You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Winter<br />
<strong>2009</strong>
Of course one of my New Year’s<br />
resolutions was to cut down on<br />
my smoking - it’s the same resolution<br />
I make every year! And I<br />
have cut down, I probably smoke<br />
half what I used to. I hate that<br />
sometimes my mind is telling me<br />
it doesn’t want to smoke right<br />
now, even as my hand is reaching<br />
in my purse to light another cigarette.<br />
I don’t pretend to want to<br />
quit altogether because I like<br />
smoking! Heck, even my promotional<br />
photos show me with a cigarette<br />
in my hand! I like that when<br />
I walk down the street at night<br />
alone I have a burning object in<br />
my hand that could be used for<br />
protection if necessary. The very<br />
act of smoking says to a potential<br />
attacker that I am strong enough<br />
and crazy enough to light on fire<br />
an object filled with poison and<br />
inhale that smoke directly into my<br />
lungs! So watch out, buddy!<br />
Now that smoking is illegal in the<br />
bars of Chicago and clusters of<br />
smokers huddle in the cold every<br />
night in front of each establishment,<br />
I like the way the other<br />
smokers on the street give you<br />
that little nod of recognition as<br />
you pass with a cigarette in your<br />
hand like, yeah man, we understand,<br />
we are outlaws now, too.<br />
Even when I am driving and<br />
smoking I like to see other “smoking<br />
drivers” in the rush hour traffic<br />
with snow falling so hard you<br />
can barely drive - give me that little<br />
nod, like, yeah, life sucks -<br />
might as well smoke up! There are<br />
two places that I absolutely cannot<br />
be without a cigarette in my<br />
hand, in front of the computer and<br />
in front of a slot machine. The two<br />
just seem to go hand in hand!<br />
When I go to have dinner with my<br />
Kim Katz with Brian "Head" Welch<br />
mom at her Senior Living center<br />
the mere mention to her friends<br />
that I may go outside for an after<br />
dinner smoke (the best smoke of<br />
all) elicits a barrage of antismoking<br />
warnings and stories complete<br />
with descriptions of every tar<br />
filled lung or early cancer death<br />
anyone at the table has ever<br />
encountered. Of course, after all<br />
that talk of smoking, tar, and<br />
death, and destruction the first<br />
thing I feel I have to do is excuse<br />
myself to have a cigarette!<br />
I’ve always said I’ll quit smoking<br />
when I start dating a non-smoker<br />
again. Smoking is known to be a<br />
substitute for sex. If I am dating a<br />
non-smoker all he has to do is kiss<br />
me each time I feel like smoking<br />
and voilah, I’m okay! I don’t want<br />
to have smoker’s breath when I<br />
actually have the possibility of<br />
making out instead. I’m addicted<br />
to nicotine but I have my priorities!<br />
So to all the people who love me<br />
and want me to quit smoking so<br />
you can have me around longer, I<br />
just want to say thanks for not<br />
bringing it up, you just saved me<br />
from having one more cigarette!<br />
Top Fifty Sexy Men and<br />
Women of Hollywood<br />
Be sure to check out our Top Fifty<br />
lists of sexy men and women stars<br />
of Hollywood on<br />
www.<strong>BuzzNews</strong>.<strong>net</strong>. For the<br />
record I want to state that<br />
although I gave a few suggestions<br />
here and there, our editor, and<br />
other staff members, painstakingly<br />
compiled the lists. I have met<br />
some of the men on the Top Fifty<br />
Hollywood Hunks list and would<br />
never place them in that exact<br />
order. Actually, I would find it<br />
impossible to place them in a permanent<br />
order anyway since I<br />
wouldn’t want to hurt anyone’s<br />
feelings and because my order of<br />
their importance and sexiness<br />
keeps changing as I meet them! I<br />
did, however, order our editor to<br />
remove Lee Majors and Spencer<br />
Tracy and replace them with<br />
Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando.<br />
I mean, come on, they are dead,<br />
yes, but still sexy as hell.<br />
Brian Welch Interview<br />
- Jesus loves rock and<br />
roll, too!<br />
Talking about religious spirituality<br />
is something I love to discuss,<br />
but it’s usually a touchy subject<br />
that one doesn’t bring up - especially<br />
when interviewing a rock<br />
star. So when I read Brian<br />
Welch’s (formally of Korn) book<br />
about his own spiritual rebirth, I<br />
couldn’t wait to sit down and<br />
chat about his experiences. We<br />
had a really wonderful and<br />
enlightening talk about his book<br />
and <strong>new</strong> album both titled ”Save<br />
Me from myself” at the<br />
Renaissance Hotel here in<br />
Chicago. When it was over Brian<br />
said that he truly enjoyed talking<br />
with me and had he known I was<br />
sympathetic to his beliefs he<br />
would have made time to speak<br />
much longer. Whether you were<br />
a fan of Korn’s music or just<br />
another believer on the path to<br />
oneness you will definitely enjoy<br />
this heart-opening interview! Be<br />
sure to check out the video interview<br />
with Brian Welch formerly<br />
of Korn on “The Greenroom<br />
with Kim Katz” only at<br />
www.Buzz<strong>new</strong>s.TV<br />
Now that I’m here,<br />
Now that you’re near<br />
in Xanadu<br />
Also, in this issue, check out my<br />
reviews of the Biggie Smalls<br />
biopic Notorious and the<br />
Chicago Drury Lane Water<br />
Tower Place Theatre production<br />
of Xanadu. Xanadu was one of<br />
my favorite fantasy films of all<br />
time! Check it out and enjoy.<br />
Happy Inauguration to all my<br />
Kitty Friends, Barack is IN and<br />
we all made it happen! Hurrah!<br />
Keep warm and save me a place<br />
by the fire!<br />
Love, Kimberly Katz<br />
BUZZ S&E www.<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.tv page 3
BUZZ S&E<br />
E-Z Glance Directories<br />
5 What’s Buzzin’ Around The Corner?<br />
6 Chicago Live Music Directory<br />
7 Buzz Concert Picks<br />
Music<br />
8 Catfight Interview<br />
15 Ion Vein<br />
14 Dulcet Road<br />
16 Buzz CD Review - Common<br />
17 Buzz CD Review - Animal Collective<br />
19 Buzz On My Band - Munroe<br />
20 Music News - Slayer & Marilyn Manson<br />
21 Music News - Cannibal Corpse Tour<br />
Columns & Features<br />
15 Metal Wars 2<br />
23 Chicago Couples Cuisine - Tocco<br />
24 Film Buzz - “H2” and “Green Lantern”<br />
25 Film Reviews - “Che” & “Notorious”<br />
26 Love in the Times of Rabies<br />
27 Dave’s Digital Diary<br />
Featured Interview<br />
10 Brian Welch Interview<br />
Sports<br />
35 What If Vitali Does Face Valuev?<br />
Comedy<br />
38- Ask Buzzy<br />
39- Stingers<br />
Theatre<br />
28 Chicago Theatre - Xanadu<br />
30 Chicago Theatre Listing<br />
33 Chicago Theatre - City of Angels<br />
Buzz Sports &<br />
Entertainment Staff<br />
Publisher Jason Royal<br />
Editor in Chief<br />
Director Sales &<br />
Ken Payne<br />
Marketing Stuart Genovese<br />
Director of Promotions Greg Chruscielski<br />
Photographer Ken Payne<br />
Stuart Genovese<br />
Background Photo Credit: Carol Rosegg<br />
Media Relations Ken Payne<br />
Kim Katz<br />
Ad/layout Design Jason Royal<br />
David Biggs<br />
Sales/Marketing Brianna Dwiel<br />
Michael Connor<br />
Web Design Dave Biggs<br />
Distribution Patrick Kubina<br />
Bryan Bose<br />
Writers Kim Katz<br />
Corey Simons<br />
Nikki Simons<br />
Ken Payne<br />
Matthew Arlington<br />
Patrick Kubina<br />
John Michael Serrano<br />
David Biggs<br />
Michael Connor<br />
Joe Harrison<br />
Megan Hayes<br />
Contact information: info@<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.<strong>net</strong><br />
Contact writers: feedback@<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.<strong>net</strong><br />
Buzz S & E<br />
P.O. Box 459<br />
Mount Prospect, IL 60056<br />
888-Hey-Buzz<br />
888-439-2899<br />
www.<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.<strong>net</strong><br />
www.myspace.com/<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s<br />
© Copyright 2006 Buzz Sports & Entertainment<br />
Royal Payne Multimedia LLC<br />
Buzz S&E Magazine is for entertainment purposes only.<br />
The views and opinions in the articles and interviews<br />
supplied by the writers are solely the opinions of the<br />
writers and not the opinion of Buzz S&E or it's parent<br />
company Royal Payne Multimedia.
What's Buzzin' Around The Corner?<br />
This Must Be the Band2/13 Space (Evanston)<br />
Poi Dog Pondering 2/13 Durty Nellies (Palatine)<br />
Gloria Trevi 2/14 Congress Theater<br />
F*cked Up/AV Murder2/14 Empty Bottle<br />
Mudvayne 2/15 Pearl Room (Mokena)<br />
The Pretenders 2/15 Riviera<br />
Jesse McCartney 2/18 House of Blues<br />
Lyle Lovitt/John Hiatt 2/18 Rialto Theatre (Joliet)<br />
Elefante 2/19 House of Blues<br />
Pat Green 2/19 Joe's<br />
Gary Louris 2/20 Park West<br />
Thievery Corporation 2/20 Aragon Ballroom<br />
Ghosts in the Grvyard 2/21 Beat Kitchen<br />
Belanova 2/20 Congress Theater<br />
Gipsy Kings 2/21 Chicago Theater<br />
Smoking Popes 2/21 Cubby Bear<br />
Estelle 2/25 House of Blues<br />
Inept 2/26 House of Blues<br />
Brett Dennen 2/26 Park West<br />
Dark Star Orchestra 2/26 Vic Theatre<br />
Avenged Sevenfold 2/27 Allstate Arena<br />
Moe 2/27,28 Riviera<br />
Ne-Yo 2/27 Chicago Theater<br />
Trust Company 2/27 Chicago City Limits<br />
Munroe 2/27 Durty Nellies (Palatine)<br />
Roosevelt Jenkins 2/28 Reggie's Rock Club<br />
Lisa Hannigan 2/28 Martyr's<br />
Lonnie Brooks 2/28 Fitzgerald's (Berwyn)<br />
The Eternals 2/28 The Hideout<br />
Escape the Fate 3/1 House of Blues<br />
Cross Candn Ragweed 3/2 Joe's<br />
Busta Rhymes 3/5 House of Blues<br />
Tea Leaf Green 3/5 Park West<br />
Fleetwood Mac 3/5,6 Allstate Arena<br />
Todd Snider 3/6 Park West<br />
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band 3/6 Rialto Theatre (Joliet)<br />
Dave Barnes 3/6 Subterranean<br />
Hairbanger's Ball 3/6 Durty Nellies (Palatine)<br />
The Saw Doctors 3/7 Vic Theatre<br />
Little Big Town 3/7 Joe's<br />
David Archuleta 3/8 House of Blues<br />
Butch Walker 3/10 House of Blues<br />
Kottonmouth Kings 3/11 House of Blues<br />
Shinedown 3/11 Pearl Room (Mokena)<br />
Taste of Chaos 3/12 Aragon Ballroom<br />
Nickelback/Seether 3/12 Allstate Arena<br />
Gaelic Storm 3/13,14 House of Blues<br />
Tricky 3/13 Epiphany<br />
Sdtrck of Our Lives 3/13 Double Door<br />
Kinky 3/14 Congress Theater<br />
Bonnie Prince Billy 3/14 Vic Theatre<br />
Madi Diaz 3/14 House of Blues<br />
Rants by Michael<br />
Greenwood<br />
feedback@<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.<strong>net</strong><br />
“Would you like some fries with<br />
that?” “Would you like that meal<br />
super-sized?” “For a quarter<br />
more would you like to upgrade<br />
your drink to bucket-size?”<br />
These are phrases that we are<br />
very familiar with whenever we,<br />
as the consumer, buy food at<br />
most fast food or quick-serve<br />
establishments. These redundant<br />
questions bug me for two reasons:<br />
I’d like to order what I<br />
want to order and not be bothered<br />
with a cheesy up sell<br />
attempt. I see the menu. I don’t<br />
need someone to read it to me. If<br />
I wanted an apple pie or larger<br />
drink, I would have ordered it.<br />
But the other reason it annoys<br />
me to no end is much more serious.<br />
In our dangerously obese<br />
country these cheapy food<br />
chains show zero responsibility<br />
towards its’ customers health<br />
and well-being. Why don’t they<br />
just come out and say what they<br />
really mean? The real question<br />
they’d like to ask is - Would you<br />
like to get fatter and clog your<br />
arteries even more by eating a<br />
much larger portion of greasy<br />
junk food for just a few cents<br />
more?<br />
I’d say that because of all the<br />
premature heart attacks and<br />
early deaths on account of mass<br />
junk food consummation that<br />
these fast food places would<br />
eventually run out of customers.<br />
However, the sad truth is that<br />
<strong>new</strong> customers will continue to<br />
line up after the others are dead<br />
and gone.<br />
Of course, there is also a personal<br />
responsibility that must<br />
be addressed. If there were<br />
not, all fast food restaurants<br />
(I hate calling them that)<br />
would be sued for neglect. In<br />
my observations it does seem<br />
like most fast food customers<br />
are already overweight or out<br />
of shape – just look at most<br />
lines in McDonalds or Taco<br />
Bell. You don’t see the same<br />
people lining up for turkey<br />
burgers and wheat grass<br />
shots.<br />
In no way am I saying that fat<br />
people should rejoice and<br />
jump around with the realization<br />
that their corpulence is<br />
someone else’s fault. It’s not.<br />
I’m simply saying that as<br />
obesity continues to be an<br />
epidemic (yes, epidemic) in<br />
this country, some of these<br />
corporations should think<br />
twice and quit trying to sell<br />
us more junk than we would<br />
have ordered on our own.<br />
How fat do they want us to<br />
get? People might not even<br />
finish the ridiculous portion<br />
of something “super-sized”<br />
but they’ll certainly die trying...<br />
BUZZ S&E www.<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.tv page 5
Abbey Pub<br />
3420 W. Grace<br />
(773) 478-4408<br />
AliveOne<br />
2683 N Halsted<br />
(773) 348-9800<br />
Allstate Arena<br />
6920 North<br />
Mannheim Road<br />
Rosemont, IL.<br />
Alpine Valley<br />
2699 Hwy D<br />
East Troy, WI<br />
(262) 642-4400<br />
Aragon<br />
Ballroom<br />
1106 W.<br />
Lawrence<br />
(773) 561-9500<br />
Arie Crown<br />
Theatre<br />
2301 S. Lake<br />
Shore Drive<br />
Bar Vertigo<br />
853 N Western<br />
(773) 395-3002<br />
Beat Kitchen<br />
2100 W. Belmont<br />
Ave.<br />
(773) 281-4444<br />
Betty’s Blue Star<br />
Lounge<br />
1600 W Grand<br />
(312) 243-1699<br />
Black Orchid<br />
230 W North<br />
(312) 944-2200<br />
Blue Iguana<br />
2909 N Sheffield<br />
(773) 935-7500<br />
B.L.U.E.S.<br />
2519 N Halsted<br />
(773) 528-1012<br />
Blue Chicago on<br />
Clark<br />
536 N Clark<br />
(312) 661-0100<br />
Buddy Guy’s<br />
Legends<br />
754 S Wabash<br />
(312) 427-0333<br />
Chicago Live Music Directory<br />
Cadillac Palace<br />
151 W Randolph<br />
(312) 977-1700<br />
California<br />
Clipper<br />
1002 N California<br />
(773) 384-2547<br />
Cal’s Bar<br />
400 S Wells<br />
(312) 922-6392<br />
Carol’s Pub<br />
4659 N Clark<br />
(773) 334-2402<br />
Chicago Theatre<br />
175 N State<br />
(312) 263-1138<br />
Civic Opera<br />
House<br />
20 N Wacker<br />
(312) 419-0033<br />
Cobra Lounge<br />
235 N Ashland<br />
(312) 226-6300<br />
Congress<br />
Theatre<br />
2135 N<br />
Milwaukee<br />
(773) 252-4000<br />
Cotton Club<br />
1710 S Michigan<br />
(312) 341-9787<br />
Crobar<br />
1543 N<br />
Kingsbury<br />
(312)266-1900<br />
Cubby Bear -<br />
Lincolnshire<br />
21661 North<br />
Milwaukee Ave<br />
Lincolnshire, IL<br />
(847) 541-4700<br />
Cubby Bear –<br />
Wrigleyville<br />
1059 W. Addison<br />
(773) 327-1662<br />
Danny’s<br />
1951 W Dickens<br />
(773) 489-6457<br />
Darkroom<br />
2210 W Chicago<br />
(773) 276-1411<br />
Double Door<br />
1572 N<br />
Milwaukee<br />
(773) 489-3160<br />
Durty Nellie’s<br />
180 N Smith<br />
Palatine, IL<br />
(847) 358-9150<br />
Elbo Room<br />
2871 N. Lincoln<br />
Ave.<br />
(773) 549-5549<br />
Empty Bottle<br />
1035 N. Western<br />
(773) 276-3600<br />
Exedus II<br />
3477 N Clark<br />
(773) 348-3998<br />
Fantasy Lounge<br />
4400 N Elston<br />
(773) 685-8083<br />
FitzGerald’s<br />
6615 W Roosevelt<br />
Berwyn, IL<br />
(708) 788-2118<br />
Gallery Cabaret<br />
2020 N Oakley<br />
(773) 489-5471<br />
Goose Island<br />
3535 N Clark<br />
(773) 832-9040<br />
Green Dolphin<br />
2200 N Ashland<br />
(773) 395-0066<br />
Green Mill<br />
4802 N Broadway<br />
773-878-5552<br />
Gunther<br />
Murphy’s<br />
1638 W Belmont<br />
(773) 472-5139<br />
Hard Rock Café<br />
63 W Ontario<br />
(312) 943-2252<br />
Heartland Café<br />
7000 N Glenwood<br />
(773) 465-8005<br />
The Hideout<br />
1354 W Wabansia<br />
(773) 227-4433<br />
Hog Head<br />
McDunna’s<br />
1505 W. Fullerton<br />
(773) 929-0944<br />
Horseshoe<br />
Lounge<br />
4115 N Lincoln<br />
(773) 549-9292<br />
HotHouse<br />
31 E Balbo<br />
(312) 362-9707<br />
House of Blues<br />
329 N. Dearborn<br />
(312) 527-2583<br />
Hungry Brain<br />
2319 W Belmont<br />
(773) 935-2118<br />
Jazz Showcase<br />
59 W Grand<br />
(312) 670-2473<br />
Joe’s<br />
940 W Weed<br />
(312) 337-3486<br />
Katerina’s<br />
1920 W Irving<br />
Park<br />
(773) 348-7592<br />
Kingston Mines<br />
2548 N Halsted<br />
(773) 477-4646<br />
Lelia Jane’s<br />
1008 W Armitage<br />
(773) 665-7885<br />
Lilly’s<br />
2515 N Lincoln<br />
(773) 525-2422<br />
Martyr’s<br />
3855 N Lincoln<br />
(773) 404-9494<br />
Metro<br />
3730 N Clark<br />
(773) 549-0203<br />
Millennium Park<br />
100 N Michigan<br />
(312) 742-1168<br />
Morseland<br />
1218 W Morse<br />
(773) 764-8900<br />
Muse Café<br />
817 N Milwaukee<br />
(312) 850-2233<br />
Mutiny<br />
2428 N Western<br />
(773) 486-7774<br />
Nite Cap<br />
5007 W Irving<br />
Park<br />
(773) 282-8654<br />
