• ADAM WEST Take two parts Stooges, one part MC5, one part Misfits, and pepper it with the best 60s garage punk and you've got Adam West! Look in the American Dictionary of Rock next to kick-ass punk rock-n-roll and there is a picture of Jake Starr, Steve, Kevin, Johnny, and Tom... you will also find them in the European edition. They just came back from one of their regular ass-kicking, name-taking raids of northern Europe, bearing the blazing standard of rock-n-roll. Jake reigns in the immensely talented players in this band to keep it simple, hard and fast and authoritative. Adam West letting loose is truly a sight to see, and altogether amazing to hear.   • CHURCH OF BETTY is a New York City band that incorporates the best elements of prog-rock, psych, and rhythm driven Indian classical music. Dubbed by Magnet magazine as purveyors of "urban psychedlia", The Village Voice recently proclaimed that Church of Betty leader, Chris Rael, "pulls off the raga-rock gambit better than any Western guitar guy, ever."   • HOTBOX Named "Best Local Punk Band" by the San Francisco Bay Guardian, Hotbox-led by front-woman Mel Chappell-is a super sundae of punk delight. Hotbox also features Barry D'Live, the hot fudge to Mel's maraschino cherry, formerly of RKL and hired gun for bands like GWAR and Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. Chris Rest, also on guitar duties, is also a member of a Fat Wreck Chords favorite, Lagwagon.   • THE ORIGINAL BROTHERS AND    SISTERS OF LOVE T.O.B.A.S.O.L blend melodic pop with an eclectic instrumental mix, calling to mind some of the bands that have influenced the group: The Beach Boys, Fairport Convention and The Gourds. Too original to merely rip off their heroes, T.O.B.A.S.O.L create a music all their own. The All Music Guide raved about their debut, The Legende Of Jeb Minor stating "comparisons to Tim Buckley, Van Dyke Parks, The Beach Boys, and Harry Nilsson are unmistakable, (but) the Ann Arbor, Michigan, six-piece is too unique for any direct comparisons."   • JIM ROLL Jim Roll is a critically acclaimed rule breaking/genre defying singer songwriter from Ann Arbor, Michigan. According to Dave Marsh (Rolling Stone, biographer of Bruce Springsteen), Roll "sings like the high strung, smart mouthed bastard son of Neil Young, Captain Beefheart, Beck, Bob Dylan, Elvis P. and/or C., Lou Reed, and a few other immensely talented musical lunatics. He's also that rare writer/performer who moves you one instant and in the next is funny as hell, usually while he's poking you right in the center of a raw nerve."   • KELLEY STOLTZ Kelley Stoltz is a native of New York, Illinois, Texas, Michigan, New York (again), Michigan (again), and San Francisco. His songs reflect the broad range of cultural, musical, and geographical influences he's experienced throughout his life. The San Francisco Bay Guardian notes that Kelley "provides some encouraging proof that one can spend hours puttering around the basement with home recording equipment and actually have something beautiful to show for it."   • STEW Stew is perhaps best known as the founder and fearless leader of the great Los Angeles band, The Negro Problem. Rolling Stone has called Stew a "spooky morphing of Marvin Gaye and Nick Drake" and his songwriting ability, which has been lauded by Rolling Stone, Spin and Pulse, showcases his unique view of the world as seen through the strange prism of Los Angeles. Stew's highly acclaimed solo album, Guest Host, was named the best record of 2000 by Tom Sinclair in Entertainment Weekly.