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