Snakes, cicadas, lots of spiderwebs, skinheads, sweat, JOLT (how cliche'!!!), broken malt liquor bottles.

Permit me some juxtaposition. I'm at a typical "non-venue" where some "up-and-coming" bands are trying to establish themselves without the luxury of music venue support or even any real fans besides the bands themselves. These bands are really good. But I'm talking with the shiniest diamond in this stale sausage squashed pizza rough - the members of Lawrence's next phenom - the Switch.

I'm in a band too, I know all about trying to create media waves when the surfing sucks, but ever since I've seen the Switch I've been sure that they are different, a band that quite likely will never be recognized on a national level (statistical) but in my opinion (which is rarely given) absolutely should be.

Keith Ashman is from London. He says that every square foot of that town is haunted. Megan Hurt is from somewhere in America and is entrenched in the mythology of Lawrence's self-styled historic music scene. When the band started playing together they were something special.

Now they just plain kick ass.

With the addition of bassist Christine and drummer Doug the Switch has become notable, and I hope you agree with me, quotable. Here it goes...(its very short and semi-sweet)

Q: How long has the Switch been together?
Keith: Since December 1995 (note: they used to practice in the old Frog Pond house).

Q: What are your goals now that you have acquired Doug and Christine?
Keith: To not have to fuck with finding a drummer and bassist any time soon (he looks down at the squashed sausage pizza) and of course to do a complete US tour.

Q: So are you guys gonna tour soon?
A:(Tthe whole band looks at each other).

Interviewer's aside: the area music scene currently suffers from growing pains caused by rapid expansion but very little nutrients (expansion: many many good bands. lack of nutrients: too few choice spots opening for national acts, a virtual necessity for any band to develop a following besides with the tiny group of musicians that regularly attend shows (even many of the people in bands never go to any shows but their own)).

Q: So what will it take to get the local music scene back on its feet?
Keith: More touring bands coming through that need opening acts.
Chrstine: (thinks to herself, what are these guys babbling about, aren't we supposed to play soon?).

Q: Do you guys have any official band animals?
A: (this answer went on for about 20 minutes and involved many stories about cats, unfortunately I can't remember anything about it).

Q: Anything else?
Megan: Come see us play.
Doug: I play drums.
Keith: Did I mention the dry ice machine?

As for their sound, you are going to have to judge for yourselves, I've tried to just whet your appetite. They have a web page you can follow to catch their next gig. (surf to http://www.eecs.ukans.edu/~ravery/Switch.html). But be sure to see them before you have to pay real money and sit behind some 13 year-old kid smoking cloves and drinking diet coke spiked with mescal.

G Frazier