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Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Page 76
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Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Page 76

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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Issue Date:
Page:
76
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REVOLUTIONS Sons of the pioneers Dharma Sons take their cue from alternative stars CD tonight at Nick's Fat City. Leave it to Primus Band excels at shaking things up By Scott Mervis Weekend Editor, Post-Gazette From a band that named an album "Pork Soda," had the motto "Primus sucks" printed on their tour shirts and released a song called "Wynona's Big Brown Beaver," you would expect a sense of humor. So you have to wonder why the producers of "Late Show with David Letterman" would be so taken aback with something as harmless as penguin suits. Yes, penguin suits. The members of Primus were such big Letterman fans, they figured they'd go all out and wear the costumes from their latest video.

So after sound check they went down to the dressing room, and suited up in their big floppy penguin wear. "Well," recalls singer Les Clay-pool, "this woman came down and looked at us, and she had the most bizarre expression on her face. She came back down with the main lady, who books the show, and she asked us did we wear these suits all the time, I said no, we just did it for the show. She totally freaked out that we had done this thing without telling anybody. "We went upstairs and Dave had to look at us, and approve that we could still go on.

It was an extremely uncomfortable situation. It was kind of like hanging out with Santa Claus, and getting abused by one of the elves." The fact that Primus would even draw the attention of the elves is one of the more mystifying developments in modern rock. For starters, here is a band whose lead instrument, the thing that generates the most ferocious of mosh pits, is the bass. It was all a result of Clay-pool's futile search for the right band. "When I started Primus, it was mainly because I'd auditioned for every band in San Francisco and I couldrvt find anything I liked.

I started writing. I never thought I could be a singer, because for one thing my voice sucked, and it's very difficult to sing and play bass at the same time. I just started the band, and the guitarists I always liked were non-aggressive, more textural players like Andy Summers, Robert Fripp and Adrian Belew." With drummer Tim Alexander and Larry Lalonde, a Joe Satriani student and Zappa fan, on guitar, Primus has created a quirky, B-movie, trailer-park kind of thrash-funk. The band, which has since headlined Lollapalooza and rocked Woodstock '94, was believed to have a small, demented following until the day two years ago that "Pork Soda" debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard charts.

"That was pretty shocking," Claypool says. "But the way we've STONES STRIP: Let's all be thankful that the world's greatest rock band had enough integrity not to jump on the "MTV Unplugged" bandwagon, though technically speaking, "Stripped" (Virgin, itk-tck), acoustic live album, is a rose by any other name. Recorded during rehearsals, sound checks and at intimate clubs during the "Voodoo Lounge Tour," "Stripped" is chock full of the menacing, heartbreaking vibes that made the Rolling Stones so great two decades ago. Instead of acoustic takes of the usual Stones classics, we're treated to new versions of painfully introspective, but vital obscurities like "Wild Horses," "Dead Flowers" and Robert Johnson's "Love in Vain," complete with flubbed lines and band chatter. Harkening back in tone to the days before they were world-spanning superstars, "Stripped" presents the Stones in a light so selfconsciously sincere, you'd swear your hard-earned cash has gone to supporting a band of English roots rockers the Jayhawks or Son Volt with hits.

Of particular interest to this Dylan fan was the band's no-holds barred rendition of "Like a Rolling" Stone," the 1965 hit that defined an entire generation of rock 'n' roll rebels. "Stripped" comes out at a time when the world has its eyes trained on a certain English quartet making its comeback via classic outtakes and several potentially ghoulish manipulations of a deceased genius' voice. Leave it to the Stones to play spoiler with their old rivals the Beatles by surfacing with this magnificent collection of fresh approaches to old songs. And look, they didn't even have to dig anyone up, 'cept maybe Keith. The Dharma Sons release their new, By Tony Norman Post-Gazette Staff Writer "My stomach can 't stomach too much Springsteen I and lately hates it I when you get out the Led I Twenty years ofSeger's been I like a silver bullet in my head I beautiful loser I rock 'n woaah-ll Hake your night moves away but you stand firmly and I like a rock you X'FM Aggravation," Dharma Sons Not all of us have to jump on the Dharma Sons bandwagon.

