2006-11 Vital Source Mag – November 2006
Chickenshack 101
By Jonathan P. Ziegler WMSE has always had a commitment to local music of all types. However, other than blues programming, the station never really had a long-term show that was 100 percent dedicated to roots music. The Chickenshack was started in the Summer of 1997 for the dual purpose of spotlighting historic/forgotten roots artists and providing a platform for local and up and coming acts to be heard. Over nine years later, the mission is still the same and the show is even broader in spectrum. The strength of the show is in its diversity. You can hear honky-tonk, western swing, rockabilly, bluegrass, old-timey music, blues, rhythm and blues, rock & roll, singer songwriter even a little folk and some soul from time to time. On any given Friday you can hear music ranging from field recordings of people who never even played on a proper stage to artists like The Cramps. To me it all fits under the roots/Americana umbrella. The show has been and will always be a key venue for promotion of local artists and for the club owners willing to stick their necks out and book roots music. I try to make the show as accessible for these people as possible. Whenever a new roots band starts playing out in the area I get an email or a phone call from them and I am thrilled to be able to help them with airplay and live in-studio appearances and interviews. Being a musician, I fully grasp the importance and responsibility of having a forum like this. Throughout the years the support that I have received from artists and fans of the music has been overwhelming. When I started the show, I would have never dreamed that it would have the loyal listenership that it does. I feel like a proud papa when I see the Chickenshack shirts and stickers around town. It also serves as a reminder that the listeners take this kind of music very personally – who hasn’t choked up when they hear a Johnny Cash song in the last couple of years? And the people expect a high level of quality in the music that I play on the show. I’m always looking for the best songs and best performances by the artists I put on the air and will continue to do so. I only wish that I had a longer show so I could play more music. Jonny Z.’s Chickenshack can be heard Fridays from 9 am to noon on 91.7 FM, WMSE.
Nov 1st, 2006 by Vital Archives
Look back and laugh
By Howie Goldklang I want to tell you a little story ‘Cause it makes me warm inside It’s about some friends growing up And all the things they tried I’m not talking about staple shit They went for something more I guess it was too much dreaming Too much to hope for One day something funny happened But it scared the shit out of me Their heads went in different directions And their friendship ceased to be Minor Threat, “Look Back And Laugh” From Out of Step (1983, Dischord Records) “Today’s kids are missing the point, man. They need to take out the iPod headphones and log off of fuckin’ MySpace and listen up.” Steve Blush, on the phone from his New York apartment, is emphatic. “This film is the story of American hardcore.” Blush is the author of American Hardcore: A Tribal History. After publishing his book in 2001, Blush and fellow scenester and music video director Paul Rachman spent four long years tracking down musicians, fanzine writers, girlfriends, promoters, photographers, indie label owners, fans, college DJs and club owners: anyone that helped define the hardcore movement; a short-lived, riotous era in punk rock music whose lasting effects are what makes up the dirt under the nails of rock and punk music today. The result: the landmark documentary film American Hardcore – The History Of American Punk Rock 1980-1986, which stands as an unflinching, 100-minute lightning bolt of hardcore history featuring 115 interviews, highlights culled from over 100 hours of rare stock performance footage and hundreds of photographs of hardcore heavyweights in their prime. American Hardcore made its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival this year and was immediately picked up by Sony Pictures Classic. “They haven’t changed a single frame of the movie,” says Rachman, also checking in from New York. “It’s all there.” Data Control Making American Hardcore American Hardcore is a film of non-stop cuts and clips, seamlessly mixing vintage live performance footage of Bad Brains, MDC, Minor Threat and Black Flag with numerous contemporary interviews with the grown-up versions of the scene’s major players. “The film is very direct, with a first person point of view,” explains Rachman. “That was very important; to get the story told from the people who shaped it.” “We were able to get the interviews because between Paul and I, we know people all over the country from the hardcore network, and we never fucked anyone over, you know?” recalls Blush. “Ian MacKaye (Minor Threat) and Keith Morris (Circle Jerks) never return half the calls they get, but they know we’re legit. We were a part of the scene. We started with a set of interviews in Boston in late 2001 and just kept it rolling from there.” Using the book “as a roadmap,” Blush and Rachman set out with bare equipment essentials: a DV camera, a few microphones and a laptop for editing. “I did shop the book around,” admits Rachman. “But it’s hard to sell a project […]
