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N e w s   o f   M a d   M e l a n c h o l y   M o n k e y   M i n d / M 4 ,
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News: New Keg Salad player, Changes and developments, Intermission shows ending, Weather!, M4 trio format, Keg Salad news, Berndt on bass guitar, Tuesday shows cancelled, Intermission regulars, Keg Salad goes to Madison, M4 at The Bar, Keg Salad hither and yon, Catching up . . . , Keg Salad at Meyer's Landing, M4 at Clark Place, M4 at Saloon DuBay, M4 Leap Year Celebration, Keg Salad open mikes, Davidson in rehearsal, Keg Salad demo, Review appears in January, New M4 photos at X-Press Magazine, Show review, M4 news update, M4 and Moogie, Dec. 5, M4 plays Renee's anniversary bash, M4 and Rainy Day Crush, Nov. 29, Keg Salad to play Clark Place, House party, new songs, M4 Polonia debut, Shifting personnel, Pick up the new chapbook by Mark Rich, "Kicked ass," he said ..., Changes near and far, New song log, About Radio QUER, Read some M. Rich stories, On the band name, "Jagged, fuzz-driven pop", Redemption Gig, Kindly new review of Drive, The Aug. 10 Song Massacre, The bands make their debuts, M4 on compilation CD!, Pithy Allen Steele testimonial. Old news: Read all the late news.

N e w   Keg   S a l a d   p l a y e r After a few practice sessions it seems safe to announce that Keg Salad will be a larger band by one person come the show Friday, Dec. 30, at Clark Place.   Banjo player Marty Nellessen had been telling M. Rich and M. Borchardt for some time that he wanted to be playing banjo in a band, but that he was never finding bluegrass musicians to team up with. At the same time, he was showing up at Keg Salad gigs and enjoying that group's odd mix of new and old rock music, traditional tunes, and folk songs.   Months after first talking over the idea, the trio got together recently to try out a few numbers, and ended up playing late into the night. They did the same again a few days ago. All are expressing satisfaction with what seems to be developing.   The Clark Place show will begin 8:30 pm. Admission will be free.   While the Rich and Borchardt duo have been keeping a fairly low profile, they have started appearing again at a few open mikes and are thinking of looking into booking shows again. The Oct. 2 show at Tiki Bar was their last for that venue for the winter. The weather was excellent, allowing them to play outdoors one last time. They thought it would also be their last acoustic show for a time until a call came from CD Pub. They then played one of their most enjoyable shows at that bar Oct. 22. They also had the pleasure of playing for some of their literary friends at the open mike hosted by Charles de Lint and Patrick Nielsen-Hayden at the World Fantasy Convention in Madison on Saturday, Nov. 5. Their appearance would not have happened but for David Hartwell's timely encouragement. Originally Keg Salad planned to perform at a small-press party that night, something made impossible by circumstances. To Kelly and Gavin (the duo says): next time for sure!   The August trip to Scotland accounts in part for their relaxed mode. They have been enjoying quiet evenings at home, sipping whisky, reading massive tomes by wild Scottish writers (salutations to Hal Duncan!), working on miscellaneous projects and practicing music.   The fall season was also made complicated by M. Rich's moving his office back home, which was more than a little labor-intensive. The move was a success: he is getting his work done, cooking a bit more, and in general better enjoying the daytime hours. He is also, as of right this moment, a little more on track regarding on-line matters.   With the musical year ending with first an M4 duo show and then a Keg Salad trio show (this is the first time Keg Salad has been a bigger band than M4) Rich and Borchardt feel pretty content with the various turns of events they have seen in 2005. (Posted 5 December '05; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

D u o   n e w - O   s o u n d s Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind (or Mad Monkey Colony, as a bar owner just rendered it, on the telephone) will be unveiling its new and improved sound at its shows April 22 and 23, in Waupaca and Stevens Point.   Both shows will feature the band as an acoustic/electric duo. The new sound arrives courtesy new pieces of equipment that help augment and enrich the instruments.   Oddly enough, M4 now sounds more like the recording it made in 2001 than it ever has - although the twosome is a tighter musical unit than ever.   The Saturday, April 23, show at Renee's Red Rooster is an especially exciting one. The band Ion Drive from Oshkosh features the talents of Brett Stephenson and Edward Crowley, former members of Irene's Garden. (Posted 20 April '05; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

C h a n g e s   a n d   d e v e l o p m e n t s Thing are happening with the bands; and your reporter apologizes for having been so busily occupied with other matters that he has neglected to post occasional reports.   Keg Salad and M4 have both had successful shows, recently. In the Keg Salad world, CD Pub in Wisconsin Rapids has turned out to be quite the friendly and congenial venue. The band hopes to keep appearing there regularly, and sends thanks to Dave and Chris for the opportunity, and to fan Dick Thompson for bringing band and bar together. The April 9 show there will celebrate Dick Thompson's birthday.   John Banta, a friend from Rapids, has been doing some live recording of the band, and is hoping to do some offstage recordings in April. An excellent performer himself, he opened the recent Keg Salad show at Renee's Red Rooster.   Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind seems to be finding its home in Waupaca, with a couple relaxed and friendly shows now behind it, in March, at two venues there. Initially because of severe weather, M4 appeared as a duo for a full show for the first time, at Chez Marche; and for a second time shortly afterwards, as a fill-in band at Simpson's. More or less because of circumstances, it performed these shows entirely acoustically.   The Renee's Keg Salad show was originally to have been the first full show of the trio format of the band - plans that were dropped when the bass player, after giving the OK to the date, opted to play a benefit show elsewhere instead.   The duo are actually excited about prospects for the band, and have entirely enjoyed the fact that it has returned to where it started, which was as a two-piece. Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind has two shows in April, at Chez Marche and at Renee's, with Oshkosh band Ion Drive in the latter show; and is just in the process of scheduling a new show with Madison group Sunspot, at Clark Place, for June. (Posted 5 April '05; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

