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MOV1ES rsM 01 reviews FROM POETRY FROM the St The groupie an TABLE OF CONTENTS REPORTS FROM BACKSTAGE “WHO CAME FIRST’’ — A QUIET TOWNSHEND ROARS TO THE SURFACE 4 The four-year story behind the music Pete has been concocting single-handedly in the privacy of his home studio. “ROCK OF AGES” — THE BAND BREAKS ITS LEAFY SILENCE 20 The Band is mulling over a Dylan plan that could trigger the biggest stage comeback since Harrison’s Bangla Dcsh. HEAD KINK UNBUTTONS HIS MIND 30 The new LP,-Everybody’s In Showbiz, is like a three AM trip through the brooding amusement park of Ray Davies’ private world. THE NIGHT J. GEILS FRIED A “FULL HOUSE” . 34 What’s behind the live LP? Only the most frenzied performances since Mick Jagger first flopped like a baby bird onto the stages of London. “PHOENIX” — GRAND FUNK ZOOMS AWAY FROM ITS PAST 40 Grand Funk sped off on a risky course when they made an album without super-producer Terry Knight. Then they broke a two-and-a-half-year silence to tell the tale of why. WHY BILL COSBY COULDN’T QUIT GRACEFULLY He won’t be called a quitter . . . but his victorious return trip to Hollywood still leaves Bill Cosby in search of a career. CAT STEVENS’ RETREAT FROM THE STING OF APPLAUSE Cat’s new record has only made the reasons for his twelve months out of sight seem twice as tantalizing, twice as enigmatic. \LICE COOPER FOR PRESIDENT 58 Whatever possessed Alice to jokingly throw his boa constrictor into the political ring? -IILE TULL TOURS . . . THE RISE OF IAN THE DEMON 60 iving In The Past lights up the murky transforma- in that turned Ian Anderson from a sunny mbador to a midnight monster. THE ALBUM REVIEW 'RD REVIEWS .. . . . 16 ky Ed Kcleher dives head first into the latest ?rs by Rockdom’s mightiest monsters— 3and, T. Rex. the Jefferson Airplane, Gilbert ’ivan and more. E HORIZON 24 i Beyond batters the cosmos, the Strawbs ito David Bowie, and the Doobie Brothers tring. LOVER’S GUIDE 37 ive bite-sized reviews of the month’s ■ns. OF THE MONTH 38 t LP of the last 30 days. 48 Top Twenty—the only record chart that readers the chance to put their ms on top. geralH BODY, MIND AND STARS Publisher aH Editor: Howard' Bloom;Bloi------“ Art Dir« 10 Editors: Peter FBuckley, Ed Natl lasts Alice. And a Virginia gentleman rector: Norman1 Hari._,Harris; .Assistarl gional Correspondents: London-^I es for Jagger. Jacoba Atlas; New York-<— Janis ?NBS ...... 12 Genkins • ige, Elton pounces on his piano, Jlues blitz their mellotron. A European Representative: Londoi 200 concerts guaranteed to num. 46 S CIRCUS Majigazine is published 12 nr and the last Nilsson obscenity. prises Corpc•oration. 866 UnitedNj °m London, New York and L.A. 10017,■El 212 - cited manusc A back of poster right © by G Repra^gggU back of poster JR READERS .baofr R^ADppf' 'Who Came First' -A Quiet Townshend Roars To The Surface by John Swenson Ever since 1968. Who fans have wanted to know what the music was like singlehandedly in the privacy of his home studio. Now for the first time Pete’s solo LP I gives them a chance to find out. l MUSIC J - k^Jt back. Who fans, and close your band in order to convince the res't of eyes for a second. Imagine your the group that his tunes are really self at the doorway of Pete Town worth doing. And this is where the shend's rural English mansion, sep just-released Pete Townshend solo al arated only by a narrow road and a bum. Who Came First (on Decca), T' J broad lawn from the placid river was recorded. • x J Thames. Enter through the large, Townshend’s music stash: The idea wooden portals and stroll down the of a Townshend solo album has in long, elegant hallway until you reach trigued Who followers ever since Pete’s home-built studio. Study the 1968, when Pete first revealed in an room carefully—note the maze of interview that behind The Who’s instruments, electronic recording de highly publicized LP’s were a set of vices and wires stretched here and recordings that few men but the mem there, all presided over by the ever bers of the group had ever heard— smiling face of mystic guru Meher recordings so impressively perfect that Baba mounted prominently on the one of them, the homemade version wall. This is the place where almost of “I Can See For Miles,” had even all of what you eventually hear as scared Daltry, Moon and Entwistle Who material is first planned out. This out of trying to re-record it as a four is where Pete Townshend writes his some. The existence of those private songs and records them as demos— demos promptly became legend, for singing lead and playing bass, drums they were tapes whose nuances could and guitar like a veritable one-man speak volumes about Townshend’s pri-
For years Pete has been going into his home studio, recording songs like a vir tual one-man band, and coming out with tapes so good that (according to Town shend) they sometimes scared his fellow Whos. vate role behind the scenes and about his character as a musical creator when he’s not bashing his fingers bloody in his violent antics onstage. But until Who Came First arrived in record stores a few brief weeks ago, none but the privileged few were to know exactly what those private Townshend moments were like. The brash Jeckyll and auiet Hyde: Like the demo tapes, Who Came First is a collection of songs that are all Townshend—penned by Townshend, played by Townshend and sung by Townshend. And for the first time this LP allows the percep-percep tive record-buyer to see for himself that behind the savage, arrogant whirlwind who appears onstage is a soft and folkish musician who some times has a desperate need to es cape from the thundering noise and crashing violence he creates beneath the spotlights. The guitar work on Who Came First is always under stated, never up front as it is when Townshend plays with The Who. In stead Pete relies heavily on. piano, or gan and synthesizer textures to color his songs. And, instead of the usual loud, brash guitar chords, Townshend stresses the songs themselves. Even the lyrics seem fuller and less hard- edged when Townshend sings them here. The words to the opening song on side two, “Time Is Passing,” really don't seem at first to be related to anything you’ve ever heard from The Who before; but they certainly em body one of the most powerful and beautiful lyrical statements Town shend has ever made:
I’m playin’ my guitar while my sister bangs a jar, The glass sets up a sound like people laughing. It’s going to my brain and it’s easing all my pain I must hear this sound again ’cause . time is passing . . .
There's something in the whisper of the trees Find it, I’ve got to hear it all again. Townshend once muttered that if he Millions hear it, still they can’t made a solo album "It wouldn’t be believe . My heart has heard the sound of very good." But no one who’s heard There are echoes of it splashing harmony. WHO CAME FIRST agrees with him. in the waves Climb to it, as my tears fall again, As an empire of dead men leave But it’s only by the music I’ll be their graves. free!
Don’t listen to people talk, or to The mad mask: The kind of private them singing songs. Townshend tracks that have finally Don’t listen to me or words from surfaced in Who Came First are by men above. no means a recent Who phenomenon. Don’t hear it in your needs and As early as 1965, Townshend demos don’t hear it in your greeds, were already of paramount import Just hear it in the sound of time ance. The hit singles that kept The passing. Who alive in the early days of the aCKCUS MUSIC
group’s-existence were all penned by Peter Townshend: For years dedicated the long-nosed wonder. In their forma Who followers have known Townshend as tive years playing hard-assed clubs in a raging rebel who furiously kicks his faul London the group acquired and cher ty amps over the edge of the stage. Now WHO CAME FIRST is giving them their ished the image of being violent, de first glimpse of a radically different side praved maniacs, largely due to Town of his character. shend’s penchant for showy destruc tion and his subsequent rationalization of the whole thing as “auto destruc tive art.” Pete has a clever mind, and much of what he told reporters was calculated to give an outrageous im pression; but all the while a calm, sen sible. rational Townshend chafed un derneath the madman image. Sensitive rebellion: Somehow, Townshend had to have an outlet for his sensitive nature, and soon it be came apparent that what Pete was doing at home in his studio was rad ically different from what he did as lead guitarist for The Who. For three years Townshend had gone onstage raging like a psychopath, kicking his left leg high in the air. swinging his right arm over his head like a pro peller. plunging his hand like a diving hawk at his guitar strings, and finally smashing his instrument onstage at the end of “My Generation." But when Pete dropped a bombshell on the stage of the Fillmore West in 1968 by finally NOT breaking his guitar, he took an all-important step in the di rection he wanted rather than the one he was required to take. Back stage after the show, during a painfully honest and soul-searching interview, Townshend talked for the first time of his work at home: “I like to play simply and tastefully and when I make records at home, I play simply and tastefully and I don’t play big chords and I don’t smash the guitar around. . . . When I write a song, what I usually do is work the lyric out first from some basic idea that I had and then I get an acoustic guitar and I ,v: sit by the tape recorder and T try to bang it out as it comes. ... If I dig it, I want to add things to it, like I’ll add bass or guitar or drums or an other voice.” Although Townshend downgraded his homemade tapes in that same in influence of the other members of returned to his hotel room and com terview (‘‘I think it’s of no importance the group. Last summer, at the end posed himself for awhile did he re Q —I don’t think it’s really got anything of a grueling tour covering the East vert back to a relaxed, friendly man 00 to do with what makes The Who The ern and Central United States, Town ner. When asked about the then re Who”) no one who has heard them shend gave a most dramatic illustra cently released solo album by Who has anything but praise for the music tion of the position his solo work has bassist John Entwistle, he replied with 5 Townshend was making on his own. within the framework of The Who. an answer that could well be applied g Flash flood of rage: Who Came Before the show at Chicago’s Audi to his own solo LP: “I see John’s al First, the full-blooded son of those torium Theatre, Townshend was ap bum to be very much a Who album,, demos, is the most intimate look at prehensive, during the show he would just like I feel Keith’s odd nights Pete Townshend’s personality we are fly into a rage when a piece of equip with the Bonzo Dog to be very much ever likely to see. Naturally Pete ex ment malfunctioned and smash it, and within the framework of The Who. presses an essential part of himself after the show he was moody and ir We are becoming more individuals through his work with The Who, but ritable backstage, cut off from all now; and so, in a way, whatever we when we see him as a part of that those around him, while the rest of do, I think if it is positive it will make band we see him filtered through the the group yukked it up. Only when he The Who more The Who.” * CJKCUS 9 Send letters to: Letters to the Editor C!RCUS Magazine 866 United Nations Plaza letters New York. N.Y. I 00 I 7 ALICE IS DISGUSTING______tide, “Why Dylan Did George Jack- constantly questioning, rejecting, and Mental illness is no joke, and ap son," with some hesitation, and this reaffirming various aspects of reality. parently Alice Cooper thinks it is. feeling was borne out in the article’s NASHVILLE SKYLINE is a power I know damn well it's not! I was in actual contents. It falls apart on ful litany to the Jewish vision of love an “institution" for a year, and be some crucial areas: “old-style reli (is this not “radical’'?): so, too, is lieve me it’s nothing to sing about. gious beliefs"—since when is Judaism NEW MORNING. Wcbcrman—the Recently my boy friend and I^wcnt an “old-style” religious belief? How most unreliable source of information to sec him, and I almost flipped out much docs the author of the little concerning the Jewish Bob Dylan again. He was the most disgusting piece (not credited) know of the around—fails to add an important thing I ever saw, and I saw a lot since richness and fluidity of Jewish fact. As Tony Scaduto recently told we had third row scats in the field. thought? Of Hasidism? Of Martin me (29 April), Dylan wrote “George I understand he is completely differ Buber? Of Jewish mysticism? As an Jackson’’ immediately after learning ent offstage and I hope so! I’d really orthodox Jew (and “orthodoxy" docs of Jackson’s death; ironically, the like to tell him how it “REALLY" not mean what many non-Jcws may news came to him just as he had fin is to be insane; maybe he wouldn’t think it to mean), and I am sure there ished the last page of Jackson’s Sole take it so lightly. I know kids that arc others, angrily resent this subtle dad Brother. adore him and that's their business. bit of literary anti-Semitism. Second: But when I listen or watch a group, Dylan has never contributed to “right CIRCUS has always enjoyed a rep I like to know who the singer really wing movements." Since when is the utation for non-ROLLING STONE is! Your article about him in the Jewish Defense League “right wing"? honesty and objectivity (as well as August issue was good, but I hope Has CIRCUS discussed or presented some of the excitement inherent in his image change comes fast. the plight of Russian Jews (a prime our generation's music). Please don’t Thank You, area of JDL’s concern), their con damage it with these collages of in A Sane Person stant suppression and murder? formation that spring from the sick Belmar, New Jersey The rest of the article is a com minds of those who wish to deny P.S. I like your magazine! bination of half-truths. What does Dylan’s right to pray to his God! CIRCUS mean by “radical politics”? Shalom b’Aratz CONCERNING DYLAN______Dylan has always been a “radical”— Stephen Pickering I approached your recent short ar- in the religious sense of the word— (Hofetz Chaim) Putting a good band together isn’t child’s play. Putting a good band together is a lot of very hard work. First it takes years to learn your instrument. Then a lot of dues must be paid along the way trying to get together with the right combination of people to produce "your” sound. Ramatam’s people have been around long enough to know what they want. Mitch RAMATAM. Mitchell was with the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Mike Pinera was with Blues Image and Iron A significant Butterfly. Tommy Sullivan was with Brooklyn Bridge, Russ Smith gained his expertise with a new band rockgroup in Miami. April Lawton's guitar on Atlantic Records playing has been likened to some of the all-time rock greats. They wanted to be in and tapes, a a band together. Atlantic] 10 CIRCUS I would like to congratulate How letter. Because in the album Mick Jagger ard Bloom on his superb article on CIRCUS is first and foremost a is singing a new kind of music. Sure Alice Cooper. The group’s history musical magazine. It is published to he was great when he came out with was written with exquisite taste. I let us know what’s happening on the “Satisfaction,” “Mother’s Little Help just saw Alice in concert last week, music scene. It was never meant to er,” etc. But times have changed and the whole act was a living nightmare. be a philosophical messenger. so has Mick. So he tries his luck at Alice strutted onto the stage with his Second. I do not think that CIR de blooz. In mine and quite a few pct boa constrictor in his right hand CUS is degenerating the nation’s others opinions he's done a great job. and the other clenched as if to beat youth. Kids today have their own, Especially with one song “Sweet Vir the hell out of some dumbshit, while individual ideas and I don't think that ginia.” the stage filled with millions of multi this magazine will change them. There I admit if you’re the type that loves colored bubbles. The finale was fit is nothing “dirty” about the way the the old Stones music and nothing for only Alice himself. The whole people in this book dress. As a mat else, then Exile is not for you. The group took Alice to the gallows and ter of fact they're probably cleaner Stones weren't deported, they’re see hung him. It was so damn fantastic. than you, Mr. Braddock!!! ing a new start. Give them a chance! It was by far the best concert I have Thirdly, if you want to read arti A Mick Jagger Lover ever been to. And about the bastards cles about Laurence Welk, etc., there New Jersey (to be literary) that call Alice a fag. are other magazines that deal with Well all I can say is that they don’t that type of music. Who the hell is Ed Naha and know their ass from their elbow, and Finally, if anyone has “courage,” where docs he get the idea that he is they better find out from Mr. Bloom Mr. Braddock, it’s you for writing qualified to write “The Record Lov before they decide to take a crap. that terrible letter! er's Guide?” To find this out, let's Paul Bincr Love and Peace, look at his idiotic review of Exile On San Diego, California Lisa Lantino Main Street. First he says the Stones Address Withheld can't do songs with many chord COUNTER ATTACK FOR CIRCUS___ changes. Obviously he hasn't been P.S. Keep up the good work, CIR This is a letter in rebuttal to Mr. listening to them for very long. Then CUS! Braddock, Jr. he insinuates that Mick can't sing I have just finished reading his BREAKING BONES OVER STONES the blues. How about “Love In Vain,” letter (“Circus Corrupts the Nation”) Ed? Or maybe songs like “Wild in the September issue of CIRCUS. I am writing this letter in protest Horses” or “Sweet Virginia?” In the letter he states that “CIR against the reviews that Ed Naha About the horns, Ed. In case you CUS MAGAZINE is a waste of wrote on The Rolling Stones’ Exile didn’t know, that's Bobby Keyes on money.” Well, in my opinion, it was on Main Street. saxophone and Jim Price on trumpet a waste of time for him to write that He put it down, which was wrong, and trombone. Maybe those names
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The authentic folk and popular music of Brazil. Sophisticated melodies laced with primitive rhythms. Songs that arc the embodiment of Brazilian cultural tradition, from bossa nova to black magic. Primal Roots is an Afro-Brazilian revolution in popular music. From Sergio Mendes & Brasil '77.
