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• FILM
MUSIC
Reservoir Dogs, A River Runs Through . lt and Hell raiser Ill reviewed
The latest news, previews and reviews
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& THE REST The latest Theatre reviewed, plus a look at 'Cascando' magazine
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The 14 day happenings poster
The city's only detailed guide to what's on where and when PAGES FOUR AND FIVE
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concrete's pull-out guide to the local arts scene
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talk two From Coventry goalk..per and BBC snooker presenter to self-proclaimed 'Son of God' is quite a career move. Yet David lcke is no stranger to controversy since making his dramatic impact in 1990. Of course, he now freely admits that such proclamations were publicity stunts. In order to attract attention to his message of 'global collapse' lcke feels justified in making his extreme claims. "If I hadn't have said those things I wouldn't be talking to you today." David lcke believes that it is his message that is sacred. But it does not stop there. lcke has consistently attacked established thinking , and feels that both scientists and religions leaders are trying to suppress his message. According to lcke, this is because what he has to say fundamentally questions the justification of both. Religion has been a particular target. lcke believes that eternal life will come to everybody; and that it is not necessary to follow the scriptures. Not surprisingly, his claims have angered religious groups and lcke admits he has been 'banished from the Lord' by them. He has been ostracized but he doesn't care. For people to depend on religion and not to take responsibility for themselves, lcke argues, is 'crap'. He doesn't mince his words. Ultimately, lcke would like to see the church establishment 'crumble to its foundations·. !eke's concern with the environment is also well known. He stands by his earlier predictions of increasing earthquakes, weather extremes and world economic collapse. Yet critics have urged that these have always happened so what is different about lcke's vision? In the last few years, these events have become considerably worse. "lt is easy to say 'coincidence'", lcke argues. He feels that if the world continues along its present path, by 1997 the physical environment will be destroyed. "The quicker we take from the earth, the quicker we produce, then sell, then throwaway -this is judged as ecomomic success. • lcke wants to end the 'take, make, and throwaway' philosophy of the economic system. Of course, it is easier to criticise than to suggest solutions. So
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what would David lcke do to stop the process if he was PrimeMinister? "Politicians are irrelevant" he suggests. More important is the will of the people to change their own lifestyles. lcke hopes to influence the public will through his books and lecture tours, and politicians do not create change but only react to it. "They are pawns and I feel sorry for them. "To rely on politicians, like religious leaders, for change is useless. People have to take responsibility for themselves,· lcke urges. These beliefs have cost lcke his career as a BBC sports presenter and have created resentment amongst the Green Movement. But lcke does not feel that his life has been damaged. Quite the reverse, he has now found his real mission in life. With his faith in reincarnation, lcke believes his experience as a journalist was determined to provide him with vital knowledge of the media, a vehicle he has needed to present his message. Again, his involvement in Green politics was 'an important part of my life". Yet the Green Party leadership has since distanced itself from lcke because of his controversial image. This, lcke insists, has move to do with the failure of the party to materialise into the political force that it promised to do. 'I was made a scapegoat," lcke argues and maintains that he enjoys the support of grass root Green membership and is still often asked to speak on their behalf. But does lcke feel that his message is getting through, and more importantly, winning respectability? "More and more people are beginning to accept that what they felt was crazy in 1990, is now beginning to come true." David lcke feels that 1993 will be his year. He is anticipating the publication of his latest book in August which he claims "will have the effect of a nuclear explosion. • David lcke comes to LT1 on March 1Oth and has specific message for UEA students. ·Ask uncomfortable questions to your lecturers, challenge what they say". According to lcke the orthodox educational establishment is a central focus of mind control, a common theme in all of his arguments against the establishment. George Orwell will be turning in his grave.
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I Paul Lynes investigates
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film three Concrete's Peter Hart gives his verdict on one of the most talked about and controversial films of the year
Under Siege Pre-empting the now shelved Die-Hard 3, Steven Seagal's brand new blockbuster made more than 80 million dollars in the US before being released here. Set on the USS Missouri, Seagal plays Ryback, a galley cook who, once a Navy Seal, was demoted for striking a superior officer. When his ship is overrun by a gang of terrorists led by ex-CIA agent Strannix (Tommy Lee Jones) intent on stealing it's entire arsenal of nuclear weapons, it is up to him alone to stop them. Very much in the 'Boy's Own' adventure tradition, the love interest is provided by Baywatch's Erika Eleniak, playing a model-turned strippergram, brought onto the all male vessel with the terrorists when, in order to gain access to the ship they pose as the entertainments for the Captain's party. As is the norm with action movies the dialogue is very thin, and Seagal seems to be in competition with Arnie for 'Strong but almost completely silent' leading man award. Unfortunately though, both the leads are caricatures, Ryback as the ultimate variation on the
1s
nineties man (an expert in cookingandplasticexplosives) and Eleniak as the decoration (more similar to the cake she jumps out of than a human being). The major fault with this film, however, is not characterisation. Most people who will want to see the film will probably not lose any sleep if all the characters are one dimensional because most of them don't last that long. The problem is with the action -there is plenty of it, but even the most ambitious pyrotechnical shots of the film have been done before (one of the scenes is lifted directly from Die-Hard). Although not a brilliant actor, Seagal's strength lies in the fact that he is a great martial artist, but unfortunatelywe see too many machine guns. At times Under Siege can be quite stylish and entertaining (Gary Busey showing some very weird hang-ups) but in the end it will please only hardcore Seagal fans, or those wanting an undemanding night of fast-paced blood, guts and bullets.
