the Arts Page 8, The Retriever, December'9, 1974 Lightfoot, Ringo, Average White, Bowie... Sinatra? By Neal McGarity Gordon Lightfoot was not at his best here at UMBC, 'but at least he was the first to admit it. After re-staring three of the first seven songs, Lightfoot shrugged his shoulders and sighed, "It looks like it's going to be one of those nights again." Lightfoot's performance here last Saturday was hampered a bit by Gordon's pre-show celebrating. His onstage in­ toxication prjvented the musical precision that he is vridely known for. Though he was . not rude, his performance was insulting to his true ability. He had a better time with the audience than with his guitar. Lightfoot knew that he was misbehaving. Between songs he com­ mented, "The press have been calling me 'coarse' as of late. I hope nobody here gets that impression." Ten minutes later he did a song entitled, "I Love Your Tits More Than Any Udder." Lightfoot was not coarse, just a bit silly and stewed. N~ar the beginning of the show, Gordon rightfully complained that the heating system was interfering with his sound. After the system was shut off, Lightfoot explained why--'~My road manager made the electrician an offer he couldn't de-fuse." Between songs Gordon freely conversed with the audience, though most of his rambling was not music­ related. Somehow, he worked the Alaskan Pipeline and the Arabs into his show. The musical fare that Lightfoot offered was quite pleasant, though abundant in flaw. Gordon blew an awful lot of chords, missed a lot of words, and started a few NOT COARSE songs completely over. It was tough ... but silly and stewed gettir~g into his music. He would frequently utter an "Oh shit!" in the middle of a 'in his mouth. Be looks very much like his beard and gazed away again. "You might too well as of late, but I'm glad RCA still song. album pictures, and about five years say abstreperous. Yeah, abstreperous lets him record. Despite his poor sales, The disturbing thing about his per­ younger than his 36 years. sounds good, but definately not coarse." Jose's last three albums have demon­ formance was his attitude towards his I asked Gordon if the publicity claims As I opened the door to leave, he raised his strated his-maturity as a folk/ pop artist. music. He often destroyed whatever that he has written over 400 songs were hand towards me and flashed a barroom This album lives up to his recent album audience feeling he had generated by true. He gazed away from me and rubbed smile. "But remember this--It was Light­ output. It features precise, guitar work, giggling in the middle of a serious song. I his bear~for a good minute. "Well if you hearted." . <:;f" . 'g voacls, and a nice selection of could· not forgive him for snickering want to get really accurate, I mean, really "Goodnight Vienna" Ringo Starr tunes, the best of which is Stevie Wonder's through "If You Could Read My Mind," a hit at the truth, I'd say about 350. I wrote (Capitol) I felt guilty listening to this one. "Golden Lady." What was the about the piece that the audience wanted to take my first song at 17 --a good eight years or so I've really underestimated poor Ringo. blind leading the blind? seriously. before I had ever heard anything of Bob With some help from his friends, Ringo has "Sinatra--The Main Event" Frank The best that Lightfoot had to offer that Dylan." delivered a finer album than his last. Sinatn (Reprise) This one should be night was "Beautiful," a love song from "And what would you say is your most Richard Perry's production is a bit more subtitled, "How to get punched in the his "Don Quixote" album. Gordon's autobiographical song/ " He bent down to even, Ringo's vocals are more polished, mouth through your Stereo." Yes, this is musicianship and vocal work was superb tie his shoe. "Lets see, my favorite song? I and the musicianship is of an unusual high the long-awaited soundtrack album to the ­ on that one. He also handled "Sundown" have lost of favorites." I interrupted, "I quality. recent television special that no one quite well. But for the most part, Lightfoot did't say favo'rite, I said 'autobiographical' The typical comment that "Goodnight watched. Yes, he really does miss 53 notes. 