Shipyard Blues 2000 WH®©m® 4© SMjpyaifftil applies with Shipyard Blues 2000: IBUmsffi §©©© this is not a ‘personal zine’, written by me, but a wider ‘genzine’ seeking So, this is the new Millennium. and accepting contributions from a January 1st of the year 2000. At the range of people, both in the form of moment, it’s not much to look at, just articles and letters of comment, but another rather grey winter’s day in also artwork I’ve still got a stash of Milton Keynes, but what better time artwork from former contributors to than now to put together a new use for this and the next issue, but I fanzine. Well, sort of new, since do need more. Shipyard products Shipyard Blues 2000 is the bastard have always been heavily illust­ offspring of earlier Shipyard ‘zines, rated, so I’m looking for artists to like The Crystal Ship, Rastus and carry on the tradition. Shipyard Blues, all of which As former readers will remember, occupied my time between the late just about anything goes within the seventies and the mid nineties. pages of Shipyard Blues, so articles Of course, some of you will be aware can cover a wide range. I kind of that I tentatively stepped back into figure SF fans are bright, funny and the fannish arena during 1999, with eclectic folk who can find something the Shipyard Blues website which of interest in just about anything. continues, but the thing I find most Whatever the subject matter, if an unsatisfactory about publishing on article passes the editorial “Yeah!” the Web is the lack of feedback. In test, it goes in (subject to the normal the end, that is the element I decided laws of libel, copyright, etc, I most missed, so I’m stepping back naturally). Got something brilliantly to ‘old technology*, and starting a odd to say - try it on me, you never new run of the fanzines, of which know, it might get the thumb’s up. this is the first. So, what are you waiting for? Get The two things, zine and website are reading, get writing, get drawing. supposed to compliment each other. Get on with the new Millennium. If you can access the website, you There may seem a lot of it to go, but can see almost daily updates on the time does fly by. Do it now! things that catch my eye and Shipyard Blues 2000 is a Shipyard interest me, plus other things like an Production from John D. Owen, at 4 archive of past fanzines, book Highfield Close, Newport Pagnell, reviews etc. The fanzine, meanwhile, MK16 9AZ, United Kingdom. will try to recapture the buzz that Email address:[email protected]. the original zines had, both for me The Shipyard Blues website address and my correspondents. That’s the is http://www.rastus.force9.co.uk plan, now on to the execution! ZSBHome.html (all just one line). The most important thing about all the Shipyard products in the past is All material copyright © January that they were very much 2000, rights reverting to originator collaborative projects. The same on publication

S EdajsfflajsiF® ©if 41h® casualties of a costly street-fighting Hmm ©3® na 4s assault. I don't know about you, but hearing It seems somehow appropriate that about the Russians' onslaught on the final year of the second Chechnya has generally made me millennium should reflect so wonder whether BorisYeltsin and his absolutely the first year of the first successor Vladimir Putin really know millennium of the Christian Era. what they are doing. Ostensibly, the Then, King Herod ordered the war (police action, internal pacific­ massacre of the innocents, the ation, call it what you will) is about murder of all newly borne male suppressing "international terrorism" babies under the age of one year, perpetrated by Chechen gangs, because one amongst them was following on from some high profile prophesied as being a new “King of bomb attacks in Russian cities. the Jews”, and Herod didn’t want Granted that the Chechen republic any rival claimants to his own had become a pretty lawless place crown. since the breakaway attempt a few Skip forward from 1AD to 1999AD years ago left it in a kind of and another massacre of the stalemate. But this kind of ruthless innocents is taking place, in attempt to bomb and blow Chechens Chechnya, this time of the into submission isn't really going to inhabitants of a city, on the pretence bring an end to terrorism. On the that Chechen capital Grozny houses contrary, it will drive more Chechens many ‘terrorists’ and ‘rebels’ against into the arms of extremists, the Russian state. Tm sure there is encourage more of them to start some grain of truth in the claim, but taking covert action against the I’m equally sure that the vast Russians. majority of Chechens have absol­ The wholesale destruction of utely no terrorist or rebel inclina­ Chechnya that is going on is a tions. The forces arrayed against the temporary palliative, and presum­ few thousand ‘real’ rebel fighters ably serves to deflect attention from encompasses a large percentage of Russia's many other problems. It also the massive Russian Army, who are gives Valdimir (Ras) Putin a strong methodically pounding Grozny into hand, making him favourite to rubble, rather than risk the high retain the presidency next March. But down the line, once the Of course, the Glitter man was Chechens get themselves together pretty lucky, since he beat the more again, you can be sure that their serious charge of sexual abuse of a hatred of Russia will be even more fourteen year-old girl, because the deeply entrenched, and it doesn't woman (the alleged abuse took place take many pissed off people to form twenty years ago) essentially was an underground terrorist offered extra money by a national organisation. Putin’s ham-fisted newspaper if Glitter was convicted. attempts to use the Chechen war as The judge, quite rightly, told the jury a means of elevating his own to view the woman's testimony "with popularity could, in the end, backfire utmost care", since the opportunity disasterously. to profit could be regarded as reason enough to exaggerate or fie in the (tlhaitt (Snfli’io'rffiaoo witness box. Had there not been that The curious thing about the Gary element to the case, then Glitter Glitter case (resolved with the Glitter could very well have had a much man being shunted off for a four longer sentence. As usual, various month spell in prison for possessing media folk and politicos are frothing child pornography) wasn't the fact at the mouth about the effect such a that it made such a big splash in the case has on people's view of the newspapers, since any celebrity press. Relax, guys, no one ever misadventure gets maximum cover­ thought of the News of the World's age in this tabloid age, even in the output as anything but gutter so-called "quality" newspapers journalism in the first place, so no (especially when they can hypo­ change there. critically tut-tut editorially about the IEIbw® yarn misdeeds of their lesser brethren and their "cheque book journalism"). What made me chuckle was how Came across a new word thoroughly stupid Glitter was. He today:"cyberslacking". Seems there is carts around a portable computer some kind of epidemic of it sweeping with him loaded with hundreds of the world. Before you jump to the pictures of child pornography, stuff conclusion this must be some new he'd downloaded from the Web. form of computer virus, let me tell When the PC goes wrong, he sticks it you it's not. It's the perfidious act of straight into a local repair shop logging onto the internet for where he happens to be, complete personal reasons, or sending and with incriminating evidence. Is this receiving personal email, in company dumb, or what? I guess all those time, and on company machines. really stupid lyrics Glitter has per­ "Billions of dollars worth of lost petrated over the years really did productivity" say American employ­ come from the heart, after all. Do I ers. Wow, could this be the end of wanna be in your gang? No thanks, civilisation as we know it? Gary, I'll pass on that one. It's all crap, of course, generated by industry people who want to sell our

