Asheville Citizen-Times from Asheville, North Carolina • Page 39

ASHEVILLE CITIZEN-TIMES Fine arts, books travel Sunday Aug. 15, 1999 Strange times Vistas 13 with the Tony Kiss Blues iviooay "Strange Times" CD, the atmosphere brought Thomas and Edge into the center of the process. "For me and John, I suppose, it's always been a lot of fun because we've been the main writers," Hayward said. "But for Graeme and Ray, I think, this (new CD) was a real opportunity to define what they wanted, and really they wanted this." While "Strange Times" is the first studio album since 1991's "Keys To The Kingdom" CD, it's not like the group has been on vacation during the '90s. In 1993, the group released a live CD, "A Night At Red Rocks With the Colorado Symphony Orchestra," an event which led to a series of world tours with the band backed by a full orchestra.

In between tours, the group also assembled and issued a boxed set, "Time Traveller," a single CD greatest hits set, "The Best Of the Moody Blues," and a double CD collection, "Anthology." Initially formed in 1964 as a rhythm and blues-oriented group, the Moody Blues direction and impact changed forever when Hayward and Lodge replaced guitarist Denny Laine and bassist Clint Warwick in 1966. As a songwriter, Hayward See Moody on page D3 Band that has spanned decades and captured the ages with its music comes to Greenville with a new album release By Alan Sculley LAST WORD FEATURES Moody Blues guitaristsinger Justin Hayward needed just a few words to sum up "Strange Times," the first new studio album by the band since 1991. "This is the spirit and the essence of the Moody Blues, and I think that's what we're trying to get across this time," he said. The description actually applies on a couple of levels. Musically, the band made an effort on "Strange Times" to capture the classic Moody Blues sound, with songs that echo the elegant complexity of "Nights In White Satin," the rock edge of "I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band)" and the streamlined pop of "I Know You're Out There Somewhere" while adding in a few new sonic twists.

"This time, there are certain songs on the album that are just the four of us, just playing in a room and the old sound of the Moody Blues for the people who want to hear it," Hayward said. "Other times it's been right for the songs to use dance grooves or some kind of samples. We even used samples of ourselves. I had a lot of samples of my own guitar, looped them and sampled Graeme (Edge) on his drums as well." Aside from the actual sound of "Strange Times," the project represented a major shift and a throwback in how the Moody Blues work. Hayward said on the new CD, the Moodies operated more as a unit than anytime since the late 1960s when the band made such career-defining records as "Days Of The Future Passed" and "On A Threshold Of A Dream." Most of the previous albums have been recorded in the band's native England, but m.

"Strange Times" was ywl done over a series of sessions in Genoa. 4 A Italy. All four band members Hay ward, John Lodge bassWcaIs);" Ray i EWART BALUC1T1ZEN-T1MES Old-time banjo picker Wayne Erb-sen has combined a love for music and history in his publishing and recording company Native Ground. His latest release is "Love Songs of the Civil War." From banjo to history, Wayne Erbsen proves he can do it all By Ben Gilbert CITIZEN-TIMES CORRESPONDENT ASHEVILLE A story about a Cali-fornian coming to North Carolina is not an extraordinary tale. But throw in banjos, a love for Appalachian music and the movie "Deliverance," and the travels of old-time music virtuoso Wayne Erbsen become a bit more interesting.

"At the time (I moved to North Carolina), 'Deliverance' had just come out, and tons of people wanted to learn the banjo," Erbsen said. "I was amazed that a California.kid was teaching North Carolina people of all ages banjo, when it seemed like they should be teaching me." Erbsen owns Native Ground Music, a local music and book publishing company that specializes in reviving folk music, language and culture. His latest release is "Love Songs of the Civil War." Past Native Ground titles include "Southern Mountain Classics," "Singing Rails" (railroad songs) and "Old Time Gospel Favorite" t- "I like making the music come alive and giving it feeling again," said Erbsen, who has recorded two albums a year since 1988. "The (old songs) may not mean a whole lot to anybody, but a few generations ago everybody knew them. How quickly we forget." Erbsen became acquainted with Southern Appalachian music in his THAT'S SHOWBIZ Theater closing marks end of an Asheville era Scratch another place in Asheville to see a cheap movie.

The Mall Twin, a once-grand, two-screen theater tucked behind the Asheville Mall, closed with nary a whimper on Aug. 5. The reasons are simple. The mall is gearing up for an expansion. The tired twin had seen much better days.

And there you have it Asheville's longest-running continuous movie house is gone. Technically, the Fine Arts Theater is Asheville's oldest cinema, but it was closed for years. For the record, the Twin opened July 4, 1975, with a double bill of "Shampoo" and 'Tommy." The last movies were "Notting Hill" and "The Matrix." It's tough to believe, but the Mall Twin was once the fanciest picture show in these parts. The big round auditoriums almost looked like flying saucers. And inside, the Twin featured "Ultra Vision 75 projection to give patrons the most modern, color-perfect, distortion-free view of motion pictures available to date," according to an opening-day story in the Asheville Citizen.

Whatever. But today, two sweeping screens andxocking chair seats aren't nearly enough. To survive, first-run theaters need 8, 10, 12 or more screens to provide plenty of viewing choices even if they're the size of postage stamps. And projection and sound equipment has traveled light years 1 from what was around in 1975. When the huge Carmike chain opened its dazzling Carmike 10 multiplex just down the street, the company transformed the Twin into a second-run theater, showing films for $1.

