f~j A.: iIi ? , L! L " -'-ai y r _9 .kei 1 tt ~ a e ~aei lt:". l'.1 i t *OA 3 y a,.To
Gen-X icon Coupland paints personal spin on culture
* * * * ~~~~~TitignDi Wekn qt.
Tecno etran AcquSavivaagsormid,
By Nick Broughton
When it comes to the modern wvorld
and the ulure a i genbe
er dinecul to doundavhere much
a it cace fom and xxfhih pains ofei
willg everyacloedtive ih arnxirety
ofiuestironsehis.demeaor )Oh as
deaced.t n q~uai Liharedshie
keeps b parinularrian fn thogtheoing,
thig es.aWhbeinsmbodied nhis and
\Vith L x h, "Ms
teors he rph rd inoa ont14rea nthriew
dith Th Minhig n ai y, he in'~ is- b
alorgvessedbontretingsations
hnoeead.g
IcnstoCoupland gansder the exeineo
changsinule mt xual yneen
ay hre onrbeomedie f hese wi n7ias
Th ough heryde uopertting wt col oniey
tou a s deeemrepotinurhcd intexavi
wit che Micigan dil, charaters di
couraged bouetring eoagain tomedo
w converyhstin, Cofptae gentr-
taisnmgnvinrs itrsJongJosiatonsn
aharacte frommonerofhis novels. w
houghder cooderste xwpeitavcro
moig uet has deeanori hde
detay ed. qani me ifcrsaeit, ah
kedeaprticulharstaineaofdthghtegig
"ncea iss byo wa"sties th exmy.
desiteing pond towwad arites
w hol vipsimarfrasdfupheyetetil
thingme. Wny emodidhn Jhnsis r
acterswthi inmmke wel nonor
also bgiereto nterestingsityuation i
oupes, b onierhsen the xeience of
ca sng sr.Sfing ng lms sadlf ii th
wvnay e ndsom himmsein hsitad
beis Wyoming" co antnesdeth expami-
natin entering around two ciharaers
w ho ocy simiarm of the-u yeter-ll
under the ae of30t bauty pageant xet-c
eran and TV actress Susan Colgate.
Susn harboring great resentment
towards her ios and dominreering
mot n hM dyons goig throu an
ent s ofher ox n when she acci-
denra nrlavcs an plane cra. Tine
cubra aniledboy on he eht ad
the iwrid'oshth haitfha lot
fu otell hethrSheising this
in erooncearoanetsa outlof
"Te P ast Scks;Copaondgies nan
osuggesti nseofdinigohn
tY a' xxii. to .1 nrood
cIs I h a n m n oxaacesa wei is
theinl suport ane (brom muphars tod
ine a soiannkerAb coelnt anty
so bliine ftheti the psinst aieplasnd
tf h"Mnthismbig,"u. Ak mon sf
Chsoulit'softhenoved s iste-
a esan dsciae.' misins of etmin
afe bring aitnd haye avo the ela
ofaknh g both awnaraer, at well ae
mentsad atoons i the mysterarguainis
of jusuwrting onethatps fremoertis
fith t e Hesthrclhe oking the
bdines associna t bmeen in icth-
lya developedw eanesy ald
ne fthaeost onencpapdrgatr
line "isWymn' like m btIwud' an o
oulandg the nsoes, is.On'the
Amiaps lantdescae. Desrptioners of
ofenmain you wopnd debat w r v
eol vetabo. er ofthe. mystin qeis
f "Histo rical Uethenrei scing" e
worlnd he" live in reeing ihn t-
ineand hV onewsroancessay calle
suetivae ises of us h dofiniboth."it'
"Geaison X" Cvroupln," wdceul r
living in a time when too much happens
and includes the same major symptoms.
Coupland said he does not see this as
a lament or complant about his time
and place, but rather a differentiation
between what excites him and what he
finds unbelievably dull. He does not
haxe any regrets about the time that he's
li ing in, but recognizeos that nearly
eeryone is goin to find the majority of
culture to be exrunciatina The way he
sees i, wadin throunhrmiles and miles
of Gaps, McDonas and mininalso
may be undsiiable for many of us
no vadas howede, hading to traven 30
mniles or so tO talk to v our neinhbors and
the like were what people used to find
undesirable. ihat is one of the redeem-
ing qualities of "Miss Wyorming" (and
his other novels): couland crcates
chaaers ltte iteasyntoideas nfywith
through experiences many of us have to
deal woth day in and day out.
The new novel is also an acute por-
trayal of the unconventiona way
Coupland views the world around him.
The net result of the narrative is evoca-
tive of a modern day suspense novel, but
with much more depth and intelligence.
The broken up, non-sequential plots
give it a unique feel. It recalls a sym-
phony where each plot and character
develop little by little until past and pre-
sent finally converge in the dramatic
deno.mnt.u
Such an unorthodox storytelling
method conveys a feeling Coupland is
not necessarily a writer's writer as much
as he is an artist's writer (and a modern
artist at that). "All ny influences come
from the art world," ackonwledging as
much. His other occupation is sculp-
ture. He says much of his technique
comes from the visual artist approach of
experimenting with form.
