Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Consumable Online Issue 073
==== ISSUE 73 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [April 9, 1996]
Editor: Bob Gajarsky
Internet: gajarsky@email.njin.net
Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, Martin Bate, Dan Enright, Tim
Kennedy, Reto Koradi, David Landgren, Sean Eric
McGill, Tim Mohr, Jamie Roberts, Joe Silva, John Walker
Correspondents: Dan Birchall, Lee Graham Bridges, Scott Byron,
Joe D'Angelo, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Stephen Jackson,
Daniel Kane, Mario Lia, P. Nina Ramos, Linda Scott,
Ali Sinclair, Jon Steltenpohl, Courtney Muir Wallner
Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann, Damir Tiljak,
Jason Williams
Also Contributing: Al Muzer
Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gajarsky@email.njin.net
==================================================================
All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s).
Permission for re-publication in any form other than within this
document must be obtained from the editor.
==================================================================
.------------.
| Contents |
`------------'
INTERVIEW: Limblifter's Kurt Dahle - Sean Eric McGill
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Songs In The Key Of X_ - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Neil Young, _Dead Man (Soundtrack)_ - Reto Koradi
CONCERT REVIEW: Fleming & John, Tennessee - Stephen Jackson
REVIEW: Barenaked Ladies, _Born On A Pirate Ship_/"Shoe Box" - Bob Gajarsky
Beer and Strangers in Grenoble, France (Oasis) - Ali Sinclair
REVIEW: Babble, _Ether_ - Reto Koradi
REVIEW: O-Matic, _Dog Years_ - Jeremy Ashcroft
REVIEW: Brother Cane, _Seeds_ - Linda Scott
REVIEW: Sundial, _Acid Yantra_ - Jeremy Ashcroft
REVIEW: Various Artists, _A Sun-Ra Tribute_ - P. Nina Ramos
REVIEW: Wesley Willis _Rock'n'Roll Will Never Die_ - Jeremy Ashcroft
CD-ROM REVIEW: frEQuency - Bob Gajarsky
NEWS: Cravin' Melon, Howard Jones, Lenny Kravitz, Pittsburgh Nightlife,
Stone Roses, Mike Watt
TOUR DATES: Ammonia / Skunk Anansie, Bad Religion / Unwritten Law, Barenaked
Ladies / Bogmen, BE, Black Grape, Bloodhound Gang, Frank Black / Jonny
Polonsky, Cordelia's Dad, Deftones, Diamond Rio, Everclear, Foo
Fighters / Amps, Freewheelers, Gin Blossoms / 3 Day Wheely, Gravel Pit,
Harvest Ministers, Ho-Hum, Kate Jacobs, Howard Jones, Love and Rockets
Mensclub, Nature/Thought Industry, Oasis, Anders Osborne, Joan
Osborne / Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies, Poi Dog Pondering
Professor & Maryann, Ruby, Ruth Ruth / Spacehog, Joe Satriani / Rollover
Silkworm/Dis-, Stanford Prison Experiment, Sting, Tears For Fears,
A Ten O'Clock Scholar / Brainiac, Tiny Lights, Trip 66, Urchins,
Uzjsmedoma, Velocity Girl, Weston, Wrens
CONTEST WINNERS
ERRATA
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
Back Issues of Consumable
---
INTERVIEW: Limblifter's Kurt Dahle
- Sean Eric McGill
It's funny how things can happen. You've got an interview with
Limblifter lined up, and before you realize what has happened, the
interview is set to go on your birthday. On top of that, your business
is undergoing a sudden boom, and at the last minute, you scramble around
and come up with a few questions.
Add to that some odd phone difficulties between Canada, Los Angeles,
and Louisiana, and you've got a pretty off-the-cuff interview with Kurt
Dahle, Limblifter's drummer. Of course, there was actually more to this
interview, but as interviews go, Oprah's done worse...
Consumable: What are you guys doing as far as touring?
Kurt: We haven't toured at all - in fact, we've never even played live
together. I think we're going to do some dates right away. A couple of days
ago, we got together for the first time in a year and went through the songs.
C: Where is the musical background of the band?
K: I dunno, we listen to everything. We listened to New Wave and Punk
in the late seventies and in the eighties we listened to everything from Duran
Duran to hard rock and metal.
C: Well, in junior high, I had the odd distinction of being the kid who
listened to Duran Duran and Iron Maiden exclusively...
K: Yeah, that's us!
(Insert brief discussion of the current state of Iron Maiden, KISS
in full makeup, Metallica headlining Lollapalooza, and bands that perpetually
tour off of three year old albums here)
C: Where are you guys from?
K: We're from Saskatchewan originally, but we live in Vancouver now.
C: How is the Canadian music scene?
K: It's alright. There's a lot of shitty Canadian bands out there, and
there are a few Canadian bands that I feel it's too bad the Americans have
to miss out on.
C: Do you have any ideas on why the Canadian music scene is something
we don't know a helluvalot about here in America?
K: I dunno. It just seems the Americans get all the shitty Canadian
bands. The ones that seem to make it down there are the ones we don't really
give a shit about here.
C: Is breaking through in America something that is really important to
the band?
K: Not really, no. We've been independent for so long in Canada, with
our other bands and such. We've turned down some major label offers, and I
think because it was American labels, we thought "Nah, I don't wanna do
this" because nobody really knows us in the States.
(Insert discussion on the up-and-down-side of living in New York, and
weather differences between Canada and Louisiana)
C: Is there going to be another album?
K: Oh yeah. I hope, at least. Oh, I'm sure there will be, even if the
label hates us or whatever, we'll still keep making records.
C: How different is the Canadian music scene from the American scene?