Darren Fisher
Self-appointed media watcher, Mary Whitehouse, has often talked about violence in films, and with Quenti11 Tarantino's 'Reservoir Dogs', she would have a f~eld day. The film, starring Tim Roth as Mr Orange, one of a group of modern-day gangsters, concerns the aftermathofajewelleryraidwhich went horribly wrong when the police arrived far quickef than they were expected to. In his escape from the scene, whichisshownbymeansofflashback, Roth as Mr Orange tries to hijack a car but is shot in the stomach at point-blank range. Consequently, he spends much of his time writhing around in an evef-deepening pool of his own
blood in some dark and dingy warehouse hideaway. Meanwhile, convinced they have a police spy in their midst, one of the other gangsters (they're all named by colours: Mr Brown, Mr Pink, Mr White etc.) kidnaps a young cop and tortures him at the warehouse in a bid to find out who set them up. What ensued in the film was ooo of the few occasions on which I have literally had to stop my legs from shaking (the last time was when watching Scorsese's Cape Fear) which is probably less than co-incidental, since a fair bit of Scorsese's style has been imitated by Tarantino. As to what the particular scene contained, I won't attemptto spoil
the moment for anyone else by overdoing it on the detail. lt will be enough to say that if the camera hadn't cut to anything else, several members of the audience could quite possibly have been physically sick. Thisreallyisafilmwhichhastobe seen, as words cannot describe particular moments - I tried to when I left the ciooma but found I was numb from the twist at the close. All in all, some excellent acting from Roth and Harvey Keitel, and a brilliant first movie from Tarantino. The gangster film may possibly never be the same again. (Reservoir Dogs returns to Cinema City in mid-March).
- A River Runs Through lt Simon Litton looks at the latest directorial outing from Robert Redford •A River Runs Through lt", or "Fly Fishing" by Robert Redford, is one of those gentle, lyrical films which will either have you hooked, as it were, or bored stiff. The leisurely plot charts the relationship between brothers Norman and Paul Mclean (Craig Sheffer & Brad Pitt) and the love of fly fishing share with their preacher father, (Tom Skerrit) and each other. Sensitive, intellectual Norman leaves home for six years to become a professor of literature, and returns to find that his brother, now a reporter on a local newspaper, is still as charming, proud and reckless as ever, but with gambling debts and a drinking problem
he refuses to acknowledge. He is also a consummate fisherman, anditisNorman's relationship With Paul which makes him re-evaluate his life, and his decision to leave Montana for good with his new love Jessie (Emily Uoyd). The slight narrative leaves room for plenty of stunningly photographed scenery, gentle humour, and relaxed natural performances. The lack of real tension or conflict leads to some slack moments, and the film cannot quite sustain its length but Redford's voice-over lends coherence and focus, and the result is a warm, pleasant, uplifting experience.
Craig Sheffer (left) and Brad Pitt looking pensive!
he 14 daY happenine~ euide Edited b y Georg ina King by John Van O.Uen is bated on thecomicnovelsbyE. F. Benson. 7:30pm £2.50.£6.25 Until 6th March.
Cannon
Weds3
Screen One- Under Siege (15) 1.10, 3.35, 6.00, 8.30 Screen Two- The Bod)<gu.-d (15) 2.30, 5.25, 8.15 Screen Three- Tale of vamnono . (18) 1.30, 8.30 Peters Friends (15) ...uu.o.-.,, .. ·Screen Four - ~! .c ..... ~ :·o,.... :Through lt (p()) · ·. ··2:20, 5.50, s:2o, ,, · i
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Wednesday 10 Cinema City 'Oiivier, Olivier' (15) 5:45pm, 8:15pm
T. Royal
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See Tuesday
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.•:,
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Screei'IOne·Hone~lnVeo. ·
Manhattans
(15) 1.30, 3.30, 5.30. 7.30
Kemical Jaz - Funk, Groove, Hip-Hop, and Acid Jazz, with guelt DJ
·'' .. ' \ ,! ' '~· ;.
Screen Two- Draculll (18) 2.00, 5.15, 7.4$ Screen Three - A Few Good Men
WilberWIIberforcefrom London's KISS FM. 9pm
Saturday 13 Cinema City
NAC
'The Railway Children' (U) The all-time classic children's tale, starring Jenny Agutter. Don't miss this chance to skip down memory lane and relive your childhood 2:30pm 'Oiivier, Olivier' (15) 5:45pm, 8:15pm
Anti-Racist Day- Bands, stalls, talks, and street entertainment 2pm · 11 pm £1 + donations daytime, £2 cone.
