Rocknroll
FROM: Karl

Dear Neil:

Stream-of-band-consciousness. I saw a band named Heavens to Betsy lots, uh, back in the day. First saw them 11 years ago, agh, at some event in Olympia celebrating Madonna's presence in our town. Some bands covered Like a Virgin, people were drunk, and then Heavens to Betsy got up. They were these two girls, holding hands, and doing their best to look tough and vulnerable and crazy-innocent, and I think, seriously, they sang about menses. Which was okay, because I learned something. But they didn't seem to understand irony. The main person in that band went on to be Slater Kinney and marry some rock critic's son.

I'd say Suddenly, Tammy! wins the worst band name of those days contest.

I had some friends who did a song about having a crush on whoever in Veruca Salt and whose chorus was something like, in reference to the band, ". . . but frankly, they're not that great."

Also, in 1991 or so, Olympia saw Power Team, a drummer-bass-guitar no vocal heavy band fronted by two guys oiled up, wearing speedos, and lifting weights.

Take Care,

Karl

CONTACT
FROM:

i do spoken word, stand up poetry, eat cabbage and crackers in Pgh area. Want to go on tour, Motley Crue circa 83, Circus magazine, little fat me with a half mullet on the floor holding fast to the hardening play-doh of my youth. Will you eveer be in the Pgh area, i have a wikkid air rifle, we could shoot pigeons and then listen to 45's in my moms basement.

Jackdaw:The ill-begotten sons of Johnny Cash and Angus Young
FROM: Kingsley

Hello Neal,

Greetings from Buffalo,New York(the land the capitalist economy forgot). I'm emailing to acquaint you with the best band in this crumbling city--Jackdaw. They are celtic-influenced rock band with loads of charisma and a finely honed pop sensibility.(Imagine:the pogues filtered through the american working class experience). That,in a nutshell, is Jackdaw.We have abandoned the idea of signing with a major label(as if they wanted us) and have decided to go it on our own.Given the nature of the, corporate dominated, radio landscape we realize how difficult our mission will be. The reason for contacting you is to make aware our music to people we respect and admire.For a small sample of Jackdaw, go to www.brokencans.com/music.htm for music and testimonials.

Hopefully our musical mayhem is right up your alley.If you like us, spread the word.

Invasion fall tour... Do you need any opening bands?
FROM: David Olsen

Neal,

Hey! Sorry to bother you... I know you must get way too many e-mails so I'll try to keep this uncharacteristically short. I've been a big fan for a while now and wanted to ask if you have any plans to visit St. Louis, Missouri on your upcoming tour. If so, are you looking for any local opening bands? If so, my band -- Goodnight Ghost -- would love the chance to play, maybe. We are a four-piece; I play guitar, my wife sings, and two of our best friends play bass and drums. I have a terrible time describing our sound (which I guess I can admit is very influenced by some older, female-fronted indie acts like Bettie Serveert, Belly or Sleeper, whom you may or may not be familiar with), so if you are remotely interested in this proposition, please check out two of our songs online at www.mp3.com/goodnight_ghost. We recorded them in a basement.

Oh well. I just thought I'd ask. It's been something I've wanted to ask you about for awhile now, ever since I heard that you were going to be touring in support of Never Mind the Pollacks. Let me know what you think, okay? Thanks.

Dave

P.S. I was one of the first to answer your call for amazon.com customer reviews of Beneath the Axis. Mine was one of two reviews that began, "Neal Pollack is a man." I thought that was weird. You know? That somebody else said that, too...