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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 4, 2002)
AGGft GIELIFE the battJT e battalion 5A Wednesday, September 4, 2002 non producer >idn announce* mply need to-; so that ever, back in the who plans i hering sponsc ive a little grace: ■ back on thep Play that folky music Local band Sidehill Gougers makes its mark on the folk music scene By Lyndsey Sage THE BATTALION to several c-B Although most sightings of the name had ^sidehill gouger, a folk animal not yet ation partner pr» en to exist, are in the hills of veek, Corbun. Baine, Texas has seen the real thing, e remained ft - Be Sidehill Gougers, a local band, is Moving its existence through its ulique music and composition. ■ Composed of Aneil Naik. bass. Slane Walker, vocals and rythmic glitar, Stephanie Attia, violin/fiddle, Bssica Blanche, vocals, Andy M rCutchen, lead guitar, Phillip Pollack, drums and Taylor Macvin. Bjmpet, the band produces an origi- Bl style. Professor Scott Austin, a Bhlosophy professor at Texas A&M, Bso joins the band some nights, pro viding vocals to add a hint of blues. I Growing from an individual gui tar ist into a band comprised of seven ■embers, the Sidehill Gougers is one of the newest bands to hit the local Bene. I What began over a year ago with Balkcr. a s enior anthropology major, ■king a permanent gig once a week at to begin wc paperwork pr : nsisted he sti Jwn by any r, of MirCorp u pace-related J by Russia's ►••• uilt pan e. ussian space f.: Kerrigan, champion skaters say he 1 be back tfe ^ or the day i lude 'Bye 8^ world's ths?:; essman D<r net tycoor t leworth fr<c x »r their trips ?ace campri m the yoc'j? Dn his tnp. iday aftersc-r i space a offer talents for 9/11 fundraiser jssi nS • J N EW YORK (AP) — Nancy Kerrigan and other -svan oyu champion skaters have offered their talents for a /aletin anew.■ n d- ra js e r at Madison Square Garden to raise i^Bholarship money and honor a firefighter lost in ity, Bass par the terrorist attacks. icticed basK a Jlhe Sept. 20 event — called "Stars, Stripes & le kept htsef Skates" — will feature Olympic gold medalist avity flight, . Bktor Petrenko, silver medalist Kerrigan, bronze ^^^^Bedalist Timothy Goebel, and the four-time U.S. Batioodl champion ice team of Naomi Lang and Nte, Tchernyshev. ■ I always got so much help from other people, perrigan told The Associated Press in a tele- ihone interview from her home near Boston. fc Nlow I know why I skated my whole life — so Bat maybe I can help somebody else. You don't Big Pauly’s, was then fused with his neighbor, McCutchen. The bar owner then introduced the two to Attia. “It was two guitars and a violin; we realized we need a band,” Walker said. By March of last spring, all band members were present. They took the spot as the house band at Big Pauly’s on Thursday nights. “Every night we played at Pauly’s the place was packed,” Walker said. Since then, the band has continued to make progress, recently playing at the Kerrville Folk Festival and open ing for big names in the folk scene. The legendary sidehill gouger is noted for its uniquenss, something the band takes pride in as well. ”My dad used to tell me stories about how [sidehill gougers) used to chase him when he was a kid,” Walker said. “We decided that the folk animal was a good name for a folk band.” Describing the music as a mixture of country, blues and folk, the band members said their sound is "home made and acoustic.” When classifying the genre of its music, the band claims country; however, it steers clear of the “Texas country music” style which belongs to such singers as Pat Green and Roger Creager. “We call it country but there’s 15 different kinds of country,” Walker The minute you get too serious about it, you stop having fun. — Aneil Naik Sidehill Gougers bass player said. “It is more mellow and organic. Our songwriting is more folky.” According to Naik. a senior con struction science major, one of the challenges the band has faced is find ing each other’s groove. With such a colorful composition of members, all come from different backgrounds in music. Naik used to play in a punk band and Attia was PEOPLE IN THE NEWS trained in classical music. Attia agrees one of the unique aspects of the band is the “rich mix” of individuals that form the Sidehill Gougers. The band, compiled of both A&M students and non-students, range in ages from 19-36 and come from an array of ethnicities, including Indian, Mexican and American. “When you put it together, you won’t think it would work,” Naik said. However, most, including the band, would beg to differ on this statement. “We really like what we do and we think that we’re good at it,” Walker said. In the three-hour time span that most of their shows run, the band fills about half of the on-stage time with some of the 15 original songs it has written. “We’re very laid back on stage,” Walker said. “We don’t have a set list before we get up there. I will pick a song and then we’ll go around to the right and each pick a song to sing.” According to the band, its mission statement is to recreate on stage what it does in Walker’s living room when it gets together to jam. “Ninety percent of the stuff we play on-stage, we play on the back porch just to jam,” Walker said. “That stuff is entertaining. That’s what moves you.” While the band remains focused on its music, it also recognizes the importance of having a good time with something they love. “The minute you get too serious about it, you stop having fun,” Naik said. However, it’s not all fun and no work for the band. It just finished a demo, which it plans to go back and revise. The band also practices once a week on top of playing anywhere from one to three gigs per week. “We’re not professionals,” Walker said. “For most of us, its our first band. We’re learning as we go.” Despite the struggles that most first hands endure, Attia admits there’s something that makes it worth it all. “Sooner or later, we’re going to outgrow this town,” Walker said. “We