MAIL

MAIL

Dear CREEM:

On page 42 of January 1972 issue: that is James Dean with Liz Taylor, not Rock Hudson. Check it out.

Also where is Walled Lake?

Yours truly,

Edward J. Buck Vallejo Ca.

(Walled Lake is just east of Novi. —Ed.)

Dear CREEM:

Last night I dreamed about this fantastic rock festival held in a place that was a cross between my old highschool and the world’s largest record store. All the groups and politicos were there. John Sinclair got up to speak and spent the whole time praising Women’s Liberation and Gay Liberation, which was called the Sidewinder Party. Mel Lyman was running around in the crowd shouting things but you couldn’t hear what he was saying. Nick Tosches wrote a book about it that looked a lot like Woodstock Nation with pictures and everything but everybody got mad at him for not taking it seriously enough. Somebody handed me the new issue of CREEM and on the cover was this naked chick with stereo components all around her. I said it looked like HiFi-Stereo Review and the guy that gave it to me got mad. Then I opened it up and the latters section, which was about 20 pages long, was all letters from downer freaks with misspellings and typeovers left in and titles like “Where’s the heavies?”

Does all this mean anything to you?

Tom Harmon

Chula Vista, Calif.

Dear CREEM:

I have taken the liberty of mailing a copy of Jon Carroll’s Cahoots review to Jon Landau.

Your Friend,

Jack Hafferkamp

Chicago, Ill.

Dear CREEM:

In the last few issues, a generous number of irate letters disagreeing with particular record reviews have appeared. More often than not, the writer accuses the reviewer of not being objective, i.e., injecting his own personal feelings/opinions into the matter. Frankly, I feel it is nigh impossible to voice an opinion or write a viewpoint without the reviewer’s emotions seeping through. I also find it difficult to swallow the conjecture that the pub he will buy/not buy records on the simple say-so of another This may be the case in some instances but it certainly didn’t deter the Grand Funk/Sabbath fans from pouring sales into the millionsto the dismay of ear-

plugged critics. This year, of course, these critics are taking a second look.

What makes CREEM so enviable is that if a reader feels he or she could do as valid a job . of reviewing, they have the opportunity to do just that. Your “open-door” policy encourages response from readers and nowhere in the masthead does one find the usual: “Not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs.”

Finally, a word of praise is due toward the level-headed, non-egotistical staff to include Greg Shaw, Dave Marsh, Lester Bangs and Ed Ward, to name a few. These folks provide what this reader feels is the most consistent continuation of superb rock journalism around.

Curt Eddy

San Antonio Tx.

Dear CREEM:

Finally, someone writes something good on the Who, the world’s greatest rock group. I saw the Who August 4-7 at Boston’s Music Hall and feel that Marsh’s “Who Primer” describes their recent tour of the States perfectly. It’s about time the Who got some of the recognition they deserve. Good job Marsh, far out pictures Auringer.

J. Vincent Who Freak Amesbury, Mass.

Dear CREEM:

In your last (January) issue much attention was given to an L.A. chain, since they are a chain, of reeprd stores entitled Records LTD. They are the shelf distributor of English albums and singles in L.A. and they know it. Now, I don’t want to badmouth these folks, but the people I’ve come in contact with at their store closest to my home, the San Fernando Valley store on Victory (for those CREEM readers in L.A.) leave a lot to be desired. They are, with one or two exceptions, the most arrogantly run stores in L.A.

Now, I will grant you that they carry more English records than anyone else, and they •distribute to all of the other stores that carry English albums that I’ve been in, but they’re still bad people. May I suggest scoring a .copy of Melody Maker and dealing with the stores that advertise there. (The differences Melody Maker’s advertisers make in prices between label and the normal price somehow doesn’t show at LTD.)

I had no trouble, incidentally, getting my copy of either of the Holy Modal Rounder’s Prestige albums, and I would' question my lack of ability in scoring the Nico album, if it at all interested me. I simply ordered them from the record store I used to work at and about a month later it came in. Prestige as of late, though, changed distributors in L.A.; I don’t know about the rest of the country. They are now distributed by Music West, which is owned and operated by the folks at RCA. This might cause some problems due to the fact that RCA is notorious for shitty distribution, and the few months I’ve known about Music West being in operation have

improved their produce availability less than one per cent.

