Clone Club News Flash Winter 1989

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"The Best We Could Find" -- Is It Taylor's Swan Song?

LOS ANGELES (API) - As Sparrow records prepares to ship Steve Taylor's latest release later this month to retailers across the nation, there is much speculation as to what this project may signal for Taylor's future plans. Entitled "The Best We Could Find (+3 That Never Escaped," the album features three new tracks (two produced by The Beaufort Twins and one by Taylor solo) performed by Taylor and Some Band, with guest musicians Dave Perkins, Gym Nicholson, and a tuba player named Eric. The cassette contains ten additional tracks selected from Taylor's first three studio albums, while the compact disc contains fourteen additional tracks, including the complete "I Want To Be A Clone" EP (previously unavailable on compact disc).

In recent interviews Taylor has sidestepped any questions about plans for the next studio album, leaving more than one journalist wondering whether Taylor may be retiring as a recording and concert artist. An excerpt from the latest issue of Premier magazine quotes Taylor as saying "Who knows?," and later confirmed reports that he is moving to Europe with his wife Debbie for "an extended stay."

Other clues would seem to spring from the obvious symbolism in the cover art (reproduced here in glorious black and white). The woman is portrayed in the picture calmly taking the tray of master tapes to their destination. Where is she taking them? Away from the open window? Toward the microwave oven? Any why the look of serenity? Doesn't she know it's an election year?

Perhaps most revealing of all, according to noted art historian Jean Tartarrr, are the "curtains" in the right foreground of the cover. Tartarrr, an expert in Cubism, made his comments after a recent Chicago Cubs home game.

We can only conjecture as to whether or not "The Best We Could Find" is, in fact, Steve Taylor's swan song. But Newsflash has confirmed this much: Taylor admitted earlier this week that one of the new tracks, "Down Under," was partially written in a Sydney, Australia hotel room overlooking a park that had reported numerous swan sightings in the past year.

Inside This Issue:

The Experts Agree

NOTE: The following quotes were taken from "I Predict 1990: The Video Album" unsolicited viewer mail. They are reprinted here, absolutely authentic and unretouched except for some minor punctuation corrections, in an attempt to hype you into buying the video for yourself. Not to lay a guilt trip on you or anything, but the Honda hits the 100,000 mile mark this week and desperately needs an oil change, a new air filter, and one of those foot-shaped gas pedals to insure continued road safety and performance.

I just finished watching the video album 1990 for the third time this weekend...IT'S AWESOME!!! (unretouched punctuation)

Tim Wright
Tacoma, Washington

My life will never be the same after my purchase of the Steve Taylor 1990 videos.

John Soety
Spotswood, New Jersey

My sister and I have watched the video about thirty times. Then I read in TV Guide that "a high-quality videocassette tape can be played 1,000 times before it begins to show signs of wear." So I can only watch it 970 more times.

Andy Spedden
Lancaster, Pennsylvania

I just bought the 1990 Video Album and I think it's fantastic! I played "Jim Morrison's Grave" for an unsaved friend of mine, and explained it to him scripturally. He asked to see the rest of the tape! It's a great witnessing tool.

Mike Bennett
Dayton, Ohio

I got the video album and I think it's great. Who in the world is Svengali?

Paul G. Reaves
Florence, South Carolina

I was watching Real Videos and they played "I Blew Up The Clinic Real Good." I about lost it! It was so funny, yet it's so true.

Karrie Starr
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

"Since I Gave Up Hope" -- Is there any objection to a massive letter writing campaign to Late Night with Dave Letterman to bring on as a guest the amazing Taylor-Cam? Let me know if I have your OK. Aside from all of this, the video was terrific, and at the same time draws bewildered looks from everyone over 25 in our house.

Ryan Richardson
Windsor, Ontario

"A Principled Man" -- a "9" out of 10. Made me want to sing along with it.

Luke Yang
Glendale, California

The only thing that's predictable about this video album is that nothing's predictable... "What Is The Measure Of Your Success" swings through the success-syndromed street of El-Lay and into the Board Room. The music takes shots at the gods of mammon while on-camera characters take paint gun shots, eliminating the competition and each other. No one wins the success game.

Phil Olson
Youthworker Journal

"Babylon" -- my other favorite. The filming is totally impressive. So much imagination! I love the spotlights and the blue lights. Everything has such a cool mood.

DeAnne Meyer
Grants Pass, Oregon

...it's a great tool for discussing Taylor's quirky and provocative lyrics. But don't look for this one on MTV...

Steve Rabey
CCM Magazine

Coming up on 120 Minute we have videos from Steve Taylor and Siouxsie & The Banshees.

