April 7. 1971

The Scarlet and Black

students strolled the campus in shirtsleeves and classes began mee lng *‘
on the central campus grass last week as Spring weather iinally came to
Grinnell

America A Good!

by Ron Medvin

The question oi the week: Can
a group who sounds like a more
tamous group be worth listening to7
The answer. in my humble opinion,
is’ yes Actually, i usually ilnd
imitators iininiaginative and second
rate. However, an exception must
be made tor America, the new group
irom England, who happen to be
American (Get it?)

America consists at three guys who
have a remarkable tendency to sound
like Crosby, stills, Nash, and Young,
They have become instantly iamous
with their single “A Horse with No
Name.” Those or you who no doubt
heard it about 10,000 times over
break probably thought it was a new
Neil Young song trom Harvest. it
had to be careiully explained that the
GROUP was named America, not
the song. As you now see, not only
does the group sound like csnu,

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their lead singer sounds exactly
like Neil Young.

In spite of all of this. I think that
the group is excellent and that the
album is the best salt-music album
at the year 1 cannot iind one song
on the album which ldisllke. Most
oi them are very‘good songs. and a
lew are superior. The first cut,
”Riverside” is one til the very good
ones. There is an instant (lash 0t
CSNiIzY. The ll: monies are per—
iect. Moving and swaying ialsotto
till this song, all oi it exactly in
tune. The level or the acoustic gui—
tar background is )tlst right

“Sandman" could be the best song
on the album, and it will surely be
their next single. It is a driving

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song; not iast but powertul. The
vocals are tlawless, and the guitars
--electric this tilnereare crisp and
clear, (In fact, this album has the
best mixing that I've ever heard»
every song is pure and nothing is
covered.) ’

The group is not a great one in-
strumentally speaking. Theirin-
strumentals can be too long and there
is really nothing spectacular about
much at it. But they are proficient.
and it they don’t have any particular
power, this may fit in with the mood
at the album. For this is nota group
that you want to get up and dance to;
they are more tor listening to. (This
is not necessarily bad, .you couldn’t
dance to CSNKzY either and they did
all right)

The.I group’s other weakness on this
album is that too many 01 the songs
sound alike, especially on the second
side. While they all are good songs,
they seem to all merge together alter
awhile. Only ”Donkey Jaw" is the
exception on this side.

In spite of the Weaknesses, Amer-
tea is an excellent group, Even
though there is that csuu sound,
they do show originality in their
better songs. And even their “mean
iocre" songs are remarkably beaur
titul This is, remember, a Iirst
album. i expect that America will
make a detinite impression on the
music scene in the months to come.

An Ode To Ed Hirsch

A Study of 3 Watson Fellow or
an Examination of My Rich Friend

by Michael Siegel

Now that young Ed Hirsch has
soared to the heights oi success,
and is regarded with awe and won-
der bv his lellow impoverished Grin-
nellians, it is necessary to sit back
and rellect on the past, How was it
that this impetuous yook, this wild
eyed youth with the rumpled clothing
and avant garde hair style.,,how did
he come to such an enviable termir
nation oi his collegiate career7

My first recollection of Ed Hirsch
the person was during ireshman year
orientation when a bond OI attection
was spontaneously and immediately
born. While Standing in the lunch
line, we tell into a deep conversa-
tion, upon discovering that both his
iamily and mine owned a 1964 Core
vair, we decided that ‘our relation—
ship was truly preedestined.

My initial impression ot the pubes-
cent Hirsch was that he was largely
a rock. This was perhaps a harsh
judgement, but it was not long lived.
My illusory impression of Hirsch
was immediately dispelled when he
iniormed me of his View on the role
of athletics in his me:

“I was a child prodigy...Athletics

was a great outlet lor my sex drive

wit it hadn't been {or athletics,l
would have ended up as a thietu.”

Ed then informed me in his inimiv
tably humble manner that his intelr
ligence precluded the possibility or
becoming a protessional athlete.
Consequently, he began to search
tor a new avenue into which he might
protitably channel his overwhelming
sexual drive,

By the end oihis high school career,
poetry had aroused his interest, and
he became entangled in a seemingly
overwhelming passion tor litera-
ture. When asked why this occurred,
Ed emphatically stated that the only
explanation that he could after was
that it was a reaction against Allen
Ginsberg and the hippies. Yes,
Hirsch always was a politico.

My own recollections oi Hirsch
the developing poet are many and
varied, Initially, he had a great dli-
iiouity in writing poetry that could
be understood by individuals who
were not personally acquainted with
him, Young Ed constantly attempted
to capture a universal quality in his
artistic endeavor. I remember one
night when it was twenty degrees
below zero,.young Ed...walking
through the blizzard-like environs
ment, dressed only in an under shirt,
pants, and shoes (no socks). On
inquiring as to the rationale behind
this seemingly suicidal activity, 1
was iniormed by Ed that he was at-
tempting to capture the sensual im-

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pact of ‘cold’ [or a poem. The lot,
lowing day Ed was admitted into the
Grinnell General Hospital with acute
bronchitis An intormed source res
ported that Dr. Ferguson was over
come with emotion and stated in
wonder: “This is either one hell
of a dedicated poet or a tool ..”
Throughout his upward battle, Ed
has received various terms of en,
Couragenient irom his close iriends
and iamily;

Irma Hirsch (his mother): “You
ought to refine your writing and try
advertising,"

Curt Hirsch (his father) “All poets
are ﬂits...Now that you have 6000
dollars iorget poetry and let's go
into business.”
president Leggett:
healthy ego [or a poet.”
Greg Vranicar (close friend): ”Ed
is best early in the morning in the
shower."

Amy Spitzer (girl friend): “000000
hhhhh Eddy ...... "

“Ed has a

For most at his triends Ed isatruly
stimulating and exciting individual,
Perhaps what is most important to
me is not his wealth or his artistic
ability, but the tact that Ed always
has time to listen The depth at Ed’s
assion, his integrity, his sen-
s ity can only be understood in
reterence to his iavorite poem by
J, v. Cunningham:

Lip was a man who used his head

He used it when he went to bed

with his friends wile and with his
iriend

with either sex at either end,

FACULTY rrompagel

It was also thought by many at
the time that the program was in-
compatible with the liberal arts
curriculum of the school. A very -
large percentage of Grinnell’s grad»
uates in the early ’60’s were going
on to attend graduate school. The
college was also placing emphasis
on preprdiessional programs and
felt that people with a strong lib-
eral arts background Irum Grinnell
could go into an M.A.T. program it
they were interested in elementary
school teaching.

The percentage at students going
to graduate school has dropped sig-
niiicanlly during the last tew years,
and many Grinnell students have
indicated that they would detinitely
be interested in participating in an
elementary education teacher cer-
tiiicdtion program. Several laculty
expressed the opinion that elemen—
tary teachers with a strong liberal
arts background would be a pos ve
influence on public education in
America. Most oi the other argu-
ments in iavor oi the program were
mentioned in last week’s 5&5 art—
iCle.

In other business, the taculty ap-
proved tne awarding or eight honor-
ary degrees, approved the Spring
Athletic Schedules and passed a
motion by Mr. Ptitsch to have the
academic calendar presented to the
taculty beiore mid-semester break
first semester.

There will be another meeting next
Monday.

YOUR TR AVE L HE ADQUARTE RS

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