arts 'Everybody's writing about the South and they have probably never even been there: I grew up in western Pennsylvania in McKeesport and I want to stay here.' Film Follies screen Graphic Arts talent ;By SHAWN ISRAEL ;Collegian Staff Writer It's spring at Penn State warm weather, romance, baseball, hay fev er and the Film Follies. The Film Follies, for all the fresh men, transfer students and others who don't know, is an annual public .showing of the Graphic Arts depart 'ment's senior class slideshow and film projects. This year's Follies, screening at 2 and 8 p.m. tomorrow in the Walnut Building, presents variations on three basic themes: • metamorphosis, a change in .form, shown via slideshow and music; • passage of time expressed in slideshows with optional soundtracks; • political or socio-economic - statements detailed on 16 mm. films. Also included are 16 mm. film leaders ;that were drawn or painted upon. Brian Gamerman of the Graphics department's technical crew, said the afternoon showing (or "crash show," as he put it) has a twofold purpose. Primarily, the purpose is to accom modate the expected overflow of • crowds at the evening show. The large number of people on this year's ."guest list" (ficulty members, im portant figures in the art world) prompted another showing for stu So what if it's the music that everybod Hey gang, here's a quick quiz for you. What has three chords, as many differ ent definitions as listeners, and has survived the Rise and Fall of the Disco Empire and the New Wave Empire Strikes Back to become the latest craze in the music industry? That's right, none other than our old friend, heavy metal. Yes, now it seems that everybody and his mom are doing heavy metal, and everybody else is calling it something different. When you hear Van Morri son's "Brown Eyed Girl" with punchy electric guitar chords and chunky rhythm, you know something's happen ing. I know nobody asked me, but here's how I classify heavy metal. Van Haien and Van Haien II are heavy metal, as are large percentages of Queen and Queen 11. Van Halen's latest stuff, and Queen's latest stuff, are not. The for mer has degenerated into a senseless, random assortment of distorted guitar and silly lyrics about arousal in drunk en pre-teens, or something. "Kid stuff" has become such a hackneyed phrase; Tim Craven dents who might otherwise have been turned away, Gamerman said. Past guest list members have in cluded various deans of art colleges throughout the country and represen tatives of the American Institute of Graphic Arts, he said. The second purpose of the afternoon show is for the technical crew to hammer out any flaws in the presen tation. Jill McClary, who is doing public relations work for the Follies, said the annual event is also an effective means of getting people to take notice of the comparatively young depart ment in the college of Arts and Ar chitecture. "We're a very small department, but we're pretty important," she said. The students involved in putting together this year's show were ded icated and worked on the project with Herculean intensity. "(The show) is going to be so good. Everybody has worked so hard," technical crew member Kevin Bru baker said. "You just don't realize the time, effort and emotion put into it." Mark Stoner, who opens the presen tations on Saturday, said he and the department anticipate a successful, well-received, show. "It should be a wonderful family for the whole show," he said. I'll avoid using it The latter have aimed themselves at those tender, bored middle-class teens who choose to remain tender and bored. And speaking of tender and bored, R.E.O. Speedwagon is not heavy metal, nor is Journey, nor is Cheap Trick. I prefer Rolling Stone's term, power pop, or more affectionately, schlock 'n' roll. And let me tell you, there's more of that floating around than Saudi light crude (and it's about as interesting to listen to). AC/DC has gone stale; Aerosmith is gone. Ozzie Osborne misses Black Sab bath; many of the purported metal bands are spin-offs from here. Blue Oyster Cult has steadfastly stuck to its guns; last year's Fire of Unknown Origin was one of 1981's best Ips. The rest are struggling for style or just jumping on the latest bandwagon as they do every time money turns up. Next Blondie, having exhausted its New Wave, disco and reggae incomes, will be turning everything up louder and singing songs of hormones. So what's heavy metal all about, and why am I subjecting you to my biases? Take heart, I'm a steadfast metal fan, just disappointed at the latest round of cardboard bands claiming to rock. Here we have a sample of new releases, starting with the interesting music and going down from there: "RIGGS," RIGGS, Full Moon/WB Re cords, #FMH 3655. Last summer, clad in mirrored sung- Craven' meaningful By PHILIP LEO Collegian Staff Writer In a world filled with radios blasting formula rock, there are