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==== ISSUE 90 ====         CONSUMABLE         ======== [October 25, 1996]

  Editor:             Bob Gajarsky
		        Internet: gajarsky@email.njin.net
  Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, Dan Enright, Tim Kennedy, Reto 
                      Koradi, David Landgren,  Sean Eric McGill, Tim Mohr,
                      Jamie Roberts, Joe Silva, John Walker
  Correspondents:     Dan Birchall, Lee Graham Bridges, Scott Byron,
                      Paul Grzelak, Janet Herman, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, 
                      Stephen Jackson, Daniel Kane, Stephen Lin,
                      Bob Mackin, Al Muzer, P. Nina Ramos, Linda 
                      Scott, Ali Sinclair, Jon Steltenpohl, Courtney 
                      Muir Wallner
  Technical Staff:    Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann, Damir Tiljak,
                      Jason Williams
  Also Contributing:  Rey Roldan

 Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gajarsky@email.njin.net
==================================================================
	All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s). 
Permission for re-publication in any form must be obtained from the 
editor.
==================================================================
                            .------------.
                            |  Contents  |
                            `------------'
INTERVIEW: Mike Peters - Rey Roldan
REVIEW: Midnight Oil, _Breathe_ - Reto Koradi
REVIEW: Soul Coughing, _Irresistible Bliss_ - Stephen Lin
INTERVIEW: Boxing Gandhis - Al Muzer
CONCERT REVIEW: 7 Mary 3/Poe/Refreshments - Stephen Lin
REVIEW: Elephant Ride, _Forget_ - Janet Herman
INTERVIEW: Merril Bainbridge - Bob Gajarsky
CONTEST: Merril Bainbridge
NEWS: Plastic Mikey, Porno For Pyros/Sonicnet
TOUR DATES: Barkmarket, Block, Chimera, Tom Cochrane / Tara MacLean, 
   Cordelia's Dad, Phil Coulter, Cracker / Self, DJ Spooky (with 
   Stereolab, UI), Grant Lee Buffalo / 16 Horsepower, Gravity 
   Kills / Chainsuck, Honeycrack, Inti-Illimani, Kill Hannah, Kula 
   Shaker, Latimer, Lemonheads / Imperial Teen, London Suede, 
   Madball / Visions of Disorder, Marilyn Manson, Mother Hips, Porno 
   For Pyros, Primitive Radio Gods, Professor & Maryann, Pusherman, 
   Republica, Sabri Brothers, Slayer, Stabbing Westward / Ash / I 
   Mother Earth / Drill, Stiffs, Inc., Stone Temple Pilots / Expanding 
   Man, Test Dept./Sheep on Drugs., Richard Thompson, Tool, Wesley 
   Willis, Wrens, Neil Young / Jewel / Moist
Back Issues of Consumable
---
	INTERVIEW: Mike Peters
		- Rey Roldan
	Being a survivor from the 80s isn't necessarily a good 
thing these days.  With many New Wave bands trying to relive their 
past glory through reunions and retrospective tours in venues 
vastly smaller than the huge concert halls they once filled a 
decade earlier, it has become almost a farce to make a comeback.  
Dead or Alive, A Flock of Seagulls and Missing Persons all have 
strategized breaking back into the collective consciousnesses of 
twentysomethings everywhere, but did little more than make a quick 
buck for more hairspray.
 	One such 80s icon that had done his share of supporting 
Clairol is Mike Peters.  Leading the anthemic rock arena with the 
likes of Big Country, The Call and pre-ego U2, Peters' patriotic 
fourpiece The Alarm kicked holes in 80s staples like American 
Bandstand, early MTV, and Friday Night Videos.  Sporting wicked high 
hair, dour expressions, and the ultimate anthemic symbol - a 
poppy/gunshot wound as a logo, The Alarm was the working man's band 
who stood by their fellow man.  The band whose battle cry was "Give 
me Love/ Give me Strength/ Give me something to live for."  
	The Alarm was a group whose modus operandi was equality for 
all men, which they felt was attainable with the right attitude and 
ideals.  They wrote songs with a mission to change the world, such 
as "The Chant (Has Just Begun)", "Devolution Working Man's Blues", 
and "The Stand."  They titled albums with such powerful names as 
_Declaration_, _Strength_, and _Change_.   But unlike other 
semi-serious bands who incited the crowds but failed to lead the 
fight, The Alarm were true to themselves, to their cause, and their  
audience.  So it seems fitting that their audience stayed true to them.
  	"It's such a remarkable feeling, looking out into a crowd of 
old, familiar smiles and new, fresh faces, watching them sing my 
songs," says the ever-friendly, but much tamer-haired Peters.  "There 
was a time when I thought I'd never see that again."
	After their hugely successful trilogy of albums -
 _Declaration_, _Strength_, and _Eye of the Hurricane_ - The Alarm's 
popularity began to wane.  Continuing on for two more studio albums 
(_Change_ and _Raw_), they soon succumbed to the fate of almost all 
bands of the 80s - obscurity.  "There was a time when it started 
becoming less fun.  [Being in the band] was always very honest, but 
I stopped feeling comfortable with being in The Alarm," he confesses.  
"We all started to get egos.  We all started feeling more superior 
than each other. I just felt like it was all falling apart around me."
	This growing incompatibility started to fuel an inner 
tension, which finally exploded into the final show (which was 
unsuspected by his bandmates).
	"We had just ended a song when I walked up to the microphone 
and said, 'Thanks for coming to our final show.'  I didn't dare look 
at Eddie [MacDonald, bassist], Dave [Sharp, guitarist], or Nigel 
[a.k.a. Twist, drummer]. I knew they weren't expecting it at that 
exact moment, but I knew they knew it was coming.  After I announced 
