💾 Archived View for clemat.is › saccophore › library › ezines › textfiles › ezines › COSMIKDEBRIS › … captured on 2022-01-08 at 15:23:22.
⬅️ Previous capture (2021-12-03)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
============================================================================
############################################################################
######### #########
######### C O S M I C D E B R I S #########
######### #########
############################################################################
# INDEPENDENCE DAY, JULY 4th, 1995 #
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
DJ Johnson...........Editor
James Andrews........Ass Editor
Cai Campbell.........Layout Editor
coLeSLAw.............Graphic Arts Editor
Louise Johnson.......Copy Editor
cybr/\w/\spydr........Nonsense Editor
Scott Wedel..........Obscenity Inclusion Editor
DOS 6.2..............Text Editor
Lou Grant............Badass Editor
W.R. Hurst...........Far Better Editor
US Voters Next Time..Senator Editors
Jaws.................Predator Editor
Rick.................Valet Parking & Beer Gopher
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
EDITOR'S NOTES: So Many Choices, So Little Time
You are going to take part in a little experiment. You are going to
do something you do day in and day out, even though you don't think too
much about what you are really doing. You take it for granted. I take it
for granted. And yet, if you were no longer allowed to do this thing, you
would be a terribly unhappy person. You'd be what they call "oppressed."
The thing I'm talking about is "making a choice." You chose to get
up this morning, you chose to log on to the net, and now you've chosen to
read this issue of Cosmic Debris. In our graphic/sound version, you have
the choice of whether or not to click on the icon that takes you to our
censorship section. In this ascii version, we can't be that fancy. So
we're informing you here and now that there are some articles in that
section that would offend some people. Jerry Falwell, for instance, would
be downright outraged. You'll understand later, IF you choose to read that
section. We're putting all the other articles into this version first.
Then there will be a warning, followed by the censorship section.
Either way you go, you CHOSE it. Why are we harping on this? Because
right now, there are too many people in political power who want to take
away that right. They want to choose FOR you. And the choice they would
make, I can assure you, would be to take that section completely out of
Cosmic Debris. They seem to think you aren't responsible enough to decide
these things for yourself and educate your children to do the same. They
want to decide for you what is and what is not obscene. And if you think
we're over reacting, I would simply point out that 84 of 100 Senators just
voted yes on the Exon/Gorton bill, which would make it a criminal offense
to say anything THEY deem obscene in your E-MAIL! The very action of
removing this freedom would have devastating consequences. There are
many bible-thumping organizations out there right now, poised and ready
to pounce with the first axe-blow to the Constitution and Bill of Rights,
and we've got to stand up and block that shot. We can't let either of
those promises be broken.
So please, think about the concept of free choice when you make your
own choice. Which ever way you choose, I hope you will read the closing
page, which will at least point you in the right direction if you wish to
become an informed voter. The silent majority must speak up this time.
Next month, we'll be back to our usual format. But this issue is going
to be different. It's the 4th of July. The best things that this day is
supposed to stand for are worth saving. Your comments are welcome. Send
e-mail to us at moonbaby@greatgig.com and let us know how you feel.
DJ Johnson
Editor
*********
Special thanks needs to be given to a few people that have helped a lot.
Blair Buscareno, editor of Teen Scene, for megs of supportive messages
and advice. Don Dill, for the bitchin' cartoon called "Stress Man" that
is our permanant icon for Editor's Notes in the graphic version. NeoSoft
Corp. for the use of their excellent products in making our graphic version.
Sean and Sonja at AbstractSoft, our internet and advice providers. And
finally to our staff, who work so damned hard you'd think they were being
paid or something! Thanks, y'all.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
SURFING RHODE ISLAND WITH THE MEL-TONES (Interview by DJ Johnson) - This
excellent instro band sounds like 5 guys...but there are only 3.
And they can do that live. Find out how. This one also has the
distinction of being our first interview done in the stands at a
minor league baseball game.
THE TWO SIDES OF FRANK ZAPPA (By Cai Campbell) - The old "compare and
contrast" theory as applied to a pair of biographies on one of the
greatest composers and performers of all time.
TIKI GODS APPEASED (By Monica Rex, of Amnesia Magazine) - Monica's a busy
lady, but she took the time to file this report from the 8th annual
Tiki party at Otto Von Stroheim's Venice, CA, spread. Surf culture
freaks? This one's for you.
THE NEEDLE AND THE DAMAGE DONE (By New Jersey disc jocky Matthew Kaplan)
Midnight in the big city. You're exhausted and you're not sure
where your next meal is coming from. So why are you parking in
front of an all night record store? Matthew knows why.
ANOTHER STACK OF RECORD REVIEWS (By Alan Wright) - Alan gives you his
two cents on The Sea Monkeys, Karl S. Blue & The Magic Quells,
The Crawdaddy's, Sin Alley, Link Wray, The Wailers and a few other
goodies.
POETRY FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON - Why do we offer poetry? Cuz we like
the poems. coLeSLAw, the artistic genius behind those Cosmic Debris
Graphic Edition covers, show's another of his many talents. And
witness the return of Cybr/\w/\Spydr as he makes his second appearance
on the Cosmic Debris stage.
THE CENSORSHIP SECTION! - Here's that exercise in freedom of choice we
told you about. If you read this, you'll see words and ideas that
MAY offend you, ideas you may disagree with and writers you may
think belong in the fires of hell. The thing is this: That's for
YOU to decide. NOT some anal Senator who is terrified of every
single thing that turns him or her on. Read it or don't. That's
the beauty of it.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
===========================================================================
SURFING RHODE ISLAND WITH THE MEL-TONES
Interview by DJ Johnson
Seems you can't turn on the TV without hearing instrumental surf music
these days. It's not a new genre, but a lot of people don't realize that.
Dick Dale has been playing the stuff for almost 40 years. Although the
style enjoyed its popular peak in the early 60's, it never really went
away. In the past several years, great bands like Man Or Astro-Man, The
Mermen, Impala, Galaxy Trio, The Insect Surfers, The Phantom Surfers and
Laika & The Cosmonauts have emerged to carry on the tradition. Now you
can add another band to the list.
