==== ISSUE 131 ====    CONSUMABLE     ======== [December 16, 1997]

  Editor:             Bob Gajarsky
		        Internet: gaj@westnet.com
  Sr. Correspondents: Tim Kennedy, Reto Koradi, David Landgren, 
                      Sean Eric McGill, Tim Mohr, Al Muzer, Joe Silva
  Correspondents:     Daniel Aloi, Joann Ball, Tracey Bleile, Lee 
                      Graham Bridges, Scott Byron, Patrick Carmosino, 
                      Krisjanis Gale, Bill Holmes, Eric Hsu, Tim 
                      Hulsizer, Robin Lapid, Stephen Lin, Scott Miller, 
                      Linda Scott, Rainier Simoneaux, Scott Slonaker, 
                      Simon Speichert, Jon Steltenpohl, Simon West, 
                      Lang Whitaker
  Technical Staff:    Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann

 Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gaj@westnet.com
==================================================================
	All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s). 
Permission for re-publication in any form must be obtained from the 
editor.
==================================================================
                            .------------.
                            |  Contents  |
                            `------------'
INTERVIEW: Cause & Effect's Robert Rowe - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: George Clinton & The P-Funk All Stars _Live and Kickin'_ 
   - Joann D. Ball
CONCERT REVIEW: Midnight Oil - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Lisa Loeb, _Firecracker_ - David Pirmann
REVIEW: 2K, "***k The Millenium" - Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Various, _We Will Fall - The Iggy Pop Tribute_ - Bill Holmes
REVIEW: Mogwai, _Young Team_ - Simon West
REVIEW: Various Artists, _Retro Lunchbox: Squeeze the Cheeze_ / 
   _The Hit List_ - Joann D. Ball
REVIEW: The Gain, _Ready Steady Smash_ - Bill Holmes
CONTEST WINNERS: Doors Box Set giveaway
NEWS: Black Crowes, From Good Homes, (hed) p.e. / Motley Crue, 
   Local H / Triple Fast Action, Modified "Chillas", Prodigy,
   Nine Inch Nails, Rage Against The Machine
TOUR DATES: Barenaked Ladies / Devlins, Brain Surgeons, Juliana 
   Hatfield / Triple Fast Action, Hed P.E., Moxy Fruvous, Oneida / 
   Be/Non, Oral Groove, Pave The Rocket, Phish, Jane Siberry
Back Issues of Consumable
---
	INTERVIEW: Cause & Effect's Robert Rowe
		- Bob Gajarsky
	What happens when your record label calls it a day and
abandons nearly all its artist roster?  If you're a member of 
synthpop band Cause & Effect, it means taking a detour and 
getting your music out to the masses via the Internet.
	Robert Rowe, lead singer and one of the founding members 
of the California band, decided to take the band online in 1996 
in order to regain control over the band's decisions.  The choice 
has proven to be a fruitful one.
	"Building our web site has been one of the best decisions 
we ever made.", Rowe explains. "We don't tour very often so it's 
been a good way to keep that relationship with the audience that 
you get while touring and to keep people informed of our progress. 
When used creatively, the Internet gives power to artists to reach 
people anywhere in the world without the help of a label and at a 
very low cost. That just wasn't possible before."
	That web site - at http://www.causeandeffect.com - serves 
as a sort of clearinghouse for fans to discuss the band's favorite 
songs, learn the latest news on Cause & Effect from the band's 
members, and purchase merchandise - including the band's third 
album, _Innermost Station_ (Liquefaction).
	_Innermost Station_ originally started as a 6 song EP to 
satisfy the fans who had been clamoring for a new release.  But 
when the trio got into the process of recording, songs flowed 
freely - and soon, ten songs were recorded.  The tenth song was 
dropped, however, because it didn't fit in with the flow of the 
nine that eventually comprised _Innermost_.
	With the title taken from Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, it 
should come as no surprise that the songs here are much more mature and 
revealing than previous C&E releases. Taking a sip from a glass of red 
wine, Rowe discusses the evolution of _Trip_ and _Innermost_.
	"_Trip_ was a questioning of things on a spiritual level and 
through the recording of that album, we came to find a few answers for 
ourselves. I think a lot of the songs on _Innermost Station_ deal 
with a breakdown of the physical world around us and the breaking 
apart of relationships." 
