Nebraskan
Thursday, August 5,1993
Arts ^entertainment
Courtesy of Atco Records
Bad Company will perform in Lincoln’s first outdoor concert at Pinewood Bowl Saturday
at 6:30 p.m. with Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Skynyrd debuts at bowl
unmA i
By Jill O’Brien
Staff Reporter
Simon Kirkc, drummer,
spokepcrson and journeyman for
Bad Company, isn’t sure how his
group — known for its romantic
power ballads—got together with
the Southern rock rebels from
Lynyrd Skynyrd.
“I don’t know,” Kirkc said. “We
were approached at the beginning
of the year. My first and only reac
tion was yes.”
Lynyrd Skynyrd will appear
with Bad Company at Pincwood
Bowl in Pioneers Park Saturday at
6:30 p.m. Tickets are still avail
able for the concert.
Kirkc, in a phone interview from
Salt Lake City, Utah, said the two
groups were not strangers.
“We’ve known them for many,
many years,” he said. “Back in the
early ’70s, we toured together and
got very close.
“Then, after a series of tragic
accidents, we drifted off.”
The most publicized tragedy oc
curred in October 1977 when a
plane crash killed Skynyrd’s lead
vocalist and co-founder Ronnie
Van-Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines
and his sister Cassie Gaines, the
band's backup vocalist. After
spending nearly 10 years picking
up the pieces of their lives and
careers, the remaining members
reformed Lynyrd Skynyrd, adding
vocalist Johnny Van-Zant to their
line-up.
Kirke said he was excited about the
reunion with Lynyrd Skynyrd. He
said the two groups will tour together
until the end of the year.
“Musically, Lynyrd Skynyrd and
Bad Company is a compatible dou
ble-header — a good bill,” he said.
“We appeal to the same fans.”
In a very British and articulate
voice, Kirkc said Bad Company’s fans
come from all age groups.
“Our audiences is early teen up to
50s,” he said. “We appeal to the blue
collar fans — the 4-whcel drive, 6
pack merchants.
“We’ve always been a working
man’s band.”
The group formed in 1972, when
Kirkc and singer Paul Rodgers left the
group Free to link up with guitarist
Mick Ralphs from Mott the Hoople
and bassist Boz Burrell of King Crim
son.
It wasn’t long before Bad Compa
ny started cranking out super hits.
Included among those hits were “Feel
Like Making Love,” “Rock ‘n’ Roll
Fantasy,’’“Snooting Star”and “Ready
for Love.”
Now, two decades later, the nucle
us is Kirkc, Ralphs and lead singer
Brian Howe, who shuffled in from the
Ted Nugent group after Rodgers left
Bad Company.
With the breathy vocals of Howe
out front, the current edition of Bad
Company delivers its share of guitar
fueled, heart-slopping ballads like “If
you Needed Somebody” and “How
About That,” a cut from their latest
LP, “Here Comes Trouble.”
Bad Company sticks to the basics
of rock V roll, Kirke said.
“Music should be played for pco
-M
Music should be
played for people
to enjoy, not to
endure.
—Kirke
Bad Company
pie to enjoy, not to endure,” he
said. “It should have a good beat,
good harmonics and understand
able lyrics.
“You know, heads down and
see you at the end.”
Kirke backs up the band with a
solidifying beat he’s been perfect
ing since the age of 13, when he
first realized he wanted to become
a drummer.
“It struck me likea small boltof
lightning,” he said. “I was watch
ing television — some jazz pro
gram —and I was mesmerized by
the drummer.
“Thai’s what I wanted to be,”
he said. “I started playing that
day.”
A day turned into a lifetime
career, and since then, he’s played
an active part in the evolution of
rock ‘n’ roll.
“Twenty-five years ago, there
were maybe 10 world class acts
from America to England—Elvis,
the Slones, the Beatles, The Who
and, of course, Zeppelin," he said.
“Each show sold out.
“It was a big event... and had
a big influence on the music scene.
