Vol 10, no 5

09.18.13 - VOL. 10, NO. 5

in this issue: exclusive interview:

charlie worsham Kinky friedman returns to bryan Sheryl Crow 5 years later De Niro’s a Mobster again A volcano named tamu

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contents

09.19-09.25

meet the team PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF Chris Shepperd BUSINESS MANAGER Leisha Shepperd MANAGING EDITOR Chris Zebo CREATIVE DIRECTOR Brittany Hicks ASST. CREATIVE DIRECTOR Bekah Skinner LAYOUT/DESIGN Sally Franckowiak PHOTOGRAPHY Catherine Neil SALES MANAGER Caleb Holt WRITERS

Topher Hawkes Katie Lea Luke Murray Brandon Nowalk Amanda L. Reynolds

Essentials:

Listen Think Taste Calendar Play Look Etc.

4 12 14 16 18 26 29

Upcoming:

4

Charlie Worsham played the Grand Ole Opry at 12 years old. Sixteen years later, he’s playing at Harry’s, on Wednesday, September 25.

INTERNS Kathleen Callison Claire Hand Chandler Hodo Olivia Montagna Cheyenne Mueller Catherine Neil Michelle Otero Kaitlin Vickers Dani Wilkins DISTRIBUTION Chris Frank Drake Washington

Maroon Weekly is an independent, student-operated publication and is not affiliated with Texas A&M University. Maroon Weekly receives no student fees or university funding.

Taste

14 - From deep fried ribs to ham hocks and grilled okra, Butler’s Soul Food fills a void for downhome fare.

Look Listen 6 - Sheryl Crow released 27 - Brandon gives a new album. Read a review of her new album and more in this week’s new music reviews.

a rundown of this week’s top 20 box office films.

Opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the editor, publisher or the newspaper staff. Maroon Weekly is not liable for omissions, misprints to typographical errors. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express consent of the publisher.

Maroon Weekly 707 Texas #207D College Station, TX 77840 ph: 979.574.3200 | @maroonweekly © Copyright 2013 Campus Press LP

1st copy is FREE, additional copies are $0.50 each

exclusive interview:

charlie worsham

BY LUKE MURRAY Born on the banks of the muddy Mississippi, Charlie Worsham moved a few blocks north and is currently making a name for himself in Music City. Hardly new to Nashville, Worsham played country music’s most prestigious stage—The Grand Ole Opry—at the spritely age of 12. Shortly thereafter, he hit the road with Taylor Swift when he was barely old enough to drive. Did we mention he also won the Junior National Banjo competition? Anyway, the guy is talented.

MW: You don’t follow the trend of what we like to call, “radio clones”, meaning that you have your own style and it doesn’t sound like everything else on the air.

CW: First of all, I’m really lucky to have some super-talented friends. Ryan Tyndell, who is actually a Texas native, co-wrote all but two songs on Rubberband with me along with co-producing the record with me. Ryan is a fantastic writer and a great singer and a great musician, too. So I’ve got him to begin with as a He’s been tearing up the charts with his first radio single, “Could It Be”, the co-pilot. My best friend from college engineered my record. He and I keep in opening release off his debut album, Rubberband. Blending bluegrass soul with touch on just a purely one-music-fan-to-another basis. All of the session guys honky-tonk is not the approach taken by most country musicians today. Yet need to be credited, too. It’s all because of the company I’m lucky enough to Worsham has taken the road less-traveled and with a huge payoff. keep. I have no choice to be challenged and pushed to be different.

He’ll be taking the stage at Hurricane Harry’s on September 25. Charlie sat down with us to talk about inspiration, his early success, and what you can expect from his show.

Also, I would say, my influences go back a little further than some folks. I think what your influences are can certainly help you. It’s like a tree with really deep roots; the firmer they’re planted in the ground, the better foundation you have to build upon. I try to aim high and put myself in positions where I’m the least MW: You caught the music bug at a young age; did you have a certain inspiration experienced person, and I certainly lean on influences that go further back than behind your drive early on? the last decade. Although, within the last decade, there have been some great albums made and I still draw influences from there sometimes too.

CW: Absolutely! My earliest musical memory was getting to watch my dad play drums in a local band. He’s a banker by trade, but a drummer at heart. I MW: After growing up in Mississippi and spending a few years studying music remember seeing the guitar player do the solo from “Werewolves of London” in Boston, you moved to Nashville. There, you worked alongside names like Eric with his teeth, and that was the moment that had me hooked. Then Vince Gill Church and Dierks Bentley, even touring with Taylor Swift and Miranda Lambert. became a huge influence not long after that when I really started focusing on At what point did you decide to hit the road and put your own name on the music. marquee?

MW: You played the Grand Ole Opry at 12 years old. Looking back, what can you CW: Oh gosh! As soon as there was a booking agent in town who was willing to tell us about that experience? make it happen! No, I don’t think it was one of those things that I really planned.

Things have always happened better for me than I could plan them to. Certainly, CW: Playing the Opry then, and even now when I get the opportunity--it’s one with Miranda and Taylor, I got these amazing opportunities to witness two of of the coolest honors for any musician in any genre, but especially for a country our genre’s greatest entertainers and stand on the side of the stage each night musician. Growing up, we would make family trips to Nashville and listen to after we played our set. Of course, I also got to be exposed to their fan base, the Opry on 650AM during the drive. Getting to play it at 12 was sort of like a and they both have incredible fans. giant check being deposited into my “spirit account.” It fueled and inspired me for years after that because it was this cool taste of what country music is all Things just always seem to lead to the logical next step. There were other folks about. I got to walk around back stage and bump into heroes of mine, and it’s who, when I started to do my own thing, really gave me a leg up. One of those, a memory that I will never forget. No matter what does, or doesn’t, happen for especially, was Wade Bowen. Thanks to Wade, I actually got to tour in Texas me in the music industry, getting to play the Opry as a kid was always be a a lot more than I did most other places. He would let me open for him when highlight of mine. he, and everyone else, knew that I wouldn’t be bringing any more people to his

pg 4 | maroonweekly.com | 09.18.13

show because no one knew who I was. Wade is such a great friend and was always gracious to have me open up for him.

medley of songs based off this thing I do online called “Cover Challenges.” So that’s always fun, playing something like “Crazy Train” on a banjo.

MW: Let’s talk about your debut single, “Could It Be.” It’s racking up downloads on iTunes and plays on the radio every day. What’s the story behind it?

CW: Only a few months ago, it started being where we could play “Could It Be” at a show and people would be singing along so loud that I would let them sing the last chorus. That’s such an amazing rush; it’s easily the coolest feeling in the world as a singer or a songwriter. It’s funny; the story behind the song isn’t true in terms that it didn’t actually happen to me or Ryan during the time that we wrote it.

Ryan and I got together at a time when we were both fairly depressed; we didn’t have anything going on in our careers; we did have anything going on in our love lives; we were both going through breakups; and we ended up writing the song out of sheer desperation to have something hopeful. Ryan brought in that first verse, then together we got the “who knows we might go down in flames, or I might just change your name” part, and then we had help with the chorus and the title. The rush, when we finished that song, was great because it was the first time we knew we had something good.

MW: You’re playing at Hurricane Harry’s on the 25th. For fans that haven’t seen your show, what can they expect?

CW: Well, I’ve got a four-piece band and we are going to play as long as they’ll let us! We will end up playing every song we know; that takes about two and a half hours. I do a lot of the songs off my record, and then we cover songs that we love. Sometimes we’ll try stuff that we’ve never even worked up or practiced, and that’s usually a lot of fun. We may even pull someone up from the crowd to join us on something. I always bring my banjo, too, and I do this

And the winner is...

Maroon Weekly presents #MWphotocontest. Each week, we’ll announce a theme across our social media channels. The theme, as with most things in life, is open to interpretation. Take a photo which best represents the theme as you interpret it, and our staff will decide which is the best of the best among all entries.

If your photo wins, we’ll place it in the upcoming issue of Maroon Weekly.

You’ll also win a sweet prize package from our sponsors.

Last week, the theme was “Best Concert Experience.” We had some stellar submissions, but this picture summed up the magic of seeing a live show with one of our favorite bands.

Make sure to follow us on Instagram (@maroonweekly). And be on the lookout each week for the new theme so you can start submitting your pics. Also make sure that we are following you so we can see your submissions. Good luck and Gig ‘Em!

@agabrielle92 09.18.13 | maroonweekly.com | pg 5

By Luke Murray

Sheryl Crow Album: “Feels Like Home”

Release Date: September 10, 2013

Rating: Sounds Like: Alanis Morissette Jewel Sarah McLachlan

Recommended Tracks Waterproof Mascara Homecoming Queen Stay At Home Mother

Track Listing:

Shotgun Easy Give It To Me We Oughta Be Drinkin’ Callin’ Me When I’m Lonely Waterproof Mascara Crazy Ain’t Original Nobody’s Business Homesick Homecoming Queen Best of Times Stay At Home Mother

At 51 years old, this nine-time Grammy award winning charttopper shows no signs of slowing down. Releasing her first solo album in three years, under a new contract with Warner out of Nashville, Sheryl Crow is back on top of her game. Listed in the Top 25 of VH1’s 100 Greatest Women in Music, Sheryl’s diva persona has earned her a reputation— both singing and speaking into the mic—over the course of 27 years. She has a strong voice in political activism and various awareness campaigns—including efforts in the Congo and advocating for a woman president in America.

