One thing that has really grown to anger me as a music reporter is how hostile musicians are about labels. Isn’t it ironic (don’t you think) how no band ever thinks they can be labeled, but they can label everyone else.

Bands don’t want to be labeled because they want the entire world to hear them first. Well, I’m sorry, but that’s not going to happen. Unless, of course, you’re Hootie and the Blowfish, and they are given all kinds of labels (crap, garbage, etc.).

Music coverage wouldn’t exist without labels, so just live with them. Have a little fun with it, after all, there are so many to choose from.

You can start with the basics: rock, pop, alternative (but don’t say this one too loud), rap, R & B, classic rock, blues, folk, country, classical and jazz.

Move on to hip-hop, trip-hop, bunny-hop, acid jazz, free jazz, soul, funk, avant-garde, experimental, trance, industrial, house, techno and goth. Folk, punk, opera and new age even have their own sections at some record shops.

Don’t forget grunge, psychedelic, metal, thrash metal, death metal, fusion, art rock, progressive rock, hard core, world beat, reggae, gospel, Christian or brit pop.

There are even some lesser known styles like new jack swing, ambient, klezmer, latin, glam and ska. The list can go on forever with all sorts of styles and combinations.

But by far the coolest thing about music labels is that you can make them up as you go along and never are there any boundaries.

A few home brewed labels of mine are chick rock (Elastica), stoner rock (Allman Brothers), frat rock (Dave Matthews), gangsta rap (2Pac) and pimp (Keith Sweat). Feel free to use them or e-mail me some of your own.

On with the Pit.

Don’t worry Damn Yankees fans, the Styx reunion tour that hit Ames on Saturday does not mean Tommy Shaw is done with the Ted Nugent, Jack Blades trio.

Even better, the Yankees are planning to release a new record next year.

The third, self-titled, record from Sublime was released last month, just weeks after the tragic death of singer/songwriter/guitarist Bradley Nowell. MCA supposedly considered pulling the record but felt it was to amazing to forget.

As the story turns out, they made the right choice. Sublime was described by Time Magazine as “simply put, the best album of the year so far.”

Tim “Herb” Alexander has moved on from his years as Primus’ drummer. The band has found a replacement in Brian “Brain” Mantia (apparently you must have a nick-name to play in the band) and will go into the studio in December to record the follow-up to Tales From The Punch Bowl.

Meanwhile, Les Claypool and his collaborative new band The Holy Mackeral will play the CMJ music festival and follow with a short Midwestern tour. Cross your fingers.

Hard-edged rapper Paperboy follows up his 1993 debut The Nine Yards with the release of City To City this week.

After racking up a gold record and a Grammy nomination for “Ditty,” Paperboy has taken another step on this record with the fusion of East Coast and West Coast old school rap on the cut “East West Groove.”

Run DMC’s Joseph Simmons, or Jam Master J as we all know him, sings with Paperboy on the track.

Walter Schreifels formerly of the New York hard-core band Quicksand, has formed a new group under the name World’s Fastest Car. Their debut will be released early next year.

Weezer, Bjork, They Might Be Giants, L7, Tool and Luscious Jackson will release new records this month, while the new Counting Crows and the Beavis & Butthead Do America soundtrack have been pushed back to November.

10,000 Maniacs and Veruca Salt are among artists expecting new releases by next year.

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Corey Moss is freshman in journalism and mass communications from Urbandale. At press time he was moshing at “Edge Fest.”