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Old News, aka Historical Curiousities of Hoary Antiquity:
M4 at Renee's,
Martin drums on 16th,
Keg Salad plays benefit,
Acoustic Night III,
New essay for April,
Biesack drums,
Acoustic Night II,
Three acts in acoustic night,
M4 as string quartet,
Three Bands for April 4,
Keg Salad calls off shows,
CD-of-Year nomination,
In the troll's den,
Guatemalan update,
Band fan trapped in Guatemala!,
New essay for 2003,
Pedal philosophy,
Last show of the year,
Pedal Steel Monkey,
In the Pointer,
Jan. & Feb. date changes,
Mission Monkey,
Nov. Show for M4,
Essay for Oct.,
Good Mood Monkey,
M4 & Djirk at Mission,
Drummer conundrum redundam,
Free gig,
'Red Roses' Rising,
OnlineRock Radio,
Fiddling with the bands,
Web radio,
Score review,
Metal review,
M4 on M4 Radio,
Nothing To Lose,
Panned,
Digital chest hair monkey,
Radio Euromonkey!,
Front Page Monkey,
Radio Deutsche Monkey.
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M4 plays at Renee's
Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind will play a free show Friday, June 27, at Renee's supper club and bar.
The show will begin around 9:30 p.m., after the club's Friday fish-fry has wound down. Renee's is located at 2339 County Trunk P South, west across the river in Stevens Point.
Essentially another open rehearsal, the band is playing the show in hopes of connecting with a new venue and new music fans. (Posted 17 June 03)
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M4 open rehearsals for Summer
Down in the Troll's Den, Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind is performing occasional Tuesday-night open rehearsals.
The band invites any and all listeners to come sip a glass of the Troll's fine microbrews. Even the wonderful pale ale is on tap.
The band has practiced there Tuesdays June 3 and 17, and will schedule additional dates as the summer roles along.
Keg Salad also frequents the Wednesday-night open mikes at the same place.
The Troll's Den, downstairs from The Keg, 200 Isadore St., Stevens Point, Wis., is open Monday through Saturday, starting 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Microbrews are $2. (Posted 17 June 03)
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Martin drums for M4 on M16!
Rick Martin, former drummer for popular local band Irene's Garden, will be performing with Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind at its show Friday, May 16, at the Keg, 200 Isadore St., Stevens Point, Wis.
The free show will start around 9 p.m. downstairs in the Troll's Den.
Drummer Ryan Biesack will be facing juries of a musical-educational sort on the 16th and 17th. Understandably, he thinks hitting the stage at that point would not be the wisest thing to do. (Posted 7 May 03)
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Keg Salad plays in benefit show
Keg Salad will play in the "Songs for Abe" benefit concert 6-10 p.m. Thursday, May 8, at Clark Place in downtown Stevens Point, Wis.
Abe is a four-year-old child who was born with a rare and severe heart and lung disease, which has immune system complications, according to organizer Michell Bjella.
Also playing will be Green Tea, the UWSP Factulty Jazz Ensemble, UWSP Classical Strings, and Pointer Pickers. Keg Salad will play around 9 p.m. (Posted 14 April 03; return to top.)
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Last "Acoustic Night" for the season
Keg Salad will host Acoustic Night III in the Troll's Den, the wonderful bar downstairs at the Keg, 200 Isadore St., Stevens Point, on Friday, May 9.
The free event will begin around 9 p.m. with a brief opening set by Keg Salad, followed by acoustic performers Yvonne Bricco and Randy Perlak. Keg Salad will then finish out the evening. (Posted 14 April 03; return to top.)
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New essay for April
The Iguanodon Smile essay for April, "Peaceful Mask and Mr. War: Notes on the new M4 and Keg Salad Song," is posted here.
Those who wish to read the four earlier essays can find links to them at the bottom of the essay page. (Posted 1 April 03; return to top.)
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Biesack drums with M4 on A4
Talented and versatile drummer Ryan Biesack will be behind the drums with Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind at its show Friday, April 4, at the Mission Coffee House, 1319 Strongs Ave., Stevens Point, Wis.
Local music fans will know Biesack's playing from his recent work with jazz ensembles including Nostalgia. Earlier he served as drummer for popular blues act Otis and the Alligators, after having kicking off his drumming career in rock music.
The Friday show will also feature local bands Down By Dignity, who will open the night, and The Bulldogs, who will close the evening. The show begins earlier than usual, at 7 p.m. Admission will be $5.
The Mission is a smoke-free and all-ages venue. (Posted 29 March 03; return to top.)
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Acoustic Night II: Hussin, Ludeman, & Balke
Keg Salad will host the "Acoustic Night II" show 9 p.m. Friday, April 11, in the Troll's Den downstairs at The Keg, 200 Isadore St., Stevens Point, Wis.
Joining Keg Salad will be three performers with quite a performance history in the area.
Amy Hussin, who played in the first Acoustic Night in February, will be joined by Tim Balke, lead guitarist for Burnt Toast and Jam, an extremely popular regional jam-band.
Jenny Ludeman, best known for her work with Irene's Garden, formerly the Stellectrics, will also perform on the 11th. Not only a great performer but also an excellent songwriter, she has written songs being performed by both Irene's Garden and Alpha Dog.
The show will be free. The Troll himself will be present, serving the beers he brewed himself under his bridge. (Posted 27 March 03; return to top.)
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New song log
The March 7 show at the Keg turned out to be a pleasant evening, with guests Amy Hussin and Yvonne Bricco turning in excellents sets of music.
Keg Salad gave three numbers their debut performances: songs "Go Home," "The Circle Breaks Apart," and "Mister War." The last of the three will become a Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind song; and while M. Rich sang it March 7, M. Borchardt will sing it April 4.
