• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1997-04-03_Vol62_No22_04

€► hursday, April 3, 1997 lin»UM4WiUMMMM-m« U2's Ton* Tops Zooropa' Jeff Messer Staff Writer With today's music market in a deluge thanks to the fickle fashions of the CD consuming public, numbers of reliable and generally successful artists have met with low record sales. It seems that fans aren't as loyal as before, and new material by old artists isn't as palatable as material by fresh talent. Problem is, will these new kids on the block have the staying power of the dwindling icons of pop music? Witness the backlash against the rocket-like stardom of Hootie and the Blow- fish, whose first album burned up the charts for over two years. Their follow-up died a fast death, not matching even a modicum of their previous success. Sheryl Crow's follow-up to her stellar, Grammy-winning debut also tanked—but did grab a Grammy, proving her staying power in the long run. The Gin Blossoms—same deal: super first CD, equally good follow-up, but poor public response. What of the giants of pop past? Sting's excellent Mercury Falling continued the tradition of his super-selling Ten Summoner's Tales, but didn't match the sales. Phil Collins got praised and criticized for his somber, introspective last outing Both Sides, which was not a huge commercial hit as expected. His follow-up, catering to what everyone seemed to want, was the peppy and horn-filled Dance into the Light. But it too has had lackluster response. R.E.M.'s New Adventures in Hi-Fi also fell well below expectations, being the band's lowest-selling album in over six years, but possibly the best thing they've done musically. Mind you, the concept of "disappointing" album sales for Sting, Collins and R.E.M. are still sales of over a million copies (which most artists only, dream of). But now there's one last hope for stopping this trend of waning loyalty. The ever-evolving, decadence-embracing, tongue-in-cheek U2 have released their newest album, entitled Pop, which debuted at number one on the albums chart with first week sales of over 300,000. Impressive, and perhaps a sign that the drought is over. And while Sting and Phil Collins recovered by doing what they do best— performing live and drawing sellout crowds—U2 plans to do both: sell CDs by the droves and tour with the largest stadium concert show in music history. So even if sales drop off, U2 still has an upcoming tour that has already sold out in most venues. As for Pop the CD—well, it's a lot better than U2's last outing, the overly jagged and crunchy techno- driven Zooropa. But Pop isn't anything exceptional or destined to become a classic. It is solid craftsmanship from solid musicians who are brave enough to try anything. The new CD roams the musical plains from post-modern disco with the infectious opening track "Discoteque," to the grinding, pulsating cyber-fest "MoFo," to the lullaby-like ballad "If God Would Send His Angels." Sometimes you even wonder if you're listening to the same band. They show their diversity well. But beneath it all seems to be more. Indeed, the post Zoo-TV era of U2 has left them with confusion and questions, which they openly explore in Pop .In Zoo- TV, U2 embraced the wildly decadent lifestyle of its multi- million dollar success. It became the personification of the pop ego. But now, with the ironically titled Pop the band seems to strive to get back to their roots, to get in touch with the deeper feelings of the human soul. Many of the tracks display outright questions and ponderings of God and eternity. Pop is what U2 has become, but it is also the battle of id and ego, fame and personal introspection and privacy. It's as though U2 were waging an internal battle to attempt to separate the glitzy fame and the true soul of their existence. In "MoFo" the edginess of the music is underlined by lyrics of longing to "fill that God- shaped hole," crying out for a "mother" to "save me." After "MoFo," things slow a bit. There is a musical calm, as U2 intellec- tualizes its predicament. Notably good, but similar in musical style ana composition, are the tunes "Staring at the Sun" (the second single, forthcoming), and "Gone," both excellent tracks and certain to get play throughout the stadiums of the upcoming tour. Somewhat misplaced is the indescribably odd song "Miami," belting out and crying on about the grit and grime of the urban nightmare. But most charmingly, it is followed by the hilarious "Playboy Mansion," which swaggers on about decadence and "pop" culture: "If coke is a mystery/ Michael Jackson, history; If beauty is truth and surgery, the fountain of youth? What am I to do?" The album closes with a hypnotically stark and thought-provoking song, "Wake Up Dead Man," which is augmented by a haunt- ingly reverberating guitar chord and a solemn, helpless plea of "Jesus, Jesus, save me." The lyrics hang with us long after the CD is over. Perhaps, by not trying to be ''pop" at all, U2 has put its fingers on the pulse of "pop" culture. At first listen, the album doesn't seem to be anything special. It takes a while to scratch beneath the surface, but when you do it becomes obvious that this is a work of art. Bono's voice expertly affects an array of emotion, convincing us that he is the larger than life person of old, but also that it's a facade and the true soul of a poet beats on. If anything, Pop gives us a view of how, from the saturated modern pop-trash culture of music and fame, true spirit and passion can rise out of the rubble and live on. Too bad U2 didn't pave this path before their other ill- fated contemporaries found an unreceptive public for their new music. But a trend setter as always, U2 will hopefully stir the purchasing public back to its collective senses and away from the grinding one-hit-wonder machine that has become the music industry. Spring Sbi pment! "Wmn Assorted Styles FACTORY RETURNS Dress & Casual Styles $19.95 tO $39.95 $16.95 CLEVER" Machine Washable LEATHER UPPER Lace up Style or Slip on Style CONVERSE & j^ Reebok Cleats: Asstorted Styles for Baseball, e||| oc 4 C0Q oc T-Ball & Softball 513-93 10 3>£3.3J ^^CATERPILLAR ^^_ ^r ^T "Walking Machines" 8" Leather Mens Boots Tough and Comfortable X, yv9i9v Gibson's Shoe Surplus Outlet CSHOE BURPLEJ3J Open 9-6 