4 managers complicated systems which does surprising things with colour monitor employees use of their and shape (Picasso, for example). Of 'personal' computers. They should course, it's not just finding patterns resist such actions, since the few where none exist that makes the minutes lost to productivity by the creative person so extraordinary: it's 'cyberslacking' employee are pro­ knowing what to do with them once bably more than repaid by the you've found the pattern, and that is increase in morale of said employee. where creativity transcends itself Crack down on such use, and into art. employees get resentful of the Of course, just pattern finding isn't restrictions, morale goes down and always creative. As ever, there is productivity goes down too. Like often a thin fine between creative personal phone calls on company thought and madness. The 'patterns lines, the private use of internet and where none exist' part can become a email facilities is part of the grease trap in itself. It's arguable that the that keeps the wheels of commerce difference between being a genius turning smoothly. "Cyberslacking?" and a madman is only a matter of No, let’s instead call it 'cyber­ timing. Someone painting like relaxing', the recuperative break Picasso in the mid-eighteenth cen­ that gets you going again. tury would probably have been (Cipositifi'yflfty axindl lilh® carted off to an asylum (that was the (Film difl mg ®(F jpanUsiria® fate of some artists who attempted to follow in his footsteps in Stalinist Came across a useful quote from SF Russia). By the same token, maybe writer Thomas Disch today (courtesy there are those regarded as mad of Arthur Hlavaty's excellent now, who are simply seeing the Derogatory Reference 94 fanzine): 'pattern where none exists', a pattern that might become blind­ "Creativeness is finding patterns ingly obvious in another fifty years where none exist." time. It's very true. The truly creative Sym®Ihii’©iiifl®fl(iy \5y©irlk people come up with combinations of things that most people would simply It's weird the way things coincide in pass up on as not possible. So, the life. A few weeks ago, I started re­ creative fashion designer puts reading John Brunner's classic SF together colours, cuts and cloth in book Stand On Zanzibar, which was ways that are surprising, and if first written in 1968, and just re­ successful, they have people saying issued as part of Millennium's "I must buy some of those". The excellent SF Masterworks series. The creative comedian picks up on book deals with an early 21st unlikely subject matter and turns it century Earth in which population into a comic routine that has the growth has been every bit as steep audience looking at things in new as the worse doom merchants of the and hilarious ways (think Ben Elton sixties thought (whereas in actual at his best). The creative painter fact, population in developed

S countries generally reached a sationalised as possible (no ratings or plateau in the seventies, and hasn't circulation sales in good news, after increased much since). I'd just all, is there?) just gets more and figured out what 'mukkers' were in more people down. Old ladies refuse relation to the plot (literally, people to go out after dusk because they've who ran amok, driven mad by the heard about the awful things that pressure of crowded city environ­ might happen to them. Parents ments), when over the radio came worry if their children are out in the news of a naked 'mukker' running streets, or are late home from school, wild with a samurai sword in a because there are "such terrible Catholic Church in Croydon, people about". It all gradually slashing away at people in the tweaks the anxiety levels, increasing congregation. frustration, fuelling anger, until some people just tip over into Synchronicity strikes! madness, become obsessed with the Of course, that got me thinking very things they are afraid of, until about parallels with the various they snap and commit the crimes massacres in the USA, like the that started their psychosis in the Columbine High School killings first place. People beware, for there earlier this year, and I'm starting to are "mukkers" amongst us. wonder if John Brunner isn't some kind of prophet, a latter day Nostra­ damus. There are plenty of other things in the book to disprove that, of course - he didn't predict the fall of the USSR and the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, for example. But in relation to the 'mukkers', he might have hit the nail on the head. Maybe, like over­ crowded rats who eat their own young, humans can only stand so much pressure from their fellow humans before some of them go mad and psychopathic. I think it's more than population pressure, though. Maybe the constant media bombardment of news, news and more news, and as much of it as bad and sen­ Artwork© Peggy Ransom David Bateman

Investigations On Reeis III

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includes novels, short stories, poetry, Us IL,™ television plays, and essays on both artistic and scientific subjects. All this In Britain, Stanislaw Lem is suggests a sort of Polish version of probably one of the least known Arthur C. Clarke, but whereas in great novelists of the Twentieth Clarke's writings, technology tends Century. If he is known at all, it is to lead to answers and progress, mostly for Tarkovsky's film of his technology in Lem tends to lead 1961 novel Solaris, touted by film mostly to further questions. critics as the Russian 2001. The major reasons for Lem's merely cult Lem's SF divides reasonably sharply status in Britain are firstly that he into comic and serious. The comic writes mostly in Polish, secondly that material includes moral parables and some of the translations of his work fables (fairly akin to Brigid Brophy), are indifferent, and thirdly that he and flights of scientific paradox (Star frequently commits the still widely Diaries; The Futurological Congress) unforgiven sin of writing science influential on, say, The Hitchhiker's fiction. Guide To The Galaxy and Red Dwarf, and often containing some Lem was born in 1921 in Lemberg fairly sharp social satire. With a nod (Lvov), Poland, moving later to to Jorge Luis Borges, the use of Cracow. After forced labour as a paradox and logical loops becomes mechanic under the Nazis, he mind-bogglingly elaborate in A worked and studied in medicine, Perfect Vacuum, a book of reviews of philosophy and science, and fictitious books, including a rather psychology; and is particularly scathing one of itself. interested in cybernetics and the history and philosophy of science. He Lem's serious SF is concerned with is also co-founder of the Polish investigations: in The Invincible, Astronautical Society. His output into the fate of the crew of an

% exploratory spaceship; in Chain Of of complete gibberish. The Chance, into a series of unexplained Invincible's crew eventually locate deaths which may or may not be the Condor and most of its dead related; and in Solaris, into the crew. Then an expedition from the nature of a planet's "ocean" which Invincible comes under attack from seems to display signs of sentience. swarms of fly-like "crystals" which Solaris is Lem's finest book — I'd can electro-magnetically disable count it as the Twentieth Century's people by causing complete amnesia. best book - and digs deep into love, A rescue party manages to retrieve communication and awareness at some survivors, but only at the the same time as being both a study expense of further casualties. Four of the nature of scientific progress crew are still missing, possibly still and a forceful adventure story, both alive but amnesiac many miles from violent and haunting, with the the Invincible, in an area where the happiest sad ending possible. It's a crystals swarm. In another disast­ complex book, one that I'm in love rous attempt to locate the missing with, and I won't talk about it here. I four, the crew discover that the want to talk instead about The swarms can also ultimately disable Invincible, a novel in some ways so and destroy their best robotic simple and conventional that Lem's equipment. Prior to abandoning the characteristic touches become easier planet, Rohan, the Invincible's to define. second-in-command, is sent on a solo last-chance attempt to locate and AN® rescue the missing crew members. m uswuswimie But to portray the story like this is to The Invincible (first German edition ignore the extent to which the whole 1967) is a science fiction thriller, action is driven by bafflement and probably one of the most perfectly investigation. The search for the paced thrillers ever written. In plot, missing craft is hampered by its lack its closest recent relative is Fred of a radio signal and by the sur­ McLeod Wilcox's 1956 film prisingly iron-rich desert landscape, Forbidden Planet (but not The and so has to rely on a video-search Tempest, on which Forbidden Planet from spotter satellites sent into likely is partly based), though in incident it orbits. Meanwhile other conundrums sometimes closely resembles Hitch­ arise: why should the planet's atmo­ cock's 1963 film The Birds. sphere contain so much oxygen and methane in the absence of any Purely as a thriller, the plot is easily apparent life? A biological expedit­ summarized. The cruiser Invincible ion to the continent's nearest coast is sent to the desert planet Regis III discovers ocean algae, partly to discover the fate of its sister ship explaining the atmosphere, but also Condor. The Condor, a year earlier, poses a further question. Though had reported its successfill landing there are sea-creatures, there are for initial exploration of the planet; none near the shore or in the but two days later it had radioed a shallows, and furthermore the second and final message consisting creatures seem to have an electro-