After spending considerable time portraying herself as an Americana artist, the multi-talented singer/songwriter/ actress is returning to her southern roots—like the name suggests—for an album that’s a little more deep-fried.

After a battle with breast cancer in 2006, the single mother of two adopted boys knows how to connect with her faithfuls; focusing on the views of a woman. In her own typical fashion, Sheryl has compiled a 12-track record that preaches on the strengths and pains of homegrown southern women. Tracks such as “Waterproof Mascara”, “Homecoming Queen”, and “Stay at Home Mother” build a statement around this album, evoking the various emotions that won her those nine Grammys. Having Sheryl back at her roots, and back in the saddle, means nothing but great things for the genre that leans heavily toward the Y-chromosome.

pg 6 | maroonweekly.com | 09.18.13

Arctic Monkeys

“AM”

Release Date: Sept. 9, 2013 The ice caps are melting in Sheffield, surfacing a fifth studio album for this Grammynominated indie band from across the pond. Delivered with the same nonchalance that soared their popularity 11 years ago, AM contains a confidence and charisma that pushed their debut album to be the fastest-selling debut album in Brit-rock history.

Born from the digital age, Arctic Monkeys’ rise to fame began with the click of a mouse— emerging as one of the first groups of the twenty-first century to find glory through the viral Internet. They quickly became a household name across the UK before ever headlining a show, leading them to become one—if not the most—successful band of the post-punk revival era. AM contains some of the boldest and heaviest work from the frosty chimps, following suit from their 2011 album, making this one a must-have.

Recommended Tracks: Do I Wanna Know?, Mad Sounds

Newsboys

“Restart”

Release Date: Sep. 10, 2013 Leaders in non-conformity, Newsboys have been masters of their own style for two and a half decades, providing raw and high-energy evangelical rock to much avail.

Constantly finding ways to throw something fresh at the feet of contemporary Christian music fans, the boys—releasing their fourth record behind the vocals of Michael Tait—push further away from the new acoustic norm that has swept over the genre. The band is prepared to kick off their “Restart Tour” this fall in celebration of their, impressive, 16th major album. The multi award-winning group focuses their musical inclination on engaging the sections of our brain that get us psyched-up with a 16-track deluxe edition that hits you with track after track of electronic beats and adrenaline-pumping CC rock.

Recommended Tracks: Restart, Live with Abandon

Trombone Shorty

“Say That to Say This”

Release Date: Sep. 10, 2013 This serves as our accidental stumble of the week, and we’re pretty pissed that no one has told us about this guy. So we’ll tell you—in case you were in the dark as well—that this New Orleans native has the freshest spin on jazz to ever come out of the Big Easy. Forging his own style of funk-laced jazz rock, Trombone Shorty combines his vocals and raw brass talent with trademark riffs and the ability to put a groove in your shoes. Playing trombone since age six, Troy Andrews—the man behind the shades—has spent most of the last decade hitting clubs and stages with music to revive an under-appreciated genre. You can’t find harmonics like that amongst all of the electronica on the radio today. We hate the term “swag”—but it feels appropriate here.

Recommended Tracks: Fire and Brimstone, Be My Lady 09.18.13 | maroonweekly.com | pg 7

exclusive interview:

CURTIS GRIMES

BY LUKE MURRAY Hailing from Gilmer, Texas, Curtis Grimes hit America’s biggest stage when he appeared on season one of NBC’s The Voice. After his time in the City of Angels, Grimes brought his experience back to Texas and began propelling his career to new heights. He sat down with us to talk about his current single, his experience in Hollywood, and what you can expect from his upcoming album.

MW: Your current single, “Home to Me”, has done well on the Texas charts. Trent Willmon, a great writer and producer out of Nashville, co-wrote the track, and you even shot the video in your hometown. What has the run with this song been like for you?

CG: It’s pretty interesting how it all started out. After The Voice, I got introduced to some of my publishing people. We were out in Los Angeles and they said to give them a call when the show was all said and done and they’d get me into the writing world.

The first time I go out to Nashville, ever (at this point I had only heard the rumors about what it’s like) I had three writing sessions set up. The first two canceled on me.

I was kind of pissed off at that point. So I just went back to my hotel room and started writing. And even though I’ve been to L.A. and experienced a lot of things, at the end of the day I just start to feel like I’m playing acoustically at the first bar I ever played at.

That was the mindset I was in when I sat down to write it.

Then it kind of became my small town song and summed up my journey over the last four or five years. I went in with Trent to amp it up and make the lyrics a little stronger.

We had decided that we were going to use that as our radio single, as well. Here we are now: Supercuts is using the song for their TV campaign, and it made its way up into the Top 5. So it all turned out pretty good. It all got started by a frustrated writing session in Nashville.

MW: Give us an idea of what that was like to perform on NBC’s The Voice?

CG: I had a lot of fun and I learned a whole lot about reality TV, for one, and how they kind of use the artists as characters to make a hit TV show. The only problem I had was wishing that we, as artists, could have had a stronger opinion in our own song choices. At the end of the day, it’s still a vocal competition show and you want to sing the song that showcases your voice the best.

That being said, I got to meet a lot of cool people, and my favorite part about the experience was getting to sit around and do little jam sessions in the hotel. We were pretty much in lockdown at the hotel in downtown Los Angeles, and there wasn’t much to do. It was interesting to be in a room with someone that was a rapper next to me, a country artist, then you have someone playing a song on the keyboard, and it was just really cool as just a random ensemble. It’s been cool to see all these up-and-coming artists from all over the country just develop and follow their careers as well, because we were all at a beginning point together. Now, after seeing the business side and behind-the-scenes stuff, it’s hard for me to watch reality TV and play along like they want you to.

pg 8 | maroonweekly.com | 09.18.13

MW: Do you believe competing on the show set your career in the right direction?

CG: I believe that being on that show and getting the exposure opened the door for me to get my name and music outside of Texas and the markets I was used to playing in.

One of the bigger things that came about from being on the show was that I got on with Paradigm Booking Agency; one of my earlier problems was how hard it is to get booked if you don’t have a good booking agency. That was a huge step and a direct result from The Voice. We’ve been able to go play in New York, Connecticut, Green Bay, and Chicago, so it definitely opened the door for a lot of things.

MW: Who was your biggest influence when you were starting out in the Texas country scene?

CG: There is no way that I could pinpoint just one person. When I first started, I was listening to Randy Rogers quite a bit, and I was also pretty big into Josh Grider back then. I remember going to a lot of Kevin Fowler shows early, and Eli Young Band was another one of the groups I listened to a lot of when I was learning to write and play guitar.

MW: You’ve been working on a new album, again with Trent Willmon. Can you give us a preview?

CG: This is the first project that I haven’t had to scrap money together for. The is the first time I’ve used any outside songs at all; until now it’s only been stuff that I’ve written. This is also the first album of mine that’s had any co-writes on it, as well. It’s a big step, coming off of anything we’ve ever done before. AMP Artist Management is really helping us out by helping us to afford producing a quality, full-blown album. That’s awesome and I’m excited about that. If you were going to break down songs for it, it’s probably a half-and-half, balanced with slow songs for the girls, and small town anthems or drinking songs for the guys. It’s a pretty good mix; it doesn’t necessarily have a theme. We tried to get a little bit of everybody’s taste in there.

JEREMY KITTEL BAND

The Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts

at Rudder Theatre

BY CHEYENNE MUELLER The Grammy Award winning Jeremy Kittel Band is a 4-piece ensemble that includes Josh Pinkham on mandolin, Nathaniel Smith on cello, and Simon Chrisman on hammered dulcimer. Jeremy Kittel is highly regarded for bridging Appalachia with the Irish Isles and Scottish highlands; he also bends and blends genres including jazz, folk, blues, pop, and even chamber music.

presents

Jeremy Kittel Band

Thursday, September 19

7 pm, Dessert Reception 8 pm, Texas A&M Rudder Theatre Kittel is regarded as one of the world’s leading Scots-Irish fiddlers. As a solo artist, he has a total of four albums; his most recent being Chasing Sparks.

He’s performed with Grammy award winning Turtle Island Quartet, arranged for recording artist My Morning Jacket, recently contributed to Jars of Clay and Camera Obscura, and performed at Bonnaroo and Telluride Bluegrass Festival.

Organized by the Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts, Kittel will perform on September 19 from 7-10pm in Rudder Theatre. The doors will open at 7 where there will be a dessert reception and meet and greet with the band in Rudder Exhibit Hall, completely free with your concert ticket. The concert will begin promptly at 8pm. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for general admission.

Purchase tickets at academyarts.tamu.edu/events/1003.

Tickets $5 Students, $10 Regular Available at the MSC Box Office Call (979) 847-1234 for tickets For more information, call 979.847.2787 avpa@tamu.edu v academyarts.tamu.edu w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / AV PA a t TA M U

dance theatre

It’s Time For

music visual art

It’s Time For Texas A&M

09.18.13 | maroonweekly.com | pg 9

Kinky friedman AT GRAND STAFFORD THEATER Kinky Friedman’s life is just as unique as his name. Born in Chicago in 1944 as Richard Samet Friedman, the 68-year-old is a legend and wears many hats (most of them Stetsons).

He moved with his parents to a ranch in central Texas during his early childhood years and developed a love for the Lone Star as he got older. As a boy, Friedman was an avid chess player who competed in various competitions and tournaments, and at age 7, he was the youngest formidable contestant. He would later graduate from Austin High School and further his education, gaining a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Texas. At UT, Friedman was a member of the Tau Delta Phi fraternity and also managed to score a spot in the honors program. He came into his own in college; in fact, it was there that his nickname, Kinky, was coined by one of his friends, who mocked his over-the-top curly hair.

BY CHANDLER HODO

the scoop WHAT: KINKY FRIEDMAN WHERE: GRAND STAFFORD THEATER WHEN: SUNDAY, SEPT. 22ND

While Friedman formed his first band as a college student, he pursued a music career more intensely after he graduated. The singer/songwriter has performed all over the US, joining Bob Dylan on one of his tours and appearing as the music spotlight on Saturday Night Live in the seventies. Also, in the disco era, Friedman was also awarded the “Male Chauvinist Pig Award” by the National Organization for Women following some controversial song lyrics and comments at one of his shows. He accepted it with pride and laughed it off in his typical sarcastic fashion.

Friedman, who claims to be the first full-blooded Jew to take the stage at the Grand Ole Opry, has also spent his time as a novelist and former columnist for Texas Monthly. He joined the Peace Corps for two years before returning to Texas to found the Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch near Kerrville, Texas where he and his organization care for abused and abandoned animals.

Kinky is friends with George W. Bush and Bill Clinton and ran as the Independent party representative during the 2006 election for Texas governor. He loves cigars, particularly Montecristo No. 2 cigars, so much that he has even developed his own line of his trademark mouthpiece called Kinky Friedman Cigars.

LISTEN

pg 10 | maroonweekly.com | 09.18.13

Friedman’s Texas Liberation Tour will make a stop here in BCS on Sunday, September 22. The tour stop includes a performance, reading, and book signing along with an auction of a three bottle set of his Man In Black Tequila during the show to benefit Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch. Limited amount of meet & greet tickets sold separately from the performance tickets are now available, as well. For tickets, visit grandstaffordtheater.com/event/kinky-friedmans-texasliberation-tour.

WADE BOWEN at Hurricane Harry’s There’s something about purchasing tickets to a Wade Bowen show that unfailingly excites you. No matter what stage you see him on, large or small, he’s just the right amount of presence and darn good country music--real country music. This guy knows how to play hard, too. His current tour is aptly titled “Livers of Steel”, and it’s a real hoot to keep tabs on tour happenings via his social media, particularly Vine.

As far as the music goes, the Waco native continues to grow as an artist. Across a span of five albums and over 10 years of touring, he’s accumulated a loyal fan base that he says is always the focus. His most recent release, Songs About Trucks, is the epitome of Bowen’s red dirt country.

He will showcase his roots, cerebral lyrics, and personality on the 20th at Harry’s with new guy on the block Curtis Grimes. Tickets can be purchased online at harrys.bcsclubs.com, at either of the Aggieland Outfitters locations, or at Cavender’s.

By Topher Hawkes Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix, $39.99 on PS3 When Kingdom Hearts originally hit shelves 11 years ago, many gamers were surprised by how great the Disney-themed, role-playing game turned out. Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix is now available for the PlayStation 3 and will satisfy longtime fans of the series or those new to the game.

The story follows Sora, who quickly teams up with Donald Duck and Goofy to find out what happened to Mickey Mouse. While at first it seems like kid stuff, players soon find themselves transported to popular Disney realms while taking on a very epic adventure.

Players meet some familiar faces on the way: they swim alongside Ariel under the sea, help Aladdin in the desert, and run into Tarzan as well. Fans of Final Fantasy games will also notice that many characters from the series make cameos in the game as well.

There isn’t much of a learning curve when it comes to combat. Players can only be Sora, which can get annoying when computer-controlled allies don’t follow orders. Overall, it’s fun and the story is sure to keep you invested until the end. The remake includes highdefinition graphics, additional cutscenes and content along with the sequel Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories.

The Elder Scrolls Anthology, $79.99 for PC The Elder Scrolls series defined an open-ended adventure. Now, as long as your PC is up to par, you can own all of them. The Elder Scrolls Anthology includes 5 games: Arena, Daggerfall, Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim.

The premise of Elder Scrolls is simple: create a character and go explore. You don’t have to finish the main quest; you don’t have to finish any quests if you don’t want to. You can focus on magic, become an expert archer, or just use a sword and slash away. It’s all up to you.

While the combat feels sluggish sometimes (especially in Morrowind), it is tolerable. Newer games, Oblivion and Skyrim, revamped the combat system and fighting feels more fluid and natural.

As the games evolved, so did the graphics, combat, and storytelling. While fighting seems very sluggish in older games, Skyrim (the latest game) takes it to a whole new level. For example, it’s possible to enter a room undetected and silently take out all enemies if the player invests in the sneaking attribute. Magic has been improved, and there are loads of spells to acquire and learn.

When you finally do decide to finish the story, the payoff is usually worth the trouble.

Though the endings might be disappointing, one game technically doesn’t really have a real end, since players are able to continue playing and exploring after seeing the credits.

09.18.13 | maroonweekly.com | pg 11

By Cheyenne Mueller

The Dark Path: A Memoir - by David Schickler Faced with an urge to become a Roman Catholic priest and an obsession and lust for women, Schickler writes his memoir recounting the path he took at the crossroads of his life with brutal honesty, all while maintaining an ability to laugh at himself. His story begins with 10-year-old David growing up in a middle-class Catholic family in New Jersey.

We learn that his family was always supportive and encouraging, equipping him with life-lesson essentials in order to be successful. However, his first experience with serious inner conflict begins his freshman year at Georgetown University in 1987.

Schickler’s impassioned writing about the desires of his heart allows readers to witness the cause and effect of his trying decisions. Dark Path is a no-bull, unapologetic confession and Shickler’s Janus-faced lust for women/ obligation to the Church results in some beautifully honest storytelling.

Mage’s Blood (The Moontide Quartet) - by David Hair Every twelve years, the tides sink and the bridge is revealed, gates open for trade between Yuros and Antiopia/Ahmedhassa on the planet of Urte--which are otherwise separated by the sea. The Magi are hell-bent on controlling the new world, and for the past Moontides, they have led their military over the bridge on the quest to rule.

The point of view covers multiple characters and doesn’t settle on just one; the action is revealed through various perspectives, allowing the reader to experience various perspectives.

Si-cology 1: Tales and Wisdom from Duck Dynasty’s Favorite Uncle - by Si Robertson w/ Mark Schlabach

Everybody’s favorite uncle is at it again with his new book, Si-cology. The eccentric, offbeat character from Duck Dynasty shares his typical outlandish stories that’ll have you laughing as usual.

But behind the beard, Si’s stories come from his time in Vietnam and the people that matter most in his life: his wife, children, and his faith. He doesn’t pretend that his war experiences are sunshine and rainbows, but his outlook on life and cheerful attitude remind you just why everyone loves him.

This book gives the reader a look inside the real Si, a person with a little more depth than his funny one-liners.

The Year Without Pants: WordPress.com and the Future of Work - by Scott Berkun

Abandoning his consultant/writer hat, Scott Berkun went back on to the management frontline for a little over a year with WordPress.com. His book The Year Without Pants is about what he learned. Tackling the typically less interesting details about management with humor, Berkun addresses the main issues facing companies trying to grow.

He goes straight to the point, using common sense that should just be “well duh!” moments for any company.

Culture has to be learned, it cannot be forcibly implanted and expected to flourish. Berkun doesn’t allow for bologna to cripple potential. The Year Without Pants is a great read for those who need some new ideas that work, told clearly and without technical jargon. pg 12 | maroonweekly.com | 09.18.13

by

Katie Lea

world’s largest volcano gets named after A&m If there’s anything Aggies love doing it’s sharing their accomplishments with the Aggie family. One of our favorite ways to pay homage is to name new discoveries after the things we hold dear to our hearts, whether it’s after our first lady, Reveille, a revered faculty member, or even the university itself. This phenomenon just occurred for William Sager, the oceanographer who for the last 20 years has been studying the largest volcano found on Earth to date. (Sager worked in the College of Geosciences at Texas A&M University for almost 30 years, so we can all understand why he wanted to pay tribute to the school.)

The volcano in question is actually an underwater volcano and part of the Shatsky Rise, located east of Japan in the Pacific Ocean. How big is it, you ask? Oh...just roughly the size of New Mexico. It’s been aptly named “TAMU Massif” – massif actually means “massive” in French and has been commonly adopted by the science community to mean a large, geologically distinct, mountain mass.

You may be wondering why this is breaking news, since TAMU Massif has been under study for the last two decades. Until recently, it was unclear if it was truly one large volcano or many smaller volcanoes. Sager and other scientists from the U.S. and U.K. have finally confirmed that it is in fact a single volcano spanning 120,000 square miles and believed to be around 145 million years old. Sager says it is believed TAMU Massif is “a class of volcano that hasn’t been recognized before. The slopes are very shallow.

If you were standing on this thing, you would have a difficult time telling which way was downhill.” This is one of the reasons it was so difficult for them to discover if it really was one giant mass.

Not only is TAMU Massif the largest volcano on Earth, it’s also in the running for being one of the biggest in our solar system. The first place holder is Olympus Mons on Mars. The Earth volcano bearing our title is only 25 percent smaller.

CREATE SOME NOISE. Want acc es each wee s to more than 150 k and hav k people e them ta your bus lking abo iness? W ut e can do that.

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09.18.13 | maroonweekly.com | pg 13

By Amanda L. Reynolds

Butler’s 1416 Groesbeck, Bryan 979.703.6278

Monday CLOSED Tuesday - Sunday 11 AM - 7 PM

Price - $-$$ Cuisine - Soul/Comfort Food Parking - Private Lot Patio - No Atmosphere - Casual Noise Level - Average

$ ($5 - 10) ramen noodle budget $$ ($10-15) part-time job $$$ ($15-20) hard-earned cash $$$$ (Over $20) mommy and daddy are in town

Butler’s Soul Food

We’ve got a million burger joints and more Mexican restaurants than we can shake a piñata bat at, but one thing we don’t have an abundance of is soul food. The recently opened Butler’s Soul Food, close to downtown Bryan, is here to fill that void.

On Fridays and Saturdays, Butler’s has an outstanding all-you-can-eat buffet (includes a drink) for a steal at $10. On Saturdays, the standards are crispy deep fried ribs, sausage links, and baked BBQ chicken. Before we go any further, let’s make sure you saw that correctly: we said crispy deep fried ribs. Thick cut ribs are battered and deep fried with juicy meat inside, crunchy on the outside. We asked for a side of their BBQ sauce to go with them, which is made in house, and that’s evident by all the spices seen floating in the sauce, and it made the ribs a home run.

On the Saturday we visited, in addition to their standard offerings, they also had lemon pepper chicken and ham hocks as well as an abundance of veggies. Hands down, our favorite side was the stewed okra. It wasn’t a gooey, slimy, overcooked stewed okra that you might have had before.

At Butler’s, they grill their okra first, then slice it, add onions, sausage, and shrimp and cook it down. A hint of smoke from the grill adds an element that makes it incredibly unique.

While the food on their buffet line changes everyday, any day of the week, you can order a burger with

pg 14 | maroonweekly.com | 09.18.13

one, two, or three of their fresh beef patties. After having the Ike Jr. (a single patty burger), we can’t even imagine attempting to consume more. Take our recommendation and order your burger on hot water cornbread instead of a regular bun. (Hot water cornbread is cooked into single pancake-like discs in a skillet instead of being baked in the oven.) Everything on that burger works in harmony; alone, the patty isn’t overly juicy, but with the moist hot water cornbread and the fresh tomatoes, they all come together for one fantastic bite.

Even though everything on their buffet line looks tempting, make sure you save room for dessert. We’ve had the 7-Up cake as well as the peach cobbler and both are phenomenal. The 7-Up cake was a standard in kitchens about 30 years ago and has since disappeared from most dessert tables, but Butler’s brought it back. The 7-Up cake is so lemony it’s like eating a slice of sunshine. The peach cobbler has a double, thin, and flaky crust sandwiching an abundance of peach slices that are dressed with a nice addition of earthy spices like cinnamon and maybe even a little nutmeg.

During the weekdays, you can have your pick of a one or two-meat plate that comes with two sides of your choice and a hunk of cornbread. Their menu changes daily, but you can always count on an extra dish or two being on the line. Everyday (except for Monday and the occasional Sunday when they are closed) Butler’s offers smothered chicken, roast and potatoes, as well as soul food standards such as turkey necks, pig feet, and ox tails.

Layne’s

Chicken fingers are a staple of the Aggie diet, and Layne’s is not only a favorite fry house but an Aggie institution. With two locations (one directly across campus), Layne’s is cheap, fast, and friendly. Dine in or take out - 106 Walton Drive, College Station – 979-976-7633 - 1301 Wellborn Road, College Station – 979-696-6933 - $

Move Over Jalapenos, There’s a New Pepper in Town

Naked Fish

The newly-remodeled sushi restaurant specializes in, well, naked fish. Their portions are generous, from signature rolls such as the Aggie Roll to a wide selection of cooked entrees. Fans of sashimi, order the salmon. Dine in or take out - 1808 Texas Ave, College Station – 979-485-8888 - $-$$

Cenare Italian Restaurant

Family-owned and operated, this Italian restaurant is College Station’s version of Downtown Bryan’s Caffe Capri (and that’s because they’re owned by the same family). Classic dishes such as pollo Parmigiana and veal picatta are favorites, while their pasta dishes are just the right size and very reasonably priced. Good luck getting a table during parents’ weekend or graduation weekend. Dine in - 404 University Drive East, College Station – 979- 696-7311 - $-$$

The Village Café

The Village Cafe is adamant about making sure your food is locally sourced from farms, vendors, and even breweries. Most menu items— from sandwiches, wraps, eggs, milk to chicken and wines—are sourced within the Texas border.

Equally parts Texas pride and food conscious, the Village serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and localroasted coffee drinks. Dine in or take out - 210 West 26th Street, Bryan – 979-703-8514 - $-$$

Antonio’s

A great place to grab a slice of pizza before, during, or after the Northgate bar crawl. Antonio’s dough is the closest thing to a NY-style pie in the region, with a thin, crispy crust, tangy sauce, and a balanced blend of cheeses. They also offer some intriguing topping combinations, with many pizzaby-the-slice concoctions on display tempting your taste buds. Dine in, take out, and delivery - 104 College Main, College Station – 979-260-3535 - $

Cheap Eats Easy to Make and Easy on Your Green

By Cheyenne Mueller

Hatch chilies have become a recent phenomenon in the Southwest region. Originally from New Mexico, their harvest is short – August and September only. H-E-B loves them, and for good reason. The taste is similar to that of a jalapeno and bell pepper, and Hatches can be used in a bunch of different recipes (and for cheap, too!). You can buy them and roast them yourself, or buy a bushel at H-E-B and they’ll roast them for you. With countless options, we’re going to introduce you to two cheap and easy Hatch recipes.

HATCH-STEW (bless you!)

INGREDIENTS: • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 2 pounds boneless pork, cut into 1-inch cubes • 1/2 cup chopped onion • 1 clove garlic, minced • 1/4 cup flour • 2 cup peeled and chopped fresh tomatoes • 2 cups roasted, peeled and chopped

Hatch chilies (4 regular and 4 hot) • 1 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • 1/2 teaspoon sugar • 1 cup chicken or beef broth

HATCH CHILI DIP INGREDIENTS: • 2 Hatch chilies, roasted or grilled, peeled

and seeded • 1 cup low-fat sour cream • 1 cup of cream cheese • ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped • 2 cloves garlic • ½ tsp salt • 1 tsp fresh cracked pepper • 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice INSTRUCTIONS: Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth. Add more salt and pepper to taste as needed. Serve with your favorite chips.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

INSTRUCTIONS: Heat olive oil in 4-quart Dutch oven with cover.

Add pork and cook until lightly browned. Add onion and garlic and stir with meat. Add flour and stir 1-2 minutes. Add tomatoes, Hatch chilies, salt, pepper, and sugar. Mix to incorporate. Add broth. Lower heat. Cover pot and simmer for 1- 1 1/2 hours until meat is tender.

Serve with flour tortillas.

• • •

Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 70-90 minutes Yields 6 servings

09.18.13 | maroonweekly.com | pg 15

recent being Chasing Sparks. He’s performed with Grammy award winning Turtle Island Quartet, arranged for recording artist My Migrant Kids at Rudder Fountain Brought to you by MSC Town Hall Coffeehouse, Morning Jacket, recently contributed to Jars the Student Spotlight Night features Aggie of Clay and Camera Obscura, and performed artists who perform at 7pm. Feel free to take at Bonnaroo and Telluride Bluegrass Festival. the stage as early as 6:00 for the open mic Rudder Theatre, TAMU Campus, Sept. 19, portion of the night. Spotlight Night is free 2013 7 PM $5/10 and open to the public, too. Rudder Fountain, Drew Kennedy at The Tap TAMU Campus Sept. 19, 2013 FREE After a quick read of musician and author Drew Kennedy’s Facebook profile, you’ll Singer/Songwriter Night at Village Café Singer/Songwriter night offers aspiring discover that he has 3 dogs, a cat, and a musicians a chance to show off their talent. “generous” school of fish he has trouble Come out each week to listen to some original remembering to feed. You’ll also learn the music while enjoying your favorite Texas wine biography of his three guitars. We won’t or beer. 210 W. 26th St, Bryan Sept. 19, 2013 tell you about his music; you’ll have to hear him at The Tap for yourself. 815 Harvey Rd, 8 PM FREE College Station, Sept. 19, 2013 9 PM Josef Joffe at The Bush Presidential Library A German publisher-editor first, and man steeped in academia, Joffe makes his first appearance at the George Bush Library BV Troupe’s Football Friday at 29th St. Studio in the Annenberg Presidential Conference The Oxymoron improv team provides the Center. Hosted by the Scowcroft Institute laughs and you provide the ideas. Presenting of International Affairs, Joffe will share his on Fridays that precede A&M home football perspectives on US policy from Europe’s point games at 7:30pm, Oxymoron will be located at of view. The Bush Presidential Library, TAMU the 29th Street Studio in Bryan. All seats are $8. 3705 E. 29 St. Bryan, Sept 20, 2013 7:30 Campus Sept. 19, 2013 5:30 PM PM $8

Thursday, September 19th

Friday, September 20th

in College Station bars; now he’s returning to his alma mater to perform a unique twist of country, blues, and rock ‘n’ roll at Schotzi’s.

205 University Dr. College Station, Sept. 20, 2013 10:30 PM

Saturday, September 21st

Salsa Saturdays at Village Café Voted Best Night of Dancing 2011 & 2012, Salsa Saturdays starts with a fun “30-Minute Crash Course Salsa Lesson” at 10pm followed by a hot night of dancing. Come prepared to sweat and to meet new people at this Aggie hot spot! Visit www.mambosentertainment.com/ salsasaturdays.html for more details. 210 W. 26th St, Bryan Sept. 14, 2013 8:00 PM $5

Brian Keane at Church St. BBQ Country singer/songwriter Brian Keane is coming up from Austin to play at Church Street BBQ. Keane’s “The Tractor Song” shot to #2 on Wade Bowen at Hurricane Harry’s The award winning Texas country star the charts; the song was later covered by the is bringing his chart topping songs to Josh Abbott Band, who turned it into a #1 hit.

College Station, bringing along fellow 100 Church St. College Station, Sept. 21, 2013 country artist, Curtis Grimes. Doors open 11:00 PM at 9pm and you can purchase your tickets online at harrys.bcsclubs.com/events/. Fiestas Patrias Mexicanas at Palace Theatre 313 College Ave. College Station, Sept. The annual event that draws over 25,000 to historic Downtown Bryan. Fiesta Patrias 20, 2013 9 PM $12 Mexicanas celebrates education, traditions, Jeremy Kittel Band at Rudder Theatre music, and dance—all surrounded, of course, Kittel is regarded as one of the world’s Brandon Smith at Schotzi’s leading Scots-Irish fiddlers. As a solo artist, Former teen trumpeter and Fightin’ Texas by acres of food. Fiesta Patrias stands for he has a total of four albums; his most Aggie Brandon Smith started his music career “patriotic holiday”, or “national holiday,” and pg 16 | maroonweekly.com | 09.18.13

Bryan celebrates the Mexican holiday with at Mic Check Poetry! Hosted by Revolution Cafe, it’s several events held over a span of a weekend. every Sunday at 8:30pm and free. Break out of your 100 Main St. Bryan, Sept. 21, 2013 6 PM mold and channel your inner artist; whether you cite your own free-form poetry or listen to others Stroller Strides at Bee Creek Park recite theirs, you’ll go home inspired.211B S. Main Just imagine a group of stroller pushin’ mamas St. Bryan, Sept. 22, 2013 8:30 PM in sweatbands, decked out in diaper bag knapsacks, weaving in and out of crazy obstacle courses. Well, at least that’s what we see. Stroller Strides is a total fitness program designed to get Trivia Night at Revolution mommies bustin’ a sweat, creating friendships, Monday nights are pretty boring; it’s too early and keeping baby engaged with all kinds of music in the week to party and too early in the week and activities at Wolf Pen Creek. 1900 Anderson, to study. So, you’re kind of left with nothing College Station Sept. 21, 2013 9:30 AM to do but Facebooking, channel surfing, or Netflixing. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

What if you could spend a Monday night with a drink in your hand and “study” at the same time without feeling like you’re partying or doing your homework? Well, you can do just that. Every Monday night, Revolution Cafe hosts Trivia Night from 9pm till just before midnight–ending just in time to sleep 8 hours before class on Tuesday. 211B S Main St, Bryan Sept. 23, 2013 9:00 PM

Monday, September 23rd

Sunday, September 22nd

Tuesday, September 24th Kinky Friedman at Grand Stafford Theater Friedman has done it all. From the Peace Corps to the Grand Ole Opry. His tour stop at Stafford will include a performance, reading, and book signing, along with an auction for a three-bottle set of his Man in Black Tequila to benefit Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch. 106 S. Main. Bryan, Sept. 22, 2013 8:00 PM $25

details check Breakaway Ministries Facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/ breakawayministries Sept. 24, 2013 9:00 PM FREE Craft Cocktails at Grand Stafford Theater Mixing beings at 4:30pm each Tuesday and continues throughout the evening. Cocktails are expertly crafted by resident mixologist Cody Schilling. His handmade mixers, fresh ingredients, and premium liquors make falling off your bar stool delicious. 106 S Main St, Bryan Sept. 24, 2013 8:00 PM $8 BV Toupe’s Season Preview at 29th St. Studio The BVT is hosting their Season Preview Party on Tuesday, September 24th at 7pm. The event is located at the BVT Studio at 3705 E. 29th St., Bryan. They invite everyone to join as they preview their 20th year of award winning programs for youth and families. 3705 E. 29th St. Bryan,, Sept. 24, 2013 7:00 PM

Wednesday, September 25th Salsa Wednesdays at Village Café Salsa Wednesdays at the Village Cafe offer an hour and a half professional dance lesson(8pm) followed by a night of dancing from 9:30-12am. A great night to learn new moves or to just let loose on the dance floor!

Visit http://www.mambosentertainment. com/grouplessons.html for more details.

210 W. 26th St, Bryan Sept. 18, 2013 8:00 PM $5

Pub Quiz at O’bannon’s Test your knowledge and don’t worry about being graded. Instead, sit back with a pint or a cocktail and either play or be a spectator. 103 Boyett Dr. College Station, Sept. 22, 2013 9:00 PM FREE

Charlie Worsham at Hurricane Harry’s Riding on the tail of his new chart-topping single, “Could It Be”, Charlie Worsham is Breakaway at Texas A&M Non-denominational Breakaway Ministries’ bringing his country twang to Harry’s. He’s events have already set a record for joined by Bri Bagwell, the ex- CMT’s Next attendance, and Tuesday’s assembly of Superstar contestant and local country Mic Check at Revolution worship, inspiration and entertainment starlet. 313 College Ave. College Station, Speak your mind or listen to those who do it for you will surely set yet another one. For more Sept. 25, 2013 9 PM 09.18.13 | maroonweekly.com | pg 17

Fiestas Get the Goods: Patrias at Downtown Bryan

By Dani Wilkins An annual event that draws over 25,000 to historic Downtown Bryan, Fiesta Patrias celebrates education, traditions, music, and dance—all surrounded, of course, by acres of food. Fiesta Patrias stands for “patriotic holiday”, or “national holiday,” and Bryan celebrates the Mexican holiday with several events held over a span of a weekend.

A cultural event will be held at the Palace Theatre on Saturday the 21st from 6-9pm; the festival and parade will fill the streets on Sunday the 22nd from noon till you’ve had your fill of delicious foods and traditional performances (or 10pm, whichever comes first.)

For individuals, organizations, and businesses who want to take part in food, craft, or information booths, you can definitely do so! For a small fee, you may provide whatever concession or craft your heart desires, and if you’d like to set up an information booth, that’s free of charge to you.

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Roadtrips and Getaways Within a Day’s Drive

Floating the River One Last Time

By Chandler Hodo

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The local non-profit organization which hosts Fiestas Patrias each year was founded in the early ‘90s by fatherson duo Mr. Emilio Lopez Sr. and Ray Lopez. Their biggest hope was to instill the community with culture. Without the work of these two College Station lifetime residents, their sponsors, and community volunteers, this event wouldn’t be possible. For more information, visit fiestaspatrias.org.

The seasons are about to shift and once again the Texas summer heat will be in our rearview mirror (thank goodness!) Whether you’re celebrating the end of temperatures that could leave you with a third degree burn, or the success of a summer well spent, this weekend trip is a great way to wrap up the season and enjoy one of Texas’ biggest attractions before “our version” of cold weather sets in.

Drag yourself out of bed around 9am on Saturday morning for your journey to New Braunfels.

