Creator: Crying Out For Help, Inc

Subjects: Administration, People, Faculty, Students, Campus

Description: Major stories:
Afirmative Action
Campus Crime
Editorials
Viewer Mail
Dr. Andrew Barclay
Out and About
Reviews - Severed Heads, Suzanne Vega "Days of Open Hand", Glass Eyes "Hello Young Lovers"
Entertainment - Butthole Surfers, Transfixion

Date: May 2, 1990

Format: Text/pdf

Original Format: Broadside

Resource Identifier: A006361.pdf

Collection Number: Serial 990

Language: English

Rights Management: Educational use only, no other permissions given. Copyright to this resource is held by Michigan State University and is provided here for educational purposes only. It may not be reproduced or distributed in any format without written permission of the University Archives & Historical Collections, Michigan State University.

Contributing Institution: University Archives & Historical Collections

Relation: Serial 990

Text File: Download (14.85 MB)

Transcript: May
1990
Vol. I
No. 23
MSU's alternative
and truly
inde endent voice
What's shakin' :
McWilliams casts
more pearls to swine
check out his message. p. 6
oOur readers are always write ...
o Get Geeked this week, brudder .. .
o Find Out what's About, holmes .. .
o Roll over for Dog Boy ...
oOur reviews tell it all ...
O Entertainment abounds ...
p.5
p.6
p.8
p.8
p. 11
p. 9-12
Minorities charge that MSU1s
actions are not so affirmative BY STACY LAMMERS
uR-1 ISSUES CORRESPONDENT
While MSU administrators cook up ideas to
improve minority hiring on campus, area
minority groups and officials believe that
affirmative action simmers on the university's
back. burner.
Responding to an affirmative action progress
report recently outlined by the administration,
minority leaders and officials argue that
MSU has not done enough for recruitment and
retention of minority students and faculty.
"We're not ·satisfied with the results," said
Ernest Moore, MSU audiology professor and
president of the Black Faculty Administration
Association. "Minorities are being hired, but at
a low rate.
"The administration needs to balance out
the hiring."
Moore said President John DiBiaggio has
contri>uted to the problem of minority hiring on
campus He said the BFAA issued a report
card on President DiBiaggio's role in increasing
minority academic personnei at MSU.
The President's grade?
"We gave him an 'F,' "Moore. said. "The·
president has made 10 key appointments since
1985 - and not one of thbse was to an African-
American.
"He indicates support for affirmative action
but does not actively support it."
DiBiaggio could not be reached for comment.
According to MSU's 1988-89 Affirmative
Action Report, the total amount of academic
personnel increased by 111 individuals to
4, 101 from fall 1989 to fall 1990. Of those
4, 101 individuals, 438 of them are minorities,
which accounts for nearly 12 percent of total
academic personnel at MSU ..
Within the tenure system, the report shows
Total
Academic
Personnel
•4, 101 total
•483 minorities
(an increase of 10
people from Fall
1988)
•Minorities comprise
9 percent of MSU's
academic personnel
Tenure
System
•2, 112 total
•201 minorities
(an increase of 5
people from Fall
1988)
•Minorities hold 9.5
percent of MSU's
tenured positions
that African-American academic personnel
increased from 71 to 79, a nearly 4-percent
increase.
However, hiring figures for other minority
groups did not reflect that jump
According to the report, the number of
Native American academic personnel at MSU
remained at three. Hispanics hired·decreased
by about 1 percent from 19 to 18. The number
of Asiarv'Pacific Islanders hired decreased from
103 to 101, a nearly 5-percent decrease.
These figures have left Amy Purvis, president
of the Asian-Pacific American Student
Organization (APASO), dissatisfied.
"More minority faculty members need to be
hired because the students need role models,
and currently there just aren't enough," Purvis
said.
But Provost David Scott says the university
during the past year has taken extra steps to
create a diverse community among MSU
academic personnel.
In a progress review press release on affirmative
action released April 6, Scott said:
"MSU has a long history of commitment to
creating a diverse community ... But over the
last year there are clear signs of a new level of
energy and achievement."
Scott partially credits the university's
progress in hiring minorities to the MSU Institutional
Diversity: Excellence in Action (IDEA),
designed to promote diversity, excellence and
community.
Introduced about a year ago, the 50-point
IDEA plan measures the progress of the
administration on affirmative action. Some key
concerns of IDEA are: recruitment and retention
of faculty, students, and support staff;
instruction, research, and outreach; and the
academic climate itself.
According to the progress report, since
uR-1 g-aphic/M.L Eulat, artworkiSmE .IAaoNOSK1, SOI.fee: MSU See ACTION, p. 2
Don't even try missing this week's provocative Dr. Sex or dr.sexative Provocateur... p. 7
2 • university Reporter-Intelligencer 2 May 1990
From ACTION, p. 2
IDEA was set in motion 12 of the 50 initiatives
have been successfully implemented and
progress has been made on 16 others: Also,
initial action has begun on 15 more points.
"The MSU IDEA will give the university
some viable targets for achievement of diversity
on campus," said Ralph Bonner, Director of
Human Relations at MSU.
But to African-American student leader
Darius Peyton , the university's programs such
as IDEA, and statistics provided in progress
reports, only scratch the surface of minority
hiring problems facing MSU.
Peyton says more needs to be done.
"People like neat packages, and that's what
(the administration) has been giving us,"
Peyton said. "They don't want anyone to rock
the boat."
Despite efforts by the MSU administration
to progress in affirmative action, Peyton believes
administrators are going about things
the wrong way.
Moore noted that "MSU has the highest
black enrollment among Big Ten universities,"
and said of his criticism of DiBiaggio: "This is
not in any way a personal vendetta."
However, he added that affirmative action
must move ahead.
"African-Americans have a long, rich
heritage," Moore said. "We have learned both
our own and the white history.
"Majority students need to learn about (our)
background also because education is the key ·
to progress."
MSU by the numbers •••
Minorities In Tenured Positions
Asian Americans/PacHic Islanders
Fall 1988 - 103
Fall 1989 - 101
Asian/Pacific Islanders hold 4.8 percent of total
tenured positions;
African Americans
Fall 1988 - 71
Fall1989 - 79
African Americans hold 3. 7 percent of total
tenured positions;
Hispanics
Fall 1988 - 19
Fall1989 - 18
Hispanics hold .9 percent of total tenured positions;
American Indians
Fall1988 - 3
Fall 1989 - 3
American Indians hold .1 percent of total tenured
positions
TOTAL TENURED POSITIONS AT MSU, FALL
. 1989: 2, 112. The number of tenured minorities
Minority students at MSU
African Americans
Fall 1988 - 2,703_
Fall 1989 - 2,865
Asian Americans/PacHic Islanders
Fall 1988 - 797
Fall 1989-858
. Hispanics
Fall 1988-385
Fall 1989 - 405
Chicano/Mexican
Fall 1988 - 227
Fall 1989 - 256
American Indian/Alaskan Native
Fall 1988 - 145
Fall 1989 - 160
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MINORlnES AT MSU
INCREASED FROM 4,257 IN FALL 1988 to 4,544
IN FALL 1989, AN INCREASE OF .6 PERCENT. .