Kevin Seal
MTV

Wanna see more of "Jim Morrison's Grave" on MTV? Write:

120 Minutes
1775 Broadway
New York, NY 10019

(Remember to write legibly, lick the entire stamp, and include your Social Security number.)

[Photo and caption: Steve Taylor, shown here prior to his Mail Fraud conviction for elaborate Puerto Vallarta Giveaway Scam.]

Have A Mariachi Christmas

Dear Mom and Dad,

I just finished recording a song that I think you might like a lot more for playing around the house than my other stuff. I know you play my other stuff, too, but for this one you may even want to turn off the vacuum cleaner. It's a Christmas song called "Winter Wonderland," and even though it's already been done before by Bing Crosby and Perry Como, this one doesn't use any electric guitars or drumsl ike they did. (Or was that Stryper?) It's got violins and trumpets and a real accordion (do you still play yours, Mom?), and I even sing in three part harmony.

I recorded it using a "mariachi band" just like the one at that Mexican cafeteria we used to go to in Albuquerque with the all-you-can-drink salsa. I found out about them in the Yellow Pages, and they all spoke Spanish and English, except for the accordian player from Czechoslovakia who didn't speak either. It was really fun, and I even got to do a Mexican hat dance at the end. We didn't have a sombrero, but the styrofoam cup worked fine.

The whole album has a bunch of Christmas song by a bunch of Sparrow's recording artists, so I guess that's why they gave the record a catchy name like "Christmas." My song's at the end of side one before the little hole.

Thanks a lot for sending the velour sweater with my allowance this week. It'll be really nice to wear around the apartment when there's no guests. Make sure the dog gets enough cheese.

Your loving son,
Steve

Record Reviews

By Glen C. Holmer, Newsflash Movie Critic and Some Band Bassist

Moonpetal Baez -- "Madly In Love With You But I Just Hate That Big Red Thing On Gorbachev's Head"
Love-In Records (SL4006)

She's hot, she's talented, she's the 13 year old daughter of folkie/activist Joan Baez. She's got a burning desire to speak from the heart of her generation and she's a great little dancer. While many of today's youth think that South African divestment is something Princess Di would wear, Moonpetal has put a culturally aware record that combines scathing slams on society with a hip-hop beat to prove that protesting can be fun and profitable.

The album opens up with "Madly In Love With You But I Just Hate That Big Red Thing On Gorbachev's Head," and although the hook is a little hard to sing along with, it actually turns out to be a good lesson in phonics. Then we're into a very up version of "The Age of Aquariums" and the rocker "Passive Is Massive." Little Moonpetal (with help from mom) reaches back to her 60's roots with a fitting rewrite for today's young activist. There's a song about Chernobyl called "Glowin' In The Wind," the Hendrix classic "All Along A Hot Shower," "The Eve Of Liposuction," and a song about divorce called "Four Dads In O-HI-O."

Side two opens with the self-penned "Just Say No To Doug" and "I Was Raised Catholic But Lately I've Been Protestin." Now there's a lovely shifting of mood along with a florid string arrangement on the pensive balld "Whining Little Narcissist." An angry Moonpetal bels out a scorching denunciation of newspaper publisher Rupert Murdock with the Dylan classic, "The Times They Are A-Changing."

The album closes with what I believe will be an anthem for the 90's and perhaps the 21st century. Special guest background vocals are by Julian Lennon, Ziggy Marley, Martin Sheen, Charlie Sheen, and Afro Sheen. It's a repetitive hypnotic chant about the use of pesticides called "Give Bees A Chance."

With the record fast approaching platinum, what direction will her career take? Acting? An autobiography? Junior high school? "No," says Moonpetal, "I'm working on a benefit concert to finally end this world's shameful exploitation of pigs. It's being sponsored by Spamnesty International."

Released!

In the last issue of Newsflash we informed you that shortly after we left Poland on tour last summer our concert promoter there was imprisoned for his involvement with "dissident musicians." Since then, many of you have written to ask about Marek's condition and tell us of your prayers on his behalf. We're happy to report that he's now been released on bail, and it's expected that the charges against him will soon be dropped.

Not one to be easily discourage, Marek has immediately returned to his work, and is currently promoting concerts with three European Christian bands this fall in his native Poland and in the Soviet Union.

During his months in prison, word reached Marek of the large number of people praying for him. The news gave him much-needed strength and encouragement. Thank you for your help in getting him out.

The Clone Club

We're Overstocked...

Everything Must Go...

This is the Big One...

We're Cleaning Out the Warehouse...

If you can find lower prices, report them to the police...

Free T-Shirts

No, this is not a misprint. We're giving away a brand new, late model t-shirt free with each purchase of the new "The Best We Could Find" cassette or compact disc. Why? It's simple. The Honda can no longer fit in the garage.