The Michigan Daily Saturday, March 30, 1985 Page 5 'Guadalcanal Diary'redefines eclectic By Hobey Echlin W alking in the shadow of the big man is a hard thing to do. Especially if that big man is the likes of R.E.M., the dB's, the B-52's and many other bands that have come out of Georgia's neo-Motownish music mec- ca. But in a show of diversity, can- vassing everything from country of African music, Guadalcanal Diary left the big man face-down in the mud with boot-prints on his back. G.D.'s sound turned the packed Blind Pig crowd into new followers of this highly talented band that up until now has retained a great degree of obscurity as a southern cult-band, even though they have war- med up for such acts as the psych Furs and X. But after Thursday's show, they probably won't be the ones opening for long. It's Raining opened the show with a surprisingly strong set, featuring ex- cellent sound, a formidable Brian Eno cover, and fantastic drum-work from Brad Ross Fairman. "Radioland," the title track from their EP, proved to be the strongest song in the set, as singer/guitarist Matthew Smith alter- nated spastic guitar work and spirited vocals. Guadalcanal Diary appeared, opening with a smooth cover of the Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows," a kind of friendly gesture to the new Northern audience. "Michael Rockefeller" followed with clean, Byr- dsy vocals from frontman Murray At- taway and varying guitar work from Jeff Walls, ranging from subtle, quick picking to ringing chord shifts from his cutaway Rickenbacher. "Dead Eyes" came next, revealing the more harsh side of the band with its sound, like a cross between the Damned and the Grateful Dead. Carrying their macabre theme to the heartstrings, G.D. followed next with the ballad of the help-seeking homicidal maniac called "Please Stop Me". And if you're doubting G.D.'s in- tegrity about now, understand it's all part of their unique ability to combine the uncombinable. Not many bands can open with a psychedelic Beatles' cover and then break into a song that fuses the unlikely elements of country and African rhythms, as heard in "Michael Rockefeller." But when you see bassist Rhett Crowe doin' a bit of Southern clogging while John Poe pounds out a heavy tom-laden tribal beat during "Dead Eyes," you know it just comes naturally to G.D. The theme of combining the uncom- binable is also manifest in the more ab- stract spiritual element of the band. Songs like "Fire from Heaven" and "Why Do the Heathens Rage?" are fun songs you can dance to. But underneath lies what writer Murray Attaway described as his "personal fascination with Christianity as a force." A force, Attaway adds, that through history has been responsible for the unlikely com- bination of starting the most wars and producing some of the best music ever written. Don't get me wrong; G. D. is no religious band. Songs like "Gilbert Takes the Wheel," are instrumentals and nothing else but professions of musical talent. "Gilbert" was my per- sonal favorite of the show, I guess just because it sounds like Iron Butterfly doing "I Will Follow" and quickly shifts into a kind of rock fusion. And if you're still not convinced that G.D. isn't some Zen-mastered outfit, their heavy metal cover of "Johnny B. Goode" that had Murray "gatoring" on his back with maracas while drummer John Poe sip- ped a beer disinterestedly, ought to be proof enough. G. D. ended their set with "Watusi Rodeo," picking up on the congo/cowboy theme of "Michael Rockefeller," heard in "Rodeo" 's mix of country guitar and African drum- ming and natives-cum-cowhands lyrics. Still fusing the disparate, G. D. managed to thoroughly amaze and please the Pig with its diverse encore set. "I Can See For Miles" found its way into the middle of a frenzied "Kumbayah," while "Minnie the Moocher" (you know, the song Cab Calloway sings in the Blues Brothers) had a surprising "London Calling" opening. The white hat of the "Gun- smoke" theme got a chuckle or three, while the black hat of the fallen gun- slinger in "(I Wish I Shot) Johrt Wayne" had the audience singing the grating "Steppin' Stone"-ish chorus. And if you'd never think all those songs and tastes could be put into a 4-song en- core, well, you'll get a chance to see them again in about 6 months, but that'll probably be at the Michigan Theater. One final note about the band itself. I've been saying all along how G. D. can mix oil and water and come up with something a helluva lot better than a sour salad dressing. The band as people are proof enough of that. Bassist Rhett Crowe, clad in a Twister-mat skirt and cowboy boots, with large, clear horn- rimmed glasses dominating her close- cropped hair and makeup-less face, learned bass just three years ago, and admits her lacking in musical prowess. But she seems to be the one having all the fun. Drummer John Poe, a lanky veteran of bands, has a style that suggests his simple 5-piece set and he are somehow organically attached. "Drum just came natural," he com- ments, which seems okay