0 The Michigan Daily - Thursday, September 23, 2004 - 4B 0 0 i The Michigan Daily* personality profileM TOM Goss: MOVING BETWEEN TWO REALMS this week in crunkjwith Evan McGarvey THE KINGDOM OF CRU By K.K. Schnier For The Daily Room 2095 Krauss Natural Science Building. The sunlight pouring in through the window appears to be the only link between the laboratory and the outside world. While students play Frisbee and sunbathe in the Diag, these lab scien- tists hover over test tubes. beakers and microscopes. The lab is a kind of alter- nate universe, a place where individuals are so intent on their work that they can tune out the noise from their outside lives: a place where phrases like "interbacte- rial contemplation." "binding revertants" and "paraplasmic protein" are part of the everyday vernacular. At his lab station, Senior Research Associate Tom Goss pauses momentarily to explain his work. It is only 12:15 pm, but Goss has already been at the lab for nearly six hours. His blue eyes sparkle with pride as he points to the test tubes in front of him. "I'm studying the way DNA binds to protein," he says, simplifying his words to make them comprehensible to a nonscientist. "I love my job here. I don't mind getting here at 6:30 a.m. to help increase humans' knowledge of the envi- ronment" Watching Goss in his white coat and rubber gloves, one would not know that this is same man students notice play- ing the harmonica under a tree near the Shapiro Undergraduate Library. "I like to keep it separate," he says, referring to his music. "It's a form of stress release, when everything that's work-related can take a back seat." Indeed, the Goss who can be found jamming near the Diag almost every afternoon seems to be an entirely differ- ent person from the Chicago-born bio- logical chemist, who received his Ph.D. from the University's Medical School. This year. Goss celebrates his fifth fall as a street performer at the Univer- sity, a passion that allows him to shut out briefly the demands of his job and his role as the father of two children, age 13 and 16. "Sometimes, I get a good groove, a good synergy, and it's like an auditory orgasm," he laughs. Although he does not read music, Goss has played the harmonica as a form of relaxation for about 30 years. "I have about 200 tunes in my head. Most of them are show tunes that you would know just from being alive in this cul- ture, like 'Somewhere Over the Rain- bow' and 'The Sound of Music,' " he explains. "I have also been inspired by harmonica players like James Cotton, Peter Madcat Ruth and John Coltrane. I'd like to play how they play." Goss, who describes himself as "artsy- fartsy," said he used to enjoy painting as a form of creative expression, but loves the interaction that comes with playing a musical instrument. "I like when other musicians come and jam with me," Goss says. "It's usually guitar players, but I've accompanied the banjo, hand drums, and once, the trumpet." While many musicians and passers- by have welcomed Goss's playing, oth- ers have greeted him with a less than warm response. Some have taunted him by sneering, spitting or throwing money intended to injure him, he said, yet he is determined to pursue his art form. "Why should this be frowned upon?" he asks, his voice rising. "If you're not allowed to express your thoughts, what good is a college campus?" Goss's dedication is evident from his commitment to play, even during harsh Michigan winters. On one particular 16-degree day, he remembers fearing that his fingers would freeze. "That day, I stayed outside for about 40 minutes, when I probably should have stopped after 20," he recalls, shrugging his shoulders. "Perhaps it's a little danger- ous." When asked what he hopes students will take away from his music, Goss responded that has an "evil plan to dis- tract," to "make people get a tune stuck in their heads that would divert them from their tests and projects." In an environment where individuals "have a lot on their minds," Goss tries to infuse his listeners with a sense of tranquility amid their hectic lives. Goss, however, realizes that he, too, must eventually return to reality, which for him is the world of 2095 Natural Science. He is remarkably adaptable in his moving between the realm of science and realm of music. "It would be nice to play outside all day," he admits, "but after two hours, I'm satisfied." He stares outside at the students walking through the Diag. "It's a different world out there; it's a different mindset. In one, you're actively thinking about what you're doing. " He flexes his fingers as if he is pre- paring to play. "The other," he adds, "is instinctive, spontaneous." T he fluid nature of any language eventually allows corruptions, or combination of words to assimi- late into the previously established vocabulary. Often times these words represent the attitudes, cultural and inter- national influences from a sub-group of those people that speak the language. In other words, Yeah! Yeah! YEAAAAAHHH! A time is upon us in the sprawling his- tory of the English language in which a single human, so bold and innovative can shift the very way in which we commu- nicate. Chaucer, Shakespeare, Eliot, and now Lil' Jon. But what is this minstrel of the Southland really proclaiming with his embezzled chalice and clarion call? The word "crunk" has shot into the mouths of seemingly every American youth with access to a television or radio. While the word is obviously a manipula- tion of the words "funk" and "crazy," Lil' Jon did so