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**********                  R.A.D! ON-LINE                      **********
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**********                October/November 1993                 **********
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Published monthly by CONSPIRACY M.E.D.I.A, Box 158324, Nashville, TN 37215

Review And Discussion of Rock & Roll is copyright 1993 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.

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. Back issues can
also be found on the R.A.D! home board, MONDO GORDO! BBS 615.791.8050


                         CONTENTS ISSUE #1.6

         File No. 1 > The Musical Return Of Holly Beth Vincent (InterView)
         File No. 2 > Rock Journalism 101   (Zines)
         File No. 3 > Scatterlings  (Rock & Roll News)
         File No. 4 > Upcoming CD Releases   (Info)
         File No. 5 > Re/Issues   (Review)
         File No. 6 > Kool Kuts   (Review)
         File No. 7 > The Singles Scene   (Review)

      CDs reviewed this month include: Elliott Murphy, The Shams, All,
      George Thorogood, Nightblooms, Iggy Pop, Copernicus, Chameleons,
      the Reverend Horton Heat, Psyclone Rangers, Eric Gales & more!

     
File No. 1 ===============================================================

                THE MUSICAL RETURN OF HOLLY BETH VINCENT

   Holly & The Italians are one of the great cult bands of the late 
seventies/early eighties punk/new wave era that saw a return to Rock's raw
roots, a defiance of the rules of corporate behavior and an ethic that 
said that anybody could, and should make music if they so desired. With a 
pair of critically-acclaimed albums, _THE RIGHT TO BE ITALIAN_ and _HOLLY 
& THE ITALIANS_, Holly Beth Vincent left her imprint on Rock & Roll, 
breaking through the barrier of gender to create powerful, passionate 
music that paved the way for many of today's female artists.
   Vincent seemingly disappeared after being dropped by her label in 1981 
for poor sales, but she continued to gig around New York, playing with 
folks like Jay Dee Daugherty and Fred "Sonic" Smith, and writing songs...
lots of songs. She has spent ten years out of the spotlight, "living her 
life" as she says. Now she's back, with a new band, The Oblivious, and a
tuff new album, _AMERICA_, a steamy cauldron of power pop and raging riffs. 
Though it's as if she never left, we're certainly glad that she's back...
    We caught up with Holly by telephone just before The Oblivious was to 
begin a nationwide tour opening for alternative darlings Concrete Blonde. 
It was a great pleasure to speak with this ground-breaking artist, one of 
the true icons of alternative Rock.     ---------------- Keith A. Gordon
 

KG: So what have you been doing for the past ten years, Holly?

HV: Playing music, having kids, getting married a couple of times...the 
usual.

KG: How did The Oblivious come together?

HV: I was approached by Amy Ray of The Indigo Girls (owner of Daemon 
Records) regarding recording an album. I wanted to do it, so that was it! 
I sat down and wrote a bunch of songs, got together with people that I 
wanted to play with, and we did the record.

KG: How did it feel to be back in the studio?

HV: Completely natural...it felt like I never left, like I hadn't been not
doing it for the past ten years...it felt like I had just finished the 
second album and maybe it was a year later.

KG: What are your thoughts on the period of time which encompasses your 
first two albums?

HV: It was pretty crazy. I was very young when I made those records, so it 
was kind of hard for me to have all of that attention. Things never really 
went very smoothly, and it was always very chaotic. It was an intense time.

KG: Were there any expectations laid on you after the first album?

HV: No, not really...I didn't feel that at all. That was a very creative
time for me, and I just wrote. I wrote the second album in a short period 
of time, much like I wrote this last one...these are not songs (on 
_AMERICA_) that I've written over the past ten years. Most of them are
things that I came up with after Amy mentioned making a record. When we 
finally decided to make the record, I made it a project for myself to write 
all new things.

KG: Had you been writing during your absence?

HV: Yeah, I'd been writing things. There’s a band called Angelfish who have
a record out, and I wrote one of the tracks there. That's something I wrote
three or four years ago. I've been writing all along. I've got a lot of
songs that might see the light of day in one form or another.

KG: The great lost "Holly Beth Vincent" album?

HV: I don’t think that it will be a Holly Vincent album, but they might be 
on someone else's. I just had to write and then move onto something else.

KG: What did you specifically have in mind when you recorded _AMERICA_?

HV: I just sit down and turn my guitar on and leave it up to the fates, in 
some respects. I just sort of jam; most of my songs just sort of happen. 
Sometimes, I'll write a little bit, then put it away for a little while,
then work on it a little more.

KG: At what age did you decide to get into music?

HV: My parents are musicians, so I come from a family of musical people. I 
originally was a drummer, through high school I played drums in several 
bands. My brother's also a drummer, he plays with Frank Black, played on
that record.
     I'd been around a lot of music from the time that I was born, so it
was kind of like the 'family business.' It's in my blood, I suppose. I also
had a need to write, apart from the music. Around high school, I used 
writing as a way to express myself.

KG: What kind of music influenced you while you were growing up?

HV: Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath...Count Basie...all kinds of 
stuff. In terms of Rock and Roll, I liked heavy guitars, that kind of thing.

KG: How was working with Joey Ramone on that infamous single? (Vincent 
recorded a version of Sonny & Cher's "I Got You Babe" with Joey that was
released as a single that is now a hard-to-find collector’s item).

HV:  That was great! He was one of my musical idols, The Ramones were a 
big inspiration. Working with Joey was a lot of fun.
     Rodney Bingenheimer plays it on his show here in L.A. on KROQ 
occasionally. I really like that record, I think that it turned out really 
well. But they didn't print up that many of them, so they literately are
quite obscure.

KG: How did that project come about?

