European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 1, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday february 1, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 3 singers Travis Michael win honors american music awards usher in heavy Metal rap los Angeles a gentle country crooner Randy Travis and stylish crossover Singer George Michael dominated the american music awards where heavy Metal rowdiness and rap Jive earned Only limited acceptance. The nationally televised ceremonies at the shrine auditorium on monday night included first time categories for heavy Metal and rap which enjoy wide spread popularity among Young people. Michael and Travis each won three trophies and diversity reigned among the winners who included Whitney Houston def Leppard . Jazzy Jeff & the fresh Prince Gladys Knight & the pips and guns n roses. Unlike grammy awards decided by artists and Industry insiders 20,000 Ordinary music lovers Are the arbiters for the american music awards. Def Leppard who did t attend the ceremony de spite three nominations won two trophies for heavy Metal music but lost with Van Halen to Gloria Estefan & Miami sound machine in the pop Rock group category. Guns n roses lost to def Leppard twice in heavy Metal but won for pop Rock single. The lethargic performance by the tattooed Long haired ruffians in guns n roses who were joined by sex Eagle Don Henley contrasted sharply with the show s other flashy professional numbers. Their bad boy Persona apparently did t endear them to show producer Dick Clark who was forced to move Rod Stewart s performance ahead of schedule because guns n roses showed up late. Travis was named favorite male country vocalist and won the album trophy for always & forever and the single award for i told you  he won in three categories last year for the same album. Asked about receiving awards twice for always & forever he said backstage i m not sure How that happened but i m glad it  the album was eligible twice because it spanned two Calendar years. Such wins have happened before. Glen Campbell s rhinestone Cowboy won in 1976-77, Kenny Rogers the Gambler took honors in 1980-81 and the Rog ers Dolly Parton duet islands in the Stream got Atwo year ride in 1984-85. Michael formerly of the group wham was favorite male vocalist in the pop Rock and soul rhythm and blues categories. His album Faith claimed the soul re album award. A couple of years Back when i split the group with Andrew Ridgely knew i had a Tough Job ahead of me and i thought that maybe people weren t going to give me much of a Chance Michael told the audience. Houston won the female pop Rock and rhythm and George Michael holds three american music awards As Gloria Estefan displays the pop Rock group trophy. Blues vocalist categories her 10th and 11th american music awards and Estefan & Miami sound machine s latin beat got them the pop Rock group award. I never expected to win this Estefan said. It s wonderful to be Able to Cross Over to a whole new Market and to have everyone from All walks of life like our  Gladys Knight & the pips who dominated the awards in 1976 with four trophies beat out hot new acts Salt a Pepa and new edition for re group Hon ors. Alabama won its seventh consecutive country group trophy. Def Leppard swept the heavy Metal category Asfa verite artist and for the album  the new rap category went to favorite artist Jazzy Jeff & the fresh Prince and his album he s the ., i m  Tracy Chapman who led grammy nominations ear Lier this month with six was the favorite new pop Rock artist but did not appear to claim the trophy. The dirty dancing movie soundtrack won favor Ite pop Rock album. Highlighting the three hour Abc to presentation were tributes to Michael Jackson and Willie Nelson who were Given non competitive trophies for personal achievement. I would first like to thank god who makes All things possible Jackson said. A Brief segment also honoured three artists who died last year Roy Orbison Brook Benton and Andy Gibb. Guns n roses won Best pop Rock single for Sweet child o mine and Freddie Jackson s Nice n slow took the re single award. The favorite new re artist was Al b. Sure a Boston native. Reba Mcentire won favorite female country Singer and Patty Loveless was favorite new country artist. Names of nominees were compiled from year end sales charts of the music Industry Trade publication Cash Box. Winners were selected by a polling of 20, people who received ballots from Herbert Altman communications research inc. The ballots Are counted by the peat Marwick Mitchell and co. Accounting firm. Grammy awards will be handed out feb. 22. Britain plans to pull out half of Gibraltar Force London a Britain announced monday that it would withdraw most or All of an infantry battalion stationed on Gibraltar a Cut of about 50 percent in the Colony s Garrison. Subject to the outcome of detailed studies we plan to withdraw in due course All or the major part of the infantry Battal Ion stationed there Gibraltar defense Secretary George younger said in a written statement in the House of commons. Younger did not say in the Brief statement when the battalion would be withdrawn from the Colony at the South Ern tip of Spain and described the moves an Economy measure. As part of the continuing drive for Cost effectiveness we Are considering re structuring and rationalizing our forces in Gibraltar and their supporting infrastructure he said. The announcement came As British foreign Secretary sir Geoffrey Howe was beginning a 24-hour visit to the disputed Colony a giant Rock Over which Spain claims sovereignty. The reduction of the Garrison was Likely to raise fears among the 30,000 i bral tartans most of whom want continuing British Rule that Britain May give up the Colony. British officials have said the Garrison is an unnecessary defense against Spain a fellow member of the 16-nation nato Alliance. The Gibraltar Garrison consists of 781 soldiers and support troops 529 naval personnel and 387 members of the Royal air Force. The Garrison generates about $72 Mil lion a year for the local Economy about half the Gibraltar administration s an Nual budget. Until recently Britain used Gibraltar As a military fortress at the strategic Strait guarding the Entrance to the Mediterranean sea. It is now used for troop training and munition stores. Spain s leading daily Al pais said monday that Gibraltar chief minister Joe Bossano May press Howe for compensation for the loss of an estimated 1,700 jobs held by Gibraltar ans who work for the British defense ministry. During his visit Howe is expected to urge Bossano to approve an agreement Between Britain and Spain on joint use of the Gibraltar Airport. Athens Hopes to Cool off its hot blooded bus Drivers Athens Greece a in a bid to control hot Mediterranean tempers and teach them a smattering of English for the Benefit of tourists Athens bus Drivers Are being sent to Charm school. The $4.3 million program is aimed at improving the image of the Capi Tal s Public transportation system which faces stiff Competition from taxis whose Cost is among the cheap est in the world. Classes such As Driver and communication with the Public and English for Drivers Are part of the 15-Day courses for the staff of the Semi private Urban transportation company. The classes will help the Driver control his Mediterranean tempera ment. But passengers must also understand that it s not the Driver s fault when the bus is late said Andreas Kolas a spokesman for the Union of bus Drivers. Quarrels often break out Between bus Drivers and passengers irked by waiting for buses or when riders insist on getting off where there is no bus Stop. Because of the chaotic state of pub Lic transportation bus routes and timetables Are rarely available tourists often take taxis which Cost about $2 for a three mile ride. The bus fare is 20 cents. Kolas said Drivers manners Aren t helped by the aggravation of navigating the capital s notoriously congested streets. According to the transit company s chairman Vassilis Xen Meritis about 3,500 of the 5,000 bus Drivers Are very experienced but older peo ple with almost no  our Drivers could use some re training. They must understand that passengers Are our customers and that it s the Driver s duty to serve the Public Xen Meritis said. The corporation s 1,200 buses cover the whole of Athens a 120 Square mile area. With Only one sub Way line crossing the City More than 70 percent of athenians commute by bus daily