MUSIC WEEK NOVEMBER 23 1985

iK?

material he obviously feels most Duel was quite electrifying and sion of Camden Tube and On Ice • Indies Dex/s Midnight strongly about. worked better than the straight, and Agent, both cunningly avail- It was on these lengthy work- danceable version. able on either side of a forthcom- FLOAT UP CP: Kill Me In The Runners outs too that the incredibly dispa- While there's no denying the ing Quiet Records single. Morning. Rough Trade. ROUGH rate elements of the band — steel calibre of Propaganda's material, But it was that baby classic. 77. Producers: Sager/Oliver/ HALF a decade on from his quest guitar, violin, piano, trombone, that didn't compensate for the Heroin that realy stood out. A Bovell. A gush of honking sax, for the young soul rebels, Kevin funk guitar, mandolin — pulled group's inability to project them- song of incidious charm and wit, strident (almost Annabella Lwini Rowland's still searching for together in their most powerful selves. Sticking almost wholly to it deserves and hopefully will one something more — a little more form. There was much virtuosity numbers from the Secret Wish day receive its due recognition. vocals and dishevelled funk, not beauty, a little more truth, a little from the 10-strong band of visual album they tried to pump up the It's remarkably easy to get as de-structured as when they more passion — all those things misfits (ex-Atomic Rooster Vin- sound and introduce some raw- hooked, be warned. used to be Rip Rig & Panic, but pop stars talk about in interviews cent Crane facing up to original ness, but it didn't come off be- So, a brave stab by the not quite up to the standard of that somehow never make it to Runner Jimmy Paterson), but no cause the crucial element of Bloodsport boys at enlivening a last year's sassy, sexy debut sing- the music. out of context displays of self- spontaneity was lacking. Howev- luke-warm audience with their far le, Joy's Address, which is the The upshot of these high ideals indulgence. All was orchestrated er, a rendition of the classic Fem- from predictable collation of best thing found herein. Will is that he and Dexys often miss in and often awe-inspiring. me Fatale was supremely enjoy- punky roots and almost Sixties satisfy the faithful, but too de- the most spectacular of ways. At one point a would-be police- able. . style constructions. A spot of manding a listen to win many Witness, at the first of three man — announced as An Officer Propaganda will have to tackle growling guitar, a snatch of R 'n' new friends, nights at London's Dominion, & A Gentleman — came on stage the Palais again to get it ab- B, plus Collins' persuasive per- THE HAPPY END: There's No- disastrous covers of The Fantas- to take down a statement from solutely right. KAREN FAUX sonna and they just about crack- Rowland about a burning feeling ed it. thing Quite Like Money. Circus tics' Something Old, Something he suffers from now and then. It DUNCAN HOLLAND RING L100. Producers: Mat Fox, New and Presley's Can't Help was as silly as it sounds. But Bloodsport Glen Gordon, Gordon Nelki. Dis- Falling In Love — whose only real when the singer terminated the tribution: Making Waves. There's value was an amusing contrari- RAINY DAYS and Dingwalis, the nothing quite like this band ness — and over-ambitious, chit-chat with an explosion of eternal mix and the never ending Buddy Curtis under-achieving versions of notes that threatened to burst either, large in number (21) and both hearts and eardrums, it was problem of how to infuse just the And The making up in enthusiasm any Come On Eileen and much of the clear that although his commer- slightest hint of excitement into slight musical deficiencies here material from their classic first cial light is on amber, live it's the drabest of London's drab and there. The material is Brecht, album. green for GO! JOHN BEST clubs. Grasshoppers Spanish, South American and Rowland can justify anything to The engagingly frenetic Chinese (The East Is Red) with himself (remember those public- Bloodsport approached this A ROCK 'n' roll Madness is one lyrics naturally laced with left- ity pics of him with his trousers dilemma by doing what they way of describing Buddy Curtess wingery. Should appeal to young on inside out?) but he can also on Propaganda 'never do', that is, starting with a And The Grasshoppers, a nine- radicals everywhere. occasion totally vindicate going love song. Rob Collins, principal piece act whose varied set at »* his own way, with heart-stopping WHERE IS the smiling, bouncy, songwriter and guitarist with the Croydon's Underground included TERRY ALLEN & THE PANHAN- displays of stagecraft, that those likeable Claudia Brucken of the three piece stood alone to sing pulsating rockabilly and swinging DLE MYSTERY BAND: Blood- with sights set lower can only ZTT Value Of Entertainment Turn To You, this novel begin- Sixties numbers. lines. Making Waves. SPIN 114. dream about. shows in the summer? Dis- ning succeeding in prising some Only an act so tight and well- Somewhere between The Devil At the Dominion all these mo- appointingly, this Hammersmith of the more hardened drinkers rehearsed as this could have Went Down To Georgia and The ments came with the material Palais gig revealed that she has from the bar. And having transformed a dull, Sunday audi- Violent Femmes, Bloodlines is a from the new album (Don't Stand discarded her former personality gathered a gaggle, the engine ence into a bouncing, colliding great album, combining ele- Me Down, Mercury), and particu- and donned the tortured, hack- room of Bloodsport, bassist Finn mass who clearly loved every mi- ments of Dylan with the folk, larly with those songs punctu- neyed experession of the tradi- and drummer Jack, joined Collins nute of the set and were loathe to country and gospel traditions