I n t e r m i s s i o n A quiet night Thursday, February 10, at the Intermission in Wausau spelled the end of that series of shows.   Bar owner Jim Kruesel said the evenings were not working out. Since recent issues of the Wausau City Pages have listed few shows at the bar - none at all in this week's issue, in fact - things may have been slow on other nights, too.   M. Borchardt clearly remembers singing the line, "Everyone thinks we're good, but no one comes around," in the song "Walk in the Sky," right when the one patron remaining in the bar vanished into the restroom.   Quiet as they sometimes were, Intermission shows were fun; and as few as the audience members were at the final show, the band won over new fans. Musically the night went so well the band wished they had brought along the digital recorder.   The show cancellation comes at a time when the band finally has new promo packets on the verge of being mailed out. They have gotten this far without a good selling tool, and look forward to playing new venues. (Posted 10 Feb. '05; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

W e a t h e r ! Storms and low temperatures have taken their tolls on Keg Salad and M4 shows, lately.   In consultation with Wausau bar The Intermission, Keg Salad called off its show there Thursday, Jan. 13. Temperatures were plummeting during the afternoon, heading for a projected minus-thirteen low. With the mercury already at zero degrees Fahrenheit at six p.m., it seemed chancy as to whether audience would be out and about in any numbers. M. Rich and M. Borchardt had also never tested their vehicle in such cold, and were happy to play it safe.   Renee, at Renee's Red Rooster, also thought it a good idea to call of the Tuesday, Jan. 18, open mike hosted by Keg Salad, with the snow storm then blowing in. That storm was only half the storm of the one that then blew in on Friday, Jan. 21, with a projected eight inches of snow locally, that prompted cancellation of the Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind show in Wisconsin Rapids that night.   That being the case, the debut of the new M4 format will take place Friday, Feb. 18, at Chez Marche in Waupaca. (Posted 25 January 2005; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

M 4   t r i o   f o r m a t Rock band Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind has taken many forms, in the couple years of its existence.   It started as an electric duo ... then became an electric trio, with a succession of fourth-member drummers ... and then an electric quartet, with a succession of fifth-member drummers.   Then it became an trio, with two electric guitars and drums. Then a quartet, with the usual rock-band line-up. Then, for a show last month at Renee's Red Rooster, it was a new trio: two electric guitars and electric bass guitar. No drums.   It appears the band will remain a trio, at least for the time being. Now, however, M. Rich and M. Borchardt will be playing acoustic guitars, with electric effects. S. Berndt will play electric, or else acoustic-electric, bass guitar.   The band has its debut, in this format, at the Jan. 21 show at From the Ground Up, a coffeehouse in Wisconsin Rapids. (Posted 20 January 2005; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

K e g   S a l a d   n e w s Acoustic group Keg Salad forges onward, with future trio shows at Emy J's and Chez Marche, and continued duo shows at Tiki Bar and The Intermission.   The sudden, new development is that M. Rich and M. Borchardt will be hosting open mikes at Renee's Red Rooster, Stevens Point, Tuesday nights starting Dec. 21. Tentative plans call for Randy Perlak to host every other Tuesday.   The Tiki Bar on Dubay's owner apologizes to everyone about the Sunday, Dec. 12, show. Paul was on vacation at the time, and the bar ended up being closed on the date of that Keg Salad show, due in part to the main bartender's surgery. The band tried to reach people by phone, just before the show. All the same, some ended up arriving at the darkened bar. The show on Sunday, Dec. 26, will take place.   The most recent series of shows have gone well, boding well for both M4 and Keg Salad. S. Berndt's bass-playing has added "depth and richness," according to Dennis Zylkowski, who was at the last Emy J's show. (Posted 20 December 2004; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

B e r n d t   o n   b a s s   g u i t a r Joining the bands M4 and Keg Salad is Steven G. Berndt, on bass guitar, who made his first appearance on stage with Rich and Borchardt last Wednesday, Nov. 17, at Clark Place, Stevens Point, Wis.   The acoustic trio played that night during a benefit concert for refugee and orphaned children in Amman, Jordan.   Berndt plans to play the Saturday, Nov. 27, Keg Salad show at Emy J's. He will be playing primarily Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind shows, since his work schedule requires early rising on most weekdays - and most Keg Salad shows are on weeknights.   M4 may even try some electric-trio evenings - perhaps even for the December show at Renee's Red Rooster. (Posted 24 November 2004; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

T u e s d a y   s h o w   c a n c e l l e d Tuesday shows at the Portal Music Cafe have been replaced by "new band showcase" evenings.   So Keg Salad will save gas money rather than go that distance to play a free show. (Posted 16 November 2004; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

I n t e r m i s s i o n   R e g u l a r s Thursday nights at The Intermission in Wausau, Wis., acoustic group Keg Salad will be making regular appearances through the end of the year.   Keg Salad will deliver its brand of lively rock-folk every second Thursday from 8:30 p.m. until midnight, or whenever the crowds thins out.   The group's first show at the venue Thursday night, Oct. 7, came off to the satisfaction of audience and band, although Mark and Martha waited too long to take a second break, and their fingers were feeling weak and wobbly by midnight. They kept on into the wee hours.   A markedly friendly place for a casual beer and burger, The Intermission is located at 324 Fourth St., Wausau, Wis., just down the street from the Grand Theater on the Square; phone 715.849.9377. (Posted 8 October 2004; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

