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(05/01/03 4:47am)
I have this general impression that people think I'm weird, strange or just plain out there. All the journalism majors think I'm nuts for being a mathematics major, and the math majors can't figure out what I'm doing in the journalism school. I spend all my time between Ernie Pyle Hall and Swain East and West. My life, for the past year, has been consumed by words and numbers. What amazes me is that more people don't readily see the correlation between the two. \nSince my freshman year, I've dedicated myself to the analysis of popular music. Music critiques, rock star interviews, concert write-ups -- this is what I love to do. At the same time, I'm fascinated by the fact that there are an infinite number of primes and by Fermat's Last Theorem. But music is math, and math is music, they are both art forms that coexist no matter how many second-rate pop stars can't even do basic Algebra, let alone form a complete, intelligent sentence. (That may be a gross exaggeration, but I'm graduating, I'm allowed one once in a while.) Their music is the result of computer-generated rhythms, the programming for which was born out of mathematical logic.\nListen to any Mozart piece, or a Tool song, even creeped-out, unintelligible Swedish rock bands like Meshuggah. The math is there, hidden underneath swift piano work or crunching guitars. The best music in our age involves more than just a lucky combination of chords. I'm not saying that the best musicians in history are math geniuses, far from it, but the music I love I respect not only musically, but mathematically as well.\nI can't remember the last time I used the Pythagorean Theorem in an article I wrote, but math is still so involved that I can jump from writing a review to calculus without transition. They both involve analyzing, developing propositions, following those propositions to their logical end and finally making a conclusion and praying it's the right one. If only all journalists followed this pattern, maybe we'd have more unbiased coverage on cable news networks.\nMath is completely free of bias. The only way to disprove a mathematical statement is with a stronger one. No one can say 2 + 2 = 5. In there lies the true beauty of mathematics. Few things in this crazy illogical world have the simplicity of fact that is found in mathematics. Decades have been wasted arguing over what makes "good music," but I don't remember the last time someone tried to dispute the formula for calculating the area of a square.\nEven basic corporate consumerism thrives on mathematical logic. Look at Lou Pearlman. He recognizes a formula for success in boy bands and repeats it. Its proven. It works. But what separates Pearlman's formula from a mathematical theorem is that there was a flaw. It's called the If You Rip People Off They'll Sue You Theorem. That doesn't exist in math; there are few ways to rip anyone off through math.\nSo now I reach the end of my undergraduate career with two degrees that as of yet have failed to garner me a job. Maybe there used to be a high demand for journalists who could understand the true beauty of mathematics, but there sure isn't one now. I've spent my undergraduate career listening to the best and worst of what popular music has to offer. I've become cynical and nostalgic. And I'm still waiting for rock music to return with a truly original band, someone who reinvents the genre.\nThe Weekend has been my lifeblood and saving grace. It's given me an outlet to speak my mind and explore my ideas. It kills me when I meet people who don't know about it or don't care. We're the best entertainment magazine in Bloomington, and it's amazing the small, dedicated staff we have. I'll miss the magazine, the one thing that actually lets me explore my weird journalism-mathematics conjecture. \nNow it's time for something new. I'll have to spend the next couple of months critiquing music on the Web to absolutely no one, but if logic and reason prevail, I'll be back. Some day. Some way. You just watch. Math always triumphs.
(05/01/03 4:00am)
I have this general impression that people think I'm weird, strange or just plain out there. All the journalism majors think I'm nuts for being a mathematics major, and the math majors can't figure out what I'm doing in the journalism school. I spend all my time between Ernie Pyle Hall and Swain East and West. My life, for the past year, has been consumed by words and numbers. What amazes me is that more people don't readily see the correlation between the two. \nSince my freshman year, I've dedicated myself to the analysis of popular music. Music critiques, rock star interviews, concert write-ups -- this is what I love to do. At the same time, I'm fascinated by the fact that there are an infinite number of primes and by Fermat's Last Theorem. But music is math, and math is music, they are both art forms that coexist no matter how many second-rate pop stars can't even do basic Algebra, let alone form a complete, intelligent sentence. (That may be a gross exaggeration, but I'm graduating, I'm allowed one once in a while.) Their music is the result of computer-generated rhythms, the programming for which was born out of mathematical logic.\nListen to any Mozart piece, or a Tool song, even creeped-out, unintelligible Swedish rock bands like Meshuggah. The math is there, hidden underneath swift piano work or crunching guitars. The best music in our age involves more than just a lucky combination of chords. I'm not saying that the best musicians in history are math geniuses, far from it, but the music I love I respect not only musically, but mathematically as well.\nI can't remember the last time I used the Pythagorean Theorem in an article I wrote, but math is still so involved that I can jump from writing a review to calculus without transition. They both involve analyzing, developing propositions, following those propositions to their logical end and finally making a conclusion and praying it's the right one. If only all journalists followed this pattern, maybe we'd have more unbiased coverage on cable news networks.\nMath is completely free of bias. The only way to disprove a mathematical statement is with a stronger one. No one can say 2 + 2 = 5. In there lies the true beauty of mathematics. Few things in this crazy illogical world have the simplicity of fact that is found in mathematics. Decades have been wasted arguing over what makes "good music," but I don't remember the last time someone tried to dispute the formula for calculating the area of a square.\nEven basic corporate consumerism thrives on mathematical logic. Look at Lou Pearlman. He recognizes a formula for success in boy bands and repeats it. Its proven. It works. But what separates Pearlman's formula from a mathematical theorem is that there was a flaw. It's called the If You Rip People Off They'll Sue You Theorem. That doesn't exist in math; there are few ways to rip anyone off through math.\nSo now I reach the end of my undergraduate career with two degrees that as of yet have failed to garner me a job. Maybe there used to be a high demand for journalists who could understand the true beauty of mathematics, but there sure isn't one now. I've spent my undergraduate career listening to the best and worst of what popular music has to offer. I've become cynical and nostalgic. And I'm still waiting for rock music to return with a truly original band, someone who reinvents the genre.\nThe Weekend has been my lifeblood and saving grace. It's given me an outlet to speak my mind and explore my ideas. It kills me when I meet people who don't know about it or don't care. We're the best entertainment magazine in Bloomington, and it's amazing the small, dedicated staff we have. I'll miss the magazine, the one thing that actually lets me explore my weird journalism-mathematics conjecture. \nNow it's time for something new. I'll have to spend the next couple of months critiquing music on the Web to absolutely no one, but if logic and reason prevail, I'll be back. Some day. Some way. You just watch. Math always triumphs.
