Austin Fanzine Project

Our friends from Columbia, Missouri arrived around 7 pm and we all headed down to Ellen's Soul Food for the best friend chicken I've ever had (besides my mommy's of course). Then, with out bellies so full we could hardly more, we headed down to Barrister's for the first night of the Dixie Fried Backalley Brawl. Amazingly, we ran into [Casey]] of Make Room fanzine fame, another proud Texan who had journeyed north to worship at the garage rock altar.

The entrance to Barrister's is on an alley, which makes it easy to take a between-band breather with beer in hand. Memphis seemed to have a lot of unenforced laws and the open-contained law was one of the, (Another curious Memphian alcohol law is that you can't sell a container of beer larger than 38 oz- that's right, folks... no 40s.)

Inside testosterone surged through the air. An ancient big-screen TV was showing clips from early 60s-ish sexploitation films. People were shooting pool, buying records from the merch table and drinking beer. The crowd was much livelier than the typical Austin crowd, and there were a lot more girls out!

The first band was the Hate Bombs, a classic 60s-style garage band who played more songs about girls than any other band I've ever seen. Everyone in the band sings lead except the bassist who, incidentally, bears a striking resemblance to a young Elvis. I thoroughly enjoyed this set. Next up was AMF (which stands for many things, including Adolescent Music Fantasy). Their drummer, Ross Johnson, who emceed the whole event (and who had played with Panther Burns, Gibson Brothers, Alex Chilton and Pink Slip Daddy) kept demanding that the proprietor "play more nekkid movies." AMF took it slow and easy (they were self-proclaimed "middle-aged, over-weight rock'n'rollers") and they played mostly covers, but there were fine choices like "Drunk Again," "Theme From A Summer Place," and "I Walked With the Zombies." '68 Comeback (or rather Jeff Evans + the Oblivians) was next. Not being familiar with Jeff's stuff, I didn't know what to expect, but I was very pleased with their set.

Then came the Oblivians. I'd only seen them once before (at that horribly ill-attended Thanksgiving-night show at Emo's) and I had almost forgotten how great their show are. I was speechless. Luckily we got some of it on tape, including most of "Motorcycle Leather Boy" as sung very

time (which appears at left) was found in the July 5 1995 issue. The paper also runs a number of mail order ads including one which offers audio and video tapes of speeches by Farrakhan like "Why Got Hates Divorce (Parts I&II)," "Mating: The Idea of Genetic Engineering," "Satan and The Mastery Of The Sexual Urges," and- I kid you not- "How To Give Birth To A God (Parts I-V)."

DRUG USE IN THE US: In Memphis this summer, I was struck by how healthy and robust the garage/punk show-goers seemed. Upon returning to Austin, I noticed how sickly, wan, pale, frail, and all strung-out the kids look here (especially, of course, at Emo's- the Sodom and Gomorrah of the Austin music scene). I have two theories which may explain this cultural phenomenon. Theory #1: Here in Austin, we have a more serious heroin and pill problem. In the last month I have seen two bands take pills on stage, one band even threw their extras into the audience (some recipients sucked 'em down immediately, not even knowing what they were.) During a recent discussion of this situation, Craig Koon observed, "Did I mention it's really punk?" A brief and incomplete survey of the Memphis scene suggests that most you rock'n'roll Memphians drink and smoke. Maybe that's why everthing's so slow there. Sedate. Theory #2: The incredible soul food available in the Bluff City is next to impossible to resist no matter what altered state you happen to exist in. And food like that tends to foster a healthy plumpness if you're not careful. Most of the folks I know up there are too poor to be fat, but Memphis' sons are strong and healthy and its daughters are voluptuous and beautiful.