K e g   S a l a d   g o e s   t o   M a d i s o n Acoustic group Keg Salad will be appearing next Tuesday night at Madison's Portal Music Cafe, filling out an evening of original music featuring a leading Madison songwriter.   James Travis will start the evening off at 8:30 p.m., with Keg Salad hitting the stage immediately after the end of his set, around 10 p.m.   Keg Salad will play a full show at the new Madison venue, located at 310 South Brearly St., in November. (Posted 6 October '04; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

M 4   D o o r   M i x - u p "MMMM ... good" is the headline for a short note in the Sept. 30-Oct. 7 Wausau City Pages about Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind's show Saturday, Oct. 2, at The Bar & Grill.   Unfortunately the door cover listed is four times too high a figure. The door charge will be two dollars, instead of the eight reported.   This website had the facts wrong, too, since we had reported it being free.   The note had kind words for the Drive CD: " ... a tightly crafted collection of eight hook-laden songs. Sometimes the hook is a catchy distorted guitar chord progression; other times it's a melody or turn of phrase that draws you in. Full of youthful, unpretentious energy. M4 should be even more interesting in person."   The show, the band's first in Wausau, should be a fun one. Oddly enough, Keg Salad will be making its first appearance in Wausau soon thereafter, at The Intermission near the downtown Square, on Thursday, Oct. 7. (Posted 2 October '04; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

K e g   S a l a d   H i t h e r   &   Y o n A sense of fun has marked recent Keg Salad shows, which have included two events farther afield than is usual for this acoustic band.   In mid-July, the band played a show-opener at IQ's in Green Bay, Wis. Then, this past Saturday, Aug. 14, the band performed a late-night show for both new and old friends during the science fiction convention Diversicon, at the Day's Inn in Bloomington, Minn., across from that fine monument to bland American consumerism, the Mall of America.   Keg Salad will have its first formal show at Waupaca's Chez Marche this Friday, Aug. 20.   Chez Marche, located downtown across from the public library, is the congenial restaurant on whose stage Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind has played two shows. The upcoming show is free of charge. The doors will be open for listeners of all ages. (Posted 17 August '04; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

C a t c h i n g   U p   on   N e w s   . . . Two all-ages shows will feature Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind (M4), in July and August.   The Friday, July 16, show will take place outdoors, weather permitting, at the Pine Line Depot, in Medford, Wis. The Pine Line is a restaurant located in the town's old train station, on a street just below the old downtown.   In earlier June, Mark and Martha appeared there as acoustic duo Keg Salad, performing indoors because of the grey skies, cool air, and rain outdoors. They found the Depot friendly in the extreme, and pleasantly comfortable. And what a wonderful, appreciative audience . . .   At the July 16 show, a local Medford band, name yet unknown, will open the evening at 7 p.m.. M4 will start around 9 p.m., and will play to about 11 p.m. Admission will probably be $3 or $5.   For the Friday, August 6, show, M4 returns to Chez Marche, on Main Street in lovely downtown Waupaca, Wis. There, back in April, the band gave its musically most successful performance to date. Contributing to its success were the excellent musicians Bob Davidson, bass guitar, and James ("Jme") Saegert, drums.   The evening will start around 8:30 p.m., and go until 11 p.m. Admission is $4, with a portion helping support Chez Marche's Arts Board activities.   Many thanks to Marianna Cascanet and Connie Tomski, for their parts in arranging these shows. (Posted 24 June '04; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

K e g   S a l a d   a t   M e y e r ' s   L a n d i n g Acoustic duo Mark Rich and Martha Borchardt, aka Keg Salad, will perform a show arranged, at the last minute, Friday night, April 9, at Meyer's Landing, Knowlton, Wis.   The show celebrates fan Dick Thompson's birthday. Singer-songwriter Randy Perlak will open the evening at 8:30 p.m. Thompson is providing a quarter-barrel of beer, free to all who attend.   Knowlton is located south of Wausau, just west off U.S. Highway 51, on State Highway 34. Restaurant and bar Meyer's Landing, on the south side of 34, is quite noticeable from road due to the other half of its business, having to do with boats. (Posted 9 April '04; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

M 4   a t   C l a r k   P l a c e M4 had an excellent time Saturday, March 27, at its return appearance at Clark Place, in Stevens Point.   The performance featured the fine talents of Bob Davidson, bass guitar, and Jme (pronouced "Jamie") Saegert, drums. The show 8:30 to 11 p.m. Friday, April 23, at Chez Marchez, Waupaca, will also feature Davidson and Saegert.   "That show should have been on videotape," said fan Bill Larson, who considers it the best Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind show to date, of the many he has attended.   Medford band The Kissing Saints opened the evening. Led by Marianna Cascanet, the group delivered a strong batch of soulful rock tunes. (Posted 9 April '04; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

M 4   a t   S a l o o n   D u B a y M4 will be helping Kelly Yngsdahl celebrate her time in Stevens Point with a going-away show Saturday, Feb. 21, at Saloon DuBay.   This historic bar and restaurant is located at 1592 Iris Lane, Knowlton (Mosinee), Wis.; phone 715.693.3534. Besides an excellent drink selection, Saloon Dubay offers a menu that includes its famous pizza. Check out the website for directions, and for information about its long history.   The band will be playing roughly 8 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.   (Posted 18 February '04; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

