December 5–12, 1996 disc quicks Just Say Noel Various Artists (Geffen) Look there ain’t no Santa Claus and there ain’t such a thing as a hip Christmas. Are you really going to throw Sonic Youth on the turntable at 8…

November 7–14, 1996 20 questions Michelle Shocked By Neil Gladstone   This is a landmark year for Michelle Shocked. When the singer/songwriter turns 34, she will be the same age her mother was when Michelle ran away from home at…

October 31–November 7, 1996 20 questions Bruno Kirby By Neil Gladstone   Chances are Bruno Kirby is a supporting player in one of your favorite movies. You may not know his name, but he’s had a long string of memorable…

October 17–24, 1996 earshot zoom Archers of Loaf By Neil Gladstone The fictional airport described on the new Archers of Loaf album, All the Nation’s Airports (Alias), is a very disturbing place. Invalids collide with terrorist scum, radios are down…

September 19–26, 1996 critical mass|Stone’s Soul Picnic Ram Tough Locking horns with the prophets of the projects. By Neil Gladstone It’s a sunny and breezy Saturday afternoon at the Richard Allen Projects in North Philly. Empty cans of Olde English…

August 15–22, 1996 critical mass|Stone’s Soul Picnic The Language of Buzz How the Interpreters became the famous Philadelphia band nobody’s heard of. By Neil Gladstone Fifteen major labels are waging a war over the Interpreters that would make the Letterman…

June 13–20, 1996 stone’s soul picnic Mel’s Stockpile, Caterpillar’s fuzzy pumpers and Shu’s grooves. By Neil Gladstone Being in a struggling rock band is a many splendored thing. Take the Mel’s Rockpile story, for example. After struggling several years to…

March 21–28, 1996 music The Pursuit of Poppiness Looking for hooks with local label, Big Pop, at SXSW. By Neil Gladstone Rick Winward is ambling through the streets of Austin searching for new bands to sign with his small, Philadelphia-based…

March 14–21, 1996 city beat New Skate Rising A new magazine celebrates Philly’s love for skateboarding. By Neil Gladstone Glossy skateboarding magazines featuring glamorous shots of tricksters have been around for many years, but with the new Philadelphia-based Journal magazine,…