Roadrunner 1(2) May 1978

ROADRUNNER \nFIJVlDE'S, MUSIC PAPKR Volume

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DYLAN THE INSIDE STORY

IA N MELDRUM INTERVIEW ED

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BUSKER BASHING

CH€ CHIRD R€ICH 'R ROLL MEET THE RESIDENTS

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A D E L A I D E 'S PROGRESSIVE ROCK CIRCUIT E VERY WEEK A T THE T O P V E N U E S TUESDAYS THE TIVOLI W E D N E S D A Y S ST L E O N A R D S THURSDAYS TIVOLI HOTEL FRIDAYS MARRYATVILLE SATURDAYS MARRYATVILLE SUNDAY NIGHT HIGHWAY INN

c ^ LLYO U N EED IS TUESDAY 10PM

U fV E THE STORY OF POPULAR MUSIC

Artists this week:Stevie W onder, Aretha Franklin, Bill Haley, Buddy Holly, Ike &Tina turner, The Platters

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ROADRUNNER

May

Page 2

EMI

CONTENTS

E TTE R Z

H I would Like to thank ROAD­ RUNNER for letting me let out some stored up aggro.On Sunday March 12 I got really stoked.

Yes, that muchcriticisedBeach Boys tour was for me Primol Apart from attracting a 23,00C strong record crowd those golden oldies all got them on their feet dancing, clapping, jivin' and having "fun,fun, fun"".

Along with Mary Jane fumes and hits like "Good Vibrations", "Surfin' U.S.A","Barbara Anne", "California Girls","Sloop John B","Help Me Rhonda", etc,etc, as well as the fine weather I feel everyone got more than their crusts worth. But still we get those dikes and pooftas from the media who crack a shit over the sound coming forth from the 3 Wilson's, Jardine, Love and Co, as not sounding exactly like studio recordings and of course Love was balding, and Carl had got fatter and Brian acted anti­ social as usual.

It was obvious to me these so called critics hadn't heard about the Beach Boys until Lief (Laugh) Garrett had attempted some ever original cpver versions. For their information Love has always been thin on top, and yesBrian unobtrusive and Carl plumpish.

And as usual a band who can attract and move 23,000 people are off course amatuerish and ratshit. All I can say - MEDIA is up yours.

Good Vibrations!

Baltic Pete.

HI Dear Roadrunner Crew, CONGRATULATIONS! Your new mag is brilliant.

It's the best thing that's ever happened to the Rock Mag scene. The Gig Guide is the best I've ever seen.

Please keep up the info on local groups.

Good Luck from Leyane Bolin.

Goodwood, S.A. ■ Dear Sir, Stuart Coupe's scepticism in "Dylan - no more heroes" is nauseating - that he equated the then impending concert to a women's weekly social event is a'total betrayal, to both Dylan the prophet and to his music-loving contemporaries.

Dylan is timeless, as the

concert proved (had Coupe not been outdone by his friends and made it to football park).

He directed his music to the seventies, no nostalgia of times gone.

Coupe's pessimism of such an event, especially in retrospect, is not worth the ink in which it was expressed; may he never write again.

Yours sincerely, J.Blackall,

ED'S REPLY;"Fans, I love fans The Dylan concert was probably the best,most enjoyable, most proffesional concert I have ever seen. My devotion to Dylan is also such that I queued all night, etc for tickets. That in no way detra­ cts from my opinion of him as being a '70's Sinatra - Dylan billed himself in the program as 'the entertainer', and that is exactly what he was -enough of this prophetic bullshit Dylan is an amazing (probably the greatest) rock 'n' roll figure but there's no way he's gonna change the world or my head by singing 'Blowin'in The Wind' at Westlakes in 1978.

But then, no doubt Jesus will rip through a killer '70's version of the Ten Command­ ments when he does his concert for $15 at Westlakes. See you there and we'll getprophesisedi together.

Dear Roadrunner, I disagree with Donald Robertson's article on 'The Death of Punk in your last issue. Punk although a working class revolt is nevertheless an avant garde pnenoraenon with its roots well and truly steeped in the art school anti-establishment cult.

Revolt through style rather than revolt through politics.

The same faces but different hairstyles, McLaren and his lot were being rebellious at Art Colleges ten years ago This claim may at first appear to be contentious but when one considers that punk is a minority thing as opposed to the last two working class youth upheavals teds and skinheads and that the leaders of the movement are culturallyandhistorically aware of roots, it must be considered seriously.

you seem to hold that punk is a folk phenomenon, I'd take the opposite view and say that it's a pretty sophisticated thing. You don't buy Gibsons on the dole, Pete Malone Bath England,

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LETTERZ/ CONTENTS,..,Page 3 SNIPPETS,,..... ,,.,,Page 5 MELDRUM INTERVIEW.,.,Page 6 QUASAR.,..... ,..,,,Page 10

ED; I prefer the use of revolt into style which I think describes the process more accurately, George Melly in his book called 'Revolt Into Style' gives a perfect paradigm for what has happened to punk. And he wrote it 10 years ago.

CLEAN CUT.......... Page 11 DYLAN,....,...,..,..Page 12 CHICK COREA.,...... PAGE 14 RY COODER,...,,.,..,Page 15 I S S U E S , . P a g e

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YELLOW PAGES....,,.,A,B,C,D RUM JUNGLE.......,.,Page 18 Hi Gang, this is our editorial - longer and DEEPER than last issue.

We need a lot more contributions as Trev and Festering are getting pretty tired of doing most of it themselves. After issue 1 we had a feweriticisms voiced which we've tried to rectify with this issue. One that we won't do anything about is that from MUSOS who claim to be doing something constructive for musicians and their audiences in Adela­ ide - naturally we expected they would welcome the beginnings of a music paper based in and concentrating on Adelaide - Not the case - the last newsletter contained an unsigned column in which we were accused of being similar to Ram and Juke and encouraging groping fans. The whole thing reeked of 'you stop being a music fan after your 16th Birthday and start listening to serious music' ie, only going to MUSOS shows I assume, ROADRUNNER is and hopes to remain an Adelaide music paper wriiten by fans for fans.

In sor.e ways ROADRUNNER hopes to be a paper similar to Juke and Ram - two papers based in Melbourne and Sydney respectively, and giving scant mention to Adelaide. Our premise is Adelaide first, and then we conquer the world.

Thats it as the layout man tells me that there ain't no printing after the page finishes - till next issue.

LIFE NEWS.,.,,,,,,,,Page 19 THE RESIDENTS...... Page 21 45 RPM..............Page 22 PLATTER BATTER..,,.,Page 23 POSTER............. Page 30

WHO TO BLAME. Stuart Coupe - Editor.

Donald Robertson - Editor.

Allan Coop - Lay Out and Production, Alex Ehlert - Advertising.

Mark Burford - Reviews.

Chris Plimmer - Business.

Continued on Page 5.

ROADRUNNER

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May

Page 3

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thijs van leer

george duke Keyboardist Duke whirls his way through a series of cascading musical passages th at are upbeat and funky.

Indispersed are some occasional vocals and mellow r & b flavoured ballads and the effective use of background singers spices things up. REACH FOR IT — another knockout album and a brilliant follow-up to: FROM ME TO YOU ELPS 3817.

Here we have the third of Thijs Van Leer’s Introspeetions with orchestra conducted and arranged by Rogier van O tterloo, voice by L etty de Jong and of course, flute by the world m aster — Thijs Van Leer.

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Cobham is considered one of th e prem ier drum mers in the world today, and has delivered his finest record to date — crossing the boundaries from jazz into rock and r & b. In a word: MAGIC.

Steve Kahn’s deb u t solo album “ Tight­ rope” is produced by com poser/ perform er BOB JAMES. It depicts Steve as one of the finest contem porary guitarists on to d ay ’s bright musical scene. Four of the tunes included here were penned by Steve along with others by such greats as Gamble & Huff, Eddie H eyw ood and the Brecker Brothers.

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ROADRUNNER

May

Page 4

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SNIPPETS

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l( 0 f Malicious Gossip rears its ugly head again. Remember you're guuna read it first here on page 5 or 3 or where­ ver they decide to put me.

O.K, big scandal of the month is the Suicide Records rip off. You may have seen the ads for Suicide in which they blantantly rip off Nick'Lowe's catchphrase 'Pure Pop For Now People', changing it to 'Pure Pop For Modern People.' That's bad enough (I mean if things like that happen then all our advertising agencies could go bust) but Festering Mick has uncovered something even more unsavoury about the company. It seems that all the bands who have signed with Suicide have signed away all publishing and recor­ ding rights, plus a large percentage of any future inc­ ome for the next five years for a measly $50 a week, to be split among the band. The deal with getting the bands gigs is that Suicide offer any interested promoter 5 bands for $250, and at that price what promoter wouldn't be interested? Obviously Suicide have fed these young bands the 'OK boys sign on the dotted line and we'll make you stars' line and the lads in the bands have swallowed the bait. Anyway, watch out for the Suicide Pact (someone in the company obviosly has a nasty sense of humour) at the various Lone Star venues May 2nd to 7 t h . . T a l k i n g of recording local Big Beat / Powerpop combo. Young Modern are going into a studio this month to put down a few tracks some of which will appear on either a single or an E.P. on their own label in the near future...... 5UV recorded Young Modern's set at the opening of a new pub

musical revolution (punk ya cretin) Well they're backrougher, gutsier and louder.

I was privileged to attend a preview of their new line up at their salubrious Wyatt St. rehearsal rooms last month (along with other leading lights of the Adelaide punk scene) and the band plastered everyone all over the walls.

They've got a few Saturday night gigs at the Tivoli coming up so see ya there ..... Not much band break up news this month although there is a rumour that Rum Jungle could experience line up changes soon.....

A lot of new bands about to hit the streets of Adelaide including Irving and the UBombs who have been terroris­ ing the Back To The Landers at Belair; the Accountants who have emerged from the ashes of Elizabeth proto­ punks Moist, Darryl Break­ away and the Niggers who should be oozing onto Twin St. real soon and Neon Hearts (I still prefer The Sherriffs boys) who do mean versions of such nowerooD classics as Nick Lowe's 'Shake and Pop' and 'Heart of the City' and Elvis Costello's 'Mystery Dance'. Watch out for them at the Lord Melbourne sometime during the month, they're hot..... Rocky, supporting Young Modern at the Tivoli one Saturday night last month, had pasties and drinks thrown at them. At least they got a crowd reaction, which is more than Desert Rat did at the Arkaba where someone was heard to remark, "The last punk

venue, the Wellington Hotel in North Adelaide and excerpts can be heard on Jillian Burt and Tony McCarthy's late nigh Saturday rock show. Good to see the Wellington opening up to rock on Wednesdays.

Forthcoming attractions there include Rum Jungle, the Sultan Bros., Tomlin and Young Modern again..... Last ish. we reported the sad demise of Riff Raff, Adelaide's only response to the late 70's

CONTRIBUTORS:StephenRogerson, David Crowe, Jillian Burt, Heather Venn (HotChicken next issue - I PROMISE.), Steve Whithara, all of us, and all those letter writers and

TYPING:Jillian Burt, Alex, Stuart, Donald, and Allan.

THE ROADRUNNER CREW ARE PLEASED WITH: Jane, Stephen Meadsday,everyone who helped collate issue, Andrew McHugh, all our groping fans at MUSOS, the Norwood fish 'n' chip Shop,

record these guys heard must have been Grand Funk's third album."...... News from Melbourne. Ross Wilson told me while he was in town last month about a new record label called Missing Link which is going to be issuing recordings by some of the seminal and now largely defunct bands of the Melbourne (for that read Carlton) pub scene.

Ross is producing an album which will include tracks by the Autodrifters, the Pelaco Brothers (who included both Joe Camilleri of Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons and Steve Cummings, lead singer with the Sports) and the Fabulous Nudes.

Records already issued include an E.P, by Campact and one by Union.....

Bruce Milne, editor of Melbourne punk fanzine Pulp (issue 3/4 out now available from your clever­ est record store) is setting up a label called Au Go Go Records which will put out singles for hard up, strugg­ ling punk outfits; at least they won't have to sign their lives away to get a record out..... In your local bookstore now is the official Sex Pistols biography by Fred and Judy Vermorel. It is a fascinating document and essential reading to all people vaguely interest ed in modern music. It is not yer usual get rich quick on somebody else's fame affair Oh no. Its well written, very detailed and gives an accurate and balanced idea

and Torrensvilles very own Napolii, 5UV, GERRY SCHUMAN he's the reason this issue isn't all in redllj (thanks for your foot slogging).

Trich (?) for the gig guide.

PREVIEW for making us try harder. Sue for help with the ads, everyone who was prepared to sell or distribute issue 1, our advertisers, etc, etc/.... .

See you with Roadrunner 3 next time it'll be monthly. so don't say you weren't prepared - we PREVIEW what others fear to touch.

ot what the Pistols were all about and why. Fred Vermrel is an old friend of Malcolm McLaren's so he had access to some crucial documents, like the diary at the Pistols office, official letters, plus a whole lot of interviews with the people involved.,..

No less than three Pistols bootlegs have surfaced in town over the last couple of weeks. One of them is the studio-recorded 'Spunk' which is in many ways superior to never mind the bollocks..

The other two are recordings of concerts in the U.S.A. on the Pistols kamikaze tour there..... New Radio Birdman L.P., recorded in England will be a mixture of rerecord­ ed tracks from their Australi­ an album, 'Radio's Appear' and new stuff. Among the new stuff is a dynamite song based on the Hawaii 5-0 theme, news is the album will be released here before it is in the U.K. Sounds as if they've done more or less what Split Enz did with their 'Second Thoughts' . album......Band to watch out for dept, Paul Kelly and the High Rise Bombers, who include ex-Adelaidians Paul Kelly and Martin Armiger among their numbers, are getting rave reviews in Melbourne. They are in the Springsteen/Parker mould with a three piece brass section backing a strong guitar based sound. They will probably coming to Adelaide in the not too far didtant future, so watch out for them.

No more. Keep Festering....

people who submitted material.

(It'll be in next issue.)

PHOTOGRAPHS:John Altree Williams (especially for being almost happy to develop and print last minute pikkies at 2am), Clare, whoever takes all those terrible press shots, and the takers of the Clean Cut and Rum Jungle pikkies. tetters, etc to: 13 Wainhouse Street, Torrensville, 5031. or 14 Donegal Street, Norwood.

ROADRUNNER

May

Page 5

INTERVIEW

COUNTDOWN DISCOVERY Ian 'Molly’ Meldrum is arguably the most influential figure in Australian popular pop culture - principally because of the AoBoC's Number One Music Advertising Show, Countdowno Is Meldrum as morose as he often appears on the teev or is he just camera shy?????? Well kids this is your chance to discover Countdowns biggest discovery. Yes, gang, this is THE IAN MELDRUM INTERVIEW. Recorded a few weeks ago whilst Ian was in Adelaide for A COUNTDOWN SPECIAL ON THE DAVID DAY SHOW. Why he agreed to do an interview I'll never know.

