Dancing About Architecture

KUTZ-FM, local affiliate of the Z-Rock radio chain, whose programming largely originates via satellite, has canceled their Friday night (8:20-10:20pm) locally oriented Texas Shock Syndrome program and released its host Andy Langer from his contract. In its place, DJ Ward Cleaver will be programming what KUTZ describes as "more traditional Z-Rock music programming," and what Langer says will add up to "an extra two hours of Pearl Jam a week." Langer further quotes a consultant from ABC, parent of the Z-Rock chain, as saying that "local programming detracts from the continuity of a satellite station." Despite this analysis, KUTZ will be debuting a new program, The Friday Night Free-for-All (Paul Minor, call your attorney) weekly at 10:20pm, which they say will feature "local artists, requests, and live broadcasts from various local music venues." Hosts will be DJ/Auschwitz 46 member Mike Titsworth and new staffer David Onufer. Langer calls "bullshit" on this, claiming the station "doesn't have the catalog or interest in compiling a show as adventurous" as his was (Langer played "everything from the Walking Dead to Burn"). Well, there's one easy way to see who's right: tune in to the Free-for-All on Friday and decide for yourself.

Bush Whacked

Bad Timing Dept.: I'm told that an Associated Press writer covering Bush's U.S. tour was driving through Austin and tuned in on a major slamfest against the group on 101X, KROX-FM. The writer tattled to the record company, who then called 101X demanding an explanation since the radio station was putting together a major Bush promotion in conjunction with the upcoming show. Unaware of the Bush-bashing broadcast, 101X's PR woman Eileen Gill was baffled when questioned by the record company (though you can bet her first thought must have been "What has Gibby done this time?!?"), and suggested perhaps that it was Governor Bush being raked over the coals. Well, "Dancing..." knows what Gill didn't: that On the Record, 101X's talkfest featuring Michael Corcoran and Don McLeese, was actually the source of the burning Bush remarks.

Does That Mean "We're #1"?

The Butthole Surfers were recently out at McCallum High School filming a video with the school band for the upcoming Cartoons' Greatest Hits album. The Butties cover the theme from Underdog on the disc, which also features Liz Phair, Helmet, The Reverend Horton Heat, Matthew Sweet, and the Toadies. I'm told that during the proceedings, Gibby Haynes had to be scolded by a McCallum teacher for flipping the bird at kids who were making fun of him in his suit.

Mixed Notes

The photo at the top of this week's column is of Mike Henry, Phil West, Genevieve Van Cleve, and Wammo, the team of Austin poetry slammers who trotted up to Ann Arbor earlier this month to compete in the 1995 National Poetry Slam in their distinctly Texan Lincoln Town Car. The large item on the hood is Wammo's trophy for coming in second in the Individual category; the large thing on Wammo's shoulders is his head. Tell you what - I'm gonna put an extra effort into running something interesting in place of the boring old "Dancing" logo every week from now on. You know how you can help me out: send me photos, postcards, and whatnot. Why not?... Drummer Brannen Temple has netted a nice gig - he'll be touring with M'shell N'degecello, solo artist and cohort of John Mellencamp... Show Us Your Butt, the hip (no pun intended) zine that shows off the posteriors of local scenesters in glorious Xeroxed black and white, has a new issue out. No, I'm not in it, but that's not my fault - I told them to ask me again after a few more drinks... The Ugly Americans are currently "hitchhiking, flying, walking..." back to Austin, having pretty much finished up work on their new album, according to Ugly Sean McCarthy. He didn't have much to say about the L.A. experience, except to note a Gene Simmons sighting and a visit from Hootie & the Blowfish. The album is due to hit the racks in January... Javelin Boot and Susan Voelz have two cuts each on Pravda Records' new 10th anniversary compilation album... Speaking of Poi Dog Pondering, Austin-gone-Chicagoite Frank Orrall says the Pois have started their own label "to sidestep the big company fiasco hassles" (Sounds like one of his lyrics, don't it?) The first self-made Poi album will be called Pomegranate. Sangre de Toro will be filming live footage at their Emo's show Saturday to include in a video of their song "Sweet Milk" (see "Now You See Us" p.58, this issue, to find out what a good move this is). Also featured in the clip will be Ministry drummer Rey Washam, a dead rat, and some fireworks... Hint to Tim Stegall: now that you and the Hormones have been written up in Rolling Stone, do like I did way back when my band got mentioned in SPIN - put it on your journalism resumé... The host of CapZeyeZ is working on a CD entitled Nathan's Stupid Drama, with a due date around Christmas... Miss Universe have altered their name after a threatened lawsuit by - have you guessed yet? - the Miss Universe Pageant! The band will, in the future, be known simply as "Miss U" (and they'll probably end up getting sued by the Rolling Stones). Oh, and their new album is out on Rise Records... Unclean Records' compilation album should finally be out this week, and Roger Morgan promises it'll be "even cheaper than the Trance comp!" Jeez, guys, you're gonna spoil us... Former Unclean artist Thomas Anderson has signed with Marilyn Records (subsidiary of Bomp!) to release his third album, Moon Goin' Down, in November. Listen for ex-Standing Waves and Flying Saucers members sharing drumming chores on the disc... If you're straddling the fence on whether or not to go to the H.O.R.D.E. show today (Thursday), note that Ian Moore has been added to the Austin lineup. He's scheduled to perform between Wilco and Morphine on the side stage at 7:35pm... More magazine appearances: axeman Alan Haynes in July's Guitar Player; Johnny Goudie (displaying his latent Sextonality) in a nine-page photo feature in UHF shot by local shutterbug Todd V. Wolfson... The Austin Music Network has now officially gone stereo. In the process, they beat a certain commercial network affiliate out of the stone age... The Shakin' Apostles cut "Dear Eloise" on the new Hollies tribute album out on Eggbert Records, as does Carla Olson, ex of the Textones... There's a new documentary on fans of the Grateful Dead titled Tie-Died: Rock 'n Roll's Most Deadicated Fans scheduled for the Dobie Theatre in a couple of weeks. I hear that the filmmakers are trying to finish up a movie about Jerry Garcia himself, but they keep having to rewrite the ending (we're hearing "natural causes" may have been...) The Librarians have lost bassist Michele Trepagnier, who's moving to L.A., where, as the band puts it "she won't be bothered by so many Californians"... How about that new club the Tropical Isle Café? A bit less claustrophobic than the old Infinity, eh? And you know they're an authentic blues club 'cuz they've got palm trees and Kathy & the Kilowatts... No, I haven't heard 81/2 Souvenirs' new vocalist Dana Dattalo yet, but fans that I trust tell me she's hot. I'd invite the band over for a private audition, but we don't have a real piano at the house... Little Sister's album will be in stores this Friday, and so will the band, performing at Waterloo Records at 5pm (they'll also be at Steamboat that night, as well as Saturday), or you can choose instead to see Ted Roddy, who'll be doing the same at Tower at that time... If you just can't wait for the Sons of Hercules' next full-length rocker, take heart in this: an advance single from the tentatively titled Hits for the Misses will be coming out in a few weeks... Toni Price has been racking up the bucks at Waterloo Records, where her latest album has sold more than a hundred copies each week for the last three seven-day periods. I'd tell you more, but as you know if you read the letters page this issue, she's fired me. In fact, she's fired the entire Chronicle music staff. Bye, y'all... n