6 the manitou messenger Friday, March 28, 1969 irplane's newest album has old stuff, but good by Thom Atkins Bless Its Pointed Little Head, should, like pieces from different here, I believe, is "WHY BOTHER?" Jefferson Airplane's newest, and chronological efforts, as indeed I have nothing against live albums, most hostile, release on RCA Victor they are. "Bear Melt" and "It's but if Jefferson Airplane is going records, finds one of the origina­ No Secret," although one was com­ to record an album in concert, why, tors of the famous, or infamous, posed in 1969 and the other some oh why did it have to be filled with depending upon point of view, San two and one half years earlier, empty ranting, trite drug references, Francisco sound (if there really sound, stylistically, much the same. and two and-a-half- year old songs? ever was such a thing, which, along This astounding fact means that Why didn't they record some of the with many other things, is extremely the Airplane has either become numbers from After Bathing at doubtful and open to question) stagnant (as some critics suspected Baxter's, for example? Or from still firmly entrenched in much the upon hearing Crown of Creation), Crown of Creation? t same referential or stylistic bastion Dancing in the Banat regioni of Croatia is a humorous or that they have succeeded in per­ "very good record" affair as demonstrated by Emery Kapples, Paul Stafura, which they inhabited at the outset forming the detail move of the With all of this, however, Bless of their lengthy career. century. Its Pointed Little Head is a very and Rudy Crash, members of the famous Duquesne Uni­ Of the ten songs, items, flashes, versity Tamburitzans. musically competent good record, done very well, by a and commentaries presented in this This album strikes me as being very fine group, I like it. It is en­ record, one is from their Very First one that was released in order joyable and the music is really Album, and three are from that not­ to assure the public that Jefferson great. I merely caution those who Tamburitzans present able epic, Surrealistic Pillow. Two Airplane still exists. It is musically think that this is a "new" record. of the best cuts on the album are competent (nothing they've ever It is not new. A good rehash of traditional songs ("Rock Me Baby" done has been incompetent). The earlier material, yes, but performed, and "The Other Side of This Life"), songs are performed quite capably as I said before, with only detail European music tour one is from the Donovan songbook, (exception; Donovan's "Fat Angel" changes; changes in rhythm and one is an agrarian dirge ("Bear is totally ruined by Paul Kantner's vocal phrasing, for example. The by Nancy Moeller Melt"), one an improvised response rather childish attempt at copying songs are Jefferson Airplane, circa The St. Olaf Artist Series will ant folk having a joyous time at to some apparently scandalously Donovan's voice. No one, not even 1967. Fans of J.A. will be very ignorant lighting technicians (by host the Duquesne University Tam­ a festival. The production is fast- Rantner, can sing like Donovan, happy with the record (it is a very the way, the album is recorded buritzans on Friday, April 11. The moving in a highly professional and I had hoped that the group would good live recording, showing just live, although I have heard more only collegiate performing group style. have realized this). The band how well the Airplane can perform of its kind in the world, the Tammies lively live audiences in Philadelphia is instrumentally tight, with tra­ in a live environment). are hailed for their professional- versatility basements, not to mention Northfield ditional Airplane kineticism taking As for individual numbers, as quality portrayal of the Slavic The versatility of the individual cemeteries), and one an unexplained a strong lead. However, coming I mentioned earlier, the two best and Balkan folk arts. This com­ performers is amazing—each plays ninety seconds apocalyptically titled from a supposedly progressive group, are "Rock Me Baby," a traditional pany of thirty performers is known several different European langu­ "Clergy." bent on advancement, the album is blues number performed here to as America's finest group of folk ages. old stuff a bore, a throw-away. With the ex­ great advantage, and "The Other music song-dance artists. The For over thirty years the Tam­ All of this mentioning has a point. ception of "Bear Melt," "Turn Out Side of This Life," which has an two-hour concert will begin at buritzans have been thrilling audi­ That being, all of the original, group the Lights," and "Clergy," (none introduction (featuring Drummer 8:15 in Skoglund Athletic Center. ences over much of the civilized compositions, of which there are of which can really be called songs) Dryden