Behind, through, and under —review

By Glen Boswall

Judging from the mix of compliments, insults, pats on the back, shrapnel, and death threats I have been receiving for the past several months, I’d say people are at least reading my column.

So what have I got against Kick-Axe? What is wrong with Pat Benetar’s latest? What is so bad about sun- glass and deck shoe music?

Nothing, nothing and nothing (respectively). I like most of this stuff. ~

For those of you who find my articles a trifle one sided or feel that I am a musical snob (what are the peasants up to these times?), I urge you to read on and discover how I cane to write for the Gem.

I was kicked out of the Metal Munchers of Canada (MMC) when it was dis- covered that I found Iron Maiden boring and I actually like Kiss (and freely admitted it).

This got me demoted to Garbage Metal Lovers of the Universe (“Crank it to ten and play it again” —— club logo) where I failed the initia- tion by refusing to kneel before a porcelain statue of Motorhead.

The fact that I like the Stranglers, the Vibrators, and

the Sex Pistols raised some eyebrows among the Punk/ New Wave crowd but I did not gain admittance to their elitist group because of my heavy, metal connections and because I thought that Yes and Rush were musical groups.

I like some old Doobie Brothers tunes and have a few Jim Hendrix albums in my collection but the Vintage Intellectual Music Associa- tion (VIMA) rejected my application on the following grounds! I. I had no desire to listen to Jim Morrison and the Doors in a dimly lit room. 2. I talk much too loudly in quiet coffee shops. 3. I did not

Favourite Popular Groups The Police

U2

The Cars

Billy Idol

The Scorpions Krokus

John Cougar

J imi Hendrix

Pat Benetar

Peter Gabriel

Def Leppard

ZZ Top

The Doobie Brothers Bryan Adams

The Spoons

Rush

Prince

have one Beatles album in my collection. And 4. I thought hash was something made with leftovers for a Saturday night meal. '

I was seriously thinking about laying out $70 for a pair of sunglasses, so I made up a list of some of the applicable groups I like — Missing Persons, Men at Work, Billy Idol, John Cougar, Parachute Club, and Ultravox — and mailed it to the' Flash In the Pan Club complete with a photograph of myself wearing expensive sunglasses and all the latest attire from Christopher’s Jean Shop.

My application, however,

Favourite No-So-Popular-

was rejected because of my insane fear of Duran Duran and a general lack of good looks (I quote from the letter ‘ of rejection I received, “...: and in closing, we must say that even the expensive sun-i glasses [which you obviously‘

borrowed] cannot hide the ’

fact that you are not attrac- tive enough for our exclusive club.”) '

So, the only people left to take me in were the Gemmies. I sit in no-man’s land and write my articles. If you still feel I have a one- sided view of music, I present to you a list of some of my favourite groups so that you may admire, laugh or ignore.

The Runaways

Van elis Gro g KjSSIIPS Kraftwerk B.T.O. UFO Styx Saxon Men at Work Nazareth Sex Pistols ¥fiteslt3um 1 t h, - e rang ers Jefferson S 815 1P The Vibrators

advertise.

Mr. K’s anytime.

1

presents

,“Play for Beef”

every Saturday 2 pm. to 5 pm. beginning February9

Enjoy an afternoon playing backgammon or cribbage and win top choice western cuts of~ beef. Other weekly prizes include free T shirts, mugs, drinks, and more. '

Also, you will have a chance to win our Grand Prize, which includes a propane barbecue, six steaks, chef‘s hat and utensils, two mugs, and something extra that we’re not allowed to

Rules and regulations can be picked up at

The Kirkwood Motor Hotel

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The members of U2 formed the band in 1978 while attending school in Dublin, Ireland. BONO VOX, the lead singer of the band, was quoted saying, “When U2 formed, we were a very, very arrogant band. Our motto was ‘U2 was formed only to be bigger than the .BEATLES’ ”.

In April 1980, U2 was signed by ISLAND RECORDS, and release a single entitled “11 o’clock tick took.” The single created quite a stir in Britain and their homeland.

Then followed the single with their debut album, “BOY”, which received rave reviews in Britian and North America. The album gave birth to the A.O.R. smash, “I WILL FOLLOW”.

