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THAT MAGAZINE FROM CITR FM102 CABLE100
SEPTEMBER 1985 • f REE
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(fatewau to the
WILD FRONT MR
307 WEST CORDOVA STREET, VANCOUVER 682-3270 •
A bad haircut can wipe
the smile off anybody's
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THAT MAGAZINE FROM CITR FM102 CABLE 100 *TEMBER 1985 • VOL. 3 NO. 8
28
6
8
PO
33
34
40
44
IN THI
1
10 Shindig
Shindig explained is we heal into a second
13 Vancouver's Rock Critics
Dave Watson goes behind the newsprint
curtain to expose the Ink-stained wretches
of the pop mafia. ''"flip j
20 Pasf Last Call f
Elspeth Robinson bends an elbow in ||
Vancouver's historic watering mm^^ 1
Emily^ :.M ,, i |^J?
Michael Shea goes next door to borrow a
cup of sugar and discovers...Emily. #
•:•*•:!
«l
WAWA
IN EVERY ISSUE
Airhead » • . ' |j g I a
The revenge of Canada Post* plus historical fiction by mail.
Behind the Dial • j * * |
Radio demystified and the history of radio hell.
Program Guide f$B~ | *? pf'
What's on and when. Indespensible.
%in List ** | •
Top of the Noise, compiled by MS, DC, GB, and RS.
Vinyl Verdict
Flat round things from Animal Slaves, SNFU, Shindig,
Johathan Richrti&n and moire...
Singles : * \ '$/ ■■•'- ,;
45 and 33 rpm, 7" and 12". Is nothinf sacred?
Demo Derby 1
More from the tape file. m
Armchair Eye § ^ f
A new feature—staring down the cathode ray tube and
seeing who blinks first. 9
Roving Ear S
This month from Montreal.
iiiP
WonTicfimi*
Cover
David Cran and Anthony Seto
of Non-Fiction Graphics
Editor
Chris Dafoe
Contributors
Janis MacKenzie, Elspeth Robinson, Tyler
Cutforth, J$$$on Grant, Robin Razzel,
Pat Carroll, Kevirf Smith, Dave Watson,
Michael Shea, Bill Mullan, Andrea Gamier,
Gerard® Van Herk, Jay Scott
Photos
Ross Cameron, Eric Whittaker,
H Ann Marie Fleming, Robert Wallace
Carfbons
R. Filbrant, Susan Catherine,
Chris Pearson, William Thompson
Production Manailr
Pat Carrol #
Design
s Harry Hertscheg *
Layout
Pat Carroll, CD, Bev Demchut,
Randy Iwata, Ross Cameron life
Program Guide
Janis MacKenzie
Typesetting
j Dena Corby
P Advertising and Circulation ^
Harry Hertscheg 228-3017
w
Business Manager
^Mike Dennis
DISCORDER, c/o CITR Radio, 6138 SUB Blvd.,
Vancouver, B.C., V6T 2A5. Phone (604) 228-3OT7.
DISCORDER Magazine is published monthlysfoy theStudent
Radio Societ^gf UBC. CITR/m 101.9 cable /00.$i>fiadcasts
a 49-watt sig|||p in stereo throughout Vancouver .from Gage
Towers on theUBC campus. CITR is also available via cable
in Vancouver, West Vancouver, North Vancouver, BWnaby,
Richmond, Coquitlanii Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Maple
Hdge and Mission. DISCORDER circulates 15,000 free copies.
This special Back to School issue: 20,000 copies. To advertise
in DISCORDER or to have copies dropped off call 228-3517.
Yearly subscriptions available in Canada, $9.00, outside
Canada, $12.00. Send cheque or money order payable to
DISCORDER. Unsolicited manuscripts, photograph&:.l:.ar-
toons and graphics are welcome but they can be reti|pi||||pn-
ly if accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped &Si||j|ppe.
DISCORDER does not assume responsibility for unsolicited
material. DISCORDER and CITR offices are located in Room
233 of the UBC Student Union Building. For CITR Mobile
-Sound bookings and general inquiries call 228-3017. The Music
Request line is 228-CITR. ,■,.*•*.
yiiiMiliiiiitiii
—
IMiigMi Come feel the music/
350 Richards Street across from Sears Harbour Centre 687-5007 DISCORDER
Cover Story
Dear Airhead:
I have found that your last three
covers have been on the slick local
scene style. Personally I don't like
the idea of using photos for the
cover but I guess it's a lot easier
than relying on lackluster local art.
Instead of a photo I would rather
see a visual interpretation of that
photo by anyone. No insult to
photographers but a photo shows
something in the way everyone
sees it while a piece of artwork
shows the way the artist sees it. I'm
sure there are a lot of people out
there who could, and would like to,
do a cover for the DISCORDER.
Sincerely,
Paul T. Scholten
I'm sure there are loads of photographers out there who would challenge your judgement of photography as non-art. But since this isn't
an art rag, we'll not dwell on this
point. Let me emphasize once
again, DISCORDER IS ALWAYS IN-
TERESWD IN RECEIVING COVER
SUBMISSIONS. We won't use
everything, but we always like to
see what people have to offer. Just
use the current issue as a guide to
dimentions and the placement of
the name on the magazine.
Sniping
Dear Airhead,
This is in response to the somewhat insulting letter "More on
Metal" in the July issue of Discorder.
Can it be explained why a person, so obviously a headbanger,
would be wasting time tuned into
CITR. Just who the hell do they
think they are? They have the pick
of a handful of stations to choose
from, and yet they harass and bitch
at the one station that doesn't plav
their stuff. When was the last time
CFOX received a letter demanding
Go Four 3 or Husker Du?
These people don't know where
they're coming from. It's really
quite simple. It's like if there is
something on TV that you don't
appreciate you simply change the
channel. You don't write VU13 to
bitch that they don't have the same
shows as Channel 5. You simply
watch that channel.
Hasn't this simple solution oc-
cured to them yet, or do they just
like to bug people. CITR exists to
play a different mode of music from
what you hear on every other
station.
Signed
Monique,
a wimpy gel user
P.S. Calling people "wimpy gel users" is not endearing and will not
persuade them to listen to anything
you have to say, valid or not...
Puppy Fan Bite-Back
Dear Airhead,
What is this crap printed in the
August Airhead about Skinny Puppy being a "sadomasochistic synthesizer band made for the trendy
set." Skinny Puppy are a terrific
band that put on a great live show.
I have never seen three guys in one
band that are as talented as the
three in Skinny Puppy. Obviously
the person who wrote that letter
has never taken the time to listen
RHSAb
c/o CITR Radio
6138 S.U.B. Blvd.
Vancouver, B.C.
V6T2A5
to the meaning of Skinny Puppy's
songs. You would not call them
"sadomasochistic" or say that they
enjoy "torture, mutilation, and ul-
traviolence" if you had.
As for CITR giving them too
much attention, well that's crap too,
because as far as I'm concerned
I would like to hear much more of
them on every radio station.
Give Skinny Puppy a chance.
They deserve it.
Sincerely
Tindy
Burnaby
Here we go again...
Dear Airhead,
Re; the letter from Anila Srivastava,
August, 1985
I think setting aside a percentage of record purchasing funds for
music by women would be a terrible idea. In the short term, it might
result in more female bands getting airplay. But in the long run, I
suspect that we would run into the
problem of a quota. Whereby, only
the minimum amount of female
bands necessary to meet the quota
will be played.
There are not nearly as many
female bands as there are male.
So it's entirely logical that most of
the bands featured on CITR are
male—it's only because of the
ratio. I'm sure that as more women
become involved in the alternative
music scene, we will see a corres-
September 1985
ponding increase of women on the
playlist.
This on-going attack on CITR
and the Discorder has got to stop.
The Airhead column has become
nothing more than another forum
for strident feminism.
Why don't you lighten-up,
Larry Soo
Radio? In France?
Dear Airhead,
Could someone please help
me? I'm moving to France in September, but I fear there may be no
decent radio stations over there. Do
you know of any "alternative" stations similar to CITR, or will I have
to fix up a cable and try to get
Radio 1 (which isn't too good) from
England? I'm moving to La Roch-
elle, or that area of the coast. I
hope you can answer some of
these questions, because life without CITR could be unbearable.
Yours sincerely,
Jen Read
While we can't recommend any
particular station your chances of
finding one that suits you seem
pretty good. The French government liberalized its broadcast regulations a few years ago, sparking
the creation of thousands of small,
independent stations. While things
have tightened up in the last few
years, we understand that there are
still quite a few good station in
France.
On the other hand, have you
thought of bringing CITR with you?
For only $235 a night we could sent
the CITR Mobile Sound.System to
play for you in your apartment. We'd
love to go to France. We might even
be convinced to lower our rates if
you'd like to make a long-term booking. Call Linda Scholten at 228-3017
for more details.
In either case, don't forget to
write. Rv!
ORIENTATION WEEK
SEPTEMBER 1985
1
w&
iffiMiiW^!fiffiM
Sis
MONDAY
9
CITR DISCO &
HOT D OG
ROA S T
SUB PLAZA 12:00 Noon
CAIRN
CEREMONY
12:00 Noon
BETWEEN CHEMISTY
& CHEMICAL BINDINGS
Speeches from:
President Smith
Chancellor Wyman
David Mclean -
Chairman of the
Board ol Goveners
Glenna Chestnut! -
AMS President
TUESDAY
10
PHICIPPE
LAPOINTE
JAZZ FUSION
SUB PLAZA 12:30 pm
WEDNESDAY
11
ORIGINAL
NEW YORK SELTZER
presents
PUNCH
LINES
FREE COMEDY
SUB PLAZA 12:30 pm
DIET PEPSI SUPERSTAR
CHALLENGE
WIN WILSON SPORTING GOODS GIFT CERTIFICATES
TUES AWED 10= 30 am-??? SUB PLAZA
ams
|H
All EVENTS PRODUCED BY AMS PROGRAMS
THURSDAY
12
CRAVEN A
MUSI CAL
CHAIRS
$100 TO WINNER/
PRIZES INCLUDE ALBUMS
AND CONCERT TIX
SUB PLAZA 12:30pm
FRIDAY
13
INTRAMURAL
FASHION SHOW
SUB PLAZA 12:30 pm
MILLER BEER & PEPSI present
DOUG AND THE
SLUGS
WITH GUESTS.
PLUS:
-REFRESHMENTS & BBQ
-DUNK TANK
(FOR BURSARY FUND)
MaclNNIS FIELD
3:30 —7:30 pm
fO -Q ^IWITH
W- * -FA8ULON
-4 th FLOOR
Tix S4.50
at AMS B.O.
SUB Ballroom
doors: 8:00 pm
All Ago*
Welcome CITR fm 102 cable 100
DIOGENES GOES TO THE ROCK SHOW
To the editor(s) of Discorder:
Enclosed, please find a copy of
my story "Diogenes goes to the
rock show." I hope you will find it
suitable for publication in your
magazine.
I should note here that I am a
Canadian and this story will help
you meet your obligations to the
federal government.
Please feel free to alter any part
of the story except the punctuation.
Sincerely
Vernon (Verri) Rhombus
ONE DAY DIOGENES WENT TO THE ROCK SHOW. This was
in itself unusual since Diogenes made a practice of arriving at
events while everybody else was leaving.
Diogenes was dressed in his coarse brown cloak. Around his
neck hung a gourd, suspended by twine. This he would fill with
water then dump out claiming he wasn't thirsty.
At the rock show Diogenes decided to sit and rest awhile in the
vast concrete concourse. Before long he began to masturbate and
when condemned by friends of the promoter, he remarked that he
wished he could satisfy hunger by just rubbing his stomach.
Diogenes found his seat and sat down with his back to the stage.
For this he was soundly beaten by some young toughs in the audience. To them he proclaimed, "I will defend to the death what you
have done but I may not agree with your right to do so."
As the show began, Diogenes wandered throughout the arena
handing out record albums that had been glued shut. After a time
he came to the front of the stage. Diogenes ascended the platform
and stood in plain sight. While the rock star introduced his next
song with a speech about politics and government, Diogenes held a
fish before him.
Ripples of laughter soon spread throughout the crowd. "Look,"
said Diogenes, "this fellow's words are less interesting than a dead
fish."
The next day, Diogenes was sunning himself in the gutter when
the rock star came upon him. "Old man," he said, "I would like to
embrace your ideas and write hit songs. Is there anything I can do
for you?"
"Yes," said Diogenes, "get out of my light."
The rock star invited Diogenes to his suite at the luxury hotel. He
led Diogenes on a tour of the rooms pointing out how expensive
everything was. As Diogenes needed to expectorate, he spat in the
face of the rock star, explaining that it was the only thing there
cheap enough to spit on.
"You are a very silly old man," said the rock star, "and I shall
never be able to write a hit song talking to you. Is there nothing
positive in your world?"
"Certainly," said Diogenes, "I give praise to those who intend to
get married, or go on a journey, or enter a profession, and being
just about to do so, decide not to."
,With that Diogenes gave leave of the rock star and strolled backwards down the streets of the city.
NEXT MONTH: Malcolm Lowrey goes to the circus.
824-826 thurlow street Vancouver, b.c.
v6e lw2 604 688-2018
OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK DISCORDER
September 1985
DIAL
THE
BEHIND
Sick?
Overheard on CJOR's The Dave
Barret Show, July 26th, 1985
The Host: Dave Abbott
The Topic: Music
Caller: Now I know there's other
factors, but this CITR is sick. It is...I
can't believe...Is this a UBC
station?
Dave Abbott: Yes.
C: I cannot believe that UBC would
allow something like that to come
over their airwaves. Have you ever
listened to CITR?
DA: / have not. No.
C: You haven't lived until you
have...I mean, if you could stomach
it, you should listen to it.
DA: Okay, love, I'll try to make a
point of doing so.
From the desk of the
Station Manager
THIS YEAR MEMBERS CAN
look forward to getting even more
from CITR. For the usual $25
membership fee, CITR is offering
the Wombat package: Wombat T-
shirt, Wombat bumpersticker,
Wombat buttons, membership
card, and newsletter. In an effort to
better serve the students of UBC
(and to help make that student loan
go a bit further), we have dropped
the membership fee for students to
$15.
If you would like to support the
station by buying a Wombat package, but cannot make it to the university as often as you might want
to, send your fee in and we'll sent
you your package through the mail.
Send to:
Membership
CITR-FM
6138 SUB Blvd.
Vancouver, B.C.
V6T 2A5
CITR RECEIVED ITS FIRST
Summer Canada grant this year to
produce a documentary series. It's
called Youth Focus and it deals
with topics of interest to young
people. Jocelyn Samson and Lynn
Price focus on youth unemploy-
CITR
A BR llE F
1066 William the Conqueror defeats King Harold in the Battle of
Hastings. The Normans assume rule of Britain. British Columbia not even found yet, but a significant date nevertheless.
1492 Chris Columbus discovers America by mistake. UBC still just a
bunch of trees, but things definitely looking up for alternative
readio aficionados in the area.
1886 Vancouver burns down. Fortunately, no damage to UBC radio
services as they still don't exist.
1912 Amundson makes it to the South Pole. The Titanic sinks off
Newfoundland. Still no UBC radio.
1937 There is now, though (sort of). Five students spin discs in cafeteria
spot on CJOR "Variety Time". Western civilization will never be
the same.
1938 UBC Radio becomes official student club. "Variety Time" moves
to CBC (twice weekly).
1941 "News from Campus" broadcasts on CKWX; Campus Sports on
CJOR.
