Roardrunner October 1978

CO NTENTS Independent Ox Singles . . .4 014 H&t/kiddle Class,....6 A Night To Remember/ Jeff Wayne..............7 Chris Barber.........••••0 Stiletto................. 9 Graham Parker......... ..10 Mark Bolan.............. 12 Review/Albums............15 Singles............

20 Gig Guide............... 22

EDITORS Alan Coop Alex Oilert Bruce Milne Donald Robertson MELBOURNE EDITOR Cee Walker LONDON EDITOR Keith Shadwick CONTRIBUTORS Ross Stapleton Jillian Burt Bain Susie Walton Mark Burford David Lescun Peter Nelson Heather Venn Dave Crowe Glenn A. Baker PHOTOGRAPHS Eric Algra Joe Murray Paul Nicolas (for Bolan Pice) ADVERTISING Bronny Karras Gerry Schumann ADVERTISING LAYOUT Alex LAYOUT Andrew McHugh TYPING Ming GIG GUIDE Trina Ming

ROADRUNNER P.0. Box 156, NORWOOD, S.A. 5067, Deadline for next issue 18th October.

ROADRUNNER OCTOBER 1978 PAGE 2

LETTER SIR, I was outraged to read the article on ’Sidewinder* in your last issue. The critic, and I use the word loosely, Bhov/ed no profes­ sionalism is his approach to the article.

It is one thing to have an opinion of a band, but it is another to reject something outright, to give no valid reason for that rejection except for an obvious bias, and to give no constructive criticism whatsoever. Destructive criticism helps no-one.

His line that ’Sidewinder are nothing more than - wait for it - a boogie band,’ shows his absurdly narrow­ minded attitude.

I d o n ’t particularly like Jazz, but that is no reason to wipe off a band just because they play Jazz.

This person continues by saying that the violin -ist - Richard Lee - is V.. lacklustre and over­ rated.” Richard has play­ ed not only with the ABC Show Band, but also in the Australian Symphony Orchestra. How many rock and roll musicians are ever taken seriously by their classical counter parts, let alone prove themselves versatile enough to play in an orchestra of high repute? Richard’s musical credibility is not in doubt here, but our writer’s critical capab­ ility is.

I have followed

’Sidewinder* since their first visit to Adelaide, and Richard is certainly a dynamic performer, well worth watching and listen­ ing.

Sidewinder are experi­ mentalists who are using instruments in a manner that has rarely been heard before. Richard also plays a ’Vitar*, of which there are, I believe, only a few in Australia.

(For those who d o n ’t know, a Vitar is a 5 stringed in­ strument which is a com­ bination of both violin and guitar.

It’s range 8pans that of violin and viola, and appears to be a versatile piece of eqipment.)

Also the critic seemed to think that the venue was worth writing a good half of the article about, purely because of its "bourgeoise blandness”.

Unless the venue parti­ cularly affects a perfor­ mance, I consider it a pointless exercise critic­ ising it in this manner.

I do not doubt for one moment, that there are those who dislike ’Side­ winder’, but I also know that a lot of well-res­ pected people within the industry who are very impressed with them. Even the critic could not over­ look the fact that ”.... the audience loved every minute of i t .”

It is disappointing to see such an article in your magazine.

I hope in future that the said ’critic* will reserve judgement until he can justify, with good reason, his opinion of a band.

A. Killmier.

Spring is sprung, the grass is ris (what has n ’t been confiscated and burnt by our over zealous drug squad that is) I wonder where the flowers is? Flattened by thunder­ storms and gales I should not wonder, as September crawls into October under heavy fire from the ele­ ments.

But as Spring weather isn’t with us yet there seems to have been quite a lot of friskiness in the Adelaide music scene in recent weeks and a few good things to look forward to in the month to come.

Fresh from their chart success on the 5KA Pro­ gressive album chart (first week in at 17 with a bullet!) the Daygoes plan to release ’’This Perfect Band” as a single, as soon as they get it pressed, on their own label, while the Accountants will probably release "Elisabeth City Riots” or another ori­ ginal track on Tomorrow Records which has already put out singles by Black Chrome and Bohdan (exJab). Young M o d e m ’s single, "She’s Got The Money”, will be released this month on their own label, Top Gear.

Second record from Perth band The Victims arrived in Adelaide late last month.

It’s an E.P. with 5 tracks, ”1 Understand", Open Your Byes","High School Girls”, "T.V. Freak” and "Disco Junkies". Each copy comes with it’s own individually coloured sleeve too. See review elsewhere in this issue.

There will be no inter-

state bands at Adelaide's rock venues in November.

Adelaide’s main promoters say the move is to give Adelaide bands the chance to prove themselves in front of their home crowds.

However, with all the over­ seas acts in town that month (Bowie, Frampton, Bette Midler and maybe The Kinks) could be that the masses will stay away in droves.

The move is sound in principle and the promoters are to be congratulated on their concern. What role Colin McKee 1 s Rock Music Committee played in the move I ’m not sure, but it sounds like the sort of thing that the committee was set up to do.

Looks like we*11 see Thin Lizzy here this month, pro­ bably on the 25th. Origin­ ally they were to have only played Sydney and Melbourne as part of 2SM and 3XYfs Rocktober celebrations, but 5KA who are also having a Rocktober thought it would be good to get ’em here too.

Dave Robinson, Manager of Graham Parker and the Rumour and head of Stiff (if they’re dead, w e ’ll sign ’em) Records was with the band on the early part of their Austra­ lian tour and apart from his interest in the SportB (who apparently went down a storm on the tour) he is rumoured to be interested in putting together a compilation al­ bum of Australian bands for release on Stiff* The Elvis Costello tour has been confirmed for December although rumours that Dave Edmunds Rockpile featuring Nick Lowe would be supporting the angry one are just that at the moment.

Edmunds new album, "Tracks On Wax" which has received rapturous reviews in the British press will be re­ leased by WEA this month.

And Elvis’ "Pump It Dp" which is top ten here is do­ ing absolutely nothing inter­ state. ...

WEA will also be releas­ ing a bunch of albums from their newly acquired Sire catalogue including albums

by Talking Heads, the Rezillos and the Ramones.

The Progressive Music Broadcasting Association’s application for an F.M, license was heard by the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal last month. Al­ though the application seem­ ed sound enough there appears to be some doubt

as to whether the Tribunal will grant any Adelaide F.M. licenses apart from the one earmarked for the Ethnic Broadcasters. There should be final word on the app­ lication this month semetime.

Interesting to note that the original Sgt. Pepper’s album by the Beatles is out -selling the Bee Gees/Frampton version in Adelaide.

EMI have got a simple, but effective campaign going which features a poster of the cover with the words, "The Original. The Best."

And i t ’s working.

Talking of charts i t ’s interesting to note that on the current D.S. Top 20 singles chart there are more Australian singles than British.

If we count ex-patriates such as Olivia and Andy Gibb, then the Aussie singles are "Summer Nights" Olivia and Travolta, "Hopelessly Devoted", Olivia, "Reminiscing" LRB, "Love Is In The Air, John Paul Young and "An Ever­ lasting Love", by Andy Gibb.

The only British single in sight is the Stones’ "Miss You*.... .

Ray Dyett back in town after a few weeks in Sydney talking business with Vanda and Young on behalf of Mickey Finn, was raving about Dubbo band The Reels.

He was going to bring them over on the Lone Star circuit in November, but that was before the ban so maybe it will be a bit later in the year...

Talking of Lone Star, that circuit’s gig at the Tivoli on Friday nights have been rather straaaange of late. There was an all out brawl in front of the stage during a set by Jimmy and the Boys last month in which Iggy Jones the singer was nearly pull -ed off stage. He and a section of the audience had been trading insults for some time previous to the incident, but it was an­ other group of people en­ tirely who started throwing tables and chairs indiscriminently. And the manage­ ment of the Tivoli stopped the show on the Friday night of the Graham Parker concert after a glass door was broken while a member of the audience was being re­ moved from the premises.

Graham Parker himself roll­ ed up at the door just as

the crowd were leaving. A dress restriction has been imposed at the hotel of no sandshoes and no leather jackets. Haven't they ever heard of the saying a wolf in sheeps clothing?

Where *8 CassI ! - been avoiding the Tivoli of late have you? Had a dress re­ striction placed on you too, eh??

Adelaide singer Christie Allen has her first single released on Mushroom Records this month.

The song, "You know that I love you" was written by Terry Britten and recorded at Slater Sound in Adelaide and if it gets air­ play will definitely be a hit.

News from our London correspondent Keith Shadwick is that a new band called Punishment of Luxer# from Leeds, are making a big impact. He writes, "They have just done their first London tour, have only just recorded their first single (not out yet) and have a brilliant stage act (the singer is into mime) and can all actually PLAY (a fact overlooked by a lot of the bands I have seen here).

Their songs are all original, very well arranged, complex for these days standards and FUCKING GOOD. Socially committed tooo....."

According to New York Rocker, the Ramones live album is "slated only for release in those markets (England, Australia, Japan, Europe) on the calender for a massive tour! Australia?” .... . Brisbane's punk rock­ ing architects, the Numbers (who have a song in their repertoire called "Gee’s A Poser"), have released a stylishly produced debut single on the new Brisbane label called the Able label.

It contains three tracks; "Sunset Strip","Magic Castle" "Rules of Love"..... Forth­ coming releases from a sud­ denly lively Brisbane include singles from the promising, moddish Go-Betweens, doing a song called "Lee Remick", and from boy-punks Razar with "Task Farce", a song about the famous Queensland oops Task Force bust of a punk dance.... And you think Adelaide Import Record Shops have it toughs Rotten Records, Brisbane’s punk outlet, was recently busted by the Vice Squad for selling "obscene" material - the offending article being

the National Lampoon's "That’s Not Funny, That's Sick" album.

The thing is, most other (ordinary) record shops around town stock not only that record, but also the Derek and Clive albums* While they were at it, the boys in plain clothes searched the premises for drugs, and busted a customer for carrying a flickknife.... Malicious Mick admits to making a mistake: last issue it was reported that the new Melbourne band the Models include exTeenage Radio Stars guitar­ ist James Freud in their line-up - in actual factm it *8 not James (who still leads the Radio Stars), but Sean Kelly.

GEFF DUFF looks like signing to Beggars Banquet Records in London.

Bruce and Cee were fortun­ ate enough to hear the new Johnny 'Rotten* Lydon record "Public Image" in Melbourne last week. A very strange record indeed with a completely berko flip side. Cee: "He sounds like Grace Slick".

Auto Drifters have split.

Topper (bass) is going on to joun Peter Lillee Band.

Paul Kelly has formed a new band called "The Thieved’ The line-up includes Greg Pirahna ex-drummer from True Wheels.

Heard on the grapevine and confirmed by Lone Star that the Marryatville Hotel is re-emerging as Adelaide’s late late late night spot within the newly renovated rooms.

In fact it is quite simply, I am told, "The Lone Star Rock and Roll Night Spot".

Opening on October 6th, so you have a license to rage with Stiletto.

Make it your second home if you dare.

One final note before I gof the Pretty Things have reformed in London. They must have heard that we were doing an article on them. The article will appear next month in full.

Great the power of the press innit? Keep Fester­ ing.

P.S. Festering finds out that Cass has also been banned from the Tivoli Straaange? Isn’t she the Promoter????

Festering Mick Malicious.

ROADRUNNER OCTOBER 19 78 PA GE 3

In d ep e n d en t O z singles times, a soul, teenybopper, blues and psychadelic group which eventually became Company Caine.

A necessary record for any ’60*s collector featuring a selection of Campact’s more interesting works.

1000 copies pressed, all numbered.

Still avail­ able at $2.50. Well pack­ aged with cover notes that tell the whole story. r\ GO-BETWEENS - SING LEE REMICK Lee Remick/Karen 5 (Able) Released: September 1978 Brisbane Two tracks from Brisbane’s pop combo on a new label Able. Well recording and L $ packaged (*cept for the em$ barassing ’clever* interview on the back).

I ’ve no idea 2 how many were pressed, but it’s available now at $2 .20.

LAST WORDS Animal World/Wondering Why (Remand) 2 Released: March 1978 Sydney The Last Words have since signed to Wizard and a new single is due out now. The available yet I can’t find recording quality is awful. copies anywhere. The Auto Drifters split up last month. 500 copies pressed and still BABEEZ available for $ 1 .50.

Nobody Wants Me/Hate/Dowanna LEFTOVERS Love No Complaints/ I Only Panic Released: November 1977 (when there’s nothing to Melbourne do) The Babeez (now NEWS) re­ Never released. Brisbane. corded this in the living I ’ve put this in cos it room of their house (You should have been released. call that a house?) on a Recorded over a year ago two-track recorder.

500 and passed from hand to copies were pressed and hand. Unfortunately nosold for $1 each. Copies one could ever afford to are still available at release it. Hopefully Archies & Jugheads (Melb.) these tracks will one day but they *11 set you back appear.

2 75 MILLIONARES B U C K CHROME Please Don’t Mention The Australia’s God/We Are Junta Tomorrow (Tomorrow) (Soviet) Released: July 1978 Adelaide Released: Mid 1977 Melbourne Unfortunately Black Chrome Junta was put out by the are yesterday. Apparently Millionares after their they played a few gigs in unfriendly parting with Adelaide in early ’7 8 and Mushroom.

Slod for $2 split. Lead singer, Simon, and came in a heavy card­ now runs Tomorrow Records. board cover with comics 500 copies were pressed and and words (even a record) inside. Probably 500 press­ can still be found. $ 1.50 ed. SOLD OUT. each. Lyrics included.

NEWS BODAN X Time To Age/You. Got Soul Dirty Lies/ Chop Chop Chop Released: May 1978 Melbourne (Tomorrow) As RAM said ’’The smelliest Releasee: July 1978 Adelaide single of the year". An Bodan before he formed (and later left) JAB. 500 pressed. anti uranium single which Still selling at $1.50. Lyrics comes in a hand screen printed sleeve.

The smell included. of the paint is awful.

CAMPACT - LIVING IN THE 60 ’s 1000 copies pressed.

Still Drawing Room/l’m Your Puppet /Wasted/fereak It To Me Slowly available at $ 1 .50.

NUMBERS (Missing Link) Released: May 1978 Melbourne Sunset Strip/hagic Castle/ Rules of Love Campact were (as the cover notes say), at different (Able)

V

-A ^

f

P\\JS

?\

%>

Oa *

c^ P

4

A •

$ tP o cri v

cr

6>.

AT

S N3 3 fvU ^ <-^) .

I have attempted, to start a listing of all independently released Oz records.