I Primal Roots I On A&M Records
€MXUS 11 LETTERS ring a bell, huh. Ed? Check the cred its on the Mad Dogs And English men album. About your reference to the chick singers. According to my information, the only people on the album arc Jagger, Richard, Taylor, national scenes Wyman. Watts, Keyes, Price, and Nicky Hopkins. One last thing, Ed. NEW YORK NOVEMBER 1 Loew’s Theater — PROCUL HARUM (Syra You say all the songs sound the same. OCTOBER 21 cuse) Well, if you can’t tell “Sweet Vir Academy of Music MALO (NYC) NOVEMBIIER 2 OCTOBER 21 Palacei Theater PROCOL HARUM (Al- ginia’’ from “Rip This Joint,” maybe Max's Kansas City STEFAN GROSS- bany) MAN (NYC) NOVEMBERI 3 it's about time you had your cars OCTOBER 22 Town Halil^— LINDA RONSTADT (NYC) checked. OCTOBEtRr25C°l,e8e — SEATRAIN (Clinton) NOVEMBER 3of Rochester — QUICK SILVER University From the sound of things, you’re Carnegie Hall — MERRY CLAYTON (NYC) (Rochester) the one who should be deported. NOVEMBER 4 Kleinhan’s Auditorium PROCUL HAR- M. N. Rambler UM (Buffalo) NOVEMBER 5 Virginia Philharmonic Hall — HOLLYS (NYC) NOVEMBER 6 Best Bets Carnegie Hall — AMERICA (NYC) Editor’s Note: Ed Naha’s heard NOVEMBER 6 quivered, his nose lit up, and his Jabberwocky Club — TAJ MAHAL (Syra Of The Month cuse) brain awoke from a twenty-one year NOVEMBER 6 Concert MIKE QUATRO/JAM BAND sleep when he saw your letter and (NYC) realized how filled it was with factual NOVEMBERT 6-8 Philhaiirmonic Hall — CAT STEVENS (NYC) errors. So he promptly tucked his NOVEMBJeguT 8Hall — CLANCY BROTHERS Carne,. CLANCY shirt into his jeans and sprinted off (NYC) to the swamps of New Jersey, where NOVEM2:mber____ 8 Academyiderr of Music PROCUL HARUM he keeps his Rolling Stones record NOVEMBERER 101 collection in a box of bullfrogs under Union CollCollege TAJ MAHAL (Schenec- tady) his bed. and telephoned back the fol NOVEMBER 10 I® Concert — CHI-LITES“ (Jamaica) lowing words to the CIRCUS office'. NOVEMBER 11 “Mr. Rambler says there are no chick Concert SAVOY BROWN (NYC) NOVEMBER:r 13 singers on Exile On Main Street. Well Madison1 Square Garden — JETHRO TULL (NYC) according to the liner notes, Clydie NOVEMBEfER 14 King, Vanetta, Tammi Lynn and C. W. Post College PROCUL HARUM (Long Island) Shirley Goodman are featured in vari NOVEMBER 17-18 Carnegie Hall — 5th DIMENSION (NYC) ous combinations on 'Let It Loose* NOVEMBER 19-20 ‘Shine A Light,’ and ‘Just Wanna See Carnegie Hall — ELTON JOHN (NYC) Jethro Tull: They’ll skulk onstage in white NOVEMBER 22-23 His Face.’ As for the horn work of trench coats to play a full forty-five mln- Academy of IMusic’ — NEW RIDERS OF Bobby Keyes and Jim Price, the pro- * THE PURPLE S)>AGE (NYC) utes of uninterrupted THICK AS A BRICK. NOVEMBER 24 duct ion on this LP was so bad that Concert — CHll-LITES (NYC) NOVEMBER 24-25 even God could have been blowing Academy of Music — SAVOY BROWN the brass and it would have sounded (NYC) like a kazoo. Until you can come up CALIFORNIA with a better Jagger defense, ya bet OCTOBER 21 ter get yer ya yas out!” Thank you, Berkeley Comiimunity Center ELTON young Ed! JOHN (Berkeley) OCTOBER 21 Funky Quarters — TAJ MAHAL (San Di ego) SLIP’EM SOME SEX OCTOBER 22 Convention Center — ELTON JOHN (Ana I think this book or magazine heim) OCTOBER 22-23 needs more articles for Groupies. For Concert — QUICKSILVER (San Francisco) example in the August issue, on page OCTOBER 23 Forum — ELTON JOHN (Inglewood) 59, in the paragraph “A hot trip to OCTOBER 24 Hell” you describe the 23 year old Music Center — ROBERTA FLACK (Los Angeles) who slithers onstage in his leather OCTOBER 25 Berkeley Community Theater ELTON harness and torn tights, slides his JOHN (Berkeley) hands over his bare thighs . . (Alice OCTOBER 27 McCafe’s Guitar Shop — STEFAN GROSS- Cooper). Now all ya Groupies out Elton John: For the first time In Ffs ca- MAN (Los Angeles) there can’t tell me that don’t get ya reer, Elton will embark on a major tour OCTOBER 29 with a lead guitarist—Davey Johnstone. Sports Arena — ELTON JOHN (San Diego) horny. I would like to know some of NOVEMBER 1 , . Forum — MOODY BLUES (Los Angeles) the group’s opinions on Groupies al NOVEMBER 3 Auditorium — MOODY BLUES (San Diego) so. But the Groupies nowadays are OCTOBER 25 NOVEMBER 3 a lot different than they used to be. University of Buffalo BONNIE RAITT Concert — CHEECH i CHONG (Fullerton) (Buffalo) NOVEMBER 4 Do you remember the Groupie Black OCTOBER 27 Concert — MOODY BLUES (Long Beach) Sabbath pissed on? We’re not like Philharmonic Hall — SEALS & CROFTS NOVEMBER 4 . (NYC) Convention Hall — MERRY CLAYTON (San them old Groupies are we? What we OCTOBER 27 Diego) Memorial Auditorium GUESS WHO NOVEMBIIER 5 need is fun! (Buffalo) Paladiuium -— MERRY CLAYTON (Los An s. c. c. ' OCTOBER 27-5of8Music — HOT TUNA (NYC) geles)°^es)^ ~ Academy g NOVEMBER 11 (The Groupies) OCTOBER 28 Concert CHEECH & CHONG (Sacra- South Carolina Wifar“Memorial — GUESS WHO (Rochester) mento) 12 CIRCUS NOVEMBER 12 COLORADO Petersburg) Communityty Theater' — MERRY CLAYTON NOVEMBER 5 (Berkeley) OCTOBER 21 Coliseum — JETHRO TULL (Jacksonville) NOVEMBER:r 17 The Gallerjlery — JAMES COTTON BLUES NOVEMBER 12 Concert — SHA NA NA (Santa Monica) BAND (Asp
Marc Benno is waiting in Ambush with some new songs and old friends On A&M Records to steal away your blues and give your mind a sunshine feelin’.
Produced by Divid Anderle and Marc Benno CB2OJS 13 p
OCTOBER 22 Concert — IKE & TINA TURNER (Indian ICTOBtK 24 apolis) Concert — CHEECH & CHONG (Tucson) OCTOBER 24 NOVEMBER 3 Concert — WISHBONE ASH (Muncie) Concert — MIKE QUATRO/JAM BAND OCTOBER 24 (Portales) Concert — IKE & TINA TURNER (Muncie) NOVEMBER 3 OCTOBER 25 Concert — BOB SEGER (Portales) Concert — WISHBONE ASH (Ft. Wayne) NOVEMBER 4 OCTOBER 25 Concert — MIKE QUATRO/JAM BAND Concert — IKE & TINA TURNER (Ft. (Santa Fe) Wayne) NOVEMBER 4 OCTOBER 26 Concert — BOB SEGER (Santa Fe) Concert — WISHBONE ASH (Indianapolis) O(ICTOBER 26 Ct' Concert — IKE & TINA TURNER (Indian NORTH CAROLINA apolis) OCTOBERI 28 OCTOBER 25 Northwe. western Universtiy — SHA NA NA 3 State Univer.irsity — POCO (Chapel Hill) (Evansville) NOVEMBER 16 NOVEMBER 5 Coliseum — ELTON JOHN (Charlotte) Fairgrounds Coliseum — GRAND FUNK NOVEMBER 4 RAILROAD (Iniidianapolis) ‘ Concert — CHUBBY CHECKER (Greens- NOVEMBER 6 boro) Coliseum — JETHRO TULL (Ft. Wayne) NOVEMBER 9 Moody Blues: The Moodys’ tour has got NEVADA Concert — HARRY CHAPIN (Indianapolis) to be something special. Eleven hundred NOVEMBER 9 NOVEMBER 18 Purdue Univ
THE FIRST SOLO ARTIST BOB JOHNSTON HAS PRODUCED SINCE BOB DYLAN, JOHNNY CASH AND LEONARD COHEN.
One night in a small Texas club, after he had heard Michael sing and play five bars of a song. Akhael Bob Johnston asked him if he wanted to do an album. Two weeks later Michael was recording in Nashville.
His music is simple and melodic I and he sings about theljoys of waking up j with enough insight to make each song a vision. ' His first album is called Geronimo s Cadillac. Michael Murphey On A&M Records CIRCUS is record reviews by Ed Kelleher
Gilbert O’Sullivan: Gilbert’s insane. Long live Gilbert!
T. Rex: Sounds as if the songs were dash ed off on the back of a beer decal . . . but they came out sparkling like wine.
Gilbert O’Sullivan—Himself (MAM) identifying with life’s losers. Listen to trie Warrior was one of the most curi A bout a year ago a young Irishman his carefully restrained optimism as ously refreshing albums of last year, named Gilbert O’Sullivan re he contemplates “Matrimony.” O’Sul and The Slider i.y cut from the same leased a brilliant single, “Nothing livan is startlingly unique—obviously ctath. It includes the band’s two mon Rhymed.” It was followed almost im not for everyone’s taste but imbued umental British chartbusters, “Tele mediately by an equally brilliant al with an admirable sense of dignity gram Sam” and “Metal Guru,” both bum, Himself. Both died unnatural and a pure love for humanity’s foibles. of which flopped on this side of the deaths, and it seemed as if this un He is somewhat reminiscent of the water. The remainder of the songs likely candidate for superstardom was British music hall performers of the fall into one of two categories—either just a little bit too unlikely, even in early Twentieth Century and the full they are quick charging, unabashed this age when the exception is more blown production work by Gordon rockers or strangely hypnotic, image likely to become the rule than the Mills accentuates this feeling further. laden works. Bolan’s penchant for rule itself. But Gilbert persevered and But in the end it is O’Sullivan himself, repetition and his tendency to opt for “Alone Again Naturally” alerted the with his piercingly beautiful lyrics and the easy rhyme are as apparent as public at large to his enormous talent. unorthodox vocal style, who carries it ever, but somehow they are forgivable, Now “Himself” has been repackaged off like ai rookie running back the particularly when you take into ac and dropped once again into the mar opening Ikick-off for ninety-eight count that he has had the good humor ket place. It is an album which is as yards. to reprint his lyrics on the sleeve. disturbing as it is diverting. In another Songs like “Main Man” and “Baby century O'Sullivan might have been Strange” are so absurdly simple and certified as mad and summarily dis direct that one can’t help thinking missed; but then again in another cen T. Rex—The Slider (Reprise) they were originally dashed off on the tury a person might not have exposed Andy Warhol once predicted that back of a beer decal. But that’s alright. the machinations of his heart and mind the time would come when every per Bolan is out primarily for a good as blatantly as this fellow has. O’Sulli son in the universe would be a celebri time, and in The Slider he has put van is your man in the street, the ty, if only for ten minutes. That day, together as innocuous a masterpiece as stranger who trudges by you in the of course, hasn’t arrived yet, so chaps has come along all year. Incidentally, wintry night, the guy in the pub who like Marc Bolan will have a little bass player Steve Currie and drummer has had a pint too much. Through_his extra time in the sun. Only joking, Bill Legend have been elevated to full lyrics glow a foreboding of the future, folks. Actually, Bolan deserves the group status, thereby making T.Rex a dissatisfaction with the present and success which has come his way. He a quartet. But make no mistake about a regret for the missed chances of the has adroitly parlayed his minimal in it—this is Bolan’s show all the way, past. He is bathed in sentimentality strumental prowess and a kind of and once again he has slid straight on even as he attempts to affect a glare schoolboy poetic style into a winning through. of cool detachment. Observe the al combination. His position is truly that most relieved glee he derives from of the commoner as superstar. Elec- 16CWXU* Jefferson Airplane—Long John Sil ver (Grunt) OVU1QJ As their records get worse their covers get better. Who else but the Jefferson Airplane? Stated simply, it’s ■SEEPS' been a little too long since the last great album by Grace and the gang. But as an ceric ennui has tightened its nrcri grip on the band, their packages have grown more and more imaginative. This one is in the form of a humidor pack—(otherwise known as a cigar box) it can actually be assembled and functions quite nicely. If only the Air plane had put such care into the disk! “Long John Silver” suffers from an overbearing sameness of sound and— far worse—a basic irrelevancy. Now a lot of music can be dismissed as irrelevant—after all, what is pertinent about the lyrics in “School’s Out”? Ah, but there is a difference: groups like Alice Cooper don’t take up a stance of relevancy. The Airplane rails against once sacred cows with a pom posity that far outdistances the ravings of the targets themselves. Who really cares to hoar Paul Kantncr preach about Jesus? Does it matter that Grace Slick disagrees with the pope? It’s all done with such a domineering air— here’s the latest statement of beliefs from the San Francisco iconoclasts. Once Jefferson Airplane was commit ted to being the finest West Coast rock band in existence, and perhaps they could still regain that distinction. But not with records which merely plod endlessly on an old treadmill. With riffs which are mere shadows of an earlier greatness. And with lyrics which presume a naivete on the part of a listener matched only by his resistance to new forms of artistic expression. .... with the "Breadwinner." Ovation's first solid body guitar is everything you would expect it to be. It's the start of a whole new era in electric guitars. Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen—Hot Licks, Cold .... with I. C. One Hundred Steel & Truckers Favorites six channel P.A. system. (Paramount) Commander Cody had a hit single Ovation's exclusive use of I.C.'s and hybrid modules with “Hot Rod Lincoln,” so it comes offer the ultimate in sound, reliability and service ability. as no real surprise that their next al And with our famous acoustic bum features a liberal assortment of tunes about fast moving vehicles. But and acoustic electric roundback guitars. what might have seemed like a good idea in the studio emerges as a pretty thin concept when spread over two sides of a thirty-three-and-a-third. What “Lost In The Ozone” lacked in style and musical direction it more than made up for in good humor and swaggering irreverence; but Hot Licks falls short of the mark because its underlying mood is something ap (SEND 25rf FOR proaching seriousness. Oh, there are TRUCKIN POSTER) some laughs here, but the band seems record reviews track—representing the most effective blending of rhythm section and brass on the entire album. A beautiful con cert captured with care, fidelity and precision.
B.B. King—Guess Who (ABC) B.B. King opens side one of his umpteenth album with a surprisingly uninspired treatment of John Sebas tian's “Summer In The City,” but it turns out that this is the only below average cut on the record. Average for B.B. has long been several notches above that which most performers will settle for, so what we're really saying here is that the King of the Blues has made another typically excellent LP. Jefferson Airplane: Maybe the Plane is ready for mothballs. Interestingly, B.B. has turned to the songbooks of some of the Sixties’ to have lost much of their tongue-in- If you have the Band s first four al most diversified composers—men like cheek air. When they try their hands bums in your collection, then you Jerry Ragavoy and Hoyt Axion—and at a Cajun standard like “Diggy Liggy are already well acquainted with the adapted their works to the blues Lo,” they treat it as just that—a material. And if you agree that Music framework in which he has thrived standard to be deferred to rather than From Big Pink and The Band repre for more years than most of today’s a frame on which might be hung an sent their greatest achievements, then rock guitarists have been drawing original and jovial performance. The you’ll be pleased to find that the live breath. The accent throughout is on a same goes for “Rip It Up,” which has versions of “The Weight,” “Across cool, laid-back kind of guitar playing never been more than something to The Great Divide,” “Rag Mama Rag” buttressed by a horn section which get out and dance to, and “Tutti and “The Night They Drove Old stands ever at the ready to add just Frutti,” which is a mere echo of the Dixie Down” arc every bit as delight the proper punctuation to each of the versions which have gone before— ful as the originals. One of the bright phrases. B.B. is always fun when he’s Elvis's, of course, not to mention Pat spots of many Band concerts has been putting someone down (as in “You Boone’s. The one exception on the the portion set aside for Garth Hud Don’t Know Nothin’ About Love”) album is “Mama Hated Diesels,” son to solo away. Here he truly comes or extolling the virtues of a woman which was written by Kevin “Blackie” across in grand Phantom of the Opera (as in “Il Takes A Young Girl”). Farrell. With lead guitarist Bill Kir . fashion as he creates a world of cas And when he really turns on the chen handling the vocal, it is a lovely cading organ swirls under the general charm (as in Jesse Boivin’s “Guess send-up of the truck song as Art title “The Genetic Method.” Midway Who”), he stops just this side of coy Form. The group extracts every ounce through he tugs the New Year in to ness to give the song the honesty and of humor from a tale of a love lost the strains of “Auld Lang Syne,” as restraint it deserves but doesn’t often on the side of the highway. Still that’s the audience stomps and shouts. The receive. That B.B. is a fixed star, only 5:17, hardly time to pull your encore of Chuck Willis’ “I Don’t whom other blues artists can measure rig in, check your oil and have a ran Want To Hang Up My Rock And their worth by, is only reinforced by cid cup of coffee with your favorite Roll Shoes” is another outstanding this close to perfect set. waitress, Louise.
