ROCK 'N' ROLL NEWS
Adam & the Ants caused a near riot during their recent sold-out appearance at the Ritz in New York when police were called to clear away the large crowd trying to score tickets outside. Pete Townshend and Ian Hunter were lucky enough to make it inside, but Ellen Foley and scores of Epic staffers were turned away at the door.
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ROCK 'N' ROLL NEWS
DEPARTMRNTS
Adam & the Ants caused a near riot during their recent sold-out appearance at the Ritz in New York when police were called to clear away the large crowd trying to score tickets outside. Pete Townshend and Ian Hunter were lucky enough to make it inside, but Ellen Foley and scores of Epic staffers were turned away at the door. Due to the Ants' phenomenal success, Stiff plans to release the band’s first LP, Dirk Wears White Sox, in the U.S.
Speaking of Stiff, the label will release a compilation LP of New Y ork’s reportedly five foremost bands—Bush Tetras, Fleshtones, Raybeats dB’s and the Bongoes—recorded live at the Rainbow Theatre in London. Stiff also picked up the Stranglers whose The Gospel According To The Meininblack LP is being released to coincide with a 55-city American four.
The Only Ones have split, which will surely disappoint the fortunate few who own this British band’s three fantastic Epic LPs.
Former CREEM editor and Bruce Springsteen biographer Dave Marsh has signed a contract with UK/Eel Pie to write an authorized biography of the Who,
CBS taped Garland Jeffreys' concerts in Europe with the Rumour for a possible live LP. And justice prevails! Plasmatic Wendy O. Williams was found not guilty of "pandering obscenity” by a Cleveland jury on the second day of her trial. Williams, who called die chief prosecutor “impotent" during the proceedings, still faces *' charges of “resisting arrest” in -Milwaukee. Stiff Records hired ar‘ video crew to film the Cleveland trial and it’ll be used to promote the Plasmatics’ forthcoming LP. Makes ya proud to be an American...
Sorry to hear about Bob “The Bear’-Hite, lead singer for Canned Heat, who died of an apparent heart attack at age 38 on April 6 in Mar Vista, California. Hite became ill between sets at the Palomino in North Hollywood, where Canned Heat was performing, and died early the next morning. Rock ’n’ roll will miss this mammoth (he weighed 360 pounds at the time of death) figure who ippped make country “boogie” rock a viable form.
Look for summer tours from the P Clash and Bob (“I was just kidding”) Dylan.
The Rolling Stones may be touring soon, Keith (“I need a blood change!”) Richards recently tol< 1 the York Times. “We are going to tour this year. I hope we can warm up in Europe and hit America when we’re hot. ” When asked about growing old in rock, Keef says he intends to be like Fats Domino or Jerry Lee Lewis: “I’ll be out there playing if they have to wheel me out in a wheelchair.” ...In other Stones news, the boys estimate they they’ve lost at least a quarter of a million in record sales from stores that are refusing to stock Sucking In The Seventies. Wait until those same stores see the next Dead Kennedys single, which’ll be titled “Too Drunk To Fuck.”
Dead Boys Stiv Batons and Cheetah Chrome were scheduled to discuss “punk rock” with host Bill Boggs and guest Gore Vidal Ohpopular NY C television show, Midday Live. The show wasn’t so live, however, that the segment featuring Stiv and Cheetah couldn’t be cut. Following a commercial break, it was announced that the decadent duo had been dropped from the program due to “altercations” between Bators and Vidal. The “altercations” must have been minor —Since Vidal managed to catch the Dead Boys’ gig at the Ritz the same evening, even posing for a chummy photo with Stiv, The real reason behind the cancellation? It seems Stiv and Cheetah were snorting cocaine in front of the cameras—a definite no-no even in New York’s seedy TV land. Coming soon: Norman Mailer meets the Dead Kennedys!
Donnie (“Don’t! look like Elvis Costello?”) Die has been slapped with a lawsuit by a 30-year-old Madison Heights, Michigan man who claims Iris plagiarized hisTop 30 hit “Ah! Leah!" Mark Altonf claims he gave the demo tape of a copyrighted song he had written called “Here I Go Again” to an MC A record representative. Eight months later, Alton was shocked to discover that both the lyrical and musical chorus of “Ah! Leah! was almost identical to his song. An MCA spokesperson said: There s absolutely noway Iris could haveheard that tape;” Afton is seeking $2 million in punitive damages plus his share of royalties and profits.
John Fogerty is back in the studio recording an album for Elektra/ Asylum to be released later this year. Welcome back, John! It’s about time. .
Elvis (“Don’11 look like Donnie Iris?”) Costello was recently in L. A. taping a TV special with his mentor, George Jones. More details when we get ’em.
The Beach Boys have parted company with manager Jerry Schilling, although brother Carl Wilson will maintain Shilling’s services for his budding solo career.
