YTSEJAM Digest 2642 Today's Topics: 1) Re: TDOE / DOE by YtseJammer 2) Review:Sea of Dreams-Dawn of Time by "Ollila Marko" 3) Reviews:Angra-Holy Live and the new Megadeth by "Ollila Marko" 4) Re: Derek vs. Kevin by email_address_removed (Dan Temmesfeld) 5) Mumblings and jumblings by Nigel Bridgeman 6) What? by WhiteWolf 7) Dickinson and Jugs by Graham Borland 8) by Lars Hellsten ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 17 Jun 97 06:09:08 EDT From: YtseJammer To: ytsejam Subject: Re: TDOE / DOE Message-ID: Hello, Syrinx wrote: *** -THE- Dance Of Eternity is from the 3/4/93 show at the Ritz. the _Dance Of Eternity_ is from the same show as "Dream Out Loud" *** 1. TDOE - 2 CD Set 2. Tragedy and Comedy same as TDOE - 2 single CD's 3. Live Images - One CD only - all Limelight, NY 93-03-04 1. Dream Out Loud 2. Live USA, same as Dream Out Loud 3. DOE, different 4. Dream Theater, same as DOE all Buffalo, NY 93-05-18 read'ya ------------------------------ Date: 17 Jun 97 13:21:49 +0200 From: "Ollila Marko" To: Ytse Jam (Dream Theater Mailing List) Subject: Review:Sea of Dreams-Dawn of Time Message-ID: Greetings ye 'jamanoids... I've been kinda silent for some time, but for the two of you who like to read my album reviews, here's one you should check out.... - - - - - - - Sea of Dreams:Dawn of Time [Self-financed] "Dawn of Time" is Sea of Dreams' first demo offering pressed on a CD format and the band is searching for a record deal. With this kind of stuff the task should be relatively easy to realise. This sort of material should get some attention in record companies like Rising Sun Productions, LMP, Noise, NextStop or T&T. This is the kind of stuff you'd never expect from a Norwegian band... Sea of Dreams provides the listener with material in the German melodic power metal vein, but with some very progressive influences. Overall, SOD's material is more diverse than your standard German power/speed metal outfit, at times the vocalist Jim Foss reminds me of Ralf Scheepers of Gamma Ray fame, the other second he sounds like young Geoff Tate. He however is at his best when he sings within his own range and tries a bit less to strain with the high notes. This guy is just awesome, once he adopts a style of his own and with some more training he will be one of the better metal vocalists ever. As a band SOD are not complete newcomers, the guitarist Trond Are has produced albums for such a relatively well known band as In The Woods and the rest of the musicians save Foss have been in numerous recording bands before joining Sea of Dreams. Overall the musicianship on this record is good, they're not the most technical band you're ever going to hear, but they definitely have a style and sound of their own. There's not too much of bands like that around these days is there? The lengthy (75 minutes) album opens with an instrumental intro "Enter the Sea of Dreams", which introduces the first rather strange instrument, the "munnharpe", or if you like, the Jewish harp. The first real track "First Step" is pretty much your average melodic speed metal, but there's always room for more of that in my ears. :) The second track, "Pain", is an emotional rollercoaster, and from what I gathered from SOD's description, being emotional is what they're about. The song starts with a moderate part, where vocalist Foss sounds like a sonic deadringer to Geoff Tate, but later on he sings majestically like Midnight of Crimson Glory. What a coincidence, the man sounds like two of my all time favorite vocalists and yet there's something I don't like in his voice. The 3rd song opens pompously like it's title "Dimensions of Time" suggests, and pretty soon the intro progresses into an acoustic guitar interlude and it's beauty is almost beyond description. This is where Foss sounds like he could be one of the greats. The main melody is beautiful and once the song takes the Helloween gear, the stuff is extremely catchy. Too bad Weiki and his troops can't deliver songs like this anymore. This is one of the more progressive tunes on the disc and it's actually pretty surprising how well these guys have succeeded in combining Helloween-ish material with piano driven marvels which have no comparison within the realms of heavy metal besides maybe Shadow Gallery. I just love this tune!! Track four, "Point of No Return", is a wee bit Dream Theater-ish, but the SOD signature sound is definitely there, so there's no fear of another DT clone. Once again, Foss sounds like Midnight. There's a weird funky section in the middle of the song that seems a bit out of place here but hey, we're not talking about producers' wet dreams here, this is progressive rock and damn fine at that. "Preach of Fire" somehow sounds like old Gamma Ray to me. Cool! I think this time my ears detected something Oriental