circle Bar The Tin Star Tin Star are a solid country-rock outfit from Los Angeles. Their sound is a little more country than I usually like my country-rock, but repeated listenings and Laura Lee Kessinger's vocals go a long way towards winning me over. If Tin Star leaned a little more towards the rock end of their music, they could almost be The Reivers. In fact, if I had heard some of the tracks from this CD without knowing who the band was, I'd have guessed it was the Reivers. The first four tracks start the CD off in a rocking vein and are the tracks that I like best. "If I Was Sober" is a pretty straight country tune that takes a humorous look at one of those standard country subjects, drinking and its many after effects. "Another You" is another fine country-rock tune that reminds me, believe it or not, sounds a little like the Replacements "I'll Be You" sung by Alex Chilton. The rest of the CD (side 2 of the LP) is focused on their country tunes, which are all catchy and melodic, but not always my cup of tea. Vocalist/rhythm guitarist Kerry Hansen wrote 8 of the 11 tunes and shares writing credits on the other 3. I'd like to hear Tin Star do an album of songs that are all in the country-rock style of about half of this album. Chances are there are many of their fans who'd like to hear a whole album of their country songs. Well, to keep all of us happy they'll have to stick with albums like this one that have a good mixture of styles. Which is definitely OK with me. ======================================================================== Riddle of the Eighties In My Mind "fROMOHIO" Whisperin' While Hollerin' fIREHOSE Vastopol Producer: Mike Watt, Ed Crawford T Mas Cojones Engineer: Paul Hamann R What Gets Heard SST CD 235 A Let the Drummer Have Some Released: 1989 C Liberty For Our Friend Total Time: 31:56 K Time With You Source - CD S If'n Some Things Rating - **** Understanding 'Nuf That Shit, George The Softest Hammer There's something subtly different about _"fROMOHIO"_ compared with fIREHOSE's previous two albums (_"Ragin', Full On"_ & _"If'n"_). It's not something tangible, nothing I can point to. Their sound hasn't changed drastically and their songs are not all that different in content or style than the songs on their previous two albums (or the Minutemen albums). So why is their new album arguably their best to date? If you have to ask, then you probably haven't listened to it. Besides, I can't tell you why because I can't tell you why. Nevertheless, _"fROMOHIO"_ is a musical trip that never spends much time in rest areas. Unfortunately, the trip is over too soon (32 minutes) But it's a great trip that makes up for the lack of quantity with a quality set of 14 songs that were recorded in thirty hours at Suma in Painsville, Ohio from October 17 to 20, 1988. It took thirty more hours to fine tune and do the final mix. The tracks that I like the best are "Riddle of the Eighties", "Liberty For a Friend" and "Time With You". fIREHOSE are pretty basic in their attack, sticking to guitar, bass and drums, the heart of rock 'n roll instrumentation. So what separates fIREHOSE from other basic rock 'n roll bands? Well, there are, perhaps unlimited combinations of sound that can be made with guitar, bass, drums and vocals. These guys hit the right ones. It's that simple. Or is it... ======================================================================== Debbie Gibson is Pregnant With My Two Headed Love Child Root Hog Or Die (619) 239-K I N G Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper This Land is Your Land Producer: Jim Dickinson T Pirate Radio Engineer: Don Smith R Chicken Drop Enigma 73335-2 A Tennessee Jive Released: 1989 C Louisiana Liplock Total Time: 56:40 K I'm a Wreck Source - CD S Legalize it Burn Your Money! Rating - **** Circus Mystery She's Vibrator Dependent High School Football Friday Night Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper are a couple of guys who stretch the limits of taste while somehow managing to keep from being completely obnoxious. It's this fine line, this tightrope, that infuses their music with that little something that lifts them a level or two above your basic novelty act or song(s). Their instrumental backing is pretty basic, though very good, rockabilly. If these guys wrote songs a little more like normal people, they'd still be making music worth listening to. However, they don't write normal songs. From start ("Debbie Gibson is Pregnant...") to end ("High School Football Friday Night") this 56+ minute CD will test some of your limits. If you listen to any sort of alternative radio or watch MTV you've probably already heard or seen the video of "(619) 239-KING". The video for "Debbie Gibson is Pregnant..." should also be airing soon. Mojo & Skid's repertoire consists of a protest (sort of) song ("This Land is Your Land"), a jab at the FCC ("Pirate Radio") and a few suggestive tunes that stretch the limits of what can 'comfortably' be played on the air ("Chicken Drop", "Louisiana Liplock", "She's Vibrator Dependent"). Mojo & Skid have created a monster here that holds up over repeated listenings, unlike a lot of novelty acts/songs. Yea, Mojo & Skid are definitely a novelty. An oddity, even. More than just a passing oddity, though. These guys are in for the long haul. They're worth checking out. ======================================================================== The Buck Pets Iron Cock The Buck Pets How Delicious She Looks Producer: Ron St. Germain T Good Day Engineer: Ron St. Germain R Inamorata Island 91049-2 A Hammer Valentine Released: 1989 C More and More Total Time: 40:57 K Perfect Source - CD (AAD) S A Little Murder Lost Rating **1/2 Song For Louise Post (CD bonus track) - The Bad Sleep Good, Or Not At All If youthful, noisy, guitar-driven rock 'n roll bands are your thing, then you probably ought to check out The Buck Pets. Their debut album on Island Records is a solid outing, though it doesn't offer much that is different from the many other youthful noise bands of recent years. Time will be the telling factor with this band. Future releases will tell whether they'll remain as a part of the pack or whether they'll break away from the pack with a handful