MINORlnES COMPRISED 10.6 PERCENT OF
MSU's STUDENT BODY IN FALL 1989.
increased by 2.6 percentin 1989, from 196 to 201 SOUCE: MSU
there are many worthy organizations at MSU that ~eed energetic and enthusiastic
volunteers to help them achieve their honorable and selfless missions, enriching us all
among them Is the uR-1,
which Is looking for
people to fill positions
as:
•advertising account
executives;
•news, issues, and entertainment
correspondents;
•photographers;
•artists;
•graphic designers (must
know pagemaker 3.02);
•graphic artists;
•distribution personnel;
•typists;
•accountants;
•libel lawyers;
•and jes' plain folks.
Residence Halls Sign Up For Fall 1990
During Spring Term 1990
SIGN UP LOCATIONS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN EACH RESIDENCE HALL
OFF-CAMPUS STUDENTS AND UNIVERSITY APARTMENTS STUDENTS
Sign up for Residence Halls on Wed. May 2 and Thu. May 3.
Application must first be made and a housing application fee of $25 paid at the Residence Halls
Assignments Office, University Housing Building on Service Road 355-7460
8:30 am-4:30 pm
The Housing Contract is in effect for the entire academic year.
Returning students must sign the housing contract when making a room reservation.
Spring - term graduates are eligible to reserve a space in Owen Graduate Center
Roommate requests: i
On-campus roommate requests must have paperwork completed by May 15. /
Roommate choices of students currently living off campus or new to the University
will be honored if their housing applications are,on file in the Residence Halls Aslsignments Office by May 15.
Cancelling a reservation automatically cancels any roommate request.
Voluntary triples cannot be reserved during sign-up. ,
Space cannot be reserved in more than one hall. Applicants may make a change after cancelling the first reservation in
person.
Buying, selling or signing over housing space Is a violation of the haousing contract and the University reserves the right to
cancel any reseervatlons made in this manner.
Cancellations of fall term reservations and contracts must be made by Aug.1. Students that do not cancel their reservations
by that date and enroll for classes will be financially responsible according to the terms of the housing contract.
university Reporter-Intelligencer
Page Three
The Second Front Page
Campus Watch keeps an· eye peeled for crime
.I - .
BY CHRIS KLAVER
uR-1 SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
ment.
"That's all we are, is eyes and
ears," he said. ·
Officers also become part of
year in Holden Hall.
"Somebody ... took the TV from
a (resident,assistant's) room, and
The recent wave of thefts at somebody saw it going down the
Michigan State University has
some students scared that they
will be the next victims.
One group of students, however,
is taking an-active role in
ending the crime wave - the Loss
Prevention/Campus Watch Program.
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Campus Watch, modeled after
the nationwide Neighborhood
Watch, organizes students to help
them more effectively protect their
own and other persons' property.
"The basic object of the group
is students helping students," said
Steve' salter, captain for Campus
Watch at Wilson Hall.
:::::::::::::::::::·:·:.:.s.·§~~~§Q::::10·$.$:::.:":.·:-::: .. ::.:::::::::::::::-::::::::--·-:::::::_:::::-_:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::.:::·::::::::::::::::::\.:..\\\
Salter, who joined the group in
Holden Hall last year after being
robbed by his roommate, said all
members go through a short
tra\n\nc;;l sess\on. Members are
taught the important things to look
for at the scene of a crime, such
as descriptions of people involved
, the time_ the incident c1ccurred
and mem6ry techniques to avoid
forgetting things before the information
can be written down.
--·
Group members, called officers,
also are taught how to ask
witnesses about what happened to
help them get the information
correct.
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Salter said officers also can the telephone network within their
receive seH-defense training. The hall, Salter said. If something
group currently is working on happens on the floor, all the
providing CPR training. officers in the hall, as well as the
Campus Watch officers are police and the hall management,
strictly observers, Salter said. can be notified quickly and be on
They do not have the power to the lookout for the persons inarrest
anyone, he said, adding volved.
they only can repo~ what they see Salter said the network helped
to the police or the hall manage- - to thwart at least one theft last
stairwell (on) about the fifth floor,"
he said. "Through the phone tree,
_ by the time they got down to the
second floor, somebody was
down there and intercepted it."-
As well .as being eyes and
ears, the officers also work to
educate their neighbors on how to
protect themselves from theft and
attack both in and out of the hall.
One of the programs the group
is working on in Wilson Hall is
called Operation Identification.
Officers go door to door throughout
the halLwith engravers to allow
- studerits to mark valuables.
Salter said all valuables should
be marked with a driver's license
number so that if they are stolen
and recovered, police can quickly
identify the owner. The numbers
are part of a nationwide computer
system, and the owner could be
.found by any police agency in the
country.
The group also is trying to organize
a buddy system for people
walking on campus at night.
- The individual officers help by
organizing floor meetings to pass
on information to the residents.
Officer Maureen Hall, the Department
of Public Sat ety community
officer for Wiison, Holden,
Wonders and Case halls, said the
group alsq has helped to reduce
the amount of vandalism and
damage in the halls.
As well as working with fellow
students, Campus Watch officers
work closely with DPS and the hall
management both to learn more
about preventing-crime within the -
halls and to help identify and solve
security problems throughout the
campus.
Campus Watch was started in
1987 by DPS Sgt. David Trexler.
Most of the individual ·groups have
been organized by a DPS officer,
but there are some groups operating
independently, Hall said.
Anyone_ interested in joining or
starting a Campus Watch group
should contact DPS.
If you mlsse.d last week's - -or any other week's - uR-1, back copies are available free of
char9e _fro~ our offices at 142 Gurison street, East l.Qnsing, Ml 4882~.
e
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uR-1 artwork/STEVE JABLONOSKI
Let's put the affirmative back ·.
into the term Affrimative Action
For years, discrimination has
pervaded and undermined American
institutions, blocking progress and
creating practical and moral dilemmas
for hundreds of thousands.
