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|TV roe. BY CHUCK CROMER Entertainment Editor Two years ago, a revolutionary concept gripped late-night weekend television as three totally rock music oriented programs dominated the tube. At that time, it was .a gamble for any TV net work to back pop music shows as history had proved them to be risky financial investments. However, three pop programs (In Concert, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, Midnight Special), un believably fourished for almost two years. With distinct formats featuring some of the most suc cessful pop bands performing in concert, TV rock boomed. In the beginning, TV rock had its obvious advantages. Its best effect was giving the musicians tremendous exposure. A musician can be seen by more people when he does one TV concert than he could if he did an extensive concert tour on the road. Accordingly, this allows people to see groups they BY ERIC ANDERSON Of The Gamecock staff A few months ago I was distressed to learn guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter had left Steely Dan to join the Doobie Brothers, money presumably being his motive. It was sad to see perhaps America's best guitarist sacrifice the quality of his music for monetary -reasons, and even sadder to imagine what could happen to Steely Dan, which is, by the same token, perhaps America's best band. I was further disheartened to read in the trades a few weeks later drummer Jim Hodder had left for "greener pastures" as well. By this point I had just about given up hope. Two weeks or so ago Steely's new album "Katie Lied" hit the racks, and, being the vinyl junkie I am, I bought a copy and rushed home, anxious to see if the Dan could hold its own. Perusing the back of the jacket I noticed there were but three original members left singer, pianist and Steely mastermind Donald Fagen, guitarist Denny Dias; and bassist Walter Becker. There were new faces such as drummer Jeff Porcano and singer Mike Mc Donald, and familiar ones such as the long-time production team of producer Gary Katz and engineer Roger Nichols, who have been with Steely Dan since its beginning. There was also a cameo per formance by Rick Derringer listed. I though, well, maybe, just maybe, the Dan is going to pull through this shake-up without too many scratches. First spin: it's them, all right, and they sound as crackerjack as ever. No, wait . . . they sound better. That's right . . . better than ever! It's that same super slick, super refined jazzy arrangement, and there are k concei may never be able to see in person. In the past, the music fan would be able only to associate a record with a name, whereas now he can associate the record with a group's appearance on TV. For those people who can't af ford to pay the high admission price to attend a live concert, the TV concert is the only alternative. These also have made rock music a multi-million dollar business. With more exposure and publicity, an artist sells more records. Increased record sales means more profits for everyone connected with the business. Now, after just a few TV concerts, a musician can go the "rags-to riches" story in a brief time. After just two years, ABC's In Concert, the first of the late-night network rock and roll programs, has been cancelled. According to ABC officials, low ratings caused its downfall. Why did a show that was so Fagen's plaintive vocals, smooth and cool, with more surety than they ever possessed. Fagen's lyrics are among the most thoughtful being penned these days. "Bad Sneakers," about soldiers on the weekend "with a transistor and a large sum of money to spend," reminds one of Columbia's own Fort Jackson boys. "Everyone's Gone To The Movies" is about cheap porno flicks. Referring to millimeters, "We know you're used to sixteen or more, sorry we only have eight." For the most part, though, Fagen's lyrics are from the same vein as some of the Lennon-McCartney songs, that is, they are strung with ambiguities. Perhaps these are "in" jokes, - or maybe are references to things Fagen and fellow songwriter Becker know from a personal standpoint. This use of ambiguity is poetic in that it leaves the lyric wide open to in dividual interpretation. Whether Steely Dan will become a studio band like the Beatles or the Move, or whether they 'get a touring group to take "Katie Lied" on the road remains to be seen. Whatever the outcome, one thing is clear: the loss of Baxter and Hodder forced . the remaining members to sharpen their collective wits and the result is a cleaner, tighter and more deliberately expressive Steely Dan than the previous band. "Katie Lied" qualifies as a minor masterwork in a time when mediocrity is the catchword. Reviewer's note--Audio freaks: This album has the highest fidelity of any record I've ever heard. The liner notes refer to a relatively new Neumann VMS 70 computerized lathe used to cut the master lacquers. The resulting clarity of the full musical spectrum is readily ,evident on the first listening. 