AQG Aw r Albk 4B _ _ Michigan Daily -- Weekd, etc. Magazine - Thursd September 23, 1999 : , The Michigan Daily - ekend, etc. Magi Fall season chock full of new fixes for WCBN SERVES UP A SMORGASBOARD OF SOUND By Suevon Lee For the Dauly Turn on your radio and just listen for a while Tired of what you're hearing? Has bubble-gum teen pop begun to rattle your nerves! Shania started not impressing you so much? Same songs. same play lists? Sick of it already? It might be time to switch dials and tune in to the University's ery own campus radio station, WCBN , 88.3 FM, For those who want to catch fresh tracks or hear something different, this is the place. What's aired on WCBN may sound unfamiliar, different, some might even say peculiar. The University student-run sta- tion is an alternative to mainstream music, specializing in freeform radio. It taps into EARN UP TO $1000 By Posting Your Lecture Notes Online Contact: Gregor 734 827-2702 or currence@engin.umich.edu www. stud y24-7. corm revolutionizing the way students study on the web a whole array of genres, broadcasting music taken from a vast collection of songs new and old. Jazz? They play that. Blues? Ditto. Funk, electronic, 50's oldies, country, reggae - it's all show- cased. After all, said music director Chris Tusciuk, much of WCBN's intent is to introduce music of many faces to the lis- tening arena. "We want to open up the Ann Arbor community to new kinds of music," he said. WCBN, whose license is owned by the Regents of the University of Michigan and is funded partly by University Housing, broadcasts on a daily, 24-hour schedule from a small studio in the base- ment of the Student Activities Building. Around for 27 years, WCBN has steadily built a following of loyal listeners, most of which consist of University students, alumni and the Ann Arbor community on a whole. On a day to day basis, the station features programs that consist of series like Jazz 'Til Noon, Crush Collision (which showcases electronic music), and Freeform, an open, anything-goes pro- gram where tracks are chosen from across all genres. And these are just to name a few. Shelf after shelf at WCBN's studio holds both vintage records and CD's, con- stituting a music collection as diverse as it is eclectic. Selections within each catego- ry of music stretch from one end of a spectrum to the other. Constant explo- ration into the far reaches of a diverse music culture is what pumps the energy behind the station and fuels its members and constituents. "The station is a whole hodgepodge of ideas and music' said General Manager Chad Williams. "We're very proud of what we do here." The station is built on a large member pool, consisting of approximately 70 per- cent students and 30 percent community members, all of whom work at the station on a volunteer basis. "Everyone in here comes in because they want to, not just for themselves," says Music Director Chris Tusciuk. In fact, much of the research that goes behind WCBN's collection of music comes from individual effort. Members check out music magazines on their own time, listen in on other college radio sta- tions, and dig around the area to acquaint themselves with the music scene that rapidly expands each day. While the station is categorized into different departments such as Progamming, Music, Management and Engineering, the DJ's are the ones who bring the music directly to their audience. By Undsay Alpert For the Daily Studying? Who has time for that? Especially when this season brings 36 new television series to primetime. Of these 36, five are spin-offs and most of them are created or produced by televi- sion veterans with successful programs. Here's a study guide to each network's new fall offerings. The networks are in alphabetical order so there's no favoritism. ABC - "Snoops" (Sundays at 9 p.m.) - This eye candy, produced by King of the Emmys David E. Kelley, stars "Showgirls" beauty Gina Gershon as one of three LA private eyes. Somehow I'm reminded of "VI.P." "Once and Again" (Tuesdays at 10) --Sela Ward and Billy Campbell star as divorced single parents who meet and fall in love. Aww "Oh Grow Up" (Wednesdays at 9:30) - Three guys live in Brooklyn apart- ment. Oh yeah, one is a gay married guy, and another one has a daughter he's never met before. Sound confusing? I don't get it either. "Wasteland" (Thursdays at 9) - Producer Kevin Williamson hopes to score big again with this romantic drama that follows the lives of six col- lege graduates. Brad Rowe and Rebecca Gayheart head a cast of rela- tively unknown but attractive actors. "Odd Man Out" (Fridays at 9:30) - A 15-year-old lives in a house with his mother, aunt and three sisters. Um, it's a comedy. CBS - "Ladies Man;' (Mondays at 8.30) - Alfred Molina stars as a furni- ture maker surrounded by women: his wife (played by "NYPD Blue" alum Sharon Lawrence), ex-wife, mother-in- law and two daughters. Sounds like an older version of ABC's comedy "Odd Man Out" Just what the doctor ordered, two comedies with the same plot. "Family Law" (Mondays at 10) - - Kathleen Quinlan as an attorney who forms a mostly female law office after her ex-husband steals her firm. Defendants beware in this estrogen- packed law saga. "Judging Amy" (Tuesdays at 10) - Ex-corporate attorney and single moth- er, played by Amy Brenneman, moves back in with her loud opinionated mother to be a judge in a family court- room. "Work With Me" (Wednesdays at 8.30) - Married lawyers wind up working at the same firm. The romantic comedy stars Nancy Travis and Kevin Pollack. CBS is hoping that the lawyer theme will increase ratings. "Love and Money" (Fridays at 8:30) - Age-old plot stuck in upscale hotel in New York. Handyman falls for rich heiress who lives in the penthouse. Parents disapprove. Yawn. Is anyone surprised? "Now and Again" (Fridays at 9) - Do not confuse with "Once and Again." The brain of an insurance executive, played by John Goodman, is put in the scientifically engineered body of a hunky government agent, played