pop writer



Dig Jelly's Rayko (vocals), Rain (bass), Joey (drums) and Robby Lochner (guitar) were found happy as clams in a parked RV behind Bricktown Live before their Oct. 16 date. The L.A. band is on a coast-to-coast, 40-city tour with Veruca Salt, the Lovemakers and Porselain. Dig Jelly's 2005 release "For Your Inner Angry Child" (Centerline Music) is representative of the complex blend of talent and personality the quartet boasts.

Influences include anim?'s J-pop, Niccolo Paganini, Kiss, Jesus Christ Superstar, Rage Against The Machine, Harpo Marx, Weird Al and Charles Mingus.

Lochner is a direct descendant of German composer Robert Schumann (1810-1856). Rayko said Robby's a virtuoso on several instruments. Dig Jelly's Japanese-American front woman is a mod Fujiyama Mama who uses music to channel emotions that might otherwise be as destructive as an atom bomb.

"It's therapy to let all my angst out. Music gets the anger out of me. I need it to live," Rayko said. "I write about being a girl in this business, political issues and everyday life." She aspires to mastering koto, a Japanese stringed instrument. Her earliest musical memory is jazz musicians hanging out with mom and pop.

"They invited them to our house and had jazz parties. Who knows what they were doing down there. I was the youngest and had to go to sleep at 8 o'clock. They played upright bass, sax and drums loud as hell," she said.

Dig Jelly's RV looked more like a rowdy sorority house than a rolling den of rock iniquity. "It's candy for me! I'd rather have Twix than liquor," Rayko said.

True to the genre, much of Dig Jelly's material is dark. Still, there's something about them that screams: "TV cartoon show!"

Tales of bad gig manners: "Once on another tour, the headlining band turned off half the PAs and stage lights because we were doing too good," Robby said. Joey fingered the ultimate rude boy: "It was the guy who opened for Don McLean and played 'American Pie' (8 minutes plus) during his set."

Rayko's band highlight of the past year: "Getting signed and making the album."

"I like the food," Rain said.

Dig Jelly

Rayko's a petite rock ninja. Her halter top read "Girl Powder." She's the high-explosive kind.

Rayko's a crotch-grabbing, sneering, grinning, winking pocket rocket who locks on your attention like a Tomahawk missile. The band sounded terrific together. Gentle ballads juxtaposed well with inferno anthems. They never sacrificed the message for an immature decibel level. Rayko's rap ripped the privileged class in a street-fighter titled "Aristocracy." Dig it. This band's pure jelly roll.



Porselain

An all-male guitar band of high testosterone and 440 volt power. Their vocalist had deep soulful pipes, Cousin It hair and a Whiskey A Go Go T-shirt. His screaming left an image of shattering Porselain.



The Lovemakers

Seductive Lisa Light (vocals/guitar) and hipster doofus Scott Ayers (vocals/guitar) did a lovely rock tango across seven songs. Outrageous stage antics, drama queen demeanor and Jason Proctor's sweetie pie synthesizer shot cupid arrows to the heart.

Their sound conjured The Cars, David Bowie, The Mimsies and another California band: Gravy Train.

"We've played with Gravy train before. We're all kids from Oakland," Light said post-performance. The Lovemakers' album "Times of Romance" (Cherrytree/ Interscope, 2005) got a triple-star review in Rolling Stone magazine Oct. 6.



Veruca Salt

Before the show, Louise Post (vocals/guitar) bought Murrah building memorial post cards. She planned to visit the monument afterwards. Her ravishing sea-green eyes were misty saying it. The emotion may have supercharged Veruca Salt's stunning show.

They played MTV hits from "Eight Arms to Hold You." Post's vocals are the band's essence. The arrangements and sound mix reflected that. Veruca Salt was a pleasure, salt to make a wound feel better.

"I can't believe how many girls are here. I think I'm a little gay tonight," Post said. "I want you to want me/I need you to need me," she mischievously sampled.

Post played a hot pink flying V guitar. Her band was perfect. A woman in the audience handed a dozen yellow roses to Post. She graciously redistributed single flowers to her fans.