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i h i _ n _ writers aeries By Herb Roeves Radio is not supposed to be a path to national recognition, especially to someone who regards his role in it as more of a hobby than a career. nut radio nas orougnt recognition to humorist Garrison Keillor, whose writings have appeared in The New Yorker and The Atlantic Monthly. Keillor was the fourth writer in USC's Spring Writers Series, sponsored by the Department of English and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. MOST OF the overflow audience that came to hear him last night first discovered him on radio, where he is known as the creator and host of "A Prairie Home Com panion," a Saturday-evening broadcast by Minnesota Public Radio, carried nationally by more than 200 stations. Keillor sets the program in the imaginary community of Lake Wobegon, Minn., populating it with charactcrs equalled only, perhaps, by Faulkner's Yoknapawpha County. The merchants of Lake Wobegon "sponsor" the program, and "Powdermilk Biscuits" is the most popular advertiser. Its brought to you in the origin Diue box with the brown stains on the side that indicate freshness, and it's made from whole wheat raised by bachelor Norwegian farmers," Keillor said, adding that it's a product "for which advertising far exceeds distribution." THERE ARE also commercals for the Chatterbox Cafe, The Fearmongers Shop in the Dale, Fritz's Electronics (everything you Warner Brothe By Robert O'Connor Warner Bros., Inc. should be ashamed of it It would seem that those who truly apprecia making are to remain in limbo. Hollywood is movies for the summer. Until then, the audiei endure such trash as "Police Academy." "Police Academy," yet another cheaply m the vein of "Porky's" is a fine example of filr worst. Steve Guttenberg stars in "Police Academ feel embarassed that he is wasting his talent, himself in the sensitive film, "Diner," Gutten be interested in making a name for himself. As Carey the derelict, both Guttenberg and Wilson steal directly from 44An Officer And t Cameo's 'She's Stra features unique funk By John Burbage rliA r\ IA fr*llr*w#?rc of C and thost recently acquired the taste for the band's he latest album, "She's Strange," is sure to plea Cameo uses a slightly more electronic sounc but they don't sacrifice their style. The title cut a lead-in of eerie synthesizers and minimo enhanced keyboards) and a quick, thumping electronic drums. Bassist Larry Blackmon's 1 come in with the addition of hand-clapping before you know it you're deep inside a p classic. Blackmon's forceful vocals and periodic r song a crisp, dancy feeling ? just what one wo Cameo. And "She's Strange" has a variety hard-core funk to jazz fusion to electronic re For the long-time fans, "Talkin' Out th Neck" is a high-energy song stuffed with syi horns, Charlie Singleton's lead guitar lines ; "made for funk" singing. Biackmon's voice the song's rebellious Irics. Biackmon's versatile voice is the tradem popularized by the group's first hit, "Allij With the background vocals of Tomi Jenk Leftenant, however, tough funk songs are ea mr A H 1 UVI Daiiaas like "Love you/\nyway anu naugi And as for the reggae, the group put togeth Bob Marley" with a unique sound unlike ai funk mix. On this track, Blackmon tries to be he stretches to put forth a reggae accent. The band has slimmed down from nine am their older albums like "Cameosis," to foui past two albums, "Alligator Woman" and 41 "''I r?or?iKorc dill r<>rnr(l with t ll{? haild. hi I I IC WIU 1I1V. 1IIUVI >7 ailll I VVV/I ? , newer musicians explains why much of the i One can't ask for a better music mix. With six albums under their belt, Cameo si Strange" that they aren't another fly-by-nig Rntertai brings guest & s^ai^i ^?^-~-~T ? : B , " sl^l^K ;?^-;,; .^|??:--.: \;-:,V I m 111 A.:\' ' ' ' H S I ^^ i'; yy. -'sz0tt*sE2g&fe?^=*---"T w ^T^"-3^$?aaKS?= \ ^ I am the real Garrison Keillor The well-known cult figure speaks at the Belk Auditt Writers Series. need is on the fritz), and Ralph's Pretty Good Grocery, where the motto is "if you can't find it at Ralph's, you can probably get along without it." A few visitors to St. Paul, where the program originates, don't know the sponsors are :rs fails with re Carey's life is a mass of confusk self. either to take a lengthy prison te quality film- academy. The parody of "An saving its good fails disastrously. ice is forced to Guttenberg's character is sur talents and forced comedians ade comedy in mayor opens the academy to n-making at its anyone eligible to attend. Then for every taste. y" and should G.W. Bailey is the supervi Having proved tormentor. Bailey's character tr berg must only Gossett Jr. role in "An Officer can only feel sorry for the acto director Hugh Kim Cattrall is the romant \ Gentleman." psychotic obsessed with guns. C appmg give ll,t uld expect from . m of music from shadowfax Bgae- Known as one of the most innoi e Side of Your success. The group will play twc nthesizers, spicy ? ind Blackmon's i