In response, programs such as
Affirmative Action were constructed
and implemented to cure some of the
social ills in a country where a man or
woman's skin color could lock them
into a dead end job - a one-way
licket to nowhere, purchased at birth
and stamped by a narrow-minded
moron with fair skin and unfair ideas.
But universities are the exception,
are they not?
Here, we are more enlightened
and receptive to new ideas, right? _
One of our best presidents was
black, wasn't he?
Well, yes.
So why is it that when we see our
top administrators in the newspapers
and on television that they have one
unmistakable trait in common - white
skin. ·
Oh, there is Lee June and Moses
Turner, but June is a relative newcomer
to his position and Turner is far
too often pointed to as "Our Black .
Administrator."
. We have no need for tokens, and
are disgusted at the 'cynicism behind
the constant use of Individual ex- ·
am pies to say, "Look, we are helping
our poor black brothers by letting one
of thsm work with some of us:
And, we are alarmed that minority
administrators are often chosen to
deal with minority or "specialty" affairs
- as if those matters were too trivial
for a white man to deal with. · Certainly,
belonging to a specific group
gives one a valuable inside perspective,
but to imply that only a minority
can care about ·or comprehend
minority -issues is a sad statem~nt
about how much effort the administration
is willing to put into learning about
new areas and new experiences.
Where do we get the idea that
affirmative action is neither affirmative
nor very activ·e at MSU?
Do we hang around the Administration
Fortress drinking sOdas in the
wood-paneled offices of MSU's ·
rulers?
l;iave we examined the official
photos of MSU's brass?
No, unlike the administration, we
listened to one of the voices in our
own backyard.
Ernest Moore, an MSU audiology
professor and president of the Black
Faculty Administration Association,
said his organization was unsatisfied
with President John DiBiaggio's .
affirmative action efforts.
'We gave him an 'F;' " Moore said.
"The president has made 1 o key
appointments since 1985 - and not
one of those· was to an AfricanAmerican.
"He indicates support for affirmative
action but does not actively
· support it."
This, we f~ar, is true.
·it is time to end tokenism and start
taking action - Affirmative Action,
that is.
the
university
Reporter-Intel I igencer
. 2 -May-1990
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2 May 1990 university Reporter-Intelligencer • 5
Hillel demands
apology from uR-1
Dear Ms. Baldas:
It is the hateful myth that the
Jews control the media. But this is
the impr~ssion that the uR-1
reinforced when on April 11th it
published "Walkout Rocks State
News." Because uR-/failed to
check the veracity of MSU NAACP
President Jeffrey Robinson's
assertion that Hillel sent Editor-InChief
John Secor to Israel, uR-1
gave creedence to Robinson's
insinuation that Secor biased his
paper's coverage on Farrakhan as
a return favor to Hillel.
The fact is that Hillel did not
send Secor to Israel and that
Secor owes us nothing. Secondly
we've yet to learn how The State
News' coverage on Farrakhan was
biased to begin with. Bigotry in
whatever form should be uncovered
and repud\a\ed. uR~f's own
editorial acknowledged that Farrakhan
scapegoated Jews during his
MSU speech. So any prior coverage
that focused on Farrakhan's
statements with regards to Jews .
and Judiasm were unfortunately
warranted.
By not balancing it's coverage
and checking its facts, the uR-1, in
its April 11th edition, serious
insulted the Jews on campus and
slandered Hillel, Secor and The
State News. A correction is in
order.
Sincerely,
Dr. Mark Finkelstein
Executive Director Hillel
Jewish Student Center
Robinson did assert, incorrectly,
that Hillel paid for
Secor's trip to Israel. It was, in
fact, the 4nti-Defamation
League that funded his trip - a
fact the uR-1 pointed out this
fall. We apologize to Hillel for
any inconvenience or anguish
Robinson's published comment
may have caused.
On the other hand, we believe
that our April 11th story
was meticulously fair and gave
both sides of the issue equal
space and opportunity to state
their cases. The question of
which group - Hillel or the
Anti-Defamation League - paid
for Secor to visit Israel was not
as crucial as the question of
was Secor biased because he
accepted a. free trip from a
special interest group? We
stand by our story and appreciate
Dr. Finke/stein's comments.
-ed.
r••••••••••••••••••••••··-~ ·I Reader Response Card I
I I
I Something on your mind? Got to say something and say it for I
I 10,000 people to see? Out of stationery? Well, then, this is I
I the ticket for you. I
- . I Yep, Clem, it's the uR-1 reader response card in which you en I
I let us have it or PRAISE us without having to waste any of I
I your own trees. Think of it as premature recuycling of the ole I
I uR-1. I
I Please, write us! I
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-~ .. I
,-:itJ!J?:~!;.r;I:~Tul~:i::: . Yourname · I
;:~ .·W:ti/:4)$}} • •·---------------------.1
:~ .
. . . ::;
Congratulations are truly in order George - you've become the first Geek to
repeat, garnering Geek 'o the Week dishonors for the second time this year!
If only the football team could put that kind of winning streak together.
But whyfor are you scorned encore?
Simple: Even DiB won't have anything to do with you, as we saw when the
newspapers printed a letter in which he rejected the olive branch you extended.
He doesn't even want bowl watches or sovenirs anymore!
Sheesh!
Ever feel like a bastard at a fami.ly reunion, Geo?
Guess what, you're half right.
Only this ain't no family reunion.
See you in the Toilet Bowl, puddin' head.
6 • university Reporter-Intelligencer '"' 2 May 1990
Sorry, Geo; book idea has to go
M.L.
Elrick
NO WAY, Brudder!
That's what I told the former
Jets' coach when he approached
me about ghostwriting his autobiography
after the Green and White
Game.
You see, it seems the big guy
had seen what Mitch Alborn had
done for Bo Schembechler -what
with his best-selling autobiography
and all- and he wanted some
green and white for himself.
Some of that mean green - but
of course not LEAN green.
But, I digress.
A wise man capitalizes on
fleeting fame, or infamy, as the case
maybe.
So George sat and sat and sat
and sat and sat and sat and sat and
sat and sat and sat and sat and
Tom
* McWilliams
lW• So some of you don't believe
that our rights are actually
endangered. "Government is
necessary to· protect The People."
It is true that Government exists to
provide for so-called National
Defense, and to povide a system
of justice for contract disputs and
aggressors of human rights
(killers, rapists, robbers). But thi
does not protect "The People."
"The People" is an almost
meaningless phrase that can .only
be interpreted as meaning a group
of individuals, usually many
millions of individuals. No one can
possible judge the feeling and
opinions of a group of millions of
decided to try a forward pass and
sat and sat and sat and forgot about
this season's pass and sat and sat
and sat and had a thought.
A thought?!
