By PHILIP DEMKE
“Some people try to pick up girls.
They get called an asshole--
I bet this never happened to... Pablo Picasso."
* Record Review --
What stronger statement in favor of art could there be in America? Given that most of us are pre-occupied with sex and its expression (and that is not because we are a libertine and decadent country, but exactly the opposite). it has become a matter of course that most of our artists, and cer- tainly our rock and roll stars have dealt extensively with the subject.
Jonothan Richman, an ana- chronistic and significant new rocker from Boston examines this burning issue on levels which have never before been reached. The point of his song, "Pablo Picasso," is not only well-taken. but it is also dou- ble edged.
"The girls would turn as
green as an avacado/ When he drove down the street in his eldorado."
Is it genius which is attractive or the wealth which can ac- company it? The song is absurdly and sardonically fun- ny. a driving and demented dirge reminiscent of the early days of the Velvet Under- ground.
In “Rocking Shopping Cen- ter." Richman pushes the pursuit of pleasure and mean- ing into even more distant and ludicrous realms. Maintaining his unique stance of clownish brilliance. he condemns the commercial and mediocre as- pects which predominate our society in a fashion which is nearly indescribable.
“If I were a shopping center. I sure would be embarrassed/1 bet I'd never get a date with some cute little building like from Paris..."
He takes common attitudes and cliches (which is any artist's basic material) and reshapes them so remarkably that the listener is forced to reflect in the midst of his enjoyment. George Bernard Shaw once said that is you are going to tell the truth, you had
better make it funny.
The one song which has been played on the radio is his "Roadrunner." which is fast becoming an underground classic. It is the seventies incarnation of Chuck Berry's “Driving Along in My Auto-
mobile." with its shared theme of “no particular place to go."
It is set in the outskirts of Boston and basically involves an impassioned cruise to no- where.
‘‘I'm so in love with the modern world. Massachussets when it's late at night/ l‘m driving past the Stop & Shop now- and I've got the radio on..."
The song is a masterpiece of irony and discontent. Not only is Richman's music not at all modern (it primarily mirrors the formative rock of the late 50's and early 60's). but he doesn't love the modern world any more than he loves shop- ping centers.
His concern with the tena- cious dullness of America to- day and a perverse kind of nostalgia are major themes in his tunes. and like so many others who have looked too
Wednesday, September 29, 1976 Connecticut Dally Campus Page 7
Rocker reshapes common attitudes and cliches
closely. he seems to affirm that laughter is the only de- fense against dissolution and madness. Yet at the very same time. his method is to shatter the status quo and reveal it through crazy ways.
“There's an abominable snowman in the supermarket/ Right by the peas and car- rots..."
Richman's musical roots are diverse but discernible. Traces of Bo Diddley. Bill Haley. Chuck Berry and many other “golden greats" are apparent in his amaing re-creations of a style that is gone forever but nonetheless music that gave the shape of things to come.
No slick. disco-seventies ef- fects dominate the arrange- ments. no phase shifters or synthesizers. and nothing more sophisticated than a reverb or fuzz tone. It sounds very authentic and is infec- tious and exciting.
His band. the Modern Lov- ers. is competent and talented. The band rocks the way rock used to rock. You want to dance while you crack up.
Richman's voice is an un- comfortable. adenoidal basso that sounds like a combination
of Frank Zappa. Lou Reed and even Jim Morrison. It grows on you. though. but it's ap- propriate and expressive. Jonathan Richman is not just another clever comedy act. His songs are unique and original in a decade which has mostly been characterized by the opposite. They are available on two records on the obscure Bescrkley label: "Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lov- ers": and “The Modern Lov-
ers". A third anthology album called “Beserkley
Chartbustcrs Vol. One." Is also available which contains some other interesting region- al and underground rock.
“Here come the Martian Martians. riding on their Mar- tian bikes.
We have to find out exactly what flavor these Martians like:
Here come the Martian Mar- tians. they're setting up a Koolaid stand.
Somebody better find their financial advisor. and take him by the hand."