of those other bands that find some way to reach for that little something extra. The something that makes the difference. Songs like "Hammer Valentine" and "Song For Louise Post" make me think The Buck Pets have a shot at finding that something extra and sustaining it for an entire album. ======================================================================== State Of Euphoria Be All, End All Anthrax Out of Sight, Out of Mind Producers: Anthrax & Mark Dodson T Make Me Laugh Engineer: Alex Perialas R Antisocial Island 91004-2 A Who Cares Wins Released: 1988 C Now it's Dark Total Time: 52:48 K Schism Source - CD (AAD) S Misery Loves Company 13 Rating - *** Finale Anthrax is a group that I have to get mentally prepared for to be able to listen to and enjoy their music. Unlike a lot of recordings that will allow you to shift your mood to get into the flow of an album, _State Of Euphoria_ doesn't give you any time to relax for a minute and 'adjust' yourself. The album also doesn't flow - the music comes in torrents and cascades. _State Of Euphoria_ makes for some good highway driving music, though you'll have to watch your foot on the pedal if you get too absorbed in the tunes. At 52+ minutes it's perfect for the occasional hour long highway drive. Unless you want to annoy a lot of other drivers, I wouldn't recommend _State Of Euphoria_ if you're stuck in traffic during rush hour. I suspect, though, that most of the buyers (there have been quite a few as the album has been certified gold) of _State Of Euphoria_ won't get stuck in rush hour too often as a lot of them won't own cars yet. Those that do would be on the roads mostly at other times. Thinking back, this is a CD that I would've played (if we'd had CD players back then!) quite a bit about 10 or 12 years ago, when I fell into that 16-20 age group. In a way it's a good thing that the younger crowd are the ones listening to Anthrax. Some of them will really be paying attention to the lyrics. A few of these kids will one day hold some important social positions later on in life. Who knows, maybe the world will be a better place in 15 years because some kid learned about a social inequity by listening to Anthrax and decided to do something about it. Farfetched? Maybe. But stranger things have certainly happened. Anthrax' songs are mostly based in reality rather than the "devil worship" that so many detractors of heavy metal like to point to. Their songs range from "Make Me Laugh", a commentary on the hypocrisy of television evangelists (who are some of the folks who raise the biggest stink about heavy metal in general. I guess I might raise a stink, too, since Anthrax' message is pretty straightforward and, well, the truth hurts, don't it...) to "Who Cares Wins" which focuses attention on the homeless. How many other metal bands are writing songs about the homeless? I doubt that the members of Anthrax could be considered saints, but their songs are gutsy and honest and even socially-conscious to an extent. What more can you ask from a speed metal band? If these guys played it a little safer and pandered to commercial radio outlets (MTV included) and softened their sound/image for the 'older' crowd, they could sell many, many albums. I'll take them as they are, though. A gold record ain't too shabby and even though I've got to get into the proper mind set to listen to _State Of Euphoria_, I'd much rather have it that way than to have them blend in neatly with all the other Def Leppards, Bon Jovis, White Lions, Kingdom Comes, etc. (I'm not knocking these bands, per se. I just find Anthrax to be a completely different animal, so to speak.) ======================================================================== Island Nantucket David Arkenstone w/ Andrew White Ballet Producers: Eric Lindert and T The Island Road David Arkenstone R Desert Ride Engineer: David Vartanian A Along the Shoreline Narada Equinox ND-63005 C Caravan Released: 1989 K Hindu Holiday Total Time: 45:11 S Passage Source - CD Nullarbor The Palace Rating - ***1/2 Carnation Lily Lily Rose David Arkenstone's 1987 release _Valley In The Clouds_ ranked highly on Billboard's New Age album chart until just recently. His new album, _Island_, is currently at number 7 and climbing. _Valley In The Clouds_ was pretty much a one man operation with Arkenstone handling all of the largely electronic instrumentation, except for the drums. On _Island_ Arkenstone has augmented his own keyboards, synths, guitar, flute and pennywhistle with a 7-member backing band. Andrew White is featured on acoustic guitar, keyboards and also plays bass on "Along the Shoreline". The addition of 7 other musicians has added an element of spontaneity to these compositions, most of which are Arkenstone/White collaborations. _Island_ is a recording that builds on the successes of _Valley In The Clouds_ without reworking the same material. I'm sure it would've been very easy for David to record another album very similar to _Valley In The Clouds_. His eagerness to try new ideas is both good for his music and for those of us who enjoy listening to it. _Island_ is bursting with the energy of the group of performers. It's emphasis on strong rhythms and a less serene approach make it a very interesting listen. As I've mentioned in a previous review, the Narada Equinox label is one to keep an eye on. It's blending of new age, pop, rock and jazz musics have been uniformly excellent. _Island_ is another worthy release on Narada Equinox. ======================================================================== One By One Powder River Peter Buffett Sierra Producer: Peter Buffett T Trail of Tears Engineer: Peter Buffett R Sprint Narada Mystique ND-62004 A The Big Theme Released: 1989 C One By One Total Time: 43:25 K Promise Source - CD S December March Rating - **** Sand Creek Unlike 1987's _The Waiting_, which featured a lot of electronic layers and textures, _One By One_ is an electronic music album that features many acoustic sounds. Buffett uses samples ranging from English horns, cellos and flamenco guitars to the sounds of crickets, owls, basketballs, anvils and auto garage grease guns on _One By One_. Buffett's compositions on _One By One_ are a little more urgent