ARTS
The Michigan Daily
Thursday, April 12, 1990
See, hear and touch Tommy
Page 5
by Kim Yaged
PERFORMED live! Yes, it is live,
stresses producer/bass guitarist/
background vocalist Dave Gould
about his performance of The Who's
rock opera Tommy at the Michigan
Union Ballroom tonight. Tom Mc-
Carthy performs on acoustic guitar,
Mike Feldman is on electric, Tom
Solomon plays keyboards, R.J.
pounds drums and Jeff Barron sings
the lead vocals. A horn section con-
sisting of Mark Klintworth and Jim
Broderick on trumpets, John Munzel
on alto sax, Sean Eastman on tenor
sax and John Forbis on trombone
rounds out the instrumentation. The
show also sports a professional light
display, slides and a smoke machine.
Tommy, the legendary musical
saga of the "deaf, dumb and blind
kid," relates his interactions with
Cousin Kevin, Uncle Ernie and the
Acid Queen on his sojourn. From
this innovative work stems some of
The Who's greatest hits, including
"Pinball Wizard."
"This thing has been my whole
life since like November," says
Gould. That is when Gould's quest
for the realization of his dream to
perform Tommy live began. Gould
solicited various local venues, but
no one wanted to deal with an inde-
pendent. Gould then looked to the
University Activities Center for
sponsorship and received it. This
task was colossal, Gould points out,
since UAC sponsors very few inde-
pendent events. Stressing the fact
that "It's not doing wonders for their
grades," Gould says the entire per-
formance was organized by indepen-
dent individuals. It has been a real
group effort in all respects: "We
even had a really cool diag banner,
but someone stole it."
A percentage of the profits will
go to UAC and the band will receive
the remainder, but that is not the
point. The band was formed for the
sole purpose of performing Tommy.
"We're not doing it for the money.,.
I'm doing this because it's a drearfi
of mine. The money thing isn't even
a part of it," explains Gould.
"People think you can't do jus-
tice to a band like The Who, but I
think we do," says Gould, "I just
think that if anyone likes The Who
they'll love us. Who fans don't want
to miss this!"
TOMMY will be performed
day April 12th at 8 pm
Michigan Union Ballroom.
are $3.50 at the door.
Thurs-
in te
Tickets
As best they can with only four members, the band Anne Be Davis
attempts to recreate the famous Brady Bunchfloating head motif.
Anne Be Davis sits in the
center of local music scene
by Scott Kirkwood
IT'S the end of the beginning for Anne Be Davis.
After years of playing the club circuits in Detroit and Ann Arbor,
vocalist David Harris, guitarist Julian Go, bassist Shaun Honeyman and
drummer Sande Satoskar are on the verge of national exposure. Their
debut release, Scout's Deposit, hits record stores and college airwaves
this week and will soon be distributed overseas by a local label, Picnic
Horn Records. From "Earthshake" to "Realize," the 10 cuts on Deposit
are college rock 'n' roll. Period. The album captures the band's live
sound quite well, but Anne Be Davis has made a living performing under
the lights, and that's where they're at their best. With influences ranging
from Neil Young to The Replacements, the band's honest,
straightforward approach to music comes as no surprise. Drums provide
sharp rhythms while heavy guitars share the stage with Harris' pleading
vocals. This is the kind of music that makes you wish you'd learned to
play guitar as a kid.
Harris recalls the band's beginnings and remembers a time when he
couldn't play the six-string himself. "I called (lead guitarist) Julian and
told him I was a great guitarist. He said, 'Yeah, I'm a great drummer,'
'cause he probably figured I was better than him."
They were both lying.
"Well, Julian was actually a pretty good guitarist and I didn't really
know any music so I had to pick up singing. I've learned to play by
watching Julian." Ever since, the band has pretty much been making it
up as they go along. Three years and five drummers later ("The rest blew
up like in Spinal Tap," Harris quips), Anne Be Davis has made a name
for itself. The future seems even brighter.
"The album is coming out," Harris notes, "And right now we're
scheduled to play The Metro irr Chicago and CBGB's in New York. That
ought to be real big. It's what we love to do. To get up there and sweat
and play hard... that's rock 'n' roll."
