Arts & Entertainment
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Bill of Rights lights up Pershing
People who wanted to support one of
the most deadly industries on the face of
the earth had two options last week.
Folks who smoke could continue to
support the Philip Morris agency by
buying a pack of cigarettes — the old
option.
The new option, for smokers and non
smokers alike, was to attend the Philip
Morris Bill of Rights Tour that descended
on Pershing Auditorium last week like so
many Damn Yankees concerts.
You see, the first 10 amendments to the
U.S. Constitution (a.k.a. The Bill of
Rights) were handwritten and hand
delivered to each of the 13 colonies back
in 1492 or 1776 or 1984, I’m not really
sure. Apparently, their fax machines
weren’t working.
About nine of these original copies of
the Bill of Rights still exist. The others
were destroyed or lost. It’s comforting to
know that a state could actually misplace
the supposed cornerstone of our democ
racy.
“Has anyone seen the Bill of Rights? I
left it right here on the coffee table last
Jim
Hanna
TighP’
“Did you check your coat pockets?”
Anyway, the Philip Morris people, who
make a lot of the cigarettes we smoke, got
a hold of Virginia’s copy of the Bill of
Rights and took it on tour.
They stopped in at the Pershing Audi
torium over Spring Break. No less than
five semi trucks are used to haul the
document and its accompanying displays
around the United States. The truck that
holds the document is described as
airtight, moisture-proof, and fireproof — I
guess in case a careless Philip Morris
executive flicks a lit cigarette into the
truck.
Admission was free, or rather, it didn’t
cost any money. The enormous lines you
had to stand in and the relentless pro-U.S.
propaganda that surrounded the actual
document exacted a pretty hefty toll.
Please do not misunderstand me. I
don’t mean to refer to the Bill of Rights as
a propaganda tool. The document itself
and what it stands for is a truly unique and
incredible feature of our governmental
system. I really like the free press thing.
But maybe the afterglow of our Desert
Storm orgasm was weighing too heavily
upon me. It felt awfully cheap to be
herded through lines with my fellow
Americans and forced to watch pro
American videos and movie clips just to
get a look at the Bill of Rights.
There was a flag at every turn and tri
umphant music tried to stir even the most
bitter anti-war liberal into humming a few
bars of The Star-Spangled Banner.
The movie clips were shown on six
different television screens that sur
rounded the long lines we were standing
in. They were American classics that
supposedly celebrated the truth that is the
Bill of Rights.
See HANNA onTT
Rick Astley lets his hair down; [*
latest cuts are ‘smooth, soulful’
oy wimam Huaoiph
Staff Reporter
Three years ago, Rick Astley was
“the little guy with the big voice,” a
tiny redheaded crooner from North
ern England with Howdy Doody
pompadour hair and a Grammy nomi
nation for Best New Artist for high
energy dance hits like “Never Gonna
Give You Up,” ‘Together Forever,”
“My Arms Keep Missing You” and
“Whenever You Need Somebody.”
Never mind acid house or Balearic
beats. The British charts in the late
1980s were dominated by the boom
ing, smoothly polished, high energy
dance pop of hitmakers Stock Aitken
Waterman, the production team who
unleashed Kylie Minoguc, Dead or
Alive and Jason Donovan on the world
Astley’s big booming voice was
perfect for their sound. His first two
albums shot him to the top of the
charts in both the United States and
Europe. But after his second album,
“Hold Me in Your Arms,” something
frightening happened.
Astley decided he was tired of
Rick Astley
“Free”
BMG Records
Rating: 4
Ratings are 1 (bad) to 5 (excellent).
being a pop puppet and announced
his plans to start writing and produc
ing his own tracks.
Naturally, public reaction was not
kind. Readers of tcenybopper music
magazines like the British “Smash
Hits” started writing letters saying
how wimpy and pathetic Rick Astley
was.
But Astley was not down for the
count. The aptly titled ‘Free,” his
first album in two years, is a complete
departure from the disco ghetto that
originally made him famous.
On “Free,” Astley gels a chance to
show off his strong voice on a collec
tion of soulful songs aimed at the
adult contemporary market — seven
of these he wrote himself.
There are no dance beats. No drum
programs. Just Astley’s rich voice
crooning along to one romantic song
after another, like cx-Doobic Brother
Michael McDonald’s “In the Name
of Love.” Or the current single. “Cry
For Help,” which features lush back
ing by the Andrae Crouch choir.
“Free’s” entire sound is perfect
VH-1 material — which is not sur
prising, since Astley has turned upas
a guest VJ recently, sporting serious
long hair and a blazer.
rree” is ideal music for thirty
somethings and those who’d like to
be. Each song is smooth, soulful —
the perfect accompaniment for driv
ing along in your BMW 01 drinking
decaffeinated gourmet coffee while
discussing what you want out of life,
what your parents wanted and what
you’d like for your kids. Or how you’re I._
See ASTLEY on 11
Venus vocalist
ready for fame
By Robert Richardson
Senior Reporter
According to Robert Jones, he only has
about three or four more years to make a name
for himself — but he wants it that way.
Jones, a vocalist/guitarist for the young
English band Venus Beads, says he likes being
in the band but feels if the band can’t make it in
a couple years, they should move on to some
thing else.
“I think that’s time to do three or four
albums, you know,” Jones said. “I think most
bands sort of lend to go off (get old) after about
three or four albums. I think they tend to sort of
progress in the wrong direction or water down
their style or make compromises or sacrifice
any ideals that they have.”
As the group promotes its latest release,
“Incision,” which is due for release at the end
of April, Jones said the Venus Beads are ready
to celebrate.
Last year saw the first anniversary of the
group’s first single release, and the Venus
Beads now have been together for almost two
years.
Dili Jones is still skeptical.
“Critically speaking, we’ve done really well,”
Jones said. “I don’t think we could have done
any belter, in fact. And I think if we had done
any belter, it would have been artificial.”
While Jones said he thinks the support of the
press is genuine, he isn’t sure of the fans’
support. Part of the problem, Jones said, is that
the Venus Beads haven’t been touring with any
really big names.
“As far as attendance for shows go, we’ve
got a bit of work to do,” Jones said. “I don’t
think we’ve been getting the breaks as far as
live shows go. We haven ’ t sort of got any major
supports.”
However, Jones says he thinks he knows
why.
“It’s just a prejudice,” Jones said, “but I tend
to think they’re not going to be very good and
I think that seems to be the thing that the Venus
Beads have to get over at the moment.”
Jones may sound like an experienced inter
national rocker now but he hasn’t always sounded
like that. The 22-year-old didn’t really know
what he wanted to do, so when he graduated
from high school he went to college.
During college he played in several differ
ent bands, and before he knew it, he was
playing full time out of college.
Being in a band, Jones said, was at first a
shocking experience.
“When I joined the band I was ... naive,”
Jones said. “1 thought the reason I want to be in
a band is to make music I really like. And then
it finally turns ourthat when you’re actually in
a band you’re not sure the music you are doing
is what you actually like. It’s a big paradox.”
He’s not complaining; Jones stressed that
there arc positive aspects to being part of a
band. One ol the best, he said, is the satisfying.
feeling after a great show.
. Courtemy of RCA
Rick Astiey