9 '0 0 7j. 0 0 2B - The Michigan Daily - Weekend Magazine - Thursday, March 27, 2003 Saturday Looks Go od to Me tells how to ot aloner The Michigan Daily - Weekend Magazine - E3 ELITE ENTERTAINMENT EXPOSITIOI JEFF DIcKERSON - SOMETHING CLEVER THE WORST BAND OF ALL TIME, AND NO, THEY'RE NOT FROM ANN ARBOR By Sean Dailey Daily Arts Writer Saturday Looks Good to Me has been making noise on the Detroit/Ann Arbor scene for the past two years. Combining a throwback sound reminiscent of the Beach Boys and old Motown with an indie rock ethic, the band could be one of the few in the local scene with a truly unique style. Releasing their first four LPs without the help of any label, independent or otherwise, the band has managed to land major U.S. tours with the likes of Saves the Day and Rainer Maria and garner national attention. Their first release on PolyVinyl, All Your Summer Songs, came out earlier this month. Recently, The Michigan Daily had a chance to sit down with the brains of the operation, Fred Thomas. The Michigan Daily: Congrats on signing with PolyVinyl. How did that come about? Fred Thomas: Saturday Looks Good to Me almost acci- dentally became a band out of a 4-track project that kinda hap- pened. I spent a couple of years making this record. They had been given the heads up on us from Kyle from Rainer Maria and some other people on college radio had been kinda hyping the band up to PolyVinyl. It's not necessarily like a lot of the other bands on PolyVinyl, but that's kinda what they're excited about. They came and saw an awful, awful show we played in Milwaukee. But they signed us anyway. TMD: How was the recent tour with Saves the Day? Were you received well by their fans? You're not really even in the same ballpark as far as genres go. FT: That was a crazy tour. I was surprised how receptive they were. We sold a ton of merchandise, made a lot of friends. There definitely were people who weren't into it at all, but there was more people into it than I thought there would be. TMD: Your live shows tend to sound a lot different than the recordings. Is it a matter of the people performing with you, or a matter of the crowd? F: In the beginning, everyone was so excited. But it was like, "Jesus Christ, we have 11 people on stage, this is ridicu- lous." It's hard not to suit up and freak out. Many times, most of the band is drunk and just going crazy. It's more about hav- ing fun and motivating people to dance then sitting down and paying subtle attention to the intricacies in songs. TMD: The SLGTM stuff talks a lot about love, longing, and other things along those lines. Do you ever find it difficult to avoid cliches and create something meaningful in a new way, in some way that's still relevant? F: Because most of the things that are being sung about are actual events and actual people, actual things, I don't really think about ciches. Whether it's a clich6 or not, it's happening or it has happened. There's definitely some things that could fall into indie rock cliches, but it's all too real to me to even think about that. TMD: What's the first song you remember hearing and thinking, "That's what I wanna be like, that's the kinda music I wanna make."? FT: I remember when I was 19 and all my friends were like, "Pet Sounds is the best album ever. Beach Boys, Pet Sounds. You gotta listen to it." So I bought it and I was like, "This record sucks." But I couldn't not listen to it, you know? At the same time, I was going through the same thing with The Clash. I was like, "These guys are fucking annoying." But I couldn't stop listening to either of these records. The way it sounded, it doesn't sound like anything else. I didn't want to See SATURDAY, Page 12B courtesy oT rall or ome Records The Sights - Proud to be a product of Detroit. The S*ights despise industry'wank-fests' By Scott Serilla Daily Arts Editor I Eddie Baranek, frontman of rockers the Sights recently discussed the curse of the Detroit garage label, via email. The Michigan Daily: How was your South By Southwest experience? Eddie Baranek: SXSW is a total joke. It's a big industry wank-fest where people are there to be seen, not heard. Let's just say I will never return. People don't give a shit about the music, they only care about their hair. TMD: How is the current tour with the Datsuns going? You're about half way through it, any tales of road may- hem? EB: There is a hotel room some- where in Atlanta that has a hair dryer in the toilet, a chair smashed to bits, a clogged shower and a bolted TV that wanted to be liberated. The tour has been a blast. Nothing beats