All Michael Cooney is saying, is give folk a chance The Michigan Daily-Sunday, October 22, 1978-Page ; Live.!It's Second City By ERIC ZORN To start his second set at the Ark on Friday night, Michael Cooney in- troduced himself as the man about whom Bob Dylan once said "Who?" It's ture that the thirty-four year old troubador has been touring and per- forming for years, delighting audiences wherever he goes, and still only a han- dful of people seem to know who he'is. "I could be much more famous," he says confidently, "but I really don't want it that way. I am terribly uncom- fortable with the idea of cutting recor- ds: The artificial link with the audience bothers me because I like to sing to people." AND, NOT surprisingly, 'the people like to have Michael Cooney sing to them. His concerts are always uplifting affairs filled with humourous songs, rare folk melodies, and powerfully played instrumentals. He's been en- chanting music lovers at the Ark for nine years now, and there's not much fresh that can be said about Friday's performance. As he tells off-the-cuff stories about his friends or tangles his fingers through solos on the banjo, guitar, ukelele, or concertina, you can read the joy in his face. He loves his music intensely and handles himself well in front of an audience. "I really want people to like what I'm doing, 'cause it's my job to make 'em enjoy themselves," he said between sets. "I think of myself as bridging a gap between the songs and performers that I like and those that the people in the audience like. Some of my favorite musicians are people you've never heard of. They don't play music for a living, and that gives them artistic freedom. Many people in this country hve a very narrow set of criteria for what they enjoy in music, and I try to give them some new ideas. In that way, folk's a bit like opera. It takes a lot of listening to get so you like or can pretend you like opera, because very few people appreciate it the first time through. "I CAN understand the immediate reaction to old time traditional music that a lot of people have because it was that way with me too," Cooney says, as he dips his hands into the popcorn bowl. "Like so many people, I got,started off liking the Kingston Trio. Then I went to the library where I got records out of the folk music bin where they had all these really weird records. Wow! Old guys with terrible voices singing dumb songs! It took me a long time to realize that it was my system of values which was off, because those old guys were great. Sure they had scratchy voices, but they hit the notes they had to hit and sang with an authority and feeling which of course would have been lost if they crooned like Mel Torme. "There is a problem also with the definition of folk music today. Walk down the street and ask people what they think folk music is, and you'll get incredibly different answers. In fact, these days, almost every artist who plays as a single and writes his own songs gets called folk. I heard on the radio 'Carole King, folksinger,' the other day, and realized that we need more labels." CONNEY USED to call himself a folksinger, but now it's "singer of old songs." He said, "I was going to call myself a traditional musician until I heard a girl say 'I wrote a traditonal song the other day,' and realized I still wasn't safe. "What I believe and want to com- municate is that all types of music are beautiful if only we'll take the time to listen. Folklorists will go over to Ireland and record gypsy women out in the fields singing songs generations and generations old, and then put out a record. What they don't tell you is that between ethnic ballads, these women sing pop music, show tunes, and American songs. It's important to realize the many different ways which music can give great pleasure. It's sort of sad that people won't give more things a chance." THOUGH, IN A WAY, it's good for Cooney that more people haven't given his kind of music a chance. "Folk music at its best is kitchen music, performers and small audiences sitting around together," he says. "I have a running struggle with the managements at places where I play to keep the house lights up so I can see the people I'm' singing to. To me a big audience means a more shallow operation." Though he prefers the smaller crowds, Cooney performs often enough I A / j 1.1z (2n that he makes a very handsome living. "If I didn't have seven kids, I'd be a rich man," he says, admitting that he's gotten the breaks when other perfor- mers with great talent have labored in relative obscurity. Cooney had a few problems throughout the evening keeping his in- struments in tune, and didn't always allow himself the time to get everything just right before beginning. There was also a depressing series of gaffs on the concertina, a tricky instrument which Cooney candidly admitted he "should have practiced." However, once a per- former has the audience on his side the way Cooney did on Friday night and, indeed, always seems to, the smaller mistakes scarcely detract at all from the mood of the evening. THE YOUTHFUL looking Cooney will no doubt keep right on stopping at coffeehouses, bars, and small concert halls across the country, playing "songs so bad they're good," and ballads which are "ludicrous versions of what were once beautiful stories." Bob Dylan no doubt will continue to say "Who?" at the mention of Michael's name, even if he hears the wicked parody Cooney played of Dylan on Friday. "It'll keep coming back to the Ark, because the Ark is what folk is all about," Cooney claims. "When we move out of this kind of environment, we're moving away from my music. For me, concerts here in Ann Arbor are very special, and I'm not just sayng that. Come wake me up in the dead of night sometime and ask me where my favorite place to play is, and I'll tell you 'The Ark."' By RENEE SHILCUSKY On stage, they are a bubbly, energized improvisational troupe doing crazy skits with zest. Off stage, they are professionals