RADIO, RADIO

OK: The results are in, we can officially kiss off 1978 and be one year closer to what everyone hopes will be a real decade, the 80's. Right?

Wrong. First you've got to sit still while we, in the best CREEM tradition, tell you how half-assed we all are.

First, despite record company and radio apathy, some new music entered the mainstream, or established itself more solidly therein; this is reflected in the polls by Elvis Costello's strong showing, Patti Smith's first Number One (Best NewWave Single), CheapTrick's rocketing to the 03 album of the year, The Cars coming out of nowhere to become Best New Group, Blondie's strong showing for the first year, Nick Lowe's respectable showings in the Producer and Songwriter categories.

Well, it's about time. And, to give credit, you sure as hell didn't hear them on any but the most enlightened radio stations (WMMS in Cleveland, KSAN in San Francisco—you know who you are). Not until they hit. Typically, radio got on Costello when they knew they had a sure hit; again in 1978, nobody took any chances, nobody gave any but the most established artists a shot.

Simon Frith writes in his column this month of his deepening conviction that American tastes are inexorably set in their MOR ways; we're discouraged too—what, Linda Ronstadt was the best female singbr.of '78? Compared to what?—but if our poll can show some shift away from the Kiss/Foreigner/Aerosmith/Styx axis, when it shows that people are buying records and supporting artists other than the bloated supergroups the big guns at the record companies and radio stations are pushing—well, maybe it'll get through to somebody. There are enlightened disc jockeys still programming innovative radio; all you and we can do is support them, support new acts in concert, let the record companies know your tastes can't be bought.

Obviously, Britain being an island, record buyers over there are a smaller, more enlightened group, and new acts break frequently and in a big way. (How many American bands—Blondie, Pere Ubu, Devo, Johnny Thunders—were first established stars in the U.K.?) But the whopping majority of the music is still derived from here. Why can't we appreciate our own heritage? Not just new bands, but overlooked bands, sleepers, genuine comebacks—whatever.

Obviously, in 1979, anything in the groove like Costello or the Cars is going to make it; let's just hope other "outsiders" are given the chance to blast the apathetic pants off the cocky megagroups playing your local coliseum; let's just hope all of y6u straight ticket Foreigner/Pablo CrutSwHeart/Queen fans hear some more passion in your music. But if it ain't on your radio, you'll probably stay in your multj-tracked womb. To the CREEM loyalists who won't take it any more: Get outta here, we mean it! We love you.

WAX

TOP THREE ALBUMS

1. Some Girls (Rolling Stones)

2. Who Are You (The Who)

3. Heaven Tonight (Cheap Trick)

4. Live Bootleg (Aerosmith)

5. Van Halen (Van.Halen)

6. Darkness on the Edge of Town (Bruce Springsteen)

7. Double Vision (Foreigner)

8. The Cars (The Cars)

9. Dog & Butterfly (Heart)

10. Easter (Patti Smith)

11. Double Live Gonzo (Ted Nugent)

12. This Year's Model (Elvis Costello)

13. Don’t Look Back (Boston)

14. Tormato (Yes)

15. Road to Ruin (Ramones)

16. Stranger in Town (Bob Seger)

17. Jazz (Queen)

181 Ace Frehley

19. Draw the Line (Aerosmith)

20. Are We Not Men? (Devo)

21. Stage (David Bowie)

22. Paul Stanley

23. Hemispheres (Rush)

24. David Johansen

25. Lynyrd Skynyrd’s First and Last

“Get that shit off the radio!”

Alan Hare Irving, TX

THE WINNERS! '78 READERS' POLL

“l can *t tell the New Wave from the old anymore.”