(04/17/03 5:07am)
Spring time has rolled around and with it brings sun, shorts and skateboards. In response to the increased number of skateboarders, IU Physical Plant has installed new signs warning skateboarders to keep off IU property.\n"We've put them in before," said Dave Hurst, manager of Campus Division for the Physical Plant. "They've disappeared."\nSigns reading "Skateboarding Prohibited" were put up around spring break time. They're located near buildings where skateboarders are known to hang out. \n"There are some popular spots for those activities," Hurst said. "That's what we've targeted."\nThese spots include the Jordan Avenue side of the IU Auditorium, the area between Rawles Hall and Myers Hall, behind the Indiana Memorial Union and a new location at the business school Graduate and Executive Education Center.\nHurst said skateboarders have been an ongoing problem. The signs were originally installed three to four years ago but have disappeared twice before. \nIU Police Department Lt. Jerry Minger said the signs were put in their current locations because of previous violations in those spots and to protect the decorative limestone. He said the signs are another step that help justify an officer's actions when he or she confronts a skateboarder.\n"What it does (is) it informs people who want to be informed; those that don't will see it as an intrusion," Minger said.\nMinger said skateboarding presents a dangerous situation for pedestrians and cars around the University. He said there have been instances of skateboarders losing control of their boards, turning them into projectiles. Also, the damage to the limestone has cost thousands of dollars.\n"It does a tremendous amount of damage to the stone," Hurst said. "That stone is expensive."\nBut Rick Olsen, owner of True Skateboards, 118 E. Sixth St., said that it's not the skateboards causing the damages, but bikers.\n"It's always seen as us crying, we don't like it when kids on bikes go to skate spots because they actually damage it," Olsen said.\nMinger said most of the violations stem from skateboarding and that bikers and in-line skaters do not present as much of a threat.\nOlsen said the signs are good in that they tell skaters where it's illegal to skate, but there are still problems. He said he knows people who have been stopped for just riding skateboards to class.\n"People who are trying to get class, who are paying a god-awful amount of money, are getting yelled at," Olsen said.\nOn a skateboarder's first violation, his or her name will be taken and recorded and will be warned of trespassing. If the skateboarder is a repeat offender, he or she will be charged with trespass, Minger said. \n"It is very unfortunate that we have to approach it with some sort of law enforcement means," Minger said. "We wish we didn't."\nIn some cases, the skateboarder's board could be confiscated, Minger said, but OIsen contends that this is a legal gray area. \n"All these kids are doing is what they love to do," Olsen said.\nBloomington has announced the construction of a new skatepark at Upper Cascades Park and Golf Course. The skatepark could help the problem as it is now, attracting skateboarders away from the University. \nMinger estimates 90 percent of the skateboarders are not IU students, but high schoolers. He said he is optimistic that it will help, but Olsen said he is not so sure.\n"If it's done correctly and (is) a good place where kids want to go, and a key point, if it's big enough, then yes," Olsen said. He added there are problems now with the design and only having 50 percent of the originally budgeted space. \nHurst, Minger and Olsen all said the signs are good at least in informing students and non-students of IU's no-skateboarding policy.\n"If it prevents one person from doing it, then it's worth it," Hurst said.
