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Vol. 6 No. 1 emeus October 1971 ARTICLES

THE STORY BEHIND THE BENGLA DESH 4 What brought George, Ringo, Leon, Dylan and Clapton to the Garden? THE INTERSTELLAR THUNDER OF PINK FLOYD 20 The electronic birdmen put their old eggs in a new platter. THE SWIRLING SOUND OF SOFT MACHINE 24 Ignored when they toured with Hendrix, standing-ovationed today. : A TIN PAN ALLEY RIP OFF 28 Abbie Hoffman on Janis. Jagger and Greed. RELIGIOUS REVIVAL IN THE ROCK CULTURE 30 Peter Townshend, and the Cat are among God’s helpers. PETE SEEGER’S RAINBOW RACE 31 The folk patriarch points a political finger at . THE ELUSIVE MOODY BLUES 32 With five gold , how have they avoided fame? AN INTERVIEW WITH JOE McDONALD 36 Poetry and pointed shoes? Guess there’s a new Country Joe. AN INTIMATE LOOK AT ROD THE MOD 54 Making an album on a bottle of brandy. : OVERCOMING THE IMAGE CRISIS 60 Will Fireball burn away the confusion?

FEATURES LETTERS 12 Wrecking a church for Iggy. RECORD REVIEWS 16 Blood, Sweat & Tears, Stephen Stills, Beach Boys and more. POEMS 23 Morrison: laying the lizard king to rest. ON THE HORIZON 40 Osibisa spins a rhythm web. Buddah bets on Dust. And Titus Groans. HOT WAX 44 Hit predictions from the FM stations. OUR BACK PAGES 46 From , , and the West Coast: polar bears, obscenity and Grand . NATIONAL SCENES 52 Who’s playing near you and when. COSMIC CHARISMA see back of poster Libra: the scales of balance. MOVIES see back of poster Filming the dirt behind war and the West. Publisher: Gerald Rothberg Editor: Howard Bloom Art Director: Norm Jacobs Contributing Editors: Tony Glover, Richard Meltzer, Bud Scoppa Advertising Director: Norman Harris Assistant to Publisher: Art Ford Regional Correspondents: London—Mike Conway-Benton; West Coast—Jacoba Atlas Cover Design: Arnold Genkins CIRCUS Magazine Is published 12 times a year by Circus Enterprises Corporation. 866 United Nations Plaza. New York. N. Y. 10017. 212 - 832-1626. Return postage must accompany all unsolicited manuscripts, drawings and photographs. Entire contents Copyright © by Circus Enterprises Corporation 1971. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use without written permission of editorial or pictorial matter inIn any form Is prohibited. Printed in U.S.A. I Subscription rates: 12 Issues for >9.00. 4 1 4 i 'll L 1I

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JnJengla Desh Concert

Paul Said, I, luv to come, but. . . ew York, the big questi fro I reporters was,

Wei to be on your own?” ■ tL 4 »

by Howard Bloom and My friend came to me opened the concert, tossing fierce Sadness in his eyes riffs back and forth as incense drift­ Told me that he wanted help ed around them. Khan worked over Before his country dies. his tabla with such intensity that he broke a string. When their set ended, ("Bengla Desh.” c Music Shankar stood to receive the enthu- Ltd.. 1971) *siasm of the crowd, then pressed his hands together and bowed his I ^he friend was Ravi Shankar. head in thanks. -L the Bengalese musician, world's greatest silar player, who has been tight with George Harrison for over six years The country is Bengla Desh (East Pakis­ tan). soaked in the blood of outrageous slaughter The request for help came as George was cutting a new record in Los Angeles. And the answer was a concert that brought Bob Dylan. Ringo Starr. George Harrison, . , and many others to Madison Square Garden for a history making session that witnessed such strange com­ binations as Clapton and Harrison pick­ ing while Dylan puffed his har­ monica and Ringo slapped a tambour­ ine on his thigh.

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The lights dimmed, and suddenly was on his feet clapping, and the photographers had flooded the space As Dylan played "A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall," Harrison and Leon Russell around the stage. laced together a melodic background with an occasional un-Dylan-like twist. Later Ringo came up, looking in his black suit like an amiable but shabby priest, and began to tap a on his thigh. Dylan’s set was capped with a standing ovation. _____ CIBJCUs 7 ngla Desh Then, to pul the Bengalis back in the his superstar stature to generate en­ And the mush harness of subjugation, he sent his thusiasm for the concert. “1 had lo pul BBC. and the c ^^3r requested help because American-equipped armies to the East myself out front.” he declared, “and anything bin h< n are being destroyed by (in American Boeing 707’s). where they hope that my friends would come.” If he But Chip Mi ■—ir of a bloodthirsty, high- frequently terrorized, tortured, and de­ numbers his fans among his friends, he willing to dona ^^wny against a weaponless stroyed everything and everyone in got what he hoped for. The lines began Ringo Starr. of whom had no wish to sight. The result is a set of horror stories to form al the box office two days be­ Clapton were i too sickening to tell. When Bengalese fore the concert's tickets were to go on very beginning. actually two territories college professors, newsmen, and musi­ sale. Twenty four hours before the offi­ George slag =sm each other as completely cians have returned to their country to cial opening of ticket sales, the lines had York, where l nd Canada by a thousand look (unsuccessfully) for their families, grown so long that it seemed pointless zines and lelei Indian land. The Bengalis, they have passed one hamlet after an­ to keep the box office closed. The win­ tered like raisi ■—of the Eastern section, have other where heaps of murdered villagers dows opened, and within six hours get as much pi ^^plied the country's wealth, lie between the burned out collages, and Madison Square Garden was sold out. possible. For l ^■dstanis of the West have mo- only carrion birds picking at a stiff hand George spent weeks telephoning mu­ goal was to p the government, holding the or face seem at . sicians in California. England, and Though it broi and an albmr might bring the hall with hungry applause, the aud;ence brought George and his entourage back for two encores, George knew t stamped, shouted, and clapped for more even after half the equipment had been taken down and the bly raise enout lights had sunken hydraulically into the floor. in the suffering portanl thing. I gla Desh to th you and me. enough to kei after the conce V gel us to keep A'oh' it may But where it 9 Il's some th ii

(“Bengla Des. Lid.. 1971)

(To help the money to the U.S. Comm . I 331 East 3E - A* New York and pul in a .4, Bengla Desh The report) conference fo- him with que his own. Ge play with a I* to record hu murky stat* BiKvsn good not m doesn’t.” ai— . I really there— gees. But the Atlantic I plh him to a^a k avoided in "rge I met with h__ Harrison’s performance of his own songs was accomparved by a group large enough to make a Las help Ravi ; las •and leader jealous. With Ringo Starr on drums, Leon Russell on p'ano, Eric Clapton and Jesse Davis Georg------electricguitar,___ Preston on organ, on bass. Bad Finger on rhythm , two extra live off^^ss immers. three norns, and six singers. from hi_____ I year. Il lered l Jry ,n* Jhe vice their military ma- But Ravi Shankar’s request made it Spain only lo discover that getting a L tn!.hC P?Sl ‘*elve years. obvious that no mind can blow away the thing like this together was not at all I here ter------The it „ cemb«r, the West Pakistanis cloud that hangs over the Bengalis. No easy. Leon Russell cancelled two con­ Londo^^^^ y a owed a f^ election. The Ben- amount of meditation can revive the two certs to come, but even then, it wasn’t Fcsl ivL • won a majorj.v of seats in the new hundred and fifty thousand dead or feed certain he could make it. Assembly and were deter- was in the Virgin Islands trying to ccptio^^^^ the 40,000 new refugees who enter India Bcr^------_ iom° T? thcise $cats to 8ain some each day. George responded to Shan­ gel custody of ’s child and r. ’. . ",s thrcatcned to throw the wouldn't commit himself one way or the sat Pakistt; kar’s plea by planning the Madison dress^^^^ •an’s frofn the saddle of pow- Square Garden benefit. other. Paul said lethargically, “I’d luv a threat recon^^^^ 11 PbeSidenl Yahya Khan At first, the idea of appearing in con­ to come. but. . . .” Record company acc^ t He cancelled the executives asked to cooperate said they lucid cert as a solo star “made me shake.” each I 111: ilfiyona* Assembly. George said. But he knew he had to use “didn't want lo get involved politically.” null Dill nions. EMI. the years of meeting the world's media have with his interests. wers-that-be were made their mark. George handled the “Indian music is still with me. I might occasion with the verve of a United Na­ not write music in Indian forms now. -c sound man. was tions diplomat. He really was out to but it's in my system and part of me." ------for free. And please ... if it would help his friends The spiritual aspect has stayed with ’reslon. and Eric the Indian musicians a little him too. “I still meditate and I still to come from the “These people are worth seeing so practice yoga." don’t let them go unnoticed." said George has also soaked up the East­ * —e concert in New George, with a smile, and everyone ern spiritual ideas. God can exist in each ^^^■re services, maga- wrote it down. For the next hour he was of us. he feels, for “as a single drop of nelworks arc clus- boxed in by a cluster of reporters who water has the same qualities as an ocean a box. in order to were using the occasion to ask George of water, so has our consciousness the ^^y for the concert as all the usual Beatle questions. I didn't qualities of God's consciousness." But ------rformance's biggest hear a lot of his replies because I was our soul dies and enters life over and —- ~’izc Bengal's plight, deep in conversation with a middleaged over again, and as it passes from body in around S25O.OOO. Indian lady soloist singer whom George to body, it forgets the mighty ocean of d film of the event had courteously introduced me to. divinity it has come from. ---- -.mother five million, Later after George had lunched with Meditation and “chanting the names concert couldn't possi- Ravi Shankar we resumed our talk. of the Lord." as George calls the Hare — -noney to make a dent Except for his incredibly long hair, chant, bring you back in touch the Bengalis. The im- now pulled back in a band like a riding with divinity. “It's pointless to believe in ==suid. was to bring Ben- mistress George looked as eminent as a something without proof, and Krishna ^mttenlion of people like pop road manager in his blue and while Consciousness and meditation are meth­ make us concerned striped shirt, blue denim jacket, velvet ods where you can actually . . . see doing something long trousers, brown boots and orange GOD. and hear him. play with him. It was over. Hopefully, to knitted waistcoat. might sound crazy but HE is actually -—ving some bread. He was still exhilarated by seeing there, actually with you." George wrote —eem so far Ravi again. “If I could I'd go to India in a pamphlet accompanying The Rad­ all are again. In fact if I could choose between ii a Krishna Temple album. h'c can'i reject. going to half a dozen different places Perhaps this is why George The Pop and going to India. I'd go there six Star diappeared so rapidly once the ac­ & Harrisongs Music times. tive Beatles nucleus had split. Certainly “You can gel such a lol out of that he takes no part in the star social scene. place, once you gel past the misery and Patti, his wife, was at the Isle of children of Bengal, send the flies. All the people there are so Wight Festival but not George. “I just dedicated. And that's how everyone don't want to know about all that." he ntlee for UNICEF should be in their work. You should said. “I couldn't stand all the noise!" ilh Street work for your deity, whether it's Jesus It's not to say George has lost interest New York 10016 or Buddha or whatever. You can do that in music. He's just jumped off the cur­ tote to say the money's for even if you're sweeping the streets. You rent pop turntable. “I don't have much offer your work to your god and you'll lime to listen to records these days. do it belter." This was again like a hark 3at George Harrison’s press Only if my friends bring them around, he Bengla Desh concert pelted back to Beatle days, when or if there's something Patti wants. And ons about how it felt to be on would put across their ideas using every­ anyway if I want records I have to go *e admitted that he'd rather day parables which their public could and buy them from record shops like ev­ d. but that he's glad to be albc >v*n music, then threw up the identify with! eryone else." ent that “sometimes it feels Despite the 'trendiness' of Indian mu­ The fact is that George has become be a Beatle. sometimes it sic which George brought into pop. only more and more immersed in his own ■ot back to the subject he Has to watch it disappear again, it still music, or making music with his friends. talk about—the Bengali refu- He's by far the most active musician of time ago. on the other side of means a lol to him. nn Nightingale was able to ge( “I’ve given up playing the sitar.” he the Beatles, and when the group ceased r most of the questions he said. “Only because if you're going to it wasn't long before George was out on York. Curiously enough. \nn play it properly, you need to give up half the road with Delaney and Bonnie. For Iter another press conference to your life to it. and there are so many the past year he has spent most of his kar. other things I want to do." lime in the control box rather than in s sitting down in an c.xecu- But he is as active as ever in promot­ front of the microphone. For Doris it Apple having returned ing the movement. “Do Troy. Bill Preston and the Radha st press conference for a you know that when the Hare Krishna Krishna Temple he's been playing the gone very well, which mat- record by the Temple technocrat part of producer. True, only corge because he’d been came out. a man who had stayed locked the Krishna Temple have had a hit > his friend Ravi Shankar, in his room for twenty years heard it on record, but George's enthusiasm doesn't itar virtuoso had arrived in the radio, and now he has joined the seem to wane when his proteges fail to appear at an Indian Arts movement. score. George turned up al a re- “It didn’t matter to me whether the The day I talked to George he was unch it. record was a commercial success or not. : elite press corps George trying to describe Doris Troy for a press The fact is, that it helped one person, hand out. “Well, 's certainly deter­ h Ravi and effortlessly ad- and that was what counted for me." waiting notebooks, tape mined." he said admiringly. “She sits George’s sincerity and his quite on your shoulders till you do what she d film cameras. He spoke serious attitude to life and religion is l Indian art. and introduced wants. She wants to succeed and that's very obvious by the way he has stuck all there is to it." ian personally. All those CIRCUS 9 George always seems more enthusias­ unlikely person to approach for help in mony on its own. but by the time I'd tic when he’s talking about someone a situation like this. He and the other sung all five parts on tape it worked out other than himself. He told me in detail three Beatles have been asked to do very well. about and how the Beatles many for public benefits and “There always seems so much to do.” had first met him in their early days in turned them all down. George has fa­ said George, sounding a bit like the , when Billy played in Ray vored spiritual involvement over politi­ White Rabbit who was always late in Charles' backing band. cal. believing that it is a mistake to be­ Alice in Wonderland. In fact, his years of spiritual exercises come preoccupied with the problems of From lime to lime during the after­ seem genuinely to have reduced physical existence. “This impermanent noon George was making and taking George's ego. “I know so little about body.” he says, “a bag of bones and telephone calls from London and Amer­ music.” he says. and. “I'm just trying to flesh” is not really “our true self.” ica. And with colleagues who came in learn to play the guitar.” Absurd as When problems occur, “a mind can and out of his office to talk to him. the these statements sound coming from blow those clouds away.” conversation always ran along the same one of the world's best paid musicians. This seemed in the nature of his rela­ lines. It was about musicians for record­ George means them. He refuses to play tionship with the other Beatles. George ing. about designs for record sleeves, with Ravi Shankar because he feels his being the youngest never seemed to gel about photographs and about arrangers musical abilities do not merit him the a look in. His personality although it for sessions. It was never trifling small privilege. “If I were competent enough. was strong, seemed to be dimmed by talk. But that's George The straight­ I’d love to.” And he says he did Indian John’s bluntness and Paul's charm. forward one with no side. music a disservice by bringing the silar Ringo always had his own image going “I don't find it difficult to talk to to the West. “There's been a distortion for him—the cuddly loveable one— but people. They always want to hear about of Indian music in Western culture, for the public's picture of George was al­ the Beatles, so you just ride with it. Il's which I am partly to blame.” ways a little blurred. just when you have to meet big person­ So much time has George devoted to Finally he broke through. When the ality names that it can gel hard. Espe­ making other people's records, “that Abbey Road LP was released it was cially in America. When we've met I've got very behind with my own.” George's song “Something” that be­ people there I've had to rack my brains As a consequence, his first solo LP. came the instant hit song. Since then it's for hours for something to say. So often , was a three been recorded more than fifty limes by there's just nothing to relate to!” record set. “There were too many tracks other singers and orchestras. Shirley But in All Things Must Pass, the al­ for just an ordinary sized album.” he Bassey’s success with the song has given bum George likes to do his talking for said, “but none of the songs were belter George immense pleasure. him. he expressed his relief at not being or worse than any of the others.” “They love her in America” he told a part of the Beatles anymore. “You've “A lot of people thought the Beatles me. justifiably proud. given me a wah-wah . . . you made me double album should have been just a The accolade from writing a giant such a . . . cheaper than a dime single one. or two released one after the Bcatle hit did a lol for George's . now I don't need no other. But I didn't want to pul one out self-esteem as a songwriter. Now he's wah-wah's/And I know how sweet life after another—because I’ve got so much able to write new songs without the can be.” He's Making his own music, more to ajter that!” pressure of competition from the two and seeing it gain tremendous accept­ For George to be able to showcase his other Beatle songwriters. ance. And he’s onto a spiritual trip that own music is probably more important But as the other Beatles who pro­ seems to be changing the whole nature to him than anything. One of the Beat­ duced solo albums dicovcred. it wasn't of his life, making it possible for him les insoluble difficulties toward the end easy managing without your old back­ “to rise above this dealing” so that even of their recording career together was ing group! at a press conference he can sit in a me­ that they were competing for tracks on “I had so many hold ups.” he said. ditative posture, his hands clasped to­ their albums. John Lennon once com­ “I’d go to America just to find backing gether and answer questions with such mented: “You had to fight to get your voices and then it all got so difficult that quiet and self-less modesty that one own sluff on the records.” This was be­ I ended up doing them myself. Il was a hard-nosed newspaper reporter came cause each of the Beatles was developing drae to begin with singing just one har- away comparing him to a holy man. • along his own lines, and as that hap­ pened they grew further and further apart. In George's case it was particularly frustrating. He has never been totally accepted as a songwriter, always work­ ing in the shadow of Lennon and McCartney. One or two tracks on most of the Beatles’ albums were George Harrison compositions, and a fair num­ ber of ‘B’ sides of their singles were songs he wrote. He wrote the score for the film “Wonderwall”. and it was much praised—but George never got mass acclaim. The six million Bengalis who have fled to India are not much belter off. Several Indians starve to death each night in the streets of the big cities even during normal times. India has no extra food for people from another country.

George Harrison may have seemed an 10 cwxus NTRODUCINC IfiGWD

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The DJ you mentioned who got fired after he played “Coming Into Los Angeles” was rehired after the ra­ JOIN As we were setting up our equipment, dio station thought about the incident. some of which wasn't supposed to get All in all Margaret, I enjoyed reading CIRCUS is putting together a group smashed, many of our friends started your letter because you had a chance to of readers to feed us their ideas of shouting. “We want Iggy.” until the voice your own opinion. But one thing what's going down in rock taste and whole place was shouting it. about 300 that bothers me: are you sure that this rock heads. people. We started to play, the music letter contained your opinion and that The people in the group will get their was really loud and distorted, just like you were influenced by our young names printed on the CIRCUS mas­ the real Stooge rock. After about two society? thead. will visit the editors, and may minutes of noise, peanut butter and Bob Swarmer even receive occasional LP's by groups chopmeat smeared all over us and the Pittsburgh. Pa. they’ve never heard of. All in exchange place, the Priest running the dance told for answering some questions every now us to stop. We didn't. Instead we started NEEDS HELP and then. wrecking our equipment; the greasers in Interested? Then write us a letter list­ the place saw a good chance for a fight I am writing to you because I need ing your five favorite music-making and took it. Soon there were about 80 your help. In March, Alice Cooper people or groups and the five subjects people on the stage smashing everything came here to do a concert and everyone you'd like to read about more than any­ in sight, including good equipment. It liked him so much we would like him to thing else in the world. Then put down a was a full-fledged . The church come back. Could you please tell us paragraph on what a rock magazine was destroyed. Cops were all over the what to do? I was thinking about start­ ought to be like. place in a few minutes; they never got us ing a petition, but what would I do after We'll let the people who’ve made it luckily. Ever since then 1 have taken on I got all the signatures? I love him to onto the CIRCUS staff know in about the nickname Iggy. Do you think I death. six weeks. Send letter to CIRCUS earned it? Yvonne Herrera Staff. 866 United Nations Plaza. New Iggy the Second Springfield. Mass. York. N.Y. 10017. Valley Stream. New York Editor's Note: Try approaching the The Editors manager of the theater where the origi­ nal concert was held, and if you could as­ JIMBO THERE’S A SANTA CLAUS sure him of a full house we’re sure he would attempt to bring back the group. Even though none of us have gotten I am writing this letter to everyone, Good luck. over the unfortunate loss of Janis and but mainly to Margaret, whose letter Jimi, we now must face the passing of was printed in the July issue. Jim Morrison. I know this is a hell of a way to start a WHAT’S THE FUTURE? We've all had mixed feelings about letter, but I find there is no other way. Morrison and the changes he went Yes. there is a Santa Claus. What I I’m writing this letter to find out if through, personally and musically, but mean by that is, although there are quite are going to split up now that I'll never forget the first time I saw him a few hypocritical people running Jim Morrison passed away. I think the on TV in '67 in black leather singing around preaching that prejudice is a sin Doors are the greatest group there ever “Light My Fire.” He was al his peak and in turn forbid blacks and Jews from was. They should slay together. then and we should all set aside moving into the neighborhood. There Becky Torres thoughts of his “naughty” incidents and are that many more people who realize Killeen. Texas remember him as the great singer, poet, that love and peace lets us live a hell of a Editor's Note: A spokesman for Elektra and performer he was. lol longer on this earth than war. Records said that the Doors will slay to­ Well, we've lost Jimi. Janis and now I used to be an active revolutionist in gether and are in the process of getting “Jimbo”. Let's hope we don’t lose any the Abbie Hoffman vein, but then I new material together. It is still uncer­ more of our great performers. started thinking. How can we have a tain whether Ray and Robbie will Deborah Faria peaceful world through a violent revolu­ handle the vocal chores or whether New Bedford. Mass. tion? Violence breeds violence. they'll seek a new singer. But the circle Now Margaret, if you're reading this. is unbroken. WIGGYOVER IGGY I'm going to clarify this thing about bar­ riers and restrictions imposed upon us My friends say I’m insane, crazy and by law. In this city, the police are allow­ a lot of other things, but I'm just out for ing young people to ride along in their BROUGHT TOGETHER a wild and fun time. Last year Iggy and vans to see just how the police force the Stooges were on a TV special called works. The city officials have allowed I attended the Grand Funk concert al “Midsummer Rock” and he did his bit. an organization known as Rent-A-Kid Shea Stadium and I’d just like to say that they were really fantastic. Their I the peanut butter and all. Well, after to hire out young people to earn some watching it I got the idea to do it at a money for themselves. So government music just brought everyone in the sta­ church dance with a combination of the can do a hell of a lot of nice things if dium together which is probably be­ old Who act, that is wrecking our equip­ they try. cause Grand Funk themselves are so to­ ment and all. Only a few people knew I happen to agree with you about gether. All I can say is, anyone who says about it in our town, but not even the their outdated morals. But did you ever they’re no good doesn’t know what mu­ first band that played that night at the slop to think that while all those higher sic is all about. Love ya Mark Farner. church knew what we were to do when up people condemn us for our “loose Eva Gruner we came on. morals” they sneak out unbeknown to West New York. N.J. k 12 CIRCUS NOISEMAKERS ffl cause. as staled previously, anyone who A JIM MORRISON knew a thing about music or playing a Thanxalot for such a great magazine. guitar would know that GFR is not a Jim Morrison was always known as a The last issue had to be the best in my talented group. And it doesn’t (in the wild performer. He would never let his eyes because it featured my favorite case of GFR) take good music to lop crowd down. In his songs that he wrote group. Jethro Tull, and a lot of others the Daily News poll. It only takes big he would always write as he fell. Jimmy that arc certainly worthy of the time and muscles, an act. groupies, hype, and did more than write songs: he was also money pul into writing about them. masses of ignorant non-musicians to known for being a great poet. He was One thing that made me and a lot of vole for such a lousy group. never afraid to say things about how he other musicians sec red was the buildup To David Baker in Long Beach: fell on certain items when he was asked. of Noisemakers #1. Grand Funk Rail­ Apparently you're another who would When Jimmy would begin his con­ road. If Mark Earner weren't an actor rather see an actor who calls himself a certs he would build up his music until and if there wasn't a lot of hype in­ musician jump around like a madman he would finally explode right out of the volved. GFR would not be where they onstage than go to see a talented rock crowd. Others passed in while others are today. They are the most over-rated concert. If you dig seeing people jump passed out from Jimmy's screams, while group today. To Ben. Bob. Rick and around onstage with a crummy musical it fell like Jimmy brought down a Tony in Pico Rivera. California. I'd like accompaniment. I suggest you go to a couple of beams. But even though the to say that they must not know much few ballets. crowd appreciated the Doors, a lot of about playing a guitar, because anyone Bob Raines the old heads didn’t understand them. who did know anything about music Warren. Ohio They always tried to stop the music but would not be a GFR fan and would Jimmy would only slop “When the Mu­ know that Earner is a crummy, sim­ sic’s Over”. The Doors, it seemed, were plistic and boring guitarist. His lyr­ UPWITHTDG always in trouble and being told to stop ic-writing is also simplistic. And I'm sure that Cory Wells (the bag of bones lheir music. The old heads couldn't ap­ that sings rock belter than Mark Ear­ To the people in your August issue preciate the talent of such a “Wild ner) or anyone else involved in rock mu­ who were putting down Three Dog Young Man” expressing himself in his sic. is certainly not jealous of the undi­ Night. “Everyone has his own opinion!” music. luted noise generated by GFR. You four Maybe TDN aren't the best group, but When the Doors stopped playing, the should fall under the title of being no one really knows who is. To my crowd was tired from watching. But that groupies due to your going to rock con­ friends and me they are the best group was only a sign that Jimmy was only certs to see a performer’s (?) muscles. ever. So just don't knock 'em! getting ready to “Light Our Fires”! You miss the whole point of rock music. To E.S. in Ogden. Utah: It doesn't J.B. Jay Donald Neuman take any nerve at all to knock GFR be­ Detroit, Michigan Plymouth. Michigan

