The Artists Formerly Known As Russ Stedman - "The Substandard Experience" (C-45, 1996)
RUSS STEDMAN - "THE SUBSTANDARD EXPERIENCE" : (Jim Santo's Demo Universe) - This is credited to "The Artist Formerly Known As Russ Steadman," but that's a dumb joke so I pay it no further heed. Not so with this, the 37th release in a home-taped catalog stretching back to 1982. Stedman bills it as "a useless collection of leftovers, covers and musical (?) fodder." Useless? Maybe, if you have no use for toe-tapping, head-bopping, grin-inducing rock n' roll. In which case, fuck yez. "Really Good Show," "Nosering Serenade" and the psycho-munchkin cover of "Spinning Wheel" are hysterical. "Peach" is a T. Rex rip-off, but hey, Bolan's not doing anything new these days, something you can't say about TAFKARS. (Jim Santo)