Puff'n'Stuff

Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod - ok, so it's quite possible that Puff is the only one getting their knickers in a knot over the 2006 Rock Paper Scissors State Championships at SkyCity Adelaide this Fri 30 June - or at least the only one willing to admit it...Oh, come on, who isn't a R.S.P. square deep down inside?! ...Fine, be like that. South Aussies will get a chance to crush the current national champ The Dr. Quinn from Cairns and possibly acquire a wealth of fame and admiration from other Rock Paper Scissors nerds all over the world later in the year. To refresh your memory; rock beats scissors, which beats paper, which beats rock - but Puff has a sneaking suspicion you already knew that...

Much less geeky are Adelaide locals The Petersons (featuring former members of Hummel) and Meanwell College (featuring former People Before Structures alumni Ben Revi and Benn Hansen) who are not only playing at the Exeter Hotel this Sat 24 June, but also releasing their first record 'Downshifting/Like Mushrooms' later in August. That's right, record - as in vinyl - but Puff is told that there'll be a CD in the package as well for all you crazy modern kids out there.

The spunky chickies from Dirty Lucy have a new album in the works called 'Music, People, Cities, Lights And Darkness' that's set to be released also later in the year, but in the meantime you can get your hands on the band's brand new single 10 Ft Tall from Big Star Records. They're heading our way on Fri 23 June in support of Ballarat's favourite sons Epicure who are also going to be showing off their brand new single Main Street, straight off their critically acclaimed second LP, 'Main Street'.

Undeniably one of the hottest local musical machines of the moment - and dare Puff say, one of the best dressed - The Hot Lies are making their way back home in support of their Top 40 smash 'Heart Attacks And Callous Acts'. The EP has sat in the ARIA Top 100 charts for over 30 weeks now, which makes the boys proud pappas of one of the longest running domestic releases in the 2006 singles charts. The Hot Lies will be playing at the Adelaide Uni Bar on Sat 1 July and will be bringing their good mates from Melbourne, The Getaway Plan, along for the ride.

And Puff hears that the boys from Straight 2 The Ace have been having a huge ball on their first ever tour in support of the self-titled EP which has been selling like hotcakes thanks to their packed-out shows. They will be making an appearance on Sat 19 August at the Jade Monkey, but in the meantime pick up 'Straight 2 The Ace' from Big Star or Krypton Discs to see what all the fuss is about.
Actually, it's all about the local talent this month, with Raven Black Night returning with some new material to showcase at Fowler's Live on Sat 1 July, after recently rocking the punters at the Evil Invaders Festival in Melbourne. The Fowler's show will include two new industrial-metal bands Faith In Decay and Art In Exile (featuring Mel from the much missed Embryonic Soul), as well as Imminent Psychosis and Victoria's The Deadthings). Raven Black Night's debut CD 'Choose The Dark' continues to receive amazing reviews in Europe - with growing sales leading to a re-pressing of the album as well as festival offers in Germany - and the band will record a follow-up to it later this year.

On the other side of the globe, it's jinx all round once again for the Strolling Bones - oh, oops, make that The Rolling Stones. As if the humiliation needs re-telling, after guitarist Keith Richards' recent fall from a coconut tree (of all trees!) and the consequent European tour delay, it's now second guitarist Ron Wood who is making the headlines thanks to his out of control alcohol dependency. Wood will be receiving rehab treatment in South London until July after his lifelong battle with booze. The band's spokesperson made the shocking revelation that the 59-year-old Woods "Needs some rest" before joining the Bigger Bang tour in Milan - No. Way. Could it be?

Shocking revelation Number Two this month is the announcement that Pete Doherty has spent the last month in rehab - Well, Puff never...Yes, apparently the singer was admitted for detoxing and an opiate-suppressing implant fitting earlier in June, but according to his lawyer, is now fine and roaming the UK freely - so stay tuned for more shameless shenanigans and guaranteed embarrassment coming soon.

Still on the subject of disgrace, picture this: Boy George sweeping the streets of Manhattan. No joke, because that's exactly what the former Culture Club star is facing at the moment after failing to appear at a New York court last week to explain as to why his sentence should be changed after falsely reporting a burglary last year. The judge presiding over the case criticised the star for not paying the US$1000 fine, further ridiculing George for his suggestion that he instead do some community service hours at - get ready for it - a fashion and make-up workshop. Oh the punishment!

Still in the States, still in a courtroom (what is this, the 150th time this year?), and still controversial as hell is one Jack White, who along with Meg White recently won a court case against former associate Jim Diamond. Diamond sued the Whites over owed royalties for his work on the appropriately named 'Lack Of Communication' and 'De Stijl', but in a hearing that took less than 20 minutes, the court ruled that he was paid the US$35 an hour for his engineering accordingly. Surprise, surprise, Jason Stollsteimer, vocalist of The Von Bondies and one time Jack-White-punching-bag, jumped at the opportunity to testify at the trial, accusing White of leaving a threatening note stuck to his door with a knife. Previously, White was convicted of assaulting and battering Stollsteimer in a Detroit nightclub. Currently putting the finishing touches on the White Stripes' upcoming album 'Get Behind Me Satan', apparently the lord of darkness has certainly been doing just that - not only has White got beef with Diamond and Stollsteimer, but he's also in the middle of a feud with Billy Childish who also has recently felt the wrath of White. Never one to turn down a good ol' fashioned mouth-off, White accused Childish of plagiarism, stating, "Meg and I really feel sorry for you. It must be lonely sitting in all of that garage rock bitterness Billy. You know children, when you take someone else's music and put your own lyrics on top of it, it's still called plagiarism." Ooo, Jerry! Jerry!


As if Eminem's rags-to-riches tale '8 Mile' wasn't enough (and Puff's not even gonna go there with 'Fiddy's 'Get Rich Or Die Trying'), Missy Elliott is now going down the all-too-frequently-traveled rapper-turned-actor road. Currently untitled, Puff hears that the movie will be produced by Robert De Niro's Tribeca Films and will see Elliott retrace her life story, from the little girl who used to write letters to Janet and (eek!) Michael Jackson begging them to adopt her, to the 34-year-old hip-hop megastar getting her 'freak on'.
Puff has learned that Oprah Winfrey too has been beefing with some of hip-hop's heavies lately, according to FHM magazine. Not only has Ludacris accused the talk show host of mistreating him by unfairly editing some of his comments about hip-hop lyrics, but Ice Cube has joined in the chorus, claiming she once insulted him by failing to invite him on her show along with the rest of the Barbershop cast. "She's had damn rapists, child molesters and lying authors on her show and if I'm not a rags-to-riches story for her, who is?" Ice Cube spat to FHM. Puff reckons you should watch yourself Ms O, lest the 'Cube and 'Luda decide to bust a cap in yo' ass. Respect.

Green Day have strangely been credited with saving the life of a young fan who, after discovering a live World War II hand grenade in her backyard apparently identified it as such only thanks to the hand grenade image shown on her Green Day American Idiot t-shirt. Just how the band earned the hero status is a bit of a mystery to Puff, seeing how it was the bomb disposal unit who discarded the explosive device. Go figure.

As far as what else is going on around our fine city of Adelaide, check out the following pages and please, oh please, do
Get Out Of The House!