Haze

   Haze is Leanne Haze, a mystical shaman type with a smoky voice. Her music is described as folk-noire, with tribal underpinnings. A CD I once listened to was more hard rock-ish, but the one that I liked was a tribal song called "Wayawheta". Info here: http://music.cbc.ca/#/artists/HAZE
   She probably should have made it bigger in the '90s, but who knows why some people make it and some don't? Anyway, I like this song and like all the others I've posted, I don't think it should fall into the forgotten cracks of cultural life. (Well, maybe Tone Deaf aren't that great, but I find them/him fascinating).
   "Wayawheta", from the 1993 album Book of Shadows.
  
http://soundowl.com/track/66td/haze-wayawheta

More info about her and the album: http://strappadometalblog.blogspot.ca/2010/10/haze-book-of-shadows-1993.html

Not to be confused with the English prog rock band Haze! (haha, I am confusing you just by mentioning them...)

Vertical After

   Vertical After were a Vancouver band. I don't even know if they are still around. According to biographical info, "Vertical After mixed up the genres long before System of a Down hit with Chop Suey. Vertical After toured all over North America promoting videos and albums including 1999's Pop Goes Death, mixed by Doug Pinnick of King's X, and 2002's Bloody Murdo co-produced by Stu of Grip Inc. They have support-opened in New York for Twisted Sister, in L.A. for Bruce Dickenson, Ice T's Body Count, and around the country for many acts including King's X. The music varies from punk to metal to pop." (http://music.cbc.ca/#/artists/VERTICAL-AFTER). I don't know about all that. One day, years ago, I checked out a CD of theirs from the library, and one song made an impression, called "The Sellout". Despite their hard rock and prog leanings, it's a peppy pop song with wistful synth, and the guitar is oddly buried. Decent song, indifferent production.
   The only thing I know about them that's not listed on that bio is that (I am pretty sure, unless it's a weird dream that has taken the place of facts in my brain) they used to be called Vertical Laughter. Maybe people kept thinking their name was Vertical After, like I Love You can be heard as Isle Of View? Either way, it's not a good name. Now, you don't need a good name to make good music, but neither the name Vertical After nor Vertical Laughter make any sense, but then neither does the Sex Pistols, and we still listen to their music.
   One song that is not on that CBC page is the one I mentioned, "The Sellout". Enjoy! (Or not, I don't really care, man).

http://soundowl.com/track/66tc/vertical-after-the-sellout

Glenn Scott

   I can't say I don't know much about Glenn Scott. In about 1995 or so I answered an ad in a local paper for someone wanting a keyboard player. They would provide the keyboard. He didn't live too far away, so I checked it out. Very friendly guy, we played a bit---he on his stand up drum kit, me fiddling with his advanced synthesizer set up. At that point in time I wasn't ready to play music with other people, and I told him so. He didn't seem to mind that I wasn't an expert on keyboards, in fact he pressed a bit for me to join his group, but I reluctantly turned him down. He gave me a copy of his demo tape as I left.
   It's pretty simple music. Tribal drumming and vocals by Glenn Scott, simple keyboard lines by his then partner Greg Lawrence (who had died of complications from AIDS)---hence his auditions for new keyboard players. Lyrically, it's more social commentary coming from a punk point of view, even though the music isn't punk. Other than my experience in auditioning, I don't know anything else about him. No real mentions online. I like the music---it's very rhythmic and a little dark, with some emotional pleas for understanding. Sensitive electronic music rather than aggro.
   This is what it says on the demo tape:

   "World beat meets electronic Joy Division. Side A was recorded in April, '93, live off the floor at Glenns place. He plays non-traditional drums and sings his darkly humorous songs. Greg sings backup, plays synths and an old Korg for rhythmic sounds. No sequencers here.
   Side B has some of Glenn's electronic pieces that play with his experimental films and slides as a prelude to the live set on side A.
   A definitely different experience."

   Here are two tracks from the tape: "Secret Club" and "Victims Too".

Secret Club:
http://soundowl.com/track/662m/glenn-scott-secret-club
Or on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAIxD_rHs3s

Victims Too:
http://soundowl.com/track/662p/glenn-scott-victims-too
Or on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ubu7oZt7ec

Special Cheese

   We all like special things. Special treatment, special buses...what about Special Cheese? Josh Ewert likes special cheese. He even formed a synthpop band called Special Cheese. OK, so maybe it's less a band than just him in his bedroom, but the songs are pretty catchy. With better production, they may have even become hits. The songs are catchy, cute, and humourous (titles like "The Chicken Spoke Chineese", "The Grumpy Farmer" and "Special Cheese Rap" don't exactly put him in the same territory as The Cure and Joy Division). It's just a demo tape put out in 1994, and from the cover photo---and his voice---it sounds like he was a teenager. I can find no information at all online about him or his tape, and it's not the best thing in the world, but it's fun, and things shouldn't be hidden forever in the Great InterSatan....er...Internet.
   The only info on the tape is as follows:

   Josh Ewert - voice keybords + programming
   Backing vocals=Dan Conway and Kurt Johnson
   Mixed at Jimmy studios by Josh Ewert
   Remastered at  RPC
   All songs written by Josh Ewert © 1994

...and the helpful message:  Eat Some Beans

   I found this tape somewhere in a box of free things. Maybe you can find this on the internet. There are 10 songs on the tape. 
   Here is the title track, "You Stole The Ice Cream":

http://soundowl.com/track/65z6/special-cheese-you-stole-the-ice-cream 

Or on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icQTWpRRRE4 

Tone Deaf

   Tone Deaf, ah yes, the legendary metal band from Spring, Texas. What? You've never heard of them? But I have their tape and everything! Well, I shouldn't make fun. They (he) seem like nice lads (lad). They just didn't have the money or know-how to make their tape sound any good. The tape I have, recorded in 1990, has remarkably bad audio quality. The 11 songs aren't that great anyway, so why would I post it? The fact that Oatmeal, the guy behind Tone Deaf, would actually release and sell this demo tape for money. I mean, underground demo tapes aren't known for pristine audio quality, which is fine, but this is so muffled that you can barely make anything out, and that's AFTER I increased the volume in Audacity. Anyway, the song is called "God Skull", and I have no idea what's it about. It's fascinating in its way. Other song titles include "Death Squad", "Forgiveness Song", "Soon, My Love", "Oatmeal's Hairdo", "Dudley The Happy Dinosaur Goes West", and the title song, "Mild Concussion", so I don't think he takes it all so seriously and neither should we.
   Oatmeal notes on the tape cover: "All the crappy music on Mild Concussion was recorded haphazardly on my '79 reel to reel 4-track. I used home utensils and a cookie canister and Microphone case for drums (bet you couldn't tell!)."
   Maybe this is a noise/art project disguised as crappy metal? Listen and learn.
   Listen or download:

http://soundowl.com/track/64sl/tone-deaf-god-skull

Or on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp8ulgXx5Ig