The Mel-Tones, a Rhode Island three piece band, has just put out its
second cassette-only release, "Powerwagon." The seven songs contain a
number of influences, all melded together to make an original sound that is
quite intoxicating. Mel Waldorf, Chris Sanzo and Jeff Halliday play some
outstanding instro-surf, but they also play good straight ahead rock, and
on one song, (Avienu Malkainu), they even offer up some interesting Eastern
influenced sitar music. Put that in your hookah and smoke it.
The Mel-Tones are unusual for another reason. Chris Sanzo plays guitar
synth, handling the bass, keyboard and horn sounds simultaneously. The
result is a full sound that most three piece bands can only achieve in the
recording studio. But these guys can do it live.
I caught up with these three baseball fans in a great setting: In the
stands of the ballpark, waiting for the Pawtucket team to take the field.
(Pawtucket is the Boston Red Sox triple-A farm club, for those of you who
don't know nuthin bout baseball). Between bites of hotdog and swigs of
brew, the guys managed to answer some questions.
* * * *
COSMIC DEBRIS: POWERWAGON is named after your old car,
isn't that right, Mel?
Mel: That's right. The Powerwagon was a mid 80's Olds Custom Cruiser
wagon. Fake wook, wire wheel covers, V-8, the works. I used to drag
race it on the streets when I was in high school.
CD: That fits the old 60's "Surf n Drag" ethic nicely. How about
waxing poetic about that car for a moment?
Chris: How about waxing the car poetically?
Mel: Well, you had time to compose poetry, waxing her took so damn long.
I used to really push that car hard. I remember once, I was coming
back from doing some work on Cape Cod. I was driving along 495, I had
two other guys and the back full of drilling gear. I saw a Ferrari in
the fast lane. It's November, and this guy has his top down, and he's
wearing a leather flying cap. So, I couldn't help making a stand for
America, and got in the lane behind him, and flashed to pass. The
Ferrari took off, and I took off after him. Well, I finally caught
him, about ten miles later. I have no idea how fast we were going, my
speedo ended at 85, and we were way off the end. I got the chance to
pass him, and the look on his face was priceless.
(getting starry eyed here)
Jeff: As a passenger, you learned quickly how to brace yourself for a ride.
Mel: True. Sadly, all the years finally caught up on her, and the
Powerwagon threw all her gaskets. A rebuild just wasn't in the cards,
especially after getting pulled by the police. 70 in a 55.
Fortunately I had slowed down for the turn.
CD: Is it all part of the mystique, for you? The hot rod, the Fender
guitars? You know, the total experience?
Mel: Well, I don't know about a "total experience" but surf and drag are
definitely intertwined for me. I had a Ventures tape in the wagon, it
was just about the only thing I'd listen to when I went driving. And
it left a big impression on me. Surf, speed, adrenaline...the Fender
guitars, well, they're as essential as a V-8.
CD: Comparing the first album to this one is pretty futile. On
THE MEL-TONES, there is a definate garage-pop leaning, with vocals and
the works, while on POWERWAGON, you'd have to say it's primarily an
instro-surf album, although there are certainly other influences in
there too. How did that shift happen?
Chris: Mel wanted it to. (laughter from all)
Jeff: Well, when we started together as a group, we worked on material
left over from the last band Mel and I were in, and new songs in a
similar vein. As the last band was falling apart, Mel had put a
Bigsby trem on his 335, and it was like he was dying to use it. That
led us into the instros.
Mel: My writing style changed too. Started playing more instros, and sort
of fell into the surf thing. It was like, wow, we can really do this,
and it would be a hell of a lot of fun.
CD: Were you all influenced by the 60's instro bands?
Chris: Certainly the '50s instros were an influence.
Mel: I guess I'm the big maven of the old stuff. It definitely affected
my playing and writing.
CD: Chris, you have an unusual role in the band, to say the least. Holding
down the bass, keyboards and horns, all at the same time from your
guitar synth can't be an easy job. How did that evolve?
Chris: Necessity, really. When the three of us started playing together,
we tried a variety of combinations: I played guitar, and Mel played
bass; Mel played guitar and played Farfisa; we tried playing with
pre-sequenced bass tracks. None of it worked. At all. I had been
using the midi synth system (Roland GR-1 w/strat-ed.) for quite some
time, and this two-in-one idea came to me. We experimented, and I
was able to work within the limits of the equipment to play a "bass"
and "keys" or "horns" simultaneously. That way we could have the
full instrumentation without extra musicians.
Mel: It's really something to see. No one knows where the keys are coming
from!
Chris: And the big trick is making it look easy!
CD: So you do the job of three musicians. Ever think you're underpaid?
Chris: All the time...
Jeff: He gets paid?
(laughter)
Chris: Chicks dig it.
CD: Your keyboard sound is rather unusual for this genre. I'm not an
expert at identifying brands, but I'd suspect it's a Wurlitzer Organ
sound, as opposed to the standard Hammond or Farfisa. The tone reminds
me of the organ music at a skating rink, and yet it works perfectly in
the context of the Mel-Tones. How did you choose that sound?
Chris: Again, the limits of the equipment define the sound. In order to
play bass and keys at the same time, I have to split up the
capabilities of the GR-1 synth. Fortunately, the sound we were
aiming for is cheesy, so a synth works nicely.
CD: Jeff, do you have to approach the bass/drums relationship any
differently than you have in past bands? In other words, is there a
difference from where you sit, with Chris' style versus the average
bassist?
Chris: He still sits behind the bass cabinet. (ha ha ha ha)
Jeff: True. With a "real" bass player, there is more flow and flexibility. With the digitally triggered bass, the rythym is more precise.
The kick drum especially must be well co-ordinated with the bass line.
CD: How long have y'all been playing together?
Chris: Let's see, I guess it's been a year and change that we've been at
this in earnest. And a little bit before that. But these two have
been playing together for a while.
Mel: Yeah. Jeff and I were in a rock-n-roll bar band for, geez, two and
a half years.
CD: I'd assume you're drawing a different crowd now than you were a few
years back, though I know a lot of garage-pop freaks are into instro
too. How has that transition been for you? Seeing any of the same
faces?
Chris: Well, we've got 40 or 50 who normally come to shows, and we're
picking up a crowd of surf afficianados as well. The transition has
been fairly seamless.