I didn't think ROADRUNNER was that important but then maybe that's the reasonlll OK, crew, roll the credits and let's go. The 3 interviwers are Stuart Coupe ( S ) , Mark Burford (M), and Alex Ehlert (A).

Just to give it the personal touch, Ian is (I). Bye for now.

S - FIRST OF ALL, WHAT SORT OF INFLUENCE DO YOU CONSIDER YOU HAVE ON THE AUSTRALIAN MUSIC SCENE? I - It's a thing I've never really lo looked at, you know. Obviously Count­ down has a lot of influence as far as singles market buying is concerned and being able to break new acts, and so subsequently it all comes back down to me as I'm the talent co-ordinator and I tend to pick out the things that are going to be played and not going to be played, but on the Australian side of things there is really no picking because anyone that has a record out is entitled to go on the show, and do go on the show, and its really left to the public to decide on that level.Urn, on the overseas side of things, well last week we had 56 filmclips to consider and a lot of that Is disco, disco from Europe and things, so that takes last on the list and the frustr­

ROADRUNNER

May

Page 6

ation then is that there's some filmclips you desperately want, say like Jackson Browne, Carol King, going back Deep Purple and that sort of thing that just weren't available. And just over the last year because of the American market becoming aware of the Austral­ ian market through the European market, they're making a lot more filmclips so we had that batch of Boz Scaggs stuff, the batch of Fleetwood Mac stuff, and things like that^ S - YOU SAY THAT ANYONE WHO PUTS OUT A SINGLE CAN POTENTIALLY GO ON COUNT­ DOWN. SURELY THERE MUST COME A LINE. IS THAT DECIDED BY YOU? I - Yes, Well, the total origin of Countdown and putting it together in the first place was purely there because I'd always thought that Aust­ ralian acts got a really bum deal as far as Australian television was concerned, going back to the Happening 70 days where there might be filmclips from overseas which were done either in America or England, and which were given all the fancy trimmings,etc, etc and no matter how big the Australian group was, whether it was Shebert, at that stage, or the Twilights or the Valentines, Zoot, you name it - they were just thrown on to an empty set; miming a record, then off again, so when that drought happened there was nothing on television for 2 years. When the A.B.C finally decided to do this show, that was the main concern for us, to present Australian acts on an equi­ valent basis to overseas acts.

S - WHY DO YOU THINK THAT COUNTDOWN HAS BECOME SO POPULAR? IS IT BECAUSE OF THE PROGRAM TIMESLOT, CONTENT, OR OTHER FACTORS? I - I think its become popular for a lot of reasons. The 6 o'clock timeslot on a Sunday night is one - it be­ comes family viewing then. I know we

put together a very good show on a professional level. We've got some of the best technical people. We've got the best studio in the southern hemisphere to work in, which is studio 31, and we've got the best crews to work with, so I know we put together a very good show as far as presenting Australian acts and then linking it up with overseas stuff.

M - HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY GO ABOUT CHOO­ SING THOSE AUSTRALIAN ACTS. I MEAN, IF YOU'VE HAD 56 OVERSEAS FILM CLIPS IN ONE WEEK YOU MUST HAVE A HUGE SELECTION OF AUSTRALIAN MATERIAL TO CHOOSE FROM??

I - Not really. If you look at it on an overall basis there is not that many Australian acts that, at the moment, have got out records and there is not like the flow wich is coming in from everyehere else - from America. Like in America alone, Cashbox may review 126 records* in a week. With us it comes down like to groups who have recording contracts in this country and its a slow process - there may be 4 in one week and then none the next, and 2 the week after and none the next week and one the next week and 2 the week after, so we can evenly space out the Austra­ lian acts, sort of thing. My biggest trap because of working with the A.B.C, and Ferrets was one example, is where, because of being brought up, first with Go-Set and then television and then getting into record production, I get a multitude of tapes where I try to advise and get young groups contracts, etc, etc, and like that, and so if the pick and choice comes then, it comes from that, from saying, that tape's no good but that one deserves a hearing, so I'll give it to the record companies and say, you really should have a listen to this, with the possibility of signing them up or something and

c

giving them a production deal, M - YOU SEE COUNTDOWN THEN AS TOTALLY RESTRICTED TO WITHIN THE RECORD MARKET? PERHAPS YOU SEE OTHER SHOWS ON OTHER STATIONS WITH A DIFFERENT MARKET, e.g. THERE'S ROCTURNAL WITH A LIVE MARKET, YOU DON'T SEE COUNT­ DOWN EXPANDING OUT OF THAT FAIRLY RESTRICTIVE POLICY? I - I don't see Countdown pulling out of the singles area. I mean we'll go into album stuff, if the album becomes a big seller, which is a change of policy for this year. For instance, with Skyhooks stuff, because now, us and radio stations, and other television shows have established 'Women in Uniform' being a big single now. I'd much prefer Skyhooks now to do another track off their "Insane" album, rather than do 'Women in Uniform' again. If Ian Dury broke, because I've got X amount of stuff on Ian Dury, I'd much prefer him ,once we'd broken the single, to do another track off that, Nightmoves,,,Rocturnal ... both very good shows...Nightmoves I think is an excellent show, and I always think of Nightmoves as being the extension, on the television arena, to what Countdown is. I mean like there is no competition between us and Nightmoves or Rocturnal, I welcome those sorts of shows because it is the extension and they can devote two to three hours, like as Nightmoves does, to in concert series which Countdown couldn't do.

S - SO DO YOU SEE YOUR ROLE AS BREAKING THE SINGLE FIRST,,,,.?

I - Yes and then making people aware of the album,and they can make up their own minds on the album, and shows like Nightmoves can extend it and show the albums, or part of that album and film of the artist or group presenting part of their act, S - WHAT OF PROGRAMMING RESTRICTIONS. I WAS THINKING SPECIFICALLY OF NEW WAVE/PUNK, OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALLIT, I - Well I was restricted last year which annoyed me intensly but I wouldn't say it was censorship because they say it wasn't censorship but we finally got around it, sort of thing, you know. If you must look at a group being new wave there'll be, this year, a lot of new wave on our show.

S - WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT BANDS LIKE SUPERNAUT AND THE ANGELS BEC­ OMING NEW WAVE OVERNIGHT? I - Well, I feel sorry for young groups because, and I think the media as a whole should be more understanding towards young groups because if a guy picks up a guitar after leaving school, or Whilst he's still at school, he can't possibly hope to be of the standard of a guitarist like a Clapton or someone like that. There's just no way he can

INTERVIEW

to be associated with another group in his life. So you've got ttat, and Rick Brewer who was also with the Zoot is now the drumner with the Ferrets, you've got Rick Springfield over in the States doing certain things and you've got Darryl Cotton who'se now become a very competant songwriter. So there are A members of one group that were basically a young group at one stage and were sort of teenybopper, that given time, matured and became competant musicians, M - WHAT ABOUT SOME BANDS IN MELBOURNE WHO ARE BEING TERMED NEW WAVE. YOU PLAYED ONE OF THEM LAST WEEK ON COUNT­ DOWN AND ANOTHER THIS WEEK. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THESE BANDS. I'M THINKING

do that unless he's an absolute protege on a guitar, so therefore because musical tastes change so radically, and they are changing so radically now, a young group who may have had an image a year ago must change towards another image - otherwise they're lost in the wake. The best example I can ever give of a young group that is now resp­ ected, to some extent, is like the Zoot had what you might term as bibblegum music back in the early '70's, Now you have Beeb Birtles, one of the finest songwriters in this country, a great record producer, a really good, compet­ ent guitarist and his harmonies are just something else, so there's the extention. Now Beeb, because of the criticism layed on him because he was one of the Zoot members, nearly gave the entire business up, in fact at one stage he came back to Adelaide from Melbourne and Sydney and never wanted

SPECIFICALLY OF STILETTO AND SPORTS. I - I put both those groups into what, if I was in England, and I don't like categorising music for a start, but if they come under a new wave banner, I put them both in the same situation as say a Graham Parker or the Stranglers are in England. They both found an interest in a certain form of music which became punk rock and then new wave. Suddenly the Stranglers, who had been around for a long while (and the same for Grahan Parker, and Ian Dury and Elvis Costello ) found a vehicoe to take off on and they have taken off on it,The Stranglers,last year, were one of the biggest groups in the U.K. A - DO YOU THINK THE SEX PISTOLS ACTUALLY OPENED UP THAT TYPE OF THING? I - Well, it's a combination of a lot of things. Oddly enough, probably one of the groups who helped break the English market and then turn it around and bring in a youth bound thing was AC/DC in London. And especially the northern part of England, They had an enormous following before the Sex , Pistols and all the other bands had anything. Down at the Marquee in London you had all these punk rockers with ripped shirts because it was so bloody hot, and they packed them out every night, dripping with perspiration and spitting on the floor, AC/DC were mammoth, the only thing that AC/DC lack­ ed at that stage was a single. That was because, at that stage, they were more interested in an album thing. Then AC/ DC came back here for a tour and then the Sex Pistols took off becaise they were shown more than anyone else. They were a good strong little rock 'n' roll band but they were the first one to be shown and there was an image there.

What it did was open up a completely new image of music which provoked the more established acts into saying (and there were a lot who did) "If they get on our label then we just don't want to know". All because of their outragous behaviour. What they didn't take into account was that the behaviour in the seventies was really an extension of

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the sixties behaviour of the Who and the Rolling Stones - nothing more, nothing less.

S - WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES A RECORD SELL? I - There are a lot of things, but it basically comes down to the mood of the public. A year ago I would never have imagined, and I know that Barry, Robin and Maurice would never have imagined, that the Bee Gees could become the biggest record sellers in the U.S.A and dominate the charts in the way they are doing. It's the mood of the American public, and with the 'Saturday night fever' thing it's now world wide. Its happened in Australia too, with John Paul Young. Although he's been getting recognised in Europe and America and South Africa, he couldn't crack it with a hit here. Suddenly because 'Standing In The Rain' sounds slightly disco it's monsterous. And it was recorded 18 mon­ ths ago.

M - WHERE DOES THAT MOOD OF THE PUBLIC COME FROM? I MEAN IF YOU'RE CHASING A CLIP FOR COUNTDOWN OR IF YOU'RE PROD­ UCING A RECORD, EG, THE FERRETS ALBUM, DID YOU KNOW WHAT THE MOOD OF THE PUBLIC WAS OR DO YOU THINK THAT YOU HELP SHAPE IT THROUGH MAKING RECORDS AND MAKING COUNTDOWN??

I - Well if you take the Ferrets, talking about the producers side, I committed a cardinal sin with them. If the album had been finished at the time 'Don't Fall -In Love' was a hit, the I album could have been a monster. It had the mood of what the public were liking.

By the time the album was released 4 or 5 months later the mood had passed.

S - WHAT ABOUT POLITICAL SONGS ON COUNT­ DOWN? FOR INSTANCE, STILETTO HAVE A SONG 'I DON'T WANT TO DIE IN A NUCLEAR WAR', TOM ROBINSON HAS A SONG CALLED 'GLAD TO BE GAY'. IS THERE POLITICAL CENSORSHIP OF THOSE'TYPE OF RECORDS? I - No, We will be featuring Tom Robin­ son on Countdown next week ( it didn't happen - Ed.) with "Glad To Be Gay" which will almost be an innuendo for myself. Every queen in Melbourne is going to say, "Ah fuck, what's she doing now?" But there's no political censorship. Its judged bynthe song itself really. If it's a single and the film clip is good then it's in.

Let me put it this way. There is no way we could have played "Why Don't You all Get Fucked" by Skyhooks. In fact, at one stage when they were undecided about which track to release as the single, I intervened and simply said, "Look, if you're thinking

ROADRUNNER May

Page 8

of having that as the single instead of 'Women In Uniform' that's madess. you want this thing to take off, like it's very important for it to take off and in my opinion 'Women In Uniform' is a much more commercial and better song than "Why Don't You All Get Fucked", M - SPEAKING OF 'WOMEN IN UNIFORM', DO YOU CONSIDER THINGS LIKE SEXISM IN ROCK'N'ROLL? DO YOU THINK SEXISM IS A VALID GROUND ON WHICH TO CRITISE SOMETHING? I MEAN, I THINK 'WOMEN IN UNIFORM' CAN BE CRITICISED FOR BEING OUTRAGEOUSLY SEXIST. I LIKE WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE BUT I DON'T LIKE WHAT IT SAYS. I - I always learnt a lesson from reading too much into songs. I always think that records are there for entertainment. I know there aee a lot of records which do say something.

There are also a lot of records that don't say anything. The meaning is just the interpretation of the listener, I was brought up with the Beatles' music and I always used to be proud with Terry Britten and all of them that used to be in the Twilights, of having the Beatles record first. I really dug being able to go to a party and these little voices coming in here and say what about this and what about this going backwards and these little voices coming in there, well it must all mean this. Finally when I worked with the Beatles, John told me that they meant nothing. They just whacked them in for a bit of fun. I went away shattered.

S - OBVIOUSLY YOU APPROACH YOUNGER GROUPS WITH A FAIR DEGREE OF TOLERANCE. WHY DID YOU GET STUCK INTO THE BEACH BOYS? I MEAN IT WAS A PRECEDENT FOR YOU TO MAKE A STRONG CRITICAL STATEMENT ABOUT THEM ON COUNTDOWN.

I - The Beach Boys thing annoyed me intensely, I mean they should be professionals. I was brought up with a family that was full of entertainers on my mother's side. I was brought up on"the show must go on/the public are paying to see you/you should give your best". With the Beach Boys I don't think they gave that. On the concerts that 1 saw and heard about anyway. It's the first time I've ever really strong­ ly criticised something. It really hurt me to do it because I'm a Beach Boys fanatic. 'Holland' is one of my classic albums. It's a record producer's dream.

M - ARE YOU GOING TO BE TAKING A MOf^E CRITICAL STAND ON COUNTDOWN IN THE FUTURE? I - Probably, because I haven't been as critical as perhaps I should have been. I've probably let myself down over the last two years, holding the position that I have. Not being critical when I personally felt something. Not expressing that view.

S - IS THERE PRESSURE ON YOU FROM COMPANIES, FANS OR FRIENDS? 1 - I refuse to have fanclubs and things like that. I'm not out to get fame. I want the show to be sucessful and get ratings. The only pressure with record companies is just trying to present a balanced show from their point of view.

