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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 23, 1984)
Thursday, February 23, 1034 PC"3 8 Daily Webrasksn .u 777 17, tors hit fans with raw sound By Tish P.lcckler and Donna Sisson i.:.. The Crap Detectors are as much a concept as a band; a concept born by Jim Jacobi about seven years ago. Jacobi, who provides vocals and plays guitar, has always been the heart and soul of the band. Other members are: Craig Kingery, vocals, bass; Gene "Lessman, drums, and Rex Keeler, vocals, guitar. Over the years, the band has consisted of a myriad ' of musicians. "The band is comprised of the ideas of individuals. AH our backgrounds are different which makes the band interesting. We work together well," Jacobi said. The band changes all the time, it doesn't really hurt anything it's still the Crap Detectors," he said. The release of their third LP, Diseases on Display, marks the 50th song Jacobi Dut to vinvl. The album release party is tonight at the Zoo Bar, 136 N. 14th St. The Crap Detectors will also perform live. The Crap Detectors display a definite attitude that weaves through their lyrics, their music and even appears in their name. In the book, Teaching as a Subversive Activity, Ernest Hemingway is quoted as saying, "You need a built-in shock proof crap detector." The book dealt with the idea that children in schools should be allowed and encouraged to question their teachers. . It was from this that Jacobi formed his band's name. The title is very appropriate to the band, given their raw, un-iced music and poignant, realis tic lyrics. This looking and exposing is a theme that is pre dominant in their songs and is consistent in all their albums. The first album, Victims of the Media, was about the idea of corporations, magazines or radio stations controlling the masses and making them become a part of a certain scene or a certain fad and dictating their fashion or what they buy, Jacobi said. The second album, Superficial World, took a look at what the mass media produces: a superficial and ? artificial society, i -- Diseases on Display further exposes the effects of . mass media on society. "It's sort of like everyone is showing their diseases, like watching Real People, which is like watching every neurotic in the world showing off . . . and we have these TV shows talking about stars and everything in tha world is more or less based on looking at everyone else's lives it's a really weird narcissism," he said. "I'm not trying to change anything and I'm hot saying it's bad, I'm just taking a look at it," he said. "Throughout all the song, I never make state ments like, "You should be this way.' I never say what I'm iooKing at is wrong; 1 tnmk wnat's important is youVe got to ask questions and I think one of the big questions is, "What is so good about conformity?' In fact, are we entering Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, where the cool people do their soma, their drugs? . . . Have we reached a 1984 level where totalitarianism is total control through mass media?" Jacobi asked. The title song, "Diseases on Display," calls to ques tion mindless acceptance encouraged by advertis- ' ' rr - ' ' - 0 f r "', " r Rick PettyCrap Detectors Jim Jacobi of the Crap Detectors. ing: - . Mr. Aesthetic is so pathetic College disease is being athletic Radio is playing mindless songs ' Masses are dancing they think they belong To a world called disease Where people beat up whoever they please. Although he is presenting an ugly side of America, his picturesque rhymes, and humorous imagery make the concept digestible. "Most everything that does happen is pretty laughable. You can't just cry about it all the time. You can't worry about it either. So I try to make things as funny as possible and try to put in a lot of twists in the phrasing and try to make it a bit more clever and less 'everything sucks' type of attitude," Jacobi said. "I'd say it's kind of tongue in cheek. It's serious in the sense that I mean it, but I have a sense of humor, too. And I let that come out in about 50 percent ot the songs I do. The problem i3 people don't under stand that I'm trying to be funny," Jacobi said. He likened it to black humor and Kurt Vonnegut's writ ing style. "It's funny but you want to cry at the same time "he said. Jacobi's lyrics are tossed roughly into a back ground of driving drum beats and raw guitar chords. During their live performances, the vocals are sometimes lost, but on the album, they are clear and distinguishable. "I write to enhance the verbal, even though some times it's pretty hard to understand what I'm doing because I can rattle off pretty fast. That's what makes it fun," Jacobi said. Critics have described the Crap Detectors music in various ways, such as manic rock or rock and roll with punk overtones. But while they do fit these descriptions, they are ever changing. They use basic rock and roll as a pattern and then twist it in the same way Jacobi twists his lyrics. "I like rawer music as opposed to really ultra-slick music ... It's hard to pinpoint things. If I did, then I'd stick myself into a niche and I'd be stuck there forever, which won't work," Jacobi said. Their music is not something one can easily put a finger on. "Which is good," Jacobi said. "It's the mark of something that is unique rather than the same . . . I'm trying to be individualistic while everyone else wants to be something and make a million dollars." In addition to his music, Jacobi is a painter and he writes poetry. "I look at a lot of different things as art forms. I'm having a problem in the present trying to discern I'm getting older and being an artist is not a way to survive. It's really frowned on around here as any kind of really solid form of existence it's not really one of your norms. But youVe got to understand, being a Nazi in Germany at one time was being normal and sending Jews to be executed was being normal, so what's a norm?" Jacobi said. "We're sort of a non-band in a way. We don't really play that often," Jacobi said. This is one of the cur ious aspects of the band. For a band that has seven records, they play with amazing infrequence, which seems like a cutthroat practice promotionally and financially. "It's hard to convey the idea that I do it because I like it and because I believe in it," Jacobi said. 7" "57 1 '.-S r V I 1 '7 V -4 : f yy v ' - K!.r..ta:t Recill Hsll Evsn Handler, Zalses Mok&e and Hzy Araruia In a scene from Athol Fund's Master Harola..and the Boys, which' is s&owir. torJLt at the Kkaball Eecitsl HalL .. Television Those wacky Dean Martin roasts are back. Tonight, Dean and his cro nies roast Dynasty's Joan Collins. For plenty of jokes about cleavage, and lit tle use of good taste, tune in at 9 p.m. on Channel 3. Radio Eugene Ormandy conducts tonight's edition of The Philadelphia Orchestra, 8 p.m. on KUCV, 90.S FM. Gidion Kre mer will be featured as the violinist. Pieces to be performed include Strauss' "Don Juan" and Saint-Saens' "Sym phony No. 3." At the Sheldon Peter Greenways The Draughts man s Contract will be showing in the Film Theatre through Saturday. Show times are at 7 and 9 p.m., with a special matinee Saturday at 3 p.m. A review of the film appears on page 9. At the Iliinbsll 'Master Harold . . . and the Bo 3 will be presented at 8 p.m. in the Reci tal Hall. Zakcs Mokae, Ray Aranha and Evan Handler star in the play, which was written and directed by Athol Fugard. The play concerns the rela tionship between a 17-year-old white youth and two black men who are employed by his family in South Africa in 1950. In addition to numerous other awards, the play was nominated for a Tony Award in 1932. Tickets are $4 and $6 for students, $10 and $12 for the general public. Around Town Th- Crap Detectors will host a record release party tonight at the Zoo Bar, 136 N. 14th St. There's a $1.50 cover charge. Danny O'Kane and the Model Citi zens Club will be at the Drumstick, 547 N. 48th St., through Saturday. To night's cover is only $2; it goes up to $3 for the weekend performances. Hit'n'Run had been scheduled to play the Royal Grove, 340 V. Corn husker Highway that is, until the group broke up Saturday. Lccal rock ers MX quickly filled the void. That group" will be at the Grove through Saturday. There's no cover charge.