Jeff: We still play a few vocal tunes at shows, so there's something for
everybody.
CD: Has the Pulp Fiction soundtrack's success had any noticable effect
on the size of the crowds at your shows? I mean, instro is suddenly a
"thing" again.
Jeff: That movie definitely made a difference.
Chris: People ask us to play "Pulp Fiction" at shows, when they mean Misirou.
Mel: The widespead attention certainly helps, and it has turned on a bunch
of people to surf.
CD: Any plans for touring?
Chris: Yes.
CD: Okay! Chris, your synth-horn work on POWERWAGON is wonderful. Anyone
can hook up a synth, choose "trumpet" and play some notes, but you seem
to have a real understanding of horns and their place in the music,
and even their techniques. Have you played trumpet at some time in your
life, or are you just a great listener with a great record
collection?
Chris: Never played trumpet. Really the trick is finding the right place
of the guitar to blow into. (laughter) Seriously, it does make a
big difference to voice the phrases the way they would be phrased on
the horns. Your fingers have to stop for a breath. The same is true
for the keys. I have to remember I'm not playing guitar. It's
something different, that looks like a guitar.
CD: Hey, we might bore some non-musicians here, but I've got to know. Mel,
tell us about your guitar/amp set-up. How does one go about stealing
the Waldorf tone?
Jeff: The secret of the mel tone!
Mel: Well, it's fairly simple, actually. I use a coral pink '66 Jazzmaster, which I run through a Fender Reissue Reverb unit, into a '61
Showman head and Fender tilt back 2x12 cabinet. I use moderate to heavy
reverb, and have the amp volume on 5 or 6. I could sit and play
tremolo dips all day with this. And I do sometimes! I use 011E guage
strings and a 1.5mm Dunlop pick. I file a grip onto the picks so I
don't drop them when I'm double picking. Before I got the Jazzmaster
last November, I used my ES335, but not much since. I sometimes use a
dual volume select box I built for lead/rythym changes. But that's it.
For me, I've found tone heaven.
CD: Who influenced your playing, Mel?
Mel: Well, in no specific order: John Fogerty, Neil Young, Dick Dale, Syd
Barrett, and The Ventures. I'm a big fan of catchy, melodic and
energetic playing, and songwriting. I think that's crucial. I get
bored by long, jamming songs; I like music that goes somewhere. You
can take the greatest riff and ruin it with redundancy. Say your piece
and finish. Basically, I am influenced most by musicians who play
eloquently. There's a lot to admire and learn from in that.
CD: Same question, Jeff. Who were your influences?
Jeff: Wow. I don't know. Bill Ward, Don Brewer, Bonzo, Buddy Rich...guys
who have something to say with the drums.
CD: Chris?
Chris: Jeff Beck, Adrian Belew, Julian Breen, and the guitar player for Ian
Dury. Starting to wonder what we're doing playing surf music?
Jeff: Mel made us do it!
Mel: Yeah, that's it. I found them passed out in a bar, kidnapped them
and chained them to their gear. I force them to play surf, or else
look at Leroy Neimann paintings.
Jeff: Anything but that!
CD: With all the great bands to choose from these days, at least in the
indie scene, who has your attention right now?
Jeff: (still laughing from above) Tough to say. I listen to all kinds of
music. My last purchase was the Ginger Baker Trio.
Chris: I like the Laika and the Cosmonauts tape I have, and the new Bjork CD.
Mel: What?
Chris: It's true.
Mel: I'll have to get those paintings out. I listen to a bunch of instro
bands. The ones that do heavy rotation in my car tape deck are Laika
and the Cosmonauts, Man or Astroman?, Death Valley, and a few classic
surf compilations a friend of mine puts together.
CD: Where do you go from here? Any major plans on the table?
Chris: We'd like to make some vinyl and tour New England.
Jeff: Maybe we could play some Bar Mitzvahs and weddings.
Mel: Maybe I should run to Canada!
CD: Anything any of you would like to add to all of this?
Chris: We're serious about what we do, and we hope to be able to share it
with a lot of people.
* * * *
Interview by DJ Johnson (moonbaby@greatgig.com)
To order a copy of The Mel-Tones cassette, POWERWAGON, send $5 to:
Mel Waldorf
160 Irving Ave Apt. 8
Providence, RI 02906
No postage necessary.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
TWO SIDES OF FRANK ZAPPA
Book Review: Viva! Zappa!
The Real Frank Zappa
by Cai Campbell
vex@greatgig.com
Upon first glance, "Viva! Zappa" and "The Real Frank Zappa
Book" --hereafter referred to as VIVA! and REAL-- appear to be
very similar. The cover of each book features a close-up of
the face only a mother could love. Here we see Frank himself
with his dark, bushy hair, matching eyebrows, dark sparkling
eyes, close set and divided by a long, slender hook nose. His
warm, quirky smile is framed by his trademark mustache and
thick, bushy patch resting above his chin. Both photographs
portray Frank with his head cocked slightly to the right.
Together, with this immediately recognizable figure, jumps the
word ZAPPA, so as to leave no doubt about the contents of
either book.
The covers DO differ, however. The photo gracing the cover of
VIVA! features Frank wearing a fedora, angled in such a way
that he appears a mock gangster. A single bright light
illuminates his face, making his skin seem all too pale while
casting a dark shadow over the rest of his face. His hair is
tied back and is very long. Splotches of red, yellow and blue
paint decorate the photo; adding life and color to what would
normally have been a placid contrast. This artificial and
haphazard addition of color portends VIVA!'s contents. The
cover of REAL seems more genuine--warmer. Frank's hair is cut
short and he is wearing a business suit and tie. The lighting
is more varied and gives his skin a healthy red glow, echoed in
the deep burgandy of his tie. VIVA! is of a larger format,
measuring eight-and-a-half by ten-and-a-half inches, compared
to REAL, which measures six by nine inches. REAL, although
smaller, is three times thicker than VIVA!, but utilizes a much
larger type. Overall, the two would seem to purport the same
amount of text.
VIVA! was published in 1986 and REAL in 1989, so it would
appear that both books could draw upon the same source
material. At this point both books would seem very similar.
However, as we delve further into the actual contents, it
becomes apparent that both books approach the subject matter
from different angles, succeeding in balancing each other out.