No Exit Café<br />
6970 N Glenwood<br />
(773) 743-3355<br />
The Note<br />
1565 N<br />
Milwaukee<br />
(773) 489-0011<br />
Oasis One-Sixty<br />
160 W. Joe Orr<br />
Road<br />
Chicago Heights,<br />
IL<br />
708-756-0600<br />
Old Town School<br />
of Folk<br />
4544 N Lincoln<br />
(773) 728-6000<br />
Park West<br />
322 W. Armitage<br />
(773) 929-5959<br />
Pearl Room<br />
19081 Old<br />
Lagrange Road<br />
Mokena, IL<br />
(708) 479-5356<br />
Penny Road Pub<br />
28W705 Penny<br />
Road<br />
Barrington, IL<br />
(847) 428-0562<br />
Phyllis’s’ Music<br />
Inn<br />
1800 W Division<br />
(773) 486-9862<br />
Pops For<br />
Champagne<br />
2934 N Sheffield<br />
(773) 472-1000<br />
Puffer’s<br />
3356 S Halsted<br />
(773) 927-6073<br />
Quencher’s<br />
2401 N Western<br />
(773) 276-9730<br />
Ravinia<br />
400 Iris Lane<br />
Highland Park, IL<br />
(847) 266-5015<br />
Redhead Piano<br />
Bar<br />
16 W Ontario<br />
(312) 640-1000<br />
Red Line Tap<br />
7006 N Glenwood<br />
(773) 338-9862<br />
Reversible Eye<br />
1103 N California<br />
(773) 862-1232<br />
Riviera<br />
4746 N Racine<br />
(773)275-6800<br />
Rosa’s Blues<br />
Lounge<br />
3420 W Armitage<br />
(773) 342-0452<br />
Rosemont<br />
Theatre<br />
5400 N River<br />
Rosemont, IL<br />
(847) 671-5100<br />
Schuba’s<br />
3159 N Southport<br />
(773) 525-2508<br />
Silvie’s Lounge<br />
1902 W Irving<br />
Park<br />
(773) 871-6239<br />
Smartbar<br />
3730 N Clark<br />
(773) 549-0203<br />
Smoke Daddy<br />
1804 W Division<br />
(773) 772-6656<br />
Sonotheque<br />
1444 W Chicago<br />
(312)226-7600<br />
Sound-Bar<br />
226 W Ontario<br />
(312)787-4480<br />
The Spot<br />
4437 N.<br />
Broadway Ave.<br />
(773) 989-4515<br />
Streetside Café<br />
3201 W Armitage<br />
(773) 252-9700<br />
Subterranean<br />
2011 W. North<br />
Ave.<br />
(773) 278-6600<br />
Tonic Room<br />
2447 N Halsted<br />
(773) 248-8400<br />
Tweeter Center<br />
(First Midwest<br />
Bank Amp.)<br />
19100 Ridgeland<br />
Ave<br />
Tinley Park, IL<br />
(708) 614-1616<br />
UIC Pavilion<br />
1150 W. Harrison<br />
(630) 906-9633<br />
Uncommon<br />
Ground<br />
1214 W Grace<br />
(773) 929-3680<br />
Underground<br />
Lounge<br />
952 W Newport<br />
(773) 372-2739<br />
United Center<br />
1901 W. Madison<br />
St.<br />
(312) 445-4500<br />
U.S. Beer Co.<br />
1801 N Clybourn<br />
(773) 871-7799<br />
Vic Theatre<br />
3145 N. Sheffield<br />
(773) 472-0449<br />
Vision<br />
640 N Dearborn<br />
(312) 266-1944<br />
Weed’s<br />
1555 N Dayton<br />
(312) 943-7815<br />
Zebra Lounge<br />
1220 N State<br />
(312) 642-5140
Buzz Concert Picks<br />
Feb 27th - Avenged Sevenfold,<br />
Buck Cherry, Burn Halo<br />
The Allstate Arena will host these three amazing bands in one<br />
exciting night of mayhem. Though Avenged Sevenfold and<br />
Buck Cherry will share headline duties, it is Burn Halo that has<br />
fast become one of the up and coming bands to watch for. The<br />
California band fronted by former Eighteen Visions singer<br />
James Hart brings with him a <strong>new</strong> line up that is sure to rock<br />
every seat in the arena. You can check out video and sound<br />
clips of Burn Halo at myspace.com/burnhalo.<br />
Burn Halo<br />
March 5th & 6th - Fleetwood Mac<br />
Mick Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham and John McVie<br />
hit the road for the first time in five years and will hit the Chicago area<br />
when they play Allstate Arena on March 5th and 6th. "We love our<br />
band and think the title of the tour "UNLEASHED" perfectly<br />
describes how we all feel when we get on stage together - especially in<br />
<strong>2009</strong>. We're so happy to get back out on the road, perform everyone's<br />
favorite songs and see our fans," said the band in a joint statement<br />
Feb 21st - Winter Fest <strong>2009</strong><br />
House of Holland and Supermercado headline Dark Star<br />
Records Winterfest <strong>2009</strong> at Boondocks in West Chicago (1200<br />
Hawthorne Lane). The rock explosion begins at 9pm. House of<br />
Holland features Tommy Holland formerly of the band,<br />
Holland ("Wake Up the Neighborhood"). After the band's torrid<br />
debut, Scary Baby, Supermercado is on the verge of releasing<br />
their killer <strong>new</strong> album, Chupacabra, in which a few songs<br />
can be heard at myspace.com/supermercado.<br />
Supermercado<br />
March 17th - Flogging Molly<br />
American Celtic punk band Flogging Molly will be performing<br />
at the Congress Theater in support of their latest album<br />
Float on the Green 17 tour. Flogging acknowledges these<br />
money tight times on their site and has worked hard to set up<br />
a 'no service charge' ticket outlet in as many markets as possible,<br />
thus avoiding having to pay any ticketing fees on top.<br />
Go to www.floggingmolly.com to get your tickets online or<br />
head down to the 'no service charge' outlet to pick them up in<br />
person!
WHAT IS MORE FUN THAN A CATFIGHT?<br />
by Patrick Kubina<br />
During a bitter cold midweek<br />
night with the thermometer toying<br />
with subzero digits, I found<br />
myself huddled outside Chicago<br />
City Limits (1712 W Wise Rd-<br />
Schaumburg) miserably pulling<br />
on a Merit non-menthol with a<br />
handful of other nicotine addicts<br />
who were not only brave enough<br />
to face cancer, but now<br />
Pneumonia as well, waiting for<br />
“Catfight” to begin their weekly<br />
set. Upon hearing a slight commotion<br />
inside I stubbed out the<br />
butt and went in just as “Catfight”<br />
were hitting the stage.<br />
I was immediately struck by the<br />
sheer visual brilliance of these<br />
five lovely ladies clad in schoolgirl<br />
miniskirts offset against the<br />
bad girl bravado of full leather<br />
boots and other rock ‘n’ roll trinkets<br />
and baubles. Great Gimmick-<br />
I thought. ”Brilliant” I commented<br />
to my drinking companion for<br />
the evenings revelry. I was wondering<br />
if they could pull it off or if<br />
it was just window dressing.<br />
Only a few bars into the opening<br />
number and I had my answer.<br />
These were (as Lori-Cats front<br />
drum skin proclaimed) Chicks<br />
That Rock!<br />
The band, made up of<br />
Molly/Julie-vocals, Lori-drums,<br />
Kimi-lead guitar, Kerri-bass and<br />
Amy (also known as baby -<br />
onstage)-keyboards and rhythm<br />
guitar all go by the surname of cat<br />
as far as I can tell. I can only<br />
assume the true monikers are kept<br />
under lock and key to discourage<br />
droolers, has been around the<br />
local scene for a number of years.<br />
I had heard of them but had never<br />
caught their act and pretty much<br />
considered them a cover band<br />
with an all girl twist. While being<br />
technically correct, that narrow<br />
definition hardly begins to<br />
describe the “Catfight” experience.<br />
Cover bands, for the most part,<br />
are generally older weekend war-<br />
8 BUZZ S&E www.<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.tv<br />
rior types who gave up trying to<br />
crack the music biz long ago but<br />
who still like to play and don’t<br />
mind collecting a few scoots<br />
regurgitating the hits of others. It<br />
is more often than not for a distracted<br />
inebriated crowd only<br />
interested in hearing something<br />
they know and can sing along<br />
with. Some are good-some terrible-most<br />
all are boring.<br />
“Catfight” is the antithesis of boring.<br />
From the first note they grab<br />
your attention and hold it.<br />
Whether these kitties are cavorting<br />
all over the stage playfully<br />
pawing at one another, entreating<br />
the servers to dance on the bar<br />
(which they do) bringing an audience<br />
member onstage to “spin the<br />
wheel “for a chance at “a kiss<br />
with Julie” or “buy Lori a shot for<br />
a penny” or inviting the crowd to<br />
join them in what they call a<br />
”Social”, (which basically means<br />
power drinking) these girls know<br />
how to entertain. They possess<br />
that rare ability to make rehearsed<br />
antics seem spontaneous and have<br />
grasped a concept often lost on<br />
other bands-namely audience<br />
inclusion. Smarmy lounge images<br />
aside, this is a show band. And a<br />
good one. They are sexy, professional<br />
and polished with just<br />
enough grit around the edges to<br />
keep it honest.<br />
It’s important to note that<br />
“Catfight” is not just all style and<br />
no substance. The show aspect is<br />
Catfight photo by Harley<br />
validated by exceptionally solid<br />
musicianship from a band that<br />
knows their way around their<br />
respective instruments and displays<br />
the obvious confidence that<br />
comes with that knowledge. Their<br />
soup-to-nuts set list ranged from<br />
Prince to Pink. Including one of<br />
the ballsier performances of<br />
“Shook Me All Night Long” this<br />
side of AC/DC kept the bands regular<br />
fans - or “cat-heads “as I like<br />
to call them, purring along with<br />
the tight harmonies and spot on<br />
rhythm. The energy produced by<br />
this band is undeniable and infectious<br />
made apparent by the<br />
respectable size crowd they were<br />
able to draw in spite of horrendous<br />
weather conditions on a weeknight<br />
in the midst of an economic<br />
downturn not seen in these parts<br />
since old tomcats like myself were<br />
cute little kittens.<br />
So in a nutshell (or no nuts shell if<br />
you like) This band has the chops<br />
to play with the boys, the balls to<br />
do it and they appear as if they can<br />
drink most of the boys under the<br />
table. The fact that they happen to<br />
be girls is a bonus. And let’s face<br />
it, girls are always cooler than<br />
boys anyway. A little catnip goes a<br />
long way. Catch “Catfight” every<br />
Wednesday night @ Chicago City<br />
Limits-1712 w. Wise Rd.<br />
Schaumburg. Check out catfightband.com.<br />
During a three week stretch of<br />
Wednesdays that featured major<br />
technical difficulties and a bout<br />
with a respiratory illness that may<br />
or may not have been anthrax<br />
related I finally got a chance to sit<br />
down with Lori and Julie, the two<br />
founding members of "Catfight"<br />
for a brief chinwag about upcoming<br />
shows and such.<br />
Buzz: So how did it all begin?<br />
How long have you been playing<br />
together?<br />
Lori: Maybe eight years (some<br />
discussion). Yeah, eight<br />
Julie: This is how it happened. We<br />
were playing at the old Durty<br />
Nellie's - an acoustic kind of duo<br />
thing. I was playing in one room,<br />
Lori was in the other and another<br />
band Quantum Leap was there and<br />
they were leaving and the manager<br />
there said - Hey, why don't you<br />
get a girl band to-gether? I know a<br />
drummer, Lori. So he hooked us<br />
up together…<br />
Lori: And Catfight began! We use<br />
to play every Tuesday and<br />
Thursday and my parents would<br />
go every time.<br />
Buzz: Is this the original lineup or<br />
have you gone through a lot of different<br />
players?<br />
Julie: Oh, we've gone through a lot<br />
of different players. (To Lori)<br />
We've had how many singers?<br />
Yeah, we've had a lot of singers.<br />
Buzz: So you went off to do other<br />
things?<br />
Julie: You know, I sang in the band<br />
and then left to do other shit and<br />
then I always step back in, so I'm
always kind of in and out.<br />
Lori: She's in and out.<br />
Julie: Lori's been in it all along.<br />
She's the only one. You're the only<br />
one!!<br />
Buzz: This current lineup has been<br />
together for how long?<br />
Lori: May 7th of this last year - it's<br />
been about a year.<br />
Buzz: And how's that working out?<br />
Any catfights?<br />
Lori: Once in a while.<br />
Julie: Yeah, sure. There are some<br />
catfights but at the end of the day<br />
working together, playing together<br />
we're usually on the same page.<br />
Buzz: How often do you play out?<br />
Julie: I'd say anywhere from one to<br />
three nights a week<br />
Lori: It used to be between like<br />
three and five back in the old cafe<br />
days.<br />
Buzz: Any upcoming shows you'd<br />
like to plug?<br />
Julie: Our big show is February<br />
14th at Austin's in Libertyville<br />
Lori: Our Birthday!<br />
Julie: That's our birthday party and<br />
Valentines Day.<br />
Buzz: Who's Birthday?<br />
Both: Catfight!!<br />
Buzz: Is this what you guys do for<br />
a living? It pays the bills?<br />
Julie: I'm a full time singer. I play<br />
in the Lt. Dan Band with Gary<br />
Sinise, I play in an orchestra, I do<br />
voice over for commercials and<br />
stuff like that. Yeah, I'm a full time<br />
singer.<br />
Buzz: Does this ever get in the way<br />
of other things like kids or a husband?<br />
Julie: No kids.<br />
Lori: No, no kids.<br />
Julie: No kids, no husband, no<br />
boyfriend actually (laughs)<br />
Lori: We'd like to advertise that!<br />
(Laughing)<br />
Buzz: A lot of what you do on<br />
stage seems spontaneous. Is it really<br />
all rehearsed?<br />
Julie: No, actually, not really.<br />
Sometimes we'll try something on<br />
stage and if people like it and it's<br />
funny we'll keep it in the show. But<br />
pretty much we just get up there<br />
and try to have a good time. We<br />
know each other so well we kinda<br />
know the limits.<br />
Lori: I've had a bucket of water<br />
dumped on my head…bottles of<br />
champagne dumped on my head.<br />
Julie: One of the only things we<br />
really planned was on Lori's birthday<br />
I asked her if I could smash a<br />
pie in her face.<br />
Lori: You did?<br />
Julie: Yeah, right before I said,<br />
Can I smash this pie in your face<br />
and you said yes.<br />
Buzz: What if she had said, "no"?<br />
Julie: Then I probably wouldn't<br />
have done it. I would have begged.<br />
I'd have said, "Please, I'll give you<br />
a hundred dollars!"<br />
Lori: I'll take it!<br />
Buzz: How do you pick your<br />
material?<br />
Julie: We'll say "Everyone pick a<br />
song" but lately we've been trying<br />
to do whatever's popular on the<br />
radio.<br />
Buzz: Are there any songs that<br />
you've tried that for some reason<br />
just don't work out for you?<br />
Julie: Oh yeah, there's a lot and we<br />
just don't want to do songs that<br />
everyone else is doing like<br />
"Summer of '69" or "Jessie's Girl",<br />
stuff like that.<br />
Lori: We try to do whatever she<br />
thinks her voice can handle. There<br />
are songs we've done for a certain<br />
performance like Market Days.<br />
Maybe we'll try something here<br />
(City Limits) and if it doesn't go<br />
over too well we'll ditch it.<br />
Lori:(switching gears) Oh, I have<br />
a story. You don't have to put this<br />
in…<br />
Buzz: If it's a good story we will.<br />
Lori: One time at a gig I got my<br />
nose pierced. I'd been wanting to<br />
do it for like a year and we walked<br />
into this bar and there was a table<br />
set up and I'm like "What are you<br />
doing?" and the guy said,<br />
"Piercings and tattoos" and I'm<br />
like, "Dude - I'll be back during<br />
the break!!" And I went and I did it<br />
and during the second set blood<br />
was dripping down my nose.<br />
(Laughing)<br />
Buzz: Very rock n' roll.<br />
Lori: And then there was another<br />
time we were doing a gig down in<br />
Bloomington Indiana. We were<br />
down there for a few days -so I got<br />
a tattoo while we were hanging out<br />
in Bloomington. My one and only<br />
tattoo.<br />
Buzz: What's the tattoo?<br />
Lori: Oh it's um... (Turns around to<br />
show tattoo)<br />
Julie: As Lori takes her skirt off<br />
(laughing)<br />
Buzz: Mojo. O.K.- That's your<br />
mojo tattoo.<br />
Lori: Well, because at a gig I<br />
would always tell my friends<br />
"Mojo tonight - I hope I have mojo<br />
tonight." And they'd say, "You<br />
should get it tattooed on you." So I<br />
did.<br />
Buzz: You'd better make sure<br />
you're not sitting on your mojo<br />
when you need it.<br />
Julie:(to Lori) I bought you a<br />
necklace that said "mojo" and you<br />
lost it!<br />
Lori: I know. I cried and cried and<br />
cried.<br />
Julie: I had it specially engraved<br />
for you.<br />
Lori: I didn't lose it on purpose!!<br />
Julie:(joking) Yes you did!<br />
Lori: No I didn't!<br />
Buzz: That's some pretty bad<br />
mojo! (Laughs all around)<br />
Buzz: Is there a "Catfight" subculture?<br />
Do you have a lot of fans<br />
following you around for different<br />
shows?<br />
Lori: Oh yeah, there's a handful<br />
of troopers who will drive for<br />
hundreds of miles to come and<br />
see us.<br />
Buzz: How far do you guys travel?<br />
Lori of Catfight photo by Jim Strong<br />
Lori: The farthest we've gone is<br />
Arizona and we played in Vegas.<br />
What's farther?<br />
Buzz: They're about the same.<br />
Lori: Whatever. Vegas is awesome!<br />
Buzz: So what's next?<br />
Julie: Well we have our big birthday<br />
show February 14th at<br />
Austin's in Libertyville and we're<br />
here every Wednesday (City<br />
Limits in Schaumburg).<br />
Buzz: Any thing you'd like to say<br />
to our Buzz readers?<br />
Julie: I wanna say, Hey Buzz<br />
readers get out to a "Catfight"<br />
show - NOW!!<br />
Lori: Now dammit!!!<br />
Julie: Pretty please....<br />
Cats don't usually beg. I'd do<br />
what they say.