A - IS THERE ANY REASON FOR THE MIMING OF COUNTDOWN? IN ADELAIDE FOR EXAMPLE THE LIVE COUNTDOWN CONCERT IN THE FESTIVAL PLAZA CAME OVER AS VERY OBVIOUS. I - To stage X amount of acts that way with starting tape, to do the Adelaide show on that basis would have taken about 3 days, which is just economically impossible. With miming, as far as Countdown is concerned our policy is that no-one can mime the lead vocals. What happens sometimes and we don't care now if it's JPY or Skyhooks, is that the manager phones up on the Saturday morning and says "Oh Shirley lost his voice somewhere last night". When that does happen we say you went to 500 people last night and we are going to 3 million viewers tonight. We don't want syncronization going out a foot to make it look as though you are miming when you already are miming. We prefer you to do the vocals live. Because of our show we can't possibly each week set up and recreate something which takes months in a studio to get. We would be doing a total disservice to whoever it was if

we asked them to do the entire thing, all the backings, etc, alive because we may find Skyhooks doing that and not sounding anything like the record because they may have spent months in the studio getting a particular sound, and go into a filmclip of EoL„0 where they're miming at the Montreal and it's just a mime performance and people are going to say Skyhooks sound shithousf, look at EoLoO, We can't possibly do that because we would be doing a total disservice to the Australian acts. We haven't got the facilities and no television station in the world has got the sound facilities to recreate that unless you make people aware, right from the very start, that it's a live concert performance and then you have to extend it so that there's one act doing at least 5 numbers and that's not what our shows about anyhow.

S - WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE OF COUNTDOWN AND YOUR OWN FUTURE? I - Tha future of Countdown is that as Ion" as music continues then Count­ down can continue. I will phase myself out of the show on a visual level this year. I may be still involved with production of it next year but I mean, the show can keep going. In my contract this year with the A.B.C I am allowed to do 3 specials. The first will be on heroin addiction which I'm starting production on next week. It'll take 5 or 6 weeks of filming. That'll be the first.

S - WHAT ABOUT THE OTHERS? I - The second one may be on the Bee Gees, I don't know. It will be a music thing. The third, I just don't know.

S - WHAT ABOUT YOUR ASPIRATIONS? YOU'VE GONE FROM WRITING TO RECORD PRODUCTION TO TV SHOWS, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU STILL WANT TO DO? I - I've been very lucky all the way

along the line. I get bored with things very easily. I want to go on and do certain things. Now the A.B.C. has been fantastic to me. I've been able to learn television - for what its worth. I was on television for six years before Countdown and I learnt nothing whatsoever about it apart from appearing in front of a camera.

With Countdown I've learnt about TV from every angle, the technical side, cameras, sound, everything. As a result of that I've gone back to school and done courses on filming etc.

I've always been someone who’s wanted to stay in the background, to do the things on a creative level. So that's what I'll go into next year.

There are two challenges for me at the moment. One of them is this heroin special which I really want to work.

I don't want it to be sensational. I want it to lay. the facts (slap) right down. The other is on a record production level where I've been asked (and I thought about it for 4 months before saying yes) to produce John Farnham. Because I think that John's voice is like a musical instrument. He's a great singer, so I'm going to be producing his next album.

M - WHAT MADE YOU SO INTERESTED IN THE DANGERS OF HEROIN AND DOING THE SPECIAL ON IT? I - What brought it about was the year before last, there was an old friend of mine, we'll call her by her first name Caroline. An affair which I'd been having for 5 years finally broke up. I shifted into a new house with Caroline who at that stage had had a sex change.

Caoline worked in a massage parlour because she couldn't be accepted anywhere else and to cope with that she became a heroin addict. In 1976 and '77 I spent most of my time trying to get her to quit her habit. It became a hopeless situation. It was the first time I ever really became aware of what smack was all about.

How it could destroy an entire character. Then I became involved with other people and groups, through Caroline, and it became a very import­ ant thing to me personally to try to stop what is not only breaking down the person themselves but also their creative thing. Its important to me to say it's a very real problem and it is very big in Australia. Parents and kids please be aware. The people who are already,addicted - I don't know

whatyou can do for them but at least you can maybe prevent the next generat­ ion from dabbling with it. That's what I'm hoping to do with the special. Make the parents, who can turn a blind eye, aware of what the symptoms are and be understanding towards the problem.

M - HOW DO YOU INTEND TO APPROACH IT? INTERVIEWS WITH ADDICTS? I - Yes. I've got full co-operation of the police and medical services in most states so far. I also have friends of mine who are total addicts who are will­ ing to tell their story of why they got onto it in the first place, what it's done to them and their friends, family and all that. Believe me we don't want to be sensational about it, its not designed to be like that, but I hope it has a great impact some way or another. That's my greatest challenge of all. Countdown will go on this year but the challenge will be to do this special.

S - I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE PISTOLS. I - There was an article in a magazine called PULP which is the true account of what happened on that night. I've never read a better account of what happened ever. Whoever the guy was, that was exactly the way it happened.

(ARTICLE MENTIONED IS BY ROSS STAPELTON AND IN ISSUE 3/4 OF PULP MAGAZINES - PURCHASING ENQUIRES TO ROADRUNNER ADDRESS -ED). Johnny and myself are good friends now, but that night was a pretty bad night.

S - YOU SAID THAT HOLLAND WAS ONE OF YOUR FAVOURITE ALBUMS. COULD WE GET YOU TO LIST THE OTHERS? I - Well Sergeant Peppers is obviously one. E.L.O's El Dorado is another. Bob Dylans albums collectively because I couldn't single out his best. Never Mind Continued on page 20

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May

Page 9

JAZZ

ROCK

Cluosar Keyboardist Gary Smith and drummer Trevor Tiplady from Brisbane bred, Melbourne based band Quasar spent a few days in Adelaide hawking around a cassette of Quasar music. As a result Quasar will be performing in Adelaide in early May at various campuses, the Tivoli Hotel and the Creole Room. Gary describes Quasar as 'fusion music'.

"The way that we advertise it is that it has elements of jazz, rock and classics. The element of rock is in some cases that we use a heavier beat, the element of jazz that we use mainly is the improvisation, this is varied with other more advanced rhythmic concepts and the element of classical is the composition employed in cont­ emporary classical composition and structures."

Trevor added, "we also use on top of all that, advanced rythmic concepts. I suppose in one sense they're not advan­ ced but we're using ideas that might have been used say in african rhythm or indian rythm in that sort of music. We don't use any of that instrumentation but we're getting away from your normal heavy drinking rock beat and the well known jazz feel - the swing feel used through be-bop and that sort of thing.

What is just as important to us as all of this is the feeling. We don't get up there and simply give a technical display, a mechanical thing. The feeling is there. The feeling and communication with the audience is very important to us."

The mere fact that Quasar are success^ fully holding down two residencies in Melbourne - Australia's rock and roll outpost, and have made four ventures into Sydney to work must be an indicat­ ion of the growing appeal of 'fusion music', that it's not just a musicians music by musicians and for musicians.

"Just because of the nature of the music there are several levels that you can listen to it on. One is from a technical point of view, andther is people who know absolutely nothing about music who get a feeling from it - it gets straight to them. The optimum way to appreciate music is the way that it has been done for hundreds of years with classical music is that you appreciate a certain amount of the technical side of it and you get a feeling from it as well" said Trevor.

Quasar are a four piece band (it used to be five, they are now sans trumpeter Colin Timms) with guitarist Len Hender­ son and Harry Tiplady on bass as well as Gary and Trevor. Quasar found it necessary to compromise while in Brisbane and play their own arrangments of rock standards to get work. Gary claims that Quasar weren't accepted in Brisbane with their original music by most people. "I think if we would have had more of an opportunity to play, and

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Page 10

the venues existed to play in then we would have been able to survive up there better than we did. We have moved to Melbourne permanently now because of geographical reasons - we're closer to Adelaide and closer to Sydney and closer to Perth which we wqnt to play at one of these days, also because the venues are there in Melbourne for us to perform in regularly. I think a lot of the blame in Brisbane is to be put on people who are in power as such, the university up there does not work as well as any of the uni's down South.

They don't put on concerts like they do down here at all. They used to and it's just died."

Often its difficult for creative musicians to strike a balance between inventiveness and entertainment. With Quasar they claim the music is the entertainment, with'Trevor even vent­ uring that they would like to see their music coming under the heading of art.

"The way we try to get around the entertainment aspect" said Gary, "is by producing some more commercial sounding pieces, and still try to have our original approach and so far its succeeded. By more commercial we give the audience more of a nice commercial melodic form to follow in more of a straight beat, something they can tap their feet to. We use this as a bridge to get into the more advanced stuff, because some of the stuff is really far out."

The main objectives of Quasar are musical exploration according to Trevor.

"We want to explore new sounds in elec­ tronics, we want to explore new ideas as far as composition goes, as far as rythmic ideas. We're interested in push­ ing the horizons of music. We don't want to do something that has been done before - if we know its been done before. We're trying to create new things, new sounds. We're quite nation­ alistic, we feel that Australia has a lot to offer, it really is beginning to show up in different areas and even rock and roll. Australia is starting to see itself and be itself without wanting to mimic and copy America and Europe and England. This is it, we feel that we've got something original to offer."

If there's an ulterior motive behind Quasar's seemingly innocent proposition of a weeks work in Adelaide, its to gain a following to use as evidence to throw at a record company to persuade them that putting out a Quasar album wouldn't be such a ridiculous notion.

"Obviouslythe money oriented companies aren't interested in us because w e ’re not going to sell a million singles, but one of the reasons we're touring is that we're pushing ahead with getting more people to listen to the music, and that's hopefully to convince a record company that we've got a certain amount of sales for an album," concluded Trevor.

[?0 C K

Cut One of my favourite memories of Clean Cut is of seeing them at the Norwood Town Hall "Rock 'n' Roll Christmas Party", with the then very Young Modern. Although they started slowly, they hit the 'GO' button mid­ way through the second bracket, when they played "Less Than Zero", shortly followed by Graham Parker's "Back to Schooldays," But the highlight of an excellent night came at about 12.55 when Clean Cut gave the enthusiastic punters a second encore, and eased into the classic intro to "Eagle Rock", Since then, the band has undergone line up changes, and the new, revamped and remodelled Clean Cut are currently packing 'em in at the Lord Melbourne on Saturday nights, with their largely non - original repertoire of eminently danceable tunes.

To find out more about the band and the new line up, I visited the Gilberton home of rhythm guitarist Michael Teakle and manager Kristy Kennedy last Tuesday.

This was the band's practise night.

Guitarist Kelvin Fleming and singer Richard Holmes were absent, so I spoke to Mike, Kristy* assist Geoff Miller and Tony "Sticks" Thornton, the drummer.

How long have Clean Cut been together, I asked Mike.

"The first lineup lasted until the end of last year. It was together from about May, when we played our first gig";’ , . what was the reasoh for the split in the band at the end of last year?

"The bass player wanted to be a teacher. We needed a drummer who could tour. Our drummer couldn't 'cos he was an apprentice. John (percussionist and back-up singer) just wasn't fitting in."

Clean..Cut are an unashamed dance band, a "good times band," as Tony describes them. Their forty song repertoire ranges from a fine version of the Dingoes' "Waitin' for the tide to turn" through the Stones' "Route 66" (seemingly obligatory for a pub rock band) to a short strong slug of Graham Parker and Elvis Costello songs. I asked who was responsible for selecting the material, "Micheal does, we all get a say," Tony replied. "Kristy suggested 'tower of strength', one of our biggies" added Micheal.

The band have dropped a lot of their old songs, and with the new line up, they seem rather tighter. Singer Richard Holmes is the focal point, with his strange between-songs raves and a voice that is suited to rhythm and blues, although it lacks some cigarette- and- whisky- induced roughness.

Clean Cut had a residency at the Cremorne last year and have also played

Lone Star venues as support, and even headlining in the early days. They've been at the Lord Melbourne for six weeks since they from a West Coast tour, their "ill-fated drive around the country", as Tony described it.

In Whyalla, their only outdoor venue,it rained and when the band play­ ed the night spots of Tumby Bay, a mixup in publicity meant that they had to play to about fifteen people. To cap it off, they came very close to being busted.

Geoff said, "The cops came in because there was a supposed fire, but there wasn't one" "Yes there was , there was smoke billowing ever3Where" Kristy put in, "There was a lot of smoke coming out of the back room, believe me said Tony. This resulted in the band being asked to "Get out of town by sundown" by the local constabulary.

Mike does not see much scope for bands in Adelaide at the moment, altho­

ugh he agrees that the English pub rock boom and the return to rhythm and blues by bands such as Jo Jo Zep and the Sports has made it easier for bands of their type.

The band has plans to travel inters­ tate, to Melbourne, but would first like to increase their original repertoire. Michael and Richard are both doing some writing, influenced by artists such as Graham Parker. Because of the problems of arranging work int­ erstate, and because Geoff is a teacher, trips will be limited to one or two weeks, during school vacations.

Meanwhile, the band are playing the Lord Melbourne on Saturdays - probably indefinitely (plus the Tivoli at least once a week -ED). Despite the Lord Melbournes limitations (it needs a wall knocked out), the band are well worth catching if you delight in the simple pleasures of rock 'n' roll.

Stephen Rogerson,

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May

Page 11

TRUE

CON F E S S I O N S

Bob’n I..

Despite the decidedly low key publicity build up, Bob Dylan's Adelaide concert must have been one of the most eagarly anticipated music events of the year. When you think about it Dylan doesn't need the PR machine to crank out its potted biogs and pretty pictures. Promoter Trevor Hunt put it succinctly when he said "You don't need to publicise the second coming."

I must confess it was with an almost juvenile sense of excitement that Stuart, Alex, Steve Hardacre, our intrepid driver and photographer, and myself sped out to the airport on the Friday before the concert.

We had been told that Dylan wasn't going to be talking with any members of the press while he was in Adelaide, but as there had been an interview done in Brisbane, in that morning's Advertiser we thought there might be hope. And anyway, we wanted to SEE him. As we were driving along small plots were hatching. How best to follow him to his hotel? How best to get to him once we knew t.here he was staying? What to SAY to him?

We arrived at the airport only to find that Dylan's flight from Sydney had been delayed 50 minutes, so along with all the other hopefuls (5AD, 5KA, The 'Tiser, The News, The Sunday Mail) we retired to the bar to lubricate our anticipation and pore over the report of the Brisbane concerts in the Nation Review.

Everyone got down to the observation area to see the plane land and taxi in.

Although the crowd was rather small (5AD hadn't been broadcasting the arrival time like they had done with the Beach Boys) everyone was excited.

Most in a sheepish, half embarassed so sort of way, like they considered themselves too old to feel the way they were about a rock star. But then Bob Dylan is no ordinary rock star.

As the passengers began to file out of the plane's belly everyone’s eyes were anxiously scanning the gangways. Band members and what looked like roadcrew were spotted and then... yea it was him!! Jauntily striding across the tarmac in an old beat up leather jacket, he looked small and pale and extremely Jewish.

The crowd made a dash for the TAA reception area when it became apparent that he wasn't going to use the mortal's entrance. The crowd milled around him, touching, talking and just plain goggle-eyed staring. "It's him," Steve kept saying,"It's HIM." Steve isn't one who normally goes in for gaga adulation, but it's a powerful feeling coming face to face with the flesh and blood of a legend.

Dylan climbed aboard the bus with the rest of the entourage and drew

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May

Page 12

the curtain across his window to thwart the eager photographers. Plan A was for us to follow him to his hotel and see whether we could get a word with him as he got off the bus - maybe even get asked up to his room for a world scoop full blown interview...

