Têtes Noires Press Kit Articles by 02RK

mf""I�' (roup. the \lolcnl ftmmes. pro ,"hd 01 nolcr.! ;r&Cuon LtI'lI:t. [hr ::11: ,i!umll,ate the ml.:s,caj,t� .l."!d ;v.,....n� �r::l<lnlr-i that.....oman �P"'lM'. !in.k tht TeleS d'J;er to ;.)., ./ COO/flits tna:1 the ()tf·it�·. If .,olitically com'ct. ;;ii tl 'J, IUlncoats. Punct;.;"nng "BI� �It.� a lapsed (,IIMlie", :Ul,nt Nl!� to �Igh heaven by wvorc.d alom CamIlle Cage IIIuh � Jlck�on 'j ,"-f rnr"Vne-mott· · chaner JUIt.ar fiU. IS • sl�·. skillful mo'-r. ,d \." And Ihe ,cl-d,>,,"" pounding .. Halrn·rsqur 50!..' helps the Titu-ior tht first !Hilt on tpcorc!-6ct;.;aUv rock. BUI Ritc!lIfS llrifnend C"nthll 8attrU'� fit. funky �Isi II cranhd "'ay up-often al Ihc n�nM' >Ji Holt's ,",olin. Tht drums dun"! iIOund KI hot mher. "'en ii molt Qf Ihc paru an !mll'Ur than Iho� of Ihe IIlYI in hIghly hype d acts lilte Gur.; 'n' Rows or Faster Puu�·c.t.

Tires Noires

Great Heads

IY DEIOUN FROST

�

e \Ii.. Amenca comesl. ftI!r Jennller Holt \fiu SOl:th Da kou 19;8. pe rled off lIer bethm, JUa packe d up hrr vlUlm and '"Grt ,he d nt'>" &,glm do In,. thUlg JUIl ior thf mon" Un O<:tobtr 6 Hoft itood In the KnatinC Flcton. JUS! off the Bowery. and !lnl a Dear John ltt�r to I "oman. "Dear Jane." Ihe ren. �rpif(;e of TitH �olrti Cia, Foor Goo., ,Rounde.,. is ont of Ihe limpltst. mOSI bnutiNI. and in !lOme WI� totally ord;. nary 10"f !IOnp in rtcent mrmON. As amng ed . b)" 311''''�' popmri!t.rl"$. . from .-'lbbe IG Whitesnab. i! mIght e�en be I h'l.

!nsp>t� occasIOnal itum·blu. from .tnp

JOInt In w\·.lion. chug to �:"ant, e"rry �n, lS I surpnse. On "Pour �lore \.\"�r on Her. Gturge: Hillt"s "'"lid .scauin, sounds «rily hh Rickie Let ·JO"" after conSClOwness railing, "'lIh subtlel\" and ;;win!!"_ "Gwrgt- rrap tuca!ly de1.cri·bn a ""t T-�h,n conLf�t Ii 3 scnllin, mfta· phor "r male mtdiocmy and the dOUlimt of frmlll, &mbiuUll. h"s hrightened Dr Holf� knoWlng &side: '''Thil am't no �Iiss Amtne., folks/Sut it m'Cht as ....,U be '('�uOl:' thue's :lO o!f:nal ba!lut/\l', JUSt In('n ,,""lt h t.u thlt He."

�u!

TttH :-':oi.tr$ are not 5I''''�' pop. Ire )USI Mlrt oi �ntUH"S_ If it's hard to figuN! t hlt out from t heir reeords. that', nG Sllrpri5f_Ttt.rs �G,rtJ hlven't figured out ho .... to ma.lre re.:orQs Yft. �t'>tr mInd thai "'en tf Ihe.. did Ihis all female group til! ... ·ouldn·\ 6t int� the few ilou the musIC mdultn' has Iorl asi d e for women who artn't · bo,1.<J'·' !:l�bblebr.ins. or Suzanne Ve,•. 'Tlie� don' � belon, ,n the women', mUlic ghet. 10. tither_not only beclu5f JOme Tttts have boyfriends. but beclUse they hive a �nK of humor. 0.. Iheir firsl rftortb. an EP and An .... merlcon Drtom. both home. e beeo !.be made, Tfits �oirrt might luI.. fup. cruh·landinl in �inneapoli! with in tranaplanu and anlelie '·Gieet. Thty came oft" u loopy fol kie s jekin, around on an acOUSllt lIIitar and cheelY key. boards "bout bingo. �oonie!. and 100 many jerks. Ill""..., . They

�

On Clay FOOl GodJ. rt(orded I year ago, they rtcl\u!ed a dNmmer and Victor

:it,l!. hurr.a:u 'Ji any persuasion m'ghl bet�r .!oN' T�tu �oirtl with their own eyet Ihln 'ake them enure;y at FQ<;I ,·ai· !Je. A� (�U.t a leap II! the album is from .lIltr tlnln batgain'Ouemeot !IO\Jnd Ind parody ,mpulsn. the live tbo w blo,"" it away. ne h&nd hu JOlle tbrouell ad�i ti!Jna! chanUI. lOO-thev've lOll drum. · mer Chns�l lillIe. and G.,,·, youn ler ,iller. (Uilarist.linier Renee Klyon. couldn't refute I NU Kbolarship (or grad. uaLf film studin .t �"'t1.'. On thia East Coasl t.our. they ...ere replaced by t..o Mioo rtRoli, bub.nd re fug eu wllo looked u if tbey might be more comfon·

CoMi'rluM

;::;��::��;: � :: [Ill' �l'\lI Horl, Q;i\lll'�i ;

.:��:

Delorenw and Brilln Ritchie as produe· .n. .�""h o.Lo " " W " d Rik" " "

THE .vll:\\" I'ORK n."ES.

�

�r 87

" " """ " """""

<;"..ITt·RD..I}· i' .. r -.

I"�

Pop: Tetes Noires in Concert

Close ,""'n"",,,e-; .,,�I., w,' 1.,<0':0.'. Uon Wllh sell rule.. hit Ih.. SIlOJ!:S <If

T�les Noires. Weo1ne:o,t"", at F"l k C;,t:;. tlo" S'II·wum"n banol Irom Mm. neapolis played songs about reli,.ious Wet prostitution, male Cultists , T,shirt Cot1lesl.S. make u p and nUClear War - sungs thaI are bolh c'-1'ch), aflll d"" b le-edgeu . •

For itll dark character studies. T�les Noires writes bhthe melod,,�s

and buil<b mock,swf'et arrange ments. featuring t.:ynlhia Banel's perCOlating bass lines . Angela �·ruc. c,', punchy keyboard licks and up to six_part vocal harmonies.

"·'V.'�l. · "suall�' m".;klll@lyrics:oc_

rtles �Olres denlJWl('l" II lar!!l'1 oUln�nt ....hllt' mainla:nln!!: bn�lU. ,\lldrew5 Si5ter!\_�IYle hanno nlM. LIke the Roches. Tl! tes NOLres an! \Jlrtoosic patter smger.s, but they bolster their 5 n gs with arran ge menu t h a t suggest $OU1, garage- band mck. country ande\Jen. m"Amencan Dream." a tlou_ Ti!tes NOIres also sing yersionJ of pup songs Wnllen from a ma le view, the Cookies' such as pomt "Chalns" ;w,j �otorhead's "Road Crew " - Ihat. w,thout a word changed. can suddenly seem absurd. cl\smn..lly.

Tn.. P"n.I"!Ii

TIw r... wfUI_ dY....' ('orltmutd from pG6f 84 Ible audilioning for Joan Jett. Yet juat u the COYer photo doesn't hint It Hill!'1 slightly r avag e d beauI)', Clay Fool Gods berely raptures all o(!.be Ilori· O!J' interplay of her. Gage. and Blrtell's

vocal chops. \\>ith iu intriea�. l1lisNhe·

roof 1l.J;·pIln harmGny, "Why Are All the Flnners O)in&:��, whicb Ittlllt sllchtly IWPard on rt(ord. turned the little Knittin& Factory inc.o I:touJe Gf the holy. Kayon. an impoting figure in a tunny hat. dropped by to 111'" lhroua;h the Titea lublimely rir:liculow cover of Motorhead',

"Roadhol" lod dotOriOU. I clppelll "Whi� Wtddinl.w Forget Idol. KaYOd'l lnetr proved Elvil lives in some miihty unlikely places. Meanwb ile Holt. !lOW I ttt e rouge mpltndeot in hot red mini· ,ki n and Il"IIly hoou. and the buxom Blrtel bopped Billy', lyric into the bie' l"t lie in t.br hook. There', nGthing new in mit ..orld? Oh yull?

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Volume One Number Nine Jonuary

1986

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VOLUME 97 NO. 14

APRIL 6, 1965

Tetes Noires is French for blackheads. Th(,' bilnd i� n,,11II'fI for their hi lir color, not cUl11plexion problt'nlS. The six-wom"n band w"s stilned a� " one-�h<)t

pl.."fnrmilll(e.alt project in

Mil1neapoli�, hy I{'adl'r and former Mi�s South Dakota

Jennifer Holt. BI..'Cause I/f the subjects Ihey tackle, whit h include �ay male pro�ti'ution, Mooni('S.

wet T·s111l1 conlc�ts. and sex dub.., the lctes "Ie oftcn

blanded f{'mini..t... but Ihat hasn't SIoPIM.'d th('nl from doing SUI. h thing.. ,,<; donning raggedy lingerie. hair curlers,

d{'sperateiy needed it (or college. I WilS mise."ble the

whole year, but I don', regret it because I learned what I

didn'l want to be like. I broke ,lW,1y from that "n at once;

1 stopped shaving my Icgs and worrying aboul my weight" Cynthia: "It's really an awkward time right flOW for

women musicians. There

are these Iwo extremes. You can be a sex object or in a

feminist hand. I can see why p{'ople .11e altracll'd 10

Marlonna, hul al Ihe same

lime I lhink she's just living up

10 that sligma surroundinJol

and fluffy slippel� and booking th£'n1�('lv('� 11110 a (Iub a�

women enlert"iner��thal Ihey ""Ill' 10 ..('lIlh('rnSf'lv{'� a.. �('� I)hi!,(·t�-�o I Ihink she's iI

dis(l"il1. No m;l11el wl1,,1 you ("illl

nll'nl,,1ily. " CamillI': "11"5 reilily

"In<;;mitv /," 10 �poof ilnotl1('r hometowl1 l()fIlbo they

leal throwback to Ihe 'SUs

ther11. Ih"ir Illf)( k('ry, politi( ... "nd ,I,r!!r' ,11111( � ,lit' ,101. IHlfP(/

di�1 fJtrr;Jging Ihal. �,ly, cvcry til11(' YOII pitk lip ,Ill ,rrlr<../I! on

by (I('(lillie (,IIYINI. hl"WY mct"II1II(.'Y do ,1 Mnlorhe.1(1

m('nlion Ihat shc's a big

covcll, hard(oll.', [)1'<i('1,1I\d,

F,'rfi�,l pop. •1I1d tlwir forie>, SIX·

P;Ht .1 tappt'lI" harrlHlfli{'<;. 'I/w b.md ,.. ,1 �df.n"ll1,1/-tl'd

tllII.� liv(': (',II. Jr 111('I11I)('r i� in 1 h,lIl:l' of ,m ,IH·.I of Ill\' ""�IIH '''� I 1,,1t ,mel ( ;11111111 '

(;aw', whq �rrl� up fronl. h"m/l(' puhlil. Il'i,ltlllll', whi/{'

J.;tH!.IfI..1 .mll "x·at I. oUnl,mt Polly Alf"<,mril 'l. who looh IlkI.' IUIII' ( 11',I\f'l \\ltll;1 )11,11. 1,ll('� \ ,11f' .,1 fln,lIl('� 1l,"'�I�1 t vllll1l,1 1I,11",n l� tfl t 11,1Ij.l1'

01 d"'lrihuIIOJ1 and pmrnollon of Ih!'11 "'( oJlk S'fl�!'rl pt'I' 1""!lI"_1 Rt'l1f'f' K,lyllil. ,Ill art �llId('nl.

r)\'('f'-\'('�

J.(1,lphil. '.

,Inri ko,\ 1,'),rrd",1 AIII!!'I,I I lUI I I Il'l1d, IIII' 11111 k Ih,,11I,1I1"[)lIII_

lilt, \\"'"11('11 ,IIltl lllt"rr /!I',II Oil 10111

J"l1Itri(" '"I '.\('111 !lUi (or til(' /1.\1'." <'0\1111 I loll'I!.1 p,IJ.((',mt II" IllI" ""IOj! I","'!III_ I

Twin Cities. Teles NOlles. a new sill·woman rock gloup 110m MinneapoliS. per10rrns al ltre SOltom line In New YOlk /Pholo. Chuck Puhnl

AIi�trn Moyel, Iht,y h"ve to woman II shouldn't m"Uer. Ihink it"� OK (or women to

look �{'xv. but if you look too

�t'xv. Ihat'<; .111 peoplt, will

1.llk ,I/)Olll I I('.ltl " m;Jj.lal.ine .1rlil It' Ih;11 �.lirl th.11 If M.ltlfllll1,1 (oult/n't hi' 'I''';Y. tlll'fl womcn <;1 In

,Ut'

nol free.

If \'OU h.1'Il' 10 dlc� funny ,md look wt'ird, ),I)u'r(' qill 1)('1111: pul mlo ,I 11101d. I think ( \",1(11 [,nll)('f II,I� ,I 111111(1"11111-:

1111,lgf' �ht, I. ,Ill Ill' ,m oddb'lll ,lilt! .. Ir(,·.. nol " I;lV,").! bl',1uly, hul �11t"� �IJ( (t'�.. ful. It'� ok'IY for WIII1I('11 10 look ,1I\d Ilrl '�� rm t'. •1Ilt! il dot·.. n·1 1l](',1Il

YOll'l(' ,1 fl'l11iJli�t jll"l b( '(".1U�l ' YOII dOIl'1 w,lnl 10 wt', rr Ill,lll 'Up. I lhlnk (·vf'.yhodv "holiid 1r.IVP II1\" (wI'dnrll 10 lool tlr!' \\,l� 1111')" \\,1111.

\\"11I"1ht'l 11\ 1 1 '1101] "

hl(' r\1,ldol1n,I'j(

_ _ _

�_� ,

1/""."

