INsite Atlanta November 2006 Issue by INsite Magazine

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CONTENTS

NOVEMBER 2006 VOL. 11-2

INTERVIEWS 7 PENELOPE CRUZ 12 ROBIN WILLIAMS 14 JANET JACKSON 15 JOSH BLUE 18 DEREK LUKE 23 P. DIDDY 25 PINK SPIDERS 26 REEL BIG FISH 27 THE HOLD STEADY 34 DJ SHADOW 35 SHIRLEY FRANKLIN

FEATURES 22 WE GOT NEXT

This month featuring Dead To Me, the politically-charged punk band from San Diego founded by a former Fat Wreck Chords employee named Chicken.

28 BEST OF ATLANTA

You voted in droves, the ballots have been counted, the hanging chads have been verified, and this month we profile your picks for the city’s best dining, lifestyle, nighlife & retail shops.

35 COLLEGE HOOPS PREVIEW

The road to the NCAA Final 4 starts here, and our in-house hoops expert justifies his Sweet 16 picks in our annual guide. Will your alma mater make the cut?

36 NBA SEASON PREVIEW

Will this be the year the Hawks finally escape the cellar-dweller stigma and rise through the contender ranks? Not bloody likely, but our resident sports Fanatic has some surprising playoff picks up his stat-soaked sleeves.

COLUMNS 6 ON TAP 8 AROUND TOWN 10 WANTON DISTRACTION 11 TECHNOLOGY

16 MOVIE REVIEWS 19 VIDIOTS/BOOKS 20 CONCERT CALENDAR 22 ROAD WARRIORS 24 ALBUM REVIEWS 37 FANATIC 38 HOROSCOPES

www.insiteatlanta.com PG 4 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

November 2006 Volume 15.2

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Call 404-315-8485 advertising@insiteatlanta.com President Stephen Miller National Managing Editor Bret Love Graphic Designer Michael T. Local Events Editor Rav Mansfield Local News Editor Glenn LaFollette Sports Editor DeMarco Williams Web Design Kalico Productions Contributing Writers / Interns John Davidson, John Moore, Russell Fisher, Zena Scott, Margo Aaron, Andrew Gilstrap, Mathew Goldberg & Kim Guelcher

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The Local Scene

ON TAP FOR NOVEMBER Email events to ontap@insiteatlanta.com

October 31 - November 5: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Based on the popular 1988 film, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels centers on two con men living on the French Riviera. The first is the suave and sophisticated Lawrence Jameson, who makes his lavish living by talking rich ladies out of their money. The other, a small-time crook named Freddy Benson. A hilarious battle of cons ensues, that will keep audiences laughing, humming and guessing to the end! To find out more about this Fox Theatre event, head to: www.foxtheatre.org.

November 11: Terry Gross Award-Winning Host, Terry Gross , will be speaking at the Ferst Center for the Arts for one night only! The host, author and lecturer that The San Francisco Chronicle says, "is one of the best radio interviewersone of the best interviewers period-in the country," is coming to Atlanta. Gross will deliver a lecture that will include audio clips from previous interviews, will then engage the audience in a 30-minute question and answer session and finally, will sign copies of all of her published and recorded materials. Combine an intelligent interviewer with a roster of guests and you're bound to get an interesting conversation. For ticket info, head to: www.ferstcenter.gatech.edu.

November 12: My Morning Jacket November is the time to rock at The Tabernacle when My Morning Jacket comes to town. My Morning Jacket is an American rock band known for their reverb-soaked sound and their enthusiastic live shows. Formed in 1998 in Louisville, Kentucky, the band signed with ATO Records four years later. The band's moniker comes from a discarded coat lead singer Jim James found while sifting through the remains of his favourite bar after it burned down. The coat was embroidered with the letters "MMJ" on it. For tickets, head to: www.ticketmaster.com.

November 16: And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead

…And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead is an indie

rock band best known for their heavy yet anthemic music and their tendency to destroy their equipment at the end of their performances (a rock and roll tradition usually associated with The Who and, in late years, Nirvana). Their show at The Masquerade is guaranteed to be a smashing good time. According to the band's website, the name "…And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead" is taken from an ancient Mayan ritual chant which shows a striking similarity to an ancient Egyptian chant. For ticket info, head to: http://www.masq.com/.

November 24 - 25: String Cheese Incident Jamming over two nights at The Fox Theatre is one of the most popular groove bands around. The String Cheese Incident formed in Crested Butte, Colorado in 1993, originally playing local gigs at ski resorts in exchange for free lift tickets. Their music is strongly influenced by bluegrass sounds, as well as forays into rock, calypso, country, funk, jazz, Latin, reggae, and occasional psychedelic. The String Cheese Incident has been described as a democratic ensemble rather than a band, since all of the members contribute their own original compositions. For ticket info, head to: www.ticketmaster.com.

November 24 - December 24: A Christmas Carol A glittering gift to Atlanta, A Christmas Carol returns to the Alliance Theatre for its 17th season as the city's grandest holiday tradition. Again this year, Atlanta's own Rosemary Newcott brings a unique warmth and joyful feel to the majestic spectacle. Chris Kayser returns for his fourteenth year as Scrooge. This Broadway-scale production performed by Atlanta's finest actors and singers is complete with characters that magically materialize, fly and float on the air, and visually stunning special effects. For more info, head to: www.alliancetheatre.org. • insiteatlanta.com • April 2005 PGPG 6 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

et's just get the obvious out of the way right from the start, shall we? Penélope Cruz is hot. We're talking the sort of spice that leaves even veteran writers smiling like obsequious idiots as the demure Latina enters the room, admiring her perfect bone structure, piercing eyes, raven locks and sensuous curves, which are currently poured into a form-fitting dress that is as stylish as it is sinuously sexy. It's this sizzling sensuality for which the woman nicknamed “the Spanish enchantress” has garnered the most Hollywood buzz. Well, that and a three-year relationship with a pre-couch-jumping Tom Cruise, which was followed by a lengthy relationship with Sahara co-star Matthew McConaughey. But this is not the future most pundits would have predicted for Cruz when she first came to the U.S. Born Penélope Cruz Sanchez in Madrid in 1974, she began her career as a ballet dancer with National Spain's Conservatory before besting 300 other girls in a talent agency audition at the age of 15. Roles in Spanish TV shows led to film acting, including a role in 1992's Oscar-winning import Belle Epoque. By the end of the decade she'd become director Pedro Almodóvar's favorite leading lady, proving her thespian cred in Live Flesh (1997) and the Best Foreign Film Oscar-winning All About My Mother (2000). Her career since then has been varied, if largely disappointing on creative and commercial levels. Now, Cruz is in Toronto to promote her film, latest Almodóvar's satiric family c o m e d y , V o l v e r . Though the film festival crowd is buzzing w i t h rumors of an Oscar nod for Cruz, the actress l o o k s

CRUZ CONTROL HOW PENELOPE GOT HER GROOVE BACK remarkably relaxed as she settles into her chair. How do you feel about the Academy Award buzz surrounding this film, and your performance in particular? You can be flattered about it because that's already an award, to get that kind of love from people from a movie that they love so much. And for sure it doesn't happen in every movie, because I've been on the other side too, you know. I've gotten some good reviews in my career and some bad ones, and I know what it feels like being on both sides. This one is the most extreme experience until now in a positive way, so you can look at it for what it is and be flattered about it but you cannot expect anything. I cannot assume that it's going to happen, because then you can be disappointed if it doesn't. So I don't want to think about it. After working in English for much of your recent career, was it any way a relief to be back in Spain, working in your native tongue? Yes, but I never left

Europe for America. I've been combining those things, working in four languages, trying to create the career that I want to have, and trying to take advantage of speaking those languages instead of looking at having an accent like a big problem. [On Volver] we were working in Spanish, but we still had to do all the training with the regional accent, so there is always something. But I love that. The more difficult the character is, the more I love it, because the more opportunities you have to get to do something. Can you talk about your friendship and working relationship with Pedro Almodòvar? It seems like he always brings out your best performances. Is it a given that you'll say yes whenever he wants to work with you? He knows that I trust him completely, so I don't need to read it to say yes. However, when I read it I was so happy that he was giving me that character and I knew it was an amazing opportunity for my career. This particular character was important to me because I felt like I knew women like that, and I love that she refuses to be a victim. I love the dignity that Pedro gave her in the script, and I just wanted to give her that. You look more buxom in this film . I ate all that I wanted because I could not lose any weight for the character. So I gained like 3 or 4 kilos, and we rehearsed for three months, then there were a lot of hours of looking at the dialogue and adapting all the characters... sometimes different dialogue to each one of us. We would then do costume fittings like months before we would shoot, and start creating the look of each character. I was also taking cooking lessons, because I specifically handle the food in the movie and Pedro is very precise with those things. He wants everything to be perfect, and I love a director who is that demanding. How has Pedro changed over the course of the years you've been working with him? For me every film has been amazing, and he gets better and better every time. It's been great, and I know how generous he is, but it always surprises me when he does cert a i n things. r F o instance,

if something is not working he will tell you the truth, and if something is working he takes the time to call you at home to tell you that he saw dailies and how grateful he is about what you did. It always surprises me, with how busy he is on a set, that he takes time for those things." Early in your Hollywood career, you were kind of known more for your exotic looks than your acting skills, which were often unfairly dismissed. Is it rewarding now to be taken so seriously for your craft? The most difficult thing in the world is to start your career known only for your looks, and then try to become a serious actress. No one will take you seriously once you're known as a pretty woman. I feel like I have played a few characters that have made me able to demonstrate where I wanted to go as an actress. In the 35 movies I've done, even the ones that have not been successful have taught me something, and I feel grateful because they help me stay in the game. You just keep going, and there are about four or five films that have been positive in terms of how they were perceived. But Volver has been the most complete experience, because it's been embraced by critics and audiences alike. If you could go back to the beginning of your career in Hollywood, is there anything you'd want to do differently? It seems like you've had your fair share of disappointments. I think that would sound ungrateful if I would say that somehow the work in America was less interesting than my European work. I think I have worked with great people here that have given me great opportunities, but it so happens that the character in Volver is more difficult and requires more. When the character is more difficult you have more chances to prove what you can do as an actor, but you cannot do that by yourself. You need the trust of a person that writes that for you and gives that to you. But here, I feel like I've worked with amazing people like Cameron Crowe and Stephen Frearspeople that I really respect and want to keep working with. So I feel I've been very, very lucky to be able to work with them. So you don't feel your efforts to break through here in the United States have been a struggle? I've never felt like I had difficulty because I never expected this to happen, since it never happened to an actress from my country. Maybe they came here and made one movie, but that was all. The doors were much more closed years ago, so I was very grateful that they kept giving me opportunities. You've been performing since you were a teenager. How do you feel you've grown and evolved as an actress over the last 20 years? I think every day changes you a little bit and makes you learn something new. Now, maybe from the outside that change can be seen like a silent thing, but I think we're constantly moving forward, evolving, changing and learning. I try to read material, be a little bit more picky with what I do next, try to spend less time on a movie set and more time creating and developing things. I bought the rights of a book last year and I'm a very persistent person, so I feel like I can put a lot of my energy into that and not spend the whole year on a movie set... maybe shoot a little less and use more of my time for other things. Do you ever get tired of all the trappings that come with being a worldfamous movie star? When I started, my biggest aspiration was just to be able to be an actress with work. The best situation I could imagine was to be able to choose what I wanted to do. That counts more for me than the concept of stardom. In Spain, if you're an actor who has work, you're lucky. I never want to lose that sense of excitement every time I go to the set. --B. Love PG 7 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

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The Arts

WANTON DISTRACTION Skewed Views On Entertainment News • Madonna was recently granted an interim adoption of a small African child. While it is unknown whether the adoption will span beyond the court-appointed 18 months, the child should be aware that once Madonna grows out of talking in a British accent and practicing Kabbalah, it's time to start packing his bags.

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Experiment, which itself was based on the Stanford prison experiment, in which fake guards sadistically tormented fake prisoners. Scheuring is no stranger to the prison setting, as he created Fox's Prison Break. He's also no stranger to sadistically tormening people, as he created Fox's Prison Break.

• In his recent interview with Angelina Diane Sawyer, • Jolie will be Mel Gibson conwearing brownfessed that the face makeup first thing that to play Daniel went through Pearl's afrohis mind after his arrest was cubano wife Marianne in not to have a crazy mug shot the upcoming A photo like Nick biopic Nolte. Because Mighty Heart. Would YOU let this woman adopt your In a related after driving s t o r y , drunk, refernot-really-an-orphan-yet child? ring to a police Hollywood is officer as a claiming “Sugartits” and blaming Jews for all the shortage of naturally brown-skinned wars in the world, the last thing you’d want actresses. However, the surplus of bad to do is appear crazy. ideas in the film industry has no end in sight. • A recent issue of Rolling Stone featured • Evan Almighty, the sequel to 2003's actress Sienna Miller saying that Bruce Almighty (this one featuring Steve “monogamy is overrated.” Her former husCarrell in the title role), is rumored to be band, Jude Law, and her former nanny facing budget overuns. Recent estimates couldn't agree more. are putting the film's final budget at • The website for the upcoming around $175 million and that's before marketing. Insiders on the film claim that proTransformers movie offered fans a chance ducers hoped they could incite God's wrath to give leading robot Optimus Prime a line and get flood effects on the cheap. which will be uttered in the final film. I Unfortunately, football season is in full guess you don't really need a script when swing and God is busy helping athletes you've got a wealth of memorable one-linscore touchdowns. ers like “Rust in peace, Megatron scum” and “This is the end of the road, Megatron.” I'm currently rooting for my • A recent L.A. Times story lists Gone With the Wind, The Godfather, Amistad, and submission, in which he addresses the Freddy vs. Jason as the favorite films of audience directly and says, “You're watching a Transformers movie. It’s time to rediminuitive dictator (and closet cinephile) Kim Jong-il. Unfortunately, Jong-il is evaluate your life.” known to tell the truth only about a quarter of the time. Guess which quarter.... • The National Enquirer is reporting that O.J. Simpson is getting paid $3.5 million • Julia Roberts has signed on to star in the dollars to write the tentatively-titled If I memoir Eat, Pray, Love, about an unhappy Did It, which will be a vivid recreation of woman in her late 30s who decided to go the Brown/Goldman murders... but only as eat in Rome, a hypothetical, pray in India, of course. Robert Blake, and love in Michael Jackson Bali. This is and R. Kelly are not so much a news item as all rumored to much as it is be writing simian advance lar books. warning to all Meanwhile, the men that will L.A. Prosecutor's be dragged to office will be this by their writing an wives and/or anthology called girlfriends (if If We Boned Every Major it happens to Case Against a be “and,” this Celebrity. is further evidence that adultery does• Donald Trump r e c e n t l y n't pay). appeared on • Filming will Larry King Live Yo, I got Brit’s bank, the Donald’s begin this to give his opinsupport and mad rhyme skillz. Holla! month for ions on things. Lars and the Such opinions Real Girl. The included finding story focuses of a man who strikes up a Angelina Jolie unattractive and proclaiming Kevin Federline “fantastic.” What you relationship with a woman over the Internet, only to find that she's an inanihave to love about Trump is the little ways mate replica. Executives are hoping to crehe lets you know he's wealthy. Sure, he ate a product tie-in with the website can slap his name on an unspired piece of RealDoll.com and McDonalds to make “The architecture, but only the truly wealthy can Happiest Meal.” have a terrible haircut, use CNN as a video blog, and think K-Fed is fantastic, all with• Paul Scheuring will write and adapt a out the slightest twinge of humiliation. --Matt Goldberg remake of the 2001 German film Das

Technology

Microsoft Windows Vista

A Closer Look at the upcoming Operating System BY RAV MANSFIELD

he new version of Windows is coming in January of 2007. This will be the 1st major operating system upgrade for PC's since 2001 when Windows XP debuted. This release has been re-worked from the ground-up. What can you expect? INsite has the scoop. Here are the biggest and best changes that will be including in your next OS (my apologies to our six Mac readers). The Windows Vista hot list of new and updated features: WINDOWS AERO: a re-designed user interface, named for Authentic, Energetic, Reflective, and Open. The new interface is intended to be cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing than previous Windows, including new transparencies, animations and eye candy. WINDOWS SEARCH (also known as Instant Search or search as you type): significantly faster and more thorough search capabilities, similar to what is offered by Windows Desktop Search and Apple Computer's Spotlight. Search boxes have been added to the Start menu, Windows Explorer, and several of the applications included with Vista. WINDOWS SIDEBAR: A transparent panel anchored to the side of the screen

where a user can place Desktop Gadgets, which are small applets designed for a specialized purpose (such as displaying the weather or sports scores). WINDOWS INTERNET EXPLORER 7: new user interface, tabbed browsing, RSS, a search box, improved printing, Page Zoom, Quick Tabs (thumbnails of all open tabs), a number of new security protection features, and improved web standards support. WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER 11: a major revamp of Microsoft's program for playing and organizing music and video. New features include word wheeling (or "search as you type"), a completely new and highly graphical interface. WINDOWS MAIL: A replacement for Outlook Express that includes a completely replaced mail store that improves stability, and enables real-time search. If you are purchasing a computer this holiday season, make sure to request an upgrade coupon from whomever you buy. Microsoft will be offering free Vista upgrades for all computers purchased in November and December of 2006. So get excited USA, the next best thing is right around the corner!

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ou don't really interview Robin Williams so much as you simply sit quietly and try to capture as much as you can write down. One question can lead him down a 5minute verbal trail of improvisation that never really gets around to answering the question. Promoting Man of the Year, a new political satire in which Williams stars as a Jon Stewart-like talk show host who decides to run for president, the Julliard-trained actor was pretty open about his disgust with the current political climate and had plenty of blame for both parties. The Williams with movie pairs writer/director Barry Levinson for the third time (the two previously worked together on Toys and Good Morning Vietnam). In the span of a 20-minute interview, Williams was able to pull out 10 different impressions– everyone from Stephen Hawking to Sally Hemmings, Thomas Jefferson's mistress– and he even managed to answer a few questions along the way... Have you ever thought about being a politician? The idea of running? No not for me. I think like my character in the movie, I believe I serve a better purpose being able to make fun of everything. Arnold (Schwarzenegger) ran and he's doing very well and he's kind of an anomaly right now. He's a moderate Republican, which is sort of like an Amish tech rep. There's not many out there. What do you look for in a politician? The idea of doing something unusual. I would like, from either party, someone prepared to make some changes. This is not about one party or another, but it's about how the whole system sucks. What you have right now is a bunch of special interests running politics, because it costs $200 million to run for president. If you did run for office, what would your slogan be and who would be your vice president? “Why not? Try me, it can't be that bad!” It would be a v e r y Jewish c a m paign.

PG 12 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

As for my vice president, I would go with Stephen Colbert because of his performance at the White House Correspondence Dinner. I think it's Or quite powerful what he did. Martha Stewart, just to know that she would have an interesting place to live. She's already done time and she already has the ankle bracelet. In the film you have a debate scene with three candidates. Did you watch the 1992 debates (with Bush, Clinton and Perot) to study for that scene? We did. The interesting thing about that was with Perot, he came with charts and bars and graphs, which was kind of like a high school economics teacher. Then you had George Bush, who essentially sounds like John Wayne with a tightened ass, and you have Perot. It was a very interesting debate. I found Clinton (in the debate) to be like he always is. He's able to multi-task, which is what he did in the White House... even with a girl under the table. You play a talk show host in this movie. Did you do any additional research on late night talk show hosts, or was it simply enough having been a guest on so many? The idea of being on the other side as the interviewer is an interesting place for me, because normally I'm their worst nightmare. I've been on all of them... well, not actually on them, but near them. The idea of asking questions, listening to the answers and building off of that is interesting. As you see with a lot of them now, a lot of times all they have to do is look at the news, and it's so far out there that it's difficult to top. All Jon Stewart has to do is play the clip and when George W. says “I'm the decider,” you're off and running when you have someone who makes up new words. As a public figure yourself, it's got to be difficult to have everything you do scrutinized. Do you think that scrutiny scares off some good political candidates? Can you talk a little about what it's like to have so many people talking about your personal life? Oh, my personal life? Only that I went to rehab the same day Mel Gibson was arrested on the Pacific Coast Highway. I think that allowed me a certain anonymity, and that God has such a sense of humor that (Mel) was stopped by the countr y’s only Jewish highway patrolman. In terms of scaring people away from that type of scrutiny? Yeah, I've seen a lot of extraordinary people like Mario Cuomo that, for whatever reason, did not want to go further. And why, given the fact that the of level scrutiny goes way b e y o n d what's necessary for e t h office? I t ' s almost l i k e y o u

robin williams who’s “the man”?

want blood and urine. And it's not just you; it puts everyone around you in jeopardy. If your wife has ever taken medication... anything is up for grabs. It scares away a lot of people who may be extremely qualified, but if their life is not squeaky-clean. If you applied the same moral standards we now have to most of the past presidents we've had, they wouldn't have been in office. Is there something different you wanted to bring to this movie? A point of view? I just wanted to talk about the system. Is it working for anyone right now? Are we, as a country, doing very well? Are we, as a country, functioning to the best of our ability? If you look at most countries, how do we stand in the world or even nationally? How could we not have rebuilt New Orleans? Not the idea of divisive politics, but the idea of united, as of US being us. The idea of working together, disagreeing and being able to work it out. As a comic, if you look at Bill Maher and John Stewart and Colbert, all they're saying is, “Here's the absurdity.” And people laugh, yet it still goes on. You can look at any given day and say, “That's insane!” It's pretty easy being cynical right now because it's hard to top what's going on. What is it about Tom Dobbs, your character in this movie, that made him appealing to the public? He's a candidate that is up for full disclosure, and he actually doesn't care. It's the fact that he does have a history; the fact that he DID inhale. It's the fact that he's done all of these different things that makes him a human being. I'd rather have an intellig e n t h u m a n

being that has all of these things different going on, who can deal with you and you can get a certain sense that this is who he is and this is who you get, and screw all of the other consequences. He hasn't been “spun.” All of these ex-presidents are so happy they aren't president any more. Even Gore describes himself as a former candidate. It's almost like now he's freed up to be more himself and to talk about these issues that he's adamant about, unlike when he was running and he was afraid he’d offend someone. It might lose some votes, but you may save humanity. Your comedy is rooted in improv. How much of your dialogue here was ad-libbed? We would try different things. We tried to work up some things that were general enough that they won't lock it off into a specific time or issue. Like it would be great to talk about the Middle East, but you want to have a campaign that's talking about things that have been around and will be around. That's why we brought up an issue like flag-burning, which always seems to come up at the oddest times. It is offensive if you're a vet, but I also think it's offensive to know that there are flag thongs. These issues are always brought up that trigger your emotions. The idea of putting an amendment into the Constitution about that? There are a lot of other things I would put way ahead of it. There is an interesting mix of comedy and some seriousness in Man of the Year. Is it difficult to strike that balance? It was the same kind of mix that we had in Good Morning Vietnam, which is why it is great to work with Barry (Levinson). He has the ability to mix them beautifully, and also the ability to say, “You don't have to do anything here, there's enough absurdity (in this scene).” You can try and go as far as you can, then mix and match. (Barry) was the first guy where I could do actually do both in Good Morning Vietnam. The chance to do it again-especially now, in these interesting times-- that to me was the gift, and why I wanted to do it. –John Moore

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Sexy Back Forget Justin; Janet’s the One Who’s Really...

