IUPD

Gabe Dixon Band gets rolling with latest

By K James Sward · Thursday, Nov. 21,2002 12 a.m.

Ever wonder what it takes to "make it" in the music biz? "American Idol" would like us to believe it takes someone with a God-given set of pipes but no formal musical training. Add to that a lot of makeup, a questionable voting system and voila! There is your star of tomorrow. Somehow, I remain unconvinced. I'm still thinking you need amazing talent, the right connections and, most importantly, luck. The Gabe Dixon Band has got the ball rolling as far as their career goes, releasing On A Rolling Ball, an album that aesthetically combines jazz and rock with a touch of pop. The band features songwriter Gabe Dixon on lead vocals and keyboards, Winston Harrison on bass, Jano Rix on drums and Chandler Webber on the sax. These University of Miami Music School buddies refuse to let their talents go to waste.

School House Rock

By By Jonathan Sanders and Jonathan Sanders · Thursday, Nov. 21,2002 12 a.m.

Are you planning to do nothing this weekend? Maybe sitting home and watching "Cops" is what gets your mojo working. But if that's not the case, maybe there's something better to help you enjoy your weekend. Saturday night at Rhino's, eight local high-school bands from around the area will be playing in a Battle of the Bands to benefit the Hoosier Hills Food Bank. The Battle of the Bands is sponsored by the Youth In Action coalition, a group of high school students from Bloomington North, Bloomington South and Edgewood high schools. The coalition works to make sure there are youth-oriented activities going on in the Bloomington area, so that teens have constructive things to do rather than resorting to alcohol for their entertainment.

Live album catches the best of Clapton

By Seth Forster · Thursday, Nov. 21,2002 12 a.m.

One More Car, One More Rider is a two-disc recording from Eric Clapton's 2001 tour that shows why he's never really disappeared from the radar. Sure, he's had a handful of average (at best) albums and enough drug problems to compete with just about anyone, but he's also proven to be one of the most versatile artists to last so long. He's never been a gimmick player and has never been afraid to experiment with new sounds, for better (Journeyman) or worse (Pilgrim).

Music makes the movie

By -Alec Toombs · Thursday, Nov. 21,2002 12 a.m.

Oftentimes when discussing and/or critiquing cinema, many casual filmgoers, and yes, even critics such as myself, overlook the importance of music in relation to the overall enjoyment of a flick. Modern cinema is nothing without music, and to keep this column concise, I'll focus primarily upon the influence of rock and pop within film. Sound isn't quite as important as the visual, but it's awfully damned close. When used properly, a piece of music can convey emotionally or thematically what not even the deftest of shot selections or an actor at the top of his or her game can in a pivotal scene.

Humane campaign

By Elizabeth Bahra · Thursday, Nov. 21,2002 12 a.m.

Since 1956, the Monroe County Humane Association, a nonprofit and volunteer-driven animal-welfare organization, has been working and advocating for the well being of companion and farm animals and wildlife in Monroe County. Tonight, Encore Café, 316 W. Sixth St., will play host to the release party for the association's new benefit CD. Michael White, Carrie Newcomer and 02R Blue Band will perform, and Rich Anton, a longtime radio personality, will emcee the event.

Trapt can't get out of lame hard-rock grooves

By -Val Tsoutsouris · Thursday, Nov. 21,2002 12 a.m.

Trapt's self-titled major-label debut is another hard-rock stinkbomb. Foisted on us just in time to make the winter radio festival tour bills, this is pure product, and not good product at that. Clearly aimed at the Papa Roach crowd, Warner Bros. probably didn't realize that Papa Roach's fame is also on the wane after their awful lovehatetragedy album. As a result, I don't even think Trapt will make much of an impact even on its target audience. And at least Papa Roach has a pretty enjoyable album, 2000's Infest, to its credit. After a thorough listening, only one melody, on the song "Still Frame," emerged on Trapt. The rest lacks tunefulness, and this is a band that doesn't have enough going for it to get by without it.

Grunge pioneers keeps on evolving

By Matt Seremet and Mattew Seremet · Thursday, Nov. 21,2002 12 a.m.

With a name like Riot Act, one would expect Pearl Jam to come out swinging on its seventh studio release, but the band does the exact opposite. The group has moved away from the stale alternative-rock scene they helped create and developed into a solid rock band. While Riot isn't Pearl Jam's best work, it's a vast improvement over 2000's Binaural and is leaps and bounds over imitators like Creed.

Pretenders still blend pop, punk

By Seth Forster · Thursday, Nov. 21,2002 12 a.m.

For many people, The Pretenders are a pop band with a little edgier lyrics and a handful of cool singles about disastrous relationships and the occasional biker. For anyone who cared to dig deeper, especially during the band's first few years, this was one of the most original post-punk bands of its time, one that somehow had a better sense for song-craft than most of its FM (or top 40) competition. But the Pretenders are also one of those bands whose credibility is inversely proportional to the number of big singles from the album.

Four discs to rule them all

By Parker Witman and Parker Wittman · Thursday, Nov. 21,2002 12 a.m.

You probably don't remember, but way back in August I took a look at the first, two-disc release of "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" and spouted off about the money-grabbing marketing weasels at New Line Cinema who decided to torture poor, helpless fans by putting out two different versions of the film. I was excited knowing that the "Extended Edition" would include a half-hour of extra movie and boat-loads of special features, but that financially-burdened, anti-corporate college cynicism kicked in, and through it I channeled my anger, longing for the days when the decisions regarding movies went little beyond, "Do I see it in the theater or do I rent it?" In some weird way, I wanted to be disappointed in this huge DVD release, because then I would be justified in my frustration.