Brian<br />
“Head”<br />
The Man who Left Korn for God<br />
by Kim Katz<br />
In a world where riches and fame seem to be the dream of most, it's<br />
almost hard to even comprehend someone walking away from "everything".<br />
That's what guitarist Brian Welch did. Welch, or "Head" as he is<br />
known by his many fans, shocked the rock scene when he left Korn, one<br />
of the most popular metal bands on the pla<strong>net</strong>, trading his worldly success<br />
and nonstop partying for a "relationship with God".<br />
The decision came easy for the guitar icon when after already becoming<br />
disgusted with himself at his drug dependency, he heard his 5 year old<br />
daughter singing the lyrics to the Korn song A.D.I.D.A.S. (All Day I<br />
Dream About Sex). For Head that was the last straw. He was in need of<br />
turning his life around and at that time turned his life over to Jesus Christ.<br />
Since then, Head has found the peace and happiness that eluded him for<br />
so long - the harmony and serenity that calmed his restless spirit.<br />
Although Head has walked out on Korn, he has not stopped making<br />
music by any means. Save Me from Myself, Welch's first solo release<br />
since Korn, is still filled with the heavy guitars and powerful vocals that<br />
weigh heavily in the Nu Metal genre. The album has received critical<br />
acclaim and, one week after its release, hit #13 on the music charts<br />
despite its Christian message. In other words, the album rocks. Welch has<br />
also written a book on his experience with the same title.<br />
I met with Brian at his hotel while he was in town for a CD signing. He<br />
was extremely upbeat and genuinely excited about his <strong>new</strong> lifestyle.<br />
Kim - Hi, I want to congratulate you on writing a bestseller not just about<br />
the sex, drugs, and rock and roll - but about your conversion..<br />
Brian - Spiritual awakening, I like to call it.<br />
Kim - Spiritual awakening, yeah I like the sound of that better too!<br />
Brian - I woke up.<br />
Kim - Right. Congratulations, was that scary? To put it down, you know,<br />
in print?<br />
Brian - Yeah. Especially some of the darker things that no one k<strong>new</strong><br />
about: my past, my ex-wife, the abuse and stuff. I was like, "My mom's<br />
10 BUZZ S&E www.<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.tv<br />
Welch elch
going to read this" - but I felt -<br />
something inside me said, pour<br />
everything out. And even the worst<br />
things that really bothered you that<br />
you did, pour it out and you're<br />
going to be getting it out of you<br />
and also you're going to be helping<br />
someone reading it so.. I just had<br />
to man up and do it!<br />
Kim - That's big of you, I'll tell you<br />
someof it was hard to even read...<br />
and I was like, "Wow, that's really<br />
brave of him" because part of you<br />
had to be sitting there going like,<br />
"maybe I'll sweeten this up a little<br />
or maybe I'll leave this one out."<br />
Brian - Yeah, yeah... I mean in<br />
some spots even the publisher told<br />
me that I know that Christ forgave<br />
you, but some people out there<br />
might not forgive this - so is there<br />
any way we could? And I was just<br />
like No man, I'm sorry I did it and<br />
I gotta talk about how sorry I am<br />
so..<br />
Kim - Good, that's good... because<br />
the deeper you went, the more people<br />
you cover. Because everybody<br />
else's negative experiences are like<br />
that and worse... so what you<br />
might think of as, ohh... the worst<br />
thing you could do in the world...<br />
in other countries, they're like<br />
"eh"..<br />
Brian - Yeah, and even here... let's<br />
say a conservative Christian that<br />
grew up that way their whole life -<br />
they read, like I've had people read<br />
my book and go "gosh...I can't..."<br />
and then another guy would read<br />
my book that's been in that<br />
lifestyle their whole life and be<br />
like "Oh dude, I would do that.." so<br />
it just, it really depends on the person.<br />
Kim - Yeah, there are a couple of<br />
neat things I want to talk about.<br />
And I just think this is so great, I<br />
don't know if you originated this,<br />
but something about evil shouting<br />
at God on its way out when in a<br />
time of spiritual dryness you just<br />
stop going, "Oh please.. and thank<br />
you.." and you're like "Screw<br />
you.. this isn't working, I'm done<br />
with you.." And I just.. bit the<br />
hand that feeds.. what did I do.. I<br />
just cussed at God.. but I love that<br />
you put down in words that it's<br />
something LEAVING you - and<br />
it's getting one last thing going<br />
out.<br />
Brian - Yeah, yeah it is! Like you<br />
get this rage.. I was raging, you<br />
know, like.. I felt like there was a<br />
demon possessing me and just<br />
yelling and then al of a sudden it<br />
comes out, seems like it comes<br />
out and the next time you go<br />
through something like that,<br />
you're stronger.<br />
Kim - Yeah, but it's ok to do that -<br />
it's necessary. You also say that<br />
"when pain from the past is leaving<br />
you, you might need to feel it<br />
again, on the way out." And I love<br />
it, it's a beautiful image - it's true.<br />
When something from the past<br />
comes up and you need to<br />
reprocess it.. you don't want to<br />
but sometimes, like you said, you<br />
have to go right through that hologram<br />
as it leaves you and just..<br />
Brian - Yeah, those emotions are<br />
real and you stuff them down if<br />
you don't deal with them. So<br />
when a spiritual cleansing happens,<br />
and it's real - because God<br />
cleanses you if you're really seri-<br />
ous about a relationship with him<br />
and there's something like.. you<br />
got beat real bad on one day by<br />
your parents, or something like<br />
that. When you're going through<br />
the healing, you feel some pain..<br />
Kim - You re-experience it, as if<br />
it's happening right then..<br />
Brian - Yeah, or the pain that you<br />
felt from that, He lifts it out - He<br />
uproots it. It's crazy man, I never<br />
would have believed it in a mil-<br />
lion years if it hadn't happened to<br />
me..<br />
Kim - Do you ever notice too that<br />
sometimes when you're peaking<br />
spiritually - you're not dry - you're<br />
feeling like, wow the signs are<br />
coming, things are happening, I<br />
really feel it, I'm feeling the presence,<br />
and then maybe you'll say a<br />
really strong prayer and then the<br />
next day or the next week it's like<br />
a backlash of negativity from<br />
inside yourself.. like, "Oh man,<br />
that was a good prayer.. Oh shit,<br />
now I'm paying for it." It's like the<br />
devil or evil or whatever comes<br />
around and gets mad that you<br />
prayed so strong and wants to<br />
challenge you about it.<br />
Brian - Totally. It's like.. that's<br />
what this life is about, a roller-<br />
coaster. That's where I dig into the<br />
bible, and I'm human you know,<br />
but on the bad days you have<br />
these people getting beat for<br />
telling people about Jesus, they're<br />
getting beat and they get out of<br />
prison and are like "I was beat for<br />
the name of Jesus!" and I'm reading<br />
that on a bad day going, "Hey<br />
how do I get like that?" They look<br />
crazy when I read it, but I'm feeling<br />
horrible today.. how can I get<br />
up and feel like that?<br />
Kim - Right, right..<br />
Brian - But there's a principle that<br />
when something really bad comes<br />
against you, that means something<br />
really good will come out of it.<br />
This life is all about birthing, and<br />
as you know, there's a pain that<br />
comes along with birthing.<br />
Kim - Yeah.. right - and it is hard<br />
to give birth to a painting, or song<br />
as well, you know?<br />
Brian - Yeah, it's like everything is<br />
involved with that stuff, you<br />
know?<br />
Kim - Yeah, and you know there's<br />
another thing that I really enjoyed<br />
that you put in the book was the<br />
photo of the dove that appeared -<br />
that one of your friends captured<br />
(continued page 13)
(Brian Welch continued from page 11 )<br />
on camera, accidentally after you<br />
were baptized. I think that's so<br />
beautiful because obviously, it<br />
wasn't accidental. It's an incredible<br />
photo. And it shows the type of<br />
synchronicity that can buck you<br />
up when you're feeling dry. You<br />
know, sometimes it's a license<br />
plate that says "Open your Mind"<br />
or sometimes it's a bus sign that<br />
goes by and just says "Peace to<br />
Whatever". But, you know, it pays<br />
homage to that kind of synchronicity.<br />
It's very important to<br />
see those signs, because it gives<br />
you that silent feeling like I'm on<br />
the right path, even though maybe<br />
it's not such a great day.<br />
Brian - Yeah, I look for signs all<br />
the time, and I get them because it<br />
says in the Word "Let it be according<br />
to your faith." So once you<br />
train yourself, and your spiritual<br />
senses to look for signs, you'll<br />
start seeing them - because God<br />
knows that you're looking and so<br />
he wants to communicate with<br />
you.<br />
Kim - Yeah, that's definitely true.<br />
Brian - But if you don't care.. then<br />
you won't see them.<br />
Kim - My mom's always like,<br />
"How come you always see these<br />
cool signs?" And I'm like, "well<br />
I'm watching, I'm looking - you<br />
know? I'm tuned in.."<br />
[Laughter]<br />
Brian - That's cool - that's awesome.<br />
Kim - One of the neatest things -<br />
I'll just share this with you because<br />
it's about protection. I was driving<br />
with some bandmates of mine<br />
many years ago, driving 65 on the<br />
highway. And I was depressed and<br />
I was praying this in my mind,<br />
silently, "Jesus.. I'm trying to do<br />
what you want me to do but I feel<br />
scared. I feel like someone is<br />
going to actually attack me at one<br />
of these shows.. what will you do<br />
to protect me?" And as I said the<br />
word "me", a hor<strong>net</strong> was split in<br />
half on the half rolled down window.<br />
Just in half, but so quickly,<br />
so fast that both halves were still<br />
moving.<br />
Brian - Wow! Yeah!<br />
Kim -I was like.. I got it, yeah..<br />
you're the blade and that's the<br />
intruder and you're going to slice<br />
him in half at 65 miles per hour!<br />
I'd never seen that before, and it's<br />
impossible to redo so it feels really<br />
meaningful. And it's like,<br />
Wow.. if he can hear what I'm<br />
saying and communicate it like<br />
that - that's the kind of synchronicity<br />
that really bolsters<br />
your faith.<br />
“I just<br />
believed... I was<br />
like, I want<br />
everything God<br />
has to offer.<br />
Everything.”<br />
Brian - Totally. I've done that<br />
once. I forget what I was asking,<br />
but I was like - in my mind - I go,<br />
"Ok, Lord. I want to know if you<br />
can hear my thoughts, so I want to<br />
pray for.." Gosh, I wish I could<br />
remember.. "I want to pray for<br />
something.. and just show me,<br />
show me." and just throughout the<br />
day this one song came on, and it<br />
just answered my prayer that I<br />
prayed in my head.<br />
Kim - Mm-hmm.. But, I mean it'll<br />
be the exact words, right?!<br />
Brian - Right when we're done I'll<br />
remember everything, but right<br />
now I can't remember!<br />
[Laughter]<br />
Kim - Yeah, I've had that happen<br />
many times.. where the exact<br />
song comes on, with the exact<br />
words that answer what you were<br />
asking.<br />
Brian - But.. like 2 or 3 times during<br />
the day. One time there was a<br />
car blasting it, and then I went<br />
into an interview and the song<br />
was on there as well.. it was<br />
crazy!<br />
Kim - I love it!<br />
Brian - It was a Stevie Wonder<br />
song..<br />
Kim - [Laughs] It'll come back to<br />
you! I wanted to ask you about<br />
overfilling. I think that's a really<br />
beautiful, important idea about<br />
overfilling with spirit. Not just<br />
enough to get you through the<br />
day, not just enough to help you<br />
be victorious, but overfilling<br />
yourself so you can share it. How<br />
did you experience that concept<br />
when your friend was teaching<br />
you about it?<br />
Brian - Umm.. I just believed.. I<br />
was like, I want everything God<br />
has to offer. Everything. I don't<br />
care if it's stupid looking.. I don't<br />
care. And I just wanted it. And if<br />
you want it you'll get it. And there<br />
were a couple of guys. There was<br />
one guy that came over and it was<br />
weird to me.. he's like.. (holds out<br />
hand and mumbles a made-up<br />
tongue) touching me and.. I<br />
thought that was freaky but I've<br />
got to try everything and I'll spit<br />
out what I don't like. I went to<br />
another church that was doing a<br />
similar thing and I was just like,<br />
"Lord, this is weird.. but I'm just<br />
gonna do it by myself" and I kept<br />
it personal and all of a sudden it<br />
started working, and I started feeling<br />
passionate about it.<br />
Kim - Now is that the speaking in<br />
tongues you're talking about right<br />
now? Interesting, so for you,<br />
overfilling led to that also - the<br />
demonstration..<br />
Brian - Well, that's one side of it.<br />
But that's very personal to me. I<br />
don't talk about it a lot.. But I just<br />
do it with me, alone. No one ever<br />
hears me do it. It's personal.<br />
Because it says in the bible, it<br />
builds YOU up.<br />
Kim - Do you feel like you're get-<br />
ting.. like you said, it's your own<br />
personal language. Do you feel<br />
like you understand what you're<br />
saying yourself?<br />
Brian - No.. I just feel like, it's<br />
total faith. Just trusting in God.<br />
Building me up. It's like telling<br />
God that I'm just a man. People<br />
think I'm nuts, but I don't care.<br />
Who cares? I used to do drugs by<br />
myself, now I'll do that by myself..<br />
Kim - Exactly.. you can't please<br />
everyone.<br />
Brian - Or some people don't want<br />
to do that and they can just say,<br />
"Fill me with your spirit!" you<br />
know, and be passionate that way,<br />
and that will work to. I don't say<br />
that everyone has to do that, but it<br />
works for me.<br />
Kim - I love that concept of overfilling,<br />
because when you went to<br />
India, and set up an orphanage and<br />
you're actually giving.. the reason<br />
why you can give is because<br />
you're overfilled with the power,<br />
and the financial power, and the<br />
prosperity to give. When you're<br />
just getting by, you can't really<br />
give as much.. or as freely.<br />
Brian - Yeah.. it says in the bible,<br />
when you get baptized, you're<br />
baptized. You know, it means<br />
being submerged in water. And<br />
John the Baptist says, one is coming<br />
that will baptize you in the<br />
spirit. And that's getting submerged..<br />
but instead of in water,<br />
with the spirit. Everything. In <strong>new</strong><br />
life in every way.<br />
Kim - Well congratulations again<br />
on the best-selling book - it has a<br />
beautiful purpose, and is helping a<br />
lot of people, and is speaking to an<br />
audience that no one can speak to<br />
except you.<br />
Brian - Yeah, it's really cool, thank<br />
you. And the CD is like a brother<br />
to the book. Jump on the CD too!<br />
If there are people that have drug<br />
addicts as friends or family members,<br />
this stuff will really encourage<br />
them. It's like a tool.<br />
You can watch the entire interview<br />
with Brian at<br />
www.<strong>BuzzNews</strong>.TV!