T. Royal
'Sando Uss' by Femardo Am1bal. An absurd tale of Sadomasochism 8pm in LT1 . TICkets£4, £3
Maddennarket See Thursday
Drama See Tuesday
cone.
-2am£3.50befcn 11pm,
(15) 2.30, 5.00, 7.55
Tuesday 16
£4 after
Cinema City A River Runs Through lt: Cannon Cinema
Thurs 4
Union Gigs
'HusbandsAndW,.,.'(15)-Abig c:onwnen:ial hit for a WOOttt Ahn mOYie, but not 10 much tlr the content. 8$ for the oontroversy which surrounded him. Said to be art imitating life, he hal nat produced such a funny and
Union Gigs
Union Films
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'PalriotGames' (15)- Harrison Ford stars as a retired CIA agent who foils an IRA assasination attempt on a member of the Royal family.
from the London Comedy Store, and Donna McPhail (BBC2 'Have I Got News For You?') 8pm£2 -£6
Union Films
NAC
The Chaplaincy
Cannon
'The Crying Game' (18) - Neil Jor-
See Thursday
Screen One - Under Seige (15) 1.10, 3.35, 6.00, 8.30 Scnen Tv.o- Enchanted April (U) 2.30, 6.15, 8.30 Screen Three- Tale of Vampire (18) 1.30, 8.30
Open Theatre - Real Presence- Satire and social comment in this dark comedy of
dan's original and highly accbimed film about an IRA gunman trying to go straight and is also an affecting love story.
Peter's Friends (15) 4.00, 6.15 Screen Four - A River Runs Through lt (PG) 2.20, 5.50, 8.20
Odeon Screen One - Honeymoon In Vegas (15) 1.30, 3.30, 5.30, 7.30 Screen Two- Dracula (18) 2.00, 5.15, 7.45 Screen Three - A Few Good Men (15) 2.30, 5.00, 7.55
Cinema City 'Peter's Friends' (15) - Directed by and starring the golden boy of the British Film Industry. 2:30pm, 5:45pm, 8:15pm.
T. Royal TheHotNewaShow- ~ ter Weelr.' - With K8vin Day (C4 'Saturday Zoo'), Mar!( Thomas (1FM 'Loose Talk'),
mamers. 8pm£3conc. Until 5th March.
Puppet Theatre
T. Royal
See Wednesday.
The 'laughter Week' lmpro Team 8pm£2 -£7
'Fool For love'- UEA Drama Society with Flexible Deadlock present Sam Shepard's irtense, claustrophobic drama about a pair of helplessly obsessed lovers. 8prn£2 Until 6th March.
TV BBC2:- 9-9:30pn French And Sau1ders C-4:- 5-5:50prn The Oprah Wmfrey Show - with Spike Lee 10-10:30pm Drop The Deed Donkey 10:30 • 11 :05pm Hany Enfield's Guide To Opera
Cannon Cinema Tel623312
NAC Tel660352
Norwich Gallery Tel610561
Odeon Cinema Tel 0426 932450
Maddermarket Theatre Tel620917
COntact Gallery Tel760219
Cinema City Tel 622047
Puppet Theatre Tel629921
Manhattans Tel629060
Sainsbury Centre Tel56060
NAC See Thursday
Maddennarket See Wednesday
Norwich Puppet Theatre See Wednesday
Sat6 Cinema City
The Oval Tel-748244
Cinema City
, 'Antigone' - Jean Al'lcd1's reworki'lgofthe classical Greek tragedy aboutOedipus' Q8ughter,
Manhattans Street Beat-Thebestinraregroove, funk and 'acidjazzfunkyshit', with DJs Sure 0 , Maxwetl, and Mark C 9pm - 2am £3 door
Antigone, performed by _ the Madc:Jerrylarket Youth
Theatre. 7:30pm £2.5 0. £6.25
Socs.
Until 13th Marth
Alternative Music Society present an 'India Night' at Rfers. The Literary Society is hosting a party to launch the publication of the 5th Edition of 'Not Not'- UEA's literary magasine. With poetry, music, free champagne and fireworks (I) in the Bill Wilson Room. 8prn£1
MondayB
TV BBC2:- 9-9:30prn Red Dwarf C4:- 10-10:30prn Roseanne 10:30-11:05pm Whose Line Is lt Anyway?
Cinema City 'Oiivier, Olivier' (15)- Strange french film but a boy (Oiivier) who disappears from his home. Six years lat~. police believe they'vefollldhim,lxta IW'liion with his weird family causes
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disturbing and mysterious consequences. 5:45pm, 8:15pm
Socs. Alternative Music Society present a 'Rock Night' in the BiU Wilson Room.
eveQt?.