and ambitious than those on _The Waiting_. "Sprint" is an excellent example of this as it's very rock-like compared to some of the dreamier tracks on _The Waiting_. Adding to the sense of urgency, Buffett doesn't stretch out and hold notes or chords as much as he did on _The Waiting_. This also helps in giving _One By One_ an acoustic feel, though Buffett has used his army of electronic equipment to produce everything you hear. That army of equipment is housed in the studio Buffett owns with his wife, Mary. Among other things, Peter uses the Synclavier Digital Audio System, Kurzweil 1000-PX and 1000-GX, Roland D-110, D-50, MKS-80 Super Jupiter and MKS-20. Independent Sound is one of the West Coast's most advanced recording facilities - a futuristic, computer-filled laboratory where Buffett allows his imagination to run free. After turning his Bay Area apartment into a recording studio in the early 80s and opening it to local musicians, Buffett met his wife, Mary. She helped create a market for Peter's soundscapes among Bay Area advertising agencies and, in 1982, joined Peter for a remake of "My Boyfriend's Back," a song that generated a hit video on then fledgling MTV. This exposure attracted national accounts to Buffett's doorstep and allowed him to amass more and more sophisticated equipment that would ultimately be used to record his non-advertising compositions when a fitting outlet could be found. The outlet he found, of course, is Narada Mystique. Narada has gone a long way towards incorporating many of the styles associated with the term 'New Age music' into a forward moving entity With releases like Peter Buffett's _One By One_, things are still moving forward at a nice pace. ======================================================================== New Blue No Colors of Green Fields Mosaic New Blue Producer: Liv Singh Khalsa T Subway Getaway Engineer: R Invisible Invincible INV 083 A Pores of the Ocean Released: 1988 C The Eastern Door Total Time: 42:53 K The Guns, They've Stopped Source - CD S By Day Insomnia Rating - *** Dissonance in Rain By Day or Night Mosaic remind me of Special EFX, both musically and in their make-up. Both groups feature two guys on various instruments. Special EFX usually have several guests on their recordings without too much synth work. Mosaic spend more time with synths, though one could hardly call this a synthesiser recording. Indeed, the sound of both groups is very similar, though Mosaic might be a little more jazz oriented. Special EFX tends towards pop/jazz fusion while Mosaic, though still in the same vein, sounds a little more jazzy and less electric than Special EFX. If one of Mosaic's goals on _New Blue_ was to make a synthesiser recording that wasn't obviously a synthesiser recording, then they succeeded. The blend of acoustic instruments and synth sounds are nicely balanced. Matt Brody's sax licks are especially appealing. Check out his blowing on the title track. ======================================================================== Moonstone The Lovers Stairway Sunset Point Producer: Clifford White, James T Bird of Paradise McCarty & Loui Cennamo R Blue Pool Invincible/New World NWCD 168 A Alcazar Released: 1988 C Lavender Down Total Time: 62:18 K Looking Inside Source - CD S AquaMarine Island of Jewels Rating - **1/2 Ship of Happiness Dolphin Voices There are a number of sixties rockers who have meandered into the new age music arena. Of course, the genre has been around a lot longer than the tag. Artists like Vangelis, Tangerine Dream, Michael Oldfield and others have been putting out music, that is now categorized as new age, since long before the new age movement began in earnest. James McCarty and Loui Cennamo both were members of Renaissance and McCarty was a founding member of the Yardbirds. Cennamo has played sessions for James Taylor and Al Stewart, among others. _Moonstone_ is a layered, textured recording that is very relaxing without getting boring or bland. There are no pyrotechnics here, but the instrumentation is clear, often sharp, with an intensity that doesn't burn, yet heats with a warm glow. Jane Relf is featured on vocals on a few of the tracks. Her willowy, velvet voice weaves in and around the music on "Bird Of Paradise" so that the two are as one. The vocals are purposely subdued in the mix so the sounds blend together extremely well. ======================================================================== Hope And Ashes Midwest Crayon Rubbings T Trying to Change You Producer: Andre Kuzniarek R Rattle the Shack Engineer: Andre Kuzniarek A Blank Pages Erinys ERS-04 C I'll Come Out Released: 1988 K Tricks of Time Total Time: 34:10 S Places Source - LP Summer Rating - **** Laurel Garber's vocals impel this recording, which alternately rocks out and swings in a jazz/rock vein. Garber also wrote the eight songs that appear on _Hope And Ashes_. The band consists of Garber (vocals, keyboards), Andre Kuzniarek (guitars, bass, keyboards) and Bill Webber (drums, percussives). They are accompanied on two tracks by Scott Peters (additional guitars), Tim McNamara (saxophone) and Wayne Sloan (clarinet). Garber's vocals evoke images of a less ethereal Kate Bush, a less nasal Stevie Nicks and a less flighty Maria Mckee. Less adds up to more as Laurel Garber is a unique and engaging vocalist. The band also knows how to arrange a pop tune, the first six tunes are excellent examples of this. The addition of sax and clarinet on "Rattle the Shack" and "Tricks of Time" give the arrangements that little extra something that make them swing as well as rock. The last two tracks ("Places" & "Summer") lean towards the ethereal and experimental and are the tracks most responsible for comparisons to Kate Bush (though the band would not like to be tagged with that comparison). _Hope And Ashes_ is a fine album by a group that works well together. It is well produced, but retains a raw feel that accentuates the tunes rather than glossing over them with slick production. Singer Laurel Garber is a distinctive vocalist who should gain more exposure in time. I dislike focusing on her more than the band, but major labels tend to leave bands behind when signing uniquely talented singers. I, for