Keg Salad plans another acoustic night for Friday, April 11, in the Troll's Den, with guests to be announced. (Posted 12 March 03; return to top.)
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Keg Salad, Hussin, and Bricco in acoustic show
The acoustic duo of Keg Salad will appear along with acoustic solo performers Amy Hussin and Yvonne Bricco in a show Friday, March 7, downstairs in the Troll's Den at the Keg, 200 Isadore St., Stevens Point, Wis.
Hussin and Bricco are both talented songwriters and performers. Hussin may be best known in the area as a songwriter for the rock band Alpha Dog, based now in the Milwaukee area.
The free, 21-and-over show will begin around 9 p.m. and end around 11:30 p.m., if the performers have their way. (Posted 28 Feb. 03; return to top.)
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M4 as string quartet
For the show Thursday, Feb. 20, Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind will perform as an electric string quartet: two electric guitars, pedal-steel guitar, and electric bass. The band thinks the line-up will suit the atmosphere of the Troll's Den, which is more intimate than was the wide upstairs dining area of the Keg, 200 Isadore St., where it used to perform.
M4 will be trying out drummers for its future, larger shows. Karsten Crouse was playing with M4 on loan from the band Moogie, formerly Djirk. (Posted 19 Feb. 03; return to top.)
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New M4 songs at the Keg
Listen for new songs "You Are Invited" and "When the Moon Goes Down" at Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind's show 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, at the Keg, 200 Isadore St., Stevens Point, Wis.
The free show will take place in the Troll's Den, downstairs at this excellent eatery and brewpub. (Posted 14 Feb. 03; return to top.)
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Three bands for April 4
Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind will play a show Friday, April 4, at the
Mission Coffee House, 1319 Strongs Ave., Stevens Point, Wis.
The three-band evening will also feature opening act Down By Dignity, a new local group, and closing act The Bulldogs, who also performed with M4 at its last Mission Coffee House appearance. (Posted 14 Feb. 03; return to top.)
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Keg Salad calling off shows
Since the Troll's Den, downstairs at The Keg, is still struggling to attract customers and cannot afford bands, Keg Salad has given up its planned Tuesday shows in favor of focusing promotional efforts on Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind's show on Thursday, Feb. 20.
Despite the early start for the Tuesday, Jan. 28, Keg Salad show, the bar was relatively quiet. Only five die-hards braved the snowfall expressly for the music.
The Keg Salad bargaining team of Fiddledeedee and Fiddledeedum proposed last night a March show in the Troll's Den for M4, if M4 can attract sufficient numbers to its February show. The Troll gave his assent.
For the time being, the Keg Salad duo are looking forward to having time and energy to attend a few open mikes again. At its Jan. 28 show, it introduced new numbers "Someone Knows You" and "When the Moon Goes Down." (Posted 1 Feb. 03; return to top.)
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CD-of-year nomination for Drive
The world of indie music probably has dozens of awards and best-of-year lists. No matter how many there are, it is a source of pleasure at the Iguanodon Smile office to have Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind's CD Drive listed as one of 260 nominations for the 2003 Kweevak.com Viewers Choice CD of the Year Awards.
For a point of perspective on the number of nominees, the Just Plain Folks annual CD awards this last year apparently attracted some 7,800 CD entries, or in excess of 100,000 individual songs, in a multitude of categories. For a second point of perspective, when the promotional company MPX 2000 notified Iguanodon Smile that it had passed along the song "Red Roses" off the Drive CD for possible use on hit TV show Witchblade, the MPX 2000 representative said the company had chosen the song out of more than 9,000 possibilities, putting "Red Roses" in the top one-third of one percent of all submitted material.
The Kweevak.com award no doubt will reflect the energy and activity of the fans of the various nominated musical groups.
Kweevak.com sends these rules for voting: "Voting runs from February 1 through February 28, 2003. Fans may vote for their favorite CD by going to the Awards page here. From there, they will be able to click on the 'vote' link, which will activate a drop-down menu listing this year's nominees. Fans will need to select their favorite CD, enter a valid e-mail address, and add an optional comment, if desired. To deter multiple voting, only votes from valid e-mail addresses will be retained."
Richard J. Lynch of Kweevak.com also comments as follows: "This is the fourth annual presentation of 'CD of the Year' Awards from Kweevak's Tracks. This year there will again be two awards categories: 'Top 25 CD of the Year' and 'Viewer's Choice CD of the Year.' There will be 25 winner's in each category. Viewer's Choice winners will be presented on the site in order of votes received (1-25). CD of the Year Award winners will receive an animated web graphic, will be announced in press releases sent to music media outlets around the world, and will be announced on several Internet webcasts and radio shows as well."
Do such nominations and awards matter? In a busy world with tens of thousands of bands struggling along for existence, even small distinctions warrant the raising a pint of beer. (Posted 27 Jan. 03; return to top.)
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In the troll's den
Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind was pleased to find the new downstairs Troll's Den at The Keg, 200 Isadore Street, a congenial place to perform. Although the ceilings are low and the floor is tile, the stage sound is clear, and the stage itself gives more of an "on stage" feeling than it did upstairs, in the restaurant.
The Troll himself, always present behind the bar, is also a congenial sort.
The song list for the Jan. 23 show was as follows.
Set One: "Time Will Never Heal," "Fight," "Your Name and Mine," "Wink," "Drive," "Digging Your Grave," "Wonderful Lives," "I'm Diving Deep," "High," "Joe," "Frozen Minds," and "Poor Boy." Set Two: "Peaceful Mask," "Like Everyone Else," "Monkey Head," "Who You Pulling Down," "Mooning," "Follow Me," "Dead Telephone," "Red Roses," "Get Real," and "The Gang's All Here." (Posted 24 Jan. 03; return to the top.)