'About campus rts lose ( popular just a short time ago lose its supporters? What effect will the departure of In Concert have on its sister shows Rock Concert and Midnight Special? An obvious problem all three rock shows suffer is dullness. Let's face it, TV rock is downright boring. The original formats of watching groups perform on TV was quite imaginative at first. However, as time passed this TV routine became too standardized and predictable. Since most teenagers have an attention span of about five minutes, this TV routine began to wear on their nerves, making it more fun to listen to their records. The initial year of TV rock drew great attention because it was a unique experience to see some of your favorite bands on the screen, whereas before their records were all a person had to cling to. But because of overpromotion and oversaturation in which the public watches the same bands perform week after week, that uniqueness has turned into a commonplace occurence. A person used to be in heaven just to say he or she saw the Allman Brothers in concert. Now it's no big thing. All a person has to do is turn the TV on around mid night and watch any one of three, soon to be two, rock shows. His chances are better than 50-50 that within a month his favorite group will be on one of the shows, singing their latest Top 40 single. If you're really lucky, they may even be on twice in one night. Another ma or drawback with The University Union Studei Committee presents "The I Century," a videohape of the All-George Foreman fight fil tember. 1974, in Zaire Arricm entert puality,. TV rock is the fact the "big name" and quality acts don't appear on these shows anymore. It seems ironic these groups, such as the Doobie Brothers, David Bowie and Seals and Croft, that were vaulted to success by their appearances on TV, have refused to play on the tube again. With all three TV rock shows floundering, they have been abandoned by the acts they made famous. Now most of the bands on TV are "dime-a-dozen" rock acts which are neither creative nor im pressive. Their music is neither progressive nor good, and their stage antics are vulgar and childish. These same garbage bands Rush, Montrose, Blue Swede and Edgar Winter for example-run the gauntlet of the three TV rock shows making the viewer sick to his stomach. Even with good entertainment, it's very difficult to listen to music coming from your TV speaker and enjoy it. The music has no overall effect when all instruments are crammed together into one mongloid sound. ABC's In Concert had numerous FM stations around the country airing its programs but even that was mediocre sound-wise. Also, many Fm stations wouldn't bother to carry the programs when provided. One of my major complaints against the TV concerts is we lose that one-to-one contact with the musician. Instead of a live, uninterrupted performance, viewers have to watch the TV it Television will be shown ight of the 14, 15 and 19 Mohammed lounge. Also, t med in Sep- 3:30 to 6:30 p.i1 i. The Fight Spur. ainient fans director's concept of the concert. We also lose the contact with performers when a group's set is interrupted by commercials. All hope of reestablishing com munication with the artist is forever lost when Mr. Wipple squeezes the Charmin. What is the future of TV rock? With In Concert's cancellation little doubt remains that Kir shner's Rock Concert will soon be dropped. Rock Concert is without a doubt the most boring, contrived and trite of all TV rock programs. The only reason that it has stayed on this long has been through Kir shner's ability to book some of the more "big name" bands in the country on the show. However, these bookings are becoming less frequent and Rock Concert will be doomned because of it. The Midnight Special should continue for another season or two mainly because of its time period. From 1-2:30 A.M. on a Saturday morning it has almost a built-in clientele. Usually, teenagers are just coming home from a Friday night melee and not wanting to retire yet, they'll turn on the TV in order to have something to do. Watching a little of Midnight Special will quickly put anyone to sleep. Also, the Midnight Special has no competitoin at that time slot and is thus a fairly inexpensive show for sponsors to support. TV rock is a dying institution. Interest in these shows has declined at such an incredible rate that once the Big Three are removed, it's safe to say replacements will not be for thcoming. rrom 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. April In the Russell House TV he film will be shown from ii. April 16-18 In the Golde.n