Not hitherto noted as an unstoppable gig-machine, LA's finest roots-poppers Gingersol seem to be experiencing an unprecedented outbreak of road fever, fairly stacking up the dates in March. On the 23rd they open for UK ex-pat country-rockers Minibar...

Listening to their mp3s, Chicago's Riviera would be fit very nicely onto a bill like that...

The Green Hills of Earth by SanFran's Mother Hips shot into reallyrather's Top5 of 2001 soon after it's appearance last Spring. The band talk to USC's Daily Trojan about the follow-up: "The next record is already written, recording will begin in March. It's definitely going to pick up from where Green Hills left off, though it won't sound like Green Hills. There's no reason to make the same record twice."

Thanks to GloriousNoise for another informative interview with Bob Andrews of Undertow (roster: Nadine, Centro-matic, Dolly Varden, etc): "Overall, I think the more indie you can do things, the better the results will be in the end ... You can make a decent living doing this without being on MTV. It just takes a little longer to do it."

reallyrather tip no.308: If you're album runs longer than about 40mins you'd better have pretty good excuse. Seems Marah don't need telling. Two years after Kids in Philly, the Owen Morris (Ash, Oasis, etc) produced Float Away With The Friday Night Gods is due May 21 and they've just posted the track details, all ten of them. Ryan Adams please note...

Backscratching: Americana-UK