It was still providing a valuable service. But its days were numbered. And now, here's the bigger story. With the closing of the Twin, there's only one place in town left to see $1 movies, the Asheville Pizza and Brewing Co. brewpub and cinema, where the popcorn is also free and the beer is some of the best in town.

Why can't $1 movies make it here? A lot of local theaters have tried second-run films, including 1 1 .1 1 Tr' Li'5 1 WHO: The Moody Blues with the Greenville (S.C.) Symphony Orchestra WHEN: 8 p.m. Tuesday WHERE: Bi-Lo Center, Greenville, S.C. HOW MUCH: $30, $35 at ETM machines at select Bi-Lo stores, on-line at www.etm.com or call (888) 386-8497 Thomas (vocals, flute) and Edge (drums) lived together during these sessions, in itself a significant change. As 1970s turned to the 1980s, Hayward and Lodge had grown into the creative catalysts of the Moody Blues, writing and arranging virtually all of the songs, while Thomas and Edge became bystanders in the pre-recording creative process, recording their parts and doing little else in the studio. "I think they would come and do whatever was required of them and they'd probably leave," Hayward said.

"But this time they couldn't, you see, because they were a long way from home. They were also in a beautiful place. Nobody felt like leaving." With all four band mem bers con vening day in and day outtore-5 cord the (S.C at the Center. scheduled for The 17th annual Goombay festival is scheduled Aug. 27-29 in downtown Asheville, presented by the YMI Cultural Center and Asheville Parks and Recreation.

This celebration of African and Caribbean cultures stalls with an Aug. 27 kickoff on City-County Plaza before moving to the corner of Market and Eagle streets Aug. 28-29. This year's event will have a New Orleans feel with a performance by the musical ensemble Wild Magnolias. i i i I A The Moody Blues are back.

The iong-running band, formed in 1964, has released a new album, "Strange Times," and plays a Tuesday night concert with the I ii II teen years at a Southern California music venue cauea tne Asn wove. Such musical legends as the late, great father of bluegrass, Bill Monroe, fanned young Erbsen's interest in blues and mountain music. "We soaked it in like sponges." Erbsen said. "I had a terrific education in folk music." After graduating from the University of California-Berkeley and receiving a master's degree in U.S. history at the University of Wisconsin, Erbsen came to North Carolina to teach history and music in Charlotte.

"I wrote the first book for students," he said of his first literary effort, "A Manual On How To Play The 5-String Banjo for the Complete Ignoramus." He continued writing more instructional books. His passion for music and history fused as Erbsen became interested in the cultural history and folklore of the old-time music he began recording. He had come full circle to do the things he loved publishing, writing, playing music, distributing and selling his work. Native Ground Music has attracted other writers with a similar interest in old style music and culture. His wife, Barbara, has even gotten into the act by writing a cookbook on pioneer cooking, "Log Cabin Cooking." "It's been a runaway bestseller for us," Erbsen said.

"The book is in all of these historic sites around the country like the Abraham Lincoln and Daniel Boone birthplaces." Meanwhile Erbsen is restoring a log cabin with his wife and three children. In typical Erbsen style, the project is far from a one-dimen-siOnal undertaking. He is writing a book on the history, music and lore of log cabins in the Southern Appalachians. Write Wayne Erbsen at Native Ground Music, 109 Bell Road, Asheville. Check his Web site at www.circle.netnativeground or call 299-7031.

Ben Gilbert writes about music for the Citizen-Times. E-mail gilbebe hotmail.Qpm the Biltmore Twin on Biltmore Avenue, the Terrace (which became the Innsbruck) on Tunnel Road and the Asheville West on Smoky Park Highway. But one by one, they closed. Only Asheville Pizza and Brewing has managed to make a success out of this game. While most second-run theaters are worn out, the APB has been renovated and looks great.

It's easily the most comfortable place in Asheville to see a film. Dollar movies are a big hit in lots of places. They're the only choice for families on a tight budget. First-run films cost a fortune to see, even in the afternoons when matinees go for the discount price of $5 or thereabouts. At night, the prices are sky high.

Throw in some salty popcorn and soda or maybe nachos and pay the baby sitter, and movies are out of reach of many potential customers. At least with $1 shows, a crummy movie was no huge loss. Or if the movie was great, it was easy and cheap to see it several times. Either way, it's better than watching something on home video or pay-per-view cable But in Asheville, the choices are few. And it's not likely to change anytime soon.

Why would a theater stop charging $6 for a picture and start asking a buck? Only if they didn't have a choice. Eventually, some aging Asheville theater will be pushed into a corner and switch to second run films. In the meantime, there's always Asheville Pizza and Brewing. Gotta run now, "Austin Powers II" is starting again there in a few minutes. Call Tony Kiss at 232-5855 or e-mail 1 1 i Greenville Symphony Bi-Lo Goombay '99 ASHEVILLE One of Asheville's spiciest street parties is cranking, up for 1999, while big changes are coming to a popular October festival.

The beat goes on at Goombay '99, Asheville's annual celebration of African and Caribbean cultures. The party starts Aug. 27 on City-County Plaza then shifts to the historic intersection of Market and Eagle Streets Aug. 28-29. So end of August Meanwhile, the Grove Park Inn's Oktoberfest celebration is changing dates and locations this year.

The event is scheduled Oct. 29-30 inside the hotel's Heritage Ballroom. In the past, the Oktoberfest has been presented in late September under a big tent near the resort's Country Club. But construction of the hotel's new spa required a change this year. Oktoberfest will return to its old location in 2000..