that, it was liberating."
	In the years that followed, Peters never stopped playing 
Alarm songs, and in fact, continued an annual tradition of assembling
a large group of diehard fans in Wales and playing for hours on end.  
And nearly half a decade later, Peters decided to share his private 
show with his larger audience by embarking on a solo tour titled 
"Unalarmed".  He at once wants to invoke memories of his signature 
band, but he also wants to exorcise the demons that have plagued him.
"I have always played old songs when I'd do the occasional show, but 
it's been a long time since I've been on the road this long."
	One frightening event happened that nearly ended his career 
altogether.  "Not too long ago, I was struck with symptoms that would
normally signal cancer," he says somberly.  "We all thought I had 
lymphoma, a horrible form of cancer [that attacks the immune system 
and spreads rapidly throughout the body].  But instead of sitting 
back and letting the cancer consume me, I went out on the road, 
determined to keep playing until I could play no more."
	Fortunately, the biopsy results came back negative.  
"Everyone was so happy but I was very thankful.  Sure, I was happy, 
but it had a major effect on me.  It was almost another lease on life."
	Now with the release of his new album, _Feel Free_ (Select 
Records), which consists of all new material (he hasn't abandoned his 
old band's material; he's just moved past it), Peters has taken a step 
back from his defiant and impetuous youth.  With song titles that 
range from the pondersome "What Is It For?" to the tension-filled 
"Broken Silence" to the rummaging-through-the-ashes "Regeneration", 
he no longer sees power emanating from "love, strength, and hope" 
alone.  Instead, Peters starts to look further inward, pulling up 
understanding, forgiveness, and divinity from the depths within, 
realizing that coupled with these qualities, nothing could overpower 
him.  He no longer is liberated through his actions and beliefs. Even 
from the implication of the title _Feel Free_, his shining focus on 
the inherent beauty in freedom does not come with question and doubt. 
	But that does not stop Peters from still being able to remain 
optimistic and hopeful. "The Unalarmed Tour really put my faith back 
in music," he beams.  "I really loved hearing words which I once 
struggled to write being sung back to me.  It's times like these when 
I feel like the luckiest man alive."
---
	REVIEW: Midnight Oil, _Breathe_ (Work/Sony)
		- Reto Koradi
	Some bands appeal to the masses, and some are respected by 
more dedicated music lovers. Only very few artists achieve both of 
these, and one could certainly put Midnight Oil in a row with U2 or 
Peter Gabriel in that respect. Having achieved such a status with 
consistently strong albums over 20 years, and being one of the best 
live bands on the planet, the expectations for a new album are 
naturally set very high. Too high in this case, as in this context,
_Breathe_ is a disappointment.
	_Breathe_ finds Midnight Oil departing from the melodic side 
of their music, an aspect that had peaked with _Blue Sky Mining_. 
While going other places is not a bad thing at all, it seems like 
they got stuck somewhere on the way, and maybe didn't even know where 
they wanted to go.  Back to the past? Partly yes; the music is 
simpler and more groove oriented again, but never reaches the natural 
power and the passion of earlier work.
	The best moments of the album are in songs like "Star Of 
Hope", where powerful bass grooves and drowning guitars give life to 
the otherwise somewhat dull and uninspired songs. "Barest Degree" is 
the track that comes closest to a classic Midnight Oil song. There 
are also complete lapses, like "One Too Many Times", a country song, 
and not even a very good one.  "In The Rain" almost sounds like Peter 
Garrett trying to imitate the falsetto voice of U2's Bono.
	While these remarks may sound overly negative now, this is not 
at all a bad album. But once a band sets its standards very high, 
they have to live with the fact that they are measured by them. In a 
few years, _Breathe_ may be considered a transition album, showing the 
picture of a band trying to reorient itself. They certainly have the 
potential to reach new heights, but this time they got lost in the 
valley.
---
	REVIEW: Soul Coughing, _Irresistible Bliss_ (Slash/Warner Bros.)
		- Stephen Lin
	Quirky, yet artistic.  Unusual, yet musically sounding.  Insane, 
yet genius.  All of this describes Soul Coughing's sophomore effort, 
_Irresistible Bliss_.  This New York quartet is back with their blend 
of groove driven drums and upright bass, funky guitar, distinctive 
vocals, and unusual samples.  They strive to achieve "the perfect 
combination of the Weird Noise, the Phat Beat and the Blissful Pop 
Moment."  Let me tell you folks, if they haven't achieved it, no one 
has.
	Soul Coughing is virtually the most rhythmically intense band 
I've ever heard.  Perhaps intense is a poor choice of word.  While 
their sense of rhythm is uncanny and unrelenting, the feel of the 
music is incredibly loose and enticing.  I honestly cannot think of 
any band that I could fairly compare to Soul Coughing.  It is this 
aspect of the band that has carried most strongly from _Ruby Vroom_ 
into _Bliss_.  
	The style of the music has remained the same, however, it 
seems that certain details in the construction and production of each 
song have changed.  _Vroom_ seemed much more raw.  While the production 
was perfect for the sound, some je ne sais quoi has been "cleaned" up. 
I can't particularly place my finger (though it may simply be the 
usage of different producers, duh) on what facet of the production has 