musicians like Tim Craven who still pro vide music that has meaning. Craven, who lives, works and performs in the State College area, has not forgotten that music is a sensitive art form and has resisted changing his style just for commercial appeal. Craven has been playing his music here for the last 10 years. And he has an excellent new album out called, Last of the Dime Store Boys. What makes this album so special is its theme it is written about the Northeastern United States by someone who loves the area. "I want to write about the Northeast," Craven said. "Everybody's writing about the South and they have probably never even been there. I grew up in western Pennsylvania in McKeesport and I want to stay here." Last of the Dime Store Boys has some very strong tracks that truly capture what is happening in this area. Side one opens with "I Love My Smoky Western Pennsylvania Mill Town Home," a song whose "title says it all. When Craven sings, "Here's to Crazy Nemchik and 01' Big Ray and to Little Otis too/ He could take your car apart and put it back together before he's through/ I remember the days of playin' ball and nights of goin' wild/ Well, I guess I know no matter where I go I'll always be a mill town child," the listener catches a small glimpse of his steel town origins. The lyrics throughout the whole folk-oriented al bum are strong. From the thoughtfulness of "Harris burg Today," which speaks of the impact that Three Mile Island had upon our lives, to the mystical feeling created by "Christmas at Sea," Craven, through his words, earns the right to consider himself a folk singer. lasses, chugging around in my Plym outh as it spewed loud blue smoke out its dual exhausts, with "Heartbeat" from the "Heavy Metal" soundtrack thrf )ud Jeremy Graf Local singer tells Pa. tales on new enough for the whole block to enjoy, I thought to myself, here's a band that could go somewhere. Well, here they are. Riggs, four guys who play instru ments and sing, put together this fine album, truly a credit to the genre. Sure, the songs have typical lyrics and typ ical titles, like "Girls On The Loose," "Take It Off," and "Over and Over." But what's in those grooves is tight, sparring, gear-driven rock. No frills, no fancy studio gimmickery, just power chords, guitar leads, wailing vocals etc. . . . The real thing. Plain and simple, with enough edge to annoy one's room mates at sufficient volume levels. As long as they stay relatively non-com mercial, OK. As long as we can keep them off "Solid Gold" Andy Gibb's voice might rise another octave when these guys get cranked up. "ALBUM ORIENTED ROCK 'N' ROLL," TRIUMPH, RCA #DJL24247. Don't be fooled, this is actually A llied Forces (RCA, MF'LI-3902) disguised as a promotional copy with interviews of Gil Moore, Mike Levine and Rik Em mett, who make up Triumph. By now, if you're at all interested in heavy metal, you've heard "Lay It On The Line," "I Live For The Weekend" and "Say Goodbye" on the radio. Not bad, eh? Consider the amount of sound, the full ness these three guys who play instru ments and sing put into their music. They're comparable to The Police in that respect, although Sting would "Lyrics are important to me. There is value in writing what is going on now. Not just politically, but socially. "When people think of folk singers they think of WOody Guthrie in the dustbowls of Oklahoma, but there are plenty of poor people in Pennsylvania right now," Craven said. This notion of social concern is evident in "Old Yankee Town," possibly the best song on the album: "In old charcoal Pittsburgh they're closin' some mills/ They got less demand for American Steel/ 'Cause the mills are as old as the family and friends/ Who are just too darned stubborn to adjust to the trends." These words provide an accurate descrip tion of the lives of many in the Northeast. The picture would be a dreary one if Craven weren't obviously in love with the area. Instead we get a description and an image of Northeastern life that is based on a love that is as old and stubborn as the area he sings about. Yet the album does not always play so well. Craven's voice at times seems a little strained and sometimes the lyrics seem a little forced. But those moments are rare. Musically, the album is very strong. There are two rock songs, three country songs, two ballads and even a dixieland number. This mix of styles blend together to provide Craven's lyrics with the proper vehicle for expression. Unfortunately, the record industry seems to be intent on giving us safe, mindless formula rock and roll. Music that blasts you with chords and lyrics that mainly concern themselves with sex and leather. Yet, Craven's music is still successful because it asks something of its audience. It asks them to listen, to think and to take a look at life around them. Craven is currently forming the "Dime Store Band" which will debut on April 23 at the Kern