************************************************************************** ********** ********** ********** R.A.D! ON-LINE ********** ********** ********** ********** ********** ********** February 1994 ********** ********** ********** ************************************************************************** Published monthly by CONSPIRACY M.E.D.I.A, Box 158324, Nashville, TN 37215 Review And Discussion of Rock & Roll is copyright 1994 by Keith A. Gordon and CONSPIRACY M.E.D.I.A. Items herein may be reproduced, providing credit is given to the writer and publisher and a copy sent to the address above. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hard-copies of R.A.D! are available for $1.50 cash from the address above. Please specify the issue you want by the month and year. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Back issues of R.A.D! ON-LINE are available for those interested by FTP from Etext.Archives.Umich.Edu, found in the pub/poli/rad directory. R.A.D! ON-LINE is also posted monthly in the following Usenet newsgroups: Alt.Music.Alternative, Alt.Music.Hardcore and Alt.Zines. Current issues of R.A.D! ON-LINE can also be found in the zines section of the gopher at Gophe.Well.Sf.Ca.Us ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ With this issue of R.A.D! ON-LINE, we're happy to begin taking Email subs for all of you who find it difficult to track down our monthly issues in the Usenet newsgroups. Here's how it works: send Email to the R.A.D! mailbox: GordonKA@CtrVax.Vanderbilt.Edu with the words "R.A.D! subscribe" as the subject header, and your Email address as the message. The March issue will be the first we send out under this new system, so please be patient. Thanks! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ CONTENTS ISSUE #1.9 File No. 1 > The Best Of 1993: Another Critic's View (Article) File No. 2 > Lonesome Cowboy: Garth Rides Again! (Commentary) File No. 3 > Welcome To A New Year! (Letter From The Publisher) File No. 4 > Scatterlings (Rock & Roll News) File No. 5 > Upcoming CD Releases (Info) File No. 6 > Brown Shoes Don't Make It: Memories Of Frank (Tribute) File No. 7 > Re/Issues (Reviews) File No. 8 > Kool Kuts (Reviews) File No. 9 > The Singles Scene (Reviews) CDs reviewed this month include: Jello Biafra, Tony Bennett, Psychic TV, The Orb, Aphex Twin, Cocteau Twins, Meryn Cadell & Richard Barone! File No. 1 =============================================================== THE BEST OF 1993: ANOTHER CRITIC'S VIEW Well, okay, so technically I ought not to be passing this off as a response to the Reverend Keith and everybody's best of 1993 issue last month. I was supposed to get this turned in on time, honest, but then we had this little earthquake...maybe you read about it...anyway, I was very lucky in that none of my stuff was damaged, but it did knock me off my stride for about a week. A 6.6, followed by constant aftershocks, puts a lot of things into a new perspective. Including the best releases of 1993? Well, it didn't change my mind about the best releases of 1993, but it did make me think some more about the role that pop music plays in my life, and how I, and all of us, use it to help make sense of ourselves and our lives...but that's the sort of reflective essay that's better suited for _RADICAL PIZZA_ or another zine...for now, let's stick to the records. I decided that since I started this reviewing gig late in the year, I wouldn't devote to much time to material that I had already reviewed in these pages. If I've already recommended it, I still consider it to be excellent and readers are directed to back issues or ftp archives for those performers. Except to take a quick moment to plug the Mighty Mighty Bosstones' _Don't Know How to Party_ one more time. I also decided not to be redundant and recommend great discs that were pointed out in last month's issue, like Col. Bruce Hampton, Liz Phair, or Van Morrison, since I'd rather focus on material that you might NOT have heard about before, or at least in several months... so here goes, in alphabetical order. ..... Jesse Garon j_garon@phantom.com Anthrax _Sound of White Noise_ (Elektra) With a new lead vocalist, one of the best metal bands redefines itself and gets even better. There are a lot of good tracks on this disc, filled with energy and motivation; songs like "Packaged Rebellion" and "Hy Pro Glo" reiterate the classic Anthrax theme of cutting through the bull- shit in your life and how you live among others. Belly _Star_ (Sire/Reprise) What can I say? I was a fan of Throwing Muses when they were still a local band out of Boston, and Tanya Donnelly was always the cool one who only came out on rare occasions ("Not Too Soon" on _The Real Ramona_ probably being one of the best). Now she's got her own band, and it totally kicks ass. Heidi Berry _Heidi Berry_ (4AD) Excellent acoustic music. Intelligent lyrics and well-crafted melodies. In this regard it's similar to the debut from Irish singer / songwriter Eleanor McEavoy (on Geffen), but Berry is slightly less "pop" in her overall style. Both records could get played on "alternative college," but one or two of McEavoy's tracks could even make it onto adult contemporary or Top 40 if those formats weren't so damn stagnant. Both discs are worth tracking down. Frank Black _Frank Black_ (4AD / Elektra) Quirky, but powerful debut from the former Black Francis of the Pixies. Another sign that for better or worse, the 80s are dead and we'll all have to learn to adjust. Black makes the transition a little easier with several cool songs, including a cover of the Brian Wilson song "Hang On To Your Ego." The Chieftains _The Celtic Harp_ (RCA) OK, so it's Irish folk music. So who says Rock and Roll was only born in the Mississippi Delta? The Chieftains believe in their music, and it shows in every note. These are beautiful, often moving songs...and several of them were recorded in Frank Zappa's home studio. (Note: _Another Country_, the Chieftains' exploration of American Country music with the help of such distinguished guests as Bela Fleck, Emmylou Harris and Willie Nelson - among many others - technically came out in 1992, but more than deserves an extra plug.) Holly Cole Trio _Don't Smoke in Bed_ (EMI / Manhattan) Another collection of standards and a few originals from an interesting Jazz trio. An eclectic range that veers from "I Can See Clearly Now" to the "Tennessee Waltz" and "Que Sera Sera," and a voice that gives them all a sense of unity, because at her best, Cole makes the song hers. Cracker _Kerosene Hat_ (Virgin) I think we were all willing to cut the debut album some slack, excellent as it was, simply because