ROCK 'N' ROLL NEWS

ROCK 'N' ROLL NEWS

Call her irrepressible: A writer from Rockers magazine in Buffalo wanted an interview with Tim Curry, who just couldn’t find the time to do it. Undaunted, she continued to call New York’s A&M office pleading for some time with the eurosexual rocker: But, alas, no go. Did she say die? Of course not! One day, A&M publicist Annette Monaco was greeted with a singing telegram from the scribe, once more begging for an interview. When Curry was informed of the latest request and how it was delivered, he decided to try to fit it into his busy schedule, as he wanted to meet someone who would blow $35 in these lean times. Hey, we’d sing AND dance a message for that kind of money...

Biting the bullet? It appears that Bee Gee Barry Gibb has had it up to -his abundant teeth with disco. Sez the hairy one: “1 hate disco.! listen to it now and all I hear is a cymbal and a backbeat, 1 don’t think we wanttodoit again.” Yeah, those shallow disco drones should try something really innovative, like Baripsphlegm explosion on “Tragedy.”

What’s this we hear about Keith Richards and Jon) Mitchell????

Whatever happened toQuaaiudes? (copyright, Mutants... OK guys?) Hagh Cornwell of the Stranglers has been sentenced to two months in jailand fined 300 pounds for possession of marijuana, heroin and cocaine. He is planning an appeal... Maybe he should try this route; former Easybeats’ lead si nger Stevie Wright is contemplating a return to the rock world after finally kicking a nasty drug habit and working as a drug counsellor

Dressing for the Depression: After naming Deborah Harry one of his 10 Worst Dressed Women, famous designer Blackwell described her wardrobe as: ‘Ten cents a dance with a nickel change. ”

And don’tcha come back: At press time, Paul McCartney had just been deported from Japan after spending nine days in jail awaiting the outcome of his attempt to bring seven ounces of marijuana into the country. After customs officials found the sizeable stash in his luggage;, Big Mac decided to ’fess up, claiming the smoke was for his own personal use. As a result, Paul went to the slammer, which caused the cancellation of 10 concerts in Japan and forced the promoters to refund nearly 100,000 tickets. Originally, the strict Nip government wasn’t even going to issue McCartney a visa for the trip, due to a drug conviction four years ago. They relented, however, after learning the band was stopping over fat Japan before continuing on to some dates in China. Anyway, rather than go through the bother of putting him government . officials just told Paul to hit the road. Nexttime, let Lind* carry it...

Don’t hold your breath waiting for Meat Loafs next LP. As was discussed in February’s cover story, Meat’s been having lots of problems getting this one in the can (no pum untended), and now the album has turned into a dial Steinman LP. Confused? Well, rather than scrap the whole thing,Meat and his songwriter Steinman decided to release separate albums since la Loaf was too busy with his film chores and unhappy with the vocals. So Steinman is now re-recording the vocals himself With Todd Rundgren at the controls, to be called Bad For Good. Meat LoafgQkri&thd studio with Jimmy lovine and start all over again * a nd both LPs should be out in late spring. Whew. ^ 5

In The Studio

San Franciscos Automait: . Tasmanian Devils, Journey; • L.A. — Cherokee: Alice Cooper (Todd Rundgren producing), Eric Carmen (Harry Maslin producing), John Belushi & Dan Aykroyd; Monserrat, West Indies— Air Studios: Lou Reed, Cheap Trick (George Martin producing; Philadelphia—Sigtna Sound: Cat Stevens, the Edge; L.A'—Jennifudy: Johnny Rivers; — Allen Zen tz: Donna Summer; Parliament, John Denver; Lynden, WA—Legend: Iron Horse; North Miami—Coconuts: Blood, Sweat& Tears; Criteria: Andy Gibb, Harry Chapin; Toronto—Phase One: Triumph; Son Francisco—Fthnways/Heidert Greg Kihn (Matthew KaufmanS producing!, SammyHagar(Tom . Scholz producing); N. Y. —RPM: -H Ronnie Spector (Genya Ravan • producing); L.A, Angel, Cretones; Montreal—Studio Tempo: Mahogany Rush (Frank Marino producing); i N.Y.—Soundworks: Humble Pie; SausaVto—Record Plant: Grace Slick, Rick James’ Stone City Band; N Y. —Blue Rock Studio: The Rinks (Time-Life video and the next Kinks Arista LP), Keith Richards, Roches; L.A. —Larrabee; John Stewart; * L.A. —Produ&jpsWorkshop: Pink Floyd; L.A. —GoldenSound: (Ray Manzarek producing); L.A. — Sierra Pacific: Edwin Stqnr; L. A.—Sunset Sound: Bernie Taupin, Average White Band, Van Haten; Elsewhere: Elvis Costello, Graham Parker (Jimmy lovine producing), Joe Perry.

Who was that masked whiskey bottle? AHca Cooper wants td knowif Princess Caroline was serious about a career inrock-n’rott, as she stated in a recent Elle interview. If so, the grisly one is prepared to make her an offer she can’t refuse...

Standby your band: Tout Robinson has formed anew group caled Sector 27, which includes bassist and co-writer Jo Buxt, guitarist StovisB. and Dornk Tho Menace on drums. Robinson hopes critics and promoters won’t refer to thegroup as the new TRB, and doesn’t plan to include more than a couple TRB tunes in their sets .

