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groups and, when he's not perform-
ing, is an elementary-school teacher in
Madison.
"I joined Yid Vicious to take on a
new challenge," explained Wolfe, who
didn't realize then that the challenge
would include having to explain the
meaning of the group's name and
answer criticism from many Jews who
have objected to the use of the word
"Yid" in a band moniker Jacobson
selected from a list of puns with
Yiddish words.
"It's mostly elderly Jewish people
who dislike the use of 'Yid,' but they
don't understand that it's a takeoff on
a real person named Sid Vicious,"
Wolfe explained. "That sort of paci-
fies [the critics], and the complaints
have died down since the early days."
The controversial Vicious, a legend
in rock circles, was born John S.
Ritchie in England. He was the gui-
tarist and bassist for the Sex Pistols, a
popular British punk-rock group that
achieved stardom in the 1970s with
fellow members including singer
Johnny Rotten.
Vicious married a Philadelphia-born
groupie named Nancy Spungen, who,
like Vicious, was a drug addict. She
was found stabbed to death in their
hotel room, and he was charged with
her murder. Vicious died of a heroin
overdose at the age of 21 in 1979,
while out on bail. His mother scat-
tered his ashes on Nancy's grave.
Meet The Members
Yid Vicious has undergone almost a
complete overhaul since the Jacobson
era. Other members of the current
group — all of whom live in
Wisconsin -- are guitarist Mike
Pollay, 33; 27-year-old saxophone
player Melissa Reiser; Pontiac, Mich.-
native Geoff Brady, 34, the percus-
sionist; bassist Bill Solomon, 41; clar-
inetist Greg Smith, 49; and 32-year-
old horn player Kia Karlen.
Pollay, who is Jewish and the only
single member of the group, got his
musical genes from his parents, who
had their own singing act in the
Midwest.
"I started playing the guitar and
piano as a kid, but I mainly shlepped .
around as a roadie for my folks in
places like Fidelman's Resort in South
Haven," said Pollay, who later formed
his own rock 'n' roll band in high
school.
He fell in love with Israel while on a
Hebrew school-sponsored trip there
and has returned many times since,
living and working on a kibbutz and
playing in a rock quartet called the
Red Pick Band during the 1991 Gulf
War period.
"We entertained the troops and
helped soothe everyone's frayed
nerves," he said. "My parents always
encouraged me to maintain my links
with Israel." In addition to his guitar
work with Yid Vicious, Pollay also
contributes vocals as the only singer in
the group.
There's plenty of saxophone music
in Reiser's family because her husband,
Matt Sintchak, plays the sax for several
musical organizations in Wisconsin.
Born in Dallas, Reiser earned a degree
in saxophone performance and history
from the Eastman School of Music in
Rochester, N.Y., and studied at a Paris
conservatory for two years. She also
commutes to Decorah, Iowa, twice
weekly to teach saxophone at Luther
College.
Although her Jewish-born mother
long ago converted to Christianity,
Melissa still celebrates Jewish holidays
and traditions with her mother's fami-
ly and finds the klezmer experience
especially rewarding.
"I think it's just very cool to play the
saxophone," she said, "and I took it up
as a youngster because I wanted to
play a 'non-girlie' instrument. I really
enjoy hanging out with the guys."
Drummer Brady is married to horn
player Karlen. He attended Pontiac
Central High School and Michigan's
Interlochen Academy and received a
degree in percussion from the
University of Wisconsin. He now
bangs the drums with seven other
musical organizations.
Karlen, a daytime museum employ-
ee, has invented such instruments as
the dangerphone (made of circular saw
blades) and the chaerophone (an
inflatable chair-bellows).
Bassist Solomon, a Pittsburgh native,
also plays guitar and trumpet. He
teaches various musical instruments
and works for a music publisher.
Smith also plays the clarinet for sev-
eral Madison area symphony orches-
tras and concert bands.
"All of us also find time to be avail-
able for weddings, bar and bat mitz-
vahs, anarchist picnics, clambakes,
lumberjack competitions and other
fun-filled events," said Wolfe. "After
all, this is serious klezmer." ❑
Yid Vicious performs 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 20, at The Ark,
316 S. Main St., in Ann Arbor.
$11. (734) 761-1451.
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