ROCK 'N' ROLL NEWS

ROCK 'N' ROLL NEWS

Strange excess dept. Randy Bachman has bought himself a collection of Bowie (not David) knives—that is 14 knives and one tomahawk—valued at more than $10,000.

R.I.P. Epic records has dropped heavy metal sensation, the Dictators, while at the same time Dictators" producers Pearlman/ Krugman, who also brought you the Blue Oyster Cult and Pavlov's Dog reportedly have a new find. "Pentagram," we're told, . "sounds like a cross between Black Sabbath and Blue Cheer." Major labels,are currently bidding on the group. Can't wait.

But in the meantime sources say that the BOC is dropping Pearlman and Krugman as their producers (though , Pearlman will continue to manage the band) to seek more artistic con-

Robert Plant, his - wife, and their two children are all "in reasonably good spirits" and recuperating in a. London hospital following the August auto accident on the island of Rhodos off Greece! Robert suffered a fractured ankle and various other broken foot bones in the accident, as well as a fractured elbow, and his wife and kids suffered a variety of broken bones. Robert will not be able to walk for several months and, as a result, the Led Jeppelin tour, which should have begun by now, is cancelled entirely. Best wishes for a speedy recovery to all.

The latest on lovebirds Chur and Gregg Allman, reunited within a weekxafter filing for divorce after being married for nine days, is that they spent their second honeymoon at Niagara Falls and are realty going to give it a serious try now.

One Size Fits All Dept. Britt Eklund on flame Rod Stewart: "I'm so happy! It's so nice to go with a man whose clothes you can wear!"

Accordingly Britt should be pleased that Tatum O'Neal was in attendance at a recent party at Rod's and her Beverly Hills house, Tatum was exploring the premises, discovered a fire in a bedroom * ■ Wastebasket and was able to douse the flames in time to save Rod's wardrobe in the closet nearby.

Rod Stewart seems almost enthusiastic with all his talk of a Face* breakup.

Boh Ecrin (Alice Cooper's Nightmare, Lou Reed's Berlin} is producing the next Klee studio album "under armed guard" (Why?) • in New York, The LP, slated for late fall release, will reportedly feature Eric Clapton, John Lennon, Alice Cooper, and Mick Jagger ...fare you ready for this?) on the back cover in Kiss makeup.

Deep Purple should be out any minute with a two record live set that will be the last Purp LP to include Richie Biackmore Speaking of whom, Blackmore's new band Rainbow should debut on wax shortly.

THe latest scoop on Rainbow Road (that re-make of A Star Is Bom) hps Elvis playing opposite Barbra Strdieana as the screen-idolturned-alcoholic-turned-suicide.

Lynyrd Skynyrd was recently presented with a key to the city of Jacksonville, Florida and were surprised to have the honor bestowed on therii in person by Leonard : Skinner, the high school coach after whom they mockingly named their band. t -,j>

On her way home from opening the Stones" Denver concert, Rufus" Chaka Khan broke her arm when the car she was driving overturned. She is "recovering nicely,'", according to reports.

Apparently Lou Reed has made another person mad at him—namely his manager Dennis Katz, who says he argued with Lou endlessly over Metal Machine Music. "This record was marketed all wrong," says Dennis. "If it'd been sold on Red Seal {RCA classical affiliate], then maybe we'd"ve had a chance. Instead they put it out with a big picture of Lou performing on the cover and people are expecting a new set of songs." The predictable result has been that returns of the double LP have been unprecedented, with many consumers claiming their copies must be defective.

While Metal Machine Music piles up in the warehouse, Lou is hard at: work with assistance from Mick Roneon on his next "legitimate" release, Coney Island Baby, Slated for November release, Baby, according to Katz, will be "a real rock 'n roll album, the type that'll please the fans." After that, Metal ; Machine Music, Volume II?

Not to be outdone by Elton John, John Denver has presented his manager with a $56, GOO Rolls r Cornische convertible. '

Elton John, dressed like a real native in blue work shirt and... Sherlock Holmes cap (?) beefed up the Engles lineup at a recent San Francisco gig with his raucous contribution to their version of Chuck Henry's "Oh Carol."

Elton is again recording at the Caribou ranch—can he top that last one?-—and has added Melissn Manchester's pianist who was also Moog-arranger for Ringo's Goodnight Vienna, James Newton Howard to the E. J. band for both the new LP and the western U S. tour starting about now.

Bob Dylan, nouveau scenemaker extraordinaire, following a triumphant round bf public appearances -fa New York with the Rolling Stones, Hamblin" Jack Elliot, Muddy Waters, Patti Smith, and Bobby Ncuwftrth, among others, jetted to London,' or so says I Melody Maker, to hobnob with Bowl.