3 magnetic sense, and flee from the new environment of Regis III electronic machinery such as the (then including some land life), probes sent to discover them. competition for resources devel-oped, with simple, energy-efficient auto­ Meanwhile, the results of the first mata winning out over more complex orbits of the satellites include what robots and over organic life itself. looks like a city. A further expedition The precise details of this and other is mounted, but what look like hypotheses in the book aren't the buildings - however alien - even issue here: what's important is that from a few hundred yards away, this is a fiction which genuinely from close up resolve into explores issues in evolutionary intermeshing metallic structures of theory, and has relevance to, for rods, plates and lattices: clearly example, the issue of the chemical artificial, yet of no conceivable and crystalline origins of evolution function. before it could truly be called life. To an extent, The Invincible is a SF In common with Mary Shelley's detective story. But in Lem, answers Frankenstein (1818), The Invincible never fall easily into place. This is explores philosophical and scientific not the unquestioned inexplicability questions; but while Frankenstein is of Hitchcock's birds' behaviour, nor concerned largely with moral issues the silly vanishings of evidence of creation and parenthood, The found in The X-Files-, in Lem, Invincible explores non-moral issues scientists strive for all they are worth of evolution: indeed, this very to understand what's happening, difference has to be confronted on sometimes because their fives may Regis III. Though the enemy acts in depend on that understanding; but an apparently intelligent hostile when answers do come, they are way, it is in fact rather to be viewed usually gradual, partial, provisional, as a natural force. Hatred of such a and disputed. force makes no more sense than The "flies" prove to be symmetrically railing against earthquakes or three-winged, metallic structures of disease: "Why be so grimly stub­ apparently simple electro-magnetic born?" Rohan wonders to himself. functions, capable of very few "It's no different than if the men had behaviours when solo, but "instinct­ perished in an earthquake or a ively" able to move into formation thunderstorm. We haven't been with other "flies": once in a large confronted by someone's conscious, formation, they are able to behave purposeful effort, or some hostile almost as if intelligently. The will. Nothing but an inorganic unlikelihood of such an inorganic process of self-organization..." "life-form" coming into existence is This questioning of likely con­ discussed by the scientists of the sciousness (and the suggesting of crew, and one hypothesis is of unlikely consciousness) is a per- inorganic evolution beginning with sisent theme in Lem: the researchers the self-repairing and replicating in Solaris are constantly questing to robots of a civilization known once determine whether or not the ocean have existed in a nearby system. In

© of Solaris has a consciousness, and if Tired out by the rigours of the so, what is its nature. But ultimately, approach and landing, the as Lem makes clear, we can never characters face their task with perceive another's meaning directly: anything but enthusiasm. The crew the best we can hope for is an inter­ resent the elaborate safety pre­ subjectivity that seems to make cautions; even Rohan, the second-in- sense. Communication between command, resents Horpach for species is fraught with uncertainties setting them: "This man, whose hair as to what is really being communi­ was almost as white as the suit he cated. There is even a stunning wore, showed no consideration now moment when one of the Solaris for his crew." And "Though they had researchers suggests to another that flown together many parsecs, they the experiences they have until now had never become friends." The interpreted as attacks or experiments Commander in turn is moody: are actually presents. Later, another "Horpach fell silent. He was in a bad re-searcher compares to the ocean to mood, which usually made him quite "an imperfect god... one whose talkative and liable to become almost imperfection represents his essential confidential. This was fraught with characteristic: a god limited in his danger, though, for he might cut omniscience and power, fallible, short such brief periods of intimacy incapable of foreseeing the con­ with some nasty remark." Despite sequences of his acts, and creating this, Rohan's trust is complete: "He things that lead to horror... a god was quite convinced that the Com­ who simply is." Here, Lem very mander would find a solution overtly treads the same theological somewhow." territory that Mary Shelley trod in This is very much a men's world: a Frankenstein. naval world without even the token In the case of The Invincible, the woman found as romantic interest in "flies" of Regis III are most likely The Tempest or Forbidden Planet. descended from automata created for Naval terms and images are used a particular purpose, and have no freely, though almost subliminally, consciousness; yet they have become through the early pages: the independent, and have become a spaceship is a heavy cruiser; "In the danger: this is something else that is galleys dishes rattled... safety belts shared with Frankenstein, and will and wall ropes swung like be re-tumed to later. pendulums in the long corridors of the decks." Even on landing, "clouds Ss 1E©WA©IE AW E©1EA£J of sand swelled up like ocean Typically in Lem's novels, the main waves..." and a complaining crew characters are quick to irritation or member asks, "Why can't we go anger. In the satires, this usually ashore?" In some ways Horpach and takes the form of petty vendettas Rohan themselves are naval and rivalries. In The Invincible, it stereotypes: Horpach, the grouchy, appears at first simply as part of the white-haired "Old Man", and Rohan, exhaustion of the main characters. the younger, impatient First Mate.

a® In this rather stem, all-male world, the certainty that the others would Rohan feels that his more childlike not abandon him in any qualities don't quite fit. "No one circumstances”. would ever have gotten him to admit that he felt the same thrill at the light effects whenever a satellite was ©IF put into orbit." He sends the other MAKNiis® to ibwhs unit crew members back into the ship before unnecessarily double­ In H.P. Lovecraft's 1931 novel At checking a force-field by throwing The Mountains Of Madness, the sand at it: "Not that he needed any forward team of an Antarctic confirmation; he just obeyed a expedition radio back to their base playftd impulse." And when "he camp their discovery of traces of a looked forward to this excursion to possible pre-human civilization. the seashore, for he preferred Shortly thereafter, communica-tions working on his own," Lem is only a cease, and a rescue party is sent, turn of phrase away from calling it a only to discover the team day at the seaside. But importantly, slaughtered, and their specimens Rohan's childlike qualities, even his missing along with Gedney, a penchant for isolation, never member of the team. In searching for actually clash for a moment with his Gedney, two members of the rescue given role. party later discover, partially buried in ice, the ruins of an unbelievably The Invincible is a book about ancient city clearly of non-human struggle for understanding and origin. They later discover, amongst survival, not a book about character other things, that the makers of this development. But still, a key moment city, the "Old Ones", had created and of transition for Rohan comes late bred large protoplasmic creatures as on, in the intensely written chapter, slave labour, but millions of years *The Conversation”. Throughout the later were wiped out by the offspring struggles and disasters, Rohan's of these "Shoggoths". childlike trust in his Commander has never wavered for a moment, and it Here is key source (or close parallel) comes as a profound shock when of those elements of Forbidden Horpach himself confides that he Planet not found in The Tempest'. has completely failed and does not the ancient city, and the ancient know what to do next, requesting civilization wiped out by its own Rohan himself to take command for creations. However, the Old Ones a key decision. Rohan's immediate create the Shoggoth slaves through response is a typical flash of biological manipu-lation, later unspoken anger. But a minute later generations of Shoggoths evolving to his acceptance of responsibility, and become more autonomous and his decision to himself search for the intractable, eventually becoming a missing men, is his key transition in predator on their creators (like H.G. the story, from initial trust in his Wells's Morlocks). Forbidden Planet's Commander to full acceptance of the angle is more psychoanalytical: the trust of his crew: “Each man needed Kreil, attempting to make their