Piton~ ',
250558 to get listed here
'Black Beauty' (U) 2:30pm 'Peter's Friends' (15) 5:45pm, 8:15pm
T. Royal
Contact numbers
Theatre Royal Tel 630000
Cinema City
See Wednesday.
The Chaplaincy
Squeeze- Returning to UEA for the 15th time, they are bound to be as popular as ever. £7.50 adv.
Friday 5
'Peter's Friends' (15) 5:45pm, 8:15pm. 'Thelma And Louise' (15) 11pn
Maddennarket
Sunday 14
David lcke-ThecontroYeraial mediafiglncomasto l T1 See interview in this section £2.50 adv.
Tues 9
Jack Dee 8pm £2 - £7'
Live In The Hive 'The Royal F.mk( -the Queen Tribute Band
T. Royal
Union Films
Foreheads in a fishtank headline at the Wtlde Club' tonight. Nsi:J appearing ate Endlesa Drone, Waddle, and Martin X 8pm
'Oiivier, Olivier' (15) 2:30pm, 5:45pm, 8:15pm
Cinema City 'Man Bites Dog' (18) - So you think 'Resevoir Dogs' was violent? Think again. labelled a black comedy by some and utterly sick by others, this film is definitely not for the fainthearted. Ifs the story of a film crew following a serialla11er as he commits his crimes. N. the trail contiues, they get drawn into the kiRing, so they end up doing more than just filming. 5:45pm, 8:15pm
T. Royal Talking Heads by Alan Bennett - A series of hilarious monologues that introduce an array ofcharactersfrom a Meltonian shoe cream demonstrator to a teacher of flowers in felt and fabric.
'Salute To Liverpool' - Featuring the 'all-starline-up' ofTheSearchers, Gerry And The Pacemakers, and Bily J Kramer. 8prn £4 - £10.50
Union Films 'White Man Can't Jump' Cheers' Woddy Harrelson, and Passenger 57 Wesley Snipes play a pair of basketball playing conmen, in this Ught-heated comedy.
£2.50 adv., £2.50 door cone.
At last! lt's here! Tme to celebrate with the last free disco of the spring term.
Cinema City See Monday
T. Royal
Drama
Live in the Hive
See Saturday.
'The EndofTerm Double Disco'
See Monday
~AT LAST
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Affordable Psion Portable Word Processing! MC400
Laptop Computer
(Microsoft Word Compatible) including
VAT
from
NAC
Cinema City
Mon 15
T. Royal
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White Men Can't Jump: Union Film
'TheW*=hes'-A r.t-mcMngad\wltureltory aboutayooog boy and his grandmother, and their fight against the wlchea. 2:30pm, 7:30pm£2-£4.50mata.,£2-£7.50 evens. UOOI 13th March
nonltage.
'My Cousin Vinny' (12) • The irrepressible Joe Peeci stars • a Brooldyn lawyer with Ralph Macchio (Karate Kid). .
'A Matter Of Life And Death' (PG)- David Niven stars as an R.A.F. ftghter pilot who dives to his death during the war, only to discover himself in an extraordinary fantasy WOf1d. 5pm
'Tess' (PG) - Film version of Thoma> Hardy's classic, starring Natasha Kinski. 7:30pm
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Contact Gallery 'On Paper' - Three lltilta from 8CI'OIS the c:otnry WOI1cing with mixed media on PIP8" Urd 3rd April
e Computer Specialist
ONE STEP BEYOND LTD 9/11 Bedford Street - Norwich 616373
IDU~i£ six
. Jamie Putnam looks at the latesff(om band$ ' · ~:,\';\';f·: including ..Radiol\;~~ and:J~.roir.oquak'· .,':~: .~': :;: ·.x • .
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RADIOHEAD: " PABLO HONEY" LP (Parlophone)
JAMIROQUAI: YOUNG TO DIE" (Sony/orendo)
A new band from the Thames Valley now that all the stargazers have run away, and they're not bad either. Radiohead's sound is actually quite hard to pin down since there are elements of The Rolling Stones, Birdland, Primal Scream (in the cock-rock days) and even early U2 inherent in their songs, but one thing is for sure; they do know how to write a song with a hook. Obvious contender for highlights of the album is the single •Anyone can playguitar", butjust as good is theopeningtrack"You· and also the slower"Creep"withitsdodgy lyrics. Sure there are a couple of bogus tracks, but on the whole they sound enthusi8$tic and energetic and it's only a matter of time before they come up with something undeniably special. Fear and self-loathing in Le\$ Veg8$.
Another band from the Brand New Heavies/Galliano school of jazzy grooves. Whilst not really breaking any new ground in this f!eld, it is deceptively catchy and very mellow on the ears, with vocalist J.K criticising ignorant governments (in the nicest possible way, of course.) Scattered throughout with lovely Rose Royce style twiddly bits and some beautiful funky guitar it is definitely one to file under "Hazy Lazy Grooves.•
MOLLY HALF HEAD: "TASTE OF YOU" 10" (Playtime records) I quite like the title track "taste of you•, but I reallycouldn'tsaywhy. lt comes along, dawdlesabout for a couple of minutes and then it's gone. Maybe it's subliminal. The tracks on the B-side aren1 particularly interesting though. Hmmm.
