Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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This Week in USC History Oct. 24, 1990 - The fraternities on McBryde Quadrangle replaced wooden decks with concrete brick. TCftc (Bamccock .. Page 7 Rapper Chuck D praises file sharing over Internet by Matthew McGuire College Press Exchange NEW YORK-Baseball wasn’t too far from the minds of those in New York this past weekend, and it wasn’t too far from the mind of former Public Enemy frontman Chuck D as he delivered the keynote speech at this year’s College Music Journal Music Marathon. Unlike the level playing fields of baseball diamonds and basketball courts, Chuck D argued that while an excellent baseball payer will always make it to the top (post 1947, he recognized), talent doesn’t always equal success in the music industry. “In sports, one thing that I always admired was the organization of it,” said Chuck D, who’s recently been going by the name Mistachuk in his new hard rock project Confrontation Camp. “I’ve always loved music, but I’ve always looked at music as being some sort of disorganized hustle.... In sports, it didn’t matter if you were good or wack, you could at least participate at some level. And if you were good and you were the cream of the crop, there was a struc ture that would float you up.” “Music isn’t necessarily like that. There’s a lot of participating artistry in music over the past 50 years. But as far as someone from Akron, Ohio, if they had a real, real good band and they want ed to get a recording contract, more of ten than not in the past, they would get involved in the music industry, and be ing from Akron, Ohio, if they didn’t start their own independent company, chances are that they would do it, do it, do it, do it and never get a contract and be ass out.” Chuck D, who despite Public Ene my’s hiatus has stayed in the spotlight by testifying before House committees advocating free Imtermet music as the spokesman for Napster, aigued that file sharing on the Internet will level the playing field for music artists. File sharing over the Internet, which allows bands to record and distribute al bums from a bedroom, couldn’t come at a better time, Chuck D aigued. In the mid 1980s, when Public Enemy began recording for Polygram, a rap act could record an album for $25,000 or less, make a video for $10,000, spend $15,000 in promotion and have a successful rap al bum. In 1998, if a rap act didn’t spend at least $175,000 on a video, they weren’t considered viable, Chuck D said. The major label’s reasoning is to price independents out of the market, he ar gued. Internet-based record labels and artists, or “Inties” as Chuck D deemed them, will undermine the entire major label operation. By the year 2002, Chuck D estimated there would be between one million artists and record labels distrib uting music over the Internet. And de spite efforts by lawyers and major labels, file sharing can’t be stopped, he said. “File sharing — trying to stop that shit is like trying to stop the rain,” he said. “You got some people out there try ing to stop the rain, barking up at the sky, clenching their fists at God. You can put them right where they belong, right in the crazy house.” Internet music distribution will also be the first time that the public created the format to distribute music, Chuck D CHUCirD see PAGE 8 Matthew McGuire College Press Exchange Chuck O, the former front man of Public Enemy, gives the keynote speech at this year’s College Music Journal Music Marathon. Play creates ‘much ado' Special to The Gamecock The black suits the men wear in The Aquila Theatre Company’s performance of “Much Ado About Nothing” puts Shakespeare’s play in a modem setting. by Kamille Bostick The Gamecock Aquila Theatre Company’s performance of William Shake speare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” was definitely some thing to witness. The play simultaneously met and dissolved expectations as audience members laughed and commented into intermission. The Robert Richmond adaptation amusingly and vividly captured the edgy humor of Shakespeare’s mature romantic comedy and put it beautifully on the stage. The plot places Count Claudio (Alvaro Heinig) and his love, Hero (Lisa Carter), in the midst of a deception to stop their wedding. The plan is masterminded by the villain Don John (Daniel Rappaport). As the young couple tries to sort tlirough the lies, Benedick (Anthony Cochrane), a sworn