it was from Dave Lowery's new band, and you must give him the credit that he and the rest of Camper Van Beethoven never got on the scale they deserved. But this new album stands up on its own, and I don't need to cut it any slack. The question as to whether Cracker or Monks of Doom is the better Camper Van splinter group is still unanswerable - both these bands are excellent in their own right, taking two different directions from the _Key Lime Pie_ finale. Bill Frisell _Have A Little Faith_ (Elektra Nonesuch) A spectrum of American music that ranges from Aaron Copeland's "Billy the Kid" to Madonna's "Live to Tell," all arranged for electric jazz, led by Frisell's incredible guitarwork. Simply amazing at first listen, later it becomes remarkable. My absolute favorite instrumental record of 1993. Lay Quiet Awhile _Delicate Wire_ (Daemon) A quartet from South Carolina,they have genuinely quirky and off- beat arrangements around lead singer Danielle Howle's delivery of some of the strangest lyrics to come out of the "real" "alternative" "scene:" "So don't you talk like I'm needing to think / That little Hamlet trick messes with me" is just a sample of they way they turn a clever phrase which, the more you listen to the songs, actually starts to make sense and give you some sense of the real emotions behind the material. Denis Leary _No Cure For Cancer_ (A&M) Even if it didn't have cool songs in it like "Asshole" and "Voices In My Head," this record of Leary's stage show exudes classic punk attitude. The man became ubiquitous on MTV in 1992, now he's taking over the movies. He is legion. Buy the parental advisory version; leave the cleaned up mix for the saps who can't take a little slap of reality in the face every now and then. Matthew Sweet _Altered Beast_ (Zoo) Matthew Sweet is a guitar god. "The Ugly Truth," "Someone to Pull The Trigger," and "Knowing People," to pick some of my favorite tracks from this album, were, to me, like a punch in the gut. You can feel the venom drip from every word that he sings, but you can't stop listening, because he sounds terrific. Lyrics like "I don’t like knowing people / I don't like people knowing about me" don't come from people who are looking to be big shot Rock stars. Well, hell, maybe they do, if somebody's looking for a rep as the big cynical star. But you can tell the difference between a stage act and a genuine emotion in the performance, and as far as I can tell, Sweet means what he sings, which makes him appeal to the same part of me that rereads _Catcher In The Rye_ every three years or so because Holden Caufield is so compelling a character. Tribe _Sleeper_ (Slash / Warner) The twelve songs on this disc are just a lot of fun. They deal with stuff like obsessive fixations on ex-lovers ("Red Rover"), bands that play prerecorded music at live concerts ("Miracle of Sound"), and particle physics ("Supercollider"). The lyrics are intelligent but not obtuse, and the musicianship is dead on. And they're on the Net, too, at tribe@world.std.com. One more fun fact: their manager is Danny Bennett, the son and manager of the one and only Tony Bennett. Sort of helps explain a little bit how Tony's been able to become part of the alternative scene so easily (not that sheer talent alone couldn't do it for him; see the review of _Steppin' Out_, elsewhere....). Velocity Girl _Copacetic_ (Sub Pop) I caught this band live when they opened up for Belly, and I really came away impressed. They play in the same "wall of noise" turf that bands like Lush and My Bloody Valentine have been breaking ground in the last few years, and they do it really well. I think a lot of people will be coming to like this band in the next few years. Neil Young _Lucky Thirteen_ (Geffen) Mostly outtakes and some hits from the Geffen years. But that means everything from the electronics of _Sample and Hold_ to the Rockabilly of Neil and the Shocking Pinks (here recorded live) and a whole lot of other stuff. Neil Young consistently follows the advice of poet Ezra Pound: MAKE IT NEW; whenever Young reinvents himself, the results are always compelling. Well, except maybe _Landing on Water_, which is pretty overblown. A track from that album is included here; it doesn't exactly take away from the power of the rest of the compilation, but you can pretty much tell which one it is. HONORABLE MENTIONS: Bad Religion / _Recipe for Hate_ (Epitaph / Atlantic) Bash & Pop / _Friday Night is Killing Me_ (Sire / Reprise) Drop Nineteens / _National Coma_ (Caroline) The Kinsey Report / _Crossing Bridges_ (Point Blank) Miranda Sex Garden / _Suspiria_ (Mute) The Odds / _Bedbugs_ (Zoo) Run C&W / _Into the Twangy-First Century_ (MCA) On a personal note, I'm looking forward to continuing to write about pop music here and elsewhere in 1994. Thanks go out to the Reverend Keith, for allowing me the opportunity to speak my mind, and to those of you out there who have responded to my reviews with enthusiasm so far. Please do send me your comments, both positive and negative - and if you don't think I or the zine is up to standard, let us know, or get out there and show us how it's done. I know I could always use some more positive examples to live up to...*grin*. ..................... Views from Jesse Garon / j_garon@phantom.com File No. 2 =============================================================== LONESOME COWBOY: GARTH RIDES AGAIN! Life in Nashville never gets boring, not with the continuing soap opera that we call Country music going on right outside our doors. As long as you have men and women crying in their beer and singing cheatin' songs, there will be plenty of fodder for reporters and editorialists...and if things get a little slow down on Music Row, well, there's always Tammy Wynette's latest illness, or the follies of Garth Brooks to brighten your day.... We last chastized Garth - a Country superstar who is the cornpone commercial equivalent of a Madonna or Michael Bolton - a few short months ago when he opened his big mouth and made such a fuss over the sale of used CDs...as if he wasn't pushing enough discs already. Well, when Garth speaks, folks here in the Music City line up to listen...and boy, did they line up this time! Ticket scalping is legal in the fine state of Tennessee, so when Brooks announced that he would be scheduling a rare Nashville-area perfor- mance in March, he and his advisors worked out a little scheme to foil those nasty scalpers and make ticket buying a sheer joy for his local fans. The joke went like this: the Friday before Saturday's ticket sale, fans were required to line up at area ticket outlets to receive a randomly numbered wristband ("random" meaning