In The Studio
Los Ange1e§, CA—Record Plant: the Knack; Cherokee; Aretha Franklin; GoldStar: Brian Wilson; Westlake: Oingo Boingo, Billy & the Beaters; San Francisco, CA—Hyde Street Studio: T. Dunbar, the Rubinoos; New York—Songshop Recording Company: the Shirts; North Brookfield, Mass. —Long View Farm: J. GeilsBand; Nashville Tenn. — Columbia Recording Studio: Johnny Cash with Ray Charles; Slim Whitman; Washington, D.C. —Track RecordersTthe Nighthawks; Detroit, MI—Ambience: BobSeger; L.S.R, Studio—Flirt; Nassau, Bahamas—Compass Point Studios: Joe Cocker; Wales, U.K.—Rockfield Studios: Dirty Looks
Bebe Buell has finally found a label. Rhino Records will release her Ritt Ocasek, Rick Derringer’. produced Covers G
It's been a great month for Elvis Presley aficionados. In addition to the new Warner’s dramadocumentary film, This Is Elvis (which reportedly left Bruce Springsteen in tears during a prerelease screening). the legendary Million Dollar Qnartet has finally made its way to vinyl. The quartet was an impromptu jam session between Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash on December 4, 1956 during Perkins’ recording session for “Matchbox. ” Cash doesn’t appear on this record— which means there must still be tapes locked in a vault somewhere. Check record conventions since this professional-looking LP has been released by an unauthorized (that’s a kind way of saying “bootleg”) source. Dallas Mayr reviews it in this issue.
John Lennon Update: New York City Council recently honored John by naming a section of Central Park “Strawberry Fields... Forever.” The section i§ the closest to the Dakota, where John lived and died... After selling the Palm Beach home she and John owned, Yoko Ouo entered a New York studio with Phil Spector to record her next LP of all new material, tentatively titled Season Of Glass... The Riiz in New York recently screened a video of Yoke’s “Walking On Thin Ice" which won’t be shown on TV since it features a nude John and Yoko making love... And, finally, the most tasteless news of the month is ttjat Max’s Kansas City booked a Boston band called the Dead Lennons to play the club on April Fools’ Day.
During a recent tour of Argentina and Brazil, Queen broke the world’s record for the large st paying audience assembled to see one group anywhere when they performed for 131,000 at Morumbil Stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The Rubber City Rebels are in an L. A. studio with Ian Hunter, whose own Mick
Jones-produced LP should be in the stores by the time you read this.
NRBQ have joined Carl Perkins on his “Boppin’ The Blues” tour.
Captain Beefheart fans take note: Robert Williams, drummer extraordinaire in the Good Captain’s latest Magic Band, will be releasing a four-song EP on A&M shortly. Featured will be members of the Magic Band, Devo, Frank Zappa’s latest band and ex-Door Robbie Krieger. Williams will be touring to promote said EP with the Stranglers, whose guitarist Hugh Cornwall is a one-time Williams collaborator. Soupds gear.,.
In other Fab Four news, the newly-wed Ringo Starr has been hit with a paiimony suit. Ringo is being sued for 7½ million by his former live-in girlfriend Nancy “Remember Me?” Andrews. Nance said she lived with Ringo for six years and "sacrificed her own career.” Ringo’s wedding to Barbara Bach was highlighted by Fab Macca and the lovely Linda rushing into the Marybone registry in London accompanied by much screaming from the waiting Beatlemaniacs. A beardless George Harrison slipped in , unnoticed, but then George has always been.. .George.
Who Cares Anymore? Dept.: According to Melody Maker, Trevor Homesays that Yes has definitely split up. Horne and Geoff Downes will be making another Buggies LP, while Alan Whiteand Chris Squire are working on a project with Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page.
More Dead Rock Stars Dept. Producer Alan Douglas is preparing yet another LP of previously unreleased dim! Hendrix material. TheLp, tentatively titled LetJimi Take Over IS a two-disc live set featuring, performances spanning the fall of 1968 to summer of 1970. The version of‘‘Red House” was recorded in New York two months before Jimi’s death.. .Two Marc Bolan fan clubs in London have discovered some unreleased T-Rex material, and the clubs have formed their own label called Ram . The material will be released on a three-song single titled The Return Of The E lectric Warrior.
Van Halen, Blue Oyster Cult, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Cheap Trick, REO Speed wagon, Devo, Journey and Heart will all be contributing new material to the soundtrack of a forthcoming film titled... what else? ...Heavy Metal. The film, based on the popular sci-fi/fantasy magazine, will be scored by noted heavy metal composer Elmer Bernstein. . ELMER BERNSTEIN?!?... Sting, Kobl & the Gang, Fleetwood I Mac and Pink Floyd are contributing material to a new animated film, The Rock Hobbit based on J.R.R. Tolkien's classic.
Eric Clapton was discharged from United Hospitals in StPaul, MN on April 17. Although his condition is improving and doctors report he’s feeling fine, SSowhand won’t be allowed to tour for the remainder of 1981. BUT: Less than a week later, Clapton suffered a cracked ribln a Seattle car accident. The guitarist was a passenger in a car driven by, 19-year-old Galt Coo, and had 8 arrived in Seattle several days before, for “trout season.”
OnTour
Ozzy Osbourne, Rainbow, Madness, Cheap Trick, JohnCale, Judas Priest, Van Halen, Junior Walker & the All Stars, U-2, Ronnie Spector, the BusBoys, the Rumour, David Crosby, Willie Nile, Greg Kihn Band, Santana, James Taylor, Grace Jones, PatTravers, Adam & the Ants, the Stranglers, Leon Redbone, the Plimsouls, Sun Ra Arkestra, Steel Pulse, Bow Wow Wow, Roomful Of Blues.