in the middle part. Another fine song. This song is worth a several listens, you'll find something new on every spin. A few seconds of the song sounds uncannily like Annihilator to my ears, but being the metalhead I am, I hear various bands in almost every song. This is another very fine song. In "Under the Rainbow", to be more precise, in the intro part Foss sounds like Geoff Tate again. The song is lengthy, which isn't a bad thing providing you have sufficiently with ideas to build such an epic. This could be a masterpiece without some of the cheesiest stuff in the middle. I'd suspect that SOD maybe wishes to rebuild this tune before signing to any record company. I do realize that SODs guys did this song their tongues firmly buried in their respective cheeks, but this really could be a great five minute song if some of the off-the-wall parts were removed. "Legends" is another seven minute song. This time the song starts with meat mincer riffs ? la Pantera and believe it or not, rap vocals. Somehow this part doesn't cut it...waaaaait just a second...what's that? The Helloween riffs are back again. Goooody! Then comes a mellow part and oh oh, now they sound like...Iron Maiden, wait a second, now there's some Dream Theater-ish stuff going on again. Hold it! I just can't follow this one, now there's a VERY psychedelic part, now something that could be from a 70's blaxploitation movie soundtrack, very cheesy funky stuff. There's enough of ideas for eight or nine songs here! That's about the amount that an average grunge band has during their entire career...! Towards the end of the song Foss' voice sounds pretty strained, but once you start paying real attention to this song, it's very interesting, to say the very least... "Wait for the Day" unfortunately sounds like a filler song to me. A cd this long doesn't need this sort of song. Foss isn't at his best on this one either. This is kind of strange, since this song is written by Foss himself. I don't know, maybe he just tries a bit too hard on this one. On the positive side, the guitar solos are ultra-cool in this one. The intro in track 10, "Black Roses" is like a metal waltz and sounds a lot like it would be strongly influenced bu Scandinavian folk music. This is way cool, considering that the whole NWODSM scene is somewhat based on Scandinavian folk music. The lyrics in this one are throughout Manowar-like, but the song structure is very much SOD once again. The new gimmick in this trune is a female vocalist, who although mixed pretty low, adds a beautiful, melancholic undertone to the whole thing. I, being a Finn, love all things melancholic and suicidal. Overall, this is as close to power metal as anything on this disc gets. The fact that Foss nearly screams his head off in this song adds nicely to the atmosphere. I like this tune as well. "Sheila" has got to be a joke! It sounds like something off a Finnish dance pavilion during midsummerfest, but somehow SOD has succeeded incorporating speed metal into this one as well. Anyway, the chorus is way too corny to be listened more than once. Luckily enough, there's enough funny stuff to keep the listener entertained the rest of the time the song takes. In the end of the song, where the band adds some power metal riffing into the song, the tune gets somewhat listenable. Somehow I get the feeling that the SOD guys weren't sober when this one was made.... The album concludes with the title track, "Dawn of Time", almost 11n minute epic where in the beginning Foss sounds like Warrell Dane of Nevermore. It's just unbelievable how he alters his voice from song to song. Three minutes into the song he sounds like Kai Hansen (Helloween/Gamma Ray) and the song starts reminding me of Helloween's almighty "Keeper of the Seven Keys". As great as "Kot7K" is, this sounds original enough. This song is a definite SOD classic-to-come. Overall, being made by a relatively anonymous band, this is as good a surprise as they get. In the first two listens I wasn't all that much into this cd, but once I got used to Foss' vocals (they may be too much for some listeners though), I really started to appreciate this record. This is some well delivered progressive power metal and I can wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone. Soundwise it isn't the best cd you're going to hear, but if I have grasped it right, this is basically a demo. In that category it is one of the best I've ever heard. Way to go boys, more power to 'ya! There are two sound bytes of Sea of Dreams available on the `net. They can be found at: http://home.sn.no/~hkvalbei/ The CD is available from the band themselves and it costs $25. Contact info: SEA OF DREAMS Bl}lokkev. 