Possessed by these fantasies we jumped into Steve's VW and darted off to wait in ambush for the bus. As it came along we eased in behind it and the tailing began. "Just like watching the detectives" quoth I. "Pure Matlock Police and Raymond Chandler and every B-thriller you ever seen.

The bus headed along West Beach Rd. towards the city with its destinat­ ion the subject of hot debate in the following VW. The Park Royal? Hmmm, Blondie stayed there; the Town House?

The Stones dossed down there in '73; Hotel Australia? That's the one Norman Gunston uses!

We reached West Terrace and the bus turned left. "That lets out the Park Royal then." The bus turned into Hindley St. "l bet it's the Town House" I said. The bus reached the Town House and indicated that it was stopping;

"Quick!" I yelled. "Let's go!" I handed Steve his camera and we erupted from the car and started sprinting along the pavement towards the front of the Town House. But something wasn't quite right. The bloody bus was turning the corner into Morphett St. " O h shit" I exclaimed, "it's the Hotel Australia".

The three of us, Steve,Stuart and myself made a lightening about turn and started racing back to the car, much to the consternation of the passer's by whom had seen us emerge from the car in a running crouch a mere ten seconds earlier.

The W raced up Morphett St. but the bus had too much of a head start and by the time we arrived, hot and breathless at the Hotel Australia the last of the roadcrew was filing off the bus and the Zim was safely tucked away in his room. We went into the foyer and met a guy who was stand­ ing there with a still wet Polaroid in his hand. "Is that him?" I asked.

"Yeah, but one of the security guards put his hand in front of the camera".

He showed us the print. A large white hand loomed out of a dark background.

We proffered our comiserations.

TRUE

Despite missing Bob, we didn't have to wait long for something to happen.

Although there were a lot of Stateside accents floating around the hotel lobby I noticed one small, dark, slim guy being addressed as Rob, and having seen the 'Hard Rain' TV special I put two and two together...

"Excuse me, are you Rob Stoner?"

"Yeah, Hi" I introduced myself and the rest of the Roadrunner Special Operations Unit.

I got the feeling he was really interes­ ted in meeting some of the natives for a change. We talked about Adelaide and Queensland where the tour had just come from and Australia and a whole host of thingSo..

"How'sthe tour been going?"

"Great," he told us. "We've been to Japan already. We were told that the Japanese were really quiet audiences but the ones we had were absolutely crazy - just like American audiences in fact. And in Brisbane it was incredible. I guess you've heard about the second encore? (We nod) Well, I tell you. Bob never does a second encore. Never in his whole career.

The first show in Brisbane we did our

CON F E S S I O N S

set, came back for one encore, the lights went up and the taped music went out but the crowd just refused to leave! We were in the dressing room already changed into our street clothes you know, and we're 50 yards away from the crowd and the walls are just going like this ( indicates moving walls ) and the manager of the theatre is getting worried, in case the crowd decides to tear the place apart. So Bob decided that he'd go back on stage and try to calm the crowd down.

Well they went even wilder when they saw him so we all had to go back on and we did a second encore, 'Knocking On Heaven's Door'" "Tell us about the bando Is there any particular reason for Bob getting a whole new band together for this tour?"

"Well, Bob is a great believer in never staying in the same place too long. Bob and I started auditioning people for the band in LoA<> last December but the line up wasn't completely finalised until two weeks before the tour was due to begin.

It's kinda interesting because we're still getting to know each other.

We're getting tighter all the time."

"If you only had two weeks between finalising the-line up and the start of the tour, you can't be doing much new material."

"We are doing no new material because Bob doesn't want it bootlegged before it's been recorded. What we're doing is rehearsing new material in the sound checks."

"For a new album?"

"Yeah we'll be going straight into the studio when we get back to the , States."

"Will the album be with this band or is the band just together for this tour?"

"No the new album will feature this band. I ’think its going to be together for quite a while. You see Bob has never really had a band of his own and he 's really digging it."

"What about Steve Soles and David Mansfield from the Alpha Band; are they going to stay with the band?"

"They are going to be on the album but if they want to go back to the Alpha band after that then that's O.K, We'll be able to get people in to replace them."

"Getting back to the stuff you are going to be playing in the concert.

If there is no new material are there any new arrangements of the songs?"

"About half the songs have completely new arrangements, some have been rearranged slightly and some are the same as the originals."

"Who worked out the new arrangements?

"Bob and I had some of the initial ideas but as new people came into the band they added their own ideas on

how the songs should sound. So what we have now are arrangements that everyone has had a say in. It's worked really well."

"How much new material has Bob written for the new album?"

"Quite a bit. He's got a piano in his hotel room and he's working on songs all the time."

"Is there any chance of getting to see Bob?" "I'm sorry, I can't help you there."

"Well, thanks anyway."

Rob went off to Modern Love Songs to see if he could pick up any of the bootlegs that Dylan hasn't got in his own collection ( apparently it's easier to get some of them in this country than it is in the UoS.) We hung around the hotel for the rest rest of tne afternoon but nothing very exciting happened .

■

■

■

The Dylan West Lakes concert must have been one of the best, most exciting concerts I have ever seen. There's not a great deal of relevance in writing a review of a concert that occurred over six weeks ago - you can't go and see the guy next week just 'cos you've read that he's good. But the Dylan concert was such a memorable event for so many people that it should not pass without comment.

Dylan showed at WestLakes that he is going to be around for quite a few years yet.

His new band seemed to be growing into a tight outfit and there are enough musical sparks generated to keep the excitement level high.

The new arrangements were almost without exception excellent, Dylan was soooo relaxed, showing no strain from his personal troubles of the last year. In fact the tour was probably the be best form of therapy that he could have undertaken.

New band, new countries, new people ( including a Maori princess according to the Sunday Mail- maybe that's why he wouldn't talk to us) all tailor made to get those old creative juices flowing.

If one remembers that 'Blood On The Tracks' was produced after Sara left him once before then what is this forthcoming album going to be like? I'll put my money on it being pure dynamite.

Donald Robertson,

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May

Page 13

LI VE

VI BES

Corean Jazz Jazz Master Chick Corea and a thirteen piece band which features the vivacious pianists wife Gayle Moran as vocalist / keyboardist will perform at the Adelaide Festival Theatre on Friday May the12th.

Chick Corea's musical history conveniently seems to divide itself into three sections.

1) When he replaced Herbie Hancock in Miles Davis' band and went on

to record the legendary "jazz rock" album Bitches Brew as a part of Davis' band 2) His ventures with the jazz rock outfit Return to Forever, named after his initial effort in this compositional genre. Return to Forever has featured the likes of Flora Purim; Airto Moreira; Lenny White; A1 DiMeola and Stanley Clarke.

3) His solo ventures which have most recently heralded the two delight­ ful "concept albums" 'The Leprechaun and his latest release, 'The Mad Hatter' - the latter swinging backk to a more traditional jazz feel with a predominate use of acoustic piano.

In a Downbeat interview in late 1976 Chick commented that "Composing is very exciting. It is probably the one time in music, aside from performing as a soloist, when you get to experience your own world thoroughly." Since 1973 Chick has been regularly voted as top electric pianist and / or composer by the readers of Downbeat (the magazine many regard as a musical bible), and has collected three Grammy awards one for group jazz performance in 1973 with 'Return to forever', and in 1976 for performance and instr­ umental arrangement for 'The Le Leprechaun' L.P. The magazine to which Chick contributes a regular column - 'Contemporary Keyboard' voted him top electric pianist of 1978.

In the same Downbeat article Chick concluded, "I don't worry

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May

Page 14

about putting myself within a stylised tradition, such as latin classical or rock, and thereby losin my individuality. I see myself as a creator - a composer, amusician, a performer. I am many people. When I am a musician and a composer I have the very simple intention of flowing something out to people.

There are a myriad of ways of doing that. There are so many ways of communicating, and there are so many cultures and forms of commun­ ication, that I find it very limiting to stick to only one. I prefer to inflow what I naturally like, such as latin or rock or classical, and then to outflow what I naturally like."

A thoroughly versatile player, at his creative best either on an array of electronic keyboards and synthes­ iser or stark acoustic piano, Corea has encompassed both of these extremes in his playing - with the avant garde combo Circle which also featured bassist Miroslav Vitous andreedsman Anthony Braxton and during roughly the same period tow piano improvisation albums were recorded in a "live" sense

in that Corea sat at a studio piano, created a melody line and improvised around it. The results are two spontaneous and exquisitely strucured albums.

Chick Corea is a prominent Scient­ ologist and the trite nature of the few lyrics he employs in his music (not written by him) is attributed to the influence of the Scientological doctrine. The A.R.C. album released

by Circle devotes the complete album cover to explaining one of the major ideas of Scientology.

Most recently Corea has undertaken a lightning tour of Europe as part of an acoustic piano duo with Herbie Hancock. Anyone who has a vague interest in jazz or rock is urged to catch this concert in which Corea will be featured onstage for three hours. Full marks to Australian Concert Entertainment for touring artists of the calibre of Chick Corea (and Ry Cooder and Leo Kottke).

Jillian Burt

LI VE

VI BES

Chicken Skin on Ry?

"The thing that distinguishes Ry Cooder from other men carrying guitars is genius; in these days of diminishing awe, not a word I wish to use lightly", wrote Rob Smyth upon the release of 'Paradise and Lunch', Cooders fourth album, and possibly the culmination of his attempts at assimilating traditional American folk sources with the electri­ city of contemporary rock music. Cooders first Australian tour is imminant, as it was 2 years ago before being postponed so that 'Chicken Skin Music' could be completed. In the hope that he'll get here this time, a look at what he's done is far from unwarranted.

Biographical trivia first. Ryland Cooder was born March 15, 1947 in Los Angeles. He began guitar aged 3, whilst learning from Reverend Gary Davis during his early teens and dueting with Jackie de Shannon at 16. He learnt bottleneck guitar and joined the Rising Suns, a band headed by Taj Mahal, before moving to play slide guitar on Captain Beefhearts first two albums. About then it became time for a solo outing.

Cooders first album is the one with the 1937 Airstream trailer adorning the cover. Van Dyke Parks, freash from his

first album. Song Cycle, and the earlier abortive collaboration with Brian Wilson which should have yeilded Smile, was producer. Parks also played piano. The material was mainly culled from Depres­ sion period songwriters. Blind Alfred Reeds 'How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live?', Sleepy John Estes 'goin' To Brownsville', Leadbelly's 'Pig Meat', Blind Blakes 'Police Dog Blues', Guthries 'Do Re Mi' along with Randy Newmans 'Old Kentucky Home' and Cooders 'Available Space'.

Cooders treatment of the contemporary songs was such that their style was indistinguishable from the early mater­ ial. 'Old Kentucky Home' sounded, as it should, forty years younger than it was. Cooders fascination with the America of the 30's was explained by Jon Landu: "He is no archivist preserving dying traditions for the sake of history - nor does he simply sing songs from and about the past. Like the Band on the Band, at his best he becomes the past. When he sings about the Depression he sounds like one of its survivors. By embodying traditions with such grace, he becomes one with them and they then speak as much through

him as he speaks through them." In his recordings Cooder has taken songs by such diverse contemporary writers as Bobby Womack, Burt Bacharach, Johnny Cash, and Newman and fitted them effectively with his renditions of old blues classics.

His second solo album was titled 'Into The Purple Valley' and on the cover he is dressed in a pin stripped suit, complete with felt hat, sitting in a yellow 1939 Buick convertible in a pose that drew one reviwer to compare the album with the movie Chinatown, A highlight from the album is 'F.D.R In Trinidad' which has been described as ' a hilarious morsel of of calypso pre-reggae nonsense which is about Roosevelts visit to the Land Of The Hummingbird in 1943.' These were songs written by people in distress as met the disastors of the time. The songs operated as vehicles which carried the news of the day, commented on it and were then discarded - take a listen to 'Taxes on the Farmer Feed Us All.* 'Boomers Story', his third album, was released in 1972 to this assessment from Rolling Stone: "Boomers Story has not the diversity or activity of the first album, but it has the authority of the second and a bit more adventure, Ry's cracked voice is more studied than before; he has turned his liabilities into assets. But the overall tone is casual, homemade, right down to the stark, monochromatic cover," Cooder dug out Sleepy John Estes to sing one song on the album, an album which featured his finest playing, 'Dark End of the Street'.

'Paradise and Lunch' came out in 1974 and contains a memorable, more lively collection of songs than on any of his previous work, A preoccupation with matrimony and its disasterous effects was evident - 'Married Man's A Fool' and 'Mexican Divorce'. Next came 'Chicken Skin Music' which was augmented by a group of Hawain musicians . Of the song 'Always Lift Him Up', Cooder wrote; "..an old song by the West Virginian fiddler and songwriter 'Blind Alfred Reed, I did this tune in slack - key style, and the instrumental section is an old Hawain gospel song,'Kanaka Wai Wai' that I learnt from Gabby and Atta, Many traditional Hawain melodies have a gospel quality that puts me in the same frame of mind as Alfred ^^eds lyr­ ics - sort of solemn but optimistic."

After that came 'Showtime', an album that gives an indication of what Cooders like in concert. He's a man who, in thes» times of technical showmansip, still follows a philosophy of - never play a note when none will do - that goes a long way to explaining his genius.

Check 'im out when he passes through town - a Countdown discoveryl111i Stuart Coupe,

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ss

WILD IN In 1973 I first played outside Paddy's market in Sydney. In my mind this has always been the place where you can see the real Sydney. The Chinese give the area a certain feeling that you don't get at the Opera House.

The prime pitch at Paddy's Market was held by Wally Mudd and Jeff in the wheelchair, whose polystyrene coffee cup would have anything up to $50 thrown into it on a good day.

Wally Mudd is the original, most well known busker around Sydney. He still does a bit of busking now, but he finally went on the dole a couple of years ago, when he got tired of being constantly hassled by every cop with nothing better to do.

In those days I used to make $5 a day at Paddy's. In 73/74 I used to survive by hook or by crook. I never though of busking anjrwhere but Paddy's.

I remember at Chrismas 74 I made $15 there, the most I had ever made in one day.

Wally Mudd told me one day about how he had been busking outside the Hordern Pavilion so he could get into the Muddy Waters concert. He had stopped when someone had given him a ticket. The seed of an idea was planted and over the next couple of years I became known as the guy who played outside the Hordern .

There were a few good nights outside the Capitol but I have never done well outside the Opera House. In Melbourne, Dallas Brookes Hall is an alright venue. Festival Hall is dreadful ( though the first night I played there - Don Mclean was insideI made $25ÂŤ) Nowadays the Palais in St. Kilda is being used. I prefer it to the other Melbourne venues.

75 was spent mostly chasing tours between Melbourne and Sydney. I'd like a dollar for every time I've been up and down the Hume Highway.

I used to sing a lot of Bob Dylan songs. They are the best for shouting.

I did some Beatles and Chuck Berry too.