you may be first in line, but you'll get band #50). Each outlet had a finite supply of wristbands, and once they were gone, they were gone.... Saturday morning, you return with your wristband wrapped firmly in place to the outlet where you got it, get in line and be prepared to cough up $18.50 cash plus service charges for your ticket. Your wristband guaranteed you a place in line, though not necessarily a ticket (you folks still with me?).... Officials at the outlets conducted impromptou lotteries on Saturday morning, picking the wristband number of the first person allowed to buy a ticket. So, if the outlet had a hundred wristbands they gave out on Friday, and you got #50 and they chose your number on Saturday morning, you're first in line to buy your tickets (limit four, please). Band #51 would be second, and so one, until they hit number 100, at which time band #1 would move up to the plate. If this sounds confusing, it was...although concert promoter Ben Farrell said that the scheme would be "brutally tough on the scalpers. Garth wants to defeat the scalpers any way that he can, but also wants to make it as fair as he can for the fans. His first obligation is to take care of the fans." Fine, except the elaborate wristband and lottery system was mishandled by ticket outlets (who probably didn't understand it any better than did the ticket buyers), causing lengthy lines to form at outlets as people were forced to wait in below-freezing temperatures for hours. What about the scalpers, you ask? Well, since fans were able to buy up to four tickets, many went for the max, creating an abundence of ducats which were being hawked immediately to cold and angry people waiting in line. The local newspaper was running dozens of ads for tickets a few days later, ranging in price from $75 to a whopping $600 apiece. Even though Brooks sold out four shows (almost 50,000 tickets) - an impressive accomplishment by any standard, meaning that nearly 1 out of every 20 Middle Tennessee residents will be at one of the shows - there doesn't seem to be any shortage of buyers. If people didn't want tickets, there would be no profit in selling them. Ticket scalping is one of the true "free market" enterprises in existence, where the demand creates the price. Nobody forces fans to buy overpriced tickets, the artists always get their guarantees and the promoter makes a tidy profit. It's been our experience that most of the tickets available for scalping local shows have come - directly or indirectly - from the promoters, record companies and ticket outlets. If they all really want to help the fan, then perhaps they'll give up their large blocks of choice seats for general sale rather than the auction block they damn from the sides of their mouths. Garth supposedly cooked up this cockamamie Ponzi scheme after seeing similar systems work for shows by Springsteen and U2 around the country. If he really wanted to take care of his hometown fans, he could have borrowed a page from Bob Seger's book. Seger sold out a dozen or so Detroit-area shows each year during the seventies and eighties using a simple lottery system. On a predetermined day, it was announced on local radio that if you wanted tickets, then send your money order and a self- addressed, stamped envelope to the designated address. It was first come, first served, and the demand created the shows...if the fans wanted four shows at Joe Louis Arena, then that's what they got. This system worked fine with few complaints for years, with no hassles, little scalping...and no standing in line. File No. 3 =============================================================== WELCOME TO A NEW YEAR OF R.A.D! With this February issue of R.A.D! we officially begin our second year of publishing this spritely little newsletter and tipsheet. The response to R.A.D! over the past 11 issues has been nothing short of phenomenal, from both the real world and the "virtual" readership of the on-line community. We've struggled a little financially, and have been a bit erratic in our publishing schedule, often times biting off more than we could proverbially chew with bigger and better issues. We did manage to produce a handful of entertaining and thought-provoking newsletters, however, and with the support of our readers and the artists and labels we cover, we look forward to another successful year in 1994.. There are plenty of surprises and improvements in store for the coming year. We've already made the change to a digest-sized format for our monthly hard-copy edition, and are working out the final arrangements to take R.A.D! national with increased circulation and distribution. For our faithful on-line readers, who access the newsletter via the Usenet news groups alt.music.alternative, alt.music.hardcore and alt.zines, or access R.A.D! On-Line via the gopher at The Well, we're working on a hypertext version that will make reading each month's issue much easier. As we continue to grow and expand, our focus will remain on the indie music scene, its artists and the labels that make it work. Although we'll continue to cover major label artists, we'll continue to bring news and reviews of the indie scene and its movers and shakers. There will also be more features, more reviews and more controversial editorials in 1994, so stay tuned...the fun has just begun. As always, your editorial contributions, comments and suggestions are welcome at R.A.D! Review And Discussion, whether by Email or via regular mail. Let us hear from you... Email: GordonKA@CtrVax.Vanderbilt.Edu CONSPIRACY M.E.D.I.A P.O. Box 158324, Nashville, TN 37215 ********************************************************************* CONTEST TIME AGAIN: Thanks to the generosity of MetroLord Records, we're glad to have copies of our December CD du jour, Max Vague's _S.O.S. The Party's Over_ to give away again! The first ten R.A.D! On-Line readers who send Email to us at GordonKA@CtrVax.Vanderbilt.Edu will receive by snail mail a free copy of this great CD. Take a chance and send your name and mailing address to us via Email and grab a free disc...you'll be glad you did! ********************************************************************* File No. 4 =============================================================== SCATTERLINGS COMPILED BY THE R.A.D! STAFF & FRIENDS... Col. Bruce Hampton & The Aquarium Rescue Unit will be appearing on the upcoming _Best Of Mountain Stage Live_, Volume Six compilation with their tune "Working On A Building." The disc, to be released in late February, is a collection of performances from guests on the weekly syndicated radio broadcast. Alongside R.A.D! favorites Hampton & ARU will be