The Band—Rock Of Ages (Capitol) Nothing is certain except death, taxes and live albums. And the Band has given in to the inevitable order of things with this two-disk set recorded last New Year's Eve at Manhattan's Academy of Music. This is the now famous concert at which Bob Dylan made a surprise appearance, though sad to say he does not do likewise on the album. The Band tried something new during that engagement—they augmented their already strong ranks with five of New York’s premier horn men, and the result is a remarkably round musical sound. The brass adds just that much extra sinew to the pro ceedings, and the Band members themselves seem to play with extra fervor. It’s all quite something to hear! is CK€US GRANDFUNK T'HBENIX”
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Capitol. The Band: Traditionally a live concert of previously recorded material is about as adventurous as a good night’s sleep. But when The Band came to New York, they had a tradition-breaking experiment in
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ew York’s Tirr Year’s Eve i place to be. Sinc< One, tens of thou have annually flo Forty Second Sti guzzle down spir year’s evil vibes ar Year via the blov and jovial singin Year’s Eve about from New York’s another type of lot song-singing occun which culminated < of togetherness fo sicians, The Band- IE known smilingly £ backup group.” At Lx emy of Music, in 1 Lc paying customers, t o legendary songs fr s decade into one tu o concert complete v £ pected six-piece bi mind-awakening sui by Patrick ("Willie Boy") Salvo Feathers of an Angel Jg - ■ ance by the fabled yet unpredictable thc ground anymore, because it was world tour. Subsequent Band tours folk-rock poet—Bob Dylan. just a supreme feeling for us. I mean with Mr. D included dates across Can Ten months later the tapes of that il it was just right for the occasion— ada (the birth place of four-fifths of lustrious night’s events (minus Dylan's horns and New Year's Eve, right? And The Band), the U.S.A., the British appearance) have finally emerged as it was incredible just to be able to Isles, France, Sweden, Denmark and Rock Of Ages (on Capitol), an album cross that bridge.” Australia. Robbie has admitted that that may whisk the cobwebs off a Crossing that bridge on seventeen those high-flying days with the master group which has let itself slip just one tracks throughout the two-record doc left him more than a little awe-struck step too deeply into the shadows. ument, the moonshine-mountain Band and dizzy. “At first we were confused Crawling out of the bushes: In boys sparkled brightest on old-fash as to what we were doing. . . . There 1969, The Band was the best-publi ioned horny bandstand grease. From were things like running into limos cized, most-written about group in all the screaming guitar solos in the tear and private planes, the time off be of rockdom. They accompanied Dylan ful “King Harvest” to the uptempoed, tween jobs, which we'd never had in his first British appearance in over updated born-for-horns rendition of before. Bob introduced us to the poets four years, won a coveted appearance “Caledonia Mission,” The Band re- and to everybody from Marlon Bran- on the Ed Sullivan Show, and became what may well be the only rock group Back up In Woodstock, Dylan’s been talk ing to The Band’s Robbie Robertson in history to make the cover of Time about a scheme that could precipitate the Magazine. Then Robbie Robertson and biggest shower of anticipation since his four companions suddenly slipped George Harrison’s legendary Bangla Desh off to their Woodstock homes and spent two long years totally out of sight. They refused all interviews, made only a few rare sorties onto the concert stage, and issued new LP’s with frustrating infrequency. Now, only ten months after the emergence of their last album {Cahoots), The Band has tossed Rock Of Ages into the rock and roll race, and has al lowed rumors to leak out about pos sibly joining Dylan for the folk-rock myth maker's first tour in well over five years. What’s more, after two years saying a bristly “no” to report ers, Robbie Robertson has called Cir cus Magazine for a long and amiable chat, only to reveal that the trium phant concert which led to Rock Of Ages was more than just the easy-go ing outburst of jovial celebration it appeared to be on the surface. Flirting with brass: Respite the ob vious good vibes and musical spon A • taneity, there was an air of tension and anxiety surrounding the Band’s first public flirtation with brass. Speaking from his quiet Woodstock home, Rob ertson laid bare the underlying sig nificance of the event to the men who mained nostalgically innovative, co- do to John Lee Hooker.” were up onstage that New Year’s night. quettishly reminiscent. From some Then Bob broke his neck in a “The horns were strictly experiment new melody changes and interwoven motorcycle accident, and they all al!!!” he confided. “We honestly didn’t cross harmonies in the group’s classic moved to the country. As Dylan’s in know if we were going to walk out “The Weight,” through the quivering jury healed, he began working on with these hornmen and if the purists clarinet rhythms of “The Shape I’m “The Basement Tapes”—nearly forty were going to be insulted. We thought In,” The Band continued to excel as demos that he and The Band per we hadn’t got the thing down, and we the world’s finest latter day set of holy formed together, then sent off to ac actually didn’t give it as much time rock and rollers. quaint groups like Manfred Mann as we should have. You sec, we didn’t Dylan days: The Band’s holy rock with unrecorded Dylan songs like want to come off sounding like those and rolling first began to attract wide “The Mighty Quinn.” And soon The big cocktail lounge bands or those spread attention back in the mid-Six- Band started to write music on its pretentious jazz-rock things. We really tics, when Bob Dylan heard the group own, composing the material that didn’t think it was gonna happen!” at a local beer dive in Sommers Point, would ultimately become the guts of But happen it did. The Band and New Jersey, hired Robbie and Levon their first album, Music From The their horns had everyone, including Helm to accompany him on his revo Big Pink. The result? They felt forced themselves, flying high. “When we lutionary Hollywood Bowl and Forest to retire to the seclusion and privacy first heard the horns it was like sail Hills electric gigs, and later acquired of the fabled forests of Woodstock. ing,” Robertson enthusiastically chim the rest of the Hawks (as they were But the retreat that has stretched on ed. “I mean we weren’t standing on then known) to back him in his 1966 for many moons since then may be MUSIC about to end in a far more dramatic proving yet curious smile on her manner than anyone could have en cracked country lips and whispers into visioned. the pines, “Nice fellows they arc, but A Dylan tour? Gliding through the they don't talk much.” sleepy hollows of Woodstock town, And the Grateful Dead? Knowledge north on route 212 past the creaky able sources say the hermit-like musi bell-lowered town hall, down along cians may soon join forces with Bob the firry cove, around the harvesting Dylan for a tour that could be the cornfields and sloping bends, up the biggest onstage event since George wooden hills to Bearsvillc, you soon Harrison's Bangla Desh affair. But Gerald Rothberg presents detect a small, shrub-covered sign when he telephones Circus, Robbie which reads in big, black Gothic let Robertson is characteristically vague ters: “Rena from Zena Antiques ’Z» about whether that historic tour will Mile.” As Tim Hardin's sepia-colored ever materialize as a reality. “Dylan station wagon passes you on the left. mentioned maybe touring with the
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you reach the celebrated Rena’s house Grateful Dead to me,” says Robbie and antique museum. Suddenly you slowly, “We talked about both going spot a black Lincoln Continental on the road again together, but I real cruising past Rena’s humble fire-red ly don’t know. You know, we’re both THIS NEW LITERARY POKE AT THE Volkswagen bus. The car suavely dis kind of vague people in that we sit ESTABLISHMENT IS ON NEWSSTANDS appears amid a cloud of swirling dust around and make plans . . . but, you NOW! Full of sharp satiric wit, barbs 'bout into the back yard of the freshly know, it’s really hard to get out of everything—politicians, TV heroes, super painted adjoining two-family house, that rocking chair.” Yet if the record movies and cartoons like you never saw and a vividly beautiful though preg the Band produced when they got out in the Sunday Edition of The Twin Oaks nant willow of elegance and grace of their rocking chairs last New Year Gazette. emerges from the car. Sliding out of becomes a warm-up exercise for a In this Special November issue of GRIN, the driver’s seat on the other side, a tour with Bob Dylan, it could prove in keeping with the political atmosphere, lanky Robby Robertson steps around once and for all that the reticent five- a big bonus—A Full Color Election Year the hood and angles toward his preg some’s urge to rock and roll in public Poster! nant wife. Looking like an English is a hell of a lot stronger than their SO, GET GRIN AT NEWSSTANDS EVERY Mod record company executive rather compulsion to sit on a Woodstock WHERE. YOU CAN HAVE A GRIN-ING DAY. than the country boy guitar virtuoso porch casually rocking the furniture of old, he waves to Rena and is off while lethargic spiders cover them with to visit fellow Band member Rick the silky strands of age and anony Danko. Rena turns to us with an ap- mity. • ON THE HORIZON
' | ’‘he rock world has always father- ering to set the world on fire. Post 1 cd more than its share of myths. poning his holocaustal plans in fa For instance, do you remember when vor of a jam, John soon found him everyone was positive that Paul Mc Doobie Brothers: self cookin’ in Tom’s blues stew and, Cartney was dead and gone? (This despite the protests of neighbors and partitular theory was disproved to local law enforcement agents, the some degree by the appearance of his The Folkies Who Doobie duo jammed the day away in last three solo albums.) Or remember Tom's living room. when everybody insisted that G[and A squirt of folk: Picking up a bass Funk Railroad was really a musical Punched Up ist the newly-expanded Doobie trio group? (Some say this idea was dis began gigging around the San Jose proved by the release of their last area. Bluegrass singer-writcr-guitarist three albums.) Well, legend lovers, if Pat Simmons found himself sharing a you've been getting bored of late due the Ookies bill with the strange blues-boys at the to the shortage of mythmakers, you'll Gaslighter one night: and much to his just go crazy over the Doobie Bro by Ed Naha delight he found them to his liking. thers, a five-man band that has given Bluesy Tom introduced folkic Pat to the most classic rock exemplum in The Doobie Brothers: It started with the the realm of electric rock and Pat, in history—the rags to riches success gentle habit of busting guitars in half. turn, offered the unamplified sound story—a timely shot in the arm. to Tom. The birth of Doobies rock. The Doobies, whose latest Warner Enter Pat . . . exit one bassist. Down LP Toulouse Street is selling like to three and wanting to be five, the crazy, came out of left field about a Doobie Brothers enlisted the aid of year ago with a homemade demon heavy-handed bass player Tiran Por stration tape which they submitted ter and powerhouse drummer Michael quietly to Warner Brothers Records. Hossack to complete their hard-rock Before loo long, the Doobie boys were ing acoustic ensemble. almost magically scrawling their John On Toulouse Street, the five Doobies Hancocks on the doited line of a re offer a tasteful collection of both cording contract, thus becoming one originals (penned by Pat and Tom) of the first bands in Warner's history and semi-classic standards such as to be signed for their sound and their Sonny Boy Williamson’s "Don’t Start sound alone, no hype, no fast talking Me To Talkin’” and "Jesus Is Just managers. Alright With Me.” a song popularized Breaking stringy necks: The sound by the Byrds. Balanced precariously which impressed the Warners execs on a musical high wire stretching be so greatly is a rollicking hybrid of tween folk and delta blues funk, the happy-go-lucky rock and foot-stomp Doobies manage to pay homage to ing acoustic blues. The origin of the both genres and come out sounding fast-paced music of the California fresh and novel. based band can be traced back to one Aside from being technically accom fateful >day in the dawn of the Sixties plished, the sound of the Doobie when Tom Johnston (lead singer, Brothers is a bouncy, full-of-life ex writer, guitarist, pianist, harp player perience. They all arc young and their and all around nice guy) purchased music reflects all the joys and pleas his first guitar for the monumental ures of a group of rockers who. in sum of twelve dollars. Firmly into one short year, have gone from play rhythm and blues, Tom went through ing sleezy bars and overcrowded cof four guitars in a very short span of feehouses to creating polished record time when he discovered that he could ings. No one could sum up the light get even with his instruments for hearted musical philosophy of the zest popping strings during frenzied solos ful bunch better than Tom Johnston by breaking their necks in half. So who sings in "Listen To The Music:” much for delicate musicianship. Mastering the sounds of Jimmy What the people need Reed and Little Richard, Tom went by punching out drunk, irate Oakies Js a way to make them smile . . . on the road, performing in all black who were a bit pissed off because the Oh. listen to the music blues clubs, where the evening floor dynamic Doobie didn’t play any Glen Oh. listen to the music shows would usually end in a finale Campbell ditties. All the time of fist fights or an occasional shotgun Somehow, Tom survived long blast. For variety’s sake, Tom would enough to join forces with drummer The joyful noise of the Doobie Bro also play white bars, where he would John Hartman, a new California resi thers ... a much-needed addition to casually fill the gaps in between tunes dent straight out of Virginia and hank- the doom-laden sounds of ’72. •
24 CKOJS I
HORIZON When David Bowie Blessed the Strawbs by Janis Schacht There’s blood in the dust ain’s LP charts than anyone else. He Where the city’s heart beats members of Elmer Gantry’s Velvet was the one who made Dave Cousins The children play games Opera (a 1969 theatrical outfit not rock. “The first time Blue Weaver That they take from the streets unlike Alice Cooper) stomped out of played with us,” Dave exclaimed, “he How can you teach when you’ve their old group and into the tranquil was terrified. He'd always been a bach so much to learn? trio. Then the revitalized group was ing musician, and suddenly he was the May you turn asked to play a rock and roll circus featured lead instrumentalist. He went In your grave in Paris. “It was the first time we out onstage expecting a noisy audi New world. played with Rick Wakeman,” recalls ence—he was used to people scream •‘New World" the Strawbs’ leader and major creative ing while he was onstage. But sud (Grave New World) spirit Dave Cousins while sprawling denly everybody was sort of listening comfortably on the mocha bedspread intently, and he sat there frightened ncc upon a time in the suburbs of an American hotel room. “Rick out of his skull. When he came off Vy of London, a young mime artist had sheet music on top of his organ, afterwards, he said he'd actually felt named David Bowie was asked to and he was learning to play it as he like ripping his shirt off . . . himself.” conic to a television studio and silent went along, and people were saying Drumsticks in mid-air: Onstage you ly act out the meaning of a song being ‘he’s a bit exceptional isn't he’ as he’d never know quite what you may ex performed by a group called the be going off into these incredible pect from this group of highly poetic Strawbs. David did the date, and in solos.” folk-rockers. “Onstage, we’re a mix the end he liked what the group did Losing out to Yes: But as is often ture of the gentleness of our live al-
The Strawbs: They playing at a bum Antiques and Curios (A&M) so much that he asked the band down Parisian rock circus when they gave fu to the club he was managing called ture Yes-man Rick Wakeman his start. with the soft acoustic things and the the Three Tuns. Then the Strawbs slightly more heavy things such as played the Beckenham Free Festival the case, people change, and so do folk ‘Tomorrow’ from the Grave New as David’s guests. In return he played bands. Rick Wakeman left to pursue World album (A&M). We do that in Hounslow as their guest only a a rock and roll career with Yes, sur song with a long organ passage in short while afterwards. But that was rounded by a fortress of pianos, or the middle. We’re a strange mixture a long, long time ago. when David gans and synthesizers. And that’s when of two things, it starts off softly and feared large crowds and The Strawbs the Strawb’s decibel level began to builds to the last thing we do in the were a gentle little folk band. Since rival Mount Vesuvius on a symphonic act which is ‘New World.’ which that time Bowie's became a monster binge. Rick was replaced by a lava somebody described recently as ‘bone of sorts and The Strawbs have grown spewing. volcanic catalyst named Blue crushing’ ... at least it creates an loud enough to win the occasional Weaver, formerly organist with the atmosphere.” title of “Grand Strawb Railroad.” English scream band Amen Corner. “There’s a drum solo in the middle The elves grow up: What turned a Blue, a gentle young Welshman who of ‘Tomorrow’ which is like no drum quiet threesome of acoustic folk elves only sounds Welsh when he’s drunk, solo you’ve ever seen. It really isn’t into roaring electric giants? First off, is more responsible for catapulting the like a drum solo.at all,” Dave con Richard Hudson and John Ford, two band up to the Top Twenty on Brit- tinues. “When we did the song in Bos- CMXUS 25 ton, Hud (drummer Richard Hudson) sings "Bcncdictus?” It must be . . . fans' hearts once in a while. “I’ve was swinging from the light boom after all. it is the Strawbs. Incidental become a rocker in me old age,” Dave above the stage. First he was playing ly the other Strawb is Tony Hooper, Cousin's concludes “I’ve only been at the P.A., then he started to play the who. like Dave Cousins, has been the electric guitar for eighteen months lighting boom, then he started to crawl with the band since early acoustic now. I've been hampered for too long, being static in front of a microphone along the lighting boom, then he days. unable to move. After all, you can’t started to hang from the lighting So that’s the strange group in a nut roar all over the stage like Jimmy boom, still holding on to his drum shell. Folk singers who’ve gone a bit Page with your acoustic guitar.” Wel sticks.” mad around the edges, and decided come to the ranks of the twenty mega Is this the band that poetically it’s fun to blast their way into their ton rockers. Dave! • Pow! The Groundhogs Tackle Smogman by Ed Naha
