ADULT AND
MERRY

If ever a band of pi-
rates were quick-
witted, boisterous
musicians with a “so-
cialconscience,” then
that band would be
the fife-playing, mirth-
inflicting STOATERS
(just nominated as
Independent Group of
the Year, West Coast
Music Awards).

Arguably the best of-
fering to the new mu-
sic scene that the
Lower Mainland has
seen, the Stoaters’
feet are planted firmly
in their earthy, Celtic
heritage. They weave
and reel ancient folk
airs into ebullient,
contemporary
rhythms and pack a
forceful punch. Not
just remakes of old
songs, their composi-

tions are original
works transforming
Celtic traditions into
new music that jams
the dance floor. A
masterful command
of their instruments
and lyrical themes
ranging from spooky
fables to indictments
of Vander Zalm as a
“crooked one-hand
jack,” further endear
them to an audience.
Andthisis notan elitist
bunch. The guitarist
is known to take an
occasional roam
through dancers while
inthe middle ofasong
and they banter wryly
about things like how
their original purpose
in being together was
actually substance
abuse, not music.
(The Stoaters are not
squeaky clean!)

However, they have
more than found
creative character,
and if you want music
that’s riotous as well
as beautiful, this is
who you wantto see...
and dance your fool
head off too.

The Stoaters are
Robert Baptie, bass,
who doesn’t seem to
knowif he was bornin
Glenfidick (a place) or
Glenlivet (a bottle of
scotch); Dale
O’Sullivan, drums,
who apparently col-
lects words; Doug
Schmidt, accordion, a
miffed, perplexed
person; Dennis
Crews, vocals, man-
dolin, tin whistle and
Toyota tire rims,
known to indulge in
certain RELIGIOUS
rituals; and Robert
Ford, guitar and vo-
cals, who feels he has
a knack for futile
gestures. (get the
picture?)

If money was the ob-
jectforthese men, you
wouldn't be able to
see them right now.
They have put a full
scale western tour on
hold to write music.,
and at the amazingly
low cover charges
one can usually see
the Stoaters for, now
is the time to see
them.

They’re so talented
and their stage per-
sona so appealing
that | can’t imagine
them being inexpen-
sive much longer.
They’llnext be playing
at the Cruel Elephant
(Granville St. at
Davie, downtown)
November 15,16 and
17, Thurs. through
Sat. If you’re not
completely satisfied at
the end of their show

13

(although you willbe),
Dennis Crews offers
free Scottish brogue
dialect lessons after-
ward, aS compensa-
tion. This band is a
sure thing.

lynne s.

THE MOST

SAVAGE OF

BEASTS

There has been a lot
of talk on the news
lately about the threat
of chemical warfare in
the Middle East. The
threat has been
around since the first
World War, and since
that time at least
twenty nations have
produced vast quan-
tities of chemical,
verve, and biological
agents. Last year,
George Bush an-
nounced that the
American govern-
ment would dispose
of 90% of its stock-
piles, onthe condition
that other countries,
notably the USSR,
would dispose of
100% of their accu-
mulated weaponry.
The Americans have
had to begin dispos-
ing of this material
regardless of their
announcement, sim-
ply because they
have produced fartoo
much. Seventy thou-
sand tons are pres-
ently being disposed
of at the Tooele Army
Depot, near Salt Lake
City Utah. This
amount of chemical
would kill many times

the population of the
entire planet.]

Chemical weapons
such as Mustard Gas
and Lewisite could be
used by the Iraqi
army. Both cause
severe burns to ex-
posed skin, especially
areas of heavy per-
Spiration, and the
eyes. If inhaled it
bursts blood vessels

Planet of the Arts Volume Six, Issue One

in the lungs causing
the victims to drown
in their own blood.
Disease from infec-
tionto the open burns,
claim as many casu-
alties. Information
about the latest types
of biological agents
that would be avail-
able to either side in
the event of waris not
releasedto the public.
Research into bio-
logical warfare agents
during the past forty
years is probably one
of the best kept mili-
tary secrets. Its
modus operandi is
basically to introduce
diseases to weaken
anenemy population,
making them easier
to conquer.

| was watching the
CBC evening news
one night this past
summer, when a
news story caught my
attention. The last
story ofthe broadcast,

had no accompanying
film clip or graphic,
and the message was
brief. Knowlton Nash:
“.and finally, it has
been reported that the
earliest known deaths
from the AIDS virus
were tow American
sailors in 1959, and
now the Journal...”.
That was all that was
said. This statement
created a number of
questions: 1) Where
did this information
come from and how
did it get on televi-
sion? 2) — If the first
AIDS victims were in
1959, what was the
cause of theirimmune
systems to break
down? 3) Were the
sailors in the military
orwere they civilians?