MICK ABRAHAMS Two big names hover over guitarist Mick Abrahams' head; one is that of JETHRO TULL, the other BLODWYN PIG. Mick was a foundermember of both groups, and an ex-member of same. In September. 1970. he left BLODWYN to form his own group, his prior work having given him a good reputation on which to base himself. A MUSICAL EVENING WITH THE MICK ABRAHAMS BAND

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THE "BLUES BOX” featuring LIGHTNIN' HO P K I N S/B ROWNIE McGHEE/SONNY TERRY/JIMMY WITH ERSPOON/"BIG” JOE WILLIAMS/ RICHARD "GROOVE" HOLMES and many, many more, is not merely a collection, nwnir muim but a 3 record live jam between the legendary ■mraa «r«« rarT blucsmen of our lime. Here is the original THE BLU Tirrt, muun “u“’ blues—the music directly responsible for the emergence of and Bob Dylan. This triple disc boxed set (including notes and recording data) virtually traces the blues from "roots” artists like Lightnin’ Hopkins and Sonny I ) HEAT Terry, to the city sound of Jimmy Witherspoon and Groove Holmes. This set is no longer available .Blues to the public, yet you receive it FREE, plus any 2 other collections shown here—a retail value of over I $50.00—yours for only $9.96 when you join Circus Record Club.

HOW CAN WE DO IT? Because we concentrate only on rock, our warehouses are not overstocked with useless artists and labels. Of course, you can order any record you wish, any category: blues, rock, , soundtracks, and classical music, but our purpose is bringing you the best of rock. We don’t push surplus records or tapes for "inventory turnovers" like alot of other clubs. MONTHLY COLLECTOR’S FINDS The deluxe BLUES BOX, in limited edition, you receive absolutely FREE when you join TEX PICTURES CIRCUS, is only one of hundreds of rare pressings that are either out of print, or FREE monthly Record and Tape Catalogue — unavailable to the general public. Our buyers featuring monthly discounts (available only to scour the globe for IMPORTS, CATALOGUE cards to fill in and return. No hidden clauses club members), reviews of newly released l.p.s DELETIONS, and rare pressings, available like "You merely agree to buy as few as seven and tapes, and news of the rock world. only to members of CIRCUS RECORD more selections within a year." You choose as FREE Special New Release Bulletin — you arc CLUB R , and all at usual club discounts of many or as few as you like — it’s all up to first to know of the new artists — the new more than 1/3 off! you. No monthly bills, that you know sounds .. . the first to order the latest releases direct from our warehouse. NO AUTOMATIC SHIPMENTS nothing abouL NO CONTRACTS YOU When you join Circus Record Club there is MUST FULFILL. We send only what you ANY 2 STEREO L.P.s shown here, or choose never an obligation to fulfill — never a order. up to 2 "DOUBLE SETS” (each double set monthly, yearly or any other kind of quota LOOK WHAT YOU GET counts as 1 selection!), plus THE DELUXE you must observe . . . Records and tapes are FREE Lifetime Membership Card entitles you BLUES BOX (available only to hew never sent to you "on approval" like other to discounts every month — for as long as you members), a TRIPLE RECORD SET, and club. You are shipped records ONLY want to buy new l.p.s, specials, 8-track lifetime membership in the Circus Record WHEN YOU REQUEST THEM. No monthly cassettes, and tape cartridges — many at Club — a regular $51.92 value .. . now J UST discounts of more than 1/3 off. $9.96 - your saving over $40.00!

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Allman Brothers liven things up. Stills: trying too hard. | > lood. Sweat & Tears 4—Colum- It’s been some lime since Songs For omancer, page 58 for a completely dif­ .D bia-KC 30590 A Tailor was released, and I guess ev­ ferent point of view.) One of the problems I found with ear­ eryone was wondering about the future Relics—Pink Floyd — Harvest—SW lier Blood. Sweat & Tears albums was of . For some months, Bruce (dist. Capitol) the lack of original material and the fact played with Tony Williams. Then, At­ One of the original “space groups,” that their brass section sounded like a lantic released a second album. Things Pink Floyd has released an album group of studio musicians. But all that We Like. Il was a jazz LP, and it was equivalent to a greatest hits package. has become a thing of the past with the awful. Absolutely awful. It got very Though they've never had a hit record in release of their fourth and best album to little airplay and even less support from America, Pink Floyd has attracted a dale. the label. But alas, the Jack Bruce we large underground following, resulting Of the 12 selections on the LP, ten have all come to know and love has re­ in sold out concerts wherever they have were written by B.S&T members with turned! performed. the remaining two penned by Al Kooper “” is a very strange al­ Included in this new album are the and the Isley Brothers. The album ma­ bum compared to his first. Chris Spedd- group’s two British hits, “Arnold terial marks a slight but rewarding de­ ing and accompany Layne,” and “See Emily Play,” along parture for the group. The departure Bruce on his latest musical excursion. with various selections composed for that I longed to hear. An excursion you need several listenings motion pictures. Side one opens with the remarkable to really enjoy. Selections dale back as far as Febru­ “Go Down Gamblin.” just released as a Whereas “Songs For A Tailor” was a ary, 1967-with the most recent track single, and moves gracefully to the Dick powerful rock experience. Harmony dated July 9. 1969. None of the group’s Halligan composition. “Cowboys And Row is a study in strange melodies, ex­ more recent material is included, but Indians” which features an unusual en­ otic lyrics by , and a much since the LP is entitled Relics, we kind ding created by alternating tuba and softer musical accompaniment. Il is, on of expected it! Those interested in gel­ vocals. the whole, a more complex album. ling into Pink Floyd for the very first Two Steve Katz numbers. “Valen­ “Escape To The Royal Wood (On lime might find it advisable to pick up a tine’s Day,” and “For My Lady.” are Ice)”. “You Burned The Tables On copy of this album. both sensitive and filled with soft wood­ Me.” “Smiles and Grins.” “A Letter Of (see “Interstellar Thunder from Pink wind instrumentation, including Lew Thanks.” and “Post War.” conjure im­ Floyd.” page 20.) Soloff’s piccolo passages. ages of the old Bruce, while “There’s A Stephen Stills 2—Atlantic—SD 7206 All in all, this latest album effort Forest,” “Folk Song.” and “The Con­ There's no disputing that Atlantic from B.S&T proves that the group sul Al Sunset” present a new direction knew what it was doing when Crosby, members are indeed capable of creating for the artist. As usual. Brown's lyrics Stills, Nash & Young were signed. To their very own music parallel to the are imaginative and obscure-bul they al­ dale, each has had a lop 10 solo album sound they have developed as a band. ways work. with the group as a whole garnering Naturally, instant airplay and soaring Harmony Row is a welcome relief three top ten’ers. For Steve Stills, this sales are expected. and an album that should be widly ac­ marks the second solo venture, and an­ Harmony Row — Jack Bruce — claimed by critics and consumers alike. other disappointment. A tco—SD 33-365 (See “Jack Bruce: Incomplete Neer- It seems that when Stills was with 16 CIRCUS DEEP PURPLE » A 5

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Deep Purple clinches its hold on American audiences with Fireball, a powerhouse Warner Bros, album (or you can get the Ampex-Distributed tape). Here we arc introduced to the Shanana Buffalo Springfield, the material was a we can rely on the Allman Brothers to of the future. “Only One Song” opens lot stronger. Then, he worked with such liven it up and add to it the contempo­ the side, a recent single that startled ev­ brilliant writers as Richie Furay, Jim rary feeling that it so needed. Messina, and . Now. it’a all Shanana—Kama Sutra—KSBS 2034 eryone. Nobody expected the group to Stills-and the imaginative flow seems to Prime believers in the adage that go straight—and more important, no­ body expected them to be that good. have vanished. “Rock ‘N Roll Is Here To Stay,” Sha­ “Love The One You're With” was nana deliver an impressive package of Also included on side two is “Top For­ probably the best track on Stills’ first mixed material indicating a new sound ty.” the latest single effort by the group LP. and nbw, “Change Partners.” for the group. Side one depicts the Sha- which is novelty oriented while al the though far from being a classic, seems same time being a fine song. More im­ to be the most outstanding track on vol­ Shanana: the golden oldies go straight. pressive is the fact that all six selections ume two! were written by Scott Simon, pianist/ “Bluebird Revisited”, a landmark in bassist for the group. the annals of Buffalo Springfield, is dis- Now that they've expanded their mu­ asterous. The problem being that Stills sical direction and proved that they can is trying too hard to complicate basical­ write, sing and arrange lop forty com­ ly simple and beautiful songs. Recruit­ mercial material. Shanana are likely to ing Eric Clapton. Billy Preston, and a increase their already massive following. host of other notables assures Stills fine The Silver Tongued Devil And I -Kris musicianship, but the music can some­ Kristoffcrson-Monument A 30679 times be better than the songs them­ Contrary to popular belief, there's selves. Such is the case with Stephen really no such thing as an overnight suc­ Stills 2. cess. When an artist finally becomes Surf's up — The Beach Boys recognized by his public, it's only after Rcprise-RS 6453 many trying years and thousands of dis­ Don't let the name fool you. The appointments. Kris Krislofferson. who Beach Boys, over the past two years, is by no means a newcomer to the music have come up with some of the finest, world, had until recently gone virtually most well produced songs in the exis­ unnoticed. Il matters not whether Kris­ tence of music. Believe it or not-it's lofferson was ahead of his lime or the true! public (as usual) was lagging behind. Surfs Up is no exception. From the Wh^it matters is that his talents have fi­ opening tune. “Don’t Go Near The Wa­ nally been recognized. ter.” to the closing “Surf's Up,” The About one year ago. Monument Beach Boys go to every expense to gel Records released an album entitled sim­ the most possible from each song. ply, Kris Kristofjerson. The album re­ Brilliant production. Superb harmony. ceived very little airplay, and a month Excellent material. It's all there for the later was forgotten. I listened to that al­ listening. bum over and over again, appreciating it Even if you don’t like the Beach Boys, more with every playing. Il was a mas­ you owe it to yourself to purchase this terpiece. It was honest. Direct. Poetic. album. Il could very well grow on you! And it was, though shunned by the pub­ The Allman Brothers Band At Fillmore lic, to become a classic album.- East—Capricorn-SD 2-802 But there’s a time for everyone. With­ Slowly but surely, the Allman Broth­ in six months of the release of Kristof- ers arc becoming legends in their own ferson’s first album, six of the selections time. Acclaimed by many rock super­ from it were released as singles and be­ stars including Eric Clapton, the Al­ came number one records. Suddenly, lmans are rapidly increasing their huge everyone was recording Krislofferson underground following as well as widen­ songs-including Janis Joplin. Suddenly, everyone was talking about a new writer ing their musical scope. This double LP. recorded live on that had been on the scene, unrecog­ March 12-13 of this year, features the nized, for years. But “For The Good group at it’s best. Duane Allman, one of Times.” “Help Me Make It Through The Night.” “Sunday Mornin’ Cornin' the most impressive guitarists of the Down,” “Just The Other Side Of No­ day. adds a new depth to the usual 12 where.” “To Beal the Devil.” and bar blues progressions, while his slide “Me And Bobby McGee” must be guitaristry is second to none. forgotten. For now. there is a new Kris­ Though the album is a two record set. lofferson album! only seven selections are included. Krislofferson: no longer shunned “Statesboro Blues” opens side one fol­ There is little doubt that The Silver lowed by “Done Somebody Wrong.” Tongued Devil And I will be hailed as a nana that we have all come to know and musical landmark. But it isn’t fair to and the traditional “Stormy Monday.” love. Beginning with clas­ “You Don’t Love Me” occupies all of praise an artist just because of his past sic, “Yakety Yak,” and rumbling achievements. First, listen to Kristoffer- side two, while “Hot ‘Lanta,” and “In through seven other oldies but goodies son’s new album-and then say it is a mu­ Memory Of Elizabeth Reed’’ fills the including “Great Balls Of Fire,” “Blue sical and mark. For it is filled with as third side. Side four is graced with a 22 Moon,” “Tell Laura I Love Her,” and much beauty and sincerity as the first. minute version of “Whipping Post” “Duke Of Earl” the group comes off as “The Taker.” “Billy Dee.” and “Loving the group's first al- which appeared on strong as ever and really gets its live au­ Her Was Easier (than anything I’ll ever bum. dience at Columbia University moving. do again)” will also probably become In a time when blues is becoming The big surprise though, comes after Krislofferson classics. And it's only more and more prevalent and boring. the record is turned over to side two. fair—his lime has come! • i is CIRCUS I

A killer album. Its cover is jet in their new Warners album: black.Killers Inside: such power rock, “MASTER OF REALITY.” it dwarfs your other albums. It’s their third gold album, also BLACK SABBATH: on Ampex-distributed England’s best-selling group. Warners tapes. Now. Experience why, ?■ r p h e corner of 8lh Street and never got anywhere because people bums. So they called the new disc of an­ 1 6 th Avenue in New York is a really thought the title was actually “Sec Me­ cient stuff Relics (on Capitol). god-a-mighly oulasile corner as corners lanie Play.” and even though Melanic Well that’s the story behind the sto­ 5 go. No not the corner itself, it's a little wasn't around just yet most people were ries in their songs but what about their further down that the action gets good. willing to use their imagination and music? Well there are lots of bird calls * And the good action is supplied by a prophesy Melanie's final arrival. and footsteps and flics getting swatted newsstand, one of only 4 such news­ So that was about it for the first al­ and gongs, electronics. French horns, stands in all of New York to sell the bum. People still play it whenever etc. Plus there's the basic band al the i Ww Musical Express. friends and neighbors gather under one center of the whole thing. Which these Well there was this time around De­ roof and the stereo is warmed suf­ days means David Gilmour on lead gui­ cember '67 or January '68 when some­ ficiently to make possible the hearing of tar. That's what it means. And also thing really exciting occurred on the such dandies as “The Gnome." “Chap­ Nicki Mason on drums and lympani. cover of the New Musical Express. ter 24.“ “Lucifer Sam" (two years be­ Okay, and also Rick Wright on organ, A brand new group got the cover and fore “Sympathy for the Devil"). “Ma­ harpsichord, , and harmo­ the group was known as Pink Floyd. tilda Mother." “Take Up My Stethos­ nium. Is that enough for you? Well Now if that wasn't some kind of a name cope and Walk." “The Scarecrow” and there's more, there's Roger Walers on then my name is Tony Kroll. “Pow R. Toch." They still play it all bass and all those electron effects. And besides their name was their right but by now it's scratched. Il's They're all English and sluff like that clothes. Everybody was wearing clothes scratched a lol more than their second and they all play LOUD. When they ❖ then, but there was something special album. /I Saucerfid oj Secrets. Which play live. about their particular choice of garb. may be oh so trippy and all that but it's They play live in the U.S. every once One guy had a pair of floral curtains for just a lump of outer space. in a while and in fact the first lime they pants; they weren't really a curtain but Il's not inner space anymore. Be­ played New York they played the Chee­ I they looked just like it. Except that cur­ tween albums they more or less decided tah the same night Donovan played Lin­ tains don't have legs. Another guy had that if anybody was gonna do outer coln Center. And they don't play loud some sort of vinyl or plastic or some­ space it was gonna be them. Well the just to annoy all the silence fans. No I thing in the form of a jacket, you could Stones had done “2000 Light Years I tell it was a jacket because there was a from Home" and all that but it was shirt under it. If there wasn't a shirt un­ more or less a sure thing that the Stones der it. it would have been a shirt itself wouldn't be slicking with it forever. So I And that was just the point: they were they grabbed it up and took it straight challenging the very concept of clothing to their heart. (Several years later Jef­ I among other things. ferson Starship blasted off and- well And one of the things was music. Ev­ the universe is big enough for every­ erybody was doing weird sluff. But Pink body.) Well anyway they knew what the Floyd was consistent about their weird heart of the matter was and so they de­ I whoppers as well as being serious about cided to redirect all the dull space swill it all. getting kicked around al the lime and But there was still al first an aura turned it into something a bit more sin­ of mere shenanigan attached to their ister. So they did this thing called “Set 1 whole routine. Il all seemed like psy­ the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" chedelic overstatement. They had a cut which ain't a bad concept at all. 1 mean called “Interstellar Overdrive." And the if you wanna die by fire instead of ice •? album was called Piper at the w-hal's more fiery than the big golden Gates Of Dawn, kind of one of those ball in the sky that rises in the East and I Procol Harumcsque titles so big al the sets in the West? lime. Well there was plenty of other But like often things spaccwise would overstatement on the album loo. There get a bit out of hand. So once in a while I was a touch of the Dave Clark Five in they’d switch gears and end up just in 5 one cut and a touch of some poetry on the general field of science fiction tripo- another There was a cut called “See ramas. Or even some zoology an- / •? Emily Play." “Emily" seemed like a thropology like with that song they have fl natural, it looked like people were gon­ called “Several Species of Small Furry i na eat it up. literally, right off Gathered Together in a Cave i ? record. (Edible records even seemed like and Grooving with a Pict.” Then they I a nol-that-remote eventuality al the decided to do an archaeological number I ? time, such were the times.) But alas it and dig up the cuts from their old al- I •? ? Between the planets □ I electronic birds pipe at the gates of dawn, 'i I heralding i The Intersteller Thunder of I Pink Floyd ? I by R. Meltzer •I* <• <• •> ••• ••• ••• ••• <• <• <•

they play loud because science tells us—you get more overtones that way. And it’s not bad loud, it’s good loud. real good in fact. And it sort of comes off sounding pretty British too. which •> you can’t exactly blame them for sound­ ing. Kind of majestic, real king and queen stuff. Harmonics and stuff like that. And rhythms. And melodies from I the world of folk music. And from or­ chestral music too. like the kind that or­ i chestras played in the old days and still •> play before select audiences of upper crusters. Not exactly the same type of audience I Alice Cooper performs for but if you lis­ ten very carefully to “The Ballad of Dwight Frye’’ on the Love It to Death ❖I album you may just notice that parts of ? it sound exactly the same as Pink Floyd! Other people sound like the Floyd too. Captain Beefheart, the Grateful Dead. I Emerson. Lake & Palmer. King Crim­ son, the latest Miles Davis Group, the I Blue Oyster Cult. etc. But not the Soft Machine. And not Buddy Miles. But I 1

