VELVEETA: ISSUE #1

Featuring: the Muffs

The muffs hail from Los Angeles, i know, big surprise. The band consists of roy mcdonald, on drums, ronnie barnett, bass and vocals (occasionally), and kim shattuck, guitar, and vocals. Former muff members are jim laspesa, melanie vammen, and criss crass. Although the muffs have seem to "matured" over the past years, as you may have noticed from their newest album, 'happy birthday to me', they still have that angst with a tinge of insecurity, and loads of confidence powered music, that many of us have grown to love. The reson i personally have grown to love the muffs, is because i love kims voice over the smashing guitar sounds. The lyrics may not have a ton of meaning, but i like them, because it makes me think of my childhood (which i am still enjoying). Like with their first single, New Love, on side two, contains a song called "I Don't Like You", that song reminded me of being in elementary school, and having this kid that just bugs the holy shit out of you. So you finally get fed up and scream.. "i don't like you.." or go away, or you stink you poo poo head.

Between the years 1991 and up to 1993 the muffs had not put out a full length album. They had put out a few singles (new love, guilty, i need you) and had songs on several compilations (estrust gear box, freedom of choice, groin thunder, which was a tribute to the troggs) but did not put out a full length one until 1993. It was their self titled album. I happen to like this album a tad bit more than the others, for it's more power popish like sound. Which you can still hear on a few songs on the later albums (i'm confused; 'blonder and blonder', and outer space; 'happy birthday to me') After that album, they put out a few more singles (big mouth, and everywhere i go) and then in 1995 released 'Blonder and Blonder', which is a little more known than the first album. Of course i'm sure everyone heard the story of C. Love and her "alter ego". Well if you haven't heard the story, i shall enlighten you. One time at a show, Courtney goes up to Kim and insinuates that Kim is imitating her hair, and remarks "blonder and blonder i see" so that is where the name of the album comes from. A few of the tracks i like a bit more than the others are "sad tomorrow" (which was released as a single too), "end it all", "laying on a bed of roses" and of course "i'm confused", as i had said earlier, for it's more popiness.

After 'Blonder and Blonder' they had quite a few songs on soundtracks, such as "kids in america" released on the clueless soundtrack, "funny face" (blonder and blonder) on the angus soundtrack, and "red eyed troll" (also on blonder and blonder) released on the national lampoons senior trip soundtrack. Then this year, they release 'Happy Birthday to Me'. Which is just a great all around album. It has that wide range variety in the songs that makes an album great. Such as tracks like "where only i could go" and "pennywhore" are sort of different than those usual muffs songs. Of course you can always distinguish Kim's voice. Oh, and shhh let me tell you a secret you may or may not know, if you forward the last song to about 13 minutes, you get this jazzy tune, it's pretty fun. I'm not sure about how many of you caught the muffs on that drew carey show on HBO (i have seen it twice), well they performed "outer space", which will blow you away. The lyrics are fun and the guitar is even better.

Well this concludes our feature on the muffs, if you are one of the unfortunate souls who have yet not heard the muffs, don't buy that can of spam, go pick up an album.

The Hi-Fives: Welcome To My Mind (1995 Lookout Records)

This was their first album released. An exellent start for this band. This power pop group lets it all out on this album. With tracks like "seven years", "out of control" and the title track "welcome to my mind". It's not so much that they are catchy, just really enjoyable, they smash these songs out, and boy do they sound good.

Groovie Ghoulies: Appetite For Adrenochrome (1989 Crimson Corpse Records/Lookout Records)

WOWEE ZOWEE!! This album just speaks for itself. This band has a lot of halloween cartoon humor in their lyrics, and a flat out punk pop sound in their music. With songs like "lost generation" (one of their more punk sounding songs) "my computer said kill" I SAID ALRIGHT!! and "lookout" are some of the better songs on the album. Their are some funny ones as well such as, "do the bat", "king kong" (which has some chants at the beginning :) "ghoul chant" (which sort of reminds me of the jams stuff). Probably my favorite song on the album, it's a 14th song not listed on the album. It is probably titled "a few more hours" because it says it the most in the song, it's pretty pop oriented. This is an album to OWN.

Screaming Bloody Marys: Live at the Bottom of the Hill (1995 puncrock records)

Well the bad recording didn't help, but otherwise this was a pretty well rounded album. Many people think they don't have experience, and think of them as a young group, but i'm telling you otherwise. The music is raw, but not the minds. This band hasn't recieved a lot of attention for their work, so this is my way of showing it to them. But East Bay Ray (dead kennedys) heard them, produced them, and did a great job. The tracks on here are "i'll repute" (fast punk rock), "junior", which is my fav track, and "can't stand it" and "cherry slush". It's not really a MUST OWN album, but if you find this album somewhere, make sure to get it.