(04/17/03 4:00am)
There's not much of a fan base for electronic music in Bloomington. Despite a stellar (and free) performance by The Crystal Method, one of the top names in American electronic music, Alumni Hall never reached even half capacity for Fusion 2.0.\nDJ Connor Larkin and DJ Pat Foosheen opened the show to a less-than-enthusiastic crowd. Though a few brave souls ventured near the stage to dance, most stood around and mingled. There were far more spectators interested in their glowsticks than the opening DJs. Attendees at the free show threw the sticks, twirled them or put them in their mouths. Though the two DJs took turns spinning an entertaining, two-hour set, few seemed receptive to the music. \nAlumni Hall provided surprisingly good acoustics and was plenty big enough for the crowd that grew much more animated when The Crystal Method hit the stage. Scott Kirkland and Ken Jordan, the duo behind such albums as Community Service and Tweekend, say Friday night was their first show on a college campus.\n"The non-major market cities, for us, that's our thing," Jordan says.\nThough the group is huge stateside, and rightfully so, Jordan and Kirkland still enjoy playing smaller venues like Alumni Hall.\n"A lot of times it's just a much better environment for us, it sounds a lot more tighter, the room's a lot more combustible," Kirkland says.\nThe room didn't combust, but more people gathered up the nerve to bust out a few dance moves. The line of spectators standing at the barricade were rather obnoxious. It seems the real fun of an electronic show was lost on the crowd, most of which treated the event more as a rock concert. \n"You can stand against the wall or you can go out and dance, or you can go sit in the chill-out room and just listen to the music and talk to your friends," Kirkland says.\nWhile Jordan and Kirkland occasionally ventured to the microphone to speak to the crowd and thank everyone for coming out, the animated spinning was responsible for motivating those brave enough to show off their dancing skills.\n"More times than not we manage to pull a few of those people off the walls," Kirkland says.\nThe Crystal Method's set was high-energy, with great beats and creative takes on some of the duo's more well-known tracks. A variety of genres and sounds was incorporated into the event, creating something purely original and danceable. The tracks have guitar-rock, hip hop, R&B, but both Jordan and Kirkland say they don't necessarily have a favorite form of music. \n"We sort of have a luxury, we have a sound, but within that sound it's so varied," Jordan says.\nFar from being a planned-out, two-hour set, Jordan and Kirkland say they create much of their set on the whim. This gave the show a real fresh feel, as the music flowed to an increasingly active crowd. By the show's end there was a good number of spectators that allowed the music to encompass them and took to the dance floor, but there were still far too many who were either too nervous, or would rather play hackey-sack outside the doors. \nUnion Board deserves kudos for managing to bring a great act to IU, one that wasn't part of the mainstream or folk rock genre. The Crystal Method was a welcome break from the Counting Crows/Indigo Girls/Ani Difranco monotony. Though the show could have benefited from more publicity, and a bigger crowd certainly would have helped the atmosphere, The Crystal Method almost made up for the lack of any Little 500 show this year.
(04/16/03 7:58pm)
There's not much of a fan base for electronic music in Bloomington. Despite a stellar (and free) performance by The Crystal Method, one of the top names in American electronic music, Alumni Hall never reached even half capacity for Fusion 2.0.\nDJ Connor Larkin and DJ Pat Foosheen opened the show to a less-than-enthusiastic crowd. Though a few brave souls ventured near the stage to dance, most stood around and mingled. There were far more spectators interested in their glowsticks than the opening DJs. Attendees at the free show threw the sticks, twirled them or put them in their mouths. Though the two DJs took turns spinning an entertaining, two-hour set, few seemed receptive to the music. \nAlumni Hall provided surprisingly good acoustics and was plenty big enough for the crowd that grew much more animated when The Crystal Method hit the stage. Scott Kirkland and Ken Jordan, the duo behind such albums as Community Service and Tweekend, say Friday night was their first show on a college campus.\n"The non-major market cities, for us, that's our thing," Jordan says.\nThough the group is huge stateside, and rightfully so, Jordan and Kirkland still enjoy playing smaller venues like Alumni Hall.\n"A lot of times it's just a much better environment for us, it sounds a lot more tighter, the room's a lot more combustible," Kirkland says.\nThe room didn't combust, but more people gathered up the nerve to bust out a few dance moves. The line of spectators standing at the barricade were rather obnoxious. It seems the real fun of an electronic show was lost on the crowd, most of which treated the event more as a rock concert. \n"You can stand against the wall or you can go out and dance, or you can go sit in the chill-out room and just listen to the music and talk to your friends," Kirkland says.\nWhile Jordan and Kirkland occasionally ventured to the microphone to speak to the crowd and thank everyone for coming out, the animated spinning was responsible for motivating those brave enough to show off their dancing skills.\n"More times than not we manage to pull a few of those people off the walls," Kirkland says.\nThe Crystal Method's set was high-energy, with great beats and creative takes on some of the duo's more well-known tracks. A variety of genres and sounds was incorporated into the event, creating something purely original and danceable. The tracks have guitar-rock, hip hop, R&B, but both Jordan and Kirkland say they don't necessarily have a favorite form of music. \n"We sort of have a luxury, we have a sound, but within that sound it's so varied," Jordan says.\nFar from being a planned-out, two-hour set, Jordan and Kirkland say they create much of their set on the whim. This gave the show a real fresh feel, as the music flowed to an increasingly active crowd. By the show's end there was a good number of spectators that allowed the music to encompass them and took to the dance floor, but there were still far too many who were either too nervous, or would rather play hackey-sack outside the doors. \nUnion Board deserves kudos for managing to bring a great act to IU, one that wasn't part of the mainstream or folk rock genre. The Crystal Method was a welcome break from the Counting Crows/Indigo Girls/Ani Difranco monotony. Though the show could have benefited from more publicity, and a bigger crowd certainly would have helped the atmosphere, The Crystal Method almost made up for the lack of any Little 500 show this year.
(04/03/03 5:00am)
Sex, drugs and more sex: Hot Action Cop's schtick gets old after about thirty seconds. While some genres improve over time as artists try to do more with it, rap-rock doesn't, as each new artist is consistently worse. Hot Action Cop's sound is stolen straight from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, with simpler, heavier guitars and no bass talent whatsoever. There's no mistaking the similarities between "Fever for the flava" and RHCP's "Give it away."\nVulgarity has its place in popular music, but this über-macho got-to-get-the- "coochie" attitude is mildly disturbing. From the beginning to the end, frontman Rob Werthner's degrading lyrics are a giant step back into the stone age of rock, except back then there were better drummers. \nWith a few ballads mixed in, are listeners supposed to take this band seriously? Maybe not, but it lacks the light-hearted nature of a Bloodhound Gang album. When Werthner stretches for the high notes, he sounds like he's really trying, but fails miserably, as does the rest of this album.
