The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • 81

E5 THE BOSTON GLOBE WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 1999 Music Review For Godsmack, being banned is good for the band A jazzy night of Pops and pomp 1 J. By Steve Morse GLOBE STAFF Not even the Wal-Mart chain, which just banned its record, can stop Godsmack. The Boston band is steamrolling along as part of the heavy-metal Ozzfest which comes to the Tweeter Center in Mansfield today and Friday and is also making a louder and louder noise on the national charts. Godsmack's self-titled album has leapt onto Billboard's Top 20 and sold nearly 1 million copies. It is selling 50,000 units per week a figure that jumped 15 percent when Wal-Mart banned the album 10 days ago after a Cleveland parent complained of profanity in the lyrics and said it was inappropriate for children.

"You can't buy that kind of publicity says Godsmack singer Sully Erna. "It's almost taunting kids to go out and get the record to see what we're saying on it." Charges were made that Godsmack was singing about suicide and satanic themes, which Erna vigorously denies. "If parents want to supervise what their children buy, I'm all for it, but I don't want anyone taking my lyrics the wrong way," says Erna, who grew up in Lawrence. "I don't write about satanic themes. I don't write about suicide.

It's simply nothing more than me venting my emotions about a relationship I was going through. "It all started with some little girl dragging Daddy to Wal-Mart to buy the Godsmack CD," he says of the recent controversy. "The father went home and fingered through the lyrics and didn't like my cussing. And he thought the pentacle on the record was satanic and he made a stink about that. I heard later that he wasn't intent on the record being pulled.

He just wanted the right to tell people what he thinks of it and that it shouldn't be in there without a parental advisory sticker on it. Anyway, we're making an edited version. And hopefully we'll get it back on the shelves soon. We'll also sticker the rest of the CDs for the other stores. No big deal." 7 sr.

left): Tommy Stewart, Tony Rombola, Says Erna: "I wrote it to get rid a lot of bad vibes and energy that I had cooped up inside of me. I sing it as a way of releasing stress. And if it's helping other people to do the same, then that's even better." Godsmack, which includes guitarist Tony Rombola, bassist Robbie Merrill, and drummer Tommy Stewart, kicked around the Boston scene until rock station WAAF-FM (107.3) started playing its music before it secured a major-label deal. The group also hired manager Paul Geary, the former drummer with the Boston band Extreme. Geary got Godsmack a record deal and a support staff.

"He's definitely the main ingredient to this whole project," Ema says. Erna also has run into controversy by admitting that he's a "white witch" who has studied with Salem priestess Laurie Cabot. But he says of his witchcraft studies: "It's simply about worshiping the earth and believing in the power of the earth: This is nature, this is God's earth, By Michael Manning GLOBE CORRESPONDENT Last night, 222 years and one day after Betsy Ross first unfurled Old Glory, the Boston Pops did its Star-Spangled Spectacular to honor Flag Day 1999. And while Symphony Hall was hardly festooned for a pageant, it resounded with plenty of good-old American pomp and circumstance, aided in the endeavor by the US Army Field Band and Soldier's Chorus. They got some help, too, from Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Pops bass trombonist Douglas Yeo, and from famed American composers like Leonard Bernstein and John Williams; march master Morton Gould; evergreen popular writers Irving Berlin and Meredith Willson; some new music by one of the Brubecks; and the adopted American fireworks anthem, Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture." By and large, much of this repertoire suits a symphony orchestra far better than opulent arrangements of "Satin Doll." The reasons, one suggests, are that orchestral musicians are not generally schooled in the refined rhythmic art of swing, and at any rate, a symphony orchestra is almost as hard to swing as a planetary moon.

In arrangements of real jazz, that thing "it don't mean if it ain't got" is usually the first victim. But take a minor American masterpiece like Bernstein's "On the Town," and you're working with genuine orchestral music that draws on jazz without really indulging in it. In this sense, these jazzy works play away from any orchestra's weaknesses, while tapping the ample resources of so serious an orchestra as the Boston Pops. Lockhart led the group in a fine performance of Bernstein's "Three Dances From on the Town," from the rhythmically ingenious "The Great Lover," to the beautiful colors of mixed single and double reeds in "Lonely Town" handsomely played GO UNDEFEATED IN SPORTS ARGUMENTS. Turn to The Globe.

