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"Everything Mazzy --- I love it !"

March 29, 1999 - Spring is here. My hibernation is over.

Some quick answers, off the top of my head. (or my Mini-FAQ)

What's Mazzy Star up to?
When's the next CD coming out?
Why'd you take so long to update the site?

What's Mazzy Star up to?

Well, as a band, not much. But, separately, a little. Hope contributed some vocals to June's Jesus & Mary Chain Munki CD. She also has reportedly been working with Jill on "something." David has produced some tracks on the new Beth Orton album and he added some acoustic guitar licks to one of the songs. Keith has "been keeping busy" playing some LA shows with Miranda Lee Richards and Cindy Alexander. (This is the quick answer, off the top of my head. I'll fill in the details soon.)

When's the next Mazzy Star CD coming out?

No one really knows if there will be a next Mazzy Star CD. There are a number of different factors involved here. But if a 4th Mazzy album was in the works, it seems now would be about the time that they would be working on it. The usual (if you can call it that) pattern is about 3 years between releases. It'll be 3 years, in July. (Or October--it depends on how you look at it. Among My Swan was originally scheduled to come out in July '96, I believe, but was held back until October.)

But there's been no word of anything happening, yet.

What about that "Other Side" CD you mention?

That's not an official CD. (In other words, it's a....ahem....bootleg. Page down to read my description of the CD.) A number of people have asked me where to get it. I had said that I got mine from Charles. Try contacting him and ask him to get you one. I think he's reliable because 3 or 4 people have written to me saying they got their CD's from him ok. Or, write me--I do have an extra copy which I'd be willing to trade for something I need, (A She Hangs Brightly poster or LP, anyone?) or maybe sell for my cost.

Why'd you take so long to update the site?

Hey, get off my back, man.

Yes, I know it's been a while since this site was updated. But there were some problems--some extenuating circumstance, Your Honor. I swear.

Back in June of last year, I was working on a major site update and redesign--it was about three-quarters complete when I posted the now seemingly-etched-in-stone "Changes are 'comin" line on the intro page. I had intended to buckle down and complete it and post the update within a week of that June 7th date.

But then one night, very late, Bill Gates paid my computer a visit and decided I was no longer worthy. Does the phrase "Complete Windows System Crash" have any meaning to you? If it does not, then I have only one question: Which model Mac do you have?

I innocently turned on my until-then semi-trustworthy IBM computer and, whoa, what's this--the dreaded blue screen of death? Major error message. I eventually got to the desktop (the thing with the icons) and tried to launch a program. But this launch was about as successful as a Chinese satellite launch before Clinton gave our guidance technology to those murderin' Commie scum. In other words, it blew up. It blew up real good.

Some programs would launch, open and then immediately crash. Others wouldn't open at all. Some would seem to work ok for awhile but then would spontaneously shrink themselves down into the taskbar. This would usually happen when I hit the "E" key. And then, often, the whole system would just crash. "Fatal Error."

Fun, fun.

More details later today and some updates to come this weekend.

Thomas

Mazzy Star - The Other Side - CD details
I just received a copy of the unofficial Mazzy CD, The Other Side and well, it's pretty damn cool. (If you want one, contact Charles -- he might be able to buy you one. He sent me mine, and seems pretty reliable.) The audio quality on the CD really is perfect. It has 16 songs and includes all the hard-to-find b-sides plus a few tracks of unknown origin (If they're off a b-side they must be from the Zambian release--I'm stumped.) Being the Mazzy fanatic that I am, I already had all the b-sides on the original 5 or 6 different albums, CD-singles or promos they came from. But it's really nice to have them all on one CD. Now I can fit everything Mazzy Star's ever recorded in my 5-disc carousel changer and still have a slot left for my Wu-Tang Clan CD. ( Some did not get that that was a joke. Can you believe it?)

Here's the track list as written on the CD:

Fade Into You (Live)
Ride It On (Live Acoustic)
Sometimes Always (Live)
I'm Gonna Bake My Biscuit
Under My Car
Tell Me Now
Hair and Skin
Tell Your Honey
Had a Thought
Flowers in December
Sometimes Always
Ride It On (Live)
Ghost Highway (Live)
Blue Light (Live)
Into Dust (Live)
Bells Ring (Acoustic)

It's not exactly correct, in some respects. The "Ride It On (Live Acoustic)" really isn't any more acoustic then the other "Ride It On (Live)" but it is a little more live (It has aplause). The 2nd Ride It On and the other "(Live)"songs at the end of the CD are live without a audience so there's no applause, which I like. They're all from the rare Fade Into You In-Store promo which usually costs about $30 if you can find it.