(04/02/03 2:57pm)
Sex, drugs and more sex: Hot Action Cop's schtick gets old after about thirty seconds. While some genres improve over time as artists try to do more with it, rap-rock doesn't, as each new artist is consistently worse. Hot Action Cop's sound is stolen straight from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, with simpler, heavier guitars and no bass talent whatsoever. There's no mistaking the similarities between "Fever for the flava" and RHCP's "Give it away."\nVulgarity has its place in popular music, but this über-macho got-to-get-the- "coochie" attitude is mildly disturbing. From the beginning to the end, frontman Rob Werthner's degrading lyrics are a giant step back into the stone age of rock, except back then there were better drummers. \nWith a few ballads mixed in, are listeners supposed to take this band seriously? Maybe not, but it lacks the light-hearted nature of a Bloodhound Gang album. When Werthner stretches for the high notes, he sounds like he's really trying, but fails miserably, as does the rest of this album.
(03/27/03 5:00am)
Few alt-rock bands have survived the post-grunge era as well as Everclear. The trio, led by frontman Art Alexakis, hasn't done anything unsuccessful, but throughout its history, the band has suffered from the criticism that and all its music sounds the same.\nThe two-CD set, Songs From an American Movie, vol. 1 and 2 were a shift in style for the Portland group. Experimenting with other ideas (mandolins and digital sampling among them), paid off in the sense that every song didn't sound the same. The set was commercially successful, and probably welcomed a few new fans to the Everclear fold.\nWith hits like "Wonderful" and "AM Radio" from the American Movie set, it's unlikely that a lust for funds drove the band to create Slow Motion Daydream, the true sequel to So Much for the Afterglow, the group's biggest album to date. \nDaydream is cleaner, tighter and more exciting. It lacks the nostalgic feel of the American Movie albums and revisits Alexakis' classic themes: bucking the desire for popularity, his own unstable family life and drugs. \nSo while American Movie was like a love letter written to his daughter, Daydream is more the high school angst hidden in raw, poppy guitars that made Afterglow so popular. It's not as personal as his earlier work, but the wit and sarcasm are pumped to levels unheard of in previous albums. \nIn a day and age where mockery of the American system is reserved for liberal college newspapers and The Onion, Alexakis takes no prisoners in throwing jabs at John Ashcroft, celebrity obsession and middle class culture. At almost 40, Alexakis is at the age where he should be toning down, concentrating on "family values" and promoting tax cuts to the wealthy. Instead, he's emerging as a strong voice of the left, alongside Eddie Vedder and Alec Baldwin. \nYet his voice may be more powerful that both the aforementioned personalities in that he can reach a younger and more influential audience. In a society where it's become increasingly hip to wave the American flag and try to fit in, Alexakis is saying to the younger generation: Be yourself, question authority and have fun.\nWith its dirty guitars and occasional ballad, Daydream is the catchiest Everclear album to date, and has the ability to transcend the generation gap. It's a shot of nostalgia for everyone who heard "Santa Monica" and thought, "Hey, I could play that, and I've never picked up a guitar," or just got caught up in the pop-anger of the songs. At the same time, Everclear is more punk than Pink or Avril Lavigne, and that should resonate with younger fans.\nDaydream sounds like Everclear, with a few of the same chords and even similar rhythms as previous works, but Alexakis somehow manages to transform those chords and rhythms into something new. At the same time, Everclear is reaching out to the MTV audience, screaming to be listened to and then mocking the tools that will inevitably buy Daydream, because that's what all the cool kids do.
(03/26/03 8:44pm)
Few alt-rock bands have survived the post-grunge era as well as Everclear. The trio, led by frontman Art Alexakis, hasn't done anything unsuccessful, but throughout its history, the band has suffered from the criticism that and all its music sounds the same.\nThe two-CD set, Songs From an American Movie, vol. 1 and 2 were a shift in style for the Portland group. Experimenting with other ideas (mandolins and digital sampling among them), paid off in the sense that every song didn't sound the same. The set was commercially successful, and probably welcomed a few new fans to the Everclear fold.\nWith hits like "Wonderful" and "AM Radio" from the American Movie set, it's unlikely that a lust for funds drove the band to create Slow Motion Daydream, the true sequel to So Much for the Afterglow, the group's biggest album to date. \nDaydream is cleaner, tighter and more exciting. It lacks the nostalgic feel of the American Movie albums and revisits Alexakis' classic themes: bucking the desire for popularity, his own unstable family life and drugs. \nSo while American Movie was like a love letter written to his daughter, Daydream is more the high school angst hidden in raw, poppy guitars that made Afterglow so popular. It's not as personal as his earlier work, but the wit and sarcasm are pumped to levels unheard of in previous albums. \nIn a day and age where mockery of the American system is reserved for liberal college newspapers and The Onion, Alexakis takes no prisoners in throwing jabs at John Ashcroft, celebrity obsession and middle class culture. At almost 40, Alexakis is at the age where he should be toning down, concentrating on "family values" and promoting tax cuts to the wealthy. Instead, he's emerging as a strong voice of the left, alongside Eddie Vedder and Alec Baldwin. \nYet his voice may be more powerful that both the aforementioned personalities in that he can reach a younger and more influential audience. In a society where it's become increasingly hip to wave the American flag and try to fit in, Alexakis is saying to the younger generation: Be yourself, question authority and have fun.\nWith its dirty guitars and occasional ballad, Daydream is the catchiest Everclear album to date, and has the ability to transcend the generation gap. It's a shot of nostalgia for everyone who heard "Santa Monica" and thought, "Hey, I could play that, and I've never picked up a guitar," or just got caught up in the pop-anger of the songs. At the same time, Everclear is more punk than Pink or Avril Lavigne, and that should resonate with younger fans.\nDaydream sounds like Everclear, with a few of the same chords and even similar rhythms as previous works, but Alexakis somehow manages to transform those chords and rhythms into something new. At the same time, Everclear is reaching out to the MTV audience, screaming to be listened to and then mocking the tools that will inevitably buy Daydream, because that's what all the cool kids do.
