Date: Thu, 16 Feb 1995 23:36:36 EST CAMBODIA : A ZINE FOR PEOPLE WHO FIND MUSIC TOO SLOW VOL 1 #1 Welcome to Cambodia. I know, the name's too long. too bad. Taken after a book by Brian Fawcett who did a comparitive study on the Khmer Rouge and the parallels found within today's world culture - a culture where imagination and individual memory are becoming (have become?) superfluous. How tools like television have taken place of regimes like the Khmer Rouge in reorganizing human memory and exterminating human conciousness. Just substitute Major Label with Khmer Rouge and you should see where I'm coming from. Actually substitute almost anything you want these days and it will probably make sense. Am I always this down on life? I feel like Marvin the android in the hitchhiker's trilogy. 'So how are you?' 'Oh, fine,' said Marvin, 'if you happen to like being me, which personally I don't.' 'Yeah, yeah,' sympathized Zaphod hardly at all. CONTENTS Art is not a Game Speaking with Skitka Undercurrents? Teen Scene Bands, reviews, lists somebody decided going to europe was more important than Cambodia - we'll see about that. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- TERMS Lets get this shit out of the way. INDIE: Any musician or group which is refining their art either on their own or soley with the help of small indepedently runs labels. Distributors will not be included in these definitions because of the many so called indie-distributors which are really branches of major labels. To be honest some of Craw's stuff is probably being pipelined through a few of these channels. So be it. ALTERNATIVE: To What? Today's mainstream music is called alternative which is ludicrous. However, not to split hairs we will keep the term for simplicity. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ART IS NOT A GAME This is going to be a continuing part of this zine where discussions will be presented and then commented on re: culture and mass media, and music and independence. It all ties in to the same common denomenator - the gradual disappearance of local and individual identity. I want alot of feedback to this so get off your mediocre bums and support the indie movement. Here goes ... 'As recently as a hundred years ago artists knew and respected the rules, and so did the public ... Somewhere along the line, the old forms of artistic expresion - writing, painting, music - those with techniques deeply lodged in thought and physical research and with aims that were creative in the educative or legislative sense - were separated from the public realm. They have since been placed in a kind of reservation where the artists are encouraged, or forced, to choose between entertaining their patrons in increasingly vulgar ways or educating voluntary 'clients', often in goverment-funded agencies like the universities or art galleries. This has taken place in a political context in which a key right of democratic citizenship is the right to be ignorant.' - Fawcett You don't see many indie and alternative musicians going off to universities and teaching their trade, but the former point of being encouraged and forced into entertaining in ways which they are told is the way to be is one of the constants in the music industry. And the general public doesn't seem to think this is wrong. At least nobody is saying or doing anything. Why? Why do I have to sign with a major label to get better distribution? Money to pay my rent? Why must I be forced to take a tiny percent of profit to have these fine luxuries? Why should someone other than members of the band have final say in what direction they should take, what songs go on the album, what artwork is shown on the releases. Music is no longer about art and music itself. Obviously it is about marketing a commodity. And the compromises most bands make to be given access to such 'wealth' is fucked up to say the least. But who really cares? Most people don't want or need to know such trivialties and just need to know what cd purchase is gonna make them look like they know their shit about 'alternative' music. We are living in an age of technological wonders designed to give world wide access to information for anyone and anybody. But instead of expanding our minds it has stunted our creativity and imagination, made us pleasantly satisfied with the mediocre 'norm' that is presented to us daily over radio, TV and the net. It has bred ignorance in a culture which was once a risk taking, imaginative bunch. This can very clearly be seen within the confines of today's music industry. Shorty, Today is the Day, Morsel, Zevi Geva, Season to Risk, Tar, Dazzling Killmen ... all some of the most talented musicians in the underground today (well, shorty and the killmen are broken up, but still ...) and a good representation of a group of artists in the minority who still view their work as a pure source of expression, imagination and emotion. Today only a handfull of artists still produce