by Eric Close. FOX - "Time of Your Life" (Mondays at 8) - Jennifer Love Hewitt's Sarah leaves "Party of Five" to search for her biological father in New York. She likes it so much she decides to stay there. Producers hope you'll like this party of one as much as "Party of Five." "Ally" (Tuesdays at 8) -- 30-minute episodes of "Ally McBeal" material that was left out. Cha-ching. "Get Real" (Wednesdays at 9) - Follows the lives and tribulations of the Green family. Characters talk directly to the camera and often insult competing Hollywood actors and shows. "Action" (Thursdays at 9:30) - LSA alum Joslyn Layne removes a record while Rackham's Chris Brooks waits to DJ. Wacky hijinks like these will abound on the new animated series "Mission After all, they are the ones who select tracks, introduce a piece on air and throw in their two cents as to why one should lis- ten to a particular track, be it a reminis- cence of other artists, or simply that it's catchy. Ben Tousig, a DJ who runs Freeform Monday afternoons, peruses the shelves of the station's vast music collec- tion before each show to select that day's program. He pulls out one ClI after another, careful to select ones that haven't been played before. "I try not to select the same ones over and over, although it's tempting. A lot of the music I do play depends on a lot of things, like my mood," Tousig said. Rollie Tussing, another DJ whose show "Yazoo City Calling" airs Monday nights, is an Ann Arbor native. He grew up lis- tening to the program, which features acoustic blues tracks. Eventually he took the reins into his own hands, and now spins his own acoustic blues selections. One of the best parts about working at WCBN, he says, is the wide variety of music he learns about every day, especial- ly since different types of blues can be found within many cross-cultural blends of music. "I learn about music here that I would never have been exposed to before. The music comes from all different parts of the world, and I sort of learn how each is connected to the other," he said. While WCBN hires DJ's throughout the year who do not necessarily have pre- vious experience, there is one thing that is a definite must to work on air. "You need to love music," Tusciuk said. That may sound obvious, but those who refuse to listen to anything but the same five CD's every day need not think- about stepping through WCBN's doors. sr It's really not that complicated. We went to the hottest young designers in France and Italy to style our frames. We think the designs they did for us are better than anything they did for anybody else. We call them SEE. But instead of marking our frames way, way up, we kept the price way, way down. Like 1/3 to 1/2 of what you'd pay for other designer frames. And that price includes your prescription. So now you don't have to get bent out of shape! SEE.The lookThe price. Very cool, by design 160 OldS.Woodward, S. of Maple Opening soon in Chicago, Georgetown, Birmingham - 248-723-1900 Los Angeles and South Beach See WCBN, Page 7R Originally intended for HBO, this risque comedy portrays the life of ruth- less producer Peter Dragon ,played by Jay Mohr. Illeana Douglas plays a smart prostitute who adds laughs. Buddy Hackett also stars. "Manchester Prep" (Thursdays at 9, but not until December) - Just a longer version of the movie "Cruel Intentions" without Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe. "The Badlands" (Fridays at 8) - Name may be changed to "Ryan Caulfield: Year One." Sean Maher stars as a 19-year-old cop in Philadelphia. At least they're not pretending it's realistic. "Harsh Realm" (Fridays at 9) - "X- Files" creator Chris Carter puts Scott Bairstow in the role of a soldier assigned to a military virtual reality experiment. Based on the comic book series of the same name. NBC - "Third Watch" (Sundays at 8) - "ER" producer John Wells brings television viewers the riveting drama of New York City's finest firefighters, police and paramedics. Stars a multi- cultural cast of nine. "Law and Order: Special Victim's Unit" (Mondays at 9) - Cops bust sex criminals in this spin-off starring Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitary. "The Mike O'Malley Show" (Tuesdays at 9:30) - Comedian O'Malley plays himself as a 30-year- old guy trying to grow up. At least he admits he's not a mature grown up. "The West Wing" (Wednesdays at 9) - Martin Sheen reunites with writer and producer Aaron Sorkin ("The American President"), but this time the American president is Sheen. Revolves around the White House staffers and prez. "Stark Raving Mad" (Thursdays at 9:30) - Neil Patrick Harris is a book editor assigned to eccentric horror nov- elist Ian Stark, played by Tony Shalhoub. Produced by "Just Shoot Me" producer Steve Levitan. "Cold Feet" (Fridays at 10) - Shows the relationships of three Seattle cou- ples at different points in their relation- ships. One couple is dating with com- mitment fears, another is expe first baby and the third is livir toddler. "Freaks and Geeks" (Saturd - Pigs must be flying, becaus first time in television history, t show with ordinary looking act ing ordinary high school stude siblings try to cope in high which is located somewl Michigan. UPN - "The Parkers" (Mc 8:30) - Kim Parker (( Vaughn) of "Moesha" attends munity college. So does her me spin-off should provide extra e ment for "Moesha" fans. "Grown Ups" (Mondays at 9 to be mistaken for "Oh Gr( "Grown Ups" stars Jaleel Whi Urkel) as, drum roll please, a gi "Shasta McNasty" (Tuesdays Something to do with The Me guess the show is so bad no or to talk about its plot, or lack th "The Strip" (Tuesdays at 9) Patrick Flannery and Guy To ex-cops who now work as a team for a rich casino owner. "WWF Smackdown" (Thur 8) - Do I really need to exp further? WB - "Jack and Jill" (Sune .V 308 S. State St., S. of Liberty Ann Arbor - 734-622-8056 courtesy of FOX The "Party of Five" gang shrinks to a mere foursome but gallantly endures. Not to worry, kids, the WB will