(03/25/03 4:26am)
While The Onion uses sarcasm and parody to mock society and politics, the Onion A.V. Club uses celebrities to mock their own culture. Published in the back of The Onion Web site, behind all the fake news and witty opinion columns is a magazine filled with reviews of music, movies, books and interviews with some of the most unlikely of celebrities.\nThe Tenacity of the Cockroach is a collection of interviews with some of America's most enduring entertainers. It is a venting point for those famous people whom the limelight passed by quickly, or never really passed at all. The title itself is taken from an interview with Henry Rollins, who jumped the major label ship to create his own record label and book imprint.\nInterestingly enough, few of the chosen interviewees are trying to sell something, which is a welcome relief from the hordes of pages of Tom Cruise and Will Smith interviews in Entertainment Weekly and Rolling Stone. Typically, the "stars" that The Onion takes on have something to say about society, the entertainment business or profound insights into life itself.\nFew books could so gracefully combine Mr. T, Bob Barker, porn star Ron Jeremy and Gene Simmons. But the various interviewers all share a common ability to get these stars to open up to topics and discussions beyond the sentimentality and formulaic nature of "VH1's Behind the Music." \nEach and every one of these interviews is a great read in and of itself. Taking the nearly 10 years of the Onion A.V. Club's existence, Cockroach lends itself to hilarious quotes and anecdotes. From The Unknown Comic's run-ins with Frank Sinatra to XTC frontman Andy Partridge's "Let us out of this deal, oh great Satan," this book contains a wide array of emotions.\nYet, it's also mildly disturbing. These are the heroes of days gone past, with only a few exceptions of current stars (Andrew W.K., Conan O'Brien) or celebrities that have reinvented their careers (Peter Frampton, David Lee Roth). In general, these are former entertainers who are just plain fed up with the system, be it in movies, music, animation, books or comedy. Nothing says depressing better than five interviews with "Mr. Show" creators David Cross and Bob Odenkirk, which chronicle the conception and destruction of their critically acclaimed HBO series. This book should be mandatory reading for anyone who is considering getting into the entertainment industry.\nThat's not to say these people are has-beens, they are far from it. A good number of them are happy with their current status, doing what they've always wanted to do or just happy that they've moved off front-page tabloid status. But so many of them feel underappreciated (and underpaid) for all the time and effort they put into work that has enhanced our culture over the years. They have had the rights to their own work stripped away by the corporate system that now controls entertainment. "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" author Douglas Adams had to sit on the sideline and watch the creation of an atrocious TV movie based on his book. Lloyd Kaufman, co-head of Troma Entertainment, Inc., has started some fantastic movie careers (Marisa Tomei, Oliver Stone, Trey Parker), but many of his own cult-classics aren't available for rent thanks to the strangle hold Blockbuster has on the rental industry.\nAt its best, Cockroach manages to show the human side of these entertainers; not with crying, hugging, Oprah moments, but through intelligent conversation. Generally, the interviewer exists only to get the ball rolling. Who would've thought Vanilla Ice actually understood his own absurdity, or that little person Billy Barty snubbed roles which typecast little people later in his life. \nCockroach is void of the laugh-out-loud humor of The Onion, but it is a beast in and of itself. While The Onion is screaming that we're doomed, Cockroach is saying, "Yeah, but somehow, we'll come back. We always do"
(03/13/03 5:00am)
Sex, drugs and more sex: Hot Action Cop's schtick gets old after about thirty seconds. While some genres improve over time as artists try to do more with it, rap-rock doesn't. It's been a commercial genre from the beginning and each new artist is consistently worse. Hot Action Cop's sound is stolen straight from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, with simpler, heavier guitars and no bass talent whatsoever. There's no mistaking the similarities between "Fever for the flava" and RHCP's "Give it away."\nVulgarity has its place in popular music, but this über-macho got-to-get-the- "coochie" attitude is mildly disturbing. From the beginning to the end, frontman Rob Werthner's degrading lyrics are a giant step back into the stone age of rock, except back then there were better drummers. \nWith a few ballads mixed in, are listeners supposed to take this band seriously? Maybe not, but it lacks the light-hearted nature of a Bloodhound Gang album. When Werthner stretches for the high notes, he sounds like he's really trying, but fails miserably, as does the rest of this album musically, lyrically and sexually.
(03/13/03 5:00am)
Some franchises just need to die. What was once an exciting and innovative silver-screen trilogy is now delegated to the ranks of a low-budget television miniseries. It's about time Alex Murphy (aka Robocop) hung up the helmet once and for all, or at least turn the series over to someone younger who can put a new twist on the series.\n"Robocop Dark Justice: Prime Directives" is the first part in a miniseries unofficially dubbed "Robocop 4." But calling it that is an insult to the movies that came before it. Set in Delta City, the story follows the struggle of a corporate-controlled police department. The story unravels both in the past and the future, as continual flashbacks to Murphy's (Page Fletcher) pre-Robocop days alongside his partner John Cable (Maurice Dean Wint) reveal intimate details into Robocop's thirst for justice and vengeance. Now Robocop is old and fragile, and his gears don't seem to be working too well either. He also seems to have lost any ability to act. The parallelism between past and future is so apparent and predictable that it kills whatever suspense this movie had going for it.\nAlso vying for the viewer's attention are a power struggle between OCP (a corporation that owns just about everything) and a new menace to the peaceful Delta City, a poorly-costumed baddie who goes by the name Bone Crusher. Sure, this guy walks around with a skull mask and a machine gun on each hand, but his biggest line is, "You're boned, baby." How's that for atrocious scriptwriting? Even when Robocop and Bone Crusher meet, both are weighted down by too much metal to create any semblance of an exciting action sequences.\nNot wanting to spend any extra money on production work, the studio left off any semblance of special features. There are no commentaries or behind the scenes specials. Interactive menus and Spanish subtitles do not count as special features. This movie is in desperate need of something, anything, to improve its presentation.\nThis first part of the miniseries leaves the viewer hanging, but unless the second part can find a way to improve upon the flaws of the first, it won't have much of an audience.
