eLitter for the virtual floor!! 

with
Lions Rampant, The Strongest Proof, Torn and Frayed, After the Sirens, Wred Fright, Marshall Arts, High and Low, Voyageur, Brodys Militia, Lions Rampant, Knife The Symphony, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Madhatter, Delhi Drive, Mark Zero,Code Words, Caterpillar Tracks,  Ampline, Anagram, The White Girls, Turnbull  ACs, Bloody & the Transfusions, The Spurzz, Blag’ard, My Latex Brain, The Socials, Infotube, Casey Brandt, Dropgun, Pearlene, The Professors, Howie and the Homos, InBlackAndWhite, Robyn Roth,

And also, looking for the easy buzz... I was one of them aforementioned CITIZENS piling into the tavern, even though on this night I wasn't drinking cause I didn't have the available hands. I have reached a predicament in my life whereas I don't have enough hands. Camera, one hand with a BOUNTY paper towel to wipe the perpetual sweat from my brow, notepad and pen (for notes, as needed), and THEN a Beer? I don't have enough arms and hands attached to those arms nor the complex mind to operate all those limbs. Oh, how I wish Cincinnati was, in fact, a sea, and I could be a ten armed giant octopus, because in those olden earth times, EVERYTHING was bigger; GIANT SIZED. There’s fancy museums bones to prove it... If you believe in stuff like that (I don't want to assume that you share my views of evolution). So before long THE TURNBULL AC’s take to movement (as all land-beast do from time to time) and unleash their dreamy spread upon the crowd. Guitars slung low, a mood is set, and I snap away with my camera figuring the memory card has space for about fifty or so of them, leaving plenty of room for my original target, THE LIONS RAMPANT a bit later. The AC’s would be my warm up. My flex-out... They play their blend of independent rock (I guess the kids call it that), and it's not bad. I crave some shrill, some danger. Some bite, and THAT isn't what the ACs are giving me. I shouldn't be so demanding to any band that just so happens to get plopped in front of me and EXPECT them to fulfill my current musical needs. The AC’s were doing their thing, and it's not really my place to criticize because people kept coming in the door in bunches. Schools. Groups. Units. Gangs, whatever. Bunches of 3-5 citizens a pop. I was finding their hiding place, their own space they have carved from their constant local shows and press. I have paid attention, and now they have my attention. I found where they were, and I listened with my ears, took pictures with my fingers, and their hands attached to my arms getting electrical message (like e-mails) from my brain at the speed of thought and my face brought forth a smile. The control room in my head was momentarily distracted from their duties of tumor killing and metabolism increasing to take a minute or two to watch and enjoy and find it within themselves to issue forth a SMILE. None the less I took a minute to reflect and headed outside, which is common for me to do... To the streets to check the scene and see what manner of beast is walking.

OUTSIDE... The Northside Tavern, it was a weird scene because of the new Smoking Ban. It seems that the law beast, from their law-beast lairs, have declared that no one shall smoke in public, and have set forth all these strangely worded standards, practices and definitions of the standards and practices (be they LAW or whatever) and created a condition where a rule exist, but there is no way to administer this regulation or way to enforce it. So naturally, all the citizens go outside and smoke now to follow the law that cannot be enforced and trade one vice for another vice. Leaving what appears to me a destroyed forest of cigarette butts all over the ground outside certain establishments and finding justification in their practices for whatever reason...

INSIDE The Northside Tavern, the citizens are four deep at the bar ordering beers six at a time not knowing for certain if they will ever get back up to the bar again. They want their buzz to be assured. Never EVER get in the way of a citizen beast and their buzz.

OUTSIDE The Northside Tavern, an exodus has began as Mark Zero and I keep telling the homeless beast that we cannot help them despite hearing what they needed help with. We cut their lines off after their first few words and send them on. You just know how something is going to work out when SEVERAL people approach you and start their communication with “Can you...” The groups and Schools and Units and gangs that marched into the tavern earlier, began their EXODUS to a place called THE GYPSY HUT. Mark Zero denies an invitation for this so-called Gypsy Hut, which I overhear people describing as the new hipster hangout near or on Spring Grove Avenue. They make fun of it... but run to it. The Northside Tavern has reached critical mass and the beast spill out on the street opting for new lairs and that weird courtyard thing adjacent to The Tavern where there is a fire-pit smoking up the whole place and is full of citizens who have taken matters into their own hands and have sent envoys to BP to retrieve beer to sneak in, so that deep bar will not have to be braved at all. While I talk to Mark Zero I check out my progress concerning my snaps of the AC’s who are still playing inside. Good stuff. I like what I see. I decide that I will offer them a CD-R by mail if they give me some sorts of way to contact them, but they have to want it enough. When their set ends Mark and I go back...

INSIDE The Northside Tavern, which despite the exodus I witnessed outside, is still full of all manner of beast, assembled and peaceful and enjoying their favorite adult-beast beverage, making it last, because each of them don't know when they will make it back to the bar. Many of these beast are two-fisting it, wishing, like myself earlier, they were some form of octopus (with ten arms) so they could maximize their consumption of beverages. I talk gear with the ACs a bit and hand out a couple of business cards with my contact information that makes it easy to get in touch with me. I offer up a CD-R of the snaps that I took of them, but they have to want it enough... to find me electronically... So I get a spot up front and wait for the Lions Rampant to begin... Soon enough, they do, and right from the start things don't seem right. Something is off kilter. They have their beast-suits on. Lions, a form of land-beast (like myself) and out of the corner of my eye, I see Mark Zero get a full-on mouth-kiss from a real life female! I almost run in terror, because it's times like this when I find myself TRULY SCARRED. The Lions Rampant are doing good. Shredding the thick humid air to shreds with their sharpened claws. Rampant indeed! It's bands like The Lions Rampant that make me want to rob a bank. Whereas they are not the FIRST band to make me feel this way, it is rare when a band makes me feel this way, and something that I must confess, because the whole bank robbing inspiration thing, is my way of ultimately saying that I REALLY like what I hear. Bands are bands, and to me, the good ones make you feel like you can get away with anything when you listen to them. Just a couple songs into LIONS RAMPANT and you could have strapped me in a parachute and thrown me out of a plane for some sorts of military invasion of the next great enemy of the US, and I would have opened up my trusty MACHINE GUN as I floated to the earth killing evildoers galore, despite what the ramifications of me fighting in a war would have been, be it for resources, or meal-deals from multinational restaurant chain (preferably KFC). For the Lions Rampant (and some forms of Chicken meal-Deals), I would invade. I would kill... for my country, island, cloud, rock or whatever. Tales of depravity, drunkenness desperation despotism of beast gone sick. Mad. It was all there, and the Lions Rampant got their point across. They led the charge in some sorts of Narnia type battle or some sorts of lost tribe of elf's in the ELFQUEST graphic novels... It was beautiful. One of my arms was snapping snaps left and right. My flash couldn't power back up fast enough for me. My other arm was raised in a fist of approval, my greatest form of crowd flattery I could ever muster. I was smiling still, and I could swear that the more they played, the more The Lions Rampant became Lions. By set's end their eyes were full blown cats-eyes and there was fur, as if a large feline had shed, all over the stage area of the Tavern. I think I even saw Stuart cough up a fur ball halfway through the set... But I was impressed by the set. Mark Zero said something about The Lions Rampant sounding like Thee Headcoatees a bit, and I will go ahead and take his word for it because he is a Templar, and he has earned that right and whatever. I never did ask him about that mouth-kiss he received from that random she-beast, nor will I ever. I'm not sure of what I saw, but then again, I don't want to know the truth, because the truth as I know it has The Lions Rampant bringing out an animalistic side to the crowd with some form of hysteria setting into the humid crowd of beast leading to THINGS happening. Magical, mystical and VERY improbable things. I had told Mark Zero, earlier when we were...

