Superquick, here's what I know about what's going on...Stellar sadly broke up. But thankfully, Krista and Jill grabbed the bartender from Tip Top to form Wett, and they've already played two kick-ass shows... Tom Scott decided he wasn't willing be an Asshole, so the band snagged Matt, who according to Little Chris, is already their manager. But now Life is trailing after his girlfriend to Canada, currently broken down in Washington. Is there an after-life for Asshole?... The biggest tragedy I can think of is the demise of Mensclub. Seems like drummer Tom is ditching our fair state for New York City?! Get the rope! They went out in style tho', playing Stephanie's bachelorette party on Friday the 13th, night of the full moon. Muck, the roadrash roadie, was the only guy to weasel his way into the party and for that he ended up in SF General restraining by half-a-dozen policemen. Most of the participants danced around to the Mensclub's two-hour set in their underwear. The band went down to their boxer shorts as they busted out with all their classics. Even "Woman Driver" was well-received, in a house full of cyclists. Afterward Jon and Ron shared their version of John Denver's "Country Roads" @ the neighborhood Filipino Karaoke bar. Now, Jon and Ron are in Sunless Day, who debuted at the Timbuk2 Party... Debaser, who I originally interviewed for this issue, lost their bassplayer. He moved to Portland or maybe he's chasing after Life?! Anyway they are NOT broken up and are looking for replace homeboy... Hammerlock released a new CD, as did Phoenix Thunderstorm. Dumptruck made a guest appearance with Phnix Thunderstorm, playin' banjo...... Family Scott is theoretically recording... And guess what? STD still hasn't found a new name. They refuse to play a show until they have a new name that they all like. Maybe they should call themselves Stellar... Chameleon is still having shows, but for how long? The last time I went there, the water was turned off and there were big buckets of water next to the toilets. Hang in there, Karen!
-America #826

"No AA for me-just glue and doom." ­ Faxed Head

The Damned, 3/5 Maritime Hall, SF.
I was a bit apprehensive of this show because the Damned are one of my all time favorites. The fact they haven't played here in ten years plus they're all in their 40s made me wonder whether they could rock with their old intensity. My fears were put to rest when they came out and rocked like they had something to prove. Doing "Smash It Up," "Neat, Neat, Neat," "New Rose," "Plan 9 Channel 7," "Waiting for the Blackout" and "Ignite." Dave Vanien, the band's punk Goth chameleon came out sporting a big pompadour, going a little thin in the back, eh Dave? And Captain Sensible the guitar player was wearin' some kinda East Indian robed outfit. The funny moment of the show was when Cap'n Sensible said, "Thank you, Los Angeles" in the best Spinal Tap "Good Evening, Cleveland" style and was booed profusely. The lame part of the show was when they went into some of their Goth material from Phantasmagoria, but thankfully it was brief. After seeing the Damned blaze through their classics, it made me feel sorry for all the kids that think Green Day and Rancid are punk. I guess they'll never know that a bunch of geezers from UK, old enough to be their dad, can still play harder with better songs. The Damned might be history but at least they made history. ­ Nomad #154

No FX, Trocadero, SF.
Gee, what is there to say about No FX? They've come a long way since their days on Mystic Records. And as the years have gone on, they've become one of the tightest bands around. Usually the Trocadero oversells the hall, making seeing a show a real pain in the ass. However, for once, it was at a comfortable capacity, having already sold out long ago. No FX were great playing stuff from all eight records and Fat Mike's wisecracks in between songs are usually pretty funny. This time he held aloft a bottle of Bushmills' "Black Bush" whiskey and said, "This whiskey's aged 20 years, which means it's older than about 90 percent of you." Which was pretty close to the truth. Oh yeah, among others, they played "S&M Airlines," "Kill All the White Men," "Liza & Louise," "Bob Durkee's a Dick," and some newer stuff. ­ Nomad #154

Robert Castaneda: drums
America: journaliste
Mark Fuller from Big Rig and Gitanjali: guest celebrities