Coffeehouse. He will also be performing on WTAE TV's (an ABC affiliate) morning talk show on April 12. Area musicians vie for festival honors By LAURIE JONES Collegian Staff Writer Young musicians from all over the state of Pennsylvania will get a taste of college competition when the Penn State Solo and Ensemble Mu sic Festival gets underway at noon tomorrow at the Music Building. Any junior or senior high school musician can enter the School of Music's fourth annual festival as long as applications are signed and submitted by a music director or private music teacher. There is a $5 fee to enter the competition. music preview Debbie Noyes, who is handling admissions for the festival, said this year's entrants will play piano, gui tar, brass, strings, woodwind and percussion. She also said that some will also compete as vocalists. Entrants can perform alone or as a group. Each ensemble can have only one person to a part without a formal conductor, though a vocal ensemble can have two people per part. The musicians must adhere. to a shudder at the thought of his band lumped into any comparison with this style. But like The Police, they must be totally self-reliant onstage, to make The Daily Collegian mus album Tim Craven six-minute time limit, during which they tune their instruments and play their selection. Following the perfor mance, the judges are allowed four minutes to offer comments. "They receive a written evalua tion a rating from poor to superior and comments decided on by all the judges," Noyes said. The com ments provide constructive crit icism to the aspiring musicians, and are "intended to encourage further musical pursuit," according to the festival application. Among those competing are violin ist Rachel Lindsey of Lock Haven Junior High School who is returning for her third festival and clarinetist Colleen Baylor and French Horn player Brian Lawrence, both seniors at Southern Area High School in Catawissa, who recently competed in the Susquehanna Valley Youth Concerto Competition. Noyes noted that the festival intro duces the musicians to the Universi ty's music faculty. "Some of them plan to attend Penn State after high school," she said. • In addition to becoming acquaint ed with the various faculty mem bers, the festival should prove to be invaluable performing experience for those talented musicians within the state. ing now? that music work with just three. Kind of cutesy, sometimes too sweet and smooth. Use it to break beginners in. "RENEGADE," THIN LIZZY, Warner Brothers, #BSK 3622. Speaking of steadfast. Thin Lizzy has been doing the same thing for as long as anyone can recall. Not a band to change horses until thier hooves are cracked and they're completely deaf, Thin Lizzy has the right to sit back and say, "look at all this new noise. Why, .we've been doing it for years." No Lizzy-come-late ly, their style has had plenty of chance to polish itself. And it is good, just like their other albums, and just for that reason. Besides, they save you money buy one, you own them all. So at least buy one. "WRABIT," WRABIT, MCA-5268 Bob and Doug McKenzie go to a concert. Actually it's not that bad, but this Canadian band of six (count 'em!). Los Angeles renegades are certainly not beyond having a good day, eh? That's about all they do; I'm sure they have a great time of it, long hair, flashy guitars, shirts open to the wiast -- I've heard it all before. For the size of the band, they sure don't do a hell of a lot else. All the excitement of a six pack of flat O'Keefe. But they'll make a buck, just about everybody else in this genre is. 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Send a colorful collection of fresh spring flowers in an adorable hand-painted ce ramic bunny. That's our Bunny Bouquet. The perfect greeting for Easter, Sunday, April 11. Hop on down to the shop. Or give us a call. We'll get your Bunny Bouquet hopping on its way. Easter Sunday, April 11. Order early! Save money! No telephone charge until April 3 aldeflora *********************** * Gene Kelly Film Festival 1 - Ar -0( march 19, 20 26, 27 April 2, 3 * * , * -1 0( * This Week's Feature * * * 4K ON THE TOWN * ..0 ( starring Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and Ann Miller * it * iK * -X Fri, Sat 7, 9:00 * ' .4( 2.2 Deike . $1.50* *********************** JAMES BOND 007' FOR YOUR EYES ONLY FRI & SUN in KERN 7 & 9:10/SAT in 101 Chambers 8:45, 11 P.M. $1.50 THE FRENCH CONNECTION Comp. Lit FRI, SAT, SUN 7 P.M. only! 101 Chambers $1.50 FRI, SAT, SUN in 112 Chambers at 7,9:05,11:15 (no late show Sun.) $1.50 ~. .\; ;N \ , •,` ‘Nk: Winnerof: ' .:;4.0,0-0k'4.*0r.44. CENTURY FOX PRESENTS REST P/CTURE 1981 Donald Sutherland • Mary Tyler Moore • Judd Hirsch . Timothy Hutton The Daily Collegian Friday, March 26, 19 GENE HACKMAN and ROY SCHEIDER (All That Jazz) GWadtW e Student • Association
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