8B -The Michigan Daily - Wedce., e*U. - Thursday, April 4, 1996
i
Cherry Poppin' Daddies have
distinctive name, amazing sound
Oooh, Kermie, you are so adorable and non-threatening. Your frail limbs and whining voice just put me in the mood for some
good old-fashioned nurturing.
Sexu a inuendo bfils
By Lise Harwin
Daily Arts Writer
If you've never heard of the Cherry
Poppin' Daddies, you're missing out,
but you're not alone. Chances are
good that the only people who have
heard of the band more affectionately
known as The Daddies are those who
reside somewhere along the West
Coast. Or those people lucky enough
to be a good friend of someone who
does. This is primarily due to the fact
that The Daddies still maintain their
local band status, making them cult
favorites in Seattle, Portland and San
Francisco, but virtually unknown in
other parts of the country. Fortunately
for them, word of mouth is a powerful
publicity tool.
Attending the last Daddies show in
Detroit, it was amazing to see the
range of audience members. Many
people I talked to were either from the
Northwest or a friend of someone
who was. Perhaps the most often heard
comment at the show was, "My friend
just said, 'You've gotta see these guys
perform,' so I came along." Natu-
rally, everyone who filled the Shelter
was treated to a grand performance,
leaving newcomers ready for more.
So, lucky for all parties involved, the
Daddies are back in town once again,
ready to set your toes a-tappin' and
your feet a-dancin'.
"A long time ago, my band broke
up. We kind of played slow,
psychadelic music at the time and
everyone would sit down on the floor
and listen to us," said Steve Perry, the
Daddies animated vocalist, as he re-
layed the story of the band's begin-
nings. "People were sitting there, lis-
tening to the music, but not getting
what we were saying. So, I decided to
write a musical."
Now this wasn't just any musical
for Perry ... this was a swingin', jazzy
musical, right down to the horns that
he recruited to back up the songs.,
"Gradually, the idea of the musical
fell away and we started playing them
as songs in the set. Somebody asked
us to play for them, so we did. The
original idea went away at that point."
From that moment on, Steve Perry,
along with several local horn players
and instructors, became the Cherry
Poppin' Daddies.
Currently, the Daddies have pro-
duced three albums, all of which can
be found on the indie label Space Age
Bachelor Pad Records. Interestingly,
while the albums show a clear growth
from one to the next, the Daddies
have never lost the ability to cover
any number of styles within 15 tracks.
CHERRY POPPIN'
DADDIES
Where: The Magic Stick
When: Tonight. Doors 9 p.m.
Tickets: Call (313) 833-9700 for
ticket information.
"We were never going for a document
of our live sound with making our
CDs. Each one was almost like its
own comic book. Musically, they all
go all over the place," Perry remarked.
While their third album is no excep-
tion to the diversity rule, it differs
greatly in its lyrical consistancy. In
addition, "the newer album has two
guitars on most of the songs. It's
heavier and with more ska influences.
But, the whole idea behind our records
has been focused on lyrics, not the
music," Perry said.
While the lyrics certainly range
from raunchy to mundane, the music,
a combination of swing, big band,
jazz and ska, is what really keeps
audiences coming back for more.
Unfortunately, as with all things dif-
ferent from the current modern rock
norm, it's hard to find a niche for a
unique sound.
"We've been really kind of unfor-
tunate in certain ways because of our
artistic viewpoint. Because we're not
making something that fits on the su-
permarket aisle," offered Perry.
"Since they don't know where to put
us, we have to just fend for ourselves."
As previously stated, however, loyal
fans and word of mouth can work
wonders for any band. "We have been
lucky with some people. Dicky from
the (Mighty Mighty) Bosstones was
really nice to us. He got our records
and likes us. He gave us some shows
and whatnot. We've been lucky that
some people recognize what we're
doing and appreciate it."
Part of the band's growing national
attention can be attributed to the incred-
ible amount of touring and preforming
that the Daddies do on a regular basis.
For example, it is no common occur-
rence for a band to hit the same city
twice in only six months, particularly a
lesser-known band. Yet tonight will
mark the band's return to Detroit, a city
pretty far away from home in Eugene,
Ore.
Unfortunately, it is also to be ex-
pected that shows in other parts of the
country won't necessarily sell out as
they do at home. As Perry confirmed,
"Touring has definitely spread us out.
But, the picture is still the same no
matter where you go. People still don'
know what it is or what it's about.IW
frustrating."
