Scene & Heard
By Smash Magazine Staff

Las Vegas anglophiles The Killers have been on top of the Specialty Show charts for nearly 4 consecutive weeks with the song "Somebody Told Me." Look for them to play random dates with Morrissey and the Coachella festival before heading back across the pond for a stint in the UK. Downloads for the single are available at www.thekillersmusic.com or for those willing to sit tight, "A Hot Fuss," the bands full length debut, is scheduled for release stateside on June 15th.

Vegas boys, Magna Fi, on Aezra Records just inked their deal to tour all summer as part of acclaimed Ozzfest, featuring Ozzy Osbourne and many others. The bands debut album on Aezra Records, "Burn Out The Stars" will be released nationwide in early June. The band's single "Where Did We Go Wrong" was released to radio on April 12 and was the 2nd most added song for the week nationwide in Alternative. The bands web site is www.magna-fi.com

Rick Honaker (booking) and Walt Adomeit (General Manager) have parted ways with the constantly troubled Boston; they've got much bigger and better things on their minds, but won't reveal the juicy details just yet. This must come as a severe blow to the Boston, as Adomeit and Honaker were the two behind the recent influx of good bands to the unstable bar.

Gravel-voiced rock god, and self -proclaimed band whore Rob Ruckus plays in more bands than anyone else around including The Vermin, The Nines, MoonVine, The Showgirls, Blackjack and 5150. Now he has joined forces with guitarist Kei (also of The Dirty Babies) and drummer Dave to make the acid-roots-punk Jupiter Shifter a trio again.

Speaking of The Vermin, they have been invited to perform at the Modern Drunkard Convention on May 15th at the Stardust Hotel and Casino. This salute to the soused runs from May 14th through the 16th and will feature boozing bands, seminars on avoiding DUI charges, drinking contests and burlesque. Bloody Mary Morning Mixers and after parties will take place at the Double Down Saloon.

And Vermin frontman and local tattoo artist Dirk Vermin has confirmed that the remodel of his Gallery-A-Go-Go (which shares a space with Vermin's Pussykat Tattoo Parlor) has begun. "You won't even recognize the place when we're done," states Vermin. Look for a grand reopening in late August with a Cigar Box art show. Anyone interested in partcipating should call the Gallery at 702.597.1549 for more details.

Big Lizard Records news: Bargain DJ Collective member Jeff Murphy has officially joined amber halo as the band's second guitar player. No word yet on when the band will debut their new lineup. And FFI is putting the final touches on their new album, now titled "Got My Stereo." Vegas' Big Lizard Records plans on releasing "Stereo" this Summer.

The purportedly haunted Boulder Dam Hotel in clean, green Boulder City is home to Matteo's Restaurant and Underground Lounge, which recently presented free shows by stoner-rock king Brant Bjork (Kyuss, Fu Manchu and Mondo Generator among others) and Vegas faves The Pervz, FFI and the Heroines. Now that spring has sprung, the 200 capacity restaurant courtyard will also be used for a variety of shows, including the can't-be-missed return of Soda (formerly of Wax) and His Million Piece Band on Saturday, May 29th. Visit: www.matteodining.com for more info on this new and unique venue.

Honky tonk punks Jackass packed the Double Down Saloon on April 10th for the release of their debut album "Plastic Jesus." The band - which features original members of Bad Religion and Ill Repute - had the bar dancing and singing until the wee hours of the morning, and managed to sell several copies of it's debut disc (out now on BYO Records) to members of the over-capacity crowd. Look for the return of Jackass on June 15th at the Double Down Saloon.

The Staff of Smash Magazine would like to bid a very fond farewell to 2 really special people who had a profound impact on the world of punk. Our condolences go out to the friends, family and fans of Dave Blood - former bassist of seminal 80's punk band Dead Milkmen. Blood took his own life on March 10th, 2004. The Dead Milkmen, who broke up in 1995, have been cited as a major influence by many of today's up and coming punk bands, most notably Atom and His Package and Alkaline Trio. And frontman for L.A. punk bands, Foreign Object and Badtown Boys Stephan X. DeLeon was killed in a motorcycle accident April 6th, 2004. DeLeon, who is also a Pro Wrestler, had been performing in Old Time Religion, an L.A.-based Bad Religion cover band at the time of his accident.