Brian Burns Bonita, CA

TOP TWO SONGS

1. Miss You (Rolling Stones)

2. Who Are You? (The Who)

3. Because the Night (Patti Smith)

4. Hot Blooded (Foreigner)

5. Surrender (Cheap Trick)

6. Just What 1 Needed (The Cars)

7. Beast of Burden (Rolling Stones)

8. Come Together (Aerosmith)

9. Shattered (Rolling Stones)

10. Baker Street (Gerry Rafferty)

11. Straight On (Heart)

12. Life’s Been Good (Joe Walsh)

13. You Really Got.Me (Van Halen)

14. Don’t Look Back (Boston)

15. Prove It All Night (Bruce Springsteen)

BEST R & B SINGLE

1. Miss You (Rolling Stones)

2. Beast of Burden (Rolling Stones)

3. Shattered (Rolling Stones)

4. Soul Man (Blues Bros.)

5. Three Times A Lady (Commodores)

6. Shame (Evelyn “Champagne” King)

7. Got To Get You Into My Life (Earth, Wind & Fire)

8. MacArthur Park (Donna Summer)

9. Boogie Oogie Oogie (Taste of Honey)

10. It’s A Laugh (Hall & Oates)

BEST R & BLUES ALBUM

1. Some Girls (Rolling Stones)

2. Hearts of Stone (Southside Johnny)

3. Along The Red Ledge (Hall & Oates)

4. Natural High (Commodores)

5. Down Two Then Left (Boz Scaggs)

6. One Nation Under a Groove (Funkadelics)

7. Live & More (Donna Summer)

8. Blam! (Brothers Johnson)

9. Briefcase Full Of Blues (Blues Bros.)

10. Weekend in L.A. (George Benson)

BEST RE-ISSUE 1. Sgt. Pepper (Beatles)

2 ~ Double Platinum (Kiss)

3. 20 Golden Hits (Buddy Holly)

4. Greatest. Hits (Steely Dan)

5. The Essential Jimi Hendrix H

BEST JAZZ ALBUM

1. Feels So Good (Chuck Mangione)

2. Hot Streets (Chicago)

3. Weekend in L.A. (George Benson)

4. Electric Guitarist (John McLaughlin)

5. Aja (Steely Dan)

BEST NEW WAVE SINGLE

1. Because The Night (Patti Smith)

2. Jocko Homo (Devo)

3. Satisfaction (Devo)

4. Radio, Radio (Elvis Costello)

5. My Way (Sid Vicious)

“Elvis is still dead.”

Tattoo Vampire Webster, TX

BEST NEW WAVE ALBUM

1. Are We Not Men? (Dev

2. Road to Ruin (Ramones)

3. This Year’s Model (Elvis Costello)

4. Easter (Patti Smith)

5. Parallel Lines (Blondie)

FLESH AND BLOOD

TOP THREE GROUPS

1. Rolling Stones

2. Aerosmith

3. Led Zeppelin

4. Cheap Trick

5. The Who

6. Kiss

7. Queen

8. Heart

9. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band

10. Van Halen

11. Ted Nugent

12. Foreigner

13. The Ramones

14. Patti Smith

15. The Cars

16. Devo

17. Yes

18. Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

19. Rush

20. Fleetwood Mac

21. Black Sabbath

22. Blue Oyster Cult

23. Kinks

24. Talking Heads

25. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

TOP THREE LIVE GROUPS

1. Rolling Stones

2. Aerosmith

3. Kiss

4. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band

5. Led Zeppelin

6. Cheap Trick

7. Queen

8. Ted Nugent

9. Heart

10. Electric Light Orchestra

11. Foreigner

12. David Bowie

13. Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

14. Patti Smith Group

15. The Who

16. Yes

17. Van Halen

18. Blue Oyster Cult

19. The Ramones

20. Rush

BEST MALE SINGER

1. Mick Jagger

2. Robert Plant

3. Steven Tyler

4. Bruce Springsteen

5. David Bowie

6. Robin Zander

7. Paul Stanley

8. Freddie Mercury

9. Roger Daltrey

10. Bob Seger

BEST FEMALE SINGER

1. Linda Ronstadt

2. Ann Wilson

3. Patti Smith

4. Stevie Nicks

5. Debbie Harry

6. Grace Slick

7. Nancy Wilson

8. Donna Summer

9. Carly Simon

10. "Genya Raven

BEST NEW GROUP

1. The Cars

2. Van Halen

3. Devo

4. Cheap Trick

5. Meat Loaf

6. Journey

7. Blues Bros.

8. David Johansen

9. Tom Robinson Band

10. Rockpile

WORST GROUP

1. Kiss

2. Bee Gees

3. Devo

4. Bay City Rollers

5. Sex Pistols

6. Boston

7. Led Zeppelin

8. Foreigner

9. Ramones

10. Grateful Dead

BEST NEW WAVE

BAND/PERFORMER •1. Elvis Costello

2. Devo

3. The Ramones

4. Blondie

5. Patti Smith

6. Sex Pistols/Johnny Rotten

7. Talking Heads

8. The Clash

9. Nick Lowe

10. Iggy

BEST NEW WAVE SINGER

1. Debbie Harry

2. Elvis Costello

3. Patti Smith

4. Johnny Rotten

5. Joey Ramone

6. David Johansen

7. David Byrne

8. Nick Lowe

9. Iggy

10. Sid Vicious

“It's disillusioning to see Akron, Ohio as the new Liverpool,"

