Written by Dirk A. Keaton, webMASTER

Top Story: Back from the Dead

   Due to personal issues, lack of submitted pictures, not much going on,
etc, I really let the poor site alone for a while, but don't worry, she's
coming back.  I just recently added Jeff Harris' State Photos and am about
to add more of his one-act photos (Hoever, he did them in uber-massive
PhotoCD format, which takes a while).  I spent most of the semester trying 
to make a Flash front end.  While I don't have it completely done, expect 
some flash elements to pop up, soon.  Also, I am learning JavaScript and
am planning on using it right away (We already have a JavaScript clock to
deal with updates).  This weekend I am expecting to add a mariner page and
update the society page (As well as working on newsletters).  Spencer is
also working on a secret project and there will be a web version.  Also
senior business coming in, want all your stuff, especially photos for the
slide show (And, no, I am not taking song suggestions).

Slightly Less Top Story: Rock 'n' Roll

   Fiori and I's jug band, The Archbishop of Twang featuring The Big Texas
Workingman's String and Jug Orchestra is performing Saturday night from 6
to 10 (In-between sets).  We have some really crazy country/blues/morphine
fusion electric jug 'n' roll.  And guess what, we have hired on Gonynor as
our (real) guitarist.  We are going to play six or seven songs, 
up to, and including:

Lady in a Wheelchair
Sharin' a Cab with God
Party Hat
Girls by the Beastie Boys
You Can Trust Again
Silver City
Camel Walk by Southern Culture on the Skids

It's a nice bit of comedy rock 'n' roll.  I advise you checking it out.

Album Review: "Sacred Steel Live!" by Various, but mostly the 
Campbell Brothers

    Despite my recent ordination, I am, most definately, a pagan, thus it
will seem funny to you for me to be heaping praise on a gospel album, but
this is no mere gospel album, this is Sacred Steel.  Here's the premise,
The House of God Church, a small, all-black denomination that condones
dancing and plays blues/soul/gospel spirituals on pedal steels (In Leiu of
organs) during services has given rise to some of the greatest blues steel
bands ever (Before this, there was only one blues steel player of any 
merit, local legend, Hop Wilson).  It's not just a good christian record,
I believe this may be one of the most significant blues releases of the
decade (Ranking right up there with the first American issues of The Rising
Sons' album and Hop Wilson's Houston Ghetto Blue).
    The album features a plethora of singers, mostly backed by the Campbell
Brothers, the most famous and prolific of the sacred steel bands, and the
first to play out of the church.  The Brothers, themselves, are quite a
band.  They are pretty stripped down, featuring a drum as their only rhythn
instrument, yet dedicating a pedal steel, lap steel, and guitar (Often a 
slide guitar) to trade lead licks, pick up each others fallen licks, and 
generally, create an organic, intense, driving lead mix.  They play extremely
controlled blues licks, often staying within "boxes" (Which, as any guitarist
knows, is painfully difficult to do with a steel).  However, they are even
more impressive when playing the slower gospel songs.  Instead of playing
their normal, seering licks.  The steel player uses the pitch-bending ability 
of his pedals to simulate a choir, and honestly, it works.  Everybody from
Leadbelly to Nirvana has played vocal lines, but never has it worked this
well, the virtuosity of these players perfectly imitates the sound of human
vocalists and completes the illusion, fully.
   Good tracks are: God is a Good God (A pretty straight blues that breaks
up and goes wacky), The Storm is Passing Over (Reminds me of great gig in
the sky, the steel backup singer effect is done perfectly), The Saints Go
Marching in (Mad version of the song where they introduce an additional lap
steel, just to make the sound even wackier, literally sounds like somebody
playing guitar in a cave), Sit Down if You Can (Soulish blues rave-up),
Celebration in Giving (Feature's the church's bishop singing, a rare oppor
-tunity and a powerful piece.  The Bishop, their father, who never records
with them, is a powerful singer), Cavalry (You perception of Cavalry will
be forever changed with this one), Don't Let the Devil Ride (Smoking Feast
of Tremolo Picking), Hollering (Reminds me of the old sermon and singing
congregation 78's from the 30's, preacher preaches, while they wail a 
little, then it all goes to hell, er, heaven, and blows the tar out of 
your head), and Near The Cross (A sweet, understated ballad.  It's an odd
juxtaposition, but it's a nice way to set you down and return you to your
life).  All of those are Campbell Brothers Tracks.  There are no less-than
-amazing tracks on the albums, these just happen to be the best, and the
Campbell Brothers are, without a doubt, the best performers (Especially
since they are touring pros, not just regulars at the church), though
Ted Beard and his band is a worthy contender, and if they ever got out of
the church, their crazy boogies would be more than welcome.
   Bottom-line, everyone needs this album.  If you care about blues, you
need it, if you care about gospel you need it, if you care about soul or
R&B you need it, bottom line, you need it.  Since it's a compilation it'll
never be my "Albums Everyone Must Be Given At Birth List," plus it doesn't
have the universal appeal of London Calling, The Velvet Underground and 
Nico, or Johnny Cash Live in Folsom Prison, but it's damn near close.  You
don't have an excuse, buy this album you'll thank me.  Thus, I award it a 
resounding: 

   
SCORE: .5 of 5 penguins.

Haiku For the Taco Bell Chicken Quesedia

Mostly Burritos
That I Have Been Eating
Could Go For One

Feat of Strength #18

The Feat of Strength competition is a test to see how ballin' my Thespian brothers are.  
Each week's winner (The first to mail me the correct/best answer) will recieve a nominal 
prize.

This week's prize is:

An Autographed BTWSAJO Poster (Your Choice) and a Billy Joel Record

This week's feat is:

Imagine there is a box, and half the world blows up, and everything goes 
crazy, and suddenly, people get eaten by friggin' dinosaurs, and they're 
all, like, "Whoa I'm Getting Eaten By Friggin' Dinosaurs," then Mexico
invades us, kills the dinosaurs and ushers in a new era of peace (And 
inexpensive dry goods prices).  A. What's in the box? B. How can you 
rationalize this?

(You have until next 0600 Thursday GMT (Or midnight Wednesday, here), or more likely, 
whenever the hell I get to making a new newsletter (My release dates are bad, but 
they ain't worse than Spence), to e-mail me the answer.


Until Next Week...
Have fun and give it up to the Dutch.