" TOO
ACR and DEN ISE JOHNSON: " Turn Me On" (Robs Records) As interesting as arather nothingy record that has justgraduated from the University of Bland. "Nevermind" as Mud honeymight say...or was it Alice in Chains?
Endless Drone, Fiari and Flyover Ed Meikle reviews a gig from the CMS Music Weekender (Bill Wilson Room, Friday, February 19) These days it seems that the essence of 'cool' is a necessity for any emerging band to get noticed. So Flyover might not be the sexiest band in Norwich that they jokingly claim to be but an endearing charisma they do have and in bucket loads. So much so, they actually get away with somewhat heavily out of fashion angst-ridden songs by the strength of their developing sound. As usual the Contemporary Music Society is filling an important gap in the City's music scene, providing a stepping stone between total obscurity and a first date with the public. This was Flyover's first night out and just wait until they don't have to use lyric sheets to remember their songs and things
should really get interesting. ByrightsFurshouldhavebeenthe mainsupportofthenight. Washes of guitars and reverberating rhythms might echo a taste for Slowdive fused with spaceman 3 but in this they succeed where City band Hypnotise do not. With more confidence in the vocals it would havebeenperfect. Evenso,onthe strength of this one night, Furhave been approached by Wilde Club, with the possibility of a gig at Arts Centre. Check them out. W~h asound at least adecade out of sync with reality, Fiari sidle in, frtting in with today's ever present retro outlook in these fin de siecle times. A rewor!Ong of past styles marks a set that suggests that Fiari are not your typical apathetic
type that populate this university. Not exactly spring chickens but never-the-less newish. Since this is their first gig after their split and reform of two month's ago, Endless Drone yet again show that they'vegotwhatittakesbutthey're still waiting for people to recognise it. Sure, rtf!NI song, "Pingu Pop and PVC"isnotthatgreatblt'Odium" is huge, joining the ranks of "Val· entine·, "Leaden Head" and the reworked "Boo" as the beacons showing the way that the drone are headed. For a change ~was T-shirtsoff and "I want to be your dog" as the encore. How rock 'n' roll. Catch them playing the Arts Centre on March 9 as main support to Foreheads in a Fish Tank.
The Best of British 1993? By Niall Hampton Did you know that the British music industry supplies 50% of the world's popular music? That this fact makes it the largest leisure industry that the UK has ever produced? If you hadn'tthen last week's 'The Brit Awards', the yearly occasion that the industry gets together to mutually slap each other's backs and revel in self-congratulatory rhetoric, should well have given you some hints. According to Maurice Oberstein, the Chairman of the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), which includes all the major recording companies in the UK, 'We've got agreat British Music Industry that needs growth through the continuing development of successfulacts-notjustonehitwonders." Yet despite such a smug statement, there lurks the fact that the British music industry is, predictably, in a state of some decline. Last year, some of Britain's most loved record labels went to the wall; gone are Factory, Talkin' Loud and numerousothers. Bands have been feeling these cutbacks too;PopWiiEatltselfwerediched byRCA, and artistssuch as Happy Mondays and Omar have been left without recording contracts. So, did the BPI actually have anything to celebrate at its annual gong-giveaway? Of course; at The Brits they implied that British music is in a creatively original and successful state, that its artists keep going from strength to strength, proving that they have considerable longetivity in the process. The old hands of the business were yet again honoured for their 'tireless contribution' and 'stunning originality'; certainly an accurate appraisal of Rod Stewart (Shouldn1 that be 1iresome'?). What this basically proves is that the industry are completely indifferent to the needs of their consumers; rather than to invest in new talent, they are more than content to relentlessly push the back catalogues of their established artists and to consequently release hundreds of appallingly re-hashed cover versions. This attitude was reflected in both the nominations and the winners
of this year's awards, which were as bereft of imagination as the current Top 10. Obviously, those nominated really did representthe 'Mure of the British music industry': take a look at some of the farcical nominations. There were no surprises in the Best British Male and Female Artists category, as old timers Elton, Phil, Eric and Joe Cocker were complemented by Annie Lennox and Kate Bush. The fact that most of them have not actually released any new material lately was deemed as being completely irrelevant. lncontentionforBestBmshGroup were Simply Red, Right Said Fred, Shakespear's Sister, The Cure and Erasure. What a fallacy that The Shamen, who had considerable chart success last year were notnominated. This was certainly the opinion of the legendary Jonathan King, who incidentally, has dissociated himself from the awards. Unfortunately, The Shamen do not record on amajor label, so the opinion that the BPI exists just for the multi-national corporations is added considerable credibility. But the most tragic aspect of the whole Brit awards was realised when one perused the nominations for the Best British Newcomer. Tasmin Archer, Dina Carrot! (who?) and Take That (are these brats a 'band'?) vied for an award with the appalling KWS and Undercover- bands so bland and creatively barren that all both of them could manage to do was to each release an album of cover versions. Is this really the sad state that the British music industry has reached? Maybe their albums have 'Please Recycle' written all over them... There were few surprises in the actual winners of the main gongs though. In a glitzy presentation from Alexandra Palace in London, the Brits looked ever more American in style; why not just franchise them out to the Grammy's? Richard O'Brienof'Crystal Maze' fame looked rather uneasy in the