1945 Yanks atomize Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The words "radio" and
"active" take on a whole new meaning.
1947 UBC Radio Club moves to Brock Hall.
1950 Closed circuit broadcasts to residences begin. UBC Radio Club
and CKWX (B.C. Association of Broadcasters) operate 22-week
school for commercial radio.
1964 Carrier circuit replaces closed circuit to residences. A.J. Foyt wins
Indianapolis 500.
I HI -1
iwlillr*
CITR staff celebrate opening of first studios. CITR fm 102 cable 100
merit, youth and the peace movement, young entrepreneurs, youth
culture, immigrant youth and foreign students to name a few. Look
for Youth Focus in CITR's program
guide.
CITR IS CO-SPONSORING
Saturday Nights at the Pit Pub on
campus. For the month of September, Pit patrons could win a trip for
two to San Francisco for the weekend. Or a trip for two to Apex
Resort in Penticton, or windsurfing
lessons, or' lots of other useful
things. All you have to do is come
out Saturday nights and ask someone to dance. That's all. If that person is the mystery woman or the
mystery man—you win.
—Nancy Smith
CITR presents...
UPCOMING CITR CONCERT
presentations include:
Black Uhuru—September 2 at
the Commodore
Chris & Cosey—October 9 at
the Luv-A-Fair.
We expect, as before, that you
will be returning for their first Vancouver appearance since last
year's magnificent show at the War
Memorial Gym with King Sunny
Ade. And Chris & Cosey are mak
ing their first Vancouver appearance at the conclusion of a five-city
Canadian tour.
Black tie optional. RSVR
High Ptower P
Update Y|p -('...
WE AT CITR AND DISCORDER
would like to thank those of you
who signed petitions in support of
CITR's application for an increase
in power. Special thanks to those
who took the time out to write letters. The letters and the petitions
have been forwarded to the CRTC
in Ottawa.
And now we wait. The next step
along the road to High Power is the
dreaded hearing. Grown men have
turned into quivering masses of
whimpering flesh when faced with
the piercing glare and whithering
scorn of a CRTC commissioner.
Beatings are not uncommon and
the CTRC has been cited by Amnesty International as one of five
Canadian government bodies that
uses torture on a consistent basis.
Actually it's not quite that bad.
We are, however, still awaiting the
setting of a date for a hearing. And
the suspense is killing us. We hope
to go to hearing sometime before
the end of the year.
H ISTORY
1969 Radio Club moves to Student Union Building. Inauguration of call
letters CYVR. Mario Andretti wins Indianapolis 500.
1974 CYVR shut down for six months for operating without a license.
Re-opened as T-bird Radio: C.I.T.R. The DeFranco Family hit
number one with "Heartbeat, It's a Lovebeat."
1975 CITR goes cable through Vancouver. Elton John releases "Rock
of The Westies," sells out two shows at the Pacific Coliseum.
1978 John Travolta is nominated for Academy Award. CITR makes first
application for FM Broadcast Licence.
1981 FM License approval. CITR incorporates as a society.
1982 April 1st (Idiot's Day)—CITR broadcasts in mono at 101.9 FM.
Horray! Much rejoicing. First song: "Dancing in the Streets" by
Martha and the Vandellas. ,
1983 Discorder hits the streets. Several people injured.
1984 Stereo! Brian Mulroney elected. Ronald Reagan re-elected.
Michael Jackson sells out three shows in B.C. Place. Vanilla Fudge
reunites for album and' tour. Curiouser and curiouser.
1985 CITR applies to CRTC for increased power. Rambo anihilates
South-East Asia.
1986 Ronald Reagan dies of AIDS. Expo 86 an unprecedented failure.
Bennett government overthrown. CITR goes high power and
utterly destroys the competition. Media revolution quickly follows
and all uncool people leave Vancouver. Everything is wonderful
until a computer malfunction causes a global thermo-nuclear war.
No survivors. Well, at least we tried.
—Compiled by Bill Mullan
WITH GUESTS
MPENDO • MOJA
Wednesday • September • 18
8:30 pm
COMMODORE BALLROOM
TIX: VTC/CBO and all it's usual outlets.
Info 280-4411 • Charge by Phone 280-4444
Zulu. Odyssey. Black Swan. Highlife and Indo Caribbean Spice Mart.
Service charge extra at some outlets
pRqDuCeO b¥ pERRyScOpE
cntiment
COMIC, OUTRAGEOUS & NASTY!
OPENS SEPTEMBER 20
Previews Sept. 18 & 19
MON-SAT 8:30 PiH*
VANCOUVER EAST CULTURAL CENTRE
RESERVATIONS • 254-9578 September 1985
Kt$
"When the going gets weirdy
the weird play Shindig"
—Hunter S. Forsyttrl
LET'S SEE IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.
I was watching John Cale (name dropping
already—is there no shame?) give a medi
locre performance when suddenly I was reminded of a previous request by editor Chris Dafoe
to submit a Shindig preview for the September
issue of Discorder. Having put this piece of information away at the back of a rapidly deteriorating
mind, I had forgotten that I had agreed to do the
piece, and subsequently promised to submit it
before the deadline. It was during one of the better parts of what appeared to be a drug-addled^,
performance that something jogged my memory ""
...I think it was Chris grabbing the lapels of my
jacket, his face twisted into an insane leer,
screaming, "Where the fuck is the Shindig article!" as he convulsed into a violent rage.
"No problem," I replied, wiping spittle from my
face as my knees buckled and I sank to the floor.
"I'll have it for you right away...yes, it's done...well,
almost done...when is the deadline? Ah yes,
tomorrow morning, okay. Under control, don't
worry—it will be ready."
So here I sit in post-concert euphoria/disap-
fffjpointment, attempting to complete that last
|synapse which will result in at least one, solitary
jrational thought. Lord, what am I doing? Who is
capable of literacy at this insane hour of the
night, sitting in this hellhole apartment where Inspiration fears to tread?
Then out of nowhere, the patron saint of Gon-
20 Journalism appeared unto me, and with but!
a wave of his hand, I felt peace. And it was good "*
The result? Here it is—the concise, inaccurate^
and limited anthology of Shindig—CITR's "Battle**
of the Bands."
N*
Shindig, was conceived in the fall of 1984 by
the unholy union of CITR's Gord Badanic and
Dave Ball, and Janet Forsyth of the Savoy. Shin-!
dig was created for several reasons. Some of the
more relevant and less silly ones include the fact
that Vancouver possesses an incredible wealth
of musical talent. Simultaneously, a criminal
shortage of local venues at all tolerant of local
original music prevented most bands from ever
reaching the stage, much less obtaining public
recognition, gold-plated jacuzzi-equipped limousines, and the inevitable Rock-God status. Shindig was established to fulfill this need (not Rock-
"« God status—just a place to play, y'know). Unfor-
* -'tunately, economic realities and the LAWS OF
PROMOTION state the only framework in which
a continuing series of local amateur bands can
ibe presented in an environment of positive publicly generated excitement is "the competition —
the evil Battle of the Bands.
Here several problems arose and questions
were asked. How does one judge and differentiate between several different styles of music and
so many different types of bands? Is Power Pop
better than Dance-Synth Pop? Can Urban Folk
be compared to Hardcore? What constitutes a
"winner" and a "loser?" Are these real terms?
Is this necessary? Is it moral to promote com-
^petition between bands and factions in an already struggling music community? Will bands
and fans alike take the competition aspect so
seriously that they fail to realize that the purpose
of Shindig is not to create dissent, but to promote
ijbands and the music community as a whole?
kWill audiences be so pathetic and mindless as
to spit and throw bottles at CITR MCs just because their favourite band didn't "win" that
night? Will it not be realized that Shindig is
another extension of CITR's attempts to increase
public awareness of an insensitive autocratic
commercial music industry comprised mainly of
human pigs and corrupt greenheads? And just
who is Jerome Broadway anyways? Who cuts his
hair?
We tried to answer all these questions, but the
[Jerome Broadway ones has us stumped. So
ethics be damned—Shindig was born!
m
■ .JWPHJfc.
CITR fm 102 cable 100
i
HOW IT WORKS
In order to be as fair as possible, different
judges (usually non-CITR media types) are
, ^chosen every night, and they rate the band in
^$the following categories:
Musical Competence /15
Performance/Stage Presence ... /15
Original Material /15
Audience Response |k ..15
Total
/50
ill
iijfi
!?.I81
■
Shindig for '85 is once again featuring prizes
of recording time, backup positions for major
concerts, videos, another Shindig—Live at the
Savoy album release, Discorder features, and
perhaps eventual fame, fortune or even recognition from the public and the aforementioned
music industry. (What's that line—oh yeah—"It
doesn't pay any money, but it's great exposure.")
Bands wishing to enter Shindig may do so by
contacting either Jay Scott or Linda Scholten at
228-3017 (CITR). Shindig is held every Monday
night at the Savoy (6 Powell Street, Gastown).
Currently, the first round has been filled. The
lineup is:
Sept. 16 Sexual Infections
Anti-M
The Burnlgh Giraffes with
special guest appearance by
The Psychobunnles
Sept 23 The Little Ratskulls
The Hurt
13
Sept. 30 False Creek
The Wardells
TBA
So that's what's happening. You have no excuse to avoid it. Support local music—comedown to the Savoy.
Hear Vancouver's best original bands!
See musicians engaged in mortal combat!
Watch hordes of normally rational people
turned into rabid screaming animals by a mere
judges' decision!
Check out the ducking abilities of unsuspecting CITR MCs!
It's all part of the fun, kids, and it's waiting for
you.
—Jay Scott
Publisher's Note: At press time Chris Dafoe had
received the completed Shindig article and was
subsequently placed under heavy sedation. May
he rest in peace.
'$k ft
95
basic cut
0 Students—come in and
pick up your student
discount cards. §
* Discount Hair Products
best prices in town.
• Monthly Specials: on
perms, colors, streaks,
cellophanes.
tl
3621 West Fourth Avenue 733-3831 c
R
C
A Personal Appraisal by Dave Watson
DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?
"This critic is a complete idiot! He
knows nothing about music. Music
reviewing has got to be the biggest
scam going. What makes his opinion so
valuable? My opinion is just as valid as this
idiot's, and he's getting paid for telling his to
me.
I said that so many times that I decided to get
into the business myself. Now I get a chance to
tell everyone what Dave thinks about music, or
anything else I feel like, but I'm not making big
bucks out of it, nor am I famous yet, for one
simple reason: all the top positions in town are
presently filled, and since I always read the work
of the critics who are presently filling those positions, I've developed opinions of how well they're
doing my job. I decided to review the five
reviewers who are standing between me and the
1964 E-type Jaguar that I absolutely must own
before I die. %
Rather than just deliver my opinion, I decided
to compile dossiers based on interviews with
each of them. I'm a fair guy, so I wanted to give
them a chance to justify themselves, but since
I'm also after one of their jobs, I designed the
questions for the maxirlum information extraction. They were as follows:; |
What Are Your Favourite and Least Favourite Albums
or Artists? This question immediately opens a mutual
discussion on the topic, a discussion of an intensity
that only other music fanatics could appreciate. This
lets the pigeon relax and he begins to trust me at this
point so I hit each of them with a question that strikes
them in their soft white underbellies.
Reviewing anything; art, theatre or even music
critics; brings up the question of validity of opinion:
in short, why am I writing this for you to read rather
than the other way around. To find out how these pros
justified their published viewpoints I asked:
What Makes You So Fucking Smart? This one
shakes them up a bit so the next question is an easier
one:
Are You a Frustrated Musician? Their answers will
shock and surprise you (or not).
Next I asked their age, not because I cared, but
because that's the sort of thing that you're supposed to put in dossiers.
Since most of these people have been in the
business for a while I figured that there was an outside chance that they could give me an idea of what
to expect, so I asked: What is the Best/Worst Part of
the Job? ||§< - f
I followed with: What was the Best/Worst Moment 1 *l
■ .■ ■ ■ .: .■ .*
..m.^-. -,-iivj *,i;,^ ■
DISCORDER
September 1985
in Your Career So Far?
Almost all critics have an elitist attitude towards
music, but they also have a few 'guilty pleasures' that
could get them laughed out of the union if anyone
found out, so my final question tried to work out theirs.
When judging these writers I have tried to be relativistic,
that is I didn't assess them on how much their tastes
agreed with mine, but on the depth and sincerity of their
views on music, as well as their writing ability, musical
knowledge, and willingness to buy me lunch. Now, without
any further ado here are the dossiers
HBHH
to
O
o
H Poll!
Mune
Neal Hall
Publication: The Vancouver Sun
Age: 32
Fave Albums/Artists: Marvin Gaye, Elvis Costello, Violent Femmes, The Bangles, Jonathan Richman, Madonna [what!?], The
Clash.
Least Fave: Pretentious, ego-laden bands, vacuous British
bands, heavy metal [which he describes as medieval and sexist], Men at Work.
What Makes You So Fucking Smart: Writing ability, a strong
interest in music, reads a lot about music and has a large body
of knowledge.
Best Part of Job: Doing what you love.
Worst Part: Constant deadlines so not enough time to think,
pressure from bands and managers for a plug, a certain amount
of public backlash to some opinions.
Frustrated Musician: No, "but I admit I've always wanted to blow
sax like Clarence demons and play piano like Jelly Roll Morton."
Best Moment: The 'US' festival or his first concert, the Stones
at the Agrodome in 1965.
Worst Moment: Having a door slammed in his face by David
Bowie and attending countless heavy metal shows.
Guilty Pleasures: I like Bryan Adams—he's a rocker, and the
introspective acoustic jazz of the Wyndham Hill label. [These
sound like pretty carefully chosen pleasures to me.]
Assessment: Neal has been filling this position for close to 4
years, so I've read a lot of his stuff. Generally he does a good
informative review, provided the subject reviewed doesn't fall into one of his blind spots. I think it's possible to be objective
enough to mention that even if I don't enjoy a show, the other
8,000 attendees seemed to. I just avoid concerts by bands I dislike
and check out the Railway Club instead. To be fair, I suppose
Neal doesn't have much choice, major concerts are news of a
sort so the Sun is obliged to cover them.
Neal's choice of subjects sometimes verges on the bland,
middle of the road type (I admit my perception may be warped
on this one since I listen to all sorts of nasty music), I think Neal
writes well in a newspaper context and he occasionally comes
up with a good twist on the standard review. (Once he printed
a review made up entirely of quotes from audience members).
Presently Neal is splitting music reviewing with John Mackie and
is mainly writing features for the Saturday issue.
Publication:
Age: 33
Tom Harrison
The Province
SATURDAY
SATURDAY
M
^^^^^^^W
■
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££
SEPTEMBER WPW5W Saturday WWW
i&£
!;SSS3
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i&i
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JOHNNY ROTTEN & THE SEX PISTOLS,
THE CLASH. THE SLITS. SIOUXSIE & THE BANS' \ |; X-RAY SPEX.
'NE COUNTY.
MOVIE FROM ENGLAND
TTM JM'IJT
SEPTEMBER 7
X?
— 1979 GREAT BRITAIN DIRECTOR - DON LETTS
First Punk Rock movie to be in release: Pic was cancelled in March due to print.
"PUNK ROCK" movie was shot during 1977 in England at a club named the Roxy.
During the 100 days the club was open, it was the only place Punk Rock groups
could perform. Original film was shot in Super 8MM
MO SHAME! WE WILL SHOW ANYTHING TO GET U IN THE DOORS!
