ROCK 'N' ROLL NEWS

ROCK 'N' ROLL NEWS

Bob Dylan, who is more visible than ever these days, made a surprise appearance at the Band’s Academy of Music show in New York, on New Year’s Eve. Dylan walked on stage at 12:10 a.m., for his 1972 debut, and did five songs with the Band (nee Hawks, his old touring group): “When I Paint My Masterpiece,” “Life Is A Carnival," “Don’t Tell Henry,” and “Like A Rolling Stone.”

The Band were taping the show - they taped their entire four day engagement, which included a horn section on the second show each night, for possible live album use — but it is now known what plans Dylan has, if any, for the tapes. Meanwhile, rumors about his next album say that it’s the best in a long, long while.

Capitol sent Apple Records a $3.5 million check a week after Bangla Desh was released. Which is good news for Pakistani refugees. Many stores are being super-cautious about even ordering the record however, because the $12.98 list album costs them $10, instead of the usual (for a three-record set) price of around $7. Returns are limited to 10%, as well; rather than the standard record industry return policy of 100%. There’s also disgruntlement among many record buyers: Bangla Desh is a pretty thin three record set to say the least. One side of it is barely seven minutes long, and the entire album lasts only about 90 minutes.

Bangla Desh sales are apparently also being injured by a vast amount of bootlegs, a risky task since the act of bootlegging is now a federal felony. Numerous professional and amateur quality tapes are apparently making the rounds.

You don’t have to believe this but it’s true: The second round of furor over Dylan’s “George Jackson” single (the first was over his use of the word “shit” in the second verse) was when people started to call in to ask whether or not any of the proceeds were going to the Soledad Brothers.

“The crowd was on its feet, singing along with the choruses AS IF IT WERE SOME KIND OF NATIONAL ANTHEM.”

Columbia’s not exactly the sort of establishment where people bone up on left politics (or politics at all) though, and at least one call was answered with: “The Soledad Brothers? I don’t think they’ll get any of the money. They’re not on our label.”

Joe Cocker showed up in London to do some tracks for a new album in December. But Island Studios, where he was to record, had already been booked by another group, so Joe just packed it in and headed back to Sheffield where he’s been ever since Mad Dogs and Englishmen left the noonday sun.

Santana got bounced out of Lima by the Peruvian government in mid-December, forcing them to leave equipment and clothing behind. The group said they were at first warmly welcomed (they are largely a chicano group) since they had come to play benefits for earthquake refugees , then were suddenly charged with acting “contrary to good taste and the moralizing objectives of the revolutionary government.”

The band was herded into an immigration office, interrogated for several hours and then put on a midnight flight (to which they were taken under armed guard) out of the country.

Santana’s appearance had been opposed by the Marxist San Marcos University Student Federation as “imperialist penetration.” Two days prior to their expulsion, unidentified persons had broken into the stadium where they were to play and burned the stage.

Fantasy Records is suing United Artists over Lenny Bruce material which UA has been releasing. Bruce apparently had an exclusive contract with Fantasy and UA has recently released material which they had taped at his 1961 Carnegie Hall midnight show. UA also has Lenny Bruce Live, a three record set which encompasses the entire performance that evening, slated for release.

Ronnie Hawkins has been chosen as Canada’s Cigar Smoker of the Year in a national poll of more than 1,000 editors, columnists, feature writers, TV and radio program directors and news directors. Hawkins, who had many hits in the Fifties in America, then went to Canada where he discovered both the Band (he called ’em the Hawks) and Crowbar.

Terry Knight is reportedly finished mixing the Grand Funk Shea Stadium tapes. No word on release dates, yet, or even if .. . The concert apparently will be nationally telecast this spring however.

The Stones album, which they were finishing in LA around New Year, may be a double set (their first), because of the abundance of killer jams, according to producer Jimmy Miller. Mick Jagger showed up at both B.B. King’s Las Vegas opening and the party for the Who after their concert in Los Angeles.

CREEM’S Dave Marsh is writing a rock opera about the I.R.A. It’s to star the Four Tops. Tentative title: Bernadette.

Reissues abound: there’s the new UA Legendary Masters series, which has liner notes — extensive ones — by a number of rioted rock writers, among them CREEM’s own Dave Marsh, Ed Ward, Greg Shaw and Lenny Kaye, and includes releases by Jan & Dean, Fats Donino, Eddie Cochran and Rick(y) Nelson; RCA has issued more Vintage Series stuff, with better liners, and fantastic covers. The prime material there is the Arthur Crudup set, since Crudiip was the major influence on Elvis Presley and some literally incredible jams by Washboard Sam, who was the hottest thing in “race” music forty years ago. Easy to understand why, too. RCA also returns to their fantastic old time label, with “His Master’s Voice”, and all, which they should use all the time; the Turtles cuts are expected to be reissued on Bizarre; Atlantic has reissued a great set by the Coasters, one by the Drifters, and others by La Vern Baker, Joe Turner, and the Clovers. See the record review section for discussion of most of this.