TAylan yodeling “Masters of War.” of an Incredible Hulk adventure . . . tion and everything, but we really lose JLz Barry McGuire barking “Eve of which is exactly what the group set horribly, so wc piss off as quickly as Destruction.” Peter. Paul and Mary out to do in the first place, according we can and decide that it’s not as crooning “Biowin’ In The Wind . . .” to lead guitarist McPhee. super heroes that we'll win any bat it was all part of a musical tremor Marvel comics: “We were waiting tles.” called "social commentary” or “pro for a new album to come along,” he “We go back to our other identities test" music that shook up a storm in explains, "and as usual, I. was waiting as pop musicians: and the idea of it the late Sixties. Well, if protest music for somebody to tell me what to write, is that you do a lot more towards a —along with flower power and acid give me some sort of direction. We general settlement of the un-balance rock—has indeed bitten the dust in came up with the idea that it would by uniting certain types of people; the Sophisticated (?) Seventies, ap be nice to have a cover done by one and you can do that with music, parently no one has told Tony Mc of Marvel Comics’ artists, because we especially if you have something to Phee and his band of British Ground all like, that sort of stuff. Wc thought say.” hogs. it would be nice to get Neal Adams On their new United Artist opus because he is very freaky and our Pow, bam, oof: The comic-book-in Who Will Save the World? The favorite artist in that sphere.” spired results say plenty, and the Mighty Groundhogs, this pulsating “So, we agreed that what we want Groundhogs (who have been around U.K. trio has -fused together a large ed was a comic book album cover in one shape or another for close to helping of limey funk and comic using Marvel ideas, and Neal came ten years) seem to take delight in book commentary, coming up with back with this thing about the three making their ideas loud and clear. an LP that has all the social aware of us being super heroes and fighting The threesome (composed of McPhee, ness and semi-jhibescent perspective back against pollution and over-popula bassist Pete Cruickshank and drum-
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The Groundhogs: If Moses came as 26 CMXUS HORIZON mcr Ken Pustelnik) gleefully take on the world with their brash brand of raunch-rock and laconic lyricism. While poetically speaking, the boys’ lyrics won’t make Dylan lose any sleep at night (in “Bog Roll Blues" they sagely croon, “But T don't sup pose anybody really cares/Too many people nowadays/Want to wipe their ass of the whole affair.'’), basically they're harping at the same evils that launched the protest pop careers of Dylan, Baez, Paxton, Ochs and scores of others. On "Earth Is Not Room Enough,’’ the Groundhogs take a hard-driving swipe at the death penalty, delivered in a semi-godawful monotoned drawl:
Cyanide pills Dropped in an acid hath Froth forms a cloud Deadly as death’s own staff Trying to hold your breath But have the last laugh ’Cos earth is just a cage 7000 miles wide
"Wages of Peace" (catchy title, ch?) presents man at his deadly best (or is that worst?);
So many ways to die but leave it up to man He’ll invent some more
Building upon the ideas expressed The Fabulous Rhinestones: There he was, playing with Dylan, Stills and Santana, but people kept referring to him as “Harvey Who.” by Jim Morrison in “When the Mu sic’s Over," the Groundhogs (in "Mu sic Is the Food Of Thought") elevate music (“Your special friend") to its The Fabulous Rhinestones highest role, that of peace maker. To communicate/if it’s not too late/with those who won’t abuse it Wave Their Electric Flag Enlightened minds/all seem to find/ by Ed Naha the vehicle is music Mixing their Marvel-ous comments with McPhee's rave-;up rock guitar, * J vhc Fabulous Rhinestones are a pop Rhinestones’ founding fathers, bassist the Groundhogs have succeeded in JL oddity. Surrounded by a world Harvey Brooks. All of the band’s six creating a stereophonic comic book wide hurricane of grunt-rock. The members have been around the music with a unified theme; a theme that re Rhinestones stand stoically alone play scene for quite a while, but mountain veals rather menacingly the shape of ing a tasteful, breezy type of music ous Harvey's credentials practically things to come. which incorporates random gusts of spell out LIVING LEGEND when Mutilation machines: The H. G; jazz, rock and Latin rhythms. Where laid out end to end. As well as play Wells approach to rock comes easy other groups overplay and succeed in ing countless sessions with Dylan. Ha to writer McPhee, who concedes, “I creating high-pitched chunks of caco vens, the Doors and Miles Davis. Har find that I can seldom write songs phonous caterwauling. The Rhine vey was one of the original crew of about relatively mundane things . . . stones tend to underplay, weaving soft, the now classic Electric Flag. Before it’s got to be reasonably forceful or thread-like melodics. Where other the Flag folded, it had elevated reasonably prophetic. It’s got to have groups resort to outlandish stage attire into rock stardom the names of Mike a point to it, otherwise I can’t write. to garner attention. The Rhinestones Bloomfield. Buddy Miles and Nick The easiest way to do that is to pick prefer to just be themselves and let Gravenites. But what about Harvey a unified theme and just expand on it." their high caliber musicianship do all Brooks? Harvey who? With all of its musical forbodings the audience-impressing for them. While the ashes of the Flag were of what COULD happen in the fu The overall result? A lot of people cooling, Harvey split to take part in ture, Who Will Save the World may have never heard of the Fabulous Super Session. an album which spot not rescue the planet from destruc Rhinestones. lighted such semi-unknowns as tion . . . but if enough folks harken Weaving an electric legend: Stand Stephen Stills (post-Springfield and to the lyrics, maybe the machines of ing in the shadows of the rock lime pre-CSN&Y) and Carlos Santana (pre- mutilation will be slowed down a bit.* light is nothing new to one of The everything). Once again, the name of CUXLS27 Head Kink Unbuttons His Mind The New LP, Everybody’s In Show Biz is like a three AM trip through the brooding amusement park of Raymond Douglas Davies’ private world. E Q ? I v here was a time when people went off to a desert island and living like Now without warning Ray Davies JL to Kinks concerts to see if Ray an apenian. chuckling about the time has suddenly started to sing words like 5 Davies was going to fall down. Ray he was seduced by that tantalizing Davies used to fall down a lot. Now it transvestite named Lola and making Sitting in my hotel, seems audiences are turning out in a continuing effort to crusade for the Hiding from the dramas m v droves because the Kinks put on one preservation of London's suburbs, all Of this great big world G> O of the tightest, most professional and of which are being destroyed in the Seven stories high - entertaining shows around. name of progress. There was only Looking at the world go by s There was also a time when Ray one minor thing Mr. Raymond Doug Davies was thought of as a complete las Davies wasn’t singing about. His Sitting in my hotel room, £ mystery. He was writing about going own life. Thinking about the countryside
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Mick Avory, drums
by Janis Schacht
30 CHDCUS MUSIC
A nd sunny days in June. ing beer and soaking up the peaceful, groupie or hanger-on. When it doesn’t Trying to hide the gloom home-like atmosphere. ring too often, he answers it himself. Sitting in my hotel room. Inside his room at the hotel he’s Sometimes he just lets it ring. “Sitting In My Hotel” quiet, but it’s obvious that this incredi bly sharp mind is working all the // my friends could see me now, The hotel hop: The new Kinks al time, whether he’s holding a conver dressing up in my bow-tie bum. Everybody’s In Showbiz (RCA), sation or not he’s writing songs in his Prancing round the room like some removes one of Ray’s mysterious veils head or thinking about what new gag outrageous poove and shows a glimpse of the true man, he might pull at the next concert. It’s They would tell me that I'm just a side he's never really shown before. not that he doesn’t listen when you being used See him sitting on the seventh floor in talk to him, it’s just that he’s per They would ask me what I’m trying midtown Manhattan. The neighbor fectly capable of functioning on sev to prove . . . hood is rough. There are lots of prosti eral levels at once. They would see me in my hotel tutes and drunks walking those streets, Outragious poove? Later on, when Watching late shows till the but the place has a definite character he’s alone in the quiet orderliness morning to it, and that’s what Ray likes about of the room, his suitcase open with Writing songs for old time it. Anyway, the hotel is only a block clothes strewn all about, Ray Davies vaudeville reviews away from the Haymarekt where Ray paces as he listens to the telephone A ll my friends would ask me what spends much of his free lime drink ring, wondering if it’s friend or foe, it’s all leading to .. . “Sitting in My Hotel"
The Kinks: Their new LP is like an emo tional scrapbook of ■’ajr Davies private moments on the road—those moments alone in
CILMI* 3i I i Ray’s precious “show-biz” has made him very concerned with image, es pecially with what other people think of him. He docsnt’ spend much time offstage with the other members of the band (Mick Avory—drums; John Gosling—keyboards; John Dalton— bass guitar) because he’s sure they change when he walks into the room, that somehow and for some unknown reason they are intimidated by his presence. He and his brother Dave (lead guitar/vocals) are fairly close, but they do see more of each other at home in England than when they’re on the road. Ray often thinks of the com promises a musician has to make in life to please his record company, his fans and the rest of the band. He brings those thoughts to the surface in a song called “Look A Little On The Sunny Side”—
You sing 'em the blues A nd then they ask for a happy tune And when you start to smile they'll say gimme dat rhythm and blues And when you give ’em dat rhythm and blues They’ll simply smile and say We didn’t want to hear you play We didn't like you anyway.
Then there’s the paranoia of saying what really does happen on the road in song. Ray worries whether he’ll be sued if a certain restaurant knew he was talking about their food in “Mo torway” and “Maximum Consump tion.” It’s so difficult going through life sure of nothing and no one, but this is Ray Davies’ world of show-biz. The Howard Johnson blues: Ray’s a little hesitant to explain just how Everybody’s in Showbiz came to be, but it seems that when the Kinks ar rived back in England after a rather successful tour last Spring (and as Mr. Davies sat there in the gentle solitude of his Nothern London back yard) he contemplated the trials and tribulations of travelling in a rock and roll band. All of a sudden songs start ed to fill his head, songs about high way restaurants and hotel rooms. Then, of course, there was the fact that two concerts had already been taped live at Carnegie Hall, so a double album evolved: a studio LP about being on the road, plus the crowning excitement of a superb live LP. Listening to the live tracks on Every body’s In Showbiz it’s impossible not to flash on the performing Ray Davies, a Gemini. It seems obvious that his astrological twins have divided into two distinctively different characters, one private, on professional. The gentle 32 CIIXUS i____ I . >■
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and quiet side of Ray Davies disap drapes himself in his favorite tuxedo pears completely at concert time. and top hat, and struts and kicks to Pink flowers: The houselights dim the tune of “Mr. Wonderful,” “Baby and the spotlights shine. It’s a pale Face” and “You Are My Sunshine.” night and the tension in the crowd is growing continually while waiting for Look at that lady she got silver the Kinks to go on. The team of se all over her face curity guards are exercising their pow Is she a human being or a creature er trip as they verbally attack anyone from outerspace and everyone that comes even vaguely Is she authentic or phoney. I guess close to the stage. Two forlorn boys it's just a matter of taste . . . who seem to run a regional branch of A ll around me is such unreality the Kinks fan club are examining the Optical illusions as far as my eyes remains of a poster they had made can see and hung near the stage. It has been Is the whole thing fake or the hanging from the scaffolding but now ultimate reality. some unfeeling wretch (in an attempt “Unreal Reality” to run off with it) has torn it to shreds Concrete pinky: Ray is walking and left it (a memory of its former down Hollywood Boulevard, obviously self) limply clinging to the iron bars. moved by the California street shrine Two girls in the front row have paint where you step on silent tributes to ed the words “Kinks” on their faces, Ray Davies: For years Ray has been sing the greats and to some lesser known and yet another delicate young man ing about apemen, money machines and heroes who tried harder to make the is walking about with a tiny spray of transvestites. Now, out of a clear blue grade. The lanky Mr. Davies pauses pale pink flowers which he asks a sky, he's begun to sing about himself. for a moment to place his hands in guard to take backstage for Ray. Fi docs raise his head, (especially during Jean Harlow’s imprints in the cement. nally, when the air is positively elec Later he remarks that he was stunned tric with anticipation, the time is right “Alcohol” where he continuously sprays himself, the band and the au to find she had such tiny hands. A and the Kinks are announced. few weeks later, back at his house in Purple eyes: Onstage Ray Davies is diences with cases of beer) a Chap- lincsquc clown appears. The Kinks Hempstead, he tries to weave the ex more foppish than David Bowie. He perience into his new Everybody’s In has a vibrato which often puts Marc deliver the purist’s idea of entertain ment. professionalism and humor de Showbiz masterpiece “Celluloid He Bolan’s to shame (and he has been roes:” but. alas, his observations won’t doing it longer). He has mastered the livered the way it was in the days when vaudeville was king. fit into the song. Yet the incident art of nostalgia, and it’s a trip far serves as a reminder to him that even more impressive than Sha-Na-Na’s If Raymond Douglas Davies had his druthers he’d have much preferred those on the silver screen were only and infinitely more satisfying than human. bacon and eggs for breakfast. The to be a film star. When he closes his eyes and thinks of paradise Greta Ray Davies is very human too. act (which really is Ray and a careful something which is often forgotten in ly structured back-up band—though Garbo. Rudolph Valentino. Bette Da vis and Bela Lugosi dance in magni this coarse and sometimes distorted brother Dave does occasionally make world of rock and roll. However, vocal contributions) is sometimes on ficent pantomime. But now, onstage, Ray paints on his violet eye shadow Ray’s frailties do leak through in the the scale of a Radio City Music Hall music, which is why some fans feel extravaganza complete with the dy Onstage with his huge bow tie and pur an empathy with him unlike anything namics and all the predictability of a ple mascara, Ray is twice as foppish as they feel for any of the other rock session with the Rockettes. This is not David Bowie. But when the crowd is gone and the tie is off, he undergoes a moody monsters around today. Now that the an insult, people come from all over transformation. Kinks seem to have found a new the world to sec the Rockettes do an strength wthin themselves, their popu act they’ve been doing for over thirty- larity—which has been on the increase five years.- for eight years—will probably grow Now, Ray is backstage poised for even more. As it grows. Ray Davies’ action, he straightens his bow-tie. fragile nature will become more and smiles a wistful smile and asks “do more obvious. Hopefully he’ll have you think they’ll be able to tell I don’t more strength for survival than his have socks on?” Then, he takes a deep celluloid heroes. breath and rushes on to meet his ador ing public. A curtain of hair: Today he’s dress / wish my life was a nonstop ed in a loud maroon and white check Hollywood movie show ed jacket, a deep maroon shirt, white A fantasy world of celluloid villains trousers and a huge bow-tie. He has and heroes tucked the boy’s bouquet of pink flow Because celluloid heroes never feel ers into the waistband of his trousers. any pain Opening with “Top Of The Pops” the And celluloid heroes never really crowd bounces up and down with him die. as he bows his head under the long “Celluloid Heroes’* carefully cut brown hair. Ray doesn’t show his face often, he uses his hair Maybe that's why they say “God much like a curtain, but when he Save The Kinks.’* CMXIJS 33
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Magic Dick, looking like Super Fly’s sec ond cousin, mashpotatoed down to the front of the stage, slipped his harmonica between his lips, and made that humble mouth harp growl.
Between tour dates, they’re sneaking up to New York to work on yet ANOTHER LP. Says their road manager Jerry Bergh, “It’s gonna be funky as hell!”
