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One reason Maynard was drawn to
L.A. in the early 90's was to explore the possibilities of sacred temple architecture and regeneration. Thus it is perhaps
easiest to sketch a brief history of Maynard through some of the elements within his living space. The floor has a formation
that's round on both sides and hi in the middle that is best measured with the equation DV/D = I (I being incidence); and
a pack of gum, mo' happiness, and the apostle. Examining the wall introduces art pieces by Ramiro Rodriquez and themes best
grasped through being Jung in Michigan. At the window frame a hairless cat stares intently outside at squawking irish parrots
swaying drunkenly. Coast to coast some things never change. In another direction is a calendar of crossed out squares with
A Perfect Circle scribed on May 23rd and "NIN tour" written under April 12th.
Book Review -- Courtney Love: The Real Story
The term “survivor” is usually reserved for war
veterans and sitcom actors, but Courtney Love has worked hard to deserve this badge of honor. At the same age when most of
us were, at worst, dabbling with illicit substances and having strange nocturnal rustlings, Courtney Love had already been
shuffled between homes like a chessboard piece, stripped in Tokyo for big gangland bucks, spent hard time in institutions
and even listened to Journey. No wonder her band Hole’s breakthrough album was titled Live Through This: Love
has endured life’s seamier side. Yet in spite of the fact that Love is probably the most divisive
figure in pop culture since Madonna pranced about on a gondola and confessed she felt “like a virgin,” author
Poppy Z. Brite plays it safe with her connect-the-dots bio, Courtney Love: The Real Story (Simon & Schuster). Brite
recently stated how “some of the media impressions of Courtney are true -- she’s certainly demanding, loudmouthed
and attractive to men,” yet Brite doesn’t really explore these impressions in the book. Sure, she whispers the odd secret, such as Love being an
heiress to the Bausch fortune, her pre-Cobain flings with Billy Corgan (aka “Billy Pumpkin”) and fellow Hole-ster
Eric Erlandson, not to mention her quickly annulled marriage to transvestite Falling James Moreland (who now considers himself
“the Eddie Fisher of punk”), but there’s nothing here that could be considered incisive or new. And apparently
Brite had no intention of digging deep. “The purpose of this book is not to condemn or defend Courtney Love,”
the author states early on, “but to chronicle the first thirty-two years of her fascinating life as accurately as possible.”
Brite’s friendship with Love may have provided her
with access to private journals and inside connections, but it’s hampered a rare chance of determining exactly whether
Love is a genuinely tormented talent or a hanger-on par excellence. I mention this because hanging on -- or at least hanging
out -- was where Love gained her first glimpse of rock’s liberating power: backstage at a Cheap Trick concert, no less.
It took several years and numerous aborted efforts at stardom -- such as clinging to Julian Cope and dark Brit-popsters, The
Teardrop Explodes, and getting kicked out of Faith No More and Babes In Toyland -- before Hole, Kurt, detox and Larry Flynt
transformed Love from a despairing wannabe to today’s Versace-clad woman of style and grace. While she may have tidied up her public image, Love will
never totally shake off the demons of her past. As is the case with most extreme rock stars (and I’ve done my research
here, folks), Love’s alienation -- and Cobain’s, for that matter -- was shaped by wildly irresponsible parents.
Again, Brite documents this but never clearly states the fact, although in a chat she confessed that “Courtney has a
great deal of vulnerability, largely caused by her horrible childhood.” So why not explore it in her book? Love’s “bio-Dad” was a Grateful Dead acolyte,
an acid-gobbling drifter who reportedly force-fed his four-year-old daughter LSD. Love’s restless mother worked her
way along a procession of husbands and situations, one day running a sheep station, the next dragging her confused offspring
to a commune. She also bounced the young, unloved and increasingly anti-social Courtney (or Love Michelle Harrison, as she
was originally known) between New Zealand, San Francisco and Portland; this displacement obviously contributed to Love’s
reckless teen spirit. Yet the biggest shock is that Love took a good sixteen years before she decided the rock life was both
her chance for adoration and an outlet for chronically pent-up emotions. A fair chunk of Courtney Love: The Real Story is,
naturally, dedicated to charting the downward spiral of Cobain and Love’s doomed relationship -- Love’s very own
“Yoko phase.” And it’s certainly the most engrossing section of the book. For Love it was a tumultuous time
when “I just hold up my finger and shit sticks to it.” A messy post-Cobain fling with Trent Reznor, the occasional
arrest, and the OD death of Hole bassist Kristen Pfaff, didn’t help Love’s growing-up process, either. But survivor
that she is, Hole has lived through all this. Her star turn in The People vs. Larry Flynt and the seriously anticipated new Hole album -- plus an ongoing
romance with actor Edward Norton -- has given Love hope for the future. She’s now living the role of Hollywood style
queen, adorning Harper’s covers and even espousing the values of cosmetic surgery, as she did in a recent US
magazine article. “I think the fact that you can buy beauty now is a really good thing,” she declared matter-of-factly.
