THE MANAGERS TALENTON STAGE

Peter Frampton O’Reilly’s Challenge: MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, NYC — At and Frampton played an acoustic duet on last summer’s home for the Democrats, the song “Penny For Your Thoughts.” Dur- Expand Al Stewart’s Image Peter Frampton reconfirmed the notion ing the number “Do You Feel," Frampton that he is the current prince of rock and roll. demonstrated a different ability by taking by Paul Simmons The crowd of teenage rockers loudly over the drums. Another highlight was come off without a hitch. There were times LOS ANGELES If Luke O’Reilly’s demonstrated that for them Frampton Frampton’s fine rock transition of a Motown American visa had not run out in 73, he when they spent days sitting in the New ranks higher than, say, Elton John or Led medley of “Roadrunner”/“Signed, Sealed, York Holiday Inn, just trying to get concert probably wouldn’t be Al Stewart’s manager Zeppelin. It might take a year before he can Delivered.” The band was in top form, today. Back then Stewart was without an dates. More recently, they’ve been able to sell out the Garden for a week, but that task never missing a beat. Itseemstheiryearsof turn American contract. He had a cult following down dates. A year ago November, is clearly within his reach. Three weekend practice have paid off. Included in the con- among the English college crowd. The mo- Stewart played the Tower Theatre in shows sold out with a bare minimum of ad- cert were songs from the first two Frampton ment had arrived, however, to move Philadelphia for a week to soldout vertising. One small ad ran with just LPs, “Frampton’s Camel” and “Wind Of audiences, for over 12Vi thousand. beyond just a cult. O’Reilly reminisced : “We Frampton’s picture, a phone number and Change.” At one point in the show, were just two people meeting at the right The two most recent LPs, “Modern the request to “call me.” Tickets were being Frampton announced that his parents had time. Al wasn’t satisfied with his manage- Times” and “Year Of The Cat,” have sold scalped outside for $50. been specially flown in from England for the ment. Among other things, they weren’t giv- fairly well, helping to further enlarge the The show opened with Frampton enter- opening night. The audience responded Box, ing him his proper earnings. I had known Al Stewart audience. O’Reilly told Cash ing through a huge holographic portrait of with loud and warm applause. first release, from a few years back. We met when I was a “At the time of the American himself and billowing clouds of smoke. Most probably Frampton will remain at in production than DJ in Philadelphia for WMMR. When I retur- LPs were costing more Many of the songs performed were from the the top for a good number of years. If he

