May 9–16, 1996

music

Stone's Soul Picnic

By Neil Gladstone

Why a local column? Because we're starting to feel guilty about throwing all of the local stuff on a bonfire and giggling (just kidding). This feature will cover news, interviews and reviews of local soul, rock, rap, dance and more.

Awkward schoolbus memories will fly past as you listen to Weston's new CD, Got Beat Up (Go Kart). The lyrics tell of teen angst ranging from "heartbreak sandwiches" to "Dungeons & Dragons drama." Weston's edgy, new wave/punk pop melodies recall everything from The Jam to The Babys. Got Beat Up is the kind of album that should put these young, twentysomething dreamboats on the cover of Teen Beat. But just in case these guys don't get the call from TB or Sassy, City Paper has decided to put these guys to the test with questions about sexual peer pressure.

Has a girl ever pressured you to have sex with her?

Dave Snyder (bass and vocals): Yeah, it was a girlfriend, but I was celibate at the time and she eventually broke up with me.

Why were you celibate?

That was six years ago. Funny, but it's kind of hard to remember why now.

Once you start fooling around with a girl is there point when you can't say no?

I'd say once you've exchanged oral "friendship" with one another, it's pretty hard to say no afterwards.

Has a girl ever forced you to have sex with her after you've said no?

Dave Weston (guitar and vocals): No, but a girl at a party once came at me with a knife after I told her no. She was pretty drunk and she started carving herself up. That's no way to deal with rejection.

The band is currently on tour in the Southeast and will be heading back to Philly at end of May. The Rentals, the Cranberries, Ben Lee and the Flaming Lips are getting a lot of air time in the tour van.

Bucks County band Tin Ear is back with a new album that should be listened to in an Econoline van, hanging wicker chair or at an open air festival. Ballad of a Tin Band (Shimmy Disc) gives you plenty of the T-Rex/Bowie, '70s Glam rock that you've come to expect, while adding the acidic elements of Slade and solo John Lennon into the mix. As the title suggests, there are plenty of spacey and strummy tunes that make stardust fly. Crank Tin Ear out of those quadrophonic speakers and let your foxy lady know how you feel. The band (which is basically singer/songwriter Dave Richards) is working on a new album with studio-guru Kramer, playing bass, and Kevin Bacon's brother on drums.

Speaking of Kramer, he was one of the first people to recognize the potential of King of Prussia band Pur. Shimmy Disc's main man recorded the band's early demos and worked sound for them at the SXSW music conference. That appearance helped to get interest from Interscope, who has since signed them. The Cranberries-esque combo will be working on an album in the coming months.

Halanais a new Ardmore-based zine dedicated to experimental/improvisational music in its various forms. Look for interviews with La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela, Matthew Shipp's tour diary (while he was on the road with David S. Ware), as well as articles on Harry Bertoia and Loren Mazzacane Connors. Included with this debut issue is a 7" featuring Shipp's jazzy piano on one side and Connors' Far-Eastern guitar-stylings on the other. Halana is a lot cheaper than magic mushrooms and often just as mind expanding. (P.O. Box 502, Ardmore, PA 190003-0502, $5.)"

Issue #11 of Stain features Suffacox' long-overdue musical tribute to Evel Knievel's ill-fated ride across Snake River Canyon. As you might imagine, "Snake River" is full-on '70s guitar/biker rock. We can only hope the Lynnette "Squeaky" Fromme tribute is on its way. (P.O. Box 2501, Phila., PA 19147-2501.)

The editors of Stain, Steve and Debbie, have been in the studio lately with their own band, Zonic Shockum. The newer material shows the one-time hardcore band injecting more melody and dynamics into tunes that offer jackhammer chord progressions and trebly leads. Debbie's speak-singing calls to mind Courtney Love at times (I mean that as a compliment). Shockum is currently shopping the material around to labels. If you want to get a taste of their new tunes, check them out at the Ruba (414 Green St.) on Sat., May 11, with More Fiends and Grubby.