0 THE DANCING HOODS Proving Pop Doesn't Have to Be Pabulum BY GREG PTACEK rary pop band. There, I said it! You can put this article down now, if you want, and walk quietly away before someone sees you reading it. Association with musica-non-esoterca can cost you friends in certain campus circles. On the other hand, if you yearn for music that's both danceable andlisten- able, read on, because the Hoods quite freely admit they give good pop. One of the reasons the band doesn't shun that tag is probably because they genuinely are diffi- cult to label. There's a power pop rhythm that pervades most of their work, but on top of that foundation rests such diverse influences as Smokey Robinson, Bob Dylan, the Ramones, the Romantics, the Beatles, Iggy Pop, the Raspber- ries and the Beach Boys. Of contemporary bands, the Rave-Ups come closest to their sound. But while the Rave-Ups look for inspiration in country and western, the Long Island-based Hoods look quite naturally in their own backyard, borrowing freely from the proto-punk New York sound of the Velvet Under- ground era. Their first album, Jealous Roses, has that distinctive stripped-down, warehouse-like echo that characterized the production of Velvet Underground vinyl. The Hoods also front two lead singers, which helps keep their music fresh. Bob Bortnick is the shout-talker, mostly in charge of the hard-edged stuff; Eric Williams is the crooner. Rounding out the foursome is drummer Don Short and lead guitarist Freddy Mark Linkous, both of whom ac- complish the frequent style-switching without ever missing a beat. We caught up with Bortnick while he and the CONIENIS 0 0 VOL X, NO. 2, WINTER 1986 BITS AND PIECES By Greg Ptacek. Madonna's in a filmmaking mood again and even Frank Zappa wants to get into the television talk show routine. College Entertain- ment Guide's roundup of new, unusual and downright strange happenings in music and film. NOWMUSIC Don Waller joins Coffege Entertainment Guide as a slightly irregular, and very opinionated, columnist on the latest in music. In this issue's column, Waller takes on record prices, Beatles' commercialism and college radio. A GIANT AMONG HIS PEERS By Mike Bygrave. Martin Short's career is reaching new heights with three upcoming films, especially this month's The Three Amigos. CAPTURED LIVE What do the Del Fuegos, Fishbone and the True Believers have in com- mon? These bands' live acts are good enough to give up cable TV for. CLASSIC CLOWN By Don Waller. Comedian Jay Leno started cutting up in the sixth grade, but his career really took off on college campuses. He talks to Entertain- ment Guide about the road and making it as a young comedian. CALENDAR News, previews and current events in film and music. Updates on Christ- mas film and record releases and group tours. THE DANCING HOODS By Greg Ptacek. That dirty phrase, "pop music,'' gains new respectability with this band whose music is both danceable and, wonder of wonders, istenable. band were recording their next album in Los An- geles for Relativity Records. The LP, due out next January, will be supported by a tour. Best of all, the band reportedly sounds even better live. This is pop you can be proud of. On the absence of gimmickry in their music or looks: Bob Bortnick: ''There's very little thought that goes into our image. We never did the make up trick or dress all in leather. We're very proud of our songs, and we've always felt that should be enough to carry a band. If people get away from this overwhelming concern with "how do we look?" and start listening again, I think the state of music might change." On the current state of pop music: BB: "I keep saying that it's goingto get better. There are a few bands around-like the DBs, the Replacements, Husker Du-who could really make a serious dent in people's consciousness, make it kinda hip to like pop again. If one of us gets in there, breaks that hold on radio, it's going to change things. The Rave-Ups from Los Ange- les and Doctor's Mob out of Boston are two more bands I would put in this class. They are vastly different in sound, but, in a sense, they're doing the same thing: writing good music."' What's different about the industry now than when you grew up listening to radio? BB: "You have businessmen-strictly business- men-running the radio stations and record companies today. There are isolated examples of people who still really care about music, but they're much fewer and farther between than in the past. I think '72 or '73 was when I really started noticing a change. "Radio is going to have to open up a bit to let some of the better groups through. It wasn't al- ways this way. I grew up listening to AM radio, whose only concern was that it be good music. Now the songs have to fit a certain format. Col- lege radio is great, but it just doesn't seerm to reach enough people. Commercial radio, on the whole, sucksc"* Greg Ptacek writes about rock for severa/ na- tiona/publications andis Features Editor forCity- Sports magazine. a.yJR Smunnler mr odnerge EDITOAL MARTIN SHORT ASSISTANT TO THE PUBUISHER san vssesn DnTAnPROCESSINGSCERVICES Phi/ Phi/lips John Eicholtz MARKETING SERVICES DIRECTOR, MARKETING SVCS JMihel Hogan SUPERVOR FIELD OPERATIONS Victor Davis ACCOUNTING DASISTANT CONTROLLER a Greg Ptacek, Don ACCOUNTS PAYABLE CLERK SherriWebb torna at Los Ange/es COLLEGE MEDIA PLACEMENT SERVICE SENIOR ACCOUNT SUPERVISOR Jocelyn Hogan ACOUnfNTn SUPERVSOR ACCOUNT COORDINATOR Char/es Johnson CMPS ACCOUNTANT CMPS ACOUNTING CLERK RECEPTIONIST Amy Perrier ADVERTISINGOFFICES NEW YORK EASTERN ADVERTISING MANAGER RobBurton ACOUNT EXECUTIVES Cindy Vincent 250 Fth Avenu, Suite403 (212u696-0994 CHICAGO Harry Sherman Sherman Media Co. Chicago, Ilinos, 60610 (312) 751-1767 DETROIT Martin T Toh ey Mar Toohey Associates (313) 643-7797 LOS ANGELESu WESTERN REGIONAL MANAGER 303 N. Glenoaks Blvd, Suite 600 BurbankCal oaia,91502 MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS Spencer/Shenk Associates Ampersand'sColege Etertainment Gideis pub- ishe5bvsAlnWeown Pubising, a3isioen of Alan Weston Communications, Inc. PRESIDENT BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Sonymee VCE PRESIDENT, PUBuISHING Larry R. Smuckler CORPORATE TREASURER, VCE PRESIDENT FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION All rights reserved. Letters become the property of the publisher and may be edited. Before submitting manu- scripts, please send query letter and SASE. Publisher assumesanoiresponsibityforunsocitedmanuscrnptsor photographsus Pon otes during the school scrptions or not of change of ad dss, ite per nmsCuo snge 3rnmenr Gienoasn ston Conmmncosnci.,303 N. Glenoakes v.. Suite 600,.Burbnk, on 915us. 22 Ampersand Ampersand 3