As mentioned, I don't know where a couple of these are from--the Live versions of Fade Into You and Sometimes Always. They're not on any CD I know of. The Fade Into You (Live) has a great, swirling guitar sound, different from the regular studio version we all know and love.

The graphics on the CD sleeves are pretty well done, especially for an unofficial release. The photos used seem to have been taken from one of the UK singles, but it's a totally different design and it ain't bad.

So if you've been getting tired of waiting for something new from Mazzy Star, well--this is something.

Second off, on the often-asked subject of "What's Mazzy Star doing next?" Well, I got some news and I got some rumors. (Yeah, this is the same as it was on the April 1st update. I'm trying to confirm some stuff first. Soon. I promise.)

Hope and the Jesus & Mary Chain try on "Perfume"
The news is that Hope (Mazzy's singer, for the uninitiated) has contributed vocals to another Jesus and Mary Chain (JAMC) track. The song, "Perfume," will be on their new album, Munki, (yes, that's the title) due for release in the US sometime in June. (The date has been pushed back a couple times, but it seems like June should be it.) This song will not be the first single off the CD (duets are never first singles). That honor belongs to "Cracking Up" which will be out in the UK on April 6. Advance copies of the album will probably be available about a month before the general release and I'll try to get a copy and let you know if it's a must for the Mazzy fan.

The JAMC are doing a mini-tour in England in April and I assume they will be on the road in the summer in support of Munki. Don't know if they'll hit the States (I don't see why they wouldn't). But, at this point, it seems very unlikely that Mazzy Star will be their opening act on any dates, as they were back in 1994-95 (The last time JAMC had a real album out). There are many reasons for this: a)It's been a year and a half since Among My Swan came out, so we're at the mid-point on the usual 3 years-between-Mazzy-albums cycle. So there's no label forcing them to play live to support their CD. b)Hope may or may not still be going with William Reid and he's the reason for her two collaborations with JAMC. c)Mazzy Star seems to be on somewhat of a hiatus. And like the hiatus of your favorite low-rated TV show, it may or may not return. Stay tuned.

(I have more information on b) and c) and more assorted news, and rumors which I'll finish and post within the next couple days. This stuff doesn't write itself--it takes time. But I wanted to post something now.)

For more details on the new JAMC CD, there's an outdated Subpop press release for your approval, and a short British article with info on the single release and UK tour dates. (Thanks Krista.)

Thomas
Writer/Publisher/Webmaster/etc

Subpop press snippet
As of right now, Sub Pop plans to release the long awaited new record from THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN on May 19 of this year. Get ready for 17 new tracks including a track "Perfume" which features vocals by Hope Sandoval of Mazzy Star and (listless waif) fame. By just it's sheer size, this biggun' entitled Munki will be the first JAMC double LP. So neh! So bugger off you bloody sods!

Jesus & Mary Chain return under April Skies with single & tour
The Jesus and Mary Chain will release a new single 'Cracking Up' on April 6 and head out on their first UK tour for more than three years.

The song was written by William Reid and is the first track to be taken from the band's forthcoming album, 'Munki'. The album was self-produced by William and brother Jim and gets a UK release on June 1 through Creation Records. 'Cracking Up' comes backed with 'Hide Myself', 'Rocket' and 'Commercial'.

The Reids unveil their new material and live band - which now includes ex-Lush bassist Phil King - at a showcase gig at London King's Cross Water Rats (March 18).

The Mary Chain's press office describe the six-date tour as "deliberately low-key", taking in Dumfries Loft (April 22), Glasgow Garage (23), Liverpool Lomax (24), Sheffield Boardwalk (26), London Camden Electric Ballroom (27) and Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms (28). Support on all dates comes from The Kings Of Infinite Space.

News Archives
The News page was getting awfully large, so I've moved all the old stuff to a seperate page. Now, if you just have to read the old news, you must delve into the News Archives.