TmillOlftU

IVt_t End, Cllicllgll 1'ick�u: 1.5

TtTES NOIRF;S Ir� �o endle�"ly

Invlntlve that their hour·plUI let fllrly niel by. April 27 It Ihe West

End

"'U no el<ception: II the Ril< women from Mlnnupolil took their (inll bO"'I, wri,twltchu w e r e checked In Imuement In .round the dub. Ori,;nllly (Ofmtd II In art pro J�et by vOClllltlvlolinllt Jennifer Holt, the Ttln hu, mlture-d from inlpired ftmlUura to Iccomplished prOt, withoul loslnl In ounce of their (relhnen of oddball charm. Tetes No;rn .ho...·c.ud much of their debut album "A m e r i c l n Dnftm," If lOIen I I In earlier .elf·ti. tle-d LP (bot}, p�ucta of their own Rapuntel Record.l. New mauri.1 along with I)'piearty Imllfinath'e cover tunu (Induding their notori. ou. n coptlln awing ver!ion of Billy Idol'. "White Weddinlf" .nd Rn it. lind IreRlment of "Down In The BOXIndockl"j rounded nlillhe rnt

of Ihe nlca engRging ftet. T�lu Noiru' trademark three- to ,ill·part h�nnoniel rlUlg aweet lind true throughout, with backup key. boardi$t Camille Kayon·Cage, vio linill Holl and percuuionllt Ren� Kayon lupplying malt of the yo Clil. Guitariat Polly Alexander Ind keybOlrdilt Angell Frucci took their turns It the mike II well. Cyn· thia Blttell, whoae Irrangementa Ite crucial to nles Noirn' lound, Uled her percussive ban Ikillfully 10 hold the etementlilOgether. The T�t�I' repertoire ineluded their �It)·plo-tinged "Recipe For Love," somber ballad "Family Ties," Ifypsy rI\'eup "American Drum." yodet·punctuated "Moon ;es," p r o t o · p u n k "Cln't Eyen Dlnee" .nd politieal lilire "The H .....k." Half the fun of .....tching ntes Noires was wondering whit they were going 10 sound lik� next Women muaicians hive become commonpl�ee enough in rock 'n' roll that Ihere', no tonger .ny queMion th�t "girls" can pl�)·. By the lame loken. �I!·female groupi aren't re· gllTded so much II gimmicky "I they R t e re,peeled on their o,,' n terms. Multi·tatented, "rtay·but·fun out(ilo like Tttu Nalru c�n only .dd to the credibility and stalure of women in rock. MOIRA Mect\lUIrC]{

VOL XXIX

NO.

34 THl!: WEEKLY NEWSPAPER 0' NEW YORK AUGUST ZL

Tttes Noires: This drumless all

woman sextet from Mondaleland fiirt with cute but come out funny nasty. Recommended to Roches fans--especially Roches fans who were always disappointed by Pul sallama. August 1, Danceteria, 30 West 21st Street, 620-0790; August 4, Maxwell's, 1039 Washington' Street, Hoboken, (201), 656-9632. (Christgau)

LY�NEWS HIW YQIlII', HtT\,I.. NlW5I'ut:'"

"I""

� •• "_-, ,,, -.�

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An acoustical sextet

The Tete. Nolm, described by Billboard .. ".n .I�women·. KOU8t1c punk band," 18 tM ,..tUM act at t and 11 tonight In Folk City'. Wednesday Night Muelo Serl... whICh glv .. mualc!an. a chllnce to perform IC0U8UC m.te....1 lIMy Ordlnarity Cln'! do.

'L25

Tetes Offensive When their eponymous siI-song EP came out late last year (on Rapunzel, Box 8332. Minneapolis, Minnesota 55408), I thought of T-etes N"oins as an American version of the Raincoats. These six Min neapolis women had a similar kind 06 timeless, folkish melodic approach and learn-as·you-play instrumental attack. Their cbantlike lyrics seemed even more sim le and repetitive-the EP begins an ends with "Playground Ditties" which are just that. Because of the EP's paper-doll cover motif, and because their harmonies are so superfically perky, their music and politics initially appeared leas desperate and more playful than those of their Briti£b counterparts. But initial ap pearances deceived; with time, "Plato's" (about the sex club) became increasingly ominous ana finally accUlUI.l.ory, "The Hawk" '5 anti-Reagan stance stung hard er, and the girl-talk songs conveyed out rage as well as wit. That double edge became sharper- j,p performance last week at Danceteria_ With three women (Camille Gage, Jenni fer Holt, and Renee Kayon) singing leads and Ule other three adding backups, they opened with a slapdash "Pretty Boy" (about a male prostitute) that was all rumbling bass (by Cynthia Bartell), two chord guitar (by Polly AJexander), and fingersnapping (the drumless band fur nishes a lot of incidental percussion). An gela Frucci's surging Farfisa carried "Lucky Girl" off into garageland, while their interpolation of "Chains" with "Don't Say Nothing Bad About My Baby" and their "heavy metal" version of "Soldier &y" (dedicated to the troop s in EI Salvador) revealed more about their sources; reggae and Yoko Ono also figure. in less tangible ways. Jennifer Holt front ed the band with cheerful arrogance and got off a terrific parody of your favorite metal guitarist when she took her keen ing, grating, wholly obnoxious violin solo on "American Dreams," playing iirst backwards between her legs and then ly ing on her back. The set careened to a halt an hour after it began with an anar chistic, mocking "White Wedding." 'Thke that, Billy Idol.

-John Morthland

� #61

ROCK ROCK

The Arnffican muSIc mdu$lI)'s allcrnau.e mtormallon SOUfIX

•

VOLUME 97 NO.

APRIL 6, 1985

TETES NOIRES

Twin Cities. Tetes Noires. a new Six·woman rock group from Minneapolis. performs al the 8oUom Line in New. York. (photo: Chuck Pulin)

WI\aI'.soooola-.T__1For_

.. lI\in:s.u.ri....... ofhomor',.,.. ""."...n band ,hAl .",.,... oda 1� ...unpy Ilorfrimds• f"""'h w><Itnw<ot. and Bin&o< For_. _�t/Icr<....)!IWI}'_�

thaocan"""oIf.",___:orwhooao

""" '" WI"""' . _ . Add . ...... of ,,,,,,, ,,,, M ""'I>. oncI • rof....nm, .... of <lku..... _�'. no """"'" "'"' , ..... ..... ... '"....''''� O<�'" .Ibum ,0" ,h.l. Own �R_)"""""","<rioi<al",'", Tbt """" "'" bon! 'wo".,.,....,. w.... >in¥t lennif... Hoi! ... "'" 10 ....."bI< • m�perrotmallC< on """"". Tbt "'........ """"iodudod ....ouiwi>I r""" .1«>o,Itln>b _rPolly ��. po)t 01' roll� ....""(o.m;II<�ond_�I: • - ro.. ..,... k<)_.... iAn.... FnxcI):..-.I" t<l<k'n· ... _(Cyno1N a.rt<I). ··w._

;, 'o bo.'....,.,. _.\M ...... """" """..d .

Fn.ro . " W,

�..,ed

"..;, """ ,

,.,

� ""'",.. ..,,"-"""-Got<. "11_ <3nlbo"'-.•',.laribklhioa - )'0<1 _"'_,.... ,.,.CUI mU..... ..ood. 1iIllt _. I'�. """"... _.)'OUf.... _ ,,""' ,.,. ... - �

.•

.. ..,.,«IWKry. BUI""',.,....Y'thaI,.,._ .....-......... _>mall pOI1 •• Iim<, _kin& ""'"'" .... .... ." ScxwoI politico ...., '''''' "'" _ ,...;.. ,.,. --' .. .,....,.. ond _ n'" hca.,..-. Thor''' __ ....... 0/ ,_ prt.p-""" .-. · 'Chaon! .. ."d ..()o;tI·'Soy Noo ..... """ _Mt _ ·" .... ....,.... "fpolc.,.'.... ""' 1)'ri<s• ...., T".. """ ... ___ ....... ' "Tho ..... _10 wo• • ..,.,. '«>m tIw pia« ond..,.,. _ ___ ,."...."......mouu..:lct,t.. """""' ot ..... _ond ..... _.'hot_ are ... 01 .... ""'" ill r<lal iono/Iipo. oncI ill II>< m.ui< _. " .....". funny "",,,,,,." Tht__ iI.bio mo«o<*'h<>l,ha/I Ih< r"", ,hank> mai n y " . .... . <>.per;.nc. .. "'" >lodio. "1< .. .....,I< t><u.. planned. w• .....«1 '0 ... . bi< """. «dInicaI ...,......,. . Somo 0( <II< 01<1 faru olr<8dy ''''n k ... . . ",. '"'& <00 $lick. bu! I can ...roina ..en fWlh<>' _time." Of""""".'.... _ . ..;Q�!O"l'..,.". off�__. Onr tta<k pIanDod fOf'too ..."...,__ ..Cirdo<•••• vO<lOlf"-..... • ......a _ ....... _ __.andbuil<>.. "' ''''' __ Afta......,... <II< uuw. ..... _ by .....k< to . _ pIorcd ,,"",k_d>: Ukina ..III, '/ley t.oar<I. ,h<y � 01 """"'na • ....,_..aion ..... _""�tOpiaytho..w._ <hal ..... . .......,. .... IiIlc '" ' 'Sdcri<. '' tho ......., IIoo ...,.,.oi<. or-thly """"" "(lor po> &>ce! """"'" ... __ • linl< onL)'." >ht -. The ....... moIr. .. -......rll•lmd

.... loIk.,..... � .... puak� .,.d HoII�""'" >lio\>UIlotound f....,;·. "1, .... I�.,

ond .,;JI""drwnmcr. ,

. ."

TITIS NOlalS

Am.rican Or.am

rIrst. '0 ... ""0' rock·.·<Ol! dub -.... dnmo.IIut._.-.. •_oIC1XDo "'&"" ....� olt....... " The FWP ;,n., ..... .."'" . ..... IUlw< b. � ....,.. .. ..... ohoy'�.,. _. ·· I ... TaoNoin>

....w.rrI<l<lFYi.rY ··..,.�··W.·'"

...... . ''''''Ift!C'' 0( � m.,;c. o. ...,."".""ofFM'odio ....... toIe·fI(lI. ThillI' ....yDodOffoeull.-. booo.',.'«ri&or)' ,,,,,, .. "'"'1 Do.bIt '0........ UlOlI!<r .- Of "," Are Tel.. Nou.. '00 UIlusuallo< tho main· _TThoy"""�1I<rl11O. "1"''''_'''''' ....."... b<inafun,·· ..,. F!UCO_ '·1_·' ..... '05O)'·p.-1 """ <lOOt. ' buo .,.,..,...t>Io_ PtopIe ",",,,,,,,'d '... """fooubl< ...w..<o.".

Jtapun••1 RMordS

TheRocket 22 THE 1tOCKn April 1985

NUMBER

HE TETES NOIRES ARE ONE of the reasons to fed great about the American independent music scene. Major labels didn't s e e m to h a v e much i n t e r e s t i n marketing a n all-woman sometimes-. acoustic, sometimes-electric, always eclectic combo from Minneapolis it just doesn't sound like something primed for heavy rotation on MTV. Thai doesn't mean the Teles aren't noteworthy, however, and their first full album on their own Rapunzel Records (they released an EP last year) is a real charmer. The original material covers almost every genre of music, all with an everpresent sense of harmony. It's hard nO! to think of the Roches, but the Tctes have depth beyond their three lead singers - their sound is also domi naled by a Farlisa organ thai gi\-es

them a '60s garage sound. They've been called everything fro'n; a new wave rendition of the Andrews Sisters to America's answer to the Raincoats, but my analogy would be this: How about a female, acoustic version of their fellow Minneapolis band H u sker Du? Sound w e i r d enough for you? (Rapunu/ Records, P.O. Box 8332. Minneapolis, MN 55408.). -CharI•• R. Cro..

-A �ltLBOARD PUBLICATION

· MUSIClAN

TtTESN� O� R I �E� S

__ __ __ ____ __

NQjrcs were in bus«>e$S All Female. but They played a few gigS Not (f Girl Group around M,nneapohs and be· came a tull·�edged ll'OUP at I!'IfU, audience grew. 'elen e,thefllOlsam t,omme irIg an acclaimed EPand 101· lOwIi'lg � up wrIh11>8 new LP wrp1c " lns!O!m ro (The pertormara an proteCt IhInI<#Ig·persolf$ never go! oN the grQUtld ) !lUISI!, TIttel "b'n 'ep'.'

�k¥>Oreami$T�es Noires al lh." ec�IOc best ifS d,lIles coyer kwe, hale. WI!. peace, 58". MoonOes. alcoholism, male prostitution and b<ngo. 8mong other sub joelS, in I'I'OUSJcal senings bV turns delicate. Ireneric and pensiYa Thefe'slllsoamed· ley oIlhe CooIIies" "Chains" liId"'Donl SayNolhin"Bad AtIOUI My Bat,.,..-bU CtmiIe�insrsls Ttl.. NoM. .... nola 11"' group. -H', goIten our i0oi in 1he dooI. But lheonly reason we �eep � !hell! .. IIVlI people 1,!tewtuolwe"8doing 11111(1 only thing we had going 101 ulwas thai we're g�ls, we wouldn't I)fItvery la,: _ Moira McCotmfC�

sent yet .llOIhe.Cl,lltel\l in

the seemongly bo4tcmesl

wellsptng tMlI " MwYIeapo �Jln,...ot; The ",'_101 g'OtJP'S mostly pelCIllSOOO' leSS 8PPfOId'IIO rocJ< 'n.•011 Dlends onbJences ItOm lhe Riloncoa1$ 10 me RocIlH to lheAna,ews 505Ier•. No! Qt.Ite rwo y(!&o'S old. 'h� se�I" 01 brune1t� henc.11Ie name. F.enen10< 'black l>ead.--t\a. been lu''''''!I moo-81!'1an a lew, pa" 1teula'iys,nce Ih." tilSt MI· length lP. AmerocanOream, appea,&ej on their own Aapun� label I lie grOtJp came1OQe1l'le' as a pertorm.nee a� t'<Ot8Ct und(!f II>e ""echon 01 ....-.ge'/ songwNerllrlolin'st.1ree $(!Old .IerYId.. HOII HoII (..no ad· ...Is unoe, ptHS\,O'I tobelng MrssSouthDal<otaol J978) ,ec_ -lwante<ltoOO someII><ng � WOtJId....... fUSI-..g wotn....".,." tOt ;I. cnange t o QO'IlOgeltler "MIn 1_ lun g<fI ...... lOCianl I knew 8found lown anti dO sometntng e'lZV' She 'ec'u,tod ¥o<:'it$1 C'rr'IIlIe K;l.von·Ga�c. bUs, '$I'arrange, Cyntl", S"tell and guda"st Polly A.it'xande, I'oma tlface ollQc:al banOs, Camdle·,kod "stet Renee KiJ)'OI'l ,:.ned '" 00vocals Holt s poanct-trlW>ed .oom MIlle AtIgel.- Fruco boJghl a cne.ap raft,... ltIld ,ties

"",e.l(en D.eem lP Tele, Nol,e.

