ROCK 'N' ROLL NEWS
As of this minute, the next Rolling Stones album is to be called Goat's Head Soup. It's big number is reported to be “Dancing with Mr. D,” which stands for exactly what you hope it doesn’t. Insiders are currently taking bets as to how long Focus will remain together, citing the solo activity of Thijs Van Leer and Jan Akkerman, as well as reported dickering at recent recording sessions in London.
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ROCK 'N' ROLL NEWS
As of this minute, the next Rolling Stones album is to be called Goat's Head Soup. It's big number is reported to be “Dancing with Mr. D,” which stands for exactly what you hope it doesn’t.
Insiders are currently taking bets as to how long Focus will remain together, citing the solo activity of Thijs Van Leer and Jan Akkerman, as well as reported dickering at recent recording sessions in London. Also involved may be a feeling on the group’s part that their “teenybopper” following on these shores is unsuited to the seriousness of their musical art. Well, as long as you mentioned it...
Rumors are also rife that violinist extraordinaire Jerry Goodman will be leaving the Mahavishnu Orchestra, and that the split is not at all amicable. Something to do with the length of his hair...
The Swenson Ice Cream chain has come up with a new treat to honor noted naturalist John Denver. It’s called, of course, “Rocky Mountain High,” and it's a simple flavor you cannot -comprehend.
Fanny were recently banned from the London Palladium because the management found the girls’ stage costumes “too sexy.”
Problems arose with Mercury’s “best-of’ Rod Stewart album, Sing It Again Rod, causing a delay in the English release of the record. Seems that when you pulled out the inner sleeve of the cover (which is shaped like a beer mug) the outside tended to fall apart. The covers all had to be re-glued.
With this Deep Purple situation ever straighten itself out? Paul Rodgers denies that he’s to replace Ian Gillian in the band, stating that he intends to reform Free. The vocalist problem has been solved in part by the recruitment of former Trapeze bassist/ singer Glenn Hughes, but the band is still looking for a front man. Hughes replaces Roger Glover who’ll become A&R head of the band’s Purple Records. But now rumors have Jon Lord taking a permanent powder, while the bassist trom Thin Fizzy may join Richie Blackmore and lan Paice in that power trio we mentioned a couple of issues back. Where does it all end...
Three ex-Jeff Beck sidemen -singer Bob Tench, keyboardist Max Middleton and bassist Clive Chapman - have teamed up with former Joe Cocker and Steve Stills drummer Conrad Isodore and guitarist Bemie Holland to form a group called Hummingbird. They’re recording at Apple studios right now, under the supervision of Ian Sam well.
The new Lou Reed album is complete in London. Tentative title of the Bob Ezrin production is Berlin, and it will include the song of the same name from Lou’s first solo album, as well as “The Bed,” an epic work about suicide which features an ensemble consisting of RickWakeman, the Ronettes, five bassoons and three six-year-old kids singing along with Lou. Other musicians on the dates included Aynsley Dunbar, Jack Bruce, Steve Hunter, and Stevie Winwood.
Marie Osmond recently completed work on her fif$t solo venture, an album of country music produced by Sonny James.
Now that Darling David Bowie has “retired” from live performances, he’s got a few projects lined up to keep him busy. First on the agenda is his album Pinup, a compendium of rock hits of the Sixties including “Ladytron” by Roxy Music, the Mpjos' “Everything’s Alright,” and the Yardbirds classic “Shapes Of Things.” Aynsley Dunbar is set to drum on those sessions, but Jack Bruce turned down the bassist’s part. Following that, he’ll produce a Mick Ronson solo album, and promises to make two films next year, with “the roles being very different from what i one might expect of me.” Reports that the first will be a remake of ,Girls, Girls, Girls have not as yet been substantiated.
Bozo and the Big Top Circus, the first new Bozo album to appear in three years, has been released on the Peter Pan label. Insiders report that it’s no coincidence that the album appeared shortly after David Bowie dropped out of sight...
The Stooges have got their problems again; seems like both Humble Pie and T.Rex are scared to tour with them. Steve Marriott said something to the effect that “their energy is not from the same source as ours,” while Marc Bolan contends that he made the decision “out of respect for the audience.” OK Marc, but we can’t help but feel that if audience respect was that important to you, then you wouldn’t be touring at all.
Motown is set to embark on an anthology series honoring the artists who have been with the 1 label 10 years or more. To be included in the three-record packages are the Temptations, Diana Ross and the Supremes > Marvin Gaye, Jr. Walker & The All Stars, Stevie Wonder and Gladys Knight and the Pips.
