Ube d14iUg BaIg "I Hear a Symphony ...R" U-M Campus Symphony & Philharmonic Orchestras will perfrm * Copeland's "Outdoor 0verture" and Kodaly's "Hi-ary Janos Suite" tonight at 8 p.m. at Hill Auditorium. You can't beat the price (it's free) so by all means go and check it out. A splendid time is guaranteed for all. Page 5 Tuesday, February 7, 1995 Megadeth By Brian A. Gnatt Daily Video Game Editor When Dave Mustaine was thrown out of Metallica in the early '80s due to his uncontrollable attitude, most people probably didn't think or care if they would ever hear from him again. 13 years, six albums, and one major spell- ing error later, Mustaine and his band of speed metal gurus, Megadeth, are sell- ing out arena shows across the country, spreading their thrashing and shred- ding brand of metal everywhere. "I don't really consider us to be metal, thrash, this metal, that metal, any kind of metal. We're Megadeth," drummer Nick Menza said in an in- terview last week. "I don't think there are any brackets you can put Megadeth inside of. We'vejust become our own entity; our own icon. We do the music that we do. It's Megadeth. It's mu- sic." With their latest release, "Youthanasia," Megadeth has broad- ened and matured, creating a brilliant album of intelligent, dark and cynical music. "'Youthanasia' has really broadened ouraudience," Menza said. "I see a lot more women coming to the shows, whereas in the past it was mostly guys. This album has already sold more than 'Countdown,' and this is definitely our best record to date." To get the warmer sound they were looking for, Megadeth attacked the rocks wit "Youthanasia" recording sessions at a new angle. "This is the first album that we recorded live, where all four of us played at the same time, rather than me doing my drum tracks, and then the other parts being overdubbed MEGADETH Where:Cobo Arena Tickets: $20 and $10 in advance. Doors open at 8 p.m. after I was done," Menza recalled. "The only overdubs on the record are the guitar solos, the vocals, and the percussion I put on at the very end," Menzacontinued. "It gives it more ofa warm feel. We tried to get fatter tones on the instruments, and we really set out to write some songs people can listen to. I think 'Youthanasia' is the most listen- able Megadeth album to the non- Megadeth fan." Along with the natural maturing of the band's music over the years, be- coming a father has had a vast impact on Mustaine and the rest of the band's songwriting. "This album is more on a personal and emotional level, about our ongoings, things that have happened to us, and things that are going on in society today," Menza said. "We always write about reality. We're not going to write about stupid h a mega-comeback things like sex and drugs, and that kind The Red Cross. of garbage. Those areobvious gimmes. "After the gig, we do a meet-and- These bands that write about the devil, greet, and we meet all the fans wh and heavy things, and 'Ruhhhhhh' brought in the food," Menza said (Slayer-esque grunt), this kind of crap. "It's a cool thing. We wanted to do You can be a lot more witty about something positive for the communi- things. You can be more evasive, and ties we go through, and have people not so obvious about the stuff you not think negative thoughts about write about." Megadeth, because the name alone i Going along with the band's more a negative factor. The fact that we're abstract attitude is the cover of doing something for the community "Youthanasia," which pictures an old is a cool thing. There are a lot of woman hanging up babies on a hungry people out there that aren't clothesline. The computer-generated just bums. People say, 'Why are you cover has caused the album to be feeding the bums?' We're not just banned in Singapore and Malaysia, as feeding the bums. There are a lot of officials there deemed the artwork people out there who are starving "defamatory." However, Mustaine There's a lot of children who are and the band refuse to alter the art- starving, and this is a way for us to work, claiming that taking the record give something back to the cities we off the shelf doesn't stop the fact that come through. When I was a kid, I'd our children are being hung out to surely bring 10 pounds of food to see dry. one of my favorite bands backstage. I- 0 . 0 i- e it s e ff It .t Mf ." .e Dave Mustaine strikes the stereotypical metal 'Jesus Christ Pose.' Cool. "That cover is a very surrealistic depiction of what is taking place in society," Menza said. "That's how the children feel. They're being hung out to dry and sold down the river before they are even born." One of the tactics Megadeth uses to try and help the world they are so irritated with is giving out backstage passes to the first 200 fans at their shows who donate 10 pounds of non- perishable food. The band then do- nates the food to a local chapter of It's just something that we're doing that makes us feel good." Over the years, rumors of hatred and competition with Mustaine's former band Metallica have had fans wondering about the two's rocky re- lationship. "There's no competition at all. Metallica is black, and we're white," joked Menza. "We went on tour with those guys last year, and we did about six shows with them. It was really cool. It was like the ice had broken, and the press was like 'Wait a minute, you guys can't tour with them.' We did huge festivals in Europe, and hung out with them. Everything was totally cool. People were baffled to see James (Hetfield of Metallica) and Dave hang- ing out together. I foresee us doing some gigs together with those guys in the future. When we left the tour with them, they said 'Hey, we want you guys to come again,' and we said 'Sure."' With the constant changes in the music industry, Megadeth is content their fans will continue supporting the band. "People don't want to be fooled anymore. They want the real deal. They want shit that has sub- stance, and they want to go and see some real players. We pride our- selves on being musicians foremost. It ain't about being a rock star and walking up in the clouds. It's about being down at the street level with your fans and delivering the goods. When I get up on stage, I'm there to play my drums. I ain't there to pose, and ham out. Even though I do, that's a secondary reaction. It's natural. People want to be entertained. But foremost, it's about the music, and it's about the art." COC rejects conformity of all kinds in their music Sarah Jessica Parker and Antonio Banderas don't make sweet music together in the dreadfully dissonant 'Miami Rhapsody.' 