Pumpkins Mediaflash, Issue 2, December 1997

Submit your own articles for review for next month's issue! Also, if you want to buy 
or sell Pumpkins stuff, e-mail me, and I'll put you in next month's Pumpkin 
classifieds cosmicx@escape.ca

Special Thanks to Zena Burns-Scratchie Publicist and Scratchie Records for allowing
 me to use the info, audio,etc. in this issue.

The start of the company was during a conversation in April 1995, three months later Scratchie was official. The concept of the company was a record label that wouldn't screw their artists and customers.

With their artists, the owners appear at concerts, etc., they seem to be a very professional and casual with their artists at the same time. Scratchie Records isn't your typical record label, they aren't the money grubbing "suits" that people commonly associate with record labels. If the stereoype is really true, then Scratchie Records is the exception.

The Frogs: One of Billy Corgan's favorites, are a band that is very underground. They have songs that you really need a sense of humour for. If you don't have a sense of humor, you probably won't listen because they sing about things that would be considered politically incorrect. But that's you, for those of us with a sense of humor, you can find the Frogs on their latest release Starjob. The album was produced by Billy Corgan. They were also featured on the 1994 Smashing Pumpkins video cassette, Vieuphoria.

Chainsaw Kittens: Hailing from Oklahoma, released their fourth album, Chainsaw Kittens on Scratchie. Touring with the likes of the Pumpkins, Janes Addiction, and Iggy Pop, shows that they are respected by their peers. The Chainsaw Kittens have a melodic sound at times while still having twisted lyrics. The Chainsaw Kittens were formerly on Mammoth Records, they have released 3 albums and 3 EPs, as well as some singles.

Fountains of Wayne: This New York based band fills their debut album with pop melodies and incidious lyrics that you'll be humming in the car, the office/school, and before you go to bed. Fountains of Wayne has short but sweet songs, including the single "Radiation Vibe". Included in Fountains of Wayne is Adam Schlesinger , one of the owners' of Scratchie Records, who also produced the album. Fountains of Wayne toured with the Smashing Pumpkins for one leg of the Infinite Sadness Tour.

Fulflej: Out of Virginia, come Fulflej, with their album Wack Ass Tuba Riff, their first on Scratchie Records. It all started, when Fulflej was opening for a Catherine show. Kerry Brown (Catherine's Drummer, and Scratchie owner) and his wife D'arcy(you know who she is) were impressed to say the least and they were signed immediately to Scratchie. They released their single, "Work in the Universe" on 7" with "Parallel to Gravity". Their 1993 demo tape alone,Funny *Things* Shine, gained reviews from all over the country, including a write-up in Alternative Press Magazine in June 1994. And Fulflej was called "bi-racial weirdos" by Spin Magazine. D'arcy and James Iha produced Fulflej's Scratchie debut album. Fulflej were formed in 1986.

Fondly:>Fondly is a trio from Chicago. They have gotten rave reviews from the press in that area. They have called "one of those rare bands that struggles to push itself into a number of directions and ends up carving it's own niche in the process". (From CMJ jackpot ). There debut album was produced by Red Red Meat's Brian Deck.

Belltower: Once at the top of the British Indie Charts, disappeared for a few years. They're back and now on Scratchie with their single, "Underwatertown" Their sound is mostly composed of what Scratchie calls "guitar-heavy distortion and wafting melodies". On a side note, their bassist was the voice for the cartoon, "JEM".

Other Scratchie Artists: Phoenix Thunderstone-sound of the west coast underground, Freak Magnet-loud guitar-driven rock from Chicago, Ivy-pretty music with a hip hop flavour, Mike Ladd- incredible surrealistic hip-hop poetry, Lenky Don-jungle-dancehall master from NY, Pancho Kryztal-sweet dancehall sounds from Jamaica, and Blaze. These artists are last but certainly not least.

1. Fulflej "Quite Like This" 
2. Pancho Kryztal "Silent Treatment" 
3. Fondly "4H" 
4. Mike Ladd "Padded Walls" 
5. Blaze "Melvin's Brain" 
6. Eszter Balint "Don't Forget Your Wrist" 
7. The Frogs "Lord Grunge" 
8. DJ Nabee Swift "Who's The Producer" 
9. Fountains Of Wayne "Karpet King" 
10. Phoenix Thunderstone "In & Out of Time" 
11. Chainsaw Kittens "King Monkey Smoke" 
12. Monkey Paw "Big Shooter"

Besides being the rhythym guitarist, James Iha is also one of the songwriters. He also has
sang on a several tracks. So the idea of a making an album isn't alien to him. Talk of a solo
album by James Iha has been floating around for a while but now it's finally coming. The 
album is said to include songs with Nina Gordon. Nina Gordon is one of the lead vocalists
for the Chicago based band, Veruca Salt. This isn't the first time that the two have 
worked together.The first time was with the song, "Said Saidly", a b-side off of the Bullet
With Butterfly Wings single. James has also sang "Blew Away" from Pisces Iscariot, "Take
Me Down" from Mellon Collie, "Believe" and "The Boy" from the 1979 single, "A Night Like
This" from the BWBW single(TAFH version), and "The Bells" from the Thirty-Three single.
The new solo album is set to come out in Feburary 1998.

Listen to a real audio version of....Said Sadly Here is the track listing: : "Be Strong Now," "Sound of Love," "Beauty," "See the Sun," "Country Girl," "Jealousy," "Lover, Lover," "Silver String," "Winter," "One and Two" and "No One's Gonna Hurt You".

The summer of hell, 1996 was tragic the pumpkins not only lost their keyboardist but they
kicked out their drummer, Jimmy Chamberlin for his involvement in drugs. They were sick
of trying to help someone that wouldn't let anyone help him.

At the '96 MTV Music Video Awards, they had a new drummer , Matt Walker. He wasn't as
great as Jimmy but he still was a pretty decent drummer. Matt went on to doing the rest
of the Infinite Sadness Tour with the Pumpkins. He also did part of the Ransom soundtrack
with Billy Corgan, The End is the Beginning is the End Single(Also, on Batman Soundtrack),
and part of the new album. Matt Walker's last show with the Pumpkins was on December
5th, opening for the Rolling Stones.

Matt Cameron, formerly of Soundgarden now takes over for recording on the new album. It
is not been said if Cameron will be the permanent drummer. Only time will tell.