one, would like to see the group garner a major label contract. A solo contract for Laurel is more likely. Of course, the group could languish in relative obscurity like so many good regional groups do. If this happens, I hope they'll keep me up to date on what they're doing. I am looking forward to their next recording! For information write to Erinys Records, P.O. Box 655, Urbana, Illinois 61801. ======================================================================== Liquid Love Get Movin' Napalm Beach Can't Do That Producer: Jan Celt T Plague Engineer: Mike Demmers R Takes No Fire Flying Heart FH 335 A Too Much Fun Released: 1988 C She's A Carnival Total Time: 33:39 K Payin' the Price Source - LP S Harmony Hill Livin' on the Run Rating - ****1/2 Down Mexico Way In the Sunshine _Liquid Love_ is a mixture of hard rockin' blues (a la Cream), the grit of a southern/texas style band (a la Lynyrd Skynyrd/Stevie Ray Vaughn) and the distorted fuzziness of Lou Reed/VU. None of the above are necessarily influences, just points of reference to allow you to perceive what Napalm Beach sounds like with only the written word to help you. Napalm Beach are Chris Newman (vocals, guitars) and Sam Henry (drums). Their sound, though not exactly sparse, is not laden with extraneous or distracting instrumentation - just a couple of guys with some drums and guitars. When you get right down to it, this type of album/group is still the heart and guts of rock 'n roll. Even in the technologically dominated late 80's. Guitar aficionados will definitely enjoy this album. The guitar work is effective without resorting to flash for the sake of flash. The drumming pushes, but doesn't accelerate the songs. All of the tracks here are strong. They are also rather varied. Among the best tracks on _Liquid Love_ are "Harmony Hill" - a slow ballad, "Down Mexico Way" - the lead single from the album, "Can't Do That", "Too Much Fun" - an all out bombardment of guitars, drums, distortion and Chris Newman's vocals, and the opener "Get Movin'" which sets the tone of the album with fuzzy guitars, a driving drumbeat and forceful vocals. _Liquid Love_ is doing well in the Northwest U.S. and is also getting some airplay in Germany and Poland. A European tour is planned for Napalm Beach in September. For more information or to order by mail, write to Flying Heart Records, 4026 NE 12th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97212. The LP or cassette is $8.00. Add $1.50 to cover postage and handling in the U.S. For international mail orders, include $6.00 for postage and handling. Flying Heart has several other releases that might be of interest. More on those in a future issue. ======================================================================== I Hate Hate Tongues Are Pink Love is a Toy Secretly Happy Babuh CattleProd I Don't Mind Walking Producer: Albert Garzon T Donkey Ears Engineer: Steve Marker R We'll Blow Ourselves Up Community 3 C3-0889 A When I'm Dead Released: 1989 C Waking Up Total Time: N/A K Nipple Goon Source - LP S Spastic Child on Ice My Only Constellation Rating - ****1/2 Satan is Boring My Body Smells Like Love People Are All Right CattleProd's sound can be described as, alternately, similar to some of the things Joe Jackson has done ("I Hate Hate", "Love is a Toy", "Babuh"), similar to Timbuk 3 ("Tongues Are Pink") and something like a less guitar oriented Clash ("We'll Blow Ourselves Up"). But categorizing their sound is more complicated than that (and something of a frustration since I don't like to categorize, but find that it is a necessary tool when writing about most popular genres of music). Their music is a cross-section of a lot of popular genres of music - punk & hardcore, pop and pieces of several other genres. CattleProd's songs on _Secretly Happy_ might best be considered 'pop with an attitude'. The tracks are not cloyingly sweet like so much of the pop music of today, but neither are they as harsh or acerbic as most punk and hardcore tend to be. The group's name is quite apt, as almost all of the songs on _Secretly Happy_ contain at least some small amount (large amounts in some cases!) of sarcastic needling of one subject or another. To add to the atmosphere here, a small note on the lyric sheet mentions that these songs were recorded under a full moon at Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin. CattleProd are based in Madison, Wisconsin after moving from Spokane, Washington just over a year ago. Their short bio says that their Madison shows have become mob scenes in recent months and that they are gearing up to bring their 'tribal stomp' to unsuspecting cities across the U.S. If they're as good as, or better than, their record is, then this is a show well worth seeing! After an initial listen and then sitting in my 'gotta-listen-to-again' pile of records for about three weeks this record has spent a lot of time on my turntable in the last couple of weeks. I recommend it highly. If you're unable to locate CattleProd in your local record store, or if you'd just like more information, write to Community 3 Records at 416 East 13th Street #12, New York, New York 10009. _Secretly Happy_ is available on LP and cassette. ======================================================================== The #14 Blues Roger Manning The Pearly Blues Roger Manning The Lefty Rhetoric Blues Producers: John Gurrin & Roger T The Hitch-hikers Blues Manning R The West Valley Blues A Strange Little Blues SST Records SST-203 C The Airport Blues Released 1988 K The #16 Blues Total Time: 37:00 S The #17 Blues Source - LP Blues For the Chosen Few The 1010 Blues Rating - **** The Sicilian Train Blues If rave press clippings were cash, Roger Manning would be a rich man. He's done a lot of gigging in support of his SST album (simply titled _Roger Manning_) and received good reviews almost everywhere he's gone. I had the opportunity to see Roger perform at the end of March in Boston. I saw him in the Rat with about 200 other people, give or take 100... There were all of maybe five or six people who had heard of Roger before the show (My wife and I made two) and maybe one or two of those had heard his record (I didn't have a copy until a few days later). Yet