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Pink Floyd sells more albums than Bud­ dy and the Machine put together. Some­ times at least. Like in the battle of Urn- ntagunima vs. Electric Church you I know damn well Unintaguninia's gonna win in the pocketbook as well as the head. Same goes for Atom Heart Moth­ er (they've very big on hearts in case you didn’t catch on) vs. Fourth. And so it goes. So when you get down to it the i Floyd’s just loaded with hieratic powers. ! One of their ex-members. Syd Barrett, is even in and out of insane aslyums so you know they’re the real thing. They even record with him and help him out in his difficulty. Plus they're one of the most popular acts on the continent, in­ cluding Belgium. • J Send poems to: Poetry Editor CIRCUS Magazine 866 United Nations Plaza poems from oor readers New York, N. Y. 10017

BLACK But now. Black/Jim. we are many. TO JAMES D.M. Tomorrow the sun will turn coward “This is the end;” & the truth of your beliefs banshee being raped the fire you lit will lead us in your memory. a signal blast from bleeds with your death. Soon the village below, the town the fragile ship You look us to the other side of your birth, will be ours all sails unfurled & already you leave us to yet another & ruled by your “Lords & New Creat­ flowing slightly Poet among beasts and confusion ures.” with love that time al Saratoga and power you came on like Lucifer. Black / Jim — toward the land forbidden and provoking. “Remember when we were in Af­ of the green queen mama, (A crystal ship) rica?” the lizard lover lizard, but 1 wasn't even scared where captain anaconda just wiser and somehow less guilty; GREG THOMAS WE1NLE1N may ride a member of your caravan. Albany. New York 12208 the drying tide Your songs and poetry flash until the last scale before my weak and lorn eyes is baked & 1 must think of your death softly— blackened the violence you taught me balanced is less violent than death and ground to lime powder & the evil that walked a remedy to be mixed in your gypsy shadow with the ageless rain has gathered for your funeral in the woods behind the river. MIKE LUNKW1CZ Centralia. Illinois “When the music's over” so is your sin. so is your religion and so is your mission. DAYS OF SIMPLE PLEASURE The gale is unlocked and your masters and suicide children It was quite a day wail in satin jackets to greet you. That's now in the past A strange queen congratulates you Don’t know anyway and dubs you “Jim the Victor.” To make that day last You ask the whereabouts of your soul but she knows not of heaven nor hell. JIMBO Fishin’ in the river Alone, in the Labyrinth of self Goin' for a swim examination you are naked James Douglas Morrison is dead. Knowin’ it will never “wailing for the sun.” The lizard king has gone the way of the Never be again gods. “The Soft Parade has now begun.” He has departed from we mortals. Black/Jim! Black. Mortals to whom he permitted en- Layin' in the shade A smooth wet creature trance. Thai's how life should be crawls through the rhythmic jungle. To his kingdom. But those days will fade Intrepid snake on stage To his mind. Leaving only memories dancing wild, singing wicked. To his death. What can you do Black Jim? And then, suddenly a vacuum. Days of simple pleasure “1 am the Lizard King And the door was forever closed. With nothing more to do I can do anything.” Days of pleasant leisure Inside the “Morrison Hotel" James Morrison. Yes. these days are gone too the free theatre has pul it on the screen: Public martyr . . . the whole trip Obscenity . . . is a journey through nile-Life. Carnival dogs. Gone with maturation Black Jim chained to the blood And the tears of virgins . . . These pleasures aren't the same Il's life's situation of great Barabas. “Absolutely God . . . Live!” A long deep scar. As shortly lived as fame The lizard king has found asylum. “L.A. Woman” has left the stable. Morrison, the god. is dead. Days of simple pleasure 1 : You have dealt the cards The night will no longer burn. With nothing more to do and rolled the jeweled dice Turn out the light, child. Are now gone forever & made us “Riders of the Storm.” The music is over. There's nothing we can do Once it was just flowers and long hair and we were humiliated and DEAN HOUSTON GARY WHITWORTH thought of as weak and unwise. Zanesville. Ohio 43701 Robstown. Texas 78380 22 CIRCUS TAPE REVERSE SIMULATOR — Lets you control an exponential build-up and fast MIKE MA TTHEWS FREEDOM AMP decay of your guitar or bass signal over a fixed signal range. This capability gives Free yourself from the bureaucratically your live playing the weird effect similar dominated sources of electricity. to a pre-recorded tape that is played backwa rds. This 400 watt peak PORTABLE amplifier uses patented low drain circuitry which allows it to operate on standard flashlight batteries. Just one specially designed ATTACK EQUALIZER—Allilows you to suck super heavy duty 10" speaker is all that’s out and emphasiz(hasize the BlUTE you get just needed to pump out all this power making when your piclick’ plucks "the strings. The this unit the most compact, rugged guitar attack control,', used_. in conjunction with amplifier developed to date. Its built-in the tone and bo<)oster cc:ontrols,... will give Attack Equalizer Control System allows your instrument as much balls as you want, letting you tastet and feel ea

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Drummer appeared onstage in a suit and tie that was painted on his chest

Mike Ratledge, voted pop organist of the year in numerous polls, is miles ahead of most

O oft Machine first visited the cept to hit wah-wah pedals or switch to 1967. with Kevin Ayers on lead guitar. United States with , a second electric piano. The music is Ayers had visited with author William early in 1968. They were playing music liable to shimmer off in a hundred dif­ Burroughs and his friends at the Beat as loud and as strange as anything Hen­ ferent directions and then, suddenly, Hotel in Paris, and got the group’s drix was doing, and expected great come crashing down all together into name from one of Burroughs' novels. things, but except for their concert al one fast, furious riff. It’s thick yet me­ But Ayers left to form his own group af­ the Museum of Modern Art. they failed lodic, high-energy yet mellow, and the ter the first Soft Machine album (Vol­ to connect with American audiences. saxes and keyboards blend with the bass ume One. Probe Records) appeared, Their second tour came four years and and even the drums into a sound that and the band reformed, minus guitar i four albums later, and this time both can be very entrancing. Though none of and with on bass. concert audiences and record buyers the group's members affect showman­ A second album on Probe, Volume were ready. ship or use theatrical tricks to build in­ Two. was more successful than the first, Soft Machine onstage can be per­ tensity. the power is there: the group re­ but still failed to gain widespread recog­ plexing at first, like four separate people ceived standing ovations in New York nition. The record sounds as fresh today into four separate trips. Mike Ratledge this summer. as it did in 1969. and manages to make bobs, weaves and grimaces behind his Acceptance hasn’t come easy to Soft seventeen cuts sound like two suites. Af­ organ and electric piano, and drummer Machine. Mike Ratledge, the group's ter the densely packed tunes on Volume Robert Wyatt shakes his blond locks tall, crisply articulate organist, remem­ Two. Soft Machine Third (Columbia) and flails away shirtless behind his set. bers mostly negative crowd reactions contains only four songs on its four Bassist Hugh Hopper and saxophonist during the early days. The group found sides. This is the album, their first for don't move much its first home al London s UFO club, in Columbia, that broke the group in

CIRCUS 25 America, aided by rave reviews in vir­ Ellon is perhaps the most friendly and tually all the music papers and heavy open member of the Machine: he'll promotion from Columbia. Soft Ma­ show you his prized saxella, which looks chine Fourth continues in the tradition like one of Roland Kirk's horns, ex­ of Third, with long compositions, ex­ plaining that he's had it fixed up and cellent horn work, and well-integrated that they don't make them anymore. instrumental pieces that flow along with Drummer Robert Wyatt seems to have a kind of cosmic serenity. a bent for surrealism; he appeared on­ The most striking thing about Third stage during the group's first American and Fourth is the use of horns, which is lour in a suit and tie that was painted miles ahead of most brass/rock groups. onto his bare chest. He is also the While the top horn bands continue to band's only vocalist, but, he explains, he herd their brass in sections, usually with doesn't like to sing loo much anymore that would have sounded because it interferes with his drumming. outdated twenty years ago. Soft Ma­ Hugh Hopper, the bassist, is shy and chine lets its horns spread out. soloing retiring, but music is always running and improvising simple accompanying through his mind; he is composing new parts. Saxophonist Elton Dean, who material constantly, and wrote over half contributes so much to the excitement the lunes on Soft Machine Fourth. Rat­ and cohesiveness of a Soft Machine per­ ledge, finally, is the most complex per­ formance. is joined on records by top sonality in the band, as befits a musician English reed and brass men, many of who works with two and sometimes whom gig with Keith Tippett's band. three different keyboard instruments. Soft Machine tried louring with these For a picture of where Ratledge is al. extra , who arc very important to listen to his compositions on Soft Ma­ the overall sound of the Ips. but the fi­ chine Third, especially “Oul-Bloody- nancial strain of rehearsing and main­ Rageous,” which features dense over­ taining a large band was loo severe: El­ lays of organ, and electric and acoustic Saxophonist Elton Dean wailing out in the ozone. He’ll show his prize saxella and ton Dean now handles all the horn piano, forming a rushing, swirling sound explain they don’t make them anymore. parts. that will draw you in. It’s easy to see why he was voted pop organist of the strumental jams, and their tightly ar­ year in numerous critics' and readers' ranged. contrasting sections of great polls, since his conception is miles ahead structural complexity. of most rock organists. After their current American lour, Soft Machine's success might not the group plans to return to England, have been possible if Miles Davis and where they have been building a follow­ the jazz-oriented rock groups like Chi­ ing since their early days al the UFO cago hadn't opened the way. But the in­ club. Another album is also planned, fluences on the group come from strang­ along with work in Europe. er sources than just jazz. Mike Ratledge Since each member of the band com­ is quick to point out his respect and ad­ poses music, and since one writer seems miration for players like Cecil Taylor to step up in productivity while another and the late John Coltrane. But he may slacks off. the flow of new material is in the same breath mention Arnold seemingly endless. Already, two ex­ Schoenberg, the modern classical com­ tremes on Soft Machine Fourth have poser, or the modes of medieval music; pointed the way toward further poles of it is Ratledge’s knowledge of so many development. Mike Ratledge’s “Teeth" kinds of music that keeps the Soft Ma­ puts a stand-up bass in the foreground, chine from sounding like just another has several distinct themes, and in­ electrified jazz group. tegrates head-twisting solos by Ratledge The flexibility of the group's ap-ap­ and Ellon Dean into a very tightly ar­ proach to working out new lunes is also ranged. continually changing, in­ unique. Some of the music is almost vigorating piece. Dean's “Fletcher’s wholly written out. and sometimes the Blemish” is the opposite extreme, an musicians have the almost unheard-of open-ended piece with collective impro­ (in rock) gall to refer to their sheet mu­ visation between , basses, sic on stage. Other lunes arc almost en­ cornet, , and organ, some­ tirely improvised, made up on the spur what on the order of Sun Ra's As­ of the moment out of a simple opening tro-Infinity Arke.stra. riff or bass pattern. Compositions are As the Soft Machine continues to fuse grouped together into continuous sets, these new directions with its established since the band prefers to play a com­ mastery of the long instrumental, the plete performance without a break. This music becomes more and more exciting. Hugh Hopper on bass. Music never stops makes concert appearances much like Watch for Soft Machine; it may be the running through his mind. the records, with their long, hypnotic in- band that will revolutionize rock. • 26 CIRCUS by Bob Palmer ON THE HORIZON Osibisa, A Rhythm from Distant Lands

First the voices of the breeze in the night air, then African and West Indian sounds shake hands.

T don’tconfuse the background. ren't totally immersed in the production CJ Osibisa (Decca) with any of the The rhythms pick up speed and in­ of this record. Osibisa have come up other 500 records that are released every tensity as the record moves along. In the with one of the freshest sounding al­ month they say right in the beginning of last cut on the first side they all become bums thats come out this year. (he first track: rhythm players and suddenly the It's a shame that the album is being “Osibisa. Criss cross rhythms that ex­ rhythm is the soloist instead of the mu­ pushed into the consumer market like plode with happiness. We're going to sicians. A very good trick indeed. it's the sucessor to Santana's number start off these happy vibes right from The rest of the band is made up of a one spot as the top electric rhythm the root, and the root is early one morn­ strange cross section of musical back­ band. . . It may be due to the one cut ing in the heart of Africa.” ground and styles. Most of them foreign that has found its way onto the hip FM With that out of the way you begin to to the ears of American rock and roll stations. It’s the only tune on the whole hear the sound of the birds chirping in heads. Four guys are from Africa and album with definite lyrics. They change the trees, the sound of the night air. the the other three from the magical islands their sound from heavily African to the rustle of a breeze floating across the of Grenada. Antigua and Trinidad. The more recognizable “soulrhythmrock” sky. Animals calling one to another in a Guys from Nigeria and Ghana take care bubble gum method of getting their language that people could never under­ of the rhythm and horn work (tenor sax. message across in no uncertain terms. stand. (Maybe Tarzan or Jungle Jim baritone sax. trumpet, flugel horn), Its called “Think About The People" could.) Then there’s the drums. The while the other guys take care of the and was written by Wendell Richardson rhythms, not like anything you’re used electric part of the band (bass guitar, the guitar player from Antigua. It to hearing. They come from a different guitar, organ, electric piano). At times stresses once more the thoughts that are part of your body than the waltz or the the 2 influences from different parts of running thru a lot of people’s minds cha cha cha. Unlike western forms of the world work with each other, at times these days: musical percussion, you don’t perceive against each other. One melody against Think about deception these rhythms in your head but with a counter melody. The 2 influences Think about pollution your fibers and nerves. They are natural trade places in the spotlight as the music Think about radiation rhythms with no explanation necessary moves along. But the rhythm's constant Think about destruction for enjoyment. The pulsations start at shifting from the Africans to the islan­ Think about a revolution your feet and slowly work their way ders are the energy that makes this al­ Think about the race relations thru the rest of your body, finally doing bum so special. Think about a solution strange things to your head. Your atten­ Mick Jagger used to say that it's the Think about a whole wide world, tion shifts to the band that has just singer not the song, and if the singer and right now. started playing. It is Osibia. the song are one then the music is hon­ Think about the people Behind the steady background of the est. Osibisa are honest. They scream in They're trying to remind you that the pounding, the bells, and all the other as­ an African tongue when the music stops. problems aren't solved and no matter sorted percussive effects is the band it­ They holler back and forth across the how much you may have been taken self. Robert Bailey from Trinidad plays waves of sound. Their singing is a step away by the good time quality of the the electric organ and piano. Magic away from the normal doo wah doo music, it's important to think about real seems to spark from his fingers as they wahp variety found in most records things sometimes too. dance on the keyboards. His musical stores. They do a very impressive sleight By the end of the album the music structures and phrases seem at times to of hand by combining voices and emo­ softened up my head enough that I was direct the other members of the band, as tions into one product and giving that to ready for anything. I'm really glad they if a lol of the sound and inspiration their audience. They couldn t have didn't spoil it by playing something that comes from him. And still the drums in played as freely as they did if they we- would have gotten into top forty land. by Charlie Frick The Outrageous : Mutations of Yes In the Spirit of '66 by Ron Ross XXThen the Beatles more or less V V left England for the greener fields and $50,000 one-nighters of our Grand Republic they left behind not only a rock style, but a formula for success in British pop: Give the people what they want, only give it to ’em a little louder, a little tighter, and a little more enthu­ siastically than they’d ever gotten it be­ fore. And as if John and Paul had sprinkled magic beans on their native soil, up sprang hundreds of would-be pop pound millionaires. Naturally, only the strong survived, and some, like . the Pretly Things, and the Move, continued to play almost exclusively at home, where au­ diences became fiercely devoted to groups that were loyal to mother Eng­ land. Now, it seems, the Move was a little too loyal. Formed by in 1967. with the Who and the Beatles as their am­ bitious models, the Move were thrown into shape by mastermind producer Denny Cordell, who was at the time Yes: mix and match complexity. turning everything did rom the beginning. Yes has lure. In this form they recorded a third into gold. They released an album on A concentrated on creativity. At their album. The Yes Album, which became EMI’s Regal Zonophonc label which first basement rehearsals back in '68, a critical and commercial success in was another trip entirely from their they spent their time tearing apart songs England. stage act, where they destroyed in work­ by other groups, and then putting them One of the factors which has helped in manlike fashion cars, televisions, and an back together in outrageously mutated the creation of their style is the diverse occasional effigy of Prime Minister forms. One of those songs was the old backgrounds of the musicians. Bill Bru­ Harold Wilson. Tight vocals and even Fifth Dimension hit. “Carpet Mann.’’ ford is a jazz freak (particularly fond of tighter instrumental work graced thir­ After Yes had a go at it, it became, as the scene up at Minton’s in the ’40’s), teen cuts, any one of which could have Bill Bruford put it, “ ‘Carpet Man’ as if while studied classical music been a hit. it were played by the Who ... it had at the Royal Academy in London. John In performance, they were sensation­ this ridiculous churning background.” Anderson, on the other hand, has no al. Calesthenics aside. Trevor Burton, As time went on they applied this tech­ musical training at all. Anderson is, in the group's original lead singer, had a nique to their own material, and even­ Bruford’s words, “ . . . a catalyst . . . bizarre neo-McCartncy tenor that drove tually worked out their distinctive style a kind of wild scientist-thinkcr-creator.” the teeny-boppers wild, while Roy of mix-and-match complexity. Chris who comes up with “outrageous ideas.” Wood played piercingly fed-back guitar Squire described it this way, “I believe which are worked into musical form by solos that were as long and convoluted in this constant sort of dynamic change the rest of the group. Some of those as his almost waist-length teased hair. . . . The whole thing is having different ideas have resulted in Yes sounding like The Move were also notable for let­ sections and molding them to form a a rock ’n’ roll orchestra, and occasion­ ter-perfect imitations of their original piece of music in the end, rather than ally like the Rock National Marching inspirations, ranging from oldies like just a continual thing that lasts.” Band, if you can imagine that. Eddie Cochran and the Coasters to con­ The group first got together in the For their next album, the group plans temporary American groups such as the summer of 1968; at that time, the even more diversity. While past work Byrds and Moby Grape. line-up was John Anderson (vocals), has concentrated on Andersonisms. this In 1968. Ace Kcfford of the platinum Tony Kaye (keyboards). Bill Bruford lime they hope to get “Five different blond curls and Scholl’s exercise sandals (drums), Chris Squire (bass) and Pete angles on the way five musicians can be broke down into a nervous jelly, and so. Banks (lead guitar). In this form they used.” At worst, it will have to be inter­ alas, did the Move, who had been doing recorded two albums, Yes and Time and esting. so well in England that they apparently a Word, and began to build up a reputa­ After considering the group’s own neglected to remind A & M that their tion for musical excellence in the British outlook. Bill Bruford remarked. “There first album should have been released in “underground.” Then, about 18 months is a kind of ludicrous optimism about America while it still had the capacity to ago. Pete Banks left the group, and the group, that given a matter of time, rock our souls. Fortunately, A & M re­ Steve Howe, a particularly fine guitar­ people will come to hear us and like us.” pented. and last summer, the Move hit ist. stepped in and completed the pic- And you know, he’s probably right. • us with SHAZAM\\, a virtually unhe- Li by Michele Hush HORIZON raided bonecrusher of a heavy Ip. Their Door.” hybrids (sort of) between the at­ single “Brontosaurus” set Rolling mosphere of and Pink Stone’s resident groupie John Men­ Floyd and the bass line of Led Zeppelin. delsohn dancing, but practically nobody 's drumming is pulsatingly else, and meanwhile, the Move them­ superior throughout, while the vocals selves. hurt by inattention, began to span the raunchy in “When Alice reshuffle with the regularity of a deck of Comes Back to the Farm” to the ether­ cards. eal in “Open Up.” There's never any Thus bringing us up to the supposed chance for the heaviness to gel blunt, Death of Rock season of '71. which if since Wood's string and woodwind ar­ nothing else brightens it. should go rangements are unpredicably original. down in music history for the Move's With the demise of Free, all of the newest and most explosive long player. British groups left are old established Looking Up. compliments of their new entities like the Stones and Jethro Tull. label Capitol. No picture of the group Only the faces and the Move have really this time, only some puzzlingly retained the spirit of '66 that made the sepia-toned bald heads, comprising one second wave of British pop such an un­ of the most interesting album covers expected pleasure. The Move never got ever. to play Fillmore, and they were born loo And inside, it’s terrific. Along with late for Shindig which would have been the beautifully pre-historic “Bronto­ their natural element, but if enough of saurus” are six other bouncing ballads us older folks buy Looking Up. then on which Roy Wood's slide guitar (not maybe the Move will start making sin­ to speak of his oboe, ‘cello, and sitar) gles that our younger brothers and sis­ figures prominently. New co-Mover Jeff ters will buy. and then maybe Capitol Lynne has contributed “What?” and will produce an album called “Meet the Onstage they destroyed cars, televisions, and “Open Up Said the World at the Move.” and then, and then. ... • an occasional effigy of the Prime Minister Dust: Hard Rock With Power to Spare u sl is a new trio that has Rank-like gong, uses surrealist images an underlying intensity to it which gives I Vplaycd their share of basement bis­ and sudden lime changes for a similar it added impact. And “Stone Woman." tros. but that is behind them. Their birth result. a potential single, gives Richie Wise the into the biglimc look place a short time “Goin' Easy" gels off to a “Love In chance to show that he is one of the bet­ ago when their first album was released Vain” type start and. although it is by ter rock vocalists to emerge this year. on Buddah's Kama Sutra label. far the quietest song on the LP. there is Ed Kelleher Rightly or wrongly Buddah has been tagged with a bubblegum label almost since their inception. Groups like Lem­ on Pipers and the 1910 Fruitgum Com­ pany may have had something to do with that. The Dust LP marks their first real venture into the underground mar­ ket. Whether Dust can single-handedly change the label's image is debatable, but if any group is powerful enough to do it. that group would be Dust. They play a hard ringing rock and they play it with what amounts almost to a ven­ geance. And. though it seems hard to believe, there is nothing on their record knvDi which Dust can’t duplicate in person. Who is Dust anyway? Three New York boys who have been playing to­ ESTIV gether for three years. Richie Wise, gui­ tarist, vocalist and co-author of most of the band's material. Kenny Aaronson, bass player, steel guitarist and of “Loose Goose.’’ a bass-led in­ strumental (Notice how bass players al­ ways write bass songs?). Kenny also plays dobro guitar and electric bot­ tleneck. And Marc Bell, drummer. “Love Me Hard” and “From A Dry Camel" arc probably the most striking cuts on the album. “Hard" works off a throbbing bass to swirl up. up and out achieving an almost hypnotic effect. Anxious to break into hard rock, Buddah is sinking “Camel," beginning with a J. Arthur a fortune into Dust. ciocijs 29 Audience: Harsh Horn, Delicate Guitar strive for originality in its kind which can be properly elec­ has a knack for uncovering.new sounds, VV every song, removing every trified; actually, you have lo have a spe­ lhe Nice being one of his biggest finds. cliche. We try not to lose any cial amp and pick up which comes with Since that time. Audience has become spontanaeity or run the risk of becom­ the guitar. quite a busy performer. Their first al­ ing mechanical as a result.” explained “We're still experimenting in using a bum. released in this country. House On Howard Werth, a member of Audience. few electronic things al lhe moment, The Hill on Elektra, captures lhe The resulting melodics produced by and working away from using lhe echo group's distinctive sound to a tec. It fea­ Britishers Keith Gemmel. Tony . on sax. There may be a lime when we tures some of their most exciting num­ Howard Werth and Trevor Williams are add an electric piano, but that's very bers. including lhe fascinating title cut. i an incongruously tasteful fusion of much in the air. “It Brings A Tear.” and their single. Gemmcl’s harsh horn playing, solid “As for getting a stage balance, our “Indian Summer.” The album was pro­ 1 rock rhythms, and Werth's delicate roadies have good cars.” duced by Gus Dudgeon, who is well acoustic guitar. On stage Audience has quite an act. known as lhe guiding light for quite a “Originally, the sound was basically Playing a bill with Led Zeppelin at the few musicians, including . an experiment and it's changed a lot Lyceum in London, lhe group went into “We’re gelling a massive amount of since we first started.” admitted How­ a frenzied climax which featured a de­ work now.” Howard confided. “And ard. ceptively spastic drum solo by Connor, will be doing a short lour of Sweden and “The one thing that surprised us was who sometimes completes his perform­ we hope the Slates by the end of lhe the way the brass and guitar blended so ance by playing without sticks and sub­ year. Things are going well al lhe mo­ well. It's worked well, probably because stituting with his hands, feel, and head! ment.” Which shows that another au­ we've used brass mainly as a lead in­ It was that particular show-stealing con­ dience has begun lo respond. • strument. I play an American Baldwin cert which led to a five year recording guitar, the only nylon strung guitar of contract with Tony Stratton-Smith, who by Ed Naha

