European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 02, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Mtg Europe award Caps 1994 for at far left the crash test dummies Are left to right Michel Dorge Ellen Reid Brad Roberts Benjamin Darvill and Dan Roberts. Left Brad Roberts punks a tune at a show in Frankfurt last Spring. By Deedee Doke staff writer n 10 Days Brad Roberts gets to go Home. Homen Winnipeg Manitoba Canada is Lodkin Good to the crash test dummies 30-year old frontman after roughly a year on the Road. Then i better get Down to bloody Worland write another album said Roberts who composed the band s wildly successful cod shuffled his feet including the year s most offbeat hit Mem Mem Mem Myrim. " i love writing so i look Forward to getting Back to that. It s an activity that takes place in my Home where i sleep in my own bed at night and Dan sleep in in the morning Roberts said in an interview Jast Weekin Frankfurt Germany before a sold out show at the alte oper. In a year of sold out shows and hit records crash test dummies also claimed video Honorila Sweek As mtg Europe s breakthrough group of the year. V " it Means we be had a lot of video play on mtg 2i Roberts commented Avryl when asked about the award. Actually i m quite proud of our videos. Our keyboard player Ellen Reid writes the video scripts and then we get a director to direct them. So we actually have someone inside the band who is responsible. As to what the concepts re which is a Nice position to be  no Dummy himself Roberts holds Bachelor s degrees with honors in English literature and philosophy influences evident in his witty Quirky and often quizzical approach to pop songs. But he Waves aside any notion of a specific philosophical or spiritual Betit. Actually am not a particularly spiritually oriented person at All but i have written about religious questions. And that s primarily because i find them intellectually interesting Roberts said. Those tilings have surfaced in my writing but i Don t actually go to Church i Don t Pray i Don t find god is a is Dave Casey particular by useful concept in my life. And Don t think bout him that much in the same terms that people who re religious think about Himor  in cod shuffled his feets title song Roberts writes of a Jod who can t quite answer questions about life when _ aced with a curious audience. However personalizing a of figure is one example of Roberts style of exploring a Leto retinal Issue in his song lyrics r 7v do make an Effort at  write in a very on Crete Way Roberts said. If i m going to go after the a uni Yersak it s always through the particular. Y j so the reason that god is individualized is not so Nuch that think of him As an individual As because it s he Only Way i can handle writing about that subject in a _ Vay that i find interesting and  a Surprise in meeting the slim built Roberts is his height. Given the depth of his of so Low singing voice one expects someone of Hulk Hogan s physical stature. But r Eqberts compactness suits him. Less is More in his Caset a through conversation and a quiet but steely Force of personality frequently tempered by a Low pitched Huckle disturbingly similar to Beavis and butt head s signature heh heh Hehr that he makes his presence i when Roberts gets Down to the business of writing songs he needs a schedule and Solitude. When i m a writing i m usually in a routine. And i like the routine of _ writing a _ /  " ". R i like knowing that after breakfast before Rny work As far As that goes he went Oil i m not hit with bolts of inspiration out of the Blue i Don t get up in the Riddle of the night and mumble7 incoherently into my tape recorder about the dream i just  -.   _ /. I., he has few kind words for songwriters who credit their work to inspiration As opposed to the perspiration of organization. Lid that the songwriters who have this romantic version of what they do usually Are writing the worst songs. It s True. And i often think to myself you should probably work at this in a More scheduled Way. -. And it would probably be better " As for his own most famous song Mem Mem Mem Mem Roberts acknowledged Good  that the title Ransde him few friends with to and radio broadcasters because of its difficulty to pronounce. The song s three verses Tell tales of unfortunate children one whose hair turns White Irra car Accident another covered with birthmarks and a third whose family attends a charismatic Church. The chorus consists of Roberts regretful humming. I actually intended for there to be lyrics in the chorus when i first started writing the song Roberts said. I found that the verses More or less did the Job and that there want a need to add anything and humming the  of had a contemplative Quality to it at the end of each verse. So it actually  you can t get away with that More than once unfortunately he added,/td5ave a lot of time if i could hum my Way through most of my  v the title came from the song s chorus. I just did t have any options Roberts admitted. I did t know what the hell else to Call it he predicted that writing the next album will take him about a year because i m such a slow  but he " and his band mates take a pragmatic View of their worldwide Success which came roughly three years after they initially struck Gold in Canada with a first album the costs that haunt me _ 2. 