Friday, September 15, 1989-- The Michigan Daily - Page 10
From frat row to fame,
Commander
Cody
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returns to the Blind Pig
BY BRIAN JARVINEN
D ID you catch Mission
Impossible's aweless covers at that
frat last weekend? No? Not thrilled
by this lead, huh? Well it may be
hard to believe, but frat-bash cover
bands do occasionally develop into
talented, original musicians. It even
happened right here in hipsville, dur-
ing that decade that still controls our
culture, the '60s.
I'm talking about The Fantastic
Surfing Beavers. No, they're not an-
other one of those bizarre groups
you've never heard of that us
"critics" at the Daily are always
telling you about. The Beavers got
their start playing local frats but
soon became Commander Cody and
the Lost Planet Airmen, long-hair
country-rock (with some R&B
thrown in too) bar band extraordi-
naire. You know, the guy that sings
"son you're gonna drive me to drink-
ing if you don't stop driving that hot
rod Lincoln" on those K-Tel's
Goofy Greats records you drove
your mom crazy with when you
were seven.
Anyway, the Commander is com-
ing home tonight after a three-and-a-
half-year absence. But Cody is quick
to point out that this isn't a 'come-
back,' cuz "How can you be on a
come-back when you never made it
in the first place," adding "a touring
band, that's not my life. My real life
is more art, which it always has
been. Just for a few years in the
early '70s I put in 300 days a year
building up my name and music."
(The Commander has a degree in fine
arts from the U, so there).
And the Commander has indeed
been busy since the '70s.
Throughout the early '80s he toured
the continent that really knows how
Anyway, the
Commander is coming
home tonight after a
three-and-a-half-year
absence. But Cody is
quick to point out that
this isn't a 'come-back,'
cuz 'How can you be on
a come-back when you
never made it in the first
place.'
tunes that should have put the
record, which "got great reviews," in
every truck cab from here to the
ozone. Unfortunately the record was
on an independent label, was not re-
leased on 8-track, and Cody couldn't
tour behind the record due to an auto
accident that occurred shortly after it
was released.
Let's Rock featured several of the
original Airmen but Cody now tours
with a "really hot" band of veteran
musicians from his current home,
Marin County, California. Most of
the Airmen have retired from the
touring life, with the exception of
guitarist Billy C. Farlow, who has
"been writing some great - new
tunes." Cody is back in the studio,
which is "workin' real good."
So, if you think country-rock
means The Eagles' Greatest Hits,
find true enlightenment by watching
a band that plays classics such as
"Riot in Cell Block #9" and origi-
nals like "Seeds and Stems Again
Blues" (my fingers are crossed), fire
up your diesel, (but don't tell your
mama), and head on down to the
Blind Pig.
COMMANDER CODY will per-
form tonight at 9 and 11:30 p.m. at
the Blind Pig. Tickets are $12.50,
available at the door and at all
Ticketmaster outlets.
His hair might be shorter and he finally does look like a real truck driver, but Commander Cody still plays those
beer 'n' diesel oil tunes Fat Al was always raving about.
GET IT!I
The Personal Column
MICHIGAN DAILY CLASSIFIED ADS
to appreciate American music,
Europe. In 1986 he released the ex-
cellent Let's Rock (appropriately
enough on Blind Pig records, so
named by a former owner of the
Pig). Let's Rock featured some of
Cody's trademark rockabilly ditties
as well as some fine straight country
q
Jou canfinda mintos iom,
wemi t put one in yours. Free.
0 LV
LAWf
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l Ce~ AR EVO ,G MACWTS
GeEAT AEQCAO.
OOJlt (111fNIN
In what will surely be the easiest test of your intellect this term, Apple invites you
to try winnfing a free Applex Macintoshk Plus personal computer merely by finding it in
this drawing.
Well even give you a hint: It s not the table, the lamp, or the chair
Now you're on your own.
To register look for contest details where Macintosh computers are sold on your
campus. Oh, all right, we1llgive you a hint for that, tOO: Look at the bottom of this ad.
But do it really really fast. Because only one Macintosh is being given away on this
campus, and it's going to happen soon.
Soon, as in right away: Pronto. Quick-like.
But hey you can take a hint.
Somehodvs going to win a free Maintosh.
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