8 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, January 15, 1997 The Lizard walks into Detroit tomorrow 0 Bytefin Bartos Daily Arts Writer When you tour as much as the Jesus lizard, you get a little hungry. Night ate-"night, the Lizard has to whet its a gite with something to keep it inter- and new, which is why change seems to be the special on the P F menu lately. Let's see: The The last few months have brought major Tomor chaltges to the b d. First, the band left its long time label Touch and Go to sign with Capitol. Then, just recently, drummer Mac McNeilly decided to call it quits after almost seven years with the band. Vocalist/ gourmet/resident psycho David Yow taked about the split while cooking during a telephone interview with The Michigan Daily. "With the amount of touring we've been doing over the years, (Mac) just wasn't getting to spend the time that he needed to with his family" Yow explained. "He had said that if we could do half the amount of touring in '97 that we did in '96, then he said he could stick with it, but we can't do that ... Ycan't pay rent and mortgage and s roA stuff on 40 shows a year." McNeilly was replaced by ex-Mule drummer Jim Kimball. "He's an old friend, and Mac even suggested when he split, he said, 'You should get Jim Kimball,' and we said, 'OK."' David Yow, bassist David Wm. Sims and guitarist Duane Denison formed the EV I EW core of the Jesus esus Lizard Lizard back in w at St. Andrew's Hal1987, when they Tickets $10 started writing and with Brainiac practicing what would become their first EP, "Pure" a couple of years later. "Pure" featured a drum machine, and soon after its release, McNeilly was called upon for his services. The group proceeded through the early '90s with four full-length albums and one EP on Touch and Go, and a live one on Giant Records, all having four-letter titles, for God knows why. In late '95, the Jesus Lizard left Touch and Go to sign with Capitol. "It was never that we were unhappy with Touch and Go. I mean, they always did a great job. We still love them," Yow explained. "But there are some things they can't do .... With us getting on in years and needed financial security for the future, we needed more money. Capitol seemed to have the best understanding of what we were about. They didn't expect us to write a pop album like some of the other record companies did" "Shot;' the Lizard's Capitol debut, came out last April. It's not pop, but it is a different .so'und for the band. "Honestly, I think that in some ways it's our best t-ecord,"Yow said. "As a whole, l think it sticks together better ... .I really honestly wish all our records had sounded that good." The album sounds a lot more produced and less muffled, something owed all to GGGarth. "He came highly recommended by the Melvins, who are friends of ours," he said. "Those guys are such cynics that if they say something nice about somebody, then you can believe it." Although the music is a little more adventurous and mature, the lyrics are just as random and picturesque as on past albums, all thanks to the Stephen King-like mind of Mr. Yow. The Jesus Lizard sound is hard to describe. "The best comparison I ever read was a cross between Led Zeppelin and The Birthday Party," Yow said. "It's loud, aggressive rock 'n' roll. That's what I usually tell people my parents' age. I don't expect them to be hip to what kind of music's going on nowa- days." The Jesus Lizard is more of a schizophrenic, nightmarish horror movie. Bassist Sims drives the songs, while Yow's drunken, muffled, unintelli- gible-at-times vocals add fuel to the fire. The best way to ingest the Jesus Lizard is to see them live. No other band on tour right now puts on quite as an intense or beer-drenched show as the Lizard. Yow said Budweiser is essential to his theatrics. "There's kind of a fine line I like to reach which I call 'lubri- cated.' I don't like to pass that line 'cause then I end up being drunk and sloppy and liable to hurt myself and get the other guys mad at me,' Yow explained. As for groups who like to stay fresh with bottled water during a show, Yow said, "Well, you know, they're all stupid and they don't know anything about rock. They're all a bunch of pussies." After this short tour, the Jesus Lizard hopes to start recording a new album in April. It has been 13 months since "Shot" was finished. "Hey, time flies when you're standing up,"Yow said. What's next for the band? Yow replied, "We're gonna have breakfast in a minute As we speak, I'm fixing the best micas anybody ever had." Hope he fixes enough for the whole band, 'cause they're gonna get hungry this year. The Jesus Lizard: (from left) Yow, Denison, the recently departed McNeilly and Sims. Comedy on the campaign trail with 'My Fellow Americans' By Prashant Tamaskar Daily Arts Writer Considering that 1996 was an election year, surprisingly few movies dealt with the onslaught of