V01I04 - 08301998
For all of you who have been getting 'failure notices' sending email to various places at brainwashed.com, the problems should be fixed finally. It's now not surprising that feedback wasn't coming in as much for this page. Hehehe.
AUTUMNAL EQUINOX IS COMING
Coil have announced the release of the next seasonal change single. If you've been keeping score, every seasonal change they have been releasing one single and deleting the last. This is this third release in this series.
According to the Knight-Ridder News Service, the inscription on the metal bands used by the U.S. Department of the Interior to tag migratory birds has been changed. The bands used to bear the address of the Washington Biological Survey, abbreviated: Wash. Biol. Surv., until the agency received the following letter from an Arkansas camper:
- "Dear Sirs:
While camping last week I shot one of your birds with my Brown bess. I think it was a crow. I followed the cooking instructions on the leg tag and I want to tell you it was horrible."
thanks to Walt for this info
IN BRIEF
Bob Mould gives us his second post-Sugar release, "The Last Dog & Pony Show" this week. Bob still has the gift of being a songster, and the songs are all solid on this release. "Megamanic," however gets my vote for the 'should have been left as a b-side' category as Mould twiddles the knobs on a 'drum-n-bass' style music with Bob rapping over it (more frightening than amusing). If you're looking for a solid pop/rock record heavy on the bright guitars and melody, this one's for you. - Jon Whitney
MASSIVE
Straight outta Bristol UK comes Massive Attack's third release, my pick for best album this year so far, and their best album as a group. This is the first post-Tricky release, but it doesn't falter. As some people have considered their introduction to more guitar sounds as a "departure" to their sound, I consider it more "evolutionary". This time around, the Cocteau's Liz Fraser lends her voice to two tracks along with the usual gang. Everything on this disc is 100%, the production soars, the sound is wonderful and the songs are original. The cover is also quite amusing, with extreme close-ups, this spider looks unnatural and mechanic. I can't wait to see how this is pulled off live.- Jon Whitney
GODSPEED YOU BLACK EMPEROR!
From Montreal, Canada comes my vote for best debut album of the year. godspeed you black emperor!, whose disc, "F# A# (infinity)" is the first CD issue of their debut record (previously on Constellation, now on Kranky). This nine-piece band is described in their bio as drawing influencing sounds from Ennio Morricone, 17 Pygmies and Savage Republic, my impression is one of The Rachels and Angelo Badalamenti get an "spaghetti Western" soundtrack album produced by Steven Stapleton. There are three tracks in this +60 minute disc, each song is of epic proportion with about five distinct "movements", the voices are only brief spoken-word, the other instrumentation consists of guitars, lush strings, bagpipes, drums and other various sound effects. Overall, a stunning debut record, by any standards, and this is definately a band NOT to miss on their brief tour around the USA. Check the Kranky website for details. - Jon Whitney
As always, check out the latest update of NEW RELEASES brought to you by Greg and Feedback Monitor.
REVIEWED
THE SLUMS OF BEVERLY HILLSThis is the next film in a long line of movies based in the 70s that show the bleak and sick realities in a lighter atmosphere. Our main character, Vivian, a teenager faced with breasts, bigger than anyone her own age, and the object of fixation by many men around her. The family leads a nomadic existence, dependent on the fortune of others to survive. The whole adventure is charming, touching, with a breast theme - enjoyable scenes include vibrators, sticky situations, and the drugged out cousin, played by Marisa Tomei. Bonus points if you can recognize the main character from her role on Pee-Wee's playhouse, or the rich widow from that Three's Company spinoff, "Three's a Crowd". - Jon Whitney
The Gamera franchise has been
resurrected in the 90's (Gamera III is being made now) with a vengeance!
The effects in Gamera II are better then most Hollywood movies. An alien
insect colony is invading Earth (or Japan specifically) and building nests
in Japanese cities(due to the high content of glass in the cities, which
the aliens eat). When their nest is complete, it sends energy into space
that threatens to destroy the entire city. Guarding the nest are thousands
of man-sized insect-like aliens. Gamera shows up to save the day and
destroys the nest, but then a second nest is built in another city. Gamera
is delayed in saving this city by a Kaiju sized alien (named Legion by the
scientists) and the entire city is blown up (and this isn't even the best
effect in the movie, unlike, say Independence Day). Now anther nest is
being built in Tokyo. Can Gamera defeat Legion and save Tokyo? The
special effects make all versions of Legion very believable, the science
explanations about Legion are very believable.
The only problem I have
with this movie is no matter how good it is, Gamera is still a
fire-breathing giant turtle. Otherwise, there is no camp in this movie.