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New early shows for Keg Salad
The acoustic duo Keg Salad will be able to start its shows earlier in the evening than before, now that the stage at the Keg has been moved downstairs away from the dining area.
The show on Tuesday, Jan. 28, will begin at 8 p.m. at the The Keg, 200 Isadore St., Stevens Point. (Posted 25 Jan. 03; return to top.)
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Late breaking news: Saturday, Jan. 18!
We have just learned from Mission Coffee House kaiser Jordan Kaiser of his success in finding a last-minute replacement for Northern Lights.
The Bulldogs, which he says is another Wisconsin Rapids rock group on the quieter end of the spectrum, will play for perhaps an hour, after M4 plays from 8:30 to perhaps 10:30.
The Mission will be holding a mini arts festival during the day. The Screaming Gypsies will perform at 4 p.m., for those who want to see Stevens Point's excellent local bellydancing troupe. (Posted 17 Jan. 03)
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Saturday show solo?
News has arrived that Wisconsin Rapids band Northern Lights has cancelled its appearance Saturday, for unknown reason. This may mean Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind will have the whole evening to itself, unless the energetic staff at the Mission Coffee House comes up with a replacement.
M4 has ample material for a full evening, with some 36 songs in its repertoire, all original numbers. (Posted 16 Jan. 03)
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Mission Monkey ... Updated!
Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind will be playing an all-ages show on Saturday, January 18.
The great thing about this show, for all of you who have told us your bedtime is 8:30 p.m., is that this show starts right at your bedtime, not after.
M4 will open the show with a set of one and a half to two hours. This will be the premiere of the new band line-up, with Michael Dennis added on pedal steel guitar.
Although still performing with the acoustic group Loose Strings, Dennis is clearly pleased to be playing with M4. "Something tells me this is going to be a real band ... something unique," he says.
Another area band will take the second slot of the evening, around 10:30 p.m. Named Northern Lights, this new act hails from Wisconsin Rapids.
The venue will be the Mission Coffee House, 1319 Strongs Ave., Stevens Point, Wis. The cover charge will be a mere $4. (Posted 3 Jan. 03; return to top.)
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Guatemalan connection correction
We have a clarification on the Virginia Freire situation, although no news of progress.
The government preventing her return turns out to be our own. The situation arises from the agreement that allowed V. Freire to study in the States. A two-year return to her mother country was part of that agreement.
In the meantime, the band sends her a hearty hello!(Posted 13 Jan 03; return to top.)
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Band fan trapped in Guatemala
Dr. Virginia Freire, a professor at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and, as it happens, wife of M4 drummer Karsten Crouse, is unable to leave her native Guatemala.
She traveled to her home country over the holidays, to visit family and to celebrate the successful end to her efforts to earn her doctorate from the University of Illinois at Carbondale. UW-Stevens Point officials, however, failed to give Freire proper papers for her return.
At present, the Guatemalan government is keeping her from leaving the country. (Posted 3 Jan. 03; return to top.)
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New essay posted for 2003!
The Iguanodon Essay series, which has been appearing at the blinding speed of one every couple months, has a new installment to be found here.
Any who wish to read the previous essays can find links to them at the bottom of that page. (Posted 3 Jan. 03; return to top.)
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Pedal philosophy
"A unique instrument that can transcend its Nashville-only stereotype," writes Mike Dennis of his chosen instrument.
For his perspective on bringing the pedal-steel guitar into an alternative rock format, read his comments here. (Posted 19 Dec. 02)
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Last show of the year
Mark and Martha gave their last acoustic-duo Keg Salad show of the year on Tuesday, Dec. 10, at the Keg. The show was one of their best-attended, with the nearly empty house turning into a fairly full one just as the show got underway.
They introduced two numbers at the show: the similarly entitled but otherwise quite different songs "Who You Pulling Down" and "Who Are You Fooling." At the previous show they introduced new song "Old White Houses." (Posted 15 Dec. 02; return to top.)
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Mission Monkey ...
Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind will be playing an all-ages show in January.
The venue will be the Mission Coffee House, 1319 Strongs Ave., Stevens Point, Wis. The music will start at the reasonable hour of 8:30 p.m. The cover charge will be a mere $2.
(Posted 15 Dec. 02; return to top.)
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New dates for Keg Salad
Keg Salad will kick off 2003 on Tuesday, Jan. 7, with a show given in appreciation to the venue where it has been regularly appearing, The Keg, 200 Isadore St., Stevens Point, Wis.
This means not only will listeners get in for free, but the bar will have us on the stage for free, too.
For more Keg Salad dates in January and February, check out the calendar. (Posted 4 Dec. 02; return to top.)
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Pedal steel monkey
In an unexpected development on the M4 front, Michael Dennis sat in with the band at its Sunday, Dec. 1, open rehearsal at the Keg.
The unexpected element was this: Michael Dennis brought his Fender pedal steel guitar, not exactly the sort of instrument a musician typically brings along when sitting in with a rock band. He is interested in putting pedal steel into an alternative rock format, however. To judge from the responses of the various M4 band members, the new sound may be fitting in. M. Dennis plans to attend future Sunday rehearsals.
M. Borchardt noted the pedal steel added the needed melancholy note. M. Rich, who has wanted to keep M4 a four-piece, thinks the new sound has potential and is wavering.
M. Dennis currently plays with local country-folk group Loose Strings. He was a founding member of the Stellectrics, now known as Irene's Garden. (Posted 2 Dec. 02; return to top.)
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Shows and open rehearsals
Attendance for the Nov. 15 show was helped a bit by a story about M4 in the UWSP The Pointer (Nov. 14, 2002, issue; p. 13): "It's not often that a new band releases an album that possesses its own distinct sound that immediately sets it apart from almost everything else." The kind words come via the paper's arts and review editor Josh Goller.
