MONDAY, FEB. 25, 2002
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 5A
Hear The Calling
Jessica Tims
Kansan Staff Writer
Alex Band, frontman for The Calling, does not think he is famous. But try telling to that the girls sitting outside the Bottleneck waiting to see the 20-year-old singer and his band mates.
Kaci Nash, Omaha, Neb., freshman, and Elizabeth Tillmanns, Chicago freshman, said they arrived six hours before the doors opened to be sure they were in the front row for their favorite band.
"We became fans when we went to a concert of their's in Kansas City," Tillmanns said. "We had heard some of their songs and we went to kind of test them out."
The Calling performed last night at the Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St., to a sold-out crowd of 500.
Amber Lydens and Candice Tanner drove from Tulsa, Okla., to see the band. They arrived in Lawrence at 2 a.m. yesterday and got to the venue seven hours early to hear it.
"They're an awesome band," Lydens said. "It's all about the music. They have such inspirational music."
The band's show is just that — all about the music. The five-member band of Alex Band, Aaron Kamin, Sean Woolstenhulme, Nate Wood and Billy Mohler stand on a stage adorned with only an American flag and play their own music with their own instruments. The scene resembles their big
screen debut in 2000's Coyote Ugly.
"we had been signed about three years prior to that," Band said. "So it's not like we were The Calling, it was just me and Aaron's name on the credits, and the rest of the band was just friends of ours. It was before we made the record, it was a demo we had made of 'Wherever You Will Go.'"
Although that debut single is currently No.7 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and became one of the most played songs on the radio soon after its release, Band said The Calling was not an overnight success. He said the band's CD, Camino Palmero, was about to go platinum.
"There are bands that will work for 10 years and have three records before the success," Band said. "Something like that might be more evident to the fans when they look back, where as this is our first record yet me and Aaron have been signed for five years."
Band said The Calling wanted to stay as true to itself as possible. Members make their own decisions whenever possible and refuse to let the record industry change them.
record mostly by changing things the way we wanted to," Band said. "That was half the fight from the years when we first got signed. I was 15 and I think they were pulling us more in a pop direction like Hanson. But we have always tried to stay true."
Contact Tims at jtims@kansan.com. This story was edited by Sarah Warren.
Interim Afghanistan leader asks United States, Iran to cooperate
TEHRAN, Iran — Hamid Karzai, making his first official visit to Iran as interim leader of Afghanistan, urged the United States and Iran yesterday to put aside their differences and to focus on helping to rebuild his impoverished country.
Karzai arrived in Tehran just hours after meeting with U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilizad, who told him the United States suspects Iran of sending elite commandos known as Sipah-e-Mohammed, or Soldiers of Mohammed, into Afghanistan to stir up trouble among armed tribes.
Washington accuses Iran of protecting fleeing al-Qaida and Taliban members and of sending the commandos into Afghanistan to undermine the U.S.-backed interim administration.
Iranian President Mohamad Khatami rejected the renewed accusations yesterday.
The Associated Press
"Iran from the very beginning has recognized the government of Afghanistan and thinks strengthening this government is its responsibility," Khatami said. "Naturally, Iran has had and will have an important role in Afghanistan. We will do anything we can without even thinking of interfering in Afghanistan."
Karzai credited both Iran and the United States with helping Afghanistan defeat the fundamentalist Taliban regime.
"We would like to ask the countries, even the ones with differences among them, to put aside their differences and cooperate with us in the reconstruction," the Afghan prime minister said. "Iran can play a very important role in the reconstruction of Afghanistan. Iran is a country with huge facilities and has goodwill in this regard."
Karzai said his country wants good relations with all of its neighbors based on the principle of noninterference.
ICE
CONTINUED FROM 1A
After the frenzy ended, he was escorted to an in-store appearance at Hastings, 1900 W 23rd, where a one-hour autograph session turned into two. After the first hour, VanWinkle turned to his manager of 14 years, Tommy Quon, and said, "My hand hurts from signing so many autographs."
Vanilla Ice rose to fame when "Ice, Ice, Baby" was released in the early 90s. It was released on VanWinkle's first album, Hooked, in 1989 when he was only 20 years old.