I N C O C E<br />
R T<br />
N<br />
Dulcet Road<br />
By David Biggs<br />
Classifying themselves as "Adult-<br />
Alternative-Country-Funk-N-<br />
BluesRock!!", Dulcet Road isn't<br />
kidding. I've seen quite a few<br />
bands that consider their music to<br />
be a slurry of multiple genres, but<br />
most can eventually be pinned<br />
down to one or another. In this<br />
case, Dulcet Road really does ride<br />
the line between alternative, country<br />
and blues rock.. and that turns<br />
out to be a Good Thing because<br />
they can bring in such a varied<br />
audience.<br />
So.. The Elbo Room on Saturday,<br />
January 17th, <strong>2009</strong>. Turns out it's a<br />
pretty damn good spot for a local<br />
show - packs in a fair amount of<br />
people, and the bands perform on<br />
a stage only slightly raised from<br />
14 BUZZ S&E www.<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.<strong>net</strong><br />
the ground, which fosters a sense<br />
of intimacy you can't find in many<br />
other venues. Going on a little<br />
after midnight, everyone at The<br />
Elbo Room (including the band)<br />
was feeling good and <strong>buzz</strong>ed and<br />
ready for a rock show.<br />
Dulcet Road didn't disappoint. Art<br />
Croyle (Guitar and Lead Vocals)<br />
and Bryon Landerman (Drums<br />
and Vocals) have obviously<br />
played together for quite a while<br />
now, as the chemistry between the<br />
two musicians was palpable.<br />
Andy Seagren (Bass and Vocals)<br />
and <strong>new</strong> addition Dan Landerman<br />
(Guitar and Vocals) add depth to<br />
the band, not to mention their<br />
vocal talents. It's always impressive<br />
when all the members of a<br />
band have a talent for vocal lines<br />
and harmonies - Dulcet Road is<br />
able to use these talents to create a<br />
fuller, wider sound that is usually<br />
only found in bands that have<br />
been touring for many years.<br />
"Borrowed Time" laid itself out<br />
on the table like a rockabilly classic,<br />
bending this way and that<br />
with the full power of the drums<br />
driving the song towards the<br />
inevitable choruses and the simple<br />
chord changes a perfect balance to<br />
aggressive, driving guitar solos.<br />
"Not Who I Am" was a big hit with<br />
the crowd - starting out with a big,<br />
dirty blues riff and jumping right<br />
into a memorable verse sung with<br />
a good amount of grit by Art<br />
Croyle, it's a bit angry and introspective<br />
but hey, sometimes these<br />
things need to be said - and if there<br />
is a bit of personal truth in the<br />
song it only serves to increase its<br />
value to the listener.<br />
"Ghost Town" channels John<br />
Mellencamp in a story about a<br />
small town that is slowly losing its<br />
independent stores and businesses<br />
to larger chains and lower prices.<br />
A well-structured, well-written<br />
song that could easily be a folk or<br />
country hit on the radio (though I'd<br />
rather listen to these guys play it).<br />
Dulcet Road is a band just getting<br />
its footing in the local Chicago<br />
scene, but it's obvious to anyone<br />
with ears that the musicians making<br />
up the band have quite a few<br />
years of experience between them.<br />
With all of the <strong>new</strong> bands coming<br />
out these days trying to be carbon<br />
copies of each other, it's refreshing<br />
to see a group of guys reaching<br />
into the past to create a <strong>new</strong> fusion<br />
of styles. Looking forward to the<br />
next show.
In Your<br />
Face Metal<br />
New and<br />
Improved<br />
By Ken Payne<br />
With metal on the upswing once<br />
again, Chicago-based Ion Vein is<br />
aggressively marking their territory,<br />
quickly becoming one of the<br />
area’s most prolific bands in their<br />
genre. Blazing guitars boosted by<br />
a big Mesa Boogie sound, thumping<br />
bass grooves and Chuck<br />
White’s jackhammer-like drums<br />
pave the metal highway for singer<br />
Allen James to do his thing. His<br />
“thing”? I guess that would be best<br />
described as using his four-octave<br />
range to precision while, at the<br />
same time, implementing his own<br />
blend of originality and showmanship,<br />
truly making James a one-ofa-kind.<br />
Currently working with Neil<br />
Kernon (Queensryche, Hall &<br />
Oates, Cannibal Corpse), Ion Vein<br />
will go into the summer with their<br />
<strong>new</strong>est release – an amalgamation<br />
of the four members’ varied tastes<br />
and musical contributions along<br />
with cutting edge production.<br />
Inventiveness bleeds from this<br />
band and that’s why metal fans<br />
should be lining up to hear the<br />
band’s upcoming release. If asked<br />
what band I think Ion Vein sounds<br />
like, I’d probably respond by saying,<br />
“No one”. And that would be<br />
the best compliment I could lend<br />
the band.<br />
I talked to the band just before<br />
they performed live at Chicago<br />
City Limits in Schaumburg and<br />
again while working with producer<br />
Neil Kernon as I visited his studio<br />
where I found bassist Brian<br />
Gordon and guitarist Chris<br />
Lotesto in the midst of laying<br />
down some fat, tasty tracks.<br />
Buzz – With your upcoming<br />
album you brought in Neil<br />
Kernon. He has worked with<br />
Judas Priest, Queensryche, and<br />
Cannibal Corpse to name a few.<br />
How is it working with such a<br />
successful producer?<br />
Brian – He’s very supportive of<br />
what we’re doing and he understands<br />
what we’re doing.<br />
Buzz – And with your sound and<br />
his background, it’s just such a<br />
terrific match.<br />
Allen – Yeah, it’s an amalgamation<br />
of crazy. It definitely works. I<br />
am just grateful to be working<br />
with people who are that great at<br />
what they do. He’s really a phenomenal<br />
guy to work with and so<br />
is this band. It’s really just a<br />
pleasure. It’s not just a band, it’s<br />
friends.<br />
Buzz – Tell me a little bit about<br />
the songs on the <strong>new</strong> album.<br />
Ion Vein Photo By Rock Goddezz Photography<br />
Chuck – The songs are all pretty<br />
much angry.<br />
Brian - …frustration and pent up<br />
emotions…<br />
Allen – Early on in the project I<br />
was trying to get a handle of what<br />
we were trying to say. The reality<br />
is that, even though I can be a<br />
pretty angry person from time to<br />
time (as everybody knows), I also<br />
always try to find hope. In my life<br />
I couldn’t find serenity if I was<br />
always angry. Certainly it’s good<br />
to be angry and protect yourself –<br />
it’s a great defense mechanism –<br />
but it’s not a way to go through<br />
life. I’m hoping to get to people<br />
who are fucking pissed and really<br />
can’t stand what’s going on in the<br />
world, as well as the people who<br />
have a gentle soul – and everyone<br />
in between.<br />
Buzz - Do you guys collaborate<br />
on the music writing?<br />
Chris – We work really well<br />
together. The chemistry is great.<br />
It’s fun to get together and create.<br />
We’ve talked about bringing in<br />
another guitar player because<br />
we’ve always been a five member<br />
band, but things are going so great<br />
with us, it’s hard to bring in someone<br />
else.<br />
Allen – Right now it’s not really<br />
their ability to play, it’s about the<br />
collective soul.<br />
Buzz – Ion Vein recently added<br />
you, Allen James, as lead singer so<br />
this is your first real project together.<br />
Chuck – The funny thing is when<br />
Al auditioned and as soon as we<br />
started playing, we were like,<br />
“This is the guy”.<br />
Brian – At first Allen declined but<br />
he contacted us almost a year later<br />
– and we still didn’t have a singer.<br />
When he came back we didn’t<br />
even ply, we just talked in a room<br />
about where we wanted to go – and<br />
that’s all it took for us to make a<br />
decision to work together.<br />
Chris - It’s one voice moving forward…it’s<br />
the Ion Vein.<br />
Find out more about Ion Vein by<br />
going to IonVein.com or<br />
myspace/ionvein. You can also<br />
watch this entire interview at<br />
<strong>BuzzNews</strong>.TV<br />
BUZZ S&E www.<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.tv page 15
BUZZ CD Review - Common<br />
COMMON<br />
Universal<br />
Mind<br />
Control<br />
Written by Megan Hayes<br />
feedback@<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.<strong>net</strong><br />
Common’s highly anticipated<br />
eighth studio album Universal<br />
Mind Control was released in<br />
June 2008. For the first time in<br />
his career you can hear the<br />
Chicago native experimenting<br />
with really different sounds.<br />
Unlike Common’s previous<br />
releases, this album has a handful<br />
of songs that are heavily<br />
influenced by techno. The title<br />
track, as well as “What a World”<br />
and “Everywhere” are predominantly<br />
electronica. I’ve never<br />
been a huge fan of techno, or<br />
synthesized voices, but since<br />
16 BUZZ S&E www.<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.<strong>net</strong><br />
Common isn’t altered, I had little<br />
issue with him straying from<br />
his typical sound.<br />
The title track, like mentioned<br />
above, has an electronica sound.<br />
But with Common rhyming over<br />
the noise, it is more than tolerable.<br />
The song is memorable and<br />
has some great moments. I found<br />
myself uncontrollably bopping<br />
along at times as the robotic<br />
sound put me in a kind of trance.<br />
I was being put under Common’s<br />
mind control! The lyrics aren’t<br />
much more than him publicizing<br />
his musical genius but I like<br />
when he says, “I am a<br />
renegade/I’ve never been<br />
afraid/Fresh and I’m getting paid<br />
the future/Future of this age.”<br />
The opening track is a good indication<br />
about what to expect from<br />
the rest of the album.<br />
Punch Drunk Love is a really<br />
good collaboration with Kanye<br />
West. If it wasn’t so hot, the overt<br />
sexuality in this song would have<br />
turned me off. But since it has a<br />
great beat and both men have sexy<br />
and soulful voices, it does the exact<br />
opposite! It is understandable why<br />
women would want to take off their<br />
clothes to this song. Especially<br />
when Common sings, “I knock and<br />
I knock girl, can I come inside/I feel<br />
like its home when I’m in between<br />
your thighs.” The other song intended<br />
to be a panty dropper, “Sex 4<br />
Suga” isn’t quite as successful in<br />
my eyes. However, “Sex 4 Suga” is<br />
still a great song and I’m sure it will<br />
cause many women to drop their<br />
drawers!<br />
The collaboration with Cee-Lo on<br />
“Make My Day” is a fun one. The<br />
chorus is a little reminiscent of<br />
Andre 3000 on The Love Below. It<br />
has a superior beat and invites you<br />
to get up and dance!<br />
My favorite track on the album has<br />
to be “Announcement”. It features<br />
Pharrell and like much of the rest of<br />
the album, is produced by the<br />
Neptunes. This is an instance on this<br />
album where the beats of the<br />
Neptunes speak for themselves. It<br />
has a nice rhythm and I love it when<br />
he says, “Broads say ‘Are you a<br />
philosopher?’/Ya, ya I philosophy<br />
on top of ya.” It definitely should be<br />
released as a single.<br />
Another track that jumps out at me<br />
is “Gladiator” because it combines<br />
different sounds, tempos, and<br />
instruments all blended perfectly<br />
into one cohesive and awesome<br />
piece of music. There are brass and<br />
string instruments that add incredible<br />
depth to the song. With this track<br />
Common proves that his creativity<br />
extends far beyond his words. But<br />
he also shows that his lyrics are an<br />
integral part of his music when he<br />
says, “My word is the sword, my<br />
skill is the shield/My life is the<br />
style, I stay dressed to kill.” The<br />
song as a whole sounds like it<br />
should be featured in an episode<br />
of The Twilight Zone or a 1950’s<br />
murder mystery.<br />
The song dedicated to Barack<br />
Obama “Changes” is more lyrical<br />
than anything else. He sings, “I<br />
see the future and the walk you<br />
have/don’t let these fools take<br />
you off your path”. Common<br />
knows that he and president-elect<br />
Obama are influential black men<br />
who can help the troubled youth<br />
of this country. This is a track<br />
where he proves, once again, that<br />
his words are a force to be reckoned<br />
with.<br />
The only criticism I have with the<br />
<strong>new</strong> Common album is that it<br />
isn’t as dance club worthy as I<br />
had hoped. Considering he produced<br />
this with the Neptunes, I<br />
half expected to be jumping out<br />
of my chair with every song.<br />
Sadly, there were few songs that<br />
were able to elicit this response.<br />
Throughout this album Common<br />
and his producers the Neptunes,<br />
and Mr. DJ experiment with<br />
many different sounds. They use<br />
techno and hip hop beats, horn<br />
instruments, and piano riffs, all<br />
coupled with Common’s rhymes<br />
to create a <strong>new</strong> sound. Anyone<br />
who is a diehard fan of classic<br />
Common, may not like this<br />
album as it is very different than<br />
his previous releases. Although<br />
not everything was to my liking,<br />
the sound of his voice was consistent<br />
and clear. His lyrics weren’t<br />
quite as edgy or groundbreaking<br />
as they have been on previous<br />
albums, but are strong no<strong>net</strong>heless.<br />
Overall, I like this album<br />
and would highly recommend it.
BUZZ CD Review - Animal Collective<br />
Animal<br />
Collective<br />
By Michael Connor<br />
The <strong>new</strong> and highly anticipated<br />
Animal Collective release,<br />
Merriweather Post Pavilion, is a<br />
continuation of the bands evolution<br />
and experimentation in the art<br />
of musical composition. While the<br />
band refuses to sit on the same<br />
styles with every album, they keep<br />
with them always a familiar air of<br />
something like a child's curiosity.<br />
To line up their previous works up<br />
to now can be compared with the<br />
scene of a child playing with a toy<br />
xylophone or piano: you set it<br />
down in front of them and go<br />
watch television, still faintly hearing<br />
them tinkering with the keys,<br />
then suddenly you hear them playing<br />
a comprehensible tune and<br />
you say “goddamn, that's some<br />
talented kid!” Such might be the<br />
response of early naysayers of<br />
Animal Collective's musical<br />
genius.<br />
Although I find this album the<br />
most accessible of their efforts,<br />
thankfully they do remain strange.<br />
On other releases, especially the<br />
very early ones, attention was<br />
demanded to make heads or tails<br />
of what was going on. Not only<br />
that, but on the first listen you<br />
found yourself asking “what kind<br />
of song is this?” On Merriweather<br />
I was rarely taken with surprise<br />
when the next track would start,<br />
nor did I during the song have any<br />
anticipation of something unexpected<br />
to happen. Despite that,<br />
each song is smoothly constructed<br />
and each invoke a consistent<br />
pleasure.<br />
Among the obvious changes<br />
would be the heavier, simpler, and<br />
repetitive beats found in most of<br />
the songs. Not that Animal<br />
Collective are strangers to repetition,<br />
as they have made droning<br />
songs aplenty. There are still the<br />
occasional oddly timed beats or<br />
protracted measures that could<br />
trip you up. The effect of more<br />
prominent and big beats(coupled<br />
with the streams of notes and<br />
vocals) is an extremely trancy<br />
feel. A twisted way to example<br />
that might be the repeated phrase<br />
“lion in a coma lion in a coma,”<br />
forming the thought that falling<br />
into a coma-like state may<br />
become an appealing idea.<br />
Assisting the steady beats are<br />
some solid harmonics. In contrast<br />
to their usual inclination to throwing<br />
discordant noise into other-<br />
wise serene pieces, Animal<br />
Collective have given in to the<br />
beauty of their songs. Here they<br />
are allowing the sounds and voices<br />
to flow forth into natural cohesions,<br />
bringing the listener down a<br />
river of ecstasy and only laughing<br />
like a blissful idiot when descending<br />
the waterfalls.<br />
Something else that is noticeable<br />
on Merriweather would be clarity.<br />
Along with the cleaner harmonies,<br />
the vocals have more lucid tendencies<br />
than on past albums.<br />
Reverb is frequently used, but the<br />
(continued next page)
voices come across as intimate -<br />
some of them sounding like powerful<br />
whispers, others joyous wails.<br />
Previously, you often had to concentrate<br />
to catch a few lines, and<br />
the few you came away with<br />
seemed enough to lend you your<br />
own interpretations. As for this<br />
album, the same effect is achieved,<br />
but still some lyrics are able to be<br />
picked up immediately. Many<br />
describe some sort of yearning,<br />
with several songs including lines<br />
with words like “what I want...”<br />
With the lyrics that are readily graspable,<br />
vulnerability rears its head.<br />
It's one thing to read or find lyrics<br />
to songs, and another to accept<br />
them right at the surface of the<br />
experience.<br />
As with any vocal accompaniment,<br />
the listener determines hits and<br />
misses. While the words are audibly<br />
clearer, the general message(if<br />
there is one) is still elusive, being<br />
suggestive at best. What absolutely<br />
shines, though, is the way the<br />
voices are arranged and effectively<br />
blend into each other. What percievably<br />
is one voice could suddenly<br />
turn into many, then high pitched<br />
or low, coming and going in dreamlike<br />
waves.<br />
Overall, Merriweather Post<br />
Pavilion ends up succeeding at<br />
something earlier albums, especially<br />
Feels, however impressive many<br />
of their songs were, did not fully<br />
accomplish. Merriweather tastes<br />
like a cheeseburger. It is undeniably<br />
a delicious cheeseburger. There is<br />
cheese and lettuce throughout, with<br />
differing levels of ketchup, and a<br />
pickle slice here and there. If you'd<br />
like a chicken finger dinner, look<br />
elsewhere. If you haven't caught<br />
on, I am saying that it feels more<br />
like a complete album than its<br />
predecessors. The songs all seem<br />
appropriate to be in a collection<br />
18 BUZZ S&E www.<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.<strong>net</strong><br />
with each other and work together<br />
very well. In what has merely<br />
been yearly periods less than a<br />
decade, we can already make references<br />
to Animal Collective's<br />
accumulation in terms like 'Sung<br />
Tongs era' or 'Strawberry era,' etc.<br />
It is a successful recipe when a<br />
band is able to sustain a familiar<br />
sound while keeping perpetually<br />
innovative and experimental.<br />
Animal Collective is a great<br />
example of this, and with their<br />
<strong>new</strong>est album have further<br />
assured us that they intend on<br />
becoming masters of their craft, if<br />
they haven't already proved that<br />
they are.