Nov 1st, 2006 by Vital Archives
Gem of the Ocean
By Jill Gilmer During a 20-minute scene in the second act of Gem of the Ocean, the audience finds itself in the belly of an African slave ship, consumed by the sights, sounds and emotions of human bondage. Water literally pours through the walls of the playhouse, as if the theatre itself were crying symbolic tears for the terror and loss endured by a People. I emerged from the scene transformed. My experience paralleled that of the protagonist in Gem of the Ocean, the epic play by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson. Gem opened at the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre on Friday. It recounts the story of Citizen Barlow, a former African slave living in Pittsburgh in 1904. Tortured by guilt after committing a crime that led to a man’s death, Barlow seeks the assistance of Aunt Ester Tyler. Aunt Ester is a 286-year old woman reputed to be able to “cleanse souls.” Under her tutelage, Barlow embarks on a mystical journey to the City of Bones. This mythical place is a burial ground in the Atlantic Ocean for thousands of African slaves who expired on their torturous journey to the United States. Coming face to face with the grief of his past has a restorative effect on Barlow. He emerges from the City of Bones at peace with himself and empowered with a renewed sense of purpose for his life. Gem of the Ocean uses the rarely discussed topic of African slavery to tell an epic story of redemption and spiritual renewal. The genius of this production is that director Timothy Douglas invites the audience to participate in Barlow’s spiritual transformation as more than mere spectators. He dares to evoke a type of transformation in them as well. By the audience’s enthusiastic standing ovation, it was a risky gamble that paid off. As with August Wilson’s other plays, Gem of the Ocean explores the problems that have plagued each generation of African-Americans. It studies the psychological roots of internalized racism, drawing back to its origins in slavery. It’s a timely analysis for Milwaukee and other cities that struggle with the persistent problems of poverty, crime, anger and despair in the black community. Although these issues have special relevance to African Americans, they are presented through characters with which people of all races can recognize and identify. By focusing on the core themes of faith, honor, love and duty, August Wilson presents a story that transcends race and has the potential to unite human beings. The play suffers from two common criticisms of August Wilson’s work. It is exceedingly long – the total running time is 2 hours and 50 minutes. And the first act is, at times, painfully slow. But plowing through the first act is a worthwhile investment for the chance to experience the re-enactment of the Middle Passage in Act II. The relatively inexperienced cast does a commendable job bringing a familiarity to rarely-seen characters: former African slaves. Particularly noteworthy is the performance of Stephanie Berry, who captures […]
Nov 1st, 2006 by Vital Archives
A brief history of whiskey
By Nate Norfolk Whiskey is so important in Celtic culture that the word itself is derived from the Gaelic phrase for “water of life” – uisge beatha to the Scottish and uisce beatha to the Irish. There are four basic types of whiskey, named for their countries of origin: Irish whiskey, Scotch whisky, American whiskey and Canadian whisky (note: the Irish and Americans spell whiskey with an “e,” while the Scotch and Canadians spell it without). Each carries many subtle variations, they all begin with a mash of water and grain to which yeast is added to induce fermentation. All whiskey is aged in wooden barrels while some, most notably Scotch, require an extra first step of malting before creating the mash. The pride of Scotland Using peat fires to dry the germinated (malted) barley is unique to Scotch whisky and responsible for its strong smoky, earthy flavors. A single malt Scotch is always the product of one distillery, whereas a blended Scotch is made from a variety of Scotches. Scotch whiskies are further differentiated by region: Islay, Highland, Lowland or Campbeltown. Whisky from the island of Islay has