TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1981 THE TECH PAGE 7 _ Urgh!- UghJ Ye ch! rgh! A Music War, produced bi, Michael Copeland's family, who are big-wigs at IRS I / Records and Frontier qjite, directed he Derek Burbridge: now Booking, are consul- 1-inlg at the Sack Cheri, tants to the film. No matter; the perfor- Uvth! A Music War opened at the Cheri mances of "Driven to Tears" and "Roxan- ne" are superb. Friday evening. When it closes this Friday, it%vill have left as much of an impression as Somehow, I felt that I was at the Gram- Footprint on the beach at low tide. Unless my Awards, so I felt that I should 're into concert films or, give too cheap to some awards of my own: buy the soundtrack, this movie isn't worth -I am a poseur" award:(tie) Toyah Wilcox, I-our time and money. Klaus Nomi There is no plot line to speak of; the Comedy award: Pere Ubu's David Thomas, |imovie consists almost completely of con- trying to fly during "Birdies." cert Footage from LA, Paris and NY. When First Amendment award: The Cramps' the caimera is not capturing ren- the sweat flying dition of "Tear it Up" ,11' the band members' was positively obscene. bodies, it invariably Over the Hill award: showvs us stereotypical 999 looked ready for punk visions, be It a Social Security. slitn-dancing crowd or leathered S&M Shlock award: Gary ;Ireaks. Why Derek Burbridge, Numan, for his smoke the director, machine and "coffin decided to evoke the car' during "Down in the ingrained negative Park." ilniates that most of the audience seems Biggest' surprise: 11ost likely to associate (tie) Wall of Voodoo, with "punk" or Skafish .1new wave" music, is beyond me. Worst performances: As for the music, it is top-notch, as it was XTC, by a mile. Best performances: (tie) Joan Jett, on the album. The Dead Kennedys, Surf Gang of Four, Echo and the Bunnymen Punks. and Chelsea are in the film, but not oil the disc, missing frorn the movie are I have a bit of advice for anyone John Otway, The Members and Athletico con- templating seeing this Spizz '80. flick: unless you real- ly want to see what these groups Of the twenty-seven bands (the ad look like says or you just can't Lventy-eight.- I thought wait until the Dead Ken- most people nedys come to knew how to add), only the Police town, don't waste your play money on more than one song. This this trash. Buy the albumn. may be due in Eric A. Sohn part to the fact that drummer Stewart Arts I Rrts OrCD braer St7a Just when you thought it was safe to woners Ctrowt and Rocket Cottage. The propriate::' updati·--'r·' th pilovely ''''~IFR5~~~e a mO st 'e off British folk-rock as a 70's perioud ton Sa'l.v arresting is O/ S'iser is closer to this thelvelya Vella/ "Harvest Itts hard to f~i n d ;=""PBP mrenon over too soon, Steeleye Span peio that to the 1977-78 albums, Home." it'had t fnd fault with t h s in which There are even -Some straight-ahead f-Its well into the re - d. It s reunion album. Steeleye Span Martin Carthy led the group history OF bot coreey was back toward a rOckers, including "Longbone"a with its Span :be better part of the last decade the more traditional soun-d. and British folk-rock as a whole. Carthy, who ap altnost new-wavish guitar and base lines. Only one song falls short of rs of this somewhat eclectic parently decided not to participate its potent l musical in this The production on the album reunion effort, is unusual the pretty harmonies Of"Lt With their breakup in 1978, they is doing just fine, as for Steeleye Span, the sound erG demonstrated by is ratherheavy Down" are offset by some rather banI an apparent close to a distinguished his excellent show at Har- with a surprisingly commercial er. vard's Paine Hall feel. At lyrics about a captain going dowln with last Friday. times, the backing his 0lowever, the group, As always, Steeleye tracks sound more like ship. Otherwise, the songs are first-rate and is back together covers a wide range Renaissance or Strawbs n and of British than Steeleye. The the performances range from impressive as strong as ever. They have folk, rock and folk-rock on a reason for this new sound is simple-Sai~s to lred to tneir mid-70's lineup- Maddy single record. Maddy Prior' isvoice is as breathtaking.e "?f'Silt~tr is Produced by G uls Dudgeon, the Steeleye Span, is backL, and gorgeous as ever on the slow songs. par- he results ae as exquisite as ever, We can Tirn Hart, Bob Johnson, Peter 'Ilan esponsible for Elton Iht, Rick Kemp ticularly "Gone to America." John's best only hope that this is not a one-shot r.u- and Nigel Pegrum. The group albums. The production includes severaditionaltraditionalsongs ight be surpris- nion ilbum, a nd that a tour is in the works Ilneup was responsible for several of among ing to longtime fans, but im' apopitei the original compositions, With ap- for the near future. The concert WYould be most Places and doesn't sacrifice the one to remember. group's unique abilities. Tom Anderson.