Pittsburgh, PA
Boss - The Rock N Roll Truckstop Magazine n' junk
Website - Youz on it stoopid!
Band of the Year: Screeching Weasel - Without a doubt, it's been the year of the Weasel! Three cds, the return of live shows and hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds of rabid, Weasel-hungry fans. However it's almost unfair to say The Ultimatics didn't kick major ass this year! The boys got on uptight PBS TV as well as crapass popular Radio stations; they were the first punk band to win The Graffiti Rock Challenge giving them exposure in tons of newspapers and stuff; put out another Excellent cd; all after the death of close friend & bandmate Ray Christopher last summer. Plus it was all done without tossing out their original recipe for great in-your face punk in exchange for something a little friendlier.
Show of the Year: Sorry...I had to split this one up....
The most impressive one was Johnny Dilks & the Visication Valley Boys at Gooski's in Pittsburgh, 02/20/00. So talented, and more entertaining than any country artist ever! His punk-rawkness oozed from his pores (even though I did not actually see him preform any of that type of stuff til June) as he sang his own well written tunes in a very Hank Williams-esque voice!
The most purely fun show was The Queers/The Lillingtons/The Explosion show at The Black Cat in Washington D.C., 08/26/00. I saw the same show a couple weeks earlier in Pittsburgh, but it didn't sell to me completely ( I was just in a rotten mood I think). This particular show was just fun and cool in every sense!!!
The show which I will always remember for the rest of my life though is probably a dead givaway but.... Screeching Weasel at the House of Blues on 10/28/00. I actually had more fun at the second show, but the first one actually made me have a "sick at my stomach feeling", that has never happened before, I'm not sure it will again. (But maybe that was cuz I was really drunk too!)
Best New Artist: Matt Schor (his debute preformance as not only a guitarist but vocalist as well - with The Ultimatics)
MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS
Vocalist: Johnny Dilks
Guitarist: Dave Gonzales (The Paladins) / Phillip Hill (Teen Idols)
Bassist: Pistol Pete Midtguard (The Twistin' Tarantulas)
Drummer: Lonnie Charles (Big Barn Combo) / Al (The Heptanes)
Other: The saxophone team of Todd & Butcher from Ace & the Ragers - such wild boys!!!
Lifetime Achievement Award: James Morrow - Between booking bands, Supporting the scene and Playing in his own bands, I think we here in Pittsburgh owe an aweful lot to him. After straining his chords for a couple of "Decades" now, he still sings beautifully & I happy to say has an amazing band behind him once again. Speaking personally, if it weren't for James, I may not have ever met my lost love The Decade or The Next Decade (which had it not been turned into a stupid fuckin italian restaurant & would also be the recipient of this award for it's many years of service to the music scene. I miss you Decade & I will always love you dear, I know one day you will come back to me even if your stage can't.)
Service Award: Music fans who didn't ditch or deny their scene to go to something more (or less popular). Example - The Rockabillies who loved it before and after the incoming of Sleaze Rock....
***And also to TJ Lubinsky for his wonderful work as well***