'Rhapsody'ofke By Kirk Miller Daily Books Editor Since MTV has embraced punk, it might be sort of a surprise that Corro- sion of Conformity, a band started from the original hardcore scene, owes just as much to the spirit of Lynyrd Skynyrd as Black Flag. Southern rock is just one of many influences the band has tacked on to its latest release "Deliverance." COC has been around since 1982, but Mullin is very excited about their major label debut; their versatility combines the best of Black Sabbath, punk and "Saturday Night Special"- style swamp rock. But the most important part of the band and its ever-changing lineup has been Mullin, easily one of the best drummers in music today and one of the band's co-founders. He also has been incredibly active in the political arena and benefit shows the past few years. "I probably shoot my mouth off more than they do," he laughed, dis- tancing his more overt political stances from his bandmates. Not only has the band played benefits for diverse groups like PETA and NORML, Mullin also has actively pursued his home state of North Carolina's great- est evil, Jesse Helms. "I worked on Harvey Gant's cam- paign," he explained, citing the failed 1992 Senate race contender. "A lot of different progressive groups came to- gether to defeat Jesse. I started a group called the North Carolina Progressive Network in an attempt to keep every- one together. Like in the old punk rock days, when people would try and start CORROSION OF CONFORMITY Where:See Megadeth article scenes and put out fanzines. I tried to do the same thing with progressive groups in North Carolina." Unfortunately, Mullin had to go on tour for two years to support the album, eventually losing track of the network. When he came back not only was the network not around, but the band had completely changed. Both vocalist Karl Agell and bassist Phil Swisher left in the middle of recordings for the new album. "We recorded 'Deliverance' with Karl and Phil," Mullin said. "It was a really bad scene, and they ended up splitting. We did try different vocalists, but it was kind of futile. We were trying to find someone who had our same vision, but Pepper and I had written music and lyrics already." So Pepper, whose vocals were be- hind their breakthrough hit "Vote With A Bullet" on 1991's "Blind," took over full-time and Reed called up original vocalist Mike Dean to return on bass, six years away from the band (Dean continues to sing their early hardcore stuff in concert). Confusing the matter even more was the signing to a major label, which doesn't bother Mullin. "We've done it all, man," he replied quickly. "We put out our own records, we booked our own tours, we did the whole D.I.Y thing. Then we did the independent route and got ripped off by the independents. Where we are now, we have tons more fans, tons more resources. I would imagine if we were on a major label then, it would have sucked." Now on tour with Megadeth, who Mullin assures is the best band they've toured with ("I sound like a P.R. guy for them, don't I?" he quipped atone point), COC have been able to expand their fan base and experiment with their market- ing. Their next video for "Clean My Wounds" was shot by photographer Dean Carr, who did all of the fucked-up imagery on the Tool CD case last year. In fact, there really isn't anything that Mullin didn't sound excited about, whether it's the tour, the benefit album for Leonard Peltier he's finishing or the revitalized not-so-redneck punk of the group. Even with the rapid change of band members and music styles, he's optimistic about the tour. "One of the great things is general admission," he explained. "Kids get there early, and that's great for the kids because they can dance ormosh or slam or whatever they're calling it." Freedom rock, man. Turn it up. By Shirley Lee Daily Arts Writer It is inconceivable that such a loath- some farrago of stupid jokes, annoying romances and mindless slapstick would be so heavily promoted and willingly dramatized by any artists. "MiamiRhap- sody," at its core, amounts to a foolish, insincere, nonsensical and ridiculous portrayal of love at its most superficial and of life at its plainest. Oh, Hollywood, you cart our most sordid issues out of our closets and flash them so brilliantly before our eyes. How you excite me by baring I' Miami Rhapsody Directed by David Frankel, with Sarah Jessica Parker, Mia Farrow and Antonio Banderas At Ann Arbor 1 & 2 the flesh of strangers, draped in smart suits and nude hose gathered around their ankles, and drag a thousand dreary lives across the stage with their morals packed into a vacuum. Some- how, the way you let me peep through their keyholes removes any desire I would naturally have to slap them silly and send them to bed without any dinner. For this, I thank you. Oh, Hollywood, while I have your attention, I want to ask you again,just why is it you do this to yourself? I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be pushy, but I really am curious. How can you release such a dreary, lifeless movie as "Miami Rhapsody" and confirm 0 the cynics' opinions that you've lost touch with your audience? Oh, I know that you've got a business to run, and that you couldn't let the perennial questions of marriage and passions just sit there without making another sleep within the first ten minutes and to say good-bye to the velvety feather- like chair as I scurry about the exit. No one should be forced to sit and listen to these lackadaisical richies whine for two straight hours. Aside from an occasional cynical laugh, the remainder of the film is neither wor- thy of your money nor warrants an indulgent smile. Hence, do yourself a favor and strike "Miami Rhapsody" out forever from your movie list as well as your video list. BARGAIN MATINEES L: (G STUDENT V I W LU.4.00 EENNGhWS " BENEFT 1ASAU GOODRICH QUJALITY THEATER FREQUENT MOVIEGE ALL SCREENS STEREO 1 VANA PresentThis Coupon When Purchasing A N42ndserT Large Popcorn &. Receive One I p^"Free 32oz. Drink=_m __ __ _ __ _ __ _ __ __ _ __ _ __ The Michigan Daily is looking for graphic designers for the 4oryt' advertising production department. If you have extensive *41 a Macintosh knowledge and are efficient with Pagemaker, we are looking for you. We will be accepting applications until41 C hBk March 1, 1995. Applications are available at y The Michigan Daily, 420 Maynard, or call Chris or Susan , 4, A at 764-0556 for more information. '4O A% graphic O)/ $L 44 r I 4#' awl A Simple Formula, But One That Makes A Difference Invest in your future by working as a community health cultural communication skills while focusing on public health 0 r . ,- I