"POUUIRFUL" Mnato.MiiuM JS ANTHONY HOPKINS if if Yeo's playing was amazingly articulate through every register, with a relaxed, warm sound that nevertheless had both an edge and a glow. THE BOSTON POPS Keith Lockhart, music director At: Symphony Hall, last nigld by Pops winds, including Thomas Martin on clarinet and Robert Sheena on English Horn. Typically, John Williams's "Liberty Fanfare" offered more than was advertised, combining an extended, bright brass opening with one of those patented Williams tunes in which the strings go nowhere, pleasantly. But Yeo's performance was something special, and so was the piece he played Chris Bru-beck's Concerto for Bass Yeo is, in the vernacular, a monster. His playing was amazingly articulate through every register, with a relaxed, warm sound that nevertheless had both an edge and a glow.

The piece is very well written, especially the first and second movements, which contrast sharply both in mood and compositional style. The last movement is loaded with clever syncopations that give it the impres-' sion of being polyrhythmic. a LANDMARK'S LOEWS THEATRES KENDALL SQUARE NICKELODEON ONE KENDALL CAMBRIDGE (617)494-9800 606 COMMONWEALTH AVE. (07) 333-F1LM tOOS HO ASSES OB DISCOUKT COUPONS ACCEPTED FPU THrS tMGAGEMEKT TERRIFIC UZMdKlSt-TllBKttl CUBA GOODING, JR. 5 0 PHOTO ANDREW MACNAUGHTAN Sully Erna, and Robbie Merrill.

and respect it. It's just different methods of praying to God. It's not like, 'Poof, you're a After Ozzfest, Godsmack will tour Europe as the opening act for Black Sabbath. In the fall, Godsmack plans to headline its own theater tour in support of the rock-against-racism movement. "I've never liked people being beaten up or picked on because of their color," says Erna.

"So we want to start an event that maybe will one day turn into a kind of Ozzfest." For fans looking to attend Ozzfest today and Friday, Godsmack is expected on stage at 3 p.m. The rest of the bill consists of Black Sabbath, Rob Zombie, Primus, Slayer, and the Deftones. Godsmack was selected for the festival by Osbourne's wife (and tour producer), Sharon. "I just know that we're having fun and that a lot of people are coming early to see us," says Erna. "That feels good." early March in Los Angeles, alleged that Bush breached the terms of a 1996 recording agreement with the label by not delivering "The Science of Things." In addition, the suit alleged that the band was shopping the album to another record company and possibly had received advance payments.

"We are glad to have resolved our differences in a peaceful and mutually beneficial fashion," Bush said in a statement. "We are looking forward to getting the new music out to the fans in the fall." Bush has sold more than 13 million albums worldwide, according to Trauma. buzzing None of this seems to bother theater chains, which even see the film's July 16 opening date as a brilliant move on Warner's part. "It does strike me as product you'd see during the spring and fall," says Dugger, "but you won't see anything else like it in the market in July, which could be perfect placement" "It's almost counterprogram-ming in terms of moving away from the lighter summer fare," adds Marc Pascucci of Lowes Cineplex Entertainment "I don't think this will be a hard selL" Bush settles recording dispute; signs new deal The members of Godsmack (from Still, the controversy has given Godsmack, which made its album for just $2,600 at New Alliance Studios in Boston, a chance to become rock 'n' roll martyrs. "I think a lot of the big bands have started out like this the Aer-osmiths and Metallicas, they've all gone through it.

And look at poor Ozzy," Erna says of Ozzfest main man Ozzy Osbourne. "I mean, 30 years later, they're still questioning him about satanism. How sick is he of answering that question?" "But I think it's all going to be OK," Erna says of the notoriety. "Ultimately, it's because we're making that much of an impact on the kids. If we were a nobody band and selling 50 records a week, this wouldn't have been a problem.