Then in mid 75 I saw Jamie Griffin in concert for the first time. He was singing his own songs, like *'20th Century Blues","Bourgeois Shake" and the hitching song "17^ miles in 3 days". I learnt these songs and they became features of my busking and concert repertoires. Up until then my own songs were all very personal and overserious, making them very alien to the vibe I generated while busking.

In 76 I came to Adelaide for the Festival of Arts, and decided it was a better place for getting music together than Melbourne or Sydney where everything is so vast that no one knows anyone else very well.

My first day in Adelaide I got chased

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out of the Central Market by the nuggetty little man in uniform there.

In April 76 I did a lot of busking in the Mall before I was discovered by the council man who patrols there.

The Mall I discovered is an excellent venue.

I was into the idea of defeating the council bylaw prohibiting singing or playing a musical instrument in a public place, but I never was a one for getting organized and besides, I was always shooting off interstate for concert tours.

On the bike ride against uranium from Melbourne to Canberra in May 76, I met Mark Shelling. He joined me in the street music business and we became the first incarnation of the Streetchoir. Later in Sydney Sue joined us. We came back to Adelaide and the conflict with the Adelaide City Council continued. We were on the front cover of the Advertiser in July and it would have been a good time to force the issue, but at the time I was feeling very vulnerable, so we pissed off to Perth for a month. By the time we got back the public had forgotten it all. I knew we would overcome the problem-sooner or later, but we needed organization, I got sucked into the Eastern States for a while but ended up back in Adelaide for the National Folk Festival over Easter. There I met Blind Eddie Amen. He was singing songs like "She affects me like a flagon of wine", "You're 19 and they look at you as if you're obscene", "Australia" and "Beer is for mugs". If Jamie Griffin gave my songwriting a push. Blind Eddie's songs turned my concepts totally inside out.

Formerly I had known about 'nice' songs (Eagles, CSNY, etc.) and 'protest'

songs which are 'about' something, some worker's struggle or injustice somewhere Unfortunately these songs are mostly about something in history. Blind Eddie can lay a strong idea on you without the catchphrase archetype traditional folk bullshit dead boring farty protest style.

His songs are brand new, the same as traditional songs were when they meant something. He is influenced by Woody Guthrie among others. On his death bed. Woody told the young Bob Dylan: "Borrow whatever you like and don't apoligize".

"With God on our side" is a rewrite of "The Patriot Game". "Hard Rain" is has a borrowed lyric structure as has "Bob Dylan's Dream" and several others.

Blind Eddie has turned "This land is your land" into "This land is their land" about the destruction of the Aboriginal race.

UES

E STREETS ? to a diminishing degree.

Came the 78 Adelaide Festival of Arts and the council decided it would issue permits for busking during the festival. The night before the official Chris Aronsten got busted in the mall.

At first I was peeved that he beat me to it, but I had my chance and had chickened out.

I got myself a permit for the festival. The designated area they gave me for busking was Central Market, which is shithouse compared to the mall. There is no room for anyone to stop and listen, and Friday and Satur­ day are the only times it is even happening, forget about Tuesday there.

I lost a week of the Festival time waiting for my re-application to come thru. This time they gave me Gawler Place, which was fine except that it was a bit close to that coin sculpture with an array of people talking thru that P.A. coaxing coins out of passers by. Every time they referred to the man who designed it they would call

There is so much shit going down nowadays that all we can do is get drunk and listen to white man's reggae or cowboy fantasies on thousand dollar stereos at trendy parties. It's about time we started making more of our own music. I used to busk for a living, now I busk for a purpose. A couple of years ago I would thrash away at "All along the watchtower" and songs like that. The main consideration was volume. If you sing loud for two hours you'll make money, even if no-one hears what you sing. Now I get more fussy. If it's one of those days when no-one wants to srop. I'll just chuck it in. I can use the energy more effectively writing. Singing when noone is listening is exhausting.

Through 77 I played Blind Eddie songs and my own increasing repetoire from Perth to northern N.S.W. Other songs still feature in my repetoire, but

him "Adelaide sculpture Joe Bloggs". I had to continually point out to each new harrasser that the sculpture was the art work and the sculptor was the artist. One morning when there wasn't much other noise on the mall the clarity of this amplified begging got too much for me so I moved down the mall near the silver balls. A cop checked my permit and took it off me because I was there instead of there.

Another two days of festival lost, he ended up giving it back to me in time for the end of the Festival.

Immediately after the festival I did a quick trip to Perth. There was a folk festival as well as two Bob Dylan shows at the Entertainment Centre. At the folk festival I was faced with lots of audiences who had never heard anything like Blind Eddie's or my songs. It was excellent. I can not say the same about Bob Dylan's audience either here in Adelaide or in Perth. I went down like a stale turd.

I never have gone well with large fast moving crowds, they're next to impossible to control. I did well after the first Perth concert when I was feeling particularly energised and held an audience for an hour after the concert.

I got back to Adelaide in time for Chris Aronsten's busking protest on April 8. We didn't get hassled that morning. The mayor said later "They got away with it on Saturday but they won't get away with it again". He was wrong.

There has been someone busking on the mall every day since then. On Tuesday April 11 we were continuing our busk - in before an audience of 100-200 people when the smell of bacon began to pervade the atmosphere.

A dozen or so local and state law enforcement officers began to muster down the mall As they closed in on us, the crowd closed in on them. Adrenilin was pumping through my body as two years of frustration became unleashed.

We kept playing as they took our names (I've lost count of the number of times they've taken it over two years) and threatened us with arrest if we did not move along. We asked them what charge they were going to put on us, and there seemed some confusion between the local and state boys over the matter. In the end they mentioned the council by law against singing, which was what I was waiting for. I jumped up on a flower box and yelled "Ladies and gentlemen the charge is SINGING", "Boo, hiss, heckle" went the crowd.

Shrink shrink went the lads.

They could not drag us off with­ out violating the sense of justice of the crowd which had swelled to about 300. By standing firm and exposing ourselves, which the cops were not prepared to do, we defeated them.

They were fucked. They drifted off one by one back to their pissy exist­ ence patrolling, chalking tyres, and whatever else they do.

So much for the Lord Mayor and his huff and puff. Someone told me he is a good man. I've never met him, so I don't know, but he has given the street music question nothing but opposition. Likewise the Town Clerk, whose attitude is that buskers are required during the festival every two years when Adelaide is designated to be 'festive' for the tourists, A real two dimensional man by the sound of it. He has been heard to utter that if Adelaide is to festive the rest of the time, then the festival will loose it's meaning.

People have asked me about applying for permits. I have been applying to the Premier, the Attorney General, the police and the council. All I've got to show for two years of bowing and scraping is a letter from the town clerk stating "We do not issue permits on a permanent basis". I say **** permits, and the town clerk. We have taken over our own situation now. Let the bureaucrats do the bullshitting, we just want to sing.

Dennis Aubrey

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Bruce Sandell is a skillful sax ophonist, lyrical and flexible, creating everything from lecherous blues deb­ auchery to the purest crystalline jazz based sounds. Bruce has most recently been with Powerhouse and part of Renee Geyer's brass section. James Black was playing country music before Rum Jungle and John James was involved in rock *n' roll. Rod Cornish (the young replacement for Ian McDonald who was lured away by Stars) is a relative newcomer to the bass.

At their outset Rum Jungle performed a reasonable proportion of subdued jazz numbers and still use them to launch a long evenings worth of playing but the balance of the band is drifting towards more uptempo material. "We*ve been playing in pubs so much that most pub audiences demand something to dance to and they like a certain amount of energy from a band. So the band if any­ thing has become more energetic," commented John James. "What I think we'd like to do is play original material all of the time but that's just sort of coming slowly. Everyone in the band is keen on rythm and blues or anything that moves a bit and feels good."

Although only formed in mid 1977 Rum Jungle are making a living out of playing music which is indeed a rare occurence in Adelaide. James Black says "l don't know of any other band that

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plays in pubs and rock music in Adelaide that can live off of just that, none of us are even on the dole and we manage to survive, somehowl When we had a two week break and changed bass players 800 people came to see us when we came back and that was just at the Box Factory and a private show so the band definitely does have a big following in Adelaide." John James added "I think the reason that the band has picked up a following is because we're half way between a rock 'n' roll band and a jazz band, and that's a big gap to fill up."

Business as usual for Rum Jungle has included various fragments of Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons, the Sports and Richard Clapton Band almost literally falling offstage at the Marryatville Hotel, hailing a passing cab and scrambling onstage at the Lofd Melbourne Hotel to play with Rum Jungle. It's no secret that Rum Jungle have attracted larger crowds on the Lone Star Circuit than at least one 'name' interstate band, and their audiences are invariably peppered with Adelaide musical identities.

Two attempts Rum Jungle have made to visit Melbourne have been thwarted, the first week was a matter of economics.

"It looke like there wasn't a particul­ arly good weeks work there and we'd be going there for a loss so rather than just pander to going to Melbourne the first chance we got -- we just waited." said John James. "Then the second time

it just fell through. There were too many bands in Melbourne at the time and they just couldn't fit us in. There's been an interest shown in us by Melb­ ourne and so that's still our basic aim - to try and get over there, a lot of people say we'd do well in Sydney too." The Melbourne trip is re­ scheduled for mid - May - DEFINITELY!: Surely Rum Jungle must be close to achieving all they can in Adelaide.

"That was a few weeks ago" qyipped Jam James Black. John James added "...the band can still try to play well but the point is that after a while you begin to ask yourself 'what can you do beyond residencies?', and really the thing is just to try and work interstate so we can try and achieve the type of follow­ ing we have here. Another reason the band wants to go to Melbourne is that we'd be playing with strong competition for want of a better word. The band needs a few occasions to rise to because pub gigs, while they're enjoyable because they're happy go lucky like the band, which is probably why we're popul­ ar - we'd like to pull off more of a concert type gig now and again, just to keep us on our toes."

"The band isn't into being slick and commercial" concluded James Black. "We are anti - stars. We don't want to be stars, we just want to be happy."

N.B James Black also wants to be rich.

Jillian Burt.

-(

SNIPPETS

)—

life news Hi, this is Steve Whitham, your friend­ ly local 9-12 DoJ on 5KA and part-time compere of Seven's "Music Express", with our "Little Snippets" column. May­ be you have some bits of scandal or anything of interest really to the rock and roll world that could go in this column.... Please feel free to drop me a line, or give me a buzz at 5KA. Thanks11 Bruce Springsteen's new LoP is still in the can. It's been three years since "Born To Run" hit the shops and since then, Bruce has been going through a whole lot of legal recording hassles with his ex-manager. According to some reliable sources, the new album (his fourth) has had over half a million dollars in production costs alone spent on it................. .

Paul Simon has changed recording companies from CoB.S to W.EoA. after a long association for a reported deal of 4 million dollars. Apparently he contacted all his old stablemates, such as Art Garfunkel and a few other big names, to appear on his last CoB.S album just to spite the company, but it seems as though they all gave him the big thumbs down - must have put his little nose out of joint just a little............... ...............

What a buzz to see the Hooks coming back in such a big way with their new L.P. "Guilty Until Proven Insane".

First week in the KA Charts at number 3, and selling like the old proverbial 'Hot Cakes'........ .................

The three remaining members of the Doors, Ray Manzarek, Robbie Krieger a and John Densmore, are getting together to record and release some previously unreleased material written by Jim Morrison just before his death in 1971.

Most of it takes a poetry form for which they plan to write music specially..... ...................... .

Does rock and roll cause brain damage?

Bram Tchaikovsky, the Motor's guitarist, was rushed to hospital from the studios last week after developing a sudden pain in his head.

It turned out it was only a ruptured eardrum... The man in the white coat said it was the loud music that caused the damage I . . ............ ...... ...............

The T.M.G. clip of'Lazy eyes' is certain­ ly a little different to say the leastshot on Smokey Dawson's farm, it has the flavour of Rod Stewart's 'Hot Legs' clip. One of the guys is wearing a terrifying looking mask, which he pinched from the 5KA record library.

If you were at the T.M.G. / Sherbet concert last year, you may remember David Day dancing on stage wearing it.

Ringo Starr is to star (if you'll pardon the expression) in his own sixty minute T.V. show to be screened later this month in America. He desribes the special (which took two years to make) as a musical play based on Mark Twain's "The Prince and the Pauper". Starr will sing eight tunes, three from his upcoming "Bad Boy" L.P., which is also due this month,

Ian Molly MeIdrum doesn't seem to be too popular with the overseas acts at the moment - He gave the Beach Boys a hard time recently, also tangled with Boz Scaggs and most recently, Billy Joel didn't look to impressed with the interview that Molly conducted with him - did you note the sideway glances'..... ............

A double Marc Bolan album featuring a previously unreleased fourteen minute suite, has been released in the old country - wonder if it'll make it here? The L.P. is called "The words and music of Marc Bolan 1947 1977"....... .................... .

Contrary to rumours being spread around the town. Kiss will not be touring Australia this year. They have even stopped touring the states at the moment to concentrate on recording.

Tours coming up include Dr. Hook, Leo Sayer, Cliff Richard and Peter Gabriel (ex Genesis) and a little later maybe, the Sweet, Status Quo, Bee Gees and (maybe) David Bowie............... .

Shirley Strachan has been driving fork­ lift trucks for the A.B.C in Melbourne for a couple of weeks, earning a bit of bread on the side. Not for the first time.

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ROADRUNNER

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Page 19

N T E R VI E W

The Bollocks because it is a refreshing rock *n' roll album despite the hype surrounding it. Phil Spector had an immense influence on my life so I would have to say the Phil Spector sound, what ever album it may be, had an immense influence, Steeleye Dan's Pretzel Logic would probably be one, from a producers point of view they can do nothing wrong.

I'd like to say the Eagles to some point because they were an American sound with a country feel. I was never into country, but they had a relation to the California country sound which they were able to relate to me so that incl­ udes the Andrew Gold's and Linda Ronsdats but the Eagles were the showcase of what that sound was about. David Bowie, Lou Reed and the Stooges. If I wanted to say well there's my favourite sound on that side I'd have to include David's earlier albums, Lou Reed's New York albums and the Iggy Pop Chicago Albums, Collectively they represent a sound that had an immense influence. There a are tracks I don't like as well as the ones I do but they influenced me a lot.

The Stones and Donovan, I always remember reading an article that said that Donovan was supposed to be Englands answer to Bob Dylan, I never agreed with that statement ever, because Doovan had a great influence on THE REAL THING, because the production ideas on the Real Thing were my favourite sounds of that time. So I thought it right with this song which was a very bland, simple song, I can put all these ideas into produce a thing, and Russell, I don't knock Russell for putting it into interviews that it wasn't his song at all, I just used his voice as an instrument.- There was Donovan at the start of the thing, there was someone called Jacki Lomax in the middle with the sound that he and George Harrison used to get, then it went into a Beatles Indian type of sound in the middle, then pure rock and roll Faces sound at the end. The explosion was my madness, I started listening to the lyrics , then I thought, what's the real thing all about, then I thought, well Hitler says this and Churchill says that. Through history people have said this, so I wanted to put all of those things in at the very end of the rave. So you he hear a soundtrack of Hitler and Churchill doing "we'll fight them on the beaches" etc, etc. Then I put this bomb in the end because at that stage there was an amazing threat of atomic war with a bomb that could finish the whole lot.

