MUSIC WEEK, DECEMBER 2, 1978 miifinr

Miller's breakthrough brings sighs of relief and Paul Shuttleworth, formerly of Reid adds: "Every 18 months FRANK1E MILLER'S arrival in the Kursaal Flyers. Miller would make a record which the Top Ten with DarliiT Prior to being managed by Reid, would gel a lot of critical acclaim, brought huge sighs of relief Miller had no personal manager but yet sell nothing. Everybody from everyone at Chrysalis instead was looked after by wondered why. When 1 took over his Records, and a round of Chrysalis generally. management, I decided that it was applause from the music Reid says: "Frankie was in the essential Miller have a career and S5! industry in general. situation where he had released that didn't mean just making After eight years with Chrysalis, about four albums, but apart from records." Miller had finally made it as an artist making records, his career was at a Reid feels that Frankie Miller is m — despite a string of very good full-stop. He wasn't making many essentially a live artist. % albums, consistent press acclaim, . live appearances — in fact, he was "He's the sort of person that and sell-out concerts, chart success basically waiting for a break- people want to go and see. The had always eluded him. Chris White through in terms of record sales. It is policy now is that he works talks to some of the central to Chrysalis Records' credit that the whenever he possibly can. There is characters connected with the company has stood by him for so nothing to be achieved by Frankie FRANKIE MILLER: After eight years of hard work and frustration he has Frankic Miller Story. long. People like Chris Wright and sitting at home between albums," he broken through the chart harrier. Keith Rcid originally made his Doug D'Arcy put a lot of faith says. "Obviously we are looking "The first album he recorded was Doris was the songwriter. name as the lyricist for Procul and money into Frankie Miller's towards the US market and Miller in 1973 and was done at Rock field "The Stoics in fact didn't release Harum, but for the last two years he career. 1 don't think that there was has managed to establish a Studios with Brinsley Schwartz as any product, but later Miller teamed has been Frankie Miller's manager ever any doubt in their minds that stronghold in the Detroit area. In his backing band. The press have up with Robin Trower who had as well as looking after a string of they had someone who was addition he has done concerts in always been behind Frankie from recently left Procul Harum. The two other rock names including the potentially capable of selling a lot of most of the major American cities the word go, which made it all the of them did a lot of songwriting Sutherland Brothers, Mickey Jupp records." and made a good impression with more frustrating that his product together, and a couple of^ Miller everyone. The important thing is wasn't actually making the charts. songs appeared on Trowcr's first that it has established a good base to He has always been the great LP. Frankie's first album, recorded build everything else upon." undiscovered British singer and a at Rockfield, was called Once In A CHRIS WRIGHT, Roy Eldridge, Chrysalis A&R personality so far as the media was Blue Moon and there were director: "Darlin' seemed to break concerned. subsequent ones which were very co-chairman of right across the board. It charted good, and got amazing review very quickly and in quite a high Chrysalis pictured notices. m position. Everyone was so knocked Toussaint "The point is that it has taken left: "The moment I out, because previously Frankie Frankie Miller eight years to get his had only had one minor hit before. "On another album we teamed first Top Ten success, but when you heard Miller sing I Even people from other record him with the American soul look at the situation closely, there companies were ringing up and producer, Alan Toussaint, and The are a lot of other rock artists around knew that he had to saying how great it was that we had Rock LP was produced by Elliot who also look a long time to break. be a star — his voice finally broken him as a recording Maizcr who works out of San For instance, Rod Stewart had been act." Francisco and has been involved around several years