Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 12, 1998)
Rick James recovering Singer is doing well after suffering stroke induced by performance By Jeff Randall Staff writer Controversial scheduling policies couldn’t keep Rick James out of Omaha, but doctors can. James, the world-renowned “King of Punk Funk” was scheduled to appear Friday at Omaha’s Orpheum Theatre, but Friday’s show - as well as the remaining dates on James’ comeback tour - have been canceled due to a stroke, which the singer suffered Sunday at his home in Los Angeles. The stroke apparently stemmed from an incident at a performance in Denver last Friday, in which he popped a blood vessel in the back of his neck. Doctors ordered James home for rest, where the stroke occurred two days later. As of Wednesday, James remained in intensive care. Although he is still numb on his right side and cannot yet walk, he lost no mental capabilities and is expected to make a full recovery with few or no compli cations, said Steve Levesque, James’ publicist. James, 50, originally was slated for surgery Tuesday at Cedar Sinai Medical Center, but doctors delayed the procedure and have decided to treat him with medicine, Levesque said. “Rick is doing well,” he said. “Nobody expected anything like this, and it came as quite a shock. “But Rick is taking it as well as can be expected, and we are all pray ing for him to be back to his old self as soon as possible.” Would-be concert-goers who have already purchased tickets for James’ performance can contact the Orpheum Theatre Box Office at (402) 444-4750 for refund informa tion. Levesque said plans had not yet been discussed for makeup dates. “We’re focusing on Rick right now, not Rick’s career,” he said. Fans who want to wish James well should send donations to the Leukemia Foundation in honor of his brother, William “Head” Johnson. Johnson died of leukemia a few weeks ago. The Associated Press con tributed to this report. —IH'IiIHMMI— U2 “The Best of 1980-1990, The B Sides” Island Records Grade A U2 owed its old-school fans a bit of an apology in 1997. Nearly a year after the band released the rave-inspired “Zooropa,” some fans felt U2 took the experimentation of “Achtung Baby” way too far out in left field. Bono and the boys promised that the next album would be a return to their roots. A stripped down, rock album was promised. Instead, fans got “Pop.” Suckers! Based on its own merits, “Pop” was a great album. But it wasn’t the album fans were expecting, and there was no mistaking their discontent. U2 noticed. In an olive branch gesture straight from the trunk of “The Joushua Tree,” the band has released “The Best of 1980-1990.” It features not only the great classics from some of the best years of U2, but a slew of forgotten or V unreleased songs, too. The first half of the double-disc set consists solely of 14 standard U2 clas sics. The second half is not a formal part of the first and bears the obvious title “The B-Sides.” As you may have guessed, it’s dedicated solely to the band’s non-hits: 15 B-sides from the band during the same decade. Usually, the flow of any typical B sides album collection by a band is about as consistent as flat Dr Pepper and vodka. However, there is enough con sistency in the 15 B-side tracks to make it sound like the rock album U2 should have made after “Zooropa.” The “Greatest Hits” side includes the most-recognized hits from “The Joshua Tree,” “The Unforgettable Fire” and “War.” More popular songs such as “New Year’s Day,” “Where The Streets Have No Name” and “Pride (In The Name Of Love)” are perhaps the most essential tracks, showcasing the band when its political and emotional fires burned brightest. The only two songs that may elude casual U2 fans include “Bad” and a 1998 mix of the song, “Sweetest Thing”. With all “Greatest Hits” packages, some great songs will be left out. Though not a radio hit, “Bullet the Blue Sky,” off the “Joshua Tree,” remains one of U2’s most popular songs alive. And even old timers may wince when they find out four of the 14 songs on the col lection comes from their “Rattle and Hum” album. Fans reminiscing their junior high or high school youth on U2’s “Greatest Hits” side will have little difficulty get ting into the B-side collection of this album: Lest they forget, U2 created some of its best material through the experimentation on B-sides. And this collection has most of these songs on it. For all of the political fury unleashed on “War” and to a lesser extent, “The Joushua Tree,” U2 consists of mainly romantic saps, and it’s clearly evident on this “Best of” album. The large majority of “The B-Sides” are bal lads, stirring and painfully sensitive. “Sweetest Thing” and “Everlasting Love” are ballads that could make the most cold-hearted cynic feel romantic. And the cover of “Unchained Melody” is decent, albeit a bit of a sentimental overkill. “The Best of 1980-1990” and “The B-Sides” can be called an essential pur chase for a casual or die-hard U2 fan. For fans of the old U2, this collection will