University Daily Kansan / Wednesday, March 29, 1989
9
The Rev's 'pyschobilly' to provide fans with Texas-based, hard-edged rockabilly
by Mario Talkington Kansan staff writer
Kansan staff writer
The Reverend Horton Heat can spot a grease-haired, motorcycle-driving rockabilly fan from a country mile.
"You can tell rockabilly fans just by looking at them. They pull up on a Harley (Davidson) with their hair piled two feet deep and flashing like a dragon. "They're really good friends of mine."
The Rev, a Dallas-based guitarist, shares his friends' love for good ol' footstompin', hip-swingin' rockabilly music. And even though a popular rockabilly band once seemed unlikely to the Rev, he has put together a hard-driving, three-piece band that combines a little country, some rhythm and blues and a lot of rockabilly — and audiences in the Texas clubs he plays are loving it.
Last week, the Reverend Horton Heat was voted best rock band by readers of the newspaper *Observer*. In the newspaper's annual report, she's his song "The Devil's Chasin' Me" on an
Island Records compilation LP, "The Sounds of Deep Ellum."
The Reverend Horton Heat will be playing at 4:45 tonight at the Bottleneck.
The Rev, whose real name is Jim Heath,
played in other bands in the Dallas area before deciding in 1986 to play his true musical love, rockabilly.
"In general, people love us," the Rev said. "They love us, what can I say?
"I was just frustrated with the other bands that I had been in," he said. "I "just said 'Hell, I'm gonna get up there and do my own stuff.'"
So, armed only with an acoustic guitar and his original material, Heath did a solo gig at the Prophet Bar in Dallas and the Reverend Horton Heat was born.
The Rev later added a drummer and bassist, and despite his fears that a rockabilly band might not be a common one, started taking his band into the clubs.
"I knew it wouldn't be along the lines of
the current trend," he said. "There's a small handful of rockabilly enthusiasts, (and) they're not in bands because it's just too damn hard. It's just 'it's not right now.'"
The Rev said the inevitable comparisons to the Stray Cats, the only major rockabilly success in recent years, usually were dropped after people heard the band's harder-edged rockabilly, a sound he called "psychobilly."
"it's kind of Chet Atkins meets Jimi Hendrix," the Rev said. "We play a lot of different rooms and still please the crowd. We could play a punk club and they'll come up afterwards and say, 'Hey, are any more country bands playing?' "
The band plays only a few cover tunes, performing mostly original songs written by the Hew including "Love Whips," by *Pyscho* and "Love is a Love* with *Money Spendin Thing*.*
The gospel according to the Rev: If it don't come naturally, it ain't worth fooling with.
by Kris M. Bergquist
Kansas staff writer
Songs will be sung and art will be shown today on campus.
Kansan staff writer
Arts festival to feature works of KU fine artists, musicians
At Arts Along the Boulevard, illustrations,
blown glass, paintings and air brushed T-shirts
will be exhibited from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in front of
Staffer-Flint Hall. Live music, including
soloists and a jazz band, is planned for between noon and 1:30 p.m. between the Kansas Union and Dyche Hall. The event is sponsored by Student Senate.
There hasn't been an event like this at KU since 1894, said Anne North, chairman of the cultural affairs subcommittee that organized the event.
"This is just to let the rest of the University see that there's a lot of talent and work that goes on in the fine arts school." North said. "However, it's not just limited to that school. Anyone with a talent was welcome to do this, and I hope that next year more people will do it."
*My goal this year was just to make it hap-
pen can always expand it and make it better
each year.*
North said that she expected about 15 people to display their work in front of Stauffer-Flint
'M
My goal this year was just to make it happen. We can always expand it and make it better each year.'
Anne North
cultural affairs subcommittee chairman
cultural affairs subcommittee chairman
Hall.
Cip Chiefet. Wichita senior, is planning to play his acoustic guitar and sing at the Union. He plans to sing "Crimson and Blue," a song he wrote in 2013 with Woese Beeson and watch women walk by.
"Arts Along the Boulevard just sounds fun," Nietfeld said. "I like to play, and I'll play anytime. A lot of times I just play at Wescoe and see you, whether students like the stuff you're doing."
Robert Brawley, chairman of the art department, said that he was glad the event had been organized.
"It's not like someone was sitting on their shoulders making them do it," Brawley said. "I think students need to do more of this kind of thing."
How to get through college with money to spare:
1. Buy a Macintosh.
2. Add a peripheral.
3. Get a nice, fat check.
Now through March 31, when you buy selected Macintosh® SE or Macintosh II computers, you'll get a rebate for up to half the suggested retail price of the Apple® peripherals you add on—so you'll save up to $800. Ask for details today where computers are sold on campus.
Apple Pays Half
Burge Union 864-5697
For details on how you can get a "nice, fat check" from Apple Computer, Inc. come to the computer store in the Burge Union.
© IBM AIX Computer Group, Inc. Apple the Alpha and Mirai may be registered trademarks of IBM Computer Group, Inc. Certain matrimonial acts all rights reserved subject to legal compliance with the terms and conditions of the Apple Ipad and Mirai Mandate. Conditions are subject to your annual membership (gift card) or related limited warranty.
DAN SULLIVAN Los Angeles Times Drama Critic Thursday, March 30th
a lecture by
Alderson Auditorium (Kansas Union) p.m.
FREE
FREE
The KU Bookstores are pleased to announce that all register receipts from cash or check purchases during period #84 (July 1, through Dec 31, 1988) may now be redeemed for a 7% cash rebate through the end of June at customer service counters at either the Kansas Union or the Burge Union stores. KU student ID is required.
Some purchases such as computer hardware may not be eligible for the student dividend program.Please ask the customer service representative should you have any questions.