Etc.

90.5 The App rocks Appalachian
Andy Jackins
Reporter

After major reconstruction of format and personnel, the campus radio station, 90.5 the APP (WASU-FM), is ranked number one. It has changed along with the students, and its resurrection from the dead has been nothing short of miraculous.

According to a Campus Media Survey, 43 percent of the students at Appalachian tune in to the APP, while 35 percent tune in to the regular format, mainstream alternative.

This survey shows a dramatic increase in the number of students tuning in, compared to statistics compiled from research conducted in April of 1995, which found only five percent of campus to be listening.

Station Manager Jonathan Mauney attributes the turnaround to the staff. He says that their high level of pride and professionalism has made all the difference. "It's the result of a year and a half of hard work and dedication of everyone at the APP," says Mauney.

Programming Director and host of the House of Ska, Nicole Triche, adds, "there is a great deal of loyalty to the station shared by the staff, and motivation to keep on top."

Relying on radio industry magazines such as Radio and Records (R&R), College Music Journal (CMJ) and Billboard Magazine to follow current trends, the station has taken listeners away from the commercial stations in Charlotte and Winston-Salem.

"What separates the APP from stations like 106.5 The End, is that we are willing to take chances on a single before the other stations put it into heavy rotation. An example being No Doubt's "Excuse Me Mister," which is just now finding heavy air play on the commercial stations. "The APP started playing it in the spring of 96," says Mauney.

Besides the station's regular format, the APP also offers a wide range of specialty shows ranging from classical, soul, punk and bluegrass to heavy metal and country. Other programming includes 12:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. newscasts, live coverage of athletics, and talk forums that discuss current issues facing our campus.

The station's promotions department offers many giveaways and contests on the air via live remote throughout campus. This semester the promotions director, Brooke Kurek, has two contests currently on tap, including a spring break trip to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, and a Matchbox Date for Valentine's Day.

Anyone interested in getting involved with the station this semester or in the future should contact Jonathan Mauney at 262-3170. Without the efforts of students, the station would not exist, which is all the more reason to keep your dial tuned to 90.5 FM The APP.

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Free movie channel here?
A.P.P.S. Films brings it and more on-campus
Jeremy Ball
Assistant Features Editor

Are you tired of the same old stuff on television? Well, if you like movies then you're in luck starting next week.

APPS Films will be sponsoring an addition to the cable services offered to on- campus students in the form of a movie channel.

Landon M. Pratt, a senior from Kingsport, TN. and the chairperson of APPS Films said that his council was approached by the company which currently supplies it with movies, Films Inc., with an offer that they couldn't refuse.

The company offered to supply the council with roughly twelve additional movies per month, which could be shown over the cable system, for free.

The films will be selected by the Films council each month from a list that the company provides.

Pratt says that most of the available movies will be recent releases but there are also opportunities for different kinds of movies, as well.

"The movies tend to be pretty recent, but we're going to try to mix it up a lot".

Pratt says that means that there will be opportunities for educational films to be shown and possible themes to be explored, such as an AIDS awareness films week or minority films week.

He said that because they received the films basically free of charge the council will not be concerned at all with revenue expectations and can, therefore, offer more variety.

Approximately ten films will be shown a month. All of the films will be shown each week but the times at which they will be shown will vary from week to week.

Pratt says that he hopes to publish the films schedule in the Appalachian.

The remaining two films will be shown in I.G. Greer, which is getting a new projection system to accommodate VCR tapes.

Pratt says that he is excited about the new offer to students because the films will be picked by students.

So if you want to see a movie shown on campus or you get tired of what's shown, then join the APPS Films council and help make the decisions.

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Blood Drive around the corner
Darin Glass
Staff Writer

Blood and ice cream. The two will go together on Feb. 19 in the Student Union as the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and Alpha Phi Omega co-sponsor this semester's Blood Drive.

WASU is helping the cause of giving blood with a cool treat. Giving one pint of blood will get you a certificate for free Haagen-Dazs ice cream.

It will be hard to top last semester's extraordinary turn out with 180 people coming out and giving 162 pints of blood but the sponsors are hopeful for a great outcome.

