Newsgroups: bit.listserv.allmusic
Date:         Wed, 8 Apr 1992 15:55:33 EDT
From:         "Christoper V. DeRobertis" <UICD@MARIST.BITNET>
Subject:      Update Vol. 2, No. 5

  UU    UU    PPPPPPP     DDDDDD       AAAAAA     TTTTTTTT    EEEEEEEE
  UU    UU    PP    PP    DD   DD     AA    AA       TT       EE
  UU    UU    PP    PP    DD    DD    AA    AA       TT       EE
  UU    UU    PPPPPPP     DD    DD    AAAAAAAA       TT       EEEEEE
  UU    UU    PP          DD    DD    AA    AA       TT       EE
  UU    UU    PP          DD   DD     AA    AA       TT       EE
  UUUUUUUU    PP          DDDDDD      AA    AA       TT       EEEEEEEE

                      Electronic Music Newsletter
                           Volume 2, Number 5

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                                Contents
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                            Editor's Tangent
                             Artist Update
                            The Lighter Side
                              Demo Review
                   Bargain Bin Selection of the Month
                         New or Recent Releases

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                         Newsletter Information
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Update Electronic Music Newsletter (c) 1992 C.V. DeRobertis

This newsletter may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, either
in whole or part, without the express written consent of Christopher
Vincent DeRobertis. All questions/comments can be sent to the following
addresses:

International postal service: ATTN: C.V. DeRobertis, 56 Judith Drive,
Stormville, NY, 12582, U.S.A.

Electronic mail services:
                      BITNET - UICD@MARIST.BITNET
                     INTERNET - UICD@VM.MARIST.EDU

STAFF: Editor/owner - C.V. DeRobertis (Dero); Writers/researchers -
Dero, Dennis DeRobertis, Joel Kraft, Frank Bellacicco

DISCLAIMER: The staff of Update takes no responsibility and makes no
claims with regard to the mail order items described herein, nor does
Update state or imply any guarantees regarding the merchandise and/or
services of the companies and/or individuals presented and/or reviewed
and/or as expressed by individuals interviewed. The opinions and views
contained in the newsletter reflect those of the individual authors. The
opinions, content, and management of this newsletter are in no way
connected with the faculty and staff of Marist College.

TRANSMISSION: Every attempt has been made to provide the reader with
text that will translate properly when transmitted electronically across
different computer systems and networks. The reader may experience some
reformatting of the newsletter as it makes its journey throughout the
world.

PUBLISHING/SUBSCRIPTION: Publishing takes place the first Monday of each
month, except when that Monday falls on a holiday, in which case
publishing will take place on the next available 'work' day. Supplement
and Special editions are published between monthly editions as events
warrant. There is no cost to electronically subscribe to Update. Simply
send electronic mail to one of the computer addresses above, request a
subscription, and you will be placed on the subscription list. NOTE:
Electronic subscriptions require access to computers and computer
networks. Depending on your computer site or access method (eg. from a
home PC network) you may be charged for items by the computer
service(s) being utilized. These fees are not associated with Update in
any way. Please consult with your computer support personnel for any
charges levied against network access/use.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            Editor's Tangent
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Greetings from the electronic domain of Update Music Newsletter! As you
may have surmised from the Contents listing, this edition is smaller
than the previous four editions. Does that mean there is a shortage of
music material that we can write about? Have we written about everything
musical that there is to write about? Does this mean that the newsletter
is going under? Will we be totally obliterated by a mammoth asteroid
speeding towards earth at this very moment? Of course not! Well, except
for the part about the asteroid.

So why the 'small' newsletter? It just wasn't feasible to put out a tome
this month. And rather than put out quantity, we opted for quality. Then
again, we ALWAYS opt for quality; even if that means a shorter
newsletter like this month. Rest assured that we'll be back next month
with a vitamin packed edition. (And I don't mean vitamin supplements
either!) The May edition is going to be quite extensive. But it's not
May yet, so let's get on with the April edition!

This edition contains the debut of two new columns: Demo Review; New or
Recent Releases. The former will review official demo packages received
by Update, while the latter is a list of releases that Update feels will
be of interest to you. We chose the phrase 'New or Recent Releases',
because a release can sometimes sit in record shops for up to two months
before anyone even notices it or be a title that has recently moved from
restricted/limited release/distribution to large scale
release/distribution. So while the release may not exactly be 'new',
it's not exactly the focus of massive advertising either. Consequently,
the release is not always in the public eye. Like the Bargain Bin
Selection of the Month, it's our way of getting music information to you
that we feel might otherwise go unnoticed.

Well that's it gang! Sit back and enjoy!! (Remember, your comments are
*always* welcome.)

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             Artist Update

                    Stryper, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai

                            Written by Dero
------------------------------------------------------------------------
On the March 22 episode of _Real Videos_, a one hour program dedicated
to Christian music videos and news, Michael Sweet announced his
departure from the ground-breaking Christian Rock/Metal band Stryper, a
band he co-founded with older brother, and drummer, Robert Sweet.
Stryper became the first significant Christian Rock/Metal act to gain
media attention in both the secular and Christian communities. In fact,
Stryper is credited with being _the_ first Christian Rock/Metal band,
paving the way for many Christian acts today, regardless of genre.