Now you could count world class
acts on two sets of hands and feet. ”
Classic Robin Hood tale
falls short with Brooks
“Robin Hood:
Men In Tights”
By Gerry Beltz
Staff Reporter_
Director Mcl Brooks spoofed space
movies with “Spaccballs,” hacked at
horror movies with “Young Franken
stein” and whacked at westerns with
“Blazing Saddles”.
Now, he has taken a slab at
Sherwood Forest with “Robin Hood:
Men In Tights” (Lincoln 3,12th and
P Streets).
Unfortunately for Brooks, he’s
managed to cut his own throat with
this one.
The talc is, of course, classic by
now. Our hero, Robin of Lockslcy
(Cary Elwcs), must defeat the longue
twisted Sheriff of Rouingham (yes,
Rouingham) and the evil—but kind
ly neurotic — Prince John (Richard
Lewis) to save both the inhabitants of
Sherwood Forest and the virtuous
Maid Marion (Amy Yasbcck).
Elwcs is no stranger to comedy,
with his groundbreaking role of the
unbeatable hero in “The Princess
Bride” and the egotistical pilot from
the comedy hit “Hot Shots!” Even if
this film isn't going to be the pinnacle
of Elwcs’ career, it mighi help people
lo forgive him for starring in “The
Crush”.
Richard Lewis provides a few of
the laughs as Prince John, but it isn't
nearly enough, even with Tracey
Ullman showing up as Latrine, Prince
John’s “advisor.”
Roger Rees has some great mo
ments in the film as the Sheriff of
Roltingham, courtesy of his ever-trip
ping tongue and hormone-powered
lust for the cver-chaste Maid Marion.
Some of the better moments of the
film come from out of left field, like
Dorn Dcluise as Don Giovanni. His
impersonation of Marlon Brando from
the “Godfather” is hilarious.
Just like in “Robin Hood: Prince of
Thieves,” King Richard is played by
a surprise appearance from... no, that
would take away all the fun.
Brooks, in Hitchcock style, also
shows up in the film. Unlike
Hitchcock, though, Brooks has a
speaking part as Rabbi Tuckcrman,
who provides the sacramental wine.
The film would have been belter with
out his performance.
Still, the film docs have its good
parts, like the dancing routine from
Robin’s merry men, as well as Elwcs’
hilarious line that slams Kevin
Costner’s sporadic English accent
from “Robin Hood: Prince of
Thieves.”
Mark Blankficld, playing Robin
Hood’s blind friend Blinkin,provides
quite a few laughs as well, particular
ly during the sword fight.
The quintessential Cary Elwcs or
Mel Brooks fan may want lo catch
“Robin Hood: Men In Tights” right
away, but the patient person may want
lo wail for it lo hit a discount theater
or the neighborhood video store.
Emotional discovery
fades to love story
“Poetic Justice
trttr
By Anne Steyer
Staff RepoftorW&iL" ■ • ■
John Singleton's directorial debut
“Boyz ‘N the Hood” was poetry in
motion, but his second feature, “Poet
ic Justice” (Plaza 4,12th and P streets)
has almost no rhyme and no reason.
Also set in South Central Los An
geles — at least initially — is Single
ton ’ s attempt at the woman' s point of
view. Justice (Janet Jackson) loses
her boyfriend to gang violence. She
carries on her studies to be a hair
stylist, working out her emotional tur
moil through poetry.
The poetry, thankfully supplied by
Maya Angelou, is beautiful, but the
movie seems to be built around it,
rather than the other way around.
Justice’s mourning is interrupted
by a road trip to Oakland, set up by her
friend Icsha (Regina King). The trip
includes riding with Icasha’s boy
friend Chicago (Joe King) and his
friend Lucky (Tupac Shakur).
From that point forward, Singleton
seems to have let the film direct itself.
It ceases to be about emotional dis
covery and instead turns into a medi
ocre love story. The only saving fea
ture is Shakur s acting — he’s fantas
tic.
But his range shows up the movie’s
“star.” Jackson isn’t completely terri
ble, but she lacks any emotional depth
or range — the stoic strong act wears
thin early on.
Singleton seems confused about
what kind of movie he wanted to
make, but either way, it doesn’t seem
like “Poetic Justice*’ is it.