ARTS The Michigan Daily Wednesday October 9, 1985 Page 5 Game Theory reveals play tactics By Beth Fertig Critically acclaimed Enigma recording artists Game Theory will be performing tomorrow night at the Blind Pig at 10p.m. Cuppa Joe ji open the show; the cover is $4. Daily staff writer Beth Fertig in- terviewed Game Theory's song writer/composer Scott Miller by phone, last week while he was working on his upcoming record. Daily: Is this tour going to be your first time through Ann Arbor? Miller: Yes...we wanted to on our last tour. D: Is this your first time touring alone, or do you headline with other bands? r: We were sort of headlining on the last tour. We usually headline, but we've never toured with another band. D: How long have you been together? M: For about three years. I've had different bands as Game Theory. We formed for the first time in September of '82. That line up was Nancy Becker on keyboards, Fred Juhos on bass and Mike Erwin on drums. He was then replaced with Dave Gill on our recor- ds. Then (two years later) Dave had a kid, Nancy had a kid, Fred split for a band where he wrote all the songs. Q: How did you find the people in your new line-up? M: I moved to the Bay area and found all of these people. Dan Vallor, who is managing this tour was pretty instrumental in helping me find them. But I kept the name because we already had an album in the can as dame Theory. Records on Real Nighttime - do you duplicate those when playing live? M: No, we don't use Simmons drums anymore. Not many drum- mers have Simmons. And whenever I hear them I think of a TV commer- cial. I don't have anything in favor of being stripped down like this. It's whatever's available to us. Whatever we can afford. I'm not adverse to ef- fects, we're pretty adventurous with our one synthesizer. Whatever we have, we try to make the best of. D: Do you foresee any merge with the LA music scene? M: We're friends with the Three O'Clock, and I wrote a song on their last record. As far as merging into the LA scene, we've never had strikingly good luck in the big city scene. We're not really part of any scene anywhere. So there's no pressure to conform. D: How about the Davis scene? M: I don't really know if there is a Davis scene to speak of at this point like there was in the early '80s with The Suspects and The Dream Syn- dicate. That was a scene. The college radio would support it heavily. There really isn't anything there anymore. But it wasn't a made-up scene...they'd go to each other's shows...and the bands didn't all hate each other or anything. Nowhere is a scene, really. Davis is the only one I've come across per- sonally. Maybe in LA with the psychedelic/garage bands for a while...I don't know. D: How about Athens, Georgia? What about towns like that and Min- neapolis and Austin - what makes them? M: I don't think Athens qualifies as a scene (from people I've spoken to) ... Minneapolis, possibly...Austin might be. D: So how about this current tour you're on - how big is it? M: Pretty big. We go all the way back East and South. It's seven weeks including the time spent on the album. D: Do you intend to stay with Enigma/Rational Records? M: I'm not real wild about staying with them. There's a lack of interest from them. We're signed to them, but I'm going to try to get a deal with a major label. Independents don't work... Alot of people, I think, say that they're committed to an independent label when they're not. D: Would it affect your band in any way, to sign to a major label? M: No. Most major labels allow complete artistic control. If they think you know what your market is. They have plenty of maleable people that they think they can just mold for a hit. If we got signed, we'd just go ahead and do what we like. The only thing I'd hate is if they had an album in the can and it stays there. Then, even if it's good (when it comes out) it's not your new stuff. D: When do you expect the new album to be released? M: Hopefully fairly soon. Januray of '86. D: Game Theory won Future Artist of the Year ("Best Undiscovered New Talent") at the 1984 CMJ New Music Awards in New York. Could you tell me about what that means, how it happened, and how it effects the band? M: CMJ has a tip sheet they com- piled of radio airplay for bands by college/non-commercial radio stations, progressive stations. They took a poll of subscribers, and took the bands that are not signed to a large record label...bands which had EP's which did well. They then took a poll of their subscribers (for the best band). We won by one vote, I think. But that hasn't really shot our career through the roof. It might have had something to do with Real Night- time doing as well as it did. D: How well is that - do you have stats? M: 6,000 sales now. We hit about #11 on alternative radio charts. D: Getting back to this tour, how big are the places you're playing? M: Minimum fifty people, largest was 4500 in Fort Collins, Colorado. But that's very untypical. Typical is 200- 300. D: Where are your fans concen- trated? Are you enjoying any star- dom? M: We have a