SXSW AT FIRST GLANCE

Glancing over the recently posted band list for this year's South by Southwest, here's my initial thoughts:

Lots of old favorites -- Joe Ely, Alejandro Escovedo, Junior Brown, Petty Booka, Johnette Napolitano -- and of course the mayors of SXSW, those wascally Waco Brothers.

I'm most excited about Eleni Mandell, Half Japanese and Andre Williams, none of whom I've seen before.

Also, Houston mystery man Jandek, who in recent years has come out of hiding and started playing festivals.

I also hope to see Yo La Tengo and My Morning Jacket.

Carla Bozulich is playing with her band Evangelista. Now I don't feel so bad about missing her in Santa Fe that next Sunday.

Thurston Moore is playing, but not Sonic Youth.

Donita Sparks of L7 is playing with what I guess is her new band, The Stellar Moments. (But my heart belongs to Suzy!)

Blue Cheer! I bought Vincebus Eruptum when I was in junior high in the summer of '68.

Dolly Parton!

Although both Iggy Pop and Lou Reed are listed as speakers at the conference, I don't see either listed as performers. Perhaps that will change. I saw them both at SXSW in 1996.

No Panda Bear, but someone or some band named Panda, from Mexico.

There's some real '60s cheese pop: The Cowsills (I've seen Susan Cowsill at SXSW before and she's actually good) and Bob Lind, creator of the "Bright Elusive Butterfly of Love."

80s cheese: Daryl Hall (but no Oates).

Some '90s cheese too: HANSON!

Of personal interest: This Bike is a Pipe Bomb, a Florida band I saw the first (and only) time I ever went to CBGBs.

Also listed is "Abe Vigoda." Maybe there will be guest appearances by Hal Linden and Max Gail and they'll do some old Barny Miller routines.

Of course, there's lots of funny band names. Ringo Deathstarr, Yuppie Pricks (An Austin band I think I've seen listed before), A Place to Bury Strangers, Corn Mo and the .357 Lover, Faceless Werewolves, 17 Hippies, Soiled Mattress & The Springs, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin (they're from Springfield, Mo.), Tokyo Sex Destruction (they're from Spain!).

There's the Fuck contingent: Holy Fuck, Fuck Buttons, Fucked Up.

There's some robot bands: Robots in Disguise Droid Attack, Afrobots.

This should be fun.