Although VIVA! and REAL rely on previously published material,
REAL makes an effort to present the material in a more personal
and illustrative manner. Unfortunately, neither book contains
a biography, comprehensive or otherwise, so one can only assume
that similar material was culled from similar sources. The
most obvious instance where identical source material was
utilized for both books is in their presentation of a story
pertaining to Frank's main musical influence: the modern
composer Edgard Varese. Frank originally wrote the story
--discussing his infatuation with the composer-- for a magazine
in 1971. The piece is presented verbatim in VIVA! (105). The
same essay had been rewritten for its inclusion in REAL (31).
There are many subtle differences in the way the same story is
presented. Here is one section of the original story as it
appears in VIVA! (106):
On my fifteenth birthday my mother said she'd give
me $5. I told her I would rather make a long-distance
phone call. I figured Mr. Varese lived in New York
because the record was made in New York (and because
he was so weird, he would live in Greenwich Village).
I got New York Information, and sure enough, he was in
the phone book.
Now, here is the same section as presented in REAL (33):
On my fifteenth birthday, my mother said she would
spend five dollars on me (a lot of money for us then),
and asked me what I wanted. I said, "Well, instead of
buying me something, why don't you just let me make a
long-distance phone call?" (Nobody in our house had
ever made a long-distance phone call.) I decided that
I would call Edgard Varese. I deduced that a person
who looked like a mad scientist could only live in a
place called Greenwich Village. So I called New York
information and asked if they had a listing for Edgard
Varese. Sure enough, they did. They even gave me his
street address.
The section from REAL is more illustrative while the section
from VIVA! is more matter-of-fact. This is typical of REAL.
Frank seems to have made a concious effort to include tidbits
of his life which he never before shared. It was as if he had
a copy of VIVA! in his hand and thought, "Oh, I can add this
little story here." This fact becomes apparent when you
compare the first sections of both books: Frank's childhood.
The overall story is the same, with highlights of Frank's
upbringing presented in chronological order, but REAL differs
in that Frank will stop at a certain point and share a funny
little story, like this one (26):
You used to be able to buy single-shot caps at the
hobby store. These were better than the ones on the
little rolls because they had more powder in them and
made a bigger bang. I spent hours with my X-acto
knife, cutting away the extra paper, saving the
trimmed charges in a jar. Along with this, I had
another jar full of the semilethal Ping-Pong dust.
One afternoon I was sitting in our garage --an old
rickety one with a dirt floor... It was after the
Fourth of July and the gutters in our neighborhood
were littered with used fireworks tubes. I had
collected a few, and was in the process of reloading
one of them with my own secret formula. I had it
propped between my legs, filling it with a layer of
this and a layer of that, packing each layer down
with the butt end of a drumstick. When I got to the
layer of single-shot caps, I must have pressed too
hard and the charge ignited. It blew a large crater
in the dirt floor, blew the doors open, and blew me
back a few feet, balls first. Why, I could have
almost escaped from jail with that one.
This sort of personal touch permeates REAL, and gives us more
insight into the mind of Frank.
Although both books contain many photographs, REAL makes use of
many illustrative drawings. Most chapters in REAL begin with a
funny illustration depicting a charicature of Frank embroiled
in a situation with plenty of symbolism surrounding him. As
you delve into the chapter, the symbolism in the illustration
begins to take on more meaning. For example, chapter three
(REAL 38), "An Alternative to College," begins with an
illustration depicting the charicature of Frank shackled to a
set of encyclopedias, lying beside two large bags: one labeled
"beans," the other "rice." There is a large pulpit, standing
behind the bags, sporting an angry looking, short-haired
judge--waving his gavel with one hand and holding a reel of
audio tape in the other. Upon completion of the chapeter, you
learn that the shackles and encyclopedias represent the worst
job Frank ever had--selling Collier's Encyclopedias
door-to-door. The judge with the audio tape represents the
time when Frank spent six months in jail for "conspiracy to
commit pornograpy" (57). The bags of rice and beans represent
the meager foodstuffs Frank was forced to live off after he had
served his sentence.
Each chapter in VIVA! begins with a picture of Frank on the
left-hand page and a full page chapter title on the right. The
chapter titles are comprised of letters cut out from various
magazines and are illustrated with various pieces of
post-industrial mechanical parts. This format is an attempt by
VIVA! to recreate the record sleeve design popular with most
of Frank's works. VIVA!'s chapter title page format presents
each chapter in a way which is both comfortable and
recognizable with Frank Zappa fans.
REAL's format allows the reader to visually analyze the
material being presented in the chapter in a unique and
original way. VIVA! contains many photos, both black & white
and color. The wide variety of photos visually enhance the
stories about Frank, his family, and his musicians. The black
& white photos in REAL serve the same purpose, but all of these
photos are from Frank's personal collection. Many of the
photos have never before been published, and only on two
occasions do photos from both books match: Frank's baby photo
(REAL 12 & VIVA! 8) and his high school graduation photo (REAL
88 & VIVA! 9). The inclusion of personal photoes by Frank in
REAL is another instance where he adds his personal touch.
REAL is divided into nineteen chapters, each of which is
focused, while the seven chapters of VIVA! are more
general--encompassing a wide range of material. There is a
chapter in VIVA! called "The Zappa Menagerie" (43) which
discusses all the different musicians Frank has worked with,
his work as a producer, his own record label, his relation to
the technical people involved in recording, and various
projects, such as his work with the London Symphony Orchestra.
By contrast, REAL has a chapter titled "How Weird Am I Anyway?"
(13) which discusses Frank's early childhood years. Another
chapter from VIVA! called "No Commercial Potential" (61)
critically evaluates forty-one of Frank's works in
chronological order. Discussion on each record includes the
musicians used, where and when the record was recorded, what
instruments were used, and what recording equipment was used.
Then we have a chapter in REAL called "Porn Wars" (261) which
deals specifically with Frank's fight against the PMRC
(Parent's Music Resource Center). As you can see, the chapters
in VIVA! cover a wide range of material, sometimes making it
difficult to pinpoint specific information, while the chapters
in REAL concentrate on individual topics, making it easy to
find certain details.