been altered, but it isn't necessarily for the better or worse.  
	The raw production of _Vroom_ helped the contour of the album.
Each of the songs seemed to flow into each other with no enormous 
jumps in dynamics.  The cleaner production of _Bliss_ allows the 
differences both within and outside of the 12 cuts to be more 
in-your-face.  
	I definitely hear a much harder edge to Soul Coughing.  In 
addition, I think there is a greater willingness to venture into the 
more obscure areas of their music.  The current single "Soundtrack 
to Mary" is a happy medium on the aggressiveness scale.  Album 
opener "Super Bon Bon" goes from one end of the spectrum to another; 
shake-your-head groove to have-a-seizure rock.
	Bizarre samples found on the album include elephant noises, 
slowed down voices, clarinet ensembles (???), string sections, and 
truly unidentifiable sounds.  And while many of these samples don't 
exactly "make sense" or even stay in exact tune with the rest of the 
band, they work.  It is absolutely fascinating to me what kind of 
thought processes produce such a unique end product.
	I've but one rave left (that I'll share with you) about 
Soul Coughing.  Go check out _Music from and Inspired by the 
X-Files: Songs in the Key of X_.  "Unmarked Helicopters" is an eerie 
song, somewhat atypical of the "standard" (as they don't really have 
a standard) Soul Coughing sound, with a great groove.  Go check it 
out. NOW!
---
	INTERVIEW: Boxing Gandhis
		- Al Muzer
 	Vocalist/guitarist David Darling and his seven-piece band, 
the Boxing Gandhis, are clearly disciples of the raw, soulful, 
funkified gospel laid down by George Clinton, Sly Stone, The Isley 
Brothers, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, War, Curtis Mayfield and Roebuck
"Pops" Staples back in the day.
	How else do you explain the rootsy, acoustic-based slacker 
funk; swaggering horns, smooth, multi-part, multi-gender vocals; 
groovin' vibes; slippery bass runs; and free-flowing, feet-get-movin' 
beats that drive the L.A.-based band's first Atlantic Records release, 
_Howard_.
	Hot on the heels of the self-titled, 1995 full-length debut 
that boasted the Billboard Triple-A, Top 5 hit, "If You Love Me (Why 
Am I Dyin')"; _Howard_, the group's eclectic, 15-song second album, 
is unlike anything released so far this year.
	"What we're doing is a little different than what's going on 
out there right now," said Darling during a recent phone call to 
discuss the album. "And the record is probably going to be a bit of a 
hard sell, from a business point of view, simply because it is so 
different."
	Bursting with sharp social commentary and trenchant, biting 
observations layered over some of the slickest grooves to come along 
since Bootsy powered the Mothership; songs such as "Piece In The 
Valley," "Funky Little Princess," "Far From Over," "Promised Land" 
and "Sun Don't Shine On Everyone" are more than just potential dance 
hits - they're front-page headlines that place the blame where it 
belongs and point an angry finger at the sick, rotting soul of society.
	"We definitely have our eyes open," comments Darling, "and, 
we have a lot to say about some of the things going on in the world. 
We almost feel as if it's our duty to comment on what we see going on 
out there - as opposed to singing about what we'd like it to be. I  
don't really think it's any of my business to try to change how you 
feel about certain things. On the other hand," he adds. "I can draw 
your attention to the things I see."
	Besides Darling, the group includes singer/percussionist 
(and wife) Brie Darling, saxophonist/lead vocalist Ernie Perez, 
saxophonist/vocalist Alfredo Ballesteros, guitarist/vocalist Eric 
Fowler, bassist Randy Landas and drummer and former Prince cohort, 
Jamie Chez.
	"The more colors, the more accurate the picture" is this 
multi-race ,multi-gender band's philosophy - and nothing better 
illustrates that than spending a little time with the amazingly 
diverse, always relevant, undeniably hook-filled _Howard_.
	"We followed a few simple rules when we went into the studio 
with _Howard_," Darling explains. "One: we kept things loose and easy. 
Two: we didn't belabor the point. Everyone had, for the most part, a 
three-take limit on each track - so there's a certain freshness to 
the overall feel of the album. And, three: we had to be able to do 
the song acoustically in my living room before it was even considered 
for the record."
	"There's really not a whole lot goin' on here," he laughs. 
"We are, at the end of the day, a very simple, very organic band. 
We're low-tech, but we're as honest - and as honest sounding - as 
we can be."
	"I think what makes _Howard_ so unusual," chuckles Darling, 
"is that it's nothing more than great musicians playing their 
instruments to fairly simple formats without a bunch of lights, 
gizmos and noise to distract you."
---
	CONCERT REVIEW: 7 Mary 3, Poe, and The Refreshments, Norfolk, VA
		- Stephen Lin
	If you think about it, the combination of 7 Mary 3, Poe and The 
Refreshments was a somewhat unusual bill; hard edged rock, melodic-groove
and dancey rock, and pure pop rock.  But then again, variety is the spice
of life.  The Refreshments opened up the show with a set consisting 
mostly of selections from _Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy_.  While the crowd 
reacted expectedly strong toward hit single, "Banditos," I was surprised
at the powerful response given to The Refreshments entire set.  I was 
especially pleased with how tight the music sounded.  The band managed 
to keep the music together, while the members and the songs remained 
loose and energetic.  Apart from "Banditos," "Down Together" was also 