CClmpl"".. with Forfioo f,.""I Iea, jony tyncopotlon oFld their 1fOd."""k Inll'l«n. On tlllt, thel' SKOnd ..Inyl ..entu,., Ille \IOCol harmonies 10 tome up with on abBlack Keod, (Onlln"'llIel, e"P'o<ollon of vio..., prog< ...lon from ,.... ,lng_lOng, ollihose thlni' trulyAmerkclll, Lo.t time II """"'Y 'hy..... lImpllclty oIlhe cMbut (P. n... Tar""8 In " clo .. by m. .....I_ e.... wo. Reogon ond Plato'. Relreot; tllio ll me , moonl.., bingo halls olld mlddl-'-th.. ' 1Olnly. and mostly anogoglng. And Ihe fod ,ood driven ore lampooned, 0< rother ""'t my fovo<,te oong on this Is rhe GoI hatpOOned by rhe Tetft' derW...tyct.v. f1n.IKlng "Choin,"r'Dcnl"l Soy Not hing bul Ioo--..to-be-btt<:hy lyra: " uNd aod About My 8oby" medJey .-.. more my o w n h i g h .(hool gl,'" 10 go Iw rho wild IypelYou know"'. 1 0 (Ropunzel)

Jih/Rld••

0 molOl'

bihlLo..... vkll.1I1 iYl IIOt 1""

hype/A r..,1 oss wipe," And

the words Ihalcut-Ren.. lCoyon'l vocall

on "Roll 0..-.,..' ",e lOu"ul .lIOvgh ro co!<;11 ond dig In. n.. r.i.. ",.n·1 ..... .. .mort·o..... ellhe" wllh III el.ganlly

,oom/Jta;twell ......-iM ond the TeTel;

o blJlly 1 0 e .. oke them Ihon lo ony ootIQ'N'lIIng clelidenqr on rhel,port. (110.

8332, Mlnneopollo, � SS«lEI)-UuItettI

moving piono ond violin oceompanlm.nl, "Fomlly Tiel" II m..... lympa"'"1c rhon biting. The.. Ii. WOme n ml" .how tune

XTRA MAY 1985

III

Tites Noires lt1.. NOOte. (..... IIy. "bI8<;k r.e�d'-I n.. been CO<fiP8.ed10 everyOtI8lfomlhlAndtewsSos· 111110 �$,;e gofI groups10 the Alineoall. They mile music. rnocIo*Y Ind j)OIoIot;. 10 _ none gel in tl'le wa<J 01 !he 0I1'1etS; tnov lie drLItIWN!tIHs. but tnov 001 the biln IntIolIlt\I the s", ___ c_ toQe!hef under viQhsj.teadsinget�Hott lWO}'ll'" ago'" Mimelpolill lor • peflormance .ft p<ojec;l, DIll, as Holt rec.ns, -ARer D lew tnQrIIn, WI deCoded we lnouid

VOLUME II

ISSUE V

I. mythm$,vibf .... nl'monIn IIId acuta sonowr�ing (m.in/v hom HoI ."" KljIOfI·G;I.�J They ha....ie ••1led 1Sthe)' l)I.j'Id. but wilhouI_ kIIing their _ cj o;tvnama. 01' drl"'-, "The....nolINng l wi. tongue Iir;a b8g<n in cr-k. nt:IfI$IfI10 ",,1h,"HoIpplaln-. "W!I'ranoll prelenlious blind_WI he>e. 101 01 tun ""'" gaol 011 _ WI p/Ioy. � ha.... I ight·l'Ieltied ef\elgy Ihll I someIornes lelf _'re in danget cj IoSo'IglleCaUSfl to be succ,,",lut vouQolta Mve the kin<:! O! ene'gy tnal dl'h-e. you lorward. Bul WI·.... gone� more se'",,"S now. We don' Claim to be SleIII, II'IUIitiInt 01' great song.wierl, DIll you don' "".. 10 be;l. good musician10

gc"eolll<ioulln<:!bilSl,lcttya musIcIl band," F,om!'" Degi"ning.l ne lineup '" addiIion 10 Holt 1IiI' been ey..hIa e.nol (bI....couslico De. good perfI>fm4W. guilf. �II� c..... K.von· "We',• ....,." POIilieIl but In I G.ge lINd vocals. �dsl light IIumorOOA "'-nnet'. We d O '*-K.yotI(lHdvoc:.... pe<· l'1li.. . .... '"""'l1lI to get cussoon�""" FrucciIFarfisa, ,cross allCU � 1XIIi· acoustO::gui....VOCIlljand Poly lies. nucleal war, b&tng -..omen ....... nderlgo.ot.........a lsj From in AmericJO 10000, � lhel>egitri'og.lI'I8ylll..........., trom our hIIowed It'dIlf1:. Ba aude but enect""'. wilh!O!kis/'l., Clul8 WI·'e •• �, we can ling.songy melodies, quilky � a llumor.nd �ony in there 'tlllli most b./IndS eoutcIn1' . We stiUleellhal though �·.lmpOrl.nt to 0"" \'O'JI ",,"sugo .C'OSt, �'s just IS impOrlanl to ol'lte�.iI'I.-Jo�n M Of thllnd

TETES NOIRES: Amencaa Dream (LP; Rapunul Records, Boll: 8332, Minneapolis, MN 55408, U,S,A,) With a violin and DO drums this group ohill: women from Minneap olis has an interestiflJsound. What i s swprisina is that they manage to make coherent, enjoy. yable sonas with sucb peculiar instrumeDtioD. (British folk groups wouldn't find this so pecu liar, John,-OC) Off·the-waIl vocal ananae- ments and lyrics ala the Roches set this album further from the nonn. The lyrics range from descriptions of male prostitution, family problem$, and being a m�nie to a celebration of binlo playing and accounts of grade-school boyfriends, AMERICAN DREAM is more accomplished than Tetes Noires' debut EP, This record may not be easy to find in your local record stores. but it is worth 5elUChina for, John Cheney ,

Feminists have fun, too

- OflC"GO SUN-TIMES,

Frld�y, "p,H 26, HI8S 2Sil! 5UULI" alUE

blll[e ("An Hrl�, The I:rOlI,'-' "''(''ningly nrtte� 'tIl n"", hn "'on Ih"m compMiwns wilh !�ht off Ihi b.1, 1"11 admit that lhe RoehH and England-, rtaincoa�, I"m pnju dictd .,aintt b.nd. .lthough the Noire� (or b thDt the ",-hOM names need tr,n,tatin,_ Tet.et?) c.n be rlrolttr than either. In Who needs Ih,t IIOrt of amartY-JHlnta concert, they have �n known to aturr? E'-en if you never line... the ptrfo.m Dilly Idol-. "White Wed liter,1 rn�lInin� or "Awop aloo_ dinc"- a ("�pj"I(""lIa. All .ix of Ih�m bop," rou dinn 'l need • dlet.onllr)' ainl. Ind Ih�i. hftfOnOn;H are,� sweet with Lillie Richftrd_ And it', WOI'M u Iheir inMtum('nt.,tion i� .perf_ when the m.nds ha'-e namet that you Oh, yuh: My editor lold me Iht con't e'-en pronounce! Gi,-e me I band Tetet NoirH mUng "b18dr. helldg� lille Blancman�t, and £'11 .how )'OU (UI'l'. ..hy he-, Imn.1 enouGh to be lOme uppity lIid. who dtservt a ,ood In f'dilo' ,nd I"m Ilill ..-.ilinl about apankin,_ f(l("k 'n' roll). From their pub lic ily Even 10, I make an eJCeptlon for picturel, il ..·ould �m Ihat Ihe name TeteJ Nolret, who are teami", ..ith .eff,.. 10 their h9ir colo., not thf;r Get Smart! lomolrow ror the lharp_ compluionl. My editor ,IJI/I to!d me .,st d(HJble bill in lown thil weekend_ ho.. 10 pron()"n�e it, but I (or�ot. SEPIIMBIR t9S5 The .ho... win be al the Wett End, 1170 W_ Armilllge (525-0808), where Ihe mu.ic i� luppolled to ltart at 10 p_m_ (�lthough 10:30 mi,ht be closer to the mark (rom my erperiencel_ How, l\4fh a sell-1!IIed IP and THE illES NOIRES: TAlKING BLACK HEADS A li l_womsn band from Minneapo paled to � �om Ihe li s, the Tetn (or i, thst the Noire.?) an IP (Amerlean Vroom) an 8-521. the RoIt\COOh and \'Oto Roughly three �B 090. make mu,l" thst is pleyful snd politi_ Ihelo WJt'/ own kibei. Rop.onlei M!nneo� slngeIMolfilsl Jer> Ono. 10 the Roelle! and the CAl, (eminilt and funny_ Inspiration l!9cords. !he Ie!e1 Of!! JoWo\I I'lfomous hordeore bond HUI· ril!! r Holl """ p10Wlg In a for Iheir mll.rial ran,,, from fa celen

By Don Mcleese � """tie

CtMIc

bop

�[ID�OO�. CONTENTS

band cole<!

sel .t Plato-, Retreat to how It must feel to be a Moonie_ InstrumentaUon on their '...·0 albuml (on the RapunIel RecOrd. laMI) intludu Farfiu or ,ani, Roland drum machinea and cu-

RIle

M. She

a cer1cin group operW-og br Itlem blot( often 000S compdsed <*noll em!ely nottced

!hal

� ;,fth block holt. Jer>

nITer and the -..omen be<::ame pas, and everMlIy all oIlhem leO .. groups 10 Iorm a bo"d new one eaIed Ie!es

NoIres (lie rane II fr9nch b "bkJck heads"-same 0I1hf1k tIt* II no'-"oIy block. same d lie gills had 10 be helped by hi ..onders 01 modem c:hernIJ. � Hmosl � alief IheIr Irs! gig. lie Ie!es s/oIIed 10 � IeftIc � 10 theI! shang!! bIe<ld 01 folk. pu. dane, rruslc and !he girl gfCIUP round ollie 196O"s. __·re $Itonge. and � I'lOf rrw:t- bJghs HoII. YIha says. that the leTes hove been com-

•

, .'

'. ...

ke! Du, One kjnd 01 Qlcup they h(J.oenl been c� 10 '" Ihe ones !hal Iry 10 PklV up Ihek. wei, � � "W!I·re IlOl 'blIIv 6/"

PIIrIct, the Replownerds. Hus ker Du and MoriII Dcrv ., Ihe � 01 t.ttw-.eopoIIQO(Irrd;. Ing 0 I.Dque mCllk an me I'ICIIIonaI rrusIe 1CeOII. The IbI ""Dff'OHI_""'''''''' fCMI noIIces 110m NQh-pIoIIe p.t> IcaIoni N MIIK:/ofl, rtle \fbOe \bt:, and /IIfbo.ofd '"CAct .. UI btcOUSll \tIII·re 10 "'lIrd,- bugfls ..ItKnI!II. In «If gt.en ""'"* IhfI group ... do IIIO'JOt IlIO-sW doncIng. an 0 copeIIa -.esIon 01 My �, """VIMe �: and � reodngs d lOCk

dos!Ics .. "Down In the 8oondo!:1:J.- 0 haa-.y �led -SollIe! Boy: "Chcb.- and "00I1I Say NoI*Ig Bod Hlou1 I.tf �." TheIl own songs leo lure Ilat same blend 01 rock IrocI!Ion and 1UbIImeIv w!tIy

VOl.