en- ated by spoken exchanges be- tional pop star. It was a terrible in keeping them there with a let the band go. demic in so much American tween Rowland and guitarist Billy shame. more traditional form of blood The set included their new music. Occasionally it strays Adams — Just One Of Those Suzanne Freytag compensated sport. Gyrate single Shoobee Baby and close to Eagles-style easy listen- Things, This Is What She's Like, to some extent by taking a more There is a subtle progression at clearly they are a band who thrive ing, but for the most part Blood- Occasional Flicker. The initial ridi- up-front role and smiling occa- work within the band which on the live performance angle. lines is gritty and moving stuff, culousness of these staged con- sionally. She has now become allowed both the early energy of But Buddy Curtess may experi- deserving of a far wider audience versations soon evaporated in the most watchable figure on SAS and Class Struggle to mingle ence difficulty in persuading peo- than the Andy Kershaw few it's the face of the extra feeling in- stage and contributed a lot vocal- with the new, more adventurous ple to take them seriously as a likely to reach. jected by Rowland into new ly; her screaming rendition of material such as a sparkling ver- recording act. * >* GARETH THOMPSON THE BLADES: The Last Man In Edited Europe. Reekus RK LP1. Distribu- by tion; WEA/lreland. Paul Cleary's mDM«T Blades have experienced a lurbu- CHRIS WHITE lant time of late, what with major signing deals being withdrawn THE PRODUCTION and writing r and so forth, but they emerge in team of Waterman, Stock and Chart newcomers 'I credit with this collection of Aiken. who have been behind the i STARSHIP: We Build This City (RCA FB 49929). US origin. Entered I pleasing rocky/soul songs. Bras- success of recent Dead Or Alive chart, November 16 1985. Californian rock band better known to fans I sy punctuation and tight con- and Princess singles, are re- as Jefferson Starship (and before that Jefferson Airplane) and still struction remind one of early Brit- sponsible for the new single | fronted by Grace Slick. | ish pub rock, where indeed the Whenever You Need Somebody Blades are now building some- by O'Chi Brown (pictured) who I JIMMY TARBUCK: Again (Safari Records SAFE68), UK origin. En- I thing of a reputation and should has been described as "the new do potential sales no harm, UK Queen of Soul". It's her | tered chart, November 16 1985. Liverpudlian comic, debuts in the | second single for Magnet Re- I chart more than 20 years after his recording debut for EMI. cords — on the DBM label — although her first record, a reg- ' SERIOUS INTENTION; You Don't Know (Important Records TAN 8). j • OST/OCR gae version of the Procul Harum j UK origin. Entered chart, November 16 1985. New York black 5-piece | classic A Whiter Shade Of Pale, I disco/dance band specially created for this record. Important picked i VARIOUS: The Flamingo Kid. was released back in 1982. Since I the record up at the recent New Music Seminar in NYC. Motown ZL 72370. Late Fifties/ then, O'Chi has done session early Sixties pop hits featured in work with such names as Rita the new Matt Dillon film Fla- Marley, Imagination, Eddy Grant, mingo Kid including Dion's T C Curtis, Toots And The Mayt- Talent tips Runaround Sue, Acker Bilk's als and Marcia Griffiths amongst Stranger On The Shore, The Chif- others. REGGAE BAND Unity have regrouped under the nameJHIM. As Unity fons' One Fine Day and Barrett they were past winners of the Prince Charles Rock Award, were signed Strong's Money (That's What I to Charisma and appeared with the likes of Phil Collins, Joan Armatrad- Want). ing, Kate Bush and others at a Prince's Trust concert. Under the new identity they have already played gigs at London's Dominion, Ronnie VARIOUS: Gigi — The London Scott's and the Hammersmith Palais. Cast Recording. Safari Records Ginna Tapley from the Birmingham band's management company GIGI 1. Lavishly packaged cast Montage says: "They're still in the business of combining rock and recording of the new West End blues in a refreshing and invigorating brew." revival of the evergreen Lerner/ Contact; Ginna Tapley, Montage Music, 14 Peto Place, London NW1 Loewe musical based on Collet- ! d - 4DT (01-935 9183). — te's novel. Beryl Reid, Sian Phil- lips, Amanda Waring and Geof- RELIABLE PROMOTIONS in conjunction with Stephen Gold Entertain- frey Burridge bring fresh charm f- 3 ments recently staged its first video showcase at the Reingold Club in to Thank Heavens For Little Girls the West End. Director Colin Jacques says: "The videos help to promote I Remember It Well, Gigi and The artists' records in a club atmosphere and help unknown bands gain Night They Invented Champagne recognition through another medium, the video jukebox. The video is amongst others. RCA has also also sent to agencies both here and abroad." re-issued the cast recording front Contact: Colin Jacques, Reliable Promotions, 132 Chase Way, London the Seventies Broadway revival N14 5DH (01-368 2921). of the show, performed by the Los Angeles and San Francisco NEW BAND Contact whose influences include funk/soul and pop/rock Civic Light Opera Company (RCA are looking for a producer to continue "our flow of quality commercial NL 80404), songs". They have several tracks on tape. (Safari LP) EX-IRON Maiden drummer Clive Burr's band Stratus have signed a UK Contact: Colin Edwards, 48a Chatsworth Road, London NW2 4BT *" (RCA) album deal with Slcellrax for their first album Throwing Shapes which (01-451 1662). VARIOUS: The Frog Prince. Is- has already been released in Japan by CBS/Sony. Pictured, standing loft land Visual Arts ISTA 10. Original "9nl: S'oejlrax managing director Frank Rogers, Chris Troy ibass BIRMINGHAM R&B band The Sidewiners have signed to Transvex music composed by Enya,