Once I heard Pamela Z (b. 1956 - not the name she was born with, admittedly, but you'll have to read my book to find out her original name) read a long poem, over her inimitably quirky music, in which every line began with the word "you": "You light up my life," "You drive me crazy," and so on. Intrigued, after the concert I wandered over to look at her setup, and realized she had been reading from one of those catalogues that lists song titles.

That's typical of the creative way in which Z turns everyday life upsode down. Another is her song "Cultured Pearls," in which she sings about them: "They go to the opera, they support the ballet." And of course, with her group the Qube Chix, she put out one of the great rock songs of the '90s, "I Want a Bald Boyfriend," accompanied only by drums and clarinet:

I want a man who's well-behaved,

Who's neat and clean, whose head is shaved.

There's almost nothing else needed to say about this charming San Francisco-area phenomenon. Pamela Z uses simple technology (digital delay, loops) in startlingly inventive ways, and her songs are thought-provokingly delightful.

See Pamela Z's Web Page

- Kyle Gann

Recommended Discs:

"I Want a Bald Boyfriend" on Dice, Ishtar Discs - a compilation of women composers by Elise Kermani

"Parts" and "Questions (Trip)" on Dice 2, Ishtar Discs

For a fuller discography (including some samples you can hear if you have Shockwave), see Pamela Z's Web Page

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