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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 27, 1979)
page 18 dally nebraskan monday, august 27, 1979 JayFergfison tired, but happy, after five months on road By Kim Wilt Jay Ferguson looks tired. He said he and his band have been touring since April, "hitting, with a few exceptions, every city In the U.S." Ferguson winds his way through the backstage maze after the sound check, hands his guitar to a roadie and sits down in the dressing room for the interview,1 His road manager wanders in and out ' periodically, reminding Ferguson that less than an hour remains before showtime. Although his eyes are red -rimmed and shadowed by dark circles, Ferguson Insists he does not mind the long stint of touring. "After five months on the road, the music is the only thing that's left," he said. "Everything else just fades away, and yott can concentrate on playing. were the most important thing' he said. "But it can get into petty jealousies. Some bands say we're too good ." FERGUSON STARTED out in the group Spirit, a Los Angeles-based band formed in 1967. The L.A. native said he frequented clubs that were playing the new music of the times. That's how he met the men who were to form Spirit-Ed Cassidy, Randy California, John Locke and Mark Andes. "It was the kind of music I could identi fy with, whai I was out looking for. We started rehearsals, and Lou Adler thought he could produce us, and signed us." stayed around longer than anyone expect- used to say that t couldn't imagine doing ed. - this for another ten years. But now 1 can't "They said the Stones were dying out. put a final date on it. Rock has had more Well, that turned out to be ridiculous. I elasticity than anyone believed possible." Spirit stayed together for four years, re leasing the singles, "Nature's Way" and "I ; Got A Line On You." When the tour ends next week, he and" the band plan to take some time off and then go back on the road for a short col lege tour. After that, he said,thej:wfll need to go back to the studio If they are to have their hew album out before Christmas as planned.. ; ; ; , IF HE HAS TIME, Ferguson said he would like to produce as well as record. He produced his last album, Real Life Ain't This Way, for Asylum, and is interested in working with hew wave groups. "I like the music, it has a sense of ur gency," he siad. It's made right on the spot. That feeling rubs off on my own music. Disco seems to have peaked, but I,, think new wave will get stronger ." The band has opened- shows-for the Beach Boys, the Doobie Brothers and the Little Rivet Band among others,, but last Wednesday night was their first appearance with England Dan and John Ford Coley. "Our paths just crossed," he says. "Actually, we haven't evenjnet them yet." He says he does not mind being the open ing act for so many bands; fv . . The job for an opening act, he explains, is to get the audience into the right mood, to get them on their feet, and enjoying the music. "We try to approach it as if the music "The things that made the band unique foreshadowed its breakup," Ferguson now says. ."There were separate strong personal ities." After Spirit, he formed Jo Jo Gunn with Curly Smith, Mark Andes and Matt Andes. We knew what we Wanted to be play-ing-simple rock and roll." AFTER CUTTING four albums in four years, and releasing the single "Run Run Run," the band broke up in 1975. Disillu sioned, Ferguson retreated to his home in Santa Barbara, Calif, for a year. In 1976, he released the album, All Atone in the Endzone, followed by Thunder Island. The title track became a hit single, which Ferguson followed up with "Shakedown Cruise" from the current album. The song was "a personal fantasy," he says of "Shakedown Cruise. I was thinking of Enrol Flynn and pirate movies. It turned into a metaphor for this tour though -we call it the 'Shakedown Tour.'" Ferguson doesn't say how long he plays to continue singing and touring, but refers to rock singers and groups he says have Is. ''' : -' -7 ft IV a 1 41 p ; ii lay Ferguson Photo by M. BiliingsSay Dance professors methods influenced by Bali culture By Penelope'M. Smith To most people Bali is a vague tropical pinpoint somewhere east of Java. . For Marianne Evenson, a new UNL dance professor, Bali and its culture are integral part of her field of study as well as her approach and attitudes toward American life and teaching. Evenson was one of two recipients of a Fulb right-Hayes Scholarships to Indone sia in 1978 and 1979. Hie Indonesian government sponsored her admission to the Indonesian national dance college. There she studied traditional Balinese dance for a year and later moved to a small village where she studied under a native teacher. , To Americans accustomed to ethnic dance as glittering superficial tourist attraction, the Indonesian attitude towards cultural preservation is one to be envied, she said. THEY ARE not rushing ahead for modernization" Evenson explained. They are wealthy In terms of natural resources, but are afraid of losing their cultural heritage. able to buy it back with money.' Dance reflects this. Its preservation is related to the life of the average person. It's not just for tourists,-she said. "The Balinese perform mostly a form of dance-drama, a combination of dance and opera," she said. "DANCE IS incorporated into holidays and used inside religious temples for cere monies or for entertainment at night. THE DANCE-DRAMAS are derived primarily from India-influenced epics and Balinese legends. 'There are no books, Evenson said. "But there is a strong oral tradition, the dance-dramas are an educa tion with lessons in morals, cultural and spiritual values. She said that, by law, the sacred dances cannot be commercialized. Vv Dancers who perform in the temple do so as a part of their religious worship, she explained. Although ft has t prescribed style, Balinese Dancing is not a rigid art form. lows the music but after you master the ed costumes, headdresses, and musical technique you can interpret and add ele- -instruments are owned by the communities ments and the musicians must follow you, and different dancers use them over the snesaid. years, she said. 1 was told a number of times by peo- f "FREEDOM IN Balinese dance depends fie, If we lose our. culture we wiJJ not be oa form,!. Evenson said. The dance foj. "Dancers tend to specialize. Depending on height and body type you are type cast." Because of her slender face and long arms, Evenson often was cast in t short, melencholy dance called the Pandji Semirang: the tale of a young girl separated from her finance days before their Wedding. Balinese dancers are organized in groups, but when they are not dancing they live and farm in villages like other members of the community. Accompany ing orchestras are almost exclusively male. They play a wide variety of percussion instruments and flutes of varying complex ity, depending on the village inhabitants skills. In one way, Indonesian dance is similar to American, Evenson" said-it is difficult to make a living. -EVERYONE IS paid the same amount, from orchestra members to star dancers the equivalent of about $150 to $250 a performance, she said. : Consequently the expensive goUpabt- . Evenson said her Balinese teacher influenced the way she will teach her own classes. "The teaching methods are very differ plained. There are no mirrors and very little, verbalization. The teacher performs the dance over and over from start to finish rather than teaching it in secUons aie iaid the emphasis is on the placing of the body and on an awareness of where it is in space. -It's a very personal approach and I'd like to incorporate it into my classes. Evenson said she left Indonesia with a different awareness of the American cul ture "Dance and the physical side of human expression in America is neglected," Even son said. Dance Is a natural spontaneous thing in so many cultures. Uttle children want to move-America neglects this. -It is Important fa our culture to have more constructive activities for our leisure time. Enjoying the arts is very spiritually oriented tnd fulfL-!" she said.
