Page 6-Sunday, September 17, 1978-The Michigan Doily
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JOHN HUSTON'S
1961
Power In The Darkness
Tom Robinson Band
Harvest STB-11778
sixties into movements toward social
change hasn't been completely forgot-
ten. Tom Robinson remembers what
idealism is - a fierce determination to
overcome all obstacles in the way of a
better future.
The front cover of the Tom Robinson
Band's first album, Power In The
Darkness, sports a massive clenched
fist. The back cover includes quotations
by Eric Idle, William Burroughs, and
The Clash, and a pitch for Rock Against
Racism, a campaign by musicians and
rock fans against 6ppression and
tyranny. The inside sleeve features the
gay switchboard telephone numbers for
Los Angeles and New York.
THE ALBUM, which includes one
full-length LP and one 12-inch, seven-
song EP, contains songs with titles like
"(Sing if You're) Glad To Be Gay,"
"Up Against the Wall," "Ain't Gonna
Take It," and "Better Decide Which
Side You're On."
Yes, the Tom Robinson Band (TRB)
is a political band. But unlike New
Wave groups like The Clash, The
Stranglers, and the .late, great Sex
Pistols, who cover political themes with
chaotic, often} vicious music, TRB uses
an old-fashioned rock style derived
from electrified folk bands. The band,
including Robinson on bass and lead
vocals, "Dolphin"- Taylor on drums,
THE MISFITS
Starring CLARK GABLE, MARILYN MONROE, MONTGOMERY CLIFT, THELMA
RITTER & ELI WALLACH and a Screenplay by Arthur Miller. This film revolves
around a bunch of neurotic present day cowboys, interesting writing, dynamic
and inventive direction and the last screen appearance by Gable makes this
a must-see if you haven't yet.
Tues: Hitchcock's THE LADY VANISHES & SECRET AGENT
Cinema Guild is seeking new members-applications at ticket
desk.
CINEMA GUILD'
By MIKE TAYLOR
All of us - you, me, rock 'n' rollers, punks,
longhairs, dope smokers, squatters, students,
unmarried mothers, prisoners, gays, the
jobless, immigrants, gypsies... to stand
aside is to take sides. If music can ease even a
tiny fraction of the prejudice and intolerance
in this world, then it's worth trying. I don't
call that "unnecessary overtones of violence."
I call it standing up for your rights.
Tom Robinson, 1978
It's nice to know that the idealism
that guided thousands of people in the
TONIGHT AT
7:00 & 9:15
OLD ARCH AUD
$1.50
Danny Kustow on guitar, and Mark
Ambler on organ and piano, rarely
takes off the way so many New Wave
bands do. Still, TRB manages.t main-
tain an even rock base throughout the
17 songs, even if most of the playing is
not terribly exciting.
Robinson's lyrics are so overtly
political that they often me closely
resemble chants and slogans heard at
protest rallies than the kind of "poetry"
most serious rock 'n' rollers strive for.
Take these lines from the title track, for
example:
Freedom.. .
We're talking about your freedom,
Freedom to choose what you do with your
body,
Freedom to believe what you like,
Freedom for brothers to love one another,
Freedom for black and white.
THOUGH. SUCH lyrics serve to
illustrate the LP's political motives,
they will also alienate listeners who
resent being shouted messages and
slogans. Except for a few numbers.
(most notably the loveable "Martin"),
Robinson's songwriting lacks the
warm, human spirit of artists such as
Bruce Springsteen, who writes about
politics by detailing human relation-
ships and encounters.
Robinson is gay, so several of his
songs naturally deal with oppression of
gays. The best of these is "(Sing if
You're) Glad To Be Gay," a sing-along
set on a jazzy, mellow background. The
chorus is so catchy you can almost
imagine Anita Bryant singing along.
"Glad to Be Gay" and three. other
songs were recorded live, and placed on
one side of the second disc as a "mini-
concert. The musicianship on these
tracks explodes wvith the free-flowing
energy missing on the rest of the
album. Ambler's organ solo during
"Don't Take No For An Answer" beats
anything he does elsewhere on the
record.
WHILE MANY of the songs, in-
cluding "Up Against the Wall," "Ain't
Gonna Take It," and "Better Decide
Which Side You're On," are simple,'
guitar-based effortsf "The Winter of
'79" and "Long Hot Summer" attempt
to create complex visualizations of
political struggle. "Long Hot Summer"
states Robinson's recurring theme of
progress through unity best:
Hey Dan, give us a hand,
We won't make it alone,
But we can all make a stand,
Nexttime the whistles blow,
Get your feet out on the street,
When you feel the heat is on.