br mm is well suited to ?j| ? ? gl | jj|Jj ark of Cameo, gy Jansfer Youmans ^ator Woman. Shadowfax's performances ins and Nathan Golden Spur tonight should .sily followed by tjiat {^e Miller Rock Series ,n Downtown. ta|cm when they see u icr a "Tribute to Shadowfax, created in an ny other reggae- farmhouse in 1972, plays a i 1 too versatile, as of jazz, classical and rock making them the most uniq 1 10 members on 8rouP around. Greg Stinso. members on its 12-stnng acoustic and 6-strn Style " Many of tric 8uitarist sai(1. "In regard: it the addition of music- ,hjn8s fe not th< :,ld style is gone. m\r/re th^ otherwise. Most of the music is wri Stinson, Phil Maggini and lows with "She's Greenberg, but they agree ht funk band. _..nr! ? r B :nown tor radic ^^-B* m Photo by Jojtph Gcrnett |j?, jrium. Keillor was the fourth guest in USC's Spring K> - w not real and come expecting to visit the Chat- ra terbox Cafe or buy a package of Powdermilk ta Biscuits. J, "We get a few every so often ? serious w young men in their late 20s ? and we have to y< write them, very carefully," Keillor said. Y lease of 'Police )n and he is given two choices: above a whisper, a term or to attend the police tough-guy exterior Officer And A Gentleman" "Police Acaderr not expect a chan rounded by a cast of basic no- However, regardlt . The town's unseen female ment, "Police Ac. i the general public, making Guttenberg seen e is also one type of character his obvious desire academy commam icnr ?nH Carpv'c nnwiHHinc* rparfir?n cppmc ti ies too hard to equal the Louis exasperation. And A Gentleman," but one While "Police A r. in the previews, d< ic interest. David Graf is a will be associated v 3eorgina Spelvin cannot speak of a movie. : |Hbkw^ - - Mr'VK> HHHSBH^B J^H^ESsP^ W native jazz groups to emerge from Chicago, Shadowfax ha i shows at 10 p.m. and midnight tonight at the Golden up to appear < members contribute to the sound. ; at the Their global village and versatile I prove sound is due to the rock and blues exknows perience they got from "Chicago's South Side. Illinois Shadowfax, named by Cashbox mixture magazine as 1983's outstanding new music, jazz band, has their third album ue jazz "Shadowdance" to thank for it. i, their Emil Richards, who has conig elec- tributed extensively to movie sounds to our tracks and albums, appeared on the ;y seem album as a percussionist. He helped "Shadowdance" to reach number 13 tten by on the Jazz LP's Billboard chart, Chuck tight above A1 Jarreau and Spyro that all uyra. i program Keillor said he would rather be known as a iter, but is not bothered by being known st as a radio personality. HE SAID he is proud of his association ih The New Yorker, but he typically wnplays it. "I think I am the only contributor in The >w Yorker's history who had his name sspelled < : a byline. I saw it on the galley set, but I was too shy to correct it." Keillor said he would not like a television rsion of "A Prairie Home Companion." "I can't imagine any way it could be done at wouldn't make my life miserable. I live a etty uneomp' -ated life. 1 start work on ondays as a writer, and I do that through prinpsriav niuht On Thur<;Hav I cwitrh er to writing for the radio show." HK SAII) the musical portions of the snow e all rehearsed, but his comedy onologues are not. "It's hard to rehearse comedy in front of i empty hall. It makes you feel bad. obody laughs." It's the creative effort involved in the show at Keillor said is gratifying, and he said he icrishes the anonymity oi radio, it is an lonymity, however, that's enjoyed by the ore than 200 million people estimated to .ten to his program. But numbers don't mean success for eillor. "I don't think there's any estimate that's orth anything. They have people in public idio who fool around with computers and ke little tiny surveys here and there, ...but 1 3n't think there's any basis to the figures. It ouldn't make a whole lot of difference if 3u told me we had 15,000 or 15 million, ou're anonymous in radio, always." Academy' nd Bubba Smith is the timid student with a ly" is comedic trash at its worst. One canice for escapism or even bearable humor. jss of the disgusting attempts at entertain ademy" is doing well at the box office, is comfortable in his role, which intensifies for fame at any cost. George Gaynes as the ier and Michael Winslow get laughs, but the d be nothing more than a release of Lcademy" looks and sounds partially funny 3 not let yourself be fooled. Extreme guilt /ith the time and money wasted on this mess s achieved tremendous critical and commercial Spur. it Spur "Shado wdance'' consists of sounds from India and southeast Asia. Some of the Asian instruments they use include Balinese gamelan gongs, metal bambo angklungs, Chinese water cymbals and a kanjgeera. Shadowfax was nominated for three Grammy Awards, making them a new type of jazz group that Leonard Feather of the Los Angeles Times calls a "new idiom aborning." reriormances are scneauica at iu and 12 p.m. in the Golden Spur. Tickets arc $3.