originally the sound was an experiment Titus Groan Picks Up Where Bloodwin Pig Left Off r | ^he people responsible for lurn- Stuart Cowell: Guitars. Organ. Piano. JL ing Mungo Jerry loose on the Tony Priestland: Saxes. . Oboe. American teenage listening audience John Lee: Bass. Jim Toomey: Drums, last year have another irick up their and Percussion They are a well edu­ •sleeve. Janus records, a differeni kind of cated. well rehearsed, talented quartet rock and roll recording company, of English rock and roll dropouts who doesn’t have any big lime bright light will attract many people that were into super stars, they just record very good, Bloodwin Pig before they broke up. very new music. They also don't have a before they disappeared Jot of big corporation altitudes like and Jethro Tull before they went lop IC.B.S. records. A.B.C records and forty. Their sound reminds me of many jR.C.A. records. They’re more alert to really good English groups that have ■ lhe possibility of new sluff that maybe been here and gone away. Its in the way ■ isn’t what the crowds in the street want. that they play music to lake your mind ■They do however come up with good away. ■ solid representations of where the music Tony Priestland plays the (seems to be going in lhe seventies. and lhe flute almost the way Traffic New inversions, jazz A short lime ago. they played their used to play. They use a new inversion V har monies. changes, and strange ace. The group is called Titus Groan. on a 4 part harmony that has never bc- 30 CIRCUS HORIZON fore been heard in rock music. They use jazz changes lo heighten the sounds and make them flow one into another. The drummer fills every empty space in the music with endless three and four note After all that's been riffs that somehow keep the whole thing from getting out of hand. They wrote all of their own music, written, the most unique nice and light; it sounds like they’re no overnight sucess. Each member of the band seems lo be aware of all of the oth­ ers and whal they’re playing. There are things said about no superstars. No one hogs the spotlight. The effect is much more con­ vincing than your normal run of the mill are rock band. Ils well produced zonk music that will get you very high if you give it lime lo work on you. And the louder you play it the belter it works on your still said in his words. I head. r On the end of the first side of the al­ bum called Tims Groan there’s a cut I called “Its All Up With Us.” The group plays real loud and al times each man carries not only a different melody line but a different lime signature. Il’s pul together so well lhal you can hear each voice separately and logelher. Near lhe end. before they go into a section with an outrageous electric oboe solo, they throw in lhe sound of a thunder storm. Really amazed me! Noi many people can incorporate natural sounds sponta­ neously into their music. Sometimes when it happens they call it jazz. The second side of the record opens up with a number by John Lee called “1 Can’t Change.” They get out there into lhe thin musical air sounding at times His highest praise is that so And now there’s a new album. like no one in the group knows whal many artists have recorded his songs. “The Silver Tongued Devil Andi.” each other is doing. In many places they Besides JanSjcfoplin’s version, It’s got ten new songs that are don’t harmonize at all like a rock and there are now 49 other recordings as tender and personal as any he’s roll band should. If you can stand to lis­ of "Me And Bobby McGee." written. Ten new songs that ten lo it you will be rewarded with stuff Kristoffersoq also wrote everyone will be singing. inside your head that will make you for­ "Sunday Morning Cornin’ Down” and Only this time you can hear get all of those plastic sounds that have "For The Good Times." And "Help Me Kristofferson sing them first. been floating around the American rock Make It Through The Night” is now mainline for so long. Il’s lhe plastic On Monument Records rock lhe companies are pushing on the beginning to rival “Bobby McGee" people these days lhal makes it almost in total recordings. KRIS KRISTOFFERSON impossible for a good group with no All four of those songs came THE SILVER TONGUED promotion, no publicity and no super­ from his first Monument album. DEVIL AND I star fame lo get a chance to be heard in And the result was more press and tncludmg the big time. Much of lhe best music publicity than the average musician Jody And The KidlEpdaph to* AnoBu. t that comes around gels shelved in the receives in a lifetime. He’s been record stores and radio stations. Pro­ called “one of the most poetic When I Loved Hen • i gram directors say over and over again writers in popular music." And F to their DJ.s “If it ain’t selling don’t The Village Voice said he writes and play it.” No wonder there aren't many sings "some of the most beautiful new groups with new and strange sounds songs arou nd today. ’’ that make it. I hope in this case it will But all that shouldn’t drown out be different. Maybe someone will be the reSsource: Kristofferson’s music. willing to lake a chance with Titus That’s what musicians react to. Groan and present them to the listening audience on the strength of their sound alone. There are a thousand or so new groups every year all trying to capture lhe public's mind and a small per­ centage of them are as good if not belter than the sounds in the lop of the charts. Titus Groan is such a group. • by Charlie Frick Distributed by Columbia Records The Elusive Moody Blues

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Z MUSIC ti n n y how rumours start. A A Moody Blue rumour of recent vint­ age had the band suddenly taking a serious interest in politics. Politics? A major departure from past attitudes, if true. But not true. What really hap­ pened was a ping-pong game in China. Trevor Taylor, a member of the English table tennis team that was invited to play in China, had bought a copy of To Our Children's Children's Children in Singapore and took it with him over the border. Once there, he convinced the in­ terpreter to play it for a large group of people. Taylor says they weren't sure about it at first, since Western music is totally unknown there. But eventually the audience began to appreciate what they considered its revolutionary con­ tent. Maybe the content is revolutionary. Certainly, it radically departs from what is normally considered rock. And it's not jazz and it's not pop. Love or loathe it. the Moody Blues create unique mu­ sic. Finally it seems that this music is go­ ing to gel the recognition it deserves. Until last year the group's success was steady, but sluggish. “." a single on their first LP. did ex­ tremely well on everybody's charts. Then came a progression of other al­ They >ell as many records as Grand Funk bums- In Search of a Lost Chord. To Our Children's Children’s Children. On or the Jefferson Airplane. the Threshold oj a Dream, and A Ques­ tion oj Balance. All of them sold well Why aren't they as famous? by Penelope Ross enough at the time of release, but it wasn't until 1970 that the band really broke through. Then in a remarkable spurt that may be a record of some sort, all five of the albums were certified gold by the RIA A in a two month period. And their current LP Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (distributed by Lon­ don). began to get heavy airplay on the FM stations al least a month before it came out. The Moodys aren't really like any other rock group off stage. For one thing, they belong to a second gener­ ation of rock, one that has been through the hard times and some of the success once before, and therefore isn’t terrifi­ cally overwhelmed by what happen­ ing to them now. Not that they aren’t pleased. Nobody knocks success. But it hasn't sent them on any noticeable star trips. They have taken the money, and not run. just invested it in their own record company. But then, another odd factor enters into their success. An astonishingly few people know they are famous. Sure, their fans do. They run to buy tickets for every concert they do. and the Moodys' American tours have sent them home very rich indeed. But none of their fans seems to ever tell anyone else. A non-rock freak can be much likelier have heard of Grand Funk Railroad Jefferson Airplane. Yet the Moodys CHXUS 33 sell just as many records. Il's all done so quietly! The Moodys don't care for travelling very much. And so they have evolved a way of louring that works brilliantly for them. Il would probably work brilliantly for anyone who can be as­ sured of sell-out concerts every lime. They come lo America for no more than 2 weeks at a lime. That is a rule so stri­ ngent that it look a lol of pressure lo make them slay one exlra day in New York Iasi December io attend a parly where they were lo be presented wiih four gold records. Sing. play, leave is lhe way they like il. Three or four an­ nual irips here of that duration let lhem cover one section of lhe country al a lime with business-like thoroughness I; that is a model of efficiency. Even al the Isle of Wight Festival last year -veritably in their own back yard, they hired their own launch to take lhem over so they could be the only group who arrived in the morning, per­ formed in the evening, and left for home without having to slay overnight. What sends them scurrying back home to Cobham. Surrey (a small town near London) isn't just wives and fami­ lies. although that counts for a lot with them. Il's also their record company. Threshold. Named after “On the Thre­ shold of a Dream." the first LP that made it big. The company was set up to allow them freedom of action, as well as tested vociferously, on the grounds that helped them the most was a return to a to let them help other groups. To have a it was no longer a true representation of gentler, more acoustic type of music. record company of one's own seems to their music. The true representation So now they are superstars. So much be every group's dream, but there are a happened with the addition of Justin so. that at the end of one tour the group few disadvantages that this group dis­ Hayward on guitar and on complained bitterly about the security. covered and had to solve. bass. Angels added to devils (from a Il was loo good. So good in fact, that I' One of the factors that made them de­ purely visual point of view—Justin and none of the groupies could get backstage cide to enter the record sweepstakes as a John both look like refugees from a par­ to see them. A misery that comes only business was that each of the five band ticularly genteel English church choir, to the very famous. members had some aspect of record while Mike. Ray and Graeme all have a But they continue in their standard company work he liked to do. And dark brooding air about them). Well, ways. October will see the Moodys re­ , the drummer, was origi­ wasn't one of their albums called “A turn to the U.S. for another mini-tour. nally administrator over-all. The others Question of Balance?" Yes, and a ques­ Dates are not yet set. since for the 12 divided amongst themselves the adver­ tion of balance is what makes the music. days they have offers of 27 different tising. art work, production and promo­ So there they were in 1967—a new. concerts. tion. But it got to be too much. As for all intents and purposes, band with a Back to revolution. The most revolu­ Graeme said, he became a drummer to fairly odd musical line-up. Flute is not tionary man in the group is probably get away from sitting behind a desk all your average rock and roll instrument, Ray Thomas. Thomas has been an ar­ day he started out as a draftsman in and there are those who would have dent admirer of , so an architect's office and now that he thrown any flute-playing band out of the much so that he wrote a dedication to had achieved his ambitions, he was back rock category, purely on principle. Add Leary for “Legend of the Mind.” Not silling behind a desk all day. So at the to this, as the group did. a . exactly political, but as close as the beginning of 1971. they hired Gerry which can simulate the entire string sec­ group gels. The others are more in­ Hoff to administer the company for tion of an orchestra, and a certain volved in their music, and a little bit of them. amount of confusion follows. The band mysticism here and there. A tiny empire built on music. Thai's has found it necessary to include on One last thing: Justin was once ques­ happened before. Is it lime to back­ their liner notes the fact that what you tioned on whether or not the group track? Back to what makes the Moody hear is solely Moody Blues, not aug­ could be objective about their music, Blues unique in rock and roll. mented by an orchestra. and the answer was no. It seems that for The Moody Blues were formed with Moody Blues music has not changed all of them it is difficult to separate the their present membership in 1967. It radically in four years. It still relies actual sounds from the problems that was based on a previous group that in­ heavily on lush, orchestral sounds, good occurred when they were being made. cluded . Ray Thomas and harmonies and a decibel level happily As a result, by the lime they can clearly Graeme Edge on keyboards, flute and this side of the threshold of pain. But hear what they have done, they are al­ drums, respectively. But that wasn't the that kind of sound was drowned out dur­ ready past it and on to another form. real Moody Blues. So much so. that ing their first days which coincided with Which makes it difficult for them to de­ when London Records re-issued their the big blossoming of Cream. Jimi Hen­ scribe their music. Leave it al unique and beautiful. • first album last year, the group pro- drix and the Doors. What may have I 34 CIRCUS An Interview With Joe McDonald * I Z/e world looked west in the ions which occasionally get out­ -L Spring of '66. in the form of a rageous. self-recorded EP by Country Joe <£ The The interview is gathered from over Fish Response ranged from " IVheew!" two hours of conversation: because of to "when are they gonna have an album space some editing was necessary but out?" .1 few months later Vanguard the essence remains. Country Joe is son Records answered with Electric Music of a rarity these days he's not afraid to for the Mind and Body, which contained speak his own mind. You may not agree later recordings of the EP tracks as well with him. but at least you have some as the spectrally moving "Grace.'' The idea of where's al. Fish played the Monterey Pop Festival and on their first tour east brought the Q: You recently finished another Eu­ West Coast sunshine with them They ropean lour where'd you play this trip? quickly became a favorite of trippers, CJ: Denmark. Norway. Germany. their music epitomized some of the best France. Belgium and Austria of what later got labeled "acid-rock." Q: What type of material do you use Unlike the Airplane. they never had a when you're working alone? hit single, but gained popularity through CJ: All my stuff; some old songs their spacey appearances at rock festi­ from the first couple of years with the vals and clubs. By the lime of the second Fish and a lol of new sluff I'm doing I.P. the strain of road life and internal now. hassles had begun to show, and shortly Q: What kind of image do they have after Fcel-Likc-I'm- Fixin'-lo-Die was of you there? From the Fish, or folky completed, the band split, with Joe go­ Country Joe. or Quiet Davs hi Clichy ing off to do solo gigs. After several Joe.’ shows where Joe just sat in" with the CJ: It seems to be a mixture of Coun­ Fish l who were working without him) try Joe with the Fish. Woodstock, and they all got together once more to the Clichy soundtrack. I have a reputa­ record Together in 1968 But soon alter tion in Europe cause I've been going the group drifted apart again, this lime there off and on for the past five years. leaving Joe and Barry Mellon as the But it was my first time in Norway . . only original members There were a and Austria and Belgium. few tracks already done, and with the Q: Any language barriers? help of friends they finished Here We CJ: No in some places they don't Arc Again. I new road band was put understand English, but it didn't seem together and these are the Fish that to gel in the way. loured, appeared in Zachariah. and Q: Do you do the Fish Cheer over Gasssss. and recorded CJ. FISH. Ao/ long after it appeared Joe split again CJ: Yeah, they all seem to know it. from the group, this lime for good. He en though they don't know English. recorded a couple oj solo albums tn \nd “Fi\ing-To-Die" they all seem to Nashville. Thinking of Woody Guthrie. know that everywhere I go mainly be­ and Tonight I'm Singing Just For You. Joe wears cause of Woodstock. I guess. appearing at- Woodstock along the way. Q: You said earlier you were planning and giving the Fish Cheer new dimen­ two-toned shoes, to leave the US permanently? tions. He began to go through some per­ his hair glows a CJ: I'll come back to the Slates to sonal changes, culling his hair, getting work and lour, but I just can't think of busted for obscenity etc. B\ the lime soft red and he anywhere in the Stales I'd like to live Hold On Il's Coming ivr/.v released early now. I'll be moving to the countryside, this summer, it seemed as if there was a looks more outside of London. new" Joe Me Donald. Q: You're fed up with the Stales? This interview was done over a couple continental than CJ: Well, I'm sick of wall-to-wall of days in the New York offices of Van­ freak. But he still is hamburger stands but it's more bore­ guard Records, after recording sessions dom. I just find the stales really bor­ for the new album War. War War the his own man, ing and not very civilized. It s like in poem of Robert IV. Service. the entertainment business, you hang Joe wore I wo-toned shoes, his hair with his own opinions- around and after awhile you get to sec glowed soft red and he looked more “behind the mirrors." The audience is in continental than freak but he still is which occasionally front of the mirrors, and you're behind his own man. with his own opin- get outrageous. the mirrors you know what goes on by Tony Glover CIRCUS 35 backstage in order to get the act out. and on. forever. Il’s like Leary and planned three days to make the Tonight Once you've seen what goes on back­ Cleaver silling in Algiers talking about I'm Singing Just For You album, but it stage. out front and onstage, you've seen whether or not you should fight the rev­ was finished in a day and a half we'd the whole trip. And that's the way I feel olution high on acid that’s just got already paid for the lime left over, so we about the Stales I've seen the inside nothing to do with nothing. decided to make the Guthrie album. and ouslide of the industry, the inside Q: Awhile back, you did a lecture Q: Mow’d you gel on with the Nash­ and the outside of the revolution and series in high schools what was that ville session men? /Xny cultural prob­ it's just boring. like? lems? Q : II a v e your political vic w s CJ : Il was colleges and high CJ : Sure, there was a lol of changed? schools I did about five or six over a stuff but we didn’t gel into it. They CJ: They're not any different from period of a year. The kids were very na­ might want to punch you out but what they were before Em just a stone ive. but interested and responsive to they’re stone professionals they'd wait i humanist. I used to believe that every­ what I had to say. The only thing I real­ till after the session. They'd probably body was really good and someday the ly came away knowing was that what­ play for Eldridge Cleaver if he came world would be fit for everybody to live ever is happening in high schools and down and paid the session lime in but as a practical belief I just don't colleges doesn’t have much to do with Q: Compared to the tracks for the concern myself with that anymore I go reality the kids don’t gel to know what Service LP. the Nashville stuff seems I for myself and my friends and if some­ they need to know there. Mainly. I was very laid back, uninvolved body gels in the way. well ... 1 try to talking about politics, sex and drugs. CJ: That was like a vacation for me gel 'em out. you know? I believe that the Q: What would you say. for example, in Nashville I deliberately wanted to United Stales is ruled by a bunch of about drugs? gel away from myself and go some­ people who are just afraid to make a de­ CJ: The main thing I found out from where very safe, so I went to Woody cision about anything real. They're just I using drugs is that drugs gel you Guthrie and Nashville. Just got the stone liberals, which actually means high and that’s it if you’re trying to notes right and sang cm. just laid they don't have any balls. The only gel yourself together, to find peace of back strong elements I can sec in this country mind and have a feeling of self identi­ Q: Let’s talk about the new album. right now are minority groups, the ty then you should slay away from I low'd you think of doing World War I women and the children and the rea­ drugs they're a . I don't take poems? son all this is happening is because the acid anymore, and 1 don’t think anyone CJ: Al the lime I first ran across the adult male population doesn't have any should take any heavy psychedelics Service poems 1 was into this intense, balls. They won't say "Okay, you're Q: Looking back, do you wish you morose, down protest trip I was listen­ gonna do this” or "Okay, you're not go­ hadn't taken acid? ing to the Dylan LP with "Masters of ing to do that” . . . they just say. "Well, CJ: No but 1 couldn've used my War” on it. four or five times a ahh . I don't know ." For example. lime more wisely. Il didn't have any bad day and one day after work 1 went I was on this TV show where they were effects my genes arc okay. I had a into this used book shop and found this talking about those FCC regulations healthy baby. I'm not insane. I'm more book. Rhymes Of I Red Cross Man by about how they’re not supposed to play together than I've ever been, not be­ Robert Service . . . this one poem. "The songs concerning drugs II was going cause I took acid but because I slopped. Ballad of Jean Desprez” just blew my back and forth, and the question was It was just a phase of maturing I guess mind. A few years later I flashed on a "Does this mean that the FCC will pe­ and it was very popular al the lime. If melody for it. and it worked. I used to nalize people who play songs about you were heavy into the scene, it was sing it al coffee houses with this group drugs?” And the guy answered. "Well, impossible not to lake acid. But as for called the Berkeley Siring Quartet it no no. that's not exactly it. What shooting drugs if you're gonna shoot really blew people’s heads. Then when 1 we're doing is suggesting to the program drugs, you're out to kill yourself, and got with the Eish I forgot about it for coordinator that he really listen to the that's it it's pretty cut and dried. Some awhile, but when I started doing it material and decide for himself whether people want to kill themselves, that’s the again. Ed Denson, my manager, said I or not it’s fit for human cars to hear." way they get off but they better watch should gel a whole collection together. I The ban only concerns drugs not vio­ out. cause someday they just might. didn’t think it was possible, but I gave it lence. That whole thing is just a fear of Q: Is there any possibility of there a try. and it all started happening I looking al reality just because you being any more Eish LP's? found poems and put them to music. don't let something go on the radio CJ: No. we’ll never gel together to Q: Was Service a well known poet doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. I can cut an album but on Hold On h's during his time? I go to Europe and do sluff on television Coming Greg and Chicken each play CJ: lie must have been there were and radio that I could never do in the drums on a cut that sort of thing four different editions of his books: States and nobody gels very excited might happen. And there'll be a retro­ 1917. 1918 and 1919. Anyway. I got a about it. they're sophisticated enough to spective Fish album, a double album collection together and we got clearance get behind it. This is just a very juvenile with some previously released and some to do it from the Service estate two uptight country. What do they think is non-released sluff on it. And now Barry ladies in Europe, who have this lawyer going to happen that because someone has a band called Barry Melton and the in New York. I got rights to do an al­ hears a song like Codeine they're going Fish . . but now I’m really into playing bum. as long as it was issued by June to go out and start taking it? But it's by myself, just me and a guitar. 30th of I97L more than that too do you know- the Q: Right after the Fish breakup you Q: After all these years, why a dead­ i introduction to The Bead Game by ’cut a couple of albums in Nash­ line like that? Hesse? it talks about Germany during ville-what was that scene like? CJ: Thai’s just the deal they made. the World War. where all the media dis­ CJ: It was a real flash trip, we were I'm told the lawyer keeps referring to me as Broadway Joe I guess he thinks L cussed was nickel-dime issues on and on only down there for three days. We'd MUSIC

