Cover Story: 'Dream' Makers Palmer Finds Long -Deserved Success Robert Palmer is back. Always months, sharing vocals with Elkie a critics' favorite, Palmer's latest Brooks. LP, "Secrets," could give him the In 1974 Palmer quit Vinegar Joe wide acceptance that many have and embarked on a solo career. felt he's deserved for so song. The first solo , "Sneakin' "A friend of mine, so disgusted Sally Thru The Alley," recorded with rock of late that he had in New Orleans and New York, sworn not to touch another drop, became a considerable radio hit not if he lived to be 100, took in the U.S. Palmer played a series 7 just one listen (to Robert Palmer) of showcase gigs in America United Artists recording artist The Dirt Band recently played at Los Angeles' Greek EMI-America/United Artists and instantly keeled over back- and, because of the response, Theatre. It was the group's first date in L.A. since the company representatives turned out in force to welcome and to base his career in the merger and ward, spread-eagled, streaming decided celebrate the release of their new LP, "An American Dream." Pictured from left: (top) sweat and babbling, a rhythm states. Richard Hathaway of The Dirt Band and Joe Petrone, vice president, marketing, junkie once more," wrote Nik After releasing "Pressure Drop" EMI/UA; (bottom) Jim Mazza, president, EMI/UA; , John McEuen of The A&R, EMI/UA; Jimmie Fadden, Dirt Band; Cohn of New York Magazine. in November 1975, Palmer played Dirt Band, Don Grierson, vice president, Charlie Minor, vice president, promotion EMI/UA; and Mike Buono, Dirt Band. Born in Batley, Yorkshire, on his first nationwide tour of Amer- January 19, 1949, Palmer lived in ica. "Some People Can Do What Malta until he was nine years old. They Like," released October New York, N.Y. (Continued from page 18) He joined a semi-professional 1976, explored new territories for band, called the Mandrakes, when Palmer. At that time, Palmer haired, soft-spoken piano player for Dean Martin. he was 15. Palmer's musical tastes moved to Nassau to make a base CONGRATULATIONS to Kim Milliken, owner of Baltimore's For at that time included Otis Red- for writing and relaxation after The Record chain, and to Mrs. Milliken, who became the parents of ding, Marvin Gaye, the Byrds and "Double Fun." Palmer played a baby boy, Ian, on August 8.The littlest Milliken weighed in at seven ska. Eventually Palmer resigned first -ever European tour, includ- pounds, 11 ounces. For The Record em- his job as a graphic designer to ing two sellout nights at London's Congratulations are also in order for another concentrate on music full-time. Hammersmith Odeon. ployee. Vice president Bill Blankenship ended this columnist's three- In 1968 Palmer was offered the The new album, "Secrets," was year search for Booker T. & the MG's extremely rare LP, "In The Christ- a very record and sending job as vocalist with Alan Bown's recorded in Nassau with Palmer's mas Spirit," by stumbling upon copy of that a dark horse band, one of Britain's first horn - touring band. "Bad Case of Lov- it post-haste to New York, N.Y. Blankenship thus becomes equipped rock groups. The fol- in' You (Doctor, Doctor)" is Pal- contender for Man of the Year, just when it appeared that MCA's lowing year Palmer joined Dada. mer's fastest breaking single yet. Sammy Vargas was on the verge of being named Man of the Year He toured America with the band As several of Palmer's songs have Emeritus. Record World -his first experience of the been recorded by others, it is IOCKEY SHORTS: Gary Kenton, ace hurler for the International -before Dada trans- ironic that the new single is writ- Flashmakers, is now doing publicity work for Cleveland formed itself into the more com- ten by Moon Martin. The single ... Teddy Pendergrass will be the special guest performer at the Con- VIP reception to be held at the pact Vinegar Joe. Palmer sang is currently number 12 bullet on gressional Black Caucus' first annual 21. The event marks the open- with Vinegar Joe for eighteen the Record World charts. Washington, D.C. Hilton on September ing of the Caucus's ninth annual Legislative Weekend. Lou Gossett will Screams for Screams M.C. and additional entertainment will be provided by Phyllis Hyman. ... Sandy Farina, who played Strawberry Fields in the movie version of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," is making her debut as a songwriter on Barbra Streisand's next LP, "Wet," with a song she co - wrote with Lisa Ratner, "Kiss Me In The Rain." Farina's own solo album will be out early next year on the Infinity label. Charles Koppelman's Entertainment Company is in charge of production . .. Angela Bofill's next album for Arista/GRP has been delayed a week. Apparently Pete Hamill, who raved about Bofill in the pages of the New York Daily News after hearing her first album, heard a test pressing of the new one, flipped and is now writing liner notes. Hence the delay ... De- troit rockers the Romantics, recording in Miami Beach with producer Pete Solley and engineer Steve Brown, barely escaped ahead of Hurri- canes David and Frederick-"we got out by the skin of our teeth" is the way a spokesman for the band put it. Thanks to the hurricanes, I! though, the recording was done early and the group's album will be Infinity rock band Screams jumped off the Van Halen/Screams national tour to head- released on Nemperor on October 31 . . . on its European tour, the line the Starwood in Hollywood, and backstage after the show greeted record and radio friends, from left: Barry Rothman, Screams' attorney; Peter Schwartz, Infinity Patti Smith Group drew 75,000 to a show in Florence, Italy; Patti local promotion manager; Michael Atkinson, Infinity a&r director; Larry Groves, KROQ/ herself drew 2000 to a poetry reading in Venice on September 3 .. . MD; Screams' David Adams, Steve Jones and John Siegle; Jeff Ross, Screams' man- NRBQ's seventh album, "Kick Me Hard," has been released on Red Infinity director of international operations; Screams' Brad ager (top); Bette Hisiger, Rooster/Rounder and the group is ready to hit the road. As is this Steakley; Rick Shoemaker, national director of publishing, Infinity Music; and Terry Luttrell, producer of Screams' first Infinity album. column. Fiorentino (Continued from page 77) incurred because of the excep- to the artist, the music, the show live performances, and then the pending on how successful we tionally dry climate. IFA solved and the total concept of what construction of a quarter inch are in interpreting the artists this problem for Neil Diamond that person is about." scale model of the stage set to be needs and preferences." by attaching a tiny apparatus to Using this approach, IFA has used. "We use these very intri- In reflecting on his many the centerstage microphone that been enormously succcessful in cate and detailed models to successes, Fiorentino related, sprayed a fine mist of ionized producing and lighting shows for solve problems of design and to "Scenery and lighting should water, thereby keeping Dia- Cher, Paul Anka, Lew Rawls, enable the artist to actually con- never take over, they just aid mond's throat moist and comfort- Helen Reddy, Harry Chapin, ceive how the stage will look and abet the entire impact. able. "Our main objective is to Natalie Cole, Fleetwood Mac and and where he will be at all Lighting and staging is not diffi- create an optimum performing scores of others. The process times when performing," said cult. To have the understanding, environment for the artist," said usually involves initial meetings Fiorentino. "It takes anywhere what the artist is trying to say Fiorentino. "We create this envi- with the artist, familiarization between one and six months for the awareness, the sensibiliy of ronment by becoming very close with the artist's material and the model to be completed, de- and do-that's what it takes."

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