HV: It was suggested to Joey and I by somebody, I forget who. I worked up 
the arrangement with my band, and I met up with Joey in the studio and we 
did it in a couple of days.

KG: Female artists are riding an unprecedented wave of acceptance in 
alternative music these days. Looking back at what you accomplished, 
in 1980 and '81, is it possible that you were just a little ahead of your
time?

HV: It's true, I was doing what all these people are doing now ten years
ago. Probably a lot of them had heard me, I have a feeling. I've found out,
through Amy, some of the people who were listening to my records a long 
time ago, and it's amazing! I didn't really know who heard those records, I
assumed that it wasn't many people. I don't think that they sold well.
     I'm doing now what I’ve always been doing all along. To some people,
it's a brand new thing, 'I can play my guitar and I can write my songs and
whatever,' but this isn't really new to me. To me it's totally natural.
After all, why should guys have all of the fun?

KG: And since you came from a musical background, it wasn't perceived as a
form of rebellion like many kids...

HV: My parents thought that it was a passing phase, but they hoped that it 
was a passing phase for completely different reasons. Because they were 
musicians themselves, they knew how hard it was to have any degree of 
success.
   They reacted to me doing it probably in the way that most parents 
react to their daughters, I'm sure. They hoped that I would become a
secretary and marry some nice guy. It wasn't really any more acceptable to
them. I've just always done this, and now there are more women doing it,
which is great!


File No. 2 ===============================================================

                      ROCK & ROLL JOURNALISM 101

   Rock journalism is a relatively new phenomena, a mere quarter of a 
century in its development and still experiencing more than a few growing 
pains. In 1967, _Rolling Stone_ was the first Rock rag to capture the 
public's imagination, its position in San Francisco during the "Summer of
Love" leading to inspired coverage of artists such as the Grateful Dead, 
Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin, among others. _Rolling Stone_ created, and 
then defined the Rock interview, blazing a trail for others to follow.
   _Creem_ came along in 1969, roaring out of Detroit with a mix of 
irrelevance and irreverence that left also-rans like _Crawdaddy_ or 
_Fusion_ or _Rock Magazine_ sleeping in the dust. With writers like Greil 
Marcus, Dave Marsh and the legendary Lester Bangs during the early 
seventies, and folks like Rick Johnson, Bill Holdship and John Kordish in 
the latter part of the decade, _Creem_ raised the quality and expectations 
of Rock journalism, penning a legacy that carries on today. After the 
untimely death of publisher and founder Barry Kramer, however, the zine 
suffered under subsequent ownership, never quite regaining those past glory 
days...
   ...until now. Under the current guidance of publisher Susan Traub, these 
last few months worth of _Creem_ have seen a sparkling glimmer of the 
brilliance which the zine once had. It has evolved from the insipid fashion 
rag it was upon its emergence from a lengthy hibernation a couple of years 
back into a major player in Rock & Roll once again. The reviews are 
crisper, the irreverence is thankfully returning, and their coverage has 
become the most diverse of any of the big three music mags. Recent issues 
have seen features on obscure artists such as Angelfish, Eve's Plum and
Come as well as better known acts like Billy Idol and George Clinton. Once 
again, _Creem_ is leading the way, discovering new artists and trends, 
rather than merely playing "follow-the-leader." By returning to its past, 
_Creem_ is opening new doors to the future.
   Back in the very beginning of the early eighties "alternative" Rock 
revolution, while bands like the Replacements, REM and Jason & The 
Scorchers were collecting loyal fans with indie recordings, and the major 
labels were busy scratching their collective heads, some folks up in New 
York recognized a potent, influential musical movement and began writing 
about it. The result of their efforts, the _C.M.J. New Music Report_, an 
industry trade paper, has both chronicled and influenced the scene for over 
a decade now. Their annual New Music Seminar has provided a forum for the 
exchange of information and ideas, as well as a showcase to countless 
young artists through the years.
   Not one to rest upon his impressive laurels, College Media publisher and 
founder Robert Haber has begun publishing a commercial music mag, _CMJ New 
Music Monthly_. Still in its infancy, the magazine is rapidly developing a 
strong identity of its own, with regular columns covering Metal, Dance and 
Hip-Hop music as well as Video and Mixed Media. Plenty of well-written 
record reviews are complemented by sharp graphics; you'll also find
information on upcoming tours, new releases and, of course, artist profiles
in each issue. Subtitled "the consumer guide to new music," the mag 
provides valuable information and insight to the record-buying music lover. 
What sets _CMJ New Music Monthly_ apart from the newsstand crowd, however, 
is that they package a full-length CD sampler with each issue, allowing the
music fan to check out bands before plunking down their hard-earned coin on 
a CD. The most recent issue includes a fine mix of indie and major label 
artists, including Julianna Hatfield, Iggy Pop, The Pogues, The Connells 
and William S. Burroughs among the 19 cuts. Always a visionary, Haber has 
upped the ante in Rock & Roll journalism, adding a new dimension to a still 
young art form.


File No. 3 ===============================================================

                              SCATTERLINGS

THE DEBUT LP FROM IAN MOORE, the latest guitar god to hail from Texas, has 
met with no small amount of success: the first single from the Capricorn 
label release, "How Does It Feel," became a Top Ten radio single. Now that 
Moore has returned from a wildly impressive two week whirlwind tour of 
Europe, which included shows in London, Paris and Amsterdam, the Austin 
idol is preparing to embark on a six-week tour of the states in support of 
the album and a new single, "Nothing."

WARNER BROTHERS RECORDS has gone cyberpunk! The label has jumped into the 
interactive world of cyberspace with a new service offered through the 
Compuserve and America Online commercial on-line services. Subscribers to 
either service will have available to them up-to-date information on the 
world of WB and Reprise artists, including news of upcoming tour dates, a 
schedule of new releases and an Email drop where fans can ask questions of 
the record company. The Warner Brothers On-Line Electronic Bulletin Board, 
as they're calling it, is the first entry by a major label into the field 
of electronic communication.

