dally nebraskan . Wednesday, febroary 15; 1978
pagsB
Sensitive but defiant Coatello
could fill The King's9 bnces
ByJeffTaebd
While driving down North Avenue on
Chicagos west side this summer. I heard
an FM jock relate the story of an interest
ing phone call he had received. A listener
called in and, referring to. the recent
passing of Elvis Presley, asked him, "What s
all this talk about "Ilie King being dead?
The King is not dead! T6 this, the DJ
replied, "I couldn't , agree with; you mors,
The King isn't dead, because how The'
King is this man .. .
album
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Photo courtesy off Columbia Racords
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The DJ then proceeded to play a tape
excerpt from HvisjCostello's debut album,
My Aim Is True. The song we heard is call
ed "Miracle Man and from listening to it,
one immediately can see that "this man" is
a recording artist to be reckoned with.
The song opens with some rough -edged
guitar and has a dynamite chorus "What
I'm trying to tell you is there's always
somebody whose gonna do it better than I
canDon't ya think that I know that
walkin on the water don't make me a
miracle man!"
So, here we have a man named Elvis
Costello, pictured in yellow and orange,
defiantly posing for his debut album cover,
looking for all the world like Buddy Holly
on angel dust. What is the public to think?
Unfortunately, some music writers al
ready have written him off as another new
wave or punk rocker, presumably because
of Costello's working-class London back
ground and his rude and raucous musical
style.
This categorization is grossly unfair.
For starters, Costello's lyrics show a certain
sensitivity that lifts his songs well above
the "I want my boot in your face"menta
lity of Johnny Rotten and others like him.
Also, his songwriting abilities seem to
exceed those of any of the punk rockers
we have heard from either side of the At
lantic. Costello's band is tight and really can
rock when they want to. Costello sings
with a vengeance, sounding somewhat
like a younger angrier Bruce Springsteen.
His songs are short, to the point and his
lyrics range from witty to frightening.
Side one of My 4Jra ts True contains
some minor rock masterpieces, one of
them being the previously mentioned
"Miracle .Man, Another highlight ofthe
side is the hard-rocking "Blame It On
Cain, which has a searing guitar lead
and a powerful chorus, , , ;
Costello has an uncannny knack for
writing numbers that have eternally hum
mable melodies and capivating rhythms,
exemplified by "No Dancing, "Sneaky
Feelings, and TVelcomeTote.xVyorld
In A Week, which also art oh side one.
However, the finest moments on the side
provided by "Alison," a tune, which could
revolutionize songs about unrequited love.
Instead of sitting around moping about
his bad luck, as most songwriters seem con
tent to do, Costello takes immediate
action, warning the girl who is the object
of his affection: "sometimes I wish I could
stop you from talkingwhen I hear the silly
things that you sayI think somebody
better put out the big light'cause I can't
stand to see you this wayAlison, I know
this world is killing youOh, Alison; my
aim is true!"
Side two doesn't slow down much. It
.opens with a rather lush number called
"The Angels Want To Wear My Red
Shoes." It also contains a breakneck rocker
entitled "Mystery Dance" and a rather
frightening song called "Im Not Angry,
which is reminiscent of some of the ''sci
fi rock of the mid-Sixties. ... ; ,
The, album closes with a social comment
piece called "Waiting For The End Of The
World" in which Costello lashes out at
various segments of Western culture : "The
legendary hitchhikerthinks he blows
where it's atsays now he wants to go to
Spainor someplace like that." ' n 3 .
With this impressive album under his
belt, Costello should expect his popular
ity in uie usi. io increase immensely, ine
album combined with a performance on
in Time magazine, should guarantee a
quick rise to stardom. .
Each of the little black squares which
checkerboard the album cover contain a
letter, and when put together, they spell
cat Rvi i IflTM rfn:. ihm iarVpt.
rm not going to argue. Long may he reign!
Jesus Christ Superstar' opera to grace Lincoln stage
By Charlie Krig
Jesus Christ Superstar, the rock opera
by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber,
opens Fri., Feb. 17 at the Lincoln Com
munity Playhouse.
The play is based upon the New Testa
ment of the Bible with the plot centering
on Christ's last days on earth. The show
originally was produced in London but
later ran on Broadway. The stage version
on both sides of the Atlantic were tremen
dous hits as was the motion picture rendi
tion. The record soundtrack of the original
theatrical production in London is one of
the best-selling British albums of all time
and the score includes numbers such as 1
Dont Know How To Love Him," "Super
star," and "Hosanna".
The Playhouse is one of the first area
community theaters to produce Jesus
Christ Superstar. Playhouse Managing
Director John R. Wilson said the chance to
produce the show is a recent development
"Five years ago, if anyone had suggested
that we produce Superstar, he or she would
have been bombarded with SO reasons why
we couldn't do that show," he said. "But
the successful experiences of shows like
GodspeU and The Me Nobody Knows, we
know that we can do them (rock musicals)
wen and the audiences and cast love every
minute of it."