I think that the readers of CREEM would beextremely interested in the number of records that are still available but are not stocked by record stores. I was honestly shocked when some guy came into the store I was working at and bought all of the Earth Opera albums (threes of both of them) we stocked because he said they were out of print. Next week we got in three more.

Art Schaak

Studio City, CA.

Dear CREEM:

I want you to know that I think that Van Morrison is the missing link between Ray Charles and Bob Dylan and that he makes me feel good.

Jim Foley Class 9B Victoria, B.C.

Dear CREEM:

Since you guys like to keep track of so called “killer” groups, I’d like to know if you know what ever happened' to a group called The Good Rats? I picked up their album, which I vaguely remember being released around early 1969, in a 59<t bargain bin the other day, and it like to blew my head off. They make the Stooges and MC5 sound like Donovan. The lead singer, whoever he is, or was, sounds like his balls are caught in a garbage disposal. All the songs are written by Peppi Marchello, but I’ve never heard of him, either. I’m curious because I’ve never heard of these guys since, and wonder if they have any other recordings available. They seemed too good to be a one-shot wonder.

Andy Lee

Ft. Walton Beach, Fla.

Dear CREEM:

I’ve been reading you since September, and have found you to be really great. In fact, CREEM is the perfect balance to Rolling Stone’s retreat from hard rock political consciousness, etc.

I couldn’t agree’more with Dave Marsh’s column in the December issue. The paranoia exhibited by rock critics, d.j.s, etc. over Black Sabbath, GFRR, Stooges cannot anymore be explained away in terms of their (the critic’s) musical awareness. It just seems to run deeper than that. I began to clue into this when, on Alex Bennett’s show oh WPLJ in NY, a caller offered to describe the recent Shea Stadium Grand Funk audiefice in one word, and then proceeded to do so: GREASE! The supposedly “Radical” Bennett had no comment about this chauvinist, intellectual elitist comment other than to agree!

I used to think I was being too dogmatic in dividing the rock audience into class, i.e., Marxist, entities. But its obvious now that the new anti-rock (symbolized by Rolling Stone) represents middle class students and ex-youth radicals in retreat while real rock (sympolized by CREEM) represents those youth of the second generation who have refused to retreat and, furthermore, align themselves with the rising third generation.

I work an 11-hour job and don’t get a chance to write much, so you’ll have to do a lot of it for me. So far, I really like what you’re doing.so I hope you won’t give up.

Power,

Henry Platsky

Brooklyn, New York

DearCREEM:

I just bought an issue of CREEM for the first time. I really dig the magazine but I think you should give more attention to less popular (but talented) bands like Humble Pie, Mountain, T. Rex, etc.

Would you please write sort of a follow up story on what was said about Johnny Winter in “Edgar’s” story (Det.)? Please write about what he is planning on doing.

Thank you,

Glen Shames Larchmont NY

(Johnny made a surprise appearance with Edgar’s White Trash band at the Academy of Music in New York early in December, then had to return to Texas to recuperate. He should be back for good in a few more months. -Ed.)

Dear CREEM:

I bought a copy, of your October issue because of the article on the MC5. To say the least, it is informative and detailed, but I do suggest you go see them “live,” before you say “For right now, the MC5 are one of the finest rock‘n’roll bands we have.” Two years ago (or even three) I wouldn’t have agreed with you more! They were fabulous. Kramer’s riffs were the best! The “High Energy” radiated from them like the damn sun! But alas, with so many changes they are losing ground fast.

I used to envy and idolize those guys but after seeing them at the Paramount in Springfield, Mass. Dec. 21,1 could do nothing but cry. The started with 800 kids and by the time they shouted “Kick out the jams,” there were but 14 left. The set was a combination of all the music they ever did! Including a version of “I Want You Right Now,” turning into “Kick Out the Jams.” A few nights before they got shut down in Boston for one of the worst concerts ever! This is not recent either. I saw them in August ’71 at Wampler’s Lake Pavilion and the energy and set were the woirst.

Until they are back to their own again, I suggest you retract the statement.

Dona Nelson

Ann Arbor, Mi.

P.S. See them live if you don’t believe me!