Sure, he thought, why shouldn't
he, Big George, a hero after all, he
reasoned, pen his autobiography
(with someone else's pen, of
course).
So I said, "Yep, today coaches
get big bucks for other things like
shoe contracts, threatening boosters,
television shows, etc., so why
not the proceeds of a book about his
illustrious career as a man, husband,
father, and coach?"
That comment didn't sit well, but
the coach soon swallowed his anger
(alorig with three pizzas) and was
again misty-eyed pitching his book.
"What about Geo?" he asked,
hoping to capitalize on a name for
the tome that would reflect the brief,
snappy title of Schembechler's
successful scroll.
I told him it was good that they
both began with a consonant and
ended with a vowel, but other than
that, I wasn't too keen on the title . .
I made my pitch for something
more characteristic of the jolly green
average-sized man.
"How 'bout They Weren't Heavy,
They're My Brudders, Brudder," I
proposed.
George said that title excited
him as much as not running up the
middle, so we dropped the idea.
But the title could wait, this
would be no simple task. In addition
to telling his story, George thought
we might want to include some
helpful hints at the back of the book
for aspiring athletes and coaches.
Now, I told Geo he was on the
right track
He suggested things like keeping
good family values, maintaining
a relationship with God, working
hard, finishing school, etc.
"Don't forget to mention how to
deal with the media and how to
smuggle contraband into incarcerated
student-athletes," I reminded .
him, conveniently remembering not
to note that student-athlete was a
textbook example of an oxymoron.
On a roll, I quickly followed up
with: "Or helpful fashion tips (tan on
green is almost as good as tan on
tan) and how to show mercy to an
inferior opponent by refusing to let
one drug-infested miscreant run
across their goal line repeatedly."
Ignoring the low growling I heard
coming from his general direction, I
gave the coach a few more ideas for
the book:
"Why not include chapters on
dealing gracefully with criticism;
working within an ir:istitution; building
successful relationships with administrators;
and how to gain 30
pounds, lose most of your hair, get
zits and get mean in a few short
days," I inquired.
. Now a little advice for inquiring
minds ... George is a fat, middleaged
man, but one who still has a
little quickness.
As soon as I put my head back
on, we ended our meeting with little
resolved and no publishing contract
in any stage of preparedness.
Slowly, I left the shrine in Duffy
Daugherty, admiring the awards and
photos of Spartan glory.
Behind me sat a great man.
A man who has been through a
lot lately.
A man with something streaming
sadly down his face.
Yes, behind me sat a great man
who has been through a lot, now
drowning in a pool of his own drool.
How's this for a title: Yeech.
Elrick tries to design the uR-1.
That's right kiddies ... it's Pravda!
people, as if it were a single entity.
This is simply because every
person has unique feelings,
opinions, and judgments about
nearly everything. What is good
for me may suck for you. What
you consider decent, others may
think obscene.
It is because of this subjectivity
regarding what is good, decent,
and fair, that our laws must be
based in some original
assumptions regarding what is
good, decent and fair. The system
that America was originally
designed around was one of
"Natural Law." This is simply the
believe that each of us owns
ourselves. This also includes
those things which are inseparable
from us: our bodies, actions,
thoughts, and property. ·
Government was originally built to
make sure that no one, through
force, fraud, or intimidation, would
interfere with our ability to dispose
of, as we wish, our bodies,
property or labor. And this meant
no one. No justification could
exist, under natural law, for the
violation of your natural rights. Yet
now, Government is the force
doing the violating, and a nonexistent
entity, "The People," is the
rationale.
Consider homosexuality.
Having sex with someone of the
same sex is everyone's right. If
both parties consent, they have
the right to do what they want with
their bodies. But some politicians
have passed laws against this act.
Whether you want to have
homosexual relations is
immaterial. It is your natural right,
should you choose to do so. This
law hasn't helped "The People." It
has violated the rights of
everyone. It's just that some
people don't mind, since it
involves something they ha~n't
planned to do in the first place.
In the same light, it is your
right to not wear a seat belt, or
helmet; or to buy what you want
with your money; or to own
whatever weapon you care to
have if /OU are responsible with it.
For the Government to make laws
. contrary to these truths is illegal
and immoral, for it implies that .
they own you (and, by implication,
your property I money I anc;t labor).
' You can learn what it means to
have force used against you for
acting as though you own yourself.
Just try growing marijuana; not
filling out government forms;
working without a social security
card; refusing the draft; being a
prostitute; owning a dog, car or
business without a license; owning
land or a house without
inspections or property tax; putting
"drugs" in yourself; having sex
except in governmentally .
approved "moral" ways; hanging
around naked; swearing on the
radio; or teaching your kids at
home.
And this is only the beginning
of abuses which the Government
has created. Aggressions which
the founding fathers tried to
prevent by creating our present
system of Government are now
perpetrated by that same
Government. To believe
otherwise is to ignore reality.
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•
2 May 1990 university Reporter-Intelligencer • 7
Or.Andrew
Barclay
I ; I
Life imitates
art in real life
Fatal Attraction
scenario
Dear Dr. Sex:
I am friends with a guy who is
having a terrible time breaking up with
a former girlfirend. She drops over to
his apartment whenever she is "in the
neighborhooo" any time, day or night,
without warning. She has told him if
she finds another woman there or if
she even hears he is dating someone
else, she knows she won't be able to
handle it. Honestly, Dr. Barclay, she
says she can't live without him and
that she is going to commit suicide if
he qits seeing her. He is being torn
up by worry and quilt over the
situation. Do you think she wold really
kill herself over a broken college
relationship? What if he has another
woman over and she does commit
suicide because she hears of it? Is he
then responsible for her death? It's a
terrible situation, what can he do, what
should he do? Thanks.
Dana
Dear Dana:
Was his former girlfriend this way
before they went to see Glenn Close
in Fatal Attraction? I define this
•
the
Welcome back snivelling snot
suckers! Another week of reek to
behavior as an over-extensino of ego
boundaries in that the partners
enlarge their egos to include the other
person's. It is neither positive nor
healthy, even in marriage, because it
means one partner is using their
pesonal power to control the
relationship, a situation I call the
TYRANNY OF THE WEAK.
In the movie, when Glenn Close
(superficially) slashed her wrists to
make Michael Douglas stay and he
held her until she felt better, I leaned
ove rand said to Stephanie: "That
was a serious error on his part." Of
course, people three rows ahead
turned around and said, "SHUT UP!"
When she began to pull this crap, he
had to look her right in th eye and say,
"HEY! I don't take this!" and run, not
walk, to the nearest exit. Of course, if
he had done this, the movie wold have
ended right there. Which is exactly
my point.
