==== ISSUE 61 ==== CONSUMABLE ======== [November 20, 1995] Editor: Bob Gajarsky Internet: gajarsky@pilot.njin.net Sr. Correspondents: Jeremy Ashcroft, Martin Bate, Al Crawford, Dan Enright, Reto Koradi, David Landgren, Tim Mohr, Jamie Roberts, Joe Silva, John Walker Correspondents: Dan Birchall, Lee Graham Bridges, Scott Byron, Jason Cahill, Eric Hsu, Tim Hulsizer, Daniel Kane, Mario Lia, Sean Eric McGill, P. Nina Ramos, Linda Scott, Ali Sinclair, Jon Steltenpohl, Courtney Muir Wallner, Britain Woodman Technical Staff: Chris Candreva, Dave Pirmann, Damir Tiljak, Jason Williams Address all comments, subscriptions, etc. to gajarsky@pilot.njin.net ================================================================== All articles in Consumable remain (C) copyright their author(s). Permission for re-publication in any form other than within this document must be obtained from the editor. ================================================================== .------------. | Contents | `------------' INTERVIEW: Skunk Anansie - Tim Mohr COMPILATION REVIEWS: Various Artists, _Help!_; Toad The Wet Sprocket, _In Light Syrup_; Various Artists, _Hit That Perfect Beat Vol. 2_ Def Leppard, _Vault_ - Bob Gajarsky Various Artists, _A Testimonial Dinner, The Songs of XTC_ - Joe Silva Various Artists, _Hempilation_ - Jamie Roberts Various Artists, _Macro Dub Infection Volume One_ - Britain Woodman REVIEW: Ian Moore, _Modernday Folklore_ - Ali Sinclair REVIEW: Dread Zeppelin, _No Quarter Pounder_ - Jon Steltenpohl REVIEW: Vince Neil, _Carved In Stone_ - Linda Scott REVIEW: Anita Lane, _Dirty Pearl_ - Reto Koradi REVIEW: Catchers, _Mute_ - Britain Woodman REIVEW: Th' Faith Healers, _L'_ - Tim Mohr REVIEW: Heavy Stereo, _Sleep Freak_ -Tim Mohr TOUR DATES: Anthrax, Joan Armatrading, Ben Arnold, Barkmarket, Better Than Ezra/Dambuilders, Boiled In Lead, Cornershop, Cravin' Melon, Electrafixion/Echobelly, For Love Not Lisa, Green Magnet, Freedy Johnston Knapsack, Huey Lewis & The News, Natalie Merchant, Nature, No Doubt, Phish, Plastic Mikey, Mike Portnoy (from Dream Theatre) Rembrandts Acoustic Radio Performances, Ruth Ruth/Everclear, 7 Mary 3 Silverchair, Sky Cries Mary, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Stanford Prison Experiment, Urge Overkill, Wool THE READERS WRITE BACK! Back Issues of Consumable --- INTERVIEW: Skunk Anansie - Tim Mohr Skunk Anansie have recently released their debut album, _Paranoid and Sunburnt_, and grabbed the support slot for Therapy?'s European tour. Consumable talked to the entire band before their Berlin gig. The band is composed of a rag-tag bunch of musicians, all drawn from different backgrounds. The four members assign to themselves, variously, affiliation with punk (guitar player Ace), funk (bassist Cass), and rock (drummer Mark). Vocalist Skin holds the mixture together with a big voice reminiscent of the bombastic female vocal chords lodged in Nina Hagen. Their hard but seamless album was produced by Sylvia Massey (Tool, Prince) and mixed by Andy Wallace (Nirvana, Faith No More). Just what distinguishes Skunk Anansie from other heavy rock bands is difficult to pin down, yet the difference is there. Skin tries to explain: "We're made up of people who are into rock music, and all different types of music in London. In London everything is very kind of intermingled and integrated and multi-cultural in alot of ways. And we're a good example of that - which makes us different. We're all completely different and look completely different, and there's no pressure to be anything else." It is no little irony that Skunk Anansie are now playing to audiences as big or bigger than any of the much-hailed British stars like Oasis and Blur, for the band sounds as if they are from another planet: an alternative London in a galaxy where Jane's Addiction is revered above any Britpop act, past or present. Their disregard of current trends makes them sort of anathema in Britain: "In London," Skin says, "we're very unfashionable because we're rock." Dread-locked bass player Cass points out, "We're not anything to do with the whole Britpop scene. We've got our own little area that we've created, which is just the Skunk, stinky, rank scene, really..." Skin expands: "I think in England bands seem to place too much importance in the press. A lot of bands, a lot of scenes, seem to be press- lead, which we're not into at all. We don't care if we're fashionable or not. We're not interested in being a factional part of a scene or whatever; we're just interested in being very individual in ourselves but then joining together in a band." "We're trying to create the scene as opposed to following a scene," says Cass. In a way, the oddity of their progress can be explained by the ever- growing ranks of fans who follow various hybridizations of metal and funk. And the fact that Skunk Anansie are not comparable to any other current British band turns their glaring incongruity into a glimmering beacon that cannot be mistaken - such uniqueness is difficult to conceal even when seemingly engulfed by a huge, dominant scene like the pop renaissance in Britain. Skin: "We've not been hyped up because we get alot of bad press along with the good. There's lots of people who hate us as well as people who worship us. We'd only start having problems if we started worrying what the press think." Furthermore, the fight to get attention in a musically hostile world gives them a motivation that others lack. "The drive comes from wanting to do something that was ourselves," says Skin, "and that we could be really happy for and not have twinges or be uneasy about. We don't have any of that in Skunk Anansie. It's just the four of us going for exactly the same goal with four like minds..." Cass interrupts to add, "...with completely individual flavors." The band has certainly