particularly well received by the audience.  The highlight of this 
third of the night was The Refreshments' rendition of Tommy Tutone's 
"867-5309 (Jenny)."  While many bands perform covers live, few capture
the original flair of the original artists as did they did.
	Poe was unbeliveable.  Picture a beautiful blond woman adorned
in a long, fuzzy, black overcoat and black boots, hopping all over the
stage, rousing the audience, and singing in the most beautiful and 
enticing voice possible; that was Poe.  Poe opened her set with "That 
Day," a track off of _Hello_.  Cellist Cameron Stone managed 
outstanding dynamics through a bit of signal processing and phenomenal
skill.  Furthermore, his falsetto harmonies were impressive throughout
the night; I was amazed at the difficulty level involved in singing 
and playing cello equally well at the same time.  The crowd response
was impressive throughout the night as Poe playfully spoke to the 
audience periodically between songs.  The piano based song, "Fly 
Away" took on an entirely different contour in live context.  The 
song became became guitar oriented and even bluesy.  It sounded as if 
the Black Crowes were performing instead of Poe.  This was a perfect 
example of Poe's live show.  The electronic and produced sound of the
album mutates into something completely visceral through the live 
musicians.  While the songs remain recognizable and of equal quality, 
the feel is often completely different.  (The live radio version of 
"Angry Johnny" is yet another example of what I'm talking about.)  
"Dolphin" grooved even harder live than it does on the album.  To 
further change the fell of the song, the guitar solo was replaced by 
a middle-eastern sounding cello solo.  Poe played a new song titled 
"How Long."  Though the song developed slowly, the crowd responded 
well.  Overall, this second act of the night was the highlight of 
the evening.
	Unfortunately, this amounts to the headliners, 7 Mary 3, 
being somewhat of a disappointment.  However, it wasn't necessarily 
their fault.  The audience reacted uncontrollably to "Cumbersome" 
and "Water's Edge."  Drunk people flailed everywhere.  However, 
between power singles, the energy level dropped noticeably.  No 
strangers to the Virginia area, they still managed to please a crowd 
with at least a few familiar faces. 7M3 closed out the night with an 
acoustic set, for which they were joined by Matt Cameron.  I 
personally enjoyed the acoustic rendition of "Rodrigo" more than
anything else from the night.  As the hour grew late and as the 
volume (and alcohol consumption) level dropped, the crowd began to 
filter out in a sluggish exodus.
	After the show, I had a chance to meet with Poe.  She 
greeted fans graciously, handing out Edgar Allan Poe pins she'd 
lifted from a performance at the Richmond Poe Museum. She expressed 
a genuine concern for what each thought and said.  She mentioned the 
possibility of an EP containing live versions of songs in the future. 
In general, I discovered that Poe has to be one of the sweetest women 
alive.  (Be still my beating heart!)  When asked for a random quote 
for Consumable Online, she smiled told me this: "The future is a 
slut, she promises herself to everyone." Something to think about, eh?
---
	REVIEW: Elephant Ride, _Forget_ (Work)
		- Janet Herman
	According to some critics, Elephant Ride gives a live  
performance full of vitality combined with a raw sense of emotion.  
After listening to their _Forget_ album,  I can imagine that they 
would produce a good live performance as the album itself is full 
of many surprises.  The most pleasant of these surprises is that 
the lead singer, Andrew Woodworth, has a sweet tenor's voice that 
manages to convey a wide range of emotions.  Some have compared 
Elephant Ride to Live, but they remind this critic more of Blind 
Melon in their variety of rhythms, ranging from slow and mellow to 
fast and punchy.  Elephant Ride lacks the power and strength that 
Live conveys on their albums alone, but Woodworth's voice has the 
poignancy of the late Shannon Hoon's that reaches out to the 
listener and makes this album memorable. 
	Working with the legendary John Paul Jones as their producer, 
Elephant Ride gained strength and were able to use Jones as a guide 
in order to grow musically.  For Woodworth and the other members of 
the band, working with Jones gained the respect they needed as artists 
and felt that his help, as well as the help of others, enabled them 
to relate to other artists on a human level as well as on a musical 
level, and as Woodworth says, "For me, that comes before the art."
	The most memorable track on the album by far is "Bishop 
Mariah".  Woodworth especially displays his vocal strength on this 
track and proves the band's ability to write a catchy radio-friendly 
tune.  Other songs on the album also work quite well, such as the 
melodic "Wash Me" as well as "Orphan" which is this band's song about 
a girl with some sort of problems - doesn't every band have a song 
like this?
	Although Elephant Ride doesn't have the intensity of bands 
such as Live or R.E.M., they do show great potential as they have 
Woodworth's beautiful voice to work with and the ability to write 
emotional lyrics and melodies.  For Woodworth, it's all about 
communication - reaching out and trying to make people realize they're 
not alone.  With sentiments like this in mind, the band Elephant Ride 
should go far.
---
	INTERVIEW: Merril Bainbridge
		- Bob Gajarsky
	Recent singing sensation Merril Bainbridge may be tasting
the fruits of her labor with the success of her top 10 single "Mouth",
but life wasn't always easy for the 28 year old Australian.  As happens 