waking up at noon everyday and playing shows every night. The Datsuns are very professional and hardworking, and their live show is amazing. One of my favorite bands I've toured with. TMD: You've been touring for awhile now, what is it like to come back to Detroit? What's the first thing you do when you get back into town? EB: The first thing I do is meet up with my girlfriend, usually at 6 a.m. or some odd hour. And since it's usually hard for me to sleep, we go and grab a bite to eat at my favorite local diner, Monty's. TMD: You're sometimes being labeled as the little brothers of Detroit garage rock; bothersome or can you live with it? EB: I'm more bothered by my three least favorite words, Detroit garage rock. But as far as being labeled the little brothers, that is fine by me. We are 21 and 22 in a scene that is more 27 and 30 years old. TMD:In a more general sense what has the scene meant to you guys? How do you your own identity and be part of what still seems to be a fairly tight- knit scene? EB: People are disappointed we don't sound like the Von Bondies or the White Stripes. I like these bands and always have. The hype surround- See BARANEK, Page 12B All aboard the Outkast gravy train ... Bi uomw Top10 1. Get Rich Or Die Tryin, SO Cent - Well, you're rich now, and you're not dead, so you can buy braces! 2. Come Away With Me, Norab Jones - This al bum has been onthis list for eleven- ty garbillion years. We have no more jokes. 3. Chocolate Factory, R. Kelly - Is that where you tell those underage girls you're taking them? 4. Home, Dixie Chicks - See No. 2. You guys need to branch out and buy other albums. There's a lot of good stuff out there. 5, Sing The Sorrow, AFI - Trust, us, we're singing it. Loudly and proudly. 6. Chkcago, Soundtrack - Nothing ie showtunes to make you want to yank your own eardrums out. 7. Street Dreams, Fabolous - He's the worst. We wish he would die. Painfully. 8. Cocky, Kid Rock - Awww, he sings with Cheryl Crow. Now he's sensitive and deep dee. Fallen, Evanescence - Enjoy the nine spot while you can, because next week, life will imitate art. 10. Monster, Killer Mike - Not bad, but not too subtle either Is the "Killer" necessary? Well, we guess just "Mike" would be lame. WHAT'S NI ON THE RUN FROM JOHNNY LAW, POLANSKI GIVES ACCEP- TANCE SPEECH - Roman Polanski finally gave a belated acceptance speech for his Academy Award. The director, who has been a fugi- tive from the law since his statutory rape conviction, was given a Best Director Oscar for his Holocaust drama "The Pianist." In a statement he released, he said, "I am deeply moved to be rewarded for the work which relates to the events so close to my own life, the events that led me to comprehend that art can transform pain. I believe this still holds true today. My most heartfelt thanks to the members of the Academy for this wonderful award." Adrien Brody, who played the lead in the film, won the Oscar for ver the past four years here at the University, I've stumbled (unintentionaly) across several local bands at parties, bars, coffee shops and walks through the Diag. Even though you could say each band has its own musical style and persona, I'd lump them all into the "not good" jgebre. Perhaps I'm being too harsh, but I've never been a fan of musical acts that specialize in cover songs (and bad cover songs at that) and general non-rocking. If a local band is actually good (wliki mnry Aicohol- induced friends of the band might believe) wouldn't they have a record deal and be touring Japan in a mas- sive arena tour?. Sure there are always those great undiscovered musicians you read about in the back pages of Rolling Stone, but it's a myth I tell you, a myth. I have to give some credit to local acts. While Ann Arbor musical misfits are horrendous at best, they still exhibit a certain degree of skill - i.e. some vocalists have decent pitch and some musicians can actually play the first few notes of "Paradise City" on their guitars. Try to imagine, if you will, a band that displays a complete lack of any musical knowledge. It's hard to imagine, but one such band did exist. That band was the Shaggs. Who are the Shaggs? The group consisted of three sisters from a dirt poor town in New Hampshire - Dorothy, Betty and Helen Wiggin. The sisters formed the band under the advice of their father Austin, who bought his daughters instruments in 1967. Dorothy took care of lead guitar and vocals, Betty played rhythm guitar and provided some backing vocals while Helen was left with the drum kit. Later on, the youngest sister Rachel played bass on a few songs for