Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

Mississippi Allstars, Mathus display blues roots BY WILLIAM MILLS THE GAMECOCK 1 Down in Mississippi, where the blues run deep, is where you’ll find the roots of the North Mississippi Allstars and James Mathus and His Knockdown Society. Both groups got their start in the land where country, gospel, blues, soul, rockabilly and rock ‘n’ roll were all raised together and released into the world. Similar styles and musical tastes, as well as a love for Mississippi music, have brought these bluesy pioneers together again for a cluster of concerts in North and South Carolina. They’re two of the most popular rock-blues groups around, and they’re breathing life back into Mississippi. The North Mississippi Allstars have an alt-blues style that has infiltrated the mainstream. Its self-produced first album, Shake Hands With Shorty, was nominated for a Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Recording. This release also featured James Mathus as a backup performer. The North Mississippi Allstars couldn’t have chosen a better name. Frontman Luther Dickinson and his brother, 4 drummer Cody Dickinson, were destined to be musicians. And where is a better place than Mississippi to be raised into music? Even their father, Jim Dickinson, was in music. Jim was a famous producer who worked with such blues greats as Ry Cooder and Jim Keltner. Though the boys experimented with different sounds and genres, they somehow made it back to their father’s musical tastes. As young adults in the ‘80s, they spent a short time in a punk band called DDT. Though the Dickinson brothers abandoned punk rock, they retained some of the distortion characteristic of their earlier sound. Their second release, Phantom 51, seems to embody this rougher rocky image as well as traditional blues, gospel and other Mississippi musical styles. The gospel influence can no doubt be attributed to Chris Chew, bassist and long-time friend of the Dickinsons. Chris got much of his musical influence from the Southern Baptist Church, and he would often drive all night after a gig to attend church the next morning. Joining the Allstars in their urban assault is the swamp Radiohead Lead singer’s voice shows more soul CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 its own recorded masterpieces. This is evident on the Kid A derived “Morning Bell,” a song that’s much more emotional live than in its studio version. Another feat is the band’s ability to convert electronic music into playable live music. One listen to “Idioteque,” and the listener might mistake it for the studio version from Kid A. The song allows the drummer, Phil Selway, to exhibit his potential, , something the electronic recorded version fails to do. The live release ends with Yorke playing an acoustic guitar on the previously unreleased “True Love Waits.” The song is a surprising departure from the band’s current sound and seems to be more of a retreat to the more guitar-based days of The Bends. The song sounds similar to “Green Plastic Trees,” but this time, Yorke is more mature, showing a heightened sense of soul through his vocals. Every loyal fan should own this live release, a testament to Radiohead’s complexity. Those unfamiliar with Radiohead should listen to hear the band’s ability. Freshman Students say they have too little time CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 all kinds of different groups you can hang out with. It’s also a little bit more time-consuming. You have to do more work in college. It’s more rigid than high school.” What are your plans for next se mester andfor the future? “To continue being a DJ at the radio station, hopefully at a better time slot, and I’m taking some fun classes, like Geography of Popular Music. I hopefully will start play ing gigs with my band, Little Pools of Brightness. I still plan on study ing abroad my junior year in Scotland. My plans for the future haven’t changed yet, but they might. I’m exploring. I’ve decided to minor in media arts. That’s changed because I didn’t know what to minor in before.” CHELSEA HAMMOND Did you fulfill your expectations for this semester? “No, I wish I would have done better in my classes. But, college life is what I thought it would be. It’s not much different than high school. I think that if I wasn’t prac ticing all of the time I would be do ing better in my classes." How have you dealt with some of the concerns you expressed at the beginning of the semester? “Well, as far balancing track, my social life and school, I didn’t do too well in the beginning, but I’ve got the hang of it now. I’m still late for