aient John Eddie: I Wasn't Born To Clone Rocker Calls Springsteen `A Natural Influence' stood on line to see, and that's who I "I had no qualms about picking BY JIM BESSMAN wanted to be. But it's up to me to do [Lofgren and Weinberg] because NEW YORK John Eddie is not something besides just be him, and I they're two of the best," says Eddie. afraid to face the issue head on: No, think I can do it." "Anyone who has the opportunity to he is not a clone; Eddie admits his self-titled Colum- use and doesn't is a yes, he has been deeply influenced by bia debut album shows his Spring- jerk, as far as I'm concerned." the Boss. steen influences off at their stron- Eddie adds that he is grateful for "I can't help the way my voice gest. He is quick to add that he was the expertise of Bill Dresher, who sounds," says the 27-year -old native also inspired by Gary Glitter, Rod produced the album but "didn't make of Virginia, who grew up in New Jer- Stewart & the Faces, J. Geils, Mi- it [sound] slick." sey, where he absorbed the Spring - chael Jackson, and even Prince, Eddie says he was not concerned steen /East Coast rock sound and whose falsetto he says he tried to when "Jungle Boy" peaked at No. 52 ethic. achieve on the track "Cool Walk." on the Hot 100. "That means that "I'm proud of [Springsteen's] influ- But Eddie says Elvis Presley -an- only 51 records in the U.S. did bet- ence on my work, which is a natural other huge influence -is the artist he ter," he says. influence, not a ripoff," says Eddie. truly aspires to be. Joe McEwen, Co- Following a promotional tour of Ja- "When I was young, he was the one I lumbia's East Coast manager of a&r, pan, Eddie embarked on a U.S. club Guitar Hero. Texas guitarist Eric Johnson performs at the Bottom Line in New says he signed Eddie on the strength tour Aug. 14, with dates booked York. (Photo: Chuck Pulin) of his "Elvis Presley- type" live per- through October. Unsurpassed in Qualityl formances. The label executive de- scribes Eddie's singing, especially on the first single, "Jungle Boy," as PAUL McCARTNEY PRESSES ON GLOSSY 28r "Gary Glitter meets Elvis Presley." (Continued from page 19) EACH IN McEwen says Columbia's promo- 1000 LOTS tional strategy thus far has been "to step, and no way could I substitute songwriting partners. McCartney the whole point, and, having loved PHOTOS establish John's AOR, rock'n'roll for all that experience -we had 10 readily admits that they had their him dearly and as a brother, there's credibility with `Jungle Boy' and 100 POSTCARDS j 25 then years of knowing each other inside ups and downs, adding that Lennon no point in kind of making a saint follow it with `Stranded,' which has out. It was difficult, but I didn't was "not the sort you wanted to out of him. 00 8110 $34.95 definite AOR and top 40 potential." want to get rusty on singing, forget have a stand -up argument with-I "I don't think he'd want that-he ì uSiOM $108 For his part, Eddie is grateful that how to do it, or become frightened knew he'd beat me." was too realistic. That was the 01 UP MINIS per 100 Columbia cooperated fully on his re- by audiences." McCartney also says, however, whole gig about John: Mr. Honest. cording ideas, including allowing Da- McCartney has appeared at sev- that a well -publicized quote, in On the day he died, I heard an inter- vid Thoener to mix the album. And, eral charity concerts, including Live which he referred to Lennon as a view in which he said, `I don't want as might be expected, he didn't get Aid. But it has been a number of "maneuvering swine," was taken to make a martyr, I don't want to be much resistance on his choice of stel- years since he toured. out of context. a bloody saint. A bit of peace here

165 WEST 46* STREET, N.V. IOGl6 lar session musicians Nils Lofgren "I'm starting to think about it "To put the record straight: I and there, but then leave me alone.' r I and Max Weinberg of Springsteen's now," he says. "I've no definite loved him dearly, he was a great "That seemed to sum it up, really. (212) 382 -0233 . plans, but I'd be quite happy to man, but he was no angel. That's So there you go." tour." McCartney says the threat of world terrorism doesn't worry him, nor does the painful memory of On Tour John Lennon's assassination. "Obvi- ously, for a while, you can't help thinking about things like that," he says. "But I reckon it's the same for Watch for David Lee Roth everyone. It's not just me." Despite the commercial disap- pointment of his "Give My Regards To Broad Street" movie, McCartney says he has not given up on the idea BILLBOARD of making films. There have been rumors that a possible project might be a Beatles feature, using old clips. SPOTLIGHT'S MSI " thing is always in a kind of state of flux, really," he says. "It's down to whether we're September and October getting on well or not, and since the breakup there's been a lot of fric- -/ tion with the business. AI ./ "But now, George, Ringo, and I are getting on very well. We're kind - - _ of friends again, which is nice and O RADIO SYNDICATION very encouraging. If we can main- - - tain that and then get productive, O WORLD OF BLACK MUSIC we get on - can with things. COMPACT DISKS - "We've had an idea to do [a film]. O The provisional title is The Long HORROR VIDEO And Winding Road.' " O Communicating with his former O THE WORLD OF GOSPEL bandmates has been particularly O THE WORLD difficult, says McCartney. "The OF COUNTRY MUSIC minute anybody mentions Apple, I NEW AGE MUSIC VARYLA\D someone hits the ceiling. What we've done is to forbid that subject. We find we get friendlier that way. S 0 D So now, I guess anything could hap- \ pen, really." McCartney says he still regards 301/448 -1400 Lennon as the best person with whom he ever worked. "Well, he BILLBOitltO OOVEIIS IT ALL! BALTIMORE /NEW YORK /LOS ANGELES was good. He was something else." But since Lennon's death in De- PORTLAND, ORE. /LONDON /HONG KONG cember 1980, the media has thrived on muckraking stories about the re- lationship between the legendary

22 BILLBOARD SEPTEMBER 6, 1986 www.americanradiohistory.com