No matter what they thought they were, if one of them freaked out then bang, the whole planet would be finished.

With no one having a say in it - not you or me or anyone else. So that's why I did that. I always remember some uni students coming u d to me and saying.

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w

"man, what were you on". At that stage I was only on coffee. I'd never touched anything in my life at that stage, and I thought, what did they mean I was on. Back to the albums, David Bowie, Iggy Pop - not so much Iggy. Especially Lou Reed's Velvet

Underground and all that had a great influence and I thanked Lillian Roxon who was a rock writer at that stage for ontroducing me to Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground thing. There was an album that was never a hit. It came out about 1972, called Wings (which has nothing to do with ^aul McCartney) by a French composer and sponsored by Herb Alpert of all people and he actually plays on the album and it was the ultimate in production at that stage.

So it had a lot of influence and I can still listen to it. The first time I heard it I was knocked out with a joint and I couldn't believe the album, it's one of my favourites, S - HOW ABOUT AUSTRALIA ALBUMS? I - The Dingoes was a fantastic album.

Skyhooks Living in the 70's was a very complete album at that time. It made me want tb go out and see the band.

We were the biggest band molls under the sun. We'd be there every night. So that album really took me away. Little River Bands first album did the same to some extent because suddenly I realized that here was a group of musicians getting together, with an amazing potential. Daddy Cool had a fair influence on me and Spectrum. There was very little that happened in the '60's in Australia that excited me because I was a Beatles fanatic, A Beatles, Rollng Stones, Who fanatic, but more Beatles than anything else. The Twilights who as a group I knew as friends, were really just emulating those sort of people. We were all friends and all very young and we all got into the albums together. So that the influences of what we were trying to do were just a carbon copy of what was being done ove­ rseas, especially the English side of things. Another album that had a lot of influence on me was the soundtrack from the film Clockwork Orange. Also the soundtrack from Oh Lucky Man, where I saw how Allan Price and the direct­ or could put the music back in the recording studio and you could relate to things on a visual level and then relate to the the music without having to gloss it up. Those are my albums.

There are always challenges with film making and music. With Saturday Night Fever I didn't know what to expect, I thought it was going to be a disco type of thing. I must admit that seeing Travolta's performance in that film was amazing. Before I could never understand how he could be nominated in the same class as Richard Burton or Richard Dreyfuss, as far as the Academy awardshe's fantastic. But more so than that is that what the director and producer have done is, instead of the usual 60's west side story thing where the leading actor suddenly bursts into song, they use the Bee Gee's music to relate it to underlying problems........ .........

9 9 9 9 9 9

Resident?

"the Residents make original mean really. They have recorded four albums and several singles. They do not like to talk or have U ^ r photos [dents notes ) is the ResP, Babyfingers, ised. It will :t. The limes. They've not releas-

roll." The Belliles never recorded an album titled Meet The Residents. If they did they aren't telling. It is not available. Duck Stab contains 7 pieces - Laughing Song, Blue Rosebuds, Constantinople, The Booker Tease, Sinister Exaggerator, Bach is Dead,

solate themselves from their audience to assure that their works are a product of their own desires. When a recording is finished, it may not ever be released, or released in only a small number. That's why their music and records are so uniquely interesting. That's also why

>re

the Residents.

The Residjuny^m^^a nal^amat^n of and the fring Band. That's silly, sound like the Residents.

The Beatles tried to sound like the Residents but failed. The Residents sound like the Beatles trying to sound like the Residents. The Residents do existo Duck Stab contains just over 16 minutes. If music is "The art of expressing or stirring emotiSns by melodious or harmonious combinations of sounds", then the Residents probably perform mu^i^§ri|f the Residents are musical so were the Beatles. The Res­ idents have recorded h albums, Meet the Residents, Not Available (which is not released), Fingerprince, and Third Reich 'n Roll.- Of the later the Resident say;"The Third Reick N Roll was under­ taken as an intellectual concept of treating 60's top - 4 0 songs as though they were Avant Garde. The result is that this record has the rare to be familiar while never sounding like anyJijl^ing one has heard before. The music reeks with abandoned humour which makes one smile, but not necessarily

feel good, suggesting a delicate balance between a love of top - 40 pop, and a genuine hate of the culture which embraced it. Rarely do the Residents' versions cynically mock the originals, but rather reinforce the naively simplistic attitude which is the

and Elvis and His Boss, All were written by Residents. The Residents write great lyrics. If Dylan wrote Positively 4the Street he'd be hard pressed to better the Residents in Blue Rosebuds; "Your words are empty hollow bleatings/ Of a mental crut§^^.

They're open festered indigestion/ Vhiapf# a velvet touch, / An eather eating Eskimo/ Would gag upon your sight,/ Convulsed into oblivion/ From laughter or from fright./ A coma with a sweet aroma/ Is your only dream/ Malignant with miscoriception/ That a grunt can gleam./ Your lichen covered corpuscles/ Are filthy to my fist/ Infection is yo your finest flower;^?^illdewed in the mist." I refuse to write about The Residents music. If I did Howard Hughes might have me bumped off. Is Howard Hughes alive and well and a Resident?

Ask him if you can find him. He's never denied it. If Ronald Biggs joins with the Pistols does that mean he is no longer a member of the Residents?

Was he ever a Resident? Is this a The Residents say "The

you don't hear much about them and why this article is not written to send hordes of scrggi^J^gdlflfgdiflo stores demanding the latest Residents records.

The Residents' record buyer is more like a friend to the Residents. Two people will listen to a Residents record. One will say "That is crazy and makes no sense". The second will say "I have found a friend". And friends begat friends. Across the country, across the world, M^i^ery town, no matter how small, there is a person with art in their blood who is a friend of the Residents. And therefore a friend of thousands of listeners of uncommon sounds. It's pleasing to ^ffli^ow that you have a friend. Join the Lonely Residents Friendly Club. Who are the Residents? Have they toured H H I H K Australia? Are they planning to? Until they do listen to Duck Stab (or any of their other records). Duck Stab sounds great at 33rpm or 45rpm,Depends on how much time you've got, A new release.

Buy or die. Pure pop people.

Stuart Coupe

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r 45

YELLOW D O G Just One More Night Virgin K703L A three minute funny story about a woman who just stays and stays with this fellow.

She keeps saying that she'll be going soon, But wants to spend 'just one more night', then moves in everything including her tabby cat.

Musically it's catchy, but unchallanging. I really like it because it's got a hook that you can't miss and a rollicking sort of ryth3mi.

The filmclip on Countdown looked great too.

K C .& THE SUNSHINE BAND Boogie Shoes.

C.B.S BA 222391.

More disco from the man who taught the Bee Gees everything they know. KC fell into a great hole for a while, along with the rest of that disasterous disco crap, but this single is very much a return to the stuff of old.

Its even got a guitar solo and NO synthesised string section.

If people MUST listen to disco they could at least listen to stuff like this.

TO M PETTY Breakdown, Shelter K6980.

0n« of the best tracks from last years self-titled album by this band released as a single. Sort of a slow shuffle with repetitive guitar line which does not fail to attratt and high pitched vocal. Along with American Girl this track makes it worth $6.99 for the L.P.

them. From the infectous piano intro this song does not let up.Its got all the ingredients for a great pop single - "silly love song" lyrics, sweet harmonies, catchy melody, simple standout playing. There is nothing to criticise about this record.

Could not fail to be a hit if people ever got to hear it.

Are you listening 5KA?

ELVIS COSTELLO (I don't want to go to) Chelsea/You Belong To Me. Radar ADA 3i On Chelsea Elvis once again toys with reggae, although n not as successfully as on Watching the Detectives. You Belong To Me is unashamedly vintage Rolling Stones, Its hard to say anymore.

Elvis has captured the spirit of enjoyable, danceable, cynical rythm and blues. He has yet to make a bad record and I doubt that he will.

BLONDIE Denis, Chrysalis K7057.

JEFF ST. JO H N DWIGHT TWILLEY. Trying To Find My Raby„ Shelter K7017.

Starbrite/Knock Em Dead Kid. Asylum 100068.

Some records just make you feel good from the moment they begin and this is one of

Just 'cause Jeff St. John's got himself a contract with Asylum records he thinks lie

May

Page 22

can sit back and make the so souless kind of trash the west coast excells in turning out these days. He seems content with doing reasonable copies of hackneyed current pop styles. 'Starbrite' is written

by Stanford and Townshend; that speaks for itself.

'Knock Em Dead Kid' is your basic boring heavy metal.

A pity to hear a great voice wasted.

FOREIGNER Long Long Way From Home.

Atlantic 45 3439.

Speaking of a good voice wasted, here's another one Mick Jones, lead singer with Foreigner, has a compelling voice much like an upper register Paul Rogers. Just like the man from Bad Company he wallows- in front of tedious power chords and "we've heard it all before" solo's.

THE SAINTS Know Your Product.

Harvest 11673,

A change of direction for Got more of Spector and the Brisbane lads. Here the sixties in one line than ' they're sounding much more Meatloaf's got in four plays like a sixties R&B band than of his entire album. Buy it. your Antipodean Ramones.

Plenty of sax and plenty of rythm in this song, even though it is laid over a solid BLUE OYSTER CULT beat.

Goin' Through The Motions.

The Saints may be feeling C.B.S BA 222365. changes taking place in Britain and are trying to Flverything about American keep pace with the newer new heavy metal that Aerosmith, wave. This time it doesn't Kiss etc. never understood, quite work, but it does its loud, it thumps, its got signal possibilities for the band. great vocals, the guitars don't sound like they were recorded in a drain five miles away.

STILETTO Makes driving the car Bluebirds. (with the radio on) a Oz 11666. pleasure.

D W IG H T TWILLEY

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R P

This is not a bad record really. Its the first real single for this excellent band from Melbourne,(although they had 'Nights in Parlour' on the flipside of Red Symons 'ft's Only A Flipside' a while back).A good pop song with a catchy chorus, simple but me memorable melody and cute

lyrics. There are many others like it but along with produ­ cer Peter Walker Stiletto have made a record which stands out from the rest of the pop pack.

Trouble is, this record is not really an indication of the band's power and ability.

Their showing of 'Bluebirds' on ABC TV's Rocturnal,complete with beefed up guitar and vocals shows this. Anything else in their repetoire including 'Cream' would show just how pale 'Bluebirds' really is by comparison. Their album being recorded at present will be very exciting indeed. Meantime this single is not enough.

THE SPORTS Boysl (What Did The Detective Say?) Mushroom K7089.

When I compared the Sports last effort on record (3 tracks on the 'Debutantes' LP) to their exciting live perform­ ance I was ratherdisappointed They were alright on the album but it all sounded a little tired; maybe it was due to inexperience in the studio a and bad production work, Boysl however, does not disappoint. Its quick, to the point and has the punch of live Sports. Steve Cummings spits out the perfect vocals for the rollicking R&B that this band plays. The band it­ self is unobtrusive but solid behind the vocals. With a prominent shouted chorus and humorous story line (Boys, we're going down to Russell Street) this song would make great radio fare.

Undoubtedly the best thing done in Australia this year.

THE FERRETS Looking At You. Mushroom, Only heard this once on Countdown, but had to mention it because its so good. Neat, chunky rythm, superb vocals.

More very good Australian material. Ignore the Ferrets' over produced pretentious album, this has all the same appeal as last years hit 'Don't Fall In Love.'

c

PLATTER

BATTER

> lyp o p yiE sw iiiijiM s o N

w ® .■ ELVIS COSTELLO This Year's Model.

Radar RAD 3 Hot on the heels of 'My Aim Is True' comes the second album from Elvis Costello. The reason for the temporal proximity of the two records is that Elvis has recently switched record companies. Stiff (Undertakers to the Industry) released in Aust­ ralia through E.M.I., to a new company Radar, released here by W.E.A. The album is called 'This Years Model' and it is possibly the record of the decade (I don't know for sure because there are still one and a half years to go).

Let's take the production for a start. 'This Years Model' was produced by Nick Lowe who with this effort tops an anything that is in the Producers Hall Of Fame,ie, Phil Spector and Brian Wilson, has ever done. Lowe has also done a masterly job on his own recently released solo album, 'Jesus of Cool', but it is the combination of Lowe's production and the music and lyrics of Costello, not to forget the playing of the superb Attractions(Pete Thomas, Bruce Thomas, Steve Mason) that makes this album the masterwork that it is, A well produced album is all very fine but unless the material cuts the mustard as they say, then it's all down to packaging. Elvis delivers the goods. The finest gems to be discovered this decade. A And, wise man, he has given them to the master song craftsman of the age to be honed down and precision set.

The album kicks off with 'No Action', "I don't wanna kiss you/I don't wanna touch/ 1 don't wanna .see you/Cos I don't miss you that much/I'm not a telephone junkie."

Straight into the '78 big beat and setting the pace for the rest. Nick Lowe calls it Pure Pop For Now People, and since he's way out in front there, why shouldn't he? Elvis is moaning, "There's no action/ Every time I see you 1 just wanna put you down." All of Costello's songs are scorpion like, they sound real pretty, but watch out for that stingl

'No Action' moves into 'This Year's Girl', "See her picture in a thousand places/ Cos she's this year's girl./ You think you all own pieces of this year's girl." A song about stardom and fashion, themes that seem to be intri­ guing Elvis on this album. In fact they are right up there with his other big concerns.

Revenge and Paranoia, 'This Years Girl' explores both sides of the star barrier and finds unhappiness everywhere.

Take Joe Public; "You want her broken/With her mouth wide open/Cos she's this years girl/Never knowing is the real attraction/All those promises of satisfaction." A And This Year's Girl? "Time's running out/She's not happy with the cost/There can be no doubt/Only she's forgotten much more than she's lost."

'Pump It Up' is a hustling little song that echoes Dylan's 'Positively Fourth Street' in it's phrasing. It's as good too. Next up is 'Little Triggers' which is to this album what 'Alison' was to the first. Soft and bitter.

"Little Triggers that you pull with your tongue/I don't wanna be hung up, strung up/ when you don't call up," "Little sniggers on your lips.

Little triggers in your grip/ Little triggers/My hand on your hip." Side one finishes with 'You Belong To Me* which thumps along nicely as Elvis croons "Don't wanna be a goody-goody/Don't wanna kiss anybody/Don't want just anybody/You belong to me."

'Watching the Detectives', from the first album is also included here. It sounds as good as when I first heard it eight months ago.

Side 2 is even stronger.

If that's possible. 'Hand in Hand' was apparently inspired

by Nick Lowe's nastly experi­ ences with a certain record company. Again the lyrics are nicely evil "Don't ask me to apologise/I won't ask you to forgive me/If I'm going to go dox-m/Then you're going to come with me/Don't you know I've got the bully boys out/Chang-

off the album and it would have been a worthy single, 'Chelsea' is about fashion, "Give a little flirt/Give yourself a little cuddle, Cos there's no place here/For the mini-skirt waddle/Got the dope/Roll a smoke/She's last years model/ Call her Natasha/ When she looks like Belsen, I don't want to go to Chelsea."