The musical features a combined cast,
choir, chorus, dance company and orches
tra of over 65 people. The cast includes
Glenn Prettyman as Jesus, Janne Cooper as
Mary Magdalene, Frank Smith as Judas,
Paul Tranisi as Pilate, Tom Farrell as
Herod, Todd Berger as Caiphas, David
Shellner as Simon, Ken Love as Annas and
Patrick Brimm as Peter.
Wilson is director of the production,
Charles Kuba is music- director and B21
Munson is assistant music director. Chore
ography is by Karen McWBliams, scenic
design is by Don Yanik, lighting is by Doug
Pipan and all costumes are designed by
Dfrne Knust and Don Yanik. Carol
Svoboda js the assistant to tne director.
Jesus Christ Superstar is produced
through cooperation with Music Theatre
International. Carol McVey, administrative
assistant at the Playhouse, said the play
will run Feb. 17-19 and 24-26 and March
3-5 and 10-12 with nightly performances
at 8.. Matinees have been scheduled for
2 pjn. on Feb. 26 and March 5 ' ,
McVey suggested that reservations be
made early because the Playhouse musicals
usually have full houses. Reservations may
be made by calling the Playhouse box
office at 489-9608.
duets
Instrumentalists, vocal
are featured in free recitals
mini has risen on KZUM
KZUM, the educational, listener-sponsored,
community-access FM radio station
supported by Sunrise Communications, is
cZkizZy on the air.
Ua Friday, Feb. 10, the Federal Com
HSSicztioas Commission granted authority
tot KZUM to befjn broadcasting radio
prugiaaa st frequency 89 JS on the FM
band The station started broadcasting
Tuesday and programs will run daily this
week from 4 pjn. to 2 im The regular
program schedule will begjn at sunrise
Saturday, Feb. 18. '
Sunrise Communications began Its fight
for broadcast authorization In spring 1974.
Then the tax-exempt, non-profit corpor
ation applied for a permit to build the
station. The application was delayed
because WOWT-TV (Channel 6 in
Omaha) filed a petition claiming the
KZUM signal would interfere with the
WOWT signal.
The FCC later granted a construction
permit so the station could go on the au
to perform equipment rests and determine
the actual interference. The tests were
conducted from late December 1977
through late January 1978 with only a
few cases of interference reported, accord
ing to a Sunrise Communications mem
ber. WOWT now has dropped its petition
but program tests still will run through
Friday night.
The UNL School of Music is sponsoring
four student recitals today featuring two
senior instrumentalists and two junior
vocalists.
Beth Teller will play four selections on
the flute. Her choices are Sonata for Piano
and Flute, Op. 35 by Conradin Kreutzer,
Joueurs de Flute, Op. 27, No. land 2 by
Albert Roussel, Musk for Mother Bear
by Donald Erb and Suite for Flute and
Jazz Piano by Claude Boiling.
Teller's recital will start at 330 pis.
in the Choral Room of Westbrook Musk
Building. Her accompanists w21 be Robert
Rhein and Jeff Agler on piano, Martha Cb
recht on bass and DeH Smith on drums.
The other three performers wEl pre
sent their, recitals in Sheldon Art Gallery
auditorium, their performances also will
begin at 3:30 pjn.
Two sopranos, Laurie Brenner and
Joyce Mahbn, will sing a dozen songs in
an assortment of solos and duets. Their
selections are Laudamus te byVrrelii;
Deh vieni non tarda r and UAmerb by
Mozart, Morgen by Stizuss, Uebst du tan
Schonheit by Mahler, DieNachtigsH by
Berg, MadehenBeder by Brahms, Weep
you no more by Quitter, When I bring to
you by Carpenter, Walk Slowly by Hage
man and Pretty Ring Time by Warlock.
Kathy Knebel will play the piano for
the women.
The laft performer will be Mike Browa
son. The program for his trumpet recital
was not available at press time. -
All of the recitals are free and open to
the public.
Tryouts soon for Simon play
Audition dates are set for the next Lin
coln Community Playhouse main stage pro
duction, The Good Doctor by Neil Simon.
The tryouts have been set for Feb. 20 and
21 at 730 pjn. at the Playhouse, 2500 So.
56th St,
The lead role will be played by John R.
Wflson, the Playhouse managing director,
in his last appearance on its staee. Other
parts are available for adult men and
women and one young man aged 17
through 22 years old.
Play production dates will be from
March 25 to April 16 and scripts are avail
able at the Playhouse box office. Call the
Playhouse at 489-9608 for more information.