Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 19, 1990)
The Battalion LIFESTYLES Monday, March 19,1990 4 Lifestyles Editor Mary-Lynne Rice 845-33 Classical studies minor revives antiquities By CHIP SOWDEN Of The Battalion Staff After a century of neglect, the cobwebs are being dusted off the an tiquities by the classical studies pro gram at Texas A&M. The program is a new academic minor offered by the College of Liberal Arts. Greek and Latin were taught at A&M when the University was founded in 1876, but about a year later the instructor was fired, along with mahy others, said Dr. Craig Kallendorf, coordinator of the classi cal studies program and the first person trained in Greek and Latin to teach at A&M since 1876. The Texas Legislature had de cided that instruction in the classics should be restricetd to Austin, Kal lendorf said. But times have changed. Regular instruction in Greek and Latin re sumed after the establishment of the Institute for Nautical Archeology at A&M in 1976. Specialists in the classics had joined other departments, and in 1983 a committee was formed to consider ways of integrating their work. As a result, the interdisciplinary program in classical studies was es tablished in 1988, and it became an official minor last fall, Kallendorf said. The classical studies minor differs from a minor in Greek or Latin in that it focuses more on ancient civili zations rather than on the mechanics of language, he said. The College of Liberal Arts is now the fastest-growing college at A&M. Student demand for a liberal arts ed ucation and the desire to improve the quality of education in the col lege also influenced the formation of the classical studies program, Kal lendorf said. “There are no first-rate or even second-rate liberal arts programs in this country that don’t have a rea sonably good classical studies com ponent,” Kallendorf said. When it appeared that A&M was destined to be a well-rounded uni versity with a good liberal arts pro gram, it became clear that something had to be done, he said. Senior political science major and classical studies minor Amy Popejoy said, “There’s been a need for it for a while, and people are excited that someone’s doing something about it.” She said she had considered a “I It’s challenging, but not impossible. These professors are really good at extending the ideas to the present.” Amy Popejoy classical studies minor more “practical” minor, but the Latin course she took sparked her interest in the classics. But languages only make up a part of the requirements for a minor in classical studies. Four courses from a list of elec tives including Greek and Latin readings, history, archeology and philosophy are required in addition to the two-semester Greek or Latin language requirement. Students also must designate an “exit course” from the program, in which they must write a seminar pa per to synthesize what they have learned in completing the minor. “The synthetic experience really is the reason that we exist,” Kallendorf said. He said that the program was con ceived in part to combat the “frag mentation of education,” whereby students get a heavy vocational em phasis in their education from many different departments and have nothing to consolidate what they have learned. Some students may shy away from classical studies because of the per ceived difficulty of the classics. “There is this feeling that there’s just something impossibly difficult about the classics, and it’s not true,” Kallendorf said. Popejoy said, “It’s challenging. Photo by Steven M. Sonyh Standing in front of a poster of the Acropolis is Dr. Greek and Latin to teach at A&M since 1876. Craig Kallendorf, the first professor trained in but not impossible. These professors are really good at extending the ideas to the present.” One of those professors is Dr. Frederick van Doorninck Jr., who has taught at A&M since Dr. George Bass established the Institute for Nautical Archeology. Bass’ excavations of ancient Greek shipwrecks rekindled the interest in the Greek and Latin languages at A&M. Bass and van Doorninck met when van Doorninck got involved with a dig of a Greek shipwreck that Bass was directing in Turkey in the early ’60s. When Bass came to A&M in 1976, he brought van Doorninck with him. Since the curriculum is “quite de manding,” van Doorninck said that the great success of the program with the students here has surprised him. But program’s benefits outw eigh the work required, he said. “If you’re willing to make the ef fort, the rewards are so great that you just don’t drop out,” van Door ninck said. Among those rewards are learn ing how to think more clearly and how to analyze problems, Popejoy said. The newest member of the classi cal studies faculty is Dr. Elise Garri son, who came to A&M last fall. “I find student enthusiasm for the classics very strong here,” Garrison said. In a Latin class she taught last semester, enthusiasm for the classics was so strong that the students orga nized a club. Called The Antiquities: A Society for the Promotion of Classical Stud ies, the club meets twice a month as is recognized by the MSC. Besides the club, the classicalste: | ies program sponsors its