Pulse Editor:
Ryan Nyberg
Ryan Nyberg@dailyemerald.com
Thursday, July 8, 2004
— Oregon Daily Emerald
PULSE
Hot Picks
Granola Funk Espress
Sam Bond's Garage, 407 Blair Blvd.
Admission: $5; Sunday 9 p.m.
RYAN NYBURG
BUDGET RACK
Genres'
real history
is often
overlooked
History is an odd bird. Often what is ac
cepted as fact is simply the most popular
version of events, rather than the truth.
Underneath the common presumptions
lies a whole system of overlooked people
and forgotten items which, when revealed,
can show history in a new light.
Pop culture being my bag, I figured 1
could try to work through some of the se
cret histories which abound in our collec
tive cultural experience. So as a new proj
ect to keep myself entertained during the
summer, I've decided to create the Interna
tional Secret History Society, to comple
ment my under-appreciated and under
funded Society for the Preservation of
Horrible Noise in Music (for which I have
yet to receive a single donation).
So as part of the Secret Society's charter
(which you are not allowed to see) I'll be
starting an educational campaign to help
right some of the wrongs in our view of
history, while at the same time making
myself look smarter than everyone else.
For this installation, let us begin with the
long and tangled story of rock 'n' roll.
To start: Who is one of the most impor
tant and influential guitarist in American
rock history? Jimi Hendrix comes to mind,
and rightfully so, but how about some
other options? Here is one you might not
have guessed: Dick Dale. Yeah, the "Mis
serlou" guy (oh yeah, that song from
Pulp Fiction Honestlv. I ran iustifv thk
Dale pretty much created an entire sub
genre of music, surf rock, something
which few artists can lay a claim on. He
was one of the first rock instrumentalists
to use Middle Eastern and other "exotic"
melody lines in his compositions, he pio
neered a single-note staccato picking
technique for rock guitar, he was the first
to use a portable reverb device which cre
ated the rumbling tones that define surf
guitar and he was the first to use a
portable radio hook up for his guitar dur
ing live performances.
But that isn t all. Through an association
with guitar maker Leo Fender, he had
large, powerful sound systems designed to
handle the incredible volume he demand
ed in his live shows (legend has it that
Dale blew out dozens of amplifiers before
Fender designed ope that could handle the
volume Dale wahted).j>His popularity led
surf rock to become a national trend, with
groups popping up even in landlocked re
gions such as Minnesota (favorite Min
nesota surf group: The Trashmen). If not
for the British Invasion, it is conceivable
that surf rock could have become the pre
dominant force in American rock music
during the mid-1960s.
For those interested in Dale's music, 1
recommend Rhino Records' "King of the
Surf Guitar: The Best of Dick Dale" as a
starting point. It contains most of his early
singles as well as some other rarities, such
as his duet with Stevie Ray Vaughan doing
The Chantays' "Pipeline." His original
Please see NYBURG, page 8
Oregon Country Fair celebrates 35 years
The famed fair starts Friday
and promises something for
all in the 'pursuit of joy'
KENNETH MENDRIBIL
FREELANCE REPORTER
1 he Oregon Country Fair celebrates its
35th birthday this weekend in Veneta. The
annual three-day event begins July 9 and
will host many live musicians, spoken
word performers and world-famous
Vaudevillian acts.
A variety of food booths, educational
workshops and, of course, face painting
are other fair essentials.
A hallmark for this year's fair is interac
tive-ness," Media Coordinator Jenny
Newtson said.
1 he fair welcomes people from all over
the Northwest and from all walks of life.
Forty thousand visitors are expected to at
tend the fair this year, according to Newtson.
"You're likely to see just as many tattoos
and piercings as you will tie-dye," Newt
son says. "1 think that's what this fair has
that no other can offer."
Newtson said this year there are more
venues for spoken word guests, such as
Francisco Letelier, a world-renowned
teacher, artist and lecturer, who will appear
at the Front Porch Stage on Saturday. He
will discuss cultural relativism and cross
cultural social-political art.
lugglemania and Brothers With Differ
ent Mothers will perform their acts at the
Daredevil Vaudeville Palace on all three
days. The Everyone Orchestra, an improvi
sational band, will close the celebration
Sunday evening at the Main Stage, the only
venue that plays electrical music.
'T his year we are concentrating on
smaller names but bigger ideas," Newtson
said. "We don't want the fair to become
more and more of a rock show."
Energy Park will have booths
Please see FAIR, page 9
Emerald
The 35th annual Oregon Country Fair will take place this weekend outside Veneta. During its three days, the Fair is one of
the most populated areas in Oregon.
'Ghost World'
presents a study
of loneliness
Impactful character studies make this
coming-of-age story stand out from the crowd
RYAN NYBURG
PULSE EDITOR
Terry Zwigoff has set himself up to be one of the better direc
tors to enter the Hollywood scene in some time. Though now
mostly known for the comedy “Bad Santa," Zwigoff came into
his own as a filmmaker with the 2001 film “Ghost World." Af
ter the breakthrough documentary "Crumb," about the under
ground comic artist Robert Crumb, Zwigoff spent the next few
years struggling to create an adaptation of Daniel Clowes's cult
__ comic strip about the adven
FORGOTTEN
FILM
tures of a cynical teenage girl
with no plans and seeming
iv no future of substance
awaiting her.
"Ghost World" was the re
sulting film and it stands as
one of the most fully expressed portraits of human loneliness
and modern disconnection to come from a filmmaker. It bal
ances this with a sharp-witted and occasionally vicious sense
of humor as its protagonists wade through a prefabricated sub
urban landscape which seems entirely composed of strip malls
and fast food outlets.
The film stars Thora Birch as Enid, an intelligent but un
derachieving girl fresh out of high school. Everything kicks
off with her and her friend Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) at
their high school graduation and the school-sponsored party
afterwards. I heir remarks and reactions to what is going on
Please see MOVIE, page 8
Local musician shares
details of album, tour
Tom Heinl has a love of country
music but remains loyal
to the Eugene scene
RYAN NYBURG
PULSE EDITOR
Local singer/songwriter Tom Heinl has made a
name for himself after the release of his new coun
try-influenced comedy album, "With or Without
Me." He recently found time during his national
tour to talk to the Emerald about country music,
three-ways and songwriting.
Emerald: So you are on tour right now. Where are
you right now?
Tom Heinl: I'm on my way to Chicago and I was
just in Bloomington, Indiana.
Emerald: How did it go?
TH: It's a nice little town in a Twilight Zone" sort
of way, just a little too perfect. But it's a nice, all-Amer
ican town. Very architecturally sound.
Emerald: How has the tour been going overall?
TH: It's been going good. Every night I have a vir
gin audience that has never heard my songs, which
is great.
Emerald: Any memorable moments?
TH: Just flat tires and stuff. Been shaking hands
and meeting people.
Emerald: The whole politician thing, right?
TH: Yeah, pretty much.
Emerald: Your new album came out a few months
ago. How has the response been?
TH: As far as 1 know it's been pretty positive. We've
had some good reviews. Maybe there are some peo
ple out there that don't like it and they aren't telling
Please see H EfN L, -page 9
I
Singer/
songwriter
Tom Heinl
will
perform
Saturday
-et9 p.m.
at Sam
Bond's
Garage.
The
musician's
recently
released
album will
suit fans of
comedy
and
country
music.. .
Courtesy