Bandalism

Bandalism [ban-d?l-i-z?m] n .: the willful or malicious destruction of, or damage to, the fabric of a rock/pop/indie group brought about by one or more of its members

Axl Rose''s monumental meltdowns . . . Kurt Cobain''s tragic band-slaying suicide: The long history of platinum-selling überband implosions is more dramatic than a Russian novel. But even local cover bands can suffer the ill effects of the limelight.

Multi-rock-band veteran Julian Ridgway''s Bandalism is a can''t-miss guide to rock ''n'' roll survival, offering sage advice on how to avoid the pitfalls that can doom your group. Here''s how to:

• Find nonpsycho band members
• Craft the perfect band image
• Choose a name that doesn''t suck

And much more, including the handy Healthy Band Checklist, an ideal MySpace profile generator, and the Second Album Venn Diagram.