If you have any information (correc­ tions, additions) that may help make this list definitive then please let me know.

If you are having trouble obtaining any of the records listed below then let me know too.

Write: Bruce Milne, C/0 Roadrunner, P.0. Box 156 , Norwood, S.A. 5067.

The listing is alphabe­ tical. The tracks follow the band name and the label (if any) appears in brack­ ets at the end of the track listing. The release date and the town the band came from follows.

I have then given a basic rundown on the record attempting a guide to price and avail­ ability.

I have avoided reviewing the records as that is M a r k ’s job.

OK? Here we g o .....

AUTO DRIFTERS - BEST BETS Big Jim/fcock and Rollfs on the R & R/the Birth of the Ute/Locked Out of Love/ Bop Shop Rock ZAK Released: June 1978 Melbourne The first independent 12” EP Australia’s own rockerbilly, or Ockerbilly as Cee dubbed it. Recorded in glorious 50 Mono. Good sound, good songs and the best packag­ ing I ’ve ever seen with inside notes, logo, photos, etc. It must still be ROADRUNNER OCTOBER 1978 PAGE 4

$. .

Released: September 1978 Brisbane Uni hippies who formed a band called the Grudge and then became the Numbers.

Also out on the new Able label. Well recorded with neat cover. A shame they didn’t record "Cee’s a Poser" their song dedicated to our Melbourne editor.

Selling now for $2.20.

PELACO BROS. Truckdrivin’ Queen/Conga Line/Cat Clothes/mlkcow Blues/Eskimo In Paris/ Mellow Saxophone (Ralph) Released: Early 1976 Melbourne The Pelacos were - Steve Cummins, Joe Camitieri, Peter Lillee, Ed Bates, Johnny Topper and Carl Wolfe. Though the lineup is impressive, the record is a terrible live re­ cording that fails to capture the Pelacos wonder -ful ’Boondock Swing’ sound.

Originally sold for $5.50.

Came complete with picture sleeve and inside notes.

Definitely SOLD OUT. RADIO BIRDMAN - BURN MY EYE Smith and Wesson Blues/ Snake/ I-94/Burned My Eye Released: late 1976 Sydney Birdman’s first release which was unfortunately marred by poor pressing quality.

A lesson was learnt - you can’t fit more than one song per side on a 7 " if the songs feature loud blistering hot guitars.

It sold by mail order for $1.80.

If my memory serves me well 800 copies were pressed and there may have been a repressing. Bootleg copies appeared in England.

Good picture sleeve. SOLD OUT. SAINTS I ’m Stranded/No Time (Fatal) Released: September 1976 Brisbane The granddaddy of all independent singles (new wave, anyway).

500 copies pressed and the rest is history.

Later appeared as an EMI release in Aust­ ralia and on Power Exchange in England. SOLD OUT (natch).

SPARE CHANGE Classified Ad/Big Beat (Champagne) Released: December 1976 Melbourne Two tracks from Spare Changes never released album. Worth seeking out for their version of Big Beat which was record­ ed before John Dowler split to form Young M o d e m and the

yinh,

/Ur/NiyA

H E Y R E A D T H IS !

Question: How much do you pay for your LP’s and Cassettes?

Answer: Probably too much. Here’s why.

With a range of over 2,000 albums, there’s bound to be dozens that you would like in your collection and as they are all discounted this makes it a lot easier.

All we ask is for you to come and check us out. Seeing Ears is a bit different to the normal Record Shop and once you see it we think you will agree.

others formed Parachute, I saw copies selling at Archie & Jugheads last week.

SPORTS - PAIR GAME Thru1 Her Heart/Pwist Senorita/ln Trouble With The Girls/lied Cadillac (Zak) Released: Early 1977 Melbourne Sports* first recordings took six hours to record and mix with Joe Camiliere producing.

500 pressed and sold for $2 . 500 re­ pressed for overseas sale.

Picture sleeve with a great photo. Now fetches ridicu­ lously high prices (I was offered $50 for mine).

SOLD OUT. SURVIVORS Baby Come Back/teister Record Man Released: January 1978 Brisbane The Survivors first release.

Both tracks have since re­ appeared on the Suicide compilation and again as a single on Suicide (re­ mixed). 500 copies pressed and probably sold out.

UNION Thump/Never Wanted Me/High Heeled Sneakers/The End (Missing Link) Released: May 1978 Melbourne The first release on a very exciting label. The Union (featuring Dave Pepperell) recorded these tracks in 1986. A necessary addition to your *60*8 Oz collection.

Picture sleeve with infor­ mative (and indulgent) notes included.

1000 copies press­ ed, each numbered.

Still available for $2 .50.

VICTIMS Television Addict/Flipped Out Released: April 1978 Perth Everyone was surprised by the appearance of this single, 500 copies were pressed and sold instantly.

Coloured sleeve and inside photos.

SOLD OUT. I Understand/Open Your Eyes /feigh School Girls/T.V. Freak /Disco Junkies Released: September 1978 Perth Hie latest release from the Victims.

One side studio one side live.

500 pressed and readily available now for $2.50-$5.00. Great hand made sleeve and inside information. The Victims split well before the release of this E.P. DAVE WARNER Australian Heat/Summer *78 (Bicton) Released: Early 1978 Perth Dave Warner*s single was

released just prior to his East Coast tour.

Three prerecorded cassettes followed and sold extremely well. No idea of how many copies were pressed, but it can still be found here and there.

VARIOUS ARTISTS Hie Accountants/Dagoes/UBombs Live at the Marryatville (Tomorrow) Released: July 1978 Adelaide A prerecorded cassette of an Adelaide punk concert.

Released just three days after the event.

Sells for $2 .

ALSO RELEASED (but as yet unheard) Hit and Run - Country rock EP from Victoria (PS) Chosen Few - Melbourne punk EP (PS) Ian Stephen's Schizophrenia -EP from Melbourne (PS) Evan Thorburn - Brick Walls single (PS) Thought Criminals - New Wave EP from Sydney Rocks - New Wave EP from Sydney Psycho Surgeons - Sydney New Wave single with blood splattered cover.

Bad Habit - Album from Queensland.

DUE OUT SOON Adelaide groovers YOUNG MODERN have their picture sleeve single HIt*s Automatic/She’s Got Hie Money” ccaning out any moment.

Melbourne politicos NEWS are recording their EP which may include their reworking of ’'Green Tambourine”.

MANIKINS single from Perth.

A fabulous SPIVS EP. A Missing Link compilation album featuring many of the tracks listed in this article.

Hie long defunct BLEEDING HEARTS have an album due out on Missing Link. Adelaide*s DAGOES have a single in the works, "This Perfect Band”.

Melbourne’s WHIRLEYWORLD are recording their debut.

Guitarist, CLINTON SMALL, from Melbourne is record­ ing an album. HENRY VHYNAL has his long await­ ed "Goodnight Tanya/Punk Power” ready for release.

The LEFTOVERS are due to release an EP. There is a NEWS flexi disc in the last PULP. That is everything I am aware of.

And, as the Desperate Bi­ cycles say, "It was easy, it was cheap, GO AND DO IT!" Bruce Milne.

Graham Parker Rolling Stones David Gilmour Jean Luc Ponty Judas Priest Steely Dan Mink Deville Patti Smith Dylan Bob Marley The Doors Roy Buchanan Joan Armatrading Jan Akkerman Tim Buckley Audience

Chain Ry Cooder Stanley Clarke Steve Hillage Hawkwind Alex Harvey Sex Pistols Stranglers Kansas Nick Lowe Television Little Feat John Martyn Phil Manzanera Eno John Cale

Skyhooks Ariel Gero Kate Allan Parsons Genesis Jan Tom Petty Colloesum Creed

DISCOUNT RECORDS 122 King W illiam Road, Hyde Park Phone 272 6652

IN A D E L A I D E FOR ONE C O N C E R T O NLY W e d n esday Octo b e r 11th at 8.00 p.m.

MA T T H E W FLINDERS TH E A T R E F U N D E R S UNIVERSITY Tickets:

S t u d e n t s $5.00 Public $6,50

Booki n g s : Allans

ROADRUNNER OCTOBER 1978 PA GE 5

O ld H at

Wore than a band playing music to dance to, or drink to, or listen to, it's entertainment, good old fashioned amusement and fun. Not that there*s anything particularly old hat about Old Hat though. Noel Coward began a tradition of clever story telling through songs dancing on irrepressible little melodiss that lives on vaguely through the likes of Tom Waits, Warren Zevon, Randy Newman, etc..

Old Hat was created around an affec­ tion for the sleazy smoke filled bar room yarn spinning of Tom Waits, and is fairly faithful in instrumentation to the Waits sound - with dominance of an excellent acoustic piano sound (it*s amazing what these electric baby grands can do), simple bass and drums vaguely reminiscent of the "bop” jazz era, and guitar, although Old Hat*s guitarist Ian Ross is the most incon­ gruous part of the arrangement with a tendency toward cliched playing.

Formed around the beginning of the year, Old Hat*s strength is the piano playing prowess and song crafting abilities of Dim Beasley, who has scads of classical training floating in his not too distant past. Old Hats eloquent ditti©3 are not entirely lyrically pleasant, but the breezy rhythms and general stories are mirth provoking nevertheless - like lots of the best songs around, and products of Beasley*s sharp wit and affection for the absurdities in life.

Oust as Noel Coward*s "Donlt Let*s Be Beastly To The Germans” (Heard first on a Forces broadcast during wartime ".... it was just those nasty Nazi’s who persuaded them to fight, And their Beethoven and 8ach are rsally far worse than their bite” ) Warren Zevon*s ’’Werewolves Of London", and Randy Newman*s "Short People" (depending on height) make one giggle about what are seemingly humourless situations, 3im Beasley has a collection of tales about inept pioneers who possibly could have lost more of the West than was eventually won; media neglected orchestral musicians with homicidal tendencies, and obsessive gun collec­ tors, all treated decidedly lightheart -edly and amusingly.

Old Hat is a startlingly fresh and original band performing intelligent music - they deserve more attention than they’re receiving.

Tillian Burt.

ROAHHftWSR OCTOBER 197S' P ic t'6 '

M id d le C lass

The name is possibly the only superfluous part of the band.

MIDDLE CLASS as a title doesn’t indi­ cate anything about them, and certainly not gritty driving new wave music which has been the most common assumption taken from the name and MIDDLE CLASS* striking poster.

MIDDLE CLASS are patiently precise and coolly ambitious, rehearsing, writing material and auditioning (and rejecting) a large number of singers before persuading guitarist Trevor Carter to do the singing h e ’d been waiting for someone to ask!

This was over a period of at least a year, ensuring that Middle Class were as internally perpared as possible for live performances in front of an audience.

The holy grail that Middle Class are questing for is the musically proficient band with sensible intell­ igent original songs equally adaptable to stage or vinyl, that will attract the widest conceivable audience, whether they be dancers or listeners.

Middle Class laboured over their own recording studio which they consider essential to any original band to test their material,(their bassist Simon Britton showing an intense interest and flair for production).

Since a successful debut at the Tivoli Hotel a number of weeks ago the quest is progressing steadily, and not always under optimum conditions.

The Lord Melbourne Hotel has be­ come established as Middle Class’ unofficial headquarters which is unfortunate because it is an entirely illogical setting for a band of any type. Tne band play beside, rather than to, an audience that braves a dark stuffy little room with no dancing space, lights, or readily accessible doors or windows. U/hen the P.A. system that more often than

not assumes a percussive role in the proceedings, crackling, belching and hissing, it altogether isn’t a healthy set of circumstances for the new band out to win audiences and influence people.

Middle Class introduce jazz flav­ ourings - with economy - into the concept of the clever rock song with complex melodies, from the hand­ clapping to the haunting, sophistic­ ated rhythmical constructions with clever lyrics, performed with com­ petency and emitting a charm that doesn’t reek over highly of calcula­ tion. The arrangements leave nothing to chance, crafted textures that havs been scraped to the bone leaving an overall simplicity in sound.

The sweetness of melody is largely propelled by Ivan Tanner's mass of keyboards, or Trevor Carters flash sonorous guitar passages, but the sweetness doesn’t extend to the lyrics.

Although the scenarios created aren't far from the ordinary, the characters depicted are probably people you'd rather not meet - nasty, cold and dis­ tasteful. Do you think that the lead character in a song like "sadist" would be pleasant?

The notion in Adelaide has always been that a band - any band - to 8ven look like making any sort of success for themselves has to furnish its repertoire with well known "borrowsd” songs (the copy band syn­ drome) and attract a following, then gradually introduce their own material to the masses. Middle Class has fairly slapped that notion in the face by being thoroughly prepared with a selection of songs they themselves designed to conform to their own sound, and they’re earning respect and audiences for their originality. jillian Burt.

>4 night to m em b er

Many of you will remember a certain Friday night at the Tivoli, when due to the actions of a couple of small minded people (one in particular), caused the show to be folded up early.

This in turn made participators get up in arms against the doorgirls for not receiving their monies worth of music.

It all began when the door girl doing her duty as instructed by the hotel, denied entrance to two young bikies. They couldn't understand the discrimination being made against them, especially as they had friends already in the hotel.

The door girl explain­ ed that it was not the policy of the promoter, but that of the hotel, and as their friends were not dressed as bikies they had been allowed in.

During the process of this being ex­ plained, one of their "friends" de­ cided to get heavy on their behalf and verbally attacked the door girl.

The bouncer and the door girl spent nearly an hour explaining to them that the show couldn't be run under any other circumstances than the way tbs hotel wanted (three weeks earlier a dress restriction was introduced no thongs, no bike attire, no leather jackets), and as all patrons of the venue knew, there had never been any hassle like this before.

In due course, the "loud mouth" caused the bouncer to forcably remove him and as a result, a glass door was broken. All the problem was over and done with by the time the two CIB gentlemen who wers inside watching the show were called, and peace? again reigned at the front door. Not being satisfied, the hotel management called the police and soon (but too late), arrived a squad of uniformed police.

A phone call not being sufficient, the hotel management then made the band stop playing and closed the show (no discussion was entered with the promoter).

This ridiculous action caused over 200 people calmly enjoying the show to suddenly realise that there had been a fight, and consequently more hassles occurred and a volatile sit­ uation arose.

If the hotel manage­ ment had only used their brains and kept the show going, the people would have happily gone home at the normal closing time, unaware of any mishap.

But, very luckily for the hotel, the promoters door staff managed to calm down the harrassed patrons (and, unfortunately, the harassed band), and everyone went home early, but reasonably pacified.