cuts from REM, Bruce Hornsby, Barenaked Ladies and Nanci Griffith. PRESIDENT CLINTON and the administration were caught with egg on their face after they pulled a radio spot by Red Hot Chili Pepper Anthony Kiedis which promoted condoms as a way to prevent AIDS. Doctor David Satcher, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which sponsored the advertising campaign said, "we do not feel he is an appropriate spokes- person." H.H.S. Secretary Donna Shalala expressed outrage over the affair when advised of Keidis' previous conviction in 1990 on misdemeanor charges of sexual battery and indecent exposure. In the ad, Keidis speaks of his tendency to perform sans clothing, stating, "you can be naked without being exposed." Guess nobody at the White House ever caught the band live. THE FOLKS AT MCA RECORDS have put together a mail order catalog featuring what they call Texas City Music. It's a beautiful catalog, featuring great music from such well-known Texan artists as Steve Earle, Joe Ely, Nanci Griffith, Delbert McClinton and Buddy Holly, as well as some lesser known talents. Call 1-800-4-TX-TUNE for more info.... RAZOR & TIE MUSIC are favorites around the R.A.D! corporate offices, known as an indie with musical taste and marketing guts. Not ones to rest on their laurels, the New York-based label is jumping into the new year head- first with an adventuresome release schedule. First off, they've got a pair of multi-artist collections, _In Their Own Words: Volume One_ and _Come Together: Motown Sings The Beatles_, both of which are scheduled for Spring release. _In Their Own Words: Volume One_ is a compilation of live recordings from the critically-acclaimed songwriter series at New York's legendary Bottom Line club. Coinciding with the venues' twentieth anniversary, the volume will include previously unreleased material from Richard Thompson, Shawn Colvin, Graham Parker, Joey Ramone and Lucinda Williams, among others. _Come Together: Motown Sings The Beatles_ includes artists such as Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross offering their takes on classic Beatles tunes. Also in store for Razor & Tie this Spring are reissues of vital recordings from Alex Chilton, with his _Feudalist Tarts_ and _No Sex_ EPs being released on one CD, and his _High Priest_ and _Blacklist_ LPs, along with four bonus cuts, also being issued as a "two-fer." In May, the busy label will also be releasing a tribute album to the late, great Arthur Alexander, which will include tracks from Mark Knopfler, Frank Black and Elvis Costello, among others.... NOISE RECORDS are scheduling a rather healthy CD reissue campaign of their own this month, with important discs such as Voivod's _Dimension Hatross_ and Celtic Frost's _To Mega Therion_ being made available once again along with reissues of discs from Coroner, Killing Joke and Kreator. File No. 5 =============================================================== UPCOMING CD RELEASES: FEBRUARY 1994 Kristin Hersh / _HIPS & MAKERS_ (Sire) The Levellers / _THE LEVELLERS_ (Elektra) Richard Thompson / _MIRROR BLUE_ (Capitol) Marillion / _BRAVE_ (I.R.S. Records) John Trudell / _JOHNNY DAMAS AND ME_ (Rykodisc) Chainsaw Kittens / _POP HEIRESS_ (Mammoth) Eugenius / _MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS_ (Atlantic) N.R.B.Q. / _MESSAGE FOR THE MESS AGE_ (Rhino) That Petrol Emotion / _FIREPROOF_ (Rykodisc) South Central Cartel / _"N" GATZ WE TRUST_ (Columbia) Anthrax / _LIVE: THE ISLAND YEARS_ (Island) Also, scheduled discs from Elvis Costello, Sonic Youth, Marianne Faithful & Yes.... File No. 6 =============================================================== BROWN SHOES DON'T MAKE IT: MEMORIES OF FRANK ZAPPA "It's just much easier to turn prophets into jesters. If they empowered him, they'd have a real threat on their hands." ..... Actress & Zappa family friend Beverly D'Angelo on Frank Zappa The recent death of Frank Zappa is more than just the loss of a great Rock musician. During the past decade, Zappa had become a larger-than- life cultural icon, an internationally-respected composer and an indefatigable and articulate spokesman for all of us who dared to be, well...different. He was a social critic without peer, an effective and dangerous satirist, a champion for artistic integrity in an era of vacuity and a defender of free speech and the freedom of expression. His was a lone voice of reason that spoke loudly above the din, and he will be sorely missed. I was first introduced to the genius that was Frank Zappa when an older friend played _Freak Out_, the ground-breaking debut album from Zappa's Mothers of Invention, for me shortly after its 1966 release. Although I was too young to understand, or appreciate, the subtle and not- so-subtle flourishes to be found within the grooves of that masterpiece, it clung to me like a mind-altering virus until I was fully capable of intellectually delving into it. By this time, circa 1971 or so, Zappa and the Mothers had a significant back catalog of material for me to feast on. Another older friend offered to sell me his Zappa collection, at a bargain basement price of $3 per disc, and I gladly skipped lunch each day for almost two months in order to take them off his hands (not that missing what they dubiously call "food" in the Franklin High School cafeteria was all that harmful). Although I sat down to the family dinner table each night famished, I gorged myself afterwards on such Zappa albums as _Absolutely Free_, _Lumpy Gravy_ and _We're Only In It For The Money_. Zappa began his musical career around the age of twelve as a drummer, not, as he states in his excellent 1990 biography, _The Real Frank Zappa Book_, because he wanted to be a Rock and Roll drummer, since the music had yet to be invented, but because he "was just interested in the sounds of things a person could beat on." He got kicked out of his first band, a high school R & B outfit called The Ramblers, as well as the high school marching band, an auspicious beginning for the future Rock star. Although a love of fifties R & B may have shaped his musical tastes, it was an article in Look magazine, mentioning composer Edgard Varese, and a chance discovery of an album by the artist, that gave him direction. The music world would never be the same again... After high school and a brief spell at junior college and a short marriage, Zappa kicked around at several jobs, working as a copywriter, a jewelry salesman, a door-to-door encyclopedia salesman while he pursued his musical career. Somewhere along the line he had taught himself the guitar and, in 1964, got a gig with a local bar band, the Soul Giants. It was this band that