2, NO. 3

new"ll'l.l'e Irl not 0ftV cfilk:1 lhalike W-metrbers 01 QlOOJPI 1m the IaMog Headl and IhEI RoehM oo.e come bacl:stooe 01 loms gigs 10 oller mKl'I needed P!dse and tIIC(lVItIgI ..... Vel IM!!l ..... aI INs Jlcm.1I Ighllng their pat!\. till 1M get scaled and dsc:ooIoged � ...... ..... .. 11 ... _10"""" day JobS: JennIIe! a�. "and' gets IIhIMIng 10 WOIk 01 day anCI ItIen IIIIlecJse Of gig CJI night. And ..... gel WOIIIed!hal mcr,bI.' won' happen lor UI. IhaI \tIII·re )111 Iaob(:lJ!oIlIe� 10 get 0 maJoIlobei COtIkJcI. � Ilon Ole look 01 bands lite tie R",*"",,""'_I-I1ooI! Ihern M � 10 gel signed. We IcM! our music_ and \till kMt each oIhef, 10 \till tJlt I:eep 0<J"lg." VI1S � Ilat the IeIes ... be cds fa quII ...

day Job! WJt'/ soon-and

A t;SILLbVAMU r'UCLlvI\I IUI'\I

\I1USICLMJ TETES NOIRES

All Female. bul Not a Girl Group

/IIoIfcs we<e in busIne:s5. They played II lew 09$

IIround MIMo'lapoh$ aod be· came�!uII·!�grou-pas II!flir rnKliCOC<l 1I'('w. r('lr.ns •�I "', "':1'1.""'." I I !' :".I I,�

Iow1"U � ....) ....,,1, Ihe '""w LI' (the petlolm&nee a" prOfl!d

never � 0/1 !he orl1nl l

VOLUME I I

Ame<rc/ltl �eam 15 Tetes Nouos., tne" e<::lectrc besl "5 d�lIestoYerloYe. hale war. pellCe. sex. MoonIM. alc�'Ml, mnl() prOStrlulr(lr1 "'"fh."�' "" n'!l,�I"" ",," jr.cl� in """soc,,1 selIO,!!S hV

lurns delcel!!. frenele In" J)t'flSrYe Thete s lllso a med· ley 01 the CooIues' "'Cha,ns and ·Don t Say Noll ... . Bad

T/lIMNoores arc IlOt a g,rI

" .. -Irs galien OU' i0oi in Iho Bul thl! onty '..�'!On WI! keep � 1I1C1'o IS thM pcopkl �ke whlll we 'edong II the only ttwlg we M(I gou.g leo us was that we 'e g.tIs. we WOUIdn'l gel very lar · _ Moora McCorfl1l{;k

door

tile scer""'lJlv boIlomlen weonspr"", thai IS MrnneaPO' lis musoc The llil-!ema'lI ",oup's <nOSIly percusSOOl'\ kisS .pprOilch 10 rock ·n· ,011 blends in�es Irom Ihe

RarncOills 10 lhe Roches to IIIeAn(Irews SIsters NoI q..le lwo vealS old. lhS sexlet ol blunel1es t>enee the name. Freneh I(lf ·b/ack helld5·. hI'Is� I""""o ",ore Ihill"l a 1<1W. p..Y· . locula'iy PICIit Ihe" hrSI 10 .011· lenglh l� AmCflC8n Olea",. appeared Q'llhe" own

Rapunz� label The gr(iUp C8me together

as II petlCO"ITI/It"O;/! arl proteCl

....1dN !he cIooecioon 01 SoI"9I!" 5OI>gwI,Ie<.'YooI..... !r00 . SP<',I JCfWlrler HQII Holt (who 8d milS IJf\dot" pressure 10 being M,ss South Dakota (1 1978) reel" 1 "I wanled todo

someU"",, th81.....:::utd involve

jus! woot<..ng'MIhwomen lor

IIchange. 10 9l" toQelhI!l ....Ih mese lun g'" .... SIOII .. III ti<new 8round lown anc 00

somethng craZy "

Sho '1IC",,'ed """ali., Carmlle KayOl1·Gage, baSS· i$!'lIrr."oel Cvnthla aMeli

Tetes Noires

'''VI'.''';. V>I.",� t",,,,,(,,�_

acUIC songNll(,r'\l {many r.om

lett'S I'b,es ("coaRy bIDCI< � and I(�-Gage� Tiley r.cllls-I haslleen compa'ed 10 "".... learnc<t II theyplayed. but �I""'" !rom!he Andrews SIs .....,""'" OYer 1osW>g therr 5...." . ters ro clasSIC gill grovps 10 tile 01 dynamtCl. or drama

"The w� II"''9 was '''''10 1 0

Rairn;oals They mIX mUSic. ,nock",V arod pobtocs so lhal none get '" 11111 WIV III .the otherS they ••e drlJn'\r1lCl"less. buttheygoltheb<!al l""oatylt1e

p'ctenllOuS Ilan(! "net wel'lave I 101 oI lun andgOOI' "" """"" we

IWQ �a!S "go in M.""'�poIr5 lor

W"'rein d:,,"rIr' ,t If"'"'II bl!C3use

in cl><!cl<. nonscn$l<:31 10 begin

..,rh." !toll c.plaons "\�"re no! a

"'�C�""'!"""" "" """'" t""Y W: """" , I\ohI """,ted � Irnr!"�Jrr''''''' tlnlt �>/!I"!lY th�1 I !It'I<,,,iun'" ��r 8 performance art projecl. bUi.

85 Holt re<;a�$. -Aller a lew

monlM WI! deOOcd we $� OCI ,e�1 SCnOUS _ best<lclly .

lobe,uccenlul�gotla hu""

lhe �md 01 !!I>I!r9V thai tlriveS you lnIwa,tj But we've goIlen more S"'C>US now WI! don"

fIlUSIt"itI MOO" I ". ,"'"t:w-g.r.Wl\I. tlV" "''''1(>

...." .. �, lie "'cII�r musroans or

k l""", 10 �'011 I\ft$ bef'" in I,..

t�,\Otl 10 lit! "

Cvnlrn. Bartell (basS. 'COIlstic

QU�a'. vocall;), CBmlfi� I(&yon

Gal)tlilead vocals, kgybOilrds),

nc� I(Dyer> (tead VOC8fl. JII!I

cus$iOn,. Ange1.1 F'\ICCI{rari,sa.

!)r..."t " ."'!JWI""'�' IIuI you don"

\II...t '""SlOan 10

be a good periOfmer

-Woo'r" vtlry potftical, t>ut in

aoon about conSCfV31N1!(!OIi.

lies. nucteat wa,. being � in """"'..,. ID(by. �..tism Ihe�lheyhave IIOUI"ded 110m ...... hallowed leaders. Be· A",._er tguota< vocal'l F..,."

crude but elfeelrYe. w�h lolkish. 01"9 .n,"lY metod,,,s. Q\llrky

cause we're IIR women. 'NIl can

PUt a "',rnor and ironv in lhere

11", mosl �","I� coulm',

$Iii ICCI II"'1 thouph �.S ifT"corlani

10 gel your mossaoe across. �'s

;.m 3S rmpQrtarrl lO �er!a'" "

-John Mo""'and

,,",10 /lngela Fruce, bought a ehMP FarIIS•• arod r�les

JA CKPOT! Essential New Muslc-, As chosen by NMR s ed,tor'a) stal! These records demand your Attention TETES NOIRES Amer)cI" Df.lm (Rlpunze), P.O. 80. 1132, Minneapolll, M N 55401) ECLECTIC! Can you say Ihat? SUfe y'can These six women take the ch1lfm of such non -Ifaditional -'girl groups" as the Andrew Sisters and the Roches 10 the exlreme-a nd.

at times. the thumping bass lines and tolky eccentr;cihe S even hint lit the Violent Femmes. '·Peace. Piece By Piece" is II doc-WOp " protest- song: the I+lle track is an acoustic hora: " Bingo" (see you thefe. Wedneway ni9ht. 7:30 Shllfp) is 'reeled .....ith dixie)and swing; "Moonie" includes a canon-like ChOfUS, mountains)de yodeling. and a hymn ish " Amen" 'or good m ea sure . " True Love" is 11 women·' go al The Nails' " 88 lines Aboul 44 Women" ; and. Ii tha! ain', enough of a Whitman's Sflmp)et 10f you. U1ere's the t d.amatic ballad " Family Ties:' a cutesie tldb,t " Rec,pe FOI Love:' and a Goffin-King classic ··Chains:· Bless thiS Ameflcan Oleam

TETES NOIRES

light. llurnorous manner we (!Q hive 8 ,ell mn"ge 10 get

ICCUSieguilar.,.,u",IOOP,"",

and gu'IBroSI Polly Me...nder Iromllblace oi local bands. Camille s �rd sosle< RerIee Kayon poned iOon vocals Holt s poano-I'aone(! room·

MAY 1985

Aboul MV BRby--bvt Car,..lIc I(ftyor,·G1tg!! .'�'Sls

M!!>I yet IV1O!he, currer. i n

ISSUE

January 25. 1985 223 Repariefl

ALIVE' A Long Time Comin'

IItCMAIIO'tMO"'''' ONI TU 't:1I NOilies/TIN , .. 110m lNlM...... CH U .,_0.",""

_OIOlIIl o-.y. �. """"' -ohowIng--.

�:'7::: ";i;��·\� ....."" ......yfl.._ �

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,n. JootItN Or HOII. _ Ko1' o. and C.m" .. K.yo,,· Gaoo. III.. ouitltlot � ......._....... .. ()ynIhIo

•

Feminists have fun. too By Don McLeese P'!II ""'* c.t6c

ill'ht orr t�' bat. I'U admit that I'm pnjudiced as.inat band.

... ·hOlt hamet need Uan.latin,. Who need. tht IIOTt of Imarty·pe.nq

Iluff? E"en if )IOU never knew the literal rnenninr: of "Awopbopaloo. bop." )'011 didn't need a dict.onary ..ith Little Richrd. And it', wo... when Ihe bend, have nsmes that YOII r.n·t fven pTOl'lQl,lnee! Give lI'Ie a band nd I'll .how you like SI,Mm.nr:e• • 80me uppity kicb who deserve a rood 'pe.nkinr:. Even 10. I make an ueeption lor Tet" NolrM, who .n tellOlinc: with Get SNUt! tomotto.. rOl' the .harp. "I double bill ill town thit �kend. The .how ..;n be .t the Weill End, 1170 W. Armi!.,e (525 · 0808), ..bra thf music 15 IIIPpoRd to start d to p.m. (although 10:30 mit;ht be cloaer 10 the maTk from my fIperienee). A .Is.woman band from Minneapo Iii. the Tel" (or i, that the Noif"?) m.ke mUlic tl'llt i, pllyful Ind politi. ell, femini.1 and funny. Inspiration ror tII,.!T mlteria! flnl� from taeelelll lei It PI,to', Retrelt to how It mutt feel to be a Moonie. Tl'lltrumentation on t�it two Ilbuma (on t� Rapvnul Recorda label) indudes FIIfiM Of· ,11'11, Roland drum macliliMa aod. pro

but am lid.: The croup'. seemina:1y artl.,.. art!· neu tlu won them comparillOl'II with the RoehM and England', Raincoat.. IlthO<l,h' th' No;r" (or ;.. th&t th. Tela?) can be droller than eithlt. In concert. they hllVI been known to perform Billy Jdol', "White Wed· din,"_ cll?pellll. All Biz of thelll ,inr• •nd their harmonies are u_t .. their inltrumentation 1 ; lpare• Oh. y,11\: My' editor told' me that .· Tetet Noi.H mean. "black bead . . (that'. why he'• •mart enough to be an editor .nd I'm Itill writill( .boIIt rock 'n' roll). From theif )' blicit pu pictlUft, it would _1'1 that the nama ref... to their h.i. color, not \hej, complexiol1l. My editor abo told me how to prOflOllI\Ce it, but I tOflol

OtICAGO SUN·TIMES,

�_ .. - 1 .. 0.0. _ - ..... CiOjo. _. - . _ ... ..... :IO, ,,.,

Ar's and cntcrlainnl(.'nt

The Daily Iowan

---

-------

Tetes Noir puts on superlative show

._-

T"""' E."EIl.E_'_

__ T_ _'_ _ .. ... 0--. _ _, -.. ... ... _ - , - . _ - - --,_ .. .... .... .._ .. , .. _ ... -. . ... .... _ .... .. ... _ .. ... .... _ ... .- _, A ... .- .. ... - _ ... _ ,... ..... .'-....... ... ,,-, ... _ .. ... .... - ....... , ... ..- ".. " __ "_"''''_ �T''" - , . ...... . ... - ,-� .'''' ... ..... .... ...- . .- "' � . -.... ....... ... ....... - ........ . .. . ..."., .. . ".... _ , ... ...... _-., .... ..... '..� .. r__ _ _' . . ... ... ...... -.. .....,, - _ ... ..... " .. ,.. ..... - . _'- . . � ..... -.,. ..- .. -

�- - �� -� .�. �

- _ ..

...... ..

_ ...

-. --'''' - ''''' _ _ _ ... .. _"'-11 ""' _ ... ... _ - - _.. _.. _" . _ _ _ M nol cOOlJrl ........ _ _ .. .... .. __ .... _ - - 00_'. .._.... .... ...,... ....... .... .., ...,. .. - _ ... - - - - - --... -"'. 1N _ ', _ _• _ _ -� - ... .. M... ......,. ...",..,.. '0 _ - - - ., ... _ ...... ... ...u IOOiool _ _ _ ...,... _ ... .. , ... - - ......" .. .... "". . . - --, - -,...,. ... _ ... --..... -. ...- � ....... - ..... ...._ -" -,,_ CltI- .... _ ... - ... _ ,... _.._.. ...._ .. -. - - ._ - ,.- ... ....- .-... - �- ...... .... - - .. - - .-... _ _ ... . iOIKK...... ... "'_ .... ...._ ........ _ - - _ .... - ..... .. ,.... ....... . -1 ' 1 .... . • ","." ..... ...... .... ... . ,..II· ..... .._ ... _tlj..... _" ,_ .. .... _.. _of _ � - .. ...... ... , ....,... - .. _ .. .... ..,.. . " ... - ... "'-" " ""' '''''''' ' '- -'' _ .._ .. ...... ._ .... .-. ..... -. ... " ....""' .. ..... . ,... - ,.. .... ..M. ·. _ .--_I< ..... """' ... · _ .....' 0 1··... .. .. _· .... .."..- _ ...koo"" .. __ ..... � ... It_:' ..... ... _ _,,. .. .... ...J .... .. _'_ .... . .... .... 1000 '..,. _ _ .. .. ..,... ... -'. ...... � -.... I< - ... .. .. ...... ... ... ,... .... ... ... ..... ...,. "- ....... _ - ", .. _ - , - . - "'.... ,. ,- ..." '.. " ..� .. .. _ .. ... .... .. ... _... .. . . . . .... . .. _..-_ 1" . _,..... _ - ,.- . ..- ..., ..,. _. .. K ... _'. .." .... _ . _ , .., _ ... .. -" ,_ ,,, - ......... .. '_I< ---. . ...... ... ... _ •._ "'R ori .. .. *_ Eo...,,', DIll .. Mof II. Mo' .. ... .... .... !:'!!:'v��:'!!!,:� :' _,,!" -�'..":.I'! � '---. ''' ''' -. .... __.. .-.... _ -

Nlgh1 life

....,-..,. _ .. _ .... -...

=t;.._

.L .ue

t::: u::;� c:u e u t::: J.J. u . . u ,t::: J.

.I.

•• "e,.. .. rant 01 Ihe i....va'I live• • Iru' Sa,unby n" h, .,

Ttle. Nol.... pl.ye<l at tile Mem·

orl., Union Rath'k.lIet. The Tms, ...I\OM name 10 Frue" lor "bI.ckl'H:ad.o'· (boond members had jfl bl..,k h.ir .. .... .imd. 11 • ,I._woman band lIailiJIl rlllm Mln�.polis_ T"" ,..'Out Ill" yur 0( 1!Wi. EP 011 Rapu"",1 /Ie COI'dt l""reaM'd u.e;.",,11 10110..• '!lile'lIeirli,-••IIow••,wa,. inl • • maUl" 10 CCIU,-.n WlSUlpeclinl MIdi,,," _mbe.. inlO f.....