The drive through Texas Hill Country will most likely take you a little more than two and a half hours. You can either pack a lunch to eat during the drive, make a pit stop along the way, or fill up at one of the numerous joints around the river. Once you arrive at your destination a little before noon, you can choose from various businesses along the banks of the Guadalupe River that provide very similar, if not the same, necessities for your tubing experience. They differ in prices slightly, and some offer specialized conveniences such as tubes with coolers built into them and even tubes for your cooler itself.

Once you’ve secured all the essentials and enough alcohol for the day-long float, you and your gang can hop into your tubes and begin your day of buoyant leisure. Sink your butt into your chosen flotation device, lay back, and feel the hot rays of sun on your skin and cold beer can aluminum against your lips.

When your beverage runs out, look for one of the many garbage boats located along the river and toss your trash into one.

Once you’ve reached the finish line and have figured out a way to intoxicatingly drag yourself out of the water, it will be pretty clear that you’re not driving anywhere. Catch a local bus or walk, depending on what part of the riverbanks you are located at, to Camp Huaco Springs, a first-come, first-serve campsite. Pitch a tent and fall asleep to the sound of the river trickling over rocks and the distant sound of crashing falls in the distance. They also have a camp store stocked with all your overnight needs if you’ve forgotten them. If you decide that you’re not quite ready to settle in for night yet, you can take another bus to the famous Gruene Hall for a concert

by Reckless Kelly (performing there this weekend); you can order your tickets online.

After a full day of floating and drinking followed by a night of music and drinking, (see the theme here?) hopefully you’ll wake up to a member of your clan sobered up for the drive home.

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09.18.13 | maroonweekly.com | pg 19

exclusive interview:

weston snow

Weston Snow’s “Aggie Nation” is Fodder for Fans and Haters

By Chris Zebo Weston Snow is a 3rd generation Aggie; 21 members of his family—including both of his parents—graduated from Texas A&M. The sophomore, who studies honors biomedical engineering, grew up in Glen Rose, about 45 minutes southwest of Fort Worth. He was popular in high school on Friday nights when anthemic songs he'd penned were blasted over the loudspeakers at football games, charging up fans and rallying pride and team affiliation. As a sophomore in high school, he began writing original songs for his football team, but his songs became so popular that opposing teams soon asked him to write songs for their teams, too.

Now at TAMU, Weston wants to become a part of the tradition, and his recent song, “Aggie Nation”, accompanies a music video that was uploaded to YouTube on September 1. Although the song and video have by no means gone as viral as a Johnny Football scandal, Snow's song has generated a few snarly protests, trolls, and, shall we say, some “constructive feedback.” We talked with Snow last week and allowed him to address his haters and to express the motivation behind his Aggieland anthem.

MW: Okay. Start from the bottom. Tell everyone how this all started.

Snow: So, this is my first music video I’ve ever done. I was just learning on the fly as far as the video editing went. The actual music itself—I’ve been doing songs since I was a sophomore in high school. The way it started was Team Tunes, [which] is sort of the idea that I went with; I, as Weston Snow, don’t really have a fan base, but athletic programs do.

I started releasing songs and stuff because I was interested in writing music, and I wrote so much that I couldn’t remember how to play it all. So I started recording. Then my football team asked me for a song, so I wrote one for them and it got played at the games on Friday nights. Other teams started hearing them, and then our rivals started asking me to write them songs, too.

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I got down here to A&M, still doing high school songs on the side, and thought how could I maybe expand this, maybe write a song for A&M as well. That’s kind of where that all came from. I’ve never had formal training in a studio; I just did it and enjoyed doing it.

MW: Tell us about the video. Did you have experience prior to “Aggie Nation”?

Snow: Yes and no. As far as the song is concerned, everything was made from scratch, minus the war hymn that’s at the beginning of the song. Everything else is original work. With the video, I have a friend named Kati Hewitt that’s sort of doing the same thing I am with the audio, but hers is more the photography side. I knew about that, so I asked, “Hey, would you mind coming out and filming for me.” I had an idea of how I wanted the video to look, and I pitched it to her, and she bought into it. She said, “Okay, let’s do this thing!”

Basically, all throughout Welcome Week, or Gig ‘Em Week, we were just going around campus filming spots. It just so happened, with some of the shots in the background, we’d be walking up to go to Sul Ross and look over and the Corps is doing their FOW Marching. All the parents [were] there, they’re doing their first march. Obviously, we filmed at Midnight Yell and at the game too. As far as the video, she did all the filming and I did the editing on it. We tried to get [‘Aggie Nation’] out as soon as possible after the Rice game.”

MW: How long did it take to put it all together, from start to finish?

Snow: I started on August 1st making the music for it, and I started with the War Hymn and tried to keep it similar to that. Then I took that and wrote the lyrics while I was moving furniture at the Cottages. Once I got done with those, it took me 3 or 4 days to record the lyrics onto the music that I had produced, and after that it took about a week and half for the video, from start to finish.

MW: How do you respond to the mixed reviews, especially ones where people are criticizing you about playing around with the War Hymn?

Snow: For me, the War Hymn, you can’t replace it. It is the War Hymn. The line in my song that says, “This is the new War Hymn” [means] that the Aggie family is not afraid to be innovative while also staying true to their roots. The line preceding the “new War Hymn” line is “We bring the innovation.”

Ultimately, I get where they’re coming from; we’re a tradition-based school, and that’s what we take pride in. I see where they’re coming from, and I also strongly believe that this is a university that is always moving; it’s moving forward but also staying true to its roots. That’s what I love about it, and that’s what I was trying to portray.

MW: You’re capturing the moment we’re in right now. Second year in the SEC, all the new development happening around campus, money funneling in, and a push-and-pull between yesterday and what tomorrow will look like in Aggieland.

Snow: And that’s what made it so difficult to write. Because, obviously, whenever we spent a week writing or two weeks making the music, I was in between my job at the Cottages and doing that. I spent the majority of the hours on this song writing the lyrics themselves, trying to ride the fine line between this new change of getting Coach Sumlin, a younger coach who’s bringing swag to the football program and getting these awesome recruiting classes that we have. It’s very difficult to ride that line and writing the song; now it’s getting mixed reviews from Traditions Council on campus that doesn’t want the change. Then there’s people who are saying, ‘Oh my gosh! This is so awesome.” They’re at the forefront, trying to move this university in a direction that’s more based in the SEC and this new movement that we have going on.

MW: What do you say to some of the other critiques about using the term “Aggie Nation” rather than referring to us as a family?

Snow: Ultimately, I was not trying to create a new tradition, or a new term. I realize it’s not as widely used as “Aggie family.” I myself am a 3rd generation Aggie, so I’ve been coming down here since I was two years old. In writing the song, I liked the way that “Aggie nation” sounded, so I used it. It’s getting mixed reviews, but I feel like a comment that Hunter Williams posted, “Why can’t we be a family and a nation?” makes perfect sense. I feel like whenever I’m here, we are a family together, but I’m not against the term “Aggie nation.” I don’t really see what is wrong with it. The word “family” is a stronger affiliation, sounds more tied together; we are a close-knit community and the strongest student body in the nation. I mean, I see where some people may be coming from, but I don’t feel like referring to us as a nation is derogatory.

MW: Do you think people are just being haters, because they can say whatever they want online?

Snow: I feel like it's an Internet thing. They’re not necessarily held accountable. No one has come up to my face and bashed the song. The only thing people have done to my face is say, “Oh my gosh! That was awesome! You’re the guy from the video!” and send praise and stuff.

But then on YouTube—behind the screen, it’s easier to bash the song. They feel a tie to this university. As a student body, we are Texas A&M. Without the student body, Texas A&M is nothing. We are the heartbeat of this university; I feel like everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion. Trying to bottle that up is not going to do any good. I feel like I did my best to portray what we are as Texas A&M. Granted, A&M is agriculturally based. Trying to mix hiphop into that atmosphere is going to have mixed reviews, whether it’s a good song or not.

Ultimately, I feel like I’m satisfied with the way it turned out.

MW: Do you have any other songs in the works after seeing how this one has gone over in the public?

Snow: As far as this is concerned, “Aggie Nation”, was sort of an experiment to see if it would get popular around campus. I would be completely for moving forward; writing songs for other athletic programs around the department, like basketball or baseball. I started out in high school writing these songs; by the time I graduated, I was doing them for all of the different teams, not just football. Next time, I’m going to need to dig a little deeper, stay more on point.

I feel like, in this song, everything is as close to innovation without losing the tradition as I could’ve gotten.