1 4350 Naerbo NORWAY e-mail: toare@sn.no WWW: http://www.netpower.no/~kaarewm/SoD_e.html _Mape_ ------------------------------ Date: 17 Jun 97 13:28:05 +0200 From: "Ollila Marko" To: Ytse Jam (Dream Theater Mailing List) Subject: Reviews:Angra-Holy Live and the new Megadeth Message-ID: Greetings ye 'jamanoids... Yup, it's Mape the motormouth again. More reviews to waste all the bandwidth there is.... - - - Angra:Holy Live [CNR Music/Rock Brigade/LMP] After "Freedom Call" The Brazilian progressive speed metallers Angra present us another EP, this time it's a astonishing-sounding live EP, that was recorded in Paris, France. Paris is a very rewarding place for Angra to play, they were even voted the best metal act in the world last year. Even though this is something every Angra fan has been craving for (every single Angra bootleg I've stumbled upon have sounded like crap), I can't help but smell the evil stench of money in here. From what I've heard, this cd is outrageously expensive. Fortunately I got this as a gift from a fellow jammer. Also, the instrumental intros ("Crossing" and "Unfinished Allegro") from both of their studio albums are included here. Fortunately the rest of the songs are the best of Angra's material. This disc sounds like the gig was organized in order to record this EP, the sounds are just beyond belief. For those unfamiliar with Angra, they are an absolute must for everyone who has ever liked bands like Helloween and Gamma Ray and such. Moreover, Angra mixes classical music in their speed metal very daringly. They also have one of the best vocalists in the realm of metal. Fans of Dream Theater should also like them a lot, their material is pretty progressive at times. Of all the melodic speed metal bands they are the ones who sustain the most coherent melodies without sounding too cheesy. On this disc, "Nothing to Say", "Z.I.T.O." and "Carry On", the ultimate Angra anthem, are the tracks worth a speeding ticket and "Carolina IV" is the track that displays their roots, it has some pretty weird tribal drumming and in toto it may be the song with most of progressive feeling to it. Vocalist Andre Matos' voice may require some getting used to, but technically he must be at least as good as Michael Kiske's ever been. - - - Megadeth:Cryptic Writings [Capitol] After the sub-par album "Youthanasia" I didn't anticipate much from this album. I'm glad to report that Megadeth are picking their pace up again. This is no "Rust in Peace" but it sure is far better than "Youthanasia". I'm also extremely happy to inform that Megadeth has avoided jumping on the grunge bandwagon, which has devoured too many of my former fave bands anyway. This sounds as much like Megadeth as anything they've ever done. The album opens with "Trust", the first video track, and much to my delight Mr. Mustaine sounds every bit as pissed off as ever. It may be just me, but for some reason this song sounds a bit like "Angry Again" to me. "Almost Honest" isn't anything to get too excited about, just a standard 'deth rocker. "Use the Man" proves that Mustaine is still trying to cope with his former escapades in the eventually not so wonderful world of chemical euphoriants, but music-wise it isn't too exhilarating either save the in-your-face guitar soloing towards the end of the track, that part rocked my rear end almost off. "Mastermind" is too simple a song for Megadeth, it could as well been used as a b-side on some single, it will probably appeal only to the hard-core rattleheads. There's some neat soloing in the end of "Mastermind" as well. "The Disintegrators" rocks hard, it's the quick and dirty song on this CD. Is this what they mean when they're talking about high speed dirt? :) "I'll get Even" is probably the most worthless filler on "Cryptic Writings", "Sin" isn't worth much more either. "A Secret Place" is one of the better songs on this cd. To be fair I have to say that it may be one of the finest tunes Megadeth has ever made. This is some pretty nifty power metal, just the kind of tune that performed live just might break my neck. It's definitely not what you've used to hear from Megadeth, but the power is still there and the melodies are great. "Have Cool, Will Travel" is obviously "Train of Consequences" part II, even the cheesy harmonica is present, there's absolutely nothing new here. "She-Wolf" opens with a killer riff not even Slayer could produce and the song rises above most of the other material on this disc. However, halfway through the song Megadeth seems to have taken the structure from the almight "Tornado of Souls", updated it to the 90's rock sound i.e. removed some of the trickiest stuff. There isn't a law against borrowing from yourself, but it nevertheless is sort of peculiar. Anyway, this too is a truly great song. "Vortex" rocks hard and Mustaine sounds pretty sick... first half of "FFF", for Chrissakes, sounds like Offspring, but knowing that both of