One path of specula-
tion leads to the Pen-
tagon, and the possi-

‘bility that a military

experiment in the
1950’s had possibly
gotten out of acontrol
and inadvertantly, or
possibly intentionally
infected military per-
sonnel. It was during
the 1950’s, that sol-
diers were routinely
ordered to witness
atomic explosions,
and carry out
maneuvers in the

fallout of ground zero,
as well as test out the
operation of protec-

tive clothing against
chemical and nerve
agents in numerous
experiments. The
other possibility is that
if AIDS is a created
virus, then what would
the public’s reaction
be to information re-
leased by the military,
that they had unin-
tentionally created a
world-wide epidemic
in the span of thirty
years? lItis quite likely
that this information
would never be re-
leased.

Gregory
Zbitnew

BRILLIANT.
ABSOLUTELY,
BRILLIANT

My latest work at the
Artropolis 90 Exhibi-
tion was, technically,
the easiest piece of
work that | have ever
done. It was difficult
onaconceptual level,
the questions | had to
answer were very
ambiguous. The
piece started, with the
recognition of certain
structural elements
that comprise the
Roundhouse. Upon
entering the large
unfinished brick inte-
rior, | noticed that
behind each artwork
was a 1m X 3m panel
of Z-brick mounted
onto the brick wall.
Were these panels
here to be noticed, or
were they supposed
to blend into the wall?
Were these panels
hiding structural de-
fects, or were they a
subtle installation? By
the end of the first wall
| was convinced that
the panels were, in
fact, an installation -
the last panel on the
wall was perfectly
centred and hanging
unobstructed. |
searched for a title
card, but found none.
Was | mistaken? No,

Brilliant cont. pg. 2

ADULT AND
MERRY

If ever a band of pi-
rates were quick-
witted, boisterous
musicians with a “so-
cialconscience,”then
that band would be
the fife-playing, mirth-
inflicting STOATERS
(ust nominated as
Independent Group of
the Year, West Coast
Music Awards).

Arguably the best of-
fering to the new mu-
sic scene that the
Lower Mainland has
seen, the Stoaters’
feet are planted firmly
in their earthy, Celtic
heritage. They weave
and reel ancient folk
airs into ebullient,
contemporary
thythms and pack a
forceful punch. Not
just remakes of old
songs, their composi-
tions are original
works transforming
Celtic traditions into
new music that jams
the dance floor. A
masterful command
of their instruments
and lyrical themes
ranging from spooky
fables to indictments
of Vander Zam as a
“crooked one-hand
jack,” further endear
them to an audience.
Andthisis notan elitist
bunch. The guitarist
is known to take an
occasional roam
through dancers while
inthe middle ofasong
and they banter wryly
about things like how
their original purpose
in being together was
actually substance
abuse, not music.
(The Stoaters are not
squeaky clean!)

However, they have
more than found
creative character,
and if you want music
that's riotous as well
as beautiful, this is
who youwantto see...
and dance your foo!
head off too.

The Stoaters are
Robert Baptie, bass,
who doesn't seem to
knowithe was born in
Glenfidick (a place) or
Glenlivet (a bottle of
scotch); Dale
O'Sullivan, drums,
who apparently col-
lects words; Doug
Schmidt, accordion, a
miffed, perplexed
person; Dennis
Crews, vocals, man-
dolin, tin whistle and
Toyota tire rims,
known to indulge in
certain RELIGIOUS
rituals; and Robert
Ford, guitar and vo-
cals, whofeelshe has
a knack for futile
gestures. (get the
picture?)