Let us hope that all those people who attended that Friday night will understand the situation of the promoter of these shows. Although tbs promoter operates tbe venue sub­ ject to control and influence of the hotel management, they cannot be responsible for mismanagement of hotels and the irresponsibility of a few "neatly" dressed young people who are the originators of the few hassles that do occur.

(As it happened, the two young bikies helped to stop the fight - so much for the "bad" manners of badly dressed bikies and the socalled "good" manners of well dressed bikies)• As a result of this the promoters

manager was astounded when told that her door staff member for that night was barred from the hotel - and for what? - for doing exactly what the management of the Tivoli wanted keeping out the so-called unwanted riff-raff.

It's too bad that they don't know the old saying "Don't judge a book by its cover" isn't it?

Close Observer.

As you read this, Jeff Wayne's musical version of The War Of The Worlds will probably be holding down the number one spot on Adelaide album charts. As I write this only Stiggy Golddust's Grease is holding the Martians at bay. CBS brought Jeff Wayne out to this country for a quick promotional tour last month (you may remember seeing him on Countdown talking about David Essex with Ian Meldrum). By the time I got to speak with him h e ’d done Sydney and Melbourne and a full day of inter -views here. After I'd talked a bit about the album, I asked him if he was losing his voice. He said he was, but the thing that really get­ ting to him was hearing the sound of his own voice.

It must be very strange talking to different people all day about the same thing. Dis­ concerting for an interviewer too, knowing that x number of people have asked the same questions of the man day in, day out for the past week. But Jeff didn't seem to mind talking about his project.

I guess when you've worked on something for two and a half years you don't knock back the chance to tell people about it.

The first thing that struck me when I heard the album was the com­ parison with Rick Wakeman’s magnum opuses, 'Journey To The Centre Of The Earth' and 'The Knights Of The Round Table*. When I asked Jeff about this he said it was like comparing 'Alice In Wonderland' to *1316 Day Of The Triffids' because they were both novels. They were in the same genre, but they were different.

I then asked if he agreed if music and literature were uneasy bedfellows because while you listen to an album many times, you usually only read a book once.

'Yes, that's why the narrative only takes up about 15 $ of the four sides of the album. The story is just a vehicle for the music.

It provides the backbone. My main inter -est is the music.

All the other things that have grown from that, the illustrations (which were done com­ pletely independently from me by some -one in Los Angeles), the projected stage performances and the possibil­ ity of a film version are great be­ cause it means that other people have been inspired by the music to do their thing around the concept.'

War Of The Worlds has been sub­ ject to other transformations since H.G. Wells wrote it at the turn of the century. Perhaps the most fam­

J e ff W ayn e

ous was Orson Welles' radio play which when put to air in the thirties panicked the entire Eastern Seaboard of the United States.

I asked if Jeff did not agree that the album was a much less powerful presentation of the story.

'Of course. The radio is a much more immediate medium, but as with literature it's usually a once off thing.

I wasn't trying to make a powerful statement, I was illustra­ ting a story.'

Jeff Wayne was best known before the War Of The Worlds, as record producer of David Essex.

I asked him if he thought there was a trend towards the technicians in rock tak­ ing the role of artists. (Alan Par­ sons is another who has moved out from behind the mixer into the studio).

'Well not really, because I was a musician before I was a producer.

I just sort of got drawn into production first with an American duo Vigrass and Osborne and then with David Essex.

I found producing too self limiting.

I wanted to get writing again.'

Have you any plans to do another album or albums of this nature?

'Yes, at the moment we're looking at six other books one of which will be the next album. It takes a long time to obtain the rights to a novel so that is why we're thinking of the next one already.

I think I'll only do one more after the next one.

Three will be enough.'

Jeff asked me where my musical tastes lay and when I said that most of the music I listened to was punk/ new wave, we got into a bit of a discussion on that topic. He saw punk as being important for its message and its sociological impli­ cations, but as musically redundant.

I said that the speed and rawness was the perfect vehicle for the message which was basically frustration and anger.

'Yeah, but what really annoyed me about all the punks was their intol­ erance. They were walking around and talking as if they were the only ones who had any energy. A lot of people I know, and myself, really resented that because they put a lot of energy into what they do. I know I sweated blood over War Of The Worlda'

ROADRUNNER OCTOBER 1978 PA GE 7

Chris Barber has been playing music for longer than most readers of this magazine have been alive.

He formed his first band in 1949* a jazz band which featured another stalwart of the later British rhythm and blues boom, Alexis Koraer. As well as playing in a band Chris has had a major influence on postwar British music through the legendary Marquee Club, which he started in 1958 with Harold Pendle­ ton.

It was the Marquee Club, that first brought some of the legendary American blues performers like Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson and Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee to Britain, and it was from the Marquee that the careers of many of the mid sixties British bands (the Who, the Stones, the Animals, the Yardbirds and Rod Stewart) had their beginnings.

Ihe Marquee is still going (no mean achievement for a club after 20 years) and these days plays host to the frantic sounds of todays Punk London.

Vic Gibbons, the bands manager and also P.R, Director of Britain’s Reading Festival, is in Australia to co-ordinate the tour of the band (they will be appear -ing at the Adelaide Town Hall on October 3rd) and I talked to him on the phone about the band and the Marquee and the Reading Festival.

Does the music of the Chris Barber band reflect the interest that Chris seems to have in a variety of musical forms? ’Most certainly.

The music the band plays stretches from New Orleans to now and includes country blues, city blues, trad jazz, jazz rock and Macedonian folk music* People tend to group Chris with the other two ’B ’s of the early sixties

ROADRUNNER OCTOBER 19 78 PAGE 8

past fifteen years have had a close affinity with jazz, I remember hearing a radio interview with Louis Armstrong in which the interviewer asked him why he picked up the trumpet when he started to play music, Louis answered that it was because trumpets, trom­ bones and clarinets were laying around in great quantities after the American Civil War and therefore, they were the cheapest instruments you could buy.

If you had been born 50 years later, what instrument do you think you would have picked up then, asked the interviewer. ’Who knows, maybe I would have picked up an electric guitar like that guy Jimi Hendrix,’ replied Louis. ’Are you saying that Hendrix played jazz?’ asked the amazed interviewer. ’If it isn’t jazz, what is it?* asked Louis. Jazz is just Tell me a little about Chris’ in­ improvised music.’ volvement with the Marquee Club.

At the moment there is a big fuss ’Harold Pendleton and Chris opened in London about how support bands the Marquee in late 1958 basically are lowly paid at venues.

Ihe Marquee because at that time there was no has been singled out for action by jazz club venue in London.

There concerned bands and at the moment were the pubs of course, but there there is in fact a boycott of the was nowhere where you could go to see club. Can you explain how this jazz in a comfortable setting. At situation has arisen? the same time Chris was involved in ’Well I ’ve been away from London the setting up of the National Jazz for the last two weeks and this Federation which held its first fest­ thing was just breaking when I left, ival at Richmond two years later. so I ’m not up with the latest dev­ From those humble beginnings that elopments.

Ihe Marquee opens from festival has grown to the annual N.J.F. 8 to 11 every night. With that set Reading Festival which is held every up you would logically expect one August Bank Holiday . 1 hand to play. However, the Marquee is acknowledged as a launching place So both the Marquee and the Festi­ for bands.

It’s a prestige venue, val started off with a jazz flavour? a rung above the pubs, and a step ’Yes. Jazz was the music of the towards perhaps the college circuit. day. But the policy of both has been So we are inundated with bands and to reflect innovatory trends in con­ temporary popular music. Music evolves, their managers wanting to play there.

By having a support band we don’t If it didn’t then people would prob­ draw any more people than we would ably stop listening to it.’ But a lot normally, and we d o n ’t want to put of the quality rock artists of the the price up. Anyone who plays as a support band knows the terms before they agree to play so there is no rip-off involved.

If anyone is ripping off then the bands are ripping themselves off. W e ’d be quite happy to just put one act on per night, but there are plenty of bands who want the exposure that the Marquee can give them.’

Apparently there was a bit of trouble at the recent Reading Festival when fans stormed the stage during punk band Sham 69*s-set. Can you tell me what happened there? ’Yes, I was there when that happened.

In fact it wasn't the punk fans who caused the trouble, it was a group of about 60 skinheads.

They weren't fans, they were bovver boys getting in some practise for the football match at Stamford Bridge (Chelsea’s football ground) the following day I think. No, the punk fans, for all their grotesque looks, the dyed hair, make-up and safety pins, are a peaceful lot.

In be­ haviour they’re similar to the flower power brigade of the late six­ ties. They come along, support their band, listen to the music and then go home. Punk is the music of now and as with any new musical fad, it starts off at a fairly outrageous level and then the music and the associated fashion gradually gets assimilated into the mainstream.

Already in Britain young people are dressing more colourfully as a result of punk fashion, and the music has become less outrageous.

There are some very good groups emerging like the Motors and Ultravox. But punk has just added another dimension to an already very healthy British music scene.

It’s the music of the young people.*

Kenny Ball and Acker Bilk, but really his musical base is much broader than that.

I mean look at the band he has now. You’ve got drummer Steve York who started his career with Steve Winwood in the Spencer Davis Group, Roger Hill who played guitar with Dave Pegg from Fairport Convention, John Crocker who turned down an invitation to play with John Mayall to play in Chris’ band.

It really is an All Star band. The band has almost be­ come an institution. All the people who have played in it over the years, Sonny Boy Williamson, Alexis Korner, Cyril Davis, Louis Jordan have all made their influence on the band’s music and indeed on British music as a whole.’

Donald Robertson,

Brisbane really seems to be coming up in the world.

(I even noticed that electrification of the rail system had begun..). Six months ago a gig could barely be found in that fair city, but now it's almost burst­ ing at the seams with an (over?) abundance of work.

Brisbane had always been something of a stalemate - bands never went there to play because there was nowhere to play, and there was nowhere to play because (there was no need because) no-one wsnt there to play. So I suppose it*s only local impetus that can be thanked for breaking free of such a vicious circle.

There was always stalwart occasions like 4777-3oint Efforts and Sunday nights at the Curry Shop, but these were hardly enough to make an inter­ state band's visit viable, nor support what little local talent there was.

It’s only been the inception of pub venues like the Exchange and the Queens that has really brought Bris­ bane into it*s own, and to a nation­ al status. Whereas bands once scoffed at the idea of bothering to tour Queensland, now they're more than anxious.

Recent weeks havs seen the likes of 3o 3o Zep, Sidewinder, the Autodrifters and the Skyhooks there, and Stiletto have just completed their second tour. One weekend found them playing at the 4777-3oint Effort on Friday night, and the Queens Hotel on Saturday night (and the Easts Foot -ball Club on Sunday night, but we'll just ignore that, OK?).

The Queens was packed} quite ob­ viously Brisbane has responded well to what they're offering. And no wonder, because although Brisbane is growing, it's still not big or accessible enough to sustain a con­ tinually busy circuit.

So the Queens doesn't have much competition - on any evening it's one of the few places in town providing live entertainment.

Sure, it's hot, but that’s how rock'n'roll venues ought to be. And ^besides, this is Queensland: the tropical decor is effective, if not born out of necessity, and the "African Queen" posters are a beautiful touch.

In fact, the Queens has all the ear­ marks of a great rock'n'roll pub hopefully it will be allowed to dev­ elop into just that.

Whether it was Stiletto or ths Queens monopoly on Saturday night that attracted the crowd, I don't know.

Nevertheless , they were there, and waiting anxiously for the top-billing band, after the Whittle Family had finished their forgettable, though occasionally amusing set.

Stiletto are the kind of band that hits the stage with a bang, and ends up leaving it with a whimper. Notor­ ious for padding their ssts even in their home town, where they don't appear as often as you might expect, a headline Brisbane gig only demands more (or less, depending on how you look at it). Not long into their set they started hauling out the old blues standards and R&8 chestnuts, like "Down the Road Apiece", which drummer Eddie Van Roosendael sang. The crowd went mad for a workout on "Crossroads", which Chris Worrel led. At one stage, 3ane Clifton even took on playing guitar, for what reason I don't know.

However, the result was a bore. Given a single 40 minute set, say. Stiletto cut through it with a razor sharpness, but a gig like this only reveals their limitations.

It's difficult to categorize Stiletto^ and I wouldn't dare try.

Simply, they are a very competent, but never, I believe, outstanding or extraordinary

rock'n'roll band, who are true to their roots - which is Carlton, and all that that implies.

(The Skyhooks compari sons are so abvious as to he rendered unnecessary).

Stiletto began as a feminist band, and although they maintain that feeling, they certainly don't exude an over­ bearingly butch air, as many feminists, like the ones in the Queens audience do.

Indeed, 3ane Clifton is very 'girlish'.

And undoubtedly, many of Stiletto's songs, like "Women in Trouble" and "Middle of the Bed", benefit for being written from this, a unique and welcome new perspective in rock'n'roll.

But if there's one thing I do admire Stiletto for, it's that they're able to work within the System, and use it, without being totally absorbed by it.

Going to Queensland when they first did (some 9 months ago I think), was an almost unprecedented move, and one that might have even been something of a trail-blazer (along with the Skyhooks early visits).

Although touring bands like Stiletto are still a big attraction, perhaps the best thing about Brisbane's

burgeoning rock scene is that it's fostering local talent. Now, it's not only possible for Brisbane bands to survive (in a way), it makes sense them trying.

Someone should build a monument to the Survivors, who re­ mained steadfast throughout Brisbane's leanest time, and were an inspiration in many respects.

If mediocre bands like the Numbers and Razar can gig regularly at this point in time, then the future is an open book.

I'd love to see the magnificent Leftovers, who were once treated like lepars, getting the recognition, and gigs, they deserved all along.

And the Go-Betweens too....

It might be ironic that all these bands have recorded material, some of which has already been (privately) released.

But the question is: where do they go from there?

All we've got to do now is wait for ths Queensland recording industry to catch up. And for starters it can stop wasting time with crap like Moonlight, (as it has done in the past) C. Walker.

STILETTO

ROADRUNNER OCTOBER 1 9 78 PAGE 9

No longer a rum our

GRAHAM PARKS? Airport press conferences are a bummer, I decided after attempting to talk to Graham Parker and The Rumour at Adelaide Airport on the day of their concert last month.

For one thing the group were obvious,ly tired and wasted after a storming Melbourne concert the night before (’One of the best concerts W 8 ’ve ever done* said guitarist Martin Belmont), and in the time permitted it was hard to get beyond the super­ ficial *How*s the tour been going?/ What will you be doing when you leave here?* type of questions.

Nevertheless some interesting snippets were gleaned from the dimin­ utive one.

