Excellent Online

A guitarist and a bassist sit in a hotel suite in the middle of Hollywood. They represent the most popular band in Australia - multi-platinum albums, sold-out stadium shows, the whole bit - yet no one on this continent knows who they are. It really proves just how far Australia is from America when a band that's topped charts for years in Oz comes to the States opening for Coldplay. Proven too is how different the mentality is of "rock stars" down under.

Interview by Lisa Y. Garibay

Rhino Records has announced plans to release a 4 disc box set from ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN. The 72 track box promises to include a plentiful amount of unreleased, rare, and live recordings...

SHAUN RYDER has secretly finished a solo record in Australia, that should be seeing the light of day shortly...

And the SUPER FURRY ANIMALS have announced let it slip that none other than PAUL McCARTNEY will be making a guest appearance on their new album, due in May? The Big Mac's contribution? Chewing vegetables rhythmically on one track.

SKUNK ANANSIE have split...

Our excitement about the pending re-launch of the site has been temporarily silenced by the passing of JOEY RAMONE. Ramone had been battling lymphoma for some time, and succumbed today in a New York hospital. Though our tastes tend to run towards the pop end of things, there's no denying the impact that The Ramones have had on the world of alternative music. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends. Instead of a moment of silence, we propose a moment of VERY VERY VERY LOUD NOISE. Gabba Gabba Hey.

Looks like it's official: PIZZICATO 5 are no more. The acclaimed Japanese group is calling it quits after some final concerts and a career-spanning greatest hits album. The break-up had been rumoured for some time, but with the band's reputation as pranksters, nobody knew if it was real or not until a press statement showed up this weekend confirming the split.

Bad news from NME this morning: NEIL CODLING, everyone's favorite magazine-reading keyboardist, has officially left SUEDE. Codling, whose public bout with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has plagued the band for quite some time, has called it quits after suffering a relapse. His permanent replacement in the band will be Alex Lee, formerly of STRANGELOVE. Our best to Neil for a solid and speedy recuperation...

"I take seven kids from Columbine,
stand 'em all in line,
add an AK-47, a revolver, a nine,
a Mack 11 and it oughta solve a problem of mine
and that's a whole school of bullies shot up all at one time." 
-Eminem, from the original lyrics of "I'm Back,"
wisely edited by the folks at his record label before shipping.

Hrrm... So there's been another school shooting.
I got to watch "Dateline" on NBC, which is a program I abhor and try my best to avoid at all costs, but I found myself sucked in by the story of the Incredible Lactating Man (a story best saved for another forum, methinks.) And, lo and behold, I was subject to yet another sensationalized expose' on the shooting.