n n minds independent of their physical stories involve a sequence of sub­ bodies, also inadvertently set loose expeditions, and tension is built up independent manifesta-tions of their partly by the limited radio own ids, which ultimately destroy communication between the groups. them. Storms interrupt their activities and communication. Scientists establish This stoiy-within-the-stoiy, that of the minimum age of remains found the creators brought down by then- in caves by the thickness of own creation, is rather like the story overlaying calcareous deposits. The of Frankenstein told on a colossal ancient cities are half-buried in snow scale: a tragedy told in geological and sand respectively. The wind is time. But the creation here lacks the forever whistling eerily through the intelligent, Job-like characteristics of Antarctic peaks and ruins, and it Frankenstein's creature railing seems a conscious bow to Lovecraft against the creator who has created when, in Lem's chapter, ‘In The him only to let him suffer. The attack Ruins’: "Air masses blew through the on the creator-species is, finally, a steely thicket, got caught inside and result of causal forces rather than a whistled eery chants." Despite their conscious or reasoned rebellion. different causes, the scenes of death Though the setting and develop­ and disorder found at the forward ment of Lem's novel has some close Antarctic camp and at the Condor similarities with Forbidden Planet, include great similarities: there are the story-within-the-story is clearly Love-craft's "evidences of alien more closely related to At The fumbling... beyond sane conjecture... Mountain Of Madness. Beyond tin cans pried open in the most Lem's unsurprisingly better under­ unlikely ways," and Lem's standing of evolution, key differ­ "indescribable disarray... incompre­ ences are his focus on non-organic hensible and insane... a can of food evolution and the fact that Lem that showed impressions of teeth, as avoids the simple tragic plot of if someone had tried to bite through having the creators themselves the metal." destroyed by the consequences of But all of this this not to diminish their creation. Rather, the creators of Lem's own achievement. He has the automata "ancestors" of the taken a well-used plot and created "flies" are long gone for other causes; something quite new, more applic­ but the automata unintentionally able to our larger conceptions of left behind by this race evolve to space and time; and if there is a become a force of nature which is a parable in The Invincible, it is to do hazard to all other species. with how intentions can become For anyone doubting that The merged with natural forces, and how Invincible is directly influenced by consequences of actions can persist At The Mountains Of Madness, the through the years far beyond the two stories share a number of point where any talk of blame first elements of both plot and incident ceases to make sense. not found in Forbidden Planet. Both David Bateman © August 1999

118 I . smw-H i»»wa w ' I

follows. Babylon 5 is an American H m 4 if © dl m © 4 3 © m science fiction television series which ran for five years, from 1993 to Ask ten different fans what Babylon 1998. The series is set in the 23rd 5 was about, and you will get fifty century aboard the fifth and last of different answers — all of them the Babylon stations, and involves a probably valid. This is, as Lorien large cast of characters, representing would say, as it should be. For a both humans and a range of alien series as complex and multi-layered races. Babylon 5 is unique in that as Babylon 5, there will never be a rather than being simply a series of single answer to this question; separate episodic stories, the whole meaning is wherever we find it, and series of 110 episodes tells one story every viewer interprets the meaning over five years, which was planned of the story in his or her own way. in detail before a single episode was What follows may be considered a made. The intention of creator and follow-on to Bob Steele's earlier main writer J. Michael Straczynski article, The Deconstruction of was to create the first genuine Babylon 5 (available on the example of an epic novel on Shipyard Blues website). While I television. This format allowed agree with many of the points made Straczynski to tell a story of un­ in that article, I have inevitably paralleled (in television) depth and drawn some different conclusions complexity. concerning what the most important This article examines what I themes of the story are, and felt consider to be the major underlying there were some important issues themes of the series, excluding those which Bob did not mention. which Bob has already dealt with in If you are reading this, you are his article. What follows is simply my probably already familiar with the own answer to the question, "what is programme, but in the event that Babylon 5 about?" anyone is not, a brief introduction

O IPiPffiooBB aim^l ©IhajiDg® associated with it - the events leading up to it, and its end and Firstly, Babylon 5 is about the aftermath. The emphasis is always future. This may appear obvious, on process, and on change. and indeed rather uninteresting, as a great many stories have been set Furthermore, nearly all of the mqjor in the future. But the programme characters in the series go through raises issues about the future that some kind of change. Some, like are not so frequently discussed. Sinclair and Delenn, undergo Babylon 5 is a genuine example of a physical transformations. Others "future history", as opposed to a undergo changes in their personality story set in the future. The series or outlook, or in the roles they play. considers process and change. It John Sheridan changes from soldier involves not only the portrayal of a to diplomat to revolutionary to leader possible future, but the process of of the newly-founded Interstellar how that future comes about; not Alliance. G'Kar is changed by his only where we are going, but how experiences from a scheming, we get there. This is why I chose as manipulative villain to an enlight­ the title of this article "Creating the ened, self-sacrificing hero. Ivanova, Future", from a line spoken by Kosh Vir, Garibaldi, Zack, Lennier, Lyta in the Babylon 5 prequel, 'In the and many other characters all go Beginning'. through changes of one kind or another, and the role they play at Babylon 5 is about many kinds of the end of the series is dramatically change. Over the course of the different from that at the beginning. series, wars are fought, won and lost; governments fall, and new ones Characters do not fall into arche­ are founded. The centre about which typal roles such as heroes and the story revolves is the Shadow villains (or if they appear to, one can War a conflict between two be certain they will not remain in incalculably ancient and powerful those roles for long). Some characters alien races, the Shadows and the - five, and others die. Vorlons. But at the start of the In the longer term, we see changes series, this war has not yet begun — in the very nature of humanity - the galaxy is temporarily at peace. first with the appearance of The existence of the Shadows and telepaths, and in the one million the true nature of the Vorlons are year flash-forward in 'The revealed little by little, with only Deconstruction of Falling Stars', we hints at first. Indeed, we are not told see humanity transformed into the true nature of the conflict until beings of pure energy. Only one the episode 'Into the Fire' - four thing is certain: change is inevitable. years into the series. And the series Babylon 5 tells us that we should not continues after the war ends. fear change or fight against it, Therefore, the programme is not because, as John Sheridan says in simply a story about a war. Rather, the penultimate episode 'Objects at it is the history of this war, and of Rest, "life is change." the many characters and events because it never occurred to me to small !B®fflip©iiifflflMIlfl4y choose otherwise. And now, at the end of my life, I wonder what History does not create itself; the might have been." future is determined by the decisions Another character whose story is and actions of individuals. One bound up with choices, consequences single choice, made by one single and responsibility is Londo Mollari. person, can change the universe, for He begins the series as the Centauri better or worse. This simple point ambassador to the station; he expresses one of Babylon 5's most dreams of seeing his people returned important themes; in typical Babylon to power and glory, but he is out of 5 fashion, this message is hidden in favour in the Centauri royal court. plain sight, expressed as a line of The Centauri are bitter rivals with dialogue in the very first episode another alien race, the Narn. The ('The Gathering'), where Delenn conflict between the two races goes refers to "the power of one mind to back centuries, and though they are change the universe". at peace at the beginning of the The series tells us that we, as series, war does not seem far away. conscious beings, have choices. It Londo makes a decision to ask for also tells us that those choices have the assistance of the Shadows, a consequences, for ourselves and for mysterious and powerful group of others. And - the part most difficult aliens. This choice results in a to accept, but most important to terrible war between the Narn and understand - it tells us that those the Centauri, with the loss of who make choices are responsible for millions of lives. As a result of their consequences. These three Londo's choice, the Narn homeworld, issues - choices, consequences and and eventually the Centauri responsibility - underlie the whole homeworld too, are devastated. series, and I will list a few of the In the pivotal episode 'The Coming characters and events in the story of Shadows', when Londo makes the which illustrate this theme. decision to ask for the Shadows' The power to choose and to make a help, his assistant, Vir, begs him to difference is not always the same reconsider. Londo replies "I have no thing as political power or rank. In choice". Of course, he is wrong. He the episode 'The Coming of has a choice, he has simply made it. Shadows', the elderly Centauri It is easier for him to live with his Emperor tells Sheridan: actions in the belief that he could not choose otherwise; that it was his "It has occurred to me recently obligation to his people, that any that I have never chosen anything. I was born into a role opportunity to eliminate their enemy the Nam had to be taken. There is a that had been prepared for me; I did as I was instructed; married strong contrast with the words of the Centauri emperor in the same who I was told to marry; took up episode, who is only aware at the the role of emperor when my end of his life that he had the power father died... I did all I was asked,