bachelor, is tricked into ad mitting his love to his feisty female rival, Beatrice (Jennie Is rael), and she does the same. Along with the performances of William Kwapy (Leona to), Sean Fri (Don Pedro, Borachio) and Jessica Perimeter (Margaret), the cast combines for a truly comical deliverance of Shakespeare’s delightful tale of love, lies and laughter. With the leading ladies costumed in tight, black leather and the men in black suits, the Aquila production put Shakespeare’s 1598 script into a modem setting. There were blond wigs, bowler hats, primary-colored stage lighting, slap-stick comedy and great acting, in addition to outrageous stances that seemed to be picked from the pages of some action-suspense thriller. The constant bickering between Beatrice and Benedick, combined with their never-ending insults to each other and each other’s gender, were as credible as any loverss quarrels. The heartbreak of Hero and the delightful antics of the clownish Dogberry (Daniel Rappaport) were performed with such talent that they mirrored the truth. All the performances were a credit to the experience the company gained both on Broadway and in the British theater. The Aquila production was as quick and saucy as the author’s characters themselves. The villains werp appropri ately and believably cunning, the bachelors adequately ego tistical, the couples completely loving and the maids sensi tively seductive. Full of witty retorts, suggestive gestures and music that made everyone want to snap their fingers to the beat, the individual perfonnances and technical direction amounted to a unique presentation of an old favorite. The craft of the actors, actresses and technical directors didn’t disappoint aficionados that appreciate the richness and versatility of the play. Aquila Theatre Company took “Much Ado About Noth ing” to a new level-and a new era and still fulfilled its mission of providing a truly entertaining night of theatre. The Aquila Company came to the Roger Center on their 2000-2001 North American Tour after previously mount ing 11 highly successful tours of the continent in the past decade. To find out more about the Aquila Theatre Company vis it their website at www.aquilatheatre.com. For more information about the rest of this season of entertainment at the Roger Center, visit their website at www.koger.sc.edu. The spotlight desk can be reached at gamecockspottight@hotmaiLcom. Elmwood Cemetery offers scares, piece of history by James Battle The Gamecock As a group meanders through Elmwood Ceme tery, Sheila Riley points out a headstone that reads “I told you I was sick.” Riley, deputy director of programs at the South Carolina State Museum, has been studying death and the mourning process for 20 years. She conducts her tour wearing vulture earrings and a black shirt saying “Momento Mori.” In her backpack, she carries a camera, visor and a large mirror for lighting tombs in her photography. “The basic tools for studying the dead,” she ex plained. Originally from Kentucky, Riley’s major influence in life was her grandmother, who took her to old cemeteries and shared legends about death with her. According to Riley, people haven’t always just thrown their deceased in the ground with a few words from the Good Book. Starting about the mid 19th century, Americans began making the mourn ing process public. Whereas previous American belief was the more Puritanical philosophy of “get ready to meet your Maker,” it moved closer to Victorian Romanticism and the idea of death as falling “asleep to wake in heaven.” This shift was due in large part to Queen Vic toria, who actively mourned her husband from his death in 1861 to her own in 1901. Such a rigorous mourning set the standard for women all over the world and created a booming market for mourning goods. For two years, women were expected to mount their husbands, wearing mostly black with lusterless jewelry and spending most of these years in seclusion except for church and formal family events. Of course, men faced much more relaxed rules and for a few months wore a black armband, hatband or handkerchief. The color black became a symbol of death be- | cause of the belief that the soul is vulnerable in a ' reflective image, Riley said, explaining the cover ing of mirrors and other reflective fixtures after a death. Other cultures also use white or red as a sym bol of mourning. The tour continued through Elmwood Ceme tery’s thousands of graves. Middle aged and older couples