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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (June 27, 1991)
Arts & Entertainment The Junk Monkeys are (clockwise from left): Dave Boutette, Kevin Perri, Dan Allen and David Bierman. Junk Monkeys to shake Lincoln, not blow people s heads off By Michael Stock Senior Reporter Shaking the dirt of Detroit off of their shoes, the J unk Monkeys have been taking the country, city by city and shaking the shit out of them. And Lincoln’s next. Monday night will find the Warner Brothcrs/Metal Blade band the Junk Monkeys at Duffy’s, sup ported by the Kearney-spawned power popsters, Such Sweet Thun der. Supporting Bob Mould and Dinosaur Jr. on earlier lours, the Junk Monkeys should feel at home with the likes of Such Sweet Thun der. The Junk Monkeys formed in 1983 as a glam-rock band. “If you can believe it,” said David Bierman, Junk Monkey, singer and guitarist, laughing. In 1986, Bierman and company disappeared for a couple of bands, reemerging as the current Junk Monkeys of rising power-pop status. “Rock and roll is a very basic thing,” Bierman said. “The three minute rock song is a great vehicle to express yourself.” And what does Bicrman have to say? “It might be as banal as T like my orange juice today,’ but you can still write a song around it,’’ Bicrman said. Since their realization of pop music, the Junk Monkeys have been compared to the Minneapolis greats of the ’80s. Angst-driven power pop greats, 1 ike The Rcplaccmcn ts, Soul Asylum and Huskcr Du seem to figure closely in the Junk Mon key’s range of influences. , The band doesn’t seem to mind the comparisons. “1 like the bands. Soul Asylum? They’re probably the preeminent American rock band right now,” Bicrman said. ‘‘You can’t write pop songs anymore without being compared to Paul Weslerbcrg.” Isn’t that a compliment? ‘‘I think he’s cool. He’s taking chances. I think he could have written “Let It Be” every day. But it’s going to bore the hell out of you," Bierman said. “I don’t think it’s fair to judge what he’s doing now to what he was doing then ... Like Dylan . .. They’re different people.” What about the Junk Monkeys? “We’ve always been pop. I think we’ve refined it a bit. Belieye it or not. We’re learning to stretch out a biton every song.We don’t have to blow people’s heads off on every song,” Bicrman said. The future of the Junk Monkeys seems to hold more of the same pop promise. “I’d like our next record to be even poppier without forsaking speed or volume of our songs. We want to make a perfect pop record that still has some balls to it,” Bicrman said. Detroit was not the easiest place for an alternative pop band to be bom, Bicrman said. “If we were going to hear good music, we were going to have to make it ourselves,” he said. Bierman said that Detroit still isn’ t an easy place to be an alterna tive band, even after being signed to a major label. “Detroit’s in a downward spiral right now. There’s a total lack of support ... for so-called under ground bands. Bob Segerand Are tha Franklin will get press until the See JUNK on 14 Band 2 Below climbs far above local level By Robert Richardson Senior Reporter It’s not the first time, and it most certainly won’t be the last lime that a local band has tried to make the big time. But 2 Below has as good a shot as any to go far beyond the local level. A band doesn’t need glitter and a flashy sound to go that extra mile — it needs a good solid foundation to build on, somewhere to start and something to be proud of. That and a little more is what 2 Below has to offer their audiences. 2 Below’s freshman attempt, “The Next Door Zone,” isn’t so hot it could cook an omelet, maybe an egg, but it is a clear and intelligent musical ef fort of Scott Rehling on keyboards and vocals and Kevin Kiclian on guitar, vocals and keys. Most bands usually have several songs that really stick out as favor ites, songs that are clearly the best. Not true with 2 Below. All of their songs are solid, - not similar - and offer more than just a hint of diversity. “Euphoria” pits Rehling and Kielian’s voices together for a har mony that will raise all body hair as weU as eyebrows, and “Control” of fers listeners a unique trumpet solo. 2 Below may be a lot of things, but one category they have eluded is one dimensional. Band members prove they are not I 2 Below The Next Door Zone Smooth Wool Records Grade: B afraid to try new instruments, sounds and styles. By just coming out with “The Next Door Zone” in Nebraska where 2 Below’s style of music isn’t as popular as in the east and west coast, Rchling and Kiclian have shown Nebraskans their true colors. Or rather their true musical tastes. Wondering which music category 2 Below fits into? It’s probably safe to say alternative, but 2 Below also fils into funk, industrial and pop. Which alley they will pursue is as big of a question as what they will do next. Rehling said he hopes to continue with his music and said the duo has hopes of pursuing a musical career, one that won’t end with “The Next Door Zone.” If there must be a power song on “The Next Door Zone” it has to be “Inside.of Me.” The echo effects and See BELOW on 14 Book uses familiar ideas to spark youngsters’ interests By Bryan Peterson Staff Reporter Norby and Yobo’s Great Adventure Janet and Isaac Asimov Ace Books Already one of the most prolific science fiction publishers, Ace Books, has just published its fourth “Norby” collaborauon between Janet and Isaac Asimov, Isaac Asimov is well known as the grandfather of American science fic tion and the creator of the now fa mous Laws of Robotics. With more than 400 titles to his name, Asimov now joins his wife in writing more robot stories. Norby is a stumpy, barrel-shaped teaching robot who belongs to Jeff, a cadet at Space Command under Admiral Boris Yobo. Norby is also a lime traveller, and that ability forms the basis of Norby and Yobo’s Great Adventure, a tale written for younger readers whieh takes the travellers back to Paleo lithic limes in Eastern Europe and almost to the same period in Africa. Most of the classic questions and paradoxes of time travel are here J explored, and little new ground is * covered, although the time-traveling trio does arrive back only an hour after departure, allowing them to live the weekend twice: a familiar move, but one still fascinating. Along the way, the Asimovs util ize opportunities to comment upon environmental concerns and racial harmony. Again, the ideas arc famil iar but still of interest, especially to the younger readers to whom this book is directed. The Asimovs also engage in a fair bit of self-promotion, making refer ence to several previous Norby works. Aside from the Asimov name, there is little to recommend this work to readers except perhaps as a gift for younger siblings or relatives. Also recently released from Ace Books is Crisis, the sixth book in a shared-world military s-f scries, sort of like crossing Thieves’ World with Jerry Poumelle. This volume features works from Poul Anderson, Katherine Kurtz and Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, as well as an awful alliterative poem/ song by Judith R. Conly and a grand blend of Bushido tradition with futuristic fighting by S. N. Lewilt. Shifting to the realm of fantasy, Ace Books has also published Teresa Edgcrton’s Goblin Moon, a romp through magic, alchemy and the ubiqui tous Knights of Mczztopholeez.