VIVA! does a very good job of answering the how, what, where
and when of Frank's life, while REAL answers the most important
question: WHY. This fact may already be apparent, but let us
examine another example. VIVA! mentions Frank's relationship
with Captain Beefheart as being "a mixture of love and hate"
(27), but there is no support for this statement. The reader
can only assume that this statement is true. In REAL, Frank
goes into much more detail concerning the nature of their
relationship (51):
Life on the road with Captain Beefheart was definitely
not easy. He carried the bulk of his worldly
possesions around in a shopping bag. It held his art
and poetry books and a soprano sax. He used to forget
it in different places--just walk away and leave it,
driving the road manager crazy. Onstage, no matter
how loud the monitor system was, he complained that he
couldn't hear his voice. The high point of our
relationship (according to Rolling Stone--aren't they
some kind of authority on these matters?) was making
the Trout Mask Replica album together in 1969. Don
(Captain Beefheart) is not technically oriented, so,
first I had to help him figure out what he wanted to
do, and then, from a practical standpoint, how to
execute his demands. ...We taped a few selections...
and I thought they sounded terrific, but Don got
paranoid, accused me of trying to do the album on the
cheap, and demanded to go into a real recording studio.
Again, Frank describes facts of his life in detail, where in
VIVA!, certain details are a mixture of conjecture and hearsay.
VIVA! and REAL are two excellent references for anyone who
wants to know about Frank Zappa. VIVA! presents many
different aspects of Franks life and work in a concise,
straightforward format. In REAL, Frank elaborates on these
aspects of his life and gives them the credibility which only
Frank himself can. Together, these two works represent a near
complete view of the life, work and philosophy of Frank Zappa.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
TIKI GODS APPEASED - ALL IS WELL
Amnesia Magazine's Monica Rex sneaks
you into Otto Von Stroheim's 8th Annual
Summer Fest in Venice, CA (6-10-95)
Otto, the host and appeaser of the Tiki gods, greeted his guests
along the path of blazing tiki torches, in a grass skirt, bare
chest and hawaiian amulets -- I suddenly felt extremely under-
dressed in a hawaiian shirt. The fashion and decor at this party
were at least as important as the music. Otto has a fantastic tiki
mug collection, tiki bar and bar stools, a grass tree hut in the
backyard with a slide coming out of it, under which was the bar
offering a constant flow of blue hawaiian drinks, mai tais and
other pineapple and rum concoctions. This was definitely the party
to be at in L.A. that night. Otto does a fanzine all about Tiki
culture called Tiki News, available at $2.00 a copy from Schwarz
Grafiken, 1349 Preston Way, Venice, California, 90291
The first band was PINEAPPLE PRINCESS, a woman warrior goddess duo
from San Francisco, both on ukelele, specializing in sixties lounge
drinking songs, a sing along rendition of Tiny Bubbles and a mean
quick strumming version of Ramones' Rockaway Beach. They wore
fantastic floor length hawaiian ensembles - one hot house pink, the
other floral orange. Beth Ramona Allen had a mean fuzz sound on her
uke. The exotic Princess Pamela got the crowd riled up with her
songs in hawaiian tongue. For their fanzine, Kiss My Pineapple,
send $1.00 to Pinapple Princess, 1538 Fulton Street, Apt. B, San
Francisco, CA 94117.
Up next was Brazil 2001 doing rockin' versions of lounge favorites,
sixties movie sountrack songs (a transecendental version of
Midnight Cowboy) and surf instrumentals such as an amped up version
of Penetration. Guitarist Bernard Yin used to be the guitarist for
Samba Hell and Spindle, and has toured with Medicine and Permanent
Green Light (this guy can play anything). Brazil 2001 was a real
crowd pleaser.
Mel and Mike Lucas from Phantom Surfers were seen downing a few of
those butt kickin' rum drinks and rockin out along with other very
colorful partygoers such as KXLU's Surfwave DJ Jim Dunfrund, KXLU
DJ Stella and rockin son Felix and Roller Skating L.A. Lounge
legend Joey Cheezhee (to name but a few).
Up last was the Insect Surfers, an L.A. surf band. Jack Skelley
(formerly with Lawndale and now part time gigger with the Insects)
has some real psychedelic tendencies which were evident in some of
his solos. Guitarist Dave Arnson played feverishly and jumped all
over the place, anchored by Dan Valentie (who doesn't move, except
to play) and Mike Firehouse Gregan on drums smashed the place up.
The Insects got people dancing and offered up their set to the tiki
gods, in order to appease them. It appears they were successful due
to their sincerity and musical talent, so the gods are happy and a
summer of fun and great music is predicted for all of you out there
in Tiki Land.
* * * * * * * *
Monica Rex is an artist in L.A. who writes strange fiction,
writes for other zines and sporadically puts out Amnesia,
an art-zine with plenty of music related articles. Backissue
with interviews with Dick Dale and Ventures (limited copies
available $4)
PO Box 661441
Los Angeles, CA
90066
E-Mail: ag999@lafn.org
===========================================================================
THE NEEDLE AND THE DAMAGE DONE
The Tale of a PVC Junkie
By Matthew Kaplan
I can see it now. I'm in a crowded room, people seated all around. A
glazed, blank stare can be found in the eyes of everyone present. I look
towards the podium and then at the stooped figures sitting around me. I
take a deep breath, as if I'm about to dive into unknown depths. With
hands sweaty, a frog in my throat and butterflies in my stomach, I rise to
my feet. With all the courage I can muster I start to speak in a quavering
voice. "Hello, my name is Matthew and I'm addicted to poly vinyl chloride."
In a reassuring reply I hear a resounding, "Hello, Matthew."
I don't know if there is a 12-step program for PVC junkies, but there
should be! There must be someplace to speak to others who are similarly
afflicted. Yes, there is the monthly Sunday afternoon record convention,
but going there would defeat the purpose of trying to overcome these
tendencies. But see, I've admitted it. I am a recordholic. That must be
half the battle, the acceptance of our own problems. I love searching out
and buying records. Some people get frustrated and eat, others go on
drinking binges, I buy records out of celebration, out of anxiety, for the
hell of it. I just buy records. I've met others who have the same
cravings and they all have the same furtive look in their eyes and
nonexistent credit on their Visas and Mastercards.
