BURTON CUMMINGS’ DIET TIPS

I've met my share of heavy rock 'n' rollers: Leslie West, Randy Bachman, Flo & Eddie...but after meeting former Guess Who/present solo artist Burton Cummings, I can report that he doesn't tip the scales no more. Yes indeedy, newly trim and quite enthused about album sales of his first Portrait Records LP, Burton Cummings, Cummings acted like a medium sized St. Bernard, affectionately lapping at my hand and wagging his bushy tail. He was full of good will.

Burtie was also full of pasta before the evening was through because we dined at West Hollywood's Dan Tanas, which is frequented by Hollywood agents, a few stars, and lots of fast buck types. I'd planned on grabbing a couple of chili dogs and cokes, but Portrait, a subsidiary of CBS Records, is really going to town on Burton, their first artist On the roster.

During the linguini with Italian sausage, Cummings managed to burble out quite a bit between mouthfuls. Let me say here that Burton is both vocal and articulate, being of hearty Irish stock, born and raised in Winnipeg. He joined The Guess Who when he was but 17 years old and wrote songs and contributed vocals to the group 'til its disintegration in 1975. Cummings had pleasant things to say about ex-heavy and Guess Who Randy Bachman, yet wasn't so complimentary about the Guess Who's record label for all those years.

"Randy and I must come from different places. He was married and Mormon. Now that's a double negative combination if I ever heard one."

"Randy'and I must come from different places. He was married and Mormon. Now that's a double negative combination if ever I heard one—at least from where I was coming. I liked the slicker life—boozing, women. But he came to my Vancouver gig, man, and it was great! Now we don't have a one-ups-man-ship to protect. We had a lot of things to discuss* it's been seven years since we've spoken. We're both into what makes us happy."

In regard to RCA, the Guess Who labeLhe says, "RCA never gave us a second thought. We were just there and we sold records and concerts in spite of them. RCA promotion guys would take a stack of RCA product over to the radio stations. So on the way over they'd look through the pile and say "Hmmrn here's one by Jefferson Airplane, good! And here's one by David Bowie, great—and—umm-oh yeah, might as well drag along this Guess Who."

So the story goes. And despite the company's lack of push, Burton (solo and with the Guess Who) is estimated . to have sold seven million records. "I always liked the Guess Who. It was heavy high school time and each song reminded me of a different guy. "These Eyes" reminded me of my Hungarian biology teacher...blonde hair, ice blue eyes.

The remainder of the Guess Who hits—"American Woman," "Laughing," "Undun," "Share The Land," and "Hand Me Down World," bring back memories of every infidelity and indiscretion. These boys were righteous and moral! Sharing the land, American Indian freedom and all!

At the moment, years later, Cummings is interested in his second album, produced (like the first) by Richard Perry (Barbra Streisand, Carly Simon, Ringo Starr).

Cummings' other hobbies include an uncanny store of information about oldies material; artists, labels—the obscure and big time—all of which goes along with his extensive collection of 45's and LPs. "They take up about three walls of my house," he explains. Burtie can, like the contestant on Name That Tune, rattle off the title and artist and the date released of almost every pop tune since 1957. It is pretty amazing. Do you know who sang "High Tone" in '61?

Cummings has gone a trifle Hollywood this year, moving from Winnipeg into ranch-style environs in the hills of Encino. But let's humor the fellow for the time being. While I was there he weighed the merits of every racing car he could think of—maybe a candy apple red this or a super V-8 that. "I think I'll get a Mercedes SL after all," he speculates.

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And his new wardrobe! California casual like there's no tomorrow! It's the kind of clothes that your uncle would pick for a cruise to the Carribbean: white duck shoes, pegged pants, print shirts ...But his is expensive stuff, don't get me wrong; it just fits like a doily on an oil derrick.

I smirk a little and he's about to slug me. "Fuck," he says. "I love to wear this lighter attire. In Winnipeg, man, I couldn't get out of the house in an outfit like this. It was about 30 below up there when I went home for Christmas, and that's cold!" I told him that in what he was wearing he might be mistaken for an X-Ray technician on a break from the hospital.

Cummings is very attached to a little dog who's now in Encino waiting for his master and wondering what time his dinner will be served in the dog house. The dog is named "Fimmy"—a silly nickname which honors the former Guess Who bass player. Says Burton, "Our bass player, Jimmy, was always fucking up. We were constantly saying 'Fuck Jimmy this' and just plain 'Fuck Jimmy!' So we got fed up of the long phrase and shortened it to—'Fimmy.' "

Burton is quite the man around town. He's an expert on the array of porno theatres which now grace Santa Monica Blvd. He's seen Behind The Green Door and The Adventures of Joanna—both several times. I am not sure if it was Burton or me who dissected the most interesting parts of each movie. No, it was him, 'cause he did all the talking.

The next time I saw Burt the Lad, he was behind a grand piano in Richard Perry's elite and immaculate Studio 55. The studio is catty corner to Paramount Pictures, but before Perry's purchase, it lay dormant for years. In the old days of musicals, the studio was used to record the multitude of hits that sprung from stuff like High Society or Jungle Fever. Bing Crosby used this place to record "White Christmas," which I'm told thrilled Burton no end.

Burton and the band were warming up and awaiting the arrival of producer Richard Perry to begin cutting the track, "Charlemagne." On the road and in the studio Cummings is using a bevy of respected session men: Jim Gordon, drums, Ian Gardiner, bass, and Danny Weiss, guitar.

Richard strolled into the booth looking quite the star himself. Really spiffy dresser: floating Moroccan scarf (was this given to him by Patti Smith?) and the hot item-around-town due to his phenomenal success on Leo Sayer's Endless Flight. Good work, Ricardo.

Richard flips the dials, signals for quiet, and begins the tiresome chore of getting everyone out there to cooperate and sound real good. From time to time, Burton will chortle out half a ditty. They do at least three takes of "Charlemagne"—each one a shade different. The tune is a bright and boastful HeMan macho thing which suits Burton well. He adds and subtracts choruses from the song as they do the takes.

The finished album should be out in late spring. In the meantime, Burton is slinging his piano over his shoulder and playing his way through the Midwest, the East and the South. He will not be playing Auckland, New Zealand this tour.

Burton was excited about having bought a really classy Steinway from RCA Studios to begin furnishing his Encino home. He confides that there's not much else in the house; his record collection, the dog, the piano, the gold record (for Burton Cummings).

Burton, why don't you give Linda Lovelace a call to see if she does floors & windows. I'll betcha she does!