Battered baby doll no more. As rock tomes go, Courtney Love: The Real Story is
undeniably readable. But that’s more a reflection of Love’s vicariously thrilling life -- and her metamorphosis
from fast-living rock chick to solid-gold celebrity -- than a nod to Brite’s skills as a biographer. Rather than get
inside the head of Courtney Love and answer, conclusively, whether she’s an arch manipulator or a serious talent, Brite
takes the Jackie Collins approach, lacing her book with enough sex, drugs and (especially) rock’n’roll to turn
even David Lee Roth’s head. Which, of course, means there’s a screenplay just begging to be written: what better
way to cap Love’s supernova ascendancy than to star in her own bio-pic.
Previous NEWS: Clint, Jessicka's Fiance (formerly of Psychotica)
is now with the band. Scott left Jack Off Jill and is working on remastering the old Spooky Kids demos from his early Manson
days. JOJ is continuing to work on new material in LA with Michelle Inhell who has returned to the band from Florida.
Band Members From an individual approach,
their backgrounds are broad and extensive. Ryan Martinie, bass player, has won several state high school awards for classical
vocals. He also has a long history with jazz bass, vocals and sword swallowing. Greg Tribbett, guitarist (The Big Ragu) has
a strong background in the local music scene dating back to his teens. In the years of his youth, his engagement to the local
Gestapo heightened his sense of awareness and personal preservation. Matthew McDonough, Drummer, a self-proclaimed super-genius
spent many years in his youth performing with drum & bugle corps. His exquisite and twisted percussive orchestrations
are influenced by too many twilight hours spent in front of a computer monitor. Chad Gray, masticator, found his youthful
spare hours engaged in gargling gravel and 10w40. His year-round youthful glow is due to his many days spent serenading a
furnace as a child. As a whole, the band is proud of the fact that none of the members have any formal training with the instruments
they play... History of MuDvAyNe There's reason to be afraid. There's
very good reason indeed, if you're someone who likes their music unchallenging, simple, and easy to define and digest. But
if you want something dark, mysterious, savage, and unsettling, something that will force you to confront the unknown and
possibly alter the way you look at the world, then prepare yourself for MuDvAyNe. It's no coincidence that the opening track on MuDvAyNe's
stunningly heavy debut album, L.D. 50, is titled "Monolith," after the brooding alien artifact at the heart of Stanley Kubrick's
classic 2001: A Space Odyssey. "The overall theme of the album reflects and embodies
ideas about the evolution of consciousness, transformation, and the risks involved in experimenting with things that can change
a person's point of view, internally and externally," says drummer Spag. "And the monolith in Kubrick's film was also a representation
of that." Like that cryptic black object, MuDvAyNe keep their
secrets well-even their faces are hidden in hallucinatory colors and symbols-but make no bones about their desire to fuck
with your head. Taking the intensity of the new school of heavy rock one step further, MuDvAyNe has left a long trail of shattered
preconceptions and blown minds in their wake. Next victims: the world at large. "L.D. 50 is a medical term used by pharmacologists
to measure how toxic a substance is," explains spag about the album's enigmatic title. "It stands for Lethal Dosage 50, which
represents how much of a chemical it takes to kill fifty out of a hundred test subjects." "The metaphor is that the things that can potentially
open your mind, expand your consciousness, and show you a new vision of yourself and the world also have a risk involved in
them and a consequence. It's about how far you can push the envelope before it gets dangerous, which is a way we'd like to
see our work perceived as well." spag and his cohorts have been pushing the envelope
for four-and-a-half years, ever since MuDvAyNe first conspired together in the forbidding wastelands of Peoria, Illinois,
circa 1996. spag, Kud, and Gurrg, with a different bass player (Ryknow came aboard two years later), found each other after
ten years in the usual maze of local outfits, immediately sharing a vision of their own musical apocalypse
Jon davis (bio)
ALL BIOS 4 KORN R FROM KORNWEB.COM THEY HAVE
THE MOST KOMPLEX BIO'S IVE EVER SEEN ON KORN AND PERSONALLY I HADENT GOT TO TALK TO THE MEMBERS OF KORN AT ALL EVER THERFORE
I AM JUST GONNA USE KORNWEB.COM'S BIO ON THEM SO I THANK KORNWEB.COM 4 MAKIN SUCH A KOMPLEX AND ACCURATE BIO Out of the small town of Bakersfield, California,
in the early nineties, came a sound. A faint whisper at first, it grew in force and intensity with time, unhindered by the
yapping mouths of politicians and parents alike. It rang in their ears. It plagued their minds. It genuinely terrified them.