from someone who suggests his musical in- spiration comes from "listening to bir- ds" and other elements of nature. Guitarist Jeff Walls combines about twelve styles into his own unlikely style, which fuses, among other things the sporadic harmonics of the Edge of the clean picking and chord work of a blues* master. Never have I seen smoother twelve-string than Jeff Walls, What's more is he's got these "little sausage fingers," as Rhett called them, that make him an even more unlikely guitar pro. Writer/guitarist Murray Attaway looked a bit like something out of a Dead show, in his black robe and amulet necklace. But as he explained they aren't gimmicks: the robes are comfortable, and the amulet, well, that's a gift from a friend. No story, no gimmick, just there. And now you're probably asking yourself how they can combine into one band. Beats me, but somehow they do it, and did it at the Pig Thursday night. Daily Photo by ANDREW PORTER 'Guadalcanal Diary' rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist Murray Attaway helped prove that his band from Georgia is not an imposter but a very impressive unit. 'Fals,,taff' proyes deliejous By Jeffrey Seller F ALSTAFF is an irresistable opera. Synthesizing bright, vivacious music and farcical, innocent comedy, it is packed with charming, eccentric characters and hysterical situations that inspire our interest and subsequently evoke our laughter and enjoyment. Indeed, as presented Thur- sday night by the University of Michigan School of Music, it proved that only one trapped in a sensory deprivation tank could fail to delight in this endearing opera. Based on Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor, the opera depicts the frolicking efforts of Sir John Falstaff, portrayed Thursday night by Stephen Morscheck,.to retain his hedonistic way of life by wooing two wives of Windsor and consequently gaining access to their fortunes. One hairbrained scheme leads to another, and after numerous silly situations, reminiscent of Abbott and Costello movies, Falstaff receives his due justice from the townsfolk. The cast sings their roles with varying degrees of vocal proficiency. While I do not claim to be anything but opera appreciator and theatre critic. Records 20/20 - George Benson (Warqer Bros.) Who is this masked man? Beneath a veneer of slick, pop sounding MOR songs 'with synthetic drums stands George Benson. Remember him he of the jazz guitar? He of fusion and soul? Gone is that Benson of yesteryear, as we clear for an album of purely com- mercial material. 20/20, THIS new release from Ben- son, doesn't contain one song penned by the artist. This neat package of AM radio love songs seems crafted to sell him more as a pop-singer. The album opens up with the bright, peppy "No One Emotion," on which he doesn't even play guitar. Instead, Benson has been replaced by Michael Sembello, which makes it sound quite a bit like Maniaz of Flashdance fame. This song, along with several of the other numbers, including the catchy "Hold Me," mixes pure pop with clean production. It's fun and might even deserve to do well, commercially. However, it's just not like anything one is used to associating with George Ben- son. Drum machines and synthesizers make up the bulk of this album (although not in a heavy-handed way, thankfully), and Benson merely plays for occasional lead guitar fillers. There is one piece that's straight combined to write this review, I will assert that Morscheck, as Falstaff, projects a rich, focused baritone that commands our attention, and Gregory S. Broughton as Fenton, a young knight seeking the hand of a local girl, projects a bright tenor quality that rings with clarity and beauty throughout the theatre. Under the stage direction of Jay Lesenger, the cast executes well and with coherent togetherness. Nowhere are their efforts more clear than in the second act when Ford, the husband of one of the wives Falstaff is wooing, along with a group of armed townsmen, rip-roars through his own house in search of that scoundrel Falstaff, who hides in a closet, then laundry basket. Undergarments from clothing baskets and stacks of paper from desk drawers fly, wives run to and fro hiding Falstaff from the men, and to complicate mat- ters more, two young lovers run around searching for kissing spots. Indeed, chaos fills the house, but all is even- tually rectified and the men and women delight in Falstaff's defeat as he is carried away in a laundry basket to be dumped in the river. This scene also beautifully exem- plifies the amalgamation of music and drama that Falstaff achieves. The music, conducted by Gustav Meier, director of University orchestras and opera, breathes with the action, fueling the chaos and suspense, and accom- panying the dramatic victory with a vitality that sends our spirits soaring. Lesenger's visual artistry reaches its height in the final act when the town- sfolk, young and old, dressed as goblins and witches, seek their final revenge on Falstaff. Here, an animated mass of people