RECORD Dylan festival news Move colour Jeff Beck MIRROR Sammy DavisBee Gees Largest selling colour pop weekly newspaper. ON Thursday, August Price6d.No.443.Every Thursday. Week 28, the Absolute ending September 6, 1969. James Brown interview Truth hit 16, Sydenham Hill, London, a derelict house in the process of conversion to luxury flatsfortheGreater London Council. TheAbsoluteTruth, accordingtothe Inter- national Society for Krishna Consciousness. is contained-not in the Bible - butinthe BHAGAVAD GITA, a literalrecordofGod's actual words. Andaparaphrasing of HIS actual words is obviously worth having. So Apple - more par- ticularlyJohnLennon and George Harrison - have decided to issue a recording toofHare Krishna Mantra, the sect's chant. Itiscertainto be a hit.Which is a lot more thancanbesaidfor what wasbilledasa magical mystery tour to introduce pundits, such as myself,tothesect, therecordandSouth East London. LULL Itbeganquietly,in Apple's Savile Row offi- ces.But, then there is oftenalull'beforea storm. Unfortunately, owingtoamisunder- standing, the coach turned up late.By this timethecoreofthe publicitystaffhador- ganised a fleet of mini- cabs. The minicab I was in arrived at the house to findthetwelvemem- bers of the sect midway through their chant in a hugeblueandyellow tenterected in the grounds. It was quite fascinat- ing.They had shaved their heads, no pun - to qualify for member- ship you have to prom- isenottoeatmeat. drink alcohol, coffee or teaandrefrainfrom illicit sex (their words) andgambling - and were, dare I say?, danc- ing around. MILK That ended. The 'Dylan'saura staysintact' people arrived. And we were all offered glasses of milk containing bananas and brown lumps. Next came a buf- for biggest-everfestival fetmeal, suchasyou might expect to eatin rOLLOWING the appearance of AmericanGeorgeHarrison,StevieWinwood,Peter its feet, but Rikki Farr returned to the stage an Indianrestaurant. f singer Richie Havens, Rikki Farr, FestivalWyngarde and othersarrivedjustbeforeand said, "He's gone . He's gone" in his And I LIKE Indian food! compere, announced the big moment hadDylan's spot and made their hasty escapesnow tired voice. "He came here to do what None ofthisisim- arrived. Dylan and the Band were next. just before he did his encore. he had to do, he diditfor you and now portantto members of The huge searchlights from the lighting Dylan strode onstage to an uproarioushe's gone. Really, there is no more . ." the sect however.They tower shone like prison towers in the dark-welcome after the Band's hour-long set andAnd so, tent pegs were pulled out of the maintain that their main ness and the tension in the air was easily went immediately into "She Belongs To Me",ground, sleeping bags rolled up and packs aim is to - and I quote felt as the 180,000 expectant fans, packed backed by the Band. The tumult of applause packed.Likelava down thesidesofa - "train up men and tight as sardines, squinted to see the stage.before andaftereach number continued smouldering volcano, the people poured out women in the process of From the expanse of seated campers came throughouthisperformance,whichalso between the hundreds of bonfires and started self -purification". sporadic calls for doctors and Farr read outlasted an hour as opposed to the expectedthe long series of queues that lay between Suchistheir phrase- frantic messages for people who had losttwo or three. He still maintained that shy,them and home. ologythat nobody can friends, money, possessions or their minds. apprehensivesuggestionabouthimand Many a night of love, a moment of freak argue with it.And it is Inside the press barrier, restrained chaosmanaged to get through only two encores, andanhourofgood music had been good to hear music like reigned as unofficial persons infiltrated and "Who's Gonna LetIt Roll" and "Rainy Dayshared at the biggest, most elaborate festival this fragmenting the tried to lose themselves in cameramen and Women Nos. 12 & 35". The strange andin history. Dylan had returned, but maintained charts.Foritwill un- reporters. We huddled in spacefitfora very rapid disappearance of Dylan shouldhis mystic aura and once again, a generation doubtedlyclapits way child somewhere between Jane Fonda andreally have been anticipated, but it neverthe-proved itself worthy of its ideals. A big hand into the top ten soon. John & Yoko. Jane had arrived early andless left all nine acres of listeners gaping infor Fiery Creations' magnificent gesture and Onecanonlyhope stayed most of Saturday and Sunday, display. amazementatthesuddenend.Chantsanother for those countless thousands who thatthemonetaryre- ing great enthusiasm for the event, whilebegan, pleas of "More" rang out in greatsunk the Isle of Wight not with a bang, but wards from the record nameslikeKeithRichard,theLennons, volumes. Disturbed, the crowd went up onwith a respectful note of thanks. don't drive a fire engine through the stated aims of the sect. - DS. RECORD MIRROR, Week ending September 6, 1969 2 . want to let off steam? Any questions on the scene? Any problems? Then drop a line to VAL or JAMES, letters dept. RECORD MIRROR -EVERY THURSDAY -116 SHAFTESBURYAVE, LONDON, W.1. GER 7942/3/4 The 'Wet (BBC) Dream' saga continues... THE B.B.C. reached the peak of hypocrisy during "Twenty Four Hours" on B.B.C.