K: I guess we have just as many bands, per capita, that is. It's a
pretty big scene, though - we have our own music awards and everything.
C: Does the Canadian scene get caught up in the trends and fads of
American music as quickly as America seems to?
K: I think so. A lot of times, there are Canadian bands who are doing
something before the America bands get a hold of it. I don't know why that
is, though - maybe it's because we're closer to the British, I guess.
C: How long had this album been done before it was released? Did you
get signed and the label get you into a studio, or was it done already when
you were signed?
K: We recorded on a four-track. Actually, we started rehearsing, and
one-and-a-half weeks later, we had the album done - I guess most of the
songs were written already. We were doing it in the middle of the night
because we were bored, and recorded it on our four-track. All our friends
really liked it, so we gave one to our manager, and he really liked it - and
a few months later we went into the studio around Christmas time. Our friend
worked at a studio and nobody was there over Christmas, so we recorded the
album, and when the label said "Are you guys ready to make an album?" We
just handed it to them and said "We already have".
Limblifter's debut album _Limblifter_, was compared by this writer
to the Cars and "so bubble gummy that it would make The Replacements
stand up and take notice" and reviewed in the February 1, 1996 issue of
Consumable.
---
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Songs In The Key Of X_ (Warner)
- Bob Gajarsky
Yet another compilation - how can a television show have its
own soundtrack, when there's almost no music in the show? All the bands
included here are fans of Chris Carter's creation, and when the groups
run the gamut from Alice Cooper to Elvis Costello to PM Dawn, there's no
lack of diversity present here.
There's also no lack of quality. All songs were previously
unreleased, dark, gloomy and definitely different. "Fuc..." - oops,
"Star Me Kitten", by R.E.M. - Michael Stipe + William Burroughs - is just
a twisted take on this song. Sheryl Crow's "On The Outside" won't remind
anyone of "All I Wanna Do" and Filter's half-acoustic "Thanks Bro" could
just well be the song playing in the head of a killer possessed by
aliens. P.M. Dawn's "If You Never Say Goodbye" is the Jersey City based
group taking psychedelia one step further - they must have been listening
to the Beatles' _White Album_ while making this one.
Over in England, where the Gillian Anderson fans are as rabid
as the States ("She's a babe!" is most commonly echoed), the theme song
has made the top 10. Twice. At the same time; Mark Snow's original
version is #2 on the charts and DJ Dado (no relation to Miko) just popped
on there with a remix at #8. Dado's remix doesn't appear here but
P.M. Dawn remix the theme into an almost ambient setting, with little
similarity to the original, save for some soundbites from the series and
parts of Snow's creation looped over themselves.
Eerie. You'll know by now if it's for you.
---
REVIEW: Neil Young, _Dead Man (Soundtrack)_ (Reprise)
- Reto Koradi
Because many albums called "Soundtrack" are just more or less
regular albums that try to capitalize on the success of a movie, we have to
make this clear right from the start: this REALLY IS a soundtrack of the
movie by Jim Jarmusch, and not a Neil Young album in the true sense - if
there ever was such a thing as a typical Neil Young album.
_Dead Man_ features Johnny Depp reading poetry by William Blake,
dialogs, and sequences with wind noises, cars, and chirping birds. While
Neil Young's voice is not to be heard, his music speaks for itself.
Besides pump organ and some other instruments, he mainly plays his
electric guitar. Part of the time it is just used for producing noises,
but there are also long sequences that are almost pure guitar solos,
where his full brilliance shines through, in a more experimental way
than usual. The pleasure is slightly spoiled by the constant wind noises
that are layered under these outbursts.
Neil Young fanatics will certainly want this album, and people who
saw and liked the movie will find it a great way to recall the images.
Even if you didn't, these sounds might send you on a trip inside your
imagination.
---
CONCERT REVIEW: Fleming & John, Tennessee
- Stephen Jackson
For Fleming & John, life is no delusion of grandeur, it's another
town on the road. And today, the town is Murfreesboro, Tennessee,
where a strong and devoted following of college kids from Middle
Tennessee State University await the return of their local heroes.
As the band's Tioga camper pulls into the parking lot, it begins to
snow. Fleming & John have made the half-hour trip up from
Nashville to get here, having played the previous night in Bowling
Green, Kentucky. They could have taken the day off. God knows
they could use the rest, having spent the better part of two months
on the road, but they haven't played Murfreesboro in quite some
time, and they feel they owe it to their fans.
Ah, yes. The fans. It's 14 degrees outside, and drifts of swirling
snow are turning the streets into a tableau of mist and powder. At
8:00, the fans have already started lining up outside the door of
Mainstreet, the town's major venue for rock music, and virtual home
away from home for Nashville's Fleming & John. The fans arrive
early so as to grab the good seats, the ones with an unobstructed
view of the stage. Some people have driven up from Huntsville,
Alabama and others down from Bowling Green, Kentucky. It will be
hours yet before Fleming & John make an appearance. But the crowd
has settled in for the long wait. They line up at the bar, ordering
shooters and $2 beer. They're wired and happy, and whether it's
from being out of school on Spring break or anticipation of the
upcoming show, it doesn't seem to matter. Despite the cold and the
snow, they're here in mass, ready to rock. After all, they've been
here before and they know what's coming.