gained fans in important places, as heavy rotation on radio and a collaboration with Bjork testifies. Cass says working with Bjork came about rather serendipitously: "We're labelmates with Bjork - signed to the same independent label in England - and one of the people at the label played her our album. She was just about to release the "Army of Me" single and she stumbled upon the idea of getting us to do a rock version of the song. It was recorded and mixed in something like seven hours. When she heard it she asked us to do 'Top of the Pops' [British TV show] with her, which we all mashed up." The music that Skunk Anansie spews forth is raucous but disciplined, very hard but smoothed by that funk element. Ace laughingly tries to describe it as "kind of groove rock, punk/funk, agit-pop..." Skunk Anansie are unlikely to be easily categorized, even alongside other funk-metal bands. For one thing, Skin does not rap; instead singing her charged lyrics with a power and range that escapes the rapped or ranted outpourings of Urban Dance Squad, Body Count, or Rage Against the Machine. Like Rage, Skunk Anansie is perceived as a politically-oriented band. Skin takes issue with this tag, however, and says, "We're not a political band, really: we're a band with politics in it. The way that we see our lives is political because you can't escape politics. You can't just ignore certain situations. "It's not like 'Oh, what topic should we write about now.' It's mainly what we saw and it happens to be that topic. It's not an intentional thing." This seems a fair assessment, as the record is deeply personal and only with hindsight can the lyrics be thought of as political. For Skunk Anansie the outsider position has paid off. Formed in early 94, it took but a year for them to get airplay, a b-side on Bjork's single, and a support slot on a huge tour. The worry must be that, once established, the band will lose that outsider edge and stagnate. Skin sees that possibility as remote: "We're always looking to the future. We are a modern band - not a retro band. If the scene comes to us we'll run off somewhere else." Cass adds playfully, but with latent seriousness, "We'll run off somewhere else and see if they can find us again." --- COMPILATION REVIEWS: - Bob Gajarsky With the holidays rolling around, compilations - both greatest hits and albums built on a single concept - can often be great gifts. Here's a look at a few of some which might be of interest to Consumable readers: REVIEW: Various Artists, _Help!_ (Go! Discs / London) In the spirit of charity releases such as U.S.A. for Africa and Band-Aid comes the latest effort. This one, which features the latest and greatest of today's top British artists, is titled _Help!_ and targets the relief fund for Bosnian children. Recorded within a 24 hour period (and in-stores five days later) in the United Kingdom, this twenty track compilation includes seven cover songs. But on such a tight schedule, what else can be expected? Oasis re-records "Fade Away" and puts a distinctive spin on this track which originally appeared as a B-side on their "Cigarettes and Alcohol" single. The Manic Street Preachers (without Richey) have continued on as a trio, and contribute this cover of the Burt Bacharach/Hal Davies hit, "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" - which comes as much of a surprise as their former UK #1 cover, the theme from M.A.S.H., "Suicide Is Painless". These two acts are just a sampling - Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty, now known as The One World Orchestra (and formerly KLF, the Jams, Disco 2000, Timelords, etc.) contribute an irreverent and, in their unique style, warped "The Magnificent" - I won't reveal too much, but shocking is probably an apropos word. Paul McCartney returns to help out with Oasis' Noel Gallagher and Paul Weller to cover his Beatles' "Come Together". And so it goes. Despite being recorded in one day, _Help!_ manages to encompass everything that is happening with the current British pop scene while simultaneously tipping the hat to some pop songs of days gone by. It won't make a significant dent on the charts here in the states, but any alternative fan should love this album. TRACK LISTING: Oasis & Friends (Incl. Johnny Depp) - Fade Away; Boo Radleys - Oh Brother; Stone Roses - Love Spreads; Radiohead - Lucky; Orbital - Andan; Portishead - Mourning Air; Massive Attack - Fake The Aroma; Suede - Shipbuilding; Charlatans + Chemical Brothers - Time For Living; Stereo MC's - Sweetest Truth; Sinead O'Connor - Ode To Billy Joe; Levellers - Search Lights; Manic Street Preachers - Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head; Terrorvision - Tom Petty Loves Veruca Salt; The One World Orchestra - The Magnificent; Planet 4 Folk Quartet - Message to Crommie; Terry Hall & Salad - Dream A Little Dream; Neneh Cherry & Trout - 1,2,3,4,5; Seymour AKA Blur - Eine Kleine Lift Musik; Paul Weller+Noel Gallagher+Paul McCartney - Come Together REVIEW: Toad the Wet Sprocket, _In Light Syrup_ (Columbia) Toad the Wet Sprocket has built its audience by faithfully touring over the years and giving their fans a sense of intimate appreciation. Some felt the bands had strayed too far from their roots on the recent tour, by omitting nearly all songs (save 1 or 2) before their breakthrough album _Fear_. It's payback for those fans now in the form of _In Light Syrup_. This album, which consists of B-sides, soundtrack extras, mailing list singles and previously unreleased tracks, represents a cleaning out of the closet for Toad. However, despite these originally being throwaway tracks, they sound stronger than other bands completed works. The first single (!), "Good Intentions", was originally an outtake from the _Fear_ sessions. Some may have heard it from the _Friends_ soundtrack, and it may garner airplay today, but it isn't the kind of track likely to generate new interest in Toad. A big Toad fan (like myself) will wind up playing it again...and again...and again. As some of Toad's most recent work ("Fly From Heaven", "I Will Not Take These Things For Granted"), its lilting sound and pleasant vocals are much in the genre of what Toad fans expect. And, the lyrics aren't as dark as those which appeared on _Bread and Circus_. There's a real easy test to see if you should purchase this album: do you own any other Toad discs, and listen to them? If the answer is "Yes", then _In Light Syrup_ will be a welcome way to close the door on Toad's past, until they come out with their next album. TRACK LISTING: Brother, Little Heaven, Good Intentions, Hobbit on the Rocks, Are We Afraid, So Alive, All In All, All Right, Janitor, Chicken, Hope, All She Said REVIEW: Various Artists, _Hit That Perfect Beat Vol. 2_ (Oglio) Oglio Records, whose stated goal is to "provide New Wave fans with quality compact disc recordings of our favorite music", has scored another hit with their most recent compilation, _Hit That Perfect Beat Vol. 2. By far the highlight of this 9 song collection is the Pet Shop Boys "West End Girls", in its original Bobcat version. Before the Boys ever signed to EMI, they had a brief run on Bobcat Records - a CBS affiliate - where "West End Girls" and "One More Chance" were issued and subsequently flopped when the dance floors weren't ready for them. This original version is highly desirable today and is worth the cost of the disc for this one track alone. Men Without Hats' "Safety Dance" is a perfect example of "How not to remix a single, 1980's style". With many pop singles that were reissued for 12" mixes, the song was simply extended - with no true remix being involved, but an elongation of the original track. Its inclusion here could very well have been in the "single" version, but it would have been out of whack with the concept behind this extended album. Most of the remixes - the two Oingo Boingo related releases ("Gratitude", "Weird Science") and others - come in the standard form as in their original appearance on DJ's vinyl. However, the 7 minute Performance Mix of Dead or Alive's "You Spin Me 'Round" is a bit different from the original 10 minute remix - check it out! And, Bronski Beat has never received the proper credit in this country, outside of majorettes and color guard performers in high schools. Maybe the title song of this compilation - "Hit That Perfect Beat" - will get revitalized interest in the clubs this time around. After all, it happened with "Smalltown Boy" in the past year... If not available at your local record shop, this CD can be purchased direct from Oglio at 1-800-COOL-CDS. TRACK LISTING: Men Without Hats - Safety Dance (Extended Club Mix); Danny Elfman - Gratitude (Extended Dance Version); Adam Ant - Room At The Top (Extended Mix); Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls (Original Bobcat Version); Belle Stars - World Domination (Extended Version); Dead Or Alive - You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) (Performance Mix); Oingo Boingo - Weird Science (Extended Dance Version); The Fixx - One Thing Leads To Another (Special Remix Version); Bronski Beat - Hit That Perfect Beat (12" Remix) REVIEW: Def Leppard, _Vault_ (Mercury) Back in 1983, Def Leppard was contending with Michael Jackson's _Thriller_ and Men At Work for the top of the pop charts. While Colin Hay's band from Down Under crashed and burned, and Michael Jackson's hair did the same, the boys from Sheffield, England have managed to stay successful without any face lifts. _Vault_ is the conclusion of the band's first stage. Although listed as "1980-1995", this is a misnomer; the band's output is only listed from 1983, as earlier works are excluded here. Even the version of "Bringin' on the Heartbreak" was a remix (coupled with "Me and My Wine", not included on _Vault_) done to capitalize on the mass success of _Pyromania_, in 1984. No unreleased tracks (or B-sides which didn't appear on 1993's _Retroactive_) are included here, which is a shame - the group has plenty to choose from. Rather, 14 of their 18 American hits - plus the new "When Love & Hate Collide" - highlight the most successful British hard rock band of the last 15 years. Even today, tracks like "Foolin'" and "Photograph" retain their power and pizazz; it's hard to overestimate how different they were from the synth-pop of the second British invasion of the early 80's. The band served as the impetus for radio to play the round of posers long-since departed (such as Poison) - and yet Def Leppard wouldn't succumb to the glam look. Later upbeat songs, such as "Let's Get Rocked", could have been performed by anyone - but just when you'd think that there's a pop sellout involved comes the tough "Rock of Ages", the absolutely beautiful acoustic "Miss You In A Heartbeat" and their first song which generated any airplay here in the States, "Bringin' On The Heartbreak". Joe Elliott has never had a good voice - but it's perfect for Def Leppard. And _Vault_ is perfect for that hard rock fan who hasn't pulled out _Pyromania_ in 10 years...show them what they're missing. Die hard Leppard fans may want to get the limited edition European version of this compilation, which also contains an extra live CD. TRACK LISTING: Pour Some Sugar On Me, Photograph, Love Bites, Let's Get Rocked, Two Steps Behind, Animal, Foolin', Rocket, When Love & Hate Collide, Armageddon It, Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad, Rock of Ages, Hysteria, Miss You In A Heartbeat, Bringin' On The Heartbreak --- REVIEW: Various Artists, _A Testimonial Dinner, The Songs of XTC_ (ThirstyEar) - Joe Silva Into the apparently everwidening gap betwixt