daily ncbrsskcn
Wednesday, march 2, 1977
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Locos vairraer sculptor
Nta Van i
By Jerry DeLcrenza
The story of sculptor Arlo Bray is comparabb to a
fairy tab.
One day in 1963, Bray said, he had some scrap steel
left over in his farm machinery repair shop. The pieces
struck him as locking like wing feathers. From the
imagery he created an eagle and on the suggestion of a
friend, he entered it in the State Fair where it won a rib
bon. Since then, his sculptures have become popular
throughout the country. Former vice president Nelson
Rockefeller owns two of them. Bray sold a line of bull
sculptures to a large midwestern Insurance company for
a sales promotion and has sold several to private indivi
duals. In the fairy tale story of Arlo Bray one factor has so
far been eliminated -the fairy godmother. Bray says he
has one somewhere because he has never had any formal
training in art or welding.
Despite his success, Bray still farms near Lincoln.
Bray said his art work is only a hobby when farm work
is less demanding, usually during the winter.
He works with the Lincoln Public Schools and
produces sculptures for many Lincoln elementary schools.
His sculptures are usually birds or animals. He admits
that he is limited in how far he can go without pictures
and usually has some on hand while working.
When creating one of his sculptures, he begins with a
cardboard design and cuts pieces of steel the size of the
cardboard and then welds the steel around the cardboard.
He starts with what he said he thinks is the biggest pro
blem -the head.
By today's art standards, Bray says, he does not charge
very much for his sculptures. For a one foot -high owl that
Bray said took him about 9 hours to complete, he will
charge about $90.
"I'm a farmer and I've never been in the driving seat
before. Generally, 111 follow grain to market and I have
to take what they give me. It's difficult to price things,"
he said, "
Continued on p. 9
1 ? -7
2l
Photo by Tl Kick
Local scepter end farmer ArSa Cray relaxes between his art work.
cainm
ent
A look back at Stsv
Review by Doubs R. Weil
Not so long ago I regarded music as
just another of life's simple pleasures. But
times and perspectives change and now
good music has become more of an
obsessive pursuit.
In the last year or so finding palatable
music has become a rather formidable
challenge. Many think the explanation is
that rock V roll is slowly creeping into it's '
third decade.
r Band can be rewarding
Music has become (though not to the
extent some claim) little more than
recycled chords, hooks, riffs and phrases.
The quality of today Y rock n roll is
still passable but it has fallen into a hand
ful of easily distinguishable categories
which have robbed it of a measure of it's
individual character and spontaneity. Too
seldom rausic is not explained in terms of
quality but who the band or artist sounds
like.
Spotlights are beginning to shine upon a
few of the important and vital artists of the
1970's. George Benson, Bob Seger, Boz
Scaggs and Steve Miller are good examples
of some musicians that have recently been
relieved of their previously faceless status.
What all this adds up to is mat some
times looking backward can be as import
ant as looking toward the future. Some
times one can't avoid looking back and
many times one can't "afford not to look
back. Such is the case of Steve Miller.
VLZetJ Anthology JCz&XoX SVB3-
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Steve Miller says ia the album User thst Anthology h "IVhat I always wanted to
make-two good LP that II held cp "
Steve
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Steve Miller's latest release, Fly Like An
Eagle, brought the Dallas-born singer-songwriter
the same fame gained by his last
album released in 1973, The Joker.
Forgotten talents
After Miller and his band's three year
absence from the scene many (including
myself) had a tendency to forget about
Miller's considerable talents.
But by the end of 1976 Fly Like An
te tapped countless fans on the
shoulder and exclaimed, "Remember us?
We're the Steve Miller Band".
Though record albums obviously are in
capable of such sophisticated human
characteristics, the music in Fly Like An
Eagle ("Take the Money and Run", "Wild
Mountain Honey", The Window" and the
album's title track) provided more than
just a run of the ml listening experience.
Miller has long been providing this kind
of setting for his fans. On The Joker, the
title track extends Miller's fondness for
created characters. In The Joker" Miller
refers to space cowboys and gangsters of
love, both characters in previous songs.
Not only was the song successful on a
musical level tut also on the commercial
cvel. I wonder who could resist a song
with an inviting lyric like-4! really love
your peaches, wanna shake your tree."?
Two classics
The Joker also yielded two other Miller
classics, a disc-jockey's nightmare, "Shu Ba
Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma" and the downtown
rocker Tour Cash Ain't Nothin But
Trash".
Vie Joker and Fly Like An Eagle are
the modem music of the Steve Miller Band.
For a look at the real Steve Miller (and his
roots) his Anthology is most revealing.
Naturally Anthology is a compilation of
Steve MHIer's best moments. Released in
1972, Anthology is 16 songs selected by
Miller from seve'n albums he made dating
back to 1968.
Anthology is a valuable album aside
from the fact that it is the cheapest way to
get Miller's early hits. Miller selected the
songs himself, whereas many greatest hits
albums are planned and packaged by
money-possessed record company execu
tives. Miller states in the album's liner notes
that Anthology is "what I always wanted
to make-two good LP's that'll hold up."
And the two-record set. Anthology
certainly holds up well, even though some
of the materid w;Hn it is nearly tcn-years-old.
"Space Cowboy" for instance, was re
leased in 1970 but it sounds just as lively
today as the first time I heard it. "Space
Cowboy" is one of the better-known songs
from Miller's early recording career and. is
rather typical of his approach to music.
The song is heavy on manipulative guitar
and production techniques.
West Coast influence
Miller has been headquartered in San
Francisco and Los Angeles since 1968, and
the influence of living on the West Coast in
the sixties shines through ever so subtley.
While most West Coast bands were play
ing either protest or psychedelic songs,
Miller combined the two and plays at those
styles rather than within them. As a result
"Space Cowboy" and most of Miller's
music is fresh-sounding even today.
"Living4 in the USA ." is another
example of Miller's talented production. It .
also attacks television, politicians, the
plasticity of life, and the absence of
Uncle Sam's helping hand.
Speaking of helping hands, Miller gets
assistance from some of the bet musicians
in the business in addition to his regular
band.
Nicky Hopkins, who gained fame with
Jeff Beck, Quicksilver Messenger Service
and John Lennon, plays keyboards on
several songs. Boz Scaggs plays guitar and
does some singing on "Living in the
U5-A." Charlie McCoy, who many regard
as the world's finest harmonica player,
contributes on two songs, "1 Love You"
and "Going to The Country". Other guest
artists include Paul McCartney, Lee
Michaels and Richard Thompson.
Anthology is fas'Iy one of the mod
coherent and pleasing repackaging of an
artist's work in the history of rock music.
More to the point. Anthology is one of
those backward glances you can't afford to
miss.