this same crowd who'd completely ignored the previous bluegrass band watched and listened attentively when Roger did his 45 minute set. Roger is not necessarily an imposing figure, but while he was onstage at the Rat he had the respect and the attention of the crowd. His personna is not one that you would expect to be charming, but he proceeded to do just that (charm the crowd) during his set. In talking with Roger after the show I found him to be very much like his music. Real. Real music. Real person. Roger performed many of the songs that appear on his album and one or two that do not. Though almost all of the crowd had not heard his music, they responded to it, laughing at the humorous/ironic stuff, making comments in between songs that Roger responded to. He also encouraged audience participation, getting us involved in between songs with some lively banter, telling stories between (and during!) songs much like performers like Arlo Guthrie or Pete Seeger, though with the small crowd it was much more intimate and personal than the larger crowds that Guthrie often commands these days (I saw Arlo some time ago with about 1500 others). Roger's songs, as I've said, are real. This is perhaps what makes him such an appealing artist. His songs are difficult to grasp just by looking at the titles (#14 Blues, #16 Blues & #17 Blues, the 1010 blues), but his lyrics are easy to grasp. "She pulled my heart out with her little blue eyes, kissed it and put it back again" from "The Pearly Blues" and "Listen to the lefties talkin' on the radio/they're puttin' down the government/what do they know?!" from "Lefty Rhetoric Blues" are good examples. His musical style is also easy to grasp, as he usually performs with only his guitar as accompaniment (the album features Jason Goodrow on bass on two tracks and Steve Dansiger of Pianosaurus on drums on 6 tracks). He calls his music folkgrass, which is about as apt a description as I can think of. I might add that his style is a little thrashy, which ably supports his reedy tenor as he talk-sings (which is another reason that his performances seem more like conversations than your usual concert) his many 'blues'. In the last issue of Network Audio Bits I wrote about Kirk Kelly's (he and Roger are good friends) album _Go Man Go_ and mentioned that it had spent a lot of time on my turntable. Roger's album has spent an equal amount of time there, played almost daily during most of April and early May. I could say a lot of the same things about Roger's album that I did about Kirk's (well, I did, sort of, but the words are different) and they'd all be true. Check out both albums. And check out both performers live shows. Maybe next time I see Roger there'll be as many as 20 or 30 people in the crowd who've heard of him! ======================================================================== Blue Hand Johnnie Johnnie's Boogie Johnnie Johnson See See Rider Producers: Oliver Sain, Sam Valenti T O.J. Blues Engineer: Oliver Sain R Black Nights Pulsar PUL 1002 A Talkin' Woman Released: 1988 C Honky Tonk Total Time: 37:55 K Slow Train Source - LP S Baby What You Want Me to Do Way South Rating ***1/2 Johnnie B. Goode I wish I knew more about Johnnie Johnson so I could share some of his background information with you. Unfortunately (well, not really!) all I have in front of me is his album _Blue Hand Johnnie_ on Pulsar records. This is one fast cookin', slow burnin' blues album. There's a good mix of a few original tunes and some well travelled standards. Pressed on blue vinyl, _Blue Hand Johnnie_ opens with a rockin' tune called "Johnnie's Boogie", is followed by a slow burning "See See Rider" that has Johnson trading his piano leads with Oliver Sain's saxophone. I've rarely heard a happier sounding blues album. These guys (Johnson on piano, Sain on sax, Herb Sadler on lead & rhythm guitar, Steve Waldman on lead & rhythm guitar, Keith Robertson on drums, Kent Hinds on drums, the Bel Airs {David Pruitt - lead & rhythm guitar, Dick Pruitt - bass guitar, Pat O'Conner - drums}, Barbara Carr and Stacy Johnson ) really get off on playing with each other on _Blue Hand Johnnie_. For information, write to Pulsar Records & Publishing, Suite 11, Bogey Hills Plaza #1880, St. Charles, MO 63302. ======================================================================== Nauseous And Cranky The Wishniaks Producers: Chris Unrath & Wishniaks T Point of No Return Engineer: Chris Unrath R Distraction Bloodmoney Erato 001 A Double Takin' Released: 1988 C 6 AM Total Time: N/A K Marianne Faithfull Source - EP S Rating ***1/2 The Wishniaks wear their influences on their sleeves (Beatles, Replacements, R.E.M.) while managing to forge ahead from that starting point. Their guitar-driven attack is sure and to the point. These guys are a tightly knit ensemble who still manage to maintain some of that raw, garage sound. _Nauseous And Cranky_ is an excellent five song EP of jangly guitar pop in the tradition of the above-mentioned bands. The Wishniaks manage to make the sound their own, though. Check out the tracks "6 AM" and "Marianne Faithful" if you don't believe me. Also available is a two song 7-inch 45 that contains the tunes "Wishful Thinking" and "Wicked Pygmy Summer". These two songs are every bit as good as the five tracks on _Nauseous And Cranky_. This 7-inch 45 is available by mail for $3 ppd. _Nauseous And Cranky_ is available for $6 ppd. and both are available for $8 ppd. To order or for more info write to: WhyNot?! (Un)Ltd., P.O. Box 30084, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-0404. ======================================================================== Here Come The Snakes Keith Can't Read Green On Red Rock N Roll Disease Producers: Jim Dickinson & Joe Hardy T Morning Blue Engineer: Roland Janes R Zombie For Love Restless 72351-4 A Broken Radio Released: 1989 C Change Total Time: N/A K Tenderloin Source - Cassette S Way Back Home We Had it All Rating ***1/2 D.T. Blues Green On Red are, perhaps, the ultimate bar band. Their brand of rock 'n roll is the kind that goes down well with an ice cold long- necked Budweiser (or any local favorite beer). The band has recently gone from five members to two. Dan Stuart and