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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 5, 1988)
Arts & Entertainment rv mssxL " > / ssjm jii l ui tiim i Courtesy of Broadside Entertainment Group “take this brother may it serve you well” by Jim Fuerholzer, from the new Broadside. ‘Relic’ proves bands here not apathetic By Charles Lieurance Senior Hditor _ The first issue of the local compilation tape / maga zine, Broadside, proved that Lincoln bands hadn’t entirely become apathetic somnambulists going through the alternative mo tions in a sea of economically sol vent cover bands. The second issue, “Relic,” makes it clear that Lincoln compares competitively with any college music mecca in the nation. “Relic’s” 17 songs show amazing variety, even though some of the varieties represented are limp and lifeless. Still more impressive are -1 I_l the directions in which the Broad side magazine is headed. The origi nal art, photography, short stories and poetry show that these art forms are blossoming parallel to the music scene. Still, there is an understandable overall aw kw ardness to many of the works, like Lincoln rubbing sleep from its eyes. In some cases, though, this aw k wardness is the tape's most endear ing characteristic, capturing gor geous flaws as well as powerful virtuosity. Out of the 17 bands on “Relic,” six had songs on the last Broadside. On “Relic,” these bands contribute more eccentric songs instead of merely rehashing their past per formances — except for Play ground, who specialize in rehash ing. If Lincoln was asleep, this band was its Valium. Playground’s “Hurting In” resur rects all the most repellent instincts in music under the guise ol alterna tive anizst. Sort of Randy Vanwarmcr andGino Vanclli w ith a lethargic Johnny Marr guitar rip off, this cut is utterly dispensable. Also basically tape-lengthening devices are Geranium Diapers’ un titled industrial elcctro-beat snoo/cr on side two of the tape (although this sounds like an Abba song compared to their 20-minutc aural irritation on the first Broad side) and Geranium Diapers’ dron ing, gothic joke “Daffodils.” New Brass Guns, Elysium Cross ing, Private Kangaroo and 13 Night mares all diverge significantly from their songs on the last Broadside. New Brass Guns “Some Story” is basically a poem set to music, a dream-trance recitation of haunting youthful delusion. Although the mix stresses Doug Hubner’s often pedestrian guitar a bit much, the song’s ephemeral mood is, for the most part, captured perfectly. Crossing’s “Morning Glory" is one of Broadside's crowning achievements. Tom Irvin's mock Brit vocals (apparently caused by ad nauscum listenings to The Church and U2) are perfect here, delivering highly sentimental material with such passion that one forgets how inane the words would look in print. W ith the band creating a riveting anthem around this breathless ro manticism, there’s little room for cynicism. Even Shamus Adams’ U2 guitar solo in the middle of “Morn ing Glory” manages to rise com pletely above youthful homage. Private Kangaroo’s “Military Cows” is as angry a political tirade as their cut, “Reason,” on the first Broadside, but in an entirely differ ent vein. “Cows,” with its martial drums, fascists-on-parade tape col lage, stop-start riff and shouted commentary, places Private Kanga roo alongside Mannequin Beach as the only bands in Lincoln who have been able to infuse their music w ith politics to any effect. 13 Nightmare’s cover of Lou Reed's “Vicious Circle” is unchar acteristically crystal clear for the Nightmares, but it captures a rare moment during a live show. Jon Taylor’s guitar isn’t clamped down so hard on a rilT that all else on stage becomes texture, and, that rarity of rarities, Gregg Cosgrove's vocals are up front and articulated. Of the new bands on the compila tion, Trout Mystery’s “Drive,” Out of Habit’s “Clowns are Actors,” Holiday in Baltimore's “Randolph Bourne" and John Davis’ “Rain Again” are the standouts. Trout Mystery is a rough mixture of “Marquee Moon”-era Tele vision’s dual guitar sophistication and folk-rock Americana. “Drive,” in fact, is the perfect blend of those two influences With a roughness honed from bands like Soul Asylum and the Replacements, and a guitar break straight out of “Marquee Moon,” the Trouts have a two-guitar