Music performers don't seem to admit it, but "intangibles" contribute a lot to the quality of their songwriting. Noel Gallagher may think his band is "mega", but it's obvious that the message in their music was more genuine when they really were working classmen, rather than just writing songs about it. Similarly cast out is Gordon Gano of the Violent Femmes, to nobody's surprise, it's far less poignant (and considerably more eerie) when you're 40 than it is when you're 20 to be singing about not being able to get the girls. These are but two examples, but it the concept is itself not surprising to a blues fan. When you're Robert Johnson, growing up poor, son of a plantation worker, the blues are for real. When Eric Clapton plays the blues in the spacious, air conditioned Royal Albert Hall, it's a notable suspension of reality. That's why I still chuckle when I hear his version of "Hoochie Coochie Man", right at the point when he says "I wanna make pretty womens". Gets me every time.

Having just seen "High Fidelity", I feel inclined to contribute a couple of Top Five lists to society:

TOP FIVE B-SIDES, 1990's

1. Drugstore -- Accelerate

2. Suede -- The Living Dead

3. Stereolab -- Tempter

4. MBV -- Moon Song

5. Orbital -- Sunday

TOP FIVE PULP LYRICS

1. Pink Glove

2. Disco 2000

3. Joyriders

4. Dishes

5. Something Changed

Hate and discrimination exists. Hate and discrimination is bad. Often, in protest to the world's injustices, old farts like Sting write some sappy song asking people to start being nice to each other. Every once in a long while, someone comes up with the ingenious idea of combating hate by throwing hate right back where it came from, even more hateful than before. One such record is the "Rage Against Nazis" ep by Katharsis, perhaps the most visceral recording ever. Then there is "Swastika Eyes" by Primal Scream, perhaps the best single released in the last three years. Preposterously aggressive and impossibly loud, spitting out venom along the lines of "a military-industrial illusion of democracy", it breathes, sweats and bleeds reciprocal hate. Why be diplomatic when you can say "we see through all of your bullshit, you stinking Nazi motherfucker"!!!! Obviously, in real-life politics, this type of reaction is not feasible. In music, such binding restraints don't exist, and that's why "Swastika Eyes" sounds like such a damn important piece of music.

In a somewhat distorted fashion, Lou Perleman is the Phil Spector of the late 1990's. Lou is the fuhrer of today's boy bands in much the way that Spector owned the girl group scene in the early 1960's. Lou isn't nearly as famous as Phil was in the latter's heyday, but this could be chalked up to two factors: 1) Lou's a lot older than his proteges, 2) Lou's been fired by many of his proteges. Whereas Phil was a tyrant within the recording studio, Lou is a tyrant (by all accounts) everywhere but. And as for his own personal fame -- he may be elevated with the ABC series "Making the Band".

Somehow, I've always associated Third Eye Foundation with abrasive guitar terrorism over nosebleed breakbeats. In fact, the number of such TEF songs can be counted on one hand. Of course, the first 20 minutes of "Semtex" and the mind-blowing "Corpses As Bedmates" (from "Ghost") make a long lasting impression. However, "Corpses As Bedmates" can now be viewed as a sign-off, Matt Elliott waving goodbye to his lo-fi roots with his finest statement of anarchic noise. Finally, on this this year's "Little Lost Soul" he's composed an full flow of an album, rather than a seemingly unrelated consortium of tracks. The album is like a dream, scenes slowly fade to grey and then a new one appears, each lonelier than the one before it. Whereas the "Sound of Violence" EP evoked physical pain, "LLS" evokes emotional pain. Like the final scene of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", in which Brad and Janet aimlessly crawl in circles around a fallen Dr. Scott, it's the sound of sweet confusion and aching memories which won't get out of your head. And yes, like that scene in "Rocky Horror", there's a tongue-in-cheek element as well (just look at some of the song titles).

Kevin Shields is playing UK gigs with Primal Scream. This must be a wet dream.

I can scarcely believe that I am about to write this, but "That's the Way It Is" is surely the best Celine Dion song ever. Nobody can dispute the fact that she has a wonderful voice, but when she uses it to peddle the inane sappiness of "My Heart Will Go On" it makes me cringe the way Whitney Houston once did with "I Will Always Love You". Celine has rediscovered her dance pop side which she abandoned sometime in 1995, just in time to compete with the Jessicas and Christinas of the world.

Nobody associates a bands' "greatness" with their lyric writing ability. The Beatles are an excellent test case. There is no dispute that they were an excellent band, but their lyrics are often atrocious. They began with simple teenybopper "I love you, I don't love you" sentiments, but that's what everybody was doing then so this can't be held against them. During the Rubber Soul/Revolver period their lyrics were at their peak, from the biting social commentary of Taxman to the thinly veiled confessions of "Norwegian Wood" to the serene simplicity of "Here, There and Everywhere". Then it all went horribly wrong. Take the White Album as an example. Clearly there are exceptions (Julia, Blackbird, etc.) but for the most part the lyrics are incessant streams of directionless, and frequently ridiculous storytelling. Is John making any sense at all during "Glass Onion" or "Happiness is a Warm Gun"? Paul is bitten by the bug as well -- what on earth are we to make of "Rocky Raccoon"? Has anyone, save Charles Manson, been enlightened by the lyrics to "Piggies"? The White Album is an album of musical genius -- likely the best thing the Beatles ever did -- but is also an album of frequent lyrical tomfoolery. Must have been the drugs.

What exactly is the difference between Much Music and Much More Music? Not much, as far as I can tell. MM plays Korn, and M3 doesn't. Oh yeah, M3 plays the Backstreet Boys, but they never visit. Interestingly, MM's upcoming Sandjob exclusively features the bands that M3 doesn't play.

I have figured out why Korn exist. Korn exist so that young people threatened by genres such as pop and techno can say "See? Rock rulz man!"