±JL
i;MH:i:,[^n
D.O.A. - WITH THE SEX PISTOLS |S
MUCH REQUESTED FILM)
AN ACCOUNT OF THE SEX PISTOLS' 1979 AMERICAN TOUR.
FEATURING SUCH BANDS AS THE CLASH, IGGY POP, SHAM
69, THE DEAD BOYS, X-RAY SPECS, GENERATION X AND
MUCH MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE.
C^Hi* SEPTEMBER 14
Studio Cinema
DOWNTOWN ON GRANVILLE MALL
Studio (Zincma
i ;
r ; CITR fm 102 cable 100
Fave Albums/Artists: Number 1 is Forever Changes by Love, Nico
and Loaded by the Velvet Underground, Trout Mask Replica by
Captain Beefheart, Marquee Moon by Television, Pet Sounds by
the Beach Boys [to name a few].
Least Fave: Dislikes manufactured music with no personality,
or when the personality is subordinated to the production. "The
Heat Is On" by Glen Frye comes to mind, as do ABC, Triumph
and Air Supply.
What Makes You So Fucking Smart: Can write, loves music,
lots of background knowledge and 11 years of experience.
Best Part of Job: Turning people on to a group or album, act
as an information conduit from Vancouver's musical underground
to the mainstream.
Worst Part: There's too much going on in Vancouver for a few
pieces a week to cover, too much music coming in to ever do,
the tabloid format is very restrictive (due to deadlines, he often
can only see naif a concert before going to write it), too much
editing before publication, "some people in the music business
should be selling shoes."
Frustrated Musician: "Didn't realize I was one until I started
drumming, now I bellow in a band called Bruno Gerussi's
Medallion [he doesn't know if the name is illegal, but he doesn't
think so because it's named after "the other Bruno Gerussi"].
Best Moment: 1978 Peace concert in Jamaica.
Worst Moment: Writing a piece on Van Morrison based on hearsay [an occupational hazard].
Guilty Pleasures: Abba, Moody Blues, Barclay James Harvest
Assessment: I've read Tom for six years, during which time his
columns have recommended several albums to me that have
become favourites of mine. Tom is one of the very few reasons
to buy the Province unless you like those in-depth news stories
which often run to tens of words. The limited music needs* of the
Province have cut and held back muclr of his work, so he rarely
comes across in print as well as in person [a notable exception
was his Chuck Berry review]. Tom Is a good writer, although
without any extra sylistic flair, but his depth of knowledge and
acceptance of most musical genres more than makes up for the
fact that he isn't Ernest Hemmingway. I think Tom is wasted at
the Province and should have a more open format for his ideas.
I always respect his opinions, even when they are in contrast to
mine. In all aspects except for writing ability I think he is the best
reviewer in town.
John Mackie
Publication: The Vancouver Sun
Age: 28
Fave Albums/Artists: Get It by Dave Edmunds, Get Happy by
Elvis Costello, George Jones, Brinsley Schwartz, Buzzcocks, Nick
Lowe, the original Fleetwood Mac and Frank Sinatra.
SATURDAY MIDNITE
irHER
A FILM BY
SUSAN
SEIDELMAN
STARRING SUSAN BERMAN
BRAD RINN & RICHARD HELL
MUSIC BY THE FEELIES
SEPTEMBER 21
JB40 » AU VWUgft - ^.^nOLLANWffSitf,
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Least Fave: Heavy Metal, Pop Metal, Chicago, Jethro Tull, jazz
fusion, Toto [most of which he termed "pretentious," with great
distain].
What Makes You So Fucking Smart: Keen interest in music,
"I inteview rather than criticize."
Best Part of Job: "It's an easy job if you love music."
Worst Part: An opinion of you is formed by the public, too much
to cover to go in depth.
Frustrated Musician: Doesn't play any instruments, "too tough."
Best Moment: DOA at the Body Shop in 1978.
Worst Moment: None.
Guilty Pleasures: Petula Clark, Lifestyles of the Rich and
Famous.
Assessment: John Mackie is excellent when he transmits information (usually through interviews) about underground bands
to the 'other world' via the Vancouver Sun. It's a vital job and
somebody's got to do it. I wish it was me, but if it has to be someone else, he's a good choice. But.
John's biggest problem is that he classifies certain bands as
'pretentious' and then rejects their entire body of work. Chicago
is a good example. Simply because they are vacuous and dull
now doesn't mean that their first couple of albums weren't good.
Rejectng bands outright just deprives you of potentially enjoyable
music, and we're all in this business because we enjoy music.
John, however, does have insight and appreciation into musical
genres (like country) that I am not into (yet). In addition John is
a good writer, certainly in the top three of these five.
Steve Newton
Publication: The Georgia Straight
Age: 28
Fave Albums/Artists: Tyranny And Mutation by Blue Oyster Cult.
Bridge of Sighs by Robin Trower, Alice Cooper.
Least Fave: "Piledriver, they reflect the worst side of metal, Duran
Duran live because of the screaming brats."
What Makes You So Fucking Smart: "I hang around with a lot
of musicians, I fiddle around with several musical instruments,
and I usually interview, not judge."
Best Part of Job: Going to concerts free and meeting the band
and getting autographs, free records.
Worst Part: A no-show for an interview.
Frustrated Musician: Plays but, "no desire to perform yet."
Best Moment: Meeting and being photographed backstage with
a band.
Worst Moment: Billy Idol being rude.
Guilty Pleasures: Diary of a Madman by Ozzie Osbourne. [I'd
feel guilty too, but then again my G.R is Destroyer by Kiss.]
Assessment: Does anyone remember back to the days when
the Straight was the covert voice of the revolution? Now people
just pick it up to see what time the movie starts and then throw
it away. However, buried between the movie ads, partial club and
concert listings and contests to win tickets to something, are a
few writers. I'm not sure if Steve Newton is a symptom or a cause
of the Straight's creeping malaise. He reviews bar bands and tells
us how many beers he had at Outlaws. I don't think people read
music reviews or an 'around town' column because they want
to read about bar bands. (Perhaps they do, if so I might try the
insurance business.) With Vancouver's large underground scene
I think a better use could be made of this space. This doesn't CITR fm 102 cable 100
mean that I think Steve is useless (although he does seem shallower and less committed to music than the other four here).
Steve has one area of knowledge that he should write about—
metal. Heavy metal is not solely the province of 15-year-olds who
are sexually frustrated and mad at their parents anymore. I don't
know too much about metal, but I recognize it as a valid form
of music that is relevant to someone, so it should be covered.
Since metal is crossing the speed barrier to approach punk, my
interest in it is increasing. Steve has been handy in recommending real heavy metal—a sound not heard since the dinosaurs
last roamed the Earth (while I was growing up in the early 70s).
Ellie O'Day
Publication: The Georgia Strait
Age: 35
Fave Albums/Artists: Number one album is Forever Changes
by Love. Favourite single is Gladys Knight and the Pips "Heard
it Through the Grapevine," loves garage bands. Local Faves
include Slow and Poisoned.
Least Fave: Opera, 70's progressive rock like Yes and Genesis.
What Makes You So Fucking Smart: "I'm a fan," first hand
experience practically since rock began.
Best Part of Job: All the live music.
Worst Part: Transcribing interviews—'it's drudgery."
Frustrated Musician: No answer given.
Best Moment: A rowdy interview backstage at the Commodore
with Muddy Waters and Pine Top Perkins. Other contenders were
the first timeshe saw the Blasters and the last Captain Beefheart
show.
Worst Moment: When an artist comes up right after a show to
ask her opinion.
Guilty Pleasures: Early Elton John, especially "Amorena" from
Tumbleweed Connection.
Assessment: Ellie doesn't write much now although she has
about the widest transcultural appreciation of music that I know
of. (Anthropology degrees will do that.) She spends most of her
time as a disc jockey (hearing her on the phone sounds like a
radio is talking to you). Music journalism rather than reviewing
is her forte. I think she should write more and perhaps begin.
taking pictures at concerts again, but she seems to have struck
a good balance between all her activities.
Darlene St. Pierre
• Publication: The West Ender
Age: 30
PACIFIC
UPCOMING
1 EVENTS
FESTIVAL
RAY COLLINS AND AUTUMN
RUDY MWONGOZI JAMES LEWIS
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at The Classical Joint Sept. 13th & 14th
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at The Town Pump Sept. 27th & 28th
DAVE HOLLAND
JULIAN PRIESTER
KENNY WHEELER
STEVE COLEMAN
MARVIN SMITH
at The Town Pump Oct. 7th & 8th
TICKETS ON SALE SEPT. 1st
AVAILABLE AT: Black Swan, High Life, Zulu,
and Revolutions
*also at VTC/CBO
For more information call: 734-2828
HIMHI^ DISCORDER
September 1985
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HS 681-8202
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Fave Albums/Artists: T-Rex, Lou Reed, Country and Western,
Nat King Cole, Sam Cooke, Eurythmics, Nina Hagen.
Least Fave: Droney Reggae, Heavy Metal squealers and
screechers, Kitsilano New Age music, drum solos.
What Makes You So Fucking Smart: "I know what I like, and
It really just comes down to one person's opinion. I know enough
about music to play a 12-bar blues, but I don't have a really
technical music background."
Best Part of Job: Watching the music, appreciating the
performance.
Worst Part: The hype, being taken too seriously, the potential
pitfall of treating music like a job.
Frustrated Musician: "I'm sure we all are."
Best Moment: "Nothing in music I can think of right now can
top the helicopter ride I took last week to a peak in Garabaldi
Park."
Worst Moment: "A phone call my publisher got from Bruce
Paisley [UBC Concerts' promoter, and a rather imposing physical
presence] after I mistakenly wrote that a show DOA were doing
at UBC was a Free the Five benefit."
Guilty Pleasures: Rick Springfield.
Assessment: Even if she lacks a certain stylistic flair and a willingness to go for the throat, Darlene is still one of the few things
worth reading in the West Ender. She covers a broad spectrum
of music, and often covers artists overlooked or ignored by the
other writers.
Les Wiseman
Publication: Vancouver Magazine
Age: 31
Fave Albums/Artists: The Velvet Underground's third album, Hot
Rats by Frank Zappa, Lick My Decals by Captain Beefheart.
Least Fave: "Agent Provocatuer by Foreigner is pretty abysmal,"
Building the Perfect Beast by Don Henley, Round the World by
Prince.
What Makes You So Fucking Smart: Taught technical aspects
of music, by music theory education, been listening to Zappa
for 20 years [an education in itself], can write.
Best Part of Job: "When people come up and say I made them
laugh, writing a perfect line.
Worst Part: "Writing can be a pain in the ass."
Frustrated Musician: Plays flutophone, horns, bass and guitar,
but no desire to perform.
Best Moment: Meeting Frank Zappa, Lou Reed and Captain
Beefheart.
Worst Moment: None given.
Guilty Pleasures: // can't believe this one] "My deepest shame
is Christopher Cross."
Assessment: Other than the startling revelation above, Les likes
music that kicks ass. He impales limp dick bands with beautifully
written putdowns. He is hilariously sarcastic, and the only reason
I buy Vancouver Magazine, which is generally too snooty and
upper class for us plebians from the suburbs. Why is he writing
for them? Send a resume to Rolling Stone. Sure Les is prejudiced
on certain types of music, but I would rather read him slam one
of my favourite bands than read almost anyone else praise them.
Anyone who writes this good can say whatever he wants.
Listen for a round table of Vancouver's rock critics on Mel Brewer
Presents Thursday, September 19 at 11:00 p.m. illf
Hk
»
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m
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September 1985
Past Last Call
SOMEWHAT OF A PROBLEM
arises when one goes to discover the truth about The Past;
you either get glorified nostalgia (the old Brideshead Revisited Syndrome where all you can uncover are
stories about Sebastian and punting on
the river and that very funny tale about
Bunny's dinner jacket) or the mud-raker
nostalgia (the old Rustic Refrain of
"when I was a boy my father made me
get up and milk the cows one hour after
I'd gone to bed and I walked six miles
to school with snow up to my armpits
and we lived in a matchbox at the bottom Of the Fraser River).
Dichotomies arose as I began thinking of Vancouver's Past. Exactly what
did people do for fun, if there was indeed any fun to be had? Happily
enough, there were veritable tons of
merry-making back in the good old
days. And surprisingly, at exactly the
same places that you and I now hold
dear to our hearts. That's right, I'm talking about The Railway Club, the Commodore Ballroom, The Savoy, The York
Theatre and the Smilin' Buddha.
They've been through a lot of name
changes and eras, but the merriment
persists after all these years. It may be
rather hard to imagine a flapper in the
Commodore Ballroom, but that was the
style in the Thirties when the club first
opened.
British Columbians have always loved their tipple: the province was held
under Prohibition for only four years—
between December 20th, 1916 and October 20th, 1920—and between those
four years lawlessness ensued. Even
Prohibition Commissioner Walter Find-
lay couldn't abide the "dry spell;" he
was arrested and jailed for contempt of
court after being caught stealing 74
cases of whiskey. In 1920 the B.C. government (strongly resisted by the federal government) offered citizens a
government-controlled syndication over
liquor sales and a 25,000-person majority elected this alternative, later nick-
The Bob Lion Orchestra at the Commodore
—1937 (from Vancouver The Way It Was, by
Michael Kluckner).
Elspeth Robinson bends an elbow.
named "Bennett's Dairy." Today we
know it as the LCB. Blissfuly, the liquor
store at 826 Hornby was open all night
during the Thirties and another opened at 871 Beatty during 1940-41 to sell
bottles on a 24-hour basis. Forty-five
years later, we can only dream about
such a wonderful establishment.
Things couldn't have been better
back in Vancouver's knee socks and
short pants' days, just as things could
be worse in 1985. Well, at least drinking in public clubs isn't against the law
anymore. And even though we've lost
Glenn Miller to the English Channel,
there's still some fairly good bands
touring through Vancouver.
Read onwards to discover the intriguing history of Vancouver clubs. It
becomes curiouser and curiouser.
The Commodore Ballroom
870 Granville /Jp M
56 years old ■ ■»■
IN 1925 THE COMMODORE CAFE WAS
established and four years later, on December 3rd, the Commodore Cabaret
was officially opened and soon became
Vancouver's hottest nightspot, rising to
glory along with such venues as The Arlington, The Cave, the Marco Polo and the second Hotel Vancouver. Just ask your Aunt
Marge or Uncle Harold—they'll remember
these names.
The decor of the Commodore was modelled on an English ballroom of the same
name built to a smaller scale. The maple
dance floor covered a 40' x 80' area and CITR fm 102 cable 100
was laid on horsehair, tires and railroad
springs. Two dining rooms flanked the stage
left and right, seating a total of 150 patrons.
Curtained booths lined the dance floor and
a full silver and china service, engraved
with "The Commodore," adorned the dining tables. These were the halcyon days of
the Commodore Ballroom, once a bottle
club with a $1.00 admission.
The Commodore Cabaret was by no
means a second-rate venue; it attracted
some of the most enviable acts in North
America. Shows included travelling vaudeville acts in addition to a long list of big
name acts such as Glenn Miller, Cab Calloway and Tommy Dorsey. The house band
was Bob Lyon and his Orchestra, who
played surrounded by the opulent art deco
decor. As well, Charlie Pawlett's dance
band played every Christmas-time during
the Thirties at the Commodore for the
"Snow Ball Frolic," a fundraiser for The
Province newspaper's Santa Claus Fund.