eventually evolved into the Mothers and, after they were signed by MGM / Verve and _Freak Out_ was about to be released, they became the Mothers Of Invention. If the release of _Freak Out_, Rock's first concept album and the genre's first double album, was a commercial failure, it was significant, nonetheless. Zappa mixed Rock sensibilities with a satirical edge and a sense of avant-garde experimentalism into a formula no one had ever seen before. Subsequent M.O.I. albums broke similar ground, as Zappa continuously expanded the horizons of Rock music even while he was bringing elements of Jazz and Classical musics into his work. Much of that which we currently take for granted in today's "alternative" Rock - musical diversity, conceptual themes, samples, found vocals, odd instrumentation - originated with Zappa. The seventies brought Zappa both his greatest commercial success and his greatest failures. A 1971 European tour, immortalized in Deep Purple's "Smoke On The Water," saw the band's equipment destroyed in a fire, while a couple of weeks afterwards, a crazed English fan pitched Frank off the stage and into a 15 foot orchestra pit, which laid the artist up for almost a year. Battles with his label became extended litigation, as did management problems, both of which took their toll financially. Zappa bounced back. The unexpected popularity of his solo disc, _Apostrophe_, led to an extremely prolific period, which saw Zappa release almost a dozen albums in the next six or so years. Among these stand some of the artist's best work, including the conceptual multi-disc set, _Joe's Garage_, _Tinseltown Rebellion_ and _You Are What You Is_. During this period, Zappa also broke free of the constraints of his managers and record label and, during the early eighties, he and wife Gail began their own shoestring-funded multimedia company. Whereas Zappa had previously been respected as a talented, if oddly non-mainstream artist, the eighties brought upon him the mantle of cultural spokesman and guardian of free speech. When Tipper Gore and her cronies formed the PMRC in response to what they saw as "pornography" in Rock music, Zappa's voice was raised the loudest against them in their campaign to place warning stickers on albums they deemed questionable. Zappa fought a tiring battle, supported by his small but loyal legion of fans, testifying before Congress and in the media for free speech and artistic freedom. In the end, he saw the liberties he held so dear tarnished and slightly frayed at the edges. During the past few years, Zappa had been content in his role of musician, composer, entrepreneur and family man. He continued to write prolifically, composing symphonies and songs while releasing a series of live discs, the _You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore_ series (six multi-disc sets and counting) as well as studio works and several videos. He gained control of his back catalog and licensed it for reissue on CD to Rykodisc, while new material was issued on his own Barking Pumpkin label. He conducted symphonies, such as the recently released _Yellow Shark_ CD and even authorized a collection of Mothers Of Invention bootleg discs. Interest in all things Zappa, sparked, perhaps, by his fight against the PMRC, turned Zappa into a cottage industry. A couple of years ago, with his career seemingly at its highest peak, Zappa discovered that he had prostrate cancer, and he began his most significant battle yet. In the end, he lost, although he continued to work at the only thing that he had done for his entire adult life, his music. As he worked on completing the _Yellow Shark_ CD, we had contacted his wife and business partner, Gail, about setting up an interview with Frank. After several months of trying to work it out, not knowing how ill Frank really was, the interview never happened. Instead, I unfortunately write this memorial. Although it saddens me that I never got the opportunity to speak with one of my few cultural idols, I am thankful that he considered speaking with me - Zappa's disdain for critics is well-known. I am also thankful that Frank was around when I, and many others needed him, when we were growing of age in a nation gone mad. Frank taught us the value of art in society, the need for creativity. He taught us to question authority, but to never take ourselves too seriously. He taught us the joy of music and the reckless abandon of poetry. Most of all, he taught us freedom and tolerance and brotherhood. During a career that spanned almost forty years, Zappa released over 60 albums and wrote over 1,200 songs. He gave numerous young musicians their start, from Jazz violinist Jean Luc Ponty to guitar god Steve Vai, Adrian Belew, George Duke, Ike Willis, Dale Bozzio...the list goes on and on. He recorded masterpiece albums in Rock, Jazz and Classical music genres, and his successes as a musician, producer, composer and conductor have inspired and influenced artists worldwide. He died with almost every album he had ever released still in print (which places him in a rare league with artists like The Beatles and Elvis). Although he may have passed quietly, before his time, during his lengthy career, no one roared louder... File No. 7 =============================================================== RE/ISSUES: RISKY BUSINESS These days, there's plenty of the coin of the realm to by had by any major label willing to raid their vaults and dig up enough dust-covered material to slap together a box set on an artist, or at the very least, a two-disc compilation. For some artists, however, there exists only a hit single or two to draw from, pretty much shelving the idea of reissuing anything. Always one to get the jump on the competition, Sony has solved the problem by creating the Risky Business label to release a series of budget- priced compilations which follow a single theme or musical style. Each title in the series offers a dozen cuts from a number of artists (surprisingly, not all from Sony-related labels), serving as a perfect introduction to the talents of some obscure, but well-deserving rockers. Each disc is like a tape one might make of their own favorites. _Thrash And Burn...The Metal Alternative_ offers a monster mix of artists culled from the exciting fringes of the molten edge of metal. There's something for every sort of headbanger here, with highlights including Gruntruck's "So Long," Last Crack's "Energy Mind" and Circus Of Power's "Waiting For The Wizard." Cuts from Prong, Infectious Grooves, Fishbone and Corrosion Of Conformity, among others, round out the perform- ances offered here, and there's honestly not a dull song in the bunch. The artists presented on _Rubber Souled_ are a sheer joy. Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Arthur Alexander, Otis Redding and others all offer their own individual takes on the songs of The Beatles. Some, like Franklin's "Let It Be," or Wilson Pickett's "Hey Jude" are classics, and hits in their own right. It's the inclusion of the late Arthur Alexander's "Anna," however, the only non-Lennon and McCartney penned song included, that shows the influence that R & B had on the Fab Four, and why their material translated back into R & B so well. _Peacemakers, Protesters And Potheads_ illustrates best the dissident side of sixties music, and it's, as they say, a 'Heavy' collection. From The Byrds' "He Was A Friend Of Mine" and Electric Flag's "Another Country" to Barry McGuire's powerful "Eve Of Destruction" and Country Joe & The Fish's legendary "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin-To-Die-Rag," this set epitomizes the cultural clash, turbulence and energy of that decade unlike any collection of songs from that era that I've heard. Every cut is well-chosen, the product of inspired imagination. The afore- mentioned artists, as well as Sly & The Family Stone, The Hollies, Steppenwolf and others tackle the weighty issues of the war in Vietnam, drug experimentation and abuse and the horrors of racism. The volume closest to my heart is _Blood, Sweat And Beers...Best Of The Bar Bands_. A showcase for some truly unsung Rock & Roll heroes, _Blood, Sweat And Beers_ features artists like Nils Lofgren, Southside Johnny, Joe Grushecky, Michael Stanley and Scott Kempner, performers who have never really made much of an impact, commercially. The ground that they tread, musically -- pure sweet Soul and roots Rock -- is the sound of the Rock & Roll working class. Cuts like Kempner's "Hot Rod Angel," Lofgren's "Secrets In The Street" or Grushecky's "Bad Dream" realistically reflect the fears, hopes and dreams of the average man. That they never found their rightful place on a pop chart far too often dominated by poseurs and trend-mongers is irrelevant; for the artists on this collection, the ultimate joy is that they loved what they're doing, and they believed in the power of Rock to provide freedom. It is this spirit that shines through in their work, and will ensure that their impact on Rock & Roll will be felt long after they have faded into the obscurity of cult status. File No. 8 =============================================================== KOOL KUTS : FEBRUARY 1994 Jello Biafra With Plainfield _JELLO BIAFRA WITH PLAINFIELD_ (Alternative Tentacles) Here's a most odd release. The self-titled Jello Biafra With Plainfield reminds me of a cross between the Butthole Surfers and a bunch of drunken studio outtakes (like, say, on Fear's _More Beer_ LP). It's short, clocking in at just under 20 minutes. Track one is a spoken-word phone call, Smelly to Jello, planning an evening at a club, a murder, and some necrophilia. Track two is a song with very deadpan Jello vocals ("I need your flesh.") (Smelly - "Say 'die,' the kids love it!" Jello - "Die. Die. Die.") and lots of generic sarcasm. Track three is short song with a DK feel while track four is Jello leaving Smelly a "voicemail" message. Track five is the longest one on the disc (five minutes) and has Smelly and Jello talking about molesting young boys; references are made to the Dead Kennedys' anthem "I Kill Children," as well the Gore family. Track six wraps up the disc as Jello runs out of lyrics two minutes into the song (Smelly - "Make something up, ya idiot!"). The vocals are mostly spoken word, sounding like snatches of random conversation and/or arguments between Smelly and Jello. The music has a kind of rough and wandering feel to it that seems, at times, independent of whatever is being said. The whole disc has a late seventies/early eighties rough, haphazard, "we don't give a damn 'cause we're having fun screwing around in a recording studio" punk feel to it that I haven't heard in years. I like it. The cover and sleeve art by the usual Winston Smith/ Biafra/John Yates crew. The liner notes indicate that this is all some kind of elaborate joke at our expense (Edward Gein on drums?). Oh yeah, some guy named Al Jourgenson produced the whole thing. (Alternative Tentacles Records, Box 419092, San Francisco, CA 94141) ..... Review by Dru Myers ------------------------------------------------------ Cocteau Twins _FOUR-CALENDAR CAFE_ (Capitol) The Cocteau Twins -- the trio of Elizabeth Fraser, Robin Guthrie and Simon Raymonde -- have never been able to pass beyond their American cult status to achieve the sort of stardom and respect that has been theirs overseas. Partly, it's been a failure of their lofty, ethereal and atmospheric music to grasp any significant exposure beyond the efforts of the college radio intelligensia; partly, it's been the erratic U.S. availability of their music, which has often seen albums appear here only after a lengthy European run or via the poorly-stocked import bins of large record chains. Hopefully, the mesmerizing _Four-Calendar Cafe_ will remedy this plague of undeserved obscurity. _Four-Calendar Cafe_ isn't really much of a stylistic departure from the band's many previous works, treading much of the same ground musically and lyrically...but that's fine. To the trademark Cocteau ambience -- lush, fully-orchestrated songs with an underlying pop influence that owe as much to Kate Bush and Brian Eno as to Manchester or Leeds -- they've added a bit of studio polish and commercial accessibility. The ten cuts found here work their magic quietly, with wispy vocals, sparkling melodies and gossamer music settling into your subconscious for later appreciation. This is more than merely subdued environmental music, however, _Four-Calendar Cafe_ serving as musical reminder that the mightiest of rocks is sculptured by the gently falling rain. ------------------------------------------------------ Tony Bennett _STEPPING OUT_ (Columbia Records) Today is the day I get to feel smug. Tony Bennett is in heavy rotation on MTV - hell, he's a Buzz clip, which means he's the "Next Big Thing." Well, guess what? I was into Tony Bennett years ago, since like '88 or '89 when I got a hold of the excellent Bennett / Berlin album. I just love it when MTV plays catch-up to me. (Of course, I'm only about forty years late on discovering him, but hey...) Like all of Bennett's work, _Stepping Out_ is an excellent, extremely well-crafted album. You expect nothing less from the man that performers like Sinatra acknowledge as their superior, and the man never delivers short of expectation. Bennett has