Freewaves KUCI88.9fm SPRING PROGRAM GUIDE 1984 Orange County's Finest Alternative Inside: • Programming Highlights c • Heavy Metal Update Listening For New Music • Midnight Oil, Meat . Puppets Review by Vinyl Veins here are many ways to be hip. One way is to know everything possible • Aztec Camera, X T about the latest trends in music. This aspect is undoubtedly important at parties. A cute member oj the Interviews opposite sex walks up to you and says, "What was that song?" Your reply • KUCI Benefit Concert is based upon the knowledge you have gained by listening to college radio. Not onlydo you impress this person at the partywith your musical knowledge Info. but jurther with the jact that you try to help set trends. Conlinued on page 4 Album ReviewjBenefit Concerts/lnterviews Aztec Camera Recalls Rock Roots R: In the beginning we were mostly electric. Then we went J: Well, I was wondering 'how that line carne about. by Liz McMahon into a phase that was almost ali acoustic. Now we are going R: It's just typical of what I went through, and o(what Aztec Camera is a band from Scotland who have received back to a phase that's mostly electric. Our next album will a lot of people went through. We ali went t'hrough a period rave reviews for their debut album, High Land, Hard Rain. be mostly electric. of dissolution with punk. Their form of acoustical rock is influenced by '60s artists J: I know you are really sensitive to over·production, so L: How do es your music reflect this idea? like Bob Dylan and Buffalo Springfield, but not so much were you nervous with the overdubbing on the album? R: I kept the ideals of punk. that they don't have a style of their OWR. Lead singer and R: Always. I was always afraid it would get out of hand, J: Do you see an)' change in the direction of your Iyrics? guitarist Roddy Frame, all of 19 years old at the time the so I watched what our producer, John, was doing. I could R: No. I am just going to keep going in the same direction. album was recorded, writes upbeat melodies that contrast see what he was doing was OK. L: Which is? with the Iyrics, which often deal with dark themes. L: How did the song, "Walk Out to Winter," come about? R: Well, when I first started I was motivated by boredom. • It seems like a song of optimism. School was so boring for me. I used to come home, lock myself fohn Talley and I interviewed Roddy Frame ojAztec Camera R: I always liked the winter more than summer. I think in my room, and play my guitar. After awhile, I grew tired at the Tropicana Motel in Santa Monica. He had fust begun the summer makes you lazy. AIso, for some reason I appre· of this, and I was motivated by seeing how good things are. touring in the States with Elvis Costello. ' ciate things much more in winter. I saw how much more I could get out of life this way. And J: Th,ere's a line in that song, "Faces of Strummer that I am not talking about material possessions. W'hen people Joho: Welcome to the U.S. How do you like it so far? fell from the wal!." Is that about Joe Strummer of the Clash? say that this is adolescent, it's just because they do not under­ Roddy: Well, I don't like the smog. I don't know if I R: Yeah. How many other people do you know named stand what we are doing. D like 1.os Angeles at al!. Strummer? (laughs) Liz: How long have you been touring in the U nited States? R: Five weeks. L: Has it been almost all supporting Elvis Costello? R: Yes. Except for a few shows in night clubs, we have been with Elvis the entire time. J: What has your impression of America been so far? X-Citing'At UCIIPerformance '\ R: Besides the smog, I think it's great. I guess I try to concentrate on the good and not the bad. by Liz McMahon L: Have you enjoyed opening for Elvis Costello? had played in San Diego, Los Angeles, Irvine, Riverside, San R: So far it's been great. We've been really well received. fohn Talley, Tony Ozuna and I interviewed Billy Zoom oj Luis ObisrlO. After playing in this area, they went up to t'he J: After all, Elvis did say you were one of the bes t bands "X" ajter they played at Crawjord Hall in September. Bay Area, then to Denver and finally finished their tour along right now. ' the East Coasl. Then they were off to Europe. R. Yeah. He was just being nice. or many, this was their first time seeing "X" perform "We have no concerts planned in Europe," Zoom said. L: What were your early influences? F at UCI. However, Billy Zoom recalls playing 'here