both the strongest smell and the most heavily-peated flavor, capturing the aromas of both the ocean and the peat bogs in the region. If you’ve ever heard someone say a Scotch smells like the sea, this is what they are talking about. Two great examples of peat-influenced Islay whiskys are Lagavulin and Laphroiag. Expect to drop at least $40 a bottle for either. The Lowland whiskies are generally lighter and more uniform in flavor. Whiskies from the Northern Highlands are sweeter and more mellow than Lowland. They possess a richer flavor and, in some cases, a peat-like dryness as well. Whisky from the Eastern Highlands possesses a fruitiness with a hint of smoke. Campbeltown malts are traditionally full-flavored and full-bodied, with a slightly salty tang in the finish, which earns them a comparison to sea mist. Whiskey, not whisky Though sharing a common Celtic heritage, pronounced differences in taste and style distinguish Irish Whiskeys from Scottish. We’ll never know who invented the “water of life,” but what is known is that Ireland and Scotland each developed their own interpretations of the art of distilling long before the first Roman ever trod on British soil. Irish whiskey differs from Scotch whisky from the malting stage. While the barley used for Scotch whisky is dried over open peat fires, the malt in Irish whiskey is dried in sealed ovens to ensure that only the pure malt flavor exists in the final product. Irish whiskey is distilled three times (as opposed to twice for Scottish whisky), which further adds to its smoothness. To be called Irish, whiskey has to be distilled from native grains and stored in wooden casks for at least three years. Born in the U.S.A. America also produces its share of whiskey, notably bourbon and rye. The principal difference is that rye is made almost exclusively from rye grain, while bourbon […]
Nov 1st, 2006 by Vital Archives
Memory House
By Russ Bickerstaff There are only two people in the cast: mother and daughter. Mother and daughter have an extended dialogue. The mother is baking a pie. The daughter is working on an essay for a college application. The play carries along for just over an hour. There is no intermission. This probably doesn’t sound all that engaging. It is. Renaissance Theaterworks proves that something as simple as a conversation between two people can be solidly entertaining theatre with its production of Kathleen Tolan’s contemporary drama Memory House. The stage is set as a modest apartment. There’s just enough evidence of life to suggest a cozy domestic space, pictures and books adorn a small bookcase in the living room. Cristina Panfilio rests on a couch in front of a laptop. She’s playing Katia, a girl on the verge of adulthood trying to figure out who she is before she leaves home for college. Linda Stephens plays her mother Maggie, a clever, educated woman on the verge of being the sole parent in an empty nest. She’s divorced. Her daughter feels as though she isn’t living up to her potential. She’s afraid that when she goes off to college, her mother will become completely withdrawn from the world. The essay that Katia is writing brings up questions she has about her past. Her mother and father adopted her from Russia when she was a very small child. She’s recently been thinking about the country she was born in and her birth mother. Her mother tries her best to answer Katia’s questions but the answers aren’t easy. As the two talk, Maggie is making a blueberry pie from scratch. Performing from what appears to be a very lived-in set, Panfilio and Stephens develop a very authentic chemistry. Panfilio puts in a sympathetic performance as Katia. While Tolan’s dialogue is very intricate the role could’ve easily been read as a somewhat whiny teenager. However, Panfillo’s performance is very insightful. She never exaggerates the mannerisms of youth. Likewise, Stephens puts in a textured performance as Maggie. The role could’ve easily read as a 2-dimensionally wise old woman in many places throughout the dialogue. Stephens plays many angles of an aging divorcee who just might be settling for less than what she deserves professionally. Music choices are particularly clever in this production and flesh out the characters in an interesting way. In conversation, Katia holds a great deal of respect for her father, the college professor, but whenever he calls her cell phone the ring-tone that we hear is Green Day’s “American Idiot.” Every time he calls, we hear the rhythmic pop punk refrain, “don’t want to be an American Idiot.” Quite a few layers of meaning could be inferred from the character’s choice in ring-tone. Clever. Over the course of the play, Stephens is, in fact, baking a blueberry pie. The oven in the kitchen onstage appears to be a working oven. As Katia continues to put off work on her essay, her mother […]