Truth is I've always liked them, even when they were getting clobbered in local bar band competitions they should've taken in a walk. But depending on when one sees them and whatever band is happening nationally at the time, the Dharma Sons have an uncanny talent for mimicking that sound and regurgitating it for the Pittsburgh masses sometimes shamelessly and without benefit of processing or rearranging. Consequently, I've heard the Dharma Sons work through various periods when the former quartet, now a trio, was especially indebted to the Gin Blossoms, the Counting Crows and Cracker, bands that aren't particularly high on the indie-rock credibility list, i Recently, the Dharma Sons have developed a reputation for being "excessively derivative" because the trio's right-on covers of Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins have become such crowd-pleasing staples of their live shows. Given the harrumphs from the ranks of the Dharma Sons' esteemed colleagues, it's hard to believe there was once a time when copping licks from one's betters was considered a time-honored practice to be engaged in with reckless abandon. Fortunately the Dharma Sons can take solace in their success as an -exciting club band that sprinkles its performances with a reasonable mix of originals and But more than that, froritman-guitarist Rob Bayne, bassist Matt Dudek and drummer Bill Warnick.

can be proud of releasing one of the best locally produced records of the year. "Dharma Sons" comes equipped with 1 1 memorable originals that echo the best of their influences without being unduly yoked to any particular band stylistically. "Birthday Song," "Cover 'Em Up" and "GTO" have that high octane, playful testosterone feeling FM classics have always cultivated, and would fit nicely into any self-respecting rock station's format. But I can't imagine many superstations around here being big enough to play anything by a band audacious enough to dis sacred play lists with asong like "FM Aggravation," a hilarious, but critical exploration of classic rock repetition on the upper reaches of the FM dial. Why, oh, why did the Dharma Sons burn their bridges so dramatically? Don't they know the world deserves to hear "Kitty Irene," the Steel Town sequel to "Thelma Louise?" but something strange happened Saturday about 6 a.m.

I here's how it went I Kitty and Irene came in my store well, this Kitty I she's from Fox Chapel I and Irene I she 's from Sharpsburg they really make it look so easy I not scared I they said 'hit the ground and it'll be OK 1 1 opened my drawers and I obeyed I well, I heard their gum cracking as I lay there I just laughing out loud I no, the alarm didn sound I Kitty and Irene will never be found." Tonight at Nick's Fat City the Dharma Sons are hosting their first CD release party. Rocker Mark Eddie will be on hand as well as WDVE's Jim Krenn, so there's hope at least one local supcrstation will play a cut or two from "Dharma Sons" before the novelty wears off. The show kicks off at 10 p.m. LOCAL SCENE Jazz fans have a few excellent choices this weekend: Jamaican pianist Monty Alexan- dor brings his trio to the Balcony tonight and tomorrow at 8 and 1 1 p.m. And our own Nathan Davis, who's almo.st as big as Jerry Lewis in France, is playing a rare (and free) concert at Chatham Eddy Theater tomorrow at 8 p.m.

Anti-Hag headlines a Rally Against Violence, an awareness- raising event, tonight at 7 at Benedum Hall, University of Pittsburgh. Joining them are the Johnsons, African Drum Ensemble and Bllndslght. Cover is $2. 'After the Bloomfield Bridge Tavern celebrates its 10th anniversary tonight with the Spuds, it goes Goth tomorrow with Apocalypse Theatre, Machine In the Garden and Cult of Psychic Fetus. The show starts at 9 p.m.

Former members of the Boston punk band Gang Green havo rofnrmort ac If Iaum 9 hanrl called "a cross between the Clash and Buddy Holly." They play tonight at Luciano's, with RedBelly and Pilsner. The all-ages show is at 9 p.m. Cover is $5. In case you missed yesterday's announcement, tickets go on sale tomorrow for Rusted Root's New Year's Eve show at the'Civic Arena. Special guest is Donna the Buffalo.

Tickets are $22.50, and go on sale at the Arena box office, Kaufmann's, Giant Eagles and NRM. To charge, call 323-1919. 22 Weekend, November 17, 1995.

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