-1 (Wednesday, August 13) whilst reporting on IN your issue dated June IN the August 16th issue of 29,1968, you published RecordMirrorwasan the latest "heavy" mob to emerge. an article on Julie Driscoll.I article by Lon Goddard on During a sequence filmed at a dance the myself am agreatfanof thePlumptonfestival.He commentator boldy remarked, "This is their `Jools', but feelI must point mentioned that Jo Ann Kelly out a quote that does not was the best female guitarist favourite record, it's called 'Wet Dream' and seem to ring true. he'd ever seen and went on is by Max Romeo." And sure enough, in the Eve Holroydsaid, and I to say that most women are background, the repetitive strains of "push quote:". she gets few clumsy players or awkward it up" could be plainly heard. daysoff.Even when one in what they can do. Here is the BBC playing a disc on TV that does come along, she is al- Well, itis obvious that he ways willingtoskipitto hasneverheardthelead has not even had its title mentioned on radio! fulfilthesmallestcommit- guitaristwiththeall -girl - Ron Appleby, Flat 1,23 Baveney Road, ment." American group named The London S.E.23. If this is true, and I would Light -FingeredTenMinus like to believeit, how isit Three! ! This 24 -year -old that Julie failedto turn up dark haired beauty by the MORBID? name of Carol Phtury would first for the Oxford University put Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, TIER/TAPS your columnist Charlie Dance, and then for the Ox- Gillett didn't see the press re. ford College of Technology Hendrix and all the rest to In Brief lease wesentyoutheother dance? Are universities,or shame.Herstyleisun- week, but we had already scheduled Oxford, one of approachablebynotonly John Riling, 98 Greenbank Ave., thelate Roy Hamilton's record of Julie's'pet other girls_ but by most men Easton,Bristol5. - EarlyBob "Dark End oftheStreet"before peeves',or does shefeel Dylan numbers wanted, also Dylan hisuntimely' death for our "Deep that now she has "gained a too.-Miss "Hey Bird" Walker, by Joan Soul"label,butwithdrewit to Bartow, Fiordia 33830, U.S.A. compositions recorded avoid any possible charge that we tremendous amount con- Baez. were exploitingthis sad news. fidence", that our university Patrick Thwaites, 12 Kirkgate As the lyricsof this song could, Lane, South Hiendley, Nr. Barnsley,'in the light of what has happened, dances are too low for her? Yorkshire. - Iwill pay n fora hegiven a morbid interpretation, -Sarah K. Johns, 27 Kings copyof "When You Walkinthe wethoughtitwould betasteless Drive, Bishopston, Bristol, COWGIRL DIANA? Room" by Jackie de Shannon. to issue a week after he had died, Also swop pies.of most starsfor and so it has been postponed until BS7 8JW. pies. of Nancy Sinatra, Status Quo, the time is more appropriate. I WOULD liketooffer some re- Peter Frampton. lease suggestions to EMI. Since We hope people will buy and en- EP DEMISE therelativelypoorsales of MadelineOrtega,POBox433, joythe record forits own merit, "Livin'InShame". "Love Child" Tombstone, Arizona, 85638, U.S.A.- andnotforthewrongreasons, MAYIon behalf oftherecord and the newer "No Matter What Will swop pies.of any pop groups, because wedon'tdigthatdeath buying publicofBritainask Sign You Are" it should be rather actors,etc.,forpies.and articles cult bit that pops up in the record whatever happened to EPs. obviousthatwearelookingfor time, and just They seemto on the Byrds (present and former scene from time to have disappeared anew Supremes'style. as we didn't issue the Billy Preston over the past few years, . members) and Donovan. withthe JULIE - Skipped College I that EMI release LPtocashinonhisdeserved arrival of longer singles and budget suggest J,Baxter, 38 Stonehlll Road, Gt. albums. "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" from successat Apple(although people But surelythesalesof their"Country and Western" LP. Shelford, Cambridge. - Ihave the saw itthat way), so we willnot EPsbytheBeatles,Stonesand NOVEAU ROCK LP"AsSafeAsYesterday"by eventually issue the Hamilton disc Simon and Garfunkel have shown Itisthebeautifulclassicgiven ALTHOUGII thatspecialSupremes'touch. If HumblePie. Itisanunwanted because of hisdeath(although record companies Ls manypeople say sound,allpointtothefactthat there stilla not agreeable, I Iam willing to exchange that rock music as put down today's music, whether it be teeny- thisdoes seem gift and probably the same people who want market for them. suggest the absolutelystunning it for any' early Dylan, Cohen, Beck tointerpretitthatway'will,no Many people,likemyself, would by Berry,Vincent and Haleybopper or progressive,hasinthe orheavygroupalbum ingood etc.isfinished,after studying thelong run many thankstoofferto "You Need Me" fromthesame matter how many press statements rather pay afew bob for an EP LP.This captures everyfacetof condition.