During the _Real Videos_ interview, Sweet described his departure as an
amicable one; something that was in the best interests of all members
concerned. Sweet stated it was time for him to move on and do the Lord's
work in another project. Stryper will continue on as a three-piece unit
for the time being. (It is reported that lead guitarist Oz Fox has been
handling all lead vocal and rhythm/lead guitar duties live.)

Sweet stated that his new music project will *not* be a Metal project.
Sweet described current compositions as more of a Pop-Rock or Radio-Rock
flavor, with a much funkier edge and light hearted feel than he had
previously experienced in Stryper. Sweet also said that there will be a
strong emphasis on lush, orchestrated ballads and acoustic music.

With a new management agency behind him, and four different labels
interested in his music, we should be seeing a new Michael Sweet project
before the year is over.

_Real Videos_ did not state if a transcription or video copy of the
Michael Sweet interview is available, which also contains *all* of the
Stryper videos in their entirety, but they did supply an address for
viewers to contact them at:

                              Real Videos
                              P.O. Box A
                              Santa Ana
                              CA  92711

========================================================================

According to issue 297 of the _East Coast Rocker_, avant-garde guitarist
Joe Satriani is working on a new instrumental release titled _The
Extremist_ and will feature the rhythm team of Matt and Gregg
Bissonette. (Bass and drums respectively.) The Bissonette brothers have
played with major Jazz and Rock acts. Their most recent Rock stint was
with David Lee Roth. At the present time there is no word on what label
will release the recording. Satriani's long time home is with Relativity
Records, but he (supposedly) signed a contract with an undisclosed major
label. Satriani's last official release was 1989's _Flying in a Blue
Dream_ (Relativity Records).

========================================================================

Avant-garde master guitarist Steve Vai has a hot line phone number that
fans can call to find out about his official newsletter and up-coming
news stories. The number is (213) 466-3182. --NOTE: You will be charged
for this call!-- Also, this number is a shared hot line with the band
Warrior Soul, so please pay attention to the phone instructions that
come on when you call.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            The Lighter Side

                The Lonely Rock Singers A cappella Band

                            Written by Dero
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pssst. Hey you. Yeah you. I've got the inside scoop on the hottest new
music act to come out in years. How'd I find out? Well I'm a special
mail courier to the major record labels of the world and sometimes the
mail just seems to open accidentally. Hehehehehe. Anyway, here's the
scoop.

It seems this new music act will be called The Lonely Rock Singers A
cappella Band. No really. That's the name. Why would I make something
like that up? Get this...the members are going to be Stephen Pearcy
(ex-Ratt), Vince Neil (ex-Motley Crue), Joey BellaDonna (ex-Anthrax),
Jeff Scott Soto (ex-Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, Eyes), and Michael
Sweet (ex-Stryper). Can you believe that! The project is supposed to be
produced by none other than David Coverdale (ex-Whitesnake). There's
also talk of special guest vocalists like David Lee Roth, Jon Arch
(ex-Fates Warning), John Parr, Minoru Niihara (ex-Loudness), Graham
Bonnet (ex-Rainbow, Alcatrazz, Impellitteri), and Ron Keel (ex-Keel).
Remember Ron? Boy, he couldn't sing for anything! He's sure had enough
time to practice. Hehehe. I can't wait to hear what this band is going
to sound like. It should be a comedy of errors, with the only bright
spots being Sweet and Soto.

Just do me a favor and keep it under your hat for a while, because
nothing's settled yet. As you might have guessed, there's a lot of
managers, contracts, creative differences, and dollar signs in the way.
But hey, isn't that the whole reason why The Lonely Rock Singers A
cappella Band started in the first place? Ah ha ah ahahaha haaaha
eheheee haaah!

(Special thanks to Don Glover for the inspiration for this write-up!)

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              Demo Review
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ARTIST: Steve Bello
TITLE : Eargasm (???)
MEDIUM: CASSETTE

Writer - Dero

With today's home recording technology and abundance of good local
recording studios it is not uncommon to hear high quality demo tapes of
amazing, yet undiscovered, musicians. Unfortunately, Steve Bello's six
track instrumental demo, _Eargasm (???)_, is not one of them.

The cassette jacket, if you can call it that, is poor at best. The
cheezy cover drawing is hard to see, do to the poor photocopy
reproduction. Maybe not a big deal to most, but it doesn't leave a very
good first impression. In fact, it makes you wonder about the over all
quality of the music it is supposed to reflect. Once the cassette was
playing I didn't have to wonder any longer.

The production quality, like the cassette jacket, is poor. The recording
sounds as if it was made with one microphone in the middle of the room
with the musicians playing as loud as possible. In short, it makes for
unpleasant audio listening.

Production quality aside, Bello's musical intention is quite sincere,
as evidenced by the liner notes for each composition. (Typos aside, of
course.) He took the time to write a short paragraph about each piece on
the tape, providing the listener with a glimpse into the creative forces
behind the music. It's commendable to see a musician take the time to
'communicate' with their audience beyond the musical intention of a
release.