lot of fans back home, but can't get paid much in the Bay Area. The last LA show was pretty decent. There's lots of LA fans, but that's a recent development. There's none in New York City. Lots in Boston, Atlanta - college towns. D: Do you consideer your style at all influenced by Alex Chilton? M: No, I'm not really influenced by Alex Chilton. I'd already been writing songs for years and had a record out by '80. He allegedly sounded like me. I like him; I think he's great, that's why there's that 'influence' maybe a little. It's like Elvis Costello's effect on the Aztec Camera record. I really had my style developed by then. D: Do you plan to collaborate again with the Three O'Clock? M: I don't have any plans at the moment but I'd love to. We just don't see each other much. When we're in the vicinity we visit...I'd like to (collaborate) but I don't know. I probably will sometime. Game Theory - The latest band from the studio of Mitch Easter. D: How about your new album - the one you're currently working on? M: We've done all of the basic tracks, we'll come back to mix it sometime by November. Mitch Easter is producing it - we've been recording it in his studio, here. D: Are there any changes in your sound on this new album? M: It's kind of hard to put your fin- ger on it...It's definitely different from the last one. There's more em- phasis on real musical sounding songs - everything should succeed melodically, first. They (the new songs) are all based on some melody that I hope would stand on they're own against other melodies - like "Yesterday" of the Beatles. They're real melody-heavy. It's really no more commercial sounding than the last record... D: The studio effects that you used Minutemen - Project: Mersh (SST) Following four sides of quantum rock par-excellance is a challenge for any band. But alas, the Minutemen cry "Damn the torpedoes" and an- swer the call of duty with their 6-cut follow up to Double Nickels; the new Project: Mersh-. Mersh boasts a cover painting (by frontman D. Boon) of stogied record company execs contemplating sales as one light bulbs with "I got it. We'll Dave them write hit songs!" And with Mersh, they might have done just that. dSide one attests that if D. Boon can't paint, he can write songs. Maybe not hit songs, but songs. "The Cheerleaders" opens the side, a sort of "Double Nickels" update with its somewhat sloppy jazzy sound. The hip-hop-hoedown sound again elec- trifies the fusion roots, but it's D. Boon's "Think" vocals that give the spng its M-men feel: Do you have to see the body bags before you make a stand?he asks. Before you pass this off as a Double Nickels remnant, what's this? A horn part? Very Tull- ish, the horn part, courtesy of someone named Crane, gives the song a Chicagoesque feel, that keeps the song as aesthetic as it is cerebral. The quicker "King of the Hill" follows, a jumpier, gulp, anthemic chorus, backed by a frenzied tom-tom and another uplifting horn piece. A catchy, effect-less guitar solo rounds the song off to make it the poppish tune of the EP. Contrasting the pop sound, the Minutemen hold close to their garage roots and pay homage to Jon Kay with an anti-slick cover of Steppenwolf's "Hey Lawdy Mama." Weak vocals and bare guitar work make the cut the album's weakest, but you know damn well they'll play it in their live sets. Bassist Mike Watt takes credit for the EP's second side. His "Take Our Test" puts the band in their profoun- dest light. The confusing lyrics pour over an almost hypnotic U2-ish music line. When reality seems digital and the big hankering cometh, I'll vote yes' for life in the big 'choice' poll. I'll be glad I did, Watt says in the middle of the song, as the fine line between poetry and punctuation- muddied obviousness becomes hazy. But with the climactic ending, Boon repeats in a croon Forever with you, ever without you as the rest of the band drones out "Take Our Test." Hypnotic, darn near psychedelic harmonies from the men that brought us the infinitely thrashy Paranoid Time LP? Thank God for musical Darwinism. Mersh may not have the quantum effect of Double Nickels, but the eclecticness and talent are still there. And now the songs are almost, geez, three minutes long. Quality counts, and it's here. Boon's thoughtful lyrics and sometimes Doorsy approach are complimented amply by catchy riffs, jumpy bass lines, and especially strong drumming from George Hurley. And lest we forget, the new use of horns. The saga continues... -Hobey Echlin The Fleshtones - Speed Connection II: The Final Chapter (IRS) "They're back...Paris March 4, 1985," reads the new Fleshtones' album jacket. In case this title rings a bell, or conjures up a brief deja-vu, Speed Connection II is basically a remixed American packaging of its imported relative, Speed Connection. The former album was mastered in an incredible 36 hours (hence the name) from a recording of a perfor- mance this New York-based garage band played at the Club Gibus in Paris this past spring. Speed Connection was available only on the French IRS label, but alas - when the time