"M4 delivers a sound that sounds comfortingly familiar yet completely unique," he wrote. "Compared to Tom Petty and the Violent Femmes, M4 weaves heavily distorted guitar riffs with catchy tunes that will appeal to any indie music fan."
The Nov. 15 show was an enjoyable one. After Randy Perlak's hour of solo-acoustic numbers, M4 played two sets, the second one fairly short since the crowd was mostly an early-evening one. The band was pleased to have the audience it did, given the fact that local favorites Irene's Garden and touring artist John Kruth were performing at Clark Place and Witz End, respectively, at the same time.
After a bit of a hiatus, M4 has returned to its schedule of Sunday-night open rehearsals at the Keg. (Posted 25 Nov. 02; return to top.)
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New songs
Keg Salad, consisting of M. Rich and M. Borchardt on acoustic guitars and vocals, gave new song "Crazy Girl" its premier at Tuesday's show at The Keg.
They also presented their version of "She's So Far Away" for the first time. The song is written by local songwriter Mike Lila.
This Oct. 22 show was Keg Salad's longest, with forty songs performed, twenty-seven of them being original numbers. The audience was also its largest, with a good-sized crew there for the first, two-hour set, and a different but also fair-sized group for the second and third sets. (Posted 23 Oct. 02; return to top.)
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Changed dates for January and February
The two 2003 dates set for Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind at
The Keg have been changed, the band confimed with co-owner Carol last night. Both are being moved up one day, from Friday to Thursday. Thus, the Jan. 24 show is now scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 23; and the Feb. 21 show is now scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 20. (Posted 13 Nov. 02; return to top.)
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Beer news
For the show Friday, Nov. 15, at The Keg, a new batch of Alaskan Pale Ale will be on tap. Its brewer, Ron, re-dubbed it Ass-Kicker Pale Ale after sampling it before the final carbonation.
He seemed fine, however, the next day.
The Octoberfest, unfortunately, was a fine brew. The unfortunate part of the matter is the past-tense verb being employed. It is gone.
The excellent Pilsner, however, is fortunately on tap. The members of Keg Salad report good results from their experiments at drinking this particular brew before, during, and after performances.
The Keg also has its Brown Ale and Point Beer's Amber on tap, likewise fine brews. (Posted 13 Nov. 02; return to top.)
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November show for M4
Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind will be playing a show Friday, Nov. 15, at The Keg, taking the place of a band that cancelled.
Randy Perlak will be opening the show at 9:30 p.m. with a selection of his songs.
Perlak, a Stevens Point, Wis., resident, has become a familiar and welcome presence at local open mikes. He has been hosting the open mike at the Mission Coffee House this past year, and has also served loyally as Speaker Tweaker for M4 at its various shows.
He is also, to use the complicated terminology common among musicians, a really nice guy.
The cover charge for the evening will be a mere $2. (Return to top.)
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Gig notes
Rehearsals have been going quite well for the two gigs the week of October 20.
On Tuesday, Oct. 22, acoustic duo Keg Salad, aka Mark and Martha, will play a free show at The Keg, starting between 8:30 and 9 p.m., although calendars say 9:30 p.m. Beer special: $1 pints. The Octoberfest should be available by then.
On Friday, Oct. 25, Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind and Djirk appear at the Mission Coffee House. Djirk will open the show, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. M4 will close out the evening. Cost: a mere $2.
Please note that Djirk, aka Chaz and Gerry's band, will also make an appearance the night of Wednesday, Oct. 23, at the UWSP campus, in support of Green Party candidate Jim Young.
New Song and Past Gig Notes: The Keg Salad show on Tuesday, Oct. 8, went nicely. M. Marti joined the M&M duo, playing harmonica on quite a few numbers in the first and second sets, including on new song "Your Name and Mine." The group also gave "Short Summer Night," "Wide," and "Hard Past the Moon" their formal debuts. "Hard Past the Moon" turned out to be one of the more popular numbers of the night.
It seems odd to the band members that "Time Will Never Heal" is no longer exactly a new song. It did have been first formal Keg Salad performance on Sept. 14, however. The song will be given its first M4 performance at the Oct. 25 show. "Your Name and Mine," likewise. Two songs to have their first formal performances will be "Dead Telephone" and "Crazy Girl." (Posted 18 Oct. 02; return to top.)
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Essay for October
The monthly Iguanodon Smile essay has not been monthly. It is still an essay, however. The new one, with the title "Locally Brewed ... but served in the wrong glass," is now posted, and can be read here.
The first essay can still be read here, and the second one, here. (Posted 8 Oct. 02; return to top.)
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Beer and band news in brief
The Keg, where Keg Salad plays two Tuesday a month, and where Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind rehearses on Sunday evenings, has been getting a mite low in the house-brew department. We greet the news, therefore, that an Octoberfest beer will be on tap soon, an effort from the borrowed hands of the brewmaster of Central Waters Brewery; and that Ron also has a new batch of Pilsner in the works.
Be sure to check the calendar page for the dates we are playing. Karsten Crouse will be playing drums on the Oct. 25 date at the Mission Coffeehouse. Mark Marti will add harmonica to the Keg Salad performance Oct. 8 at the Keg. (Posted 8 Oct. 02; return to top.)
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Mojo monkey
"Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind is one of the artists on 'The Studio' show," writes Frank Grima of Mojo Music Studio, Easton, N.H.. "We are spinning 'Like Everyone Else' on the show.
"The show first airs on 'The Notch' WMTK 106.3FM in Littleton on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2002, at 7 p.m. Then it airs on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 7 p.m. on the same station. Please go to Mojo Music Studio and click on 'Radio Show' to see where the show will air next week. We have many new stations airing our show ... and many of them also net-stream our show."
