BIO THE FREE PRESS ENTERTAINMENT MAY 9, 1996 Smuggling into town Trying to replicate American success on home shores This time The Smugglers promise they’ll be here. The Vancouver band has been billed to play the stage at The Urban Coffeehouse before, but had to cancel. The show on May 17 will be different, promises lead voice Grant Lawrence. “Up in Prince George we plan to Sell Our Sizzle as hard as we can,” he says, referring to The Smuggler’s latest CD release. “We’ll rock out as hard as we can, and maybe I’ll even do a back flip. No...I can’t, unfortunately, but we’ll pull out all the stops.” The Smugglers have been around the music scene in Canada for over eight years, and are starting to take their talents into The U.S. and Europe. Grant says that playing in places like Hoboken, New Jersey and Tuscaloosa, Alabama have opened up a huge audience for them, but makes him prouder than ever to be from north of the 49. “We actually sell more albums in the States than in Canada, which is unfortunate,” says Grant. “I wish Canada was our main source of support. When we’re down in the States we feel kind of alienated, but we also feel just a little bit privileged - because we’re Canadians and we kind of feel like we have a more unique culture, and we’re just a little bit smarter than all of them. We don’t show our hand very often, and we let them think what they think, and let us alone. The only thing that bothers me about Americans is the power they wield in money. I think it’s an absolute cryin’ shame that an institution like the Winnipeg Jets has got to go to a desert like Phoenix. That kind of Canadi- Irl IP trt [p frl IP If] [rJ tfl IP tP !P [P IP tP fP Irl frl [r> NOW OPEN Become a licenced esthetician • Skin Care • Nail Technology • Cosmetics • Consultation & Beauty Treatments • Waxing • Business Management & Much More For more information and enrollment, call Lorea ot Kaylanette at Phone 561-9192 Fax 561-9193 1652 S. Quinn, Prince George, B.C. 'IMS X?7?EA'S SCHOOL OF ESTHETICS & NAIL TECHNOLOGY B C Government Approved Program Registered wtth tt>e Private Post Secondary Education wwwwunKWWWwwwi^rsrww^rsrni anna...me and Stompin’ Tom Connors lose a little bit of pride and you’ve got to swallow it. That’s what The Smugglers are all about - we have a lot of national pride and we always try to envelop Canadian ideals in our songs. Stompin’ Tom is a big influence on me.” To prove it they finished their Selling The Sizzle disk with a track called “Barkerville” about guess where? But more importantly, Grant says, is the content of the songs, the styles. Although The Smugglers sound like punk Buddy Holly - a very British/American combination - they glean most of their musical spirit from early-80’s Canadian alternative. “One of the best records I own is by a Calgary band called Colour Me Psycho,” says Grant. “Also one of the earlier influences on us was a great Montreal band called The Gruesomes. Another one is the late-70’s pop/punk band The Pointed Sticks. A lot of the people we talk to that are old enough to remember them often say ‘oh, you’re the new Pointed Sticks.’ Most of our audience is way to young to know them, but those that do always say it.” Another band Grant admires is The Mr. T Experience, who will be on the bill with The Smugglers on May 17. From Berkeley, California, this band “taught Green Day every note.” Not through inspiration, mind you, but directly. The Mr. T Experience is a godfather group in the surfer genre inhabited by Weezer, The High Fives, and the edgier Green Day. NOW PLAYING Rumble In The Bronx Starring: Jackie Chan, Anita Mui From Dusk To Dawn Starring. George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino Rating: Violence, very coarse language Park Drive-in Theatre At North Central Mdtorsports Park Chief Lake Road • 967-4342 5 & under FREE - ‘6- 12 $1.00 -13 & over $6.00 ★ Prices include GST Gates open at 8:30 pm Show Starts at dusk Wfl Wf/jk 7 ^ Prince George’s W u IrAl #1 Country Club Presents APPALOOSA’ April. 29 to May. 11th Relax & enjoy in “THE RUMPUS ROOM" COLD BEER & WINE STORE - Open Daily 9am - 11pm YELLOWHEAD INN 1445 W. Central St. 5821 562-3171 Res. Line: 1-800-663-8208 A special treat for Mom on DINNER THEATRE Prince George Theatre Workshop © The Coast Inn of the North ^Mjoet/ter "The third and final segment of the Norman Conquest Trilogy" A Hilarious Comedy by Alan Ayckbourn Directed by Mike Rawluk May 14, 15, 16, 17 Coast Inn of the North Cocktails 6:15 pm Performance 8:00 pm Tickets $45 per person Available at the Coast Inn of the North front desk (Reservations for tables of 8-10 accepted with Visa/Mastercard) CALL TODAY 563-01 21 1 let ' Denis & Muntener Advertising. I "tiwoual \ Member of the Theatre BC proud supporter of the arts | & the Community Arts Council Pimc* George $...... Art of Forestry in conjunction with Forest Expo ’96 May 9,10 & 11 in the Multiplex West End of the Concourse Donations are gratefully accepted 2820 15th Ave PG.BC Phone 563-6447 Fax 563-3211