To qualify all of this: in my case being a junkie is different from
being a collector. I've never considered myself a collector of records,
even though I do have a record collection. To me a record collector is a
completist and cares not for the music itself but more for completing a
collection. O.K., I did collect all of the singles on Two Tone Records,
even the shitty ones by the Apollinaires and the Friday Club, but that
was the exception to the rule. Usually I seek out releases because I've
got a burning desire to hear them and possess them. Tapes that friends
make for you do not count, they're not real, they're not the records
themselves no matter what the Pooh Sticks sang on their first single.
For me at least half the fun is the search for that elusive record.
Anyone can walk into Bleeker Bobs (it's a record store and not a museum)
and pay $150.00 for an original copy of Germ Free Adolescence by X-Ray Spex.
What fun is that? Where is the challenge? It's sort of like eating
strained baby food as opposed to the steak eating satisfaction one gets
in finding the same record in some hole in the wall store for $3.00!
It reminds me of when I was just a young buck collecting baseball cards.
Getting money by raking leaves, delivering newspapers, clandestinely
snagging coins from Mom's purse. There was no greater thrill in life than
going down to the corner store and buying a few more packs of Topps (why
did every other pack have a Manny Mota card?). It all ended the year that
I sent my $49.00 to Harry Fleer for the complete set of 1976 cards instead
of going out and buying them downtown. You know what? Without buying the
packs individually, without the anticipation of the unknown, what lay in
store in the pack yet unopened and without that sickly sweet hard-as-a-rock
gum it all meant nothing! The same still holds true today for me but with
records. The search, that's what it is about.
Some people walk into my apartment and ask what do I need 10000 records
for? Why don't I sell some of them? First of all they are my friends and
there was a reason that I got them originally. Secondly, at one time I
did sell some of my records and sure enough the same thing that made me
buy the record in the first place drove me to go out and get a new copy.
It may not be today or tomorrow but at some point I will "need" to hear
Ringo's Goodnight Vienna or J. Geils rockin' 1972 R&B spectacular Full
House or Canned Heat doing "Amphetamine Annie". Yes, one day it will
happen, I'll have to hear those records! You need a break every once in a
while from the newest and the hippest to get some perspective.
I know as the Good Lord is my witness that if I put my hand on a stack
of Bibles and swore up and down, left and right that I wouldn't buy another
record until all of my debts were paid off that I would probably be struck
down by lightning within a week. Records are fun, 7" singles are the best,
vinyl albums are great, even compact discs are o.k. but cassettes are a
joke! Could I live without records? Well, doctors say all you need to
live is water and some nutrition. Would I want to live without records?
I think not!
Matthew Kaplan
TweeKid@aol.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANOTHER STACK OF RECORD REVIEWS! By Alan Wright
THE CRAWDADDY'S: "Here 'Tis" (Voxx/Bomp! CD) The Crawdaddys were one
of the first bands to emerge out of L.A.'s burgeoning "60s
revival" scene. They predated a lot of other bands that came before
them, and with a constant change in membership revolving around
group leader Ron Silva, they gave members to many bands that
followed in their wake such as The Tell-Tale Hearts and The
Nashville Ramblers. They only released on actual full-length LP
back in 1980 called "Express," which has also been reissued on CD.
This CD is a re-issue of an LP which originalkky came out in 1987,
long after the group disbanded and is a collection of odds and ends
featuring different line-ups and such, but all recorded around 1982.
Blues/R & B lovers will want to check these guys out as they
aproximated a sound of early 1960s R & B/Soul music better than
anybody else at that time! There's lots of great covers on this
one, songs by Chuck Berry, Alan Toussaint, The Coasters, Jimmy Page
- an excellent verion of Page's rare solo single "She Just
Satisfies" from 1965 or so - Van Morrison (Them period, or course),
The Neville Brothers, Slim Harpo and more. Silva's originals were
no slouches, either, and the band really got that R & B groove
happening on self-penned numbers such as "Don't Come Struttin'" and
"You're Gonna Need My Love Someday." A keeper!
VARIOUS ARTISTS: "The Sue Records Story - The Sound of Soul" (EMI 4 CD box
set) Sue Records was a small indie label that existed between 1957
and 1966. Owned and operated by Henry "Juggy Murray" Jones, it was
the most sucessful black-owned and operated labels in the history of
Soul music. Their most popular act was surely Ike & Tine Turner,
who enjoyed even more success when they signed to much larger labels
and crossed over into the white pop charts. Their recordings for
the Sue label are by far some of the rawest and most soulful they
produced, and ten songs are featured on this 4 CD set, including
amazing numbers like "I Idolize You" and "It's Gonna Work Out Fine."
Sue, however, was much more than that. Their roster included a
virtual "who's who" of black Soul music. People like Inez Foxx, The
Magnificent 7, Derek Martin, The Hollywood Flames, Bill Doggett,
Russell Byrd, Baby Washington and tons more. This box set compiles
the absolute "cream of the crop" of the Sue label, and spin-off
subsidiaries like Symbol and Crackerjack records. As a
predominently 45's only label, you're not going to find much of this
stuff anywhere else, so hear it all is in amazing Mono mastertape
clarity! Witness the greatness of raw, fun, sexy and soulful
classics like "Daddy Rolling Stone" by Derek Martin, "Graveyard" by
The Blenders, "Mockingbird" by Inez Foxx, "Chicken Scratch" by The
Commanders and so much more. The amazingly detailed booklet
accompanying this makes for fine reading as you listen to this
classic part of black American musical heritage.
VARIOUS ARTISTS: "The Sun Records Collection" (Rhino/BMG 3 CD box set)
Sun records, the label responsible for the introduction of young Elvis
unto unsuspecting American white audiences, is the subject of this 3
CD box set of Rockabilly, Blues and Country music from the 1950s.
