Sept. 8-14, 1978, BERKELEY BARB 9

New Wave Bands Come Out Against Briggs PUNKS FOR GAYS

by Clark Peterson suppressed us as individuals and the guy received death threats, as a band. We're against sup­ his apartment was broken into, pression of any kind, and we his desk was rifled and his of­ "Senator Briggs wants every­ think Briggs and his supporters fice was destroyed. They didn't body to be just likehim," sneered are ghouls for bringing this dead take any money, they just wanted Hank Rank, drummer for the issue to life. Who cares about to disturb him. When hegot calls punky "other wave" band Crime sexual preference any more, telling him to cancel the show, he "He has a right to want that, but anyway?" did." we're against him trying to use Apparently some hard-core "I talked to the guy," Strike the government to force his homophobes care, because a added, "and he told me he's so fucked-up ideas on the rest of benefit planned for the anti- fed up with gay politics, he's society." Briggs cause on Sept. 3 at Ke- ready to turn straight. Can you Crime is one of about six bands zar Stadium had to be cancelled. imagine going to that extreme?" (including the Liars. Ready- "The organizer had the place Though much about the band mades, Offs, DV8 and Crispy seems to be a pose, underneath Baby) who will play a benefit another pose, Crime seems to be against the Briggs' Initiative a serious about the gay cause. They Prop. 6, which will appear on g say they want to pay back the gay November's state ballot. The community for supporting 'them benefit, which will also feature £ since their inception, and this be- a film of the Mutants and Cramps 0 nefit is their "thank you." at Napa State Mental Institution, "It's 1978," said fix, "I can't will be held Sept. 11, at the Ma- believe we're even talking about buhay Gardens (443 Broadway, being gay. It's like how black S.F.). Tickets are $3.50. people used to be talked about A few months ago, Crime re­ and discriminated against. Peo­ fused to participate in another ple are real slow. We're all sex­ Liar Dennis Kerr: Showing- the positive side to punk rock-. benefit at the Mabuhay, that one ual beings and that's all there until people say, 'You can't put Indeed, in the wake of similar for striking mine workers. At the is to it." out your music because our kids measures around the country time they were quoted as saying, Another musician who takes will listen to it and you threaten passing by 2 to 1 margins, the "Mine workers are just assholes a serious stance is Liars lead us.'" outlook is bleak. The pendulum who drive around in Cadillacs," singer Dennis Kerr. He wants to The benefit, which is expected of public opinion has apparently but now they say there were mis­ show people the positive side to to raise $1000 to be distributed swung against gays. quoted and really were talking punk rock, a side he feels the es­ by San Francisco Supervisor about railroad workers. tablished media has neglected, Harvey Mi Ik to anti -Prop. 6 move­ 'Ten years ago, people would In any case, guitarist-vocalist but his main thrust is for human ments in Northern California, is have been up in arms and the Frankie Fix admitted that Crime rights. not expected to make much of a initiative wouldn't even have been was not the least interested in the "I don't like the idea that peo­ difference, however. The money voted on," said Kerr. "But peo­ miners' plight. 'They would nev­ Johnny Strike of Crime ple can't teach in the schools is a drop in the bucket compared ple are very apathetic these er go dig for an extra week so because they're gay," he said in to the finances of the pro-Briggs days." we could get out our new rec­ rented all day and had 20 to 25 disgust. "It's a starting point be­ backers, and many gays are al­ Apathy at the polls would pro­ ord," Fix snickered. rock bands lined up," said John­ cause it could lead to kids not ready conceding defeat. "All of bably be welcomed by the pro- "This Briggs issue hits closer ny Strike, Crime's other gui­ watching TV and restrictions on us think it's going to pass by a Briggs forces, for, as it's often to home than the miners' bene­ tarist-vocalist. "People like a lot more occupations. In a lo­ huge landslide," admitted Howie .been said, 'Theonlythingneces- fit," Rank said, returning to the Lily Tomlin and Leslie Gore gical progression it threatens Klein, a San Francisco writer sary for the triumph of evil is subject. "People have always were calling in to headline. Then me; it could get more radical and gay activist. for good men to do nothing."

