MAIL

MAIL

Please send letters to:

MAIL Dept., CREEM Magazine P.O. Box P-1064, Birmingham, Ml 48012

DEAR CREEM

First I would like to ask a very serious question. Is Iggy Pop Jewish and also I would like to thank you for your article on Bryan Ferry in your June Issue. It had lots of class. Again I would like to thank your staff for putting out the best Rock:Roll magazine on this planet.

Electric Warrior

Canarsie, N.Y.

(Iggy is as Jewish as David Johansen. — Ed.)

WIG OUT

Re Wayne Robins’ article on Billy Preston: Tell your friend at the check-out counter that as of 3-4 years ago, it was definitely a wig. The evidence:

Billy was on stage at Winterland, getting into the final number, “That’s The Way God Planned It.” As you may recall from the Bangla Desh film, he always leaves the keyboards to dance around the stage on the instrumental break of this song. He did so, and in the middle of his boogaloo, this wig fell off his head, revealing a coiffure identical to the one on the cover of the Capitol cut-out LP. But Billy was cool; without missing a dance step, he reached down and grabbed it, put it back on, and held it in place as he hotfooted it back to the piano to finish off the tune.

It was, for my money, one of the Two Great Moments in Winterland History, the other coming when an obscenely drunk Van Morrison vomited on -stage in the middle of a song.

A fan,

John Morthland

San Francisco, Calif.

POOCH FANCIER SPEAKS OUT

Guy Peelaert’s Diamond Dogs/or — Boy This Sure Ain’t No Mermaid:

Chills and half sardonic smiles, very thought provoking. As for David Bowie: one more gold star for Gaul. My condolences to the person in charge of finding a CREEMmate for July.

Miracles and genius are hard to come by.

Signed:

Jaded on the Northside

Chicago, U.S.A.

LAST WORD ON BERLIN

JUST GOT YOUR FAB MAG WITH LOTS O BOWIE INFO. FAB. IN YOUR LETTERS SECTION SOME CHICK CLAIMS LADY DAY (LOU) IS BILLIE HOLIDAY. BLOOPERS TO HER. WHAT AN EL DUMMO. WHY, WHY, WHY DOESN’T ANYONE KNOW THE TRUTH? BERLIN IS BASED ON CHRISTOPHER ISHERWOOD’S “BERLIN STORIES.” GO ASK LOU. HE TOOK LINES LIKE FIVE*FOOT*TEN*INCHES* TALL AND YOU LOOK LIKE MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS RIGHT OUT OF ISH’S BOOK. I LUV LOU AND I LUV ISH AND I WISH PEOPLE WOOD REALIZE THAT THE TWO ARE THE SAME.

LOVE ON YA,

AMY ZONA STRAND

PS RITE ON, ROCKSY MYOOSICK.

NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE

Tell Patti Smith her review of Planet Waves was lou-say. I, at first, also felt that “Dirge” and “Wedding Song” were the only worthwhile cuts on the album, but we must stop evaluating Dylan in relation to his old self, he’s someone else now. And “Going, Going, Gone”; “Tough Mama”; “Something There is About You”; “Never Say Goodbye” are the new Dylan the same as “Like a Rolling Stone”; “Ballad of a Thin Man” were the old Dylan. As the man himself said “Nothing is better, Nothing is best; Take heed of this and get plenty of rest.” Love you Bob, never say goodbye.

See ya, CREEM,

Sandy Paci

Pikesville, Maryland

BACKFIELD EMOTION

The other night I had a choice between watching the Cubs game or reading the new issue of CREEM. I decided to go with the Cubs. Well, they lost it by wild-pitching in the tie-breaking run in the bottom of the fourteenth. That was depressing alright. But not nearly as depressing as thumbing through CREEM after the game and realizing none of the boys in the bands were anywhere near as sexy as the men on the team.

Love,

Carolyn

Berlin, N.Y.

LOVE LETTER OF THE MONTH

Dear Ron,

Hi there! How’s my main man? I’m great. I feel so much better now that all my tests are over with — I can’t believe it! My chem went really well this morning, I’m in Biology now and I’m gonna go and find out how I did after this is over. I’m going over to the bake sale at 2:00 and I’m skipping my music at 4. I’m sick and tired of school. So, there! It is so nice out today, I wish I could be with you. We ought to go for a ride in your car tonight. What do you think, Bug? I miss you so much. I’ve read your card a couple of times already today. I really wonder what life will be like without you during vacation. I don’t want to think about it or talk about it cos I know it upsets both of us. So, I’ll stifle myself, Meathead.

Moisand has entered and is on his throne. So, I’ll write you later. I love you with all my heart, Ron!

(She wouldn’t even sign her name)

Buffalo, N.Y.

e-con

i know why ian anderson made “thick as a brick and passion play” all one “suite.” that way he only has to pay six dollars for the copyrights, or two and a half quid, roughly, see ya next month

alex from miami f-l-a, where holly came from

before he was a she.

ps. notice how the music between Mannix and Barnaby Jones (you know, where the Cat walks over buddy ebsen’s face) sounds like the beginning of the organ solo on “shinin on” — the title track.

BEAVER CLEAVERS

We are writing this letter to comment on “Elton.John-Superstud” sent in by the chickies at Beaver College in the May ’74 edition.