"Last semester I was very pleased with the showing of all the students and I hope that even more new students will come out," said Bethany Biesecker of PRSSA who helped with the program last semester.

PRSSA member, Jodi Quinn, said of the positive experience last semester, "All the people that gave blood were really great and all the nurses that helped out were a hoot."

The time of the Blood Drive has changed somewhat this semester to better accommodate people and to try to get more people in. It will go from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. in the Grandfather Mountain Ballroom in the Student Union.

"We hope that this time change will get the morning crowd in and try to get the lingering people in the afternoon," said Amy Parsons who is helping coordinate the event for PRSSA.

Parsons also said, "It is so hard to get everybody in that wants to give blood in one day. But I hope that everyone including faculty will come out and help for a good cause."

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Techno rap meets pop, Widespread Panic blows up
John Starling - Features Editor
Matt Russ - Writing Coach

Urban music seems to have finally made its way into mass acceptance.

Not that rap wasn't already a popular phenomenon or that techno wasn't the dance music of choice for the underground kiddies, most of these types of music remained in the privileged possession of an elite clique of urbanites.

Since late last year, the fusion of these musics with other marketable trends in the industry has become one of the biggest money makers (and some of the hippest tunes to dig, man).

Who could've guessed that Prodigy would've had a successful single with "Firestarter"? Or that Luscious Jackson's disco-infected rock would be selling so well? No one. This mass acceptance, although, is a far cry from being an indicator of the quality of the music being put out.

Accordingly, it's only natural that a whole new crop of musicians come to the forefront to strut their stuff. Tricky and Bloodhound Gang are a couple of the young pups forging the way for urban music (or trying to, anyway) to suburbia.

Tricky lives up to its name and that of its album, Pre-Millenium Tension. It's hard to figure these guys out as they bounce between styles like ambient, rap, reggae and electronic rock with the kind of uneasiness that shows their youth.

The lead track, "Vent", contains an obvious nod to old-school rap with the line "Don't push me cause I'm close to the edge." If you don't recognize that, cry for missing your youth.

On the whole, Tricky's Tension is a fair release that shows a load of promise. Can't wait for the next one.

Bloodhound Gang, on the other hand, shows little to no promise. The only thing that could save these guys would be a long stay in a kennel.

The big single from this horrible band is the rip-off filled (it may be a tribute for all I know, but it still stinks) "Fire Water Burn." Thanks for admitting that you're middle school in the midst of rap references and Pixies (huh?) plagiarism. We could have figured out your age on our own.

Besides slaughtering Run DMC's "It's Tricky", there's really nothing to note on this one.

In the spirit of this popularization and reinvention of urban music for suburbia, older stars, such as David Bowie, have added a little bounce to their road-tested formulas.

Bowie's new album, Earthling, shows the Thin White Duke in his new guise of a raver, with his ever present sense of fashion flailing madly on the cover and in the music.

His new single, the far too long "Little Wonder", shows his blending of pop and techno into an almost passable mix. Other tracks of note include "Telling Lies" and "I'm Afraid of Americans", the latter co-written by Brian Eno.

Earthling is the kind of album that could pass as entertaining at an all-night dance party, but has considerable trouble holding its own in the Discman. Though not horrible, it's a must only for Bowie fans and rave kids.

bombs and butterflies is an appropriate title for the new disc released by the band of instrumental entrepreneurs better known as Widespread Panic. In their eloquent and harmonic style they drop bombs amidst pleasant butterflies.

This new CD comes at you with the good ole' familiar driving rhythms for which they are so well known.

John Herman's keyboarding is exceptional and John Bell's guitar work is just as powerfully driven as always. The rest of the band finds their own unique niche just as expected, rounding out a truly innovative sound.

The characteristic musicality of "Rebirtha" is riveting, while "Happy" gives you that feel-good aspect ever present in the Panic. The creatively catchy lyrics on "You Got Yours" and "Greta" are token Widespread.

This bomb has exploded four stars.

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E-mail The Appalachian Online at theapp@conrad.appstate.edu