ANNE BE DAVIS performs tomorrow at Club Heidelberg. The record
release party gets underway at 10:30 p.m. with opening act TIE
HANNIBALS. Admission is $4.
Professor Griff and the
Last Asiatic Disciples
Pawns in the Game
Skyywalker records
Perhaps the media believed they
had crippled the nationalist voice of
Public Enemy with the shitstorm
they created last summer. If any-
thing, they've created a double
threat. It's a big surprise to listen to
this record, simply because Griff is
far from the joke people expected.
The former Minister of Information
for PE has organized his own five-
man unit, the Last Asiatic Disciples,
to form his vocal backup.
Two things are immediately evi-
dent here: Professor Griff is a very
knowledgeable man and his title was
not unwarranted. He drops more in-
formation than rap's self-proclaimed
"teacher," alluding extensively to po-
litical, social and religious banks.
His formal speech-styled form of
delivery - breaking the meter of his
voice just before the end of each
measure, then picking up just after
the next one begins - demands at-
tention. All this and rude, funky
music, too. The second is that
Griff's interview was not such a
simple bit of defamation as one
might think. He is not an evil man.
And a person who so easily spins
complex references and questions
about'world religion as in the explo-
sive "Love Thy Enemy" - "are you
willing and able/ will you make a
place at your table - for the black
man. I might surprise ya... it's Eli-
jah" - could not be so ignorant of
world history to make the comments
he did.
Now that the spotlight is 'on
Griff, there is no hesitation to. de-
liver.. Throughout Pawns, Griff
makes his vision of revolution clear
as crystal. The lyrically lethal "Real
African People" borrows heavily
from Gil-Scott Heron as Griff deliv-
ers in the exact same style as the
original with point-blank accuracy.
Wordplays like "the United Snakes
of America" and "don't collect your
fare-well check" force you to shut up
and listen. Likewise, "Word of GQd"
is genuinely eerie, with the Profes-
sor addressing the erstwhile Mr.
President in well-rounded caustic
Oman
IIV THE SPOTLIGHT,
Don't pigeonhole the name
"Lehrer" into the journalistic files:
while Jim Lehrer is indeed the editor
and co-anchor of The MacNeil/Lehrer
Newshour, he is also an accom-
plished writer. The five-time novel-
ist/playwright's latest book, The
Sooner Spy, was just published in
March. Joining Lehrer will be his
wife, Kate Lehrer, the author of the
novel Best Intentions. The prosing
pair will be reading from their works
today at 5 p.m. in the Michigan
Union Pendleton Room.
See RECORDS, page.
NEW COURSE: "EAST ASIA AND GLOBAL CHANGE"
PS 361 (Fall 1990) and PS 362 (Winter 1991)
Specific Themes:
" Japan and East Asia
* East Asia and the Global Financial System
* East Asia and Global Military Developments
" Impact of East Asia on American Culture
Freshmen-Seniors. No previous background necessary. No
prerequisites. 1 credit/term. Pass/Fail. Thursday evenings, 8-9:30.
Prof. Kenneth Lieberthal. Outstanding Visiting Lecturers. Call 998-7555
(mornings) for more information.
. . . . . . . .
4
' .
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
1432 Washtenaw
Ann Arbor
(Between Hill & S. University)
Maundy Thursday, April 12
Tenebrae and Holy Communion Service,
7:30 p.m.
GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE
APRIL 13 7:30 P.M.
"Brockes Passion" by G. F. Handel
with the Chancel Choir, soloists, and orchestra.
EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 15
Family Worship at 7:00, 9:30 and 11:00 a.m.
Child care at 9:30 and 11:00 for
kindergarten and younger
Chancel Choir, Children's and Primary Choirs
Orchestra and Brasses
Easter Buffet Breakfast (by reservation)
7:45-8:45 a.m.
f
'"
*;
., ; :
:
:;
Sx
.
i
:kv
:;:;
i,.wi
1
; ,',:,.
1 fir:
Order your college ring NOW.
Stop by and see a Jostens representative,
Monday, April 9 thru Friday, April 13,
11:00a.m. to 4:00p.m.,
n c+^ ^n f.r.. na ^ mrla i r%^ ^;.^^1,4 i n..j ..
w
.
'I
+f
#
*I