role of MC, and was duly fazed when Renaissance Man Nigel KennedyandthefabSmashieand Nicey took the limelight. Still, it was a little better than Mick and Sam, way back in 1988. Several artists and bands made appearances, including Tasmin Archer, Suede and Peter Gabriel, who took his opportunity to remind the audience that all his songs sound just like the previous one. Even that immortal guru of'corporationrock', MickHucknall, took to the stage to give a suitably clinical rendition of one of his clinical songs. So, and rather unsurprisingly, Annie Lennox took ~ British Female Artist, MickHucknal came back down to earth to receive his gong for both Best British Male Artist and Best British Group (although it is easy to forget who SirnplyRedareorwerethesedays). TasminArchercollectedBestBritish Newcomer, altttough She IS still a one hit wonder, and Annie Lennoxhadtocommissionalarger mantelpiece when she was awarded ~ British Album for
'Diva'. Manchester'sbratpackTake That received a gong for one of their videos; hardly surprising when 8 year old children badger their parents into buying the video of 'Take That and Party'. In the International section, Prince predictably won Best Solo Artist, and the evergreen REM took Best Group. In abefatedgestureoftheir elOstence,theBPI votersgaw ~ Newcomer to Nirvana, which was collected by the legendary Alan Freeman. Lers Rock mate.... The Brit Awards for 1993 were in retrospect extremely predictable and featured very safe nominations. Accusations of vote-rigging werewidespreadabouttwoweeks before the ceremony, but the fact remains that the winners were mostly artists recording on WEA Records (the label with the largest presence on the Brits panel). Who said block voting died in the 8C1s? The only thing that The Btis proves isthattheUK'smusicindustryhas little interest in the demands of its consumers, and that they take far too much notice of themselves. Surely,this policy needs to change ifthe UK's reputation as a leader in wortd music is to be maintained, as indeed it should be. The Brits is an extremely poor representation of our musical culture.
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JesusJones Previewed by Niall Hampton JesusJones return to the LCR on VVednesday VVeek 10 (17th March). Following the success oftheir recent single, 'The Devil You Know', the band have started their first major tour ofthe UK for 2 years, showcasing the latest album 'Perverse', which hasenjoyedsomecriticalsuccess, mostly abroad. Despite accusations that they sold out to conquer America with their last album 'Doubt', Mike Edwards, vocalist and main songwriter, claims that Jesus Jones are in fact perverse, as the title of their album suggests. Edwards is one of perhaps a few people who thinks that the dance rockcrossoverhas not been completely consummated; he dismisses grunge as •music that my parents would listen to", and states that he is attempting to irrevocably forge the link between metal and rave; in this sense, Jesus Jones buck the present trend. The American magazine 'Rolling Stone' labelled the album 'politically provocative', before going on to give the album a rave review. However, the British music press are more cool about it, butthen they have never liked JesusJones or Mike Edwards anyway. Despite the critical assessmen~ songs such as 'Spiral', 'Zeroes and Ones' and 'Get a Good Thing' will probably be aired alongside older faves such as 'lnfo Freako', 'Right Here, Right Now', 'International Bright Young Thing', and 'Real Real Real'. VVith support from Sunscreem, who reached the charts last year with 'Broken English', the tour will be an interesting return for Jesus Jones to the British
Remix or rip-off, cover or cover-up? I Niall Hampton poses the question I 1992 and 1993 will most likely be remembered for a plethora of appalling, unimaginative cover versionsand some dismally dismembered remixes. However, each time you hear that awful rendition of"Baker Street" by Undercover, and the bland remix of "Temptation" by Heaven 17, bear in mind that it is not the fault of the artists (!) concerned, but of the cashstarved recording companies. The basic problem lies in the fact that the major record labels are reluctant to spend money in a recession, so they re-hash and re-release material that is bound to enter the charts, some of them for the Nth time. Instead of developing and attempting to break new talent, and there is plenty of this around, they look for a safe return for their money in a shrinking market. However, the labels have recently turned to the remix in favour of the cover version, as they are significantly cheaper to produce, and in most places are completely unimaginative and insipid, usually reducing the original version to an extremely valued item. Ten years ago, a 'remix' initially meant an imaginative, fresh re-working of an established artist's song. Remixesreallymade a large impact in the earty 1980's with bands such as Spandau Ballet. Before they sold out and became obligatory wall covering for hordes of 10 year olds, they were credited with the birth of the dance mix- as pertaining to mainstream pop. Since then the remix as its own genre has become ever more inventive and ground breaking; names such as Arthur Baker and Nile Rodgers from the 80s still vie with newer talent such as PauiOakenfold, TerryFar1eyand Youth, who are the remixers most in demand at the moment. Yet the attitude towards remixes today has become sufficiently alienated from those of around ten years ago.