M 4   L e a p   Y e a r   c e l e b r a t i o n M4 will celebrate Leap Year with a free show Saturday, Feb. 29, at The Keg.   The band plans to play three sets of music, starting at 9 p.m. and going until the wee hours. For that night's show, Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind may well be the trio of Rich, Borchardt, and Holbrook, although the vague possibility exists Davidson will make part of the night.   The Keg, an excellent brewpub, is located at 200 Isadore St., Stevens Point, Wis. Ron's new version of his pilsner is deadly wonderful.   (Posted 11 February '04; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

K e g   S a l a d   o p e n   m i k e s Keg Salad is hosting open mikes Wednesday nights in the Troll's Den, downstairs at The Keg, 200 Isadore St., Stevens Point, Wis.   The open mikes will now start at 8 p.m., an hour earlier than before.   While the acoustic duo will be there almost every Wednesday, Keg Salad will be put special efforts into the nights of Feb. 18 and March 3, 17, and 31.   The band may or may not perform on the other Wednesdays.   (Posted 8 February '04; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

D a v i d s o n   i n   r e h e a r s a l Threesome turns foursome:   Bass-guitarist Bob Davidson has started rehearsing with Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind. His fast-moving, melodic approach to the instrument has proved wonderfully complementary to the other guitars.   Bob currently plays with two other local bands: the popular Irene's Garden, which will be dissolving this spring, and Maggie and the Molecules. As a consequence, his schedule is a busy one; and it may be that M4 will sometimes still appear as a trio.   Whatever the case, M4 has resumed the search for gigs, after its January break from the stage. Its last appearance was Dec. 31, when the band saw the old year out from the stage of the Keg.   (Posted 24 January '04; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

K e g   S a l a d   r e c o r d s   d e m o Fresh from the excitement of the energetic show Keg Salad put on with Milwaukee rockers Alpha Dog, Dec. 20 at Clark Place, Mark and Martha took some time the next day to live-record some of the numbers they had performed.   While the results are still mostly not mixed down, the recordings sound promising. They are as close to the live sound of the two-piece acoustic band as Iguanodon Smile is apt to get, barring recording a live show.   Keg Salad extends its thanks to Justin Gleicher, who did an excellent job of running sound at the Dec. 20 show, and who is also doing some mastering on a few earlier Keg Salad recordings. It also thanks the incredible trio, Alpha Dog, for a fun, fun time.   (Posted 24 January '04; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

J a n u a r y   r e v i e w Long-awaited, the review of the Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind show at the Keg has appeared in X-Press Magazine, in the Jan. 2004 issue.   The article is partly a CD review. "What they bring to the listener is a Violent Femmes type indie fuzztone guitar, mixed in with catchy hooks and offbeat experimentation," it says of Drive.   Thanks to T. Joseph Pickett, Devlin Verley, Joe Lake, and their friends, for checking out the show, and for being so kind about the muddy PA sound that night. The band hopes to rattle their socks off, next time.   (Posted 24 January '04; look at the previous related story; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

N e w   M 4   p h o t o s New photos of a Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind show, taken by the crew of X-Press Magazine of Wausau, Wis., are now posted at the magazine's website.   The photos were taken at the Dec. 5, 2003, show at The Keg. A big thumbs-up to X-Press, especially for those blurry-hair shots.   The X-Press website features other photo-pages of area bands, including a page of great shots taken of M4 pals Moogie at the same Keg show.   (Posted 17 Dec. '03; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

X - P r e s s   p l a n s   s h o w   r e v i e w X-Press Magazine, a new music zine published in Wausau, plans to review the show Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind performed Dec. 5 at The Keg.   Editors T. Joseph Pickett and Joe Lake attended. The two photographed and videotaped while the band was playing.   For information on this small but ambitious publication, check out its new website.   While the evening was a fun event overall, musically it was a bummer night for the M4 crew. Originally planned as a Moogie and M4 rock-show bon voyage bash, with M4 as host band, it devolved into an event of another nature.   Thousands of bands have had identical nights. M4 started off unable to hear vocals, the only element going through the house's sound system. Immediately asked to turn down, M4 then played at a level quieter than rehearsal volume, putting the drummer at a disadvantage for the rest of the show. Vocals remained hard to hear on stage. When asked to turn down a second time, the band decided it would be better to stop playing, instead. First, however, M4 performed "When the Moon Goes Down" for faithful fan Dick Thompson.   It turned out that the Troll, brewmaster extraordinaire, thought the guitars sounded good at the beginning, before they were turned down. A listener also volunteered that the band had seemed subdued, and complained the vocals were hard to hear.   Such goes life. Hey dee hey ho.   In one of many positive moments of the night, Moogie invited guitarist Bill Mansur onto stage for the final portion of its set. The second guitar and third voice nicely filled out the band's sound. Moogie will be welcoming back its original drummer in the near future.   M4 promises to be back to its loud, clear self soon. It also looks forward to continued contact with the X-Press crew. The advent of the magazine on the scene is notable, given the low level of local arts coverage. (Posted 6 December '03; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