Those familiar with Coupland's nov-
els, or merely aware of them on the
shelf, will notice immediately the artis-
tic input on even the manufacture of his
books. Most have extremely colorful
production designs by moderm stan-
dards, many of them on par with the
type of design effort that goes into mar-
keting a film. "Generation X" has dif-
ferent covers with different color
schemes (some light red, some yellow-
ish, some green, etc.). Coupland feels
many aspects of his integrity come from
his time spent in art school. The lack of
reliancee on any tried and true method is
one of the trademarks of his particular
style. He says art school fosters a defi-
a,. P
Courtesy of Dougias Coupiand
Author Douglas Coupland calls this a selection from his "Pet Shop Boys" photo shoot,
nite lack of nostalgia as well as conven-
tionalitv.
Another extension of this is his web-
site (coupland.com). Aside from infor-
mation about Miss Wyoming and its
accompanying book tour, it is filled with
all sorts of related information including
some of his old essays and short stories.
Much of his sculpting work is also on
display there. Unlike most websites,
coupland.com has a very interactive feel
to it. Navigating your way through it is a
very visual experience. Many of the
pages are designed like moving collages
of photos, drawings, designs and icons.
One of the reasons Coupland decided to
create such an elaborate site was a frus-
tration with sites that simply didn't offer
enough variety or content.
As an author or sculptor, he seems
content with his place in culture.
Though most of his novels have in some
way dealt with the stagnation of culture,
Coupland was surprised to observe the
significance of the way changes are
emerging. He once pontificated in
"Generation X" that Vietnam-era chil-
dren were witnessing the end of history
EARN $10.00-$20.00/hr
Do you have a car?
'De/tierg 'Diu'er5
Jimmy John'9s
e want ti e?%st a oni wee t tffie3estr
Apply at 600 Packard St.
Call 741-9200 Ask for Todd or Brad!
Or 929 E. Ann St. Call 913-9200
in a particular sense (especially with the
way media coverage has taken over per-
ception of mass events). He was sur-
prised to know what others, including
people his parents' age, thought. To his
surprise, his parents considered the pre-
sent to be the time in their lives charac-
terized by the most change.
Despite the fact that the doldrums and
the redundancies are all about us, he
knows the importance of focusing on
the things that aren't frustrating to you.
"The second least secure job in our soci-
ety is that of a sculptor, and the least
secure is to be a fiction writer," he said.
Coupland is able to make it as both
because both activities completely
engage him. Though well aware of the
overwhelming boredom dragging soci-
ety down, Coupland has been successful
because he has been able to focus on
what interests him rather than what frus-
trates him.
When his friends and family ask him
to give advice to young people, he tells
them to always look out for what it is
that you like and what you want to do.
He feels that if you don't really respect
what you do, you won't respect yourself.
This simple formula for success has not
failed him in the nine years since
becoming a published novelist.
Though "Miss Wyoming" may not
yet be nearly as influential as
"Generation X" has become, it is clear-
ly an original piece of writing.
Coupland, however, doesn't feel there's
necessarily some standard he has to live
up to because his first novel achieved
such a reputation.
"Every book is kind of like a child,"
he said, explaining how they come into
being and they follow their own path of
acclaim, criticism or whatever the read-
ers' reaction ends up as. Regardless of
what his new book grows up to be like,
his reading of it ought to be an experi-
ence in a class of its own.
By Jason Birchmeier
D )ai Arriter
As turntables continue to replace gui-
tars in bedrooms around the old, it is
refreshing to experience Dis who have
been spinning records long before it
became cool.Since the waning day s of
the art r .
mgP this past
after he returned io ut in
Europe, Acquaivastaed toruhe
Michigan Daily about ho it feels to be
a world famous DJ. "Lately, I've come
to the analogy ... as the scene gets more
big-time like rock 'n' roll, i still feel like
a blues man. I totally appreciate the fact
that I got some success and respect
that.t
Ask any of his peers. and they will tell
you that Acquaviva is one of the hardest
working men in the business. During the
t90st whenever he wasn't DJing to thou-
sands of ecstatic ravers, he was busy
running onthe most renowned tech-
no empires this planet has ever known.
After meeting a young white kid named
Richie Hawtin at a club called The
Shelteri Detroit, the two began a
famed partnership. The two began mak-
ing techno music in Hawtin's basement
and soon released their first record as
States of Mind in 1989.
This first record introduced the world
to Plus 8 records. On the label's second
record, the two dubbed themselves"The
Future Sound of Detroit Techno" - even
though they weren't natives of the city -
and found themselves more than a bit
unpopular with the originating camp of
struggling African-American techno
artists in Detroit. Though this issue has
long been resolved, the artistic competi-
tion between Plus 8 and techno labels
such as Underground Resistance fur-
thered the genre and once again reestab-
lished Detroit's status as the global epi-
center for techno music.