DearCREEM:

For some reason I had always thought of CREEM as a tabloid when I read about it in Who Put the Bomp. Images of a Detroit product with an editorial position in favor of Grand Skunk invariably materialized into a shape akin to Rock, the new Crawdaddy, or Changes - with writing quality not unlike a missing link between Circus and Fusion. Instead I find my Heroes, Bangs, Ward, Shaw -throw in Mendelsohn and Kaye and the picture gives me the hots — in an excellent format. My subscription will be in as soon as I find out which of your bonus records I get for Christmas.

Two minor corrections: 1. Frogs have no reproductive organs. 2. The Prophet (on whorh be peace) did not marry a young widow (she was 40 at the time) and Allah willed that he was not blessed with sons.

Can anybody tell me where I can get a copy of Viv Stanshall’s “Labio-Dental Fricative”?

There’s only one thing, Mr. Kowinski; who cares?

Mike Herrin

Palos Verdes Est., CA.

DearCREEM:

Dave Marsh... “1971 has not been the best possible year. There hasn’t been an aura of sunshine in events - measured daily, weekly, or monthly - this year at all. George Jackson murdered, then attica, Jim Morrison dies. Then Gene Vincent, King Curtis, Duane Allman, Louis Armstrong, all of that is recent - the first six months blur.” ... Can’t you see that something is obviously missing? It could be that women is losers even in death.

Pam

Rochester, NY

DearCREEM:

It is a very rare occasion when I can get off a letter to a magazine, for I usually have a carefree opinion about them. This time, however, I could not resist. I read, with great interest, the letters from two fellow Jerseyites, one from Bloomfield and the other from Union.

First, to the #1 Rolling Stone fan: Why don’t you straighten out your fucking head??? A reviewer’s job is to give his opinion on what he listens to, and shun all possible influence that would lead him to change his opinion. You say in your letter: “ ... If they ever played the same music, for the almost 10 years they’ve been playing - you’d be complaining that after all this time they’re still playing the same and its getting pretty sickening. Think about that...” Well, I did think about it, and no two ways about it: neither you or your sentence make any sense. You said the reason why you bought it was because it said the Rolling Stones on it. Suppose Jagger put out an album that had him and Richards on it beating their meat against the mikes (in two-part harmony for music’s .sake), for the album’s duration. Would you buy it??? Being the ass you sound like, you probably would.

To Mr. Duff of Union N.J.: Listen to the opening of “Bitch,” then listen to the opening of “Rock and Roll Queen,” by Mott the Hoople. Sound familiar, don’t they??? Mott the Hoople’s album was out a good year and a half before Sticky Fingers.

How in the Lord’s name can you say the

Stones are the greatest??? Give a listen to groups like Yes, King Crimson, Procol Harum, Fairport Convention, etc and say that the Stones are still the best. I’ll shit cinderblocks if you can find something by Jagger/Richards that top these people musically. Take into consideration guitarists like Robin Trower, Pete Townsend, Frank Zappa, Terry Smith of IF, and the pre-Aqualung Martin Barre, and you’ll find that Richards isn’t actually what you think he is; a lot less, in fact.

Please, cool off on the Stones for a short time, and give these other people a listen. Then comment and tell me what you find. I know I leave myself open for crucifixion from all the Stones freaks, and will probably heai; about it.

Respectfully,

Peter

Jersey City, N.J.

Dear CREEM:

Dave Marsh’s review of Surf’s Up was just about the best review of the Beach Boys I’ve ever read, anywhere. Now, in contrast, I love Freinds and 20/20 — but what he said about Pet Sounds and Surf’s Up is just SO TRUE. And no one has ever said it before in print, so it was nice to see instead of the usual Brian Wilson = Genius myth.

And hey, what’s all this claptrap going around about rocknroll writers being 25 year old codgers? I’m 19, and I like it (even if it’s not the same as 18). (But I was eighteen when Alice had their hit, so I guess that makes me a true Third Generation rocknroll fan after all. Move over oldsters!)

Mike Saunders

Austin, Tx.

Dear CREEM:

I am writing in conjunction with Dave Marsh’s irreverent and contemptuously Illogical desecration of the Beachboys (the best recording Rock band in the world and number one in studio mastery and production techniques). Yes, we the people of Woodstock Nation are aware that High energy is one great factor in this revolution we are involved in. Grand Funk, MC5, Alice Cooper, Etc. are the consummation of (this high energy factor. But the revolution is built on so many factors that helped us reach a certain kind of consciousness and awareness. The Beachboys are representatives of these factors — from the inspirations that John F. Kennedy layed on us, up to the bummers that Richard Nixon shoved up our ass... The Beach Boys evolved. They are cosmic energy merged with spiritualism — Transcendental voyagers with a background like most of us had - making out in drive-ins, jacking off, finger fucking, sucking tits, eating hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries, coke (cola), drinking booze and a lot of other things that make the age of puberty worth it.

