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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 30, 1997)
Video store owner wants more variety Remodeling and a new name are part of a blueprint for better customer service. By Bret Schulte Staff Reporter Mike Stretz is at war. More specifically, he is fighting back against the threatening presence of corporate America — or as he calls it, Blockbuster Video. “People come in here all the time saying how they have a card at Blockbuster and still get hassled,” said Stretz, owner of Film Strip Video, 897 N. 27th St. “I know all of my cus tomers by name.” Stretz, a 30-year-old Lincoln native, at tended Nebraska Wesleyaa University before he got into the home-video business. He bought Film Strip Video from its previous owners in August and plans to re-christen the store Pig of Destiny Video. Ine name is derived from the critically ac claimed children/art film “Babe,” a film that Stretz credits with changing his life. As is evi dent in the new store title, Stretz’s personality is prevalent in the operation of his store. “We offer people a lot of independent films,” Stretz said. “A lot of stores don’t get any ‘B’ titles or independents — Blockbuster has few, if any. For example, you won’t find the ‘Young Poisoner’s Handbook’ in their stores.” In the future Stretz hopes to carry an even wider variety of titles — films that don’t fre quently make it on Nebraska’s theater screens. His vision includes memorabilia of contempo rary classics. “One ofmy goals is to create a museum out of the store,” he said. “For example, I have some l ■ MUE STRE1Z, owner of Film Strip ViPeo, 897 N. 27th St., plans tn renai In the coming months._ _ old Harry Crumb comics, ‘Star Wars’ parapher nalia and more.” The store will be remodeled soon to accomodate Stretz’s ambition and dedication to film in all forms. “We don’t have any Japanimation yet, but that will change,” he said. “We still don’t have some classics, but if someone comes in and has a request I will order it. That is service you don’t get at Blockbuster.” The Blockbuster corporation has been a con stant thorn in Stretz’s side. In fact, he occa sionally labels Blockbuster “Bookburner Video,” a reference to their censorship prac tices. * tV - “I think that it’s wrong for a company that big to impose a moral code on the public,” he said. “It ticks me off that some blue suit can tell me what I can and can’t see.” Stretz said Blockbuster refused to carry films that contain important social criticisms, such as the highly controversial “Kids.” Blockbuster Please see VIDEO on 10 Photo courtesy of Bernie McGinn ■ aa active voice la Liacala’s peak-rock aad past-peak scaae far aver I' 4 ' ; • ' -- Enduring poskpunk band to perform By Ann Stack Senior Reporter If rock bands were marriages, Sideshow's kids would be in grade school by now, and they would nearly have the mortgage to their first home paid off. The members of Skleshow have been playing together for more than a decade, and they show no signs of either quitting or becoming bor ing. “We have enough creative ten sion to keep things interesting. We get along well enough to live to gether in a van for a month,” said Bemie McGinn, singer and bass ist for the band. After being around for so long, Sideshow has seen a lot of bands and musical trends come and go. It even went through musical fads itself— all part of the experience of getting better, said McGinn, a senior art major at UNL. “When we started in the mid ’80s, we played hard-core punk rock, pretty relentless volume and speed,” he said. In 1997, McGinn describes Sideshow’s sound as an “alterna tive to alternative rock.” “It’s post-punk, kind of in the same vein as Fugazi (who they once opened for) or the Poster Children,” he said. “Our music has grown out of the hard ewe genre, it’s more melodious.” To its credit, the band -r- which also includes guitarist Rich Higgins and drummer Paul Tisdale — has a handful of 7-inch singles and two full-length CDs out. It played the College Music Journal showcase festival in 1995. It toured the coun try and has followings in New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and... Kalamazoo, Mien.? “It’s our adopted hometown,” he Said. “Those people are freaks.” So while they’ve conquered the coasts, they’re still establishing themselves throughout the Mid west, a feat that hasn’t been easy with McGinn still in school. But he graduates in May, and plans to devote time to Sideshow and to his record label, Caulfield Records. Sideshow will perform with fel low Lincoln music mainstays Mercy Rule at Knickerbockers, 901 O St., at 10 pjn. Friday. There’s a $3 cover charge. Lincoln’s Rascal Basket plays with force, energy By Ann Stack Senior Reporter Chris Hillier just wanted songs he could hum to in the shower. Finding none, he decided to make his own. Of course, he’s getting a little help from his friends in Rascal Bas ket. The Lincoln band formed three years ago, and is now singer Hillier, guitarist Jeff Dunn, drummer Brock Beckman and bassist Jeep Zimmer. “It started out as Chris and I do ing acoustic night on Mondays at Duffy’s,” Dunn said. “We hooked up with Brodc that way—he came over and jammfed with us, then Duffy’s of fered us a show. I think that was prob ably the ulterior motive the whole time.” rascat nasKei emooaies an tnings rock ‘n’ roll — they’ve been called one of Lincoln’s last great drunk-rock bands. They’re loud, aggressive, en ergetic and heavy — but don’t call them punk. “When we first started in Lincoln there were nothing but punk bands,” Dunn said. “If you weren’t Mercy Rule or Sideshow you couldn’t get anything.” The band of 20-somethings creates a marriage of pop and heavy metal — a somewhat unholy alliance, but a tasty one nonetheless. “When we first started we were terrible,” Hillier said. “We kept play ing because we didn’t have anything better to do.” Rascal Basket improved, and put out a CD last year called “Ras cal Basket Vs. The Hordes of Venus.” They plan on putting out another CD this summer and continuing on the Midwest touring circuit. “We want to get a repertoire with clubs,” Dunn said. “We’re not look ing to ride around in a van and starve 66 When we first started we were *&• v*:. terrible. Vie kept didn’t have anything better to do.” Chris Hillier singer for two weeks.” The band collaborates on the songwriting process, with Dunn com ing up with the basic riff, and every one contributing to that. Hillier writes the lyrics, usually about personal ex periences. “We’ve got a song called ‘Hell Boy’ about my little brother,” he said. “We’ve got another Called ‘garth’ that started out being a tribute to Black Sabbath and ended up being about my ex-girlfriend. “I tried to write a love song; those are the hardest to write,” he said. “It’s called ‘Big Yello,’ about this house I used to live in. It reminds me of all my friends.” They’ve also got songs about beer, alien abductions and strange sex acts. “It usually takes us a couple of months to figure out what Chris is writing about,” Dunn said. Rascal Basket plays at Bodega’s Alley, 1418 O St., Friday night around 9:30 p.m. There is a $3 cover charge.