‘Take America Back’ Strikes Chord With Country Stars

Local record producer Steve Vaus is learning not only the verity but literally the value of the axiom about being true to oneself. Vaus, who has been a fixture on the local recording scene for several years, recently made news when he sent a letter to several national publications expressing dissatisfaction with the quality of life in “America’s Finest City,” and asking readers to suggest towns where he could rediscover a simpler America.

More recently, Vaus acted on his frustration with the problems plaguing contemporary society by writing and recording a song called “We Must Take America Back.” The song, written in something approaching an outlaw-country style, cites a litany of modern curses, including crime, gangs, the homeless, guns in schools, the criminal justice system, and national leaders who “stick us and bleed us.”

Vaus started working on the song about six weeks ago, and recorded it in two days, finishing on March 24. He then played it for Willie Nelson’s wife, Connie, who told him it was about the best thing she’d heard in years. She wanted to overnight it to a friend of hers, Waylon Jennings.

On Wednesday morning, Jennings called Connie Nelson 10 minutes after receiving the tune and said he wanted to record it on his own album. Then he called her back and said he would prefer to record it with the Highwaymen, a band made up of Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson.

Because the Highwaymen were leaving for a three-week tour of Europe, Vaus grew concerned that Jennings’ interest in “We Must Take America Back” might wane. But Willie Nelson got in on the discussion and suggested the possibility of recording the tune in London, where he had booked studio time with producer Don Was, of the band Was (Not Was).

Vaus, who was a songwriter in Nashville for a long time before starting the local Steve Vaus Productions, is understandably excited by the prospect of having his song recorded by four of country’s biggest icons. But he said if nothing happens with the Highwaymen, he’d like to release “We Must Take America Back” on a CD of his own material.

“I have a real strong feeling that this song would generate some controversy,” Vaus said by phone Monday. “But it’s kind of ironic. This is the first time in a long time I’ve sat down and said, ‘I’m gonna write one for me,’ not worrying about what anyone else would say about it or whether it would be considered commercial or acceptable to radio. And wouldn’t you know that’s the song everybody would get excited about?”

GRACE NOTES: On Monday, Bill Silva Presents released the much-awaited details about purchasing tickets to the upcoming U2 concert, which is a joint production with Avalon Attractions. The show, part of the “Zoo TV Tour” that also features the Pixies, will take place on April 15 at the Sports Arena.

Tickets--priced at $26 and subject to a service charge and handling fee--will go on sale tonight at 7 p.m., and orders will be taken by telephone only . Fans will be able to place ticket orders by calling one of two numbers: (619) 570-1101 or (800) 729-5353. The regular TicketMaster charge-line will not be in service for this purpose, and callers will not be able to place phone orders at TicketMaster outlets outside the (619) area.

Tickets can be charged to a major credit card, or reserved by phone and picked up within seven days at the Sports Arena box office, where the acceptable methods of payment will include MasterCard, Visa, American Express, cash, money order, cashier’s check or certified check. Identification will be required to claim tickets. There is a two-ticket limit per person, and computers will automatically nullify all orders with a duplicate name, address or credit card number.

How U2’s performance will affect national security remains to be seen.

Several local music notables will join Komla Amoaku when the Ghanian master drummer spans the Atlantic with a combination lecture-demonstration and concert Saturday at the Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park.

Amoaku, a professor of music at California State University, San Marcos, will present a history of African drumming at 8 p.m. That will be followed by a performance of his band, Sankofa, which will play a blend of South, Central and North African, as well as Caribbean music. The members of Sankofa include Gunnar Biggs (bass), Bill Caballero (trumpet), Jim Storey (guitar), Kevin Quail (trombone), Mark Lamson (drums, percussion), Dave Hampton (timbales, percussion), Peggy Dodson (vocals) and Amoaku himself on congas, percussion and lead vocals.

Tickets are $6 at the door. The Centro Cultural is located on Park Boulevard, north of Presidents Way. Free parking will be available across the street from the Centro.

BOOKINGS: (Tickets for the following concerts will be sold at all TicketMaster outlets unless otherwise specified.) Dramarama’s April 11 show at Iguanas has been canceled (pulled by the band’s agent with no on-the-record explanation). . . . Sound FX has announced an April lineup that includes Vinnie Moore and Shotgun Messiah on April 13; the Judybats and Loud Sugar on April 22; Howard Jones playing a special acoustic concert on April 27, and Hot Tuna, featuring Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady playing acoustically on April 29. . . .

Lou Reed has signed to play Symphony Hall on April 28 (on sale Saturday at 10 a.m.). . . . Those wacky Texas Tornados, who ripped it up last year in shows at both the Del Mar Fair and the Michelob Street Scene, will be at Theatre East in El Cajon on May 3 (on sale now, call 440-2277). . . . Sugarcubes and Cracker (featuring David Lowery) will be at Iguanas on April 25 (on sale Friday at 3 p.m.). . . .

Humphrey’s has announced its concert 1992 schedule, with highlights including Michael McDonald on June 8; Michael Franks on June 19; Burt Bacharach on July 17; Emmylou Harris and the Nash Ramblers on Aug. 23; Bela Fleck and the Flecktones on Aug. 25 and Michael Hedges on Sept. 27.

CRITIC’S CHOICE: TAKING A BLUES AX TO THE BELLY UP

Those who want their guitar heroes to start fires with their playing should know that three contemporary masters of the blues ax will be rubbing sticks together Thursday night at the Belly Up Tavern.

Among them, Charlie Baty (who will perform with his band, the Nightcats); the Bay Area’s ace Delta blueser, Roy Rogers (performing with his Delta Rhythm Kings); and Atlanta’s Tinsley Ellis cover nearly every conceivable variant of blues, R&B; and roadhouse rock. The prospect of having each of these churners on stage on the same night is enough to cause welts.

The fireworks begin at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are a bargain at $7, and can be purchased through TicketMaster (278-TIXS) or at the door. The Belly Up Tavern is at 143 South Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. For more information, call 481-8140.