OUTSIDE The Northside Tavern, in response to Mark Zero’s self-declaration that he was a piece of fuck and/or shit (then went on a tirade about how he shown his penis to Stuart of The Lions Rampant) and I told him that “We all had to be something.” so at show's end, I head back

I call it ‘Future City’, the city from my dreams.... An enduring landscape from my dreams. But it has its own name. I just call it Future City... Really, this so-called Future City just a future version of Cincinnati and the surrounding area, and I know it’s a future version (for some odd reason) because there are more neon lights, flat panel display screens scattered about, flaying advertisement airships (like in Bladerunner) and fancier cars... and (once again, I don't know why I have this impression) but I feel it’s the future because not only does this shit in my dream not exist now, but the populace of this ‘Future City’ is sparse with many vacant buildings, because some sorts of plague (be its origin bubonic, pig, or bird) has wiped out a third of the population. I have had about a dozen and a half dreams about this landscape in which I'm doing what I do these days, go to shows, drink beer in alleys, take pictures and drive around.... So when it came time to traverse the journey to THE MADHATTER in Covington, on a cold rainy night, as soon as I got out of the car and began one of my “walks”, I felt right away like the cold and rain were working in conjunction with my dreams and I was seeing a sample of Future City in the Here/Now.

I walked the short journey to Madhatter's doors and snapped away with my Polaroid digital camera for what would become “A Walk on Covington's Scott Street” on my flickr photo page. Inside The Madhatter, it was getting busy. This wasn't my first visit to The Madhatter, but it’s not a place I make it out to much and for that I don't know why. I really like it, and like to see bands play there and it’s big enough to hold a good crowd and still be comfortable... It reminds me of some sorts of bar attached to as bowling alley where I expect to hear the crash of bowling between songs. STEVE WETHINGTON AND BAND were on stage as I entered, and I only got to see two songs. One of them I liked immediately and the second I didn't really get to sample too much cause I was getting the ‘lay of the land’ (so to speak) because this night I was “on assignment.” Shane from CATERPILLAR TRACKS had asked me to take pictures of that band, so since I never really took many snaps at the Madhatter, I had a lot to figure out, angle and lighting wise. Plus, like many people who go to a show, I had to figure out which table my gang were set up... You know, you go to a show with a careful, or GANG as I refer to it, and you seem to settle at a particular table, or area, sometime in the evening... I had been talking about my tires most of the evening, because I just got four new ones and it changed the whole dynamic of my car...

So before long, my gang settled at a table and began nursing PBR’s and AMPLINE took stage, I had began snapping pictures immeditately. It had been a while since I had been to The Madhatter and forgot about the instability near the stage. Its almost like there is a 3/4” sheet of plywood over top some sort of depression in the floor, and being a man of the stature I am, I get to feeling a bit uncomfortable how the whole area near the stage TREMBLES as people get into the music and dance around... I admit, I would feel differently if I knew it was only a drop of 2 or so inches below the fragile floor, but what if its more? I don't imagine a SHALLOW drop, I imagine a great 3 or so foot drop, which makes me continually nervous... But I try to use this to my advantage from a photographic and journalistic standpoint cause not only was I “on assignment” by taking pictures of Caterpillar Tracks, but I knew from the start I was going to write about tonight for the NSX, So I was talking as many snaps as possible figuring stuff out for the task at hand... After all, originally on this night, I w as going to go see THE LIBERTINES (US) at the Southgate House, but when Shane sent me an e-mail with the assignment, I had to change plans... and really, any chance to see KNIFE THE SYMPHONY is worth it, but more on them later.... AMPLINE are a damn fine band. Streamlined three piece. Using vocals MORE these days, but still not enough for many peoples liking but that's OK, and that's GOOD, because its not up to the people and their liking it or hating it, because a band of seasoned veterans like AMPLINE are going to do what they do regardless... They had the Audio/Visual thing going. A Mac laptop hooked up to a projector that bounced around from the fragile floor a bit and stopped from time to time. But Amplines set was invigorating. Its bands like this and other minimal vox bands like 24 HOUR FLU and HILLTOP DISTILLERY (where in the fuck are they, by the way?) that really become soundtracks to nights like this, and my whole tie-in to FUTURE CITY... Ampline set a mood about the night for me and being the man I am, and how I listen to music and how music affects my moods, I got chill's on my arms and felt like I could die at any minute. This added to my photo-vision when sizing up shots and trying out different views and angles of my snaps.

 This wasn't the first time I seen THE STRONGEST PROOF, but all the other times I must have been far away in my own head, or maybe on this night's outing Ampline's set-up soundtrack coupled with the weak floor set up a perfect opportunity... or maybe it was EVERYTHING together and that they were just ON IT... The Strongest Proof were amazing. Strong, powerful songs , like those videos of the Great Tsunami tearing through streets of an oceanside community, gathering up everything in their path and moving it at greater and greater speeds as the surge increased. As they finished, I went and bought one of their CD’s which I spent listening to for the next week on my way to, and from work, and during any weekly errands... Good CD, but it missed something that they had on stage. Maybe it was a sense of instability that seemed to be that night's drive. I don't know. Whereas I do tend to be longwinded and overanalyze things to a drastic point of overload (especially on the NSX online version), I just let what happened happened cause it was working on this evening from the get-go. Still, I recommend The Strongest proof live, as well as on CD, but more emphasis on live.