1'uu

9332,

1'etes

Minn••polh, I'N 5540B)

Nairn

(lIl.ck !leads

of you who speak EnSl1lh) Of

pr 10k.

ela...ie.lly of

tnfned,

substance

.UltC.

end

those

, -�. lAd by Polly "Iundtt', """ h-....l>4inl . ",itar. tbt � lOre 1II""'lh numbttl IIIat �pt ,I>t audi�...,. tnttan«<!. "lu· "noSer had ""�t"l trickl up bt• •I_.�, .. _ _ ..., I"l.u • lu'" 'Not ranled 'rom a �IIH 1111 10 an o.lItiehl ..,r_h. Anlela r""",l adell . do.. of humor lOt"" be"" withhor�__ IY, �a""ivale...ue r.rlil. ol"l"n. . whtch COfIltu"'" w�U ...illl tilt ."".10 at 11011. K4>ro- _ C" f. Bul tI\oo bal>4·. MVP hid 10 boo l>aqis! Cyolbi. B�II. Sl.....u.. bud d�,,'1 rully hut 0 drummet IR....... Kay... pro.rams 1M drum ....Ili ., ... .1>4 plaY' t","occuiOct.ll dNml. Bar· ItU·. b... hal I"" lob of ""Idin, Ihe band tOltlher. SeVetil lOnp

'�;:��;�� f·S1nllo' In IIIe Rain:' Hert Come• •ht Rain ....aln.·· elc.l . In which baM mtmbt" rota,"" a"",nd 1M '"'' 0'''_ 'an, a • ... p_ .f ........ . U ;..; """' "" , ... pIIta.. ..C..... .. .... rain �

DoII·1 S\OPl·'

T""...... 'ncludad a '_med ley aIWI lIw btl yer ...... oI··Jin,1e

Bells:' ".. ,ndin. seemed per· Ira for SucfI an lmp.n$ivtsbo� lunh., ..�n"hened lh.· T�'t$' <'>lit rOlIOwlnl ln MadllOn.

...hl<:h

illl num!) .., we. •

are Vlostly jn. .nd

th.n

texture

'1'.' •

Tet.e

IMy'".

Noires - Album (R.punzel Recordl)

(P,O, lIox

lot

For . ....�!;�ely ne" ........ 1M T..u .'" ,'ready 'Wite _1>110_ lor ,hulyJe 01 """ie ,,,",, play. T"...._....... delinilelr.r' 0>01 ,lie Go-Go'•• and tlley don"' hlv. Ilpi•••;OfI. to be '!\t1n .;••• .r. I",�ad. rral� • unlqu••".,nd. 0'" would be hud ••oN 10 find . !>.and th.l .....neI. Teln Noi.es, Tile,. IOUnd i, definitely mi."""liltk. with 0011 thrH blind members playlne ia· ""'IMnlS re(Ulatly J.IIn,f.. Molt. It_ K.)'OOI .ndC.miIIeC•••. tl>ebl....·' 00ulblS. un, in PCtoll. tbnt pan harTT\Ofli••. ,.",,,,.-.1 0(

6-piece

thlir

.ll-wom.n

b.nd from MinneapoUI with at, ..mph.lil or be.utiful "",lti-p.rt Rochel.

spirit,

h'I'1IIonln

though,

• 1.

The

th••1 wom.n' l

.tyie 111 a lot mon 11ke

the Modetta.'

pippy

.bly,

.nd

.11

sarc.ltit

thls

thl

fint

once.

band

don't .ound Uk, they could fall ,plrt .t moment .

CIlIa

b...

Th.t'.

......, rk te•

pl.yins

.nd

what vh.t

(Cynthia

Se..... v,

Street ,up.rb

c.ll

Bartel l ) .

Thlir

.ubJ.ct Qltt.r r.nse, frOC!> !umprop' tun.1 ("Pl.yground Dittl'l A .nd ("The

H.wk")

club,

Plato'l Petn.t

the \/orld"

ttfully

New

II")

'Iork' .

to R,aS'n

f.IDOUI

("Plat o ' . " ) .

.ex "Io·.y

1. I l1h-wesry lana buu

sung by

Clmille

Glge

•

without

drum. th.t we h.ve ever h ••rd whose .0nSI .ny

Not·

I voice

enoulh like thl SelectO r ' . Paultnl ilIad. for . double-t.ke .

•

M u l ' C

.. . .. .

1 ,

1 ' '' 0

• • • • •

' '' •• , ,

Records.

6......oman group is like a folk version of lhe 8· 52s , Thc), achic\'e lheir rhylhmkal bUI light .....eiglll sound by p lacing mOSI emphasis on voca l t:.�If(·ml·S and har mo n ies , ralher lhan on instrumemal o nes , Unli k�' ma n), all· women groups they do nof a�sauh the list ener wilh mililam. angry lyric5. In fael. man\' of [�eir lyr ics are so longue·in·cheek )'OU won'lc�l ch them Ihe first fewtimes. How�ere isarso�oriR l" medIc), fust pl3in fun 10 be had here. suc h as i n [hel o(Jun lp-rope l'hanlS(rCri"ii:mbcr lhosc?). All in all, [his is a highly enlertaining : Ir\ d refreshing dcbut di'�'c-:-SaIJ);"'f(Iiss"'.l'y ,. ... _.

n - -. -.

monies. it's not quite the Roches-the

humor is more like NRBO. Throw in the

gUileless Singa(ong antics of a PBS children·s show and the intricate chants girls learn at summer camp. and you've got the amalgam that makes the Tetes Noires go. I just want you to know what you· re getting into when somron.e hems and haws for a m inute and tells you that this six'woman group is ··interestlng ·· You·1I either find this bl ithe concoctivn of merry playgroUnd' �in� .and cFlee V!nes�

il'l Frrutcr.

Ball 8))2. Mpls .. MN 55408) Described in l heir press rekases as a "ne..... ....a\·e . A ndrews Sisters" this

I•• I '

Noires EP Tetes Noires (Rapunze! Records) First looks and listens can be deceiv ing. Despite the silly bits and the har·

cJ:!�rming or Insufferable. The Subur os gave you MusIC fOf Boys, this is defin itel y Music for Girls. II"! ·Kids in Fr.=tnCf' they warble. · · 1 ulSh I '.Wfr Il kid

•

Tetes

--wiSe,origue

TETES NOIRES 8·song 12" "5 (Rapunzel

l"J !It'! 10 Ill'{l/ 111m

T",I'I Il!t'!l·J I.'ad,

rmdiT.wnls.

lw' to Jallu ·· Well?

ALBANY

-AUG 1 / 1984

PRINCE HAS PUT MINNEAPOUS ON TIlE MAP as a rich City for music. Whal a few music trlvialisls know, however. is that the Minne solla town has II long heritage of rockin' and roJlin' and music-makin'. From the.Fendermen 10 the Trashmen 10 the Castaways and the Liller 10 Ihe Suldde Commandos, 'the group3 i.ust kept on coming. Now from the land of Maty Richards come the Singular combo caUed Tiles Noires - that's French ror "black· heads, " They're not 3 Parisian hard·core outfit, just six women that work at being girls. Their materl:tl Is slng.song; childlike sl1l1neH in the

Bananarama, Tom Tom Club vein. A m ini· lP shows prowess at simple rhymes and kiddie outlook . . BUI lest these women sound like vacant thumb-suckers. please check thPm out . gJrllsh al 288 Lark In Albany on Tuesday. Their posing Is Ironic, and Ihese days a good irony is hard to find.

Take a hint: request the song Girl."

"Lucky •

Friday, January 6, 1984

Volume 85, Number 89

Minneapolil-St. Paul

.qvJeff Pike rdinarily. hometown boosting is the sort of thing best left to the Chamber of Com merce. or Carla Waldemar. - You hear a lot about 50-story buildings. renovated warehouse shopping malls. helicoptered weathermen info. and anything else that might contribute to a mysteriously unde fined Quality of Life. Perhaps it'd be better to Ipi th E' . American legion take care of It

some Fourth of ;uly, bu: we suspect they'd be a long time getting around to the local warblers and thrashers. those performers who get us Qut to the bars even in sub zero weather. But what's the best bet? We decided to survey local tastemakers on the question. The most common response to our initial queries was, "What is.• local band?" Not an easy question. The usual coterie (including our na tional observer) me�tioned Prince, presumably because he grew up around here and still makes his home in this area, at least part· time. But Prince is pretty big stilff these days. He can charge S25 a head and pack the First Avenue mainroom, when he's not busy ftlling hockey rinks. He hardly offers the opportunity for a night of either intimae), or surprises. Good records. yeah-but nothing less than spectacle in person. As for the" Suburbs, they're beginning to out· grow this area too. forced to play even big·club venues like the Ca· booze incognito to keep the house from overOo,\·ing. Or they play halls. and Give Concerts.

A t the other extyeme. some thought that even including Husker Du and the Replacements was inap propriate, since their records re ceive national distribution. That's true enough. blll their recording contracts, perhaps the safest rule of thumb for separating the "locals" from the "nationals," are decidedly local. And if'they are both nation ally recognized, they still appear around town frequently. In effect, it boil.- down to · letting} , y!'W idelines. judgment set yo:.:r gu letpeople speak t or themselves: The Replacements. how("\"l'r, did tum out to be the big winn�rs of this informal poU, garnering lengthy comment from many of the people ",e talked to. Of.ll)l'cU�'" tJ'lat responded, more peoplemen tioned them than any other act� Jlte Replacements are the Twin Cities' foremost raunch'n'rave, raw·nerve garage rock hand," says Bill Culner. �' Mti'fneSota'') best rock band" from John Gessner; and David Ayers sees in them a "poten tial rock'n'roll legend in the makL�g, a1r�ady one of the five best bands in America ." Duffy's Kim Moline topped everyone, call ing the Replacements "the most ex citing rock'n'TOll act rve seen in the United States in the recent past." I like. 'em 100. They're loud and raw, music that skirts disaster from a number of differen t. dire<"tions. 1 also like the Wallets, whose cere brat, often hilarious exercises mix the intel ligence of jazz with the whimsy of pop for a sound that almost al ......ays has a few tricks up

�\

its sleeve. A couple of iffy yet worthwhile newcomers also hold hope for a good night out. Tetes Noires often threaten to hreak oul into a game of skip-rope, but a few songs on their rerently released EP (especially "Way of the World" and the playground ditties) make them definitely worth the risk. And Red House (keep your eyes open, they don't gig much) manage to combine the fire of the R�placements with the craft of the Wallets for a dis tinctive sound. Occasionallv they're reminisc".,t �f Televisio�, and they still do an ill-advised cover of Pere Ubu's "Nonalignment Pact." But as Oar Folkjokeopus re tailer Jim Peterson points out, "Their new single is really good. and I'd guess they could probably record a pretty good alhum with the ma.terial they've got now.': 50 who's really the best? Get out and decide for ycurself.

� *rtin Keller"

Ntiht�� m�jc

cn nc . � 7j-.- - '" . I Jhink Prince and the.Jime are greM.' Prince has an.,th� liappings of. a great rock'n'roU �rtis� frqm �rformance to songwri�ng, He'� sh�ping his persona into sop"�t�ing comparable to the aU-time' greats. Tne Time are just good (un. they're a bunch of hams. Tetes Noire is one of'. the freshest. most exci'ting groups to emerge in the last five years. despite their novelty appeal, which I think they manage to tran scend. And Willie &: the Sees. like always, are one of the most de pendable, articulate bands around . I also like the J.D. Steele Singers and the Whole Lotta Loves suite a •

'hit

�,"'��, ..

IP.D. Lars()n, Ni8htb(" � cri�

Jeff Waryan and the "FIgures: no j.>retenS:es, no-grr�imick$. ]ust one of · the best guitarists in the Twin Cities . I've ever seen, playing up � storm ' ·with . batch of songs that are as ,J,in�ei'stated as ·they are brilliant. Quality still Jivt's. Boi1� i.n Leat:�. . c; : _v,eritable ho�bed of frerceh' ecleC1:j{C ... origil"!al ity:. - ,masqu�r¥ffig as""" :t . Celti'c l� tolk 4 0 a � . batid: ·· FrOm , thE" Hungarian ··mapsOdy t,,",the-Yard-: birds and beyond. this band knQ.w)� no limit. I also l ike Laughing Stock, Beat Merchants. Khiderga((en, Crush on You, Loud Fast Rules, Urban Guerrillas, and Tetes Noire. Out of this bunch, Tetes Noires ar€' probably the most pro,�ising; as far as public ..ppeal, they seem to have something that's �"'·een..... originality and a gimmick. 1.1

..�

Steve McCIellan� First Avenue pro'

motions/booking agent It's hard to pick just Ihret> hands as the best, On any given day. any given performance, it can reallv vary. One week I may PI: hot on Fab's Invisible Colleg.'"linnhes the- next week it might � BoileClln ....1.ead. Overall, I'ef J!�ye to piCk �Ight bands: BoiTed in Lead, Crus h on You, Dark Carnival, Fab's Invi sible College, Figures, Kinderga r ten,. Laughing Stock.;:.md . Tetes Noires, All these-bands sh� a .lot of originality. But . a month from now it might be'completely diffir . :. .... ent.

.Eric Lindbom, critic ,

Night...t music

"Since I view local bands on indei:"-pr.I).?ent labels as regional but their counterparts with major label contracts as national, Prince, ThE" Time, the Suburbs. etc. aren't considered here. My three favorite l� never cease to amaze me live is,9a . usUally on record. Tied for �number one are the.1teplacements and the Wallets (Paul Westerberg '":'ind Steve Kramer are the heavy":,weights in town in my book} with Husker Du placing a very close second. Laughing Stock and Otto's Chemical Lounge seem like comers though I've never caught a whole set and a conflict of interest forces me to suspend any comment what· soever on Tetes Noires. Hope '84 is .' Curtiss A's year; he deserves it. Al so, good luck reforming Red Jiouse, Mark Freeman; it's worth saving.