Buzz on My Band<br />
Munroe<br />
.....Hailing from the streets of<br />
Chicago, Munroe has been<br />
blindsiding audiences across<br />
the country with their powerful<br />
music and explosive live show.<br />
Few bands express raw emotions<br />
with such a full sound.<br />
They possess a unique chemistry<br />
that creates a visual<br />
assault on stage setting them<br />
apart from other performers.<br />
Melodic vocals soar high over a<br />
unique blend of crushing guitars,<br />
charismatic percussion and<br />
tight bass lines. They retain the<br />
energetic sting of metal without<br />
the cluttered, redundant chord<br />
progressions or lackluster vocal<br />
styling. Pristine clean guitar,<br />
brutal riffs and unencumbered<br />
lyrics punch out emotions with<br />
a clarity and a cry that all can<br />
identify with.<br />
Munroe has completed a <strong>new</strong><br />
CD with producer Steve Gillis<br />
(drummer from Filter) and are<br />
currently booking shows and<br />
writing more material.<br />
Influences: the Deftones,<br />
Funeral For a Friend, Chevelle,<br />
the Used, Muse, Anberlin,<br />
Sevendust and 30 Seconds to<br />
Mars<br />
MUNROE was named as<br />
Chicago's Q101.1, Miller Lites,<br />
"Band to Bust Out" - anuary<br />
Munroe<br />
2008<br />
Instrumentation<br />
Scot (vocals/guitar),<br />
- plays PRS and Mesa Boogie<br />
TK (lead guitar)<br />
- plays Ernie Ball and Mesa<br />
Boogie<br />
Jeremy (drums)<br />
- sponsored by Shine Drums,<br />
plays Zildjin and Vic Firth<br />
Chris (bass/bg vocals)<br />
- plays Ernie Ball and<br />
Ampeg/Mesa Boogie<br />
Discography<br />
"We Are Automatic" performed<br />
live on 95.1's Tom & Lisa's<br />
Morning show Feb 8th.<br />
"Bullet Ballet" is in rotation on<br />
Q101.1 and 95.1 WIIL ROCK.<br />
"Bullet Ballet" was named the<br />
420 Hit of the day on 95.1 WIIL<br />
ROCK radio station 10/11/07.<br />
CD recorded with producer/engineer<br />
Steve Gillis (Filter) at<br />
Transient Sounds in Chicago is<br />
now available for purchase.<br />
Robert Palmer is in regular rotation<br />
on FearlessRadio.com<br />
Live versions of Robert Palmer<br />
& Let Go were played on<br />
Fearless Radio (acoustic versions)<br />
3 song demo (4/2005) recorded,<br />
mixed and master at The Gallery<br />
of Carpet by Brian Ziekse & Ted<br />
Eliason<br />
BUZZ S&E www.<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.tv page 19
Music News<br />
Slayer and Marilyn Manson tour<br />
Updates by Joe Harrison<br />
It was recently announced that<br />
Slayer, Marilyn Manson and<br />
Bullet For My Valentine will<br />
lead the bill for the second<br />
annual Rockstar Energy Drink<br />
Mayhem Festival, which will<br />
begin on July 10th at the Sleep<br />
Train Amphitheater in<br />
Sacramento, California and<br />
will wrap up August 18th at the<br />
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre<br />
in San Antonio, Texas.<br />
Jagermeister is sponsoring one<br />
of two second stages, on which<br />
Trivium, All That Remains,<br />
God Forbid and the liquor<br />
company's "battle of the bands"<br />
winner will perform. On the<br />
Hot Topic side stage, Cannibal<br />
Corpse, Job For A Cowboy,<br />
Behemoth, Black Dahlia<br />
Murder and Whitechapel will<br />
round out the show.<br />
Last year's inaugural Mayhem<br />
Festival featured Slipknot,<br />
Disturbed, Airbourne, Five<br />
Finger Death Punch, 36<br />
Crazyfists, Machine Head,<br />
Black Tide, Suicide Silence,<br />
the Red Chord and Wall Of<br />
20 BUZZ S&E www.<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.<strong>net</strong><br />
Jericho. According to organizers,<br />
nearly 340,000 fans were<br />
in attendance.<br />
Tickets for the <strong>2009</strong> North<br />
American tour go on sale<br />
April 24th at mayhemfest.com<br />
and livenation.com.<br />
Here are the current tour dates<br />
and venues:<br />
July <strong>2009</strong><br />
10 - Marysville, CA - Sleep<br />
Train Amphitheatre<br />
11 - Mountain View, CA -<br />
Shoreline Amphitheatre<br />
12 - Devore, CA - Glen Helen<br />
Pavilion<br />
14 - Auburn, WA - White<br />
River Amphitheater<br />
17 - Phoenix, AZ - Cricket<br />
Pavilion<br />
18 - Albuquerque, NM -<br />
Journal Pavilion<br />
19 - Denver, CO - Fiddler's<br />
Green Amphitheatre<br />
21 - Bonner Springs, KS -<br />
Sandstone Amphitheater<br />
22 - Maryland Heights, MO -<br />
Verizon Wireless<br />
Amphitheater<br />
24 - Atlanta, GA - Lakewood<br />
Amphitheater<br />
25 - Noblesville, IN - Verizon<br />
Wireless Music Centre<br />
26 - Chicago, IL - First<br />
Midwest Bank Amphitheatre<br />
28 - Toronto, Ontario -<br />
Molson Amphitheater<br />
29 - Scranton, PA - Toyota<br />
Pavilion<br />
31 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH -<br />
Blossom Music Center<br />
August <strong>2009</strong><br />
1 - Burgettstown, PA - Post<br />
Gazette Pavilion<br />
2 - Clarkston, MI - DTE<br />
Energy Music Theatre<br />
4 - Mansfield, MA - Tweeter<br />
Center for the Performing<br />
Arts<br />
6 - Virginia Beach, VA -<br />
Virginia Beach Amphitheater<br />
7 - Camden, NJ - Susquehanna<br />
Bank Center<br />
8 - Hartford, CT - New<br />
England Dodge Music Center<br />
9 - Bristow, VA - Nissan<br />
Pavilion<br />
11 - Tampa, FL - Ford<br />
Amphitheatre<br />
12 - West Palm Beach, FL -<br />
Cruzan Amphitheatre<br />
14 - Dallas, TX -<br />
Superpages.com Center<br />
15 – The Woodlands, TX -<br />
Cynthia Woods Mitchell<br />
Pavilion<br />
16 - Selma, TX - Verizon
Music News<br />
Cannibal Corpse Tour in April<br />
CANNIBAL<br />
CORPSE<br />
Florida death metal band Cannibal Corpse<br />
will be hitting the road for 4 weeks in support<br />
of their recent release Evisceration<br />
Plague. Support for the North American<br />
tour, presented by Brave Words & Bloody<br />
Knuckles, will come from The Faceless,<br />
Neuraxis, and Obscura and kicks off on<br />
April 2nd in Asheville, TN at the Orange<br />
Peel. Current dates and venue information<br />
are shown below.<br />
In other Cannibal <strong>new</strong>s, the band just<br />
filmed the first video for the album which<br />
will be for the title track Evisceration<br />
Plague. The video shoot took place on Jan<br />
21st in Northern NJ and was directed by<br />
Dale Resteghini who has worked with a<br />
stellar list of diverse artists of today such<br />
as Fall Out Boy, Diddy, Jim Jones,<br />
Hatebreed, Mudvayne, Shadows Fall, Li'l<br />
Wayne, Cypress Hill, The Red Chord, 3<br />
Inches of Blood, and Trivium.<br />
Cannibal Corpse with The Faceless,<br />
Neuraxis, and Obscura:<br />
Apr-02 Asheville, NC The Orange Peel<br />
Apr-03 Memphis, TN New Daisy Theatre<br />
Apr-04 Tulsa, OK The Marquee<br />
Apr-06 Salt Lake City, UT Club Vegas<br />
Apr-07 Boise, ID Knitting Factory<br />
Concert House<br />
Apr-08 Spokane, WA Knitting Factory<br />
Concert House<br />
Apr-10 Vancouver, BC Croatian Cultural<br />
Center<br />
Apr-12 Edmonton, AB The Starlite Room<br />
Apr-13 Calgary, AB MacEwan Hall<br />
Ballroom<br />
Apr-14 Regina, SK Riddell Centre<br />
Apr-15 Winnipeg, MB The Garrick<br />
Centre<br />
Apr-17 St. Paul, MN Station 4<br />
Apr-18 Milwaukee, WI Eagles Ballroom<br />
Apr-19 Grand Rapids, MI The<br />
Intersection<br />
Apr-21 Montreal, QC The Medley<br />
Apr-22 Ottawa, ON Babylon<br />
Apr-23 Quebec City, QC Theatre Imperial<br />
Apr-24 Poughkeepsie, NY The Chance<br />
Apr-25 Richmond, VA Alley Katz<br />
Apr-26 Jacksonville, NC Hooligan's<br />
Music Hall<br />
Apr-27 Jacksonville, FL Freebird Live<br />
Corpse will also perform in the second<br />
annual Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem<br />
Festival, which will begin on July 10th.<br />
Click on the following link to get the tour<br />
dates.<br />
BUZZ S&E www.<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.<strong>net</strong> page 21
Tocco<br />
1266 N. Milwaukee<br />
Chicago, IL 60642<br />
www.toccochicago.com<br />
Restaurant Rating (1-5):<br />
1 Glass<br />
Washroom Rating (1-5):<br />
4 Flushes<br />
Chicago<br />
Couples<br />
Cuisine<br />
Tocco, which combines Pizza and<br />
Art, fails to deliver on both.<br />
Our steadfast rule is to not frequent<br />
an establishment until it has been<br />
open 30 days. Well while it wasn’t<br />
30 days we figured a restauranteur<br />
on his 2 nd restaurant should have<br />
some kinks ironed out after 2 1/2<br />
weeks, right? Wrong! So, no shame<br />
on us, but shame on Bruno Abate,<br />
who is too seasoned after opening<br />
Follia to have even have Tocco’s<br />
doors open at this point.<br />
Tocco, housed on Milwaukee<br />
where a McDonalds once resided a<br />
few moons ago tries hard but really<br />
falls short. The art and the furniture<br />
are neat but resemble IKEA circa<br />
2001. There are many sleek lines<br />
but a ton of plastic including the<br />
white, plastic chargers on the table<br />
that no one ever bothered to take<br />
away. The wine at the bar is stored<br />
in plastic PVC cylinders which we<br />
also found to be very hip last century<br />
as well.<br />
Before being seated we were shuffled<br />
to the bar where we waited for<br />
10 minutes despite two open tables<br />
in the back that were vacant. Upon<br />
being seated, our waiter who made<br />
us wait 10 more minutes finally<br />
arrived to inform us of the bad<br />
<strong>new</strong>s…NO PIZZA TONIGHT.<br />
Seeing that Tocco is known for,<br />
well, its pizza, we were disappointed<br />
but figured anyone can have an<br />
off night where their wood burning<br />
stove is out of order, right? So, we<br />
stuck it out and ordered some appetizers<br />
and a few entrees. I began<br />
my order, as I always do, by ordering<br />
a nice glass of wine. After a<br />
busy Friday and Saturday night<br />
they were out of virtually every red<br />
selection I was looking to sip on,<br />
we figured the food just has to be<br />
out of this world or the AA group<br />
around the corner just fell off the<br />
wagon. I quickly discovered that<br />
the AA folks were all safe and<br />
sound and the bar was simply “out<br />
of wine”. Strike number two but<br />
still any restaurant can have a broken<br />
wood burning stove nor the<br />
time to run out to the restaurant<br />
depot a mile away before opening<br />
for the night, right. After about 35<br />
minutes our appetizers arrived. The<br />
Fried Gnocchi arrived in jalapeño<br />
popper-like fashion minus any<br />
sauce and the cheesy polenta<br />
looked like the cross between an<br />
instant cream of wheat and some<br />
Sargento shredded Mexicali cheese<br />
all. The entrees we ordered were<br />
just as bad if not worse. My noodles<br />
came stuck together as they<br />
were still well from the colander<br />
soaked in a flavorless ragu-esque<br />
sauce and poor Nikki had a vegetable<br />
lasagna pinwheel that<br />
looked frozen and microwaved. It<br />
tasted just the same as well.<br />
One bright spot was our server<br />
who was apologetic and offered us<br />
free booze attempting to barter our<br />
ill will. We both ordered a signature<br />
Tocco cocktail only to have<br />
them out of the ingredients. Strike<br />
three, you’re out! In conclusion,<br />
this was an awful experience for<br />
the culinary couple. We may go<br />
back in the summer when Tocco is<br />
said to have fashion shows, a<br />
working kitchen with a great outdoor<br />
patio but, until then we recommend<br />
Taco’s over Tocco. At<br />
least that is what we ate for dinner<br />
down the street after dining at<br />
Tocco.<br />
So before we close, as you know,<br />
Nikki and I must provide our<br />
washroom review as well (because<br />
every date must have a good can).<br />
That being said we found one thing<br />
to celebrate at Tocco and it is their<br />
nicely decorated pit stop. We give<br />
it a 4 flusher!<br />
Have a favorite restaurant you<br />
would like to be reviewed?<br />
Please send your suggestions to<br />
Corey and Nikki at info@<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.<strong>net</strong>!!!<br />
Your restaurant<br />
could be in our next issue!!!<br />
BUZZ S&E www.<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.<strong>net</strong> page 23
Film Buzz<br />
Rob Zombie’s H2 & Green Lantern<br />
Rob Zombie’s H2<br />
Rob Zombie is writing and directing “H2,” the sequel to Zombie’s 2007<br />
reinvention of the horror classic “Halloween,” as several sources have<br />
reported. Malek Akkad of Trancas International Films, who also produced<br />
2007’s Halloween with Dimension, will produce the sequel, along<br />
with Andy Gould of Spectacle Entertainment Group, Zombie’s long time<br />
manager and producing partner. The announcement was made by Bob<br />
Weinstein, Co-Chairman of The Weinstein Company.<br />
Dimension’s “Halloween” scored the highest Labor Day weekend opening<br />
ever with a record-breaking $30.6 million in its first four days of<br />
release and went on to gross nearly $60 million at the domestic box<br />
office in 2007, as reported by Hard Rock Hideout.<br />
Zombie’s “H2” will pick up at the exact moment the first movie ended<br />
and will follow the aftermath of Michael Myers murderous rampage<br />
through the eyes of heroine Laurie Strode.<br />
“H2” will be Zombie’s fifth written and directed feature. Prior to the success<br />
of Halloween, Zombie released the critically-acclaimed film “The<br />
Devil’s Rejects” (2005), the follow-up to his cult classic “House of 1000<br />
Corpses” (2004). Zombie just wrapped production on his animated feature<br />
film “The Haunted World of El Superbeasto” due to be released in<br />
<strong>2009</strong>.<br />
24 BUZZ S&E www.<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.<strong>net</strong><br />
Zombie, also an accomplished recording artist, has sold over fifteen million<br />
albums worldwide, making him one of Geffen Records’ top selling<br />
and longest running artists.<br />
Green Lantern<br />
Warner Brothers has been ineffectively trying to get a Green Lantern<br />
movie kicking off for many years now. It almost seems like any superhero<br />
with the color green has sort of been cursed. Green Lantern has<br />
wandered around in development hell for years, so has Green Arrow,<br />
Green Hor<strong>net</strong>, and well, if you can think of another green superhero I’m<br />
sure he’s fared no better.<br />
It looks like Green Lantern may finally have a shot at getting done.<br />
Variety says Martin Campbell is in negotiations to handle the DC<br />
Comics superhero. Campbell has experience resurrecting dead franchises.<br />
He did it with Zorro in 1998 when he made Mask of Zorro and he’s<br />
done it for Bond twice, kicking off the Brosnan era with GoldenEye and<br />
then later the Daniel Craig era with Casino Royale. According to<br />
Cinemablend, Campbell is the kind of guy who not only gets high-profile<br />
projects done, but gets them done well.