The Shamen Rather than being an issue of offering the consumer something fresh and imaginative, the labels would sooner plunder back catalogues of their established artists, rather than to remix material by their newer artists. Accordingly, records from the idy11icdays of pop, the earty 80s, have been targeted; last year, Heaven 17's "Temptation" was ruined with the addition of a 90s dance beat, Spandau Ballet's "Chant No. 1" was remixed and released by a rave band (but failed to chart), and most recently, Ultravox's "Vtenna" was re-worked and forced on to the indifferent consumer. Doublless, 1993 will probably be nostalgically notorious for mutilations of Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet and Culture Club... lt must be remembered though that the recording industry is controlled by its accountants, who dictate their policies through budgeting. Against a climate of fewer record sales than at any other time (10 yearsago,initialsalesof465,000 units would propel a single into the Top 5; to get 1993's figure, divide that by 10 and blame it on theGameboy and Megadrive generation who don't but singles any more), the companies (who incidentally made record profrts in the 1980s) turn to smaller budg-
ets to release and market their products. A remix costing as little as £5000 to record makes far more sense than spending£25,000 on recording the latest Simply Red wannabe. This stance is confirmed by the men in Soho Square, the epicentre of the UK's recording industry. Maurice Oberstein, Chairman of Polygram Records, sets out his stall, "We're building dance music- records as opposed to performers. I have no difficulty with that; I take my money from wherever it comes." Oberstein's attitude is by no means unique; Rob Dickens, Chairman of WEA Records, claims that despite evidence to the contrary, "People are crying out for real [ie cover) songs... new artists, more than ever, have to compete with the past... there will still be loads of hit records but not so many actual artists", a statement which certainly rings true (don't forget that 5 artists sell SO% ofWEA's records). To compensate perhaps, for the lack of "real songs" from "new artists", Oberstein and Dickens are ultimately responsible for their companies relentlessly forcing bland remixes down consumer's throats. If only artistic creativity could be expressed without money...
Cross over 'heroes' The Shamen come to UEA this Sunday, (7th March) in an exclusive appearance. Ents have engineered possibly the biggest gig ofthe year, save for Bjorn Again, as UEA is the only University that The Shamenwillbevisitingonthis, the Progeny V3.0. Tour. The Shamen are keen to emphasise that the gig will not just be a conventional concert, featuring the rantings of the yobbish Mr.C, "but will take in multi-media visuals, support from DJs and an expressionist circus of graffiti artists, mural painters and psychedelic orators erence McKenna for example)". Sounds interesting... Having said that, songs such as 'Progen', 'Hyperreal', and the more recent 'LSI', 'Ebeneezer Goode' and
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'Phorever People' will no doubt be featured. The band were recently snubbed at The Brit Awards, despite being one of the most commercially successful bands of 1993. Obviously, the aftermath of the EG affair has blighted The Shamen's reputation with their peers, notthattheycare. EbeneezerGoodewill return, enthuses Colin Angus, the banQ's musical guru. Sup~ortforthe gig, which sold out at the start of term, is provided by Utah Saints, who have enjoyeo chart success with 'Something Good' and What Can You Do For Me'. VVill they upstage the ubiquitous Mr. C though? Find out on SundayVVeek 7.
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Following the success of her last Lush Liaison at Manhattan Nightclub, Law student, Lisa Ford, is to hold another Liaison on Friday, March 12. So, it's the same venue, same time, same funky music, and even the same DJ - Rob Maynard from Quaff Records in Soho.
Bjom-Again - the ABBA clone band return to the LCR next term: so it's a case of Bjom Again, again, again.