Chuck Prophet are the remaining members. Joining them in the studio on _Here Come The Snakes_ are Jim Dickinson and Joe Hardy (who also produced), Rene Coman, Paul Ebersold, Ed Kollis and the Zombie Choir. _Here Come The Snakes_ compares well with Green On Red's previous output. From 1983-1985 Green On Red released three excellent pieces of vinyl, _Gravity Talks_ (Slash), _Gas Food Lodging_ (Enigma) and _No Free Lunch_ (Mercury). They also released an album on Mercury in 1987 (_The Killer Inside Me_) which I thought was way overproduced and really lacked the intensity and feeling of their previous albums. _Here Come The Snakes_ corrals the raw energy of their early sound and slows it down, giving Green On Red a bluesier country sound compared to their earlier country-punk sound. The edge of their earlier recordings has softened (but only a little! These guys can still rock the house down!) _Here Come The Snakes_ is an evolution of Green On Red's music that both compares well with their past and bodes well for the future. So, come on in. Kick your feet up while you pop the top on that beer. And enjoy. From "Keith Can't Read" and "Rock n' Roll Disease" through to "D.T. Blues" this album will go down smooth with that Bud (it sounds a little more rough and raw without the Bud). You might even be ready for another by the time "D.T. Blues" spins around - unless you're driving, of course...! ======================================================================== Agent Double O Soul Agent Double O Soul The Untouchables Let's Get Together Producer: Arthur Barrow T Stripped to the Bone Engineer: Eric Westfall R Airplay Restless 72342-4 A World Gone Crazy Released: 1989 C Under the Boardwalk Total Time: N/A K Cold City Source - Cassette S Shama Lama Sudden Attack Rating *** Education Being a rather big fan of funk & soul and the various interconnected genres of similar music, I couldn't wait to throw _Agent Double O Soul_ into my tape player when it arrived. My only disappointment was that the Untouchables didn't funk as hard as I thought they might (from what little I'd read about them). Not meeting my expectations, however, does nothing to diminish the fact that this is a fine album by a group whose funk is smooth and soulful. There's also a solid dance groove on most of the tracks, though it's not quite the killer groove I'd hoped for. My only real gripe about this album is that they included a cover of "Under The Boardwalk" on the album. I can certainly understand having it in their live repertoire as a crowd-pleasing cover of a classic tune, but I'd rather hear more original tunes. The cover does have an 80s sound to it, but it really doesn't improve on the original. Well, I'm just picking nits here. Check out the title track, "Let's Get Together", "Stripped to the Bone" and "World Gone Crazy" for some good, smooth soul-funk. ======================================================================== Rhesus Pieces Thaw Guerilla Welfare Melting Pot Producer: Guerilla Welfare T Mirrored Faces Engineer: Guerilla Welfare R Why'd They Make That Atom Bomb He Dead GW 002 A So Damn Hot? Released: 1988 C Is Everything Ok? Total Time: 44:00 K Self Denial Source - LP S All Things Are Connected Mr. Mighty (On the Floor) Rating *** Litigare (Melting Pot Reprise) So, Today... The mood of _Rhesus Pieces_ is varied throughout. There's a mildly threatening tone on a couple of tracks, though the album is strangely relaxing. The tape loops and various altered vocals don't allow one to get too comfortable, though. _Rhesus Pieces_ is the second Guerilla Welfare release on He Dead Records. GW is an Edmonton based project consisting of Brian Schultze on assorted guitars and stuff, and Curtis Ruptash on assorted basses and other stuff. The accompanying press release mentions that there are no synthesisers on this record. It also mentions that there is no particular reason for it, other than it's more fun to bash the shit out of stuff rather than doinking away on a keyboard. Mandy Cousins, Patrick Higgins and Denise Spitzer and some interesting voices/vocals to several of the tracks. A lot of _Rhesus Pieces_ is rather spare sounding, without being minimalist. There's a lot of different instrumentation involved on these tracks. Everything from your basic guitars and basses to dulcimers, marimbas, bongos, a glockenspiel, salad bowls, duck calls and miscellaneous junk. There's even a 'death guitar orchestra' on "Is Everything O.K.?" _Rhesus Pieces_ takes a lot of very varied sounds/noises and combines them into something that is, while certainly not 'easy' listening, is not as 'difficult' to listen to as one might assume from the types of things Guerilla Welfare are using to produce sounds/noises. To order, or for more information, write to: Guerilla Welfare, P.O. Box 11152, Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA T5J 3K4 or Wayside Music, P.O. Box 6517, Wheaton, Maryland 20906-0517. ======================================================================== Fun & Games Something to Say The Connells Fun & Games Producer: Gary Smith T Sal Engineer: Paul Q. Kolderie R Upside Down TVT Records TVT 2550 A Motel Released March 1989 C Hey Wow Total Time: N/A K Ten Pins Source - LP S Inside My Head Uninspired Rating - ***1/2 Sat Nite (USA) Lay Me Down The Connells third album _Fun & Games_ was released in March to a goodly amount of fanfare. Having enjoyed their first two albums I rushed right home to check out _Fun & Games_ when it arrived. After an initial mild disappointment (due mainly to the fact that I've been eager to hear more from the Connells since hearing _Darker Days_ and _Boylan Heights_) I've come to enjoy this album as much or more than the earlier two LPs. _Fun & Games_ has done very well on the college and alternative charts since its release in March. The Connells songs are hook filled, hard driving pop songs that have more in common with a lot of overseas groups (The Housemartins, Close Lobsters, Big Bam Boo, Triffids, etc.) of the past few years than in the similar types of rootsy, jangly U.S. bands (R.E.M., Replacements, BoDeans, etc.). Each track on _Fun & Games_ is strong. It's not easy to choose one that stands out from the rest, but I like "Sal" a lot. The Connells were formed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where several of the members at one time or another attended or graduated from UNC (But I don't hold that against them. I spent some time at North Carolina State U, which has a spirited rivalry with the Tar Heels. Go Wolfpack!). An early track (on Dolphin Records "More Mondo" sampler - 1984) caught the attention of many producers, including well known (nowadays) Don Dixon, who wanted to produce their first LP. _Darker Days_ was released on Black Park Records in 1985. Their second LP _Boylan Heights_ was released in 1987. I find The Connells music to be somewhat similar to the Housemartins music in that both groups feature bright, pop background to songs that aren't necessarily happy ones. The Connells are not as gloomy or doom- oriented as the Housemartins, but not all of their material is as bright and cheery as it sounds. ======================================================================== G Drinking Song Zamfir Ain't No Guru r Straight Line The Cowpokes e Fire in the Dance Hall Producers: Ed Trefzger & The T es Price You Pay Cowpokes R ni Houses Bloom Engineer: Tom Backus A d Chuckwagon Circularphile CPLP-88001 C e Satisfied Released 1988 K B The Lion Sleeps Tonight Total Time: N/A S l Androgeny Source - LP us Whistle Tune ei Slow Song Rating - ***1/2 d Crustacean e Cowpokes Theme The Cowpokes cover some of the musical territory that their name might suggest. But this album goes a lot further than the country-punk one might expect to (and will) hear. The opening tracks ("Drinking Song" and "Straight Line") set a pretty high standard for the rest of the LP to live up to, which the Cowpokes do with the exception of "Fire in the Dance Hall" which is just a little too repetitive. "Drinking Song" uses a theme that is well-travelled in rock 'n roll, but does it justice. The only excesses found on this song are in the subject matter ("Well Hey, I drank too/much/Drank too much gin"). "Straight Line" is an interesting title for a song that's lyrics go roundabout to get to the point. Interesting word play backed by a 'straight line' sort of beat and musical backdrop. Some other standout tracks are their cover of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", a foot-stompin', slightly rowdy version of the well known Tokens tune that opens the blue side of the LP, "Androgeny", "Price You Pay" and "Crustacean". The Cowpokes formed at the University of Rochester in 1987 and soon became popular on campus and around town. They've performed with They Might Be Giants, Colorblind James Experience, and The Ramones. The Cowpokes consist of Brian King (acoustic guitar, vocals), Timothy Baldanzi (bass guitar, vocals) and Tim leverett (drums, percussion, vocals). With the exception of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" all the tunes were written by the band, primarily by King and Baldanzi. For more information, write to: Circularphile Records, 42 Margaret Street, Rochester, New York 14619-2113. ======================================================================== Fun, Faith, and Fair Play Fell Off a Mountain Big Bam Boo Shooting From My Heart Producers: Richard Manwaring T If You Could See Me Now Engineer: Chris Sheldon R What's Bigger Than Life? UNI UNI-8 A Justice Released: 1989 C Dream Song Total Time: 43:19 K Brazilian Waltz Source - LP S Wicked Love Haven't Got the Time Rating - *** Tender Skin Big Bam Boo sound like a cross between the Proclaimers, They Might Be Giants and the Connells. Their material is not quite as poignant as the Proclaimers and not quite as humorous/silly as They Might Be Giants and just a bit more pop oriented than the Connells. They are an engaging duo whose music provides an enjoyable 43+ minutes of listening. Big Bam Boo are Simon Tedd (vocals, guitars, keyboards, and programming) and Shark (vocals, guitars). They first encountered each other in a Nashville, Tennessee Greyhound bus depot. They swapped phone numbers and then when Shark (who is from Canada) went to England he called Simon. They first worked together in a group called The Boomerang Gang, which released a couple of singles before disbanding. They parted ways for two years before hooking up again in 1987. After failing to generate any interest in their demos, Shark and Simon took their guitars and pre-recorded drums and performed live in offices. This tactic got them a record contract with MCA. _Fun, Faith And Fair Play_ is the end result. On the album they are backed by Michael Sparrow on drums and percussion, Andy Pask on bass guitar and fretless bass, Steve Gregory on tenor saxophone and Pierre Mombassa on slide guitar. They've also formed a touring group, with Sparrow, bassist Finian-Day Lewis and keyboardist Daniel Biro. They have already gigged and toured in the UK with Hothouse Flowers, Voice of the Beehive and Al Stewart. There's a good chance you've heard "Shooting From My Heart" as it is the first U.S. single from the LP. It's a catchy tune that gives you a good indication of what Big Bam Boo are like. "Shooting" is currently at number 26 on Billboard's album rock tracks chart. Two other cuts should garner a significant amount of airplay in the future, "What's Bigger Than Life?" and "Fell Off A Mountain." ======================================================================== Bits and Pieces - Mini/Capsule reviews -------------------------------------- Enigma is reissuing a lot of titles on CD, among them two early Alice Cooper titles (_Pretties For You_, _Easy Action_) originally released on Straight Records in 1969 and 1970 respectively. In Los Angeles the band managed to get tagged with the distinction of being "the worst band in the city" among their detractors, largely due to their outrageous stage show for which they would become well known. Prior to moving to L.A. the group kicked around Phoenix as The Spiders and The Earwigs with Glen Buxton, Michael Bruce, Dennis Donaway and Neal Smith fronted by Vincent Furnier (later known as Alice and also the son of a preacher). It is interesting to hear how influenced the early Alice Cooper was by the Beatles music. But then, in 1969 and 1970 that was a pretty standard influence. The