Country Joe, sporting his continental clothes, sits and chats with Tony Glover I'm Joe Namalh. (laughter) those moments, man. Q: Thu Iasi lime we talked you were Q: What did you think when she died? working on a movie about Che what's CJ: I felt bad . . my first impulse happening with that? was that I hadn’t done something I was CJ: You mean Que Haver?. the one supposed to do. you know? That it was done in Chile? I've written four songs my fault but it was everybody's for it. I ll do some more as soon as I see fault 'cause everybody let her do it. the final work print. Everybody said. “Yeah, you’re Billie Q: Don't you aet in it too? Holliday, sure rock out " and she CJ: I play myself it's kind of a rocked herself right out She confused Brecht ian role I would appear in cer­ drugs and loves, and that’s a fatal mis­ tain scenes and sing songs about that take she full in love with a needle. Shu scene. loved the needle more than she loved Q: Any idea when it'll be out? people I think al the lime she killed CJ* It should be sometime this sum­ herself she was al a turning point like mer if that hadn't happened, maybe . . . Q: I hear you been doing some record maybe she’d of been straight, maybe it producing too would've been okay for her. Her fan­ CJ: I just produced four cuts with a tasies had all been fulfilled, and they left group called Gold, in San Fran­ her empty and so she was starling to cisco I'm really happy with those I gel real Real things were happening to like producing, but it's a matter of hav­ her. she was starling to turn into a real ing time and getting backing people woman. American sexism did her in too. want you to produce it and pay for the because she didn’t look right she expenses then they’ll see if they like wasn't pretty, she wasn't soft, she wasn't it and you can waste a lot of lime and dainty. Shu was hard and tough, and she money doing that. was made harder and tougher. She got Q: Not your trip then? really bitter. . . when she was with Big CJ: Not right now. Like I said. I'm Brother she asked me to write her a really gelling off playing now . . and I song, so I wrote “Janis." But then I re­ haven't in such a long lime that I want alized that they'd never do that to savor every moment of it. song because it didn't fit her image. Q: Looking back, is there any one She had a beautiful ballad voice. . . . I single favorite Fish LP? Or do you like can't listen to Pear! she blew her voice them different ways at different times? out. it's all gone, it's all raspy mono­ C J : Yeah. I l h i n k that’s th e tone there's no melodic quality there case 'cause they all have bummers on anymore . . . it's sad . . . them. Like the first album is really Q: What's your definition of success? groovy but it's out of tunc, it drives CJ: Every lime I perform and people me up the wall. The album I like the dig it. that’s success. When you really best was that EP we cut before the first play it's sort of like balling; when you're album Thai band was probably one of gelling it on. you're getting it on. and the best. High points? I don’t really that's the only thing happening just know . . . “Pat’s Song” has some of the then. When you're not getting it on. best guitar work that Barry ever did. his you're thinking about what’s gonna hap­ lead is incredible . . . and lhere’s some pen tomorrow . .all my energy goes things I really like on He I Ke Ire .-I gain into just playing. When I really master . . hmmrn . . . you know. I was in that, when I can really do it good if Chile, doing that movie I'd been there people can say “Well, we don't dig about two days, and I got a call from it" then that trip will be over with. the States that Janis had just died It got Q: Do you look on your music as a very far out ... I wound up in this little job now? mining town where they were going to CJ: 1 got this song called “Entertain­ film a political demonstration in the ment Is My Business" . . . that's the way town square. The people who were the I feel about it. Il causes you a lot of pain main characters hadn't showed up for if you feel any other way People don't the scene, but there was this crowd gath­ understand you. you don't understand ered around and they had to kill them, you don't understand yourself. lime so they had me get up and play. I People want to be entertained but it's don't speak more than ten words of more than music, everybody has to gel Spanish, the people in town didn't speak off. You've got to go through the any English but I just did my regular changes, a beginning, a middle and an set: “Sweet Lorraine." “Who .Am I’" end. I've been messing around for six and so. AII of a sudden I did “Janis" it y^ars now. just gel it on sometimes. was like ... it was just far out to be in Now I'm trying to gel it on all the Chile singing Janis ... it was'iust one of lime and it's hard work. • 1 Wendi Lombardi CHGCUS 37 hot wax predictions Since music tastes and preferences vary, CIRCUS asks FM Programmers to predict what five records will be most likely to top the lists when we appear on the newsstand. Here are our predictions. Is there an FM ROCK STATION in your area that you feel deserves a listing in CIRCUS? Write Art Ford, Hot Wax, CIRCUS Magazine, 866 UN Plaza, New York, N. Y. 10017 . . . and we’ll check it out right away!

WNEW-FM () WNRZ-FM (Ann Arbor) I 1. BRASS ROCK 1 — Heaven 1. BAREFOOT BOY — Larry Coryell I 2. CHARITY BALL — Fanny 2. HOW COME THE SUN— Tom Paxton I 3. ANYWAY —The Family 3. RIDE THE WIND —Youngbloods 4. IN THE GARDEN — Gypsy 4. IN THE GARDEN —Gypsy 5. EIGHTH DAY — Invictus 5. HAPPY , RUTHY BABY — McGuiness Flint WSDM-FM (Chicago)

1. BAREFOOT JERRY— Capitol KFH-FM (Wichita, Kansas) 2. IN THE GARDEN —Gypsy 3. HARMONY ROW —Jack Bruce 1. LIVE — Allman Brothers 4. THE SILVER TONGUED DEVIL & I — 2. BAREFOOT JERRY —Capitol Kris Kristofferson 3. BEAST OF BONZO — Bonzo Dog Band 5. KINFOLK — Leigh Ashford 4. TIRED OF BEING ALONE — Al Green 5. IN THE GARDEN — Gypsy KFON-FM (Hollywood) KSAN-FM (San Francisco) 1. BAREFOOT JERRY —Capitol 2. THE SILVER TONGUED DEVIL & I — 1. BEAST OF BONZO — Bonzo Dog Band ■ Kris Kristofferson 2. BAREFOOT JERRY —Capitol 3. BAREFOOT BOY — Larry Coryell 3. EIGHTH DAY — Invictus 4. BEAST OF BONZO — Bonzo Dog Band 4. PEACHES — Etta James 5. I CAN MAKE IT WITH YOU — Ralfi Pagan 5. BAREFOOT BOY — Larry Coryell

KNAC-FM (Long Beach, California) WVBR-FM (Ithaca)

1. EIGHTH DAY — Invictus 1. BAREFOOT JERRY —Capitol 2. PEACHES — Etta James 2. LIVE — Allman Brothers 3. THE SILVER TONGUED DEVIL & I — 3. BOB GIBSON—Capitol Kris Kristofferson 4. THE SILVER TONGUED DEVIL & I 4. BAREFOOT JERRY — Capitol Kris Kristofferson 5. IN THE GARDEN —Gypsy 5. IN THE GARDEN — Gypsy

WMMS-FM (Cleveland) WLOLFM (Houston)

1. JOY TO THE WORLD —Hoyt Axton 1. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RUTHY BABY — 2. LIVE IN EUROPE —Canned Heat McGuiness Flint 3. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RUTHY BABY — 2. LIVE IN EUROPE — Canned Heat McGuiness Flint 3. THE SILVER TONGUED DEVIL & I— 4. ONE FINE MORNING — Lighthouse Kris Kristofferson 5. PEACEFUL WORLD — Rascals 4. IN THE GARDEN — Gypsy 5. FROM THE WITCHWOOD — Strawbs WEBN-FM (Cincinnati) KPRI-FM (San Diego) 1. BAREFOOT JERRY — Capitol 2. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RUTHY BABY— 1. THE SILVER TONGUED DEVIL & I — McGuiness Flint Kris Kristofferson 3. PECULIAR FRIENDS — Ten Wheel Drive 2. BAREFOOT JERRY — Capitol 4. P. G. & E. — Columbia 3 BEAST OF BONZO — Bonzo Dog Band 5. THE SILVER TONGUED DEVIL & I — 4. I CAN MAKE IT WITH YOU — Ralfi Pagan 5. BAREFOOT BOY — Larry Coryell Kris Kristofferson

If AVAILABLE The Rolling Stones Around And Around N (Hh ERE Bww ELSE JI THE ROLLING STONES THE ROLLING STONES Around & Around (DECCA) Bravo (HORZU) (English only release) (German import) PROCOL HARUM PORTRAIT 0

THE KINKS PROCOL HARUM Percy Soundtrack (PYE) JIMI HENDRIX Portrait (STATESIDE) (all new material — their latest Early Hendrix (Vol. II) (EM!) (German import) U.K. disc) (not a bootleg) Exclusive British Imports While They Last vy.js JohnI.. L. .. EntwhistleC ... ■ • . .. ■. ♦ I ■. Smash Your Head | Y ------| 10 j (new English solo l.p.) | RUSH YOUR ORDER NOW! |B I S® BRITISH IMPORT SOCIETY I 117 W. 46th Street 9I New York, New York I 1 ■ I Yes, please rush my choices below. I have enclosed I $7.98*t *7 O Q forT A r eachA aFv l.p.1 A I1 haveL. A* .A checked.a-1. A A lx A *1 . Elton John EMPTY SKY THE WHO Savoy Brown SHAKEDOWN Direct Hits (TRACK) The Kinks PERCY (unreleased) l| John EntwhisthIc SMASH YOUR HEAD I I Jimi Hendrix VOLUME II ■ □ProcolHarum PORTRAIT ■ Rolling Stones BRAVO I I Rolling Stones AROUND & AROUND j QThe Who DIRECT HITS Ij II I have enclosed in full. s Please charge my credit card * i SAVOY BROWN [| Signature...... i Check one American Express No. 11 Shakedown (DECCA) j i (early unreleased English l.p.) j Bank Americard No. . ...j J Diners Club No . j Name— i ELTON JOHN I Address. —i Empty Sky (DJM) I City State. Zip. ~i (John's 1st «...»unreleased English ~i debut) f Religious Revival In The Rock Culture Rock heavies like Peter Townshend and Cat Stevens have com­ mitted themselves to a cause. But instead of politics, it's medita­

tion, mysticism and the expansion of the spirit. By Danny Goldberg

^T° record has had a more dra- XN malic success in the last year than Jesus Christ Superstar. Il was released in the early fall and instantly attracted the praise of critics, clergy, and fans who enjoyed its new outlook on the bible and the grandiose rock production which included members of eleven Brit­ ■ ish rock groups, an eighty-five piece or­ chestra. the strings of the Lon­ = don. and a moog synthesizer. Now. An­ drew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's classic has sold close lo iwo million al­ bums and it will be dramatized as a Broadway play this fall. In addition filming will shortly begin for a motion picture version of lhe tale. Il is Rice’s lyrics thal really dis­ tinguished the album as a social phe­ nomenon. and Webber’s music and pro­ duction thal delivered il lo lhe mass rock public. The theme of portraying Jesus as a human being rather than a diety obviously touched a respondani chord on a public that for years had lost faith in most established churches but who were slill deeply concerned with re­ ligion in a personal sense- lhe search for themselves. And as such, the vast success of Jesus Christ Superstar, is Townshend: into the silent mystic Meher Baba and the unconquerable power of love. merely lhe firsl manifestation of a heavy trend toward spiritualism which is de­ have changed greatly. Many felt that "The Seeker." which crudely documents veloping everywhere, particularly in lhe their drug experiences were a useful his spiritual search. Eric Clapton is said rock audience. We’ve printed a few of phase in their but chose to to be heavily into Jesus, the Moody lhe many spontaneous letters that CIR­ slop taking them after awhile. Even Blues’ albums have always displayed a CUS has received by recently converted those who still take drugs have a far less certain cosmic feel, and Peter Green devotees of Jesus. At lhe same lime reverent attitude toward them. The clas­ lead guitarist of Eleetwood Mac there are dozens of diverse manifesta­ sic example of this is the transformation recently quit the band to devote his lime tions of spiritual belief all of which are of Richart Alpert now Baba Ram Dass. more fully to Jesus. Jeremy Spencer, saying essentially lhe same things. In When he was Alpert he was an associate also of Fleetwood Mac recently joined a many cases, these organizations include of Timothy Leary at Harvard, and with Jesus cull in Los Angeles. Mick Jagger prominent rock stars among their sup­ Leary introduced LSD to the American converted to Catholicism for his recent porters. And young people arc turning public. Two years ago. he travelled to wedding. Bob Dylan has expressed re­ lo Jesus communes, organizations, and India where he met his guru Maharaj-Ji newed interest in Judaism and has groups. Jesus newspapers have sprung and he became a yogi. His story is fas­ recently visited , and is said to be up as fast as underground newspapers cinatingly told in his recent book Be considering changing his name back to did five or six years ago. But where has Here Now. which has become a paper­ its original Zimmerman. Cat Stevens is all this energy sprung from? back best-seller al colleges and other solidly into meditation and frequently A lot of the Jesus energy comes from places where youth is concentrated. talks about it in concert. The Beach kids who got disinterested in drugs. There are literally dozens of rock Boys continue to be committed lo Tran­ When the Beatles were at their peak stars who have turned, by in large, away scendental Meditation, and George with Rubber Soul. Revolver, and Sgt. from drugs for salvation and are pur­ Harrison, perhaps the first rock star to Pepper, and lhe Stones were producing suing some form of more traditional self publicly express his spiritual interest, Out of Our Heads, and Aftermath, and seeking. Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull continues to be a leader in this area. Dylan was producing Highway 61, and talked of his feelings about God in the Harrison recently produced an album Blond and Blond, the dominant interest last issue of CIRCUS in an interview by the Radha Krishna Temple which is of their audience centered around drugs. with Vernon Gibbs, and of course his filled with holy chants by devotees of Drugs were the main form of self .latest LP. Aqualung, is religious in His Divine Grace Sri Srimad 108 Tri- searching and carried with it tre­ theme. The Who’s Peter Townshend has nandi Goswami A.C. Bhaklivendanta mendous clandestine excitement and written and spoken at length about his Swami Prabhupada. His followers are often called the Hare Krishna people be­ spiritual implications. Over lhe last few great love for Meher Baba and wrote cause they constantly chant the Hare years, however, altitudes toward drugs the lyrics to the Who’s hit of last year. ROCK CONSCIENCE Krishna mantra, a rendition of which is guidance is Swami Salchidananda’s In­ on the album. The album's liner notes tegral Hatha Yoga. Salchidananda explain: “Krishna consciousness is not came to the United Stales about five Woodstock: merely for rcnuncialcs Krishna realiza­ years ago and since that time he has tion is practiced as actively by “work­ opened up over a dozen ashrams (spiri­ A ing" men and women as by full-time de­ tual centers) in major cities in the coun­ votees Krishna says in the Bhaga- try. He also has many followers in other vad-gita (3.4.7). “Not by merely ab­ countries. Among his disciples arc Peter Tin Pan Alley staining from work can one achieve Max. Laura Nyro. and Felix Cavalicrc freedom from reaction, nor by renuncia­ of the Rascals. Felix has said. “When Rip Off tion alone can one attain perfection. On you make music for Swamis, the vibra­ by Abbie Hoffman (author of Burn This Book the other hand, he who controls the tions are really fine. Spiritual dedication Excerpts from his epilogue to Woodstock Nation, senses by the mind and engages his ac­ has completely changed my life." to be published next month by Pocketbooks. tive organs in work of devotion without Mcher Baba, the whom Peter attachment is by far superior ' All con­ Townshend worships has said. “Love is nections with Krishna, although from essentially self-communicative. Those o m e w h e r c deep inside the apparently different angles, occur in the who do not have it catch it from those bowels of the monster born in Beth­ absolute realm and arc therefore equal. who have it. Those who get love from el also lay the kernel for its destruction. Persons of any occupation, nationality, others cannot be its recipients without Perhaps it was the egocentric greed of age. religion, etc., can by Krishna con­ giving a response which itself is in the the Rock Empire itself. Maybe it was sciousness easily award themselves the nature of love. True love is uncon­ the strain of cannibalism inherited from highest benefits. All this is possible be­ querable and irresistible and it goes on our parents and exaggerated when cause of yoga called bhakti-yoga. Yoga gathering power until eventually it cramped into railroad flats in the slums means “link." or “linking with God." transforms everyone whom it touches." or on muddy slopes in front of the gar­ Bhakti is the topmost process in the He also says. “The majesty of love lies gantuan stages. The rapes, the bad acid yoga system and includes, raja, karma, far beyond the reaches of intellect. Onl\ burns, stealing from each other, they, jnana. sankya. mantra, kriya and other one who has his life up his sleeve dares too. were part of the Woodstock ex­ yoga methods. Bhakti means devotion kiss the threshold of love." perience. if not the Nation. Smack and and provides the most direct contact be­ Selflessness is an attribute empha­ speed didn't help “Shooting up" is tween us. finite living entities, and the size d by spiritual leaders. John more than just a casual expression. It is infinite energy of the Lord " McLaughlin, super guitarist who has symbolic of the suicidal death trip, the The Hare Krishna message is thus: played with Eric Clapton. Jack Bruce. frustration, the despair. It is another “Throughout the world, massive Tony Williams, and Miles Davis, is way to bring the apocalypse a little amounts of capital arc disbursed every dedicated to Sri Chinmoy. his guru. closer. year on education in an attempt to im­ “I'm not realized yet." he says, “but Janis was the heroine of Woodstock prove the quality of human beings. But I'm very lucky to have guidance." Fie Nation. Bold and sassy, her energy it is uncertain as to whether the desired emphasizes the vanquishing of the ego. could ignite millions. I saw her perform result is really being achieved. Krishna and he knows that his superb musical all over the country. In the funky old consciousness is a process of plain living talent is a gift of God. Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, in the and high thinking which is producing Renunciation is another aspect of Fillmores West and East, on TV. back­ men and women of character. These most spiritual paths. Ram Dass in Be stage where she would line up a row of people show by example that a world, as Here Now. explains that one must be twenty studs, in the Chelsea Hotel bar well as a society based on the highest re­ free of desire. No one in itself is good or and on the street. She used to drop into ligious principles and with God at the evil, the key to it is whether or not it is our place at all sorts of weird hours center, is the way to real peace and hap­ selfless, and whether it is done with at­ when we lived around the corner from piness. We humbly request you to chant tachment. The purpose of fasting for in­ the Fillmore East. She was the only per­ “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna. Krishna stance is often to free oneself of the son I ever saw use a needle. When she Krishna Hare Hare. Hare Rama Hare slavery to food. Once freed, it is ex­ popped in a load and pulled out the Rama. Rama Rama. Hare Hare." pected that a moderate healthy diet works, she’d cluck her tongue making a Al the center of many religious orga­ would be resumed. Spiritual leaders arc sucking noise and her face would break nizations is meditation. The goal of me­ for the most part agreed that drugs pro­ out into a shit-ealin grin. The very ditation is to clear the mind of all vide only a temporary experience. But thought of it makes me shiver. You thoughts enabling us to perceive cal­ the subtleties of each individual's spiri­ couldn't know Janis without knowing mness and eventually enlightenment. tual growth cannot be meaningfully dis­ her death was near and you couldn't Meditation is usually done by the con­ cussed here. The best book available for know the Rock Empire without know­ centration and repetition of a mantra products of the hip culture, is Ram ing her death would mean a bundle to such as the Hare Krishna chant. Almost Dass' Be Here /Vow, which is fine read­ all spiritual organizations are against ing for anyone In the meantime, just by The drugs, stealing, dishonesty, greed, and playing the Radha Krishna Temple's al­ waste of sexual energy, and most recom­ bum. the blessings of the holy sound are Woodstock mend a vegetarian diet for spiritual as bestowed on you. well as health reasons. In addition many Jesus has risen in the minds and souls consciousness, says yoga centers give instruction in physical of thousands of young people across the yoga exercises which are tremendously country. Their new spiritual con­ Abbie Hoffman, has healthy as well as conducive to enlight­ sciousness has not blinded them to the enment. Breathing exercises bring more hypocrisy, materialism, greed, and vio­ been buried in bread. oxygen into the body and help to calm lence of the society they originally the mind. These exercises have been sci­ dropped out from. Now however they Just look at Mick entifically developed over a period of try to keep God the creator in their thousands of years. minds at all limes to help guide them Jagger and Blood, One of the best books containing ex­ through a meaningful life and bring ercise instruction and a general spiritual them to enlightenment. • Sweat & Tears. CIRCUS 41 lhe horde of enlerprising vultures who She was the only person I ever saw use speak unless spoken to. never mind choose to pick at the corpse. a needle. When she popped in the load and question their wisdom. “Listen, honey.” Perhaps if I had stayed through Sun­ pulled out the works, she’d cluck chimes BS & T. “in the fall the strike day al the festival I would have ex­ her tongue and make a sucking noise. will be over and the school will be back perienced Jimi Hendrix. . . . Jimi was in session. There are some deserving lhe only rock performer I know of who kids that need a chance.” At that point I gave bread io anything most of us would let loose a shower of saliva which caused call “radical.” Il's possible that some a lol of shoving and yelling. . . . others gave to projects out in California, Woodstock without any politics, is a especially in the heyday of shuck. A tin-pan alley rip-off. When Haight-Ashbury, but as far as the things they say, “Hey. man, politics is not I came in contact with, only Jimi gave. where it's al.” whal they are really say­ Like he laid some bread on us for lhe ing is. “Don't bug me. 1 wanna keep all Trial in Chicago. Now he's dead loo. my dough and the status quo.” Peter same as Janis, and lhe rest of the Rock Max is Consciousness III. Peter Max Empire rolls on. “Just keep pushing lhe loves the planet earth. Peter Max paints myth forward.” yell lhe makeup men designs for bathtowcis sold by gas sta­ and groupies. And lhe walls around lhe tions across the country that pollute that stars gel higher and electric fences and very planet. ■ police dogs guard lheir mansions. The last lime 1 saw Jimi was jusl be­ Editor's note: Abbie Hoffman says fore he performed at a West Village that “the egocentric greed of the Rock benefit for Tim Leary when Tim was Empire” has killed its sense of social re­ still conning everyone into thinking he sponsibility. Abbie would like to see loved jail and everything like that while rock pipers leading the masses down the he planned his escape. . . . road to revolution. That was the hope he We arrived early and camped in a feels Woodstock inspired. Il's not hap­ joint across the streel with ample view pening. he says, because rock stars have of lhe arriving limousines with abandoned the Woodstock Nation. renl-a-chauffeurs and fastidiously feath­ But Abbie is only half right. Rock ered rock and dope-dealing aristocrats. and the Woodstock spirit have not total­ The sight of disembarking from ly parted company. Among some little Cadillac limousines does not sil well in known rock people, building a new lhe belly of a cultural revolulionary. shock waves begin to jell into a group society has been the goal instead of de­ During lhe Trial. Anita and 1 were numbness. Anita breaks the spell. stroying the old. From a group in New granted an audience in lhe couri of “Doesn't it seem inappropriate to raise Haven called The Bone has come a coop Mick Jagger I in lhe dressing room of money for scholarships in the name of where people are trying to live together lhe Chicago International Am­ four kids who died trying to close the ruled by openness and sharing. And phitheater. When we left lhe sacred school?" BS & T is annoyed. In their from a commune in Massachusetts chamber, a stockily built man about for­ world, women are not supposed to where sharing is replacing greed has ty-eight, in a chauffeur's suit stopped us come a new group called Spirit in Flesh and smiled. “Abbie. I'm Mick's private (on Metromedia). chauffeur.” he said. “My name's AL” Back among the stars, the suffering of We challed trial-gossip for a while wail­ Pakistan's refugees spurred George ing for lhe performance to begin and Harrison and Bob Dylan to come out of lhen Al dropped lhe clunker. “It's really seclusion and do a benefit (see page 4). a small world. You know who I chauf­ The court's attempt to close down the feur during lhe day???” He paused lo British underground paper OZ has stim­ suck me in real good and lowered lhe ulated John Lennon and Yoko Ono to boom. “Judge Julius Hoffman!” That finance a benefit record (see page 48). chauffeur in Chicago probably knew The crusade of the spirit has captured more than Buddha. the allegiance of people like the Who's Anyways, you can see why lhe line of Peter Townshend (see page 30). And limousines didn't cheer me up none. Pete Seeger, who's never slopped being We're all silting around lhe table bull­ involved, has pul out an album lhai hits shilling and drinking our roolbeer and lhe Viel Nam War (see page 31). LSD floats when Blood. Sweat & Tears None of this will bring on lhe new era silling al lhe nexl table leans back and of good vibes lhat Woodstock indicated enters lhe conversation. “Hey. man. might be coming. And it won't remold guess what? We're bringing our revolu­ society. In fact, the hassles the rock tion behind lhe iron curiain nexl month. community gave Apple when it tried to Ain'l it a gas?" Now lhe phrase, “be­ put together the Bengla Desh benefit hind the iron curtain” doesn't really jive show that a lol of music people are with lhe phrase “our revolution” and we more than willing to turn their backs on all lean forward gelling curioser by the human problems. But at least lhe con­ minute. “Yeah. man. we’re gelling science of a few big rock stars is still S60 000 to lour Eastern Europe and the alive. • CIA is fooling the bill." *Our shock is interpreted as admiralion and BS & T ♦Sources close to Blood. Sweat and conlinuc. “Thai isn't all. we’re doing a The chauffeur bragged that he drove Tears deny this. The East European benefit to establish four scholarship Judge Julius Hoffman by day, and concert, they say. was done for free, and funds for the four students shot.” The Mick Jagger by night. the C.I.A. had nothing to do with it na If ROCK CONSCIENCE

