OFF: how long, how many, and why

[David Howard & Kim Pieters]

Dear Doug,

Kim is indeed a terrifying bassist who can clear the stage with her power,
then entice everyone back with her delicacy; I've passed your comments on
and she is doing an imitation of a Cheshire cat. Having said that, she's
just taken the magnificent 'Quark Strangeness and Charm' off the turntable
and put P.J. Harvey's 'To Give You My Love' on the CD player. This
represents a decline twice over: from Hawkwind to Harvey (good as she is),
from vinyl to CD.

Regarding other list members' comments on Metallica, I can't comment on the
originality or otherwise of the lineup. What I can say is that when I was a
small part of  the '98 'Loaded' tour they impressed me with their work
ethic, their lack of snobbery, and the affection they had for one another;
while Lars Ulrich is the dominant intellect he shares an easy trust with
James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, and Jason Newsted.

David Howard