own act ; ities. There is a lecture series featt l ing nationally known scholars ic I variety of fields. The lectures al help students interested in theckl cal studies to get a feel (brthelielcl Kallendorf said. “We’re a fairly small programari it’s a chance for faculty to get:' get her with students and withotki interested people in the unicer- community and for all ofustodol little growing together,” kallendo:| said. “These folks challenge us as fal ulty as well as students,” he said. | For more information about ir| classical studies program ortheArl tiguities c lub, call 845-2)24. I New releases feature Raindogs debut, Midnight Oil follow-up By JOHN RIGHTER Of The Battalion Staff MIDNIGHT OIL Blue Sky Mining CBS/Columbia Records Blue Sky Mining is the latest re lease from Australia’s premier spokesmen on social and human rights. Lead singer Peter Garrett (he of the trademark “chrome dome”) and company slant on Blue Sky Mining away from the biting edge of early albums reminiscent of The Clash, and instead seek conciliation in the more recent style of U2. Following the groundbreaking Diesel and Dust, Midnight Oil con tinues to address problems of their homeland and world political issues. The first single, “Blue Sky Mine,” is a song on the working conditions of Australia’s labor class. “One Country” calls for world unification to solve environmental and social problems, and the finale, “Antarcti ca,” is a cry for environmental con cern. More interesting than the band’s continued preoccupation with politi cal themes is the tone in which the songs are delivered. Garrett’s hoarse drawl and biting chants are compro mised in favor of group harmonies and serene ballads. Even the dance rhythm of “Beds Are Burning” are absent as Mid night Oil produces an album more like U2’s The Joshua Tree rather than London Calling. Half the fun of listening to Mid night Oil used to be Garrett’s screams and menacing croaks, but Blue Sky Mining is too placid for the old growls. Blue Sky Mining lacks a strong single cut like “Beds Are Burning” and “Dead Heart” that Diesel and Dust had, and it will disappoint any one who associates Midnight Oil with the dance tones of “Beds.” But for long-time fans and U2 fallouts, it will be a welcomed pro gression from a very underrated band. Lost Souls Atco Records Lost Souls is the debut release from this hodge-podge of Boston session men. Rain Dogs combines two members from the Louisiana-based Red Rock ers (one-hit wonders with their 1983 song “China”) and two men from Boston’s Schemers in the quintet (multi-instrumentalist Johnny Cun ningham, a consummate session player, is the fifth) named after a Tom Waits album. The rhythm-heavyLost Souls cuts a twelve-song collage of ballads and straight rockers. In the style of blue- collar bar bands like Del Fuegos and the Georgia Satellites, they work jan- gly grooves around a twist, in this case Cunningham’s fiddle and man dolin. “I’m Not Scared” and the catchy “Phantom Flame” are strong tracks that deliver on the Raindogs straightforward philosophy. Lead singer Mark Cutler approaches his songwriting in the same straightfor ward manner. On “I’m Not Scared,” Cutler af firms, “The book I’m writing, is writ ing itself. I’m just a mouthpiece talk ing for someone else. But I’m not frightened. I go to sleep at night. No, I’m not frightened. There’s an other page to write.” On “Nobody’s Getting Out,” Cut ler sings, “Stuck in a fifth-floor room. A guitar’s playing a fan is turning, Yeah it’s really true. The higher you get, the hotter it gets for you.” Basically, if you enjoy straightfor ward American rock, you’ll like Raindogs. Lost Souls is a safe, catchy mix of guitar hooks and staggered rhythm patterns that revolve around Cutler’s simplistic vocals. The style is suited for commercial FM, receptive to the hard-drivin’ sounds of American barroom rock. And, from the sound of Lost Souls and the live reviews I’ve read, the best way to experience the Raindogs will be onstage. ROLLINS BAND Hard Volume Texas Hotel Society needs Henry Rollins like it needs a nice kick in the teeth. The former Black Flag frontman is dis turbing. He is powerful. He is bril liant. He is crazy. Rollins is what the PMRG was es tablished to prevent. His reality is Tipper Gore’s nightmares. Hard Volume is a seven-song con fessional that grabs you by the throat, spits in your face and screams, “Have a nice day!” Obviously, it is not for the timid or the sheltered. Divided between two producers (Mitch Bury does side one and Joe Cole produces side two), Hard Volume is split between moody, schizoid paeans and gritty, speed-core crushers. Lost Souls, Raindogs’ debut al bum, presents a collage of sim ple ballads and straightforward American barroom rock. Battalion file photo H jard Volume is a seven-song confessional that grabs you by the throat, spits in your face and screams, “Have a nice day!”