It transpires that M. Parker’s performing roots lie in the British pubs where Peter Green*s Fleetwood Mac and 3o Anne Kelly among others, were resurrecting the sounds of Chicago and the Mississippi Oalta.

ROADRUNNER OCTOBER 1978 PAGE 10

*1 remember seeing 3ethro Tull when they were still a blues band.* he laughed. How long have you been writ­ ing songs then? ’Since I was thirteen, but only good stuff in the last few years.* What do you think you would have been if you hadn’t been a rock singer? ’Probably working towards being one.

If I didn’t make it, probably doing a job that involved as little effort as possible.* Parker also revealed that h e ’s written a novel, which he describes as a Science Fiction/Fantasy/Comedy and for which he is at present look­ ing for a publisher.

Perhaps the hardest thing to come to terms with in talking to Graham Parker is how such a small quiet man can transform himself into a raging stage prescence, who pours so much energy into his performance.

I think the full significance of calling his live album ’The Parkerilla’ only dawned on me at the airport. For on stage Parker does become a monster, a manic Mr. Hyde to his normal Or. 3ekell.

He also comes over as someone who totally believes in himself and who is right into what he is doing. He had a hectic schedule whilst in Australia, doing two days of press in Sydney, before going to New Zealand (where he completely slayed les Kiwis) in addition to interviews in every Austrdian city he played. Far from complaining he seemed to revel in ths attention.

So miffed, is Parker, at the sloppy treatment he has received from his American rscord company, Mercury, that he has written a song called ’Mercury Poisoning* which he performs on stage with obvious relish (I couldn’t make out the words, but more on that later.) So he was clear -ly pleased with the groundwork done

by Phonogram here on his behalf.

Whether Parker and the Rumour will stay with Mercury/Phonogram when their present contract expires is a matter of speculation. One of the Rumours (ouch!) is that the band will sign with manager Dave Robinson’s Stiff label. As the Rumour (A recording band in their own right) are at pre­ sent without a contract and are hop­ ing to release their second album early next year perhaps there will be an announcement soon. One pointer to the bands recording future is that Stiff Records recently took out a full page ad in the British music paper New Musical Express advertising The Parkerilla (an act that obviously delighted the rest of the Stiff cata­ logue! ) But getting back to the subject of ths Australian tour I asked guitarist Martin Belmont how Australian aud­ iences had been reacting to the band's performances. ’Really well. Very enthusiastic, especially in Melbourne.’ ’Yeah, they rsally liked us in Melbourne,' put in Parker. ’The people came along to have a good time and got up and danced. We love that. We love to see the audience getting involved.

It inspires us.’

Have you seen many Australian bands while you’ve been here? ’Yeah, we've seen The Sports ’cos they’ve been supporting us. They’re very good, I like them. We went to see Midnight Oil, but I don’t remem­ ber much of that - I got too pissed.'

Parker sang his unrecorded songs, •Protection' and 'Mercury Poisoning*.

The lyrics were completely unintell­ igible. And once I'd noticed that, other things became apparent. The keyboards and the brass kept gstting lost and there was a lot of feedback floating around.

But it wasn't just the technical hassles that were bugging me. The band kept hitting their stride during certain numbers - 'Back to Schooldays* and 'Heat Treatment' to name but two, but then they seemed to lose it again.

It struck me as an uneven performance.

I'm sure that if I'd been down the What's your favourite band album? front with the dancers my impression ♦The next one!* Are you happy with would have been different - everyone any of your other albums? 'No, Pm that I've talked to since the concert not happy with anything** Are you has said that they really enjoyed being serious? *No, P m being profound* * it, and quite a few said that it was How did you find playing with Dylan the best concert they have ever seen. at the Blackbush concert? ’It was But most of the people I talked to, great.* replied Parker. *Yeah, he also said that they would have much really enjoyed playing with us*, prefered to see the band in a more chipped in the modest Martin Belmont. intimate setting. Maybe if the floor And what are you doing when you of the Apollo had been cleared and leave Australia?

'We’re going to 3apan there had been more room for dancing, for five days, then back to England to it would have been better.

I would record the new album.* have dearly loved to have seen the I spent the rest of the day in a band play the Bombay Rock in Melbourne state of suppressed excitement* I'd with the Sports (where they played been looking forward to the concert under the pseudonym of 'Ernie Schwarz* 1) for weeks, *cos as I wrote last issue, The format of ths show was identical P d seen Graham Parker and the Rumour to what the band was doing 18 months demolish Bristol's Colston Hall last a g o , probably because this was the year along with New Jersey's favourite first time they have been out here, sons, Southside Johnny and the Asbury and was obviously designed to have the Jukes. The Parkerilla had whetted my maximum impact. But sscond time round appetite, but I wanted that experience I found the spoken song introductions again.

I must admit I was a trifle too formal and the stage dramatics a disappointed that The Sports weren't little laboured.

Parker has said supporting Graham Parker at the Apollo that he tries to break down the barrier especially now that they have certi­ between audience and performer and he fied living legend, ex-Bleeding Heart succeeded with the front half of the and High Rise Bomber Martin Armiger audience. Unfortunately I was in the strumming with them, but Jo Jo Zep back half. and the Falcons more than made up for I went to the Apollo Stadium with that.

It was the best performance I definite expectations.

By and large, have ever seen the band give. They those expectations were met, but never came on like men with a point to prove were they exceeded.

I went there and if the four hundred people bopp­ already a fan, and came away still a ing at the front of the stage were fan. A lot of people went there who any indication, they succeeded admir­ were not fans, but when the last ably. The crowd didn't really settle strains of 'Pouring it all out' faded down until the Falcons were half way away, they had bsen converted.

And through their set, but once they did that's what live performance is all there wasn't a still head or untapping about, isn't it? foot in the house. Joe Camilleri After the concert I went to the leapt around the stage as if his legs Tivoli, as is my wont on a Friday were coiled springs, Wilbur Wilde, who evening.

It was the wrong thing to looked a dead ringer for Animal from do. No disrespect to Smokestack Light­ 'The Muppets*, drank three bottles of ening or Mickey Finn, but the drop in beer and lit a cigarette in the middle musical quality from the Parker per­ of a solo, but still managed to pump out the .meanest baritone sax this side formance, which I'd just been criti­ of Murray Bridge, expecially during cising, to that coming from the Tivoli some searing sax duets with Joe him­ stage was vast. Maybe Parker hadn't self. And the rest of the band packed been that bad after all, I mused. real muscle too. They should be proud Hmm, when's 8owie coming....... of themselves.

It's very hard for a Donald Robertson. support band to capture an audience's attention, but the Falcons had the masses on their feet screaming for more I noticed Bob Andrews and Martin Belmont at the side of the stage check­ ing them out and they seemed to be digging it too. let's hope the word gets back to Dave Robinson (Graham Parker and The Rumour's manager and head of Stiff records.)

With the audience perfectly primed, I felt sure Parker would put in a pulsating performance.

It was exact­ ly the same scenario that I'd witness­ ed in Britain - a superb support band whipping up audience excitement and Parker and the Rumour having to pull out all the stops to top that. Well, unfortunately it didn't quite turn out that way for me.

A lot of the blame can be laid on the venue - the sound was bouncing off the wall be­ hind me, and the mix was very muddy a fact that was most apparent when

Lonestar rock'n'roll roadshow TUBS 3rd Oct. Stiletto ■VIED 4th Oct. Scandel THURS dth Oct. Cats Alley FRI oth Oct, Sti 1etto/Young Modern

Tivoli St. Leon. Inn Ld. Melb Lone Star rock 'n 'roll Night Spot.

(Marryatville)

SAT 7th Ctet.

Stiletto/Midd1e Class SUIT 9th Oct. Stiletto TUEo 10th Oct. Sidewinder WED 11th Oc t.

Lone Star Rock'n'Roll Road Show THURS 12th Oct. Lone Star Eock'n'Roll Road Show FBI 1 yf,h 0,-t.

Kid Royal Band

Tivoli -Tivoli

St. Leon. Inn

Ld. Melb L. S, R vji'R Night Spot

Lone Star Rock •*n *Ro 11 Road Show Lone Star- Rock'n’Roll Road Show SAT 14th Oct. Kid Royal Band

Ld. Melb Tivoli L.S, R'h'R Night Spo

FOR FURTHER .DETAILS OF OCTOBER SHOWS PLEASE CHECK NEWSPAPER

***

" ts s a w ROADRUNNER OCTOBER 1978 PA G E 11

in retro sp ect

M ARCBO LAN Death is always so convenient for chronic­ lers - and when Marc Bolan died a year ago, it seemed another perfect example of conven­ ient timing, as he died on the way back up to acceptance after a couple of years in the pits of musical mediocrity and diminishing sales* Perfect myth-making material, you might say: Bolan had always been good at such things, when you look again at the music he creatthe shortcomings of such an image-oriented become immediately apparent.

At first glance, Bolan and his band (for it be said that he WAS T Rex, in every way) are all too easy to consign to the dustbin of burnt-out glitter-rock pop stars like Gary Glitter and Alvin Stardust (remember them?), Bolan certainly had all the right credentials for the role - he played commercial rock and roll, he enjoyed playing at being a superstar in the media, and was absurdly pretty.

But there was another side to him, which he utilised in his music and which has certainly never been essential to making money in pop music. He was an intelligent, gifted and perceptive man, widely-read and with a selfawareness and understanding of the rock and roll machine lamentably rare amongst his peers.

BIOGRAPHY. A bit of pre-history shows Bolan to be an ideal candidate for bringing back to rock the sense of entertainment and fun which he did after the last few years of the 60* s, when the schism between pop and serious rock as 'art' first appeared, for he started his musical career first as a mid-sixties ’mod' in the cult-group, *John*s Children’, then slowly picked up a personal 'flower-child* following 12

in the years 68-70 with the acoustic duo, Tyrannosaurus Rex, While in this band he cultivated a lot of the trendy cult attitudes of the day, and a few of his own, delving into Tolkein and Blake, and dabbling in the spirit -ual world. The duo also made three albums which were widely respected in their time as uncompromising cult-mueic.

In this, Bolan forged a good understanding of what made the *60's counter-culture tick. When in late *69 Bolan, along with new percussionist Micky Finn, released the LP *A Beard of Stars’, the change of direction inherent in Bolan*s use of electric guitars and bass showed that h e ’d begun the re-arranging of musical ideas which was, within 18 months, to bring him fame of mammoth proportions. The flipside of a single of this time even had Bolan's version of the old Eddie Cochran number, "Summertime Blues". He was beginning, not only to move towards the mainstream of rock, but to re­ define that mainstream in his own terms.

By the time of the next record, the decks were stripped for action and the formula for most of his later successes was there intact. The name was now just T Rex, Tony Visconti was producing and writing string arrangements, and the balance of acoustic and alectric guitars had been forged. The songs themselves were also simple and melodically attractive.

It was no coincidence that the single from this record produced Bolan’s first big hit: ’Ride A White Swan*.

With the single near the top of the English charts for 14 weeks, Bolan quickly got a tour­ ing band together, with drummer Bill Legend and bassist Steve Currie, and toured England to mounting scenes of hysteria.

Flushed with virtual overnight success (his next three singles, ’Hot Love1, ’Get It O n ’ and 'Deepster* were immediate smash hits), Bolan produced first ’Electric Warrior* and leter, for his own new record company, ’The Slider* - the two albums which were to stand as his best and most exciting work.

As far as biography goes, the rest is easily told: Bolan and T Rex became the demi­ gods of what became known as 'glitter rock' up till early *74. when he was overtaken by such late arrivals to the scene as Gary Glitter, Slade, and even his old friend David Bowie, who was for a time a candidate for the teenage mass-market with *Ziggy Stardust* and Alladin Sane*. His personal life declined and his career lost direction, his musical output slowed to a fitful crawl, and he spent an ex­ cessive amount of time on an unsuccessful attempt to crack the lucrative U.S. market (he only ever did it once, early on, with ’Get It On'). The film, ’Born To Boogie’, shot in cohorts with Ringo Starr in '72 and released in *73, finally became a rather sad commentary on just how far h e ’d fallen in just a couple of years, when taken in the context of the two LP’s representing the years ’75-'?6 which seemed like tired re-runs of earlier songs with uninspired backing from U.S. session musicians.

By early 1977, with New Wave/Punk firmly established in England, Bolan and T Rex seemed largely forgotten, and Bolan himself was fin­ ally getting on top of problems of alcoholism and a chaotic personal life.

It seemed the best thing he could do was wait five or ten years and do a comeback in the manner of Cliff Richard or Neil Sedaka, when the nostalgia cult caught up with him.

But Bolan wasn't interested in becoming a slab of living history.

In mid *77 he released ’Dandy In The Underworld*, his best record since early 1973, full of freshness and spirit, and toured the U.K. with the punk group, 'The Damned', becoming the first of the older rock generation to publicly embrace the new 8ritish rock. He completed a series of six rock pro­ grams for the BBC, and started work on an album with David Bowie. He'd clearly caught the pace and mood of the times again and had hit his stride. A week after the T.V. series, ’Marc* had been completed, he died in an auto­ mobile accident.

Again, it's the stuff legends are made of: the humbled rock giant picking himself back up out of the mire and redeeming himself in the eyes of the public, then being cut down before

the new promise was fulfilled. But tracing such biography as that is really in the end Just idle-myth-making, obscuring the real impact of the man. Bolan*s importance as a superstar is stunning but ephemeral; his music remains valid and engaging.

A SELECTIVE MUSICAL SUMMARY. *1 bought a car; It was old and kind, I gave it my mind and then it disappeared...

I love a girl; She's a changeless angel she's a city it's a pity That I'm like me, yeah....* This fragment from 'Spaceball Ricochet1 off •The Slidsr* shows Solan's aphoristic approach to lyrics. Dense and allusive, it hints at perceptions the listener can either gloss over or dig further into. A song like ’Jeepster* from 'Electric Warrior*, also has this type of image-juxta-position: *3ust like a car, you're pleasing to beholds I call you Jaguar If I may be so bold 'Cause you're my babe, Yes you're my love: Ah girl I'm just a Oeepster For your love...1 'Electric Warrior* as a whole has a unique sound - and a deceptive one. At first it seems laid-back and superficial, but on re­ peated hearings, the songs exert their magic, and Solan's skill at arranging simple and attractive melody lines and riffs into fascin­ ating statements takes hold. Even a seemingly senseless line like 'I was dancing when I was eight/ Is it strange to dance so lats?*, when heard in the context of the music and Solan's own unique, questioning vocal delivery, takes on a quality akin to an intimate statement made to friends. This emerges as one of his greatest talents, this ability to communicate feeling and idea in an atmosphere of 100% intimacy. Even on his worst albums, this emerges from time to time. On 'Electric Warrior* he sustains it for the entire record.

