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Home , 25 or 6 to 4, Chicago X

MUSIC WEEK FEBRUARY 5, 1977

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Chicago: reborn in Europe "Originally we were going to play EXACTLY TEN years aficr ihe the hits in the States have never band was formed, and with ihe same ceased to come. the Royal Albert Hall this time but line-up as back in 1967 excepting the "It's true that If You Leave Me there were some problems about the addition of a percussion player — Now has opened up a new staging," Pankow says. "We are Chicago are back with a vengeance generation to us," Pankow admits. carrying around more than 15 tons in Britain and Europe. Their hit It "When we had our last hit in Britain of equipment on this tour and it was You Leave Mc Now was one of the seven years ago, most of our fans decided that Hammersmith would best-selling singles during 1976 and were still teenagers or in their early be belter. In any case the acoustics has won no less than live Grammy twenties — now they're like me and there are so good, and the policy awards, the US equivalent to film the rest of Chicago, married and during this lour is that we should J 'oscars'; currently the band was parents themselves! The success of play smaller venues but which have mid-w5y through a grinding 45-daie the record though has brought us to superior acoustics to a lot of the tour of Europe. today's teenagers who probably larger places. a rren t chidp and by Chicago This latest wave of success, which didn't even know we existed. The "In the States, the band normally GOLD AND silver dies for ihe \ , , rRS managing director Maurice has probably put Chicago on a great thing is that when we now do play 15-20,000-scaier stadiums () were presented torec the ^%n n London>s Chelsea Hotel after the concerts we can see that the audience which arc usually used for political Oberstein during the poolside W ° " pictured here are (left to right. popularity plateau in Europe that rallies and baseball games. As a Chicago concert and Ham"lfrsml!! ° scraphine and ; (left to they have never attained before, is made up of those who remember, Dannyv follows six barren years when hit and those who are just discovering result they're not always perfect for seated) , . Maurice Oberstein and records on this side of the Atlantic us." sound. It has been great on this tour right standing) , James Panko . have simply eluded them. The band Pankow finds it hard to because we can actually hear what (behind him) . understand however exactly why we are playing — and the audiences picture scores. It is healthy for us to first made their name in the UK back have been listening to what we play. because there arc no frontmen in in 1970 when they had two top ten Chicago have been devoid of hits in Chicago. We are just eight guys on have time to do other things as it hits. I'm A Man and . recent years. "We've tried to figure American audiences could learn a lot doesn't stifle the band, but Chicago Now, says trombonist James it out, because the records have still from the British." stage sharing the spotlight equally. always remains the hub of the Pankow: '"'The success of If You been big sellers in the US, but there Despite the intense schedule of the So"far as we arc concerned, live wheel. ." Leave Me Now has opened up an just doesn't seem any obvious current tour — 45 dates in such performances are the meat ot the entirely new second-generation answer. was countries as Holland, France, music business. Pankow claims that Chicago was market for us in Europe, and written by Peter Cetera our bass Germany, Belgium, Spain and "Chicago now has the same probably the first 'white soul' band provided the band with the necessary player and was a track on the Scandinavia — Chicago intend to personnel as it had ten years ago in the US — "Back in 1967 we all new blood to go on. It is our hope to Chicago X album. Originally it was return before very long. Pankow with the exception of our promised to make a full-time build a whole new career over here." done as a simple country love song says that ideally they would like to percussionist Laudir Do Olivicra commitment to forming a rock and Back in the US. Chicago have but then we decided to go back into play a date in every major city in who joined us three and one half roll uroup with a brass section, and emerged as one of the most the studios and beef up the every, major European country. years ago from Sergio Mendes at that time we were doing material successful recording and performing arrangement. The result was that "We want to live over here for a band. He has added another usually performed by Wilson Jimmy Haskell, who did all our while and expose ourselves to all the dimension to the music; we arc still acts in the history of popular music fans, and then hopefully generate Chicago but there is a lot more drive Pickelt, the Righteous Brothers or with a string of 15 Top Ten singles arrangements, changed the whole in the rhythm section. There may Sam and Dave. However wc did and ten to date. They began flavour of the song — and the great some album sales. The band has once make a record called Docs as four different groups in Chicago thing is that one of the Grammy always been conscious of the market come a time when Chicago splits up Anybody Really Know What Time It — the Missing Links, the awards that If You Leave Mc Now over here and all this success is but that will be when the members Is? which was considered Exceptions, the Majesties and the won was for the best pop almost like starting a second want it to." underground music in 1970! Some arrangement category." career." He adds: "Even now we are all Big Thing — which eventually Pankow feels that the major persuing different projects — some of the radio stations wouldn't touch evolved into one outfit, the Chicago During their present European of the guys like Robert Lamm and it although it was a Top Ten hit, and Transit Authority. Eventually the lour, Chicago gave a couple of difference between American and we were doing while soul before new band moved to the West Coast, concerts at the Hammersmith Odcon British bands is that UK ones put Terry Kath have made their own more emphasis on personalities and solo records, is Blood Sweat and Tears but recorded a double album and — their previous UK appearances producing another group' and I've unfortunately they beat us to the dropped the Transit Authority parts had been more than four years visual aspects. "For several years we punch by having a hit record first." of their name. From then, until now, before at the Rainbow Theatre. have been called 'the faceless band' been asked to do some motion ,3i-

