Arts
The Michigan Daily Friday, July 17, 1981 Page 9
THE COMING WEEK:
Material
VINYL ANALYSIS No. 4;
SUBJECT: Material-'Temporary
Music' (Cellophane import)-
PHASE No. 1: The Zu Phase,
from (?) to July, 1979-When I first
saw Material in October of 1978 (NYC)
and then again in June of 1979 (Har-
tford, Conn.), they were calling them-
selves the Zu Band. Both performances
were part of Giorgio Gomelsky's
touring Zu Manifestival, which also
featured sets by established art-rockers
Daevid Allen and Fred Frith and by
what were at the time called "concep-
tual punk rock bands." The Zu Band
stood out, their music walking a fine
line between the two styles. Their
repertoire at that time included star-
tling covers of Eno and Robert Wyatt
compositions.
Personnel: Michael Beinhorn (syn-
thesizer crunch); Cliff Cultreri (Fripp
guitar); Bill Laswell (phenomenal bass
player); Fred Maher (18-year-old
drummer).
PHASE No. 2: The first Material
phase, from July, 1979 to July,
1980-Retiring to. Eddy Offord's
Woodstock, NY recording studio, the
band members decided to change their
name to Material, and their musical
style to a punk/funk fusion. The
resulting EP, Temporary Music 1 (Red
Records), found Material to be among
the pioneers of that burgeoning musical
style. Eno, at that time living in New
York, originally planned to form a band
around bassist Laswell, but instead en-
ded up using him on a track later to ap-
pear on My Life In The Bush of Ghosts.
is preserved on
with omicrofiche index
The Michigan Daily
420 Maynard Street
AND
Graduate Library
PHASE No. 3: The second
Material phase, from July, 1980 to
the present-I saw Material once
again in July of 1980 (NYC) after the
unexplained departure of guitarist
Cultreri. Legendary Albert Ayler-era
guitarist Sonny Sharrock had joined the
band, and they had a single out called
"Slow Murder." Both the recording and
the live performance seemed un-
focused. Sharrock's free jazz stylings
just didn't blend well with the sinuous
grooves the rhythm section laid out.
In September of 1980, Material went
into the studio without Sharrock to
record Temporary Music 2. It is a far
less exciting effort than the first one.
Drummer Fred Maher contributed
whatever minimal guitar parts were
necessary and the tunes are a tired re-
cycling of such funk landmarks as Don-
na Summer's "I Feel Love" and the
Bowie-Eno collaboration Low.
EVALUATION: Positive, with
some reservations. Material is a
durable, strong rhythm section with a
distinctive sound. Unfortunately, the
quality of the group's music is subject
to change in the presence of different
guitarists. Most interesting are the
trio's performances behind Robert
Quine (at which time they call them-
selves Deadline) and Laswell and
Maher's performances behind Fred
Frith (under the name Massacre).
-Bill Brown
Picks to click
MUSIC
Bob Margolin-Though his chief claim to fame is several years as a guitarist
for Muddy Waters, Margolin has started his own band and devoted his
energies to "old style" blues. This essentially means that his sound is based
more on the country instrumentation of Southern blues than the flash and
electricity of, Chicago. Margolin is an accomplished, agile guitarist, and
harpist Doug Jay plays with a furious intensity (and also sings some mar-
velous Louis Jordan songs). Rick's; tonight and Saturday; 10 pm.
Picante-This Latin jazz combo will be olaving a benefit show for the
Packard Food Cooperative at Fuller Pool. Now, how many times a summer
do you get to swim and listen to some hot salsa music? Be sure to bring your
trunks. Fuller Pool; Sunday, July 19; 9 p.m. to midnight; $3 in advance, $3.50
at the door.
Frijid Pink-Second Chance presents The Return of the One-Hit Wonders,
Frijid Pink. (Remember the classic "Venus"?) Who knows what to expect
this time around, but their fast-paced organ-fueled rock (if that's what
they're still doing) should be right in style again. Second Chance; Monday,
July 20; $3.
Buddy Rich-Known as much for his explosive personality as his explosive
drumming, Rich will continue Mantel's series of Tuesday evening Happy-
Hour jazz concerts. Mantel's (at Briarwood); Tuesday, July 21; 6 p.m.; $6.50
in advance, $7.50 at the door.
Paula Robison/Ruth Laredo-Two of the top female American classical ar-
tists will appear as part of the University Musical Society's summer
schedule. Robison and Laredo are acclaimed as being among the nation's
top flutists and pianists, respectively. The program will be highlighted by a
piece by Rachmaninoff, on whose work Laredo is considered somewhat of an
expert. Rackham Auditorium; Wednesday, July 22; $8, $6.50, and $5.
Eclipse Jazz-For the Art Fair, Eclipse Jazz's series of free outdoor concer-
ts will move from Liberty Plaza over to a stage in front of the Union. Three
different bands will be featured each day. Wednesday will showcase the Ur-
bations, Tantra, and Steve Nardella. Thursday's acts will be Rh Factor,
Strata Nova, and Peter "Madcat" Ruth with Danny Brubeck. Friday's show
will feature the Colone Band, Big Fun, and Mixed Bag. Michigan Union
stage; Wednesday through Friday, July 22-24; 4:30-9 p.m.; free.
Lonnie Brooks-Brooks has a shameless and seductive affinity for the flash
and electricity that Margolin avoids. He was a rock singer in the late 50s and
has never completely graduated from the genre. His songs walk a fine line
between rock and blues, but his smooth, powerful voice is comfortable with
both. For those who aren't sure whether they like the blues. Rick's; Thur-
sday, July 23; 10 pm.
FILMS
2001-Everybody has probably seen this one a million times by now (and if
you haven't, you should have), but the fact that it's at the Michigan-the only
screen in town that can truly do it justice-makes this a real event. Michigan
Theater; tonight; 4, 7, and 9:45; $3.
TONIGHT
Join
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