Stomp-A-GoGo brings The American Death Ray back to Martin's Lounge Friday night. Last time around, their manic blend of garage rock and Memphis soul kept the party going full-throttle until the wee hours. With The Neckbones riotous set also on the bill, this GoGo promises to be the best rock n' roll show you're likely to see in a Jackson bar this year. Fresh off a tour that culminated with The American Death Ray blowing the doors of New York's infamous CBGB, Nicholas Diablo Ray was patient enough to respond to a few essay questions via e-mail.

PW: What are you listening to lately?

ND: Roxy Music (first album), Belle and Sebastian ("The Boy With The Arab Strap"), Birthday Party (various), Mr. Quintron ("These Hands Of Mine"), and The Deadly Snakes ("Love Undone")

PW: How did the tour up to NYC go? Any highlights?

ND: New York went well. We sold singles and made it a lot easier to play there again. Highlight? Seeing the last Gunga Din show and going to a party at the Waldorf Astoria after our show. Me and Rich climbed to the top of one of the two spires on the roof of the building. What a view.

PW: The last time The American Death Ray played Jackson, you were jumping on tables and had everybody in the place shaking and sweating until 2 am. Afterwards, we found you collapsed off the side of the stage. Is it always such a full-tilt rock show with The American Death Ray?

ND: Eight out of ten shows are that way.

PW: Any secrets to keeping that volatile dynamic up night after night? Bourbon? Macro-biotics? Fluid from human adrenaline glands?

ND: How do we do it? Possession, seriously!

PW: Where did you get those moves?

ND: Secret.

PW: Where did you find those great gnarled-up guitars and keyboards?

ND: The keyboards are borrowed (thank you, Shelby), and my guitar is not gnarled up!

PW: What kind of day jobs allow The American Death Ray to maintain the rock n' roll lifestyle?

ND: Cook, bartender, florist, cameraman, and roadie.

PW: Death Ray is super tight on stage. Do you think that comes more from playing together so much or having the right people in the band? How long did it take to assemble this line-up?

ND: It is a combination of the right people and improvisation that make the sound. This line-up arrived because I have run out of people who will play with me.

PW: Any rock n' roll heroes?

ND: Edward T Action and brother Nobody (AKA Ed and Jeff Nehring) and Jeff Evans ('68 Comeback).

PW: How do you feel Memphis has shaped your sound?

ND: I've learned how to actually play my guitar here, as well as countless other influences.

PW: How is the rock scene shaping up in Memphis? Are people peering past the shadow of Elvis?

ND: Elvis shadow, where!?!

PW: What other bands do the members of Death Ray play with?

ND: Royal Dragons, '68 comeback, Reatards, Lost Sounds, Shelby Bryant's Cloud Wow Music, Subteens. I think that's it, maybe.

PW: What was the biggest musical travesty of the last 50 years?

ND: Boz Scaggs.

PW: Salvation?

ND: Boz Scaggs.