YOKO BRINGS JOHN'S ART TO SCOTTSDALE?

S: Have you ever been to Arizona?
Yoko: I've been there, and I think it's the most beautiful place--a severe landscape, almost something very spiritual. What I don't like about Arizona is the fact that we can't fly to there directly [from New York]. You have to change planes somewhere, I forget where. I wish there was a direct flight to Phoenix. S: Do you run into rabid Beatle fans that seem to know more about John than you do?

Yoko: Oh, yes, but quite often they're mistaken, and we have to correct them. No matter how much you want to research the Beatles or John and Yoko or whatever . . . there are so many rumors it's very difficult. S: I've read you rely heavily on astrology to make decisions.

Yoko: That's another myth; I don't do that very much. It's an interesting thing, but you have to know exact times and locations and directions; it's too much of a bother, really.

S: What's your sign?
Yoko: Aquarius.

And Now I'll Plug a Show: If you want to hear some blues, I mean if you really want to hear some blues, then show up at the Rhythm Room January 16 for the Third Annual All-Day Blues Festival. Did I mention this is all local talent? I didn't think so. Here goes: Chico Chism, Big Pete Pearson and Sam Taylor are but a few of the acts performing, and also last week's Screed faves, the Hoodoo Kings. Call 265-4842.

And Another One: Hoping to take her place in the Canadian rock n' roll pantheon alongside Rush, k.d. lang and the Smugglers is a lady named Mae Moore. She's the one who does that soft acoustic rap tune they play on the radio, "Bohemia," talk/singing in a sexy voice that sounds sorta like a throaty Claudine Longet (God love it!). So what if the chorus sounds just like Squeeze's "Another Nail for My Heart"? Also on the bill are Tucson's contribution to the world of techno-industrial-pop, Machines of Loving Grace, and this arcane band called the Meat Puppets. All this goes down, as they say, January 15, 1 p.m., at Hayden Square Amphitheatre.

A Bunch of Things Now, Some Plugs, Some Not: I know everyone loves to read about things I hate, so here goes another one: MTV veejay Kennedy . . . those dots indicate the five minutes I sat here deciding whether to use shrewlike miscreant or babbling half-wit as the appropriate descriptive phrase for the little lady. Maybe I'm being too harsh; maybe she's just dumb. Anyway, here's my excuse to bring this up: An irate Screed reader telephoned in to voice his annoyance at Ms. K.; seems after showing the "Hey Jealousy" video, she made a few lighthearted remarks about the fate of Doug Hopkins, and the Gin Blossoms in general. Something about life not being a bowl of cherries.

On a lighter note, a local band called Tribal Wheel sent in a tape, and there are two darn good tunes on it: "Between" and the country-into-power-trash tune "Desert Song." Go see em. The band, I mean, not the songs. Classical musician Elvis Costello has finally come to his senses and rehired the Attractions to back him up on an album due out next month. Produced by Nick Lowe, no less. I've said it before and I'll say it again, go see Skinny Jim. I couldn't stay for the whole set last Thursday, but what I saw was really good. In closing, I'd just like to share with you a little philosophy passed on to me by The Nuge himself: "This is what life is about, Pete: Family, huntin', fishin', trappin' and wang dang, sweet poontang."--Peter "Pete" Gilstrap