BEWARE BEER DRINKERS: There was once a famous and brilliant astronomer named Tycho Braghe. He lived long ago in Italk or Denmark, I think. Despite his wealth of empirical knowledge and astronomical know-how, he must've lacked in common sense. Or he just got too drunk. For one evening he drank too much at a party and presumably got stuck in too long a bathroom line. His life was cut short that evening, as he died of an exploded bladder. The moral: Drink responsibly and always join the potty queue about ten minutes before you have to go.

Dictionary diagram of BOOMERANG

were offering ? and the Mysterians t-shirts, bandannas, glossies, and "sunglass". The sunglasses were random design -- all black, all different, by no means a signature style. I saw both the Shakewells and the Sir Finks for the first time and they were both excellent. And when they were done a ? and the Mysterians pitch man took the stage and told the crowd about the most recent rave reviews found in various organs of the mass media. He also pitched the items for sale at the merch table, and finally, he introduced the band. The various middle-aged Latino men, all dressed in orange-and-black ? and the Mysterians shirts and bandannas swung into a snappy sixties garage-psych-rock ditty. It was really good. I was trying to guess which one was Mr. ?, when he came bounding on stage. OH MY GOD! I DID NOT EXPECT THIS. This guy was a spandex-panted-flamenco-shirt-wearin'-cowboy-hat-bandanna-(wig?)-headed animatronic cross between Prince and a Latino Richard Simmons. [see photo] So, long story short, they were fucking great, played "96 Tears" last, did a six-song encore including two new songs (to be released on their upcoming Norton album) and"96 Tears" again, and, as I was finally leaving, some of the band had left the stage to be replaced by Joe King Carrasco who was dueting with Mr. ? on the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction". It was all I could take. But they are coming back this summer, so you gotta go. I'll definitely be there.

Those Bastard Souls 1.17.98 Emo's

Missed the openers, but I had come expressly to see how this band could pull of what the Grifters' Dave Shouse had created in the studio ot come up with the only release under the name Those Bastard Souls: the fantastic Twentieth Century Chemical. The lineup at this show consisted of Dave Shouse on guitar and the late Jeff Buckley's girlfriend on violin and some other guys. (Sorry about the lineup vagaries -- I can't seem to find the letter that Dave sent me, which is where that info resides.) Anyway, the show was incredible. I am really tempted to give up hope for the rest of the year and proclaim it the best show of '98.

George Jones 1.24.98 Billy Bob's Texas

This was not so much a show as it was a weekend-long Texas experience. My friend, the bluegrass superstar Miss Emily, my boyfriend Cooper, and I left Austin on Saturday morning. Miss Emily is from Nashville and is the biggest country

Letters

[image of coffee percolator and steaming mug with spoon]

Dear Jennifer LaSuprema (Geek Zine) and Jennifer (The Roommate),

9-22-94

Yesterday I picked up Geek Weekly at Sound Exchange and I am so excited for you. I think that it's completely admirable that some cool girl got off her ass and put something together. I hope your getting good responses (this being one).

Anyway, I was only visiting Austin yesterday, I actually live in San Marcos (aprox. 20 min South) but I don't even feel like I live here either. I just moved from Fresno, California with my family. And I'm going crazy! I very much like Austin, I think good things are happening there, but I'm having a bitch of a time sniffing it all out. So, if you hear of something try to let me know, and vice is the verse.

I have never heard of Motards/Drags/or Fells But you spoke highly or them and I'll be sure to check em out. You also mentioned Emo's, and I've only been there a few times but I want to make it there more often, starting with next weeks 7 year bitch. They're so good, did you see they're last show? Some fuckin idiot sprayed pepper mase in the pit and they had to leave the stage for a few minutes but they came back on and just kicked ass.

Alright, I wrote you. Usually I would just think of what a good idea writing you would be, but today is different. So, I'll keep my eyes open for the next Geek Weekly and I hope to year back from you.

Yours, Tracy

Hey all you out-o-towners: check out the things to do page in this issue or ask anyone (underscored twice) with a tatoo (sic) they're definitely cool. yeah especially if it's of some skull & roses or, like, a crown of thorns or something