// Pete Seeger's "Rainbow Race by Charlie Frick The partiarch of American folk music cuts an album of new songs and points a political finger at you and me.

Way back before it was a re­ spected middle class, middle of the road thing to be against the war and for peace, Pete Seeger was helping a new nation become aware of its existence. In his music of the early sixties many found the answers to questions that they had in their minds about their land and their lime. Many years before Wood­ stock was even dreamed of. his stories and songs about what was really going on brought people together. His latest album Rainbow Race (Columbia) is what you and I have come to expect from this truly magnificent performer, a work of beauty and of truth. His elo­ quence is shattering, and the feelings that he can communicate with the in­ flections in his voice are to be marveled at, but it’s really what he’s saying that’s important. The words of “Last Train to 41 Nuremberg” speak for themselves: Do I see Lieutenant Calley Do I see Capt. Medina Do I see Genera! Koster And all his crew. Do I see President Nixon Do I see both houses of Congress Do I see the voters me and you. Last train to Nuremberg Last train to Nuremberg AU on board. Pretty freaky stuff for a folk sing­ er. Look al the words again, especially the ones that go. “Do I see the voters me and you.” Yea,v— me"...... and you. Heu** turns the next move over io the au- diencc. Another Rainbow Race song is called “Uncle Ho.” You know who I mean. Uncle Ho Chi Minh. When he sings stuff like that the people on the right wonder if he’s a leftist radical agitator. People under 30 years old wonder if he Pete Seeger: mixing Nixon and Ho Chi Minh with the can be trusted. He wrote a song called strains of the guitar. “Our Generation” to make sure every­ one understood where he was al. my list, because he gives the listener, Cant you hear the steel rails hum­ Our generation wears sandals like the you the audience, a closer look at the ming? Vietnamese world that we’re all living in. That's the hobo's lullaby. Our generation wears long hair There’s something else pretty special I know the police cause you trouble With our clobbered minds we still in this album. In the liner notes he says. They cause trouble everywhere wink an eye to say “When Arlo and I went to visit Woody But when you die and go to heaven Meet me, meet me at the bottom of (Guthrie) in the hospital we sang a dif­ There’ll be no policeman there. the stairs. ferent song than the one they put in the To say that Pete is one of the most Pretty far out stuff from a 52-year-old. movie.” He sings this song on the last well respected men with a guitar would He hits home with every one of the oth­ cut of the album— a Woody Guthrie be true. To say that he is the patriarchal er songs on this album loo. Yes Pete is song called “The Hobo’s Lament.” This leader of the American folk music cult no stranger to most of us and his return is a really fine version of a really great can’t be proven. To say that when that to the spotlight serves to once again give song, complete with a handfull of back­ great up and coming day is there and us a closer look at the world around us. ground voices to help him out in the the lord divides everyone into fools and Even if he didn’t play guitar so well chorus: sages he will fall in line with the rest of and even if he couldn’t carry a tunc in a Go to sleep you weary hobo the great poets of all lime is mere specu­ bucket he would still rate pretty high on Let the towns drift slowly by. lation. Pete Seeger. American. • A MONTANA

OCT. 2 Concert (Missoula) national scenes NEBRASKA (NOTE: Where we say■y "concert" instead of SEPT. 20-25 SEPT. 15-18 giving a location, checlsck your local paper for Cellar Door — KATE TAYLOR (Washington) Club 8 Ltd. — THE SKEPTICS (Omaha) further information.) OCT. 11-15 FLORIDA Torabawk Inn — GINO MARTINO (Omaha) NEW YORK SEPT. 15-18 NEW HAMPSHIRE ALL MONTH Thunderbird — BURGUNDY STREET SING­ The Elephant — Top names like Odetta, ERS (Jacksonville) OCT. 2 , John Hammond make this the SEPT. 15-19 Concert MAIN INGREDIENT (Hanover) foremost music showcase (Woodstock) Joy­ Holiday Inn — FROTHINGSLOSH RANDAN- ous Lake — Blues & Folk in Organic Mix­ GO (Lido Beach) ture (Woodstock) The Millstream — Live SEPT. 15-25 Country & Rock (Woodstock) Hawaiian Village THE REAL THING SEPT. 15 SEPT. 15-OCT. 3 (Tampa) Concert MANDRILL (Union) Kostek’s — Five Star Extra (Amherst) SEPT. 20-OCT. 2 SEPT. 16 SEPT. 18 Thunderbird - FOUR ACES (Jacksonville) Concert — THE BROTHERS & SISTERS (At­ Madison Squars Garden — Festival (NYC) SEPT. 20-OCT. 2 lantic City) SEPT. 18 Sheik’s Lodge — BURGUNDY STREET SING­ OCT. 2 Carnegie Hall — MIGHTY SPARROW (NYC) ERS (Orlando) Concert ALLMAN BROTHERS (Long SEPT. 19 SEPT. 27-OCT. 15 Beach) Concert ALLMAN BROTHERS (NYC) Pines — THE REAL THING (Indian Harbor SEPT. 19 Beach) OHIO Stonybrook College — WET WILLIE BAND SEPT. 23-OCT. 11 (Stonybrook) Newpo 1 Reso t Ho el FATS DOMINO SEPT. 15 SEPT. 19 (Miami) Blue Grass - DIAMONDS (Maple Hts.) Carnegie Hall LORD KITCHNER (NYC) OCT. 4 SEPT. 15-OCT. 2 SEPT. 20-25 Sheik’s — EXECUTIVES (Orlando) Logan’s — EXECUTIVES (Canton) Revilot Lodge — LEON THOMAS (Buffalo) OCT. 8 SEPT. 18 SEPT. 25 Concert IKE & TINA TURNER (Talla- Concert (Dayton) Carnegie Hall BREAD (NYC) hassee) SEPT. 18 OCT. 2 OCT. 9 Concert — ALLMAN BROTHERS (Dayton) Stonybrook College RITA COOLIDGE Concert — IKE & TINA TURNER (Tampa) SEPT. 20-OCT. 2 (Stonybrook, L. I.) OCT. 14 Blue Grass FOUR ACES (Maple Hts.) OCT. 15 Concert THE ASSOCIATION (Orlando) SEPT. 20 Concert RICK NELSON (NYC) Cherry’s — DIAMONDS (Diles) ILLINOIS OCT. 4 CALIFORNIA Blue Grass — COURT OF APPEAL (Maple SEPT. 21 Hts.) Castaways Lodge ECHO’S LTD. (Calu SEPT. 15-18 OCT. 15 met City) Troubador — KATE TAYLOR (Santa Monica) Concert FOUR SEASONS (Cleveland) SEPT. 22 SEPT. 15-18 El Matador OSCAR PETERSON TRIO Niko’s Rest — JANET EVANS & THE KIN­ PA. SEY REPORT (Lombard) (San Francisco) SEPT. 23 SEPT. 15-19 SEPT. 24 Concert THE SISTERS Whiskey-A-Go-Go — BRONCO (Los Angeles) BROTHERS & Concert ALLMAN BROTHERS (Phila- (Chicago) SEPT. 17 dclphia) SEPT. 26 Concert — DAVE BRUBECK (Monterey) OCT. 4-23 Concert WAYNE SEPT. 19 COCHRAN (Chicago) Sword & Shield — AMERICAN SCENE (York) Concert SARAH VAUGHAN (Monterey) OCT. 9 SEPT. 19 INDIANA Concert • THE BROTHERS & SISTERS Concert OSCAR PETERSON (Monterey) (Chester) SEPT. 20 SEPT. 15 OCT. 10 Century/ Plaza Hotel OSCAR PETERSON Hollyoke Club — ECHO’S LTD. (Indianapo­ Concert ■ THE BROTHERS & SISTERS TRIO (Los>s Angeles) lis) (Johnstown) SEPT. 21 SEPT. 18 Concert CHAMBERS BROTHERS (Oak- Concert B. B. KING (Bloomington) SOUTH CAROLINA land) SEPT. 18 SEPT. 24 SEPT. 21 Concert IKE & TINA TURNER (Notre Conce t Troubador — (San­ Dame) SPIRIT (Columbia) OCT. 8 ta Monica) SEPT. 18 SEPT. 21 Concert — ALEX TAYLOR (Bloomington) Concert ALEX TAYLOR (Greenville) Whiskey-A-Go-Go — BLACK OAK ARKANSAS SEPT. 23 (L.A.) Concert WAYNE COCHRAN (Indianapo- TENNESSEE SEPT. 22-26 lis) SEPT. 24 Whiskey-A-Go-Go — TUCKY BUZZARD (L.A.) OCT. 4-9 Cat’s Meow — ECHO’S LTD. (Ft. Wayne) Concert IKE & TINA TURNER (Johnson SEPT. 27-OCT. 2 City) Greek Theater — IKE & TINA TURNER (Los OCT. 11-15 Roke’s Tiki Lodge ECHO’S LTD. (Ko- Angeles) TEXAS SEPT. 28-OCT. 3 komo) Troubador — MARK-ALMOND (Santa Moni­ SEPT. 17 ca) MASSACHUSETTS Concert — ll$E & TINA TURNER (Beaumont) SEPT. 30 SEPT. 17 SEPT. 23-OCT. 2 Concert CHAMBERS BROTHERS (Chico) Attic Club - HAPPINESS (Dallas) OCT. 5-10 Concert — RICK NELSON (Boston) SEPT. 28-OCT. 15 OCT. 4-15 Troubador — SEALS & CROFTS (Santa Mon­ King’s Club PAUL GILBERT (Dallas) ica) King’s Row — BROTHER LOVE (Boston) OCT. 7 OCT. 5 Concert — DIXIE FLYERS 6 (Boston) WISCONSIN Concert — BURGUNDY STREET SINGERS (Los Angeles) MICHIGAN SEPT. 18 OCT. 12-15 Concert — WAYNE COCHRAN (Lake Geneva) Lighthouse Cafe — MONGO SANTAMARIA SEPT. 16 (Hermosa Beach) VIRGINIA Concert - WAYNE COCHRAN (Muskegan) OCT. 12-15 SEPT. 17 Century !Plaza Hotel — BURGUNDY STREET SEPT. 25 President Mts. Inn MARLENE (Grand I (L.A.) Concert — ALLMAN BROTHERS (Charlottes­ SINGERS ( Rapids) OCT. 12-17 ville) SEPT. 25 SEPT. 25 Troubador — (Santa Mon­ IKE & TINA TURNER (Kalama- Concert - Conce t HAMPTON GREASE BAND ica) zoo) OCT. 8-15 WEST VIRGINIA DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Phelps Lodge — BOBBY BLUE BAND (De­ troit) SEPT. 15-OCT. 2 SEPT. 20-25 OCT. 12 __ JONATHAN EDWARDS (Wash- SISTERS Roaring 20’s — AMERICAN SCENE (Charles­ Cellar Door Concert THE BROTHERS & town) ington) (Detroit) nirri ft help save the + beatles! + FREE! FREE! FREE! FOR EVERY THREE FILMS YOU ORDER, YOU WILL RECEIVE A FREE, SUPER BONUS BEATLE FILM!!! YES, THE GROUP HAS SPLIT, BUT YOU CAN HAVE THEM TOGETHER FOREVER ON PROFESSIONAL 8MM FILM OR SUPER 8MM FILM FOR ALL BEATLES HOME PRO­ JECTORS. THIS MAY BE YOUR LAST CHANCE - ACT NOW!!!!! • •••••••••••••••••••••••». Fantastic Special mm FREE! 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Groping Around Elephant's Memory, the people’s band which could not gel permission to record a new LP for Metromedia Records, went and did a few tunes on their own and now a new LP is eminent. Grootna. a new organization who will be on the Jefferson Airplane's Grunt Records label, has been seen parading around town. And the International Youth Expo, a mammoth affair which was supposed to showcase nine thou­ sand groups, closely early.

At the Schaeffer Festival in Central old. is a grand, young, personable yet Park the Beach Boys blended voices as shy man who sings other writer's tunes, well as any a capella street corner choir. with emphasis on Fred Neal, as a mea­ Ike and Tina demonstrated that they sure of humbleness. He also has a cute, can put on almost the same show every high voice which he uses to make people night and rarely get tired. They like to smile. Linhart, in fact, is a smile maker. work—just ask them. Buzzy Linhart Carly Simon is good looking, and a fine and Carly Simon made guest appear­ person to be with and hear. Besides, ances and people flipped out. Linhart, when was the last lime you saw sam the who has been part of the scene in NYC super star make a surprise appear­ for about three years less than God is ance—really a surprise?

• i

I

I I I Well, it's time for the ghouls to suck a Selling stream of dollars from the coffin of Louis Armstrong. A couple of record companies started a Louis Armstrong the Hell month, and are pushing the hell out of their backlogs of Armstrong material. But that's what life in the record biz is all about: music and money.

Davis: a blistering performance, but the gig lost money. Grand Funk: Stuffed Pockets More on Grand Funk al Shea “ Miles Davis Stadium. Shea was originally going to be a free gig. but the stadium cost Wails 100.000 clams, so Terry Knight decided ■ .^4 to make bread by charging the people. 1 ?sThe Walls Down think the final figure was about S304.000. Anyway, he was really em­ Miles Davis was in town—he lives phatic on telling everyone that they here. “No other place. This is the made more than the Beatles. Terry, by world.” he said one hot evening silling the way. made over a million eight last in front of his Spanish styled town house year, according to sources at Capitol on the upper West Side. He and the sep­ Records. tet burned down the walls at a new At a recent press conference. Knight theatre, the Beacon. The figures aren’t discussed Shea and the forces out to kill in. but the gig lost money, mainly due to rock festivals. Police inside festival a under-exposure and the fact that it was grounds, he said, don't prevent violence, held on a week night. Richard Pryor but provoke it just by being around. He also showed up and the comedy routines pointed to the Shea performance and to he did were so real it seemed as if he was concerts in Detroit. Cleveland, and Os­ lying on a psychiatrist's couch. aka. Japan where there were no police The Beacon’s stage comes up from inside the stadium and no violence. below the level of the audience. Really Then he cited Tokyo. LA, and Ana­ effective and mind blowing. There was a heim. where the concert grounds were slide show and plenty of good vibes. “It littered with fuzz and trouble. (Actually, I is not the Fillmore and never will be.” the Shea Stadium affair was policed by according to Jean Clarke and Helen a squad of karate instructors in special!} I Rothbaum of Bow Wow productions. marked shirts.) Terry also blamed the a These two ladies ain't no dogs either. They are not only bright, but they have the people in mind. the biggest festival problem is the fuzz. _ a < 47 innfloft By Mike Conway-Benton Crosby, Stills, Nash 8, Young: topping the local taste. Elvis: on his way down. asked to rank a group of ten artists in order of preference, the people polled * pul hard and acoustic rock groups as the top six. Here's the whole lineup of ten. from the most popular on down: Cros­ by, Stills, Nash and Young; Led Zeppe­ lin; the Who; Elton John; ; Frank Zappa; Elvis Presley; Cliff Rich­ ard; the Tremeloes; and Wild Angels. Note that pop performers like Presley and the Tremeloes are in the bottom five. When asked if their taste had changed in the last year. 66% answered yes. Sixty percent of those who'd changed said they had abandoned pop. 43% said they'd switched to acoustic sounds like Crosby. Stills. Nash, and Young. 32% said they’d turned to writer-singers like James Taylor and El­ lon John. 29 7% had gone to progres­ sive sounds like Frank Zappa, and The Public Puts Down Pop 27.2% had switched to Led Zeppelin T’Xisc and Music Echo, the pop musi- years, most British record buyers have and Who-style rock. Less than I % had I veal weekly, has stuck a longue gobbled up “pop” sounds - changed to pop. The poll also showed depressor down the throat of the British lop-forty type syrup put out by artists that the public is disgrunled because the public and discovered that the musical like Elvis Presley and the native Tre­ British radio networks have continued taste buds have shifted from one side of meloes. This year the pop sound is to pump out the old syrup and ignore the head to the other. For the last ten about as popular as spinach. When the new sounds.