CATERPILLAR TRACKS were next and after using Ampline and The Strongest Proof’s sets as warm-up and browsing what I had gotten with them, things were looking good. This was the first time I had seen Caterpillar Tracks since the departure of their founding bass player. And even though good word has already made it back to me about the positiveness of this change, I still had to view it, and decide about it, for myself. I had reason to believe that Shane (Guitar/Vocals) was extremely drunk, or high, or a combination of both. This, because of several conversations we shared, and I warned him that he appeared so hammered that if he took stage in his condition that the rest of the band would be upset with him... Cause if Caterpillar Tracks are one thing to me, it's definitely professional, but this was not the case. Shane insisted that he was OK to play and before they took stage I did spend sometime looking on verizon mobil web for symptoms of mental illness that fit Shane's delusions and perceptions of life (man, just talk to this spaced out guy!). So before long, like after their first song, this new Tracks, whose bass player was the singer from The Strongest Proof (which was a plus), had me hooked. The old songs sounded wonderful and the stuff that I took to be newer, was amazing. This version of Caterpillar Tracks were more Stop/Start being tighter than before with their hooks, starts and finishes. Their songs grab you like a gigantic mind-powered telekinetic fist grabbing you like King Kong grabbed that blond and shook the hell out of her. When The Caterpillar Tracks finish a song, you feel as though a invisible beast has let you go, until the next song begins and it grabs you again.

So by this time I was approaching about the 140 mark in taking snapshots for the evening. What was about to happen isn't the first time its happened to me, but one that I would like to remark on... By no means am I a “professional” photographer. I like doing what I do. Shane had asked me to take pictures of thee Tracks because he liked what I did with Knife The Symphony. So like I said, I'm not a “professional”, but I try to exhibit a professional work ethic none-the-less. A good friend once told me that I should sell all my bass equipment and just buy cameras... That guy saying that made me totally re-think my approach to photography. When I take pictures, I TAKE SOME FUCKING PICTURES and when someone expects something from me, I am going to do the best possible job. So I approached every snap I took this night with vigor. I get up close, shoot fast and often, during the whole set of every band I could. Sometimes, from time to time, there are spectators who see people like me taking pictures and feel they should get their picture taken also... One of these guys sort of showed up during the Tracks set and when I refused to frame him up and take his picture, or a picture that he was in, after standing on stage and just meandering around, he proceeded to get back into the crowd and start his slam dancing bit trying to provoke me into some sort of altercation be it great or small. Of course I refused cause I didn't have the time to fool around with the guy because any second I spent pushing him and dealing with him was a second away from the band where I might miss a good shot. The feller's shenanigans persisted through The Tracks set and into Knife The Symphony's set to the point that Jerry Dirr felt the urge to point out the guys transgressions... Then during Knife's set, and after Dirr's dialogue, the guy was escorted out. I don't understand people's urge and need to be photographed in this sort of “trouble-maker” setting.... But something I felt I had to acknowledge here...

So I don't have too much to say about KNIFE THE SYMPHONY'S set. I mean, yeah, a band like this is well worth me writing a few thousand words, but it's Saturday morning. Cartoons are on somewhere... GI Joe Sigma 6; Rooting for Cobra. It’s about one week after seeing this show, and whereas I thought I was warmed up enough to take good snaps of Caterpillar Tracks (which I really did) I was totally on it (once again) for Knife The Symphony's set. They played great. Powerful and loud. My ears rang for three days after the show. I don't judge bands by the songs they cover, but KNIFE did a really bracing version of “Burning” by Fugazi that was AMAZING. Everything about Knife’s set, and this night as a whole.... Even the guy shoving me trying to get me to notice him... was EXACTLY what I needed. Dave Fishwick summed up Knife’s set as best anyone could by saying “Fuck Theraphosa, that band is shit compared to Knife The Symphony” and he was right! He even got Dirr to laugh a bit despite his depleted self at sets end.

So my gang shuffled back to my car and began the journey home. I approached a left turn onto a one way street with caution even though I had the safety of a green light protecting my turn. Through the corner of my eye I saw a light and slammed on my brakes... Usually in the ever degrading quality of my tires, and the wet pavement, when I did this my ABS braking system would engage and I would slide a bit, but getting four new tires corrected this problem, and I came to a sudden halt. A car in the opposing traffic had run their red-light and nearly hit me. If I hadn't gotten the new tires or hit the brakes when I did, how I did, or if I hadn't been as cautious as I had, I am certain that I would be car shopping, or maybe my wife would be reflecting on my life, tired of doing all the associated paperwork with my death. I took a minute after the speeding car got further down the road and turned to my passenger and said “Hey, did I tell you guys I got Four new tires a couple days back?”

BRIEF RESPONSES TO OUTSIDE STIMULI by andy B1     Around the Ides of December last year, Chicago's Howie and the Homos, consisting of three Cincinnati expatriates plus one, treated a large turnout of basement dwellers with a damn near incomplete aural history of Cincinnati punk rock.   The set list spanned right through from The Customs to Restraint.  Spit, sweat and beers were joyfully shared by one and all proving once again that a bad basement show beats a string of bar gigs any day of the week. If you get the chance, check the Homos out because they're well on their way to becoming the world's most non committal cover band ever!  Tea bag that!! About a month ago in a pathetically packed Northside Tavern, this fine town took a witness to the debut of The White Girls.  It was quite difficult to keep you balls from getting groped in the way too lengthy beer lines while this new mannagle of local p-rock veterans slathered the walls with musical debauchery.  Leave it to these scientists to build a big rocket somewhere between an emotional rescue and the new race!!

:::::::::::::::::::: STORY BEHIND THE SONG: Behind every song is a story.... So, in hopes of further exploring a bands songs for meaning and purpose, exposing a funny story, hidden truth or funny story or maybe just some "fun-fact" associated with the song itself... THE NEUS SUBJEX feature STORY BEHIND THE SONG is designed to give you a closer relationship with bands song(s). Beyond JUST a title, beyond JUST the music and lyrics themselves... STORY BEHIND THE SONG is a liner-note type song to song breakdown intended to act as an accompaniment to a bands release. In this installment the NSX yield the floor to LIONS RAMPANT, THE SPURZZ and THE HIGH AND LOW who responded in one days time to be included in this issue!