came for an American release, the record company decided that the third night the Fleshtones played to The Club was, in fact the strongest set - and thus mixed it down for Speed Connec- tion II: The Final Chapter. On a note of comparison, there are only slight discrepancies between the two recorded performances, other than the price of imported vs. domestic. There is a material dif- ference of four songs among the nineteen. But the overall performance of the new record is wilder, brighter and rowdier; and the sound produc- tion, like the band, is raw, bristly and vibrant. Their mean and dirty Animalsesque style includes thrashing drums, really cheesy keyboards, and the harsh, energetic vocals of Peter Zaremba. SCII also includes the assistance of R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck, who hops on stage with the Fleshtones for the soul-filled and seedy "When The Night Falls." This number then takes the band, minus Buck, through a rowdy version of R.E.M.'s "Wind Out." The Fleshtones are a party, no mat- ter what the performance date. In fact, any single track of Speed Con- nection II should prove an instant testament of this. From the spoken French introduction, to the en- thusiastic chiming-in of the French audience on "La La La La Reprise," this album captures the Fleshtones with all the energy of their full per- formance form. -Beth Fertig FORD FOUNDATION DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS FOR MINORITIES AppliCations now available in 160 Rackham Deadline Nov. 15, 1985 Free The Bogomolny's in the Soviet Union against their will for nineteen years. - Your letter can make a difference! COME TO THE FISHBOWL Wednesday, Oct. 9 10-3 Thursday, Oct. 10 10-3 U of M Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry Greek folk dance amarred by dificulties CLASSIFIED CLASSICS PRESENTS... TRADITIONALLY, lighting is em- ployed to create a specific mood or atmosphere with the purpose of enhancing the action occuring on stage, discreetly accentuating the performance. Poorly utilized, lighting emphasizes the shortcomings of a performance that might otherwise pass unnoticed. The Kalidiskopio of Greece, in a technically poor and unprofessionally staged show at the Power Center last Sunday night, was guilty of the aforementioned offence, proffering a performance that was little more than a mish mash of assorted technical blunders and poorly conceived staging. Consistently poorly timed, the lights were indiscriminately flashed on and off, and often combined incongruous color combinations bathing the per- formers in hideous hues of orange, purple and white. These factors proved most distracting when trying to follow the movements of the less than exuberant dancers, who con- tinuously watched their feet and lacked the general energy and en- thusiasm typically possessed by folk dancers. Sadly, it was not until the finale of the first half, 70 minutes into the performance, that the dancers displayed the vivacious, confider' movements that Greek folk dancing* famous for. Singers flashed their inexperienC like a neon sign by standing frozE during instrumental sections of the songs. Rather than involving then selves and the audience in the oftE spectacular music, the performers o ten stared at the ceiling or turn( their back to the audience. In fact, the only consistently ente taining aspect of the Kalidoskopio performance was the music. Giorg( Katsaros beautifully directed t: Katsaros Television Bouzouki O chestra, whose virtuosic renderings' both modern and traditional GreE music were the stand-outs on a stag awash in mediocrity. Also impressiN were two brilliantly vibrant solos, one by Katsaros on the saxophone, the other by celebrated bouzouki tenor, Yannis Bithikotsis. Both evoked an uproarious applause from the audien- ce and were likely the high-point of the evening's entertainment. -Susanne Baum GREEK GAB OCT. 1-31 D - JOIN THE GREEK SYSTEM Form Lasting Friendships Enjoy the Greek Tradition Freshman - Sophomore - Junior - Senior Women Welcome! Mass Meeting: Wednesday, October 9, 7:00 p.m. Pendleton Room, Michigan Union Rush Party: Thursday, October 10, 7:00 p.m. Pendleton Room, Michigan Union Personal Friday, October 11, begin 9:00 a.m.- Interview: Michigan Union (Appointments prefered; interview sign-up at Mass Meeting, or call Panhellenicfor appointment- 663-4505.) Preference Saturday, October 12, 4:00 p.m. Party: The location will be announced. ANNOUNCE PARTIES & SPECIAL EVENTS. SEND MESSAGES & INFORMATION. COLUMN GUIDELINES " FREE one day insertion " offer valid thru specified dates only " Place ads on Wednesdays at the Fishbowl or weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at The Michigan Daily, 420 Maynard. * c ..... .. ... .. .. ......... . .................. .cc.g... ............ e........ ........... g...*. .... .... . .. .... .... .... ... ..... .....c.... .. ........ .............. ce.................Sgc~ ~................... c.. .. ................ * *** ...... .... .. ... .... ..ee egg ... ... ... .... 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