with most vocalists, Bainbridge got her start by joining various cover 
bands.
	"It gave me a wide range of experience - one night I'd work at a 
piano bar performing jazz, the next night I'd be singing top 40 music at 
a function, which exposed me to many kinds of situations", recalls
Bainbridge.  Though those days offered their share of security (in the
form of a steady paycheck), the cover band path offered little in
the way of creativity or future growth and after a while, "I started 
being choosy about what I had to say - I wanted more than just to be
a singer, I wanted to develop".
	Realizing that "there's no set path in this industry; you have
to come up with innovative ways to fulfill the goals you set for 
yourself," the Melbourne native established her first break by offering 
her services as a backup singer - not for money, but bartering in
exchange for studio time with the man who would end up producing
her debut record (_The Garden_), Siew.
	Initial interest in her homeland was minimal - in fact, the
only significant nibble came from Gotham, a label established by
Australian superstar John Farnham ("You're The Voice") and his
producer, Ross Fraser.  The quest of establishing a label driven
by successful artists, rather than one hit wonders, drove these
two men to not only sign Bainbridge, but give her the time - more than
a year - to write and record a strong album, _The Garden_.
	The first single from that album was "Mouth", a catchy pop
tune with a vintage ragtime and swing background feel - but success 
wasn't sweet the first time around, as the track crashed and burned.  
However, persistent perseverance paid off, and on its second go-round
in early 1995, the song went to the top of the charts.  Better than 
that, it stayed at the number one slot for six weeks.  
	The entire experience of having a huge hit single affected
Bainbridge.  "It was unreal," she remembers. "For the longest time, I
felt detached that it was happening - but every now and then, I would
think 'Oh God', and feel pressure.  I finally got comfortable with it,
and became more determined to be myself and enjoy it."
	The success of "Mouth" was followed up with three future 
singles - "Under The Water", the rocking "Sleeping Dogs" (which 
borrows a bridge from the Bee Gees 1969 hit "I Started A Joke") and
a piano based ballad, "Power Of One".
	These songs are indicative of the rest of _The Garden_.
Bainbridge playfully teases the listener, with cheery, bouncy songs 
interspersed with ballads, while incorporating an intriguing 
combination of instruments and influences to create a sound not 
quite like anyone else.  "Miss You" is quite similar to "Mouth"
and on other ballads, Bainbridge sounds vaguely reminiscent of 
Madonna.  Those beautiful vocals are highlighted on the touching
acoustic cover of the Pet Shop Boys "Being Boring".
	"(Being Boring) was a spontaneous thought to perform.
I really liked that song and Mark (Domony, guitarist) was in the 
studio, working with another band.  I asked him if he was free to 
put some songs down.  He had never heard (the original), so he wasn't
influenced by it.  I gave him the chords, and we just clicked."
	According to Bainbridge, the songs on _The Garden_ are
filled with her experiences and personal interpretations of 
things that have happened to people around her.  But is "Mouth"
about sexuality?
	"(Any sexuality on "Mouth" was) not deliberate - it was
definitely not a sexual song.  It's just honest - about a relationship,
how you feel in a relationship.  Sometimes you feel you're in control 
and the next thing, you're insecure - it's the role playing thing.  
To me, it's not about straight up sexuality.  It doesn't bother me if 
people connect with that, because obviously it's there, but it wasn't 
something I was aware of."
	And how about "Garden In My Room"?  After all, the title
track's lyrics, while never directly screaming of lust, contain
lyrics such as "Rest your body on my velvet roses / once you've
tasted my delights / many days will turn to nights / there is
nothing you won't do / for the garden in my room."  
	Bainbridge responds, "It's not *specifically* about 
sexuality - but yet it is. To me, it's everything that's around 
sexuality.  Yes, it's a sexual song - there's no denying it - but 
there's a lot more in there such as the different emotions.  I prefer 
to let people take from it what they want."
	One aspect which has gone unmentioned is Bainbridge's striking
good looks.  If she was a couple inches taller, a career 
in modelling wouldn't be out of the question.  But, while some women 
use their looks to offset their lack of musicianship, Bainbridge has 
no such worry - the music speaks for itself.
	"Mouth" has opened up worlds outside of Australia for
Merril Bainbridge, and _The Garden_ should plant fertile seeds
in the minds of radio listeners everywhere.  And, on Jill Sobule's 
next album, expect *her* to be compared to Merril Bainbridge.
---
CONTEST:In conjunction with Universal Records, Consumable is giving
away five copies of Merril Bainbridge's current top 10 single, "Mouth".
To enter the contest, send a note to nina@blarg.net with
the subject header of CONTEST.  Inside the note, include your 
name and address.  All entries must be received by November 1, 1996.
---
NEWS:	> The 6 piece Chicago improv jazz/rock band Plastic Mikey has
a new web site, located at: http://www.lionwood.com/mikey/
	> Sonicnet will be conducting an online chat with
Porno for Pyros on October 31 at 10pm EST - check out
http://www.sonicnet.com/sonicore/chat/porno for more details.
---
TOUR DATES
	Barkmarket
Nov. 1 Grand Rapids, MI Fallout Shelter
Nov. 2 Cleveland Heights, OH Euclid Tavern