(03/12/03 9:25pm)
Some franchises just need to die. What was once an exciting and innovative silver-screen trilogy is now delegated to the ranks of a low-budget television miniseries. It's about time Alex Murphy (aka Robocop) hung up the helmet once and for all, or at least turn the series over to someone younger who can put a new twist on the series.\n"Robocop Dark Justice: Prime Directives" is the first part in a miniseries unofficially dubbed "Robocop 4." But calling it that is an insult to the movies that came before it. Set in Delta City, the story follows the struggle of a corporate-controlled police department. The story unravels both in the past and the future, as continual flashbacks to Murphy's (Page Fletcher) pre-Robocop days alongside his partner John Cable (Maurice Dean Wint) reveal intimate details into Robocop's thirst for justice and vengeance. Now Robocop is old and fragile, and his gears don't seem to be working too well either. He also seems to have lost any ability to act. The parallelism between past and future is so apparent and predictable that it kills whatever suspense this movie had going for it.\nAlso vying for the viewer's attention are a power struggle between OCP (a corporation that owns just about everything) and a new menace to the peaceful Delta City, a poorly-costumed baddie who goes by the name Bone Crusher. Sure, this guy walks around with a skull mask and a machine gun on each hand, but his biggest line is, "You're boned, baby." How's that for atrocious scriptwriting? Even when Robocop and Bone Crusher meet, both are weighted down by too much metal to create any semblance of an exciting action sequences.\nNot wanting to spend any extra money on production work, the studio left off any semblance of special features. There are no commentaries or behind the scenes specials. Interactive menus and Spanish subtitles do not count as special features. This movie is in desperate need of something, anything, to improve its presentation.\nThis first part of the miniseries leaves the viewer hanging, but unless the second part can find a way to improve upon the flaws of the first, it won't have much of an audience.
(03/12/03 9:13pm)
Sex, drugs and more sex: Hot Action Cop's schtick gets old after about thirty seconds. While some genres improve over time as artists try to do more with it, rap-rock doesn't. It's been a commercial genre from the beginning and each new artist is consistently worse. Hot Action Cop's sound is stolen straight from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, with simpler, heavier guitars and no bass talent whatsoever. There's no mistaking the similarities between "Fever for the flava" and RHCP's "Give it away."\nVulgarity has its place in popular music, but this über-macho got-to-get-the- "coochie" attitude is mildly disturbing. From the beginning to the end, frontman Rob Werthner's degrading lyrics are a giant step back into the stone age of rock, except back then there were better drummers. \nWith a few ballads mixed in, are listeners supposed to take this band seriously? Maybe not, but it lacks the light-hearted nature of a Bloodhound Gang album. When Werthner stretches for the high notes, he sounds like he's really trying, but fails miserably, as does the rest of this album musically, lyrically and sexually.
(02/27/03 5:00am)
There's something that can be said for the Bloomington music scene, and that's diversity. Not everyone just wants to play Dave Matthews' covers, thankfully, but that's not to say every band is strikingly original. Throughout their latest EP, You Got It Raw, the Nicotones evoke a common punk-pop formula reminiscent of mid-career Green Day ("Dookie," "Insomniac"), but more dramatic, ala the Gin Blossoms. Yet there is still that feeling of small town innocence floating through every independent note. The image the Nicotones project is that of 70s/80s punk rock, when punk actually meant something (it still does, but not the MTV version). Adding to this image, the vocals sound eerily similar to a bad imitation of The Ramones, but still fit the music, even if they are occasionally off-key. Punk's most redeeming quality was the political leftist drive behind each big hit, but You Got It Raw is more playful and absurd, as evidenced by the "Jabberwocky (abridged)" skit mid-way through the album. Still, the music is fun and melodic, but what's the point if independent music sounds so mainstream?
(02/26/03 10:20pm)
There's something that can be said for the Bloomington music scene, and that's diversity. Not everyone just wants to play Dave Matthews' covers, thankfully, but that's not to say every band is strikingly original. Throughout their latest EP, You Got It Raw, the Nicotones evoke a common punk-pop formula reminiscent of mid-career Green Day ("Dookie," "Insomniac"), but more dramatic, ala the Gin Blossoms. Yet there is still that feeling of small town innocence floating through every independent note. The image the Nicotones project is that of 70s/80s punk rock, when punk actually meant something (it still does, but not the MTV version). Adding to this image, the vocals sound eerily similar to a bad imitation of The Ramones, but still fit the music, even if they are occasionally off-key. Punk's most redeeming quality was the political leftist drive behind each big hit, but You Got It Raw is more playful and absurd, as evidenced by the "Jabberwocky (abridged)" skit mid-way through the album. Still, the music is fun and melodic, but what's the point if independent music sounds so mainstream?