proper XTC discs falls this on the nose tribute to pop music's most reticent geniuses. From the start, XTC have nosed about the periphery of whatever pigeonhole they were being thrust in (punk, new wave, power pop) coming dangerously close to wide scale recognition only after their "Dear God" b-side caught aflame and was quickly repackaged as an album track. Prior to and since, the band remains afloat by a clutch of rabid fans worldwide and the periodic brilliant or near brilliant LP release. Wholly addicted to the record making process, XTC headmaster Andy Partridge labours fanatically on their output and the bands superlatively collected up by exec producer/musician David Yazbek are generally known for adding the same care to their own work. And even while Patridge (along with stellar bass-man Colin Moulding and supremo guitartist/arranger Dave Gregory) have not been seen under the klieglights of the touring realm for more than a decade, popsters new and old hold their work dear. Sprouting from a trans-Atlantic chinwag with Andy himself (their association stemming from Patridge's appearance on Yazbek's spiffy solo LP, _The Laughing Man_), Yazbek had a sea of options to wade through while piecing together the project. Yazbek asserts that through a balanced combo of "finessing, cajoling, and begging" artists from XTC's new wave peer group all the way to fresh young pop articles like exile UK pop-glamsters Spacehog were solicited. The results of that spirited process are warranting of serious praise. Yazbek, who could have taken the more likely routes, sought out left field contibutors to interpret the XTC canon. From klezmer onwards, not many musical options were left unexcavated. Panamanian salsa lord Ruben Blades does a grooving Latin shuffle over "The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul," while singer/songwriter takes a does a well-honed, straight foward reading of "Earn Enough For Us." Equally exciting is They Might Be Giants revamp of "25 O'Clock" originally done by XTC alter-ego project The Dukes of the Stratosphere. Also chiming in are well-known XTC enthusiasts Crash Test Dummies. While they didn't do any favours for the XTC royalty fund with their limp/awkward version of "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead" for the _Dumb and Dumber_ soundtrack, they more than redeem themselves here with their offering of "All You Pretty Girls." And while no one's talking in great detail about their origins, the mysterious inclusion of a reworked b-side ("The Good Things") by unknowns Terry and the Lovemen has longtime fans wondering. "All I can say is they are the smelliest group of Englishmen I've ever met." says Yazbek, who produced their contribution. "They sweated profusely [during the session] in their jeans, sweaters and waistcoats." But the highest praise comes from the king hermit himself, who caught off guard by the press, said he was "pretty pleased" by the gesture and had to admit that the Sarah McLachlan rendering of "Dear God" eclipsed their own. Until those in wait are fed more from the XTC font, this collection (done up with a splendid cover art by Mark Droesher) will serve it's bit by reminding the faithful that the band's extended pauses are generally rewarding in the end. To the unexperienced it points to a back catalogue that's well worth mining, even if radio can't slow the flow of grunge long enough to take note itself. --- REVIEW: Various Artists, _Hempilation_ (Capricorn) - Jamie Roberts Regardless of your feelings about marijuana (and the legal ramifications of its use) you might want to check out theis NORML-sponsored compilation paying musical homage to the 'herb'. Produced by the music editor of High Times Magazine, and featuring music by The Black Crowes, Blues Traveller, Cypress Hill, Hater, Drivin' N' Cryin', and Ziggy Marley, _Hempilation_ covers at least a few marijuana-themed songs worth your precious listening time. Though the subject matter is consistent throughout the album, the quality of the music is not. Many tracks here seem like simple Grateful Dead show fodder (see Blues Traveller, Widespread Panic and 311 tracks). "Rainy Day Women" from The Crowes, and "Don't Step On the Grass, Sam" from Gov't Mule rock fairly steadily, as opposed to David Peel's "I Like Marijuana" which is just plain stupid (and "Smokin Cheeba Cheeba" from High Fidelity, which runs a close second in that category). Cypress Hill's "I Wanna Get High" is your regular Cypress Hill-fare (what with the profanity, and the nasal-voiced extolling of the virtues of a joint), and won't disappoint the trio's fans. The same can be said of Ziggy Marley's contribution, "In The Flow". Drivin' N' Cryin' brought forth the most pleasant surprise to close out the album. Their contribution of "Too Rolling Stoned" sports the most intricate work on any of the songs on the CD. Their blues guitar conjures the mind-numbing feeling of getting stoned, and puts the whole CD into better perspective. On balance, the CD is a curiosity worth adding to your collection. The good songs are good enough to keep the rest of the CD afloat, and the bad songs...that's why they put a 'skip' button on your CD player. --- REVIEW: Various Artists, _Macro Dub Infection Volume One_ (Caroline) - Britain Woodman Dub is receiving more attention than ever: British collective On-U Sound is celebrating its fifteenth year in the recording industry, the October '95 "Tower Records Pulse!" magazine has a special feature on US dub artists, and the Beastie Boys devoted 25 pages of the latest issue of their _Grand Royal_ fanzine to discography, essays, photos, and the burnt-out ramblings of dub pioneer Lee "Scratch" Perry. Now we have _Macro Dub Infection,_ a two-disc collection of today's dub incarnations. The dance music genre known as dub grew out of