Somewhere in early 2001, PJ Harvey swooped into my CD collection, like some damned musical harpy on a mission. She sunk her claws into my eardrums hard, flew my hapless ass to the mountains, and has kept me there as a prisoner ever since. Her latest release, Uh Huh Her, proves to be yet another shackle pinning me to the wall, binding me under the six-string crunch and brooding howl of my captor.

Part One: Judas Cow
After two great opening performances from Chicago natives The High Plain Drifters (who resemble Kyuss) and the Black Sabbath-inspired Nebula, Local H hit The Rave\'s main stage with the whiskey-filled juggernaut \"Buffalo Trace\". The seething tone continued in fan favorites such as the anti-asshole mosh pit classic \"High-Fivin\' MF\", \"Fritz\'s Corner\", as well as new songs like \"Heavy Metal Bakesale\" and \"Money On The Dresser\".

In the last ten years, rap and rock hasn’t sounded right together until Rage Against The Machine came along and schooled everyone. Limp Bizkit? Please. They, and all their little baggy-panted frat buddies will hold their tails between their legs when they catch wind of this: Mash Out Posse’s self-titled debut.

AS THE FRONTMAN TO W.A.S.P., BLACKIE LAWLESS HAS BEEN TO HELL AND BACK. FROM TAKING ON THE P.M.R.C. IN THE EIGHTIES TO PUTTING ON THEATRICAL SHOWS INVOLVING RAW MEAT AND FLAMES SHOOTING FROM HIS CODPIECE, THERE IS LITTLE BLACKIE HASN\'T SEEN OR DONE. NIGHT WATCHMAN CAUGHT UP WITH THE METAL GOD TO FIND OUT THE STORY BEHIND HIS LATEST CREATION, THE NEON GOD, A TWO-DISC CONCEPT ALBUM THAT MINES THE DEPTHS OF LIFE, DEATH, AND WHY WE ARE ALL HERE.

THE BOYS OF BETA HAVE DONE IT AGAIN WITH THEIR NEWEST ALBUM, HEROES TO ZEROS. WAYNE CHINSANG CAUGHT UP WITH ONE OF THE BETA BAND\'S MULTI-TASKERS, ROBIN JONES, ON A BEACH IN ENGLAND, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NEW ALBUM AND THE STIGMA OF ALL THINGS BETA.
Wayne: Are you in Scotland right now?
Robin: I’m in Portsmouth, England. I’m enjoying the summer off in the sunshine.
W: Oh, that’s nice. I’m in Milwaukee enjoying nothing.
R: (laughs) Oh, come on.

THEY\'RE NOT CELEBRITIES. THEY WALK PAST YOU ON THE STREET, BRING YOU YOUR FOOD AT A RESTAURANT, AND LIVE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THEY\'RE EVERYDAY PEOPLE. JUST LIKE YOU.
JUNE 2004: 2004 RIVERSIDE UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES - VERLEANA HODGES, AMANDA WARNER, AND DAN MAITLAND

SAY WHAT YOU WILL, BUT I HAVE YET TO HEAR ANY FORM OF MUSIC CONFRONT AUTHORITY AS FIERCELY AS AFROBEAT. IT WAS BORN OUT OF STRUGGLE, AND EXISTS TO CHALLENGE THOSE WHOSE OPPRESSION FORCED ITS VERY EXISTENCE. AND WHILE AFRICA\'S FELA KUTI IS THE MUSIC\'S RIGHTFUL FOREFATHER, ANTIBALAS AFROBEAT ORCHESTRA IS ITS AMERICAN AMBASSADOR. VINNIE RECENTLY SPOKE WITH ANTIBALAS MUSICIAN MARTIN PERNA ABOUT THE BAND\'S MISSION, MUSIC, AND MIGHTY MESSAGE.
Martin: Where are you guys based?
Vinnie: Milwaukee, so I’m pretty excited to see you guys in a few weeks.

I\'M ABOUT TO SET A PRECEDENT, FOLKS. THIS MONTH\'S UNTAPPED TALENT IS A TELEVISION SHOW-- FEARLESS MUSIC. IMAGINE MTV OR M2, BUT WITH ACTUAL MUSIC. FEARLESS SHOWCASES INDEPENDENT RECORDING ARTISTS, PERFORMING LIVE IN A STUDIO SETTING. IF YOU LIVE IN THE NEW YORK CITY AREA, CHANNEL 35 IS THE MAGIC NUMBER, AND THE INCOMPARABLE MONICA CASTELLANOS IS ONE HALF OF THE MAGIC THAT MAKES IT ALL HAPPEN.
Vinnie: Start by telling me who you are, because I have no idea.