Hey Everybody! This issue is dedicated to my uncle Izzy, who helped me realize the notion of competing to win. This issue is also co-dedicated to the astronauts of the space shuttle Columbia.

BOMBLASTICA 2003: March's Bomblastica will signify the start Maximum Ink's 7th year of existence. It is also our version of a reader appreciation party. It all started out in 1997 at the Mango Grille, a local Madison café that featured live music. The party has grown every year and now is a three-day, indoor music festival in two cities, and it's always FREE ADMISSION. Milwaukee's Bomblastica will take place at Vnuk's, 5036 S. Packard in Cudahy, just south of Bayview, on Thursday, March 20th. Owner Dave Vnuk recently renovated the back room into a mid-size live music venue, complete with a new PA. The Regent Street Retreat/Annex in Madison hosts the next two nights with a celebrated line up of bands that shape the Madison sound - Friday and Saturday, March 21 & 22. Two stages, 16 bands and plenty of tattoo give-a-ways and other stuff from our sponsors! Confirmed bands include: Atlantic Record's The Buzzhorn, Metal Blade Record's The Heavils, Suite 13, The New Recruits, The Skintones, The Motorz, Shot Down, German Art Students, Shot To Hell, Mud Ride, Atalanta, The Schwillbillies, Mississippi Cactus and more! Tune into Bomblastica.com for more info.

ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE: February's issue of Rolling Stone magazine featured a story on the top-ten, campus music scenes throughout the United States. Madison's scene came in at number five. Madison bands Birth Of Tragedy, Phat Phunktion and German Art Students are highlighted as well as Luther's, The Annex and the Anchor Inn.

LINKING WITH MAXIMUM-INK.COM: A note to everyone who has ever had or requested a link at our website in the Link Section. It has been revamped. It is now a completely automated linking system. You can add your link with a title and description and have it update immediately! No delay, no hassle, takes 5 seconds. Please go to our website at www.maximum-ink.com and add your link to your Band, Music Store, Record Store or MP3's

LES PERCUSSIONS DE GUINEE: They are currently touring the US and had no plans of a Madison show. I caught up with the director, Mamoudou, on the tourbus via cell phone and finagled a show here in Madison at the Barrymore on Sunday, March 9th. Until they started touring the world in 1987 to spread the culture of Guinee, Africa, you would have to be royalty visiting their country as a guest of their royalty in order to see the best drummers in the world, the Drummers of Guinee... find your tickets at the regular Barrymore ticket outlets, or go online to www.lespercussionsdeguinee.com.

BAD BOY: They should be dead by now is right! I can't think of any other rock band in the area that has been active longer than Milwaukee's Bad Boy. They hit it big with a two-record contract with United Artists in 1977. Their debut album (and I mean LP), The Band That Made Milwaukee Famous, and 1978's Back To Back are out of print and as far as I know, not available on CD. You can, however, find copies of the Lp's at www.gemm.com. Just go there and search for "Bad Boy" and you will come up with the old LP's and the "Best Of" CD, but what you won't find is a limited edition re-release of their independent releases from the mid- eighties, Private Party and Electric Eyes . Previously unavailable in the CD format makes this re-release special. The double disc is $15 and available from the man himself, Steve Grimm (Bad Boy's founder). You can contact him at sjgrimm@execpc.com. For more info, hit their website at www.badboyrock.com.

ADVENTURES WITH NIKKO: The first thing mommy and big sister learned about having a son/little brother is the difference in plumbing. Of course, we had heard about the possible water works disaster, but to experience it, that's a different story. It's unpredictable in timing and direction and strikes with unparalleled quickness. It victimizes young and old alike. Of course, I'm talking about the "Golden Shower." Elizabeth learned of this phrase the hard way. Nikko was on his changing station when mommy turned to grab a clean diaper. Elizabeth went in for a quick kiss on Nikko's cheek and bam! She was hit! She turned to escape the brunt of it only to find she had moved into the stream. Let's just say they're a little more cautious about giving Nikko a kiss until his diaper is completely fastened. See you next month. Rökker