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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 10, 1991)
Tuesday, September 10, 1991 LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Page 11 Outspoken, outrageous Linda Ellerbee reveals her adventures in the real world By Pamela Lee The Battalion T he local girl gone big (from her crib in Bryan, eventually to televi sion producer and news commentator) never said what she thought of the Texas Aggies who stole her parents' attention from her by appearing on their new black and white television set. 'Sshhh, not now, Linda Jane. The Aggies have the ball/ was her par ents' reply. Linda Jane Ellerbee's, all time reporter, new book " Move On: Ad ventures in the Real World" isn't about Texas Aggies though, nor about Bryan. Instead, it comically, yet realistically, looks at the stages of her life from her childhood to presen. Ellerbee makes this book work by bringing life to her simple moments while at the same time bringing simplicity to her life. Like Mark Twain in "Huckleberry Finn," Ellerbee is able to give the reader a sense of events, herself and others as she saw them; yet, with out being the all knowing narrator, she shows the reader the way things really were. For instance, it's impossible for television to literally swallow her childhood friend (unless this is about a poltergeist), but that's how Eller bee saw it. In reality, advancing technology swallowed the attention of a child no longer interested in playing outside games. The book is not episodic, though it does look at several time periods of Ellerbee's life in chronological order — from her first ice cream cone and first job to her family life and her professional career. Ellerbee makes this book work by bringing life to her simple mo ments while at the same time bringing simplicity to her life. Prior to owning Lucky Duck Productions, Ellerbee worked at NBC Nightly News, Weekend, Today, Good Morning America, NBC News Overnight, Our World and CNN. Since 1988, she has written a syndicated newpaper column and her first book, "And So It Goes: Adventures in Television," was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Ellerbee will be autographing her book from 2 to 3 p.m. Friday and 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the Texas A&M University in the Memo- EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Applications available September 2 in room 211 of the Pavilion, and are due by Sept.11. Assistant Directors require no previous T-Camp experience. For further information contact the Student 'Y office at 845-0690. rial Student Center. Free parking will be provided in the new university center parking garage for those purchasing a book. Mutant, frantic reggae takes over By Kevin Robinson Tlte Battalion X’s for Eyes X's stir up ethnic rhythms with funk in newest release By Kevin Robinson The Battalion X's for Eyes You Never Take Me Dancing Mutation Music S traight off of the dance floors of College Station clubs, comes the new release from Huntsville reggae soulmen X's for Eyes. The new release. You Never Take Me Dancing collects 12 songs that have been filling live venues such as Annam Teahouse, Kay's Cabaret and Equinox on a tape recorded and mixed here in Bryan at Airplay Studios. For those that haven't yet been able to see X's for Eyes here in town, the key is bizarre fun. The music of the X's takes por tions of traditional reggae, ska remnescent of British bands like the Specials and Madness, and minute dashs of punk, salsa and modern funk. Peter Tosh meets Herb Alpert on acid? Maybe. But even that description proba bly wouldn't touch this stuff, a unique and highly danceable amalgamation of styles and influ ences. The first track off the album, "Rootska" starts the tape off to a light, positive tone. This isn't the slow, metaphysical reggae of groups like Burning Spear, but has more of a Brazilian party feel ing, fueled by a hyperactive gui tar from John Stansell and the horn section of trumpet player Dave Buckle and trombonist Bill Grady. For anyone expecting typical reggae, "Rootska" opens your eyes to the X's style at the same time that it moves your feet. "Pitch White" takes a look at racial harmony in a song that suitably combines the styles of various cultures and nationali ties. From early Jamaican ska bands to the Latin salsa recently made popular by David Byrne, this song combines the styles into a cohesive whole, underlining the message of the vocalist Lee Davi la's lyrics. My personal favorite on the album, "Religious Experience", features a hushed vocal from Davila, a low, throbbing pulse from bassist Reid Jacobson and percussionist Steve Van Horn, and some chilling horn work. I don't know if it's the effect they wanted on the song, but "Reli gious Experience" resonates with ominous overtones. If anything approximates the sound of Ja maican reggae on the album, it's this one. For those that prefer a little more optimistic time, the band's namesake track, "X's for Eyes" is a rabid excursion into pure ska. Less a serious lyric piece than a party anthem, the number wraps up the tape with a upbeat, yet re laxed atmosphere. In addition to the above, other live staples such as "Imposter", "Queen Bee" and "Mr. Fat Cat" are also featured on the album, currently available at Marooned Records Stirring a variety of ethnic rhythms into their own funky stew, X's for Eyes provides that rarest of college band commodi ties: a special uniqueness. Listen to it and try not to smile F or anyone here in College Station over the summer, the name, X's for Eyes shouldn't be unfamiliar. After winning the Battle of the Bands at the Annam Teahouse in mid summer, the Huntsville-based group) practically became a Col lege Station staple, spicing up the air a bit with their own mutant blend of reggae, British ska, and just a dash of irreverent punk at titude thrown in for good mea sure. College Station audiences re acted favorably to this unique mixture of frantic reggae, ska , and stylized adaptations of old Led Zep, Bob Marley and Steve Miller Band numbers. X's took to College Station as well. In the words of Buckle, "It's close to Huntsville, there's a bigger scene, and we usually make a lot of money." Word of mouth grew and X's became a regular feature at An nam, often being accompanied by College Station's own dark gods of punk angst, Phooey. It’s (College Station) close to Huntsville, there’s a bigger scene, and we usually make a lot of money - Dave Buckle, trumpet player r -*N LET THE MSC JORDAN INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL AWARENESS SHOW YOU THE WORLD To find out how you can get involved in the MSC Jordan Institute, come by our office in the Memorial Student Center Room 223F of the Student Programs Office. For more information call 845-8770 J The band began around two years ago out of the ashes of an other Huntsville band. The Huntsvillains. Sam Houston State students Lee Davila (vocals and rhythm guitar), John Stansell (guitar), Reid Jacobson (bass), and Steve Van Horn (percussion) formed the early X's. This proto type version had, according to Davila, more of a raw, garage sound. In the search for a broad er scope, a keyboard was added to the mix, but didn't quite mesh. Something else was needed to complete the picture. That something came first in the form of trumpet player, Dave Buckle, a co-worker of Jacob son's, and later in Bill Grady who brought a trombone to the party. Set with horn section, the rich, full sound of the present X's for Eyes was completed After playing various venues in both their native "Huntsveal" and Austin, X's signed on for a Battle of the Bands at College Station's Annam Teahouse. De spite the contest being their very first College Station date, the band won hands down and re ceived both free studio time and airplay on KTSR. By the end of the summer, X's for Eyes had moved to play ing Houston clubs such as Zel- da's. Pic N' Pak, and Fitzgerald's. And during the past month, X's has enjoyed opening for various popular funk acts such as House in Orbit and Re tarded Elf. Earlier this month, X's for Eyes released their first tape re lease, You Never take Me Dancing. The tape provides a solid intro duction to the band, including many of the live standards, all of them original compositions. Although X's dates in College Station has slowed down with the arrival of fall classes, X's for Eyes still plans on regular shows. Saturday's performance at Equinox had X's playing for a standing room only crowd. Along with live favorites from the tape release, the band also played a few new songs and a revved up ska version of Steve Miller's "The Joker" that had the crowd on their feet and singing along. X's for Eyes plays their next College Station date on Thurs day, Sept. 26th again at Equinox. Miss them at your peril. 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