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-voc Carnine Gage - - vocals, keyboard R e n e>e Kayon - - vocals , drum machine, percus s ion Cynthia Bartell--bas s , backup vocals A ngela Frucci- -Farfisa organ, backup Polly A l exander- -guita r ,

vocals backup vocals

Mangled Efforts-Okay. s.y yO\lr n.mes so we know who you .re. Renee-My name's Check 1-2. No. my name's Renee K.yon. ME-How old are you? R-None of your bus iness. No. I'm old eno\lgh to know beuer. And my sister's . litlle older than old eno\lgh to know beller. And her name is . . . C.mille-Camllle. R-Last name. C-G.ge. R-How do yO\l spell It? C-Why don't we let them do the interview. ME-We don't know what to ask. Is It true that your grandmother was w.tching you play yesterd.y? C-Ye•. 11'. tr\le. Our grandmother drove up from Racine. where we were born, .od she was there. She had a pretty good time. too. She left before the people started dancing on tables. so that was probably a good thing. She'" .. little old for that. R -And my Aunt Ruth was there. too. and she nashed her badge at some people who were "moking pol. Bul ahe w.s just kidding. but she thouaht it was prelly tunny. She took their pipe and .tun.

looks kind ju.st sc.red 'em. � what should we ask? M", your paper. ha h•. No. How m.ny copies do you have clre\ll.ted? ME-Oh • • clean 150. R -OIl. yeah? Cool. Then we can s.y whatever we w.nt. then. huh? So you can't Ihlnk of anything 10 ask. huh? You must h.ve been very exelted by the ahow lut night. M E - I was excited. A-Maybe we should talk about the hOI spots or Madison thllt we've hit so far. ME-Do you like playinlf here·/ fun R -Yeah. it's okay. The flr.t time we played here wasn't as last night. We had people on top of the tables dancing last nlillt. And that was much more fun than the time before. The lime before. everyone seemed to be kind or gawklna at us and didn't know what to think. B\lt last night, everyone was into It. and some people were even s inging .long wllh the longl, whieh ill .l....ys tun.

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M E -What b.nds do you like? R -What bands do we tilee? l Uke Ihe Red. HoI ChUI Pepper• • 101. they're like my favorite band. And let's see, who el.se do I like? Oh. I don't know. C-We like the DB's. they're gre.t. We did . couple shows wllh them the l•• t time we were tourlng. they're our buddle•• good. I lilee Ihe Bangles. I And R. E. M . is good. Let'. Active . .nd who else have I been listenlnlf 10. • • R-Tlna Turner ! Tina Turner's the coolest lady In rock .nd roll dght now. Totally. ME-Do YO\l get along with the bands In Minneapolis ? R - Yeah. we're .11 good friends up there. There'a lOIS or good b.nds coming OUI of Minneapolis. Replacements, Huskers. mean. you name It. they're coming out of there.

i. the West End Morelles, and • and DB'a, and we're going to Thompson at the Bottom Line In New'-;':· ":··· already aold out, R·W,',·. ,olng Of\ a tour to New York. on Tueaday we're leaylng. nexl week, We're going to be there for two weeks and do eight different glp.• We're playing at the Boltom Line. at the Spit In Boston, CBGB's in New York. and at the R[II;, aod also at Columbia University. that'll be fun. The inteUectual

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long have you been playing fa.. ? been together fa.. about two years. thill summe.. It'll be e..... y your first tour? We come down to Madison just on weekend jaunts . and really a tou .. . just a quick road Irlp. We'ye been on extensive tou... lUI summer we went to New Yo.. hit a lot of points in between. We hit New York and a on the East Coast last summer. And that ""alI .;-... .nd We did real well. In New especially. . : c..owd. , .C ' .; ;',,;; jacketB? ; hsve I-shi..ts. to tell you the t..uth. We don't

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want to be asked? be asked what we sound Uke. becaute it'a almoat

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We rood t Center In was at the Walke.. A .. M !nneapollfs. And Shows oulalde, 110 all aSH could come. We're i o get a bigger following. of leenage ... who can't go " ; � ,,i.,-, t Which i5 nice. we got In here. A .u""... tul ..n!�y Inln O'Kay%. would be a good quealion?

and

White Hope and It's a conye..ted a deeplng area. and it's really got a loan. and we'ye almOll ! we like to caU It.

we've done a few. fa.. ..eal little kids. - ;:c. . ...:.,-M,:::;:;'o;:�,!stage and dance, and they really had .

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two job• • the trying to get away from to ,uPpol't ourselve' !hr"",h .. whUe. ..: :. pl"y every week? IIlually do. Two or three tim" " week, us\l;llly. And not playing, we're practicing. We practice up 10 four wel!k, like weeknights, Let's gel some other people Cynthia Bartell'a our ball player. and IIhe's 1I0ing and .ay aomethlnll. ! Body , lam h AnKel. Frucci. our ke b rd pla er. " ' " Y' y y oa

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well. know. xcept two people actu.Uy are E t..ained in our band. Cynthia. the ban player. and the ylolin piaye... '.1y IllII t musical expe.. lence Willi . nine yeara Old. I ,:,"aa in the Racine City ChOir. was the last thing I did In music untU I joined tha years ago. So. it's been I real experience. ' you [0 any banda befo..e that? � t. . . . Jennlfe.. W8.11 in a band called Fine Art, whiCh 1�. � :: 1 � 1 : a couple EP'B. And Polly was in a band called . Teens. And Cynthia and I were bolh In kind of s o f band called My Five. And I uaed to play In outfil out In Los Angeles. ' g..eatest fear? E ,:':' � :,'(. .O;:'h , ffla.. ? I suppose fo..getling the words \0 a aong on atage. It hasn't happened yet. knoek 00 wood. of people come see you play usually? kl�ds of people. We've done ahows for litUe kids.

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Which III really t..ue, becal.llle •• styles Into ou.. ml.lll ic. If you know how to apell It. when we'"e gettln, reviewed,

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we had to write a thing about \18 , and

. lometlmes. Amorphous or obIIequ;oWl. can you name orr? But I don't want to lei into il. How about No, I knew one really long one. but I can't off the top of my head. Oh. puudototaloglcal, up. See If you can figure that OIle out. . you think your joke. re funny? -Urn, occasionally, on a people j'm jll!lt a II

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ME-Old you ev"" play any llmall towns ? R -The smallest town we played was Minneapolla. No. C_w" played II smail town. I ca.n't even !""memher the name Qf It. In New Jersey. which was just II pick-up gig because R_Trenton? C-Nn, amaUer than Trenton. that other place. But one of OUI" gigs in Wuhlngton D. C. • ",,", we.." lIuPlX>6ed to play with HoUy and the Italians. but they cancelled out. So our agent picked up this gig, in the middle of nowhere, in New Jersey, literally, It'll the middle of nowhere. No one was there. We made $l�. We eat our percentage of the door. We drove, I'm sure we probably used S�O In gas. just to get there. But it was kind of funny. R-We're big rock stars. we make 101ll of money. Sl� shows. ME-What's the most amount of money you ever made playing? C-The most amount? I don't think we should say. More than we're probably worth. R-We made $15. 000 last time we played with the Stones . A t the L.A. Coliseum. ME-Yeah? Bow did that go? R -Well. we got booed orr the stage. Just like Pr-lnce. when he was there in 1 980. It was a real drag. They threw tomatoes at us. - That was one of my j"kes. I know you're not laughing. ME-Do all the people in your band do speed? Is that why they jump around? C-No. none of us do speed. We do use coffee and sup... probably our main Slimulants. And beer Is probably our downer that we take. We're actually pretty clean. most time. As far as drugs. Occasionally. maybe the band a has sll taken acid together. which was fun. But it's not 8 we do every night. ME-Do you sleep in hotels ? C-No, we can't .afford hotels. We either sleep In the truck, or usu,,\ly we can find people in the town Ihat wll\ let u.s stay at their house. R_We're stayinll with thill friend or ours. who's a woman bodybuilder locslly here in Madill on. her name's Tanya Hyde. So, if y U ever get into women's bodybuilding, go check her out, ,he a really hot. ') ME Do a lot of people who like women's music come see you play . but I don't C-Oh. yeah. we've got women that go out and see think that we have a reputation ss being women s music at all, though. Because It's relly not. it's completely different than the Holly Near kind of circuit. R - Yeah. they don't like us that much. sometimes. Sometimes we're not pseudo-political correct enough, .II ociaity correct enough. lesbian enough, or whatever, for them. And then. on the other hand of that. sometimes we're not IlQOd enough for sngry young boy rockers. like the Replacements and Uusker Du. We find our middle niche there .omewhere. We're in between th06e two things. I think. the angry young man rock. and the woman leeblan feminist rock. ME-Oo you have any collections ? C_Coliections ? R -Well, Polly collects smiley faces. You know, have a happy thai kind of stuff. She's really obsessed wllh it. I collect just cut-oul stuff. ME-Do you like pizza? R-Na. I hate pizza. My favorite food, I'd have to say Anythin". Chocolate anything is my favorite food.

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biography. I'm reading something by Collette right now great. but I keep readin$' the firs t 20 pages of It over over. and I don't know why I can't get past thilt point. tell you the name of the book that our singer. Jennifer- Is reading. but I can't say It. lI'a X-r-ated. So. beep-beep It what she's reading. ! just bought Coma today for �O cents at a store. We went to the Goodwill and shopped today. I got some shoes for $2.�O. Wanna see 'em? some shoes for 99�. have Polly say aomething. She's our guitar player, and she a Fender. she'. really cool. year was it made? wall your Fender made? They want to know about your

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and area cooklee and " ,"up, and put it .11 In II bowl, and put II lillie chocolate powder on top of It, anI:! then eat it In front of the TV sel watching DUferent Strokes . "'e. it's II dirty lie. I don't watch Different Strokes . , :,: TV show is Lifestyles of the R ich and Famous , to Hart, because they have II perteet marriage. And see, what else do I like? I like . . . bookll do you like? Sure, let'll lIee, I like. . . 1 don't read that much. actually. i - Roland Barth's the Almut of Semiology. H's prelly thick. ._ Y . ' I finished reading the biology o f John Belushl that j\.ll Jl Wired. That's r-eal good.

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song to the Tar Babies? Madison. I've aeen them in Minnupolis krww them penonally, but I've seen them a couple times. Next time they come, I'm going to go up and ,a

Introduce m,.. elf. else can I rope here? Ask Frucci why .II he plays the Farrisa.

we made her. She likes to play acoustic piano. but they're hard to move • .11 0 we made her play the Farfisa Instead. is dead! Paul " dead! That'. ....hat Frucci ....ould say If .he was doing this n i terview. E-What's the scar-iest thing you've ever seen? walS in my dream, I took a nap this afternoon. Everbody In the band was bItching at me at the lame time, It was fucking terrible. And Ihen I turned into an animal and started eating them. you serious? I ripped their necks out. I went rrraaaarrrrrgghhh. It _as It was like werewolf-woman. Everbody was golne. Renee. the matter with you? Renee? you ever put yourself in a sock? sack?

I did once when I was a

}��;��

I loot all memory of my an "ceaslonal

id '

I don't my

!,.

• • • • ••• • • •• • ••• • .:.' .: • • • • • • • • • .'• • • .' • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •• • • •• •• • • • .' ,. • • • ., . ' . ' .,• • • • • • .' . • • • • • • ., . • • • • • • •• •••• " . • • • • '• . • .' • • • .I .i .' • • • • • . '.' • • • • • .. . . . • •' • • • •...-• • · . . . . . . .'

.!.,.

i��:,;��:�i:�

��:�f:�lt�n

probably. And knowing little grale. 'What did Han Marys' . Thai kind

mOlll t famous person who'a Interviewed you? from MTV. But he didn't Interview me, he Intl!rvl.wed and Jennifer. Th!!y're on thw little MTV a"!illlent now. Patrice Daugherty from RockhW. We got on Rockblli. iIIsue. That wlIS kind of fun. She stayed at my house and ate M&M's. anything else. nature's way of telling us that we're finillhed. lut .,ommenis . Camille? P O record. Buy both the recordll . _!":; .��:,� says that. M I we could V, even broken even yet. so 11 would be nice f recoup our COlll ta. I mean, that's why all the bands •

you can't buy the record, .end 11.1 ran mall. We 10". to get

.ll

our mall. We read all our maU at rehearsal. gei a lot of mail? do let a lot of msil. And from all over the counlry, f"'m (:� "'f� , LoulBl.na. New York. U'. reany cool. So, if : to buy the record, lend us some maU. �

Box 8332 MN

iiil��;l��B6a�i;

•

Tfle. Noire., noljuAI pla y,rouod dillie.

