8 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, October 27, 1993 Master of macabre, Price bids farewell ASSOCIATED PRESS Vincent Price, the stage-trained actor whose gaunt face and voice made him the perfect villain in such thrill- ers as "House of Wax," "The Pit and the Pendulum" and "The Raven,, died Monday at age 82. Price died of lung cancer, his per- sonal assistant, Reg Williams, said from the actor's home. A versatile actor who once played Prince Albeit to Helen Hayes' "Victoria Regina," Price became known in his later years as the prince of menace. He was amused by his reputation and exploited it by con- tributing a ghostly voice on Michael Jackson's hit record, "Thriller." He also served as the host of the PBS series "Mystery," presiding in a musty old mansion. From the beginning of his film career in 1938, Price performed in a wide variety of films, from the sub- lime ("Laura," "The Ten Command- ments") to the ridiculous ("Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine," "Dr. Phibes Rises Again"). His philosophy: "It's awfully easy to get out of the business. It's not easy to stay in. I never thought that the great parts were the only ones you should do. That's a great mistake, because there are so many interesting things available." Price's interests ranged beyond movies. He wrote several art books ("I Like What I Know," "The Michelangelo Bible") and wrote 11 Viva Musica The Boston Musica Viva proves its devotion to contemporary reper- toire by premiering one new work in every concert. In their Thursday night concert at Rackham Auditorium, music director and founder, Richard Pittman, will continue the tradition with the premier "Dead Elvis" by University composer, Michael Daugherty. Theo Loevendie's "Die Naachtegaal" (The nightingale) will also be included on the program. In addition to performances of recent works by living composers, the BMV will perform one of the greatest works of Igor Stravinsky, "L'histoire du Soldat," with narration by stage and screen actress, Claire Bloom. The performance will be held tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m. at Rackham Audi- torium. Tickets range from $14-$24, $8 student rush tickets are on sale tomorrow morning at the Union Ticket Office from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and at the North Campus Commons next to Little Caesars from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Oh Horror! No tradition has been more of a staple of Halloween than "The Rocky ,Horror Picture Show." More popular than dumping feces on the Widow Johnson's front porch or stuffing razor blades in miniature Mr. Goodbars, this ghoulish cult classic to-end-all has come to represent the epitome of youthful counter-culturalism. Like Dead Heads, "RHPS" groupies are among the most loyal, diverse and utterly eccentric weirdoes in America. Like clockwork, they harness their talents as -transvestites, cannibals and nymphomaniacs every weekend night at midnight throughout the off- season - memorizing lines, rehearsing dance steps, yelling witty insults - until the final decadent celebration, that fabled, licentious gathering: Halloween night. But for all its accolades and incredible resilience, it's a wonder that the "film" even got released at all. Based on a quirky British musical stage play, "RHPS" starred a cast of altogether unknowns: Susan Sarandon, Tim Curry, Meatloaf -no one had the slightest idea who these motley misfits were. This was 1975 mind you, and "Bat Out Of Hell" hadn't even been conceived. What's more, it was a truly horrible film. It was painstakingly boring and far too weird to attract a mainstream audience. To no one's surprise, the film's immediate success was minimal. Soon afterwards, however, "RHPS" got a second chance on the New York midnight circuit. Slowly, one cuckoo after another started dressing up in drag and buying tickets. The story itself is nothing more than spooky cheese. Young Ohioan lovers Brad and Janet break down in the backwoods during a rainstorm. They seek shelter in a nearby mansion owned by the strange transvestite aristocrat Frank N. Furter. What follows is more silliness -- spooks, singing, dancing, satire and lots and lots of catchy tunes. So bring your rice, newspaper and most outlandish costume and get ready to see the worst movie ever ... yet again. "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" will be shown at 9:00 Friday, Saturday and Sunday and at 12:00 Friday and Saturday at the State Theater. Vincent Price died Monday at age 82 after a long and varied career. about his hobby of cooking ("A Trea- sury of Great Recipes," "National Treasury of Cooking"). During the 1960s he served as art-buying con- sultant for Sears Roebuck, which was retailing original art. He was born in St. Louis on May 27,1911, the son of a candy manufac- turer. His upbringing reflected his father's wealth: tours of Europe view- ing great art first-hand and education at Yale University, where he gradu- ated in art history and English. Aiming for a career as an art teacher, Price enrolled for a master's at the University of London. Accept- ing a dare from a friend, he auditioned for a role in a play, "Chicago" star- ring John Gielgud, and won it. He was then cast in "Victoria Regina," his 6-foot-4 frame and pre- cise speech fitting him for the role of the consort prince. Producer Gilbert Miller heard of the actor's success and invited him to appear opposite Hayes in the New York production. During the 1960s Price appeared with Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre, Lon Chaney Jr. and others in a series of Edgar Allan Poe movies made by Roger Corman. One of his rare later opportunities as a serious actor came in 1988 with "The Whales of August," co-star- ring with Bette Davis, Lillian Gish and Ann Sothern. In later years Price appeared in bathroom-cleanser TV commercials, as a panel member of "Hollywood Squares" and as the voice of the vil- lainous Dr. Ratigan in the animated Disney feature, "The Great Mouse Detective." Between film and televi- sion appearances, he toured in a one- man show, "Diversion and Delights," portraying Oscar Wilde. Price's marriage to Edith Barrett ended in divorce in 1948; they had a son, Vincent Barrett Price. In 1949 the actor married costume designer Mary Grant. They had a daughter, Mary, and divorced in 1973. His third wife