ROCK 'N' ROLL NEWS

ROCK 'N' ROLL NEWS

Lick This!

We’re always happy when people take our good advice and shave their heads, so it’s a hearty Rock ’n’ Roll News congratulations to Alex Van Halen for doing just that. After Van Halen finished their most recent tour, the wisest V.H. brother followed up on a band agreement to submit to a feisty headshavin’—an agreement his pals wimped out on, earning them our sincere scorn.

“I got better service at gas stations and restaurants,” reported Al. “My first name became ‘Sir.’ A lot of women would come up and touch the bald head.”

Heck, did anybody really think we were kidding?

Grammy Award winner Paul Simon may have erred in taking songwriting credits for all the material on his Graceland album—Los Lobos, noted as backing musicians on “All Around The World Or The Myth Of Fingerprints,” say they wrote the song. For futher details, see the Los Lobos feature in this issue of CREEM.

We note the passing of Andy Warhol, who died in February at the age of 58. Warhot certainly had a hand in rock art, being responsible for the covers of The Velvet Underground & Nico (a.k.a. The Banana Album), the Stonos’ Sticky Fingers and Billy Squlor’s Emotions In Motion. Our condolences to his survivors.

Well, we warned that darned Beer Desk to get their copy in on time, but they listened not. Now they tell us their faves, the Replacements, have added Bob Dunlap (exCurtlss A) on guitar, filling the departed Bob Stinson’s slot. Old news by now, Beersters! As an interesting addendum, we understand that 25 Warner Bros, execs were flown to Memphis to hear the ’Mats new LP, an event this Bureau feels bodes well for the future of life on this planet.

David Wolpor, of Olympics and Statue of Liberty fame, is filming a documentary of John Lonnon’s life. Wolper has acquired “an exhaustive collection” of Lennon’s home films and original music for the project, slated for a Warner Bros, release in 1988.

The mighty Mokons have inked, as we say, with Twin/Tone; look for their first U.S. release, Honky Tonkin’ With The Mekons, in a store near you ... Karon Woodward of Bananarama and David Scott-Evans, her fellow, have a new son, Thomas; this Bureau stunned that “Iman” was reportedly not even considered ... Yusaf Islam, the former Cat Stovens, has settled his $5 million libel suit against the supermarketish Globe, said tabloid having run this headline: “Cat Stevens Joins The Evil Ayatollah.”

Our sympathy to fans of Lawrence Welk—especially those who bought the CD of his timeless Polka Party album. Seems some luckless purchasers were treated to the soundtrack of Sid And Nancy due to a labelling error at the CD farm in Japan. “We wonder if any Sid Vicious fans got Lawrence Welk and were equally shocked,” quipped Bernice MeQeehan, a spokesperson for Welk Enterprises. Not us, Bernie; we’re still heavy into Yankovle.

Beat Of The Living Dead Dept.: The Tempo Publishing Company, who put out Rock Scene, Metal Mania and Concert Shots, have relocated their headquarters to Los Angeles. How very quaint.

Time for a report from our Cud Desk, now officially headed by roving Cud Desk correspondent Jay Stelchmann. “Realizing that CREEM has its own adopt-acow program, I thought you’d be interested in the adopt-acow program of Gita-Nagara Village,” our man in the ... uh, field ... writes, and indeed we are. It seems their program—superior, in many ways, to our own, offers potential adoptees four wonderful programs for longdistance bovine ownership, ranging from $30 to $3000 donations. What do you get? A beautiful 8x10 of your adopted cow, clarified butter, your normal junk. Moreover, you get the satisfaction of saving a cow, something this Bureau couldn’t feel better about. As our Gita-Nagara friends say: “LAST YEAR, OVER 40 MILLION COWS AND 6 MILLION CALVES (USED FOR VEAL) WERE MERCILESSLY SLAUGHTERED IN AMERICA ALONE. CAN PERSONS OF GOOD CONSCIENCE STAND IDLY BY?” Used for veal, eh? Well, we shan’t stand idly by ... write our cow friends at R.D.1, Box 839, Port Royal, PA 17082 for more info on transferring that three grand to their account. Be forewarned, though: reporter Steichmann tells us the

The Lonely Voice Of Youth

Rock ’n’ Roll News can longer believe what it reads ... a sad impasse, to be sure.

Our case in point? Two press

founders of that organization “are some truly Sikh individuals” and there’s “no truth to the rumor that Gita-Nagara means ‘Buttermilk’ in Sanskrit.” We should hope not.

releases—or pieces of paper, as they’re known here at the Bureau That Never Sleeps. Piece of paper #1 says this:

“Kevin DuBrow Goes Solo,” and offers a gripping account of Kev “deciding” to pursue a solo career. Piece of paper #1 also notes that DuBrow—Quiet Riot’s lead singer and "principal songwriter”—will record, tour and produce other artists. It sounds like a great plan!

But waitl Along comes piece of paper #2—this one’s called “Quiet Riot Fires Kevin DuBrow”! A whole ’nother verb! And here we have remaining QR fellows Frankie Banall, Car* los Cavazo and Charles “Chuck” Wright stating the split was “not amicable.” They go on to cite "severe personality and musical differences” as the problem.

“It got to the point where we felt Kevin had become a very serious detriment to Quiet Riot,” said our favorite source, a spokesman for the group. “He continued to alienate not only the group’s friends and supporters”—say, that’s us!—“but their fans, the people who have always meant the most to them,”

Our best wishes to everyone involved.

Mahal, the Rockin’ Mofo

Making guest appearances at a recent Taj Mahal performance in Los Angeles, home of the Tempo Publishing Company, were some legendary dudes: Bob Dylan, George Harrison and John Fogerty. Harrison appeared first, playing and singing a little something called "Matchbox," only to be joined by Dylan, as the guys ripped through "Lucille." The fun was far from over, though-Fogerty joined the onstage swell, singing "Knock On Wood," "Midnight Hour," and "Blue Suede Shoes," before finally relenting and actually singing one of his CCR tunes-”Proud Mary," if you must know.

"You know, that didn't feel all that bad," Fogerty quipped from the stage. Good show, say we.