LIONS RAMPANT "Half Women, Half Alcohol" CD-EP 2007 Self-Released (A Trailer, Kentucky)

Answers By: Stuart (Vocals, Guitar, Cowboy Boots)

Bonus Questions/Feature coordinator: Shawn Abnoxious

BONUS QUESTION #1 WHERE DID THOSE FUKING LIONS SUITS COME FROM? The lion suits started as a joke … we thought, because of our name, it would be funny to dress in those shitty kids’ Halloween lion costumes. We wanted to find a way to disarm people and communicate that we aren’t another jeans and T–shirt band, that doesn’t give a fuck about anybody except for themselves—especially the audience. When we play we want to entertain, and no matter what type of mood you’re in, when you’re in a lion suit, you have to go all out.

By the way, our suits are custom designed by us for sexiness and ventilation and handmade by a friend of ours studying costume design at Depaul.

BONUS QUESTION #2 HAS ANYONE EVER GOT IN YER CRAW ABOUT HOW YOU CALL YOURSELVES A BLUES BAND? Well, it is true that we are white boys ripping off the blues … but I see it more as reinterpreting a great tradition. We try remain as true to the spirit and energy of original early blues and rock n roll. They were authentic dance music for the people—you had to entertain them or you didn’t get any bread. Personally, I relate to early blues music, so my songs end up sounding like modern take on blues themes—both musical and lyrical. I also grew up on grunge and punk rock, and those influences are there too.

BONUS #3 YOU SAID YOUR CD WAS RECORDED IN A TRAILER. THIS IS THE TRUTH ISN'T IT? HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT? I live in a trailer in Burlington Ky. Paul is my neighbor. For this EP we wanted to capture that dirty, garage, party sound. Sometimes I think you lose some of that authenticity when you record in the studio. Did I also mention we are poor? Home (trailer) recording was a really fun experience—it was very laid back, we had absolute freedom and no pressure.

SONGS:

Note by Stuart about these songs: Most of these songs are real life experiences that I have had and that evoked a strong emotional response from me. I try to abstract an experience and write a story around it, expressing its emotion and telling a more engaging story than my boring life.

LEGS This song was written while my girlfriend was studying abroad in Germany. It’s an expression of lust and frustration. The person in the song is dealing with trying to stay faithful when his woman is far away and it seems like she's never coming back. Also, the woman has nice legs.

COCAINE ANNE The second track is about going to a college party where there is a lot of open heavy drug use. I had never been to a party where everything was so in your face. I was feeling a little out of place. I find most love songs boring, but I thought a love song in this setting would be fun.

CHOOSE ME “Choose me” is about all the dudes in bars trying to impress girls i.e. "Hey baby, hey baby, will you choose me" with their money and expensive dressing. A lot of the girls actually buy into the whole thing--which makes them think that they have the power—because the guys are showering money on them—but actually it’s reducing them into objects that can be bought. Whores.

A LONG TIME This song is about a romance where the two people have always had an attraction but for some reason they never got together … after a long time they meet again, and "the time is right."

CIGARETTES AND GIN I love this song, but its pretty self-explanatory, and George Throughgood-like.

SHE COME The last song is song about a former roommate of mine who was struggling with an alcohol addiction. The woman in the song, who is looking for him and finding him in all these places is a metaphor for his feigning. The song could be about any addiction, and how it finds you—wherever you are. Basically the songs half about a women, half about alcohol … that ‘s why the EP’s titled “Half Women/ Half Alcohol.”

BONUS QUESTION #4: WHY IS THIS A BONUS CUT? This was actually the first song we ever recorded … It’s a semi-live cut. The overdubs sound like a bunch of people singing along and having a party—which is pretty accurate account of the recording process. Paul doesn’t even play bass on it—his partner in The Sheds, Chris Haubner does. A bunch of friends happened to be over, and someone had a bottle of Knob Creek. It was really fun doing the call and response parts and having musicians and non-musicians as part of the recording process. This experience fueled the attitude and style of the rest of the album … and The Lions Rampant for that matter. Therefore, even though it wasn’t recorded the same as the rest of the songs (we only used one mike for this song), we thought we had to include it. Plus, you know, it’s a nice, end of the evening jam!

TheLionsRampant.com myspace.com/TheLionsRampant

BONUS QUESTION #1: TELL US ABOUT THE BALD EAGLE... AND YOUR BELIEF THEREIN... IS IT REALLY A METAPHOR FOR SHAVED GENITALS? Dusty Knees: Like the man said, "Let the mighty Eagle soar..."

Panhandle Slim: The bald eagle is a cymbal (sic) of freedom and the freedomed way in which we as Americans and Spurzz live freely. Shaved genitalia may be an expression of such freedoms. If you're into that. Which I'm not.

BONUS QUESTION #2: WITH ALL YER POLYESTER, WHAT IS LAUNDRY DAY LIKE AROUND THE SPURZZ HQ? 

Dusty Knees: Lots of dryer sheets and gentle cycles.

Panhandle Slim: I don't know. A lot of Mexicans running around with laundry baskets?

SONGS:

CHUCK NORRIS ACTION CROTCH JEANS Soft J: Chuck Norris Action Crotch Jeans was a discovery I made while working with a group of Ranch Hands just north of Kentucky on the river prairie. I noticed while lifting heavy equipment, I needed more stretch in my loins. As well, my love for Chuck Norris runs deep. I mean, he IS a Texas Ranger, and he KNOWS how to kick. Writing this song seemed like a match made up in the pretty stars of heaven. When the Spurzz perform it, its like Chuck Norris himself touches my shoulder and says, "Soft J, everything will be alright!"

Dusty Knees: Ranch hands need their mobility, for safety and for style. Once we get the licensing, these will be available for Ranch hands of all sizes.

Panhandle Slim: Chuck Norris has been known to rip a man's heart out of his chest while it's still beating and then take a bite and puke it up into the victim's mouth as he's screaming.

INTERCOURSE SWAMP Soft J: This is a song about funning down at the old swamp with friends. Maybe your wrestling alligators, maybe your arm-wrestling each other for a man or woman. Regardless, the swamp invites amazing people with extraordinary talents. Plus, its a great place to lose your virginity!

Dusty Knees: Kind of a Whitman / Emerson / Thoreau nature poem, set to rock. Bring your waders!!

Panhandle Slim: Sometimes when you're bumping uglies, in the heat of passion or maybe if you're fat, I don't know, you get sort of sweaty and it makes the plastic on the couch sort of slippery and grimy. I thought that's what this song was about. But apparently it's about "nature."