All in all, we're really psyched. We're living out our dream right now." The dream has been fueled by the pervasive radio success of "Whatever," a bruising hard-rock tune in which Erna sings, "I'm doing the best that I can now go away." s1 6 31 PHOTO KEVIN WESTENBERG one of the must-sees of the summer. "It's already one of the top two or three anticipated films of the summer, because Tom Cruise is in it," says Robert Bucksbaum of Reel Source, an exhibitors' newsletter. "It's got an obviously killer cast and it's the first thing Kubrick's done since 'Full Metal Jacket' in 1987, adds Chris Dugger of Crown Theatres, a Connecticut chain. "I think that alone has created quite a buzz." Still, distributor Warner Bros, is keeping the finished version of hii1.com 0 By Marc Pollack THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER LOS ANGELES Alternative rock group Bush has signed a new long-term contract with Trauma Records, prompting the label to drop its multimillion-dollar lawsuit against the multiplatinum British band.

Specific terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Trauma will release the band's forthcoming studio album, "The Science of Things," in the fall. Under terms of the new agreement, Trauma has withdrawn its $40 million breach-of-contract lawsuit against the band. The suit, filed in Bush (from left) Dave Parsons, Gavin Rossdale, Nigel Pulsford and Robin Goodridge will have new music out in the fall. Even unseen, 'Eyes' has exhibitors JN8T0EOT-3 a www.instinct-themovie.com PART Of jS NETWORK cHKUIUUiMI LOEWS NATICK 333-FtlM 017 SHOWCASE CiNES 1 I SHOWCASE C'IHU RANDOLPH REVERE St mi m.

ei i uni 781-963-56001 1781-286-1660 1 I IOEWS WOBURN DANVERS ITI. Ill IS 3) UBttTY Ttlt MALL 781-933 53301 1978-750-9019 wxl ms I a I A 2 the film under wraps. Kubrick was notorious for refusing to show his movies to the press until the very last minute. A nude clip featuring the husband-and-wife stars was shown to exhibitors at ShoWest several months ago. That was followed by an enigmatic, tightly edited spot currently showing on network TV.

But the finished film has yet to be screened for exhibitors Bucksbaum thinks that might not happen until after July 4 and Warner refuses to discuss its marketing plans. By Lewis Beale (N DAILY NEWS Theater executives have their eyes wide open for "Eyes Wide Shut." But only a handful of Warner Bros, executives have seen director Stanley Kubrick's last film, which opens next month. Still, exhibitors believe that the steamy, R-rated movie which stars Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman as husband-and-wife psychiatrists who become sexually invoked with their patients will be IOIWS CHERI IHOWC1SI NEK AS CIRCLE 61 7 566-4040 SHOWCASE C'NWAS DEDHAM 333 FILM 0021 ITI. HI EXIT ISA 781-326-4955 IOEWS SOMERVILLE IT ASH riflj 333-PILM tQIB IOEWS FRESH POND FIESH OHO PLAZA 333 FILM 037 GENEHl est i BRAINTREE 10 617-333-FILM KIT, NO PASSES Ofl DISCOUNT COUPONS ACCEPTED FOR THIS ENGAGEMENT 32C GENUAL Z'MfHt, 1 BURLINGTON 10 is 10OH (MMSST Notting Hill wvmv.nottin9 NOW PLAYING AT THESE SELECT THEATRES! TEE BRITISH EMPIRE STEMS BACK. YEA1 BASY.YEAH! COPtETPUa CIRCLE BWINTREE 10 IvL'Ch 10 FRESH POND CEDHAM lrvnr ClI nc rt ut ISA 33J fILM 006 1 617 i66 O0 11617 liin KSl I 7-Zi-nM K't 1 1 133-HUI Q27 1 1 71 -326-49S3 I I rano6lph I wBurnJI ffiwF IIsomervilliII natick II danvirs I I781-96J 511711 9J 53J0l I 71 786-1660 II FILM toil 1 1 U-tHM W17 1 197 750-9019 1 I 3bk I era Lj; I Tf I tUINTIH tfl MWllNtTOM TMow Plnvincrf IcoptFpLAallsoMlviuill ciRciF Im-ritM tOOftlUWIlM tCU 1 1 61 7 566 040 I ::5 11 v.vn.

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