The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 130

If 12 THE COURIER-JOURNAL, SUNDAY, AUGUST 3, 1 980 MARC ZAKEM ON MUSIC The Chipmunks are back and they 're rolling with some Punk new album and although Seville wasn't interested, a classified ad in "Rolling Stone" magazine brought Simon running back to New York. After weeks in the studio, "Chipmunk Punk" was finally completed. But don't let the name fool you. Despite the album cover (showing cropped hair and safety pins) and Alvin toying with the idea of covering "Radio Ethiopia" and a new Rotten ThundersAlvinByrne collaboration, three musicians with 60 years' experience among them could not really play "punk." What they do instead is play a number of new wave and pop hits that resulted from the punk Be Right" finds Alvin shouting "looooonatic" as though Billy Joel doesn't know the meaning of the word. And although three Knack songs are too much for any album (even one by The Knack), there is still some logic in doing "Good Girls Don't," "Frustrated" and "My Sharona," since all three songs sound like they were written for The Chipmunks in the first place.

It shouldn't be surprising, though, that the best songs on the album are the ones that made the best singles in the first place. "Call Me" is amazingly listenable here, and more than a bit sensual as Alvin pleads for us to "Roll ing to the attention of The New York Dolls and regaining recognition through a small part on the band's second album (Alvin led the sound effects on "Stranded in the Through the rest of the 70s, Alvin traveled between New York and London (where he met up with Theodore, fully recuperated and living with Ringo) and gave guidance to the nascent punk bands. By the end of the decade, he could take credit for co-writing "Call Me," which appears on the new Chipmunk album, and for donning a mouse costume for a bit part in the Ramones' "Rock 'n' Roll High School." Alvin and Theodore decided to do a The very real "Chipmunk Punk" begins with a cover of The Cars' "Let's Go," and immediately, Alvin's bravoso and pride in being a chipmunk are felt; why else would he sing that a girl "is so beautiful now (because) she never wears her shoes" a known anathema to chipmunks. Although some of the album's material could have been more carefully chosen, Alvin succeeds time and time again at beating a number of singers at their own songs. On "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," the chipmunk proves to Freddie Mercury that you don't have to dip five octaves for rockabilly, and the version of "You May me in designer sheets I never get enough." Tom Petty's "Refugee" works equally as well, as the chipmunk shows a new degree of seriousness as he asks "Why do you lay there and revel in your abandon?" (and asks immediately after that, "Theodore, what do those words really "Chipmunk Punk" does not break new barriers as perhaps "The Chipmunk Songbook" once did, nor does it have the spontaneity of a "Sing Again with The Chipmunks." But for this reviewer, it's enough to know that The Chipmunks have come back to us, and that they will undoubtedly be around for a long, long time.

By MARC ZAKEM Ceurler-Journel Contributing Critic Oh, for a 1960s band that would eave. its laurels behind, that would go otjt and attempt to reach for new glories, fusing today's music as a guide-jijst tnstsad of wallowing in nostalgia. well, fellow music lovers, I am here tQ'tel you that there is such a band Ofle that made a heavy impact thouhout the early '60s and one that Will unfljubtedly do so again in the The Chipmunks are back. 'vBut, before examining the group's xglease, "Chipmunk Punk," per-hfips(Btijrief history is in order for tbosefcorn on the wrong side of 1960. TRUSTED GENERIC SAVINGS from the people you trust.

CONTAC CAPSULES JJ-The Chipmunks were the brainchildren -of Ross Bagdasarian, a songwriter who experimented with Ihe technique of recording his voice at Qw speed and then playing it back at wirmal speed, creating the high-piitcne'd squeals of Alvin, Simon and Theodore. The Chipmunks, along with Bagda-sarlan's fictional alter ego, David Seville, had a number of million-selling Jits including "Witch Doctor" and "Alain's Harmonica" before retiring quietly during the mid-'60s. The new Chipmunks are recorded under the direction of Bagdasarian's son, Ross with voices supplied by a studio singer flnnamed on the album. Enough for mundane facts. What (he fans want to know is how The Chipmunks, had they been more than mere recorded (and later, cartoon) Characters, would have fared in the fete '60s and 70s before re-emerging.

Throwing caution (and facts) to the wind, here is the unofficial report on tjiejfniBinunks' lives over the past 15 4Janyone listening to the records or jjwatching 1961's "Alvin Show" (nrflsij, Alvin's role as leader of the grojjp led to a clash of egos with Se-wllIf one listens closely, he can tjef Alvin and Seville bickering amorfe themselves, with Seville usually (fading any argument by shouting Alvms name at the top of his voice, gyjthe end of 1963, it appeared that thejfcand would break up because of it Bill then, something wonderful happened. When the Beatles arrived on t6esi shores, Alvin and the others weri canny enough to sense that rock 'fi' roll was to be the wave of the fu-tijrj an.they rushed into the studio perhaps their best effort, lfl64's "The Chipmunks Sing the Beat-It Hits" (this, I swear, is an actual 5 Saddeningly, this high point of the (land's career was also seemingly its lM. Shortly before the group was to feturn to the studio for an all-Stones iilbum, tragedy struck. Rushing to a gig outside of Cleveland, Theodore had a near-fatal motor scooter acci dent. Shaken up badly by Theodore's (tear demise, Alvin decided to cancel the remainder of the 56-city tour and disband The Chipmunks.