Like all other bottle clubs in Vancouver,
the Commodore sported shelves 3-4 inches
wide underneath its tables to accommodate
the mickeys of alcohol brought in by the
patrons. The mickey was preferred because
it was easiest to conceal in a jacket pocket
or purse. Although these bottle clubs were
as predominant as they were illegal, the
police had a hard time trying to "take down
a club." The main reason for this inefficiency was corruption in the VPD during the
Twenties and Thirties. "Dishonest" officers
were paid off by club owners to secretly
inform managers of police raids. Thanks to
these trustworthy men in blue, the club
could be cleared of booze, hookers and,
other incriminating evidence before the
bust was sprung.
If people couldn't afford to go out to listen
to the croon of the big band, they could
always gather by their radio and listen to
the "live broadcast." These broadcasts
originated from the Hotel Vancouver and
The Alexandra, the latter a club dansant
located on Hornby and Smithe which was
affectionately dubbed "The Gonorrhea
Tract" by Vancouverites. After all, no one
ever said they were all angels back then...
The New York Theatre
639 Commercial ■$'-■.
72 years old Jf;
ROBERT MCLAREN, ROYAL AIR
Force flying ace, commissioned the
design of the New York Theatre in
1913. Famed architect James MacArthur,
who brought Vancouver the Marine Build-
IB 'tl
ing and the Georgia Medical Building, was
hired to draw up plans for the York, while
McLaren travelled up to the^frds of North-
errroLC. to personally selec&phe timber for
his theatre.
The Alcatraz, as the Yorkwas first christened, was built when the Commerical
Street district was on the uprise. The area
was predominantly upper-middle class in
the early years of Vancouver, and the street
car tracks newly installed up Frances
Avenue had opened up the area as a
young, upwardly-mobile residential district.
Yes, there were even yuppies back then.
The area of Commercial Street South
soon developed into a centre for Vancouver's arts communities. The Chinese
grocery situated next to the York was originally home to a recital hall which featured
classical music concerts and poetry readings. McLaren spotted the empty lot next
door and decided to build a theatre for a
young starlet he had seen perform the recital hall. Robert McLaren .ell in love with
Rose Campbell and decided that she
should have her own venue in which to star.
Her first performance in the Alcatraz was
called "Too Much Johnson," and opened
November 3rd, 1914. Although the production (a musical-comedy piece) was considered a hit by Vancouver critics, Rose Campbell's performance was panned, and she
committed suicide.
Campbell's ghost considers the York
Theatre one of her favourite haunts and
often makes her presence known to performers and owner Joe Trosell. Trosell recounts a story of recurring vapours and
strange noises which coincidental^ came
to the fore during the York's production of
Faust last Hallowe'en. Trosell insists that
Rose is a friendly ghost with extremely
good taste in music. He notes that she expresses her dissatisfaction with practising
musicians by dropping lightbulbs and making loud noises, but only when the band is
musically inept.
After Rose's death, McLaren continued
the live theatre for many years. The Vancouver Little Theatre Association took over
the theatre for 20 years between 1950-1970,
and after that the York took two briefs runs
as a movie house. Joe Trosell bought the
York in October of 1983 and brought it up
to its present format of a live music venue
occasionally housing drama.
SmilirT Buddha
109 East Hastings jf
59 years old
IT'S MIDNIGHT AND ALL THE OTHER
bars in town are starting to close down.
The year is 1961 and the 26'er of Seagrams 83 stashed under the table cost
$3.85 at the liquor store this evening. The
address is 109 East Hastings and the club
is caHed the Smilin' Buddha Dine and
Dance Limited. Surrepetitiously, you top up DISCORDER
September 1985
Golden Era
Unique Boutique
56A POWELL 669-3123
Consignment now.
>-7
Troes
TThoks
685-5679 MON-SAT. 7 PM-2 AM
Eleqantlv furnished in marble and glass, The Crystal Club is an attractive downtown
REGGAE stopping point. Minutes from Granville Mall.
Vancouver's ONLY Reggae & Latin American Nite Spot
University of British Columbia
FREDERIC 1985/86 Season
WOOD of Four Plays
THEATRE IS
&7i& 6/%i$& Jldenq^eri&
Williams September 18-28
Congreve November 6-16
MAJOR BARBARA
Shaw January 15-25
!AS yOU U}^L 01
Shakespeare March 5-15
** BONUS PRODUCTION **
(Not Included In Regular Season)
WR 39 STEPS
A New Musical
by John Gray
(Subject to rights approval)
April 7-May 3
For Information & Reservations
PHONE 228-2678
(fvfil
WM I 1 GET A NEW
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your glass of Coke with a healthy belt of
scotch and settle back into the chair for a
few more hours of horn blowin'.
The Buddha was one of the many bottle
clubs in Vancouver during the Fifties and
Sixties. It charged a small cover fee and,
considering the district (which hasn't
changed much in the past 24 years), the
clientele was quite wealthy, travelling out of
their way to dance the night away to the
melodies of the old jazz hits.
The Buddha had been through many
name changes by 1961. Beginning in 1926,
the address had housed the Slovian Canadian Club, the Annex Restaurant (1934), the
Old Broadway Cafe (1944), the Latin Quarters Cabaret (1945-50), Cardo's Cafe (1951-
52), when finally, in 1953, the Smilin' Buddha adopted its current title. Unlike its
counterparts, this chameleon club at 109
East Hastings experimented 27 years before it hit upon the right formula to attract
West Side money to the East Side of town.
This successful combination can be attributed to several different elements. The
owner of the Buddha was an actor and
singer who was backed up by a three-piece
rhythm section. The musicians fended off
the burgeoning rock n' roll craze and stuck
to the compositions of Duke Ellington,
Count Basie and other jazz greats. The
cuisine was Chinese and prepared by Kenny Wong. Couples could get an entire meal
for $2.00 in those days, and were entertained by the band whilst the meal was enjoyed
—hence the "dine" in the "dine and dance"
tag. After supper couples would drift onto
the dance floor and waltz and jive for the
duration of the evening.
However, things never really got hopping
until after midnight, when regular paid gigs
at other clubs were finishing up. Then the
boys would head down to the Buddha for
a jam session which would often last until
2:00 or 3:00 in the morning. Musicians who
would blow tunes at these sessions includ-
-i
—
— — -f Ti
——
_«« CITR fm 102 cable 100
ed Cuddles Johnson, Vern Gish, Dave Pepper, Larry Whitely and Lance Harrison, all
veterans of the Vancouver music scene.
Nineteen-sixty-six brought an ownership
change and a liquor license to the Buddha,
thus ending the days of jazz. The management began catering to a younger audience
who wanted to see live rock n' roll acts in
the clubs. Ninteen-sixty-six also saw the
start of bar-room brawling, previously unheard of, and an end of an era for the
Buddha.
The Railway Club sB^-' '
579 Dunsmuir |§
52 years old ||;:-
NINETEEN-TWENTY-EIGHT SAW THE
construction of the Larsen Building
and offices at 579 Dunsmuir, and five
years later The Railwaymen's Club was
established in "Office 7." The Railwaymen's
Club was one of only three legal liquor
establishments that existed in the Thirties
in Vancouver, along with The Artie Club
(above the late-night restaurant "Leonard's"
on Pender, west of Granville), and The
Quadra at Seymour and Georgia (which
currently houses B.C. Tel). The Railway-
men's Club was considered a "legal" liquor
establishment because, like the Quadra
and the Arctic, it was a private club fashioned after the British concept. However, as a
club it never applied a discerning membership policy; privacy was a ruse behind
which to serve liquor. In fact, the only other
establishment permitted to sell liquor by the
glass was the Legion Hall, since the cabaret or club liquor license was unheard of
until a provincial plebiscite in the late Forties finally brought approval of the idea in
1954.
The Railwaymen's Club was originally
initiated for just those very people, the CPR
fM SWGW6 W THE MNl
* % * i
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SUB MAIN FOYEr| SEPT.10-13
-an umbrella organization 683-5416 DISCORDER
September 1985
September tl
6/7 THE ROCKIN' EDSELLS
13/14 OMNISQUID with MY THREE SONS
20/21 CHRIS HOUSTON from Toronto
27/28 ROOM NINE from Seattle
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railway workers, whose employ was located just a few blockfmor-
theast of the present location. After work, the CPR servicemark
would drag his tired and aching body home to the Dunsmuir
House (still located across the street at 500 Dunsmuir), put on
a clean change of clothes and climb the dimly lit stairway to enter
his favourite bar. There he would perhaps eat a simple supper
and share a few drinks with friends and co-workers. In '36, over
a pint of draught ale they would discuss everything from Ty Cobb's
new Hall of Fame status to whether or not Gerry McGeer would
be elected as Mayor. (Funnily enough, people are still talking
about the same ball players and politicians today as they did 50
years ago.)
Back in the old days there was an annual "Railwaymen's
Sports Day" which occurred every summer at Lumberman's Arch
in Stanley Park. At this yearly event people were finally able to
prove or disprove their boasts of who was the strongest or fleetest
of foot. In the Forties the Railway Club became one of the most
popular watering holes in Vancouver, and despite the astounding growth of cabarets and bars in the Sixties and Seventies,
the Railway Club still retains its liberal membership policy and
is still one of the keenest joints in the city.
WmmmSmmSSmamm
The Savoy in its earlier incarnation as John Boultbee's law
office—1887
The Savoy .. ;'.■.■•"■•■■"". -If- ;%;{..
6 Powell Street SS
100 years old ||
THE SAVOY NIGHTCLUB IS HOUSED IN ONE OF THE FEW
remaining structures erected before the city of Vancouver
was one year old. In 1886 John Boultbee's law office was
located at the southeast corner of Carrall and Powell Streets,
which today looks out over the cobblestone street which passes
through IVteple Tree Square. Mr. Bouftbee was the first magistrate
^the City of Vancouver and was appointed at the first meeting
of City Council on the tenth day of May, 1886.
The Fire of Vancouver destroyed most of the city shortly after
•
^—^
, •
' ::
-————
■"^ "^A ^ ill ^^Myou are entering .
ANOTHER DIMENSION
«*4 npSamb I
fsl
mt
mmm^^^^^^^^^&
685-3288 DISCORDER
September 1985
Sept. 3,1985 submission to City Planning
Dept. for proposed addition to...
CABBAGES & KINX
306 W. CORDOVA
669-4238
its incorporation, hardly surprising since the streets were planked
with wood, kerosene lamps provided the only light and water had
to be drawn from a well. Council immediately saw the need for
a central base, and David Oppenheimer offered the rear portion
of his warehouse down the block from the end of June (after "the
Fire") to November as the "City Hall," while our first City Hall
was being built. It was the Oppenheimer Brothers' first warehouse, and the invitation to City Council to move from the "City
Hall" tent to their back office was accepted and availed of for
three months.
Although the history of the Savoy is rather difficult to trace
(owing to changing street names and addresses), it is certain
that the neighbourhood was certainly a thriving and active area.
In 1925, 10 Powell housed the Canadian European Club and in
1932 it became the European Cafe. Eight Powell was home to
the Sam Lee Laundry in 1938, while next door, in #10, the Union
Gospel Mission was saving sinners. They only converted for one
year, however, because in 1939 #10 quickly became the Royal
Bridge and Whist Club. In 1941 it bounced back to the Vancouver
Centre Rescue Mission, thence to the Union Gospel Mission in
1942, which is how it remained until 1949.
In 1950 #10 became the somewhat glamourous-sounding
Riverside Club until 1952, when jt was converted into the
American Furniture Showroom. In 1953 #10 became the West
Coast Seamen's Union, which it appears to have housed for
about seven years. #10 was then vacant for many years, and the
story of the surrounding buildings becomes extremely vague,
when suddenly, 6 Powell comes to the fore in 1972 with Gassy's
Joint Restaurant—a compromise between flower children and
Vancouver historians' glorification of Jack Deighton. Finally in
1973, the Savoy Cabaret arose, showcasing rock and jazz music.
HHappily, this fine old building at 6 powell is
kept out Of danger, having been designated a heritage site.
However, John Boultbee's office is the only one which is
protected from bulldozers. In 1979 the Friends of the York Theatre
had to fight for its life and it very nearly was demolished, along
with the spirit of Rose Campbell. The Smilin' Buddha faces the
same danger as so many of the other wonderful venues and
theatres which once dotted Vancouver's downtown area near
Hastings and Main: what ever happened to The Savoy Theatre,
The Majestic, The Embassy, The Lyric and The Pantages?
The Railway Club and the Commodore Ballroom are also on
the City Council's insidious "hit list." This means that tentative
development permit applications have been filed with the City
Council on both these buildings, which will subsequently reduce
trie lot and make way for the increasingly popular Bauhausian
skyscraper. It is up to the City Planning Department to save these
and other buildings (such as the Tudor Manor on Pacific Avenue)
which ought to be designated heritage sites.
Ironically, 1986 is Vancouver's 100th birthday, and yet, so many
of Vancouver's finest examples of architecture are quickly being demolished to make way for the anniversary. The Orillia, once
the famed Tamale Parlour and home to Vancouver's first gay club,
met a sad demise last April when a Hong Kong financier ordered
the place razed. Our favourite nightspots must be preserved, if
not for their architectural virtues, at least for their sociological
values. The next time you walk into your fave club to see your
fave band, whether that place might be the Commodore, The
Railway Club, The New York Theatre, The Savoy or the Smilin'
Buddha, think of all the different people that have passed through
their doors over the last century. Think about how much history
is packed between the walls and consider what Vancouver entertainment once represented. Gladly, no one really had to live in
a matchbox at the bottom of the Fraser River.
—ER
—Special thanks to Michael Lytton and Michael Kluckner, two very
helpful and enthusiastic Vancouver historians, and all others who
reminisced and set the author in the right direction. CITR fm 102 cable 100
QUIT CLOWN IJV' AROUND
DO YOUR BIT FOR OUR ECONOMIC RECOVERY WITH YOUR
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IN HEAVY COTTON BLEND
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u<t mews* DISCORDER
September 1985
Emily
Mow!
EMILY, APPARENTLY, IS RE-EMERGING. VANCOUVER'S
answer to, some say, Laurie Anderson, others, Grace
Jones, has recently released her third cassette of transcendental electric razor tunes through MoDaMu. It's
called Neat and Tidy In Your Mind and includes the current hits
"Fuck the Dog" and "Who Cares?", heard sporadically on CITR.
Emily is, a complete package. Not only does she write and
play all of the music on all of her cassette releases, she records,
produces and performs live as well.
Emily is, an enigma. Is she really post-industrial or actually
neo*^othic?
Emily is also my neighbour. I live next door to her in a building
situated a few steps north of the geographical centre of the city;
in the past I've often wondered why I feel as if everything revolves
around us. Now I know. But I don't think Emily ever wonders this;
even through we can practically hear one another talk in our
sleep, the worlds we exist in are quite 9^art.
Beyond the typical neighbourly interactions such as borrowing a frypan or twenty dollars, and musing over the topical subjects that all good British Columbians are concerned about, Emily
and I rarely have an opportunity to get to know one another. We're
just too involved for all that.
So, for the benefit of those who have seen or heard Emily and
would like to scratch beneath that star facade (myself included),
the following is a record of several discussions conducted over
the telelphone while we were being too involved.
Emily, what is your favourite colour?
...it would resemble Burroughs' pink convolutions and black
blood filters of flesh, grey sinuous folds at the surface of the
brain, for reflection and spontaneous co-existance of our
decay and sudden realization.
Oh...well, do you believe that music has colour, just as
colour has sound?
...the experiences of music/hearjng and color/sight both take
place in a brain that can comprehend them. Also in a brain
vividly imaginative things occur, therefore music can be seen
and colour heard.