M 4   N e w s   &   " H a s t a   L u e g o "   U p d a t e M4 had a thoroughly good time at the show Saturday, Nov. 29, at the Mission Coffee House.   To judge from the bandmates' own impressions and listener feedback, the new line-up and new sound are successes.   Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind played a fairly short show, since the venue's owner gave the band forty-five minutes to an hour for its opening-slot set. In that time M4 squeezed in ten numbers: "Like Everyone Else," "My Mama Says," "Drive," "Just Another Kid," "Diving Deep," "Joe," "Sleeping," "Crawling Home," "Rain on Me," and "Never Too Close."   "Rain on Me," the newest of the songs, was given its band debut that night. "My Mama Says" and "Never Too Close," among the oldest songs, were also given their M4 debuts.   Due to the timing of the show, right after Thanksgiving, friends from Minnesota and Georgia were able to attend. Thanks go out to all the band's friends and fans who showed up and helped make the night such a pleasurable time.   At the "Hasta Luego, Karsten!" show Friday, Dec. 5, at The Keg, 200 Isadore St., Stevens Point, bands Moogie and M4 will be joined by Randy Perlak, who will perform some of his songs with the help of bass and harmonica player Mark Marti, formerly of M4. The night should be fabulous fun. (Posted 1 December '03; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

N e w   E s s a y   f o r   N o v e m b e r "Surprised by Recognition," the new, brief essay for November, appears here on the Iguanodon Smile website.   At long last, a newsletter will also soon appear, first in e-mail boxes and then in some mailboxes. (Posted 7 November '03; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

M 4   &   M o o g i e   r o c k   s h o w Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind and fellow local band Moogie, aka Chaz and Ger and Karsten, will play a show 8:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, downstairs in the Troll's Den at the Keg, 200 Isadore St., Stevens Point.   The show will serve as a sort of bon voyage party for Karsten Crouse, who will be leaving the States for a period of from six months to a year, to be with his wonderful wife Virginia.   As usual, the Troll has his excellent microbrews on tap: pilsner, pale ale, stout, red ale, and brown ale. These are incredibly good brews at incredibly reasonable prices. A good time is promised for all. (Posted 7 November '03; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

N e w   S o n g s   a t   R e n e e ' s Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind played the closing set at the party celebrating Renee's tenth year with Renee's Red Rooster.   To help establish the band's new sound, M4 included six new songs in its ten-song set: "Walk in the Sky," "Don't Have Much Time," "Sleeping," "Just Another Kid," "Crawling Home," and "Sailor." M4 also performed "Like Everyone Else," "Joe," "You're Good," and "Red Roses."   While arranged at essentially the last minute, the show served as an excellent second debut for M4 as a band. The sound turned out to be good, thanks to organizer Yvonne Bricco and fellow band Moogie, which was winding down its madcap "Whirled Tour"; the crowd proved to be a nice mix of old friends, new friends, and strangers; and the band felt energized both during and after the show. (Posted 27 October 03; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

M 4   p l a y s   R e n e e ' s   a n n i v e r s a r y   b a s h Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind will be the closing act at the ten-year anniversary party for Renee's Red Rooster 2-7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 26.   The event will feature various local musicians, including event co-organizer Yvonne Bricco. The band Moogie will play at about 5 p.m., and M4 at about 6 p.m. The $10 tickets include tap beer.   M4 will be trying out its new three-piece sound, with M. Rich and M. Borchardt on guitars and vocals, and D. Holbrook on drums.   "Tightest I have ever heard the band," said Mabel, one of the sock monkeys present at recent M4 rehearsals. "With the use of the right amps and a bit of tweaking of the EQ, they are getting a good, full sound."   "Umph, eemph," said Mel, the other sock monkey.   The band will try out a good amount of new material, with the song list likely to include "Don't Have Much Time," "Sailor," "Sleeping," and "Crawling Home," among others. (Posted 23 October 03; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

M 4   &   R a i n y   D a y   C r u s h   i n   N o v.   s h o w Rainy Day Crush, an excellent band from Kenosha, Wis., has confirmed that it will be playing alongside Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind at its Nov. 29 show at the Mission Coffeehouse.   Rainy Day Crush has recently released its album Free To Go on Skywater Records.   Scarlett's scheduled appearance on the same show is on hold, pending news on that band's opportunity to open that night for a major touring act, in a show near Milwaukee. The new Milwaukee three-piece now has a website. Go, Joey, Jools, and Kat! (Posted 21 October 03; return to the top, or check out the calendar.)

K e g   S a l a d   p l a y s   C l a r k   P l a c e Keg Salad will play Saturday, Dec. 20, at Clark Place in downtown Stevens Point, Wis.   For what should be a fun and memorable evening, the acoustic duo of Mark Rich and Martha Borchardt will be joined by two other acts.   Randy Perlak, familiar within the local music scene for his adroit finger-picking, absorbing songs, and seriously solid singing, will open the evening with a short solo set of original numbers.   After Keg Salad's long set of melodic, acoustic rock, the fun, energetic, and electric band Alpha Dog, from Milwaukee, will close the evening. (Posted 31 Aug. '03; return to the top.)

M4 Moves Forward: House Party, New Songs Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind set up just outside the doors of a garage for its first show as a newly re-formed band. The event took place Saturday, Aug. 30, at a house-warming party in Merrill, Wis.   In preparing for the show, M4 did rehearse once within a garage.   The new line-up for the now-verifiably-garage band, including Jimmy Howen on bass and Dean Holbrook on drums, proved itself worthy, playing two sets while the afternoon waned. It closed with the song "I'm Diving Deep" as the sun was setting over the surrounding woods and fields.   The band gave the first formal performances of several new numbers. The song-list included "Burning Out," "Working Hard for Nothing," "Captain Future," and "Doing What You Can." (Posted 31 Aug. '03; return to the top.)