WARNER REPRISE VIDEO is also quite busy, with several new visual releases 
ready just in time for the Christmas season. Along with the recently 
released Prince collection, they've released a collection of this 
influential artist's ground-breaking video clips. Also, to go along with 
the several different release formats of the Velvet Underground's _LIVE 
MCMXCIII_ album, Warner will be releasing the first ever live video from 
this legendary band. Featuring the original line-up of Lou Reed, John Cale, 
Maureen Tucker and Sterling Morrison, who performed together for the first 
time in a quarter-century, this is a valuable documentary of one of Rock's 
most important bands.
	Warner is also re-releasing the great Neil Young live video, _Rust 
Never Sleeps_. The electric 116 minute set was taped during a performance 
at San Francisco's Cow Palace in 1978, this is the first time in a decade 
that this video has been available. 

CRY OF LOVE recently hit numero uno on the AOR charts with "Peace Pipe," 
the first single culled from their Columbia Records' debut, _BROTHER_. 
Recently completing a 3 month club tour in support of the release, the band 
is now joining Robert Plant's U.S. tour through the end of the year. 

OUT ON THE LEFT COAST, Metal Blade Records has just signed the acclaimed 
Arizona  quintet Beats The Hell Out Of Me. The band's self-produced nine-
song CD won them many accolades from Phoenix's _New Times_ magazine, 
including "Best Local Band," "Best Album" and "Best Hardcore Band." Their 
Metal Blade debut will be released early in 1994, but a 7" single version 
of Public Enemy's "By The Time I Get To Arizona" will out by the end of '93  
to whet listener's appetites.

ANOTHER TRIBUTE DISC? Yeah, _STONE FREE_ is the inevitable Hendrix 
compilation, featuring 14 songs from the likes of Buddy Guy, Living Colour 
Eric Clapton and Body Count. Watch for it this month...

	
File No. 4 ===============================================================

                         UPCOMING CD RELEASES

George Clinton / _HEY MAN, SMELL MY FINGER_   (Paisley Park)

Frank Zappa / _YELLOW SHARK_     (Barking Pumpkin)

Sepultura / _CHAOS A.D._   (Roadrunner)

Dead Milkmen / _NOT RICHARD, BUT DICK_    (Hollywood)

The Buzzcocks / _TRADE TEST TRANSMISSIONS_     (Caroline)

Concrete Blonde / _MEXICAN MOON_   (Capitol)

Warrior Soul / _CHILL PILL_   (Geffen)

Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies / _SCREAMIN’ CHEETAH WHEELIES_   (Atlantic)

The Pogues / _WAITING FOR HERB_   (Chameleon)

Crash Test Dummies / _GOD SHUFFLED HIS FEET_   (Arista)

The Ramones / _ACID EATERS_   (Radioactive/MCA)

Chapterhouse / _BLOOD MUSIC_   (Arista)

Queen Latifah / _BLACK REIGN_     (Motown)


Also Scheduled for November release:

...discs from Koko Taylor, Cocteau Twins, Guns 'N' Roses, Kate Bush,
Morrissey, Teenage Fanclub, Tom Waits, INXS and an Alice In Chains EP!


File No. 5 ===============================================================

                       RE / ISSUES: Arthur Alexander

   It's a shame that Arthur Alexander's tragic, untimely death seems to 
have occurred at the beginning of a career revival for the ageless R & B 
crooner. He had recorded a critically-acclaimed album for Elektra's 
Nonesuch label and had begun performing live again in anticipation of a 
long overdue comeback. It's an unexpected tribute, then, Razor & Tie 
Music's _THE ULTIMATE ARTHUR ALEXANDER_, released previous to the singer's 
death this past summer.
   _THE ULTIMATE ARTHUR ALEXANDER is a collection of sixteen tracks by this 
vastly underrated performer, reflecting the success Alexander enjoyed 
during the sixties and seventies. There's sure to be something familiar 
here to even the most casual follower of Pop music, as Alexander was a 
fine songwriter whose works were recorded by the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Otis 
Redding and the Stones, among others. It's his own sparkling performances, 
however, where he poured his heart and soul into songs like "You Better 
Move On," "Everyday I Have To Cry Some" and "Anna (Go To Him)" that will s
tand as Alexander's legacy. _THE ULTIMATE ARTHUR ALEXANDER_ is a wonderful 
collection, deserving of a place in any music lover's collection.

(Razor & Tie Music, Box 585, Cooper Station, New York, NY 10276)


File No. 6 ===============================================================

                        KOOL KUTS : OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 1993


CD DU JOUR:

Elliott Murphy / _UNREAL CITY_   (Razor & Tie Music)

