Cherry Vanilla

with scoops for you

Cherry Vanilla

(Cherry Vanilla has been around.

(Originally the product of a quiet Catholic upbringing in Queens, N.Y., her quest for personal fulfillment has sparined the globe and taken her through several careers and just about every scene known to the Sixties. She has worked as an Advertising Executive on Madison Ave., a Casting Director, a discotheque jockey, poet and author, singer-songwriter, free-lance radio/TV producer, porn model, dope pusher, dirty movie production assistant, actress with the New York Theatre Ensemble and Andy Warhol, Circus magazine columnist, aide and biographer to David Bowie, Max's habitue, and groupie. It was in the latter position that she attained international fame and rose from the “underground” to become a full-fledged celebrity.

(Of late, however, she has returned to literature almost full-time, and her book about the groupie life, The First Few Days of a Decade -As Seen Through the Eyes of a Tart, may well prove one of the seminal classics of the Seventies. Ms. Vanilla has graciously consented to let CREEM have World Exclusive first publication rights on this manuscript, so look for whatever we can get away with printing from it in this space in the coming months. For openers, though, three poetic interludes by Cherry Vanilla. Think of them as rock'n’roll songs for the printed page, if you like, but make no mistake: Cherry Vanilla is for real, goodbad but not evil, a luminary among luminaries. -Ed.)

THE CHERRY VANILLA PHILOSOPHY

When you come right down to it it’s all in your head ... The kind you have and the kind you give!

GO DOWN ON THE SOUND

Go down on the sound Go running around Go scratching and cratching And searching for something

Go in and go out And see what that’s all about And drove it in to me And spoon it out gently And maybe in the .morning There’ll be some left behind For the tired mind And my behind And your good-loving-kissing-and-a-hugging Touching me here Where I don’t give a care And I like the night air

Go down on the sound Go running around Go scratching and cratching And searching for something

Go back and go forth For a goodtime snack And a humpy hack In the good-old-summertime With a friend of mine

At the same old time Here on your radio Shooting out waves Fluffing my page With a hunk of mud And that old-time-religion Creeping up to me And burrowing through me And maybe pursue me And oooh be good to me Baby

Go down on the sound Throw it around Go jumping and hooting and six-gun shooting Go towering flowering deep down on the sound Spread it around And then get out of town

BRIEF ENCOUNTER ON A ROCK & ROLL NIGHT

Sittin on the stairway at the Capitol Theatre Trying hard to keep out of the way Running shoes and high-heeled boots pass by me Faces smile but don't know what to say

Jingle jangle silk and leather Bouncy curies and straight blond hair Everybody so together Nobody stoppin ’n staying here

Oh well now, here comes Randy How’d ya do old friendly face

“Ah, just living, taking, giving getting high and playing bass.”

Little rap bout Leon Russell Then woosh, he’s gone to get a drink Here I am alone again Guess I’ll use the time to think

Wonder bout the moons and planets Wonder bout the deep blue sea Wonder what I’m doing later Wonder what on earth I’ll be

“Writing home to Mama,” said the drummer from Mylon “Excuse me” says I “Well not exactly” A look through the railings And then he’s gone

Groupies, boobies, bouncing, shaking Dope-soaked air, jams and beer Gun telling me he’s got a down for Johnny Redbeard askin' me What’s going on here?

Just another night on the electrical circuit Just another group on the old party line Just another scene in this movie I’m weaving Just another day in this old life of mine