the family. The Shaggs were an avant- garde, indie Patridge Family, minus the aggravatingly catchy tunes and the even more aggravating Danny Bonaduce. The band name is said to have come from Austin, who wanted to name his daughters' group after the popular shag hairstyle of the time. The name is iron- ic i1 that Dorothy, Betty and Helen are far from sha- gadelic. Visualize the three ugliest women ever to roam the forests of New England and you have a good idea what the Shaggs look like. Now that you know a little bit of the history of the Shaggs, it's time to learn their about their music. To describe the songs of the Wiggin sisters in words is nearly impossible so I'll justproid; you with the original liner notes from their 1969 debut album Philosophy of/the Word. The Shaggs are reAl, pure, unaffected biy outside influences. Theirmusic is different, it is theirs alone. Of al # contemporary acts in the world today, perhaps only the Shaggs do what others would like to do, and that is perform only what they belive in, what they feel, not what others think teShaggs shouldfeel After listening to the title.trk of the album it's easy to see what they meanthby "unaffected by outside influence " It would be safe t assume the Shaggs had never heard music before they went into the studio to record their debut (and final) album. Rhythm is painfully absent from Helen's drumming, Betty's ran- dom playing of "notes" on her guitar break all con- ventions of musical structure and Dorothy's vocals mirror Mumbles from "Dick Tracy" singing in a util- ity closet with a pillow over his mouth. A lot of the blame can probably be placed on their father Austin, who is quoted as saying "get my girls while they're hot!" If Philosophy of the World repre- sents theWiggin sisters in their prime I can't imagine what they sound like on an off night. Austin Wiggin watched over his daughters' studio sessions like a hawk and served as producer for their album, much like Brian Wilson did with the Beach Boys from Pet Sounds onward. But unlike the Beach Boys' masterpiece, the Shaggs came out of the studio with 12 tracks that were as excruciating as they were unique. "We Have a Savior" and "Sweet Thing" are two of the more touching songs on the album that give an inside look into the Wiggin sisters' primitive musical minds. The Shaggs are truly one of the most fascinating musical acts of the 20th century and upon listening to their lone album it's easy to see why Frank Zappa called Philosophy of the World his third-favorite album of all time. The Shaggs are one of those bands you just have to hear to believe. Give the Wiggin sisters a listen and you may find yourself less critical of the local garbage music scene in Ann Arbor - although I'll take the Shaggs any day over some balding grad student singing Dave Matthews b-sides in Espresso Royale. - If you want to find out more about the Shaggs or where you can pick up a copy of their album e-mail my pal Foot Foot atjsdicker@umich.edu. Dar Wija .......... EWS IN ENTERTAINMENT April 221 7:30pm Power Center Tickets Available At The Michigan Union Ticket Office Charge by phone 734-763-TKTS An Office Of Major Events Division Of Student Affairs Presentation Best Actor, and the screen- play was named the Best Adapted Screenplay. STROKES BEGIN LONG DOWNWARD ° SPIRAL, A.K.A. THEIR SECOND ALBUM - The once-trendy New York rockers are begin- ning work on their sophomore effort with producer Nigel Godrich, who has worked with Beck and Radiohead. They are recording two songs with Godrich,, and if they turn out tox the band's liking, they may record the entire album with him. He's s The band has been working on new material for some time, debuting cer- tain songs like "Meet Me in the Bathroom" on their recent tours. MAN IN BLACK IN HOS- PITAL - Johnny Cash is still in the Nashville Baptist Hospital being treated for pneumonia. The singer has been there for two weeks. A hospital spokesper- son said, "We're taking our time and making sure he is completely healed." Cash was diagnosed with autonomic neu- ropathy over a year ago, a condition that made him more likely to get Courtesy of RCA pneumoa. d cute. THE O.J. ALL STAR OF THE WEEK THE BEASTIE BOYS The New York trio, after a five-year absence from the music scene, decided that the best way to reappear on the scene was to release an absolutely terri- ble single. The track, "In a World Gone Mad," is an anti-war song that criticizes the Bush administration and the war in Iraq. Maybe they should have spent their time off writing songs that were actually good instead of whining. o scruffy an