Perhaps one of the most frequently
asked, not to mention obvious, ques-
tions about the Cherry Poppin' Dad-
dies is the source of their name. The
truth is actually somewhat respect-
able, despite the possibility of several
rather tawdry answers. "We were sit-
ting around and a friend of ours had a
tape of old risque jazz songs. This
was right after the big band peri
where rhythm and blues started. An
there were a lot of filthy, bluesy lyr-
ics. There was this certain song that
had the words 'cherry poppin' some-
thing' in it. So someguy just said that
we should call ourselves the Cherry
Poppin' Daddies. We had a good
laugh, but nothing else sounded that
great and that name fit us the best. It
was just vile," Perry said. One could
almost see him grinning on the otl*
end of the line.
Interestingly, it was the name of the
band that probably drew them the
most attention during the years 1989
to 1992. In the college town of Eu-
gene, these were right about the years
that the term "politically correct" was
coming into full swing. "The idea was
to get rid of certain figures of speech
so that we could then fix things. That's
where the politically correct thin
came in. People went, 'Hey, ther
something offensive. Let's'change it!'
After a while it went out of vogue,"
Perry said.
Unfortunately, one figure of speech
that the college students wanted to get
rid of was the band's suggestive name.
This led to the more "correct" refer-
ence to "the Daddies," which has stuck
fast despite the fact that people are
relatively more accepting these d
In any case, no matter what you c
them, the Cherry Poppin' Daddies put
on a performance like no other. In
Steve Perry's own words, the live
show is "a lot more energetic and
rockin' than the albums. More physi-
cal testosterone. Maybe that's to its
detriment. But, we've tried playing
more of our thoughtful, sloer songs
live and it doesn't go off well. People
just like to jump around."
So, if you're the type of person v
loves to spot bands before they hit the
mainstream or if you just love good
ska or if you like to be able to actually
dance at a concert, the Cherry Poppin'
Daddies are certain to please. An
remember, if you don't like the name,
call them the Daddies. No matter wha
they're called, they're sure to rock
your world.
By Christopher Corbett
Daily Arts Writer
Like a thirsty, pale vampire hiding
in the shadows, hypnotizing his vic-
tim to get what he desires, sexual
innuendo lurks in the hearts of seem-
ingly innocent films. Do filmmakers
hide such nuances in their films delib-
erately, or do they get there quite by
accident? You have to look hard to
find such disguised flicks-or, if you
will, the under-cover "booty call"
movies, and the secret innuendos they
employ.
WEAK MEN IN NEED OF NUR-
TURING: What many insiders also
call "the Kermie Complex," the phe-
nomenon comes with the film that has a
sweet, vulnerable, adorable male lead
who possesses an all-around non-threat-
ening disposition.
FILM: "Muppet Treasure Island."
Kermit, with his big, round eyes does
a superior job of deceiving viewers
into thinking that men are, at their
core, naive and cute. Likewise, his
frail limbs and wimpy voice, begging
Miss Piggy to protect him, brings the
idea that womens' maternal side can
come to fruitition and help "nurture"
men.
REPRESSION: A kind of para-.
dox, and also known as the nunnery
event, it functions in films that have a
lead actress who doesn't wear make-
up, keeps seven layers of drab cloth-
ingon her body at all times and ap-
pears as sexual as a wall.
FILM: "Dead Man Walking." Af-
ter 2 1/2 hours of watching Susan
Sarandon clasp her hands together as
Sister Helen Prejean, hits us over the
head with so much purity that we start
to want to see some sin. Heathenish
lust, then, may become coveted after
viewing the film.
EXORBITANT UNSAFE SEX:
Also referred to, in some shady circles,
as "Maximum Overdrive," the nu-
ance lies in a film where persons be-
have generously with the gifts with
which they were born and deliver
themselves to the fiery throes of pro-
miscuity.
FILM: "Leaving Las Vegas." Eliza-
beth Shue, as a prostitute, has more
experience going up and down than
an elevator, making the idea of "get-
ting it on" with someone (unless the
person is a pimp) seem as dangerous
as licking ice cream from a cone.
EXCESSIVE SWEE'TNESS: Also
known as "Stuffed Animal Suffoca-
tion," the innuendo appears in films
where cartoon characters lull us into
feeling like the world is pink, fuzzy,
pink, gentle and pink some more, as if
the human sphere is all softness, like
the round, curvy faces of the charac-
ters themselves.
FILM: "Homeward Bound 2" or
"All Dogs go to Heaven 2." Here we
have lots of furry animals snuggling
each other and generally doing self-
less acts of charity, which actually
brings forth a backlash: "Enough sac-
charine! Put on those diamond-stud-
ded leathers! Not the ones with the
butt cut out, Tuna-head, the ones with
the suspenders!"
GROSS-OUT: The nuance, com-
monly called "Hideous Hunch Backs"
by everyone who's "in the know,"
works in films that star snot-nosed
punks or shriveled, wrinkled bags of
gas that are as easy on the eyes as
storm-drain sludge.
