Old Music Monthly #037: September 1996
The Cover
The magazine is ahead of the curve, and puts Fiona Apple on the cover! This is more successful than when they put DJ Rap on the cover and people only cared about her boobs. Anyway, I’ve included the article in case anyone is interested.
The Letters
If nothing else, you should read the last one.
Promotional Item of the Month
Weird Record of the Month
Ok, so “bad cover concept” isn’t exactly the same as “Weird Record”, but it’s not like labels haven’t been putting scantily clad women on record covers for years for these instrumental records. Models sell records better than dorks with blisters on their fingers. If you felt so inclined, Discogs has one listed for $4US, but the seller helpfully says, “PREVIOUS OWNER CAREFULLY RAZORED OUT THE SEMI NUDE WOMAN ON THE COVER BOOKLET”. So, you should probably buy the next one at $6.75US with the semi-nude woman intact.
Mix Tape!
Fire up your fax machines!
Best New Music
Reviews
The Genres
Top 75
I owned 6, how many did (do) you own?
Multi-Media
Localzine
Chicago!
Without further delay, the CD:
Fiona Apple – Shadowboxer
Just like with Alanis, CMJ strikes gold and lets all the subscribers be the cool kids who hear the music before it breaks big. Now, subscribers get to be in on the ground floor… BEFORE the ground floor, we got to be in the basement.
But not me, I didn’t give a shit.
It was really because of my own willful ignorance. This is a good song, and Fiona Apple has proven naysayers wrong. I’m actually really glad for that. Her acceptance speech for the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist (that’s a mouthful), she stirred up controversy because she said:
This world is bullshit. And you shouldn’t model your life—wait a second—you shouldn’t model your life about what you think that we think is cool and what we’re wearing and what we’re saying and everything. Go with yourself.
You know what? She was fucking right. (+)
Frente – Sit On My Hands
Did Frente finally lose that obnoxious exclamation mark, or did <i>CMJ</i> just decide not to include it? At any rate, we talked about them back in installment #012. This is from their (then) final album, Shape. This song is almost, almost, too twee for its own good.
The band ran from 1989-1998, 2004-2005, 2010-2011, and some part of 2014. (+)
Holly Palmer – Scandinavian Ladies
Currently based in L.A., Holly Palmer is a singer / songwriter / multi-instrumentalist who released her debut album with Reprise, which is where this comes from. There are really 1,000 people who sound exactly like this, especially in 1996.
She split from Reprise after they weren’t interested in her follow up album (how many times have we seen this?). She still records solo material, her most recent from 2017. She also has recorded and/or toured with a number of artists, including David Bowie, Dr. Dre, Michael Bublé, and Idina Menzel, among many others. (-)
Iggy Pop – Lust For Life
We have already talked about Uncle Iggy only 6 months ago in #031, and also waaaaaay back in #003. “Lust For Life” is here because of it’s inclusion in Trainspotting. It’s great of course, but I always preferred The Idiot to Lust For Life.
“Lust For Life” would gain yet another life as a jingle for a Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines commercial in 2007. (+)
Psychotica – Ice Planet Hell
New York’s Pyschotica is/was an industrial / glam band fronted by Pat Briggs and including guitarist Paul Kostabi, who was a founding member of White Zombie. American Recordings signed the group before they had even played a single gig, which, more power to them. They released their debut in 1996 and also opened the mainstage at Lollapalooza that same year. This is kind of like Mechanical Animals-era Marilyn Manson, but without the abuse and 2 years early. Wonder if that’s where he stole the idea from.