	One of the breakdowns which the band had to deal with after the 
success of their breakthrough album, _Another Minute_, was the passing 
of original member Sean Rowley in 1992 when he suffered a severe 
asthma attack which resulted in heart failure.  The memory of Rowley 
still plays an important part in Cause & Effect's music.
	"He (Sean) would never settle for whatever came easy," Rowe
sadly recalls. "He'd always push until he came up with something 
better. I think of this every time I write."
	And while _Another Minute_ may have drawn comparisons to 
British synth pioneers such as Depeche Mode, the band's evolving 
sound - including instruments not normally associated with synthpop 
bands, such as a Fender Stratocaster or Rickenbacher 12 string guitar - 
have made any of those comparisons moot. Rowe dismisses those 
hanging on to once-valid analogies.
	"I think with _Trip_, we managed to prove ourselves and develop 
something unique.  What annoys me are those that refuse to look further 
than the similarities.  Early Gene sounded a lot like the Smiths but that 
doesn't mean that they (Gene) are invalid."
	The instrumental "Radiolaria" offers the first chance to hear 
Cause & Effect skirt the world of ambient music.  Rowe first started 
work on this during a solo weekend, where working on a song without 
lyrics or vocals proved therapeutic.  Fellow bandmates Keith Milo and 
Richard Shepherd convinced an appreciate Rowe that it would fit with the 
feel of _Innermost Station_ and made it into a complete song.
	"We've never released an instrumental before so it was one more 
way we could do something different from what we've done in the past.
I think with this genre of music (synthpop) there is a tendency to not 
go outside of the boundries that were created by the bands that started 
it all. We don't believe in not doing something just because it doesn't 
fit the mold. If we feel like using a Gibson and a Marshall stack, we'll 
do it if it works for the song."
	Longtime C&E fans need not fear that the band have abandoned 
their roots.  Many of the tracks contained on _Innermost Station_ would 
fit nicely in with the flowing work which was released on _Trip_, where 
the songs weren't aimed at creating dance club fads, but at lasting 
songs with honest-to-goodness intelligent hooks.  That trait continues 
here on cuts such as "Eclipse" and "She's So Gone".  
	"The World Is Ours" opens with ninety seconds of introspection and 
mildly haunting music before bursting into a traditional keyboard chorus, 
as Rowe implores his lover to 'Get up on the rooftop and scream out our 
desires / They can keep their heaven, I'll stay down near the fire / The 
world is ours.'
	Meanwhile, "Real?" musically recalls "Another Minute", but with more 
mature lyrics.  'The older I get, the less I feel / I don't know what I 
want / I don't know what is real', Rowe realizes, as the younger boy from 
the aforementioned cut has grown into a man.  
	There are no standout, top 10 singles here, but in establishing 
a band's long-term success, the quality of albums is key.  Cause & 
Effect have produced another album which will tug at the hearts of 
synthpop fans without having them run to hear an 'original' Erasure 
or Depeche Mode disc.
	What does the future hold for Cause & Effect?  A tour in support 
of _Innermost Station_ (with video projectsion) is in the cards for 1998, 
but the band hasn't committed to anything.  And just as Todd Rundgren is 
doing, the band is looking into downloadable audio as an alternative to 
discs - in order to distribute remixes or one-off songs to their fans.
	As for whether the band will return to the major label distribution 
that Zoo (and BMG) offered, that bridge will be crossed at a later date.  
According to Rowe, "Maybe we'll go back (to a major) after we've proven to 
ourselves that we don't need them so it feels more like a choice than a 
neccessity."
	But for now, Cause & Effect are experiencing first-hand the 
power of the Internet to bypass traditional music outlets, and achieve 
the goal of most performers - allow their music to be heard by the people.
---
	REVIEW: George Clinton & The P-Funk All Stars, _Live and 
		Kickin'_ (Intersound)
		- Joann D. Ball
	"Free your mind and your ass will follow."  With these 
words of truth and wisdom, funk philosopher and mastermind George 
Clinton introduces himself, the P-Funk All Stars and two-and-a-half 
hours of righteous funk on _Live and Kickin'_.  The otherworldly 
experience that is a live P-Funk concert is captured here in 15 
classic tracks performed live in a number of cities between 1972 
and 1997.  The only official live record from George Clinton & The 
P-Funk All Stars, this double disc offers a rare look into the 
evolution of one of the major forces in contemporary popular music.
	P-Funk live is always a lively, spirited, intense and 
sweaty experience designed for maximum audience participation.  
