By Annette Johnson

Rat Sound’s (Pearl Jam, The Red Hot Chili Peppers) Brian Rat has been out mixing sound for L7, who is opening for Marilyn Manson. Dave Rat was preparing equipment for the Beck tour and worked Beck’s first three shows. Rat’s famous Smitty has been the Rat tech for the rest of the tour which was previously on the west coast.

The WAMI (Wisconsin Area Music Industry) Awards nominations will go to public vote in April. The WAMI nomination form will be mailed to members in March. The balloting process will allow WAMI members to nominate fellow musicians and industry professionals within categories. The top five nominees in each category, with the exception of special industry awards, will go to public vote. To join WAMI, send your name, address, phone, fax, e-mail and music affiliation, along with a $15 membership fee made payable to “WAMI” to: WAMI, PO Box 92816, Milwaukee, WI 53202-0816. For more information, call 414/777-3927, fax 414/544-1618 or e-mail wami@mixcom.com.

Bits: Chicago’s Third Rail has just changed their name to Third Rail Kills Youth, “in an effort to piss off the moral majority” -- as stated in their press release. Well, good luck!... Watch for Mercy Beat to hit the Midwest to support their EP release Extended Play. Christian and Julian Webb, the principle songwriters for Mercy Beat are the eldest sons of songwriter Jimmy Webb. Other members of the band include drummer Neal Ostrovsky and bassist Beitr Furman (the Lupins)... Clark Brown was discovered by Geezer Butler (founding member of Black Sabbath) and is now in the line-up for g//z/r doing vocals. g//z/r’s debut album, Plastic Planet, release in 1995 on TVT Records, featured Fear Factory’s singer Burton C. Bell, drummer Deen Castronovo, and guitarist Pedro Howse... Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has signed with American Recordings... The Jayhawks’ new release, Sound of Lies, on American Recordings should be out April 22...

Studio News: Current people tracking through Performance Recording this past month include the Chicago Kingsnakes with great guitar work from Blyther Smith, Rappers Xplicit Behavior, 3 Dudes and a Dead Chick, Sadistic, More About Frank, The Dancing Noodles and Peace Freak. Owner Marty Bilecki has been working on projects for Peter Blast, Perry Danos and Dustin Parker... The Acoustic Cafe has just finished their modeling and upgrading, which included a new Mac system with 16 channels of Pro Tools, CD writers, extensive outboard gear and a new cafe (cappuccino included). Musicians and artists tracking through Acoustic Cafe this past month: New country sensation Bill Hall and former Bitter Nature bass player Dean Heineman with his new band MAD with engineer Chris Papa. Papa is also working with Mr. Happy and Chora Ensemble, while producer Steve Carter of IC World Music was in the studio with DJ B Cool Out. Timothy Powell was in to track Peg Lehman. Producer/engineer Rob Ruccia was in to remix Screamin Legion. And John Nevin attended the International Midem Festival in Cannes, France, who presented several projects recorded previously at Acoustic Cafe which included Cym Lajoy on Another View Records, David Michael Matuch, Parker Priestt, Baltimore’s Betty In Black, Slam St. Joan, Bitter Nature, and Gerosa. David Michael Matuch and the Acoustic Cafe will be featured in the May issue of Electronic Musician. This feature will contain Matuch’s new album Before Reality which was recorded at Acoustic Cafe and his home studio.

Record Release Parties: Pet Engine’s release party for feeling like a hundred bucks will be held on March 1 at Modjeska Theatre located at 1134 Mitchell, Milwaukee. Also on the bill are The Lovelles and The Lackloves. Feeling like a hundred bucks hit the stores February 18... Al Rose’s release party for Naked In A Trailer will be held on March 6 at FitzGerald’s located at 6615 Roosevelt Rd, Berwyn, IL. Also performing will be Sons Of The Never Wrong. Focus tracks off this release are “Visionary Tractor Man” and “Mister Bigger.”

Competition for the sixth annual Chicago regional Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival will be held on March 8, 1997, at the Athenaeum Theater, 2936 N. Southport, Chicago. The top 10 vocal groups from around the Midwest will compete and the winning group will compete in May at the national finals in the San Francisco Bay area. Other regional contests are held in Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, New York City, Seattle and Washington, DC. Tickets are $12. For more information call 773/935-6860.

Music Therapy: An Introduction and Demonstration By Marcos Reyna Reynoso will be held on March 8, 1997, at Links Hall, 3435 N. Sheffield, Chicago. Intro classes start March 8 with Level I classes held on March 11 and Level II classes on March 22. Admission is $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. For more information and registration call Oona Hochberg at 773/955-4417.

Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music will be celebrating its 40th year. A preliminary list of 40th Anniversary events include: Old Town School’s 40th Anniversary All-Star Hootenanny on April 25 through the 26th, 8 pm. featuring co-founder Frank Hamilton, Tom Paxton, Odetta and special guests, a special tribute to Steve Goodman is being planned for the fall; a special class, 40 Years of Folk Music with Mark Dvorak, will explore the people and music which have filled the Old Town School’s halls since 1957; children’s performances include Wiggleworms Family Night on March 7, Kathy Kallick and The Little Big Band on March 23 and Happy 40th Birthday Old Town School on April 19. For more information call 773/525-7793.