On November 2nd, 1985, Kansas' number one rock 'n' roll band in the minds of anyone with a modicum of taste played one of the most hardened audiences in America: the gang at the Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary. Those hardened convicts turned out to be so soft they peed their panties, which might even be kind of sexy in a female but is utterly disgusting in a grizzled male.

What I'm trying to get at is that the 'Notz laid an egg. Just about everyone walked out!! The band that Maximum Rock 'n Roll labeled pop/punk might as well have been Whitehouse playing ear piercing noise because these guys couldn't handle it.

The 'Notz didn't let the lack of audience enthusiasm bother them, however. They played about 24 songs in their set of a little over an hour. Their choice of covers was particularly inspired.They played "Born To Be Wild," the Steppenwolf classic, at pretty much the original tempo. They also played a version of "Scarborough Fair" that utilized the same tactic as Ruin did on the old Leonard Cohen tune, "Mastersong": The first verse was at the original tempo and then they repeated it a few times at punk speed and punk intensity. The other covers were great versions of the Stones' "Stray Cat Blues" and Iggy's "Gimme Some Skin."

If possible, the new songs were even better than their old ones, featuring more complex chord structures and arrangements with no loss in immediacy. About my only quarrel with the show is that John (Screamin' Lead) Harper didn't stretch out as far on the few bars of lead at the end of "Proud To Be A Farmer."

Just talkin' about these songs makes me what to hear 'em.

The Micronotz are not a thrash band--yet it would be degrading to call them pop with the amount of speed and intensity that is part of almost all their songs and with lyrics that occasionally border on Ramones-ish cartoonish ness but seem more sincere. I mean these guys are young and good looking, too.

The Micronotz made a hell of an impression on me. Check 'em out when they come to your town and be glad you're not a burned-out old convict. I'm an old convict but I'd rather rust than burn out.