However, even 'good' intention does not automatically translate into
'good' music. Bello's music, in my opinion, is not ground breaking,
entertaining, or even emotion stirring. This is a shame, as the liner
notes sound emotion oriented. There's really not much more I can about
the music, except that it tries to sound like Steve Vai at times, but
falls short of Vai's creativity. In fact, Bello's "Let Me Cry (Song for
Jennifer)" sounds far too much like Vai's _Flex-able_ track "Call It
Sleep", though not even close to the beauty of the Vai piece. To be
quite honest, I'm not sure what Bello is trying to accomplish musically.
I can't tell if he's a struggling Fusion guitarist trying to go Rock or
a Rock guitarist trying to go Fusion. It was anything but an 'eargasm'
for me.

In all fairness to Bello, the _East Coast Rocker_ is quite enthralled
with _Eargasm (???)_. While I'm hard pressed to understand what they see
in his music, it proves once again that music really is a matter of
individual taste. As such, you, the reader, should be allowed to make
your own decisions on Steve Bello's music. So if you would like to find
out how to obtain a copy of Steve Bello's _Eargasm (???)_, write to:

                              Steve Bello
                              901 River Renaissance
                              East Rutherford
                              NJ  07073

or contact the Steve Bello hot line at (201) 365-0276

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   Bargain Bin Selection of the Month

                          Featuring: Liz Story

                            Written by Dero
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Life isn't always meant to be hurried through. As silly as it sounds, we
have to take time and smell the roses once in a while. Relax. Enjoy the
beauty that life can offer (if we let it). For me, some of that beauty
can be found in the solo piano composition/performance of Liz Story.

Fact is stranger than fiction at times and my first encounter with Liz
Story's music definitely falls into this category. I bought Story's
_Unaccountable Effect_ (Windham Hill) in a bargain bin at a local book
store! (I still haven't figured out why some book stores carry a limited
number of music recordings from time to time, but I'm glad this one
did.) The recording cost me exactly one dollar, tax included, and may
very well be the BEST dollar I have ever spent.

Prior to Story, my view of solo piano work was one of admiration, but
something that never really motivated me to go out and purchase any
titles. Not for ten dollars anyway. But for one dollar I figured I might
play _Unaccountable Effect_ now and then; you know, when the mood struck
me. No big loss over a dollar. Heck, a donut and a large cup of coffee
would cost me more. At least the tape would last longer.

Oh was I wrong in a BIGGGGGG way. Not only have I played _Unaccountable
Effect_ to the point where the highs on the tape have lost their edge,
but I have since purchased three more Liz Story releases! (Two on CD,
one on vinyl.) Yup, I spent more than ten dollars on a solo piano work
and I love it!

Liz Story knows about emotion. (This holds true for _Unaccountable
Effect_ and all other Liz Story releases.) She knows how to play with
power when thunder is required. She knows how to play soft when a
whisper is needed. At times her fingers are speeding across the keyboard
with the fire of passion. At other times she is gently caressing the
notes of a melody.

Unlike other works that feature a single instrument, there is no desire
for other instruments in her compositions. That is, Story's music does
not sound empty or lacking. One piano, one person, no overdubs, and it
sounds just fine. It is whole in and of itself. That is what separates
Liz Story from so many other solo performance works. Her music is whole.
It has warmth, breadth, and depth. The music works on a variety of
emotional levels. It is neither too mellow nor too bold. The music
doesn't say, "Hey look at me! Look how good I am!" It isn't about self
indulgent musicianship, but about music. Liz Story writes music. Music
that you can hum to. Music that you can dream by. Music that will lift
your spirit up and cry with you when you're down. Simply put, her music
is beautiful.

Look for Liz Story in either the New Age or Jazz sections of your
favorite record shop, as I have found her work in both places. I have
only seen her work on Windham Hill and Novus Records to date, but that
doesn't mean there isn't more out there. And if you really want an audio
experience, and you own a CD player, get her works on CD. The clarity
and low noise CDs provide *really* enhances the experience.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         New or Recent Releases
------------------------------------------------------------------------
KEY: Artist; Title; Record label; Medium; Category; Brief description

NOTE: Category is rather subjective, so multiple entries have been
included to reflect categories they may come under in various record
stores.

Acoustic Alchemy; Early Alchemy; GRP; CD, cassette; Jazz or New Age;
'Light' instrumental Jazz centering around an acoustic guitar duo.

David T. Chastain/Michael Harris; Live! Wild and Truly Diminished;
Leviathan Records; CD, cassette; Rock or Metal; Progressive instrumental
Metal fusing a variety of styles and moods in a live setting.

Magdallan; Big Bang; INTENSE Records; CD, cassette; Gospel or Spiritual
or Pop or Rock; Christian vocal super group, featuring Blues, Jazz,
A cappella, Pop Rock, Power Rock, and ballads. Incredible production
quality.

Blues Saraceno; Plaid; Guitar Recordings; CD, cassette; Blues or Rock;
Instrumental, featuring a new and refreshing approach to Blues music.
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU