ROCK 'N' ROLL NEWS

ROCK'D'ROLL (1CUJS

Latest hotso rumor from cross the pond have the Stones and Faces joining forces. Melody Maker has a “suggested line-up of Mick Jagger, Keith Richard, Ron Wood, Ian McLagen, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts and Kenny Jones.” Shades of Ornette Coleman! Rumors that the group will be called Kenny Jones” Air Force, however, were unfounded, though you might give some credence to the notions of Rod Stewart taking off with Tetsu formerly of Free and the Faces new bass player, and Mick iTaylor forming his own avantgarde bluesjband because of personal dissatisfaction. With his role in the Stones. Keith Richard • was last reported in Abyssinia, but MpLagen, Jagger and Wood have all been recording at Wood’s. Richmond home studio. Wood: “We did an old Curtis Mayfield number the other night, just . making up the words. But there’s nothing that could come out of it, we’re just having fan.”

In further Faces developments, new bassist Tetsu Yamauchi has E been denied a work permit by the

British Department of Employment and the Musicians’ Union has turned down his application. This means that, in spite Of the fact that he played in Britain for two years with Free .without the benefit of a permit or membership in the Union, he (and the Faces, if they keep him) are barred from working-in England indefinitely, The Faces do not intend to replace him, and the Musicians’ Union, reached for comment, stated: “We were asked by the Department of Employment for our views on the application by the Faces’ management for a Work permit. We gave our usual view in line with our policy that there are British bass guitarists available to work in groups and we would recommend refusal of the application.”®

Bob “Bear” Hite of Canned Heat was last spotted in England, where he was described as “unhappy but thin.”

Elton John came to a Los Angeles party in his honor in short pink satin hotpants, a pink afro wig — .with Ms eyebrows shaved off and rainbows painted on in their place. Needless to say, nobody noticed him.

What’s this, Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant with his new dance instructor? Well, not exactly. It is Plant with chum Iggy Pop, the world’s most exotic dancer. Whether Pop is giving away any trade secrets, however, is open to speculation. For the answer to that, well just have to wait for Led Zep’s next tour.

Watch for a Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross duet album from Motown this fall.

Ahmet Ertegun, being interviewed by New York magazine, said that no artists contracted to Atlantic records use drugs and he Mmself doesn’t even smoke marijuana. It makes him sleepy.

In other sectors of the Void, the Divine light Mission, teeny Guru Maharaj Ji’s version of Mainman Inc., has announced that their very own rock group, Blue Aquarius, has recorded an album in England, “the exact contents of which are still unknown.” It was secretly mixed early in August at the Ultrasonic Recording studios on Long Island, with Blue Oyster Cult’s Eric Bloom sitting in on one cut.

The Amazing Randy, head magician in the Alice Cooper show, has just received one of the toughest assignments of his career. Bearsville Records’ prez Paul Fishkin moved into an office I once occupied by Albert Grossman, containing a safe whose combination uncle Albert can’t recall. And since A1 owns unreleased masters by Carly Simon and Joan Baez, and the safe dates from the days when he managed Dylan, there’s lots of speculation going on. Randy has been brought in to crack the vault.

Reissue of the season, or who said there’s a lull on: “They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha Ha” by Napoleon XIV.

Issue of the month, or the bird of paradise has flown up your nose: “I’m Gonna Bake Me a Man” by Barbara Acklin.

Tissue of the month, or an end to those Chris Jagger is dead rumors: “Paper Roses” by Marie Osmond.

At Kooper held a big press bash at subterranean teenage orgiasts’ dive Richard’s in Atlanta for his Sounds of the South acts Mose Jones, Lynyrd Skynyrd (a group to watch — they sound like a strong cross between Johnny Winter and the Allmans) and, uh, Elijah. Prominent black polit Julian Bond (with brother James) j showed up looking trim, as did Marc Bolan, with a young lady on either side to carry him. Marc was down there on safari for some Gulf Coast funk infusion for his new T. Rex big band.

When Mott the Hooplehad. a big party in New York during their last ttS. tour, both Alice Cooper and the New York Dolls were refused admittance. Don’t blame Mott; though, it was all a mixup.