Well, You Know.

ames Brown used to get the crowd hyped for his concerts by waiting as long as possible to come out onstage, letting his band build the energy up to a sweaty frenzy before he ever unleashed his first “Unh!” Janet Jackson appears to stealing a page from the Godfather of Soul's playbook: It's nearly an hour after the anticipated start time of her press conference at the Four Seasons Hotel in Atlanta, and the youngest of Michael's siblings has yet to make an appearance. With videos spanning her 20-year career playing on a monitor and sexy posters on all sides, PR handlers mill about like nattering hens as dutiful workers set up a very zen sort of candlelit backdrop behind the throne-like chair in which the queen of dance-pop will soon sit. But even after the remarkably diminutive Jermaine Dupri (Jackson's boyfriend and co-producer of her new CD) takes to the mic to announce that his beloved will be arriving shortly, it's another 20 minutes before Janet walks in, looking positively luminous. Loose-fitting white pants and a blue and white striped tank top don't hide her stunning figure as the diva curls up into her chair, charming the assembled throng of reporters with a relaxed charisma, an occasional coy sense of playfulness, and that trademark megawatt grin. Though her career may be on a gradual downward turn, Jackson is clearly very happy in love, and her warm, glowing vibe permeates the room even after our hour with the pop princess is over. After 20 years as an artist, what keeps you passionate about making music? Music is what keeps me passionate. I love music, and I grew up listening to all types. Jazz, Brazilian, Latin, country, blues... My mother and father listened to a lot of that. And of course as a kid you love all the modern stuff, which for me was Sly & the Family Stone, and my sister was really into classical music. So it's music that makes me inspired, as well as the fans who still anticipate and want to hear music from me. That excites me. What significance does the title of the album, 20 Y.O., have for you? It has very special meaning. It was 20 years ago that I released Control in

1986, and 20 years ago that I wrote with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for the first time. The concept of this album is combining music that inspired me 20 to 25 years ago with sounds that are more current. If you could go back in time, what do you think the Janet of today would tell the Janet of 1986? Fasten your seatbelts! What's kept your relationship with Jimmy and Terry so strong over the past two decades? Aside from the love that we have, we really understand one another, and I think that's very important. They've always allowed me to be who I am, and they do that with all the artists they produce. They want the artist's voice to come through on each record, and I like the fact that when I listen to [the music they produce], you can get to know the artists through the record. Then of course there's the day-to-day stuff about how we work and write together. What was it about Jermaine as a producer that made you want him on this album? First of all, Jermaine was the one who said he wanted to be a part of this. I had asked him to executive produce the project, but I was really happy when he offered, because I did want him to be a part of it as a producer and a writer and was hoping he would offer. His track record speaks for itself: He's just an incredible talent. What was the biggest challenge or joy in working with a romantic partner? This isn't the first time I've done this. In the past, it was more like it was pushed upon me. I'm not a very confrontational person, so in an effort not to make any waves I just let it be. That's not the way you should do it. There was great success from it, but that's not the way it's supposed to happen. This time there were no hiccups, no drama- Jermaine is drama-free- and that's one of the things I loved about working with him on this album. A lot of friends were very fearful that it would be a major strain on the relationship, but it wasn't at all. He's very giving, and I can be a giving person, too. It was very easy. You come from a pretty big family. Do you think you'll ever want to have kids? I would love to have kids. I never

thought I would. I've never really wanted to have children because of the relationships that I've had. They weren't very healthy, and I didn't want to bring anyone else into that unhealthy environment. Being with Jermaine has really changed my mind about all that. The subject of sexuality has had an increasingly prominent role in your last few CDs. To borrow a phrase from your former duet partner, Justin Timberlake, are you trying to bring sexy back? I think the beginning of that was actually on the Control album, with “Funny How Time Flies,” and it's grown a little with each album. The Janet album was when I felt like I came into my own as far as feeling my femininity. So, to answer your question, yes! I enjoy talking about sex (laughs). It's part of life and it's a beautiful thing, and I enjoy it. Do you think pop music can ever go too far with the sexually explicit subject matter? You know, we live in a different world today. Music is constantly evolving, and the kids today are much different from when my parents were growing up, or even when I was growing up. They're more mature and advanced, and they're growing up a lot faster. Is it too much? (Grins broadly) For someone who loves to talk about certain things, you're probably asking the wrong person! (Laughter) For me, I don't think it's too much. I think sex is a beautiful thing, but it's all about how it's worded. Looking back over your career, how do you think you've grown as an artist? I know that I've grown musically, and I always write about what's going on in my life. When I listen back, from Control to now, there's a great deal of growth there. I hear a young adolescent who was searching, who knew what she wanted and knew that she had to take control of her life and her career, and who wanted to stay focused on that path. I'm still on that path and still have that same drive, but I know now that yeah, you take control of your life, but the control really belongs to God. I hope I'm still growing, and I think that I am. Was there any particular message you were hoping to get across with 20 Y.O.? It's a light I album. didn't want to get into any serious subject matter. I think with the state that the world is today, at in times I want a little bit of escapism. The Control album was very light and fun, and I guess I just wanted to get back to bringing joy into

“The Janet album was when I felt like I came into my own as far as feeling my femininity. So, to answer your question, yes! I enjoy talking about sex. It's a beautiful thing, and I enjoy it.” PG 14 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

people's lives for those moments when they need to get away and have a good time. Do you think the album reflects something different about you creatively? I have to go back to love. I'm in a different space, and it's because of what's going on in my life and, once again, always writing about what I'm feeling. I've been very fortunate to have a wonderful life and career, and God has blessed me with a great deal. But there's always been one thing I've wanted even more than music or acting, and that was to find love. Now that I've found it... well, that's the difference with this project. How do you feel about youngsters like Beyoncé, Ashanti and Ciara, who seem to have graduated from the Janet School of Dance-Pop? Well, let me start off by saying that I think they're all very talented, and imitation is the best form of flattery. They've all said that I've inspired them in some way, and there are people who've inspired me, so you kind of expect it to a certain degree. It makes me happy. That's part of the job- you get your foot in the door, try to have some form of success, and it inspires the next generation and makes it a little easier for the next person who comes along. It makes me smile. What's up with your movie career? I've got like five scripts on my desk in L.A., but I couldn't bring them with me because my promotional schedule was so hectic. But I love acting, and it's become a passion for me the way music has always been. Do you think you and Michael will ever pair up and do another duet or an album together? He owes me! (Laughs) The deal we made was that if I did “Scream” for him, he'd do one for me. So he owes me, and I'm not gonna let him forget! But I'd love to do something together with him again, and I think we will. Fans have asked me about it before. –B. Love

WORKING BLUE LAST COMIC STANDING WINNER JOSH BLUE HITS THE ROAD AS A HEADLINER

ven if he weren't among the funniest up 'n' coming comics in America, it'd be kinda hard to miss Josh Blue. There's the mass of curly hair typically piled high atop his head; the long, scraggly goatee; and, oh yeah, the fact that he was born with cerebral palsy. But while Blue may use the erratic mannerisms of his affliction as part of his shtick, he never relies on it as a crutch. Truth is, disabled or not, the kid is hilarious. We recently caught up with him by phone in the midst of his first national headlining tour to find out how winning this summer's Last Comic Standing has changed his life. Most people wouldn't think of growing up with cerebral palsy as a foundation for a career in comedy. At what age did you figure out how to make people laugh with you rather than at you, and what role did your parents play in that? I don't really remember when I first realized I was funny. People used to tell me I was funny when I was a kid, but at that age you're not like, “Oh, I should be a standup!” As for my parents, they were just real with me and didn't ever treat me any differently. Obviously if I had special needs they'd take care of them, but [my disability] was never brought up as an issue. They just let me be myself. Kids can be pretty brutal to those who stand out. To what degree was your humor a defense mechanism? I think it wasn't so much a defense mechanism, but more like an icebreaker to get people thinking, “That guy's pretty funny even though he walks different.” It just puts people at ease. I'm just a normal dude like everybody else, I just happen to have cerebral palsy and I'm really frickin' funny. In high school there's all those cliques that form, but I would float from group to group. I sat at the lunch table with all the black girls, and that's where you really learn your chops. Those girls will tear you up! Who were some of your earliest comedic influences? Bill Cosby is the only one who sticks out from high school. Then I got to college and saw the potential in the comedy of people like Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor and Chris Rock. All black males, which I guess is kinda weird. I'm the next one... (Laughing) The new “King of Comedy”? At what point did you decide you might be funny enough to do standup? I started doing open mic nights, and everyone else was doing love poems and singing love songs, and I'd go up and be like, “What's up, muthafuckas?!” The first time I did it there were, like, 20 people there. I told them I'd be back the next week, and through word of mouth there were about 75 people there, just to see me. And I knew it because everybody left once I was done. Was there ever a point where you considered giving up comedy? In college, I had a really bad show and quit for a year and a half. I wish I'd known then that [bombing] happens to everyone. I got back into it my senior year and actually studied standup comedy in college, then when I graduated I got a day job as a caretaker for adults with developmental disabilities. It's a very worthwhile job, and I felt like I should give back to repay all the

people who've helped me in my life. But every day I'd go into work and think, “There's gotta be more to life than this!” It was so emotionally draining, and in the back of my head I thought about how much fun I'd had doing standup. I found the comedy scene in Denver, where I live now, and within two years I went from doing open mics to headlining clubs. What do you think you'd be doing if you weren't a comedian? Living on welfare. (Laughs) I could do motivational speaking pretty easy, but I could be just as happy as a park ranger in Yellowstone. I studied creative writing in college and I'm 150 pages into writing a novel, so that's on the backburner. How did the whole Last Comic Standing experience change your life? I've been telling everybody, I'm superfamous now. In 13 weeks, I went from nobody knowing who I am to everybody and their grandma knowing my name. It's a really cool experience, but it's so overwhelming. Having cerebral palsy, people have stared at me my whole life. Hell, I'd stare at me, too! But now people stare at me for the right reasons. Some comics who didn't make the finals were disgruntled, saying people were giving you a pass because of your disability. Have you had to deal with a lot of that sort of criticism? Not too many people have said that to my face, but I've heard that sort of thing going around before. If they say that, they obviously weren't watching the show, and if they'd like to challenge me at any time I'm willing to go head-to-head with 'em. Chris Porter was the only person on the show who challenged me, and he said he did that for strategy. It's hard to admit that you're good at something, but I've finally come to terms with the fact that I'm pretty damn good at this... Richard Pryor broke so many boundaries with his style of comedy, being black and saying whatever he thought was funny. Ellen DeGeneres, coming out of the closet as a lesbian, was a huge groundbreaking step. I think I'm doing the same thing with disabilities. Last Comic Standing gave me such a great platform to shine. You were part of the 2004 U.S. Paralympic soccer team. How do other disabled people respond when they see all this amazing stuff you've been able to do with your life? I've gotten nothing but positive feedback from the disabled community. When the show was on we got close to 400 emails a day, and a lot of them were from people whose family members were disabled, thanking me for giving them inspiration. I'll be honest, I'm not really the inspirational or motivational type, because it can get kinda cheesy. (Laughs) But if me doing what I'm doing inspires you in some way, I think it's an amazing thing. For people who have only seen you in 35 minute segments on TV, what can they expect from your headlining set? There will be some of the jokes you heard [on LCS], but on TV you only hear snippets of the jokes. Here you'll get the whole thing, plus I mix in some new stuff. One thing people don't expect from me is that on TV I was clean, but I do swear. Not vulgar or anything, but I do like to drop an Fbomb here and there... --B. Love PG 15 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

Entertainment

MOVIE REVIEWS BORAT: CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN - The problem with most

films rooted in sketch comedy (see: pretty much every Saturday Night Live movie of the past decade) is that the characters are too one-dimensional to hold up 90 minutes worth of material. Borat Sagdiyev- Sacha Baron Cohen's clueless, sexist, racist, homophobic faux Kazakhstani TV reporter, whom he originated in sketches on HBO's Da Ali G Show- has no such issues on this wild road trip into the heart of America. In fact, like a commuter stuck in a traffic jam caused by a train wreck, you'll likely find it impossible to look away. The set-up is brilliant: Borat is sent to America to film a documentary about the “U.S. and A,” landing in New York completely unaware of our nation's rules of etiquette. Whether kissing unsuspecting men on the street or letting chickens loose on the subway, Borat is the prototypical fish-out-of-water. What makes his antics all the more hysterical is the fact that he's one of only two characters in the film who are in on the joke (the other is his rotund producer, played by Ken Davitian). When he discovers Pamela Anderson via Baywatch reruns, Borat heads off to Cali hoping to woo her, armed only with a junk ice cream truck and an ever-present camera. Along the way he interacts with a broad spectrum of unwitting interview subjects and tackles every taboo subject you can imagine, and the results will leave audiences literally crying with laughter. He tries to buy a gun specifically for killing Jews (Cohen is Jewish in real life), and only gets turned away because he's not American. He endures a rodeo owner telling him to shave his moustache so he doesn't look so much like a Muslim terrorist, then leads the rodeo crowd in a cheer about killing every man,

woman and child in Iraq. He goes to a posh dinner party in the South, excusing himself to go to the restroom and returning with his poop in a clear plastic bag. And, perhaps most disgustingly memorable of all, he and his grotesquely obese producer engage in fully nude Greco-Roman wrestling in front of a crowd of mortgage brokers. Make no mistake: Borat is rude, crude, at times sophomoric and almost always offensive. But it's also the funniest mockumentary in years. (A) -B. Love

CATCH A FIRE - Patrick Chamusso (played by

Derek Luke, in an Oscar-worthy turn) is a devoted family man with a loving wife (Bonnie Henna) and kids, who coaches the neighborhood soccer team in his spare time. A loyal foreman at the nearby petroleum plant, he wants no part of the rebellious anti-apartheid uprising beginning to take place in his native South Africa in the early '80s. But all that changes after Chamusso is falsely imprisoned, accused of being involved in an explosion at the plant. Beaten, tortured and subjected to inhumane treatment by the brutal henchman of his accuser, anti-terrorist officer Nic Vos (Tim Robbins), Chamusso eventually enlists in the African National Congress and goes to Mozambique to begin training for the mission he was falsely accused of starting. From this point on, the story becomes a suspenseful game of cat-and-mouse set against the bloody backdrop of South Africa's racial clash. Where the rugged Australian terrain played a vital role in director Phillip Noyce's critically-acclaimed previous film, Rabbit-Proof Fence, here it is musicboth the seemingly happy (but secretly revolution-driven) “freedom songs” of South Africa and the similarly deceptive political invective of the legendary Bob Marley (from PG 16 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

whom the film takes its title)-that helps to drive the narrative forward. Written by Shawn Slovo (the daughter of central ANC figure Joe Slovo), the story’s been compared to Hotel Rwanda for obvious reasons, but here the effect of revolutionary movements on families is played less for emotional sentiment than for riveting drama. This is not a film that deals in clearly drawn lines dividing black from white, or right from wrong: Chamusso's problems were partly rooted in his attempts to cover up an illegitimate child seemingly born of his own infidelity, while Vos seems to struggle with self-doubt regarding the morality of his government's cause. The movie's ultimate message seems to be that even the most apolitical person among us can be transformed into a militant insurrectionist with proper provocation, and that governments intent on pursuing so-called terrorists by any means necessary may ultimately find that the ends do not necessarily justify the means. Somehow, I doubt W will get the point. (B+) -B. Love

THE DEPARTED - “That's the one thing I hate

about the niggers…,” begins Jack Nicholson's Frank Costello in an opening scene of Martin Scorsese's star-studded, Bostonbased cop drama (screenwriter Bill Monahan’s adaptation of the 2002 Hong Kong thriller, Infernal Affairs) that causes every nerve in your body to jump. You're dumbfounded on two accounts: 1) A flick starts with such a venomous statement; 2) Jack's the guy saying it. Believe it, 'cause it only gets more intense from there. As Frank, the Irish-born king of the South Boston underworld, Nicholson says and does a lot worse. (When the MPAA says Rated R, they mean it this time!) Matt Damon's Colin Sullivan becomes a part of this world at an early age, but the funny thing is that he never breaks from it, even after joining the police academy. Leonardo DiCaprio's Billy Costigan is part of the same graduating class, but his transcripts are a less exemplary. So when the two interview with their new superiors (Martin Sheen and an in-your-face Mark Wahlberg), they're sent on totally different routes: Sullivan's fast-tracked up the force's ladder, while Costigan is shown the door... unless he takes a deep undercover assignment and infiltrates Costello's criminal outfit. The kicker is that the two don't know each other's identity, meaning the whole time they’re wearing their façades, they're also trying to figure out who's tipping the other side off. This movie plays out like a lil' like Heat, with some Face-Off and John Woo's Hard Boiled tossed in for good melodrama. Scorsese lets the audience know what's going on, but everyone else's primary objective (even the ladies!) is deception. There's chatter about this fastpaced doozy earning Scorsese his “lifetime achievement” Academy Award. There may be too many splattered heads and spewed four-letter words to assure said result, but Monahan's dialogue is explosive and engaging. Two best actor noms (DiCaprio and Damon) and three supporting ones (Nicholson, Wahlberg and Alec Baldwin as wise-ass Capt. Ellerby) could easily be handed out. Coming to grips with the fact that the 69year-old Nicholson asks a teen if she's had her period yet might prove a tougher pill to swallow. (B+) –DeMarco Williams

FAST FOOD NATION - This film permanently cements director Richard Linklater’s status as one of my least favorite filmmakers. He takes a best-selling book which lends itself well to drama, and instead misses the point completely because he's too busy doing what he always does (i.e. focusing on the

Dustin Hoffman bursts into a funky exhibition of his robot skills with Will Ferrell in Stranger Than Fiction majesty of people talking). In truth, conversation isn't necessarily a problem and, for the first two-thirds of the film, he gets away with it. The film follows Greg Kinnear as Don Henderson, VP of Marketing for a fast food chain. His boss sends him to a meatpacking plant in Colorado to double check an independent study that says there's “shit in the meat.” Along his journey, he comes across other cogs in the machine, including illegal immigrants who work at the plant, ranchers who are losing their land to big corporations, and teenagers who work the cash register. Unfortunately Linklater keeps getting side-tracked by this fictional human drama, which ends up enveloping the story rather than coloring it. It's good to know what jobs and what kind of training these non-English speaking immigrants are getting, but not that they sometimes have sleazy foremen. It's important to know that teenagers are working in a dangerous environment, as fast-food restaraunts are especially vunerable to armed robbery, but not so important that their families want them to follow their dreams. As the film grinds through its third act, Don is nowhere to be seen. He's depressed that there's crap in the beef, but feels powerless to do anything about it. Without the anchor or a sensational story to follow, Linklater runs for comfort in shallow conversations between supporting characters that have little to do with the fast food industry. Linklater fixture Ethan Hawke shows up out of nowhere so he can tell his fast-food employee niece (Ashley Johnson) that she should follow her dream of being an astronaut. The lack of an epilogue explaining the facts of the fast food world shows that Linklater cares little for the harsh reality of Eric Schlosser's book. But with this summer's A Scanner Darkly and now Fast Food Nation, Linklater also makes it clear that he's more interested in the white noise of idle character conversations than the substance of what their creators had to say. (D) -Matt Goldberg

A GOOD YEAR - London bonds trader Max Skinner (Russell Crowe) packs his bags and heads for the South of France, to a small vineyard and chateau he inherited from his late uncle. He grudgingly settles into what becomes a stimulating adventure in his dreary life, ultimately realizing that life is meant to be celebrated and enjoyed. Sound familiar? (Did I hear someone say Under the Tuscan Sun? Actually, that Diane Lane sleeper was a bit more engaging.) Max lives a life of fast money, food and women, and he enjoys it immensely. So when he gets the call that his uncle (Albert Finney) has died, he heads to Provence fully intending to wrap up the paperwork, sell the estate and walk away with a small fortune. But an unexpected job suspension and an encounter with an alluring woman help to keep Max in beautiful Provence a bit longer than anticipated. The film is riddled with quite a few clichés, including the luxurious life of the rich and carefree, love at first sight and redemption from an over-indulgent life. That being said, there are some great moments (especially between Crowe and Marion Cotillard, as the young women who woos him), a fine supporting cast and

of course the luscious scenery, a trademark for director Ridley Scott (Gladiator), who stretches far beyond his action wheelhouse. If you're looking for an entertaining chick flick á la Under the Tuscan Sun, this is not it. But it is a decent change-of-pace for Crowe and Scott. (C+) -Lonie Haynes

LAST KING OF SCOTLAND-

No offense, but sometimes it irks seeing the white savior story unfold on the big screen. Someone of European decent, feeling helpless about his or his ancestor's past discretions, seeks redemption in the Peace Corp, an inner-city school or an African village. It's admirable, yes, but nonetheless a story that's been done to death. Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy) is a doctor in 1970 Scotland who's not about to follow in his M.D. father's massive shadow, so he spins a globe on his desk and decides to go wherever his finger lands. The world stops at Uganda, both literally and figuratively. Garrigan goes down to the Central African nation, not knowing a thing about its recently-instated leader, Idi Amin (a sensational Forest Whitaker), or his iron-clad political approach. All Garrigan notices are sick children, their beautiful mothers and a doc's hot wife (Gillian Anderson) in need of some personal care… Hmm, maybe this won't be another savior story after all. If anything, Garrigan, a fictional character, is the one in need of rescue after he becomes the larger-than-life Amin's private physician. Amin, the charismatic leader indirectly (or directly, depending on whom you ask) responsible for nearly 500,000 deaths, needed a shrink more than anything else. Consumed with paranoia over betrayal amongst his own camp, Amin makes no time for family (wife played by Ray's Kerry Washington unwisely falls for Garrigan) or a towel to wipe his drenched brow. McAvoy is super as the physicianturned-confidant in Amin's ever-spinning world. Whitaker is even more amazing in the Ugandan tyrant's body. Every nuance, every hollow glance, every extra pound is worn to perfection. And honestly, it's scary as hell. You've never seen one man torture another one minute, then turn around and pose for the press' questions the next. Then again, you've never heard a movie critic change his tune about a movie's premise so quickly either. But this isn't the same old story; it's a lesson on acting and history we all should pay attention to... that includes you, Mr. Oscar. (A) -DeMarco Williams

LITTLE CHILDREN-

Based on Tom Perrotta’s novel about suburban life, this wellmade drama is unflinchingly poignant and darkly humorous, yet respectful of its subject and its deeply flawed characters. The story follows frustrated housewife Sarah (Kate Winslet), whose friendship with stayat-home dad Brad (Patrick Wilson) soon leads to a torrid affair among their seemingly idyllic suburbia trappings. Then there’s self-destructive sex offender Ronald (Jackie Earle Haley, of the original Bad News Bears), who moves into the neighborhood to live with his mother after two years in prison for indecent exposure to children. Ronald becomes everyone's concern, and a catalyst of everyone's action. What's worse,

looming beneath the surface are the unfulfilled desires and subliminal yearnings of these supposedly responsible parents who would rather indulge in their own blunders. See, Brad is married to documentary filmmaker Kathy (Jennifer Connelly), who wishes her hubby would pass his bar exam and become a lawyer. The problem is that Brad would never pass the exam (he’s already failed twice) because he’s too busy playing football and watching skateboarding on TV. A former scholar, Sarah thinks she could do better, but instead remains married to a corporate drone obsessed with internet porn. With their puerile ways, these adults are indeed Little Children. The first-rate cast fuels the screen with intensity and dignity, creating multi-dimensional characters we can’t help but empathize with (yes, even the sex offender). With voice-over narration by Frontline's Will Lyman, writer-director Todd Field (In the Bedroom) again takes a literary approach on an art house film that turns out to be entertaining, accessible and have a lasting effect on its audience. (A-) --Sean K.