Lennon J Does A New Disci John Lennon's next solo album is now Sg completed and scheduled for release this Kooper Gets month. The album Imagine was record- ed al John's own studio in his Berkshire It Off home, although he look the tapes to ^g New York on a recent visit to add string His Chest sections to four tracks. Musicians guest- ing on the album include George Karri- Sg son, , Klaus Voorman, Al Kooper's visits to London give him Jim Kclner, King Curtis and Bobby a chance to unload his (probably legiti­ Keyes, who played on the Rolling ^g mate) gripes at the American press. He Stones last single “Brown Sugar.” accuses certain rock papers of perpetu­ Side one of the new album contains ally “putting down everything in sight, five tracks which are:—“Imagine”, Sg says that the press shoulders its way be­ “Crippled Inside”, “Jealous Guy”, “It’s tween the public and the musicians so So Hard”, “I Don’t Wanna Be A Sol- that albums don’t get heard with an dier Mamma”, while side two con- 7 open ear. “The critics can hurt,” he tains:—“Give Me Some Truth.” “Oh Zg says. “I’ve seen Janis Joplin cry when My Love,” “How Can You Sleep?.” she's seen what's been written about “How?” and “Oh Yoko.” The album Sg her.” Discussing the possible similarity .■ between cuts on his latest album (cuts was produced by John. Yoko and Phil like “Nightmare No”) and Dylan's mu­ Spector and should be eagerly awaited sic. Kooper points out that some of the by all Lennon fans after the success of pieces were written while he was record­ his last album. Yoko has another album Zg ing on "New Morning." Kooper due to be released al the same time as zg wouldn't say much about why he split John’s. The album is to be called “Fly” the States. But whatever the vague and a film made by the two is expected “business and personal reasons” arc. to be shown on television at roughly the they’ve been potent enough to give him same lime. Yoko also has a book out on sale entitled Grapefruit. Having seen a zg an ulcer. promotional copy. I found it superbly Zg Al Kooper: in England with his ulcer. unconventional and nicely relaxing. 48 CIRCUS Success Splits I

1 Atomic Rooster, whose new album I was reviewed w in last month’s issue have split. Mem­ bers , John Cann and have parted company I because of musical and personal differ­ ences. Crane will continue as Atomic Rooster with new members Peter French. and Rick Parnell g who was the original drummer of the group, while Cann and Hammond will ■ I form another group Having been with the group a little while ago. I found them happy and to­ &I gether, but since that time the band have had two hit records, which I fear is the I main cause for the break up. Rooster's new line up are now busy rehearsing for their forthcoming Ameri­ can lour. J Atomic Rooster: happy till they got a hit Cocker A Roar For Carol King, Cuts An Album A Near Riot For , who’s been hiding out Grand Funk since December, has finally left seclu­ sion to record a new album. Spurred by The two biggest musical events of re­ personally want to forget. Two British a sudden impulse “to have a toot in the cent note were the Carole King concert bands. Head, Hands and Feet and studio." Cocker plunked himself down at the Festival Hall. London, and the Humble Pie started the afternoon roll­ on a floor with . wrote up Grand Funk free concert in Hyde Park. ing. and it was to my surprise that a bunch of ideas that had been floating Carole, who is receiving national ac­ Humble Pic put out far more volume through his mind, got together with claim through the success of her album than Funk. Steve Marriot not only as­ Ringo Starr, Stevie Winwood, and Pro- "Tapestry.’’ played an hour of some of sisted the band in making some ex­ col Harum’s B.J. Wilson, and went back the nicest music 1 have ever heard. cellent music, but handled a slightly under cover a week later leaving behind The evening began with Jo Mama, an heated crowd with words of wisdom to him most of the material for a new LP impressive new band who embarked on avert what could have been quite a riot. This wouldn’t be the first good Cocker setting the mood for a nicely loud, re­ Although Grand Funk have many fol­ piece to come from a quick outburst of laxing evening, but when Carole ap­ lowers in England, there are many who energy. “It’s High Time We Went" was peared the place really came together would prefer to see them derailed. Il's not their style or their music, but the at­ also a spontaneous “slab at something" and gave her one of the most rousing (to quote Joe’s press agent). Projected welcome’s I have heard in quite some titude the band puts over to their au­ British release dale for the new monu­ time. Doing things like "You Make Me diences. somehow they become a de­ tonator to the bomb hidden inside the ment to Cocker power is October. Feel Like A Natural Woman’’ and “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?", restrained youth of Britain. Fortunately, which sent shivers down one's spine the afternoon went without too many in­ Joe Cocker: Six months just because the way Carole sings them cidents and by six o'clock, people of seclusion, then Ringo and Winwood fills everyone present with sheer love, drifted away peacefully against a slowly join him for "a toot in the studio." romance and friendship. Words cannot sinking bronze sun. really explain the artistry of Carole The Moody Blues are also due to tour King, but if America can offer more tal­ the country to coincide with the release ents of Carole’s calibre, please have of their latest album Every Good Boy them sent over. Deserves A Favour. Opinion in the Brit­ After the intermission. James Taylor ish music scene is that this album is an came on to do his set. which many all time great and as elaborate as any­ found to be rather an anti-climax. Al­ thing they have produced before. In­ though James is undoubtedly a great corporating that very total cosmic talent, somehow, we find something sound the Moody's new album should lacking in his performance which lakes once again put them at the top of our the edge off his music. Nevertheless. Jo charts. Mama. Carole King and James Taylor Cal Stevens is due to make a tour of gave us all a truly memorable evening. the Slates in October. Cat. who is one of In contrast the free concert at Hyde the nicest guys in the business, is also Park by Grand Funk was an afternoon I having a new album released soon. CIRCUS « Prudery, 2 Perversion and Apple Power J The story is vague, but it seems Mai H Evans, original road manager of the By Jacoba Atlas |,| Beatles, who still sits like a seed in the west coast □ Apple core, was strolling about London x one day when the mellifluous sounds of Il a group called the Half Breed reached Death and the Topless Meatball | his quivering ears. Among the members r I hat Festival of Life Celebra- jc of the group was a singer named Bill JL tion in Mississippi turned into more n Eliot, a lad with the promise of great­ of a catastrophe than anyone expected, ll ness resonating from his vocal chords. with three deaths arising from the “fes­ H Mai made a mental note and marched tival.” Two were reportedly related to 5 on. Now sometime later an under­ police harrassment and the third was ll ground paper in desperate straits came caused by an over-dose of drugs. | to John Lennon and his spouse for assis- There are numerous rumors floating W tance. The paper. “OZ,” mainstay of around, with some substantiation, that British subsurface journalism, had been certain rock festivals in this country, are || taken to court for corrupting and de­ being put on not to present music, but to ll praving the minds of the young. Could sell hard drugs. The amount of narcotics a the Lennon’s help “OZ” raise some said to be used at the Mississippi Festi­ 0 bread for its defense? val was staggering, and certainly the f | No sooner said than done. Mai only people making any profit from this y Evans, remembering that promising kind of situation are big dope dealers. X voice from the Half Breed, dredged Bill The Party of the Summer happened !l| Eliot from the depths of obscurity, at the staid Ambassador Hotel. Warner 11 signed him for a single, put him in a stu- Bros presented the debut of Alice Coop­ * dio with the staff of “OZ.” handed them er and celebrated by inviting every freak || sQme music composed by John and in town. The cigarette girls were the || Yoko, and before you could say. “God Cockettes, a San Francisco based theat­ y Save OZ; by Bill Eliot and the Elastic rical group of female impersonators. X Oz Band,” a new 45 had been born. All The two worst bands in the city pro­ || the proceeds are going to help pay the vided the music, and a 300 pound plus || heavy costs of “OZ’s” court fight for lady named TV Mama sang, topless yet. X survival. The entertainment, however, was the n As for “OZ” itself and how it got to folks. Included in the almost 500 plus || be a victim of judicial attack. In 1966 it attending were Rod McKuen, Atlantic’s H was launched by college student Rich- , Jack Nicholson, Randy pc ard Neville. Within a few months its Newman and Gordon Lightfoot. || staff was already cooling its corpuscles Director Haskell Wexler (he did Me­ || in the clinker. The constabulary had dium Cool and a number of very politi­ Ji spotted obscenity in a cartoon of a top- cal documentaries as yet without nation­ ?S less police lady and the title of afolkmu­ al distribution) has announced plans to ll sic comic strip called “Folk You.” Six make a biographical movie on the life of H years have passed, and this time the Woody Guthrie. Right now he’s talking 5 charge is corrupting the minds of chil­ in terms of James Taylor for the title li dren with portrayals of sexual per­ role. Meanwhile, Oklahoma, Woody's il version which the innocents produced home State, has refused to erect a me­ Alice Coopers Party: y themselves. Several months ago, OZ morial to the singer-composer on the the cigarette girls were boys. X turned an issue over to a group of school grounds that he was “anti-American.” || kids. The students filled it with pictures Woody of course, wrote such songs as Island voted five to two to revoke the I] of schoolmasters masturbating as they “This Land Is Your Land,” and “Pas­ contract of the Newport Folk Founda­ a fondled their pupils, cartoons of teddy tures of Plenty.” He also walked from tion, Inc. which means they can’t get a n bears and grandmothers doing one end of the nation to the other, license for this year’s festival. || you-know-what, and statements that the spawning a whole new generation oi Graham Nash has finished producing y country sucks. musicians and becoming a world-wide an album on A&M for his old friends X Is it worth saving, you may ask. A legend in the process. You don't get any Seemon and Marike two ex-members of || horde of authorities scream yes. Traffic more American than that, but what do The Fool. This album offers an amalga­ || and Soft Machine did benefits for it. they know in Oklahoma. mation of sounds ranging from bass * The International Times called it. “. . . On the heels of the Mamas and the to piano to bouzouki. A the only paper with the guts to print the Papas reforming and signing with Dun­ Jefferson Airplane has taken off again | truth.” The Village Voice says it’s “the hill records, Mama Cass Eliot an­ after the long wait for Grace Slick’s re­ II No. 1 underground magazine.” And a nounced she has signed as a solo artist covery. pe Conservative candidate from Nolting- with RCA records, her contract with Mr. and Mrs. Abbie Hoffman an­ Il ham Central swears it’s “the most dis- Dunhill having expired. Lew Mercnstein nounce the birth of their first child, || gusting publication 1 have come across has been signed to produce her first named America. When asked why they Y in my entire life.” RCA album; Merenstcin has produced named the baby America, Mr. Hoffman albums for artists like Van Morrison, replied he “liked the name.” He might Biff Rose and Miriam Makeba. have added Miss Slick had already tak­ The City Council of Newport, Rhode en “god.” 50 CIRCUS a Money Tumble Jethro Tull Shuns Greed Jethro Tull is still one of the few L.A. Woman has just turned gold, groups to place its pockets where its making the Doors the first American mouths arc; during their recent Western rock group to cut six million-sclling al­ US tour, no ticket price was over $5.50. bums in a row. And their album 13, with plenty of scats costing a bare $2.00. nearly at the million mark already, is Even so they were able to gross about about to make it seven. $133,977 in just five dates. Which The New York Supreme Court has should prove even without greed there’s the privilege of presiding as Paul and something to take back home to the Linda McCartney are sued to the tunc family. of one million dollars for collaborating Carole King’s next release will be a on the song “Another Day.” Apparently “live” album. Rita Coolidge is back in togetherness was not in Paul’s contract. the studios cutting another, “more simple” album. Jimmy Haskell is ar­ ranging and conducting for John Stew­ art’s next effort. Billy Preston has signed to A&M records and Warner Bros, is hoping for another posl-Apple superstar with Jackie Lomax. Following in the footsteps of you-know-who. Fats Domino will be the subject of a mini history to be released on the UA label. Fats is reportedly very ill and liv­ ing in New Orleans. Buffy Sainte Marie has left Vanguard records. and Laura Nyro will be the cream on the new label Asy­ lum. set up by their manager David Gcf- fcn. Also signed to the label is Jo Jo Gunn, an excellent outgrowth of the too Bl little known Spirit group. Jethro Tull: put its pockets where its mouths are. Paul and Linda: too much togethernessI Blood, Sweat & Tears: juicing up the jailbird’s lot. can land you in court. Randy Newman is finishing up his new album at the Door’s studio off San­ ta Monica Blvd, in West Hollywood. At the control is Door’s engineer Bruce Bolnick. Newman's recent live album, at first sent out only to radio stations, has now been packaged for general dis­ tribution. Neil Young is the latest rock musician to enter the movies. He’s using his own money and creating his own soundtrack to make a documentary on himself and the last Crosby, Stills. Nash and Young tour. Mr. and Mrs. John Lennon have again been asked by the San Francisco fare was John Hammond, Jr., Edgar Film Festival to join in. This year's fes­ A Prison Visit Winter’s White Trash, and Emerson, tival will devote itself, in part, to Eng­ Lake and Palmer. Reportedly that was lish films and film-makers. Joseph Lo­ for Blood, not the only action. In the audience sey’s film “The Go-Between,” with Julie were fist fights, and rock throwing con­ Christie and Alan Bates, will open the Sweat & Tears tests to say nothing of occasional fights festival. Though Losey is American, he David Crosby and Graham Nash are with the cops. Plus the rush to the stage lives and works out of London—partly talking about going on the road togeth­ routine for Edgar Winter’s enjoyment. because of the political black list of the er. Just the two of them, without any Blood, Sweat and Tears played a ben­ early fifties. Warren Beatty is said to be bands and without their friends. So far efit at the Chino Institution for Men, a planning a film on the life of John Reed, it’s just talk, but the date discussed is fancy name for a prison here in southern the American journalist who wrote the September. California. The benefit was arranged by revolutionary manifesto Ten Days That Terry Knight and Grand Funk Rail­ the inmates and occurred simulta­ Shook The World, a book about the road bought two polar bears for the City neously with a “friends and family" pic­ opening events of the Russian Revolu­ of New York. The animals cost $12,000. nic. All part of an effort to pul some tion which was first published with a Mayor Lindsay was reportedly over­ juice into prison life. Larry Goldbatt, glowing forward by none other than V. joyed. Blood. Sweat and Tears manager once I. Lenin. picked up the tab spent some time himself within the walls for a free concert in Boston. The bill of of Chino. symptoms persist, try eating six smaller meals a day instead of the usual three. And if you need a snack, try fruit by Mary Diane Schmucker Wine Wins Over health Geritol 1 Winos Rejoice! Those who have been clear through! These days the big II drinking wine for medicinal purposes goes into everything from mouthwash to Keeping It now have a definitive study to back up feminine hygiene spray, not to mention their claims. Dr. Salvatore Lucia, pro­ the soap you scrub your face with. With Pure and fessor emeritus of medicine at the hexachlorophene coming at you from all University of California al San Fran­ directions and into every available ori­ cisco. coordinated a study of wine per­ Healthy fice one wonders, is it dangerous? The formed by physicians, psychiatrists, and Environmental Protection Agency did nutritionists throughout the U.S. Re­ comment at a meeting of the Society of sults of their study . . . Wine does con­ The Toxicology that it had produced tain iron and Vitamin B. It does stimu­ “edema of the while matter of the brain late the appetite of the old and or sick, Hexachlorophene in rats.” Further studies are planned. but can also help the obese to lose Until then, check labels and avoid prod­ weight. It's action on small blood ves­ ucts containing this potentially dan­ Menace sels, combined with its ability to remove 1 gerous chemical. excess water from the body, and the cal­ leanliness may be next to ming effect it produces make it helpful godliness, whatever that is. but in in treating heart patients. Dry wines can the minds of most Americans, being Sugar protect diabetics from cardiovascular germ-free is what really makes it. Those conditions. It may be assuring to know microscopic varmints arc everywhere; that when all the waler is polluted, the and product producers and ad men are Can Shake antibiotic qualities of wine (which helps there to remind you to kill. kill, kill . . . kill typhoid and dysenlery)can be pul to using, of course, their heaviest weapon, You Up good use. The medically potent in­ hexachlorophene. gredient is not alcohol as many believe, A number of years ago. doctors were Hypoclycemia. Nervous? Depressed? but some 300 other ingredients in­ the sole users of hexachlorophene soaps, Hcadachey and feeling like the old cluding phenol compounds and mineral but we soon learned from Ben Casey the “tired blood” commercial? Probably salts. Speaking of potency, the research­ importance of the ten minute scrub. Al nothing illustrates the “you are what ers do not consider wine an aphrodisiac. last we knew how- to be not only clean you eat” cliche belter than a condition but sterile loo! And surely, nasty things known as hypoglycemia, a deficiency of like acne could never survive on a glucose in the blood. germ-free face. There are two main classifications of What’s In A Name? Not much, but if After years of prescribing hcxachloro- hypoglycemia (from the Greek “glykos” you’re a collector of porno-cosmetic phene soap scrubs four limes a day to meaning sweet, and “aima” meaning trivia, there’s a new one to place along­ acne patients, most doctors now agree blood): one that comes after fasting and side your purple, ring shaped Master­ that this skin problem is not caused by another that follows a meal. Both occur bath soap and your bottle of Balls men’s dirt and germs but is the result of mal­ when the balance of glucose in the blood cologne . . . it's Nook-Ki, a men’s toile­ functioning oil glands. True, bacteria is upset. try line from the House of Huntsmen can thrive in more severe cases of cystic The glucose balance in the blood can (P.O. Box 295, Anchorage, Alaska). acne, but this is hardly the garden varie­ be disturbed by a variety of factors: Scents of Jade, Lime. Spice, Lilac, and ty skin blemish. As for germ over-kill, a poorly functioning glands: liver dysfunc­ Glacier Bracer are available in both af­ dermatologist at a medical conference tion: emotional stress; and various tu­ ter shave and ladies’ cologne. Gel it in Texas reported that the benefits of mors. But it is most commonly upset by while you can. hexachlorophene were “pure fiction.” improper diet. Quick energy foods like ***** ! He added that for the necessary while sugar are often the culprit. In an Pass It On. The American Social twice-a-day cleaning, “anybody’s hand hour or two after ingestion, large Health Association reports over half a soap is as good as anybody else's hand amounts of carbohydrates or quick million persons in the United Stales arc soap.” energy foods are completely used up. victims of undetected syphilis and need In this age of grossly misleading ad­ and symptoms of hypoglycemia appear. urgent treatment. Could be time for a vertising. much of this information is A rapid decline of glucose causes blood lest. *♦♦♦♦ not loo surprising but . . . recent medic­ sweating, shakiness, trembling, rapid al researchers have shown there may be heartbeat, anxiety, weakness, fatigue, What You See and What You Get. Even more than hype in hexachlorophene. and on and on. When these symptoms the FDA doesn’t always know what’s in Drug Trade News, a trade paper for appear a small high protein meal of a cosmetic product. Now the Cosmetic. those in the pharmaceutical and cosmet­ meat, soybeans, or dairy products will Toiletry and Fragrance Association pro­ ic industries, reports that the Environ­ give relief; however, repeated hypogly­ poses filing secret product formulae mental Protection Agency presented a cemic episodes may cause long-term ef­ with the government. Virginia Knauer. very interesting paper al the annua fects on personality and lead to nerve Special Assistant to the President for meeting of the American Chemical . Consumer Affairs, considers this an im­ portant step but.would like to see it go Society. It appears that hexachloro­ Occasional or repealed attacks can be avoided by eating a low carbohydrate even further ... no secrets. She feels phene. when externally applied, may be ingredients should be listed on the label, ■■ absorbed through the skin and enter the (less than 150 grams daily), high protein diet, and avoiding quick energy foods a practice most natural cosmetic manu­ body fluids and tissues. like candy bars, pastries, and soda. If facturers have already gotten into. • Think of it! You're probably clean 4 Timely w Reasons to Read CIRCUS

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ADDRESS An Intimate Look At Rod the Mod

9Z. -r

His solo albums are lifting him into his own orbit, but Rod Stewart still insists he’s just one of the Faces.

T f he would let it happen. Rod strong in what they do. I wouldn’t be in Small Faces and Waller found himself _L Stewart could easily become a su­ this band if I didn’t think they were doing studio drumming. perstar. He might become one anyway, equally strong.” For Rod, his album was mostly just it now seems, whether he likes it or not. The fact remains, however, that the an exercise. “I was out to prove myself When the Faces come to tour Amer­ success of the Faces is due heavily to as a singer more than anything," he re­ ica. Rod demands that he is one Face in Slewart’s belated success as a solo art­ calls. He also felt he needed the security five, that his contribution to the group is ist. of being in a band. So when Wood in­ no more or no less than the others. Ac­ After walking out on , Rod vited him down to a rehearsal. Rod de­ tually, Rod is to the rest of the group went to work on a solo LP The Rod cided to join. “1 wasn't loo impressed." what food is to their stomachs and mon­ Slewart Album, (Mercury). Ronnie he recalls, but jumped in anyway, main­ ey is to their pockets. Wood, his close friend, had been fired ly because they all got on so well. “I was But he persists. “I hope they (the au­ by Beck along with Mickey Waller, so always very close to the Faces." he said dience) aren’t just coming to sec me.” Rod pul them right back to work on his "I’ve known them for ages, actually. I he recently confided. “We’re a band and album. But al lhai lime. Rod's success always had a weak spot for them in my heart. I was always very close to Ron 1 want people to realize it’s a band up was unforeseen so bass player turned Wood. I wanted to be in a band with there. The other guys in the band are guitarist Wood went off to join the 54 CIRCUS MUSIC