It's worth seeking out in subtitled form. The first Gamera (the newest
version) is available on video now, but I believe it's dubbed, which I
avoid like the plague when it comes to Kaiju films (Video DaiKaiju offers
all the Gamera and Godzilla movies on video and most letterboxed by
mail-order. If you're fortunate enough to live in Boston, Tokyo Kid
carries many Kaiju films.)- Thomas Guttadauro
GAMERA II - The Advent of Legion
Remember Gamera? This giant Japanese turtle who breathes fire and flies
around and is a friend to children everywhere? It was fun, but lord knows
it wasn't very good. Bad special effects, lame story lines and tons of
stock footage made these films bad enough, but when good ol' Sandy Frank
released them in America, he actually made them worse (A grown woman doing
the voices for 11 year girls is what pushed me over the edge.) Well, in
the 90's, Kaiju (Giant-Monster) films have gotten a lot better! No where
near the effects of Tri-Stars release of Godzilla this year (tho much
better stories), but more realistic monster suits updated for the 90's and
tons of CGI's effects for flame-breath and the such have made the Japanese
Godzilla movies something else to watch.
In the wake of all the controversy surrounding the biggest current scandal in our country, a young woman at the epicenter speaks her mind,
- "I have had enough. This whole experience has left a bitter taste in my mouth, and I can't stomach any more. I feel as if I am getting the shaft; that this ugly matter has come to a head and blown up in my face.
This may be a load to handle, but when things are hard, that is when I am at my best. I have faced hard things in the past, and I know what is coming. I will meet this challenge the only way I know how -- head on. I have licked bigger things than this before, and I will again. I will work nonstop and fight this, blow by blow, until I am wiped clean of this dirty affair. I will not be stained by it. No one will ever be able to say that I am not a finisher, that I quit before the job was done."
"Thank you."
After reading Jon's insightful view into US Culture last week, I thought that I'd give you an English view on the world.
Unless you are really lucky, you'll probably know that it's roughly the anniversary of the death of that woman. A year ago, an unemployed millionairess died in a car crash in Paris. Now, she did a bit for charity - but hell, most of us do. (We may not do enough, but neither did she). I didn't see her living the life of a pauper to help these causes.
She also supposedly brought these causes to the public's attention. Now I'm no fucking saint, but I had actually already heard about anti-personnel mines (and signed a petition against them), battered women and HIV before she "publicised" them.
On another note, she suffered from an eating disorder. Not very nice, I'll admit, and the fact that she got through it must have meant a lot to fellow sufferers who could then view her as a role model. However, if everyone who mourned her death in this stupid country suffered from an eating disorder, then we've got a fucking serious epidemic.
"She was so beautiful..." er, yeah right. Two facts about this quote: 1) it's only ever (presumably straight) women who make this claim; and 2) what the fuck does your appearance have to do with how nice a person you are?
"She had a failed marriage". Aaah diddums. So do a third of all wives.
"She showed the royal family how crap they were". Turncoat! Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. She married into it - so she obviously liked the idea at some point. (Note - I am not a monarchist.)
The plain and simple fact is: she was a fucking rich bitch who happened to manipulate the media to a very, very small amount of good. Not exactly Nobel peace prize material.
On a final note, all those fucking mourners who placed flowers, cried, lined the route, etc. They were all the stupid motherfuckers who bought the tabloid papers that eventually brought about her death. Now all the tabloids are full of glossy picture supplements - still creaming money off the fact that their readership are so sad, lonely, pathetic, stupid and easily lead that they will continue to buy newspapers full of pictures of that woman.- Nic Doye
Subject: Cabs
Hi there
I just want you to know what a fantastic job you've done on the Cabaret
Voltaire page. We are several people overhere in Denmark who simply love
the design and infortive page!
- Rene
Subject: loud and clear
Just thought i would drop you a line to let you know that your latest offering is getting played down here on the radio in Australia and i liked it so i thought i would find out a bit more about you.
See yar.
- Tim
Uh, who is this directed to, Tim???
OF THE
WEEK
www.cat-scan.com - Some people have WAY too much time.
HUH?
www.slenderfungus.com/biopsy.html - The Biopsy of the Week presented by the hip slender fungus cats of L.A.
YIKES!
www.conflict.net/images/inbred.jpg - Some people should not reproduce.
YOUR CD
PLAYER?
Richard H. Kirk - Knowledge Through Science
Muslimgauze - Lahore/Marseille
Lustmord vs. Metal Beast - S/T
Robert Rich / B.Lustmord - Stalker
V/A - Loop: The Cut and Paste Groove Collection
V/A - Das Digitale Vertrauen (Edward Ka-Spel, Jetzmann/L.Ski, Asmus Tietchens)
KUMA'S BOX
Pizicato 5: Five by Five
DVOA: Piss frond
V/A: Metalheadz limited metal box set
V/A Blame presents Logiacl Progression Vol 2
DJ Spooky: Riddim warfare
moodymann: A silent introduction
Reflection: The more errornormous world
Beastie Boys: Hello Nasty
Amon Tobin: Permutation
perfume Tree: Feeler
Jeff Mills: Purposemaker compilation
coil: time machines
Takkyu ishino: Mixup Vol 1
- James Graham, guest contributor
Brainwashed Harmaceuticals
PO Box 7
Arlington MA 02476
USA