Film Reviews<br />
“Che” & “Notorious”<br />
Past Sans Prologue<br />
Soderbergh’s<br />
“Che”<br />
by Jed Serrano<br />
After the “Ocean’s” Trilogy, one is surprised<br />
that Steven Soderbergh eschewed exile from<br />
artistic moviemaking, and upon seeing “Che,”<br />
a film in two parts, one can’t help but feel that<br />
the work was a sum of redemption for past<br />
sins. The director’s subjects are the photogenic<br />
moments of Ernesto Guevara’s guerrilla<br />
campaigns. “Part One” is set in Cuba, where<br />
we witness the evolution of Dr. Che (Benicio<br />
del Toro) who swapped his medical kit for the<br />
hat of Comandante. We catch the campaign<br />
amid the Sierra Maestra wilderness to its triumphant<br />
purging of Batista’s regime in Santa<br />
Clara.<br />
“Part Two” fast forwards to circa late 1960s<br />
Bolivia, where our hero is captured and forged<br />
out of existence. Side by side, the films look<br />
like thesis and antithesis: coming from the<br />
high-voltage solidarity of “Part One,” we enter<br />
the halfhearted tribulations and ennui of “Part<br />
Two.”<br />
Neither part is driven by plot or leads to climax.<br />
Rather, they do their best, with sharp<br />
detail, to recreate the path that our peripatetic<br />
rebel paved. Che t-shirt owners who, at last,<br />
have decided to drop the pretense of knowing<br />
nothing of the man, shouldn’t count on<br />
Soderbergh’s film. (For that I refer you to Jon<br />
Lee Anderson’s scrupulously detailed bio).<br />
We, however, do learn of Che’s unabated bibliophilia<br />
and that he appeals to Jean-Paul Satre<br />
and Bertrand Russell for moral support.<br />
Beautifully photographed by Peter Andrews,<br />
both parts of “Che” play back to back (with<br />
intermission) at Landmark Theatres.<br />
Notorious<br />
By Kim Katz<br />
I would love to have seen the look on the casting<br />
director’s face when <strong>new</strong>comer Jamal<br />
Woolard came in to read for the part of Biggie<br />
Smalls, a.k.a. the Notorious B.I.G. Woolard<br />
looks so much like the real Christopher<br />
Wallace that at times during the movie you<br />
feel as if you are watching Wallace play himself<br />
in this biopic, like Eminem did in 8 Mile.<br />
Jamal did an amazing job of playing this very<br />
challenging role in Notorious. You can clearly<br />
see on his face and in his physical carriage<br />
how at each crossroads in Biggie’s life, like<br />
his mother’s battle with cancer or his own<br />
incarceration for drug dealing, cause him to<br />
become more polished and grounded both as<br />
a performer and lyricist and as a human<br />
being.<br />
Kimberly Jones a.k.a. Lil’ Kim was Biggie’s<br />
real life lover and musical discovery as he<br />
pulled her off the streets out of a retail sales<br />
job before producing her music. Lil’ Kim was<br />
wonderfully played by Naturi Naughton.<br />
There is a scene where Lil’ Kim is at the<br />
height of her performing powers after Biggie<br />
has married another girl and Naughton spits<br />
out the lyrics to Biggie who she sees watching<br />
from offstage with such ferocity, venom<br />
and rhythmic beauty that again you feel that<br />
you are watching the artist herself in action.<br />
The only unsatisfying thing about the film is its<br />
explanation of the feud, which ended both<br />
Biggie’s life at the young age of 24 and also his<br />
friend/rival Tupac Shakur’s (played by Anthony<br />
Mackie). In the film it is shown to the audience<br />
as a mistake, a total misunderstanding played<br />
up by the press, which leads to the fatal drive by<br />
shootings. But there seems to be some missing<br />
history there, some animosity prior to the fatal<br />
bloodshed, which remains untold and undefined.<br />
Given that this film was produced in part by<br />
Biggie’s own mother and longtime friend and<br />
producer Puff Daddy with an appearance by<br />
Biggies own son Christopher Jordan Wallace<br />
playing Big as a child, it is not surprising that<br />
Big’s character is given a clean slate by the end<br />
of the film complete with his prophetic and<br />
apologetic phone calls to each member of his<br />
extended family, including both his baby<br />
mamas the night he died.<br />
Glossed over history or not, this film is worth<br />
seeing for Woolard’s hauntingly, spot on performance<br />
and for the way it clearly demonstrates<br />
the real art form of Rap and R&B music<br />
that developed as a direct result of Biggie’s<br />
unusually literate and sensual lyrics for the<br />
genre at the time.
Love in the<br />
Time of Rabies<br />
A story of self<br />
discovery<br />
By Michael Connor<br />
On the town of Gherzcy depends<br />
an almost no longer young<br />
woman. Her long smooth hair<br />
cries to be run through by fingers<br />
other than her own. Her<br />
mediocre shape is worthy of<br />
some appreciation. The woman's<br />
face houses two obeisant and<br />
desperate eyes, under which<br />
dwells a stubby nose and wide<br />
eat machine. The woman, Ms.<br />
Florida Chain, longs for company.<br />
She is not alone though, for<br />
her current situation attaches her<br />
to her daughter, Betecia Chain.<br />
Florida has been hurt by a hurricane<br />
of relationships.<br />
Her first serious partner injected<br />
her with pregnancy, then upon<br />
hearing the <strong>new</strong>s took to his<br />
motorcycle and died on the highway.<br />
She was left with her<br />
uterus in a small apartment, with<br />
no job and incredibly helpless,<br />
but soon found help. Help was<br />
named Jaquel, and he took her<br />
under his wing. Florida shuffled<br />
her feet at first at the idea of dating<br />
an eagle, but she convinced<br />
herself in saying at least he wasn't<br />
a rat. Jaquels clawed feet<br />
scratched her in the night, and<br />
his beak made making out totally<br />
out. When enough was enough,<br />
Ms. Chain cooked him like regular<br />
poultry and lived off his meat<br />
and the contents of his wallet.<br />
But that was only temporary<br />
relief. Soon she was hungry<br />
again, and so was the child inside<br />
of her. Also, her rent was due.<br />
Florida Chain took to the streets<br />
of Gherzcy, holding her distension<br />
and crying out. Her performance<br />
was poor yet genuine.<br />
Most dismissed her as a<br />
knocked-up vagrant, an abhorrent<br />
example of society gone<br />
wrong. That was, except for<br />
Georgios Spencer. Georgios was<br />
a solid strong german shepard,<br />
accustomed to street life and<br />
thug fantastic. His rough ways<br />
26 BUZZ S&E www.<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.<strong>net</strong><br />
succumbed to his heart when it<br />
came to those in dire need. Florida<br />
let in Georgios, and in turn gained<br />
funds for food and shelter. She<br />
never asked him where the money<br />
came from, although she had a<br />
pretty good idea. Most was fine<br />
and the sex was great. Things<br />
went so well with Georgios that he<br />
was even present for the birth of<br />
Betecia. For a while the family<br />
group seemed existent.<br />
Then there was the night when<br />
Georgios got a call late at night.<br />
One of his pack was killed by<br />
business rivals, and he was called<br />
to duty. Florida k<strong>new</strong> he wasn't<br />
coming back. She got up and<br />
paced her space. Betecia was<br />
asleep in her crib, her conscience<br />
to remain clear for another few<br />
years before she begins to understand<br />
certain things. Florida<br />
Chain was feeling worse than a<br />
rodent, kicking herself for always<br />
getting together with nogoodness.<br />
This troubled her mind and she<br />
wondered if she herself was no<br />
good. These were bad thoughts to<br />
tamper with, but she couldn't halt<br />
them. Ms. Chain was thinking of<br />
ways that she could get by, and<br />
with circumstances as they were,<br />
she no longer felt the limits of her<br />
usual moral walls.<br />
Ms. Florida Chain gave in to the<br />
crime game. She started small,<br />
stealing necessities from grocery<br />
and convenience stores. But Ms.<br />
Chain had bills to pay, and mere<br />
personal necessities weren't going<br />
to help there. She needed cash,<br />
and cared not of the length she'd<br />
go to get some. A big break was<br />
formulating in her head. Florida<br />
dreamed of no more stress, no<br />
worries of who she'd have to share<br />
her bed with next week. She<br />
aspired for independence, convinced<br />
that all men were corrupt in<br />
some way. Something big had to<br />
happen before she could ever welcome<br />
her head to happiness.<br />
Outside of President's Face Bank<br />
lurked the womanbody of Florida<br />
Chain. Under her arm was cradled<br />
her first born, Betecia Chain. The<br />
bank was near to close, and<br />
Florida would wait until about five<br />
minutes were left for inside transactions.<br />
There was a chill outside<br />
fitting for a blanketed babe, and<br />
Betecia Chain was wrapped like a<br />
bread loaf. That wasn't all the<br />
blanket was for though. Florida<br />
Chain entered the bank when the<br />
clock struck a time, and<br />
approached one of the tellers.<br />
“How can I help you today<br />
ma'am?” “Ten-thousand please.”<br />
“From your checking or savings?”<br />
“From your drawer,” answered<br />
Ms. Chain as she shook the<br />
ambiguous bundle under her left<br />
arm. The clerk understood and<br />
opened her drawer, but not before<br />
pressing the alarm. Florida went<br />
through the exit after improperly<br />
collecting her demands. What she<br />
wasn't ready for was the brave<br />
guard situated to the side of the<br />
front doors. He tackled Ms. Chain<br />
and wrestled away her childbomb.<br />
“No please!” shouted the mother<br />
as her <strong>new</strong>born was about to be<br />
hurled down a sewer. “Oh god!”<br />
screamed the mother after her<br />
<strong>new</strong>born was thrown into the<br />
sewer. The guard straightened his<br />
tie in recuperation of his heroic<br />
act. Ms. Florida Chain ran to the<br />
sewer opening. After a second of<br />
dropping wishful tears to the<br />
depths, a slimy tail grasped her<br />
around the neck and pulled her<br />
under the street.<br />
The putrid smells and wet sounds<br />
disgusted the mother of Betecia<br />
Chain. There was an unsettling<br />
dimness, with weak illumination<br />
integralled by filthy bulbs positioned<br />
every twenty feet or so.<br />
Florida Chain checked herself for<br />
wounds. It seemed her body was<br />
unscathed by the fall, but the same<br />
couldn't be said for her nerves.<br />
The mother looked around for her<br />
child. Protruding from a near wall<br />
was a large pipe. Ms. Chain<br />
approached with caution. A startled<br />
yelp left the mother as her<br />
eyes focused on her baby being<br />
gently rocked by a giant rat. The<br />
rat smiled, being used to this kind<br />
of response. “Fear not, I have<br />
taken great care of your young<br />
one.” Ms. Florida Chain was easily<br />
eased by the surprisingly soothing<br />
voice of the rat. It also seemed<br />
to know its way around a baby.<br />
“Could I, have my daughter<br />
back?” asked a nervous Florida.<br />
“Sure!” said the rat, and held out<br />
the child. Ms. Chain carefully<br />
took what she once birthed into<br />
her arms. “Um, thank you.” “It<br />
was nothing,” said the rat. Florida<br />
started towards the ladder that led<br />
to the street surface of Gherzcy.<br />
“Are you sure you wouldn't want<br />
to lay low for a while? I know<br />
what you were doing.” Ms. Chain<br />
still had with her the ten grand<br />
she robbed from the bank. “Oh.<br />
Yes, I suppose I should. Do you<br />
mind?” Florida swept her arm to<br />
indicate the lair of the rat. “No,<br />
not at all. Please make yourself<br />
comfortable.” The rat followed<br />
its own advice and slumped<br />
against a wet brick. Florida slowly<br />
sat down, feeling the shit water<br />
seep through her pants and dampen<br />
her ass.<br />
The sewer was whistling with a<br />
mysterious breeze, and it made<br />
the skin of Florida Chain bump<br />
and tremble. She said nothing as<br />
the rat crept up to her shivering<br />
body. “If you are ok with it, I<br />
have a very warming fur. Would<br />
you like if I sat on you?” A politeness<br />
in Ms. Chain consented to<br />
the rats offer. In short time,<br />
Florida's body began to warm up.<br />
The weighted heat in her lap felt<br />
so good that she couldn't resist<br />
petting the thick gray fur of the<br />
animal. Demonstrating a shared<br />
pleasure, the rat's head leaned<br />
back into the breasts of Ms.<br />
Florida Chain with its eyes<br />
closed. Something about this<br />
made the blood flow hot and fast<br />
in both of their bodies. Florida<br />
peered down into the rats face,<br />
then leaned closer and closer until<br />
the skin of their mouths made<br />
contact. It was only a minute<br />
before the faces blushingly turned<br />
away, embarrassed but incredibly<br />
aroused. Florida looked to check<br />
on Betecia, who she had placed<br />
on her legs after sitting down.<br />
Looking over the load of laprat,<br />
she spotted her baby cozying up<br />
into the belly of the beast. There<br />
was something else though, and<br />
upon closer observation her child<br />
was seen to be nursing on one of<br />
the rat's nipples! “Oh my!”<br />
belched the mother of the rat<br />
teether. “It is OK,” assured the<br />
rat, “My milk is safe.” Florida<br />
leaned against the wall to think<br />
this over. The rat pawed at her<br />
face affectionately. “The heart<br />
knows what the heart wants.<br />
What does your heart say?” Ms.<br />
Chain asked her heart what it<br />
wanted and it said “I want to cuddle<br />
tonight. Anything is possible.<br />
Believe in yourself.” “What is<br />
your name?” To which replied the<br />
rat, “Louisiana Roper.”<br />
Not long into the future, the smell<br />
of the sewer no longer bothered<br />
Florida Chain. And shortly after<br />
that, she didn't even mind the shit<br />
water.
Kindle 2: So much<br />
for the bookshelf?<br />
By David Biggs<br />
A rocket will never be able to leave the<br />
Earths atmosphere. New York Times,<br />
1936.<br />
There is not the slightest indication that<br />
nuclear energy will ever be obtainable. It<br />
would mean that the atom would have to<br />
be shattered at will. Albert Einstein, 1932.<br />
Its difficult to predict the future, as evidenced<br />
by so many who have tried to do<br />
just that. Most people are unable to see<br />
past what they consider to be the hard,<br />
concrete rules or laws that govern their<br />
existence. Even still, technology marches<br />
along.<br />
Such a product that challenges us is the<br />
Kindle from Amazon. This portable<br />
device seeks to replace the books, <strong>new</strong>spapers<br />
and magazines that have been<br />
ubiquitous parts of our everyday lives<br />
since birth. The first version of this electronic<br />
paper computer was launched in<br />
November of 2007 to very mixed reviews.<br />
Hardware design flaws and software problems<br />
plagued its introduction but more<br />
than that, the very idea of the Kindle was<br />
difficult for many to understand.<br />
Why attempt to do away with books? The<br />
written word is a very sacred thing. While<br />
there is a disconnection between a person<br />
and a computer, books are very organic<br />
they have a feel and even a smell to them<br />
that a piece of technology cannot replicate.<br />
But in my opinion, Amazons Kindle<br />
is not a replacement for the written word<br />
its just another vehicle. A way for a <strong>new</strong><br />
generation, one more involved with<br />
instant messaging than writing letters, to<br />
connect with the great writers of the past.<br />
On Monday, February 9, <strong>2009</strong>, Amazon<br />
announced the release of the Kindle 2,<br />
which can be purchased starting February<br />
24. The price is $359.00, which seems<br />
reasonable when taking into consideration<br />
the technology squished into its small<br />
form. The Kindle 2 is only .36 inches<br />
thick, has 7 times more storage (2GB)<br />
than its predecessor, and will run for 25%<br />
longer in one charge (about 2 weeks). It<br />
runs on the speedy 3G <strong>net</strong>work but does<br />
not require a monthly fee, and there are<br />
over 230,000 books available for download<br />
on Amazon.com. Another <strong>new</strong> feature<br />
is text-to-speech, which works surprisingly<br />
well.<br />
Definitely a niche product right now,<br />
Amazon has quite a battle ahead of them<br />
bringing the Kindle into the mainstream<br />
but with <strong>new</strong> developments in e-paper<br />
technology (the screen that the Kindle<br />
uses is designed to mimic the appearance<br />
of ordinary ink on paper, making it both<br />
easier and more comfortable to read for<br />
long periods of time than a conventional<br />
flat panel display) I can see every household<br />
having a Kindle in the not-too-distant<br />
future. And youll probably find it in<br />
the bathroom.