KICK ME IN THE FUZZ (FUSS) Soft J: This is a song that you can sing to your own body. Its a liberating song about putting your fist in the air and telling the world you love America, and that you are American. Shouting loud to the Viet-Cong, and saying you will never give in to "Charlie."

Dusty Knees: I don't advocate violence, but I've been told many a clown has been punched to this song.

Panhandle Slim: I listen to it while working out.

FOREWARD TO LOVE Soft J: Forward to Love is about coming out to the world that you love your partner, and that the love you share between each other is stronger than anything prior to that love. Thus, forwarding your love for that person. Isn't it obvious?

Dusty Knees: Rather than going forward for your own self, going forward in love, and to love, it's a beautiful way to bring people together.

Panhandle Slim: Once when I was ten I went to this railroad track where sometimes a train would come by and me and my Daddy would put down pennies to make them flat and where's you couldn't tell they were pennies no more cuz all the president stuff's wore off and one time when I went down there when I was ten I wasn't with my Daddy, I was with my friend and there wasn't no train comin' and we rode our bikes up on the tracks and we found this dog, it'd gotten it's little paw stuck on that track and made it's head got cut plumb off and man, there were flies. What?

TEN GALLON HAT TEN GALLON JOCK Soft J: '10 Gallon Hat,' is a song that combines wisdom and mystique. Its about the dwellings of a kind dragon that is forced to choice between his love for the underworld, and his passion for sunlight and joy in a brave new world. This song ended up being written in third person and uses many innuendoes, but its for the love of Jesus, Apple Pie, and the Glorious 50 American States that allowed this song to come through me.

Dusty Knees: Neither of the ten-gallon versions of these devices make good containers, sadly.

Panhandle Slim: I thought it was about having big balls. Nobody tells me anything in this band.

TAKE TEN THINGS AND PUT THEM IN HERE Soft J: This song was originally written as "Take 499 Things and Put Them in Here," but, for brevity's sake, it had to be shortened. You can take a million things, and put them in here...you know what I mean, its like the universe, its endless.

Dusty Knees: It heightens the desperation to limit it to 10, as we all have limited time on this wonderful American continent.

Panhandle Slim: Ten is a pretty good number, with the one and the zero and shit.

TAKE IT LIKE A MAN Soft J: "Take it Like a Man," is a tune about how a man has to admit he is wrong. I know it doesn't happened to much, but, a man can be wrong...maybe you told a little white lie to a lover, or maybe you had to many whiskeys and you woke up with your pants around your ankles, a man can make a mistake. Well, this song is about taking it, and taking like a man. Dusty Knees: Accepting consequences and riding high in the saddle, W-style. Panhandle Slim: I thought it was about butt sex. Again, nothing. MAN CREEPER Soft J: 'Man Creeper' is about a series of events that happened many moons ago in the deep deep forest. Its one of a man, who was a creeper, and thus, a man creeper. I wanted to tell a story of a man, who creeps throughout a forest looking for people to creep. His means of creeping involve many things, one of which, is unzipping tents and sleeping bags. Its a creepy subject, but, I felt the Spurzz were at the point in their career to tackle this matter in a song. Dusty Knees: No charges were ever filed... Panhandle Slim: Is this one of our songs? I'm gonna have to check my notes. I don't remember this one. How does it go? Do I play on this? Just doesn't ring a bell.

MAN LUNCH Soft J: Well everyone loves to eat lunch. Most times, you enjoy lunch with a friend, that friend usually is a man. So, the Spurzz put the two together and created a beautiful thing, "Man Lunch." You have to love the fact that in our great nation of the U. S. of A., a man and another man can have a barrel of laughs at lunch. Whether its a moist tender chicken club sandwich, or a delicious blue cheese and walnut salad, a man and another man, maybe even multiple men, can get together around a round, or sometimes a square table and share not only lunch, but stories, and a brotherhood. Let's do lunch sometime!

Dusty Knees: Lunch can happen at any time, sometimes unexpectedly, but midday is when the energy or man-lifeforce is strongest, hence the best time to receive or give lunch.

Panhandle Slim: The other day I was in the city with my friend and found that I had pangs of hunger and my belly was askin'' me to put something in it so I went to this burrito store with my friend and had a chicken burrito with rice and red beans and black olives and lettuce and tomato and spicy mayonnaise and red peppers and green peppers and hot peppers and it was sure delicious. I thought about how beautiful it was to share that burrito with my friend and that embodies what this song is about.

LOG CABIN LOG RIDER Soft J: This song is simply about fucking.

Dusty Knees: ...and our growing list of republican Spurzz fans - god bless!

Panhandle Slim: ...and fucking. Hardcore. I like it raw.

PRARIE HOLIN' Soft J: Prairie Holin'' is a prayer song that is about being caught on the western front with no one to turn to but our mother earth. Its about remembering the good times, disposing of the bad, and harvesting the great goodness that Jesus Christ places in all of us. Prairie Holin'' is a song about making dreams come true, about the American people coming out of the ashes, to defend there American, God-given rights.

Dusty Knees: More Emerson, at one with the Nature.

Panhandle Slim: ...and fucking. Hardcore. I like it raw.

MAN-O-WAR TUG-O-WAR Soft J: The epic battle between two men wrestling against to other men in an above ground swimming pool. How many times have you and your buddies gotten together, shared a few Coors Lights and wrestled in a pool? Its an American tradition and its an American dream. After the wresting, I usually play a little "Marco-Polo," thus, singing about it. I thought, why not bring this to song and dance, everyone loves to play marco polo without a shirt on!

Dusty Knees: Supervision suggested, but not required.

Panhandle Slim: Allow me to quote the internment: "MAN-O-WAR TUG-O-WAR is a song written by Soft J, originally recorded by the Spurzz for their 2006 album Full Length. The song is in the style of a rock opera song and has a very unusual musical structure for a piece of popular music. Its three different sections have no chorus but both a cappella and heavy metal arrangements. Despite this, it was released as a single and became a huge commercial success, marking a decisive point in the Spurzz' career and setting them on the way to become one of the world's biggest bands. The single was accompanied by what is generally cited as a groundbreaking "promotional video", which helped establish the visual language of the modern music video. The song was included in all the Spurzz' subsequent live concert performances and still enjoys great popularity all over the world.