MAN OF THE YEAR -

There are essentially three versions of Robin Williams you get nowadays when you see his moves: You get the deep, depressed guy with a beard (The Night Listener, Good Will Hunting); you get the over-the-top family man in kid-friendly comedies (RV, Flubber); or you the ad-libbed leading man, using his role as an outlet through which to trot out his standup persona (the one you've seen on stage and in every talk show appearance). With writer/director Barry Levinson's latest, you get the standup Williams, delivering pretty much the same political jokes you've heard ad nauseum. Man of the Year focuses on the presidential run of William's Tom Dobbs, a Jon Stewart-like talk show host who actually wins the election. The subplot, a prelude to November's upcoming election, focuses on the flaws of using electronic voting machines which are vulnerable to glitches. Though the film gets off to an entertaining start with the promise of a sharp satire, the movie takes an abrupt turn towards a thriller early on, then never quiet gets back on track. The movie makes good use of Lewis Black (as a speech writer) and Christopher Walken, but you can't help thinking how good this movie could’ve been if they had followed through on the promise of smart political satire (like Levinson's excellent 1997 film, Wag the Dog)... and if Williams wasn't so distracting with his occasionally hammy ad libs. (C+) –John Moore

THE PRESTIGE - I am of two minds when it comes to this film. The moviegoer in me loves the skillful direction and dynamic performances, yet chafes at the lack of some key story elements which would’ve helped the overall narrative. But the film student in me loves the subtext of duality which runs through the characters, their illusions (“Tricks are what a whore does for money… or candy.”) and the plot. The story jumps around because it's the best way to simulate the magician's requisite use of artful distraction. As the story progresses, we try to understand the relationship between Rupert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale), whose friendship dissolves

after Borden accidentally kills Angier's wife during a show. Unfortunately, this falling out occurs too early in the film, and all the tragedy and fighting that follows loses some edge because there was never really any love lost between the two men. The film suffers throughout because the cruelties delivered by each upon the other seem less tragic and more like Mean Bastard Theatre. As this game of spy vs. spy-like retribution escalates, the story introduces more disparate elements, but director Christopher Nolan never loses control. Borden's life involves his loving but increasingly frustrated wife, as well as his mysterious confidant and lawyer, Mr. Fowler. Angier is trying to become a better magician with the help of Cutter, a creator of Illusions, and Olivia, a young assistant who ends up falling for both

Angier and Borden. It'd be nice if we actually had one scene helping us to understand why she loves these self-centered ego-maniacs, but I guess when you look like Jackman and Bale, you don't really need a reason. Jackman and Bale are two of the best actors working today. To most audiences they may always be best known for Wolverine and Patrick Bateman/Batman, but they each slip effortlessly into any role. Even when playing characters as despicable and monomaniacal as these, the actors still manage to color their performances and imbue these men with enough sympathy so that even if you don't want them to saw you in half, you'll have no problem watching them act for two hours. Throw in some excellent supporting work from Michael Caine, David Bowie and Andy Serkis, and Scarlett Johansson emerges as the only casting misstep. She’s simply too talented for a role that serves more as a plot device than a real character. But more bothersome than wasting Johansson, or not developing the friendship between Angier and Borden, audiences will most likely find fault with the plot's numerous twists. A film about magic should be surprising, but I'm sure you'll be arguing with your friends about whether the twists were cheating, stupid, or just right. I find myself in the last category, because all the twists and turns relate to thematic elements which run from beginning to end. “Are you watching closely?” is the first line of the film, and it’s clearly addressed to the audience. To truly enjoy this film, you'll have to remember that opening bit of rhetoric and try not to fall into the artful distraction of the strong performances and skillful direction. (B+) -Matt Goldberg

RUNNING WITH SCISSORS -

Based on the memoir by Augusten Burroughs, Running with Scissors tells the story of a dysfunctional family that makes the Tenenbaums seem normal. Director Ryan Murphy (Nip/Tuck) crafts a perversely funny satire with an awesomely picked cast that makes you say, “Damn, I thought MY family was strange!” With an ailing marriage, an unpublished “masterpiece” and delusions of being a literary great, Deirdre Burroughs (Annette Bening) seeks the help of a highly unconventional shrink, Dr. Finch (Brian Cox). As part of his therapy, Finch hands out Valium like Flintstones vitamins and uses the density and regularity of a patient's bowel movements as a pre-screening to diagnosis and treatment. Norman Burroughs (Alec Baldwin) is a pessimistic drunk who experiences blackouts due to excessive consumption and is overly suspicious of Finch, especially after hearing that he and his wife need “five hours a day of individual time” with him. Augusten Burroughs (Joseph Cross) seems to be the most normal of the three, although he has some sort of an obsessive nature about neatness and knows he can get away with practically anything. It's not until Norman leaves the family that we’re finally introduced to “the good doctor,” as Deirdre's dependant nature leads her to follow Dr. Finch's manipulative advice and leave Augusten at his home while she goes through extensive treatment, starting with “a few days at a motel.” Left in the care of dog kibble-eating Mrs. Finch (Jill Clayburgh), Augusten finds that dysfunction has many levels at the Finch residence. From the Bible-toting Hope (Gwyneth Paltrow) to Finch's touchy-feely adopted adult son, Neil (Joseph Fiennes), it's hard to imagine while watching that this is based on a someone’s life story. It's hilarious when you're not thinking about it being true, but sad when you remember that it is. There are too many characters (and their respective afflictions) and not enough fluidity in the film (Gabrielle Union has an “out”wardly surprising role as Dorothy); as a result, many of the characters come off as cartoonish and unbelievable. There's not enough time to explore each one, which makes the film seem like a bunch of scenes glued together. It's a visual

autobiography with a dark comedic twist. For better or worse, Running with Scissors will leave you with much gratitude for your childhood. (C+) –Zena Scott

STRANGER THAN FICTION - This inventive film would be worth watching for its concept alone, which finds a man hearing an omniscient voice narrating his life. Initially, the acting and direction almost seem secondary. But in the end, the concept falls behind the solid performances and the imaginative visuals. In the opening scene, Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) brushes his teeth and a counter appears on the screen to go along with the dry, matter-of-fact tone of the narrator, Karen Eiffel (Emma Thompson). Both the numbers and the narration follow Harold as he catches the bus, does calculations in his head, and fills out forms at his dreary job as an IRS auditor. Director Marc Forster (Finding Neverland) grabs us from the beginning and sets up the film as offbeat and witty, with just a pinch of melancholy. Once Harold hears the narration, it both advises and trivializes him. But once it terrifies him by letting him know that he will die soon, it pushes him not only to seek guidance from a literary professor (Dustin Hoffman), but to better his life, most notably by starting a romantic relationship with Ana (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a free-spirit baker he's auditing. What's strange about Stranger Than Fiction is that, as it progresses, the film casts its most unique feature (i.e. the interaction between narrator and main character) aside to focus on the plot and character interactions. And without that special element, the film becomes the sort of “Live Your Life Like You Were Dying” motivational movie we've seen hundreds of times before. Personally, I don't find the “imminent death” approach to life particularly inspiring. For one, it's morbid and, for two, it's unrealistic. If we all lived like we would die tomorrow, we'd all be shooting heroin. Stranger Than Fiction only manages to stay one step ahead of this empty-headed Hallmark-movie genre through the earnest performances of its cast and the smart direction of Forster. While Ferrell isn't quite good enough to earn the Oscar nomination people are buzzing about, it is the kind of performance that demonstrates his readiness for material a bit more complex than Old School 2. In

truth, Thompson is the one who deserves the Oscar nomination. A lesser actress might make the reclusive Eiffel nothing but a series of quirks and forced eccentricities, but Thompson makes her idiosyncrasies show the character's humanity trying to break through the passionless exterior of a writer who no longer understands humanity and tragedy (which can be especially problematic if all your books focus on human tragedy). The rest of the cast turns in solid work. Hoffman's Professor Hilbert is perfectly suited between cold intellectual and lovable teacher. Gyllenhaal has great chemistry with Ferrell, and their romance feels real and not just the product of the “lead male + lead female= love” formula. Queen Latifah has the thankless task of being Eiffel's sounding board, but it's a necessary sacrifice to make the audience better understand Eiffel's writer's block. I wish I knew why the narration fades away from the film. Perhaps it's illustrative of the writing block. Perhaps it just interferes with the flow of the dialogue. Whatever the reason, the omission of the omniscient restrains Fiction to being a witty and charming night at the movies, but not the quotable classic hinted at by the whimsical introduction. (B) -Matt Goldberg

THE U.S. VS. JOHN LENNON -

In the current climate of warrantless wire-tapping, secret CIA prisons and “renderings” (the latest euphemism for “disappearings”), the timing of this documentary about the FBI's hounding of John Lennon in the late 1960s and early 1970s couldn't be more appropriate. The film chronicles Lennon's life by way of archival footage and stills, focusing on the anti-Vietnam activism that made him a hero of the movement and a perceived enemy of the Nixon administration (and thus a target of CIA head honcho J. Edgar Hoover). New interviews with media stalwarts, politicos, and fellow activists– ranging from Walter Cronkite to Geraldo Rivera, from George McGovern to G. Gordon Liddy, and from Angela Davis to Ron Kovic– help to contextualize Lennon and wife Yoko Ono's “loveins” within their artistic careers, as well as the larger historical landscape. As naïve as their message of “WAR IS OVER (if you want it)” may seem to some today, its eternal optimism may still hold forth hope for others. (A) –Rodney Hill

COMPLIMENTARY PASSES

and

Invite You and a Guest on Tuesday, November 14 to an Advance Screening of

Pass can be picked up at the following locations: (Galaxy) Atlanta 2275 Cheshire Bridge Rd. 404-766-6993 Smyrna 2365 S Cobb Dr. 770-432-3274 Marietta 1424 Roswell Rd. 30067 770-578-0399 Limit one (1) ad per person. Two (2) passes per ad. Sponsor’s employees and their dependents are not eligible to participate. Please refer to passes any other possible restrictions. Movie is rated PG-13. First come, ﬁrst serve basis. While supplies last. No purchase necessary.

Opens Nationwide November 22! PG 17 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

our years ago, when I first met Derek Luke while he was promoting his breakthrough role in Antwone Fisher, the 28-year-old seemed about as green as one can be after being hand-picked to star in a major film directed by one of Hollywood's most accomplished actors (Denzel Washington, for those of you just returning from life in a cave). Easygoing, affable and possessed of a wide-eyed sense of optimism you don't often see in celebrities, Luke seemed genuinely appreciative of the opportunity Washington had given him, and I got the sense that the kid was just getting started. Of course, quality roles for AfricanAmerican actors don't exactly grow on trees, so perhaps it's no surprise that his best work since then has been in smaller roles in ensemble-driven flicks such as Friday Night Lights and Glory Road. But that all changes with the release of Catch A Fire, in which Luke stars as Patrick Chamusso, a devoted South African husband and father who was falsely accused of terrorism, imprisoned and tortured during the apartheid era, and ultimately wound up carrying out solo attacks against the regime. It's a remarkable performance- one that is already attracting considerable Oscar buzz after the movie's premiere at the Toronto Film Festival- that proves Luke among the finest actors of his generation. We recently caught up with Luke in Atlanta to talk about his career, being black in Hollywood, and his most powerful film to date. You were a relative unknown before Denzel Washington selected you to star in Antwone Fisher. What was that process like, and did you have any idea going into it what a huge boost it would be to your career? Well, at that point it was just a dream to be in a great movie like that. I read the script, which was given to me by producer Todd Black, who used to come in the gift shop where I used to work. I had been out on several hundred auditions, and when I read it all I could think about was much I wanted to be a part of it and how much I connected with the story. I loved Denzel Washington's work, and it was amazing because, while we were filming Antwone Fisher, Training Day came out. So by the time we finished filming, he had won an Oscar. Obviously none of that stuff was planned by me, but it was awesome. Denzel is arguably among the greatest actors working today. What did you learn from working with him, and how has that helped you in the years since? One of the things I will say about Denzel is that he always treated me as a colleague. He never treated me as a new actor. He never pointed out that he was more experienced than me. He has such chemistry when he works with other actors, or at least he did with me, that it's like tapping into a fuel source that allows you to spring up to his level. There was definitely a plus in working with such a seasoned man on his film, because he did so much that I didn't see. Knowing I couldn't make my next seven films with him, I had to learn who I was and put that to use right away. What I've learned is that the percentage of actors who get to learn from someone like him is very low. You won Independent Spirit, BET and National Board of Review Awards for that performance. How does having that kind of success change your life? I think it can validate you in the industry, but as an actor you're always fighting mentally and spiritually. There are times when you have to prove yourself, so on the business side, that was kinda like graduating with a degree. Internally, sometimes your biggest competitor is yourself, but I learned never to let [self-doubt] stop me. You seem to play a lot of characters based on real people, from Antwone Fisher to Patrick Chamusso. What are the challenges inherent in playing a person who's not only alive, but in these cases actually directly involved with the project? Playing Patrick was a total embodiment of a different man in a different country, with a different heritage, speaking a different tongue. I visited South Africa as an American, but to do the role I had to become an African, so those were some of the difficulties. And when you have the real person there, you subconsciously try to PG 18 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

CAREER AFIRE DEREK LUKE BRINGS THE HEAT IN PHILLIP NOYCE’S NEW POLITICAL THRILLER

seek their approval. So yeah, there are many different issues that can arise. A lot has been written about the roles for minorities in Hollywood. Do you see any progress in tthat area in the years since you started acting? I believe I have. When I first started out, I looked at guys like Denzel, Samuel Jackson and Laurence Fishburne, and I never saw an opportunity for young guys like me. But just as I was coming in, suddenly you have guys like Terrence Howard and Jamie Foxx and all these other talented African-American men coming up and doing such great pieces and bringing quality and integrity to their work. I definitely think it's changing for the positive. How did you get involved with Catch A Fire? It came through my agents, who let me know this project about a South African man was out there and that [the casting directors] would like to see me, but I'd have to read for it. So I had to audition, and when I did I was so intrigued to find out why Phillip Noyce- this Australian director- wanted to do a South African movie. When you meet him, you realize he's a humanitarian, like a gentle giant. But after my first audition scene, he comes up and gives me a cup of tea and asks me to wait on the terrace. I was like, “I don't know how it is in Australia, but in the U.S. you audition and get outta there. I don't wanna have no tea with you!” (Laughs) That was in January, and I didn't find out I got the role until a few months later. I was a big fan of The Bone Collector, but when I saw Rabbit-Proof Fence I was blown away by how he told that story. I felt like I had to become part of Catch A Fire after that. There's a scene in the closing credits that shows you meeting Mr. Chamusso. What were your impressions of him as a person? Well, on my first film Denzel intentionally kept the real Antwone from me, so I didn't necessarily want to meet Patrick, even though he became my hero. When I met him, I had all these questions and wanted to interview him, but he ended up interviewing me. We filmed in Johannesburg and Capetown, which is where I visited Robben Island. Ex-political prisoners give these tours, and I asked them how they could be so at peace with what happened to them. He said, “I was sentenced to life in prison, and if I didn't forgive then the hate would kill me first.” So he took me into a cell and asked me to lay down, then closed the door behind me. He said, “Are you comfortable?” I said, “No.” He said, “This was the cell of Nelson Mandela.” I asked, “Where did he go to the bathroom?” He said, “The pail is the bathroom.” “Where did he eat?” “In the pail.” “Where did he wash his clothes?” “In the pail.” That was the experience that really put me into motion in playing Patrick. The message of the film seems to be that even the most unpolitical person among us could become a revolutionary if the things we hold near and dear to our hearts are threatened. Was it difficult to imagine yourself in Chamusso's position? Growing up, for me, women were my heroes. I remember my mother leaving our house with my brother and me sitting by the stove to get heat. She would leave and do things that you normally wouldn't do, because she was driven by the reality of her situation as a single parent. She would get up in the middle of the night and go to work just so we could have clothes on our back, but we didn't understand it. She did it for her kids out of love, and I remember coming back and seeing the ash on her fingers from her carrying these heavy bags and work at the post office. So I could imagine what Patrick would do when the things he holds dear were taken from him. From Syriana and Good Night, and Good Luck to An Inconvenient Truth and this movie, political films seem to be increasingly popular these days. Do you believe that filmmaking, and art on the whole, has the power to change the world? Yes. I believe film has an awesome power it didn't have 40-50 years ago. Used to be that your parents, grandparents and pastors were the primary influence, but nowadays the mass media is the number one to the children's hearts. I think Hollywood is embarking on something great, because they're putting new responsibilities into the eyes of the viewers. –B. Love

VIDIOTS This month’s DVD

* * * PICK OF THE MONTH * * * CARS- Owen Wilson is the voice of

& VHS releases

ACCEPTED- Bartleby Gaines (Justin Long) is rejected from every

college he applies to, so he and other rejected friends decide to start their own fake college. In a very tiresome gag, they name the school South Harmon Institute of Technology (SHIT, get it? Ha!). Accepted borrows liberally from ‘80s teen comedies like Revenge of the Nerds and Soul Man, from the goofy montage as they clean up their dorms to the jackass frat guys dead set on shutting them down. All in all, an uninspired ripoff from start to finish. (C-) -John Moore

THE DA VINCI CODE- Sir Leigh Teabing (Ian McKellan) has been

fascinated for years by the thought of Christianity being the template for the biggest lie in human history: What if Jesus were a mortal man who married? When a symbologist (Tom Hanks) and a cryptologist (Audrey Tatou) come to his home with evidence substantiating his conjectures, the crippled Teabing springs to new life. And it's also around a whirlwind history lesson connecting Constantine to Jesus to Mary Magdalane to mass killings of women that director Ron Howard's movie goes from Presbyterian slow to Southern Baptist quick. Readers of Dan Brown's bestseller will like the Vatican's creepy Silas (Paul Bettany) and enjoy how faithful to the book Howard remains. (B-) -DeMarco Williams

ICE AGE: THE MELTDOWN- Sid the sloth (John Leguizamo), Manny

the mammoth (Ray Romano) and Diego the sabertooth tiger (Dennis Leary) are still parading the Arctic tundra;, this time with new friends including two possums and their adopted mammoth sister (Queen Latifah). Manny's got the hots for the identity-confused Ellie, but he can't fantasize about her long, because the melting ice is forcing folks to relocate. In this March of the Pixilated, we never care what happens, despite some amazing CG work. We've seen glaciers move faster than this story. Somebody call Scrat, STAT! Thankfully, they do... right in the nick of time. (B-) --DeMarco Williams

JOYEUX NOËL (MERRY CHRISTMAS)- Nominated for Best Foreign

Film of 2005, this anti-war film is about the night on a WWI battlefield when a spontaneous cease-fire took place. On Christmas Eve of 1914, German, French, British and Scottish soldiers lay down their weapons and came out to share food, sing, pray, play soccer and celebrate Christmas. Loosely

Lightning McQueen, a cocky speedster on his way to making Piston Cup history when he finds himself waylaid in a one-light town called Radiator Springs. Sentenced by the judge (Paul Newman) to community service, he interacts with local yokels including Mater (Larry the Cable Guy), a good ol' boy who tips cow-like tractors for kicks. But it's Sally (Bonnie Hunt), a cute Porsche who gave up life in the fast lane for a quiet existence as a motel proprietor, who teaches the hotshot that bigger, faster and newer does not always equal better. The lusciously detailed CG renderings of everything from classic cars to scenic vistas of the American West are every bit as dazzling as the visceral opening scenes that take viewers into a NASCAR race like never before. But it's the film's message- that life is about the journey, not the destination- that hits you square in the heart the way only a Pixar masterpiece can. –B. Love

AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH - This eye-

opening documentary captures former “next President of the United States” Al Gore on his nationwide slideshow tour, in which he lays out the facts about the environmental crisis known as global warming, explaining how it works, why it's happening and the devastating effects that could confront humanity if we don't take action now to stop it. The stiff, almost robotic Al Gore who hit the campaign trail six years ago is gone, replaced by an engaging, eloquent storyteller who injects his litany of frightening facts with welcome doses of passion and humor, showcasing a side of himself rarely glimpsed during his ill-fated run for the White House. Historically, conservatives have done their best to portray environmental activists as nothing more than tree-hugging liberals. But Gore reaches out to preach beyond the choir in an effort to convince skeptics that global warming is not a political issue, but a moral one. He uses a variety of entertaining tricks to get his points across, from visual evidence that glaciers and polar ice caps are melting to a geological graph showing the world's unprecedented, increasingly high temperatures. At the end, if you aren't scared into wanting the government to take action in adopting renewable resources, you simply aren't paying close enough attention. -B. Love

inspired by a true story, the film suggests the sovereignty of peace. Managing three languages, the director deftly executes the film with such precision that audiences are able to understand and sympathize with key characters of all sides. By not focusing on the bloodshed, as most anti-war films do, and instead stressing the power of peace, it becomes the most uplifting war film to come along in quite some time. (B+) -Sean K

SCOOP- Woody Allen's return to his comedic roots is a bumpy

one. A murder mystery farce set in contemporary London, the follow-up to Match Point again taps into the vices and deceptions of the British upper crust. The story follows an American journalism student (Scarlett Johansson) who gets the scoop of a lifetime from the spirit of a world-famous reporter (Ian McShane) about a British aristocrat (Hugh Jackman) being the notorious Tarot Card Serial Killer. With the help of a two-bit magician (Allen), she sets out to break the case. Allen's muttering style of conversation is getting tiresome, and the muchneeded humor seems sluggish. Although the film put a smile on my face, deep down I know this innocuous romp is the kind Allen used to be able to do in his sleep. (C) -Sean K

SUPERMAN RETURNS- True Kryptonite isn't green like apple Jolly

Ranchers. The real stuff capable of stopping any super movement in its tracks, especially in Hollywood, is bad press. According to reports, this visit back to Metropolis had stalled, stopped, been written and re-written multiple times over the past 15 years. Not a good sign. And who was playing Superman? Brandon somebody?! It's Brandon James Routh, and if it weren't for the updated costume, you probably wouldn't notice much of a difference between him and Christopher Reeve circa 1978. Back from a five-year survey of what was his home planet, Krypton, the Man of Steel finds Earth in relative good shape... save for world wars, the engagement of true love Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth), and the return of archnemesis Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey, at his contemptible best). “Whoever controls technology controls the world,” the evil genius exclaims during one of his many soap-box oratories before girlfriend Kitty (Parker Posey). With knowledge gained from a message from Superman's dead father (a digitally-enhanced Marlon Brando), Luthor plans to take over the world by creating a new one. Bryan Singer did some of the writing, and all of the directing. After riding Superman's cape for two and a half hours, it's safe to say that whatever Steven Spielberg was to sci-fi in the ‘80s and ‘90s, Singer (X-Men, X2) is now it for comic enthusiasts. Airplane rescues and foiled bank robberies make for metaphoric page turns; from motion-captured bullets to the slightest of hair motions in the wind, each frame is nearly perfect. Superman Returns could have gone corny when Lois' mysterious son's paternity is questioned, but it doesn't. Warner Bros. is already preparing for another Superman in '09, with Singer at the helm. We can only hope the time flies by. (A-) -DeMarco Williams

BOOK REVIEWS CHUCK KLOSTERMAN IV: A DECADE OF CURIOUS PEOPLE AND DANGEROUS IDEAS

by C. Klosterman

Just as Alan Ginsberg was the voice for the Beat Generation and Douglas Coupland spoke for Generation X, Chuck Klosterman has his audience: the pop cultureobsessed. In the span of a few short years, Klosterman has become the goto-guy for everyone from VH1 and Spin magazine to Esquire and ESPN, looking for a witty take on modern life from a mid western every guy, raised on hair metal and unironically proud of it. It doesn't hurt that he also happens to be a brilliant humorist. In his fourth book, appropriately titled Chuck Klosterman IV- a not so subtle nod to Led Zeppelin's best album he has collected past essays from his stints as a newspaper reporter in Akron, OH and a writer for Spin and Esquire. The essays include some of Klosterman's best writings, like a preSupersize Me experiment of eating nothing but McDonald's nuggets for a week straight or Goth Day at Disneyland. The most inspired piece, however, shows Klosterman interviewing a boat full of classic rock fans who have sacrificed a week's vacation and hundreds of dollars to sail with Styx, Journey and REO Speedwagon on a rock cruise. Klosterman has a knack for zoning in on the absurd without going out of his way to ridicule his subjects. Tacked onto the end of the book is a mediocre stab at fiction. A so-so novella spilling over with clumsy pop-culture references that work wonderfully in his non-fiction, but somehow seem too contrived when shoe horneded into fiction. Whether a diehard fan or a casual reader, IV belongs on just about everyone's book shelf. Grade: B+ -John Moore

THE COMPLETE IDIOT"S GUIDE TO JOKES By Larry Getlen

Whether you're an aspiring standup comic or merely a fan of comedy, these two books combine to provide both a howto lesson on what separates the merely good from the truly great and a rare behind-the-scenes look at the wild 'n' crazy life comedians tend to lead. In Idiot's Guide to Jokes, Larry Getlen (who began his career as an INsite contributor) compiles more than 1,500 quips from over 250 of the world's funniest comedians on topics ranging from politics and world events to sex, with trivia about the comedians thrown in along the way. Getlen also provides advice from respected comics such as Dave Barry, Penn Jillette and Patton Oswalt that, when combined with the jokes, make the book read like a class in How To Be A Comedian 101. But even if you have no interest in giving standup a try, the jokes alone make it worth a read.

I KILLED: TRUE STORIES OF THE ROAD FROM AMERICA'S TOP COMICS

Compiled by Ritch Shydner and Mark Schiff

I Killed finds veteran comics Ritch Shydner and Mark Schiff interviewing more than 200 of their peers about their time on the road, and the result is one of the most revealing Behind The Music-style look at the standup comedian lifestyle ever written. From being physically attacked by violent hecklers and backstage groupie sex to drug-fueled shenanigans and shady club owners, comedians ranging from old school legends like Red Buttons and Jonathan Winters to current heavy-hitters such as Chris Rock and Lewis Black reveal more than you'd ever expect. Idiot's Guide= B+; I Killed= A --B. Love PG 19 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

CONCERT CALENDER WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 1 APACHE CAFE Al Smith DIXIE TAVERN Hipnotic Unplugged THE EARL The Slackers FAT MATT’S Frankie’s Blues Mission MASQUERADE Soilwork PEACHTREE TAVERN Triple 40 THE ROXY Lost Prophets SMITH’S The Derailers TABERNACLE The Cult THURSDAY NOVEMBER 2 ANDREWS UPSTAIRS Good Times Atlanta BLIND WILLIE’S Chris Smither THE EARL Divided Like a Saint’s FAT MATT’S Chicken Shack FIVE SPOT Lilli Lewis MASQUERADE Chuck Ragan SMITH’S Phix

Dashboard Confessional at ARENA AT GWINNETT (11-7) THE EARL Cory Branan FIVE SPOT The Common Ground Collective SMITH’S Fireball Ministry/Artimus Pyledriver MONDAY NOVEMBER 6 FIVE SPOT The Youth Social Forum MASQUERADE A New Found Glory SMITH’S Shannon Curfman TUESDAY NOVEMBER 7 DIXIE TAVERN Zac Brown Band THE EARL +/- & Irving EDDIES ATTIC Rod Picott FIVE SPOT The Weary Boys SMITH’S Snowden WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 8 APACHE CAFE Al Smith DIXIE TAVERN Hipnotic Unplugged THE EARL White Whale EDDIES ATTIC everybodyfields FIVE SPOT The Nod Factor THE LOFT The Twilight Singers MASQUERADE Badfish PEACHTREE TAVERN Who’s Bad? SMITH’S Jeff Coffin Mutet VINYL Phunk Junkeez

30 Seconds to Mars at TABERNACLE (11-2) FRIDAY NOVEMBER 3 ANDREWS UPSTAIRS 311 vs. Weezer APACHE CAFE Kameron Corvet ARENA AT GWINNETT Vince Gill CENTER STAGE Skid Row CJ’S LANDING Unzipt DARKSIDE Dakota Fate DIXIE TAVERN Andy Birdsall Band THE EARL The Mountain Goats EDDIES ATTIC Matthew Ryan THE LOFT Dead Prez MASQUERADE Retard-O-Bot PEACHTREE TAVERN Hipnotic THE ROXY Taj Mahal SMITH’S Mandorico STAR BAR Dixie Witch TABERNACLE Gov’t Mule VARIETY Robert Earl Keen VINYL Social Espionage WILD BILL’S Ray Scott SATURDAY NOVEMBER 4 ANDREWS UPSTAIRS Tim Brantley APACHE CAFE Crop Circle BLIND WILLIE’S Sonny Rhodes CJ’S LANDING Misfortune 500 CLUB 29 Donna DARKSIDE Headcheck DIXIE TAVERN Hipnotic THE EARL The Close EDDIES ATTIC Jen Foster FIVE SPOT Derek McCoy Trio THE LOFT MC Chris MASQUERADE Smile Empty Soul PEACHTREE TAVERN None the Weiser THE ROXY Matt Nathanson SMITH’S Detroit Cobras TABERNACLE Gov’t Mule VARIETY Robert Earl Keen

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 9 ANDREWS UPSTAIRS ACC Happy Hour ARENA AT GWINNETT Barenaked Ladies BLIND WILLIE’S Michael Burks THE EARL The Jupiter Watts EDDIES ATTIC Billy Joe Shaver HIFI BUYS Panic! At The Disco MASQUERADE Hellogoodbye PEACHTREE TAVERN Brantley Gilbert THE ROXY Cheap Trick SMITH’S Papa Grows Funk FRIDAY NOVEMBER 10 ANDREWS UPSTAIRS Tron Jackson APACHE CAFE Cecil Thornton & Transparent ARENA AT GWINNETT Stone Mountain Barbershop Chorus CJ’S LANDING Hopsing Project DARKSIDE Hed Trip Drama DIXIE TAVERN The Alternatives THE EARL Psyche Origami EDDIES ATTIC Marshall Chapman FIVE SPOT Adam’s Township HIFI BUYS Brooks & Dunn THE LOFT Bain Mattox MASQUERADE Second Shift PEACHTREE TAVERN Patrick Smith Band THE ROXY +44 SMITH’S Heartless Bastards TABERNACLE DJ Tiesto VARIETY The Black Keys VINYL The Julia Dream SATURDAY NOVEMBER 11 ANDREWS UPSTAIRS Frontiers APACHE CAFE House That Jack Built Part 3: Donnie CJ’S LANDING Tiger Thief DARKSIDE Fervor DIXIE TAVERN Hipnotic THE EARL Unknown Hinson EDDIES ATTIC Matthrew Perryman Jones PEACHTREE TAVERN Jared Ashley SMITH’S Rebirth Brass Band VARIETY Tea Leaf Green VINYL Stokeswood SUNDAY NOVEMBER 12 ARENA AT GWINNETT Ludwig Symphony Orchestra BLIND WILLIE’S Talkin’ the Blues THE EARL Dunch & Well Strung EDDIES ATTIC Ed Roland SMITH’S The Motet TABERNACLE My Morning Jacket MONDAY NOVEMBER 13 THE EARL Two Dollar Guitar MASQUERADE Pillar SMITH’S Kettle Joe’s Psychedelic Swamp Revue TABERNACLE Bob Weir & Ratdog

Primus at TABERNACLE (11-6) SUNDAY NOVEMBER 5 BLIND WILLIE’S Blues Highway

PG 20 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 14 CENTER STAGE She Wants Revenge

DIXIE TAVERN Zac Brown Band THE EARL Blue Cheer EDDIES ATTIC Clumsy Lovers MASQUERADE Mushroomhead THE ROXY Switchfoot SMITH’S Future Clouds/ Radar VARIETY Cursive WENDESDAY NOVEMBER 15 ARENA AT GWINNETT The Wiggles APACHE CAFE Al Smith CENTER STAGE Kasabian DIXIE TAVERN Hipnotic Unplugged THE EARL Tresspassers William EDDIES ATTIC Karen E. Reynolds FIVE SPOT The Nod Factor MASQUERADE Silverstein PEACHTREE TAVERN Dean Dollar Band THE ROXY Mat Kearney SMITH’S Ligion THURSDAY NOVEMBER 16 ANDREWS UPSTAIRS Good Times Atlanta APACHE CAFE The Good Good THE EARL Califone EDDIES ATTIC Blair Lott FIVE SPOT Captain Beefheart Tribute Band MASQUERADE Moonspell PEACHTREE TAVERN Liquid Pleasure SMITH’S Pnuma Trio FRIDAY NOVEMBER 17

The Lee Boys at Smith’s Olde Bar (11-10) ANDREWS UPSTAIRS Slippery When Wet APACHE CAFE Air Jamaica Jazz Fest Quest ARENA AT GWINNETT All-American Rejects CJ’S LANDING Matt Mackelcan Band DARKSIDE Shattermask DIXIE TAVERN Cosmic Gypsies THE EARL Raise the Roof Beneﬁt EDDIES ATTIC Bobby Yang FIVE SPOT Trey Wright Trio MASQUERADE The Bastard Suns PEACHTREE TAVERN Sun Domingo SMITH’S Alan Yates Band THE ROXY Regina Spektor TABERNACLE Umphrey’s McGee VARIETY Chris Thile & The How to Build a Band SATURDAY NOVEMBER 18 ANDREWS UPSTAIRS Dave Matthews Tribute Band APACHE CAFE Heratio ARENA AT GWINNETT Blue Man Group BLIND WILLIE’S Commander Cody CJ’S LANDING Sam Fisher DARKSIDE Slow the Knife DIXIE TAVERN Hipnotic THE EARL The Hidden Cameras EDDIES ATTIC Will Kimbrough MASQUERADE Dark Asylum PEACHTREE TAVERN The Wrong Way THE ROXY Joan Jett and The Blackhearts SMITH’S Dirty Dozen Brass Band TABERNACLE Keller Williams VARIETY Lucero SUNDAY NOVEMBER 19 ARENA AT GWINNETT Third Day THE EARL Dunch & Blake Guthrie EDDIES ATTIC Anais Michell THE ROXY Jamarama SMITH’S Chris McCarty Band TABERNACLE Imogen Heap

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 21 DIXIE TAVERN Zac Brown Band THE EARL Easy Action EDDIES ATTIC All-American Open Jam MASQUERADE Murphy’s Law SMITH’S Packway Handle Band WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 22 APACHE CAFE Al Smith ARENA AT GWINNETT The Who BLIND WILLIE’S Eddie Shaw & the Wolf Gang CJ’S LANDING Ocean Street DIXIE TAVERN Hipnotic Unplugged THE EARL Jamie Lidell EDDIES ATTIC South 70 FIVE SPOT The Nod Factor MASQUERADE Love Drug PEACHTREE TAVERN Az Izz THE ROXY Corey Smith SMITH’S Tim Brantley VARIETY Disco Biscuits VINYL Anathallo THURSDAY NOVEMBER 23 ANDREWS UPSTAIRS Good Times Atlanta PEACHTREE TAVERN Post Thanksgiving THE ROXY Corey Smith SMITH’S Dubconscious FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24 ANDREWS UPSTAIRS The Breakfast Club APACHE CAFE Mausiki Scales CJ’S LANDING Nathan Asher & the Infantry DARKSIDE 7 Day Sun THE EARL The Selmanaires EDDIES ATTIC Open Mic Shootout MASQUERADE Army of Anyone PEACHTREE TAVERN Cole Swindell Band THE ROXY Drivin N Cryin SMITH’S The Last Waltz VARIETY Shawn Mullins SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25 ANDREWS UPSTAIRS Heavy Mojo DARKSIDE An Irony Massacre DIXIE TAVERN Hipnotic EDDIES ATTIC Ellis Paul MASQUERADE Under the Inﬂuence of Giants THE LOFT EOTO PEACHTREE TAVERN 17th Floor THE ROXY Slighty Stoopid SMITH’S The Last Waltz TABERNACLE Deftones VARIETY Big Mike Geier & Kingsized

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Ziggy Marley at THE ROXY (11-21) SUNDAY NOVEMBER 26 EDDIES ATTIC Hensley & Kenslee FIVE SPOT Passaﬁre MONDAY NOVEMBER 27 FIVE SPOT Jordan Shallop TUESDAY NOVEMBER 28 DIXIE TAVERN Hipnotic Unplugged MASQUERADE The Hush Sounds THE ROXY Papa Roach VARIETY Peaches WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 29 APACHE CAFE Al Smith ARENA AT GWINNETT Disturbed with Stone Sour CJ’S LANDING We Fly Standy DIXIE TAVERN Zac Brown Band MASQUERADE Straylight Run PEACHTREE TAVERN Wes Loper Band SMITH’S El Vez VARIETY Underground Garage a Go-Go

Buckcherry at THE ROXY (11-20) MONDAY NOVEMBER 20 MASQUERADE Arms of Orion

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 30 ANDREWS UPSTAIRS Good Times Atlanta DIXIE TAVERN Justin THE EARL Casper & the Cookies PEACHTREE TAVERN Luke Bryan THE ROXY Reel Big Rish TABERNACLE John Legend

PG 21 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

ROAD WARRIORS THIS MONTH’S HOTTEST SHOWS

TAPES N’ TAPES (The Loft- 10/29) After a

rabid reception at South By Southwest, Tapes N' Tapes figured to be yet another heavily-hyped internet band. But after a wave of blog publicity and a few splashes in music mags, the band is now seeing the back-end of the sausage factory. Their debut is pretty solid, assuming you’re up to date on stereotypical indierock influences (Pixies, Pavement, the Fall). As a live act, they’re still pretty green.

SECRET MACHINES (Center

Stage- 10/31) A few years ago these guys were all set to be the next must-have New York act. They were arty, ambitious and vaguely tuneful in a way that sounded like it could have only come from Gotham. This year's Ten Silver Drops is much more accessible and, predictably, the band seems somewhat destined to be lost in the shuffle.

THE CULT

(Tabernacle- 11/1) The Cult mattered a lot 15 years ago, when they were a stadium-ready concoction of all things classic rock with a dash of Native American fetish thrown in. They've come and gone ever since, with a variety of lineups and a variety of consistency in their studio output. But if singer Ian Astbury can still hit the notes (and rumor is that he can), expect some genuine fireworks.

NASHVILLE PUSSY

(Center Stage- 11/3) You can have your Sleater-Kinney and your Donnas, but the most kick-ass band with broads is still Nashville Pussy.

Not only do they have a name that will repel your parents and your girlfriend, they rock it old school in a way that all those whimpy indie bands find so repulsive. In short, this isn't a band for the timid... they refer to themselves as “Motorhead with tits” for a pretty good reason.

THE SLITS (Drunken

Unicorn- 11/8) As with most punk bands from the early 1970s, we’re surprised to see that the Slits are still alive, let alone coherent enough to try to cash in on the nostalgia circuit. Along with the Raincoats, the Slits are primarily f a m o u s because they were one of the first allfemale acts, and seconda r i l y notable for their adventurous style. See the album cover of their debut album, Cut, for further reference.

who just graced the cover of SPIN, so they must be famous. Right? Does anyone even read SPIN anymore?! One of the most hyped acts of last year, Bloc Party is a mismatch on this bill, but that will only help them stand out all the more. THE BLACK KEYS (Variety Playhouse11/10) A band with only two players is bound to sound a little thin. That the Black Keys can sound so powerful and fill a room will not only confound your expectations, but also raise the bar for sub-par drummers like Meg White. Touring b e h i n d their great R u b b e r Factory, the Black Keys play down home bluesrock with a huge presence. This is an act not to miss if you have the chance to go.

MY MORNING JACKET

STARS OF TRACK & FIELD

(The Loft- 11/8) This year's Yankee toast to anglophilia is better than most; at least these guys don't sing with an English accent, or carry the pretension of Oasis. But the Stars of Track & Field are also pretty concerned with keeping an electronic, atmospheric edge on everything. This isn't an annoying habit. Yet.

PANIC! AT THE DISCO/JACK’S MANNEQUIN/ BLOC PARTY (HiFi Buys Amphitheatre11/9) The lingering emo craze rears its ugly head once again in the cozy environs of a November shed show. Though Panic! At The Disco is the buzz band du jour, the best of the bunch is Bloc Party,

MY MORNING J A C K E T

(Tabernacle- 11/12) This quintet has quite easily survived both the departure of their founding guitarist/ keyboard player and moving to a big record label. But as the band and recent audiences will attest, the flair and fury of MMJ hasn't suffered at all. One of the most promising bands on the horizon, MMJ is a dreamy version of the Band that never fails to astound.

-SOME GIRLS (The Masquerade- 11/15) OK, so the members of this band (Julianna Hatfield, Freda Love) have been around forever, but damned if this year's Crushing Love isn't a flat-out great rock ‘n’ roll album. Even if you're not a sucker for fem-rock, Some Girls lay waste to 99% of the Liz Phairs or Avril

Lavgines of the music world. In a fairer reality, they'd be playing bigger rooms than this.

...AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD (Masquerade- 11/16) It was

only a few years ago that …Trail of Dead quit destroying their equipment at every show. That was probably about the same time that they landed on a big record label, who recognized that this psychedelic punk act might actually have some talent beyond the circus spectacle. That doesn't mean that the show won't be less loud, only that the songs will sound better.

DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE (Fox Theatre11/17) Death Cab For Cutie returns to Atlanta for a show at the most fabulous venue in town. Watching this band get huge the old fashioned way (hard work, good songs) has been a delight. Live, they're not arena-ready crowd-slayers with a snappy light show, but they've never really disappointed, either. Figuring punk-rock agitator Ted Leo & the Pharmacists into the mix as the opener is a head-scratcher. EAGLES OF DEATH METAL/JOAN JETT (Coca Cola Roxy Theatre- 11/18) Like a bar band version of Josh Homme’s other band, Queens of the Stone Age, the Eagles of Death Metal are more AC/DC than, say, the Foo Fighters. It's a pretty big venue for the relatively new band, but that's what you get when you’re blessed with an opening slot for the legendary Joan Jett. And there's the rub: If you've never seen Jett, don't miss her this time. JOANNA NEWSOM (Variety Playhouse11/19) A cynic would see British folkie Newsom as a questionable vocalist whose only real claim to relevance is that she accompanies herself on a harp, which of course inspires devotion among indie-rock circles, in which novelty is frequently confused with quality. The non-cynic sees something entirely different. We report, you decide. --John Davidson

WE GOT NEXT ARTISTS ON THE VERGE OF MAKING IT BIG

he Whigs are one of those little bands that erupt from a college town and into regional buzz, winning “Best New Band” awards and drawing music industry interest like moths to porchlight. Solid rock songs, literate lyrics, and killer live shows led to a swift following that was soon met up with disconcerting expectations about the the next step: going from drinking-hours pastime to bona fide career. After all, there's not really a handbook on how to be band, let alone a successful one. “We had kind of a crappy run-in with a big label,” says Whigs singer/guitarist Parker Gispert of their early attempts to bottle the lightning with a fancy record deal. “It was one of those big angry labels and, at that point, we kind of realized that we didn't want anything to do with that kind of stuff.” Clearly, these guys weren't ready to surrender control over their life to a traditional corporate entity that painted them as the new flavor of the month... with a similar shelf-life. “Labels would show up at our shows and promise us the world and all kinds of crap. We were pretty young, so that sounds cool. And the next thing you know, your band is just not at a good point. We were all pretty miserable with that,” he says. Indeed, the Whigs' credo is probably more DIY punk rock than their music would suggest. “I think we realized that we didn't need a deal to record a record, and that to be a band, all you need to do is play shows, work hard, and show up on time,” says Gispert. “It's not that hard to play shows out of town. You just have to find somewhere that will take you and show up and play. As far as a label specifically, we made the first record ourselves and we didn't have any money to make it. We financed it and recorded ourselves and put it out ourselves, and once we realized that we could do that, we sort of realized that we don't need a lot of the other things. You can continue to make music and do what you wanna do by yourself. At that point, your focus is on kicking ass at shows and writing great songs.” It doesn't make things much easier that the band hails from Athens, Georgia, home to R.E.M. and a host of other indie-rock acts over the past 25 years. There's PG 22 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

T HE W HIGS CURRENT PROJECT: Give 'Em All a Fat Lip (ATO) FOR FANS OF: Franz Ferdinand, the Sex Pistols, Bloc Party, Wire WHY YOU SHOULD CARE: Because their buzz is real, and their sound is classic. RANDOM QUOTE: “I don't think the presence of R.E.M. in Athens can be totally irrelevant just because of the magnitude of the band, and I think 20 years from now it will still be that way.”

pressure with that kind of geography, but Gispert admits that, “the more I travel, the more I realize just how huge the scene here is,” says Gispert. “When we lived here, it just didn't occur to me as much because I'd been here for four years. But then you get away and realize that you have it pretty good.” The upside is that a lot of the R.E.M. guys are still active in town; the Whigs used the same art director as R.E.M. on their debut CD, Give 'Em All a Fat Lip. So after giving up on all the music industry bullshit and self-releasing their album, the Whigs toured and noticed that people were still coming to their shows. Dave Matthews' vanity record label (ATO) came calling, and before they knew it, the band had finally found a compatible suitor. “Lots of the big labels would say, 'The songs are good but the record sounds like shit, so we'll need to re-record it in an actual studio,'” says Gispert. “Obviously, anybody who said that was out of the running. And actually, ATO just ended up being a no-brainer because we didn't want to be ending up on a really small label, because we'd already done all that ourselves. We'd printed and shipped a bunch already, so there was no reason to pay a really small label to do that. At the same time, we don't want to be associated with things that we know suck, so ATO was kind of a great balance.” “We really liked all the guys there,” he continues, “which I had determined was the most important thing. I figured that if we can meet all the people involved and be friends with them, it's probably going to be okay.” He laughs, “But if you think your A&R guy is a douchebag who wants you to do something that you don't wanna do…” The plan now is to go out and promote Fat Lip, this time with the help of ATO. And come late this year, it's back to the studio to get cracking on a follow-up. The Whigs are excited to have a label home– one that trusts them to do follow their muse whether that means recording another album in the living room of a house or headed for a fancy studio. They're enthusiastic about writing new songs and chasing a career that is finally within reach. --John Davidson

DIDDY... OR DIDN’T HE? I

have beef with Sean “Diddy” Combs. I'm not all puffed up at dude because of the way he watered down Biggie's legacy with limp tribute albums. And honestly, I'm not even mad at the savvy exec worth hundreds of millions for incessantly trying to add “rapper” to his extensive resume. My troubles with Diddy, who's making the rounds promoting his new, collab-stuffed Press Play, stem from his punctuality... or lack thereof. We're supposed to meet up around noon. When the 36-year-old Harlemite (and an entourage with everything but Drama and Turtle in it) shows up, it's nearly 1:45. See, that's what I hate about celebrities: Everything's on their time! All they seem to... “I'm really sorry for being late,” chimes in Combs. “They got me running all over the place.” After I exhale, we get down to the business of making music, making money and making babies-lots of babies.

Man, you're all over the place. How can you stay in a relationship? I think that being a workaholic and sometimes being more passionate about my work than my personal life, it's been hard to be in a relationship with me. And I wanted to tell the honest truth, so I made sure that even in the album you heard what it was like from the female side ot be in a relationship with me. So it's just the truth. The whole album is about the truth. As you get older, is it a struggle to remain relevant? I just do me. I just get stronger and stronger. If anything I become more relevant because this is what I do. I don't judge relevancy on like are you relevant on the underground, are you relevant commercially, I judge relevance as if you're having an impact long term. If you've changed the game, know what I'm saying? And I know that I've done my best

to change the game for the better. be in a relationship with me. So it's just There's more young people that get a the truth. The whole album is about the chance to have their own labels, that truth. You and Kim [Porter, Diddy's girlfriend] have a chance to have their own clothing are having twins. Has it sunk in yet? lines, get a chance to star on Broadway, thinking about traveling abroad, thinking I'm in shock right now. I cannot even about starting their own company. And I imagine what that's going to be like. I'm can't say I'm responsible for all of that, in a state of shock. To see it from somenot whatsoever. But I know I've had a body else, it's like ok that's cool. But to role in trying to make sure that was think that you're going to have twins, I wouldn't have thought that in a milhappening, that kids of our color lion years. It just shows you how saw paths other than just playing some ball or having a mic in great God is. He hits you with a their hand, that they could million surprises just when do it all. you need them and you “We tell What would the Diddy least expected. kids, ‘You can do of today tell the Do you have traces Diddy of yesterof other twins in anything.’ That ain't day? your family? the whole story. You can That's a good I don't know. question. I We're trydo anything if you put in think the ing to that hard work. You can do thing I can trace it now. It could say I most anything if you're ready learned is that just be a mirato put the blood, you've got to have cle from God. I balance. I feel like don't remember seesweat and tears ing any twins at family there were certain into it.” reunions, but you never times where I worked so know. much and I neglected a lot Is Press Play your last album? of people because of working I don't know. That's a dangerous so much and one of the things I thing to say. You never know what's learned from going through ups going to happen. You can expect a lot and downs, every time I went and had a down part, none of that stuff that I was of musicality. You can expect me to surfocused on was around. Just my family prise you in the sense that I know I've gotten better as far as my delivery, my flow, was there. Everybody else was gone. Speaking of fam, how in the world do my level of production. I'm way more you make time for business, making open, way more vulnerable, way more music and being a father? honest on this. What’s this album all about? I think that being a workaholic and someYou can expect a lot of great songs. times being more passionate about my Everything has a different color and flawork than my personal life, it's been hard to be in a relationship with me. And I vor. It's almost like a big bowl of jellywanted to tell the honest truth, so I made beans. And I get to do that with my stuff sure that even in the album you heard 'cause I stay in my lane. I'm known for what it was like from the female side to doing stuff with artists so each artist that

comes on it, I don't have to carry the album myself. Each artist that comes on adds a new flavor, but I am carrying more of it, giving more textures and colors and styles with my flavor. It's like I made a movie on wax and I wanted everybody to be just right for the scene. It took me over a year and a half to do it and I didn't have to extra persuade anybody. Everybody was with it. I think everybody values my work in a sense that when I do collaborations, they're going to be different. I've never done a collaboration and it hasn't worked out for the other person. Speak to the kids for a sec. They see the fame and fortune and want to emulate it. But there's more to it than that, right? My vision is to speak to them as much as I can on the realities of achieving their dream. I think that we tell kids, “You can do it. You can do anything.” That ain't the whole story. You can do anything if you put in that hard work. You can do anything if you're ready to put the blood, sweat and tears into it. And [the American public is] going to put it on you three or four times harder than they do on any other races for you to be successful. So that's why you gotta really focus with school. You gotta really be intense about it or else you gonna be up on that corner at 38 and you're gonna be depressed. And when I hit 'em with that, it kinda resonates cause everbody got that corner filled with them 35-, 38-yearolds and that ain't what's hot! That ain't where you want to be! You want to get with this, cause I'm getting money over here. And I'm getting money cause I put in that work. It feels good, if somebody gets sick, to be able to send them to the best doctor. Somebody wants to go to school? Send them to the best college. So that's real talk. You hit them with that real talk and they understand. –DeMarco Williams PG 23 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

Music

ALBUM REVIEWS

by B. Love, DeMarco Williams, Andrew Gilstrap, John Davidson & John Moore

The Dean’s List

RAY LAMONTAGNE- ‘TIL THE SUN TURNS BLACK (RCA) Haunted folk troubadour.

BL "Don't let your soul get lonely, child/It's only time, it will go by," Ray LaMontagne sings over the stringladen backdrop of the opening track on his sophomore CD, before introducing the moaned mantra of "Be Here Now." Taken out of context, such a contemplative ideology might make you think the singer-songwriter has found nirvana, or at least spent time with the Maharishi, especially when you hear the Beatles-influenced closer, "Within You." But don't be fooled: LaMontagne is as angst-riddled as ever. By the second track, "Empty," he's bemoaning how "I never learned to count my blessings/I choose instead to dwell in my disasters." Sweetly melancholy songs like "Barfly" and "Can I Stay" tap into the mythos of the drifter poet, who's "going nowhere lately" and wants to stay with you 'til the morning because "I am so far from home and I feel a little stoned." The bluesy "You Can Bring Me Flowers" finds him delivering the final kiss-off to an ex, assuring her that she can bring him flowers "when I'm dead and gone" as horns serenade the dearly departed relationship. The album's production, again by Ethan Johns, shines the focus on LaMontagne's distinctively soulful voice and expressive lyrics. And no matter the mood, whether it's the throwback funk of "Three More Days" or the bitter resignation of the breakup ballad "Lesson Learned," LaMontagne proves captivating, moving from romantic whispers to wounded wails. Who knew that being haunted by love's demons was the key to avoiding the dreaded sophomore slump?

PAVEMENT- WOWEE ZOWEE SORDID SENTINELS EDITION (Matador) A trip down memory lane.

JD Back in the time before the Internet (or at least before Napster), Pavement was setting themselves up to be the next R.E.M. They'd had their first weird but interesting album, some singles, a fractured EP, and then unloaded a relative hit in the poppy “Cut Your Hair” off their sophomore album, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain in 1994. All that was left to conquer the music world was an album full of pop songs instead of the noisy crap that had given them their coveted indie credentials. Maybe that's why, in 1995, Pavement released Wowee Zowee, an album that not only dashed their hopes for selling out but also drove quite a few fans away. Wowee comes off like a concerted departure from everything prior, with far less racket and a lot more of the atmospheric color and subdued guitar lines that mark singer/chief songwriter Stephen Malkmus' solo work. “We Dance” kicks off the album with a hushed acoustic vibe that, truth be told, never quite lets go. If it weren't for Pavement's innate sense of humor in the lyrics, there wouldn't be much light in these 18 songs. The 32 rarities and extras follow the example of previous Pavement reissues, showering fans with context from both studio and stage. Nothing here is particularly memorable, though it must be said that the quantity-to-quality ratio rose substantially in the short years between releases. If nothing else, Wowee Zowee Sordid Sentinels Edition primes the well for the final two re-releases in the Pavement back catalog.

GIGI- GOLD & WAX (Palm) Global fusion. PG 24 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

BL There’s a certain segment of the music-loving population (i.e.critics, and the sort of tech-savvy geeks who read Musician magazine to figure out what strings/ amps/effects units their favorite guitarist uses) among whom Bill Laswell is revered as a god. Starting out as a bassist on the late '70s New York jazz/funk scene, Laswell went on to produce hundreds of artists– everyone from jazz legends like Miles Davis to funk forefathers such as Bootsy Collins to alt-rock icons like PiL. Along the way, he also put together innovative groups such as Material and Praxis, worked with nearly every world music musician of note, and established himself among the leading lights of the ambient/dub scene while laying foundations for hip-hop’s future. There was a time when Laswell seemed to release a new CD every few weeks, but his output has slowed in recent years. Which only makes his latest production, starring Ethiopian vocalist Gigi Shibabaw, all the more refreshing. Trying to describe the music in terms of strict genre definitions is pointless, not to mention insulting to its boundary-defying intent. Skittering drum 'n' bass beats, ambient dub basslines, jazzy keyboards, funky brass and African percussion are impeccably combined to craft heady musical backdrops, over which Gigi's vocals swirl, swoop and dive gracefully. From Bernie Worrell and Buckethead to percussionists Karsh Kale and Aiyb Dieng, every musician involved is a master of their craft. And Laswell blends these elements like a master alchemist to create a worldly album that's unlike anything you've ever heard, yet also utterly familiar.

GEORGE WINSTON- BALLADS AND BLUES 1972 SPECIAL EDITION (Legacy) & GRIZZLY BEARYELLOW HOUSE (Warp) The new and the old new age.

JD More than 30 years ago, George Winston and his stablemates on the Windham Hill label established themselves as THE New Age music purveyors to the masses. Ballads and Blues 1972 was the gateway to his style; he calls it “rural folk piano,” and the only thing it has in common with traditional New Age is its serenity. Songs such as “Brenda's Blues” and “Blues In G” display pedestrian interpretations of blues style. It's only when he gets into “Untitled” that his signature pastoral chorales emerge. The Special Edition CD is a unique reminder of the influence of New Age when bookended by the new Grizzly Bear album. The band's debut, Horn of Plenty, only hinted at their penchant for vocal arrangements and sonic murals. But while that album was hindered by amateur production and arrangements, Yellow House is an ambitious follow-up. Collages of voices and instruments blend together to create lush soundscapes where words take a back seat to evocative harmonies. It's a stunning accomplishment for a band that doesn't have a major label budget to work with. Of course, few will attach Yellow House to the New Age music that precedes it. Instead, slowcore artists like Low and the space-folk of Elliot Smith will be the modern touchstones. That's fine, but sometimes a wider context of influences can make an album like Yellow House even better.

MONEEN- THE RED TREE (Vagrant) & NEW FOUND GLORY- COMING HOME (Geffen) Clinging desperately to a dying genre.

JM As platinum-selling rockers like Panic! At the Disco and My Chemical Romance try to run as far away from the emo tag as humanly possible (given the fact that they're still wearing ruffled shirts, top hats and marching band uniforms), two of the genre's last remaining holdouts are left to go down with the good ship broken heart. On The Red Tree, their fourth album, Toronto-based outfit Moneen does little to step away from the sound they first started shaping in the late ‘90s. With pleading lyrics awash in a torrent of distorted, swirling guitars, punctuated occasionally by faint drums, the songs are little more than uninspired retreads of material you've heard countless times before from dozens of emotionally-stunted twentysomethings in tight t-shirts and women's jeans. Just as Moneen try to prop up emo's flag in Canada, Florida's New Found Glory– one of the earlier beneficiaries of emotional rock– do their best to resuscitate the dying genre in the U.S.A. with Coming Home. The band's seventh effort (counting a couple of early EPs) is impressive only in the fact that singer Jordan Pundik has finally found a way to drop his voice to minimize the nasal, high-pitched whining that defined their sound for nearly a decade. There are a handful of decent tracks buried on Coming Home (most notably “Not Your Fault” and “On My Mind”), but a couple of OK tracks spread among nearly a dozen filler songs is not enough to keep the record afloat. As the more adventurous bands in the emo genre scramble to redefine themselves, diehards like Moneen and New Found Glory are admirably oblivious to the trend’s swan song. Moneen= (C); New Found Glory= (C+)

THE CLASH- THE SINGLES (Legacy) Yet another testament to greatness.

JD Depending on whom you ask, the Clash were one of the most important punk bands ever, if not the most important bands ever. That conventional wisdom has led to a suspicious amount of activity by those who stand to benefit from the recorded output of the band. The vaults have been raided so thoroughly that there are now more than twice as many compilations and reissues as there were original albums. Nevertheless, here comes The Singles. This four-CD box set isn't a standard set of the band's singles that were released for chart purposes; a one-disc collection of that nature was done six years ago for the United States, and there have been various other compilations done in the past to illustrate their “greatest hits.” Here, we have all nineteen of the singles that the Clash released in the U.K., as well as the requisite glossy booklet of laudatory liner notes, numerous bonus tracks, rarities and promos. Sony even found six unreleased songs in the archives that will interest completist collectors. Still, you wonder when the borderline exploitative quest for new releases will end for seminal bands’ back catalogs. Every new iteration of technology seems to bring more offerings; do you wait and buy the whole set, or just hope that you can get the six “new” songs arbitrarily from the iTunes Music Store? At some point, the redundancies involved make the exercise a lot less fulfilling. (B+)

SADAT X- BLACK OCTOBER (Riverside Drive) Giving forebearers their due props.

BL “A hero ain't nothin' but a sandwich, and a Legend ain't nothin' but a car.” Though these jaded, cynical sentiments

were expressed by House of Pain way back in 1994, they're also a painfully succinct summary of hiphop's prevalent attitude towards the genre's innovators. In these here-today-gonetomorrow times, where an artist's respectability seems to be based more on Soundscan sales figures and Billboard chart position than on old-fashioned ideals such as integrity, intelligence or lyrical prowess, the only Legend hip-hop seems to give a shit about is John (who, ironically enough, is among the genre's most ol' school-influenced artists). So where does that leave a guy like Derek... er, I mean, Sadat X, whose work with the aggressively Afrocentric Brand Nubian made him one of the most distinctive voices of the early '90s hip-hop boom? It leaves him on a tiny indie label, working with mostly b-grade producers (though Diamond D, J-Zone and Da Beatminerz pop in for one song each), with the only big name featured artists his loyal Brandmates, Lord Jamar and Grand Puba. It also leaves him rapping humbly about life in the underground rap world, thanking his friends, family and true fans for sticking by him even when he's not on top of the hip-hop heap. In short, it leaves him being treated like anything but the legend he truly is. Sadly, Black October is not likely to be the record that's gonna put Sadat X back at the front of the progressive rap pack, though it does have some impressive standout moments. Lyrically, the album finds him as on point as ever, dropping rhymes full of Five Percent Nation ideologies, but frankly the production's budgetary restraints show more often than not. The introspective title track, which details his struggles in the New York court system and his impending incarceration (hence the album's title), boasts a slamming beat courtesy of DJ Spinna, but Ayatollah's overly busy wall of sound on “Throw Tha Ball” obscures the impact of the MC's words. The best songs here– the Diamond Dproduced “The Post,” in which X spins wonderful lyrical webs taken straight from New York Post headlines; the rough 'n' rugged posse track “If You,” featuring Boss Money Gangstas; and J-Zone's ridiculously catchy “X Is A Machine”– allow the man plenty of room to shine, displaying the lyrical skills that made him one of the game's most respected MCs way back when. And for true school heads who actually know their history, hearing Brand Nu reunited on “Chosen Few” is nothing less than a stunning return to form that promises we haven't heard the last of these bona fide legends. Recognize. (B)

I AM GHOST- LOVER'S REQUIEM (Epitaph) Growing up... a little.

JM Following in the steps of fellow Cali band AFI, I Am Ghost is anything but sunny. Ensconced in velvet, ruffles, lace and vats of eyeliner, the band takes their cues from goths like Christian Death more than they do from radio-friendly freaks like My Chemical Romance. On Lover's Requiem, their first full-length, they sound far more accomplished than on their 2005 debut EP. From the opener, the orchestral “Crossing the River Styx,” the band is out to prove they’re more than a mere Dracula-obsessed sextet with powerful screams. Songs like the ambitious “Pretty People Never Lie, Vampires Never Really Die” succeed because the band doesn't fall back on the clichéd bellows that brought down their previous efforts. The same could be said for “Of Masques and Martyrs,” with its alternating male and female vocals. When the band returns to throat-shredding vocals, I Am Ghost sounds like every other boring scream-o band out there. The group clearly set out to create a full-on rock opera; what they got is a standard collection of so-so goth-rock, with hints of something better buried throughout. (B-)

Music JENNIFER O'CONNOR- OVER THE MOUNTAIN, ACROSS THE VALLEY AND BACK TO THE STARS (Matador) Rough-hewn folkies.

JD There are a lot of dreamers in the coffee shop, and a lot of kids sitting alone in their bedroom with an acoustic guitar. The folk revival that began in earnest in the 1950s continues to hold a spell on every generation since. Those reasons explain the vast numbers of singer-songwriters who dream of an audience and probably will never find one, and they also point to the discerning factor for those who do (i.e. good songwriting). Over the Mountain, Across the Valley and Back To the Stars has a lot of that, despite the gut feeling throughout that this is an album you've heard a few times before. Jennifer O'Connor's voice is typical of a female folksinger-slightly husky, reverent, and hopelessly introspective. She plucks, she strums, she pleads, she conveys empathy and earnest soul with a natural charm and none of the faux pathos so irritatingly common in the genre. So while O'Connor is somewhat mannered, it works in a way that Cat Power never quite can. Still, songs like “Today” have a distance that is nearly cold, what with O'Connor pleading for a friend to stay in the lyrics and her voice employing ambivalence as a guard for her true feelings. It's compounded on the songs where the tempo rises and her enthusiasm doesn't; the impression is that she's holding back something, something that never quite reveals itself over the course of Over the Mountain, Across the Valley and Back To the Stars. She takes us on a journey that goes just as far as the title implies, and in the end we're not quite sure where we've been. (B)

COUNT BASS D- ACT YOUR WAIST SIZE (Fat Beats) Mindless self-indulgence.