Mottola: Hall and Oates' champion TOMMY MOTTOLA could be many top groups, and one day these promoting and agency businesses." tour is attracting enthusiastic likened to a human hurricane — in two guys called Daryl Hall and John Mottola has always been careful responses from the critics and public less than five days recently he Gates walked into my office and to develop his own approach and alike. "I think that 1977 will be the dropped in at Midem in the south of started playing me their songs. It style as head of Champion year that they finally make the France, made a few calls in Paris was such an immediate thing — I Entertainment and, he claims, has a breakthrough worldwide — people while en route to Holland and knew there and then that 1 had to get lot of sympathy for the artists he just can't ignore them any longer," Belgium, and then visited into management and start by does manage. "It is important to Mottola says. "Basically although Stockholm. Hamburg and Frankfurt handling John and Daryl. Even have a very definite image so fas as Hall and Gates made several albums before returning to London for then, six years ago, their talent was marketing, promotion and for Atlantic, the company just did business talks. He is also manager of so obvious and they just had to merchandising arc concerned, and I nothing to try and break them. Daryl Hall and John Oates, become superstars one day — even think that having my own form has "RCA made such a huge currently one of the hottest acts in now, whenever 1 see their helped my artists. I'm also an commitment financially, and on a performance, 1 still get that same opportunist — and that means worldwide basis, that they had to the US. and head of the up-and- break them. Right from the start the coming Champion Entertainment sensation I felt when I first heard of making the most of every chance \ Organisation which has its head them." which comes along." company realised the potential offices in New York and a rosier of Mottola did not immediately take The increasing strength of which was there, both as a live and a Tommy Mottola potential superstars. over Hall and Gates' management Champion Entertainment is recording set, and in the UK Mottola is one of the new breed of but he was able to develop a good underlined by Mottola's plans to everyone at RCA has gone all-out to very successful, as indeed there are pop/rock managers in the Slates and relationship with them as open Los Angeles and London promote Hall and Gates and the for British names who have a lot of cenainly one of the most successful. , and directed their offices. At present he has a staff of lour. With the help of Gerry Oord popularity in the States. British Within a few weeks he will have careers at Chappcll's until the time about ten working for the (RCA's UK managing director) I'm talent has dominated the US charts opened a Los Angeles office and at came when Champion organisation in the US, not confident that the duo will be huge for a long time now and I think that the time of interview had just Entertainment was set up. Since then including the stage and lighting in Britain too." it will continue to do so. I'm very successfully concluded talks about the duo have developed into one ol crews who accompany liis acts when Mottola looks upon Champion aaxious to start some working opening a London branch of the world's biggest rock acts with they are on the road. The LA office Entertainment's six publishing relationship with English groups." Champion. In addition to these three gold albums and a gold single will probably involve five people, companies as insurance policies for Back to Hall and Gates again: "1 activities, he is also the "talent in the last six months. The and two people will operate the new his artists. "If in ten years lime they think that they have only achieved scout" for RCA in the US and runs management company has also London offices. are no longer getting chart records about 25 percent of their potential six active music publishing expanded accordingly and now In the Slates, RCA in what has then they should at least have the — in my mind I want to make them companies. handles Dr. Buzzard's Original been described as an unprecedented security of knowing that the money the premiere rock and roll band in Perhaps not surprisingly for Savannah Band — whose debut agreement, appointed 28-ycar-old will still be coming in. and in the the world. All the ingredients are someone who has such an astute album went gold in the US in five Mottola as their 'talent scout' and it long-term future. In March wc will there and they are probably in the knowledge of the music industry, months — Stephen Decs who is the has resulted in the placing of such be hiring our own music publishing Top Ten of world groups now. We Mottola himself has had experience bass player with the Hall and Gates acts as Hall and Gates with the staff and although we have six have a very good chance to get to the of the artistic and creative side of the band and has just recorded his first record company. Mottola's companies at the moment, 1 want to top position. business. He studied music and RCA album, and a new group called immediate future plans however build them up and add others. "I don't miss being a performer drama as a teenager, and attended Wiggy Bits. include establishing his own record Publishing is one end of the business myself as 1 found it a very traumatic acting classes in the evening, with "When I first went into label which, he says, will probably where we can build the most amount experience; they were such Mia Farrow and Ali MacGraw management it was basically by go through RCA. "although that is of equity and I want to see that depressing and difficult times, not among his fellow students. Nine instinct but now I have managed to by no means definite and a deal happening both for my artists and being able to get any answers from years ago he made a couple of garner the experience too," Mottola could be fixed with any one of Champion." the record companies and always records for Epic under the name T, admits. "1 guess one of the secrcis several other interested majors." The importance of the British having to wait to go onstage. When 1 D. Valentine and his involvement of my success has been the fact that I His main pride and joy remains record market has not eluded Mot- met John and Daryl it was such a with records resulted in increased have worked as a performer myself, however Hall and Gates and it is tola and apart from breaking his .natural extension to develop my interest in the behind-the-scenes so 1 know what the business and with a lot of satisfaction that after US acts here, he is hopeful that at relationship with them into activity. The real turning point came people can belike. In addition there five years he has watched their some point he may sign UK acts. management. I'd always envisaged when Mottola joined the were my years at Mercury Records' popularity literally explode in the "The most logical time is when the myself as an important figure in the contemporary music department of publishing division and Chappell US. Their reputation has now spread is established and wc music industry but 1 didn't know in Chappell Music. Music. It all enabled me to get to to other territories including can start looking for masters," he what capacity. However 1 have He explains: "I was responsible know the people involved in the Europe, Japan, Australia and New says. "There is a lot of prestige for always had good musical and for bringing in publishing from record companies, management, Zealand, and the duo's current UK US acts who visit Britain and are organisational instincts." PAGE44