What's In A Name? Ask Faster Pussycat

MEOW DOWNE: According to local ace photog Karen Mason, Faster Pussycat's lead vocalist Taime Downe (that's pronounced "tie me down") was better known as "Gus" when the two were Class-of-'83-mates at Edmonds High School. Downe and his fellow felines - currently on tour supporting their new disc, "Whipped!" - will be whipping it out at RKCNDY this Tuesday night.

Mason says she well remembers the singer from those halcyon high school days, "But I really couldn't tell you if he graduated with us or not," she admits, "just that he was there sometimes.

Downe became part of the now near-legendary Bondage Boys, where it's believed he was known as either "Greg Maier" or "Vaun Hammer."

"They were getting all kinds of major contract offers," Mason recalls. But the record people kept trying to tell them what kind of clothes to wear and what to sing, so the Boys told them all to buzz off (or words to that effect). Taime landed up going down to L.A. and starting The Cathouse (nightclub) with (MTV heavy metal VJ) Rikki Rachtman. He got into that "glam" thing there."

The "glam" thing, heavy metal in Los Angeles and the trials and tribulations of Faster Pussycat were all well-documented in the classic 1988 cult documentary, "The Decline of Western Civilization, Part II: The Metal Years," the film that was everything "Spinal Tap" wasn't.

Faster's last claim to fame was "House of Pain" from the 1989 release "Wake Me When It's Over." The band's new CD is a real grinder. Personal favorites would have to be "Big Dictionary" and "Loose Booty." The latter's text is actually excluded from the lyric sheet despite the CD's prominent "Parental Advisory" sticker. Now you'll have to buy the record.

Also at the CNDY of RK tomorrow night, the Seattle ASCAP Showcase takes place at 8 p.m. Two bucks at the door gets you a half-dozen of Rainy Town's most promising acts: Peace, Love and Guitars; Kristen Barry; Gnome; Inflatable Soule; Black Happy and Green Apple Quick Step.

FROM JUST TO THE RIGHT OF DOWN UNDER: New Zealand's the Chills - or more accurately Martin Phillipps and his latest assemblage - do the Backstage Wednesday night. The Chills' new release, "Soft Bomb," is a stylistically eclectic collection of bright, literate pop. Phillipps, who first formed the group 12 years ago, says he purposely avoids trying to follow any one trend or direction with his music. He admits that tack has probably kept him from greater mainstream acceptance, but it's the only approach he can comfortably live with. The result is intelligent, multifaceted and highly listenable music. Songs with real integrity, but not too serious.

And if you don't get to see Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Kevin Welch at Bumbershoot today, the Backstage has them tonight at 10 p.m along with the Wallflowers. Yes, that's the band Bob Dylan's boy is in. There's a faded jeans-and-genes joke in here somewhere, but Jacob's probably already heard it.

DOUBLESPEAK: Jeff Dunham, twice named Best Ventriloquist in the World by (who else?) the International Ventriloquist Association, will be talking out of the side of his head at the Improv next Tuesday through Sunday. Dunham is a regular on NBC's "Hot Country Nights," and is a pretty amazing - and funny - voice tosser.

BUMBERSHOOT ALTERNATIVES: Hungry Crocodiles, Spoon Bender, Imij and Now William tonight, Eat the Feeling, Charlotte's Web, Somebody's Daughter, Bam Bam, Snake Farm and Dirt, Love & Sage, tomorrow at the Off Ramp. The return of Treepeople, Sunday, at the Croc.