a,
. 1
the Michigan Daily
ARTS
Saturday, March 31, 1984
Page 7
Next of Kihn
By Tracy Uselmann
B EING ON THE road is not all that bad according to the
Greg Kihn Band. The past year has been especially busy
ith road trips, and they are really enjoying the abundance
f rock 'n' roll crowds.
Greg Kihn, raised in Baltimore, has always wanted to be a
'rock" star. Kihn's primary inspiration came from Brooks
Robinson, the legendary Baltimore Orioles third baseman,
because of Robinson's casual attitude towards his fame.
Kihn began his sluggish rise to success in Berkeley,
California doing solos on an acoustic guitar. Soon he met
bassist Steve Wright, drummer Larry Lynch, Gary Phillips
on keyboards and guitars, and finally guitarist Greg
Douglass.
,For a while the Greg Kihn Band, sponsored by the
Beserkeley/Elektra Recording Artists, scoured for money on
the Berkeley campus and played on Sunday nights at the
seedy San Pablo Avenue rock 'n' roll hall. The band was
always welcomed by myriads of fans in Northern California.
Gradually, the band became well known and as a result
they began touring in Europe. They peaked when the popular
hit, "(Our Love's in) Jeopardy," reached the top of the char-
ts a few years ago.
In a recent interview Kihn explained, "We took pains to
record and mix the new album so that it sounds just like we
sound onstage on any given night we play." Like all bands
however, there are certain mechanical sounds which can
only be performed in a recording studio.
The Greg Kihn Band is once again touring America and
will come through Ann Arbor for one night only at Second
Chance. On Tuesday, April 3, Kihn fans will experience a true
West coast talent. The gig begins at 9:30 p.m. and tickets are
$10.50.
Crosby fades without S & N
The Greg Kihn Band put other performers in 'jeopardy' with their California pop rock at Second Chance Tuesday night.
By Don Blume and
Ben Yomtoob
T HAS LATELY become the tradition
of this paper to say "I'm glad I didn't
pay for my ticket," when panning a bad
noncert. Well, unfortunately this time
one of us did pay for his ticket.
' David's show reminded us a lot of
Saturday Night Live's old "Elvis'
Coat" skit. David was helped onto the
stage by stage hands for both of his sets
'nd the only signs of life he showed
were his lips moving and his hand
tumming the guitar. He did neither of
these well though. It's questionable
whether his guitar was even plugged in
for his second (electric) set.
Were we the same reporters who
wrote in this same paper that David
Would put on a 'hell of a show?' We
regret this because some people may
have actually been influenced to go
because of something we wrote.
The audience went home that night
unhappy not only with the performance
itself, but its length as well. The total
time for the two sets could not have
been more than an hour.
Crosby started the concert with a
short acoustic set without the band. His
guitar playing and singing were not
good for someone of his caliber. At this
point the audience seemed not to mind,
and was content just to hear David's
voice.
After five songs he left and came out
20 minutes later with his band and
opened with a relatively strong version
of "Deja Vu."
The band played very well together
and:their performance was perhaps the
best feature of the show. In the middle
of the set, the bass player gave a crowd-
pleasing solo that was the highlight of
the night.
He finished off by playing some old
CSN tunes including "Almost Cut My
Hair" and a version of "Wooden Ships"
which sorely missed the voices of
Stephen Stills and Graham Nash. David
did not even bother to introduce the
band to us - even though their perfor-
mance carried him through the show. t
After the second set the group left the
stage for about 60 seconds and returned
to play "Long Time Gone," the first
song that David looked like he was put-
ting some effort into.
It was terribly disappointing to see
David perform the way he was.
Perhaps we're being hard on him
because we've come to expect better,
but that really doesn't seem to cover
everything.
Whatever the reasons for the poor
quality of the performance, he owes his
fans and a ticket-buying audience some
sort of explanation. For his own sake he
shouldn't degrade his talents by giving
performance in this manner.
Fortunately we have something other
than his performance to remember him
by - his music. His fans all over the
world hope that he will overcome
whatever problems he has encountered
recently and continue to put on the
shows and to make the music for which
he is famous.
Continued from Preceeding Page
GIANT FLEA MARKET
vintage clothes, jewelry, household items, furniture
and junque. Every weekend 6 pm-10 pm Friday, 10
aln-6pm Saturday and Sunday. 214 E. Michigan at
Park. Downtown Ypsilanti. (Dealers Welcome 971-
/676 weekdays, 487-5890 weekends). cMtc
UNIVERSITY OF Michigan Summer Study in Fran-
ce and Spain: July - August. For information call
Department of Romance Languages, 764-5344. 91PM408
EUROPE: From $439 Roundtrip air (Detroit/Frank.
furt), $370 2 mo. EURAILPASS, Hostels. Rainbow
Tours 800/253-4014. 59P0412
INSTANT EURAILPASSES
.MONTH EURAIL youth pass $290, 2 months $370.
Eurailpass 15 days $260, 21 days $330. 1, 2, 3 month
available. Detroit/Frankfort charter from $439.
Great Places Travel Consultants, 208 E. Washington,
769-1776. cP0616
Records-
Rockwell
'Somebody's Watching Me'
(Motown Records)
To his credit Rockwell is not using his
real name, Kennedy Gordy. Kennedy
and his father, Berry Gordy, agreed
that it wouldn't be proper for Kennedy
to sell records on the basis of his having
been born into the name that made
Motown. Thus the nom-de-disc Rock-
well was born.
