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ARTS
'The Michigan Daily Friday, November 20, 1992 Page 8
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Labels tend to be Suicidal,
by Kristen Knudsen
Thrash, speed, death - I've
never known the difference be-
tween these subtypes of metal.
Shockingly, the members of
Suicidal Tendencies don't get it
either. Their bassist, Robert
Trujillo, suggests we throw away
all the labels completely, pointing
out that anyone who tries to label
his band is asking for trouble.
"We don't just play straight
metal," Trujillo said. "We have a
sort of signature to our music, on
whatever we do."
The unique creativity of
Suicidal Tendencies is now audi-
ble on their sixth full-length al-
bum, "The Art of Rebellion." It is
an apt title for a poetic collection
that turns lyrics into an art form.
The band (Trujillo, singer /
lyricist Mike Muir, guitarists
Rocky George and Mike Clark,
and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso)
sees complex lyrics an important
feature of their music. This can be
attributed to Mike Muir, whose
intense words have defined ST for
almost 10 years.
"He likes to dig deep down in-
side and get people motivated,"
Trujillo said. "He's really into
moving people."
The biggest statement on
"Rebellion" may be the album's
cover, which depicts the Mona
Lisa up in flames. This isn't a sign
of disrespect, though. What both-
ers ST is that no one seems to care
about true art like this anymore.
"It seems ... everyone's trying
to be a rebel, everyone's trying to
be an 'artiste.' It's like to us, an
'artiste' is someone that takes a
white canvas and draws a black
line on it," Trujillo described.
"The Art of Rebellion," then, is
about "all your Milli Vanillis, and
all your generic sort of 'artistes'
- everyone trying to conform to
what they think is cool." There's
no warrant to mention any names,
but it's all the bands with a
Trujillo
"generic approach" who are re-
sponsible for Mona's demise.
From the cover to the lyrics,
the messages of Suicidal Tend-
encies' are overwhelming. But
Trujillo promised that there are no
wrong answers. The true meaning
of a Suicidal Tendencies song is
whatever you get out of it.
It looks like the Mona Lisa
may just survive yet.
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES will
appear Saturday at the Palace of
Auburn Hills at 8 p.m. Tickets are
$15 (p.e.s.c.).
Chamber-m
by Kirk Wetters
The Michigan Chamber Players, a performing group
made up of School of Music faculty members, is nearly
10 years old and is still expanding and improving.
Originally formed by music faculty who wanted an out-
let to play locally, The Chamber Players are giving six
concerts this year, which include 40 professors and oc-
casional student guests. "It allows faculty to have a rela-
tionship with the community, so they know who we are
and what we do," said Stephen Shipps, the chairman
and four-year member of the group.
Shipps will be playing the violin in Maurice Ravel's
Duo for violin and cello in the Chamber Players concert
this Sunday. Shipps described the Duo, written in 1922,
as "one of the most modernistic of Ravel's pieces. He
was experimenting with various effects with pizzicato.
It has only two instruments, but in many places sounds
like a whole orchestra."
Shipps stressed, however, that playing orchestral or
solo music differs from playing chamber music.
"Chamber music is somewhere in between - you have
a very definite soloistic voice, because every note you
play is heard, as compared to an orchestra. But you're
having to fit and become part of a group, so the deci-
sions you make about how you play something are be-
cause of how it fits."
The Chamber Players perform a wide and varied
ade music
repcrtoirc Shipps explained, "To some people who a
my coI oI ,vn prtiet is chamber music
and that's it. We've tried to make it as wide of a define-
tion possible."
Shipps stressed that the Players also try to balanc
established chamber music masterpieces with newt
and less well-known works. This Sunday's concert is au
exception, because it has a very classical emphasis. The
longest work on the program is Mozart's Divertimelip
for string trio. Also to be included is Beethoven's Opus
71 wind sextet. Shipps described this work from
Beethoven's middle period as "a very classical piec
written in kind of string quartet form."