Nov 1st, 2006 by Vital Archives
The Milwaukee Music Scene (TM)
By Matt Wild For those wayward souls either out of the loop or too tired to care, let’s review some of our humble scene’s defining characteristics: permanent inferiority complex, constant denial and counterproductive discussion of said complex; also small but thriving, erratic yet vital, too few clubs and too many people (or vice versa), ambivalent feelings for Chicago, ambivalent feelings for self, wearisome sighs when touring bands play a few bars from the Laverne & Shirley theme song, etc. etc. Yes, you’ve heard it all before, and no, you don’t need a sniveling putz like me to lecture you on it. After all, as a likely member of and/or contributor to the Milwaukee Music Scene (TM), you’re intrinsically part of the problem/solution, and therefore don’t need a “state of the scene” rehash. With that being said (and due to the fact that my past month has been filled with 16-hour work days and out of town DUI’s), I present to you a short, easy to read, easy to write, wholly random and non-exhaustive list of the good and the bad, the amicable and the peevish, the life-affirming and the just plain annoying aspects of the Milwaukee Music Scene (TM). (If it really needs to be noted: When I use the term “music scene” I unfortunately refer solely to the white, bespectacled, indie/punk/spaz-rock scene that betrays my sensibilities. If your tastes hew closer to Milwaukee’s thriving hip-hop scene, for example, my sincerest apologies for not accommodating you. If you happen to musically align yourself with groups like The Love Monkeys, U2 Zoo or Pat McCurdy, well, that’s between you and your God, isn’t it?) Let’s start with a few personal Pet Peeves. While certainly not unique to our fair city, these gaffes should nonetheless be both disparaged and avoided at all costs by each and every member of the MMS. 1. Begging The Audience Dear God, this is a sad one. Nothing says “deep-seated desperation” quite like asking the audience to a) Come away from the bar and watch your band, b) Cross the invisible band/crowd barrier and come to the front of the stage, or c) Dance to your un-danceable music. It’s amateurish in the worst sense of the word. Face it, kids: sometimes the audience is on and sometimes they’re not. The wisdom to know this and play on regardless is what separates the men from the man-boys. 2. Goofy Band Bios No, your band wasn’t created by a whiskey-drinking mad scientist from the Netherlands during the second week of Lent, and no, your band members aren’t really retro-cyborgs programmed to bring a heartwarming yet dangerous message of hope and rock to the denizens of Earth. We all know you’re just a bunch of schmucks from Brookfield that slapped together a few songs about girls and got an opening slot on a Thursday night at the Riverwest Commons. Seriously, this shit is about as funny and novel as a typical episode of Family Feud (the one with the guy […]
Nov 1st, 2006 by Vital Archives
Halloween Guide October 2006
By It’s that time of year again, when the air starts to sharpen, the leaves start to turn and everyone, if only for a night, gets to act like a child. Halloween is, indeed, a magical time of year. A palpable sense of folly and frivolity permeates the city as costumed kids fill the streets, cobwebs and cardboard skeletons drape houses and adults sneak candy from their children’s baskets whenever their little Supermen or Princesses aren’t looking. And despite (or perhaps because of) its pagan origins, Halloween is a unique and wholesome celebration. From haunted hayrides to haunted caves, Wisconsin is awash in paranormal activity this season. For details on the following events plus a complete listing of Halloween activities in Wisconsin, check out www.hauntedwisconsin.com. All Hallow’s Eve: A Beggar’s Night October 28 Old World Wisconsin S103 W37890 Hwy 67, Eagle 262-594-6300 Bear Den Haunted Woods October 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28 6831 Big Bend Rd. (Hwy.164), Waterford 262-895-6430 Bloody City Haunted House & Burial Chamber Haunted House October 6-7, 13-15, 19-22, 26-30 500 N. Lake St., Neenah 920-727-4669 Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” October 20-22 Old World Wisconsin, S103 W37890 Hwy 67, Eagle 262-594-6305 Charlie House Halloween Happenings October 27 & 28 The Charlie House/Studio 5545 N. 40th St., Milwaukee 414-536-9924 Creepy Cornfield Adventure at Meadowbrook Farm October 1-30 2950 Mile View Rd., West Bend 262-338-3649 Dominion of Terror October 6, 7, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 26-31 2024 North 15th St., Sheboygan www.dominionofterror.com Fright Hike October 27 & 28 Lapham Peak State Park W329 N849 Highway, Delafield 262-364-7773 