Wayne Olsen Riverdale, NJ

BEST R & B SINGER

1. Mick Jagger

2. Stevie Wonder

3. Donna Summer

4. Teddy Pendergrass

5. Southside Johnny

6. Peter Wolf

7. George Benson

8. B. B. King

9. Graham Parker

10. Rod Stewart

BEST R & B GROUP

1. Rolling Stones

2. Earth, Wind & Fire

3. Commodores

4. Asbury Jukes

5. J. Geils Band

6. P-Funk

7. Hall & Oates

9. Mink DeVille

9. The Rumour

10. Foghat

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

1. Keith Richards

2. Jimmy Page

3.'Ron Wood

4. Ted Nugent

5. Joe Perry

6. Mick Jagger

7. Todd Rundgren

8. Brian May

9. Pete Townshend-

10. Steven Tyler

BEST GUITARIST

1. Jimmy Page

2. Keith Richards

. 3. Ace Frehley

4. Ted Nugent

5. Joe Perry

6. Brian May

7. Pete Townshend

8. Rick Nielsen

9. Jeff Beck

10. Bruce Springsteen

BEST KEYBOARDIST

1. Rick Wakeman

2. Keith Emerson

3. John Paul Jones

4. Elton John

5. Brian Eno

6. Greg Guiffria

7. Roy Rfttan

8. Billy Joel

9. Billy Preston

10. Dennis DeYoung

BEST BASSIST

1. BUI Wyman

2. Gene Simmons

3. John Paul Jones

4. John Entwistle

5. Paul McCartney

6. Tom Hamilton

7. Tom Petersson

8. Chris Squire

9. John Deacon

10. Geddy Lee

“Where's my hack issue?"

Robert Dominguez N. Whittier, CA

BEST DRUMMER

1. Keith Moon

2. Charlie Watts

3. John Bonham

4. Peter Criss

5. Neil Peart

6. Joey Kramer

7. Carl Palmer

8. Roger Taylor

9. Bun E. Carlos

10. Mick Fleetwood

BEST HORN PLAYER

1. Clarence Clemmons

2. David Bowie

3. Chuck Mangione

4. James Pankow

5. Edgar Winter

6. Eddie Money

7. Alto Reed

8. John Entwistle

9. Andy MacKay 10. Doc Severinson

BEST INSTRUMENTALIST

1. Ian Anderson

2. Brian Eno

3. Jean Luc Ponty-

4. Todd Rundgren

5. Steve Tyler

6. Ann Wilson

7. Magic Dick

8. Dan Ackroyd

9. David Bowie 10. Peter Frampton

“I love y our magazine, I also love flushing toilets,*'

Kathy Kinsdla Cleveland, OH

BEST PRODUCER

1. Glimmer Twins

2. Jimmy Page

3. Todd Rundgren

4. Brian Eno

5. Roy Thomas Baker

6. Jack Douglas

7. Eddie Kramer

8. Nick Lowe

9. Bob Ezrin

10. Alan Parsons

BEST SONGWRITER

1. Mick dagger/ Keith Richards

2. Jimmy Page/Robert Plant

3. Bruce Springsteen

4. Steven Tyler/Joe Perry

5. Pete Townshend

6. Paul Stanley/Gene Simmons

7. Elvis Costello

8. Freddie Mercury/Brian May

9. Rick Nielsen

10. Nick Lowe

SUNDRY

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

1. Keith Moon’s Death

2. No Led Zeppelin LP

3. No Led Zeppelin Tour

4. Sex Pistols Breakup

5. Rolling Stones Tour

6. Sgt. Pepper Movie

7. Boston

8. Kiss

9. No Iggy Tour

10. Fleetwood Mac

DRUG OF THE YEAR

1. Marijuana

2. Cocaine

3. Alcohol

4. Angel Dust

5. Boy Howdy! Beer

6. Acid

7. Quaaludes

8. Heroin

9. Speed

10.Valium

“Who would ever have thought the Bee Gees would become a threat to the intelligence of America?

