EXTRA CREEM'S TOP 61 The ABC's of Detroit Rock

EXTRA CREEM'S TOP 61 The ABC's of Detroit Rock

The following prose is a sort of Who's Who on the Detroit music scene. Because we lack the space to name everyone, a few unsung heroes will remain — unfortunately—unsung. But we've tried to be fair, so gang — we'd like to introduce you to Extra's Top Sixty-One...(applause)

CARL ARRINGTON. Carl's the new rock writer at the Free Press since Chris Brown departed for a sunnier clime, and he's already made his mark with a perceptive profile of Patti Smith that was picked up and run by the Knight chain of newspapers.

BILL BAILEY. Bill's voice over WDRQ's airwaves is long dark and mellow. Coincidently, so is he.

KURBSTONE BEAUTEAZE. One of the hottest new groups locally, the Beauteaze are an explosive mixture of the Tubes, Iggy and Alice, presenting a theatrical satire of sex, violence and rock 'n' roll that may offend liberated ladies: For one number the lead singer grips a girl by the throat while he sings about her perfidy and slowly shoves her to the floor, where blood oozes out of her mouth. Naked women are also hired to attack the lead singer. Bring the family.

BILL BLACKWELL. Student director of MSU's.Pop Entertainment, Bill's the man in Peter Frampton's dressing room signing the check over, or wheeling and dealing over the phone with Joni Mitchell's managers for an East Lansing concert. "You have to be on top of what people want," said Bill. "I had to turn down Bob Hope. I mean, Bob Hope in East Lansing?"

GARY BURBANK. CK's morning madman, Gary's one of the few jocks in town to seriously rival King funnyman Dick Purtan's position. Kentucky born and bred, Gary comes off as a bluegrass Mel Brooks who just happens to play music in between the witticisms.. And Detroit eats it up.

PAUL CHRISTY. He's one of the most astute program directors in radio, though you wouldn't know it to look at Paul, who comes off as a mild-mannered Clark Kent type. Paul started out as an office boy for WKNR, but a remarkable ear for what's about to happen in music has propelled him into W4's p.d. slot.

GARY CICCARELLI. The suave and debonair Gary, a local artist of some reknown responsible for — among other things — W4's "Quadzilla" art says: "I have a studio and all, but CREEM is my first love.'' (Our recent Elton John, John Denver and Pete Townshend covers were Ciccarelli originals).

THE DIDDLIES. A Fifties nostalgia band that's evolved into the band in these parts to get you off your sta-prests and onto the floorboards for some good old-fashioned Sixties dancing (Did I hear "disco"? Back to your yo-yos), churning out music reminiscent of the Beatles and the Kinks, vintage 1964.

GASPAR DILISI. Honesty, sincerity, good humor...it just oozes from that face. We tried to get some dirt on this guy, but nobody will spill. The MCA Godfather, Gaspar is one branch manager who loves to get down, and is the genial host of many MCA soirees. Oh, Gaspar, we love your tall urbane ways.

PRUDY DIMERCURIO. Music director of Bay City's "Super Win" WHNN, Prudy meets the promo people, listens to all the new releases and comes up with a hot playlist that's brought this station to number one in upstate Michigan.

MARTY FISCHOFF. Marty's witty pieces can be found in these pages almost every month. His only complaint these days is the lack of bridge players in Flint, where "my wife dragged me kicking and screaming because she got this great job." But Marty continues his literary love/hate affair with Detroit from afar...

DENNIS FRAWLEY. 'The only remaining WABX "Air Ace" still mouthing off at a Detroit microphone, Dennis is Motor City radio's irrepressible clown, the Keith Moon of ABX.

STEVE GLANTZ. Son of former Grande Ballroom owner Gabe Glantz, Steve started out taking tickets at Dad's club, then broke into promoting on his own with lesser-known bands like BTO and Aerosmith. Survivor of the many booking wars Detroit's seen, Steve's the only promoter who's been able to give Bamboo a run for its money.

DENNIS HANNON. Everybody's idea of the typical New Yorker, CBS's district sales manager is living proof that even the Midwest can't corrupt a true son of the Big Apple. Tall, cool, urbane — he's the one sticking his tongue out.

CHICKIE HARRIS. The sweetheart of WEA, when she isn't laughing Chickie acts as liason between WEA salespeople and local record outlets.

JUDY HOROWITZ. Judy's a West Bloomfield housewife who doubles as a booking agent for DMA, numbering among her' stable Light,nin' and AA Express.

DAVID JASKEY. When rock stars like Rod Stewart and the Faces, the Stones, Fleetwood Mac, etc. come to town, Jaskey's the man who supplies them with leather goods. David sells for the Gandolf line (manufacturing many of his own designs) and has sold leather jackets to Lou Reed and studded belts to Ian Hunter, for starters.

