The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 80, No. 25, Ed. 1 Friday, April 2, 1993 Page: 10 of 16
sixteen pages : ill. ; page 19 x 15 in.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
10 FRIDAY, APRIL 2, 1993 THE RICE THRESHER
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
Killer Watt
fIREHOSE: down with the bass, heavier than hell, and coming to town
firehose
The Vatican, 880-3433
April 3, all aces, J12
by Eric Stotts
While the power of the bass guitar
to jettison the listener into an ear-
pounding, adrenaline-pumping
hypnotic trance cannot be denied, one
often finds the bass guitarist in a great
number of bands shrouded in a fair
amount of obscurity. While the lead
singer prances around stage swinging
Happy Hour 11AM-7PM daily!
Monday Night is College Night
Si.00 off all drafts
mike stands, flooded in spotlights that
also illuminate the wildly gesticulat-
ing lead guitarist, the bassist stands
near the fog machine, in a catatonic
state, denied of any apparent creative
power.
Such stratification of the band
pushed the bassist into the woodwork,
but it is rapidly collapsing. With this
collapse, the powerful quality of the
bass as a contributing creative
element, and not just simply a
metronome, is expanding. While
many bands might see a heavier bass
Live music, darts,
sports, private parties!
1617 Richmond • Houston, TX 77006 • 528-3545
Call for information on other
bands at Munchies next week.
528-3545
With this coupon, get
$1.00 off any sandwich during lunch (11 AM - 3 PM)
-or-
$1.00 off any beverage after 7 PM
Lm mmm mm mm mm Expiras 5/2/93J
sound as being a way to explore new
directions and new sounds, a certain
group of guys can sit back and say
they've known it all along. And
they're not about to change a damn
thing.
When fIREHOSE thunders into
Houston tomorrow night, expect
nothing less than some of the best bass
you're ever liable to hear. (A caveat
for the reader: This band is not to he
confused with Firehouse. Don't stop
reading this story due to false
assumptions!) The definitive sound
that fIREHOSE boasts—oftentimes
mellow, more often than not heavy as
hell, but always chock full o' great
bass—depends a great deal on bassist
mike watt.
fIREHOSE's origin is relatively
straightforward. Watt, along with lead
singer d. boon and drummer george
hurley, comprised a group known as
the Minutemen, which disbanded after
the untimely death of boon. Boon was
replaced by ed crawford (a.k.a. ed
FROMOHIO) and the band changed
its name to fIREHOSE. It's that
simple. While the fIREHOSE sound
has undergone a definite maturation
process over the course of five albums,
the latest being the recently released
Mr. Machinery Operator, the musical
genius of watt remains powerful and
consistent
This is not to deny the artistic
efforts of crawford and hurley, as a
great sharing of roles occurs on every
album (check out the drum solo in
"More Famous Quotes" on the new
album.) Lyrically, the songs tend to be
stripped-down but inventive and
telling at the same time. Interesting
rhymes develop in a way which fully
complements watt's dynamic bass
style: "strap me in (blow me out),
BALFOUR
Class of 1994
Ring Orders taken
April 6 & 7
at the
Rice Campus Store
9ain-4pm
ed FROMOHIO, mike watt and george
work me up (hold me down), read my
meter (check my head), throw the
hammer (break the bed)!"
In addition to the quality
fIREHOSE releases (If n and Flyin'
the Flannel are strongly recom-
mended), watt has also branched out
into the solo arena with his wife kira,
one-time bassist for Black Flag and
now a steady contributor to various
fIREHOSE projects. The mike/kira
project, known as Dois, is a masterful
employment of lots of great bass with
a few lyrics sprinkled in here and
there. On their album Uno Con Dos,
both display incredibly symbiotic
tendencies, and what results is
hurley sexlly make up fIREHOSE.
a virtual dialogue between the two
performers via their instruments. It's
truly a feast for the ears.
It's been awhile since fIREHOSE
graced the Houston scene at a free
concert with King Missile. This
concert is not going to be free, or even
cheap, for that matter (once again the
Vatican demonstrates its ability to
attract great bands at not-so-great
prices). But fortunately, all of you
have been saving your money by
taking advantage of the relatively
cheap local scene to justify being able
to splurge on one evening of mind-
numbing bass. If it's Firehouse you
want to see, however...
MON
from page 9
Rice Cinema: Ernst Lubttsch in Germany:1914-1922.7:30
sat p.m. Media Cantor.
n GBIHJ Rice Cinema: Third World Cinema continues with
sun The Runner (1990), an Iranian Mm about poverty-stricken
children. This Mghly-acciaimed movie focuses on the sad lives of
children who live on a beach collecting bottles. 7:30. Media Cantor.
Coffeehouse: Lara Bruckmarm. Acoustic guitar and more.
@©@® ©SU Coffeehouse: Shepherd School benefit.
T U E
14 Chamber Mumc Concert: music of Beethoven, Rossini, Mozart
wed and Telemann. 8 p.m., Duncan Recital Hall. Free.
Coffeehouse: Nicholas Walker, Erich Loft is, David Murray. Hipnopop.
GBSU Desire, Sex and Power in Rock Videos, a public
thu forum sponsored by the Houston Area Women's Center,
Students Organized Against Rape and the Health Education Office,
wiH feature a video and a panel discussion following It. 7 p.m., Rice
Media Center. Free.
Club CwxiertE presents Its annual production La Cagnotte. In Flench
Thru Apr. 17. 7:30 p.m., Herring HaR 124, $1 students.
Coffeehouse: Joel Stein. Acoustic guitar and stuff. In honor of Owi Day.
Don't miss The Neugents, evocative photographs of a rural family by
former journalist David Spear, a Guggenheim Fellowship winner. At
the Media Center through April 13.
Tickets for the final concert of the Shepherd School Symphony
Orchestra and Rice Chorale are now 09 safo. The show is April 23 at
8 p.m. in Stude, and tickets are $5 for students. 527-4933.
Is It fluxlsm? The new exhibit In the Farish Gallery, The Meda-tion of
Exhibition by NY architect Labi us Woods, changes every day.
Includes two huge constructions by students. Through April 7.
frontpage 9
April 10. 7 to 9 p.m. at Firehouse Gallery, 1413 Westheimer.
Through May IS
Who are Brian Freeman, Djola Bernard and Eric Gupton? The
POMO AFRO HOMOS, San Francisco's provocative and irreverent
performance artists. They draw on personal narratives, pom
novels and media madness as they tell what It's Hke to be Mack, gay
and...funny. At DiverseWorks April 9 and 10,8 p.m. $10.223-8346.
n
KM
Ball
Q
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Kim, Leezie & Carson, Chad. The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 80, No. 25, Ed. 1 Friday, April 2, 1993, newspaper, April 2, 1993; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth245839/m1/10/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.