Austin Fanzine Project

AND THAT WAS JUST ENOUGH.

Scott had promised me he'd do what he could to get Ben and Carl in to the club (the Empty Bottle is 21+ and Ben and Carl were 16). When they got there no one was watching the door, so they just walked in, but soon they were spotted. They explained that they were with me and I explained that I was with the Grifters and Scott explained that they were cool and the guy marked up their hands real good and instructed them to stay at least 20 feet from the bar at all times and to go to the light booth if the cops came and to say that they worked there. Ben and Carl were fucking thrilled! Especially when Tripp remembered to thank them during the show for running lights. I left them and went into the back room to drink. The room was full of pot smoke and smoke smoke and every time someone knocked on the door I got worried. Each time though, it was the club owner coming to see if the bands needed anything. They would ask for more beer or whatever, but finally someone asked for some tequila and the owner brought a whole bottle.

The Grifters played one of the best shows I've ever seen a band play. It was just incredible. I was having a little trouble standing up, and they were up there doing their thing better than I can explain.

I couldn't believe it. The only sign that they were drunk was at the end of the set when Dave couldn't get his guitar off and cursed, "Tequila."

I hung out for the rest of the weekend with my brother and his friends. We went to see one of the Grifter's instores the next day and just fucked around in Chicago. I really miss that place.

∞Jennifer LaSuprema

Photo caption: The Grifters (Tripp, Dave, Scott, Stan) in front of the Music Box Theatre next door to Blackout Records in Chicago.

TOMATO TIME

PHONE NEWS: When I set up my current phone service I took the option of having a free calling card. With its arrival came several inserts explaining the usefulness of my new card, as well as this one (below) telling me how to use it. Notice the second instruction, "LISTEN for the bong." This used to be printed on the back of the card itself, but the newer version just says, "LISTEN for the tone."

FREE PRESS IN THE US: There are at least two magnificent papers being distributed on the streets of some US cities. The papers can each be acquired for one buch from guys standing on street corners and riding on public transportation. The first of the papers is StreetWise which is published by the homeless in Chicago. This paper features articles of community interest, editorials on social issues, an entertainment section and typical newspaper features such as horoscopes and letters to the editors. The cover story for the May 1-15, 1995 issue is a great interview with a Chicago garbage collector.

The other paper is a Nation of Islam publication titled The Final Call. It contains an incredible number of articles on social issues affecting "Black America" including pieces of Farrakhan, the framing of black youths for a crime in Alabama, Mike Tyson, Mandela, and the DEA. One of my favorite political cartoons of all

addresses:

[image of part of a table with a plate of a hamburger and fries, a soda with a straw, mustard and ketchup.]

—see Record Reviews (p. 20)

To get a copy of that Flying Saucer Attack record: VHF, Box 7365, Fairfax Station, VA 22039.

For Yo La Tengo’s Fakebook, write to Bar/None Records, PO Box 1704, Hoboken, NJ 07030.

You can get the K-Tel 70’s tributes or any of Javelin Boot’s regards from Pravda Records, 3823 N. Southport, Box A1, Chicago IL 60613 Or I’ll bring ‘em back with me for ya after my X-mas trip to Chicago. I always love another excuse to go to Southport, my favorite Chicago street.

For that lock groove 7” or any of a number of other annoying records write RRRecords, 151 Paige St., Lowell, MA 01852.

An ad caught my eye cause it advertised a Pure Joy CD-ick!! - and Phantom Surfers 45s and stuff by the Fastbacks. PopLlama Products, PO Box 95364, Dept. F, Seattle, WA 98145. Cool Name, too.

And, of course, with Slint, Palace Brothers, Big Black, Royal Trux & Pavement, there’s Touch & Go, PO Box 25520-OC, Chicago, IL, 60625.

**ALL THESE LABELS OFFER FREE CATALOGS**

Tomato Time

Ok, so (I think I'm gonna start every piece in this issue with "Ok, so...") Ok, so, we went into Tower Records the other night to look at zines or books or something, and we go offered a sample of fucking Calvin Klein perfume! I said, "So how is it that you got hooked up passing out perfume samples?" He said, "Because One is a new, unique fragrance specially formulated for use by both men and women!" "OH MY GOD!!. "I shrieked, "now I can piece it all together. A record store. A new unique fragrance. A perfect match!" What the fuck folks? I guess I should have seen it coming when I went to the super-mega-Tower in Chicago. It was like a fucking mall in there! It had CD's, tapes, books, magazines, zines, clothes, everything except records. They should change their name or something. Tower Perfume (and shit).

GANK ALERT: Do not, I repeat, do not buy the November 1994 issue of High Society with "Bad Girl Barrymore's Bare Breasts." It sucks. It's 6 bucks and all it has is some movie stills and a picture of a breast, it's not necessarily hers even, cause it's not even attached to a body. Well here's the best parts:

Just rent some of her movies. Poison Ivy is really hot and Doppelganger is a really predictable horror flick. It's really bad, but you get to see her bein' sexy and all. And Gun Crazy is good and violent and it has a cameo by Joe Dallesandro of Warhol fame!