CHINA JONES. A transplant from the land of Dixie, though we defy you to find much cornpone in his voice. China is the Q's program director when not nuzzling the microphone for his night shift.

PETE JONES. RCA Records' regional sales manager, Pete could have stepped out of a Hemingway novella, ranging somewhere around 6'2" and sporting a full red bear. But don't be fooled — although he looks like he should be navigating the Big Two-Hearted River Pete's got all those David Bowie and Lou Reed elpees under control,

JUICY LUCY. These Kentucky boys have made Detroit their home because of their great success delivering sets of hard-driving Southern-fried rock .to local Allmans buffs.

ALOMA JULIAN and SUSIE OLSON. Hospitality and caterers for rock shows in Michigan and Ohio, these are the gals who bring Roger Daltrey ice cream for his throat before he croons "Pinball Wizard", concoct vegetarian dilights for Yes and repack Rick Wakeman's jumbled-up luggage.

JACKIE KALLEN. Jackie's been gracing the local rock scene for ten years now, save for a brief New York fling, and is currently holding down the entertainment slot at the Oakland Press.

JOHNNY KAPLAN. The grand oJd man of the Detroit music scene, Johnny almost certainly hired the first promo men in Detroit's history, and is currently vice president of Handleman's.

WALTER LEE. Besides being big cheese over at Capitol, Walter is also known to hate flying into airports surrounded by mountains and is rarely seen without his Capitol Records varsity letter sweater. We want to break into his office, because he's got the original Beatles "Butcher" cover framed beautifully on his wall.

CHRIS LOOP. DJ and program director for Toledo's WIOT, Chris brings a little glamour to the armpit of the Midwest. He also has a TV show called Chris Loop's Front Row, which brings Toledo shopowners, students, hipsters and musicians together.

JERRY LtjBIN. Jerry's now on the

day shift at W4 6 to 10 a.m., where he regales his microphone with a unique brand of tongue-incheek zaniness. Jerry worked as Paul Christy's music director — and quite effectively too — until he gave it up to devote himself full time tb his air duties. Fave word: "Indeed."

JIM MARSHAK. Head of Korvette s Midwest record division, Jim buys more records than anyone in the world (including Elton John). And if he doesn't, we don't want to think about who does. If there's ever a lull in the conversation, just mention ping-pong and Jim'll keep you entertained for hours.

WAYNE NEDERLANDER. From the family that brought you the Fisher Theatre comes Wayne Nederlander, host of Michigan's premier summer entertainment complex. On a typical summer eve Wayne can be found seating his guests, administering last minute instructions to his rangers or playing foil to the likes of Frank Sinatra and Chicago. And he loves it.

TED NUGENT. His own favorite guitarist, surpassing Hendrix, Clapton, and other mere mortals, Ted is the original Motor City bad boy. Maybe it's the ups and downs of his career over the past few years that's put Ted on edge, although lately things have been looking good, with the Arrogant One headlining in seven other cities besides Detroit. Lots of airplay for Ted Nugent ain't hurting, either.

TOM O'TOOLE. He's RIF's blonde bombshell, but Tommy is more than his cover boy looks would suggest— besides being top honcho of the local disco scene with his traveling disco show, Tom also finds time to model part-time and consider an acting career.

PADDLEFOOT. A lively young local band, Paddlefoot plays a blend of country rock a la Grateful Dead and bear a tag borrowed from Clutch Cargo's puppy.

GAIL PARENTEAU. The feminine dynamo behind the Bamboo curtain, Ms. Parenteau takes five from a typically heavy day overseeing Bamboo's current docket of concerts. Whether it's troubleshooting backstage, smoothing , over terminal cases of rock staritis, or keeping the local media informed and coddled, Gail is the Bamboo person on the scene.

ARTHUR PENTHALLOW. The former drummer for the Sons of Champlin, Arthur is as smooth an operator as the voice that ripples out from WRIF every afternoon would indicate. He appeared in a movie recently but won't tell anybody what it's called.

TOM POWERS. Clive Davis, no less, flew in to catch this local piano stylist's act at the InnBetween in Pontiac, and signed him to an Arista contract at once. Tom sings and plays a jazz-flavored style somewhere in between Elton and Leon Russell.

ROBBIE THE CHAUFFEUR. Who parties with Ronnie Wood, noshes with Steven Tyler, tipples a few with Rod the Mod...and isn't a Motor City Queen? Yeah, Robbie, and although we sometimes worry that the rock 'n' roll high life is unhealthy for him, he probably thinks we're all sissies.

