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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 27, 1990)
Page 2D The Battalion Music Focus: Summer 1990 Monday, August 27,1S Mon< •i Strong releases, controversy fight for Battalion File Photo Fugazi (from foreground) is Brendan Canty, Guy Picciotto, Joe Lally and Ian MacKaye. The post-hardcore group is one of this year’s strongest bands. By John Righter TThis summer continued to excel along with the rest of the year in terms of music. Unfortunately, our infidelity with pop music and MTV overshadowed tremendous efforts by Public Enemy, Fugazi, Lou Reed/John Cale, Soul II Soul, 24- 7 Spyz and a few others. Nevertheless, this summer was a banner season for music. Allow me then to guide you through a short retrospect (and I know all you hip kids of today love those retros) of the past summer. 10. We Got It (Enough Bucks): Somehow, and believe me, I don’t know how, those not quite as cute and adorable as they used to be, but all the more richer. New Kids on the Block continue to tinker with Beatles-like glory. I must admit. Step By Step is a major improvement over Hangin ’ Tough, but I wouldn’t exactly call it Sgt. Pepper’s. Folks, there’s something more frightening here than Saddam Hussein. 9. You Can Market This: You can also “run to the border” with suburban godsends M.C. Hammer and his illegitimate brother, Young M.C. While middle America was pounding nails into the likes of 2 Live Crew, Public Enemy and Ice Cube, Hammer was “breaking down” the big bucks for British Knights, and Young M.C. was the summer laureate for Pepsi and its subsidiary. Taco Bell. I just love a nation that’s well hung. 8. A Chip Off The Proverbial Block: Thank God for our ability to reproduce. Gee, where would we have been this summer without whiz kid groups Wilson Phillips and Nelson. I know they were the highlight of my MTV viewing. The fruit of these loins were the prunes of my summer. Nelson might literally be the must disgusting sight I’ve ever seen. Just imagine if Hitler and Mussolini had been able to redone as well as old Brian, Papa John and Ricky. Uggh. 7. Fear Of The Black Point Of View: Public Enemy was rightfully criticized and scorned last year for the insensitive and prejudicial statements of ex member, Professor Griff. Nevertheless, P.E. has proved once again with Fear Of A Black Planet that they are one of the most important, original and exciting groups in the world. Fear dropped some of the militancy of P.E. ’s two earlier efforts and instead got right to the facts. America is still shaking. 6. One Quick Suggestion: Without doubt the hottest alternative group, and my early pick for band of the year, is Fugazi. The work of former Teen Idol and Minor Threater, Ian MacKaye, Fugazi’s Repeater is nothing short of sensational. Forging hardcore and funk into an exhilirating molten, Fugazi is the savior of young, white America. 5. It’s So R. A.D. To Say No To Drugs: Helpful hint — If you really want to be cool in California, you got to go through rehab and come out swearing against drugs. Honest. It’s the R.A.D. thing to do, even if you’re not really serious. That’s okay, you can always go through rehab again. I hear that anyone who’s anyone hangs out at the Betty Ford Clinic. Just ask Motley Crue’s Vince Neil, star of those chic looking “Rock Against Drugs” commercials. 4. We’re AH In The Same Gang: A right on idea by the rap groups to speak out against violence. Getting top-name rappers Tone Loc, Young M.C., M.C. Hammer, Digital Underground, N.W.A., Ice-T and others to contribute to this sharp, poignant video and very well-written song was the perfect medicine for rap. Rap needs a splinter scene not as self-righteous, but positive like the hardcore straight-edge scene, beginning with a stance agianst summer violence, gangs and drugs. Now if only N.W.A. and Ice-T will prove me wrong and not be the hypocrites I expect them to be on their next album. 3.1 Want A Ticket Please For The Next Music Bandwagon: The question of what makes a band or record popular or not deserves higher philosophical contemplation. Forget if there’s a God or not, I want to know how the hell New Kids on the Block, Paula Abdul, M.C. Hammer and Poison get so geez-awful popular when so many other great bands go totally unnoticed. Don’t give me the old “Give' the people what they want” routine, ’cause obviously the people don’t know what they want (remember Duran Duran?). The “bandwagon theory” helps explain away the sexually- frustrated males in love with homy glam metal, the sexually- distraught females in love with safe, make-believe teen idols and the sexually-revitalized mothers that listen to all your old AC/DC albums while you’re away at school. But still, there’s something more evil than America’s bad taste working here. Could it be ... MTV! 2. Led Zeppelin Anyone? Now that David Bowie, the Who, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Crosby, Stills and Nash and all the other dinosuars have had their fun, nineties style, let us return to fresh originality. Everyone take a deep breath, suck in those retrospective fumes, and exhale out those cobwebs that’s been clogging the passageway to your brain. There’s nothing wrong with the sixties, other than it was 30 years ago. You people going to headlines Battalion FUePhotc ‘Fear of a Black Planet’ is the latest, and best, release forthe controversial Public Enemy. McCartney and the Stones today will be the ones getting into R.E.M. and U2 in another25 years. 