The voice, talking in low-tuned rhythmic tones, spoke for a generation that would have no more of modern America and its leaders.
A generation fed-up with lies, violence and greed from their own society. It grew and grew as more and more people realized
the veracity of its claims, and adhered to its cause. The politicians grew fearful, and attempted to end its spread by censoring
and denouncing. Little did they know that, six years later, that small whisper would grow into a deafening scream, a disturbingly
present reminder of its own existence, and of its legions of followers… Born in Bakersfield, California, from the melding
of two bands (LAPD and Sexart), KoRn has become one of the most popular new bands of the nineties. They have revolutionized
heavy-metal music as we know it (or used to know it), by injecting several different musical influences into traditional rock,
from hip-hop and rap, to 70's funk music. This strange blend gives KoRn a sound of its own. The different styles involved
do, theoretically, contradict themselves, but bound together by KoRn's musical savoir-faire, give the songs such atmosphere
that the show-goers cannot simply sit in their seats and say "Hmmm. Nice." They feel the urge to jump in the mosh pit and
enjoy the music at its core, letting all of their energy flow with the tonal explosion that KoRn puts out for them. This is
how KoRn wins fans. Not by cheap advertising with music videos, but by steady, unrelenting touring, giving the fans the full
experience and thus winning them for life. This strategy has given KoRn a much longer life span than the passing fad. And
it shows no sign of stopping. Debuting strongly with their first, self-titled album,
KoRn introduced itself bluntly to the world, featuring lightning-fast drum arrangements by David Silveria, frightening, Halloween-like
guitar riffs by guitarists James "Munky" Shaffer and Brian "Head" Welch, impressive hammer-style bass lines by Reggie "Fieldy"
Arvizu, and authentically emotional vocals by Jonathan Davis. The largely autobiographical songs written by Jon Davis depicted
a childhood lost, and were sung with such fierce emotion and energy, that he won instant compassion by fans everywhere. When
asked about how it feels to bear his soul to thousands of people every night, Jon had this to say: "I wouldn't say fun, but very rewarding and very
relieving. Every time I do it, it makes me feel better -- the comeback from the crowd and seeing all that madness out there.
I'm touching something, I think, that people want to talk about, that people can relate to. It's hard night after night, but
I need to do it, I have to." How KoRn achieve their peculiar sound is very different
from other bands. The first major difference is the use of seven-string guitars by Head and Munky, very rare instruments.