A tender look at sadomasochism

By by Isaac Edwards and Isaac Edwards · Thursday, Nov. 21,2002 12 a.m.

Steven Shainberg's new film is the kind that would get people talking if more people got out to see it. Winner of the Special Jury Prize for Originality at this year's Sundance Film Festival, "Secretary" is a rare film, indeed, a romantic dramedy that dares to challenge our assumed positions on the true nature of happiness, love and fulfillment. "Secretary" is the story of Lee Holloway, played with bright-eyed magnificence by Maggie Gyllenhaal. A recovering self-mutilator, Lee looks for something else to occupy her time, and she finds it working as the secretary for paralegal E. Edward Grey (James Spader). From the moment these two come together, there is no mistaking the chemistry between them and that their relationship as employer and employee is little less than role-playing.

'Potter' sequel surprisingly dark

By Sam Shahrani · Thursday, Nov. 21,2002 12 a.m.

The first of many blockbuster films planned for release this holiday season, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" is an interesting, if surprisingly dark, film. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) finds himself beginning his second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry after enduring a miserable summer break with his adoptive parents. Yet, Harry quickly finds himself dealing with a number of bizarre (even for a wizard) events in his life, from a self-abusive house elf named Dobby (voice of Toby Jones) to a series of mysterious attacks on students at Hogwarts. From the outset, this film has a considerably grimmer feel than the original "Harry Potter," but considering that the tone of the books also grows notably darker as the series progresses, this should be no great surprise.

'Early Turkey,' Black Student Union cooks up Soul Food dinner

By George Lyle IV · Wednesday, Nov. 20,2002 11:59 p.m.

Even through the closed doors of Forest Quad's old dining hall, the smells of candied yams, beans and fried chicken invaded the noses of the waiting diners. Ten minutes before the start time, a line of over 40 people are queued for positions close to the door, hoping to be the first to the food. Thanks to the Black Student Union, some students got an early taste of Thanksgiving dinner Tuesday night at the BSU's annual Soul Food Dinner.

Road Warriors

By -Sam Johnston · Wednesday, Nov. 20,2002 11:56 p.m.

The wind in your face, the fresh air and the open road ahead of you, the freedom to go where you want and the thrill of adventure -- these are many of the reasons IU students ride motorcycles. In Bloomington, motorcycle riders are greatly outnumbered by the number of students who drive cars, but this doesn't stop motorcycle riders from getting to class and doing it with a style all their own.

School has long history of excellence

By Aaron Brown · Wednesday, Nov. 20,2002 11:55 p.m.

IU first began to offer its business curriculum in 1902, when classes were offered under the economics degree with a concentration in commerce and finance. One-hundred years later, what began as a couple commerce courses is now one of the country's premier and most successful business schools. With alumni like U.S. senator Evan Bayh and NBA franchise owner Mark Cuban, the business school is continuously recognized in national business publications and college rankings.

Kelley School dedicates new graduate building

By Adam Aasen · Wednesday, Nov. 20,2002 11:48 p.m.

On Friday, the Kelley School of Business will unveil its new state of the art home for graduate education programs and research centers at 2 p.m. in the building's forum. The Graduate and Executive Education Center will offer over 180,000 square feet of classroom and office space and innovations in campus technology making it a "landmark event."

Take paddle from teachers

By Abra Oliver · Wednesday, Nov. 20,2002 11:20 p.m.

Last year, Michaela Curtis' 7-year-old son came home from his Alabama elementary school with bruises on his bottom. A teacher had paddled Curtis' son for picking his nose during class, she told ABC News. Frightened, she took her son to the hospital where police told her that if she had spanked the child that hard, they would have taken her son.

Senate approves bill, creates new agency

By Abdullah AlShihri and Jesse J. Holand · Wednesday, Nov. 20,2002 11:17 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- Winding down the 107th Congress, the Senate approved the largest government reorganization since World War II in hopes of helping prevent another Sept. 11-type attack. But the monthslong effort may have been just a warmup for a bigger battle to come: getting the new Homeland Security Department up and running.

Protestors welcome NATO

By Abdullah AlShihri and Sandra Sobieraj · Wednesday, Nov. 20,2002 11:12 p.m.

PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- President Bush warned European allies Wednesday that NATO countries face threats from terrorism in this century as dangerous as those from German armies in the past, imploring member nations to stand together against Iraq's Saddam Hussein. Resistant nations such as Germany will have to make their own decisions as to "how, if, and when they want to participate," Bush said.

Fake IDs: Why we need them

By Romana Asi · Wednesday, Nov. 20,2002 6:51 p.m.

You are 18 years old. You have the right to get married. You have the right to have children. You have the right to have sex. You have the right to fight for your country at war. You have the right to drive a car. You have the right to buy a house. You have the right to own a bar. But guess what? You don't have the right to drink a beer! The current drinking age law in the U.S. is inappropriate and does not reflect the moral or ethical stance the U.S. prides itself on.

Watch your mouth

By Cherry Blattert · Wednesday, Nov. 20,2002 6:49 p.m.

Free expression gives Americans a sense of liberty and pride. Unfortunately, the politically correct (P.C.) Gestapo, also sometimes referred to as the militant left, is holding the right to free speech captive. It's happening so slowly, so discreetly, that most of us aren't in a state of alarm. But we should be. Take Michigan's Janice Barton as an example. Barton observed a few Hispanics speaking Spanish to each other and commented to her mother privately that she wished, "spics would learn to speak English." An off-duty Hispanic sheriff jotted down her license plate and had her hauled off to the pokey.