M4 Show for November Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind will play a show the evening of Saturday, Nov. 29, at The Mission Coffee House in downtown Stevens Point, Wis.   Joining M4 on stage will be excellent new Milwaukee band Scarlett, led by talented songwriter Joey Zocher.   A third band may possibly be joining M4 and Scarlett for the evening. Feelers have been already sent out . . . (Posted 21 Aug. 03; return to the top.)

Polonia debut The new M4 band line-up made its debut Saturday, Aug.2, at Polonia Jam, at the Detour Bar in Polonia, Wis.   Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind now features the driving bass-playing of James Stanley Howen and the solid drumming of Dean Holbrook.   Due to late additions to the Polonia show, M4 had time for only a few numbers. It performed old songs "Big Head," "Drive," "When the Moon Goes Down," and "I'm Diving Deep," and left for a later date the new songs it had planned to introduce.   Earlier in the day, Keg Salad closed the acoustic portion of the Jam with "Where is the Town," new song "Touch of Life," "Cold Years," "One More Time," "Old White Houses," and "Fly."   J.S. Howen also performed solo numbers during the acoustic portion of the Jam, and was part of the amazing Bob Brothers Review, the core band around which the Polonia Jam was organized.   Founders Rich and Borchardt are of the belief that the band M4 finally rocks. Borchardt pointed out that this performance fell on the same Saturday of the year as Aug. 3, 2002, the day M4 played its debut show at Clark Place in downtown Stevens Point. (Posted 6 August 03; return to the top.)

Polonia Jam Line-Up Polonia Jam, to be held this year on Saturday, Aug. 2, is an annual get-together of musical friends, with eating, drinking, and picking being the order of the day.   Polonia Jam, now eighteen years old, has developed beyond the back-porch affair it once was, to become a larger, in-the-public-eye event. This year the entire Jam will take place at the Detour Bar, downtown Polonia, on County Road Z, northeast of Stevens Point, Wis.   Starting sometime around noon or 1 p.m., the Jam will showcase acoustic solo performers including James Stanley Howen, Mike Dennis, Barry Myers, B.J. Yenter, Ruben Cardenas, Randy Perlak, Brittany, Michelle Strasser, Tim Krogman, and Yvonne Bricco. The duo Keg Salad will finish this "Acoustic Revival Live Show" portion of the Jam.   Polonia Jam will continue through the evening with full bands, including Rattlenake and Eggs, Moogie, the Bob Brothers Review, Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind, and Rock Hard Jimmy.   The Bob Brothers Review is the band at the heart of Polonia Jam. The band features many of the Jam's long-time attendees, who travel back to Polonia from states to the East and West to take part.   The free, rain-or-shine events takes place under a big tent in downtown Polonia. (Posted 29 July 03; updated 31 July 03)

M4 Plays Polonia Jam! Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind will play during the evening at Polonia Jam, in Polonia, Wis., on Saturday, Aug. 2.   Bassist Jimmy Howen confirmed this fact at the July 23 open mike at the Keg. He reported that Fritz, owner of the hosting Detour Bar in Polonia, had put M4 on the schedule.   Polonia Jam will feature a variety of acoustic acts in the afternoon, ending with Keg Salad. A half-dozen bands will be playing in the evening.   More details to follow . . . (posted 24 July 03; return to the top.)

Change in the M4 line-up Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind has seen several shifts in personnel in the last month. On the drums, Dan Prescott played at the June 27 show at Renee's Red Rooster. He and fellow Moth Ranch member Michelle Strasser also helped in subsequent M4 rehearsals, with Strasser playing bass.   James Stanley Howen has now entered into what he calls a "temporary engagement" with M4, playing an aggressive, rhythmic bass. The new line-up may end up performing at Polonia Jam. (Posted 23 July 03; return to the top.)

Pick up Mark Rich's new chapbook Small Beer Press of Northampton, Mass., has published a new chapbook of short stories by Mark Rich, who is also, as it happens, main songwriter for Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind and Keg Salad.   For more information, a sample story, and ordering, go to Small Beer Press's page for its Chapbook No. 5, Foreigners, and Other Familiar Faces, published in June this year. (Posted 8 July 03; return to the top.)

"Kicked ass," said the man at the door The show Saturday, Jan. 18, seems to have been a successful one. "You guys kicked ass," said the man taking money at the door that night at the Mission Coffee House, after Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind's set was over. Audience reaction to the addition of pedal-steel guitar to the band's line-up was extremely positive.   The band gave the song "Monkey Head" (or "Bike Head") its debut performance, and also gave the first full-band performances of new songs "The Gang's All Here," "I'm Diving Deep," "Wonderful Lives," and "Who You Pulling Down."   It also gave the first full-band performances of older songs "Little Bit of Nothing" and "Wink." While the song is on the CD Drive, "Little Bit of Nothing" had never made it onto a set list until now. The band had recently rearranged "Wink," a standard with Keg Salad, to work for the full band.   Judging from audience reaction, new songs "Wonderful Lives" and "Who You Pulling Down" were especially popular.   Fellow Stevens Point band The Bulldogs provided an excellent closing set, with a sound compatible to M4's. (Posted 21 Jan. 03; return to the top.)

