Working for Arts can sometimes be a pretty year from them being socially conscious post­ cool gig. You hang out and waste your days at punk neo-dance roughnecks to a Midnight Oil the Nexus and then out of the blue the drummer which is a high-concept package created by red- of Midnight Oil, Rob Hirst, gives you a call and tied yuppie executives who exist only to turn you have a little chat about life, death, nuclear your favorite song into a beer commercial. war and the band’s upcoming show at the Not so, it would seem. County Bowl. Maybe it’s not all that goofy, but You have to be somewhat cynical when a it’s damn close. manager calls you a couple of weeks before the With the recent success of their album Diesel concert to set up an interview. A little pre­ and Dust, Midnight Oil has moved away from concert chit chat, "sell some tickets, kids, blah being considered merely an alternative band blah blah.” But when trying to follow up on some that happened to show its (at least singer Peter facts, we found Midnight Oil to be not par­ Garrett's) face during the “Australian Wave” in ticularly affiliated with a label and promoters the early '80s. Previously noted as being a band who responded that they didn’t "give a fuck” which stood behind causes like saving the rain what we did with our promotional tickets. forests and having a lead singer who ran for Could it be that Midnight Oil is a little more public office, the band is now more recognized than a poor man’s U2, that they do actually give for being in heavy rotation on MTV. a fuck about what they’re singing and who they Popularity has led to backlash, with some play for? former fans whining “sell-out” and others Hirst classifies the band as, “Part of those finding them too politically correct for a rock band. performers in the creative area who are My concept of the band has turned in the last (See OIL, p.3A) 2A Thursday, October 27,1988 Daily Nexus Isabel A llende C hile's Exiled W riter Novelist Isabel Allende's stories speak of "private pain and public passion," said the Los Angeles Times. Allende's version of her own writing is this: she writes about "lovers embracing in front of an abandoned mine where they have just found 15 bodies murdered by the regime." Allende will present a lecture titled "The Voice of a Latin American Woman Writer," on Friday, November 4 at 8 PM in Lotte Lehmann Concert Hall. This magical realism which pervades Allende's novels makes them thoroughly exciting, and at the same time deeply political. Her work rises out of a need for human solidarity and a commitment to the future, as well as a healthy respect for passion and less overtly "political" kinds of involvement. Tickets for Isabel Allende's lecture can be purchased in advance at the A&L Ticket Office; any remaining tickets will be sold at the door (UCSB students: $3). Los Folkloristas: release of the soundtrack to the Pa n A sian Rep's motion picture El Norte. But it is in Folk M usic From their dynamic live appearances that Yellow Fever M exico Los Folkloristas really show their talents. With a dazzling display of The Pan Asian Repertory Theatre, a It all began quietly enough. A handful over 80 unusual instruments — professional theater company on tour of musicians from Mexico City, drums, flutes, pipes, guitars, harps, from N ew York City, comes to determined to record and perform the rattles — on stage, the musicians Campbell Hall tonight with Yellow folk music of their native Mexico and launch into Mexican ballads, Latin Fever, a hilarious spoof on detective other Latin American countries, American political anthems, Indian movies that takes very funny pot shots joined together and began what would folk tunes and other purely authentic at racism, fascism and other fatuous behavior. become Mexico's finest folk ensemble: songs from several regions. Los Folkloristas. And 22 years later, Los Folkloristas' well-established While at UCSB, Los Folkloristas will reputation is based on more than 30 present a free lecture-demonstration G enesis: record albums and concert tours in Spanish, on Monday, October 31 at 4 Film From In d ia throughout the world. On Wednesday, PM in Music 1145; join a community November 2 at 8 PM, Los Folkloristas celebration of Day of the Dead at La A&L’s CUTTING EDGE film series will show Santa Barbara audiences Casa de la Raza in Santa Barbara on continues with Genesis, a feature film why they're so popular, with a concert the evening of Tuesday, November 1; directed by Indian filmmaker Mrinal in Campbell Hall. and visit a UCSB ethnomusicology Sen, in Hindi with English subtitles. class. All of these activities are free; Genesis will play on Sunday, October In