ROCK 'N' ROLL NEWS

ROCK 'N' ROLL NEWS

Here's Lou 'Heart Of Gold' Read's comment on the 'Give The Gift Of Music' promotional. campaign: 'Music is like the gift of life... something that has always been there and makes life really great. To me, life without music wouldn't be life. As Clive Davis said, 'You know it's a gift that lasts forever, ' and it really does. 1 have ' given gifts of records, like the original 'Coney Island Baby' by the Excellents and, once, a friend gave me a Sandy Denny album that nobody seems to know about. After I heard it, { went out and bought about four of them and gave them as gifts. '' Will all of Santa Lou's gifts this season bear the initials M. M. M. ? Hint: 'It's a gift that lasts forever"...

In commemoration of John Lennon's recent 40th birthday, 20/20celebrated their gig at L.A.'s Madame Wong's by admit ting the first 50 people dressed in paperbags/ree. Quiet show, though, as 50 bottles of MD 20/20 have never been known to applaud, even at rock shows...

Expect a new soldLP from Grace SHckthis month. 'It'll be a rocker,' says RCA Records...

We're sad to report the 'death" of CREEM writer Robot A. Hull, who's been sent to live in exile in the Second Dimension. Robot's work will continue from there with his and the Mad Peck's record reviews; in the meantime the entirely non-fictitious Robert A. Hail will be replacing his work elsewhere in the magazine. Nextlsh: Rick Johnson joins the Moonies!...

The David Byrne / Brian Eno collaboration My Life In The Bush OfQJtosts, which has been described as the blueprint for Remain in Light and the new Improved T-Funk, will finally be released in March or April, Sire sez...

Famed jazz trumpeter Don Cherry, whose rock excursions include working with New York enfant terrible Lon Reed, has been busy in the studio cutting tracks with Ian Dory. Rumors persist that Dury hasn't heard of the country Am| erica that was discovered in 1492, ^and today, in that very same coun.2 try, there are actual concert venues uTherdlock 'n' roll is performed,,,

Ace guitarist Chris Spedding is in England producing ^n album for his former Sharks band mate Snips. Spedding also has a new LP out on UK/RAK titled Not L ike EverybodyElse ...

Is there a reason why Barry ManHow's sleeve of his new album, humbly titled Barry, resembles the sleeve of the American Gigolo soundtrack? Maybe it was a sudden bdrst of testosterone... wethinks the look on the dog's face on theback cover says itall...

Ex-Squeeze keyboardist Jools Holland has formed a new group called Jools and the Millionaires.

Roger Dahrey was pitched to take over David Bowie's role in the Elephant Man once Bowie's cqntract is up in January. Daltrey had to decline the offer due to the Who's recording schedule...

James 'Iggy' Osterberg spotted in our own ourg of Birmingham, MI attending a Reagan / Bnsh pre-victory rally in one of the city's parks Oust a rock's throw from the CREEM tower blocks). Not only is Ig a staunch Bonzo supporter, but he also claimed to be intensely interested in joining the Marines and jetting immediately over to Iran to make the Ayatollah his dog. Iggy suggests being the platoon captain of a group of rock musicians/ dogfaces but we'll wait to hear from John Cale...

Buy J.R.'s record... or else. Larry Hagman/ J.R. has released a single on Portrait/Lorimar called 'Ballad of the Good Luck Charm' (b/w 'My Favorite Sins')... and if this Ewing Project involves payola, walk this way, buddy.

Walter Steding and the Dragon People have an executive producer now—Andy Warhol. Just exactly what Warhol's role in the group wilt be is ambiguous; but isn't that just like Andypoo? You bet...

The Pat Travere Band is searehing for replacements for drummer Tommy Aldridge and guitarist Pat Thrall, who have left the group in search of greener pastures...

Boris the Spider gets Rocky Mountain High? Could happen, if the Who's John Entedetla and the Eagle's Joe Walah follow through with Jheir plans of cutting an LP together...

In The Studio

Los Angeles, CA—Capitol Studios: Fleetwood Mac; SunsetSound: Nicolette Larsen (T ed T empleman producing), DanFogelberg; Crystal Sound: War (Jerry Goldstein producing) , the Fabulous Thunderbirds; Cherokee Sound: Toto (Jeff Porcaro and Geoff Workman producing); San Francisco,

CA—Different Fur Studios: Tazmanian Devils (Eric Japdbsen producing); Automatt: Joan Baez, Sister $ledge (Narada Michael Walden producing); Sausalito,

CA —Record Plant: JohnjFogerty; Morin Heights, Quebec—Le i . Studio: Rush; Syosset, NY—Kingdom Sound: The Big Fat Pet Clams From Outer Space (Hilly Kristal producing); New York, NY—Opal Recording Studio: Mink DeVille, the Canaries (Jeff Lane producing); Electric Lady: AC/DC, Hall and |p Oates, the Rolling Stones, Joni Mitchell; Dearborn Heights,

Ml-* Studio A Recording: Art In Arnerica (Mitchell Schoenbaum and Rick Smith producing); Detroit, Ml—SureShot/Westwind: the Mutants, the Cadillac Kidz, the Roomates, the Stingrays, Motor City Rockers.