BL The number one problem with underground hiphop, even for those of us who strongly identify with the so-called “backpacker” scene, is that the production quite often obfuscates the impact, whether out of a willful desire to be different (see: some of El-P's early work) or a simple lack of funds. Say what you will about the commodification of hiphop culture and the resulting homogenization of the genre, but at least most major label rap has a good beat and you can dance to it. Which is not to say that underground rappers should sell their soul to the corporate devil and quest for the almighty dollar. But DAMN, can a brother at least get a final mix in which your everything-but-the-kitchen-sink aesthetic does not completely drown out your lyrics?! Which is all a wordy way of saying that Count Bass D, for all the impressive credits on his resume, could use a little “lessis-more” guidance. Hailing from the hiphop haven of Nashville, the man emerged more than a decade ago as one of the first underground hip-hop artists to produce an album using only live instrumentation. Within a few years he had traded amps for samplers, and ultimately collaborated with the Beastie Boys, Prefuse 73 and MF Doom. With his debut on the respected Fat Beats label, Count Bass D proves to be one of those eclectic indie artists whose refusal to value audience accessibility nearly as much as creativity will turn off all but the most faithful underground hiphop heads. All the right elements are there, including crafty beats, clever samples, jazzy grooves and intelligent lyrics, but the way in which they're combined creates such a cacophonous din that it's impossible to decide which sound to focus on at any given moment. On “Internationally Known,” for example, the treble

of the piano sample and the snap of the snare drum almost completely overwhelm his syncopated rhymes, not to mention the jazzy organ chords that occasionally pop up in the mix. The melodic counterpoint between the organ and melodica on “Case O'Dilla” proves headache-inducing even before the vocals kick in, much less the wailing siren and other samples he piles on like a gluttonous fat boy at an all you can eat sonic buffet. When he does keep things on the relatively minimalist tip (see: “The Slugger of Louisville”), you finally get a glimpse of why so many artists want to work with Count Bass D, and the clean funk-soul groove of the Van Hunt-produced ballad “Half the Fun” proves that all the man really needs is someone to help edit out his more self-indulgent tendencies. It's just too bad there aren't more moments like that on the album. (C-)

SIMON DAWES- CARNIVORE (Record Collection) Shins-worthy indie-pop.

JM As the world collectively waits patiently for the next Shins album (bumped back to 2007), L.A.-based alt rockers Simon Dawes (a group, not a person) offer a great stopgap diversion with their first full-length album. Part jangle-pop, part straight-up rock, the band relies on ‘60s-inspired melodies and influences as purebred as Cheap Trick, The Kinks, Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys and, naturally, The Beatles in writing their catchy-as-hell songs. Part of their appeal is that their music sounds as if it could have come from just about any post-‘60s decade. With an image as marketable as the Killers and songs that are just as strong, there's no decent reason why Simon Dawes shouldn't be selling millions by this time next year. Then again, Phantom Planet had an almost identical pedigree and, despite having penned The OC theme song, they seem destined for a career playing mid-level clubs. (B)

THE LEMONHEADS- SELF-TITLED (Vagrant) Ten years late.

JD Evan Dando has led a variety of Lemonheads incarnations over the past two decades, though no one really cared until his poppy classic, It's a Shame About Ray, made him a poster boy for the alt-rock generation when it was released in 1992. The burst of fame that followed that album’s success left Dando with a variety of substance abuse issues, leading to an inconsistent career that betrayed his honeyed voice. His 2003 solo album was enjoyable enough and predictably good, but by then most of his core fanbase were too busy negotiating the day-to-day stresses of middle management and coaching tball to notice. So, in what is admittedly an attempt at relevance, Dando signed up a handful of friends– drummer Bill Stevenson (Descendents, Black Flag),bassist Karl Alvarez (Descendents), and J. Mascis (Dinosaur, Jr.)– to make this self-titled album. The Lemonheads proves Dando's still got a formidable gift for melody, and although the album doesn't have the folksy vibe that made the girls swoon, his bandmates bring an endearing vigor to his songwriting. It's as solid as anything Dando has ever done, and it's probably the second best album he's ever made. What The Lemonheads doesn't have is a killer single– a track that could transcend the years of dust that have covered up Dando's talent. There are some lookers (“Steve's Boy” and “Pittsburgh”), but nothing that will boom from the latest teen drama on network TV, nothing that will melt a soccer mom and nothing that ties the Lemonheads to modern pop charts. Luckily, these eleven charming (albeit nostalgic) little rock songs do a fine job of standing on their own. (B+)

PRETTY IN PINK

THE PINK SPIDERS PROVE NASHVILLE AIN’T ALL COUNTRY here’s rarely any middle ground quit their respective groups, add Ferrari when it comes to the Pink Spiders. and make The Pink Spiders their main People usually love them or hate focus. them. And Matt Friction, lead singer and Releasing the EP The Pink Spiders guitarist for the Nashville pop rock trio, Are Taking Over in 2004, signing to is pretty happy about that. indie label CI Records and quickly turn“We don’t want to be a band that ing out their first proper full-length, Hot people are indifferent about,” says FricPink, the guys dedicated the next two tion, calling from Detroit just weeks years to playing to as many people as after the band joined up with the possible. Starting out with a $3 perWarped Tour. diem, the bulk of which went towards Three years and thousands of buying booze and smokes, the band miles on the road in the making, the became creative at stretching a buck. “We donated plasma fairly often group of twentysomethings have excelled at a frenzied pace. Their and I got on food stamps so we could stock up on food before we went Ramones-meets-Stones brand of out on the road,” recalls Fricgritty power-pop has already been immortalized on an EP tion. “We did everything “We donated and two full-length releasimaginable to survive. We es. Their latest, Teenage used to go to casinos to plasma fairly often Graffiti, was released in play Black Jack to try and and I got on food raise money.” August on Geffen. Love ‘em or hate Their early albums stamps so we could ‘em, they’re hard to were also exercises in stock up on food ignore. From their infrugality, recorded in your-face live show days rather than before we went out on (Friction has been months. The release of the road. We did known to shout from Hot Pink brought a lot of the stage, “We’re the attention, with its strong everything Pink Spiders and you’re melodies dressed up with imaginable to not!”) to their decision to punk-rock swagger. A numwear pink clothing at all ber of labels were intent on survive.” times, Friction, bassist Jon signing them, but it was Geffen Decious and drummer Bob Ferrari that ultimately won them over. tend to demand attention. With major label funding behind On their decision to dress in pink, them, the band decided to go all out when it came to recording their next Friction says, “It’s one of those things album. “They asked us who we wanted that makes you interested or makes you [to produce it] and, without even thinkdefinitely not interested.” So far he has yet to regret the decision, but even The ing about it, we all said Ric Ocasek. It White Stripes started wearing more than was a pipe dream more than anything red and white after just a couple of else, someone we thought we’d never be albums. And KISS, a decade or so into it, able to work with... He seems to be an undeniable source of cool,” Friction decided to take off the makeup. reports. “He’s just amazing.” The band was raised in Nashville, a With Teenage Graffiti, The Pink city best known for Music Row and a stretch of pawn shops storing the guiSpiders turned in a more grown-up vertars of brokenhearted country star sion of themselves. The Beatles-esque “Adalae” is a perfect example, showing wannabes. But there’s also a surprisingly strong, but small rock scene there. more depth than many would’ve given “There are a lot of record labels the band credit for. “We always wanted and songwriters here, and it seems like to rip off our favorite bands equally,” quips Friction. a lot of the offspring of the songwriters For the past year, the band has in Nashville are starting up rock bands,” been back on the road (though with a notes Friction, who’s quick to point out larger daily allowance), and they plan to that his parents have nothing to do with the music industry. see their foreseeable future through tour As a teen, Friction was in a number bus windows. “We spent so much time of bands, but it was a side-project with hustling, begging and stealing,” recalls Friction. “It’s nice that we can live a bit Decious and a shared passion for The Ramones and Clash that led them to more comfortably now.” –John Moore

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he vast majority of bands spend years lobbying major labels with everything from crude demos to big budget DVDs, trying to win the major label lottery and be that one-in-a-thousand band that gets offered the Holy Grail– a record deal. Third-wave ska band Reel Big Fish, who has been signed to the majors since the late 90's, just wanted out. “We really wanted to get off the label because they weren't really doing anything for us. We weren't one of their million dollar-making bands, like the Backstreet Boys, so when it came to us we weren't really a priority,” says Aaron Barrett, singer/guitarist for the Huntington, CA-based band. Just how a goofy, '80s-obsessed, punk-inspired ska band ended up on a roster alongside Britney Spears, N'Sync and the aforementioned BSB came about as part of the three-card Monty game record labels played in the late '90s thanks to mergers, buy-outs and consolidations. The band was signed to the Mojo label in 1996, when the pop/punk label went on a ska signing spree. The label was a subsidiary of Universal Records at the time, but was soon sold to Jive, home to the bubble gum pop bands. Like it or not, Reel Big Fish was now stuck with a set of parents they couldn't help but rebel against. Considering their not-so-subtle jabs in the media at their contract holders, it's a bit surprising the label didn't decide to let the group walk away earlier. Over the next decade, RBF continued crafting a handful of solid ska/punk classics (the most popular being Sell Out), but they simply couldn't compete with their platinum-selling labelmates. Let's face it, boy band harmonies delivered by non-threatening teens are much more palatable to the mass public than a hornheavy, distortion-laced cover of Lita Ford's “Kiss Me Deadly.” “After we did the Cheer Up album (in 2002), nothing really happened with that. We just wanted them to let us go and they wouldn't,” recalls a frustrated Barrett. In 2005, RBF released the aptlytitled We're Not Happy 'Til You're Not Happy, but you'd be forgiven if you don't remember it, as their label did virtually nothing to market the disc. The band was (and still is) a bit frustrated by the lack of support, considering they were busting their ass on the road to promote a record many of the fans only knew about thanks to postings on the band's website and other punk-rock message boards. “We did really well in the UK, and it never even came out in stores there,” Barrett says. “There never really was a reason they gave (for not letting us leave). We were never really sure what we owed them in terms of records. “

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The band heard about their emancipation mid-tour earlier this year, and couldn't help but share the good news with the audience. The shows from that tour have been packaged in a live album and DVD the band decided to release on its own, without backing from any label. Titled Our Live Album is Better Then Your Live Album, it's been selling remarkably well through grassroots shilling. Asked why Jive never thought about putting out a live record by Reel Big Fish (a band legendary for its live shows), Barrett quips, “I don't think they ever really thought about us at all. Towards the end, we kept suggesting (a live album), but nobody ever got back to us. They wouldn't even take our calls. We had already decided to record these shows and hand in the live album and say, 'Here

you go,' but then...” But then they were dropped. The band had been asking to be let go for so long, they hadn't really started shopping around for a new label yet. The news was met with high fives, but the guys weren't really focused on their next steps. Months later, Barrett sounds calmly optimistic in talking about the band's label-less future. “I think the chance now to really do something on your own is really a lot better with the Internet,” he said. Barrett has a point. With a reliable distributor, a MySpace page and loyal fans, fewer and fewer bands are looking to record labels as a necessity now. The Format, for example, were let out of their major label contracts recently and, like RBF, decided to release their latest record on their own. They’ve done remarkably

well for an indie band. With a major label out of the picture, the bands are able to keep a larger share of the profits and have more control on their career direction. But Reel Big Fish had been fairly self-supportive, even when they were signed to Jive. “The label never had anything to do with our tours, because we never used tour support. We always got our own ads and pretty much did everything ourselves. What the label did for us was front us the money for recording and get the record in stores, and that's pretty much it,” Barrett insists. With We're Not Happy, the band even scraped together the money to pay for their own music video, with no help or input from their label. Like many punk/ska bands, Reel Big Fish has always made its money on the road, so naturally that's where they plan on spending the next few months. Having just come off a major tour with MXPX, they are now getting ready to head out again on an all-ska tour with Streetlight Manifesto, Suburban Legend and Westbound Train. Speaking of ska, Barrett admits it's a bit tough playing a genre that ebbs and flows in popularity. “We were on MTV and the radio for, like, a minute and that was really cool, but it's always been tough being a ska band.” Oddly enough, original members Barrett, drummer Andrew Gonzalez and bassist Matt Wong didn't start out to found a ska band. Like any other 16-yearold picking up a guitar for the first time, he focused on a few Led Zeppelin songs. “We were all fans of all different kinds of music. We started playing parties, and there were tons of ska bands like No Doubt and Sublime playing the clubs, so we just sort of got into the ska scene,” Barrett recalls. They recruited a horn section and got on the radio with “Sell Out,” a song with self-deprecating lyrics, which would become a theme throughout most of the songs that followed. The lineup changed a bit, but their sound remained consistent: fun and sloppy songs with self-loathing lyrics. Each record also included at least one ‘80s cover song, cementing their trademark. Everyone from Tracy Chapman to A-Ha got a Reel Big Fish makeover. Following the live CD and tour, the band plans to put out a split release with Zolof The Rock & Roll Destroyer later this year, but isn't taking any meetings with labels at the moment. “I think we might do a few one-offs with some indie labels and see what happens,” Barrett predicts. “For now we're just going to try and do it on our own and see what happens. If we totally fall on our faces, then we might change our minds.” --John B. Moore

THE HOLD STEADY MEET AMERICA’S BEST BAR BAND

ou kind of want to hate the Hold Steady. They pass in the indie underground for no apparent reason, despite an allegiance to classic rock that would normally repel the hipster cognoscenti. In fact, if they keep making records as good as their opening trifecta (2004's Almost Killed Me, 2005's Separation Sunday, and this year's Boys and Girls In America) a backlash against their enthusiastic, gleeful rock ‘n’ roll is imminent. We liked the new album so much that we recently sat down with singer/songwriter Craig Finn to find out how the Hold Steady gets it done. There have been several articles about the “Pitchfork effect,” where noticeably larger sales numbers show up after a positive review there. Has that been true for you, or do you think you've been building aside from the acclaim you've received there? I think it's definitely helped. But it's hard for me to tell because we've gotten so much other good press, so it's a little diluted. The other thing is that a lot of the bands that have been made a big deal of, like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah or Tapes-nTapes, these are bands that really didn't have much going on before, whereas we're on our third record. For them, it was a little more like coming out of nowhere. You told me that when you wrote Separation Sunday, you had all these ideas stuck to your wall in the songwriting process. Was it similar this time? It was actually pretty similar. I came across the Kerouac line that the record is kind of based on, which is “the boys and girls in America have such a sad time together” and then the back half of that quote, which I'm not getting exactly right, is something along the lines of “sophistication demands that they go straight to sex without real talk about souls.” I got

that line when I was reading On the Road Again; I read it when I was sixteen and didn't like it but in hindsight, I didn't understand it. So, I was reading it again at 33 years old and I actually thought it was brilliant. It made me laugh out loud on every page. I was just excited about it, and I put that quote up on my wall. And then every time I wanted something more, I just kept going back to that line. When I saw that sentence in the book, I thought, “There's a whole album in there.” That's basically what I tried to do. What’s appealing in your lyrics, at least to me, are the many references to Minneapolis. But that's because I lived there. Although you left Minneapolis for New York six years ago, you still write about your hometown. Why? The reason I use specific things like that is because I think as a songwriter, you try to use specifics to explain a universal. There's something about people who move to New York from the Midwest, like I did, and make it a big part of their identity that's sort of embarrassing. (Laughs) I really think that's about the most unattractive trait someone can have. So, I very specifically avoid that. Secondly, from the Ramones to Lou Reed to even the Strokes, there's a lot of great New York music out there. Being a New Yorker is not a huge part of my identity. It's where I live. I would feel like a poseur if I wrote about it. I'm not gonna say I'm never gonna do it, but at this time I really can't put pen to paper about New York because I'd really feel like a poseur. Are you still enthralled with big bad rock songs and badass riffs? Yeah! I mean, there are about ten different Rolling Stones albums that I listen to that I think are awesome. They're all way better than anything we've ever done, so I don't think the form is exhausted at all. Those guys did fucking Beggars, Let It

Bleed, Exile and Sticky Fingers in four consecutive years! Like, we have nothing on that! Sometimes as bands go on, they feel a need to change their aesthetic. Well, you always want to keep yourself interested, too… Even on this record, I don't see it being hugely different, but “First Night” and “Citrus” are different songs than we've ever done before. I don't know that they're monumentally different to me, but if someone said that they were, I wouldn't be offended. But you're always trying to push yourself in some way, too. Do the Springsteen comparisons annoy you at all? Not really. It's pretty obviously there. I personally think that the Replacements are there just as much. People don't pick up on that as much, but Springsteen's a lot bigger artist than the Replacments are, though. As for the storytelling element, I think that what Springsteen and the Drive-By Truckers and the Hold Steady do is tell stories about people and the places that they're from. That alone makes it a valid comparison to me. There are a couple of songs on this record where the piano mix is really strong, so if you grew up listening to early Springsteen records, that's an obvious touchstone. Well, I guess we kind of started out to be a bar band, and the E Street Band may have been the best bar band of all time. So it's nothing I would deny! What's been the most surprising thing of the past 18 months for the band? I don't know. I've always felt that the reaction by the city as a whole has been exciting and surprising. Our first week sales numbers just came in and we're number 124 on the charts…it's crazy. I thought, “Do people really get into like that?” (Laughs) I didn't think people would like it that much, but…here we are!

As you scale the ladder of success, does the bar of expectations move with it? Yeah, it always does. When I started a band, my goal was to play a show in the 7th Street Entry [a tiny side room off of the more famous First Avenue Club in Minneapolis.] Then you do it, and you think, “Wow, what if we could headline next time?!” And now we're on the Billboard charts? It's crazy. What are your expectations? I think we just want to reach as many people as possible. We're a rock-n-roll band that plays for a largely indie audience. I mean, really, I'd like to reach people who don't even know who Pavement is. I think that there are people who would love our music that maybe aren't in tune with where we operate. I wanna keep playing music for those who really enjoy it. How was the transition to your new record label, Vagrant? Really seamless. A lot of what an indie label is is the people that work there. We talked to a lot of different labels, and the people at Vagrant made so much sense to us just because of the kind of dudes they are. They didn't want to do anything different. Now, maybe with one of their 21 year-old bands who wear makeup, it's different. But for us, it was like, “Just go do what you do, and we'll do what we do.” It's really been easy and the results have been fantastic. They're really good at thinking outside the box, and that's what we were looking for. I mean, we're not, like, indie dudes. We're beer-drinking, baseball guys. Don't you think that's partly because you're a little older than the 20 year-old who just left home for the first time? Exactly. When you're 20 years old, you want the world to know what music you listen to. When you're 35, you just want people to know that you love the Twins. (Laughs) –John Davidson PG 27 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

BEST CARRIBEAN Bridgetown Grill

DINING

Buckhead 404-266-1500 Sandy Springs 770-394-1575

BEST BAGELS Goldberg’s

4383 Roswell Rd. 404-256-3751 1272 W.Paces Ferry 404-266-0123 4520-A Chamblee-Dunwoody 770-455-1119 Colony Square (At Food Ct.) 404-888-0877 Serving delicious breads and bagels since 1972, Goldberg’s fills a hole in the bagel world. The New York Style deli comes complete with fast-paced NewYork Style service.

BEST BARBECUE Sonny’s

Catering 877-7-SONNYS www.sonnysbarbq.com With 38 years of experience, they serve barbecue done right. 14 metro Atlanta locations, and an extensive catering department, Sonny’s makes it easy to get terrific barbecue close to home.

BEST BREAKFAST J. Christopher’s 12 Metro Locations www.jchristophers.com

The place to go for all your traditional breakfast favorites. Go for their signiture dish, Eggs Benedict.

BEST BRUNCH The Flying Biscuit Decatur 404-687-8888 Midtown 404-874-8887 www.flyingbiscuit.com

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www.bridgetowngrill.com

One of Atlanta’s favorite home-grown gems now joins the Raving Brands family. Let’s hope that the new locations keep the local appeal.

BEST BURGER The Vortex

Little 5Pts. 404-688-1828 Midtown 404-875-1667 Winner of numerous awards, The Vortex burgers are second to none.

BEST BURRITO Willy’s

15 Area Location Catering 404-422-7107

At Bridgetown Grill you’ll find great food with a Caribbean twist. They add just the right spices to make you yearn to go back to the islands.

BEST CUBAN Coco Loco

2625 Piedmont Rd. www.cocolocoatlanta.com

Serving up great Cuban cuisine in Atlanta since 1988, Coco Loco has built up a loyal following.

BEST CAJUN Redfish

687 Memorial Dr. SE 404-475-1200 Nestled in the revitalized cabbagetown district, Redfish adds a touch of New Orleans. From the small number of Mardi Gras beads hanging from the light fixtures to Zydeco music playing softly, to the great cajun fare, Redfish has earned its place as one of the best new restaurants in Atlanta.

1341 Clairmont Rd. 404-636-1100

Originally opened in the summer of 1977 by the Papadopoulos family, Athens Pizza is still serving the same delicious Greek recipes their customers have come to expect.

BEST CHINESE Chin Chin

3887 Peachtree Rd. 404-816-2229 and other locations www.chinchinatl.com

From crab rangoons to cashew chicken, Chin Chin offers fine dining that won’t break the bank. This Chinese chain offers several locations around Metro Atlanta, each with the same great flavor, healthy portions and elegant décor.

Atlanta’s original burrito chain. Willy’s award winning signature California-style burritos keep the concept of freshness true.

BEST GREEK Athens Pizza

BEST DELI Goldberg’s

4 Area Location Winner of both Best Bagels and Best Deli this year, Goldberg’s is on a roll! With their new Colony Square location and soon to be completed Roswell Rd. renovation, Goldberg’s has cemented itself as Atlanta’s best.

