The Pride of La Crosse:  212 will be performing a rare show at Tornado Room in Madison on September 23rd.  Bring a welding mask.

Rockin' In Watertown:  "HEAVEN AND HELL" FIREMAN'S PARK! September 8th! BE THERE!  BE THERE!  BE THERE!  SICPULSE, SHUND, UNDECIDED, DEAD PORN MECHANX, AFFLICTION, and. Kenosha Death Metal dudes PATH.  Showtime starts at 5pm.  $5@door but $4 with any non-perishable food item or if you tell the doorman nicely that you read about the show in MAXIMUM INK MAGAZINE.

Speaking of La Crosse:  The raw trainwreck of Shot To Hell is slobbering its way around the North Coast.  Their soon to be released full length CD, "This Band Right Here is Called" is a full house rocking bail out of an airplane while drunk and on shrooms romp from the garage.  Mad Truckers Gone Mad inbred brothers. 

When Musicians Attack:  A group of Madison-based music industry professionals has announced the formation of Mega Coast Music Consortium (M2), a new venture dedicated to encouraging and promoting innovative musical talent in Wisconsin. As part of their commitment to building a higher profile for the musicians and songwriters of Wisconsin, M2 will sponsor the Madison Music Showcase, a series of concerts presented at The Pub, 552 State St., Madison. Each showcase will focus on a different musical style.


RIP:  Pioneers of all genres are dying.

William "Roscoe" Mercer - Died 8-1-2000 - Embolism (DJ) Born 5-27-1927 in New York City, Was a pioneer of free form FM radio, reading poetry and playing rock, soul, folk and jazz, freely choosing the music.
Jerome Smith - Died 8-2-2000 - Crushed by a bulldozer he was operating after falling off (Rock - Disco) Born 6-18-1953 - Was the rhythm guitarist for KC & the Sunshine Band (They did, "That's The Way (I Like It)" and "Get Down Tonight").
Gilles Thibault - Died 8-2-2000 (Jazz - Pop) Born 9-21-1927 - Trumpet player - He wrote, "Comme D'Habitude" which Paul Anka gave English lyrics and called it "My Way"
Maurice Irving Kinn - Died 8-3-2000 - Cancer (Booking Agent - Concert Promoter) Born 1923 -Founder of the influential New Musical Express (NME) magazine.
Paul Conover - Died 8-4-2000 - Complications from a stroke (Rock) Born 1948 in California -Was a bass guitarist and songwriter for The Weeds.
Nazia Hassan - Died 8-13-2000 - Lung cancer (Pop - Disco) Born 4-3-1965 (She sang, "If Someone Like You Comes Into My Life").
Jimmy Belken (James E. Belken Sr.)- Died 8-19-2000 - Liver cancer (Country) Born 1931 in Dallas, TX, - Worked with The Oak Cliff Symphony, Mickey Tucker And The Corn Shuckers, Ray Price, Hank Thompson, Bob Wills, Mel Tillis, Red Foley and Merle Haggard- Cowtown Society Of Western Music Inductee.
Tomata du Plenty (David Xavier Harrigan) - Died 8-20-2000 - Cancer (Techno Punk) Born 1948 in Coney Island, N.Y., - Was a singer for The Tupperwares and The Screamers, a pioneer punk band.  du Plenty was also a talented painter.
Jack Nitzche (Bernard Alfred Nitzsche) - Died 8-25-2000 - Cardiac arrest, brought on by a bronchial infection (Rock) Born 4-22-1937 in Chicago - Composer, pianist and arranger (He did, "The Lonely Surfer) (Co-wrote, "Up Where We Belong" and "Needles And Pins"  with Sonny Bono) Worked with Phil Spector, Sonny Bono, The Crystals, Ike And TinaTurner, Ringo Starr, Neil Young, The Rolling Stones and many others - Was once married to Gracia Ann May and Buffy Sainte-Marie.
Cliff Bruner - Died 8-25-2000 - Cancer (Western Swing) Born 1915 - Fiddle player - Was a member of Milton Brown's Musical Brownies and The Texas Wanderers (They did, "It Makes No Difference Now")- Worked with Willie Nelson and Moon Mullican.
Allen Woody (Douglas Allen Woody) - Died 8-26-2000 (Rock) Born 1956 in Nashville, TN, - Was a bassist for The Allman Brothers Band, The Artimus Pyle Band and Gov't Mule.
Mort Ruby - Died 8-28-2000 (Manager) Born 1903 - Worked with Nat King Cole, Charlie Barnet and Spike Jones.
Francis X. Aylward Jr. - Died 8-30-2000 - Melanoma (Rock) Born 1968 - Was a lead guitarist for Scarecrow, Mother Funk, and Wonderkat.
Harold Lee Clayton - Died 8-31-2000 - Killed in a hit and run crash (Soul) Born 1947 (He did, "Take Your Time (Do It Right) He wrote for The SOS Band, Salt N Pepa, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Eddie Kendricks and Wyclef Jean.

Just found out about:

Helen Wheels - (Helen Robbins) - Died 1-17-2000 - Staff infection after surgery on her neck (Rock) Born 5-6-1949 in Queens, NY, - Was the member of The Helen Wheels Band (They did, "Room to Rage" and "Carry My Own Weight"), Static Cling and The Skeleton Crew. She was also a lyricist and wrote songs for Blue Oyster Cult.  A Punk Rock pioneer
Michael Hartman - Died 7-6-2000 - Complications from Cystic Fibrosis (Rock) Born 2-4-1976 in Marion, Indiana, (He did, "A Song For Jeanie" and "Feel My Pain") Worked with David Lee Roth.

To see a complete listing of all the musicians who have died since the beginning of time, go to The Dead Rock Star Club
http://users.efortress.com/doc-rock/2000.html

If you're in a band in the Maximum Ink circulation area and have some news for me, (or just want to bitch me out) write me at: kulczyk@maximum-ink.com .