I am one of Lansing’s new breed of longhaired school teachers — I teach Math in one of the biggest high schools in town. I am 28 years old and I am proud to say that the relationship between me and my 17 year-old students is by far more harmonious than the one I had with my mentors when I was in high school. My students relate to me and I relate to them. We have so many things in common - ideologies, dress, hair,’ promiscuity, life-style and music - not to mention the Beachboys. There are times when I make them forget about logarithms and differentials and we’d discuss music and things — They’d bring their albums to class and turn me on to the Stooges, MC5, Grand Funk or even Sly. I’d bring my albums to class and turn them on to the Beachboys, Dylan, Beatles, Airplane, Dead, Byrds, GSNY, Chuck Berry or even Elvis. Soon, we became a real homogenous pasteurized family of rock. 85% of my students own the album, Surf’s Up. So don’t blow it for me, Dave, shut up!!

Continued on page 80.

Mr. Smith

Lansing, Mi.

(Replies the Teenage Dwarf: “I know all about that. I used to go to a high school with a couple of teachers just like that. And when me or my friends were about to get kicked out of school for having our hair too long — this is a few years ago - those teachers ponked out just like all the rest. The moral is, of course, never trust anyone who tells you to shut up, and who ‘makes’ you forget about logarithms. Especially if they teach high school. ”)

Dear CREEM:

I just want to discuss with you something which just occurred to me.

We, the young, feel we have a more open mind than those that we commonly refer to as pigs; i.e., those who abridge freedom and parasite on the people and do weird, ridiculous shit like start and participate in wars over imaginary boundries, and of course, those who value property and cohectioa of property as more important than human life.

O.K., if we are more open minded then why do we smoke cigarettes, which we know are damaging and pointless. And how is “I can’t wait to get off work and get loaded” any different than our parents’, “I can’t wait to get drunk.” And basically, how does smoking dope and listening to the ol’ stereo all night differ from drinking beer and watching football all day? There is no difference. They are all creature comforts and all very forgettable in the sense that what long term good did they do for the effort you put into them?

Anyway, so much about this counterculture bothers me I had to let you know, for no good reason I guess.

Also, why have to bother with the pigs? These strange forces that rule us have something they call congressmen that supposedly represent us. So write yours and go to the top instead of endlessly trying to change things with those not responsible for change, but for enforcement.

Thank you.

Kevin L. Hoover

Castro Valley, CA.

Dear CREEM:

Your comic strip, Xmas Blues, starring Syndrome the Swamp Frog was utterly and completely fantastic. I had better see more of him in the future.

Jon Hennessy

Pocatello Idaho

(Syndrome we don’t know about, but more of cartoonist Bill Bergeron’s stuff you will definitely see. Stick with us, kid. -Ed.)

Dear CREEM :

Even though I like P.B. Swine’s first ESP album and don’t much like jazz, I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your articles on the Godz.

It brought back fond memories of my own senior year in college (’67-68) when I started mixing some rock in with the pre-WW 2 country blues on my college radio show. I discovered Contact High in the station record libe and played “Come On, Little Girl, Turn On” more than once on my show. When the straighter DJs would interrupt their playing of Top 40 and Peter Paul & Mary to ask for requests, I’d call and request “White Cat Heat.” Sometimes, after they played it, they’d stop talking to me. Just no sense of humor.

In the fall of ’67 I went to NYC (mostly to buy records) and when I saw a new album by the Godz (Godz 2), I grabbed it. I wasn’t disappointed either - I liked it from the first.

The following spring I took an introductory art course. One day our instructor brought in a record player, slapped on a Miles Davis disc, and said we could listen to music as long as we worked on our drawings. Immediately I ran to the radio station and borrowed Contact High. I started playing it and the class grew ugly (our instructor was sleeping or something). The frosh just couldn’t take it. I barely got the record off the turntable before they destroyed it.