Anyway, their discography is kind of a mess, several albums released a few times each, but every time on a new label. Kostabi’s brother painted the cover art for Guns N Roses’ Use Your Illusion albums, and then then Kostabi became an artist himself. Briggs had performed with a short lived glam rock house band with Tracii Guns (L.A. Guns), Johnny B. Frank (Kingdom Come), and Rikki Rockett (Poison). He also spent time as a go-go dancer and performing at and organizing drag shows. Briggs died in December 2022, so while there was never an official announcement, the band is probably over. (+)
Skold – Nevermind
Sweden’s Tim Skold got his start in the glam metal band Kingpin, which was designed solely to cash in on the American music market. By the time they were making their way to the states, they changed their name to Shotgun Messiah, as Kingpin was already in use. By 1993, Shotgun Messiah was already leaning into industrial, but the band split that same year.
Now here we are, in 1996, and Tim Skold is releasing his debut solo album and any traces of glam are gone… he’s full on industrial mode here. But it’s good, the music is more interesting than your standard fishnet and leather bands that creep up around this time… you know the type.
Skold stayed busy doing remixes, and by 1997 Skold joined KMFDM, which became MDFMK, and then KMFDM again. Skold left in 2002 and joined that dirtbag Marilyn Manson, but left by 2008. Skold worked with KMFDM on Skold vs. KMFDM in 2009. Skold eventually returned to solo work, but not before also playing with Ohgr, Motionless In White, Not My God, The Newleydeads (with Faster Pussycat’s Taime Downe) and Doctor Midnight & The Mecry Cult with members of Turbonegro, Celtic Frost, and Apoptygma Berzerk. (+)
Super Junky Monkey – If
Japan’s all lady funk metal band started in 1991, and after getting picked up by Sony, they became much more popular in the States than they were in Japan. They released 4 albums and 1 EP from 1994 to 1996, and here they are promoting their third record, Parasitic People, and they’re getting some help from brothers Pete and Lou Koller from Sick of It All. I never did find any reason for them to have linked up, but it’s pretty cool. I listened to the whole album, it’s pretty weird… but it’s more Primus weird than Melt Banana weird.
Sadly, singer Mutsumi Fukuhara died in 1999 (please, please don’t look it up) and the band split. The three survivors have reunited a handful of times. Guitarist Keiko later joined noise rock trio eX-Girl. (+)
Pluto – When She Was Happy
There are at least 7 other artists going by Pluto, but this one is from Vancouver! They released their first album on an indie, but then for their second made the jump to Virgin Records. This is fine for a sort of alt-rock with a pop bent. The vocal harmonies are pretty ok.
There isn’t much happening on the web with these guys, and if there is, it’s really hard to find with such a generic name. The band released one more album and split in 1999. (+)
Cowboy Mouth – Jenny Says
Louisiana’s Cowboy Mouth formed in 1990 by Dash Rip Rock drummer / singer Fred LeBlanc and guitarist / singer John Thomas Griffith. They released 2 indie albums before releasing Are You With Me? in 1996 on MCA.
“Jenny Says” goes back to 1989 when it was recorded for Dash Rip Rock, but as LeBlanc wrote it, he brought it with him to this group. Wikipedia assures me this was a “hit single”, but I don’t even know what it sounds like. Wiki also assures me that it hit #26 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks and #33 on the Modern Rock Tracks charts. There are several version all totaling over half a million views, so maybe there’s something there. I listened to it just now, and maybe I’ve heard it somewhere? That doesn’t really bode well. Truthfully, the playing is pretty good, but I don’t want to listen to it. It’s as if I recognize there are parts that would be good if they were in better songs.
The group is still going and has had a remarkable amount of turnover. Past members have included Regina Zernay (Halfcocked, Cee Lo, Detroit Diesel Power) and Vance DeGeneres (Ellen’s brother). (-)
Reel Big Fish – Everything Sucks
Reel Big Fish released their first album in 1995, and followed it up with this. “Everything Sucks” has got to be their biggest song, with the possible exception of “Take On Me” from BASEketball. Soon, however, the bottom fell out of third-wave ska. What’s amazing is that ska was no longer in fashion, and then the group signed with Universal/Jive and stayed on the major until 2006. That’s weirdly impressive.