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Seth Justman, keyboards I i
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34 caucus MUSIC
r ■ They’ve been bopping in New Jer- have some fun they released their first LP The J. sey at the College of Musical If it’s all night it’s all right Geils Band. Knowledge, givin’ the folks some soul Nobody’ll get uptight. But there’s been something missing with their rock ’n roll, according to Things come and when they come from the vinyl lightning J. Geils laid hipster Peter Wolf, the effusive lead you better grab them fast . . . down in its first two LP's. The blues singer, swinger and showman-extra Cause you never can tell when rhythms sizzled faster than a rocket- ordinaire of the J. Geils Band. A Mur a good thing’s gonna last. powered dragster with the Road Run ray The K reincarnate with a rhyming ner at the wheel, but the billion kilo scheme as unpredictable as his per Billion kilowatt spark: If J. Geils’ watt spark that the band grinds out forming gaits. A few minutes of Pe goal were summed up, it would be to onstage never quite made it into a rec ters time begins to sound as chaotic provide the kind of ass-shaking music ord sleeve until now, when Full House as imaginable—with twenty-odd peo that guarantees a good time for all. (on Atlantic Records) slammed into But to most ardent admirers they pro the record stores at 5,000 miles an ple crammed—- uvuu.vi.e,headlong into a rented trailer a f . . - vide more than mere good-time music. nour. Recorded live in Detroit City few C1CVIIIVelectric !•■••••minutes before the band is due to explode> on an up- They have set down on two previous at the Cinderella Ballroom during what town Broadway stage. albums, and in memorable concert Peter recalls enthusiastically as “a A snap of his fingers, a shake of tours, a sincere, unpretentious yet crazy, outrageous night,” the disk cap purely professional synthesis of the his head, and,j»—-» you dig, «man. tures a performance unlike any the best of the traditional Chicago blues, world has seen since the days when We’r' not the kind of band to good ol* rock, and the funky rhythm Jagger first flopped like a baby bird °ke the money and run . • • and blues that led critics to proclaim onto the stages of London. e yvafu to stick around and them the best new band of 1970 when MUSIC Squealing mashed potato: Imagine with a new discipline and a new set yourself in a dark Detroit dance pal of musical values; while it gave J. ace. A mad rush to the stage greets Geils, Dick and Danny that spark of the band’s entrance. Drummer Stephen life that would compliment their tech Bladd pounds his transparent drum nical prowess. Everybody gained. kit faster than a fever, while the spot Peter neatly sums it all up. “The Hal light wraps its beam around guitarist lucinations was an R&B show band. J. Geils. Garbed in a purple glitter Couldn’t really play, but they knew shirt with lizard-tight leather pants, how to put on a hell of a show. J., Geils resembles a Sha-Na-Na-ite stum Dick and Danny could play, but they bled into Sergeant-Pepper-land. Magic couldn’t put on a show. Pul the two Dick, looking like Superfly’s second together (with Seth Justman) and cousin, mash-potatoes down to the you got the J. Geils Band.” front of the stage, slips his harmonica Dig them roots: Before long they between his lips, and makes that had swung into an incredible blend mouth harp growl, sting and squeak. ing of the finest American homegrown His burning Chicago blues style leads music—what J. Geils calls “funky, many to call him the best harp player good-time music, unpretentious rock since Butterfield. ’n roll.” They were putting fresh steam Fluorescent ape: Then it happens! into the works of traditional blues The touch that makes J. Geils hotter men, embellishing numbers like John than a nuclear reactor in rut. Vocalist Lee Hooker’s “Serves You Right To Peter Wolf jumps out from behind the Suffer” or Don Covay’s “The Usual piano, grabs the mike possessively, J. Geils often repeats that, “Our music Place” while they grafted new branch and lets forth with a howling cheer. isn’t for the brain; it’s for the groin.” es on R&B roots like Smokey Robin His enormous black glasses make him With a large part of the band’s em son or Olis Rush. Some bands would look like the highest-energy pusher phasis on showmanship and perform shudder if you accused them of dig Harlem has ever seen. He flaps, spins, ance, it is easy to understand how ging back into the past, but not J. flops, shimmies and jumps as if his half-a-dozen personal talents provided Geils. As Peter Wolf said while a bones have been softened in vinegar. the ultimate pubic synthesis. All six dozen people jostled around him in He gives his purple felt cap and black men have spent the last six years learn •the crowded Geils trailer-bus, “J. pajama zoot suit the workout of their ing their trade around the Boston Geils is not a band that believes that lives. When he polishes off the greedy area. Peter Wolf, long an R & B fan they’re going to discover any new lines of “First I Look At The Purse,” atic and former WBCN disc jockey, forms of music or start any new thing, he turns on the crowd, flashes the played with Stephen Bladd in a Cam It’s just music with a groove and mu names of blues giants like Howlin’ bridge based group called the Hallu sic that gets people off, period! There’s Wolf and John Lee Hooker, then cinations. Deeply into black music, a stage out there, and there are peo rattles into they placed their special emphasis less ple out there, and people want to see on musical purity than on showy R & something. We’re going to try our Take out yer false teeth, honey, B approach. Their energy made them best to give it to them.” A nd I’ll suck yer gums. a popular group at the old Tea Party, Hamburger dream: But what the You gotta help us out, baby, where their stage shows were long men of the J. Geils Band saw was Cause when you get crazy, remembered. It was a physical appeal, the bumpy highway that leads to fame We get twice as crazy. in direct contrast to the purity of gui and fortune. The Poconos Music Fes tarist J. Geils’ blues approach. Geils, tival last summer in Pennsylvania And, little puddin’, there ain’t no ques Magic Dick and Danny were also proved an especially bum night for tion about it. When Peter Wolf says Cambridge band-residents. By 1967, the band. There was little, if any, ass you gotta get crazy, you go fluorescent they had established themselves in shaking out in the stands, Peter re ape. Wolf whips around and spins into the electric blues scene, gaining status calls. “The audience was so cold, they “Homework” with a death-defying as a Unicorn house band. Blues stand had been through so much shit just touch of shuck and jive. To his right, ards were their bag. Although J.’s gui sitting there waiting, it was really hard Magic Dick gets down on his ever tar work soon developed to a fine de to get our stuff across to them. There lovin’ knees, chugging along with such gree, they lacked the professional was so much bullshit going on be intensity that it’s easy to understand polish, the intense, driving showman tween the bands. . . why Wolf introduced him as playing ship. Yet the band slowly helped to But like that night in Detroit, re “Mississippi saxophone.” With J. Geils shape a musical consciousness in an sponse is usually enthusiastic. Right weaving his polished guitar leads— area slowly turning away from the now, they’re back on Broadway, compressed to provide a tighter, rock folky clubs to the hard blues/rock to “cruisin’ for love again,” as one song ier sound than the studio album cuts come exploding around ’68. on Full House goes. Tomorrow? Next —the band begins to spew forth pure Birth of the blast furnace: With year? “Our music will be a year older. energy. And at the center of the the Hallucinations on the verge of a As we change, it’s a reflection of whirlwind is Peter Wolf, doing deep break up, it was natural that Geils and where we’re going. Il's hard to say knee bends, dusting the planks with Magic Dick would see in the disinte now where we’ll be a year from now his pajama-pant cuffs, leaping up and grating R&B band’s lead singer (Wolf) . . . except going up.” down like a piston, screwing the mike and drummer (Bladd) a means of But Peter has an idea. “We’ll be in stand tight between his thighs, shak providing their own group with the this very bus in Pasadena, eating ing down into a jack rabbit squat, and spiritualistic energy, the drive and White Castle hamburgers ... the price picking up more dust from the floor showmanship, they lacked. So they is right and it tastes all right, open than a manic janitor’s broom. And nabbed the two top jewels of the all night ... get it down and they yes, Virginia, that is what the new LP shattered Hallucinations, and the J. don’t get you uptight. Service is clean, Full House is all about. Geils Band was officially formed. The gets vou right in the bean. We'll give Blues in Boston’s shoes: Guitarist new union provided Peter and Steve ’em the best, and later for the rest!’’* the record lover's guide by Ed Naha of folks singing through their noses The Guess Who— and people plucking at banjos and Live (RCA) An A to Z listing other assorted stringed things. Well, for the ravenous what puts THIS record a nasal notch € A lot of Guess Who above everyone else’s come-as-you-are freaks complain that for country sessions is the presence of no apparent reason their boys have two ex-Youngblooders: bassist Mi never been taken seriously as a rock chael Kane and multi-talented musi band. The reason has just been re cian Banana. The Youngbloods, even leased in the form of a live album. Love it! on their bad days, were miles ahead Guess Who Lives proves that the of their cornpone competition in the band, taken individually, is composed musical field of country-folk-rock, and of talented and able rock musicians. much of the smoothness and charm of The LP also points out rather painful THEIR sound can be hoard scratching ly that most of The Guess Who's the surface of this LP. Banana and material falls into the category of W crew concoct a farmboy fest which “just plain stoopit.” Still, their talent Worth€ one listen Listen to it 'til the banjo boosters worldwide will find ap docs manage to shine through the at least. grooves grow old. pealing. sludge at times (listen to the longer jams on side two) and The Guess\ Who Live offers a brief glimpse of) Leave it! hard (though dubious) Canadian rock. Captain Beyond § (Capricorn) Savory, but for Attention earthlings! Captain Beyond has ar- special tastes. rived with a cosmic sound that is sometimes strikingly impressive and Atomic Rooster— sometimes as exciting as a loaf of day- Made in England old white bread. Composed of rem (Elektra) nants of Deep Purple (from their € “Hush” days) and Iron Butterfly jg am! This newest holocaust of (from their gruntgrunt days), Cap atomic-charged dementia fea- tain Beyond puts forth a rather unique rock relish that unites American funk tures yet another line-up of new with dense British rock patterns Rooster residents. (For those of you (smacking of early Purple). While keeping count, this makes three per serving as a strong debut piece, Cap sonnel changes in three albums.) Aid tain Beyond rambles a wee bit too ing founding feather organist Vincent much for its own galactic good. Cranc this time round is a trio of talented Britishers including England’s number one blue-eyed soul brother, Chris Farlowc on vocals. Farlowe, The Doobie Brothers who was discovered and guided musi —Toulouse Street cally by Mick Jagger (the kingpin of (Warner Bros.) the Rolling Boulders originally wrote “Paint It Black” for Farlowe to record “Listen to the music,” as a single), adds his Tom Jones-ish sing the fabulous Doobie Brothers on The Jefferson Air warbling (no kiddin’) to Crane’s thun their Toulouse Street LP and brother, plane—Long John derous brand of Rooster rock, result is there a hell of a lot of good music Silver (RCA) ing in an album of sounds that harken to listen to on this one. Whether rock back to the days when* crazy Arthur ing to their own harmonious entries, (The following is an Brown first sqt his head afire and Vin such as “Mamaloi” and “Listen To interview with a J.A. fan after a re cent Crane bit into his first keyboard. The Music,” or tearing into other cent free concert in Central Park, people's territory (Sonny Boy Wil N. Y.) liams’ “Don’t Start Me Talkin’”), the Q: Do you think that the new Air Banana and the Doobies give a joyful shot in the arm plane album, while not musically IN Bunch(Raccoon) to the snoring body of acoustic-fla FERIOR, is simply a regurgitation of vored rock. Inventive and ultra-melo their past two or three LP’s? Just what the world dic, the Doobies have produced one A: . . . uhhhh. well . . . needs . . . yet another of THE most enjoyable rock packages Q: What about the lyrics? Do you country hoedown session with a lot to come out this year. see them as being sophomoric? You CIRCUS 37 Rod Stewart—Never tcrious ladies and Martian Ballrooms, A Dull Moment T. Rex is lumbering once again into (Mercury) America with their wonderous, if not Pick of The slightly wacky, brand of insanity. Is a review of a new Month Stewart album really necessary? Rod is one of the few rock artists around who has shied away from everything Three Dog Night— non-musical (politics^ philosophy, etc.) Seven Separate and, consequently, has yet to lay Fools (ABC-Dunhill) down a bad album track. Sheer Stew € art rock, sheer Stewart' fun, this new Leapin’ lizards! Three LP spotlights a host of neglected Dog Night has finally come up with “classics,” such as Hendrix’s “Angel” a list of tunes that will even please and Sam Cook's “Twistin’ the Night the anti-Doggcrs (a non-political Away,” as well as a host of “Maggie group devoted to the restoration of. May-ish” originals (“You Wear It genuine rock and roll). Rejecting Well,” “True Blue”). Backed by fel their pseudo-rave-up sound for the low Faces and old Jeff Beck cronies, low keyed melodies of solid rock bal Rod the Mod delivers yet another fine lads and country-flavored torchcrs, solo album which lives up to its name Three Dog Night has managed to in 100%. • still some new pop life into their ever growing canine career. (And this Commander Cody time, it's not musically offensive!) and His Lost Planet Airmen—Hot Licks, T. Rex—The Slider Cold Steel and (Reprise) Truckers’ Favorites Ike and Tina Turner (Paramount) A lot of folks on both —Feel Good (United Sheet, Commander Cody and his sides of the Atlantic Artists) boys have abandoned their hot rod have attempted to dismiss T. Rex as Lincolns for bigger and better things. merely another variation of the classic “Kay got laid and Joe On this dizzy outing the good Captain teeny-bopper group, an electrified Os got paid,” sings Tina Turner on the grinds out a series of steel symphonies monds with balls, as it were. Well, de first side of this LP. It might be added including “Truck Stop Rock,” “Truck spite this pigeon-holing, Bolan and that it was a totally disappointing ex Drivin’ Man,” “Semi-Truck,” “Mama company have managed to bust open perience for all concerned, most no Hated Diesels” and “Looking At the the rock market worldwide with a tably the listener. To say that the World Through A Windshield.” Get dense, slightly prefabricated rock Turner sound has progressively de the picture? If there’s any group that sound that is totally their own. The teriorated since their early days with can make the twangy sound of straight Slider, a meaty collection of thirteen Phil Spector is like saying the Beatles country-western music acceptable to Rex specialties should have the critics ain’t what they used to be. Ike and the rock public, it’s this bunch of dedi running for the hills and T. Rex de Tina’s current material is bad enough cated and talented crazies. votees dancing in the streets. Singing to make the A-bomb look like a fire the praises of cars, metal gurus, mys- cracker. Vocally, Ms. Tina has deli-
know, a vain attempt to carry on in the pseudo-political, acidic tradition — Don't overlook these disks of the late Sixties? A: ummmm Alan Parker—Band The People's Victory of Angels (Decca) Orchestra and Q: Do you feel that the Airplane Chorus—The School has allowed their music to stagnate Awww, come on. How (no label) by devoting most of their efforts to good could a record by keeping up their image . . . the the old guitarist from an old group The People’s Victory Orchestra and “aren’t we a crazy, revolutionary, named Smith be? You’d be surprised! Chorus are probably the only red “un dope band” shtick? Darting in and out of rock, blues and derground” group in existence today. A: . . . well! soft ballad styles, writer-musician They have no record label, no hype, Q: Summing up then, I guess one Parker creates a tight little sampler no one singing their praises. They are could say that Long John Silver is of songs that really is worthy of some merely a pair of dedicated musicians another helping of the group’s brand attention. A little bit of rough and and their dozens of friends who enjoy of epic sixties rock that neither takes tumble rock guitar, a bit of mandolin, music enough to want to make it on a step ofrward or backward, but a touch of brass and a dose of acoustic their own, which they do exceptionally that it may be an LP which will un finger picking all add up to a very fine well. Their second “home-made” LP, doubtedly please the many fans of example of tasty, toe-tapping pop. The School, may very well be the the Jefferson Airplane. most important pop-rock experiment A: Who? of the year. Divided into The Girl’s
38 CIRCUS RECORD GUIDE cately honed all her throaty abilities have the strength to knock your knee (Available at record stores and sweet into a massive screech. She does, how caps off. Using everything from twelve shoppes everywhere.) ever, pose well for pictures, as can be string guitar to moog, Van makes seen on the album cover . . . which is Saint Dominic's Preview come afire what Ike and Tina is all about these with magical magic. No matter how days . . . isn’t it? you look at it, Van Morrison is a Slade—Slade Alive! genius. (Polydor)
Arghh! Slade sounds White Witch— like a streetfight set to (Capricorn) music! The band (one of England's most popular) has all the finesse of a “From ghoul ies and sledgehammer, and 'plays rock and ghosties and long leg- roll with, all intents to kill. Whether ged beasties and things that go bump they be blasting their own stuff through in the night. Lord preserve us.” Any your brains or levelling other folks’ questions? Uniting today's hard mush material (Alvin Lee's “Hear Me Call rock sound with lyrics like “Itz so ing”). Slade comes across as a four nice to be high” and “Yooo say yoo some that not only has taken- rock need it, owah. yooo need it so bayud.” back to the roots, but has used a hell White Witch proves that something of a lot of funk fertilizer in the pro wicked this way comes . . . for sure. cess. So grunt to the music, gang, it's the next best thing to whale drcck.
Van Morrison—Saint Dominic’s Preview (Warner Bros.) Rory Gallagher The Phlorescent Live! (Polydor) No matter how you Leech and Eddie <5 look at it. Van Morrison is crazy. He Hk- (Reprise) If you liked 1968. you combines the most staccato vocals will love Rory Galla with the most jumbled melodies and Bad (adj.): below gher. Armed with a scmi-Claptonish the cheesicst horn lines and ALWAYS standard, poor. Trite (adj): hackney guitar style and backed only by bass comes up with totally devastating ed from much use. stale. The Phlor- and drums. Gallagher squeezes out pieces. Picking up where his last al csccnt Leech And Eddie (album): a an antiquated sound that (while not bum left off. Preview shows Van at large fiat piece of plastic, round in as flashy as Cream) just HAS to take both his jumpiest and his mellowest. shape, destined to be played at 3314 you back to the good ol' days when Ranging from the quick up-tempo rpm's. When surface is placed in con rock trios were THE thing. Sparse tunc of “Jackie Wilson Said” to the tact with a phonograph needle, this and uncomplicated. Rory's style is magnificent, dream-like “Almost In seemingly harmless inanimate disc just plain fun to listen to . . . rockin’ dependence Day,” Morrison's power emits incredibly sub-standard, juvenile the blues circa '68. could smear your synopsis over twenty pop-rock slush, sugary enough to level miles of Irish countryside and still the cars of a thousand diabetics.
Side and The Boy’s Side, School mesh in terms of innovation, PVOC is to the the debut recording performance of es together harsh Rolling Stones-ish seventies. Unavailable at stores (no dazzling girl guitarist April Lawton. rock rhythms with dense Electric- label—no distributor) information In spite of the talent assembled. Ram- Light-Orchestra-likc string and horn about the LP can be obtained by writ atam's initial offering is spotty due ing People’s Victory Orchestra and arrangements and intelligent lyricism, to a number of lackluster songs that creating a unified finished work that Chorus at 220-16 Hempstead Ave., is multi-faceted in its excellence. Queens Village, N. Y. 11429. reduce Mitchell's talents to mere beat Besides being musically superior, keeping and feature Ms. Lawton’s gui The School offers a glimpse of some tar work only sporadically. Some of highly talented vocalists, including a the slower numbers are striking female singer who has one of the (“Changing Days”); and, although a Ramatam (Atlantic) strongest rock voices around today. bit weak kneed with youth, Ramatam (She completely levels “Waiting at the Theater.”) All of the artists on Ramatam is important may prove to be a group to watch for the album prefer to remain anony for two reasons: it future rock fireworks. mous. marks the return of What Earth Opera and the Velvet drummer extraordinaire Mitch Mitch Underground were to the late Sixties ell into the rock fold, and it presents
CIRCUS 39 —
Mark Farner, guitar: "We were really brothers with \ Terry," says Mark. But the loudness that drew so much fire from the critics helped blow t.the brotherhood to smithereens. ■ MUSIC Grand Funk Railroad: On PHOENIX their F 111 ne setting is a hotel room in Nash- aim was to be "less A ville, country ■ftiusic capital of the offensive," a goal world. Three young musicians from \\ that could easily knock- the Flint, Michigan, sit nervously waiting. props out The one named Mark Farner, lead .from under their popularity. singer and guitarist, tries relaxing on 'Phoenix'— a small fake-velvet couch, crossing and uncrossing his legs. A pale blue tank top sets off his light gold tan, ac Grand Funk quired from a summer on his farm in
i» Michigan. His hair, shining and sun- streaked, hangs in a ponytail almost Zooms Away to his waist. Apprehensively leaning on the windowsill is the lanky 6’4” frame of Don Brewer, drummer, who From Its Past quietly sips a beer and every so often parts the curtains to catch a glimpse Grand Funk Railroad of the scenic panorama of parking f lots and highways. Mel Schacher— sped off on a risky course the bassist, and the shyest of the three —is perched on the edge of the bed when they made an LP looking as comfortable as an ice cube on a hot stove. The reason for all this without super-producer iV tension? For the first time in their controversy-riddled career, the men of Terry Knight. Then they Grand Funk Railroad have put to gether an LP (Phoenix, on Capitol broke a two-and-a-half- Records) and planned a tour without the man who took them from near year silence to tell the starvation in Flint, Michigan, to as tonishing worldwide popularity. And tale of why.
