TS
I heMchgn*alyWdns
Releasing music the
old-fashioned way
By ANDY DOLAN
In the increasingly business-oriented world of music, it is often frustrating
and extremely difficult for talented bands with unique and innovative sounds
to take the important step of getting their music out to the public. Record labels,
both major and independent, are understandably cautious about signing new
bands, for they often have to worry about whether or not the band's records will
be accessible enough for the record label to make a profit. On the other hand,
'labels such as the Howell, Michigan-based Audrey's Diary exist for the sole
purpose of releasing records by talented bands who might otherwise remain
tragically undiscovered.
The Audrey's Diary record label, run solely by musician Chip Porter, was
founded in February 1992 as a means of releasing a seven-inch single by the
band Black Tambourine, whosemembers eventually wenton to join Washing-
ton, D.C.'s Velocity Girl and form the independent record label Slumberland
Records.
"There were four songs not released from their original demo," explained
Porter. "I knew one of them was going on the 'One Last Kiss' [compilation],
-but the other three didn't have any plans to be released, so Ijust said to [Black
Tambourine], 'Why don't you let me do it?' But it took another year to get the
next single out after that, because I wasn't sure how much of a full time thing
it would be."
To date, Audrey's Diary has released five seven-inch singles by bands such
as Minnesota's Bomb Pops, whom Porter described as sounding like "early
Felt" and Detroit's bliss-experimentalists, Asha Vida. Porter also releases his
own wonderfully melodic musical projects through the record label, as well
as collaborative efforts between bands on the label. In the spring, Audrey's
. labels such as the Howell, Michigan-based
*Audrey's Diary exist for the sole purpose of
releasing records by talented bands who might
otherwise remain tragically undiscovered.
Diary will release a compilation cassette entitled "Kometen Melodies Vol. 2
- A Celestial Hierarchy," which will feature bands such as Jessamine, the
England-based Flying Saucer Attack and Porter's current project, Sabine. He
described the sound as "melodic psychedelic, but without any hippie conno-
tations ... real blissed out type stuff."
Along with releasing music around the Ann Arbor area, Audrey's Diary
also releases records in Europe. "In each country, there are one or two mail-
order distributors that are really sympathetic to the type of music and the
format," Porter explained. "They tend to be like myself in that they're just
music fans, they lose money in pretty much everything they do, but it doesn't
matter to them ... In England, the singles sell pretty well, in other countries,
we sell between 10 and 50 copies."
While Porter enjoys releasing records and watching the label's bands
rapidly grow in popularity, he admits that he doesn't need for Audrey's Diary
to grow into a full time project for him. "I'm not concerned with pushing it...
r I'll just keep releasing music as I find it, as I have the resources to." As a record
abel, Audrey's Diary have played their role of allowing more music to be
discovered and heard, and hopefully they will continue to do so in the future.
For a ful Audrey's Diary catalog as well as news of upcoming releases,
write Chip Porter at 1475 Latson Road, Howell, MI, 48893. Asha Vida and
Sabine will be performing tonight at Rabble's Coffee House in Warren.
Call 810-779-0707 for more information.
Stephen Rea, last seen in "The Crying Game," is back in "Bad Behavior." This time, we're told, there are no unpleasant surprises.
'Bad Behavior' provi..des wake up cl
By MICHAEL BARNES
"BadBehavior" is aromantic com-
edy which is short on laughs and as
long on boredom as a line ofoldtimers
at the Geritol counter. The film be-
longs to that mid-life crisis genre
where the characters whine and bitch
the whole time about how patheti-
cally lame and dull their lives are.
The film generally chronicles the
breathtaking activities of an Irish
middle-aged couple, Gerry and Ellie
Bad Behavior
Directed by Les Blair; with Stephen
Rea, Sinead Cusack and Philip
Jackson.
McAllister. Quirky plot like a kitchen
renovation startle the audience and
the humor reaches a crescendo of
belly aching laughs when friends,
neighbors and believe this, even a
crazy pair of look alike twins, stop
into the McAllister's kitchen for tea.
The film stars Stephen Rea from
the "Crying Game." He discovers no
incognito schlongs in this one, but
plays Gerry, a grumpy middle-aged
town planner bored with his life.
Gerry's relationship with his wife
Ellie, played by Sinead Cusack, is
souring.
He is attracted by a pleasant girl
from the office while she is tired of
doing the domestic thing. One major
flaw of the film is that it never ad-
equately examines their marital prob-
lems. Is Gerry impotent? Maybe Ellie
is shacking with the mailman? No, of
course not. These types of complica-
tions would be too momentous for
this pair of midlife deadbeats. Instead
there are the typical a la
"thirtysomething" snags - bratty
kids, lack of "understanding" among
mates and monotonous days of desk
duty.
"Bad Behavior"' is an improvisa-
tional film where the actors worked
without a script and developed the
dialogue through exhaustive rehears-
als. The acting as a result is very
authentic. Rea excels as the droll
Irishman with a mangy shock of hair
and grubby eyeglasses. Cusack is
equally convincing as the sweet but
repressed domestic getting round at
the edges. There is no spark, no emo-
tional intensity to either character
though. Their incessant nagging or
coddling of one another is monumen-
tally dull.
An I.R.A. explosive detonating in
their family room or rows of intrave-
nous bottles of Guiness hooked up to
their veins could not liven up this
pair. Philip Jackson is the only really
entertaining character in the entire
film. He plays Howard Spink, a con-
struction contractor who sleeps
around, makes a living by overcharg-
"Bad Behavior" is a
slice-of-life movie that
attempts to depict the
slow crawl of a fortyish
couple towards death
quite realistically.
ing his friends and is an English ver-
sion of Yuppicide as he tools around
in his Eddie Bauer Ford Explorer and
blabs away on a portable phone.
"Bad Behavior" is a slice-of-life
movie that attempts to depict the slow
crawl of a fortyish couple towards
death quite realistically. Middle-aged
people can watch this movie and en-
joy as if it were a mirror depicting the
trials of their own pathetic lives.
For college students or anyone
else that is young, vibrant and en-
dowed with a pulse, "Bad Behavior"
is a warning, a wake up call to stay
free and wild and hope to God that life
never burdens you in such a pitiful
way as it does these hopeless saps.
Bad Behavior is playing at the
MICHIGAN THEA TER
Mass meeting tonight at 7:30 p.m.,'
inn of
linrmg
off-campus
,
I I
OFF*CA MPUS
HOUSING AY
Thursday, January 13
Noon - 3pm
Michigan Union Ballroom
2nd Floor
There will be:
" hundreds of listings
. photographs of properties
" rental rates
" advice on making smart
" order a pizza
* study 'til midnight at the UGLi
* shop at Meijer
. come to Career Planning & Placement
n ,
f
I