And he's basically communicating feelings of vitality, wonder, happiness: he makes you feel good, and if you want to think about it, he gives you things to ponder over in his lyrics too.

All through this LP too, is a concentration on sound and feel, so you get a song like 'The Motivator*, which is centred around just one chord, E major, but which has sneaky, insin­ uating guitar work and a 3inewy beat from the bass and drums. Then just with one simple walking riff at the end of each verse, he ties up the whole song and keeps up the momentum and drive. It never drags or becomes monot­ onous, due to Solan's great sense of dynamics.

With 'The Slid3r', his next album, Bolan has completely changed the surface of his sound - it's now a wall of big beat, crashing guitars and weird falsetto backing harmonies: 'Telegram Sam' is a perfect example Of this, with thrashing drums, snarling Bolan guitar work and adroit use of cellos for rhythmic effects by producer Tony Visconti. But behind this, Solan's method hasn't changed at all. On the title track, the verses are supported by just two chords, and the chorus is based on one other chord. The things that make the song so attractive are the little runs and riffs that Bolan has written for the guitar and strings which connect up the whole fabric of the song, as well as, of course, his unique vocals 'I could never understand the wind at all, Was like a ball of love: I have always always grown my own before: All schools are strange And when I*m sad - I slide...'

Other songs are saturated in a pulsing wash of sound and rhythm - songs like 'Metal Guru* and 'Chariot Choogle*, which also has one of Bolan*s most tricky, intriguing guitar riffs.

It's the sort of wild stuff you're best off getting up and dancing round the room

to and feel happy about: watching Bolan on stage at Wembley in the film 'Born To Boogie*, you feel that's the reaction he most enjoyed, as that's what he did himself.

And if youfcs feeling a bit laid-back, there's always his impish lyrics to smile at: ('Telegram Sam') 'Automatic shoes, automatic shoes Give me 3D vision And the California blues.* So - that's the two records where Bolan's at his most sustainedly best. There's other stuff worth looking at, though, scattered through the rest of the albums.

'Tanx* in particular, the LP after 'The Slider*, is worth a listen, especially the trio of songs on side two, 'Life Is Strange*, 'The Street and Babe Shadow', and 'Highway Knees'. The use of mellotron behind the guitars makes it unique in the T Rex canon.

'Zinc Alloy' also contains the stunning 'Change*, along with the strange and paranoid 'Explosive Mouth*, in amongst some pretty vacuous stuff.

The long 'Teenage Dream* also has some lyrics worth investigating. The last LP, 'Dandy In The Underworld' sees Bolan recovering most of the ground lost on the intervening two records, and contains what seems to me the autobio­ graphical *3ason B Sad*, 'Crimson Moon' (with the T Rex beat at its best) and the strange 'Pain and Love*. The whole album has the intimacy of 'Electric Warrior* and is worth checking out.

Also, look for the generally ignored singls 'Lazer Love/Life's An Elevator* single, released December, *76 « a really fine single; and the B-side ballad is particularly memorable.

Well, that's about it. There's plenty more individual things to dig up and enjoy, but I'll leave that to you - I'm sick of writing about it.

It'd be much better in the long run to, instead of sitting around talking about the guy, go and listen to the music - I'm sure he'd prefer it that way.

T REX - Selected Discography. * A Beard of Stars (Tyrannosaurus Rex) Regal Zonopbone 1970 T.' Rex Fly 1970 Electric Warrior Fly 1971 Bolan Boogie (Compilation) Fly 1972 The Slider T Rex Wax Co. 1972 Tanx T Rex Wax Co. 1973 Great Hits (Compilation/Singles) T Rex Wax Co. 1973 Zinc Alloy A The Hidden Riders Of Tomorrow T Rex Wax Co. 1974 Bolen's Zip Gun T Rex Wax Co. 1975 Futuristic Dragon T Rex Wax Co. 1976 Dandy In The Underworld T Rex Wax Co. 1977 * The albums listed here are all from Bolan's rock and roll period, and are all ori­ ginal releases: there have been numerous repackagings of his hits in the last few years, but nothing on any of these can't be found on the records listed above. As far as singles go, 'Bolan Boogie* and 'Great Hits' cover all singles not on LP up to the time of their release. As yet there is no sign of a com­ pilation to cover singles since then.

ROADRUNNER OCTOBER 19 78 PA GE 1?

O PEN IN G HOURS

9am 7.30 pm, Mon to Fri 9 am 2pm , S at 1pm 3pm, Sun

ADELAIDE’S NEWEST, FASTEST GROWING MUSIC STORE INVITES YOU TO COME DOWN AND INSPECT OUR RANGE OF PRO ONLY GUITARS AND CUSTOM REPAIRS. OLD GUITARS NEW GUITARS AMPLIFIERS CUSTOM REPAIRS PRIVATE TUITION WE THINK MUSICIANS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A STORE LIKE OURS FOR AGES!!

COME AND SEE FOR YOURSELF. IF YOU D O N ’T RING US, OR COME AND SEE US Y O U ’RE NOT SHOPPING AROUND. PHONE PETE, LYNN OR TERRY 293 1149 DERRINGERS MUSIC 67 LEADER STREET FORESTVILLE S.A. 5035

ROADRUNNER OCTOBER 1978 PA G E 14

REVIEW

G R A H A M PARKER

Y o u 1*! have to be pretty thick not to have been aware that Graham Parker was in the country. What with his weasel face glar­ ing at you every time you turn around, i t ’s kind of hard not to notice. Even RAM magazine admits to the irony in the sugges­ tion that they should re­ name themselves ”T5ie Graham Parker Weekly".

And perhaps it was just that - Graham Parker Overkill - that was respon­ sible for my pre-concert apathy. Having had so much of Graham Parker in the past few weeks, the last thing I wanted was to be disappointed by a perfor­ mance I was n ’t terribly

It was quite obvious that the television medium had drained all those filmed performances of any real intensity they might have possessed, so I must admit to a certain curiousity to­ wards seeing the man in the flesh.

But beforehand, I was to see (for the first time) the new-look Sports. Mel­ bourne’s Festival Hall being hardly a sympathetic envir­ onment for a band like the Sports (or the Rumour for that matter), all I can really say is that with Martin Arminger fitting in like he should’ve been there all along, they acquitted themselves well and provided a satisfying entree in an­ ticipation of the main course.

Although I eventually left Festival Hall well im­ pressed, for a large part of the Rumour’s performance I remained unmoved, and was fully prepared to dismiss the whole affair as something rather perfunctory.

It’s too easy for this band to be too ’good* (although it's not so much 'sterile* as it is lacking 'sting'), and Parkers no Otis Redding by any stretch of the imagin­ ation. He does, however, command a degree of respect for his commetment and sin­ cerity.

Being a give and take affair, where the band feed off the audience (and vice versa), it wasn’t until late into the set - after the band had worked their course through many of the predic­ table favourites - that things really started 'happening*.

Although the Rumour rarely extend their boundaries, when they ’happen’, they come close to breaking them simply by anxious to see in the virtue of their intrinsic first place. vigour, and even though Parker himself takes no real liberties I was never what you with what are his own songs, might call a real Parker he still delivers them with devotee anyway. (Frankly, everything he's got.

I always found Elvis Cos­ So by the time they'd tello more interesting), reached their third encore, X do, however, possess one it was a regular rave-up of his albums - "Heat - as joyous a performance I Treatment” - which is spun haven’t seen since Fats Domino every so often and found visited here.

It almost to be quite enjoyable in a brought a tear to my eye; mellow sort of way. obviously this is the Graham But to me, Graham Parker Parker, Bruce Springsteen certainly isn’t great, in wants to see. the true and artistic sense Put him and me into a of the word. No doubt grog-sodden, jam-packed though, h e ’s more than com­ sweaty pub and things would petent, sometimes even happerf from the word go. very good, and that he But not in Festival Hall. has an excellent band be­ Or Bombay Rock. hind him goes without saying.

Gee. Walker.

DRA G O N OZAMBEZI PORTRAIT

PR 33010

STILETTO LICENCE TO RAGE 0Z OZS 1009 These are two fine new Australian albums with not much else in common.

True, Jame Clifton (Stiletto’s lead singer) does think Marc Hunter’s great and Todd Hunter is wearing a Stiletto badge on Ozambezi’s back cover.

But apart from that not much else.

"Ozambezi” is Dragon's third album and their parting shot before head­ ing to America.

It main­ tains their standard with a predictable mix of funk, slick pop and rock. With the help of a hit single, it will no doubt be a big seller - deservedly so.

"Licence to Rage” is Stiletto's first fullyfledged LP, although they did appear with the Sports and others on last years "Debutantes”. 15118 fine album is equal to the best, and better than most of the material around for some time. The best track, "Goodbye Johnny" has been released as their second single. It's not getting any airplay to date. The album will probably sell moderately, mainly to the bands committed audience, that's it.

Dragon have made the best Australian pop of the last two years.

Songs like "This Time", "Get That Jive", "Shooting Stars" and the superb "April Sun in Cuba" have definitely made radio listening and Countdown watching worthwhile.

Ozambezi carries the same mix - slick pop with unforgettable hooks: "Still In Love With You", "Midnight Groovies". Basic rock: "Politics”, "Company".

Funk: "Ozambesi".

And a killer single: "Are You Old Enough".

If you're a bit worried that Dragon's becoming too calculated (a la Sherbet?) then you're right. Their music leaves no room for looseness, let alone spon­ taneity. Everything falls in its place, exactly where songwriters Hewson, Taylor, Hunter and producer Dawkins plan. There's no mistaking ROADRUNNER OCTOBER 1978 PAGE 15

BUMS

Dragon is a very "cool" band - if you doubt that, look at the back cover of the album.

Robert Taylor's guitar playing has been restrained a bit this time, much to the band's credit. He breaks loose occasionally, on "Com­ pany* for example, but mainly just fills in the right place ("Old Enough") Hewson's key­ boards are used similarly.

What makes this band how­ ever, is the rhythm section, dominated by Todd Hunter's funk tinged bass, and Marc Hunter's voice snaking over the top. When this works, as it usually does on record, the sound is fine.

Stiletto are a different band altogether. Only Chris Worral, co-guitarist, could be described as "cool".

Dragon's sound is smooth and lazy. Stiletto's is jagged and urgent.

When "Licence" was re­ leased about a month ago, it had reached the point with Stiletto that if they didn't put on a shit-hot performance.

I'd feel a little disappointed. My friends were feeling that way too - we'd seen them so many times. They're pop­ ular in Adelaide you know.

Earlier I'd heard a test­ pressing of the album and wasn't all that pleased.

It sounded way too thin, I thought, it's got no guts.

I looked forward to its release with some doubt.

The album has since been re-cut before release and this has considerably fixed the bottom-end problems.

Nevertheless it's still not the Stiletto that Adelaide knows live. But you know, I reckon that's good. This way you can hear all kinds of subtle­ ties and interesting bits that never came over in live rock. Don't get me wrong, it still thumps along though.

Jane Clifton's vocals have been stuck out in the front. She has a strong voice and despite what every review has said she knows a few more phrasing tricks than Skyhook Shir­ ley (though she knows them too!) "Public Ehemy No. 1" and "Not Too Young For Joy” give her the best chance to wrap her own tonsils around some of their own rock.

"Second Home", a quieter number, allows her Billie Holliday persona out.

ROADRUNNER OCTOBER 1978 PA GE 16

The most perceptive com­ ment I've heard about this album was from Juke's A1 Webb who said that Stilettofe rock "nourishes itself on the past, but is rooted in the present." The band certainly draws from the best elements of rock, from Chuck Berry (who we all love) to, dare I say, the new wave. This is particularly evident with the band's central force, guitarists Andrew Bell and Chris Worral1. Bell draws heavily upon the master and fills it in with lots of Steely Dan flash and Keith Richard crunch.

Worrall doesn't hide his love for the power and energy of the new wave.

(Watch him onstage doing Costello's "Mystery Dance Together these two combine to give Stiletto a fresh and interesting edge.

Several new australian writers turn up on this album (new to record any­ way): Sandra Zurba, Martin Arminger, Helen Garner, Janie Conway and the band themselves all have new things to say with a distinctly Australian flavour.

What about the politics?

It's an important question you know. Well, Stiletto never were a feminist band.

They were, however, an anti­ sexist left leaning band.

This album does nothing to make ire change my view.

As I said before, I can't predict a huge future for it, but "Licence to Rage" will remain one of my personal favourites and aside from that one of the best in this years bunch.

Mark Burford.

BOSTON DON'T LOOK BACK EPIC ELPS 3870

RUSS BALLARD AT THE THIRD STROKE EPIC ELPS 3897

SMALL FACES 78 IN THE SHADE ATLANTIC SD 19171

JOE CO CKER LUXURY YOU CAN AFFORD ASYLUM GE 145

JIM ! HENDRIX THE CRY OF LOVE POLYDGR 2459 337

Marriott is still potent­ ially a great singer, but the material just seams to regurgitate contemporary rock cliches, there's little creativity, no highs, most of the time it just plods from one track to the next.

Listening to this record, it would seem that the marvelous Ronnie Lane was quite an influence in the old land (he's still making glorious music), but as for this mob, well, I still have hope, there's talent there, maybe what they need is some -one who can compose.

Glad to see that every­ body's favourite derelict is still with us. This is Joe Cocker's first LP in a couple of years and his first on the Asylum label.

While "Luxury You Can Afford" is nowhere near the peak performances of the second LP, "Joe Cocker" and the infamous "Mad Dogs", it's a far more optimistic affair than the last three. On "At The Third Stroke" this LP, which was produced is the latest from Russ

by Allen Toussaint, Ballard, a respected com­ Cocker interprets some poser, musician and arranger new compositions as well As well as his work with Argent and his own solo as a couple of oldies. efforts, he's been the guid He just misses with a -ing light behind numerous courageous stab at "Whiter records from others.

As a Shade of Pale", but does performer in his own right, a wonderful rollicking rage while his playing and arrange on the Leon Russell) Bob -ments are as good as they Dylan collaboration "Watch­ come, he lacks identity. ing the River Flow", which The record could be by any­ is the best track on the one of scores of English record.

Overall the LP is serious rock composers and a pretty good return and the credibility of his solo promises more in the work depends on his talents future - there's life in as a composer and his inter them old bones yet.

-pretation of them.