U2’s second album, “OCTOBER”, did not do as well as its predecessor, even with the strength of “GLORIA”, a song which BONO said “... it (GLORIA) was a real part of my life, and it came out through the song — people are frightened of it, but it makes our music strong.”

Some people though U2 were just another ‘flash in the pan’ :so to speak, but this was not the case.

In 1982, U2 released a Godsend, the LP "WAR". This was heralded as the best LP of ’82. With the emotion of “NEW YEAR’S DAY”. (“... ARMS ENTWINEI), IHE CHOSEN FEW w"), tnthe dramatic and very political “SUNDAY, BLOODY SUNDAY” (“... I WIPE YOUR TEARS AWAY, I WIPE YOUR BLOODSHOT EYES ...”).

When asked-about this song BONO replied, “... Fifteen miles from where I walk the dog there is craziness and murder being committed in the name of God —— in the name

i of a lot of issues. It’s bad, very. very bad.”

U2 then released “UNDER A BLOOD RED SKY”, a live recording of their Nov. 1983 concert at Redrocks by THE ROLLING STONE CRITICS-POLL and U2 was named the band of the year.

Their latest LP, “THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE”, is U2’s best selling album to date. Breaking through not only A.O.R. bu C.H.R. markets, the album is rapidly reaching double—platinum status in Canada. The albums single is “PRIDE (IN THE NAME OF LOVE)”, a tribute to MARTIN LUTHER KING Jr. (“... EARLY MORING, APRIL 4, A SHOT RINGS OUT IN THE MEMPHIS SKY, FREE AT LAST, THEY TOOK YOUR LIFE. THEY ,COULD NOT TAKE YOUR PRIDE ...”), and “WIRE” may possibly be the next single. The album is currently in the top five, and receiving the attention it deserves.

“... Music should be able to break down barriers, not build them.” — and U2 are definitly doing the former.

keyboards, backing vocals), ADAM CLAYTON (basses),

U2 consists of: BONO VOX (vocals), THE EDGE (guitars, l

and LARRY MULLEN Jr. (drums and percussionyai. e . . .a‘,

w.,,i " 1-». ._ . ‘ g q a a . . A . s ‘I-»t‘L'L“““ ' ‘ ' " rt _/

, Rock News

By P. Stall] Maclntyre

The SCORPIONS, under the production of DIETER DIERKS have decided to release a second double-live LP, tentatively called “LIVE AT FIRST STING’ ’.

Irelands’ own, U2, have set a record for the largest amount of tickets sold in the least amount of time at N.Y.’s RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL. The Hall was sold out in 18 minutes!

Proceeding the AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS, LIONEL “OUTRAGEOUS” RITCHIE, MICHAEL JACKSON, and a gala of other stars decided to follow in BAND-AID’s foot- steps and record‘a song with all the proceedings going to help relieve the famine in Ethiopia.

While being interviewed, MADONNA, when asked if she was contemplating a duet, said if she were, it would be with BILLY IDOL. Billy, who has taken quite an interest in MADONNA, let out somewhat of a ‘REBEL YELL’ when he heard the news. '

The POLICE’s next album, is going to be a live one, with the exception of a few new songs recorded this Christmas. But before this is released, keep your eyes and ears open for STING’S solo effort, produced by the british trio, TORCH SONG. "

MICK JAGGER, of ROLLING STONE fame, has released his solo album called “SHE’S THE BOSS”. The first single released from the album is “TURN THE GIRL LOOSE”/BW“JUST ANOTHER NIGHT”. PETE TOWN- SHEND, formerly of THE WHO, plays guitar On a few of the tracks, along with JEFF BECK and HERBIE HANCOCK. In other STONES news, their new untitled album is due out in June. This will be their first release on their new label, CBS records. ,

DAVID BOWIE, after getting a poor response from his fans over his latest album, “TONIGHT” (they were upset over the fact that the only new song written was ‘BLUE JEAN’ has decided to go back to the studio to record his next album, with all new material. ~

TRIVIA QUESTION:' 'Who is 'DANEAEVANS‘ and- what

name does he go by? Answer to last weeks TRIVIA QUESTION: EDWARD VAN HALEN’s home studio is called “51-50”. It stands for ‘mental case’ in police lingo. The answer to this weeks trivia question will be in next weeks Gem.

IDLE IDOL?

Possibility of duet between Idol/Madonna

II ‘l‘ltj‘,