Aside from Elvis, the label also gave birth to other well-known
artists like Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny
Cash. What most folks may not have heard, or know about, is some of
the lesser-known, but equally talented and rockin' artists on Sun
that only recorded a few numbers and then vanished off the face of
the earth. Sun also released seminal recordings by Blues artists
like Howlin' Wolf, Joe Hill Loius, Harmonica Frank Floyd and Rufus
Thomas, to name a few. Disc One concentrates mostly on these guys,
with some great material by the aforementioned, including Howlin'
Wolf's classic "Moanin' At Midnight" and rare tunes by one of my
faves, the "one man band" Dr. Ross, who's signature distorted
guitar sound has been adopted by new blues revival groups like '68
Comeback and Jack o' Fire. Disc Two captures the Rockabilly sounds
of early Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and some lesser known
acts. In particular, it's great that they included demented numbers
like Warren Smith's "Ubangi Stomp" and Rosco Gordon's "Let's Get
High," an ode to the then popular drug habits of many a Sun artist
who gobbled benzadrine (a.k.a. "speed") by the handful. Check out
the insane "Red Headed Woman," by Sonny Burgess who's stripped-down
Rockabilly band included a trumpet player for extra effect! Disc
Three wraps things up with more from Jerry Lee Lewis & His Pumping
Piano, and the absolute classic rocker "Flyin' Saucer Rock 'n' Roll"
by Billy Lee Riley & His Little Green Men. There's also some
fantastic stuff by Bill Justice, The Million Dollar Quartet, The
Jesters and more. It's all mostly Rock 'n' Roll, although the
inclusion of some pretty sappy country stuff breaks up the momentum
a bit. For instance, their choice of Carl Perkins tunes leaves a
bit to be desired, as they include more of his whiney C & W stuff,
and less of his raw Rockabilly material. Overall, though, this is a
pretty killer box set of well-chosen early American Rock history.
LINK WRAY: "Jack The Ripper" (Jaspac 2XCD) This very cool Japanese
double CD set has a total of 53 Link Wray songs on it. Disc One is
instrumental, and Disc two is Link's vocal work, or stuff he and the
Raymen did backing up other performers. The liner notes are in
Japanese, so I don't know what they say. The songs have dates after
them, but I supsect some of them are incorrect, since I don't think
"Frenchy" came out in 1993! Becuase of the usage of Swan singles
for the booklet layout, andf their logo on the CD, I'm going under
the assumption that this material is all stuff Wray recorded for
Swan , and was released on small pressing singles and Lps. There's
a lot of cool material on Disc one, including some well-known tunes,
and some surprisingly different versions ("Rumble" with trumpet, for
instance). "Run Chicken Run, " "The Shadow Knows," "I'm Branded,"
"Ace of Spades," they're all on here, as well as instro verions of
popular vocal songs like "Please Please Me," "That'll Be The Day,"
"Peggy Sue," and "Heartbreak Hotel." Technically, "Deacon Jones"
isn't an instro, but then it's just got this crazy screamin' and
shouting "sort of" words throughout, so I guess it counts. Disc
two, the vocal one, is outstanding, Here's where a lot of the killer
stuff is to be found. Dig Link and the boys backing up the insane R
and B screaming of the doo-wop Dialtones whose stuff is all great,
save for their one clunker, the insipid Four Seasons-ish "So Young."
Who's the idiot singing this one in a stupid ultra-falsetto?. Also
cool are the Spiders, probably another vocal black vocal group, the
soulful Kathyn Lynn and Link's brother, Vernon belting it out on a
couple, as well. Of course, Link's own vocal material shreds, as he
lets loose his ruptured vocal chords on numbers like "Good Rockin'
Tonight" and "Hidden Charms." Essential!! '
KARL S. BLUE & HIS MAGIC QUELLS: "Rowdy" (Blue Enterprise LP) Germany
is the home of these five crazy cats who are obsessed with raw,
lo-fi Rock 'n' Roll. Karl S. Blue is a singer with a vision - to
strip rock 'n' roll back down to it's most primal form. Backed by
his illustrious band, The Quells, they embody the spirit of all the
things that made rock n' roll great. Put a '50s style pin-up babe
on the cover, record in a modest lo-tech studio (manned by Ted
Gaier, who's done time engineering for the likes of "Wild" Billy
Childish, among others) and press your record on ultra-thick, good
quality vinyl and this is what you get. Loud, and kind of fucked-up
sounding rockabilly-based music. Guitar, bass, drums and tenor sax
augment Blue's crazed singing and howling as they rip into rock
standards like "Walkin' The Dog," "No Particular Place To Go,"
"Something Else" (here re-titled "Sump'n Else") and "Heartbreak
Hotel." Suffice to say you've probably not heard such
interpretations of '50s R 'n' R standards since they early days of
The Cramps. The sound is very live, distorted, almost always
teetering on the edge of perfect rawness, threatening to go right
over the edge into complete chaos at any moment. This, of course,
is how really great rock 'n' roll is recorded, and when played by
the talented crew that is the Quells, you end up with some great
results. Aside from the aforementioned covers, they rip through
some insane originals like "I Hate To Drink Alone" and the
instrumental romp "Rocket," which should be adopted as the theme
song to this very publication! They tackle topical song subjects
like acne, heart problems, alcohol and automobiles with all the
sensitivity of a derailing freight train full of drunk blues
singers. "Rowdy" is more than an apt title for this twisted piece
of plastic that fans of real rock n' roll must check out!
