Wednesday, January 9, 1974
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Page Five
Wednesday, January 9, 1974 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Page Five
Dylai
By WAYNE C. JOHNSON
The lights dimmed a respec-
table half hor late, the cheers
went up and Bob Dylan, folk
legend and singer, walked onto
the Chicago Stadium stage with
The Band.
The standing ovation that en-
ri
hasn't
lost
sued was sparked by people who
knew they would not be disap-
pointed, no matter what. Every-
where people said things like,
"There he is!" though that was
perfectly obvious.
They began to play fast and
hard so as not to lose the excite-
ment of the audience. Promoter
Bill Graham I e a n e d on a
speaker and swayed happily with
the music. At $7.50, $8.50 and
$9.50 a ticket he should have
been ecstatic.
He expects to make $5 million
for Dylan and himself through
Midler shows spirit;
rBrain Salad
Bob Dylan
I don't think of Bette Midler
as an interpreter. That's why
side one of her newest release
Bette Midler (Atlantic SD 7270)
is so disappointing.
But if you, like I do,. think of
her as a performer - the show-
stopping, stage - stomping Di-
vine Miss M - then side two is
made to perfect order.
Her aim throughout the album
is to display her vocal virtuosity.
She can sing those slow ones -
Hoagy Carmichael's "Skylark"
or Doris Tauber and Johnny
Mercer's "Drinking Again" -
but not with half the feeling that
she brings to the medley of "Up-
town - Da Doo Ron Ron" on
side two.
is a tour de force in which she
handles all parts. Note for note,
it beats "Boogie Woggie Bugle
Boy," the best number off her
debut album.
The additional lyrics add that
sexual showiness that is so much
a part of her live act. "Twisted"
is Barbara Streisand in drag -
an outrageously funny song.
"Higher and Higher" is the
testament that "I Shall Be Re-
leased" wasn't - it keeps get-
ting faster and more fervent un-
til she's way above us and the
rest of her back-up and off sing-
ing on her own.
-KURT HARJU
Wild Tales': Nash
left out in the cold
By KURT HARJU
Graham Nash's success as a
singer and songwriter has always
been precarious. As the least-
known member of the popular
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young,
his output was the weakest but it
did have its place.
His work since then has been
too simplistic for my taste
though his collaboration with
David Crosby did prove that it
had some merit. His latest al-
bum Wild Tales (Atlantic SD
7288) still leaves me out in the
cold and makes me wonder just
where he fits in as a solo artist.
The album starts out promis-
ingly enough with the title tune-
it's got a great rhythm and fine
slide guitar by David Lindley,
Jackson Browne's ace guitarist.
He doesn't have a strong voice
but his phrasing is adequate and
moves the song right along.
The next song "Hey You
(Looking At the Moon)" shows
the country influence that pre-
vades much of the album. The
music's slower - so you listen
to the words.
There isn't much there - and
that's his biggest mistake. In
"Prison Song," for example, he
asks the question:
Kids in Texas
Smoking grass,
Ten year sentence
Comes to pass.
Misdemeanor
In Ann Arbor,
Ask the judges
Why?
but that's about as far as he
gets to confronting the burn-
ing issues of our day. He just
doesn't have a whole lot to say.
And it's a shame really. The
music's not bad at all. "And So
It Goes" has all the quiet in-
tensity of a Neil Young song (say
"Cowgirl in the Sand") but all he
has to say is "Everybody knows'
Music gets you high." Most of
the songs have good melodies
and the performances are con-
sistently strong.
"You'll Never Be the Same" is
a fine country song with the re-
frain:
As long as life's a grain of
sand
Tossing and turning in the
tide
I'll say it once again
You'll never be the same
but that's as close as he comes
to making a true and moving
statement.
I keep wishing he had really
told us some wild tales. Hell, he
probably knows enough-having
been a part of a supergroup and
nearly marrying Joni Mitchell
who does the LPs art work).
Gossip would do just as long
as he said something meaning-
f'il. But he insists on walking on
Thin Ice Music, and you can
hear it breaking every once and
awhile.
__
ARTS
soars
with Brain Salad Surgery (Co-
tillion 66669). All the songs are
well-written and performed, with
the possible exception of "Benny
the Bouncer", a stupid little dit-
ty about a bloody barroom brawl.
But if you've waited almost
two years for a new Emerson,
Lake and Palmer album, Brain
Salad Surgery is well worth the
wait.
Keith Emerson uses synthesiz-
ers to their fullest range, creat-
ing the beautifully poetic sound
of "Still . . . You Turn Me On",
and the macabre mood of "Toc-
cata".
"Karn Evil 9" is a long, mu-
sically complicated piece which
takes up two-thirds of the al-
bamrn.
The concept is of a futuristic
society with computers, star-
ships, bloody carnivals and inter-
planetary wars. The concept
goes well with ELP's near-total
electric sound; drummer Carl
Palmer even uses electric per-
cussion synthesizers.
Palmer provides good, basic
percussion, and gets a solo once
or twice. Greg Lake's vocals,
boss and guitar work are as fine
as ever. Emerson continues to
explore new uses of electronic
keyboard music.
At times, it's hard to believe
all this music came from only
three people. The music is not
repetitive or monotonous like
so much music today.
This is pure progressive rock
music. Brain Salbd Surgery will
prove to be one of the better al-
bums of the new year.