Minnie Riperton is all better after being "mostly shook up" when -that lion refused-to cooperate af the photo sessions for her next album cover and sank a3gw teeth into her back, m

Three Dog Night vocalist Chuck Negron out on $10,00&bail ;:.-J following his arrest in Louisville, \ Kentucky for illegal possession of. narcotics. Negron is to be allowed to finish the group's current tour, m

In between sessions for BLPalbum, Keith Emerann was spotted on Switzerland's Lake Geneva with a regional record exep B water M Bafl pilot and says that on his first crosscountry solo he mistakenly landed at a military airfield where reading my maps when 1 was f surrounded by military police aindij guard dogs. Apparently thmFif* thought 1 was trying to smuggle in fliegai aliens.*"

Peter Frampton may be teaming up with ex-Atomic Rooster and Crazy World of Arthur Brown organist, Vbiceot Crane.

Leslie West has at least five tracks finished towards his next U*,S

Earth News reports that Bernie Leadon may be spljttfag with the Eagles due to a long-time rivalry with Glenn Frey. No comment from Asylum as yet.

Riming will begin ifi February on Kurt Vonnegut's Breakfast of ' Champions with Robert A1 (Nashville) directing and Alice Cooper in a major role,

Ray Manzarek and band have split withIMifafafyi Seyfaallabefeare interested in signing thegroup which now includes Nigel Harrison, exSilverhead, on bass and Panl Warren, ex-Raare Earth and Temptations, on guitar.

Clams OnwwHalf-Shell Revue, proverbial hpfapuf looking for material for dfaat'will undoubtedly be seen as some sort of "comeback" album. One source reports-thatlfg sessions have been going on haltingly and that the fourth producer so Klingman, of Todd ■Sundgren fame, played her tapes, of. 200 various songs and got this response: *"ifs all shit. Take that, shit off!" I

Ex-Elton John Band member Nigel Olsson is finishing up his first solo album for Rocket and it features the unlikfay likes of Stevie Wonder, NeflSedaha, and Nell Young together on several cuts plus E.J. hisself.

Alice Cooper has beefed up his personal security staff as a result of a Spate of threats recently. Alice apparently thinks the threats have something to dfawith his being banned from Australia where government officials labeled him "barbaric" and "degenerate."

Helen Reddy should Brink about a similar move. A young ew Jerseyite has been charged with extortion, allegedly after saying he would kflltlekm unlessshe paidhim an undisclosed sum of money. ; Maybe he was just sore about her; taking over permanent hostess duties on the Midnight Special.

George Harrison is still hot on the trail of a reluctant Sarah Miles, according to one L.A. columnist, who reports drat an exas beep moping about, saying, "Girls usually fall ail over themselves to go out with me." Perhaps nursing his wounds, George turned down an offer . from dagger to play at the Stones L.A. Forum dates. ;

Twenty-five more times around, Rosie..,Once again the Beetle comeback rumors, are circulating with Candy Tusken of Radio & Records reporting that Hollywood in-talk has John, George, and Ringo getting together for a special worldwide .satellite broadcast. Pan!, the report goes, is hoidingout because he's,more interested in the upcoming Wings tour.

The contrap sweepstakes continues: Stevie Wonder topping both Elton and McClirtney's astronomical prices by re-signing with Motown for $13 million spread over the next seven years, the fattest pact in recording

After their Denver concert, the Stones joined Eitoh for a midnight supper at James Guercio's Caribou ranch dtyjkL but no recording went on. •

Incidental trivia: dagger used the name "Michael Ben;?" when checking intouhotels (fa; this past tour.

Neil "fapijlfcg: is, finishing up yet another sflbum, tentatively titled either My Cfkl Car or Ride My Llama, to be released shortly.

Rod Stewart and the Faces featuring Keith Richard is the ungainly working title of a 67 minute film at the last concert of the Faces "74 British four expected to hit theatres here any minute. Rod himself did the mixing and editing of the movie.

In hohor of his buddy's thirty-fifth birthday, the ever-misehievous Keith Moon hired a skywriter to inscribe "Happy Birthday Ringo" over L.A.

If they had dropped a bomb at Ringo's birthday bash.^rOck "n" roll ; might very well have died once and for all! Among those attending: Mick and Bianca dagger, Charlie Watte, Keith Richards, Ron Wood, BUI Wynfan fie. the Rolling " Stones), George Harrison, Nigel Olsson, Klaus Voor* i man, Jfan KeHner, Mickey PotentRichard Perry, Dallas Taylor, Peter Lawford {?}, Larry Hagman (??), dease Ed Dafaie, and, of course, the ubiquitous Mr. Keith Moon, just to'

As Ed Sullivan might have put it: He afolt married no longer, girls! Ringo divorced byMaureen Cox Starr, 28, in an uncontested suit that alleged adultery. Ringo's current playmate is Nancy Andrews, 24, an American model whom he met on a blind date in L.A. last

As was long rumored, the Grateful Dead's experiment ip independentrecord distribution has not proven ; too successful and from now on , Grateful Deadband Round records, will be distributed by United Artists ufao.will also be releasing shortly the, featutf film of a Dead Winterland gjg, entitled, There's Nothing Like A Grateful Dead Concert.

Fear of flying shit? We'jre told that Universal, United Artists, and Columbia Pictures are refusing to send. Mad magazine any press informa" tion or photos on any movies—most notable recently are Rollerball ana Jaws Scaredy cats.