always been one of the great practicioners of the "concept album" in the broader sense of the term - an album united by a particular theme, not necessarily a narrative - from his movie theme albums of the 1960s, through the Christmas album _Snowfall_, up to recent albums which spotlight the lyricism of Irving Berlin or pay tribute to Sinatra (last year's _Perfectly Frank_) or this album, a collection of songs made famous by Fred Astaire. Bennett approaches these themes in such a way as to give the songs themselves their greatest significance. That is to say, when you hear Sinatra, for example, sing a song, he often overwhelms the material so that you are primarily aware of the singer. But until he got himself a slick music video, Bennett had almost achieved a state comparable to what literary theorist Roland Barthes once described as "writing degree zero;" you could listen to a Tony Bennett song without being aware of Bennett as a personality, a presence within the song - as a tunesmith, he gave the highest significance to the song itself. No fancy vocal tricks, no star turns - and with his longtime collaborators, the Ralph Sharon trio, he gave the music an economy of simplicity that managed to get right at the heart of the material without overproducing the hell out of it. This is a very good album, and those of you who have caught Bennett on MTV and find him the least bit interesting should buy it and hear the man in his entirety. You have been denied the pleasure far too long. And with any luck, somebody one or two generations back in your family is going to have some of his earlier material, because you have a lot of catching up to do. ..... Review by Jesse Garon ------------------------------------------------------ Richard Barone _CLOUDS OVER EDEN_ (Mesa Records) As a member of The Bongos, one of the more obscure outfits on the early eighties Pop landscape, Richard Barone often saw his work with the band -- gems like _Beat Hotel_ or _Drums Along The Hudson_ -- overshadowed by musical peers on both sides of the Atlantic. As a solo act, he has consistently produced material showing considerable skills as a wordsmith with a fine-tuned ear for penning Pop melodies...talents never more evident than on his latest effort, _Clouds Over Eden_. Barone tends to bring a contemporary sensibility to classic Pop stylings, proving himself quite capable of evoking fond musical memories by bringing scraps of everything you've ever heard on the radio to the table without ever sounding derivative. The Orbisonesque guitar riffs on "Forbidden," for instance, masterfully underline Barone's tale of loneli- ness and frustration, while the jangling guitars and sweet harmonies of "Nobody Knows Me" illustrate Barone's subtle touch on dozens of eighties college Rock bands. If radio were more open and less formatted, there'd be a welcome mat out for cuts like the Beatles-influenced title cut, "Clouds Over Eden," or the chilling "Law Of The Jungle." As it is, Pop poets such as Richard Barone must craft album after album for a small, but appreciative audience. ------------------------------------------------------ Aphex Twin _ON/ON_ (Warp Records) Richard James, also known as Aphex Twin and Polygon Window (among others), has recently been pounding unsuspecting ravers and club-goers with his unique style of aggressive, trance-inducing minimalist dance music. Unlike more commercial "techno" or "rave" (whatever those labels mean), James refuses to compromise or pander to the listener, instead demanding that the listener keep up with him. His latest two Warp releases, an EP of new material plus a remix single, are no exception. On the title track, James fuses a lilting keyboard melody with his harsh trademark percussion sounds. The track "73-Yips" is a pounding testament to structured aggression, and a fine example of James' rhythmic emphasis. "D-Scape" heads back in the direction "On" took, with more simple yet involving keyboard lines that wash over pounding beats. Rounding the EP out is "Xepha," which features more of his innovative approach to providing danceable yet interesting rhythms. The remix single is equally impressive, with four very different versions of "On." If you're into the dancier aspects of industrial, or are a closet techno fiend and haven't yet heard any Aphex Twin, check these disks out. ..... Review by Jeremy Dickens ------------------------------------------------------ The Orb _ORB LIVE '93_ (Island) Those pioneers of "ambient" dance music are at it again, and this time they're live. With this release, The Orb provide the listener with over 140 minutes of non-stop spaciness you can dance to, spread out over two discs, which read like a greatest-hits collection. I'm not much of a fan of most live albums, primarily because it seems you pay way too much for a bunch of songs you already have, that either sound like crap or exactly like they were on the album. With The Orb, however, it's a different story. In addition to starting each disk off with a new track ("Plateau" and "Valley"), The Orb seem to consider playing live an excuse to mutate their tracks into even greater mind-warpers than they already were. Unfortunately, there seem to be some problems with the domestic release of this disc, as the release date has been pushed back something like four times now. However, when this does come out domestically, I'll recommend this disc to anyone who likes to have their mind blown every once in a while . . . perhaps even over one of The Orb's studio releases. All in all, a very satisfying album. ..... Review by Jeremy Dickens ------------------------------------------------------ Psychic TV _PEAK HOUR_ (Temple Records) Industrial pioneers PTV take the dance/house music approach of their last full-length release, _Towards Thee Infinite Beat_, a step further, and in the ambient direction, at that. Very well orchestrated synths and samples punctuate driving rhythms over an obvious Orb / Psychick Warriors influence on this disk. Unlike most of their earlier material, there are no real vocals from frontman / founder Genesis P-Orridge (only a few samples of his speaking in a couple of places), but there are some horrendous (not to mention blatant) samples from the _Cyborgasm_ virtual audio sex disc, or one very much like it. _Peak Hour_ is a lot less single- minded (and accessible, for that matter) than _Towards Thee Infinite Beat_ was, but to me, that's a good thing. Of course, this release will alienate even more PTV fans for its dance content, but it might just be strange enough to draw some industrial freaks who have already discovered The Orb back into the fold. ..... Review by Jeremy