And even without the visual antics and costumes, you still get 
the feeling that there's about 20 people on stage funking it up 
just for you.  The production job on this release puts the funk 
right in yo' ears and into your soul, completely capturing the 
party vibe on the stage and in the audience.
	Disc one opens with "Cosmic Slop," title song from the 
classic 1973 release.  The perfect introduction to Funk 101, 
"Cosmic Slop," combines blues and rock guitar solos, soulful 
vocals and jazz horns with P-Funk's own extraterrestrial bass, 
drums and keyboards.  The funk continues to roll through extended 
versions of the futuristic "Bop Gun" and "Funkentelechy (Where'd 
You Get That Funk From), with the latter clocking in at slightly 
over 24-minutes.  And the live version of "Standing on the Verge" 
is the missing blueprint for the style and sound of the Artist 
Formerly Known As Prince.  Listen to the tinkling ivories, the 
call and response, and the extended jams and you can almost see 
The Artist dancing around the stage in his platform heels.  After 
a rousing "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off)" and "Let's Take 
it to the Stage," you get a few minutes to cool off during the new 
studio recording "Good Love (Instrumental)."
	The epic "Maggot Brain" opens part two of the P-funk fest.  
This track, with its amazing 8 minute electric guitar solo, gives 
dark side of the moon a completely new meaning.  It leads right 
into the seminal anthem "Make My Funk the P-Funk," on which George 
Clinton promises to do "whatever it takes, whatever the party calls 
for."  Always one to deliver what he promises, Clinton then shines 
the spotlight on 70s R&B radio megahit "Flashlight" and 80s 
crossover smash "Atomic Dog."  But it's the quarter of an hour 
version of "The Mothership Connection" that proves that funk is 
a religion in its own right.  Here Clinton and the P-Funk All 
Stars preach to the converted and transform the concert into a 
funky religious revival. Midway through the service, Minister 
Clinton slows things down for a deep meditation with an update of 
the spiritual "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." Encouraging the audience 
to sing in solidarity through call and response, Clinton and his 
followers unite to bring the spirit of the Mothership into the 
room and then take in flight when the trumpets sound.
	After the loungy "Pepe the Pill Popper" and the hip-hop 
inspired "Let's Get Satisfied/Dope Dog," _Live and Kickin'_ comes 
to an end with studio tracks "Ain't Nuthin' But A Jam Y'all" and 
"State of the Nation."  On "Ain't Nuthin' But A Jam Y'all," the 
first single and video from record, fellow funkateers the Dazz Band 
join Clinton and company on this slick and laid back groove.  
Through the live cuts and studio tracks, _Live and Kickin'_ 
clearly demonstrates just how innovative and creative Clinton's 
musical vision and genius has been during the past 25 years.  
Like the Grateful Dead, Clinton and his All Stars turn concerts 
into experiences and happenings where the music unites fans 
spiritually and takes them to a higher level  While the musical 
mainstream has only recently provided a space for the magic of 
P-Funk, Clinton's influence can be heard in the diverse sounds 
of The Artist, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Living Colour just to 
name a few, and the P-Funk groove has been sampled by a host of 
rap and R&B artists.  Recently inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall 
of Fame, George Clinton and the P-Funk All Stars continue to tour, 
delivering the funk and nothing but the funk to audiences around 
the world.
	TRACK LISTING:  Cosmic Slop, Bop Gun, Standing On The 
Verge, Funk Gettin' Ready To Roll, Funkentelechy (Where'd You Get 
That Funk From), Give Up the Funk (Tear The Roof Off), Let's Take 
It To The Stage, Good Love (Instrumental)
	Maggot Brain, Make My Funk The P-Funk, Flashlight, 
Aquaboogie, Atomic Dog, The Mothership Connection, Pepe The Pill 
Popper, Let's Get Satisfied/Dope Dog, Ain't Nuthin' But A Jam 
Y'all, State Of The Nation
---
	CONCERT REVIEW: Midnight Oil
		- Bob Gajarsky
	A certain level of excitement can be expected
when a major music act plays at a tiny venue. 
And when international superstars Midnight Oil played 
at the 200-person capacity Mercury Lounge in one of 
three sold out New York City dates, the energy level 
could have provided enough power to service the entire 
Big Apple.
	The five piece Australian outfit clicked 
on a level few could possibly hope of achieving.
