NOTES from the underground
Lee Ving of Fear dealt
firm retro blasts like
"I Love Livin' in the
City" and "Beef Balo-
ney to the slammin'
crowd at the I-Beam in
SF. Says Ving, "I was
waiting for people's
ears to catch up to
what we've been
doing for so long. This
music no longer scares
all the people off."
The air waves buzz with hair farmers, poseur pigs, made-up Jezebels, lip-synch
singers, false guitar idols and insecure prophets of all kinds. In the false world
of popular music, only contrived and formula bands win corporate media expo-
sure. Or maybe all soul is obliterated after the music is compromised to meet
the sub-standards of public consumption. Either way, it only reinforces the
notion that the best way to get it is to get it raw. Veloquist by Vertigos
testament to the power of ignoring trends. The bitchin' fuzzy tremolo on "Love
Withdrawal might never have happened had the band listened to a music
salesman who told singeriguitarist bassist Jared Aos. Tremolo is obsolete,
Nobody uses tremolo. But telling a musician a sound is obsolete is like telling
an artist a shade of color is obsolete, says Gene Tangren, who switches instru-
ments with Aos. "Be true to yourself," advises drummer Bill Beeman "Don't try
to ater your music to what's cool, because that will alter with Sime. As a
driving, vamping, instrumental band with no uncertain edge. Pell Meil is in a
class by itself. Each song on Flow rolls into the next, melding and merging into
melodic pulsing, urban grooves. The band began in Portland, Oregon, in 1980,
RICKTER SCALE
Bad Religion, Generator, CD. This could be their
best to date. Great harmonies, rhythms and back-
up vocals through the whole album... Elvis Hitler,
Supersadomasochisticexpialidocious, CD. Metal
hillbilly innovators return with their third Lp. The title
tells it all... Sandy Duncan's Eye, CD. Noisy LA
trio that is crushing and to the point. On Flipside...
Head Start To Purgatory, Compilation, CD. Vital
San Diego round-up of the new school with Rocket
From The Crypt. Crankshaft. Crash Worship, 411,
etc. Necessary. The High Back Chairs, Of Two
Minds, Lp. Dischord's latest is Jeff Nelson's new
outfit. Melodic power pop with an edge... Terminal
Cheesecake, Pearlaques Kings of the Jewnost
CD. A masterpiece that goes beyond the industrial
complex with a broad range of tribal gloom and
doom... Murder Inc., CD. Latest industrial technol
ogy with Steve Albini's engineering wizardry
creates the logical step beyond Killing Joke.
Includes Martin Atkins, Paul Ferguson and Chris
Connelly Skrew. Burning in Water, CD. Guitar
drenched assault that re-delines modem warfare...
Calamity Jane, Martha Jane Canary: Lp. Whiny yet
seductive gal grunge... Drain, Pick Up Heaven
Lp. Healthy serving of feedback, pianos and Elvis
Presley samples with King Coffey (Butthole Surfers)
at the helm Darkthrone, Northern Sky, CD.
Unholy black metal from the dark fjords of Norway
A flesh-ripping Viking invasion of extreme death-
grind Unrest, Imperial Irr, CD. This third Lp
continues their dark experimental pop ways.
Emotionally and sexually provocative lyrics
NOFX, The Longest Line 12: Fat Mike and troupe
return with another punkfest of hardcore hits. "K
All The White Man" sticks in my head... Icemen
Rest In Peace Ep. NY's Icemen put it to the test
Hard-hitting HC tellin' & to ya straight... American
Standard, Coming Up 3's. CD. Rising above any
classification, Amstand's physique is still there in
character and individualist post punk power... Six
Finger Satellite, CD single. Another Boston band
that's similar to Green Magnet School. Comparable
guitar-laced frenzies of unpredictable surmise
Crowbar, Obedience Thru Suffering CD. Louisiana
death merchants rise out of the bayou with a slow
and heavy destruction known as sludge metal...
Gone In Sixty Seconds, Brimstone and Bottle
rockets, CD. Features Andy Wendler (ex-Necros
guitarist) rockin' out with the band to back him. No
further explanation needed
-Rick Rotar
70 THRASHER MAGAZINE
and tried adding vocalists, says guitarist Bill
Owen, "But either we didn't jive with the per
son or we felt their vocals weren't up to par."