When asked about the level of respect
Pus 8 achieved for breathing new life to
techno music just as it was entering a
state of stagnation, Acquaviva modestly
downplayed his achievements. "I think
we just plodded away and just showed
everyone that you can do it yourself"
As Plus 8 records reached unparal-
leled levels of recognition and fame in
the world of techno music, Acquaviva
and Hawtin started two more labels -
Definitive and Probe - in an effort to
promote purer strains of house and tech-
no. By the mid-'90s, they had estab-
lished a web-based distribution compa-
ny named Intellinet for their numerous
releases and made artists such as
Plastikman and Speedy J globally rec-
ognized techno superstars. Yet somehow
during all of this madness, both
Acquaviva and Hax'tin wre able to fit
Ding into their schedule. becoming two
of the most demanded DIs in the world.
[ventually, Acqua ia becan to tire
iom the frantic p ae up early
sov.and m dvtne srr.y btI use
einht at nilethele f d ' o
to of rtecrdi asho around the workl
managing a global roster of arinsts and
making business deals has quieted down
for Acquaviva, it has allowed him to fun-
nel his boundless energies into strictly
ting. His mixing skills have become
flawless, his track selection more eclec-
tic than ever, but consistently of high
qualit. But above all, Acquaviva has
developed a reputation for being one of
the most passionate DJs in the scened
a get up early to catch my flights ahe
saking don'ess asgipscause i some
one has the courtesy to invite you -
whether it's for 100 people or 10,000
people - I'm not going to fuck up and
not show up. There's no excuse. My life
is plains, trains and automobiles. It real-
ly is. I don't miss my gigs, and I do some
crazy shit to get there.
For the past few years, Acquaviva has
been known to construct long sets fea-
turing many different strains of house
music. Unlike the hard and dark techno
minimalism of Hawtin, Acquaviva's
house gleams with funky rhythms and
tints of disco. He even critiqued his cur-
rent style, saying that he tries to evoke
ia positive vibe" and how he makes a
conscious effort not to play too linear.
The many DJ mix CDs of
Acquaviva's currently circulating illus-
trate his ability to piece together a va-
ety of different sets while maintaining a
sense of funk and a joyous tone. His
hFrom Saturday to Sunday Mix fea-
tures two sets, one up-tempo and anoth-
er a bit more serene as if designed for
the after-rave comedown on the drive
home. Acquaviva descrinbes his latest
album, "Cream '99," as possessing
"kind of a nice pumpin' house sound."
Another new album, "John Acquaviva
Meets Jamie Lewis," captures one of his
recent sets in Germany.
"I find a mix of playing for the peo-
ple and trying to push them either by
playing something old or something
new, but the heart of the night is having
a good time. I'm not into hurting peo-
ple's brains," he said in reference to the
current self-centered tendency for DJs
to push their ideals onto their fans. "I'm
just with them. It's a nice and easy phi-
losophy. Other people's philosophies
are equally valid, but I believe in some
kind of entertainment value
Though he definitelya doesn't con-
sider himself a pop star, Acquaviva's
philosophy has propelled him to
acclaimed status in the genre he has
helped build. "If it used to be 1(10,000
people xho wese into this shit, now it's
I 03" he a
rock y ocertfill a stadu and v
SrAcquavi,. Havine mscenay norgbe t
maketer the increas-ingly popiar club
now features a larger dancefloor and a
much more sensory altering atmosphere.
Ihen later this month, Acquaviva will
team up with Hawtin for two shows in
London, Ontario and Chicago.
Don't let the evil grin fool you
I
'Il
i
Jazz at Lincoln Cent
Sextet
Friday, February 4, 8 p.m.
Michigan Theater
Comprised of exceptional musicians from 1
Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, the Jazz
Lincoln Center Sextet brings a program of s
spirit and soul to Ann Arbor.
Gothenburg Symphor
Orchestra
Saturday, February 5, 8 p.n
Hill Auditorium
IAoRII.Total S6yri- Rea kar lhucludes
* FREE Welcome Party
*FREE Spring Break Party Pack
* RT Air Transportation
*7 Night Hotel Accommodationsi
* RT Transfers to and from Hotel
*Over 30 Hours of Open Bar
* 14 Free-Meals t-----~T~m~ ~ ~_~_~_~_i
Sr 1Mor, '$50 GFF ,
1 r.,f s r r| A N cU N i
1-800-446-8355
www.sun breaks.Cor
PROGRAM
Go to www.michigandaily.com to view the.
complete interview transcript. Acquaviva
discusses his thoughts on DJ lifestyles, his
music, Plus 8 nd the trance music of Sasha.
Part
Kancheli
Symphony No. 3
Liturgy for Viola and Orchesi
"Vom Winde Beweint"
Symphony No. 6 in b minor, C
Shostakovich
Ask for Dan or Mikev
University Muscacl Society *764.