From here on in the record really takes off. 'Lip Servi­ ce', 'Living in Paradise' and 'Lipstick Vogue' are so well produced it's ridiculous. You get the feeling when Lowe and Costello produce music of th this quality that there is no limit to what they can do. I repeat, this is the record of the decade so far. It will be looke back on in the same way Sgt. Pepper is looked back on now. Get it while it's freah. Tell your friends Elvis is Kingl Donald Robertson.

ing someone's facial design."

The new single,'(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea' is a worthy follow up to 'Detecti­ ves', but then I think Elvis could have released any song

most of this album.

As seems to be the trend with 'nouveau artistes' side one is the fast side while side two is much more subdued. It is on this

BRIAN ENO Before and After Science Phonogram 2310 547 OK. So what do YOU expect from this album? Buying Eno albums has been a gamble, with the implication of not whether Eno might not produce the goods, but the question - will you be able to understand it? 'Darling of the avante-garde produces new masterpiece' has been the headline, but on what basis? "Another Green World", his last album presented ideas through mostly instremental tracks some of which unfortunately were not fully developed.

This album is mainly a restatement of ideas on that and earlier albums, it is not a concept album in the traditional sense, although continuous refer­ ences to various states and situations concerning water seems to be an underlying theme. Eno is, as he admits, more concerned with generat­ ing ideas and systems rather than executing them, an attitude amply displayed on

second side that he is most successful. The pieces "Julie With", "By This River River" and "Through Hollow Lands" form a natural progression, both in mood and musical composition, moving from the relatively structured to the free flowing, the remainder of the album seems to be composed of disparate ideas (although we are assured in recent interviews he wanted to present a comparison of societies before and after the development of science) - (oh yeah?)- aspects of which are interesting, some audibly stunning, but overall the album relies on these to maintain interest.

"Kurts Rejoinder" and "Kings Lead Hat" are examples which positively pound along but lead to no conclusions.

Of course only the best musicians, and they are many and varied, but technical proficiency has replaced some of the emotion that should have been there. Eno seems to work best with other people's material where his interpretation is directed to a particular purpose. Only in "Discrete Music" and sections of "Another Green World" has he succinctly presented his for forte.

Definately not a party album, but what are the conceptual possibilities of parties? Nice weather this time of year.

P.S. Hear it anyway you may be plesantly suprised the water colours are great.

The Australian copy is cheaper.

Dave Crowe

IG G Y PO P & JAM ES W ILLIA M S O N "Kill City" Radar RAD 2.

Soon after "Raw Power" Iggy, James Williamson, Scott Thurston, Hunt and Tony Sales recorded another studio album, Due to the energy level dem­ anded of "Raw Power", Iggy collapsed and spent the next 2 years in hospitals. Conseq­ uently the alburn was not completed and has only recen­ tly been finished but it has

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been worth the wait.

Kill City is not "Raw Pow­ er" volume 2 as it has been billed, but points to new directions pursued in "The Idiot" and "Lust For Life".

The intensity of the Stooges’ days is still there but within a more melodic frame­ work. An outstanding feature of the album is John "the Rookie" Hardens saxes which add an edge to Iggy's vocals and tease Williamson's guitar.

Harden sets the mood for the sleazy "Sell Your Love" and provides perfect foil for Iggy ori "Johanna" while taking the lead on "Master Charge" a Thurston/Williamson composition. While Williamson ’s guitar is prominent on every cut, his confessed pasion for computer music attempts to provide a balance in two instrumental tracks "Night Theme" and "Master Charge". The seeds of his in interest are sown but are not fully reaped (UghJ) as there seems to be something missing in both tracks.

Iggy's voice sounds ? little more strained than usual, a possible aftermath of "Raw Power" and is mixed to be included in the overall sound rather than be outstand­ ing. His singing is more breathy and lacks a little of the threat of impending viol­ ence in the Stooges' days, in effect introducing his new style. He makes up for it wi with lyrics like "some people say we're negative/they say we take and never give/they say our lives are an escape/ but the truth is in the sound we make" making no bones about the spirit thats still there.

Being essentially a retrospective album, "Kill City" fits neatly between "Raw Power" and "The Idiot".

It probably won't make too many new fans because it leans heavily on the ideas of former albums while showing a refreshing openness to new approaches but should be sought by those interested in Iggy's new style and of course fans of old.

When did Iggy ever compromise"We don't believe in anything/ We don't stand for nothing/We

"Victory is a drug/which we take together/in the trenches of war/women in black cars/ women in dark glasses/what don't see/is translated by god." (Ms Smith - Easter a poem from Babel).

Patti's third album co­ incides with the publication of her latest poetry/prose iollection - Babel, A number of lyrics recorded on Easter are found in this rather hefty volume. I never profess to understanding too much about anything Patti does - I just content myself with dancing to her rock 'n' roll, hating her guitar playing, marvelling at the FEELING of her words, and sharing heroes with herBob Dylan, Keith Richard, Brian Jones, William Burroughs, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, etc.

Easter comes closer to Horses than Radio Ethiopia.

It's billed as the Patti Smith Group but Patti's voice is much more prominante in the mix - she's not submerged beneath the band's sound as on Radio Ethiopia,and thank god, it seems like Rimbaud must have blasted down the word - "don't play so much fucking guitar" - good on ya Arthur.

What hits first is the song co-written with Spruce Bringsteen, 'Because the Night (Belongs to Lovers)'. Appare­ ntly Patti openly admits it was recorded to get radio airplay as Bruce is the darling of the D.J set -it's brilliant and a classic love song. 'Set Me Free' has highlighted a number of Patti's live bootl­ egs but is much better recor­ ded here - even with Psalm 23 stuck in there. 'Rock *n' Roll Nigger' is about artistic outcasts, rebels before their time - Jimi Hendrix, Jackson Pollock, Arthur, (of course), etc. were/are all artistic 'niggers'. In a live Babelogue Patti tells us that she has­ n't "fucked with the past/but I've fucked plenty with the future". That's in case you

Every once in a while a single comes along that captures the imagination of the whole public, cutting across barriers of age,class and nationality. Perhaps the best example of such a song was Procol Harem's 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale', which came from absolutely nowhere to be a world wide number one hit in 1967. Other examples of the genre include Thunder­ clap Newman's 'Something In The Air' in 1970 and more recently 'Bohemian Rhapsody'

by Queen. With all these tunej it was the SOUND rather than the content that captured the ear of the public. Now it is 1978 and the latest in the tradition, Kate Bush's 'Wuthering Heights' is riding high at the top of the British charts.

You've probably seen the clips of Kate Bush on Countdown by now, so you know that as well as possessing one of the most intriguing and unusual vocal styles around, the lady perf­ orms some mesmeric dancing routines as accompaniment to her song. 'The Kick Inside', the album from which 'Wuther­ ing Heights'is lifted,reveals

got no V for victory/Cause we know things are tougher."

Dave Crowe.

were wondering.

Easter, complete with bag­ pipes, is solurnn, religious.

other talents of this remark­ able young lady. As v;eil as writing and singing all the

IWTTI SM ITH EASTER. Arista Records AL.4171.

Thank you E .M ,I.

and probably packed full of symbolic revelations about Rimbaud/Easter/Life/Death/ and Art but I like it just the same. Great bagpipes.

The band's the same except that Richard Sohl's been replaced by one Bruce Brody now there's a name to watch.

If I wrote for Rolling Stone I'd probably do a Paul Nelson type review and compare Easter with Sam Peckinpah's movies. Born to Run, Herman Melville, Norman Mailer, Abba, last nights newspaper, and quote extensi­ vely from the Ramones to explain its sociological imp­ act on American urban develo­ pment - after doing that I'd conclude by saying it was a great rock 'n' roll record I'll end with the conclusion.

Stuart Coupe.

KATE BUSH THE KICK INSIDE E.M.I. EMC 3223

songs, she plays piano and designed the Oriental-style album sleeve. Pretty good for a 19 year old (although I guess Mozart did compose his first S3rmphony when he was 6.)

'Heights' is the stand out track on the album, and it is enhanced immeasurably by having the lyrics printed on the cover (I mean I really dig Ms. Bush's vocal style but sometimes its hard to work out what exactly she's singing about.)

However there are enough good songs on the album to dispel any notion that the lady is a one hit wonder.

In fact, E.M.I. seem to have carefully nurtured her until they felt she was ready for her crack at the top ( she has been under contract to them since she was 16, after being discovered by Pink Floyd guitarist Dave Gilmour who heard her sing at her parents house in Kent.)

The album starts with'Moving', which is dedicated to Lindsay Kemp, the mime artist with whom Kate studied for 2 years^ I get the feeling all through the album that to fully apprec­ iate it one should be able to see Kate Bush dance it in the same way that she dances 'Wuthering Heights.'

'Saxophone Song' and 'The Man With The Child In His Eyes', both soft, sultry ballads, put me in mind of Elton John's first album. In fact all through the album the product ion is strongly reminiscent of Paul Buckmaster's treatment of Elton on that first album.

It's lush, but supports the voice rather than swamping it There is a nice balance between songs that tell a story like 'Saxophone Song* and 'Wuthering Heights' and songs with a more personal feel. 'Feel It' about a girl and a man making love for the first time, and 'Room For The Life' about how woman has to be tougher than man because she has the power to bear children, are probably the strongest in that category.

There is always the problem of how to follow up a super smash No.'-'l'-’ ' single, I think Kate Bush stands a better chance than most people in her situation.

Donald Robertson.

ROADRUNNER

May

Page 25

r PLATTER

BOB MARLEY KAYA Island L36 508 On his last album, 'Exodus' Bob Marley moved further down the road towards commercial acceptance with a blend of catchy reggae lovesongs and righteous Rastahymns.

It was a gamble, in that he risked alienating his commited cult following, but it worked and 'Exodus' was his most sucessful album to date. The process is cont­ inued by his new album, 'Kaya' which lacks any political content whatsoever and is soooo smooth and laid back that it is in danger of slipping into the Hip Easy Listening bracket.

Marley, in a recent interview described the album as< coming from a restful period in his life, a period when he was recharging his spiritual batteries in preparation for the continuing struggle. Let's hope he can regain the fire that has made him one of the most charismatic figures in the world of modern music.

His recent return to Jamaica for the first time since the assassination attempt during the Jamaican election campaign is a hopeful sign.

The hymns to dope (kaya is one of the many Jamaican names for the dreaded 'erb) and crooning' reggae ballads are all very pretty but give me Marley with fire is his belly and sword in his hand any timfe, Donald Robertson.

WARREN ZEVO N Excitable Boy Asylum.

GE - 118.

Warren Zevon is known to most punters as the writer of "Hasten Down The Wind", "Carmelita", and "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" from Linda Ronstadt's recent L.P's. All these cuts appear on Zevon's excel­ lent self-titled debut album, which went virtually unnotic­ ed when released 18 months ago. With Zevon's powerful, cynical lytics and a hard bitten production job from Jackson Browne it was close

ROADRUNNER

May

to my favourite release of '76.

On "Excitable Boy", Warren Zevon has expanded his horiz­ ons, to encompass a wider variety of styles, and the hard edge of cynicism is tempered by a more humorous outlook. The music moves from skin tight funk on "Nighttime inthe Switching Yard", through mean rock 'n' roll to yer obligatory West Coast Ballads, The album's highlight is the title track, an irrepres­ sible '60's type melody about a demented killer - "He took little Suzie to the Junior Prom/Excitable Boy, they all said/And he raped her and killed her and took her home/ Excitable boy they all said/ Well he's just an excitable boy." Features Linda Ronstadt on Ooh-wah-ooh backup vocals and Jim Horn blowing some tasty sax, "Excitable Boy" is an impressive album, featuring some fine playing and excej.1ent production by Jackson Browne and Waddy Wachtel (who also plays guitar throughout).

Its guaranteed free of Eagles type lush strings. For an L.A musician, Zevon is very much in touch with the streets.

Good Value.

Stephen Rogerson.

MANFRED M A N N ATLANTA RYTHM SECTION. Champagne Jam Polydor 2391 319.

MANFRED MAN'S EARTHBAND. Watch Bronze L36422.

You may wonder why these two albums are being reviewed together. Quite simpl* really - one album is your standard prototype southern American layed back rock 'n' roll and the other is your standard prototype English 'serious' rock. Same formula, only the locations have been changed to protect the innocent.

Could be the same band actua­ lly, or maybe there's no band at all, only synthesisors and tape loops.

Between the two of them the only interest raised is how Manfred Mann does at remaking 'Mighty Quinn'. I've got the original you see, played so many times past the

BATTER

wearing out stage; when you compare the new one its almost as sad an experience as seeing the Beach Boys live these days, Manfred Mann's Earth Band was interesting once (listen to Bombers and Night­ ingales) but now its not worth the trouble to put their albums on the turntable.

Champagne Jam is worse.

This is the kind of thing those drunken southerners must put on after they're too pissed to bother stomping their feet. It is Lynard Skynard slowed down a dozen times and infinitely more boring.

If you didn't understand what Dave Warner meant when he said that Texas rock, etc was irrelevant, listen to these albums.

Mark Burford,

EARTH W IN D & FIRE

"Runnin" the only track sans lyrics stand out even if marred by saccharine vocal dooby dooby da's in the begin­ ning and very end. The rythm changes are smoothly blended and threaded together by sax or percussion, and the track features the only really prominent keyboard sections.

Its a nice inoffensive al album - something soothing to play scrabble tol Jillian Burt

TOM ROBINSON Don't Take No For An Answer/ (Sing If You're) Glad To Be Gay/Martin/Right On Sister.

E;.M.I EP 1000.

There is no doubt that this live EP is the most important record that will be made this year. It will also be one of the best.

Earth, Wind and Fire.

All 'n' All.

The centrepiece of this EP is 'Glad To Be Gay'. This is C.BoS the most militant political song I have ever heard on Good griefi Earth, Wind a record. It is a statement of and Fire are sounding like strength by a vocal and proud the Bee Gees, or perhaps homosexual. Never before have it's the other way round. A things like this been said in veritable cast of thousands rock except when multi contribute to this latest millionaire tampon wearer John offering; strings and horns; Lennon thought he could lead breathy vocals upon cooing the revolution, (we forgive harmonies and inane lyrics. you John, say the rock If there's a supernatural establishment). More about theme as suggested by the this later. 'Don't Take No excellent album sleeve it For An Answer', the opener, doesn't unfold itself is a straight on rocker much coherently in the lyrics. in the mould of '2-4-6-8 "Take a rid in the sky, on Motorway'. You can't point to our ship Fantasii" are they any part of the T.R.B that kidding? stands above the rest. The The eloborate horn drumming is superb, solid and arrangements and painstakingly driving along with the bass: perfect production adds up to on top of this we have organ slick hip easy listening and guitar working together, album. The snatches of Earth, and out front is Tom Robinson's Wind and Fire venom and voice, loud, gruff, unlike solidarity as exhibited any other in rock 'n' roll especially on their "Gratitu­ because it sounds like the de" set make cameo appearances bloke around the corner (if on "All 'n' All". you lived in England that, is).