The moment anyone allows
another person to control their
behavior by manipulative shit, the
relationsihp is dead. Get out before it
begins to stink, it is only going to get
worse. Cut your losses, back out,
don't try to help because you can't.
Anyone who stoops to this level of
childish manipulation is operating out
of a. feeling of total lack of control and
self-esteem. They need immediate
professional help and all the support
and/or talking you might give them will
only make your life worse, plus you
aren't doing a damned thing for them.
Are yoiu a mental health
professioanl? Are you charging them
an hourly rate? And if.you are, you
had better not be sexually involved
with them because they are your
damned CLIENT!
Fatal Attraction is about a person
whose life is so empty, they only want
to die to end the pain. If Michael
Douglas had let her commit suicide
(assuming that was her intent with the
wrist-slashing, although I doubt it
really was), his family wold have been
spared a lot of (her) pain. He could
have taken responsibility for hi sown
behavio by walking away but·by
allowing the manipulation, he became
the agent of her Karma. (According to
many Eastern ph11osopnies, IT you
save someone, you take responsibility
for his or her life. He saved he rat that
moment so he and his wife could kill
her later, only he didn't know it.)
It also would have ended the
game immediately if he had told his
wife what had happened the moment
his happy home was threatened. But
because he was such a wimp, he
prolonged the game and allowed her
to act as if she actually deserved his
attention (a lot like George Bush and
the Savings and Loan fiasco. Watch
George and his merry men have to
blow this shit out of the water).
Back in the olden days, when I
was dating around, as it were, even
kindly old Dr. Sex occasionally ran
into someone who thought they were
in love because they never felt such
an intense level of sexual response. If
I broke a date because I was going
toone of our graduate student Mazola
parties and did not need a partner,
they wyould pull this kind of shit: "I
can't live without you," they would so, .
"life is empty without you. I'm going to
kill myself."
If we were talkin on th ephone, I
would hang up immediately. If the
peson called back, I would hang up
again and not answer the phone or
ask my.next-door neighbor to come
over to take the call. She had a great,
sexy phone-voice and would make it
clear that we were involved in
something really good. "I'm sorry;
she would say "his mouth is full right
now. He can't come to the phone, if
you get my drift." Sort of like that
great scene in Deep Throat where
Linda Lovelace arrives home from the
doctor's office to find her roommate on
the kitchen table, smoking a cigarette,
being lingually manipulated by the
grease-ball grocery delivery boy. (D_id
you know that our word lecher comes
from the lndo-European root meaning
''to lick?" Keep it in mind guys.)
Once, I had someone threaten me
right in my own apartment. I couldn't
believe it. It was the next morning
after the night before. I was leaving to
meet another date across town.
When she told me she planned to kill
herself, I ran into the bathroom to get
me pacKage oT single-edged razor
blades I kept on hand for just such an
emergency, that and snake bites, if
you know what I mean. As I pressed
them into her hand, I instructed her to
bend her hand toward her hand
because this movement exposes the
radial artery and makes cutting it
much easier. As I ran out the door I
said, "Please do it in the bathtub
because my landlord will keep my
damage deposit if you get blood all
over the carpet. Blood stains are hell
to get out." I never did find out what
happened and would you believe she
stole my single-edge blades too? I
will never understand women. Give
them great sex·one night and they
steal your razor blades the next day.
But I digress. Tell your friend he
needs a new lover right now. Hit the
bards, drag the gutters, whatever he
has to do to get someone to be with
whenever she "drops in." If you
happen to be there, answer the phone
and pretend she has interrputed
serious love-making or come to the
bedroom door in a set of garters and
edible underwear you keep around for
just such an occasion.
It is extremely important to show.
manipulative ex-lovers that the
relationship is overand no amount of
manipulation will bring it back again.
A weak, uncertain, or ambivalent
response only prolongs the agony.
Let me also point out this behavior is
not a female behavior pattern by any
means. Men also try this type of
manipulative ploy when they can't get
their own way in a relationship. My
female informants havementiond
experiencing exactly the same type of
behavior with cast-off male sex
partners.
Each of us, though, is responsible
for his· or her own behavior. No one is
responsible for another's (adult)
behavior and I guess that's my real
point. Whatever she does in response
to his telling her firmly and directly that
the relationship is OVER, FINNITO,
POR LA VENT ANA is her
responsibility and no one else's.
Rejection is a normal part of adult life
and we have to be prepared for it
when it happens.
C'mon, nothing. is sacred, you cow!
distribute to you admiring peons.
But that's okay, there's plenty of
guano to go around (in fact, did you
know that guano was a leading
export of a South American country
at one time? And no, there is no
Provocia in the sub-equator region).
'
I must be getting soft or stupid;
imagine, t,Ying to enlighten you
cementheads with a little geography!
Well, let's see if you can find
this: Read on for about 20 inches,
take a left, tum on the light (it's just
inside the door), step forward four
paces, lift the seat, and deliver
yourseff over to the glistening
porcelin where you will find a nice
swirlie!
And since we're near the
subject of the bowl and what goes
there, here goes this •••
At 8~1_ 5 p.m. Sunday night, my big
sis and I decided to spend our Earth
Evening throwing non-degradable
styrofoam bricks at hippies. That got
dull, so we headed over to the computer
lab at the union (I just love
running up and down the. halls there).
But things at the lab sure weren't
dull.
My sis got dissed by one of the
monitors - who, incidentally DO NOT
CONSULT, and are very proud of this
ignorance-rich adage.
She lost her ID card, and like so
many others shouted, "I lost my l.D.
card, and at the price of over $1,000
per term for books and tuition, I refuse
to spend even another $6 of my
money to buy a replacement just to
prove I actually attend this fine
institution - here's my fee receipt
card and my driver's license - I know
that's acceptableW
But the guy from some planet
near the Crab Nebula reminded her:
"Da signa say l.D.! You canna call
computa center Monday!"
Then - her face went stern like
when she still lived at home and I
See BILE, p. 9
OUT and
eeeeeeeeeeoeeoooeeeeeeee ABOUT
.EAST LANSING 9: Rich & Mo Del Grosso, Howard
Armstrong & Robert Jones
®ll@@llll IP>@@ll
2-6 May: Uptown Band
7: Blue Avenue Delegates
8: Capitol City Band
9-13: Uptown Band
l:!ll@C;J@ ~II'~ C@ll\li@ll'
now-13 May: Images of an Idyllic
Past: The photographs of Edward S.
