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The Circus's first release for BYO bears the catchy title Detailed Instructions for the Self-Involved and contains fourteen originals and one cover that Trevor declines to name: "When you get a copy, you can figure it out for yourself," he says. In terms of the new material, he claims that "we're kind of breaking away from the whole, like, humorous thing. It's not like we intentionally changed our songs; it's still the same stuff that we've always done. But I think it has a little bit more serious feel. I guess a way to describe the album is, it's a bunch of songs about youth and hardship and love and, you know, whatever."

The street date for the new CD is July 22, but the Pinheads will be celebrating it a few days early: Their album-release party is scheduled to take place at Area 39 on Friday, July 18. After that, the road beckons. The band just returned from a West Coast jaunt that saw its members playing with Youth Brigade and another BYO signee, Brand New Unit. They'll venture into the hinterlands again beginning in the first half of August. "We should be playing here in Denver around then with Youth Brigade and Murphy's Law," Trevor reveals. "We'll do two weeks where we'll go to Reno, Washington, Portland and California, and then Youth Brigade will break off. After that, we might continue with Murphy's Law or we might just keep going on our own. But we plan to be gone for two and a half months and do the whole U.S. and parts of Canada. And then in February, we might be going to Europe with the Nobodys.

"What all that means, I guess, is that we won't be able to play around here that much for a while. Which is probably good. We don't want everybody to get sick of us."

Heard the promo on KTCL-FM/93.3 that implies the station is an alternative to corporate radio, even though it is a de facto member of the mammoth Jacor combine? Come on, guys: Be proud of your corporate heritage.

I know we are. On Thursday, July 10, Gina Goes Faster at the 15th Street Tavern, with Paleface. On Friday, July 11, Agent Orange is sprayed on the Aztlan Theatre; the Ted Bundy Band stalks the patrons at Cricket on the Hill, with Skull Flux; Jubilant Bridge can be spanned at Stella's; and Stanley Milton's Mean Streak wails at Ziggie's Saloon. On Saturday, July 12, Chautauqua Auditorium is the place to experience the fourteenth annual Boulder Folk & Bluegrass Festival, featuring the Velveeta Sisters, Laughing Hands, Jonathan Edwards and Dar Williams. On Sunday, July 13, Keith Murray and the Alkaholiks sober up at the Boulder Theater, and Hightone Records artist Dale Watson opens for Tina and the B-Side Movement at the Fox Theatre. On Monday, July 14, Boom Shaka rattles the Bluebird Theater. On Tuesday, July 15, Car81Mob gangs up at the Gallery Coffee House. And on Wednesday, Supergrass lights up in the company of the Foo Fighters at the Ogden Theatre.

One more thing: Johnny Clyde Copeland died last week as a result of complications from a heart transplant he received on January 1. Westword contributor Linda Gruno interviewed Copeland in May to advance his scheduled appearance June 1 at the Denver Blues Festival, but when Copeland canceled due to illness, the article was held. However, computer users can read the piece in its entirety by visiting the Westword Web address listed below. The profile is sadly ironic--Copeland speaks at length about how good he is feeling--but we believe that it remains a worthy tribute to a fine artist.

--Michael Roberts

Backbeat's e-mail address is: Michael_Roberts@westword.com. While you're online, visit Michael Roberts's Jukebox 2.0 at www.westword.com