Very little has been said about the song's title. According to what Soft J told a magazine and published on his MySpace page, J came up with it later in the recording process. As confirmed in a 2006 BBC Documentary about the song, which included the aforementioned demo and interviews with producer Jay-Z, early tapes from J rehearsing the piano parts were simply labeled "Fred's thing". The title's meaning can be taken as a song irregular in form about someone who doesn't follow the rules of society. The reason for this is that the textbook definition of Tug-O-War is 'a person, as 'Two teams of eight, whose total mass must not exceed a maximum weight determined for the class, align themselves at the end of a rope (approximately 10 centimeters in circumference). The rope is marked with a "centre line" and two markings four meters either side of the centre line. The teams start with the rope's centre line directly above a line marked on the ground, and once the contest (the "pull") has commenced, attempt to pull the other team such that the marking on the rope closest to their opponent crosses the centre line, or the opponents commit a foul (such as a team member sitting or falling down)' and the definition of Man-O-War is 'a siphonophore-a colony of four sorts of polyps.'

Soft J composed the song on an upright piano he had in his London flat. According to Brian Pumper in a 2005 interview about the Spurzz, when he asked J how he had written the song, he described the process as having a germinal idea, polishing it, then adding and taking out bits until it was exactly as he wanted it.

According to what J said in an early 2004 interview, this had simply been one of the pieces he'd got in his songwriting batch for the album, and he had been tempted to drop it at some early stages, until he realized that the track could have some potential."(End quote)

myspace.com/spurzzareawesome www.frch.com/jsnell/spurzzdemons.html

THE HIGH + LOW  "Self-Titled" CD 2007 Self-Released (Cincinnati, OH) Answers by: Holly Kadish

Answers by: Holly Kadish

Bonus Questions/Feature coordinator: Shawn Abnoxious

BONUS QUESTION#1: BEHIND THE CD, THAT PICTURE OF THAT BUILDING... EXPLAIN ITS SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE NSX READERS. That is where Tori, Mike, and I live. I wish Sabrina lived there too, but there are not enough apartments available. We have band practice at the "Diamonds Building" and we record there. Brian Olive has a cozy studio downstairs, and that's where he recorded everything.

BONUS QUESTION#2: DO YOU BELIEVE THAT MANKIND HAS REALLY WALKED ON THE MOON? Yes. And I think they saw UFO's.

BONUS QUESTION#3: WOULD YOU RATHER THE SOUND OF HIGH + LOW BE COMPARED TO A "PSYCHEDELIC" OR "MINIMAL" ONE? I don't care.

BONUS QUESTION#4: TWO OF YOUR SONGS FROM THE E.P. HAS 'AND' IN THE TITLE... IS THIS A HIGH 'AND' LOW "THING"? CAUSE IT COULD BE... I didn't realize that, but I see things in black and white, so that probably has something to do with it. Although, I am trying to live in gray a little more, its less dramatic.

BONUS QUESTION #5: SO, HIGH OR LOW. ONE OR THE OTHER. SETTLE THE ARGUMENTS HERE/NOW! High.(But in thirty minutes things may change).

SONGS:

THESE DAYS When I wrote this song I was sick of myself. I was probably coming down off the high. I often find myself worrying about stupid crap, and this song was a release for me. When we are children we are so honest and naive, we aren't jaded. That's what I meant by "those days need to put me back in line." Too much time is wasted on being judgmental or being judged, and why bother? Mike recorded the solo at the end, without even listening to the track. It was just one of those things that worked out perfect. DAY AND NIGHT This song is about losing yourself in a relationship. When the relationship is over you feel lost, and you are searching for your own identity. I was influenced by Ride and The Byrds on this one. BLACK AND BLUE This song is about lying to yourself. Most of us walk around with a facade, and hopefully one day you stop. I wrote this one in about five minutes. This song also had no title for a while, our friend Christina called it black and blue, and it stuck.

SATISFY This song is obvious. I like a boy, and he makes me feel good, do I make him feel good? And, I just got to know. Brian had me whisper over the 1,2,3,4...Just a simple whisper makes a difference.

CAN YOU FEEL THE SUN? This is the only song I have ever written in an "altered state". I was influenced by George Harrison, and I quote some of his lyrics. I was so fucked up, I have know idea why I chose the lyrics, I just started singing and recorded them. Sabrina makes this track.

SORROW This song was originally titled, "I Don't Mind Sorrow", when I was putting the text on the back sleeve, it was too long, so I cut it. This song is about growing older and being comfortable with yourself. If you leave, I'll be sad, but I'm a big girl, and I'll be alright. This is the only song my dad likes. When we play live, Tori plays the harmonica, it's too bad it's not on the recording.

www.myspace.com/highandlow

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you would like your release covered in the STORY BEHIND THE SONG feature, a great way to start is sending your release to us for review... Not every release will be covered, but all will be considered. That’s what “enthusiasm” is all about.... the “grab.” Bands in the past that were considered for this feature, but failed to deliver for whatever reason consist of WANKERS, SHARKPANTS, VIVA LA FOXX, and WHITEY. The Neus Subjex STILL believes in them...

TORN AND FRAYED #4 ZINE Hittin’ like a fifth Lil’ Hug... I can't honestly, with good faith, say Francis is BACK... Because he didn't go anywhere, but when I seen this, his latest entry into the realm of things, I got excited... As I dove into Torn and Frayed Number four, I wanted to cheer with each completed page and high-five someone, but I saved this issue for the usual places I read... The Toilet, the morning when I am waiting for my car to warm-up, both not the ideal times to high-five someone... In T&F#3 Francis was on the bleak side of things. Things seemed a bit on the doomy side... but in this issue, there's a big turn around!  New place to live, new job, new typewriter, new band... None of the aforementioned things being BETTER (except the band), just different, and it seems like Francis is having a rebirth of sorts between him, his life, the words and the moments between them all... and in-between these lines of words, I swear, I can see him smile.  His glasses, his beard. 

The guy has a great smile! The kind of smile the world needs. Torn and Frayed is a thick read, I was left wanting more and biding time until the next issue... Next time Francis comes up to me and plops a copy of TORN AND FRAYED in my hands, I'm going to give him four dollars to just fuck with him.... I know he will hate it... So don't tell him, let it be surprise! By the way, It’s good to see a RITES OF SPRING quote used in this one. -Shawn Abnoxious $2 (or trade) from FRANCIS PO Box 19374 Cinti., OH. 45219 Copies also seen on the zine rack at HOBO’S BOOKS on HAMILTON AVE. in NORTHSIDE.