ns to choose; Londo, by contrast, has the Shadows. Londo finally turns the power but believes, or pretends against the Shadows, and does to believe, that he does not. This is whatever is necessary to remove his tragic error ; like Shakespeare's them, which includes making a deal Macbeth, he assumes that he can with his former enemy, the Narn commit evil deeds in order to gain a G'Kar, and assassinating the insane desirable end, then put it behind Emperor Cartagia. He is successful, him - in other words, to make but will later discover that the choices without considering the Shadows had allies who will seek consequences, and therefore without revenge. taking responsibility. Both In the fourth season episode 'No characters believe that it is their Surrender, No Retreat', Londo duty to achieve these ends, and attempts to make peace with G'Kar. therefore that they have no choice Londo's words indicate how far his other than to act as they do - and character has changed: this mistake destroys Londo as it did Macbeth. "I have made some very poor choices these last two years. Soon after, in the episode 'Knives', Because I did not think, those we see the first indications that choices almost destroyed my world, Londo is beginning to regret the and yours. That is a humbling choices he has made, when the realisation... If, with a single alliances he has made within the wrong word, I can become the Centauri government cost the life of enemy, do I any longer really his friend Urza Jaddo. Again, Vir understand who the enemy is?" asks him to undo the choices he has made and take a different path. But Then, in 'The Fall of Centauri Londo believes it is too late to Prime', Londo finally reaches his change: "The blood is already on my tragic fate. He becomes emperor of hands. Right or wrong, I must follow the Centauri, but, thanks to the the path to its end." These words retaliation of the Narn and the echo the following speech from Drazi, of a ruined world and a Macbeth Act III, scene 5: "I am in defeated people, as a puppet ruler blood / Stepped in so far that, should manipulated by the Drakh (former I wade no more, / Returning were as servants of the Shadows). Because of tedious as go o'er." Both characters the poor choices he made when he reason that they have already believed he had no choice, he has committed so many evil deeds that finally ended up in a position where they cannot change their course he has no choices left. Londo even if they want to. summarises the irony of his story in a conversation with G'Kar: Londo does not realise his error until the Shadows come to Centauri Prime "Isn't it strange, G'Kar? When we in 'The Hour of the Wolf. Their first met, I had no power, and all presence puts the whole planet at the choices I could ever want. Now risk, as the Vorlons are destroying I have all the power I could ever any world containing even traces of want, and no choices at all."

n® G'Kar's story mirrors Londo's in and Delenn 'heroes' is that they many ways except that G'Kar makes make choices while accepting crucially different choices from responsibility for the consequences, Londo. Initially, G'Kar has the same and they recognise the power of one hatred of the Centauri that the mind to change the Universe. Centauri have of his people, and he is similarly dedicated to destroying IBtnfllldlfliiiig them ('Signs and Portents'). But in In 'And Now for a Word', Delenn 'Dust to Dust', Vorlon ambassador makes the following speech: Kosh (assuming the image of a Nam) tells him: "Humans share one unique quality: they build communities. If "We are a dying people, G'Kar. So Hie Naras or the Centauri or any are the Centauri: obsessed with other race had built a station like each other's death until death is this, it would be used only by their all we can see, and death is all we own people. But everywhere deserve... You have the humans go, they create opportunity, here and now, to communities out of diverse and choose, to become something sometimes hostile populations. It is greater and nobler and more a great gift, and a terrible difficult than you have ever been responsibility - one that cannot be before." abandoned." Thus G'Kar chooses to change his In the story, humans are unique path, to act for the common good of among races in this quality, and it is all life and not just his own race. humans who unite the disparate Most of Babylon 5's characters go races of the galaxy - first against through this cycle of choices, the Shadows and Vorlons, and then consequences and responsibility in into the Interstellar Affiance. some way. Zack Allen has to choose Communities are at the heart of between his loyalty to Nightwatch Babylon 5 - the idea that we are all and to his friends ('Point of No part of some larger community, be it Return'). Delenn chooses to enter the an organisation, nationality, the Chrysalis which transforms her into human species or life as a whole. A a hybrid of human and Minbari community's strength comes from its ('Chrysalis'). Sheridan chooses not to diverse elements, united by some accept the corrupt rule of President common condition. And a community Clark, and leads a revolution against must not work for its own good at him - the consequence of which is the expense of others, for all the formation of the Interstellar communities are part of a larger Affiance, forever changing the community still, which progresses by Galaxy. What makes Londo ulti­ mutual co-operation and respect, mately a 'villain' of the story is that and harmed by hatred, distrust and he does not truly understand until war. Babylon 5 constantly empha­ too late that the he has the power to sises the fundamental unity of choose one course or another. What sentient beings as the universe makes characters such as Sheridan grown to consciousness (as discussed in Bob’s article). The Interstellar influences, but only succeed in Alliance's declaration of principles, turning human society in upon written by G'Kar ('The Paragon of itself, stifling freedom and Animals'), makes the same point: happiness. In general, the characters who are seen as 'evil' in Babylon 5 "The universe speaks in many are those who act in the interests of languages, but only in one voice... themselves or of what they see as It is the voice of our ancestors 'their people' at the expense of speaking through us, and the others. The characters who rise to voice of our inheritors waiting to greatness (such as G'Kar, Sheridan, be born. It is the small, still voice Delenn and Sinclair) are those with that says 'we are one.' No matter a vision beyond the good of the blood, no matter the skin, no themselves or their own, because matter the world, no matter the they understand that each group or star, we are one..." race is only a part of the larger Characters in Babylon 5 are community of life: as Kosh tells distinguished by the scale of their G'Kar in 'Dust to Dust': vision. Some can only see the good of "What is there left for Narn if all their own people, and these are the of creation falls around us? There ones who fail or are destroyed is nothing: no hope, no dream, no despite their intentions. Londo is an future, no life - unless we turn example of such a character: he is from the cycle of death towards dedicated to his own people, and something greater... We are does not care about the good of any fighting to save one another. We other race. And yet, in the end, his must realise we are not alone. We world is ruined and his people rise and fall together, and some of defeated. us must be sacrificed if all are to Similarly, Psi Cop Alfred Bester is be saved." totally dedicated to his people, whom Therefore, the series tells us that he defines as telepaths. To him, anything which appears to benefit humans who are not telepaths are one race or group, but harms others, not his people; they are the enemy. harms the whole community of This is why an otherwise decent and races, and in the end inevitably even coura-geous man becomes a harms the race which was supposed ruthless villain, who thinks nothing to benefit. It is a message which of manipulating, torturing and applies to human beings in the real killing normal humans if it is in the world as much as it does to fictional interests his 'own kind' (see the Psi alien races in the Babylon 5 Corps Trilogy of novels by J. Gregory universe: we divide, factionalise and Keyes for a more detailed explora­ tribalise ourselves based on culture, tion of Bester's character and the language or beliefs. But conflict, history of telepaths than is seen in exploitation and hatred ultimately the TV series). harm all, and benefit none, because President Clark and his followers of that fundamental truth of human seek to isolate Earth from alien