If money was the ob-
jectforthesemen, you
wouldn't be able to
see them right now.
They have put a full
scale western tour on
hold to write music.,
and at the amazingly
low cover charges.
one can usually see
the Stoaters for, now
is the time to see
them,

They're so talented
and their stage per-
sona so appealing
that | can't imagine
them being inexpen-
sive much longer.
They'linextbe playing
at the Cruel Elephant
(Granville St. at
Davie, downtown)
November 15,16 and
17, Thurs. through
Sat. If you're not
completely satisfiedat
the end of their show

Ag,

(although you willbe),
Dennis Crews offers
free Scottish brogue
dialect lessons after-
ward, as compensa-
tion. This band is a
sure thing.

lynne s.

THE MOST

SAVAGE OF
BEASTS

There has been a lot
of talk on the news
lately aboutthe threat
ofchemicalwarfarein
the Middle East. The
threat has been
around since the first
World War, andsince
that time at least
twenty nations have
produced vast quan-
tities of chemical,
verve, and biological
agents. Last year,
George Bush an-
nounced that the
American govern-
ment would dispose
of 90% of its stock-
piles, onthe condition
that other countries,
notably the USSR,
would dispose of
100% of their accu-
mulated weaponry.
The Americans have
had to begin dispos-
ing of this material
regardless of their
announcement, sim-
ply because they
have produced fartoo
much. Seventy thou-
sand tons are pres-
ently being disposed
ofatthe Tooele Army
Depot, nearSalt Lake
City Utah. This
amount of chemical
would kill many times

the population of the
entire planet.)

Chemical weapons
such as Mustard Gas
and Lewisite could be
used by the Iraqi
army. Both cause
severe burns to ex-
posed skin, especially
ateas of heavy per-
spiration, and the
eyes. If inhaled it
bursts blood vessels

Planet of the Arts Volume Si; Issue One

in the lungs causing
‘the victims to drown
in their own blood.
Disease from infec-
tiontothe open burns,
claim as many casu-
alties. Information
about the latest types
of biological agents
that would be avail-
able to either side in
the event of waris not
releasedtothe public.
Research into bio-
logical warfareagents
during the past forty
yearsis probably one
of the best kept mili-
tary secrets. Its
modus operandi is
basically to introduce
diseases to weaken
anenemy population,
making them easier
to conquer.

1 was watching the
CBC evening news
‘one night this past
summer, when a
newsstory caught my
attention, The last
story ofthe broadcast,
hadnoaccompanying
film clip or graphic,
andthe message was
brief. Knowiton Nash:
“and finally, it has
beenreportedthat the
earliestknown deaths
from the AIDS virus
were tow American
sailors in 1959, and
now the Journal...”
That was all that was
said. This statement
created a number of
questions: 1) Where
did this information
come from and how
did it get on televi-
sion? 2) If the first
AIDS victims were in
1959, what was the
cause oftheirimmune
systems to break
down? 3) Were the
sailors in the military
orwerethey civilians?

One path of specula-
tion leads to the Pen-
tagon, and the possi-
bility that a military
experiment in the
1950's had possibly
gotten out of acontrol
and inadvertantly, or
possibly intentionally
infected military per-
sonnel. Itwas during
the 1950's, that sol-
diers were routinely
ordered to witness
atomic explosions,
and carry out
maneuvers in the

falloutof groundzero,
as wellas test out the
operation of protec-

tive clothing against
chemical and nerve
agents in numerous
experiments. The
otherpossibilityisthat
if AIDS is a created
virus, then what would
the public's reaction
be to information re-
leasedby the military,
that they had unin-
tentionally created a
world-wide epidemic
in the span of thirty
years? Itisquite likely
that this information
would never be re-
leased

Gregory
Zbitnew

BRILLIANT.
ABSOLUTELY,
BRILLIANT

My latest work at the
Artropolis 90 Exhibi-
tion was, technically,
the easiest piece of
work that | have ever
done. It was difficult
onaconceptuallevel,
the questions I hadto
answer were very
ambiguous. The
piece started, with the
recognition of certain
structural elements
that comprise the
Roundhouse. Upon
entering the large
unfinished brick inte-
rior, | noticed that
behind each artwork
was a 1m X 3m panel
of Z-brick mounted
onto the brick wall

Were these panels
here to be noticed, or
were they supposed
toblendinto the wall?
Were these panels
hiding structural de-
fects, or were they a
subtle installation? By
the end ofthe first wall
| was convinced that
the panels were, in
fact, an installation -
the last panel on the
wall was perfectly
centred and hanging
unobstructed. |
searched for a title
card, but found none.

Was | mistaken? No,

Brilliant cont. pg. 2