The following year, then, found Theodore recuperating on the French Riviera. Simon moved to San Francis- eo, and over the next few years be came active in the Haight-Ashbury jn I CONTAC 8TH5R8o 1 6r I rl SEA BREEZE jr 'vi raid pa if-no i Ain antiseptic tefl W'NGSFORD house nl KOOL-AID llMII, 49 TTjll CHARCOAL AND if, f(SSa FAMILY i Sb GARDEN glilg SIZE i I XI liHh SPRAY UUW) gfc makes ii.su hrzxl 10 QUARTS 1 r.nnm:n.iij.!:i i fJ 5909 niPiuiNT I 0" i RAISINS Wf0 II Keeps nosty pests away! fck lh I yAVtJr 9 OUNCE 1 )oz. cream or lotion. YK II fcl I SEEDLESS CT l.Q9 i I i lKm 8-5-80 a i I L-fflP" Simonixeorwox. 16 01.

liquid or 14 l'l 1 rpjggwr it ft If. i (P) Wy' Lest Mail-In 25 I I I j- PtSSI YourCot A 71 I I 1 ROYAL MiyS'm AfUrRofund tJ -i 41 NO BAKE fJl 1 STrST I I CHEESE CAKE Body auqjerl imm i BHyf Sale jasssssst, 1 jj e. ORVIUE REDENBACHER'S iL )L I rff pT Keg. $2.49 I SEND THIS FORM AND PROOF OF TO GET THREE I PHI ID MET lU'i i I 1 CuHtV $10 6000 ON FUTURE PURCHASES I UUURIfltl j- ijfti 1 HCK HOW: Fill this torn and sew) it in tt tl wwe Irooi gantl tram any I "jL 0. mm M.

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I 1 2-EXP. COLOR i I duplicated or reproduced Allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery. II 31! I mf" i I PRINT FILM spray 'n nHn A Ups i OOIOlLEJlERCIGn i 'iolonrolMw' -M I MW "6 'ci0irol Adorn GANDALS I FROM COLOR NIOATIVIf $p0l IJ II I Ji'Jl. 12 from on. negative, or on.

each W'W II ESSENCE SPRAY grlP.non-tkld.ol.I.trapodu.ll from 12 negatives. Oversize prints. IfiM SlS' Shampoo for normal, dry Nine ounce aerosol or (t VI OO i 99 II ond oily hair. 15 oz. 8 ounce non aerosol.

SlE II l' 94 119 $tE 1 1 lODAyNOllMITCOUPON thro August 13, 1980. i inii'i'Viiinvi'ii'iitiiiiii'iii'iiitii 4 Ejjicf Seville became an agent and recsfrd producer, although his influence on.rock has hardly been felt. Al-vinrfhoqgh, has made a more lasting iitnrflict. i liC 1965, Alvin left for Greenwich lllfee. Originally performing as a he eventually became part df tM Andy Warhol crowd (as the 200 Alvm prints in Boston's Museum of Finfr Art ''will attest).

This led to his tutoftng of the young Velvet Underground, i Warhol's proteges. Like Se-vill though, Lou Reed could not sJantMo be overshadowed by a rodent, the band's first album, Alvin spliJ along with Nico. (It was rumored, in fMt, that Alvin and Nico were infatuated with the fact that They both had only a first name.) For the next several years, Alvin bummed around Max's Kansas City and in the early 70s, eventually com- Movie industry Will in a slump Tht LM AnoelM Timet HOLLYWOOD Midway through the summer of 1980, the movie industry still finds itself in a serious slump. There are exceptions, but generally the box-office story is downbeat. HerfJ jjundown: the low-budget takeoff Sp Disaster movies, is shaping Up as a boiffiei smash.

Since it was re-Ifcasjd idly 2, the Paramount comedy in more than $27 million. Anoljhejr -Paramount release, "Urban Cowitoy," has grossed more than $30 rfiilflon since its June release. The stu-iioj "Sough Cut" has been less sue- AgUniversal, "The Blues Brothers" JorJCfiues to take In about $1 million a Jajgicross the United States, running ieally to more than $32 million. AnrW'Cheech and Chong's Next its first week, collected more tiafht8 million in the United States. Wat many thought was going to be refwFthe midsummer hits, "Honeysuckle" Rose," never got off the ground' Warner Bros, had no first- iweet figures available at the end of GDFEN TKI MAIl 717 GDFEN TKI MAIl ast we but reported the numbers Mwak.

I5I SALE PRICES SUNDAY-MONDAY-TUESDAY .1 imb 3433 IAID3IOWI4IO 431 0317 tlJOUNOONIANF 416 1041 lax )' IWMWl IM'M 401 OUtEl lOO 966 Sill 473 SO 4TM ST 5M 4141 39JJ 7TH St tO -44' 4J3J m'W 'tmtrl Mr r'M- 70 Xtf 5- JJ3 70 tASTf IN tKMr J7 7611 4 tKtlSTON MWT 7307 IltltlN J3OO01 Tfe Season's runaway hit remains 3300 SO 30 ST 3301 CAN! (UN (0 wee TATintsvHtl to JOJ Ft Al ST hMl )i) Hi.tilttXlffNI 43t 044 VISA' 0100 1341 3S0O The! Erfipire Strikes Back." In the Our Policy Eoch odv.rtited item it required to be reodily ovoilobl. for sole ot or below th. advertised price ot oil itor.t, unless specifically otherwise noted in (hit od. (our "As Advertised" signs point th.m out) Speciol sole-period prices or. noted by "Sale" or coupon.

Any others ore our ev.rydoy low prices. Some regular prices quoted may vary in some stores. Right reserved to limit quantities on all items. 47 JUMJriiXMMllufJ WALGREEN CO. 1980 nitd States and Canada alone, the Sr Wars" sequel has taken in more laii million at the box office.

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