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Whirlpool 6, September 99 onwards
(July and August at Whirlpool 5)

"LEADER" is released  22 November on Snowstorm Records. Do See Candidate headline Camden Barfly on 20 October. "Leader" is a classic, so much so, that despite not having been released (or even properly recorded yet) it's been played on GLR and XFM. It was also used as the soundtrack for a short film. Candidate write those kind of songs. See them intimately at the above gig! Exit mouthing your own superlatives!

The Dandys, extra UK dates...
Lancaster Uni - Tuesday October 12th
Norwich Uni - Sunday October 17th

Y2K-Music. Catering for Musicians and their Audiences.

Y2K-music is a new British Internet Music Company run by a young,
dynamic team aimed at promoting exciting new creative talent around
the globe. Being a valid alternative to the established record companies
we vehemently oppose the corporate industries' monopolies on artistic
control and arbitrary selection of "popular" music on the public's behalf.
Because the Internet can handle online distribution and promotion on a
global scale, artistic judgement finally reverts back to the consumer as
music lovers worldwide make up their own minds as to whether they
like something or not, and finally enjoy freedom of choice.
Y2K-MUSIC PROVIDES A FORUM WHERE GLOBAL AUDIENCES
CAN DISCOVER NEW, CUTTING EDGE AND EXCITING MUSICAL
TALENT AND A COMPREHENSIVE PLATFORM FOR BANDS AND
ARTISTS TO REACH THEIR FAN BASES DIRECTLY.
At the heart of Y2K-music is our website http://www.Y2K-music.co.uk   which is a comprehensive and self-contained music service. The site hosts a DIGITAL
JUKEBOX which carries free audio samples while the VIRTUAL FANCLUB provides detailed information on each act. Our ONLINE CD SHOP provides hassle-free,easy and secure Internet shopping and there is a lot more such as the MARKETPLACE for free classified ads and a CHAT ROOM frequented by diverse expert panels. So check us out, there is something for everyone interested in music.

The convention will also see the results of the Terrible Beauty poetry competition http://netjunk.com/users/mute/terrible.html   http://netjunk.com/users/mute/terrible.html   is the web address for details and the manics t shirt design competition. The comps are anonymous, put all details on a separate piece of paper. If you only go to one convention this September 25th, make it the WELSH ASSEMBLY. For any further information please contact:

Mary O Meara, (Terrible Beauty Fanzine Editor) flat 6, 11 tring ave, Ealing, London, W5 3qa / Steve Burnett - 01222 506048, 01222 624316, 01222 506926 (fax) or e mail steveburnett@postmaster.co.uk  steveburnett@postmaster.co.uk Steve Anderson (LegoStreetPreachers webmaster) 01222 744869 (fax) or email lsp@3amp.com

REMEMBER the New Seattle? I do.

That was the somewhat-unfortunate, somehow-flattering label given to Newport a good few years ago. Back then, there were a couple of zines, a couple of labels, a shitload of great bands, and a herd of great people all pumping out worthy nastiness to the good people of Planet Earth, via Gwent City.

So what happened?

It goes like this, in a nutshell. 60ft Dolls buggered off to NYC to make their second album - and unwittingly opened the floodgates to all sorts of scary, supercilious scallywags and chancers. Without the Dolls in town, a lurid green light went up to their wimpy coat-tail riders - the likes of Stereobollocs (humorous T-shirts available from the author...), fucking Ether and other pale Dollywannabees. With toned-down guitars, sugared-up venom and heads set on an Evening Session session, these handmedown haircuts with secondhand attitudes thought they could take over the asylum with their palatable parade. Of course, they did. The halls were suddenly full of prospectors. It was time to crawl back under our rock.

While we were hiding and biding, some bastards with Welsh flags round their shoulders, overstretched rugby shirts on their backs, guts (but not heads) full of Brains, and far too much red and green in their tattoos decided to give us all a good pasting. I've started going out again, Mike hasn't. Dean nearly died. Rich has scars down his face. TJs started to crumble under the weight of a million shite careerists and their fuck-awful A&R showcases.

Bitter? Twisted? God, yes. This is our home, for fuck's sake! These are our children! How dare you piss around with our babies!

That was Newport circa 1995-98. Not too comfortable at times. The New Seattle - as was - was thrown in the Crem and consigned to the flames with Kurt. Without us knowing (or caring?), NP9 had turned into more like somewhere Kevin Ayers might consider setting up a commune.

It's still like that today, to an extent - though most of the more blatant careerists have now set up shop in Cardiff, which makes them an easy airstrike target at least. At least now - halfway and a bit through 1999 - the worthy folks of Seattle-on-Usk are about to fight back.

There's a new faction in town. One that's not content to tread the tried and tired route that has been trodden by their bastard forefathers (to great effect). Interestingly, keyboards are making a re-appearance - forcing the author to eat his own hat and suck his own cock.

I'm happy to do this, though (mouthwash permitting). For the first time, these horrendous instruments are being used as they were meant to be used - with an overfull pint of Stella perched atop their sticky black cabinets and a playing method akin to smashing the fucking things with hammers.

To date, there are two bands doing this - two of the Gwent City Four.

TERRIS are understandably the most loved/hated band in town. Their singer is a cunt. He will kick my face off for saying that.

Cuntishness is good, though, in this context. Here is a star in the proper sense of the word - not a Kelly, not a Cerys, not even a mad Richard, a Nicky or a Liam. This man don't give a fuck.

He's been variously described as an uneasy cross between John Lydon, Ian Curtis, and Peter Sutcliffe. He's a screamer, which is good, and when he wants you to wake up, he'll fucking wake you up. He's not about to give you a gentle shake and a kiss on the cheek. Can't wait till the bastard starts doing interviews... but I wouldn't like to be the first.