working rigorously at a craft - the art of comedy - and their performances evidence their under- standing of the potential of im- provisation. They are called Second City, a Chicago-based ensemble of comic writer-actors that has spawned such talents as Nichols and May, Avery Schreiber, and Saturday Night Live's Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, and Bill Murray. The Second City company has three subgroups: one producees the syn- dicated TV show; one resides in Chicago; and ,one works the national touring circuit. The last of these is in Manchester this weekend, performing at the Black Sheep Repertory Theater, and Friday night, the seven member unit put on a tight and well-organized performance. Comedy became a meaningful social statement as the troupe examined some prominent social issues: the middle class ethic, organized religion, homosexuality, and, of course, television news. David Byrne, Qu 'est-ce que THEY PRESENTED a group of an-. noncers on the evening news in a man- ner not unlike the Saturday Night crew. One reports that the sun has a super- nova-ed, and the earth will be blown up in 81/2 minutes. They are all emotionally destroyed by this news, revealing per- sonal secrets to the TV audience. It is not until after the report is re-read, at the show's closing, that we discover the truth: the Earth was not planning to self-destruct for 8 /milleniums! The group has a sharp eye for irony and satire, and hits close to home on a number of topics. Middle America gets jabbed at in a variety of situations. The players present "a sunny balcony in Greece," then the contrast - two mid- dle-aged American tourists thoroughly bored with all the pleasures of the foreign country. Looking out the win- dow of the Greek Holiday Inn, the audience swept into their imaginary world. This is the trip of a lifetime and with the familiar green striped towels the tourists can't go wrong - these motels are a chain." THIS couple detests the authentic food,, ("why, can you believe-they even put the lamb on the Egg McMuffin?"). They sit bored, complaining that the Greeks "don't know enough to keep up their buildings ... just look at the Par- thenon!" IT IS the ability to stretch our imagination by each gesture and word that makes this improvisation so suc- cessful. Our perception of the incidents is free to change and widen as we willingly accept the unconventional behavior and believe it as well. It is all illusion, but each member of the audience makes it real in hisown mind. Second -City's players manage to shift and manipulate our emotions by first removing our defenses and then letting us laugh. THE MEMBERS of Second City's touring company are Colleen Maloney, Sandra Bogan, Michael Hagerty, John Kepelos, Lance Kinsey, Joseph Doyle and piano accompaniest Ruby Streak. They introduce a variety of charac- ters - a taxidermist, several psychistrists and a sex therapist, post- office employees just too good to be true, a marriage counselor, the captain of the cheerleading squad; and a foot- ball player who delights in curling up with a Harlequin Romance novel after a long game. The musical numbers comprise a particularly biting satire of the Middle American world. Second City gives us a ragtime musical rendition of "Benny, the Denny's chef," who dances and cooks his way into the hearts and stomachs of his customers. For country lovers, a songstress at the Grand Ole Opry croons the familiar lyric, "there's too much sex and violence on TV - and not enough at home." BACKSTAGE, these seeming crazies transform themselves into 7 serious' craftsmen. The actors speak of the en joyment of improvisational theatre is just now finding itself," remarks John Kapelos, Second City performer and spokesperson. Kapelos, a graduate of Carleton University in Toronto, got into the troupe at an opportune time. He fin- ds the audience participation a plus for this type of theatre. In one part, members of the troupe: start a skit, then freeze the action for a moment and ask the audience for the next line of dialogue. Individuals shout' out their own bizarre responses en-' thusistically. The players ingeniously- work in the lines, modifying the plot to! the audiences' specifications. They en- d up with a unique but hopelessly strange story, such as about a plastic surgeon and his unusually marred; patient. Then the action is stopped again. This kind of invention is possible only with a skillful blend of actors who can anticipate the responses of the other company members. SECOND CITY presents a marvelous night full of imagination, irony ands humor. They use the form of im- provisation as a kind of social platfrm, and the humor disarms us, prepares us fr the poignancy and understandings of each imaginative moment. This becomes, if only for a short time, a very real and truly powerful experience, for the audience is able to work with the' players. We too have to let the imaginative juices flow. c'est*?A Talking Head speaks By ALAN RUBENFELD It is on rare occasions in these days of prefabricated rock and roll that individuality and original talent stand out from the overwhelming common vinyl schlock. Once in a while, say yearly, one or two groups emerge on record that blast through the mediocrity that runs rampant on America's turntables and air- waves. Such groups include Graham Parker and the Rumour, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Roxy Music, and David Bowie. Last year two New York bands stood high above other new units-Television and Talking Heads. Both groups have an appealing sound based on spontaneity, sparseness of orchestration, and an underlying emotion unifying disparate elements of sound. After two incredible records, Television broke up. Luckily, Talking Heads, cohesion has increased almost as much as their burgeoning popularity. AS EVIDENCED by their Thursday night perfor- mance in Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, Talking Heads transmits a sound with no readily discernable roots. They deliberately