"And watched the bailiff beat the judge, and give them all Marshall love" - Rueben - Pearlene

AFTER THE SIRENS "What I Have to Give, Let It Be Enough" LP I’d personally had “enough” of what they had to “give” halfway through the first song, but like all good reviewers/critics I suffered through their entire genre drenched catalog from CHER sounds to (pick your favorite band to hate). Network execs will surely be sifting through this digitized manure for a new television theme song. Yes, it’s that good. Hopefully, for all music kind “After The Sirens” comes a long jail term for these Massachusetts, plagiaristic, nepotism sounding Me-Too’s. Ordinary, radio friendly, & oh so forgettable. -Pat Pending www.sirensepk.com booking@afterthesirens.com... (and beg them to quit before you have to endure what I had to.-P.Pending)

VOYAGEUR “Self-Titled” CD-R The city IS sleeping... Strong release that isn't really a release yet... I guess these guys are “shopping” the prospects of this CD-R getting promoted to CD status... Or that's what their MySpace page sez. Voyageur on this CD-R are a good listen. I have thoroughly enjoyed it... Heavy delay; I likes. Thumping, upfront bass lines; Oh yeah! I definitely likes! Introspective, dreamlike somberness; I likes also. Falls somewhere in-between STELLASTARR*, THE EDITORS and INTERPOL.... In fact, my first few listens of this hit me like a demo of sorts for a band like Interpol without a second guitar or keyboard. It's like those pieces of Voyageur COULD exist (and proly do) in an alternative universe... But here in Cincinnati, a stripped down barebacked threesome like Voyageur is the way to go on MANY different levels.

I would have liked (and really, I EXPECTED) more flexing of the band in the studio... Like in the studio, they could have been that band with another guitar and keyboards... But I understand why they didn't go that route, and it's all just fine because maybe they would have sounded too much like the aforementioned bands. This is a solid release and I appreciate the effort the band took rather than an e-mail saying “Check out our MPs Dude.” I spun this disc often and frequently. I'm interested to see where Voyageur takes this thing and will keep a watchful eye on them. -Shawn Abnoxious www.myspace.com/voyageur

Now this song goes against what I said earlier about some of the songs needing more time behind them, I know, but CYHSY have an uncanny ability to make stuff click for them sometimes. Much of their initial release had clicked right from the get-go, and “Some Loud Thunder” doesn't have that same click about it... But none the less, a pretty cool release. Not many bands of the style CYHSY exhibit make instruments like a piano sound so vibrant and welcomed in their sound, but this band does. I heard some astronomical figures about how much money this band has made from their debut release, and it seems they are putting any fame and fortune to good use cause I don't see a traditional label listed on here anywhere... So, is this CD worth it? If you're already a fan yes, but if you are one of the six or so people just wondering about CYHSY from the sidelines, don't start with this CD. Get their first one, and by time your done with that, maybe they will have a third one out, which will make you re-explore their second (this) one and enjoy it from a point of hindsight. Saving money with the black and white one color CD design... So simple it hurts.... but looks awesome. -Shawn Abnoxious www.myspace.com/clapyourhandssayyeah

I remembered Dave reviewing another one of this bands releases in a past issue of NSX and saying some good stuff, and I guess I just did the same thing. So... Blah, whatever (in a way of sorts) -Shawn Abnoxious Scenery Records (via MaelstromPR) www.AnagramMusic.com www.MySpace.com/AnagramMusic

CASEY BRANDT "Harry Haller" CD Heartfelt folkster with a sinister edge and songs that plow along like farming equipment through an asphalt road behind a tractor, uprooting any and all emotions in it’s wake. Reminiscent of JOHNNY DOWD without the backup band, this prolific Brooklyn singer/songwriter has eight self releases from 2001-2003. Highly recommended from a very non-folkster type listener. -Pat Pending www.munglerwinslowe.com

DROPGUN "Devil Music" CD These Akronites drop a 1/2 barrel on your head then leave it for you to consume whilst they continue on. Power garage with uprooted punk sensibilities and over the top guitar solos. This isn't no youngsters pretending to be tough... these are brazen, veteran, tattooed monsters with a nod towards NASHVILLE PUSSY or MONO MEN (please don’t kick my ass Dropgun. Just trying to put it into context for those unfortunate enough not to have experienced it, especially live as I am told). Sounds like an overheard bad breakup between lovers that you can’t help but tell your friends about. -Pat Pending paul@dropgun.com

Thank God I had some friends there to take turns trying to make it to the bar and buying 6 packs at a time. (Yeah It Was That Packed) So The Lions Rampant are on the rise as well in our community, with the band actually wearing lion suits is always a plus for a good show. For fans of THE BLACK KEYS or maybe even P.W. LONG should get in touch or go to a show cuz this band proved that there are a lot of girls in the world to sing about. Cheers!-Dave Fishwick TheLionsRampant.com www.myspace.com/thelionsrampant

DELHI DRIVE “Self Titled” CD Middletown... Is it called Middletown because it is in the middle of nowhere? Is it Middletown because it’s in the middle between a journey of Dayton to Cincinnati? Is it Middletown because it’s in the middle between a journey of Cincinnati to Dayton? Middletown, a city dominated by the after-fires of waste product from AK steel. Middletown, a place I can't honestly tell you how to get to, but a place I can find just by driving north... I EVENTUALLY get to Middletown, one way or another... Middletown is one of the last places you would ever expect a microcosm scene to exist in, like the mid-late 90’s Lima/Wapakoneita scene. DELHI DRIVE is one band like ANGRY RYAN & THE NOSEBREAKS and others, that hail from Middletown that uses LOFT CO RECORDS as their Dischord Records of sorts, spotlighting their area's talent... Delhi Drive took me a bit by surprise. Comparison wise, its like a mix of Unplugged NIRVANA with FUGAZI, a bit like Q AND NOT U.... And that was about the last thing I expected... “Memory Lane” (cool backing vox) and “Insurance” are my keeper tracks... “Poem for You” flexes out nicely with the strings, it’s a BRAVE song. This CD plays nicely and is a great listen. Recorded well, excellent song writing. Varied styles, Lewis & Clark a bit... Tight sing-a-long choruses mostly... Hum-a-long song structures. I’m interested, and that is saying a mouthful without opening up my fucking mouth. I have been in communication with representatives from Loft Co Records, and more stuff is on the way. Until then, I got this CD, and yeah, I will go ahead and say it, I HIGHLY recommend it. Back down alleys.... I drove to the new morning. YES!!!!! THAT'S FUCKING KICKING ME IN THE HEAD! In the HERE.NOW!!! -Shawn Abnoxious $5 ppd. from Loft Co. Records www.myspace.com/loftcorecords www.purevolume/delhidrive

