SINGLE REVIEW

Nightmare Consortium
The Black Overlord Approaches

Viscera Recordings

Since the release of the Visceral Virus compilation last year, Viscera Recordings (the "100% Brain Damage" label) have firmly staked out their corner of the Crash market with a series of singles and a couple of unbelievably cheesy albums. Nightmare Consortium, the latest Crash band to emerge from East 23's infamous Toomie Memorial Upper School, combine all the elements which make Viscera?s bands so tragically comic?grinding guitars and twiddly solos, that old risen-from-the-dead image, awkwardly overstated messages of supernatural doom for lyrics... and best of all, the band's lead guitarist (who also chokes out the ominous lyrics) has named himself "Dark Wombat". Archeological details of Earth may be scarce, but Cineculture declines to believe that the wombat was the fierce, toothy creature it is in the minds of the Consortium. We do hope, however, that the poor creatures had more to eat than their skinny Minerva namesake.

The Black Overlord Approaches is released Summer 56

GOSSIP! After failing to show up for a prestigious SuperStyle magazine shoot and eluding agency, family and friends for four days, fifteen-year-old Screen starlet and model Janie Yip turned up safe, sound and very hung-over Wednesday with two unnamed school friends Her agency issued a press release stating that she regretted the whole incident, and Janie confirmed this when we caught up with her on the set of hit soap opera Power Play. "I don?t know which was worse," she said, "feeling ill or feeling dumb."

EVENT! This Thursday at Omaha's promises to be interesting as the venerable venue debuts its new all-ages club night Up and Down. All manner of club and open mic night, gigs, seasonal celebrations and after-show parties have made Omaha?s a cornerpost of the Dome's alternative scene, but Up and Down is firmly aimed at a younger crowd, with under-18's in free and a music policy of "new bands, plus pop from the charts and elsewhere." The opening night will be comp?red by popular Screen presenters Bobby and Billy (of Wake Up, It's Saturday! fame) and will feature upcoming bands Green Dust and Creamsicle. Thursdays, 8pm-midnight, Omaha's.

GOSSIP! Chart-topping celebrations went with a bang for Melody Nelson and Amy (see Music), as the House of Wood was invaded Monday night by a veritable horde of famous faces, including Nelson?s twin Discoveries April and Erica and Screen star Dalton Faraday. Nelson himself departed early, after sharing a drink with newly arrived Bingo and The Corner, of million-selling band The Message, to keep an appointment with a new Discovery, whose name is either Kristy or Kirsty. Hit co-writer Hewlett Keane was seen partying late into the night with the mecs from The Message, while star guest Amy was flushed with wine rather than success, losing her footing several times in the ladies room and leaving her lunch on the dancefloor!

COMICS! Fans of the mysterious comics artist "X" will be pleased to know that her gun-toting, finger-chopping, tooth-smashing gangster saga Bastard Souls, is back. Volume 7, Ruthless Heartbeat, kicks off with a double-length episode in next week?s Crime Conflict, but as yet no publication date has been announced for the collected Volume 6, Gamblers and Killers. "X" describes Ruthless Heartbeat as "mercilessly slow-paced?a look into the mind and motivations of a cold-hearted assassin." We can?t wait!

GIG REVIEW:

Shiney

Mykola?s Basement Paradise, Summer 48

A look at the crowd in the intimate Basement Paradise proves Shiney?s chart success with debut album "5's" is still part of their appeal, with Gastrons and J-Bones shirts mixed in with the Rhythm 2 scenesters. But even with "Um Ah" in the singles chart, Shiney?s new album Onomotopoeia has made their name as an R2 band for connoisseurs.
     The reasons are obvious when they play live: on an equipment cluttererd stage sit or stand three spotlit girls, concentrating intently, motionless until it?s time to jump up and switch instruments. Shiney?s leading light Pip Soda twirls distractedly in and out of her center-stage spotlight, directing the band?and each song?into new keys, time-signatures, and moods with her gestures and movements.
     The musicians rise to the challenge: Katie Sands flies from guitar to organ to vibes, laying down some scorching licks, while Claire Pomeroy fills out the sound with bass, horns, kora, and oudh. Emma Mann is the least mobile, surrounded by a bewildering variety of drums, but her spicy rhythms keep the improvisations as tight as the hits.
     The problem is, telling the difference. With pitch-perfect Pip conducting each piece until it?s hard to tell which song they?re playing, one leaves wondering if their hit singles were on the setlist or not.
     While some fans vocally prefer the band on disc, it?s easy to get swept up in the excitement they obviously feel onstage, and for many, the albums are just a pale reflection of the "real" Shiney experience.

MUSIC! The publication of this week?s Chart On Sunday was reason to party for Melody Nelson, whose new single as writer-producer, "Hotspot", reached Number One. This is Melody?s twentieth Number-One hit, but for Amy--his talented new Discovery?-it's not only her first Number One, but her debut single. We caught up with the pair at hip Westside hangout House of Wood, where they were preparing for a night?s celebrations along with composer and arranger Hewlett Keane, co-writer of ?Hotspot? and longtime Nelson sideman.
     "It's so exciting," enthused Amy. "Of course, Melody?s had like a ga-jillion hits, but to have my first ever single hit the top--I could die right now!"
     Nelson, on the other hand, is used to success, but he told Cineculture, "No matter how long you're in the music business, getting that Number One spot is still something special."
     Wondering just how the ensuing celebrations went? Check out the latest Gossip!

BAD NEWS! After thrilling us with lurid tales of piracy on the high seas in the savage 1940?s of Earth, The Secret Island is to be cancelled. ScreenOne has confirmed that the current run will be the cult show?s last, in spite of a move from Prime Time to Late Night and howls of protest from loyal fans. Lackluster ratings and high production costs are cited as the reasons for the cancellations.
     Star Hank Balakrishna is rumored to be in talks with ActionScreen concerning a new project, but we here at Cineculture will always remember him as Captain Cutter. As Cutter himself would say, ?Sleep well mateys, for tomorrow we die!?