Grima urges us to tell everyone to call their favorite radio station and request "The Studio" from Mojo Music Studio in Easton, N.H. How could we deny such a request? (Posted 19 Sept. 02; return to top.)
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Good-mood monkey
The Saturday, Sept. 14, show at The Keg proved quite the fun time. The audience, while not huge, was largely made up of friends and acquaintances of the band, many of them musicians, most of whom stuck around for the evening. The mood was the most relaxed and pleasant of the four M4 shows so far.
New songs having their formal M4 launches included brand-new "Time Will Never Heal," and a song first rehearsed in Djang days but not performed until now by M4, "Never Too Close." Also making its debut, in a sense, was "Summertime," sung by M. Borchardt, a new version of a song M. Rich wrote back in his Glass Doves days.
The band's repertoire is looking healthy, these days. In three sets, M4 performed 29 songs, a few tunes short of the number on its planned set lists. The sound check included another few songs.
New player K. Crouse did ably behind the drums, keeping within a range of dynamics that earned him much appreciation from sound guy R. Perlak.
One band member's parents, Charles and Kikue Rich, arrived from the state of Oregon for the show. Thanks all who were there. (Posted 17 Sept. 02; return to top.).
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M4 and Djirk B-Day Bash at the Mish
To celebrate the birthday of Chaz Steltenpohl of the band Djirk, Djirk and Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind will play a show 8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25, at The Mission Coffee House, the home of Mission coffee and one of the top local venues for alternative rock acts.
This should prove to be a great, great time. The door cover will be minimal. The show is all-ages, with beer available for older thirsts. (Posted 12 Sept. 02; return to top.).
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Drummer Condundrum Redundum
Since the ever-adroitly incommunicative Roy Brewer ignominiously jumped the M4 ship sans explanation, the band again entered Looking-for-Drummer limbo, which quickly became Waiting-To-Hear-from-Drummer limbo.
While residing on this comfortably quiet ring of musical Purgatory, the band was rehearsing Sunday night at the Keg and looking at the possibility of performing the next Saturday night without anyone to swing the sticks.
Some of M4's listeners had independently suggested this no-drummer approach, since some of them preferred hearing the trio to the quartet, especially when the fourth member was the Amazing Exploding Man.
While both band members and audience liked the work of the Amazing Nonappearing Man, Brewer's special talents at nonappearing won the day.
At this last Sunday's rehearsal, into the Keg walked Karsten and Virginia Crouse, who are newly returned to town after a restful soujourn in exotic Carbondale, Ill., where Virginia was successfully finishing off becoming an Academic Phud. She has now returned to her post at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
While Djirk, formerly Djerk, plans to have Karsten drumming for them, this next Saturday he will drum with Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind. Djirk's Chaz and Gerry will be on a jaunt to France, and will miss this great event. (Posted 10 Sept. 02; return to top.)
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Free gig on Saturday!
The show Saturday, Sept. 14, will be a free show.
Things will get rolling musically at The Keg at 9:30 p.m., and will keep going until well after 1 a.m. This may be the last full-band gig for a while, since we have nothing else lined up yet! (Posted 10 Sept. 02; return to top.)
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"Red Roses" rising
The song "Red Roses" is going into a database of songs selected for possible use on a popular cable TV dramatic series.
Being selected puts "Red Roses" in the top "one-third of one percent" of music submitted for possible use in the show, according to Anthony Evans of MPX 2000, New York City's largest marketing company that handles music. (Posted 26 Aug 02; return to top.)
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The Name-That-Billy Contest
We have no choice but to hold a "Name That Billy" contest, to judge from this line in Chris Eissing's review, talking about the last song on the Drive CD:
"'Little Bit of Nothing' is a something-a-billy tune. It's not rock-a-billy, not punk-a-billy, not psycho-billy. But it's definitely something-a-billy."
Nominations are now officially open. Drop us a line. Winner will receive some kind of wonderful prize -- very likely a monkey toy of some sort. Our supply of toy Iguanodons is too limited. (Posted 21 Aug. 02; return to top.)
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Keg Salad acoustic nights
Keg Salad will be appearing in a series of free appearances.
The Keg will be hosting acoustic nights on Tuesdays during the university school year. The acoustic duo of Keg Salad will periodically take the Tuesday stage, with the first one being scheduled for Sept. 3. It should be a hopping night, for a Tuesday. No cover charge, and dollar pints. Quite the winning combination.
Keg Salad's second Tuesday appearance will be on Sept. 24, with later appearances on Oct. 8 and 22. (Posted 20 Aug. 02; updated 31 Aug. 02; return to top.)
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The Brewer-Brewpub Connection
Drummer Roy Brewer will be joining the band for its Friday, Aug. 30, gig at The Keg. With any luck, he will also be able to play the subsequent Sept. 14 gig there, which will be the band's first gig during the nearby university's school year. Brewer played an early rehearsal with M4.
For his recent reappearance on the rehearsal scene, Brewer has been given the Most Drummingest Drummer award by a biased committee of three.
Speaking of The Keg, that fine establishment once again has both the stout and the brown ale on tap, even though Herr Bierbrauer Ron recently blew the cap off a pressurization tank. Both he and the beer escaped with their lives.
Of the stout, our informed opinion is this: yes. Not before rehearsal, but afterwards. Among the band members, only Marti is a brown ale drinker, and he looks upon a pint of The Keg's brown ale with high regard. The preferred drink for the band during rehearsals is, of course, the fine pilsner.
This also is noteworthy: The Keg has Point Brewery's new rootbeer on tap. This rootbeer is a fine thing. Point's test batch of honey lager, called Honey Blight, or something along those lines, is also still on tap. This, in the minds of the band members, is not so fine a thing. Go drink a few pints and help out Ron. (Posted 19 August 02; return to top.)