and to the Orient where he falls for a “slit-eyed lady" and is “being merry on the Peking ferry." Rod also docs won­ derful versions of Tim Hardin's “Rea­ son to Believe." and ' "I Know I'm Losing You." In addition, there is a Dylan song. "Tomorrow Is Such A Long Time." which Rod never heard Dylan sing. He got it from a Hamilton Camp album. Rod also pays tribute to Arthur “Big Boy" Crudup with “That's All Right. Mama." And for the listener’s delight. Rod has included two surprises. When he flew into New York to give Mercury the tape for the record he insisted that two tracks be left off the liner notes and the label. They were presents, he said. We won't tell you what they arc. of course. Not mean, you understand, just don't want to spoil it for you. Now there is a formula which English VW- groups religiously follow in order to gain acceptance and popularity in America. It entails releasing an album or two and then sweeping across the Rod lives in a Tudor house outside of London country like a brushfire, ravaging big with several Tiffany lamps and his girlfriend. and small towns alike until your name is as familiar, and digestible, as Jello. The Faces do this very well. Increasingly, though, the audiences are calling for songs from Rod's solo albums, many from Gasoline Alley. Rod’s second solo LP. Rod counters this with songs popu­ larized by other artists along with a sprinkling of his solo songs “Cove In Vain.” “Baby I'm Amazed.” and “It’s All Over Now” are usually show stop­ pers. “Country Comforts.” incidentally, was written by Elton John, but Slew­ art's version is so superior that no one identifies the song with its writer any­ more. The rest of the Faces are by no means You can have a ball when you make detrimental to Rod's performance. Es­ an album on a bottle of brandy. pecially Ron Wood who plays a wonder­ ful slide guitar. And Kenny Jones, Ian him. We were going to form our own cuts, most prominently on “Mandolin McLagan. and Ronnie Lane all rise to band, but we’re both lazy sorts so we Wind.” Rod got lhe idea to use lhe every occasion, if they are not artists of didn’t bother. We joined lhe Small mandolin after seeing Doctor Zhivago Stewart's calibre. There are indeed Faces.” and recruited the mandolin player from some cuts on Long Player which equal Which has worked out very well. Five Lindisfarne to play it. The best songs on the best of what Rod has done singly. albums have been issued with Stewarl's lhe record arc. not surprisingly, lhe ones What the rest of the Faces lack, how­ searing, raspy vocals since that time: which Rod himself wrote. Perhaps most ever. is Rod’s charisma. They used to three solo efforts and two Faces' al­ beautiful is “Maggie May" which he call him Rod the Mod and the term still bums. The big apple of lhe bunch, wrote three or four years ago but which applies. It's one of the reasons he is so though, is Rod’s latest solo LP. Every is sincerely prophetic. fabulous. It's been quite a while since a Picture Tells A Story, (Mercury), which rock star has influenced fashion and ap­ will have been certified gold by the time I suppose I could colled my books pearance. When the Beatles all grew you read this. Mercury is very happy, and go on back to school moustaches, peach fuzz was growing as and so is Warners- who release Or steal my daddy’s cue and make a fast as grass on the upper lips of many a lhe Faces' albums, although neither the living out of playing pool young American male. So it was that first Faces LP, The First Step, or lhe Or find myself a rock and roll band when Rod the Mod got his hair cut in second. Long Player have sold quite so that needs a helping hand layers, short on top. long on the bottom, well. and started wearing silks and velvets, If there is a dominant musical theme The title cut is really the most dynam­ the move was definitely away from wool on Every Picture it comes from the zi- ic. It traces the life of a traveling man. and cotton and one length hair-do's. ngy mandolins present on three or four (Rod presumably) through France. Italy Rod the Singer is now having the <11X1* ss same impact. His fans are'screaming at towns they whisked by the previous Rod’s climb to success paralleled Van concerts as he prances majestically times. New York was not on the itinera­ Morrison’s story, which was last year’s headline grabber in the music industry. around the stage, singing from his gut. ry. but a source said they might arrange shuffling and sliding, dancing and Each had been doing fine things, and throwing the mike, all a throwback to for an added gig here if possible. While each had paid his dues in full, yet much his soccer playing days. His long, lanky in New York, Rod enjoys shopping and fine music had passed through the pub­ frame glides in and around Ronnie on his last trip bought three Tiffany lic's cars before they caught the wind. In Wood, playing, throwing kisses, jabbing lamps to decorate his new Tudor home Morrison’s case it was his lovely Astra! each other and trading off-hand jokes. outside of London. He lives there with Weeks and for Rod it was his two al­ “When you come to see us," Rod his girlfriend, Sarah Troope. Rod the bums with Beck and his first two solo recently explained, “and we're up there Mod's wardrobe hasn't been neglected albums, in other words, virtually every­ thing he’d done in career as a singer. Rod’s tenure with Beck was an odd one. Beck was definitely the star of the show but he remained obscure on stage. For he had in Stewart a visual show which rivaled Jagger’s and. later. Ian Anderson’s. But during this period. Stewart’s voice was still growing up. be­ coming more like sandpaper, more f l"* > throaty, more soulful. That plus the fact that the Beck group swung during the height of the era in which singers in bands dominated by a guitar simply didn't draw a following. Before teaming up with his longtime friend John Baldry and before playing briefly with Brian Auger, Rod had a band called the Five Dimensions. He had just returned from a vagabond mis­ sion through Europe where for one thing he decided that he would turn down all "I don’t pretend to be a songwriter really,” says Rod, who turned down a career in soccer to offers to play professional soccer and be a musician. concentrate on music. One day he ran across Chrissie Shrimpton. sister of on the stage having a ball, it’s not a put either as he has six of the suits you sec model Jean, but more important al the on. we do mean it. We mean to have a him wearing in the accompanying time, girlfriend of Mick Jagger. Chrissie ball when we play and we do. Like photos, all in different colors. His favor­ talked of this fabulous band and begged somebody said to me the other day. ite restaurant in Fun City is the Cattle­ Rod to come and see them. The Stones ‘Boy 1 was listening to Gasoline Alley man. a steak joint, so it’s unlikely he’s were just gelling their thing together. It the other day and I was tripping and it heavy on the health food sluff. He was very early in rock and roll history was unbelievable.' And I said, ‘That's drinks Brandy and scratch the ice or but Rod remembers it well. “They used funny. I made the album on a bottle of he'll pull it out with his own fingers. to have stools. They’d sit there on these brandy.’ ” That he’s heavy on. stools and play, and lhal was lheir big Rod also noted that “there’s a defi­ At twenty-five. Rod talks like a pro­ thing.” nite lacking of fun in music al the mo­ ducer, knows all the technical aspects of Rod used to see them all the lime, but ment. We play our best, you know, we the studio, and places the engineer as success and an album beckoned them to really do. but we like a big grin on our the most important man in the studio. meet the world, so Rod moved the Five faces when we're playing.” “If I had my way.” he says. “I’d kill all Dimensions into the same club the They're all grinning, but Rod is grin­ the producers. 1 don’t think they’re Stones had just vacated. Soon dis­ ning the most. His next album is still worth the money you pay them. I think sension set in, as some members of hazy in his mind, as are most things, engineers are most important. Engineers Rod's band wanted to do Beatle hits and since he tends to change his mind every make albums, they really do. If you’ve another wanted to imitate Ray Charles. day. He said recently to a got a bad engineer you might as well go Rod Stewart wanted” to sing “de blooze” interviewer. “If the Faces make a really back to bed and not even start.” as he calls it. good album, that'll change the whole Rod is less confident in his song­ Everyone lived in Richmond around ; thing. What I’m gonna try to do is sepa­ writing abilities. “Basically,” he con­ lhal lime. “Everybody came up al the rate the two by doing a solo album of fides. “1 can write slow songs around same time five years ago.” he recalled. really slow things like a nice midnight the chords of G. C and D and E minor. I “I just didn’t gel as famous as Eric type album.” That remark, made before don't pretend to be a songwriter really. I Clapton or Stevie Winwood, that's all." * the release of Every Picture, indicates try really hard but it lakes me about Not in their way he won't. No one his roving mind, as that LP is a rocker three weeks.” will ask him to join lheir supergroup, in the truest tradition. The next day or As a producer though he seems ready for he’s got a group he’s perfectly happy so he wanted an all live album. Then an to handle anything and criticize the with. Via his solo contract with Mercury album of songs like “Only A Hobo.” most well respected artists for their lack he's got every opportunity to express Then he wanted to release the three left­ of ability to fit a song to their voice. Of what he can’t with the Faces. In fact. over tracks from Every Picture on an the old Temptations singer. David Ruf­ Rod Stewart has got everything a rock EP. So the nature of his next effort, fin. he says. “I’d love to produce that star could possibly want going his way. which won't be out until March, is up guy and pick the songs he should sing, even the freedom to produce his own for speculation. because he doesn’t know, you know? records. What he doesn't have is the de­ Meanwhile Rod is touring the States Tim Hardin sometimes falls down on sire to mingle musically with the heavies with the Faces, hilling all the small lhal loo.” and destroy himself in the process. • Ronnie Finkelstein 56 CIRCUS

Jack Bruce: Incomplete Necromancer When was producing Jack Bruce, every measure was filled with surprises. Then Bruce went off on his own.

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time when a new band emerged every Hardly a day would go by without ver­ IJ' vents fall into place so easi- few seconds, and the pop press had be­ bal and physical blowups. Yet in the J-Jly in retrospect. Like returning to come somewhat hardnosed about who end, they needed each other to keep go­ a vast bewilding jigsaw puzzle only they were going to call stars; yet even ing and that, I suppose, is part of the to find that the pieces are now clear and before the first single, “Wrapping Pa­ difference. meaningful. per,” was in the stores, the press was But there was another factor that fi­ Looking back on it then, it seems per­ buzzing. Clearly something was afoot: nally produced Cream’s parting. And it fectly obvious that from the time they It was Rock's most advanced and in­ was apparent from the first album on­ recorded “Wrapping Paper,” back in ventive quartet—excuse me, trio; I run ward. It was the difference between “I ’66. Cream was a doomed group. But ahead of myself. Feel Free” and “Spoonful.” Eric, for all there was no thought of that then. It was From the first. Cream combined the his fine technical abilities, was still firm­ just a new group made up of already best and the worst in all rock groups. ly entrenched in the teachings of his for­ well known musicians. The inventiveness of the group flowed mer master. John Mayall. Eric liked Few people here realized how impor­ directly from Jack Bruce’s melodies, pe­ (still does) nothing better than to play tant the group would be. Naturally it culiar rhythms and superb bass lines. the Blues, with a capital ‘B’. And one caused more of a stir in England be­ Yet each member of the trio maintained would wonder why he left Mayall at all, cause Ginger’s former group, the Gra­ an ego of gigantic proportions. And if his writing wasn’t so far from the ham Bond Organisation, was known to these internal politics were soon to over­ blues (“Tales of Brave Ulysses” and practically no one in the States. And shadow even the pioneering music the “Badge.” for examples). few people knew that Jack had been group was playing. No, it was mainly Bruce’s songs and part of Manfred Mann, the Do Wah It is possible for a group torn by in­ the amazing things he did with his bass, Diddy Diddy” group. So it was only ternal politicking (what group isn’t) to that made Cream the alchemical ad­ Eric’s former band, the Yardbirds, that stay together. The Who are perfect ex­ venturer it turned out to be. For the anyone here was aware of. amples. Their early life together as a rock oriented generations, both in Eng­ But England was excited. It was a group was the most violent imaginable. land and here, who were used to the 58CBMX* MUSIC plunkcty-plunk bass almost all groups love for someone else: When you can't go back again used, Bruce’s bass came as a revelation. I'm going to funeral dressed in white Yes there comes a darkness in the He constantly created patterns of music I'm going to a nightclub, to sleep affairs of light that eclipsed the bass spectrum, climb­ with night. When you can't hold back the ing and wheeling through the webbed And I'm not going with you . . . night. spaces Eric and Ginger kept open. It’s a no . . . (“He the Richmond”—Bruce- talent one's born with, it can’t be Love is no longer a comfort Brown—* 1969 Casserole) learned. Only two other bassists use Fantastic times are forgotten Felix’s production provided the back­ their instruments as completely, and My heart is hung down with the ground and middleground against which both are American: Felix Pappalardi saddest rain that I'm feeling Jack’s musical foreground shone in daz­ and Jack Casady. (“Weird of Hermiston’’ — Bruce- zling colors. The arrangements on ‘Tai­ Late in 1966, Cream met Pappalardi Brown— ® 1969 Casserole) What lor’ are superb, clear and full, with solid at the Atlantic studios in New York. could possibly have happened that background keyboards against which And that same day they became a quar­ made love “no longer a comfort?’’ Jack was free to paint his incredible tet. Maybe Cream would have sounded That's the most nihilistic of notions and bass lines. On “Tickets To Waterfalls,” like Grand Funk on record if Felix something only Brown could have writ­ Jack’s bass is mixed so that it, in effect, hadn't become their producer (and, in ten. Even when he writes: “You asked becomes the lead instrument. And be­ reality, their musical director and fourth me to a meeting/ in a cottage in the cause the bass stands out more easily member). Maybe they would’ve snow You gave me central heating/ I from a keyboard background than from sounded a little better, but they sure as can’t forget the glow” he feels the need a guitar base, ’s guitar is hell wouldn’t have sounded as they do to completely destroy the feeling in the very subdued until the break when it on Disraeli Gears. Wheels of Fire, and next verse: “You asked me to a week­ comes up, in almost the same tone as Goodbye. end/down by the stormy sea/You took Jack’s high vocals, to continue the duet It’s apparent from Disraeli on. that me to a ceremony/ and the sacri­ between voice and bass. Felix’s musical ideas coincided with fice—was me!” (“Rope Ladder to the “Rope Ladder To The Moon.” recr­ Jack’s as to what musical directions the Moon”—Bruce-Brown—1969 Casse­ eates. to a great degree, the peculiar group should explore, so it’s not surpris­ role) dark-lit otherworldly atmosphere of ing that Bruce’s first solo album should Brown’§_ strength lies in the fact that “Wheels of Fire.” Again Jack’s bass be produced by Felix. his abstract cinematic images fit Bruce’s lakes the lead, and for the first few bars One can hardly talk about Jack Bruce more peculiar songs like “He the Rich­ of the song it’s only voice, base and without speaking at length about his al- mond,” “Never tell your Mother she’s rhythm guitar. No other producer could most-full-time lyricist, Pete Brown. A out of Tine,” and “Smiles and Grins.” have gotten such fullness out of those musician in his own right. Brown is al­ But it is interesting to note that Bruce’s three instruments. That is Felix's gen­ ready well into his second group, Pib- only successful love song. “We’re Going ius. He understood Jack perfectly, but lokto! (unless, by the time this reaches Wrong." was written by Jack himself. more, he understood Jack's music more print, they’ve split), after spending a There was good reason for it. On Jack's fully than Jack himself did. And that ra­ great deal of time and energy forming second solo LP, Harmony Row (Atlan­ rest of qualities, to be simultaneously in­ and breaking up his Battered Orna­ tic). there’s an exquisite love song melo­ side and outside the music is Felix’s ments group. His music is very Avant, dy, “Folk Song.” And it calls for only enormous strength. in that peculiar unmistakeable British gentle simple lyrics. But Brown has ig­ If anyone had any doubts as to Felix's sense. I don’t consider it particularly nored this altogether in writing: “How role in the creation of Jack’s Music, he pleasant to listen to, either, but for some will I find you. oh my love/in the dark­ only has to listen to Songs For A Tailor people that doesn’t seem to be a crite­ ness of day/1 will look in glass forests/ and Harmony Row back to back. That rion for good music. where electric fish play.’’ (“Folk deep, ringing quality in the first album, Yet as a lyricist for Bruce. Brown can Song”—Bruce-Brown—® 1971 Casse­ has been lost on the second simply be­ be most effective, as in the poignant sec­ role) Here. Brown’s strange imagery de­ cause Jack forfeited Felix as his produc­ ond verse of “Theme for an Imaginary stroys the mood of the melody. Lyricists er (the other musicans remain essential­ Western’’: should know better. ly the same). Moreover, the arrange­ O the dancing and the I love Jack; his playing, his singing, ments on Row are shockingly banal. singing his songs. But within that love (possibly One of the delights of listening to Jack’s O the music when they because of it), is the sure knowledge that songs, when Felix was producing them, played he’s an incomplete artist. The superbest was that around every measure lay sur­ O the fires that they of musicians, he is nevertheless locked prise on surprise, whether it be the con­ started into the world of the musician, and does trapuntal horn arrangements on “Never O the girls with no regret not possess the scope of vision either to Tell Your Mother She's Out of Tune,” Sometimes they found it lead a group or to produce one. or the moving vocal duets with Felix on Sometimes they kept it From Disraeli Gears through Songs “To Isengard.” Often lost it on the way For A Tailor, Felix provided this vital All that’s gone on Harmony Row. Fought each other to function for Jack. Like the majority of You always know what’s coming next; possess it. musicians (and this is the only area it’s predictable. And that is the last Sometimes died in sight where he is in the majority). Jack has thing one could accuse Jack’s arrange­ of day not reached the point where he is aware ments of in the past. It’s not that Har­ (“Theme for an Imaginary West­ enough of himself (and confident mony Row is a bad album; far from it. ern’’— Bruce-Brown—® 1969 Casserole) enough) as a musician to step outside of because Jack is such an exceptional art­ This is the closest that Brown has ever himself and view his playing within the ist. It’s just that it could have been so come to writing with any kind of emo­ context of a group, as a producer and much better. tion. All too often he revels in a chilling arranger must. Jack’s one mistake is thinking that, coldness'that borders on the evil. And it It is this fact that makes Song For A like Felix, he can be both musician and isn’t the excusable, understandable evil Tailor successful and Harmony Row a producer. And having left Felix, he has that permeates the Stones’ “Satanic failure as a serious work. forgotten the man who brought order Majesties’’ LP for instance. Rather it is There comes an affair in the tides out of chaos; the left hand of dark­ evil that stems from a fear of expressing of men ness: light. • ■D O 8 S’ o JB

T^Veep Purple’s career has been a .Lz series of mishaps, unfortunate circumstances, meandering directions and poor management. Only now, af­ ter almost two and a half years, is Deep Purple: the group forming a solid identity. It ain’t easy. “We’ve had to fight to rebuild our image," said organist Jon Lord as he Overcoming the and the group sat in the sweltering heat of the un-air-conditioned termin­ al at Kennedy Airport. They were Image Crisis waiting for a flight back to London, after completing a tour of America with the Faces. Touring is the main songs America knows them for. This writing their own material. "Once we bout a group must fight to solidify because they are a different group started writing, things immediately fell their image. Pull all your punches and than the Deep Purple who had a together,” Lord said. hope you get across. “Either like us smash hit two years back called But, indeed, there were other prob­ or love us,” cracked Lord. “Hush," and a follow-up with “Ken­ lems. The greatest crisis in the band’s Surprisingly, said Lord, the group tucky Woman.” Since then the group career came when their record com­ received only a slightly milder re­ has changed both personnel and direc­ pany, Tetragrammaton, went out of ception here than in Europe where tion, and isn’t the least bit anxious to business. For a full year the group the band is enormously popular. “We revert back to those days. was uncontracted, precious time in the were able to work as we do ip Europe. For Ian Gillan, vocalist, it was life of a rock and roll band. It was very nice. People seemed to “difficult” to sing the old songs so In the deal that ensued, Warner know what we were about," Lord they simply don’t play them. Brothers bought out Tetragrammaton remarked. For their performances, The turning point for the group and Deep Purple came in the pack­ they took the risk of avoiding the mi>s'cally came when they started age. “We would up with Warners by MUSIC

record was unsuccessful in establish­ ing the band in this country. In Europe though, a string of hits began to pour I hey jolted Europ forth. So a concentrated effort was made to build the band’s image in with a string of hits, hut until Iirebull. America, for in Europe they were I causing riots. Americans were still asking “A good spot on a good tour” was I booked and the group released their whether they are classical, jazz or rock. I latest LP, Fireball. It should fare bet- I ter than anything they’ve done thus American or British. I far. "Fireball is the right album for I us at this time,” said Lord. “It’s a •progression from Deep Purple In default," said Lord. But the worst classical music and less interested in Rock, a foundation.” It’s the second was yet to come. integrating it with rock and roll. “It’s step down a new road, a road where The first WB album was Deep Pur­ just incompatible,” he says. each step is costly and if one slips it ple and the Royal Philharmonic, an Realizing that their image was a is difficult to regain footing. amalgamation of rock and classical non-image, and knowing that many So Fireball was a very carefully music written by Lord and performed American rock fans didn’t even know done album, moody and cosmic in by the rest of the group along with whether the group was English or some parts, a country song thrown the famed orchestra. “Unfortunately,” American, they set out to rectify .the in, and a hell of a lot of determina­ lamented Gillan, “it was presented as situation, which they felt was growing tion. All of the members participate the band’s first album, whereas it’s worse by the hour. Deep Purple In in writing the songs, which is prob­ not representative of the group at all. Rock was released, the point at which ably the thread which has kept the It was Jon’s project and he simply they began writing their own music, band from falling apart. Ian Gillan asked us to play with him.” yet it met with only moderate success writes most of the words, but the en­ Now Lord isn’t interested in playing and the tour which accompanied the tire group gets the music down. They CIRCUS si £ produce themselves as well. “There is show that they are a distinctive rock pieces I had no idea of what it would nobody that can produce us but us,” act whom audiences will remember. turn out like as a whole.” said Lord. Although Lord has given up playing Roger Glover, bassist, is working “You should be able to listen to an classical music, he feels stronger with Paul Buckmaster, who lives just album from A to Z,” Lord continued. about it than ever before. “I need it across the street from him, on pro­ “There should be a point of refer­ to relax.” he admits. At home he has ducing a new, as yet unnamed group. ence, but not necessarily a theme. a. mini-moog which he just plays He says he enjoys it and would like The country cut on the new LP is a around with. “I don’t really have it to­ to get into it more in the future. bonus.” gether to play it onstage and we Lord and Blackmore were the “Ritchie (Blackmore, the lead gui­ haven’t yet thought about working it founding fathers of Deep Purple and tarist) started that cut and it was a into the group.” the original intention was just ‘‘to lot of fun. Besides, Ian (Paice, the Ian Gillan’s interest is in acting and find five people who knew of each drummer) was getting on our nerves when the group was in Los Angeles others’ playing and enjoyed it. We so we wanted to do a cut without he had to turn down a film offer started out doing other peoples’ songs drums,” Ian Gillan added jokingly. because of the group’s commitments. our way but soon found a need to Ian, the group’s youngest member at But last year he was invited to sing get heavier,” Lord confessed. There twenty-three, blushed and let his horn the part of Jesus on the Superstar was a slight shake-up after their ini­ rims slide down his sweaty nose, then album. “I found it quite easy,” he tial hits, and Gillan and bassist Roger wrinkled it funny like. recalls. “There was a lot of emotion Glover were added to the band. i The American pressing of Fireball •in it. The people working-on it had Lord played classical music until also contains a recent hit, “Strange high hopes but no one anticipated he was seventeen. But even when the Kind of Woman.” The country song how big a hit it would become. When rock invasion bombarded Britain he is titled "Anyone’s Daughter,” and I got there it was in so many bits and avoided playing rock, and fell into is an ode to the money seeking man who falls for all the wrong types with even worse fathers. Another unsettling situation evolv­ ed from the group’s first American tour. When the band first formed, it was definitely decided that, “This band is not going to stand still and play.” But when they came to America, their manager told them that American au­ diences don't like it when groups dance and jump around. Stand still he told them. “People said ‘don't jump around’ Ian Paice added with some disdain, “We tailored our act,” said Lord, even more angrily. So now in Ritchie Blackmore, Deep Purple have their version of Jagger/ Anderson/Stewart/Page. Blackmore was suffering the most from the heat and the wait to home, so when he was asked whether his stage antics are a gimmick, he slowly sat down and said, “I just like to show- off.” Asked if this attracts a teeny-bop­ per audience in light of the group’s renowned musical/classical prestige, Ian Gillan replied, “Our attitude is that wre don’t care who we play for. We compromise not one little bit. We don’t need to prove anything.” Not musically, they don't and they don’t need to prove that they’re valid mu­ I sicians either. But they do have to MUSIC

modern jazz, “I turned on to rock,” he recalls, “but only as a listener. I never thought I’d play it. I wanted to be an actor but someone offered me a job in a blues band and I grabbed it because of the money.” Soon he began to float among vari­ ous rock bands until he and Black- more, a friend from his youth, were 71 hit with the idea for Deep Purple. IMfen. J Glover and Gillan came by way of Episode Six, “the most unorganized band in rock and roll history.” Deep Purple, for them, was a permanent home, a place to write and play their music and a seat in an established band. On the P.A. system we heard the announcement that the group’s flight was loading and the group dashed homeward bound. What they left be­ hind on their tour and record is still undecided. But they are confident.

Ian Paice: the group’s youngest member at 23, blushed and let his horn rims slide down his nose. ■P??; -.*

s' may it rest in peace

r i To: Congressman------i The House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. i I urge you to vote for any legislation that calls for a complete I | end to our military involvement in Southeast Asia by Decern- | | ber 31, 1971, at the latest. I I NAME (please print) I I ADDRESS I CITY STATE ZIP I Help Unsell The War, Box 903, FDR Station, N.Y., N.Y. 10022 [ I. .1