Reviews
^Satellite Rock"
The Mannish Boys
Amazing Records
★★★★
The Mannish Boys’ follow-up
to their debut album, “A Little
Dab’ll Do Ya, ” not only gives
Texas blues fans a bigger dab,
but places these guys as the
best thing to happen to Texas
blues since the Fabulous
Thunderbirds’ flight to fame
and fortune.
“Satellite Rock” is 10 songs
of rockin’ blues that swings
from Chicago-style grit to
rockabilly blasts and makes for
another great album from
Amazing Records.
Few studio albums, if any,
capture a band’s live sound.
On “Satellite Rock” the
Mannish Boys, aided by
producer Stuart Sullivan,
collaborate to transfer their
barroom sound to vinyl.
Powered by Gary Primich’s
wailing harmonica, Gil
Hartman’s stinging guitar leads,
and the solid rhythm section of
bassist Frankie J. Meyer and
drummer Kenny Felton, the
album preserves the spirited
nature of the band’s live sets.
As for the songs themselves,
there is not a weak one to be
found. One of the album’s
lighter moments is the humor
of “Money Habit. ” Primich
sings the blues of the chronic
spender on this song, a
standard of the band’s live
shows.
The instrumental title cut is
reminiscent of the T-Birds’
“Down At Antone’s,” with the
honking of Primich’s
harmonica leads and Felton
and Meyer’s shuffle beat.
Another jewel in this musical
treasure chest, “Evil Hearted
Woman” features great-vocals
by Primich and some furious
guitar leads by Hartman.
Hartman shines most on
“Running Wild” as he peels off
some icy, Albert Collins-like
leads guaranteed to chill the
spine. He’s also a solid rocker,
Aggie Players open season,
present political drama
By Richard Tijerina
The world premier^ of Pat
Pfeiffer’s play “A Question of
Identity” will be presented by
the Aggie Players on October
7 in Rudder Forum at 8 p.m.
The play will be making a
two-weekend run.
“A Question of Identity,”
an intriguing political drama,
explores the life and death of
a fictional black civil rights
leader through the eyes of a
liberal white reporter.
The play, which was the
winning entry in the Aggie
Players 1988 New Plays
Competition, was one of over
100 entries that came from
26 different states. It is the
first production the Aggie
Players are sponsoring this
semester.
A&M playwright Charles
Gordone will direct “A
Question of Identity. ”
Gordone, who won the 1970
Pulitzer Prize for his play, “No
Place To Be Somebody, ” is
currently a lecturer at A&M
and working with Pfeiffer on
the production.
Pfeiffer, a freelance writer
from Los Angeles, California,
submitted the winning script
in last year’s competition.
Since then, she has been
working as an artist-in
residence on campus,
working with Gordone and
the cast of the play.
“A Question of Identity”
centers around a newsman’s
quest to uncover the
circumstances of the black
leader’s controversial death.
This quest for the truth leads
him to several disturbing
truths about the civil rights
movement, American politics,
race relations, modern
journalism and himself.
Pfeiffer says the final draft
of the play that will be
presented on the stage is
quite different from its original
form. Through the rehearsal
process, she and Gordone
extensively rewrote the script.
“In the process of
rehearsals, Charles has
helped me to transform the
play into what was a simple
docu-drama into what is now
genuine theater,” Pfeiffer
says. “I think we have a
successful script, but we have
substantially rewritten it
during practice. Any new
play, as this one is, undergoes
substantial changes during an
initial production. ”
Pfeiffer says she and
Gordone have been working
together on the play very
closely, although there was
much more collaboration in
the early phases of its
production. She says she
enjoys working with Gordone
because of his professionality.
“It’s a bit of an ordeal, but
what comes out is a
professional production, ” she
says. “It (the play) is his baby
now. He knows his standards
are very high and he stretches
you to the best of your ability.
I agree with him that good
theater should engross, and if
it is loses interest then you
should forget it. It’s been a
very positive experience, a
very constructive
experience. ”
The play was honored with
a fellowship grant from the
Writers’ Guild of America
East Foundation and also
received an honorable
mention award in the
National Black Playwriting
Contest.
“A Question of Identity”
will be presented October
7,8,13,14 and 15 at 8 p.m. in
the Rudder Forum. Tickets
are $5 for the general public
and $4 for students and
senior citizens. Reservations
or ticket information can be
made by calling the Rudder
Box Office at 845-1234.
as the band’s version of Eddie
Clearwater’s “Hillbilly Blues”
demonstrates.
All of the songs on this
album are good, but the last
two tracks reveal that the band
must have been saving the best
for last. “Go On Fool,” another
great from the live stage,
features a driving beat by
Felton, and another mean harp
solo by Primich. Guest artist
Mike Kindred, who supplies
piano and organ on several
songs, rocks the ivories here.
The band then brings
“Satellite Rock” to a smashing
close with the rockabilly blast of
“Don’t Put That Thing On
Me.”
For pure blues power, this
satellite carries enough to reach
the next galaxy.
Review by Shane Hall
at ease
the
place
to
see
and
be
seen
to advertise
call 845-2611
aggie, {Players
Department of Speech Communication & Theatre Arts
Texas A&M University
Present
©ODISTOIK] ©IP
by Pat Pfeiffer
A gripping drama of political intrigue!
A Question of Identity tells the story of a prominent
black civil rights leader who dies under mysterious
circumstances and the liberal reporter who wants to find
out why. His quest raises more questions than answers
about American politics, race relations, and modern
journalism. Along the way, the reporter encounters old
enemies, the dead leader's mistress, and some
disturbing truths about himself.
October 7, 8, 13, 14, & 15 8:00 PM
Rudder Forum
Texas A&M University
General Public $5.00 Students $4.00
Tickets available at the Rudder Box Office
For reservations phone 845-1234
■Committed to a New American Theatre realized through Cross-Cultural Casting—
Thursday, Oct. 6,1988/At Ease/Page 5