Ever since, Pell Mell has honed its own driving
instrumental threshold. The lines between
music and art are blurring," says Bizarr Sex
Trio colabhorrator Martin Atkins. With
partners Paul Hirsch and Rick Kerr, BST
pushes the envelope of modern music
Hopefully, the idea of a good collabor
ation is that 1+1-3. Atkins says. In our
case, we are hoping that 1-1-1
1,000,000 Askins' resume includes
Killing Joke, Pigface, Ministry, Public
Image and Murder Inc. Kerr produced
Brian Brain as well as played in Voodoo
Death Beat. Hirsch is known for his vibrant
lithos. The trio mixed the self-titled Epin
Germany a while back, but making the music
for their gut-wrenching slab was just the begin
ning "Once we had those elements together,
says Atkins, it tumed into an insanely time
consuming project. It became this
crusade of independent mayhem,
where consumption of time, materials
and energy had nothing to do with the
bottom line the majors are so obses
sed with." Of the 633 vinyl copies of the
release, each has a different hand
screened jacket. Too many bands get
spun by the idea of making it and getting
signed, says Atkins. "You have to look
at what success is and whose idea of
success it is," he says. "If Pigface is #4
on a chart, what chart? That BST exists is
success in itself. I more bands would try to
reach success on their own level, then the
music industry, the soum pit of the universe
that it is, would be a better place... Due
to the speed and intricacy of its music, All
measures its sounds in Musical Informa
tion Per Second (MIPS). Drummer
Bill Stevenson says people
accuse them of combining pop
rock punk, jazz and other styles,
but All isn't any of that, he says.
"It's All of those things." Even
the new Percolator Lp is All-
encompassing. "We're
referring to percolation in an
overall sense," Stevenson
says, "anything that operates
on potential energy and has a tendency to bubble over The music of Gypsy
Circus dances beyond any convenient stereotypes. "It goes from punk to folk
figure that out." says guitarist/vocalist Rich Maloney. "We're breaking the
mainstream of what's getting overplayed." adds drummer Curtis Leroy With
only a demo tape, but plenty of gigs under their belts, the San Diego band
thrives on positive, high-energy jams... Arguably on the frontine of the war
between indies and corporate rockers, SST Records has dropped another salvo
on the bunker of conservative parental fascism. Disguised as one of those
inane parental advisory stickers that bring us a step closer to a brave new world
where Big Brother dictates the music people can listen to, the SST sticker
proudly proclaims "Fuck Parental Advice With a name like Pelvic Meatloaf.
big labels aren't bend to come running Stil, the Phoenix funk rock band plays
parties with flyers declaring "only whimps (sp) don't mosh. Besides they all
skate pools and their manager owns a pool service business... Then there's
Three Men And A Baby Jesus from Fort Worth, Texas. The blessed trio plays
hard and hearty instrumental compositions. With only a demo tape (5713
Bonnie Wayne, Fort Worth, TX 76117) the band rocks down with no worries.
"Chicks dig it and that's all that matters," says drummer Bobby Cox... From
the bowels of Berkeley, CA, Wanted drives a jeweled dagger through the heart
of racism, normalcy and conformity. Taut guitars scrub
like steel wool on the debut Othello's Revenge...
The One-Eyed Jacks began their career on
Sushi Sunday at Nightbreak in SF, where the
bar serves sushi, saki and real rock n' roll
says singer Scott Brandon. The Jacks spew
igneous rock with chunks of funk and jazz
over lyrics of dreams, visions and journeys.
"We try to do is music that we want to hear."
says Brandon. "We ask more from the aud
ence than to get drunk and watch a joke
band on stage. The Musician's Guide To
Touring & Promotion passes along
wisdom about getting
gigs and lists con
tacts for clubs.
labels and
radio sta-
tons. Send
check for
$6.95 10
Guide 33
Commer
cial St.
Glouces
ter, MA
01930
Brian
Brannon
Bitch
The ULTIMATE Film.
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