experiments at Jamaican dance parties in the mid-sixties, as the predecessors of todays DJs and MCs put new beats on, and sometimes rapped over, the basslines of popular reggae records. From these beginnings grew the tripped-out ambient, jungle, hip-hop, and techno flavors of dub that are making it onto dancefloors and into record stores all over the world. (The liner notes of this CD do a fine job of outlining the history of dub, quoting everyone from John Zorn to Perry to William S. Burroughs.) An interesting array of originals and remixes are represented on this set -- from On-U's Adrian Sherwood (dba Two Badcard) to Laika, a swirly-guitar indie-rock band, to the prodigious and ubiquitous Bill Laswell (represented twice: solo as Automaton, and as bassist for The Golden Palominos). My personal favorites included the trip-hoppish mix of Coil's "The Hills Are Alive" and Bedouin Ascent's "Broadway Boogie Woogie" on disc one; Bandulu, 4-Hero, and The Mad Professor also contribute winning efforts to side two. Also, most of these tracks are either instrumental or mainly consist of vocal samples (the two exceptions are tracks by the Palominos and Tricky, which feature the vocals of Lori Carson and Martina, respectively). Dub, by nature, tends to be slow -- even the techno and jungle- influenced tracks have a bassline you can slow-skank to. Also, much of the music on this collection has a distinct ambient lean. So _Dance Mix USA vol. XXIII_ this ain't, but, for the most part, the beats are kickin'. If you've been grooving on Portishead and Massive Attack lately and thought those bands would sound better without the singers, this collection will definitely make your quiet, yet bass-heavy, evening at home. --- REVIEW: Ian Moore, _Modernday Folklore_ (Capricorn) - Ali Sinclair From someone with a resume with all the right names--including opening for the Rolling Stones and ZZ Top--and reviews such as "a blazing new guitar hero" and "first-rate singer and songwriter", somehow I expected more from Ian Moore's _Modernday Folklore_. While the music is very competent, lyrical Texan-rock'n'folk, I feel that there's a driving force missing--as if the band never gets into top gear. I suspect that my first experience of Ian Moore should have been on stage, and not on a plastic CD. Sounding a lot like Chris Whitley at times, both vocally and guitar-wise, and with rhythms reminiscent of the Jeff Healey Band (particularly "Bar Line"), _Modernday Folklore_ is like a toned-down version of a roadhouse R&B band playing folk. Almost. The first song - and single - "Muddy Jesus", is energetic, exciting and everything I hoped it would be. In my opinion, it is by far the best cut on the CD. --- REVIEW: Dread Zeppelin, _No Quarter Pounder_ (Birdcage Records) - Jon Steltenpohl Although it's hard to believe, Dread Zeppelin is back and bigger than ever. In fact, the boys who brought you "Zeppelin-inna-reggae-style" never really went away. Oh sure, Tortelvis left the band for a bit, and they appeared to drop out of sight and into a disco inferno. But, just like that mysterious, sideburned man buying Ho-ho's at the supermarket, Dread Zeppelin has re-appeared to prove that they're still alive and sweating even if they aren't in the spotlight anymore. They even snuck down to Jamaica to record in Bob Marley's Tuff Gong Studios. _No Quarter Pounder_ is Dread Zeppelin's fifth domestic album and their second on the independent label, Birdcage Records. Luckily, they're rambling on the same roads that made _Un-Led-Ed_ such an instant classic. Leading the way is the rotund Tortelvis sporting his infamous snarled lip and sequined cape and jumpsuit ensemble. Backing up the King are Carl Jah, Rasta Li-mon, Ed Zeppelin, Jah Paul Jo, and Butt-boy along with Dread friends The Michael Jordanaires, Bun-E Slopes, and Jah Jah Gabor. As always, _No Quarter Pounder_ focuses on Led Zeppelin covers, and, although it may be sacrilege to say, "Ramble On" and "No Quarter" both blow away the Led Zeppelin originals. "No Quarter" is turned into a real power- house (as opposed to Led Zeppelin's psychedelic wanderings), and "Ramble On" features big horns, frilly back-up singers, and Tortelvis whipping his listeners into a drooling frenzy. When he sings, "Some times I feel so, so bloated baby, I know what I gotta do," you know the words are straight from his heart. When plain Led Zeppelin covers aren't enough, the boys have a few tricks up their sleeves. Elvis standards such as "Viva Las Vegas" and "American Trilogy" get the Dread Zep treatment as does the sacred merging of "Houses of the Holy" with the Commodore's disco-funk classic, "Brick House". There are even a few Dread Zeppelin originals on _No Quarter Pounder_. "The Last Resort" is the theme song from the National Lampoon movie of the same name that features Dread Zeppelin as themselves. Plus, there is Tortelvis' personal struggle with the marriage of Lisa Marie and Michael. First, he croons out tears in the fusion jazz-funk of "Li'l Baby Elvis Jackson", and later Tortelvis reveals his personal fears in the bewildered call to "1-800- PSYCHIC PAL" where the marriage causes him to dream that someone has stolen all his food and put him on a diet. Yes, _No Quarter Pounder_ is classic Dread Zeppelin. The initial humor of the Dread concept may have worn off a bit after 5 albums, but this is an excellent bunch of musicians who have made a great album. They keep a straight face through the whole thing and allow the inherent humor to simmer to the surface. (It takes about 5 listens to realize Tortelvis is pondering the merits of secret sauce and cheese condiments in "No Quarter".) The subtle humor is a blessing though because it allows for multiple spins of the disc without the jokes getting old. But hilarious or not, the ultimate redemption of Dread Zeppelin