Arts & Entertainment ‘Snail’ to bring mystical sound to Lincoln Artist’s songs about ‘nothing and everything’ t By Garth Lienemann Staff Reporter The music surrounds the listener in ever-thickening layers — guitar, bass, cymbals, kalimba, zither, and even toy instruments meander play fully through the intriguing music of Azalia Snail. Snail will give a taste of her unique style tonight at Duffy’s Tavern, 1412 O St. This is her fourth nationwide lour and could be one of the most interesting, sense-capturing shows around. In looking for an adjective to de scribe her music, the only word that comes to mind is “mystical.” Azalia’s songs range in speed, and lyrics are not as big a concern for her as they arc for some bands. She con centrates on making sure the music feels good, she said,and writes “about nothing and everything.” “Music is THE most important thing in my life,” Azalia said, and it is evident. As she and Mike Bums, her counter part musician for this tour, sat at a local bar Monday night, it became clear that they knew good music. Azalia knew every song the radio played, usually before the beginning two chords were finished. Azalia (which, of course, is not her real name) said she became inter ested in music as a child while living in Maryland, where she said there was nothing to do. At about age 10, she began to fool with instruments and listen to music constantly. ^ Improvisation is an important fac tor during her shows, Azalia said, because being confined to set per formance patterns is boring. “I like freedom to be able to change things at my whim,” she said. Expect a variety of music from Azalia, from songs with explicit lyr ics to instrumentals entitled “Hit by a Car,” and “Flight #520.” On previous tours, the number of members in her band has ranged from two to five. This year’s tour is solely the two person band, with Azalia playing the 12-string acoustic guitar and Bums playing the 12-string and 6-string electric guitars. Bums termed the sound as “whirlpool-like.” Although the release of Azalia’s second album, “Burnt Sienna,” still is being negotiated, the first single from the album, called “St. Nowhere,” has been given to local radio stations, including KRNU, for rotation. The song’s theme is about not knowing where to go or what to do. The song was inspired, she said, by one of her close friends who had this same problem. Although they were influenced somewhat by Mott the Hoople, Alice Cooper, Velvet Underground, velvet material, silk, and glitter, Azalia and Bums both confessed that one of their major influences was the library. Azalia said everyone should get into reading. Her personal literary favorites include “My Last Sigh” by Courtesy ot Thomas Wear Azalia Snail will bring her ethereal sound tonight to Duffy s Tavern, 1412 O St. Luis Bunuel, “The Confessions” by Jean-Jacque Rousseau, and Charlie Chaplin’s autobiography, she said. Azalia said she originally wrote music with the intention that it be used for movie soundtracks. After completing a lot of material, she said, she produced her own movies on super 8 film and began showing them on walls or screens during her perform ances. “I’m interested in expanding, chang ing things,” she said. Azalia and Bums both said they like the Midwest because of its open space and friendly people. Driving through this part of the country for the lour actually is fun, they said. They cruise around listening to oldies stations and talking, they said, and Azalia said she liked to color her promo slickers while traveling. A/alia Snail has opened for King Missile, Butthole Surfers, Mary’s Danish, and Concrete Blonde. Her first album, “Snailbait,” received consistent airplay from alternative stations and even hit No. 1 at the University of Tokyo in Japan. Tonight’s show starts at 10 p.m. and opens with Rake Strangers of Minneapolis. Cover charge will be S3. Shit Hook will make its first live appearance Thursday night at the Zoo Bar, 136 N. 14th 9t. Experienced Hiccups ‘Hook’ up By Shannon Uehling Staff Reporter A new band, described by drum mer Dave Robcl as “a cross between the Rumbles and Spinal Tap,” is making its public premiere Thursday night at the Zoo Bar, 136 N. 14th St. But that’s not to say these guys have no experience playing in front ■4 of an audience. Shit Hook is composed of three ex-Charlie Burton and the Hiccups members — Phil Shoemaker on gui tar and keyboards, David Boye on bass guitar, and Robcl. New to the line-up is Steve Lamphere, who plays guitar. After Burton moved to Texas, Shoemaker said, the rest of the band didn’t want to stop playing music. So with the help of Lamphere, they put together a play list of about 45 cover tunes — enough to play three sets in a bar without having to share the stage (or the money) with another band, he said. Besides, he said, they had a great name and thought they should have a band to go with it. The band’s name, which came from the creative mind of producer Lou Whitney, is not popular with every one, Shoemaker said. “My mom doesn’t like (the band’s name),” he said. “None of our moth ers liked it.” The band recently played at two parties to practice in front of an audi ence. The first party was kind of rough at first, he said, but it got better. Shoemaker said it was odd to have to use the play list. “There was no Charlie (Burton) to See SHIT HOOK on 10 Spring break releases outshine this week’s forgettable new videos Williams stars as teacher turned to street dweller NEW RELEASES By Anne Steyer Staff Reporter This week’s releases are hardly worth a mention. A mention will have to do though, because during spring break some real gems were released that deserve some description. “The Super” (R) Starring Joe Pc sci (“Goodfellas’O and about a slum lord sentenced to live in one of his own rat-infested tenements, it stinks of the moralistic ‘Tm-a-changed person-now” plotline. (Available 4/ 1) “Curly Sue” (PG) Another cine matic masterpiece from director John Hughes. He seems to crank out a couple of bad films a year now. This one is about an obnoxious waif who, along with her scam-artist sidekick Jim Belushi (“K-9”), embarks on one scam after another. (Available 4/1) Also arriving this week: The gang ster film “Billy Bathgate” with Dustin Hoffman, Nicole Kidman and Bruce Willis and the thriller “Deceived” with Goldie Hawn and John Heard. Spring break releases included: “The Fisher King” (R) Directed by the visionary Terry Gilliam (“Bra zil,” “Time Bandits”) this comedy/ drama snagged two Golden Globes and two Oscars. It's a delightful blend of fantasy and reality and combines the search for the Holy Grail with the search for inner peace. * Jeff Bridges plays an abrasive “shock radio” talk show host whose behavior leads a listener to tragedy. He tumbles from the toast of the town to a toasted has-been. Stumbling the streets of New York, he meets another wayward soul played by Oscar nominee Robin Williams. They have more than a little in com mon and develop an unusual bond. Williams is Parry, a former pro fessor of medieval history whose life also took a Tragic turn. Now a street person, he sees the famed Red Knight from Arthurian legend riding horse back through the streets of Manhat tan. Mercedes Ruehl won an Oscar this year for her role as Bridges’ tough talking girlfriend. (Available now.) “Rambling Rose” (R) Set in 1935 rural Georgia, this small but enormously satisfactory film stars Robert Duvall (“Tender Mercies”) as Mr. Hillyer, a small-town hotel man ager. He and his wife (Diane Ladd of “Wild at Heart”) take in a wayward girl (Laura Dem, also of “Wild at Heart”, in the title role) as hired live in help. Rose’s wild ways soon have the house in an uproar. She immediately is attracted to Duvall and although he is fighting his attraction to her, he rebuffs her. See NEWVID on 10