class es ... It’s just the fact that I have to get up and go to an 8 o’clock class.” What have you learned about college? Were there any surprises? “You just have to balance your time. The movies, they overexag gerate what college life is like. You’re not gonna have these wild, wild parties all of the time. I don’t think that’s true — people always getting drunk on the weekend. I re ally didn’t think that I would have such little time. The day’s too short to get everything done. I didn’t think that I would be up until 3 a.m. writ ing papers. I didn’.t do that at home.” What are your plans for next se mester andfor the future? ‘Tm still going to be running track next semester. Our season starts in January. I also hope my grades will improve because I learned how to handle my time. As far as the future goes, nothing’s really changed, but I think I’m going to change my major, to maybe advertising.” boogie style of Squirrel Nut Zippers frontman, James Mathus. He has taken time off from the Zippers’ big-band fame to pursue a group all his own, James Mathus and His Knockdown Society. For this side project’s latest album, National Antiseptic, Mathus enlisted the help of his friends the Dickinson brothers, from the North Mississippi Allstars. Mathus has spent the past few years as the frontman for one of the most popular ragtime bands around, alongside his wife, vocalist Katherine Whalen. The group, along with the talented Whalen, performed for a host of famous television shows, as well as for former President Bill Clinton. Despite the Zippers’ popularity, Mathus heard a call to return to the blues. So, along with his own release, he played rhythm guitar for blues legend Buddy Guy on his latest album, Sweet Tea. It’s no wonder the Zippers have been less active this year; Mathus has all but completely enveloped himself in the blues. But the latest material from James Mathus and His Knockdown Society is a welcome return to the Mississippi music of Mathus’ youth. fcii MtSssmsk..:sirrr. v , Mathus brings his swamp-boogie style to James Mathus and His Knockdown Society, photos special to the gamecock 2000 minutes for *30 Plus a Free Digital PCS Phone New From SunCom Welcome Home" America Plans AMPffiSH! FREE DIGITAL PCS PHONE • Mitsubishi T3 MORE ANYTIME AND NIGHT & WEEKEND MINUTES THAN EVER • Other plans up to 3500 minutes. FREE NATIONWIDE LONG DISTANCE AND NO ROAMING CHARGES COAST TO COAST • Whenever you see SunCom and AT&T on your phone. SunCom ttorci locations _ New! Columbia Columbiana Mall 100 Columbiana Circle 803-407-4221/7008 Imon-sat 10a-9p, sun lp-5p) Columbia Columbiana Place 1230 Bower Pkwy 803-261-756 Camden Dusty Bend Shopping Center 2513 North Broad St 803-243-74 we get it: 1-877-CALl SUN Lexington Mallard Lakes Business Park 5483 Sunset Blvd 803-261-755 Columbia Richland Mali • 3400 Forest Or 803-790-214 (open sun 1:30p-5p1 Columbia Creekside Pla*8 7350 Two Notch Rd 803-281-753 SunCorh Member of the AW Wireless Network store hours: mon-fri 9a-7p, sat 10a-6p Corporate Sales 803-261-7523 shop online www.SunCom.com Exclusive Aothorired Dealers £ZAK ■■ Access Multimedi First Cellular Limited-time offer. $35 activation fee and 12-month service agreement required, welcome Home America rians include a Mitsubishi T300 digital phone. Phone selection may vary, i he Welcome Home America caHing plan rates are available when using your phone on the SunCom. AT&T and affiliate networks located in the contiguous United States and Hawaii. International long distance calls are not included, nor are calls that require a credit card or operator assistance to complete. SunCom reserves the right to terminate your agreement if more than 5 % of your minutes are not on the SunCom Network. SunCom service available for specified ZIP codes only. Other restrictions apply. See stores for details. <S> SunCom 2001. |~ ALL BOOKS 25% OFF OR MORE Select books at special prices including The Jewish Confederates $39.95 $25.00 Reflections of South Carolina $39.95 $25.00 South Carolina: A History $39.95 $25.00 University of South Carolina: A Portrait $39.95 $20.00 Weekdays from noon until 4:00 p.m through December 14 USC Press Warehouse, 718 Devine Street LI between Gadsden and Pulaski Streets (behind Carolina Coliseum) University of South Carolina Press . . - t. n&up mem&ew ¥ ^ewnifet/ ^Si/td' j&lexia/ (Qongtvle^ ^RacUel' fornily/£f(€M?&n&' | fjtbnyf/vtfdilchin&on/ , £R#^4€cci/3(tyaM> t tye/le<Ue/ r 'fh’dlty' ffewica/'Ma/Uin/ j CtfafotMowUtob/ta/ tdnuuula' £PUi£e*/ dtelitea/ tflaty' I 3kml&€iy/ ^Ro^wicA' Candices &f>te4tMi/t£ \ ^jPa/ia/ fflt&a/ ? £Re4wcca/ ^ tH&liteas *(jPta/tJUe' ^(die&GnurUe/ J\fixi& 'tyi'he&l&i/