twice "We are just doing some radio interviews." R: The Fall, Magazine, and the Ideas. Then I started listen· before. They first played at UCI four years ago. One can easily see that they'have not had time to pursue ing to the Velvet U nderground and Captain Beefheart. "That was very memorable," Billy said. "The campus separate projects. John and Exene are part of a folk trio that J: You were in a band called Neutral Blue. What was that police accused Exene and me ofwriting graffiti on the bath· plays sporadically and without notice. Billy Zoom leads a band like? room wall and we had to pay a fine," he said. This happened band, appropriately called The Billy Zoom Band. When asked R: It was very much like Magazine and Siouxee and the after they played to a small crowd in what is now the Lum­ what was happening with his band, Billy replied, "Nothing." Banshees. bermil!. When encouraged to elaborate, he said, "I was too busy, L: How did you progress to Aztec Camera? T'he second time "X" played here was two years ago. Billy and it was a hassle to get the band together." R: I think I just got moreand mnte into (he chords. remembered that a lot of people showed up in white face. Another thing that can be a hassle is dealing with the J: Did you always play acoustic guitar? "We thought they were just pale," he said jokingly. In reali· critics. Recently, Robert Hilburn from t'he Las Angeles Times R: No. I think as you get more into playing guitar, you ty, these kids were imitating TSOL, a popular band at that said that "X" takes its position too lightly. When asked if get more into playing chords. I think this always leads to time. When asked how the show went t'his time, Billy replied "X" saw themselves as the major force in music, Billy evad­ playing acoustic guitar. in his characteristic monosyllable, "Creat." ed the questiono L: Are you happy with the album? Do you think it reflects Sil1ce the)' have been doing so well, they have also been "I don't think we see critics as the major force they see the band's sound? - • very,busy. After they finished their latest, album, More Fun \' themselves as," he replied. R: Yeah, I think it's really good and true to our sound. in the New World, they were in business meetings for several It's nice to see that as "X" becomes more successful, they J: How has your style evolved? months. Then they started touring. In several months they stili have a sense of humor. O USiC can be good on record but, particularly in the if you can't weasel your way aut of the house. MEAT PUPPETS Mcase of rock and roll, music is better live. That's why Now, you're asking, "what do es Orange County's Finest KUCI puts on concerts in conjunction with the Concert Fac· Alternative have to gain from ali of this?" Well, for one thing, tory every Tuesday night. We believe that you should be able we believe in good, inexpensive concerts. Another is that we by Carlos Marx to see the bands that KUCI plays. Some of the bands we also think that there are plenty of good bands out there that have presented, or will be presenting, include Psychobud, just ne ed a decent break and a little bit of exposure to racket es sir, yes sir, way back beforethe trendy '80s, I be· Outer Circle, Eddie & the Subtitles, and TSOL. them into either cult-status heaven or more commerciai Ylieve there was only one band that l'd call outre. Here pastures. Finally, most of the time we are just flat-out bored was a band that couldn't be labeled into any new or old wavo Besides just giving you a good excuse to go aut and party on Tuesday nights and we alllike to see a few good bands category. Though those journalist types called um 'punk on a Tuesday night, there are other special things about our every now and then. rockers,' every time I saw these crittets, punks hated them. shows. One is the price, which is $5 or less, usually less. No So there you have it, great bands on what is usuafly a zero I couldn't believe there was a band too abrasive for those one is going to get rich on a Tuesday night, so we don't want night, cheap tickets, an opportunity to see some of your 'musical anarchists.' These Charley Manson look·a·likes to make you poor in t'he processo Another thing is that all favorite bands and, if you're lucky and loud, an excellent played fast but oh so freakish, and that lead guy-I remember of the bands are broadcast live over the air, at least in part, opportunity to get your screec'hing voice on the radio.