Persons from the North Country

By Chuck Eddy Like only the m",,1 .ffective .ock'n·rol! f.mini.lI, .nd unlike 10. At.ort." moO! of th. "n.... women" of .or. Jim Mill•• wro'" .bout in his .ecenl N�",.Wf:�� cov et Slory, Minnesot.o·s .il·woman T��es Noi,... limil Ih.i. audieno" by playing songs which intentionilly alien.'" mal... Forget Ih. obvioul "!,ike A Virgin" ; Th.ner, Louper, Jet!, even Hynd. get by on an ambigu,ty which .t il.s utreme lIem. from 8 ,,·illingn..., 10 61 in Joplin. ,tyle as nne of the �O},., Ind at �he ve.y 1.051 ,esults fTnm their Iddr�.in� ;""u"" of equal conce", to ho.llh sides of Ihe het eros... It', as ea�y fOf me 10 apP'ecilte •ecent TIna Thme. o. Ihe Pre�enden as il i. for Ih. penon I'm marri.d to to app.ed.le r.unt Bruce Springosteen or Los Lol>ol, and for the 83mt r••Wn. Bul Tf.. l Noi,e. ••en·1 like Ih3l: Ihey oon· c.n�ralt On aspe<"l.s of f.malen� di.eclly .t!.ibutahle to soc'ol and polilical inequi. Iy, and Hp«l.s ofmalen... directly II Ihe .oot ohuch inequity. Thei. s'm, if)'ou're • ma't who'. 8 ,I.,·e to hi, dick, or fo. Ihat m.lle. a female who', B .llve 10 h.r m8n, i. ba.iCIIlly to mah you look .nd feel (ike on ass. And, despite on ultim.te· ]y lamentable refu.al 10 tab Ihem.elv"" ,..ioU$ly, Ihe}" .� p.elly goad .1 it.. On their eponfmou. ]983 debut F.!', Tele!! Noi.e!'· womAn.nnly memb<o",hip, ...·r"l. dialectic and minimoli.1 "toy in· • I.umenl" pe,cUlt�ion, along wilh the ,h'ill "i"lin of chief so"gw.it.. and some· time 5inger J.nn;fer Bolt, d.�w compari sons 10 lu.n·of·lhe·d.c.de Rough nade bands. especially !h. Ilaincoal.s. Bu! Ih.y h.d a ...n.. of humor th.i. B.itish prt'de c.....n•• I.�k.d; 'h� Nino ROla·m.�tt·H�lf ,I.p"n."" "Kid. In rr.nce;' �he !)octor Pln_lou·doing·,tUU "Way of the World" and �he a c81 1pella'd .eal·life "Playg.oond Dillin" seemed mOle like the work of Xrown·up·.nd·...hilenfd 'Ibm 'Ibm Club, or ma),'" mid·Am.rica'. an· ,wer 10 Ihe Ruches. T�tt$ Noi.n look .It th� appa••nlly ...,iou. them�wom�n IS pos5ess;on5, girl-rearing ", a brain· ,...ash, w.-trai<jue,,;{'tUa;;nI[,I�!_felllinin• .

show"_and lurned them inlo;oke male· ,i.l; Ihe implication w.s that, if th.)· ..... .., much humo, in Ihu" .ituotiu"" they must not h.,·• •e.lly cared lbout them. And ind.ed. they often came aeros. ItA mcre (yni,," mo,,, int....led in shodi". than in tuching o. pe,su.ding; their mu· sic e,hibited • self·conscious ctltenl!Sl I"hich mo.t f",,·.nt femin,st5, lih ....y the Raincoal.s Ihtmsd'·e!l. or folkirs from Holly Ne.r 10 .""on, Woold n"vet .tand fo•. UUI oddl)', it w•• this ve.y cynici.m whioh ....h,.Ktd the ,�o",d; if Y"" ..·••e a mol•• yoo fe)t you ""ere �in� la,,_hed At.. And you "'",e, And being I.u,hed at CUll deep. The bond's firSI .ell album. American Dream (Rapunul Records, P.O. Bo� 8332, Minneapolis, Minne.olO 55408), "". lon�", ..,nKo and Ius quirky a"an�e· menl.s than Iht 1':1'; th••,,·, lol.s of Rush 'n:tr..-Iype funk. "om" naive folk· ....d ""hich rt!;emble. the ShAg", and ev.n a couple pop.metal lunn. But Tflu Noire. ••e no I.... t.ndentious than on their fo.st reco.d, and if on)'thing Ihe g'<I\lp seemS "'en mo.e cynic.l thAn It did �fo.e; Ih",e .re lim"', l .w.o., thot Ihe"" people $Oem like Ihe biggest mi'.n· Ihmpe. pop hos p.oduced .ince Elvi, C. learnt'd hi. m�nne,.,-�u�h i. the ca.. in "�I'.mi.:' "l1in�,,:' "Atnt.kan Drtam," .",I '"l'••�t, 1'i.re by I'i"".;' oil "I .. 'hi�h .idkul� charac�eristin of middle-cia.. life he1igiou. hypocrisy, in.n. Itioure, conspicuous ron.ump�ion, mY<lpic ,ubur· bon libe.alism) "i. a pModi� mock",y in "hich Tetu Noi,es p.el�nd to .peak for the penp!e Ihty're actually IUneking; It ilt mM' C,,'t!, the mtlhndj.,in. the ""m· p."inn nf t he Mrnt"'�n to lh. in.i�ht of, 5Oy, Mad m.Ruine. nut forlunately. ",hen ntu Noi,.� �ing aboul the .ues on Americon Dr��m, Ihey display I per· �.plh·.n... Ih""" songs onl}' hint at. Th. new I.P'. cenle'piece, for me al I,.st. i. the cover ".,.ion/fll';ion of Ih. Cookie.' t\\O King·Coffin �irl'Rroup hits, ·"Chain'" and "Don't Say Nothing Bltd ("Mlinu.d on PORt 74. "ip�" hi. p'ed..-"""r wa.', �cts hi. due in Con!inu�d from pogf 72 " Can't F;,'en D.n".... T�t�. Noires "'" n"t . moj". hond, nol Aboul M)' lIahy"; like Ihe 1':1"0 "I'lay. Iround Ditties:' the track i. done fai,ly yet anyway. They ali!! ��m 10 gel more ,trlighl, bUI its mtaning i, s\!�rted by chA.,e out of the.way.il',·.aid Ihan vi.tue of il. con�eJt-on a lhcy Ullman "h.fl-gid; they ....m In care mo.e album, lints like "[ can't b...k aw.y aoout Ihe idr. of beinl f.mini.1I Ihan the)' c8l0 .I�"'I Ihe idpn. "'hind femi· from thl'St ch�in.rcu. I'm not free" mi_ht 5Iill P""" for • ''In''e'' "'0" bUI "i.m I" cile 0 "''''J>I� """rnl �..mpl..., t�• .1o"ld. �".. !l""nnne �ho"t� MY " lot h.rt Ih�y fo".II." ",.1:. hi. r"�1 �,,;1ty .bou! heinK " m"I�, e'l�ri"lIy one wilh I mOl" �I",ut ,,'10.11 femioi.m m�"M in ,,,., kid (In Ihe way. The r.mili.,ity of the lif�. But to p","ph'n," anothe. R(I,""ne, I lOt...! a band thnt can m.,kt me f.el il. -",mg. ])'rin comp<IOod. Ihpi• •ignifi. C.""e; if "PI8)'ground Dini.... wa. aboul And Hie. Noi... do th�I, not only wh�n ho... ....ism !s conditioned inlo loddl",. they'.. ..posinK the e�. iI. "f no·cM· f.om the �it�o, the Cwkies rov.,.. .eve"l shin)'-"'" in " True \"".•: hUI eve" ",hen , huw pupular cultu.e •• infor�u Ih",. the"''' 'lu"tin� Skynyrd'� "Saturday ideas late. in life_he.., more Ih.n any_ Nighl Specia'" in "Road H"II." Of ..hen whe•• el.., ii', HI" Noi,"' irony whkh Ih�y·•• h.lpinR .stablish I bona fide gi,·•• them (fedenf<'. �;I,.whe", on the "Minne.polis Sound"' by ,eoo,ding • alhum , ki\(h.n ...ork $O.ves "" • filling b.ckwud. t"� " >01' rolled '"Selcric" melaphor for chain, of ...t'dl""k in Ih" ""hkh ("II",," in Ih. fO<,IOlep, "f"D'.'ms I)iddley·be.ted "R""i� for 1",,'.'": fuek. 1tt'(JCU"iIlR'" ""II Ihe ,.,1 10 .....,"d. o. "0 ing.••.co"'um!>t;"n is explored in "P.et- of "llar1in� Nikki." T�I.$ Nllirf1 ain't I)' B"y" (juSI as il "'a. uplored in "1'10' v�nna ch"n�e the world. flut I bet 100'. .. Ih", ml..t r""k'n'roll remini,ts, both th. 1<>.. on Ihe �:!'); Jennifu Holt ch,onicles her histo,y with men, 8r.� an,wer, Ihe profe.sinOR1 .n!err"in�T:$ ""ho too often Nail. "88 l.ines.Ahoul �4 WOIll''':' wilh 3""id l�e ,,�Iy t.ulh anrl Ih� id...\lo�u.s �'I", ." .", 1 th� i, c."... 'n t I", "",I",II,hll A "It .1,,11. 1"'"'''(''�''' ""II.,! ·"It". I."·...; "lidluitpn'f{"""I "�..l " " " " ' ''; ' ' '' ' '' ''" '' ' ' '' ' ' ''' '" ' "' '' '''' '. C\ """ , ,j"""'-" "' '' ' ' W ' '' '' "' "' ' U ' , "' ''' ' "! ' _ _ '" '

SEPTEMBER 1985 VOU7 NO.4

TETES NOIRES: INSANITY SIX

5 /I. 10.

melodic. quasi-garage, always in

nesola hired us lor a Halloween

Everyone sings! Jennife. Holl and

and lace slockings trom the

"An A.list's Collective in Min

Pa.ty. so we thoughl of a theme: Insanily Si� You

�now, thaI whole

teresting

and

vocally

intricate.

Camille Gage are the main writers.

vagaries 0 1 lortune, a New York

The Waves' More topicallhan Ihe

over our clothes, ..lt was really fun n�·. "

a.e currently available Irom the

Raincoats' Cl.llvier than

Andrews

Katrina &

Sisters and_f.inally_

more numerous Ihan lhe Roches! ves,

fearless

reade,s.

irs the

leles NOires ...T from Ihe Greek

"Theta," eles for the (unaccented)

mUSiC. So. we wo.e old lingerie

The

Teles' soufld is minimal,

On reco.d. two vinyl offerings

Tetes

Noires

own

Rapunzel

"Can you direct us to the Madonna lookalike competition?"

French meaning summer. N from

Teles

include:

Ihe

se� club. kids in France, the donut

diel, our agiflg Hawk in the White

House and 8ingo. Onstage. these

gals sr,.a.kle with all the contagious wil, spunk and pizazz 01 Eclectic

alto-contralto-soprano.

(I just can't

solo

"American

Dream""

Definilely "If I Were A Rich Man" meeTS Looney Toons.)

Noires

means: "No summers in the Gre

The future a la Tetes

cian Isles or gold records" yel, but il remains lhe essence 01 this

topiCS

get over Jennifer's ferocious violin

"ore

Ihen.

Tetes

Female-a timeless melange of

lhe abbrieviatioo lor "No." and oires from lhe Olde 1::"91i5h lor Literally.

Teres

EP,

aurres Teres.

compositions cont.ibuted by /as

l11an

si�-song

Dream ($9.001_

idea 01 using you. body 10 sell you.

YORK-Hipper

Noires (I:rst-class mail o.der.' $7.00), and an LP. American

with general assiSIS and some

the

NEW

R(M:ords (p,o.e, 8332. Mpts" MN

55408):

Noires?

Camille reveals. "We're writing

of!

new material, then we'lI be doing

II demo and shopping it," Also in

gigging. indie-re<:orded se_tel (no

pun meant, TN ' s) who SO luckily

the works is a tentative East Coasl

Minneapolis. Minnesota.

big '74 self-owned touring bus

are partly Black in Ihe sense They

Rapunlel Records and. next time

are all.lemale and hail lrom exoHc

tour in June or July in the

So. hey. send away for your

Like Vanity Six. the Teles NOires

you're in Minneapolis, be sure to

GOI Soul. Unlike the ViX9f1;Sh Vain One, however, the Tetes dor,"! parade

Ihemselves

say hi to Prince and seek out those up-and·coming dark-headed darl

blatant

ings. Teles Noires_

1100kie, Instead, they tlaunt being

sm(lr1 coo�ies in thrilistore couture �

Tetes'

--'------- -

----

L E. Agnelli

M U S I C U SOUND

OUTPUT VOL 4 . NO. B

THE INDEPENDENTS . It's no coinCIdence that Tete Noires' eponymous EP (Rapunzel, Box 8332. Minneapolis. MN 55408) begins and ends with schoolgirl playground chants. Their songs have the same kind .of primitive, folkish melodies, which this six-woman group combines with offbeat rhythms and bare compelence on their

instruments.

JUlY \'184 EAST VILLAGE EYE 25 La.<! nUl nlll n('H'�SJrih- k'a�1 "n In(;' JJ::,t'ncla arc Ih(� � from �linn('$"'a. Th(' words mC'lrl bl:trk hC':lds. but nOl ! O (('lr. ,hefe is n01hinl: W du wiTh awe ncrC'. An ;111· woman band (six of [he'm) on. fiuin.e ly enouih. Rapunzd records. Who. wimmin or nul. (an re�isl a hand whose song� begin wid, words like "Thcre'� an old man in Ih(' W h ilt" Hr"�S(''' ("Tht' H�wk"L or " Ii's wondC' i1uliO be: a J::l rI in this enligh'tcned world" thai's sarcasm rou guys ("'lucky Girl") or even "[ w ish I was a kid in Fr:olncC'/ 'cause then I ' d gC'1 to w('at Iheir undC"rpll.nts" ("Kids in France"), Wdl, you gel IhC' idc2- irr('v('r('ol. funny and bi l ing ilh pknty ofFifl ies schloe aesthetic which seems to be so popular wilh women musicians (8·52'5. Pulsalbma for instance). Probably because Ihe Fiflies were such a low poim for women. especially in Ihe U.S. Th e Teles will be on lOur durinJ: July and Augusl with Ihe following dates ten tativclv scheduled in the- NYC area: Augusl 1 at Folk Cil�. the 2nd at Ihe Pyramid or Con go Bill. the 4th at Maxwell's. and Ihe 'jlh al CBGB's. Thev'U probablv be 1015 of fun live and Ihey even slOg and play on key!!!

THE FORTNIGHTLY COLLEGE R ADIO R EPORT Tetes Noires As

always ,

TETES NOIRES (Rapunzel)

the

pcess

up w i t h a

comes

new wave Andr!:!:ws handle : And as usual , i t ' s wrong .

predlctable Sisters .

�t

past

ground

tho:!

exco:!llently

Ditties

you ' r e

intO

"Way

you ' ll

hear

like These

the

six

and the

Camille

Dixi!:!:

girls

( listen

as to

hell.

Th!:!:

They

don't

solid �dge of

and hav!:!:

a computerized Roches ,

references

Wor ld "

What

sounding

lko ."

" lito

hay!:!:

minimal

but

ly rics

"Plato ' s " )

impeccable._

"Play

mom o:! n t

from ;-!inneapolis

fash ion�d a pr imo sound

meIOdic

the

Gage on

Cups

spiky

but

are good the singing these

jus tice

the g r o u p .

called

been

trick

-- 'hel K�5" dJ1

tht!

Sweet Potato

� PofGID, Il� 1tl1Uic. �'"

1984 - 11

Tetes Noires/Tetes Noires/{lnfo through Box 8332. Minneapolis. Mn .• 55408) - Why did they name them&elves Blackheads? This six-woman group is The Roches times two. In other words, great fun. «I wish I was a kid in France/I'd get to wear their w:r.derpanta/I wish I was a IUd in France/then they'd teach me bow to dance," they sing as Fariiaa organ and violin provide accompanimenL The har monies arespectacular, and the mu.eician9hip. while scant, is incredibly, inventive. Li1e The Roches. each song sounds as ifit was made up 30 seronds before it was rerorded. TIle only drawback is that no lyric IIheet is included. This will play to a limited audience. Will it stand the test ofUme? Who cares? It's (or fun DOW. My pick of t.he litter.