BEST DINER Landmark

3652 Roswell Rd. 404-816-9090 www.Landmarkdiner.com A landmark of good eats, 24 hours a day. When you crave a 2 a.m. breakfast or an 8 a.m. steak, the food at Landmark Diner will hit the spot.

BEST ICE CREAM Coldstone

15 Atlanta Locations www.coldstonecreamery.com

With multiple locations in the metro area, Coldstone is here to serve. High quality icecream with a wide selection of flavors and options.

BEST INEXPENSIVE RESTAURANT Figo Westside 404-351-3700 Buckhead 404-351-9667 Decatur 404-377-2121 www.figopasta.com

Pasta is the tried and true way to fill up on the cheap. Figo takes it a step further by adding high quality sauces and great sides.

BEST ITALIAN Artuzzi’s 4 Metro Locations www.artuzzis.com

BEST PIZZA Savage Pizza

484 Moreland Ave. L5P 4-523-0500 www.savagepizza.com

768 Marietta St. 404-522-5655 www.spoonatlanta.com

Savage offers hand-tossed crusts original fresh toppings and sauces simmered to perfection. This L5 Pts. landmark has risen to the top our our 2006 poll.

Spoon brings authentic Thailand cuisine to the westside. Their lemongrass panna cotta is not to miss.

BEST STEAKHOUSE New York Prime

Relatively new to the Atlanta area, Artuzzi’s has been rapidly adding locations. With a concept of high quality Italian served fast, we can see why thye have built up such a huge following.

Buckhead 404-846-0644

Located in the Monarch Tower next door to the Ritz-Carlton hotel, New York Prime has been on the rise. Their light airy dining room offers an inviting contrast to the usual steakhouse dimly lit decor. Once seated, you will find their steaks rival any in the city.

BEST MEDITERRANEAN Mediterranean Grill 2126 N. Decatur Rd. 985 Monroe Dr. 404-917-1100

BEST THAI Spoon

BEST PIZZA BY THE SLICE Fellini’s 7 Metro Locations

Here it always seems to be busy, which is why it is great to be able to grab a slice in a hurry. Great slices made to order the Fellini’s way. Voted Best in 2005, they are back as Atlanta’s favorite. And array of great food from the region including calamari, tabouli, falafel and fetoush salads.

BEST TAPAS Eclipse di Luna 764 Miami Circle 404-846-0449 www.eclipsediluna.com When Eclipse di Luna opened in 1997, it was a trailblazer setting a trend in Tapas style restaurants that has grown exponentially over the years. This funky and festive restaurant located at the end of the Miami Circle antique and design district still packs them in.

BEST VEGETARIAN Cafe’ Sunflower 2140 Peachtree Rd. 404-352-8859 5975 Roswell Rd. 404-256-1675 A vegetarian’s delight. Cafe Sunflower located in south Buckhead and Sandy Springs has become a staple for those carnivore adverse. You can also find great vegan desserts.

BEST WINGS Buffalo’s

Multiple Area locations www.buffaloscafe.com The wings at Buffalo’s are the taste that made them famous. The plump wings are deep-fried to perfection, doused in a secret sauce of the customer’s choosing and served with rich blue-cheese.

BEST MEXICAN Zocalo

Decatur 404-270-9450 Midtown 404-249-7576 Grant Park 404-635-9930 www.zocalocreativemex.com

BEST RIBS Fat Matt’s

1811 Piedmont Ave. 404-607-1622

Since 1995, the Martinez Obregon family continues to rack up awards for their cuisine and authentic margaritas. They recently added a Zocalo Taqueria to Grant Park.

BEST NEW RESTAURANT Ecco 40 7th Street 404-817-3650 www.fifthgroup.com

The new restaurant from the Fifth Group (The Food Studio, South City Kitchen) is located in the heart of midtown and features seasonally inspired cuisine with Italian, Spanish and French influences.

www.fatmattsribshack.com

Featuring finger-licking-good smoked meat and tangy sauce. Eat ribs by the slab, half-slab, as a combo or on a sandwich and listen to local blues bands in this friendly honky-tonk.

BEST SUB /SANDWICH Baldino’s

80 Powers Ferry Rd. 770-321-1177 5697 Buford Hwy. 770-455-8570

BEST NOODLE HOUSE Doc Chey’s 4 Metro Locations www.doccheys.com

The original pan-asian noodle house in Atlanta. Menu includes dim sum, salad bowls, soup bowls, noodle bowls and rice plates. Best Spicy Thai Basil Noodle Bowl in the city.

Since 1975, Baldino’s Giant Jersey Subs has been recognized as the only true New Jersey Style submarine in the South. When you eat a Baldino’s sub, you know the difference.

BEST SOUTHWESTERN Agave 242 Boulevard S.E. 404-588-0006

Knowledgeable staff and well known chef Gregg Herndon keep Atlantan’s buzzing about thier southwestern cuisine. PG 29 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

NIGHTLIFE BEST BEER SELECTION Taco Mac

Multiple locations www.tacomac.com

BEST COLLEGE BAR Moondog’s

3179 Peachtree Rd. 404-231-2401 Site of this year’s INsite Best Bartender Contest, one can see why the students love it. Great bartenders, plenty of rooms to wander, pool tables, dart boards, texas hold’em, and rock’in music.

BEST COMEDY CLUB Funny Farm With over 200 botled beers and up to 100 beers on tap, Taco Mace has the largest beer selection in the city. People come to try beers they never heard of before and wash them down with their great wings.

BEST BLUES CLUB Northside Tavern 1058 Howell Mill Rd. 404-874-8745 Bringing great blues to the westside. A Wonderfully rhythmic sound emanates from this popular tavern at night. Here you will find all sorts of people with one thing in common; their love for the blues.

BEST BREWHOUSE Five Season’s Brewery 5600 Roswell Road 404-255-5911

Located at The Prado in Sandy Springs, Five Season’s offers some of the finest brews in the city. It has become an Atlanta hot spot due to their popular patio area and TV’s by the bar.

608 Holcomb Br. Rd. 770-817-4242 www.FunnyFarmComedyClub.com

BEST DANCE CLUB Hole in the Wall

3179 Peachtree Rd. Buckhead

404-233-9801

The dance floor has been bump’in at Hole in the Wall this year and Insite readers have come to notice. A great place to head to at the end of the night.

BEST HAPPY HOUR The Tavern at Phipps 3500 Peachtree Rd. 404-814-9640

Funny Farm is more than just a Comedy club. Located in the Star Time Entertainment complex in Roswell, there is plenty to do before and after the show. From pool tables, arcade games, batting cages and more to entertain you between seeing some of the top comedy acts that come to town.

BEST COUNTRY HALL Wild Bills 2075 Market St. Duluth 678-473-1000 www.wildbillsatlanta.com

With a capacity of over 5,000, they can show you a good time. Wild Bill's is located just off of I-85 on Pleasant Hill Rd, in front of Gwinnett Place Mall.

The city’s hottest spot for cool cocktails after work. Atlanta’s Best Bartender Patrick Kelly is teamed up again behind the bar with fellow flair aficionado Dave Beck. The two bartenders make happy hour at The Tavern unlike any other.

BEST LOCAL MUSIC Smith’s Olde Bar 1578 Piedmont Ave. 404-875-1522 www.smithsoldebar.com Original live music seven nights a week. The music venue is located upstairs from the bar and offers an intimate setting that is a favorite among Atlantans. Here you will find national acts as well as local artists during the week.

BEST MARGARITA Agave

242 Boulevard SE 404-588-0006 agaverestaurant.com Here you will find 10 different award winning margaritas. They boast 85 tequilas and use the finest ingredients including fresh squeezed juices in their

drinks. For the last 4 years Agave has been rated excellent by the Zagat survey, voted Best Margarita by numerous publications and is one of ATL’s top 50 dining establishments.

BEST MARTINI The Highland Tap 1026 N. Highland Ave. 404-875-3673

One of Virginia Highlands best kept secrets. The Highland Tap is known for their great steaks and great martinis. Go down stairs and enter an atmosphere reminicient of Lake Tahoe in the 50’s.

PG 31 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

Thanks Atlanta, for Voting Us

BEST BRUNCH

BEST MOVIE THEATER Midtown Arts Cinema

931 Monroe Dr. Midtown Promenade 404-872-5796 The premier independent film theatre in Atlanta. Here you will not only see critically acclaimed hard to find movies but often the players themselves. “Running with Scissors” author Augustine Burroughs recently stopped by.

BEST SPORTS BAR The Famous Pub 2947 N. Druid Hills Rd. 404-633-3555

Located in Toco Hills near Emory, Famous boasts six big screens and over 40 TV’s shwoing every major college and pro game. In addition they have plenty of pool tables and other games to make it a great time out.

BEST MUSIC VENUE INDOOR Variety Playhouse

1099 Euclid Ave. 404-524-7354 www.variety-playhouse.com Great seating, unobstructed views and eclectic acts are hallmarks of this Little Five Points landmark. Don’t miss Shawn Mullins (Nov. 24) and Peaches and Herms (Nov. 28).

BEST MUSIC VENUE OUTDOOR HiFi Buys Amphitheatre 2002 Lakewood Way 404-249-6400 www.hob.com

Atlanta’s largest and premier dedicated concert venue. Advanced lighting and clear, unrescricted sightlines make HIFI Buys Amphitheatre the favorite summer concert site for the avid music fan.

BESTNEIGHBORHOODBAR Mike & Angelo’s

RETAIL BEST ADULT NOVELTY STORE Starship

Multiple Area Locations For location nearest you 404-766-6993 www.shopstarship.com An Atlanta favorite for those into the erotic. Thousands of videos, dvd’s, adult toys, condoms, candles and novelties to meet whatever your desire.

312 E. Paces Ferry Rd. 404-237-0949

BEST ADULT VIDEO STORE Inserection

With the transformation of Buckhead in recent years, there a few constants. Mike & Angelo’s is one of them. Thye still pour the Jager, offer live music, and serve their legendary hamburger’s until 2am.

An incredible assortment of XXX videos and DVD’s. They also house a wide variety of magazines and adult toys to get your nasty on.

BEST PATIO Front Page News

1104 Crescent Ave. 404-897-3500 351 Moreland Ave. 404-475-7777

Multiple Area Locations 404-888-0878 www.inserection.com

BEST ART SUPPLY Binders

3330 Piedmont Rd. 404-237-6331 www.bindersart.com Located in the Kroger shopping center on Piedmont Road, Binders is a favorite place to shop for art supplies. There are hundreds of frames to choose from, with many 50% to 75% off. A great place to find that perfect gift for the holidays.

The Front Page News restaurants feel like New Orleans taverns, with great food and strong drink in a laid back inviting atmoshere. There patios have won numerous awards, and judging by the crowds, every bit deserving of it.

BEST POOL HALL Buckhead Billiards 404-237-3705

Celebrating 17 years in Atlanta, Buckhead Billiards remains the place for party goers to meet before and after hitting the famed bars. While you are here, enjoy their many 10’ tables and two professional 9’ tables.

BEST PUB Fado

3035 Peachtree Rd. 404-841-0066 www.fadoirishpub.com

There is no place finer. From the authentic wood bar (actually built in Great Britain and reassembled in Atlanta) to the stone facade, Fado is what a pub should be. It is busy at night and early morning for the futbol games. PG 32 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

BEST CARRY-OUT FOOD Whole Foods Multiple Area Locations www.wholefoodsmarket.com

Whole Foods is an obsession with many in Atlanta. People go not just to shop for groceries but for the experience. The ready made foods section in the Buckhead store rivals some local bars for meeting people.

BEST CLOTHING STORE Junkman’s Daughter 464 Moreland Ave. 404-577-3188

Little Five Point’s favorite and largest store. Here you will find eclectic and unique clothing that has made the area a most stop shopping destination.

BEST COMPUTER STORE Monarch Computer.com 5242 Royal Woods Dr. #160 Buy online or by phone 1-800-611-0875

The leading computer equiptment warehouse in Atlanta. Here you will find every PC and computer component at drastically reduced prices.

BEST CONSIGNMENT Psycho Sisters

Little 5 Pts 404-523-0100 Sandy Springs 404-255-5578 Marietta 770-565-6310 Lilburn 770-923-5228 Cartersville 770-607-0888

Recently celebrating 15 years in Atlanta, Criminal Records keeps putting out the tunes. Atlantan’s drive far and wide to this L5Pts. bungalow to grab the hippest releases.

BEST SHOE STORE Shoemaker’sWarehouse

500 Amsterdam Ave. 404-881-9301 Want designer footwear without designer prices? Featuring 13,000 square feet of all styles and sizes at 30 % to 60 % off, Shoemaker’s Warehouse is popular for its bargain buys. Plenty of shoes for men, too.

BEST SMOKE SHOP This That And The Other

2335 Cobb Pkwy 770-984-8801 If you are looking for premium cigars, they have a walk-in humidor with all the accessories. This is the place to go in Marietta from everything in adult novelty to sports memorabilia to jewelry, incense, cards and aromatherapy.

An out of the ordinary name for a unique boutique. From fun to funky, wacky to wild, Psycho Sisters is the queen of consignment. Featured threads include Levis, Diesel, costumes, footwear and plenty of polyester.

BEST FUTON STORE Home Concepts 6440 Dawson Blvd. 770-448-8425 729 Ponce De Leon Pl. 404-885-1505 www.atlantafutons.com Atlanta’s premier futon store has been voted “Best” 11 times by Atlanta publications. Hundreds of frames, cushions and covers plus desks, nightstands and chairs suit you’re futon and furnishing needs.

BEST FURNITURE STORE Cort Furniture Doraville 770-939-5222 Marietta 770-955-4044

Name Brand Home and Office furniture being offered at up to 70% off the new retail prices. Cort Clearance Center is a great way to get high quality furniture pieces that will hold up for years to come, but at an unbeatable price. Our readers agree!

BEST LIQUOR STORE Green’s

737 Ponce de Leon 404-872-1109 2612 Buford Hwy. 404-321-6232 Green’s has been serving Atlanta’s beverage needs since1937 with thousands of items at deeply discounted pricing every day. Voted Best retail beverage store in Atlanta 15 years in a row.

BEST MUSIC STORE Guitar Center

1485 NE Expressway 404-320-7253 www.guitarcenter.com Does anyone else come close? Here you will find much more than guitars: amps, drums, DJ & lighting equiptment, keyboards and accessories are just the beginning. Name brands like: Yamaha, Roland, Tascam, Pioneer, and more.

BEST RECORD STORE Criminal Records

466 Moreland Ave 404-215-9511 www.criminal.com

LIFESTYLE BEST CAR WASH Cactus Car Wash Midtown 404-876-3232 Buckhead 404-846-4040

Winner of multiple awards in Atlanta, their Ponce location was recently rated as best nationally.

BEST HAIR SALON Van Michael

Virginia Highland 404-874-6604 Buckhead 404-237-4664 Sandy Springs404-255-0026 Norcross 678-987-3600 Voted one of Atlanta’s best and most affordable salon by Atlanta Magazine and Creative Loafing, it looks to be unanimous.

BEST HEALTH CLUB LA Fitness Multiple locations WWW.LAFITNESS.COM

The famous LA club is Atlanta’s largest health club as well. They offer tons of amenities at unusually low rates. Here you can take classes in boxing and cycling, swim in their many pools, or take part in a a game of basketball or racquetball. With so many locations, there is bound to be one near you.

BEST TEXAS HOLD’EM Smith’s Olde Bar 1578 Piedmont Ave. 404-875-1522

Poker Mon. , Tue., Wed, nights and Sat. and Sun. days. Games are held here through Hold’em Poker with a new city wide tournament begining in November. Games held in the main dining room among large screen TV’s featuring the ESPN Game Plan and Sunday Ticket.

BEST BODY WAX Brazilian Wax

80 Powers Ferry Rd. Marietta 770-579-3201 / 404-454-4742 Owner Andreia Longshore has been waxing for over 15 years. They recently expanded to a larger location in Marietta to meet the demand. PG 33 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

JOSH DAVIS

(A.K.A. DJ SHADOW) ON A CAREER OUTSIDE THE BOX

osh Davis-better known as consummate crate-digger DJ Shadow-- is tired, and not just because his tour bus just rolled into the ATL after a soldout show in New Orleans the night before. Nah, Davis is tired of closed-minded fans still waiting for him duplicate the lightning-in-a-bottle perfection of his 1996 debut, Endtroducing.... He's tired of the constant music biz consolidation that has left his career in limbo more often than not over the past decade, not to mention leaving his sporadic output getting far less promotion and marketing than his creative success would seem to merit. But most of all, he's tired of the blogosphere haters bitching about how his latest LP, The Outsider, almost completely eschews the visionary brand of instrumental hip-hop with which he originally made his name. See, Shadow's on some new shit now. He's on some hyphy shit, rocking it with Bay Area icons such as Keak Da Sneak, Turf Talk and E-40. He's on some underground shit, kickin' it with Phonte of Little Brother and Lateef. And he's on some rock shit, jamming with Brit-pop band Kasabian and Coldplay sound-alike Chris James. Shadow's new mission is to break down the boundaries of strict musical categorization by any means necessary, and in our interview he candidly reveals his frustrations with the music industry and haters alike. What were the good and bad things about having a debut album as influential as Endtroducing? At the time we put out the record, the people at the label (A&M UK) understood it and had a game plan that made sense for the record. I was spoiled, because they knew exactly what they were doing and it had everybody's full attention, from the people at the top on down. Everybody believed in it, and knew exactly how to market it with this 6-month plan. During that time I went back home to my crappy little apartment in Davis, California, not really knowing what was going on. I was obligated to work on the UNKLE record, so I just kept working, and I was alienated for the phenomenon that was occurring. The good thing was that, if it weren't for the attention by all the people at the label, it wouldn't have been such a success. The bad thing was that I thought that's how all record companies workedwhen they got a record, they put all their energy into it and made sure it was a success. So I was spoiled, and it was a big shock with subsequent records to realize how frustrating it is to try to get people [at the label] to focus and do their jobs. It's been 10 years since you released Endtroducing, and The Outsider is only your third proper solo album. Why did it take so long between releases? Well, everything about my career is really odd. I'm American, but I'm considered a foreign artist here because my contract was with Island UK. In 1995, I thought I PG 34 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

was doing an indie deal with the MoWax label, but I was actually signing to A&M Records UK. In 1998, when some alcohol company bought a cigarette company, or whoever it was that owned Universal at the time, they closed down A&M in the UK and put all the MoWax contracts into a hat. Island wanted me, so I ended up there. My first album came out through London/Ffrr in America, then that label closed down and I got moved to MCA. Then MCA closed down in the wake of the downsizing the business has been going through the last 10 years, and I ended up at Geffen. I got tired of showing up at people's doorsteps with this orphan complex, because nobody there really signed me so nobody's really working to make it a success. To test the water, I put out a live DVD, because I want to be a success in my home country as well. I told Island they needed to find me somewhere else, and Universal stepped up and told me they wanted to do it. It was the first time that that had happened with a label here in America. Writers ask me, “Is it different now that you're on a major label?” But I've always been on a major label. It's just been disguised a little bit. How has the relationship with Universal been so far? Honestly, it's a mixed bag. This is a unique album, and it takes a lot of explanation. There's a song called “You Made It,” and some Hot AC stations picked up on it early. But as soon as they found my MySpace page and listened to some of the other songs on the album, they stopped playing it because they were worried about sending their listeners to a hip-hop artist. Which makes no sense. The whole point of this album was to expand people's perceptions of what an album can be and to defy the traditional boundaries of music marketing. When you go to a record store, you're sent to pop/rock, or to rap... I get stuck in electronica, which is always in the back somewhere, and I don't even understand or recognize a lot of the artists I'm grouped with. Where would you like this album filed? The fact of the matter is that I'm an artist that grew up on rap music and, through that, learned to embrace other types of music. It's kinda like Afrika Bambaataa: If he hadn't been listening to German krautrock, he wouldn't have written “Planet Rock” and spawned a million subgenres, like Miami bass and electro. Those are the people that taught me the rules of hip-hop, but it's hard for people in this day and age to reconcile that sort of old school mentality with an artist who's making contemporary music. I'm not trying to sound retro or hold up some banner for taking it back to the old school. With groups like Gorillaz, it's kind of a cliché now to mix a lot of different types of music together on every song, but I feel like MoWax helped invent that sound. Back then, you didn't have people like [Radiohead frontman] Thom Yorke

singing on tracks with samples and beats, and you didn't have scratching in rock songs. Now, over a decade later, I didn't wanna follow that format because I feel it's a little played-out. If I'm gonna do a hyphy song, I want it to hit the hyphy crowd, not just this narrow band of people who can accept all these different genres at once. So that explains the origins of “Three Freaks,” then. Yeah. When it got leaked almost a year ago and started getting radio play on the main urban station in the Bay Area, I decided I was gonna do this sort of album. It still sounds like me, but I didn't mix up genres as much. That's how I listen to music at home: It's not a big thing for me to listen to Rick Ross, then turn around and listen to some Korean ethnic music. That's how I digest music, so I wanted an album that reflected that variety. But it's hard for some people, and you might have seen some people on the Internet hating on it. The same thing happened with the last album, and the album before that, and now they're both considered classics. But I totally believe in this record, and the shows on this tour I've been on have been incredible. It seems like there was a time in the '90s when outsider music had more of a place. T h e r e w a s m o r e o p e n ness to n e w ideas. Yeah, it seemed like when metal was swept aside by grunge, it was like a clean sweep, and as grunge started to wane there was this desire not to lose moment u m . People wanted to seek and find new sounds, and it was an exciting time.