ned to England, I became involved with tap- they could ever hope to recoup. current best selling LP “Frampton Comes remains fresh, exciting and creative, he ing concerts for American radio. While do- Inflation was a real demon. Bands are Alive.” As a matter of fact, the tickets used should have no problem extending his to a I also expensive. You have pay $15,000 the title. audience throughout his career. ing an Al Stewart concert, became LP name as the concert Bob Mayo p. s . amazed with the size of the audience. week to keep a band on the road. Three years ago, you could spend $10,000, and “It was a large hall, The Canteen,” with a The Who Steeleye Span do a six week tour. Now it costs $5-$7,000 a bar, and everyone was quite attentive. They night. Al wants to play for as many people SPORTS ARENA, SAN DIEGO — Ignoring ROXY, L.A. — British folk-rock came down weren’t the usual noisy crowd. I asked Al as possible. So we’re prepared to pay to the wave of warnings that it is fast becoming from the Scottish highlands and the English why he didn’t have an American LP. He said make the tour successful. Janus Records a parody of itself on stage, the Who turned midlands Saturday at the Roxy, as Steeleye he couldn’t find a company to release it. A has advanced us the money. They recog- back the hands of time once again to Span played to a highly enthusiastic few weeks later he called me up and asked of jigs nize the fact that Al can make it now but he delight a sellout crowd of 14,595 with the audience, many whom were dancing if I’d like to manage him. At first I didn’t needs the extra push.” finest 1966 concert 1976 has seen to date. in the aisles before the evening was over. know what to say, but Al talked me into it. Not that parody itself is bad; it isn’t if your He explained that he had a new LP ready Stewart is 31 now and it seems his fans believe you're the world’s greatest career, to some degree, is just beginning. Propelled by an energetic Nigel Pegrum ( Past, Present And Future ). He was very rock ’n’ roll band, capable of no wrong. For- He is interested in recording a film sound- on drums and relying heavily on Maddy skeptical that it would receive enough pro- tunately for the Who, this is more often than Prior's appealing vocals, band members motion." track. This should be no great transition, since his songwriting contains strong and notthecase. For while strumming thesame Peter Knight, Bob Johnson, Tim Hart and O’Reilly is originally from Manchester, hitting notes, keep- vivid images. Most of his lyrics are in story chords, the same and Rick Kemp (who all sing) performed much England. He attended school at Dartmouth, form. For the current show, during the song ing the same beat ad infinitum may even- of their new “Rocket Cottage" LP plus mostly because of his enthusiasm for ski- “Roads To Moscow,” 42 slides will be tually prove a bore for Pete Townshend & selected favorites from past albums, and ing. There he involved with college became it that this is what their shown. The song is concerned with the Ger- Co., appears engagingly related lyrical stores of life in radio, and soon afterwards he advanced to man occupation of Moscow. Slides from audience desires, or at least has come to Old England. These stories were enhanced a commercial station. O’Reilly feels that his German and Russian films will be used. expect. by an effective blend of rock ’n’ folk, that for working relationship with Stewart is good It’s refreshing to note that despite a at of the audience of- O’Reilly discussed the tour in more least one member attributable to their close friendship. He decade of virtually the same stage well-received alternative to much of detail. “We had to get a new keyboard fered a stated, “I’m really not sure that I’d go presence, every band member’s move- player. The one we had was experiencing the bombast that is often leveled at concert- through all of this again for anyone else. A ments appeared remarkably spontaneous. goers. visa problems. The ICM agency is han- manager is only as good as the relationship Everyone knew that Townshend was going dling the tour. The equipment on stage, he has with his client. Of course, that’s tak- to rapid-fire attack his guitar with windmill- What Steeleye has managed over the last not counting the amps, cost over $35,000. ing for granted that the rest of your like flailings, just as they knew the strutting seven years and nine albums is to integrate I’ve been offered to manage other groups, organization is running smoothly. You have Roger Daltrey would whip his microphone traditional, acoustically inclined British folk but I’ve recognized that I probably couldn’t to hire a lot of professional business peo- in twirling circles. But when it finally hap- music and rhyme with electronic in- handle more than one right now. Al and I ple. Then you can be sure that the opposi- pened it appeared as if it were happening strumentation, and by doing so, appeal to a have learned to work on limited objectives. tion will be dealt with correctly. for the first time ever. The concert's wide audience. Surprisingly, their winning And he’s more than intellectually capable of highlights were the same ones they’ve been of American audiences has been Stewart has been recording for 10 years. knowing what’s going on with his manage- for the past 12 years. somewhat easier than wooing British He is quite well known in England, with his ment. We sometimes discuss matters over Anybody who has read anything about followers, as the group's early departure LP “Love Chronicles” voted best LP by a bottle of wine. We’re not afraid to yell at Melody Maker in '69. The LP “Orange” was