'was only 40% there. He might have ". Lightfoot looked at me with a smirk on Vienna" will invoke is this: "Sure its good, Would someone please let the air out of his sounded better if the admission price in­ his face. "You wanna see something neat? look at the help he's getting--John Lennon, head? cluded a six pack. Let ne show you a picture of this cat that a Elton Johm. Billy Preston, Nicky Hopkins, "Tarzana Kid" John Sebastian (WB) Backstage after the show, Lightfoot was girl named after me, I got this crazy letter, harry Nillsson, Dr. John, Robbie Robert­ This is Sebastian's finest effort. As open to questioning, though his attention and uh ... " I looked at the picture of the cat. son, and Nicky Hopkins--he needs those assortment of musical styles that range span was somewhat short. He answered "You mentioned during the show that yo guys." Maybe he does need them, but he from Reggae to blues, to traditional' about three out of ~very five questions, don't do 'Looking at The Rain'live. How still knows how to get down once a year Sebastian executes all with the ease of a drifting in and out of the conversation to come?" He throws some more cheese and turn out an album of fresh, Beatle-y master. His singing is nothing short of take a sip od beer or flip a r'~n~ of cheese cubes in his mouth. "Well, I never felt that music. I wish everyone would get off hypnotic here. The kind of relaxing, I got the ending right on that one. I was Ringo's case. This is a good album, and the mellow album you would want to put on never very happy with it. It's just so sad." fact that he enlists the talent of some of the after fighting a cuple hours of city traffic. I asked him if Warner Brothers was biggest names; in music shouldn't discount "Artistry" Dt:odato (MCA) The title is giving him any pressure to orient his your enjoyment of the album. If it sounds ·self-explanatory. On this Ip, Keyboard music more towards the airwaves. "No good, that's all that should matter. P.S. whiz Deodato handles himself with con­ pressure. No pressure at all -- Warner The cut "Goodnight Vienna" has chart siderable finesse. The album was recorded Brothers lets me do anything that I want." potential that will exceed enything from entirely at the Mississippi River Festival, "Do you think that putting your songs in "the other three." and for a live album, the sound quality is the hand of a producer interferes with the "Average White Band" Average White excellant. Deodato blends his keyboard songs' original feeling or meaning?" He Band (Atlantic) Definately not average, flash well with the mini-orchestra that answers quickly. "I produce all my this band plays some tight, southern­ accompanies him onstage. My favorite is albums. I'm the producer--don't beleive tinged rock n' souL Though the group hails his version of "St. Louis Blues." Overall, what it says on the cover. It should read from Scotland, they seem to understand the album is a nice fusion of jazz and pop. 'supervised by' Lenny Warronker." the mechanics of ear-grabbing southern At this point, a girl is pestering Lightfoot rock better than many American bands. .. A~ Quick One! Sell Out" The Who about astrology. She offers to do his chart, The grop weaves soulful vocals with horns (MCA) This two-record set is a reissue of and repeatecly asks him what time in the and gritty guitar. Worth a listen. the Who's "Happy Jack" and "Sell Out" morning he was' born. Lightfoot politely "David Live" David Bowie (RCA) I've albums of a few years back. It serves to re­ struggles for the correct answer. Gordon found that the way to listen to David Bowie emphasize that The who have been a bears with her as she raves, "I've done is to turn his album covers face down. consistantly fine band. (even before they charts for lots of famous people Looking at him can get in the way of ap­ came into public recognition) "A Quick before ... You've heard of the Eagles preciating his music. Though not a bad One" sports traces of a pop opera that long haven't you? I did their charrs." effort, the album is weakened by the ab­ preceded "Tommy," and "ell Out" con­ He sneaks away from her just long scence of Mick Ronson, who handled tains more than one riff heard on "Tom­ enough to give me some details on his new David's lead guitar until he recently went my.'" "Sell Out" is a particular treat in album. "I just finished it, and it should be solo. Ronson was a big loss, as his guitar that the listener can hear "I Can See For out in February. It's going to be called work helped carry David's offbeat com­ Miles" in stereo. The latter song has got to 'Cold On the Shoulder' ".