Pearl Harbor has finished recording her first solo LP, Don't Follow Me I'm Lost Too which should be in the stores as you read this. Helping her out was Mickey Gallagher of the Blockheads...

In a move perhaps not unrelated to the release of a Creedence Clearwater Revival live album by Fantasy, CCR maestro John Fogerty is recording at Sausalito's Record Plant. No word on who the discisfor, but his last LP for Elektra/ Asylum was rejected as not being 'commercial enough,' so you figure it put.

Jonathan Rickman hasgot a band together again, and Beserkeley's Matthew King Kauffman ! is so pleased with the reception the band's garnering around the Bay ' Area he wants to re-record Jonathan's latest record with the new guys... t, •"

Wake up! The Knock'snextvinyl effort not to be produced by Mike Chapman. ..alrighteo, boys!

In response to all of the rumors S going around about Bob Motley's health (including our report last month), both Bob and his wife RHa have denied thdt he's suffering any sort of cancer. Rita explained to NME: 'He's justfatigued and exhausted. He's been working straight for the past 7 -8 years without rest, and without proper diet, and it's just gotten to him. He's gone on to Shasha Mani in Ethiopia to have some rest and further treatment for his exhaustion. '

Are the Nick Lowes expecting?... Or jure they just tryng? ... Do they need help?.. .Gall this office immediately, kids—it's nothing to be ashamed of.

Hold on to those Monty Python Contractual Obligation LPs!1 Because of the 'song' called 'And Now For The Sound Of John Denver Being Strangled,' old granola breath got an injunction forcing Arista to pull the ditty and repress thp album without it. Altogether now, booooo...

The Clash are again manager-less, with the departure of the very Kozmo Vinyl...

More than £00 Kiss fans were treated for minor injuries in Australia recently when too many of the Kiss Army rushed the stage... or was it the exit?

What ever happened to Jobri^th?

Allen, Vega of Suicide and Cheetah Chrome joined Wayne Kramer on stage at Max's Kansas City in what Wayne termed 'a rather extended version of the Isley Brothers' 'Shout'. It was a true punkarama.'' ,,

Ronnie Montrose and drummer | Denny Carmassi of Gamma barely escaped death when the car they rented in Florida went off the road and collided Into the highway's center.divider. The pair escaped with a few bruises. ,. ;1

Talking Head Jerry Harrison and Busts Jones will begin re%

cording the Escalators for CBS/, Canada in February. The ever-busy Busta Jones will also produce new wavers Reverse for Warner Bros...

Public Image Ltd., of Tomorrow, show fame, have released a live album recorded in Paris on Virgin U.K. call ed Paris AuPrintemps. The well-known Impressionist John Lydon supplied the necessary cover art, but whether or not the LP will be released over here is anyone's guess. ..

The Best of Love (featuring Arthur Lee) out now on Rhino... i/you find it. We can't.

Nash The Slash has signed to Dindisc in England, not John Foxx's Metalbeat label, as was reported in our last issue...

Bands everywhere take note: Paul Simon was playing 'requests' at his recent London concert: to his query 'What would you like now?' , a limey pundit yelled 'a drink!' Ever affable, Paul said 'OK—drinks for everybody,' and sure enough, ' during the interval, all of his fans were bought drinks on him, provoking a positively inspired standing ovation when the petite phiianthrophist showed up onstage for the second half.

War Bride Records, a new subsidiary of Solid Smoke Records, set to debut with ex-Flamin' Groovy Roy Loney's new LP called Contents Under Pressure...

In the continuing Robert SfbP wood / Bee Geee controversy, Stigwbod has filed a countersuit to the tune of $310 million for 'improperly extorting in excess of $20 million' from Stigboy through 'contractual demands.' In any event, there's no truth to the rumor that Stigwood is picking up tips for the trial from the book Winning Through Intimidation...

The Profeseionala, featuring Steve Jones and Paul Cook, have revamped the iine-up by adding exSubway Sect bassist Paul Myers and guitarist Roy McVeigh...

Roman Polanski fan Don Henley of the Eagles was attested recently in Los Angeles by detectives of the police department's Sex, ually Exploited Child Unit on suspicion of furnishing cocaine to a minor. The detectives confiscated 22 grams of cocaine, five ounces of marijuana and some Quaaludes. Also taken into custody were two girls, ages 16 and 15, the former being booked on prostitution charges. Rumors that Henley was singing 'New Kid In Town,' 'I Can't Tell You Why,' 'Life In The Fast Lane,' and'Take ItToThe Limit,' while being led to the slammer are unfounded. Brooke Shields was unavailable for comment...

On Tour

Tom Waite; 999, Athletico Spizz 80, ffie Police, XTC, Polyrock, Molly Hatchet, Dire Straits, Hall and Oates, Bruce Springsteen, the Jim Carroll Band, hlona Hendryx, . Johnny Van ZantBand, the Stranglers, Joan Jettancfthe Black Hearts, Rockpile, the Romantics, . Jimmy Cliff, Third World, Martha and the Muffins, Joe Cocker, Iggy Pop, Talking Heads, Dirty Looks, the Plasmatics, Tenpole Tudor, the Equators,' Grace Jones, the Cars.