continued on pg. 57 continued on pg. 57 one another, if it becomes necessary. If it’s the last before his first American release, a large problem, then we have two bottles. I “Past, Norman Connors/Gato Barbieri/Chambers Brothers Present And Future.” That LP respect Al a lot. He would like to be a star. received heavy airplay from a few American BEACON THEATRE, NYC — With his album at #42 on the Cash Box charts this week, Nor- And I would like to be a star's manager. I man Connors appeared to be celebrating his success with a concert show of almost epic progressive FM stations, such as WNEW in enjoy the creative side of my work. New York. A tour complemented the LP, at proportions. As the house lights fell, a pulsating African drum beat filled the hall and out Sometimes I offer different ideas for a show this point the American audience began to onto the stage slowly marched four drummers in tie-dyed native garb and feathered head- or in the recording studio. The discipline I dresses. Then dancing out from the wings came two pairs of gaily dressed dancers whose grow. O’Reilly stated, “The turning point also find to be stimulating. You have to work frenzied, acrobatic performance stirred the already expectant audience. The ten-minute came when Al put a band together; up until on a day-to-day basis, monitoring then he didn’t have one. American treat was but a first taste of the multifaceted performance that Connors and his entourage everything. If you pay attention to detail, the offered their fans. audiences weren’t very receptive to him big things will take care of themselves. A just playing solo. first After a short set change, Connors’ 14-member band sauntered on, introducing the man On the tour we played manager’s main task is to advise and en- the Bottom Line, without band, the himself with a heavily percussive, jazz-like overture. Resplendent in white scarf and togs a and courage his client. Al’s career is a com- and a brown leather jacket, Connors stepped up front for a lively scat-sung number on shows didn’t go over very well. A band was bined project for the both of us.” O’Reilly’s formed the different which he consistently sang off-key. Yet Connors seemed well aware of his own limitations, and now you can hear prime objective is to raise Stewart from his since he then faded back to act as bandleader, drummer and MC for the rest of the show. layers of sound that are on the records. A cult following and establish him as a house- The set was an eclectic affair, moving from jazzier numbers like Herbie Hancock’s “Maiden regular nucleus of musicians came about; hold name on the contemporary music Voyage” (done Norman Connors style) and Connors trumpeter Shufo Ono's “Bubbles" to they are not a permanent band. Each mem- scene. They have both come a long way rich balladry by “You Are My Starship” vocalist Prince Phillips and the superbly talented ber comes on tour, or records with Al, from three years ago, when they were two depending his situation.” Eleanor Mills. Connors’ philosophy seems to be to act like a star among stars, and his on working men in England who were feeling rather showcase of talents, disparate as it was, pleased the appreciative crowd. The first Al Stewart American tours didn’t bored. In contrast, Gato Barbieri’s set of hot burning jazz displayed how a six-man band can achieve much more than Connors’ cluttered, larger aggregation. His pleasurable concert Managers’ Notes style is based on juxtaposing his fluid, melodic sax style against a driving, percussive progressive backdrop. In a set that featured a number of tunes from his latest album on At the 20th annual awards dinner of Conference of Personal Managers West, Oct 7, Dinah A&M, “Caliente” (bulleted at #10 on the Cash Box jazz chart), Gato played the part of a Shore was honored as "entertainer of the year" and Fred Silverman as "industry man of musical matador — dancing, whirling and spurring on his band with his terse shouts and the year." The dinner was held in the Crystal Room of the Beverly Hills Hotel. Captain & calls. With a rock-solid bottom of drummer Bernard Purdie, bassist Eddie Rivera and per- Tennille emceed the event. Former president Arnold Mills installed Richard O. Linke as cussionist Cachete, Barbieri, pianist Eddie Martinez and guitarist Joe Caro were able to the president for the 76-77 term. Dennis C. Stanfill presented the award to Shore. He weave their respective instrumental talents into a set that delightfully explored the upper

spoke highly of her talent and contributions to the entertainment world . . . Balcones Fault reaches of jazz-rock fusion.

Productions . . . will be handled by Guideposts (Calif.) and its founder Stephen L. Fillster Opening the set were the Chambers Brothers, who are still one of the more satisfying Irving Fine, personal manager for George Burns, reports that Burns will costar with John and engaging live bands in the country. Working in a style that blends light R&B with ” Denver in the Warner Bros, film "Oh God. Burns will play two weeks at Las Vegas Sands, Doobie Brothers-ish pop, they displayed tightness and proficiency along with energy and

starting Oct. 20. Dec. 1, he will have a TV special on CBS . . . Elliot Roberts of Look Out feeling. Capping their set with Elvin Bishop’s “Stealin’ Watermelons," they charmingly ” Management reports that the newJoni Mitchell LP “Travelin’ will be released soon. Neil coaxed a reluctant audience into singing along with the jumping number and left the stage, Young will have a new LP, "Decade." His tour begins Nov. 1. surely gaining some new fans. paul simmons r.p.

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