I Somers arts festival features diverse talent
By FRANK J. POIROT
Seventy two exhibitors 50MERs_ Under a threatening displayed their work in front of
talent was local. What the show lacked in size
early fall sky the 4th annual ‘he 50m€l'S Public, Library and was offset by the diversity of the Somers Arts and Crafts Festival t0Wfl h8l1- They Came from as far exhibits. The artists were in the got off to an enthusiastic start away as New York and Rhode minority yet covered what you
last weekend.
S70E25 429-6002
IIII FIIIIHC
NOW THRU TUESDAY
JORGENSEN
Tonight at 8: 15
Guarneri String Quartet
*Quartet in C minor, Opus 18. No. 4 ................... ..Beethoven *Concertino ..................................................... . . Stravinsky *Italian Serenade .................................................... ..Wolf *Quartet in G Major, Opus 161 ............................... ..Schubert
TICKETS: $5.50 $4.50 $3.00 STUDENTS: $2.50 $2.00 $1.50
Orchestre de Paris
DANIEL BARENBOIM, CONDUCTOR & PIANIST Thursday, October 7 - 8:15 P.M.
*Concerto No. 1 in C Major for Piano & Orchestra....Beethoven *Prelude a l'Apres-midi d'un faune ......................... ..Debussy
*Daphnis et Chloe - Symphonic Fragments. Suite No. 2....Ravel
TICKETS: $5.50 $4.50 $3.00
STUDENTS: $2.50 $2.00 $1.50
JOR(_1ENSt2,N Auu. u0RauM-
UMVOH-W or Connecticut. stout
Box omce omn...\dickoays 9-4 and 95 minutes before ourtovmances.
Tickets evautabte at an TICKETRQN outlets. tniormation only 406-0226 Free Parking
IS1and.h0WeVer a majority of the might expect to find in a small
“§_§;.;‘.i,_;1T’COLlEGE
show. Their talent was expressed in oil and water colors. some pastels and charcoal. and one who burned images on pine boards. The craftsmen were in the majo- rity and covered the e ntire spec-
1 Happy Hour Daily
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ll-8:30
Draft
35'
PLAYING TONITE Peter Haselbacker
Just 8 Minutes from UConn Junction Rt. 195 & 32
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THE FILM SOCIETY
presents
Wed. Sept. 29 at 7:30 PM in Physics 38:
Pioneers 1: D.W. Griffith’s Heart of ‘the World and Chaplin’s The
I_(fi and The Idle Class.
Thurs. Sept. 30 at 7:30 PM in Physics 36' Pioneers 2:‘ D.W. G-riffith’s Way fl_);’_l_l_E_§fl and Eisenstein’s Strike.
Friday Oct. 1 at 8 and 10:30 PM in VDM:
MGM msuusn STANLEY KUBRICK PRODUCTION
a space odyssey
sum PANAV|Sl0N®- METROCOLOR
Bar Drinks
60
429-7385_
2001
trum of their field. Exhibits in this category ranged from Christmas ornaments to pottery. Leather and wood crafts along with quilts. candles. and coin crafting caught the curious eyes of the multitude circulating past the exhibits.
The spectators‘ curiosity was further teased by craftsmen who demonstrated their ability with such mediums as glass and lead. wax. leather and silver. An
. .exhibitor from West Springfield
had onlookers stretching their ‘necks as he cut Washington's head out of a quarter. later to be 'used as a necklace.
The one day festival was spon- sored by The Friends of the Somers Public Library and the proceeds will l)C used to buy books and records for the library.
‘/2 PRICE SALE
"-‘)nlr*‘mnli(mn(‘ 9mpmlr‘(l
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Prices between
$5 - 10
S. ll. Lobby
Mon. thru Fri. l9/27 - 10/ll
10 AM - 5 PM
in advance“
Physical. Emotional and Intellectual. You'll get complete explanations and easy——to——read charts. Send birthdatc with $3 for 3 months $7 for l yr. Your daily Bl()l‘l1_\'ihn1S, box 936. Norwich, (106360.