FILM: "Happy Gilmore" or "Mr.
Holland's Opus." Oh, dude, you have
lucked out here: Heaven only knows
who is the bigger monster: Adam
Sandler or Richard Dreyfuss. Either
way, these films make you, in com-
parison, seem less like Howdy Doody
than George Clooney.
These films can help you seem better
physically and morally than you actu-
ally are. A Lexus does the same thing,
but it's so much more expensive.
Real meaning of civil disobedience, protest lost on Hash Bash participants
By Greg Parker
Daily Arts Writer
Ah, good old Hash Bash. Back in my
high school days, I longed to venture
into Ann Arbor the first Saturday of
every April and relish in the air of civil
disobedience. In high school, I thought
it was cool to go onto the Diag and just
be at Hash Bash. I never was rebellious
enough to really take part in the event,
if you know what I mean, but I still
loved the atmosphere.
Now, I loathe Hash Bash. I consider
Ann Arbor my home-away-from-home,
and I consider Hash Bash to be a direct
assault on my surrogate home. I hate all
the smelly people in the Diag, and I hate
all the drum-Iine-bongo-playing-stick-
twirling-Frisbee-throwing-Deadheads.
I hate the leftover '60s radicals with no
cause left to rally for, and I hate the
trash left behind by all these "socially
conscious" individuals.
I've said this before, and I'll say it
again: I like the original idea of Hash
Bash. I support legalizing all drugs, and
I think we should start with pot. So in
this sense, Hash Bash as a protest to
legalize pot is fine with me. Of course,
this is not the case, and what I estimate
to be 95 percent of all Hash Bash at-
tendees use the day simply as an excuse
to get high.
I like to party, and parties are fine
with me. Hell, you can go smoke down
ifyou want, but what was once a serious
protest of the criminalization of mari-
juana has been made into a mockery.
Can anyone take a thousand Deadheads
sparking up for the hell of it seriously?
Sure, this is an effective way to enact
change. I can see it now: Watching the
evening news clips of thousands ofhip-
pie-esque kids and '60s leftovers frol-
icking on the Diag, Bob Dole will long
for his days of counterculture, leading
him to place the legalization of pot high
on the GOP platform. If I haven't made
myself clear, no one worth convincing
takes this event seriously.
I will say, however, that ifyouhaven't
been to a Hash Bash before, you should
check it out. What's interesting is that
there are not many University students
involved. Sure, there might be a signifi-
cant amount, but I estimate that 75
percent or more of all Hash Bashers are
not University students, but rather
people from surrounding communities
(and most certainly, from other states
and other countries). This creates an
interesting dynamic: Most locals and
many students stay as faraway from the
Diag as possible on this dreadful day.
Traffic is horrendous, and the sidewalks
are clogged. Without anywhere to park
the Volvo, many townies stay in.
I'll make another plug for experienc-
ing at least one Hash Bash-the people-
watching is really, really fun. I men-
tioned the hippies and Deadheads ear-
lier; there are myriad other groups to
look for as well. The Libertarians are
sure to be there, as are the organizers (of
NORML fame) that dress up in Revolu-
tionary War costumes in a display of
Jerry Rubin-esque guerrilla theater.
There will be many cops, and they will
probably be pissed off, but they usually
don't mess with anyone, because there
are more potheads than there are cops,
and you don't have to be Napoleon to,
figure the odds of an ensuing battle.
You also might see serious protesters,
but they are few and far between. And
last but unfortunately not least, how
could we forget the dirty-white-hat con-
tingent- could any Diag event be com-
plete without them?
Any student of social movements
knows that a movement is made up of
a core group of individuals surrounded
by a much larger group of peripheral
supporters. Looking at Hash Bash as
part of a social movement, the core
group of leaders is the actual protest-,
ers, while the peripheral supporter
are ... well, rather peripheral. The
delegitimize the protest itself, cr
ing a party atmosphere during w a
should be a serious protest. Legaliza
tion of marijuana and other drugs is
serious civil rights issue. It is ironi
that those who would presumabl
benefit the most from hemp legaliza
tion (the smokers themselves) hinde
the process the most.
Because I support the legalization o
drugs, I am calling upon everyone t
is planing on participating in Hash
to treat it as a serious protest. Smok
down as an example of civil disobedi
ence, but put away the hackey-sack
and Frisbees and carry a sign or start
chant or distribute a pamphlet and actu
ally actively participate in the protest
If you truly support the movement, the
act accordingly. Make it so the firs
thing people think when they hear th
words "Hash Bash" is that it is a mas
sive protest to legalize pot rather th
Dead concert minus the band. Unti
then, I'll stay at home.
JUNIORS!
Spring Senior
Portraits
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FASHION
SPORT
APRIL 8
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