Bo r -t,x' .X.-- I Mel Sct#^
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H ‘ I 2 w / -w ■ F & ■ \ A X X/ \ h i. s V* -* ; I MUSIC whal’s even scarier, for the first time along with it.” material. They signed a new contract in two-and-a-half years Grand Funk But somewhere between the launch with Capitol that gives them complete is going to talk'. ing pad and the star they had set out artistic control and what is reputedly Finally, Mark shifts uncomfortably to reach, something misfired. As Mel one of the al-time best financial deals in his seat and begins to discuss becomes more at ease, he begins to in the record business. And the new “Freedom Is For Children,” one of slip into a more inviting position on the album is already in the stores. the group’s favorite cuts on Phoenix. deep green carpet, and n.ow suspend Phoenix means freedom: Mark “It expresses how I feel about chil ed half-way between bed and floor, stops gritting his teeth as the conver dren. They're lucky because they are he interjects, “At the beginning Terry sation switches to the new LP. “We truly free,” he says wistfully. “But had control of the sound and the con called it Phoenix, after the bird who when they grow up and have to-face certs, bringing it up as loud as he rises from his own ashes,” he says the realities of living, that freedom is could, distorting it out of all propor proudly, “because it’s our new cycle gradually cut down until it’s finally tion. Then on the records he did the of life. We figure we had it coming.” lost altogether.” It’s funny, but it same thing. That's why we were never Finally completely at home and seems that exactly the opposite has truly satisfied. We were always loud, sprawled on the carpet, Mcl bobs up happened to Grand Funk Railroad. but we were never as loud as he made in excitement, “I don't want to sound Mouths taped shut: In 1969 the us.” like a complete egomaniac, but it’s scarcely-older-than-teenage threesome Financial bombshell: Eventually the good.” roared onto the stage of the Atlantic Grand Funk machine began to suffer Listening to the album, you know Pop Festival with music that was from engine trouble. Says Mark, “We it’s still Grand Funk Railroad. There’s louder than a 747 with a busted muf couldn’t take it any more. We were the same driving bass, but this time fler. But within months they found sick all the time. We wanted to change it won’t drive you right out of the that offstage their lips had been seal and Terry wanted us to be the same.” room. There are the same simplistic ed. When words were called for, they But discontent turned to convulsive lyrics, but this time at least you^can came from the mouth of their brilliant rage when the boys took a close look hear every word. It’s still the same but somewhat despotic manager, the at a contract that had been signed rock and roll, but this time "there are headline-grabbing Terry Knight. with Capitol three years earlier and added dimensions, with Mark playing Some two-and-a-half years later, discovered something they claim they a little acoustic guitar, and a guest after 26 months as Grand Funk’s only had never known before. As Terry’s organist named Craig Frost, who is mouthpiece, Knight suddenly held a public relations firm was to brag sev also going on tour with them. There’s mammoth press conference and, his eral months later, Knight was receiv a single on the album called “Rock voice straining with shock and dis ing an extraordinary percentage for and Roll Soul” which reaffirms every belief, dramatically announced that his services as GFR’s personal man thing GFR stands for—music to make without “a single word of explana ager, a percentage “believed to be you boogie. But there’s also some fine, tion” he had been summarily dis comparable to that of Colonel Tom funky blues-rock in a song called missed as Grand Funk’s manager. Parker, Svengali of the Elvis cult, and “Gotta Find Me AfcBetter Day.” What's more, he suggested that it was the late Brian Epstein, the guiding Will “refinement” throttle Grand all part of a malicious scheme that genius behind the Beatles.” The PR Funk? And while Grand Funk is very was being engineered by John East firm gushed that Knight’s take had enthusiastic about the difference, they man (the lawyer who had been instru made him one of the youngest multi are very careful to stress the sameness, mental in assisting son-in-law Paul millionaire managers in entertain realizing full well that there’s a vast McCartney in his now historic split ment history.” conglomeration of fans out there that with the Beatles). For three months they simply can’t afford to alienate. there was no comment from the The McCartney solution: While Mark makes a point of saying, “We’re group itself, and everyone was begin Mcl and Mark munch on grapes, Don as much into our fans as we were; ning to wonder if the alleged con tells what happened next. "We were more even. We are still trying to es spiracy against their Caesar had hurt and shocked, and we really had tablish a relationship of brotherhood driven Grand Funk right into the no idea of how to go about getting with our audience, and we will do ground. But, at last, they are ready out of. the whole mess with as little everything and anything we can' to to tell the story from the other side hassle as possible. We desperately get the people off. But we’re older, of the tracks. needed legal advice, so I started fran more experienced, and J think our ap tically calling everyone I knew in the peal is going to grow because we’re Decibel danger: At first, Mel will business to get some recommenda more refined now, less . . .” he breaks only shake his head mournfully. Mark tions, and a lot of people suggested off, searching for a word. In unison, sits silently, but the glare in his eyes John Eastman. So, I got oh a plane Don and Mel supply it, “Less offen and his clenched fist tell more than and came to New York to see East sive.” the words he will not speak. The men man. It was no scheme or conspiracy “Look,” says Mark, smoothing back tion of Terry Knight hadn’t always —Eastman never even saw me before a hair that has escaped the confines evoked such dark emotion. I walked into his office that day.” of his pony tail, “Terry Knight help At the beginning, while the difficult Then came Terry’s $55,000,000 ed us unquestionably. He did put our course of success was being plotted, barrage of lawsuits and his wrathful faces above Times Square and all that. Knight and the band seemed to be implications that Grand Funk would But the fact remains that people did navigating together. Don, the most ar never be able to record again. If Ter come to our concerts and they were ticulate member of the group explains, ry Knight was correct, Grand Funk getting off on us, not on our publicity.” “We were really brothers with Terry Railroad would end up as just an After finishing two beers, Don be for the first year and a half. We other anonymous wreck on the scrap comes introspective. “The shame of thought it was a good relationship. heap of musical history. But Terry it was,” he says sadly, “That Terry We weren't entirely pleased with the was wrong! took what was real in us and made it way he was producing and promoting The new Grand Funk planned a all part of a hype.” Now the question us, but he said that he was looking three-month tour for this October, but is whether Grand Funk can shed the at it from the listener’s point of view, just on week-ends so that they’ll still Knight style. • and since we trusted him, we went have time to rest and work on new Just because Hohner makes the best harmonicas does that mean we make the best drums? Decide for yourself.
Harmonicas are pretty simple, right? is the sound. And Sonor drums deliver sound. Wrong. It takes over 50 individual hand Ask Jack Dejohnette. Pretty Purdie. operations to assemble our Marine Band. And Bob Moses. Garry Peterson. Steve Schaefer. our 48 Chord harmonica has 1,276 parts. There's a reason they all insist on Sonor. That's because when we build any musical You'll discover it when you try a set. When you instrument, we do it well. feel the action and response. When you listen. We could tell you how carefully built Sonor Sit in with Sonor drums today and decide drums are, too. But the true test of any drum set for yourself.
I
j I M. Hohner, Inc. Please send me the Sonor color catalog, Dept. C -11 name I Andrews Road address______Hicksville, N.Y. 11802 city HOHNER® state______z KEYBOARDS ■ GUITARS • AMPS • DRUMS WE ALSO MAKE HARMONICAS. he smell of poverty is over- closed shutters of alcoholism and spanning TV, film, chib appearances, 1 whelming. In Hong Kong’s squat drugs. and recordings to enroll as a Masters’ ter hillside colony it hovers over the Bill Cosby has viewed both worlds. Degree candidate at the University of makeshift shelter area where families He experienced Hong Kong only Massachusetts’ Amherst campus. His share narrow packing cases and thin sketchily, through the eyes of an actor goal was a teaching degree that would cardboard carton homes with their on location for the shooting of the enable him to return to the ghetto of animals. Children run wildly through acclaimed private-eye series, I Spy. his youth, to communicate with junior the heavy rain, and narrow alleyways But, for Bill, Philadelphia's ghetto re high school teens on a one-to-one become huge mud pits, clammy with mains an all too familiar reality, for basis through a more personal medi the evening dampness. The cold rain it was here, on the hot, tar-splashcd um than merely a television screen. barely drowns the pungent odor of pavements that Bill was raised, the Yet this fall, with no teaching ex feces and garbage. product of an alcohol-shattcrcd home. perience as yet under his belt, Cosby In Philadelphia, more than five Slipping off to college: Perhaps it opted for a graceful retirement from thousand miles across the globe, pov was his persistent memory of a long the academic world to return to Hol erty takes on another form, that of struggle against poverty and despera lywood for CBS’ The New Bill Cosby the city’s teeming ghetto. Hundreds tion that led Bill Cosby to quit tele Show, a comedy-variety hour spot of thousands huddle in steaming tene vision over a year ago, a self-imposed lighting Bill’s zany humor. ments, where hope is barred by the exile from a $50,000 a week career Many believe that what led Bill to
Bill returned to school to complete a degree in education. His goal was to teach in the ghetto schools of his childhood. But he now claims that his one-year Why was enough. Bill Cosby Couldn't 4 Quit 3. Gracefully L- He won’t be called ____J a quitter ... but his >'n victorious return trip )» to hollywood still leaves Bill Cosby in search of a career
by Barbara Graustark
Bill Cosby: TV’s favorite spy-turned-stu- dent comes out of retirement with a new comedy-variety hour featuring old favorites like Fat Albert and Weird Old Harold. TELEVISION teaching in the first place was what best serve his purpose. He was, and younger brothers Russell and Bob eventually doomed the inspiration— always had been, an activist, the first while his mother worked as a do retirement came too easy to the lanky, black man to win idolatry from mil mestic at a scant $10 per week. De energetic actor. Bill himself admits to lions of black American teens sorely spite their poverty, love was abun the lack of challenge in his new life in need of a hero to believe in. It dant. in Massachusetts. “1 was starting to was through the TV medium that he “By the time I left school,” he feel like I was accomplishing noth had originally conquered their sup recalls, “I was nineteen. And the only ing." he confesses. “Nobody was port. and it was to that medium that reason I stayed out of jail all those pushing me. it’s just that I seemed to he has returned one year later. years was because I’d say to myself, lack something." Yet his activism has not been lim ‘Now if I do so-and-so and get caught, Activist with a laugh: The desire to ited to the television screen. and they lock me up, who’ll look out reach young adults, to feed them the His involvement dates back to the for Mom?" facts about education vs. dropping Sixties, and includes chairmanships of The Navy gave Bill the opportunity out. about drugs and their crippling charities like the National Hemophilia to get his high school diploma, and power, about the hottest issues of the Foundation, where he stressed per one break after another followed: his day—the very desire that propelled sonal goals like “helping every poor track scholarship to Temple Univer Bill toward teaching—would soon child to benefit from the exploits of sity, where he met his beautiful wife, convince him that teaching could not science." He had been active in the Camille; week-end bookings in Green Watts Workshop, a.iding young black wich Village: his exposure on such actors from Los Angeles’ slums to get national television shows as Johnny L their first break. Part ownership of Carson: / Spy and later The Bill Hollywood's Cafe Figaro allowed Bill Coshy Show. Five Grammy Awards to rap intimately with young people attest to the popularity of his hit re who often sought his advice, increas cordings. and four Emmys to his tele ing an already blossoming rapport with vision appeal. His own production his fans. A football and track scholar company, Jemmin, Inc., holds inter ship paid for three years of his edu ests in various branches of show busi cation at Temple University; he later ness, and. at the time of his retire utilized his skill by playing basketball ment. his earnings had catapulted with the Cosby All-Stars two nights from $25 per week in 1963 to more a week. Competing against various than $50,000 per week in 1971. high school teams, they donated pro The Cosby Commune: Today, his ceeds to aid needy students. The plush Beverly Hills home is often American Cancer Society, the Boy dubbed The Cosby Club; in addition Scouts, the Girl Scouts, the American to the support of his wife, Camille Heart Association. Vista—all have and their three children. Erica, six, reaped the benefits of Cosby’s dona Erinn, four, and Ennis, three (Each tions and fund-raising prowess. child’s initial, E, stands for excellence, Over thirty hipness? To teenagers, says Bill, and there's a fourth on the however, Bill brings a special brand way.). Bill has assumed financial re of wisdom. Sometimes preachy or sponsibility for members of his and “adult" in his approach, he neverthe Camille’s families, employees of his less brings home to young adults a production company, and many de sense of honesty united with a special serving friends who have been granted sense of ‘hip.’ He’s been around, seen Cosby loans and subsidies. many rough times as a kid, experi Perhaps the financial strain of mented with fads, yet still retained “paying the rent,” as he calls it, his youthful enthusiasm and energy played a role in his decision to return and a constant, joking kind of “kid full-time to TV. But the more likely ness.” When talking with young peo answer is that Bill realized that his ple he conveys the honesty of his original career was the most effective convictions, often contrary to their in reaching and influencing large own, yet manages to convince . . . numbers of young people across the especially when the subject is a country, combined with personal ap touchy one like the current drug pearances and film ventures. Giving problem. them something, someone to believe Tenth grade drop out: This theme in, has come to take foremost place of education is always a recurrent one in his mind. “Youth is where it's at.” with Bill. Of his own past, he remem he often says. “I guess I had to come bers, “Sports was the only thing that out of my sleeping cocoon (of re interested me in school, so I dropped tirement). I’m not kidding myself out after making such bad marks I that it’s going to be easy. I'm not an had to repeat the tenth grade. The idealist. I’m an earthy pragmatist. service was a way of staying out of And as for involvement, hell. I’m trouble so I joined the Navy.” emotionally involved with life." And, His father had been a poor pro he might add, in seeking new chal vider for the family, and deserted lenges. them when Bill was nine. The oldest It looks like one retirement per of three children. Bill took on support lifetime is more than enough for Bill of his family, looking out for his Cosby. • itw tort ourby Janis Schacht endback Neil Kaempfer-Stocker pages I John Finds His Own Bangla Desh There had been no private warn ings, no public announcements, no press releases, but suddenly one Wednesday morning John Lennon and Yoko Ono showed up with New York’s mayor John Lindsay at a press conference to announce a mammoth benefit concert for the much-abused retarded children at Willowbrook School. Several penny-pinching rock reporters, accustomed to attending even Rolling Stones concerts for free, were appalled to learn that they were going to have to cough up $15 a ticket to get into John’s hoe down. But that was nothing compared to the cost for seats up front, which were going for a whopping $121. The concert was supposed to include Roberta Flack, Stevie Wonder, Sha-Na-Na and The Isley Brothers ... all performing for free. It was all the brain child of this year’s favorite news team member, Geraldo Rivera, from Channel Seven in New York. And, in what seems like a never-ending struggle, the National Committee for John and Yoko contin ues to send out petitions opposing the Immigration Service’s attempt to toss John And Yoko: Hiding from the Immigra the controversial couple out of the tion Service in Madison Square Garden? country.
One of the worst groups to do well know quite where to begin. Peter “Dock Of The Bay.” The record has in the charts this year must easily be Wolfe of the J. Geils Band lost his received over a million documented Doctor Hook and The Medicine Show. old lady in a car crash. Bobby Rami airplays (and God knows how many The only endearing thing about them rez, drummer for White Trash, died undocumented airings) on radio sta is that even they make fun of “Syl in a rather complex and mysterious tions across the country. Since 1932, via’s Mother” when they do it on fight in Chicago. The incident* occur only 82 songs (that’s about two per stage. One member of the audience red in a bar where he was harrassed year )have racked up that seven-fig when watching the group perform by another guy because of his general ure distinction. Speaking of million was noted to have commented, “it’s appearance and long hair. He was sellers, Rod Stewart’s Never A Dull nice to see they’re giving work to the later found out in the street badly Moment LP (Mercury) was certified handicapped.” It really did lookeas if beaten and he died a week later. Bob gold the week of its release. He’s now something was wrong with the lead by was 24 years old. just about the hottest property there singer as he ran around singing a • Brian Cole, one of the founding is in the music business today. little ditty about some eagle or other members of the Association, died at • This Autumn has been so full of wanting to shit on you. A charming 29 years of age after a long struggle concerts in New York that no one band. Oh, by the way, their next al with hepatitis. Brian, who played bass know where to turn first. In the bum is called We’ll Be Lying On The guitar, had never missed one per month of September alone there was Floor So Knock Low (Epic). The LP formance with the group since the David Bowie and T.Rcx. This month includes a crusade about VD. We’re beginning. offers the Hollies’ first maj'or New not sure if they’re for it or against it. York appearance in approximately • A posthumous award was given to six years, and of course The Cat • So many sad deaths occurred over Otis Redding by BMI (the music pub (Stevens) is coming back after a the past few months that it’s hard to lisher’s clearing house) for his classic year’s absence. <6 CIIXUS Steppenwolf Doesn't Live Again!