the United States, Los Folkloristas tickets for their Campbell Hall concert 30 at 8 PM in Campbell Hall. Tickets gained much of their status with the are on sale now (UCSB students: will be available at the door (UCSB $10/$8/$6). students: $3). OCTOBER / NOVEMBER Monday Tuesday W ednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday UCSB 2 7 2 8 2 9 3 0 Pan A sian Genesis Repertory Theatre 8PM/Campbell Hall 8PM/Campbell Hall 31 i 2 3 4 5 6 Isabel Allende Oakland Ballet Los Folkloristas Los Folkloristas Lady From Shanghai Oakland Ballet 8 PM /Lotte Lehmann 2PM/Campbell HaU lecture-dem 8PM/Campbell Hall 8PM/Campbell Hall 8PM/Campbell Hall 4PM /M u s ic 1145 Concert Hall Suburban Angels 8PM/Campbell HaU ARTS & LECTURES Charge tickets by phone: 961-3535. If you haven’t been bowling lately, you ought to see what you’re m issing. AUTOM ATIC SCORERS X Fun and excitement are the name of the game when you bowl at the ORCHID BOWL! Automatic Scoring keeps score for you and shows it in color on a 25” screen. Watch live TV while you bowl, too! It’s a Ball! Minutes from UCSB! OPEN 24 HOURS ORCHID BOWL Hwy 101 at Fairview ___ 5925 Calle Real Goleta • 967-0128 BLUES «REGGAE (Continued from p.lA) (exploitation of the indigenous ROCK & JAZZ prepared to lend their name for causes population) happening at Mesa, and beliefs they are sincere about." Arizona. the monies that are going to NEW RELEASES NOW IN STOCK: Since they started as a surf band in the Big Mountain legal defense, the Dire Straits - “Money 4 Nothing" 1977, it’s kind of impressive that they Navajo and Hopi that are being Sonic Youth - "Daydream Nation" have grown into a group that relocated from their place ... that Traveling Wilburys - "Traveling Wilburys" represents so many important social shouldn’t be! White people have got to Ofra Haza - "Shaday" concerns. It’s old news that lead singer understand the special relationship Gregory Isaacs - "Red Roses for Me" Peter Garrett ran for the Senate in that native people have with their Nick Cave - "Tender Prey" Australia. But it was surprising to hear land.” Mighty Diamonds - "Get Ready" that he had actually won in his bid, only If there is any stance the band takes, Joe Ely - Dig all Night" to be stopped by the political pressure it is outside mere party politics or New On Compact Disc of those who saw his victory with the commercial posturing. Hirst refers to it PIL-"Second Edition" Nuclear Disarmament Party as a a politics of the spirit. “ It comes down Hank Williams - "40 Greatest Hits" threat. to a question of personal morality and Buzzcocks - "Singles Going Steady" • riih, ‘The two main parties in Australia understanding your place on the planet conspired with each other to keep him ... understanding where to draw the "CASH PAID FOR USED CD’«. CASSETTES A IP'»” out of office," Hirst informed Arts. “So line on how to preserve that planet and he’s not a senator, he's a rock and roll how to treat other human beings." singer making music with Midnight Midnight Oil is on the road to per­ morninglory Oil." form a lot of rock and roll and a little Next Saturday’s show will be the social good. If Hirst could urge you to OPEN 10-10 DAILY, 10-8 SUNDAYS band's second appearance in Santa do anything, it would be to get to the 910 Em barcadero Del Norte. Isla Vista 966-4665 Barbara in less than a year. This time show early and catch all three bands. TICKETS FOR LOCAL AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EVENTS around it's a little different — sure, “ It is the three bands together for the they'll play some of their hits, but the first time with indigenous music from theme of the tour is some con­ remote parts of the world ... coming sciousness-raising about rights and together with one message, coming mistreatment of American Indians. together for a single cause ...«(to raise) The roots of this tour are in the the consciousness of people who have making of the Diesel and Dust album, the not given the original people of this name of which is a term they coined for country much thought.”/€. a tour of the Australian Aboriginal lands last year. Their biggest hit on the album, ‘The Dead Heart," was originally written for a film celebrating the return of the world's biggest monolith, Ayers Rock, to the Aboriginal people, its original owners. “ From doing that film I think there was a trust situation set up with the Aboriginal people and they allowed us onto their land, gave us permits to be the first white band to tour the settlement along with the Aboriginal band Wallaroo, who were the real stars of the show.” Midnight Oil decided to share the experience with the rest of the world and take Wallaroo on their world tour.