Gary Durham Louisville, KY

HERO/HEROINE OF THE YEAR

1. Keith Richards

2. Bruce Springsteen

3. Patti Smith

4. Steve Martin

5. Robert Plant

6. Mick Jagger

7. Steven Tyler

8. Sid Vicious

9. John Belushi

10.Ted Nugent

COMEBACK OF THE YEAR

1. Rolling Stones

2. The Who

3. Bruce Springsteen

4. Moody Blues

5. Black Sabbath

6. David Johansen

7. Boston

8. Van Morrison

9. Bee Gees t

10.Joe Cocker

MOST PATHETIC OF THE YEAR

1. Kiss

2. Shaun Cassidy

3. Bee Gees

4. Sid Vicious

5. Leif Garrett

6. John Travolta

7. Sgt. Pepper Movie

8. Peter Frampton

9. Elton John

10.Andy Gibb

ROCK CRITIC OF THE YEAR

1. Lester Bangs

2. Billy Altman

3. Lisa Robinson

4. Robert Duncan

5. Robert Christgau

6. Dave Marsh

7. Rick Johnson

8. Joe Fernbacher

9. Ira Robbins

10.Richard Riegel

ROCK PHOTOGRAPHER

1. Lynn Goldsmith

2. Bob Gruen

3. Neal Preston

4. Annie Liebovitz

5. Ron Pownall

6. pn Costello

7. Michael Putland

8. Chalkie Davies

9. Barry Levine

10.Michael N. Marks

R1POFF OF THE YEAR

1. Album Prices

2. Concert Prices

3. Kiss Solo LPs

4. Kiss

5. Drug Prices

6. Sgt. Pepper Movie

7. Disco

8. Punk

9. CREEM

10.No Led Zeppelin LP

ALBUM COVER OF THE YEAR

1. Some Girls (Rolling Stones)

2. Weekend Warriors (Ted Nugent)

3. Don’t Look Back (Boston)

4. Easter (Patti Smith)

5. Some Enchanted Evening (Blue Oyster Cult)

6. Are We Not Men? (Devo)

7. The Cars

8. Bat Out of Hell (Meat Loaf)

9. Tormato (Yes)

10.Heaven Tonight (Cheap Trick)

FAD OF THE YEAR

1. Disco

2. Drugs/Getting High

3. Toga Parties

4. Punk Rock

5. Sex

6. Picture Discs/Colored Vinyl

7. Roller Skating

8. Plastic/Leather Pants

9. Steve Martin

10.Devolution

1. Mick Jagger

2. Rick Nielsen

3. Steven Tyler

4. Devo

5. Stevie Nicks

6. David Bowie

7. Gene Simmons

8. Linda Ronstadt

9. Debbie Harry

10.Rod Stewart

BEST TOUR

1. Rolling Stones

2. Bruce Springsteen

3. Aerosmith

4. Cheap Trick

5. Electric Light Orchestra

6. Queen

7. David Bowie

8. Ted Nugent

9. Yes

10.Van Halen

FASHION PLATE OF THE YEAR

SEX OBJECT OF THE YEAR

1. Debbie Harry

2. Mick Jagger

3. Linda Ronstadt

4. Steven Tyler

5. Stevie Nicks

6. Ann Wilson

7. Robert Plant

8. Cheryl Tiegs

9. Robin Zander

10.Cheryl Ladd

ROCK JOCK OF THE YEAR

1. Rod Stewart

2. Robert Plant

3. Roger Daltrey-

4. Ted Nugent

5. Elton John

6. Joan Jett

7. Mick Jagger

8. Rick Wakeman

9. Nick Lowe

10.Keith Richards

“Are we not dead? We are disco!”

Pamela Drake New York, NY

BEST ROCK ’N’ ROLL MOVIE

1. Animal House

2. Sgt. Pepper

3. Up In Smoke

4. Rocky Horror Picture Show

5. The Last Waltz

6. The Buddy Holly Story

7. Kiss Meets The Phantom

8. FM

9. Grease

10.Midnight Express

IV ShUW UIlnt YfcAK

1. Saturday Night Live

2. Mork & Mindy

3. Soap

4. WKRP In Cincinnati

5. Battlestar Galactica

6. Monty Python’s Flying Circus

7. M*A*S*H

8. Three’s Company

9. Midnight Special

10.America 2-Night

COUPLE OF THE YEAR

1. Gene Simmons & Cher Bono Allman

2. Mick & Bianca Jagger

3. Joe & Elissa Perry

4. Sid Vicious & Nancy Spungen

5. Mick Jagger & Jen HaD

6. Steven Tyler & Cyrinda Fox

7. Mick Jagger & Keith Richards

8. Robert & Maureen Plant

9. Rod Stewart & Britt Ekland

10.Keith Richards & Anita Pallenberg

“Sid Vicious didnft do it!”

Jennifer Folia Elizabeth, JN

PUNK OF THE YEAR

1. Sid Vicious

2. Steven Tyler

3. Keith Richards

4. Johnny Rotten

5. Patti Smith

6. Mick Jagger

7. Iggy

8. Joey Ramone

9. Rick Nielsen

10.Elvis CosteBo

STREET PHRASE OF THE YEAR

1. Fuck you

2. Disco sucks

3. Excuuuse mee!!!

4. Nanoo rianoo

5. Are we not men?

6. Fma wild and crazy guy!

7. Fuck off

8. Eat me

9. Free Keith now!

10.Got any drugs?