North Shore band finally
gets some nat’l attention

MUGGLERS HIT

YTV; Outback fuses

world-beat style;
Bowie Live is relived.

Michael Becker
RECORD REVIEW

In the wake of the splash made
by the vinyl release of Smugglers
at Marineland, the West Yan-
couver-based Smugglers hit na-
tional television live, 8 p.m. March
11 on YTV.

The band was recently named
amonga number of young and

‘outstanding’ Canadian talents
recognized as YTV award reci-
pieats.

The glass statue is appreciated.
The band — Grant Lawrence,

* David Carswell and Nick Thomas
— will be turning a $3,000 cash
award into a much-needed touring

‘van.

We're buying a tour van
because we have this beat-up VW
(1976 cainger van) that has taken

, us as far south as San Diego and as
far east as Toronto, and it’s dead

=) now. We're going to buy another

“3 one Of those. We often slept five
people plus the band equipment

‘in it,”’ Lawrence said.

Said Lawrence of the YTV ex-
posure next month, “It means
that it’s a big step for under-
ground, garage punk bands to be
able to play on national television
and reach that young audience
that independent bands haven‘t
been able to reach since the early
1960s. It’s pretty exciting.”

How does it feel to be lionized
as Outstanding young Canadians?

’ Said Lawrence, “It’s kind of
ironic, we're ali proud about being
Canadians, but our best reaction
audience-wise and record sales-
wise has always been in the Unit-
ed States. It’s hard to sell this
country. We've toured across the
country a few times and it's just a
big blue zone.”

Smugglers play Vancouver next

“in a warehouse in Gastewn on
Sunday, March 22. Watch for pos-

ters (for location information) and
tickets at record stores.

Outback -- Dance The Devil
Away, Rykodisc 1991

World-beat musical culture
amalgamations are dodgy proposi-
tions.

In many cases what we hear in
the fusion is a diluted Anglo-ap-
propriation of something muca
better experienced at the source.

Outback follows its own path. -
The band includes an American-
born Oxford-trained physicist who
learned from Australia’s
aboriginals the basic techniques of
playing a didgeridoo (an instru-
ment made from a tree trunk or
branch hollowed out by termites).
There’s also an acoustic guitar
player, a West African percus-
sianist and a French fiddle player.

The happy spirit of the in-
strumental music, part Afro-
Cuban, African Hi-Life and
Moroccan Zouk, reminds much of
Penguin Cafe Orchestra.

The droning whizz and buzz of
the didgeridoo ties it all together.
David Bowie -- Stage, Rykodisc
1991

In 1975, Bowie released David
Live, a sloppy arena-rock throw-
away. It’s a scam most major pop
artists get away with by vir-ue of
the selling power of their names.
Contractual obligation plus no in-

- Spiration results in a live album

rip-off,

As fans we are drawn to the
“live” format in the hope of
sharing in something sponianeous-
ly creative. in the best of all possi-
ble live shows, the band draws
energy from its audience end in
the give and take, studio sheen is
supplanted by invigorated inter-
pretation.

But it’s a tough trick to pull off
when dealing on the massive scale
of stadium rock.

Stage, originally released on
RCA in 1978, is an appealing live
Bowie document on two levels.

Half of the two-disc package offers .

rare versions of songs foundon _
the Low and Heroes albums from
1977. Bowie shed the glam and

‘slam Ziggy Stardust persona and

immersed himself in synthesized
angular ambience courtesy of
Brian Eno for the two projects.

Stage is also worthy because of
the precision and interplay of the
musicians gathered for this tour.
Carlos Alomar and Adrian Belew
on guitars and George Murray
shine in particular.

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Wednesday, February 5, 1992 - North Shore News — 27

NEWS photo Mike ‘Wekefiald

SMUGGLERS PLAY live coast to coast on YTV next month. “The West Vancouver bend won an
award for seing who they are. Mugging for the tens are left to right Beez, David, Nick, Bryce end
Grant.

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