(02/20/03 5:00am)
Metallica is back in the press. After several years of hiatus and the departure of bassist Jason Newsted, the group has announced the June 10 release St. Anger, its first album of new material since 1997's Reload. While this could be the best metal album of the century thus far (the competition isn't that tough at the moment), it could also be a giant flop, and I'm guessing it's the latter. But that's not why IU students should boycott Metallica.\nThere's no doubt Metallica has crafted some of the best metal albums in history. Its style has evolved over time and despite ongoing criticism of "selling out," I honestly believe Metallica is making the type of music it wants to make. The band is going to sell several million copies regardless, why would it need to make the album radio friendly?\nMy disgust with Metallica dates back to my freshman year, to the advent of music-sharing technology. Metallica was at the forefront of this movement, campaigning to stop the theft of music via the Internet. They certainly weren't alone, as many artists have since come out against companies like Napster (which no longer exists) and Kazaa (the latest craze). But Metallica's methods were completely wrong. For that, I urge a boycott.\nTo fight its battle, Metallica bypassed Napster itself and went straight to the users and ISPs, specifically universities from which the band knew it could garner media attention for its cause. Metallica launched a lawsuit aimed at several universities including IU, Stanford and MIT. Instead of fighting a legal battle, IU backed down and banned Napster permanently from its network.\nBut why IU? Because it had already made headlines for banning Napster because of its effect on server space. It was brought back and Mark Cuban even made an offer to pay for the extra bandwidth, only to have Metallica force it off again. IU clearly didn't want to risk an extended fight in court, one that could drain the University's resources, especially if it lost. So the decision was sound.\nIt is Metallica that is at fault. No one should sue a public university so frivolously.\nMetallica also forced Napster to ban anyone who had downloaded a Metallica song, kicking them off permanently from the service. Napster has since disappeared, crumbling under the weight of continuous losses in the courtroom. But Metallica lives on, still doing pretty well as far as anyone can tell, albums such as S&M and Garage, Inc. have both gone multi-platinum despite the persistence of file-sharing software.\nI don't want to say Metallica's James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich are sell-outs (though Ulrich is a giant tool), but they haven't promoted themselves with the best image lately. Newsted left saying Metallica (Hetfield in particular) was hampering his participation in side projects, though Hetfield has many. Newsted was an integral part of the Metallica live show, but had little input into the music itself. He left for the band Echo Brain and is currently doing bass duties for Vovoid. Metallica has yet to announce who its new bassist will be, though the band's longtime producer Bob Rock reportedly did much of the work on the album.\nDespite the lack of a touring bassist, Metallica has announced the sequel to its Summer Sanitarium Tour and no, Indianapolis is not a stop on the tour. The extravaganza will feature the best of today's metal: Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, Deftones and Mudvayne. Hooray for nu-metal! This tour will be the biggest waste of money ever to enter an arena not near you. If Metallica was serious about real metal, maybe it should invest in some new or dedicated talent, rather than these worthless metal wannabes. It's clear Metallica is doing this tour because it sells, not because it will make good music. Ticket prices are sure to be outrageous.\nI'm sure there are many still bitter over Metallica's treatment of the whole Napster affair, but a few small voices won't send a clear message to the band that its fans need to be treated with more respect. I personally own several Metallica albums and still enjoy them, but I can't listen to them without remembering what it did to my university. I urge those who are with me to refuse to buy the new Metallica album or better yet, download it off the Internet in protest.
(02/19/03 5:00pm)
Metallica is back in the press. After several years of hiatus and the departure of bassist Jason Newsted, the group has announced the June 10 release St. Anger, its first album of new material since 1997's Reload. While this could be the best metal album of the century thus far (the competition isn't that tough at the moment), it could also be a giant flop, and I'm guessing it's the latter. But that's not why IU students should boycott Metallica.\nThere's no doubt Metallica has crafted some of the best metal albums in history. Its style has evolved over time and despite ongoing criticism of "selling out," I honestly believe Metallica is making the type of music it wants to make. The band is going to sell several million copies regardless, why would it need to make the album radio friendly?\nMy disgust with Metallica dates back to my freshman year, to the advent of music-sharing technology. Metallica was at the forefront of this movement, campaigning to stop the theft of music via the Internet. They certainly weren't alone, as many artists have since come out against companies like Napster (which no longer exists) and Kazaa (the latest craze). But Metallica's methods were completely wrong. For that, I urge a boycott.\nTo fight its battle, Metallica bypassed Napster itself and went straight to the users and ISPs, specifically universities from which the band knew it could garner media attention for its cause. Metallica launched a lawsuit aimed at several universities including IU, Stanford and MIT. Instead of fighting a legal battle, IU backed down and banned Napster permanently from its network.\nBut why IU? Because it had already made headlines for banning Napster because of its effect on server space. It was brought back and Mark Cuban even made an offer to pay for the extra bandwidth, only to have Metallica force it off again. IU clearly didn't want to risk an extended fight in court, one that could drain the University's resources, especially if it lost. So the decision was sound.\nIt is Metallica that is at fault. No one should sue a public university so frivolously.\nMetallica also forced Napster to ban anyone who had downloaded a Metallica song, kicking them off permanently from the service. Napster has since disappeared, crumbling under the weight of continuous losses in the courtroom. But Metallica lives on, still doing pretty well as far as anyone can tell, albums such as S&M and Garage, Inc. have both gone multi-platinum despite the persistence of file-sharing software.\nI don't want to say Metallica's James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich are sell-outs (though Ulrich is a giant tool), but they haven't promoted themselves with the best image lately. Newsted left saying Metallica (Hetfield in particular) was hampering his participation in side projects, though Hetfield has many. Newsted was an integral part of the Metallica live show, but had little input into the music itself. He left for the band Echo Brain and is currently doing bass duties for Vovoid. Metallica has yet to announce who its new bassist will be, though the band's longtime producer Bob Rock reportedly did much of the work on the album.\nDespite the lack of a touring bassist, Metallica has announced the sequel to its Summer Sanitarium Tour and no, Indianapolis is not a stop on the tour. The extravaganza will feature the best of today's metal: Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, Deftones and Mudvayne. Hooray for nu-metal! This tour will be the biggest waste of money ever to enter an arena not near you. If Metallica was serious about real metal, maybe it should invest in some new or dedicated talent, rather than these worthless metal wannabes. It's clear Metallica is doing this tour because it sells, not because it will make good music. Ticket prices are sure to be outrageous.\nI'm sure there are many still bitter over Metallica's treatment of the whole Napster affair, but a few small voices won't send a clear message to the band that its fans need to be treated with more respect. I personally own several Metallica albums and still enjoy them, but I can't listen to them without remembering what it did to my university. I urge those who are with me to refuse to buy the new Metallica album or better yet, download it off the Internet in protest.