   This was released several months ago, the return of singer/songwriter 
Elliott Murphy to these shores, and it's been growing on me, nagging me to
review it ever since I got it. It keeps returning to the CD player, each 
new spin offering some new insight or phrase that I missed the first time 
out. Murphy lives up to every claim ever made for him as a songwriter, an 
artist so poetically gifted that he throws away lines that lesser writers 
would base entire works on.
   In the way of background, after a handful of under-hyped, under-
appreciated late-seventies/early-eighties albums, which earned massive 
amounts of critical acclaim heaped upon near-total commercial failure, 
Murphy split to find some respect and mystery in Europe. _UNREAL CITY_ is a 
diary, of sorts, of the past decade's adventures. Each song on _UNREAL CITY_
tells a story, presenting a lyrical postcard of a place, a memory, an 
emotion...
   An artist in paradise, Murphy is following the trail of such literary 
greats as Fitzgerald or Hemingway. He remains unsure of himself, however, 
as on "Destiny," when he sings "thought I was a romantic/when I crossed the
Atlantic/ but that didn't change the tide/but that's a different story/in
the search for love and glory/there's no place left to hide..." Much of the
album possesses a dark shadow to it, with lonliness and mortality often 
explored. On the haunting "On Elvis Presley's Birthday," Murphy remembers
his childhood, his late father, and uses Elvis as an icon of both, singing 
"driving in his cadillac/it was Elvis Presley's birthday/they said it on
the radio/my father liked Elvis and it was wonderful." The song sadly
ends, though, with the verse, "this is an unreal city/you can be anybody 
you want to be/when you're alone." It speaks to the memories which fuel the
dreamer in each of us.
   Through all of the travels presented on _UNREAL CITY_, the joy and the 
tears, the acute observations on love and life, it is the birth of his son 
in Paris, inspiring the writing of the album's closer, "Let It Rain", which
brings this sojourn full-circle. "Ever since I was a child," begins 
Elliott, "my manner described as mild/it was always too late to estimate/
the force of the hurricane blowing in my head." He ends this opus of faith 
renewed, and, indeed, the album's story, by denying the fates their
victory. In joy he sings, "I believe in love/I believe in birth/I believe 
in giving something back to the earth... so let it rain." It is as powerful 
an affirmation of life as has been written, by one of the Rock genre's most
talented and unknown artists.

(Razor & Tie Music, Box 585, Cooper Station, New York, NY 10276)

------------------------------------------------------
Copernicus / _NO BORDERLINE_     (Nevermore)

   Some say that he is a madman, others a genius. I personally prefer the 
latter, viewing Copernicus as one of those great eccentrics that Rock and 
Roll has a tendency to spawn and nurture, a crazed artist working on a 
plane distinctly above our own. It's up to us to rise to his level, not
expect him to lower himself to ours.
   "Few men have imagination enough for reality," is the quote from Goethe 
which graces the back cover of _NO BORDERLINE_, the fifth, and possibly the 
most oblique and confusing Copernicus album yet. Copernicus chants poetry 
like some tribal shaman, his deep baritone voice delivering mesmerizing 
stream-of-consciousness-styled lyrics that are backed by an amazingly 
diverse combination of musical styles, from Progressive Rock to Avant-Garde 
Jazz. The ten cuts presented here aren't so much songs, as one would expect
them, but rather the many separate glimmering facets of the same musical 
gem. They are best taken as a whole, the experience anything but passive as
the listener is pulled into a fantasy world of Copernicus' creation. I'll
leave it up to each individual to reach a sort of understanding as to the 
underlying message of _NO BORDERLINE_. Suffice it to say that Copernicus is 
that rarest of creatures, a true visionary, playing by rules of his own 
making on a field of his own imagination.

(Nevermore Records, P.O. Box 170150, Brooklyn, NY 11217)

------------------------------------------------------
All / _BREAKING THINGS_     (Cruz Records)

   Having risen from the ashes of punk legends The Descendents, All have 
become underground legends in their own right. Partly because of an 
uncompromising musical integrity, and partly because they continue to crank 
out no-frills hardcore Rock that asks no quarter and offers none, All have 
built up a sizeable following on the strength of three chords, lots of 
power, and a dose of attitude that puts any half-a-dozen grunge-guys to 
shame.
   "Original Me," the opening cut from All's latest, _BREAKING THINGS_,
delivers an instant steel-toed boot to the groin, catching your attention 
and serving notice on that which follows. An electric collection that puts 
the "power" back into the term "Power Pop," _BREAKING THINGS_ is a fast-
paced romp through fourteen rough and tumble numbers. From the heartache of 
"Guilty" to the metallic-tinged "Crucified" to the defiant edge of 
"Politics," and everywhere in between, All deliver with _BREAKING THINGS_ 
exactly what their fans have come to expect from this hard rocking quartet: 
sheer Rock and Roll frenzy!

(Cruz Records, P.O. Box 7756, Long Beach, CA 90807)

------------------------------------------------------
The Reverend Horton Heat / _THE FULL CUSTOM GOSPEL SOUNDS OF_   (Sub Pop)

Psyclone Rangers / _FEEL NICE_     (World Domination)