	Block
Oct. 25 Elkin, WV Jabberwock
Oct. 26 Parkersburg, WV Moonlit Port Cafe
Oct. 30 New York, NY Luna Lounge

	Chimera
Oct. 30 New York, NY Sam Goody (Free Show with You and What Army)
Nov. 6 Boston, MA Mama Kin
Nov. 9 Philadelphia, PA Khyber Pass 

	Tom Cochrane / Tara MacLean
Oct. 26 Guelph, ON War Memorial Auditorium
Oct. 27 Kingston, ON Grand Theatre
Oct. 28 Montreal, PQ Gesu
Oct. 30 Waterloo, ON Humanities Theatre
Nov. 1 Brockville, ON Brockville Arts Center
Nov. 2 Toronto, ON Convocation Hall

	Cordelia's Dad 
Oct. 29 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall
Oct. 30 Somerville, MA Johnny D's
Nov. 1 Shirley, MA Bull Run Restaurant

	Phil Coulter
Oct. 30 Lowell, MA Lowell Memorial Auditorium
Nov. 10 Worcester, MA Mechanics Hall

	Cracker / Self
Oct. 27 Memphis, TN New Daisy Theater
Oct. 29 Jackson, MS Hal & Mals
Oct. 30 New Orleans House of Blues
Oct. 31 San Antonio Sneakers
Nov. 1 Austin, TX Liberty Lunch
Nov. 3 Birmingham, AL Five Points South Music Hall

	DJ Spooky (with Stereolab, UI)
Oct. 26 Louisville, KY Phoenix Hill Tavern
Oct. 27 Lawrence, KS Granada
Oct. 28 Boulder, CO Fox Theatre
Oct. 29 Albuquerque, NM Dingo Bar
Oct. 31 Austin, TX Liberty Lunch
Nov. 1 Dallas, TX Trees
Nov. 2 Houston, TX Fitzgerald's
Nov. 3 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
Nov. 6 Columbia, MO Blue Note

	Grant Lee Buffalo / 16 Horsepower
Oct. 25 Toronto, CA Opera House 
Oct. 27 Montreal, QC Cabaret Music Hall
Oct. 28 Boston, MA Paradise Club
Oct. 30 New York, NY Westbeth Theatre
Oct. 31 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts
Nov. 1 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Nov. 2 Athens, GA 40 Watt Club
Nov. 3 Atlanta, GA Smith's
Nov. 5 Nashville, TN Exit / In
Nov. 6 St. Louis, MO Galaxy
Nov. 7 Lawrence, KS Granada Theatre
Nov. 9 Boulder, CO Fox Theatre