sound quality of these discs is quite good overall. The expected tape hiss os only evident at extremely loud levels of playback for both of these AAD discs. Excellent digital transfers. Enigma has also released some Bill Nelson titles and has plans for more (some others may be out by now). _Sound On Sound_ by Bill Nelson's Red Noise could easily have been a late 80s release rather than a 1979 release. It's an electro-dance-funk-just-plain-slightly-weird recording that doesn't sound dated in 1989. Check out "Furniture Music" and "Don't Touch Me (I'm Electric)". _Map Of Dreams_, though it has its moments, sounds like what it is - a soundtrack recording. Obviously, soundtracks are usually intended to go along with a visual media and are designed (composed) to interact with that media. This is definitely the case with _Map Of Dreams_. It's pretty good as background music, but has only a few moments that are worth more than casual listening. On a similar note, Mark Mothersbaugh (of Devo) has released two CDs titled _Musik For Insomniaks_ (Vols 1 & 2) that work very well as background music or music to fall asleep to. The music is neither boring nor does it demand that you listen attentively, which is a good thing since each disc is over 72 minutes in length. They ARE excellent discs to toss into the player while you read a few chapters in your latest book before turning out the lights. If you listen to these discs mostly at bedtime, you may never hear the full 72+ minutes! The Dickies have a new album out (_Second Coming_, Enigma CD 73289-2) that, to borrow a phrase, sounds a little like the Beach Boys on acid (and maybe played on 45 instead of 33 - though I can't do that with this CD). Two of the first three tracks are covers ("Hair" and "Town Without Pity"). The rest of the tunes are originals. If you like the Beach Boys and like punk rock, or if you think a combination of these would sound interesting, then you ought to check out _Second Coming_. If you're into compilation albums/CDs there are a couple of good ones that feature reasonably obscure (at least in the U.S.) bands. _From The Eerie Shore_ is a compilation of Cleveland area bands that touches on a variety of punk/hardcore and post modern types of sounds. With 19 tracks from 14 different bands this CD is chock full of tunes (71:20). There are two tracks each from Sosumi, Les Black's Amazing Pink Holes, Floyd Band, The Fourteenth Floor and the Walk-Ins. For my money the Walk-Ins two tracks are tops, though there's enough variety on this disc to please almost anyone. For more information, write to: Synthetic Records, Box 09478, Cleveland, OH 44109. Restless Records has released a compilation of London's Fire Records (called _The Great Fire Of London_) that showcase the label's best known artists. There are 13 tracks (there's also an unlisted bonus track at the end of side two) here by 10 bands (two tracks apiece by Blue Aeroplanes, Close Lobsters & The Rose of Avalanche), 6 of which are previously unreleased. The tracks go from the folk/blues influenced rock 'n roll of Blue Aeroplanes to the jangly guitar pop of Close Lobsters to the grungy psychedelic sound of The Rose Of Avalanche to the tunes by Fire Records earliest recording artists 1000 Mexicans, Pulp, and Colenso Parade. Definitely worth checking out! Speaking of Roberta Flack (well, back in the Mica Paris review...) she has a recent release on Atlantic Records (_Oasis_ - 1988 Atlantic Records 81916-1, Time - 47:24). Roberta's output has been sparse in the 80's, so a new album by the singer is always welcome. The tracks on _Oasis_ are all solid, if not spectacular, pop tunes. Roberta collaborated with other writers on 4 of the 10 tracks ("And So it Goes" is reprised making 11 tracks in all). Other songwriting contributions come from Marcus Miller, Ashford & Simpson, Marvin Hamlisch, Siedah Garret and Brenda Russell. Roberta is in fine voice and the slick production neither adds nor detracts from the recording, while providing a solid sonic canvas from which to work. My only complaints are that the song "Uh-Uh Ooh-Ooh Look Out (Here it Comes)", a song about breaking up, is just too perky and happy and the album as a whole does not have a lot of variety. But with a singer such as Roberta, who has recorded so infrequently in recent times, these are minor quibbles. _Oasis_ will certainly be enjoyed by Roberta's many fans. ======================================================================== NEW AND UPCOMING RELEASES Newly released (or reissued) from Rhino -------------------------------- CDs (also available on cassette and LP, except as noted) ------------------------------------- Tantilla - House of Freaks (Rhino R2 70846) Tommy - As performed by the London Symphony Orchestra & Chamber Choir with guest soloists (Rhino R2 71113) O.F.R. - Nitro (Rhino Rampage R2 70894) Anthology (1968-1985) - Todd Rundgren (R2 71491) Anthology (1974-1985) - Utopia (R2 70892) The Best of the Chocolate Watch Band (R2 70108) (CD is a new issue) The Rocky Horror Picture Show - Original Soundtrack (R2 70712) The Rocky Horror Show - Starring Tim Curry & The Original Roxy Cast (R2 70090) The Rocky Horror Picture Show Audience Par-tic-i-pation Album (R2 71112) The Time Warp (1989 12" remix) (RNTW 70411, 12" record only) Be on the lookout for new releases that will be out during June (or were released in late May) by Neneh Cherry, Stewart Hamm, Miles Davis, Todd Rundgren (new material), The Ramones, Pere Ubu, Wire, Sandra Bernhard, Zawinul Syndicate, Rob Jungklas, Loudon Wainright III, Sun Ra, Tar Babies, Tar, The Call, Mavis Staples, Peter Gabriel, Maria McKee (of Lone Justice), Paul McCartney, Queen, The Style Council, Van Morrison, B-52's, Don Henley, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, LL Cool J, Jackson Browne, Trevor Rabin, Blue Aeroplanes, Pete Townshend, Jason & the Scorchers, and Anderson/Bruford/Wakeman/Howe. If you're looking for some stuff to be reissued on CD, then keep your eyes peeled for the Cocteau Twins _Love's Easy Tears_ and _Moon and the Melodies_, and The Mekons _Original Sin_ (which might be a compilation CD of their Sin Records material). ========================================================================