The opening act, a gutsy blues-rock band who drove up from Atlanta,
has the misfortune of entertaining a partisan crowd biding their
time until the real show begins. Finally, after a mercifully short
set, the warm up band leaves the stage and Fleming and John take
over. Within seconds, the energy level of the room rises like a
vapor. The surprise of the evening occurs when Fleming makes her
appearance, adorned in a Dolly Partonesque wig, like a blonde diva
smiling before her adoring fans. While John Painter tunes, Shawn
and Stan wander out, joining Fleming on stage. For a time, nothing
much happens while the band goes through its preconcert ritual. Up
front, bodies press closeer together, trying to establish some
sense of contact with the band. One girl from Atlanta gets up on
stage and proudly shows the emblem of her heart's desire, "FJ"
tattooed on her belly.
Then suddenly, like the calm vanishing before a storm, Fleming &
John launch into a blistering rendition of "I'm Not Afraid." And
though it's been a long wait, they do not disappoint. Playing an
eclectic set of music, lasting about 1 1/2 hours, they go
through all the songs on their debut cd, _Delusions of Grandeur,_
as well as a few we haven't heard before. Shawn and Stan provide a
solid, rhythmic ground to the music, while John's guitar hovers
over the surface, framing and accentuating Fleming's haunting,
siren voice. Moshers near the stage pogo in ecstacy with the beat.
And though it's announced that cars illegally parked outside are
being towed, almost no one leaves. Better to be towed than to miss
the magic in Mainstreet. Towards the end of the set, the band
conjures up one final surprise in a Sonny & Cher meets Led Zeppelin
demented and thrilling cover of "Black Dog" and "I Got You Babe."
At the end of the show, my ears ringing from the final chords of "A
Place Called Love," I walk back to my car for the long drive home.
Although it had stopped snowing, the streets are silted with white
powder. Just days ago, it had been 70 degrees outside and the
birds were singing. But on this evening, the only souls doing any
singing belong to Fleming & John, and they proved well worth the
plunge into a bitter, cold night.
---
REVIEW: Barenaked Ladies, _Born On A Pirate Ship_/"Shoe Box" EP
(Reprise)
- Bob Gajarsky
BNL has made the leap into CD-ROM with both of their recent
releases - the "Shoe Box" single and _Born On A Pirate Ship_ - having
CD-ROM capabilities. So, for those non-Canadians who haven't seen
their videos, it's a great opportunity to see the band's original quirkiness,
and find out a little bit about the members.
What about the music? Andy Creegan, who played piano, has left
the group, but other members take turns on the instrument, where appropriate.
The music is a bit "harder" than its predecessors and the lyrics take on a
much more "mature" outlook than talking about grade 9 and Brian Wilson.
"Shoe Box", which has been available for several months now on the
_Friends_ soundtrack, is a return to the bouncy ditties that first turned
many fans on to the Barenaked Ladies. The E.P. also includes a remixed
version of the song, an unreleased version of "If I Had $1,000,000" and
an unavailable (elsewhere) song, "Trust Me". Good for completists, but
casual fans won't want to get the single.
_Born On A Pirate Ship_ is a step above, and much more consistent
than, _Maybe You Should Drive_. But whereas _Gordon_ was one of the best
albums of the 1990's, this latest effort still doesn't come close to
approaching it. It's time for people such as this critic to accept
that BNL won't ever take that approach again, and while lighthearted gems
such as "Shoe Box" may come out, they won't be the norm.
---
Beer and Strangers in Grenoble, France (Oasis)
- Ali Sinclair
It's just that time of year: the town is full of strangers,
foreigners: skiiers, students, just-visitors, tourists. If they're
lucky, the sun shines and it's warm enough to sit outside at a pavement
cafe, watching the world, breathing the spring air. It was like that
on Saturday: clear skies, warmth, T-shirts and open collars. I'd been
for an afternoon swim and was wandering slowly back through the centre
of town, enjoying the crowds and the cheerful, bright atmosphere. Lots of
people on the streets and sitting around, talking, laughing, passing
the time.
Outside the Palais de la Biere - the most expensive bar in town, I
think- a crowd of obviously-British lads surrounded a small table, on which
balanced improbably-large-litre glass tankards of amber beer. I don't know
what it is about British men of twenty to thirty years old, outside
their native land, but they are unmistakable. There's an atmosphere
about them, almost like the old seaside postcards, but without the
knotted-handkerchief hats. I recognise them anywhere: but perhaps it's
just blood recognising blood, despite the years in exile. But that's just
what I saw: a group of young British men, sitting at a French pavement
cafe in the sun on a peaceful, springtime Saturday afternoon.
But behind the beer-drinking Brits, and next to the cafe window,
looking shockingly-pale and wide-eyed, sat my daughter and her friend,
grasping tiny cups of black coffee and Very Obviously trying to look
careless and carefree and Extremely Sophisticated. It wasn't working.
At least, not in to my eyes - something was Very Wrong!
"Come here!!!!" she signalled, "Quick!" A panicked whisper. I
squatted in the chairless space at the side of her table. "What's going
on?" I whispered back.
"Behind you... it's OASIS!!!!! It is! It's THEM!" Giggle. And
both girls tried to hide their blushing faces in the miniature coffee cups.
Ahhhhh.... so that explains why she and her friend were spending
twice as much on a coffee than they would ever normally do. (Everyone
falls for this place at least once: it's an enticing cafe, a nice spot,
you can see a garden square and its fountain, some majestic
buildings, the mountains towering behind... and the waiter serves you
and you sit in the sun and the world is at ease.... and then he brings you
the bill and you choke on the dregs of your beer. I remember paying
about 70 francs - 14 dollars - for two coffees and three Pepsis, five
years ago now...)
Anyway, it _was_ Oasis, sitting relatively-quietly (for British lads
out on the beer), relatively-undisturbed (apart from daughter-and-friend
asking for autographs) in a relatively-peaceful (apart from Saturday-shopping)
French town. A bodyguard each, apparently, but they just looked like
mates out to enjoy themselves. And I guess they did enjoy themselves,
because my daughter bumped into them all again that night at a local
nightclub. Enjoying the beer, they were, all of them, and I don't suppose
that they had any need to worry about the prices here.
