Rock 'n' Roll News

Rock 'n' Roll News

DEPARTMRNTS

The Clash is comprised solely of Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon, now that Mick Jones has been given the boot for refusing to adhere to the band's "original principles" Refusing to get a Mohawk maybe? Jones says the claim is bunk, and he was given his pink slip due more to personality conflicts. One can only wonder what will happen now to "the only band that matters," since Jones sang a majority of the band's hit U.S. singles, including "Train In Vain" and the evertuneful, Alfalfa-inspired "Should I Stay Or Should 1 Go?"—oh, now we get it!

Chrome fans: A boxed set containing most of their work is available from San Fran's Subterranean Records. Should be "polished"...

Kiss have taken off their makeup, can be seen on MTV and their newest album without it, and are currently touring for the first time with their real faces intact. Our verdict after seeing the boys in the flesh? Shoulda kept it on, guys!!

WORLD ENDS! (See page 98) The story on Page One: Frank Zappa has shaved off his mustache! Will Tarka The Otter follow suit?

Few people realize that Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart are recording together again, but Carmine Appice does. He's in L.A. with both of 'em. Where's Nicky Hopkins?

Whooooooooooo Are You: In a development that surprised no one but Joe "Deli" Russo, bassman/bossman Phil Lynott is thinking about keeping Thin Lizzy alive in its "farewell" lineup of Phil, drummer Brian Downey and guitarist John Sykes. "As for a new name and format," sources say,

"he's working on those things at the moment."

Noddy Holder and Jim Lea of Slade, the original singers of "Cum On Feel The Noize," are in the studio with Girlschool.

What the six of 'em is up to is anybody's guess.

Finally, the authoritative word: Jerry O'Dowd, father of Culture Club chanteuse Boy George,, spilled, the beans on his famous offspring's sexual preferences to England's National Enquirer, The Sun: "! honestly don't think he's gay," said Paw George, described as a "rough, tough, boxing-mad Cockney builder by the paper." "I think he started off trying to shock the world by going to all those gay clubs...he has actually told me that one day he'll retire to the fireside with his pipe and his wife..."

...sooner than anyone had a right to expect? Another limey rag claims the large Boy, who looks more like silver screen pooperscooper Divine every day—is thinking about skipping out on the rest of the Club to concentrate on his songwriting.

All is not lost, Radio Birdman fans! Remnants of the early Oz punkers, famed for their amazing musical tribute to Hawaii Five-O, have fallen into place with exStooge Ron Ashton and one or more unnamed erstwhile MC5ers to form New Race. Book 'em, Danno!

Bauhaus is dead...but then, they always were!

Check this out: in a benefit performance for the ailing Ronnie Lane, a group that would make headlines were this any year other than 1983:

Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton on quitar. Bill Wyman on bass and Charlie Watts on drums. Next day, at presstime, a performance for punk rocker Prince Charles is scheduled as well. Big question: who's gonna sing, Eric or Bill, and who's got the earplugs?

The Everly Brothers are pals again...

To make a long story longer, Kiss & Tell submits the following anecdote: Berlin's roadies, Jakson Eason and Dave Reidman, dropped off the band's stage duds at Vapors Drycleaners in Santa Crus, and then split to the Civic Auditorium to set up equipment fo the night's show. The trouble was, as they

were busy plugging in the Fender, Vapors was closing up shop for the day . By the time Jakson and Dave got back to the establishment, everything was locked up tight, and the five tuxedos and Terri Nunn's formal were actually hanging in the window where the duo could see them. What's a roadie to do? After all, the show must go on, right? So they broke in and nabbed the threads, only to be nabbed themselves a block away from the premises. "They showed a tremendous amount of dedication, if nothing else," said the promoter as he bailed them out.

Making big break-up noise are Aussie smash rock hitmakers Men At Work, whose official spokesman admitted they all "need to get away from each other for awhile." We need to get away from you too, Men!

All of a sudden, Stray Cat snare-slapper Slim Jim Phantom is refusing to speak one single word about his relationship with dear old Britt j Eklund. You know what that means: doom da-doom doom...

Kim Wilde to join Moody Blues? Not exactly. The sexualiy-fascinating-if-musicallyuseless singer admitted, "I've been in love with Justin Hayward since I was a little girl and still am." What, in love or stiil a little girl?