shuffled behind her as she described vari ous headstones and their meanings. According to Riley, the often-seen anchor is a symbol of hope, and the broken wagon wheel sym bolizes life’s journey cut short. “I’m not really a historian but more a folklorist,” I Riley said. “I’m interested in the myths and cul tures behind death and mourning.” Elmwood Cemetery itself covers 91 grassy acres and is adorned with magnolia, oak and cypress trees. Founded in 1854, the cemetery was first a land tract near the Broad River owned by Col. AA Taylor. Its founding came from a desire to have a pres tigious burial area similar to Richmond’s Hollywood and Charleston’s Magnolia cemeteries. The first recorded burial was 8-month-old Ann Dougall on August 13. In Riley’s experience, Elmwood is one of the most historical cemeteries, having set aside Con federate burial ground. According to Taylor Barron, an Elmwood Ceme tery employee, “The Union soldier’s headstone is rounded, while the Confederate’s is pointed. Supposedly, tliis was done to keep the Yankees from sitting on them.” Other historical graves include Narciso Gon zales, who founded The State paper. Gonzales came to Elmwood at the hands of Rep. Tillman, a politi cal enemy, who shot Gonzales as he was leaving the State House. Later Tillman was tried in South Carolina and acquitted of murder. Ending her tour, Riley invited everyone to the main office for refreshments or to talk to Taylor to reserve a plot. When asked what her own epi taph will read. Riley said, “Well, first I want to be cremated and put in the perfect urn. I’m going to pick it out soon, so I can show it to my audience. Then I want ‘She wore the white flower of a blame- . less life’ written over my grave. I think it’s a good phrase because it doesn’t make much sense and should catch a lot of attention. That’s really what a grave is all about anyway.” The spotlight desk can be reached at gamecockspotiight@hotmail.com. What’s Happening Wednesday, Oct 25 FTVE POINTS AFTER FIVE, Angie ' Aparo, show starts at 6:30 p.m., all ages, no cover NEW BROOKLAND TAVERN, 8 Stops 7, show starts at 10:30 p.m., 18+, $6 cov er. DECISIONS, Muddy Quarters, show starts at 9 p.m., 21+, no cover. JAMMED JAVA, Robert Gardiner Quar tet, show starts at 9 p.m., all ages, $2 cov er. BILLY G’S,' Tokyo Joe, show starts at 9:30 p.m., 21+, no cover. MAC’S ON MAIN, Skipp Pearson Blues and Jazz Showcase, show starts at 9 p.m., 18+, no cover. ELBOW ROOM, All Fall Down, show starts at 10 p.m., 18+, $4 cover. RAFTERS, Karoke, starts at 9 p.m., 18+, no cover. DELANEY’S, Acoustic Loop, show starts at 10 p.m., 21+, no cover. VILLAGE IDIOT, Joel Rush, show starts at 10 p.m., all ages, no cover. Thursday, Oct 26 DELANEY’S, Steven Jackson, show starts at 10 p.in., 21+, no cover. NEW BROOKLAND TAVERN, The Figgs, 18+. ELBOW ROOM. Hovercraft, show starts at 10 p.m., 18+, $8 cover. JAMMIN’ JAVA, Tom Conlon, show starts at 8 p.m., all ages, $2 cover. GROUP THERAPY, DJ Fotizo, show starts at 11 p.m., 21+, no cover. SUNDANCE GRILL, The Whatever Band, show starts at 10 p.m., 18+, no cov er. DECISIONS, Clay Arthur, show starts at 6 p.m., 21+, no cover. Friday, Oct 27 JUNGLE JIM’S, Cigar Store Indians, 21+, show starts at 7:30 p.m., $7 cover. HUNTER-GATHERER, The \bid, show starts at 11:30 p.m., $2 cover. NEW’ BROOKLAND TAVERN, Keller Williams. FUBAR, Scenic Drive, show starts at 9 p.m., 18+, $5 cover. ELBOW ROOM, Gran Torino, show starts at 10 p.m., 18+, $8 cover. JULIAN’S, Resonators, show starts at 9 p.m., 21+, $5 cover. HEMINGWAY’S, No Wake, show starts at 9:30 p.m„ 21+, no cover. DELANEY’S, Susan Muloken, show starts at 10 p.m., 21+, no cover. SUNDANCE GRILL, Sugar Daddy Su perstar, show starts at 10 p.m., 18+, no cover. DECISIONS, Karaoke, starts at 9 p.m., 21+, no cover. » Saturday, Oct 28 ELBOW ROOM, Motherload CD Re lease Party, 18+, $6 for CD and admis sion. NEW BROOKLAND TAVERN, Is abelle’s Gift, 18+. ART BAR, Grow a Moustache, show starts at 8 p.m., 21+, no cover. JAMMIN’ JAVA, Joyfulnoise, Show starts at 9 p.m., all ages, $2 cover. TTT .1 JAN’S Tint White, show starts at 9 p.m., 21+, $5 cover. FUBAR, Enable Kain, show starts at 9 p.m., 18+, $5 cover. HEMINGWAY’S, May Wker Run, Show starts at 9:30 p.m., 21+, no cover. DECISIONS, Not Necessarily, show starts at 9 p.nt., 21+, no cover. Sunday, Od 29 DECISIONS, Blues Jam-Aversity with Brainstorm Jeff Liberty and more, show starts at 9 p.m., 21+, no cover. JILLIAN’S, Blinding Soul, show starts at 9 p.m., 21+, $5 cover.