The aforementioned piano-like thing is a pivot of this pumping band. The keys are wired direct to the mains, and on through the PA and every tabletop and ceiling tile in any shithole toilet venue they find themselves in. Terris hurt. They will cut you up with their stabbing neo-songs. "No tunes!" is a common complaint. Wrong. "Terris are not Cast" would be a more accurate review.

HEADTEST are easier on the ear, but not so on the head. Here are a group of groovy bastards - again supplementing their feedback with belting keyboards. Their singer is another star, a smiley Thom Yorke with a history of cider-abuse, and the band pump out hi-powered punky pop like nobody has before. I can't name any of their songs - but I can sing them to you. I do to myself, regularly.

And so to GIRAFFE. Somewhat fashionable in a Mighty Mogwai kinda way, but quickly cutting their own swathe through this delightfully tangled mess. We will hear more from them, and they certainly make an incredible noise up there. Think Jesus and Mary Chain with added feedback and you're scratching at the door.

Last night, I wandered back to Frug! Towers (you know the House of Love? Well, I'm next door), pissed up and completely headfucked by HUDSEN. I'd just seen them dismantle Le Pub, Newport's most sensational new venue with the crappiest name in the galaxy. The Huds are boys with guitars, sure, but how they use them... Sometimes offering updates to Pixies, sometimes Compulsion, but always with one eye on the holy end result. This is music for your bones, not your ears. Hudsen go deeper than boring old aural sex.

So that's Newport, right now. I'm sure by the time you've read this it will be different again. Don't expect an update, we're far too busy doing our own thing. Equally, don't expect demo tapes, CD-Rs, publicity pics, showcases or any of that crap. Remember, we've been through this game once before. Got the scars on our fingers to prove it.

You might like to visit us, but kindly respect the rules. We've got no money to offer you.

And if you do come, leave your flags at home - we've all got lighters and we're not afraid to use them.

The Bard, 8/99

I would like to invite you to join the sniffonthis mailing list.The description of this mailing list is: Chat about : Mansun, Manics, Bluetones, Gene, Blur, Radiohead, Suede, Travis, Gay Dad, Stereophonics, Sex pistols, The Clash, Kula Shaker, Catatonia... You can join this list by going to the following web page:
http://www.onelist.com/subscribe.cgi/sniffonthis
If you do not wish to join this list, please ignore this message.
Thanks, prettymavis@hotmail.com List Owner
(Rocklands Grapevine ... chat about music/receive information, advertise your zine/website interviews, band, club, party, gig, gossip etc - send an e to  rocklands-subscribe@egroups.com  

SOME of the world's biggest rock and pop names are contributing to a massive charity auction to take place on the Internet.

All the stars of last month's V99 music festival in Chelmsford have donated their autographed dressing room door signs to the one-off auction, in aid of the Down's Syndrome Association.
Spice Girl Mel C, Manic Street Preachers, Travis, Cast, Suede, James Brown, Stereophonics, Beautiful South and Happy Mondays are among the artists whose autographs will go under the hammer on the eBay personal trading site from Friday Sep 10).
Collectors will have just seven days to place their bids - up to 5pm on Friday, September 17 - after which each of the 29 laminated dressing room signs will go to the highest offer.
Most are being sold off individually, but there is also a bumper package of 13 signs being auctioned as a single lot. Potential bidders will be able to watch their auctions unfold on the Net, and they will be able to up their maximum bids as the final minutes tick away.
All proceeds will go towards the Down's Syndrome Association's advice hotline. The charity is currently trying to raise enough money to make the telephone service available 24-hours a day.
Organiser Conal Dodds, a promoter at Metropolis Music, said: "My 17-month-old son Gabriel has Down's Syndrome, and the DSA has been very helpful and supportive to me. "I wanted to do something positive for them in return. I hope to raise thousands of pounds from this auction."
Conal has already introduced a paying guestlist policy at all Metropolis Music concerts. He hopes to raise twenty thousand pounds a year through this initiative.
The autographs can be seen on eBay from the start of the auction, at 5pm next Friday. Each is accompanied with a certificate of authenticity.
Some of the A4-sized collectibles are quite unique. Suede singer Brett Anderson has signed his "Fluffington", on behalf of his pet cat, while Gomez have drawn their own sketch portraits. eBay,  has waived its usual commission fees for the charity. To place a bid, go to the eBay UK site at http://www.eBay.co.uk   and click on the V99 auction box. You will then be given full details on how to place your offer.
The complete list of autographed signs is:
A, Afro-Celt Sound System, Beautiful South, James Brown, Cardigans, Cast, dEus, Freestylers, Gay Dad, Gomez, Lynden David Hall, Happy Mondays, Liz Horsman, Kula Shaker, Levellers, Manic Street Preachers, Massive Attack, Medal, Mel C, Mercury Rev, Saw Doctors, Shed Seven, Sneaker Pimps, Stereophonics, Suede, Super Furry Animals, Supergrass, Travis, Younger Younger 28's
For further information and interviews, contact Conal Dodds on 0171 424 6800. For further press enquiries, contact Andy Barding on 01633 222423 or email bard@frug.freeserve.co.uk

Bands! for you! Camden, London - Red One Studios, New Purpose Built 24 track recording and rehearsal studio - reasonable rates! Full details at Rock N Roll Services page (also band photographers, tour personnel, promotions, record labels etc)

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Kelly: "remember not to say WALES too loudly!"Howard: "you got it..."

Had excellent adventures in August (hence how long it takes to update the site), more about that later though... The Minxy One