   I've never really been that comfortable with the term "psychobilly." For
me, it's a word that has always seemed to imply that rockabilly was
essentially dead, and that it only survives in this twisted, mutated form 
-- or that to play in the rockabilly style is in itself kind of a psycho 
thing these days. I mean, it's not as if the original rockabilly songs were
that "sane" -- Warren Smith's "Ubangi Stomp," for example, is pretty far
out there. On the other hand, it's impossible to deny that the rockabilly
sound has changed since the Sun days. And because it has fallen out of 
favor in the pop consciousness, bands that play it do end up having to deal 
with the "retro" issue -- finding some way of adapting the sound to the 
contemporary, so that the music doesn't get completely lost in nostalgia.
Different bands take different approaches to this.  
   The Reverend Horton Heat plays mostly in the original style, like 
classic rockabilly -- but the music has a definite edge to it. It tends to 
fly by with the speed of classic hardcore, like in "Livin' On the Edge (Of
Houston)." And while the Reverend is serious about the sound, that doesn't
mean that he doesn't have a sense of humor. "Bales of Cocaine" and "400
Bucks," to mention a few, prove that rockabilly doesn't always have to go
over the top where the Cramps take it to be funny. Or rather, those songs 
reprove the point that Johnny Cash made singing "Straight A's in Love."
I'd put the Reverend somewhere between Cash and the Cramps; while he does
do a little bit of the same kind of posturing that the Cramps do, he uses 
nowhere near the amount of blatant campiness that they do. And he does do a 
damn solid cover of "Folsom Prison Blues" in concert.
   The Reverend Horton Heat is currently touring with a band from 
Allentown, PA. called the Psyclone Rangers. In between songs, they describe 
themselves as "rockabilly for psychotics," but rockabilly is really only a 
starting point for them. They make it much faster, and add a lot of 
distortion, and add a really dark edge to it all. The closest comparison I 
can make is to the late, lamented Screaming Blue Messiahs' last album,
_TOTALLY RELIGIOUS_ (not their best; for that, look for 1987's _BIKINI
RED_). Like that band, the Psyclone Rangers have a definite attitude about 
the contemporary situation, summed up in the lyric, "we saw America, and 
it's dying on your lawn." The album is a breakneck tour through a landscape
of pop icons, including JFK, Elvis, and Edie Sedgwick, not to mention a 
special side trip in the song "Riot Girl," "the kind of girl," they say, 
"I'd take to Chappaquidick." Another great track is "Christie Indecision,"
which just has a kind of classic slow grind feel to it. The whole album is 
a load of fun, and if you go see them, keep a hand free to grab some 
Honeycombs, because they throw them into the audience while they blaze 
through the cereal's theme song. So maybe I'm not as bothered by "psycho-
billy" as I thought I was. It's all a matter of labels. If the music that
you like gets stuck with a stupid name when the media tries to pigeonhole 
it, I guess the best thing to do is to just ignore the name and listen to 
the tune.      

(Sub Pop Records, P.O. Box 20645, Seattle, WA 98102) 
(World Domination, P.O. Box 8097, Universal City Station, 
     North Hollywood, CA 91608) 

REVIEW BY JESSE GARON  (j_garon@mindvox.phantom.com)          

------------------------------------------------------
The Nightblooms / _24 DAYS AT CATASTROFE CAFE_     (Seed)

Monsterland / _MONSTERLAND_   (Seed)

   Of these two new releases from NY indie label Seed Records, the 
Nightblooms is, to my mind, the better record. The PR copy describes them 
as "the quintessential dysfunctional Partridge Family, complete with bad 
acid," which was just funny enough to quote, but I don't see that it fits
that much. What the Nightblooms are is challenging, aggressive instrumen-
tation, backing up strangely touching female vocals...somewhat like early 
Throwing Muses, or the very first Breeders album. It is a record which 
suggests a lot on its first listening, and will reveal a little bit more of 
itself each time you listen. 
   Monsterland, on the other hand -- well, it is adequate background music, 
certainly, but it isn’t all that memorable, I'm afraid. I've listened to
this tape a few times, but I can't think of any particular element or song
from this power trio's first full-length release that stands out, for good
or for bad. You know, the kind of music that you hear on the radio, and you 
listen to, but you'd never actually go out and buy it for yourself, the
kind of music that you prefer to catch at fleeting moments? Monsterland 
could be that kind of music. The Nightblooms are a band that you will 
actually be tempted to buy, so that you can hear whenever you feel like it, 
and you might actually exert yourself into finding out when their next 
release comes out to see if they make good on the potential that _24 DAYS 
AT CATASTROFE CAFE_ suggests. 

(Seed Records, 19 West 21 St., Suite 501, New Yor, NY 10010)

REVIEW BY JESSE GARON  (j_garon@mindvox.phantom.com)

------------------------------------------------------
Doughboys / _CRUSH_     (A & M Records)

   To call _CRUSH_ a "highly-listenable, guitar-oriented Rock album" would 
be entirely correct, but it would also be an injustice. This Canadian four-
some bring a lot more to the table than that, mixing gentle ballads (with 
just a bit of hard guitar at the edges) with straight-ahead rockers that 
lie somewhere in-betwixt mainstream and "alternative" Rock. As pleasant as 
_CRUSH_ is, however, there seems to be something missing, a certain hook or 
sharp edge which would set Doughboys apart from the crowd. Given the 
musical talent obvious in these grooves, however, I'd say it's just a
matter of time before they create an album of monstrous proportions (and 
likewise success...)

------------------------------------------------------
Adam Sandler / _THEY'RE ALL GONNA LAUGH AT YOU_    (Warner Brothers)

"It's puzzling why one person’s fecal odor can be more overpowering than
anothers."   --- "The Buffoon And The Valedictorian"

   The above quote, culled from Adam Sandler's debut album, best sums up
Sandler's approach to comedy. Freed of the constraints of his _Saturday
Night Live_ characters, Sandler uses this opportunity to explore the high 
school experience in all of its comedic dimensions...which is to say, that 
the material here is juvenile, sophomoric and inane. Adam, old boy, a 
liberal over-usage of naughty words, poo-poo jokes and immature stereo-
typing are seldom funny. In the comedy prizefight, Sandler is a poor excuse 
for a lightweight. Who gave this wretch a contract and the studio time, 
anyway? I'm betting that nobody will admit to it...

------------------------------------------------------
Three Walls Down / _BUILDING OUR HOME_     (Rust Records)

   Sooner or later, it was bound to happen: that someone would take the 
original REM sound, a unique blending of acoustic-oriented Folk; obscure, 
poetic lyrics; and guitar-driven Rock, and take it to creative places that 
REM is unable to (whether due to commercial expectations or musical 
burnout). Three Walls Down do just this. _BUILDING OUR HOME_ is much more 
roots-oriented, perhaps, than REM's output, subdued, but by no means weak,
with the songwriting skills of guitarists/vocalists Michael Callahan and 
Marc English superbly complemented by a solid band. The resulting debut 
shows a sincere commitment to a style, the ability to stretch beyond it, 
and a foundation upon which to build future creative (and, possibly, 
commercial) success. It's not enough to say, "if you like where REM once
was, then you'll like this." It would be correct to say, "if you'd like to
hear where REM might have gone" then _BUILDING OUR HOME_ is the LP for you.

