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Show ChRONicU ThtisdAy, April 28, 1988 Pjwje Eiqhf Das Damen is a bunch of dudes who like to rock releases." By John Pecorelli Chronicle assistant feature editor It has to be. I know people exist who really like traditional rock music. And these people hafta be getting a wee bit worn out on all the stylized, glossy caca that's infected the whole scene since forever began back in the mid-'70I mean, you've got the glossy, sugar-po- p metal Top 40, the glossy, bands, glossy soft rock, glossy synth-po- p and even most of the "punk" bands (who started out as a snide reaction to all of the s. over-produc- ed above) have become stylized. So if you like traditional rock, and are fed up with alia these poops, maybe take a look-se-e at Das Damen tonight. Damen is a rough-edgetraditional rock outfit d, l)ased on grungy, sloppy guitars and primitive garage energy. Best of all, Damen shows no sign of wanting to make loads of money playing big arenas and making neat videos. They're just nice dudes who want to play rock and not take things (including themselves) too seriously. Damen drummer Lyle Hysen describes his band's sound as "the Marx brothers play funkadelic maggot brain." And despite the fact that some critics have labeled Damen "blistering metal" or "thrash," Hysen sets his band apart from the hardcore genre. "We grew up and grew out of hardcore," he said in a pnone interview. "But it wasn't like, 'Let's form a band and be It's just that when you grow up discover sex and learn there's more you to life than the first four Minor Threat post-hardcor- e.' So what is Das Damen about, then? Hysen was reluctant to divulge the band's philosophy or message because he hadn't had his morning coffee. But when further pressed for a hint at the meaning behind the band's gritty, psychadelic sludge, this was the response: Chuckle. Long pause. Then, finally: "No Wheel of Fortune. At home, that is." Das Damen has released one EP and two albums since forming in New York two years ago. Moving from a raw but melodic angst band to a raw but melodic rock band over the years, Damen's progress seems obvious. "No, we've gotten worse," Hysen said, growing bored with the interview. "We've forgotten how to play; we've all started sharing the needle and our musical ability has dropped incredibly. We all just sit around and listen to Exile on Main Street." Nevertheless, Hysen is quite proud of the band's live performances. Never content to play the songs and leave, Das Damen seeks to thrill and chill its audience with gobs of trippy goodies. "We kind of do the ELO thing," Hysen come in deadpanned. "Lots of lights-- we on a big spaceship. We recorded back-u- p tapes played by Toto. But it's kind of hard in these small clubs and the tapes aren't always synchronized that well. Now we're trying to play at least a CD of the new record so people will say, 'Wow, those guys sound really clear in the mom-tors- .' Liza Minelli did that on Broadway, know." you Hysen said the band's live show is also MHITOIME MEMS IFLASIffls ASUU Budget Deadline Extended to Friday April 29 At Noon ALL Student Organizations must submit budget requests to the ASUU office Union 234 by noon asuu Das Damen claims to be the "cutest band" in existence, next to Poison and Bon Jovi. "But those guys get the cake make-u- p job before photo sessions," said a jealous Lyle Hysen, Das Damen drummer (far left). inspired by an Alice Cooper gig where who like to rock." Das Damen has just released a freaky Cooper had his own roadies throw smoke bombs at him. He then blamed the audinew album called Jupiter Eye and plans ence for it and canceled the show. on making a "cheap, quick cartoon ver"So if Salt Lake's looking bad," Hysen sion" of the Who's film Tommy. In the warned, "We'll just throw rocks at our- meantime though, the band members will selves, run up on stage and get hit by continue touring the country, blasting out them and then go, 'We're not playing cuz local clubs and annoying rednecks and restaurant owners with their long hair. you're throwing shit.'" callous this attitude, When briefed about possible trouble in troubling, Despite clear it members made that of Das the Salt Lake area, Hysen seemed optiHysen Damen are not spoiled, bratty rock monmistic. "I think with a bunch of Mormons Salt sters. They are, in fact, "nice dudes." "We're a nice band," he said. "We're just Lake should be pretty happening," he the Damen dudes in search of food. We said. "We're into it!" don't come to any town with any pretenDas Damen will perform tonight at the sions asking for the full-o- n rock star treatSpeedway Cafe (505 W. 500 South) at ment. We're just a nice bunch of dudes 8:30. Tickets are $4. -- Hickerson from page seven time. I think editors allow for that sort of thing from artists. Nobody gets their work in on time. "I actually work better in a crunch," he added. "For me it's a matter of realizing that I have to work and then sitting down and working. Caffeine helps. Every thing is funny when you're on caffeine. I'll write about 50 things and think that they are hilarious. When I read them later, I probably will only like 10." Hickerson added that the crux of the work for him wasn't drawing, but rather writing the cartoon. He estimated he spends two to three days in the drawing process and even longer in the writing process. "I used to try to draw all 24 cartoons in one day, but they ended up looking like crap," he said. Hickerson got his education at North Texas State. He said he really wanted to go to California or New York to an art 1 it." Dropped papers and pierced doughboys aside, Hickerson genuinely enjoys his occupation. "Sometimes I look back on some of my work and think, I shouldn't have done that. But then I thinkYeah, what the heck.' It's kind of a catharsis thing." e If hA M Wlf i m JL SWIM WEAR urana upemng SPECIAL! April 28, 29, 30 (Thurs., Fri. 1 5 & Sat.) 22. leather items) UTAH'S FINEST INSWIMSUITS' AEROBIC & AFTERWEAR lnUtcfcMftiW uti mi vM M itlmm a Uf 158 W. 7 school, but couldn't afford it. "Instead of working 23 hours a day at a Pizza Hut and going to class one hour a day, I figured it was better to go somewhere cheaper so I could work just a little and go to school a lot." Is Bob Quigman a reflection of himself? "Just about every other time I draw him," he laughed. 'Things happen to me that I don't like to talk about, but I can draw a cartoon about. I can hide behind him. Bob can have a date tell him, Tm not really in to younger men, especially not ones with your looks,' and laugh about 36th St OGDEN V-392-436- 2 ; . (Hank (I |