And what are the colours your music is painting?
...strangled green, repressed red, blinded white explosion,
orange scraped off the bathroom wall, my happy naivety
turning from yellow to black.
From your experience in composing music, how would you
describe the correlation between mastering a technique and
realizing an idea?
...it is a kind of mutual relationship, a dependence on each
other. Although, in my case, it's a bit one-sided since I have
yet to master any technique but a few ideas have been
realized. One should be on guard against becoming too
involved in mastering things like technical ability of an instrument because then one can no longer break away from
what they've learnt, and don't want to since they have
ceased to acknowledge anything outside that realm. So what
if one can ramble off a fifteen-minute perfectly executed
masturbated guitar solo? Then what? More notes? Faster?
Louder?
As a^woman involved in the local music community, do you
see it as being dominated by men and 'male' attitudes?
...obviously the whote world is dominated by 'male' attitudes,
including the music community. There is definitely a larger
percentage of men working in the music community; I know
of only two female sound technicians in Vancouver, and
most band members are male as well. I don't let all of this ■■■■"',.
;
■ ■-
CITR fm 102 cable 100
^. .^^.:-^^;.,^r^r ,^^;i,.^^,,_ ,^t .^^,K, t_. ^.^^.^.^^ ?,
'male' attitude dominate me or my life by not playing the
role of of the helpless little girl, but by being, acting, looking
and thinking the way I want. Society is still saying, "Women,
shave your legs, look like this image of woman, beauty only
looks like this, you want to be beautiful, get a man before
it's too late!" All that is harming the way men and women
deal with each other and themselves. We have to stop
checking who has a penis and who has a vagina and
maybe we can just be people and stop segregating ourselves from each other and stop creating differences where
W there aren't any.
/ have heard some comments referring to your music as
displaying an absurd sense of humour, and others labelling it
as 'suicide.' What do you think about that?
...recently, I received a review from New Jersey on the I've
Got a Steel Bar In My Head cassette. It said, "Emily is one
depressed patootie, and a terminal bummer. I tried to listen
| to this tape as a bit of tongue-in-cheek malarky, but was
"Emily is one
depressed patootie"
quickly convinced no one would go to such lengths just for
a joke. All of those drones, hackneyed rhythms and mid-
tastern modulations are meant to be taken seriously. If
you're seventeen and very depressed, this could be for you."
I've always been depressed and withdrawn (to varying
degrees), and this comes across in my music. It's not that
I'm never happy, but I'm frustrated, angry and generally
I nauseous over the deplorable state of the world, who seems
1 to be in control of it, and the total insanity of their thinking.
What was your most embarrasing moment while pen'orming
live?
...\ have no more shame, and I feel no embarrasment since
moments pass so quickly into others.
Okay, Emily, whatever you say. We'll see you October 9 at the
P Luv-A-Fair with Chris and Cosey.
—Michael Shea
i
fkm^WB ^m iy?
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kMHmcL^
i]\l«^V
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satis/ says-^faT'
DO YOU LIKE TO SEE A
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REGISTERED TRADE SCHOOL DISCORDER
September 1985
R R O G R A AM
WEEKDAY PROGRAMM
iSfEEKDAf^GUKARS
TH&'iatok* Sigit^On
p&jjml WAK^MP KEPORT
News^ .sports and |$eatf^b$;
^^p|^^REA^TO^E^#tfl'
■$4w&, sports .;a^-w$eafeh@& .
^^#ftlR1^60N%P0RTSBREA|rv
•^^':-0jNNER'.^i^AZINE
to.-iyiRi^s, sports agtd v^atiter Stowed
*#Ur^X^A%V FEATURE1
WEEKDAY HIGHLIGHTS
MONDAYS
MONDAY MORNING MAGAZINE
7:1510:00 am
7:15-8:00 Thematic mix of music, sound
scraping, and little bits of...
8:00-9:00 Music, news and announcements.
9:00-10:00 Theatre of the Mind. Either probing certain social issues or a live
in-studio poetry reading mixed
with music. And it works!
THE JAZZ SHOW
9:00 pm-1:00 am
Vancouver's longest-running prime time jazz
program, featuring all the classic players, the
occasional interview, and local music news.
Hosted by the ever-suave Gavin Walker.
02 Sept. Previously unissued Blue Note
masters. Boss tracks that didn't
make the originally issued 1500
series. Another legacy from the
best record label ever. Never heard
before in North America.
09 Sept Max Roach's Freedom New Suite.
One of the most controversial
recordings in the music industry.
Music and social protest of the
highest order. Considering the present day atrocities in South Africa it
is significant that this album was
done in 1960. With Booker Little,
Abby Lincoln, Olatunge, etc.
16 Sept Thelonious Monk at the "It Club." A
great "live" performance by one of
the masters of modern music recorded in the congenial atmosphere of
a small, funky club. With his working band: Charlie Rouse (tenor),
Larry Gales (bass), Ben Riley
(drums).
23 Sept. Roland Kirk...one of the most
phenomenal musicians ever to
grace the planet. Roland (or Rah-
saan) is featured in two settings:
one with a big band with arrangements by Benny Golson and the
other with his quartet. One of
Kirk's masterpieces.
30 Sept One of the most significant answers
to the question "Why aren't there
too women in jazz?" Well...if standards were set by Joanne
Brackeen's level there wouldn't be
too many men there either...Composer, pianist Joanne Brackeen with
Joe Henderson, Jack Dejonette and
Eddie Gomez...her great album
Ancient Dynasty.
TUESDAYS
DOGS BREAKFAST
7:30-11:00 am
A goulash of aural surprises and "Over the
Fence" radio drivel some time around 9:00.
Special orders will be taken. Your waiter: Paul
Funk.
POWER CHORD
5:00-6:00 pm
Vancouver's only true metal show, featuring
the underground alternative to mainstream
metal: local demo tapes, imports and other
rarities, plus album give-aways.
PLAY LOUD
Late night 1:00 -4:00 am
Where no distinction is made between art
and garbage. Headphone listening is strongly
recommended. Aural surgeon: Larry Thiessen.
WEDNESDAYS
PARTY WITH ME, PUNKER!
4:35-6:00 pm
For the latest in dimentia, featuring the latest
in PUNG LOCK and HARDCORE. Occasional
ticket and record giveaways. All with the irrepressible Mike Dennis and hired gun Kamel
Gil1- sH
JUST LIKE WOMEN
6:20-7:30 pm
Woman, heal thyself with Ann and Lil's
remedy for the Old Boys' Network: an hour
of news, interviews, and music. A shot in the
arm for all women, and for any man who
likes them.
SCIENCE FICTION ANONYMOUS
11:30-12:30 am
This month: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the
Galaxy.
THE KNIGHT AFTER
Midnight to 4:00 am B
Music to clobber Yuppies by—featuring radio
shows traded with alternative stations in
Europe and the U.S. This show will really
mess up your BMW!
THURSDAYS
GET UP OR DONT
7:30-10:30 am
Get up or get down or eat or bathe or leave
or listen or sleep with host Don Chow.
FLOYD'S CORNER ||
1:00-3:00 pm
Host Garnet Harry presents records so
uncool you've got to love tbem, every other
week.
VINYL DISASTERS
3:00-6:00 pm
But host Janis McKenzie doesn't limit herself
to vinyl. Join her as she stumbles through
other people's fun-filled records and tapes
and tries to keep the studio from blowing up.
TOP OF THE BOPS
8:00-9:00 pm
Top of the Bops approaches rock'n'roll from
the broader perspective of its roots in country, country swing and rockabilly as well as
R&B, jump blues and doo wop.
MEL BREWER PRESENTS
11:00 pm-Midnight
Quite frankly, I think you'd be shocked if you
knew what went on behind the dial on Mel
Brewer Presents. Depravity and debauchery
abound, as members of the Vancouver music
community come to CITR on Thursday nights
to escape the daily grind with Jason Grant
and Jay Scott. Some of these artists are
desperate enough to lavish us with all sorts
of payola: chewing gum wrappers, empty CITR fm 102 cable 100
U
I
O
KIG
WEEKEND PROGRAMMING
beer cans, and assorted other pricy items
L which we accept gratefully. This month we
■ hope to reach new lows in the annals of
I radio interviews as we enter another school
I year with a whimper. On September 19th,
j we will bring you one hour of chit-chat and
music with local rock critics and interviewes
I frbm various media sources. Read the rock
I critic feature on page 13 for some back-
1 ground info. And use it as a scorecard at
■ home that evening. Mel Brewer will also continue to bring the lowest, juiciest gossip
I about your favourite local bands.!
FRIDAYS
I FRIDAY MORNING MAGAZINE
7:30-10:30 am
CITR's latest magazine show with everything
from music features to Youth Focus to info
on the arms race.
YOUTH FOCUS
10:30-11:00 am
OVER THE WALL SHOW
11:00 am-1:00 pm
With your host Brian Maitland, featuring a
cross-section of the latest from the L.A.
psychedelic scene to the hottest polka tunes.
L Music to do your housework by.
I OOH, ARE YOU IN A BAND?
1:00-3:00 pm
...because if you are, you can be a guest on
this show, maybe even win a fun-filled evening out with lovely host and quintessential
groupie Stacey Fruin.
t FRIDAY NIGHT FETISH
6:20-9:00 pm (alternate weeks)
Life after Life After Bed. Host "Rev." Garnet
Harry says this is CITR's only serious religious
broadcast, but don't believe it (unless you
subscribe to the Church of Alice Cooper).
L THE BIG SHOW H
I 9:00 pm-midnight
Why pay money to get into a nightclub on a
Friday night? If Big InternationAl can't get you
dancing, no-one can.
THE VISITING PENGUIN SHOW
Late night 1:00-4:00 am
Eccentric but unpretentious fun with S.teve
Gibson and Andreas Kitsmann.
WEEKEND REGULARS
Noon «BRUNCH :j0Q#t^
N#«vs, sports, a$kt w^sstnt?^ plus
: GENERIC REVIEW; .analysis of
current a#a*rsvand special features
WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS
SATURDAYS
THE ALTERED ALTERNATIVE SHOW
7:30-10:30 am
Jennifer and Todd bring you G-rated interviews with local luminaries, man-in-the-street
opinions and lots of requests.
THE FOLK SHOW
10:30 am-Noon
Everything from traditional to the most
contemporary folk music.
NEOFILE
Noon-4:00 pm
Join CITR's music directors as they take you
through the station's new and exciting Spin
List. Turn to page 33 for your own copy.
THE AFRICAN SHOW
4:00-6:00 pm
A program featuring African music and
culture with hosts Todd Langmuir, Patrick
Onukwulu and Dido. Tune in for the latest
news from Africa, plus special features at
5:00 pm.
PROPAGANDA! i
6:30-9:00 pm
An eclectic mix of interviews, reviews, music,
humour, High Profiles, and other features
with Mike Johal.
Hi Profiles
07 Sept Reggae, Clash-style
14 Sept Portion Control
21 Sept Marco Pirroni
28 Sept Chris and Cosey
Features
07 Sept. citizen Kane—a new feature in
which Propaganda!^ Brent Kane
rants and raves about something or
other, or conducts an interview/
investigation/editorial/witch-hunt,
etc.
14 Sept. Debate—Sexism at CITR. For those
who've been following this topic in
Discorder and on the air, and for
those clueing in for the first time
("ostriches with their heads in the
sand will end up getting kicked in
the backside"), here's an opportunity to formulate or develop your
own opinions by tuning in to those
of four articulate protagonists as
Mike Johal chairs a debate between
Michael Shea (music director) and
Chris Dafoe (Discorder editor) on
the one side and Anila Srivastava
and Anne Pollock (producers of Just
Like Women) on the other.
Umkonto We Sizwe!—Spear of the
Nation! (6:40 p.m.) Propaganda!
delves into the reality of oppression
in South Africa, starting, this
month, with a lecture in four parts
by Ruth Mompati.
PYJAMA PARTY
9:00 pm-1:00 am
Your hosts Mike Mines and Robin Razzell
present everything from ambient music for
snoozing to upbeat tunes for popcorn and
pillow fights.
TUNES R' US
Late night 1:00-4:00 am
Music, Music, Music, Handyman Bob, Music,
Music, My Favorite Album, Music, Music,
Experimental To Classical, Teddy Kelowna'
Presents, and yes more music. R.I.P to Music
From The Tarpits.
SUNDAYS
MUSIC OF OUR TIME
8:00 am-Noon
20th Century music in the classical tradition-
Mahler to Medernal, Scriabin to Xenakis, all
styles, media, and nationalities. Hosts: Lynn
Price and Paul Smith.
ROCKERS SHOW
Noon-3:00 pm
The best in reggae with host George Family
Man Barrett, jerry the Special Selector, the
Major Operator, and Collin the Prentice. —T-
DISCORDER
SOUL GALORE
3:00-4:30 pm
Focusing on Black-American popular music of
this century, this program takes you from the
birth of the blues through doo-wop, soul and
funk, from Massachusetts to California and
everywhere in between.
THE SHADED GREY AREA
4:30-6:00 pm
Simply devoted to providing standard CITR
fare (if such a thing exists) on a day otherwise given over to specialty programming.
Tyler Cutforth rotates the grooves and/or
magnetic bits and takes requests.
NEITHER HERE NOR THERE
6:30-8:00 pm
Relevance? What relevance? Music, interviews,
comedy and readings of prose and poetry
with hosts Chris Dafoe and Paris Simons.
SUNDAY NIGHT LIVE
8:00-9:00 pm
FAST FORWARD ■?}!
9:00 pm-1:00 am
Probably Vancouver alternative radio's most-
alternative show. Mark Mushet searches the
world over for experimental, minimalist,
avant-garde, electronic, and other non-
mainstream sounds.
01 Sept Listener Beware!
08 Sept Nurse With Wound-as much as
you can stand-with Larry Thiessen.
Who says you can't get enough of a
good thing?
15 Sept Paul Dolden, Veils
22 & 29 Sept. You actually expect me to
plan that far ahead?
THE EARLY MUSIC SHOW
Late night 1:00-4:00 am
The Early Music Show explores the world of
Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque music.
For those intimidated by the thought of
music recorded outside the bounds of their
natural lifetime, or those who would simply
like to know a little more about early music,
here's a brief outline of the music covered on
the Early Music Show.
Medieval (c. 400-1400)
Pope Gregory I had all religious chants in use
during his reign (560-604) collected and catalogued. "Gregorian chant" remains the most
popular type of medieval music to this day.
Sometime around 1030 the monk Guido
D'Arezzo worked out a system of lines for notation to record melodies and music became more
accessible and developed more variations in
style. In the late 12th century composers began
to shed their anonymity (e.g. Hildegard von
Bingen). The late 14th century produced the first
"superstar" composer, Guillaume de Machaut,
who wrote both sacred and secular music.
Renaissance (1400-1600)
Harmony reached a highpoint in this period.
Palestrina, Tallis, Lassus, Byrd, Morley and Des
September 1985
Pres are standouts. Some of the||Hest works ar|||
sacred choral pieces like Tallis' 40-part mot;eJ||
Spem in Alium.
Baroque (1600-1750)
Counterpoint—the overlapping of two or more^
melodies simultaniously— became the hallmark
of this era. A great proliferation of composers
like Purcell, Handel, Teleman, Vivaldi, and J.S.
