(Mazzy Star - rumored to still be together . .at least on paper)

I wouldn't exactly call Mazzy Star an obscure band of the 90s. They had a few albums out, three on a major label (one which went platinum), did solo gigs, morphed into other bands, morphed back and more or less have maintained a just-below-the-radar presence, probably more in Europe than here. But with the current state of radio and retail, you can never tell. Initially part of the California Paisley Underground (a sort of West Coast version of Madchester with heavier emphasis on the 60s), Mazzy Star evolved into one of the more interesting American alternative bands in the early-mid 90's.

Their most notable track was "Fade Into You" off their "So Tonight That I Might See" album. Was a huge hit for them and had promise for a major career, with the likes of the dreamy/mysterious Hope Sandoval fronting as vocalist.

But the promise never really materialized after "So Tonight . . ." went platinum, and after a tour in 1997 the band went separate ways. Although with the recent release of a new project, Hope Sandoval and The Warm Inventions, there has been confirmation the group is still together. So we'll see what's ahead.

This track, Ghost Highway, comes from an In-Store promo CD Capitol issued when they were promoting Fade Into You. It's a live version, done for MTV Europe and it is, for my ears, a much more intense and better produced version than the studio one that appeared on "So Tonight..."

If you're familiar with this band and this track, you may not be familiar with this version. You might be pleasantly surprised.