Changes near and far Aside from the changed line-up at M4 for the Jan. 18 show, with the band now having five members, other changes are taking place in the local and regional music scene.   We learned last night that the Keg will be moving its stage into the basement this weekend, which means Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind's show on Thursday, Jan. 23, will be downstairs, in the Troll's Dark Den, or whatever the head troll has dubbed it. One of the motivating factors for the move is the immediately upcoming work on the upstairs restaurant floor.   This change may affect other upcoming shows.   In regional band changes, Joey of Alpha Dog tells us she is planning to put together a second and more rowdy band, in part because Alpha Dog's drummer is busy with a new sub-sandwich business.   The Madison band Electric Automatic has a new drummer, Tom Reschke. The new band made its debut last week at the Cafe Montmartre, and is recording album "Traveling Companion" at DNA Studios with Mark Whitcomb. Whitcomb did the mastering on M4's Drive. (Posted 15 Jan. 03; return to top.)

New song log The Tuesday, Jan. 7, show by Keg Salad included the debut performances of new songs "The Gang's All Here," "I'm Diving Deep," and "Wonderful Lives." The duo also played again the recent songs "Who Are You Fooling" and "Who You Pulling Down."   All three new songs are likely to have their first M4 performance at the upcoming Saturday, Jan. 18, show. New song "Monkey Head" may possibly also see its debut. (Posted 13 Jan. 03; return to top.)

A note on Radio QUER 104,6 Since several people have written to ask about Radio QUER 104,6, which we mention below (on our "old news" page, in fact, here), we thought it useful to post information which Cathy Pulizzi, who describes herself as "a musician's wife, of Ohio," has obtained from Armin Straub.   "We are a local, independent radio station near Karlsruhe," Straub wrote to her. "We have no grant money support, so must do most things on our own. At this time we are working on a website, and on broadcasting over the Internet. [...] Our show airs every Friday from 10 to 12 p.m. [...] We have about 50,000 listeners."   For information on Cathy's husband's music, look here. (Posted 8 Oct. 02; return to top.)

Dimes for M. Rich stories While some who have heard the bands M4 and Keg Salad know Mark Rich is a science-fiction writer in addition to being a musician, few have read his works, mainly because most of them are locked away in magazines published in the 1990s.   Now the curious can read them individually in convenient eBook form, for a cost akin to the cost of making a photocopy of the stories. A list of them currently available can be found here at Fictionwise.com. The Fictionwise set-up is convenient and easy to use, and inexpensive.   You can even rate the stories, depending on how well you like them. Some are earning Poor votes -- sometimes the same stories also earning some Great votes. (Posted 8 Oct. 02; return to top.)

Mon on Monkey From one who presently calls himself "the mon w/no fone # and no address," this note arrives:   "Mad Melancholy Monkey looking at me from CD case illo this Saturday a.m. & it comes to me that Mad Melancholy means bipolar disorder, manic-depressive illness, which thankfully I've never had. And Monkey Mind is the mental illness everybody else suffers from.   "So your music should have universal appeal, no?" (Posted 26 Sept. 02; return to top.)

New review: "jagged, fuzz-driven pop" A new short review of Drive by Jesse Jarnow had been posted at JamBands.com. As with the other recent review, the JamBands review avoids unnecessary comparisons between our by-our-own-bootstraps effort to the big-money products from major labels.   This one also identifies a category for M4: "fuzz pop." As a live band, however, M4 has been going more for simple, unmodified acoustic and electric guitars. The next CD will need to be quite different. (Posted 5 Sept. 02; return to top.)

Redemption Gig Musically, the gig the night of Friday, Aug. 30, at The Keg was M4's best so far. While only a handful of listeners turned out, they were attentive and appreciative folk. The band members felt firmly back on their feet after the stumble of Aug. 10 (see the Aug. 12 news blip). Many thanks to Roy Brewer for excellent and responsive drumming, and to Randy Perlak, official Speaker Tweaker.   Although it turned out to be a two-set evening, despite the planned three sets, several songs had their first formal M4 performance that night, including "Summertime," an acoustic tune, and "Mooning," which the band has been dying to formally present before an audience, however small. It finally happened.   Friday was a football night, a holiday weekend night, and the eve before student arrival at the university. Besides this, The Keg had run out of its wonderful Pilsner, all of which helped make Friday a quiet night about town. The band, however, had a great time. (Posted 31 Aug. 02; return to top.)

"Strong Indie Sound" M4's Drive has received a great review at Legends Magazine.   Reviewer Chris Eissing starts off by commenting about Indie rock having gotten "about as far from Indie as it could be," and makes this agreeable statement: "Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind is what bands like Jimmy Eats World try to recreate in studios and on MTV stages. Can't be done."   The review is nicely fair-minded. It judges the CD as the Indie effort that it is, and points up weaknesses along with strengths. Best of all, it provides plenty of quotable material, such as these lines from the closing paragraph:"Drive is a consistent album with a strong Indie sound. It's got a stong style with excellent phrasing, craftsmanship and lyrics."   We even tend to agree with the criticisms, although we would like to note that the drumming was not a drum machine, but Rich on the keyboard punching out the beats and just pretending to be a drum machine. (Posted 21 Aug. 02; return to top.)

The August 10 Song Massacre While the Aug. 3 gig heralded the birth of a great band, the Aug. 10 gig clearly deserves the moniker of the August 10 Song Massacre.   This may be part of the great Yin and Yang of band life; or it may have been the necessary trial by fire for three bandmates in search of a fitting drummer.   The Keg, host to so many of the band's usually successful public rehearsals, was the scene of the sonic slaughter. Kate Williams fortunately was not there to record it on film.   The survivors are grateful to her for helping talk it through the next day at the pleasantly recuperative get-together hosted through shine and rain by Randy and Karen Schukar. They are also happy to endorse Central Waters Mudpuppy Porter as general tonic.   Next gig: Friday, Aug. 30, again at The Keg. (Posted 12 Aug. 02; return to top.)