and Bassist Cassady) that A Tamburitzan concert is like world. The troupe looks back on seven, that are recorded upon this the band was doing all of these things is guaranteed, when played at a musical tour throughout Europe great successes during yearly tours marvelously pressed bit of black on stage in the summer of 1967. sufficient volume, to shake walls during which vigorous dances, throughout the United States and plastic do not sound, as indeed they A "relevant question" of sorts and rattle minds. Also, "It's No songs, rituals and instrumental Canada, three European tours and Secret," from Jefferson Airplane offerings all unfold with rapid- a recent Latin American tour. Takes Off, is still a mighty nice fire, high-speed precision. About one hundred concerts are song. performed yearly in the U.S. and on the cover colorful and authentic Canada. The album cover is highly bizarre, Attired in a brilliant array of "Americana" added something that has come to be ex­ colorful and authentic costumes, Deviating slightly from their pected of the group, and something the Tamburitzans sing, dance and stated objective for the preser­ that seems to have become rather play a wide variety of musical vation of Slavic folklore, the Tam­ a fetish for them. A note of ques­ instruments. The Tamburitzans mies have added a bit of "Ameri­ tionable importance, and nostalgic take their name from the basic folk cana" to their present musical Protesting the body commercial­ regular following, it is doubtful that eclecticism: RCA Victor has, for instrument they play, the Tam- production. The Tamburitzans per­ ism of Playboy Magazine, which a movie such as "Romeo and Juliet" the first time since the inception buritza. formed this "Americana" during masquerades as a philosophy, sev­ should be restricted to persons over of the company, changed the center Their musical production features their recent Latin American tour. eral Grinnell students stripped off sixteen unless accompanied by theii sticker on their records. The faith­ lively village dances; the vigorous It was received so well that it was their clothes during a recent visit parents. And yet, in some instances, ful canine, listening attentively and acrobatic leaping and spinning decided to give the American audi­ to their campus by a Playboy "phil­ the advertising for the latter film to "His Master's Voice," has been of mountain folk; fancy and care­ ences an opportunity to see some osopher." While Hugh Hefner con­ resembled that of the others, disposed of in favor of a hideous free footwork of village dandies; of the great versatility of this out­ tinually says that the magazine is bedroom emphasized orange splotch. Bad, bad move, sedate movements of peasant maid­ standing group of student-artists. not intended to be a "girlie" maga­ The advertising focused on the bed­ RCA! For Shame! ens; the dazzling beauty of the Home for the Tammies is the Tam­ zine, and while it is true that the room scene, which Shakespeare did Oh, yes, one more thing. There's colorful folk costumes; the senti­ buritzan Cultural Center and Du­ magazine publishes many fine arti­ not write into the play but which a neat little poster-type thingie mental moods of a singing sere­ quesne University located in Pitts­ cles, the entire magazine exploits was good in the context of the movie, enclosed with each copy of the nade; the lusty, rich voices of peas­ burgh, Pennsylvania. the female body. showed only the nude back of Romeo record. Suitable for wrapping melted It the magazine truly has pride as he rose from his wedding bed. and liquified bears and other sun­ in the articles printed, why does Photographed beautifully, with the dries. the cover never reveal anything ex­ soft light of the morning entering Big-Name-Events series cept a picture that is a titilating through opaque curtains, it was well sample of the center section? Is it done, helping to emphasize the beau­ that a magazine that carried a pic­ tiful relationship of sexual love to leaves much to be desired ture of Eric Hoffer or Truman Capote platonic love, as well as emphasizing on the cover wouldn't sell as well the tragedy of the separated part­ by Terry Dorn as one that pictures a half-dressed ners. The time has come for a serious look at St. Olaf's Big-Name Events pro­ woman? How much difference, however, gram. While the old maxim, "you can't please everyone all of the time," more exploiters exists between advertising that stres­ is a fairly reliable one, the Big-Name Events of the past two years have Playboy Magazine is only one ses a scene that is perhaps one-six­ paigns encourage negative attitudes hardly pleased even a large minority of the student body at any one single example, however, of a particular tieth of an entire movie or the ad­ on the part not only of those one time.