Perry –

After a hard day of writing, how do you relax?

Fan of Relaxation

FAN –

WHEN I WANT TO KICK BACK AND HAVE A GOOD TIME AFTER LOGGING A DAY OVER AT RAVE ON, WHAT I USED TO DO WAS RENT A MOVIE OR READ A BOOK. NOW I PREFER TO PRACTICE MY MUSIC, WORKING ON ORIGINAL SONGS, RUNNING THROUGH PENTATONIC SCALES AND PRACTICING SOME SOLOS. SINCE FORMING MY BAND, THINGS HAVE BEEN SO DIFFERENT IN MY LIFE – AND FOR THE BETTER!

Perry –

What’s your favorite song of all time?

Curious

DEAR CURIOUS –

SOME OF MY FAVORITE SONGS ARE THE ONES I PLAY WITH MY BAND PERRY AND THE PERRYSCOPES. TUNES LIKE "TAKE IT EASY", "LAY DOWN SALLY" AND "TOUGH ENOUGH". ALTHOUGH LATELY SOME OF MY ORIGINALS, LIKE "FEELING SPECIAL" HAVE REALLY APPEALED TO ME. I GUESS IT VARIES FROM DAY TO DAY.

Dear Perry –

Do you think that western Maine will suffer the same fate as the Eastern New Hampshire scene?

Scared in West Hoover

DEAR SCARED –

DON’T WORRY. WESTERN MAINE WILL NEVER SINK THE WAY THE EASTERN NEW HAMPSHIRE SCENE DID A FEW YEARS AGO. IN FACT, THERE’S BEEN SOMETHING OF A RENAISSANCE IN THESE PARTS. I’VE BEEN MORE EXCITED BY SOME OF THE BANDS PLAYING AROUND TODAY THAN IN YEARS. WHEN WE OPENED FOR JIMMY HILL AND THE MOUNTAIN BIKES, FOR EXAMPLE – I WAS BLOWN AWAY BY THEIR INTENSITY. HOPEFULLY WE CAN CONTINUE TO PLAY TOGETHER. KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THEM, AND WHILE YOU'RE AT IT, LOOK FOR PERRY SHEPHERD AND THE PERRY SCOPES AT A CLUB NEAR YOU!!

Hey Perry –

I heard about your recent accident, and I think I speak for all of us when I say that I hope you die in the hospital.

Ray Welch

RAY –

I DON’T KNOW WHAT SHOCKS ME MORE – THE FACT THAT YOU WANT LITTLE OLD ME TO DIE, OR THE FACT THAT YOU ACTUALLY USED YOUR REAL NAME ON THE LETTER, AND THE FACT THAT YOU AND I HAVE MET ON AT LEAST THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. TALK ABOUT KICKING A GUY WHILE HE’S DOWN. BUT IN LIEU OF A RESPONSE, I WILL JUST QUOTE A CHOICE LYRIC FROM LOCAL SUPERSTARS FONTAINEBLEAU "YOU PUNCH ME WHEN I’M ON THE FLOOR/BUT WHO IS THAT GETTING BACK UP?/YOU KICK ME IN THE TEETH WHEN I TRY TO SPEAK/BUT WHO IS THAT SINGING LOUD?/YOU STAB ME WHEN I START TO DANCE/BUT WHO IS THAT ROCKING OUT?"

Dear Rave On –

Who is your opinion is the most underrated and most overrated act in Western Maine today?

Gordo

DEAR GORDO –

MOST UNDERRATED? GEEZ, THAT’S A TOUGHIE… I MIGHT HAVE TO GO WITH THE FUTHER MUCKERS, WHO’RE DOING A NICE JOB OF KEEPING THE MULTI-GENRED FUNK OF BANDS LIKE FISHBONE ALIVE ON THE WESTERN MAINE SCENE.

AS FOR OVERRATED, I’D HAVE TO SELECT A CERTAIN MR. BOB TIMMINS. WHEN HE DECIDES TO GET A CLUE, HE’LL BE THE BETTER FOR IT.

Dear Perry/Rave On –

What was the first concert that you saw?

Ilene Heser

DEAR ILENE –

WOW, THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE BACK IN 1965, WHEN I CAUGHT A BILL FEATURING LOCAL ACTS LIKE SEZ HOLLIWAY, THE AMAZINGS, AND THE FIVE BUS STOPS OVER AT A CLUB CALLED "THE COD", WHICH WENT OUT OF BUSINESS IN THE EARLY SEVENTIES. THE BUILDING IS NOW A REPAIR SHOP FOR PADDLE BOATS, I BELIEVE.

