made its debut at Milestones' Bim Skala Bim show early April, ? 1998. Enormous brick was a long time coming and proved the little dumbass rag could travel as far away as Sweden. Nearly 10 months since the last one so there was a huge backlog to plow through. Time brought the largest volume content and reader wise – it had been getting post requests consistently for 4 months which never happened before. Unfortunately, the Professionals disbanded shortly after its release to pursue college careers and the final show was a Sunday matinee that June; in many ways the weekend was over. Again the editor was a lonesome cowboy, but hometown ska roots found in an old vinyl dollar bin had been explored in the editorial Roots Roch Reggae about local reggae band Bahama Mama [Majestics members who backed Lee Scratch Perry in Victor NY in 1982 + later went on to become Big Roots, see HP8].

Another sexily juxtaposed cover, a minimalist godsend which Danielle ran across in the final week of production simply by chance. MODNESS! Planned to use Syracuse's Elliot Mattice but $75 was so expensive; that week he was in town painting the dinosaur band mural at the newest Bar B Cue location. Skavoovie's own epitone Ans wouldn't help us. Apologies to G. Kramer, another guy we didn't use – he's better suited to drawing Java's™ cups more than HP5 covers. What almost came of the recycle

Page 6 shred here reads from a gunky antique fifties typewriter mom had in college: "Don't throw this away, it cost a lot to make. Please share the wealth."

A Boston/ ska-jazz/ ska-core/ Michigan issue represented in Q&A with Bim Skala Bim, Skavoovie & the Epitones, Dicky Barrett. Plus C. DeMakes (Less Than Jake), Dan Suicide Machines, the Articles' Phelps brothers and a collaborative one with Tim Hilton Schroeder 'zine and Jeff Django Baker NE Skafest 97. The day after that was conducted, HP talked with Minneapolis' Siren Six! at the Penny Arcade here, but it was left out due to space constraints. They came back and played Clay's House (Neals basement to you) early winter though.

Canterbury tale: UK bouncer-cum-cockney-reggae star Judge Dread suffers heart attack on stage and dies en route to hospital, Friday 13th March. He was 52. Obit

Rochesterian turned punk bad girl & electrical tape pioneer Wendy O. Williams (Plasmatics) leaves us in the same manner film star Mr. George Eastman did, 6 April.

A tedious review section (55 music + 44 print), and more help from our friends – Kress submits another yucky kamic and a neat editorial/ review of 16 Oct 97 re: the intimate connection between his musical career, Primus and ska. Mearns also unearthed the long lost Bim Buff State session of 22 Nov 96 and a new poj esso. Wrapped in a cool cover, it went quite well and ushered in a new era. Fritz submitted a radio show review of the local piss-poor WITR ska DJ at the time, and the ensuing scandal/ controversy trap won us as much publicity on his airwaves in May '98. Those videos are a riot and alleged rival R.I.T. ska kids hated the zine – we got it all on tape. Meanwhile back at AQ Video, Kevin Edd made his own broadcast about ska and its effect on him for a class, Fantastic Records management passed it around and somehow we end up with it a week later.

Delivered the finished #5 to Chris & LTJ at Ska Against Racism Tour on or about April 27 w/Kemuri. Mustard Plug came too and were interviewed, but the unplanned no quality shotgun transcript scrawled on an Evian box never made it out of the building, much less to print. Embarassing.
At this show first meet DV aka 'Monster', and that day was also Hepcat time!

NewMusic May 98 features 'Ska-lastic Aptitude: a cheat sheet to ska's core curriculum'

Fire in mi wire. Spring again, I missed the last big anticipated event at SUNY Brockport to prioritize welds on a 5'x5'x3' insect armature for final May 3. That sculpture studio office had a Yellowman cassette though.

"You're a delightful audience ladies and gentlemen I thank you. And I hope this doesn't come as a severe shock but I am through." Chairman of the Board/ Danny Ocean/ the Man with the Golden Arm/ ol' blue eyes himself, Frank Sinatra dies of heart attack May 15.

Cool Blue Lady
The previous October, I read a fairly accurate article on the reformed Selecter in the local weekly, wrote kudos and sent the editor #4. They got the story right. Prof Netsky (doubles as their art critic) recommended me for periodic freelance writing when bands came to town. It happened easily. A circulation of 40,000 almost by accident, and paid a check! The first article was for Bim Skala Bim/ Sacrelicious show March 1999, later found online.

Issue #5 had widest spread so far, available locally at Fantastic and Ultrasonic Sound as we began taking the trip overseas. It gained some national feedback; even a review in Ska-tastrophe already! Johnny turned amateur photographer to balance text a bit and explore more visuals with antique Pentax 35mm. At 15.7 ounces, this is the very same make/model camera advertised in Time Magazine April 1980 near text about the Specials. Additional "layout assistance" from the 2Tone terror, el pussycat-o new on board since last issue. Five has been the all-around personal favorite for quite a while now.

The revival of classic Italian scooters is speeding up, and Rochester's along for the ride! Negative Image Scooter Club gets founded August 98 too – fka the Rochester SC – with all age groups, skills and bikes allowed. [Heck's Angels by Steve Fennessy, D&C 7/26/00]