The extra string gives the guitar a much lower tonality, allowing KoRn's guitarists a wider range of chords to execute. Not
to be dominated by conformity, Head and Munky also tune their guitars in a way very different than most rock guitarists. Whereas
most guitarists would use the classic tuning for a seven-string guitar (B E A D G B E), KoRn's guitarists tune them to a very
weird A D G C F A D. This gives KoRn's guitar riffs a distinct feel, an almost eerie blend of hard-biting low tones and shrilling
high tones. The frequent use of the Minor second, Tritone and Major seventh chords, the three chords that most disturb the
human ear, complete KoRn's guitar individuality. Fieldy's bass setup also differs from most bands. Using a five string bass
tuned down to a rumbley low A D G C F, and employing a unique and amazing hammer-style/damping technique, Fieldy gives the
KoRn bass lines a very rhythmic, almost percussion-like personality. It is by differing from the sludge of average bands that
KoRn has gained success. KoRn's first album sold platinum, very impressive
for a debut album from a heavy-metal band. From the hard, heart-pumping sounds of "Ball Tongue", to the slow, devastatingly
emotional "Daddy", fans were mesmerised by the plethora of music and sentiments presented before them. Also featured in this
album was KoRn's show-opening song "Blind", the irreverent "Shoots and Ladders", the mind numbingly fast "Divine" and the
universally appealing "Need to". The whole album, in fact, was a metaphor for childhood, from the picture of a young girl
on the cover, to the child's writing on the inside of the booklet, and the mocking misspelling of "corn" with a K and a reversed
R. It became readily apparent to fans that what Jonathan Davis had to say was not the usual "Oh, my girlfriend left me…"
insincere vocals projected by most bands. What were here instead were the disconcertingly true tales of a man whose life was
ruined by past events. The emotional ties thus formed between KoRn and their fans were total. KoRn did not, however, let this
early success get to their heads, realising that fans are the livelihood of a band. They continued touring massively, steadily
earning a name in the underground rock scene. In 1996, KoRn ventured out with their second outing,
"Life is Peachy". Though admittedly a bit rushed, by pressures from their record company, "Life is Peachy" showed no signs
of faltering quality. From the insanely bizarre "Twist" to the groovy "Good God", all tracks were very enjoyable. KoRn had
not failed in their mission to bring their fans great music to enjoy, surpassing their anterior level of quality. A testament
to KoRn's growing popularity was the fact that the band profited from a better sound quality on "Peachy", due in part to their
maturing musical skills, but also to the better equipment purchased. 1998 was a very busy year for KoRn. While spending
time perfecting their third album "Follow The Leader", KoRn also worked on several other projects, including their own rock
festival called "Family Values", their own record label entitled "Elementree Records" and a weekly internet program called
"KoRn T.V.". In making "Follow The Leader", KoRn took their time
to assure that this album would benefit from the success of both previous albums, by incorporating higher quality recording
equipment, giving "Follow The Leader" a crisp, higher quality new sound. This album also incorporated various guest artists
from Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit fame, and Ice Cube, to Trevant Hardson of Pharcyde and Cheech Marin. Needless to say, "Follow
The Leader" was a smash hit. The single "Got The Life" continuously played on the radio, while the "Freak on a Leash" music
video went on to win two awards at the 1999 MTV Music Video Awards. The men from KoRn had accomplished the journey from anonymity
to megastardom, and while some bands might have felt the urge to give in and "sell out", KoRn maintained their integrity,
both moral and musical, and now, in 1999, are ready to unleash their biggest album yet to an ocean of thirsty fans. Tentatively entitled "Issues", not much is known
of KoRn's forthcoming album. Though the release date is fairly near, November 16th, the members have maintained a tight lid
on their new project. However, for those lucky enough to attend this year's Woodstock, KoRn indulged their fans by performing
two songs from their new album. The first one, apparently entitled "Beg For Me", is a mixture of old-style KoRn with newer,
faster beats, and is very enjoyable in all respects, but it is the second song performed, called "Falling Away From Me", that
is sure to be a wholesale hit. What is there to say about this song? Everything is done right. It is a personification of
KoRn's evolution, and to the trained KoRn fan's ear, one can hear in this song all of KoRn's different musical stages. If
all of the songs on "Issues" are half as good as "Falling Away From Me", this album will be a raving success. Accessible to
those new to KoRn, but also, hopefully, deep enough to satisfy those of us who have been there from the start, "Issues" should
be one of those truly memorable albums, which fans will be listening to for years to come. And so the voice rolls on, now a deep, low laugh.
For those who understand its complex jargon, it seems to say, with fearless ranting and steadfast determination: "WHO THEN NOW, BITCHES?"
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Signing a recording contract is the biggest day in a musician’s life. Often a musician is so excited they sign on the
dotted line with little consideration of the long term. 