ns existence of which Babylon 5 emperor himself, parallels the reminds us: we are one. Roman emperor Claudius. “Tib® ILtDiDg!, ITwiHfiglhii Other aspects of the story parallel Stirafgjgll®? more recent history, for example the Second World War. As the Centauri IPaiiraiHIloIls flm IBailb^IlaDm 6 aggression escalates in 'The Fall of "Those who cannot remember the Night', Earth's government chooses past are condemned to repeat it" says not to involve itself, and signs a Susan Ivanova in the episode nonaggression treaty with the 'Infection', quoting the American Centauri, thus giving the Centauri philosopher George Santayana. This free reign to invade other worlds so phrase sums up another of Babylon long as none of Earth's territories 5's important themes - that if we do are threatened. Mr Lantz, the not learn from the mistakes of the diplomat who signs the treaty, says, past, we will make them all over ironically, 'We will at last know again. This is seen in the series in peace in our time." various ways. The fictional history of These words deliberately echo those the Babylon 5 universe shows a of Neville Chamberlain when he cyclical pattern - the Shadows and signed a peace agreement with Nazi Vorlons have fought out the same Germany in 1938: "I believe it is war every few millennia for over a peace for our time." This agreement million years (Tn the Shadow of similarly abandoned Britain's allies Z'ha'dum'). As Sheridan tells them in in Europe, such as Czechoslovakia, 'Into the Fire', "You're trapped in to German aggression. this cycle as much as we are." Similarly, the Centauri invade the On another occasion (Tn the Shadow Narn homeworld - and withdraw of Z'ha'dum'), Captain Sheridan tells from it — not once, but twice, and the story of how Winston Churchill each time the Nam thirst for allegedly knew of the bombing of vengeance blinds them to all else Coventry several days before it (except for G'Kar, who tries in vain happened, but did not order the to turn his people away from town evacuated as this would have revenge after the second invasion). revealed to the Germans that their code had been broken, which could Moreover, many aspects of Babylon have cost the Allies the war. This 5's storyline mirror real events from paralleled Sheridan's own situation, our own history. The Centauri, for as he face a choice between acting example, are loosely based on the against Mr Morden, an agent of the Roman Empire, and the mad Shadows, and thus exposing his emperor Cartagia is based upon the knowledge about them (which would similarly insane Roman emperor cause the Shadows to go on the Caligula. Vir, Londo's nervous, and offensive), and failing to act and seemingly cowardly assistant who is thus keeping his knowledge secret thought of as a fool by almost Sheridan chose not to act, thus everyone yet eventually becomes leading the Shadows to believe that their presence was still unknown,

n® and giving Sheridan and Delenn here" - Babylon 5 tells us that the time to build up their own forces moment when we believe it could against them. never happen is the moment we are most in danger of allowing it to In 'Chrysalis', Earth Alliance happen. In 'Nightwatch', the series president Santiago is killed in an shows us the birth, development and explosion that appears to be an death of a fascist organisation, accident. He is succeeded by his vice- which acts as both a demonstration president, Clark, who is later of Santayana's principle, and a revealed to have planned the timely reminder of how such things explosion. This echoes the fate of happen, thus perhaps helping us to President John F. Kennedy, who avoid the temptations of such groups was assassinated in 1963 as part of in real life. what many people believe was a conspiracy within the US estab­ A similar point is made in the lishment. following speech by William Edgars in "The Exercise of Vital Powers": President Clark uses the threat of "alien influences" to bring about "Nobody takes power. They're mayor changes in Earth's given power by the rest of us, government and military, sup­ because we're stupid, or afraid, or posedly for the protection of humans both. The Germans in 1939, the against alien threats, but in fact to Russians in 1917 and 2013... They set himself up as a dictator. He handed over power to people they creates organisations such as the thought could settle scores, get the Ministry of Peace, the Ministry of trains running on time, restore Truth and the Nightwatch, to their prestige... Afterwards, like support his power. Nightwatch begin children who have eaten too much to crack down on sedition, which in candy after dinner, they denied it reality means that anyone express­ was their fault, claimed that it was ing views contrary to President them. It's always them. Today, Clark is considered to be a traitor President Clark has the power, and arrested. and we gave it to him, because we're afraid of the aliens and There are clear parallels with the afraid of ourselves." Nazi Party in Germany, and with the US Communist witch-hunts of Edgars makes the point that the real the 1950s. The members of reason why corrupt, totalitarian Nightwatch are ordinary citizens, as regimes come into power is because are the people willing to name ordinary people let it happen, either names, manipulated by their fear of because they genuinely believe in an "enemy" into supporting a system their leaders or because they are which oppresses others. afraid to oppose authority. The purpose is to remind us of how These ideas are developed further in such things happen, as it is all too 'Intersections in Real Time', an easy to look at Nazi Germany and episode with some similarities to the believe that "it could never happen interrogation sequence in George

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Orwell's 1984. Sheridan is captured convince Sheridan of what he calls by President Clark's forces, who try "The pre-eminent truth of our time: to coerce him into signing a false that you cannot beat the system." confession through torture and The Interrogator himself has brainwashing techniques. The accepted this truth. He believes he Interrogator begins by saying: has no choice, and therefore no responsibility. "I am not the enemy. To be the enemy I must have some personal But this returns us to that other stake in what happens to you. I'm fundamental theme of Babylon 5: not interested in that at all. I'm choices, consequences and respons­ here to do a job, nothing more. ibility. The Interrogator is wrong: You are a name, a file, a case the programme tells us that number, that is all. I have no everyone has a choice, and everyone desire to inflict pain but I will do can make a difference; therefore, so, when and as it is required. The everyone has responsibility. In level of discomfort you experience denying this, the Interrogator is will be entirely up to you." really the one who has broken. He has the choice to resist, as Sheridan The Interrogator is not a brutal or does, what he sees as wrong (and evil person. Indeed, everything many times during the episode his about him - his appearance, manner hints that he feels mannerisms and language - suggest uncomfortable doing what he does). a completely ordinary man, the sort But he does not resist: it is easier to of man one would expect to see accept "the pre-eminent truth of our waiting at a bus stop or working in time", which is whatever those in an office, who probably goes home to power say it is. The poison in the dinner with his wife and children sandwich is a symbol of this: by after the day's work is done. Yet this swallowing a little poison every day, man's job is to torture political the Interrogator builds up a prisoners for the government. Why resistance to it until he can swallow would an ordinary man do this? large amounts with no effect. Because he is able to distance Similarly, by believing lies and himself from the reality of what he propaganda one bit at a time, he does by claiming that he has no eventually believes whatever he is personal interest in what happens to told by his superiors. Sheridan - he is just doing his job. By this reasoning, if Sheridan This, as William Edgars said, is the refuses to cooperate, then it is his real reason why totalitarian regimes own fault if he suffers. survive: because ordinary people allow them to, because they do not The Interrogator tries to confuse accept responsibility. In Nazi Sheridan by undermining what he Germany, it was ordinary German believes: "The truth is sometimes citizens who worked in offices and what you believe it to be, and other factories, kept the trains running, times what you decide it to be," he and spied on their neighbours. says. "My task is to make you decide Without their co-operation the to believe differently." His goal is to