(01/22/03 12:31am)
Another semester rolls into town and another semester of the IDS Weekend has officially begun. But this won't be just another semester. This semester we have dead fish.\nThe Weekend is a growing entity, unwilling to be contained or controlled by the shortcomings of a relatively small market. Bloomington's entertainment scene thrives thanks to the support of a lot of hardworking people inside and outside IU's sample gates. The Weekend feeds off this energy. This is what we, the small but dedicated Weekend staff, love and desire, to show you what Bloomington has to offer.\nThe Weekend will be in a state of metamorphosis this semester as we continue to grow into something that is both informative and easy to read. Some of the changes you -- the loyal reader -- may have noticed and some are still to come. We want to give you more. More music, more movies, more live entertainment, more dead fish.\nAt the Weekend, we love entertainment, but we are only a small portion of what makes this magazine work. The other part is you. It's your readership that keeps us going from week-to-week, so we need to know what you think. Our e-mail is weekend@idsnews.com. We love feedback.\nThe reviews section is getting a shakeup. After four years of basically the same format, we're modifying the section to make reviews more accessible to you. CD reviews will be shorter and more concise, so you can find out the information you need quickly. Each week we'll spotlight a new artist for an in-depth, thorough review.\nThere's a brand new ratings system, detailed on Page 12. I pitty the band that recieves a "dead fish" rating from our reviews staff, or even worse, the dreaded "bomb." We hope that the consistency of one standard rating system will aid you in spending your hard earned money.\nFeatures will continue to showcase the best in entertainment around Bloomington, providing you with the information you need to get the most out of Bloomington during the day and night. Though Bloomington's bar scene provides plenty of live music, there is no dearth of opportunities for minors to find activities. Page 8 showcases an upcoming performance at Rhino's All Ages Music Club, while our cover story this week focuses on the new Preservation Records.\nWe here at Weekend want to know what you think. If your favorite band got a bad rating from one of our staffers and you're none to pleased with this, let us know. Throughout the semester we will be redesigning our website to make it more user-friendly and we encourage your comments during this process. Check back soon for those changes.\nI could go on and on about our plans, but I probably lost half my readers half-way through this article, or at the first mention of dead fish. So thanks for reading, and please let us know what you think. We'll see you out there, somewhere -- just look for people with dead fish.
(01/16/03 5:00am)
Another semester rolls into town and another semester of the IDS Weekend has officially begun. But this won't be just another semester. This semester we have dead fish.\nThe Weekend is a growing entity, unwilling to be contained or controlled by the shortcomings of a relatively small market. Bloomington's entertainment scene thrives thanks to the support of a lot of hardworking people inside and outside IU's sample gates. The Weekend feeds off this energy. This is what we, the small but dedicated Weekend staff, love and desire, to show you what Bloomington has to offer.\nThe Weekend will be in a state of metamorphosis this semester as we continue to grow into something that is both informative and easy to read. Some of the changes you -- the loyal reader -- may have noticed and some are still to come. We want to give you more. More music, more movies, more live entertainment, more dead fish.\nAt the Weekend, we love entertainment, but we are only a small portion of what makes this magazine work. The other part is you. It's your readership that keeps us going from week-to-week, so we need to know what you think. Our e-mail is weekend@idsnews.com. We love feedback.\nThe reviews section is getting a shakeup. After four years of basically the same format, we're modifying the section to make reviews more accessible to you. CD reviews will be shorter and more concise, so you can find out the information you need quickly. Each week we'll spotlight a new artist for an in-depth, thorough review.\nThere's a brand new ratings system, detailed on Page 12. I pitty the band that recieves a "dead fish" rating from our reviews staff, or even worse, the dreaded "bomb." We hope that the consistency of one standard rating system will aid you in spending your hard earned money.\nFeatures will continue to showcase the best in entertainment around Bloomington, providing you with the information you need to get the most out of Bloomington during the day and night. Though Bloomington's bar scene provides plenty of live music, there is no dearth of opportunities for minors to find activities. Page 8 showcases an upcoming performance at Rhino's All Ages Music Club, while our cover story this week focuses on the new Preservation Records.\nWe here at Weekend want to know what you think. If your favorite band got a bad rating from one of our staffers and you're none to pleased with this, let us know. Throughout the semester we will be redesigning our website to make it more user-friendly and we encourage your comments during this process. Check back soon for those changes.\nI could go on and on about our plans, but I probably lost half my readers half-way through this article, or at the first mention of dead fish. So thanks for reading, and please let us know what you think. We'll see you out there, somewhere -- just look for people with dead fish.