Jojo’s Corner: September 1990

I believe the best groupies are not in Salt Lake but in Peoa. They just don’t know it because nobody played there. I think the White House should be painted purple and gold and rededicated as a “theme park” for Prince and Cher fans. I believe Professor Griff should fill the empty seat on the Supreme Court, and I think that Jesse Helms is tolerant and broad-minded but misunderstood. I think that people need to be protected from the first amendment and that all artists receiving NEA grants must first guarantee that they will produce only bland, wholesome, family fare which will not challenge the public or provoke any kind of visceral response. I believe that Ozzy Osborne and Judas Priest are guilty of promoting suicide and that “guns don’t kill people, songs kill people.” Finally, I believe that the profile of Liberace will be sighted in a tortilla in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, that “Season in the Sun” by Terry Jackson is a vastly underrated masterpiece of American music and that a woman’s place is at work, paying the bills so her man can take it easy, watch porn videos and drink beer with his buddies.

P.S. Nixon is innocent!

That feels better. I guess I’m just chagrined at the fact that we dedicated a monument to the crew of the Enola Gay out in Bend Over for the heroic murder of several thousand Japanese civilians at a time when Japanese diplomats were desperately trying to negotiate peace with the Truman Administration. It warms my heart to know the pilots and crew of the Enola Gay can travel to air shows and earn tremendous profits selling A-Bomb paraphernalia to misguided patriots. As an added bonus we have Dan Marriott stating that he thinks the use of nuclear weapons is OK in the Middle East. I urge everyone to register as Republicans in this coming election and vote for Atwood in the primary if only to keep Marriott off the ticket. Here’s a story—-I was once on a plane to Los Angeles and the flight was delayed 20 minutes because Dan Marriott held up the boarding line whining about his seat. No more whiners in Washington, I say, especially if your tax money is paying for the ride.

But you say, “What’s up, JoJo? I thought this was a music magazine. What’s all this bitching about politics?” Well, I’ll tell ya. In theory, public officials work for us, and if we don’t hold them accountable, we get screwed. It’s only a short step from censoring lyric content and album covers to state control of the media and the destruction of the First Amendment. When that happens, you will have nothing to listen to except Mantovani and Zamfir with perhaps an occasional Gordon Lightfoot tune thrown in for spice. (After all, he’s from Canada and probably wouldn’t be affected.) We’ve seen it happen in Nazi Germany, Stalin’s Russia and the “Cultural Revolution” of Mao’s China. We’re dangerously close to following their example. This brings us to my album of the month: Ritual De Lo Habitual by Jane’s Addiction. These guys have been at the center of the controversy. In fact, a retailer in Michigan was recently arrested for displaying a poster of the “uncensored’ album cover. It comes through in their music. Perry’s mad as hell and he’s not going to take it anymore. This is a much more political work than any of their previous acid meanderings. There are a few flaws—“Been Caught Stealing” is pretty silly, an anthem about, of all things, shoplifting! (Ooooo Perry / You are such a rebel). 

Side two is basically a reworking of Bauhaus’ Burning From The Inside and Alice Cooper’s Halo of Flies. These minor problems are more than redeemed by the shimmering beauty of “The She Said,” “Ain’t No Right” and “Obvious,” as well as the raving trade-in-the-line notes that all parents should read but won’t understand. Jane’s Addiction albums are like David Lynch movies—if you like them or hate them, they will make you view the world a little bit differently, and isn’t that the point of art anyway?

Locally, Strangers have been tearing it up and Mike Paoli has reopened The Word as The Chromlech Temple Of Fun. This comes just in time with the Speedway’s incipient demise. Another brilliant musician lost with the death of Stevie Ray Vaughn and best wishes for Curtis Mayfield.

Food for thought: Mayberry, North Carolina is the only Southern town I know of in the U.S.A. with no Black people. Until next time.Jojo

Read more 1990 Archives:
The Metal Scene: Scatterbrain
Interview: Ramones