is that their covers are often better than the originals. There is an insane thrill in curling your lip and shaking those hips to the Led Zeppelin classics, and it's guaranteed you'll find yourself singing the Dread version of "How Many More Times" in the shower or on the way to work. To find _No Quarter Pounder_, just take a trip down to your local record store. If they don't have it, try e-mailing Li-Mon@cerf.net or send a SASE to Birdcage Records, P.O. Box 784, Sierra Madre, CA 91024-0784 - USA. --- REVIEW: Vince Neil, _Carved In Stone_ (Warner Brothers) - Linda Scott With _Carved in Stone_ Vince Neil continues to define his life after Motley Crue. The Crue lead singer was fired by the band in 1992 after ten years of multi-platinum success. Neil was replaced by John Corabi and Crue fans deserted in droves resulting in poor album sales and a tour canceled for low ticket sales. Motley Crue contends Neil was more interested in car racing than in the band and didn't show for rehearsals while Neil contends he was always there. While Crue slung mud, Neil was quiet until hitting his former band with a lawsuit settled out of court. After this professional disaster, his network of musician friends assisted him. He collaborated with Jack Blades and Tommy Shaw on "You're Invited (But Your Friend Can't Come)" which appeared on the _Encino Man_ soundtrack album just two months after his firing. Working on his solo debut album _Exposed_, Neil needed a band and Billy Idol suggested his former guitarist Steve Stevens. Stevens brought a strong, experienced underpinning to the new band which included: ex-Enuf Z-Nuff drummer Vik Foxx, bassist Robbie Crane and rhythm guitarist Dave Marshall of Fiona's backup band. Tracks in _Exposed_ were written by the band, Shaw and Blades. For its first tour the band opened for Van Halen and did two solo legs. _Exposed_ was a world wide platinum debut. Some portion of these sales were curiousity and sympathy but how much cannot be quantified. The album did receive several mediocre reviews. Nearly four years has passed since he left the Crue and with a debut album and tour behind him, Neil's _Carved In Stone_ will be standing or falling on its own merits. There have been rumors that the album would be hip-hop, rap, dance. Not true. _Carved In Stone_ is a hard rock album with some rock ballads. There have been two changes in the band. Highly regarded Steve Stevens has been replaced with ex-Wildside guitarist Brent Woods, and guitarist Marshall is gone replaced by Martin Frederickson. The band does not seem stronger for these changes. The focal point is Neil's voice and vocals are high in the mix. There are few interesting musical solos, just musical pauses until Neil sings again. The lyrics are simplistic and concern the usual stuff of relationships, doing what you want, etc. Shaw and Blades are absent from song credits; even "Skylar's Song", written about his 4 year old daughter's unsuccessful battle with cancer, is an insipid tune. The power of this theme in the hands of Clapton produced "Here In Heaven" while Neil seems to find this beyond his ability. Tracks "Breakin' In The Gun" and "The Crawl" are the first two on the album and two of the best.The album seems to slide slowly downhill. Neil's rock and roll life blew up in his face with the unexpected firing by Motley Crue. Now fronting his own band, Neil clearly needs a stronger band behind him. For some reason he hasn't done this and ridded himself of two good guitarists; perhaps after his Crue experience he is nervous about having a strong band. Motley Crue could use a stronger singer but they may have the same feelings of keeping the lead vocalist in a weak position. Unfortunately, a great rock and roll band, Motley Crue, has split and produced two average bands. Advice: _Carved In Stone_ was released this month and is available now along with the "Skylar's Song" single. Only pick these up in the bargain bin, where they are already appearing. --- REVIEW: Anita Lane, _Dirty Pearl_ (Mute) - Reto Koradi The names of collaborators in the liner notes give a good hint on what we can expect from this release: The Bad Seeds, The Birthday Party, Nick Cave himself, Einsturzende Neubauten. In addition to the 9 new tracks, the CD contains 4 songs that formed an EP titled "Dirty Sings", and one song recorded in '82. Mick Harvey from The Bad Seeds produced most of the tracks and co-wrote many songs with Anita Lane. Dirty (her alias) is Australian, but moved from Melbourne to Berlin more than a decade ago. As can be expected from the influences, this is music that glooms in the dark, slow and almost hypnotic. The lyrics paint pictures of dreams, love, sex, religion and death. Dirty's voice may be thin, but it's always erotic, whether she's singing at high pitch or in a whispering style. Highlight tracks are a cover of Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing", creating a completely different song and "Subterranean World" a fabulous duet with Blixa Bargeld, a sweet and sour love song. "The Fullness Of His Coming", a collaboration with The Birthday Party from '82 that hadn't been released so far, shows a harder edge. "The World's A Girl" was an obvious choice as a single, it's the most radio-friendly track on the album (the single also contains a cover of "Je t'aime - moi non plus", an English version in a duet with Nick Cave). Many of the other album tracks don't have a traditional verse/chorus song structure, the vocals just float along carried by keyboard sounds, atmospheric and addictive. Comparisons are really not appropriate for such original work, but if you absolutely need one, there's some similarity to the slower tracks of Siouxsie. This album will hardly create huge sales; it's "alternative" in the original, positive sense of the word. But Dirty has the