1 a we re not foolish enough to think we re the greatest thing since sliced bread Roberts said. Our next record might sell nothing for All i now. You just can t count on doing Well All the  on disc seven. Gates y /. \ a. Ben Keith & friends reprise he Hep 94 Christmas album hands Down if Only for a first time duet Between Neil Young and Johnny Gash on the. Little drummer boy most tracks Are tasty Rural Flavoured instrumentals headlined by Keith one of Young s stray gators on steel guitar. Neil pops up again singing greensleeves and then there s forgetful Rusty Kershaw improvising lyrics for Christmas time s a admin. V Chris Willman los Angeles times Charles Brown s Cool Christmas bytes Charles Brown Bullseye blues Mother than rum n eggnog this Veteran re Ornith re records his chestnuts merry Christmas baby and please come Home for Christmas with a Small combo adds Fine new tunes and happily avoids standards not his own. Chrls win a a los Angeles times chant Noel r v  Benedictine monks of Santo Domingo de silos Angeniy or. " u y Benedictine Jingle Bellrock not Likely it s the Label showing mercenary spirit Here not _ the Bros in capitalizing on a Nan Manla by digging into the Monk vaults for a new collection few of whose chants have a solid nativity connection. Still better easter tidings and non seasonal psalms As stocking stuffers than most of what Xmas pop secularists have to offer. A _ _ _ Chris Willman los Angeles times Holly and Ivy y 5 i r Natalie Cole Elektra i _ i i s it any Surprise a Cole would come up with one of i the few recent traditional Christmas albums that Iso Cut Coal the sound is big Brassy and old fashioned not to fus Sily so. And of three full on gospel versions of Joy to the world we be heard this year Cole s is tops sorry Mariah and aretha to Chris Willman los Angeles times Graham Parker s Christmas Cracker Graham Parker Dakota arts Only three songs on this up but they re new originals from the not recently prolific Rocker and the demo versions of All three Are lured As Bonus tracks. Best is soul Christmas a " " duet with Nona Hendryx that pays homage by name to just about every re Singer who Ever Cut a Christmas single in the 60s. I. Cole los Angeles times pop singled 1. On bended knee Boyz ii men 2. Here comes the hot stepper Ini Amoze 3. Another night real mccoy.4. I la make love to you Boyz it men 5. Always Bon Jovi a Ecret Madonna _ 7. Am i Wanna do Sheryl Crow 8. Creep tic 9.1 Wanna be Down Brandy 10. You want this 70s love Groove Janet Jackson top albums 1. Hell freezes Over the eagles 2. Ii Boyz ii men3. Mtg unplugged in new York nirvana 4. Yocal method Man. A 5. Smash offspring _ 6. Miracles the Holiday album Kenny . 7. Merry Christmas Mariah Carey 8. Big ones Aero Smith 9. The lion King soundtrack various artists ,10. Wildflowers Tom Petty country singles 1. The big one George Strait 2. If you be got love John Michael Montgomery 3. If i could make a living Clay Walker 4. Shut up and kiss me Mary Chapin Carpenter 5. When love finds you Vince gill6. Untangle in my mind Clint Black 7. We can t love like this anymore Alabama. 8. Kick a Little Little Texas 9. Take me As i am Faith Hill 10. Pickup Man Joe Diffie classical albums 1. The three tenors in concert 1994, Carreras Domingo Pavarotti Mehta 2. Chant Benedictine monks of Santo Domingo de silos _ 3. Chant Noel Benedictine monks Ofsanko Domimgo de silos ". 4. In concert Carreras Domingo Pavarotti Mehta 5. Mozart portraits Cecilia Bartoli 6. Off Clum Jan Garbarek Milliard ensemble 7. Night prayers Kronos quartet 8. A Carnegie Hall Christmas concert Battle. Von Stade Marsalis 9. Love s illusion Anonymous 4 10. Orff Carmona Purana St. Louis. Symphony Orch. Slatkin latin tracks 1. La Media Vuelta Luis Miguel 2. No me queda Mas Selena 3. Me Duel Estar Solo la Mafi 4. Noel Primero Noel Ultimo lop Dehenes 5. The Amo the Amo the Amo Sparx 6. Al Pucho Cito Banda Machos 7. Bldg Bill bom bom Smetana 8. Tragos Amargos los Tirane Del Norte " 9. Tulero quo me Hamas Al Amor Ednita Nazario. -10. A Pesar Debodo Alejandro Fernandez re singles 1. Practice what you preach Barry White 2. Creep tlc3. Here comes the hot stepper Ini Amoze 4. On bended knee Boyz ii men -5. Before i let you go backstreet. 6.1 Wanna be Down Brandy 7. U will know . 8. Be Happy Mary j. Blige 9.1 belong to you How Many ways ton Braxton 10. You want this 70s love Groove Janet Jackson album Rock tracks jazz albums 1. Zombie the cranberries 2. About a girl nirvana. 3. Landslide smashing pumpkins 4. Bang and blame . 5. Doll parts Hole. 6. Interstate love song Stone Temple. Pilots l 7. Buddy Holly Geezer 8. Supernova Liz Phair 9. Sweet Jane Cowboy junkies. 10. Welcome to Paradise Green Day 1. Mtg unplugged Tony Bennett 2. Gershwin for lovers Marcus Roberts 3. Mood swing Joshua Redman quartet 4. All my tomorrows Grover Washington or. 5. Side by Side Perlman Peterson 6.25, Harry Connick or.,. 7. Steppln1 out Tony Bennett. 8. Burning for buddy a tribute to the music of buddy Rich various artists 9.1 love you Paris Shirley Horn .10. Orchestral album Dave Grusin compiled by billboard focus entertainment editor. Deedee Doke editorial assistant. Sandee Jones listing contributors1. Staff writers Marian Hamilton Marc Mcfann sue Palumbo Ancy l Tomer also Ferenc Pajtas. Send entertainment news tips Story ideas and listings to the stars and stripes entertainment unit 29480. Apo a 09211 or civilian Postrach 11 14 37, 64278 Darmstadt Germany. Telephone Dan 348-8350, Civ. 06155-601350. Tel fax 06155-601416.j outside Germany the country code is 49. Drop the 0 from the prefix. 20 the stars and stripes Friday december 2, 1994 the stars and stripes 21