MUSICV\N Jl§.F.J NNJV rg ~ ~ :r From Sun Records to Folsom, from religion to drugs and back, Cash is ttie greatest living expo- nent of country, and the most 98 complex. by Bill Flanagan ...... Jlrg ~ ~ MO"fl ~ t=]~ == The finest of the confessional singer/songwriters, Mitchell rejected pop and found her soul. 84 Now she's found her heart. by Bill Flanagan ...... ®§NIN 1 ~§!SbO N ~ A quiet giant whose shadow falls across modem jazz, Newk breaks his silence to trace his history, philosophy and musical 82 :;~~~o~~ ·· ·· ·· ·· · · · ·· · · ·· · · ·

KEYBOARD KRAZED: A SPECIAL CELEBRATION

~ -r a:: v o~ :7~©J N ©~~ He epitomized the Motown machine and then used his key­ boards to lead the revolution against it. But what does Wonder 14 really want? by Steve Perry ...... !!11 }- NJ .r'.I }- M M ~ [R1 Now that he's turned in his "Miami Vice" badge, he's liable 23 to do anything! by j ohn Diliberto ...... [Q)ar.®o -r}- is § VN ?r:IE:~O~ 9 ~~ New machines that tum numbers into notes, including sampler/ synth hybrids and additive syn­ thesizers, plus another look at venerable old FM. 30 By Alan di Perna and Craig Anderton ...... MASTHEAD ...... 6 [Q) ~ :fOJQ ~ tr!S :f0}- N LETIERS ...... 8 Beyond Japan, a Brit-synth FACES ...... 10 pioneer makes his own mark in RECORD REVIEWS ...... 118 his own time. ROCK SHORTS ...... 124 By Ted Drozdowski ...... 51 CLASSIFIED ...... 128 AD INDEX ...... 130 ~}-:-ii cS~©J fNI )- ~© Cover Photos: Stevie, Teri Bloom; Sonny, Darryl Sex and the single keyboard: PitVRetna: Johnny, Robert Matheu/Aetna studio adventures witfi Madonna 58 and Bryan Ferry. A BILLBOARD PUBLICATION By Alan di Perna ...... MAY 1988 NO. 115

I

I HAVE ABONE TO PICK WITH prised if Geffen Records track-but was there an LP Suzanne Vega, who calls could come up with enough with it?) One mistake: Jan Joni's writing "superficial." hits in the strict sales or toured Japan withJeff Beck in It's fairly easy to take pot- airplay sense to fill an LP. 1986, not '87. I have the neat shots at someone whose Perhaps another song dedi- tour program and the dates passionate integrity lives to cated to David Geffen would areJune 1-11. The tour was break boundaries and hurdle keep the business wolves at broadcast on TV there; I into the open, especially ifit's bay. What I'd be interested in managed to get a tape and done with a sensitive, seeing instead of a greatest have had it since May of 1987. humanistic vision. The risks hits album is a complete David Terralavoro Joni's taken have helped un- songbook that contains Poughkeepsie, NY lock the doors for others to Mitchell's quirky guitar tun- take their own risks. That is ings. Now that could sell! IN THE MAY ISSUE OF MUSI- what inspiration is really Robert Silva cian magazine there is a men- about, a torch to be passed Woodside, CA tion of my name in connection on. withJan Hammer and "Miami S.E. Mead Update: Joni says things are Vice." Aside from my name Albany, NY now fine between Geffen Rec- being misspelled, I was ords and her, and they are not struck by the wording in the THANK YOU, MUSICIAN, FOR threatening to release a "great- paragraph using my name. an article onJoni Mitchell that est hits" album against her Although it is true that the didn't contain the words "dif- wishes. Geffen says they never transition of composers from ficult" and "perplexing." The were and everybody feels bad. Jan to myself was to be as press, as Ms. Mitchell Also, the reason Joni's ex-hus- seamless as possible, I was pointed out, are mostly band Chuck Mitchell didn't selected on the integrity of sheep, lazily rewriting the seem much like the loser she my own work; and although I "eccentric Joni leaves pop portrayed in "The Last Time I did "borrow" some of the mainstream behind" article Saw Richard" was because "electronic colors" integral every few years when a new that song was not about to the "Vice sound," I was album arrives. Chuck. It was about a '60s totally on my own in the com- Mitchell's "difficult" and New York folkie. (Try to guess positional process. I guess "perplexing" period paved who ... )-Ed. what I am trying to relate is UGENDS: .IONI the way for much of what's that I felt my Jlame_was userl I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MUSI- fresh and exciting in popular UOINDS: JOHNNY in such a way as to sound like cian and Bill Flanagan for the music today, and it's past time THANK YOU FOR AFANTASTIC aJan Hammer clone, which I excellent article on the leg- she got some credit for it. article/interview with Jolmny am not. I am in awe of}an's endary Joni Mitchell (May But that period is over. Chalk Cash (May '88). I have never music but I brought new '88). I have read entirely too Mark in a Rainstorm and Dog cut an article out of a maga- blood to "Miami Vice." many articles which unjustly Eat Dog would be right at zine before, but I did this one, john Petersen and insensitively accused her home with albums like Peter and it's now in my "trea- New York, NY of arrogance, self-righteous- Gabriel's So and Talking sured" file. ness and several other cruel Heads' Naked on the artier David McLachlan 5nVIAN'S SECRETS things. Mr. Flanagan's article end of MTV/FM radio play- Toronto, Canada I COULD KISS TED DROZDOWSKI explored a very real, serious, lists. If David Geffen can't for writing that great article sensitive and beautiful artist. sell this music to the masses, LONG MINIMIZED AND MUCH on David Sylvian (May '88). I Shannon Pipkin the problem is his marketing misunderstood, Jolmny Cash think it's great Musician pays Tehachapi, CA department, not the artist. is still hanging heavy on the attention to the underground Michael Logan set with the real cats. and acknowledges a brilliant I'VE LONG WONDERED WHY JONI Los Angeles, CA Jim Dickinson artist like Sylvian. That arti- Mitchell is not much more Hernando, MS de was enough to make me acknowledged for her un- I SYMPATHIZE WITHJONI renew my subscription. paralleled innovations and Mitchell's apprehension MY HEART'S IN ROCK 'N' ROLL, john Novella creations, until I recently about a greatest hits album. but from now on I'll always Granada Hills, CA realized-with the sale of Van It might comfort her to know love and respect the Man in Gogh's paintings-that the that this ardent fan wouldn't Black. Long live Jolmny I WAS HAPPY TO SEE AN ARTICLE world's greatest geniuses buy it; as a musical maverick, Cash! about David Sylvian, but your are often not recognized until her lesser known works are Nick Fannell researchers didn't dig very Jong dead. I just hope that often more captivating than Roselle Park, NJ deep. Secrets ofthe Beehive volume-crazed ingrates don't the "hits." Besides, so much isn't his third album, it's his drive her to cut off an ear (un- of her accessible music con- fourth. You forgot the first less it belongs to that bastard tinues to go entirely ignored HAMMER HEADS instrumental album, Alchemy: who hit her guitar with a on the radio. How many THAT JAN HAMMER ARTICLE An Index ofPossibilities. water balloon during the Con- songs actually got airplay (May '88) was well-written Nils Montag spiracy of Hope concert!). aside from one or two from and informative. (Thanx for Lake Forest, IL ]on Eric Court and Spark, and another acknowledging thatJan did Please send letters to: Musician, 1515 Mendocino, CA fromFortheRoses? I'd be sur- the My Secret Admirer sound- Broadway, 39th floor, New York, NY 10036.