We are two avid Elton John fans and we appreciate him (plural, Bemie, Davey, Nigel, and Dee too!) for his music as well as for his (singular) great looks. You “gals” seem to think Elton is very dignified yet you moon over him like Burt Reynolds rejects. HAIRY CHESTS!!?+?†!!! If you’re really into “Hairy chests,” GO TO THE ZOO!! Realizing that anyone who likes Elton John can’t be all that bad, we only have these words of advice for you rodents - GROW UP! As for the obscene not to mention naughty words of F&+*, we’re sure he’s said many a sorrier “no-no” in his life; he’s only human. What’s wrong with a little fuck now and then (verbally that is) — What is beaver College anyway, a convent? Love and Kisses,

Evelyn and Gwendolyn

Nairtas, Pa.

(Anyone with pictures of Beaver College gals mooning over Elton - get in touch. - Ed.)

TALES FROM COMMIE KARMA

There was a time when I was right proud to walk up to a counter and ask for CREEM magazine but after I read Alan Niester’s so called “review" of YES’S “TALES FROM A TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS," fsic. - Ed.] in your May issue, I pledged to myself and to my most exacted musicians (YES) never again to insult my intelligence by reading his magazine. Anyone who has the balls to say that Shastric Scriptures are “commie inspired” (one of his assinine statements) is not only headed for some drastically bad Karma, but is just too sick to call himself a critic!!

Don’t rack you pion brains for a curt comment to this letter; I won’t be reading your degrading trash again, ever!

Sincerely,

CW

Huntington, W.Va.

(No curt comments; but what's a pion? -Ed.)

GEORGE MARTIN IS DEAD

On the John Lennon “Mind Games” album there is a song “Bring on the Lucie.” On the Paul McCartney “Ram” album there is a song “Long Haired Lady” and around the end of this song it says bring on Lucie. What does this mean?

Dave Wilson

Homestead, Fla.

(The same thing as “Turn me on, dead man. ’’ -Ed.)

MILITANT FOR CAROLE

This letter is in militant defense of Carole King. Why does Jesse Winchester like himself? I am referring to his reference to Ms. King at the bottom of his letter to Lester Bangs in June ’74. It is apparently “fashionable” to put down Carole. Mr. or Ms. Jesse (I don’t know which sex he/she is) Winchester is obviously a two-bit no talent bum, to escape the art Carole possesses. As far as Ms. King not being a hard-rocker, I suggest these people refer to “Spaceship Races” on her first album, Carole King, Writer.

I was shocked and horrified to see Lesi or Lisa Robbingson or Robinson not include Carole King the “Queen” of Rock ’n’ Roll (next to Holly Woodlawn, who I am sure is much too “After Dark” for Ms. Robinson) in her article on women in rock. I think Ms. Robinson (who I am sure comes from a fine upstanding background) has been looking up chiffon dresses for too long. Robinson belongs in the s-t circuit.

Sincerely,

Bill Kelly

New York

(The “Jesse Winchester" letter was written by a rather pathetic imposter; our apologies to the real Mr. Winchester. As for Carole, she's been wearing the same sackcloth tapestry for years. — Ed.)

TWO BOYS IN NEED OF HELP

You printed my letter in the April ’74 edition saying that my brother dreamed he had Jethro Tull albums between his legs, and you replied that he would meet John Forsythe. Believe At or not, John Forsythe is in his Italian class.

Sincerely,

Sick and Sick’s brother

Stupid

Howard, R.I.

ONE MAN'S BALLOT

as i read the may issue, i took my own poll here in Miami F-L-A. here are my results: Least Common Rock n Roll lyric:

“... they’re all resting down in Cornwall writing up their memoirs for a paperback edition of the boy scout manual..

Most Meaningful Rock song ever (music and lyric)

“In A Gadda da Vida” tied with “Moby Dick” alex torrelbas

Miami, fla.

p.s. this city has NOT ONE HAMBURGER JOINT WITH A JOOK BOX WORTH A SHIT!

CONTINUED ON PAGE 82.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10.

OLD ROCK CRITICS NEVER DIE

Is Lester Bangs the express-lane cashier at the “Kroger” supermarket on the corner of Farmington and Plymouth Rds. in Livonia Mich, on the weekends?

D. Matthew G.

P.S. Please print and answer because 12 tickets for the Lawrence Welk concert at Pine Knob are on the line.

(No, that was Ralph J. Gleason. — Ed.)

VERBALLISTICS

What is a “sonic greenyhonk”? Sounds like something I’d like to own or rent.

Best regards,

Marty Thau Dollhouse, Inc.

N.Y., N.Y.

(Mr. Thau, who manages the New York Dolls, is referring to Lester Bangs’ review of the latest Dolls’ album, wherein he referred to the Dolls’ art as sonic greenyhock, from “hock a greeny, ” an old high school term referring to the act of coughing up phlegm and spitting it at the target of your choice. What you want, Marty, is a gougemobile. — Ed.)

FITTING PUNISHMENT

Does anyone for a moment believe that if Dylan’s current “thought dreams could be seen,” they — Bill Graham? Gerald Ford? Patricia Hearst? — would probably put his head in a guillotine?

Chew on that, Greil Marcus (Marcuse).

The Wicked Messenger (Maybe a bungalow. - Ed.)

WASTE YOUR WOOZLE

I ain’t gonna enter your David Bowie look-alike contesf ’cause either Lauren Bacall or Greta Garbo’ll win. And I sure as hell ain’t entering your Mick Jaggar proxy contest, ’cause Rudolf Nureyev’ll probably win. But if you ever decide to have a Keith Richard/Lou Reed/ Iggy Pop wasted contest, let me know.

Jeffrey Morgan

Toronto, Ont.

P.S. Do you guys have a Creemsters Union? (Yeah, sure you’re dissipated enough to qualify? — Ed.)