But I wonder if they could have sat, relaxed, in the street, then
danced the night away with all the locals back home without getting
mobbed? Somehow I doubt it.
I can't give a first-hand review of the Sunday-evening concert.
All I know is that for several hours beforehand, my home was full of youths
of assorted shapes and sizes, talking about how they were going to get
to the concert hall, whether-or-not Oasis was "their" music, would she
introduce them to the band? what would it be like, would they get
there on time? could they have a sandwich please?.. and how my daughters
returned at midnight, enthralled, having loved the concert, the music...
how they didn't know who had been more drunk, the band or the mostly-British
audience, who'd bussed down here from all over the UK... their stories of
the Scots lining up 16 French beers to get the equivalent of a British pint,
and paying even more than at the Palais... of John Lennon and Paul
McCartney lookalikes by the dozen in the audience... and one proudly-owned
tour T-shirt that is still ceremoniously draped across the kitchen
worksurface.
Oasis performed at The Summum, Grenoble, on 31st March 1996.
---
REVIEW: Babble, _Ether_ (Reprise)
- Reto Koradi
Babble will probably have to live with the fact that every
mention of their name is followed by parentheses - as in, (former members
of the Thompson Twins). That's what you get for being in one of the most
successful pop bands of the 80s. But Allannah Currie and Tom Bailey have
gone through more than just a name change; they moved to New Zealand, and
the new material is a long way from simple pop songs like "Hold Me Now".
In fact _Ether_ is a perfectly chosen album title as there is
something very ethereal about these songs. They still work with keyboards
and vocals, but Babble work up influences from many directions. The music
is based on ambient grounds, and features oriental sounds. Some songs also
have this nice low-fi trip-hop feel that Portishead made so popular. And of
course Allannah and Tom haven't completely forgotten about writing catchy
pop tunes; the vocals, where both of them take turns, have some very
distinct hooks. Despite this style mix, the sound is very integral and
perfectly balanced.
Babble will most likely never have the commercial success of the
Thompson Twins, but trying to repeat what they did 10 years ago would be
doomed to failure anyhow. Instead Babble are firmly rooted in the 90s,
and _Ether_ is a very atmospheric album, light and deep at the same time,
which can have nearly hypnotic effects.
---
REVIEW: O-Matic, _Dog Years_ (Grass)
- Jeremy Ashcroft
Though the band insist that they're not a metal band, '90s heavy
metal meets '70s punk rock would be my description of their sound.
Since they also hate the "alternative" tag, let's just say that whichever
rack this record finds itself in the stores, "easy listening" it won't be.
O-Matic (so called to celebrate the kind of tacky names given
to products in the '50s to make them sound "modern") are a 4-piece band
who like to make a lot of noise. And quickly. Their longest track is
three and a half minutes, most of them average about two. No time to
get bored with O-Matic.
The line-up of the band is Rob Tarbell on bass, (ex-Brainiac)
Michelle Bodine on guitar and vocals, Scott Bodine on guitar and vocals
and Will Gale on drums. Scott sings lead on several tracks, but personally
I prefer Michelle's crazy/spoiled little girl vocals which remind me of
the brattish Annabelle Lwin from '70s UK punk band, Bow Wow Wow.
I'd have expected a possible Breeders influence with the
involvement of Kim Deal in the recording, but such songs as "Teenage
Make-out King" sound closer to Sonic Youth. Other notable tracks
include: "Push Pull" which echoes its title by a manic left/right
call-and-response vocal over a driving beat; "Big Kiss" in which Michelle
is totally convincing as someone who could (and probably would) really
"kick your ass"; and "Flick The Roach" with it's catchy, though abrasive,
riff is the nearest these guys are likely to get to a pop song. Dog
lovers may also appreciate the cameo of cover star "Nelson" barking on
the final uncredited track.
If you're looking for background music, look elsewhere. However,
if you share Scott Bodine's affection for a noise that can make "your
leg hairs move", pogo over to the store and buy this album.
---
REVIEW: Brother Cane, _Seeds_ (Virgin)
- Linda Scott
_Seeds_ is Brother Cane's sophomore album on Virgin. This hard
rock album is a bright spot in the current deluge of alternative and
post-punk music. It was recorded in Atlanta for a little Southern rock
flavor, produced by Brother Cane and Marti Frederiksen, and mixed by Tim
Palmer, who has also worked with Pearl Jam and Sponge). The album has
that wonderful hard rock, driving beat, but some tracks evidence a
medium tempo showing range and keeping things interesting. The first
single off _Seeds_ is "And Fools Shine On", a good example of a midtempo
song with lovely, soaring lyrics and an underlying insistent beat.
"Hung On A Rope" is a favorite with its in-your-face guitar onslaught.
Similarly, "Kerosene" grabs the first note and runs full speed to the
end with an ear shattering barrage. The tempo might vary, but the
lyrical inspiration does not. The lyrics were written about family and
friends making for a more personal album and cohesion across the tracks.
Brother Cane is most proud of the the lyrics in _Seeds_ because
of the feelings expressed. The band member penning most of the lyrics
is lead vocalist and guitarist Damon Johnson. Others in the band work
on lyrics as well but are primarily involved with making the music.
Those familiar with Brother Cane's debut album will find a slightly
different lineup this go-round. Scott Collier is still on drums, but
Roman Glick has moved to bass making room for new guitarist, David
Anderson. Like the rest of the quartet, Anderson hails from Alabama.