Dickens ------------------------------------------------------ Meryn Cadell _BOMBAZINE_ (Sire Records) In the summer of 1992, you must have heard Meryn Cadell's "The Sweater," it was one of the big hits of college / alternative radio, with its loopy organlike backbeat and her great deadpan recital of the significance of the sweater in school romance. The album on which it appeared, _Angel Food For Thought_, was an entertaining mix of spoken word, performance art, ironic slices of life, and feminist viewpoints - it wasn't so much a collection of songs as a group of set pieces, but it was really cool. Well, towards the end of 1993, "the buzzingly enthusiastic entity which is Sire Records" has released Cadell's second album, _bombazine_. If anything, it is even better than her previous work. She seems to concentrate more on melodies and songs this time around - there are only three pieces on the album which are entirely spoken word. Two songs were written and performed with fellow Canadian Ben Mink (best known in the States, perhaps, for his work with k.d. lang). One of these, "Window of Opportunity," displays Cadell's remarkable talent for "speak-singing," as does the virtually a Capella in "Janet Clark" (save for the background djembe drums, which give lines like "the glow around your face as you robbed the bank today made me love you" an extra Beat resonance). The other Mink collaboration, "Abelyne," is one of several hauntingly poignant songs on the album; others include "Georgian Bay, 24 & Evermore," "The Bark on the Tree," which deals with the end of a relationship, and the final song "Strength," about the relationship between a woman and her mother (I think; part of the beauty of these songs is how Cadell nails down very specific details, but leaves an aura of mystery around the broad situations she describes). This album features some of the best-written lyrics of any of the albums I've heard in 1993 - Cadell doesn't always feel obligated to remain in the verse-chorus-verse pattern, and even when she does, her choices of words are always intriguing. Take this sample lyric from "Organ," in which the singer shows the range of songs that she and an unnamed friend played on the organ as children: "yellow rose of texas / red red rose / blue christmas without you / the lord is my shepherd i shall not want / the Titanic sailed the ocean blue." Or the scathingly ironic way that she dissects the single / country bar scene in "Time O/O Lives," the introduction to which includes a gorgeously cynical reading of the opening line to the Petula Clark hit "Downtown." Every song on this album is a gem - not all of it is radio-friendly, perhaps, but Cadell is definitely a lyricist and a performer to watch for. Be sure to let Sire know that, and catch her in concert if you can. .....Review by Jesse Garon File No. 9 ============================================================== THE SINGLES SCENE Jello Biafra & Mojo Nixon "Will The Fetus Be Aborted?" b/w "The Lost World" (Alternative Tentacles) "Peggy Sue got pregnant, and was addicted to fifteen drugs. She went down to the abortion clinic, and was accosted by right-wing thugs. Oh, will the fetus be aborted?" Well, it’s about time these two teamed up & put out a 45. The style is rockabilly, with Jello providing vocals while Mojo & the Toad Liquors contribute music, backing vocals, and occasional hollerin'. The title track is sure to piss off the too-easily-offended everywhere, while the B-side ("The Lost World") is understated DK-ish satire on the Saturday night suburban mall culture. You collectors out there should know that the A-side is a different version from the one that appears on _Prairie Home Invasion_, while the B-side is unavailable anywhere else. The CD single adds two additional tracks, "Drinkin' With Jesus" (Mojo & Country Dick) and "Achey Rakey Heart" (Eugene Chadbourne & Evan Johns, from _Terror Has Some Strange Kinkfolk_). Be sure to check out the Winston Smith / Jello / John Yates sleeve art. The 45 has a nifty insert which is also reproduced in the CD single. (Alternative Tentacles, Box 419092, San Francisco, CA 94141) ..... Review by Dru Myers ------------------------------------------------------ Beats The Hell Out Of Me _Beats The Hell Out Of Me_ EP (Metal Blade) Beats The Hell Out Of Me is Metal Blade's latest signing, a Phoenix outfit of considerable talent and a lot of guts...how many new artists could cover a cut as powerful as Public Enemy's "By The Time I Get To Arizona" and pull it off? Beats The Hell Out Of Me do, delivering the goods with great aplomb, molten riffs dripping menacingly off the vocals while the band cranks out noisey, minimalistic and effective instrumentation. The other cuts here are equally tasty; "Behind My Back" is a nonstop musical rant, while the EP's opener, "Buzz," is supported by taut, wired axe-work and roaring vocals. An encouraging debut by any standards... (Metal Blade, 2345 Erringer Road, Suite 108, Simi Valley, CA 93065) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ LEGALESE, ETC... R.A.D! and R.A.D! On-Line Copyright 1994 by Keith A. Gordon and CONSPIRACY M.E.D.I.A, a non-profit anarchist collective working towards the gradual improvement of popular culture through thought, words and deed, believing in the virus of ideas and the concept of creative and individual freedom. ------------------------------------------------------ Keith A. Gordon / PUBLISHER & EDITOR Tracey L. Dooling / ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jeremy Dickens, Jesse Garon & Dru Myers / CONTRIBUTORS Letters of Commentary, Submission of editorial material such as interviews, reviews, etc may be sent to R.A.D! at P.O. Box 158324, Nashville, TN 37215 Items for review, such as CDs, artist bios and photos, Zines, Video or whatever should be sent to 826 Old Charlotte Pike East, Franklin, TN 37064 ------------------------------------------------------ THANX this issue go out to Randy Ford, Dru 'j.a.' Myers, Pam Cross ("Hiya Pam!"), Steve Kares, Lisa Gottheil, Lisa Markowitz, Ron Hogan, Michelle Roche, Mary Mancini @ LUCY'S RECORD SHOP, R. Seth Friedman & Jerod Pore & FACTSHEET FIVE, Jim Testa @ JERSEY BEAT, Donnie & April & the HOUSE O' PAIN gang, Tom Cording, Lisa Shively, Brian M. @ CLEOPATRA, Scott P. @ ENERGY RECORDS, Max Vague & Brad Smith, Paul S. @ UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN & anyone we forgot! ------------------------------------------------------ THE NEXT LIVER-QUIVERING ISSUE OF R.A.D! ON-LINE, containing all of our regular features and reviews will be on the net and on the street on March 7th, 1994...watch for it! >** End Ov File, End Ov Transmission **<