beautifully costumed in heavy, rough textured reds, burgundies, and browns, set against a blue-lit night, move as one to taunt, scare and aggravate the silly protagonist. Lesenger is a director who knows precisely how to provide an audience with a good time. His opera never misses a beat, from the first moment when we are introduced to the lovable rogue, to the last, when he is chased off stage by an energetic group of eight year old boys. Indeed, as the ensemble ;sings, "the world is merely folly, and men are born to be jolly," one cannot help but get caught up in the fun! Falstaff runs through Sunday at the Power Center. Saturday's performance is at 8:00 pm and Sunday's performan- ce is at 2 pm. Tickets are available at the door. Slade School of Fine Arts, University of London Painting and Drawing for Credit of Non-Credit Through The University of Michigan School of Art ART IN ENGLAND July 1- August 8, 1985 - OPENMEETINGS - Tuesday, April 2, 12:30 Wednesday, April 3, 12:30 Art & Architecture Building, Room 2213, North Campus In repl... Is passive smoking more" than a minor nuisance or real annoyance. That's a broad and vague statement being made in a nation-wide, multi- million dollar campaign by R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. For those who are fortunate not to have a chronic lung or heart disease, who don't suffer from allergies, or who may not have an acute respiratory illness that may be true. However, medical evidence is conclusive: passive smoking is injurious to a large number of individuals - young and old, rich and poor, and from any ethnic group. music, titled "Stand Up." It's jazzy and breezy, a big change from the rest of the material. However, there are also. two incredibly schlocky numbers that make for purely painful listening. His voice drowned in reverb, Benson now needs only Jim Steinman to over- produce "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For-You," making it an AM radio hit, deservant of a rendition by Air Sup- ply. The lyrics are pathetically sweet to the point of saccharine (or maybe Nutrasweet, now), ahd one could easily lose track of how many times the word "love "is mentioned, as in the chorus: Nothing's gonna change my love for you, you oughta know by now how much I love you. One thing you can be sure of, I'll never ask for more than your love. . . Needless to say,, this speaks for itself. One truly bright spot on 20/20 is Ben- son's rendition of the 40's song, "Beyond the Sea." Upbeat and classically big band sounding, this song is great fun. However, there just isn't enough of it to counterbalance the rest of this album. Takiing off in a new direction, Benson seems to be reaching for wider com- merical appeal, maybe just more of that MOR audience that has been won over by artists such as Lionel Richie. For some, this might seem an attrac- " c T~ tive direction. However, for those who were fans of Benson's older styles, their vision of this artist is no longer exactly 20/20. - Beth Fertig KERASOTES THEATRES MOVIE DIRECTORY WAYSIDE 1 & 2 3020 Washtenaw Ave., Ypsilanti, 434-1782 BABY Fri.,Mon.-Thurs. 5,7, 9 Sat"&Sun 1 3,5,7,9 RETURN OF THE JEDI Fri., Mon Thurs. 4:45, 7:05, 9:25 Sat&Sun1:30,4:00,6:50,9:20 CAMPUS THEATRE 1214 S. University - Phone 668-6416 RETURN OF THE JEDI Fri., Mon Thurs 4 30 7 00, 9:30 Sat. & Sun. 2:00, 4:30, 7:00, 9:30 STATE--2-3-4 LOCATED IN THE HEART OF A THEATRE DISTRICT 231 S. State - Phone 662-6264 TICKETS ON SALE 30 MN BEFORE SHOW TIME FRIDAY THE 13th, PART 5 A NEW BEGINNING . Fri, Mon Thurs 5:25 7:30 9 35 Sat.&Sun.1:10,3:20,5:25,7:30,9:35 BREAKFAST CLUB Fri., Mon.-thurs. 5:25,7:30, 9:35 Sat. &Sun.1103:205:25,7:30,9:35 THE SURE THING Fri., Mon Thurs.5:20,7:25,9:30 Sat. & Sun. 1:05, 3:15, 5:20, 7:25, 9:30 1984 ~1A~A1 ©1979 'I -(K' utJ t2SCPtD \u AT OU'Y Smoking is legal, no 'question about that. But who has the right in a public place to give some innocent bystander what the to- bacco industry down plays as a "minor nui- sance" or "real annoyance"? According to the tobacco industry, smok- ing is a personal decision made by adults. Unfortunately the sidestream smoke from a cigarette, pipe or cigar becomes public, af- fecting everyone around, and therefore should be subject to certain rules, controls and laws to protect people in public places. If we can have laws to protect us from outdoor air pollution, why not for indoor pollution from toxic tobacco smoke? The tobacco industry complains about nonsmokers: "Total strangers feel free to abuse us verbally in public without warning." That's usually the re- sult when someone assaults another, and being forced to breathe another's tobacco smoke is considered assault. The majority of Americans are nonsmokers. There's something wrong with the system when those in the minority can have such a drastic effect on the majority ... and that's what so often happens when smokers' sides- tream smoke invades the public air space of nonsmokers. +..+.. .:. ..-..:. .. .:.........:.. .. . . .+:..:.. . ..++...++++++++++++++++++ . . .. :+++++++++ . .