While Collier still pounds out that distinctive sound which comes from
his study of Latin and African drumming, Glick gives the bass a less
predictable feel.
Who will like _Seeds_? Every hard rock fan - because it's truly
a great album. Pick it up and you'll hear some influences of established
rock bands, but you'll also hear lyrics that are very personal as sung
and played by an extremely talented new band. Keep an eye on Brother
Cane. These _Seeds_ should be sown for a while to come.
---
REVIEW: Sundial, _Acid Yantra_ (Beggars Banquet)
- Jeremy Ashcroft
Though it may at first sound heavy criticism to suggest that
songwriting, as such, isn't a strength of a band, remember that some
records are enjoyable purely because of their sound, the sheer aural
pleasure that they can give. I think _Acid Yantra_ is such a record.
And with such a title, a psychedelic coloured sleeve and instrumentation
including wah-wah guitars, a mellotron and exotic percussion, do I
really have to waft a joss stick in front of you to let you know the
kind of sounds we're dealing with here?
Sundial are a three-piece band who are clearly very much in
love with the sounds of the 60s and it's not difficult to hear the
influence such bands as the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Pink Floyd and
others of their era have had on them.
You know the cliche about wannabe rockstars posing in front
of their bedroom mirror playing along to guitar solos on their tennis
rackets? Well, listening to "Are You Supernatural?" makes me think
that Sundial's guitarist Gary Ramon probably drenched his raquet with
lighter fuel and set it alight too... ala Jimi Plays Monterey. It
shows a lot of dedication when a fan goes all out to play like their
heroes, but this guy even goes as far as getting the same incidental
rumblings and feedback intro as Hendrix did at that famous show!
Unfortunately, while he matches the tone, the songwriting isn't a patch
on Hendrix himself.
Random notes: "Red Sky", opens with a gentle "Wind Cries Mary"
echoey guitar and filtered vocals before jumping in with its heavy
fuzztone chorus. "3,000 Miles" combines acoustic guitar with spacey
synth-like tones. "Bad Drug" is more aggressive, with an almost
Stooges-style riff. "Rollercoaster" is funky.
The most successful track for me is "Nova" with its "2000
Light Years From Home"-style haunting Mellotron strings. This song
is more freeform than the others and allows the band to do what they
do best... play the music and not worry about having a structured
"song". There are flutes and a heavier section that reminds me of
1969-era Alice Cooper, and is the sort of track you can get caught up
in. In fact, though it segues into the closing "Yantra Jam", you hardly
notice the join - it just seems one long flow of music.
In conclusion, if you're a fan of '60s psychadelic bands, you'll
probably be a fan of this album.
---
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Wavelength Infinity: A Sun-Ra Tribute_
(Rastascan)
- P. Nina Ramos
Your favorite jazz and poetry alien lives on in this amazing
double cd tribute. Sun-Ra, the self proclaimed man from Saturn has
inspired over thirty artists to gather in one incredible collection of
his lifetime acheivement as an artist. With musicians such as the avant
garde San Francisco group, The Residents, The Call and Sonic Youth's
Thurston Moore, the music becomes more than just mere reflections of his
original masterpieces, they become an experience.
Also, known for his birth-given name, Herman "Sonny" Blount, he
spent his lifetime leading his band Arkestra in life and song. They've
all resided in a house in Philadelphia, from which now only remains a
few members. After the death of Ra in 1993, and more recently band
leader John Gilmore the world thought Arkestra and the glorious sound
of Sun-Ra's powerful chants gone forever. But the folks at Rastacan
Records in California could not let this be.
With one mission in mind - to help the surviving members of
Arkestra, this compilation came together. The overwhelming response to
the pre-release printing was amazing. So much so, the entire stock has
been sold out!
Sun-Ra's music and poetry has influenced many jazz and rock
artists through his lifetime and ours. Not only has Ra left his mark
in our souls with his out-of-this-world sensibilities, but he has left
a legacy of music that many love - and many more will grow into.
For further information, contact Rastascan Records at PO
Box 3073, San Leandro, CA 94578-3073
---
REVIEW: Wesley Willis _Rock'n'Roll Will Never Die_ (Oglio)
- Jeremy Ashcroft
<over a drum machine beat>
You are a man-mountain of a guy with a huge personality to match
You are a well known figure in Chicago and have lots of famous fans
You love to go to concerts and lots of your songs are about those shows
Wesley Willis, Wesley Willis, Wesley Willis, Wesley Willis
Your style doesn't change much
Your songs kind of sound the same
It doesn't matter though
'Cause for a crazy guy you talk a lot of sense
Wesley Willis, Wesley Willis, Wesley Willis, Wesley Willis
Your new record has a lot of charm
Like you often say, it could whup a camel's ass
_Rock'n'Roll Will Never Die_ in your stores today!
Tracks: Hootie & The Blowfish/Kurt Cobain/Nirvana/The Rolling
Stones/Jello Biafra/Mojo Nixon/Bolt Thrower/Spin Doctors/Dave Grohl/Foo
Fighters/Pink Floyd/Blues Traveler/Fugazi/Blackie-O/KRS-1/Morbid
Angel/KMFDM/Shonen Knife/Liz Phair/Courtney Love/Jefferson
Airplane/Lotion/Dale Meiners/The Wesley Willis Fiasco
---
CD-ROM REVIEW: frEQuency (Modified)
- Bob Gajarsky
CD-ROMs are coming out at a phenomenal rate. In addition to
the standard music album + extra stuff on the CD (see the Barenaked
Ladies one, reviewed elsewhere in this issue), the "computer based"
CD ROMs - those that aren't able to be played on a conventional disc
player - are exploding onto the scene. One which should not be
overlooked is frEQuency.
frEQuency takes the potential which computers offer and combine it
with a visual reality unlike that in other CD ROMs. The music isn't
designed for "classic rockers", but for fans of techno, ambient, hip-hop,
or anything else you might hear in a club at around 3 in the a.m.