Curtis
now-13: Masters of Fine Arts
Exhibition
IJ.im!llliG!cDuulk
4-5 May: Souvenir
8: Born Naked
U;ilhHimllll~imcHc Gnow-4 May: photographs by Dan
Williams
7: photographs by Stephen Strom
IMl5&9 May: La Traviata
IMl$lllJ ~1111iGJnft@11h11m
5 May: Oliver North
Mi~!l!l IJJJll\ln@ll\l
TONIGHT: They Might
Be Giants
IMl1111•lc ~1111UiUUllllSJ
~@ r n 1111 m
4 May: Ruddigore
l:llelk'•
2 May: No Right No Wrong
3: Born Naked
4: Trinidad Tripoli Steel Band
6: Freeman and the Chasers
7: The Others
8: Turning Minnows into Whales
9: Third Estate
~UW@ll' ©@OO1-6 May: Mariner
8-13: Kody Lee
Wllilim11ft@llll C@llll~@ll'
2 May: Jerry Herman's Broadway
Years
3: Young People's Concert II with
Greater Lansing Symphony Orchestra
5: Greater Landing Symphony
Orchestra with Renaud Chamber
Orchestra
~ANN ARBOR
'ii'Gil@ ~
2 May: Toumani Diabate
3: Loudon Wainwright Ill
4: Robin & Linda Williams
5: Loudon Wainwright Ill
6: afternoon - Reel World string
Band's Children's Show
evening - Reel World string
Band
8: Dove Van Ronk
§Dll'\'iil @(J i;>@J11©1\'iillle@
2-3 May: Ron Brooks Trio
4-5: Betty Joplin with the Ron
Brooks Trio
6: Clark & Reed Jam Session (jazz
musicians welcome)
7: The 2-5-1 Orchestra
8: Keller & Kocher Quartet
9-10: Ron Brooks Trio
§ODllil\'iil lrlll@
2 May: Stir Crazy
~OQIJI}?) illJ@O<§l@OI}?)@~
4 May: Agitpop with Goober & the
Peas
8: The Melvins with Mol Triffid
IMJD©llilD@©Jllil ~e
11 May: Little Feat
~OWDV, KID.SI I
WANT Y'ALL TO
MEET L>0680Y.'
MEY, CHECK IT OUT!
DOG SOY'S SMOWIN'
EVERYONE MIS
SCARf
~D©lk8a
2 May: J.D. Lamb
3: Trinidad Tripoli
4-5: First Light
8: Beer on the-Penguin
9: The Hannibals
.. DETROIT
~\'fO!lil ...
2 May: Tacha & Friends
3: Only a Mother with Pluto Gang
4: Firehose
II.Don ... au
4 May: Frank Allison & the Odd Sox
5: Walk the Dogma
~ IMl©J~De , .
5 May: Sweet Alice with Dirty
Deeds and Kiss' d
Ml, RALPl-4 ...
~W©llil@@lka
3 May: Vudu Hippies
4: Elvis Hitler with Inside Out
5: Junk Monkeys with Happy Tom &
Happy Accident
~~~
3 May: The Jones
$1} .. ~ll'@W.
5 May: Social Distortion with Gang
Green and The Almighty
Lumberjacks of Death ·
'
~©'f/©10 ©>©Ilk IMJlllllill@ Th@©Jflll'@
8 MOy: Chick Corea Electric Band
. dflkr
WE'LL START
WITM TWO
PINK FUZZIES ...
MMM ... A
FUZZY DRINK ...
TMAT .SOUND.S
GOOD!
2 May 1990 university Reporter-Intelligencer • 9
From TRANFIXION, p. 12
on their own, integration has been
· much easier.
The duo works together to create
·the new Transfixion sound.
Altho.ugh both have their own
areas of specialty, each utilizes
the other's ideas. And the
combination of these two
produces a single sound that eyen
they can't categorize. ·
"Our sound fits so many markets;
it's open to a lot of different
tastes," Walker,said.
Walker comes from a family of
motown and jazz singers. She
said she's been influenced by
Grace Jones, Annie Lennox and
Barbara Streisand, to name a
few.
She's a little shy when her vocals
are brqught into conversation
though. Walker has a hard time
taking compliments al'.ld although
her voice is strong and beautiful,
she feels she "still has a lot to
work at.''
Frederickson said he grew up
listening to pop oriented
experimental synth bands such as
the Human League. He had
always dreamed of one day
owning and playing thEt same
electric machines.
Well, his dreams have come true,
From BILE, p. 7 -
made sure Mom saw t_hose detention
slips in her notebook - and she
calmly said "I want your name.·
But, I still don't think it was
actually necessary for that little man to
threaten to call DPS. I mean, really,
any good NRA member could have
seen that the uzi wasn't loaded.
And as she was mumbling about
how MSU Is a cardinally knowing
institution serving to perpetuate its
own existance (and those who financially
support that existance) but not
the ideas which founded it, we drove
passed Uncle Georgie P's house.
and quite thoroughly. ·
Computers and keyboards and
cables, oh my!
Frederickson's set-up includes a
Roland 050 digital synthesizer, a
Transfix ion
prophet 2000 sampler, a Roland
RS Human Rythm Composer, and
a Casio LZ 5000 synthesizer and
they're all run by the Macintosh
master traks pro sequencing
Peacefully, he was just setting
down a bag of chemical fertilizer and
was getting ready to install the ceramic
law-boy that looked just like
DiBiaggio. We honked, and he
waved. What a guy! What a school!!
What.an Earth Day!!!
But let's not get carried away ..
.there's lots of goodies at MSU.
Goodies like the Faculty/Staff Golf
Club, which is taking applications for
1990!
"All retirees and spouces are
eligible to apply, as well as· current
faculty and staff members and .their
software. Say that in one breath.
With all this advanced equipment,
the band works hard to stay away
from the press-one-button-and-
. make-a-song stereotype.
uR-1 photo/JULIAN TRACY
Frederickson said today's top 40 is
increasingly keyboard oriented,
"but nobody is taking the time to
learn how to use them. We work
100 percent to give our music a .
spouces. Membership will be limited
to the first 100 applications:
Hmmmm, seems they left out
students.
· You know, the blokes that paid for
· the joint. ,
That better change by the time-I
get here ...
Another time that better start
achangin' is this Blind Pig madness!
If the city is so low on cops, why
do they have to spend all their time
chasing down football players having
parties?
I mean, now that Blake "Coach, I
TllE CLYDESl)i\LE
----c---- ------------------ UI\ f.f NOT All IN
~ • • CJ£ SWIG!!
. TWU-~
ltOHl. AT CKE
ax.tJ) SE M.UaOZN ..
human feel."
Being in East Lansing has helped
them work on this aspect of their
music. Although the market isn't
as glamorous as big city life, it's
given the band time to develop
their style.
