Mike Bennett reviews the latest from Walter Clevenger, Chris Hickey, The Undertones and The Pillbugs. Mike also presents capsule reviews of releases by Grand Champeen, Exploding Fuck Dolls, Shonen Knife, Robot Monster Weekend, The Jessica Fletchers, R D Roth & The Issues, Betty Drake, The Jupiter Affect, The Green Pajamas and Ben's Diapers. Mike also has another CD-R of The Month. Gary Glauber reviews the latest from The Everyothers, David Dondero, The Ray Mason Band, Hawks, Barely Pink, Lovetap, The Boris Flats and The Trouble Dolls.

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Rock 'n Roll Heroes Suck and Slipping the Dodo to Jenna Jameson: Hernon Rants

by Kurt Hernon

"Hey man," the voice was, again, familiar, "What the fuck is up? I was looking for your monthly on that Fuckin-dot-com site you write for and couldn't find anything. You get yourself fired from that gig too?"
It was my old pal Lucas. He was drunk.

"No Luke, I didn't get fired," I mumbled.

"Well then what the fuck is up? You never miss a fucking deadline." I could hear him swigging from a bottle.

"I've missed before. This...

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Michael Lynch's Rock And Roll Myth Book

by Michael Lynch

For a long time, I thought something really horrible had happened at the Woodstock Festival in 1969.

When both Woodstock and I were about ten years old, there was a TV special on about the festival...Basically just clips from the movie, but with a guy introducing each one. Well, I had to go to bed midway through, and the last segment I saw ended with the guy saying "Coming up next, something that almost ruined the entire festival."

I know now that he meant the rainstorms, but I didn't know that then.
Since I couldn't stay up to watch, I asked...

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Now How Does This Work Again?

by James Baumann

Some of you (a handful of friends and about three others) might
recognize my byline from Swizzle-Stick. For the last few years I wrote
reviews, did interviews, and harassed bands to answer silly questions.
Early this year, though, the site slipped into a coma of sorts (imagine
that; an inactive website), leaving me with a stack of delightful discs
and no place to shout their hosannas. Fortunately, though, I was able
to check in with some like-minded virtual friends at Fufkin (a few of
you might remember my name popping up in Mike Bennett’s George Harrison
tribute where I recounted...

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Strangers In The Night

by Gary Pig Gold, forty years after 11/22/63

At 1 PM on Wednesday, June 13, 1962, amidst an unusually heavy downpour, the SS Maasdam docked at Pier B in Hoboken, New Jersey as it had many times before and continued to for several years hence. It was a fine ship, part of the prestigious Holland-America Line, and amongst its passenger roster this day was an oddly attired young man, his bride of fourteen months, and an infant girl who couldn’t help but glare and screech at the stormclouds raging above. Despite every observance to the contrary, history was indeed being written in Hoboken on June 13, 1962, but until now, the entire story has never, ever been told.

After having mysteriously defected to the then Soviet Union while on Marine duty in the South Pacific, Lee Harvey Oswald seemed...

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Bastards of Young Grow Up

by James Baumann

Joe is no longer with us. Neither are Joey or Dee Dee. The Pixies may be getting back together. You know, just like the Sex Pistols did. Michael, Mike and Pete (but not Bill) just finished a "greatest hits" tour. You know, just like the Who and the Rolling Stones do. And meanwhile Bono is more welcome at the United Nations than the president of the United States is.

What does all this mean? Mostly that "alternative" rock is getting a bit on it years. It used to be called "college rock" but that name began to fall out of favor several graduate degrees ago.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not criticizing...

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The Living Colour Interview

By Robert Pally

After a break of 10 years Living Colour return with a new album. In this interview singer Corey Glover talks about 9.11, being influential, fear and black rock bands.

Robert Pally: Obvious question: Why did Living Colour reform?

Corey Glover: Because we thought it was time. Its always been something that a sort of hang over our heads, the idea of Living Colour. And what Living Colour meant to people and what it meant to us. So we had to address that in some way. We...

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Further Observations From a Jangly Music Fan

by Eric Sorensen

October escaped from view almost as quickly as September did, but not without a wonderful four-day visit to Vermont (where the skies are truly bluer than in Virginia and the tree colors were brilliant) and attending a Mavericks show at the Birchmere. Raul Malo and the current band lineup still know how to play to their strengths and 500+ Mavericks fans were delighted to see the group perform in a small venue. In between these events, plenty of good new discs arrived via the mail this past month. Top new additions include:

Full Tilt & Swing - by Walter Clevenger & the Dairy Kings. Walter...

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So Much Music...too Little Time

by Kevin Mathews

Ooh, how time flies…here we are thinking about the blockbuster movies coming out at the end of the year. The one I'm looking out for is The Return of the King and if the trailer is any indication, this final installment could be the best one yet. Speaking of last chapters, I am also thinking about The Matrix Revolutions even though I thought Reloaded was a tad disappointing. Musically, the September deluge passed me by somewhat and I still haven't found the time to pick up new albums by Spiritualized, Super Furry Animals, The Thrills, Guided by Voices et al. Here's an idea of what I have been listening to though.

Eve Selis Do You Know Me (Hot) Here's...

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Elliott Smith: 1969-2003: Trying To Make Sense of That Which Makes No Sense

by David Fufkin

I pondered how I might approach the subject of the tragic suicide of Elliott Smith and part of me felt like saying nothing might be the best route. Whatever can be said is at best a cliche and trivializes a life lost too soon. Truly, the man left a legacy in his music that will never die. The few like Elliott, Chris Bell and Nick Drake will live forever in that way. At least, hopefully, for Elliott, the demons are finally silenced.

Many were touched...

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