ROCK 'N' ROLL NEWS

ROCK 'N' ROLL NEWS

One Elvis Presley mimic reports that he was absolutely swamped with offers from promoters to do his Elvislike act as a result of the Kings sudden and unexpected death. According to Zodiac News, Alan Meyer, one of 85 full-time Elvis lookalikes working in the United States, said, "It was kind of gross.

On January 19th, 1978 former MC5-er Wayne Kramer will be on the streets of Detroit again. In an interview from the Lexington pen, interview from the Lexington pen, where he is serving out his sentence for cocaine dealing, he told England's New Musical Express: "I have a band that I can goto called Rocks Gang, butl figure I'll lay back awhile and keep a low profile." Meanwhile two British record companies, Stiff and Chiswick, are combining forces to release a Wayne Kramer single, which will be a new version of "Ramblin' Rose", b/w a Kramer/Mick Farren composition, "Get Some". No word yet about availability in the States, but import companies such as JEM will probably pick it up.

The late Brian Epstein's brother. Clive reportedly trying to persuade the Beatles to play a memorial concert on the 10th anniversary of their manager's death .

WE A unloaded all of their Reprise artists onto the Warners label.. .except for one, the ever-stubborn Neil Yeung. Now he shares the label with only one other artist, Frank Sinatra (the label's founder).

Keith Richard's trial on drug possession charges postponed in a Toronto court until December...

Former Runaways lead singer Cherie Currie blamed her abrupt departure from the grOup upon jealousy on the part of the other krdeez, with specific reference to guitarist Joan Jett. Manager Kim Fowley, confident that the group Can survive without Cherie, reportedly mused that"gjrls will be girls." (Bassist Jackie Fox was recently replaced by a cute little number named Vicki Blue.)

Those Dee-troit delectibles, The Rockets, (Johnny Bee, Dave Gilbert, Jimmy McCarty, and more!) are soon to release their Don Davie-produced LP via Davis' newly formed Tortoise Records, and RCA.

UFO have found their wayward guitarist, Michael Schenker (he ran off to join the Moonies, you will recall), but now that they've got him, they don't know what to do with him.

The re-formed Byrds (with originals Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillmanalong with new additions Rick Vitro and Greg Thomas) performed their first gig recently in Bremen, Germany.

Ringo Starr (who wants an acting job but says no one'll take him seriously) has been biding his time sitting in on the Alpha Band's recent studio gig and will be f eatured on the groups's upcoming LP, Spark In The Dark.

Patti Smith Group keyboardist Richard from the band; this time it looks like for good (he was replaced on the European tour temporarily). Reason: "Bizarre behavior".

Who wants the woman with the...skinny legs? Cher might well be asking, as she's been spending time at Beverly Hills' Century West Club trying to "pick up a few pounds"...

What's a Rock Star to do? Rod Stewart attended the Scotland/England soccer game in the U.K. recently, and after Scotland trounced England, old Rodders pulled his hat over his head, pulled his collar up, and ran down onto tire field with a trowel to get his piece of the turf. Only to be thrown off the field like the bum he resembled. Next time down, Rod threw the cap aside and let himself be recognized; it worked and he was allowed to dig in. Once the crowd recognized him, they vaulted him up onto their shoulders and carried hiftt off the field. One catch: when he descended he discovered that his watch and necklace were missing. The latest wrinkle in the story is that the watch at least was recovered; seems the findee was boasting around London that he had Rod Stewart's watch, and mouthed off in the presence of one of Her Majesty's! finest. Watch has been returned to owner, and Rod made a substantial present of cash to the stadium to atone for the fans' vandalism (and his bit of dirt).

In The Studio

Look for new releases this fall/winter from The Who, Rod Stewart, Stephen Stills, Lou Reed, Steve Miller, Cher & Greg Allman Allman & Woman), Neil Young, Nils Lofgren, Ramones, Patti Smith Group (Rock & Roll Nigger), Elton John (GreatestHits Vol. II), Jethro Tull (Greatest Hits Vol. II), Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bette Midler, Angel, Jackie De Shannon, Nite City, Smokey Robinson, Dusty Springfield, Art Garfunkel, Jerry Garcia, Rare Earth, David Essex. Leo Sayer (Thunder In My Heart), Mark Farner, Sea Level (Sound Waves), Dolly Parton, Small Faces.