like fudgesicles snack music THE BOPPERS (Fantasy). The grow on you if you give it a you eat with your ears. Seven best thing about the Hoppers is chance. Lead vocalist Joe Turner points. their '20s zoot suits. This honky and the band both sound like Bad COCKRELL & SANTOS: New finds it hard to relate to their Co. and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Seven Beginnings (&M). A husband/ wife Afro Sheen sound, although they'd points. Vinyl Harvest duo from Santa Rosa, Bud Cock - be a hit on Soul Train. Some JOHN KLEMMER Arabesque rell and Pattie Santos have staked good jazz in 'The Visit (Stary)" (ABC). Woody Alien told Paul their claim with eunuchoid AM but the rest is mostly soul and Simon in Annie Hall that when he by Clark Peterson boy (an inside-out Oreo), this is radio. This is far too wimpy for formula funk. Five points. gets too mellow, he tends to ripen for you. Six points. a progressive rock station like and then rot. Tenor saxist John This week's fare ranges in THE DIRT BAND (United Art­ KSAN, especially since two of GERRY RAFFERTY AND JOE Klemmer gets too mellow here quality from Moe Koffman's ex­ ist). The problem with these the songs are funky disco dreck. EGAN: Stuck in the Middle with but staves off fermentation with cellent Museum Pieces to Cock- Rocky Mountain High Men, chirp­ The singing by both Cockrell You (A&M). This is a best of some decent jazz, backed by rell & Santos' disappointing New ing about how great it is in Col­ (formerly with Pablo Cruise) and Stealers Wheel anthology from drummer Lenny White and per­ Beginnings. The albums were orado, is that they're so low-key Santos (ex-It's a Beautiful Day) the group's three albums re­ cussionist Eye-Ear-Toe. Seven rated on a scale of one to ten they lack excitement. They skill­ is often affected. Not even Jaco leased now that Rafferty has what points. points: 10 points for perfection fully play a multitude of instru­ Pastorius, Flora Purim or Eye- may be the song of the year i n KINGFISH: Trident (Jet). Hur­ and one point for a total disaster. ments, harmonize like a nest of Ear-Toe Moreira can save this "Baker Street." Naturally, all ray! An album without disco, No LP reached the heights of sapsuckers, and deftly handle one. Four points. dozen songs here pale by com­ funk, schmaltz or mega-decibels! 10 or sank as low as one merely each genre. Mickey Thomas, the VARIOUS ARTISTS: Hotels, parison, even though they're This Bay Area band, which brief­ because every disc was round amazing "vocalist who recently Motels and Road Shows (Capri­ hunky dory in their own right. ly included the Dead's Bob Weir with the required hole in the quit the Elvin Bishop band, could corn). A worthwhile sampler of Seven points. in 1975, has evolved their own center. have been the needed punch here southern bands highlighted by FANDANGO: Last Kiss (RCA). style of basic rock and roll. The but only sings for a few seconds Wet Willie, Sea Level, Gregg All- Another album that cannot live blues harp (actually a "harp- MOE KOFFMAN: Museum while "For a Little While" Pieces (Janus). This is a flaw­ fades mand and Elvin Bishop. Double, up to its superb cover art (sen­ olek") is always scrumptious. out. A pleasant album, but John live set. Eight points. suous red lips), although it will Eight points. less display of instrumental Denver lives too close to these prowess rarely heard these guys days. Koffman, for their own good. Seven an invigorating points. flautist, has. assembled an ex­ DAVID GATES: Goodbye Girl traordinary package of jazz that (Elektra). The lead singer for goes down like greased yogurt. Bread mellows out here with The LP's concept is ancient his­ mushy MOR (middle of the road) tory, but that is merely a vehicle tripe amidst some decent stuff. for the cover art and not the mu­ Gates summons memories of sic. Canada's best-known jazz Bread hits "Make it With You" musician should perk up many and "Guitar Man" when he sings Ya_nkee ears with this gem. Nine softly, and that may be good for points. making the Top 40 charts but will alienate rock fans. Fortunately, Gates has balanced such songs as the title tune, the theme song Photos by Dave Patrick from the Neil Simon movie ofthe same name, with ballsier num­ Bread & Roses bers using such famed session people as Jim Gordon, Larry The Second Annual Bread& Roses Knechtel, David Lindley, Larry Music Festival held over Labor Day Carlton and Jim Horn. This helps, weekend proved once again that mu­ but the album sinks from the sic doesn't have to be loud to be weight of sappy love songs. Sniff, heard -- or get its message acro&s. Harry Champlin: Ghetto soul sniff. Five points. from Marin BOSTON: Don't Look Back The three-day acoustic celebration BILL CHAMPLIN: Single (Epic). (Epic). Boston has become a su­ packed 'em into UC Berkeley's The long-time leader of the de­ pergroup by combining simple, Greek Theatre, with dazzling per­ funct Sons of Champlin has gone melodic riffs played on heavy formances by Jerry Lawson of the solo. He tries to outfunk Tower guitars with Brad Delp's scrot­ Persuasions (center) and Jqni Mit- of Power and even has a jivey um-straining vocals and lyrics chell with Herbie Hancock (left). song called "Yo' Mama." Simi­ by Tom Scholz designed for ado­ The impromptu jams between m\i- lar to Boz Scaggs, Champlin also lescents. Scholz masterminds the sicians including Stephen Stills, uses musicians associated with whole thing from producing and Ramblin' Jack Elliot and Peter Ro­ Scaggs. The result is a clean- arranging down to engineering wan (upper left) and Odetta, and sounding LP, setting unrequited and mixing, not to mention pro­ love lyrics to formula funk, and viding the screaming lead guitar. Bread & Roses founder Mimi often grunted in a cliched, "get Farina were an other highlight. down" fashion. If you like ghetto The result is high energy, com­ soul from a Marin County white mercial music that kids swallow