S iT The Michigan Daily-Thursday, May 15, 1980-Page 9 Ars And the hits just keep on comin' By JIM ROBINS Bookies, the infamous New Wave showcase club on Detroit's Northwest side, kicked off the week with a pair of no holds barred premiers. Monday night saw Gang of Four turn out a wildly intelligent set of clanging, redefined 'wall of sound' music. Tuesday the Selecter delighter the audience to the rock steady Two-Tone Ska sound that just won't let anybody standstill. Calling yourself Gang of Four is going to have your band pegged even before the first note is played. Gang of Four's Detroit debut had been preceded by rumors of a Marxist dance band-Communist rock and roll-the International in four-four time. But what Gang of Four actually did per- form was some of the freshest, most direct rock and roll heard in these parts in some time. , GANG OF FOUR'S first album has yet to be released in the States, except as a hard-to-find import. The band's rapid paced live attack made most of their lyrics indiscernable. So the audience was largely unfamiliar with the group's material and was in no position to judge its 'political correc- tness.' But the lyrics one could pick out Tuesday night were vivid in their directed imagery. A line from one of the early numbers of their set, "I feel like there is a beetle (Beatle?) on my back" provides commentary on being part of a new generation of British musicians, feeling the subtle weight of the past. A chorus like "Please send me evenings of weekends" expresses a desire to celebrate-to turn it up to max, but with clarity and economy. Gang of Four at times employa kind of social realism in their lyrics that is so blunt it hurts, like in the refrain: "Your kiss so sweet, your sweat so sour; sometimes I think I love you, but I know its only lust!" The lyrics one could hear clearly were a treat, but Gang of Four's musical barrage was so effective that actually they could have been singing in Italian and they would have sounded terrific. The rhythm section of drum- mer Hugo Burnham (a big George Clin- ton and Funkadelic fan) and bassist Dave Allen drew on several of the best elements of reggae, rhythm and blues, and funk, to create a persistent dance beat. Guitarist John King played just the right raw soungs, constantly reaching for the best chunky chord or note, yet not taking off, staying in the ensemble. Rob Marr handled most of the vocals with an engaging voice that didn't dominate the band's music, but was an integral part of a collective sound. Gang of Four's debut album will be released in America next week. Finally, people Stateside will get a chance to hear exactly what this band is singing about. Hopefully the album's release will be followed by a quick return performance of Gang of Four's jarring, yet mesmerizing nusic. ROCK STEADY. You could repeat the phrase rapidly over and over again for 90 minutes and you might get an idea of riding the Ska beat with the Selecter at Bookies. Like their Two- Tone label mates, the Specials and Madness, the Selecter has taken the Ska and Reggae beat, along with other elements of Carribean music and up- dated the sound, speeding up the tempo for an electrifying, urbanizing effect. The result is a kind of danceable mania that possesses the energy associated with the old Stax-Volt or Motown groups. The near capacity crowd at the club picked up on the Selecter sound quickly. For the secondnight in a row there was non-stop pandemonium on the dance floor. Spurred on by vocalist Pauline Black's encouraging words to let loose and move, the crowd vigorously responded and when it was time to leave, they left resembling the title on one of Ms. Black's compositions, "Black and Blue." The Selector churned out the music, working hard to get the crowd's atten- tion and participation. The twin, twanging Telecaster guitars of Neol Davis and Compton Amonor, the fine keyboard pulse provided by Desmond Brown, the punchy drumming of Charley 'H' Bembredge, the rich bass lines of dreadlocked bassist of Charley Anderson all were unrelenting in this brand of Coventry (a tough English in- dustrial town, home to the Two-Tone bands) party music. Pauline Black and Arthur Caps provided a vocal presen- tation filled with drama, yet never overstated. Black in particular, gave the lyrics added power with her animated facial expressions: Eyes bulging out to menace and arching her eyebrows into defiance, then breaking out into a smile and a slick shuffle, all with a smooth exuberance. The Selecter primarily played com- positions from their album The Selec- ter. They introduced the reggae classic "Time Hard" with its chorus "each day is getting worse" as a song for Detroit. Tgheir British hit "On My Radio" with the refrain "its just the same old show on my radio", was dedicated to Detroit radio with its excessive play of "Led Zepplin and Styx and all those other boring old bands." The Selecter displayed no doubts about where they were playing. After a very full hour and a half set, including two enthusiastic encores, the Selecter said good-night to a joyously wasted audience. Like their com- patriots Gang of Four, the Selecter are a fine young band, who are fortunately starting to make musical inroads in this country (despite very little radio air- play) with a tough sound that explodes with rhythmic and lyrical conviction. Dolly rPoto y iUMtUE NMALLEY Gang of Four Join the Arts staff It's that time of year, as the two areas have been woefully new semester gets under way, neglected because we don't have when the Daily sounds the enough qualified writers. If you recruiting call for new arts staff feel motivated to try your hand at writers once again. We need writing about anything that could people to report on all aspects of be conceived of as prt, or the performing and visual arts, something that wouldn't fit in from grand opera to street anywhere else in a daily theatre. One needn't be an expert newspaper, stop by the Student in a given field: interest and in- Publications Building, 420 volvement, as well as a burning Maynard-right down the street desire to write, count for a lot from McDonald's. The arts editor more. can be found in the office up- A special appeal goes out to stairs, to your right, any weekday anyone with an abiding interest afternoon. Give it a try: it can't in (and knowledge of) classical hurt and it may help-both you music and the visual arts; these and the Daily. %INEMAII BEFORE THE REVOLUTION (Bernardo Bertolucci, 1962) Bernardo Bertolucci, the director of LAST TANGO IN PARIS, made BEFORE THE REVOLUTION, his first major success, when he was only 22. The plot is loosely based on Stendahl's THE CHARTERHOUSE OF PARMA. A young man flirts intel- lectually with communism and incestuously with his young aunt. This film, colled the 'revelation' of the 1964 New York Film Festival, established Bertolucci as on outstanding talent. 'BEFORE THE REVOLUTION is too much and that is whot is great about it.. "-Pauline Koel. Italian with subtitles (115 min.). MLB 3 - 7:30 & 9:30 $1.50 The Ann Arbor Film Cooperefive Presents at Aud A: FREE THURSDAYMAY15 JON JOST FESTIVAL 7:00-Aud A Visiting filmmaker Jon Jost makes his first Ann Arbor appearance. Jost, a 36 year-old independent, experimental filmmaker, examines political and social issues. His stay in Ann Arbor will be highlighted by screenings of Speaking Directly (7:00) and Last Chants For A Slow Dance (10:00). He will give a lecture on low budget filmmaking between the two shows. Speaking Directly (1973) has been described as a ruminiation on life in America, Vietnam and the process of filmmaking. Last Chants For A Slow Dance is a story of an unemployed trucker who plays at being "King of the Road," while his family struggles for welfare. Don't miss Jost's films and the chance to listen to an independent filmmaker expouse on his art. A workshop is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday after- noon, May 14. Please check the desk or office phone for details. Tomorrow: Jack Nicholson in FIVE EASY PIECES and DRIVE, HE SAID at MLB.11.50 'eua ., fk! 'F . .'d a . l Tomorrow: AMARCORD " .. 4 .a . , x a ,. tR o.w r yr vas v--agar rr.+.s -Y w o d :"