pago 10
Wednesday, august 29, 1979
dally ncbraskan
TheKnack ispartofNew Wavemusk but nota fluke
By Casey McCabe
Debut albums have become an interest
ing phenomenon lately. Never before have
novice groups had to pay so few musical
dues to go so far, so fast.
In recent years, this sudden formula for
success has sent some bands out on sell-out
tours, wide-eyed and wondering how not
to be predictable when performing with
only one album to their credit. With rave
Initial acclaim also comes pressure for a
band to prove its first effort wasn't a fluke.
Such pressure caused groups like Boston
and Foreigner to take several deep breaths,
and an unusual amount of time, to do
follow-ups to their multi-million selling
debuts.
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That was three years ago and, predict
ably, there came an onslaught of clone
bands, capitalizing on the slick, sometimes
sterile, but none-the-less catchy sound of
their predecessors.
Now there seems to be a new breed of
debut bands, breathing some much heeded
fresh air into the airwaves. What these
groups have in common is a grittier rock n
roll edge, more identifiable lyrics and a
certain debt to the sound of the mid -60 Y
This new wave of music, interestingly
enough, is often classified as New Wave
music. But it is arguable as to what that
Category should encompass. Certainly most
visible is the material that leans to the pop
end of the spectrum, material cohesive
enough to sell well on the mainstream
market but with a definitive hook that sets
it apart from the clutter.
ONE OF THESE groups, Hie Cars,
seems to have avoided the pitfalls of debut
success as their slightly delayed follow-up
Candy-0 recently surpassed their first
album on the charts, where, amazingly, it
has stayed for more- than a year, But lead
ing the pack this week (depending on
whose list you follow) is Get The Knack by
this year's debut success story, The Knack,
What strikes a listener scanning the
album is its back covef which features a '
photograph of the four-piece band in a
vintage 1964 Beatles pose that somehow
manages to look strangely authentic.
Curiosity sufficiently aroused, the list
ener Will find the Inner contents of Get
The Knack a worthy part of the package
some fine out-and-out rock n roll, a well
tempered touch of New Wave and an
almost obligatory addition of blatant
pop.
All songs were composed by rhythm
guitarist Doug Fieger and lead guitarist
Berton Averre, save for the Montgomery
Petty composition "Heartbeat" (done with
a bit more vengance than Buddy Holly's
original version). For the most part, they
score well with their 1 1 numbers, although
the album occasionally stalls in limbo when
the band tries to shift gears from stronger
material.
BETWEEN THE HARD-core rock of
"Let Me Out" and "Frustrated," The
Knack shows good enough balance not to
be shoved away categorically, although the
radio listener teased by the Zeppelin-ish
hint of "My Sharon" may be surprised at
the cute, pop sound of "Your Number or
Your Name.'
But that sound, complete with the
mid-60's style of. tight harmonic blending,
serves the band well and delivers two of the
albums better offerings "'Good Girls
Don't" and. 'That's What The Little
Girls to." Somewhere in the . middle
ground is "Siamese Twins,' a catchy,
driving number with a more contemporary
sound and, if possible, the definitive Knack
style. .
But make no mistake about it, The
Knack is a rock 'n' roll band not for the
timid. A good lyrical flare helps keep the
group from falling into the trappings of
theif simple, but certainly not sterile,
instrumental work.
All the elements are there for a success
ful album, but what makes Get TheKnack
particularly engaging is the way the music
stalks the listener and breathes down his
neck with tales of sexual frustration far
less subtle than that which brdinarily
abounds on the airwaves.
How The Knack will response to the
hype Is yet to be seen. For now, they can
probably hope for nothing more than
proving they are no fluke.
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International artists scheduled to perform onUNL stage
The UNL Kimball Performing Arts Ser
ies has scheduled a season featuring inter
national artists in dance, theater, music and
mime Who will perform on the Kimball
Hall stage.
The 1979-80 season opens Sept. 14 with
the pranks, humor and imaginary reality
of the Claude Kipnis Mime Theatre, ac
cording to a Kimball Hall press release.
The group uses music, movement, and
mime to create a magical world unique to
mime and totally enjoyable for the whole
family. Both programs are scheduled to
begin at 8 p jn.
, Kimball Hall Will resound Sept. 21 with
the organ music of two masters of the in
strument: German GerdZacher and Ameri
can .William Albright. Both men are inter,
preters of 20th century music for the
organ. They will present an avant-garde
organ concert devoted primarily ta 20th
century European and American organ
classics.
Pianist Emanuel Ax not only has been
in demand as a concert artist, but also has
recorded extensively .
The pianist's all-Beethoven album was
selected as one of the "Best Recordings of
the Year" by Time Magazine, and his
recording of the "Dvorak Quintet," with
the Cleveland Quartet, was named "Record
of the Year 1977" by Stereo Review.
Ax will perform at Kimball Oct. 5.
The first theater event of the 1979-80
season will be Milwaukee, Nov. 1 and 2.
Milwaukee is a 20th century adaptation of
Shakespeare's comedy and takes place in
post World War IHtaly.
The Murray Louis Dance Company, re
garded as one of the most inventive dance
groups, will perform Nov. 16 and 17.