Bach wrote for a much greater variety of settings
and instruments than ever before, from solo
sonatas to works featuring combined instrumental and choral forces. Organizations like the Van-
couver Society for Early Music include the baro- (|
que period in their definition of "early music"
because the instruments are different from
modern ones and authentic instruments or replicas of same are being used increasingly in recordings and live performances. Even the classical
period is getting the "authentic" treatment-
witness the landmark complete Mozart symphonies by the Academy of Ancient Music. %
As the scholarship improves, more composers
are unearthed and performance practise improves. Early music is vibrant, exciting and growing. Jump in!
—Ken Jackson
01 Sept. J.S. Bach—Musical Offering
08 Sept Henry Purcell f
15 Sept TBA *
22 Sept. Hildegard Von Bingen
29 Sept. Other Members of the Bach Family
LIVE THUNDERBIRD FOOTBALL BROADCASTS
Sat €17 Sept, 7:15 pm
Fit 20 &pfi, 6:15 pm
Sat 4&7Mv'7!l$ pm
Saskatchewan Huskies at UBC TBirds
4$jBC Tprds ^i]fM^0^^^i^^
Alberta Golden Beats at UBC T-Birds
BOiiitaaBaMBMMUWMMUMMNM
t^sia^te^
2-3 JOE KING CARRASC0 5-7CRAZY 8s
9-11 QUESTION AIRES 1214 Vox PHANTOM
Robert
James
16-21 Art Bergman. Rubber BiscuitJLKabong.
SHOWCASE
Shanghai Dog, Pectnc Lunch, Barney Bentall, j
MX VeSSelS, POISOned... also featuring local records & videos. £
23 RESCUE " "RANGEH00DS ""Albert Collins
~* **#***■#■»■ »%#».-. ~ and the ICEBREAKERS
30.ROCKIN EDSELS THE TOWN PUMP
IN OCT. YANK&DAVE HOLLAND QUINTET 11 HI ff I.I fl I f f -111 r I IT M I M 111
frfv f :-::1im'':-
- CITR fm 102 cable 100
VARIOUS
Shindig!
ZULUBIRD
GUADALCANAL DIARY
Walking in the ... Big Man
WEA
MUSLIMGAUZE
Buddhist On Fire
RECLOOSE (UK)
GAME THEORY
Real Night Time
ENIGMA (US)
OMD
Crush
VIR/POLYGRAM
THE DESCENDENTS
I Don't Want to Grow Up
SST (US)
THE DAMNED
Phantasmorgia
MCA (UK)
RAIN PARADE
Beyond the Sunset
ISLAND (UK)
VARIOUS
Any Afflicted Man's Musica...
U.DAIRIES (UK)
^^•^:.^;:
GODLEY & CREME
History Mix Volume I
POLYGRAM
GREG SAGE
Straight Ahead
ENIGMA (US)
PINK INDUSTRY
New Beginnings
CARTEL (UK)
MEN THEY COULDN'T HANG
Night of a Thousand Candles
IMP (UK)
ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO
The Third Decade
ECM/WEA
MIDNIGHT OIL
Red Sails in the Sunset
CBS
DEJA VOODOO
Too Cool to...Die
MIDNIGHT (US)
THE SONICS
Full Force
ETIQUETTE (US)
THE STYLE COUNCIL
Internationalists
POLYGRAM
TALKING HEADS
Little Creatures
WEA
R.E.M.
Fables of the Reconstruction
I.R.S./MCA
Ik
A P*. -r
i~ e
1-ABeL
BRILLIANT ORANGE
Shotguns, Cacti & Vengeance
**DEMO**
THE CULT
She Sells Sanctuary
BGRSBQUT (UK)
JAMES
Village Fire EP
FACTORY (UK)
THE DILLETANTES
Dunkel Augen/Theme
"DEMO**
THE JESUS & MARY CHAIN
You Trip Me Up
WEA (UK)
STAN RIDGWAY
The Big Heat
ILLEGAL (UK)
fc> LOST DURANGOS
Evil Town/Living Nowadays
**DEMO**
EMILY
Fuck the Dog/Who Cares
MODAMU
10,000 MANIACS
Can't Ignore the Train
WEA (UK)
TREVOR JONES
Trevor Jones EP
BIG INTER'L
TALL BOYS
Final Kick
BIG BEAT (UK)
HARD CORPS
Je Suis Passee
POLYGRAM
THE BIG HEAT
Watch Me Catch Fire
A&M
ROCKING FOOLS
Steady Job
EAST SIDE
HIGH ENERGY PLAN
Imagination
**DEMO**
FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS
Johnny Come Home
LONDON (UK)
ACR
Wild Party
FACTORY (UK)
MUSHET/ELLARD
The Divine Right of Kings
**DEMO**
I, WEEDEATER
Such a Grind
**DEMO**
NOMEANSNO
Bodybag
**DEMO**
FAST FORWARD NEW RELEASES
ARTIST
STEVEN BROWN/
[BENJAMIN LEW
i NURSE WITH WOUND
VARIOUS
GREG NIXON
PSCALCOMELADE
(VARIOUS
I BERNARD CHAPPUIS
I PETER PRINCIPLE
■NICO
■VARIOUS
I PAUL DOLDEN
ICLEMENS RETTICH
TITLE
A Propos D'un Paysage
Short Dip in the Glory Hols
Security
Flexible Packaging Plant
Monochrome Detail
Re Quarterly
Lieu Magique
Sedimental Journey
Camera Obscura
The Fight Is On
Veils
Fine Tendons (Tape Series)
LABEL
CRAMMED (BELG)
LAYLAH (BELG)
YETTOBE(VAN)
FPP(VAN)
ILLUSION (FR)
RECOMM.(UK)
ILLUSION (FR)
CRAMMED (BELG)
BGRS.BQUT. (UK)
LAYLAH (BELG)
PASSIONPIT(VAN)
LAPLANDER (VAN)
M
—;—-
— Animal Slaves
Dog Eat Dog
MoDaMu
T\ OG EAT DOG IS THE THIRD VINYL AP-
LJ pearance of the Animal Slaves on the Mo
DaMu label and their first full-length LP. By now
the album has been out for a few months and
you may have heard some or all of it. If so, you
must concur that the Animal Slaves have succeeded in doing what many groups, local or
otherwise, have failed to do: create a unique
sound.
Undoubtedly a major factor in this recogniz-
ability' is the voice of Elizabeth Fischer, the founding member of the band who appeared in its
first incarnation with two members of the (now)
Work Party in the '81 MoDaMu compilation
Things Are Still Coming Ashore. Nothing in these
first four^songs distinguishes the Animal Slaves
from any other local 'underground' band. However, her subsequent partnership with Rachel
Melas (bass) and Ross Hales (percussion), which
formed the present line-up, and the release of
1984's self-titled EP showed that the Animal
Slaves had found their niche. Despite some awkward lyrics ("Tete-a-tete metric/Find the sceptic")
their debut was greeted enthusiastically.
But back to the voice. On this LP it ranges from
manic shrieks jumping an octave ("Analyzing")
to an almost Schonbergian Sprechstimme, or
speech-song, on songs as "It Never Happened."
The lyrics reflect tbe frustations of modern urban
life, at times attacking verbose politicians, or
desperately rationalizing. Bass and drums complete the sparse instrumentation, alternately providing an ostinato against which the vocal line
freely moves or setting up some complex rhythmic and metric patters (e.g. 5/4 time on "One in
Ten").
This album owes more texturally to jazz or
Baroque music rather than standard rock formulae, with its emphasis on the horizontal and
the sense of improvisation (and cohesion). Good
production by Greg Reely at Mushroom helps in
bringing each performer out, especially the bass.
Some keyboard work by Elizabeth is a nice addition, particurlariy noticeable on "Learning to
Live" and "Analyzing." Another interesting effect
is provided by local santoorist Paul Serret on
"Save Me from Ruin," whose gamelan-like instrument sounds at times like an antique merry-go-
round. That song, part of the Undergrowth '84
cassette, is one of two previous releases present, the other being "Eye of the Hurricane,"
which first appeared as a demo tape on CITR
in May '83 (hence the guitar).
On a more negative note, persons not ena-
DISCORDER
mored of Elizabeth's vocal style would balk at its
prominence in the music, and one would certainly have trouble dancing to most tracks. The
Animal Slaves have been labelled as arty
poseurs, but I think the inherent musicianship
evident on Dog Eat Dog contradicts that remark.
If you do buy the album, as I highly advise you
do, and develop a craving to see this group live,
don't expect to be satisfied for quite some time.
Perhaps out of a sense of 'preaching to the
converted,' the Animal Slaves have recently packed up and moved their base of operations to
Montreal, hoping to win over a new audience on
the Atlantic side of the continent. Although a
(hopefully) temporary loss for Vancouverites, we
can garner some solace in the fact that they'll
be opening Eastern ears to the exciting and
varied sounds of our local music. I'll leave the
last word on the subject to Elizabeth:
My skin was crawling with excitement
I said to myself, finally
Out of my cocoon into the fire
Into the eye of the hurricane
—Tyler Cutforth
Jonathan Richman
& the Modern Lovers
Rockin f and Romance
WEA ■
Mr. Dick Clark
c/o Dick Clark Productions
Hollywood, CA
Dear Dick,
Saw your latest television project a few weeks
ago. Just sort of flipping down the dail when I
was confronted with a camera shot trying to
sneak up a teenage girl's skirt. That's when I
knew it was yours—straight out of American
Bandstand.
I'm afraid I can't say I was too impressed by
the show, Rock and Roll Summer Action. While
the show retained that classic Bandstand style
(the face of young America, blemish-free skin;
voyeuristic, middle-aged cameramen trying to get
shots of young girl's knickers) your choice of
musical guests showed an appalling lack of
understanding of what a beach party should be.
I was worried that Greenpeace was going to
come along and try to roll the superannuated
Paul Revere and the Raiders back into the
ocean. And X? On the beach? C'mon Dick.
Let me give you a bit of free advice: fire that
zombie that you've got hosting the show now and
offer Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers
as much money as it takes to get them on as
hosts and house-band.
Vinyl
I've enclosed a copy of the JR disc, Rockin'
and Romance for your appraisal. I think you'll find
it perfect for the beach theme; you can practically hear the bonfire crackling and the sand crunl
ching between their toes. The instrumentation
is sparse, just Johathan on guitars and Michael
Guardabascio on drums (think of the money
you'll save on sound checks) but the man has
such an innate sense of magic possible in simple rock and roll that nothing seems missing.
I he songs on Rockin' and Romance capture
all the humour, innocence and wonder that sum-1
mer brings out. Nothing about overstuffed bikinis
(I'm sure the cameramen will be disappointed)
but songs about baseball, and watching people
on the beach, and walking around looking at the
stars on cool summer evenings. Jonathan sings
about buying jeans (Wranglers, not Levis), chewing gum wrappers and Vincent Van Gogh. It's
all hopelessly naive and irresistibly infectious. PuH
the record on and you won't want to take it off.
Now, no doubt when you'll ask your flunkies
about JR they'll tell you he hasn't had a hit in
ages, and they'll make some smart-ass remark
about him singing like he's got a golf-ball wedged
between his adenoids. Ignore them. Like Dylan,
Neil Young, or John Lydon, Richman has turned
a technical weakness in to a stylistic strength. $
Set against the background of all those perfect
voices Jonathan's stuffy-nosed voice and fractured phrasing have a character and a charm I
find both endearing and amusing.
So Dick, do yourself a favour and listen to the
record. And stay out of the sun (even the best
nip-and-tuck won't last forever).
Yours, 4
Chris Dafoe
Art Ensemble
of Chicago
The Third Decade
' ecm Si % j
WHAT CAN THE LISTENER EXPECT TO
hear from a band with such a high fallutin'
name as the Art Ensemble of Chicago, and \r\A
eludes jazz luminaries Lester Bowie, Roscoe Mit- —^w
v'^O&Sk&r'Se ^H?
CITR fm 102 cable'100
IVerdict
chell and Malachi Favors? Well, since their inception in 1969, the Art Ensemble has been producing some of the most innovative music
around; and with their new album, The Third
Decade, they continue to create captivating and
diversified music. Known for the variety of
sources that the Ensemble draws upon for their
music, The Third Decade is no exception, with
traditional and free jazz, African music, funk,
rock, synthesizers, and many non-traditional in-
■ruments; sirens, chimes and conch shells, all
oeing incorporated.
I The Third Decade is an album of contrasts;
disparate musical styles are set against each
other yet it never seems unnatural or forced.
"Funky AECO" gets into a good funk groove but
emphasises the melody. Horns, sirens, etc. pro-
Vide plenty to listen to but don't detract from the
junk rhythm or make the song seem cluttered.
The traditional jazz component of the album appears on two tracks, "Walking in the Moonlight"
and "Zero." Each occupies a position on a side
of the LP amongst two or more unusual songs
which gives the record a useful balance. Roscoe
Mitchell wrote "Walking" and the radically different "The Bell Piece." The latter begins with
■minous droning developed surprisingly without
the help of synthesizers. The song snows the
Btrangeness that can be drawn out of more tradi-
Bonal instruments like the trumpet and saxophone, stretching the boundaries of what might
be perceived to be the limits of these instruments. From the oddly aquatic introduction of
■The Bell Piece," the bells take over. The bass
And horns then join the bell orchestra to form
wonderously listenable music.
The title track to The Third Decade succesful-
ly mutates from African-style drumming to Art
■nsemble free-form jazz. The tribal drumming
gives way to crashing cymbals, wailing sirens,
Bnd clanging bells. Emerging from the caca-
Bhony are bursts of horn, then the bass and
■rums kick in, completing the transition from
lolyrhythmic drumming to clamourous sounds
to free jazz.
Despite the excellence of the rest of the album,
Bny personal favourite can only be Joseph Jar-
Bnan's plaintive "Prayer for Jimbo Kwesi." Show-
Big a willingness to utilize the synthesizer and
|he skill to do so, Jarman plays it brilliantly on
lis tribute to Jimbo Kwesi, who, as the story
loes, was the first Black officer to serve and die
Kir Her Magesty, Queen of England. Supposedly,
he was mistaken for the enemy and shot by his
Bwn troops. The synth sets the mood, and the
Bong is carried on in the same melancholy tone
B/ith the addition of other instruments, but also
Builds a kind of inner strength that culminates
with the final synthesizer wash.
The talented musicians of the Art Ensemble
of Chicago have recorded some innovative, in-
Biguing and evocative m.Usic. The Third Decade
fdelivers an assortment of sounds to digest which
Bever bore the open-minded listener. When most.
l_Ps can be pinned down in a song or two, The
Whird Decade requires a complete listen in order
?? gain a semblance of the Art Ensemble's music,
wouldn't have it any other way.
—Kevin Smith
I m S
Various Artists
I
Shindig! The Album
Zulubird
HAVE BEEN URGED TO WRITE A VERY
simple review by some prominent members
of CITR, who shall remain nameless. The review,
in total reads as follows: 1.) We Made It. 2.) It's
Good. 3.) Go Out And Buy It.
Basically, those three statements comprise the
heart of this review, but I'm going to try to build
a body around that heart. Shindig! The Album is
worth more than three sentences.
In the beginning...there was The Hot Air Show,
Monday nights in the Pit, a showcase for new and
untested acts. CITR put its Monday where its
mouth was in an effort to give independent local
bands some much needed exposure, especially
to the large student population. Alumni of this
competition include Bolero Lava, the Enigmas,
the Actionauts, and over 100 others. The Pit
wasn't made for live bands, though, so at the end
of the 1984 school year, we were asked to leave
—the future of the competition looked bleak.
