The Brain
  a weekly digest from the staff of brainwashed
V01I17 - 11291998

SITE
SPACE AND BEYOND
We are in the middle of working out this space issue with our disk space, so don't fear when you don't see the Coil Song of the Week for a couple weeks. We are trying to get it back.

END OF THE YEAR DAWNING
We're now on that spiral through the last month of 1998. Time to vote for the best and worst of 1998. Check out the BRAINWASHED POLL for the best and worst of 1998. Results will be posted the first issue of 1999.

NEWS
SIMEON GROOVE
Following the accident which left Simeon of Silver Apples injured and paralyzed, there has been some talk about a benefit concert or recording. Plans, however are on hold pending Simeon/Peg's acceptance of such help. Apparantly there was some insurance which has covered the initial bills. Simeon is doing better already than they predicted, or so I am told. I would send your well wishes along with a note offering help if it is needed to:
    Whirlybird Records
    28 Decatur Ave
    Annapolis MD 21403

MUSIC
IN BRIEF

TORTOISE/AUTECHRE
I got the new Tortoise 12" yesterday, and I have to say that it is definitely much, much better than the Derrick Carter remixes, which, in my opinion, blew the big one. I was kind of expecting the Tortoise tracks to be a bit more up and bumping, but I was pleasantly suprised to see that they adhered to the more "ambient" side of "ambient techno." I can't wait to see who Jon McEntire has remix them next. - Carter Adams

Try playing the sides on different speeds! - Jon Whitney

PLOTKIN/SPYBEY
Terrible packaging but a great disc, "A Peripheral Blur," from James Plotkin and Mark Spybey is quite a surprise. It's all beat-less soundscapes, but in no way is this drab or boring. When you buy this, be sure to buy an extra jewel case since this disc will scratch the more times you pull it out from the sleeve. - Jon Whitney


LID/McCAFFERTY
Once again, bad packaging but a wonderful disc. Also from Kranky, "Per Aspera Ad Astra," from Stars of the Lid and Jon McCafferty see Stars go into new depths with their music. This one, composed/recorded while painter Jon McCafferty painted is two songs with three movements each, all with their own identity. Strings accent the second half adding a new dimension to the Lid sound. You can also get this one on a nicely pressed 180 gram LP. - Jon Whitney


JONES/RAKIM
Celebrating their 40th anniversary, Island Records has been repackaging and releasing some old things just kicking around. Two releases that should not be overlooked are Grace Jones' "Private Life - the Compass Point Sessions" and Eric B & Rakim's "Paid in Full" 2CD reissue. The former is a 2 CD compilation of material from the recording sessions from her three Island LPs recorded by dub heroes Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare. Included are 12" versions, dub versions, cassette-only bonus tracks, and outtakes. Of all the cover tunes, (including the proverbial Roxy Music, Police, Tom Petty, and Pretenders favorites) my pick is her reggae cover of Joy Division's "She's Lost Control."
The latter is an important document of the 80s, "Paid In Full" laid the ground for much of the trip-hop music only recently "discovered" by the Brits. I remember when this was originally released in 1987, the direction was so creative, new, and ground-breaking, yet MTV and other pop outlets stayed away from it due to whatever reasons they chose. This release comes with a second CD with remixes and non-lp tracks including that killer Coldcut mix of the title track. - Jon Whitney

As always, check out the latest update of NEW RELEASES brought to you by Greg and Feedback Monitor.

MOVIES
REVIEWED

HAPPINESS
Todd Solondz is one of the most depraved individuals on this earth. This is what I've come to realize after sitting through the second movie released by the director of "Welcome to the Dollhouse." Having not seen his first movie covering the life of Ms. Dawn Weiner, I wasn't really sure what to expect from this movie. What I got was an extremely dark, hilarious movie dealing with the relationships of three New Jersey sister's and their mother. You get an adolescent boy obsessed with making himself cum, a pedophile father, a sexually depraved computer worker reminiscent of Dilbert on Viagra, and much, much more. I found myself laughing at some of the sickest moments and didn't feel bad about it at all. - Carter Adams

VERY BAD DECISION
I want to see Very Bad Things, but it was opening night and I showed up late for the 7:40 showing. But, I thought I chose the right place to go because they were showing it again at 8:30. When I finally got up to about 5 people in line in front of me, they hung the "SOLD OUT" sign for the 8:30 showing. I was pissed off, didn't want to go to the 10:20 with my friend, so we went out drinking and eating fattening nibbly things. Maybe a real review next week. - Jon Whitney

FEEDBACK
THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC
Subject: good work anyway

I am disappointed about the closing of the coil songs, but am extremely thankful for what I have downloaded. It was a great experience while it lasted.

Thanks for the music

God you people are stupid, I clearly stated "disabled until further notice". Give me a break, and have a little bit of hope. Everyone seems to have thrown the towel in on this one.


Subject: RRRon

Hi there, just found your nice, informative and generally cool stuff for "brainwashed". Was wondering if you knew whether or not RRRon has an e-mail address. I recently sent him some of my new demo tracks on the advice of Justin Mitchell of Cold Spring Records who thought he'd love them, but I have no way to check if they arrived or not.

Any answer will be appreciated, even if it's "no",

No, sorry. He just has a typewriter and a phone. You can mail him or phone him at the store, but he doesn't have a computer, a fax, and he doesn't take credit cards.

LINKS
OF THE
WEEK

THE PERFECT GIFT
It's time to start shopping for your closest friends and family, and what's on everybody's want list this year? Puppets that Swallow! www.playfulpuppets.com Note: all gifts to Brainwashed can be sent to the address below.

ENDANGERED FECES
Mark Weddle reports back from cyberspace that he's been spending his time at www.doodie.com.

WHAT'S IN
YOUR CD
PLAYER?

MR. HOLLYFELD'S PLAYER
MBM - AS+V, Armed Audio Warfare
Coil - Time Machines, Amethyst Deceivers
Front Line Assembly - Re-Wind
Carl Orff - Carmina Burana
The Orb - Adventures beyond the ultraworld
Juno Reactor - Bible of Dreams
- Dan Garcia, guest contributor, owner of hollyfeld.org, keeper of many lists

  © 1998 Brainwashed, all rights reserved.

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