Item-World: Personal 'Conquest'

February 28, 2008 at 11:42PM

Personal 'Conquest' His band has been accused of liking the Pixies and Talking Heads a whole lot (as if that's a bad thing), but Tapes 'N Tapes frontman Josh Grier could never be called a White Stripes diehard. At TNT's unannounced gig last week at the Turf Club to preview its April 8 release "Walk It Off," Grier introduced one new tune as "a song called 'Conquest,' not to be confused with ... " An audience member finished his thoughts: The White Stripes' current single has the same title (it's a Patti Page cover). Grier sounded apologetic about his "Conquest," which is actually a mighty fine tune. "It was written in a bubble," he said. "I had no idea." Hey, at least it wasn't called "Monkey Gone to Heaven."

CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER

Hail Halbreich Walker Art Center's new annual report is largely a hosanna to ex-director Kathy Halbreich, who left in October, but occupies half the 80 pages. Titled "16 Years," it applauds seemingly every facet of her 16-year tenure, from the "stunning clarity" of her mission statements to her choice of Mexican restaurants. By contrast, Halbreich's much-admired predecessor Martin Friedman was ushered out in the 1990-91 annual report with a single sentence noting his retirement "after a celebrated three-decade tenure." That report also carried a four-page interview with Halbreich. The 2006-07 issue, by contrast, has nary a word about Halbreich's successor, Olga Viso.

MARY ABBE

How good is good? You wouldn't expect him to say it was "so-so," but music director Osmo Vänskä put himself out on a limb last weekend, saying that the Minnesota Orchestra's newest recording, of Beethoven's Seventh and Second Symphonies, will be "the best ever" of the cycle he and his musicians have laid down the past few years. Better than the "Ninth" that garnered a Grammy nomination? "They are playing better and better," said Vänskä of his group as they toured southwestern Minnesota. "They are really focused." The Minneapolis sessions in January left Vänskä and the orchestra "exhausted but happy," he said. The orchestra recently released the First and Sixth. The Seventh and Second will be available on the BIS label next fall.

GRAYDON ROYCE

Fenderman's blues "My wife, Sharrie, asked me if it was OK for something to appear in the newspaper. I told her, 'This is showbiz! Good news. Bad news. In-between news. It's always good to be in the newspaper when you're booking and running a band." So says Minnesota rockabilly hero Jim Sundquist of the Fendermen, the man behind the 1960 hit "Mule Skinner Blues." He was still going strong until a misdiagnosed staph infection put him in Fairview Southdale Hospital nearly three weeks ago. "His left hand swelled up like a balloon, and it was affecting his heart and lungs -- everything," Sharrie Sundquist said. "He was balancing on the edge." Two surgeries and two blood transfusions later, he's looking forward to physical therapy at Redeemer Health & Rehab Center in Minneapolis, a place he knows well because it's his day gig -- he's an art and music therapist, playing guitar and helping elderly patients do artwork.

TOM SUROWICZ

Wain's pain wanes Another local music vet, Wain McFarlane, finally had the kidney transplant Tuesday he had been waiting two years to get. The Ipso Facto frontman was sitting up in his chair by Wednesday, and his outlook was promising, family members reported. The kidney donor came from within the musical McFarlane clan: Wain's niece Yai was found to be a perfect match. Proof that Wain is planning on a full recovery: Ipso Facto hopes to reunite for this summer's Taste of Minnesota.

CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER

He's an old cowhand I.W. probably has more vivid memories of the New York Dolls at the State Fair's old Teen Fair than the Dolls' Sylvain Sylvain does. But he mentioned the gig when the reconstituted Dolls played Sunday at the Fine Line. "I think we played the Minnesota State Fair in 1973," he announced, accurately. "Don't blame us. ... I love it. My first cow was a two-headed one."

JON BREAM

Playtime with the Jonases Local musician Ryan Liestman, lead singer of pop-reggae band the Rule, isn't used to playing for such a young or fanatic audience. Now on tour as keyboardist for the Jonas Brothers -- tween America's newest pop obsession -- he said followers have constructed a fan page for him and wait all day in hotel lobbies for autographs. Liestman, who joined the Jonases' backup band in January, said the three brothers are down-to-earth and make the tour fun -- as in playing trampoline dodgeball with the band on a recent day off. "The boys are home-schooled and have been for quite a while -- it's not like they have a lot of friends to keep in touch with, so they always want to hang with the band," he said.

MEGAN KADRMAS

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