know that we have some place to go.” space offw sed space i h his since'*: a paid ccv- evision ps&J get there alone." Melissa helped organized the event to recognize her father, Jonathan, whose body was pulled from the debris of the World Trade Center on Dec. 11. She and her friend, Tara Modlin, got the idea from their childhood memories of skating in Great Neck, N.Y., on Long Island. Jonathan lelpi is buried in a Great Neck cemetery, near his childhood home. Proceeds from the event will go to a scholar ship fund to help children of other crime and terrorism victims. Director Thompson dies at 88 LOS ANGELES (AP) - British director J. Lee Thompson, whose more than 50 films included the original "Cape Fear," "The Guns of Navarone," "Planet of the Apes" sequels and nine Charles Bronson movies, has died. He was 88. Thompson, who spent summers in Canada, died Friday of congestive heart failure in Sooke, British Columbia, publicist Robert Rooney said Monday. "He was a very large directorial presence," said co-producer Pancho Kohner. "He was a gentle man and such a pleasure to work with. Everyone who worked with him once wanted to work with him again and again." Kohner collaborated with Thompson to make Bronson action films including "St. Ives," "10 to Midnight," "Messenger of Death," "White Buffalo" and what became Thompson's last film, "Kinjite," in 1989. Thompson also worked several times with Gregory Peck, including 1962's "Cape Fear," with Anthony Quinn "The Greek Tycoon" released in 1978, with Yul Brynner in "Taras Bulba" in 1962 and again the next year in "Kings of the Sun." "Working with Lee, you were spoiled," Kohner said. "He had the uncanny ability to play the film in his mind. He would know exactly what shot he needed so there was no wasted effort. He was a talented craftsman." Born in Bristol, England, Thompson was a ban tamweight boxer and a B-29 tailgunner during World War II. Thompson moved to the United States after the Academy Award-nominated "The Guns of Navarone" in 1961 starring Peck and Quinn, and tackled American subjects such as the musical "Huckleberry Finn" in 1974; "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes" in 1972 and "Battle for the Planet of the Apes" in 1973. Thompson is survived by his wife of 40 years. Penny, a daughter and a granddaughter. His son, Peter Lee, is deceased. The family spent winters in Los Angeles. STUDIES IN PROGRESS Do you have Canker Sores? Have you had Canker Sores in the past? If you answered yes to both questions, you may qualify for a research study with an investigational drug for canker sores. We are currently looking for people who: are 1 2 years of age and • are in good health older do not smoke or chew tobacco get canker sores that take up to 5 days to heal are not pregnant or breast feeding have a canker sore that developed within the last 36 hours You must be able to return for daily visits for up to seven days. If you qualify, you will receive compensation for participating in this research study. Call for more information. ASIANS • LATIN/HISPANICS' • AFRICAN AMERICANS Do you have dark brown patches or darkened skin spots on your face, arms and hands due to sun exposure? If yes, and you are at least 30 years of age, you may qualify for a research study to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of an investigational treatment. Qualified candidates will receive, at no cost • Dermatological evaluations * Topical study medications • Compensation for time and travel Call for more information. SEBORRHEIC DERMATITIS (RED, DRY, SCALY RASH) Volunteers, ages 12 and older with sebor rheic dermatitis of the face, scalp, and/or chest needed to participate in a four week research study with an investigational topi cal medication. Symptoms include red ness, dryness and scaling. Eligible volun teers will be compensated. Call for more information. ATOPIC DERMATITIS STUDY (ECZEMA) Individuals 18 years of age and older with moderately severe atopic dermatitis (35% - 75% body surface) needed to participate in a 28 day research study with an investigation al topical cream. Study will include multiple blood draws and overnight stays. Eligible volunteers will be compensated for their time and effort. Call for more information. BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS STUDY Female volunteers, ages 18 and older needed to participate in a clinical research study for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis. Symptoms include an odorous off-white vaginal dis charge. Volunteers will receive free laboratory tests and medication and will be compensated for their time. Call for more information. OTITIS EXTERNA STUDY (SWIMMER’S EAR) Volunteers, ages 6 months and older, need ed to participate in a research study of an investigational ear drop treatment for swim mer’s ear (external canal infection.) Symptoms include itching, tenderness to touch and pain. No blood work. Eligible vol unteers will be compensated. Call for more information. HI OSTEOARTHRITIS STUDY Persons with osteoarthritis of the knee, hip, hand, or spine needed to participate in a 12- month research study with an investigational medication. Eligible volunteers will be com pensated. Call for more information. DO YOU HAVE PSORIASIS Are you: Suffering from mild to moderate Psoriasis & 1 2 years of age or older? Help may be just around the corner. A physician in your area is participating in a clinical trial investigating a new treatment for psoriasis. You could be eligible to partici pate. Call for more information. YEAST INFECTION STUDY Females ages 18 and older are being recruit ed to participate in a research study to com pare two research medications for the treat ment of a yeast infection (vaginitis). If you are currently experiencing vaginal burning, itching, or irritation call for more information. Eligible volunteers will be compensated up to $ 1 50.00. Call for more information. J&S Studies, Inc. The Physician Centre • 979-774-5933 3201 University Dr. E., Suite 475 Bryan, Texas 77802 > change.
