ROCK 'N' ROLL NEWS

ROCK 'N' ROLL NEWS

Hey, look, Keith’s back! That’s the tone of rumors circulating London which have it that Keith Richard, an easy winner in the “who’ll be the next popstar to kick off” speculation derby, has suddenly come back to life and has reasserted himself as the strong arm in the Rolling Stones scheme of things. So much so, the rumor goes on, that Mick Taylor never even saw the inside of the studios during sessions for die next Stones album (the one that’ll feature covers of “Wish It Would Rain,” “Drift Away” and "Ain’t Too Proud To Beg”); Taking Taylor’s studio place, they say, was Ron Wood, although the last time we got a rumor like this, it had Wood replacing the thenwasted Richard. Still, it’ll be nice just to hear some real K.R. guitar again.

At last the truth can be revealed: the record exec who saddled Frank Zappa & the Mothers with the “no commercial potential” phrase that they’ve so gleefblly milked over the years, was none other than Clive Davis,

The new mutation of Free that we’ve been telling you about has finally jelled, It’s to be called Bad Company, and features Paul Rodgers (vocals), Simon Kirke (drums), Boz (bass) and ex-Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs. It’s believed that they’ll record for Atlantic.

Two ex-Free members, meanwhile, are cooking up something themselves. Paul Kossoff and Andy Fraser are rumored to be putting a band together with ^ former Jimi Hendrix drummer Mitch Mitchell and an unnamed singer. Look for its appearance in the late spring*

When Rod Stewart received an English gold reeord for Sing It .4 gain, Rod, the prcsentation was made by his biggest hero, football star Denis Law.

Adorable Melanie has just come off something called "Peop1e'~ Premier," a tour in which she went from city to city personally meeting her fans. I ltcse meetings - held to 100-150 people - are with people who've written Melanie or have showed up at her concerts over the last few years. Invitations were handled by Nieghhorhood Records, with rock critics and disc jockeys being persona non grata. (The punch line, as might be expected, was that Mel had a new album released about that same time.

put worked fóf Jobnfly athis~ why n~t.~ocy Hea*heiton! iit~ jea5t that s the plulosophy behind putting J•oey together with; PhLladelphla soul giants Gamble & Huff a~.:.produver_Thorn BeIL~

&~th Seals:& Cxoft~anct th~ Doob~e Bros.. DOW platinum records That s gotta say sorn~thing about somethin.g.~

A$int e.f trivia~ Denuis~•Laxd~n~ lead gu~tarist. and composer. with Rick N~Ison~s Stone C~nyon was one Of th~ fonndTng. n~em.ers of Ev~y Mothc~ &rn..

When on European tour last fall, the Stones laid down a few possible album tracks in Munich. But when Mick and Keith went into a I ondon studio not long ago to finish them up. they discovered that the temperature in the studio was a scant 60. And, soon thereafter. Mick discovered that he'd contracted the flu, causing the sessions to temporarily cancelled.

Latest tU publicly flair h~sp~)p$ta1 ambitions is ne Mi1t~rn ShappF who pends .hLS:.nOr~~mUsiCa1 time tending IG his .dat S as Governor of enniyIvania Hess had two ( his more notewro:thy compositions: - k~N~) Shortage of Love which deals with the (what else9) energy crisis and "`ft a Ballad Of itose Marn~~'~ about everybody's favorite executive secretary - recorded by a local bighschooi teacher wth no frS$iO5I*I in ius.j:q: experience. .Th . a tunes were cut Ms tab, and he's now shopping them aioun .4 10 nTiQ:1~EOr4 cornjanies ar.4..:sang:.puhiistlers.

Beating Milt squarely to the punch is Wafter Seheel, West Germany's Foreign Minister. Wally\ tune `[[loch auf dern gelben Wagon (High Up On The Yello~v Wagon)" - has already sold in excess of lOO.uoO copies, making it the biggest selling record by a German in years. Maybe the two of them should team up; how does Sehapp & Scheeb sound to you?

Jaz.zman Lionel Hampton was recently admitted to St. Btrnthas linspital in livingston. New Jersey. to have cataracts removed from his eyes. The operation will he performed by his baritone sax plas er, charlie Kelman, who douhles as one of the country's leading ophthalmologists. In this case, there was no new album to promote.