Although chamber music doesn't have the same
mystique which surrounds orchestral and solo playng,
it still has many qualities to recommend it to audiences.
Shipps said, "The audience sees people working to-
gether and communicating on stage and creating a mu-
sical entity - it's not just something that's a big enter,
tainment deal like an orchestra or something like that.
It's a very intimate kind of thing. You feel like you're
in somebody's living room if it's a really good concert.
THE MICHIGAN CHAMBER PLAYERS will be playing
at the School of Music Recital Hall on Sunday,
November 22 at 8p.m. Admission is free.
Musical Cliffs Notes on a desert
by DarcyLockman
Consider the classic tale on
which "Once On This Island" is
based and it is of no surprise that this
former off-Broadway show worked
its way uptown to Broadway and
racked up eight 1991 Tony Nomina-
tions. Throw in the star-crossed
lovers tragedy of "Romeo and
Juliet," the let-me-tell-you-a-bed-
time-story idea of William Gold-
man's "The Princess Bride" and a
certain (thank you Walt Disney)
world renowned Hans Christian An-
dersen fairy tale and the final prod-
uct should be a musical with no less
than what lyricist Lynn Ahrens la-
beled as universal appeal.
The musical, based on Rosa
Guy's novel "My Love, My Love"
(which itself is loosely based on An-
dersen's "The Little Mermaid") tells
the story of the beautiful peasant girl
Ti Moune who saves the life of a
young mulatto aristocrat, Daniel. Ti
Moune becomes convinced that she
is destined to spend her life with
Daniel. Conflicts arise when neither
set of parents approve - deny thy
father and refuse thy name type of
thing. Going one step further than
either the Bard or Hans Christian,
Daniel is already partnered through
an arranged marriage with a girl of
his own class. Then ... well, I don't
want to give away the ending, refer
back to Romeo or Ariel and you'll
get the general idea.
The play is set in Haiti, where
Guy once lived. It features an all-
Black cast and incorporates details
of Haitian life - the strong faith of
I
I-
I
'd 'Island"
the peasants in their gods and the so
cial separation of light and dark
skinned Haitians. . i
Ahrens found writing lyrics for
"Island" different from other shows
that she's done because of its true'to
life portrayal of Haitians. "The char-
acters are uneducated. You have to
write simply and clearly without
writing down," she said.
If the musical's success is any
indication, it is obvious that Ahrens
was successful in avoiding conde-
scension. The reviews were nothing
but a writer's dream from the outset,
and tickets are selling out as the
show makes its way around the
country.
No good fairy tale is complete
without a moral to the story. Does
"Once On This Island" have ore?
But of course. "You shouldn't,.be
afraid to love. Love can ultimately
conquer all prejudices," Ahrens said.
Very sweet, if not overly original.
No time to read Shakespeare,
Goldman and Andersen in onesit-
ting? No problem. "Once On This Is-
land" is your musical Cliffs Notes
ONCE ON THIS ISLAND will be
performed at the Michigan Thedtkr,
Sunday, November 22, at 8 p.m. For
more info call 668-8397.
Thurs-Fri
°A GOOFY TIME-WARP TO CHILDHOOD"
HOOR Y FOR
A RETRO 60's TV BASH
.Complete Underdog Episode
*Georg* Of The Jungle
eHoppit Hooper AUnclenWaldo
" Tennessee Tuxedo " Go-Go Gophers
Ciossic 60's Kids Commercials
November 19-20
Students with a good piano
background are invited to
learn how to play the
beautiful
bells
in
Burton
i'll Tower
U-M's 55-bell carillon is a
world class instrument.
1 or 2 credits. Call 764-2539
for an audition appointment.
MICHIGAN THEATER
603 E. LBERTY ANN ARBOR 668-8480
Shows: Thurs. 10:30 pm / Fri. 7:00 & Midnight
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