Best known in the States for their top 20 
1988 hit "Beds Are Burning", this song actually 
incited the least excitement in both the crowd and 
the band.  Lesser hits such as 1993s "Truganini", 
1990s "Blue Sky Mining" and "Forgotten Years" and 
1984s "Power And The Passion" were what drove the 
crowd wild, and lead vocalist Peter Garrett seemed 
to feed off the crowd's energy and excitement.
	The audience at the Oil show was much different 
than at the traditional concert.  Although packed 
in a tight area, there was no moshing - people were 
dancing and stomping in place, literally making the 
entire Mercury Lounge shake.  And when Garrett 
would have a monologue in between some songs 
("I don't have too much to say tonight," he first 
said, "which makes our drummer quite happy"), the 
crowd immediately dropped any conversation, enabling 
Garrett's imposing presence and voice to tower over 
everyone.
	But although Garrett the orator was a welcome 
change from the "Hi New York, do you want to rock?",
most fans came to hear the music.  The track selection 
consisted of songs from the band's recently issued 
'hits' compilation, _20000 Watt R.S.L._, along with four 
selections from a forthcoming 1998 album - two of which 
have been included on _20000_.  One of the new tracks, 
"What Goes On", was dedicated to the recently-departed 
Michael Hutchence.  The chemistry, raw power and 
enthusiasm of all the band's members astounded even 
this jaded concert-goer, and re-inforced my faith in 
successful groups retaining their love of live 
performances.	
	It's a rare group that can generate the same 
level of enthusiasm for their songs after 20 years - 
and even more difficult to find acts that can produce 
new, robust songs after that time.  Tonight, Midnight 
Oil placed themselves in that class.
---
	REVIEW: Lisa Loeb, _Firecracker_ (Geffen)
		- David Pirmann
	Admittedly, I've been a fan of Lisa Loeb and her bookworm 
cat-like glasses since "Stay (I Missed You)" appeared on the 
soundtrack to the film _Reality Bites_ more than a year before 
her first album was released. With their first album, Lisa Loeb 
and her backup band Nine Stories needed to overcome the instant 
popularity that "Stay" brought them, and although it had some 
good pop tunes, there was an equal number of forgettable, bland 
songs in which it was obvious that as a band they had not found 
their sound. In places, the indie-rock electric guitar of Nine 
Stories' backup clashed with Lisa Loeb's intellectual pop 
songwriting. On _Firecracker_, Lisa Loeb's second 
full album, the band and Lisa's lyrics and singing have fallen 
more into place, with the result being, for the most part, smooth 
and harmonious "intelli-pop".
	In the past two years, many women singer-songwriters have 
appeared, many of whom are filled with angst and anger (Alanis 
Morissette, Jewel, Liz Phair, etc.) but Lisa Loeb continues to 
work against that trend. The pink bubblegum album cover is the 
first indication, and the first single, "I Do", is the second 
indication that there are other ways to write about spoiled 
relationships: uptempo, good beat, and Lisa's easy-to-listen-to 
voice (compare Ms. Morissette's "You Oughta Know" to see the 
other end of the spectrum!). However, even without a strong dose 
of black angst, it seems that every song is about spoiled 
relationships in one way or another.
	In literature classes, one is taught that it is a mistake 
to assume that the "I" in a poem is the voice of the poet, but 
the songwriting here, and Lisa's expressive voice, makes it hard 
to seperate the song from the singer, leading to a very personal 
experience as a listener. There are some places where the 
songwriting suffers from Lisa Loeb's attempt to intellectualize, 
but this too contributes to a feeling of being there with the 
"I" in the songs. Almost every song is written in the first 
person - a little glimpse into some "I"'s life.
	Nine Stories, the band, has matured, losing the rock band 
sound that marred some of the first album's tracks. The electric 
guitars have been replaced by acoustic, and many of the tracks 
are arranged with a string quartet or orchestra, for instance on 
_Firecracker_'s second track "Falling in Love". The strings 
combined with acoustic guitar and harmony vocals by guest Shawn 
Colvin has a decidedly non-rock and yet non-folk sound which 
works well. The second single, "Truthfully", uses the strings 
and a very nice harmony vocal on the chorus, looped in by Lisa 
herself.
	As a sophomore effort, I think Lisa Loeb has matured 
and worked out a sound that fits the songwriting well. The 
songwriting still needs to mature a little. I'd like to 
hear Lisa's voice and talent for personalizing the 
songs to be used for something other than failed relationships. 
