MUSIC WEEK MARCH 25, 1978 milfilT Joel; I don't want to be a retired rock star at 30 by JIM EVANS earlier success." handled with care. For a start, he's BREAKING AN American act in So how keen is he to break himself not over-fond of television. "I don't the UK can take a long time. Witness in Britain? "So many of my idols like doing tv, it's very restricting. the singles chart and the appearance come from Britain, I want to do well You can't do your usual live show; of Just The Way You Arc, the first here. It's a rock 'n' roll mecca as far you don't know who your audience British chart entry for New York as I'm concerned. Paul McCartney are. If there's another band on singer/songwriter Billy Joel. must be my greatest influence — he before you, it becomes like an Prior to this single release, Billy has to be the best contemporary assembly line. It's not spontaneous, has had four albums released over songwriter. Stevie Winwood and it's too clinical." here — four albums that have been David Bowie too — I don't like to be And when he plans an album — largely ignored by the record buying pinned down, I draw my influences The Stranger took five months to public. But now, the tide could be from many spheres. Black music write — he takes his lime. "1 feel turning. too, James Brown. Hendrix, jazz like an artist or a painter, you have Brought over here by his record classical — I had piano lessons, so I your moments of inspiration, and company. CBS, Joel is playing a suppose it comes through that. your downs as well. Thai's why I'll couple of concerts and doing general "This is called a promotion tour, never do two albums a year." promotion — here being not only in but I'm over here to play a show — Billy, who always had his eyes on Britain, but Holland and Germany that's what rock n roll is all about. a rock music career — "I didn't Andy Gibb as well. He is anxious to establish Seeing us play. Yes. I'd like to do a graduate from High School, you himself outside the States. But even full concert tour, play all around the don't need a diploma to take to in the Stales he is not as established country. Maybe next time. We're Columbia" — signed up with Just as certain sectors of the pop press playing London, but I wonder what Sunshine Records, a small company would have us believe. sort of audience will be there? Will it run by one of the Woodstock More than just a "Success has only come recently be mostly music business? A paper -organisers, at the age of 20. He in the States." he says, "And that house audience? How many people made his first solo album, Cold success was built on a foundation of will actually be coming off the Spring Harbour, in 1971. After six solid touring. Piano Man was a top streets and paying to sec us? That's months promoting the album and ten US single, but the album didn't what I worry about — I mean, how seeing little return, Joel determined go gold until about a year later. And true will the reaction be?" to vanish. younger brother the following albums (Strectlife In Billy Joel. CBS has an artist, it After a spell playing piano in bars Serenade, Turnstiles and The must push along gently. He has great to pay the rent, he signed with CBS WITH TWO Number One singles in Manchester and my brothers, the Stranger) did not — despite what the integrity and won't be forced. and his first album for them. Piano the US to his credit, 20-year-old Bee Gees, had a lot of their early biography tells you — emulate that Promotion, and campaigns must be Man, was released in the States in Andy Gibb has two major ambitions success here. I think the answer is to 1973. Due to contractual problems," for the future — to break through in be seen a lot by the public, either by it did not appear over here until two his native country, the UK, and to tv appearances or concerts, and my years later. While the title track was overcome the current label of schedule in the US just doesn't allow a big success in the States, the delay teenybop idol. And considering the me to spend much time in England. meant it had little impact here. combined forces behind him and his "There won't be any live dates at Likewise, the album failed to take career, namely the Robert Stigwood all until early in 1979. Robert off in the UK. Organisation and his elder brothers Stigwood, my personal manager and The follow-up album, Streetlife the Bee Gees, it seems likely that he I sat down and discussed a strategy Serenade, didn't figure here either. will achieve both within a short — we decided that it would be best Joel was still a relative unknown, period of time. during 1978 for me to just though developing in some areas as a The success of young Gibb in the concentrate on records, tv shows cult figure. The same thing States has been rapid; his first single and radio, while I establish myself, happened with Turnstiles (1976) and for RSO, 1 Just Want To Be Your then next January we will embark The Stranger (1977). Everything, reached numberone last upon a world tour. That will Joel has been compared to the summer and remained there for three probably kick off in the US, and likes of Elton John and Harry consecutive weeks, before returning from there we will come to Europe, Chapin and CBS has plans to make to the lop spot a month later. The and then the Far East and take in him as big over here as the two latter single sustained a top ten postion for Australia as well." mentioned names. Ceaainly the hit a further 16 weeks. His second and He also admits to reservations single is no fluke. It should generate latest single, Love Is Thicker Than about his teenybop image in the US. interest in the albums and must Water, has also topped the charts "I never thought that I would fall make an excellent platform for and been certified a million-seller. into the image trap and I always further chart success. Here in Britain, however, the picture liked to imagine that my songs And he remains close to his cause has been different and although the would appeal to an older audience. — rock n roll. "Money is not the former record was a minor hit, Gibb When I Just Want To Be Your motivation. I'm told I have a lot has still to achieve mass Everything was a hit, there was a coming to me, but it won't change breakthrough. survey made and it revealed that my me, I don't want to be a retired rock He remains philosophical about main fan following was in the eight ; ^ star at 30. I'd rather pay the band a it, "Of course it means a lot to me to to 13 years age bracket! Since then I j bit more and plough the money back be a major recording artist in the have had another hit in the States Billy Joel into production." UK, after all I was born in and 1 am now apparently selling mainly to people aged between eight and 24. Gibb adds: "Anyway it may be good to be a teen idol, but I have Another side of Hank Marvin seen David Cassidy come and go, and it has happened to so many AFTER THE winning singer- and One-Two-Three O'Leary — and the actual music. "He told me other people loo. I think that they producer learnings of Cliff Richard however during the last five years I the same again, but 1 do know that all had one common factor — none and Bruce Welch, and Olivia that I tried too hard with my singing lots of fans at my concerts, when have not had a hit single and I and should be a bit more laid back. they brought LP sleeves backstage to of them had an individual writing Newton John and John Farrar, a thought that maybe some sort of In fact this is the first LP I can play- style, and they were at the mercy of third former Shadow, Hank Marvin, rejuvenation was required along the be signed, used to say that they their songwriters. I hope that 1 can is now attempting to breathe new life to friends, and not cough nervously couldn't afford to spend £3 or £4 on way." when I come to a duff note!" an album." bridge the gap into adult appeal." into the recording career of O'Connor and Marvin have O'Connor adds. "Bruce certainly His rapid rise to success has been singer/comedian Dcs O'Connor. known each other for almost 20 look over all the way and I think O'Connor's record success has awesome, Gibb admits, but his Tne result of their teamwork is a years — in fact Cliff Richard and the extended to other pans of the world new album for Pye called Des that he has given me a clean break as too — he has had three Top Ten hits family connections have helped keep Shadows and the comedian a recording artist.