the Daves have always been into punk, it shouldn't be such a big surprise. It actually might win Megadeth some new fans from a totally new demographic. It's not a punk song though, the latter half sounds more like Running Wild than punk. "FFF" is a great closing track for this very respectable album. Honourable readers, Megadeth has not sold out, they are back on track again, they show us nothing too new, but who the hell wanted anything new from them anyway? _Mape_ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jun 1997 06:33:13 -0400 (EDT) From: email_address_removed (Dan Temmesfeld) To: email_address_removed Subject: Re: Derek vs. Kevin Message-ID: >I have wondered for the last few months what consensus of fellow >jammers was on the subject of who was better, Kevin or Derek? Or, >is everyone just waiting for the new album to come out before >forming an opinion? I don't know, just something bugging me. Ah...geez. Not again... I like Kevin, but this is really a stupid question for the 'Jam (IMO), because everybody's gonna have way differing opinions... Dan ---+ +--- Dan Temmesfeld - mailto:email_address_removed "Home of the Galactic Cowboys Pages" http://www.cedarville.edu/student/s1133627/gcowboys.htm Summer 1997 Update site: http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Academy/1853/ ---+ +--- ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jun 1997 20:50:20 +1000 From: Nigel Bridgeman To: email_address_removed Subject: Mumblings and jumblings Message-ID: Greetings. Here's my infrequent to the Jam of Ytse... --- Some chap wrote about the NWOBHM cd: >It has the original "Sanctuary" by Maiden, from the Soundhouse tapes, with Di'anno, Murray, and a bunch of guys you've never heard of. Hey, I've heard of Steve Harris. He's still in the band, you know! :) I don't have the cd with me - who was on drums - Doug Sampson? I don't think it was from the Soundhouse tapes, I think it was from a radio show... >Janick Gers, who replace Adrian Smith in Maiden, is also in one of >the bands (and he was actually good back then!). He's still good. Part of the song from the NWOBHM album ("Cheetah", I think - the band was White Spirit) reminds me of part of "Man on the Edge". Gers is one of my favourite guitarists, he's just better suited in the studio than he is live. --- Vince wrote: > Megadeth also toured w/ Korn and they are totally different bands. So >what. Remember Metallica/GnR? And then there's Anthrax and Public Enemy... --- Someone else wrote... >Don't get me wrong, I'm all for DT touring, and with Eternity-X, cool, >great.. But Spice Girls? Baaaarf... Their single "Wannabe" has quite a few progressive elements which *cannot* be ignored. Also, I believe that they're all fans of early Yes (Fragile-era). FACT. --- Tha Digital Man did say... >Everyone is entitled to have any opinion about anything they damned well >please. However, no one is entitled to voice their opinions about whether >Metallica sold out or not on this list. If you don't like that, you can >either yell at the list moderator, leave, or (as I said the first time) >shut the fuck up about it. But don't whine to me about free speech. I >don't make the rules here. Freedom of speech can be very overrated. Just after you've sung its praises, along comes some moron who you feel like beating senseless because of some particularly stupid and inane thing they've said. Therefore, I propose Freedom of Speech, As Long As You've Actually Got Something Decent to Say. Great idea, if you ask me... --- A disillusioned jammer wrote... >What do I have to do to unsubscribe??? You can't unsubscribe until you can prove that you've read a jam that does not contain the following subjects: Alanis Morrisette Metallica (selling out or otherwise) Eternity-X Megadeth's progressiveness, or lack thereof --- Vince said again: >No one said anything about odd-meters. "Odd meters" does not = >progressive. Odd meters are an optional element. :) I've said it before, and I'll say it again - I wouldn't be able to spot progressive music if it bit me on the ass (and I get the feeling it may have a couple of times). As long as it sounds good I'll listen to it. >Yeah, and Satch had all the exposure, ya know, touring w/ Ozzy and such. >Come on dude. Satch recorded his first real album on a credit card. He is >an instrumental rock player, not a lead guitarist for the most widely known >heavy metal figure at that time. Joe is a legend. So was Randy. Why say >one is better than the other. Because then we can start threads that go on and on and on and on and on... --- Eckie said: >Vince, me, and a friend of ours, who I have to just thank about a 1000 >times for buying the CD for me 'cuz I'm so fuckin' broke, went out and >bought our copies of Cryptic Writings today at Midnight.... > >..unFUCKINGbelievable! Mustaine