Frontman Aaron Barrett is the last original member still in the group, but among their turnover they’ve had Grammy winning producer Carlos de la Garza (Paramore, Ziggy Marley, Bad Religion) and astronomer Robert Quimby who designed a program to track supernovae, and in 2005 he discovered the brightest explosion ever recorded, at 100 billion times brighter than the sun. (+)
Critters Buggin’ – Bill Gates
Drummer Matt Chamberlain used to be a New Bohemian, until Edie Brickell cast them into darkness in 1991. He was Pearl Jam’s second drummer for about 3 weeks (he appears in the video for “Alive”), and was part of the Saturday Night Live Band throughout 1991 and 92. Chamberlain joined up with fellow New Bohemians Brad Houser and John Bush (not the Anthrax / Armored Saint one), and picked up saxophonist Skerik.
I’ll be real with you, this is not my jam. I hope it’s yours.
The group is still going, but Bush was replaced by Mike Dillon (Les Claypool’s Flying Frog Brigade, Ani DiFranco). Dillon, Houser, and Skerik toured as The Dead Kenny G’s, which is brilliant. Skerik has played with Les Claypool’s Fancy Band and The Flying Frog Brigade. Chamberlain has played with David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Brandi Carlisle, Macy Gray, Tori Amos, Garbage, and many others. (-)
Orbital – The Box
We covered UK duo Orbital back in #016. You know, I didn’t save this one, but as soon as I heard it, I remembered it instantly. I guess it’s been sitting dormant in my subconscious for 27 years. Plus, Tilda Swinton in the video!
“The Box” was used as the main theme for that Mike Meyers Netflix show that no one watched, but don’t hold that against it (+)
Squirrel Nut Zippers – Put A Lid On It
Did Chapel Hill’s scene have room for a band that played fusion of jazz, Delta blues, and 30s swing? Apparently so! James Mathus and his (then) wife Katharine Whalen, and Tom Maxwell formed the group in 1993, and by 1995 had released their debut. In 1996, they released Hot, which they recorded live with a single microphone. By December 1997, the album would go platinum based on the single / video for “Hell”, which at the time this disc is out, has not yet been released.
They got a boost from the “Swing Revival”, which I think is a lot different than this, but what they hell do I know? They split in 2000, and reformed in 2007 (without Maxwell, who wrote and sang “Hell”) on a sizeable tour. The split again in 2010, and a zombie version with only Mathus (no Whalen) was assembled and is still touring today. But we’ll hear from the original version of the band again in 1997. (+)
Steve Wynn – Shelley’s Blues, Pt. 2
Steve Wynn got his start in Los Angeles where he was classmates with future Germs members Darby Crash and Pat Smear. But don’t worry, it won’t be on the test.
Wynn formed The Dream Syndicate in 1981, but they ended in 1989 and Wynn went solo. His first solo album had appearances from members of Concrete Blonde, X, Giant Sand, and Los Lobos. Here we’re catching up with him for his album, Melting in the Dark, and here he is backed by Boston alt rock band Come. It’s almost interesting, but it’s too firmly entrenched in adult contemporary alternative to really break free.
Wynn is still playing today, and he resurrected The Dream Syndicate in 2012. (-)
Fireside – Kilotin
Sweden’s Fireside started as a hardcore band, before moving onto alt-rock. American Recordings flirted with the group, which is why this is here, but ultimately they didn’t take off. I can see why, this isn’t really special in any way.
But here’s the problem: They seem like they are always changing too late. By 1998, they tried to go emo/pop punk, then 2000 they went “experimental”, 2003 they tried garage rock. They’re still going, but even the person who wrote the Wikipedia page can’t really be bothered to elaborate what they sound like now. (-)
(The) Pugs – Mari In Love
This is a mess. Pugs are Japanese, the seem to have disappeared after their 1999 album. This song is on a Japanese titled 1996 album, and a 1997 compilation called Pugs Bite the Red Knee. This track is heavy metal “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” plus surf music. It’s weird, what more do you need? (+)
Low And Sweet Orchestra – Sometimes The Truth
The Low and Sweet Orchestra was formed by Circle Jerks bassist Zander Schloss (now on guitar). He told MTV in 1996, “”It’s more about aging gracefully… I just think it’s a little embarrassing to see guys in their mid-30’s trying to act like they did in their youthful heyday.”