The vivacious Helen Wheels made her debut recently at New York's Village Gate,'and from all accounts it was a smashing success. Dressed in her customary black leather, Ms. Wheels and her five-piece band performed several songs including "Angel Baby"—a Hell's Angels love song— "Projector", and the songs she'd penned for the Blue Oyster Cult. "Sinful Love", and "Tattoo Vampire". Two members of the Cult, in fact; Albert Bouchard and Buck Dharma, were present cheering Helen on. Mercury is starting a punk label (to be occupied by English and American punks), and are threatening to call it Dip Records.

Suzi Quatro was back in L. A. recently to firm up her appearance on a two-part Happy Days, in which she will play "a female Fonz"—not to be romantically linked with the real Fonzie, though. She'll just get to wear lots of leather and swear and stuff...

It now appears that the Son of Sam had "an emotional attachment" to Black Sabbath, as well as getting his name from some alleged Jimi Hendrix moans on "Purple Haze". Many of his letters written from Korea while in the service were signed "Master of Reality", which Sab fans will recognize as a song. There are also many Sab phrases S.O.S. used, like "war pigs." Although the Sabbies were his favorite, Son of Sam also used such Beatle phrases as "Once there was away back home again" (from "Golden Slumbers"). What, he worry? NME reported that Led Zeppelin ace Jimmy Page was watching the telly recently when, across the clear blue (TV) sky, appeared four straight lines of distortion. He immediately took these "signs" to be scanning U.F.O.s bearing messages, so he packed his bags and split for Cairo. (Where else?)

Rastaman Bob Marley recently announced that he smokes several "splifs" (that's cigar-sized joints of ganja) everyday. (For those of you who can't translate, that adds up to about two and a half ounces.) (ZNS)

Bay City, Michigan, recently gave the key to the city (and most of its riot police force) to those teenyrockers the Bay City Rollers in honor of Bay City Rollers Day. As one mightexpect, panic and mayhentruled, causing several littlechickies to be carted off after suffering from Rolleritis. (Were you there?)

Big Sissy? Rock scribe John Rockwell of the N. Y. Times, in Scandinavia to interview die finally-touring Sex Pistols, would only do so when guaranteed that at no time would he be left alone in a room with the gentlemen. Speaking of Rock Grits, Billy "Buzz" Altman and World's Leading Authority on Rock Group Kiss, Robert Duncan, are planning a six month trial brain transplant, so that Billy will be able to write features and Robert will be able to write record reviews. Each feat is quite impossible now with their existing brains.

Waylon Jennings and secretary Lori Evans arrested on cocaine charges in Nashville.

What were you doing on July 26th? In 1943 Mrs. Jagger was birthing Michael Phillip, and in 1977 Mick Jagger spent the day quietly with daughter Jade. (Mama Bianca was nowhere in sight.)

The latest British import features "punkette" Cherry Vanilla, who's sign ed to a 5-year contract with RCA London. Vanilla and her band just completed their first single, "The Punk". Sez the Cherry, "I wanna rock 'n' roll, I wanna be a punk!"

Carole King's Tapestry has finally been toppled as the chart-topping LP in all rock history, by Fleetwood Mac's Rumours, which at presstime had managed 16 weeks at the very top, one week more than Tapestry, and two weeks more than Stevie Wonder's Songs In The Key of Life.

And It's Only Going To Get Worse: Four men were arrested in Memphis in August for attempting to steal Elvis Prealey's body. They were observed by Memphis police making a trial run on a Saturday night, then were caught with explosives inside the mausoleu m where Elvis and his mother are buried. The plan was to steal the body and demand ransom...

Fleetwood Mac recently donated 1,000 tickets to blind children of Southern California for their recent Forum gig.

On Tour

Jefferson Starship, Bob Seger & Silver Bullet Band, Gregg Allman Band, Kiss, Jethro Tull, David Bowie, Bob Marley & Wailers, Atlanta Rhythm Section , Supertramp, AC/DC, Firefall, Foreigner, Bad Company, Carole King, Little River Band, Earth, Wind & Fire, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne. Yes, Elvin Bishop, Beach Boys, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Fleetwood Mac, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Neil Diamond.