Halloween Candlelight Cave Tours October 20-21 Ledge View Nature Center W2348 Short Rd., Chilton 920-849-7094 Halloween Nature Hikes October 20-21 Kettle Moraine State Forest N1765 Hwy G, Campbellsport 920-533-8322 Haunted Cornfield at Meadowbrook Pumpkin Farm October 1, 5-8, 12-15, 19-22, 26-29 Meadowbrook Pumpkin Farm 2970 Mile View Rd., West Bend 262-338-3649 Haunted Tours of Burlington October 1, 6-8, 13-15, 19-22, 27-29; November 3-5, 10-12, 17-19, 24-26 UFO and Paranormal Center 549 N. Pine St., Burlington 262-767-2864 Mars Haunted House October 6-7, 13-15, 19-22, 26-30 734 W. Historic Mitchell St. 414-384-7491 Morgan Manor October 1, 6-8, 13-15, 19-22, 26-31 Waukesha Expo Grounds 1000 Northview Rd., Waukesha 262-547-6808 Pumpkin Walk October 24 Brillion Nature Center W1135 Deerview Rd., Brillion 920-756-3591 Rosebud Cinema Drafthouse Midnight Movies October 13-14 (The Shining) October 20-21 (The Exorcist) 6823 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa 414-607-9672 Salem’s Plot Haunted House October 6-8, 13-15, 20-22, 27-29 Don Happ’s Pumpkin Patch, 24121 Wilmot Rd, Salem 262-862-6515 Splatter Haus October 6-8, 13-15, 20-22, 26-29, 31 W5806 County Rd. W, Cascade www.splatterhaus.com The Corn at Linden Farm October 6-7, 13-15, 20-22, 26-29 Lindners Pumpkin Farm 19075 W Cleveland Ave., New Berlin 262-549-5364 The Dark Side October 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28 N1255 Hoard Rd., Ixonia 920-273-0612 The House of Darkness October 1, 6-8, 13-15, 19-22, 26-31 Walworth County Fairgrounds 411 East Court St., Elkhorn 866-9-HAUNT Not-so-Scary Halloween October 26-29, noon to 4 p.m. Little Monster Bash October 27, 5:30 […]
Nov 1st, 2006 by Vital Archives
Dangerous ignorance
By Melissa McEwan Recently, Jeff Stein made an alarming revelation in the New York Times: most counterterrorism officials and Congress members to whom he’s spoken don’t know the difference between a Sunni and a Shiite. “For the past several months, I’ve been wrapping up lengthy interviews with Washington counterterrorism officials with a fundamental question: Do you know the difference between a Sunni and a Shiite? “A ‘gotcha’ question? Perhaps. But if knowing your enemy is the most basic rule of war, I don’t think it’s out of bounds. And as I quickly explain to my subjects, I’m not looking for theological explanations, just the basics: Who’s on what side today, and what does each want? “…But so far, most American officials I’ve interviewed don’t have a clue. That includes not just intelligence and law enforcement officials, but also members of Congress who have important roles overseeing our spy agencies. How can they do their jobs without knowing the basics?” As Stein correctly notes, it would have been incredible for British counterterrorism officials dealing with Northern Ireland not to know the difference between Catholics and Protestants. And yet one of the fundamental differences driving the civil war in Iraq and delineating disparate interests between – for example, Hezbollah and Al Qaeda – are not understood by many of our counterterrorism officials – and members of Congress in key positions relating to intelligence and defense. “Take Representative Terry Everett, a seven-term Alabama Republican who is vice chairman of the House intelligence subcommittee on technical and tactical intelligence. “Do you know the difference between a Sunni and a Shiite? I asked him a few weeks ago. “Mr. Everett responded with a low chuckle. He thought for a moment: ‘One’s in one location, another’s in another location. No, to be honest with you, I don’t know. I thought it was differences in their religion, different families or something.’ “To his credit, he asked me to explain the differences. I told him briefly about the schism that developed after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, and how Iraq and Iran are majority Shiite nations while the rest of the Muslim world is mostly Sunni. ‘Now that you’ve explained it to me,’ he replied, ‘what occurs to me is that it makes what we’re doing over there extremely difficult, not only in Iraq but that whole area.’” Gee, ya think? As Tristero at Hullabaloo notes: “Immediately after the 9/11 attacks, when the sound of the military airplanes patrolling the skies of Manhattan were still traumatizing everyone, I picked up some books on bin Laden, the Middle East, and Islam. I also peppered with questions the few people I knew back then who had some expertise on the subjects. In fact, lots of people I knew were doing the same thing; we were passing around books, articles, and clippings, emailing links to each other. This strikes me as totally unremarkable behavior.” It strikes me the same way. And, beyond what one would expect in terms of self-education […]
Nov 1st, 2006 by Vital Archives