was the noted English actress Coral Browne, who diedin May 1991. RECORDS Continued from page 5 Lep's first-ever song, and "From the Inside," featuring members of Hot- house Flowers on tin whistle, mando- lin and grand piano, stand out as de- partures from the sugarcoated Def Lep sound of "Hysteria" and are more experimental in groove and feel. Of course, the power ballads are also still here. Two versions of the recent hit "Two Steps Behind" (one acoustic, one electric) and two versions of"Miss You In a Heartbeat" are probably one too many of each, but then, Def Lep has never been known for its minimalism. For the most part, songs like "Ring of Fire," written with former producer Mutt Lange, recap- ture a simplified sound reminiscent of "Photograph" and "Rock of Ages" from "Pyromania," arguably the best work of their career. Thus, for those who have begun to forget why they ever liked Def Leppard, this strong, sometimes surprising walk down memory lane may serve as the perfect reminder. -Kristen Knudsen Robert Cray Shame and a Sin Mercury Records It takes a man like Robert Cray to bellow "I hate taxes" and make it sound convincing. On the Robert Cray Band's latest release, "Shame and a Sin," he does just that, turning the demands of the IRS into occasion for a rollicking blues stomp. Treading more familiar blues territory on the likes of the pained "Leave Well Enough Alone" and "Passing By," Cray lends his distinctive vocals and sharp guitar work to another ten tracks of modern blues. While he breaks no new ground on this release, it is as solid as folks have come to expect from him. The flashy Albert Collins steps in and donates a few riffs toAlbert King's "You're Gonna Need Me," and the Miami Horns give excellent support throughout, but by and large, "Shame and a Sin" is really Cray's album. He turns his voice into a brilliant, soulful instrument on the smooth "Don't Break This Ring" and takes songwriting credits for all but two of the tracks. As always, Cray seems as comfortable with uptempo pieces ('I'm Just Lucky That Way") as with slow, burning numbers, such as the album's closer, "Up and Down," which finds Cray deep into the song, bending each stinging note until it seems the strings must break from the strain. if "Shame and a Sin" is not the surprise that 1986's "Strong Persuader" was, it is only because Cray is now an established talent. He rarely disappoints with his take on the blues and this record is no exception to that rule. -Dirk Schulze Armageddon Dildos Homicidal Dolls Warner "Homicidal Dolls" is the latest offering from the German duo Arma- geddon Dildos. It comes complete with sadistic lyrics, murky themes and industrial mayhem. Unfortu- nately, this gimmick-oriented creation sounds more like the background music to a Sega Genesis game than a quality album. The lyrics are nightmare provok- ing. Lines like "Pain / I need your good head faster / Pain / I want to fuck and rape your soul" have quite a shock value, but that's all they have. Also typical of the album are lines like "Cold steel penetrates into warm flesh / So hard and powerful / So strong the fight of the bodies / Ifeel the death is near," ("The Hunter") also cover very little new ground. It's a wonder that they put pauses in between the songs to differentiate them. Indeed, the image of a smoke filled, strobe-lit underground club does come to mind when listening to "Homicidal Dolls." It is desirable in that respect. However, there is much more sub- stantial industrial material available from groups like Dead Can Dance or Nitzer Ebb to be explored, and you don't necessarily have to be under the influence of some hallucinatory drug to appreciate their music. -Josh Herrington Beth Nielsen Chapman You Hold The Key Reprise If you like easy listening, you might really like Beth Nielsen Chapman. Her songs are introspec- tive yet upbeat, moody without being melodramatic. The opening songs "I Don't Know" and "You Hold The Key," are keyboard-driven soft rock- ers wherein Chapman, with her vaguely raspy voice, could almost be compared to Amy Grant. But Chapman's never so bland. "In The Time It Takes," a light mid-tempo duet with Paul Carrack, steps away from the typical with a fanfarish saxo- phone solo. "Dance With Me Slow," a jazzy, Broadway type number, broadens Chapman's sound even fur- ther. "You Say You Will," on the other hand, incorporates a bluesy gui- tar line and recalls the sound of Bonnie Raitt. Chapman pulls the different styles together with a background of synthesizers and an unwavering voice. Chapman's talent is best displayed in the ballads of the album. Featuring the London Chamber Orchestra, "Say It To Me Now" mesmerizes with its majestic guitar and piano harmonies. "Rage On Rage" slows down for a minimalistic duet between keyboard and strings to tell the story of an abusive husband. Chapman's subdued vocals only emphasize the pain of the woman she describes. Despite the heavy topics, though, the overall sound is light. As both lead and back- ground singer, Chapman never sacri- fices the tone of the song for a showy vocal display. Instead she remains mellow and lets the songs and emo- tions speak for themselves. Such subtlety results in an album that is both relaxing and thought-provoking - an overwhelming success. -Kristen Knudsen Sentenced North From Here Century Media The best way to describe Sen- tenced and their new release "North From Here" would be as overblown, hair-shakin' stinkiness. The band glad that the lyrics sheet has provided you with this significant information. But that's not all! Sentenced inter-. sperses their speed metal with mood- setting antics such as sound effects of wind, snow, sleet and rain. Throw in a few cellos, a dash of violins, and Sentenced has served up one big flatu- lent mess. Yawn. -Matt Carlson Halloween Radio If you didn't get your tickets for the University's Halloween concert Sunday night, don't worry, WCBN, 88.3 in Ann Arbor, will be broadcast- ing the 8:30p.m. show live. O.k.so you may not be able to see the wonderful costumes everyone will be wearing but all is not lost, a "play-by-play" team will give clues about what is going on visually. And if you feel left out because you're not in the crowd, dress up yourself. CHECK OUT THE LATEST TRENDS IN FASHION DESIGN IN TOMORROW'S FALL FASHION SUPPLEMENT. FALL FASHION 4 11 11 v Ye.'1.+ 1-11 ti 6-. e.