The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, September 04, 2002, Image 5

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    AGGft GIELIFE
the battJT e battalion
5A
Wednesday, September 4, 2002
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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
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nsisted he sti
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of MirCorp u
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by Russia's ►•••
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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
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»r their trips
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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
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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.