A 40 second percussive This song seems to be about interlude leads into Jupiter a rich lover who wants and an uptempo reminder of what takes everything. When you're E,W and F used to be about, on the bottom you 'don't take floated on an incisive horn no for an answer, when you arrangement. The minute long got nothing to lose' says Tom. "BraziIlian Rhyme" interlude A powerful opener. is pure production, leading 'Martin' is a cross between in with finger cymbals and Dury style humour and caberet scat singing and fading out with electric guitars. Its a on a crystalline giutar song about how 'you could ne sequence. never have a bruwer like

Page 26

A

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After building up a quiet but sound reputation they moved to a larger premises at 69 Goodwood Rd, Wayville, where they continued to gain recognition from the professional musicians of Adelaide as being one of the best suppliers and repairers of top quality instruments.

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People weren't associating the name Pete and Barb's Music with a professional store, therefore the name Derringer's Music Co. (thanks Goody Publl) was adopted in an attempt to reach more professional musicians (it did).

From here they they went from strength to strength until, in March, theyy shifted to a newly bought, beautiful, older style house/shop at 67 Leader Street, Wayville (the street running down the south side of the Wayville Showgrounds.)

At present, as I'm writing , they're completing extensive renovations that are going to make this shop not just another instrument super market, but the BEST professionals guitar shop in Adelaide. Go and see 'em so that you know the standard other shops should be.

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ROADRUNNER

May

Page 27

P L A T T EP

BATTE R

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Martin' 'cause he used to sneak ciggies and booze into the remand home. The crowd seems to Love this one.

'Right on Sister' is pretty much what you'd expect; a wo­ mans liberation chant in the familiar TRB style - loud, to the point, with nothing unnecessary to obscure the basis of rock 'n' roll.

Back to 'Glad To Be Gay'.

If anyone listening to this doesn't get chills when they hear this man up on stage proclaiming his sexuality, putting down all the put downs, standing up for himself and standing up for the oppr­ essed. You don't think that means anything? When Tom sings - "Lie to your workmates/Lie to your folks/Put down the queens/Tell anti - queer jokes 'Gay - libs ridiculous' - join their laughter/'The buggers are legal now, what more are they after' ". he's not kidding. He's stating everday reality for homosexuals. He's not prepared to put himself down an3miore. If you can't handle what's being said that's too bad, homosexuals aren't going to make concessions anymore - even in rock 'n' roll, that bastion of spunky chicks and funky dudes.

Mark Burford.

G R 4H 4M R4RKER The Pink Parker.

Vertigo EP 6276014.

Hey Lord, Don't Ask Me Questions.

Vertigo 6059 199.

This is the only live Graham Parker that you can get in the local record shops until the release of his forthcoming live set 'Parkerilla'. For this, they're worth it.

The Pink Parker is an EP containing the great 'Hold Back The Night' and live versions of 'White Honey' and 'Soul Shoes' from the Marbel Arch official bootleg.

This is a re-release from early last year so if you didn't get it then, do so this time.

'Don't Ask Me Questions' really excites though harder and tighter than the version on 'Howlin' Wind' this is the creation of months of touring in both the US and the UK.

ROADRUNNER May

Page 28

The strong piano line and insistant rythym can't fail to get you moving and the vocals are as strong, throaty and clear as only Parker live can be. Buy it cause you can't afford to wait till the album comes out to hear rythym and blues at its liveliest best.

FRANK ZAPPA In New York Warner Bros 2D 2290 I have always admired Zappas covers. From "Freakout" and the early days on. New York is no exception, a tasteful piece of New York Neon Art. On opening the cover I met Frank's ten piece backing band, then preceded to digest the lyrics in order to decide which side to play first. It was side 3., in order to see what had happened to 'Sofa'. Every­ body seems to have rediscovered the big band backing sound, from Dylan down. Zappa is no exception, balancing 'Sofa' between sleezy brass choruses and screaming gituar, (early seventies shrill an' tearing style)which winds out with a neat catastrophic finish.

'Manx Needs A Woman' lurches out of 'Sofa' in the guise of New Wave (?) Jazz, pande­ monium Zappa style. This almost indistinguishibly disolves into an extended and free form percussive drum solo, 'Black Page Part 1 . This is followed by an explaination and then an Avante-Guarde 'modified disco style' interpretation (called Part 2) of part one.

If you listen carefully, with the help of liner notes, you will discover a clever restatement of previously developed melodies.

Turning the record over (side 1), we are greeted by 'Titties And Beer' which see seems to be a followup of some of the sub Ities developed in "Zoot Allures", in tracks such as 'The Torture Never Stops' and 'Find Her Finer', The second track decends into a slick smiley piece tooreminiscent of those late night astral

travelling postscripts, but fortunately side one is saved by a clever rollicking piece of rock and roll nonsense, 'Big Leg Emma'.

'Honey, Don't You Want A Man Like Me' (side 3) looks good on paper and ends up being compered, night-club style (complete with inuendoes), with Zappa's " "come over here and have a boiled lolly" impersonation.

We are then introduced to 'The Enema Bandit' and are treated to a fine impression of 'Illinois' style blues, appearing to be the missing link between John Maya11 and Hendrix, which he guides to a 'you thought it couldn't happen here' climax.

A lopsided start to side 4 mostly due to the music.

Partially due to the shortness of breath from running backwards and fowards between the turntable and my chair; 11:11, 14:25, 16:27, 16:20 respectively. A short double album indeed.Every­ one then takes it in turns to whip out a quick solo, backed with that wonderful boompal boompal Zappa backing beat. An investigation of rythym.

On 'New York' Zappa is capable of maintaining an anticipation of what's to come and also demonstrates his ever increasing ability in creating torrid musical spaces.I was particularly recommend 'Big Leg Emma', 'Honey, Don't You Want A Man Like Me', and 'The Purple Lagoon'. Definately the record for entertainment and light exercise on those rainy stay-at-home winter evenings.

An abba fan.

LITTLE RIVER BAND Sleeper/Catcher.

E.M.I EMC 2660.

The first time I put this on I thought someone had slip­ ped a copy of a Mozartv Conc­ erto inside, instead of LRB. There really is no excuse for this record. I liked the LRB's first album altho' I thought it was a bit Americanised,and unfortmiately ever since then the US sound has dominated the music, with the exception of the fine 'Help Is On Its

Way* single. But this record is a complete waste of time.

Where do they go from here?

If the trend continues, stra­ ight into the Helen Reddy/ Barry Manilow entertainer slot. That's a sad, although probably very lucrative, end for musos whose roots go back to Adelaide's very own mid sixties purveyors of power pop The Twilights. Thi.s album is so goddam schmaltzy, so whole­ some and bland that I think I'll destroy my copy. Ugh. Festering Mick Malicious.

SKYHOOKS Gftilty Until Proven Insane Mushroom L36 554.

The 'Hooks new album puts them right back at the top of the pile as well as putting them at the top of the chartz.

But I'm afraid to say, it's really a patchy affair.

Apart from the cracking 'Women In Uniform' the album lacks the sparkle and wit of the stage act and the previous albums. Maybe it's the songs - Greg Macainsh's keen observation and razor sharp humour seem to work best when directed at something close at hand I. i.e. Lygon St. or Saturday night at the pub, rather than at grand themes like Meglomania, Life In The Modern World or Twisted Innocence. I guess he has tried to write songs with international potential, but in doing so has ebccised the very Australianess that I think is Skyhooks' strong­ est point.

The strongest tracks apart from 'V7omen..' (which towers head and shoulders over any­ thing else here) are 'Hotel Hell' which features some pretty nifty sax from Joe Garni H e r i and Wilbur Wilde of Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons, 'a Point In the Distance' which is a weird futurescape song that sounds a lot like the Moody Blues both musically and lyrically.

'Why Don't You All Get *ucked rocks along frantically and closes the album with a bang rather than a whimper.

"So if you're in trouble, right up to your brain And the boss is getting to you

PLATTER

Parents and politics Money and marriage And life in general is making you spew.

There's one thing you gotta do And I suggest you do it today Stand up in your office, your school or your street and this is what you gotta say W h y don't you all g e t * u c k e d . " The rest of the album is nothing n e w really and doesn'.t show off the band at their musical best. The production is top quality with hotshot producer Eddie Leonetti getting a clear sharp sound but as I said in a previous review (Elvis Costello: This Year's Model) unless the material is strong, good production is just fancy pack­ aging.

It's a wo r t h y attempt and it brings the spotlight back onto the-band but I think I'll wait for their next album b e ­ fore I pass judgement. The next one could be a M G album if the live shows are anything to go on. I. only hope that Greg Macainsh goes back to writing spngs about Australia, No-one does it better.

Donald Robertson,

BLUE OYSTER CULT Spectres.

CoB.S SBP 237078.

"Oh No There goes Tokyo/ Go Go Godzilla!

The first time I played THIS I flipped the arm right back to the start after th? first track.

Had I heard it right? '6h No There goes Tokyo/Go Go Godzilla', Incredible! I'd actually seen the clip to this on Nightmoves the other night but thought it wa s Rai n b o w or someone like that.

That's the trouble with HeavyMetal. There is so much dross around, Ted Nugent, Rainbow, Rush, K ahogony Rush, that when a GOOD HM band come along you tend to lump them w ith the dross. Blue Oyster Cult have been around in various forms since the beginning of the decade, but this is the first album I've actually listened to. Were they always this go good? I'll have to check out their back catalogue. Godzilla is a killer track to open up with, 'Oh No, There Goes GodTokyo, Go Go Godzilla' demon­

strates more humour in 3 lines than most heavy metal outfits achieve in 6 albums. And these guys SOUND so much better than any of their HM rivals, 'Golden Age of Leather' starts of as Pure Beach Boys harmonies and then zooms straight into a Harley D a v i d ­ son rhythm celebration of the finest hour of the motorcycle heroes, 'Death Valley Nights', slow and dusty, creates an atmosphere of desert alienat­ ion, Its like how America would sing if the three of them were given steel throats and fingers, 'Searchin' For Celine' re­ minds me a little of Foreignei but once again BOC are so far ahead that maybe after a few plays it'll be the other w a y around.

'Fireworks' sounds like a super raunchy Flying Burrittt-o Brothers with again that metal edged country rock feel. Its funny that a lot of country bands use electric guitars but few insert any metal, I guess they ain't as used to handling it.'Ru Ready To Rock' is a straightforward boogie.

'Nuff said. 'Celestial The Queen' is a grand SF based song with just the right amount of fantasy and swirling keyboards. 'Coin' Thru The Motions' is the single that has been lifted from thealbum and it might even be a hit.

'KA were playing it anyway.

Very pleasant. 'Lady in W h i t e ’ is a Moody Blues style song but BOC's mysticism is more Western based than any of the big boom of the late sixties Mystic Rock (Moody Blues, YesJ Quintessance, Steve Hillage all of which took their insp­ iration from the East.)

Great album. These boys dese­ rve recognition.

Festering Mick Malicious.

BATTER

rock's mirror image and that's HIPPER THAN THOU w h y a lot of people have THE R O ADRUiWER CREW difficulty getting into it (AND-SOME OF THEIR FRIENDS) . it all sounds the same. That PLAYLIST is mere l y because a Western ear is 9 times out of 10 ALLAN., listening in the wrong place.

1, Garland Gefferies - One Its a little difficult to Eyed Jack. w o r k out the attraction of 2, Eno - Taking Tiger reggae for an Australian audience, I guess because Moun t a i n By Stategy, 3, David Blowie - Heroes. reggae is n ow a world force 4, Frank Zappa - New York. in music we become aware of it. There is no Australian .5, Abba - all albums and reggae. Plenty of copies but singles. there just ain't enough Black Africans here and the STUART. economics ain't right for a 1. Costello - This Years Model roots reggae scene.

2. T om Robinson Band - Rising All the more surprising Free TRB (EP) - this is a then is that this album has HINT Ken to bring the ■ shot to No 4 in 5KA's album bloody thing back. chart, I would have thought 3. Patti - Easter,it too pure for theAustralian :4, XTC-Album. ‘ ear. Maybe its all those 5, The.Union/Campact - 6 0 's ^ oeople with A couple of Bob re releases on Missing Marley. albums checking out the Links Records. ■ other reggae acts a r o u n d . I think if that is the case they DONALD , ■ ., may find it a bit indigestible at first, You'have to cleanse 1, Costello -,This Years Model your prior sound sense to get 2, Dylari live at Westlakes. into this jungle beat. Its 3, The Flys .- Love in a, , guts hiusic, full of the sweat ■ \ Molotov Cocktail, 'single.,, and toil of years of slavery 4 , •Kate Bush - The Kick, Inside and the frustration and pain 5, Young Moderns Live (tape). of such a r a cial ordeal - it, all comes, over very powerfully ALEX. ■ Songs about Marcus Garvey, the 1. Garland Jefferies - One black slave leader w h o att e m ­ Eyed J a c k , : pted to unite the negro p eop­ 2. ' Blondie - Plastic Letters., les of the world and was one 3. Stiletto - Live at Flinders of the prime sources in the (TAPE)-. founding of the Rastafarian 4. Patti Smith - Easter. movement. A song about Lion 5. The Flamin' Groovies - of Songs about living up In ■ Shake Some Action.

The Hills, in which he demonstrates his m astery of birdsong, back to nature and freedom.

If I was living in South Africa this record would scare the living daylights out of me. Not to worry though it would never get released there.

Donald Robertson.

SUE. 1. Nick Lowe - Jesus of Cool.

2. T om Robinson Band - Rising Free TRB (EP).

3. Patti Smith - Easter.

4. Richard Hell - Blank G e n e ­ ration, 5. Elvis Costello - This Years Model.

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Ross Wilson reckons the trick with reggae is to try to follow the bass and drums (usually used in rcock to lay down the beat) because that is where all the action is happening. The guitar, rock's leading instrument, keeps time in reggae. So reggae is

ROADRUNNER

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Page 29

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ROADRUNNER ADELAIDE'S MUSIC MAGAZINE

If you are a record shop, a band a music promoter, a musical hire service, or whatever and you wish to reach people who are into music then contact Chris Plimmer on

I am proud to have the members of one of Adelaide's most progressive rock bands as my clients

M 267

1871

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ROGER E. W ELSH

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277 4400

1226 South Road, Clovelly Park S.A.

G h Y L tM O R d n

W ORLD TO UR -13 PIECE BHMD

A D E L A ID E F E S T IV A L TH EA TR E

FRI. MAY 12.

(Stunning 3 hr. concert featuring The Jazz-Rock keyboard master) B O O K IN G S N O W OPEN A T

Adelaide Festival Theatre, John Martins, City, Marion and West Lakes.

Adelaide Town H all S a t. 13 th M a y tickets Festival Theatre & John Martins $8.70 inc.

ROADRUNNER

M ay

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