The Michigan Daily-Saturday, December 2, 1978-P(ge 5
Dahl still yukking it up in Chicago
By LARRY BAKER
Zany Steve Dahl is back in the news.
No, he didn't try to hang himself on a
microphone cord in Chicago. But the
ex-Detroit disc jockey is now apart of
the Michael Collins morning show on
WRIF-FM. It might be for only a few
minutes a day, but his bizarre brand of
humor can be heard at 6:40 and 4:40
every weekday morning.
Dahl; as you'll recall, used to make
his living at WABX-FM and later, and
more successfully, at WWWW-FM, as
the man of many voices. His "Rude
Awakening" show featured Travis T.
Hip, the high voiced hippie, Laso
Boheme, the cultured nature freak, who
adopted Ann Arbor as his home, and
many other characters, all portrayed,
for the most part, by Dahl.
Pippin poses and pleases
UAC's Soph Show will present "Pippin" at Lydia Mendelssohn Theater Decem-
ber 7, 8, and 9 at 8:00 p.m. and December 10 at 2:00 p.m.
RECORDS
HE IS NOW showcasing his morning
program in Chicago on WDAI-FM. In a
recent telephone interview, Dahl spoke
as one who hasn't forgotten
Detroit-negatively or -positively. The
end of Dahl's stay in Detroit wasn't par-
ticularly pleasant. He got into bitter
feuds with his sidekick, George Blair,
who was, and still is, the voice of
Popeye, Bullwinkle & Rocky, Dick the
Bruiser, and George Swell (a take-off
on Tiger broadcaster George Kell) on
W4's morning show. Dahl felt the whole
format of the voices should cease after
he departed, but of course, Bair and his
characters, along with current DJ, Jim
Johnson, who adds nothing to the show,
are still on the air.
This infuriates Dahl. He heard parts
of the show when he was in the area
several weeks ago for his marriage,
and he laughed, almost sadly, when
asked what he thought of it. "A cheap
imitation is my impression of it." In or-
der to avoid confrontation similar to the
one with Bair, he now does his shows on
a strictly solo basis, adding quite
blatantly, "Then I don't have to fuck
with some asshole who stabs me in the
back when I leave."
Dahl's current format is identical to
his Detroit show. He has added a few
characters, however. "Dick the Bruiser
is now Dick Butt-kick and I have a new
staff doctor who's name is Dr. Irving C.
Rancid Corned Beef Breath." The doc-
tor has no particular origin, but Dick
Butt-kick is a parody of Dick Butkus,
former Chicago Bear. The character of
Dick the Bruiser of course, comes from
the Detroit wrestling legend of the
same name.
DAHL DOESN'T FIND Chicago too
different from Detroit. "They're a little
bit more uptight here at first. You have
to loosen them up more. But we're
doing OK. The ratings are as good as
when I first started in Detroit-not as
good as when I left. That took three
years. They're not as progressive in
Chicago musically, that's for sure."
One of the reasons Dahl left Detroit
for Chicago was that he was promised
bigger and better things in addition to
bigger and better bucks. "Things are
happening. There's some plans to do
some network programs, but I can't say
what." Dahl had always expressed in-
terest in the TV business by using a
vehicle similar to Saturday Night Live.
Right now, however, television isn't in
any immediate plans. "I'm working on
mne radio aspects right now. The main
thing is to get my show together and get
good ratings."
Dahl has managed to get his feet wet
in the stand-up comedy business, too.
He's done a few shows in the Detroit
area since leaving and is tentatively
planning another Motor City appearan-
ce at the end of November. "It's like
stand-up comedy, but you have to see
it." The audience response to'the show
is quite favorable, and as Dahl says in a
Popeye accent, "People likes it. Huk,
huk, huk!"
Getting a hold of Dahl for an inter-
view wasn't easy. According to his
producer, identified only as Curt, it was
a perfect case of "zany Steve Dahl
stupidity." He added, "He's so zany,
that he can't remember anything
responsible. If he were to remember
stuff like this, he probably wouldn't be
funny."
Fortunately, though, Steve Dahl ;s
funny. And that's good for Laslo,
Travis, and the gang. Somehow, I just
can't picture them working with J.P.