His follow-up album, To The Extreme, was released with some of the same songs, including "Ice, Ice, Baby," in September 1990. It was that album that launched his career. It climbed to No.1 on the Billboard Charts in one month and spent 16 weeks in the top spot. In 10 years, To the Extreme sold more
He starred in his own movie, Cool as Ice, in 1991. But Van-Winkle said he no longer performed just to make money or sell albums.
than 17 million copies, a record that has not been surpassed by any other hip-hop album.
"I would have made changes in my career," he said. "I wouldn't have just done everything for the money. I realized in 1994 when I tried to commit suicide with $20 million in the bank, that life is not all about money. I can't go buy myself happiness. It was a very valuable lesson for myself. I am a survivor. I am a survivor of everything. I live and I learn."
Accepting $1 million to let his then record company, SBK Records, make him into its vision of a pop super star was one of his biggest regrets of his career. Waninkle said.
"You know I sold out," he said. "And anybody given the chance would have done it. I
was broke and these people had a plan for me, I was basically a puppet. I was a product of the industry. I was 16 years old and I did "Ice, Ice Baby," so I didn't really know. And here I am, coming in blindfolded and people saying, 'Here's a million dollars to change your image, put these pants on.'
in popular
"It feels like I own a space in time that can never be taken away from me and never could be, even long after I am dead." he said. "It's a space in time that will always be remembered, like the Beatles, Elvis to Kurt Cobain to anybody, I own that, it is like a piece of real estate that can't be taken away. So I am very grateful."
But seven CDs and four label changes later, VanWinkle admits he cannot deny his place in popular culture history.
Contact Tims atjtms@kansan.com. This story was edited by Molly Gise.
PROTEST CONTINUED FROM 1A
there are so many independent owned stores downtown."
The OCA is protesting against Starbucks for not using more Fair Trade coffee in its products. Fair Trade coffee ensures coffee growers in Third World countries receive adequate compensation for their beans.
The protest coincided with the Organic Consumers Association's Starbucks Week of Action. The OCA, based in Minnesota, has organized protests in all 50 states and in countries around the world.
Tom Taylor, the OCA's field organization operator, said Starbucks only brewed Fair Trade coffee once a month.
tomers.
"They're such a big chain and they could do so much good." Taylor said.
During the protest, Starbucks continued to attract cus
The Lawrence Starbucks doesn't brew its Fair Trade blend everyday, but it does sell it in whole bean form. It also offers soy milk as an alternative to bovine enhanced milk.
"I think they're good, and you're bound to see things like this in a college town," said Tim Fritzel, a Starbucks customer. "They're paying rent, utilities, taxes and wages to employees and they're participating in our local economy."
The protesters spread throughout downtown, offering information about genetically engineered milk and Fair Trade coffee. They passed out coupons for some of Lawrence's independent coffee shops.
Mark Zwahl, owner of Java Dive, 10 E. Ninth St., said fair trade was important to the integrity of his business. Zwahl roasts his own coffee beans, some of which he buys from fair trade certified importers. Unlike Starbucks, Zwahl said products that contain Fair Trade coffee are brewed everyday at Java Dive.
"I don't feel ethical making money off of third world economies,"Zwahl said.
Contact Shuman at mshman
@kansan.com. This story was
edited by Brandon Stinnett.
FIRE
FIRE CONTINUED FROM 1A
with the disgruntled residents.
"People were upset and I can understand why." Cohen said. "It's a major inconvenience that happened in the middle of the night."
Cohen said Stoner would try to meet with the fire department to find out what took so long.
Nic Swindler, Prairie Village freshman, said the staff checked all the rooms while the students were outside.
He said students he talked to wanted to go back to bed.
"Usually when the fire alarm goes off we are back in our rooms in a half hour," said Jamie Punch, Eden Prairie, Minn., freshman. "This time they kept us outside for over two hours. We've had so many this year. Everyone figures it was another false alarm."
■ Contact Gilligan at mgilligan @kansan.com. This story was edited by Sarah Warren.
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