* The James Murphy homepage is at:
http://members.aol.com/fongpang/converge/index.htm

* Here is the second memorable solo of a Meshuggah track; I 
should have the rest of the song done soon:

CADAVEROUS MASTICATION - Meshuggah - Contradictions Collapse

Nuclear Blast 1991

Fredrik Thordendal Solo (over Acoustic Guitar)

Tuning (Low - High): D G C F A

Bends represented as '
Bars stop at significant pauses

|-------------------------------------(14)/16-14----------------|
|-------------------14-12----12------------------15-13----13----|
|-15'-14-12-14\(10)-------15----15-15------------------15----15-|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|

|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------|
|----12^14^12-------12-14-15-14-12-|
|-15----------15-15----------------|
|----------------------------------|

|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------13----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-11-13-15----15-13-11-------13----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------13-15----15-13-11-------13----------------------------|
|----------------------------------------13-15----15-13-11\(8/11\8/11\8)/11\-|

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------12-------12-14-(14)/15'-14-12-14-12/(14)----------------------------------|
|-------12-14-15-12-14-15----14-15---------------------------------12----15---------10--------------|
|-15-15---------------------------------------------------------------13----13\(10)----10----11-11~-|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11--------|

|----------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------|
|--------10-------------------10----------------10---------|
|-(8)/10----10-12----------10----10----------10----10/(12)-|
|-----------------13-12-13----------13-12-13---------------|

|-------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|
|----------10-------------------------------------|
|-10-11-13----13-11-10----11------------11--------|
|----------------------13----13-11-9-11----11-9-8-|
Mike Reeves 

* Finally, I was incredibly motivated to respond to that idiot that 
hassled you. I'm expecting an unequal response, but I thought you'd 
be interested to read what I had to say (in case he attacks YOU about 
it). It's far too polite really.
--- Begin Forwarded Message ---
Date: Thu, 30 Oct 1997 11:48:24 +0000 (GMT)
From: Mike Reeves 
Subject: Enlightenment
To: frednet1@home.com

This is a letter in support of  <> and his
USEFUL webpage.

Firstly, please READ this message rather than delete it instantly (I expect
you've received some profane mail from a few of 's allies). These are
just words and they can't harm you (!).

I don't know exactly what you told Rich (), but I feel obliged to
support Metal music because it is such an enriching part of my life. Here are
some FACTS:
(1) Metal musicians are from VARYING backgrounds, cultures and religions.
Most are either agnostic or atheist (as am I), some are Christian and some
CLAIM to be satanists. Does anybody really know what a satanist is? From a
Christian point of view a satanist is an opposer of all Christian values, but
modern satanists are merely Hedonists in black clothing (seriously). The
biggest difference between this and most other religions is the 'an eye for an
eye' attitude and the pursuit of a satisfying life that (contrary to popular
belief, DOES NOT INFRINGE ON THE WELLBEING OF OTHERS). However, I am opposed
to a society like this because nothing would EVER get done - we'd just party.
(However, this has social advantages when compared with a fundamentalist 
Christian REGIME whereby we'd have to pray all day, achieving nothing and
fearing the wrath of an unseen, unproven 'Lord').
(2) Metal lyrics and artwork are only offensive to people because we are
indoctrinated from birth to repel the SUPERFICIAL, rather than deal with the
real problems of society. Speaking for myself, extreme imagery does not
influence my thinking because I can differentiate thoughts and suggestions
from real actions (thoughts harm no one). You may well say that some people
(e.g: children) are influenced by this 'dark imagery', but it's too easy to be
patronizing. Besides, they'd find violent news footage far more disturbing
BECAUSE IT'S REAL.
(3) Listeners to aggressive music are probably the most pleasant people you'll
ever meet (as long as you don't preach at them first). Why? Reverse
psychology, that's why. Human beings are not black-and-white. We all have a
predatory, selfish side in opposition to a compassionate and intelligent side.
Metal fans generally have an abundance of BOTH, so we need extreme stimuli to
express and expel our 'negative energy' and restore ourselves to calm and
balanced people. From experience, I have found that it's the ones who aren't
exposed to extremes that have the most disturbing thoughts, 'darkest' urges
and a perverse desire to destroy or vandalize (admittedly though, alcohol
abuse is the main influencing factor here). I admit that Church burnings in
Norway are COMPLETELY WRONG, but these are not proven to be linked with the
Metal scene anyway (more like religious warfare, as in Bosnia today).
(4) Metal music is a symbol of free thought, and that alone justifies its
existence and prosperity. The encouragement of young people in the UK to adopt
logical, skeptical and scientific attitudes to life has resulted in a HUGE
amount of Atheists here. When we discuss Metal we talk about its MUSICAL
aspects and dimiss the religious aspects as a DEAD ISSUE. The infringement of
free thought is the most self-destructive act that a group of fanatics can
possibly conceive. In places like Bosnia and the middle east, religion and
censoring of the superficial is responsible for the death of many and a life
of terror for the rest. Compare this to the UK, one of the safest places to be
in the world, a country where extremes are tolerated and integrated and where
religion is dying fast. Regardless of musical tastes, the only things we need
to be successful are Altruism, Intelligence and Compassion. We no longer need
low-IQ religious fools to tell us what is moral and what isn't. If we ARE
going to decline as a race, it will not be by red herrings such as TV or
Music, it will be outdated religious dogma that will annihilate us.

Sorry to put a damper on your day, but these things need to be said to you.

Mike.

P.S: I have two cats which I adore, but I most certainly do not 'fuck' them,
sodomize them or subject them to pain (your world, not mine).

--- End Forwarded Message ---

It's good to have target practice once in a while, isn't it?

C'ya
----------------------
Mike Reeves
mjr@soton.ac.uk