"It you're going to make it in New
York or Chica99, you have to copy
your competition," Walker said.
Although Walker and Frederickson
are here now, they've got big
plans.
"We sent our tape out to 16
recording companies, and we're -
expecting responses soon,"
Walker said excitedly.
Transfixion's touring plans are just
as big, meaning no more live
performances for East Lansing.
Our next chance to see them will
be at a stop during a national tour,
according to Frederickson and
Walker.
Frederickson promises a full band
and lots of theatrics. "It will be
more of a show, rather a musical
performance."
But for now, the only way'you can
dance to the new T ransfixion
sound is to buy their tape from
Wherehouse Records-.
Just Sniffed Up the 50-yard Line" Ezor
is in (appropriately) the MILE HIGH
Stadium we can all rest assured that
East Lansing will snore, er, rest, in
peace.
Heil!
Weren't you fellahs surprised by
George "Gimme Some Lovin' From
the Oven· Perlas' letter to President
John "No Garlic, And Get Those
Damn Crosses Outta Here, Too, Igor"
DiBiaggio?
I mean, who knew the guy could
write?!
by JONT
.-9UR1••1
Air:" Ji.JET
HY LWE fl
... ~. UH-DH.
\
..
10. university Reporter-Intelligencer - 2 May 1990
Hey, just because-they're indl:lstriaL ..
. o· 't th . 't t some industrial .skulls on it (the
BYSTEPHANIERAE oesn mean ey can ge COVer)andmakeitblack. That'llsell
uR-1 MUSIC CORRESPONDENT . d h . a lot of records!' And 'Let's call
DETROIT - Tom Ellard and
Stephen Jones of Severed Heads
are not your usual industrial band,
not In appearance, performance, ar
personality. They demonstrated that
recently, when they performed at the
Majestic with opening.band MC 900
Ft. Jesus and DJ Zero.
"I feel as though I am inside a
giant mouth," Ellard said from the
inverted stage at the beginning of
the Apri I 13 show. His partner
nodded from across the stage. They
were on opposite sides, with two
movie screens flashing videos .
behind them.
The visual entertainment was in
the videos, not the band, as they
really didn't leave the spots they
started from. Ellard kept the heavy
beat going with his drum machine,
while performing the spacey melodic
sounds. with the eerie vocals that
characterize Severed Heads today.
Jones ran the video equipment.
They were very colorful and 'abstract
videos, using more graphic art than
straight filming.
"We do all the videos ourselves,"
Ellard said. "MTV is just starting to
play them; like "Big Car" is out right
now, but we've got over five hours
worth of video-more than you can
shake a stick at."
This style of performing is a
more recent development for them.
Severed Heads has actually been
around for more than a decade.
. "Severed Heads Is a band that's
been going on since 197,9," said
Ellard. "I joined around that time.
Two other guys left and another guy
joined, then another guy joined and
another guy left, and Stephen came .
in and this other guy left, and this
has been going on for a long while.
"If you watch Dallas, there's
episode 1,2;3,4,5 . .. well, we consider
this the same sort of thing.
What you see here is what's been
happening since about 1985."
Ellard and Jones must be the
right combination. Their popularity is
growing stronger and stronger, .
especially with their latest album,
Rotund for Success. It contains two
alternative dance hitswith "All
Saints Day" and "Greater Reward."
The album Is getting heavy play
on college radio stations, as well as
personal systems. But what really·
makes this one stand out In a record
store ls Its cover. It's a giant orange
pumpkin against a black cosmic
background.
"Anecdote number 26 coming
up," said Ellard. "What was going on
was that the local record company
was going 'It's (Rotund for Success)
ahead - a severed hea ' t at IS ourselvesTenlnchDlldosor
not fat enough.' This ·made my head
go, 'What do you mean fat?! What is
this fat? Fat bass? Fat...fat.. .fat.'
"I'm walking down the road
going 'fat, fat, fat, fat.' I got this .
postcard from this guy from Morton,
Illinois that had all these pumpkins
all over it. The annual pumpkin
festival is there, you know? And he
wrote to say he was really disgusted
because the Morton High School
Cheerleading Squad was working
out a routine to one of our songs. He
thought that was the end of everything.
"So I'm looking at this post card
thinking,• Fat, fat, fat...fat!' and
there was no other possibility. It just
had to be a pumpkin on the cover.
We're not very sensible when doing
these things.
"Nettwerk was saying,• You
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. about The Bagel Fragel? ·
a. The superhip patio for
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b. The handy dandy ultra-
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c. The prices, man! The prices!
d. Last time I was there
Elvis ordered 12 doggels ... to
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r ii41b. c;;'~;d-B'e';f1
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know, you'd sell a lot more t-shirts if
. you didn't have a pumpkin on it.'
Fuck the t-shirts! I'd ~th~r have a
pumpkin. It's different and that's it.
We're not going to pretend to be
another one of these Gothic disco
bands."
Ellard and Jones seem very
sensitive to the industrial stereotypes.
More than once in conversation,
they ripped on this or that.
"Severed Heads is the kind-of
name that people expect you to be
one of these thrash bands, like what
Ministry is pretending to be at the
moment," said Ellard. "The two ·
people that are up there are not
eating nails for breakfast, and don't
squash small chHdren under steam
rollers and all the stuff that other
bands are supposed to do.
"We don't think, 'Uh, we'll put
something.'"
So what do they do back in
Australia?
"I run a television/video production
facility for corporate video," said
Jones. "I make a lot of clips and
things. Tom makes Severed Heads."
"I ~leep a lot, cook breakfast, .
wash up," said Ellard. "You know, I
get work from somewhere every
now and then. But the records do.
OK. I mean, this is not Bon Jovi, but
there's enough money in it to keep
going, which is really good.
"If I'm really poor, some work will
turn up somewhere, and then·it's
rosy for quite a while. That's probably
the best answer."
Definitely not Bon Jovi, Severed
Heads is definitely not your typical
industrial band either.
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2 May 1990 , university Reporter-Intelligencer • 1f
Reviews
Vega's takes a third step on the road to perfection
~Suzanne Vega
~Days of Open Hand
Suzanne Vega's new release,
Days of Open Hand, has come forth
after her long hiatus from recording as
yet another step for her on the musical
road to perfection.
The last time we heard from Vega
was with her surprise #3 hit "Luka" off
her 1987 album, Solitude Standing,
and in '85 she had a hit in the U.K.
with her self-titled debut.
Now, like with her early albums,
she comes out as a breath of fresh
creativity amid the likes of Milli
Vanilll, Warrant, and tenth generation
Rod Stewart.