an holocaust could never have candle. The meaning of this image is happened - but, like the finally made explicit in one of the Interrogator in this episode, as far as last episodes, 'And All My Dreams, they were concerned they were only Tom Asunder'. As Delenn meditates doing their jobs. And, sadly, before a candle, Sheridan enters and atrocities committed by governments asks her what it represents. She with the support of ordinary people replies: are not confined to the past, as we "Life... All fife, every life. We are all can see today in countries such as bom as molecules in the hearts of Serbia and Iraq. Babylon 5, there­ a billion stars - molecules that do fore, warns us what a dangerous not understand politics, policies, mistake it is to allow ourselves to differences. Over a billion years, think that we cannot change we foolish molecules forget who we anything, that we must settle for are, and where we came from. In what is; and it reminds us that we desperate acts of ego, we give must always fight for what we ourselves names, fight over lines believe in. We always have a choice, on maps, and pretend that our and we are all responsible for the light is better than everyone else's. way things are. The flame reminds us of the piece TFIfa.® (DaunaUl® amdl (tlh® Sttsnrs of those stars that lives on inside flin UBajlbyllcDai S us, the spark that tells us, ‘You should know better.’ The flame I will end with a discussion of also reminds us that life is symbolism in Babylon 5. There are precious, as each flame is unique. many examples (such as the poison When it goes out it is gone forever, in 'Intersections in Real Time', and there will never be another discussed above), but here I will quite like it." consider just one, which runs through the whole series: the There is a clear connection to one of connection between light and life. Babylon 5's most important themes, that life is the embodiment of a Perhaps the first example of the conscious universe. The candle significance of fight is seen in the symbolises both life, and the Nam religious ceremony in 'By Any connection between life and the Means Necessary' - a vital part of Universe. this ceremony is that it must be performed in the first rays of Similar images are invoked by the sunlight that touch the G'Quon mantra of the Grey Council, the mountain on Nam. The ceremony is mysterious leaders of the Minbari a reaffirmation of life, and a (first heard in 'Babylon Squared'): reminder of its connection to the "We are grey. We stand between the universe. darkness and the light... between the candle and the star." As we have To the Minbari, the candle flame is a already seen, light stands for life; by symbol of life. Many times during implication, darkness stands for the series we see Delenn or Lennier death. The Grey Council, therefore, praying or meditating before a lone

83 see themselves as the guardians of into the future of the Babylon 5 life - standing between life and universe. Earth's sun is about to death. In the second part of the explode, and the human race is speech, the candle represents life as moving to a new home. A computer it is today, while the star represents stores a record of the past, and the the source of life in the early last human to leave says: universe. By saying that they stand "This is how the world ends: between these two things, the Grey swallowed in fire, but not in Council may mean that they are in darkness. You will live on, the some sense separated from the rest voice of all our ancestors, the voice of life, occuping a different spiritual of our fathers and our mothers to plane - perhaps that they are more the last generation. We created the closely connected to the universe world we think you would have than other beings. wanted for us, and now we leave The fact that the final episode of the the cradle for the last time." series is entitled "Sleeping in Light" The Earth is destroyed, swallowed in indicates the importance of the the explosion of the sun - "but not in symbol of light in the story. In this darkness", as the future human episode, at the end of his life, says, which again signifies the fact Sheridan travels into space one last that life goes on nonetheless. The time. He meets Lorien, the oldest rest of this speech embodies the hope sentient being in the universe, who which the story of Babylon 5 tells him: "This journey has ended. ultimately conveys - that our Another begins." At this point, descendants can indeed learn from whether Sheridan dies, or something us and create a better future. altogether stranger happens to him, is left ambiguous. He disappears and flui Balbyll©na S> is never seen again. At the end, Delenn watches the sunrise on Babylon 5 is a story about the future Minbar - and, for a moment, she and the past; about how we got here, sees Sheridan sitting next to her as and where we are going. It tells us though he were still alive. The that we should not fear change, for implication is that Sheridan has, in change is part of life. It tells us that some sense, become part of the we must never forget the past, for if universe again - he has returned to we do we will never learn from our the stars which were the birthplace mistakes. It tells us that our choices of all life. Perhaps the light from the determine the future; that we are sun carries with it some vestige of not powerless, but with power comes Sheridan's soul, and this is what terrible responsibility; and that we Delenn is seeing. Light, as before, must therefore create the future we symbolises life, and also continuity. want, or others will do it for us. It Life always goes on: as every tells us that we should respect journey ends, another begins. diversity, and remember that there are far more things which unite us 'The Deconstruction of Falling Stars' than drive us apart. Finally, it tells gives us a glimpse one million years us that despite all the mistakes we

88 "——r Tf ~ r .... make and everything that can go Del Rey - the first two books in the wrong, things can still work out in Psi Corps Trilogy of novels (book 3 the end. Despite its tragic elements should be released in July/August and the fact that not all characters 1999), which are set prior to the are destined for a happy ending, series and reveal much of the Babylon 5 is ultimately a story about background to the Telepath hope. As long as life goes on there storyline. can always be new beginnings, and The Coming of Shadows Scriptbook, as long as our species continues, our J. Michael Straczynski (1998), children may yet learn from our Boxtree - contains the script to one mistakes and build a better world. of Babylon 5 's best episodes, and These are my answers to the also a lengthy introduction by JMS, question of what Babylon 5 was which reveals much about his about. I am confident that most, if reasons for creating the series and not all of these themes are "correct" his intentions behind it. in the sense that Straczynski The Official Babylon 5 Magazine is specifically intended to make these published monthly by Titan points when writing the series. But I Magazines, and contains much do not believe for a moment that I information (Issue 10 featured a have covered everything of note discussion of Londo and G'Kar which about Babylon 5 - there are many was useful in writing this article). other possible answers. My advice to anyone who is interested is to watch Babylon 5 : Creating the Future the series for yourself if you have Robin Floyd © July 1999 not already done so: draw your own meaning from it, and decide for yourself what the series is about. I will be quite happy if the answers you reach are entirely different from my own.

S©uiif®®s The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5 — the definitive website, containing all the information about the series you could want. The Babylon File, Andy Lane (1997), Virgin Publishing - another useful reference, less thorough than the Lurker's Guide, but being a book rather that a website it may be more accessible. Dark Genesis (1998), Deadly Relations (1999), J. Gregory Keyes, ©m O© JaalHfeto As readers of my earlier fanzines earlier, hit-filled works. Between may remember, I’ve always had a tracks like "Beethoven", "Shame", great love of rock music, which "You've placed a chill in my heart" persists, even when I’ve lurched past and "Do you want to break up", the the half-century, and have no message was clear - the working business still buying the stuff. By relationship had plainly got a bit now, I always figured I’d be a jazz heavy. Now they are back together buff, or hip-deep in classical. again, which is great. Lennox and Instead, I’m still in hock to Stewart have a catalytic effect on rock’n’roll! Am I unhappy about it? each other, producing better work Not a bit. This is just a few of the than either of them manage on their records I’ve been playing recently. own. Ifiimlbualk 8 s AUH®^' Bmimyll®® IEI®a?fffiffl s I love quirky, clever songwriters, Wn?®©Mm® Baillll and they don't come any quirkier, I've been a fan of Emmylou Harris cleverer or funnier than Timbuk 3, a since Gram Parsons discovered her husband and wife team (originally and used her as the perfect foil to his the third member was a tape own voice on GP and Grievous Angel recorder or a beat-box). With titles over a quarter of a century ago. like "Tarzan was a blues man", She's sometimes got a little too "Welcome to the human race" or Nashville for my tastes, but "Reverend Jack and his Roamin' occasionally she puts together Cadillac Church", then they have to albums that are pure magic. This be good to make the titles pay off. certainly qualifies. As soon as I And they are: style is kind of heard she was getting together with busking skiffle, with guitars and Daniel Lanois, I made a note to harmonicas, but the dynamics of the listen out for the resultant material. music are original and fascinating. It never disappoints: Harris' Great stuff. achingly beautiful vocals go together ISmiryiilhimflss s S®v®g® brilliantly with Lanois' atmospheric musical production to make for a By the time they got around to splendid album. It's not country, it's Savage, Annie Lennox and Dave not rock, it's just superb music, Stewart had been through a lot of outside all categories. Emmylou changes, both in their heads and in Harris' finest album? their personal relationships with themselves and others. It was no surprise that the partnership broke Never particularly picked up on the up a little later, because Savage is a Throwing Muses, but Kristin Hersh's much darker album than their latest solo effort is certainly ear-