political rhetoric that the country suffered through during:the presidential cam- paign. .n fact, the only movie attempting to poke fun at the high- est office in the land, "My Fellow Americans;' is playing in theaters everywhere, more than two months after the comple- tion of the campaign. Although an earlier release date may have served the film better, it is hardly the main reason that the movie, despite a few funny scenes, fails to take advantage of its encouraging premise. The story begins with a series of acceptance and conces- sion speeches, highlighting the results of the last few presi- dential elections. Russell Kramer (Jack Lemmon), a Republican, serves R EVIEWone term, only to REVIE "lose his office to My Fellow Americans At Showcase Democrat Matt Douglas (James Garner), who in turn lasts only four years, when he is beaten L T till P ETS IME!s 549 E. University Second Floor by the current GOP president, William Haney (Dan Akroyd). Like most retired presidents, Kramer and Douglas refuse to give up the limelight, and thus spend their time on the lecture circuit, writing books and playing in celebrity golf tourna- ments. That is, until they become involved in a brewing pres- idential scandal. The ex-Commanders in Chief, who know enough to implicate Haney, find their lives in danger, as the President's security team attempts to rub them out. The only way to save themselves is to go to the media with proof of the president's wrongdoings. Unfortunately, all of the incriminating documents have been altered. But, the meticu- lous Kramer has copies of the evidence in his personal library in Cleveland. So, the two former leaders must somehow avoid Haney's men, and get to Ohio in order to salvage their lives and possibly rejuvenate their political careers. The first part of"My Fellow Americans" manages to be an engaging satire of both the office of the presidency and the men who have filled the position. At this point, the more politically-based humor is sharper than later on in the film. All of the charac- ters introduced (especially the presidents) have major moral, intellectual, and / or judgmental shortcomings that perfectly docu- ment the public's cynical opinion of their leaders in Washington. However, once President Haney starts trying to assassinate his rivals, the film- begins to fall apart. First, it becomes an irri- tatingly conven- Jack Lemmon and James Garner wave t tional chase movie - ---- --- as the president's bumbling security force tries to catch Kramer and Douglas. Included are the obligatory train and car sequences, which lack any suspense, creativity, or realism whatsoever. Second, the director attempts to generate laughs simply by putting two ex-presidents of opposite parties, who hate each other, together and making them rely on their enemy for s; vival. Naturally, Kramer and Douglas bicker their way into friendship, making the film seem like a kind of "Grumpy Old Presidents." However, "My Fellow Americans" lacks the infantile wit of the two "Grumpy Old Men" films, and Lemmon and Garner's performances are forced. In addition, the banter between the two politicians, which earlier focused on the inadequacies of their administrations, is replaced by jokes about the inadequacies of their erections. Finally, the tone of the movie shifts in the second half, as the presidents meet the common people who are being* saken by the government. Annoyingly, it becomes obvious that the first part of the film exists only to dramatize the transformation of the two main characters from selfish politi- cians to idealistic crusaders. Suddenly, after meeting John and Jane American, Russell and Douglas develop hearts and want to save the country. Idealism (or in this case cheese) is acceptable, but not when it so shamelessly abus- es corruption to set itself up. Yet, there something inher- ently likable about "My Fellow x American s." There are some r j . VBOOKSTORE I Call Grade A Notes @ 741-966 Course packets conveniently sold at "°° Ulrich's Bookstore & Michigan Book & Supply. 9 I I . t amusing scenes and the general premise is rather clever. Moreover, both Lemmon Garner have me type of amiable personas that -instantly make their films more he crowd as they hit the campaign trail. enjoyable. But the - strengths of the movie are overshadowed by its shortcomings. Still, if the film were compared to a presidential campaign, it wouldn't be equivalent to Bob Dole's uninspired '96 attempt, but rather to Jimmy Carter's try for re-election in 1980 - a worthy, losing effort that could have been successful with a few changes$ I. The Office Of New Student Programs is looking for ORIENTATION LEADERS and DIVERSITY PROGRAM FACILITATORS for Summer 1997. We will be holding general information meetings on Thursday, January 16 and Friday, January 17 from 4-5:30 p.m. in the Maize and Blue Auditoriums in the Student Activities Building. S m - f fi f n nE -I-- - Aft