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. _ THE MIX__^ Alexis Amone/ THE GAMECOCK Tyler Cook comes from a musical lineage. His father, a tenor singer, built a home recording studio. History student plays music for kicks, ’ doesn’t rule out professional career i Caroline DeSanctis THE GAMECOCK For most unknown musicians, their main goal is to be discovered and eventually have their music reach the masses. But for Tyler Cook, fame doesn’t seem to be a top priority. Cook, a third-year history student, writes and records his own music, but is not necessarily headed for the big time. ^ “I just do it for kicks. Music has always been my hobby,” Cook said. “History is my career, I hope.” Even though Cook has no desire to someday make the TRL countdown, his music remains something that has been a significant part of his life. He first picked up his trusty tenor saxophone in the seventh grade and has never looked back. Throughout high school, Cook experimented and worked on several short-lived musical projects. He was granted several opportunities to record from friends that were in bands as well as from his own father, a tenor singer, who had constructed a recording studio in their home. It wasn’t until 2004 that Cook stepped in a different direction and began solely recording his own work. Around the same time, Cook was winning talent showcases with his sax and fellow players Lane Cook and Ryan Buffett, who are now first-year students at USC. The group went on to be state champions that year and also won a talent show put on earlier this semester. Since his talent show glory days, Cook continues to be experimental with his music, drawing inspiration in everything from The Doors to South Park. Most recently, Cook and friend David McGuire, a third-year English student, had the idea of starting what they called Blasphemy’s Belt, which can be best described as a Meat Loaf tribute band. Cook and McGuire had joked about the band with friends, saying they were playing gigs and planning on putting out records, but that wasn’t really the whole story. “We were trying to start this grandiose rock band with these two people with limited ability,” Cook said. “The band didn’t even really exist.” Cook’s faux rock band even developed a fan base — Facebook group and all. Cook said someone approached him after having voted for Blasphemy’s Belt as the “Best Band in Columbia” in the Free Times. COOK • 9 “Carencro” Marc Broussard ★★★★★ out of ☆☆☆☆☆ Broussard disc mixes genres with unique Bayou soul Chad Henderson THE GAMECOCK Have you ever been cleaning your fish tank and your music was rocking so hard that the water splashed into your face, and when it landed back in the tank it had turned into a glistening pool of your favorite brew? No, of course you haven’t. So, heard any good soulful music lately? If you haven’t, you should check out Marc Broussard’s “Carencro.” It’s a delight. Marc’s song “Home” is on Top 40 radio right now, so perhaps the two of you have met. He’s from a little Louisiana town called Carencro, and even though the town is small, the sound that emits from Mr. Broussard is huge! He’s a bayou boy that brings elements of soul and gospel into his work. He’s also one of the few artists that can be put under the pop, country and soul genres. In 2003, Broussard toured with Gavin DeGraw and Maroon 5. Each act added a little something different to the show, and Marc Broussard offered showmanship and an intimate set that brought the audience into the music. The album opens with his current single, “Home,” which sounds a little like it could be used in a religious movie about the Exodus. It definitely has a religious sound that is heightened by his flawless vocals and his gospel infused chorus. In the second track, “Rocksteady,” Broussard takes a more pop route for this song that will have you singing the infectious chorus all the way home. The same applies to the song “Come Around,” which sounds similar to a Stevie Wonder composition. It even has the funk horns in the chorus that punch up the rhythm of the song. Broussard takes lessons from Ray Charles on “Lonely Night in Georgia.” This song features the piano in a bluesy tune that takes you back in time to when songs were simple, but had a lot of impact. This song has a basic CDRCnCRO • 8 MOVIE REVIEW ». Banderas, dancing cliches fall flat in predictable ‘Take the Lead’ Special to THE GAMECOCK • _ i Antonio Banderas stars as a pro dancer who tries to teach IDarjorie Riddle STAFF WR1TKR “Take the Lead” is an unsurprisingly second-rate and predictably corny film about a former professional dancer who takes his smooth moves to a New York public high school to teach troubled students how to ballroom dance. Inspired by true events, “Take the Lead” stars Antonio Banderas as Pierre studio owner who witnesses Rock, a black high school student, vandalize the high school principal’s car. Instead of turning Rock in, Pierre decides he wants to help Rock and the inner-city school and ludicrously V V1U111VW1 O IV Lcav.ll Lll V detention students ballroom dancing. The principal is incredulous over tierre’s supervise detention, so she reluctantly agrees. The students balk at Pierre’s idea, and they half heartedly appease him. When the students learn they can compete in a oanroom competition for $5,000, * 1___ iaxv.c iii>3 iiiui v seriously. Following the cliche of other movies about troubled youth projects, of course “Take The Lead” ★ out of ☆☆☆☆☆ . -1- _ ^1_1_ about themselves and what they’re capable of than they do about ballroom dancing.' Whether any of the couples win or lose the competition becomes irrelevant as Pierre’s intentions are realized: The young women become more self-assured, and the young men learn to respect women in the process. But viewers never actually see the changes in the students 'min' A R