For a touch of power-pop, there's "2-
4-6-8 Motorway," Robinson's hit single
last year (in England) about the
pleasures of the road. Though this tune
was first thought to be non-political,
Robinson's since said it's about a gay
truck driver. In addition, the chant "2-
4-6-8, gay is just as good as straight, 3-5-
7-9, lesbians are really fine" is often
heard at gay pride marches and rallies.
And if we fail, if we all get swallowed up by
big bianis before we achieve a thing, then
we'll havta face the scorn of tomorrow's
generation. But we're gonna have a good try.
Fancy joining us?
Tom Robinson,1978
AUDITIONS
Soloists Chorus Orchestra
Johann Strauss'
GYPSY BARON
Sign up Wednesday, Sept. 20, 7:30 pm
Conference Room, New Fire Station
Corner Huron and Fifth
THE COMIC OPERA GUILD
'lor further ifo:'665-6074
_
Don't Look Back
Boston
Epic FE35050
By TIMOTHY YAGLE
Some say it was worth the wait. I'
not sure I agree.
Boston's long- (and I mean long
awaited follow-up to their incredibl
successful debut effort (past quintupl4
platinum) is finally here, ironicalli
called Don't Look Back. The ironi4
aspect of this two-year baby is that thed
are doing exactly that. The tunes fron
Boston are written all over Don't Lool
Back.
BOSTON IS a band of five Americai
rockers, including M.I.T. graduate.
songwriter - arranger - producer - lead -
guitarist-perfectionist Tom Scholz, that
put the initial right foot forward and
produced some catchy tunes on their
firstLP. But Don't Look Back simply
sounds like a rehash of Boston -
coupling new lyrics with almost th
same music.
"I never set out to create anything
new," Scholz has said. "I just wanted t#
make a record I could listen to all the
way through."
The buzzing Boston guitar sound, like
that of the Eagles' Joe Walsh, is uni
mistakable. That often monotonous
sound can sometimes lull you -4
especially on the new album. If
anything, Don't Look Back showcases
lead vocalist Brad Delp's semi-strong
voice more than the first LP.
THE RELATIVELY tame "Don't
Look Back," the album's opener, in-
tricately disguises "Peace of Mind"
and some solo chords from "Long
Time". The song proceeds non-stop into
a typical Tom Scholz keyboat
creation, "The Journey", a soothing
eerie instrumental that makes you feel
like you're being taken on a possibly
one-way, cosmic journey into the land
of the unknown.
"Party" and "Feelin' Satisfied"
sound similar and typify Boston's hard
driving, party-down sound found in
"Smokin' " and "Rock 'n Roll Band."
The Boston sound is simply good pat
music. All four tunes have the same
drawn out, chord structure and ih-
vigorating sound.
Boston's first attempt at a ballad, A
Man I'll Never Be", is a numbing, ldy
song that just sits there but, again,
spotlights Brad Delp's voice.
If you liked Boston, chances re
you'll like Don't Look Back because the
two are so similar in flavor. Scholz,
practically the sole creator of the LPs,
lives dangerously on neither of the two
albums. That's where he could be
making a big mistake. The band could
simply be sitting pretty on their unex-
pected success without being creatively
ambitious, like Foreigner (many have
compared these two "overnight sen-
sations.") They've found their suc-
cessful formula and now don't"dare
stray from it. Guess again, guys.
I
* Te Ann Arbor Film Cooperative
presents at AUD. A
Festivl of Yugos/v Films in America
As the Yugoslav "New Wave" emerged from the ideological constraints of
the 1950's, two trends came to the fore: a tendency toward highly eperimental
film (such as Makavejev) and a direct, no-holds-barred depiction of social
problems, treated in the best tradition of realist cinema. A factor which
unites all of the young directors, however, is sexual explicitness. The Festival
(co-spgnsored by the Ann Arbor Film Cooperative, the Center for Russian
and East European Studies, and Yugoslavia Film) highlights the best directors
of both trends. The Festival will run from September 15 to September 24
and may feature talks by Yugoslav filmmakers as well. Short films will be
shown with each feature as time allows. ALL SCREENINGS IN AUD. A,
ANGELL HALL. ADMISSION IS FREE.
SUNDAY, SEPT.17 - ADMISSION FREE
CRAZY DAYS
(NikolaBabic, 1977) C2ONLY-AUD. A
During-a ten-day holiday, thousands of Yugoslav workers employed abroad come home on vacation.
The result is gambling, drinking, love making, brawling, and murder. An exciting first feature by
documentary director Babic, who catches the pace of social realities and doesn't let ideology interfere.