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Photomania
We have new photos posted at both this Iguanodon Smile website and at the M4 website at OnlineRock.com.
The photos here are posted on a new page accesible through the M4 page, or by simply clicking here. Special thanks are due to Kate Williams, who has been working diligently behind her camera at gig and rehearsal. (Posted 9 August 02; return to top.)
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Front-Page Monkey II
The headline reads, "Toy expert hits the rock stage," at Music Industry News Network. The story will presumably be moved to a back page on later days. (Posted 25 July 02)
The release now appears here. (Posted 26 July 02; return to top.)
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Gig Monkey III
Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind will be playing 9:30 p.m Saturday, Aug. 10, at The Keg. Keg Salad will play the opening set. The band previously scheduled for this date canceled.
As of now, the schedule looks like this: Aug. 3, Clark Place; Aug. 10, The Keg; Sept. 14, The Keg.
Keep an eye on the calendar for updates. (Posted 25 July 02; return to top.)
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The Essay for July
The new essay is posted here.
You can also still read the May essay here. (Posted 10 July 02; return to top.)
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Drummer for the 3rd
Dynamic drummer Daniel Seaton, who has been rehearsing recently with M4, will be the drummer for the Aug. 3 gig at Clark Place. Dan is also drumming with new local punk band Death Valley Rockets.
The band rehearsals have occasionally changed at short notice. Check the calendar for updates. Also watch for details there on the upcoming outdoor open mike. (Posted 8 July 02; return to top.)
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Gypsy Indie-pop
Local songwriter Jason Francis has labeled the Keg Salad/M4 sound as "gypsy rock," which suits us fine, since we have been at a loss for words when asked what kind of music we play. "Indie-pop," we usually say. Now Jason has written a song about the local open-mike scene, with verse one about songwriter and open mike host Randy Perlak, and verse two about Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind. We kid you not. The song saw its grand debut last Thursday, June 26, at the Mission. The M4 crew was elsewhere at the time, naturally. Rehearsing. Nothing like missing out on your own life's finer moments. (Posted 2 July 02; return to top.)
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OnlineRock Radio
Among other on-line stations playing M4 is OnlineRock Radio. (Posted 2 July 02)
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Calendar
A bit belatedly, we are adding a calendar to the Iguanodon Smile website, for your at-a-glance consulting pleasure.
While it does not tell you everything, it will definitely tell you everything we remember to put on it. Check it out here. (Posted 20 June 02; return to top.)
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Gig monkey II
The two bands will be appearing Saturday, Sept. 14, at The Keg. The show will probably start around 9 p.m.
A brewpub, the Keg is located at 200 Isadore St., across from the K-Mart parking lot, Stevens Point, Wis. The foursome of Carol, Ron, Allen and Rachel are doing a great job in making this a dynamic place. Ron is responsible for several of the brews on tap: Alaskan Pale Ale, Night Train IPA, Granite Peak Pilsner, Schmeekle Stout, Busta'Nut Brown Ale, and Harvest Moon Wheat.
For more information call 715.344.4946. (Posted 20 June 02; return to top.)
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Gig monkey
The two bands will be appearing 8:30 p.m. Saturday, August 3, at Clark Place.
Clark Place is located the former American Legion Hall building at 1009 Clark St., Stevens Point, Wis. New owners Tom and Dave have done a wonderful job renovating the upper story. They enlarged the bar from a small "C"-shaped affair to a big "O," spruced up the stage, and added an excellent sound system. As of this writing, Gray's Oatmeal Stout and Point Amber are on tap.
Both coffee house and bar, Clark Place has been host to both local and national acts. Other local acts appearing there soon include Irene's Garden and Maggie and the Molecules. For information, call 715.343.1530. (Posted 17 June 02; return to top.)
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Fiddling with the bands
Partly due to the kind of the gigs we are looking at for later this year, we have slightly moved the dividing line between Keg Salad and Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind.
Rather than being the full band with the two acoustic guitars out front, Keg Salad will be the performance group of essentially those two acoustic guitars, along with whatever vocals and assorted instruments are attached thereto.
This means Keg Salad can be a bit more of the free-wheeling creature we meant it to be from the first. It might be the two of us playing, or it might be several of us. Whatever works, for the particular gig.
The full, four-piece band will be Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind. This will include the all-electric-instrument band music that was M4 territory before, as well the music played on acoustic guitars with bass and drums backup.
Gig announcements will follow soon. (Posted on a gray and drizzly 14 June 02; return to top.)
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Open rehearsals
Keg Salad has rehearsed in public several times at the The Keg and Clark Place, and will continue rehearsing in public, so long as these establishments welcome us; and M4 will be doing likewise. Why hide, after all? Let us know if you want to be alerted to these rehearsals. Or just drop in on these establishments on quieter nights, such as Sundays, Tuesdays, or Wednesdays (although the last Clark Place rehearsal was on a Friday).
Right now the Keg, our local brewpub, has two excellent new offerings in its Pilsner and Brown Ale. A wheat beer will join them as soon as the amber, currently on-tap, is finished. So if the band is not there, consolation can be found in liquid form. (Posted 1 June 02). (The wheat beer is great, and is going on-tap as of today. 2 June 02; return to top.)
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Web radio
M4's "Drive" was added to Web Radio Puget Sound early in May. We just found out. (Posted 31 May 02)
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Lollipop
"Probably the most interestingly named band," the reviewer at Score! Music Magazine said of M4, describing the band as "an alternative, poppy, sometimes folksy band. A little Tom Petty, a little Violent Femmes." A little slow-paced for this reviewer, however.