None of the tracks here will be as powerful as "Stay (I Missed 
You)". But, they've got the sound right, so I'll be waiting, 
hoping the next album reaches the next level.
---
	REVIEW: 2K, "***k The Millenium" (Mute)
		- Bob Gajarsky
	The Jams.  The Timelords.  Disco 2000.  The KLF.  The K 
Foundation.  No matter what name you know them as, the duo of Bill 
Drummound and Jimmy Cauty have returned to the musical arena.
	This time, the enigmatic pair have taken the name 2K, and 
released the single "***k The Millenium".  As a medley taken from 
some of their previous songs (most notably "Don't Take Five Take 
What You Want" and the 1988 version of "What Time Is Love"), 
this hodge-podge may initially seem unrecognizable to most 
American fans, but devoted K fans will pick and choose the 
samples.  No threats from Abba lawyers will derail this 
song, however.
	The four track single includes two 4 minute versions of 
the title track, a 'brass' version of it, and a 14 minute 
extended version which explores the many musical paths which 
Drummound/Cauty have taken throughout the years.
	With a video reminiscent of Frankie's "Two Tribes", 
Drummound and Cauty take their 'artistic pursuits' to a newer, 
stranger level.  Scenes shift quickly from dockers screaming 
'Fuck the millenium, we want it now' to a theatrical setting 
with two older gentlemen in wheelchairs (our heroes) racing 
around the stage with rhino horns strapped to their heads and 
axes in their hands.  A strange video, to be sure, but Drummound 
and Cauty have burned 1 million pounds before, on a lark.
	Not quite the return which was expected when the KLF 
announced their departure from the music industry five years 
back, but it's still nice to see Msrs. Drummond and Cauty 
return to shake things up a bit.
---
	REVIEW: Various, _We Will Fall - The Iggy Pop Tribute_ (Royalty)
		- Bill Holmes
	Many Americans measure time by how many years it's been 
since a life-changing moment like the Kennedy assassination (that's 
34 years and counting, for you math-deficient readers). For the more 
musically inclined, chew on this - _Raw Power_ turns twenty-five 
next year! As a companion to the recently remastered classic, 
Royalty Records has assembled a twenty-track, seventy three minute 
tour through Iggy Pop's career, the third such collection I've seen 
but easily the most high profile. Reading the artists and track 
listing on the back cover would be enough inspiration for even a 
fringe fan to grab the disc, but the contents may surprise you. A 
couple of the brightest moments come from the most unlikely artists.
	Nada Surf always struck me as a one-hit MTV band, but their 
great version of "Sick Of You" is reminiscent of _Love It To Death_ 
era Alice Cooper! Sugar Ray, another band-of-the-moment, torches 
"Cold Metal" so thoroughly that not even the insipid turntable 
scratching during the solo can take it down. Pansy Division shows 
that they have balls after all with a great rip on "Loose". The 
Lunachicks make "Passenger" an aural treat all over again, and Extra 
Fancy's shuffle version of "Sell Your Love" is one of the two or 
three best cuts on the record.
	Some artists do exactly what you'd expect. Joey Ramone 
(backed by the Misfits) turns in a Ramones-cum-Bo-Diddley version 
of "1969", and Joan Jett barks out a typical snarly-grrrl cover of 
"Real Wild Child". The Red Hot Chili Peppers do a credible version 
of "Search And Destroy", but it's licensed from seven years ago, 
not newly recorded. If they were going to rob the vaults, I would 
have much preferred the Dictators' classic flame-thrower 
interpretation, but perhaps the producers were afraid that 
Handsome Dick would use the opportunity to punch out Jayne County. 
You also get what you expect from bands like The Misfits, 7 Year 
Bitch and Bush Tetras, but Lenny Kaye's heroin take on "We Will 
Fall" was a surprise.
	Not everyone shines, however. While it's a given that Ig 
and the boys sometimes tried to squeeze four pounds of notes out 
of a three pound bag, they at least did it with personality. If 
the music was sometimes simplistic, they more made up for it with 
energy. Here an almost-unrecognizable Superdrag drones their way 
through "1970". Blondie, here reformed as a four piece under the 
pseudonym Adolph's Dog, schmooze their way through "Ordinary 
Bummer" (what a waste of a Clem Burke sighting!). NY Loose 
sounds like processed cheese, and Blanks 77 are just...well....blank.
	With tribute projects you take your chances, and the 
percentages are good on this one. Song selections are scattered 
throughout the Stooges/Pop canon, although some classics like "I 
Wanna Be Your Dog" and "Raw Power" were not included (then again, 
would YOU want to try those?). Amazingly, I've seen this 
compilation for sale at some music stores that have traditionally 
been too nervous to stock actual Iggy product! The times, they 
are a changin'.....
---
	REVIEW: Mogwai, _Young Team_ (JetSet)
		- Simon West
	If you're one of those people who can't understand why a nice 
bit of atmospheric indie guitar rock is always spoilt by some bugger 
singing all over it, we've got yer band here.
	_Young Team_, the full-length debut from Scotland's Mogwai, has 
a few voices, swirling in and out of the mix in conversation and 
mutterings. There's one actual vocal on "R U Still In 2 It", but that's 
it. What Mogwai concentrates on is atmospheric instrumentals, with some 
of the most affecting melodies I've heard recently.
	The tempo is pretty slow throughout, but the volume is apt to 
change in a heartbeat, sending layers of angry guitar over the listener 
where previously there was calm. Driven by a clean, minimalist rhythm 
section and augmented on this release by the keyboards of ex-Teenage 
Fanclubber Brendan O'Hare, Mogwai make music for dark nights and violent 
storms. The ten tracks here are not traditional four minute rock 
songs. Stretching anywhere from two to 15 minutes, they move from 
driving riffs to ambient breaks, fractured pieces of melody weaving in 
and out of the piece.
	Snatches of sound and style on _Young Team_ occasionally remind 
you of someone else - Joy Division here and there, a touch of 
_Disintegration_ -era Cure on "Yes I Am A Long Way From Home", but the 
whole is entirely original - dense, layered melodies and moods - 
particularly on the standout "Summer (Priority Version)" and the 
drifting, swirling 15 minute finale "Mogwai Fear Satan". An excellent 
debut - the soundtrack to a film no one's written yet. Highly recommended.
---
	REVIEW: Various Artists, _Retro Lunchbox: Squeeze the 
		Cheeze_ / _The Hit List_ (Intersound)
		- Joann D. Ball
	Multi-artist compilations make perfect gifts and excellent 
party soundtracks.  This holiday season, check out _Retro Lunchbox: 
Squeeze the Cheeze_ and _The Hit List_ from the Atlanta-based 
record label, Intersound.
	Fans of more accessible 80s New Wave pop music will enjoy 
_Retro Lunchbox: Squeeze the Cheeze_.  This collection includes 
some well-known Top 40 and MTV hits, some of them cheezier than 
others, and a few other treats.  The _Retro Lunchbox_ opens with 
Wang Chung's "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" and is followed by the 
Escape Club's "Wild, Wild West."  Not only is the fun and humor 
of this 15 song collection evident in the song titles of the 
selections, but it also guides the track placement.  Why else 
would The Waitresses' cheeky "I Know What Boys Like" come just 
before Berlin's "Sex (I'm A ...)?  The real pleasures here, 
though, are Haircut 100's "Love Plus One," Soho's "Hippychick" 
and Scritti Politti's "Perfect Way."  When compared to "Our House" 
by Madness and "I Ran (So Far Away) by A Flock of Seagulls, these 
three tracks are less likely to be heard on your local alternative 
radio station's flasback program.
	If commercial rap and hip-hop is your flavor, then check 
out _The Hit List_.  This twleve-song collection is Intersound's 
first rap effort, and it features a range of styles and grooves.  
Topping off the list is the jazz-sampled stylings of "Ya'll Ain't 
Ready Yet" by Mystical, and it rolls right into Shaggy's smash 
hit "Bombastic."  2Pac's 1993 collaboration with MC Breed, "Gotta 
Get Mine," is probably the roughest and rawest of the tracks here.
It is certainly a contrast to the slick 70s soul-inspired "I 
Wish" by Skee-Lo, and the light and breezy "Summertime" by D.J. 
Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince.  The absolutely hillarious "I Got 
a Man" by Positive K turns up here, too,. and MC Breed's "Ain't 
No Future in Yo Frontin" closes out the line-up.
	_Retro Lunchbox: Squeeze the Cheeze_ and _The Hit List_ 
are both fun,	upbeat collections.  Because they are not intended 
as an historical overviews of the respective music formats, they 
don't include obscure or underground songs.  Rather, the cds are 
perfect for friends who enjoy laughing about their teenage years 
and for that retro or hip-hop happenin' New Year's Eve party.