much more than simply take slang words and mash them together like so many frosted diamonds in his mouth. An entire clique, nay, a full lifestyle of frenzied and raucous behavior has sprung from the feet of this bold innova- tor of language. Though the man himself did add the squelching synth chords and sonar whistles than have infected the air- waves like some marvelous disease, the history of "crunk" dates back to the very seeds of human art. Outlining the very elements of "crunk" is as elusive a job as trying to make Usher sound like a credible singer. The people and objects that fall under the umbrella of "crunk" all have a cer- tainly earthy, revelatory, and often hedo- nistic mood. So I must ask once more, "what cha'll know about crunk historical figures?" To start, Vaclav Havel, the first presi- dent of the Czech Republic not only is one of the most famous writers in Czech history (any type of art is crunk) but he also brought in Lou Reed as an official guest of the state. Havel beat the com- munists and turned Prague into the party capital of Europe. Oooooooooookay! ! !!! Most of us run into William Blake in the dreary pages of some poetry anthol- ogy but look at it this way: Blake knew humans were flawed angels, hopeful demons and something in between. He was part of a small sect of Christian- ity but never reigned in his passion and zeal for reforming the church as a whole. Plus he painted pictures to accompany his poems. When you're crunked up you need some visual guidance. "Tyger, Tyger" is also fairly crunked out and deadly. Closer to home, easily the most "crunk" group of people on the Michi- gan campus has to be the marching band. First off, they're just plain dirty. What other group of people can slam together various pieces of music once a week and still manage to hit almost every god- damn note? Their parties rock and most of all, they are so cocky about the fact that they play in the band! All we need is some Drumline-esque scene were Pete Pablo runs in the middle of a halftim show and rips some verses. Damn. The he could party with the whole trump< section. Most importantly, I'm the mo: crunked-out writer at the Daily. Whil other people are toiling away to brin you vital news about some budget cris FOREST CASEY/Daily Goss plays tunes on his harmonica outside the Shapiro Undergraduate Library. Opportunities are available in the following areas: point| counterpoint POINT: TO THE MAN WHO DINGED MY BMW I COUNTERPOINT: THE PUBLIC BUS SYSTEM IS DA BOMB By Alilen For the Daily I don't know why this always happens to me, but some idiot dinged my brand new BMW X5 today. I don't get it, I'm responsible. I park COURTEURYF OXin ding-free zones, far away from the front door. Last win- ter, I made my children walk nearly a half mile to get to Chuck E. Cheese. They were closed when we got there, but I think they learned a lesson about car safety. Do you know how much this is going to cost to fix? The parts are German, which not only supports their superiority but it means they're fucking expen- sive. It took the dealership three days to work on my beautiful piece of machinery - they had to give me a loaner. Do you know what they gave me? A Geo Metro. That's okay, take a minute to let that set in. A GEO METRO!?! If I braked too hard, the car would crumple up and kill me. I had to have the jaws of life on speed dial. So, this article is for you, "Mr. Swing-My-Buick- Door-Open-So-Far-I-Could-Fit-All-Of-Iowa-Into- My-Front-Seat." This is my letter to you, asking you to come forward, put a shirt on and come forth to the local police department, as soon as possible. The sooner the better, too; I can feel my Beverly Hills property values plummeting. Even Carl Weathers is complaining - a true sign the situation is grim. By Predator For the Daily Listen, if these rich ass- holes don't stop parking all over town, I'm going to have to keep hitting their cars. These jerkoffs should COURTESY OF 20TH learn to take a bus. That CENTURY FOXway, there'd be room for my mustard-yellow, vintage Buick. After all, not everyone can afford a car that still shines. If everyone learned to take the bus, we could cut down on engine transmis- sion and unclog the streets. Of course, some of us "aren't humanoid," and "have trouble fit- ting into a bus seat." Let me make this very clear to you: If you park in my neighborhood, and your car's not on cinderblocks, then someone's going to try and break into it. Can't you slither around in a richer neighborhood? Must you plant your demon-seed next to my chicken-pen? Double-park your Bimmer in front of my home one more time and I'll cut you into piec- es small enough for the bus, bitch. Yeah, it's a class war, but you probably didn't count on the peons having razor-sharp boomerangs, did you pal? gold bond cleaners QUALITY DRY CLEANING & SHIRT SERVICE 332 Maynard (Across from Nickels Arcade) 668-6335 Computer Science Computer Engineering Electrical Engineering Check out our website at rayjobs.com/campus for further information, including our Campus Start your job search by clicking Find a Job. The power of applied intelligence. .rayjobs.com/campus Mechanical Engineering Math Physics Systel Aeronau One of the most admired defense and aerospace systems suppliers through world-class people and technology. Our focus is developing great talent. 0 2004 Raytheon Company. All rights reserved. Raytheon is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer and welcomes a wide diversity of applicants. U.S. Citizenship and security clearance may be required. Rust