"A lollipop. I'm not sure why, but I craved one while listening to this album." (Posted 31 May 02; return to top.)
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Grooviest rhythm, the man says
The startling development of the day is the return of that incredibly complex website, Garageband.com. No one sent us an e-mail that it had returned to life. Instead, we received notice that "Red Roses" had just gotten a review, which you can access here, along with the song's other reviews. The new review, under the title "Kinda spacy," gives these lower-case views: "this is pretty cool. i think it sounds like space rock because of the strange distortion. it sounds almost like something from the '80s."
Are we psyched at Garageband's return? Well, yes, of course. When we talked with Schaeffer of Monovox a while back, he cared less about the loss of the record deal with Garageband Records than about the loss of the community at Garageband.com. At the time it shut down in February, we were newcomers to the community, and were just starting to feel at home there.
You can find a good capsule history of the site here. (Posted 22 May 02; return to top.)
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Mad Metal Monster Monkey
We never expected to be reviewed at the "Monsters World of Metal" website. Yet there we are, startlingly enough. Drive even earned five out of ten reviewer points, which must mean we are a full 50 percent Monster Metal. This is a higher percentage Monster Metal than we ever thought we were. And we get that percentage because of "Peaceful Mask," of all songs. An intriguing and semantically challenging review, it appears here. You may understand why we now sit at the diner counter, asking for one order of potential to go, please. (Posted 9 April 02) Update: This review also appears at another site devoted to Metal music, Stormbringer. (10 April 02) Update: And also at Music-Reviewer.com. (12 May 02; return to top.)
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M4 on M4 Radio
Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind's Drive was added to the rotation on Internet radio station M4 Radio on April 14. If you have the proper software, you may well enjoy this all-Indie station, which you can find
here. Please request us. If, that is, you want to hear us, or do us a kind-hearted favor. (Posted 26 April 02)
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The Iguanodon Smile Essay
Read the May essay here. Will this be a monthly imposition upon your reading time and tired eyes? It may well be. (Posted 26 April 02; return to top.)
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M4 Fan Is Famous!
Jeff Potocsnak, dedicated fan of Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind, is co-author of a new book published by Krause: Funny Face! An Amusing History of Potato Heads, Block Heads, and Magic Whiskers. Jeff promises to drag the band behind him into the limelight. His co-author is too busy to do the dragging, himself. Check the book out here. (Posted 26 April 02; return to top.)
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Coal, Man
Joining Mark Marti in trying on the M4 and Keg Salad hats is Roy Brewer, newly transplated to the Central Wisconsin area from the dreary coal fields of Pennsylvania. Coal has apparently thoroughly permeated his system, for his hair is black and combustible, brilliantly catching fire when he drums.
Mark Marti made his first impromptu appearance with the other Keg Salad members this past Tuesday, April 16, at the Witz open mike. His adroit harmonica playing met with public approval. (Posted 19 April 02; return to top.)
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Garageband.com Returns
Garageband.com has risen from the ashes, after having failed to nail the distribution deal it thought it needed for its survival. It has taken an alternate route. A group of "diehard Garageband employees, music lovers, and musicians" have bought the company. Plans call for the website to be up in a month. The good news for us is that bands will have access to their old reviews. This means we can savor both the "Wow" and the "Eccch braack!" words of our fellow musicians once again. For more details check out Garageband. (Posted 16 April 02; return to top.)
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Basic Addition
Musician Mark Marti is trying on the idea of being a member of Keg Salad and Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind, possibly playing bass in both bands, and harmonica in Keg Salad. See the Keg Salad page. (Posted 15 April 02; return to top.)
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Website Monkey
Check out the new Mad Melancholy Monkey Mind website here. The host is Online Rock, a place that seems congenial for the likes of us. The site is a humble one at present, but will slowly grow. (Posted 10 April 02; return to top.)
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Nothing To Lose
Three songs from the Iguanodon Smile catalog appear on the CD "Less Is More," released by the local band Djerk in March: "One More Time," "Drive," and "Nothing To Lose." This is the first recorded version of "Nothing To Lose" to appear. The band's members are former Djang members Chaz and Gerry Steltenpohl, Mike Martin, and Peter Fee. Djerk performed its first formal show, with a guest drummer, on April 4, opening for Pennsylvania band Maggie, Pierce & E.J. at Witz End. A good time was had by all. (Posted 9 April 02; return to top.)
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The Ice Cream Truck Man Cometh
We are delighted to report we have our first Two-Thumbs-Down review, at an entertaining webzine based in England called hOOchy. The reviewer not only did not like the music, not to mention the package, she really did not like the music. She starts off by citing sage words handed down to her: "Who was it that told me that some things should be seen and not heard? Oh yeah, now I remember, it was that lovely young man.... Mr Ice cream van driver." She then progresses to the conclusion this CD should not even be seen. Check it out here. The site has bothersome pop-up windows, but nothing really noxious. (Posted 9 April 02; return to top.)
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Treading water ...
How time flies! What have we been doing? Mainly haunting the local music scene. Watch for new reviews at Legends Magazine and Not Your Zine. If you are a Southern California night owl, listen Wednesday nights to "Ian Faith's Music Scene Revue" on KRLA 870AM, devoted to indie music. Or you can listen live on the web. If you are footloose in central Wisconsin, drop in on the open mikes listed at the Links page. On the non-music front, watch for Mark's collaboration with Jeff Potocsnak, Funny Face, available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and wherever else you like.(Posted 8 April 02; return to top.)
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Digital Chest Hair Monkey
No, really, a new review, at Friction Magazine. We are amused. We are easily amused, true enough. But we are amused. Check it out here. (Posted 12 March 02; return to top.)
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Radio Euromonkey!