GIL ROBERTS. WEA's Detroit area sales manager. Gil loves to play the Italian hothead.,.has passions for Lambrusco and good (?) cigars, once causing a massive walk-out at a WEA sales meeting when he wouldn't put out his stogie.

ROSALIE. While program directors come and go at CKLW, Rosalie remains — an all-knowing, all-seeing and all-picking (hits, that is) fortress of fairness. Bob Seger wrote "Rosalie" in her honor...but she never played it. Nice teeth, too.

DAN SCHAFER. Dearborn's own Danny was recently snapped up by RCA, and his first album is now gracing the racks at your friendly local disc shop.

TOM and JERRY SCHOENITH. The Bobbsey Twins of the local social scene. Tom is the master partygiver and an avid rock fan...sent wine to Chicago, lends his trailer out to convivial rock folk. Jerry, grand poobah of the Roostertail, gives parties at his little bistro for the likes of Elton John and Bette Midler.

BOB SEGER. Every Detroiter has memories of high school dancing and romancing to the tune of "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" or "Heavy Music," and though Bob's albums may make the national charts, he still calls Flat Rock home and makes periodic sweeps of the state that bring nostalgic lumps to the throats of ex-Sixties hipsters. Some things never change...

BILL SHULTE. The King of ABC (a.k.a. the Mad Moustache), Bill manages ABC sales locally in be? tween listening to Gato Barbieri and driving his new Mercedes.

JOHN SINCLAIR. Back in Detroit again after a brief Ann Arbor interlude, John's storming into the Seventies with his earth hippiesploitation rag, the Sun, as impassioned as ever. Current causes: Detroit's revitalization, the black music scene. Wow, it feels like 1967 again just to write about it...

BOB TALBERT. Strange person in residence at the Free Press, Bob is an insatiable music junkie and he tells millions of Detroiters about it every day. Currently writing his first novel (in between scanning his favorite rock rag), and churning out his daily column, Bob gets our award for Most Prolific Pen Pusher of the Year.

CARL THOM of Harmony House raps about tne incredible number of platters his record stores buy and sell while TOM SCHLESINGER

of Arcjaykay ponders how to get a word in about hockey. When he's not reclining behind his desk at Arcjaykay, musing over a pipe about Barry Manilow's beagle, Tom can be found at the Olympia for the latest hockey game, where legend has it he never wears the same thing twice.

HENRY VELLEMAN. Manager of the Hotel St. Regis where most visiting rock 'n' rollers crash in the Motor City. Rod Stewart is no longer persona grata since he playfully spat upon passerbys from his ninth floor room. More's the pity for Rod. Henry's the man who handles requests ranging from finding a doctor on Christmas Eve to keeping the kitchen open till

3 a.m. so Mick Jagger can have scrambled eggs after the show.

SUZANNE YOUNG. Events director of UAC — the University Activities Center at the University of Michigan — Suzanne is responsible for the 12-15 major concerts a year UAC presents. Past concerts have included Bruce Springsteen, Rod Stewart & the Faces, Pink Floyd, the Allman Brothers and Bob Dylan. Along with Michigan State's Pop Entertainment and the Detroit promoters UAC is one of the heavy buyers of name acts in the state, and one of the few university events organizations that is totally self-sufficient.

THE CREEMTEAM. Modesty almost forbade us...Publisher — BARRY KRAMER. Barry's a former Wayne State student, who, in an effort to get some magazine to publish his pictures, founded a magazine that wouldn't refuse him. Associate Publisher — CONNIE KRAMER. Connie is not Barry's sister. Among her interests are horses, dogs, small winged insects and Barry. Vice President— HARVEY ZUPPKE. Harvey's wish was to be a pirate. He settled for sunken.

eyes. Treasurer — RIC SIEGEL. Ric was voted by his high school class most likely not to care. Editorial Staff: LESTER BANGS

— Lester is the only man in the history of music to sit in the front row at a Jethro Tull concert and fall asleep. ROBERT DUNCAN

— Bob is a New York transplant to CREEM and other transplants have been suggested for Bob. JAAN UHELSZKI — Jaan believes in freedom of the press, so she steals newspapers. SUE WHITALL — Sue lived in England for so long that when she joined the CREEM staff she thought it was a dairy magazine.

DOUGLAS MUMM -rDoug founded the first home in Detroit for wayward pregnant boys. Because of its failure, he turned to art. MICHAEL MARKS — Michaels nose was hroken while he was shooting a rock concert in Chicago. He got it fixed. We didn't notice. N ANCY MILLER — Nancy is thefastesttypesetterinthecountry, couldyoutell??????

AIRWRECK GENHEIMER. — Team sports, space relations, jiving and shuffling. Position: out there.