In no way is Days of Open Hand
a remake of "Luka" hits, nor is it a late
attempt to capitalize on that success.
This album combines the finer points
of her previous work and adds her
new inspirartions together to show a
more mature and professional Vega.
In this 11 -song album, Vega
collaborated with Anton Sanko, her
keyboardist and boyfriend, who has
had a great effect on her in their coproduction,
their six co-written songs,
and his introduction of programming,
synthesizers, and strings.
The first track, "Tired of Sleeping,"
is a sorrowful, waltz-like rythm which
draws on images of the occult. Next,
"Men in a War" begins like a 60's folk
song, but when the band breaks the
song almost turns into a pop song
although it still conveys its strong
meaning in her voice.
"Book of Dreams,· the first single,
stands out due to its catchy hooks and
simple chorus. This possible top 40
hit could easily be sung by XTC or
Sandy Duncan city!
Crowded House, two of her
contemporary influences. (For a Paul
McCartney fans, listen for a similar
guitar riff in this song like his "My
Brave Face.")
Another gem is "Institution Green;"
its interesting rim shots and
percussion add a strong beat to her
vocal delivery style. Moreover, "Roorn
Off The Street" echoes her creative
'87 tune, "Tom's Diner," in which a
complete story is told with intense
imagery.
One can look at her slow, sad,
string-based track, "Fifty-Fifty
Chance," for contrasts and similarities
to the Beatles classic "Eleanor Rigby."
This song helps show off her diversity
and beautiful voice, which at times
sounds like a child's and at other
times reaches erotic mystery.
This rich, high-quality recording is
due to the fine digital mix and
mastering work and because of the
tight playing of the backup band, the
use of uniq·ue instruments, and the
great harmony and background vocals
of Vega and Shawn Colvin.
It can be seen that Suzanne Vega
has learned from her past success
and in doing sp she has added more
creativity and maturity to her latest
release, Days Of Open Hand.
Although this album might take more
than one casual listen to be able to
see the wisdom in it, soon the songs
show Vega's talent to new fan or old
fan alike.
- JAllES C. VLAHAKIS
Glass Eyes album a confused reverie of sound
~Glass Eye
~ Hello Young Lovers
On first spin, Glass Eye's latest
release, Hello Young Lovers, sounds
too disjointed to be listenable, too
eclectic to be effective, and most of
all, too strange to be enjoyable.
But play it again Sam, and the
varied sounds and instruments begin
to fall into place without blending, and
the story-telling provides all the
cohesiveness necessary for a
provocative listen.
when thrown into a whole, the chaotic
nature of the Austin, Texas quartet's
sound provides pleasure through its
jumbledness.
The notes and parts bounce into
and off each other, forming peculiar
and uneven sounding songs. The
. , strange combinations of twangy
guitar, and engine revving bass, .
offbeat drums, jazzy piano, and a
muffled accordian build the most
distinctive feature of the 13-song
collection.
Like a junk drawer, where none of
the contents belong together, but
nonetheless have an aesthetic appeal
The two male and two female
band's strength lies in songwriting,
however. The lyrics are never overtly
straightforward, they instead use
strong imagery to bring across subtle
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points.
For example, in one of the
album's better and harder tunes,
"Charhead," which seems to be
describing the thought processes of a
paranoid on LSD, the narrator sings,
"I can hit my head/on the bed/ for fun."
The ability to deal with one's self
and with others is a theme that runs
through the album. It ap.pears in
'White Walls," the album's highlight,
which uses a hard, jazz/blues fusion
peano and a whiny, early Cure-like
guitar.
In a morbid self-exploration, the
soul searcher disbelievingly states,
"Nothing has changed/ except the
house I'm living in/ it's hard to believe/
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I've stayed the same/ through all these
changes in atmosphere.•
On the back album cover, three of
the four members are pictured drink in
hand, and it would be a good bet that
alcohol had at least some role in this
production. MayQe that'i; why it's
disorientated and incoherent, but
nonetheless worthwhile.
The album is generally too slow to
groove to and too punk-driven to
satisfy those who see music as a
science. But for others who see order
in chaos, Glass Eye is worth a looksee.
-STEVE BYRNE
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Buttholes hang
1 O in Detroit gig
BY FRED URSHGUR
uR-1 MUSIC CORRESPONJENT
DETROIT - Erupting in a burst of
smoke and strobe, the Butthole
Surfers blew a hole in the boredom
known as Pop Muzik on April 20th at
St. Andrews Hall.
With an intensity level rarely
displayed by a national touring act, the
Surfers didn't disappoint the collection
of maniacs that had assembled to
witness a counter-spectacle on the
eve of the spectacle dubbed "Earth
Day.n
From the crunching of the opening
chords, the crowd fed off the Surfers'
intensity, thrashing and slamming
about in the chaos that was the dance
floor. The order of the day was diving
off the stage into a throng of slamming
psychetics who would just as soon
his microphone and assault the wouldbe
diving champ who got too close to
him, or was deemed too ugly. For the
audience - most of whom had just
come from the Frank Sinatra show at
the Fox - it was simply a rocking
good time.
The Surfers area a very tight band
who clearly are proof that the key to
the future is chemicals and sound
effects. Their multi-media show
included a large screen. backdrop of
visual images, including, among other
things, penis surgery.
In the words of one participant,
"The Butthole Surfers reeked of
Armageddon.n
To others, they were simply
screaming, clutching, anuses.
.__--------'------------------"'----=-..;.=---""'"' . drop you on your head as catch you.
All in all, it was a mixture of good
clean fun and chaotic mayhem - an
intense relief from the poverty of
student life in the society of the
Surfers j~m, while stage diver scrams. uR-1 photo/FRED URSHGUR Gibby would.occasionally put down spectacle.
Transfixion: And then there were two
BY MICHAL J. PREFER
uR-1 MUSIC CORRESPONDENT
Remember Transfixion? The
dance track synthesizer based
East Lansing band that bounced
aroun~ the stages of B'Zar,
Demonstration Hall and Rick's?
Well, they're back-two members
shy.
Transfixion now consists of Derek
Frederickson (keyboards/
programming/guitar)and Wanda
Walker (lyricist/vocalist). Both
members admit that the loss of
their lead singer and bass player
was both disturbing and
comforting.
"We've had to take on more
responsibility now," said
Frederickson,"we've taken a turn.
Now we're going in a different
direction. We've lost the creativity
of a four member band, but we've
also lost the restraints."
The restraints being the difficulties
of pleasing four different tasks, but
now with Walker and Frederickson
See TRANSFIXION, p. 9 Wanda Walker sings while Derek Frederickson plays guitar in the background. uR-1 photo/JuuAN TRACY