On This is a curious sit­ the whole, "At The Third uation, it's a re-release Stroke" is a pretty reason­ of Jimi Hendrix's last able effort, with some fine official studio record songs such as the catchy (ignoring the millions of "Expressway to Your Heart" miles of out takes and and the more dramatic "Cast live recordings) made The Spirit".

In fact, most shortly before his death, of the songs are pretty and it's a German import good, if you have apprec­ retailing (in some shopB iated this man's work in anyway) at a slightly the past, you'll be pleased budget price. From what I can remember of the with this additon, if not, then it's possibly worth a original, this is a far superior pressing, in fact, listen anyway. the quality of the disc I'm at quite a loss with is quite amazing. As an this reformed Steall Faces, LP it's a reasonable re­ in the sixties they were presentation of one Greats responsible far seme of the great pop masterpieces of rock and there's some brilliant work contained of the time. This is the same lineup, with the ex­ thereon - after hearing the patchy, rehash, any­ ception of Ronnie Lane, and thing goes, sometimes in­ this is their second LP as spired, sometimes turgid a reformed band. examples of the m a n ’s music "78 In The Shade" is a that's been thrust on us slight improvement on that since his death, it's quite disastrous record last year, a pleasure to hear this but not by much.

Steve

This little batch of LP's contains America's answer to The Little River Band, new records from some refugees out of the past and a re-release of the great guitar legend.

"Don't Look Back" from Boston is the long awaited follow up to their fabulous -ly successful debut single and LP, and a very impress­ ive, brilliantly produced, very dramatic old load of middle of the road it is too.

The spectacular cover has great vibes "man" a city transported on a ship shaped like a guitarwow - now that's even spacier than E.L.O. The multi tracked harmonies you name it - and it's guaranteed not to offend (unless you happen to like rock music).

If you liked "Sleeper Catcher", you'll go ape over "Don't Look Back".

more even, often great work with such clarity. Let's hope the Germans decide to re-release his master works "Experience”, "Axis" and "Electric Ladyland".

Bain.

XTC WHITE MUSIC VIRGIN L 36680

PETER GABRIEL PETER GABRIEL CHARISMA 9124 025

BO O M TO W N RATS A TONIC FOR THE TROOPS MERCURY 6310 954

BUZZCOCKS ANOTHER MUSIC IN A DIFFERENT KITCHEN UNITED ARTISTS UAG 30159

THE REZILLOS CAN’T STAND THE REZILLOS SIRE K 56530 What I propose to do in this review is take a quick tour through the British Isles and Ireland and take a look at the state of post punk British music using the five albums listed above as signposts.

I’ve deliberately excluded London from the tour itinery be­ cause we have a report from Keith Shadwick elsewhere in this issue on the metropolis, and anyway everyone talks about London when they talk about British music.

In fact, as these albums test­ ify, there*s a hell of a lot going on elsewhere in the islands.

So, as we disembark from Qantas 3umbo at Heathrow Airport, w e ’ll ignore the tube station that is taking the thousands of American, German, an:. Australian visitors into the gaping maw of the capital.

Instead w e ’ll get into our Budgetrentacar and head west down the M4 a way till we hit exit 15, the turnoff to Swindon.

Swindon, Wiltshire market town swamped with London overspill, is the home of XTC. It’s a town with an alien feeling - a Clockwork Orange scenario and the music it has spawned reflects this.

1984 is 5 years away, but Swindon is already there and the soundtrack is White Music.

XTC play science fiction pop music.

It’s complex and quirky, jagged then smooth, dense then sparse.

"All the kids are complain -ing that there’s nowhere to go, All the kids are complain -ing that the songs are too slow, All I’m saying is they are radios in motion Apples in ths ocean.”

Real teenage wasteland anthem stuff. And what about their manifesto, the battle cry for teenagers everywhere, ’This is Pop', ’What do you call that noise That you put on?

This is pop, Yeah, Yeahi* But what XTC mean by pop ain’t no sixties rehash.

Pop a popular a people, and not everyone was around in the sixties so they can now get onto some misty-eyed nostalgia train. This music is expanding and alive, full of possibilities and the spirit of exploration.

The only non-original song on White Music is a version of Dylan’s ’All Along The Watchtower’. Thematically it’s perfect - ’’There must be some way out of here/ Said the joker to the thief /There’s too much confusion/ I can’t get no relief.’ XTC give it the eighties treat­ ment , pinning down the imag­ ery and adding a desperate edge to the song. They play it like they mean it.

Images abound. ’I’m bugged /You all look like insects/ With your brand new sun specs / i ’m bugged,* But the most telling song, the Swindon song, is New Town Animal. ’There’s no­ thing decent on the TV page /Like a newtown animal in a furnished cage.’ High rise urban alienation deliniated.

This is pop Yeah. This is Art Yeah. ART. OK, enough of the urban paranoia for a little while.

The next port of call on our little trip is a bit further down the M4, about 40 miles in fact. W e ’ll take the Bath turnoff and leave the A46 just before we hit the city and pay a call on P8ter Gabriel, who lives in a cottage just the far side of Sols -bury Hill, an old hill that once boasted an Iron Age Hill Fort and through which, according to the local sages, a number of ley lines pass.

(Lsy lines are perhaps best

described as lines of Earth magnetism which can be tapped by magicians and Oruids.) Yes, Solsbury Hill may be only 40 miles from Swindon, but in feel it ’s about 3000 years older.

Gabriel’s second solo album since leaving Genesis is an aural treat.

It’s a much more personal album compared to what he was doing with Genesis.

His mask seems to be gradually peeling off. It’s also a very reflective album, the sort of album you should listen to at night in front of the fire with a bottle of wine. There are lyrics that you can mull over and try to work out, and some interesting insights into the man’s thought processes.

While Gabriel lives in the country, he obviously still has to work and operate in the city and some of the city songs included here are very impressive. There is a song called ’Home Sweet Home* which is about a couple who live on the eleventh floor of a tower block and "Nothing really worked out right, things got broke, they stayed that way None of our friends came round at night and little Sam got no place to play, "We’ve got to get out of here, Bill" she said "I ’ve been telling you all the while" When I came home from work that day she’d jumped out the window with our chilcf’ There’s a song called ’Animal Magic’ about a guy who joins the profession­ als (the army) ’cos "I want to be a man/ with all that animal magic/ I ’ll do anything you can" and a song called D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) which outlines why Gabriel has opted for the lifestyle he has.

"When things get big I d o n ’t trust them at all/ You want some control you've got to keep it small" "A Wonderful Day In A One Way World" is perhaps my favourite track on the album.

It’s got a reggae beat, a catchy chorus (the most infectious melody since ’Solsbury Hill’) and a message to boot, "Have a wonderful day in our one-way world one day, one day, one way man one way mind get along with mankind" This is an album with

perspective.

It's also pretty damn good musically; Gabriel's moving into Bowie territory and that c a n ’t be bad, can it.

W e ’ll rejoin the M4 now (in our new Avisrentacax, our Budget broke down hence the new type), and zip over the Severn Bridge to Cymru (that’s Wales to you non-Celts) trundle past Newport and Cardiff (with a wave to Dave Edmunds who’s new album ’Tracks On W ax’ will be released this month sometime) to Swansea. There w e ’ll catch the ferry to Dublin on the auld Snerald Isle to see what the Boomtown Rats have come up with on their second album. Hmm, ’coitenly’ don't sound like the mish mash of other peop­ les styles that was evident on their first release.

Let’s have a. closer listen..

The first thing that strikes one about this album is the musical depth that the band have acquired.

There’s a freshness here, a sense of adventure, real excitement.

Listen to the band’s two hit singles ’Like Clockwork* and ’She’s So Modern* which open sides one and two respectively.

Both are arrestingly diff­ erent, 'Like Clockwork* is about the modern rhythm of life, "I feel the hours crash­ ing Because my mind keeps time like clockwork And I think in sync like clockwork.’ while 'She’s so Modern* is about young ladies of fashion and what makes them tick...

'Susie is a jewel...

She wants to be a photograph.

But those two aren’t the only goodies on the album.

There are a couple of little stories, a very tongue in cheek Hitler song called *1 never Loved Eva Braun* which starts off with a piss -take of the Damned’s ’New Rose’, "Are you really go­ ing out with Adolf?" and goes on to say "Eva Braun wasn’t history... She was just a triumph of my will* over a Bowie/Spectorish boogie rhythm; then a Howard Hughes song, ’Me and H.H.’. But the guts of the album is concerned with the themes of today, individual­ ity in the face of massive conformity. (’Don't believe what you read', is a plea to ’Read between the lines..*) and the problems that the individual faces trying to ROADRUNNER OCTOBER 1978 PAGE 17

keep himself above water...

•Can’t Stop' echoes Talking Head’s ’Psycho Killer* - the ultimate urban paranoia song - with it’s lyrics, ’C an’t Stop/ And Pace the facts/ I ’m highly strung and can't relax', 'Blind Date' is about that desperate act to re­ lieve lonliness and 'Living in an island* is concerned with the ultimate escape from the lonely world of the individual, suicide (all to a lampooning reggae beat of course). But maybe the most direct message is contained in ’Rat Trap* which puts Bob Geldorf, singer and composer in the running for the label of Ireland’s Springsteen.

He has captured the youth angst mood of Springsteen perfectly, but if the technique is similar the message is powerful and universal. The Boomtown Rats just could be the punk expression of tradi­ tional Irish lyricism and poetry.

Just hang around for a couple of pints of Guin­ ness and then we'll catch the ferry to Liverpool, say a quick how'd’y ’do to the Cavern (there’s nothing much happening on the Mersey these days) and trundle down the M62, the old East Lancs Rd., and head into Red Devil coun­ try, Manchester.

W e ’ll leave Maga „ine to Bruce Milne, and see what Manch­ ester’s other favourite punk sons, the Buzzcocks have done with their first album, ’Another Music From A Different Kitchen'.

This is pure punk. No mucking around with reggae for Pete Shelley and his mates. The Buzzcocks were one of the first punk bands.

They were punk before it became trendy or fashion­ able and in fact supported the Pistols on their preAnarchy tours of England, before anyone had heard of Bill Grundy.

And this is a great punk album.

It's got power, it’s got style and it’s got variety. Pete Shelley writes intelligent lyrics - one could almost take the N.M.E. at it’s word and say h e ’s the present day equivalent of his famous romantic predecessor Percy Bysshe Shelley - 'Reality’s a dream/ A game in which I seem to never find out just what I am/ I d o n ’t know if I ’m an actor or a ham/ But if you don’t mind/ I don’t mind'.

ROADRUNNER OCTOBER 1978 PAGE

The poetry flies past at a furious rate so one can only catch images and phrases, 'As a fiction romantic/ I never expected all these things/ To happen in real life.’ - Autonomy - ’It’s a thing worth having/ I want you/ Autonomy1' The desperate cry of 'I need', 'I used to only want/ But now I need/ I need sex/ I need love/ I need drink/ I need drugs/ I need food/ I need cash/ I need you/ To love me back.* Let’s not forget the superb drumming of Steve Maher, the inventive bass of Steve Garvey and the piercing guitars of Shelley and Steve Diggle either.

The medium is the message.

It ain’t easy listening, but any effort made will be worth it. This is music for industrial romantics.

W e ’ll leave the Buzzcocks buzzing for the mom­ ent and journey north of the border to check out Scotland's main contribu­ tors to the new wave, The Rezillos, who have just released their first album ’Can't Stand The Rezillos*’ First thing that hits one is the ama ingly gar­ ish pop art cover. The music inside is very poppy On first listening the band struck me as a sort of Scottish Blondie - Fay Fife’s vocals have that same mid sixties ring to them.

In fact the record has a very strong mid six­ ties flavour, with cover .versions of the Dave Clark Five’s ’Glad All Over’ and Gerry and the Pacemakers' »I Like It’. Personally I think they should have left those songs for their live performances for there is enough interest­ ing original material here to show that the band are worth watching.

'Flying Saucer Attack* has that same Science Fic­ tion pulp-pop feel that Blondie have resurrected so well, while 'No' takes as its theme the Who’s 'I’m a Boy* - 'No/ Because I'm not old enough/ No/ Because I ’ve been told enough *. *Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight' is a brutally funny version of the old Fleetwood Mac song (before they got California sun­ stroke) performed with evil relish.

'Top Of The Pops’ is my favourite song

and his henchmen. First things first, this will end up on the end of the year best albums list of any self respecting rock freak. Secondly, if Magazine can be this good on their debut, what can you expect in another album or two when they've really got their shit to­ gether (providing they stick together).

"Real Life” is the real thing, make no mistakes.

1 have not heard a better new wave album so far this year and d on’t think I ’m ignoring the latest Talk­ ing Heads or the as yet unreleased Devo album because I've been living with a tape of it for three months. No sir, all of the aforementioned despite their many shining moments and ability to live up to the highest expectations, still take a bank seat besides Magazine.

Howard Devoto has im­ peccable credentials com­ ing as he does as the early mainman in the Buzzcocks, JESSE W INCHESTER but if you think this is A TOUCH ON THE RAINY SIDE just Devoto's dummies, for­ BEARSVILLE BRK 6984 get it, just fucking forget it. Guitarist John McGeoch Imagine a cross between for instance belongs right Uillie Nelson, Englebert up there in the big league Humperdinck, Dawn and Leon­ alongside the Steve Jones, ard Cohen. Mull those names Tom Verlaine school as a around and try to get a maestro of his medium. composite picture.

Finding He had me in his corner it difficult? Hmm. I know from the opening bars of how you feel. That’s how the band’s epic debut single I felt about this album.

"Shot By Both Sides" which From a basically folk was rightly hailed by the axis (Winchester was 'dis­ discerning Greil Marcus in covered* by Robbie Robertson Rolling Stone, as one of from the Band) Jesse seems the great singles of the 70's. to be reverting to his coun­ It's very seldom Rolling try roots. The album was Stone gets anything ri$it recorded in Nashville, which music-wise these days, but explains the 'country* back­ then some things are soooo bone. But the snatches of good you just can't ignore funk, gospel and schmatz are them, and "Shot By Both less easily explained away.

Sides" was an absolute *A Touch On The Rainy stunner. McGeogh’s guitar Side* is an attempt to be an just took off and by end of eclectic album, but the record, seemed headed for shallowness of the naterial the stars at a rapid rate. means that it ends up as So McGeoch served advance directionless, M0R, country notice that here was a new slop.

Still they’ll probably guitarist who could make love it in Louisiana. the Townsend's and Jimmy Page’s of this world feel Donald Robertson. really old and redundant.

