ROCKFOUR-THEY'VE NEVER HEARD OF YOU EITHER The music industry sucks, I've been in it since 1972 as a columnist,roadie, road manager, lyricist and producer, and it sucks. Here it is 2014 and I'm listening to an amazing psych disc from 2001, Turns out its not this band's first release either, but a compilation from two of their English language discs. They've got about eight others in Hebrew, which is their native language. RockFour, like the earlier psychedelic monster Churchills (whose first lp was Mojo's best psych disc by a non English speaking band) is Israeli. They tour the US regularly, and have been praised by none other than David Gilmour, who awarded the band first prize for their recording of "Arnold Layne" in a celebration of Syd Barrett. First prize was ten songs produced by Gilmour, but the songs haven't been issued yet. (Wonder what the prejudiced Roger Waters thought about that!) They've got a website www.rockfour.com that I intend to contact about getting their other discs. Do yourself a mitzvah and try and find their discs. (This is on Rainbow Quartz)You can thank me later.

DAVID MURRAY-AN AMERICAN FELA? Much has been made of Fela, including reissues of his older material and a play starring his as-talented son. Rightly so, as his highly danceable and long compositions (most in the 10-20 minute range) charge dance floors with energy. It's possible avante-garde sax slinger David Murray could be an American Fela. On David Murray And The Gero-Ke Masters David combines with Taj Mahal and Sister Ke on a variety of highly danceable and politically charged pieces that could easily mix with Fela and other African artists. Give this a listen and you'll find it hard to keep from moving your feet.

MIND-BOGGLING When I mentioned illegal mind boggling I wasn't talking about the drugs we did in the 60s (all hail Colorado!). Rather I was refering to a group of carwash employees that have the brass balls to not only take the cake but the entire bakery. Mexican illegals working for less than minimum wage decided to get together, hire a lawyer and sue for back wages. If they win their winnings should be confiscated, their employer shipped back to India and they back to Mexico. I'm still unsure if the lawyer should be chained to an ambulance. What part of illegal don't they understand?

EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN-3 Your narrator will never walk into an Associated again and urges all his readers to never patronize this chain. I used to shop at the 96th and Lexington location at least three times a week. One day I walk in, don't see anything in the specials I need and start to walk out when the manager loudly tells me to empty my bag. I comply when one of his smirking clerks makes a grab for said bag. He claims he has security photos of my stealing cheese. When I ask to see said photos he declines, saying he only has to show them to a police officer. So I get slandered as a shoplifter without any recourse. I felt like calling my ex-state trooper friend to go down there with me and an on-duty police officer, so when the photo is proved to be somebody else I can have the manager arrested for libel and slander. But since that won't happen, I urge my readers to join me in a boycot of the chain.

EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN-2 My eyeglass problem has been solved thanks to a small store on Second Avenue between 25-24 Streets, now relocated to 23rd off Third Avenue. While I got no satisfaction from the chain where I originally bought the glasses (Cohen's Vision Center never answered my letters) and another Columbia area optometrist caters to students with mommy and daddy's credit cards, this gentleman realized I needed the glasses to see through and only charged me $25 for the frame. Ever notice the promises the big stores make when they move into an area and what they do to get rid of the mom and pops? Me too.

EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN-1 Things don't always happen the way we'd like them To. This has been sitting in one of my notebooks for a long time, but most of it still rings true. We've got "customer service", illegal mind boggling and moms from hell. I will try and leave you laughing, or at least smiling. May 31st 2013 my Internet goes down (their fault, not mine.) As with phone companies and other public futilities it's amazing how slow they are to respond to your call for help but how quick to shut you off for late payment. I had a friend whose cable was going to be shut off for 75 cents. He trekked down to their office in the middle of a storm. I told him to pay either in pennies or a check made out on a rock (perfectly legal if there are funds to cover it.) Remember that come tax time!

HOORAY FOR HOLLYWEIRD I must be able to see into the future. There's no other explanation for it. A few days ago I made a comment about Mr. Peabody and His Wayback Machine and it turns out there's an animated coming out. Now I see a remake of "Walter Mitty" out in a couple of months. Everything old is new again is turning out to be true, When I was about eight I was on Cape Cod. I remember my parents taking me to a drive in to see "South Pacific". I cannot think of how many times that has been revived, or "Oklahoma", or "Showboat" or...well, you get the idea. Shows such as "Lion King" go on endlessly, as nothing sells like familiarity. Edgy plays such as "Urinetown" play for a couple of weeks at their off-off-Broadway location and then fade into obscurity because the kingpins of Broadway decide what sells. Hundreds of column inches have been expended on the question "where are the new writers of the Broadway play?". If Broadway won't give them a chance how will they find them?