Thanks to all the good souls Both Keg Salad and Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind made their debuts Saturday at Clark Place.   A night of energy and enthusiasm, it was powered as much by the spirited audience as by the music. Both friends and new faces made up the crowd, which was more than twice the size of the club's audience the previous night, when a touring folk artist perfomed.   Between them, the groups performed thirty-two original songs. Keg Salad may be taking out a few numbers and M4 may be adding a few for the Aug. 10 gig at The Keg.   Thanks to Randy Perlak and Clark Place co-owner Tom Marks for handling sound, and to Jess Petermann for providing a friendly presence at the door. (Posted 5 August 02; return to top.)

M4 on new compilation CD A new compilation CD issued by Indie One Stop, at Gajoob.com, features Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind's "You're Good."   The folks at Gajoob have picked out "outstanding, watch-out-for indie stuff you should know more about" from Homemademusic.com for its first Indie Music Picks compilation CD.   In addition to M4's "You're Good," the CD features sixteen other tracks by groups including Eclipso, entropy's lunchbox, Inhaler, Turtle Porn, The Curious Hair, and Underdrive.   The cost? A mere $7. Check it out right here. Gajoob plans the series to be monthly, with new compilations appearing on the 15th of each month.(Posted 28 July 02; return to top.)

"'Interesting' not a bad thing" A bit belatedly, we caught up with this review from the "Indie Mailbag" at FM Sound, which was posted July 1 in the zine's vol. 3, no. 13 issue. The review is no longer up, since the site editor already has changed reviews.   Reviewer C.E. Pelc says Drive offers "a rather interesting blend of pop and rock.   "Now, using the word 'interesting' is not necessarily a bad thing because songs like 'Red Roses' and 'Drive' are just that and there's seriously no other way I can think of to describe them. And then there are other tracks like 'Peaceful Mask' and 'Like Everyone Else' that sound almost like they belong in the category of '80s rock.   "Regardless, the musical compositions of singer/composer Mark Rich and guitarist Martha Borchardt are definitely not for everyone, but if you're in the market for something a tad out of the ordinary, give Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind a shot. And even if you don't like it, at least you can drop the impressive name during important conversations."   While no longer featured on the site, the review can be found in a Google cache here, at least for the time being. Most of the text is quoted above, since the cache will not likely be there for too long.   Interesting, that "Peaceful Mask" gets notice of this sort. Earlier it caught the ear of a heavy metal music reviewer; and here it is viewed as '80s-sounding. Since it actually is an '80s song, and since the '80s saw the heyday, or hairday, of metal bands, both reviewers should probably get a nod for accuracy.   The comment on "interesting" being not necessarily a bad thing is also, we think, interesting. When is it a bad thing?   Of course, we do live in an age when commercial radio seems to tell us, "'Interesting' is not necessarily a band thing." (Posted 27 July 02; return to top.)

"Hell, I liked it," says Allen Steele Book reviewer Tom Easton was good enough to make mention of M4's Drive in the pages of Analog. The following link may only be good for a few weeks: check it out here.   Allen Steele, science fiction writer extraordinaire, brought the review to our attention, noting that it hardly mattered that the CD was not Tom's kind of thing, since exposure is what matters; and he added his own perspective on the CD: "Hell, I liked it."   Any mention at all is good publicity, especially this one, which inspired Allen to mention it, too. His pithy testimonial is quoted here with his permission. (Posted 13 July 02; return to top.)

Featured at Kweevak's Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind "Drive" is a featured CD at Kweevak's Tracks, a nifty web radio and promotion site, for the month of June. The news arrived today via Richard Lynch, of Kweevak's. (Posted 2 June 02)

Loving the Fuzz Did we realize how fuzzed the guitars were, when we recorded Drive? Maybe yes, maybe no. Most of the non-fuzzy stuff must have ended up on the Toad Hall studio floor, when picking out the recordings to keep.   In any case, a nice review was posted May 11 at Indie-Music.com,which you can read here.   From her review, Indie-Music.com writer Jennifer Layton picked this line for featured quotation:  "The Femmes were attempting the same thing M4 is attempting here: stark, screeching, freaking, fuzzing alt rock". (Posted 12 May 02)

Ringing Endorsement Dept. "Great stuff, we like it! Keeps us going!" is the official word from the Maverick Wrestling Club of Philadelphia, Penn., which in February adopted M4's "Drive" as its official wrestling-drill music.   "We are serious about our choices for workout time, believe me," said Richard Winters, head of Maverick.   Since Winters is so fine a fine writer, as demonstrated by his latest novel, Ila, we are not perturbed at all to learn the Maverick Wrestling Club has but two members. This highly elite organization consists of Winters and his son. (Posted 12 March 02)

In the Holy-Shit-We-Have-a-Review Dept. Martha discovered a review of "Drive" on Splendid e-zine: read it here. "If you're dying for an album of fuzzy guitar rock, Drive is for you," writes reviewer Amy Leach. She correctly describes the band name as adjective-laden and really rather silly, and also correctly notes our need of more production experience, which we're slowly working on. She makes various comparisons and comments which we find helpful and which we also think are absolutely great. A stunner, really, for a first review. The lukewarm and cold reviews may now roll in, since we have this warm and pleasant beginning. (Posted 5 March 02; review dated 28 Feb 02)

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