potential to create a cult following, anybody looking for interesting adventures off the beaten tracks can find a real (Dirty) Pearl here. --- REVIEW: Catchers, _Mute_ (Setanta/Warner Discovery) - Britain Woodman Be careful of first impressions. Upon visual examination, you may not think much of _Mute_, the debut album by Catchers, an Irish folk-rock fourpiece fronted by a female. If this sounds familiar, you're probably thinking exactly what I thought when I received it. I feared it even more when I examined the booklet (a non-glossy, black-and-white affair with pretentious photographs of a naked man by a stream). I groaned all the way through the album opener, the slow, purposefully vague "Beauty No.3," although I enjoyed the harmonies between lyricist/singer Dale Grundle (who actually handles most of the singing) and the aforementioned, Alice Lemon, who actually doesn't have all that much in common with any of the O'voices that have become synonymous with Irish pop these days. A couple of tracks in, the music took a distict upbeat turn! Although the lyrics throughout the CD generally remain somewhat opaque, every song has a great hook. Grundle and Lemon's vocals, along with competent backing by Ger Fitzgerald (bass) and Peter Kelly (drums), make this overlooked album thoroughly enjoyable. Tiny type on the back reads "file under pop/rock," and I couldn't put it better myself. -- REIVEW: Th' Faith Healers, _L'_ (Too Pure/American) - Tim Mohr Th' Faith Healers have released a number of buzzing, stewing records (2 LPs and some EPs) of angular guitar music, and American releases _L'_ so that the public can hear their early singles again. The opening "Pop Song" reveals the band's basic qualities: distorted guitars, lo-fi production, and vocals rather similar to Kim Deal (Pixies, Breeders, Amps). In fact, Th' Faith Healers' records seem angrier, louder versions of the Breeders', though to call them derivitive would be completely unfair since Th' Faith Healers have been creating this music as long as the Breeders. Many of the other tracks offer something else, something that has always set Th' Faith Healers apart from the Breeders: a band stretching out and letting themselves get carried away for a few minutes, therapeutically wringing out their guitars. The result is a bitter potion, but one that can function for the audience as it does for the band - as a release, a casting off of frustration. _L'_, like all Faith Healers releases, identifies nothing beyond song titles. And it seems appropriate that the anger spit forth by the singer on a song like "slag" cannot be associated with a named person. The sentiment is then uncontained, free to spread and infect the listener. Th' Faith Healers (whose missing "e" was supposedly stolen by Thee Hypnotics in a cryptic joke) are at home on their English label, Too Pure. The experimental - at least, unusual - ideal that has surfaced in music from the label is faithfully adhered to by Th' Faith Healers: carrying on the boiling anger and explosive music of PJ Harvey and the post-Velvet Underground droning of early Stereolab, _L'_ is a difficult but worthwhile recording. American sometimes offers strange introductions to bands, and _L'_ stands alongside Medecine's _Sounds of Medecine_ as one of the most adventurous. Rather than toning down the band to get a foothold in the mainstream, American seems admirably content to let Th' Faith Healers reveal themselves in all their acidic splendor. --- REVIEW: Heavy Stereo, _Sleep Freak_ (Creation U.K.) -Tim Mohr Creation Records finally managed solid commercial success this past year with the enormous sales of Oasis and the Boo Radleys. The popularity of Oasis' neo-classic rock must have inspired the signing of Heavy Stereo, as the band hardly could be more different from the label's near-trademark sound that revolved around Ride, Slowdive, My Bloody Valentine, and earlier Boo Radleys. It would be difficult to find a band that sounds more like Slade than Heavy Stereo. For Americans unfamiliar with Slade, their patented sound can be heard on John Lennon's bombastic hit "Instant Karma." In the early 70s Slade concocted the vinyl equivalent to over-exposed photos, several of which were later covered in the U.S. (most notably "Cum on Feel the Noize" by Quiet Riot). Influences aside, the songs are nonetheless inescapable. "Sleep Freak" in particular lodges in your head and starts your hands clapping (another Slade production technique) along with the muddy 70s vibe. Heavy Stereo will put off anyone who detests classic rock, but may compensate for this by drawing fans who are otherwise annoyed by Britain's current popsters. --- TOUR DATES Anthrax Nov. 25 Boston, MA Avalon Nov. 28 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory Nov. 29 New York, NY Academy Joan Armatrading Nov. 24 Seattle, WA Moore Theatre Nov. 25 Portland, OR Roseland Ben Arnold Nov. 24 Albany, NY The Metro Nov. 29 Brookline, MA The Tam Nov. 30 Manayunk, PA Grape Street Pub Barkmarket Nov. 24 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill Nov. 25 Los Angeles, CA Jabberjaw Nov. 26 Tucson, AZ Club Congress Nov. 27 Albuquerque, NM Golden West Nov. 30 Dallas, TX Orbit Room Better Than Ezra (With Dambuilders) Nov. 24 Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Hall Nov. 25 Toledo, OH Asylum Nov. 27 Pittsburgh, PA Metropol Nov. 28 Buffalo, NY Network Nov. 29 Springfield, MA Western NE College Boiled In Lead Nov. 25 Rockford IL Times Theatre Nov. 30 Chicago, IL Abbey Pub Cornershop Nov. 25 Chicago, IL Double Door Nov. 26 Minneapolis, MN Uptown Bar Nov. 28 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill Nov. 29 Santa Monica, CA Alligator Lounge Cravin' Melon Nov. 25 Charlotte, NC World Mardi Gras Electrafixion/Echobelly Nov. 24 Providence, RI Club Babyhead Nov. 25 Boston, MA Axis