From: skmurphy@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Sean K. Murphy)
Newsgroups: alt.music.alternative
Subject: Royal Trux!
Date: 23 Jul 92 19:14:12 GMT
Organization: Princeton University
Originator: news@ernie.Princeton.EDU


Just went up to NYC last night to the Knitting Factory.  Saw Royal Trux,
Smog, Azalia Snail, and Deluxx.  A pretty good show, but a little
disappointing.  Oh well, these things happen.

Deluxx - These folks are being billed as related to Sebadoh in some way,
	 and now I can sorta explain it.  On drums is Bob Fay, who
	 replaced Eric Gaffney when he took a break from Sebadoh.  On
	 keyboards and other noises is Conrad Capistran, a former DJ at
	 WMBR, up in Cambridge, MA (possibly the best radio station in
	 Boston), and also a buyer for In Your Ear, the best record
	 store in Boston.  I don't know who the third guy was, but he
	 played guitar and screamed a lot and was generally cool.  Most
	 of the "songs" were actually free-form collections of noise,
	 with backing tapes and distorted vocal stuff (and a cool
	 transition into "Interstellar Overdrive" at one point).  

Azalia Snail - First time I've seen her, and a fairly good show.  A
little trippy/psychedelic, a very cool kalimba for percussion (African
Thumb piano), and overall pretty nice - a good one to sit down and relax
(and smoke a bowl, if that's your thing).

Smog - The highlight of the evening.  Bill Smog is much more confident
on stage these days (last summer, he simply stood in front of his mike
stand and did not move for the entire set.  Good songs, some from the
new CD, Forgotten Foundation, some unreleased, all excellent.  The
drummer was a welcome addition, IMO.  Best of the 4 tonight.  Bill is
cool.

Royal Trux - This was my main reason for coming out on this particular
night, and thus I was a little disappointed.  On older vinyl, Royal Trux
is one of the most arresting, mind-fucking bands around.  A constant
stream of noise-consciousness which rearranges the way you think in an
amazing way.  I strongly recommend their double LP, "Twin Infintives",
on Drag City, as a way to meet the band.  But the latest 7", "Red
Tiger", gave an indication of the bands new focus.  Instead of the pure
noise assault, there is a blues influence with coherent, decipherable lyrics
and a subdued sound overall.  I guess it makes sense - look at the
later period Pussy Galore records or the new Jon Spencer record (Neil
Hagerty used to be in Pussy Galore with Spencer) and you can see the
bluesy stuff coming.  But the previous Trux releases had no indication
of this new direction.  Oh well, the band is pretty much set up, and
then this bizarre looking woman walks up on stage.  Neil turns to her
and points over to one side of the stage, moving her over.  Jennifer
then proceeds to pick up the mike with one hand, slide her other hand
down the front of her blue jeans, and mumble a song title, at which
point the others start playing.  Again, unlike the album, her voice was
low and husky, not the screeching and whining I knew and loved on Hero
Zero.  As each song would end, Jennifer Trux would say the name of the
next song, and the band would be off again.  The cheesy synth could have
been used much more creatively, too.  So, a decent show, but nothing
exciting.  Still, buy Royal Trux and see your mind melt before your
eyes.

What's the point of all this?  Well, I just wanted to talk about the
show, and I would appreciate it if others who get a chance to see this
tour (they're playing tonight in Boston, Friday at Coney Island,
Saturday at Maxwell's in Hoboken, and then heading south toward DC)
would post their opinions (or at least mail them to me) about these
bands.

Sean Murphy
skmurphy@phoenix.princeton.edu

He's an indie star, Mark Robinson,
He knows Terry, Ken, and Gerard...
			- The Graverobbers