work that is free of silly trivialties and fasionable statements which the mass public can easily latch onto. Fewer still are those outside of the art and music world who see past the smoke screen and understand that art is no longer made specifically for arts sake. The result is that the general public typically does not purchase art for the express purpose of expanding their knowledge or refining their tastes but rather using their purchases as symbols of their good taste, hippness to the scene and as a sophisticated style marker. With few exceptions, the only places that such incredible talent is going to be heard are the college stations around the country. And with fewer exceptions, you will not hear any of these bands on the larger radio station's "local alternative" hours because they are not an easily marketable commodity i.e. too noisy, too abstract. These stations will tell you that the general public won't want to hear this or that. Interesting. And sad because they are also right. The general population isn't interested in taking chances. This doesn't cut it for me because mass media, like these radio stations, represent mediocrity. And one of the reasons the general population is not going to want to take chances is the fact that they have been told for years and years that they are getting exactly what they have been "demanding" from radio and television. So why should they deviate from this mediocre "norm"? ... to be continued next ish ... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- First Craw CD was reprinted last month. Thanks from us to all who purchased it. Looks like Lost Nation Road is getting close to reprint already which is obviously a good sign. Thanks again. JAKS full length is now available, called Hollywood Blood Capsule. April 21st Derek Hess will be having an opening featuring his poster art in Kansas City, MO. Season to Risk will be playing the apres rok show. May 19th Derek will also be having an opening in chicago. No word as bands yet. Baffler number 6 is out and available. Find it. Season to Risk's new release is slated for April 1st. Hess art included. Milkmine's bassmen Jon and Jay are jamming again and will probably be working on new material with a new drummer. Unsane lost paul, co-founding member and bass player extrordinaire. After a few temp replacements, the bass player from Boston's powerhouse Glazed Baby is currently the new member. Bands to look for: heres some bands which we played on tour with that make me smile like an idiot - Dead Guy - NJ Tow - NJ Thickshake - Baltimore King Sour - Richmond Bedwetter - Greensboro Also check out a single by a band called Spilth. Ultra heavyness in ultra stylish fasion. Highly recommended. $4 PPD. Contact Gerry Saracco/Urban Warfare Records 33-14 164th st. Flushing, NY 11358. check or money order made out to gerry saracco, and his 'zine called Urban Warfare is $3. check it out. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Speaking with Skitka by Dominick A. Miserandino I remember in High School, there used to be this kid named George... George Miccarelli to be exact. I think we all know people like George. He was the type of guy who was brilliant at everything he did, and was sure to let us know it. He was a writer, a straight 'A' student, an athlete and he played the guitar like it was his own voice. Everyone in my class envied his abilities. It was is if he tried his hardest to make himself seem better then everybody else. He was the kind of man who was so good, you loved to hate him. Recently, I spoke with a man who in no way imparted those qualities. Some brilliant musicians demonstrate their abilities by constantly showing off how spectacular they are, or think they are in their eyes. George was of both types of these musicians, and it is rare to find an exception. When speaking with John Skitka of the Pat O'Donnell group, I believe to have found such an exception. We must have talked for hours upon hours that night of the interview. Normally, when I do an interview, I hope to go on tangents of the main subject to get a complete picture of the person's personality. No matter how hard I tried, it was nearly impossible to center Mr. Skitka on Mr. Skitka's playing style. Everything was a tangent. Sure, he would tell me all about his hometown [Carterette, NJ], his start of Saxophone [8th grade] and with a struggle, his musical influences, but going in depth was difficult to say the least. This is not to say that he was being difficult as a conscious effort, but on the contrary, to Skitka, his musical ability is one aspect of his personality. Just as there are good students and bad students in school, he treated his talents along the same vein. They were all just another part of John. It wasn't an interview anymore, but just two men talking. There was all of life to talk about, and the tangents which I used to fight so hard to achieve now seemed impossible to avoid. His latest endeavors are with two