Over that summer, Janet Forsyth of the Savoy
agreed to host the show, and Shindig, like the
phoenix, rose from the ashes. As you are doubtless aware, it was an unqualified success, benefitting CITR, the Savoy, the bands, most' beer
companies, but most importantly, you the Shin-
diggers. Not all of the bands were of high quality,
but those that were were appreciated and supported, whether they won or not. Music is still
art, and art is not terribly well suited to any type
of competition. Shindig managed to keep as
much of the art intact as it possibly could, and
this was due to the hard work of numerous individuals, both from CITR and the local music
commuity.
Included in this group are Gord Badanic, Jay
Scott and Dave Ball from CITR, Janet Forsyth,
Andrew Butler from Commercial Electronics for
his capture of a clean, powerful live sound, Ric
Arboit, Greg Reely and Hutch for doing their
usual fine job on in-house sound, and Grant
McDonagh of Zulu Records for funding the
album and distributing it to folks in a whole
passel of locations.
Now that I've handed out all the laurels, taking care of statement No. 1,1 guess it's time to
review the album. This is where statement No.
2 comes in. There are six bands here: Death
Sentence, NG3, Nerve Tubes, Red Herring,
Rhythm Mission and My Three Sons. Each band
has at least one very good song, and Rhythm
Mission manages to pull off a good pair. The 12
tracks are ordered very well, and transitions are
smooth, with Death Sentence putting searing
finales onto each side, the torrid, metal-tinged
"In Flames" capping off the LP. That particular
track, with its simple lyrical treatment of "one corrupt corporation plus one molotov cocktail equals
anarchy," is my personal favorite, Death
Sentence being representative of the new breed
of hardcore bands that fuse the more complex
music of metal with the power and passion of
punk.
Surprisingly, the band with the muddiest live
sound has become one of the cleanest on the
record. My Three Sons emerges from the studio
(ah, the wonders of the studio) with the best bass
sound, courtesy of Jay O'Keefe, and gosh! those
backup singers almost sound in harmony! "Get
Out of My House" is the better song of their two,
but I like the lyrics on "All-Time Loser'—classic
teenage angst.
More mature angst is provided by Rhythm Mission's excellent offenegs, "Redundancy" and
"Johnny." Dennis Mills' slinky saxophone leaves
him slightly out of breath for the vocal parts, but
who cares when you've got the BIG BEAT! The
two Warrens, Ash and Hunter, along with percussionist Andy Graffiti must constitute the best
rhythm section in town.
I mustn't forget to mention Red Herring and
the Nerve Tubes. I'm lumping these dissimilar
acts together because they have one thing in
common: they don't sound like anybody, I mean
anybody, else. Stephen Nikleva of Red Herring
is a brilliant, inventive guitarist who uses pedals
to maximum effect; check out the guitar on "Tone
of Voice," it underlines Enrico Renz's emotional
vocals perfectly. Some people might find Red
Herring a little too 'arty', but their collective musicianship cannot be questioned.
The Nerve Tubes, on the other hand, are four
pro musicians who throw together songs in the
time it takes to play 'em, so the tunes tend to suffer slightly from lack of progression or change.
"Things Break" is my pick from them, an
ominous melody accompanying some equally
sinister lyrics that imply matricide, or something
of that ilk. This could be part of some sort of complex of Steven Drake's (lead guitar, vocals), as
he was seen at Shindig clad only in a see-
through polkadot raincoat, or what I call h^
Freudian slip (ugh!).
Filially, NG3 has two songs here that are good,
but not outstanding, hardcore. Nev Burns comes
off sounding a bit like Jello Biafra on 'Government,' but the band loses something when they
slow down on "Strength." A greai band live, but
these songs don't quite dc them justice.
That takes care of statement No. 2, more or
less.
Now, a brief discourse on statement No. 3, or,
why you should buy this album. First of all, reread this review starting at "I guess it's time to
review the album." Next, go to your local record
shop and look at the cover. Wow! Puke green with
pink exclamation marks, surrounding six cool
pictures of guys swallowing microphones. What
more could you ask?
1.) We Made It. 2.) It's Good. 3) Thank You For
Buying It.
—Jason Grant
cont. ► CQl£€Crm$
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136 POWELL ST.
684-9834 CITR fm 102 cable 100
Deja Voodoo
TOO COOL TO LIVE
T8Q SMAHT TO W
I Too Cool to Live
I Too Smart to Die
OG Records
JH ROM MONTREAL, LAND OF THE OLYMPIC
Bl -sized cost overrun, one party municipal
government, and massive fireworks displays,
lomes Deja Voodoo, a band which has nothing
to do with any of the above. As their name doesn't
imply, this dynamic duo are the world's foremost
purveyors of sludgeabilly. A musical form created
by taking two (2) (deux) persons (preferably musicians), having one play the drums and the other
pay guitar whilst making vocal noises into the
Fnicrophone. The sound created might be described as sounding like a guitar being prayed
prom the bottom of a lock in the St. Lawrence
Seaway, backed by a set of drums being played
by a rhythm loving, caber wielding Scotsman
from Quebec (or something like that), all topped
off by a vocal style which might charitably be call-
Bd unique (or honestly labelled as unintelligible,
feven by pop music standards).
However the fun doesn't stop here (or is it there
that it doesn't stop? ...anyway), becaugittbis in-
Jtrepid pair, Gerald Van Herk, guitar and vocals,
and Tony Dewald, drums, write songs and (gasps
jof shock from the audience) play them! They play
ihem at home, in bars, in clubs, in pubs, in tubs,
Bnd any other places an audience can be found.
In one case, however, they played them late at
night in a studio, in Quebec, in mid-winter. Even
better someone had the foresight to turn the tape
deck on. Topping even that though, the good
folks at Midnight Records (distributors of other
"Unusual" semi-revivalist acts like Plan 9, the
Vipers, Fuzztones, Zantees, Wanktones, etc.,
Ac.) decided to distribute the end result, which
was released by the band's own Og Records
label.
The end result being one of the thinnest,
shiniest, flattest pieces of vinyl ever extruded by
any record plant in the free world. This product
contains all the aforementioned attributes of Deja
Voodoo with the added bonus of some helpful
Aier notes and song titles. Also, unlike live performances, you can have the band play again
and again those selections of which you are are
particularly fond. This is done by simply lifting
up the tone arm of your turntable and placing
(gently now!) on the vinyl of the record and voila!
music. Depending on where you drop your record
needle (sorry...place your stylus) you may hear
§(e wonderfully garbled "The House of Dr.
timuli," or you may hear the wonderfully garbled
cont. ►
a/v©WH v/iio Mourn
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"Take Out the Trash," or you may even hear the
wonderfully garbled "Bo Diddley's Cat."
I In fact, there simply isn't a poor cut on this
eight-track album (i.e. it's a record with 8 songs
%>n it...not one of those unreliable cassette music
things). However, as the more astute readers will
have noticed, this band could be said to be a bit
formulatic. But, like the nifty sensation you get
when gishing your bare feet into really thick mud
(and it oozes up between your toes) experiencing this record can be a deeply rewarding, and
sven a spiritual experience...for the more mature
|fcnd sophisticated audiophiles among you.
§§! — Pat Carroll
Muslimgauze
R
Buddhist on Fire
Recloose (UK)
EPETITION: IF THE VERY IDEA OF IT
bores you to tears, don't go near Muslim-
fgauze's second LP without a wad of Kleenex.
Buddhist on Fire is a concept album...and the
" oncept is repetition.
Personally, I'm a convert. Oh sure, like lots of
people, I used to like variety in a song: chorus/
verse, fast/slow, all that sort of superfluous stuff.
i But who needs it? After listening to Buddhist on
iFire several dozen times in a row (purely for research purposes, you understand) I'm hooked.
iAn addict.
Muslimgauze first came to my attention via the
Elephant Table compilation album. Bryn Jones,
who IS Muslimgauze and who WAS E.G. Oblique Graph, has also come up with all manner
of cassette releases and has appeared on several other compilation albums. Jones has already
had one LP release of his own, Hunting Out With
an Aerial Eye released earlier this year.
For a preview of the Buddhist on Fire sound,
get ahold of Life at the Top, a 1984 compilation
album masterminded by Abstract Magazine and
Third Mind Records. Muslimgauze shares space
on the album with notables Bushido, A Primary
Industry and Legendary Pink Dots, along with
other not-so-notables. His track "Dissidents" is
a fair representation of the style continued on this
Hew album; "Dissidents in Exile" from Buddhist
on Fire is in name and in fact an extension of the
original "Life at the Top" single.
Buddhist on Fire is not a "difficult" album. If
you can get past the cover photograph (a Buddhist?) who appears to have a grenade explode
in his mouth) you're more than halfway there. The
best and most predominant thing about the LP
mp the percussion. From the sounds of it, this guy
is drumming his brains out in some acoustically glorious aircraft hanger or small cathedral.
There is so much happening in the way of weight,
motion and resistance it wouldn't surprise me to
hear that Jones himself had been wired directly
to the soundboard.
The drumming is mixed so far forward, everything else just has to take a back seat. It's this
rhythmic omnipresence that makes the music
overwhelmingly repetitive. Either you have the
stomach for it or you don't. (Although, provided
with waterproof headphones and an isolation
tank or similar environment, this brand of noise
might grow on you.)
The balance of the Muslimgauze sound makes
a short list: mainly synthetic contrivances; a tiny
bit of violin and piano; some de rigueur Gregorian chanting; a few snippets of British news
broadcasts with meaningless references to Fascists, Communists, the United States, the KGB,
etcetera. Not much. But enough to survive on
if and whe*( you get hooked.
A repetition junkie. That's me. And lucky for
me there's plenty of albums out there to support
my habbit. Buddhist on Fire is pure drug. Yeah,
sure it costs. But hey, I can,stop anytime I like...
anytime I like...anytime I like...
—Robin Razzel
SNFU
J***?***!^^-"'-:
^?
...and no one else
wanted to play
BYO Canada
OUT OF EDMONTON COMES A BAND HOT
enough to thaw out even the coldest Alberta
Winter. These guys have been around for a while
now, but their vinyl efforts had been limited to
agonizingly brief appearances on compilation
albums (It Came From Inner Space and Something to Believe In). This LP was much anticipated
by hardcore fans everywhere, and especially
south of the border where SNFU is very well-
respected.
But I must digress for a moment to answer the
burning question in every uninitiate's mind; what
in the hell does "SNFU" men? The band insists
that it stands for whatever one wants it to. In a
characteristically unconventional move, the original name SNAFU (Situation Normal All Fouled
Up) was shortened to prevent the ever-present
circling of the A. While the band went by the
modified Society's No Fucking Use for awhile,
they now encourage people to think up their own
meaning (gasp! how revolutionary!). Imagine the
reaction you'd get from you parents when you
said you were going out to see and band called
"Sausages Never Fry Uneven."
Pioneers of the two-guitar sound in Can-core,
SNFU creates a crisp and clear wall of sound,
accurately described in a recent issue of
C.H.I.P.S. (a Calgary zine) as "Minor Threat
meets metal." The songs range in tempo from
the fast to faster with the musicianship never less
than excellent. The same can be said of the
vocals which are consistently intelligible. Some
of the credit for this success certainly can be attributed to great production and sound quality,
however, the 'Snafoo sound' particularly lends
itself to such precision.
While on the subject of production, this LP
represents the premier release of the Canadian
Better Youth Organization offices which were
opened earlier this year. This is definitely good
news for those of us in debt due to high import
prices and road trips to Bellingham/Seattle.
Eventually all of the BYO products will be available through the Canadian outlet which is based, interestingly enough, in Edmonton. For more
information write Gub at BYO Canada, P.O. Box^
4554, Edmonton, Alta. The lateness of the Cana-*
dian release (months after the US) was apparently due to some sort of legal hassle concerning
the Diane Arbus cover photo. Thus, the hand-
drawn rendition appearing on the Canadian copy.
As far as messages go, SNFU are not out to
'smash the state' or anything similar. No, their
insightful lyrics deal with personal situations in
our society with which we are all familiar, yet do
not necessarily devote enough attention to. A
good example of this is "She's Not On the Menu"
which is a terrific sequel to "Womanizer." Both
these songs prove that there are males out there
with decidedly non-sexist attitudes, something
that most 'Feminists' would probably try to deny.
In fact, when "Womanizer" was first played (presumably on Edmonton's CJSR) the charge of
'Sexist' was laid. But it's as easy as giving the
lyrics a close listen to realize that the song is con-
clemming sexism, not condoning it. Hyper-sensitivity does not promote, but hinders basic
equality of men and women. But I digress again;
this is SNFU's review, not my soap box.
While all of the songs on this LP are worthy
of note, there are a few which deserve special
mention. "Money Matters" comments on our
cash-conscious society, and the self-explanatory
"Seeng Life Through The Bottom of a Bottle" (my
personal fave) is eminently appropriate. "Get Off
Your Ass" definitely wins the award for the most
stimulating lyrics:
"Get off your ass and do something
Why sit on your ass and do nothing?
You've got your freedom
Why not put it to use? ||J|
Before some asshole
takes it away from you."
Now, I don't want anyone to get me wrong here.
SNFU are not as deathly serious as they might
seem from all of this. Above all, this band is
dedicated to having fun, and sharing their energy
and enthusiasm with their audience. While this
is documented on vinyl, their live performances
are quite something to behold. 'Exciting' just
does not adequately describe Chi's singing style
and stage antics, nor the fantastic choreography
of all three guitarists Jimmy, Brent and Muc. Add
Tadpole on drums and SNFU becomes a complete musical/visual experience, definitely a
must-see performance. But, since they have
recently embarked upon an extensive tour of the
U.S. and Canda, it'll be a while before they cause
another commotion in Vancouver. So in the interimyou'll just r%/e to buy the record and let
your imagination do the rest. While you're at it,
why not try to think up your own meaning for
I^SHSIFU?'
—Andrea Gamier DISCORDER
September 1985
THE WOODENTOPS
Move Me - 12"
WEA
If Lou Reed had been a devotee of British skiffle bands instead of American R&B, the Velvet's
records might have sounded something like this.
As it stands, the Woodentops build from a shuffling rhythm with understated vocals to a veritable
rave-up with organ, and shouts, and yips and all
sorts of other fun stuff. The b-side features "No
Good Anyway" which follows the pattern of
"Move Me" almost to a T, and "Steady Steady,"
a bare-face ripoff of Suicide's "Frankie Teardrop."
THE RANDYPETERS
EP
XXX Records
This band from Ottawa belie the crude locker-
room sexuality evoked by their choice of name
to come up with an EP that rings with passion,
energy, and smudged idealism. Obvious reference for the Randypeters are U2, Jason and the
Scorchers, and the Pretenders. The music
ranges from the soaring guitar of "Independence
Day" to the country twang of "Freedom Train"
and "Maybe I'm Not Sure" to the white-boy rap
of the Randypeters statement of intent, "Jack's
House."
Lyrically the band mines the depth of post-
adolescent uncertainty, but without becoming too
bogged down with self-pity and inertia. Peit Bot-
man sings with a rough-edged conviction, lightened with a well-placed whoop here and there.
The Randypeters aren't the most polished or
most original of bands, but from the sounds of
this EP thev sound like a qood bit of fun.
THE FALL
RollirT Danny/Couln't Get Ahead
Beggars Banquet (UK)
Mark E. Smith and co. positively bop along on
these two. "Rollin' Danny" has an almost rootsy
American feel (The Fall with Brylcreem quiffs and
"Gene lives" tattooes?). The b-side features
Smith spitting out lyrics against a wall of cacq|
phonous guitar and organ, and great snivelling
background vocal.