"Red Roses" is being played on the overpoweringly cool "Lord Litter New Music Hour," an eclectic and international show from Germany, the week of March 10.
The best way for many of us to hear it is on
Future Now Radio out of Carteret, New Jersey, which webcasts on Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday. The Lord Litter show will air 1 p.m. Sunday, 1 a.m. Monday, and 4 p.m. Wednesday, Eastern time. Other stations offer webcasts of Lord Litter's longer, on-demand show. Whether "Red Roses" will be aired on this other show we do not know.
Other stations broadcasting the Lord Litter shows are:
Radio Marabu, a German station on the airwaves in nine European countries, and also webcasting and offering on-demand webcasts;
Nice Surf, webcasting out of Germany;
Indieport Radio, with on-demand webcasting;
and
Jolly Roger Radio International, on the airwaves in Ireland and also boasting of a webcast listenership in seven continents.
Radio Free Kansas apparently will be adding the show soon.
M4 is on the playlist along with Persephone's Dream, Gold Coast, TEXTA, Mahones, Digital Explosion, Marfa Lights, David Berkeley, Rentboy, Ruth Wyand, and Franco Turra e i Cuori Esagerati, a gathering of performing talents from Australia, Europe, and the U.S.
Three cheers for Lord Litter! (Posted 9 March 02.)
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Melancholy Monk Award
The band has no expectations of family members beyond the occasional good word and obligatory pat on the back, which is why we award the Beyond the Call of Duty award to this statement: "Good work on the Melancholy Monk. We listened through some time back." This statement came from Dr. Charles M. Rich, recently retired from the pipe organ bench and the pulpit. Mark entertained no special hopes his parents, who have ears finely tuned to classical whatzits and whozits, would last all the way through "Drive." Their statement of their having done this, and having survived the experience, leads Iguanodon Smile to create and award the first Melancholy Monk Award, given for Familial Acts Beyond the Call of Duty. After all, not even all rock music fans seem to survive the experience of hearing this CD. (Posted 4 March 2002; return to top.)
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Garagebandland hope fanned
We heard a few days ago from Christine Keating at Garageband.com, who remains hopeful for a positive end to the current impasse.
"I'll be here to the bitter end ... as I do still believe that we can make this thing work!" she said, when we inquired if she was still with the company. "Don't give up on us!"
Now an Associated Press story has been circulating which quotes Garageband Records CEO Tom Zito on a similarly hopeful note. Apparently Garageband is again in talks that may lead to a distribution deal for the company, which may allow the site to reopen as soon as May 1. (Posted 23 Feb 02; return to top.)
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Some stations that may play us
If you happen to be located near any of these stations, you might give them a ring and request us. The simple fact of our name appearing on a request log might make them actually dig the CD out of the throwaway pile and give it a listen. Requesting songs at other stations may also make them check out our website. (Posted 18 Feb. 02; return to top.)
3WK (3wk.com), on-line radio
All Campus Radio Network (ACRN), Athens, Ohio
BG Enterprises, www.cyberstationusa.com, New Britain, Connecticut
KBGA, Missoula, Montana
KGLT, Bozeman, Montana
KTEC, Klamath Falls, Oregon
Lord Litter, www.lordlitter.de/radioshow.html, Berlin, Germany
WBCR, Beloit, Wisconsin
WHSS, Hamilton, Ohio
WITR, Rochester, New York
WMFO, Medford, Massachusetts
WOBC, Oberlin, Ohio
WORT, Madison, Wisconsin
WSHL, North Easton, Massachusetts
WWSP, Stevens Point, Wisconsin
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Closing that Garage Door
Garageband.com abruptly closed down its own website on Feb. 15, citing the fact that a distribution for its recording efforts had fallen through. Garageband.com pulled the plug on the website to save money, it said.
M4 had two songs up on the site: "Red Roses" and "You're Good." While "Red Roses" had been uploaded first, its placement in the Rock music category seems to have been its downfall, since the reviews came only sporadically. The song also seemed a bit out of place among the other, more typical rock numbers. One reviewer even entitled a review "Artistic License," with a "Well, gosh, that's sorta crazy" kind of message. "You're Good," on the other hand, went into the Alternative category and quickly received multiple reviews, including a surprising number of quite good ones.
The best, which the band chose for its signature review, was entitled something like "Nice and nasty," and compared the band's sound to Cheap Trick and Tom Petty, among others. Someone from a band named Twig made these comments. Unfortunately, having no clue Garageband.com would pull the plug, the band had not yet made copies of these reviews. (Posted 15 Feb 02; return to top.)
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Front Page Monkey
M4's CD "Drive" was featured on the front page of
Music Industry News Network on Thursday, 24 Jan 02, in the "Did You Know?" slot. The article continues to reside at the Mi2N site here, if you care to take a look.
We have no idea how we were lucky enough to obtain that placement, but are grateful for the exposure. (Return to top.)
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Radio Deutsche Monkey
On Jan. 17, we received a request out of the blue for M4's CD "Drive" from a gentleman named Armin Straub. He reported the existence of a radio show on Radio QUER 104.6 called "Heartland," or at least called that in translation, which focuses on Modern/Alternative Rock from the American Midwest.
This seems a fine focus for a radio show. It might even make sense for German listeners, since many of the musicians producing music in at least Wisconsin will be of European descent, with ancestors only two or three generations back being from Germany or nearby regions.
We can only hope there will be many other shows around the world with the same focus. (Return to top.)
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Garage Band Monkey
Having uploaded the song "Red Roses" from "Drive" onto garageband.com, we lived a couple days in suspense until receiving our first review there on Monday, Jan. 28. The second review followed on Tuesday.
Our initial sense of how things are going, from this tiny pool of information, is this:
Hey, OK.
We may have more statistical basis for this opinion in the future. (Return to top.)
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