VARIOUS ARTISTS: "Tribute to Poison 13" (Bag Of Hammers 7" EP)
With the recent Sub Pop CD retrospective of this amazing band's
recordings, what bettera time to also get this four-band "Tribute"
EP featuring great renditions of Poison 13 songs by Gas Huffer,
Sugar Shack, Big Foot Chester and Sinister Six. What, you don't
know who Poison 13 were? Forget it, I don't have time to explain
it to you. Go get the Sub Pop CD, then we'll talk! Anyways,
all the bands contribute great versions, especially Gas Huffer's
"First You Dream." Big Foot Chester , featuring Jack O' Fire vocalist
Walter Daniels, doing "Hellbound Train." In case you don't know,
Jack O' Fire also feature Poison 13 guitarist Tim Kerr, and now
that Poison 13 are back together, I think Jack O' Fire is in
limbo, so this must be Walter's new combo. Hey, they're pretty
cool! Sugar Shack, who are from Houston and always kind of reminded
me of Poison 13, turn in a good version of "Justice." Sinister Six,
with some help from Tom Price of Gas Huffer on second guitar, really
rev up "Die For Me." Nice Ed Fotheringham silk-screened sleeve design,
too. (PO Box 928, Seattle, WA 98111)
THE SEA MONKEYS: "Pizzaface" (Dionysus 10" LP) When I was a kid,
living back east in Ontario, Canada, my cousin came to visit our
family in 1973, when I was nine years old. My cousin was driving
across Canada from Hamilton to Vancouver, BC. He stopped in
Kingston to visit us, and he brought me a gift. It was his old
portable record player. It plugged in, or ran on batteries, and was
my first record player. He also gave me some 45s to go with it (no,
not bullets, those archaic vinyl thingies) by Johnny Cash, Alice
Cooper, T. Rex and Sweet. In particular, I liked "Little Willy" by
Sweet (with Cash's "Boy Named Sue" running a close second) a lot and
practically drove everyone around me nuts when I memorized the words
and melody and would sing it constantly. Oh, how I loved that Sweet
song! Imagine my glee when I received this new 10" LP by New York
City's Sea Monkeys, a crazy bunch of yokesters whose lead singer is
named "Dave the Spazz," and whom specialize in ridiculous, but
extremely catchy one- to-two minute Ramones-style punk songs. Their
goofy sense of humor is overly apparent here as the LP kicks off
with a cover of Tony Randall's "I Could Love You" (yes, the guy from
"The Odd Couple"). They also do The Brady Bunch's "Time To Change"
and the aforementioned "Little Willy," albeit at twice the
original's speed. Their own songs, with titles like "Weaselneck, "
"Stop Looking At My Underwear" (featuring a guest appearance from CJ
Ramone), "I Wanna Be A Kennedy" and "Chicks With Dicks" all shine
with a bizarre and absurd sense of humor that few bands can pull off
without being a total joke. The thing is, these guys have great
songs, and they're really tight and rocking. Hey, just you try
playing "Little Willy" at twice the normal speed. I bet you can't
do that (unless it's on your portable record player you had when you
were nine, of course).
THE WAILERS: "Tall Cool One/Golden Classics" (Collectables CD) In
1964, Imperial records (a subsidiary of Capitol) released the
original vinyl version of this CD. The record, with it's cheesy
"budget cover" was basically a re-release then of the "Wailers &
Co." LP that the Wailers themselves had released on Etiquette the
year before. Collectables obtained the original masters for this LP
from Capitol, and the result is a fine sounding CD reisssue of a
great party time record! A revamped 1961 version of "Tall Cool
One," The Wailers' 1959 hit single is included, as is the original
'61 take of "Louie Louie," featuring the superb vocal talents of
Rockin' Robin Robertson. There are boss instrumental tunes like the
spastic "Mashi," with it's crazy organ runs, "Frenzy" and "Tough
Walk," with it's honking sax. Kent Morill vocalizes on the screamer
"Isabella" and female vocalists The Marshans make an appearance on
"We're Going Surfin'." With only 11 songs, this makes for a pretty
short CD, but considering the rarity of the original version of
this, it's well worth checking out.
SIN ALLEY: "Headin' For Vegas" (Count Orlock Music CD) This CD is,
simply put, one of the most insane, balls-out, kick-ass Rock 'n'
Roll records I've heard in a while! Put Wanda Jackson circa 1959
and Reverend Horton Heat in a blender and you'll get Sin Alley.
Hailing from Belgium, they are fronted by the gorgeous and
strong-voiced Martine Van Hoot, Sin Alley create a whirlwind of
rockabilly, blues, country and punk that rarely lets up. Guitarist
Ruben Block adds some crazed guitar work while Alain and Koen lay
down the backbeat with stand-up and electric basses, and drum kit.
A few tunes feature some guest sax , as well. "Red Hot Texan" sets
the pace as the band barrels their way through originals like "Death
Row" and "Sinsational." They also revamp some great covers like "The
Witch" and The Rumblers' "I Don't Need You No More," adding some
fine semi-metallic guitar skronk, with Martine's hoot 'n' holler
laid over top. On "Last Goodbye," the band slows the pace down and
allows Martine to really stretch out those vocal pipes, while the
boys add some cool backing vocals. Excellently produced, without
being slick, this disc retains a ton of rock 'n' roll intensity, I
can only imagine what they'd be like live!
===========================================================================
===========================================================================
And now, Cosmic Debris proudly presents proof positive that we are not
merely Godless heathens, neanderthals or thugs. Proof that we know art
and grace and beauty when we see it. Proof that we can spell "Poetry."
And even use it in sentences! Ladies, Gentlemen and innocent bystanders!
We give you....
P O E T R Y F O R N O P A R T I C U L A R R E A S O N
===========================================================================
ODE TO AN AMERICAN BATHROOM
Oh porcelains and stainless steel,
(Forgive that tiny, giggling squeal!)
I blush at how you make me feel,
And rush to you from every meal.
Tiles glazed like soldiers, lining,
Black on white, jewels shining,
(My heart is longing, yearning, pining!)
I'm torn between this place or dining.
Crystal lights, brightly lancing,
Set my legs and feet to prancing,
In mirror-image, I see me dancing,
(I smile and sigh, while quickly glancing.)
Faucets flame with gleaming gold,
So smooth, so bright, so very cold,
You make me feel so brazen, bold,
I long to touch, caress, and hold!
Bathtubs, showers, shampoo rinses,
Come wash away my cares and senses,
Those pulsing waters, hot and steamy,
Tubs of bubbles, soft and dreamy,
Sooth my stress filled muscle's tenses,
With scented, oiled lotions, creamy....
by the Alien Cybr /\w/\ Spydr
(c) The Great Gig 1995
* * * * * * * *
THE SIP-ARM
by coLeSLAw
as i shake off lackadaisically
threads of memories unwind
in time with the volcanos
i'm opened
as i run sideways unprotected
so unabashed and silver fluttery
the half-dried shadows gaze
protectively
as wanting is what wanting does
and clasping tools of wood and glass
we waited for the foreign lights
for a while
i held a piece of broken home
under feathered pillows made of sky
the cup was drained as sank the sun
drowned
washed of that which caused the filth
the spider in my pocket sang
i have nineteen nails from god
tasteless
with malice and rage the wine was made
along with silver caskets
whose nails and pillows, lights and shadows
and memories
whose filth and sky and glass and silver
and threads became the fattened feast
and then we ate the beast...........
.................it tasted like chicken.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------