09.18.13 | maroonweekly.com | pg 21

TEXAS GRAND SLAM

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11.07.12 | maroonweekly.com | pg 23

APPS

4 THAT

3 Apps You Won’t Regret Downloading

By Luke Murray

People’s CelebFood Your unhealthy obsession with Hollywood celebs just got a whole lot...well we won’t say healthier; let’s say tastier. People Magazine released an app that compiles numerous celebrities’ favorite recipes, including everything from Mark Whalberg’s alcoholic milkshakes to A-Rod’s perfect steak with onion confit. Save your favorites for later or share them with your friends. Find the perfect entre or hor d’oeuvres for your next meal; search by collection or specific ingredient. Promising more than 200 collective recipes with more coming each week, recipes include step-by-step instructions, tips, exclusive videos, and articles. People Magazine, one of the nation’s most popular pop culture authorities, is now getting even deeper into celeb culture—all the way to their stomachs! – FREE (Paid subscription option available) Composed We know you have a lot on your plate; you have to do your school work, finish the expense report for your boss, pick up the dry cleaning, cook dinner, call grandma, and maybe find a better job so you can hire a personal assistant. Or, you could try out Composed. This lifesaving button for your home screen is composed of little algorithms that can somehow keep you organized, on track, and—most importantly—a lot less stressed. Interactive graphics and an easy-to-manage user interface allow you to monitor your progress on various tasks and get the more pressing matters done first. Create your to-do list, make notes on certain projects, keep track of your completed or pending responsibilities, and prioritize your schedule to maximize your efficiency while minimizing your anxiety. – FREE (For a limited time.)

Joust Legend Knights of the King’s Court, we call thee to download the most realistic medieval combat game ever created for your mobile device. Developed with an epic 3D display, Joust Legend provides the closest thing you can experience to being lanced off a steed without strapping on the iron yourself. Created with the use of motion sense technology—and the help of champion jouster, Jason Kingsley—developers were able to incorporate the most comprehensive combination of speed and adrenaline since 1472. Go back to the late 15th century and partake in a grand tournament between the kingdoms of France and England as you mount up against the finest warriors threatening your homeland. Master your skills on horseback, earn rewards for your victories, and upgrade your weaponry for your next matchup against new opponentes. - $1.99

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RING DAY

“The Aggie ring is not your typical piece of jewelry; jam-packed with almost as much tradition as the school it represents, the ring is full of symbolism and history.”

BY CHANDLER HODO One of Aggieland’s most famous and widely anticipated traditions is upon us as Texas A&M students prepare to slide that hefty piece of gold onto their fingers. The Aggie ring is not your typical piece of jewlery; jam packed with almost as much tradition as the school it represents, the ring is full of symolism and history.

Aggie Ring Day will take place on September 20 at the Clayton W. Williams Jr. Alumni Center, opening with a yell practice at 1:45pm.

Ring distribution officially kicks off at 2pm with the firing of the Spirit of ’02 Cannon and will conclude at 8pm. If you are one of the lucky Ags receiving their rings this September, remember that you will need to bring your ring ticket as well as two forms of identification upon pick up: your driver’s license, student ID card, or your Aggie ring certificate will fit the bill. Most importantly, once your ring is in your possession (most likely immediately hugging your finger), remember the six core values that lead you to this important and commendable moment: Excellence, Integrity, Leadership, Loyalty, Respect and Selfless Service.

There are other Ring Day events besides the ring distribution process, including various presentations by student performance groups throughout the day and an Aggie ring polishing station where any Aggie ring can get a facelift with a free polish.

Slovacek’s will also be handing out free sausage on a stick, and a mist station will be set up for the overheated attendees who aren’t digging the heat.

For most Aggies, their right hand ring finger serves as the ring’s home for the rest of their lives. The ring tradition, which originated more than 100 years ago, marks an incredible milestone in the college career and life of an Aggie. With some of the toughest class ring eligibility requirements in the nation, an Aggie ring displayed on your finger is something to be extremely proud of. It also serves as your physical and attention-grabbing identification that you are a member of the Aggie network, and it can even help you secure a job! pg 24 24 || maroonweekly.com maroonweekly.com || 09.18.13 pg

- By Brandon Nowalk -

In a World COMEDY (R)

The Family COMEDY (R)

The Family is Robert DeNiro’s splashiest post-gangster movie yet. He plays Giovanni Manzoni, a ruthless mafioso who turns state’s witness on his big-F Family and winds up in witness protection. So “The Blakes” are hustled about rural France by their fed handler Tommy Lee Jones. There’s Michelle Pfeiffer as the social butterfly mom, Diana Agron as the pragmatic but romantic daughter, and John D’Leo as the racketeering son.

They have trouble fitting in anywhere thanks to their short fuses, so as The Family begins, they’re making their way to yet another new home in yet another new town.

It starts out as a fish-out-of-water comedy, but the mafia threat looms large from the get-go. From prison, the well-kept don and his lackeys are trying to track down the Manzonis, and one of the first scenes in the film is a hit-man killing everyone in what turns out to be the wrong family. Obviously this is headed for a climactic showdown, and that exquisite tonal mixture of comedy and pathos is what elevates the film. For example, there’s this electric calm before the storm set to the suggestive “Clint Eastwood” by Gorillaz, and it drops at just the right moment. By this point, both kids’ subplots are kind of half-baked, but suddenly the eye-watering sequence papers over everything, and you realize how much you care about the characters.

Part of that is the cast, who turn archetypes into rich people, particularly Pfeiffer as an alternately hateful mob wife and endearing, striving mother. But part of that is director Luc Besson (The Professional, The Fifth Element), a sharp pulp stylist who makes The Family play like a comic book, complete with lingering splash pages. As with Gorillaz, whose songs include pop-violence deconstructions (“Dirty Harry”) and the speaks-foritself title “Kids With Guns,” Besson cleverly borrows from cinema history. A major plot point is made of Some Came Running, which itself features a sudden-showdown finale, and Goodfellas, which stars De Niro as a gangster. The Family may not have the depths of those films, but it’s hardly an embarrassment to its elders.

pg26 26 || maroonweekly.com maroonweekly.com || 09.18.13 09.18.13 pg

With the real-life passing of movie-trailer voice-over master Don LaFontaine, actor-writer-director Lake Bell took the opportunity to make a comedy about the world of Hollywood voice artists for her first feature. There’s a social angle, too, as Bell plays the first female voice-over actor in the beloved “In a world” style despite pushback from everyone including her own voice-over legend father, played by Fred Melamed. The plot’s as pointed as it is vital: Nobody wants to hear a woman’s voice, so it’s up to her to make them. Bell’s visual style is solid but understated, so what she excels at here are the surprising human moments, like when Michaela Watkins as her sister just collapses for reasons I won’t spoil or when Bell rushes over to hug her. Like many debuts, it takes 15 minutes to get into it; but by the end, I couldn’t wait to hear more from Bell.

Cinemark Classic:

To Kill A Mockingbird For all the problems with the Cinemark Classic Series, not least the grotesque digital projection, at least the series is exposing seminal works to a mass audience. In a region with limited repertory fare and folding arthouses, Cinemark is doing some serious cultural service every Sunday at 2 and every Wednesday at 2 and 7. This week the selected landmark is To Kill a Mockingbird (to be followed in coming weeks by Fight Club and Hitchcock’s unmissable Vertigo, recently voted by an elite of film critics and scholars as the greatest film ever made). Mockingbird doesn’t totally achieve its reputation as an unassailable classic, but the film’s clear-eyed portrayal of childhood, the south, and nostalgia are pitch-perfect. Gregory Peck isn’t the most versatile actor, but thanks to Harper Lee’s rich source material, his Atticus Finch is a legend. And thanks to Cinemark Classics, you can see him on the big screen.

1. Insidious: Chapter 2

Patrick Wilson may have gotten his son back from the demonic spirit world, but is it really his son? And why are the demons so intent on possessing him? Rose Byrne co-stars.

PG-13 (105 min.)

2. The Family

Robert De Niro plays a gangster in witness protection in small-town France with his wife Michelle Pfeiffer and handler Tommy Lee Jones. But this fish-out-of-water comedy gradually turns into a violent showdown with his ex-associates. R (110 min.)

3. Riddick

Vin Diesel’s night-vision superhero (or super-antihero) is back, this time pitting two crews of bounty hunters against each other so he can escape the planet he’s marooned on amid a dangerous swarm of aliens. R (119 min.)

4. The Butler

Forest Whitaker serves as White House butler for eight different presidents (Robin Williams, John Cusack, James Marsden, the list goes on) while his son explores the rise of the Black Panthers. PG-13 (132 min.)

5. We’re the Millers

A road trip comedy about a bunch of outcasts playing an all-American family (Jason Sudeikis as dealer dad, Jennifer Aniston as stripper mom) to sneak into Mexico and retrieve a marijuana package for a quick buck. R (110 min.)

6. Instructions not Included An Acapulco playboy is forced to reorient his life when his daughter is left on his doorstep. Then he has to do it all over again when the birth mother shows up in this Spanishlanguage hit. PG-13 (115 min.)

7. Planes

Disney goes Pixar with a Cars-style take on a world of sentient planes.

Dane Cook as a cropduster dreams of competing in a race around the world..

Brad Garret, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and John Cleese co-star. PG (91 min.)

8. One Direction: This is Us Like Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, and Katy Perry before them, One Direction finally gets the documentary treatment. It’s not just a concert but a peak behind the curtain. Definitely for fans only. PG (92 min.)

9. Elysium

Grungy class-war sci-fi in which Matt Damon character has five days left to live while the off-planet Paradise of Elysium has free health care for all. Jodie Foster stars as Damon’s nemesis. R (109 min.)

10. Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

Percy Jackson and his friends must hunt down the Golden Fleece to defeat the rising tide of monsters and restore their sanctuary in this freewheeling Greek mythology/coming-ofage mash-up. PG (106 min.)

11. Blue Jasmine

Cate Blanchett’s real housewife of New York has to move in with her working class adoptive sister Sally Hawkins when her Wall Street ex gets caught by the feds as Woody Allen tours San Francisco. PG-13 (98 min.)

12. The World’s End

The follow-up to Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz casts Simon Pegg as a world-class screw-up who reunites his high school buddies to complete their hometown’s pub crawl where they discover a freaky secret. R (109 min.)

13. Despicable Me 2

The heroic Anti-Villain League hires Steve Carell as a grumbling supervillain turned adoptive father to help fight a new supervillain. Featuring the voices of Kristen Wiig, Benjamin Bratt, and Russell Brand. PG (98 min.)

14. The Mortal Instruments Lily Collins discovers she can see

demons and teams up with other warriors to protect Earth from their darkness. Based on the young adult fantasy bestsellers. Also starring Lena Headey and CCH Pounder. PG-13 (130 min.)

15. 2 Guns

In the wake of a botched bank robbery, Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg play undercover feds on the run from a drug cartel and their respective agencies in this explosive actioner. R (109 min.)

16. This is the End

The Apatow bunch is back, just in time for the apocalypse. Of course, that’s just the backdrop for the usual vulgar jokes and anthropology of modern bros; but the ending is a summer high. R (107 min.)

17. The Spectacular Now

Miles Teller’s alkie high school senior meets Shailene Woodley’s unpopular dreamer in this rustic Atlanta comingof-age story. Brie Larson rounds out the eye-opening youth cast, and Kyle Chandler gives a spectacular supporting performance. R (95 min.)

18. Getaway

Ethan Hawke gets the Taken treatment—his wife is kidnapped and he’s forced to do certain tasks to see her again. But when he meets Selena Gomez portraying a gearhead, he takes matters into his own hands.

PG-13 (90 min.)

19. You’re Next

An upper-crust New England anniversary party is cut short by three masked killers. People start dropping like flies as the horror gives way to dark satire until the middle son’s girlfriend fights back. R (94 min.)

20. The Wolverine

After the de-powering events of X-Men 3: The Last Stand, Wolverine retreats to Japan for some meditative soul-searching, but he quickly gets embroiled in a classic samurai tale featuring Mariko and Silver Samurai.

PG-13 (126 min.)

09.18.13 | maroonweekly.com | pg 27

Dr. Josef Joffe Comes to Aggieland

BY DANI WILKINS Starting September 17, an international conference titled “1914 and the Making of the Twentieth Century” will be hosted by TAMU. The unique conference will bring scholars from across the United States and across the pond to discuss how the war affected and continues to affect the world we live in.

The event’s keynote speaker, Dr. Josef Joffe, has an interesting take on the world, particularly the interaction of the United States with Germany.

As current editor of a weekly German publication, Die Zeit, and a man of academia, Dr. Joffe is an esteemed author, and his recent novel, The Myth of America’s Decline, is chockfull of great history lessons and an interesting approach to the myth that America is on the decline.

Writing aside, his second career has been steeped in academia. A Stanford Institute for International Studies Senior Fellow, he also serves as a courtesy professor of political science and Abramowitz Fellow in International Relations at the Hoover Institution. Besides these prestigious titles, he has also taught at Harvard, John Hopkins, and University of Munich.

Joffe will speak on September 19 at 5:30pm in the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center. The conference is sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts, the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs at the Bush School of Government and Public Service, the Department of History, Department of Performance Studies, Melbern G. Glasscock Center for Humanities Research, Oxford University Press, and through the bountiful support of Melbern G. and Susanne M. Glasscock. For more information, visit bush.tamu.edu/1914.

Art FORSYTH GALLERIES

Art for All People: American Illustrators at Texas A&M

August 2-October 13, 2013

Tuesday - Friday: 9:00 am - 8:00 pm

Saturday - Sunday: 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm FREE

George Woodall and the Art of English Cameo Glass

August 2-December 15, 2013

Tuesday - Friday: 9:00 am - 8:00 pm

Saturday - Sunday: 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm FREE

Runyon Cameo Examples and paperweights Permanent Exhibit

Tuesday - Friday: 9:00 am - 8:00 pm

Saturday - Sunday: 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm

STARK GALLERIES

Edgar Degas: The Private Impressionist Works on Paper by the Artist & His Circle August 29- December 15, 2013

Tuesday - Friday: 9:00 am - 8:00 pm

Saturday - Sunday: 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm FREE

GEORGE BUSH PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

access/ABILITY

July 15, 2013-September 30,2013

Mon-Sat 9:30am-5 pm

Cost: Adults- $9.00

Seniors-$7.00

TAMU & Blinn Students- Free

Other college students with ID- $3.00 Youth (6-17)- $3.00

Children (5 and under)- Free

SEAD GALLERY

Becky Phillips Sublime Encounters: Science and Art Collide Tuesday-Saturday 10AM-6PM

pg28 28 || maroonweekly.com maroonweekly.com || 09.18.13 09.18.13 pg

“Freestyle for all” no theme, so what?

by Matt Jones

Open Everyday 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

1808 Texas Ave. College Station, TX 77840 979.485.8888

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Across

Down

1 “Cool” amount of money 4 Lewd dude 9 Wyclef Jean or Lauryn Hill, once 14 “Entourage” agent Gold 15 They blow off steam 17 Chinese revolutionary Sun ___sen 18 Was preceded by 19 “Addams Family” cousin 20 Gordie who played 26 seasons 21 Sphinx’s offering 22 Scary Spice’s alter ego 24 “7 Faces of Dr. ___” 25 Prefix past tera- and peta26 Historical time 28 Get (behind) 30 Wu-Tang Clan producer 33 Side dish often oven-roasted 39 Dimensions beyond description 40 What yoga and meditation help with 41 Data storage device, for short (hidden in PRESS DOWN) 42 Latest craze 43 Poetic planet 44 Amtrak listing, briefly 47 Angler’s need 49 A kazillion years, it seems 52 Reagan biographer Peggy 55 Teen follower 57 Eat daintily 58 Neo’s realization that prompts the line “Show me” 60 Concert shirt 61 They come before deliveries 62 “Green Acres” star Gabor 63 Showing some cheek 64 Last name in tractors 65 Hunky-dory

1 Bialik of “The Big Bang Theory” 2 Hardly a happy camper 3 Unnamed source of a secret, playfully 4 Grateful Dead bass guitarist Phil 5 Glorify 6 Park Avenue hotel, casually 7 Blink-and-you’ll-miss-it sighting 8 Engine noise 9 Former Army base in N.J. 10 Norwegian phrase heard in the Upper Midwest 11 Ending for Scotch (anagram of DRAG) 12 Organic compound 13 J.D. Salinger heroine 16 Drought-damaged (hidden in SERENA WILLIAMS) 23 ___ Canyon (Utah attraction) 27 Some abstract paintings 29 It’s said with a pat 30 Brew from South Africa 31 Paradoxical philosopher 32 Part of NCAA 33 Eleanor’s White House successor 34 Bldg. units 35 Hosp. facilities 36 1989 play about Capote 37 Label for Sonny & Cher 38 Solution strength, in Southampton (anagram of TRITE) 44 Makes out, to Brits 45 Light golden brown 46 He wrote “She’s a Lady” 48 Put off 50 New, in Nicaragua 51 Say something 52 Slight bites 53 Cajun vegetable 54 They get swapped for quarters 56 Bit of subterfuge 59 “Hansel ___ Gretel” (German opera) �2013 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@ jonesincrosswords.com)

ETC.

09.18.13 | maroonweekly.com | pg 29

Drink Slinger

GET TO KNOW YOUR FAVORITE BCS BARTENDERS

SLINGER OF THE WEEK

Cody Schilling

Grand Stafford Theater

MW: If you were a drink, what would you be?

C: Aviation Cocktail: Classic gin cocktail with lemon juice, maraschino liqueur, and creme de violette.

MW: What is the craziest thing you’ve seen while working behind this bar?

C: 400+ people packed into the place, all getting crazy for the music.

MW: If you could bar chat with one person who would it be?

C: Ernest Hemingway MW: What would you want to talk with him about?

C: Alcohol: the man knew how to drink!

MW: What drink do you think he would ask for?

C: Something with Absinthe; he had a lot of drinks named after him.

MW: What is the worst mixing combination, in your opinion?

C: Liquid Ecstasy: It’s neon turquoise, glows under black light with Blue Curacao, melon liqueur, vodka, rum, and lemon juice.

MW: What is the most disgusting drink people ask you for?

C: The Liquid Ecstasy or Amaretto Sour.

MW: If you could only make one drink for the rest of your life what would it be?

C: Gin Martinis.

Slinger’s Signature Drink MW: What is your signature drink?

C: Lemon Basil Martini

Fresh Ba si Sugar l Le m o n Citrus V Juice o d ka

pg 30 | maroonweekly.com | 09.18.13

ANSWERS from page 29

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