(Rust Records, 9255 Sunset Blvd, #920, Los Angeles, CA 90069)

------------------------------------------------------
Generation / _BRUTAL REALITY_     (Wonderland Records)

   By their very nature and ancestry, the genres of industrial and thrash 
tend to preclude the expression of the philosophy of Christianity, being 
mutually exclusive...which makes _BRUTAL REALITY_ all the more puzzling.
  Lyrically, _BRUTAL REALITY_ seems to espouse a sort of mystical 
Christianity, an odd perspective brought to life by principle songwriter/
musician Caesar; musically, the disc is all molten slag and hellfire, 
threatening the listener with a psychic lobotomy. Under the metallic hum 
lies the tension of confused faith, sexual denial, fatal attraction and 
mental illness...and it's the lyrical dichotomy, powerful music and
underlying passion which works to make BRUTAL REALITY so damn interesting.

(Wonderland Records, 310 East Chicago St., Elgin, IL 60120)

------------------------------------------------------
George Thorogood and the Destroyers / _HAIRCUT_      (EMI Records)

   This record sounds exactly like every other record that George 
Thorogood has made. I love it. Another album containing mostly covers of
blues standards. This one has a lot of Willie Dixon, including "Howlin' For
My Baby," as well as some Bo Diddley and John Lee Hooker. There is also an 
acoustic track called "My Friend Robert," which is an effective tribute to 
Robert Johnson, and sounds unlike any Thorogood I can remember hearing 
previously. 
   I've always liked Thorogood, from the moment I first saw him whipping
Bo Diddley's ass at pool in the "Bad to the Bone" video. Part of the reason
I like him so much is that in addition to his own musicianship, Thorogood 
has always served as an introduction to the heritage of rock and blues 
music. Listening to his records points you towards Hooker, Diddley, Dixon, 
Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf, Chuck Berry, etc.; music that will speak 
directly to your heart and to your gut, and that deserves to be remembered. 
Thorogood seems to genuinely understand and appreciate that music, even 
though the context in which he performs it is radically different than that 
of his acknowledged predecessors. I'm sure that Thorogood himself would be
the first to tell you that while listening to his records is a good thing, 
and ought to be very strongly encouraged, it simply isn't enough. People
need to be getting those Chess box sets, or Rhino's introductory
smorgasbord _BLUES MASTERS_: The Essential Blues Collection. I've got some
preliminary qualms about what happens when pop culture becomes anthologized
/repackaged and offered up in mass quantities -- as a "museum piece," does 
the song lose its original impact? -- But this music is always going to 
reach somebody, somehow, and for that reason alone it is worth keeping in 
circulation. And worth covering, as Thorogood proves year in and year out. 
The cover art is by Peter Bagge, who also contributes a cartoon based on 
the lyrics to the opening track, "Get A Haircut."  Bagge is probably best 
known for his work on the comic book HATE!; his style reminds me a bit of 
Big Daddy Roth or Basil Wolverton -- exaggerated caricatures that will 
certainly catch your attention at first glance, though you won't feel any
deep need to look at the CD holder while you are playing the disc. Still, 
it's a nice change of pace from artsy minimalist alternative album covers.

REVIEW BY JESSE GARON  (j_garon@mindvox.phantom.com)

------------------------------------------------------
The Shams / _THE SEDUSIA_     (Matador Records)

   This distaff trio offers some powerful and beautiful harmonies, matched 
by simple, minimalistic instrumental accompaniment on _THE SEDUSIA_, a 3-
song EP. The resulting effect places an even greater emphasis on their 
lyrics, worldly-wise reflections on life and love. "Voices In My Head" is a 
bittersweet, insincere kiss-off to a former lover, while "Love Me With Your 
Mind" is an intelligent woman's request for respect; "Continuous Play" is
an ethereal musical love letter. Along with artists such as Liz Phair and 
P.J. Harvey, the Shams stand as evidence of a greater feminist, and 
feminine voice in Rock & Roll...and it's long overdue.

(Matador Records, 676 Broadway, New York, NY 10012)

------------------------------------------------------
Various Artists / _BLUES ACROSS THE U.S.A._     (Rounder)

   A richly American art form, the Blues is eternally the music of the 
permanent underclass. It cuts across racial barriers, speaking to the 
worker and the unemployed alike, appealing to the young and old and the 
in-between. It should come as no surprise then, that practitioners of the 
Blues also represent such a melting pot of humanity, as evidenced by 
Rounders' _BLUES ACROSS THE U.S.A._ collection.
   A wonderful cross-section of the genre’s talent, _BLUES ACROSS THE 
U.S.A._ features a dozen and a half smoking cuts from a like number of 
artists, the material presented here ranging from the low Texas growl of 
Omar And The Howlers' "Do It For Daddy" to the Country soul of Tracy
Nelson's "Every Night Of The Week;" from the rhythms of the Queen Of New
Orleans, Irma Thomas to the Honky Tonk passion of Marcia Ball. Just about 
everything a Blues fan could want can be found here, with highlights 
including the abovementioned tracks as well as Ann Peebles' "Fear No Evil,"
The Holmes Brothers' rocking "You're Gonna Make Me Cry" and Eddie Hinton's
"I Love Someone." A near-perfect sampler of artists and material, _BLUES 
ACROSS THE U.S.A._ performs exactly as it's supposed to, exposing the new
Blues listener to some underappreciated talent and whetting one's appetite
for more.