Users can take 250 backbeats and samples, 200 MB of fast videographics and
audio, and mix and match to create their own video and audio
masterpiece. In addition, these can be combined and exchanged with
other users across the Internet for more variety and spice from each listen.
Modified has also recently put a "Jungle Chiller Killer" on their Web site.
The only warning? Be prepared to spend far too many hours in front of
your computer combining, modifying and playing with all their video
and audio samples. I wish I had gotten the same warning before I found
myself engrossed in this CD...
frEQuency is a must for any wanna-be musicians, disc jockeys or
anyone who wants to experience the power of dance music direct from
their computer at a price that's about 1/3 the cost of normal CD ROMs.
For more information, check out Modified on the World Wide Web at
http://www.compulink.co.uk/~modified/
---
NEWS: > Cravin' Melon, whose _Where I Wanna Be_ cd was reviewed last year
in Consumable, has recently signed a recording contract with Mercury. The
group from Greenville, SC has been together for 2 1/2 years and has
released two discs on independent labels. The band has already started
recording their Mercury debut, with a projected late-August release.
_Where I Wanna Be_ has sold more than 20,000 copies; to contact Cravin'
Melon and get on the group's mailing list, e-mail melonheads@aol.com
> Howard Jones will be on America Online on Wednesday, April 10
at 8 p.m. for a question and answer session with fans in the AOL Live
Auditorium.
> Lenny Kravitz has been inducted into the Rock Circus Experience
in Picadilly, London. The museum is the most famous musical wax museum
in the world, and visitors can hear an artist's most famous works
while within "range" of that artist. Even Kravitz' nipple ring and tattoos
were precisely duplicated for the figure.
> Pittsburgh's Backstage Pass, providing information on
the nightlife and the steel city's entertainment scene, can be
accessed online at http://www.pittsburgh.net/backstage
> Word out of England is that the Stone Roses' John Squire has quit
the group. The band's future is very much in doubt, although no official
word has been received.
> Mike Watt has updated netizens on his recent goings-on. To
read it on the Web, go to: http://home.cdsnet.net/~michaelm/watt.int.html
---
TOUR DATES
Ammonia / Skunk Anansie
Apr. 14 Seattle, WA Moe
Apr. 15 Vancouver, BC Town Pump
Apr. 16 Portland, OR La Luna
Apr. 18 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill
Apr. 20 West Hollywood, CA Troubadour
Bad Religion/Unwritten Law
Apr. 10 Tampa, FL State Fairgrounds
Apr. 11 Fort Lauderdale, FL The Edge
Apr. 12 Orlando, FL The Edge
Apr. 13 Atlanta, GA Masquerade
Apr. 15 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
Apr. 16 Washington, DC Capitol Ballroom
Apr. 17 New York, NY Roseland
Apr. 19 Asbury Park, NJ Stone Pony
Apr. 20 Providence, RI Lupo's
Barenaked Ladies / Bogmen
Apr. 11 South Bend, IN Notre Dame Student Center
Apr. 12 Cincinnati, OH Taft
Apr. 13 Chicago, IL Riviera
Apr. 15 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
Apr. 16 Cleveland, OH Lakewood Civic
Apr. 18 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Apr. 19 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
Apr. 20 New York, NY TBA
Apr. 21 Boston, MA Opheum
BE
Apr. 12 Joplin, MO The Kitchen Pass
Apr. 13 Conway, AR Hendrix College (w/Wakeland)
Apr. 19 Fayetteville, AR J.R.'s
Black Grape
Apr. 9 Tijuana, MX Mr. Crowns
Apr. 10 Los Angeles, CA The Roxy
Apr. 11 Los Angeles, CA The Roxy
Apr. 12 Los Angeles, CA The Roxy
Apr. 14 San Francisco, CA Bimbos
Apr. 15 San Jose, CA Cactus Club
Apr. 17 Boston, MA WFNX Show
Apr. 19 Philadelphia, PA Theater of Living Arts
Apr. 20 Cincinnati, OH Bogarts
Bloodhound Gang
Apr. 11 State College, PA Cafe 210
Apr. 12 Philadelphia, PA Upstairs At Nick's
Apr. 18 Lewisburg, PA Bucknell University
Apr. 19 Indiana, PA Indiana Univ. Teen Center
Apr. 20 Toledo, OH Frankie's
Apr. 21 Cleveland, OH The Grog Shop
Frank Black / Jonny Polonsky
Apr. 12 Madison, WI Paramount
Apr. 13 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Cordelia's Dad (UK Tour Dates)
Apr. 9 Southampton, Joiners
Apr. 10 Cambridge, Boat Race
Apr. 12 Brighton, The Richmond
Apr. 13 Oxford, Elm Tree
Apr. 15 Harrogate, The Regency
Apr. 16 Bradford, 1 in 12 Club
Apr. 17 Spilsby, Spilsby Theatre
Apr. 18 Glasgow, 13th Note
Apr. 19 Leeds, Duchess of York
Apr. 20 Edinburgh, Casrock
Deftones
Apr. 9 Jacksonville, FL Shades
Apr. 11 Lafayette, LA Shanahan's
Apr. 12 Houston, TX Deep Phat
Apr. 13 Austin, TX Auditorium Shores
Apr. 15 Dallas, TX Galaxy Theatre
Apr. 16 El Paso, TX The Attic
Apr. 17 Albuquerque, NM Time Out
Apr. 18 Mesa, AZ Nile Theatre
Apr. 20 San Diego, CA Soma
Diamond Rio
Apr. 12 Dallas, TX Cowboy's
Apr. 15 Eugene, OR Hult Center for the Perf. Arts
Apr. 16 Medford, OR Jackson County Expo.