separate bands, the Pat O'Donnell group and Wood Dog. Wood Dog is where I first saw Mr. Skitka, playing an intense sax solo on the staircase of the bar from a remote mike while the entire dance floor erupted. People were coming from all over to see and support John. The bar was completely filled to capacity. Walking into this bar, one could see that something 'unusual' was happening. He could play forever, and the crowd would become just more and more entranced in the music. He would play melodies ranging from rock-influenced to jazz, and to classically influenced. Wood Dog is an acoustic-rock band in New York City who has a notable following playing local bars and clubs. Their style is remarkably distinct with their acoustic bass, guitar, drums, and sax player. Playing music from all genres within rock, they would jam from one song to the next, marked by their unique sound. That first night, I asked the lead singer, Ed Self, about John and his style, to which he replied, "John's the best, simply the best." If you asked the crowd, the band or anybody else, they would give that same answer. If you asked John, he would say he's just a 'sax player'. The other focus of John's energy, is the Pat O'Donnell group. The Pat O'Donnell group is lead by Mr. Pat O'Donnell on drums, an experienced musician who has played a number of Broadway shows in the area. The band has played with a number of major jazz groups including the Rippingtons, members of the Yellowjackets and many of New York's finest. By this summer, they should be finishing work on the album. For me, the more I've talked with musicians involved in any way with the industry, the more of a disdain I grew. I would encounter people who believed that their celebrity status should be practically worshiped. I've met people who would brag for hours about their ability. I've seen all types of rudeness and the like which one might expect from success. Mr. Skitka is releasing his working on his debut album with his group, the Pat O'Donnell Group. He has a following throughout the area. He's considered a splendid saxophone player. He's reached a level of success in music which is not that easy to obtain, and through all of this, he's remember one thing, "he's playing because he enjoys it." That down to earth nature is one quality which is all to commonly lost in the entertainment world. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- UNDERCURRENTS? UNDERGARMENTS! Cleveland's Undercurrents festival typifies the close mindedness of the mediocre music industry ... ****Brenda Mullen, publisher of U.S. Rocker [a monthly rok zine] writes: >>We need to create our own unified >>underground - 'a new world within the shell of the old one.' --Undercurrents Weekend in Cleveland. Historically, the organizers of Undercurrents never select any bands of worth to perform (but do any bands of "worth" want to participate? Naah!) Additionally, these same organizers close themselves off to any type of unity, selling themselves off to Scene [a pathetic weekly entertainment zine] as their beloved sponsor of said crappy event. --Every year, Cleveland becomes an "embarrassment" to outsiders from record labels and whatnot who come into the city seeking new and fresh talent. Basically what they end up finding is primarily "Scene fodder:" bar bands, cover bands, derivative pap, and music with no gusto. --Per recent conversations with Jason P. from Carcrashh Records [cleveland-based indie label], he is looking into the possibilities of putting together a showcase of his label acts to perform at the Euc during Undercurrents weekend, donned "Undergarments." I offered to sponsor his showcase. --It doesn't have to stop there. What will more than likely happen is that none of the eastside clubs will be participating in Undercurrents, so why not take advantage of the exclusion? --Take for instance the Grog, the Euc, Pepper Ridge, etc. and put 5 bands in each club, for the Friday and Saturday portion of Undercurrents. Keep the door prices low and the billings hot; guess where everyone is gonna go? --What would be interesting is this "idea" to function as a "festival." My role in this is to sponsor... not book the bands or anything like we did with "Over The Edge" a couple years ago. ["Over The Edge" was similarly an "anti-undercurrents" showcase that successfully drew over 1000+ people away from Undercurrents.] Maybe the Free Times [an alternative weekly zine] might want to get in on this too, provided that Pepper Ridge were to put stuff like Jehova Waitresses in, or something along the lines of quality folk rock. --What I am suggesting here is that interested musicians from bands based around Cleveland put their heads together and organize. Talk it over with the club owners. Send me your thoughts and ideas (brendaroc@aol.com). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- EXCERPTS FROM TEEN SCENE Blair Buscareno puts out a Zine called Teen Scene which primarily focuses on garage-punk, etc. He sent me a shitload of stuff from the latest, Teen Scene #50 - Heres a sample (sorry couldn't use all of it but I gotta keep this kinda short) YEAH! There's a whole slew of new releases from one of the number one rockin' punk outfits in existence today... that's TEENGENERATE, folks. I've yet to pick up their 10-incher on Sympathy or the Dionysus 45, so we'll stick with the "Dirty Robber" four-songer (Lucky) and "She's A Dumb" (Wallabies Records, who put out their debut 45). The latter, a split with the SCREAMING BLOODY MARYS, is pretty much standard Teengen fare... Radio Birdman on speed recorded by an auto mechanic giving his fave car a complete overhaul at the same time. But the trick is to get beyond the sound quality and check out the energy and the guitar breaks. Also cool for the cover of The Nervous Eaters' "Just Head". The last time I bought a Teengen split the other side turned out to be one of the most godawful rackets ever to take a chunk out of my eardrums. (Remember: avoid The Stepford 5, avoid The Stepford 5... Got it? Good.) This time, though, we've got the SBMs, who turn in a couple pretty inspired punkers in the early 80s Ramones vein. "Junior" is the pick of the two, with both energy and melody hammerin' away. Now... onto the real winner, the 4-songer on Lucky. With help from Scott McCaughey of the Young Fresh Fellows, Mr. Conrad Uno, and Joey Kline, Teengenerate have recorded their best-sounding record to date. Not only that, it rocks like frickin' mad! The only strange thing is that the only cut Teengen actually grab the mic for is "Don't Come Close To Me", with that trademark vocal comin' thru clearer than ever before. But don't write the other three shots out just 'cuz the guys don't vocalize, either. Guest vocalists take the mic for "Dirty Robber", "What A Girl Can't Do", and what must be at least the third or fourth recorded cover of Scott's 1st LP YFF gem, "Big House". All three of these are wild-ass rock'n'roll the likes of which you don't hear nearly often enough. Pick this one up, folks. Rat City must be one helluva place, 'cuz they've got some of the wildest garage-punk outfits in the NorthWest sportin' their label. The two latest entries come from THE PRIMATE FIVE and THE SPIDER BABIES, both of whom use ye olde organ to good effect. Of the two, The P-5 are the more solidly garage outfit, while The Spider Babies have the nastier aural disposition. Both of these, however, have been receiving major air-time on my show. Let's start with The Spider Babies. "Hey Baby, you wanna go out? / Hey Baby, let it all hang out..." This thing GOES! Definitely punk, but still groovin' in the garage. While the flip, "Spider Baby" isn't as immediately grabbing as the fast, snotty (but fun!) rant up top ("Hey Baby" is the name of that one, in case you hadn't figured it out), it's still cool, especially the organ... Listening to The Primate Five's "She Cleans House", it hits me that I'm still going nuts over some of the same kind of stuff I was into over ten years ago. Kind of nice, isn't it. Sure, I've flipped over some more varied stuff since, but a pure garage-punker like this one still gets me up and moving. And someday this one will be considered a 90s Nugget... at least among the garage crowd fifteen years down the road. Call me Criswell, call me Amazing, but don't call me Amazing Criswell (or late for dinner... that one goes out to Mr. Pat Lozito.) As for the flip, "Bullet Train" reminds me of something, but I can't put my finger on it... give me a year and I'm sure I'll have it. The "P-5 Theme" (what is it about the Rat City/Rip Off crowds... themes run big in their camps) is instro coolness. Definitely worth a listen. Buy this one and most other stuff on Rat City - a label you can trust (so far, anyway). THE RIP OFFS' Got A Record (Rip Off). If you know anything at all about The Rip Offs, then you already knew this was the LP. And, as a result, you all now HAVE to go buy a record player. Otherwise you miss out on one of the best recordings of '94. You'd think that'd mean I'd have an easy time reviewing this one. Not so, amigos. I can't say why exactly, I just can't think of what to say to convince you that this is an absolute must. The Rip-Offs are, in my mind, the current wearers of the budget rock crown. Anyone who's seen them knows they really let fly live. (Easily one of the top acts at GarageShock, '94.) This LP presents them in all their masked punk rock glory. "Heat Seeker" starts things off with an instrumental punk sizzle, galloping and mowing down anything in its path. As it ends, "Rip Your Heart Out" jumps right in, going vocal and erasing any vestigial doubt left in your mind that these guys are the ones to beat. On this one they tell it like it is. Just about everything on this LP is a winner, with "Shadow" and "Zodiac" being some of my current faves. But like I said, there ain't a loser in the bunch. Buy this one and thank me later. I can give you a snail-mail