By Mike Koller
Of The Print
Koller says that
Billy’s
new
image is forced,
pretentious
Everyone loves Billy Joel. I
mean it really looked like this
guy was going to become our
next big Italian crooner,
another Frank Sinatra or Tony
Bennett, even.
His two previous albums,
“The Stranger” and “52nd
Street,” sold millions and
millions of copies and he had
nearly every romantic-minded
American sighing to “Just the
Way You Are,” his syrupy
sweet ballad of devotion and
affection.
So what if his lyrics played
upon over-used themes and
cliche-ridden sentiments? Billy
Joel never pretended to be
much more than a nice, easy
listening-type balladeer,
nothing too radical, and after
all Frankie and Tony are get
ting old fast.
. *
But all that money and suc
cess did the typical thing and
finally went to Billy boy’s
rapidly swelling head. He just
wasn’t satisfied being next in
line to a great tradition of
crooners. No sir, he had to be
something more. Billy wanted
to appeal to those rock and
rollers who could never
tolerate the musical mush that
made amorous couples from
ages 16 to 60 swoon. Joel
decided that he, too, could
become a tough rock and
roller. After all, Linda Ronstadt
went from a country belle to a
punkish femme fatale. Why
couldn’t he do the same from
the male standpoint?
“Glass Houses” is the result
of his arrogant decision.-Even
the album cover, showing Joel
wearing a leather jacket and
faded jeans throwing a rock at
a glass house, tries to give the
impression that Joel is now a
tough rocker who means
business. But Joel’s tough guy
image is so forced and full of
pretentiousness that instead
of being amazed at this guy’s
supposed adaptability, I just
want to laugh at his tackiness.
Songs like his new single,
“You May Be Right” and
“Sometimes a Fantasy” are in
tended to be powerful an
thems, but you end up feeling
hatred for this horny, insen
sitive jerk who pants over
telephones and treats his
girlfriend like crap because
she won’t put up with his im
mature attitude.
“Close to the Borderline” is
another feeble attempt by Joel
at rock and roll, but his fake
yelps and over-emphasized
phrasing turn this tune into
another
laugher.
Joel’s
backup band rocks about as
hard as the 101 strings or
chestra doing a medley of Neil
Diamond hits.
The rest of “Glass Houses”
falls pretty much by the
wayside. There are a couple of
ballads, “You Were the One”
and Don’t Ask Me Why,” and
one song I can’t figure out
called “Sleeping With the
Television On,” but nothing
really worth rating a second
listen.
Billy Joel was at least accep
table as a middle-of-the-road
entertainer. Pretty love ballads
always make people feel good,
but then he went off and tried
to be a rock and roller. Billy
could have been the next Andy
Williams, maybe even host his
own TV show with the Osmond
Brothers. But now he has to
start from scratch again and
that’s not going to be easy. I
just heard Bobby Vinton had
his face lifted. The competition
looks like it's ooina to be pretty
tough this time, Billy.
Oregon premiere
free to students
y Elena Vancil
(The Print
Lighting and set crews,
»orking on the Oregon
remiere of “Wings,” are pili
ng the finishing touches on
ieir individual projects. This
reek, those projects will corn
ine and the result will be a per-
ormance that director, Jack
Ihields, believes will have
significant social value.”
Performances will begin
bursday at 8 p.m. in the
IcLoughlin Theater. They will
ontinue at the same time on
tiday and Saturday. On Sun-
ay, there will be a matinee at
:30 p.m.
Admission to this Oregon
lemiere will be free for all
udents with CCC ¡den
tation. Senior citizens will
to be admitted free.
“Wings” was written by the
significant contemporary
iywright,” Arthur Kopit, after
«tensive medical research,
hields believes the potential
rial value of “Wings” equals
fair” when it emerged in the
%0s. “Maybe more,” he said.
By the end of this week, the
dividual sound, lighting, set
id drama projects will com-
ne and work together. The
suit will be a realistic, but
amatic, view inside the mind
la stroke victim.
Sound effects will accom-
pany 50 minutes of the 85-
minute play. Portland sound
engineer, Christopher Har
tman, is composing this tape
with the aid of College elec
tronics students, Vince Maxian
and Ron Petersen.
According to Hartman, most
of the effects will convey the
thoughts of the victim, Emily
Stilson, before and after the
stroke.
“This is the first time I had a
chance to see what my ART-
700 would do,” Hartman
commented.
The voice of Barbara Bragg,
who portrays Stilson, is on the
tape. Other sounds were com
posed with a synthesizer, plus
some ingenuity.
For example, airplane noises
were produced, after Hartman
managed to dig up an old
sound effects record.
Old-time radio nostalgia was
revived when a flapping noise
was created. “Jack and I stood
in the hall around a
microphone, flapping towels,”
Hartman explained.
Hartman’s behind-the-
scenes stage experience goes
back to high school stage
crews.
His more recent projects
have included New York off-
Broadway plays, such as “The
Knack,” and “Best Foot For
ward.”
Dick -
Smelser
For
County Commisioner
Position No 3
r, May 14,1980
Show business is prominent
in Hartman’s family. His
famous sibling, David Har:
tman, hosts ABC’s “Good
Morning America” program.
The stage design for “Wings”
is another large piece of the
play.
bet designer Mark Wubbold
said that “Wings” is an unusual
project because it hasn’t been
performed many times. His
stage set is original, in fact a
“radical change from the
Broadway design,” he said.
“On Broadway, they used
panels and mirrors,” he said.
His design is aimed to “get dif
ferent qualities of light from
silk, nylon and canvas.”
According to Wubbold, his
purpose is to convey the
psychological contrast between
“trué reality” against Emily
Stilson’s “stroke reality.”
According to the stage
design, Stilson, while immer
sed in “stroke reality,” is
isolated. The world, doctors,
nurses, and thé hospital, to on
behind her with a “kind of
shadow effect.”
As the play progresses and
Stilson becomes more aware of
the real world, “people will
begin to come into her stroke
space.”
Wubbold,
who
is
a
professional set designer in
Seattle, said “Wings” is a “hot
new piece.”
He said he heard about the
College’s challenging project,
“wanted to get in on it,” and
consequently submitted a
design.
Because the set, sound and
cast will all carry equal weight
during the performance, the
credibility of each segment will
be important.
After research, trial and
rror, conferences with stroke
ictims and hours of practice,
ley may be successful.
“A Man Called Horse,” starring Richard Harris, will be shown in
the Fireside Lounge Friday at noon. This film is sponsored by
Student Activities and the history department.
The College’s award-winning stage band will perform a
tribute to the late jazz pianist, soloist, composer, talent
scout and band leader, Stan Kenton, at the Civic Theater
Friday at 7 p.m.
The stage band is directed by LeRoy Anderson. Ad
mission is $3 general and $2 for students.
Tickets may be purchased at the door, or in advan
ce at the music department office.
“Dr. Corn’s Electric Grass Band” will provide music for
bluegrass dancers and foot stompers at the College’s Fourth An
nual Hoedown, Saturday from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m.
Food, and refreshments, including a beer garden, will be
available.
Admission will be $2 for College students and $3 for non
students.
The proceeds from this event will support the Associated
Student Government and the College Foundation.
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