McCarthy.
19"4:
A&M AP 4709
By TIMOTHY YAGLE
,
Totko
By TIMOTHY YAGLE
All too often these days, fledgling
(and sometimes established) bands
produce an album that will have only
one or two songs worthy of airplay or
being called "hits." One of these new
bands, Toto, hopes their debut LP
doesn't end up like this.
This six-man band (yes, it's named
after Dorothy's canine companion in
The Wizard of Oz), comprised of studio
musicians who have backed up such
prominent artists as Boz Scaggs, Alice
Cooper, Steely Dan and Leo Sayer, has
released a debut LP entitled Toto with
music similar to the styles of many of
the bands they played for.
"GEORGY PORGY" and "I'll Sup-
ply the Love,"' among otliers, sounds
like a Boz Scaggs' tune. Even the
vocalist sounds a little like Scaggs. Leo
Sayer's influences are evident on
"Manuela Run."
Most of the album is a pleasant com-
bination of soft rock and with a good
beat and danceable (not really disco)
tunes. The band gets intoa more upbeat
and slightly' raunchier guitar on
"Rockmaker," "Hold The Line" and
"Angela."
"Hold The Line," however, is what's
going to sell this band and deejays know
it. It sounds a little like Walter Egan's
"Magnet and Steel" only spiced up con-
siderably by stronger drums and a
heavy-metal guitar that really draws
you into the song even if it is repetitive.
Toto isn't one of those phenomenal
premiere LP's like Boston or Foreigner
that will sweep you right off your feet.
But it isn't one that you can just file
away somewhere and disregard.
These competent studio musicians
have produced an LP that is easy to
listen to and is good conversation
music. With more great tunes like
"Hold the Line," Toto should see- a
promising future.
Russian and Chinese
revolutions studied
Two University professors of history
have been awarded $81,800 from the
National Endowment for the
Humanities, the University announced.
Profs. William Rosenberg and
Marilyn Young will use the grant for a
comparative study of the revolutions of
Russia and China. Their book on that
subject will be printed by the Oxford
University Press.
Rosenberg is an affiliate of the
University's Center for Russian and
East European Studies and Young is
associated with the Center for Chinese
Studies.
Everywhere you turn these days,
there seems to be a new rock band
emerging from the depths. Most of
them don't have anything new to offer.
They're just trying to latch onto the
coattails of such established bands as
Aerosmith, Black Sabbath or Led Zep-
pelin. One band, however-1994-can-
not be cast in the same mold.
Aside from being a pretty good live
band, their debut LP, simply entitled
1994, is chock full of gut-crunching rock
'n' roll. But 1994 is not your average
heavy-metal band. There is that extra
feeling they put into their music which
makes them stand out. Lead guitarist
Steve Hunter (a John Kay of Steppen-
wolf fame look-alike) plays with vigor
and authority. The rest of the five-
person band plays the same way.
1994 OPENS with a simple-melodied
tune "Once Again" that does its job of
making you want'to listen to more of the
album with its simple but enticing
guitar. The real hit on the LP is
"Radiko Zone" with authoritative
guitars and a fast-paced rhythm that
draw you into the song. "Hit the Hard
Way" continues in the same vein.
I asked drummer John Desautels (ex-
L.A. Jets) why they are called 1994. He
said that the band's producer,,. Jack
Douglas (Aerosmith's producer), who
is a computer fanatic saw the numbers
"1994" on a read out. It fascinated him
so much, he decided that would be their
name. 1994's LP cover is adourned with
sketches of an integrated circuit and
various other parts of a computer.
1994 sounds like a combination of old
Montrose and a beginning band. Even
though they are in their embryonic
stage, there is a distinct air of
professionalism about them that can't
be overlooked. Their record company,
A&M, calls them the next Styx. I don't
think so. But they have potential. Let's
hope they can tap it.
should be more bands like Chicago
around. Natucket ably combines rock
and jazz in their semi-impressive debut
LP Nantucket.