-ELIJAH LANGFORD
ROCK "STAR"
HOLLYWOOD (UPI)-"A Star
is Born," the film classic that
featured Judy Garland, will be
remade by Warner Bros., with
a contemporary rock and roll
setting.
th eJ
ticket sales. Dylan vetoed a
movie of the tour which would
have made him richer and his
fa-s even happier.
The opening night concert on
Jan. 3 had been a success ac-
cording to most Chicago review-
ers. Amost predictably, one cratic
called it a "religious experience,"
a term normally associated with
sex and LSD. It was a moviag
e'ent for the minds and "souls"
of the audience which was solidty
tned in to Dylan's every move-
ment and sound.
Bob Dylan has been gone from
the public view for so long that
his ret!rn could not have failed
to arouse excitement. If he stays
visible long enough the fervor
will die, but not until everyone
who wants to see him gets to.
His music has remained con-
sistently popular during his ab-
scence, which always keeos the
possibility of a personal appea-
ance alive. Who, for example,
dmbts that the Beatles will play
together someday for at least one
lucky crowd of ticket holders.
It feels very good to listen io
him sing. He harmonized almost
constantly, lending freshness and
new meanings to every song. On
"Like A Rolling Stone" he near-
ly spoke some of the lines, grip-
pin, the listener with the texure
of the words.
The face of Spiro Agnew flash-
ed through more than one per-
son's mind as Dylan sang, "How
does it feel to be on your own;
a complete unknown."
The Band gave an excellent
performance with and without
Dylan. The choice of the sang
"Stagefright" seemed tightly ap-
propriate to the aging star, who
rested while they played. Dylan
magi c
did seem ner oos and very sslf-
conscious bt considering the
adulation dumped upon him, it
could have been worse.
The most disappointing aspect
of his nervousness was his failure
to speak to the audience between
songs as he has in past concerts.
Everyone has heard at least one
of his songs but few have heard
him say anything.
A small rap would have en-
deared him to his fans forever.
Perhaps the faceless blob in front
of him looked too impersonal.
maybe he just didn't feel like it.
In a rare interview indThe
New York Times, Dylan admit-
ted that the role of prophet was
flung upon him. "It had to be
somebody and happened to be
me," he said.
He sang a few new tunes at
the concert from his unreleased
album on Asylum Elektra but
the response was not overwhem-
ing. It was Bob Dylan, Prophet
of the 60's, they wanted to hear.
The new tunes were pleasant
but not outstanding when played
with the oldies.
The papers reported that after
the Jan. 3 concert the audience
had held lighted matches as a
silent sign to Dylan that made
him reappear for an ecore.
The next night, the audience
jumped the gun and lighted the
matches after Dylan had only
finished playing his secind set.
The crowd was so anxious to
please him that they detracted a
bit from the lovely trib-ite.
Dylan has 36 more concerts to
go and they are all guaranteed
to be great, unless he doesn't
show. The people who love him
will not let him fail.
Her selection and treatment
of Kurt Weill's "Surabaya
Johnny" is interesting but, like
Dylan's "I Shall Be Released," it
lacks a certain commitment that
makes them such soulful songs in
other versions.
Only "Breaking Up Somebody's
Home" opens up on side one
and gives us an indication of
what's coming.
Side two is simply great. Her
voice seems better suited to this
faster and flasher material.
She sings as a trio in the sec-
ond part of the opening medley
"Optimistic Voices - Lullaby on
Broadway" and "In the Mood"
Keith Emerson, along with
Rick Wakeman of YES, has been
an innovator of electric key-
board music. Several years ago,
Emerson combined talents with
vocalist/guitarist Greg Lake and
drummer Carl Palmer to form
Emerson, Lake and Palmer.
Off to a slow start at first,
Pictures at an Exhibition show-
ed Emerson's talent at the key-
board, but the album was gloomy
and melancholy. Two years ago,
Triology showed how three great
musicians could integrate their
efforts well enough to sell a mil-
lion copies without the help of a
single.
The group has surpassed itself
NEW WORLD FILM CO-OP
PRESENTS
CULTrUkRE CANUAR
FILM-New World Film Co-op presents Ashby's Harold and
Maude in Nat. Sci. Aud. at 7, 9:05 tonight. Cinema Guild
presents Primitive and Modern Counterparts in Arch.
Aud. at 7, 9:05 tonight. Ann Arbor Film Co-op presents
Russell's Women in Love at 7, 9 tonight in Aud. A, Angell.
MON.
JAN. 7
TUES.
JAN. 8
1&9pm.
WED.
JAN. 9
THURS.
JAN. 10
Modern Languages Aud. 3
Natural Science Aud.
Next week see: PINK FLAMINGOS (Mon.) DIARY OF A MAD HOUSEWIFE (Tue.)
& FELLINI'S ROMA (Wed. & Thurs.)
Jan. 21-Bunuel's BELLE DE JOUR
Jan. 22 & 23--STATE OF SIEGE
I
Jan. 24-JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN
Jan. 28 & 29-BUTCH CASSIDY &
SUNDANCE KID
41
PLO
SKOWBAR PRESENTS
TONIGHT
WEDNESDAY and THURSDAY
JANUARY 9th and 10th
LEOPARDS
COVER: $1.00
coming FRIDAY and SATURDAY
January 11th and 12th
BROOKLYN
BLUES
BUSTERS
COVER: $1.00
I"
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