is a fuckin' genius.... I endorse that last statement. Cryptic Writings - the album of the year! A Pleasant Shade of What??? --- Richie mentioned: ><< I have wondered for the last few months what consensus of fellow > jammers was on the subject of who was better, Kevin or Derek? Or, is > everyone just waiting for the new album to come out before forming an > opinion? I don't know, just something bugging me. Lata, J > > >> >Oh shit. What's wrong? Can't handle new, extremely interesting new threads? BTW, anyone else noticed how Pull Me Under finishes suddenly, or is that just my copy? :) --- That White Wolf guy babbled: >> You ever heard "Holy Wars, The Punishment Due", or "Wake Up Dead"?! They >>may not be going into 154/347 time signature, but they're fuckin' >progressive. >> > Yeah, I have. And if you think they're prog...fine, I'm not wasting space >arguing with you. Yeah, you did that already... > Sorry, let me rephrase this. Usually, the criteria for an opening act is >that they're at least the same genre as the headliner. Like, you'll never >see Slayer or Venom open for DT. But you see bands like Fear Factory open for Iron Maiden. The only reason why you wouldn't see Slayer open for DT is that Slayer are more popular. >>in 1967 Jimi Hendrix opened for the Monkees, does this mean he doesn't >>know how to play the guitar or that if you're over 12 you can't enjoy his >>music? >> > No, it does not. That's a bloody good point you put forth there... I'll have to use that one some time. --- In other news, Dream Theatre (who's next album will be fighting it out with Megadeath's Cryptic Writings for the album of the year) are releasing "Reawaken", a cd of remixes of all your favourite hits, including the industrial version of The Silent Man and the much anticipated dance version of Metropolis Part II, currently estimated to be 55 minutes long. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jun 1997 05:57:24 -0600 From: WhiteWolf To: email_address_removed Subject: What? Message-ID: <3.0.1.32.19970617055724.0068a6d0@autobahn.mb.ca> >X-Authentication-Warning: indy21.gclab.missouri.edu: c675311 owned process >doing -bs >Date: Tue, 17 Jun 1997 03:32:31 -0500 (CDT) >From: Pat Griffin >X-Sender: email_address_removed >To: ThE NuGgeTjAm >cc: WhiteWolf >Subject: White Wolf again >That fucknut wrote: >> Spoken with true eloquece and class, Chris...really. Correct me if >>I'm wrong, because I could've sworn we lived in a democracy. You know, >>that little freedom of speech thingy? It's obvious no one is entitled to >>their own opinion around here, because there's always someone ready to >>rip them a new orfice. > >Yeah, really. I mean, you would think that in a democracy people would be >entitled to any opinions they might have. Like music for instance. >Wouldn't you agree, White Wolf, that in a democracy people are free to >choose the music they want to listen to? Like Dream Theater? Or Alanis >Morissette? I mean, in a democracy a person should even be able to listen >to *both* of them, even though they are vastly different music styles, >right? I mean, we *do* have freedom and all, right White Wolf? > That's right...after all, I listen to Savatage as well as Phil Collins, Pat Metheny, Earl Klugh and Frank Gambale. Vastly different music styles compared to DT. >What? What do you mean a Ytsejammer can't listen to Alanis? Even in a >democracy? Oh, ok. Well, in that case, don't cry to us about your >precious freedom of speech. Which amendment covered 'the freedom of >posting just to see yourself talk'? I forget... > You seem to forget alot...I posted later that this was a joke and I never intended it any other way. And btw...I never once said that a Ytsejammer could not listen to her. >There is a common thread on this list: we like music. Not just Dream >Theater, music. Not just prog, music. Not just The White Wolf Top 20, >music. We don't care if Metallica sold out; we stopped caring about that >3 months ago when the topic was beaten into the ground the first time. We >are all different people, and we have the freedom to not give a shit what >you think. Absolutely correct. Forgive my ignorance, because I've only been here a month and a half after a 2 year absence. >I'm tired of seeing your name in the Ytsejam index, because 90% of your >posts are hypocritical and self-serving. D-man feels the same way, and >from the look of the last jam, so does Skadz. This *is* democracy, and >you have the right to not give a shit what Chris and I think, but in >*this* country, Skadz is the president, and if you don't listen to what he >says, you will be exiled. > Gee, Chris seemed really nice when I met him in irc. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, and so are you. Never once did I say anything to the contrary. Perhaps, I'll just casually slide over to the other 2 mailing lists after Lines In The Sand is released...on my own accord, of course. Maybe there, my DT opinions might mean something. Or not, I don't know. >You can go ahead and try to turn this post around on me. You can try to >make me look bad or seem like an asshole, and maybe I am, but I'm an >asshole who's telling it like it is and laying the cards out on the table >for you. The fact is, I don't see people seriously complaining about my >humor, or the content of my posts, or getting offended by what I say, and >since you poked your head out of whatever hole you were hiding in, every >post that talks about you has complained. Go ahead and pick a card, I'll >bet you it's not the Ace. And I'll bet it's the joker. God damn it...I can't believe how cynical this list has become since I was last here. I'll guess I should just attribute it to the tension we're all feeling in anticipation of the new disc. >Well, excersizing my freedom of choice and speech, I choose to break out >another Tool .sig because it seems so appropriate. Happy Jamming. ------------snipped------------- No need. I'll take your sarcasm at face value. And to think I was actually going to attend the next Ytsecon. Whew...thanx for preventing me from making a colossal mistake. =================================== Open your eyes...and your mind will follow. =================================== ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jun 1997 11:50:32 +0100 (BST) From: Graham Borland To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Dickinson and Jugs Message-ID: > From: "Brian Hayden" > > And as long as I'm on the Maiden subject, has anyone heard the new Bruce > Dickinson? All I've heard is the first single, "Accident of Birth," and it > rules! The whole album rules. You should buy it soon. I actually think that Accident of Birth is one of the more mediocre songs . . . does that tell you how good the rest of the album is? :-) > From: durnik > > You have two 1-gallon jugs . . . [snip] My jugs are only 34B, but thanks for the compliment anyway. Graham -- Graham Borland Email : gborland@apsoft.co.uk WWW : http://www.apsoft.co.uk Alternative Publishing Ltd Tel : 0141 418 0881 30 Clyde Place, Glasgow G5 8AQ Fax : 0141 418 0889 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jun 1997 07:34:31 -0400 From: Lars Hellsten To: email_address_removed Message-ID: >It's not a question of "who's better" when comparin' a couple like >Sherinian and Moore. They're both SO well talented and equipped and kick >so much ass, it's a question of style and tastes. I personally like the >way Derek is putting more balls into the group with the heavier shit, ya >know...the stuff crunching around ACoS really starts my fire! Yes it is. It doesn't require musical talent or creativity to put "more balls" into the music - all it requires is making noise. Derek isn't less talented because he chooses to throw in more of that, but that train noise is not what I'd call good or beautiful music like so much of DT's stuff in the past. You may as well just sample a real train blowing it's horn or go to a zoo and record animal noises, and then they could get rid of Derek entirely and get to keep more money for the rest of the band. I'm disappointed at the way DT's music is becoming more "ugly" sounding, and I fear they're moving towards a more commercial and contemporary style of songwriting, we'll never again see songs as complex and intricate as TTT where the entire band is kicking ass simultaneously. Or songs like WFS and Surrounded and LTL, which are just great music and great songwriting. It's not just about the sound either, they've changed their style. Songs that were recorded during the Awake sessions but written during the I&W era like the studio version of To Live Forever is still great. If I want to listen to noise, or "chunky" guitars, crappy music like that is a dime a dozen. The same can not be said about the type of music that's on I&W or even WDADU. That's what DT are. I'm disappointed now to see that people are lumping DT into the same category as Megadeth. A couple of years ago I would never have dreamed of seeing people do that. III M M H H O ! I MM MM H H O O ! I M M M HHH O O ! I M M H H O O III M M H H O ! If you don't agree, then too bad, because you're not going to change my opinion. BTW, I agree with Scott (has hell frozen over?), I'd rather read a jam full of jokes than what we're seeing now. Personally I found that joke hillarious. Besides, who here did not find the jam more enjoyable back when Bafu was a daily contributor to the Jam, and being his joking self? A jam back then used to always be good for a laugh. I think a joke now and then to spice things up is fine. WE WANT JOKES! :P ------------------------------ End of YTSEJAM Digest 2642 **************************