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Butthole Surfers
http://www.buttholesurfers.com/

In addition to the usual discography, gushing band bio, and tour information, the Surfers have stocked their site with a groovy collection of video clips and audio samples from recent albums; the Ask King Archives, in which King Coffey provides perfectly sincere answers to fan questions (no matter how silly or irrelevant); and a dose of sophomoric humor called the Online Voodoo Dolly. Use your cursor as a needle to stick the dolls scarecrow body wearing Hooties head when I gave it a poke, but if you have a photo of someone you'd like to skewer, the Buttholes will consider it and hear it say something stupid. Juvenile, yes, and like the band, strangely entertaining. - Sandra Stewart

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A Patti Smith Babelogue
http://www.oceanstar.com/patti/

Fiona Webster sure likes Patti Smith; she thoroughly chronicles almost 40 years of punk's premiere princess at this site. Patti interviews, photos, reviews, and book passages dating back to the early 70s find themselves resurrected and cataloged in tribute. They rest next to samples of Smiths music (WAV and MP2), dozens of poems, prose passages, and art amassed by Webster. The sites design and HTML could use a boost, but the lists of bootlegs, chances to swap tapes, and continually updated news and performance listings will not disappoint the loyal multitude of Smith fans. - Robert Capps

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Tuff Gong's House
http://www.bobmarley-foundation.com/

Late reggae superstar Bob Marley's family business has become dizzyingly large. This site reflects how his relatives expanded Bob's original music-production company, Tuff Gong, to include the Bob Marley Foundation, a Bob Marley Museum; Rita Marley Music, a music-production company; and Ghetto Youths International, yet another music-production company. These days pretty much all of the Marley family from wife Rita to Bobs sons and daughters make, produce, and distribute music for each other and related acts, as well as preserve Bob Marley's legend. The site is swift and attractive but confusing, and it doesn't include a whole lot on Bob. While the site features news on various Tuff Gong artists, it very much serves as business promotion site, complete with all the PR trimmingsor should I say trappings? - Robert Capps

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InterJazz
http://www.interjazz.com/

InterJazz wants to be a meeting and mixing ground for jazz musicians, promoters, fans, and clubs. Heres the concept: People who work in the jazz industry hire InterJazz to design their site; the site then becomes linked to the InterJazz super-site. People looking for jazz chat rooms, clubs, musicians, instruments, history, and music samples come to this one-stop jazz mall. And InterJazz produces truly first-rate pages. Already, from the Blue Note in New York you can listen to live Elvin Jones burning into your computer, or jump into a chat room with Herbie Hancock. Unfortunately, the sites quantity doesn't yet match its quality; its still very limited and currently features only one club and a handful of musicians. - Robert Capps

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Shanachie
http://www.dmn.com/shanachie/

True to its roots, this world music plus label continues scouring the globe in search of fine undiscovered and popular talent, as well as music that can only be described as historical. Shanachies pages feature generous biographies on and musical excerpts from your favorite artists, and even close-ups of album covers (who doesn't buy records because of a good cover?). Its very subtle how the links work sometimes, leading you to believe that perhaps you clicked on the wrong text. You must be patient, however, for its usually all there on the resultant page. And remember: All prices include shipping! - Ismael Marrero

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International Lyrics Server
http://www.lyrics.ch/

This Swiss database of lyrics from everywhere will find you up all night trying to remember the melody to the Men at Work song you found but cant hum for your life. In other words, its great! It says what it does and does what it says so well that like Frank in Witchcraft i've got no defense for it. Thats not to say you'll find everything here the closest thing to Why Cant We Be Friends (WAR) was World O Filth (Gwar). Still, break out the karaoke machine, pop in a tape, and make like theres no school tomorrow! - Ismael Marrero

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A New January
http://www.interaccess.com/primal/january/

To all the good press that A New January seems to have amassed, lets add a few negative comments. More often than not, slick equals sucks. The test? Have a look at these pages, check out the music and other band info, then judge for yourself. This site corroborates the notion that the DIY ethic has finally reached overkill. At least Iowa, the bands singer/guitar/bass/drum programmer/samples/noize/diplomat, is cute, in a Dave Lister sort of way. Gastronomes should forget searching the lyrics from French Dip for the words au jus; sorry, this song ain't about the sandwich. - Ismael Marrero

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The Lighthouse Electronic Magazine
http://tlem.netcentral.net/toc.html

Can Christians have angst? They can if they're Christian punks! Those stumbling over that oxymoronic stone should remember there are Christians who happen to rock and rockers who happen to be Christian. This eye-pleasing site includes both, and features myriad interviews, news, reviews, but not many Jews, save Jesus. Last September, before my girlfriend would move in with me, I had to donate to charity two large shoe boxes (I'm a 10E) containing all my religious tapes. But Charlie Daniels and Mark Farner now record for the Lord, I reminded her. The devil woman set my tape deck on fire. - Ismael Marrero

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Country Spotlight
http://www.countryspotlight.com/

Go ahead and hate country all you like, but you've gotta hand it to this site. Its like a Taco Bell breakfast the morning after a night of Johnny Redpotentially fatal but somehow just what a body needs. The pages remind me of a general saloon, and theyre just as well stocked with all manner of games and gossip. Like many a country lawman, theyre also beefy and will require much of your patience. The Help, however, actually helps! So push your tush down and set a while: Even if youre only a little bit country, youll enjoy your stay. - Ismael Marrero

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Sonic Net
http://www.sonicnet.com/

If grunge guitar, techno tunes, and the rhythms of indie rock are all music to your ears, then you may want to check out SonicNet. The site features a broad range of content capable of serving a variety of musical tastes, from the discordant to the danceable. Music news is updated daily and comes compliments of Michael Goldberg, veteran rock writer and publisher of Addicted to Noise. Other features include cybercasts and chat options; reviews of live shows, the latest bands, and new recordings; and an extensive buyers guide. The sites visually dynamic display, with bold colors and animated GIFs, helps create an exciting and charged environment for the latest word on today's energetic and alternative sounds. - Katherine Stevenson