Xanadu…<br />
A place where<br />
nobody dared<br />
to go!<br />
Xanadu at The Drury lane Theatre<br />
By Kimberly Katz<br />
“To love someone else and create art, THAT is<br />
Xanadu.”<br />
What a great line from the play Xanadu. It<br />
truly describes my idea of a heavenly paradise.<br />
I remember when Xanadu the movie<br />
came out, yes, it was cheesy with roller skates<br />
and leg warmers abounding but it had some<br />
wonderful ideas about love and art and being<br />
free to create the art in your heart!<br />
If you don’t recall the storyline, the nine magical<br />
muse-daughters of Zeus come to earth in<br />
1980 to inspire humans to create truly great<br />
works of art and discover the meaning of the<br />
universe’s greatest secret: the Gift of Xanadu.<br />
Zeus’ most important decree is they can’t fall<br />
in love with any mortals. But all that changes<br />
when the young Kira or Clio (Elizabeth<br />
Stanley) meets the handsome artist Sonny<br />
(Max Von Essen), who needs her help in<br />
achieving his greatest dream. It is when Sonny<br />
teaches Kira the true meaning of inspiration,<br />
that the secret of Xanadu is fulfilled.<br />
Elizabeth Stanley has the really tough assignment<br />
of singing as well as songbird Olivia<br />
Newton John while on roller skates and being<br />
tongue in cheek funny as well, and she pulls it<br />
off like a star. Stanley reminds me of the great<br />
voluptuous grand dames of the past. One part<br />
sassy Mae West and one part sweet Shirley<br />
Jones in Oklahoma as she dances and roller<br />
skates backwards poking fun at the thick<br />
Australian accent Olivia unexplainably had in<br />
the film. Sometimes, a touring company are<br />
not quite as good as the original but Elizabeth<br />
Stanley’s performance and sense of humor are<br />
a real standout in this and, from what I’ve seen<br />
Chicago Theatre<br />
Pictured: Elizabeth Stanley and Max von Essen<br />
Xanadu presented by Broadway in Chicago. Jan 16th <strong>2009</strong> at the Drury Lane Theatre Water<br />
Tower Place (175 E Chestnut St. chicago) Photo Credit:Carol Rosegg<br />
on the Xanadu official website, actually outshine<br />
the original and should not be missed.<br />
I loved that the muses in this are played not by<br />
pretty young things but by a variety of characters<br />
of different ages, sizes and race. The<br />
muses played by Sharon Wilkins, Joanna<br />
Glushak, Tallia Brinson, Jason Michael Snow,<br />
JB Wing all have super solid singing voices<br />
and also pull off the comedy with aplomb.<br />
Julius Thomas II as the tap-dancing<br />
Terpsichore, muse of dance, was a stand out<br />
in his dancing and appears in the final number<br />
in a super hilarious chest baring, centaur costume.<br />
The unsung hero of this production is the<br />
music originally composed by the super<br />
group, Electric Light Orchestra. I have to<br />
share some of their lyrics here from the songs<br />
“Xanadu”, “I’m Alive” and “All Over the<br />
World”, because they really are so inspirational<br />
and innocent to be sung in a movie<br />
soundtrack especially for that time in the 80’s,<br />
which was yielding some of the worst, most<br />
sexist and violent films ever in our history of<br />
cinema.<br />
A place where nobody dared to go, the love<br />
that we came to know - They call it Xanadu<br />
And now, open your eyes and see, what we<br />
have made is real - We are in Xanadu<br />
A million lights are dancing and there you are,<br />
a shooting star. An everlasting world and<br />
you’re here with me, eternally<br />
I’m alive - and the world shines for me today<br />
- I’m alive - suddenly I am here today<br />
Suddenly came the dawn (from the night), suddenly<br />
I was born (into light) - How can it be
eal? I’m alive, I’m alive, I’m alive!<br />
Everybody all around the world, gotta tell you<br />
what I just heard - There’s gonna be a party all<br />
over the world!<br />
Wow, I can still listen to these songs and lyrics<br />
and feel the excitement I did back then that<br />
there was going to be some kind of renaissance,<br />
some kind of party all over the world for artists<br />
to celebrate their work and spirituality and the<br />
miracle of just being alive!<br />
One of the characters in the play states, “This is<br />
like children’s theater for 40-year-old gay people.”<br />
It really is! And it really is such fun to<br />
watch this show. Christopher Ashley’s direction<br />
and Dan Knechtges’ choreography were very<br />
interesting and included a whole section of regular<br />
audience members seated onstage the<br />
entire show, which allowed the audience in the<br />
house to kind of watch themselves reacting to<br />
the show. I really enjoyed it, the effect kept the<br />
audience remembering that their responsiveness<br />
to the players really does affect the per-<br />
formance - that this is live theatre and not a<br />
movie.<br />
Okay, now here’s my one note for the production.<br />
I was a child when I saw the movie and I<br />
really believed in the songs and ideas and the<br />
hope of some super creative artistic universe of<br />
freedom and light coming about. I truly wanted<br />
Sonny and Kira to fall deeply in love and dance<br />
or roll their way into the sky. Occasionally, like<br />
in “Strange Magic”, which is still one of my<br />
favorite songs and one of the most haunting<br />
and beautifully crafted ELO songs ever, the<br />
attempts to say, “Isn’t this stupid? - They sure<br />
were goofy back in the 80’s” gets in the way of<br />
the gorgeousness of that song and in the end<br />
kind of makes you feel a little stupid for enjoying<br />
the show so much. Also, the admittedly gay<br />
themes and the campy humor in the play start to<br />
overtake and mute the direction of the romantic<br />
storyline where Kira, created to be a universal<br />
soul mate for both Sonny and the older businessman<br />
originally played by dancer extraordinaire,<br />
Gene Kelly, becomes a sexless laughing-<br />
stock instead of the sensual super heroine she<br />
was originally written to be for little girls and<br />
women alike.<br />
Xanadu is “a place nobody dared to go”<br />
because it seemed too wonderful, too loving,<br />
too dreamlike to be hoped for but this cast has<br />
the singing chops to go ahead and “go there”<br />
with just a little bit less self deprecating cynicism.<br />
All in all this is a dynamite production, with a<br />
great sense of humor, full of open minded good<br />
natured fun and well worth seeing. I can assure<br />
you that your whole family will Xanadu enjoy<br />
tremendously and leave laughing and in a good<br />
mood.<br />
XANADU is currently running at the Drury<br />
Lane Theatre Water Tower Place. For more<br />
information on XANADU, visit<br />
www.XanaduOnBroadway.com or<br />
www.BroadwayInChicago.com.<br />
Pictured: Elizabeth Stanley<br />
Xanadu presented by Broadway in Chicago. Jan 16th <strong>2009</strong> at the Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place<br />
(175 E Chestnut St. chicago)<br />
BUZZ S&E www.<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.tv page 29
Arcada Theare<br />
105 E. Main Street,<br />
St. Charles, IL 60174<br />
Phone: 630-587-8400<br />
www.onestientertainment.com<br />
36 BUZZ S&E www.<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.tv<br />
Chicago Theatre Shows<br />
Blue Man Group @<br />
Briar Street Theatre<br />
3133 North Halsted<br />
Chicago<br />
OPEN RUN Box Office:<br />
773-348-4000<br />
A Bronx Tale showing<br />
April 10th, 11th, 12th,<br />
13th, 14th, 15th, 17th,<br />
18th, 19th, 20th, 21st &<br />
22nd at the<br />
Ford Center for the<br />
Performing Arts, 24<br />
West Randolph Street<br />
www.orientaltheater.com<br />
Jeff Dye<br />
At Lakeshore Theater<br />
Apr 10 at 8:00 PM<br />
Apr 11 at 8:00 PM<br />
Apr 11 at 10:30 PM<br />
Apr 10 at 10:30 PM<br />
3175 N. Broadway Chicago,<br />
773.472.3492<br />
Rick Shapiro and Brendon burns<br />
At The Lakeshore Theater<br />
Mar 5 at 8:00 PM, Mar 6 at 7:00 PM<br />
Mar 6 at 9:30 PM, Mar 7 at 7:00 PM<br />
Mar 7 at 9:30 PM<br />
773.472.3492 :: Box Office<br />
3175 N. Broadway Chicago, IL 60657<br />
Theatre-on-the Hill presents<br />
the Theater Event of Spring, <strong>2009</strong>!<br />
TTHE LAST<br />
DAYS OF<br />
JUDAS<br />
ISCARIOT<br />
A PLAY BY STEPHEN ADLY GUIRGIS<br />
DIRECTED BY CRAIG J. ENGEL<br />
VARIETY raves, "Guirgis has written a real jaw-dropper ... expressionistic<br />
fantasy, with raw language and flamboyantly street-savvy characters ... his<br />
imagination is dazzling and his command of language downright thrilling...."<br />
Fridays & Saturdays: 8:00 pm • Sundays: 3:00 pm • From March 6 – March 29<br />
375 W. Briarcliff, behind Bolingbrook’s Town Center Building<br />
TICKETS: Adults: $15.00 • Students/Seniors: $12.00 • GROUP RATES AVAILABLE<br />
TOTHBOLINGBROOK.COM • 630-759-2970<br />
Due to strong language and challenging content, this play is intended for mature audiences.<br />
We recommend that guests be at least 14 years old, and be accompanied by an adult.<br />
"Curtains"<br />
March 19 – May<br />
17, <strong>2009</strong><br />
APPEARS AT DRURY<br />
LANE For reservations,<br />
phone (630) 530-0111<br />
drurylaneoakbrook.com
The Bolingbrook Performing<br />
Arts Center (at Bolingbrook<br />
Town Center)<br />
375 West Briarcliff. Email us at<br />
theatreonthehill@yahoo.com<br />
For more<br />
information,call<br />
(630) 783-9108<br />
pH Productions<br />
Administrative Office<br />
720 W. Gordon Terrace #7M<br />
Chicago, IL 60613<br />
BOX OFFICE/GENERAL INFO #<br />
773.732.5450<br />
Chicago Theatre Listing<br />
9501 North Skokie Boulevard<br />
Skokie, IL 60077 USA<br />
General Info - 847 679-9501<br />
Box Office Info - 847 673-6300<br />
www.northlight.org<br />
www.greenmantheatre.com<br />
GreenMan<br />
Theatre Troupe<br />
PO Box 514,<br />
Elmhurst, IL 60126<br />
For tickets and<br />
additional<br />
information<br />
630-464-2646<br />
<strong>new</strong> millennium<br />
theatre company<br />
Doing shows that we want to<br />
see, New Millennium makes<br />
theatre fun and relevant to<br />
today’s complex audiences.<br />
5043 W. Deming<br />
Place Chicago, IL<br />
60639<br />
312-458-9083<br />
In The Fine Arts Building<br />
410 S. Michigan Ave.<br />
312 427 5490.<br />
3175 N. Broadway<br />
Chicago, IL 60657 Box<br />
Office<br />
773-472-3492<br />
www.lakeshoretheater.com<br />
1919 N. Milwaukee Ave.<br />
Chicago, IL 60647<br />
Phone<br />
773-598-4549<br />
info@gorillatango.com<br />
www.gorillatango.com<br />
For tickets and additional information<br />
call (630) 587-8400 or email<br />
arcada@onestientertainment.com<br />
www.onestientertainment.com<br />
105 E. Main St. St. Charles, IL 60174
Gettin’ Buzzed with Buzz!<br />
Becki smiles for Buzz at City Limits in Schaumburg.<br />
Licia and Amanda working hard at Palm Beach Tan in Niles IL<br />
Catfight shows Buzz their hot lineup! See their awesome<br />
show review and interview with Buzz on page 8!<br />
32 BUZZ S&E GO TO www.<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.<strong>net</strong> to see your picture!<br />
Three hotties having a good time at The Spot<br />
Becki and Anna at City Limits in Schaumburg. Save a<br />
Kiss for Buzzy!
City of Angels at<br />
Portage Theater<br />
By Ken Payne<br />
Executive producer and director Michael A.<br />
Fudala have partnered once again, this time<br />
bringing the Tony Award winning City of<br />
Angels to Chicago’s vintage Portage Theater.<br />
City of Angels, written by Larry Gelbart and<br />
music by Cy Coleman, found a perfect platform<br />
in Portage Theater, really enhancing the effect<br />
of the era. With over 25 people in the cast,<br />
Fudala’s rendition of City of Angels filled the<br />
theater with humorous songs, a remarkable<br />
amount of set changes and pithy dialogue reminiscent<br />
of a 1940’s detective film. Despite the<br />
play’s three-hour length, the variety of characters<br />
along with the story’s concept of creating<br />
its own script as the plays goes on, kept audience<br />
members enthralled from its opening<br />
scene of a silhouetted singing 4-piece in the<br />
fashion of Manhattan Transfer to the show’s<br />
Chicago Theatre<br />
City of Angels at The Portage Theater (located at 4050 N. Milwaukee Avenue)<br />
happy Hollywood ending.<br />
Dave Lichty, who played dual roles as Buddy<br />
Fidler and Irwin S. Irving, was especially funny<br />
as the loud, barking movie director and movie<br />
mogul. Lichty gave his characters the perfect<br />
amount audaciousness and overconfidence to<br />
make them work. Though there were many<br />
solid performances in the large cast, the standouts<br />
included James Edward Dauphin as the<br />
writer, Stine, Anita Kallen as both Oolie and<br />
Donna, Lorrisa Julianus as the starlet Avril<br />
Raines and also as Mallory Kingsley and Jeff<br />
Gamlin as the private eye, Stone. Kasandra<br />
Hesek’s performance should also be of note as<br />
Stine’s wife Gabby and Stone’s ex, Bobbi.<br />
Hesek’s sleek voice stood out in such songs<br />
“What You Don’t Know About Women” and<br />
With Every Breath I Take”.<br />
Though many highlights took place in this 40act<br />
play set in the late 1940’s, it was the singing<br />
quartet, the Angel City Four, which really set<br />
the tone for this piece, setting the table nicely<br />
for what was such a nice nostalgic piece of film<br />
noir.<br />
The Last Days<br />
of Judas<br />
Iscariot<br />
On March 6th , Bolingbrook’s Theater on the<br />
Hill proudly presents The Last Days of Judas<br />
Iscariot. In what Craig Engel describes as the<br />
best script he has ever read, the story takes on<br />
the controversial topic: If everything is preordained<br />
by God, then how can Judas possibly<br />
be guilty? If God KNEW Judas would be the<br />
betrayer of Jesus, then he was framed, and<br />
should not be one of the most reviled figures in<br />
history.<br />
“It’s a courtroom drama, set in Purgatory,”<br />
Engel says enthusiastically. “Historical characters<br />
such as Freud, Mother Theresa, Pontius<br />
Pilate, Caiphas the Elder, various saints, even<br />
Satan are called as witnesses. The dialogue is<br />
hilarious, profane, thoughtful, historically accurate,<br />
empathetic, and tragic. The script inspires<br />
conversation and research. It has actually<br />
inspired me to re-evaluate my positions regarding<br />
spirituality and religion, which is a pretty<br />
amazing thing.”<br />
Engel and Fudala read the script on a recommendation<br />
from Father Dennis Paul, a<br />
Catholic priest from Downers Grove, who<br />
often performs with the troupe. “Dennis had<br />
tuned into a talk show on The Moody Bible<br />
Institute radio station that enthusiastically discussed<br />
the script. Intrigued by the radio program,<br />
he got a hold of the script and was in<br />
turn captivated.”<br />
The Last Days of Judas Iscariot opens March<br />
6 and runs until March 29 at Bolingbrook’s<br />
Performing Arts stage, located at 375 W.<br />
Briarcliff, behind the Town Center Building.<br />
Adult tickets cost $15.00; student and senior<br />
tickets cost $12.00. Group rates are available.<br />
For additional information, visit tothbolingbrook.com<br />
or call 630-759-2970.
Theatre-on-the Hill presents<br />
the Theater Event of Spring, <strong>2009</strong>!<br />
THE LAST<br />
DAYS OF<br />
JUDAS<br />
ISCARIOT<br />
A PLAY BY STEPHEN ADLY GUIRGIS<br />
DIRECTED BY CRAIG J. ENGEL<br />
VARIETY raves, "Guirgis has written a real jaw-dropper ... expressionistic<br />
fantasy, with raw language and flamboyantly street-savvy characters ... his<br />
imagination is dazzling and his command of language downright thrilling...."<br />
Fridays & Saturdays: 8:00 pm • Sundays: 3:00 pm • From March 6 – March 29<br />
375 W. Briarcliff, behind Bolingbrook’s Town Center Building<br />
TICKETS: Adults: $15.00 • Students/Seniors: $12.00 • GROUP RATES AVAILABLE<br />
TOTHBOLINGBROOK.COM • 630-759-2970<br />
Due to strong language and challenging content, this play is intended for mature audiences.<br />
We recommend that guests be at least 14 years old, and be accompanied by an adult.<br />
Because your project<br />
deserves it.<br />
1.630.377.6590 -- St. Charles, IL<br />
www.farviewrecording.com
What If Vitali<br />
Does Face<br />
Valuev?<br />
By Joe Harrison<br />
In a recent Kiev press conference, the<br />
Klitschko brothers expressed their<br />
desires. Wladimir talked about David<br />
Haye and wanting to “shut his<br />
mouth”. Then Vitali spoke of his<br />
upcoming bout with Juan Carlos<br />
Gomez and his interest in facing<br />
Nikolay Valuev.<br />
“I know Gomez well. We boxed<br />
together at Universum, but I am sure<br />
of a victory and I will do everything to<br />
knock him out. Then I wish to fight<br />
against WBA heavyweight champion<br />
Nikolay Valuev so that we have the<br />
four championship titles. We’ll make<br />
it!” said Vitali.<br />
Unfortunately, a match-up between<br />
Vitali and Valuev can not happen until<br />
a couple roadblocks are passed. While<br />
Vitali needs to focus on his bout with<br />
Gomez scheduled for March 21st,<br />
Valuev will likely face Ruslan<br />
Chagaev. Therefore, if Valuev does<br />
face Chagaev and loses, this bout<br />
probably won’t happen. On the other<br />
hand, if Valuev wins, then things can<br />
get very interesting.<br />
This is a bout boxing fans have been<br />
drooling over the thought of for quite<br />
some time. If Vitali does face Valuev<br />
to unify the WBC and WBA heavyweight<br />
titles, the event would be enormous<br />
with two enormous men. Vitali<br />
stands at 6’8 while Valuev is 7 feet<br />
tall. It would be another step closer to<br />
having an undisputed heavyweight<br />
champion, but only if Valuev wins.<br />
Otherwise, you would have to settle<br />
for two unified champions, Vitali<br />
Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko.<br />
So how good is Valuev (50-1, 34<br />
KOs)? Well, it may depend on which<br />
fight you watch. Before entering the<br />
top ranks, Valuev dismantled opponents<br />
such as Dicky Ryan, Paolo<br />
Vidoz, and Clifford Etienne. By that<br />
point, he was 41-0, and appeared to be<br />
a big threat to the top heavyweights. A<br />
big threat as in a very large threat.<br />
Suddenly, Valuev was not as dominant<br />
as expected. He looked very unimpressive<br />
while defeating Larry Donald<br />
by a controversial majority decision in<br />
a WBA eliminator back in October of<br />
‘05. Then, only two months later, he<br />
had another disappointing performance<br />
while defeating John Ruiz by<br />
another controversial majority decision<br />
to win the WBA heavyweight<br />
title. In April of ‘07, after two successful<br />
defenses against unworthy opponents<br />
in Owen Beck and Monte<br />
Barrett, Valuev would lose his WBA<br />
title to Chagaev by a split decision.<br />
Valuev appeared to be much improved<br />
after losing his title, scoring decision<br />
victories over Sergei Liakhovich and<br />
John Ruiz without much controversy.<br />
As for his bout with Evander<br />
Holyfield last December, now that<br />
was a different story. It must have<br />
been a candidate for “Most Boring<br />
Fight of the Year”. More disturbing<br />
than the low activity during the bout<br />
was the controversial outcome. Once<br />
again, Valuev was given a majority<br />
decision victory in a bout that he<br />
appeared to lose. Valuev’s performance<br />
was considered disgraceful,<br />
especially against a 46-year old boxer<br />
who looked younger than Valuev, outworked<br />
him and dancing around him.<br />
Then there is Vitali Klitschko (36-0,<br />
35 KOs), the current WBC heavyweight<br />
champion. A man who has<br />
never lost a bout on points and has<br />
never been knocked down. His only<br />
two losses are to Chris Byrd by injury<br />
and Lennox Lewis by cuts. Vitali was<br />
leading the scorecards during both<br />
bouts.<br />
When Vitali quit during his bout<br />
against Byrd due to an injured shoulder<br />
, he received much criticism. Then<br />
he appeared to redeemed himself by<br />
showing so much heart in his bout<br />
against Lewis. After stopping Kirk<br />
Johnson within two rounds in<br />
December of ‘03, and stopping Corrie<br />
Sanders during the eighth round in<br />
April of ‘04, Klitschko had become<br />
the WBC heavyweight champion.<br />
Vitali had only made one successful<br />
defense, an 8th round stoppage of<br />
Danny Williams in December of ‘04,<br />
before retiring due to repeated injuries<br />
while preparing to face Hasim<br />
Rahman in 2005. During his absence,<br />
he called out Lennox Lewis repeatedly,<br />
and failed his campaign at becoming<br />
the major of Kiev twice. Last<br />
October, he returned and dethroned<br />
Samuel Peter by an eighth-round TKO<br />
to regain his WBC title. At this point,<br />
at the age of 37, Vitali appears to be<br />
just as dangerous as he was over four<br />
years ago.<br />
So what if Vitali does face Valuev?<br />
Well, they definitely make an interesting<br />
comparison for a couple of giants.<br />
They both have an excellent jab, and<br />
they both lack speed. Age is on<br />
Valuev’s side by two years, but<br />
Klitschko has the advantage in<br />
strength, as shown by his knockout<br />
percentage. As far as competition,<br />
well, it is difficult to brag in a lackluster<br />
heavyweight division. If anything<br />
is for certain, Vitali tends to serve a<br />
beating to most of his opponents. If<br />
Klitschko faces Valuev, you can<br />
expect Klitschko to serve him a beating<br />
as well.