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catching. Picked up on it via an MP3 S4®®Hy ffi)®m ° IKaitiy digital file of 'Echo' from Real JLflffldJ/irih® IB©^®!! S®amn Jukebox, really liked the track, then found the CD was just as good. As a There is something very satisfying means of sampling various singers or about coming back to Steely Dan bands, MP3 has a lot going for it, if again, after not having listened to only the mqjor companies wouldn't them for a while. Their music is so be so bolshy about it. They should involving: you get hooked on the realise that it's a more effective a storyline in the songs (most being way of selling CDs than plugging mini-movies in sound). Along with singles that may or may not get that comes a band (varying in picked up by radio and bought by personnel around Donald Fagen and the public. Walter Becker) that always swings delightfully. If the arrangements ©Dafffls (Doimolin s lean towards jazz at times, that's no Ed ©tiu fl mg bad thing. They always hit the spot, always make you wonder why rock Great fan of Soundgarden, which I music can't always be like this. They always reckoned to be the best band set a standard few have ever met to come out of Seattle, just ahead of since. Counting Crows come close, Pearl Jam, so I've been keeping an though. ear out for what their leader Chris Cornell would get up to as a solo Sm®dl® 3 ISsaidl EGmsfi® artist. The answer, Euphoria Morning, is that Cornell is doing Been a while since I listened to any very nicely, thank you. This record is Suede music. Never quite could get a real grower: it hooks you first of all my head around Brett Anderson's with the pop brilliance of its opening voice and lyrics. This is perfectly track, "Can't Change Me", then the pleasant listening, but first other songs pile in behind and take impressions are what a quaint old- up residence in your head. fashioned bunch of lads they are. Sometimes it gets a bit too intense Anderson's voice seems to be (often a problem with Soundgarden), determined to emulate middle period but Cornell provides a lot of variety (Young Americans, say) Bowie, here, and most of all he supplies a while the lyrics sort of meander good deal of soul. I'm finding this an rather languidly, not saying much. aptly named album: there is Four albums in, and it is obvious something euphoric about Cornell's why Suede have lost out to Blur and music. It lifts you up, propels you Pulp in the Britpop stakes (and it along with narrative drive, dazzles ain't because Bernard Butler walked your sense with some sublime out and took the talent in the band guitarwork, then lets you down away). gently again with a surprising delicacy. I'm playing this one more than any other recent purchase.

SR (D©mm4flnig (Craws s A angina 4 top as Odelay. By comparison, 18w®iry41hiiiDg A.ff4®ff Midnite Vultures is tighter, more coherent music. It still has a very One of the debut albums of the wide range, though. There is 1990s, a staggeringly beautiful everything here from sleazy funk to collection of carefiilly wrought songs, country-tinged songs to cool jazz. thoughtful, tuneful, dynamic and Beck makes it all work, the music all enduring. I've played this one to hangs together in a pleasing whole. death this past few years and it still This one will get played a lot in the gives me an enormous rush every Rastus household. time I play it. Album of the nineties? Possibly. I’d certainly give it careful siJfiimimy IP®$® IB®lb®iF4 consideration. Already in my all-time IPH®iii4 8 WaiHIkfliiig Hm4© list of great albums I can't do (CHaurlkfflcdlffill® without. There is something special about TTlli® IBgaindl s what happens when Jimmy Page HsH®ms[ls/B?®iF4lh®iFiii lLflglh4a9 and Robert Plant put their heads S©in41i®irm together and make music. Each is a catalyst for the other, drawing out Two lesser albums by The Band, that something extra that lifts them falling away from the high peak both into the stratosphere. It seemed achieved with those initial killer to happen as soon as they met in Led albums, Music from Big Pink and Zeppelin, and it is still there, sizzling The Band. That doesn't mean to say off the grooves (pits?) of this CD, that these aren't damned fine their second since they came back records, though. There's enough together. 'When the world was good music here to sustain a lesser young' and 'Please read the letter' career for decades (which, you might are standout tracks, though there is argue, is precisely what the later really nothing here that isn't top­ reincarnation of the group - minus rate. the late Richard Manuel and the AsHaams 8 ©m iX ©my disinterested Robbie Robertson - is now doing). These would be worth ILfllk® ‘ffocdlaiy buying even now, though if you There's always been a certain want to hear The Band at their simplistic honesty about the way peak, make for those first seminal Bryan Adams goes about his albums. With the recent unfortunate rock'n'roll. On albums like Reckless demise of Rick Danko, I guess I’ll and Into the Fire he mixed straight­ have to value just about anything ahead rockers like "Kids Wanna with him on it, now, as there 310*6 Rock" with strong ballads with a nice ain’t gonna be much more. lyrical sense and strong intensity. He IB®®lk 8 MMmfl4® VuiH4aiir®s was a very engaging, enthuisiastic new kid on the block. That peaked First impressions of the new Beck with the 'Robin Hood' song CD are good ones. Not as over the (Everything I do, etc), which bored

2% the pants of everyone by hanging swanning around in introspection, around the charts for some but curious about the world and the interminably long period. Since then, people in it. the Canadian has struggled to hit his early stride. On A Day Like Today sees him nearly back to his UD®ffl®IF4 Haflff® best. What holds it back is a certain Aside from a tendency to melancholy guardedness about the lyrics, a loss which occasionally makes you want of the old intensity, the enthusiasm to give singer and main songwriter replaced by professionalism. It's solid Adam Duritz a kick up the backside AOR rock, now, and if it doesn't and an injunction to get out there move as much as it could, well he's and enjoy yourself, Counting Crows older now, settling back for the have been one of my favourite bands longer haul, not riding the wave of of the last few years. This Desert Life his early massive success. continues in the groove laid down by ISooIk s IflmiiajMffiiiiB that fabulous debut August And. Everything After. Smart lyrics Listening to Mutations again and backed up by some sharp really enjoyed this, by far the best musicianship, Duritz and his cohort thing he's done so far. Considering are the closest thing in feel to those that Beck regarded it as a kind of marvelous early solo albums by Van side-bar project, not a true follow-up Morrison, and just as essential. to the' multi-platinum Odelay (which is over-done and over-produced to my ears), then Mutations has no Smu>ii>®iii(dl®iF right to be so good. But it is, by turns rootsy, infectious, accessible and I shouldn't really like the Chemical downright funny. Brothers. I'm way too old for the club scene, after all, but these lads can't 8 IBmuadl ©ay be confined to the ghetto of dance music. They're way too good for that. It's been fashionable for a long time Using the vocal talents of everyone to knock Sting, but the lad from from Bernard Simmer (New Order), Newcastle still can turn out some Bobby Gillespie (Primal Scream), good material. Personally, I reckon Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star), Brand New Day is a the best thing Jonathan Donahue (Mercury Rev) he's done since his first solo album, and Beth Orton to Noel Gallagher Dream Of The Blue Turtles, for a himself, Surrender invites the similar reason to that album. He's listener to do just that. Hey, I've gone back to story-telling in his hoisted my white flag, where's lyrics, and given us a diverse bunch yours? of songs as a result, everything from cod Country & Western (with Garth That’s all for now, folks. Dunno how Brooks guesting, no less) to the regular this new incarnation is going sunny sound of Stevie Wonder's to come out - rather depends on how harmonica on the stonking title quickly we conspire to fill it up. track This is Sting at his best, not

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