One can only wonder why, after this
dedication to letting Rockwell make-or-
break-it on his own, his father flexes his
muscles in the music industry and
provided his son with a guaranteed top-
selling single.
. I'm referring to the album's title
song, and first single, "Somebody's
Watching Me." The song is a quirky
dance-floor cut, replete with Twilight
Zone synthesizers, and simply brilliant,
affected, strut/paranoiac rapping by
Rockwell.
The chorus is sung by "This
generation's Elvis" . . . Michael
Jackson. The 35-seconds worth of
Michael on the record are all that is
needed to send it rocketing up the char-
ts. Twenty-five million MJ fans
breathlessly awaiting 'Victory', the
follow-up to the biggest album ever,
'Thriller,' need a fix.
I wish that this song could be viewed
independent of Jackson's contribution.
The lyrics are hysterical:
When I'm in the shower/ I'm
afraid to wash my hair/ 'cause I
might open my eyes and find
someone there/People say I'm
.crazy/Just a little touched
But mayber showers remind me
of Psycho too much.
Rockwell almost matches himself on
the next cut, "Obscene Phone Caller."
Both of the songs attributed solely to
Rockwell adhere to a very strict for-
mula. Both open with an eerie syn-
thesizer riff. The lyrics are on an
unusual topic such as paranoia or ob-
scene phone calls. The chorus wafts in
over frenetic rapping by Rockwell. It is
a good formula, but not for any artist.
Rockwell is especially talented vocally
for this type of song. The delivery is
what makes these two cuts successful.
Rockwell's upper register is given a
workout on "Change Your Ways," a
song that would be just as much at
home on the next Debarge album.
Rockwell's keyboards overload this up-
beat cautionary song, as does the um-
pteen-part harmony.
The first song on the second side,
''Runaway'' makes back some of the
ground Rockwell has lost. This song in
particular is indicative of the ear he has
for the musical styles dominating the
top-40 today. While never having heard
this album, anyone who listens to top-40
radio has heard the direct antecedents
of Rockwell. This becomes irritating on
"Wasting Away" which sounds like
"Beat It"'s little brother.
Rockwell then tosses in "Knife," an
innocuos ballad, which stops just short
of being truly wrenching, and "Foreign
Country" which bears the imprint of
the Europop invasion of 1982. Listen for
the 'doot-doot-doo' from (Roberto-
Roberto) Duran-Duran's "Hungry like
the Wolf." Well, lots of people liked it
the first time around...
Rockwell has potential. In the future
this potential may be coupled with ar-
tistic daring. Unfortunately, Rockwell
seems confined to the stagnant world of
FM radio and Casey Kasem. Take the
plunge, Rockwell. I'll be watching.
- John'Logie
WANTED: April 28 Commencement tickets for
Grisler Arena. Will be willing to pay for them. Call
996-1876. 83Q0417
uts nerez
Ulrich' Annual
March 31 thru April 7
Involving every article in our store except textbooks.
Special prices on calculators, computers and computer products.
NO GIMMICKS-Just-Good Old Fashioned Bargains.
Because of the thousands of items that we carry, it would be
impossible to mark down each item. All regular priced
merchandise will be discounted 20% at the registers. Special
.priced items or items with a larger discount will be tagged.
This sale is our way of thanking our regular customers and
introducing ourselves to the many new people
who might not have heard of us. Have fun.
M1 VIN T O CICAGU Maie May grad. seeks
roommate. Share 2 bdrm. apt. Lincolnpark area.
Call Pete, 761-7437. 27Y0401
RQOMMATE, own bedroom, 4 bedroom house next
-toU Towers, New Kitchen, full basement, parking, 2
Adfl baths, call 995-1347. 50Y0401
INTERNATIONAL WEEK '84
s
r
i
INTERNATIONAL
\
}-}'
Sunday. April1st
700 p. mn.
Lecture Rm. if MLB
Monday, April 2
4:00p.. -6:00p.m.
7:30 P. M.
Rackham
Amphitheatre
Women in Developing Countries
India-The Indian Women's Movement
Anju Taj
Iran-Women'sMovement After the
Iranian Revolution
Maryam Rad
Caribbean-Pesticides and Women in the
Caribbean
Brenda Flanagan
Africa-Our Pride and Our Glory
Angie Kamgba
Reception at the international Center
Films (Oocunentariesj
U.S. Defense Needs
(Lecure)
James Blaker, U.S. Defense Dept.
Wednesday. April 4
7:30 p.m.
Rarkham
Amphitheatre
Thursday. April 5
4:00 p. m. -6:001y.11w.
Rarkham Amphitheatre
7ih00 p.mnU
Michigan Union
Ballroom
Cuba: Cuba's Foreign Policy in
Black Africa 1%62-1482
Professor Carlos More-University of Paris
International Center, 603 E. Madison
Phillipines: Heading for Disaster?
Lecture and Filu,,"Season of Thunder"
Dr. Walden Bello. Director Congress
Educational Project
Phillipine Support Committee,
Washington. D.C.
Reception at West Conference Room
of Rackham
Film: /Dncu netaries)
International Banquet and Cultural Night
Entertainment. For reservations call
th Anniversary
501,934-1984 .
SA a , . '
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