I ---

Section B I Page 1 los Angeles Herald ExamIner

Satwday .

No,;�lie{�4, 1984 .

SIYLE Here corne the new Americans

Somefad-breaking'bands are leading a rock resurgence By MIl\al GilmOl. Hetald $Xlp mU$IC ctlliC FOR THE RECORD: Here's a partial list of some of the better. as yet-unheralded pop groups that are redefining what it means to make rock 'n' roll in America. They all have issued worthy - in fact, strongly attractive - music within the last few months and deserve something better than the indiffer ence they've been met with in their national homeland.

True Believers. LeRoi Brothers, Nelsons (Austin. Texas); Rainer and Oas Combo, the Seldoms, Yard Trauma (Tucson. Ariz.); Del Fuegos, Dumptruck, Ball and Pivot (Boston

area); the Zantees. the Outta Place, Buddy Love, Dancing Hoods, 10.000 Maniacs, Salem 66 (New York); the Sppngetones (South Carolina); Let's Active, X-Teens (North Carolina); sometimes y, Soul Asylum, the Phones, Tetes Noires (Minneapolis, Minn.;' Get Smart! (Chicago); the Dads (Richmond. Va.); the dBs. Oh · OK fAtianta;, and the Vels (Philadel phia).

releases November 1984. Los Angeles Herald Examiner

• Tetes

Noires. "Tp.tes NoireS"

Ima�inc New Orlcam' Dixie Cups t ra nsposed to the con· t e x t of a modernist g irl -�ro u p sound as loose-form and Infectious as that of the Ra incoats - with all the implif'd rhythmic and l(>xlura\ v:lri('g'3Iions of such a mix - and you h;1V(' half the idea of w hat Ihis M i n n c ;1 po l i s , all-woman sextet sounds like. Even so, that doesn't really prepare one (or their (UO.1 tough-thinking lyrics about tren Il uxu ry-m i nded, gang-�;tyleJ proml� cuil), and trendy reactionary pol( tits. which is probably why thrir ('lever sound will never lind favor wjl h the sexist and conscrvath-e MTY· .nd KROQ·typps. or course that just might mean the group witl lind (a\'or with you. IThis is a hard record to find, but if inte rested write th e .c!roup at P.O. Dox 8.'J.j� Min neapolis. Minn. 55408. I think YO)l'U find it worth the trouble.J ("{apunzelJ

iJy

, .

tsil

•

ROCK

I:m;ja

There's a ton of new vinyl out worthy of attention. The Red House 7"-er, "25 Reasons," has been selling vel)' well. Teles I

Prince Steals Show At Minnesota Music Awards By MOIRA McCORMICK

MINNEAPQUS--A performance

b�

Zero

awaited vinyl effon on Reflex in May. Zero's sound is pretty primitive (or, primitively pretty?), though some comparisons 10 the Minutemen and the Meat Puppets will be una\'oidabk. JUS! QUI are LP's by the Suspects, the Terrorists, and Lamoni Cranston ta posthumous live recording).

Music

hero

suburban

Prince's

with best producer and best song writer as well as becoming one

ScI, consisting ,of

Ihree inaugural members in the new

""'""'\ "

by T""in Cities comedian Alex ", " ." ; O, " ' her MinneaPQlis area artists . pp included headliners the Suburbs. ....ho capped their potef11 performance by scuing fire 10 their acoustic guitar main

stay Leo Konke. who overcame tech nical problems to deliver a trademark slide guitar sclet:tion;

three

major categories. this year walked off

Bloomingloll,

hOSTed for the second year in a

inslrumenls:

collecting

ed 1983·s a....ards by sweeping all six

Monday (2 J ) al the Carlton Celebrity Room

A....ards.

Yammieseach. Prince. who dominat

Prince highlighlcd the fourth annual Minnesota Music Awards. held

three-hour awards

£Qill.

leIS were high scorers al this year·s

surprise

homCIOW(1

Minnesola Music Fame.

Hibbing,

Awards

Minn.

Hall

native Bob

Dylan and veteran bluesman Willie Murphy were also inducted. The Wallets were named band of the year; their leader, Steve Kramer, musician

the

year;

and

their

··Cah:h A Falling Star:' EP uf the year. The Suburbs also made a Sirong . Their Mercury Jlbum [s The Law'· and its lilk Irack named album and single uf the res!,<,ctively

--Terry Katz:!:an

N('ting Ihal Ihe Miflfl�sota Mu�ic is the largesl production of its kind

in the Mid....�'S1. producer

Paul Moe sa)·s he and partner Eri,· Pilhofer have been turred hI produce

a similar e\·cnl in Philadelphia.

p�ar;d I!!. ,:",.!'i!.l: T�!e� Noires ap og bIllOWing at. th..!.ir � �eddi�g_g� feet as they��e9 arl:..!.f!2P�I_la ve.rsion of Sill� l�o.!:.�':.�h.i�e�ed<!i.�g," restating that sIgnature cYOIcism on a wicked reworking of the oldie "Soldier Boy." An overheard comment from someone who had never seen the Tetes before: "You know, I'll never forget that band. 1 don't know if that's positive or negative, but I'll never forget thai band."

Left: Baby Doo Caston at the keys. .Ab� �he !lcke� _,!�djn, dre�m�! �!!e T�ires. Far right: best acoustic guitarist Leo Kottke.

etes N

Ladies

ByJim DeRopU. Mlnnupo� hat ...",.., to bo _illed witb NlI.lhrottle. ""U·bcllt rock 'no rollo... ..it� 1tGI/o. Uke HII.' 0.. IItd the RopLaeem<'1lts. Tetel Nolra io , Mlnneapolit bud with I diffe<eot«. The lb_ combo OfiainaUy fo<rned 01 • .,....• . hol "ffort 'for lhe fun of it.. But •• Jennife' Holt. the e"ptlc leode-r 01 the "",,up. pol It. "'Mirutapolio "'01 to r..:q>ti.... to wltal we we.e <ioUI, thot _ _ to c:ontin"".. HoIl de<:ribed tho band'. IOIIfId II -...;"" but oophitticated: Ind cites !be Slill. II>< �U. aJId Ih. Banalq at Innue"",... The Tel.. fUIIU tbo opiril of IlIoN bondo ..th... titan their par. ticuIar -.ndo; lhe IDOII are simple aocI unclll!' tcmi. 1pltli&IIw., tho three-put bonDo<IlQ 01 Holt oodoiotcnCamilleG.aeo.nd Rnw:eK.oyoot.. I trio ",Iern:d to .. 'tho _wive ......u-sSl.t...... by""" Mlnneopolla """;Ie•.• CYNTHIA BARTELL PROPEI-'i the irouP with jazzy buf lito,.. while POUy Al,...nd..... piw and AnJell Frued. ebeay rufiso 0<pII colorthe..,.,.".j. E......,.,. bulll&tble. the....,.. .". dtIIm ....IU .. .... prOYi<Ies bKkin, vocalo. Tete. N""",, il nO! )'O'Jr typk>ol rock 'n' tOU band. Durins the tour .. of, .how, they perform """'I' lbou' PIIto·. ro ridjcU101ll dllb wbe'" peepic pooy ""'IICJ' to I" aocI fuc:.,. ·w...-hl""k Root· nle: rrencb chlldrell'. "..de.w.... ...et 'be Amone.n ideal; Holtean'<1\I tltrousJ! I wiId.Joe. !ric viofulltllo thai becom" In I.fto&ne parody II .he bow. the tltln, between h.r 1,1'1. bcltind her bock. oodwltne rolllnaonthefloor; or>d the IfO'Ip cIoa III _ elpelll v....... ol Billy IdoI's "Wblte Weddint' ln i troduced by Holt .. '1 � by, "",. \at ",y w;tb oilver ha ...., "We tbi"k we·.e etolnl lomeillin, Clpe.lmental: Holl .. id. "The",'. In "I"ment ol perfOI'ftllUtCC an Ind I ....... oI lIOII..:oolormlly. We doo� "".... 10 be the Qo.Go'I 0<\he 8elk Soaro; wc'", fiadiDa: ..... own niche.' Iioll otorted the bond Ib".u two> Y-".,., ..... ....tlel tcr fine Iut. wltlc� "'.. ....., of 1iJr:. RoIlY Mu.olc: with cwo f.""'I.sing.... Ihe euct 0pp0tI1e olTet,.. Noira.·11te oclt... memben we'" friend, orml>Siciansf...... Vi ....... Mlnnupolio-...I... -.. ...t Jint ,"" ._ "".. Inf<:>orm&l. bIIe _ � tcr Holt.·N thinp continued weSlaned to beeome I potent "nit net decided 10 Jet ...no"... "GE1TING SBRIOUS· INVOLVED 'el"..I", ... ep<l"}'1lIII<II BP on Itopunul RecwdoU>d moIr· Info IWnI>\Cr tourthaeincluMdvisitstoChicqo. Botton. Phita<lelphlll ood New Yo<k. Altlrooofb the bond incl udu on .ocnll"to"l. I ..."rd· p.oce..c,. • photo,'aphe', ond • mom, III membero 1..,1Tete. Noi,.. it Import'''1 enoulh 10 �rlCe part 01. Ih..... Weo.

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I I

-We .hiI>k '"" '" daint; o<NDeLbinl 00 m""" ""'"" .. life WI '" lui"" no aalinS tllan ,"" ...._11"" inteolio...of&ivins itUP.n." if II "' .. , " ' .UYin, ", poverty l....tJ.. HQlt ..id, Hell is 1101 u� ,bout deJCrip!ionl of the Totes

as . "sirl ",,,,,p: 1M ellen . oem"",nL lbout !he bolld bdn. ",.oH up of "fit le",inil,.- w.. ohruaed off. 'f -"" _ the torm 'p.L sroup'aM ...... OK UI beeouoc ol that, tlLofo Ii"", [O bey lie<! that &rid 1liiy IWIY, thlr.jusl lQoO t-d. ObviouoJy. wecan't IppeoJ 10 _ryon•. "AS PAR AS beU>S • 'feminht bend.' thot cIrporwla oa your definiion t of feminilm. When -= ploy It dyke <Off.., I>ouou. we ....., con· oide� /emlnilt en"""'. When we pl.oy ., more oon""rvld"" place$. we're conside� f"",inisU }uoI beca..... we'..,wo....... wjth the � to pup

"" ..... Our ;.,tmflii" ftmimot, but poIitleal

"'!h • ....'....,, p<ropcctiw: Tet.. NoI.... politics .,,, beoed on • loY. of in· O<p<nde"". Ind . ....... of DOn..:onl<>nnily, end Hoi. poiou 10 the lyrics from 'Americln o.".m:

tho title track of the Ii'OUp" fortlH:omj", IJbum. lOoum up lhei.penpo<:ti...: "Tb....... IU.(J(..."" �_J"uIWi'� ....1In �_AI", Qf )/OIl' _trb alwa)Ioli..d ,1\0 wried _,",AItd Io;zw.IN �,,, to di, wp ",or�!To r�Qd fo, "'''If Ihn ,,,,,,II

The fins w""...." be«<> WOD <wer by Tee,.. Noi.H' music_I polICies "",Iude R<>ben fripp. ..bo hurdI tape 01 ebe _ an.d..ucd HoIl from EfIIland. Amon. tho Uting. Holt an.d the C.;mlOfl Kln.&.J1 l ........:l we." I mucuallov_ gf the Ro<:heo · ODd Holt·, Idhcrence to • mceopby.iClI pIUk.ophy called Atk:o. whieb II Ii1rtilar to the penoaal diocipIiDt Fripp follow•• "lrl weird that ...c bod JO ...."y .... ill com . Ihi /l'I0II,' Holl ..id. "We hope lhal Fripp will even· luaUy wenk with ul. but be ..;d thai eve" if he Goa ..,. becollV. Tet.. Noir... · prod""e•. bo wiU bo 0 Teen N...... "'�. He wu ruIly _.. Tet.. NoirIU' n� album ohouId be..,leued Oft Itopun",,1 Ibis month. Holt desc:riba "'" 1310IIII .. ·more aophi.llclled Irld mote po[iicar Iltan l IIIoH on th" ntOt 'KOrd. The bond . lao hopes to I""r _pill IhilI winl.... ....e.. ...., ..,. "'0. perfect clolhn 0< Ita.... .. bul wbeD we I" an.d play. po<OpIo petfeet _ rnpecI US aocI �Ien 10 US: Holt said. '1(. Incredible Iltat we'.., pttio,JOmewh"re by be-ing OII....lvH.·

m-o.,ufl'tn ban� <>CeO"nlt "II ".., and "" lAnd I'-I� ,.,.. fi"J ""'.... ofI�" "",ed/S.i,., rk� ..

_�if�<II.·

JA CKPO T! Essential New MUStc-As chosen by NMR 5 editor ,11 5t,1f1 Hw-;p rt'(ords 11efl).IIlC1 vour ;Jltentlon TETES NOtRES Am.nc.n Dr••m(Rapunzel, P.O. Box 8832, Mlnn••pon" MN 55"08)

ECLECTICI Can you say that? Sure y'can. These six women take the charm of such non·traditional "girl groups" as the Andrew Sisters and the Roches to the extreme-and. al limes. the thumping ban lines and tolky e<:cenuielties even hint at the Violent Femmes. "Peace. Pieee By Piece" is a dOC-WOp "protest" song: the title track is an acoustic hora: "8ingo" (see you there. Wednesday night. 1:30 sharp) is treated with dixieland swing: "Moon Ie" inCludes a cllnon·hke chorus. mountainlide yodeling. and a I"!ymnish "Amen" 'orgood measure: '"True Love" is a women's go at The Nails' "SS Lines About 44 Women": and. il that ain't enough ot a Whitman's Sampler lor you. there·s the dramatic ballad "Family Ties." a cutesie tidbit "Reeipe For Love:' and a cover 01 the Goffin-King clanic "Chains." Bless this Ameriean Oream.

TETES NOIRES

Volum. 11 No, 11 January 25, 1985 223 R.port....