Now the release of the album has revealed a third M A G A ZIN E true heavyweight musician REAL LIFE in this band, namely Dave VIRGIN Formula, who resisting the temptation to make witty puns courtesy of his name, OK bruders and twisters really helps to provide the let’s lay all our cards varying textures with his on the table with this keyboard playing, that makes little number from Howie

from the album.

The six­ ties influence isn't 30 openly apparent and the theme will be dear to all you T.Y. pop addicts (just substitute 'Countdown* for ’Top Of The Pops' if you want to translate the song into Australian terms.

The Rezillos play the sixties at 76, They're trashy, paperbacky and good fun.

Well, there we are. End of tour.

It’s hard to make any kind of overall state­ ment about the music con­ tained on the albums, but that ain't necessarilv a bad thing. For punk/new wave/British rock if i t ’s done anything, has put var­ iety back into the contem­ porary music scene. Not only variety, but a heavy dose of originality. And while variety may be the spice of life, it's orig­ inality that makes the main course.

Donald Robertson.

La n a k k E KMAT s

LAISOGERMAN

Magazine such a joy to hear.

Nowhere is Formula’s dazzling ear for the quirky sound of synthesisers laced with melodic menace, better em­ ployed than on "Definitive Gaze” and "Motorcase".

Perhaps i t 1s no coincidence that each cut opens a side of the album. Thus with the powerhouse trio of Devoto, McGeogh and Formula constant -ly parading their brilliance, they had their debut album licked from the start.

John Leckiete production is also a joy and he seems to have a perfect understand -ing of the band’s dynamics, with my only criticism re­ served for the slower version of "Shot By Both Sides” which English critics seem to like, but I ’ll take the single any day of the decade. Devoto’s former Buzzcock team-mate Pete Shelley co-wrote "Shot

By Both Sides” and I was worried that a Shelley-less Devoto mightn’t cut the mustard, but Devoto and McGeogh seem tailor made as a writing partnership, com­ posing the bulk of the album’s material. Devoto in interviews comes across as a bit of an intellectual wimp or maybe i t ’s just the heavy questions his interogators seemed deter­ mined to ask him, but it also seems to seep into his lyrics.

Devoto seems curiously reluctant to discuss his lyrics which suggests to me that even he isn’t sure what his songs are often agout. What’s more the mix, strange effects and even Devoto*s own vocal nuances sometimes make it difficult to de­ cipher the words. But regardless of whether Devoto*s words add up to anything substantial or not, there is no doubting Howard Trevor (that’s the handle his parents saddled him with) is adMAJGR tal­ ent. He suggests to me a 1980’s Brian Ferry from the first Roxy album when Ferry’s vocals then seemed much more revolutionary and daring than they appear today.

In fact everything about Magazine suggests that this is one band whose music seems more relevant to the music to come from the 8 0 ’s, than rooted in the music of now or the immediate future.

I ’ve been waiting for ages for some hint of the music of the 8 0 *s and sometimes I

thought I glimpsed it, but never before have I been so certain that I ’ve found a real pathfinder for it as I have with Magazine.

Tempos change with gay abandon, Devoto*s vocals scatter in and around and about the songs to render the traditional structure of music as we know it, meaningless. The chemistry and artistry of this band at times is so staggering that it scares me to think they can actually get better.

I mean best is best and time and time throughout this album I ca n ’t imagine room for improvement.

I would call it flawless, but for my reservation about "Shot

By Both Sides”, but then if the single didn’t exist I would happily embrace the album cut. What more can I say other than to mention that Barry Adamson on Bass and Martin Jackson on Drums aren’t supermen, but then three out of five a i n ’t bad.

Incidently the final track "Parade” shows that Magazine can cut it on more traditional ground, almost sounding positively laidback. But then it’s the only song Devoto does not have a hand in writing.

So the report card reads that Magazine’s first term has been faultless and on present indications, could finish the year quite easi­ ly at the top of the form.

Show yourself to be a stu­ dent of form by geg, borrow -ing or stealing a copy; i t ’s even worth buying.

Ross Stapleton.

CHARLIE PARKER THE VERY BEST OF BIRO WARNER BROTHERS EW8 3198

as one of jazz’s greatest soloists and alto saxophon­ ists. Charlie "Bird" Parker was a victim of the "Bebop” revolution in the arts in the 1940*s that destroyed him as he was creating it, as it destroyed writer lack Kerouac and god knows how many others. Life was de­ termined by the spontaneous, dizzy carefree personifica­ tion of the improvised solo in jazz. Kerovac wrote of, and was inspired by the inpetuousity of "Bird's” playing and they shared similarly tragic lives, both pioneering much that determines still the course of modern literature and music respectively, and both prematurely being burnt out by the dependence on alco­ hol and the several narcotics that propelled them. "Bird’s" approach was radical, his alto sound angular, hard and imaginative and wasn’t easily accepted by the mainstream.

"Bird" lived and played desperately which took a toll on his physical well being, he even dedicated a composition to his pusher once, (Moose the Mooche" on this set). Bebop caught jazz in a quandry between the popular music and the art form, "Bird” was some -times seeking approval, sometimes flying defiantly in the face of it, but al­ ways reflecting the state of the period. This double album comprises some of his best works from 1946 and 1947, all classic perfor­ mances featuring a young trumpeter by the name of Miles Davie (who was to become the Godfather of jazz-rock).

A beautiful

—Soulira in

JAN AKKERMAN & CLAUS O G ERM AN

Rock-Pop-Blues

ARAN1UEZ CBS S8P 237174

Jazz-Soul-Punk

AURACLE GLIDER CHRYSALIS

L 36540

JO H N M CLAUGHLIN ELECTRIC GUITARIST CBS SBP 237175 Charlie Parker is as much an historical institution as the man who was regarded

double album, superbly packaged and it doesn’t even sound dated really.

I’m out of my depth with "Aranjeuz" not being awfully au-fait with orchestration and arrangement, Claus Ogerman.*s claim to fame.

Ian Akkerman I’m more familiar with through his guitar work with Focus and several solo outings. This is a mellifluous collabora­ tion of artistry, with Akkerman*s emotive guitar work matched superbly with the harmonic conceptions of Claus 0g8rman. The album contains much brooding gran -deur and is delightfully fluid, truly a pleasure to listen to. The versions of the two Villa-Lobos compositions are particu­ larly beautifully Latin, and the often used, by al­ most everybody "Adagio from ’Concierto de Aronjuez'" by Rodrigo is compelling or­ chestration and lan Akker­ man *s "Love Remembered" an elegant composition.

Akker -man’s credentials are well known, Ogerman is a pianist, arranger, authority on con­ ducting, composer who’s worked with Antonio Carlos lobim, lao Gilberto, Bill Evans and Wes Montgomery.

Those credentials seem to speak for themselves through this album. His compositions for Barbra Streisand for "Classical Barbra” earned her a Gram -my Award!

AURACLE are proof that jazz is alive and well and has a long way yet to go.

They’re a young band (2224 years old) the product of intensive jazz studies courses in America, which rather than sterilised

Reggae-Country Ordering Are you having trouble finding an album? We can order it for you from the U.S.A. Most albums can be obtained within three weeks at a reasonable price to you.

Late shopping We are open on Friday nights. Come around and have a browse through our stock at your leisure.

We currently have a great selection of Blues and R ’n ’B albums at vary­ ing prices. Come and browse through, you may find something y ou’ve been looking for.

I8 PEEL ST.. ADELAIDE Ph. 51 2051 ROADRUNNER OCTOBER 1978 PAGE 19

SINGLES

their emotional intensity toward music, heightened and strengthened their out­ look. "Glider" is being tagged jazz/rock.

It’s alive and vital, all ori­ ginal compositions that sparkle with a delicate blend of acoustic/electric instrumentation and odd (for rock) meters like 7/4 or 9/8. AURACLE was formed while they were in their teens and in 1975 they won the Notre Dame Jazz Festival Small Group award judged by Hubert Laws, Sonny Rollins, Jack De Johnette et al.

There is such a variety of colours and textures on "Glider" - i t ’ll appeal to almost anybody.

Pianist John Serry Jr. said in "Downbeat" - "Our music... has a strong surface appeal.

While w e ’re playing wellwritten and well-performed music, we also have an urgent need to communicate to people on a broad basis.

The music therefore, reaches people who don’t understand it in any ’analytical* way.

There’s complexity, but there’s also excitement.

Anybody can relate to mus­ icians who are playing their heart out and do it well."

H e ’s just reviewed "Glider" really - Particularly good tracks are Sleazy Listening and Columbian Bubblegum.

Johnny McLaughlin Electric Guitarist, and not a guru in sightJ exMahavishnu McLaughlin after a diverting few acoustic years with Shakti, gathers together a who’s who of the new generation of jazz and slams out a damn fine electric album.

Much has been written about this set and his collabora­ tions on the album with exMahavishnu Orchestra Members Billy Cobham and Jerry Good­ man, a startlingly hot lit­ tle combo on the Coltrane dedication "Do You Hear The Voices That You Left 8ehind?" with Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and Jack Oe Johnette.

The Tony Williams Lifetime is re-united with Jack Brute and Tony Williams for the Funky "Are You The One?" An accessible album doubling as a catalogue of John McLaughlin’s career and show -case of his remarkable guitar ability.

There’s a track on which Carlos San­ tana, and many of his musi­ cians appear as well.

First record, Linda Ronstadt’s "Back In Hie U.S.A." (Asylum E45519) "What a spunk this lady is l She still looks great at 30 years old.

If only Penthouse would offer her a little more than a million dollars for that centrespread w e ’d get to know her a little better.

She sings GJ too’" Yes, this is the way that this record and the album it comes from ("Living In The U.S.A.") will be re­ ceived. All over, in daily newspapers, in rock papers, on radio and T.V., w e ’ll be deluged with veiled comments about the shape of Ms. Ronstadts ass, the length of her legs and the size of her tits. Of course Ronstadt and her management play on this all the time. Look at her album covers, her image and her publicity - i t ’s nauseating and it obscures the sometime quality of her music.

"Back In The U.S.A.", ( the Chuck Berry song), is some­ what of a change for her.

I t ’s much plainer, rockier and less finely (I should say over) produced.

In fact i t ’s not all that bad.

Of course i t ’s not real rock ’n ’roll. I first heard this in a break between Cold Chi­ sel sets at the Largs Pier.

Straight after the DJ played this, he played Elvis’ "Jailhouse Rock".

This kind of comparison puts Linda Ronstadt’s ro c k ’n ’roll back in its place well down the list.

The other side, "White Rhythm and Blues", is yet another J D Sautler song about lo8tv lonely love.

Well sung and cleanly, yet not everproduced. This com­ ing album just might be a little better with luck.

Jillian Burt.

ROADRUNNER OCTOBER 1978 PAGE 20

Having got all that off my chest, let me look at the good records of this month: STEEL PULSE KU KLUX KLAN ISLAND K 7120 RICH KIDS MARCHING MEN EMI 11776 VAN MORRISON WAVELENGTH VARNER BROTHERS WBS 8661 COLD CHISEL GOODBYE (ASTRID GOODBYE)/ GEORGIA ON MY MIND ELEKTRA 100078

STILETTO GOODBYE JOHNNY OZ 11785 The Steel Pulse single is a slice of just wonder­ ful reggae with smart, cynical, political lyrics: "Blackman’ Do unto them as they do unto you In this case hate your neighbour" This kind of stuff is sung with superb, sweet male harmonies and absolute -ly stinging guitar. Along -side this, Bob Marley’s current efforts look very pale (white) indeed.

Of course you know w ho’ll be played on the radio.

Rich Kids, produced by Mick Ronson, and with Pistols bass player Glen Matlock, owe much to Bowie for their sound and punk for their politics.

The use of droning, met­ allic synthesiser, high pitched almost whining voice and very "serious” phras­ ing echo both "Demand Dogs" and "Low".

I like this very much.

The content is very much anti-fascist, and strongly so. The Rich Kids d o n ’t ever want to hear *the sound of marching men* - never again ! Could this be a message for main man Bowie?

Van Morrison’s "Wave­ length" from the coming same-titled LP is nothing like any of this.

It is surprisingly light, almost disco-like.

Uiis in it­ self is strange for Morri­ son. The use of synthe­ siser too is a new develop -ment; i t ’s well used alongside more acceptable guitar, and his usual membled vocal.

A non­ spectacular, non-serious but most effective single.

Y ou’ll hear this one on the radio.

Radio play, by the way, is the chief objective of Cold Chisel’s "Goodbye".

With "Khe Sahn" banned as it was beginning to take off in the eastern states, they needed a new one to capitalise on their grow­ ing popularity.

Anyone who has seen this band live would know that their sec­ ond single doesn’t really capture the excitement of onstage performance. How­ ever, i t ’s a good basic rock song with great vocals.

The flip, a version of the old Hoagy Carmichael stan­ dard is just superb.

Sung

and played by guitarist Walker, this is one of their showcase efforts well transformed from the stage.

Stiletto are a favourite of mine.

Their first single "Bluebirds" was far too lightweight for its (or the bands) own good, "Goodbye Johnny" is just the right mix of power, pop and hum­ our to catch the band where it is right now.

It de­ serves to be played and bought for its reach out and grab guitar, neat chorus and thump, bash origins.

The best choice for a single off a very good album.

It’s not new to say that pop has split into two very different camps at the moment, but listening to these very good records alongside others that have come in this month reminded me once again.

Things like Carole Bayer Sager "It's The Falling In Love" (Electro), Bruce Roberts "The Car Song" (Warners WB EF 90047)* Steve Kipner "Love Is It’s Own Reward" (RSO 2090303) and Robin Gibb "On Darling" (RSO 20903175 all epitomise pop at its most crass and insi­ pid. This is music for cool middle-class mid-twenties who forget or d o n ’t care how to rock.

Not one of these songs has energy, interest or the slightest power either mus­ ically or lyrically.

If you shoved 300 volts up Robyn Gibb, I doubt that he would blink.

These four cannot even rouse the freshness or emotion that occasionally makes Fleetwood Mac, the aforementioned Ronstadt, or even Boz Scaggs sometimes good value. This is deceas -ed pop. This pop is no more.,..

In a class of its own for bad taste and bad pop is the Beach Boys "Peggy Sue" (Brother RPS 1394).

They sure are a bunch of very tired men, what a shame they’ve got to keep on putting out overweight, over produced, cluttered and downright sloppy songs like this. You can just hear Dennis Wilson’s pure, sweet voice amongst the rubble.

It almost makes me cry.

Worth mentioning, The Band "out of the Blue" (Warners WBS 8592) Warren Zevon (Asylum E 45498) and Rick Derringer "Send lawyers, Guns and Money". All good songs from fine albums.

