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■ ART GRANTS
The Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) will sponsor free grant
seminars state-wide for Georgia artists Interested In the revised
Individual Artists Grants category. The seminar date for Athens
Is Wed., Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. at Clarke County Courthouse.
The Red end Black • Friday, January 26, 1990 • 6
A&E
Parker’s new LP conveys big ideas
Workshop to air radio drama
Graham Parker: His new LP, "Human Soul,"
delivers a loose rhythm and blues influenced rock.
■ ALBUM REVIEW
By MICHAEL PISANI
Contributing Writer
Graham Parker’s last studio
album, “The Mona Lisa’s Sister,”
was viewed as a comeback for an
artist whose last few records
were less than spectacular.
With the release of his new LP,
“Human Soul,” the British
Parker delivers a loose rhythm
and blues influenced rock record.
The consistent record is divided
into two distinct halves, with a
“real” side and a “surreal” one.
The more traditional side of
fers six songs which run from
thepunchy “Little Miss Under
standing, to a tribute to his
youthful days in “Soultime.”
The vindictive ‘Dancing for
Money,” attacks sellouts, “Fami-
larity breeds contempt, so I turn
off the radio...”
Parker expresses his reassur
ance to a lover in the personal
“My Love’s Strong.”
The standout track of the real
side is “Big Man on Paper.”
Parker yearns for a better world,
but instead of doing something
about it, he can only criticize it,
hence, he’s a big man on paper.
The enigmatic “surreal” side is
a collection of songs which con
tains a five song suite, with most
of the songs clocking in under two
minutes.
The often indirect lyrics and
strong subject matter contradict
the light melodies of the songs.
“Everything Goes,” with its
breezy feel begins the suite and
briefly tells the tale of an ab
ducted schoolgirl yet offers the
reassurance of “Everything’ll
work out fine, Daddy’s on drugs,
Mummy’s on the welfare line, but
everything goes.”
“Sugar Gives You Energy,”
and “Daddy’s a Postman,” are
comical jabs at suburbia. While
“Green Monkeys,” challenges the
myths about the source of AIDS.
Overall, “Human Soul,”is
pleasant listening with Parker
conveying big ideas in small
catchy packages.
By JENNIFER WILKIN
Staff Writer
Preparations for an evening in
“the theater of the mind” are being
made at the Georgia Center for
Continuing Education.
On Saturday evening, “Mr.
Radio Drama,” Himan Brown, will
present an original radio drama
starring Mercedes McCambridge
and Paul Hecht. “Madeliene and
Harry’s Story,” which will be
broadcast live at 9 p.m. from the
auditorium of the Georgia Center,
is part of the Himan Brown Audio
Production Workshop being held
for radio journalists Jan. 26-28.
Brown, one of the premiere di
rectors in audio proauction, pro
duced and directed many shows in
his time, including the ‘The Mys
tery Theatre,” “The Thin Man” and
“Dick Tracy.”
He brings, along with his exper
tise, the acting talents of McCam
bridge, Academy Award winner for
her role in “All the King’s Men,”
and Hecht, Obie award winner for
his title role in “Enrico IV.”
Although the show and
workshop are geared toward the
continuing education of profes
sional journalists, the response of
this target group has not been as
extensive as expected, said Jeanne
Dau, conference facilitator for the
Georgia Center. She attributed
this to the fact that the conference
is in its first year. However, she
said the general reaction to the
show has been overwhelmingly
good.
'The general public is very inter
ested in the show,” she said. “We’re
sorry that the numbers are low for
the conference but there has been a
lot of public response. It’s a good
show."
Allan MacLeod, director of the
Himan Brown Audio Production
Center at the University, said
radio drama is making a big
comeback. He said for around 15
years, it went by the wayside, but
now people are buying tapes of the
old radio dramas in increasing
numbers.
‘There is a good rebirth of radio
drama nationwide, he said. “People
are driving in their cars, listening
to the old broadcasts on tape. They
are very much in demand.
He said that radio drama has
many advantages over television,
in that it allows for much more cre
ativity.
“ The great thing is that it lets
you use your imagination. Every
thing is painted for you on tele
vision; the characters, the sets, the
lights, he said. “But with radio
drama, the sky is the limit. You
can see the sets how you want, the
characters can be who you want
them to be.”
The broadcast is free and open to
the public, provided advance reser
vations are made. It will be pre
ceded by a banquet dinner and
reception, at which Brown and the
actors will appear.
Dinner participants will have re
served seats for the live show, at
the cost of $24.75 per person in
cluding tax, service and a $5 con
tribution to the College of
Journalism Broadcast Scholarship
Fund. The reception will begin at 7
p.m.
Dau said both the show and
dinner are sold out. However, the
response has been so good that
they are making room for more.
The 100-seat banquet has been
extended to a not-yet-determined
limit, and the 450-person limit at
the auditorium has been expanded.
Upstairs rooms have been opened
and speakers installed to accomo
date tne crowds. So far, 480 people
have made reservations for the
broadcast.
You can catch the broadcast at 9
p.m. on WUGA.
Ellroy’s ‘Big Nowhere’ paints realistic picture of LA in 50s
A Book Review of “The Big Nowhere” published by
Mysterious Press. Paperback $4.95.(editors note: Pa
perback novels are reviewed for the benefit of those stu
dents who can’t raise funds for hardcovers.
By JEFF RUTHERFORD
Entertainment Writer
James Ellroy’s “The Big Nowhere” brings to life Los
Angeles in the 50s.
Ellroy’s grittily realistic style paints an authentic
picture of 1950s Los Angeles. The dividing line be
tween law and order is non-existent for the strong
arm detectives that careen through the pages of “The
Big Nowhere.”
Newly promoted Det. Danny Upshaw is investi-
■ BOOK REVIEW
gating a series of brutal killings. Upshaw is convinced
that the killings are connected, but no one is inter
ested. He can’t prove this connection without a major
investigation, which his superiors refuse to authorize.
Upshaw is frustrated until a group of detectives ap
proach him about joining a task force investigating
the communist influence in the powerful film in
dustry. He agrees to join the task force if the other de
tectives pull strings for an approval of his
investigation. Upshaw gets his investigation, and the
task force gets its undercover man.
Upshaw begins searching for his killer, and the
task force goes to work. The suspense builds as both
these investigations wind into gear.
‘The Big Nowhere,” is James Ellroy’s gangster tour
de force. But he isn’t stopping. His venture into 1950s
Los Angeles began in last years horrific novel “The
Black Dahlia,” and he’ll continue in the soon to be re
leased “L.A. Confidential.”
Ellroy refuses to paint a glorious picture of the
good-old-days of the 50s. He shows the underbelly of
50s Los Angeles- crooked cops, gangsters and grue
some serial killers. He hits tne reader with a sucker
punch from page one, and he doesn’t let up
throughout the book.
The descriptions, setting and background are what
make this novel great. The characters live and
breathe on the page as they thunder through a gritty,
hot Los Angeles chasing their criminals and the Red
The descriptions are what make
this novel great. The characters live
and breathe on the page as they
thunder through a gritty, hot Los
Angeles chasing their criminals.
Threat. Ellroy’s authentically written dialogue uses
slang from the time period.
With “The Big Nowhere,” Ellroy delivers a fas
cinating multi-layered suspense novel filled with
greed and gore.
Fashion in Focus.
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