Sorry, Lynn! Just "kidding"...

Are you ready for a K-te! styled "hottest hits" video package? Picture Music International is compiling a collection of 13 "smash" videos, including "Freeze Frame" by J. Geils, "Abracadabra" by Steve Miller, "She Blinded Me With Science" by Thomas Dolby, and "Bad To The Bone" by George Thorogood. He'p!

Now the truth can be told: Rick Springfield's coverdog's name is Ron. Gee, Rick, is a Mael?

All you Hot Tuna fans out there (bless ya both!) will be ecstatic to learn that groovy guys Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen are back together again and launching a 30-city tour. What'd'ya mean, passe? Passe is passe!

Stan Ridgway, freshly departed from Wall Of Voodoo, has recorded a three-song single for I.R.S. along with fellow Ex Bill Noland and former Gang Of Four drummer Hugo Burnham.

If you're a Motels fan, pick up the Tubes' version of "Monkey Time" with Martha Davis before it dies—looks like Mom Martha didn't want to compete with herself on the charts so her voice has been removed. The 45 will have the voice of a current Tubette (as opposed to Tubbette?) instead, as will future copies of the LP bearing it.

Haircut 100: CBS Records have just pruned 500 LPs from their catalog, including audiophile recordings by CREEM faves Chicago, Meat Loaf, and REO Speedwagon. "Why stop there?" one Billy Joel hater was heard to mutter.

Oily Osborne is a recent proud poppa! Hope he watches what he eats...

Looks like everybody's fave mohawkette. Annabelia Lwin. may be taking her bone and burying it. Supposedly she and

Bow Wow Wow have gone splitsville, and trade "organ" Cashbox reports rumors that everybodys-fave* moha w k's associate, Mick Jones, may be joining the lonely mutts-in-heat. May he be shaven...

Dial N for Naive: Heavy politico type Ivan, lead singer of Men Without Hats and part-time Sandinista, summed up the World Situation brilliantly in one pithy sentence: "Life sucks for 80 percent of the people." Heavy, Ivan. Very heavy.

Word out of film Mecca Minneapolis, Minnesota has Prince putting the final "touches" on plans to film his rise to fame and subsequent underpants regalia. Guest stars to include Vanity 6 and the Time.

Secret Identity crisis: Reader Tony Rzepela of Philly sent us a clipping from News of the Columbus Lesbian and Gay Community, which he painstakingly assured us he does not read except this once. Seems a fellow there caught his dog, a four-year-old Pomeranian, engaged in a "homosexual act" with another male dog. Enraged, he jumped on the naughty poochies and inflicted bites on his dog's neck severe enough to require 43 stitches. The dog's name? Elmo!

Dead Kennedys to give the Mick Jones treatment to their guitarist?

Britain's renowned Reading Festival is shutting down after 23 long and highly successful fests, thanks to a town council more interested in redevelopment than mudpies on acid, if you can imagine. Highlights of the final show included Big Country getting their collective eyebrows scorched by their own special effects; Whitesnake narrowly avoiding a private plane that mistook David Coverdale's nose for a landing strip; and lan Gitian's debut as Black Sabbath's new voice, which included an encore of "Smoke On The Water." God damn the Pusher Man!

Remember Nancy Spungen, who the late Sex Pistol Sid Vicious used as an unsanitary landfill and then (allegedly) murdered? Well, her mom Deborah has written a book about the whole affair entitled And I Don't Want To Live This Life.

Us neither!

Early reports from Iceland indicate the discovery of the skeletal remains of an accordian beneath 10,000 feet of tundra...

Devil May Care Dept.: Want to get even with those creepy fundamentalists that love to burn rock 'n' roll records? CREEM reader Pat Maanum is planning a hymnbook bonfire for early '84 in his hometown of Aitkin, MN. "If you read'em backwards, they're evil," asserts Pat. You know what happens if you read CREEM backwards? They make you write Rock 'N' Roll News!

IRS has finalized the selection of the "long-awaited" What Is BEAT album from the English Beat. Look for several previously unavailable tracks, including U.K. singles "What's Your Best Thing" and "Hit I," and live versions of "Stand Down Margaret" and "Get A Job." Cassette version will offer three more newies to American ears.