(Rounder Records, One Camp Street, Cambridge, MA 02140)

------------------------------------------------------
Eric Gales Band / _PICTURE OF A THOUSAND FACES_     (Elektra)

   Teenage guitar virtuoso Eric Gales burst on the scene a couple of years 
ago, the latest in a long line of "guitar heroes" destined to a "here today,
gone tomorrow" career. His acclaimed debut album silenced a few critics, as 
Gales led a power trio which includes his bassist/songwriter brother Eugene 
through a collection of hell-raising rockers. His sophomore effort, _PICTURE 
OF A THOUSAND FACES_, proves that Gales is not only not a one-shot wonder, 
neither is he going quietly into that good night...
   _PICTURE OF A THOUSAND FACES_ fleshes out the trio's sound, the Eugene-
penned originals prodding Eric into greater musical risks and experimen-
tation. The resulting songs are thick, multilayered and complex composi-
tions which showcase Gales' considerable instrumental depth and ability.
Overlooked is the impressive songwriting contributed by Eugene, an integral 
factor in the album's sound. _PICTURE OF A THOUSAND FACES_ rocks hard,
with more than enough screaming six string work and heavy instrumental 
flourishes to satisfy any headbanger or guitar-groupie...but there's much
more to it than that. Gales is on the fast-track to super-stardom, with 
nothing but time on his hands.

------------------------------------------------------
St. Johnny / _HIGH AS A KITE_     (Caroline)

   What sets St. Johnny apart from any one of a number of faceless "alter-
native" Rock bands? Certainly not the constantly ringing guitars, feedback-
heavy and swirling around the listener's head like so many hungry vultures.
It's not the punchy rhythms, assaulting the unsuspecting with a flurry of
musical body blows, nor is it the not-so-subtle touches of rabid psyche-
delica which grace the fringes of every song...and it couldn't be the smart
lyrics and appropriately delivered tortured vocals which barely tread water 
above the casual wall of sound provided the cuts. It's all of the above,
mixed with a certain "joi de vivre" which is sorely lacking among so many 
practitioners of the genre which sets St. Johnny and _HIGH AS A KITE_ head 
and shoulders above the college radio crowd.

(Caroline Records, 114 W. 26th St., New York, NY 10001)

------------------------------------------------------
Five-Eight / _THE ANGRIEST MAN_   (Sky Records)

   What the much vaunted and over-hyped "Seattle Scene" is to the nineties, 
the equally overrated "Athens Sound" was to the decade preceding this one. 
Luckily, among the musical flotsam and jetsam which accompanies such a 
major label feeding frenzy in a city, there's always a few jewels to be
found...
   The best band to come out of Athens, Georgia in over a decade (since 
Pylon, I'd say), Five-Eight create their own distinctive sound through the
clever incorporation of the best of their myriad of influences. Strains of 
The Who, Velvet Underground, The Replacements, Husker Du and countless 
others are used in the invention of the music of Five-Eight. _THE ANGRIEST 
MAN_, a 7-song mini-LP released as a fix for fans between albums, is an 
excellent introduction to the band for the neophyte. Vocalist/guitarist 
Mike Mantione is the trio's frontman, a ballsy, confused Rock & Roll
everyman who leads the band here through a couple of new cuts and a handful 
of well-placed covers, while bass player Dan Horowitz and drummer Patrick 
Ferguson provide a steady beat, trying to keep up with Mantione's manic
energy. Five-Eight cuts through the material on _THE ANGRIEST MAN_ like a 
hot knife through butter, all passion and electricity. Given enough time, 
and a few more musical exercises such as this, and Five-Eight may well find 
themselves in the position of influencing the bands of tomorrow... which 
would not only be appropriate, but welcome, as well.

(Sky Records, P.O. Box 724677, Atlanta, GA 31139-1677)
       
------------------------------------------------------
Chameleons UK  / _STRANGE TIMES_     (Geffen Records)

   This album is actually seven years old as of this writing, but it has 
finally been released on compact disc by Geffen, so I thought that I might 
talk about it for a bit. I bought it on tape when it first came out, in 
1986, and played it over and over again until an ex-girlfriend stole it 
from me three years later when we broke up. It was an absolutely beautiful 
album, and though it was the song "Swamp Thing" that stuck in my mind after 
the tape vanished, when I listened to it again this month, for the first 
time in four years, songs like "Mad Jack" and "Tears" (in two arrangements) 
moved me all over again. 
   The Chameleons' sound, at least on this album, seems to be based on a 
simple strategy. Find a series of hypnotic riffs, and repeat them 
obsessively, with lyrics based upon a kind of alienation that suggests 
world-weariness, then jack it all up to the kind of fever pitch that Phil 
Spector reached circa "River Deep Mountain High." The result of all this, 
both when I was sixteen, and today, is the feeling that lead singer Mark 
Burgess was reporting back to us from the edge of existence, looking back 
over a landscape of emotional and spiritual detritus, trying to figure out 
what the hell happened along the way.  It’s a record that practically 
insists that you listen to it -- LOUD!  
   Looking back with a seven-year perspective, one almost wants to make 
some kind of pronouncement, like "this record was as important to the 80s 
as _DAYDREAM NATION_," and maybe it was; maybe you can see their influence 
on some of the "Manchester bands" or the "shoegazers" that came after, but 
this record will stand on its own merits without my gushing all over it. 
One warning -- throughout 1987 and 1988, I tried to get my high school 
classmates to listen to this record, but most of them told me that they 
couldn’t stand it, that "every song sounds the same." Listening to it now, 
after that long absence, I can see how they reached that conclusion; this 
record does have a very consistent sound from one end to the other. Whether 
or not you like the album will depend entirely on how you feel towards that 
sound. I happen to think it was, and is, absolutely brilliant. 
         