• First T. Rex were supposed to play Central Park, then they were replaced by Steppcnwolf and finally Steppen wolf were replaced by Looking Glass, who really are not as great as they should bo. John Kay and Steppenwolf I cancelled because Kay was in the studio recording his new project. They still plan, however, to do one farewell tour of the States and Europe : . . so no one will forget them ? • Marjoe may be this month’s favor ite rock evangelist, but since he’s offi cially retired there’s another young man who seems to want to take his Michael Bennett is a man much bet Tt’s really strange when the most saw what it was going to say. Which ter known for his work on the Broad 1 interesting thing happening in of the book’s rather mild allegations way stage than for his work with New York City is the release of a got Zappa’s goat? Perhaps author aspiring young rock groups. But couple of books, but that’s where it’s Walley’s thoroughly-rseearched claim Michael, who choreographed West at right now. Everyone is mumbling that the Mothers were unhappy about Side Story and whose most recent and walking around wondering when getting a tiny trickle of money while hit was Follies, has been hired to something new and exciting is going Frank lived high off the hog. As for stage a little thing called Alice At to break through. The only thing that Zappa, his only word on the subject The Palace this coming Spring. That’s seems to be on everyone’s lips is is. “It’s all lies.” right, the famous Broadway hall, “have you seen The Dolls yet? The which has seen some of the world’s Dolls dress in girls’ clothes, play at Zappa Stabs His most renowmed vaudeville acts, will an unheard of arts center and haven’t now be presenting Alice Cooper in a even had a record contract yet, but Biography In glorious week of fun and frolic. Not boy are they getting publicity. The since the days when the Paramount books by the way are Apple To The Theater used to hold rock extrava Core by Peter McCabe and Robert D. The Back ganzas has there been such excite Schonfeld (Pocket Books) and No Frank Zappa: Captured in a book, but try ment and trepidation on the Great Commercial Potential by David Wal ing to escape. White Way. ley (Outerbridge & Lazard). Apple To The Core is an exhaustive expose of the Beatles financial battles that shows the four not-quite-so-innocent- as-you-thought Liverpool lads caught between the high powered machina tions of corporate heads, lawyers and businessmen. On the other hand, No Commercial Potential is an intimate biography of Frank Zappa's personal life that the mustachioed Svengali of absurdity helped create, then tried to kill with a court action when he The second Great Western Festival was cancelled when the Rolling Stones announced that it would be impossible for them to appear. The promoters then killed the concert be cause they feared the kids would Geofrey Dcwleef UH on by look on the whole thing as a rip-off when the Jagger bunch failed to show up. There has been talk, however, that Bowie and Bolan next July there will be another Great Western festival, and that The Stones will try to appear then. Now that’s Bounce Insults pre-planning! A Y 7ell, the English press finally came VV out with the story of why David Bowie and Marc Bolan are always Rolling Stones being so cryptic about each other. Ac- tually, until now it was always Marc Throw A Snag Into putting down Bowie; but now David’s on top. In an interview with a British reporter, the creator of “Starman” The Festival rattled off a list of complaints that went all the way back to the days Mick Jagger: The whole festival was can when he went on tour with Tyranno celled just ’cause Mick couldn’t make it. saurus Rex doing mime. “We’d sit at opposite ends of the room just look ing at each other,” David told the gentleman from the press, “It was on a very infantile level.” The words got even strongei- as David went on to say that Bolan was “prissy and fey and engrossed in his own image.” Da vid, of course, in his silver boots and skin-tight jump-suits is com pletely understated, huh? Anyway, the two really do love each other. It must be the thin atmosphere at the top of the pops that is bringing out Bowie says he’s “prissy.” the beast in these two sparkling beau ties. Beck Pirates A Piece Of Cactus Alun’s album, called Daydo (which is Once again Jeff Beck’s latest band his nickname), includes Stevens’ is a thing of the past. The new line classics such as “Portobello Road” up only includes one member of the and The White Rabbit’s “I’m Late” Rough and Ready LP team, Max Mid from the cartoon Alice In Wonder dleton on piano. The new members land. The album was produced by Cat are ex-Cactus/Vanilla Fudge mem and his producer, Paul Samwell-Smith, bers Tim Bogart (bass) and Carmine and includes all of Stevens’ regular Appice (drums) plus Kim Melford on back-up men. Maybe the record should vocals. have been called “The Other Half Of • A truly well-done album has been Cat Stevens.” Astually, on several recorded and released by Cat Steven’s songs Stevens sings back-up vocals. long-time side man Alun Davies. It’s kind of nice to have things re versed for a change. « CIRCUS BACK PAGES America Rides Into Neil Young's Corral Do you remember America? They’ve left England and now reside in Cali fornia, having deserted the man who discovered them and nurtured them all the way to the top, Jeff Dexter. Dexter, who truly seemed to have the boys’ interest at heart, is very upset about the whole thing. But obviously America’s obsession with their men tors, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, got the better of them, because now they’re being managed by CSN&Y manager David Geffen. Geffen says that the group’s potential probably won’t be realized for about five years, and that if Neil Young hadn’t ap proved he would have never signed the group at all. Neil was actually quite anxious to meet Dewey Bunnell and see what the boy was like. By the way, America is presently doing an Autumn tour of the States, including America: Deserted their protector to get New York’s Carnegie Hall. closer to their mentors. One of the most extraordinary rec The Concert For Bangla Desh film terrible reviews in all the British ords of the year has to be “All The finally made it to London and the trades (when it’s really a much better Young Dudes” by Mott the Hoople. premiere was nearly as impressive as record than Nilsson Schmilsson). and The song, which America’s Columbia the original concert. Spotted in the then reaped further foul blows be Records is touting as the new Gay audience were Marc and June Bolan, cause of the rather questionable lyrics Activists’ National Anthem, was 'writ Harry Nilsson, Mickey Finn (T. Rex), in “You’re breaking My Heart.” The ten and produced by (who else?) Roger Chapman (Family) and more. lyrics, which read' “You’re breaking David Bowie. Lyrically it’s one of the . . . Speaking of Harry Nilsson he’s my heart/you’re tearing it apart/so most amazing, moving singles ever. been having more trouble than he de fuck you,” have caused several major This record could have never come serves with his new LP Son of English chain stores, including Boots out a few years ago. Talks of a 25- Schmilsson (RCA). First it received Chemists, to refuse to stock the recurd. year-old suicide with scars on his face from pulling the stars off, and Harry Nilsson: Laughed it up at George’s gets in another Bowie dig at Bolan: movie while his LP cried in the stores. “The television man is crazy/Saying we’re juvenile delinquent wrecks/Oh, man I need TV when I’ve got T. Rex.” As the record fades into a “Hey Jude” (now “Hey dudes”) chorus, lead singer Ian Hunter croons “all the young dudes carry the news.” The news is, this is an outrageous record . . . and thank goodness it’s a British hit. • Oh, bliss for all Englishmen: the Wembley Rock Festival. Chuck Berry, Bill Haley and The Comets, Jerry Lee Lewis and more were out and rock ing! Of course, as usual the audience was as star-studded as the stage. Backstage it was no surprise to see Mick Jagger chatting to Chuck Berry. Also there were Keith Moon and “Legs” Larry Smith (ex of the Bonzo Dog Band). Keith Moon seems to spend more time appearing at other people’s concerts than playing these days. • Warner Bros. Reprise has decided to shelve the Jimi Hendrix album War Heroes. Apparently Warner Bros, ex ecutives think that the sound isn’t up to Hendrix’s standards, and that the release of the album would only dim inish the impact of his otherwise out standing recording efforts. But the spectacular success of the just-re- § by Jacoba Atlas leased British version could possibly § west coast change their minds. § • Valerie Simpson, who made a spec tacular debut at L.A.’s Troubador, § The public spectacle of Rod Stew went into the studios immediately fol § Roddy (Stewart) art and the Faces’ circus was no lowing her gig, with her co-writer thing to what’s been going on be § and co-producer Nick Ashford. The § Lops Off A Fingertip hind the scenes. First the boys came project? Recording the next Marvin up with the idea of throwing an L. A. Gaye and Diana Ross album, to be § party in a swimming pool filled with released on Motown at Christmas. § Jello, but cancelled the concept when • John Phillips, who used to be with they realized a few hundred people the Mamas and the Papas, has a new § might easily drown (or jiggle to rock musical planned for this Christ § death?). Then the gang flew back mas called Space. It will be produced § to England, where the Faces promptly by Michael Butler, who also produced barricaded themselves in a studio to Hair. § work up their next LP while Rod • Neil Diamond sold out his week § Stewart went home to rest from his long stint at the Greek Theatre so § touring and his work on Never A quickly that the management desper Dull Moment. On the way back to ately asked him to add two more his palatial estate near London, Rod shows to the lineup. Diamond gra dropped into an auto showroom and ciously consented. bought himself a tulip-yellow Lam • Kris Kristofferson, who made his § borghini (to go with his tiger-yellow motion picture debut in Cisco Pike suit). A few days later, while tinker last year, has been signed for a lead § ing with a misbehaving tractor on ing role in an upcoming WB flick § his rolling, grassy grounds, he man called Love in Blume. The other gen § aged to slice the tip of his finger off, tleman in the cast is George Segal. and was carted away in an ambu • Jane Fonda’s film FTA (Free The lance. While doctors wrapped white Army) was pulled from distribution gauze around the damaged digit, Ron aftei* only one night’s performance. Wood and the lads wrapped brown The distributor says he has decided paper around one instrumental tape to hold the film back until classes re after another and shipped them off to sume at UCLA this fall. Others say § Roddy so the injured vacationer could he was running scared after the pick destroy his leisure and whip off some ets who called the film “un-Ameri lyrics. But at least there was one can.” consolation. A kind and generous soul had relieved Rod of the task of choos Nell Diamond: They’re beating down the, ing his singles. She had already sent doors to see him. “You Wear It Well” out into the world as Never A Dull Moment’s first 45, (thus duplicating her success of last year, when she put the golden finger of forty-fivedom on “Maggie May”), and she was at that very moment busy pondering the question § of what the next Stewart single Rod Stewart: Can’t a man with a yellow should be. That kind and genefous § Lamborghini get any rest? soul ? Rod’s mother. § What? Another Stones Tour? § If you want to go ahead and believe lars and played to almost a million § it, Pete Rudge, the man who set up fans on the latest American junket. § and coordinated the Rolling Stones To keep himself busy until that American tour, has said the group next tour, Mick Jagger has finally § will definitely tour the States again, signed to play Billy the Kid in the probably within the next two years. movie to be shot in Rome this winter He stated flatly that the rumors of based on Michael McClure’s contro this being the last Stones tour arc versial play The Beard. wrong. • Visiting the recording studios re cently: Melanic, Carole King, James Rudge also confirmed that the Taylor, Black Oak Arkansas and Liza Stones grossed over four million dol- Minnelli. so cuneus = BACK PAGES Flash Bumps Legal Barricades Flash, the English group that boasts the former guitarist from Yes, Peter Banks,UUOIXO, finallyillicitly got tocv piujrplay theVJ1V \ WhiskeyWk. Aa Go~ /■Go’ . after ___ i._:being___ 1.-1.J held up by a court order from San Jose a issued by a local group of the same J name. The English Flash could not 4 appear in California until the Court T ames Taylor who has been rather ♦ ruled which group had the rights to J quiet for the last few months j the name. A judge up north ruled that except for recording), is off on a short i* a $25,000 bond would have to be is- Japanese tour. Taylor’s manager, \ sued to keep the injunction against Peter Asher, says there are still no ’ the English band, and no money was plans for a United States jaunt. At { ever posted. Flash was allowed to Flash: Tripped up by a court order. this rate, it may well be 2001 before k continue. James hits the American road again. Leon Russell has always been a the last eight months, camera in discoverer of new talent. On his re African Find From hand. The result will be a movie, but cent United States tour were three not a documentary. The plot line is female singers called, collectively, Leon Russell a little obscure at the moment, but Dallas. Russell plans to cut an album it’s reported the film uses real people with them early next year. Also join Leon Russell: A strange film in the making. but sets up improvised dramatic situ ing the tour was one Ambrose (Pat ations. In other words no actors are rick) Campbell, an African from Ni being used, but Leon and friends are geria, who is regarded in his home not just sitting around and rapping land as a radical musician poet. The either. We’ll see this film sometime son of the first Christian archbishop next year. of Nigeria and the grandson of a Blanc,-who did films on Blues Man tribal medicine man (who would be Lightning Hopkins and on several considered by Christian standards to Cajun musicians, has also kept a rec be a heathen), Mr. Campbell depicts ord of the building of Leon’s record this incredible culture clash in his ing studio in Oklahoma. music. Says Denny Cordell, Leon’s co Beaver and Krause, two of the most producer and president of Shelter rec h, $ respected musicians working within ords, “I’ve known Ambrose for about the pop/rock music field, have been eight years. I introduced him to Leon, commissioned by the Jeffrey Ballet and in the trips that musicians get of New York City to write a ballet into, they became companions. I was based on the six senses. The ballet very surprised when Leon asked Am will be presented late this fall. Beaver brose to join the tour; and I was and Krause are pioneers in electronic equally surprised when Ambrose ac music, becoming something of “the” cepted. I personally think Ambrose— exports on the West Coast. They have who can play any instrument put in scored several films, including Per front of him—will be the most im formance (which starred Mick Jag 1 ger) and Greaser’s Palace, now cur co portant ‘discovery’ of this year.” m Ambrose Campbell will no doubt rently in release. g Their current album is called All have an album out on Shelter before Z too long. Good Men (on Warner Bros.), and features a very old American Indian Meanwhile, a man named Les Blanc woman talking about the rape of the _o2 has been following Leon around for land. ■ >■ A’ • j -'to • phese arc the twenty hotLP s that-the waxCIRCUS Poll shows predictions^^ are winning the race for rock popularity this month. The hype, I .J the over-promotion, the publicity don't mean a thing on this exclusive CIRCUS chart. It is compiled directly from letters (T\^ Sent by more ,han 4,000 serious rock listeners living in every corner of the U.S. and Canada. (A star shows that an LP is shooting rapidly toward...... the top ...... of the chart.)*...... 1 Alice Cooper—School’s Out 11 David Bowie—Rise & Fall Of Ziggy 2 Emerson, Lake & Palmer—Trilogy Stardust 3 Leon Russell—Carney 12 Marc Bolan &T. Rex—The Slider 88 4 Rolling Stones—Exile on Main 13 John & Yoko—Sometime In NYC 83 Street 14 Eric Clapton—History Of Eric Elton John—Honky Chateau Clapton 83 I Rod Stewart—Never A Dull 15 Harry Nillson—Son Of Schmillson 83 i Moment 16 Jethro Tull—Living In The Past 7 Jethro Tull—Thick As A Brick 17 Flash—Flash 83 Uriah Heep—Demons & Wizards 18 Three Dog Night—7 Separate Fools ★ 9 Eric Clapton—Layla 19 Argent—All Together Now 88 10 Chicago—Chicago V 20 Cheech & Chong—Big Bambu 88 A selection of the most-played LP’s 3 Chicago V—Chicago 12 All the Young Dudes—Mott The and singles as monitored off the air bv 4 Back Stabbers—O’Jays Hoople CIRCUS listening posts. The top FM 5 Black—Three Dog Night 13 My Time—Boz Scaggs rock stations this month include: 6 So Long Dixh •Blood, Sweat & 14 Martin Mull WNEW FM New York City Tears 15 No. 1 Record—Big Star 83 KSAN FM San Francisco 83 7 Made in England—Atomic Rooster 16 It Makes Me Glad—Glass Harp KMET FM Los Angeles 8 Lost & Found—Humble Pie 17 Stratavarious—Ginger Baker WNCR FM Cleveland 9 Roy Buchanan 18 Bobby Charles CHUM FM Toronto 10 In The Beginning—Jimi Hendrix 19 Greetings From L. A.—Tim WKTK FM Baltimore Buckley 1 Rock Of Ages—The Band 11 Rocky Mountain High—John 20 Pilot 2 Barnstorm—Joe Walsh Denver i 83 To make sure that your favorite albums make it on the CIRCUS Top Twenty, fill out the ballot below with the names 88 of three NEW records, then send it to CIRCUS Top Twenty, 866 United Nations Plaza, New York, N. Y. 10017. 