41 Ay The Michigan Daily ARTS Friday, October 19, 1984 Page 6 e ,s_ New fun from an old band I By Hobey Echlin Who would have thought that noisy Jittle punk bunch from SST records would grow up to play talented and, more importantly, enjoyable music? Two years ago the very notion would have been absurd. American hardcore was at its peak, popular and commer- cial. But this is 1984, and it's a world where a guy. can make billions in a dress and Miss America makes even more without one. A world where get- ting busted for coke is an investment in your financial future and where Mc- Donald could change its name to Mc- Death. Only in America. And so I'm not surprised the Meat Puppets have changed their sound. In fact, it seems a trend from SST, what with Husker Du's more effect-laden sound and Black Flag's less noisy, refined sound. Enter the Meat Puppets, bringing coun- try/western a step closer to bearable. Such was the mood with which I en- tered the Blind Pig Tuesday for the Meat Puppets. Playing this quaint little blues club is a far cry from the old ballrooms and the broken down clubs they're used to playing in. But with a new sound comes a new territory, and the Meat Puppets seem to have adapted well. Playing to a sparse crowd of less than 75 people, they amazed the audience with a set appealing to skinheads and country fans alike. Enough of this dribble; let's talk tunes. Exceptional sound, to say the least. Consistent, ominous basslines balancing jumpy pickin' guitar. Back this up with a simplified drum beat, refining the sound to a purer form, and you've got the Meat Puppets. About the only real drawback is their whining, countryish vocals reminiscient of their Grateful Dead influence. These vocals do, however, add to the sense of natural authenticity the Meat Puppets project. So into their new sound are the Meat Puppets, in fact, that their stage presence almost parodies their har- dcore roots, with comical contortions accompanying every guitar solo in con- trast to the serious calm of the drum- mer's country presence. When they do pick up their pace, they are sure to keep the clarity, even with clear guitar effects, minus the thrashy distortion of their past. Often anchoring themselves with a steady drum beat, bass and guitar go off on their own, con- stant bass alternating and complemen- ting the sporadic but harmonic guitar solos, working together in an enjoyable, and not tedious, union. Even their quicker material maintains this talen- ted, natural quality. Drawing heavily from their Meat Puppets II LP, the band offered true and often im- provisational renditions of "I Split Myself in Two" and "Aurora Borealis" as well as an updated (and upgraded) version of "Tumblin' Tumbleweeds" from their earlier material. So, a helluva show from a helluva band, out of the leather and back in the saddle with a cleaner sound. These guys may not be around in 20 years playing the Flamingo Room of your local Ramada in crushed red velour jackets, but they are at least putting some emphasis on talent (and the authenticity of this talent) by progressing to this more entertaining and challenging sound. Meat Puppets country? Sure, why not. But if the Minutemen put out an album of Scottish bagpipe marches, I'm selling my stereo. Pilgrimage Toward Justice, Peace and Hope led by brothers from the Ecumenical Community in Taize, France. October 19th and 20th FRIDAY:.7:30 p.m. - Evening Prayers around the Cross in solidarity with suffering people around the world. St. Francis of Assissi Catholic Church, 2250 E. Stadium Blvd. Social Time. SATURDAY: 9:00 - Morning Prayers; Scripture Study, silence, discussion around the Theme of the pilgrimage. Noon Prayers Above events at Second Baptist Church, 850 Red Oak, Ann Arbor 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Visits with people from places of justice and hope in Ann Arbor during a peace fair at First Baptist Church, 512 E. Huron, Ann Arbor 6:00 p.m. Supper at First Baptist Church 7:00 p.m. Candle-light walk to St. Andres's, 306 N. Division, Ann Arbor 7:30 p.m. Festival of resurrection, St. Andrew's, 306 N. Division, Ann Arbor Sponsored by a widely Ecumenical Group of Christian Churches For more information call 668-7421 or 761-6273 Knuckling under the pressure of "Limbus Orangutanus?" The "Cure" is within reach this October 26th! Still another friendly warning from Zenith Data Systems EE }4 Cellist t Internationally reknowned cellist Charles Curtis will perform with pianist Heasock Rhee, a University doctoral candidate, in a special School of Music concert at 4 p.m. Saturday in the school's Recital Hall. Curtis has performed with orchestras in cities throughout the world including Berlin, Florence, and Frankfort; and in recital in London, Berlin, Munich, and erfo rm Stuttgart. He has won many prestigious competitions and awards, including the 1984 Gregor Piatogorsky Artist Award of the New York Violincello Society. The recital, which the pair will be The recital, which the pair will per- form as part of Rhee's dissertation, will feature works by Barber, Schumann, Webern, Chopin, and Beethoven. Ad- mission is free and open to the public. A Pauline Gagnon (right) portrays Antigone and Maggie Lally is the Chorus in "Antigone," which will be performed Oct. 22 to 28 in the Trueblood Theatre in the Frieze Building. For more information, those interested may call the University's Department of Theatre and Drama at 763-5212. 