Where do you see your career now? It's a strange time, because I definitely feel like I'm fighting for my right to be a unique individual. The blogosphere is almost becoming like AM radio, where it's just a big bitchfest. I think we're at a turning point, because I don't think you can have that kind of discourse that's negative all the time. Eventually, somebody's gonna go, “OK, so what DO you like?!” But I think the tide is turning a little bit, and I'm committed to touring all yearhere, South America, the UK- and the whole thing is almost sold out. I feel like the sales and the press I'm getting don't really reflect what's happening when I play live. The people who come to my shows are really passionate about saying, “We understand what you're doing. Don't sweat that shit, and don't back down.” And that's what I'm getting from a lot of my peers, too, like Madlib and Alchemist. I think every artist has felt boxed in at some point, trapped by their own body of work, like they have to keep repeating themselves, and this album is about stretching beyond that. –B. Love

Sports

Local News

SHIRLEY FRANKLIN

Speaks frankly on what she loves about Atlanta BY RUSS FISHER

ncaa hoops preview insite’s sweet 16 picks

1. FLORIDA- Joakim Noah was good in high school. He was really good his freshman season with the Gators. During last year's title run he became a top three draft pick. He returns, as do fellow first-rounders Corey Brewer and Al Horford. 2. NORTH CAROLINA- Should the Gators fall, it'll likely be because they were tripped up by these Tar Heels, who are Tyler led by physical forward Hansbrough and the physically-gifted frosh Tywon Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Brandan Wright. 3. OHIO STATE- Should the Gators and Heels stumble, it'll be because they were run outta the gym by the Jamar Butler-led Buckeyes, the most potentially potent Big Ten team in years. Firstyear center Greg Oden could start with 8 NBA teams today. 4. KANSAS- There's a lot to like in Lawrence, including their guards (Mario Chalmers, Brandon Rush) and wingman (Julian Wright). We just don't like the fact they're maturing at the same time as teams in Gainesville and Chapel Hill. 5. DUKE- The Dukies keep their position near the top of the game with the amazing Josh McRoberts in the post, DeMarcus Nelson on the perimeter and Coach K putting it all in place. 6. MARQUETTE- Milwaukee's sports history is strong. The city's recent memories, however, are weaker than a Miller Lite that sat out all night. The terrific trio of Dominic James, Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews give the town something to toast. 7. ARIZONA- Loaded ain't the word in Tucson this year. Mustafa Shakur returns. Super soph Williams Marcus and fantastic freshman Chase Budinger debuts. Wait, maybe they are loaded! 8. UCLA- SoCal hasn't been this excited since they saw TomKat's Suri pics.

The national runner-ups continue their winning ways with Arron Affalo leading the show. Josh Shipp and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute won't play understudies for much longer. 9. LSU- Glen “Big Baby” Davis lost his favorite play pal, Tyrus Thomas, to the NBA. But you don't see him whining about it. That's because Tack Minor and Magnum Rolle dribble in the same crib. 10. PITTSBURGH- The Panthers are so deep that if 7-foot dandy of a center Aaron Gray was standing in the middle of the Atlantic, he'd only have water up to his knee caps. 11. SYRACUSE- Eric Devendorf is better than folks give him credit for. Athletic senior Terrence Roberts is, too. And Rookie Paul Harris is as good as you've heard scouts say. 12. GEORGETOWN- No, you haven't been put in a time capsule: That really is John Thompson's son and Patrick Ewing, Jr. playing for the Hoyas. 13. GEORGIA TECH- Coach Paul Hewitt's time has come. Years of 11, 16 and 15 wins are hopefully over now that Anthony Morrow and Ra'Sean Dickey are juniors and freshmen Javaris Crittenton and Thaddeus Young are joining the team. 14. WISCONSIN- The Badgers like the fact that most of the team that won 19 games last year are back. They love the fact that forward Alando Tucker is one of the returnees. 15. CREIGHTON- The Bluejays a are Missouri Valley Conference power. You laughing now? Just wait 'til Nate Funk and Co. eliminate your favorite team in March! 16. ALABAMA- Ronald Steele is a good baller college who’ll probably have an average NBA career. With the SEC down this year, the Tide's odds of making the Dance are better than average. –DeMarco Williams

riginally elected to office in 2001, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin is the first female mayor in the city's history and the first African-American woman to serve as mayor of a major southern city. Overseeing a variety of progressive programs that improved nearly every aspect of the city (see: five consecutive balanced budgets, crime down 30%, $1.1 million in scholarships for high school seniors in 2005), Franklin was named one of the top five mayors in the country by Time magazine. "What I love most about the city of Atlanta," says the beloved public figure, "is the friendliness and spirit of the people. I've enjoyed living in Atlanta for three decades, and what I enjoy most is the people that I meet, the stories they tell and their willingness to join forces to get things done." Running a big city like the ATL must be stressful. Where do you go to get away from it all? "I enjoy all of our parks, but I especially enjoy Piedmont Park (piedmontpark.org) and Sweetwater Creek State Park (gastateparks.org/info/sweetwater). I love art, so getting away from it all for me is often being in some of the smaller art galleries or museums. I'm completely blown away by the expanded High Museum (high.org), and I love their modern art. The Hammonds House (www.hammondshouse.org) in West Atlanta is another of my favorites, and I really love the Fay Gold Gallery (www.faygoldgallery.com)." You have three grandkids. Where are your favorite places to take them? "I'm gonna go back to the parks again. I think one of the best things about outdoor facilities is that kids can run and play and meet other people. We do that primarily at Adams Park in Southwest Atlanta. But I also think kids like the Atlanta Botanical Gardens (atlantabotanicalgardens.org), because it's an intimate space and they have wonderful exhibits, such as Chihuly in the Garden and Locomotion in the Garden. I've also spent a lot of time at the athletic fields and gymnasiums of Atlanta."

Are you a sports fan? "I'm a moderate sports fan- I like them when our teams are winning! (Laughs) I grew up on basketball, but I've grown to like baseball. I love the Braves (www.atlantabraves.com). I have three adult children who love baseball, so I spend a lot of time out at Turner Field. One of the reasons I like it is that it's often an afternoon or early evening event where you can take kids or your parents, and many generations can enjoy it. I also enjoy football, and usually go to a couple of Falcons (www.atlantafalcons.com) games a year, which tends to be a more adult experience. I'll occasionally go see the Hawks (www.atlantahawks.com) play, but I've only seen the Thrashers (www.atlantathrashers.com) once or twice."

“What I love most about the city of Atlanta is the friendliness and spirit of the people. I've enjoyed living in Atlanta for three decades, and what I enjoy most is the people that I meet, the stories they tell and their willingness to join forces to get things done.” Atlanta has really grown as a cultural hotspot since the Olympics. Do you have any favorite places to see live theatre or catch a concert? "Well, I love Chastain Park Amphitheatre (www.classicchastain.org), and I went there recently to see Anita Baker and Stanley Clarke, because I love jazz. A long time ago in my career I started what was known as the Atlanta Free Jazz Festival, so I would spend hours and hours outdoors in city parks with jazz musicians from all over the world. It's one of my favorite art forms." The city is a Civil Rights mecca. Do you have any favorite African-American cultural landmarks? "The King Center (www.thekingcenter.org) and all of the surrounding facilities are at the top of the list, especially the old Ebenezer Baptist Church. I attended a memorial service for Rosa Parks there that was just wonderful. We could've had the service any place else and it still would've been great, but to have it in the heritage chapel made it very special. There's also a lot that you can do on the Atlanta University Center campus as well. I recall the memorial service for Dr. King after his assassination, held right there on the quadrangle of the Morehouse (www.morehouse.edu) campus, and many, many events have been held there. I love the Martin Luther King Jr. birth home as well, so I guess you could say the entire King historic district is a special place."

CATCH YOUR PANTHERS ON

WRAS-FM 88.5 PG 35 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

Sports

the running of the bulls

insite’s annual nba season preview Kaman names.

transform

into

household

9. DENVER- J.R. Smith is gifted, but we're

is name is Ben Wallace. His game is snatching missed attempts off the glass, swatting the opposition's shots and snarling menacingly in the paint. Many say his new team, the Chicago Bulls, was crazy for signing the 32-year-old, 4-time Defensive Player of the Year to a 4-year/$60 million deal. INsite isn't one of those cynics. Sure, Wallace's move from tightly-knit Detroit hurt our hearts, but we love the thought of No. 3 lining up next to Andres Nocioni and P.J. Brown under the hoop and receiving the ball from Ben Gordon and O f Kirk Hinrich in the backcourt. course, defending champion Miami, Western Conference champ Dallas and a healthy Phoenix won't let the Bulls simply run through the League. But come Valentine's Day, there won't be much anyone can do to stop the Baby Bulls from growing into full-fledge favorites. Yes, somewhere a Pistons fan is weeping. Somewhere else, Pippen is smiling.

1. CHICAGO- We know we're taking a chance picking the Scott Skiles-coached team to not only bypass Cleveland and Detroit in the Central, but Miami in the conference finals. With Big Ben (and lil' one) in the lineup though, we like our chances. 2. MIAMI- Payton (38), Zo (36) and Shaq (34) got their trophies. Dwyane Wade, an absolute sensation and all of 24, will add some individual ones (like, say, MVP) to his mantle before it's all said and won. 3. DALLAS- There’s nothing worse than tasting defeat on your own court. Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry’s memories of the Heat celebrating on their home turf will help them make things right in '07. 4. PHOENIX- If you could guarantee us that amazing center Amare Stoudemire would resemble his old self before the knee injury, this team would be No. 1. Still, two-time defending MVP Steve Nash and Shawn Marion guarantee lots of fast breaks. 5. NEW JERSEY- Remember when you called Vince Carter the next Jordan? Never happened, but what did (avg. of 24 points and six boards in '05-06) was pretty good. Folks are calling Marcus Williams the next Jason Kidd. Check back in a decade. 6. HOUSTON- Tracy McGrady’s body been ailing for years. Now that Yao Ming is becoming the all-around center people thought he'd be (signing Bonzi Wells was a nice touch), T-Mac’s head can stop worrying where additional points will come. 7. DETROIT- The answer: Nazr Mohammed. The question: Name the poor soul forced to fill Ben Wallace's place in the Piston frontcourt and in fans' hearts. The riddle: Will Rip Hamilton and Chauncey Billups make it without their center? 8. LA CLIPPERS- Like the Mets to the Yanks, the Clippers may never supplant the Lakers as L.A.’s must-see team. But their fans deserve the chance to witness Elton Brand, Shaun Livingston and Chris PG 36 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

not sold on him being the answer at shooting guard. We'll buy anything Carmelo Anthony is selling. As for inconsistent Kenyon “K-Mart” Martin, we'll hold on to that receipt, thanks. 10. CLEVELAND- I don't know what's more fascinating, the reality that LeBron James is already better than 95% of the league or that Cavs management didn't grab some guys who could score more than 5% of the nightly points. 11. ORLANDO- You know how they call LeBron, D-Wade and Carmelo Anthony “the Holy Trinity”? Well, chiseled center Dwight Howard's play begs a switch to “the Fab Four.” With a healthy Grant Hill and a better-than-average Hedo Turkoglu, Orlando could be magic. 12. LA LAKERS- Kobe, sporting No. 24 this season, is still the game's No. 1 scoring threat. But we're not expecting a repeat of 81. We are counting on that guy in the 4 slot, Kwame Brown, to keep improving. 13. SAN ANTONIO- 30-year-old Tim Duncan isn't AARP-ready, but he's no longer in the XXL demo either. Manu Ginobili is still cover-worthy. So is Tony Parker... but only in Us Weekly, with that chick from Desperate Housewives. 14. WASHINGTON- Wiz guard Gilbert Arenas is finally getting attention from the masses. While you guys were away, Arenas was scoring 30 a game, dropping six dimes (many to the underrated Antawn Jamison) and snatching two steals. 15. NEW ORLEANS- Chris Paul is the NBA’s next great point guard. With the additions of lots-to-prove Peja Stojakovic and Tyson Chandler to the fold, these Hornets might be the league's next great sleeper. 16. UTAH- In Mehmet Okur, Gordon Giricek and Andrei Kirilenko, the Jazz have a Kofi Annan-approved lineup that can really ball. Deron Williams reps Texas, but definitely keeps with the “can really ball” theme. 17. TORONTO- Umm, yeah. Sorry, we're not big believers in Rasho Nesterovic or top pick Andrea Bargnani at the center spot. The amazing, KG-in-waiting Chris Bosh, however, could start at power forward for us for the next decade. 18. PHILADELPHIA- Chris Webber probably doesn't have many more 20-point seasons left in his weathered body. Same goes for the overworked Allen Iverson with 30-point campaigns. How do you spell relief? Rookie Rodney Carney, that's how. 19. INDIANA- The Hawks got less coverage than Janet Jackson on last month's FHM, so not many people know Al Harrington played very solidly last year. They're going to need him in Hoosierville, where Jermaine O'Neal will get hurt, Stephen Jackson will get in legal trouble and Jamaal Tinsley will turn the ball over. 20. SACRAMENTO- The media will run 1,000 stories about how crazy Ron Artest is, but let him quietly go about his business and put up a fiery 17 and 5 every night and they quiet like a napping librarian. Teammates Brad Miller and Mike Bibby will help bring the noise this year. 21. MINNESOTA- Mike James quietly led the Raptors in scoring last year. It's louder than the buzz on Jay-Z's new album that Kevin Garnett needed the offensive help. Sadly, something's still not quite sounding right with the rest of the lineup. 22. CHARLOTTE- As he did at Gonzaga, Adam Morrison lit up the stat sheets in the summer league. But that's not the only reason they're happy on Tobacco

Road. Emeka Okafor's back, Michael Jordan's in the front office, and guards Ray Felton and Brevin Knight are running side-by-side. 23. MILWAUKEE- The Bucks are one of those head-scratching squads. With Michael Redd leading the herd (which includes Ruben Patterson and the surprising Charlie Villanueva), they could rear their heads in the playoffs or simply get caught in an Eastern power's headlights. 24. SEATTLE- Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen, two of the steadiest guys in the L, will give you about 50 per night. Coming up with that other 50 may take a few long nights of brainstorming for new coach Bob Hill. 25. GOLDEN STATE- You know how The Grudge 2 kept you wound up for a couple of hours, but when the lights came up you forgot the whole thing? That's kinda like these Jason Richardson- and Baron Davis-led Warriors. You'll scream, but you'll also wanna run and hide. 26. ATLANTA- Just one more year… Wait, didn't we say that last season? Damn, we did. But we also said that Joe Johnson (20 ppg) and Josh Smith (nearly three blocks a night) were really good, and they proved us right. We'll take 50% on that one. 27. BOSTON- How Sebastian Telfair got caught up in the shooting of rapper Fabolous is beyond us. How the Celtics plan on getting anywhere near the playoffs with just the brilliant Paul Pierce and Wally Szczerbiak is beyond coach Doc Rivers.

28. MEMPHIS- Super forward Pau Gasol's out 'til Christmas. By then the Grizz might be getting nightly beatings giftwrapped at FedEx Forum. That is, unless Mike Miller, Eddie Jones and rookie Rudy Gay get their Scrooge on in the Southwest Division. 29. PORTLAND- Jarrett Jack, Martell Webster and freshman Brandon Roy give Microsoft co-founder/team owner Paul Allen lots to look forward to. Too bad the team can't control+alt+delete these next six months or so… 30. NEW YORK- We know the Knicks have 50 leather-loving guys at guard (Stephon Quentin Marbury, Steve Francis, Richardson, Jamal Crawford and Nate Robinson). What we don't is how new coach Isiah Thomas thinks his center spot is secure with oft-injured Eddy Curry under the rim. --DeMarco Williams

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Sports

FANATIC A Monthly Sports Wrap-Up by DeMarco Williams

• "I think a lot of clubs in the Premiership would like to have David Beckham. I think if he came back, bearing in mind he said he will never play in the Premiership again, any team lucky enough to secure his services, their supporters will enjoy watching him play.” –Newcastle futbol owner Glenn Roeder, on the prospect of adding Beckham to his team in '07 • “Many in the hockey world thought Waddell should have fired Hartley, but Waddell believes in loyalty and Hartley has responded to the loyalty by changing some of his approaches. This season, Hartley is essentially rolling four lines, much the Buffalo like Sabres did last seathere son, and seems to be a teamwide dedication to making the goalsagainst average respectful.” -USA Today's Kevin Allen on the Thrashers' hot start (at press time, they were a franchise-best 7-11)

between Dallas and the Giants was the mostwatched event in basic cable history), plans on taking over the world. First step: Commissioner Roger Goodell approved at least one game on foreign soil next season, likely in Canada or World Cup-hosting Germany. "Obviously the league's going to work out the economics and, if we lose a home game, we'll get compensated," said Broncos owner Pat Bowlen. "We're comfortable with it. Obviously we'd like to play in Mexico or Canada and not have to travel to Europe, and that's probably the way it would be set up because of our location. But as far as the league's concerned, I think it's a great idea." • The NFL's second step: Coming back to L.A. Steam is increasing for the country's secondbiggest market getting in on the football billions. Owners have discussed two stadiums– a renovated L.A. Coliseum or a new facility in Anaheim. But where's Pasadena in this process? Fanatic was in Southern Cali recently and overheard Pasadena mayor Bill Bogaard say that his city doesn't want or need a franchise. Plus, an NFL team in his building would lessen the venue’s mystique. • “This is but another by-product of baseball's penance for its steroid sins. The public deservedly chastised the national media for long ignoring its suspicions of steroid-inflated numbers. power There was cheating going on under reporters' noses, but nobody did anything. The media's overreaction to the Rogers situation was an attempt to make amends. The fourth estate would hold baseball's feet to the fire this time, shedding light on of the another game's dirty little secrets.” –Detroit Free Press' Drew Sharp, on the scandalous “Was it tar Kenny or dirt?” Rogers controversy in Game 2 of the World Series

Must-See TV

Top 5 Games this Month

MICHIGAN VS. OHIO STATE

INDIANAPOLIS vs. NEW ENGLAND

Nov. 18 (3:30PM, ABC) ESPN's Kirk Herstreet and Lee Corso (along with every other air-breathing human) has waited on this game with baited breath since the start of the season. Nov. 5 (8:15PM, NBC) The Colts (6-0 at press time) and the Pats (5-1) are the cream of the AFC crop. Peyton and Co. try to keep clearing the way for their Super Bowl meeting against the Bears.

FORD 400

Nov. 19 (2PM, NBC) Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson are so bunched up for the Cup standings that this race could be one of the most vital season-enders ever.

OHIO STATE VS. NORTH CAROLINA

MIAMI VS. DETROIT

Nov. 29 (9PM, ESPN) Buckeye fans have all sorts of big games this month. This ACC/Big Ten headliner pits two of INsite's four top teams head-to-head. May the winner see Florida in April. Nov. 23 (12:30PM, CBS) Okay, so the two teams this Turkey Day seriously suck. Still, your aunt will have the kitchen smelling great, and you'll have the remote and a perfectly-chilled brew.

Tar, dirt or poop? Only Kenny Rogers’ these • Though And finally… under-the-radar bathroom attendant knows for sure... • Next season will teams didn't make be quite likely our esteemed Sweet Andruw Jones' last 16 (pg. 35), they're in a Braves uniform… Stephon Marbury has a heel worth keeping an eye out for this upcoming seainjury, but he's not faulting his discount sneakers son: Akron (Romeo Travis, star player); Florida for the pain… The NCAA is contemplating adding State (Al Thornton); Long Beach State (Kejuan Johnson); San Diego State (Brandon Heath); Texas two Canadian schools– the University of British Columbia and St. Clair College– to its roster… A&M (Joseph Jones); Xavier (Stanley Burrell). Fanatic's not the world's biggest Terrell Owens fan, but I seriously doubt that every time the camera • "Of course, being sheriff is a seasoned political pans his way and he's talking to a teammate or position, so we're not going to be out there knockcoach, he's yelling at them… Tiger Woods' $9.9 ing down the wrong doors," he said. "We just have million in 2006 PGA winnings is more than Brad to do the right thing." –Miami center and off-seaFaxon's, Tom Lehman's, Sergio Garcia's, Mike son sheriff Shaquille O'Neal, denying involveWeir's, Ernie Els' and Retief Goosen's combined… ment in a botched porn raid in Virginia And speaking of the world's most famous swinger, his new video game, Tiger Woods '07, is absolute• The NFL, already the biggest thing going in the ly amazing. U.S. (the Oct. 23 Monday Night Football affair

• insiteatlanta.com • August 2006 PGPG 3737 • insiteatlanta.com • November 2006

CAPRICORN

TAURUS

VIRGO

With the New Moon in the part of your chart that governs career and power, you may be wrestling with a big decision. But don’t fret: subconsciously, the decision’s already been made!

Been feeling as if you’re impatiently spinning your wheels lately? Hold on, as Mars and Venus conjoined in your opposite sign promise progress and prosperity to come.

If you’ve been feeling a bit bogged down in the muck of late, take some time to ponder the dead weight in your life. Jettison the flotsam overboard, and soon you’ll be floating along.

AQUARIUS

GEMINI

May 22nd thru June 21s

Sept. 24th thru Oct. 23rd

Are you starting the month feeli8ng as if you can’t do anything right? Stop being so hard on yourself, and don’t let anyone else give you a hard time, either.

If your life has seemed more challenging than usual lately, try to change your perspective. Persistance and patience will be rewarded with plenty of reasons to celebrate.

The recent conjunction of Mars and Venus offer an opportunity to make great changes in your life. With it’s love, creativity or your career, the stars are offering you a chance to shine.

PISCES

CANCER

Apr. 21st thru May 21th

Dec. 22nd thru Jan. 20th

Jan. 21st thru Feb. 19th

Aug. 24th thru Sept. 23rd

LIBRA

SCORPIO

June 22nd thru July 23rd

Oct. 24th thru Nov. 22nd

Our lives are filled with drama, drama, drama. Make sure this month that you’re not making mountains outta molehills... or vice versa. A fresh perspective will prove inspiring.

If there’s a source of contention in your life challenging you to a conflict, duck down in your foxhole and refuse to take the bait to battle. Stay calm and it’ll all blow over soon.

ARIES

LEO

SAGITTARIUS

Sadness makes us appreciate being happy. Being busy makes us appreciate R&R. If stress is getting to you, embrace it, for it will make the love & comfort to come even sweeter!

Among the lions who’ve been feeling like you need a catnap, running out of steam because plans didn’t work out? The recent New Moon should bring a chance to iron out those wrinkles.

There are a million self-help books out there claiming to have the secrets to helping you be the best you that you can be. This month, just trust your gut and all will be well.

Feb. 20th thru Mar. 20th Your perspective on the changes time brings are the key to happiness this month. Relax, don’t worry, and everything will be just as it should... with time.

July 24th thru Aug. 23rd

Mar. 21st thru Apr. 20

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