Perry -

Let’s face it – western Maine won’t be taken seriously until we come up with a song that sums up our scene. Maybe it should be a charity record or something, like that record that helped out those foreigners a few years ago. Whatever, but it should definitely represent our scene, like our national anthem or something. What do you think?

Kendall Hoog

KENDALL –

I agree wholeheartedly. I’d be willing to carry the torch on this. Please send your lyrics to me, care of RAVE ON, and we’ll put some music to it!

RAVE ON –

I want to start playing club dates with my acoustic songs, but I’m very shy. I once tried to go up on an open mic night over at Seafood’s Café, but I couldn’t do it. Is there any advice you could give me?

Too Shy to Print my Name

TOO SHY –

You said that you were too shy to print your name, but apparently you weren’t too shy to put a return address on your envelope – 23 Winding Way in Tillsbury. According to the operator, your name is Roger Olivolos. Now you might think I’m not playing fair by printing your name, but you’ve got to overcome your shyness. This is the best way to do it. The western Maine scene shouldn’t be deprived of your talents just because you piss your pants thinking about getting onstage.

PERRY/RAVE ON –

Any truth to the rumor that Graham Parker will be recording his next album in western Maine?

A Big Parker Fan

BIG PARKER FAN –

Yes and no would best answer your question. Yes, apparently Mr. Parker was in our neck of the woods at the strip mall across the street from the Hit Hut, but he wasn’t on a musical mission unfortunately. Word has it that he was in eastern Maine on a vacation (or as the Brits call it, a "holiday") and got sidetracked into our area trying to avoid the major construction on Route 17. Hey Graham, next time stay awhile – think about having your own "Endless Night" up our way sometime!

RAVE ON –

When do you think the western Maine scene will receive the sort of attention that the Seattle scene got?

Bunky

Bunky—

Hopefully never! Seriously, what we’ve got up here is something special, and the last thing it needs is an infusion of outsiders to taint it. Sure, I’d be as excited as the next guy to see Mansion on the Hill or Raging Bullies sign to a major and get national exposure, but I also think that success is the great murderer as well. It gives and takes away simultaneously.

Perry,

How come you never come see Tinkle? 

A Tinkle fan

What, are you in the band or something?  Tinkle suck a big ol' log and you know it.  Any band that opens their set with the theme from "Romper Room,"  follows it up with an original called "Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots" and releases their CD on a label called Favorite Day Records ain't got nothing to offer me.  Give me a call when you guys sprout some hair down there. 

DEAR PERRY THE ASS -

I think your magazine sucks and I think you suck even more. Your column is such a piece of shit that I actually wipe my ass with it every morning when I take a crap. You’re so ugly, Perry, and you’re such a loser to boot! God, if I had your face I’d kill myself, you ugly douchebag! How do you like that, dick?

Anonymous

Dear Anonymous –

Hey, to each his own. Insults like yours usually come from bitter and jealous people, so I know where you’re probably coming from. And anyway, for every detractor, there are literally thousands who think I’m pretty special. So stick that in your pipe and smoke it, pal.

Rave On/ Perry –

 Whatever became of Vert Francis, the former lead singer of the HG Not-So-Wells? You had named him as the "Rave On Pick to Click Nationally" something like four years in a row, but he seems to have vanished. What’s up?

Jessie Ruggins

Jessie –

Well, if there’s one thing that you can count on from old Perry, it’s the occasional mis-step. Yeah, I saw something special in Vert (real name: Brian Franciscionne) back in the mid-90s, and the HG Not-So-Wells were being courted by some of the Western Maine's top labels and management companies. But Vert couldn’t handle the pressure. He’s kept a low profile for the last couple years, but I did run into him at the Bentonton train station about three months ago. He told me that the HGs have indeed split up, but he plans to make some sort of musical comeback with the commune of mountain people and survivalists he’s been living with over the last few years. He said they were called something like Collective Levitating Force, and Vert said they also planned to get a candidate in the Maine senate within the next few years. He also asked me not to call him Vert anymore, but the name he wanted to be called escapes me at the moment (I think it was something like Monjo, but don’t quote me). Anyway, we’ll keep a lookout for Vert’s new project!

Perry,

A little birdie told me you might be opening a club in Western Maine.  Any truth to this rumor?

Ted

Ted-

My displeasure with Western Maine's rock venues is no secret. When I heard that the West Hoover Palladium burnt to the ground I was inconsolable.  That place was the  only great rock facility in an area absolutely brimming with talent. I knew the Palladium had some great shows coming up that were now in jeopardy. I'd be damned if I was going to let legendary performers like The Catherine Wheel, Rick Derringer, Creedence Clearwater Revisited and The Violent Femmes slip through western Maine's fingers.  I was scrambling to get a space together but had no luck.  You'd be surprised that discrimination against rock and rollers still exists! One realtor called me a murderer just because I was wearing an earring!  Luckily, Tom and Lori are rebuilding the Palladium and promise to have it up and running in time for their first show on June 30th.  The headliner? Tickets haven't gone on sale yet and I've been sworn to secrecy, but I will leave you with this clue: "The Safety Dance."