4 Rock star acquitted of charges, feels God MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - A federal court jury "I ACTUALLY felt the power of God," he said. Great Balls of Fire" and "A Whole Lotta of S yesterday acquitted rock 'n' roller Jerry Lee Lewis of The Internal Revenue Service has collected slightly Going On," spent thousands of dollars on exp tax evasion charges, and the jubilant singer said the more than $500,000 from Lewis by filing liens against jewelry and cars while his tax bill went unpaid. verdict made him feel "the power of God." his concert receipts and recording contracts and by LEWIS FILED tax returns for the disputed hakin' ensive years Specators in the U.S. District courtoom erupted in cheers as the foreman reported that jurors had cleared Lewis of charges that he tried to hide his assets to avoid paying more than $1.1 million in taxes, penalties and interest for 1975 through 1980. "I knew I wasn't guilty, but then again, you never know what's going to happen," Lewis, dressed in dark glasses, a leather jacket and cowboy boots, told reporters. seizing cars, jewelry and other personal property belonging to the singer. The government says Lewis still owes $653,796 in taxes, penalties and interest for the disputed years, but the singer said he does not know yet what he will do about paying off the debt. "If I can get a good GI loan, I've got it made,." Lewis, 49, quipped while leaving the courtroom. The prosecution tried to show that Lewis, who became famous in the 19505 with songs such as but voluntarily paid only $5,000 toward the tax bill, Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Gosnell said. Ms. Gosnell told the jury that Lewis believes "he is above the law." But Lewis said the prosecution lawyer was an agent of the devil while defense lawyer Bill Clifton was working for God. "When that lady got up to talk, I could feel the powr of Satan," Lewis said. "When Mr. Clifton got up, I could feel the power of God. _____ Mondale, Reagan pose differing views on student aid (Continued from Page 1) was chopped." - "IN THE FIRST two years of the Reagan administration," he says, "the erosion of student assistance was 21%. That means that increases in funding didn't keep up with increases in cost by 21%. "Because of increases issued by Congress the last two years, the total OUR 13th ANNIVERSARY SALE SAVE 20-50% ON NEW FALL MERCHANDISE From: Esprit " Guess " Girbaud " Willi Wear " Levi " Jag * Generra 9 Cacharel erosion since 1980 was reduced to 15%," said Kruger. "That's still a substantial amount." At the University of Michigan, the amount of aid has increased by 20% since 1980, while the cost per student as gone up 40%. "IF YOU looked at financial aid spending over the last four years," said Borset, "you'd see that funding has remained fairly stable. There haven't been too many cuts, except for the cuts in Social Security benefits." In 1980, President Reagan signed into law the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. For the 750,000 students then eligible for Social Security educational benefits, this act has meant a gradual decrease in aid. This year, they will receive 25% of what they received in RNN, 5th Avenue at Liberty St < 761-9700 DAILY 1 st MATINEE $2.00 SN10/21 /84 SNEAK PREVIEW OF "CHOOSE ME" AT 8:30 P.M. See both "Privates" and "Choose Me"at 650 p m.or 8:30 p.m_ JOHN GLEESE PRIVATES ON PARADE "SATIRICAL- AND NOSTALGIC:" -David Denby,_ N.Y.MAGAZINEX(R)< FRI.1:00,710, 9:10, 12:00 a.m. SAT.1:10, 3.10, 5:10, 7.10. 9:10, 12:00 am. UN. 12150.,2:50, 4:50, 6:50, 10:20 MON 1:00.7:10, 9:10 'A FABULOUS FAIRY TALE" Vincent Canby, NEW YORK TIMES G ABRIEL GARCIA MARQEZS'~ ERENDIRA S TANG IRENE PAPAS SCREEPLAY BY GABRIEL GARCIA MARQUEZ (Nobel Prize Winner ,1982) 1981. Next year they will receive nothing. Reagan explained the shift before Congress, saying that "one of the high priorities I have set for my ad- ministration is the return to a more ap- propriate role of the Federal gover- nment in education." "WE HAVE slowed the alarming rate of growth of federal spending in education," said Reagan, "an area that is privately and rightfully a family and local government responsibility." The same rationale was applied to a 1981 move to require a needs test for Guaranteed Student Loans if the student has a family income over $30,000. The move also required a 50% origination fee to the lender, whether it be a commercial bank or the federal government." A spokesperson for the Reagan/Bush campaign who asked to remain un- named, says that the move "eliminated a lot of abuse in the system. People who had money for college were taking out these loans and pocketing the money." EDUCATORS, THOUGH, have said that some low-income families are no longer able to send their children to high-priced colleges. So are students better off now than they were four years ago? "For studen- ts recieving financial aid," says Borset, "the answer is debatable." "I think for the most part, we've been able to keep pace with the needs of in- state students," says Borset. "BUT OUT-OF-STATE students are another story. We've never been able to totally meet their needs. But what has happened is that over the last four years, the gap has grown." In general, it seems that some students are like Winifred Gritten, a graduate student in social work, who "hasn't faced any problems. I haven't seen a change." Other students, like Jeff Cartright, an LSA sophomore, have had to tighten their belts. "It's been a little tighter," he says. "I had to get another job, out- side of my work study. And I've had to cut back on my studying. But it hasn't been too much of a problem." FOR ROBERT Gondora, a music major, "things have gotten a little wor- se every year. It just means that I'll have to work a little more. "It's really hard to gauge what the ef- fect of Reagan's policies have been," says Borset. "It's hard to tell if a student who came here four years ago would not apply now because of the cost.' For graduate students, who wins the election could mean the difference bet- ween staying in school or not finishing. Reagan this year proposed to eliminate federal graduate school fellowships, but it is expected that Mondale would retain the program. "This could really hurt those graduate students who rely on these grants to come here," says Mary Jarrett, fellowship officer of graduate studies. Another factor affected by the elec- tion will be the Higher Education Reauthorization Act. "This," explains Butts, "is when the House and the Senate sit down and look at all the dif- ferent programs and see which ones they want to keep. Then among all the ones that are left, see what changes have to be made." "Whoever wins the election will push for what they want," said Butts. "Depending on the make-up of Congress, they could have a lot of in- fluence." ''" All and jackets 10-50% off jackets 10% off North Face, Patagonia,~ U-M DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE AND DRAMA PRESENTS JEAN ANOUILH'S ANTIG ONE