Apr. 18 Kennewick, WA Tri-Cities Coliseum
Apr. 19 Portland, OR Portland Memorial Coliseum
Everclear
Apr. 10 Dallas, TX Bomb Factory
Apr. 11 Houston, TX International Ballroom
Apr. 12 New Orleans, LA Rendon Inn
Apr. 14 St. Petersburg, FL Jannus Landing
Apr. 15 Fort Lauderdale, FL Edge
Apr. 16 Orlando, FL Edge
Apr. 18 Atlanta, GA International Ballroom
Apr. 20 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
Foo Fighters / Amps
Apr. 12 Orlando, FL Edge
Apr. 13 St. Petersburg, FL Jannus Landing
Apr. 14 Fort Lauderdale, FL Edge
Apr. 16 New Orleans, LA State Palace Theatre
Apr. 17 Austin, TX Music Hall
Apr. 18 San Antonio, TX Live Oak Civic Center
Freewheelers
Apr. 11 Montreal, QC Club Soda
Apr. 13 Northampton, MA Pearl Street
Apr. 14 Burlington, VT Toast
Apr. 16-17 Cambridge, MA House of Blues
Apr. 19 Providence, RI Club Babyhead
Apr. 20 Port Jefferson, NY Village Pub
Gin Blossoms / 3 Day Wheely
Apr. 11 Evansville, IN Veterans Coliseum
Apr. 12 Muncie, IN Emens Auditorium
Apr. 13 Springfield, OH Wittenburg Gym
Apr. 14 Marietta, OH Ban Johnson Fieldhouse
Gravel Pit
Apr. 12 Worcester, MA Ralph's
Apr. 17 Northampton, MA Grotto
Harvest Ministers
Apr. 11 New York, NY CB's Gallery
Ho-Hum
Apr. 9 New York, NY Brownies
Apr. 10 New York, NY Wetlands
Apr. 11 New York, NY CBGB's
Apr. 12 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Kate Jacobs
Apr. 18 Sioux Falls, SD The Back Alley
Howard Jones
Apr. 11 Cleveland, OH Odeon Concert Club
Apr. 12 Pontiac, MI Seventh House
Apr. 13 Toledo, OH Asylum
Apr. 14 Columbus, OH Ludlow's Bar
Apr. 16 Chicago, IL Park West
Apr. 17 Milwaukee, WI The Rave
Apr. 19 Boulder, CO Fox Theatre
Apr. 20 Salt Lake City, UT Huntsman Center
Love and Rockets
Apr. 12 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
Apr. 13 Salt Lake City, UT DV-8
Mensclub
Apr. 13 San Francisco, CA El Rio (Record Release Party)
Nature/Thought Industry
Apr. 10 Seattle, WA Off Ramp
Apr. 11 Portland, OR Moody's
Apr. 12 Medford, OR Warehouse
Apr. 13 Placerville, CA The Attic
Apr. 15 Los Angeles, CA Opium Den
Apr. 16 Scottsdale, AZ Atomic Cafe
Apr. 17 El Paso, TX The Attic
Apr. 18 Tucson, AZ The Cage
Apr. 19 Albuquerque, NM Time Out
Apr. 20 Dallas, TX Orbit Room
Oasis
Apr. 11 Seattle, WA Seattle Center
Apr. 13 San Francisco, CA Graham Civic Auditorium
Apr. 15 Universal City, CA Universal Amphitheatre
Apr. 16 Mesa, AZ Mesa Community Amphitheatre
Apr. 18 Denver, CO Mammoth Events Center
Apr. 20 Dallas, TX Bronco Bowl
Apr. 21 Austin, TX Austin Music Hall
Anders Osborne
Apr. 9 Northampton, MA Pearl Street
Apr. 10 Boston, MA Mama Kin
Apr. 12 New York, NY Tramps
Apr. 13 Rochester, NY Water Street
Apr. 14 Charleston, WV Mountain Stage
Apr. 17 Pontiac, MI 7th House
Apr. 18 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
Apr. 19 Grinnell, IA Grinnell College
Apr. 20 Madison, WI Barrymore Theatre
Joan Osborne / Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies
Apr. 12 Albany, NY Palace Theater
Apr. 13 Boston, MA Orpheum
Apr. 16 Providence, RI The Strand
Apr. 18 New York, NY Roseland
Poi Dog Pondering
Apr. 11 Atlanta, GA Cotton Club/Variety
Apr. 12 Nashville, TN 328 Perf. Space
Apr. 15 St. Louis, MO Mississippi Nights
Apr. 16 Columbia, MO The Blue Note
Apr. 17 Lawrence, KS Granada Theatre
Professor & Maryann
Apr. 13 Bethlehem, PA Comfort Inn
Ruby
Apr. 11 Chicago, IL The Metro
Apr. 12 Detroit, MI Shelter
Apr. 13 Indianapolis, IN The Patio
Apr. 14 Cleveland, OH Peabody's
Apr. 16 Ottawa, ON Zaphod Beeblebrox
Apr. 17 Montreal, QC Foufounes Electriques
Apr. 19 Toronto, ON Lee's Place
Ruth Ruth / Spacehog
Apr. 12 Sacramento, CA Guild Theatre
Apr. 13 San Jose, CA Cactus Club
Apr. 14 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
Apr. 16 Pomona, CA Glass House
Apr. 17 San Diego, CA SOMA Sidestage
Apr. 18-19 Los Angeles, CA Whiskey
Joe Satriani/Rollover
Apr. 11 New York, NY Roseland
Apr. 12 Providence, RI The Strand
Apr. 13 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
Apr. 14 Boston, MA Avalon
Apr. 16 Baltimore, MD Hammerjacks
Apr. 17 Buffalo, NY Studio 652/Ogden St Music Hall
Apr. 19 Toronto, ON The Warehouse
Apr. 20 Pittsburgh, PA Metropol
Silkworm/Dis-
Apr. 9 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Apr. 10 Philadelphia, PA Nick's
Apr. 11 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's
Apr. 12 Washington, DC Black Cat
Apr. 13 Bowling Green, OH Howard's
Apr. 14 Ann Arbor, MI Magic Stick
Apr. 15 Chicago, IL Lounge Ax
Apr. 16 Madison, WI O'Cayz Corral
Stanford Prison Experiment
Apr. 20 Mesa, AZ The Nile
Apr. 21 Albequerque, NM Time Out
Sting
Apr. 14-16 Paris, France Bercy
Apr. 20 Melaga, Spain Plaza de Toros
Tears For Fears
Apr. 11 Miami, FL The Cameo Theatre
Apr. 12 Tampa, FL Tampa Bay Perf. Arts. Ctr.