UB40 w/CHRISSIE HYNDE
I Got You Babe
Polygram
They've got to be kidding, right?
Nope. Hynde and the boys from Birmingham
do this Sonny and Cher chestnut dead straight,
in spite of the high kitsch potential. And the
, result? If you can get past visions of Ali Cambell
with an ugly black moustache and Chrissie dolled up in Bob Mackie dresses the record isn't too
shabby. Sure, I'd rather hear Hynde do "Half-
Breed" solo, but this is better than say, Chrissiew
doing "The Beat Goes On" with Jim Kerr.
523 Richards St.
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THE HOOD
I Cooler Than Thou/Criminal Kiss
WEA
' These two refugees from New York's Swans
[Wseem to have hit on a perfect formula for writing
lyrics to dance hits: simply string together a collection of randomly chosen cliches spiced with
the right attitude. If it's got a great beat, nobody
will notice that what you're singing sounds like
it was originally written in lipstick on the walls
of the ladies' room of some new-wave dance
emporium.
w Fortunately for the Hood, it does have a great
beat, and they have spiced it with a real pseudo-
nasty attitude. This record would fit well as the
soundtrack to the rat-tail comb fight in next year's
teen-exploitation pic.
TREVOR JONES
AA Guy Who Sings
wBig International
Some months ago, in a review of his "Icky Ya
Ya" demo, I referred to Mr. Jones as the Bowie
Next Door. Since then he seems to have chewed
and swallowed, if not completely ingested, the
Bowie influence and a few more tastes to his
plate. Don't get me wrong—Trev could still make
a pretty fair living doing The Thin White Puke:
©A Tribute to Davie Bowie on the A Club circuit.
This EP just shows he can do a good deal more.
On A Guy Who Sings Jones emerges as one of
the more versatile and adventurous vocalists in
Vancouver.
•
*--''.
•
§
Jones' strength is his eclecticism; he seems
willing to try almost any voice on for size. A
strangled tenor, a moaning bass, strained falsetto
(and yes, some of that borrowed-from-Bowie
crooning) all pop up on this record and all come
from the larynx of Mr. Jones. If there's a downside to this eclecticism it lies in the lack of soul
and emotion in the voice. Jones comes off as
something of a dilletante, trying on voices like
he'd try on hats. Then again, I've never found
dilletantes that annoying.
Trev's crooning is ably supported by an enviable cast of musicians. Included among these
are Warren Ash and Warren Hunter from Rhythm
Mission on drums and bass, Colin Griffiths on
i^guitar, and a horn section led by Jones' papa,
^saxophonist Lloyd Arntzen. Ironically, on an
album called A Guy Who Sings, some of the
brightest moments happen when Jones steps
back and lets the band cut loose.
A Guy Who Sings shows Jones as one of the
more interesting vocalists in Vancouver pop.
Given some time, and a little emotion, he could
l^end up a very good singer. This record certainly
I m I
shows a step in the right direction.
■CD
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liiKiiftttii DISCORDER
September 1985
THE DEMO TAPES HAVE
really been piling up in the
long interval between Demo
Derbies. They all deserve attention
but, as always, space is limited, so
here is a quick overview.
Brilliant Orange's "Shotguns,
Cacti, and Vengeance," although
only recently put into circulation at
Radio Hell, comes from the same
demo tape as "Happy Man," and
is just as good. It has a slightly
more country flavour (although I
hate to classify the song that way)
yet really rocks. Enough said,
though, because with any luck
you'll be reading a review of their
upcoming 12V EP in the very near
future.
The second demo from North
Van's Lost Durangos is, like the
first, a refreshing taste of country-
influenced pop. Wendy Bird's vocals are* plaintive but the songs have
a happy, simple quality and, perhaps most importantly, the band
sounds like it is having a good
time. The outstanding song on this
tape sounds like nothing else I've
heard from them—'Visions" has a
bizarre, dreamy, and even psychedelic flavour, plus a guitar solo that
reminds me of the Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows." Even with all
the acoustic guitar bands appearing lately, Lost Durangos has a truly unique sound well worth a listen.
Far from the upbeat is the folky
sounding "American Desert" by
Peter Curtis. I'm pretty sure he's
singing about the negative qualities of the American Way but I wish
he could be more clear—maybe he
could write a song about the B.C.
Spirit.
A band called Cat Fence has
put together a nice clean package,
Mrs. Goat in Paris, with nice clean
guitar sounds and utterly incom-
prensible lyrics. To quote one of the
songs, "Nothing is revealed'—
there are six songs here (two of
them under 40 seconds long) and
not one of them comes out and
says anything. This makes me
think that the songwriter (assuming there's only one) wants us to
think: a) he knows something we
don't; b) we are missing out on
some kind of private joke; or c) the
songs were written by someone
while under the influence of psychedelic drugs. Unfortunately, my
gut reaction to this tape (and to the
one by the Caucasians) is that the
band considers itself to be somehow above the listener and I must
ask the question, if a band plays
in a basement and nobody hears
it, is it really playing at all?
The Caucasians (who call
themselves "A Band With a Vision") leave a similar taste in my
mouth. As their covering letter
says, this band may be too slick for
CITR. Maybe, maybe not—slick
Who'll be on the album next year?
One of these bands will!
TYxeVWrl
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can be powerful (like Phil Spector's
productions) or bland as tapioca
pudding. Yes, this band has a
sense of humour, but not where its
£ music is concerned. "I Am Not A
Populist" sounds suspiciously like
a retort to anyone who doesn't like
their cryptic lyrics or semi-synth
sound. I find this attitude disturbing and, worst of all, I'm sure it's
not what the band meant to say.
I, Weedeater is completely un-
0 pretentious, made up of CITR personalities Garnet Harry and AI
Thurgood with Joe (Egghead)
Naylor and the drummer from H.B.
Concept. Having even made a
video or two, they are definitely not
your average fuck band, but never
take themselves too seriously.
f> What can you say about a line like,
"Garden tools don't kill people,
people kill people"?
At long last The Dilettantes
(who descended, like Go Four 3
from the Debutantes) have committed themselves to a magnetic tape.
This band is dedicated to fun, and
if it's infectious. Not only does the
"Dilettantes' Theme" get you
hand-clapping and toe-tapping
along but it even saves you the
I trouble of looking up the group's
name in the dictionary. And these
girls can even write and sing in
German!
||i High Energy Plan is another
band from North Van. Their demo
is light and poppy but perhaps just
a little too slick for my own taste.
I'm not exactly sure what "Compete With You" is about but "Imagination" is a revenge song, with
lyrics like "Must be your imagination/ To think I want you back/ Let
you have another kick at the cat."
These songs are hummable but,
all in all, not terribly distinctive.
You probably read all about
Chris Houston in July's Discorder,
and I won't try to improve on our
editor's description of his music.
^Suffice it to say that Houston's
voice verges on sinister, the trumpet could be an elephant on backup vocals, and, crazed as the
whole tape is, it's at almost Valium-
induced speed. Any song with the
title "Girls are Swell" has got to be
good, and even before you hear
the central line "We ain't junkies,
we just snort the stuff," you know
that "Surfin' " is more than just a
slowed-down variation of "Surfing
on Heroin." Then there's "Party
With the Living Dead," "Walking
and Wondering," "Monkey Ears,"
"Trash Can Beat," ("Yes, it's stupid
but it's neat/ Yea, do it in the street/
Like Beautiful People in Heat") and
"Hello-Satan" ("Hello Satan, let's
make a deal/ It's the summer of
love, I can't help how I feel"). No
love songs here, only an eccentric,
often black humour.
What strikes me most about the
Hot Spit Dancers' demo is that,
for some of us at least, it's getting
harder and harder to draw the line
between hardcore and metal. I
guess these guys are probably
more accurately described as the
former but some of the guitar reminds me of what you hear coming out of basement windows in
Lynn Valley on a Friday night. Although I think the vocals are pretty good, it's an instrumental track,
"Diamond Head," that really
stands out—if you can't surf to this,,
you can't surf!
Last, but not least, is The Bill Of
Rights' contribution, "Live at
Wreck Beach." What they are playing is "pipeline," and although
there's not a nude volleyball game
to be heard, I am told it really was
recorded by the water just down
the hill from campus. Even if you
don't think you like The Bill of
Rights, you may find this a pleasant surprise.
—Janis McKenzie
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2936 W. 4th Ave., Vancouver, B.C. V6K 1R2, Phone 734-2828 DISCORDER
September 1985
AEMCIHIAIR EYI&
NO. UNTRUE. DEFINITELY NOT. IGNORE
the doomsayers. The quality of life in the
Western world is not getting substantially
worse; certainly not every aspect of it. Just put
yourself back ten years, say, on a Tuesday night.
There's no live music in town, only discos. You've
already seen all the good movies. So what's left
other than staying home and watching television?
Nothing. And what's on television? Try Happy
Days, Good Times and Hawaii Five-0 (re-runs at
that). Depressing, isn't it? .
Which brings us back to the present, 1985. The
air's worse. Bill Bennet's still premier. The murder
rate's up. Everything costs more. Still, there's
hope. There's something you can do now that
you couldn't ten years ago. You can buy (or rent)
a home VCR, and, for something to watch on it,
you can go to your neighbourhood Video Store
and choose from any one of thousands of titles
(the selection is growing literally every day).
The only problem is what to choose. Sure, you
recognize the various major Hollywood blockbusters that were in the theatres as little as two
months ago, but you've already seen all the ones
you wanted to (or maybe you just hate Hollywood;
you see its product as a disease, symptomatic
of the overwhelming poor taste and decay that's
so prevalent everywhere you look here in West-
/f£"
lan
live at Napa State
Mental Institution
imj^oijmi^aiM
■■',':.'; Live in London -
AUSO: HARDCORE VOLS I & II
with D.O.A., Killing Joke, Circle Jerks,
T.S.O.L., Flipper, Black Flag, etc.
DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION
FMWillfJiHMi;
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world). You want something different, a quality
visual experience that dares to be unique or, at
least, subversively weird.
A few suggestions then: all of which are readily
available at Kitsilano's Videomatica (1829 West
4th Ave., just down the block from Zulu Records):
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (director, Luis Bunuel, VHS).
Bunuel, now dead, was a French surrealist
whose career spanned from silent film and work
with Salvador Dali to the 1970s. Discreet Charm...
was one of his last efforts (it won the 1972 best
Foreign Language Oscar), and stands up as a
very dry, very funny, very weird study of three
French bourgeois couples who are trying their
hardest to have a quiet social dinner together;
but they keep on getting interrupted whether it
be by the army, the police, terrorists or strange
dreams. Expect the unexpected, cast aside your
preconceptions and enjoy.
If, O Lucky Man, Brittania Hospital (director,
Lindsey Anderson, VHS). If is the tale of an arm-
fOU WAtJiJA R£MT OUR WOST
Po?vua\)iveoi SVfte.„GO
STRAlCHf THROUGH TffAT VOOfi. I
oveR-rMCRe... Lo
ed rebellion in a British public school. O Lucky
Man charts an ambitious young coffee salesman's meteoric rise and fall in the brutil jungle
of British capitalism. Brittania Hospital covers a
very bad day in the operation of a large British
hospital. As all three films concern the adventures of Mick Travis (Malcolm McDowell) they
constitute a trilogy, but the narrative connections
between them are slight so they can be easily
viewed in any order. Brittania Hospital is clearly
the weakest of the three. It's weird and occasionally funny, but too unfocussed. If and O Lucky
Man however, succeed completely as dark, har-
rowingly funny and oddly surreal studies of
British society and the rest of the world in general. O Lucky Man in particular, at close to four
hours in length, has to stand as one of the finest
films ever made. You'll laugh out loud, cringe in
horror and maybe throw up. It even has a great
pub-rock soundtrack by Alan Price (ex of The
Animals).
—Bill Mullan
FM102
CABLE lOO
VANCOUVER aC
„. SUSAJ
AT AMERICA'S IMCH QHMfK
"Naybe he's the father of pr unborn
child, but he'5 also a member of
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-'I said to Jeanie, all that's wrono
with your husband | that he has
ihe personality and the body of a
^^Mi:#■• % Mill' .
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I3ECT
The Roving Ear R R
This Month from Montreal...
THE MONTREAL MUSIC SCE^NE IS
better than it used to be. That may not
be saying much, given the state of things
in the past, but it's the only scene we've got and
we kinda like it.
Lotsa clubs for bands to play in: the Rising Sun
(286 St. Catherine W.), Steppe (5175 Park), Sta-
Terminal Sunglasses
tion Ten (2071 St. Catherine W.), and the Fou-
founes Electriques (97 St. Catherine E.) feature
local and touring original bands ranging from
blip-blip synthopop to hardcore, while bands
who're more pop (or just popular) can also play
Tatou on St. Laurent, the SOS on Drummond,
or the rather large Club Soda (no relation) on
Park Avenue.
Lotsa bands! The growth in the number of
clubs in the past year or so has led to a corresponding growth in the number of completely
worthless New Wave Pop bands from the suburbs, but there are good things around, including
Condition (urban-primitive swing, a bit like if
Animal Slaves had Ethel Merman singing for
them), Ray Condo & his Hard Rock Goners
(fiddle-fuelled countrybilly), My Dog Popper (fun-
nycore), Terminal Sunglasses (avant-garage),
the Nils and the Asexuals (metal-pop-hardcore),
and of course the internationally renowned and
unbelievably good sludgeabilly duo Deja
Voodoo.
Lot and lots of Montreal stuff is now available
on compilation, thanks to the work of Psyche-
Industry records, who have two compilations out
and are working on a third. The first Primitive Air-
Raid, is probably your best bet. If your local cool
store doesn't carry it, write Psyche-Industry at
1957 Cartier Street, Montreal. While you're at it,
ask 'em about the forthcoming Condition album.
Other good Montreal stuff is available from Og,
Box 182, Station F, Montreal, H3J 2L1 (Deja
Voodoo, Terminal Sunglasses), and the not-so-
new-it-don't-have-an-address Red Alert (Three
O'Clock Train, Nils), run by the guy from that
synthpop band that had the big hit.
If you're in Montreal and want to buy records,
try Dutchy's (1587 St. Laurent), Phantasmagoria
(3418 Park), Cheap Thrills (Metcalf above de Mai-
sonneuve), or the Bunker (Rachel east of St.
Denis). Psych fans might also want to try Rebob
(St. Denis above Roy), the Underground (Sher-
brooke west of Park), or Aller-Retour (St. Denis
above de Maisonneuve).
Areas where Montreal is serously deficient in-
AW-ftAID
MONTREAL 84
«
elude radio and fanzines, but things are improving. You can find out about gigs from the new
biweekly Montreal Mirror, or from the big South-
am-owned daily Gazette, which even has a hardcore scene column from time to time.
Radio? Neither of the city's pretty-good college \
stations (CRSC at Concordia and CFRM at
McGill) are on FM, but you can try low-power
community stations CINQ (102.3 FM) or CIBL (I
don't know what FM, I can't get it), or specialty
shows on mostly-ethnic CFMB (1430 AM after
midnight) or mostly-Led Zep CHOM (97.7 FM)
Sundays at 9 p.m.
So we're not perfect yet, but we're working on \
it. Drop by some time, find out what it's like trying to get people out to shows in a province
where welfare pays you $152 a month.
—Gerard Van Herk
Gerard Van Herk is the guitarist and songwrk
for Deja Voodoo. We don't think this undermines
his credibility one iota. Besides, we don't know ^f
that many people in Montreal.
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