Roxy Music will be the next • transatlantic heavy to fragment into wiper-shards 1 ead unger Brian Ferry wants to go it as a solo artist with an album already , in the works, w'hile keyboard wizard Eno is deeply embroiled in , various projects including a new band called Luana and the Lizard l* (Shis,* duet single with Roxy reedman Andy MacKay, , assistance on a Robert Fripp album, producing an album for Portsmouth Sinfonia, and work , on a record entitled Hysterical Hybrid and the Musical Mutant, featuring “a number of contemporary musicians who would not otherwise get recording contracts. They will probably do a track each and share the' royalties.”*

Mick Jagger played Goat’s Head \ Soup for Rod Stewart Rod’s assessment: “Great! No girls.” Yeah* but when: the local deejay plays “Angie,” and segues right I into “Queen Bitch”..,

Meanwhile, Syreeta Wright is getting her head together in Ethiopia,

Leon Russell has shed his Shelter People, longtime guitarist Don Preston and rock V roll in general to get back to his gospel, uh, roots. Or so says Freddie King:

Watch f# John Cale, normally the most reclusive of performers, to be putting together a touring group soon.

Believe |t or not, California governor Ronald Reagan Will MC an Alice Cooper show at the -Hollywood Bowl. Also, there is a distinct possibility that Alice will be doing a film with director Roman Polanski of Repulsion and Fearless Vampire Killers fame. Meanwhile, Alice and th4 band -are rehearsing their next LP in his Greenwich, Connecticut digs. Hot new song: “Hippopotamus. ” .

You ,c&n start greasing up your tone arms now Black Oak Arkansas are, almost done with their next album. Title: High On The Hawg,

Melanie’s manager/husband has announced that she’ll be playing a birthday-concert somewhere every Feb, 3 for the rest of her \ mJBa

Here's an encouraging note for the activist rock fan: when Lou Reed got bitten on the ass by an overzealous admirer during a Provincetown show last spring, he wrote a song about it. It won't be on Berlin, but still...

Rick Wakeman says he wants to produce a fully-staged production of his recent Six Wives of Henry VIII album. Rick wants (to use the London Symphony Orchestra, a 60-piece choir and a modern ballet company. He also wants , actor Richard Harris (Of “MacArthur Park” recording fame) to narrate the show.

The Doors have broken up, but Ray Manzarek has been jamming a lot with Tony Williams of the McLaughlin-spawning Lifetime lately, and if the match works out (as it looks to) it should be a tough band.

A book is being written about Led Zeppelin by their longtime friend and traveling companion BP Fallon. Title: Over the Top.

Cheech and Chong may make a feature-length film - a kind of “Abbott & Costello thing” with Lou Adler producing.

Black Sabbath’s future may be in doubt. They have a new album, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath ready to go, but it is rumored that lead guitarist Toni lommi is leaving the group, and iris confirmed that he is going into the business end of rock V roll, managing a group named Necromandus. Sic . transit children of the grave.

Paul and Linda McCartney are rumored to be preparing another TV special which will be aired first in England, then possibly in America.

Paul McCartney, not be be outdone even retroactively by John Lennon in the lit stakes, wrote a piece on the Paul Simon Song Book for Punch, the British humor magazine.

Latest rocker to cover David Bowie songs is Lulu, who reportedly cut “Watch That Man” from Aladdin Sane and “The Man Who Sold the World” for her next, possibly two-sided single. Bowie himself produced the decks at the Chateau d’Herouville. David’s ditties have been previously waxed by Mott the Hoople (“All the Young Dudes”), Peter “Herman” Noone (“Oh You Pretty Things”) and Englebert ' Humperdinck (“The Little Bombardier”). ‘

Watch for Mick Ronson to be., signed to RCA as a solo artist, with an album due before the year is out. Should be quite a departure from Bowie thematically too.

1974 edition of the Guinness Book of-World Records will include a new category: “Loudest Performing Rock Band.” The distinction fails, for now, to Deep Purple whose jams were measured at 1,17 decibels, a mere 17 decibels short of the number which cause physical pain.

The perils of rock ’n’ roll, or groupies are the living end: Arthur Kane of the New York Dolls was going with a girl that the rest of the band disliked. For some reason. Anyway, one night she attacked fiim while he was asleep, and attempted to cut off his thumb. He’s in the hospital now, and a roadie is filling in on bass.