MUSIC NEWS DAILY INSIDER continued

Memorial Day weekend. They'll be joined by The Posies, Gary Busey, John a fire marshal who proclaimed him, "no less dangerous to the public than a Taylor and other artists at Miracle In The Desert near Palm Springs, man who walks into abar with aloaded gun." Yow denies that the band made California on May 23. Among the organizers is the co-creator/producer of any changes because of the record company although he admits that Capitol Woodstock, Artie Kornfeld. The day's events will also include aworld champi- was disappointed when their last album, Shot, failed to expand their audience on in-line skating, skateboard and BMX Bike exhibition. Net revenue will go beyond the 40,000 that their three indie releases sold. Yow says the band to several charitable organizations including the Musicians Assistance already wanted to make some changes and experiment and that Capitol was Program and alocal recovery program. excited by the news. "Through the years we realized there's never been astu- dio record that's as exciting as alive show unless it's adull live band," explains NEW CONTEST FOR UNSIGNED BANDS: The latest contest for unsigned Yow. "You can't reproduce the live show on record and you can't reproduce the bands was unveiled recently by Sony. Sony follows the Ticketmaster and record live so we decided to make astudio album." Yow adds that he's also done Grammy Showcases and Marty Callner's Internet Demo Derby last year with alot of "screaming, talking, whispering and making weird noises" but only alit- the Demolisten Derby. The grand prize is arecording contract and time in a tle bit of melodic singing. "With this album, Iwas trying to come up with some state-of-the-art studio with aproducer and engineer to record and mix. Four actual melodies which is difficult for me," he said. The Jesus Lizard just first prize winning bands receive free mini-disc recording units. All five win- returned from Europe and Australia. Their North American tour kicked off ners will have their music posted on the Demolisten Web page of the Sony May 6, the day after Blue hit stores. The band will be on tour through most of Online site for 60 days and visitors will be able to vote on them. To obtain rules the rest of the year. Yow says the shows are still "pretty much the same — and an official entry, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Demolisten hopefully chaotic mayhem with acertain amount of unpredictability" Derby, Sony Music, 550 Madison Avenue, Room 2778, New York, NY 10022 or visit www.sonymusic.com/demolistenderby. There is a$5 entry fee and bands must submit atape, DAT or CD with at least three songs. COREY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

SECOND SIMPSONS ALBUM DUE IN SEPTEMBER: Sonic Youth, The Late in 1994, you did some VJ'ing for VH1, what was that all Ramones, Linda Ronstadt, Tito Puente, Jackie Mason, Kelsey Grammar and about? Tim Conway are all featured on anew Simpsons album, Go Simpsonic With The Simpsons, which Rhino Records will release on September 1. The 60 It was ajob. It was great and Iactually enjoyed it, it lasted for three tracks of songs, themes, underscore music and dialogue comprise the follow-up or four months. It gave me a chance to see what was going on the to Songs In The Key Of Springfield. Included are four never-before-heard out- other side, which was very cool. VH1 at the time was trying to get takes and material from the first seven seasons that didn't make it on to the its credibility back together, because at one time it was the older, first album. less-hipper sister to MTV. They needed to get their credibility back THE WHY STORE: The Why Store's follow-up to their self-titled debut, Two so they decided that the people that they wanted to present this Beasts, will be out June 30. The band co-produced with John Mellencamp gui- music, had to be just as cutting edge and just as hip as everybody tarist and co-producer Mike Wanchic. The Indiana quintet sold 200,000 copies else. So they hired me and Moon Zappa to give it afresh new face of their first album. and to get a different demographic. To a degree Iwas literally the red-headed freak to give them the edge that they needed. Ithink I NINE INCH NAILS: Former Nine Inch Nails drummer Chris Vrenna has helped out a lot. been in the studio with Seal. His drumming will be heard on "What Have I Done To Deserve This" from the new Seal album. Vrenna also remixed Green A lot of people forget that you were involved in the first Day's "Brain Stew" for the Godzilla soundtrack. Lollapalooza in 1991. How do you feel about it not taking place this summer, and about the whole "Alternative" genre GANG'S GILL SMOOTHS LIZARD ON DISC, BUT NOT LIVE: The Jesus in general, which you sort of helped bring to the masses? Lizard brought in former Gang Of Four member Andy Gill to smooth out some rough edges on the band's new album, Blue, but David Yow promises their live It's forever changing. At this point you can't say what is show will be as rowdy as ever. Yow spent a night in jail on the 1995 Alternative, because everything that is being played is the same, so Lollapalooza tour. The next year the Jesus Lizard was banned from Seattle by it's not really Alternative music anymore, is it? It's mainstream music and, at that point, where do you go? Where can you go? Who watches the watchman? Lollapalooza was the first package tour, but after that a lot of stuff came along, and those package tours became the thing. It ushered in the package and festival-like tours. Even in terms of being an Alternative sort of thing, there are no real Alternative acts anymore because everything is above-board now. It's not an underground sort of thing; it's not the freak show it once was. It's like the people who ran the freak show now run the world.

It's ironic that right as the Modern Rock format began to explode, Living Colour disbanded.

Indeed, but that's the way of the world. It just happened that way.

Are you going to do radio festivals?

Yes, I'll do alot of radio and retail events, and go into the stores and play. Ilove doing that. Any chance for me to play is what Iwant to do. FROM THE BACKSTAGE AT IRVING PLAZA: It's Tori Amos and abunch of Atlantic hon- chos, posing for the obligatory trade shot after her recent NYC show, prior to the release of her new album, from the choirgirl hotel. Pictured (L-R): Executive VP/Office of the Chairman, Craig Kallman; Co-Chairman/Co-CEO, Val Azzoli; Amos; Co-Chairman/Co-CEO, Ahmet Ertegun; Executive VP/GM, Ron Shapiro; Executive VP/Promotion, Andrea Ganis; The Daily Insider is provided by Terry Marshall, P.O. Box 792, Concord, Amos's manager Arthur Spivak. CA 94522 (510/680-1177). All rights reserved 0 1998.

May 15, 1998 • fniqb • page 30