	Gravity Kills / Chainsuck
Nov. 1-2 Columbia, MO Blue Note
Nov. 3 Chicago, IL The Vic Theater
Nov. 5 Cleveland, OH Odeon
Nov. 6 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall
Nov. 7 Columbus, OH Alrosa
Nov. 8 Toledo, OH Asylum

	Honeycrack (all dates in England)
Oct. 26 Bath University
Oct. 28 Aberystwyth University
Oct. 29 Reading Alleycat
Oct. 30 Norwich UEA
Oct. 31 London LA2
Nov. 2 Bristol Fleece and Firkin
Nov. 3 Birmingham Foundary
Nov. 4 Manchester University

	Inti-Illimani
Oct. 25-26 Morrow, GA Clayton
Oct. 27-28 West Palm Beach, FL Kravis College
Oct. 30 Oxford, OH Miami University
Nov. 1 New Haven, CT S.C.S.U.
Nov. 2 New York, NY Town Hall
Nov. 4 Minneapolis, MN Guthrie Theatre
Nov. 6 Bellingham, WA Mt. Baker Theatre
Nov. 7 Everett, WA Everett Theatre
Nov. 8 Pasadena, CA California Institute of Technology
Nov. 9 Berkeley, CA University of California-Berkeley

	Kill Hannah
Oct. 25 Chicago, IL Dome Room

	Kula Shaker
Nov. 4 Atlanta, GA Cotton Club
Nov. 7 New York, NY Irving Plaza
Nov. 8 Boston, MA Middle East
Nov. 9 Washington, DC 9:30 Club

	Latimer
Nov. 9 Philadelphia, PA Doc Watsons

	Lemonheads / Imperial Teen
Oct. 26 Washington, DC 930 Club
Oct. 27 West Palm Beach, FL Coral Sky
Oct. 28 New York, NY Tramps
Oct. 29 Boston, MA Avalon
Nov. 2 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall
Nov. 3 Cleveland, OH Odeon
Nov. 5 Cincinnati, OH Bogart's
Nov. 6 Chicago, IL Cabaret Metro
Nov. 7 St. Louis, MO Mississippi Nights
Nov. 8 Lawrence, KS Bottleneck
Nov. 9 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue

	London Suede
Oct. 26 Gothenberg Lisebergshallen w/Boo Radleys
Oct. 28 Stockholm Solnahallen w/Boo Radleys
Oct. 30 Stuttgart, Ger Longhorn w/Boo Radleys
Oct. 31 Munich Babylon w/Boo Radleys
Nov. 9 Barcelona Zeleste w/Boo Radleys
Nov. 10 Madrid La Riviera w/Boo Radleys

	Tara MacLean
Nov. 4 Toronto, ON C'est What
Nov. 6 Toronto, ON Rita and Friends

	Madball / Visions of Disorder
Oct. 26 Albany, NY Bogie's
Oct. 27 Asbury Park, NJ Stone Pony
Nov. 2 Lindenhurst, NY PWAC

	Marilyn Manson
Oct. 26 Boston, MA Avalon
Oct. 27 Providence, RI Strand
Oct. 29 New York, NY Roseland
Oct. 30 Philadelphia, PA Electric Ballroom
Oct. 31 Asbury Park, NJ Convention Hall
Nov. 2 Rochester, NY Dome Arena
Nov. 3 Hartford, CT Webster Theatre
Nov. 6 Washington, DC 930 Club

	Mother Hips
Oct. 29 Lake Tahoe, NV Sierra Nevada College

	Porno For Pyros
Oct. 27 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Oct. 30-31 Los Angeles, CA Mayan

	Primitive Radio Gods
Oct. 26 Tampa, FL The Rubb
Oct. 27 W. Palm Beach, FL WPBZ Radio Festival
Oct. 28 Miami, FL Hard Rock Cafe
Oct. 29 Orlando, FL Hard Rock Cafe
Nov. 1 Winston-Salem, NC Ziggy's
Nov. 2 Charlottesville, NC Trax
Nov. 4 Washington DC Hard Rock Cafe w/ WHFS
Nov. 5 New York City Hard Rock Cafe
Nov. 6 Boston, MA Hard Rock Cafe
Nov. 8 E. Stroudsburg, PA East Straudsburg University
Nov. 9 Carlisle, PA Dickinson College
Nov. 10 Syracuse, NY Lost Horizon

	Professor & Maryann
Nov. 2 New York, NY CB's Gallery

	Pusherman
Oct. 26 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar
Oct. 27 Ames, IA People's
Oct. 28 Omaha, NE Ranch Bowl
Oct. 30 Lawrence, KS Bottleneck
Nov. 1 Springfield, MO Juke Joint
Nov. 2 St. Louis, MO Side Door
Nov. 5 Grand Rapids, MI Intersection
Nov. 6 Cleveland, OH Paninis
Nov. 7 Chicago, IL Cubby Bear
Nov. 8 Milwaukee, WI Unicorn
Nov. 9 Chicago, IL Double Door
Nov. 10 Chicago, IL Schuba's