confirm that the band’s best materi al was made in the ’80s. But fans who like what U2 has pro duced since “Achtung Baby” can also take rest. If the band did not stretch its creative boundaries after “Rattle and Hum,” its sound would be hopelessly dated today. This album was made to satisfy both new and old fans and will probably bring them the multi-platinum sales that “Pop” couldn’t deliver. And by listening to die “The B-Sides,” you’ll admire the band for taking its musical sound to a new level in the ’90s. The verdict is still out on whether or not “The Best of 1990-2000” collection will be as strong as this one. But we still have 10 years before we have to worry about that. - Sean McCarthy Try the Daily News Quiz on for size (It's very slimming) _ www.unl.edu/ Calculating “Pi’ equates numbers with horror By Sarah Baker Senior staff writer If 3.14 conjures up bad mem ories of high school algebra, it’s time to refigure the problem. Because this time around, Pi is a lot scarier than it ever was in geometry class. “Pi,” the directorial debut of Darren Aronofsky, opens tonight at the Mary Riepma Ross Film Theater, 12th and R streets. “Pi,” although classified as a science-fiction thriller, isn’t any thing like “Alien” or “Gattaca.” The story is one that has not been done before, at least in the memo rable past, and has a uniquely unsettling and frightening feel to it from beginning to end. “Pi” tells the story of math genius Maximillian Cohen (Sean Gullette), who for 10 years has been consumed by an almost crazy obsession with attempting to find a mathematical pattern in the stock market. Max is on the verge of discov ery when he starts to get hassled by a hostile Wall Street firm that wants to know the pattern. Meanwhile, a Jewish Kabbalah sect driven to unlock the secrets of their ancient holy text through similar mathemati cal means also hunts for Max, both chasers in a race for the prize. “Pi” recently made its world premiere at the 1998 Sundance Tin Fads TWeiTP Stars: Sean GuHette. Mark Margofis, Ben Shenkman, Pamela Hart Director: Darren Aronofsky Rating: N/R Grade: B Five Words: Math obsession leads to adventure Film Festival where Aronofsky won the Directing Award for Dramatic Competition. But the engaging story isn’t the only thing that makes the film a unique viewing experience; it’s the picture on the screen itself that is singular. The independent film was shot with black-and-white rever sal film stock, making the final film look as if the contrast knob has been twisted all the way up: It really is all black or all white. The stark quality of the pic ture makes for a nice match when paired with the odd camera angles and small amount of dia logue throughout the film. The movie proceeds at a fast pace, and although the key to everything is math, the equations take a back seat to the emotional and physical breakdown of Max, which is combined with his rela tionships, or lack thereof, with the other characters in the film. The science-fiction classifi cation is hard to justify, as the mm seems more or a psychological thriller, but it does show its freakish face with a few | unexpected surpris I es As the numbers I and the solution to the pattern begin to take over Max’s mind, the film becomes as much of a struggle for the viewer as it does for the character him self, and could defi nitely be classified as “edge-of-your seat excitement.” Although it probably won’t be enough to get most \ people to re-enroll \ in geometry, it will : definitely raise the : awareness of the raw power that num bers possess, and the insanity they can produce. Matt Haney/DN 402-472-2588 . „ 402-472-1761 (FAX) $5f°/ !5'"or?* dn@unl.edu $3.50/15 words <students) $0.15 each additional word 34 Nebraska Union $0.75 billing charge P.O. Box 880448 $0.75/line headline Lincoln, NE 68588-0448 Deadline: 3 p.m. weekday prior 200s Ftrsato Hr; i IBM/IBM compatible computer repair and upgrading. Contact Travis at 436-0759 or e-mail at & twilliamdcse.uni.edu I Full and Queen size mattress sets. New and in plastic. Never used. 10 years warranty. Retail for $439 and ■ $639. Sell for $165 for the Full, Queen $195.477-1225. | ....„... i 2 Reserved tickets, for KSU vs. Nebraska game, best offer, call (785)776-7351 or (785)539-8681 j 3 KSU versus Nebraska tickets in the always exciting aj student section. Call Laurie at (785J-776-8214 ACE SPORTS & TICKETS i Wanted: KSU vs. Nebraska. We buy, sell and trade! ■ Oak Park Mall. 913-541-8100. r T * * * * * * * * * * M * * * M M 4T* * W W JT * * M * * M * * ** * OT M M M. r I Receptionist | J MDS Harris has an opening for a receptionist. Will J relay messages and assist clients, guests and J applicants. Will also help recruit and screen \ individuals for participation in clinical studies. Our \ \ ideal candidate will be professional, organized, and \ \ have good phone skills. Excellent communication \ skills are a must. Please apply to: \ ^-- \ \ cMDS Harris J Lincoln, NE 68501 J Science Advancing Health AA/EOE w/////////////////////w/y/yy//y/////w//////////y/y///A 1
