Arlo Guthrie

Is there a more famous name in folk music? In the 1930s there was Woody Guthrie. In the '60s came Arlo. Have you ever known anyone else named Arlo? Even now, there's only one, and the name immediately conjures up Alice's Restaurant-the definitive "talking blues" of the love and peace generation. So, what do you expect in the '90s? Well, Arlo turned 50 last year ... visit www.arlo.net and see for yourself. As of June 5, this visitor was the 156,120th blunderer to the site since June 27, 1995. You can hear five different audio clips of "The Motorcycle Song," buy a T-shirt with the official map of the route taken by the red VW Microbus with the garbage, and other stuff. On Arlo's home page, you can also hear clips of his 1996 album Mystic Journey. It contains nine new originals, and they all sound like Arlo, though a time-tempered version. He still has the pull-the-tail-of-the-dragon attitude, but he has that spiritual side, as well. "My parents were both people who believed in serving humanity," he says. "You've got to do something; my dad did; my mom did. We just grew up that way. My kids are being brought up that way. You have to give back, especially when so many wonderful things happen to you." Don't miss Arlo's show. If you do miss him here, there's always Carnegie Hall in November.

  -- SA