Nov. 26 New Haven, CT Toad's Place Nov. 28 New York, NY Irving Plaza Nov. 29 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts Nov. 30 Washington, DC Black Cat For Love Not Lisa Nov. 24 Tempe, AZ Electric Ballroom Nov. 25 San Diego, CA SOMA Nov. 27 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill Green Magnet Nov. 24 Monroe, LA Loose Caboose Nov. 26 Atlanta, GA Midtown Music Hall Nov. 27 Chapel Hill, NC Lizard & Snake (tent) Nov. 28 Lexington, KY The Wrocklage Nov. 29 Richmond, VA Twisters Nov. 30 Washington, DC 9:30 club Dec. 1 New York, NY Brownies Freedy Johnston Nov. 24-25 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell's Knapsack Nov. 24 Baltimore, MD Memory Lane Nov. 26 New York, NY Under Acme Nov. 27 Boston, MA Middle Easy Nov. 28 Washington, DC 9:30 Club Nov. 29 Bryn Mawr, PA Villanova University Nov. 30 Cleveland, OH Grogg Shop Huey Lewis & The News Nov. 25 San Diego, CA San Diego Convention Center Natalie Merchant Nov. 25 Dallas, TX McFarland Auditorium Nov. 27 Austin, TX Music Hall Nov. 28 Houston, TX Jones Hall Nov. 30 Kansas City, KS Memorial Hall Nature Nov. 21 Wilkes-Barre, PA Mantis Green Nov. 24 Wilmington, NC Mad Monk Nov. 25 Atlanta, GA The Point No Doubt Nov. 24-26 West Hollywood, CA Troubadour (Free Show) Phish Nov. 24 Pittsburgh, PA Civic Arena Nov. 25 Hampton, VA Hampton Coliseum Nov. 28 Knoxville, TN Civic Coliseum Nov. 29 Nashville, TN Municipal Auditorium Nov. 30 Dayton, OH Mutter Center Plastic Mikey Nov. 24 Woodstock, IL Roasters Mike Portnoy (from Dream Theatre) Nov. 26 Garden Grove, CA Moody music (Free Show) Rembrandts Acoustic Radio Performances Nov. 24 Minneapolis, MN KDWB Nov. 29 Rochester, NY WPXY Ruth Ruth/Everclear Nov. 25 Cleveland Heights, OH Grog Shop Nov. 26 Cincinnati, OH Bogart's 7 Mary 3 Nov. 24 Louisville, KY Strange Door Johnnies Nov. 26 Cincinnati, OH Bogart's Nov. 28 Detroit, MI Shelter/St. Andrews Nov. 29 Cleveland Heights, OH Grog Shop Silverchair Nov. 25 San Diego, CA Soma Nov. 27 San Francisco, CA Fillmore Nov. 28 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom Nov. 30 Toronto, ON Warehouse Sky Cries Mary Nov. 25 Boise, ID Neurolux Nov. 26 Ketchum, ID Dynomite Lounge Squirrel Nut Zippers Nov. 24 Atlanta, GA Star Bar Nov. 30 Charleston, SC Cumberland's Stanford Prison Experiment Nov. 24 Tempe, AZ Electric Ballroom Nov. 28 San Francisco, CA Dna Lounge Nov. 29 Chico, CA La Salles Urge Overkill (dates subject to change) Dec. 1 Portland, OR La Luna Dec. 2 Vancouver BC Town Pump Dec. 3 Seattle, WA Moore Theater Dec. 5 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore Dec. 6 Hollywood, CA The Palace Dec. 7 Albuquerque, NM KETG Radio Show Dec. 9 Tempe, AZ Boston's Night Club Dec. 12 Tulsa, OK Ikon Dec. 13 Lawrence, KS Grenada Theatre Dec. 14 Wichita, KS Cotillion Ballroom Dec. 15 St Louis, MS Mississippi Nights Wool Nov. 21 West Hollywood, CA Troubadour (Free Show) --- THE READERS WRITE BACK! RE: Joy Division Tribute album - How could you not absolutely adore the Kendra Smith (did mention it, but only briefly) and Codiene tracks? They both catured the original spirit and added new spirit to the tracks. - Henry S. Thanks for your review of the new Joan Baez album. It is a real gem and I can't get enough of it. I'm a big Baez appreciator, and travel a lot to see her. She's very special musically and mentally!! - Jim S. Just wanted to say a quick "thank you" for your review of the Mike Peters show in Consumable. A group of friends and I went to see him at the Bayou in D.C. (I probably would have missed the show had I not known that he was in the area: there was very little advance publicity), and it was a truly amazing evening. As you said, he was very relaxed and appeared to enjoy himself tremendously; he did a wonderful job of conveying the Alarm faves. Hard to believe more than ten years have passed . . . . There was a criminally small crowd (50-60), including a bachelor party of Alarm fans. Performance twist -- the soon-to-be-married man approached Peters during a break and said something to him, whereupon he said "I don't know about THAT request, I'll have to think about it during the next song." After the song, he said "Chris says he's a drummer and wants to sit in on this next song." Chris came up, used the kit still on the stage from (opening band) HANK, and turned out to be very good (not at all the drunken frat boy disaster that I confess I was expecting). So good, in fact, that Peters kept him on after "Blaze of Glory" to do "68 Guns," and then, after calling back the guitarists and bass player from HANK, the entire gang did a rollicking but clearly impromptu "Rockin' in the Free World" and "Heaven's Door." During the latter, Peters mouthed to the bass player, "This is really good fun." It's always a treat to see a performer who is so comfortable with himself that departing from the evening's plans not only is not disastrous but also turns a great show into a truly memorable performance. I'm sorry that more of D.C. couldn't have seen the show, but I was happy to be one of the fortunate few. Thanks again for the heads up! - Peter M. --- To get back issues of Consumable, check out: FTP: eetsg22.bd.psu.edu in the directory /pub/Consumable ftp.etext.org in the directory /pub/Zines/Consumable Gopher: diana.zems.etf.hr Engleski Jezik/Music/Consumable or Hrvastki Jezik/Glazbena Rubrika/Consumable (URL) gopher://diana.zems.etf.hr:70/11/eng/Music/Consumable http://www.westnet.com/consumable/Consumable.html (WWW) http://www.westnet.com (CIS) on Compuserve Notes: GO FORUM (Delphi) Music Fandom forum; GO ENT MUSIC Web access contributed by WestNet Internet Services (westnet.com), serving Westchester County, NY. Address any written correspondence to Bob Gajarsky, Consumable Online, 409 Washington St. #294, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030 ===