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SPIRITUAL MUSIC ADVICE 'n' STUFF
  by Rev. Richard Visage
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It's quite amazing how things meander around in Cyberspace - I
put a short, nasty review of Hole's latest CD in some months ago,
and just now found hostile email in the tank.

Really, how was I supposed to know that beneath the screeching,
howling and feedback, that there was music in there. I'll give it
another listen, honest.

Just for some contrast, we're going to go with the very new, and
the very old this month. As loudly requested, let's first spin
Green Day . . .


DOOKIE
Green Day
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I approached this one with a fair bit of trepidation. It's wa-a-ay
up there on the charts, and has the reputation of being the new
teenage angst album. This is generally not a good sign.

Guitar crash and lots of power chording light up the instant you
put this one on the CD player - much what you'd expect. It's
recorded in a thin, garage band style, and would be viewed as
being weak by a musicologist.

So how come it works, and works damned well? The blazing chords
blend well, in fact, these guys have taken power chords into a
new, high orbit, and there's even some clever hooks. The boys
have some pop sensibilities, it would seem (they won't like to
hear that, trust me). Surprisingly, as a package, it's fresh and
sounds new, even though there's really nothing you can point at
to say what's new about it.

It's a rare tune that has anthem-like qualities, the Who's 'My
Generation', the Stones' 'Satisfaction', and the Pistols' 'God
Save the Queen' all come to mind. I think we can add Green Day's
'Basket Case' to that list. I won't suggest that Ms. LaBamba
donned her peek-a-boo leathers and trashed the hotel room while
'Basket Case' was playing, just in case the Dream Forge lawyers
are reading this.

This probably isn't an album for the over-forty set, but it's
just damned good music, charged with energy and new
interpretations.


Voodoo Soup
Jimi Hendrix
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I have always avoided posthumous albums like the plague. I mean,
really, just how new can you expect something to be when the
musician has been dead for 25 years. Somehow, they seem to manage
to trot out new Hendrix and Jim Morrison albums on a regular
basis.

I only bought this one because of a gushy review (probably
Rolling Stone) that made this one sound special.

Is there anything new here? Not that I could find. Yes, a few
obscure tracks, but all have been on vinyl at some point. And
there are good tunes here - a few of the 'Band of Gypsies'
favourites like 'Angel', 'Freedom' and 'Ezy Rider' - and unless
my ears tricked me there's been some slick re-mastering work
along the way somewhere.

Still, I'm not impressed. I think Hendrix peaked on the 'Electric
Ladyland' album, and it stands to this day as one of my all time
favourites. Do yourself a favour, skip 'Voodoo Soup' and add
'Electric Ladyland' to your CD collection.

Religiously yours,
Rev. Richard Visage
fido (1:163/409)
rv@visage.akasha.net

(Note to Editors: Gee, thanks guys. It must have taken one hell
of a lot of effort to reel in an endorsement from "BillyBob's
Records" and get me that free disk. Don't get me wrong, it's not
that I don't *like* tuba music, it's just that when I listened to
'Ferd Quigly and his Tuba - Unplugged' I couldn't quite make it
through the version of 'Innagaddadavida' without having to crack
a new bottle of JD.)

(p.s. Saaay, there's an idea - think the nice folks that distil JD
would want to sponsor the column?)


                               {DREAM}

Copyright 1995 Rev. Richard Visage, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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Rev. Richard Visage is the official Spiritual Advisor to Fidonet,
and is listed on the masthead of the Fidonews, where his
correspondence is published regularly. The Rev. operates
1:163/409 on a laptop from various hotel rooms, and is bankrolled
by expense accounts from unsuspecting publications who showed the
poor judgement of hiring him. Canadian Government officials list
him and his semi-clad secretary, Ms. LaBamba, as officially being
"at large" somewhere in North America. rv@visage.akasha.net
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