@: We assume that you're the little brother of Carlos Castaneda, that didn't get any fame or glory. Instead of shrooms, you ended up with the hallucinogenic frogs, and now you're the bike messenger.
R: Well. Carlos was my dad's sister's former roommate, And I actually learned a lot from him. But I'm a little closer to Sal; he does traffic on Mornings on 2.
@: What does Anonymous Beef mean?
R: Well Barbara, me, Lur King, and Pauline were hanging out at my house and we were watching the best of the police chase action. Somehow we got into the topic of graffiti and how some taggers cross over other people's tags, and so it's an Anonymous Beef that they have with people they don't even know. But the reason that we picked it is because it leaves things open...
@: Check this out: Lori [Giblet] was saying that she was trying to get you gigs but everyone that she talked to thought the name was too stupid. But you guys wouldn't change it. What's up with that?
R: Well, we figured that there were bands like Fuck that were getting big, and then there's bands like the Butthole Surfers that were already big. Hell, you can't deny that they are. I remember that I liked [the name] for about a month. I'm not going to change my attitude now. But now I've learned to like it and have grown comfortable with it.
@: Did a lot of therapy help?
R: Therapy and Viagra and a nicotine patch helped me get through the name.
@: I have heard that there is no such thing as a sane drummer. What do you think?
R: Well, outside of the drummers that explode on stage...
@: Woo-Hoo! Well, anyway...
R: I think that drummers are the fuel behind the music.
@: Yeah, but what about the bad rep?
R: Because we get all of the women and the other guys are jealous.
@: Name names.
R: Aaaah, no, no. It's a small community.
@: Yeah, it is. [Starts singing "It's A Small World After All"]
R: Yeah, I did it with a couple of those dolls at Disneyland, too.
M: Is that shit recording?
@: Yeah, like Mickey Mouse, right?
M: Yeah, and you did it with a bowling ball, right?
@: No, no, that'd be too many holes for you.
M: What about a stick of dynamite, some whipped cream, a bowling ball, 10 mangos, and a can of O.J.-what would you do with them?
R: Now that is a great question!
@: I think Gitanjali knows the answer, don't you?
G: The answer to that question is: well of course, I would make a nuclear bomb.
R: Well, I would make fruit punch and go bowling!
G: Fruit punch and what? What the fuck!?
@: Can't we all just get along?
R: No really, what is your next question.
@: No, really, that is my next question. Can't we all just get along?
R: Nay.
@: What's up with the personal ad on the wild side in the SF Weekly? I guess drummers aren't getting all of the girls, if you need a personal ad. Well, unless you are looking for someone else...
R: Actually, I am looking for love on the wild side. I know that sounds funny right now...
@: YEAH, Vegisexualism! That's the only way to go.
R: Alright, that's enough out of you
@: So you have been bands for the last fifteen years. What's your favorite band? Besides the current one, of course...
R: This is my tenth year playing professionally. Back then, I was in Frightwig. They were all girls until I arrived. I played with them for about a year.
M: You pride yourself on looking good, Robert. [You are] A man with grace, elegance, and dignity. Are there brighter colors in your future?
R:
@: We won't EVEN put any of that down. [Like fuck we won't.-spllr]
R: Things are pretty beautiful right now, we actually did a good version of "Dazed and Confused" tonight.
M:
R: Well America, the bottom line is that we have had our rough edges, we worked them out, and the next demo is dedicated to the little hogsters out there. And it's going to be the best fucking demo in the house.
@: Is [Sam] your bass player Rae Dawn Chong's illegitimate half brother?
R: Negative. He's about as much Chinese as I am white.
@: I wondered about your nationality, I thought you were Mexican and Chinese.
R: Soy de El Salvador.
@: Ah, a Salvadoreño!
R: I've been here since '81 and all I've gotta say is America, what a country!
@: How come you have no accent?
R: Because when I came here, I watched Sesame Street and Family Feud and my accent was gone in a matter of months.
@:
[See? I censor everyone; it's egalitarian-@]
R: The one hard thing about learning English from television is that you can't go up to girls and kiss them like on Family Feud. I mean, Richard Dawson is the master of that and I learned the hard way that that was not the way it worked.
@: Why aren't you working at King Courier? Why are you wearing orange spandex?
R: Because at Zap Courier, I could have my choice of road, mountain bike, or Malibu house!
@:But what's wrong with King?
R: Don't get me wrong, I love all of my King sisters and brothers, but you know money talks, baby.
@: That's raw. I'll edit all of those things out. [But I won't. -spllr ] But what is your closing theme?
R: My final statement is that I'm going back to King!