May 1979
CONTENTS
Come on CREEM! You can't fool me. I know that picture of that cute little guy on page 23 in the March issue isn't Rick Johnson. It's really Rick Nielsen way before he knew what a Bun E. was. Well nobody's perfect. Yours Truly, "Kinky" Leader of the Anti-Cyrinda Fox Movement Little Rock, AR (No, it really is Rick Johnson, before he knew what a G-string was.—Ed.)
CHRISTGAU CONSUMER GUIDE
Robert Christgau
JOAN ARMATRADING: "To The Limit" (A&M):: The secret of Armatrading's songs is their plainness, but it's also their drawback. When she hits an image—"I read your letter yesterday/It fell between the covers/And my bare skin"—she lights up a real life.
Creem Profiles
RORY GALLAGHER
(Pronounced “Boy Howdy!”)
ROCK 'N' ROLL NEWS
Your turn to curtsy, my turn to bow: Al Green was so pleased with Talking Heads' version of "Take Me To The River" that he's now scanning their repetoire for a song to cover on his next LP ... Likewise, Bruce Springsteen has contributed a brand new song called "Rendezvous" to Greg Kihn's next album after hearing Kihn's rendition of "For You."
THE BEAT GOES ON
Cathy Gisi
LONDON—In order to take everyone's mind off the impending world war between Russia and China, the Who have sequestered themselves in this hallowed hamlet in preparation for a "majoir announcement." And while no one will confirm or deny rumors of another verbal battle between Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey, they are assuring us all that said "announcement" will probably involve a limited U.S. tour early this summer, as well as the unveiling of a new band lineup.
Letter From Britain
Waiting For The End Of The World
Penny Valentine
When punk started, people were slumped over the table at our place, full of booze, arguing all night about what punk MEANT.
LIFE WITH THE FABULOUS POODLES: Bestiality Can Be Fun
Toby Goldstein
Brian Lane, who hasn't done at all badly managing the progressive likes of Yes and Rick Wakeman, is very good with dogs.
ALICE DOESN’T FLOP HERE ANYMORE
Patrick Goldstein
Mothers still hide their babies from me.
Rewire Yourself
Cheap Tricks From Tokyo
Richard Robinson
Donnez-moi le garcon Howdy, s'il voiis plait.
THE RAMONES: HOT RODS TO HOLLYWOOD
Billy Altman
Joey Ramone and I are standing in the first floor hallway of a dilapidated, no-longer-being-used high school situated somewhere in one of the less fashionable neighborhoods of Los Angeles.
Rock ‘n’ Roll Calendar
Creem ROCK 'N' ROLL CALENDAR
Features
ELVIS COSTELLO: ASK HIM NO QUESTIONS, HE’LL TELL YOU NO LIES
Nick Kent
Chaperoned in the back of a hire car, taking in the sights, partaking in entertaining chit-chat about the industry with fellow passengers, I shouldn't feel this damned uneasy.
Extension Chords
THE SONG OF ROLAND (Poly Wanna Programmer?)
Allen Hester
OK, we're talking synthesizers now, so get your heads out of Conan the Barbarian and listen up.
The OUTLAWS: Bringing It Back Comatose
j. m. bridgewater
Thanksgiving Eve. Swanking dizzily in the vulgarian gaudiness of local salvage biz whiz Bo Hardaway's ranch chateau (the king calamity vulture of North Texas and platinum hussy Mrs. are off holiday-tootin' through the capitals of Europe; sonny boy Randall taking keen advantage of their, continental trot to throw a combination "Gobble Gobble/Beat the Fuck Out of the Redskins" party).
THE CLASH ON TOUR
Stephen Demorest
During the ten days between February 7 and 17, 1979, the people of Iran toppled the Shah; the American ambassador was assassinated in Afghanistan; President Carter was publicly reprimanded by the president of Mexico; Rhodesia launched air strikes against Zambia; a nervous China invaded Vietnam; and Britain's premier punk band, the Clash, played their first tour of the United States.
CREEMEDIA
Robot A. Hull
The Ritual of the Muscular Dystrophy Telethon: Drenched in That Greasy Kid Stuff, Jerry Lewis, striding in long circles at a gazelle's pace, mocks the sanctimony of the M.D. ceremony by repeatedly stumbling over his own feet. Abruptly he stops clowning, lights a filter-tipped Kool, blows smoke at the camera, and stares into his TV audience, Daddy-O Guilt already breathing hot down their clammy necks.
CREEM DREEM
GILDA RADNER
Confessions of a FILM FOX
This summer's movie houses will bust loose with Lorimar Productions' Americathon, billed as "a futuristic political comedy" and aimed at the pop-rock set. The film will feature Elvis Costello (who's also penning part of the music score) and big boy Meat Loaf.
Prime Time
Richard C. Walls
If the lady next door to me had paid her electric bill and if my dog hadn't decided to display his proclivity for the bizarre then this column would probably have something to do with Battlestar Galactica. But she didn't and he did and this doesn't.
Records
Good For Everything But Listening
Richard C. Walls
It's an odd feeling, reviewing an album after just having read that it's number four on Billboard's chart.
Yesterday's Punks-Today's Rookies!
THE MAD PECK & ROBOTSKI
ROCK • A • RAMA
Richard C. Walls
STAN GETZ—Another World (Columbia):: A meaty session by Getz and his current group of young Turks (plus Billy Hart, a middle-aged Turk) featuring hard blowing and catchy originals. Should obliterate any residual associations you may have linking Getz with airy bossa cotton nova candy.
Backstage
BACKSTAGE
Where the Stars Tank Up & Let Their Images Down