88 1 88 2 88 3 Age 88 Your name Address BETTER THAN A RESERVED SEAT AT JAGGER’S BREAKFAST TABLE ...Peter Townshend lounged in a newsstand ten minutes after the swanky restaurant and rapped to last copy of Circus disappeared. us about how synthesizers and mov You could have been in bed sick ie cameras could put the adrenaline with no one to run out and pick up back in rock. Circus for you. You could have been ... Ringo settled himself by a swim standing by the magazine rack with ming pool in Spain to tell us about out a penny in your pocket while the days when Paul was hounding the last Circus walked away with him with a lawsuit. someone else. You could have been off in the woods or up in the mountains or just plain all-day spaced while that newsstand man blew his last copies. I - j’Catch Bull At FoufaaMB Man, how high and dry you could i I Alice For President? ■The Unexpected ■Cooper Caper V rad have been. ^Thc Band f | BUT if you'd been clever, you ]At Dylan Tour I H , could have had it easy, safe, sure and secure. With that man who’s never stopped by rain or sleet or Kinks Ray slush or snow slipping a fresh and Davies And Tvory body’s] I In Showbiz’j shiny Circus through that slot in Why 1 your door every month. Bill Cosby | Couldn't fl I Oran Top Quit T I Gracefully/ j MoniX. ROCK N ROLL INTRODUCTORY OFFER l* Mail to: I CI-11 | ..Alvin Lee fiddled with his clogs J CIRCUS MAGAZINE I I in a record company office and ask I P.O. Box 4552, Grand Central StationI I ed us to point out that "I’m Going J New York, N.Y. 10017 I I Home” is not where Ten Years After I is at. } Enclosed is $...... I ...Dr. John The Night Tripper sat I Please rush my subscription. I I □$6—1 year □$10 — 2 years I down to a telephone in L A. and told I Age . . I us how he got Mick Jagger and Eric | Name . ’ I Clapton to play on his latest album. i Address I [ City I I And you could have missed it all. I State. . . Zip You could have gotten to the I I This madness is [me company Yes, it you're mad at the time . . . I thank the moon I had the strength “Freezing Steel’’ to stop Cat Stevens' by Cat Stevens (1972) Just keep pushing hard, hoy, Tt was a cool, breezy afternoon in Try as you may Retreat A late summer and Cat Stevens’ Brit You're gonna wind up where you ish manager, Barry Krost, was relax started from . . . ing over an Italian lunch in a mid From The Manhattan restaurant. He talked about What’s more, Steve has made a sud anything and everything except Cat den change from simple accompani Stevens right through his shrimp cock ment to the use of a synthesizer and tail and well into his manicotti. After a crowd of violins (which, incidental Sting I an hour or so, he reached into his ly, he’s brought along on his tour). pocket and pulled out a sheet of paper It all seems vaguely mysterious; yet which turned out to be the itinerary over his manicotti, manager Barry Of Applause for the Cat Stevens fall tour of the Krost had declared with evasive U.S., and then delivered a sort of charm that Cat Stevens hasn't been hiding, but merely “taking it slow.” ! “News of the Week in Review’’—a threat of the Big SnufT-Out, he was Considering his past, however, Cat summary of the upcoming tour, of confined to a sanitarium for a long, Stevens could be a man with plenty the new album Catch Bull At Four , long time. (Yes, it really docs sound of reasons to hide. Logically, the and of an upcoming Teaser and the like some moralistic melodrama— search for clues to his recent se Firecat book and cartoon. By the crime doesn’t pay and all that—but clusion begins in that past. time the dessert cart arrived all per it’s true.) From goof-off to heart-throb: The tinent information had been exhausted, Twisting loose from businessmen: so Barry sighed with relief and wan early history of Steven Demitri Gior- dered into a strange soliloquy about giou is pretty familiar territory at I the odd relationship he enjoys with this point, but we'll run through it his client. He admitted that they often briefly for the benefit of anyone who don’t speak to each other for weeks has somehow missed it. Biologically at a time, and you began to wonder he’s a mongrel—born in England to if he really knows the guy. Finally, a Swedish mother and a Greek father right in the middle of his fruit salad, —but biographically he’s pure Dick he confided, “You know, I think Steve ens. Growing up in a hectic section is going to grow up to be a great of London—’—i in af flat1 over his parents’ composer.” restaurant, the Moulin Rouge, he Twelve-month silence: Cat Stevens spent most of his childhood getting may be acting like an embryonic in and out of trouble at school. The Beethoven in private, but in public he only things he liked were music and has seemed much more like the In art, so at the appropriate time he visible Man. For the better part of a headed for art school and simultane year, the Cat remained fastidiously ously tried to make a living by selling out of the public eye, safely away his songs and performing. At seven from the press and fans alike. No per teen he was discovered by a nefarious formances, no records, no interviews, star-maker and turned into a regula- no nothing. This month he finally hype, mindless socializing and man broke open the first crack in his long, ipulation by businessmen—the out- vacuous silence with a 30-day tour tion pop idol. His Greek tongue- and a new album (on A&M Records), twister of a name was replaced by an album that he actually recorded in the snappier “Cat Stevens” and his London over six months ago. But in first record, the highly commercial stead of clearing up the question of “I Love My Dog,” hastily made its the dark-eyed singer’s private move way into the Top Forty. ments. Catch Bull At Face to face with death: Before Four has only made those move long the bedroom walls of little girls ments seem twice as tantalizing, twice all over England and Europe bore as enigmatic. The songs range from four-color likenesses of the new heart- almost medieval ballads like “The throb, Cat Stevens, while Steve him Boy With The Moon And Stars In self took up the life of a middle-aged I His Hair” (a tale of a superchild born swinger. As the hit machine churned from a casual rendezvous between a on, he became a frequent item in the I bride-groom-to-be and a strange wom gossip columns, where he was infa I an) to frenzied near-rockers like “Sit mous for his wild escapades with bra I ting,” which hint that Steve has grown zen young ladies. But alas, in due I mere frustrated, yet more determined: time, this bubble burst as all bubbles ( must, and 1969 found our hero lying Cat Stevens: Until the last few weeks Qh, I’m on my way, I know I am in a hospital bed with one lung col there were no records, no performances, ( But times there were when I lapsed, the other ready to join it, and no interviews, no nothing. thought not both severely damaged by tubercu Bleeding half my soul in bad losis. On doctors orders and under Photos: Chuck Pulin MUSIC After twelve months holed up in his London standing factors of his former career —were no longer to be allowed in his house, Cal Stevens has life. During his illness he had written a collection of simple, thoughtful songs about his experiences and his finally come back with a new LP and a new feelings about his life; he now brought them to Island Records, where he was lour. But the LP has only immediately signed to a contract which granted him total artistic freedom. made his reasons for seclusion seem A song called “Lady D’Arbanville” marked the beginning of his new ca twice as tantalizing, twice as reer. A rather morbid memory of a Lady named D’Arbanville who’d been enigmatic. sharing his flat for a year or so, the by Michele Hush song went straight up the British charts and brought the name Stevens a new credibility. Later that year, in the fall of 1970, Steve quietly began In early 1970, eighteen months after Western World had evolved into a doing club dates with side-man Alun his health gave out. five years after soft-spoken, rather serious musician Davies, a friend he had made while his original discovery and twenty-two who had definite ideas about what he recording the Mona Bone Jakon al years after his birth. Cat Stevens wanted and how he was going to get bum. A couple of hours before show came back to the music world with a it—or conversely (and more accurate time at one of those 1970 dates, he whole new everything. During his re ly)—what he didn’t want and how consented to an interview. cuperation. the Junior Playboy of the he was going to avoid it. Things like Painful introversion: On this par ticular evening Steve sat slumped in a folding chair by a window, and as the light slid down one side of his face, across the guitar in his lap and down his high-booted leg to the floor, he was exactly one-half visible. (Rem brandt would have loved it.) He was friendly in his way, but so painfully introverted that while conducting the interview you began to feel like one of those ghoulish reporters who trot around after disasters asking the near est surviving relatives how they're doin'. It was hard to believe that this shy man was the same person who’d been such an obnoxious brat two years before, but when questioned about his past, Steve simply said that he had no regrets, he was just glad he’d changed. He was tired of pre tending to be somebody else and he wanted to be honest. “I try to put down my mistakes and see where I went wrong.” he said, speaking of his songs. “If people want to pick up on that, then good. If they don’t, well that's okay too. But to at least say where you’ve gone wrong . . . might help.” The sting of applause: By Jan uary' of 1971 Cat Stevens was well on his way to international renown. In New York after a successful cross country tour with Traffic, he was booked into his first solo gig at a Greenwich Village club. Before the show one evening he sat in a quiet restaurant on MacDougal Street hav ing dinner with Alun Davies and a very attractive woman-friend. His His manager Is one of the few links to spirits were generally high, but (if Cat left, but even he admits that Cat sometimes doesn't speak to him for weeks this is possible) he seemed even less at a time. communicative than he had in Lon don. Later that night after his per formance. as be, Alun and the friend consumed some beers in a bar down final criterion of success.) Meanwhile, cr when you remember Cat Stevens’ the block, the introversion seemed he has faded farther and farther from fondness for flying saucers. (He once complete. The show had been a raving public accessibility. By the middle of told an interviewer about an experi success, but the fans—whose enthu 1971 he was shrinking away from in ence he’d had with these critters in siasm had led them to shout things terviews and any form of publicity. volving a night-trip into outer space; like. “Hey we love you, man, you’re Last year he brought himself a “mod he said that although he’d awakened beautiful’’ right in the middle of his est” new house in the Fulham section at home in bed. he felt sure it wasn’t songs—had upset him. He was pleased of London, and fixed it up with a a drcam.) As in the earlier case of the that they’d liked him so much, but he studio, a loft and whatever else he equally puzzling “Longer Boats,” wanted them to listen, not yell. He wanted. Then, at the end of a U.S. “Freezing Steel” seems to be a jour seemed to sense an impending appari tour in early 1972, he disappeared ney with the cosmic “little people;” in tion of the old days, and he seemed a into that house and has scarcely been the new song, he throws together an little scared. heard of since. incredible jumble of images—every Retreat to the London House: In Cat’s drawings: Which brings us thing from a “fiend without a face” the past eighteen months Cat Stevens back to Barry Krost in New York to a “Eucharistic dove”—and finally has gone about as far as one can go that afternoon. Barry is just about the sums it all up with the words “This in the rock world. His concerts are only link to Mr. Stevens’ whereabouts madness is fine: yes. if you're mad at sell-outs, his records are automatic left, one of the few people who ac the time. . . .” You said it fella, we hits, and his popularity is so accepted tually knows what he has been up didn't. that it is becoming fashionable to put to for the past ten months. And Barry End of the world: Another of him down. (That, of course, is the is the man who, while peering across the new pieces. “Ruins.” is a quietly his apricots and peaches, insisted, haunting “after the debacle” sort of . /• <...:.\- "We’ve always intended to take it thing. The denouement of the talc slow.” Is Cat Stevens actually follow bears a strong resemblance to the sen ing some well-constructed plan to keep timents expressed in “Time,” a song his career reigned-in at a reasonable from the Mona Bone Jakon album pace? Is he trying to avoid the odious which rejects the present’s meaning spectre of the pop star trip? Or is he lessness in favor of a better past. In trying to do both? Barry could (or “Ruins” he says— would) only answer that Steve has been putting his solitude to good use. W here's it leading to For example, Teaser and the Fire Freedom at what cost? cat, once merely the title of an album, People needing more and more and is now a full-blown children’s book. It's all getting lost The story, told through about 22 1 want back, I want back. paintings and as many lines of nar Back to the times when the earth rative, concerns Teaser and Firecat’s was green . . . attempts to get the Moon back in the sky after they find it imbedded in the Wcll, that’s one kind of escape. roof of a barn. The book has been Another, more direct variety is men translated into eleven languages— tioned in the song “Eighteenth Ave everything from Welsh to Japanese— nue (Kansas City Nightmare),” which and should be available in this country may well concern New York’s fore sometime this fall. most den of iniquity, the dark club Another effshoot of the Teaser and known as Max’s Kansas City. After the Firecat theme is an animated film struggling through a very depressing of same, which will be shown at se evening, the subject of the song rushes lected concerts during Steve’s current to the airport and hops on the nearest ' world tour. The film follows the story plane while telling himself, “Boy, you outlined in the book, with animation made it just in time.” drawn from the original Stevens As he tells it in the single from the paintings. Not very surprisingly, the new album, “Can’t Keep It In,” Cat music which accompanies the film Stevens is a firm believer in straight is the song “Moonshadow.” forwardness and honesty: “Say what Flying saucers and the new LP: you mean, mean what you’re thinking, But Cat Stevens is primarily of con and think anything. . . .” But, con cern to us as a musician, and accord sidering the life he lives, he apparently ingly, his most important contribution wants to say it from a safe distance. of the past year must be his new al You know, there is an element of bum. While it is a departure from his great irony in Cat Stevens and his In previous work in several respects (par visible Man mystique, especially when ticularly in its lavish use of strings, seen in the light of something he said synthesizer and other production tech during that 1970 interview at the niques), the body of thought behind Country Club. When asked if he rec it remains consistant with his earlier ognizes himself, or just part of him songs. It might best be regarded as a self, in his songs, he answered, “variation on theme.” “Oh, it’s me . . . that’s me and that’s The new song “Freezing Steel” seems; to One of the new songs, “Freezing the way I am; I’m not going to hide be a piece of nonsense, until you remem- ber that Cat once told an Interviewer Steel,” is a nearly incomprehensible anything, you know.” Nothing but about his night trip on a flying saucer. talc which becomes only slightly clear- himself, that is. • I White House fantasies go back farther than you might suspect. The story of Alice Cooper “Elected" started in those distant days during the late Sixties when Alice and the boys were lazing around a house For President?!? in L. A.’s Topango Canyon watching TV, feeding their pet lizards, walking Whatevei’ possessed Alice to throw 36 miles to visit Frank Zappa’s log cabin, and dreaming about becoming his boa constrictor famous. Alice came up with a great idea—a song about the presidential into the political ring? race. They’d call it “I Shall Be Elected." But somehow a political T?irst they dressed him up as a girl. tune didn’t fit in with the whips, JT Then they hung him. Now they’re by Howard Bloom chains and bloody nightgowns they running him for president. Yup, Alice were toying with, and they buried the Cooper, symbol of everything that idea. sets Tricia Nixon’s teeth on edge, has Four years later, with another elec abandoned his “Schools’ Out” idea tion rolling around, things had chang of “blowing school to pieces” and ed. Alice had moved from a grubby launched a new 45 that expresses a house in an LA hippy hollow to a slightly more political ambition. While modest mansion in Connecticut’s sixteen horns bleet a hoopla-laced con swankiest enclave of the super-rich. vention-hall tune, Alice hisses with Three of his LP’s had turned gold, sinister sibilance: and his latest single, “School’s Out,” had become the biggest selling inter I’m your top prime cut of meat national 45 in Warner Brothers his I’m your choice tory. The time had come to dig up t I wanna be elected his old presidential visions. Bouncing toward the Blue Room: l*m yankee doodle dandy in While “School’s Out” was still chalk A gold Rolls Royce ing up records—sticking stubbornly to I wanna be elected. the number one spot on the English Kissinger watch out: What in the charts, squealing into Singapore’s Top world has gotten into the mascaraed Ten, and selling 15,000 copies the day master of murder and mayhem? it went on sale in Paris—“Elected” What’s this sudden desire to trade in was being recorded at breakneck pace his hatchet and switchblade for a Hot back in New York City. Alice would Line to Moscow? Actually Alice’s spend the day trooping around Vir ginia with David Cassidy, bopping around with ballet whiz Rudolph Nureyev in Toronto, or winning a ping-pong match with Elton John at his magnificent Malibu beach house, grind through the evening doing a bubble-and-blood-drenched concert, then fly back to New York with Glen Buxton to lay down vocals and guitar tracks, only to soar off to the hinter lands the next day for yet another set of flat-out, bone-busting performances. No wonder when he sings “I got to get the vote,” he sounds like he’s strangling. Finally, “Elected” was finished, and they fanned out across the West ern Hemisphere for a set of resplend ent vacations that would have made the Kennedys turn green. Alice and his girl friend Cindy took off for Caracas. Mike Bruce bounced off to Arizona. Dennis Dunaway and his old lady winged it down to Jamaica. Neil Smith snuck off to Las Vegas. And Glen Buxton went ... to his grandmother’s house in Akron, Ohio! Was this any way to run an election He may sing about being “yankee doodle campaign? You bet your gallows it dandy In a gold Rolls Royce/’ but for the was. * moment Alice will have to settle for 58 CIRCUS basic black. o Alice’s version of the red (cummerbund), white (daisy) and blue (sleeve). Alice tried to get Walter Winchell to make the announcement on "Elected" that "the candidate is taking the country by storm," but he ran into a minor snag. Winchell had been dead for a year. The extravagant stage version of "Elect ed” will probably be unveiled for the first time when Alice hits Broadway with "Alice At The Palace." Unless, of course, he wins the presidency. i L. JI L. * tLn2 Jr 4 Jethro Tull: Over 100,000 followers flockin ■ ■-> • ■ • - «•. ; saOJt--.- 1 F J F-.^■ Ml** ' ' '' ■ While Tull Tours.. .The Rise Of Ian i V w he Madison Square Garden lights will dim and engulf a vast sea of faces in misty darkness. Twenty thous and restless bodies will suddenly freeze with anticipation. Twenty thousand pulses will begin to race. And twenty thousand eyes will rivet their attention to the seemingly flimsy platform in the enormous arena’s cen ter. In the cavernous underground passage that leads to stage left, Ian Anderson will straighten a white trenchcoat and flat cap for the last time, then suddenly dash out into the blinding glare of the spotlight. And the house will shudder with a deluge of delirious applause as Jethro Tull begins the climax of a tour that is drawing over 100,000 followers to pack themselves into 28 all-but-unfill- able halls for a two-hour communion with the slapstick skits and complex music of the LP Thick As A Brick. But even as Ian whirls like a super sonic flamingo through the music of an album he has called the only Tull he really likes, thousands of American listeners sitting at home with their stereo will be getting their first taste of an album Ian would rather forget. 1 He refuses to record another T F It was just before Ian left America album before the end of at the end of his last tour and took off for his new home in Switzerland 1973. 2 Like Graham Nash, he was that he made what will probably be born in “an upstairs room his only public comment on the new in Blackpool.” ly released Warners LP Living In The 3 When he was fourteen, he Past—“We bear no responsibility for couldn’t stand old-time it. I guess it’ll give some people the chance to hear some of our stuff that rock and roll. 4 He opens the third side of they haven’t heard before. But it has Living In The Past by an really very little to do with what nouncing that “we occa we’re doing now.” sionally cut John Evan’s Battle fossils? The reason for Ian’s discontent? Living In The Past is a fingernails off and smoke collection of songs that the “deranged them.” 5 He would rather work un dancemaster” considers to be brittle til he drops than take fossils from his ancient past. The most recent among them were recorded a things easy. full seventeen months ago, in the days 6 He named Jethro Tul after when Aqualung was still new. And an unusually clever organist the oldest of Living In The Past’s cuts who had a fondness for were recorded as long ago as 1968, playing with pedals. when the newly organized band had 7 He wrote Living In The just begun to search for its musical \ Past’s opening number, “Song For Jeffrey,” to cel identity. Yet to Tull’s vast legions of Araeri- i ebrate the end of bassist can followers, Living In The Past is Jeffrey Hammond Ham anything but prehistoric. A full six mond’s first affair with an teen of the LP’s twenty-two tracks older woman. have never before reared their heads J 8 His wife Jennie wielded the in most U.S. record- stores. And pen behind Thick As A what’s even more important to Tull Brick. devotees, the record offers the first 9 His brother shares his pen clear glimpse of a murky transfor chant for berserk dancing. mation that began when the group 10 He has always been su first got together four short years ago premely confident that he and since then has decisively altered would succeed as a great the identity of Ian Anderson and musician. Jethro Tull. mb; COIWACT MaI Miller Bros. Industries, 135 West 50th Street, Now York, N.Y. 10020