challenge listeners to understand their musical statements, and not rely on radio playlists to dictate musical tastes. So far, at least, this formula appears to be working. Their debut album, Talking Heads: 77, sold moderately well, and the new More Songs About Buildings and Food is on the verge of mass commercial appeal. What is the group's reaction to their successes of the past year? "I'm a little surprised, but in another way, not really," says David Byrne, charismatic singer/guitarist/songwriter of the group. "It means that a lot of the music I hear on the radio is just terrible. I might sound immodest, but I think we're going to have some measure of success. " Known for his eccentric and paroxysmal vocal techniques-executed with a tinge of parnoia-Byrne takes on a demeanor of docility offstage. "We're not as phony as so much of the other stuff that goes down," he continues, "and just with that alone we should do O.K." TALKING HEADS were part of the Vanguard of New Wave bands that originated in New York City during 1975-76. Starting as a trio, Byrne, along with drummer Chriz Franz and bassist Tina Weymouth (also known as Mrs. Chris Franz), performed at such notorious clubs as CBGB's and Max's Kansas City, where they gained a substantial cult following. Before going into the studio to record their debut album, Jerry Harrison joined the group. Harrison's credentials as a guitarist and keyboard player need not be suspect, as he was a member of the original Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers, a Boston band that many look upon as the forerunner of the present New Wave scene. After teaching at Harvard, working for a computer firm, and studying architecture, Harrison decided to return to his real love, rock and roll. Originally, Talking Heads were grouped with other raw power punk groups such as the Ramones and Richard Hell and the Voidoids. Time, however, has changed such characterizations. Comments Byrne, "We got all lumped together at first, but later on, people listened to the other bands and now they see the differences. It bothered us at first, being called punk, but-'it doesn't matter any more. I'd rather be associated with them than the other stuff going down, so I don't complain about it." BY VIRTUE of their incessant touring and word of mouth publicity, Talking Heads' popularity is quickly spreading. Their fans include twelve year olds who en- joy the group's rousing danceability to Andy Warhol. One of the major reasons for the increased popularity of their new album, More Songs, must go its producer, Brian Eno. Since his departure from Roxy Music five years ago, Eno has made several critically acclaimed solo discs, performed on several projects with Phil Manzanera, Robert Fripp, and the German group Cluster. Eno recently produced several well received albums, such as Devo's debut effort. His association with the band has been quite beneificial, according to Byrne: "W orking with Brian Eno was very comfortable. We knew him for about a year beforehand. He was sort of encouraging ... He was the kind of person who liked us and could see things in us that other producers couldn't recognize. If we had other ideas that, were a little offbeat, he would go along with them, whereas another producer would say, 'that's nutty, you can't do that."' ONSTAGE, THE Heads are a study in obsession. Not openly emotional, they concentrate on presenting each individual instrument as clearly and concisely as possible, and unifying each element for a group sound that is neither muddled or distorted. What can the future bring Talking Heads? One guess is that a major confrontation might be now in its seminal stages. By listening to their records and viewing their live shows, it becomes clear that the group is not very likely to compromise their musical direction. This choice is a conscious one. If the band continues to grow in popularity and record sales propel them to "superstar" status, they will reach this fame on their own terms. 4 U MARX AT MICHIGAN? (A SERIES) University staff members discuss how Marx relates to their work. MONDAY, OCT. 23-8:00 p.m. PROFESSOR TOM WEISSKOPF DEPT. OF ECONOMICS at GUILD HOUSE, 802 Monroe Series sponsored by: Guild House Office of Ethics & Religion, P.A.C. UAC-Musket Presents the Musical Clasic come join us in DON QUIXOTES IMPOSSIBLE DREAM" NOVEMBER 2-11 MENDELSSOHN THEATRE Tickets on Sale at: UAC Ticket Central, Michigan Union. JOIN THE DAILY! UAC Mediatrics presents GONE WITH THE WIND (Oavid O. Selznick, 1939) ".. is more than the exposure of a vivid character, more than adventure, romance, and spectacle. It is superior illustration of American legend and myth, a grand illusion of imagined people living through a nostalgia drenched experi- ence."-Boslgy Crowther. From the delicate choreography of Cukor's opening scenes at Tara, through the extravagent spectacle of the last third, GONE WITH THE WIND builds itself up from movie to a national institution. With-CLARK GABLE, VIVIEN LEIGH, LESLEY HOWARD, and OLIVIA DE HAVILAND. Winner of 10 Academy Awards. 2:00 & 7:00 Sun. 10/22 Admission $1.50 NAT. SCI. AUD. HARVARD UNIVERSITY KENNEDY FELLOWSHIPS, 1979-80 Graduate fellow awards for study at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government are available in the areas of: Science and Technology Science and International Affairs Economics Government Fellows will be chosen from among successful applicants to the Master in Public Policy Program. A representative from Harvard's Kennedy School will be on campus on Tuesday, October 24, to discuss the Public Policy Program. Please check with Career Planning and Placement for further details. SHE STOOPS To CONQUERI .-1 %-) I lK'( IIW X /Iti lrOI 4,J IEIIiIEI K;1ai11irii- \VX1.1 JAL\\I I1I Final Performance 2 p.m.! Tickets v 1V I .'I \,-/ I I l.../ Crovvell (^ ,N+ A I") r- on Sale! 8 1'M~ 13PM -COUPO N -2 for 1 Special -COUPON- I Buy 1 Super Salad-GET 1FREE Ia'0 Coupon good Sunday, October 22 m ,- Wcd.-at.(tX. 18-21, 1