	TRACK LISTING _Retro Lunchbox: Squeeze the Cheeze_ -
Everybody Have Fun Tonight [Wang Chung], Wild, Wild 
West [The Escape Club], I Wanna Be A Cowboy [Boys Don't Cry], I 
Know What Boys Like [The Waitresses], Sex (I'm A ...) [Berlin], 
Love Plus One [Haircut 100], Our House [Madness], Hippychick 
[Soho], Perfect Way [Scritti Politti], Whirly Girl [OXO], Pass 
The Dutchie [Musical Youth], I Ran (So Far Away) [A Flock of 
Seagulls], One Night In Bangkok [Murray Head], Saved By Zero 
[The Fixx], Dancing In Heaven (Orbital Be-Bop) [Q-Feel].
	TRACK LISTING _The Hit List_ - Ya'll Ain't 
Ready Yet [Mystikal], Boombastic [Shaggy], Neva Go Back [Special 
Ed], Gotta Get Mine [MC Breed & 2Pac], Tonite [DJ Quck], I Wish 
[Skee-lo], People Everyday [Arrested Development], Down With the 
King [Run D.M.C.], Summertime [D.J. Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh 
Prince], Back to the Hotel [N2Deep], I Got A Man [Positive K], 
Ain't No Future in Yo Frontin [MC Breed].
---
	REVIEW: The Gain, _Ready Steady Smash_ (Mighty)
		- Bill Holmes
	Somebody set the clocks back twenty years at a lot of 
the record companies. Plenty of ska-pop-punk-wave releases coming 
out of the woodwork could easily be mistaken for their forefathers, 
albeit with better production. Some pay tribute, some add a new 
twist, and some....well, some just aren't as good. Where twenty 
years ago there certainly were enough bands with limited musical 
and/or vocal abilities, it was also a revolution of sorts - a 
backlash to complacency in music that literally erupted. Now, 
twenty years too late, record companies are tossing the wide net 
once again in search of that "new/old sound".
	Steve Pilace writes all the two and three minute songs 
here (thirteen songs clock in at just over thirty six minutes). 
Musically there's a lot of adrenaline here, and the songs have 
more of a harmonic sense that fellow bangers Offspring, for 
example, but I don't know how to say this any other way than the 
blunt truth - Pilace is incapable of singing on key. I know a lot 
of people who are not technically great vocalists (Ron Wood, Bob 
Dylan, John Lydon/Rotten) who make up for any shortcomings through 
pure emotion. These vocals have nothing to offer - vapid, claws 
on the blackboard screeches - but if you read the lyrics you'll 
know that you're not missing anything. Not that moshers could 
care about such things anyway.
	It's too bad, too. His guitar playing is rapid-fire 
Ramones riffing, and the rhythm section of Corky Pigeon and 
Joey Travers is solid. In better hands I'd enjoy hearing "Song 
For Saturday" (Corky sings this one, and he's off-key too!) or 
the title track. I wish there were some way to strip the vocals 
right off the record and play it as an instrumental disc. Like 
The Ventures on crack.
	If you're looking for a soundtrack for a skateboarding 
movie, you've got the perfect sonic assault with no lyrical 
content to get in the way. They bang, they bash, hell, they 
even yell "Oi!" at the top of their lungs. But even their best 
songs, like "Month Of Mondays" and "So Low" are just Green Day 
without the charm and without the wit. If you're looking for punky 
pop and rock music worth your dollars, there are far better places 
to drop your wallet.
---
CONTEST WINNERS: > Congratulations to Ryan Dunn, Brad 
Friess, Barbara Pashkoff, Ben Wern and Molly Wilson.  
Each person will win one copy of the Doors Box Set. 
Thanks to Elektra Records and C Notes Interactive for 
their sponsorship of the contest.
---
NEWS:	> Members of the Black Crowes fan club have recently been 
sent holiday cassettes from the band.  It includes the Crowes' cover 
of the Beatles "Do You Want To Know A Secret" as well as holiday 
greetings in English, Spanish, French, German and Ukranian.
	> From Good Homes has recently issued a four song EP, 
_Live At Waterloo_, which was taped near the band's home in 
Stanhope, New Jersey.  Further information on the release can be
obtained at http://members.aol.com/raind727/main/fghindex.htm  
The band's forthcoming self-titled album will be released in 
spring 1998.