! Locking for suitable digs: After Tom Waita’ pad at the Tropicana Motel in LtA, wasrepaintedand made td look respectable, the scurvy dog packed his MBk Bones and - relocated in New Yorks

Ultravox recently completed a v Very successful tour of America, climaxing in rttee SRO dates at L. A/s Whiskey. On hand to witness the fun ’n’ games were Devo, Carmine Appice, Eno, foe Dicldesand more than a handful of record company scouts, which makes it appear that Ultravox will have an American record deal by their next U.S. tour...

When the moon is in the doghouse, stay in bed: Ron Flynt, lead singer of20/20, arrived back in L.A. after their recent tour to discover a 20/20 billboard posted on Sunset Strip. Elated, he rushed back to his apartment to caB the rest of the -band, only to discover he’d been evicted. Nonetheless, Ron drove back to the Strip to get one more lookat foe huge ad, but did a double-take when he saw foe billboard had been replaced by Barbra Streisand’s smiling mug (the 20/20ad had already been up for a month). With lower lip drawing, Ron slumped back into his auto to head fora Holiday Inn, only to find htt> battery was dead. Yeah, it’s tough at the top.

Hit him With your skinny fist: According to Melody Maker, % I James Chance (aka James White) has decided to stop his ritual of leaping intoan audience and randomly beating up people. Said James, “It got to the point where 1 ; was attracting aB these masochists. £ I’d be at Max’s and there’d be this •§ line of people waiting to be beaten ^ up.” Ahh, that’s no fun... / £

Hubba hubba: The Boomtown Rais will be following up their recent promo trek across America with a real live tour!!! Due to start March 10, the rodents will be hitting every cheesy hall from here to eternity for around six weeks. And speaking of their promo tour, hope you all caught their appearance on American Bandstand in January. What you didn’t catch was,the huge' bill the Rate were hit with. It seems that excitable Bob Geldof presumed that the piano being used for tire show was rented, so he didn’t worry when he decided to jump up on said music box, sliding across the top of the pia no and causing a large gouge in the finish. The Rate were indeed surprised to receive a $1500 repair bill from the owner of the piano, a Mr. Lawrence Walk...Meanwhile, on their trip north, Geldof did a radio interview on Oregon station KZEL. Later, he was using the station’s spare studio to tape some promo spots when suddenly the newslady rushed in ■ . wishing to tape her news tidbits as she had to leave soon. Bob decided he’d readthe news for her, and was . planning td make it real funny until he scanned the copy and found it all too depressing to make light of. So, \ he did it straight, definitely a first for any of Bob’s ventures...

In the Art Imitates Life Department, Marty Balin is working on a rock opera about a star who’s put on trial for not having a hit record... - *

Photographers have rights too: Lynn Goldsmith, famed Boy Howdy! shutterbug, is suing Peter Max on charges that the pop artist’s illustration of Mick Jagger was directly lifted from one of her pictures. Isn’t that called f inspiration”?,.. And speaking of inspired ideas, the Who recently performed a concert to benefit the families of the 11 fans who died at the group’s Cincinnati stadium disaster...

Caught in a confab: Dicky Bette and firefly ABmen were seen. i; deep in discussion with Roffing Sfones Records Pres Earl ‘ McGrath. Since the Allman -Brothers are currently labekshopping, will this tete a tete produce a contract? Is the Pope Mormon?

Sad to hear that Amos Mtttrarn, ; the veteran Texas bjuesman who was the subject of test November’s “Unsung Heroes” feature, died in a Houston hospital in December. His “One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer” was recently resurrected by George Thorogood... Another unsung hero, Larry Williams, also died recently. He is most famous for such songs as “MatChbdKi” “Slow Down,” “Dizzy k Miss Lizzy” and “Bad Boy, ’ all of which helped catapult a relatively unknown band called the Baatlaa into the spotlight in the early 60’s.

Willy DeVille, still without a record contract, has completed a sob album. The greasy one is also , working with Jack Nitaxche and The Geraaa on the soundtrack to Al Pacino’s next film, Cruising.

.j&t&y&is he the Last Picture Show? It seems Jonathan Demijl^^p Citizen’s Bund and Caged Meat fame is interested in putting Detroit’s own Destroy All Monsters on the silver screen. Perhaps a remake of Andy Warhol*s Bad, with Niagara as the autistic child? 4 > An other f ilmaker, Bernardo Bertolucci (a friend of Jonathan’s), took five copies of the Monsters single back to Italy with " him... perhaps to persuade fh^fope to throw in the towel? Stay tuned, and cross your nostrils....

$o how, you wonder, did the Clash manage to get theirdouble album bashed out so quickly? Joe Strammer explained all on a British radio show: “You’d get it down pretty fast if your producer (Guy Stevens}-, kept throwing chairs around the studio, wouldn’t you?’' Guess he showed you, Joe. , i

Glen Matlock departed Iggy Pop’s touring band and was replaced for the winter British tour by exHeartbreaker Billy Rath.

Attention members of wimp-rock group Dry Heaves (laid-back Rolling Stone mag musicians). You are challenged to a Battle af the Bands with the extraordinary high energy group Six Sexual Blunders, composedofthe editoria 1 staff of this magazine. Prepare to die, you pussies, and call oyr office for details... if you dare!

On Tour

LeneLovich; Boomtown Rats; Joe Jackson; The Clash; Gary Numan; Beach Boys; J. Geils Band; The Ramones; Fleetwood Mac; Off Broadway; Fingerprintz; X.TC; Foreigner; Genesis; Sonny Rollins; Pretenders;'The Specials; McCoy Tyner; Hall & Oates; Iggy Pop; The Babys; Ted Nugent; Gary Moore.