The recon~titu ted Traffic, which will tour ht're anytimc now, is composed (or decomposed) of Stevie Winwood, Chris Woods, Jim apatdi. Rebop and new bassist Rosko Gee.

A recent visitor to the Bogalusa. La., Studio in the Country was Johnny Winter. who dropped in to help produce a couple of tunes by Thunderhead, a band of old friends from New Orleans. Edgar also popped in to lend his talents to one of the tunes.

New York’s Record Plant played ago to a recording session by the Power of Attorney, I I a nine-man group that calls/ : \ Philadelphia’s Graterford Prist^n [home. The cons were escorted to the New Jersey state hne by d I Philadelphia police, who then j transferred them to the custody of New Jersey’s finest At the Holland Tunnel it was New York’s turn, and the Big Apple bobbies performed flawlessly, lescotfmg rite boys to the1 (recording studio and maintaining armed guard over them during die sessions. Any monies that should result from any of their musical efforts will go toward lawyer’s fees to get the nine acquitted.

Mott the Hoopie recorded a I couple of dates on their most \ | recent British tour, but don’t hold your breath watting for the live album. Ian Hunter tells us that riiey’B moat likely hold onto it lor awhile. * -; ^

Look for guest shots by the Beach Boys and Pointer Sisters on Chicago’s next album.

With a little lucK there should be a Bobby Neuwirth album from Elektra/Asylum just about now. Neuwirth, Ie~endary one~time road manager for Bob Dylan has tried on several previous occasionr to put a complete album together. helping out this time were Kris Kristotferson, (`ory Wells, Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko and Dylan himself.

Paul Silas, star for pro basketball’s Boston Celtics, is a cousin Of the Pointer Sisters. ^

For his next studio album, David Bowie is promising an acousticoriented album of protest songs, to be called either Revenge or * maybe The Best Haircut 1 £ver Had. And work has finally been completed on the Bowieproduced album by the Astronettes the vocal (?) group Bowie used to sing back-up on his Midnight Special. Besides Bowie songs, that album will feature -selections from Frank Zappa, Bruce Springsteen, and Brian Wilson’s “God Only Knows.”

Sbep Gordon, manager and strategist nonpareil for Alice Cooper, once worked (in his pre-Cooper days) for Divine Gamuts,-a firm that manufactured clothes for the dead.

And now that the “Joker” single has given Steve Miller all rite commercial latitude he’s never before had, it’s not unthinkable that he might deliver us a special Christmas album in time for the ’74 holidays.

As we so accurately warned you months ago, Sparks have been signed to a worldwide recording deal by Island, and will be produced by Muff Winwood. Joining Russell and Ron Mae! in the new Sparks are Englishpeople Adrian Fisher on guitar , bassist Martin Gordon and drummer Dinky Diamond. To recruit said new additions, the Mael brothers ran ads lit all the English trades that outlined their needs pretty specifically. “Must be an exciting, inventive drummer with a really good face that isn’t covered with a beard,” read one. Or how about "Preference to those applicants who possess sleek appearance and high harmonies.” Get the picture?

Jeff Baxter and Penny Dias of Steely Dan have joined Rick Derringer and Elliot Randall in a project called the Guitar Club Institute of the Electric Guitar, about which we know not a thing more than you.

Will Motown dare release the last song ever recorded by the late Bobby Darin, a reading of Paul Williams’ “I Won’t Last A Day Without You”?

Country crooner Porter Wagoner’s belated Christmas gift to singing co-star Dolly Parton was worth waiting for; a Talisman Cadillac. “The most expensive model of thar car,” he was quick to add. Dolly’s gift to Porter? A complete wardrobe, from sweatsocks to formahvear. 1'' |||||

Following Bryan Ferry’s lead, Roxy Music reedhonker Andy Mackay will soon begin work on a solo album. - ||||

Can Angela Bowie really be serious about forming a band? f-'j

Where’s that new Nico album alleged to have been produced by Tubular Bellboy Mike Oldfield?

There’s a strong possibility that the Monkees may reunite sometimes later this year. That’s right; Davey Jones, Mike Nesmith, Mickey Dolenz and Peter Tork together again, and the only thing said to be holding it up is the fulfillment of individual committments. So who needs the Beatles?