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Martin Oldham looks at the latest Flexible Deadlock production, Sam Shepard's 'Fool For Love' appearing in the Chaplaincy, Week 8. A seedy motel room on a desert road in California. Two hopelessly obsessed lovers unable to live either with or without each other, thrash out a desperate confrontation. A ghostly old wino haunts them. Unexpected visitors turn things really weird. This is Sam Shepard's 'Fool For Love', an intense comic, poetic, violent play which Flexible Deadlock (a part of UEA Drama Society) are staging in the round, just to add to the claustrophobia ... Flexible Deadlock were responsible for last term's remarkable production of Arthur Miller's 'After The Fall' at the Sewell Bam, but this new production is a very different kind of American play."The whole thing is about fantasy really, " says Amy Woodson (rave-reviewed as Maggie in the Miller play), who plays May a short-order cook in this new production. "May and Eddie both have these blown up fantasy ideas about each
other which have nothing at all to do with what they really are. The weird thing is that deep down they know that, but they can't helpthemselves anyway." The result is that it is never quite clear who is telling the truth and wf\o is deluding themselves. Consequently the lovers get pretty worked up, frantically moving around the room and hurling 'NOrds at each other. Jack Davenport, who plays the macho cowboy, Eddie says he finds himself exhausted at every
rehearsal due to the sheer exertion required of him. But he also thinks that the play is very subtle. "The language is very clever, even musical. lt looks simple, but it's got all sorts of things going on under the surface. And it's not all swearing like you get with David Mamet, the violence is carried in the rhythms andtheimagery." SamShepard is widely regarded as the finest American playwright of his generation, but he is still better
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known over here for his occasional roles as a movie actor. Director Steve Bottoms who is completing a PhD. thesis on Shepard's work hopes that this show will help prove just how good a writer he is. "He understands theatre, not just the literary side but the three-<limensional, human fact of it, better than anybody I know of. You have to see the plays on stage." 'Fool For Love' is at the Chaplaincy on March 4, 5 and 6 at 8pm. Tickets are £2.
Jo Rowe looks at a new film by a UEA student ·cuckoo in the Nest" is a film that has recently been directed and generally produced by up andcomingfilmmakerand UEA student Jonathan Wright in association with the Hiway Film Company. Jonathan, a Film and English Studies Major, shot the 38 minute movie in Norwich, which traces the domestic upheaval of Michael - an aspiring yet hopeless writer - who having lived contentedly with his fiance Claire and younger sister Jan, has to now contend with Jam's roguish boyfriend Danny as an unpaying and thoroughly disrespectful lodger. A sequence of events initiated by Danny - from leaving a used condom in the bath to selling one of Michael's treasured paintings - begin to turn Michael's idea of a happy home into one of terror. With the continued crying and sulking of Jan in defence of her man and the increasing lack of response from Claire, Michael begins to buckle under the pressure. He finally pulls a gun on his nightmare tenant who reveals, in explicit detail, his sexual exploits with Michael's beloved fiance.
Working on a tight budget, Jonathan Wright has certainly made a film worth watching and a lot of credit must go to his very professional editing. The actor who seemed to shine was John Hales playing the central character Michael. Although maybe having more script on which to base this character would have been advantageous; he managed to look complete ly relaxed on screen, giving us a highly convincing portrayal of a pathetic, annoying and utterly destroyed man. Parallelled with Tom Anderson's Danny, who we should really hate but don't, mainly because he is far easier to be with than Michael, the pair made for realistic enemies. Far from being boring it hurries along - sometimes overtaking itself - making for compelling viewing. Jonathan is currently trying to get his film shown on campus, in conjunction with Nexus University Television, so hopefully you should soon be able to judge the quality of the film for yourself. Look out for Hiway Film Company's next production which you can see in the summer term.
Lucia lacks a little Matt Broersma reviews the latest offeri ng from the Maddermarket Theatre One moment during the first act of the Norwich Players' production of Make Way for Lucia , John Van Dnuten's adapta ·on of the novels of E.F. Benson, defines the intent of the comedy of manners. Lucia, retreating into her parlour to "study" her 'beloved Dante," reads out a few lines in a melodious Italian; then , after a pause, comments "beautiful... I wonder what it means?" At the heart of the play is a toying with the whole idea of meaning -what separates serious drama from light entertainment? Should we look beneath the sparkling wit for something more? There's no harm in looking, but most of the fun in this staging, open to 6 March at the Maddermarket Theatre, is entirely at the surface level, in the play of words and w1ts. The action revolves around two society women in the provincial town of Tilling: Miss Mapp, a busybody who seems to have a finger in everyone's pie, and
Emmeline "Lucia" Lucas, the newco mer renting a house for the summer. Though insisting she has only a quiet season of study and "wandering in the jardino" planned , Lucia arouses Mapp's ire by getting in good with Tilling's upper crust, and before long the two are immersed in a fierce and amusing competition. Unfortunately what might have been a hilarious battle of wits between two masters of social interplay is presented instead as the difficulties of a clever woman fending off the plots of a persistent nuisance; Miss Mapp is too much the stereo typica l jealous provincial for us to see her as a real threat, while Lucia does little to endear herself to us. But despite the plodding performance in the lead role, the play has its moments of genuine wit and sel fmocking ab urdity, and brilliant character acting in supporting roles, especially
for the parts of Godiva Plaistow and Mr. Wyse, contribute to a genuinely enjoyable evening, ending with a climax funny enough to redeem the weaknesses of the preceding two and a half hours. The play may not leave you any wiser, but it carries a pleasant aftertaste.
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Contributors Happenings Editor: Darren Fisher Contributors: Jamie Putnam Ed Meikle Niall Hampton Peter Hart Simon Litton Sheldon Hall Paullynes Jo Rowe Matt Broersma
(c) 1993
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