before he is just so classic." Eldridge admits that Chrysalis with the careers of Neil Young, started having successes,, and Joe tried various formulas to gain Miller Linda Ronstadt and Rory Gallagher. Cocker is another example of an success on vinyl. "The last album was produced by artist who had been around a long Jack Douglas from New York who time. has also worked with Patti Smith "Now that we have established a and Aerosmith." formula though, I see no reason why Eldridge continues; "Somehow Frankie should not continue to be the formula just didn't seem to be successful. He has the potential to be right even though Miller was coming both a singles and albums artist, and up with consistently good albums. now that he has had such a big hit NEW WAVE CHART There was a suggestion that he with Darlin', I think that we will see 1 t 1] STIFF LITTLE FINGERS Alternative Ulster should do an album with Leiber and his new-found confidence reflected C.I.D. Stoller, but then Chris Wright came in his songwriting." 2 [ 2] UK SUBS [Coloured Vinyl] up with the idea of teaming him with 3 [12] SUBWAY SECT Ambition Dave Mackay whose most recent 4 [ 4] SPI2Z OIL 6000 Crazy success has been with Bonnie Tyler, Successful 5 [16] ALTERNATIVE T.V. Action Time Vision Frankie met Mackay and got on with Love Lies Limp him very well. The result was that Last word from Chris Wright, 6 [ 5] ALTERNATIVE T.V. they went into the studios and came joint chairman of Chrysalis: "If 7 [15] CABARET VOLTAIRE Talk Over out with four numbers, one of which Chrysalis believes in an artist or 8 [ 3] ELECTRIC CHAIRS Blatantly Offenzive was Darlin'. band, then we will stick with them 9 [14] PRAG VEC Existential "The combination of Miller and for as long as it takes for them to be All Sexed Up Mackay seems unlikely because successful. I think that it says a lot 10 [22] PHYSICALS Frankie Miller represents earthy for the company that we have stuck 11 [10] ANGELIC UPSTARTS Murder Of Liddle Towers rock and roll and r&b music whereas behind Frankic Miller for so many 12 [13] Mr. BASSIE Pablo Mackay is more pop. But they do years. His original contract with 13 [ 6] GANG OF FOUR Damaged Goods have a healthy respect for each Chrysalis was back in 1970 when we The Kill other." signed him as a songwriter." 14 [24] SPHERICAL OBJECTS Doug D'Arcy, Managing director He adds: "The moment 1 heard 15 [ 8] CHELSEA Urban Kids of Chrysalis: "The first time I heard Miller sing, I knew that he had to be 16 [ 9] M [On original Do-It Label] Moderne Man of Frankic Miller was about eight a star — his voice is just so classic, BOOTS AND BRACES Right To Work years ago when a Scottish road and he has amazing charisma 17 [17] manager called Pepe came into my onstage. Although he is very 18 [ 7] RIVVITS [With Free Flexi Disc] Saturday Night office at Chrysalis, which was a very different from them as an artist, I 19 [★] 13th FLOOR ELEVATORS You Really Got Me new company then, and played me a would compare Miller with Frank 20 SAMSON Telephone cassette by a band called The Stoics. Sinatra and Judy Garland in terms [11] He suggested that I go and see them of sheer stage presence. Now that 21 [*l NIPS All The Time In The World play which I did, and I was so Frankie has finally cracked the UK 22 [22] NEVILLE & THE PUNTERS Boys On The Dole impressed that I brought them back market, it can only be a matter of 23 [27] STOAT Up To You to London. Frankie Miller was the lime before he breaks big on a lead singer in the band, and Jimmy 24 [*l NORMAL T.V.O.D. worldwide basis." 25 [23] BLITZKREIG BOP U.F.O. 26 [*] BIG IN JAPAN From Y to Z 27 [29] KARL TERRY & THE CRUISERS [Col. Vinyl] Haunted House ROY ELDRIDGE, 28 [*] ADAM AND THE ANTS Young Parizians Chrysalis A&R director 29 [28] HEROES Think It Over 30 [*l FASHION Steady Eddied Steady pictured left: "The press PLUS have always been behind SCRITTI POLITTI □ Is And Ought The Western World Frankie Miller from the RICHARD ASHWORTHDM3 Revisited word go — which made JOHNNY G.DMonophenia it all the more STRAIGHT 8 □ Modern Times fmstraiing that his LIGHTNING RECORDS 841 Harrow Road London NW10 5NH product wasn't actually Tel: 01-969 7155 Telex: 927183 LARREC Orders; 01-969 8344 making the charts."

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