	Republica / Gravity Kills
Oct. 26 Buffalo, NY Icon
Oct. 28 Pittsburgh, PA Metropol
Oct. 31 Detroit, MI St. Andrew's

	Sabri Brothers
Oct. 25 Cambridge, MA Harvard
Oct. 29 Durham, NC Duke
Oct. 30 Asheville, NC University of North Carolina
Nov. 2 Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Academy of Music
Nov. 3 Ann Arbor, MI University of Michigan
Nov. 6 Los Angeles, CA UCLA
Nov. 9 Santa Cruz, CA UC Santa Cruz
Nov. 10 Berkeley, CA UC Berkeley

	Slayer
Oct. 26 San Bernandino, CA Blockbuster

	Stabbing Westward / Ash / I Mother Earth
Oct. 26 Baltimore, MD Hammerjacks
Oct. 27 Richmond, VA Flood Zone

	Stabbing Westward / Ash / Drill
Oct. 29 Charlotte, NC Tremont Music Hall
Oct. 30 Jacksonville, FL Velocity
Nov. 1 Orlando, FL Univ of Central FL
Nov. 3 Tampa, FL Rubb Club
Nov. 5 Athens, GA Wait Club
Nov. 6 Birmingham, AL Points South Music Hall
Nov. 8 St.Louis, MO Galaxy
Nov. 9 Omaha, NE Ranch Bowl
Nov. 10 Middleton, WI Bullwinkles

	Stiffs, Inc.
Oct. 31 New York, NY Pyramid
Nov. 7 New York, NY Continental

	Stone Temple Pilots / Expanding Man
Nov. 4 Los Angeles, CA Universal Amphitheatre
Nov. 5 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara County Bowl
Nov. 7 Phoenix, AZ Veteran's Memorial Coliseum
Nov. 8 Laguna Hills, CA Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre
Nov. 9 San Jose, CA San Jose Arena
Nov. 11 Seattle, WA Mercer Arena

	Test Dept./Sheep on Drugs.
Oct. 25 Dallas, TX Galaxy Club
Oct. 26 San Antonio, TX Cameo Theater (To be broadcasted on the Internet)
Oct. 27 Phoenix, AZ The Mason Jar
Oct. 30 Los Angeles, CA The Roxy
Oct. 31 San Fransisco, CA DNA Lounge
Nov. 1 Portland, OR Satyricon
Nov. 2 Seattle, WA The Fenix
Nov. 3 Spokane, WA The Warehouse
Nov. 4 Salt Lake City, UT The Holy Cow
Nov. 5 Denver, CO The Mercury Cafe
Nov. 7 St. Louis, MO The Galaxy
Nov. 9 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade
Nov. 10 Tampa, FL The Empire

	Richard Thompson
Oct. 27 Troy, NY Music Hall
Oct. 28 Burlington, VT Flynn Theatre
Oct. 30 Toronto, ON Phoenix Concert Theatre
Nov. 2 Ann Arbor, MI Michigan Theatre
Nov. 3 Pittsburgh, PA Byham Theatre

	Tool
Oct. 26 Salem, OR Armory
Nov. 1 Phoenix, AZ Mesa Amphitheatre
Nov. 2 Las Vegas, NV The Huntridge
Nov. 3 Salt Lake City, UT Salt Air Pavilion
Nov. 6 Denver, CO Mammoth Events Centre
Nov. 7 Dallas, TX Bronco Bowl
Nov. 8 Houston, TX Int'l Ballroom
Nov. 9 New Orleans, LA State Theatre

	Wesley Willis
Oct. 26 New York, NY CBGB's Gallery
Oct. 31 Chicago, IL Aron Packer Gallery
Nov. 1 Detroit, MI C-Pop Galler
Nov. 5 Austin, TX Emo's
Nov. 7 Los Angeles, CA La Luz de Jesus
Nov. 9 Seattle, WA Vox Populi Gallery

	Wrens
Oct. 26 Portland OR EJ's (with Steve Wynn)
Oct. 30 Kearney, NE Men's Hall  
Oct. 31 Omaha, NE Cog Factory
Nov. 1 St. Louis, MO Cicero's
Nov. 2 Cincinnati, OH Sudsy's
Nov. 3 Chicago, IL Lounge Ax
Nov. 5 Ann Arbor, MI Blind Pig

	Neil Young / Jewel / Moist
Oct. 26 Regina, SK Agridome
Oct. 28 Winnipeg, MB Winnipeg Arena
Oct. 31 Hamilton, ON Copps Coliseum
Nov. 2 Ottawa, ON Corel Centre
Nov. 4 St. John, NB Harbour Station
Nov. 5 Halifax, NS Metro Centre
Nov. 7 Montreal, PQ Molson Centre
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