REVIEW BY JESSE GARON   (j_garon@mindvox.phantom.com)         

------------------------------------------------------
Iggy Pop / _AMERICAN CAESAR_   (Virgin)

   Just when you figure that there are no surprises left in the old boy, 
Iggy up and throws a curve from left field that further builds upon his 
Rock and Roll legend even while appealing to an entirely new legion of 
young fans. This dog has plenty of life left in him yet, as evidenced by 
_AMERICAN CAESAR_.
   The gentle guitars and low-key found vocals and sounds that open 
_AMERICAN CAESAR_ deceptively kick into the discordant riffs and random 
madness that is "Wild America." A rough ride through a Hunter S. Thompson 
fantasy, the cut features some tasty guitar licks from Eric Schermerhorn 
and Nashville's own Jay Joyce alongside a dialogue between Iggy and Henry 
Rollins. There's plenty of other strong cuts here, and, as Iggy writes in 
the center of the disc, "no imitations, no formula shit." There's the 
brilliantly acerbic "Fuckin' Alone," the dark ambience of "Plastic And 
Concrete" and the social commentary of Iggy's modernized cover of "Louie, 
Louie." Remember, way back in the days of _METALLIC K.O._, when a 
nihilistic Iggy threatened us with a lengthy version of the aforementioned 
classic? With _AMERICAN CAESAR_, Iggy has delivered on all of his past 
threats and promises, still surfing that edge and delivering a potent, 
hard rocking album.


File No. 7 ===============================================================

                          THE SINGLES SCENE

Archers Of Loaf
"Web In Front" & "Bathroom" b/w "Tatyana"     (Alias)

   This prelude to the Archers' first full-length Alias album reminds me of
a mix between Violent Femmes and the dB's. Archers Of Loaf crank out
intelligent, quirky Pop tunes with a sharp edge and a nasty bite. "Web In 
Front" offers some simple vocals and tasty accompaniment to this unlikely 
story of fascination, while "Bathroom" kicks into a furious, noisy and 
energetic punk tune. "Tatyana" is a more strained affair, with heartfelt 
vocals flying just beneath a massive wall-of-sound. A fine introduction to 
this North Carolina foursome. 
(Alias Records, 2815 W. Olive Ave., Burbank, CA 91505)
------------------------------------------------------
For Love Not Lisa
"Softhand" b/w "Travis Hoffman"  
(Theologian Records)

   Recorded, I assume, before their signing with the Atlantic-distributed 
East/West label, this pair of scorchers from For Love Not Lisa provides the 
listener with a not-so-gentle foreshadowing of things to come. "Softhand" 
is a hard-rocking number with plenty of ringing guitars, often distorted at 
the fringes, while "Travis Hoffman" is a slightly more popish story song, 
the lyrics lost beneath the layers of guitars and percussion. A healthy and 
quite enjoyable pair of songs from For Love Not Lisa, soon to be bringing a 
major label debut to a record shop near you.
(Theologian Records, 120 Pier Avenue, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254)
------------------------------------------------------
Various Artists
OUR SCENE SUCKS EP    
(House O' Pain)

   This freebie EP comes with the latest issue of _House O' Pain_ zine,
with the four songs presenting a cross-section of the musical talent which 
the Nashville underground has to offer. Side one kicks off with a metallic 
assault from Floor titled "Stop It," a still-smoldering slab o' cinders
that's sort of a cross between Vanilla Fudge and vintage Black Sabbath
that drones on loudly while the vocals struggle to get heard above the mix. 
Lethargic's "Wolfman" is a rocking romp in silliness, the monster trio
hand-cranking a high-decibel fairy-tale nightmare that's guaranteed to please!
   My personal local faves, Teen Idols, lead off the second side with 
"Shadowman," a power-Pop ode to love unrequited, performed with great 
harmonies and a high-speed, three-chord style that would turn The Ramones 
green with envy. Cannibal Holiday conclude _OUR SCENE SUCKS_ with a cyber-
thrash philosophical raver chock full o’ screaming guitars, distorted 
vocals and heavy, Heavy rhythms. Four bands, four disparate styles, and a 
good indication that although the Nashville music scene may "suck," there 
are those artists among it that don't.
(House O' Pain, P.O. Box 120861, Nashville, TN 37212)

************************************************************
FREEBIE: Hey gang! Win a limited edition copy of For Love Not Lisa's 
"Softhand" single on green vinyl! Be the first person to respond via Email 
to: GordonKA@CtrVax.Vanderbilt.Edu and it's yours!
************************************************************

LEGALESE, ETC...

R.A.D! and R.A.D! On-Line Copyright 1993 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
Andy Anderson & Jesse Garon / 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, Mary Mancini @ LUCY'S RECORD SHOP, Pam Cross ("Hi, Pam!"), 
Steve Kares & IRS RECORDS, Michelle Roche, Donnie & the HOUSE O' PAIN gang, 
Andy Anderson, Tom Cording @ MCA Records, the folks @ KINKO'S KOPIES, Ron 
Hogan, Daryl & Jody & BONE Mag, Chris Kamatani, Lisa Shively & THE PRESS 
NETWORK, Sandy Sawotka @ IMAGO, John Brand @ DAEMON, Paul Southworth @ 
University of Michigan & anyone we may have forgotten!

AS ALWAYS, THANX FOR THE HELP & SUPPORT TO Dru "j.a." Myers, Maxxima Thule, 
Orpheus 23 & Nuit/Star, Kid Kasual, C Ra & the regular gang o' CyberPunx...

------------------------------------------------------

THE NEXT LIVER-QUIVERING ISSUE OF R.A.D! (the double-sized end-of-the-year
issue) due on-line & on the streets on November 30, 1993


>** End Ov File, End Ov Transmission **<