assault that perfectly meld virtuos ity and raw energy. Chris Albright’s vocals arc even a dissonant hybrid. At once a teen age Tom Verlaine and a “screw the key signature” Neil Young, the voice, though occasionally shrill, w ins by not trying. Holiday in Baltimore, formerly Holiday, is the surprise of the tape. Holiday hasn’t been heard from See RELIC on page 7 1 Janitors like each other, hate jobs By Jim Hanna Staff Reporter_ Late at night, after everyone has gone home, two lone figures lurk through the halls of the Temple Building. Classes are over, play rehearsals have ended, and nothing stirs but the two men who keep the theater building clean. Howard Lange and John Williams, the two custodians who work the 4 p.m. to I a.m. shift in the Temple Building, have worked almost 32 combined years at the theater. “I’ve been here 25 years next month,” Williams said. “I've swept a lot of floors and done a lot of w axing. Williams plans to retire this spring. Lange has three years to go before he retires. “If I live that long,” Lange said as he lit up a* Winchester little cigar. The janitors said they have been through a lot and seen a lot in their many years at Temple. But both said they don’t enjoy their jobs. “No, I hate it. It you want me to be honest,” Lange said. Williams was a little less blunt. “I suppose it is just as good as any place,” he said. However, both said they enjoy talking to the students and professors they clean up after. With students rehearsing in theeveningsand proles sors working late hours, Lange and Williams find plenty of opportunities to socialize. “Me and Ld are pretty good bud dies," said Lange about technical director and lighting designer Ld Stauffer. “We go to the dog races every now and then. I le owes me I illy bucks on the Super Bowl. He'll payor I’ll make him pay in blood." Joe Sampson, a senior theater major, has known Lange and Wil liams for three years. “I really like Howard and John. They’re pretty I unny guys." Sampson said. "It would be weird il they weren’t here any more. They just seem to belong here." Carolyn Slemp.a sophomore thea ter major, agreed. "Oh. those two. I hey are great. I just love to sit around the commons and listen to them talk about sports,’ she said. Both men have won the l niversity of Nebraska-Lmcoln’s "Custodian ol the Month"award. Williams won the aw ard in September 1982; Lange w on it two months later. “That was when the building was just remodeled and ihe floors were still nice-looking, no matter how dim they were. We’d never make it now Lange said. Both janitors claimed that during their late-night shifts, they have had run-ins with the infamous Temple Building ghosts. “About four years ago, I was tak mg a break on the stage,” Lange said. “There was no one in the building except John. I was silting on a sofa in pitch black just relaxing. And then this light came on from the spotlight booth. There's no way John could have gotten in there. It shone right on me. I didn’t stay around very long. I got the hell out of there.” Williams said he is not sure il he has ever had an encounter with a ghost. “Well, there has been sounds.” he said. “And once I was in the attic and the lights went out on me. I had to crawl on my hands and knees m the dark to find the door. I don't know il it w as a ghost, though.” Through all their experiences, the men said, they have become good friends. “Oh, yeah. Howard is a good guy to work with,” Williams said. —M—l li—I IBP1 — . Eric Gregory/Daily Nebraskan Temple janitors John Williams and Howard Lange have been working in the theater building tor a combined 32 years. UNL School of Music gives recitals The University of Nebraska Lincoln School of Music fre quently schedule student and faculty recitals for the public. All events are free unless otherwise noted. The schedule of events through Feb. 14 is: 8- Guest artist Leonard Raver, organist, St. Paul’s Methodist, 8 p.m. 9- Chuck Phillips, saxophone, Senior Recital. Westbrook Re cital Hall, 4:30 p.m. 11- Kathy Manly, (lute, Senior Recital. Westbrook Recital Hall, 4:30 p.m. 12- Musical Theatre, “Street Scene,” Kimball Recital Hall, 8 p.m., Admission charged. 13- Musical Theatre, “Street Scene,” Kimball Recital Hall, 8 p.m., Admission charged. 14- Musical Theatre, “Street Scene,” Kimball Recital Hall, 8 p.m., Admission charged.
