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' '■•JT ' > » 6 ' THE GAMECOCK ♦ Wednesday, June 2, 2004 THEY SAID IT mWTAPT TTQ ft_I I j ' 1\/I I V' MARK TWAIN: “A lie can travel halfway around LiUl> 1AL< 1 Uo % pi p, VI I A the world while the truth is putting on its E-mailusatgamecockfeatures@gwm.sc.edu JLJ—U -LT J—L-jL jl shoes.” — The first thing I saw while walking around London for the first time was a sandwich board advertising the headline for that day’s Evening Standard newspaper: “Beer prices to plummet.” Before I arrived, I had read news stories about drink specials and price wars between bars. In the fashionable Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, these specials were nowhere to be found. Fortunately, for the des- * titute British college stu WES WOLFE dent, there is an alternative: public yeaK st°re-brand liquor. Britain relations doesn^t have the puritanical student regulations on the sale of hard liquor that the United States does, so they can buy their rum, gin or vodka at the grocery store. Of course, the gro cery store has its own line of liquors, priced to sell at a discount. Just imagine Piggly Wiggly brand whiskey for $6. Other cultural peculiarities started to catch my eye, as well. For instance, there were hun dreds of well-dressed young mothers walking around with their kids in strollers. They have a name here: yummy mummies. These young and wealthy mothers are what “Sex and the City” star Carrie Bradshaw would be if she had a child. Not only would she be wearing the latest Manolo Blahniks and Gucci and din ing at some of the best restaurants in town, but her kid would be, too. They are every where in Kensington, but just beware of the strollers. These yummy mummies walk fast with their rather bored-looking, stroller uuuiiu uiiuui eu, uiie ncu> iu ue vigucun. One also has to keep watch at the neigh borhood pub. Just because the guys are mid dle-aged and remind you of your father, they are not your father. If they ever go to England, the straight men in my readership will be sub jected to bawdy comments about the females in their presence. Sure, it’s funny, but also very, very uncomfortable. This situation is n’t as bad as what I went through a few days ago. though. A few kids from my program and I went over to a decent-looking pub for a few drinks and to watch the FA Cup Final be ♦ ENGLAND, SEE PAGE 7 The Butchies break the mold with a voice all their own BY MEGAN TREACY THE GAMECOCK The Butchies, an all-female three-piece rock band based out of Durham, N.C., bring their talents to New Brookland Tavern Thursday. They are currently wrap ping up a two-month tour in support of their latest and fourth ’full-length release, “Make Yr Life.” The album, which was released April 6 on Yeproc Records, is not only dear to The Butchies, who fi nanced the recording them selves, but to the mainstream and alternative publications that have accepted it with open arms. vv e wcic ieauy iu mane this record, and we wanted to record it exactly how we want ed to,” singer and guitarist Kaia Wilson said. “We went in thinking, ‘We’ll find a label.’” Wilson said the important thing was taking their time in writing and recording this record. There was better musi cianship, more skill, more thought process,” Wilson said. The recording process isn’t the only reason that “Make Yr Life” is arguably their best al bum yet. The sense of urgency and straight-ahead delivery of sex, love and loss of inhibition found on the 10 tracks make for an exciting listen. “I think * a sense ^k hope and taking control,” Wilson said. “You get to the point when you realize, ‘This is my only life. I’m going to go do something totally crazy to day.’” lilt; rmiuiiiea cue mining people to take control of their lives through other ways than just music. The Butchies sup port a long list of causes, but one is particularly important to them this year. “The most important act people can do this year is to vote against George Bush,” Wilson said. The band has been encourag "" ing fans to register to vote and has given them the chance to do so at their shows. “Right now our slogan is, ‘Apathy is useless,’” Wilson said. The Butchies speak their mind on many issues, includ ing their sexuality, which has brought them both positive and negative attention. “We’re very outspoken, and within that there’s going to be criticism, but also within that there’s going to be total praise,” drummer Melissa York said. An example of the praise they hear came when they were looking for a new book ing agent. The guy who now works for them approached them about the job and said, “You guys stand for some ♦ BUTCHIES, SEE PAGE 7