He enlisted Thelonious Monster vocalist, The Pogues accordionist James Fearnley, Dead Fucking Last bassist Tom Barta, and actors / brothers Kiernan and Dermot Mulroney on various stringed instruments. The result is something that belongs on the soundtrack to your least favorite 1996 indie romcom.
The band only had the one album. Schloss rejoined Circle Jerks at the embarrassing age of 40, while still playing with them at the embarrassing age of 61. (-)
Disappear Fear – Skin
Baltimore’s Disappear Fear is the project of sisters Sonia Rutestein and Cindy Frank, with a rotating cast of other musician friends. I expected this to be some twee nonsense, it’s a little bit better than that, but not by much.
After 1996, Frank was in active and Rutestein went solo as SONIA. Frank returned to the group in 2010, and both the group and SONIA are running concurrently. (-)
(The) Olivia Tremor Control – The Opera House
Starting as Cranberry Lifecycle in Lousiana, the duo of Jeff Mangum and Will Cullen Hart moved to be part of the music scene in Athens, Georgia…
You know, every single one of these damn bands has a line in their bio about how “they sounded different than the Grunge that was popular at the time.” Every single band! By 1996, grunge was nearly dead anyway.
Where was I? Oh, so Mangum quit the band, yet was someone playing drums on their debut EP. Ok that’s fine. Here, we’re with them on their debut album, Music from the Unrealized Film Script: Dusk at Cubist Castle, which… ok. You know what? I was ready to hate this, but it’s not bad.
For decrying grunge, they sure were happy to borrow the incestuous nature of band lineups. All the Elephant 6 bands played in each other’s groups, Olivia Tremor Control, Neutral Milk Hotel, The Apples In Stereo, Elf Power, about 40 some others.
We’ll see them again in 1999. (+)
Now It’s Time For Breakdown:
Worthy Tracks: 12/19 – 63.15% for this disc, 62.57% across the series.
Maple Leaf Invasion: 1/19 – 5.2% Canadian for this disc, 2.6% across all entries.
YEEEEAAAHHH, Here Comes the Roster:
Frente and Orbital make their entrance into the Two-Timer’s Club. They are in company with Verus, D Generation, The Reverend Horton Heat, Me’Shell Ndogeocello, The Figgs, Dig, Sincola, Cowboy Junkies, The Spinanes, Idaho, Cracker, Iggy Pop, The Coctails, Possum Dixon, Rocket From the Crypt, Pharcyde, Gene, Sonic Youth, Meat Puppets, Echobelly, Ben Harper, Hum, Bracket, Chris Whitley, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, Quicksand, Digable Planets, Adam Ant, Catherine, Ass Ponys, Magnapop, Cranes, Sarah McLachlan, Eve’s Plum, Jeff Buckley, Beastie Boys, Engines of Aggression, Luscious Jackson, G. Love & Special Sauce, Green Apple Quick Step, Letters To Cleo, Big Audio Dynamite, Eve’s Plum, Greta, Paul Weller, Radiohead, Ramones Stabbing Westward, Sister Machine Gun, Superchunk, Lida Husik, Bad Brains, Cocteau Twins, and Blind Melon. Van Morrison is here, too, but no one cares.
Iggy Pop makes his third appearance, joining a select group which includes Magnapop, Therapy?, Catherine Wheel, 700 Miles, Guided By Voices, and Matthew Sweet.
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are the only group to appear four times.
Over the 37 installments, there have been 638 unique artists.