Finally, a few small label self made records come from distant lands for this issue,. From suburban Perth comes The Victims EP and from Brisbane we have The Go-Betweens "lee Remick/ Karen" and The Numbers "Sunset Strip’ykagic Castle/ Rubs of Love (AB 003).

Hie Brisbane bands are both excellent sixties style groups.

They’ve both been listening to various groups like the Troggs, the Seeds, the Mohkees and the Beatles.

Hie lessons have been learned and all of these a pleasant, thin sounding, dance to pop songs. They are well prod­ uced too.

The Victims are something else though.For a start, they are a lot more to the latter day punks than any­ one.

Their first single, "Tele­ vision Addict", had a certain charm. The production was terrible; sludge-like I ’d call it, but it had the in­ terest of something new and being about a topic I love.

This time, the pop culture addiction theme has been used again, to boredom*s limits.

The "live" side contains "TV Freak" and "Disco Junkies" To this we add your everyman’s everyday perversion, "High School Girls" and a couple of others.

No, I*m getting a bit tired of trendy innane lyrics and mediocre rock*n*roll.

Mark Burford.

STATUS SIN G LES? ROADRUNNER’S otherwise superb singles review col­ umn has only one short­ coming - it deals only with records it is given.

So if ROADRUNNER is not supplied with a particular single, Mark Burford c an’t and/or won’t comment on it. This, of course, is only asking for trouble, considering ROADRUNNER’S avowed stance.

Many fine records (singles and albums alike) simply aren’t released in Australia, let alone supplied to ROAD­ RUNNER. 8ut there are fools like myself who actually go out and buy them, and be­ lieve that just because they're not available loc­ ally is no reason to ignore them.

Indeed, in front of me I have a very interesting

pile of recently released English singles.

Without fear of contrad­ iction I think I can say that punk/new wave has been responsible for most of the ’interesting’ singles of the past few years. When it be­ gan, with the Sex Pistols and The Clash, there were few others with them. But Siouxie and the 8anshees and the Subway Sect were there; and it’s only now that these groups have made their vinyl debut. Whether the wait has been beneficial or not is unknown to me never having seen the groups I can’t really offer an opin -ion - suffice to say, both these singles are excellent.

Siouxie and the Banshees’ "Hong Kong Garden" is sharp and clean and evocative.

Siouxie sings ever so slight -ly like Debbie Harry, and the Banshees have a metallic edge that twists and turns its way (like a dragon) through a Hong Kong Garden.

The Subway Sect’s "No­ body’s Scared” , which was actually recorded nearly a year ago, just begs compar­ isons with (early ara) Vel­ vet Underground.

The Sect have a harsh, raw, grating sound that colours (grey) their simplistic approach, atop which booms incisive words and occasionally even harmonica and organ.

Older stays of punk/new wave, like The Clash, re­ main in the forefront, right now planning their American Invasion. But nomatter how enjoyable, even luscious, their new single, "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" - an original song of theirs in the reggae mould of "Police and Thieves" - is, I wonder if it and the flip-side, "The Prisoner", are re­ gressive, in light of the avant-garde-ness of their first album.

In fact, I’ve been dis­ appointed by a lot of the new wave lately.

It seems to be turning backwards.

Even the Buzzcocks’ new single, "Love You More" a short, precise pop song is really quite pedestrian considering their earlier achievements. Perhaps they are running out of steam; I hope not. The Jam have actually gone so far as to record an oldie as a single - i t ’s not a Who song, i t ’s the Kinks "David Watts", but answer me this: who

could cover that song? The 5aints new single is a cover too; this time i t ’s Otis Redding’s "Security", and i t ’s fine - great vocals, horns and arrangement - if you forget i t ’s the Saints; because you can’t even hear any guitar, and what’s the point of the Saints without guitar?

A group like Penetration should be on the up and up, but "Firing Squad", only their second single, does nothing to propel them any­ where, despite the poten­ tial in Pauline’s vocals.

X-Ray-Spex’s third single, "Identity", though it might be considered a definitive statement from Poly Styrene, sticks too closely to the Spex’s well-worn formula to have an identity of i t ’s own. And Devo’s ode to Stiff Records, "Be Stiff", their third single, is remarkably ordinary, expecially coming from Devo, and that doesn’t bid well for their forth­ coming album.

If th8 new wave is faltering, the newer wave certainly isn’t. A couple of singles might qualify for that title....

Throbbing Gristle are an obscure English group who’ve been together for some years, though "United" is their first single (com­ ing after an album).

It’s an all synthesizer sound, and for that reason it will probably attract Kraftwerk comparisons, and though there are vague similari­ ties it’s really quite un­ ique - well crafted and structured, and, dare I say

it, 'meaningful*. Given the right exposure, it could even be a hit I Suicide are an American group who, like Throbbing Gristle, have been together for some time.

"Cheree" is the single off their debut album.

It’s one man singing backed by another man on keyboards, and despite the apparent limitations Suicide succeed in creating a tense and romantic atmosphere which, in fact, i3 evident through -out all of their album.

But amidst all these waves is a record that is an anachronism; one that defies categorization, or rather is a category incar­ nate.

It’s a single lifted from the soundtrack album of a film called "Blue Collar" which was scored by Jack Nitzsche.

"Hard Working Man" is pure (white) blues, play­ ed by a band that includes Ry Cooder on guitar and, on vocals, none other than Oon Van Vliet - that’s right, Captain 8eefheartl The Captain’s back, however briefly, and it’s a joy to hear him attack *da blues’ again. What with Ry Cooder next to him, it’s as if this is the Magic Band on "Safe As Milk"l "Hard Working Man" is deep-throated, hard, heavy blues, and that lasts for­ ever. As such, it ’d be well in the running for my Single of the Month, along with (from the sublime to the ridiculous) Suicide, Throb­ bing Gristle, Siouxie and the Banshees and the Subway Sect.

C. Walker.

So you think you know everything about rock records!

If it was released anywhere in the world since 1962. we won’t tell you we can’t get it (unless we cant?)

Try us VERANDAH MUSIC -

IMPORTS

CHEAP NUMBERS — DISCOUNTS RICHMONO ARCADE (opposite Malltownl

Phone 2236753

ROADRUNNER OCTOBER 1978 PA GE 21

G IG GUIDE TUESDAY 5rd October Stiletto Fat Albert Bluegrass-Southern Alliance

Tivoli Hotel The Seven Stars Hotel Waverley Hotel

WEDNESDAY 4th October Scandel Rock'n'Roll Hum Jungle

St. Leonards Inn Legtrap Hotel Tivoli Hotel

THURSDAY 5th October DJ - Tony Gordon Red Eye Soka - Reggae Cats Alley Scandel FRIDAY 6th October Scandel Stiletto O.C. Snith Hot Chicken Indigo Pioneer Jazz Band Rendevous Disco Don McLean No Name Band Red Gum Stiletto/Young Modern

Legtrap Hotel Tivoli Hotel Waverley Hotel Lord Melbourne Hotel Peter Jackson Hotel

Arkaba Top Room Tivoli Hotel Hotel Australia Royal Hotel Waverley Hotel The Seven Stars Hotel Legtrap Hotel Festival Theatre Barr Smith Lawns Adel. Uni 1-2pm Bar, Adel. Uni. 7p*n Lone Star Night Spot (Marryatville Hotel)

SUNDAY 15th October Kid Royal Band Sidewinder

Lone Star Night Spot Arkaba Top Roan

TUESDAY 17th October Fat Albert Bluegrass-Southern Alliance

The Seven Stars Hotel Waverley Hotel

WEDNESDAY 18th October R ock’n ’Roll Rum Jungle

Legtrap Hotel Tivoli Hotel

THURSDAY 19th October The Platters Soka - Reggae DJ - Tony Gordon Red Eye

Hotel Australia Waverley Hotel Legtrap Hotel Tivoli Hotel

FRIDAY 20th October Pioneer Jazz Band Hot Chicken Warm Jets Hie Platters Indigo Texas Rendevous Disco

The Seven Stars Hotel Royal Hotel Union Hall, Adel. Uni. Hotel Australia Waverley Hotel Arkaba Top Room Legtrap Hotel

SATURDAY 21st October Free Disco Ginger Meggs Rock’n ’Roll Shows Texas The Platters Company Blue Janet Seidel

Legtrap Hotel Tivoli Hotel Arkaba Top Room Hotel Australia Waverley Hotel Bar, Adel. Uni - 9pm.

SATURDAY 7th October Scandel Stiletto O.C. Smith Company Blue Matthew Fargher & Simon Roger Free Disco Ginger Meggs Rock*n’Roll Shows Stiletto/kiddle Class

Arkaba Top Room Lord Melbourne Hotel Hotel Australia Waverley Hotel Bar, Adel. Uni. Legtrap Hotel Tivoli Hotel Lone Star Night Spot

SUNDAY 8th October Scandel Stiletto

Arkaba Top Roan Tivoli Hotel

TUESDAY 24th October Fat Albert Bluegrass-Southern Alliance

The Seven Stars Hotel Waverley Hotel

TUESDAY 10th October Sidewinder Bluegrass-Southern Alliance Fat Albert

Tivoli Hotel Waverley Hotel The Seven Stars Hotel

WEDNESDAY 25th October R ock’n ’Roll Rum Jungle

Legtrap Hotel Tivoli Hotel

THURSDAY 26th October DJ - Tony Gordon Red Eye Soka - Reggae

Legtrap Hotel Tivoli Hotel Waverley Hotel

WEDNESDAY 11th October Bert Jansch Rock*n’Roll Rum Jungle THURSDAY 12th October DJ - Tony Gordon Red Eye Warren Mitchell Soka - Reggae FRIDAY 13th October Hot Chicken Warren Mitchell Private Lives

Flinders Uni -Matthew Flinders Theatre.

Legtrap Hotel Tivoli Hotel

Legtrap Hotel Tivoli Hotel Hotel Australia Waverley Hotel

Redhead Revenge Orch.

Pioneer Jazz Band Aurora Rendevous Disco Kid Royal Band Sidewinder

Royal Hotel Hotel Australia Barr Smith Lawns Adel. Uni. t-2pm.

Bar, Adel. Uni - 8pm The Seven Stars Hotel Waverley Hotel Legtrap Hotel Lone Star Night Spot Arkaba Top Room

SATURDAY 14th October Kid Royal Band Sidewinder Free Disco Ginger Meggs R oc k ’n ’Roll Shows Warren Mitchell Country Connection Bam & Alison

Lone Star Night Spot Arkaba Top Roan Legtrap Hotel Tivoli Hotel Hotel Australia Waverley Hotel Bar, Adel. Uni - 9pea.

ROADRUNNER OCTOBER 1 9 7 8 PA GE 22

SUNDAY 22nd October Blue Grass (Folk) Texas

FRIDAY 27th October Hot Chicken Western Flyer Aurora The Seekers Pioneer Jazz Band Rendevous Disco SATURDAY 28th October Free Disco Ginger Meggs Rock’n ’Roll Shows The Seekers Company Blue Bam & Alsion

Little Theatre, Adel.

Uni - 2pm.

Arkaba Top Room

Royal Hotel Union Hall, Adel.

Uni 1-2pm.

Waverley Hotel Hotel Australia The Seven Stars Hotel Legtrap Hotel

Legtrap Hotel Tivoli Hotel Hotel Australia Waverley Hotel Bar, Adel. Uni - 9p®.

FOR FURTHER DETAILS ON LONE STAR VENUES PLEASE CHECK YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER. GIG GUIDE COMPILED BY MING WITH HELP FROM CENTRAL BOOKING AGENCY. FOR FREE LISTING CONTACT ROADRUNNER ON 552 6868.

DEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE - 24th OCTOBER.

HLAYUST ROSS STAPLETON.

ALEX.

1. B m p it Claan - Vibrators 2. Found a Job - Talking

1. Radio Sweetheart - Elvis Costello 2. License to Rage - Stiletto 3. Reckless - Sports 4. Are You Old Enough • Dragon 3. Take a Long Line Angels

Winner of

Outcast - The Angels Gut Feeling - Bevo Motorcade - Magazine

BRUCE.

Hp?k » U z .

G H U H D MUIOGOK QAXLKXGH

YICT.

Thanks to all others who entered, but we can only have one winner!

(My week in Melbourne) 1. Two Way Garden - live & tape 2. The Love - in rehearsal 5. Whirl eyvrorId - tape 4. Little Cuties - live 5. Up The Junction - on TV

CEE. 1,

DOS ALP. ANSWERS. 1. 15 Thoughts of Brinsley Schwarz.

2. White Music - XTC 3. Tonic For The Troops Boomtown Rats 4. Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel 5. What A Waste - Ian Bury

All night movies.

CASS. 1. Tom Petty and The Heart -breakers.

2. Easter - Pattie Staith 3. Luxury You Can Afford Joe Cocker 4. Goodbye Tiger - Richard Clapton 5. Radios Appear - Radio Birdman

1. Tony Cahill, The Purple Hearts.

Python lee Jackson.

2. Billy Green cor Duncan McGuire.

3* Johnny Cave, R a m i e Peal, Brian Caine, Ron Boromeo, Gerard Bertelkamp, Barry Iyde, Richard Yandersluys, Colin Jacobsen, Jeff Newton, Patricia Amphlett.

4. Pink Finks, Party Machine, Sons of a Vegetal Mother, Daddy Cool, Hondo Rock, Procession.

5« Clive Shakespeare, Sam Bee, Danny Taylor, Dennis Laughlin, Bruce Vorrall.

6. Beeb Birtles in Frieze, Missi­ ssippi and Little River Band.

Daryl Cotton as part of 0.S. trio Cotton Lloyd A Christian, now solo. Rick Brewer as drummer in Feretts. Rick

Springfisld as C.S. teen idol.

7. Any 5 of Max Merritt A Mete or a Claves, Lft1Da Das, Larry’s Rebels, Ray Columbus A Invad­ ers - numerous others.

8. Harry Vanda A George Young.

Flash A the Pan. 9- •Anthem' by Procession. The Hew Seekers.

10. The Music Machine, 11 * Terry Britten. ’Devil Woman’ fox Cliff Rioh&rd, 12, All are frin Brisbane.

Max Merritt A Meteors, The 13Groove, Eureka Stockade, The Spirit of Progress, The Mix­ tures.

14. Somebody's Image, The Nova Express, The la Da Das, Syrrius, Elm tree, 15- Lynn Randell.

THE AFTER D A R K CLUB presents

f

i

o

bo MONDAYS

TUESDAYS

WEDNESDAYS

Adelaide's most exclusive DISCO ROADRUNNER OCTOBER 1978 PA G E 23