THE HIGH AND LOW “e.p.” CD-EP I have been waiting for this CD for quite a while. The High and Low have spent a bunch of minutes doing the local show circuit, and some may say that this release is past due... But really, there's just one way I really wanted to start. Well, really it’s just four words with an exclamation mark... THE INSTITUTION, MIKE WEINEL! By far, one of my favorite local musicians! MIKE WEINEL, called the INSTITUTION by myself, cause his ability sets him apart from others and should be set forth as a STANDARD of GREATNESS. The man does NO wrong! I could listen to him play guitar from sunup to sun down, all through the night without batting an eye. Really though, I seen everyone from this band play for years around town in other bands (except for Sabrina, which this is her first band, but then again, I have known her for years now!) and I loved everyone of them (The Now, Angie, The Pariahs).... I have been big fans of everyone in this band (and continue to do so), and really I liked High and Low when I have seen them, but this CD really knocked me for a loop. It has really given me a chance to sit down and craw into their sound to find a greater appreciation. Other than the fact that the first three songs felt quickened to end themselves, they seem like they could have went along twice as long... It's great! The song length questioning is really just me wanting more. I realize that is my selfishness coming though once more in my enthusiasm. Somber vocals, draggy, push along psychedelic, sometimes minimal...a parlous amount. It all sets the mood for a drive out west. Follow the land, and when it ends, take flight and never land again! Fly higher and higher and touch that sun, and burn in a blaze of glory before you hit the ground. Ashes to ashes and dust to dust. If this CD had been around at the great time of the kamikazes, listening to the High and Low would have prepared the Divine wind for their mission at hand. Just two a-bombs wouldn't have stopped the Japanese. Not two, not ten, this CD should have been the soundtrack to a prolonged land-based conflict that would have dragged on for years to the last living Japanese hand. A tribute to STRENGTH and a soundtrack to RESOLUTION, the music of The High and Low brings to mind MAZZY STAR, PJ HARVEY, but also draws heavily on local influences like THE BUFFALO KILLERS and GET SWEATY and really, the High and Low are mayhap the new sound of Cincinnati to come. My picks from the release include “Can You Feel the Sun?” and “Day and Night.” It’s not like you really listen to me, nor should you really listen to me... Hell, I don't even know why I still write about music really, cause other people say it better than I do, and are easier to read, but if you are reading this, and have read this far, then gloves-off to you avid, desperate reader... and I bet you could use some sunlight and fresh air. So, go with haste to Shake It Records and pick this disc up. Even though my opinion means very little in the scheme of things, I HIGHLY recommend this. -Shawn Abnoxious www.gethighandlow.com www.myspace.com/highandlow

But regardless, I like what I hear. Hardcore/grind punk with skull and upside down cross imagery that is bound to make all the thorny logo bands cream their tight black pants and send them shuffling through their bristled out spiked jean jackets looking for a NAUSEA back patch that hasn't been applied to a jacket yet, to clean up the mess they made on themselves. Angry, mean, boisterous and sure to get a pit going live, when I put this TAPE on, the cats hanging out on my deck outside came over to the window to check and make sure I was all right.... So that is saying something... -Shawn Abnoxious from Backwoods Butcher Records po box 377 Mt. Orab, OH. 45154 www.ThrashYourFace.com/butcher

I keep hearing people say that the garage rock thing is dead, but don't tell these guys, cause what they do, they do well and could be in a perfect spot for a resurgence. I have only heard The professors on their My Space page, and Im glad I now have something solid to hold onto... -Shawn Abnoxious www.MyLatexBrain.us www.TheProfessorsLab.com www.LabXRecords.com

"Wasting time but not wasting away" - Miss Communication - The Socials

i O N a R T :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 

The iONart is a segment, especially designed for the NSX online experience... Designed to explore the artistic side of the morbid media beast that is The Neus Subjex. Keep an eye on art because when you least expect it, it will get you in your back with a dull, rusty knife... Always ready for the attack. This is time around, explore the work of ROBYN ROTH.

JUST LET ME HIDE HERE “The story behind this one deals with a personal struggle in my life. Basically when I opened up about this issue and things started to happen I freaked out and I just wanted to vanish. I am asking for a little hope in my life. The hands symbolize hope and I am the caterpillar rolled up inside as if I am still in cocoon. I just want to stay inside those hands for comfort because I don't know the outcome of this struggle. The moth in the sky would be the new me, but I'm not sure how it'll be. I am just not sure what that is. While the other caterpillars are going about their lives I am avoiding mine.”

SYSTOLIC “This one is less personal, if that is fair to say. I suppose all art is personal. I guess I mean "not as deep." I wanted to express the human interaction with the natural world. In my own belief I do not see any difference between humans and the other lifeforms of the earth. Most of us have a belief in our heads that we are more advanced compared to other animals. We were the last creations of God and we are the rulers of the earth. We dictate how everything should live. This is bull in my mind. Every creature has a unique gift that allows it to survive. This art is simply to show that humans are just as connected to the animal world as any other. Life is a cycle and we all connect with this cycle. If we nurture the natural world it will nurture us. Make sense?”

I CAN'T FIGURE OUT IF YOU ARE SCARED, FASCINATED OR LOVE INSECTS. IT COULD BE ALL THREE AT THE SAME TIME, COULD YOU EXPLAIN YOUR USE OF INSECTS? Robyn Roth: No, I am not scared of bugs and it isn't necessarily a fascination or a love. I wanted to find a way to show life, but I didn't want it to be in the form of a human or of an animal that people could identify with a particular emotion. When you draw a person or an animal they already have a preconceived notion of how they are viewed by us. I want that to be abandoned. Insects are not looked at as very emotional. They are like robots to us. Doing their tasks and living and dying very quickly. How odd would it be to show insects being emotional? How odd would it be to show that they express love for the world and the living things around them? That is what I did.

ANOTHER REOCCURRING THEME IN YOUR PAINTINGS ARE HEARTS AND VEINS, WHAT DO THESE BOTH REPRESENT IN YOUR WORK? Robyn Roth: The heart is basically my portrait of a human being. Any body-part in my art represents a human being. Again, I couldn't draw a person because then the viewer would cling to the expression on their face, their cultural background, age, etc. Taking all that away means it is just a human. The heart is most popular because when we think of the heart we associate it with caring and love. I am hoping to express this feeling with the heart.

L A S T ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

A Feast of Feast! ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: BUT never LEAST