Wednesday, february 6, 1980
page 8
daily nebraskan
Loca band cuts record in shot at fame
By Jerry Fairbanks
A local band has pressed an extended play record as
part of its continuing search for national fame.
The band, A.K.A., created its own self-named label for
Sharp, its EP album under its own company, Pigmie pro.
ductions. Bassist J.C, Ronder said that besides having a
record to be sent to national record companies and sold in
stores, the band members wanted the learning experience
of recording in a studio,
Ronder said 1 ,000 copies were pressed in a plant in
Phoenix from a master tape the band made in mid-Novem-ber
of last year at Spectrum Sound in Lincoln, He said all
three songs, "Sharp," "Mark of Cain" and "Two Territor,.
ies " were recorded live during three nights,
Preston Klik, lead vocalist for the band, said about 30
Dangerous heroine? .
Confusion and skill mix
percent of studio time was spent playing, and the rest
mixing and'overdubbing. He said the quality of the record
was important.
Clean pressing
"We could have gotten the same amount of records for
half the price " Klik said. He said record buyers compli
mented him on the quality and cleanness of the pressing.
Klik said those records that aren't being sent to
national labels and rock publications such as Stash and the
New York Press, are being sold in local record shops. He
said that the band has already sold a total of 100 copies to
Dirt Cheap, Pickles, the Record Shop and World Radio in
Lincoln since Jan. 25.
All 12 minutes of music on "Sharp" are original music,
written by the band members. The title track was written
by guitarist Mike Swing. "Two Territories" was written by
Ronder, and "Mark of Cain" was a group effort.
Klik wrote the lyrics for these, as he did for the band's
25 original compositions. Swing said this is Mso he will
have something to sing."
Novelty favorite
Ronder said that in A.K.As genre, which they describe
as "New New Wave" and "Post-Punk Expressionism," it's
common for bands to put out their own records. He said
the title track may catch on with listeners as a "novelty
favorite" and is the only one likely to get airplay.
"It's the only thing we do that's AM length," Ronder
said , as the song is a little over two minutes long.
The band will put on a record release party at Drum
stick Restaurant Saturday night. Ronder said the public is
invited, and the band will be selling Sharp off the stage.
A.K.A. is composed of Klik ..Ronder, Swing and drum
mer St. Teresa. Swing, Klik and Teresa were members of
Fever Blister, and Ronder would occasionally sit in and
play with them. After Fever Blister folded, the band re
formed in Sept, 1978 under its present name.
By Jennifer Bau man, :
It is most unsettling in Remember My
Name to decide whether the heroine is a
dangerous psychopath or just another con
fused inhabitant of the modern world,
Long before we know anything about
Emily (Geraldine Chaplin), we see her dedi
cated to vexing a construction worker and
PGUCGO
his wife, Neil and Barbara Curry (played by
Anthony Perkins and Berry Berenson).
Emily follows them, window-peeps and
commits minor acts of vandalism to their
property x It is hard to tell if Neil recognizes
Emily, but we suspect so, You may begin
to suspect that Neil has done something to
deserve disapproval, if not actual revenge,
It is very intriguing. Writer-director Alan
Rudolph doesn't fill in the past .for us at
the outset of the film, We only have the
present actions of the characters as a basis
tor our judgments .1
Ful) of contradictions
Emily is full of contradictions; she acts
tough, and then she acts vulnerable, She
chooses her clothing with a husband in
mind, although she lives alone, She is deter
mined to strike up conversations with
strangers; with other people she is cold,
One begins to wonder how Emily perceives
reality.
Neil doesn't say much, so he isn't help
ful in answering our questions, Barbara is
frightened by Emily's harassment, but she
doesn't seem likely to be involved in what
ever has triggered what we are witnessing.
Rudolph's screenplay is carefully organi
zed and skillfully written. It is hard not to
become involved in the situation he pre.
sents, as he feeds us information bit by bit,
Rudolph has worked with Robert Alt
man since 1972, as an assistant director on
several films, and as co-author on the
screenplay of Buffalo Bill and the Indians.
The focus of Remember My Name is more
limited than that of Nashville or Buffalo
BUI They have something of the same
quality, as Rudolph tells his story by
cutting back and forth between the main
characters' actions,
Greatest strength
Chaplin's Emily is the centerpiece of the
film as well as its greatest strength. Chaplin
portrays this complex woman brilliantly.
The humor and vulnerability that she
brings to the role remind us of her father's
screen presence; Chaplin is equally convince
ing in creating the. harsh, driven, jaded
aspects of Emily's character,
Chaplin has recently been doing
dramatic work in French and Spanish
films, but she is known to American audi
ences primarily for her association with
Altman, It is a treat to see her in, a major
role in an American release directed by
someone other than Altman (although, he is
the producer of this film).
Anthony Perkins also is an actor of
considerable skill. While he has been
wasting time working on The Black Hole,
his performance in Remember My Name
shows that he is capable of doing justice to
more demanding roles.
Lyrics helpful
A score of blues songs by Alberta
Hunter emphasizes the anxiety and
torment of Emily's existence,, Hunter,
wrote the title song and one other for the
film, performing them as well as other
work from earlier in her career. The lyrics
are helpful in clarifying Emily's attitude,
and the melodies complement and enrich
the mood of the film.
Throughout Remember My Name there
are references to a severe earthquake that
has hit Budapest, One television com
mentator states that it is the job of the
survivors to carry on after the cleaning up
is done, Similarly, Emily is at a point in her
life where she must resolve things before
she can move on. The reasons for her
arrival at this watershed point in her life,
and her methods of dealing with the
situation are fascinating and disturbing.
Remember My Name is showing at the
Sheldon Film Theater Friday through Mon
day, Screenings are at 7 and 9 pm. with
Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3 pjn.
; J if
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Photo courtesy of Sheldon Film Theater
Geraldine Chaplin portrays a confused inhabitant in Remember My Name an intrfcu
ing screenplay, '
Mew mme, format
for lowl maguzine
The staff of the two-year-old arts and entertainment
magazine, The Lincoln Voice, has taken over publi
cation of the magazine from publisher Denny L.
Christensen in what managing editor Ron Wylie calls a
spirit of 'coup d 'etat. "
The five full-time staff members and 19 contribut
ing free-lance writers, photographers and artists have
bought from Christensen the publication and trade
name rights of the Voice.
Since the staff inherited only the business' name,
its assets or liabilities still belong to Christensen, Wylie
said.
The magazine last was published Jan. 17, and
publishing has been suspended until Feb. 14 to allow
time to incorporate and raise capital, Wylie said.
Wylie said he estimates it will take two years to
"turn things around" for the magazine after an equal
period of alleged mismanagement. .
The Voice has hired a full-time circulation person to
keep the magazine in stock at distribution points. The
same person will act as bookkeeper.
r Si gazine now initial,y wUI P1 a larger edition
of 12,500 copies, and Wylie said he hopes to raise the
number to 25000 by this fall. Its new name will be
77? Nebraska Voice, he said, and its stories will cover
Omaha and other cities in the west along lnterstate-80,
using Lincoln as a base. Also, a fashion section and a
business section have been added to the layout. Wylie
said. ' 1
The Lincoln Voice was created in 1978. It previous
ly was called Fever magazine, and covered the Lincoln
and Omaha area. Fever magazine now covers Omaha.'