Side one is hard rock-oriented with
noticeable /influences from the Geils
band in "Never Gonna Take Your
Lies." The only problem with this side
is that both the lyrics and instrumentals
become repetitive at times.
The flip is more Chicago-BS&T-
oriented. It has a lighter and jazzier
sound with more boogie than side one.
Nantucket has tried to musically
grasp the best of ,two kinds of
music-rock and jazz. A strong follow-
up album could be what's necessary for
this band to make it.
HERBERT ROSS
i
Basie' s
big band to
THE TURNING POINT
A film about the choices two women make in their twenties:
SHIRLEY MACLAINE foregoing a promising career in ballet to
raise a family; ANNE BANCROFT, her best friend choosing the
challenge of an intense balletic career. As middle age ap-
proaches, Maclaine envies Bancroft's success and longs for
recognition of her own talent. Bancroft faces loneliness and
isolation. Together they reexamine their lives and reach a
new level of understanding. MIKHAIL BARYSHNIKOV, the
world's pemiere male ballet dancer, dominates the screen
with a magnetic sensuality and an electrifying stage presence.
7 &U9.
SUN-Vittoria Do Sico's TWO WOMEN
1977
heat Hill Tuesday
Throughout their long career,
Count Basie and his orchestra have
never failed to produce fire, energy,
and imaginative music. Tuesday,
December 5, they'll be appearing
with singer Joe Williams at Hill
Auditorium in the last concert of
Eclipse Jazz's fall series.
Basie, who was catapulted to fame
in 1935 when John Hammond
discovered him, was a source of in-
spiration for the beboppers of the
late forties and fifties, especially
because of his tenor saxophonist,
Lester Young. The band has un-
dergone drastic personnel changes
since 1960, when most of the old
timers left, but the new band retains
the characteristic sound of Basie's
original one. In 1975, Basie began
recording for Pablo Records; since
then, he's gained anew popularity.
Joe Williams sang with Basie from
1954 to 1961. His robust voice is well
suited to the blues he sang while with
the Count. Since leaving the band,
Schedule Change! HIROSHIMA, MON AMOUR
will be shown on Tuesday, Dec. 5, NOT Wed., Dec. 6th
CINEMA 11
TONITEAT
789
ANGELL HALL AUD "A"
$1'50
Now Showing,
I
WEDNESDAY IS
"BARGAIN DAY"
$1.25 UNTIt 5:30
Campus Area Butterfield Theatres
MONDAY IS ADULT MAT.2.50
"GUEST NIGHT" EVES. & HOL.. 3.00
TWO ADULTS ADMITTED CHILD
FOR PRICE OF ONE 14 & UNDER. 1.25
STATE THEATRE-- FRI. and SAT. LATE SHOW
"RE O andV R*41 by 8BBDYLAN
Count Basie
Williams has gone on to a successful
career as a vocalist in night clubs, at
concerts, and at jazz festivals.
I
Nantucket
Epic
w n.,k, c
SHOOT THE
PIANO'PLAYER
By TIMOTHY YAGLE
It seems that a certain six-man band
from the Northeast thought there
El I,
(Francois Truffaut, 1960) Truffaut followed 400 BLOWS with this
off-beat gangster comedy that shook up critics and audiences
alike. A concert pianist, seeking obscurity in the lower depths of
Paris' underworld, falls in love while thugs try to ferret out his
criminal brothers through him. The rapid direction and shifts of
mood and pace are bound to keep yoy on your toes as Truffaut
makes some personal and pointed observations on success and
price.
Join
the
Arts
Page
Sat. Dec. 2
Nat.Sc. Aud.
ADMISSION $1.50
7:00, 8:40, 10:20
L
The Ann Arbor Film Coo tive presentsoat MLB 3
SATURDAY,D MBR 2
FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT
(Alfred Hitchcock, 1940) 7 & 10:20-MLB 3
For his first American thriller, Hitchcock chose the contemporary political scene:
Europe on the edge of WW 11. JOEL McCREA is on American Journalist searching
for a kidnapped diplomat in this classic'story of espionage. Full of Hitchcock's
v.m..i e mor ronFREIN CORRESPONDENT is "still arquablv the director's
/'
I
II
Alp.