... Half of Rollins’ songs are beautiful in their derangement. The other half are indecipherable, depressing and completely irrational. RAINDOGS Half of Rollins’ songs are beauti ful in their derangement. The other half are indecipherable, depressing and completely irrational. Too of ten, Rollins’ music borders on an in sanity so strong and emotional that it becomes ludicrous. His “Love Song” consists simply of screams and chants of “I want you, I hate you. I want you because I hate you. I hate you because I want you.” “Ugly (Planet Joe)” is a song based on Rollins’ hatred for the world. “I don’t’ want your lovely. I don’t want your beauty. I pull back in my head. This world is bloated — it’s ugly. A sprawling ghetto — it’s ugly. “See him walking with a gun in his hand. See her walking with a gun in her hand. See me walking with a gun in my heart. Loaded ugly.” “Turned Inside Out” resembles the arrangement of “Gun In My Mouth Blues” from Lifetime, which is the most graphic and troubling song I’ve ever heard. “See yourself, see the monster, feel the beast, laugh out loud, say: freak, take this, break this, your pas sion, pure criminal, is that you, could that be you, filthy, pathetic, liar, sadist, villian, freak, turned in side out,” spirals the sinister Rollins. But no description ever could cap ture the intensity of Rollins and his music. Backed by drummer Sim Cain, guitarist Chris Haskett and bassist Andrew, Rollins conjures an atmosphere similar to the film works of David Lynch or David Cronen berg. He could sing “Walking On Sunshine” and it would put youc: edge. Henry Rollins is Syd Barrett an Ian Stuart rolled into one. Hisfl sions are tough, revealing and hon est, so much so that Rollins’ menu stability must be questioned. Hard Volume — if you can start the pain, or better yet, if you enjoi the pain, then hey, “Have a nice day!” NITZER EBB Showtime Geffen Douglas McCarthy and Bon Hat ris is the duo known as Nitzer Ebt) See Reviews/Page.' Whitesnake shows off strong talent in near-sellout Summit spectacular By PATRICK HAYS Of The Battalion Staff Whitesnake slithered into Hous ton Friday night and left fans with plenty to be applauding about. The band opened the show with “Slip of the Tongue,” the title track from their latest album, and then jammed for nearly two hours, excit ing and provoking the nearly sold- out Summit crowd. Cradled by a massive stage with several sets of stairs and ramps, Whitesnake rocked through songs such as “Slide It In.” “Judgement Day,” “Is This Love” and “Here I Go Again” from the 1987 album, White snake. You have to give lead singer Da vid Coverdale credit. After the re cording of Whitesnake, his band up and left him with a tour looming on the horizon. To say the least, he’s a heck of a recruiter. He snagged drummer Tommy Aldridge, bassist Rudy Sarzo and guitarist Adrean Vandenburg for that tour. Before recording “Slip of the Tongue,” he hired guitarist Steve Vai, and the group began working on the new album. That’s no shabby group of musi cians, and that fact was made clear Friday night. Tommy Aldridge, whose impres sive resume includes work with Black Oak Arkansas, Pat Travers and Ozzy Osbourne, pounded out a drum solo nothing short of incredi ble. The man has some of the fastest and most precise feet ever to get be hind a set of drums. And as if that weren’t worth the price of admission, Vai, formerly of The David Lee Roth Band, blazed through a guitar solo which left the I ommy Aldridge ... has some of the fastest and most precise feet ever to get behind a set of drums. And as if that weren’t worth the price of admission, Vai... blazed through a guitar solo which left the crowd to pick its jaws up off the floor. crowd to pick its jaws up off the floor. Switching guitars after his first one was lifted by cable from his grasp, Vai showed the crowd just what has earned him the reputation as one of the finest guitarists in mu sic today. Vai has total control of his guitar. He plays with feeling and knows where he wants to go with every note. He’s creative and versatile, and his talent shined as bright as any light in the arena. Earlier, Vandenburg had a re spectable solo, and Sarzo, formerly with Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot, had one which was surprisingly short. Added to the music is Coverdales outstanding voice. The former Deep Purple member possesses a voice with great texture, tone and range. He also likes to play with the audi ence. Several times he stirred the crowd with sexual jokes and provoc ative statements, but everyone’s enti tled to some fun. The band left the stage and then returned to play an encore consist ing of “Give Me All Your Love’’anil “Still of the Night,” which had the crowd screaming with approval. There’s a good deal of poor heav) metal music out there today, Whitesnake is different. The high quality of musicianship in this band sets them apart from other bands And that’s what made the show hi- day night so enjoyable. Bad English opened the show, and, well, that’s about all that can be said. The band, which includes former Journey members Jonathan Cain (keyboards) and guitarist Neal Schon, and former Baby’s member John Waite, played a couple of de cent tunes, but mostly played Top40 garbage. Neal Schon is a great guitarist and needs to take this band in a totallv different musical direction, or leave it. Bad English didn’t, however, take anything away from Whitesnake. which delivered fans a batch of pre cision heavy metal not soon to be forgotten.