Ravers,

Thanks to everybody out there who's written in to Rave On! with their words of encouragement!  Nothing pleases me more than spreading the word about the great scene here in western Maine (you oughtta know that by now!).   We've been getting a ton of mail lately and I thought I'd share a few of the letters with you.  Not all were complimentary but that's part of running a major publication. That said,  I do feel the need to send a big fat raspberry out to Peltonsville Ska practitioners  S Car Go .  I forgot to mention their show at The Brew Pub last issue and they sent me a decaying beaver in the mail.  Best of luck with that career guys -you've had your last mention in this mag!

Rave on Western Maine!

Perry Shepherd

Dear RAVE ON –

I’m writing this letter because I felt your review of the WhirlyBird "Songs Of Experience" cassette was quite unfair. You gave the release four and a half stars out of a possible five. What exactly did this cassette do wrong to not merit the extra half star? In my opinion you’ve short-changed a perfect release that doesn’t deserve to be critically mauled the way you see fit. Here’s a suggestion – next time you listen to a new release by a band as innovative and unique as WhirlyBird, try taking your head out of your ass. Maybe then you’ll hear what the rest of us our hearing.

Del Almand

DEL –

I CALL ‘EM LIKE I HEAR ‘EM, ALWAYS HAVE, ALWAYS WILL. BUT I’M ALSO NOT AFRAID TO ADMIT WHEN I MADE A MISTAKE. I WENT BACK AND CHECKED OUT THE WHIRLYBIRD TAPE AGAIN, AND I SHOULD’VE GIVEN IT A SOLID FIVE STARS. I DON’T KNOW WHAT I WAS THINKING. MY SINCEREST APOLOGIES TO THE BAND AND THEIR FANS.

Rave On –

Why the bias against bands from eastern Maine? Don’t they have as much of a right to be a part of the Maine musical scene as anyone else? I think you’re way too hard on our fellow artists to the East. There’s plenty of good bands out that way, from the folk stylings of the Two If By Sea to the harder sounds of Zephyr and the Ron Zif Trio. Try it, you’ll like it.

Bill Cahill

BILL CAHILL –

SORRY IF YOU THINK I’M TOO HARD ON THE EASTERN MAINE SCENE. IT’S JUST THAT I FEEL THAT SCENE IS A LITTLE SOFT FOR MY LIKING. THOSE OF US IN WESTERN MAINE FEEL THAT IF YOU’RE GONNA GET UP ON A STAGE AND BRING IT, THEN YOU’D BETTER BRING IT HARD OR JUST GO AWAY. IN MY OPINION THERE’S NO POSSIBLE WAY YOU CAN COMPARE A LAME BAND LIKE ZEPHYR TO ANY ONE OF THE KICKASS BANDS FROM AROUND MY PARTS, SUCH AS THE BOB TIMMINS BAND OR THE OFFICIALS. AND TO EVEN ENTERTAIN THE IDEA OF CALLING DRIPPY CRAP LIKE TWO IF BY SEA "FOLK", WELL THEN YOU’VE BEEN LIVING IN EASTERN MAINE TOO LONG, MY FRIEND. FACE IT – WESTERN MAINE IS WHERE IT’S AT! THE ONLY GOOD THING ABOUT EASTERN MAINE IS THAT IT’S NOT NEW HAMPSHIRE!! (SORRY, I COULDN’T RESIST)

Rave On –

What happened to the "Rave On" night over at Whale Bones Tavern? Those were some rocking shows.

Lawrence Schenck

LAWRENCE –

UNFORTUNATELY THE WHALE BONES TAVERN WAS SHUT DOWN DUE TO A VARIETY OF LIQUOR LICENSE VIOLATIONS, NONE OF WHICH INVOLVE ME OR RAVE ON MAGAZINE. WE’RE TALKING TO A FEW AREA ESTABLISHMENTS ABOUT BRINGING BACK "RAVE ON" NIGHT, BUT THE ROOM HAS TO BE UP TO OUR ADMITTEDLY HIGH STANDARDS. AND I’M GLAD YOU ENJOYED THE SHOWS. MY FAVORITE WAS THE CHRISTMAS SHOW, WHICH LURED SUCH STATE-WIDE LEGENDS OUT LIKE ERIC VALMAN (FORMER BASSIST FOR WARREN ZEVON) AND SHELLY TURNER. LIKE AH-NOLD SAYS "WE’LL BE BAK!"