Hey<br />
Guys,<br />
Don’t<br />
Panic!<br />
She might be<br />
pregnant?<br />
By Matthew Arlington<br />
When it comes to dating and relationships,<br />
there are not many<br />
issues more critical than the issue<br />
of pregnancy. Especially if you<br />
are not ready to be a father or it<br />
was completely unplanned. That<br />
is why you should avoid the onenight<br />
stands and only fornicate<br />
with a girl whom you have feelings<br />
and respect for. Then it<br />
should be easier to be supportive,<br />
and that is what she really needs.<br />
On the other hand, let’s be realistic,<br />
it does not always happen like<br />
that. We are men; we cannot<br />
always control ourselves.<br />
Temptations and opportunities<br />
happen regularly. I know this as<br />
well as you.<br />
This is a situation that can be very<br />
delicate and needs to be taken<br />
very seriously. You must assume<br />
she is telling the truth. Do not<br />
complicate things by accusing her<br />
of lying; it is not impossible for<br />
her to actually be pregnant.<br />
What if she really is pregnant<br />
with your child? When I tell you<br />
to find out if she is, I do not mean<br />
simply having her take a pregnancy<br />
test that was bought at<br />
Walgreen’s. Actually, that is a<br />
good start; however, without your<br />
presence, you are being disrespectful.<br />
You should also make<br />
her see a doctor and it can be verified<br />
if she is indeed pregnant.<br />
Your presence is required for that.<br />
You need to know if you created<br />
life.<br />
Unfortunately, I do have experi-<br />
ence dealing with this situation.<br />
Actually, I dealt with it twice.<br />
My experiences were long and<br />
brutal, but for the sake of space<br />
and time, I will keep the details to<br />
a minimum.<br />
The first time a girl told me that<br />
she missed her period and that she<br />
k<strong>new</strong> she was pregnant, I freaked.<br />
I suspected that she was lying, but<br />
there was always that “what if”<br />
possibility. My friends were not<br />
very helpful in this situation, but<br />
my boss was the one who advised<br />
me to treat it like it is really happening,<br />
and to be supportive. I<br />
took his advice, and tried to deal<br />
with it.<br />
Of course, while I was at work,<br />
she contacted me and told me that<br />
the pregnancy test from<br />
Walgreen’s came up positive.<br />
Then, a week later, while I was at<br />
work, she told me that she saw her<br />
doctor and that he verified that she<br />
was pregnant. When I asked her<br />
what she was going to do, have the<br />
baby adopted, get an abortion, or<br />
keep it, she said she needed to<br />
think about it. Another week later,<br />
she claimed that she had a miscarriage.<br />
That sounded a little bizarre,<br />
but it really did not matter to me.<br />
The nightmare was over.<br />
Although I believed that she was<br />
lying all along, I could never be<br />
sure. I was just glad to keep that<br />
experience in the past.<br />
I handled the situation much better<br />
the second time it happened.<br />
The irony is not only that it happened<br />
around the same time as the<br />
year before, January, but that I<br />
even told the second girl the story<br />
of the first girl. So when she told<br />
me that she had missed her period<br />
and that she k<strong>new</strong> she was pregnant,<br />
I was a bit shocked, but I<br />
k<strong>new</strong> how to play it. I let her get<br />
the pregnancy test from<br />
Walgreen’s while I was at work,<br />
figuring that my presence was not<br />
quite necessary, yet. I was not a bit<br />
surprised when she told me that it<br />
came up positive. From there, I<br />
continued to be supportive but was<br />
not about to let her do everything<br />
herself.<br />
She already k<strong>new</strong> that she should<br />
see her doctor to verify if she was<br />
actually pregnant. It was only a<br />
question of how. I asked if she<br />
could get an appointment during<br />
the weekend so that she would not<br />
have to miss anymore hours at<br />
work. She said no and that she<br />
made an appointment to see him<br />
on the following Monday. I wrote<br />
that down. I asked if her doctor<br />
happened to be at the same hospital<br />
as mine, Alexian Brothers, and<br />
she said yes. I wrote that down. I<br />
asked her if she happened to know<br />
of Dr. Johnson, and she said no,<br />
and told me her doctor’s name. I<br />
wrote that down. I asked if she<br />
was able to get an appointment in<br />
the evening and she said no, it was<br />
at 1pm. I wrote that down and<br />
said, “Perfect, I’ll see you there.”<br />
As anticipated, she was stunned to<br />
hear that I was going to attend this<br />
appointment. She told me that my<br />
presence was not needed. We<br />
argued for a bit and I made it<br />
abundantly clear that she has no<br />
right to close me out of any<br />
appointment that would determine<br />
if I am going to be a father, nor<br />
did she have any logical reason to<br />
close me out. After a while, she<br />
hung up on me. Not long after<br />
that, she told me that it was over<br />
with and that she was not pregnant<br />
anymore.<br />
Again, I suspected that she was<br />
lying all along, I could never be<br />
sure. I was just glad to keep that<br />
experience in the past.<br />
Ever since those two wacky experiences,<br />
I try to choose wisely<br />
whom I involve myself with.<br />
Remember, being safe is being<br />
smart, even if nothing is 100%.<br />
By no means am I a ladies man. If<br />
I can do this, you certainly can<br />
too.<br />
BUZZ S&E www.<strong>buzz</strong><strong>new</strong>s.<strong>net</strong> page 37
Dear Buzzy,<br />
I think the media is making way to<br />
big a deal out of the photograph of<br />
swimmer Michael Phelps loadin’ up<br />
on a bong hit. So what! In fact, <strong>buzz</strong>ards<br />
such as myself are actually glad<br />
that we finally have some one to look<br />
up to besides Tommy Chong.<br />
Nicky Dimes<br />
P.s. One time after a bowl of creeper<br />
weed I fell into the pool and almost<br />
drowned but that was ‘cause I can’t<br />
swim-not the weed.<br />
Dear Nick,<br />
I agree with you and also think it<br />
would be a shame for someone to<br />
waste all that lung power. OK.- So he<br />
lost the Kellogg deal. He can always<br />
endorse lava lamps. The Cartoon<br />
Network or Capt. Crunch (though<br />
The Three Stooges are kinda hard to<br />
hear over all the crunching)<br />
Buzzy<br />
Dear Buzz,<br />
I think it says a heck of a lot about<br />
how far we’ve come in this country<br />
that a white man from Delaware can<br />
be elected Vice President. I’m also<br />
still available for interviewin’.<br />
Sarah Palin<br />
Ask<br />
Buzzed<br />
Buzzy<br />
Governor Palin,<br />
You keep settin’ there and we’ll let ya<br />
know ‘bout any interviewin. Love<br />
the hair, by the way.<br />
Love Buzzy<br />
Dear Buzz,<br />
To set the record straight, I never did<br />
love the man but the opportunity to<br />
become the next late Mrs. Drew<br />
Peterson was very tempting, however,<br />
I have decided I’d like to stick<br />
around just in case they make a<br />
Jackass III- so I’ve called the engagement<br />
off.Christina Raines<br />
Dear Chris,<br />
At the very least, in the interests<br />
of insurability I think you<br />
made the wise decision. Now<br />
that you’re single I understand<br />
that Scott Peterson would like<br />
to hear from you as he prefers<br />
his women unattached.<br />
Buzzy<br />
Buzz<br />
I went through a well known<br />
drive-thru last week and<br />
requested extra ketchup with<br />
my order. When I arrived home<br />
I discovered that they had<br />
filled my bag with catsup. As a<br />
PETA member and a strict<br />
vegan I was quite offended and<br />
am wondering if I should sue<br />
them. Sheppard “Bingo” El<br />
Gato<br />
Dear Shep,<br />
Strange case but I’m sure you<br />
could find an attorney that would<br />
relish taking it on. Meanwhile<br />
stay at home with your monkey.<br />
Buzzy<br />
STINGERS<br />
by Pat Kasino<br />
CRUNCH TIME<br />
AT THE WHITE<br />
HOUSE<br />
In what is yet another milestone<br />
on the path to true racial equality<br />
B U Z Z O S C O P E S<br />
Aries- You will spend a few uncomfortable hours trapped in an elevator<br />
with a creepy set of triplets from Baltimore and a flatulent<br />
bond trader.<br />
Taurus- Your blind date turns out to be hearing impaired as well.<br />
Gemini- The naked man on your front lawn only wants to “talk.”<br />
Cancer- Your ring tone will be stuck on ICE ICE BABY until you settle<br />
up your late charges.<br />
Leo- Relax! If the authorities could prove you greatly admire Pauley<br />
Shore they would have done something by now.<br />
Virgo- A slip of the scalpel will propel you into <strong>new</strong> fashion choices.<br />
Libra- Sitting too close to grandma during an HBO special results in<br />
you getting whacked with a wooden spoon every time Bob Saget<br />
says “FUCK.”<br />
Scorpio- You awaken from a drug induced nightmare about attending<br />
a Grateful Dead concert to find yourself at a Phish concert.<br />
Sagittarius- Match.com hooks you up with Art Garfunkel.<br />
in this country, The White House<br />
Press Office released a brief statement<br />
this week announcing that<br />
President Barack Obama became<br />
the first African-American to<br />
evacuate his bowels in the powder<br />
room just adjacent to the oval<br />
office which is reserved exclusively<br />
for use by The President<br />
alone.<br />
Described by administration<br />
insiders as “a classic two smoke<br />
squat”, The President is rumored<br />
to have entered “Air Fresh One”<br />
(a term used by White House<br />
maintenance personnel) with a<br />
copy of The National Review and<br />
a hand written note left to him by<br />
former “Commander in Chief”<br />
George W. Bush and exited the<br />
room approximately fifteen minutes<br />
later, empty handed. Long<br />
Capricorn- Since you have no real criminal record to speak of, it’s<br />
unlikely that you will be chosen to run for governor.<br />
Aquarius- Your Valentine gift box of assorted quality meats to Dick<br />
Cheney is returned unopened.<br />
Pisces- You find yourself to be clairvoyant but only in the specific<br />
area of predicting likely allergic reactions in cattle.
time White House staffers were<br />
not surprised and noted that due to<br />
a contract signed by then<br />
President, notoriously stingy<br />
Harry Truman decades ago, facilities<br />
at The White House are routinely<br />
stocked with a cheaply manufactured,<br />
extremely coarse and<br />
somewhat less than absorbent<br />
brand of paper, forcing both<br />
Republican and Democratic chief<br />
executives alike to employ alternative<br />
means of relief upon finishing<br />
the business of the people. In<br />
fact, previous President George W.<br />
Bush is known to have kept multiple<br />
copies of The Constitution on<br />
hand for just that purpose, a practice<br />
borrowed from The Nixon<br />
administration.<br />
The Secret Service detail posted<br />
outside the door, unable to monitor<br />
The President’s movements<br />
over the sound of running water,<br />
were understandably nervous and<br />
all breathed a sigh of relief when<br />
the senior agent on the scene finally<br />
spoke into his jacket sleeve proclaiming,<br />
”The Eagle has landed.”<br />
Though while hardly the first time<br />
in recent memory that a president<br />
has made headlines with his pants<br />
down, most agree that presidential<br />
bodily functions and fluids will be<br />
viewed in a light from here on. A<br />
beaming Rev. Al Sharpton when<br />
asked to comment on “The Dump<br />
Heard ‘Round the World” stated<br />
”At last a time has finally come in<br />
America when anyone, regardless<br />
of color, can ascend to the highest<br />
throne in the land and occupy a<br />
true seat of power, an incredibly<br />
historic day which should make all<br />
Americans flush with pride.”<br />
Others, however, are critical of<br />
what they see as “an over emphasis<br />
on the historic significance of a<br />
relatively mundane daily event.”<br />
One detractor, James ”Big Jim”<br />
Oakey Schmidt, regional director<br />
of The Coalition of Suburban<br />
White Christian Oil and Gas<br />
Executives- a racial separatist<br />
group- in an interview aired on the<br />
local cable access program “It’s 4<br />
A M Chicago” said ”This is exactly<br />
the kind of shit we’ve been<br />
afraid of from day one and<br />
amounts to nothing more than a<br />
big load of crap!”<br />
In a related item, The Tom Bosley<br />
Mint has announced that it will<br />
issue a limited addition commemorative<br />
coin marking the event<br />
featuring Abraham Lincoln’s outhouse<br />
on one side, a thumbs up<br />
relief of Obama on the other and<br />
bearing the legend ”We All Gotta<br />
Go Sometime.”<br />
BUZZLINGS<br />
THE MIRACLE ON<br />
THE HUDSON<br />
is beginning to look a lot more<br />
like flashback than miracle as <strong>new</strong><br />
details emerge involving an incident<br />
which was originally deemed<br />
a jet collision with a flock of birds<br />
but may have actually been a near<br />
miss with the British pop group<br />
Flock of Seagulls. Apparently a<br />
snippet from the bands’ 1982 hit “I<br />
Ran” was intercepted over<br />
U.S.airways flight 1549s cockpit<br />
radio just upon take off which<br />
caused an irresistible urge in pilot<br />
Chesley ”Sully” Sullenberger to<br />
nosedive the fully loaded Airbus<br />
A320 with 155 people on board<br />
into the ground. It was only<br />
through sheer determination to<br />
fight the urge and years of training<br />
and experience that Sullenberger<br />
was able to pull up at the last<br />
minute and execute the emergency<br />
landing on The Hudson River saving<br />
countless lives.<br />
NTSB spokesman, Archibald<br />
Crackers, later noted that encounters<br />
with defunct one-hit wonders<br />
are fairly common in commercial<br />
aviation and stated, ”As long as<br />
crappy 80’s bands are out there,<br />
we always run the risk of this kind<br />
of situation.” He added “We can<br />
only be thankful that this occur-<br />
rence did not involve, say, Soft<br />
Cells’ Tainted Love or anything by<br />
Cyndi Lauper. The results would<br />
have surely been catastrophic.”<br />
THE FLIGHT OF<br />
THE SNEAKER<br />
Back in December an irate Iraqi<br />
journalist made international <strong>new</strong>s<br />
by throwing his shoes at a surprisingly<br />
agile President George W<br />
Bush in protest of the outgoing<br />
leaders mid-east policies during a<br />
press conference in Baghdad. A<br />
second recent incident at<br />
Cambridge University in Great<br />
Britain involving Chinese Premier<br />
Wen Jlabao and a shoe armed protester<br />
has prompted sneaker giant<br />
Nike to begin work on a line of<br />
footwear aerodynamically<br />
designed for maximum flight<br />
potential which will be called “Air<br />
George” and marketed under the<br />
slogan “Just Throw It” Competitor<br />
Reebok is said to be thinking<br />
along similar lines with their “It’s<br />
Not a Shoe-It’s a Statement” prototype.<br />
FROM THE<br />
WHERE ARE<br />
THEY NOW FILE<br />
Al Queda chief Osama Bin Laden<br />
is rumored to have consulted with<br />
several Middle Eastern P.R. firms<br />
in an effort to update his image<br />
and make himself more <strong>new</strong>s worthy.<br />
Word has it that the terrorist<br />
king pin has exchanged his turban<br />
for a dew-rag, his trusty AK-47 for<br />
Tech-9 and will operate under the<br />
name of Osama Bin Hangin With<br />
Da Crips. Though a self-described<br />
“old-madrasa“ type terrorist he<br />
no<strong>net</strong>heless feels the need to modernize<br />
his profile. In response,<br />
Homeland Security has elevated<br />
the terrorist threat level to gold<br />
and black.<br />
AND FINALLY<br />
Not to be outdone by The White<br />
Sox who will be issuing a special<br />
edition cap in honor of Sox Fanin-Chief,<br />
President Barack<br />
Obama, The Cubs will, in turn,<br />
offer fans a commemorative jersey<br />
featuring blue prison pin-stripes<br />
and a much longer number than<br />
usual in tribute to uber-Cubs fan<br />
Rod Blagojevich. Play Ball!!!<br />
Windy City Chiropractic<br />
Dr. Victoria Lvova<br />
Chiropractic Physician<br />
Certified Acupuncturist<br />
2551 N Clark St.,<br />
Suite 206<br />
Chicago, IL<br />
(773) 248-6476<br />
NON-INVASIVE, ALL-NATURAL<br />
TREATMENT OF LOW BACK PAIN,<br />
SCIATICA, NECK & SHOULDER<br />
PAIN, HEADACHES, CARPAL<br />
TUNNEL, AND SOME OTHER<br />
CONDITIONS UTILIZING CHIROPRACTIC,<br />
ACUPUNCTURE, MASSAGE AND<br />
PHYSIOTHERAPY.
Change language