Oh yeah, almost forgot: Freddy Cannon is supposed to be re-released by UA, too.

Carl Wilson has reportedly told people around Los Angeles that the Beach Boys are going to release the entire Smile lp in February (along with some other Capitol BB material). Dave Marsh has been telling people in Detroit and Ann Arbor that he’s not even going to think zhont reviewing any of it. (See “Mail.”)

Terry Melcher, who has produced the Raiders, Rip Chords, Charles Manson and the Byrds, among others, is reportedly now signed to Warner/Reprise. Which, as Doris Day’s son, may be right where he belongs: Burbank.

Look out kid: John Baldry has formed a new group to do a British and Arherican tour. They are not called the Ho-Hums.

I Know I’m Losin’ You

Warner Bros, pulled the Faces new album off the shelves, because of complaints that the poster inside was “obscene.” Stores had informed distributors that they were not going to stock the record because the enclosed poster was “obscene.” The 32” x 44” color poster was a montage of about 350 photos taken on various Faces tours, and does include some photos showing nudity.

The album had already sold 300,000 copies when it was recalled. The Faces have offered to send a poster to anyone who sends a self-addressed stamped envelope (48$ postage is required) for first class mailing to:

Wartoke 1545 Broadway Suite 502 New York, NY 10036

The Faces offered a pleasant surprise when they hit Detroit December 8th, as well. At the end of the set, as the band was doing their current hit single, “Losin’ you,” David Ruffin, the exTemptations lead singer who had a hit with the original version of the song, climbed on stage and jammed with the band. Pandemonium, to say the least, reigned for a full fifteen minutes.

Genya Ravan was arrested on stage in Cherry Hill N.J. on December 10th. Genya (once termed one of the “greatest broads in the business’ by CREEM reviewer Melvin Pork) was arrested and booked for “a disorderly misdemeanor,” namely “using loud and profane language during her performance.” Maximum penalty is six months/$500 fine.

According to a press release, Miss Ravan opened the show to a crowd which was screaming for Sly Stone who was topping the bill. “We all know you’re here to hear Sly. That’s fine,” replied Genya. “If you can’t dig more music, then I’ll get the fuck off. If you do, I’ll shut the fuck up.”

Miss Ravan reportedly received a standing ovation, took two encores and freaked out the promoter, Ken Roberts, completely. “Genya is a dirty act,” Roberts is supposed to have said. “She’s getting arrested.”

Forty five minutes later, as Sly went on, four policemen and two matrons appeared to snatch Genya and take her to the slammer.

Her conga player, Bernard Williams, was also arrested, for trying to get on stage and let Sly know what was going down backstage. Charges against Williams were later dropped; Miss Ravan was released early Saturday morning on $105 bond. “If they’re gonna worry about that word, they’d better take off a lot of movies, most rock groups and Sly himself,” she reportedly said. “Even the cops thought it was stupid.”

David Peel and The Lower East Side have been signed to Apple. Henceforth to be known as Lennon’s Folly.

Russ Gibb, who Midwestern readers will remember as the entrepeneur behind the legendary Grande Ballroom in the Motor City, made a phone call from his radio show (on all-talk WDRG-FM in Detroit) on New Year’s Eve ... to Mao Tse Tung. What’s more, he got almost all the way through. After stops in California, Japan and elsewhere in Peking, he was given a line in the “Chairman’s residence,” where he talked to a Mr, Yu, wishing him “a peaceful and happy New Year from the world.” Ah, meglomania.

Edgar Winter’s White Trash have broken up, for reasons as yet unknown. Their final album will be a live set from the Whiskey Au-Go-Go, recorded in December. Edgar is expected to put together a somewhat smaller band to fill out his touring commitments..

John Sexton, the ex-POW who was released in November after being held in North Viet Nam for two years, was given a Corvette by a Denver auto agency. When he got out of the Denver hospital, he returned to Detroit, his home town. There, he was greeted as a true star, right down to having television cameras at his Thanksgiving dinner (attended by literally hundreds of family and friends).

Well, on New Years’ Eve, Sexton piled the car, and two others, up in a Detroit freeway collison. (Both of the other cars were parked.) Damage was estimated at between five and six thousand dollars. And, to boot, Sexton had neither valid license plates nor insurance.

According to Detroit Free Press columnist Bob Talbert, Melanie’s “Brand New Key” is such a gigantic smash that the latest in pendants is a roller skate and roller skating itself is reputed to be making something of a comeback, according to CREEM-ette Robbie Cruger.