Producer Gus Dudgeon was banned from working for Elton - John’s Rocket Records label by the British High Court. This action followed a suit by Essex Music^who contended that they have his services contractually locked up until Dec. 31, 1975. The ban will not, however, prevent Dudgeon from completing the Elton album on which he’s now working.
Bobby Harrison, whom Procol Harum historians will remember to be that band’s original drummer from “Whiter Shade of 1 Pale” days, has turned his efforts toward lead singing and has formed a band called Snafu. ,
Rolling Stones producer Jimmy Miller supervised the recording of the recent London Music Festival,
out of which should come at least one double alburn. Acts included Black Sabbath, Richie Havens, Ten Years After, Beck Bogart & Appice, Uriah Heep, Roy Wood’s Wizzard, and Wishbone Ash. No label deal has as yet been announced.
The Stones will be supported on their autumn British tour by an Americanband called Kracker, the first act signed to their label. Kracker’s album, produced by Jimmy Miller, will be released to coincide with the tour.
Wings are set to record their next album in Lagos, the African town where Ginger Baker maintains a residence and recording studios. They won’t be using Ginger’s facilities, however, opting instead for EMI’s eight track.
August 26 saw the Hollywood Palladium play host to the First Surfers Stomp Spectacular, a revival show featuring Dick Dale & the Del-Tones, Dean Torrence and his Legendary tasked Surfers (which include Bruce Johnston and Terry Melcher), the Surfaris, the Challengers, the Marketts and Blue Pacific. Sure hope somebody recorded it...
When Bonnie Raitt’s next album is issued by Warners, there might be a different producer on every track. Already Lowell George, Van Dyke Parks and John Hall, as well as Bonnie herself, have all had shots.
Pete Banks of Flash is the latest to throw his hat into the solo album sweepstakes, and was assisted in the effort by Jan ■ ;v-i Akkerman of Focus.
Bob Dylan s latest session assignment was some harp work on Dave Mason’s first album for Columbia. 1973 just might be the year that Dylan’s session fees exceed his recrod royalties.
Michelle Phillips is said to be working on a solo project, to be produced by ex-husband John Phillips.
Mike Bloomfield’s touring band includes former Butterfield buddy Mark Naftalin on keyboards, bassist Kip Marecklin from Elvin Bishop’s band, and Dave Bartlett on drums. Supposedly, a Gospel-slanted album — Millie Foster Feels The Spirit - has already come of the Bloomfield /Naftalin collaboration.
Now that Charlie Rich has finally made it the way everyone always' said he should, you can look for another Rich to follow in his footsteps. He’s Charlie’s son Alan, who 11 also record for Epic. If talent is in any way hereditary* the kid should be a knockout.
Don McLean has been contracted by Viking to author a book of poems. ,
Look for the Eric Clapton live album, recorded in London last January, just about any day now. Assisting him on that gig, as you’ll remember, were Peter -Townshend, Ron Wood, Stevie Winwood, Jim Capaldi and Rick Grech. Eric’s also hard at work on a new studio album, but info on that one is strictly hush-hpsh.
Only the first 50,000 copies of the J.Geils Band’s Bloodshot were actually pressed in the advertised red vinyl. It seems that the color tacked an extra 11 cents to the cost of pressing each album.
Meanwhile, how’bout some Monty Python on a weekly basis on this side of the Atlantic?
Watch out - literally - for Lonesome Stone, a new rock musical “about the Jesus Revolution in America,” which plays for two months at London’s • Rainbow Theatre and then may spread elsewhere. The cast is composed of volunteers from the Jesus JFamily, about whom -the less said the better.
Three members of Stealer’s Wheel have departed the group, leaving the nucleus of Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan to piece it back together. No replacements have been announced, but it is believed that they will be faceless and "harmless session musicians.
Don’t miss Elliot Murphy’s Aquashow, a New York band who’ll soon release a debut album on Polydor. Observers describe their sound as halfway betw?en Highway 61 Revisited and the moon.
As if Jesus-Rock musicals weren’t enough, now it looks like we’ll have to contend with a new genre: Horror-Rock. It’s first manifestation is “The Rocky Horror Show,” currently playing in England. We're told it’s a rock & roll fantasy based loosely on the old Frankenstein tale, but this time the good doctor comes from Transexual, a planet in the galaxy of Transylvania. Oh really? Unfortunately so.
Observed shopping together in Los Angeles recently: Sylvester and Tina Turner, for “anything with sequins.”
