Using the World Wide Web as a main source of information can be pretty scary. One must be weary the sites he or she comes across, and needs to understand that any yokel with a computer can viscously poison the minds of Internet travelers without warning, discretion, or even an apology! Fortunately, I have been able to track down a web site with integrity, honesty, and heart. The address is https://members.tripod.com/~Ne_erDoWell/index.html, and it's called "A Ne'er Do Wells Guide to The Hi-Fives." This site is owend and run by K. Klepic who is selflessly devoted to promoting the greatest band in the entire world, The Hi-Fives.

So what makes this site so great? That's a very important question, but one that I feel can't be answered until we go over the preliminary question: what makes this band so great? In a nutshell, they're a fun group who delivers the perfect blend of early 60s rock and roll in the vein of the early Beatles or Kinks, with the energy, dedication, and work ehtic of contemporary punk bands. Their charm has earned them an international reputation of simply making people feel better. But I must not digress as this isn't a review of the band itself, but a critique of a web site dedicated to them.

Knowing what we do about the band, it's only natural that this site is going to be fun with a capital F. The general ambiance is reminiscent of early 60s album covers, with an eye pleasing shade of green, a band photo, and the band name written in lettering which, with its sharp angles, does more to describe the band's sound than any reviewer could. On the main page, there is a menu on the left-hand side of the screen with an unusual amount of information describing where each link will take you. I find this to be very helpful, and I feel that it adds a generally welcoming effect to the site.

If you're out there cruising the web, don't expect to just make a quick stop at this web site. It's chock full of information and will have you hooked untill every last word is read. The arrangement leaves almost no empty space, and is full of great information like the band's history, listings of all their records, descriptions of previous groups featuring Hi-Fives members, and even personal acocunts written by the site's creator. There is also a fun and periodically changing poll, which asks questions like, "Who is your favorite Hi-Five?" and "Who was their best drummer?" She even goes as far as to include a links section, which not only transports you to other sites mentioning the Hi-Fives, but to sites dedicated to other groups a Hi-Fives fan is likely to enjoy.

The images seen on this site couldn't do the band more justice. The band logo, scanned from what appears to be a bumper sticker, with sharp eneven style, lets the reader know exactly what the band sounds like. And if that's not enough, then there are pictures of them playing live (or just standing), showing the Hi-Fives in their element: in suits, smiling, letting potential fans know that they've disregarded the aggressiveness and moderness that has tainted so much of today's music, and are bringing us pop music in its purest form. The site's creator even makes the text fun to read. The counter at the bottom of the main page says "1468 kids have bunnyhopped in here," and, when talking about the bands second album she says, "it's pure brilliance." There is no place in the web site where political or cultural attitudes are reflected, and that's fine. This is a site merely devoted to her love of the band, and that makes it all the more charming.

But you must be warned! This site does have an intended audience. Every detail in the site has been made for a young audience, with a knowledge of garage and punk music, and, in particulatr, the Hi-Fives. Web surfers unaware of such phenomena as the Hi-Fives and the vast array of poppy punk music that is being created by today's underground bands may be confused, and even frightened, by the K. Klepic's pro-active and dedicated love to this little, but all important band. The web site leaves only one of my many wish unfufilled. I feel that it would benefit from having an interview section icluding magazine articles about the band. It would add validity by providing an outside source of information, and would provide the reader with an opportunity to hear what the Hi-Fives themselves have to say about their music, lives, or anything else. But hey, one complaint isn't so bad. Even without interviews, this site is still great. On a scale of one to five, I give it a high five!

Computers are the wave of the future. The proof is that today you can find a web site out there about virtually anything. There is literally a place on the World Wide Web for everyone. "A Ne'er Do Well's Guide to The Hi-Fives" has not only given me a place to go on the Internet, but has greatly enriched my life.