one for anyone who wants a copy of the Teen Scene (which goes for $1 plus 55-cents postage). Blair Buscareno <blairb@eden.rutgers.edu> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NEW BANDS (England edition) Slightly Miffed - We Swim Not Sink! A revolutionary mix of intricate 'Thrash' guitar work; stunning - yet sensitive (at times) vocals; the most powerful drumming ever conceived by human mind and performed by I.ROBOT; heavyweight bass and samples. Add to the 'Excellent' guest appearances by none other than Ian Mc-what's-his-face from the weather, and a certain nice person from a Clive Barker Film (see if you can guess which) plus T.I.E. fighters, Fatal Attractions, Sea Gulls & waves:- you have a band ready to blow anybodys socks off! In less time than it takes other bands to learn a new chord, these biscuit kickers have opened eyes, minds and pores all over the country, supporting such acts as Lawnmower Deth and Dumpy's Rusty Nuts, playing London's premier rock venue - The Marquee, three times and most recently appearing on I.T.V's 'Raw Noisy Powered Mothers!' Open your eyes, minds and pores to Slightly Miffed.... Slightly Miffed <100106.1017@compuserve.com> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- CLEVELAND REVIEWS PRIMITIVE, ENGINCORE jan. 19 Grog Shop Two of Cleveland's younger upstart bands that show some promise. Engincore clearly have talent ready to blow up. Heavy riffs, occasional polyryhthms between 3/4 and 4/4 - they sound very much like tool at its finest, which i feel isn't that often so these kids are on the right track at least. another year of playing and finding where they want to go should be enough to get them signed. Summary : very good. Primitive gets points off before the show even started for the bass player taking off his shirt before breaking a sweat. The bass and drummer are brothers and the band as a whole are impressive - but they must be forced to listen to something other than helmet. again, a year or two of finding their own sound and they could be a force. PARANOID LOVESICK, MOSQUITA MITE, JEHOVA WAITRESSES and THROCK MORTON Jan. 22 Grog Shop The highlight of the night was by far the debut of Throck Morton - Guitar, violin and drums, intensities were raging here. Super dynamic from quiet, sometimes jangly to heavy heavy - Miles Davis/Today is the Day sound mixture completely impressed. Jehova Waitresses aren't really my speed. sing songy material, although great female vocalist. Mosquita Mite are a strange bunch - some strayed time signatures and very intricate guitar pieces that don't really mesh with the hippie-like songs and singer. Paranoid Lovesick is starting to get some attention in cleveland. Again, not really my speed. heavier sing songy material. most music these days just bores me stiff anyway. The evening was a benefit for NARAL, though which made it all worthwhile. And if you don't agree, at least you have the choice to unsubscribe. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- WHO's PLAYING WHERE Jen Engel <aa704@po.cwru.edu> compiles the Eastern Midwest/Ohio band and club list and also puts out a pretty kicking zine called Fucktooth. Check it out. heres a list courtesy Jen of lists. Available lists: Atlanta: ofross@vader.cc.emory.edu Bay Area (and Reno): the-list-request@violet.berkeley.edu Boston: wisner@aiag.enet.dec.com Chicago Area: alester@farpost.chi.il.us Chicago Fav. Bands List: cheeks@interaccess.com Columbus, Oh: treadway+live@mps.ohio-state.edu (with SUB in the header) Eastern Midwest/Ohio: aa704@po.cwru.edu Philadelphia: lorenzo@astro.ocis.temple.edu Texas: twist@usis.com Western Midwest/Iowa: bands@ac.grin.edu Washington, DC (DIY): brendan@clark.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------- TONE DEAF distribution: new zine mailorder. For catalog email me at <aa704@po.cwru.edu>. Zines i carry (for example): Fucktooth, No Longer A FAN zine, Dangerfox, Dishwasher, Enema, Ball Buster, Bleah! and Second Guess. good prices! free zines and newspapers! DIY tour guide : http://www.islandnet.com/~moron/deterrent/tour_gd.html courtesy moron@islandnet.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- thanks to everyone who sent me stuff. i think its alot more interesting with stuff other than my own rantings. keep it coming. Again, feel free to send the choke, inc guys demo tapes, etc. CHOKE, INC. 1376 W. GRAND AVE. CHICAGO, IL. 60622 choke@spagmumps.com Booking info for craw mail me or call 2169321968 and ask for dave. booking info for morsel and hairy patt band call 5139610357 ask for lucia. booking info on JAKS call 3132131457 or 3132131280 'Shee, you guys are so unhip its a wonder your bums don't fall off' --- rockie@neurosis.wariat.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Back Issues at FTP 141.214.4.135 under the directory /docs/choke. WWW stuff located at "http://kzsu.stanford.edu/uwi.html" under Shopping Maul ... Thanks Jon. -- Its people like you that give perversity a bad name