Howcum you didn’t mention that the drummer on Contact High (was it Paul Thornton?) had never in his life played drums before the recording session which produced that fine album? It sums up what the Godz are all about!

You mighta mentioned those bands influenced by the Godz. Or maybe it’s that band influenced by ... Cuz just listen again to Hapshash and the Coloured Coat. This band (assisted by the Human Host & the Heavy Metal Kids) is a little too talented, but they still strive for that level of ineptitude achieved only by the Godz. Sometimes they come pretty close, and the similarity is too much to pin on coincidence.

John Smothers

Cleveland, Ohio

(Lester Bangs: “I talked to both Paul Thornton and Jim McCarty of the Godz since the piece appeared. Paul is recording a new Godz album with other members of the old band, while Jim sez he’s going to England to be produced by Procol Harum, who mightily dig the Godz’ sound. So fear not, Godz fans -there’s more masterworks a-comin’!”)

Dear CREEM:

I would like to agree on the letter from #1 Rolling Stones fan of Bloomington N.J„, 'cause I feel the same way he does. Sticky Fingers is the best thing the Stones have done since Let It Bleed. And the Stones don’t copy nobody! People copy the Stones! And for the review you gave on Sticky Fingers, just remember, “You can’t always get what you want.”

The No. 1 Stones fans of

Southampton, Pa.

Dear CREEM:

The realization of growing older has just struck. Listening to Grace sing her new album, I thought and am still thinking of how fine her voice is now, more mature and her words are different. Not like her “White Rabbit” or “Hey Frederick.” I hated it when Marty left the group, felt like the Dominoes were starting to fall. I started using the line, “Well, Starship is cool; but they don’t make it like the old Airplane.” Just like my old.man saying, "The Mets are cool; but they’d be murdered by the old Yanks.” Well, anyway, I dig Alice Cooper, MC5, and Grand Funk, Iggy, also Moby Grape, and Caravan and Ultimate Spinach. Can you dig on what I’m saying? Is there a generation gap in rock or is it “media burn” the same fucks who spread the rumors that the Beatles were breaking up.

P.S. If you can help me, I’ll share my spirit list with you.

D. O’Leary New York, NY

Dear CREEM:

Just a little note to let you know that I am still keeping up with the scene as presented to me by your magazine. Let me assure you that I was greatly saddened to learn of Dave Marsh’s deteriorating mental condition as evidenced by his review of the Kinks’ new lp, Muswell Hillbillies. Of course, we all knew it was coming on (witness* some of his past reviews — there is ample evidence of that dread slow rot turning his brain to mush in some of his insipid words on various lps) but still, I must say I was a bit shocked that the ultimate deterioration had come about so quickly. Poor fellow, he must be suffering greatly. It was noble of you to print his last review as you did., but I doubt if it was very sensible commercially. I’m sure that not all your readers are as sympathetic (may I say it?) as I to poor Dave’s personal problems. I’d venture a guess that quite a few of them just couldn’t stand the gross immensity of Dave’s illness. It’s possible that when they read those insane, nonsensical words of his (for example: “It’s [the album] not just poor, it’s horrible”) some of them tore up your magazine on the spot, poured gasoline on its semi-glossy pages and without giving a thought to the crud they were releasing into the atmosphere (which is quite unlike these ecologically-minded citizens) set a match to it and watched with profound disgust as the flames devoured the evidence. Those people will probably never buy your magazine again, so fearful will they be aboilt having to witness another monstrosity like Dave’s breakdown. Not that they realized they were witnessing a breakdown, of course. They, no doubt, simply thought that your magazine makes it a habit to print asinine, ignorant reading material written by asinine ignorant Grade 2 moron writers (please, forgive me, Dave!). It’s a sad fact these days, but nevertheless quite true, that the majority of people seem to lack sympathy for those poor souls in the world who obviously need it.

Well, I must close now. Kindly give Dave my warmest regards (I assume that at this stage he still retains a minimal amount of comprehension of the English language) and let him know that I’ll be happy to visit him now and then, just as soon as you send me the name and address of his place of internment. Best wishes to all — I hope your magazine’s reputation isn’t damaged too badly because of your misjudgment.

Love and kisses (to all),

Laurie Eivets

(No return address)

(Mr. Marsh has asked us to thank all of our readers; on January 22, he received a 4-F notice from Selective Service, as “mentally incapable” of serving in the Armed Forces. -Ed.)