Mon-Sat Wayne sville Plaza Beside Winn-Dixie Schedule for Greek Week, April 7-12 Monday, April 7th: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. UC Lawn : ,• Greek Organization Fair 5 p.m. Alumni Tower Opening Ceremony for Greek Week Rain Location: Ramsey Auxiliary Gym 7 p.m. ::^:;v; Ramsey Center, Section G Acute Alcohol Awareness Program >■ Tuesday, April8th: 4 p.m. Greek Parade through campus Chariot Race behind Reid Wednesday/April 9th: 7 p.m. UC Lawn Talent Shojy & Greek God and Goddgss Contest Rain Location: Ramsey * Auxiliary Gym Thursday, April 10th: 7 p.m. s;, UC Lawn: Variety Show Rain Location: Ramsey Auxiliary Gym Saturday, April 12th: 12 p.m. -3 p.m. ThetaXi , Greek Games & Closing Ceremony Help us celebrate being Greek! IFC, Panhellic and NPHC invites everyone to come out and watch the Greek Week events. We would like to encourage each of you to attend the Greek organization fair on Monday,Thanks for your cooperation'during Greek Week/97. Creativity of Students Displayed in One Acts NATHAN MARSHBURN STAFF WRITER The WCU Theatre Department will be putting on a series of one-act productions on April 2, 3 and 4 in Niggli Theater. Ticket price is $5 and shows start at 7:30 p.m. Seven plays are on the schedule, all of which are contemporary pieces directed by WCU students. The one-act musical, "'Broadway's Biggest, Boldest, and Bawdiest," is compiled and arranged by Valerie Deitz and Scotty Corbin. "Amicable Parting," directed by Anna Lyda, and ' "Naomi in the Living Room," directed by Dale Brady-Wilson, look at the different problems that can come up in family life. . "The Pickup," directed by Tiffany Meade, is a cdmedy about a girl who kidnaps a guy she thinks she saw on "America's Most Wanted." "For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls," directed by Heidi Beth Masarie, is a parody of Tennessee Williams' "The Glass Menagerie." Libby Trull does an out- standing job as the neurotic Amanda Wingvalley Trull's character is a virtual Blanche Dubois. Maggie Crenshaw is the loud and boisterous Jenny, a factory worker who turns out to be a lesbian. Jeff Hedgecock is Tom, a boy who has doubts about his own sexuality and just wants to get out. Lawrence, a whiny adolescent who is horrified by the outside world, is portrayed by Justin Holmes. Together they form a dysfunctional family in grand Tennessee Williams style. "976-LUST" is a clever but simple romantic comedy featuring the acting talents of Steve Bryson and Katya Hill. Jess McNeil directs for the third time in a unique play where all the dialogue is over the telephone. "The Pawn," written and directed by Kevin DuFour, is the only play to be totally created by a WCU student. The longest of the one acts, it lasts 45 minutes. The work is the story of a young man named Joshua (Steve Bryson) who realizes he has been manipulated all his life. DuFour worked on the script off and on for two years, and got approval to perform the play before completing it. It is unique in that the scenes do not occur in chronological order and span a period of 22 years. "The play is confusing," says Kari Adams, one of the actresses, "but that is part of its charm." Will Pickens plays "Peter/' the best friend of Joshua. Pickens says his scenes with Bryson are the "real-time" of the play, the parts from flashbacks get their cue. Some scenes are graphically violent, and DuFour uses the $100 budget for the play efficiently in creating the special effects. Steve Bryson is an actor in three of the one acts and says "The Pawn" is the most challenging. When asked "What is the play about for you?", he responded jokingly with "Many costume changes." Of preparing for one acts, Bryson says, "There is more freedom. You can be more inventive." And Kari Adams, who acted in "A Midsummer Night's Dream," says, "In one acts, you have less time to prepare, but there is also less pressure." The Theatre Department will be performing George Bernard Shaw's play "You Never Can Tell" and more student productions called "The Guerilla One Acts" before the end of the semester. Career Services Sets Teacher Placement Day Mardy Ashe Interim Director Career Services' Every spring, Western Carolina University's Career Services Office sponsors a Teacher Placement Day. Human resources personnel, superintendents and principals from 50-60 school systems and individual schools come to visit our campus and talk to student teachers and teachers who have already graduated. This is a great opportunity for teachers, counselors, school psychologists and speech pathologists who wish to work in a public school setting to meet people who are doing the hiring. Teacher Placement Day for 1997 will be held on April 10,1997, from 1-4 p.m. in the Ramsey Center Auxiliary Gym. Fifty-nine school systems and individual schools from North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia have registered to attend. Last month, approximately 180 invitations were sent to student teachers and recent graduates of WCU notifying them of this event. Students and graduates are advised to dress in interview attire, bring resumes and prepare to talk about job opportunities. WCU students who •ire student teaching will be excused from their student teaching obligations for the afternoon in order to attend. Teacher Placement Day could be a great afternoon for all concerned. (For a list of the schools attending, please come by the office at 91 McKee or contact the career services homepage at: http://wwv7.wcu.edu/cso.html)

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University's student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

• Creator
  • Western Carolina University
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1997-04-03
  • Date digitized: 2020-01-13
• Extent
  • Dimension: 14" x 11.25"
  • Pages: 14 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • College student newspapers and periodicals
  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
  • Western Carolina University -- Periodicals
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
  • Cullowhee (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • WCU Students Newspapers Collection
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1997-04-03_Vol62_No22
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library