Apr. 13 Atlanta, GA Roxy Theatre
Apr. 15 Washington, DC Capitol Ballroom
Apr. 16 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory Ballroom
Apr. 17 New York, NY Beacon Theatre
Apr. 19 Boston, MA Avalon Ballroom
Apr. 20 Montreal, QUE Place Des Arts
A Ten O'Clock Scholar/Brainiac
Apr. 12 Cambridge, MA Middle East
Apr. 13 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Apr. 17 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle
Tiny Lights
Apr. 11 Ames, IA The Maintenance Shop
Apr. 12 Cedar Falls, IA Steb's
Apr. 13 Ashland, WI Northland College
Apr. 19 Atlanta, GA Smythe's Old Bar
Apr. 20 Winston-Salem, NC Ziggy's
Trip 66
Apr. 15 Morgantown, WV The Nyabingi Dance Hall
Apr. 20 Long Branch, NJ The Brighton Bar
Urchins
Apr. 13 Morganville, NJ Ville
Apr. 20 Princeton, NJ Peace Cafe
Uzjsmedoma
Apr. 13 New York, NY Knitting Factory
Velocity Girl
Apr. 11 Tampa, FL Rubb
Apr. 12 Fort Lauderdale, FL Squeeze
Apr. 13 Gainesville, FL University of Florida
Apr. 15 Raleigh, NC Grove
Apr. 16 Lancaster, PA Chameleon
Apr. 17 State College, PA Crowbar
Apr. 18 Baltimore, MD Bohagers
Apr. 19 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero
Weston
Apr. 13 Indiana, PA Teen Center
Apr. 15 University Park, PA Penn State Asylum
Apr. 19 Lindenhurst, NY PWAC
Wrens
Apr. 11 Chapel Hill, NC Lizard and Snake
Apr. 12 Baltimore, MD Memory Lane
Apr. 13 Philadelphia, PA Nick's
Apr. 14 Boston, MA Middle East
Apr. 15 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's
---
WINNERS: The following people are winners in the recent Consumable Online/
World Domination record givewaway. They are: Oscar F. Mairena, Tammy
Scroggs, Ida Antares Becker and Brian Murphy.
---
ERRATA: The band Heroes del Silencio was mistakenly referred
to in last week's tour dates as Avalanchia. We apologize for any
inconvience this may have caused.
---
THE READERS WRITE BACK!
I just finished reading Lee Graham Bridges' review of Lush's new
album, _Lovelife_. I was relieved that someone else thought Lush had obviously
changed their sound to attempt to sound more like the cookie cutter
mainstream-dash-alternative band every label wants their band to be these
days (especially when there are female vocals/guitars involved).
Hearing "Ladykillers" or possibly "Single Girl" on the radio, is actually a
pleasant break from Hootie, Bush, Live and other hideous "modern rock"
acts. But I know what _Spooky_ sounds like. In the context of their previous
releases, _Lovelife_ sounds like a blatant sellout, a bid to play the next
Lollapalooza. What I want to know was: whose idea was this? Their's or
Colin Wallace's? (4AD's British A & R) - Shalini Chatterjee, Vinyl Devotion,
San Francisco, Calif.
---
To get back issues of Consumable, check out:
FTP: orbit.bd.psu.edu in the directory /pub/Consumable
ftp.etext.org in the directory /pub/Zines/Consumable
Gopher: diana.zems.etf.hr
Engleski Jezik/Music/Consumable or
Hrvastki Jezik/Glazbena Rubrika/Consumable
(URL) gopher://diana.zems.etf.hr:70/11/eng/Music/Consumable
http://www.westnet.com/consumable/Consumable.html
(WWW) http://www.westnet.com
(CIS) on Compuserve Notes: GO FORUM
(Delphi) Music Fandom forum; GO ENT MUSIC
Web access contributed by WestNet Internet Services (westnet.com),
serving Westchester County, NY.
Promotional support provided by Music Interactive
(http://musicinteractive.com), a free online resource for aspiring musicians
and other music professionals seeking to expand their careers, networking,
music skills and scope.
Address any written correspondence to Bob Gajarsky, Consumable Online,
409 Washington St. #294, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030
===