	> Motley Crue may have been one the ones featured on the 
news, but the real source of Tommy Lee and Nikki Sixx's arrest 
at the Crue's December 10 concert in Phoenix was opening act 
(hed) p.e.  Apparently, Lee invited the band to join him onstage 
at the end of the Crue's concert.  Guitarist Chizad was the first 
one onstage, and a security guard mistook him for a fan - and 
tried to restrain Chizad.  Other members of (hed) p.e. joined in 
to help out their bandmate, and Lee and Sixx joined in the scuffle, 
which culminated with Lee kicking the security guard in the back and
subsequent arrest.
	> Local H's Scott Lucas is now also playing guitar on the 
road with Triple Fast Action.
	> Modified, one of the leaders in the 'create your own 
sounds' field, have recently released _Chillas Net Sounds Vol. 1_.
The CD-Rom for this product, with over 600 samples in 600 MB of 
sounds and video, offers up the ultimate combination of 
user-mixable drum 'n' bass, techno, ambient, hip hop and
jungle music.  This disc will immediately capture the interest 
of any club fan because of the ability to mix, match and save 
countless audio and video combinations to create any type 
of club atmosphere without leaving your house - or computer.
	The disc is available in the UK at major software 
and music retailers, or interested international home DJs 
can check out the company's website at 
http://www.modified.demon.co.uk
	> Never one to shy away from controversy, the latest 
Prodigy single is "Smack My Bitch Up".  The song, which is 
primarily an instrumental which samples from the Ultramagnetic
MCs, has drawn the wrath of various women's groups in the 
United States.  In addition to this, a video filled with 
topless dancers and violence - with an interesting twist late 
in the video - has been banned from many music programs.
The maxi-single includes two versions of the title track, 
a dub remix of "Mindfields", and a re-working of _Spawn_'s 
"One Man Army", here retitled "No Man Army".
	> The holiday season has presented video treats for
fans of two of alterna-rocks louder acts.  Rage Against the 
Machine's self-titled home video comprises 70 minutes of live
performances from 1996's Reading Festival in England and
several other concert locations, uncensored versions of 
several Rage videos (including a previously unreleased 
spoken-word performance of "Memory of the Dead"), and 
a cover of the Bruce Springsteen song, "The Ghost of Tom Joad".
In addition, a bonus single of "The Ghost Of Tom Joad" 
is included in the package.
	Trent Reznor's Nine Inch Nails has released a long 
awaited double video set.  _Closure_ captures the raw and 
unabated furor which transcends Nine Inch Nails' music.
The first part of this collection consists of live 
versions of eleven of Reznor's songs, while the second 
half of this set includes (for the first time) the complete 
collection of 13 uncut NIN music videos, fused together 
by Coil member Peter Christopherson. 
---
TOUR DATES (Please confirm with site before travelling):
	Barenaked Ladies / Devlins
Dec. 27 Rochester, NY War Memorial
Dec. 28 Cincinnati, OH Taft Theatre
Dec. 29 Chicago, IL Riviera
Dec. 30 Cleveland, OH CSU Center
Dec. 31 Detroit, MI Palace

	Brain Surgeons
Dec. 26 Ithaca, NY Haunt

	Juliana Hatfield / Triple Fast Action
Dec. 16 Pittsburgh, PA Rosebud
Dec. 17 Baltimore, MD Fletcher's 
Dec. 18 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero 
Dec. 19 Washington, DC 9:30 Club 
Dec. 20 New York, NY CBGB 

	Hed P.E.
Dec. 17 Seattle, WA Subzero
Dec. 19 Fremont, CA Club Kaos
Dec. 20 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill (with Incubus)

	Moxy Fruvous
Dec. 31 New York, NY Bottom Line Cabaret Theatre

	Oneida / Be/Non
Dec. 17 Atlanta The Point
Dec. 21 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop

	Oral Groove
Dec. 19 New York, NY Sidewalk Cafe

	Pave The Rocket
Dec. 18 Kansas City, MO Hurricane w/Rocket Fuel is The Key
Dec. 19 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry w/ Lifter-Puller, Freedm Fghtr
Dec. 27 Springfield, IL Atrium w/ N.I.L.8., Fragile Porcelin Mice

	Phish
Dec. 28 Landover, MD USAir Arena
Dec. 29-31 New York , NY Madison Square Garden Arena

	Jane Siberry
Dec. 17 Ontario, CA Trinity Church
Dec. 19 Cincinnati, OH Emery Theater
---
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