The Guthrie Theatre from Minneapolis
is one of the country ftiost widely known
professional regional theater companies.
The company's productions are always
first-rate. While in Lincoln Feb. 25 and 26,
the members W the Guthrie Theatre will
perform Tennessee Williams' "The Glass
Menagerie?' a moving drama dealing with
a family torn in the Depression.
The Saint Louis Orchestra has become a
traditional musical event in Lincoln and at
Kimball Hall. Their program for the or
chestra's March 4 concert includes
Berlioz's, "Overture to Benvenuto Cellini,
Shostakovich's, "Symphony No. 1," and
Brahms, "Symphony No. 4". Conducting
the orchestra will be Leonard Slatkin who
has conducted numerous orchestras
throughout the world.
Ballet bursts onto the Kimball Hall
stage March 11 and 12 with Lincoln's
first appearance of the San Francisco
Ballet, a company which has experienced
tremendous growth and popularity in
recent years due to the choreography and
artistic direction of Lew Christensen and
Michael Smuin.
Mezzo-soprano Jan de Gaetani, best
known as the "Queen of Contemporary
Music," will perform March IS at Kimball
Hall , in conjunction with a week-long resi
dency she will conduct in Lincoln. De
Gaetani's true artistry shines when she
sings a program as diverse as the work of
Cage, Debussy, Brahms and Crumb.
The final event scheduled on the
Kimball Performing Arts Series will be
three performances of the Pennsylvania
Ballet April 18 and 19 at 8 pm and a
matinee performance April 19 at 3 p.m.
Season tickets for Kimball events will
go on sale Aug. 27 through Sept. 28.
Sheldon schedule released
Hie Sheldon Film Theatre, at 12th
and R streets will offer alternative to
commercial movies With this years
series.
The Foreign Film Series will begin
Sept. 23 and 24 with The Lacemaker.
This film from Switzerland has received
excellent reviews for the way it depicts
an ill-fated love affair between two,
young people from different social
classes. . i
Also included are movies from Iran,
China, Hungary, Senga), France, Ger
many, and Ireland.
Tickets for the film series are $10 for
UNL students, $12 for faculty, staff and
non-UNL students, and $15 for patrons.
Tickets can be bought at the Nebraska
Union's South Desk or from the UPC
Foreign Film Committee In room 200,
Nebraska Union. Film screening wi2 be
Sunday and Monday at 7 pin. and 9
p jn., with a Sunday matinee at 3 p.m.
In addition to the regular Foreign
Film Series, the Sheldon Film Theater
will present movies from foreign coun
tries each week, including 21 Japanese.
No admission will be charged.
The Take-One Film Series will fea
ture seven classic films this semester.
The first selection, The Longest
Yard, will be shown outdoors near Love
library, Friday, AUg. 28 at 8 p jn. -
Following the Burt Reynolds come
dy are The Philadelphia Story on Sept.
13, Beau Geste on Sept 27, Did M For
Morder Oct. 1 1 , and The Pirate on Oct
25. , .
Grand Hotel will be Shown Nov. 18.
Finishing the 'semester's series will be
Cbckwork Orange. I -
Tickets for this series are $6 for stu:
dents and $9 for the general public. .
NETV covering State Fair
Nightly coverage of the Nebraska State
Fair-with its exhibits, horse shows and
youth activities-will begin Sunday, on
the Nebraska Educational Television
Network. ; ;
lETV will present ffiirdi$its,' a pro
gram providing glimpses of livestock shows,
4-H and Future Farmers of America ac
tivities, marching bands, new farm equip
ment, farm produce exhibits, State Game
and Parks Commission complex, and other
fair events.
Highlights' will airl Tuesday: through
Friday at 8:30 pia repeating each evening
at 10:30 p.m.
A new feature in this year's. "Highlights"
will be a Tarade of Champions' segment,
showing winners of fair competition during
the day. .y - - -
NETV State Fair coverage will again
offer extensive live telecasts of the State
Fair Horse shows. Hal Allen, State Fair
veteran broadcaster, will moderate the 90-
minute- nightly programs with guest com
mentators. Entertainment and modeling of hand
made outfits will be featured when NETV
presents the "4-H Sing Out and Dress Re
view on September 9.
The following is a schedule of the State
Fair 79 coverage by the Nebraska ETV
Network:
Sunday. Sept, 2, . . . Appaloosa Show at 9 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 3. . . Appaloosa Show t 9 pjm.
Tuesday. Sept 4 . . . , .Highlights at 8:30 p.m.,
repeating at 10:30 pjm.
w . . . Pinto Snow at 9 p.m.
Wednesday. Sept. 5. . . .Highlights at 8:30 p.m
repeating at 10:30 pjm.
. . Arabian Show at 9 p jn.
Thursday, Sept. 6., . . Highlights at 8:30 p.m.,
, . repeating at 10:30 p.m.
C1J . Morgan Show at 9 pan.
Friday. Sept. 7 Highlights at 8:33 pjn
r repeating at 1 0:30 pjm.
. Morgan Show M 9 p.m.
Saturday. Sept. 8 . Cuaner Horse Show at 9 pjm.
Sunday. Sept. 9 . ,4M Sing Out and Dress
. Review at 6 pjm.
. Quaner Hone Show at 9 p.m.