1. Bored With The U.S.A.: Self-righteous middle America displayed its usual brilliance and outward cowardry by trying to censor 2 Live Crew. Instead of letting a rotten album die its natural death, a few lawyers decided business was slow and America was in need of a Drano job. Of course, these are the same thugs that banned James Joyce, J.D. Salinger, Mark Twain, D.H. Lawrence and other classic novelists. Not that 2 Live Crew should be mistaken for Mark Twain, but I can’t understand why a select, sexually-limp minority thinks it knows what the rest of the country needs. 2 Live Crew stinks, but let us allow them to dry up and float away as dust, not reuse them as fertilizer for our fears. “T1 suspe ring J win, film s. “Re Frida 9:45 p Per for Aj will se ral nt Amor bring screer Dit be in\ cam pi sentin Black ry” is trying Civil 1 She to ex tional Interr films ico. Th< matin — an which Am uled c lotte’s Music On "T J I Restaurants, clubs offer diverse live music for fall term By John Righter Despite the slide of Waivers into the graveyard of live clubs soon for gotten, there still exists several pur veyors of live music in Bryan-Col- lege Station. Front Porch Cafe Most noticeably, Hugh Stearns has somehow kept his head and the Front Porch Cafe above water after a year of financial and legal turmoil. Highlighting the Front Porch’s fall schedule, Stearns says, is appear ances by guitarist Preston Reed, A&M grad and rising folk artist Rob ert Earl Keen Jr., the Austin Lounge Lizards and a funk fest on Septem ber 27, featuring House in Orbit, Retarded Elf and Joe Rockhead.' In addition, Stearns says regular Front Porch performers such as Trout Fishing In America, Ten Hands, Killbilly and Dana Cooper will make appearances this fall. The Front Porch will feature live music six nights a week, Stearns says. Tuesday nights will be an open acoustic stage. Wednesday nights will be local band night with Thurs day, Friday and Saturday nights fea turing out-of-town acts. Stearns says that Thursday nights will be funk and reggae oriented, and Friday and Saturday nights will have a more blues and folk appeal. Stearns says that a portion of the proceeds each Thursday night will benefit KANM, the student radio station at Texas A&M. In return, KANM will help promote the col lege-oriented shows, Stearns says. The Front Porch Cafe is located at 4410 College Main. All ages are ad mitted. For more information, call 846-LIVE. Kay’s Cabaret Kay’s Cabaret at the Post Oak Mall will focus more on the local scene this fall. Kay’s features live music ev ery Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. Thursday night usually showcases acoustic performers, and Friday and Saturday nights feature local groups such as the Road Kings, White Bread, Tommy and the Toma hawks, the Rhythm Addicts, Agent Orange and Dream Horse. Ages 18 and older are admitted to Kay’s Cabaret. For more informa tion, call 696-9191. Gallery Bar For softer spirits, the Gallery Bar in the College Station Hilton at 801 E. University Drive offers easy lis tening and contemporary jazz on Wednesday through Saturday nights. Scheduled to perform through the fall is Carla Lack and Mark Bendickson. 21 and older are admitted into the Gallery Bar. For more information, call 693-7500. Fatburger Along the same lines as the Gal lery Bar, Fatburger will present live jazz with Don Pope and friends ev ery Friday and Saturday night. Fat burger is located in College Station on University Drive and College Avenue. All ages are admitted. For more information, call 846-4234. Texas Hall of Fame For kickin’ and whoopin’ country style, the Texas Hall of Fame offers live country every Tuesday, Thurs day, Friday and Saturday nights. The Hall frequently features ma jor country artists, as well as local bands Special F/X, Hall of Fame Gang and Randy Pelt and Gold Rush. Persons 18 and older are admitted into the Texas Hall of Fame. For more information, call 822-2222. Flying Tomato For tradition’s sake, the Flying Tomato will once again feature Sneaky Pete each Wednesday night with his popular sing-along show. The Tomato will also book live groups on Thursday nights. All ages are admitted into the Fly ing Tomato. For more information, call 846-1616. Mama’s Pizza The Lippman Jam, an open stage for local musicians sponsored by Lippman Music, will move to Ma ma’s Pizza in the fall. The jam will continue on Wednes day nights. Mama’s Pizza will also feature the Mama’s Boys on Sunday nights this fall. All ages are admitted into Mama’s Pizza. For more information, call 696-0032. Another haven for local musicians is Tippy’s at 1803 Greenfield Plaza in Bryan. The Bryan bar is for 21 and older only. For more informa tion, call 846-7203. In addition, several places have tentatively scheduled live music for this fall. The Baja Yacht Club, Club Fahrenheit and Sneakers will peri odically book both local and regional acts. Photo by Eric Lems The Front Porch Cafe Is one of few live music venues. 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