SPECIAL EDUCATION
(Goran Morkovic,1977) 4 ONLY-AUD. A-ADMISSION FREE
A "Juvenile delinquent," son of a wandering prostitute, is sent to a home where an unconventional
social worker reaches out-to his scarred wards. Slavko Stimac is impressive as the young boy; he was
tapped by Sam Peckinpah for a role in Cross of Iron.
MONDAY, SEPT. 18 ADMISSION FREE
6T7DAYS
(Ziko Mitrovic, 1974) 4 ONLY-AUD. A
A multimillion-dollar epic war film about the Uzicka Republic, which defied the Nazis and stood as
the only "free territory in occupied Europe" for 67 days. Mitrovic is a veteran action and adventure
filmmaker, a chronicler of Yugoslavia's struggles against freedom invaders.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 20 ADMISSION FREE
A VILLAGE PERFORMANCE OF HAMLET
(Kristo Papic, 1973) 4 ONLY-AUD. A
Papic is one of Yugoslavia's foremost documentarists, one who has consistently managed to tackle
real social problems. Here he uses the device of a play within a play, moving as Shakespeare did
from comedy to tragedy, to expose corruption, abuse of power, and the cult of personality.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 22 ADMISSION FREE
(Zivko Nikolic, 1977) BEASTS 4 ONLY-AUD. A
Gothic setting on an isolated rain-swept island; a mysterious and beautiful woman draws the local
villagers into a night of dangerous dreams and desires . . . A symbolic, expressionistic film with
echoes of Bergman and Kurosowa.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 23 ADMISSION FREE
DON'T LEAN OUT
(Bogdan Zizic, 1977) 2 ONLY-AUD. A
The "adventures," loneliness and tragedy experienced by a young man who expatriates himself to
West Germany to work. The effects of this large-scale social upheaval on human relationships is
an urgent theme of contemporary Yugoslav cinema.
THE WIDOWHOOD OF KAROLINA ZASLER
(Matlaz Klopcic, 1976) 4 ONLY-AUD. A,
Klopcic is Slovenia's leading filmmaker-direct, frank subtle and lyrical in his examination of life.
U- h. ~ .....s thoimpat ofindutriaizatio~n on an Apine villadin particular on. a woman wh6
r -..
U
eel ipse
AnnArborJazzFestival 1978
In Celebration of the Music of
DIKE ELLINGTON-
IN
p
. ....nini
(Hill Auditorium
September 21-241
LAST YEAR:
LINDA RONSTADT
JACKSON" BROWNE
EW&F
STEVE MILLER
MAJOR EVENTS
USHER MEETING
THIS YEAR:
MARTIN MULL
BILLY JOEL
and More!
THURS,21st-8pm FRI,22nd-8pm
MARY LOU WILLIAMS JOHNNY GRIFFIN
STAN GETZ DEXTER GORDON
MAX ROACH Qt./ARCHIE SHEPP FREDDIE HUBBARD
- Tm
SAT23rd8pm SUN, 24thl pm
TAILEY
TURRENTINE II V I ORCHESTR
KENINUELL CHICO FREEMAN
KENNY BURRELL' UETLW
SU NRA HUBERT LAWS-
SU NRA
SUN,24th-8pm MERCER
MOSE ALLISON ELLIkGTON/
ART BLAKEY DUKE ELLNGTON
ORCHESTRA
FESTIVAL SERIES TICKETS NOW ON SALE
AT MICHIGAN UNION BOX OFFICE
(M-F 11:30-5:30) $30, 25, 20
-
OLD USHERS:
NEW USHERS:
6:00 pm Mon., Sept. 18-1978
CONFERENCE RM. 4, Mich. Union
6:00 pm Tues., Sept. 19-1978
CONFERENCE RM. 4, Mich. Union
The Ann Arbor Film Cooperative presents at Not. Sci. Aud.
JOSEPHIfS FESTIVAL ADMISSION FREE
In the days of the great studios, the B-film director worked against near insur-
mountable odds: less-than-shoestring budgets, two-week shooting schedules,
inane scripts, and talentless actors were the norm. The fact that Joseph H.
Lewis made films under these, conditions and that his films are always interest-
ing and often quite good are amazing. The fact that a few of them are bona
fide great films is strong evidence of genius. During the next four weeks, we
are showing free of charge seven of his best films, culminating with his master-
piece, GUN CRAZY, on October 2 and a special visit by Mr. Lewis.
Monday,S.ptember 18 ADMISSION FREE
MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS
(Joseph H. Lewis, 1945) 7 ONLY-NAT SCI